Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 3509) to reauthorize the Congressional Award Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, last week, as I traveled the communities of my congressional district, I witnessed and saw firsthand the evidence of the great American comeback: the amount of jobs, the job growth that was available, the increase in wages, individuals who have left one job for what we call a new job, a better job, higher wages. The economic growth was absolutely incredible and inspiring, the great American comeback.

Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed last December, the results in our economy have been historic. The unemployment rate is at 3.9 percent, the lowest it has been in decades. Job openings are at a record high. 213,000 jobs were added in June alone in this great Nation. In June, there were 6.7 million job openings--most recently reported, we are at 6.9 million job openings--marking the first time since 2000 that there have been more job openings than those who are unemployed.

Over the past 12 months, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has added more than 65,000 new jobs. I witnessed a lot of those in my visits to manufacturers, refineries, and small businesses. It is just incredible, this great American comeback.

Mr. Speaker, after years of struggling to get ahead, the American people are seeing more jobs, opportunity, and optimism come back. Small-business owners are reporting increased employment and higher wages at record levels. Main Streets across America are thriving. People have more money in their paychecks, and the tax cuts are working for the middle class.

Today and Friday, this House will vote on three bills and make the tax cuts permanent, make the great American comeback permanent. We need to double down on the success and pass tax reform 2.0.

Through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we have doubled the standard deduction and lowered tax rates, which means that 90 percent of Americans are seeing more money in their paychecks this year. Plus, more than 4 million Americans at 642 companies see better wages, bonuses, and expanded retirement options.

In fact, more than half of small businesses have plans to expand and boost hiring or increase employee benefits. This is tremendous news for American families. Too many Americans have been living paycheck to paycheck and have been doing so for way too long. Stagnant wages, growing debt, and the inability to save have plagued so many.

Tax reform 2.0 will create and expand additional programs to help Americans save. For example, it creates a new savings account to offer a fully flexible savings tool that families can use at any time. It expands the 529 education savings accounts. It creates a new baby savings program to help with the birth of a child or an adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I fundamentally believe that Americans should keep more of their hard-earned money. They deserve that. Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress paved the way to create a tax system that is fairer, simpler, and one that establishes an environment where our country can thrive.

We worked hard to do that. On Friday, we will vote to make those tax cuts permanent.

If you support higher wages, if you support lower unemployment, if you support more jobs, if you support bigger paychecks, if you support the American people, then you will support tax reform 2.0.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the passage of H.R. 302, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018.

This bipartisan legislation includes a 5-year reauthorization of FAA programs that promote safety and American leadership in aviation. It also strengthens consumer voices and invests in our airport infrastructure.

Importantly, the Essential Air Service program was reauthorized for an additional 5 years through fiscal year 2023.

This program is vital for rural America. It ensures taxpayers in small, rural communities are connected to the national transportation system. This program provides links to hub airports at more than 170 locations in 36 States and territories, including three in my congressional district, which would otherwise lack commercial air service.

Reliable transportation plays a key role in growing jobs all over the country, and rural America should be no exception.

Additionally, this bill includes important reforms to the Federal Contract Tower Program, which has a proven record of enhancing aviation safety and provides significant cost savings to the taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the House approved this bill to keep all Americans connected to reliable and safe air transportation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding career of Susan Swanson, who has been the executive director of the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, or AHUG, since 1996.

She began her career 25 years ago as an administrative assistant with the organization. Soon, she became the executive director. Since then, Susan has championed numerous initiatives for the hardwood industry, including Penn's Woods curriculum, the PA WoodMobile, the wood products curriculum for high schools, and other forest-related educational products.

Members of AHUG have joined forces successfully to present a united front whose primary objective is expanding and diversifying the forest products industry while maintaining a sustainable, high-yield forest within a 14-county region in northwestern and north central Pennsylvania.

Known for the quality and quantity of its hardwoods, the region of the Commonwealth contains some of the finest forest resources in the world. With a well-developed, primary-processing industry and experienced workforce in place, the area has excellent opportunities for investment. AHUG has been leading this cause since its inception in 1984.

Under Susan's leadership AHUG set out to create new economic growth, promote the expansion of existing industry, and foster the creation of jobs. At the same time, the group recognized the need to promote safe logging and processing practices while maximizing prudent and sound forest management.

AHUG is the lead organizer for the Kane Area Loggers Safety Committee, which hosts the longest running safety meeting for loggers in the United States. In conjunction with the safety meeting, Susan initiated the Women in Timber ladies luncheon, which also is held annually.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Susan has left a lasting impression on AHUG and the industry itself. She said: ``Pennsylvania hardwoods have long been recognized around the globe for their premier quality. Here in the Allegheny hardwood region, we produce 80 percent of all of the cherry hardwood in the world. This does not happen by accident, but because we take the time to manage our forest resources for optimum production for today, sustainability for the future generations, and unequaled environmental consciousness.''

I know Susan has left AHUG in an excellent place to accomplish its goal for a thriving forestry industry in northwestern and north central Pennsylvania. She has proudly led AHUG by partnering with other organizations and entities in the delivery of services to the hardwood industry, such as workforce initiatives, training, and professional forestry development, all of which have been important to the industry's survival.

Mr. Speaker, I wish Susan the best as she enters her well-deserved retirement. She will get to spend more time with her husband, who is a proud Pennsylvania logger; her three grown children; and her grandchildren.

Her impacts on AHUG will last generations. We are grateful for her leadership, dedication, and commitment to the Pennsylvania hardwood industry.

Honoring Warren Lions Club on 95th Anniversary

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Warren Lions Club on 95 years of service to northwestern Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1923, the Warren Lions Club is a fellowship of community- oriented and service-minded men and women dedicated to helping the citizens of their city, nation, and the world realize their full potential.

The Lions Club of Warren has provided assistance to people who are challenged by sight or hearing impairment, as well as other health- and economic-related issues.

The Warren Lions Club meets twice a month at the Conewango Club for presentations, fellowship, lunch or dinner, and business and project discussions. They host several projects and fundraisers throughout the year, including

an annual turkey dinner, a car show, and events for sight- and hearing- impaired assistance.

Lions Clubs have inspired generations of people to become civic- minded individuals dedicated to using their talents and ambitions to improve their communities without financial reward.

Mr. Speaker, Lions Clubs around the globe serve millions annually, and I wholeheartedly congratulate the Warren Lions Club on its 95th anniversary of being a powerful force for good in the world

Mr. Speaker, September is Suicide Prevention Month, and almost every 12 minutes, an American dies by suicide.

It is now the 10th leading cause of death in the United States of America. The Centers for Disease Control recently reported a 30 percent increase in suicide rates in the last 30 years, with nearly 45,000 Americans taking their own lives in 2016.

Mr. Speaker, suicide is preventable. Increasing access to crisis resources saves lives. Mental and behavioral health research saves lives. Ending the stigma surrounding suicide and reaching out for help saves lives.

On average, one person dies by suicide every 4 hours in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, according to

research from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

There is no single cause of suicide, and suicide risk increases when several health factors and life stressors converge to create an experience of hopelessness and despair.

But, together, we can reverse this course. By making mental healthcare, substance abuse treatment, and suicide prevention a national priority, we can reverse the tide on these deaths of despair.

We will save lives, and we will do it together.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership. I congratulate him on some great legislation that was passed out of the Natural Resources Committee earlier today, which I know will be extremely important to the citizens who are lucky to have him as their Representative.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here this evening. As vice chair of the Agriculture Committee and as a former chair of the House Forestry Subcommittee and a proud member of the Western Caucus--I always say I am on the eastern frontier of the Western Caucus, being from Pennsylvania, but we have the same issues. We really do.

I have a national forest, one of the more profitable national forests in the country, but facing a lot of the issues: rural communities, school districts that are dependent on secure rural schools, and just so many issues--energy production, development--and so I am proud to be here this evening on an issue that is incredibly important, an issue that impacts the lives of so many and heavily impacts our Western States.

I am honored to represent Pennsylvania, obviously, and as some have described our forest, Mr. Speaker, as asbestos forest in Pennsylvania, probably because of the 90-some-thousand miles of streams that we have. We have plenty of moisture. I wish we could put a bunch of that water in a pipeline and sell it to you. We would send it your direction.

But as it is, while the devastating impact on our forests is invasive species--that is a subject for another evening--I can tell you, when the wildfires occur in States such as Utah, Montana, Colorado, and throughout the West, California, these devastating wildfires, there is a large sucking sound, as I like to describe it, out of my national forest, and it comes in the form of resources, money that is taken away because of the necessity that I support of having to fight those fires.

We also have personnel that are deployed out of my national forest. So that means that our timber, the money for our timber marketing, and harvesting, and the multi-use comes almost to a screeching halt.

So I am pleased with the leadership that we have done, in both the Natural Resources Committee and the Agriculture Committee, to address this issue. As vice chair of the Agriculture Committee, I am proud of the Forestry Title of the House farm bill. It contains a number of reforms intended to provide the Forest Service and our private foresters with more authorities and flexibilities to help better manage; that is both in increasing timber production, but it is also in managing a forest that is healthy and, therefore, managing the understory, the fuel load that has built up over decades of mismanagement.

By providing new authorities and encouraging new timber markets, we do that in a number of ways, Mr. Speaker. The bill encourages active forest management. We reauthorize the Landscape Scale Restoration Program, and that allows for more partnerships to tackle critical challenges such as forest health, and wildfires, as well as drinking water protection.

The bill supports, in many ways, these types of initiatives but, specifically, on the wildfires, Mr. Speaker. Over the past 2 decades, wildfires have been an increasing challenge for the Forest Service as costs have skyrocketed to fight them.

Since 1995, the Forest Service's annual wildfire budget has increased from 13 percent of the budget to nearly 60 percent of the budget, Mr. Speaker. Last year was the costliest fire year on record, with the Forest Service spending $2.4 billion in 2017 alone.

Year after year, the agency runs out of fire funding, forcing it to draw additional funds from non-fire accounts and other forests, national forests, including to cover basic operational and forest management funds that pay for timbering, and research activities, and even proactive fire prevention.

Unfortunately, this occurs because the Forest Service has been unable to access additional funding when the fire funds runs out due to a budget cap.

Now, finally, the 2018 omnibus included a ``fire borrowing fix'' by creating a wildfire cap adjustment, which will treat wildfires like any other natural disasters; just like we saw down in the Carolinas with Hurricane Florence.

Now this change will free up the Forest Service to fight wildfires and do so without transferring funds from non-fire accounts. These are accounts that help to prevent fires with restorative cuts, and managing the understory, dealing with the fuel load, the standing dead timber because of, perhaps, disease.

For forests around the Nation, especially in the East, this will mean more funding for other essential activities such as management, timbering, and even recreation and research activities.

Now, along with fixing the budget cap, the omnibus currently provides the Forest Service with new management authorities, and these reforms are specifically intended to help the Forest Service better manage and proactively prevent forest fires from breaking out.

Specifically, these new authorities will streamline the environmental analysis, reduce litigation, and provide timber harvest contract certainty. Some of these reforms include, within our proposed farm bill--which we are in conference in right now, and we need the Senate to realize these improvements were based on the successes we had in the last farm bill, which has really helped our forest products industry, our timber industry, helped make our forests more healthy; and when they are healthy, they are more resilient to wildfires.

So it includes: Categorical Exclusions for Wildfire Resilience Projects; Healthy Forest Restoration Act inclusion of Fire and Fuel Breaks; 20-year Stewardship Contracts; Cottonwood Reform; Fire Hazard Mapping Initiative; Fuels Management for Protection of Electric Transmission Lines; and Good Neighbor Authority Road Amendment.

Forest fires do not recognize or respect boundaries. If they start in a national forest, they are going to wind up in State forests, they are going to wind up on private property land.

So we are doing all the right things. I am very pleased, and we need to do this.

When I look at the communities, such as the ones that the gentleman from Montana represent, as a result of wildfires, we see a loss of life; we see a loss of homes; a loss of the economy; a loss of the taxpayer-owned assets, whether it is national forests or State forests; and certainly a loss of assets for those private property owners that have forests.

So I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this topic and issue, and I really appreciate his managing this Special Order this evening on a very important topic of wildfires.

Nationwide impact.

It really is.

Mr. Speaker, our watersheds, most of our water sources start--many of them start in national forests. They are certainly in forests, but a lot of national forests. And with wildfires, you create a situation where there is no stability in the soils. And so where these wonderful trout streams, streams that support life, support communities, support families with clean water, these wildfires, they basically caramelize that soil so that, essentially, the flash flooding, the runoffs, it puts all these solids within those streams, it creates turbidity, the solids, the nutrients that go in there.

So the impact of wildfires, as the gentleman said, it is the land, it is the air and, quite frankly, it is the water, and that is why we have to do a better job of preventing these wildfires to start with.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Abe and Trish Harpster of Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania.

Abe and Trish were recently chosen as the Congressional Coalition on Adoption's 2018 Angels in Adoption Honorees for their extraordinary contributions to adoption.

I proudly nominated the Harpsters for this honor because they truly are generous and selfless individuals.

The Harpsters have successfully adopted three of their children: Logan, Riley, and Teagan. Trish works in sales and Abe runs his family's dairy farm in Huntingdon County. Both feel extraordinarily blessed and lucky to be parents of these three great kids.

Having attempted several adoptions, Abe and Trish like to share their adoption stories and act as a resource for parents beginning the process. They are passionate about improving Federal laws and regulations to ensure more children are connected with a permanent, loving family.

Every year the Harpsters host a fly-fishing tournament on their family farm. The money raised from this event goes directly to the Centre County Youth Services Bureau.

This nonprofit organization has been strengthening children and families since 1968. They work to provide every child with the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Last year's fishing event raised more than $60,000 for the Youth Services Bureau, and in the coming years, the Harpsters hope to raise even more for this great organization.

Later this month, Angels in Adoption honorees from across the country will arrive in Washington, D.C., to be celebrated for their great contributions.

I look forward to meeting Abe and Trish to congratulate them on this outstanding honor and discuss child welfare issues as well as their own personal experiences with the adoption process.

For the past 20 years, Angels in Adoption has celebrated individuals, couples, and organizations from across the country that have made an extraordinary contribution on behalf of children in need: everyday heroes, or in this case angels, like the Harpsters, who never seek recognition but wholeheartedly deserve it.

I look forward to congratulating Abe and Trish in person.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to note that this past Sunday was National Grandparents Day. In honor of this special day, we must not forget the outstanding work being done by the foster grandparents across the country.

The Foster Grandparent Program is a part of the Senior Corps of the Cooperation for National and Community Service.

This program provides a way for volunteers age 55 and over to serve as role models, mentors, and friends to children with exceptional needs.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, there are more than 10,000 Senior Corps volunteers. These volunteers have touched the lives of so many children by tutoring more than 4,000 young people in Pennsylvania alone. And, Madam Speaker, these foster grandparents provide the kind of guidance and love that set children on the path towards a successful future.

I look forward to celebrating Abe and Trish Harpster, and want to recognize all those who play an important role in the lives of young people. There is no greater gift to give than time, love, and support to a child in need.

Recognizing Nothing But Nets for Work Against Malaria

Madam Speaker, recently I met with a constituent who works with the grassroots organization Nothing But Nets, which raises awareness in the fight against malaria.

As you may know, malaria is transmitted to people through mosquitoes carrying the disease. In 2016, there were 216 million new cases of malaria worldwide and 445,000 deaths, 70 percent of which were children under five. Malaria takes the life of a child every 2 minutes.

Most malaria cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, but Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East are also at risk.

Malaria is a treatable, preventable disease, but half the world's population lives in danger of contracting the parasite from a simple mosquito bite.

U.S. leadership is critical to the elimination of malaria around the world and we have helped to create and expand lifesaving interventions like long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spray, and rapid diagnostic tests.

Our continued leadership is critical in finally eliminating malaria around the world. I look forward to the day when we can eradicate malaria once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital on 35 years of excellence in rehabilitation care.

HealthSouth is a rehabilitation hospital in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania, that offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services designed to return patients to leading active and independent lives.

Mr. Speaker, I know firsthand the dedicated work these highly skilled professionals perform each day at HealthSouth. Before coming to Congress, I worked for 30 years as a therapist, a rehabilitation services director, and a licensed nursing home administrator.

There is no greater joy than to see your patients make progress after a debilitating event such as a stroke, a spinal cord injury, a brain injury, or a motor vehicle accident.

HealthSouth is fortunate to be led by Chief Executive Officer Susan Hartman, a long-time rehabilitation professional who joined HealthSouth in 1994 and was named CEO in 2005.

I congratulate CEO Hartman and the entire staff at HealthSouth on 35 years of dedicated service to the community. They are committed to providing patients with comfort, professionalism, and respect throughout their rehabilitation experience, and we are grateful for their high level of care.

Mr. Speaker, Saturday marks the start of the 10th annual Allegheny River and Watershed Cleanup, which is a weeklong effort in Warren County to keep the Allegheny River healthy and clean.

The Allegheny River is one of the Nation's most beautiful and clean waters. For more than 10 years, the waterway has been designated one of the Nation's wild and scenic rivers. It is also home to seven islands protected under America's National Wilderness Preservation System.

Every year, hundreds of people visit the river to enjoy its beauty and bounty. In 2017, 317 volunteers donated roughly 2,536 hours of their time while removing 5,350 pounds of metal, 94 tires, and 35 cubic feet of trash from the Allegheny and the Conewango Creek.

Adults and children participate in the cleanup. They walk along the riverbanks or use their canoes and kayaks to remove garbage found in or along the Allegheny River and its tributaries.

Mr. Speaker, the Allegheny River watershed is and continues to be an important recreational, ecological, and economic asset to Warren County. I commend all those who participate in this outstanding event.

Mr. Speaker, northwest Pennsylvania has a rich history and vibrant, diverse economy. Its winding trails, beautiful landscapes, recreational and educational opportunities, and thriving communities make Venango and Crawford Counties especially captivating places to live, to work, and to visit.

Many of these attractions are centered around one common theme, the world's first commercial oil well. Colonel Drake successfully drilled this well in 1859, triggering the first oil boom and establishing the oil region as ``the valley that changed the world.''

His efforts not only made northwestern Pennsylvania the energy powerhouse that it is today, but it also sparked a cultural revolution that came as a result of the booming economy.

We are tremendously proud of our history and heritage in northwest Pennsylvania. We still celebrate these communities that bloomed from Colonel Drake's innovative idea today, and Drake Well continues to have a tangible impact on the area's economy.

In 2004, Congress designated the region as a national heritage area. There are only 49 of these areas across the country that are designated as places where natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape.

The Oil Region National Heritage Area was the Nation's 25th national heritage area, and it celebrates the birth of the petroleum industry.

The region is honored to have this important designation, but without action, it will sunset next year. That is why I introduced the Oil Region National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act.

The heritage area's coordinating entity, the Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry, and Tourism, has taken a grassroots, community- driven approach to heritage, conservation, and economic development.

Through public-private partnerships, national heritage area entities support historic preservation, natural resource conservation, recreation, heritage tourism, and educational projects. These partnerships foster pride of place and an enduring stewardship ethic.

The Oil Region Alliance focuses on heritage development, economic development, and tourism destination marketing. All three of these areas have been successful, and, from 2005 to 2015, the ORA has been able to invest more than $6.8 million in heritage development projects, invest more than $6.7 million in economic development activities, and attract nearly 240,000 visitors annually. They have done an excellent job using innovative methods to stimulate the local economy, using a mixture of both Federal and private funds.

Last month, I was with my colleague Congressman Mike Kelly at the home of the legendary investigative journalist Ida Tarbell. Born in Pennsylvania at the onset of the oil boom, Tarbell is best known for her 1904 book, ``The History of the Standard Oil Company.''

The ORA recently completed a full restoration of Ms. Tarbell's home, ensuring that it would be preserved for generations to come.

Congressman Kelly and I announced the Oil Region National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act at the Tarbell House as an example of why this designation is important. Our bill would extend Federal funding authorization of our heritage area through 2026.

Extending this funding is crucial for the ORA to continue its mission of preserving the Oil Region's history, stimulating the local economy, and allowing others to appreciate the beauty and the culture of Venango and Crawford Counties.

The ORA's efforts give us the ability to appreciate the rich history of northwestern Pennsylvania and understand the impact that our communities have had on American culture today. While the Tarbell home restoration is just one of the ORA's projects, they have completed countless other projects to support our communities, educate the public, and help local businesses grow and thrive.

I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation, which will directly impact northwestern Pennsylvanians and preserve our rich heritage for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Clearfield Presbyterian Church on its 200th anniversary.

First organized in 1818, groups of worshippers met in private homes and places of public gatherings. That same year, Hugh Jordan and Archibald Shaw were ordained and installed as ruling elders. In 1825, the Reverend Gary Bishop was called to be a pastor of the church, and he served from 1826 to 1834.

The first church was erected in 1841, but it was removed in 1867 to build the new stone church. It was dedicated in 1869, and the cost exceeded $41,000. The church was known for its 150-foot steeple, which was the highest in the community.

This Sunday, September 9, the church will celebrate two centuries of delivering the good news of Jesus Christ to members of its congregation, both near and far.

Mr. Speaker, generations of Pennsylvanians have gathered in this beautiful church to hear the Word of the Lord. On this special occasion, I both congratulate and pray for the Clearfield Presbyterian Church, its leaders, and the entire congregation, both past and present.

Mr. Speaker, the USO was on Capitol Hill earlier today for a service project where volunteers assembled care packages for spouses of servicemembers who are currently deployed.

In May, the USO kicked off the Salute to Military Spouses, a 6-month spotlight on the contributions and challenges of our military spouses. This campaign aims to raise public awareness of these unsung heroes.

The USO strengthens America's military servicemembers by keeping them connected to family, home, and country through their service to the Nation. For more than 75 years, the USO has been by the side of America's military servicemembers and their families, too.

There are USO centers at or near military installations across the United States and throughout the world, including in combat zones and even un-staffed USO service sites in places too dangerous for anyone but combat troops to occupy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the USO for its dedication to our servicemembers and their families. I salute our Nation's military spouses; and I thank them for their dedication to their family and also this country.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join my colleagues on the

floor here to reflect on a piece of legislation. It is a righteous piece of legislation that is time to be reauthorized that has served so many. I really rise today to talk about an issue that affects 1 in 4 women and approximately 15.5 million children every year--domestic violence.

Domestic violence has been cast into the background throughout most of our history, remaining a hidden problem, one that wasn't talked about, and one, certainly, that wasn't properly addressed.

Survivors of domestic violence have often tolerated physical, mental, and emotional abuse in silence, out of fear their spouses or partners would retaliate.

Former battered women, civic organizations, and professionals began to open shelters in the 1970s to provide services to abused women and their children. After seeing the great results from these efforts, Congress led a series of hearings in the early 1980s to understand the scope of this violence and explore possible responses.

This led Congress to pass legislation that touched on all facets of domestic abuse. As part of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, or FVPSA, was enacted to support lifesaving services, including emergency shelters, crisis hotlines, counseling, and programs for underserved communities throughout the United States, including the United States territories.

This critical legislation has been authorized seven times since its enactment, most recently in 2010 for 5 years, through fiscal year 2015. That is why I, along with 102 of my colleagues, introduced H.R. 6014, which reauthorizes the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act an additional 5 years through fiscal year 2023.

Congress sets aside funding for three purposes under FVPSA, and I am going to look at these a little more in depth. But first, I want to take the opportunity to say I am pleased that I am joined by a couple of my colleagues this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore), my colleague who has been an original cosponsor of this reauthorization legislation

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Moore, for sharing Inez's story. It is a story that occurs in a frightening way so many times, where victims of abuse--but at the same time, it is an inspiring story because it illustrates how these important services that we fund through this piece of legislation can help save lives, saved the lives of this woman and her son, to be able to change their lives around, you know, really, being caught in such a long history of abuse and how it makes a difference.

So I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and for sharing that, the story of Inez--much appreciated.

Absolutely. So when they make that courageous decision, they quickly find they are not alone; there is someone there reaching out.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for being a part of this Special Order this evening. Again, I want to thank my colleague and commend her for her leadership on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate the importance of FVPSA. This legislation is at the heart of our Nation's response to domestic violence services. This program ensures that local domestic violence shelters and programs are able to keep their lights on and the doors open to serve more than 1.3 million victims and their children every year.

FVPSA funds nearly 1,600 community-based programs through State formula grants, including 60 programs located throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, my home State. These programs provide the necessary resources to local communities that help educate individuals on healthy relationships, as well as offer legal assistance, crisis intervention, and counseling.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), an esteemed colleague, a good friend of mine. I have the privilege and honor of serving with him on the Education and the Workforce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) for his leadership on issues related to Education and the Workforce, serving that committee, as you do, and I am proud to serve there with you, but also for having that heart for individuals who are facing abuse and those victims that we know are out there who are struggling as a result of the various types of abuses that occur. I know the gentleman has a heart of service, of trying to provide this, so I am certainly proud to work with him on this important reauthorization of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as a part of this, of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, Congress sets aside funding for three purposes under FVPSA. This includes a national domestic hotline which receives calls for assistance related to domestic abuse, incredibly important, being able to, 24/7, reach out for help when finding themselves in these tragic circumstances.

Another area, another purpose is direct services like housing, counseling, legal advocacy, and referrals through State grants for victims of domestic abuse and their children and efforts to prevent domestic violence through a program known as Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Allies.

Now, I would like to take the opportunity to highlight one of these programs, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, more commonly referred to as The Hotline.

Beginning in 1996, this 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service provides free and confidential support for individuals who call for assistance related to domestic violence issues. The Hotline also provides referrals and connects individuals to the most comprehensive resource base in the country, with over 4,800 service providers in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam, all possible through the continuous support of FVPSA funding.

The Hotline is the only 24/7 center in the Nation that has access to service providers and shelters across the United States, including our territories. This service also helps with safety planning and support related to questions related to healthy relationships.

Not only does The Hotline answer calls from victims, but it also provides services and support to helpers, who are individuals who contact The Hotline on behalf of a person who is now or has previously been the victim of abuse, in addition to abusive partners, service providers, and law enforcement officials.

One project The Hotline has introduced is the Love Is Respect program. The purpose of this program is to engage, educate, and empower young people to prevent and end abusive relationships. This online resource helps millions of teens and 20-somethings learn about healthy relationships and dating violence. Providing hotline services to youth is also authorized as a part of FVPSA, another critical need covered by this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, in 2017, The Hotline and Love Is Respect answered over 300,000 calls for help, 300,000 calls, texts, and chats from survivors of domestic abuse on a range of issues, including physical abuse, emotional and verbal abuse, economic and financial abuse, digital abuse, and sexual abuse.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline also partners with the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center's expertise to operate the StrongHearts Native Helpline.

This important program provides culturally appropriate, confidential services for Native Americans affected by domestic abuse and dating violence.

Although The Hotline has made significant strides over its lifetime offering support to victims, more than 98,000 contacts in 2017 went unanswered due to a lack of resources and capacity.

Mr. Speaker, that is unacceptable. It is imperative that we pass this legislation to continue funding programs like these that have a proven record of success.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight one of the organizations that provides great resources on domestic violence issues, the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

Each year, this organization releases a report entitled ``Domestic Violence Counts: A 24-hour National Census of Domestic Violence Services.'' This report revealed that, in just one day, Mr. Speaker, one day in 2017, more than 72,000 victims of domestic violence received services.

In my home State and your home State, Mr. Speaker, of Pennsylvania, in that State alone, 1,278 victims of domestic violence found refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing provided by local domestic violence programs; 1,208 victims of domestic violence received support through counseling, legal assistance, and children's support programs; 760 hotline calls received that day were answered, which equals about 32 calls answered per hour; and 1,841 individuals, Mr. Speaker, attended prevention and education training sessions on that day across Pennsylvania, gaining critical information on domestic violence prevention, early intervention, and other related services.

Although this report showed the great success of our local community- based programs, more than 11,000 requests for services went unmet that day because programs lacked the resources and the funding to carry out these services.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear these programs are working for the American public. Let us pass this legislation to continue supporting victims of domestic violence and providing them with all the necessary resources they need on their way to recovery.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues, Representative Moore and Representative Walberg, for taking time out of their busy schedule to talk about this important issue with us today. And, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the more than 100 Members of Congress who have stepped up and stepped forward to put their name on this legislation as cosponsors of this reauthorization bill. It is a strong bipartisan bill for a righteous purpose.

FVPSA was the first Federal law to address domestic violence. Since its enactment in 1984, it has continued to have a primary focus on providing shelter and services for survivors and has increasingly provided support to children exposed to domestic violence and teen dating violence.

It is my hope this legislation will continue to support those who are facing domestic violence and continue to create healthy and safe pathways to recovery.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 34 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, September 6, 2018, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.