Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the Energy and Commerce Committee and our new chair of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Mrs. Blackburn, and the new ranking member on the committee, Mr. Doyle.

I believe by the end of today, Mr. Speaker, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will have produced close to 20 pieces of legislation already this Congress for consideration by the House, and I think all of them have been bipartisan. That is the kind of work this great committee is known for and we hope to continue to do. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

I think we agreed that the FCC was in need of process reform. This is the people's business that they are conducting. It needs to be done in an open and transparent and predictable way so that all of those involved in the public's business can see what is happening.

The Federal Communications Commission regulates an incredibly dynamic and innovative sector of the American economy. The communications technology sector directly impacts the lives of consumers in meaningful ways. Consumers are able to map their ways to new places, find information and enriching content, and reach their loved ones who might live in the most remote places, literally, of the globe.

Communications technology also enables other industries to reach their audiences in new and life-changing ways: health care, finance, manufacturing, agriculture. All of these industries are leveraging communications technologies in ways to better serve the American consumer.

It is essential that we do as much as we can to protect and promote innovation in this sector of the economy. We can't afford to allow this fundamental sector of the economy to languish or fail under outdated regulations or faulty regulatory processes. That is why Committee on Energy and Commerce has focused on improving the processes at the FCC, so that it operates in an effective and transparent manner.

This bill represents the fourth time, as you have heard, that we have brought a measure to this House floor that seeks to improve the way the FCC conducts its business. Last Congress, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, process reform was a priority and it still is. I am committed to continuing the reform effort by supporting this legislation once again.

Over the years, we have worked closely across the aisle to formulate a bipartisan compromise piece of legislation that addresses many of the concerns that we all share. Whether it is creating certainty for regulated industries by requiring shot clocks and deadlines, protecting consumers by prohibiting data dumps at the eleventh hour, or empowering all Commissioners by creating a tool for bipartisan majority to bring an item up for a vote at the FCC, this legislation is intended to improve the way the FCC does its business all across the board.

One of the concerns we heard from some on the committee during the consideration of this legislation was that an overly proscriptive piece of legislation could hamstring the agency. Well, I think we have structured this legislation to fully address that legitimate concern by allowing the agency, itself, to determine the specifics of the overarching principles that we set forth. We give them that flexibility. We just want them to do the job.

For example, the bill requires that all Commissioners have adequate time to review decision documents before having to vote. However, we allow the agency to determine what the adequate amount of time is through a rulemaking process that will generate input from the industries, the consumers, the stakeholders; and, ultimately, that should result in a Commission decision that reflects the way that the agency can best function.

I think it is important to note that we are still extremely committed to these important reforms, even though we have seen a change in administrations and will see a new chairman.

Process reform is not about political ideology or partisan rancor, rather, it is about ensuring that government continues to work for the people. I am hopeful that this legislation will reach the President's desk and result in a better, more efficient, more transparent Federal Communications Commission, the kind of regulator that the most innovative and dynamic sector in the world deserves.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the new subcommittee chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. I know our country is in good hands and our committee is as well with Mrs. Blackburn chairing that important subcommittee. I want to thank my colleague from California for his kind comments and his work over the years on these issues. I concur with him that we have a wonderful opportunity to continue our bipartisan work as the committee has been known for, for a long time. Clearly, from time to time, we will have our differences, and we know that as well. It is part of democracy. There is so much of this work, like this bill, that is so very important.

As we begin the 115th Congress, I am pleased to be here to support this bipartisan bill because I think it reflects the best of what government can do for those who sent us here. Small Business Broadband Deployment Act seeks to alleviate, as you have heard, Mr. Speaker, these unnecessary regulatory burdens on small Internet service providers--these are the small ones, oftentimes in our rural communities but not always--while still ensuring that consumers are protected. We found the right balance here.

By extending an exemption to the Federal Communications Commission's enhanced reporting rules, this bill allows these small businesses to focus on their core mission, and that is to provide broadband Internet access to customers throughout America. Over the past year, we spent a great deal of time focused on this issue. We first raised concerns with the Federal Communications Commission in a letter, Mr. Speaker, from the committee, as well as from the Committee on Small Business. We urged the chairman, Tom Wheeler, to not only make the exemption permanent but also to raise the threshold by defining a small business to bring it in line with the definitions previously blessed by the Obama administration's Small Business Administration. We were trying to find some consistency, some workability, and some common sense here.

Well, unfortunately, the FCC only extended the exemption for 1 year, despite the overwhelming support to do this permanent extension. It was clear Congress needed to act. That is what we are doing here. I introduced a discussion draft last year that would have permanently extended the exemption and increased the threshold by defining a small business.

At our January 2016 legislative hearing on the bill, we heard from a small Internet service provider who shared the dilemma that many small ISPs face in these circumstances: Should they put up new equipment, or should they hire a lawyer to help with compliance? Should they improve service for customers, or should they devote those financial resources to sifting through regulatory language and drafting extensive reports on packet loss?

So often these small ISPs provide service to areas of the country that are rural, like in my district throughout eastern Oregon or Representative Loebsack's district in Iowa--we heard from him--or may not be as easy to serve and, in some cases, provide a vital competitive edge to larger Internet service providers. We should be making all efforts to promote the viability of these businesses, not saddle them with additional requirements that make it more difficult to do what they are in business to do.

Representative Loebsack and I were able to come to a compromise through extensive negotiation. In the bill we have before us today, we extend this exemption for 5 years. Now, it gives greater regulatory certainty to these small Internet service providers looking for predictability when making investment decisions. In addition, we increased the threshold for defining a small business and required the FCC to report back to Congress on the exemption along with data around small ISPs that is currently lacking.

In the end, this bill presents a good compromise that will relieve burdens for small businesses while leaving in place protections for consumers. So it is important to note this bill doesn't affect the transparency rules, as my colleagues have mentioned, adopted in the FCC's 2010 rules. Consumers will continue to have access to those disclosures they have come to expect, with the information needed to make informed decisions about their Internet service.

Again, this bill passed the House unanimously last year, 411-0. Unfortunately, while it made it through the Senate Commerce Committee, it never quite came up for a vote in the Senate. In addition, the exemption granted by the FCC expired on December 15, 2016, and has not yet been renewed. Now, that leaves these many small businesses exposed to the serious reporting burden that we have heard about throughout this process, as well as a great deal of uncertainty around what the future may hold for them. It is now more important than ever that we act to quickly fill this gap and protect these businesses and the consumers they serve.

I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, especially Representative Loebsack, for working with us on this bill. This bipartisan process has resulted in a strong piece of legislation that I am confident will protect many and promote continued network investment and build-out by small businesses. This legislation represents a commonsense approach to a problem that directly impacts so many of our constituents. This solution will enable our country to continue its leadership in broadband deployment. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for this important piece of legislation, H.R. 304, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act.

This is a bipartisan bill. It was introduced by two of our colleagues from North Carolina, Representatives Hudson and Butterfield. It previously passed the House by voice vote, no objection, back in November; but, unfortunately, it was not taken up by the Senate before the last Congress adjourned, meaning we have to be here today to restart this process.

This, along with three other Energy and Commerce bills that we are considering today, shows that the Energy and Commerce Committee is picking right up where we left off, in a bipartisan way, to produce quality legislation that will improve the public health.

Now, H.R. 304 is really an important bill because it enables our Nation's emergency medical services professionals to continue to provide quality emergency care by recognizing the unique nature of their practice.

Specifically, as you may have heard, the bill clarifies that paramedics and other EMS professionals can administer certain pain and antiseizure medications in emergency situations pursuant to standing or verbal orders. In other words, the doctor has said to the EMS person, you can do these things in emergencies.

Now, think about this. You are in a car wreck. The EMT shows up in the ambulance. They can't communicate with anybody because they are down in a valley or somewhere where they don't have communication. Without this legislation, it is uncertain now, because of this ruling out of the administration, whether or not they can give you antiseizure medication or pain relief medication until they can get in contact. This is not what any of us wants, so this legislation fixes that.

During this process, when this decision was made a while back, I heard from Dr. Paul Rostykus, an emergency physician in Jackson County, Oregon. He said that this is really critical to saving lives and reducing suffering, particularly in our remote and rural areas where these emergency technicians, EMTs, may struggle to call in emergencies and it can take much longer for patients to reach the nearest doctor.

I just implore you to talk to anybody that is running around the ambulances, and they will tell you this is really, really important for patients.

I had an ambulance driver tell me--an EMT tell me it is important for them because sometimes in an accident, somebody is injured and they are kind of out of control and have a seizure. Now, I am not a doctor. We actually have one here who can tell us

more. But they then are able to administer certain medications that will calm the patient, prevent them from hurting themselves or hurting the EMT.

So I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 304 as well as the other bipartisan Energy and Commerce bills that are on the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to pass these important bills.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 734) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to consolidate the reporting obligations of the Federal Communications Commission in order to improve congressional oversight and reduce reporting burdens.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, in our multiyear effort to update the Communications Act, one of the most common themes we have heard is the convergence of the telecommunications marketplace. No longer are companies just one service over just one medium. Both technology and consumer expectations have completely changed the game. However, the agency tasked with regulating the communications sector still exists in the outdated and siloed structure that reflects decades-old assumptions, even how they evaluate and report on the industry.

While that fractured approach will be a continued focus of our CommActUpdate process, this bill will take an important first step toward modernizing the way we look at this sector and its regulator. This legislation consolidates eight separate reports that require the FCC to evaluate the state of competition in various sectors and combines those eight reports into just a single biennial report to Congress on the communications marketplace as a whole.

This bill also takes the important step of eliminating outdated reports that only serve to junk up the Communications Act and cause confusion. Reports like the ORBIT Act--which I have a copy of here--are aimed at ensuring that satellites that were long ago privatized are procompetitive, an examination that the FCC and the industry recognizes as both outdated, unnecessary, and burdensome. There are still laws on the books that address such outdated technologies as telegraphs. This is a small but significant step toward cleaning up the act and modernizing the laws and the agency that control this very dynamic marketplace.

Ensuring that all of the reports on the books are both necessary and effective helps to reduce the burden on the agency. It also helps the regulatory agency make more informed decisions.

I would like to take a moment to thank my colleagues, Representative Scalise, Ranking Member Eshoo, and the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Pallone, for their work to make this bill a bipartisan success both today and, frankly, in the last two sessions of Congress. I am hopeful that the first bill to pass out of our subcommittee this Congress is an indication of the work that we can get done when we collaborate.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), our majority whip, and a terrific member of our subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I join my friend and colleague from New Jersey and ask our colleagues to support passage of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the entire Oregon delegation who are with me to inform the House of the passing of our former colleague Wes Cooley.

Wes Cooley was born in Los Angeles in 1932. He graduated from the University of Southern California, served in the Army, raced motorcycles professionally, and among other business ventures, he owned a vitamin supplements company and ranched in Oregon.

Wes Cooley cared deeply for his community and his State, prompting him to run successfully for and serve in the Oregon State Senate before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, where he served one term. He worked hard, and he cared deeply about the rural West and the country.

Last week, Wes passed away in Bend, Oregon, after a long illness. Our thoughts and our prayers are with his wife, Rosemary, and his family during this difficult time of loss.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Oregon delegation, I ask that the House observe a moment of silence in memory of former Congressman Wes Cooley.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Georgette Brown, a dedicated public servant and a very good friend of mine who passed away earlier this month. For 25 years, Georgette served the people of Josephine County, Oregon, as the longest serving County Clerk in county history. Along the way, she implemented local vote-by- mail and published the first local voters' pamphlet. Today, I honor her commitment and lifetime of community service.

Georgette understood the importance of participating in our democracy. Whether at a town hall, rotary speech or business roundtable, Georgette was always present, actively listening, asking pertinent questions and showing genuine support. She believed the best way to make her voice heard in Washington, DC was by being present and engaged.

For Georgette, the core duty of a citizen was voting. She worked hard to make sure every vote counted. When Oregon moved to a vote-by-mail system, Georgette appeared before the Oregon Legislature to advocate for ballot deadline announcements in the media. In her own county, she took it upon herself as Clerk to make sure as many people as possible voted, telling anyone who would listen that they better vote!

Georgette Brown's belief and dedication paid off. Voter turnout in Josephine County peaked at nearly 90 percent in the 1996 general election and averaged nearly 70 percent during much of Georgette's tenure. She served as president of the Oregon Association of County Clerks. I am sure more than a few of the fellow clerks with whom Georgette served are grateful for having so many helpful things from her along the way.

Georgette had the distinction of being Josephine County's first clerk to perform marriages, and she performed hundreds of them during and after her tenure. She even once traveled on her own time to New Zealand to perform a wedding for a Grants Pass resident, quickly making new friends along the way.

If someone had a question, Georgette usually had an answer. Often, she would even rattle off the appropriate Oregon statute from memory. Georgette believed it was important to be fiscally responsible in running her office. She ran it like a business, looking for ways to save money. Sometimes, when times were tight, she'd pay her own expenses when traveling to a conference, sharing a room when necessary.

Georgette had great respect for the office of Clerk, and those who worked there. After her retirement in 2008, she would stop by the county courthouse to say hello. Her last visit was in May when she hand delivered her ballot to make sure the county clerk knew her signature had changed--and likely to see how the turnout was looking to see how many people she still needed to remind.

In addition to her official duties, Georgette was generous, donating to parks and 4-H programs. She was very community-minded, working on Rotary projects and serving as Rotary president. She was a member of St. Anne's parish for more than 40 years, serving as a reader during Saturday evening mass. One of her favorite retirement roles was reading with students at Allen Dale Elementary School. Always fun to be around, Georgette brightened every activity she was involved in and she never spoke ill of others.

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Georgette attended school at St. Mary's in New York. She and Larry moved to Grants Pass in 1972. When Larry died of cancer in 2002, Georgette missed him terribly. Georgette was deeply loved and will be dearly missed by her daughters, Martie and Monique, her 7-year-old grandson, Taylor, her many, many friends and the countless people whose lives she positively touched through her service.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring Georgette Brown for her many years of exemplary service in Josephine County and caring leadership of her community.

North Carolina: William Blount, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh Williamson.

South Carolina: John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler.

Georgia: William Few, Abraham Baldwin.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Hood River Valley High School boys' soccer team, which brought home the title of ``State Champions'' this year in the 2014 Oregon 5A state championship. Hood River is my hometown, and both my son and I are proud graduates of Hood River Valley High School, so this victory is especially sweet.

Led by head coach Jaime Rivera and assistant coach Joe Dolan, the Eagles had a perfect 18-0 season and playoff run that was topped off by a 2-0 victory against Woodburn in the finals. After making it to the state finals last year, this season marks the culmination of willpower and sacrifice displayed by these dedicated young men.

The Eagles' undefeated record illustrates what happens when a team unites under one goal and exhibits the necessary work ethic, team work, and positive attitude to achieve success. I know that these skills have helped prepare these young men to be upstanding citizens of our great state and nation.

I am always proud to see how young men and women can inspire a community, and Hood River certainly rallied around the Eagles. Throughout the season, the community has rallied around and supported this team, game after game. After being engulfed on the field by supporters following their championship victory, the team was escorted by a caravan of police and fire trucks on their way back to Hood River.

I'd like to personally congratulate each member of this team: Travis Running, Marco Cuevas, Danny Romero, Manuel Mozqueda, Uriel Torrez, Joel Garcia, Marcos Trejo, Mario Sandoval, Andres Baeza, Gio Magana, Alex Gutierrez, Angel Sonato, Johnny Villafana, Luis Perez, Noah Noteboom, Antonio Bustos, Jaime Frias, Diego Rueda, Aldo Muro, Noe Magana, Coach Jaime Rivera, and Coach Joe Dolan. As a proud Hood River resident, I look forward to cheering on this year's team as they pursue their goals in the years to come. It is truly a privilege to represent the members of this team in the House of Representatives and my pleasure to congratulate them on their outstanding accomplishment of bringing home the teams' first state title. Go Eagles!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John Howard, an indispensable member of my staff and good friend who will soon retire after ten years of faithful service to me and the people of Oregon's Second District.

John has had a long, dedicated career serving his country. In fact, this actually marks John's second retirement. In 1994, John left his beloved United States Navy after a thirty year career, rising from enlisted seaman to Commander. A passionate Fighting Illini alumnus, John received his commission in 1970 as a graduate of the Navy ROTC program at the University of Illinois. John served on five ships, including command of the USS Saginaw (LST-1188) and several shore assignments, including two tours in Washington D.C.

After a few years of retirement--and a brief stint as a dotcom millionaire gone bust with an independent software development company--John and his wife Cathy relocated from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Medford, Oregon in September 2001. In fact, the closing on his home was delayed because of 9/11. He persevered through and settled in to the Rogue Valley getting involved in his community through the United Way and several military organizations. I first met John when he was the president of the Rogue Valley Council of the Navy League where he presented me with an honorary Navy League membership.

A lifelong Republican, John stepped up to volunteer with the 2004 Bush/Cheney presidential campaign in Jackson County, OR. John stayed in touch with my office through similar political and community volunteer efforts. Soon, when a member of my staff decided to return to school part time, I brought John on to share the workload and the following year, John joined my team full time to handle veterans and military casework and provide input on related policy matters.

Bringing John onboard wasn't without issue. John Howard is a pretty common name for one and we already had a John on staff. The communication logistics could have been daunting, yet by chance House IT averted a crisis. John was bestowed with a non-standard email address that had no ``dot'' between his first and last name. Thereafter and forevermore, John was referred to as NoDot amongst Team Walden.

During his ten years on staff, John has handled 4,144 cases for individual constituents and veterans, almost 1/3 of all the cases handled in 16 years by my office. That doesn't include the countless other veterans and other constituents assisted on the side with information and guidance.

Of course, it was hard for him to top the success of one of his first cases on staff where he showed an ability that surprised us all, bringing veterans back to life. John was contacted by a veteran who had received a letter from the VA containing the shocking news that he was deceased. Working with his contacts at the VA, John was able to get the error corrected and brought the veteran back to life in the VA's records. Over the years, John has had a couple other similar cases, all of which he found fascinating to resolve.

As my veterans caseworker, and later as Director of Constituent Services, John worked with veterans organizations across the district to make sure that I heard their concerns and let them know I was available to assist. John was a familiar face at veterans meetings and events in southern Oregon. Further, he was instrumental in developing a presentation for civic groups on what goes on in congressional offices, making my services more known and available to constituents.

A good naval officer is always concerned about the morale of his sailors. John carried that approach with him and became the de facto Morale Officer in my Southern Oregon District Office. Combining this with a firm belief in the importance of quality community outreach in politics, John founded ``Rope Yarn/Veterans Outreach Wednesdays'' which are weekly after hours gathering for staff and local veterans to discuss local veteran's issues and partake in the occasional fermented beverage--as any good sailor would!

During his tenure, John took the reins of my service academy selection process, changing and building it into the strong program it is today. He constructed a board of retired military officers to interview all candidates that was decidedly ``Purple,'' ensuring all service components were fully represented. This system has proven to be highly successful. In fact, nine of the 18 students I nominated last year received an appointment to the class of 2018.

As John heads into retirement, he is looking forward to some increased time with his extensive family, which includes his wife Cathy, his son, five daughters; soon-to-be 13 grandchildren--including two newborn fraternal twin granddaughters--along with 2 foster grandchildren.

Always service oriented, John will continue to volunteer in his community and was recently appointed to the board of the Jackson County Retired Seniors Volunteer Program. In addition, he has been approached to serve on the board of the United Way and the Jackson County Veterans Advisory Committee.

Whether spending time with family, golfing or volunteering it will always be easy to identify John from afar in the University of Illinois characteristic orange and blue, or overhear the words to the Songs of the Illini--from Illinois Loyalty to Hail to the Orange--which he loudly and proudly belt out with the slightest provocation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring John's 40 plus years of public service and in wishing fair winds and following seas to a true gentleman, shipmate, and friend. Godspeed, NoDot!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my very good friend, Mike Fahey, for his many years as a leading Oregon business executive and advocate of forest health. Mike is retiring this month as CEO of Columbia Helicopters, where he has loyally served in numerous executive roles for nearly 40 years. As his career at Columbia Helicopters winds down, I'd like to take a moment to pay tribute to his significant contributions to Oregon and the aerospace industry.

A native Oregonian, Mike was born in Oregon City and attended local public schools. He graduated from Portland State University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting, with Honors. His studies emphasized economics and finance, subjects that would prove to be crucial later in life when he took the helm of a company with global operations.

In 1966, Mike began working for the accounting firm of Arthur Young & Company, and in 1968 he began a three-year project, auditing the books of a rapidly growing, young company called Columbia Helicopters. That audit introduced him to the company's founder, Wes Lematta, a pioneer in the helicopter operations industry. In 1975, Mike joined Columbia Helicopters full time as the company's first Director of Finance. He later was named Vice President of Finance, and became Executive Vice President in 1997.

For the majority of his employment with Columbia Helicopters, Mike has been involved with contract negotiations for both foreign and domestic operations, as well as assisting with the purchase of aircraft to expand the company's fleet of heavy-lift helicopters. One of Mike's happiest memories was when the company purchased two Chinook helicopters from tycoon businessman Donald Trump in 1993. Mike always felt the company got the best end of the bargain because he'd read Trump's book ``The Art of the Deal'' and anticipated a negotiating tactic that Trump attempted to use. Mike won that deal, Donald.

In the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s, Mike took an active role in promoting legislation that would improve forest health. Like most of us from the West, Mike believes that proper forest management is key to maintaining good forest health. The company's ``selective harvesting'' system uses Columbia's helicopters to remove only a portion of the timber, creating natural forest spacing and improving the overall health of the forest.

In 1999, Mike was named President of Columbia Helicopters, a position he held until 2013 when he was named CEO. Perhaps his greatest achievement during that period was the acquisition of the Type Certificates for the Boeing 234 commercial Chinook helicopter, and for the Boeing Vertol 107-II helicopter. This is the equivalent of Chevrolet selling the engineering and manufacturing rights to the Corvette to a small business. Today these heavy-lift helicopters are identified as the Columbia Model 234 Chinook and the Columbia 107-II, and Columbia Helicopters is the world leader in commercial heavy-lift helicopter operations. The company currently has aircraft working around the world: supporting military operations in Afghanistan, moving petroleum exploration equipment in Peru and Papua New Guinea, logging and construction projects in Canada and domestic operations in the westem United States.

Throughout the years, Mike has always been a dedicated supporter of numerous charities and organizations, whether local, national or global in scale. He has supported Lines for Life, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide in youths and the military; Medical Teams International, a global health organization working to provide care to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty; the Providence Medical Foundation and Providence Child Care; and the American Heart Association. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Forest Industries Council.

More than anything else, Mike is a devoted and loving family man. He married his wife Penny in 1964 in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they still maintain a home. They have three children, Michael Fahey II, Holly Bellavara and Elizabeth Tobin, and they have six grandchildren. Mike will finally get to spend more time with his family in retirement, but I expect he will still find time to hit the links with

his clubs--he got his first hole in one in August 2013, and he is making a valiant effort at his second.

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, please join me in recognizing and thanking my good friend, Mike Fahey, for his many years of exemplary leadership as an Oregon businessman and caring member of his community. I wish Mike and Penny many more years of good health and true happiness.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor the memory of Gerald Hogan, who passed earlier this week at his home in McLean, Virginia. Jerry, as everyone called him, was a longtime outstanding advocate for the telecommunications industry, most recently with AT&T. Jerry is very well known throughout this Chamber and many of us regarded him as a close personal friend.

Jerry was always interested in you as a person and would ask about your family. He genuinely cared and would remember what you told him. If he learned it was your birthday, you could expect a phone call the next year. If you recounted a tale of your child, he would offer tips from a lifetime of parenting his children. Humble, generous, genuine, caring, funny and smart. . . . Jerry was all of these to his broad range of friends.

Jerry will be sorely missed for so many wonderful personal attributes, not least of which was his love for his children and their endeavors. The last few years Jerry and I had a fun gentleman's bet as his youngest son played against my beloved Oregon Ducks. On a few big occasions my Ducks came out on the losing side of the contest but Jerry, always the funny and classy act, would see me with a twinkle in his eye and deliver some well-deserved ribbing. Our business meetings in the past were never quick as we'd joyfully spend the first portion of our time swapping stories about all of Jerry's children and family and mine too before we'd get down to the official business matters. I will really miss all of my interactions with Jerry.

I am very privileged to have known Jerry and will always remember him very fondly. On behalf of many of my colleagues and my staff I want to let Jerry's dear friends and family--especially his wife Donna, his two sons, Brian and Kevin, and his daughter, Kelly--know that all who knew Jerry always felt that he brought high respect and honor to his work. Our prayers are with you during this time of sadness, and may the luck of the Irish be with you always.

Mr. Speaker, a number of my colleagues have asked me to include their following comments.

Congressman Fred Upton said: ``My condolences go out to Jerry's wife, Donna, and their wonderful children. We will miss Jerry's bright smile, wit, and warmth. Jerry was one who, virtually every minute of his all too short life, truly lived the words of the poem `I shall not pass this way again.' `I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.' Thanks for all the love and laughs, Jerry. Godspeed.''

Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. said: ``The world will be a little less full now that Jerry Hogan is no longer a part of it. Jerry was a truly wonderful person and I was blessed to call him a friend. I wish his wife Donna and his children the very best during this difficult time.''

Congressman Tom Marino said: ``I am deeply saddened by the loss of Jerry Hogan. He was a close friend and trusted advisor and we all feel the void of his passing. My condolences go out to his friends and family during this time of sadness.''

Congressman Peter King said: ``Jerry put up a terrific fight against his illness over the past four years and exemplified the term Fighting Irish. I admired his dedication and loyalty and will miss my good friend.''

Former Congressman Dan Lungren said: ``Jerry was a great friend and a special person. Even during his time of need, fighting his own battle, he heard of a challenge that a member of my family was once again taking on and he informed me that he awoke that morning at 4 AM and said the Rosary in her honor. That is how he lived his life thinking of others and giving to others to the very end. God Bless you Jerry and God Bless your wonderful family during this sad time.''

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 2640) to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to adjust the Crooked River boundary, to provide water certainty for the City of Prineville, Oregon, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, that it adjourn to meet at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, last July the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4572, the STELA Reauthorization Act, by unanimous vote. Today, after extensive consultation with our colleagues in the Senate, we are offering a second version of STELA's reauthorization, which will extend the copyright and retransmission consent provisions for distant signals retransmitted by commercial satellite providers for 5 years. Now, if we don't act to extend these provisions by the end of this Congress, there will be 1.5 million subscribers to satellite television, including many in my home State of Oregon, that just won't have access to broadcast network programming come New Year's Day.

This bill represents the best of how Congress can work together and get things done. Today's version of STELAR is a compromise bill that incorporates the previously passed provisions--these were passed unanimously by the House earlier this year--with the provisions that passed by voice vote out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Now, by coming together to produce legislation with strong, bipartisan, bicameral support, we have demonstrated our clear commitment to the continued availability of broadcast programming to millions of subscribers and to some targeted and, in some cases, much- needed reforms to our communications laws.

Specifically, Mr. Speaker, this bill sets a date for the sunset of the FCC's integration ban on cable-leased set-top boxes. That clears the way for innovation and new investment by lifting an unnecessary regulatory burden that has cost the cable industry and its consumers $1 billion. One billion dollars, Mr. Speaker, since 2007 it has cost.

I especially want to thank Vice Chairman Bob Latta, who is right here, and my Democratic colleague from Texas, Gene Green, whom you have just heard from, for their thoughtful, bipartisan work on lifting the integration ban.

Now, the bill offers a glide path for those companies that currently rely on CableCARD and urges the consumer electronics manufacturers and MVPDs to work together to find a next-generation solution for a competitive set-top box market.

Our bill also opens up the ability for satellite operators and broadcasters to modify local markets so that consumers can receive programming that is relevant to their communities. Broadcasters have long had the ability to reach such agreements with cable systems, and this bill creates parity, allowing broadcasters to ensure their programming is reaching the right communities via satellite, regardless of DMA boundaries. Our bill also provides parity by removing a government restriction on cable's ability to drop broadcast signals during the Nielsen sweeps. Additionally, the bill ensures that consumers will be able to access locally relevant broadcasts from outside their local markets without interference from local broadcasters.

Mr. Speaker, we have also sought to stabilize the retransmission consent regime. This bill prohibits broadcast stations in single markets from negotiating jointly with cable and satellite operators. The bill also seeks to allow policymakers to gather more information on retransmission consent by requiring cable operators to report annually on their payments for broadcast programming. This bill also asks the FCC to reexamine the meaning of ``good faith'' in retransmission consent negotiations, but, importantly, it does not predetermine any outcomes for that rulemaking.

The STELA Reauthorization Act is yet another example of true bipartisanship with support from all sectors of the communications industry. This type of collaboration has long been the hallmark of our committee, and I am pleased to see the legislative result before us today. As this Congress is drawing to a close quickly, I urge my colleagues to join me in getting this important legislation onto the President's desk and signed into law before the authorization ends at the end of the year.

Now, it takes many hands to make light work, and this bill is no different. In particular, Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the staff from the House Commerce Committee's staff, David Redl, Ray Baum, Grace Koh, Shawn Chang, Margaret McCarthy, and David Grossman; as well as Senate Commerce staff Ellen Doneski, John Branscome, Shawn Bone, David Quinalty, and Hap Rigby. They spent many hours working to find common ground on this bill, Mr. Speaker, and their effort has paid off for consumers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 50 World War II veterans from Oregon who will be visiting their memorial today in Washington, DC through Honor Flight of Oregon. On behalf of a grateful state and country, we welcome these heroes to the nation's capital.

The veterans on this flight from Oregon are as follows: Albert Azar, Army; Clarence Brace, Army; Howard Christopherson, Army; Jacob Egger, Army; Theodore Flaiz, Army; Henry Krebs, Army; Loyal Lee, Army; Richard Lovett, Army; Eddie Morris, Army; Henry Nelsen, Army; Lewellyn Renville, Army; Robert Strick, Army; Henry Tiano, Army; James Rose, Army Air Corps; Richard Smith, Army Air Corps; Frederick Parish, Army Air Force; Ray Burgess, Coast Guard; Helen Hansen, Coast Guard; Richard Shettler, Coast Guard; Marvin Adams, Navy; Robert Bigler, Navy; Harold Candland, Navy; Paul Clayton, Navy; Byron Dougan, Navy; Joseph Fahey, Navy; John Faust, Navy; John Ferguson, Navy; Troy Grimshaw, Navy; Herman Hansen, Navy; Cecil Hector, Navy; Imer Henry, Navy; Richard Higgins, Navy; Marvin Johnson, Navy; Glenn Lewis, Navy; Robert Montgomery, Navy; Bob Moore, Navy; James Stangland, Navy; Gordon Stone, Navy; Neil Swarthout, Navy; Paul Swenson, Navy; Arthur Tooze, Navy; Gilbert Turner, Navy; Harold Wakefield, Navy; George Yates, Navy; Robert Ganson, USMC; Edward Kimball, USMC; Richard Mann, USMC; Harold Reeves, USMC; Albert Riney, USMC; Thomas Teela, USMC.

These 50 heroes join more than 98,000 veterans from across the country who, since 2005, have journeyed from their home states to Washington, DC to reflect at the memorials built in honor of our Nation's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, each of us is humbled by the courage of these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who put themselves in harm's way for our country and way of life. As a nation, we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude owed to them for their honor, commitment, and sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we have today.

My colleagues, please join me in thanking these veterans and the volunteers of Honor Flight of Oregon for their exemplary dedication and service to this great country. I especially want to recognize and thank Dick Tobiason for his tireless work as president of Honor Flight of Oregon and trip leaders Erik Tobiason and Pam Kelsay for their efforts.