Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the primary sponsor of H.R. 1017, a bill originally introduced by Representative Dent of Pennsylvania, for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the primary sponsor of H.R. 5505, a bill originally introduced by Representative Dent of Pennsylvania, for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 3053, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act. This is an enormous achievement for Chairman Shimkus, who has worked so hard, and so long, to make this day a reality.

The Nation needs a safe, environmentally conscious plan to dispose of this waste. This plan is bipartisan and sensible.

New Jersey is home to four nuclear reactors at three generating stations: Oyster Creek, Hope Creek, and Salem. Oyster Creek will be closing this October.

In the congressional district I serve, these plants account for about half of the power generation and 90 percent of the carbon-free electricity. New Jersey's nuclear plants avoid 14 million tons of carbon emissions each year.

The Public Service Enterprise Group, FirstEnergy, and Exelon are doing their part in storing their station's spent nuclear fuel on-site, but we need a permanent site. The expertise and know-how of the Federal Government has a responsibility to my constituents and to the American people. I want the 3,000 metric tons of nuclear waste out of New Jersey and consolidated in a national protected facility.

New Jersey ratepayers have contributed nearly $2 billion to the Department of Energy's Nuclear Waste Fund to dispose of nuclear waste at a permanent repository at Yucca Mountain. My constituents should see a return on that investment. New Jersey is one of the top State contributors to this fund. It is time for the government to hold up its end of the bargain and permanently remove this waste from New Jersey and other States.

Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Chairman, my thanks to Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio.

I rise today in support of this en bloc package that contains my bipartisan amendment requiring the FAA to study the economic impact of Temporary Flight Restrictions on local airports and to recommend ways to mitigate the negative effects, potentially including creating security procedures to allow limited use of certain airports during a

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following Proclamation in honor of Israel Independence Day:

Whereas, the State of Israel has flourished to become the preeminent democracy in the Middle East and today celebrates 70 years of independence; and

Whereas, Israel has been a dedicated partner to the United States, working with our Nation and other allies to build peace collaboratively and work toward common interests and goals including the safety, security and freedom of all people around the world; and

Whereas, Our Nation must continue to protect, strengthen and promote our close friend and ally Israel as we strive to achieve greater stability in the Middle East and around the world; and

Whereas, At 70, despite tremendous challenges, Israel demonstrates continually that principle and motivation are transforming forces allowing Israel to thrive; Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Honorable Leonard Lance, the Honorable Peter Roskam, the Honorable Doug Lamborn and the Honorable Lee Zeldin, Members of the House of Representatives and co-chairmen of the House Republican Israel Caucus, join Israel in celebration of its Independence Day.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Public Schools Week to recognize the incredible work in public education done every day in every State in our Union.

I have the honor of representing some of the finest public schools in the Nation. This did not happen by accident. Our public schools lead the country because of the tremendous work of our public educators.

I attended public schools, I respect our teachers, and I proudly support our public schools here in Congress.

I know the work of educators can be difficult, but the life of a teacher is a vocation, not an occupation. Educators give their lives in service to future generations of leaders, thinkers, writers, doctors, scientists, and visionaries.

We need teachers, and we need the public education system to remain strong in the United States. Public schools are where our students realize their talents and their potential.

We need good educators to continue offering encouragement and advice and to be champions and mentors.

Let us celebrate this Public Schools Week by thanking the teachers and educators in our lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong support of the RAY BAUM'S Act, which reauthorizes the Federal Communications Commission for the first time in 28 years.

How appropriate that this critical legislation is named for Ray Baum, who dedicated his tremendous public service to these issues, and whom we all admired.

I commend the leadership. The Energy and Commerce Committee puts more bipartisan bills on the President's desk than any other committee here on Capitol Hill. This is important legislation strengthening the FCC, protecting consumers, and, most important of all, expanding the information channels our lives and the economy need.

I am pleased that this legislation includes the Anti-Spoofing Act, a bill I have worked on with Congresswoman Meng and Chairman Emeritus Barton for several years. Spoofing is an insidious practice used by scammers to call consumers using a faked phone number, often pretending to be a bank or government agency. Millions of Americans continue to be defrauded by con artists and scammers who perpetrate this despicable crime. This disgraceful practice must end, and it will be ended in large part due to this legislation. I am pleased this FCC reauthorization enacts consumer protections like those in the Anti- Spoofing Act.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 96) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure the integrity of voice communications and to prevent unjust or unreasonable discrimination among areas of the United States in the delivery of such communications.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are considering S. 96 to improve rural call completion. S. 96 will require the Federal Communications Commission to establish call completion standards for intermediary providers that sometimes have not routed calls properly in rural areas of our country.

By focusing on these standards, we will ensure that the high-quality telephone service people in big cities may take for granted will be shared by those Americans living in harder-to-reach areas.

I appreciate the bipartisan work of Congressman David Young and Congressman Peter Welch. Their companion bill, H.R. 460, passed the House on January 23, 2017.

I also thank Senator Klobuchar and Senator Thune for their work on rural call completion.

Without the bipartisan and bicameral work of all of these Members, we would not be here today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), the distinguished chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Young), who has worked so hard on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem).

Mr. Speaker, the House should pass this legislation unanimously. We are one country: urban, suburban, and rural, and this will help rural America.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 582) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require multi-line telephone systems to have a configuration that permits users to directly initiate a call to 9-1-1 without dialing any additional digit, code, prefix, or post-fix, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

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

H.R. 582, or Kari's Law, was sponsored by my good friend, Congressman Gohmert. This important bill passed earlier this Congress on January 23, 2017. I am pleased that at this time it will be sent to the President to be signed into law.

The residents of Texas know of a very painful story. Kari Hunt was murdered in a hotel room by her estranged husband in 2013. Kari's 9- year-old daughter did the exact right thing she knew to do, which was to call 911. Unfortunately, she did not know to dial another digit to get an outside line; and, parenthetically, I would not have known that.

This legislation will ensure that when you stay at a hotel, you can dial 911 and the call will go through without dialing another number. Kari's dad, Hank, and Mr. Gohmert had been relentless advocates to make sure that this legislation becomes law. I commend their efforts and that of Senator Klobuchar and her staff, along with Senator Deb Fischer.

God bless Kari's family for not giving up and fighting for this law. It is impossible to express how important it is, especially as we approach the 50th anniversary of 911 service next week.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), the principal sponsor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).

(Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, this is the way Congress should work in a bicameral and a bipartisan capacity. I think those of us who serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee are very proud of our service there. It is the committee in the House of Representatives the sends the most bills to the floor--the most bills that pass, the most bills that pass in the Senate, and the most bills that reach the desk of the President of the United States. This was true of President Obama, as I am sure it will be true of President Trump.

This act will improve the lives of the American people. We mourn the loss of the terrible tragedy in Texas, but out of that terrible tragedy we hope to improve the American Nation, and this certainly will do that.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and recognize the heroism of a constituent of New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

This past December, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey came under attack by a terrorist set on the destruction of American lives. One of the officers responsible for thwarting the terrorist's plot was Port Authority Officer Sean Gallagher. Many lives were saved that day as a direct result of the quick and decisive actions of Officer Gallagher of Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

Those who know Sean Gallagher personally were not surprised when they learned that he had played a decisive role in foiling the attack and apprehending the Port Authority bomber. In the aftermath of the attack, many of Officer Gallagher's friends and acquaintances were asked what character traits Officer Gallagher possessed, and a common theme emerged: a strong work ethic and a patriotic desire to protect his community and Nation.

Mr. Gallagher will receive the Port Authority PBA's Cop of the Year award this Friday. I cannot think of an officer more deserving than Officer Sean Gallagher, and I congratulate him for his heroism.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Ethics Committee, I rise in strong support of this legislation and resolution combating the scourge of sexual harassment.

I commend the leadership of Chairman Harper and of Representative Jackie Speier, a national leader on this issue for many years.

From this day forward, if a lawmaker commits an act of sexual harassment

and breaks the trust of the people, that information will be made public and taxpayers will not foot the bill.

I am pleased that this legislation mirrors my bill that would increase governmental transparency and accountability concerning taxpayer-financed harassment settlements in Congress.

The people who come forward to serve this country, particularly young people, need to know that protections are in place and that offenders, no matter how powerful, will face accountability.

Congress must be an exemplar for the Nation on this important issue, and I encourage other institutions in this country--business, labor, Hollywood, and the press--to examine their own practices to ensure a safe workplace.

Mr. Speaker, now is the time for action and results.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislative package to fund the government and to authorize CHIP, the longest such authorization for CHIP ever.

Chairman Frelinghuysen secured passage of all 12 appropriations bills before the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1. It is the Democrats in the Senate who have refused to permit these bills to come to the floor. No good explanation has been given as to why that occurred.

Chairman Walden brought through the Energy and Commerce Committee a CHIP reauthorization package that passed this House in November. We must continue to ensure governmental operations such as paying our troops on time and making sure our homeland security apparatus is fully operational.

The CHIP portion of this bill is a major accomplishment. Nine million low-income children depend on CHIP, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates that CHIP will actually save taxpayer funds in the long run. Let's keep the government open, and let's fund CHIP.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote in favor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate three State high school football champions in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District: Westfield High School, North Hunterdon High School, and Somerville High School.

Westfield High School finished its year with its third consecutive State championship and with its 37-consecutive-game winning streak intact. The North Hunterdon Lions won their division, and Somerville High School finished as State football champions with award-winning Coach Jeff Vanderbeek at the helm.

I congratulate the communities and families supporting our student athletes. I also congratulate all of the faculty and coaches who devote themselves to cultivating and nurturing the talent of these athletes.

Each of those public schools, in addition to athletic achievement, has also been recognized for academic achievement regularly across the Nation, highlighting that New Jersey's reputation of having among the best public schools in the Nation continues.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act, and I thank Chairman Hensarling and Representative Poliquin for their leadership on this issue.

We must be scrutinizing the financial dealings of senior Iranian political and military leaders. It is in the national security interest of the United States to understand the international web of finances that supports terror operations and other nefarious causes.

I am pleased that this bill includes an amendment I proposed to target the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, a position currently held by Ali Akbar Salehi, to the list of Iranian leaders named in this legislation.

Given Iran's violations of international law and its clear ties to international terrorism--it is, after all, the leading state sponsor of terrorism across the globe--we should be monitoring the finances of the head of its nuclear program to ensure compliance with sanctions and other laws.

For years, the Iranian regime has been mired in institutionalized corruption, to the detriment of the people of that great country. In the nexus of nuclear weapons, state-sponsored terrorism, money laundering, secret financial agreements, and mass pilfering from the Iranian people is cause for great alarm. This legislation is a response to all of that. It is completely bipartisan in nature. It is the way we should act in the House of Representatives in a bipartisan capacity. The national security interests of the United States know no partisan bounds.

Mr. Chairman, we need all of the tools at our disposal to investigate the finances of this terrorist regime.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on Mr. Poliquin's legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an American hero and a proud son of New Jersey, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, and I offer this bill to name the post office in Raritan, New Jersey, in his honor.

Gunnery Sergeant Basilone is an exemplar of brave service in our Armed Forces, and a member of the Greatest Generation, whose collective bravery and selflessness won World War II and liberated millions from oppression.

In Congress, there are many actions we take to honor and remember those who serve our Nation. These commendations matter. Younger generations ask whose name is inscribed on monuments and flag posts or on Federal properties; and in retelling these stories, we inspire young Americans to appreciate the generations that came before in public service.

Sergeant Basilone, indeed, has a tremendous story. Born on November 4, 1916, in Buffalo, New York, he was 1 of 10 siblings born to Salvatore and Dora Basilone. His father, an immigrant from Italy, and his mother, a native of Manville, New Jersey, decided to raise their family in the Somerset County, New Jersey, Borough of Raritan.

At just barely 18 years of age, a young Basilone decided to enlist in the United States Army in the 1930s. He would begin his military career with a tour of the Philippines.

In the Army, he was popular, extremely well-liked. He boxed and contributed to a sense of camaraderie that put the young men who were a world away from home at ease. He would later be honorably discharged from the Army and return home.

But in 1940, the trumpet summoned him again, and he re-enlisted, this time in the Marines. He would be dispatched to the height of battle in the Pacific theater.

Sergeant Basilone and many fellow marines were part of Operation Watchtower to regain territory in Guadalcanal, the site of a Japanese airfield. On August 7, 1942, the group took the airfield and defended it bravely from Japanese attempts to reconquer the territory.

In October of 1942, the Japanese began another land attack to regain control of Guadalcanal. Sergeant Basilone fought bravely for 2 days and

ultimately contributed to the annihilation of a considerable portion of the Japanese regiment.

In a moment of selfless service to his fellow marines, Sergeant Basilone endured brutal enemy fire during the assault to assist nearby machine gunners in trouble.

Seeing the immediate danger, he killed eight encroaching Japanese soldiers and quickly provided aid and equipment to the pinned marines. He saved many lives that day and, in later testimony, his fellow marines credited Sergeant Basilone's gallantry and heroic conduct for saving their lives, actions that would earn him the Medal of Honor in recognition of his actions at Guadalcanal.

Sergeant Basilone would return home for a short time, selling war bonds to continue doing what he could for the country he loved and the work of which he was so proud.

However, staying stateside was not where he wanted to be. He volunteered to go back to the Pacific. Before he left Camp Pendleton and returned to battle, he married Lena Mae Riggi on July 10, 1944.

One of Gunnery Sergeant Basilone's greatest traits was his tremendous regard for the safety of his fellow warriors. He could not let the narrow escape in Guadalcanal happen again, so he worked diligently to train recruits on proper machine-gun use. His trainees became known as the Basilone Boys.

One of his recruits, William Douglas Lansford, spoke of the pride and confidence Gunnery Sergeant Basilone instilled in him. ``We wanted to be just like him,'' Lansford was known to have said.

While he could have remained stateside at home with his new wife, he insisted on staying with the Basilone Boys. Gunnery Sergeant Basilone and his men stormed the shores of Iwo Jima with the first wave of marines on February 19, 1945.

The Japanese returned heavy fire. Sergeant Basilone ran toward one of the block houses, the source of Japanese fire, and quickly destroyed it with grenades and demolitions. After this, he scrambled to rescue an American tank that was trapped in a minefield.

But in a moment that will forever live in our hearts, Sergeant Basilone and a handful of his fellow marines were then hit by heavy mortar fire. He died alongside the brave men who stepped forward to serve this country and the men he wanted to return to battle to protect and defend.

Thanks to his bravery and his fellow marines, the Allied Forces were able to complete the invasion. He would be awarded, posthumously, the Navy Cross, the United States Navy's highest decoration, for his sacrifice and service on that fateful day, becoming the only marine in the war to receive both the Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor.

In the generations that have followed, Sergeant Basilone has rightfully taken his place as an American hero of the Second World War. Raritan has held a parade in his honor every September. His statue stands in the heart of the borough. His legacy of love and service to the country has been maintained by his extended family, such as his niece Kim Van Note, through the Basilone Foundation. Kim joins us today in the House gallery.

Gunnery Sergeant Basilone, more than self, his country loved, and it is that great love of country and an American spirit I hope that inspires future generations for years--might I suggest, decades--to come. It is the least we can do in the House of Representatives to name Raritan's post office in his honor. I am honored to sponsor this legislation.