Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an important athletic achievement in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District. The North Hunterdon High School women's cross country team won the State Meet of

Champions. The North Hunterdon Lions are an historic and distinguished program, winning seven State cross country championships over the years.

I commend these young women on their athletic achievement. I can only imagine how proud their parents and families must be.

It is encouraging that the hard work of these young women has been rewarded with success. Their perseverance and commitment should be commended.

I also express my heartfelt congratulations to their coach, Sean Walsh. With Coach Walsh's steadfast leadership, the North Hunterdon women's cross country team was able to realize its full athletic potential. And these young women are distinguished academically as well.

Congratulations to all who were involved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the great work of the Energy and Commerce Committee on the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Shimkus for leading another environmental victory to the House floor.

The brownfields program has worked and it must be reauthorized. Over 59,000 sites nationwide and 419 in New Jersey have been transformed by remediation and redevelopment, freeing our land and water of harmful chemicals and other hazards. This is a tremendous win for environmental protection, economic development, and for communities that have struggled with contaminated sites.

In the district I serve, facilities in Dover, East Amwell, Phillipsburg, Roxbury, and Somerville are slated for revitalization.

This public-private partnership has been a winning formula, as the brownfields program has already prompted $22 billion in private investment across this Nation, a major return on a minimal, though important, Federal investment.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise as well as a member of the House Ethics Committee to assure the public that the House Ethics Committee takes these matters very seriously. I rise in strong support of H. Res. 630, and I hope that it passes unanimously today. I commend Barbara Comstock and Jackie Speier for their tremendous work in this area.

Congress should be leading on this issue, helping to foster a workplace environment free of sexual harassment, discrimination, and other terrible behavior. Congress must ensure an atmosphere where those who serve their country here feel protected, supported, and believed, particularly young people who come here with such idealism, no matter the power of the offender. I take these matters seriously, as should every Member of Congress.

The reports that taxpayer funds have been used for settlements related to harassment by Members of Congress are rightfully infuriating to the American people and to me personally. We need transparency and accountability and to end any sexual harassment settlements paid by taxpayers.

Today's action ensures that thousands of House employees know their rights and the services offered to victims. I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. This package is the product of our work on the Energy and Commerce Committee under the leadership of Chairman Walden. This legislation accomplishes the very important goals of reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program, renewing funding for community health centers, and extending critical resources for Medicaid in Puerto Rico.

One of the first votes I cast in Congress was for CHIP, creating a fiscally responsible health program that now serves 8.5 million children in the United States.

I continue to support community health centers and the work they do in areas like Dover and Somerville, New Jersey, in the district I serve.

We also cannot forget about the many families and children in Puerto Rico, who also benefit from the Medicaid program. That is why I have teamed up with Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon, to make sure low- cost Federal healthcare continues to be made available to our American children in Puerto Rico.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation and for the United States Senate to act as soon as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of The Academy of Our Lady of Peace in New Providence, New Jersey, and the Woodland School in Warren, New Jersey, for being named Blue Ribbon Schools by the United States Department of Education.

New Providence is in Union County, and Warren is in Somerset County, New Jersey, both in the district I have the honor of representing.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools award honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are being made in levels of achievement.

The Academy of Our Lady of Peace and the Woodland School were cited as exemplary high-performing schools, as measured by State assessments and national tests.

This recognition is a testament to the outstanding work and dedication of the faculty and staff in creating schools where students master challenging content. These are among our youngest students, infectious in their enthusiasm because of the excellent schools they attend.

I commend Joel Castillo, principal of the Academy of Our Lady of Peace; and Jeffrey Heaney, principal of the Woodland School, for all of their hard work. I also commend the faculty, parents, and the communities in general.

This prestigious award is noted throughout the country, and certainly the United States Department of Education is to be commended for presenting these awards.

The Academy of Our Lady of Peace and the Woodland School are proud examples of academic excellence and worthy of this national distinction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and thank the members of the Kingwood, New Jersey, Rescue Squad for helping a community in need recover from Hurricane Harvey.

After Harvey, many in the Houston area were without cell phone service, stranded by the rising waters, and lacking necessary means of communications to call authorities for help. One family in Kingwood, Texas, without cell reception but with a wireless internet connection made the savvy decision to see if they could contact rescue services by email. They used an internet search to locate the necessary authorities to coordinate their rescue.

Their internet search yielded the name Kingwood Rescue Squad--not their Kingwood, but Kingwood in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Fortunately, the members of the New Jersey Kingwood Rescue Squad acted quickly to contact their partners in Texas to ensure that rescue services would be able to find and rescue the Texas family. They are now safe due to the coordinated efforts between the Kingwood, New Jersey, Rescue Squad and their respective partners in Texas.

I wish to thank the members of the squad for their service and express my gratitude that there are such fine and capable first responders located in the district I serve.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in very strong support of the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act sponsored by my close friends, Congressman Collins and Congressman Pascrell.

Congressman Collins has been involved in this issue for many years, including as an Erie County executive in western New York. Congressman Pascrell has spent his entire public career in defense of firefighters as mayor of Paterson, as a member of the State legislature, and for more than two decades as a Member of Congress.

This bill will direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect data on cancer incidence among firefighters. We need this data to help save the lives of the brave heroes who put their lives on the line every day.

The CDC will compile critical information like risk factors and the dangers to which firefighters are exposed. This information collected on a voluntary basis will help develop better protective equipment and prevention techniques that can be disseminated across the country.

It is fitting that we consider this legislation this week as our Nation mourns the somber anniversary of the September 11 attacks. This country can never forget the images of firefighters, police, EMS, and other first responders initiating rescues and putting themselves in grave danger, both during and after the attacks.

Many lives were lost that day and, in the years that have followed, from the rescue and recovery work. Let's do all we can to make sure this information and best practices are shared so that we can protect as many lives as possible.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of Mr. Pascrell's amendment to increase COPS grant funding. The COPS program works. These resources have saved the lives of police officers and the citizenry they are tasked with protecting.

These funds often bridge the gap between the policing services a community requires and the capabilities of its existing force. These funds are merit based, prioritizing hiring and equipment where they are most needed and for the best use of the taxpaying public. In these challenging times for law enforcement, it is critical that we keep this program operational for our Nation's crime challenges.

Earlier today, we discussed legislation critical to the health and safety of our Nation's firefighters, and now we consider this important priority for our Nation's police officers.

I commend Mr. Pascrell and Mr. Reichert for their leadership in the Law Enforcement Caucus. I am proud to be a member of the caucus, and I join in their efforts to provide continued support for COPS funding and for expanding the capabilities of law enforcement to do their jobs and protect the public and themselves, which is critical to every officer in the Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I thank both Chairman Calvert and Chairman Frelinghuysen for their work on this legislation. I greatly appreciate the committee's efforts to fund the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

I stress the importance of Federal investments in the arts and humanities. The numbers speak for themselves. The NEA and the NEH each consist of only .003 percent of a nearly $4 trillion Federal budget, yet for every dollar the United States spends on Federal arts initiatives, nine nonFederal dollars are leveraged, generating roughly $600 million in matching support.

Federal arts and humanities funding is a catalyst for the economic development and job creation that we all need, having a powerful multiplier effect not only in New Jersey, the State I represent, but throughout the entire Nation.

The arts and humanities also engage nearly every community. In April, I visited the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, in the district I serve, to see its ``Theater for Everyone'' project in action, an autism-friendly program supported by the NEA. It provides a creative outlet for children with developmental disabilities and for their families. Seeing these performances reinforced the importance of our continued investments in the NEA and in the NEH.

Mr. Chair, I also thank both Chairman Calvert and Chairman Frelinghuysen for including funding for the Delaware River Basin Restoration project authorized just last year to coordinate private investments, regional partnerships, and local knowledge, and develop strategies to protect and restore the watershed's ecological and recreational assets and historical significance.

Throughout the four States that are involved--New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware--the Delaware River Basin supplies 15 million people with clean water and supports approximately $25 billion in economic activity each year. It is imperative that we preserve these resources for future generations, and I look forward to working with the committee on this initiative.

Let me repeat my deep thanks to Chairman Calvert and to Chairman Frelinghuysen.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this measure to allocate critical funds to urgent rescue and recovery operations currently underway in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

The destruction of Hurricane Harvey is horrific, and the loss of life is heartbreaking. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is helping to lead the disaster response. FEMA needs immediate resources from Congress.

Natural disasters can strike any part of the Nation at any time. No State is immune from the forces of nature, and States and localities should never have to question if aid is on the way.

Our excellent Federal officials have the resources and experience to mitigate harm. They need to continue putting that experience to use, helping our neighbors in need, protect critical infrastructure, contain hazardous sites, and save lives.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for his leadership in assembling this immediate assistance for those in need. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the SELF DRIVE Act. This groundbreaking work of the Energy and Commerce Committee is the first major step toward establishing a clear legal and regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle deployment.

Self-driving cars are going to transform many aspects of American life and our economy. Autonomous vehicle technology will spur job creation while increasing productivity, accessibility, and safety for consumers across the country.

The potential benefits are tremendous. Those with limited mobility will have new transportation options, and self-driving cars can reverse the rising trend of distracted and impaired drivers, road accidents, and highway fatalities. Autonomous vehicles can help turn the tide.

Innovators are waiting to jump into this exciting new market. We need to be their partners in this 21st century groundbreaking achievement.

I thank Chairman Latta and Ranking Member Schakowsky for leading this bipartisan effort through the U.S. House. Let's drive into the future. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Diaz-Balart for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, this is not an earmark. The Northeast Corridor region is an economic powerhouse. It generates $3 trillion in annual economic output and is home to 20 percent of the Nation's gross domestic product, more than 51 million people, and 4 of the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. It is a moneymaker for Amtrak and the Federal Government, serving more than 750,000 people every day on 2,000 intercity and commuter trains.

Travel up and down this corridor of passengers and freight is critical to the economy of the entire country. If one of these tunnels were to fail, the negative economic and transportation implications would ripple to other States such as Kentucky, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, North Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

According to the Northeast Corridor Commission, underinvestment in the Northeast Corridor already costs the economy $500 million annually, $30 million more than the savings from the amendment.

The Gateway Project is a national priority. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of permanently authorizing the E-Verify system and requiring U.S. employers to use the system to ensure their employees are eligible to be working in the United States.

I am proud to be a partner with United States Senator Grassley of Iowa in offering legislation to do so, entitled ``The Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act.''

E-Verify is a proven system for making sure job opportunities are for American workers. E-Verify is a deterrent against illegal immigration. Expanding it to new workplaces will make sure legal American workers are not shut out of employment.

There are 700,000 American businesses that successfully use the E- Verify system. There is no cost for the employer or employee to use E- Verify, and our legislation will make sure that there are no costs passed onto businesses, their employees, or to customers.

We should be considering practical solutions that remove incentives for illegal migration into the United States. We need E-Verify up and running, and we need all employers to participate to make it effective.

I urge cosponsorship and collaborations from both sides of the aisle to implement this effective policy.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for yielding to me, and I thank him for his tremendous leadership as chairman of the Appropriations Committee. New Jersey and, indeed, the entire Nation are fortunate to have Mr. Frelinghuysen as chairman of this critical committee.

Under the chairman's leadership, all spending bills have advanced out of the committee, and now, today, we consider a package that affirms one of Congress' most important responsibilities: to provide for the common defense.

Included in this legislative package is an important measure that opens reports by the Congressional Research Service and opens those reports to the public. I have been involved in this issue for some time. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and subcommittee Chairman Yoder for their support of this measure.

American taxpayers spend more than $100 million a year supporting the work of the Congressional Research Service. Their findings, reports, and analyses should be public information. It is good public policy to allow educators, students, members of the news media, and everyday citizens across the Nation to have access to CRS's nonpartisan, taxpayer-funded reports.

By providing public access to CRS reports, we can elevate our national discourse and make it easier for citizens to cut through the misinformation that is too often involved in the national debate. Citizens should have full access to the same neutral, unbiased information that many of us in Congress use to help us make important decisions.

CRS is governed by requirements for accuracy, objectivity, balance, and nonpartisanship--the very sort of analysis sought and valued by engaged constituents.

Mr. Chairman, I, again, commend the chairman for including this measure in the Legislative Branch title. This is one of many victories for taxpayers in this important bill.

Mr. Chairman, first, I thank Chairman Simpson for the committee's continued support for the Rahway River flood control project in the district I serve. This project is essential to the safety and security of communities in the district. These communities have worked extensively with the district office of the Army Corps, which, together with their colleagues at Corps headquarters in Washington, prepared a Tentatively Selected Plan. We are waiting for Corps headquarters to schedule an agency milestone meeting to finalize the details and begin the process of compiling a chief's report.

Is it the committee's intent in providing funding that the Corps should complete the Rahway River feasibility study?

I would further ask your assistance to ensure that the extensive work, expertise, and planning at the district level and the extensive community involvement is also followed by the Army Corps headquarters.

There is growing concern in the communities I serve that Army Corps headquarters might shelve this project despite its continued authorization--as recently as the 2016 WRDA bill--and the ongoing funding from your subcommittee.

This would represent the worst kind of disconnect between the needs of communities in need and the bureaucracy of Washington. Doing nothing, wasting taxpayers' time and money, and allowing the current hazards to endure are not an acceptable outcome.

I would respectfully ask the full committee chairman and subcommittee chairman to assist in convening a meeting with the affected Members of Congress and the Corps to ensure we continue to move forward with this chosen alternative, and proceed with the project now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this sanctions bill. The governments of Iran, North Korea, and Russia do not share American values or interests and are active threats to our national security. These regimes will see a united message from the Congress of the United States with an overwhelming vote in favor of strong sanctions.

Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. North Korea, the most dangerous and isolated place on Earth, has tested long-range missiles demonstrating a frightening potential to target our West Coast. Russia has intolerably involved itself in our Nation's democratic electoral process. Its invasion of Crimea and actions in Ukraine are totally unacceptable.

Mr. Speaker, let us act decisively today and put these states on notice: violate international law by threatening the United States and thereby face the consequences.

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