Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, this week we recognize the work of the tireless advocates fighting rare diseases.

I have the honor of serving as the Republican chair of the House of Representatives Rare Disease Caucus. I consider it one of the greatest responsibilities of my service to work for innovative treatment and new technologies and to build an atmosphere of appreciation and understanding in Congress for the hard work of all of the patient advocates. Their passion is often driven by the care of loved ones, and their personal stories are profiles in courage.

Hearing from thousands of advocates, many of whom are here in Washington this week, gives the members of the caucus renewed energy and purpose. Events held during Rare Disease Week here on Capitol Hill and at the NIH in Bethesda highlight what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done.

One of those champions joined us in the House Chamber just last evening. I was very proud that President Trump invited New Jersey resident Megan Crowley to his joint session address. Megan's story of combating a terrible rare disease is a testament to the American spirit. Megan is now a student at Notre Dame. I salute her, her parents, and her family for their courage.

Passage of the 21st Century Cures Act was a major accomplishment in the last Congress--indeed, in my opinion, it was the most important piece of legislation passed during the 114th Congress. We worked in a bicameral, bipartisan way. We worked with the White House and with the Department of Health and Human Services. It passed overwhelmingly in the House and in the Senate, and now it is the law of the land.

I am encouraged that the Trump administration will carefully implement its provisions to our healthcare system, improving the healthcare system and to help spur the next great medical innovations.

Congress will join and help direct that effort and proceed through the appropriations process to match progress and research funds.

Right now it takes 15 years for a new drug to move from the lab to the local pharmacy. The CURES Act modernizes clinical trials to expedite the development of new drugs and devices, removes regulatory uncertainty in the development of new medical apps, and breaks down barriers to facilitate increased research collaboration.

Patients with degenerative conditions, cancers, and rare diseases await the genius of these new solutions. We need to do everything we can to help find these cures.

I have met with many rare disease patients, advocates, and their loved ones. Their work is inspiring, and it gives our caucus a mission and a purpose.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join the Rare Disease Caucus and help us in this great cause. In this, the week that we recognize the work of the tireless advocates across the Nation, I salute all of them for what they are doing for the American Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and honor a student from my district who has achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community.

Nastassja Kuznetsova, of Basking Ridge, has just been named one of the top honorees in New Jersey by the 2017 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in each state.

Ms. Kuznetsova is being recognized for organizing a 5k run that has raised more than $12,000 for lung cancer research since 2014. Nastassja started the Legwork for Lungs 5k run to help support a family friend who had been diagnosed with lung cancer. In addition to her philanthropy initiative, Nastassja also started the Legwork for Lungs club at her high school, created an exhibit at the Liberty Science Center and launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of the disease.

It's vital that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution this young citizen has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Nastassja are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.

The program that brought this young role model to our attention, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995 to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and highly valued, and to inspire other young people to follow their example. Over the past 22 years, the program has become the nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, and has honored more than 115,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.

Ms. Kuznetsova should be extremely proud to have been singled out from the thousands of dedicated volunteers who participated in this year's program. I heartily applaud Ms. Kuznetsova for her initiative in joining the fight against cancer. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can and do play important roles in our communities, and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, H.R. 423, the Anti-Spoofing Act. I am a proud sponsor of this with Congresswoman Meng and Congressman Barton, and I commend them for their leadership on this issue.

Caller ID spoofing occurs when a scammer calls and attempts to disguise his or her identity by manipulating the recipient caller's caller ID display. The scammer may be posing as an IRS agent, a police officer, or a representative from another governmental agency. After tricking people in picking up the line, the criminal then attempts to entice the other person to giving up personal information.

To date, hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, have been defrauded, including veterans, immigrants, and senior citizens. In Somerset County, New Jersey, a county which I represent here in the House, scammers cloned the telephone number of the county sheriff's office and impersonated the sheriff's staff in an effort to steal residents' personal information.

This problem has gotten out of control. Millions of Americans continue to get ripped off by con artists and scammers who perpetuate this despicable crime.

Since Congress passed the Truth in Caller ID Act in 2009, new technologies have enabled these criminals to scam consumers with increased ease and efficiency.

This legislation is one step forward to ensure that governmental policies keep up with these criminals. This disgraceful practice must end, and this consumer protection legislation goes a long way toward accomplishing that critical goal.

The bill has been passed through the House twice before, as Congresswoman Meng has just said. And after collaboration with our colleagues in the Senate, we now have secured enough support to see that this commonsense consumer protection legislation will advance. I hope it advances in the 115th Congress as quickly as possible and I hope it reaches our new President's desk as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 555) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to amend its rules so as to prohibit the application to amateur stations of certain private land use restrictions, and for other purposes.

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, amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is a fun hobby for enthusiasts who use it to communicate with people around the world while teaching themselves the basics of communications technology. But more importantly, amateur radio operators utilize their skills to provide essential communication services to first responders when the conventional networks go down in times of emergency.

In order to be eligible to operate an amateur radio station, individuals must obtain a license from the FCC and comply with the FCC's rules. One such requirement is that individuals must own and install the equipment needed to operate a station. This includes a transceiver, transmission lines, and an antenna. Currently, there are more than 730,000 amateur radio operators licensed in the United States, including a number of active clubs in New Jersey, the State I represent in the House.

Because communications equipment provides a societal benefit and is a critical part of our Nation's infrastructure, the FCC prohibits land use restrictions imposed by governments or homeowners' associations on certain communications equipment. However, these protections do not extend to amateur radio equipment.

Roughly 90 percent of new housing in the United States is subject to deed restrictions, homeowners' associations, and other land use limitations. This is increasingly making the installation of amateur radio equipment more challenging.

Amateur radio operators have a history and tradition of being ready, willing, and able to lend their services during times of emergencies at no cost to taxpayers. Due to the nature and structure of amateur radio, hams are able to link communications between first responders using their own networks and equipment.

The only necessity for amateur radio stations, however, is some form of outdoor antenna. For this group of unsung heroes with a long tradition of public service when it is needed most, Congress should help deter barriers to their operation. H.R. 555 would extend the FCC protections over limitations on communications equipment to include amateur radio equipment.

Now, while I have described the critical role that amateur radio plays during times of disaster, I also understand the concerns shared by homeowners' associations that this bill will expose their neighborhoods to big towers and antennas. This bill recognizes that there needs to be a balance between the right of homeowners and their associations with the rights of amateur radio operators. That is why Mr. Kinzinger's bill passed without objection twice last Congress and enjoys the support of both the amateur radio community and the Community Associations Institute. I congratulate our distinguished colleague from Illinois on working with both sides on this critical issue.

Mr. Speaker, there was much discussion and hard work that went into this bill in order to strike the right balance between the rights of the amateur radio community and the concerns of homeowners' associations. Both sides were willing to compromise, and we are considering a good bill today because of that compromise. I hope all of our colleagues will support this bipartisan piece of legislation that I believe is critical to the safety of the American Nation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger), who is the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 460) 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 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, I rise today in support of H.R. 460, the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act, a bill that earned unanimous support in the last Congress.

Consumers expect to be able to pick up the telephone and be connected with businesses, friends, and loved ones across the country. In today's connected world, that should not be a tall request. Unfortunately, for many constituents across the country, particularly in rural areas, call quality and reliability are just not up to par compared to their urban counterparts.

This is due, partly, because of the call routing process where long distance and wireless providers use so-called least cost routers. These inexpensive third-party intermediate providers try to complete calls for the lowest possible price, without taking measures to ensure the call actually goes through.

I am sure that most of us have experienced the annoyance of at least one failed or dropped call. You make a call to someone and it rings over and over again but no one, not even the voicemail, picks up. Or, maybe you place a call, only to hear a prerecorded message telling you that the number you dialed is not in service, even though you know you have the right number. Even in cases where you are able to connect, the sound might be distorted or delayed.

For many constituents, this is more than just an annoyance. These missed connections have significant consequences.

Folks rely on the networks for more than just staying in touch with loved ones. Our constituents count on reliable networks to run their businesses and receive messages from our community institutions. A failed call can mean a lost sale for a small rural business. Another failed call might mean that a message from your child's school or your medical provider goes undelivered. These are real and harmful impacts. This bill will address this situation through commonsense improvements.

For the most part, consumers are unaware of these intermediate providers, which has allowed them to be held unaccountable. H.R. 460 takes measured steps to bring these intermediate providers out from the shadows and into the light so that we can hold them accountable to the consuming public.

First, the bill requires intermediate providers to register with the FCC, and it prohibits carriers from using any nonregistered provider. The bill also requires the FCC to establish a database and publish the list of registered providers on its Web site. Finally, the bill requires the FCC to establish quality standards for these intermediate providers, which will raise the bar for all of the providers who provide call routing services.

These straightforward measures are another step in our effort, on a bipartisan basis, to mitigate call completion and quality issues for the consuming public. This bill will build upon the work the FCC has done in recent years.

Our constituents in rural areas face significant challenges compared to their urban counterparts, but subpar call quality should not be one of them. By raising the bar, which this bill does, we will hold the bad actors to higher standards and allow consumers to benefit from the improved integrity of our networks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Young), the distinguished sponsor of the legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 599) 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 such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the distinguished majority whip of the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill is an important step toward modernizing the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC has served Americans since 1934, and over the past more than 80 years, this agency has been responsible for overseeing the evolving telecommunications sector, with collecting information and analyzing the state of competition, and the impact of these changes on consumers.

As society has moved from one technology to the next, the FCC has been asked to keep up with the changing technologies, and Congress has directed the Commission with reviewing data and reporting on everything from the telegraph, as Mr. Scalise has indicated, and the AM radio to online video distributions like Hulu and Netflix. This bill will eliminate reports that are no longer necessary and waste time and resources on issues that are no longer critical to consumers.

The bill also recognizes that technology continues to progress and consumers are no longer served by separate voice, data, or video networks. Rather, providers are leveraging the same IP network to provide multiple services over the same network. Providers that were solely video providers now offer voice and data. Companies that thought of themselves as telephone providers are also offering video and broadband services. The game has changed, and we believe that the FCC should change its reporting to reflect the new reality.

This bill consolidates multiple annual or biennial reports that require the agency to evaluate competition in different sectors. We will no longer require a separate mobile wireless or a separate video competition report. Rather, the bill requires the Commission to evaluate the state of competition across multiple tech industries in a single biennial report on competition in the communications marketplace. Our policymakers should be looking at the world as it is, not the world that once existed.

I thank the majority whip for his leadership in sponsoring this bill. He has always shown a keen interest in modernizing the communications marketplace, and I welcome his continued engagement over the 115th Congress, where he serves with such distinction as our whip.

I also thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), the former ranking member, for her work in ensuring that this bill is bipartisan in nature and is successful. I certainly thank Mr. Doyle for his leadership as well.

I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill. I look forward to more bipartisan work on this and other issues in this Congress. I am hopeful that this bill will reach our new President's desk as soon as possible.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 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 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.

At our subcommittee hearing last April, we heard the very moving testimony of Mr. Hank Hunt. Hank told us the story of how his daughter Kari was brutally murdered in a Texas motel bathroom in December 2013. As emotional as his story was, Hank continued with the gut wrenching details of how Kari's daughter frantically tried and failed to reach first responders.

The little girl had done as she was always taught, dial 911 for help. Tragically, as it turns out, that was her mistake. Due to the configuration of the phone installed in the motel room, she needed to dial 9 before dialing an outside number. Time after time she tried, but the call never went through. The first responders who could have attempted to save Kari's life were not reached in time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this commonsense bill that has the ability to save lives. Unfortunately, it

cost the life of Kari Hunt before the call for action was recognized.

Multiline telephone systems, like the one in that Texas motel room, are everywhere. Many businesses, including hotels, offices, and schools, use MLTS at their facilities across the country. They serve a very practical purpose and make connecting to other onsite users much easier. Unfortunately, many of these phones do not preset with the ability directly to dial 911.

It may be routine for someone who works in an office to know to dial 9 before dialing out, but would the instinct seem so natural during an emergency? Incidentally, I have telephones in offices here and in several district locations in New Jersey, and in some of those offices you dial 9 and in some you don't.

Moreover, our children should not have to be taught that sometimes they need to dial an extra number. 911 should mean 911. Those three numbers are one of the earliest things many parents teach their children. Kari's Law would require multiline telephone systems to be configured with the ability directly to dial 911 without any additional prefix.

The law would also require that multiline phone systems be configured to notify a central location within the system's facility when someone initiates a call to 911. This provision will help ensure first responders have the information needed to better locate and assist the caller.

There are some businesses, including a number of hotel chains, who have shown initiative and applied these changes in their facilities already. I commend them, but there is more work to be done. These simple fixes should be adopted and implemented nationwide. When dialing to reach emergency responders, it needs to go through, period.

I thank Hank Hunt, Kari's father, who has been a tireless advocate for this legislation. He has brought this important issue to our attention. Kari's Law passed without objection twice last Congress, and I urge all of my colleagues to support Representative Gohmert's bill once again. Representative Gohmert has certainly taken the lead on this across the United States. He is an angel of mercy in this regard. I hope this legislation becomes law this year and will be signed into law by our new President because I think it is critical for the safety of the American people.

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

H.R. 582 Kari's Law Act of 2017

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

``When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

``The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.''

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Goodlatte for his fine work on this important issue.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the REINS Act because it fulfills a promise Congress made to American businessowners to get onerous regulations off the backs of job creators.

It sets a very reasonable standard. If a new regulation has an economic impact of $100 million or more, it needs to come to Congress for an up-or-down vote. Congress will then have a say. We will debate the merits, and then we will decide.

The Obama administration handed down a record-breaking 600 major new regulations imposing hundreds of billions of dollars in costs on the U.S. economy and millions of hours of compliance busywork on the employers and employees across the country.

All of that excessive red tape places a huge burden on small- and medium-sized businesses that create jobs in New Jersey, the State I represent, and across the Nation. I have toured quite a few businesses, and the consensus is clear: let American workers innovate, build, and create, and not spend time complying with regulations that are impractical and often a waste of time and money.

The REINS Act is constitutional. It does not violate the Chadha doctrine because it does not permit Congress to overturn valid regulations. Also, a joint resolution satisfies the bicameralism and presentment requirements of the Constitution.

The REINS Act will bring an important check against out-of-control Federal regulations and foster stronger economic growth. It is an important start to the agenda of the 115th Congress, and I urge all of our colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 11.

The U.N. resolution, on the other hand, is vastly disproportionate and includes language that seems designed to provoke Israel. Categorizing the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, as occupied territory is entirely inappropriate.

I believe that President Obama should have directed the United States to veto the U.N. resolution. Instead, our Ambassador sat silent. Abstaining on this vote handed a victory to the forces that wish to delegitimate Israel.

This resolution erects a greater barrier between the two sides, hindering critical negotiations. The peace process must be negotiated bilaterally by Israel and the Palestinians with support, not provocation, by outside actors.

In this new year and new Congress, we should act to reassert a position of strength on the world stage. We must stand by our allies, including our strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel. This country should have exercised its veto power as it has done before and thwarted this divisive anti-Israel effort.

Please vote ``yes'' on this resolution.

``. . . to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries; . . .''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of H.R. 5739, the No Social Security for Nazis Act, which will correct an injustice of two generations and right a terrible wrong in the name of the lives that were lost as a result of the Holocaust.

To think Nazis are receiving Social Security benefits derived from tax receipts of the American people is sickening and morally wrong. Today, Congress will move to put an end to it.

This effort was originally championed in the 1990s by my predecessor from the district I have the honor of serving, the late Congressman Bob Franks, and I am proud to continue his effort and see this legislation pass on the floor of the House today.

The United States, including my home State of New Jersey, stands in solidarity with the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and the decades-long struggle for peace in the world following the Nazi atrocities.

This action is yet another step in demonstrating that our resolve for justice is unyielding and our commitment to pursue what is right continues even 70 years after World War II.

I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York City, for her leadership on this issue and for asking me to cosponsor the original bill that she had initiated. I also thank Congressman Sam Johnson and the Ways and Means Committee for taking up this effort.

The world can never forget the hate and intolerance of the 1930s and 1940s that claimed the lives of millions of people of the Jewish faith and forever scarred the face of mankind. Let this effort be another chapter in the healing that has brought vigor to the pursuit of justice, attention and care to all human suffering and the work toward a world of greater understanding and peace.

When given the chance to put an end to an egregious practice, we must act. I urge passage today of this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Clement Alexander Price, a shining figure in New Jersey society and culture, a respected professor and historian, and a beloved family member and friend, who died last week and leaves behind an extraordinarily distinguished record of public service.

Dr. Price was a true ambassador for his beloved Newark, our State's largest city. He was a widely respected public intellectual whose eloquence and wisdom helped heal a city at a crossroads, educate the next generation of civic leaders, and shape the decisions that have advanced New Jersey.

A native of the then-segregated Washington, D.C., Dr. Price rose to receive degrees from the University of Bridgeport and from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and spent his life in helping to transform America to a brighter, fairer, integrated society.

As a Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor at Rutgers Newark, Dr. Price's gifts as a teacher were valued by hundreds of students who sought him out as a mentor and by faculty and administration who respected his expertise and energy.

Dr. Price was an accomplished author and the State's foremost authority on African American history.

He wrote ``Freedom Not Far Distant, A Documentary History of Afro- Americans in New Jersey,'' and other works that explored the history of race and culture in Newark and in New Jersey. He most recently coauthored ``Slave Culture: A Documentary Collection of the Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project.''

Dr. Price was also a major presence on the civic stage. President Obama appointed him as chair of his transition team for the National Endowment for the Humanities and as vice chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. He was Newark's official historian. He chaired the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. He was a trustee of the Fund for New Jersey, the Newark Public Library, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Newark Education Trust, and the Save Ellis Island Foundation.

He was chief historical consultant for the Jewish Museum's Exhibition, ``Bridges and Boundaries: African Americans and American Jews.'' He cofounded the Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series, the oldest, largest, and most prestigious Black History Month event in the State. He was a member of the Scholarly Advisory Committee to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution, which is currently being built here on The Mall in Washington.

Dr. Price is survived by his wife, Mary Sue Sweeney Price, who is widely respected for her outstanding leadership for almost a generation as director and CEO of the Newark Museum, our State's greatest museum.

My wife, Heidi, and I are grateful to have known Clement Price. We and the people of our State mourn his untimely passing. We extend our deepest sympathy to Mary Sue and to his legions of friends and admirers in Newark, in New Jersey, and across the United States.

When he last visited me on Capitol Hill several months ago, he was, as usual, filled with optimism and good cheer. On behalf of the Congress of the United States, I celebrate the distinguished life of Dr. Clement Alexander Price in service to the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, ISIS poses a savage threat to the world, to Muslims and Christians in Iraq and Syria, to our allies, and to the United States. It has executed heinous acts of terror and violence and, tragically, will continue to do so. Allowing it to thrive unchallenged is not in the national interest of the United States of America.

Today's vote is not a blanket authority but a thoughtful, detailed, and limited effort to confront ISIS. We cannot and should not do this alone. We need tangible support from a global coalition and will evaluate the commitment level in 3 months. The administration must continue to work to ensure that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other Islamic nations are involved in this multinational effort.

Despite reservations and questions, in my judgment, we must take action. The threat is real, and ISIS must be confronted now. I support the McKeon amendment because it is thoughtful and it provides the experts here in Washington the authority they need to put together a clearly-defined, realistic strategy.

This amendment does not authorize the use of military force; indeed, the amendment includes language that makes it explicitly clear that this is a train-and-equip authority and not an authorization for force.

Mr. Speaker, I support this amendment, and, in the weeks and months to come, the House of Representatives must use its oversight powers under the Constitution to monitor this strategy and to demand changes as necessary.

Mr. Speaker, my thanks to Chairman Emeritus Barton for his leadership on this issue.

Caller ID spoofing is growing at an alarming rate in this country. This new technology allows criminals to falsify deliberately the telephone number and the name relayed on caller ID information to make it appear as though those criminals are calling from our bank or our credit card company, or even from a governmental agency.

Imagine that. I get a telephone call on my cell telephone, and under caller ID, I think it comes from my bank or my credit card company, or even worse, I suppose, from a local governmental agency.

A recent case in New Jersey resulted in a resident's reportedly being scammed out of more than $5,500 by a caller, a criminal, falsely claiming to be a Federal tax agent attempting to collect back taxes.

What a frightening experience for the innocent receiver of that telephone call. According to investigators, the victim's caller ID showed the number of the local police department. This has got to stop.

Today's bipartisan legislation will strengthen and improve the Truth in Caller ID law to help protect consumers in a greater way from scammers, spammers, and unscrupulous telemarketers.

I commend Chairman Emeritus Barton, of Ennis, Texas, Republican, and Congresswoman Grace Meng, Democrat, of Queens, New York, for their hard work and leadership on this issue.

I want the American people to know that on the Energy and Commerce Committee, where Chairman Barton and I serve, more bipartisan legislation is passed out of that committee and reaches the floor of the House, and then goes over to the United States Senate and is passed in the United States Senate and goes to the President of the United States for his signature, than legislation from any other committee of Congress.

Now, much of what we do on the Energy and Commerce Committee does not make the headlines because much of what we do is eminently bipartisan in nature. And that is the history of the committee, the oldest standing committee in the House of Representatives, having first been established in 1795.

That is the tradition of bipartisanship, when the chairman, Mr. Barton was the chairman of that committee. It continues under the chairmanship of Mr. Upton of Michigan, and this includes the ranking member, Mr. Waxman, and the ranking member of the subcommittee. On both sides of the aisle we have a tradition on Energy and Commerce to make sure that our legislation is bipartisan in nature.

I came to this issue as the result of the nefarious situation in New Jersey. I also came to this issue at the request of Congresswoman Meng of New York City, and I want to thank the Congresswoman for coming to me.

I certainly believe that this legislation is in the interest of the American people. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this consumer protection legislation.