Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, passage of H.R. 1491, which I am proud to cosponsor, will clear the way for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians to finally provide additional Tribal housing for their members. Only 17 percent of Tribal members and lineal descendants live in Tribal housing.

In 2010, the Tribe purchased approximately 1,400 acres of ancestral land in an effort to provide suitable housing for the Tribe's members and their descendants.

Even though this land was taken into trust administratively in January of this year, a number of parties continue to file lawsuits appealing the decision.

The Chumash leadership has been forthcoming in their desire to acquire this land only for additional Tribal housing, and they have attempted to be good neighbors by engaging local elected officials and groups to mitigate any and all concerns.

It is a shame that it has almost taken a decade for this issue to be resolved, but we are now at a point where we can finally put an end to this process. Passage of H.R. 1491 will reinforce the Secretarial decision that put the land in trust and will also incorporate a memorandum of agreement between the Chumash Tribe and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors in relation to the land.

I congratulate the Chumash leadership for their work and persistence on this issue, and I thank the Santa Barbara County Board Supervisors for coming to this agreement. I also thank my friend and colleague from California, Chairman LaMalfa, for carrying this legislation, not giving up on it, and moving it forward.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3115 authorizes a land exchange between the Forest Service and PolyMet Mining. PolyMet will acquire land within Minnesota's Superior National Forest to pursue the development of an open pit mine.

While the Forest Service already approved the exchange, I understand several groups of concerned Minnesotans have expressed concerns about the proposed development, including the Fon du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, a federally recognized Tribe whose reservation is downstream from the proposed mine. The area to be exchanged is part of the Tribe's ancestral homeland, and they have concerns that the conveyance could impact rights to hunt, fish, and gather. Federal ownership protects these rights.

As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular, and Alaska Native Affairs, I think it is important that we listen to the concerns of tribal communities. That said, I understand this bill is a priority for Representative Nolan, and I look forward to hearing his perspectives.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill could not be more straightforward. H.R. 995 would require the USDA and the Department of the Interior to change the terminology used to describe the racial background or place of origin of people.

These very outdated and offensive racial terms have no place in our Federal regulations. Modernizing these terms should be a continuous effort across all agencies. I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries) for his leadership on this issue by pushing this legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, I want to include in the Record the phrases that this bill would change: replacing the references to the term ``Negro'' with ``Black or African American;'' replacing the definition of ``Negro'' with the definition of ``African American'' as ``a person having origins;'' replacing the references of the term ``Oriental'' with ``Asian American;'' and replacing the references to the terms ``Eskimo'' and ``Aleut'' with ``Alaska Native.''

I think it is only fair that we move to pass this bill and finally address people as we should. I also want to bring attention to the title of the bill, which is the 21st Century Respect Act.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to add that the bill was reported out of committee by unanimous vote.

I want to read into the Record Representative Jeffries' remarks on H.R. 995, the 21st Century Respect Act, a bipartisan bill that will remove outdated and offensive racial labels from the Code of Federal Regulations:

I thank Ranking Member Grijalva and Mrs. Torres and

Chairman Bishop and Mr. LaMalfa for working with me to move

this important bill expeditiously through committee. I also

want to thank Congressman Chabot for his support and

partnership.

Words matter. They can cause great harm by making people

feel lesser or other, and when words are rooted in bigotry in

our Nation's laws, it signals that we, as a country, are

legitimizing and normalizing bigotry.

Unfortunately, there are still laws on the books that use

old offensive racial terms to refer to our fellow Americans.

These terms come from areas where intolerance was acceptable,

and they have no place in modern society.

For example, title 36 of this CFR still uses the term

``Eskimo'' to refer to certain indigenous Americans from

Alaska. People in many parts of the arctic consider

``Eskimo'' a derogatory term because it was widely used to

connote barbarism and violence. The 21st Century Respect Act

replaces ``Eskimo'' with ``Alaska Native,'' a modern term

embraced by the people that it describes.

Title 7 also includes the terms ``Oriental'' and ``Negro,''

which are terms that are disparaging today. H.R. 995 replaces

those old labels with ``Asian American'' or ``Pacific

Islander'' and ``Black'' or ``African American,''

respectively. These new terms reflect America's growth and

progress.

Now, more than ever, we need to be conscious of the signals

and messages that our

words and actions are sending to our fellow citizens. As

elected officials, it is our responsibility to lead by

example and make sure that our laws and institutions reflect

our best aspirations of unity and respect for Americans of

all backgrounds.

Passing the 21st Century Respect Act is a demonstration of

our commitment to ensuring that every person who pledges

allegiance to our flag feels valued and included by the

Nation it represents. I encourage all of my colleagues to

support H.R. 995.

Mr. Speaker, these are words from Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who is on his way.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings).

Mr. Speaker, can you tell me how much time I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries).

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Michael ``Mike'' E. Story of the City of Rialto in my district on the occasion of his retirement from a lifetime of civic service to the communities of the Inland Empire.

Mr. Story has been the City Administrator for the City of Rialto since 1985 and has been a resident of the city since 1981. Prior to being named City Administrator, his previous positions included Associate Planner, Senior Planner, and Director of Development Services for the City of Rialto.

His long time commitment to civic service and contributions is not limited to the city of Rialto. Mr. Story previously worked for the cities of Fontana and Duarte as a Planner. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Administration from Cal Poly Pomona.

Mr. Story has been a dedicated public servant during his time working for the city of Rialto where his efforts have resulted in improvements to the quality of life for all residents. His extraordinary skills in planning and collaboration have created new and improved opportunities for the booming city.

Along with being dedicated to his civic employments, Mr. Story is an avid member of his church's community. He now serves as an Elder for the Rialto Sunrise Church, a church with multiple locations that serves the Inland Empire communities. And as a former board member, he was and is well respected for his continued participation and selfless dedication.

Today, Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Mr. Mike Story for his unmatched commitment and civic employment to the City of Rialto for over 30 years, and to the contributions he has made to the greater community of the Inland Empire.

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

H.R. 3279 would correct a problem in our Federal oil and gas leasing laws that makes it more difficult for companies to commercially produce helium from Federal lands. Helium is a critical element for high-tech research and modern medicine, and because of its unique properties, there are simply no substitutes.

On the Natural Resources Committee, we have spent many years overseeing the Federal Helium Program, culminating in the bipartisan Helium Stewardship Act signed into law 4 years ago.

While the Helium Stewardship Act improved the management and sale of Federal helium, it didn't do much to promote the development of new sources of helium, which are in high demand. By allowing companies to hold onto Federal oil and gas leases if they are producing commercial quantities of helium and only helium, then the problem that kept potentially valuable helium resources under lock and key is resolved. This is only one small step, but it is a very useful one.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsor of this legislation for introducing it.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3279, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

There are laws on the books that stand in the way of true tribal self-determination and self-governance. One of those laws is Public Law 80-846, known commonly as the 1948 Act. The 1948 Act targeted only one tribe, the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, also known as the Meskwaki Nation, and gave the State of Iowa criminal jurisdiction over their tribal lands.

In 1948, the Nation did not have a formal mechanism for law enforcement and was not in a financial position to create one. This was used as the rationale for the stripping of these jurisdictional rights. But this has not been the case for many years. The Tribe has a full- time police department as well as a fully functioning court system.

The continued existence of the 1948 Act has resulted in an unfair system of crimes committed on Meskwaki land, whereby a Native-American defendant must face the possibility of two prosecutions, State and Tribal, but a non-Native defendant faces only State prosecution.

That is why I join my colleagues in supporting H.R. 1074. By passing this bill and repealing the 1948 Act, we will remove the inequity it has created, and bring the Meskwaki Nation in line with how criminal jurisdiction issues are addressed on other Native lands.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of H.R. 1074, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

H.R. 2600 authorizes the conveyance to the State of Iowa the reversionary interest on the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

In 1989, Congress authorized the Department of the Interior to partner with the State of Iowa to create a trails interpretative center to support three National Historic Trails that cross through the region.

In 1988, the Secretary of the Interior transferred approximately 400 acres to the State of Iowa for use as a visitor center. Ownership was then transferred to the State with a reversionary clause that limits the use of the property to a visitor center.

The National Park Service does not operate or maintain the current visitor center. However, under current law, if the State stops using the site for its intended purpose, ownership will revert back to the Federal Government.

Since its establishment, the trails interpretative center has not lived up to its expectations. Visitation is low and the facility is in need of significant maintenance.

The National Park Service and the State of Iowa have determined that termination of the reversionary interest makes both fiscal and operational sense. This will allow the State to sell the property to the city of Council Bluffs, allowing the city to maintain the facility.

As long as the State continues to provide National Historic Trail interpretive services following the terms of the original agreement, Congress should be allowed to release the reversionary interest to this particular property.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on H.R. 1488, the Indiana Dunes National Park Act. This act seeks to rename the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to the Indiana Dunes National Park, one of the over 400 units of the National Park System.

Upon successful redesignation, the Indiana Dunes National Park would become the 60th national park, areas which are known for their variety of resources, for encompassing large land and water areas, and for providing protection of resources within their boundaries.

Designated in 1966, Indiana Dunes protects over 15,000 acres, 50 miles of trails, and provides both summer and winter recreational activities for over 2 million visitors who trek to the lakeshore each year.

When the lakeshore was admitted into the National Park System in 1966, it was through the hard work of President Kennedy in 1963-64 to create a compromise for the national lakeshore and a port to promote the industrial needs of the area.

Sponsors of this bill, including our esteemed colleague Representative Visclosky, believe that renaming the lakeshore as the Indiana Dunes National Park will capture the spirit and intent of the first National Park Service Director Stephen Mather.

Director Mather visited the area in 1916 and recommended the area be included as a national park within the newly designated National Park System. Sadly, the United States' entry into World War I precluded that addition. Now, 101 years later, this bill seeks to redesignate 15,000 acres of the Indiana Dunes National Park.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, it has been almost 1 month since the mass shooting in Las Vegas occurred; 58 dead, more than 500 injured, many from California--the deadliest shooting in our history.

And here we are, 1 month later, and I am ashamed to say that this Congress has not taken a single action to prevent the next shooting.

After the shooting, 64 Republicans signed a letter to ATF, asking ATF to regulate bump stocks. ATF just notified us that it could not act. It could not act. The ball is back in our court.

Will those Members act now? Representative Cicilline has introduced a commonsense bill to ban bump stocks. If you signed the letter, you should cosponsor the bill. It is that simple. What are you waiting for?

Mr. Speaker, there are some problems that we cannot solve, but this one is not one of those.

Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I want to thank the chairman and also Ranking Member Thompson and Ranking Member Vela and all of their committee staff for their great work and support of this very important legislation. We would not be here today without their commitment to keeping our ports safe. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, you can't turn on the television or visit your favorite website without seeing cyber threats dominating the news. All industries, including our own Federal agencies, have been targets, costing our economy dearly and exposing the personal information of hundreds of millions of employees.

This is a growing problem that is not going away. Rather, these threats are becoming more common and more severe. From the interference in our elections to attacks on government workers, email hacks, and the theft of credit card information, cyber threats are everywhere, and it is time that we modernize the Federal Government's planning and response to these threats.

In June, a Danish shipping company was infected with malware that affected 17 of its shipping container terminals worldwide. The virus spread to 2 million computers within a 2-hour period. As a result, the largest terminal at the Port of Los Angeles shut down for 4 days from the cyber attack.

A recent study estimated the cost of a shutdown of the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach at $1 billion per day to the local economy.

More than $1.3 trillion in cargo moves, annually, through our Nation's 360 commercial ports, and many of the goods that enter through the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach come to my district before being shipped to the rest of the country.

With this much economic activity and the increased use of cyber technology to manage port operations ranging from communications and navigation to engineering, safety, and cargo, it is critical to protect our maritime cyber infrastructure.

It is time that Congress modernize our Federal agencies. This is why I am proud to bring the Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act to the floor today.

This legislation would improve information sharing and cooperation in addressing cybersecurity risks at our Nation's ports through several measures: setting standards for reporting, providing guidance to ports, bringing port representatives to the table for future planning, and modernizing how the Coast Guard addresses cyber threats.

Mr. Speaker, these are commonsense measures. This bill has bipartisan support. The Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act passed the House unanimously last year, and I am confident that passage today will push the Senate into action.

This legislation is supported by the Port of Los Angeles, Congressional PORTS Caucus chairs, and it is endorsed by the Maritime & Port Security Information Sharing and Analysis Organization. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation because we simply can't afford not to. Ports are too critical to our economy and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with the DREAMers, and I urge the passage of H.R. 3440, the Dream Act of 2017.

I know what it is like to leave your country of birth as a child through no choice of your own, and I know that those kids have grown up to become just as American as each and every one of us here.

Despite what their immigration status might say, this is their country; this is their home. We cannot stand by and allow their lives and well-being to be put in jeopardy. The country is on their side. Don't let petty politics get in the way of good policy.

The DREAMers are courageous young men and women who came forward to register in the DACA program, and now they are more vulnerable than ever. Mr. Speaker, I urge every one of my colleagues to support H.R. 3440. The clock is ticking. We must act to protect the DREAMers.

Mr. Speaker, this is a country that was built on dreams. Our country was founded to protect not just the right to life and liberty but also to pursuit of happiness.

Sadly, the dreams of the thousands of young DREAMers who were brought here as children have been put on hold by President Trump's decision to end the DACA program and Congress' inaction to pass the Dream Act. These young DREAMers have created a life for themselves here in the U.S., and many know no other home other than the U.S.

Today, I want to tell you about one special DREAMer from my district. Jose is an extremely intelligent young man. He works 6 days a week and still finds time to volunteer in his community. His parents, unfortunately, did not tell him that he was undocumented, in an effort to protect him. He didn't find out about his status until it was time to apply for college. He was extremely upset, but he didn't give up. His dream is to go to college and study business. He has so much to contribute to our country.

These young people have become part of the American quilt, a quilt that reflects the diversity of our history, our

culture, and heritage of this great country. We can't just throw them and toss them out of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a long-time resident of my district, Dorothy Shelton, as she celebrates 100 years of love, life and dedicated service to her community.

On Thursday, October 5th, 2017, Pomona resident Dorothy Shelton will celebrate her 100th birthday. Ms Shelton has resided in my home district for the last 13 years where she lives with her daughter Sonya Muhammad We are lucky to have someone like Ms. Shelton in California's 35th district.

Ms. Shelton was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where in 1942 she began what would begin a lifelong career in public service by working for the Internal Revenue Service. During her time there, she worked in the Special Procedures section of the Collection Department. Ms. Shelton oversaw liens, levies, and the acquisition of personal property.

After 24 years of dedicated service in the IRS, Ms. Shelton went on to perform the same level of service for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in 1966. Once there, she worked with a team of investigators who confiscated illegal firearms and enforced federal laws regarding the illegal possession and sales of alcohol and tobacco.

Mr. Speaker, Dorothy's dedication extends far beyond her government service. Ms Shelton has always been a community advocate and has belonged to numerous community organizations and social service agencies. She once supervised a housing program funded by the City of Chicago, where she helped secure housing for low-income families in the region. Ms. Shelton was also the first African American president for the National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 94, from 1966 to her retirement in 1981.

She retired with 38 years of service to the government. She is loved by her daughter, two grandsons and their wives, and six great- grandchildren. Dorothy Shelton is indeed Pomona's national treasure.

For her endless dedication to her family and her community, and for being an example of love and kindness, I would like to recognize Ms. Shelton for such a monumental feat, and wish her a very Happy Birthday on the House floor today.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment to this appropriations bill.

Mr. Chairman, since I have been in Congress, I have been working with manufacturers in my congressional district to ensure that we are doing all we can in Congress to support them in creating good-paying, high- skilled jobs right here at home.

Last month, I took a ``Made in the 35th'' tour and traveled across my district, meeting with manufacturers who are creating jobs here in the U.S. They told me about how they are competing with importers from Asia and an unfair playing field created by how our trading partners support their manufacturers.

I continued my tour to the Port of Los Angeles, where it became clearer where this unfair playing field has left us. Ships from Asia come in full and leave empty.

Mr. Chairman, the ships that leave Los Angeles should be full of American-made goods. This is the goal of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, or MEP: supporting American businesses through expanding markets and supporting innovation.

Two of the nine MEP success stories in California have happened in my congressional district. Insulfoam in Chino used the MEP to increase production by 20 percent, while reducing their energy costs by more than 5 percent.

Diamond Wipes, a very impressive company that I visited on my Made in the 35th tour, used the MEP to expand their wet wipes business to markets around the world.

A small investment in MEP meant real wins and expansions for these real American businesses.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment is common sense. For every dollar of MEP investment, we can generate nearly $20 million in new sales growth and $20 in new client investment. That is a $100 million return on my amendment.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment because that investment could end up in one of our communities.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the congresswoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty).

Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), the ranking member of the subcommittee.

Mr. Chairman, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Chairman, this is a $5 million investment for manufacturers in the U.S., and I strongly ask for the support of my colleagues in passing this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment to this appropriations bill.

This amendment would strengthen the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala, CICIG, and the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras. Specifically, it would exempt both institutions from the conditions that Congress has placed on U.S. assistance to Central America.

I am strongly supportive of conditions on aid to Central America, but the conditions must not interfere with the work of CICIG and MACCIH, which have been valuable allies in the fight against corruption and have helped the people of Honduras and Guatemala work toward a more secure and prosperous future.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.