Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, 1 year ago, this body and our Nation lost one of its brightest lights with the passing of an extraordinary congresswoman and my dear friend, Louise Slaughter.

I first came to know Louise in the early 1980s when we served together in the New York State Assembly. We remained close until her passing on March 16, 2018. While I will always miss her presence, her legacy lives on in many, many ways.

It lives on in the renaming of the STOCK Act, an effort that I was proud to sponsor last Congress.

Louise's legacy lives on in the Fairport post office, renamed after Louise and her husband, Bob, a fitting tribute to a loving couple. I thank my colleague, Joe Morelle, for making that happen.

Her legacy lives in the Rochester train station, named after Louise after years of her advocacy and determination to make it an improved destination and a special place of connection.

Most importantly, her legacy lives in the freshman class of this United States House of Representatives. Louise used to represent Seneca Falls and was proud of the women's rights movement that had its strongest, deepest roots in upstate New York.

This year, more than 100 women serve in this body for the first time in American history. Of course, if Louise were here, she would surely remind us that 100 is much less than half of 435 and that our work was far from over.

Madam Speaker, to my friend, Louise, our thoughts and prayers are with her as we mark 1 year since her passing. Today, we celebrate an incredible legacy, a legacy that is alive and burning bright with hope.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 762) to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide for the dissemination of information regarding available Federal programs relating to energy efficiency projects for schools, 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 include extraneous material on H.R. 762.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to voice my strong support for H.R. 762 introduced by my good friend and colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

This legislation will provide a coordinating structure for our Nation's schools to help them better navigate available Federal programs and financing options.

Across our great country, K-12 school districts spend literally billions of dollars on their energy bills each year, while an estimated 14 million American children attend deteriorating public schools. By upgrading these systems, we can increase efficiency and focus school funding to achieve better educational outcomes.

We have a huge opportunity this Congress to make major investments in our Nation's infrastructure--including our most essential institutions, such as schools.

I believe efficiency has to be our fuel of first choice. We can save local taxpayers money while upgrading and modernizing these facilities.

This legislation has passed the House in each of the last two Congresses with broad bipartisan support, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this year's iteration.

I commend Representative Cartwright and the bill's bipartisan cosponsors for their efforts, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright). Representative Cartwright is from Pennsylvania's Eighth Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), my colleague and friend.

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

Mr. Speaker, I encourage our colleagues to support this measure. Obviously, H.R. 762 enables us to make certain that we target wastefulness and energy efficiency. It is a good way to make certain that resources that can be committed to education are not wasted through inefficient use of energy--a good, strong message for the development of our children.

So it is a great bill. I applaud Representative Cartwright and his cosponsors for moving us forward and ask that our colleagues support this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 347) to extend the authorization of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 relating to the disposal site in Mesa County, Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may

have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 347.

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

Mr. Speaker, last September the House approved an identical bill, H.R. 2278, in the 115th Congress by a voice vote. Unfortunately, that bill did not move in the Senate, so we are back to reconsider H.R. 347, introduced by Mr. Tipton and cosponsored by my Energy and Commerce colleague, Ms. DeGette.

The Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act established a process for remediating inactive uranium-ore processing sites, such as the one in Grand Junction, Colorado.

To protect public health and safety from potential risks, uranium mill tailings must be disposed at a site that is licensed and that meets standards established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The continued operation of the Cheney Disposal Cell is critical. Last year, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provided the following for the Record: ``Given that this is the only DOE uranium mill tailings disposal site left in the country, it is critical that this facility remains open to receive and dispose of the uranium mill tailings that are discovered in our communities. This action will ensure the continued protection of human health and the environment.''

The cell receives approximately 2,700 cubic yards of additional waste per year, and has sufficient space to receive an estimated 235,000 cubic yards, which represents 86 more years of operation at current rates.

H.R. 347 would authorize the Department of Energy to continue to operate the Cheney Disposal Cell through September 2048 or until it is filled to capacity. Currently, DOE is authorized to operate this cell through September 2023.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good, bipartisan bill, and I hope we can move it forward today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers on my side, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, for the reasons that this legislation would allow for the only disposal site of its kind in the country, it is important that we pass this important infrastructure concept, and I encourage our colleagues to support the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1138) to reauthorize the West Valley demonstration project, 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 include extraneous material on H.R. 1138.

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

Mr. Speaker, last September, the House approved an identical bill, H.R. 2389, in the 115th Congress, by a voice vote.

Unfortunately, that bill did not move in the Senate. Today, we will reconsider H.R. 1138, which has been reintroduced by my New York colleague and friend, Mr. Reed.

The Western New York Nuclear Service Center in West Valley, New York, has been the center of disputes and legislative actions since the 1980s. This site is a difficult reminder that we are still dealing with the consequences of our Nation's entry into the atomic age.

While the site is owned by New York State, between 1966 and 1972 it was operated by a private business to reprocess spent nuclear fuel primarily provided by the Federal Government. Those reprocessing activities ended decades ago, but high-level waste and transuranic waste continue to be stored at the site.

A cost-sharing agreement for the site's remediation has been resolved, but disposal of the waste remains a point of contention.

Since 1986, DOE has classified the waste as commercial rather than waste deriving from atomic energy defense activities.

Under this classification, DOE believes that the cost for disposal of the wastes should be borne by the State of New York. New York State believes that since 60 percent of the material sent to West Valley was from facilities that conducted defense activities, and 80 percent of the reprocessed plutonium shipped out of West Valley was sent to defense facilities, it should be categorized as defense-related waste.

This classification disagreement has major consequences for how the waste can be disposed of and who will be responsible for covering the costs. While I would prefer more certainty in clarifying the wastes' classification, this legislation puts us on a path towards solving this issue by requiring a GAO report on the origins of and disposal pathways, including cost estimates.

In addition, the bill reauthorizes the West Valley Demonstration Project at $75 million annually for 7 years. This funding level is in line with historic appropriations levels and will ensure the cleanup will continue on schedule.

This bill may not resolve the decades-old dispute between New York and the Department of Energy. It does address funding for the remediation of the site and attempts to move the ball forward to ensure that wastes are disposed of properly and, most importantly, fairly.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins), my colleague and friend from the 26th Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, West Valley, as an issue, has been there for a long time. It is good to know that we are moving the ball forward.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I thank the dean, the gentleman from North Carolina, for bringing us together. The delegation has done an awesome bit of tribute here to recognize Walter B. Jones, Jr., our colleague who has served so faithfully well. I will offer a few comments here. It has been a tremendous tribute.

I do, in my initial comments here, want to extend my condolences to his widow and his family and his many friends and colleagues and, in a particular way, to his staff.

To know Walter Jones is to love Walter Jones. I have to believe that the relationship that he had with so many and, in particular, his family and his extended family, his work family, had to be driven by that love, that compassion that was part of him. It was undeniable. It was so clearly presented by every step, every thought he shared.

He was a person of deeply rooted faith. His Christian faith, his Catholic faith guided him. He was a pious individual who was not self- righteous but spoke with such integrity and such deeply rooted beliefs that our goal in life is to connect inextricably with everyone and to serve everyone.

He understood the role of a legislator to be compassionate, to empathize, to be able to express to the many people who trusted in his leadership, to share what needed to be done here.

And so, tonight, we gather together to offer our thanks to this consummate gentleman who was every bit of the way, yes, an individual of greatness, but if we do not mention his heart, his kindness, we don't capture the individual.

His kindness worked in several ways. He wove that kindness into every bill that he addressed, every vote he undertook, every step that he made in his career of public service. He understood that these acts of kindness would accumulate to express an individual of greatness.

His integrity was impeccable. I cherish the many conversations we would have on the walk over to the House or in riding in the trolley about having a sense of guidance, a sense of how to conduct yourself, how to go forth and understand that the work you can address in this body affects individuals so greatly.

Obviously, he was a person who was humble and could acknowledge mistakes, as was indicated earlier, to do that publicly and graciously as he did when he suggested that the many thousands, the 12,000-plus letters that he had drafted to families of dead troops since 2003 was, in a sense, an act of penance, a sense of expression that he had erred and that he regretted that there were these consequences of war that were borne by these many families who lost their loved ones prematurely.

There was a sense of coming together that he would allow all of us to share in the efforts for peace. Walter carried himself in a peaceful way, a peaceful manner. He was a moral compass for this House, one who taught us, by his very actions, that it is essential for us to be bold, that our fight to be there for what is just and fair should guide us.

Tonight, I acknowledge his great work, his great friendship, his great lessons taught. He didn't use or need to use words to teach us. His actions spoke louder than any words he could utter. And tonight, we say thank you to an individual who is very much missed already in the weeks that have passed since his departure from this world.

Walter, we cherish your memory. It will live forever. You will be the measuring stick for Members who serve in this House, and you will be that constant reminder, as I look at that kind and loving smile that you have worn in this photograph that we have on display on the House floor. It has guided us. It will continue to speak to us.

Your actions are powerful. Your words were so carefully chosen and so heartfelt. Your drive to be a just and fair man has earned you an eternal reward. Good job, humble and faithful servant.

God bless you. May you rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 583) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for enhanced penalties for pirate radio, 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 include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 583, the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act, or PIRATE Act, a bill sponsored by myself and Mr. Bilirakis. This measure is a bipartisan, commonsense bill that passed the House last Congress.

Mr. Speaker, first, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has worked on this measure. I thank Representative Bilirakis for agreeing to lead this effort with me in this Congress. I thank our former colleague, Congressman Leonard Lance, for all his work on this bill in the past. And I thank the New York State broadcasters for their dedication.

For years, I, along with many Members of the New York and New Jersey delegations, have voiced our concern that pirate radio operators are a threat to Americans' public health and safety. Yet these lawbreakers are as prevalent as ever, and their actions have been met with few consequences. This legislation responds directly to that threat.

The FCC has taken some positive steps to remedy this issue, but more needs to be done.

In short, the PIRATE Act would increase penalties and restrictions on pirate radio.

Whether a radio frequency is being used by first responders coordinating to save lives, or parents who want to keep obscenity and bigotry away from their children, for example, our communities are better served when broadcasters respect the rule of law.

Previous drafts of the PIRATE Act included provisions creating liability for those who facilitate illegal pirate radio operation. These provisions were removed as being duplicative with existing law. For example, under current law, the FCC can hold a property owner liable for allowing a pirate radio operator access or other assistance.

Cutting these provisions should not be taken as limiting the Commission's authority to assess fines against those who assist illegal pirate operations. On the contrary, the consequences established in this act would also apply in these contexts.

The text of the bill before us today includes changes that were requested in the Senate last Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support for H.R. 583 from the 50 State broadcast associations.

January 18, 2019.

50 State Broadcasters Associations Urge Passage of the

Bipartisan PIRATE Act

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Mitch McConnell,

Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Kevin McCarthy,

Minority Leader, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Charles Schumer,

Minority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leaders McCarthy, McConnell and

Schumer: The undersigned broadcasters associations

representing local, over-the-air broadcast stations in all 50

States, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of

Puerto Rico urge your swift consideration and passage of the

Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE)

Act (H.R. 583). The PIRATE Act would provide the Federal

Communications Commission (FCC) with critical new enforcement

measures to combat pirate radio operations. Last Congress,

substantially similar bipartisan legislation (H.R. 5709,

115th) passed the House of Representatives unanimously.

For years unauthorized pirate radio stations have harmed

communities across the country by undermining the Emergency

Alert System, interfering with airport communications, posing

direct health risks and interfering with licensed stations'

abilities to serve their listeners. The time has come to take

significant steps to resolve this vexing problem.

The PIRATE Act gives the FCC additional tools to address

the growing pirate radio problem. It provides the authority

to levy increased fines up to $100,000 per violation and

$2,000,000 in total. The PIRATE Act streamlines the

enforcement process and requires the FCC to conduct pirate

radio enforcement sweeps in cities with a concentration of

pirate radio stations. It recognizes the importance of FCC

coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement

authorities. Finally, the PIRATE Act would create a database

of all licensed radio stations operating in the AM and FM

bands as well as those entities that have been subject to

enforcement actions for illegal operation.

We are reaching the point where illegal pirate stations

undermine the legitimacy and purpose of the FCC's licensing

system to the detriment of listeners in communities across

the country. The PIRATE Act will help the FCC restore

integrity to the system. For these reasons, local

broadcasters across our great nation fully support the

bipartisan PIRATE Act and urge its swift passage without

changes.

Respectfully,

Sharon Tinsley, Alabama Broadcasters Association; Cathy

Hiebert, Alaska Broadcasters Association; Christopher Kline,

Arizona Broadcasters Association; Luke Story, Arkansas

Broadcasters Association; Joe Berry, California Broadcasters

Association; Justin Sasso, Colorado Broadcasters Association;

Michael Patrick Ryan, Connecticut Broadcasters Association;

C. Patrick Roberts, Florida Association of Broadcasters; Bob

Houghton, Georgia Association of Broadcasters; Jamie

Hartnett, Hawaii Association of Broadcasters; Connie Searles,

Idaho State Broadcasters Association; Dennis Lyle, Illinois

Broadcasters Association.

Dave Arland, Indiana Broadcasters Association; Sue Toma,

Iowa Broadcasters Association; Kent Cornish, Kansas

Association of Broadcasters; Chris Winkle, Kentucky

Broadcasters Association; Polly Prince Johnson, Louisiana

Association of Broadcasters; Suzanne Goucher, Maine

Association of Broadcasters; Lisa Reynolds, Maryland/D.C./

Delaware (MDCD) Broadcasters Association; Jordan Walton,

Massachusetts Broadcasters Association; Karole L. White,

Michigan Association of Broadcasters; Wendy Paulson,

Minnesota Broadcasters Association; Margaret Perkins,

Mississippi Association of Broadcasters; Mark Gordon,

Missouri Broadcasters Association.

Dewey Bruce, Montana Broadcasters Association; Jim Timm,

Nebraska Broadcasters Association; Mitch Fox, Nevada

Broadcasters Association; Tracy Caruso, New Hampshire

Association of Broadcasters; Paul Rotella, New Jersey

Broadcasters Association; Paula Maes, New Mexico Broadcasters

Association; David Donovan, New York State Broadcasters

Association; Lisa Reynolds, North Carolina Association of

Broadcasters; Beth Helfrich, North Dakota Broadcasters

Association; Christine Merritt, Ohio Association of

Broadcasters; Vance Harrison, Oklahoma Association of

Broadcasters; John Tamerlano, Oregon Association of

Broadcasters.

Joe Conti, Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters; Jose

A. Ribas Dominicci, Radio Broadcasters Association of Puerto

Rico; Lori Needham, Rhode Island Broadcasters Association;

Margaret Wallace, South Carolina Broadcasters Association;

Steve Willard, South Dakota Broadcasters Association; Whit

Adamson, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters; Oscar

Rodriguez, Texas Association of Broadcasters; Michele

Zabriskie, Utah Broadcasters Association; Wendy Mays, Vermont

Association of Broadcasters; Doug Easter, Virginia

Association of Broadcasters; Keith Shipman, Washington State

Association of Broadcasters; Michele Crist, West Virginia

Broadcasters Association; Michelle Vetterkind, Wisconsin

Broadcasters Association; Laura Grott, Wyoming Association of

Broadcasters.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 583 is a bipartisan, commonsense advance in the laws that support our first responders and protect our communities. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so it can be taken up in the Senate and signed into law.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further Members who choose to speak. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, to close, I believe that this measure, H.R. 583, moves us forward in a way that better protects public health and safety. It has the endorsement of many in the field, including 50 State broadcast associations.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage our colleagues to support H.R. 583, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to call on President Trump and the Senate to reopen the Federal Government immediately.

A legion of Federal workers went to work again this morning with no idea how or when they will be able to pay their bills or support their families, workers like Tracy from my hometown of Amsterdam, New York.

Tracy has worked for the USDA for more than three decades helping upstate New York farmers, with nowhere else to turn, find the funds they need to stay afloat for another season.

She says: ``When you start to lose farms, equipment dealers go out of business. Everybody suffers--the charities, the churches. If you can't pay your bills, you can't go to the local pancake breakfast on Sunday'' to help a not-for-profit.

This weekend, bitter cold hit New York's capital region. Tracy tells me she hasn't gone down to the basement because she is afraid to see the level of heating oil left in her tank.

Just as tough is the mental toll this shutdown is taking. Until recently, Tracy was furloughed. Now she is working, working without pay. She worries about the farmers who rely on USDA loans to get seed and fertilizer for the coming season.

When asked what she would say if she were standing here in this spot today, she said: ``We need to take care of one another. It doesn't matter what party you are. We need to help and uplift each other.''

Madam Speaker, I urge the United States Senate to heed Tracy's call, move forward with any one of the many bills that we have passed here in the House to reopen this government, restore paychecks to our dedicated Federal workers and the critical services they provide to our neighbors who need it, who need it most.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Chemical Facility Anti- Terrorism Standards Program Extension Act. This bipartisan bill is supported by the full committee and relevant subcommittee chairs and ranking members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Homeland Security.

The Department of Homeland Security's Chemical Facility Anti- Terrorism Standards, or CFATS, program is an important part of our Nation's counterterrorism efforts to secure high-risk chemical facilities.

The program was created in 2006 and it had its first long-term reauthorization in 2014. Unfortunately, without further congressional action, CFATS will terminate later this month.

The bill before us would grant a clean, 2-year extension of the program. I believe this will give the new Congress ample time to continue program oversight and make any reforms necessary for the next long-term extension.

For one, I strongly believe we should be looking at all aspects of risks at chemical facilities, not just terrorism. Chemical fires, explosions, and releases can have serious consequences, regardless of whether an incident was an accident, a natural disaster, or an act of terrorism. A holistic approach to chemical risks, which obviously includes security, should also account for workers and communities' safety and facilities' resilience.

Recent natural disasters have exposed previously unaccounted for vulnerabilities at some facilities. During Hurricane Harvey, we saw the potential for devastation, when a power outage and equipment failure led to a significant chemical fire at the Arkema facility in Crosby, Texas.

Ensuring that these critical sites are resilient to risks associated with climate change and extreme weather events will be critical for the long-term safety and security of not only the sites, but also surrounding communities.

I want to recognize the efforts of Jacqueline Cohen and other members of the Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic staff for their work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 251, and I hope we can continue bipartisan efforts to improve the program as we work toward a long-term reauthorization in the 116th Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Luigi Battaglioli, a visionary senior at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, whose app was recently selected as the winner of the 2018 Congressional App Challenge for New York's 20th Congressional District.

Luigi's submission stood out in an impressive field from students across our district. His app, CodeGeek.org, is an online classroom that teaches novice students how to code through video lessons, educational texts, and challenge assignments.

Growing a modern, sustainable, and competitive economy requires exceptional STEM training and education. Luigi's commitment to making coding accessible to anyone on the internet truly embodies the spirit of the Congressional App Challenge. He has earned the pride and praise of our entire capital region community. May his work inspire others to share his passion in the coming year and beyond.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to S. 1934, which would roll back public health standards under the Clean Air Act for dirty diesel generating units in remote areas of Alaska.

This legislation would undermine protections for human health, protections for the environment, and protections for our climate.

Adding insult to injury, this bill is being brought up under suspension of the rules at the last minute, over the objections of Democrats.

The Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over the Clean Air Act and where I serve as the Environment Subcommittee ranking member, held no hearings on this subject nor considered any legislation relating to this matter.

EPA already gives special considerations for diesel generators in remote areas of Alaska. These special considerations allow remote areas to use stationary diesel generators that are certified to marine engine standards rather than more stringent land-based, nonroad engines.

However, all diesel generators in these areas that are model year 2014 or later, and not for emergency use, must be certified to meet EPA's tier 4 emission standards. If they cannot meet tier 4 standards, then they must meet certain alternative requirements for particulate matter or install an emission control device that reduces PM emissions.

S. 1934 directs the EPA Administrator to revise downward the existing New Source Performance Standards for diesel generators, so that these units would have to meet only EPA's tier 3 standards rather than the more protective tier 4 criteria.

Certainly, it is legitimate for Congress to consider assisting these remote areas with unique power needs and pollution problems. However, we should be looking to help these areas obtain cleaner, healthier air, not rolling back standards and pretending that the pollution and associated health and environmental problems don't exist.

Further, I note that the bill directs the EPA, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to submit a report assessing options for the Federal Government to meet the energy needs of remote areas in the State of Alaska in an affordable and reliable manner while addressing air emissions. That study is the right first step, and I would be happy to support it and then work with my colleagues to find ways to help these areas, based on the results of that particular study.

Unfortunately, this bill takes the backward approach of rolling back standards and then studying the problem. Perhaps if our Republican colleagues had come to us sooner than this week, we might have been able to find a way to come together on legislation.

Unfortunately, Republicans have chosen to take this up without consultation, at the last minute, over our objections. They have left us no option other than to fight. I wish it were otherwise.

For the past 2 years, the Trump administration has engaged in a consistent effort to undermine the Clean Air Act and its protections for everything from mercury and hazardous air pollutants to smog and particulate matter.

We have seen the Trump administration walk away from the Paris climate agreement, undo the Clean Power Plan, and gut fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for motor vehicles. We must continue to stand firm against these actions that endanger public health, our continued economic well-being, and most certainly our planet.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I urge my colleagues to stand up for our public health, for our climate, and against those continued rollbacks of our Nation's most successful environmental statute, the Clean Air Act.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote a strong ``no'' on S. 1934, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I respect and I share the gentleman's concern for the people of Alaska. I am talking about a bill that is drafted incorrectly. While it may be specific to Alaska, it is not specific to remote areas.

So we can share compassion for the people. I am just saying, if we had done this in regular order and exchanged dialogue with one another, perhaps the outcome would have been stronger.

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

Mr. Speaker, to Karen, from this side of the aisle, I wish her well, too. It was enjoyable working with her, and I look forward to working with the Members of the other side of the aisle in the 116th Congress on this issue and others.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, so I will close saying that I am concerned about the loosely defined language in this bill. I am concerned about the attacks on the Clean Air Act that are so important to all Americans.

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 as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1222, the

Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act led by Congressman Bilirakis and Congressman Schiff.

This legislation builds on the success of current efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve and expand research, surveillance, and public outreach and education programs relating to congenital heart disease.

Each year more than 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect, and 1 million children and 1.4 million adults are currently living with congenital heart disorders.

Even though congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect in America, there are still many unknowns surrounding the condition.

This legislation will help expand our understanding of congenital heart disease across the lifespan, and has the potential to improve the lives of the millions of children and adults living with congenital heart disease.

Mr. Speaker, I therefore urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I echo my support for the Senate amendment to H.R. 1222, it is worthy of our support. We will continue to build on the research and education concerning birth defects, and, most importantly, we will enable individuals and families who live with birth defects to have more hope.

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 in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 6615, the Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act of 2018, led by Congressman Pascrell and Congressman Rooney.

This legislation would reauthorize programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that would work to reduce the incidence of traumatic brain injury in the United States.

These programs also help improve our understanding of the prevention and treatment of traumatic brain injuries through surveillance efforts.

This reauthorization would expand upon existing efforts to reauthorize CDC to establish a new national concussion surveillance system to determine the prevalence and the incidence of concussions in the United States. I commend the sponsors of this bill and the work they have done.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), who has done tremendous work on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I again encourage Members to support this legislation. As was indicated, it has taken a long 20 years to achieve this success. Hopefully, we can support this and provide, again, a great initiative on behalf of those who suffer from traumatic brain injury.

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 in strong support of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, legislation that I have introduced with my good friend and fellow Energy and Commerce Committee member, Congressman Brett Guthrie.

I thank both Chairman Walden and incoming Chair Pallone for their support of this particular legislation, and I greatly appreciate the partnership with Congressman Guthrie and his staff for helping to get this important legislation over the finish line today.

Alzheimer's is a brutal, devastating disease. Anyone whose life has been touched by Alzheimer's or related dementias knows the heart- wrenching toll that these diseases can and most often do take on an individual, on a family, and on a community.

Since first coming to Congress, I have been laser-focused on how we can reduce the devastating burden that Alzheimer's disease has on our families and our Nation. We have had great success, many successes in recent years with legislation such as the National Alzheimer's Project Act and the Alzheimer's Accountability Act helping to coordinate our medical research agenda and strengthen our case for the unprecedented investments that Congress has appropriated to effectively treat and find a cure for Alzheimer's.

With the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act, we were able to get CMS to provide coverage for comprehensive care planning services to Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. These care planning visits are a critical tool for families struggling for answers and help to lessen the burden of this disease.

Now we are taking another huge step forward with the passage of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, legislation that will invest in public health-oriented strategies for tackling Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

We know that in 2018, Alzheimer's and related dementias will cost our country $277 billion. By smartly investing in a public health infrastructure for this disease, we can reduce this cost burden on the local, State, and Federal Government, and improve care for those who have received an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

The BOLD Act will enhance our public health infrastructure in three main ways:

First, it will create Alzheimer's disease and related dementias public health centers of excellence. They will be dedicated to promoting effective Alzheimer's disease and caregiving interventions, as well as educating the public on Alzheimer's disease, cognitive decline, and brain health. These centers will implement the CDC's healthy aging public health road map and will take key steps to support health and social services professionals, as well as families and communities.

Second, the legislation will allow for State and local cooperative agreements with HHS that will be awarded to State health departments, subdivisions of States, or Tribal entities to develop and carry out Alzheimer's interventions. These awards will help States build a foundation and also help those States that are already investing in a public health approach to Alzheimer's to amplify their initiatives through public-private partnerships.

Finally, the BOLD Act will create data analysis and reporting cooperative agreements with HHS that will ensure that data on Alzheimer's, cognitive decline, caregiving, and health disparities are analyzed and disseminated to the public in a timely manner.

We need this legislation more than ever. The burden of Alzheimer's disease does not take a day off, and Congress cannot afford to either.

In closing, I again thank Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Pallone, House leadership, our Senate sponsors, and everyone who had a hand in this success today. Without such dedicated bipartisan Alzheimer's champions throughout Congress, we would not be making this strong step forward. It is mighty progress.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Maxine Waters). Representative Waters is from California's 43rd Congressional District and has invested a lot of time and work on the Alzheimer's issue, especially in her role as co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge passage of this legislation. The BOLD Act is another bit of foundation that we have done to move forward and conquer Alzheimer's and related dementias.

Those of us who function in government understand full well that our Federal, State, and local budgets have been impacted severely by Alzheimer's disease, but, most importantly, families have been burdened by this disease. So it is so important for us to move forward with this legislation that provides, again, hope to those families and individuals living with Alzheimer's disease.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2278, the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018. I thank Chair Walden and incoming Chair Pallone, along with Congressman Schrader and Congressman Mullin, for their work on this important legislation.

This legislation would reauthorize the Federal grant program that supports Offices of Rural Health in each State, including the Charles D. Cook Office of Rural Health with the New York State Department of Health for the first time.

These offices assist States in strengthening rural health delivery systems and improving access to quality services in rural areas. This work is particularly important because patients and providers in rural communities can face obstacles that can: result in reduced access to care, increase health disparities, and inhibit individuals from experiencing optimal health.

To ensure that States can continue to meet the requirements of this grant program, this reauthorization legislation provides new flexibility for State offices to meet their Federal match requirements, as well as to request a waiver that would allow the State office to continue to receive Federal funding if an office faces an extreme hardship in meeting that requirement.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2278, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Schrader), who represents Oregon's Fifth Congressional District.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support, again, of the legislation before us.

I want to commend Congressmen Schrader and Mullin for their great work on this important legislation. It shows great sensitivity to the healthcare needs of rural America and to the corresponding health delivery systems. For that reason alone, this is worthy of our unanimous support.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate an accomplished composer, educator, and music innovator from New York's capital region, Professor Evan Mack, recently named a Musical America 2018 Professional of the Year.

Professor Mack's first major opera premiered at New York's Baryshnikov

Center in May of 2011, an impressive achievement for a first-time composer.

Since then, he has composed numerous operas, including a grand opera based on William Kennedy's 2014 novel, ``Roscoe,'' that received a concert performance with the Albany Symphony featuring Deborah Voigt in 2016.

He also cowrote one of the first-ever operas for Twitter, #IsOperaDead, a five-act opera performed in the span of 1 minute and 40 seconds.

He also serves on the faculty at Skidmore College and was a resident artist at the prestigious Yaddo.

Professor Evan Mack, on behalf of all of your many fans and supporters in upstate New York, congratulations on being named a 2018 Professional of the Year by Musical America.