Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I appreciate her courtesy. I did ask my side for time. Unfortunately, they had no time available, so I thank the gentlewoman for coming to my rescue on this.

I feel very strongly about this, and I echo the comments of Mr. LoBiondo. The premium increase here can have a devastating impact on my constituents. Without grandfathering, we would see premiums skyrocket. And when Mr. LoBiondo and I tried to ameliorate this by suggesting a compromise by putting a $5,000 cap on premiums, we were rejected.

When Mr. LoBiondo talked about a bias against the Northeast, that bias continues today from Sandy. Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico all received tax relief following their storms. To this day, voters in my district have not received that tax relief; and Mr. LoBiondo's district is the same.

So I am also tired of this regional bias. We, in the Northeast, get treated--whether it is on taxes, or whatever it is, we do not get a fair shake. Maybe they don't need our votes.

Well, you are not getting my vote today. I urge Members to vote in opposition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of longtime New York City Firefighter Robert ``Skippy'' Tilearcio, who passed away last Wednesday from a malignant tumor resulting from his months of recovery efforts at Ground Zero.

Skip was a tireless advocate for the Zadroga 9/11 Healthcare Act. He came to Washington about six times to fight for its extension in 2014 and 2015, even before he was diagnosed with a fatal tumor. I had the privilege of meeting Skip Tilearcio when he would make these painful trips to Congress. On his final visit Skip was confined to a wheelchair but his spirit was as strong as ever. Skip truly personified the courage of New York's Bravest.

Skip Tilearcio was the 15th firefighter to die this year alone from a 9/11 related illness. Many more are sick and suffering from these dreaded 9/11 illnesses. But because of Skip Tilearcio's heroic and successful effort to extend the Zadroga Act, these brave first responders will receive the very best medical care and treatment. My sincerest condolences go out to his wife Tina and his two children Tatiana and Robert. R.I.P. Firefighter Robert ``Skip'' Tilearcio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Suicide Prevention Month and to draw attention to the continuing fight against veteran suicide.

Sadly, approximately 20 veterans take their own lives every day. In August 2016 the Veterans Administration released a comprehensive report on veteran suicide. Among the disturbing statistics in this report, it was revealed that though veterans make up 8.5 percent of the U.S. population, they accounted for 18 percent of suicides in 2014. This report also showed that we lost more veterans to suicide in 2014 than soldiers to the battlefield during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom combined. It is clear that for many veterans a more arduous battle with PTSD and mental illness arises after they return from combat.

That is why I am a proud sponsor of H.R. 411, the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act. This bill would require the VA to complete a publicly available review of the deaths of veterans who died by suicide during the preceding five-year period. The review would include key facts, such as the total number of veterans who have died by suicide, a comprehensive list of the medications prescribed to and found in the systems of such veterans, the percentage of such veterans with combat experience or trauma, Veterans Health Administration facilities with disproportionately high rates of psychiatric drug prescriptions and suicide among veterans, and recommendations to improve the safety and well-being of veterans.

This review would provide vital information for identifying risk factors for suicide and improving mental healthcare for veterans. It is through gaining this understanding of the needs of veterans that we can work to stop this terrible epidemic.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Idaho for yielding. I certainly commend Mrs. Comstock for the outstanding job she has done on this.

I stand here in strong support of this bill. It is absolutely essential that this Congress does everything it can to eradicate and destroy MS-13. It would be shameful not to.

MS-13 has turned my district into killing fields. In the last year and a half, 17 innocent young people have been slaughtered with machetes and knives by MS-13. These are all young people, and these are children of legal and illegal immigrants documented and undocumented. It is the immigrant community that is being turned into a chamber of horrors by MS-13. Children are afraid to go to school; their parents are afraid to allow their kids to go out at night.

There have been 270 arrests in the last year alone. MS-13 is terrorizing communities in my district within 15 to 20 minutes of my home.

I am proud that this bill has been endorsed by the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the NYPD.

Also, when I talk about 17 murders, it is exactly 1 year ago this week that two young teenage girls, Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas, both constituents of mine, were found slaughtered, their bodies desecrated, mutilated, and torn apart by MS-13 because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time--no gang connections, nothing whatsoever.

So this is something which has required extensive coordination between the Suffolk County Police Department, ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, Homeland Security, FBI task forces, and the U.S. Attorney's Office all working around the clock to try to eradicate this evil.

But more has to be done, and that is what this bill is about. We cannot allow gang members to be taking advantage of loopholes in the immigration laws. To me, nothing could be more shameful than for us not to do our job. Nothing would be more violative of our role under the Constitution to protect people from all enemies foreign and domestic than for us not to pass legislation such as this. This is absolutely essential. This isn't theoretical, and this is not hypothetical.

For those who are concerned about immigrants and those who are concerned about DACA--and I support DACA--and those who are supportive of the helpless in our society, how can you take any action which would prevent us from going after MS-13? MS-13 is a violent and vicious gang, and if we don't stand together as one, if we continue to make hypothetical arguments or a parade of horribles, we are subjecting and putting more young people--innocent young people--documented and undocumented, in the line of fire and putting them into the killing fields.

I applaud the President, I applaud the Attorney General, and I also support the Democratic leaders in Suffolk County, all of whom have come together in a bipartisan effort to stamp out MS-13. But we must do more. This bill is a major step in that direction. I am proud to support it. I am proud to stand with Mr. Goodlatte, Mr. Labrador, and Mrs. Comstock in doing this.

This is reality. This isn't make-believe. This isn't something we can dream about, something that may go bad. This is going bad day after day after day in my district and districts throughout the country. These are animals. They need to be eradicated from our society, and this bill is a major step in that direction.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong support of the bill and urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate the sixteenth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks and to remember the nearly 3,000 innocent victims killed that day in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

While September 11th is a day shrouded in unspeakable tragedy, it was also a time of unsurpassed courage. Many of the first responders, who heroically rushed to rescue victims, continue to die from exposure to Ground Zero toxins. These firefighters, police officers, and other emergency workers, rely on the Federal government to provide medical care they so desperately need and will require support for years to come.

I am grateful to the men and women of law enforcement, the Armed Forces and our Intelligence Community who work tirelessly every day to keep our country safe. As we celebrate their efforts, we must remain vigilant against terrorists who seek to destroy our country and way of life.

We must never forget the catastrophic events and lives lost on that tragic day in our Nation's history.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this September and the estimated 26,000 men who will die from this disease by year's end.

Prostate cancer is a disease that develops in the male reproductive system located in the prostate. Among American males, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer and has the second highest cancer-related cause of death. My own father died of prostate cancer. However, like many other forms of cancer, early detection is vital to successful treatment.

As a nation, we have a duty and responsibility to serve and save the American public. Federal funding for prostate cancer research has accounted for, on average, only 5 percent of our nation's annual cancer research budget even though it is responsible for about 26 percent of all cancer cases and about 9 percent of cancer deaths in men. I encourage my fellow Members of Congress in joining me to make prostate cancer awareness, research, and early detection a national health care priority by ensuring adequate resources are readily available to save American lives. When it comes to saving Americans, we must see to that everyone has a clean bill of health.

Our efforts to bring awareness to prostate cancer must continue beyond the month of September. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to help raise and maintain awareness for this humane cause and invite my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in this fight. Though the number of American men diagnosed with prostate cancer has fallen by nearly 6 percent each year over the past decade, we still have a long ways until a cure can be found.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, the Gateway program will create the new infrastructure essential to greater resiliency against future potential storms and disasters, while enabling repairs to damage and achieve capacity and reliability-related investments for the needs of the Northeast Corridor's operators for the next 30 to 50 years.

Without extensive repairs and rebuilding of the existing tunnel, service reliability is likely to continue to deteriorate due to ongoing damage from saltwater incursion during Superstorm Sandy, from which we are still suffering 5 years later, eventually forcing a shutdown of one or both tubes of the Hudson River Tunnel.

Mr. Lance pointed out and Mr. Nadler pointed out the Northeast Corridor is not just the Northeast. It services the entire Nation. It serves a massive economic purpose.

It is essential we stand behind this. This is absolutely essential infrastructure spending. I support Chairman Frelinghuysen, and I support the ranking member and the chairman of the subcommittee for their work. Again, it is truly a bipartisan effort and something that is absolutely essential.

Mr. Chairman, I urge defeat of the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Scleroderma Awareness Month.

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that not only affects thousands of individuals within my own constituency and the state of New York, but also thousands of individuals living in the United States.

Due to the lack of research on the unpredictable progression of Scleroderma, many physicians find it difficult to diagnose their patients and find it even more difficult to provide adequate treatment since a cure has not been discovered. As we recognize the need for awareness of this troublesome disease, we must do more for the thousands of Americans who are diagnosed with this condition each year.

In the past, I have championed legislation aimed toward galvanizing many federal agencies to fund research for Scleroderma with former Congresswoman Lois Capps of California. As a representative, I consider myself responsible for the health and safety of my constituents. This is why I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting federal investment for research as well as recognizing June as Scleroderma Awareness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for recorded votes on the evening of March 16, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 165, NAY on Roll Call No. 166, NAY on Roll Call No. 167, YEA on Roll Call No. 168, and NAY on Roll Call No. 169.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 666) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Insider Threat Program, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the legislation. Recent high-profile cases of government employees leaking classified information have caused drastic damage to U.S. national security and diplomacy. The names Snowden and Manning are now synonymous with the term ``insider threat.'' Unfortunately, Snowden, Manning, and others were able to conduct their traitorous work undetected because the government had at one time vetted and granted them access to secure facilities and information systems.

In response to these cases, it is vital that Congress ensure Federal agencies have the tools to detect and disrupt future insider threat situations before damage is done. H.R. 666, in contrast to its unholy numbering, has the important and respectable goal of authorizing and expanding insider threat detection and mitigation efforts at the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS has over 115,000 employees with access to classified information and many more with access to law enforcement sensitive data. Unauthorized disclosures of classified information, whether deliberate or unwitting, represent a significant threat to national security. The very nature of modern communication systems, as well as DHS' important information-sharing role with State and local partners, adds complexity to the challenge and requires thoughtful programs to educate employees and enhance DHS-wide detection capabilities.

The bill directs DHS to develop a strategy for the Department to identify, prevent, mitigate, and respond to insider threats and requires DHS to ensure that personnel understand what workplace behavior may be indicative of a potential insider threat and how their activity on DHS networks will be monitored. The bill codifies a comprehensive insider threat program at DHS that can be implemented through the Department and its component agencies and, most importantly, reinforces the importance of preventing future insider attacks.

I want to thank Homeland Security Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Thompson, and Congressmen Dan Donovan and Lou Barletta for working with me to bring this bill to the floor.

The same bill passed the House floor in November 2015 by voice vote. Unfortunately, last-minute scheduling issues with the Senate prevented the bill from reaching the President's desk. I am pleased that the House is willing to take up this measure so quickly in the new Congress so we can move it through the process. I look forward to working with the Senate to move this measure forward.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill so we can establish a comprehensive, transparent, DHS-wide insider threat program. I urge support for the bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, at the outset, let me thank the ranking member for his support and for his kind words, and let me fully agree with him on the outstanding job General Taylor did during his time at DHS and throughout his career in public service.

Mr. Speaker, on a daily basis, adversaries are targeting DHS and other Federal agencies seeking to acquire sensitive information. U.S. citizens with trusted access to government facilities and electronic networks have been responsible for some of the most damaging attacks to the U.S. Government.

This bill provides the framework for DHS to implement an insider threat program that identifies and disrupts malicious insiders who seek to do the Department and its employees harm. It also seeks to protect the Department's workforce by conducting a transparent process to reinforce cyber hygiene, data security, and an awareness of malicious activity through a robust training program.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 697) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve the management and administration of the security clearance processes throughout the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 697, the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act, and I commend the gentleman from Mississippi for sponsoring it.

A security clearance is a privilege granted to individuals who have pledged to protect the American people from threats domestically and abroad. DHS has approximately 115,000 employees with varying access to classified materials. One important element of H.R. 697 is the requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct an inventory of the Department's positions that require security clearances and assess what positions may be duplicative or are no longer necessary. It is just good government to ensure that individuals still have a need to know.

In 2013, then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper called the number of individuals with clearances ``too high.'' In a memo to government agencies, Director Clapper expressed his concern with the growing number of individuals with access to classified information, particularly TS and SCI clearances.

Security clearances are costly to investigate, adjudicate, and maintain. This bill would ensure that DHS conducts a thorough accounting of its workforce needs and reduces the number of positions if determined appropriate. The bill also includes requirements for additional transparency on how security clearances are adjudicated, including when there are reasons to suspend or deny a security clearance.

H.R. 697, introduced by Ranking Member Thompson, is an example of the accounting that each Federal department should be conducting today and will lead to a more effective and lean Department of Homeland Security in the future.

The bill is identical to the version the House passed last Congress by voice vote. I urge support for the gentleman's bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I, once again, thank the gentleman and commend him for his leadership on this issue.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 697, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 642) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the partnership between the Department of Homeland Security and the National Network of Fusion Centers, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 642, the Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2017, introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, my good friend, Congressman Lou Barletta.

The bill before us today, Mr. Speaker, is focused on improving the partnership between the Department of Homeland Security and the National Network of Fusion Centers. The bill amends section 210A of the Homeland Security Act to clarify and enhance partnership between DHS and fusion centers.

As the United States is facing the highest threat environment since 9/11, it is vital that State and local agencies are receiving realtime threat information and have access to Federal intelligence and support. This was a key lesson learned from the 9/11 terror attacks, and, unfortunately, reinforced after the 2012 Boston Marathon bombing. DHS has a legal mandate to assist fusion centers in this effort, and H.R. 642 helps move the ball forward.

The threat of lone wolves inspired by ISIS and other radical Islamist terrorist groups are not deteriorating, and it is critical that there are strong partnerships between the Federal Government and State and local law enforcement agencies. This bill will help the Department and the national network maintain and improve their current partnership.

This bill passed the House last Congress by voice vote, and I am pleased the House is willing to move it again this year.

I want to thank Congressman Barletta for leading the committee's efforts in developing this responsible and commonsense legislation. Congressman Barletta's background as a businessman, city councilman, mayor, and Congressman has left him with a strong commitment to public safety and security.

It has been a pleasure to work with Lou on the Homeland Security Committee, where he was a vocal advocate for information sharing. I urge my colleagues to support this bill to ensure that the partnership between DHS and the national network is strong and agile to protect the United States against the ever-changing terrorism threat.

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

House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure,

Washington, DC, January 31, 2017.

Hon. Michael T. McCaul,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: I write concerning H.R. 642, the

Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2017. This legislation

includes

matters that I believe fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of

the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

In order to expedite floor consideration of H.R. 642, the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure agrees to

forgo action on this bill. However, this is conditional on

our mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the

bill would not prejudice the Committee with respect to the

appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional

claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or

similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X

jurisdiction. I request you urge the Speaker to name members

of the Committee to any conference committee named to

consider such provisions.

Please place a copy of this letter and your response

acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into the

Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on

the House floor.

Sincerely,

Bill Shuster,

Chairman.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall).

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge support of the gentleman's bill. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 642 in order to bolster the information sharing environment within the Department of Homeland Security and between the Department and State and local stakeholders.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to acknowledge the 75th birthday of Charles A. Weiss, my friend and roommate from the University of Notre Dame Law School. Charlie Weiss is a true legal giant who continues to be an extremely active litigator with the renowned Brian Cave law firm. A proud lifelong resident of Missouri, Charlie graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Missouri before attending Notre Dame Law School where he was an editor of the Law Review and received his Juris Doctor degree in 1968.

During his distinguished legal career, Charlie has practiced in state and federal courts throughout the country, including 39 different federal district courts, 8 federal courts of appeals and the United States Supreme Court dealing with significant cases which include class actions, intellectual property, securities, antitrust and constitutional law. Charlie has also been active in local, state and federal bar associations serving in such key positions as President of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, President of the Missouri Bar Association and a member of the House of Delegates and the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association, plus being on numerous ABA standing committees. Charlie has done much for the Notre Dame Law School, serving as President of the Notre Dame Club of St. Louis and President of the Notre Dame Law Association. In 2013, Charlie was the recipient of the Law School's Rev. Michael D. McCafferty C.S.C. Award.

Charlie's commitment to justice is demonstrated by his extensive pro bono work on behalf of indigent clients, most notably leading a team of lawyers to win the release in 2009 of an innocent man who had spent 17 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

Charlie and his wife Susan are outstanding people who are proud parents and grandparents. As a friend and fellow Notre Dame graduate, I know that I speak for the countless people whose lives have been enriched by our association with Charlie Weiss in wishing him a very Healthy and Happy 75th Birthday and many more after that. Go Irish.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary public servant and a dedicated leader of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), Brigadier General (Retired) Francis Xavier Taylor, the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security. Brig Gen Taylor came out of retirement in 2014 when the President nominated him to be the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After nearly 40 years of honorable service to our nation, Under Secretary Taylor will retire again on Friday, January 20, 2017.

Under Secretary Taylor applied his knowledge and experience from his 31 years in the United States Air Force, his service at the U.S. Department of State as an Ambassador for Counterterrorism and head of Diplomatic

Security, and as Vice President of Security at General Electric. Applying his decades of experience and innovative thinking, Under Secretary Taylor rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

Due to Under Secretary Taylor's leadership, I&A is much further along on its vision of driving information sharing and delivering intelligence and analysis to operators and decision-makers at all levels. One of Under Secretary Taylor's first actions at I&A was to guide the organization through a transformation. He removed internal I&A stovepipes and realigned the organization to ensure DHS-collected information now forms the basis of the majority of I&A production. Under Secretary Taylor also ordered that finished intelligence include State and local data.

Under Secretary Taylor also worked tirelessly to mature and strengthen the Department's relationship with the state and local fusion centers and make information sharing a priority. In FY2016, 62 percent of I&A's finished intelligence products were disseminated at the SECRET level or below to best serve those who protect our borders, critical infrastructure and communities.

Under Secretary Taylor also took to heart the need to invest in the workforce and address extremely low employee morale. He spent a great deal of his tenure fine-tuning the organization, restructuring and rebalancing the workforce. He drastically reduced the ratio of supervisors to workers, reducing the amount of bloated management and replacing it with what he called ``seed corn''--young, junior people brought in to rejuvenate the organization and help develop a truly homeland-focused workforce.

Our Nation owes this public servant a tremendous debt of gratitude. I wish to thank Under Secretary Taylor for his decades of exceptional service to our country and to wish him and his wife Connie the very best in the days and years ahead. Under Secretary Taylor can now enjoy his three grandchildren Ava, Aaron and Alexander, while taking in some more games under the Golden Dome at Notre Dame.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 78, the SEC Regulatory Accountability Act. If passed, the SEC would be required to follow President Obama's executive order that requires a thorough cost-benefit analysis of new rules and a comprehensive review of existing regulations. Under current law, the SEC must consider the effect of its rules on ``efficiency, competition, and capital formation,'' and weighing costs and benefits is necessary to meet this requirement.

Cost-benefit analysis is not a new idea. Agencies have done this kind of analysis for over 30 years. In fact, it is a bipartisan idea. In 1981, President Reagan issued an executive order requiring Cabinet- level agencies to engage in cost-benefit analysis, which President Clinton expanded with another executive order in 1993.

Unfortunately, independent agencies are not subject to executive orders and those regulated by the SEC have suffered as a result. From 2005 to 2012, SEC regulations were overturned consistently by the courts for inadequate economic analysis and unjustified costs. While the SEC has taken steps to improve its rulemaking process, H.R. 78 will ensure that future rules maximize economic benefit and companies do not face unnecessary hurdles when they access our capital markets. Democrats and Republicans often do not agree on policy, but I hope we can agree on the need for a fair, transparent, and informed process.

I thank my distinguished colleague for introducing this vital legislation.