Floor Statements

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

Mr. Chairman, I am offering my amendment on behalf of my constituents on the central coast of California. It simply prevents the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from issuing any new permits that would allow companies to use hydraulic fracturing or acid well stimulation, otherwise known as fracking, in Federal waters off the West Coast. It will prohibit the use of fiscal year 2018 funds to process any new applications for this purpose. This would provide us more time to study whether offshore fracking is safe for the environment and public health.

In 2013, we learned that offshore fracking had been occurring off California's coast for more than two decades. In the Santa Barbara Channel alone, there have been more than a dozen documented instances of offshore fracking, yet we know very little about the environmental and health impacts this has had on our communities.

Already, the United States Geological Survey has concluded that the practice of injecting pressurized water into deep rock formations causes earthquakes. My constituents deserve to know the risks associated with offshore fracking on our environment, marine life, and public health.

My constituents have seen the devastating impacts of some of the largest oil spills in California's history, like the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. My amendment echoes my constituents' concern surrounding the impacts of offshore fracking and prohibits the use of funds to process any new applications for this purpose.

This is a commonsense measure that we should implement until we know all the facts and risks associated with this practice.

Mr. Chair, I urge passage of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I will note that oil platforms off California's coast are already permitted to dump 9 billion gallons of wastewater, including fracking chemicals, into the ocean each year.

Fracking increases air pollution and can expose coastal communities to air pollutants that cause cancer and other illnesses.

Most offshore fracking jobs have occurred within 3 miles of the coast. Injecting fracking wastewater underground can induce earthquakes, and all of southern California's offshore injection wells are within 3 miles of an active fault.

These are just a few reasons why it is important to pass this amendment.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Los Padres National Forest Santa Lucia Ranger District Battalion Chief Gary Helming. Chief Helming lost his life on August 31, 2017 while returning home from fighting a wildfire in the Sierra National Forest in Mariposa County.

I am deeply saddened to have learned of Chief Helming's death. After courageously serving as a firefighter for more than 20 years with the United States Forest Service, this is a heavy loss for our community and the many lives he touched.

His valiant work and leadership as an emergency first responder in Santa Barbara County is among the finest in the county and he was recognized as the Santa Maria Elks Lodge Firefighter of the Year.

Firefighters, like Gary Helming, are selfless heroes who put their lives on the front lines to protect our communities.

I had the honor of meeting Chief Helming this past July when he loaned me his boots and we toured the damage done by the Alamo and Whittier fires in the Central Coast. It was a true privilege to see firsthand Chief Helming's service and dedication to his community.

In addition to his service with the U.S. Forest Service, Gary Helming was a beloved father, husband and friend. At 47 years old, he is survived by his wife, Andrea, and their three children, Riley, Walker, and Nalani. His service and sacrifice to his community will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect DACA recipients like Gerardo, a computer programmer in Santa Barbara, who has grown up, gone to school, and worked in the United States for the past 13 years.

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

Mr. Chairman, I am offering an amendment to ensure we are taking the appropriate steps to improve pipeline safety to mitigate some of the devastating impacts of oil spills throughout our Nation. This is a particularly important issue for my constituents on the central coast where we have seen the damage oil spills wreak on our communities and local economies.

During the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, over 100,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into the Santa Barbara Channel. This was the largest oil spill in California's history that significantly harmed Santa Barbara's unique marine ecosystems and wildlife, recreational interests, and commercial fishing.

Paired with the 2015 Refugio oil spill, also in Santa Barbara County, where clean-up costs hit $92 million, these incidents show us that we cannot continue to drag our feet. We need to implement pipeline safety and spill mitigation rules that Congress already passed 6 years ago.

In 2011, the House worked in a bipartisan way to pass the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act. This law, which passed the House unanimously, directed the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or PHMSA, to update and strengthen key pipeline safety standards. The law called on PHMSA to issue a rule requiring automatic shutoff valves on new pipelines and to strengthen requirements for the inclusion of leak detection technologies on pipelines.

My amendment is straightforward. It sets $1 million of PHMSA's own budget for the finalization and implementation of sections 4 and 8 of the bipartisan 2011 pipeline safety law so that our Federal guidelines are up to date. Section 4 requires new pipelines to install automatic shutoff valves.

I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. Chairman, if the amendment is in order to be accepted, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank all of my colleagues for their leadership and work on this important amendment to strike this harmful rider, to prevent implementation of the National Ocean Policy.

The National Ocean Policy ensures we are able to implement marine planning efforts based on management components of the National Ocean Policy. It also allows coordination between Federal agencies to make sure they are working in a collaborative manner to improve our ocean's health.

This brings all stakeholders together, including conservationists, fishermen, scientists, shipping companies, and those who live and work in our ocean communities, and it will allow them to have a voice in finding solutions for effective management of our oceans.

Healthy sustainable ecosystems and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. That is why we need to make sure we strike this harmful rider.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the House appropriations package that will provide $1.6 billion for the construction of President Trump's border wall.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have heard from many military leaders who all agree, a wall won't make our borders more secure or our Nation safer.

There are more effective ways and technology that would be a better investment of our limited resources. Moreover, the President has failed to provide a cost for this wall, and it would be irresponsible for Congress to write him a blank check, especially after he promised over and over that the American taxpayers would not foot the bill.

This wall only serves as a symbol of xenophobia and hate, while doing nothing to address our broken immigration system. Immigrants strengthen the fabric of our Nation, they serve in our military, they teach in our schools, and some, like myself, are fortunate enough to serve as Members of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I was regrettably detained on July 13, 2017 during Roll Call No. 360, the Blumenauer Amendment No. 13 to H.R. 2810.

Had I been present, I would have voted AYE on Roll Call No. 360.

Mr. Chair, as we prepare to vote on the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act I am extremely concerned about the lack of discussion and debate on the issue of Russia.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have heard from the leaders of our military and there is no question about the threat Russia poses to our national security.

It is alarming to me that a number of amendments, which purpose was to gain better situational awareness on various Russian activities, were not debated on the floor this week.

Despite the fact that Russia has continuously attacked and interfered with our country's democratic process, while continuing to threaten the democracy and sovereignty of other states, this body has decided to avoid a robust discussion on the concerning actions of Russia.

Mr. Chair, it is obvious that we have not adequately addressed the threat Russia poses to our nation.

Reasonable amendments like mine that would have assessed Russia's disinformation and propaganda activities along with its support for separatist activities were not made in order. Mr. Chair, why would we not want more information on these concerning activities?

My amendment would have also assessed the suppressive democratic conditions in Russia. Is this body no longer concerned about human rights?

I believe it is the responsibility of Congress to fully understand and assess the threats other countries pose on our national security.

I have no doubt that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will agree with me that Russia has demonstrated to be a threat to the security of our nation. As such why aren't we doing more to address this threat?

Mr. Chair, this Congress needs to have a discussion on how we can most effectively combat the aggressive actions of Russia, and it is disappointing that we were unable to do this during the consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am opposed in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to the committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage as amended.

My request today is simple: to provide our firefighters with the water they need to effectively fight wildfires. As we speak, two large wildfires are burning in my district on the central coast of California. So far, over 40,000 acres of land have burned between the Alamo fire and the Whittier fire.

With more than a dozen homes and structures of central coast residents destroyed, we cannot overstate the important and effective work of hundreds of local, State, and Federal firefighters to contain these blazes and prevent more damages.

I spoke with incident commanders and toured both burn sites in Santa Barbara County, witnessing firsthand the incredible damage wreaked by these fires to our region.

I was grateful for the opportunity to address our firefighters and first responders and to thank these brave men and women for willing to risk their own safety to protect infrastructure and save lives.

In one harrowing instance, a firefighter cleared a path, driving a bulldozer through flaming brush to rescue dozens of Boy Scouts trapped at a campground at Lake Cachuma.

Today, we have a duty as appropriators to provide these men and women, working tirelessly in difficult conditions, with the resources they need to effectively combat these frequent and devastating wildfires across our country, and especially in my home State.

Ignoring our wildfire response when dealing with water allocation is irresponsible and will put American lives in danger.

In addition to adopting this simple amendment to ensure our firefighters' access to water, I urge my colleagues to work to end the disruptive practice of fire borrowing.

We cannot continue to rob funds designated for wildfire prevention to pay for fighting fires and simultaneously expect agencies to carry out effective land management practices to reduce the impact of catastrophic wildfires in the future.

Our Federal land management agencies are overwhelmed by the dramatic increase in fires on public lands in recent years, and we cannot in good conscience continue to ignore their urgent need for both prevention and firefighting funding.

I am deeply concerned that this underlying bill today does nothing to address the issues of limited water resources for our agencies charged with fighting wildfires.

I call upon my colleagues to adopt this common-sense amendment and show our firefighters that Congress not only appreciates their efforts, but acts to support them as well.

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

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Chair, before I proceed, I wanted to take a quick few seconds to thank and recognize Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith as a freshman member of the 115th Congress. It has been refreshing to see such bipartisan tone in leadership, so I just wanted to recognize them for those qualities and skills.

With the Department of Defense struggling to rein in spending while keeping our military strong and our country protected, it is amendments like Mr. Conaway's that are unnecessarily impeding cost competition and reductions that come with public-private partnerships.

This amendment limits competition between alternative fuel sources and may even force DOD to pay more by explicitly prohibiting purchases of cheaper fuel. That is not only inefficient, it is irresponsible.

The Department of Defense is the single largest energy consumer in the world. We should be incentivizing the diversification of liquid fuels as an option to bring down costs and reduce regulatory burden.

Not only does this amendment risk increased costs for DOD procurement, but it also stunts potential economic growth in the rapidly expanding biofuel field, a billion-dollar industry worldwide.

Yet another troubling result of this amendment, if passed, is its potential to impede military operations where an alternative fuel may be the only option available.

It is unethical to endanger our men and women in uniform with this ban, and, at the very least, a waiver should be included for national security matters.

Military leaders and experts have told Armed Services Committee members time and time again about the direct threat that climate change, particularly sea level rise, poses to our military operations and installations both at home in places like Norfolk and abroad.

My colleague, Mr. Langevin, included language in this year's NDAA that specifically acknowledges this threat. It directs the Defense Department to study the impact of climate change and prepare an effective strategy to address its effects.

We have long known that carbon pollution and fossil fuels are heavily contributing to a changing climate and the extreme weather patterns that accompany this phenomenon. It is irresponsible for this Congress to ignore this reality and not even consider cost-effective and more clean energy sources for our military.

Finally, I would like to point out that this amendment is completely unnecessary. Current law already prohibits DOD from purchasing alternative fuel in large quantities unless it is cost-competitive with traditional fuel. I urge my colleagues to oppose this misguided amendment that does far more harm than good to our Defense Department and to our servicemembers.

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

Mr. Chair, I will point out that those figures are incorrect as stated by my colleague.

In 2015, the DOD paid $2.03 for 77,660 gallons of fuel at a 10 percent blend. I just wanted to correct the record because those are the accurate figures, and I think those figures speak volumes.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 82nd birthday of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatsu. Born on July 6th, 1935 to a farming family in Northeastern Tibet, His Holiness was recognized as the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama at the age of two.

Unlike previous Dalai Lamas, His Holiness has visited the west many times to speak with religious and political leaders on the importance of understanding and respect among faiths. His efforts toward peace and universal values of tolerance and compassion earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

My district has had the honor of hosting His Holiness four times to speak at my Alma Mater, the University of California, Santa Barbara. The University has now established a Tibetan Studies endowment in his honor, the XIV Dalai Lama Endowed Chair in Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's commitment to preserving Tibetan culture, and his teachings which promote respect for human rights and non-violent solutions are invaluable lessons for the world.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join with the global religious community in wishing the XIVth Dalai Lama a very happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of children and adults living with disabilities across the United States.

The cuts to Medicaid outlined in the dangerous Senate healthcare repeal bill will not only result in the loss of healthcare access for millions of Americans, but will also significantly reduce funding for In-Home Supportive Services in my home State of California.

Medicaid covers 50 percent of the program costs for In-Home Supportive Services. These funds provide care for an estimated 531,000 disabled children and seniors throughout California, which permits them to continue to live with dignity in their own home.

The $772 billion cut to Medicaid outlined in this bill will have a devastating impact on seniors and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid as their safety net for necessary long-term care services.

These cuts will directly affect the lives of my constituents, including 15-year-old Crystal from Santa Maria, California, in my district. Crystal was born with spina bifida, weighing in at just 2 pounds. She has survived under the dedicated care of her mother and grandmother, who are her primary caretakers. Crystal is covered by Medicaid, which allows her to receive specialized medical attention, adaptive medical equipment, physical therapy, and pharmaceuticals. Crystal's condition requires 24-hour care, a need that is fulfilled by the In-Home Supportive Services program. Her life is contingent upon this program.

I call upon my colleagues in the Senate to vote against this cruel healthcare repeal, also known as TrumpCare, for Crystal and the millions of our constituents like her who are at risk of losing their quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, today I proudly introduce bipartisan legislation to recognize July as American Grown Flower Month. I have seen firsthand the value of the grown flower industry playing an important role in our economy and community during my visits with our Central Coast growers in my district.

California produces three-quarters of all cut flowers grown here in the United States. This generates thousands of jobs across our State and drives a staggering $1.13 billion in the economic activity each year.

Whether it is celebrating Mother's Day, a birthday, or a graduation, flowers have been used to mark special occasions dating back thousands of years.

I am committed to recognizing this industry's remarkable contribution to our country by designating July as American Grown Flower Month. We officially celebrate the incomparable beauty flowers bring to our homes and to our celebrations year round.

I also want to urge the White House to consider having American flowers in the White House for all occasions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the recently unveiled Senate healthcare repeal legislation. The Republicans have shut the American public out of their debate and, with this bill, they aim to shut them out of affordable healthcare, too.

This bill sets us on a dangerous path backwards, back to a time when cancer patients could be kept out of coverage or kicked off of their insurance because the cost of their care was too high, and to a time where pregnancy could be considered a preexisting condition.

Congress must work collaboratively to bring down insurance premium costs and work together toward insuring every American, but denying millions of people access to insurance by repealing protections for individuals with preexisting conditions, gutting Medicaid, and threatening the solvency of

the Medicare trust fund all in order to give the wealthiest Americans a tax cut is wrong.

I urge my colleagues in the Senate to reject this misguided proposal.

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

Mr. Chairman, my amendment to H.R. 1873 ensures that we make up-front vegetation management planning a requirement for utilities that hold transmission rights-of-way on public lands.

I agree with Mr. LaMalfa's intent to address the threats of wildfires. Coming from local government, as the former county supervisor for Santa Barbara, I have experienced firsthand the obstacles and challenges of balancing red tape and coordination among stakeholders.

Now, as the Representative for the Central Coast in California, I can tell you, we are no strangers to wildfires. Just last year, my district witnessed the devastating impacts of the Rey and Sherpa fires.

Unfortunately, the impacts of these wildfires are widespread. The Sherpa fire burned 7,474 acres in Santa Barbara County and the Los Padres National Forest for nearly a month last June. Then in January of this year, the heavy rains in the area triggered mudslides and flooding.

If we can take action to prevent wildfires, we should. We know it pays to be prepared. Congress needs to act to improve better coordination and clarity between Federal and land managers and utility companies that hold rights-of-way on public lands. In improving coordination, we can help utilities prevent fires due to overgrown vegetation or trees contacting power lines.

In turn, it would help the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management respond more quickly and consistently for requests to access and maintain rights-of-way on public lands. At the same time, the agencies can function as good stewards of our natural resources while enhancing their effectiveness in addressing fire hazard vegetation.

While well-intentioned, H.R. 1873 does not solve the problem of poor coordination.

Mr. Chairman, the underlying bill does not address the threats of wildfires because the rights-of-way maintenance plans described in the legislation are voluntary. Currently, owners of transmission lines can work with the Federal land managers to develop these plans. This is no different than the status quo.

That is why I introduced my amendment to ensure that we make up-front planning a requirement for utilities.

I urge passage of my amendment to make sure that we are prepared and minimize the threats of wildfires.

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

Mr. Chair, unfortunately, this bill is in search of a problem. Voluntary is the status quo. That is the case today, and we see the wildfires happen day in and day out. So, again, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.