Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my long-time staffer, Paul Sass, as he marks his last week on Capitol Hill after more than 20 years.

Every Member knows that nothing would get done around here if it weren't for the dedication and commitment of our staff. I have served in Congress for 22 years, and I have had a lot of great staff over that time. Paul has worked for me in a variety of different roles over the course of his Capitol Hill career, in both my Congressional Office and the two committees I have had the privilege of leading. Paul is my longest serving staffer and is unquestionably one of the best and capable staffers I've ever had.

In 2002, I hired Paul fresh out of college as a Staff Assistant, where he was tasked with making the coffee and answering the phones. And as I like to remind him, he was our third choice for the job at the time. Despite that, Paul was determined to prove himself, and he quickly climbed the ranks of my legislative team, rising to Legislative Director and eventually to Deputy Chief of Staff.

After I was elected by my colleagues to serve as the Republican Leader of the Small Business Committee, Paul served there as my Deputy Staff Director from 2009 to 2015. After my time as Chairman was done, I asked Paul to return to my personal office as Chief of Staff to help lead my internal campaign to succeed my friend Bill Shuster as Republican leader of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. In 2019, I was fortunate enough to be elected to that position, and it was an obvious choice to ask Paul to come with me again and lead the Republican Committee staff as Staff Director. And for the last three and a half years, he has done a fantastic job.

During this time, Paul oversaw and led our staff in negotiations on multiple bipartisan, bicameral legislative efforts of great consequence to our Nation, many of which were signed into law. He has worked on two Water Resources Development Acts; an aircraft certification bill, which was crafted in response to two major international aviation accidents; the CARES Act, which was the first major comprehensive legislative response to the COVID-19 pandemic and included significant support targeted toward the transportation industry; two Coast Guard reauthorizations; and efforts to reauthorize the surface transportation programs.

While Paul's accomplishments are not limited to legislative achievements and bills signed into law, they do represent some of the very real and tangible impacts his 20-year career of public service has had on our Nation. If you asked Paul, he would say his real legacy and career accomplishments are best measured by the relationships he has developed over the past two decades--from those he served under and beside at the beginning of his career--to those he has since hired, mentored, and guided in their own careers. And even to those he met extending his Hartwick College baseball career into a ``legendary'' softball career as part of the Lawn Wranglers and Owego dynasties, coaching the Republican Congressional baseball team, or just talking politics over a beer at the storied, now sadly shuttered, Capitol Lounge, without a doubt, Paul has put his imprint on the offices, committees, policies, and colleagues across Capitol Hill he's been involved with throughout his career, and we are all better for it.

As Paul enters the next phase of his already-successful career, I thank him for sticking with me for over 20 years. I thank him for his advice and guidance. And I thank him for his loyalty and friendship. When I look back at my Capitol Hill service, it is those dedicated staffers like Paul that I am most thankful for in helping me address the needs of Missouri's Sixth District and the Nation at large. I thank Paul and I wish him continued success in his next endeavors.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 7776, the Water Resources Development Act of 2022, or WRDA 2022.

Mr. Speaker, 3 weeks ago we advanced this bipartisan legislation out of committee by voice vote, and I am proud to continue the bipartisan tradition of passing a WRDA bill every 2 years--as the chairman pointed out--something we have done since 2014.

I thank Chairman DeFazio, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chair Napolitano, and Ranking Member Rouzer for all of their hard work and support in getting this legislation across the finish line here in the House.

WRDA 2022 authorizes water infrastructure projects and policies that are critical to local communities, but also provides far-reaching benefits to both the region and our national economy.

With the current supply chain crisis and surging inflation our country faces, it is more important than ever that Congress continues to support our Nation's water infrastructure that keeps our economy moving and protects our communities.

WRDA 2022 supports American competitiveness and our economy by ensuring the reliability and the effectiveness of our Nation's ports and inland waterways to move American goods and products to those who need them.

This legislation also boosts flood production for our local communities, such as those in Missouri's Sixth District, which is my own district.

In Missouri, we are at a crossroads of the largest rivers in the country--the Missouri River and the Mississippi River. These rivers are an invaluable natural resource that provide drinking water, irrigation, and transportation; however, they can also be the source of some very devastating flooding.

My constituents are still working to recover and rebuild their homes, farms, businesses, and their communities after devastating flooding that occurred in 2019.

I know all too well the consequences when water resources are mismanaged, which is why WRDA 2022 is going to ensure that the Corps remains focused on its core missions and priorities and activities like flood control and navigation.

To do this, this bill contains assistance for meeting levee inspection requirements, it examines ways to control erosion on our rivers, and it supports Missouri flood control projects.

These and other provisions in WRDA 2022 are going to provide benefits not only to Missourians, but citizens all across the country who depend on water resources and infrastructure in their daily lives.

Mr. Speaker, I thank everybody for their support in developing this legislation, and that includes staff on both sides of the aisle.

Specifically, on my team, I acknowledge the work of my staff director, Paul Sass, for his leadership of the Republican staff on this bill, and many other important bills for that matter, over the last 3\1/2\ years.

At the end of this week, Paul will be leaving the committee after more than 20 years of public service on Capitol Hill--and all of that time working for me in my personal office or on my committee staff. I thank him for his dedication and his guidance and friendship over the last two decades. He has a lot to be proud of as he moves forward onto the next chapter of his career. He can look back and be proud of all that he has done. I wish him and his family nothing but the best.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support today's legislation,

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer), who is a member of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford), who is the ranking member of the subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Nehls).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Malliotakis).

Mr. Speaker, can I inquire as to time remaining?

And the time for the other side?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7776, or WRDA 2022, is a very good bipartisan piece of legislation that will improve flood control infrastructure. It is going to improve ports, harbors, and inland waterways all across the country.

This bill provides the support and the investment in our country's water infrastructure needed to keep our supply chain moving and boost the competitiveness of the American economy.

When it comes right down to it, this bill is a projects bill that was pulled together based off requests from Members from all across the country in the House on both sides of the aisle, and there isn't a single line in this bill that cannot be attributed to an individual Member request.

I again thank my colleagues and the members of the committee for coming together to develop this bipartisan legislation. Again, I thank the chairman for his work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this important piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, this resolution, as has been pointed out, authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the annual Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on June 18, 2022.

This is a time-honored tradition. With the exception of World War II, it has run every year since 1934 and provides children in the greater Washington area an opportunity to build knowledge and character through fair and honest competition.

This is one of the many regional competitions across the country to qualify children to compete in the All-American Soap Box Derby. This is a program I participated in some 40-odd years ago. It is a good program, and I fully endorse it.

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

Mr. Speaker, this resolution authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for a longstanding tradition for the children of the greater Washington, D.C., area.

Once in a while, we do some fun stuff here on the floor, and this is one of those things. I urge support of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Moila Shrine in St. Joseph, Missouri. 2022 is a huge year for the Moila Shrine celebrating two big milestones in their history. 2022 will mark both the 100th anniversary of the first Shriners Hospital for Children as well as their 100th anniversary of their location in St. Joseph, Missouri,

The Moila Shrine is a true landmark in St. Joseph. Whether it was being remodeled or expanded, wars, civil unrest, bust or boom the Moila Shrine has stood proudly on Noyes Ave. For those in St. Joseph, it has been a meeting place of celebration and community for generations. While it is the Moila Shrine, it's absolutely something enjoyed by all of St. Joseph.

The unofficial motto of the Moila Shrine is: Regularly experience fun with a purpose. That purpose is the support of Shriners Hospitals for Children. There are 22 hospitals across North America that provide expert orthopedic, cleft palate, spinal cord and bum care for children under the age of 18 at no cost to their families. Over 1,000,000 have been helped to lead better and more fulfilling lives in the century since the first of these hospitals have been founded. Which speaks nothing of the valuable research they have undertaken to advance treatments for children everywhere.

Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me and the people of the Sixth Congressional District in recognizing the Moila Shrine of St. Joseph, Missouri upon the centennial of their Shrine in St. Joseph and the centennial of founding of their first children's hospital. I am proud to represent the 1200 members of the Moila Shrine in the United States House of Representatives.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to cosponsor H.R. 5689, the Resilient AMERICA Act, along with Chairman DeFazio and Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Chair Titus and Ranking Member Webster. This bill is going to strengthen our support for communities and individuals in mitigating disasters.

We know that for every dollar invested upfront in mitigation, $4 to $11 are saved in damages from a disaster. Given that, one way we lower costs of future disasters is by investing upfront in mitigation.

This bill builds on the bipartisan work that we did on mitigation in the

Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018. It ensures mitigation funds are spent and targeted in ways to support efforts by communities and homeowners to save lives and reduce damage.

In my district, my constituents regularly experience flooding that not only causes damage to homes and businesses but disrupts lives and displaces people. Sadly, the time it takes to recover and receive assistance is far too long.

I am glad to see more being done to make commonsense investments on the front end through mitigation projects, which will save taxpayers money. More importantly, it can help save lives.

This bill also has the support of several groups, including the National Association of Home Builders.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support from the National Association of Home Builders.

National Association of Home Builders, Government

Affairs,

Washington, DC, April 5, 2022.

Hon. Peter DeFazio,

Chairman, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Hon. Sam Graves,

Ranking Member, House Transportation & Infrastructure

Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves: On behalf

of the more than 140,000 members of the National Association

of Home Builders (NAHB), I write in support of H.R. 5689, the

Resilient AMERICA Act. The resilience and pre-disaster

mitigation initiatives contained in this bipartisan bill

would provide a comprehensive and preemptive approach to

reducing the risks of natural disasters while preserving

important flexibilities at the state and local levels.

NAHB supports a comprehensive approach to addressing

natural disasters through initiatives focused on implementing

cost-effective solutions that encourage greater resiliency in

the nation's housing stock--while preserving housing

affordability. The Resilient AMERICA Act would invest in

common-sense mitigation activities, with an emphasis on

residential retrofits for improving resiliency in older

homes. Expanding mitigation opportunities and creating

incentives to facilitate upgrades and improvements to older

homes and structures would help to reduce risks and minimize

losses from future catastrophes.

NAHB also supports the incorporation of language that

respects state and local jurisdictions' control over building

code adoption by providing flexibility to adopt one of the

two latest published codes. In addition, the bill includes a

provision that would provide consistency in how FEMA

evaluates which code a jurisdiction has adopted. This

language will provide the flexibility needed for communities

to take positive steps to withstand and recover from extreme

events.

We urge the passage of H.R. 5689 to make American

communities more resilient while also protecting important

building code flexibilities at the state and local levels.

Thank you for considering our views.

Sincerely,

James W. Tobin III,

Executive Vice President & Chief Lobbyist.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman DeFazio for working with us on this bill as we have all seen the effects of disaster in our districts and across America.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, the Resilient AMERICA Act does support the communities by investing in premitigation efforts, and these efforts are going to save lives. It is going to save taxpayer dollars by lowering costs of future disasters. It is going to do so many things.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this important piece of legislation. I again want to thank the chairman for working with us on this. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor H.R. 5641, the SPEED Recovery Act. It is a bipartisan bill that cuts red tape and helps expedite disaster recovery efforts, especially in small and rural areas that we have throughout the country.

This legislation updates the threshold of what FEMA considers a small project. It updates it to $1 million under the Stafford Act; $1 million under the Stafford Act. This is the first statutory adjustment under the Stafford Act for inflation and rising repair costs in nearly three decades.

Historically, small projects have accounted for about 95 percent of all the recovery projects, but the prolonged failure to increase the cost threshold now means that 25 percent of these projects no longer qualify as small projects. That puts a huge burden on small rural communities that simply don't have the same kind of resources to deal with the bureaucracy at FEMA. For places like Craig, Missouri, or Brunswick, Missouri, both of which got hammered by the flood of 2019, it has meant more delays and headaches just trying to get the help that they need to recover and to rebuild.

Updating the small project threshold is going to allow these communities to have more control over their disaster recovery efforts and to allow FEMA to focus more of their time and resources on larger and much more complex projects, which represent 90 percent of all disaster costs.

After hearing directly from the communities in my district about the paperwork burdens and the increasing denials over technicalities, my hope is that this commonsense adjustment to the small project threshold is going to improve the process and speed up recoveries for many, many of our communities. We have also received a lot of support for this bill from emergency managers themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a joint letter of support from the National Emergency Management Association, the Big City Emergency Managers, and the International Association of Emergency Managers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5641, the SPEED Recovery Act, is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that is going to help many small and rural communities respond to and recover from disasters with less delay and much less bureaucracy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this very important piece of legislation. 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 H.R. 6865, the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022, an important piece of legislation that ensures that the United States Coast Guard has the funding that they need to carry out the service's critical mission and keep our borders safe.

Today it is with both great sadness and great respect that we name this year's Coast Guard Authorization Act after former Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young.

The passing of the dean of the House was a surprise to all of us and a tremendous loss for this body. Our thoughts are with his wife, Anne; his daughters, Joni and Dawn; and the rest of his family, as well as his current and his former staff.

I had the pleasure of serving as a freshman member of the Transportation Committee when Don began his chairmanship in 2001. And, as always, he brought his typical passion and zeal to the job.

He was always working for Alaska but also constantly helping other Members take care of their constituents.

The chairman, as many still called him, always pointed out that Alaska missed the great infrastructure investment of the earlier centuries that had been made in the lower 48, and he was bound and determined to make sure that he made up for lost time.

There isn't a city or a borough or a town or village in Alaska that can't point to at least one road, airstrip, harbor, dock, visitors center, or health clinic that Don didn't have some role in establishing, building, authorizing, or funding.

Recently, there has been a suggestion to name a volcano in Alaska after Chairman Young, a rugged and enduring part of the Alaskan landscape, always with the potential to erupt at any moment's notice, but always warm at its core. Part of me thinks this would be a very fitting tribute as well.

And as has been noted many times, it was fitting that he passed away on his way home to Alaska, the State that he loved so much.

I will always think of him and smile when I walk by his official-- unofficial, I should say, unofficial but uncontested seat here on the House floor. His passing was truly a loss for the House.

In the Transportation Committee, we will always have the almost life- sized portrait watching over us, reminding Members of the importance of the work and the bipartisanship it takes to get it done.

One of Don's priorities throughout his career, and also one of my priorities, was strengthening the Coast Guard. This legislation authorizes the purchase of a 12th National Security Cutter as well as six additional Fast Response Cutters to ensure that our Coast Guard is prepared for its current and future role in securing America.

During our markup of this bill earlier this month, Don remarked in his statement that both his support for this bill, and as the chairman pointed out, he had voted on 20 Coast Guard authorizations in his career, and I am deeply saddened today that he is not going to be able to cast his vote in support of yet one more.

Fittingly, H.R. 6865 also includes a provision offered by the late dean of the House that allows the Coast Guard to keep Russian vessels out of U.S. waters during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs), the ranking member of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer), the ranking member of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the Republican whip.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford).

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul).

Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 5 seconds.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Balderson).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Van Drew).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining?

Madam Speaker, this is obviously a fitting tribute, but we ran out of time. A lot of people wanted to say something about Don, and I apologize that we ran out of time.

Madam Speaker, I close by thanking the chairman of both the committee and the subcommittee and the ranking member, for putting this bill together. It is very much a bipartisan effort. But I particularly want to thank the staffs on both sides of the aisle for the work that they did, and in particular, John Rayfield, who had the opportunity to work with Chairman Young when he was chairman of the committee as well.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this very important piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Matthew Nicholas Sutherland. Matthew is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 376, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Matthew has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Matthew has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned 39 merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Matthew has earned his Bronze Palm and Gold Palm Awards, served in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, and has camped a total of 82 nights. Matthew has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Matthew created an exhibit for the Clay County Historical Museum which took 144 hours of service to complete.

Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Matthew Nicholas Sutherland for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Brodie Michael Foster. Brodie is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 376, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Brodie has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Brodie has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned 27 merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Brodie has completed Boy Scouts of America's National Youth Leadership Training. served in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, and has camped a total of 59 nights. Brodie has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Brodie checked Darns for Erosion Control at the City of Glenaire City Park which took 87.5 hours of service to complete.

Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Brodie Michael Foster for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Madam Speaker, I rise as Congress considers the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 to highlight a concern with some language in the House Armed Services Committee Report accompanying H.R. 4350 that passed this chamber earlier this year, and which I voted to support. Included in the House bill's report is direction to the Secretary of Defense to study and issue a report on ``DoD Logistics and Potential Benefits of Carsharing'' for servicemembers. In carrying out the study, I believe the Department of Defense must objectively evaluate not only potential benefits, but also potential risks peer-to-peer car-sharing might pose to our servicemembers and families. For example, I am concerned about potential predatory lending practices to the extent that peer-to-peer car-sharing platforms encourage individual vehicle owners to go out and acquire vehicles for the sole purpose of renting a small ``fleet'' of vehicles on such platforms; the collection and remission of transactional sales and excise taxes on behalf of vehicle owners in states without laws expressly requiring the platform to do so, which could impact a servicemember's tax liability; and, cybersecurity for servicemembers or their families' personal and financial data. The bottom line is that I believe the Department of Defense, in carrying out the study described in the House Armed Services Committee Report accompanying H.R. 4350, must consider potential risks, in addition to the potential benefits, of peer-to-peer carsharing among our servicemembers.

Madam Speaker, I want to pay tribute to Jonathan R. ``Jon'' Pawlow, our longtime Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Senior Counsel. After 20 years of service on the Committee, Jon will be retiring at the end of this year. It's difficult to picture the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee without Jon here. In fact, it's difficult to imagine the water policy sphere throughout the entire Congress without Jon here. For 20 years, Jon has been an absolute go-to for all things Clean Water Act. He has been an immense resource for not just the Committee, but for the entire Congress. He has left his mark upon the work product created under a legion of full and subcommittee chairmen and ranking members. However, even prior to joining the Committee, Jon was accomplished. He graduated Rutgers University with both a bachelor's and master's degrees in water resources engineering and environmental science, and also holds a law degree from Georgetown University. He accumulated over 15 years of private law practice, gaining expertise in the environmental and intellectual property fields. After that, Jon served in the Office of Water at the Environmental Protection Agency for nine years and then moved on to the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. These experiences allowed him to bring a host of policy and regulatory experience to the Committee. Jon has left his fingerprints on just about every piece of water legislation in the past two decades. He has also been a key participant in five Water Resources Development Acts, including the last four, where Congress got its act together and began passing bipartisan WRDAs consistently every two years. Finally, throughout his professional life, Jon has been a teacher and a mentor. At various times in his career, he has instructed at institutions such as the George Washington University Center for Career Education and the Old Dominion University College of Engineering and Technology. This has carried over to his time on the Hill. He has always made time for anyone he meets to walk through the ins-and-outs of water policy, from Full Committee Chairs, to leadership staff, to personal office legislative assistants. Jon is a dedicated professional and devoted staffer, and we will all greatly miss his knowledge, expertise, and guidance. I am personally grateful for his service to this Committee and to Congress. I thank him so much for dedicating his career to water policy and service to the American public. I hope he and Terry make the most of their well-deserved retirements. I thank him for all he has done.

Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the retirement of Ken Klein, who has served as the Executive Vice President for the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) for the past two decades. During his time at OAAA, Ken has driven the billboard industry into a new era of public service.

Ken spearheaded the OAAA's public-service partnerships with various agencies and nonprofits--including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)--to seek new ways to inform and protect Americans.

The FBI partnership is an excellent example of how law enforcement, the private sector, and the public can collectively bring criminals to justice in today's digital age. As a result of Ken's efforts, the FBI has new tools to promote safety and rapidly share information in dangerous situations.

The collaboration and the speed with which digital billboards can publicize crucial fugitive and crime-related information was key to the success of numerous investigative efforts in 2020. For example, outdoor advertising helped nab the ``Travelling Bandit''--a serial bank robber--in 2019 and raised awareness on a notorious drug cartel fugitive in 2020 after the individual was added to the FBI's ``Ten Most Wanted Fugitives'' list. All in all, the FBI credits the capture of 58 fugitives as a direct result of billboard publicity.

Digital billboards have also proved to be a vital tool in disaster preparation and response. A case study posted on FEMA's website reports that, ``Digital technology enables quick delivery of emergency messages via high-tech billboards. Public-private partnerships harness these high-tech signs to inform the public about weather warnings, evacuation routes, and safety-related information.''

Advances in technology mean that the billboard industry can deliver information in ways unavailable a generation ago. The message on a digital billboard can be changed by computer in an instant:

On August 1, 2007, the I-35W Bridge collapsed in Minneapolis. Within 15 minutes, emergency messages were displayed on digital billboards throughout the area.

After Tropical Storm Fay in August of 2008, 37 different messages were displayed on more than 75 digital billboards in 11 counties in Florida.

When Albuquerque experienced a natural gas emergency, the city quickly posted messages on digital billboards asking the public to lower thermostats and reduce hot water usage.

Immediately after the massive Japanese earthquake in 2011, tsunami warnings appeared on digital billboards on the West Coast.

Finally, Ken also led a partnership with the NCMEC. Because of his hard work, more than 500 AMBER Alerts have been displayed on digital billboards across the country. Law enforcement and NCMEC rely on these high-tech signs to help locate missing children and to apprehend child abductors.

Please join me in extending congratulations to Ken, on the occasion of his retirement, for his successful leadership of OAAA's public- private partnerships, and his contributions to public safety.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1339, the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act.

I want to thank the sponsors of this legislation for introducing this very important bill. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to form a working group with other Federal agencies to ensure that the advanced air mobility industry has the Federal backing it needs to commence operations and to succeed.

I recently had the opportunity to fly a simulated advanced air mobility, or AAM, flight and was very impressed with the technology.

In just a few short years, we may be seeing multiple companies carrying paying passengers in highly automated electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

These operations will connect cities, towns, and neighborhoods all across the country in a very safe, quiet, and environmentally friendly way.

Madam Speaker, this is a good bill and keeps the momentum going for American leadership in the advanced air mobility industry. That is why I support H.R. 1339, and I urge a ``yes'' vote today.

Madam Speaker, before I reserve, I also want to pay tribute to Holly Woodruff Lyons, our longtime Subcommittee on Aviation staff director. After nearly 20 years on the committee, Holly will be retiring at the end of this year.

It is hard to imagine the committee without Holly. Each new Republican chairman or ranking member has received the same advice from their predecessor: whatever you do, make sure Holly stays. I am sorry to say that the streak has finally ended on my watch, but her legacy will cast a long shadow in these halls for years to come.

Holly has helped shape every single piece of aviation legislation in the past two decades, and she is responsible for literally hundreds of provisions in law that have improved the lives of everyday Americans.

Holly is a consummate professional and dedicated staffer, and we will sorely miss her counsel and very much miss her wisdom.

I am personally grateful for her service to this committee, both as a pilot and a Member of Congress.

I thank her so much for dedicating her career to aviation safety and her service to the American public. She will never be a stranger around here, and I hope she and Mark make the most of their well-earned retirements. I thank her for all she has done.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Madam Speaker, in closing, this legislation takes an important step in preparing the Federal Government and our communities for the introduction of advanced air mobility vehicles.

Madam Speaker, I urge support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I am proud to be the sponsor of H.R. 3193, the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act, or E-BRIDGE, along with the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest).

Unfortunately, too many of our communities, particularly in rural America, still lack broadband access. Broadband is critical to conducting business and attracting jobs for telehealth, education, and emergency preparedness and response efforts in this digital age.

While Economic Development Administration, or EDA, grants may already be used to attract jobs in economically distressed areas, there are hurdles to using these grants for broadband projects, including difficult last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband development. This bill removes those hurdles to help connect and revitalize our rural communities.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest).

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

H.R. 3193 is going to ensure that rural and economically distressed communities are equipped to use EDA grants to develop high-speed broadband access. I feel very strongly about this bill, and I urge support of this important legislation.

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

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

Madam Speaker, reluctantly, I am going to support yet another short- term extension of the highway program. Unfortunately, this simply continues to put our State departments of transportation and transportation stakeholders in a very tough position, and they really deserve more than this.

Let me be clear: The Speaker's partisan process is what has led us to this point, and this predicament highlights more than ever the need for us to be working across the aisle--and across the building, for that matter.

Nearly a month ago, we were here in virtually the same position, having the same conversations about the need for a highway extension because the Speaker is holding the infrastructure bill hostage for her real priority. And we all know what that is. It is a massive, multitrillion-dollar tax-and-spend wish list.

This should not be how it is, tying the hands of an entire Congress to pass a socialist agenda that folks in America just simply don't support. Infrastructure has never been this way. Bipartisanship has always been the formula for success on infrastructure, and that hasn't changed. It hasn't changed any at all.

While this process may have started out as a bipartisan piece of legislation in the Senate, the Speaker made darn sure that as soon as the bill was sent across the Capitol, it immediately was tainted with her ultraliberal, partisan agenda.

In my 20 years in Congress, I have supported all three highway bills that have been signed into law. All of them were bipartisan, all of them under Republican chairmen, all of them signed into law by both Democrat and Republican Presidents.

House Republicans have stood ready and committed to participate in a truly bipartisan process that involves input from both the House and the Senate, not just one Chamber, and both parties. We were ready to come to the negotiation table.

Earlier this year, House Republicans warned that a partisan path would put us in a position like this, and here we are.

The chairman is absolutely right. Passing this extension is the right thing to do. The last thing we need, though, is a series of short-term extensions. A longer extension is a much-preferred path because it allows our States to plan with certainty.

Multiple short-term extensions are extremely detrimental to the States. They are detrimental to the stakeholders and the jobs that support these critical projects and programs.

Extensions mean leaving the States with uncertainty to fix, to maintain, to upgrade roads and bridges. And you can't plan multiyear infrastructure and highway projects with the guarantee of only a few weeks of funding at any one time.

So it is time to get back to what works, and that is bipartisanship on both sides of this building. That is the key to success when it comes to infrastructure.

I urge my colleagues to support this short-term extension and support our

States' transportation programs. However, next time around, we really need to consider a longer term extension. It is what is best for the States.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Again, it is unfortunate that we are here today as Democrats continue negotiating their partisan reconciliation proposal while an infrastructure bill sits. It sits idly and serves nothing more than those partisan programs.

This is nothing more than a Trojan horse, Madam Speaker, and it is being used for its popularity to get votes for the progressive wish list. I believe our State DOTs and our State transportation stakeholders, every one of them deserve better.

I hardly think that this short-term extension gives certainty to those folks, and I recognize that what is even worse is the fact that there is no certainty whatsoever.

Given that, reluctantly, I do urge support of this short-term extension with the expectation that a longer term extension will be needed the next time that we are here doing this once again.

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

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