Corrine Brown

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Rice).

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for this extension and I truly hope this is the last one we need to pass for a very long time. This extension also addresses an emergency involving Positive Train Control (PTC). Positive Train Control (PTC) is a critical system and it's very important that we address this issue in a rational manner. We need to implement positive train control as soon as humanly possible, but we need to get it done right. I don't want to see a situation where the federal government is fining railroads on a daily basis or picking winners and losers, because I don't think that is good for anyone. Our railroads are a critical part of our nation's economy and I'd much rather have them spending their money on implementing PTC and improving and expanding their infrastructure. I believe wholeheartedly that reauthorizing a surface transportation bill will give the economy just the type of boost it needs. A long term transportation bill will strengthen our infrastructure, provides quality jobs, and serves as a tool to put America back on a path toward long-term economic growth. Last week the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a fair bill that moves us closer to sending a long term bill for President Obama to sign in to law. This important legislation included a critical freight grant program, additional programs and funding for transit systems and their operators, continues the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and creates a new non-motorized safety grant program, includes a much needed extension of Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation, increased funding for Grade Crossings, Requires more information on Hazardous Trains to State Emergency Response Commissions, incentivizes states to combat racial profiling, and extends the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. Unfortunately, without critically needed additional funds, we're robbing Peter to pay Paul and forcing our states and local transportation agencies to pay more for New Starts and other programs while limiting their flexibility to use these funds. And we're missing out on an opportunity to ensure our infrastructure is meeting the needs of the disadvantaged and working class to ensure they have fair access to employment and economic centers. We absolutely need to do more to protect pedestrians and bike riders from harm. According to the May 2014 Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI), Orlando is ranked as the most dangerous place for pedestrians, with Jacksonville and Tampa also included in the top five most dangerous cities. This bill spends more time protecting corporations from liability than it does protecting the traveling public. Moreover, we need to ensure that all sizes and modes of transportation are treated equally in the freight grant program and should remove any caps on funding for these entities. Again, I encourage my colleagues to support this extension and support bringing a long term transportation bill to the House floor as soon as possible.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, my heart and prayers go out to the family and loved ones of the 33 members onboard the cargo ship El Faro--El Faro means bright star, shining star--which disappeared Thursday evening during the hurricane en route to Puerto Rico. I held prayer vigils with the families and with several ministers all day Monday, and we are keeping the families in our prayers. I want to commend the Coast Guard for everything they do for our Nation in the area of maritime security and environmental protection, and I have worked closely with the agency for many years. I want to commend the Merchant Marines who played a key role in our Nation's economy and several of the vital missions during peace and wartimes. I am going to submit the names of all of the crew members; 17 of them were from Jacksonville, Florida. List of El Faro Crew Members Louis Champa Jr. (Daytona Beach, Florida); Roosevelt Clark (Jacksonville, Florida); Sylvester Crawford Jr. (Lawrenceville, Georgia); Michael Davidson (Windham, Maine); Brookie Davis (Jacksonville, Florida); Keith Griffin (Fort Myers, Florida); Frank Hamm (Jacksonville, Florida); Joe Hargrove (Orange Park, Florida); Carey Hatch (Jacksonville, Florida); Michael Holland (North Wilton, Maine); Jack Jackson (Jacksonville, Florida); Jackie Jones Jr. (Jacksonville, Florida); Lonnie Jordan (Jacksonville, Florida); Piotr Krause (Poland); Mitchell Kuflik (Brooklyn, New York); Roan Lightfoot (Jacksonville Beach, Florida); Jeffrey Mathias (Kingston, Massachusetts); Dylan Meklin (Rockland, Maine); Marcin Nita (Poland); Jan Podgorski (Poland). James Porter (Jacksonville, Florida); Richard Pusatere (Virginia Beach, Virginia); Theodore Quammie (Jacksonville, Florida); Danielle Randolph (Rockland, Maine); Jeremie Riehm (Camden, Delaware); Lashawn Rivera (Jacksonville, Florida); Howard Schoenly (Cape Coral, Florida); Steven Shultz (Roan Mountain, Tennessee); German Solar-Cortes (Orlando, Florida); Anthony Thomas (Jacksonville, Florida); Andrzej Truszkowski (Poland); Mariette Wright (St. Augustine, Florida); Rafal Zdobych (Poland).

Ms. BROWN of Florida. When I was leaving church Sunday, in closing, one young person, Jackie Jones, had a daycare, and the kid came up to me and asked, Congresswoman, where is Papa? I can tell you, I am going to do all I can to make sure that this tragedy doesn't happen again.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, my heart and prayers go out to the families of those aboard the cargo ship, El Faro, which disappeared Thursday evening, northeast of the Crooked Islands, Bahamas. Along with the family members, I hold out hope that the Coast Guard's search and rescue mission will be able to save the lives of surviving crew members. As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I will be asking for a complete investigation into this tragic incident. I commend the Coast Guard for everything they do for our nation in the areas of maritime security and environmental protection, and have worked closely with the agency for many years. I was briefed today by the Coast Guard, and was told that in their search and rescue mission, they currently have: Two Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplanes from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida. Two Navy P-8 fixed wing airplanes. One Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida. Coast Guard Cutter Northland, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in St. Petersburg, Florida. Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton, a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Key West, Florida. Three commercial tugboats. Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will have an investigative team that will arrive in Jacksonville tomorrow, and I will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide any assistance I am able to.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have?

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 2082, the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015. This bill is an important and necessary bill for us to take up and pass today and send to the President. Let me repeat that. This bill is an important and a necessary bill for us to take up and pass today and send to the President. S. 2082 makes sure that some of the vital programs we have in place to take care of our veterans continue past the end of the fiscal year and continue to help our veterans. I want to highlight just some of those importance programs. S. 2082 ensures that several programs serving the homeless veterans continue, including the Homeless Veterans and Homeless Veterans With Children Reintegration Programs. S. 2082 ensures that there is adequate authorization levels for much- needed assistance and support service for veterans' caregivers. S. 2082 continues a successful pilot program that counsels newly separated women veterans in retreat settings. This is an important program. I have a bill, H.R. 1575, that would make this program permanent and has passed the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and I hope it will be brought to the floor soon so that we can vote for it. S. 2082 also extends the authorization of the National Academy of Sciences to continue its research into the health consequences of Agent Orange exposure, providing the necessary link for the VA to make disability presumptions. I am disappointed that the provision mandating the Secretary to make these presumptions is not in the bill, and I know that we will all work together to make sure that the VA does the right thing for our veterans. S. 2082 extends the authorization for the VA to provide transportation grants for highly rural veterans and the ability of the VA to provide transportation to and from VA facilities. This is important to ensure that our veterans have access to care. S. 2082 extends the authorization of the VA to provide rehabilitation and vocational benefits for our wounded warriors. And, finally, S. 2082 provides for an increase in the authorization level for the Denver Regional VA Medical Center. This center will provide specialty care for all VISN 19, which includes Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Utah, and Idaho. We need to finish this project and better provide health care for our veterans. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Denver, Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter), who really can give us a little institutional memory on the Denver regional hospital and who has been at the forefront of this hospital and this regional problem from the beginning.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, since I have 9 minutes remaining, and I have no further speakers, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller).

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 2082, sending this important bill to the President so that the vital programs helping our veterans will continue past the end of this fiscal year. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller). I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague's endorsement of Judge Trieber's legacy as a trailblazer and champion of civil rights for all Americans. Judge Jacob Trieber was a highly respected Federal judge in the Eastern District of Arkansas who served with distinction for 27 years. Judge Trieber was one of the first Federal judges to embrace international treaties as a basis for Federal policy to trump State regulation with respect to pollution control, endangered species preservation, and wetlands conservation. Judge Trieber also famously ruled that a local group of White citizens could not compel a sawmill to fire its Black workers. Judge Trieber's original decision was later cited as a foresighted ruling that had correctly interpreted the 13th Amendment. Because of Judge Trieber's long history of public service and outstanding judicial service, it is appropriate to name the U.S. Federal building in Helena, Arkansas, as the Jacob Trieber Federal Building, United States Post Office, and United States Court House. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. Judge Holloway was well-respected and served for over 45 years as an appellate judge in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. During his tenure, Judge Holloway wrote more than 900 appellate opinions and continued to serve as a judge until his death in 2014. Judge Holloway received many awards, including the President's Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association and the Humanitarian Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and had a prestigious lecture series named after him. Because of Judge Holloway's long Federal service and his universally revered work ethic, I support naming the U.S. Courthouse located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the William J. Holloway, Jr. United States Courthouse. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and no further comments. I support the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I believe that the Secretary needs that authority. In addition to solving the fiscal crisis, this bill will enable the Secretary to run VA more like a business, and that, Mr. Speaker, means a more efficient VA and better care for our veterans. In closing, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to ensure that our veterans are taken care of. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. First of all, I want to thank the chairman for his continued bipartisan work on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. We all want to do what is best for the veterans, and the chairman has continued to work toward that goal. On this past Monday, 62 years after the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement, the committee laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery in honor of our fallen military members. Today, we need more than a ceremony. We should honor our veterans now by passing H.R. 3236. I support this legislation because it addresses the $3 million shortfall for fiscal year 2015 at the VA and keeps hospitals and medical facilities open for our veterans through the end of the fiscal year. Let me repeat that. It will allow the VA to keep hospitals and clinics open for our veterans through the end of this fiscal year. This legislation allows the VA to use $3.348 billion that was appropriated for the Choice Program to use for non-VA care, to pay for health care provided to veterans and family members under the programs provided by non-VA providers from May 1 to October 1, 2015. The VA has completed more than 56 million appointments between June 1, 2014, and May 31, 2015. That is 2.6 million more than the same time last year. H.R. 3236 allows the VA to access $3 billion from the Choice fund and $348 million from other unobligated accounts. Of that amount, $500 million may be used for pharmaceutical expenses related to the treatment of hepatitis C at the VA. This is a cure that many of our veterans need, especially those who served in Vietnam. Three times in this fiscal year, the Secretary has testified before the VA committee, and he has consistently been asking for the authority to run the VA like a business.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop).

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Ms. BROWN of Florida

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, let me just say, first of all, that I have been on this committee for the entire time I have been in Congress, 23 years. What I have always enjoyed about this committee is the bipartisan nature of this committee. But let me just tell you this bill, H.R. 1994, I do not support. The gentleman from Florida, Chairman Miller, has said repeatedly that we voted for this provision in the Choice Act. And the only reason we did it was because these were union people or not union people. I went to every single meeting, every single conference, and this provision that you are talking about--the devil is always in the details. Maybe we need to make sure we read every bill closely because I was not--yes, the Secretary has the authority to fire people. But we want to make sure that they have due process. We are voting to give the VA the additional resources they need to do away with the backlog. Would the gentleman from Florida respond to that. Because none of us were voting for H.R. 1994. It was a bad year for Congress, a bad year for the American people. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, Chairman Miller has said repeatedly that this provision that you have was in the base bill of the Choice program and that we all knew that we were voting to give the Secretary additional authority to fire people.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Yesterday in the committee I heard someone say that the goal is to close all of the VA facilities and privatize it. Now, let me be clear that that is not the goal of the Members on the Democratic side.

Ms. BROWN of Florida. Let me just be clear. I am just amazed that, on the last day of the session, we are spending the entire afternoon discussing H.R. 1994--a bill that the Senate will not pick up; and if, by some miracle, it passed, the President would veto it--when there are so many other things that we could be discussing. How about addressing H.R. 3266, which will give the Secretary the authority to run the VA like a business, which is what we keep saying? I support the substitute amendment. The accountability substitute is offered today because it brings real accountability to the VA while maintaining constitutionality due process protection for civil service employees. At the Committee on Veterans' Affairs over the past 2 years, we have learned of widespread mismanagement and--let me emphasize--lack of training at the VA. The problems that the VA has have gone back for many years, over 30. Maybe if we had adequately funded VA, they would have fewer problems. The majority has introduced H.R. 1994, which attempts to increase accountability by allowing VA to immediately fire any employee for misconduct with only limited due process. The substitute increases accountability by allowing VA to immediately suspend, without pay, any employee whose misconduct posed a direct threat to veterans' health and safety. Unlike H.R. 1994, the substitute provides sufficient due process rights to meet constitutional requirements by providing an accused employee with a fair chance to tell their side of the story. I urge my colleagues to vote for this substitute and vote against H.R. 1994.