Lou Barletta

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of Building Safety Month, and I would like to recognize the men and women of the International Code Council who have dedicated their livelihoods to ensuring the safety of Americans both in their homes and workplaces. Building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, and others in the construction industry work year-round to ensure the safe construction of buildings. It is through their efforts that our nation continues to address critical safety issues in the built environment that affect our citizens, both, in everyday life and in times of natural disaster. These individuals, who are dedicated members of the International Code Council, develop and implement the highest quality codes to protect Americans in the buildings where we work, live, and play. The International Codes, the most widely adopted building safety and fire prevention codes in the nation, are used by most U.S. cities, counties, and by all 50 states. These modem building safety codes also include safeguards to protect the public from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, wildland fires, and earthquakes. Each year, in observance of Building Safety Month, Americans are asked to consider projects to improve building safety at home and in the community, and to acknowledge the essential services provided to all of us by local and state building departments and federal agencies in protecting life and property. Building Safety Month, which is sponsored by the International Code Council, reminds the public about the critical role of our communities' largely unsung heroes of public safety--our local code officials--who help prevent countless fires and accidents. ``Code officials: Partners in Community Safety and Economic Growth,'' the theme for Building Safety Month 2017, encourages all Americans to raise awareness of the importance of building safety. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking the International Code Council as they recognize Building Safety Month.

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I honor the life of my friend, Mr. Don Ely, and express my deepest condolences to his family and friends. On March 13, 2017, at 81 years old, Don passed away. The people of Sunbury and the greater community of Pennsylvania's 11th District, along with myself, will miss him greatly and are forever thankful for the service he provided his community. Don began his career as a clergyman, serving congregations across the Commonwealth for nearly a decade before launching his career in education. Don was an accomplished school teacher, having taught history, government, and civics for over 32 years. at Shikellamy High School in Sunbury. During the majority of his teaching years, he continued his work as a pastor until he had completed 25 years of his ministry. In addition to his work as a pastor and an educator, Don was also active in politics. He became a member of the Northumberland County Republican Committee in 1987 and the Republican State Committee in 1992, never missing a single meeting. Don was instrumental in supporting Republican candidates on the local, state, and federal levels. He was also an active, contributing member of the Heritage Foundation, the Commonwealth Foundation of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvanians for Effective Government. Whether it was his years of leadership for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, his work as a teacher, or his dedication to his family, Don's impact on the Sunbury community will not soon be forgotten. Don is survived by his wife of 49 years, Lois Kirkpatrick Ely, and their three children, Kathleen Ely Lybarger, Dr. Stephen Ely and his wife Herta, and Yvonne Ely Renaud, his grandchildren, Olivia, Sophia, and Luke Lybarger, James, Ethan, and Patrick Renaud, George and Stephen Ely, his niece, Sandra Smith Kastel, as well as Philip Smith and Cindy Smith Leist. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the legendary life of Mr. Don Ely.

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1117) to require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit a report regarding certain plans regarding assistance to applicants and grantees during the response to an emergency or disaster, as amended.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1117. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1117, as amended.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I have seen firsthand in my district how disasters devastate communities and their citizens. In the aftermath of these disasters, while facing the devastation and the daunting task of recovery, many communities encounter even more challenges caused by FEMA, which has been sent there to help. I continue to hear from my colleagues in Congress about conflicting guidance received from FEMA officials, who constantly change on the ground. I have heard stories of lost documents, lengthy delays, and huge administrative burdens placed on communities doing their best to recover from disasters. And in the worst cases, the guidance provided by FEMA results in the community losing disaster assistance. Unfortunately, in Missouri, they have faced many of these challenges following floods in August 2013. Congresswoman Hartzler has taken the lead to push FEMA to fix these issues by introducing this bill. I am proud that we are moving H.R. 1117. One of my focuses as chair of the subcommittee is how we can make disaster assistance programs more effective and efficient and ensure the wise investment of taxpayer dollars. H.R. 1117 will certainly help us do that. This legislation helps communities struggling to recover from disasters by improving transparency, consistency, and communication with FEMA. It also requires FEMA to leverage technologies to ease the administrative burden on local governments for maintaining documents, applying for assistance, and providing information to FEMA to speed recovery. The House adopted similar language last year when it passed the FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act. Again, I commend the gentlewoman from Missouri for introducing this bill to ensure that those impacted by disasters are receiving accurate, up-to-date information about their assistance and the status of recovery. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler).

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We know earthquakes pose one of the greatest natural hazards here in the United States. They strike without warning and result in potentially catastrophic casualties and damage to buildings and infrastructure. The Pacific Northwest is at risk of severe earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. According to the experts, a massive earthquake is coming to the area. We just don't know when. Six years ago this month, a 9.0 earthquake in Japan created a tsunami that killed over 15,000 people and caused a nuclear disaster. Earthquakes cannot be prevented, but their impacts on life, property, and the economy can be managed. FEMA is responsible for coordinating the Federal response to a catastrophic earthquake, and has been diligently working to help States plan and prepare for an earthquake. Good planning and preparedness can save lives and property. H.R. 654, the Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017, directs FEMA to plan the development of an earthquake early warning system for the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The bill also directs the President to establish an earthquake and tsunami task force to develop a comprehensive strategy and recommendations on how to prepare and plan for seismic events. I want to commend the ranking member for his leadership on this critical national issue. He has been an advocate for his State and the Pacific Northwest, supporting preparedness and mitigation efforts and the development of a public West Coast earthquake early warning system. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Washington, DC, March 27, 2017. Hon. Bill Shuster, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 654, the ``Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act of 2017,'' which was reported by your Committee on March 9, 2017. H.R. 654 contains provisions within the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology's Rule X jurisdiction. In order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with respect to the appointment of conferees, or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation. I would request that, in any final version of the legislation, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology be included as a recipient of the reports called for in Sections 2 and 3 of the bill. I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and would request that you include a copy of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, Lamar Smith, Chairman.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 654, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 654, as amended.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 654) to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to carry out a plan for the purchase and installation of an earthquake early warning system for the Cascadia Subduction Zone, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1214) to require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to conduct a program to use simplified procedures to issue public assistance for certain projects under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1214, as amended.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of H.R. 1214, the Disaster SAVE Act, is to speed up small disaster reconstruction projects and lower their costs by removing red tape. One of my biggest priorities since becoming chairman of the subcommittee has been reducing disaster costs and losses and reducing disaster risks. I was mayor for 11 years, and I saw so many friends' and neighbors' businesses and communities impacted by disasters. One of the things I hear most often from my colleagues in Congress is frustration about inconsistent guidance from FEMA and funding take backs, even when there is no evidence of misuse. If you have ever had a big disaster in your district, you know exactly what I am talking about. In my district, FEMA reversed its prior approval and has been fighting for years with the local government over whether or not they should have paved a temporary access road that was built after a major flood. The cost of the gravel road was $230,000. The extra cost to pave it, which the community covered with its own funds, was about $50,000. The amount of money FEMA has wasted in salaries, administration, and legal fees trying to take back the $230,000 likely exceeds the entire project cost. This is red tape out of control, and it doesn't serve the taxpayers well. We know there is a better way to manage these projects. Under current law, FEMA runs projects under $130,000 in a manner similar to an insurance settlement. FEMA reviews the damage, makes a cost estimate, and issues a repair grant. The local government is responsible for managing the grant on time and on budget. In exchange, they have greater flexibility in how they bill back, and they can enhance a project with their own funds. This approach dramatically cuts administrative costs, rebuilds infrastructure faster, eliminates the cost overruns for Federal taxpayers, and gives local governments the flexibility to rebuild in a way that best meets their needs. The success of FEMA's small project program is well proven thanks to the prior efforts of the Transportation Committee. The former chairman of the subcommittee, from California, worked diligently to give FEMA the flexibility to administratively increase the small project threshold, which finally passed as part of the Hurricane Sandy supplemental package. H.R. 2114, the Disaster SAVE Act, will raise the current project cap for this program from $130,000 to $500,000 and help all of our constituents avoid the project nightmare my district is experiencing right now. This will speed up rebuilding efforts and reduce disaster recovery costs. The vast majority of FEMA's rebuilding projects are less than $500,000, but FEMA continues to micromanage the administration of these projects at a tremendous cost in time and money. FEMA testified in 2015 that increasing this threshold would result in lower administrative costs, faster project completions, and fewer deobligations. After 4 years, the program will sunset and Congress will decide, based on outcomes, lessons learned, and stakeholder input, if the program should continue or not. The House adopted similar language last year when it passed the FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1214, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I honor Harrisburg Fire Lieutenant Dennis DeVoe, and express my deepest condolences to his family, colleagues, and friends. On March 11, 2017, Lt. DeVoe was on his way to pick up his gear to respond to a house fire when his vehicle was T-boned. Lt. DeVoe sustained fatal injuries in the crash, passing later that night surrounded by his family. This honorable man lost his life while in the process of saving the lives of others, and the people of Harrisburg, along with myself, are forever grateful for the service he provided his community. Lt. DeVoe graduated from Kennard-Dale High School in 1989 and later attended Thaddeus Stevens School of Technology, earning an Associate's Degree of Applied Science in Automotive Technology. Lt. DeVoe was a 1996 graduate of the 14th Fire Academy at Harrisburg Area Community College and faithfully served the Harrisburg Fire Department Squad 8 in the 21 years since. Additionally, Lt. DeVoe was a member of the Pennsylvania Search and Rescue and a state Fire Instructor at Harrisburg Area Community College as well as the York County Fire School. Lt. DeVoe was actively involved in the community. Lt. DeVoe volunteered with numerous area fire departments and coached local soccer teams. Lt. DeVoe's colleagues described him as a kind and energetic leader who prioritized community, service to others, and his family above all else. Lt. DeVoe is survived by his wife, Amy DeVoe, and their four children, Carson, Aliza, Emma, and Jake, his mother, Joyce Webb, and her husband, Robert, and his brother, Brian DeVoe, and his wife, Sheila. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the life and service of Lt. Dennis DeVoe, for his selfless heroism and dedication to his community and his family.

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, March 9, and Friday, March 10, I was unable to be present for recorded votes. On March 9, had I been present, I would have voted the following on amendments to H.R. 985, the Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017: No on roll call no. 140, the Deutch Amendment, No on roll call no. 141, the Deutch Amendment, No on roll call no. 142, Soto amendment, No on roll call no. 143, the Johnson Amendment, No on roll call no. 144, the Conyers amendment, No on roll call no. 145, the Jackson Lee Amendment, No on roll call no. 146, the Espaillat Amendment, and No on roll call no. 147, the Democratic Motion to Recommit. I would have voted Yes on roll call no. 148, final passage of H.R. 985, the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act. I would have voted the following on amendments to H.R. 725, the Innocent Party Protection Act: No on roll call no. 149, the Soto Amendment, No on roll call no. 150, the Cartwright Amendment, No on roll call no. 151, the Democratic Motion to Recommit. I would have voted Yes on roll call no. 152, final passage of H.R. 725, the Innocent Party Protection Act. On March 10, had I been present, I would have voted the following on amendments to H.R. 720, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act: No on roll call no. 153, the Soto Amendment, No on roll call no. 154, the Jackson Lee amendment, No on roll call no. 155, the Conyers Amendment, No on roll call no. 156, the Jeffries Amendment, and No on roll call no. 157, the Democratic Motion to Recommit. I would have voted Yes on roll call no. 158, final passage of H.R. 720, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act.

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1174) to provide a lactation room in public buildings, as amended.

Mr. BARLETTA

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 375) to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 719 Church Street in Nashville, Tennessee, as the ``Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and United States Courthouse''.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 375.

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 375 would designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located in Nashville, Tennessee, as the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and United States Courthouse. I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) for her leadership on this legislation. Senator Thompson was respected for his work as a lawyer, an actor, and as a United States Senator. This legislation is a fitting tribute that I am honored to bring to the floor today. Fred Thompson first made a name for himself as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1969 to 1972. That experience brought him to the national stage in his subsequent position as special counsel on a number of Senate committees, most notably as minority counsel with the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, better known as the Watergate Committee. It was then-Counsel Thompson who helped frame Senator Howard Baker's now famous question, ``What did the President know, and when did he know it?'' in regards to the Watergate controversy. Thompson himself asked an even more important question related to the existence of taped conversations in the Oval Office--tapes that led to President Nixon's eventual resignation. After returning to the private practice of law in Nashville, Thompson represented the chairperson of the State Parole Board who unearthed a cash-for-clemency scheme involving the then-Governor of Tennessee. This case was eventually made into a book and into the film ``Marie.'' Fred Thompson was cast to play himself, which launched his acting career. Throughout the 1990s, Fred Thompson appeared in supporting roles in some of the decade's biggest movies, including ``Days of Thunder,'' ``The Hunt for Red October,'' and ``Die Hard 2.'' In 1994, Fred Thompson ran for political office for the first time and was elected to fill the remaining 2 years of Vice President Al Gore's Senate term. He was re-elected in 1996 to a full 6-year term and served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs until his retirement in 2002. That didn't slow Senator Thompson down. He returned to acting and won the role of New York District Attorney Arthur Branch on the hit NBC show ``Law & Order'' between 2002 and 2007. It was in 2007 that Senator Thompson returned to politics by announcing his candidacy for the United States Presidency. Although his return to the political realm was unsuccessful, Senator Thompson's popularity did not wane. He returned to acting on screen and on TV, wrote a memoir, and appeared often to comment on politics. Tragically, in 2015, Senator Thompson died from a recurrence of lymphoma. Senator Thompson was a man of many talents. Through it all, he never lost his roots as a Tennessean. Given Senator Thompson's dedication to the law and public service, I believe it is more than fitting to name this courthouse and Federal building in Nashville after him. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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