Brian Babin

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 6076, the bill under consideration.

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

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

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, once again, I would like to thank our full committee chairman, Lamar Smith; our ranking subcommittee member, Ms. Edwards from Maryland; and also our ranking member of the full committee, Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas as well. I would also like to thank my staff and the staff of the full committee, as well as the subcommittee, who have worked so hard to make this bill happen. It was so badly needed for our astronauts. Mr. Speaker, I include a letter from the American Association of Space Explorers into the Record. This is signed by the president of the American Association of Space Explorers, astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria. Association of Space Explorers--USA, Webster, TX, 7 December 2016. Hon. Brian Babin, Chair, Subcommittee on Space, House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Babin: I am writing on behalf of the U.S. chapter of the international Association of Space Explorers (ASE-USA) to strongly endorse H.R. 6076, the ``To Research, Evaluate, Assess, and Treat Astronauts'' (TREAT) Act, that is under consideration by the House of Representatives. Our organization counts over 210 American current and former flown astronauts as its members. Our mission is to provide a forum for professional dialogue among individuals who have flown in space, to promote education in science and mathematics and inspire in students a lifelong commitment to learning, to foster environmental awareness and encourage planetary stewardship, to promote the benefits of space science and exploration and to advocate for international cooperation and operational compatibility in current and future space exploration endeavors. We in the astronaut community applaud your Committee for recognizing the risks inherent in traveling to and exploring space, and for ensuring that the men and women who do so on behalf of our nation receive support for medical issues associated with their service. I urge the House to pass the TREAT Act so that my colleagues and future generations of Americans can continue to explore and expand the frontiers of space and human knowledge, and can return home to Earth suitably protected from the potential medical consequences of those endeavors on behalf of the United States. Sincerely, Michael Lopez-Alegria, President.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6076) to require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program for the medical monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment of astronauts, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, it is a tremendous honor and privilege for me to stand up here to honor one of my colleagues, who is going to be retiring, Representative Randy Neugebauer, who is just finishing up his seventh term. He has been a great mentor. I am finishing up my first term in office. I want to say how much the Neugebauers mean to me and my wife, Roxanne. Randy Neugebauer and his beautiful wife, Dana, have been a tremendous addition not only to the Texas delegation up here in the United States Congress but also to the Republican spouses and Democrat spouses, who have worked so long and hard for many years to support their Member spouses. I just want to say how much I appreciate him, admire him, and wish him Godspeed. He is a great Christian man, and his wife is a great Christian woman. We appreciate so very, very much his long years of service to our country, to our Nation, to his district, as well as to his God.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, but most importantly, the American people on a historic victory at the ballot box. Make no mistake, this election was a resounding rejection of the status quo in Washington, a revolution at the ballot box. The American people are sick and tired of open borders, runaway Federal agencies, unconstitutional executive orders, a weak foreign policy, a sluggish economy, and a Federal Government that simply no longer listens to them. Now, under President-elect Trump and a Republican Congress, we have the opportunity to change that and achieve bold new steps that will put America on the path to a more secure and prosperous country. I look forward to working closely with the Trump-Pence administration to help advance these goals, and a conservative agenda that rebuilds our military, secures our borders, ends the failed ObamaCare experiment, creates jobs, and protects the unborn. Mr. Speaker, the American people have spoken loud and clear, and it is now time that we turn this historic moment into action.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize La Porte Independent School District, which celebrates its 100th Anniversary on October 1, 2016. In 1916, only 19 years after the first classroom opened in La Porte, the Independent School District was established to provide quality education to students from Lomax to Morgan's Point. These first students had the privilege of choosing both the District's mascot and colors--the bulldog, and the orange and white that the students of La Porte rally around to this day. Over 7,000 students from across La Porte began their school year within the Independent School District just weeks ago, and will continue a proud legacy of learning and achievement that has stood for 100 years. It is my distinct honor to recognize and celebrate the 100th Anniversary of La Porte ISD, and their enduring commitment to every student's success. Go Bulldogs.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, it was recently revealed that 500 million Yahoo email accounts were hacked in 2014, making it the largest data breach in U.S. history. Even more troubling is the fact that the perpetrators have been reported to be state-sponsored actors, with China and Russia among the likely suspects. Yet, in the face of such vulnerabilities, President Obama wants to give the Chinese and Russian Governments more control over how the Internet operates. The President has even promised to shut down the Federal Government budget so that he can meet his goal of giving away a portion of America's control over the Internet to these foreign governments by October 1, 2016. Rushing headlong to meet an arbitrary date to hand over our Internet control is incredibly foolish. In fact, it is stupid. No one rewards a criminal for their criminal acts, but that is exactly what the President's policy does. Sadly, it is yet another example of how this administration has sacrificed U.S. leadership and values across the world to advance a reckless agenda. The policies from this administration have only led to America losing standing and influence across the globe on a wide range of fronts--and it must end. Our adversaries have become bolder, taking advantage of the vacuum of leadership created by the pulling back of U.S. leadership. The forces of extremism, violence, totalitarianism, and criminal enterprises have filled the void, and the American people are suffering as a result. The disastrous nuclear deal with Iran is a very good example. It has not only failed to curtail the Iranian regime's plans to develop nuclear weapons, it has also resulted in a ransom payment of $1.7 billion for four Americans who were being held illegally by Iran. This display of weakness has only emboldened the largest state sponsor of international terrorism. It has provided Iran with over $1 billion to fund terrorism, enhance its illegal ballistic missile development programs, and ramp up its aggression against U.S. military forces. President Reagan warned us: ``Weakness, after all, is a temptation-- it tempts the pugnacious to assert themselves--but strength is a declaration that cannot be misunderstood. Strength is a condition that declares actions have consequences. Strength is a prudent warning to the belligerent that aggression need not go unanswered.'' Whenever this administration pulls back, the belligerent have happily stepped in to fill the void. That is why we must reject this latest effort to relinquish U.S. leadership over the Internet. The excessive hacking encouraged by the Governments of Russia, China, and others should not be rewarded. We must stand up to these dangerous actors and put the safety, security, and interests of the United States first. Simply put, Russia and China cannot be trusted with a larger role in the operation of the Internet. We have a duty to block the President's foolish and reckless Internet giveaway before it goes into effect October 1, 2016. It will further cede more control to our adversaries and weaken America's influence on the international stage. Stopping this giveaway must be included in this year's spending bill. It is absolutely critical that Congress takes action.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, absolutely. In the right way, I certainly would support that.

Mr. BABIN. Reclaiming my time, I thank the chairman. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I can't answer that specifically, but I do know that, even when there is funding available, they are still unable to solve a problem that could be a serious safety deficiency.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, my amendment provides a solution by putting channels which have been assumed for maintenance on equal footing with those that have been authorized, thus eliminating the distinction without a difference that currently exists to streamline the process and prevent these unnecessary, bureaucratic hang-ups from delaying critical safety and navigation work where it is needed the most. I urge a ``yes'' vote on my amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I urge the passage of my amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I want to say, for a private business entity to get muck off the bottom of a slip or a channel's having to go through this, this is what this is all about. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BABIN. How much time do I have remaining, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer this amendment to direct the Corps of Engineers to focus on the tasks that it can do, and should do, when it comes to section 408 reviews. The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, enacted in the final days of the 55th Congress, first established the process we know today as a section 408 review, which I have here in my hand. The provision was intended to protect engineered structures built by the Corps that serve particular functions, such as seawalls, dikes, levees, and piers, by requiring the Corps of Engineers to authorize any requests for substantial work on these and similar assets. Over time, however, the Corps has expanded its regulatory authority far beyond the scope of that statute. Specifically, the Corps now requires a review of any proposal for a physical modification or structure that touches a Corps project, even if it has no bearing at all on navigation or flood control. This has resulted in an overlay of additional administrative procedures, delays, and unnecessary costs. In my district, at the Port of Houston, the Corps of Engineers is currently requiring users to go through the section 408 process, in addition to regulatory and real estate protocols, for access to dredge material placement sites. In plain English, this means that, for a small business to fill up a dump truck full of muck excavated from the bottom of a ship channel and carry it off somewhere else, they have to fully comply with the same section 408 review that would affect the 10- mile-long Galveston Seawall. These projects, which have no direct impact on the Corps' structures, are undertaken by private users, including many small businesses from the area who are investing in their facilities, expanding commerce and exports, and providing jobs and economic benefits to our State and the Nation. The additional time and cost as a result of an unnecessary 408 process, which is borne entirely by private entities or non-Federal partners, delays and increases the cost of these critical projects. My amendment reinforces the original intent of the Rivers and Harbors Act by focusing the Corps on actual navigation and flood control assets, allowing them to devote their full attention and resources to important safety evaluations and the expedited review and execution of project modification requests. Mr. Chairman, since 1775, the Army Corps of Engineers has performed critical work, ensuring the safety and reliability of America's ports and harbors. My amendment supports their mission and the good work they do by focusing their resources and attention where it belongs. I urge a ``yes'' vote. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Chairman, one of the great honors I have here in Congress is to represent four great ports--Orange, Beaumont, Cedar Bayou, and the biggest port in Texas and one of the largest in the world: the Port of Houston. When America's astronauts who serve in space look out of their windows down at Houston, it is probably hard for them to make out their home away from home at Johnson Space Center; but what they can't miss is the scale and the strategic importance of the Port of Houston, which is right down the road from Johnson Space Center. The Greater Houston area is the energy production and chemical manufacturing capital of the world, and the Port of Houston's ability to ship those goods is directly responsible for billions of dollars in economic activity and for hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs in our State and across the country; but like the city of Houston itself, not all of the port's important channels, tributaries, and other navigation assets that fall under the purview of the Corps of Engineers are within the footprint of what was originally authorized by Congress. Instead, many of these channels have been assumed for maintenance by the Corps of Engineers over the years. Each one has met the requirements of being environmentally acceptable, economically justified, and constructed in accordance with Federal permits and appropriate engineering and design standards. This, in itself, is not a bad thing. In many cases, the construction or modification of the channels by non-Federal users has reduced the overall Federal cost and has provided for national economic benefits well before a Federal project could be accomplished. The downside is that channels which have been assumed for maintenance are not considered authorized projects. Therefore, while those channels are just as important as a federally constructed project, a channel which has been assumed for maintenance is treated quite differently from an authorized project right next to it, which can disrupt the upkeep and the operations of both. At this point, I will read from a letter that was sent to my office by the Port of Houston that describes how this issue came to its attention and why the passage of this amendment is so essential not only for our region, but for every port in this country. ``The Corps had long identified a navigation safety problem at the intersection of the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) and Bayport channel (the `Bayport Flare') caused by its design and construction of the HSC, and promised to properly correct the safety deficiency. However, the Corps discovered that while it could construct the part of the corrective work which lay within the boundaries of the Houston Ship Channel, it could not construct the second part of the solution within the Bayport ship channel because the Bayport channel was not considered `authorized' by Congress, but only assumed for maintenance after construction. . . . The Corps agreed that the Bayport assumption of maintenance was conducted in accordance with laws providing authority to the Secretary of the Army to accept qualifying work, and that PHA met all design, environmental, and economic requirements of a channel as if it were designed and constructed by the Corps. The Bayport Flare deficiency exposed a serious shortcoming, whereby the federal government was unable to make a necessary navigation safety correction resulting from a deficient federal design because it could only fix what it has physically constructed--and not within channels it had managed and operated for decades.'' I include in the Record the full content of this letter. Port of Houston Authority, Houston, Texas, September 23, 2016. ATTN: Ben Couhig, Subject: Recommended Provision in WRDA 2016 Congressman Brian Babin, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Couhig: As Congress prepares to address the nation's water resources requirements this year, the Port of Houston Authority informed Congressman Babin of the inability of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consistently and adequately work to construct and manage federal navigation channels, in part because authorities to do so and supporting policies are limited. As a result, the Port Authority offered the following recommendation: Authorization of Federally Maintained Tributary Channels as Part of a Channel System At the appropriate place in the bill, insert the following: ``Projects which have been assumed for maintenance by the Secretary of the Army under any authority granted by Congress shall be considered projects authorized by Congress, and shall be planned, operated, managed, or modified in a manner consistent with authorized projects.'' The need for this language became very clear to the Port Authority as we constructed modification of the Bayport Ship Channel. The Corps had long identified a navigation safety problem at the intersection of the Houston Ship channel (HSC) and Bayport channel (the ``Bayport Flare'') caused by its design and construction of the HSC, and promised to properly correct the safety deficiency. However, the Corps discovered that while it could construct the part of the corrective work which lay within the boundaries of the Houston Ship Channel, it could not construct the second part of the solution within the Bayport ship channel because the Bayport channel was not considered ``authorized'' by Congress, but only assumed for maintenance after construction by PHA. The Corps agreed that the Bayport assumption of maintenance was conducted in accordance with laws providing authority to the Secretary of the Army to accept qualifying work, and that PHA met all design, environmental, and economic requirements of a channel as if it were designed and constructed by the Corps. The Bayport Flare deficiency exposed a serious shortcoming, whereby the federal government was unable to make a necessary navigation safety correction resulting from a deficient federal design because it could only fix what it has physically constructed--and not within channels it had managed and operated for decades. The Houston Ship Channel system includes four tributary channels: Bayport, Barbours Cut, Jacintoport, and Greens Bayou, all of which were constructed by or operated by the Port Authority prior to federal assumption of maintenance. Should a navigation safety problem occur on any of these channels for any reason, the federal government would be unable to restore safe navigation without Congressional action--which might not be possible under current rules. In summary, the Corps of Engineers needs the authority to provide for safe navigation for all of its channels; this recommended provision provides for that authority. Sincerely, Mark Vincent.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP). For these past 40 years, BAHEP has been an indispensable ally in building economic prosperity in Houston and across southeast Texas. What began as a special project of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce in 1976, to promote business opportunities in greater Houston, has become a champion for economic development across southeast Texas. The passion and business acumen of BAHEP's member community these past 40 years will continue to fuel BAHEP's success for the next 40 years and beyond. BAHEP has played an indispensable role in attracting and mobilizing the businesses and industries of southeast Texas. From their 2002 role in defining Johnson Space Center (JSC) as the home of manned spaceflight, to their assistance with the recovery after Hurricane Ike in 2008, BAHEP has both shaped and reshaped southeast Texas. Under Bob Mitchell's leadership, BAHEP has launched new initiatives and expanded their advocacy on behalf of Houston's chemical, shipping, medical, aerospace and space industries, and the workforce on which those industries rely. Most recently, in 2015, BAHEP worked with the Houston Airport System to successfully petition the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to designate Ellington Airport as Texas' second spaceport. It is my distinct honor to recognize and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. I look forward to seeing what heights of technological progress and economic prosperity this incredible coalition of job creators will foster in the next 40 years and beyond.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of conservative icon and founder of the Eagle Forum Phyllis Schlafly. Phyllis Schlafly was a courageous and determined leader who spent her entire adult life fighting for America and our traditional family values. She stood up and spoke up when others did not. She was a fearless and outspoken defender of the unborn--and a leading voice in protecting America's sovereignty and supporting the U.S. military. Until her final day on Earth, Phyllis Schlafly fought tirelessly for these commonsense principles and the conservative foundations that have made America strong. She never stopped exposing the absurdity of the liberal left and the appalling failures of the policies they advocate. Often referred to as the ``First Lady of the Conservative Movement,'' Phyllis Schlafly's leadership, candor and tenacity was a breath of fresh air--and it will be greatly missed. While we have lost a powerful voice and advocate for the American people, we can be certain that Phyllis Schlafly's tremendous pride in America and passion for the conservative movement will undoubtedly live on and continue to inspire future conservative leaders for generations to come. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Schlafly family during this very difficult time. On behalf of the many Americans she inspired, we say thank you.

Mr. BABIN

Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, our Nation's top law enforcement officials took a very dangerous turn last week when they essentially rewrote the law for the well-connected and privileged in America. This should be deeply troubling to all ordinary Americans, both on the left and on the right. For those of us who work hard every day, play by the rules, and live by the law, when we cross the line, it is the law that holds us accountable. But that standard of law does not seem to apply to the Clintons. John Adams warned during the formation of our Constitution that we must be a nation of laws, not a nation of men. Undermining this founding principle for the privileged not only demonstrates poor judgment, it further erodes our trust in the institutions of government. So it is left for us to now ask whether what we have come to is a nation of laws, or is it a government of the rich and powerful? Do we have a Department of Justice or a department of ``just us''? FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress to the many laws that former Secretary of State Clinton broke, acknowledging ``extreme carelessness'' while denying ``gross negligence,'' which by definition are one and the same. Then, incredibly, Mr. Comey said that there was no need for prosecution. Therefore, the choice not to apply the law equally to Hillary Clinton is not only a major blow to public confidence and the rule of law and equal treatment under the law, it also suggests that the rule of law has become nothing more than a word game. It confirms everything that we hate about the current state of politics in our country. The FBI basically just wasted millions of dollars to confirm that everything Secretary Clinton has been telling the American people is nothing but a bunch of lies, and it doesn't matter. However, it has mattered greatly to far less powerful Americans in similar circumstances who have had their careers and their lives destroyed. Public servants and military servicemembers who are not in positions to hold private meetings with the Attorney General, as Mrs. Clinton's husband did just days before this decision, have been jailed, fined, and lost their jobs and their security clearances. We may never know just how much damage was caused by Clinton's callous disregard for the law and our national security secrets. Were informants killed? Were they lost or compromised due to her negligence? Do foreign intelligence services now retain tens of thousands of emails from her private, unsecured servers that can now be used against the United States or against her to the detriment of the United States of America? We have an absolute duty to find out.