Donald Beyer

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I, too, rise in strong opposition to this mean-spirited amendment. This attack on the integrity and professionalism of the Congressional Budget Office is shameful and is part of a strategic assault on the objectivity and expertise in our civil service. With this amendment, the Republicans are seeking to punish the nonpartisan CBO because they don't agree with their finding regarding the Republican plan to replace ObamaCare. I understand that, for Republicans and the Trump administration, it is an inconvenient truth that 23 million Americans would lose coverage under their plan, but just because you are losing the game doesn't mean you can fire the refs. Partisan talking points cannot replace unbiased analysis. Let's not forget the CBO's Director was appointed by a Republican Speaker and praised effusively by then-Budget chairman and current Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price. Mr. Chairman, I represent more Federal employees than any other Member of the House. Most of these 89 positions at the CBO that this amendment seeks to eliminate are my constituents. It is simply unacceptable that we somehow suggest that they and others in the civil service are not honest. The choice to pursue this political attack on the CBO through the so- called Holman rule should concern every Member of Congress. Back in January, when Republicans passed their rules package enabling Members to target individual Federal employees and their pay, I warned that the Holman rule would be abused and used as a way to politically target civil servants. That is exactly what we are seeing today. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment.

Mr. BEYER

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

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to co-lead this amendment with my colleagues, Ms. Tsongas and Mr. McGovern. FERC, as it is currently structured, is not adequately protecting our most valued public lands designed for recreation and conservation, and this bill will only make this particular mismanagement worse. We are witnessing this firsthand in my Virginia. At stake is one of our Nation's treasured landscapes, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the A.T., and the surrounding national parkland and national forestlands. The A.T. was congressionally dedicated as a national scenic trail nearly 50 years ago, and it is one of the most significant land features in the Eastern United States. It is famous around the world. Its cultural heritage, its recreational options, its natural resources all serve crucial roles in the lives and communities of the Appalachian region, but it is at risk. The proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline route impacts 19 prominent views over nearly 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Tinker Cliffs, the Dragon's Tooth, even the totally iconic McAfee Knob all will be corrupted by this pipeline. I am not anti-pipeline. I am not anti-energy. I am an avid Appalachian Trail hiker. I have crossed almost all of the 60 pipeline crossings that exist on the trail. But the Mountain Valley's proposal route doesn't take the least impactful route. It doesn't cross the trail. It runs alongside it for almost 100 miles. You will be able to see the impact day after day after day. It doesn't sound like the developers thought about minimizing their impact on this important cultural icon. It has also become clear that the proposed route would require an amendment to the Jefferson National Forest management plan, which was carefully constructed and well balanced. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and protect one of America's most treasured natural places.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I very much agree with the lead sponsor of the bill, Mr. Upton, that we don't want any more uncertainty, and we certainly don't want more delays. In fact, this amendment was originally in a bipartisan bill sponsored by my Republican friend from Virginia, Morgan Griffith. I literally lifted it word for word. What we want to do is make sure that all of the information is on the table at the beginning. It is just not fair to the people who are affected by a pipeline that an environmental impact statement is issued and they wouldn't have a chance to comment on it. So let's make sure that the developers are putting all of the information out first. And if they put it out and the public comment period closes and then they give you the rest of the information, then, clearly, FERC has made the decision without all that, and the public has been cheated out of the ability to comment on what is going to happen to their land and to their homes. It is just not fair. Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this good, bipartisan amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, it is a great honor to come after this bipartisan discussion between Mr. Lynch and Mr. Upton. I hope a precedent has been set, Mr. Chairman. I offered this amendment to improve the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's public comment period and transparency process. This amendment would require FERC to issue a supplemental environmental impact statement if there is critical new information relevant to a pipeline proposal, and to require mitigation plans for adverse impacts if not already provided. The case of the Mountain Valley Pipeline demonstrated how the current FERC process has failed us and why this amendment is necessary. I recently wrote a letter to FERC on this very issue, asking that they initiate a supplemental environmental impact statement before moving forward with the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Quite simply, the process was flawed. In response to a September 2016 draft environmental impact statement, Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, had to present more information and an updated route for the pipeline proposal to FERC. Originally, Mr. Chairman, they offered 1,000 pages of updates for public comment, but then their updates extended beyond the public comment period, which ended in December 2016, and included thousands of additional pages of crucially important information--20,000 pages of crucially important information. Think about how long it would take to read 20,000 pages. What is most egregious is that, because this document dump came after the public comment period had ended, affected stakeholders weren't able to offer their comments for FERC consideration. They had already closed the public comment period, but the pipeline company was still submitting thousands of pages. Even more ridiculous, the developers have continued to add more documents, even after FERC issued the final environmental impact statement. So apparently it wasn't final in the eyes of the developers. For many, FERC's recent decision to issue this final statement for the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline is patently alarming. The appropriate course would be to issue a supplemental environmental impact statement and allow for public comment on those 20,000 pages. Let's fix this woefully incompetent process. Local communities affected most by proposed energy infrastructure projects naturally have concerns regarding the projects near them. On my extensive visits to southwest Virginia last summer, there were two kinds of signs everywhere, Mr. Chairman. There were ``Make America Great Again, Donald Trump for President,'' and there were ``No Mountain Valley Pipeline.'' They deserve the opportunity to express their views fully and to participate in a robust public engagement process, especially for projects which will use eminent domain to seize their private land from homeowners and farmers. If there are major changes offered after the public comment period is open, let's make sure the public has the ability to weigh in with their proposals. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

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

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for the perspective on corn. As someone who very much respects American agriculture, the worst thing is to have a drought. Around here, climate change is pretty controversial. We seem to slowly be moving in the recognition that it is real, whether we believe that it is caused by man or not. However, one of the things that we see around the world with climate change is the ever-increasing frequency of droughts. The existing language in the original bill says that droughts and lack of precipitation are not considered exceptional events. Certainly, if they weren't exceptional before, they are going to be even less exceptional as we move into the future. I appreciated the debate on the last amendment from my friend, Mr. Tonko, where he talked about the EPA Administrator saying: May, may, may. Well, this is a case where the last thing we want to do is make something like a drought a typical event. It is not going to be exceptional in the years to come. So, let's preserve these. The EPA Administrator will always have an opportunity in the case of a drought once every 100 years to say that is, in fact, exceptional. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would strike the language that weakens the definition of exceptional events for air quality monitoring data. We know that air quality monitoring data is incredibly important and that Americans value clean air. I am a businessman, and it is axiomatic that we can't manage what we can't measure. Just last month, The New England Journal of Medicine published a study that showed long-term exposure to air pollution increases mortality for all Americans, but particularly those that are self- identified as racial minorities or people with low incomes. That is why the EPA is responsible for setting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS, for outdoor--ambient--air to protect our public health and the environment. When States and the EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards, States prepare their own plans specifying how they will reach attainment in those areas. States are currently allowed to exclude monitoring data for periods affected by exceptional events--exceptional events like forest fires or unusual weather conditions, volcanos or seismic activities. They can exclude this data from the measurements used to make designation decisions. This is appropriate and it makes sense. I think volcanos are exceptional. But this bill changes the exceptions provision in dangerous ways. It changes the definition of what qualifies as exceptional. Instead of exceptional, call it routine. Stagnant air, high temperature, or a lack of precipitation are not exceptional events, but they would be considered exceptional by this bill. We live in Washington, D.C., with a record number of days of high temperatures this summer already. But this fact shouldn't exempt D.C. from keeping accurate NAAQS data. Pretending that a heat wave is exceptional or that bad air quality is not harmful to people's health doesn't make it so. Climate change, global warming, and more frequent heat waves are likely to be the reality of our Earth today. So weakening this definition means that, by default, over time, States will never need to be in compliance with the NAAQS. They can say it is an exceptional event. So, frustratingly, by weakening this definition of exceptional events, we nullify the standards altogether. None of us wants to see the disastrous smog events--think of China and India--erupt here in America. So by supporting this amendment, we keep our commitment to the American people to support clean air. We shouldn't weaken our definition of exceptional events to incorporate everyday air occurrences like heat waves. If this provision becomes law, it can mean more asthma attacks, cardiovascular and respiratory harm, emergency visits, and even early deaths from ozone pollution. So please support my amendment. It is important that if we have standards that they actually mean something. Exceptional is defined as unusual. Exceptional does not mean typical. Let's keep it that way. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career of Navy Rear Admiral Vincent L. Griffith, in commemoration of his retirement. Admiral Griffith has a lifetime of leadership and commitment within the United States Navy. Prior to assuming his position as director of the Defense Logistics Agency Logistics Operations, he served as commander for the Naval Supply Systems Command Global Logistics Support. He has served several sea tours, including on a submarine, the USS Stonewall Jackson, and two aircraft carriers, the USS Saratoga and USS John C. Stennis. All of these assignments are only a small glimpse at a long career of dedicated service. Admiral Griffith graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Berry College in 1981. He was commissioned in 1982 through Officer Candidate School as an ensign in the Navy Supply Corps. He received a master of business administration degree from the George Washington University and completed Emory University's Goizueta Graduate School of Management's Advanced Executive Business Program and the Navy Corporate Business Course at University of Virginia, Darden School of Business. His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legions of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Expert Rifle and Pistol Medal. I am honored to congratulate Admiral Griffith on his long and successful career. I thank him for the many lives that he has touched along the way. It is for these reasons that I join Admiral Griffith's family and friends in wishing him a blessed retirement and continued health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the city of Alexandria's first responders, the first to the scene of the shooting at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in my district in Alexandria, Virginia. Two weeks ago today, Wednesday, June 14, at 7 a.m., a man fired scores of shots at the Members of Congress who were practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. The shooting wounded U.S. Representative and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, Capitol Police Officers David Bailey and Crystal Griner, congressional staffer Zack Barth, and former congressional staffer Matt Mika. The timely response of Alexandria's first responders almost certainly saved lives. Alexandria Police Officers Nicole Battaglia, Alexander Jensen, and Kevin Jobe arrived within minutes of the 9/11 call. Officer Battaglia came under fire upon arriving at the scene and immediately engaged the shooter. Her actions diverted the shooter's attention, allowing the other responding officers to neutralize him. Medical care provided by the members of the Alexandria Fire Department, including Fiona Apple and Richard Krimmer, ensured these senseless acts of violence did not become a multiple-fatality event. I am honored to commend these valiant individuals for their selfless service. I thank them for saving the lives of the victims and potential victims of this evil, mindless gun violence, and also for their daily positive impact on the extraordinary community of Del Ray and the exceptional city of Alexandria.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the City of Alexandria's First Responders to the scene of the shooting at Eugene Simpson Memorial Park in my district in Alexandria, Virginia. Two weeks ago today, Wednesday, June 14th, around 7:00 a.m., a man fired scores of shots at Members of Congress who were practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. The shooting wounded House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, Capitol Police Officers David Bailey and Crystal Griner, Congressional staffer Zack Barth, and former Congressional staffer Matt Mika. The timely response of Alexandria's First Responders almost certainly saved lives. Alexandria Police Officers Nicole Battaglia, Alexander Jensen and Kevin Jobe arrived within minutes of the 911 call. Officer Battaglia came under fire upon arriving at the scene, and Officers Jensen and Jobe immediately engaged the shooter upon arrival. In the opinion of Alexandria Police Chief Mike Brown, the officers showed true bravery as they responded to a combat zone before working with Capitol Police to neutralize the shooter. Medical care provided by members of the Alexandria Fire Department, including Fiona Apple and Richard Krimmer and dozens of other paramedics and firefighters who operated while the scene was still dynamic, ensured this senseless act of violence did not become a multiple fatality event. I am honored to commend these valiant individuals for their selfless service; I thank them not only for saving the lives of the victims of this evil, mindless gun violence, but for their daily positive impact on the extraordinary community of Del Ray in the exceptional City of Alexandria.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1967 would amend the permitting process for pumped storage hydropower projects utilizing multiple Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs. Currently, hydropower projects involving Reclamation facilities are subject to either the FERC permitting process or the Reclamation permitting process, based on whether a Reclamation facility was originally authorized for hydropower development. The unique nature of pumped storage projects, which require the use of multiple separate reservoirs, can mean that a single proposed project can be subject to both Reclamation and FERC's permitting processes, since different reservoirs are under different agency jurisdiction. If enacted, H.R. 1967 would subject pumped storage projects using multiple Reclamation reservoirs to just the Reclamation permitting process instead of the process for both Reclamation and FERC. Like FERC, Reclamation's permitting project requires authorized pumped storage projects to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and other statutory requirements. While I believe that H.R. 1967 is a commonsense bill and I support its passage, I also support ongoing efforts to incorporate feedback from the Colville Tribe in Washington State as this bill advances to the Senate and proceeds through the legislative process. Mr. Speaker, I had the remarkable opportunity to live in Switzerland for 4 years, and hiked and climbed many of the Alps. It was fascinating to see the high-altitude dams that made hydropower the dominant form of power in the country. Eighty percent of all electricity was hydropower or nuclear. I thank my good friend, Congressman Lamborn from Colorado Springs, for his leadership on this issue. I encourage unanimous passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 497 authorizes a land exchange in California between the San Bernardino Valley Conservation District and the Bureau of Land Management. After 15 years, stakeholders have finalized the habitat conservation plan for the Santa Ana River Wash that balances the needs of endangered wildlife with regional economic development. This is a stellar example of the Endangered Species Act at work, and I commend Representative Cook for his work on this bill. This land exchange is a key component of the Habitat Conservation Plan and a win-win for all parties. It will help protect important wildlife habitat while allowing the conservation district to increase water storage capacity and direct mining activity into the appropriate areas. So again, this is exactly how the Endangered Species Act should work. It is something we should all support. This is a good bill, and I urge swift adoption by the House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar).

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

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 220 would authorize an expansion of the existing Terror Lake Hydropower project in Alaska to meet increased powder demands from Kodiak Island. The expansion would have to comply with environmental protections required under the Federal Power Act and National Environmental Policy Act. This bill unanimously passed both the House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I want to thank Mr. Young for his persuasive presentation both in committee and on the House floor. I fully support the sensible bipartisan legislation and urge my colleagues to vote for it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as my friend, Mr. Cook, just pointed out, H.R. 1500 designates a small triangle of land in Washington, D.C., as Robert Emmet Park. The parcel is home to a statue of Robert Emmet, a seminal figure in Ireland's quest for independence. The bill also authorizes the National Park Service, which manages the area, to add interpretive displays and signage to the area. Emmet admired the independence we achieved in this country and only wanted the same freedom and liberty for his compatriots in Ireland. Designating this small plot of land and the accompanying statue as Robert Emmet Park will stand as a constant reminder of the call to liberty and freedom that binds our Nation together. I would like to thank my friend, Representative Crowley from New York City, who is also a proud son of St. Patrick, for his work on this bill, and I urge its swift passage. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).

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

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today, H.R. 1073, authorizes the National Park Service to construct a visitor services facility that includes a restroom at the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial. The memorial is located in Arlington, Virginia, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, and a short drive from the Pentagon and from here. This iconic statue of marines raising the flag over Iwo Jima is one of the country's most recognized memorials--the most recognized memorial in the whole world--and receives a tremendous amount of visitation. Unfortunately, there are no permanent restroom facilities at the site. It goes without saying that this is a major hurdle to visitor comfort, especially given that this is a popular destination of our veterans, not all of whom are able-bodied. However, once this bill becomes law, the National Park Service will be able to construct a restroom with funds that have already been donated for this purpose. This is in keeping with a broad policy of improving accessibility of all the memorials on and around The National Mall. This bill is a long time coming. I want to thank my bill cosponsors for their support, Mr. Cook of California and Mr. Graves of Louisiana. I understand that our good friends from the Park Service are watching with excitement and pleasure this afternoon as we take this up on the floor. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1135 reauthorizes the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program. This program provides grants to revitalize and conserve historic structures at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Virginia. I am very proud and grateful of the five HBCUs we have in Virginia: Virginia State, Norfolk State, Hampton University, Virginia Union University, and Virginia University of Lynchburg. I point out that the Nation's first elected African-American Governor, Douglas L. Wilder, was a graduate of Virginia Union University. Since the program was first authorized in 1988, as Mr. Cook has said, there has been over $60 million in grants to help restore iconic structures on many of these college campuses, and two-thirds of this money appropriated has been leveraged to generate matching funds to maximize the impacts of taxpayer dollars. But despite all the progress made with respect to revitalizing these campuses, there is still a lot of work that remains to be done in all 107 HBCUs. Reauthorization and sustained support for this program is long overdue. So I would like to thank my esteemed colleague from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn) for all of his hard work and relentlessness to bring this bill to the attention of Congress. I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this good bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the distinguished leader.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams), a distinguished Member of Congress.

Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?