Joe Courtney

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, one of the dominant news stories on both sides of the Atlantic was the announcement by British Prime Minister Theresa May that she was postponing a much-anticipated vote on accepting a preliminary Brexit package that had been negotiated with the European Union. Her decision, unfortunately, continues the turmoil in her own party and Parliament at large about how to implement a referendum that was narrowly passed instructing her government to leave the European Union that the United Kingdom joined 45 years ago, in 1973. As a Member of the U.S. Congress that is also divided and struggling with its own ability to execute basic functions, I have a great deal of empathy, as I am sure many of my colleagues do, with the frustration that members of Parliament and the British public are feeling today. Fundamentally, of course, this is a domestic question for Parliament, and it would be presumptuous for elected officials from the outside to weigh in on the agreement's proposals regarding residency, immigration, visa requirements, and how healthcare coverage will be coordinated if and when the U.K. exits the European Union. However, there is one issue, in which myself and many of my colleagues from the U.S. have a very keen interest, and I raise it today in a friendly but firm voice. That is, namely, the status of Northern Ireland under the Good Friday peace accords. Unfortunately, Mrs. May, in her announcement yesterday, indicated that that was the one issue, that her efforts to protect the Good Friday peace accords were going to be renegotiated and possibly dismantled. Mr. Speaker, I wish to remind the House that the Good Friday peace accords, which were signed 20 years ago last April 10, have the active and supportive involvement of the U.S. Government and the U.S. Congress. The Clinton administration in the 1990s, at the invitation of the Irish and British Governments, named former U.S. Senator George Mitchell as Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, and he chaired the all- party peace negotiation over a number of years, which led to the Good Friday peace accords. His work, along with his successor, Richard Haass, was crucial to the success of the talks and the execution of the agreement. In the U.S. Congress, members of a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including our colleague Richard Neal of Springfield, Massachusetts, were frequent visitors and participants during the negotiations. To this day, Mr. Neal and bipartisan members of the Friends of Ireland Caucus, of which I am a member, continue to monitor the progress and success of the Good Friday peace accords and are deeply, deeply concerned that Brexit, if it reinstates a hard border on the island of Ireland, will undo one of the great diplomatic successes of our time. Mr. Speaker, the successful results of the peace agreement cannot be denied. During The Troubles, which preceded the accords, more than 3,600 residents of the six counties of the North lost their lives due to sectarian violence and 763 servicemembers of the British Government and the Northern Irish Government lost their lives. To put that in perspective, 464 U.K. troops have lost their lives in the long war in Afghanistan. The economic results have also been undeniable. Mr. Speaker, I have a little bit of experience because in 1973 and 1974, I was a student in England and spent the Christmas break in Northern Ireland visiting a fellow student in the town of Enniskillen. I took the train from Dublin to Belfast. In the border town o Dundalk, where I was asleep, I was awoken by a British soldier heavily armed, poking me to look at my backpack. While we visited in Enniskillen, there was a bombing in the village. Looking around, it was clearly a depressed economy because of the hard borders and because of the isolation of Northern Ireland. Fast forward, I took a trade mission from the State of Connecticut to Belfast 2 years ago, and it is a transformed city. It is thriving. It is healthy. Clearly, allowing the Northern Irish economy to participate both in the full island as well as Europe has had beneficial effects. That is why the people of Northern Ireland actually voted ``no'' on Brexit. Mr. Speaker, we are at a point today where the British Government clearly has to make a decision about whether to preserve one of the great diplomatic successes, which provides a roadmap for sectarian violence all across the world. Diplomacy succeeded in Northern Ireland. It is imperative that those in charge there protect the hard-fought work and remember that there are stakeholders outside of England and Great Britain, including the United States Government and the United States Congress, which have skin in the game and have investment in terms of the great success over the last 20 years. Protect the Good Friday peace accords. Protect the peace that has flowed from it. Protect the prosperity that has improved the lives of the people of Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic, and the world at large.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of George Smith of Lebanon, CT, who is celebrating his 50th anniversary as a member of the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department. George, a native of Rocky Grove, PA, started his vocation as a public servant after graduating from high school in 1954. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean Conflict, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam Conflict over his 21 years of active military service, reaching the rank of E8 Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman. George and his family moved to Lebanon, CT in 1966. Following in his first-responder parents' footsteps, he decided to become a firefighter and joined the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department in May 1968. In 1978, he joined the Lebanon Constabulary and served as a constable for a decade. He also provided emergency medical services and performed firefighting tasks. Over the course of his public service to the town he has also served as Fire Lieutenant, Fire Police Lieutenant, elected department secretary, and currently as Fire Police Captain. For 50 years, George has been committed to serving Lebanon residents by protecting them, their families, pets, and livestock, as well as lands and properties throughout the town. He holds life member status at the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in recognizing George Smith's milestone anniversary as well as his remarkable record of service to the town of Lebanon. Volunteering one's life for the protection of others is no small sacrifice, and in this way, Mr. Smith has been exceptionally selfless. Let us all express our gratitude for this fine gentleman.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018. This bill provides critical policy guidance to the Coast Guard as it protects our Nation's shores and maritime interests. The bill increases authorized funding levels, requires a review of our Arctic strategy and the Coast Guard's ability to achieve it, and provides authority to procure three new National Security Cutters. The bill also includes a provision to ensure that public safety answering points that respond to 911 calls from vehicles in distress are trained to relay that information to the Coast Guard or tow companies. Sector Long Island Sound has been working with municipality dispatch centers in Connecticut and New York to implement a training program to route these calls. I want to thank Mystic towboat Captain Jeff Dziedzic for bringing this issue to my attention and Congresswoman Esty for working with my office last year to include this language in the bill. Mr. Speaker, eastern Connecticut is the proud home of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Coast Guard Station New London. Therefore, I am particularly excited that this bill includes a provision that will help boost construction of the future National Coast Guard Museum to be built along the Thames River in New London. In particular, it authorizes engineering and design work to be performed by the Coast Guard in this project. The Coast Guard is the only military service without its own museum. Under the leadership of Jim Coleman, Richard Grahn, Admiral Papp, Captain Wes Pulver, and many others, this project is well on its way to becoming a world-class destination to showcase the rich heritage of the Coast Guard, which dates back to 1790 when Alexander Hamilton created America's ``first fleet,'' which, by the way, was organized before the U.S. Navy. I would like to thank the chairman, Mr. Shuster, and Mr. LoBiondo, as they depart. Again, they are great role models of bipartisan leadership and about getting results. I want to also thank the ranking member, Mr. DeFazio, and also the subcommittee ranking member, John Garamendi, for their hard work. I also thank Dave Jansen and John Rayfield for helping guide this bill to a successful conclusion. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department and to thank its dedicated members for their commitment to their community and the residents of eastern Connecticut. The Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department was founded in September 1943 by 53 Lebanon residents without any equipment or station of their own. The first chief of the company, Clark W. Standish, obtained permission from the State Forestry Department to use their truck and equipment until Lebanon could procure their own. Since the department's inception, its volunteers have consistently served the Town of Lebanon demonstrating courage and compassion in times of crisis and distress for their friends, families, and neighbors. For decades Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department has also provided the same exceptional and brave service to surrounding towns and communities under mutual aid agreements. The department has grown and adapted to the changing needs of the Town while remaining an all-volunteer force, providing fire, EMS, and hazmat services for the protection of life, property, and the environment. This growth and innovation by Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department has intensified in the wake of the post-9/11 world. As my colleagues know, the new Department of Homeland Security, which was created in the wake of the tragedy, established the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program which has provided recurring grants to local departments all across the country. The grant process is an annual one and requires knowledge and expertise for departments big and small to access these funds for needed equipment and training. In Connecticut's Second District, the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department has graciously hosted annual AFG seminars for communities all across the region. Given that this program is competitive, Lebanon's willingness to share updates on ways to successfully navigate the grant process speaks highly of their commitment to public safety for all. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring these dedicated public servants both living and deceased, whose dedication and heroism have made this auspicious occasion possible. All firefighters and EMTs make sacrifices of time and take significant personal risks for the protection of the communities they serve. We in eastern Connecticut are ever so fortunate and grateful to be protected by the courageous men and women of Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this rule which will pave the way for a vote on a bill that will summarily delist the gray wolf from protections under the Endangered Species Act by congressional fiat, in direct contradiction to our Nation's animal protection policies that have done so much to preserve the diversity of animal existence over the last 45 years. In addition, in keeping with the sad track record of this Republican- controlled Congress, this is yet another closed rule, number 102 over the last 2 years, to be exact, that will prohibit consideration of any amendments. Most egregious of all, however, this rule includes a totally non- germane provision that will deny debate of a separate resolution that will end U.S. participation in the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in Yemen's civil war. This separate resolution, the Khanna resolution, which I am an original cosponsor of, will be effectively blocked from congressional consideration and debate by passage of this rule, despite the humanitarian crisis and indiscriminate coalition air strikes, which American forces have enabled with refueling, and with logistical and technical support over the last 3 years. This bipartisan resolution deserves debate and as a coequal branch of government, Congress should not be shirking its duty once again by allowing U.S. military force to be used at the whim of the executive branch. Sadly, this rule is another example of the complete abdication by the 115th Congress of its duty to act as a check on a coequal branch of government. This rule is another surrender by a weak-kneed majority on its way out the door to the executive branch. To quote ``The Hollow Men'' by T.S. Eliot, this Republican 115th Congress is ending ``. . . not with a bang but a whimper.''

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Jane Louise Glover who passed away far too soon. She was only 71 years old. Jane, a Nebraska native, made a name for herself in New London, CT. After graduating from Peru State College, she obtained her master's degree in library science from the University of Rhode Island before beginning her career in service of the city of New London. Jane got her start as a librarian and media specialist in New London public schools and libraries. Jane eventually went on to become president/government relations coordinator for the Connecticut Education Association. Jane, who served five terms on the city council and three on the school board, including one as president, was elected New London's mayor three times by her fellow councilors. In 2007, after a sixteen-year stint in elected public service, Jane attempted to retire and pass the torch of leadership off to the next generation. However, that retirement turned out to be a mere hiatus. In 2011, when New London elected Daryl Justin Finizio as its first permanent mayor in 90 years, Jane was brought back to the helm, this time as the new mayor's chief administration officer. Mayor Finizio needed someone to show him the ropes, and who better than the woman who had already done the job three times? Jane's expertise and historical knowledge of city politics was unrivaled. Always proud of New London's diversity, Jane was also a great advocate of the arts and culture. She served on the board of the Garde Arts Center and was a co-founder of the Kente Cultural Center where she served as executive director. The center worked to fill a gap in the lack of cultural activities for people of color--specifically children in the geographical area. Jane was also president of the missionary department at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, assisting those in need of food and shelter. I had the honor of getting to know Jane when she and I served as delegates to the 1988 Democratic National Convention, and we've remained friends ever since. Having seen, up close, Jane's passionate belief in public service and helping others, she had a unique ability to take a pragmatic approach when advocating for people and the community. She truly understood that the goal of public service was to get results. Jane was a remarkable woman who wore many hats during her time on this Earth. New London would not be the inclusive community it is today without her energy, dedication, acumen, and passion. Colleagues, please join me in extending our condolences to Jane's friends and family as well as the whole New London community, who have lost a beloved trailblazer and public servant.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate ten years of Wild and Scenic designation for eastern Connecticut's Eightmile River Watershed. The Eightmile River Watershed is situated among the towns of Lyme, Salem, and East Haddam, Connecticut. Despite its name, the watershed is comprised of over 150 miles of pristine rivers and streams and 62 square miles of relatively undeveloped rural land. It boasts unfragmented habitats, rare and diverse wildlife, scenic vistas, high water quality, unimpeded stream flow, and significant cultural features. Most notably, the overall Eightmile River Watershed ecosystem is healthy and intact throughout virtually all of its range. In 2008, under the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, the Eightmile River Watershed became an official part of the nation's Wild and Scenic River System. This designation established a non-regulatory management plan to be implemented jointly by the National Park Service and the Eightmile River Wild and Scenic Coordinating Committee. It ensures the watershed is funded and protected well into the future. This achievement and its ten-year milestone is especially important to me, as H.R. 986, the Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act, was the first piece of legislation I introduced as a newly-elected member of Congress, just two months into my first term as Representative from Connecticut's Second District. However special this legislation may be to me, I would be remiss not to thank the group of stakeholders--in particular Anthony Irving and Dr. David Bingham--who, along with many others, really got this project off the ground. The care and concern of these residents, town boards, area land trusts, and river-fronting landowners led to the development of the Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Study Committee. Once a study was completed, citizens from all three towns voted to support the Eightmile River Watershed Management Plan and Wild and Scenic designation. Each town's land use commission, the Boards of Selectmen, and the study committee followed suit, making this vision a reality. The Wild and Scenic designation is truly a high honor--one that is applied to less than one quarter of one percent of the nation's rivers. We in eastern Connecticut are grateful to have such a small piece of Eden in our backyard and even more grateful for those who have pledged to protect it for the past ten years. I'm confident it will be in good hands for years to come.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Steven Chipman of Ellington, CT. Steven died this past March and we in Eastern Connecticut are at a loss. He was a patriot, protector, and family man. Steven Allen Chipman was born and raised in Rockville, CT. A graduate of Rockville High School and Manchester Community College, Steven joined the Connecticut National Guard in 1986 and served until 1992. He also enjoyed a 23-year career with the Vernon Police Department, before opening his own firm, Innovative Investigators, LLC. Although Steven wore many hats in his short life, I think ``protector'' would be the most fitting descriptor for this man who gave so much. He was a defender of his hometown and country and a loving father. He also had a gentle way with all people. His childhood friends describe him as the sort of person who looks out for the little guy. Steven was also incredibly patient--a quality he instilled in his children, Hunter and Jake, who very much consider their father a superhero. Steven was a beloved member of his community, and he will be missed greatly by all of those who benefited from his loyalty and service, especially the residents of our hometown of Vernon. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring Steven Chipman and expressing our deepest sympathies for his family and friends, and the eastern Connecticut region who lost a valued public servant.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and congratulate an outstanding Naval Officer, Vice Admiral David C. Johnson, for the successful completion of 36 years of distinguished Naval service, culminating with his position as the Principal Military Deputy for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy Research, Development and Acquisition. I commend Vice Admiral Johnson on his achievements and recognize his devotion to our great nation. A 1982 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Admiral Johnson earned his Engineering Duty Officer Dolphins in 1986 and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989 with a Naval Engineer degree and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He has devoted most of his career to the design, construction, repair, maintenance, modernization and sustainment of the nation's submarine force. During his career, he served as the Program Executive Officer for Submarines, the Commander for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, the Deputy Commander for Undersea Technology, the Major Program Manager for Virginia Class Submarines, an Assistant Program Manager for Seawolf Class Submarines, the Program Manager's Representative at the new construction shipyard, a Project Officer, a Ship Superintendent and as Planning and Docking Officer. During Admiral Johnson's tour as Program Executive Officer for Submarines, he managed over $50 billion in funding across the Future Years Defense Plan for the research, design, acquisition and in-service support of the Navy's undersea force. In addition to accepting delivery of five Virginia Class submarines ahead of schedule and under cost, he led the Defense Department's highest priority acquisition program, the Columbia Class ballistic missile submarine, through critical development milestones. He grew the U.S. Navy's stature and involvement in assisting key foreign partners in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Spain. A significant highlight of this tour was the award of the largest shipbuilding contract in our nation's history--the $17.6 billion Virginia Class Submarine Block Four contract. This multi-year contract reflected cost savings and risk reduction initiatives that set the basis for long-term industrial base stability while affordably providing the submarine force with critical assets around the world. In his final assignment, Admiral Johnson led an acquisition workforce of 60,000 military and civilian personnel in maintaining the Navy's future technological edge through daily oversight of critical investments. He executed three progressively intensive budget cycles ensuring the execution of 202 acquisition programs with applied resources in excess of $60 billion per year. His innovative approach led to an established framework for multiple accelerated acquisition programs ensuring that our sailors and marines were equipped with the most state-of-the-art technology. A tremendous steward of the taxpayers, he has put affordability into action--saving billions of dollars. He worked with the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and Commandant of the Marine Corps to effectively and efficiently implement the Navy's warfighting requirements and resourced programs. As ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and as Representative for eastern Connecticut, the Submarine Capital of the World, I have witnessed firsthand over many years Admiral Johnson's steady leadership and stewardship of our nation's submarine construction programs. Since my first days as a new member of the committee in 2007, Admiral Johnson has been a tremendous resource to me personally, and to my staff-- providing keen insight and a wealth of shipbuilding knowledge that has helped guide good policy making and smart budgetary decisions in Congress. Admiral Johnson's 36 years of honorable service to this nation and professional success would not have been possible without the steadfast support of his wife, Carol and daughters, Ellen, Elizabeth, and Anne. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring Admiral Johnson and his family for their service to our nation and wish Admiral Johnson fair winds and following seas in the next exciting chapter of his life.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, in June 1944, 2 weeks after the D-day landings in Normandy, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, more commonly known as the GI Bill. That landmark measure created both college tuition grants and a living stipend for returning servicemembers who, according to FDR, had ``been compelled to make greater economic sacrifice and every other kind of sacrifice than the rest of us.'' Even though World War II would rage on for another year, leaders in Washington at the time recognized that millions of drafted young soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen would soon be returning to civilian life, and, for their sake and for the sake of the postwar economy, creating an educational pathway to the middle class made tremendous sense. It has been 74 years since the GI Bill was signed into law, and it is now recognized as one of the most successful pieces of domestic legislation ever enacted. The postwar economic boom of the 1950s and 1960s, and the blossoming of the American middle class, both have been attributed, in part, to the GI Bill. Many renowned Americans, including Bob Dole, Johnny Carson, Harry Belafonte, Justice William Rehnquist, and even Clint Eastwood, to name just a few, were beneficiaries of the GI Bill. Economic studies have concluded that for every dollar the U.S. Government spent on the GI Bill, our economy saw nearly $7 in return in the form of additional economic output and tax revenues from income growth. Despite its stellar performance, the relative strength of the GI Bill deteriorated over time. By 2008, it was clear that the tuition assistance and living stipends had not kept pace with the rising costs of college education. As a freshman Congressman on the House Armed Services Committee, I heard from Iraq and Afghan veterans that, because of the GI Bill erosion, they were forced to choose between dropping out of school and shouldering the burden of student loans. To fix this inequity, the Post-9/11 GI Bill was passed by a Democratic Congress on a bipartisan basis and signed into law by a Republican President, George W. Bush. And I want to actually take a moment to publicly acknowledge that the late Senator John McCain was deeply involved in the final negotiations that made that passage and enactment successful. The updated law increased benefits to match the cost of 4-year public university tuition in a servicemember's home State and increased the living stipend to keep faith with the law. Critically, it also allowed GI benefits to be transferred on a one-time basis to a spouse or dependent child, a groundbreaking change that transformed the value of military service. After the bill signing, I flew to Iraq on a congressional visit and vividly recall being in Baghdad surrounded by hundreds of soldiers bursting with questions about when and how this feature would be implemented. Over the last 10 years, it has been clear that the transferability of the GI Bill benefit has been an enormous morale booster and a valuable incentive to enlist and remain in service. Despite the 10 years of success of the new law, however, the Trump Department of Defense announced a new policy this past July 12 that would bar servicemembers with more than 16 years of service from transferring their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to eligible family members. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say, as someone who represents a military district, in the August break when I was home visiting the submarine base in New London and talking to Guard and Reserve members, they were absolutely blindsided, stunned, and angry at this arbitrary change that many of them had built their career decisions about staying in the military to basically qualify for this educational benefit. The Iraq and Afghan Veterans of America have started a national petition drive to reverse this policy change. Really, it is our duty, as Members of Congress, to make sure that that is successful. Arbitrarily revoking transferability breaks our commitment to our most dedicated and highly trained servicemembers. Such a policy change sends exactly the wrong message to those who have chosen the military as their long-term career, and sets a damaging and dangerous precedent for the removal of other critical benefits to our all-volunteer force. Two weeks after the Pentagon announced this policy, 83 of my colleagues joined me in a letter that we sent to Secretary of Defense James Mattis, objecting to this change and calling for its immediate reversal. So far, they have not given a single public explanation for this policy change, and they are promising that that is coming. But I will just say this: As someone who was involved when this bill was first passed, we will make sure there will be a legislative response if the Department of Defense does not keep faith with those who wear the uniform of this country and who have volunteered based on reliance of the fact that there would be a GI Bill benefit for them and their spouse and children. To use FDR's words, protecting transferability ``gives emphatic notice to the men and women in our Armed Forces that the American people do not intend to let them down.''

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Torres for her leadership and Ms. Cheney for her hard work on the Rules Committee. Mr. Speaker, in 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Higher Education Act, he said that it meant ``that a high school senior anywhere in this great land of ours can apply to any college or any university in any of the 50 States and not be turned away because their family is poor.'' Unfortunately, 53 years later, the promise of an affordable education is out of reach for millions of students. In May of this year, America's outstanding student loan debt surpassed $1.5 trillion. With the cost of college education and the debt needed to afford it growing each year, Americans are demanding action to lower the crushing costs of higher education; and thus it is imperative that we pass a comprehensive update to the Higher Education Act which deals with the full menu of Federal policy that will keep higher education affordable. Unfortunately, the majority has failed to bring HEA to the floor in that long overdue rewrite, and today we are only left with the Financial Counseling bill that we are going to vote on, which is just a sliver of what we need to do to build America's future workforce. In 2008, the last HEA was negotiated under then-Chairman George Miller and passed the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. Fast-forward to last December, the majority introduced the misnamed PROSPER Act, a misguided attempt to update HEA that guts $15 billion from Federal student aid and diverts taxpayer money to low- quality, predatory programs. Unlike 2008, this bill squeaked out of the Education and Workforce Committee on a party-line vote. Fortunately, that bill has not seen the light of day ever since. In the absence of any movement on a long overdue update of HEA, I am pleased to report that committee Democrats stepped into this vacuum and introduced the Aim Higher Act, a comprehensive approach to higher education. Under the Aim Higher Act, every student will have the opportunity to earn a quality, debt-free degree or credential that leads to a rewarding career. This bill makes a number of changes to higher education to make degrees more affordable and easier to pay off. It provides 2 years of tuition-free community college to every high school graduate through Federal-State partnerships, incentivizes States to reinvest in their 4- year public colleges and universities, and makes Federal financial aid more generous to keep pace with increased tuition costs. Additionally, knowing that 4-year college isn't for everyone and that our workforce needs are changing, our bill allows students to use their Pell grants for quality, short-term certificate programs that provide an accelerated path to the workforce. As I mentioned before, our student loan debt is at the highest level it has ever been, $1.5 trillion. That is the highest amount of consumer debt outside of mortgages. This debt burden is a drag not on just the student graduate or a family, it is a drag on our entire economy that impacts when or if a buyer can buy a home, start a family, get a small business off the ground, or change careers. Today, many interest rates for student loans are often far higher than other consumer borrowing, yet, like other forms of debt, student loans cannot be refinanced as interest rates drop, saddling 25 million borrowers with thousands of dollars in extra debt. Our bill fixes that and will allow students to refinance their loans to more affordable rates. Looking at the nationwide shortage of teachers and primary care doctors, our bill preserves the effective Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which the PROSPER Act abolished, to encourage talented individuals to pursue careers in high-need fields. It also expands the program to address challenges in our farming communities, where the average farmer age is now 58 years old and new farmers entering the field have drooped by 20 percent. The Aim Higher Act isn't just focused on cutting the cost of higher education; it is also focused on improving the quality of higher education. It cracks down on predatory institutions that waste student and taxpayer money by peddling expensive, low-quality programs. Our veterans who have earned their GI Bill benefits through service and sacrifice are frequent targets and victims of fraudulent schools, as Mrs. Holly Petraeus, the wife of General David Petraeus, crisscrossed America a couple years ago as a representative of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau to warn veterans of these rip-offs. And finally, the Aim Higher Act gives students the tools they need to graduate on time. We invest in campus childcare for student parents, subsidized housing for homeless and foster youth, faculty training for students with disabilities, and community centers to help student veterans transition to civilian life. Policy is defined by priorities. Instead of spending limited resources on a tax cut for those who don't need it, we believe that we should invest in our children and in the future of our economy. That is what the Aim Higher Act does. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join us in pushing for a higher education system that puts the promise of quality, debt-free degrees and a rewarding career within the reach of all Americans.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reflect on the life of the legendary Robert ``Red'' McKeon, Chief of Occum Volunteer Fire Department in Norwich, CT. Red passed away in March, and the village has felt his loss deeply. His life's work was improving fire and emergency services anywhere he could. He was an institution in his own right and I'd like to take a moment to reflect on his life of service at the local, state, and national level. Red McKeon was born in Putnam, CT and was a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Korean War. He joined the Occum Volunteer Fire Department in 1944, and in 1960, he became chief--a position he held for 34 years. During his tenure, Red was an innovator and he established an ambulance service at his station which was one of the first volunteer operations in Connecticut to have one. He also pushed for the creation of a pension system for Norwich volunteer firefighters. This benefit has been imitated by many volunteer departments as an effective tool to recruit and retain volunteers. After his retirement he made himself available to offer advice to the next generation of community leaders. He even channeled his energy and newfound spare time into the development of a neighborhood park that was ultimately named in his honor. Red's activism went beyond his hometown. He became one of the first certified EMTs in the state and he lobbied for stronger EMT training criteria across Connecticut. He was also a member of the Connecticut State Fireman's Association, serving briefly as president and maintaining a position as treasurer for 20 years. In 2009, he became a member of the first class of honorees inducted into the association's hall of fame. Red's leadership extended just as far on the national stage as it did at home. He and his team worked with the Center for Disease Control to certify the development of training for EMT and MRT personnel which was then implemented nationally. He joined forces with the CDC once more to develop OSHA training and guidelines pertaining to AIDS. He also helped create the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program as well as the National Volunteer Fire Council on which he served as chairman from 1991 to 1995. He was awarded the council's E. James Monihan Director Award for achievements that exemplify outstanding performance and have gone above normal expectations. On a personal note, when I was first elected to Congress in 2006, Red was a frequent visitor to my district office and was an invaluable source of advice and help on Department of Homeland Security Programs such as the Assistance to Firefighters Grant that has benefitted small departments all across eastern Connecticut. He was always quick with a smile and corny jokes for me and my staff and we welcomed his visits over the years. Red, from the little village of Occum, led a remarkable life, representing the United States at World Federation of Firefighters conferences all over the world. He even had audiences with multiple high-level dignitaries including President George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle, then First Lady Hillary Clinton, and even Pope Pius XII and Pope John Paul. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring the memory of Red McKeon. He was a shining example of what it means to be a citizen-servant and Occum will not be the same without him.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing of one of our Nation's brave servicemembers, Air Force Staff Sergeant James Grotjan, who lost his life in an accident while in the line of duty in the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. His untimely passing while supporting our Nation's mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria is a reminder of the risks our brave servicemen and -women place themselves in each and every day to protect our country. Staff Sergeant Grotjan, who went by Tyler, followed his father's footsteps into military service. After graduating from Bacon Academy in Colchester, Connecticut, Tyler joined the Air Force and eventually joined the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron at Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. His father recently said that Tyler's military service made him ``the proudest father on the planet.'' It takes a special kind of person to join the military. These are the kind people who write a blank check for their life to protect the country, and he was that guy. He absolutely loved the military. This Saturday his family and friends in southeastern Connecticut will pause for a few hours to lay Staff Sergeant Grotjan to rest and reflect on his life of giving. In front of his mother's house in Waterford there is a sign that reads: ``Fly free with the angels.'' Mr. Speaker, I know that I join with all of Connecticut and the whole House in offering our thoughts and prayers to Staff Sergeant Grotjan's wife, Taylor; his mother, Laura; his father, Randy; his seven brothers and sisters; family; and friends, and pray that he will ``fly free with the angels.''

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 2019 John McCain Defense Authorization bill. First, I would like to extend my congratulations to Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their steady, bipartisan leadership as this bill was crafted--the 58th consecutive year in a row that Congress has produced an NDAA, a testament to their superb legislating and the constructive dialogue that results from following regular order. I also want to salute the hard work of my colleague Rob Wittman, at the helm of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and our professional staff--Phil MacNaughton, Dave Sienicki, and Bruce Johnson--for their talent, expertise, and follow-through for all our members. Our subcommittee mark accelerates the timeline toward achieving a Navy fleet of 355 ships, the size needed to meet global requirements according to the Navy's 2016 force structure assessment. Our work authorizes funding for 13 battle force ships, three more than President Trump's request. In particular, at a time when rising adversaries are recapitalizing or expanding their undersea fleets, this year's NDAA provides $7.6 billion for the Virginia-class program and nearly $4 billion for the Columbia-class development and advance procurement. The bill authorizes two Virginia-class attack submarines in 2019 and requires the next Block V Virginia contract currently under negotiation to include priced options for additional third submarines in years 2022 and `23. This provision will maintain the option for the next Congress to take advantage of industrial-base capacity that the Navy last February told us is available to increase submarine construction in the future. Tragically, 2017 was a very difficult year for the U.S. Navy. Our country lost 17 sailors in the fatal collisions involving the USS Fitzgerald and the USS John McCain. This bill directs the Navy to assess the checks and balances in its chain of command so operational demands are appropriately balanced with ship training, certification, and maintenance. It limits to 10 years the period in which ships may be forward deployed and requires that ship readiness inspections be conducted on a no-notice basis, with results made available for the public to see. These changes are critical. We owe it to our sailors, and we can't afford to have our naval assets out of commission with so much at stake as competitors seek to counter time-honored norms, such as the right to transit international waters freely. Mr. Speaker, the important provisions of this bill showcase what we in Congress can accomplish when we collectively choose to work with our colleagues across the aisle and trust the committee process to produce a fair and balanced result. Even more impressive is the fact that passage of this NDAA is the earliest it has come in 20 years. This defies the constant narrative of a dysfunctional Congress. Again, I commend the skillful leadership of Mr. Thornberry and Mr. Smith, as well as Senators McCain and Reed across the Capitol, in helping shepherd this legislation to the point where it is today. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge all Members to vote for passage of this measure.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee in strong support of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. This bill will reauthorize the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act for the first time since 2006. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member Scott, Congressman Thompson, and Congressman Krishnamoorthi for their hard work getting this measure through both chambers for the first time in 12 years. This bill is about preparing secondary and post-secondary students with the academic, technical, and employability skills required to be successful in the workforce at a critical time for our economy. For example, according to the National Association of Manufacturers, there will be more than 3.5 million open manufacturing jobs through 2025, and unless we can better prepare that future workforce, 2 million of these jobs will go unfilled. This reauthorization will incentivize technical schools to boost performance by providing schools with more flexibility that will allow schools to use Federal grant money to align casework and training with the workforce needs in their region. In eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island, as we ramp up submarine production that will require 14,000 new workers over the next 8 years, an updated Perkins law will be an asset to the Electric Boat shipyard and submarine suppliers for years to come. My district is home to four technical high schools: Norwich, Windham, Grasso, and Ellis Technical High School. In May, I had the opportunity to visit Ellis Tech in Danielson and saw firsthand the impressive programs offered to their 600-plus students from 20 towns in the region. In addition to the programming at the school, Ellis partners with local community colleges to offer juniors and seniors the opportunity to receive college credits and reduce the cost of higher education. This bill will take programs like Ellis to a higher and better place just in the nick of time for our economy. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support final passage of this important measure to build a stronger American workforce.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a man I have been fortunate enough to call neighbor and friend. Chester ``Chet'' Morgan, of Vernon, Connecticut, left this earth on Saturday after a lifetime of service to his community, his state and his nation. I'd like to take a few moments to reflect on his generosity and service. Born in Manchester, CT, Chet Morgan's selfless life was inspired by President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural call to action in which he asked not what our country could do for us, but what we could do for our country. For not only his country, but also his state, town and family, Chet did a great many good works. In addition to his career with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Chet served as a sergeant major in the 169th Infantry Battalion of the Connecticut National Guard for 30 years. He spent several of those years as his unit's First Sergeant at Connecticut's National Guard headquarters in Hartford and retired at the rank of sergeant major. It seems this line of work was Chet's true vocation and in 2017 he was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame for his years of service in and outside of the Guard. Chet felt loyalty not only to his country, but to his state. In 1976 he was elected to the Connecticut State Legislature as the representative from the 56th district, his hometown of Vernon. He served until 1983 and the highlights of his tenure include supporting important legislation that provided a greater quality of life for Connecticut's citizenry through improvements like smoke-free restaurants and free tuition for Connecticut National Guardsman attending state colleges and universities. Chet was also a staunch advocate for working families during his time in the legislature. In the 1960s he was a member of the International Association of Machinists while employed at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. He was a courageous leader in a difficult strike in that era, and he and his closest friend, Chuck Harlow, manned the picket lines at the height of the struggles. He enjoyed telling those stories in the later years, particularly after Chuck passed away suddenly in the 1980s. In 1986 when I launched my first campaign for the legislative seat Chet had held earlier, he generously helped me win that race, which I will never forget. Later as a candidate for the Second Congressional District, Chet volunteered to drive me to political events and offered valuable counsel during the long hours we spent together on the road. Chet was also very involved in local government and community organizations. He served four terms on the Vernon Town Council and was chairman of the Vernon Planning and Zoning Committee in 2011 and 2012. He was actively involved in the Connecticut State Employees Association Local 2001, the Rockville American Legion Post 14, and the Rockville Lodge of Elks No. 1359, where he was recognized as Veteran Volunteer of the Year by the Elks National Veterans Service Commission. And while I'm sure this comes as a surprise to no one, Chet was a model family man. He and his wife Sylvia celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year. Together they raised three children, Kevin, Daniel and Laura Beth who collectively gifted them with 16 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It's clear Chet impressed the importance of service upon his children and grandchildren, as several of them have followed in his footsteps of service to this country. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring Chet Morgan, a man to whom we can all look as a model of leadership and service. Chet's loss will be felt for years to come but his legacy will endure for much longer.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Larson for yielding and, again, for offering this amendment, which has been part of a number of initiatives that we have worked on jointly together to deal with this issue. Again, for the record, just to clarify what is going on here, a concrete quarry up in north central Connecticut, which had been mining aggregate for foundations in homes, it turned out there was a material called pyrrhotite, which is an iron sulfide material that, over time, when it is exposed to moisture, rusts and cracks in a sickening fashion and results in the total collapse of home foundations. The estimate is as high as 19,000 homes have had foundations using material from this quarry. As the gentleman pointed out, this has also occurred in western Massachusetts. It goes as far north, actually, as Three Rivers, Quebec, because it is a strain of pyrrhotite that runs from Canada down through New England. This picture shows vividly the damage caused to a home in Coventry, Connecticut, where the repairs require you to lift the house, clean out the old foundation, pour a new foundation, and, again, lower the house back. It costs roughly about $200,000. We were able to secure a tax ruling from the Treasury Department that allows individuals like this homeowner in the picture to basically deduct those losses, which, again, is some relief. Frankly, there is more that we need to bring to the table. The gentleman's amendment would allow the Federal regulators that set up the rules for lending banks and institutions to get some flexibility for loan-to-value ratio rules that occur when there are natural disasters. Again, in Federal natural disasters in places like Florida and Texas, there is some flexibility to allow homeowners to get a loan perhaps above the loan-to-value ratios so they can, again, basically conduct repairs to make their houses habitable again. This amendment will set up that process. Secretary Mnuchin, as the gentleman and I know we have met with personally, would be the Department that would organize this task force that the amendment contemplates. Again, it is something which the banking industry in Connecticut and Massachusetts has expressed a strong interest in basically allowing some relief for homeowners who, again, have poured their heart and soul into their homes to be able to recover their losses. I thank the gentleman for offering this amendment. We had a similar amendment last night that was adopted by Mr. Calvert. Again, I want to thank the majority for their understanding on this issue.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, silence is golden, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, this amendment designates $100,000 in funding to the United States Geological Survey so that they can create a searchable map showing occurrences of an iron sulfide material known as pyrrhotite nationwide. Pyrrhotite is a material that has, unfortunately, shown up in concrete quarries in New England and Canada. When it is mixed into the aggregate poured into the foundations of homes, over a period of time, because it is an iron material and exposed to moisture, it actually rusts, expands, and cracks, basically causing a catastrophic collapse of the foundation. In Connecticut, there are estimates that as high as 19,000 homes that have been infected with pyrrhotite material. It spread into western Massachusetts and three rivers in Quebec. The whole community of thousands of people have been devastated by the presence of this material. The Trump administration and the Treasury Department actually recognized last November a property casualty loss tax guidance that allows homeowners who basically have to spend about $200,000 to repair their homes--because they have to lift the house, pull out the old foundation, and pour a new foundation--to claim it as a property casualty loss deduction. Last month, Dr. Ben Carson from HUD came up and did a tour of these homes. It is a devastating occurrence, and it has potential nationwide consequences. The United States Navy actually has a bidding process out right now through its SBIR program to come up with a testing mechanism. They calculate that they basically own about 300,000 structures throughout the United States. They want to have a system for testing for the presence of pyrrhotite. I brought a picture, which shows the effects of the catastrophe. This is a home where the house was lifted. The material of the foundation is so badly compromised that the contractor can actually pull it apart by hand, it is that serious. This amendment would allow the United States Geological Survey to create a searchable database nationally that would allow us to identify this. The Office of Congressional Affairs contacted our office and indicated that they do have the capacity to develop a national pyrrhotite map, but it is not in their current plan. This amendment, which is also supported by Mr. Larson from Connecticut's First District, would direct that priority. Madam Chair, I urge passage of the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, I thank the chairman for his consideration of this amendment. It is a very serious problem and much appreciated in the New England area. I thank the ranking member, Ms. McCollum, for her support as well. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, this bipartisan amendment would restore $5 million to the National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund to achieve level funding from the 2018 fiscal year. This amendment continues the same spirit of bipartisanship that Congress displayed in 2016 when we reauthorized the Historic Preservation Fund through 2023 and that Congress displayed last year when we passed a similar amendment in this Chamber. Since the Historic Preservation Fund's creation in 1966, Congress has allocated more than $2 billion to communities across the country to connect Americans to our history and to contribute to our sense of place. Historic preservation projects prioritize local workers, create more jobs per dollar spent than other construction projects, and use fewer carbon emissions than building anew. The Historic Preservation Fund includes funding for State historic preservation offices, which work with local communities to revitalize historic locations and protect American heritage. Importantly, State historic fund offices administer the historic rehabilitation tax credit, which, nationwide, has leveraged $131 billion in private investment and created 2.4 million jobs since its inception. It is that kind of high return leverage that the Historic Preservation Fund achieves. That explains why the program received the funding level in the 2018 omnibus that Mr. Blumenauer seeks to restore. I would note that the omnibus was a bipartisan and bicameral agreement which the chair and ranking member supported. Again, this amendment does not seek to raise spending above the 2018 omnibus, which cleared both Houses with a healthy bipartisan vote and which was signed into law by President Trump last March. Madam Chair, I urge passage of the Blumenauer amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, again, this is a simple amendment which would designate $300,000 within the operation of the National Park System for the New England National Scenic Trail. This is an amendment which was offered last year and was adopted by voice vote in an en bloc amendment. Again, the language is absolutely identical. By way of background, the New England Trail was designated as a National Scenic Trail in 2009, making it one of the newest of the Nation's 11 National Scenic Trails. The trail is 223 miles long and winds through 41 communities in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Amazingly, nearly 2 million people live within 10 miles of the trail, making it one of the most accessible National Scenic Trails for one of the most densely populated parts of the country. It was passed in 2007. Congressman John Olver, Richie Neal, John Larson, Rosa DeLauro, now-Senator Chris Murphy, and I introduced and passed the law, the New England Scenic Trail Designation Act. Unfortunately, the trail has been woefully underfunded for the last 5 years. The trail system has received an average of $127,000 in funding, which is split three ways between the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the National Park Service. Of the approximately $43,000 each entity receives, the vast majority goes to facility maintenance, volunteer coordination, community engagement, outreach to youth, and the trail's landowner hosts. Impressively, much of the work that is done is supported by volunteers who put in more than 5,000 hours of maintenance activity annually. I would just note that the managers of the trail have done their best to leverage an impressive $1.53 million in non-Federal funding in 2015. So they actually have been very efficient and creative in terms of trying to leverage and maximize the support that is, again, far below what the national park trail feasibility study recommended back in 2005, when they recommended an annual budget of $271,000. Again, this is an amazing trail that goes through New England landscapes such as long-distance vistas with rural towns as a backdrop, farmlands, forests, and large river valleys. It also travels through colonial historical landmarks and highlights a range of diverse ecosystems and natural resources: mountain ridges and summits, forested glades, and wetlands. Again, I want to thank Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum for their support last year. I would urge passage of this identical amendment. It is supported by my colleagues in the region. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.