Ben Cline

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, the opioid epidemic does not discriminate based on age, race, sex or socioeconomic status. It is a plague that affects Americans in all regions of the country, including Virginia's Sixth Congressional District. In 2016, the United States experienced an astonishing 60,000 deaths related to drug overdose; nearly two-thirds of which involved opioids. That means that more than 91 Americans die from an opioid overdose every day, making it the leading cause of death for people under the age of 50. This crisis is being fueled in part by a synthetic opioid known as fentanyl, a drug 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. In 2018 alone, more than 800 people died from fentanyl overdoses in Virginia. I applaud my colleagues for voting to save lives this week by renewing the classification of fentanyl as a Schedule I narcotic. Through commonsense solutions like this and support for first responders and treatment programs, I am confident we can help our fellow Americans struggling with opioid abuse and end this insidious epidemic.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of Botetourt County, Virginia. When initially founded, Botetourt County extended far and wide, all the way to the banks of the Mississippi River, and encompassed portions of seven present-day States. Named for Royal Governor Norborne Berkeley, Lord Botetourt, this scenic county serves as a gateway from the Shenandoah Valley into southwest Virginia. As you walk through the quaint towns within the county's borders, you are filled with a sense of awe, not only because of its beauty, but because of the history that surrounds you. Thomas Jefferson famously designed an earlier version of the county courthouse in the town of Fincastle, and Lewis and Clark departed on their great expedition westward from within Botetourt County. Even after exploring the vast western expanse of America, William Clark returned to marry county resident, Judith Hancock, following his journey. Just as the James River flows through Botetourt County, our citizens will continue to carve out their path toward prosperity with excitement and hope in the centuries to come. Madam Speaker, may God continue to bless Botetourt County.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, if you were to attend any public event in Rockingham County, it is likely that you would have the privilege of meeting Pablo Cuevas. Today, I rise to recognize Pablo because, after seven terms and a 30- year tenure on the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors, he has recently retired. Cuevas encapsulates the meaning of public service. An immigrant from Cuba, Mr. Cuevas has not taken lightly the privilege it is to live in America. Over the years, Pablo has given back to his community by not only serving on the board of supervisors but also on the Broadway Town Council, the Broadway Planning Commission, the Rockingham County Planning Commission, and the James Madison University Board of Visitors. Some of his greatest accomplishments include constructing new school buildings and expanding industries important to the area, such as agriculture. His dedicated service on the board of directors at the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative was invaluable to our region. His passion for making his community a better place for all who live and visit the valley is going to be sorely missed on the board of supervisors. However, I am sure his wife, Elaine, and his daughter, Erika, will welcome the opportunity to have such a good man back home. Madam Speaker, I wish Pablo a happy retirement and thank him for sharing his wealth of knowledge and passion for community service with Rockingham County for the past 30 years.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, today is a sad day for this body, for the voters who sent me here last November, and for our Nation. Benjamin Franklin cautioned, when asked what he had given us: ``A republic, if you can keep it.'' Today, we take a step further toward losing the Republic that our Founding Fathers envisioned by engaging in activity that they specifically warned against: the misuse of the constitutional power of impeachment for one party's political gain. Our Constitution is the very foundation of our Republic. Its assurance of self-determination has been the shining beacon by which our Nation has chartered its course over the last two centuries. From a new democratic experiment struggling to survive to the greatest Nation on Earth, America has been powered, over the years, not by government, but by the ingenuity, the bravery, and the faith of its people, confident in their place as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So it is we the people who determine our President, not we the Judiciary Committee nor we the Congress. The Constitution is clear. It is only when we see clear proof of the impeachable offenses outlined in Article II, Section 4, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors, that we are to challenge the decision of the voters, break the figurative glass, and pull the emergency rip cord that is impeachment. We do not have that proof today. Thomas Jefferson said: ``I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.'' But rather than educate, this majority has chosen today to obfuscate with hearsay, innuendo, and speculation. And when history looks back on this shameful period for this House, it will judge it for what it truly is: the ugly hijacking, by the majority, of our Constitution and the powers it so solemnly entrusts to us to engage in a blatantly political process designed to finally achieve what they could not achieve at the ballot box: the removal of a duly elected President. Compelled by my sworn duty to uphold this Constitution and for the people, I vote ``no'' on impeachment today.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to memorialize Roanoke businessman Mr. Bittle Porterfield, III, who contributed greatly to the arts, education, and business community throughout southwest Virginia. Among the many civic leadership roles held during his lifetime, Mr. Porterfield served on the Virginia Council on Higher Education, was president of the Taubman Museum of Art, and the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce in addition to being chairman of both the Roanoke Valley Business Council and the United Way of Roanoke Valley. Mr. Porterfield believed in Roanoke's potential and knew that the Star City could play a pivotal role in cultural development. As a veteran, a Roanoke native, and an innate leader, Mr. Porterfield believed that it was his life's purpose to serve others and his community. I am grateful for the commitment and passion Bittle Porterfield had for the Roanoke Valley and wish to extend my deepest sympathies to his family for their loss. May they find peace in knowing that his legacy of service will live on through the countless lives he touched.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4803, the Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act. Most people believe that, in all circumstances, as long as one parent is a U.S. citizen, a child is automatically a U.S. citizen. In reality, the Immigration and Nationality Act lays out specific residency, physical presence, and other requirements for when a child is deemed a U.S. citizen and what procedures a parent must go through to claim that citizenship. For instance, section 320 of the INA requires that a child of a U.S. citizen automatically becomes a U.S. citizen if the child is under the age of 18 and is ``residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the citizen pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence.'' This creates a problem for some U.S. citizens and their families who are serving overseas in the military or other U.S. Government positions and who cannot return to the United States. Until very recently, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, had been interpreting the term ``residing in'' to cover children of U.S. citizen government employees or members of the U.S. Armed Forces who were employed or stationed outside the U.S. That interpretation, however, was inconsistent with other parts of the INA and inconsistent, even, with the State Department's interpretation. Thus, there were instances when a U.S. citizen parent was told by USCIS that their child was automatically a U.S. citizen, but when the parent tried to obtain a U.S. passport for the child, they were told that the child was not yet a U.S. citizen because the proper process had not been followed. In late August, USCIS issued policy guidance aimed at correctly interpreting ``residing in'' to be consistent with the INA and the State Department's interpretation. It should be noted that, even if H.R. 4803 is not enacted, the children affected by USCIS' new guidance will still be able to claim U.S. citizenship; however, their families will have to jump through many more hoops to do so. Luckily, this issue affects fewer than 100 families per year, most of whom are cases of adoption or where the child is a teenager when the parent naturalizes. USCIS was legally correct to do what it did, but we in Congress are also right to make the technical change that allows the affected child to be automatically considered a U.S. citizen. The committee ranking member worked closely with Chairman Nadler to craft H.R. 4803. The bill deems the child of a U.S. citizen parent to be in compliance with the residence requirements of INA section 320 in circumstances where: one, the U.S. citizen parent is an employee of the U.S. Government stationed abroad or a spouse of that employee residing abroad with that employee; or, two, the U.S. citizen parent is a member of the Armed Forces stationed abroad or spouse of that member residing abroad with that member, and the child is authorized to and is accompanying the member. The bill ensures that children of U.S. Armed Forces members and U.S. Government personnel are not disadvantaged merely because their parents' service to our country requires them to be deployed abroad. I am pleased that the legislative process worked as it should, that Republicans and Democrats saw a legal issue that needed to be fixed and we worked together to pass the affecting legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4018, the elderly offender good conduct time legislation. Last year, Ranking Member Collins and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries led the way in drafting and shepherding through Congress the First Step Act. Attorney General Barr has repeatedly stated his intent to fully implement the provisions of the act. Our job as legislators in this space is twofold; first, to conduct oversight to ensure the First Step Act is responsibly implemented; and, two, to address issues in that implementation. One such technical issue is addressed by H.R. 4018. This bill would allow the Bureau of Prisons to transfer eligible elderly, nonviolent offenders from BOP facilities into home confinement when they have reached 60 years of age and served two-thirds of the term of imprisonment to which they were sentenced. This is a bill technical in nature designed to correct a flaw in the First Step Act that will promote fairness in the implementation of good conduct time, as reformed in the First Step Act, and ensure our prisons do not become nursing homes. I believe that if we do not ensure that this act works, we will lose credibility with the American people, and any future efforts to reform our criminal justice system will fail. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same. I thank the gentleman for his support of this fine legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman said, currently the nationals of 84 countries are eligible for E-1 and/or E-2 status. During fiscal year 2017, about 48,000 E-1 and E-2 visas were issued. In the past, countries became eligible for these programs through treaties signed with the U.S. However, in 2003, the Judiciary Committee reached an understanding with the U.S. Trade Representative that no immigration provisions were to be included in future trade agreements. Henceforth, legislation would be required to add countries. This bill would make Portuguese nationals eligible for E-1 and E-2 visas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Roanoke Superintendent of Schools, Rita Bishop. Superintendent Bishop has served the students of Roanoke City for more than 12 years and will retire at the school year's end. Her tenure is marked with significant accomplishments, and I applaud the passion she exudes for the students of her district. During her time of service to the community, graduation rates improved from 60 percent in 2007 to now over 90 percent. Further, under her leadership, all schools have achieved full accreditation division wide, a feat that had never before been accomplished. Additionally, Ms. Bishop was essential in launching Roanoke's summer enrichment program RCPS-Plus. This program seeks to address what is known as the ``summer slide'' by ensuring knowledge is not lost between school years. Last summer, a record 3,400 students enrolled in this program. I want to thank Ms. Bishop for her dedication to improving the city's education system and wish her a happy, well-deserved retirement.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, yesterday was Veterans Day, and while we were all back in our district and while we should thank our veterans every day for standing in defense of our Nation, November 11 is a day when we all can join together as Americans to thank these courageous heroes. I rise today to congratulate one specific business, Tactical and Survival Specialties, Incorporated, of Harrisonburg for being awarded the U.S. Department of Labor's HIRE Vets Medallion. This prestigious honor is the only program within the Federal Government that recognizes the meaningful and verifiable efforts undertaken by job creators to hire and retain our veterans. Tactical and Survival Specialties, Incorporated, was founded by retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Bill Strang in 1980, and the business is one of the oldest tactical equipment suppliers in the United States. TSSi is committed to providing state-of-the-art equipment to military, law enforcement, and disaster response professionals all over the world. I applaud TSSi on being one of a select few awardees across the Nation, and I thank all the employers who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to hire, train, and retain our veterans.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month to acknowledge the strength of survivors and to call for an end to the abuse experienced by more than 2 million Americans each year. Throughout my career, I have fought to end the cycle of domestic violence. My contributions in the House of Delegates in Virginia have helped make the State have some of the toughest criminal penalties for domestic abusers. During that time, I patroned legislation requiring domestic abusers to undergo counseling and a court-mandated treatment program. I also worked across the aisle to make strangulation a felony in Virginia's criminal code and make sure that abusers charged with such a crime would have the presumption against bail. Congress must strive to protect victims and survivors, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass commonsense reforms that ensure safety and security of those who suffer abuse.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, Debbie Smith's courage to share her story with the world has changed the lives of millions, and the law bearing her name has helped countless victims of sexual assault see their attackers face the justice they deserve. The importance of DNA evidence in criminal investigations and prosecutions is unquestionable. Since this program was first enacted, incredible progress has been made to reduce DNA backlogs. In my home State of Virginia, the FBI's National DNA Index contains more than 447,000 offender profiles and has aided in more than 11,000 criminal investigations. This legislation will reauthorize this vital program and will continue to support State and local law enforcement agencies' efforts to reduce DNA backlogs and analyze DNA evidence collected from crimes. As a former prosecutor, I know all too well how critical DNA evidence is to achieving justice for victims of sexual violence. I have been a strong advocate to reauthorize this program. I signed the discharge petition and spoke on this bill last month. With passage of this bill today, we move a step closer to protecting people from violent sexual predators and allow justice to be served through our legal system. It would have been better if we had taken up the Senate bill instead of pointing fingers and casting blame, but I hope that we will pass legislation quickly to get this grant money to the States and to those agencies that need it to make sure that justice is served. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, again, I commend those who have pursued the introduction and passage of this important legislation. And along with the comments of my colleague from New Hampshire, ``they will never be forgotten,'' we will continue to fly the POW/MIA flag alongside the American flag. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his leadership on this issue. I also want to thank Congressman Pappas for his introduction of an identical bill in the House. Many Americans may not be aware that more than 82,000 Americans are listed as prisoners of war, missing in action, or otherwise unaccounted for as a result of engagement in military conflicts. Displaying the POW/MIA flag alongside the American flag invites everyone to reflect on that somber number and appreciate the sacrifices people have made for the freest country on the planet. S. 693 would require the POW/MIA flag to be displayed whenever the American flag is displayed on Federal properties, including the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, every national cemetery and major military installation as designated by the Secretary of Defense, and every U.S. post office. I look forward to passage of this bipartisan bill and to seeing the POW/MIA flag fly along with the Stars and Stripes to remind us that freedom comes at a cost and we owe more than we know to the brave men and women who gave their lives and their liberty for their fellow Americans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, time and again my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have made it clear that this impeachment process is nothing but a sad act of political theater. The impeachment of a President, the attempt to insert the U.S. Congress between the American people and the President they elected 3 years ago, the attempts by this House leadership to prevent the American people from making their choice in the election next November, this is a serious matter and must not be abused as a tool for partisan gain or advantage in the next election. I have witnessed Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, as a proud member of that committee, repeatedly fail to find evidence to support a case for impeaching this President. Now, in the realization of this fact and at the expense of fundamental fairness and due process, the Speaker has removed any further investigation from the Judiciary Committee so that impeachment can be conducted in secret and out of public view--no vote to proceed, no public hearings, no access to testimony, no ability to call witnesses. This is a sham, and the American people won't have it any longer.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman again for his leadership on this issue, and I thank the chairman for his remarks. Again, this bill is a purely optional system and allows anyone who doesn't wish to participate to opt out. The Copyright Office considered this feature in its report back in 2013 and highlighted significant shortcomings of an opt-in approach, including concerns that such a system would fail to capture infringers who choose to ignore a claim of infringement and/or fail to return an affirmative written response regarding agreement to participate in the system, as is currently the case. The opt-out system provided in the CASE Act does not change the voluntary nature of the small claims process it creates. In fact, it is simple, and respondents would be made aware of their right to opt out as well as the consequences of opting out and not opting out, which would be prominently stated and explained in the notice they receive. Again, Mr. Speaker, I would say that this is a bipartisan initiative. I would just add several different Members on both sides participated. I want to thank all of them for their hard work. I want to thank the staff for their hard work, as well. This will go a long way toward furthering the protection of creative works as our Founders intended in the U.S. Constitution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for his leadership on this important issue. The United States Constitution expressly calls for the protection of creative works in order to promote innovation and creativity. Under that lofty authority, Congress established the copyright system. As was the hope, copyright-intensive industries have become critical to our economy, reportedly contributing more than $1 trillion. Unfortunately, in the system that we have today, many small businesses and individuals are unable to enforce their copyrights because they do not have deep enough pockets. It costs tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire lawyers to litigate a copyright claim in Federal court. Sadly, this forces individuals to stand idly by as thieves profit off of their work. Our Founding Fathers wouldn't want a copyright system that discourages creators. After all, they wanted to create a system that fosters the creation of artistic works. That is why so many members of the Judiciary Committee helped craft legislation to stop the theft of copyrighted works and so many Members of the House have joined in support of it. H.R. 2426, the CASE Act, would establish a copyright small claims proceeding within the Copyright Office to provide a less expensive alternative to costly Federal court litigation. The proceedings would be simple, conducted remotely, handled by a panel of copyright experts, and limited to straightforward cases of alleged copyright infringement. Damage awards would be low, reaching a maximum of no greater than $15,000 per work, with a total award for a case capped at $30,000. Participation in such a small claims proceeding would be completely voluntary, and anyone falsely accused of infringement could simply opt out of the small claims proceeding. The CASE Act includes a number of other safeguards to prevent abuse. The Copyright Office is authorized to limit the number of cases one person can file and will review the allegations for sufficiency before forwarding them to the accused infringer. If an accuser files in bad faith, he or she would have to pay fees to the party falsely accused of infringement and be barred for 1 year. Several other provisions of H.R. 2426 would protect against inadvertent default judgments. They include requirements that the accused infringer be physically served; the complaint warn the accused infringer of the ramifications of not responding; and the accused be given several notices and chances to respond to the allegations against them. Most importantly, before a default judgment can be granted, the copyright owner must establish that their copyright was actually infringed by the accused. The bill is intended to provide a streamlined, inexpensive alternative for parties to resolve small claims of copyright infringement outside of court. H.R. 2426 accomplishes all of these goals. I am proud to join my colleagues--Congressman Jeffries, Ranking Member Collins, Chairman Nadler, Martha Roby, Hank Johnson, Judy Chu, Ted Lieu, and Brian Fitzpatrick--to provide an important avenue of relief to the creators in our communities who provide such significant support to our local economies. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, in closing, again, I would say that this is an important bill designed to restore integrity to international sport competition. Right now, you only need to look outside in the Nation's Capital to see that World Series fear has hit our Nation's Capital. As we all watch with enthusiasm, we are reminded of the noble goals and noble values inherent in sport and competition and look to preserve those goals and values with the passage of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her leadership on this issue, and I thank the members of the committee for their hard work. Mr. Speaker, amateur and professional sports are an essential part of American society. We spend over $50 billion each year on sporting events. Billions more in revenue are generated from advertising, athlete endorsements, and broadcast rights of thousands of sporting events each year. The impact of sports in the United States is over half a trillion dollars, and the effects on local, State, national, and global economies are considerable. In other words, there is a great deal at stake. The integrity of leagues, coaches, athletes, and their sponsors is critical. Governments around the world sponsor their athletes in amateur sports, most notably in the Olympics. Scandals over the past 20 years involving doping and the use of performance-enhancing drugs have tarnished the reputations of players and coaches, and especially clean athletes who follow the rules and do not use prohibited drugs and substances. The widespread doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics led to Russia being banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics. Subsequent investigation revealed a massive government-sponsored doping program where a Russian drug testing laboratory director used a three-drug cocktail of anabolic steroids to boost the performance of Russian athletes. Even more distressing, Russian intelligence operatives switched the steroid-tainted urine samples of the Russian athletes with clean samples. In the end, 43 Olympic medals were stripped from Russia for doping violations. Federal law already contains penalties for kickbacks, bribery, corruption, foreign corrupt practices, and related crimes. However, it does not criminalize fraud through doping in international sport competitions, nor does it provide protections for the victims of doping fraud, such as athletes and whistleblowers. H.R. 835 would enhance America's jurisdiction over international sports and help ensure the integrity of athletes and coaches in the Olympics and similar competitions. Doping fraud conspiracies harm clean athletes and their coaches and cosponsors. They also defraud those who pay to watch sporting events and set an extremely poor example for our youth. It is time for the United States to join several European nations and add another means by which criminals engaged in doping fraud can be held accountable for their actions and no longer tarnish the honor and image of clean athletes. This bill is a unique example of bipartisan efforts. I am encouraged by the ability of Members and staff from both sides of the aisle to craft legislation which will help root out fraud and corruption in international sports. As the lead sponsor of several other bipartisan pieces of legislation, I look forward to finding more common ground for the benefit of the American people. I am pleased to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it, as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I am here once again to sound the alarm bell about our country's addiction to spending the hard-earned tax dollars of its citizens and future generations. It is with great regret that I report, as many are already aware, that our country's national debt has topped $1 trillion for fiscal year 2019. Now, we know that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will blame President Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for this shortfall; but, in fact, the corporations they attempt to hold responsible have paid $8 billion more in the 11 months of this fiscal year than they did in 2018, according to issuesinsights.com. No, the increase in the deficit over the past year is due to rampant spending, stemming from right here in this Chamber. Wasteful spending increases have been seen across the board; and, to add insult to injury, the interest owed on this money is now up more than 14 percent. This is an issue that can go on no more. I promised my constituents when I came to Washington that I would convey their concern about our runaway national debt. It is time for all lawmakers to understand that we cannot afford to use tax dollars as a piggy bank for pet projects. Spending like what we have seen is a threat to our national security and a disservice to the American people. Since I started speaking 50 seconds ago, our national debt has risen nearly $2 million. Therefore, we cannot simply encourage leadership in Congress to commit to restoring regular order in the appropriations process, but we must demand that we address this fiscal crisis before it is too late.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown and his wife, Liberty University professor, Dr. Janet Brown, for their tireless efforts to combat human trafficking and human sexual slavery throughout the world. The Browns founded the Safe Surfin' Foundation in 1998 with the mission to educate youth and teens about the dangers of the internet and social media. In May the Browns were invited to present a program they developed called Cyber Safety While Accessing Technology, or Cyber S.W.A.T., to the Global Sustainability Network at the Vatican. Cyber S.W.A.T. utilizes the social cognitive theory, a means of education, where students learn by observing and imitating the behavior of their peers. This program was first launched at Jefferson Forest High School in Lynchburg, Virginia, where students received training and designed presentations for their classmates about online threats. The response was outstanding, and since then the program has been implemented in eight other high schools across the country. Cyber S.W.A.T. has the potential not only to save lives in the United States, but around the world. I want to thank the Browns for their efforts to protect the next generation by teaching them proper internet safety, and I look forward to watching the continued success of the Cyber S.W.A.T. program.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that the House immediately bring the Debbie Smith Act up for consideration before the program expires later this month. As a former prosecutor in Virginia, I know all too well how critical DNA evidence is for achieving justice for victims of sexual violence. Debbie Smith's courage to share her story with the world has changed the lives of millions, and no person should ever have to experience her trauma firsthand. Thanks to this program, incredible progress has been made to reduce DNA backlogs, and we cannot take a step backward by allowing it to lapse. The importance of DNA evidence in criminal investigations and prosecutions is unquestionable. In my home State of Virginia, the FBI's National DNA Index contains more than 447,000 offender profiles and has aided in over 11,000 criminal investigations. This program has been reauthorized previously with bipartisan support, and there is no excuse for it to be politicized now. S. 820 has been languishing in the Judiciary Committee for months. This failure to act enables violent criminals to remain at large and in our society. Mr. Speaker, I urge the Speaker to bring this bill to the floor and put it up for a vote so we can protect people from violent sexual predators and allow justice to be served through our legal system.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I come from the Commonwealth of Virginia, a Commonwealth which is rich in natural resources. We have an abundant supply of energy sources, but this legislation would destroy the untapped potential for research and investment in oil and gas resources off our coast. This bill would stifle innovation, prevent job creation, and severely limit the ability of our Nation to realize its full potential of achieving long-term energy independence. Studies have shown that exploring offshore oil and natural gas resources would bring thousands of jobs to Virginia and significantly boost its economy. Earlier this spring I traveled with Congressman Scalise and a delegation of Members to his district in Louisiana, and helicoptered off into the Gulf of Mexico where I was able to see firsthand the great strides that have been made in energy exploration, technology, and innovation, and the great benefits that have accrued to Louisiana: Louisiana schools, Louisiana roads, and port projects as a result. The amazing developments in ensuring that energy resources can be explored and extracted safely and with minimal impact to our environment, demonstrated to me that similar efforts can be achieved back home in the waters off the coast of Virginia, and that our environmentally sensitive areas would be protected for future generations to enjoy, while we can lower energy costs for residents and businesses across our great Commonwealth. H.R. 1941 would block millions of dollars from going to Virginia and other coastal States. If South Carolina doesn't want the money, fine, but the Federal Government should not be in the business of halting Virginia and, in turn, America's economic growth. Failing to give States like mine the ability to explore the resources off our coast would be a grave disservice to my constituents, our Commonwealth, and our Nation. I urge my colleagues to oppose this misguided legislation.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.