Peter DeFazio

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri. He has been a great partner in these and other ongoing efforts by the committee. I urge the positive adoption of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1307) to provide for an online repository for certain reporting requirements for recipients of Federal disaster assistance, and for other purposes.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1307.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I urge that the House do support and pass this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3245.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3245) to transfer a bridge over the Wabash River to the New Harmony River Bridge Authority and the New Harmony and Wabash River Bridge Authority, and for other purposes.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3245, introduced by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon). The legislation is very similar to a bill, H.R. 6793, which passed the House by unanimous consent during the 115th Congress but failed to achieve the consideration of the United States Senate. H.R. 3245 conveys the Harmony Way Bridge to the New Harmony River Bridge Authority in Illinois and the New Harmony and Wabash River Bridge Authority in Indiana. The bridge currently remains owned by the Federal Government under the White County Bridge Commission, but the commission is no longer active. The bridge, which was constructed in 1930, connects White County, Illinois, with Posey County, Indiana, across the Wabash River. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 but has been closed since 2012 when an engineer's inspection discovered structural integrity issues, which made the bridge unsafe for vehicular traffic. This legislation allows the States of Indiana and Illinois to jointly work together to restore the Harmony Way Bridge and determine the future of this historic landmark. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time to close.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters), the author of this excellent legislation.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1984, the Disclosing Aid Spent to Ensure Relief, or DISASTER Act, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters). In 2018 alone, there were 14 natural disasters that each resulted in more than $1 billion in losses. Already in 2019, the President has granted over 50 major disaster emergency or fire management declarations under the authorities of the Stafford Act. While insurance partially covers the cost of disaster recovery, the Federal Government, along with State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners, is spending billions of dollars annually to respond to and recover from these events across more than three dozen departments and agencies. That results in the fact that there is no clear and consolidated information regarding Federal spending on disasters. The DISASTER Act would change that by requiring the Office of Management and Budget to annually compile and publicly release a report on disaster-related spending across the Federal Government. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters) for introducing this bill so that we can obtain, in the future, this vital consolidated information and have it also be available to taxpayers of the United States. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this commonsense measure. It will do more to shed light on how limited taxpayer resources are being spent. Doing so will help better inform how we prioritize policies and spending to drive down disaster-related expenditures in the future and more effectively provide relief. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bill. I urge my colleagues to join me in support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1984) to amend chapter 11 of title 31, United States Code, to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to annually submit to Congress a report on all disaster-related assistance provided by the Federal Government.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1984.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this excellent legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), who is the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Van Drew).

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today and speak in strong support of H.R. 3409, the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2019. This is genuinely bipartisan legislation which will reauthorize funding for the United States Coast Guard Federal Maritime Commission for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. The bill also advances other important provisions to help both the economic competitiveness and effective regulation of the U.S. maritime industry. It is the latest in a long line of major legislation from this committee, reported to the House on a bipartisan basis and underpinning essential functions of government such as, in this case, the United States Coast Guard and the Federal Maritime Commission. I couldn't have better partners than I had: my ranking member, Sam Graves; the chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Sean Patrick Maloney; and the ranking subcommittee member, Representative Bob Gibbs. They worked hard on this legislation, and many of their concerns were included in the final product. Each of them has joined as an original cosponsor, which I appreciate. We have also worked with other members of the committee on both sides of the aisle and the House to include provisions that address concerns raised by them or their constituents. We all know that, over the last few years, the Coast Guard budgets have been inadequate, mostly a byproduct of mandatory cuts imposed by the so-called Budget Control Act. This inadequate funding has left the Coast Guard, as Admiral Schultz has said, at a tipping point. This legislation, at long last, begins to reverse that downward spiral. Mr. Speaker, there is $11 billion for the Coast Guard's discretionary budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. This tracks the recently increased appropriations of the last 2 fiscal years and builds in a 2 percent inflation adjustment to arrive at the highest authorized funding levels for the Coast Guard in recent memory. Is that totally adequate? No, it isn't. But it is at least incremental progress in a time where we aren't seeing a lot of progress on a lot of things these days. I am particularly please that the top-line numbers for procurement, acquisitions, and improvement have been pushed up to $2.7 billion and $2.8 billion. That means the Coast Guard should be able to maintain its ongoing recapitalization programs, including the critically important offshore patrol cutter; the new fleet of polar security cutters, which will be absolutely vital to deal particularly with the opening of the Northwest Passage; and, also, to continue critical support for our assets and activities in Antarctica. It wasn't a great year for the Coast Guard when we had the stupid government shutdown. They were continuing to carry out their critical homeland security duties in addition to their daily lifesaving duties and their drug interdiction duties, many in a high-risk profession, and yet they weren't being paid. They were escorting the subs out of Bremerton. The sailors were being paid on the subs. The Coast Guard, which was providing critical surface support and protection, was not being paid. I had originally included in this legislation provisions to assure that the Coast Guard would be paid in case of another government shutdown. Unfortunately, the very stupid budget rules we have around here say that we will pretend that they will never be paid--and if that is the case, then we won't have a Coast Guard anymore--therefore, to mandatorily pay them during a shutdown would count as new deficit, like we are never going to pay them. It is a pretty dumb rule, but those concerns were raised by people above my pay grade, and I reluctantly removed the provision from the bill. I am going to continue to push for that provision as we move forward through the appropriations process and elsewhere. I will look for any opportunity I can to recognize the service of the Coast Guard. There is also, in this bill, a modest $1.4 million increase in the budget of the Federal Maritime Commission. This will help them implement the most extensive package of amendments to the Ocean Shipping Reform Act since 1998, particularly looking at antitrust oversight of foreign-flag commercial carrier alliances that transport nearly 98 percent of U.S. foreign commerce. Our overreliance on foreign-flag carriers to move the commerce of the United States is a growing liability and, yet, unintended consequence of our trade policies. Only now are we beginning to recognize and grapple with the implications of this dependence on our national and economic security. The increased authorized funding of $29 million for the operating budget should provide them with the additional resources they need to actually be a cop on the beat and ensure foreign carriers abide by fair shipping practices and compliance with all U.S. antitrust requirements. I am also pleased with provisions that would boost coastwise trades and, potentially, our shipbuilding industry. We are reaffirming, yet again, long-term support for the Jones Act, including clarifications as to how the Jones Act applies to maritime transportation and heavy-lift activities that occur offshore. I believe the language in this bill strikes a sensible path forward. I look forward to resolving any outstanding questions and concerns in conference with the United States Senate. Just as important, the bill provides new authorities to address new or emerging ocean technologies, including unmanned systems, to ensure Coast Guard has enough competence to either use, or regulate the use of, said systems; amendments to build on progress made last Congress to improve maritime safety requirements; and it strengthens standards to prevent discrimination, sexual assault and harassment and promote gender equity in the Coast Guard at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and across the U.S. maritime industry. This is vital legislation to the Coast Guard, and the maritime shipyard workers across this country. Again, I want to thank my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC, July 16, 2019. Hon. Peter DeFazio, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Defazio: I write to you regarding H.R. 3409, the ``Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019.'' H.R. 3409 contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security. I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this legislation before the House in an expeditious manner and, accordingly, I will not seek a sequential referral of the bill. However, agreeing to waive consideration of this bill should not be construed as the Committee on Homeland Security waiving, altering, or otherwise affecting its jurisdiction over subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. Further, I request your support for the appointment of Homeland Security conferees during any House-Senate conference convened on this or similar legislation. I also ask that a copy of this letter and your response be included in the legislative report on H.R. 3409 and in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. I look forward to working with you as we prepare to pass this important legislation. Sincerely, Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Mucarsel-Powell).

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, just expanding a little bit on the former speaker, Representative Graves of Louisiana, I would recommend to people the video that became available last week of the Coast Guard boarding a semisubmersible smuggling drugs. It is an extraordinary video and extraordinary and precarious undertaking by the Coast Guard, jumping from a Zodiac onto the top of this vessel, pounding on the hatch to get the people to open the hatch and surrender. Again, just reiterating what I said earlier, what they do with drug interdiction far exceeds all of the other Federal agencies combined, and yet they weren't paid during the shutdown doing these dangerous activities, and what they do for Homeland Security, what they do on a daily basis to provide search and rescue activities, keep our mariners safe and maritime safety inspections. So again, I regret that the technicalities around here didn't allow us to move forward at this time, but I am determined that we will do that. Mr. Speaker, I also want to raise another issue, and I would hope that the Coast Guard is listening. I am very concerned. The largest acquisition program--I mentioned earlier about the acquisition budget for recapitalization--is the Offshore Patrol Cutter. Twice now, Representatives and Senators from Florida have attempted to end-run the contracting process. They have a shipyard that claims, that because of the hurricane, they didn't underbid the contract. No, no, no. They didn't. They didn't. But they need hundreds of millions of dollars more to do the contract without going through a bidding process, without any scrutiny, and without any information being provided to this committee justifying those increases. In fact, they are saying: Well, we can't get workers because of the hurricane; it is just impossible. Well, we are rebuilding Tyndall Air Force Base. Armed Services hasn't heard anything about that. And then, also, they say: Well, it is going to take 1.3 million more man-hours. Well, what does that have to do with not being able to get skilled labor? The allegations by some others in the industry are that they underbid the contract, and now they are trying to come up with a rationale. It is further disturbing that a former Commandant of the Coast Guard runs this organization. And I am very concerned that the Coast Guard is now contemplating asking Homeland Security to invoke a law they have never used before, claiming national security to renegotiate between the current Commandant of the Coast Guard and the past Commandant of the Coast Guard running this shipyard the terms of this contract. That is not right. It doesn't protect the taxpayers. It doesn't protect the contracting process. I am going to be pushing very, very hard on this issue. That said, there are many meritorious things in this bill, and I will yield back the balance of my time after recommending a unanimous vote by the House of Representatives. Hopefully, the Senate won't take 1\1/ 2\ years to get the bill done this time, so actually it will be a 2- year authorization instead of a 2-year/1-year authorization. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3409) to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 3409, as amended.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I will vote in support of H. Res. 246, a resolution opposing the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. While it will be a difficult vote, I support this resolution because some individuals leading the BDS movement have engaged in anti- Semitic rhetoric and actions and have questioned the right of Israel to exist. While not perfect, this resolution sends an important message that anti-Semitism is unacceptable. Let me be clear: anti-Semitism, as with any other form of racism or discrimination, is antithetical to the values and aspirations of the American people. I am disturbed by the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States and other parts of the world, and I am troubled by the fact that the genocide that took place during the Holocaust is fading from memory. That's why I have taken substantive actions to combat anti-Semitism, including joining the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti- Semitism, voting in support of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act of 2018, and voting in support of a resolution condemning anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry and intolerance. I am also a cosponsor of the Never Again Education Act, which would help address the rise in anti-Semitism by granting teachers across the country the resources and training necessary to teach our children the lessons of the Holocaust and the horrific consequences of hate and intolerance. At the same time, I agree with this resolution's statements that boycotts and related actions are legitimate forms of free speech protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. That's why I am cosponsoring H. Res. 496, a resolution affirming that all Americans have the right to participate in boycotts, as protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. I have also consistently opposed--and will continue to oppose--any legislation that would punish or criminalize individuals' constitutionally-protected right to free speech. I also agree with the stated support for a two-state solution in H. Res. 246. I have consistently supported a two-state solution throughout my time in Congress, and I am once again a cosponsor of legislation stating that any U.S. plan or proposal for peace in the Middle East must include and center on a two-state solution. A two-state solution will not only secure Israel's future as a democratic, Jewish state, it will also advance U.S. security interests in the region and enhance our ability to confront the threats posed by Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other dubious actors in the Middle East. Unfortunately, this resolution does nothing to address the fact that the Trump administration and the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have taken a number of actions that severely undermine a two-state solution. This includes the Trump administration's decision to recognize the city of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, to relocate the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, to greenlight the continuing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and to discontinue U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and bilateral assistance to the Palestinians--all decisions which I strongly oppose. Regrettably, the Trump administration's actions have undermined the confidence among Palestinians and Arab countries in the region that the U.S. desires to play a productive role as a neutral mediator in the Middle East peace process. As an ally of Israel, the United States invests more than $3 billion in aid to Israel annually. Accordingly, I believe it is only appropriate that lawmakers voice their legitimate concerns with Israeli policies in a constructive way, as I have done throughout my time in Congress and will continue to do. That's why I have joined my colleagues in urging the Israeli government not to demolish Palestinian communities in the West Bank, cosponsored legislation such as the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act, and continued to urge President Trump to restore vital aid to the Palestinians. Protecting human rights, regardless of any ongoing tension between Israelis and Palestinians, should be a fundamental American value. It is only through thoughtful, respectful, nuanced debate that Congress can productively contribute towards resolving the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and addressing the legitimate needs of both peoples. The bottom line is it is critical that the U.S. pursue policies that will move Israelis and Palestinians towards a negotiated, two-state solution, and I will continue to push the Trump administration and Congress to do so.