Peter DeFazio

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, yesterday I voted in support of the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. Make no mistake: I have opposed NDAA legislation in previous years, and I still have concerns about a number of provisions included in this year's legislation, but this year's conference legislation also contains numerous policy priorities that I strongly support. As with the initial House-passed NDAA, this legislation grants our men and women in uniform a well-deserved pay raise of 3 percent. This is the very least we can do for those who continue to make extraordinary sacrifices for our country. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I fought to successfully include vital provisions important to Oregon coastal communities. This includes the Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2020, legislation to authorize funds for, reinforce, and support the United States Coast Guard. I am also pleased that the conferees retained important provisions to reauthorize U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) programs, and for the first time provided MARAD with authority to provide financial assistance to the U.S. Maritime Transportation System in the event of a national emergency or disaster such as the current COVID-19 public health emergency. Given the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), I am proud that this legislation makes a long-overdue correction to ensure that the more than 45,000 FAA employees, as well as VA and other federal civilian employees who were inexcusably left out of last year's NDAA, receive twelve weeks of paid parental leave. I am also proud that the Conference Report includes long-overdue benefits for veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Specifically, the legislation adds Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism to the list of diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents. This will ensure that tens of thousands of veterans with these diseases get the benefits they deserve. While Congress must do much more to achieve racial justice in this country, I strongly support conferees' retainment of language requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to remove all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and more that honor Confederate individuals on DOD property. This demonstrates a strong bipartisan rebuke of President Trump's inexplicable threat to veto the NDAA if this long-overdue provision is included. I also support the bill's addition of needed diversity requirements for DOD military and civilian personnel, as well as provisions to curtail transfer of various military-grade equipment to law enforcement agencies. In addition, I am a strong supporter of this bill's requirement that federal law enforcement officers, active duty military, and National Guard members deployed in response to public protests visibly display their name and agency on their uniform. This requirement is especially crucial given Trump's appalling use of unidentifiable federal agents and unmarked vehicles to detain peaceful protesters in Portland, Oregon. I am pleased the conference legislation refuses to authorize funding for President Trump's dangerous and unnecessary proposals to initiate new nuclear weapons testing. I also support the bill's inclusion of funding for the Maritime Security Program (MSP) to help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on maritime carriers. Additionally, I support the Conference Report's provisions to strengthen the federal government's ability to combat money laundering and counter financing for terrorism. The Conference Report also takes steps to counter China's increasingly malign influence. This includes mandating a whole-of- government strategy to deter China's industrial espionage and theft of intellectual property, as well as China's large-scale theft of personal information, It also establishes a plan to make the DOD less dependent on Chinese manufacturing, and it pushes back against China's appalling human rights abuses. While these are good first steps, I believe Congress can and should do more to combat China, including standing up against China's trade abuses. The legislation also establishes guardrails that prohibit the Secretary of Defense from reducing the civilian workforce unless and until the DOD first assesses the impact of such reductions. This will help protect against President Trump's ridiculous attacks--and potential future attacks--on civilian federal employees. This legislation includes hundreds-of-millions in funding for the construction of additional housing and barracks for training and enlisted personnel, as well as for oversight and improvement of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) program. The NDAA Conference Report also continues Congress's work to address the military's culture of sexual misconduct by including provisions to enhance the prevention of and response to incidents of sexual trauma. While I strongly support many provisions in this year's NDAA, I believe this legislation should have included additional provisions to rein in our bloated and wasteful defense spending, take back Congress's constitutional war powers authority, and more. I believe this legislation could have made responsible cuts to our defense budget without jeopardizing the safety of our troops or undermining our national security. For years, Congress has continued to increase the Pentagon's budget despite overwhelming evidence of its waste and abuse of taxpayer money. That's why I supported an amendment to responsibly reduce the Pentagon budget while retaining exceptions to protect service members, civilian employees, and the vital Defense Health Program from this reduction. Frustratingly, this amendment failed to pass. In particular, I have always opposed the DOD's Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account, a fiscally irresponsible fund that is not counted in the budget, recklessly adds to our mounting debt, and has no congressional oversight. OCO is a Pentagon slush fund that gives a blank check to fund endless wars that Congress hasn't authorized. I will continue fighting to finally eliminate this irresponsible fund. I have long supported a financial audit of the Pentagon. Unlike every other federal agency, the DOD has yet to pass a financial audit. For three years in a row, the Pentagon has spectacularly failed full audits, which have highlighted numerous examples of waste and abuse. It is ridiculous to provide the Pentagon a massive spending increase--as this bill does--when the Pentagon cannot even account for how it spends taxpayer money. That's why I offered an amendment to require and incentivize each DOD component to pass an audit by FY25. Unfortunately, my amendment did not receive a vote. I believe this legislation should have included more provisions to take back Congress's constitutional war powers authority. I am disappointed that conferees stripped out House-passed provisions that would have prohibited use of DOD funds to provide support to Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen and prohibit unauthorized participation of the U.S. military in hostilities in Yemen. I also believe this legislation should have prevented the President from using unauthorized force in Iran, repealed the long-outdated 2001 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force (AUMFs), and prohibited funding for the deployment of dangerous low-yield nuclear weapons. I am also disappointed that other provisions which I support were not included in the Conference Report. This includes provisions to amend the Insurrection Act to provide Congress more transparency when a President deploys active duty military within the United States during civil unrest, utilize full Defense Production Act authorities to finally meet our country's COVID-19 medical supply needs, block the Trump administration's cruel ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, finally close down the unnecessary and unconstitutional Guantanamo Bay prison facility, provide immediate student loan relief to the over 200,000 servicemembers who have privately held debt, and include my amendment to abolish the military draft. While the Conference Report does take steps to help address PFAS and PFOA contamination on military installations, I believe this legislation should have done much more to address the public health threat that this contamination poses to our military members and Americans living near installations. The bottom line is that fiscal responsibility and accountability at the DOD would allow for taxpayer funds to be better spent supporting the needs of our troops, meeting our obligations to veterans, and ensuring our legitimate defense needs are prioritized while also bolstering long-underfunded domestic priorities.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1811) to make technical corrections to the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks, including extraneous material on S. 1811, as amended.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, legislation very similar to this passed the House of Representatives unanimously earlier this year. This bill will continue the bipartisan tradition restarted by Chairman Shuster in 2014 of doing a Water Resources Development Act every 2 years. It is critical. I am thankful to Ranking Member Graves, Chairwoman Grace Napolitano, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman for their hard work in developing the House version and helping us negotiate with the Senate. I also thank our Senate colleagues, Committee on Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso, who has pushed very hard for this bill, and Ranking Member Tom Carper, for their collaboration. Madam Speaker, this builds on the success of H.R. 7575, which, as I said, passed the House of Representatives earlier this year unanimously. It authorizes construction of 46 reports of the Chief of the Corps of Engineers. It is a record number of Chief's Reports, almost matching the number authorized in 2016 and 2018. Now, that would only be made possible by the full utilization of the harbor maintenance trust fund. For decades, since Ronald Reagan was President, we have been assessing a tiny ad valorem tax on the value of goods and containers flowing through the ports coming into the United States of America. Despite the pressing need to dredge our harbors, to authorize steps to repair jetties before they fail totally and become much more expensive to replace, for many years Congress refused to spend that full amount of money. There is now around $10 billion collected in taxes from the American people for a specific purpose for which it has not been spent. I started working on this with Bud Shuster--not Bill--Bud Shuster, his dad, back in 1996 to access the full amount of the harbor maintenance trust fund. It got out of that committee twice under Chairman Shuster. He was quite amazed it came out unanimously, including Freedom Caucus members and others, but Paul Ryan saw fit to strip it from the bill because he didn't think that we should maintain our harbors and our ports as a maritime Nation. I guess being inland, he didn't think that was so important. We now have finally gotten to that point where we are going to access the funds. There is one tiny remaining problem--since the Senate seems to be totally incapable of passing any individual pieces of legislation and doing nothing individually except judges--we are seeking to attach this to the Omnibus, Continuing Resolution, budget deal, whatever the heck you want to call it. Now, the Committee on Appropriations in the Senate has raised concerns. Even though this does not count officially against allocations on an annual basis, they are worried that somehow someone might look at them and say, Well you have got all this other money, so we are going to cut back on your regular amount of money. That is not going to happen. This need is great. This is a huge bipartisan success with agreement by harbors all around the country, large and small, emerging, developed, energy ports. It is critical to the United States of America as a maritime Nation that we get this done and we begin to do the work on a daily basis. Of our 58 largest harbors, 35 percent are at their authorized depths. That means ships go around, that means ships have to pass too close to one another in order to navigate restricted channels. It means jetties that are beginning to fail don't get fixed, and every year that they fail they become much, much more expensive to repair until the point of total failure, at which point it becomes incredibly expensive. Madam Speaker, should we access the harbor maintenance trust fund over the next 5 years at $2 billion a year, plus the expected income, we could bring all of our ports up to a state of good repair in 5 years. What the Senate staff is insisting on would stretch that out for 20 years--and actually, would stretch it out longer, because if you start doing things 18 years from now, they would have deteriorated even more and become more expensive. So they would, essentially, indefinitely put off bringing our harbors to a state of good repair because of unfounded concern. Madam Speaker, I am hopeful that common sense will prevail, if there is any such thing on the other side of Capitol Hill. I want to go back to thanking members of our committee and the staff who did great work on this bill. It is an excellent bill. It also deals with inland waterways on a cost-share basis. It deals with building in resilience to deal with climate change--even if you don't believe in it--and will use natural systems as much as possible for these needs. Chairwoman Grace Napolitano, who did not travel here today, was dogged in her support for the maintenance needs and advocacy for her large harbors. And ultimately, we came to an agreement, as I said, between all sizes of harbors around the country. Madam Speaker, I also thank my ranking member, Sam Graves. He couldn't have been a better partner in helping us deal with the other side of Capitol Hill, and Mr. Westerman for his steadfast support and importance to the final bill. Today's success would not have been possible without their great work. There are a number of members of the committee who were particularly crucial: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Abby Finkenauer, Harley Rouda, Conor Lamb, Angie Craig, Chris Pappas, Antonio Delgado, Lizzie Fletcher, Greg Stanton, and Sharice Davids, all members of the committee who contributed significantly to this. And also, we did lose the language to reauthorize the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which hasn't been reauthorized since 1987. I kind of thought it was time but, apparently, that is right now not on the radar of some people. Madam Speaker, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is legislation that is essential to everyday American life-supporting jobs and our economy, protecting American lives and property, and restoring and protecting our vital natural resources. The Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA 2020) modernizes and invests in our water resources infrastructure by: (1) authorizing critical, locally driven U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) projects and studies; (2) expediting the delivery of future projects; (3) increasing water storage and supply; (4) preventing, managing, and eradicating invasive species that reduce and degrade our water resources infrastructure and the environment; (5) building resiliency to increasing storm and flooding risks: (6) increasing community and Tribal involvement and engagement; and (7) addressing communities with affordability concerns. WRDA 2020 strengthens our Nation's security and economic competitiveness by deepening our ports and harbors, maintaining our inland waterways, and providing protection from dangerous flooding, while remaining committed to economically and environmentally responsible development. In WRDA bills, Congress authorizes studies and projects encompassing the key missions of the Corps, including supporting coastal and inland waterways infrastructure, effective and targeted flood protection, environmental restoration, storm damage prevention, and proactive water supply initiatives. Each of the 46 completed feasibility study reports of the Chief of Engineers (Chiefs Reports) authorized by WRDA 2020 were locally driven and cost-shared, rigorously studied, and determined by the Corps to be economically justified, technically sound, and environmentally acceptable. Since 2014, Congress has resumed the tradition of biennial consideration of WRDAs, and WRDA 2020 continues to deliver new authorities on a predictable authorization cycle to meet the water resource needs of local communities and to provide appropriate oversight of, and policy direction to, the Administration and the Corps. The transformative nature of the last three WRDA bills has provided the Corps and the non-Federal interests with new opportunities to advance projects more quickly and with greater effectiveness. WRDA 2020 builds on these changes by ensuring that future water resources development projects are developed in a resilient and more sustainable manner, by targeting increased Federal assistance to rural and economically-disadvantaged communities and Tribes that have seen challenges in implementing critical water resources infrastructure, and by modernizing the process for project development to ensure that all project benefits, including economical, regional, environmental, and other societal benefits, are considered in the formulation of future projects. Title 1 of WRDA 2020 ensures that the Corps operates and executes projects to meet our Nation's ever evolving 21st century needs. This title supports our transportation infrastructure and ensures the efficient flow of domestic and international commerce by reinstating the Federal commitment to our ports, harbors, and inland waterways. It builds on the CARES Act (Pub. L. 116-136) by unlocking funds that have already been collected from shippers for the purpose of harbor deepening and maintenance, and that have remained unspent, in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) while there are unmet operation and maintenance needs at ports and harbors. In addition, this title establishes a new authorization framework for the allocation of harbor maintenance funds to ensure equitable expenditures to meet the ongoing needs of the Nation's largest ports, Commercial Strategic Seaports, Great Lakes Harbors, and emerging harbors. Title 1 also addresses critical needs to modernize our Federal inland waterway system by authorizing additional funds from the General Fund of the Treasury towards the construction of projects on the Inland Waterway System, which handles approximately half of all inland waterway freight and one-twelfth of all national freight. Further, Title 1 of WRDA 2020 ensures that future water resources development projects are designed and built with greater resiliency to address the needs of the next century. For example, this title directs the Corps to consider nature-based and natural features while developing projects, and advocates for innovation that ensures the resiliency and longevity of Corps construction. Similarly, this title recognizes the needs of communities that are currently facing repeat flooding events by providing critical assistance for the expedited consideration of permanent measures to reduce local flooding risks. Moreover, Title 1 makes policy reforms to promote stronger local- level partnerships, decisionmaking, and effective, transparent project development and implementation that will overall improve water infrastructure development. Other provisions within this title ensure the protection of all communities through wider consideration of project benefits and greater flexibility and support for populations with affordability concerns. Title 1 also helps communities respond faster to natural disasters, improves the safety of our dams and levees, addresses necessary updates to aging infrastructure, and supports critical work against invasive species and harmful algal blooms. Lastly, this title recognizes the increasing role the Corps plays in addressing the water supply and water conservation needs of local and rural communities. Title 2 of WRDA 2020 ensures continuity in addressing our water resources development needs. It authorizes feasibility studies for the development of future projects, while ensuring that studies currently underway are completed expeditiously. Title 2 also makes necessary adjustments to existing studies or projects to ensure they are forward- looking and encompass as many potential benefits to the localities as practicable. In addition, this title authorizes the analysis of regional or watershed-based systems which facilitates cohesive projects and greater end results for the systems without inadvertently segmenting out populations or sub-systems. Further, this title directs the Corps to examine and report back on various Corps internal processes and assets to identify additional opportunities for Corps expertise and improvement in work efficacy. Title 3 addresses ongoing Corps operations and opportunities to ensure efficient project delivery as well as remove outdated or duplicative Corps authorizations. Continuing in the tradition of the last three WRDAs, WRDA 2020 directs the Corps to identify approximately $10 billion in antiquated construction authorizations that can be deauthorized, which is roughly equivalent to the cost of the new Chiefs Reports authorized by this legislation. In addition, the revisions and updates to projects in Title 3, on advisement from the Corps, will keep those projects on track for delivery and maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of these Federal investments. This title also makes modifications to existing programs within the Corps to include a wider range of eligible regions for those programs and provide them with sufficient authorization levels to achieve their central purposes. Further, Title 3 deauthorizes or transfers, in part or in whole, certain projects which are no longer within the mission of the Corps or are otherwise better suited as returned to the localities. These actions maintain Corps dependability and its relationships with non- Federal sponsors and stakeholders, while alleviating superfluous lands or projects that should be returned to states and localities and removed from Corps responsibilities. Title 4 of WRDA 2020 affirms the Federal commitment to delivering water resources projects and the continued improvement of American water infrastructure. Again, this title authorizes 46 Corps projects to move to construction and makes changes to projects currently underway to guarantee their accuracy and long-term value. Projects authorized under WRDA 2020 will sustain jobs and our economic competitiveness by maintaining the flow of goods through our navigational channels and protecting American lives, land, and assets from flood or storm waters. The projects will restore and enhance our natural resources, ecosystems and environment, and prepare communities for increasingly wet or dry conditions. These essential projects will positively impact populations in all regions of the country and build smarter, more resilient infrastructure for the benefit of generations to come. Title 5 of this bill makes several changes to Corps and other Federal agency authorities related to the control of invasive species or for other purposes. Invasive species have a devastating impact on our Nation's water infrastructure, as well as on our water supply. Increasingly, the Corps is required to partner with other Federal agencies to control the spread of invasive species, both on land and in the aquatic environment. The changes made by this title include the creation of new pilot programs to address invasive species such as Asian Carp, elodea, and quagga mussels, as well as noxious weeds. This title also retains the traditional roles of the Corps and other Federal agencies in controlling the spread or managing and reducing existing invasive species. The managers of the U.S. House of Representative and the U.S. Senate for WRDA 2020 (``the Managers'') also highlight the following sections of this legislation and other matters related to the Corps: Section 109 addresses the critical need to modernize our Federal Inland Waterway System. This section authorizes additional funds from the General Fund of the Treasury towards the construction of authorized inland waterways projects. The Managers have authorized this change to the current 50-50 cost share for inland projects to resolve the backlog in these critical projects, and intend that any inland project that received construction assistance prior to fiscal year 2030 utilize the new 75-25 cost share authorized by this section through completion of the project. The Managers also expect that this additional support will be prioritized for those projects identified by inland users as most essential in the 20-year capital development plan required under section 302(d) of WRDA 1986, including the Upper Ohio navigation system, the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program for the Upper Mississippi River, and the Three Rivers project in Southeast Arkansas. It is the intention of the Managers that current prioritization plans be followed by the Corps in its funding of inland waterway projects. Section 112 directs the Corps to ensure meaningful participation and consultation by economically disadvantaged communities and Indian Tribes in the development of future water resources projects. During formulation of WRDA 2020, the Managers heard concerns from economically disadvantaged communities and Indian Tribes of a lack of transparency and meaningful communication with these communities. Managers expect that continuous commitment to, and review of, Corps policies surrounding community engagement and tribal consultation will minimize adverse impacts to these populations, including detrimental impacts to their health, property, and livelihoods. It is the Managers' intention that the Corps complete reviews and make adjustments, if warranted, to procedures expeditiously to ameliorate concerns and avoid conflict with existing and future water resources projects. Section 125 renews the Congressional commitment to beneficial use of dredged material. While carrying out the beneficial use of dredged material pilot program pursuant to section 1122 of WRDA 2016, the Corps is directed to carry out at least one project utilizing thin layer placement of dredged fine and coarse grain sediment. This demonstration program is also authorized to be expanded to apply to recovering lost storage capacity in reservoirs due to sediment accumulation, if the project meets the other criteria within the program. The Corps is directed to carry out at least one project to recover lost storage capacity under the program as well. With this section, Managers expect the Corps to select projects that encompass a wide range of regional areas, economic status, and utilization methods. Additionally, this section further encourages the Corps to coordinate planning for the deployment of Federal and non-Federal dredges. In sequencing dredging work to benefit multiple mission sets and providing consistent navigational certainty, especially in areas of high maritime traffic in our Nation's harbors and waterways, the Managers believe proper implementation of this program will benefit the American economy and restoration efforts alike. The Managers intend this authority to be used in conjunction with the Gulf Coast Regional Dredge Demonstration Program created in P.L. 116-94, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020. Section 161 makes changes to the study process pursuant to section 203 of WRDA 1986. As required by this section, this new policy does not apply to any project being authorized by this Act. Further these changes do not apply to any feasibility study submitted to the Corps during the one-year period prior to the date of enactment of this section, such as the Raymondville Drain Project, Lower Rio Grande Basin, Texas. Subsection 201(b) states that the Corps is to consider any study carried out by the Corps for Port Arthur and Orange County, Texas, flood control project, to be a continuation of the study authorized under Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay, Texas. While subsection (a) explicitly authorizes a study for Port Arthur and Orange County, Texas, the Managers intend that nothing in subsection 201(b) will slow down the construction of the project for Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay, Texas. Section 213 directs the Corps to conduct a comprehensive study of the Lower Mississippi River. The Managers note that the Mississippi River has been at flood stage at record length and frequency in recent years. The Managers intend this study to provide reconsideration of the operations of existing assets by operating structures throughout the Lower Mississippi River holistically and, potentially, for multiple purposes per asset, as well as identifying new projects and utilizing existing Federal and non-Federal assets, such as river reintroduction projects, new or existing reservoirs, water supply projects, or other measures. In completing the study, the Managers intend for the Corps to collaborate with all levels of government, as well as with non- governmental entities to improve the management of one of the largest watersheds in the world. Section 216 includes studies for the Lower and Upper Missouri River. With a General Investigations study of the Lower Missouri River Basin already underway, the Managers intend this section to build off this existing authority and to expeditiously review both a comprehensive plan and site-specific solutions to combat flooding in communities across the Lower Missouri River Basin. While this Act specifically and preemptively waives 3x3x3 requirements, the Managers strongly encourage the Corps to complete its studies as expeditiously as possible. Section 222 requires the Corps to issue an annual report that identifies all authorized studies or projects meeting certain criteria, including local support and the Corps' capability for executing the work. The Managers expect this annual report will provide greater transparency in the Administration's development of both its annual budget and its project selection process. In completing this report, the Corps must describe specific benefits for each authorized study and authorized water resources development project included in the annual report. This section also requires the Secretary to include an appendix in the annual report that lists any submitted proposals that were not included in the annual report and a description of why the Corps determined that those proposals did not meet the criteria for inclusion. The Corps shall also make the annual report to Congress publicly available on the internet and is directed to submit the report to Congress along with its annual report pursuant to section 7001 of Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, P.L. 113-121 (WRRDA 2014). The Managers intend for the Corps to expeditiously develop implementation guidance for the provisions contained in WRDA 2020, as well as provisions from prior WRDAs that have yet to be developed. Section 223 of WRDA 2020 directs the Corps to expeditiously complete these actions, and consistent with section 1105 of WRDA 2018, to involve stakeholders in the development of guidance materials. In addition, the Managers direct the Secretary to directly engage and consult with, and provide briefings for, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Environment on Public Works on these actions. Section 229 amends section 1104(b) of WRDA 2018 to require that the Corps provide the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives an annual written update on the Corps' implementation of non-Federal outreach requirements associated with development of section 7001 annual reports. This section also requires that the Corps issue guidance for the uniform implementation of the 7001 process by Corps districts and ensure annual compliance with that guidance. The Managers continue to be concerned with the agency's ability to consistently implement these policies nationwide. Section 310 clarifies that any Federal funds used to carry out construction of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) are considered as initiating construction of the project such that future funds will not require a new start designation. With initial construction of the MKARNS completed 50 years ago, modernization of the entire channel was authorized by Congress in 2003 and funds were subsequently provided in 2004. Since that time, the 12- foot deepening project has stalled, but this section will allow construction of the project to resume without the requirement to obtain a New Start, a requirement not contemplated when the deepening project was authorized and funded. This section will ensure the project is formally considered as a project resumption for budgetary and appropriations purposes. Section 348 allows a local government entity, such as a city, with existing water supply storage in a Federal or non-Federal hydropower lake within the Arkansas Basin, to access that water supply at a cost of not more than 110 percent of initial principal cost for the acre- feet sought for a new covered contract for that lake. This section makes clear that the Managers do not expect the Corps to undertake any formal reallocation process. Rather, the Managers expect that the Corps will work only with a local government entity that currently holds the rights to access water supply storage. Section 351 allows the Corps, at the request of a non-Federal interest, to renegotiate the terms and conditions of deferred payment agreements under Section 103(k) of WRDA 1986 and to accept, without interest, the pre-payment of non-Federal contributions. The Managers anticipate that the non-Federal sponsors of the West Bank and Vicinity, Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity, and Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Damage Reduction Projects are expected to seek relief under this section in order to continue large-scale investments to support resiliency in both their infrastructure and regional ecosystems. Section 401 authorizes 46 Chief's Reports, including a project for navigation improvements for the Port of Nome in Nome, Alaska. Nome will be America's first Arctic deep draft port, enhancing our strategic and economic competitiveness in the Arctic region. The Managers note the complementary and important role that modest improvements at Port Clarence/Point Spencer can play relative to the project at Nome, Alaska, and for safe Arctic transportation generally, and therefore, the Managers encourage the Corps of Engineers to expedite its consideration of the use of Section 107 Continuing Authorities Program funding to help install and make operational the two 30-ton and one 60- ton industrial grade buoy systems at Port Clarence to serve maritime safety needs for the Bering Strait as well as the greater Arctic region. The Managers also encourage the potential use of unobligated prior-year funds to facilitate the implementation of the mooring buoy project as soon as possible and note that the Corps was instrumental in completing a similar project for the placement and use of commercial- grade mooring buoys in the Columbia River. Various sections under Title 5 of WRDA 2020 protect American assets and resources by working to prevent the spread and promote the eradication of certain invasive species. The Managers intend that work conducted as a result of this Title remain within the jurisdiction of the involved agencies and encourage a collaborative approach to solutions that allows each agency to utilize its expertise. Specifically, under section 508, the Managers intend that, for those authorities which address murder hornets as an invasive species, the Department of the Interior shall work in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture. The Managers believe lessees of recreational and other facilities at water resource development projects should have more predictability and stability with regard to their respective lease agreements with the Corps. The Managers are, in conjunction with enactment of WRDA 2020, requesting the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to analyze Corps of Engineers policies related to the length of commercial concessionaire contracts. In the interim, the Managers believe that the Corps should consider the use of concessionaire lease agreements for a period of not less than 25 years and not more than 50 years, unless otherwise agreed to by the lessee. This effective tool will provide greater predictability and stability in the use of Corps lands by the lessee. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, December 4, 2020. Hon. Peter A. DeFazio, Chair, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chair DeFazio: In recognition of the goal of expediting consideration of S. 1811, ``A bill to make technical corrections to the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, and for other purposes'' the Committee on Natural Resources agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources. The Committee on Natural Resources takes this action with the mutual understanding that, in doing so, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues within our jurisdiction. Our Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation. Thank you for agreeing to include our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Raul M. Grijalva, Chair, House Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the organizations supporting S. 1811, the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. List of Organizations Supporting S. 1811, The Water Resources Development Act of 2020 American Association of Port Authorities, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Great Lakes Port Association, American Petroleum Institute, American Road & Transportation Builders Association, American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Waterways Operators, Associated General Contractors of America, Association of State Floodplain Managers, California Association of Port Authorities, Coastal States Organization, Everglades Foundation, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Grain and Feed Association of Illinois, Growmark, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Illinois Soybean Growers, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Interstate Council on Water Policy, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, National Association of Counties, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies, National Grain and Feed Association, National Governors Association, National League of Cities, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Parks Conservation Association, National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association, National Water Resources Association, National Water Supply Alliance, National Wildlife Federation, Northwest Seaport Alliance, Oregon Public Ports Association, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Redwood City, Portland Cement Association, The Fertilizer Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Transportation Trades, Dept., AFL-CIO, United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters, United Steelworkers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Conference of Mayors, Waterways Council, Inc.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the chair of the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett).

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

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

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

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

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

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, as has been said and doesn't need to be repeated, this is a fully bipartisan bill, and it does make essential investments in water infrastructure that will impact virtually every State and territory of the United States of America. As a great maritime nation, we can't afford not to make these investments; and hopefully it will be added, without change, to the omnibus year-end deal, or the Senate could perhaps take it up under unanimous consent since I don't think anyone would object to it over there. One way or another, hopefully, it will get done. Madam Speaker, I would like to be more specific in thanking staff for this legislation. There was quite a lengthy negotiation. The Senate never individually passed the bill. We had to negotiate the whole bill with the Senate, and Ryan Seiger led the team--he did a great job--Camille Touton, Navis Bermudez, and Alexa Williams; and on the Republican side, Ian Bennitt, Jon Pawlow, and Victor Sarmiento. Then the unseen heroes behind all the good work here in the House are those who work in the Office of Legislative Counsel, and too often we overlook how critical they are to writing good legislation. Sometimes I am amazed at the things that are introduced and that are gibberish, to put it mildly. Kakuti Lin and all her colleagues, thank you very much for your tremendous work on this, and it will be a great benefit to the Nation. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4902) to designate the United States courthouse located at 351 South West Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the ``Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse''.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam 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 S. 4902.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4902, a bill introduced by Senator Lee to designate the United States Courthouse located at 351 South West Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse. Orrin Hatch was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and worked as an attorney in Pittsburgh until he moved to Utah in 1969, where he continued to practice law. In 1976, he was elected to the United States Senate for his first run for public office. Senator Hatch is the longest-serving Republican U.S. Senator in history and the longest-serving U.S. Senator from Utah. Senator Hatch is one of the only Senators to have served as chairman of three Senate committees: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions from 1981 to 1987; the Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2001 and from 2003 to 2005; and the Finance Committee from 2015 to 2019. In total, Senator Hatch spent 32 of his 42 years in the Senate as either chairman or ranking member of a major committee. In 2015, Senator Hatch was sworn in as President pro tempore of the Senate, a position he held until his retirement in 2019. Senator Hatch credits his family as the key to his success. He and his wife, Elaine, have been married for over 60 years. They are the proud parents of 6 children and 23 grandchildren. I support this legislation honoring the accomplishments and service of Senator Hatch and I would ask my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. McAdams).

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1014. The bill establishes the Route 66 Centennial Commission, with the charge of developing and planning a celebration for 2026 for the 100th anniversary of America's ``Mother Road.'' Route 66 was established November 11, 1926. It was a 2,448-mile-long highway that originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, and passed between numerous States in between. This historic route has been traversed by Americans through the years for many reasons, from hundreds of thousands of migrants escaping the Dust Bowl in the 1930s to more recent road-trippers following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac. A precursor to the interstate system, Route 66, was created out of the need for greater connectivity after the rise in automobile ownership. Disparate segments of roads and paths were woven into a cohesive highway that offered unparalleled ease of mobility. While Route 66 became largely obsolete after the completion of the interstate system, it holds a unique place in our Nation's surface transportation history. The story of Route 66 serves as an important reminder of why an interconnected transportation system is vital and why we must not devolve to a piecemeal approach to surface transportation, as some have advocated--the first surface transportation advisor to President Trump most notably among them-- saying we should go back to the good old days when this was done by all the States individually, even if the roads didn't sometimes connect or meet national needs. For years, I carried around a poster of the interstate. It was a turnpike at the time between Kansas and Oklahoma. Kansas built their section. It is an aerial photograph from Life magazine, and if you look down, you would say: Boy, that is really odd looking. There is this big ribbon of concrete, four lanes, two on each side, and then there are all these kinds of angular black lines. Then you go: What is that? Well, that is the Oklahoma State line, and that is Amos Schweitzer's farm field. Until we had the Eisenhower plan and until we had a national highway program, until we had a user fee, the State of Oklahoma said: We can't afford to do our section, even though we said we would do it. It was completed a number of years later with a Federal share from the Eisenhower plan. This kind of connectivity is critical. I have had some environmentalists say: Why do you want to rebuild the highway system with climate change? Well, we are going to rebuild it in a resilient way. We are going to build it with new materials and more climate friendly, and we are going to electrify it. We cannot possibly move the amount of freight necessary in this country to feed the American people and serve myriad other needs with our rail system. It just could not meet that task. We have to rebuild the 47,000 bridges that are in need of replacement or significant structural repair. We have to repair the sections of 40 percent of the national highway systems that are deteriorated to the point where you have to rebuild it, not just resurface it. And we have to invest in the $100 billion backlog in our transit systems. Hopefully, under President Biden, we will have no more fake Infrastructure Weeks, and we will move forward with an actual, real Infrastructure Week with investment and spending. Madam Speaker, this bill is a reminder of the past and the need for interconnection to serve the American people, which we are going to need again in the future. I support S. 1014 and urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1014) to establish the Route 66 Centennial Commission, and for other purposes.

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, although I do want to visit the Pink Elephant Antique Mall, I yield back the balance of my time.

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 to include extraneous material on S. 1014.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, on December 3, I was unable to vote due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted: on Roll Call Vote Number 229, On the Motion to Adjourn, I would have voted Nay; on Roll Call Vote Number 230, On Ordering the Previous Question to H. Res. 1244, I would have voted Aye; on Roll Call Vote Number 231, On Agreeing to the Resolution H. Res. 1244, I would have voted Aye; and on Roll Call Vote Number 232, On the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 1380, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, I would have voted Aye.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of former Representative Robert Freeman ``Bob'' Smith. I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend and former colleague and offer my deepest condolences to his friends and family. I served with Bob in Congress for a decade. He spent his life serving Oregonians in various roles, including president of the Public Lands Council, and in the Oregon legislature as House Speaker and subsequently Senate Minority Leader. He dedicated his life to his community, his constituents, and all Oregonians. Growing up in Burns, he worked as a rancher. His experiences provided a deep knowledge of the needs and concerns of rural Oregonians, and he was one of their fiercest advocates. Bob was also a man of principle. He retired from Congress in 1995, yet ran again in 1997 because his successor, a member of his own party, had lied about his military service, among many other problems. He won, and when he returned to Congress for what would be his last term, he was elected Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, placing him in a powerful role championing policies important to rural communities. Make no mistake, Bob and I had policy disagreements, but we were always friends and worked together often. One of my fondest memories is when Bob and I worked alongside former Senator Mark Hatfield to designate the Newberry Crater as a Monument in order to protect the area from energy development. Though we came from different sides of the aisle, this designation effort was just one example of how we were able to come together as Oregonians to protect the people, resources, and great outdoors that make Oregon home. Bob is missed, but his life of service and inspiring legacy lives on.

Mr. DeFAZIO

Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote today due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and pass, as amended, H.R. 7995, the Coin Metal Modification Authorization and Cost Savings Act of 2020.