Michael Doyle

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to inform my colleagues that this year is the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank's fortieth anniversary, and I would like to formally commemorate their four decades of service to the people and communities of Pittsburgh. Over the past forty years, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has become an integral part of our region by providing thousands of neighbors and friends with the food support they need when they need it most. The food bank was established in Pittsburgh's Hill District at a time of painful change for our region, when the unemployment rate rose to almost 20 percent and the need for food assistance surged. Over the years, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has expanded to the point where today it works with hundreds of partner agencies in an 11- county area distributing millions of pounds of food to those who need it. The organization's work has never been more important than in 2020, as COVID-19 has spread rapidly across the country, devastating our economy and leaving tens of millions of hard-working Americans unemployed. As a result, many Americans who had been living paycheck to paycheck before the pandemic were suddenly unable to afford their next meal. According to the Food Bank, food insecurity in Southwestern Pennsylvania increased 42 percent this year, including a 57 percent increase in childhood hunger. The Food Bank's response has been nothing short of lifesaving--having distributed more than 30 million pounds of food since March. I want to commend the exemplary work that the food bank has done this year, and I can say unequivocally that many in our community would not be able to get through these hard times without the remarkable contribution it's made to the region. My staff and I have worked closely with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank over many years to support and improve federal anti-hunger programs. I participated in food distribution events recently where I met many community members whose lives were markedly improved by this organization's impressive work. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has been recognized a number of times over the years for its outstanding work, including by America's Second Harvest, Charity Navigator, the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, and the Congressional Hunger Center. I want to commend and congratulate the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank on its 40th anniversary of outstanding service to our community. I thank its staff, affiliates, and volunteers for their tremendous service to the people of Pittsburgh and look forward to continuing to work with them to fight hunger in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that today the House will consider the Timely Review of Infrastructure Act introduced by Representative Pete Olson of Texas and myself. I would like to thank Mr. Olson for his leadership and partnership on this bill and commend him and his staff on their tireless efforts to get it across the finish line. The United States has always been a global leader when it comes to energy development and that is just a true today as it has ever been. However, in order to maintain and grow our energy sector, we need to ensure that we are building the necessary energy infrastructure to do so. Investing in our domestic infrastructure is more important than ever as we look to get through the current health crisis and rebuild our economy. Indeed, just as we passed the Water Resources Development Act yesterday, today we have an opportunity to pass a bill that, while smaller in scale, will help hasten the buildout of critical energy infrastructure such as hydroelectric dams, pipelines, transmission equipment, and energy terminals. This will not only help the economy recover but will ensure that we have a secure and strong domestic energy system. Unfortunately, too many energy infrastructure projects are delayed or do not have as vigorous a review as you would expect. And that is due to the fact that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is responsible for reviewing proposed projects cannot hire or retain enough qualified engineers for the simple reason that salaries in the private sector are too high for FERC to compete with given its current pay scale limits. This lack of engineers not only doesn't allow FERC to fully and robustly do its work, but it is a barrier to communities benefiting from the good paying jobs the construction of these projects provides. If we want FERC to ensure that the projects that come up for review, now and in the future, are stringently but quickly reviewed, then we must make the pay for the engineers who review the applications more competitive. That is exactly what the Timely Review of Infrastructure Act would do, by allowing FERC to offer higher salaries for these high demand engineering positions, ensuring that critical infrastructure projects can get the review and approval they need to move forward. The bill has bipartisan and bicameral support and FERC Chairman Chatterjee has stated his support for this legislation saying that it would enhance the Commission's ability to recruit and compensate the skilled staff needed to lessen the backlog of projects awaiting review and to review future projects in a more timely manner. Our bill would not only help get rid of the backlog of projects currently awaiting review, but would allow FERC to have the proper staff in place as we build out a sustainable energy system. I view it as an important piece of getting our economy back on track and ensuring that America remains the leader in energy production and innovation that it has been.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. This legislation represents a historic investment in the future of our Nation. As the chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I am proud that this bill includes an unprecedented $100 billion investment in our Nation's broadband infrastructure. This crisis has made it clear that broadband is a necessity, not a privilege. Because of COVID-19, we must all use the internet to work, to learn, and to participate in society. This legislation would establish a national digital equity program to provide outreach and digital literacy education to get folks online. It would expand the Lifeline program to create a monthly broadband benefit to connect working families and the recently unemployed. It would fund a critical upgrade of our Nation's 911 system, and it would bring the benefits of high-speed fiber-optic networks to every part of the country. Today, Americans who are not connected are being left behind. If our Nation is going to succeed in the 21st century, we must ensure that everyone has access to this essential resource. I would like to thank my good friend, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, for his leadership on this issue and for working with myself and Chairman Pallone on this legislation. I would like to thank all of the members of our subcommittee who contributed to this bill. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about a provision related to autonomous vehicles that was included in the manager's amendment. My hometown of Pittsburgh is our Nation's and the world's leading hub for research and development into autonomous vehicle technologies. As we continue to consider this legislation related to autonomous vehicles, I hope that we can engage in a more deliberate discussion about how these technologies will be regulated and deployed. This technology is too important to the success of our Nation and to Pittsburgh to do any less.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I have a strange feeling of deja vu today because, once again, Democrats are down on the floor, speaking out against another attempt by the Trump administration to take away people's healthcare. This should go without saying, but let me say clearly: Block grants do not strengthen the Medicaid program, and they do not protect Americans. It makes sense that when the economy is bad, more people might need Medicaid, and when the economy is good, Medicaid payments shrink. This is common sense and good public policy. Medicaid should be there when people need it the most, yet the Trump administration wants to undo that. Instead, the amount of money that a State would receive would be flat, and States would have to adjust their coverages accordingly. That means one of two things: either fewer people can be covered or fewer services can be covered. In fact, this policy encourages States to cut coverage and divert Medicaid money to other parts of their budgets. We should be trying to improve people's healthcare and investing more so that American families don't have to. Republicans have been trying to cut Medicaid for 30 years. This is just the latest attempt. They most recently failed to cut Medicaid coverage when they were in the majority and tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act because the American people were overwhelmingly opposed to their plan. Now the Trump administration is trying to go it alone. But the American people will see through what you are doing, and they will see the Republicans in Congress, once again, turning a blind eye while this President and his administration try to take healthcare away from millions of Americans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to condemn this outrageous and unwise proposal.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 575) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that all stakeholders in the deployment of 5G communications infrastructure should carefully consider and adhere to the recommendations of ``The Prague Proposals'', as amended.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. 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. Res. 575.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 575. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by Mr. Flores and Mr. Soto, both of whom are members of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, which I chair. The bill before us expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that all stakeholders in the deployment of 5G communications infrastructure should carefully consider and adhere to the recommendations adopted at the Prague 5G Security Conference in May 2019 known as the Prague Proposals. These proposals serve as a cybersecurity framework for the adoption and deployment of 5G networks and were agreed upon last year in Prague at a meeting of over 30 Western-allied nations, as well as technical experts and equipment manufacturers. This framework acknowledges the risks posed by untrusted 5G network equipment offered by Chinese telecom providers such as Huawei. The Prague Proposals form the basis for a coordinated approach to shared security as we begin to transition to the next generation of wireless network technologies. The Communications and Technology Subcommittee has done extensive work this Congress on security implications of 5G technologies. I thank Mr. Flores and Mr. Soto for the good work they have done in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I also thank the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Chairman Engel for working with the Energy and Commerce Committee to advance this legislation. Madam Speaker, this is a good bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, December 5, 2019. Hon. Frank Pallone, Jr., Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Pallone: In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of H. Res. 575, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that all stakeholders in the deployment of 5G communications infrastructure should carefully consider and adhere to the recommendations of ``The Prague Proposals,'' the Committee on Foreign Affairs agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The Committee on Foreign Affairs takes this action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any issues within our jurisdiction. I ask you to support the appointment of Committee on Foreign Affairs conferees during any House- Senate conference convened on this legislation. Finally, thank you for agreeing to include a copy of our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H. Res. 575. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto), who is a valuable member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and who has done extensive work on this legislation.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Florida an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, in closing, I echo what my good friend, Mr. Latta, says. This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2881) to require the President to develop a strategy to ensure the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure in the United States and to assist allies and strategic partners in maximizing the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems, infrastructure, and software, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. 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. 2881.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2881, the Secure 5G and Beyond Act, which directs the President to develop the Secure Next Generation Mobile Communications Strategy in consultation with heads of the FCC, NTIA, and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the DNI and the Secretary of Defense. The bill then requires the development of a strategy implementation plan to be carried out by NTIA. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by Ms. Spanberger and five other House Members, including Mrs. Brooks of Indiana and Mr. O'Halleran, both members of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, which I chair. The Secure Next Generation Mobile Communications Strategy is intended to: First, ensure the security of 5G and future generations of mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure in the United States; Second, assist our mutual defense treaty allies and strategic partners in maximizing the security of 5G networks and infrastructure and future generations of mobile telecommunications systems in their countries; and Finally, protect the competitiveness of U.S. companies, the privacy of American consumers, and the integrity of standards-setting bodies against political influence. As our Nation works to deploy 5G wireless technologies and develop next generation communications networks, we need a national strategy that brings together an all-of-the-above government approach to ensuring this critical infrastructure. We also need to work with our strategic allies and international partners to ensure the security of their communications networks as well. Madam Speaker, this is an important piece of legislation. I applaud Ms. Spanberger for introducing it. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. O'Halleran), a valuable member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger).

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to recognize the good work the gentlewoman from Virginia has done on this bill. A former CIA agent, and someone that knows a lot of these issues inside and out, she has worked very hard, and brought us a very good piece of legislation. It is a good bill. I urge all my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4500) to direct the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information to take certain actions to enhance the representation of the United States and promote United States leadership in communications standards-setting bodies, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. 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. 4500.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4500, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2019. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by Mr. Walberg, Mrs. Dingell, and Mrs. Brooks. The Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2019 directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to encourage participation by American companies and other stakeholders in standards-setting bodies, such as the 3GPP and the IEEE, and to offer technical assistance to those stakeholders that elect to participate in the course of developing standards for 5G networks and future generations of communications networks. Other governments around the world are engaging in the standards- setting process for 5G and other advanced telecommunications technologies. Countries such as China and Russia are doing so directly and through companies that are closely allied with their governments. This engagement is, at least in part, intended to skew the standards for these next-generation technologies to favor their national interests and their companies. This legislation will give the stakeholders the ability to better engage in policy choices that are being made today by these standard- setting bodies, and which will have far-reaching implications for the development of 5G and other advanced communications technologies in the future. We want to ensure that the United States continues to lead the world in advanced communications technologies and deployments and ensuring that these standards meet the needs of the United States and our partners. This is critical to that end. I want to thank Mr. Walberg. I want to thank Mrs. Dingell and Mrs. Brooks for the good work they have done in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I would also like to thank the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Chairman Engel for working with the Energy and Commerce Committee to advance this legislation. This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, January 3, 2020. Hon. Frank Pallone, Jr., Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Pallone: In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of H.R. 4500, Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2019, the Committee on Foreign Affairs agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The Committee on Foreign Affairs takes this action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any issues within our jurisdiction. I ask you to support the appointment of Committee on Foreign Affairs conferees during any House- Senate conference convened on this legislation. Finally, thank you for agreeing to include a copy of our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 4500. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, this is a good bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.