Rodney Davis

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1177, Removing Outdated Restrictions to Allow for Job Growth Act. In the early 1980s, the city of Old Town, Maine, purchased land from the Federal Government to be part of the Old Town airport. The deed included a use restriction, as required by a 1941 amendment to the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act of 1937, limiting use of the land to a municipal airport or other public use. Old Town has invested heavily in this land in order to attract businesses, but the outdated deed restriction needs to be lifted before further economic development can occur. H.R. 1177 provides for the removal of the deed restriction on the parcel of land around the Old Town airport to allow for business development. The bill allows the City of Old Town to send a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture detailing which lands it would like released from the deed restriction and directs the Secretary to release that land to the city of Old Town. Passage of this commonsense provision will allow economic development in Old Town to move forward, creating as many as 200 much-needed jobs. This legislation will provide certainty to private investors in the community and help the local economy thrive. I would like to thank the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Poliquin) for addressing this issue, and our chairman on the House Agriculture Committee, Chairman Conaway, for moving this bill forward. This is a good government bill that eliminates red tape to unleash private investment. At a time when rural America is struggling--it is people like Representative Poliquin and all of us--we must do all we can to encourage growth and development in rural communities, many that we all serve, but also the one that Representative Poliquin serves in Old Town, Maine. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1177) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to release on behalf of the United States the condition that certain lands conveyed to the City of Old Town, Maine, be used for a municipal airport, and for other purposes.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. 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 the bill under consideration.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleagues from Minnesota and North Dakota. I urge all Members to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man who has dedicated his life to protecting and educating the public. James Hicks will be retiring this May from the Pana Fire Department after 45 years of service. During his career with the fire department, James pioneered an Explorer Post, which he led for 34 years. This program allows youth and young adults become involved with and learn more about firefighting and fire responder careers. Under James' leadership, many of the explorers were inspired to protect their communities and become firefighters. Hicks has also worked to keep the area schools informed on fire prevention techniques and spent many hours volunteering with the Pana Ambulance Service as an Emergency Medical Technician. I am honored to recognize Mr. Hicks and wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our Nation's heroes. On April 27, Army Ranger Sergeant Joshua P. Rodgers of Bloomington, Illinois, was killed in action serving his third tour in Afghanistan. At age 22, Sergeant Rodgers had already earned the prestigious Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge, Marksmanship Qualification Badge Expert-Rifle, and many others. Sergeant Rodgers leaves behind his parents, Kevin and Vonda; sisters, Emily and Hannah; brother, Ashton; and countless others whose lives have been forever changed by him. I never had the honor of meeting Sergeant Rodgers, but those who knew him best remember him as a warrior, tenacious, humble, determined, a true inspiration to everyone who knew him. We are forever grateful to Sergeant Rodgers and the men and women who put country above all else, a debt which we can never repay. It is because of Sergeant Rodgers and many like him that we live in the land of the free. It truly is because of the brave. On Saturday, Sergeant Rodgers will be laid to rest as his family and friends gather to celebrate his life, a life filled with patriotism, honor, and service. This House and his country will never forget Sergeant Rodgers' sacrifice. May God bless his family and the brothers and sisters he served alongside.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 242.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Barletta and Ranking Member Johnson. I also look over this House floor and thank my colleague, Mrs. Bustos, from Illinois, for joining me in this effort because, if you travel to my district or Mrs. Bustos' district in central and, in my case, southern Illinois and you ask my constituents about their opinion of FEMA's disaster declaration process, they are going to tell you that it is broken. You don't have to look any further than the State of Illinois to see how FEMA's public assistance formula is failing hardworking families across this country because it simply does not put all communities on a level playing field. In 2012, tornadoes devastated Harrisburg in southern Illinois, but the State was denied public assistance while Missouri and Kentucky received aid due to the damage inflicted by the exact same storm. Just a few short years ago, the towns of Gifford and Washington in central Illinois were denied public assistance as well, despite those communities suffering millions in damage. And just last year, Illinois was once again denied public assistance following extensive damage done in late December 2015 and early January 2016 caused by severe storms and flooding in the central and southern parts of our State. Under existing regulations, FEMA currently takes into account several factors when determining the need for public and individual assistance. However, there is currently no standard to determine which factor is more important than another during the disaster declaration process. This leads to highly subjective and uncertain processes that leave States and communities in limbo for weeks as their application is considered. By working with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last year during the markup of the FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act, we were successful in including important language based on legislation I introduced that requires the administrator of FEMA, when making recommendations to the President regarding a disaster declaration, to ``give greater weight and consideration to severe local impact.'' This bill ultimately passed out of the House under suspension last Congress, but, unfortunately, the bill died in the Senate. This Congress, I have introduced this language again, along with my friend and colleague from Illinois (Mrs. Bustos), as the Disaster Declaration Improvement Act. Passing this bill will have a real impact on States like Illinois, where a large portion of the population is concentrated in a small northeastern corner of our State. Because of the population density in the northern part of my State, rural parts, where I live and where I represent, are having to meet an arbitrarily high standard in order to qualify for a disaster declaration. Enacting this language is going to help level the playing field and help ensure rural areas are given a fair chance when disaster happens and help is needed. During our March markup of this bill, we also added important language that strengthens the bill by way of an amendment offered by my friend, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves). This language also requires FEMA to place more consideration on recent multiple disasters, to take into account the cumulative impact such events can have. So I want to thank Chairman Graves for working with my office on including this language and for being a cosponsor of my bill. I also want to express my personal gratitude to Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio for working with us during the last Congress and this Congress, and for moving this bill so early. Again, I want to especially thank Chairman Barletta for being a cosponsor of this bill. Mr. Speaker, central and southern Illinois just experienced another flooding event this past weekend. And while it is not yet clear what the damage is, it is clear that Congress must act to ensure that folks get a fair shake if it is determined that Federal assistance is needed. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mannie Jackson, a legendary basketball player at both the University of Illinois and Edwardsville High School, on his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Born in a railroad boxcar in southern Missouri, Mannie excelled at Edwardsville High School before attending the University of Illinois. He was one of the first African-American letter winners and starters for the Illini. After graduating, Mannie played for the Harlem Globetrotters. While Mannie was a tremendous player, he also purchased the Globetrotters and helped revive the franchise, leading the team to 12 straight years of double-digit growth. Mannie also continued his career as a philanthropist. He founded the Illinois Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program at the University of Illinois and has partnered with leaders at Lewis and Clark Community College to create the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities. I have had the privilege of meeting Mannie on multiple occasions and have nothing but admiration and respect for what he does to help others. It is an honor to congratulate him on his induction to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, but I am even more proud to recognize all of the contributions he has made to this world.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the heroic efforts of Deputy Fire Chief John Schott, from the Carlinville, Illinois, Fire Department. Deputy Schott has gone above and beyond the call of duty in his efforts to assist the neighboring Morrisonville, Illinois, Fire Department. On October 22, Deputy Schott was one of the first witnesses to a two- vehicle crash and applied first aid to one of the drivers involved in the accident. While on the scene, Schott could not help but notice that the emergency services from the Morrisonville-Palmer Fire Protection District lacked the proper hydraulic extraction tools, more commonly known as the Jaws of Life. Deputy Schott's efforts did not end that day. After the crash, he began his mission to equip the Morrisonville firefighters with the suitable tools they would need for any future emergencies. By making several phone calls, Schott was able to locate a set of the Jaws of Life and communicate the Morrisonville firefighters' need to a generous contact who gladly donated the tool. Firefighters from Morrisonville are currently training with the equipment as a need for their use, thankfully, has not yet presented itself since the donation. Deputy Chief Schott's dedication to the betterment of a department other than his own is commendable. Thank you, Deputy Schott, for your service, and may God bless our first responders.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Hugh Mahr, a West Point cadet from my district who displayed profound courage in saving the lives of two motorists last fall. Last November, Hugh and his parents encountered a traffic accident on the interstate while on their way to their home in Mt. Auburn. Hugh spared no time in approaching the vehicles, checking both the driver of the car and the driver of the tractor trailer. He quickly took control of the scene and determined that the driver of the car had a serious head injury. Hugh administered first aid, applied pressure to her wound, and successfully kept her conscious until first responders could arrive. Hugh also kept the tractor trailer driver from being removed from his vehicle until emergency personnel had evaluated the extent of his injuries, possibly saving his life. Without a doubt, Hugh showed true bravery in helping the individuals involved in the accident. He was awarded the Army Achievement Medal for his actions which, ``are in keeping with the finest traditions of military services and reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Corps of Cadets, the United States Military Academy, and the United States Army.'' I am immensely proud of Hugh for the selflessness he displayed in offering his assistance to civilians in need. I am glad he will soon join the finest men and women in our Armed Forces upon his completion at West Point. I thank Hugh for his courage. It is an honor to serve him in the United States Congress.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Edwardsville High School's senior guard Mark Smith, who is now better known as Mr. Basketball of Illinois for the 2016-2017 season. Mark received the Mr. Basketball honor after a senior season in which he filled up the stats sheet. Over the course of the season, Mark averaged 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He recorded double figures in 31 of the Tigers' 32 games, and had eight games in which he scored more than 30 points. In the championship game of the Ottawa sectional, Mark scored a career-high 45 points in Edwardsville's win over Danville. Outside of Mark's individual statistics, the Tigers' boys basketball season was an unforgettable one in the Metro East, as the team finished 30-2 and played in the Class 4A Super-Sectional in Normal. In addition to the Mr. Basketball honor, Mark was named the ``Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year,'' and has scholarship offers from multiple Division 1 schools. I had the opportunity to meet Mark at an event for the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities last month, and was truly impressed by this young man. I am proud to congratulate Mark on his spectacular senior season and receiving this honor, and look forward to continuing to follow his basketball career.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Willie Summerville, a friend and beloved community member, who passed away on March 7, 2017 at the age of 72. Willie served as choirmaster for the Saint Luke Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Champaign for over 50 years, and was a longtime music teacher in Champaign and Urbana schools and the University of Illinois. In addition, he served as choir director for several community choirs. The impact Willie left on the community stretches far beyond the conductor's podium. Willie found a passion in teaching others. He served as outreach coordinator for the African American Studies Program at the University and taught classes on African-American and European sacred music. He also offered his talents to music students of all ages through private lessons in voice and piano. Willie first arrived in Champaign-Urbana in the 1960s when he came to the area to play tuba for the Marching Illini. Since then, he has become a well-established musician and a respected community leader. Willie was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and most of all, he was a treasure in the Champaign-Urbana community who will be greatly missed. His love for music and his devotion to the community will always be remembered. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Edwardsville High School's senior guard Mark Smith, who is now better known as Mr. Basketball of Illinois for the 2016-2017 season. Mark received the Mr. Basketball honor after a senior season in which he filled up the stats sheet. Over the course of the season, Mark averaged 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He recorded double figures in 31 of the Tigers' 32 games, and had eight games in which he scored more than 30 points. In the championship game of the Ottawa sectional, Mark scored a career-high 45 points in Edwardsville's win over Danville. Outside of Mark's individual statistics, the Tigers boys' basketball season was an unforgettable one in the Metro East, as the team finished 30-2 and played in the Class 4A Super-Sectional in Normal. In addition to the Mr. Basketball honor, Mark was named the ``Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year,'' and has scholarship offers from multiple Division 1 schools. I am proud to congratulate Mark on his spectacular senior season and receiving this honor. I look forward to continuing to follow his basketball career.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I would be remiss if I didn't thank my colleague, who I was sworn in with in January of 2013 when she raised her right hand, as I did, on this floor to join this great institution, my colleague, Grace Meng, for being the sponsor of this piece of legislation. I thank Grace for her leadership, and also Ms. Blunt Rochester, the first woman elected to serve in this institution from the State of Delaware. It is humbling and an honor for me to be able to stand here and help manage this piece of legislation. She should be very proud of what she is doing today. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am glad to stand here with the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester), another one of our new colleagues on the House Committee on Agriculture, in support of H.R. 382, the 100 Years of Women in Congress Act. This legislation would honor a true pioneer of American politics by naming an important agricultural research program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the Jeannette Rankin Women and Minorities in STEM Fields Program. This competitive research grant program is designed to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I can think of no better person to identify with this important program than former Representative Rankin, who was the first woman to serve in this great institution, the United States House of Representatives, an achievement made even more significant by the fact that Ms. Rankin was elected to Congress several years prior to the ratification of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. I urge all of my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Washington, DC, March 16, 2017. Hon. Michael Conaway, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 382, the ``100 Years of Women in Congress Act,'' which was introduced on January 9, 2017. H.R. 382 contains provisions within the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology's Rule X jurisdiction. In order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with respect to the appointment of conferees, or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation. I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and would request that you include a copy of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, Lamar Smith, Chairman.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. 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 the bill under consideration.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 382) to amend the Department of Agriculture program for research and extension grants to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to redesignate the program as the ``Jeannette Rankin Women and Minorities in STEM Fields Program''.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, this is exactly why we are here today in a bipartisan way. The gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta) said it right: this affects his industry, and it affects his home area. As he likes to say, it is the salad bowl of America. I have been there, and I have seen the crops they grow. The crops I grow are much different in central Illinois, the crops that are grown by the farmers that I am proud to represent, but they all have to have a successful PRIA reauthorization to be able to grow those foods that we here in America continue to feed the world with and that we see in our grocery stores and on our supermarket shelves. Madam Speaker, I want to say thank you because this bill is essential, as we in central Illinois go out and take care of things such as making sure the weeds don't pop up in our yards. Every single small business that decides to put down product and pesticides to ensure that lawns in central Illinois continue to prosper as the spring and summer unfold, this is essential to their success. This is essential to our farmers, who are looking to get their fields ready to go plant, the stewards of the land, the best stewards of the land, as Congressman Panetta said. It assures them that they are going to be able to get that seed into the ground and, with the hope and prayers of rain and moisture, that it is going to grow and that we are still going to have a marketplace for those products. The risk that our farmers take every single year, when they risk and leverage their family incomes in many cases, in hopes that a seed is going to grow and a plant is going to grow, and they are going to be able to sell that, they need the certainty that this bill will actually give them. That is why I am proud to be here as the author, proud to stand with my colleagues. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), my good friend and colleague, I rise in strong support as the author of H.R. 1029, the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act of 2017, also known as PRIA. It is not every day in Washington that we see a bipartisan bill come to the House floor that is supported by both industry and industry advocates, but PRIA is that bill, Madam Speaker. PRIA initially passed in 2003, establishing a new section of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, or FIFRA, which put in place a fee schedule for registering pesticides with the EPA. More specifically, PRIA constructed time frames for when the EPA was required to make a determination on pesticide registrations. The goal of PRIA was to create a more predictable and effective evaluation process for pesticide decisionmaking by coupling the collection of fees with specific decision review periods. It also promoted shorter decision review periods for reduced-risk pesticides. The nature of PRIA is very technical, but the widespread benefits across industries has gained it consistent bipartisan support. PRIA is backed by a broad coalition comprised of the companies that rely on the registration process and also labor and environmental advocates. Each member of this broad coalition had a seat at the table when the Committee on Agriculture held a roundtable discussing the merits of the bill last month before it passed unanimously out of our House Committee on Agriculture. This reauthorization bill that we are considering also provides a few modifications, including reasonable increases in registration fees, funding for good laboratory practices, and added efforts to promote transparency. Although it has generally been a 5-year authorization, this bill would extend PRIA for 7 years. A lengthened reauthorization, we believe, is appropriate because PRIA has been proven effective, it has enjoyed widespread, bipartisan support, and to date each reauthorization has only involved minor adjustments. PRIA expires on September 30 of this year, and I am glad to be presenting this bill well in advance of that expiration date because we need to provide folks with the certainty they need to conduct their business, educate farmworkers, and keep the communication with EPA open and transparent. This is the fourth time PRIA has come before Congress for reauthorization, and that is because it is working for everyone. It has always been a bipartisan effort, and we hope to continue that tradition. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense reauthorization. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, March 16, 2017. Hon. K. Michael Conaway, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Conaway: I write in regard to H.R. 1029, Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act of 2017, which was referred in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I wanted to notify you that the Committee will forgo action on the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. The Committee on Energy and Commerce takes this action with our mutual understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 1029, the Committee does not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation and will be appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar legislation moves forward to address any remaining issues within the Committee's jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation and asks that you support any such request. I would appreciate your response confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 1029 and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in your committee's report on the legislation or the Congressional Record during its consideration on the House floor. Sincerely, Greg Walden, Chairman.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. 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 the bill under consideration.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1029) to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to improve pesticide registration and other activities under the Act, to extend and modify fee authorities, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, March 16, 2017, I was absent from the House due to traffic delays related to motorcade activity. Due to my absence, I did not record any votes for the first vote series of the day. I would like to reflect how I would have voted had I been present for legislative business Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on Roll Call 162, and Roll Call 163. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on Roll Call 164.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 162, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 163. personal explanation