Rodney Frelinghuysen

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this bill--put together after eight public hearings, input from all Governors, all Members of Congress, and all Delegates, especially those who represent Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and California--represents a fair and a compassionate treatment of all hurricane and fire victims. Like the first two emergency supplementals put together by our leadership, our committee, and Congress, we acted within days to help. I ask that we do it again this afternoon without delay. Get this $81 billion disaster package into the hands of the States, the territories, and the communities that continue to suffer. Let me associate myself with the remarks of our majority leader. Let's get the money into those communities that have been suffering. That money is going to the Virgin Islands, it is going to Puerto Rico, and it is going to Florida, Texas, and California. There has been no discrimination at all. This bill has been put together with the cooperation of all the chairs and ranking members, and it deserves to be acted on promptly. People are suffering. Let's get the money out the door to help them as we have done in the past on the first two supplementals. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1370.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1370. This legislation keeps the government fully open, funds important national security priorities, and temporarily extends critical government programs like the Children's Health Insurance Program, the National Flood Insurance Program, and section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Our duty to the American people is to keep them secure and to ensure they have access to the government programs and services they depend on. The House must pass this bill now, today. Without acting on this bill, existing government funding will expire tomorrow, and the government will shut down. This legislation provides a simple, clean extension of current funding levels through January of 2018. This additional time will allow House and Senate leadership to complete their negotiations on overall spending levels. Once that is determined, my committee will complete negotiations with the Senate on all 12 appropriations bills for the rest of fiscal year 2018. In the meantime, it is essential that Congress maintain government programs and services--for our Nation's stability, the stability of our economy, and for the security and well-being of the American people. This bill also supports national security by providing an additional $4.7 billion in emergency funding to bolster missile defense, to protect against growing threats, and to repair damaged Navy ships. In addition, the bill also includes $2.1 billion in mandatory funding for the VA Choice Program. This funding will guarantee that our veterans continue to have access to the medical care they need and deserve. Along with important funding for our Armed Forces and veterans, this bill contains temporary extensions of several critical programs that millions of Americans rely on. These include the Children's Health Insurance Program, the National Flood Insurance Program, and section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Mr. Speaker, before I close, again, I would like to thank the 12 Appropriations chairs, our 12 clerks, and the very professional staff of the Appropriations Committee for working overtime to bring this bill and others before the House today. We cannot delay on passing this critical legislation, funding the government, protecting our Nation, and extending essential programs that hardworking Americans rely on every day. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe), the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to keep the government open for business, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in consideration of H.J. Res. 123.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 647, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 123) making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to present H.J. Res. 123, a continuing resolution that maintains funding for Federal Government operations and prevents a shutdown. Current funding legislation expires tomorrow, Friday, December 8. Congress must act now to prevent a government shutdown and preserve vital Federal programs that Americans rely on. This action is critical to our Nation's stability, our national security, our economic health, and the well-being of the American people. This simple, clean extension of funding provides fiscal year 2018 funding for government programs through December 22, an additional 2 weeks, and will allow time for leadership to reach a deal on overall topline spending levels for the 2018 fiscal year. I would note that the executive branch supports adoption of this continuing resolution. Yesterday's Statement of Administration Policy says: ``This legislation funds the Federal Government at current spending levels without unnecessary extraneous provisions.'' It concludes that his advisers would recommend that the President sign the bill into law. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the December 6 Statement of Administration Policy regarding H.J. Res. 123. Statement of Administration Policy h.j. res. 123--further continuing appropriations act, 2018--rep. frelinghuysen, r-nj The Administration supports House passage of H.J. Res. 123, the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018. This legislation funds the Federal Government at current spending levels without unnecessary extraneous provisions through December 22, 2017, while the Congress continues to work on a longer-term funding agreement. The legislation also includes language to ensure that States and Territories have adequate funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through December. The Administration believes that funding for national security, including for our military, to secure the Southern Border, and to enhance missile defense capabilities, must be prioritized in a long-term funding agreement, and will continue working with the Congress to achieve that goal. If H.J. Res. 123 was presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign the bill into law.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, the House has completed our appropriations work over 80 days ago, passing all 12 bills before the end of the last fiscal year for the first time in nearly a decade. This included critical, important funding for national defense and other important matters. Unfortunately, the Appropriations Committee cannot proceed without an agreement with the Senate on overall funding levels. The reality is that we are running into a deadline this week, and this resolution is our best and only option at this time. Once a broader budget agreement has been reached, which I hope will be soon, the committee will continue its work to complete final negotiations with the Senate on all 12 of the regular appropriations bills that will fully fund the Federal Government through September of next year. Our committee is also moving quickly to act on a third emergency supplemental funding bill to help our communities across the Nation recover from recent major disasters. In the meantime, Congress must do its job and pass the continuing resolution and then another one into the new year to keep the government open and ensure that all important Federal services are available to all Americans. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this necessary and responsible legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), my colleague, and the distinguished chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from California.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the chairman of the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.