Rodney Frelinghuysen

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. James Matthew Evans, the late Landscape Architect of the United States Capitol. Matthew was an essential fixture in Washington on Capitol Hill during his prestigious tenure from 1995 to 2011 as Landscape Architect for the United States Capitol Building and Grounds. He was well regarded by his colleagues, friends and many Members of Congress, alike, for both his friendly disposition and admirable work ethic. Matthew was dedicated to ensuring that the Capitol was well maintained, and made countless contributions to the aesthetics and design of its gardens and grounds. Prior to his work for the United States Capitol, Matthew honed his skills by working as a landscape designer in the private sector. While serving as Landscape Architect of the Capitol, Matthew worked to maintain hundreds of trees, shrubs, and millions of plants and annuals, and preserved perennial plantings around the 290 acre Capitol Complex, and oversaw the dedication of commemorative trees for many notable figures. In addition, Matthew was directly responsible for the design and upkeep of Bartholdi Park, located between the Rayburn House Office Building and United States Botanic Garden. Matthew was also the author of a book titled The Landscape Architecture of Washington D.C., a studied compilation of notable sites and places around the District of Columbia. He was a real student of history. Matthew is remembered by his wife Ruth Ann, whom he was married to for over thirty four years, and by his two daughters Kathy and Heidi. All of us take this moment to recognize and appreciate those, like Matthew Evans, who worked behind the scenes to keep our nation's Capitol and grounds beautiful for decades. Mr. Speaker, I now ask that you and our colleagues join me in honoring the life of James Matthew Evans, retired Landscape Architect of the Capitol.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement from Federal service we rise to thank Jay S. Miller for 28 years of outstanding dedicated service. Most recently Mr. Miller served as the Chief Financial Officer for the United States Capitol Police (USCP). Mr. Miller joined the USCP in 2011 bringing with him extensive experience in tax reporting, financial statement preparation, strategic planning and internal controls which proved to be invaluable to the USCP. Mr. Miller's ability to motivate and lead those that worked around him, often times through an infectious sense of humor, was instrumental in creating positive change. This type of impactful leadership set a tone within the department that will be felt for many years. Mr. Miller provided outstanding assistance to the Committee on Appropriations and set a standard that will be hard to replicate. Prior to joining the United States Capitol, Mr. Miller served in a variety of roles at the Library of Congress and the U.S. Agency for International Development. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives we congratulate Jay on a job well done and nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, today as I announce my retirement at the end of this session of Congress, I want to use the opportunity to strongly encourage the many young people I meet to consider public service. Public service is an incredible way to turn your convictions into something that serves the greater good and to do it alongside people from every walk of life and background. That has certainly been my experience here in this House, and during my Army service in Vietnam. I thank my friends and colleagues with whom I have served. My years in public service have allowed me to represent my home county of Morris for over 40 years, and also Essex, Passaic, Sussex Counties, and earlier on, Somerset. That would not have been possible without the love and support of my wife, Virginia, our two girls and my late father and mentor, Peter. The unsung heroes of my time in Congress are my staff, both in Morristown and Washington, who tend every day to the needs of 730,000 constituents. During my time serving here there have been times of great tragedy including the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the ravages of Hurricane Sandy on my home state. In my role on the House Appropriations Committee, I made sure that New Jersey's needs were met in both the immediate aftermath as well as over time in the wake of these events. I have proudly been able to secure key federal investments for New Jersey to strengthen our economy, our institutions of higher education, our hospitals and public transportation systems, to preserve open space and protect the environment and to better serve our veterans and our fellow citizens with mental illness and disabilities. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, this past year I have had a singular focus on ``getting our work done''. We completed 12 appropriations bills left over from 2017, we passed all 2018 bills in record time through regular order, and three Disaster Supplementals historic in scope and the expediency with which we acted to help our fellow citizens. In my remaining year as chairman, I am determined to finish the FY18 bills and pass our FY19 bills through regular order. Every member, Republican and Democrat, will continue to have ample opportunity to directly impact the Congressional power of the purse and decide the best and highest use of limited taxpayer money. This will require--and I will happily devote--all my energies to this task. Throughout my service in this House, my deepest devotion has been to supporting our Armed Forces, all volunteers, and their families, here and abroad, and those warfighters who have returned home with injuries and who depend on a functioning veterans' health care system. To those of you I have met while you served us overseas and to those of you that I have sat by your bedside, I hope and trust I have served you well. I have worked in a bipartisan manner, not just in times of crisis but always, because I believe it best serves my constituents, my state and our country. My father reminded me often that we are temporary stewards of the public trust. I have sincerely endeavored to earn that trust every day and I thank my constituents and my home state of New Jersey for the honor to serve and I will continue to do so to the best of my abilities through the end of my term.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman from Texas for her time and for her leadership on national security and intelligence issues. Indeed, I would like to thank all members of the subcommittee-- Republican and Democrat--and the staff for their hard work to assure defense and intelligence funding and also for their work on a variety of continuing resolutions that relate to the same. Mr. Speaker, I rise, once again, to support this Defense Appropriations bill just as I did in July and again in September. I visited our troops in Iraq twice last year in addition to official trips to north Africa and Southeast Asia. My goal is always to assess U.S. posture in those regions militarily and diplomatically. I can tell you, from those experiences, our Nation's competitive military advantage is badly eroding, and our allies, partners, and adversaries know it. So how have we responded? The reality is: not well enough. In fact, we have pushed our military towards its breaking point. Instead of upgrading our hardware, we have allowed our equipment to age. Instead of arming our troops for tomorrow's fight, we have let them become seriously under-equipped. Instead of rightsizing our Armed Forces, we have reduced their size. Mr. Speaker, we ask a great deal of our men and women in uniform. We ask them to leave their families to complete difficult training. We ask them to move from duty station to duty station without complaint. We ask them to tolerate long deployments far from home. We ask them to carry out dangerous missions in dangerous corners of the world. We ask them to reenlist with their families to preserve the strength of our Armed Forces. Every passing day of reduced military funding levels creates an ever- increasing risk for our men and women on the front lines. We should not ask them to continue to do more with less. This full-year Defense Appropriations bill needs to be enacted now, and may I say the other 11 appropriations bills as well.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, every year, more high school seniors from the 11th Congressional District trade in varsity jackets for Navy pea coats, Air Force flight suits, and Army brass buckles than most other districts in the country. In fact, this is nothing new--our area has repeatedly sent an above average portion of its sons and daughters to the nation's military academies for decades. This fact should not come as a surprise. The educational excellence of area schools is well known and has long been a magnet for families looking for the best environment in which to raise their children. Our graduates are skilled not only in mathematics, science, and social studies, but also have solid backgrounds in sports, debate, and other extracurricular activities. This diverse upbringing makes military academy recruiters sit up and take note--indeed, many recruiters know our towns and schools by name. Since the 1830s, Members of Congress have enjoyed meeting, talking with, and nominating superb young people to our military academies. But how did this process evolve? In 1843, when West Point was the sole academy, Congress ratified the nominating process and became directly involved in the composition of our military's leadership. This was not an act of an imperial Congress bent on controlling every aspect of government. Rather, the procedure still used today was, and is, a further check and balance in our democracy. It was originally designed to weaken and divide political coloration in the officer corps, provide geographical balance to our armed services, and to make the officer corps more resilient to unfettered nepotism and handicapped European armies. In 1854, Representative Gerritt Smith of New York added a new component to the academy nomination process, the academy review board. This was the first time a Member of Congress appointed prominent citizens from his district to screen applicants and assist with the serious duty of nominating candidates for academy admission. Today, I am honored to continue this wise tradition in my service to the 11th Congressional District. My Academy Review Board is composed of local citizens who have shown exemplary service to New Jersey, to their communities, and to the continued excellence of education in our area; many are veterans. Although from diverse backgrounds and professions, they all share a common vision, that the best qualified and motivated graduates attend our academies. And, as true for most volunteer panels, their service goes largely unnoticed. I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank them publicly for participating in this important panel. Being on the board requires hard work and an objective mind. Members have the responsibility of interviewing upwards of 50 outstanding young men and women every year in the academy review process. The nomination process follows a general timetable. High school seniors mail personal information directly to the Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy once they become interested in attending. Information includes academic achievement, college entry test scores, and other activities. At this time, they also inform my office of their desire to be nominated. The academies then assess the applicants, rank them based on the data supplied, and return the files to my office with their notations. In late November, our Academy Review Board interviews all of the applicants over the course of two days. They assess a student's qualifications and analyze character, desire to serve, and other talents that may not appear on paper. This year the board interviewed over 40 applicants. The Board's recommendations were then forwarded to the academies, where recruiters reviewed files and notified applicants and my office of their final decision on admission. As these highly motivated and talented young men and women go through the academy nominating process, never let us forget the sacrifice they are preparing to make: to defend our country and protect our citizens. This holds especially true at a time when our nation is fighting the war against terrorism. Whether it is in the Middle East, Africa or other troubled spots around the world, we are constantly reminded that wars are fought by the young. And, while our military missions are both important and dangerous, it is reassuring to know that we continue to put America's best and brightest in command. Academy Nominees for 2018, 11th Congressional District Air Force Academy Annie Guo, Livingston, Livingston High School; Hayley Zwickel, Pine Brook, Montville Township High School; Griffin Heyrich, Madison, Madison High School; Sarah Houser, Morristown, Morristown High School; Apurva Memani, Livingston, Pingry School; Rushi Desai, Parsippany, Morris Hills High School; Tyler Kim, Montville, Montville Township High School. Merchant Marine Academy Anthony Corso, Fairfield, Maritime College, State University of New York; Alexander Schlegel, Mendham, West Morris Mendham High School; Thomas Rodgers, Caldwell, James Caldwell High School. Naval Academy Juliana Valencia, Pompton Lakes, Pompton Lakes High School; Andre Papasavas, Woodland Park, Passaic Valley High School; Grace Perrotta, Bloomfield, Bloomfield High School; Peter Yamasaki, Pequannock, Trinity Christian School; Morgan La Sala, Wayne, Wayne Valley High School; Brendan Flood, Denville, Seton Hall Preparatory School; Calvin Poche, Morristown, Morristown-Beard School; Joseph Rosowicz, Chatham, Regis High School; Daniel DuBois, Wayne, Don Bosco Preparatory School; Andrew Lee, East Hanover, Oratory Preparatory. Military Academy Ajay Hariharan, Randolph, Randolph High School; Charles Marashlian, North Caldwell, Seton Hall Preparatory School; Timothy Cieslak, Wayne, Rensselaer PolyTechnic Institute; Alyssa Chellaraj, Morris Plains, Parsippany Christian School; Jeffrey Sun, Mendham, Morris Hills High School; Timothy Higgins, Morris Plains, Chatham High School; Spencer Cowen, North Caldwell, West Essex Regional High School; Patrick MacLean, Mendham, West Morris Mendham High School; Matthew Rothman, Pequannock, Pequannock High School; Aaron Tam, Pompton Lakes, Rutgers University.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the further consideration of H.R. 195.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 696, I call up the bill (H.R. 195) to amend title 44, United States Code, to restrict the distribution of free printed copies of the Federal Register to Members of Congress and other officers and employees of the United States, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart), the chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations.

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

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise this afternoon to present the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 195, the Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act of 2018. This critical legislation extends government funding through February 16. Our current funding expires tomorrow night, and if Congress does not pass this bill and the President does not sign it into law before then, the government will shut down. It is our congressional duty to prevent that from happening and to ensure that the American people have access to government programs and services they depend on. The additional time, just under a month, will allow congressional leadership and the White House to come to a final budget agreement. This legislation includes a very limited number of technical changes to ensure good governance. The bill also includes language to continue the Children's Health Insurance Program through fiscal year 2023 to help sick children from low-income families get better and to ensure they have healthy and happy futures. Additionally, this proposal extends several healthcare-related tax provisions. Mr. Speaker, a continuing resolution is not the preferred way to conduct the Nation's fiscal business, but at this point it is absolutely necessary to avoid a costly, destabilizing government shutdown. It is my hope that this will be the last continuing resolution, that leadership of the House and Senate and the White House will quickly come to an agreement on top-line spending levels and that we can complete our appropriations work for fiscal year 2018 in short order. It is critical that we enact all 12 full-year funding bills to ensure that our Armed Forces have the resources they need to accomplish their missions both at home and abroad and that our government supports and maintains programs that are important to the lives and livelihoods of all Americans. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this critical legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), the vice chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. (Mr. BARTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Energy.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Lance).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Flores).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), chairwoman of the Ethics Committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Cramer).