Rodney Frelinghuysen

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, for the past two years, it has been my immense honor to serve as Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. This esteemed committee is charged with the ``power of the purse'' under the Constitution, and I did not take this responsibility lightly. In leading this committee, I had a singular focus on ``getting our work done.'' I am proud to say that in Fiscal Year 2019, we achieved something that hasn't been done in over two decades--passing five Appropriations bills ahead of the end of the fiscal year. This is not a remarkable feat nor one that deserves applause. But it is historic, and it signifies that we were able to do what the American people sent us here to do: govern responsibly. This was a critical step in returning to the regular federal funding process. These bills, which fund 75 percent of the federal government, included full funding for the Department of Defense and critical national security programs. My deepest devotion has always been to our men and women in uniform, all volunteers--to ensure they have the resources they need to fight and succeed in our missions. For their service and sacrifice, they must know they have the full support of the government behind them. I am proud to say we achieved that, providing stability and predictability where there had been none for many years. And we were able to provide historic levels of funding for the care of our veterans who have served our nation. Prior to this year, we laid the groundwork for this relative success. In Fiscal Year 2018, we passed all 12 bills in record time through ``regular order,'' and three Disaster Supplemental Appropriations bills, historic in scope, to help our fellow citizens in their times of need. It is the duty of Congress to help communities and families recover in times of great tragedy and emergencies, and the Appropriations Committee was consistently able to respond quickly and get resources into the hands of many communities, states, and regions of our nation. We achieved this all through an open and transparent process. Over the past two years, we held 160 oversight and budget hearings, received and considered tens of thousands of requests from members, and brought many bills to the floor under an open amendment process. Of this, the committee should be very proud. One of the hallmarks of the committee is the collegiality and bipartisan spirit in which our members work. Although we did not agree on everything, we all have great respect for the committee and our Constitutional duty to fund the government. Working in this manner best serves our districts, our states, and our country. I owe a debt of gratitude to my colleagues on the Committee, especially the Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members, for their work over the past two years. They have fought ferociously for their priorities, and their intentions have always been to make this nation a better place to live and work: The Ranking Member of the full committee and the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and incoming Chairwoman, Mrs. Lowey of New York. The Chairwoman of the Defense Subcommittee and incoming full committee Ranking Member, Ms. Granger of Texas. The Ranking Member of the Defense Subcommittee, Mr. Visclosky of Indiana. The Chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee, Mr. Aderholt of Alabama. The Ranking Member of the Agriculture Subcommittee, Mr. Bishop of Georgia. The Chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee, Mr. Culberson of Texas. The Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee, Mr. Serrano of New York. The Chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Mr. Simpson of Idaho. The Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Ms. Kaptur of Ohio. The Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee, Mr. Graves of Georgia. The Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee, Mr. Quigley of Illinois. The Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, Mr. Yoder of Kansas. The Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, Ms. Roybal- Allard of California. The Chairman of the Interior Subcommittee, Mr. Calvert of California. The Ranking Member of the Interior Subcommittee, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota. The Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, Mr. Cole of Oklahoma. The Ranking Member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, Ms. DeLauro of Connecticut. The Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Mr. Fortenberry of Nebraska. The Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Mr. Ryan of Ohio. The Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Mr. Carter of Texas. The Ranking Member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, Ms. Wasserman Schultz of Florida. The Chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee and Chairman Emeritus, Mr. Rogers of Kentucky. The Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee, Mr. Diaz-Balart of Florida, and The Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee, Mr. Price of North Carolina. And the 27 other members who served the House Appropriations Committee in the 115th Congress with honor and dedication. The committee would not have achieved all we did without the work of our faithful staff. These men and women spent countless hours-- sacrificing time with their families, including holidays--preparing for many public hearings and shepherding our legislation to the House floor and to passage. I cannot thank them enough for their time, energy, and professional expertise: From our front office Nancy Fox, Staff Director; Maureen Holohan, Shannon O'Keefe, Jennifer Hing, Jason Gray, Marta Hernandez, Tammy Hughes, Rachel Kahler, Parker Van de Water, Tom Doelp, and the late Stephen Sepp. The Majority's subcommittee professional staff Tom O'Brien, Andrew Cooper, Justin Masucci, John Martens, Jeff Ashford, Leslie Albright, Colin Samples, Taylor Kelly, Jennifer Miller, Walter Hearne, Brooke Boyer, BG Wright, Allison Deters, Sherry Young, Matt Bower. Jackie Ripke, Hayden Milberg, Bill Adkins, Barry Walker, Angie Giancarlo, Loraine Heckenberg, Perry Yates, Amy Murphy, Dena Baron, Ariana Sarar, Marybeth Nassif, Brad Allen, Donna Shahbaz, Kris Mallard, Laura Cylke, Robert Joachim. Dave Roth, Darren Benjamin, Betsy Bina, Jaclyn Kilroy, Kristin Richmond, Susan Ross, Jennifer Cama, Justin Gibbons, Karyn Richman, Lori Bias, Jennifer Panone, Tim Monahan, Sue Quantius, Sarah Young, Kiya Batmanglidj. Tracey Russell, Craig Higgins, Susan Adams, David Bortnick, Winnie Chang, Dean Koulouris, Clelia Alvarado, Doug Disrud, Cheryle Tucker, Carl Barrick, Jennifer Hollrah, Matt Anderson. And in the minority Shalanda Young, Staff Director; Chris Bigelow; Bob Bonner, Martha Foley, Steve Marchese, Joe Carlile, Matt Washington, Matthew Smith, Darek Newby, Erin Kolodjeski, Becky Leggieri, David Reich. Angela Ohm, Stephen Steigleder, Lisa Molyneux, Rita Culp, Jocelyn Hunn, Robin Juliano, Adam Berg, Jennifer Chartrand, Jaime Shimek, Evan Hollander, Jeri Sparling, Tom Tucker. I salute each and every member of the Professional Staff of the House Appropriations Committee--who are truly the unsung heroes of Congress. My father, a former Member of Congress himself, reminded me often that as Members of Congress, we are temporary stewards of the public trust. I have sincerely endeavored to earn that trust every day. I thank my colleagues for placing their confidence in me as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I thank my personal office staff in Morristown, NJ, and Washington, D.C., and most importantly, I thank my constituents and my home state for the honor of a lifetime serving as the Representative from New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to vote ``yes'' on the bill, to keep the government open until February 8, to support critical border security, which is badly needed, and to look after the needs of so many Americans who have suffered from so many disasters over this past year. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the Republican whip.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), a member of the committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Rice).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Poliquin).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice). (Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), who is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

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

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 695, a bill making further additional continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2019. This measure keeps our government open until February 8, 2019, and prevents a costly, destabilizing government shutdown. This continuing resolution reflects the House position on border security and provides $5 billion for the construction of physical barriers at our borders. This is the same amount that was provided in the Homeland Security funding bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee back in July of this year. In addition, this legislation includes $7.8 billion in supplemental funding for disaster relief. Congress has always been responsive to hurricanes, and wildfires, and typhoons, and other natural disasters. We must continue to do so to help our fellow Americans as they rebuild their lives and livelihoods. I don't support a government shutdown, and I never have. Americans deserve stability and predictability of a government that is 100 percent operational. I would have much preferred to complete negotiations on our remaining seven bills with our Senate counterparts, but there were several very challenging issues that remained. As I stated before, a continuing resolution is the last resort when it comes to funding the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I urge the Senate to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1183, I call up the bill (H.R. 695) to amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a voluntary national criminal history background check system and criminal history review program for certain individuals who, related to their employment, have access to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call 430, I am not recorded. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 430.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Earl ``Rusty'' Powell III, on the occasion of his retirement, after 26 years as director of the National Gallery of Art, located in Washington, D.C. Rusty is a graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. After graduating with degrees in art history and European history, Rusty served three years of active duty as an officer with the United States Navy, including a tour in Vietnam before joining the reserves. After his service, Rusty continued his education at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts earning both his masters and doctorate degrees in art history. Prior to his directorship at the National Gallery, Rusty served as a professor of art history at the University of Texas and was director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In 1992, Rusty was named director of the National Gallery of Art. During his tenure, the Gallery has undergone major renovations including the creation of the Sculpture Garden and the expansion and complete renovation of the East Wing. In addition to the growth of the physical structure, the National Gallery's collection has continued to grow while increasing recognition for underrepresented and living artists. Rusty focused on utilizing the permanent collection in new ways rather than large loan exhibits. In addition to his work at the National Gallery, Rusty serves as the chailman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and a trustee of the American Federation of the Arts, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Norton Simon Museum, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the White House Historical Association. He is a member of numerous arts organizations, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Academy Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, among others. Rusty's awards include the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur and the Officier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, both from France; the Commendatore dell'Ordine al Merito della Republica Italiana; the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle; Norway's King Olav Medal; the Williams College Bicentennial Medal; the Centennial Medal, awarded by the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary; and the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 2014. With Rusty's leadership and support over the last 26 years, every division at the Gallery has experienced tremendous growth and contributed to art historical scholarship, conservation, and museology at the highest standard of excellence. Since Powell's first year as director in 1992, the Gallery has welcomed more than 122 million visitors. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating Rusty, on the occasion of his retirement, after 26 years of exceptional service to the National Gallery of Art.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday, December 10, 2018, for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Appropriations be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 143) making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on roll calls 421 and 422, I am not recorded. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call No. 421; and Yea on Roll Call No. 422.

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 teams, 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 makeup 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 2 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 50 applicants. The Board's recommendations are then forwarded to the academies, where recruiters review files and notify applicants 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, no doubt 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 2019, 11th Congressional District Air Force Academy Matthew Forget, St. Peter's Preparatory School James Galbraith, Morristown High School Sarah Houser, Morristown High School Justus von Lengerke, Montclair Kimberly Academy Lazarra Mazza-Hilway, Passaic Valley High School John Pendergrast, West Morris Mendham High School Paul Rickershauser, Morristown High School Bradley Rindos, Chatham High School Rachel Schneider, Passaic County Technical Institute Tori Seeland, Sparta High School Merchant Marine Academy Connor Collins, Mountain Lakes High School Mission Kercher, Mountain Lakes High School Ryan Mayes, Chatham High School Mason Morales, Bloomfield High School Grace Rose, Passaic Valley Regional High School Carter Sheridan, Sparta High School Military Academy Russell Eberding, U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School Reilly Hughes, Montclair Kimberly Academy Sean Lee, Chatham High School Patrick McGurrin, Sparta High School Colin Morgan, West Orange High School Pierce Moul, West Orange High School Maria Pacelli, Wayne Valley High School Connor Tsikitas, St. Joseph's Regional High School Edward Wolf, Depaul Catholic High School Kai Youngren, Newark Academy Naval Academy Matthew Dubois, Xavier High School Stuart Fechhelm, West Morris Mendham High School Nicolas Galup, St. Peter's Preparatory School Douglas Gologorsky, Montville Township High School Arush Naidu, Delbarton High School Calvin Poche, University of Wisconsin-Madison William Stoddard, Sparta High School Quinten Tomaro, Chatham High School Sarah Williams, Morristown-Beard School Antonio Zaccaria, West Essex Regional High School

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Paul Boudreau on the occasion of his retirement after 10 years as President of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, located in the Borough of Florham Park, County of Morris, New Jersey. Paul A. Boudreau is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire in Durham. After receiving his Masters Degree at the University of Maine, he ran successfully for the Maine House of Representatives in 1976 and 1978. Paul also worked for Scott Paper Company, after his two legislative terms, as Manager of Public Affairs, New England Region. In 1983, he joined Allied Corporation (Honeywell) and moved to Detroit, Michigan as manager, government and public affairs, for company operations in six mid-western states. In 1996, he returned to Morris Township, New Jersey, as Director of State Government Relations. In this capacity, he was responsible for state and local government relations in North America. He also served for six years as Executive Director of the Honeywell Foundation and was a member of the company's Political Action Committee Board for ten years. During his career at Honeywell, he worked on business-critical issues covering twenty-five states. He retired as Vice President of State and Corporate Relations after twenty-five years with the company. Paul joined the Chamber in the summer of 2008. He has led the effort to grow the organization from 660 members in 2008 to 840 today. Under his leadership the chamber's Economic Development Corporation is providing value added services to organizations to retain and growing jobs in Morris County. He has served in leadership roles with a number of state and local organizations including the New Jersey Business & Industry Association; the Chemical Industry Council of New Jersey; United Way of Morris County; the Community Soup Kitchen; the Morris County Airport Advisory Committee; the Somerset Hills YMCA and other organizations. In 2012, Paul was nominated by Governor Chris Christie and confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate to serve with six other commissioners on the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). PERC is a state administrative agency charged with administering the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act. The agency deals with certain labor relations issues involving public employers, public employees, and unions that represent public employees. Paul is a strong team player with a proven track record of successfully working with cross functional teams, and worked closely with Chamber staff, Cabinet members and general membership. His leadership has been invaluable to New Jersey and to the preservation and expansion of Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township, and multiple programs that serve active duty servicemen and women, their families, and veterans. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating Paul on the occasion of his retirement from the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.