Gene Green

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, bipartisan legislation that will help stem the tide against the Nation's opioid crisis and support Americans overcoming opioid addiction. In 2016 alone, 42,000 Americans died from opioids, including prescription pain relievers and illicit opioids like fentanyl. This is a serious national crisis that affects public health and the social and economic welfare of communities throughout our great country. The Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, which I am proud to serve on as ranking member, held several hearings on the opioid crisis last spring. I am proud to see our committee and both Chambers of Congress come together and support the package before us today that includes the Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act that I introduced, along with my friend Representative Brett Guthrie from Kentucky, earlier this year. This legislation would fund designated treatment centers where Americans suffering from opioid abuse can receive comprehensive patient-centered care. The bill would allow designated treatment centers to provide wraparound services, including mental health, counseling, recovery housing, and job training and placement to support reintegration into the workforce. These wraparound services have been shown to help many Americans successfully overcome opioid addition. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act includes several provisions to combat this crisis, including strengthening the Federal Government's authority to restrict illegal drugs entering our country, and providing Medicaid for at-risk youth and former foster children. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and support this important legislation.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against H.R. 6760, the Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Acts of 2018, along with the two other bills packaged into what is being called Tax Reform 2.0. H.R. 6760 is a continuation of the GOP's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was pushed into law in December 2017. This 2017 tax law is a scam on the American public, and the legislation before us today is more of the same. The fundamental problem with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is that its goal was never to help the average American. Instead, it helps out large corporations and wealthy individuals by dramatically decreasing their tax rates. H.R. 6760 doubles down on these regressive policies, doing nothing to even the playing field for millions of working Americans struggling to enter or stay in the middle class. Like the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 6760 continues to favor high-income individuals over middle- and working- class Americans. To make matters worse, H.R. 6760 adds to the large debt we have as a nation. According to the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 6760 alone would increase the deficit by $631 billion over the next ten years. At a time when the deficit is already too high, we need to start figuring out ways to stop the deficit from growing, not adding to it. A growing deficit only means that critical benefits that Americans use every day, like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will be diminished or demolished as a way to pay for this unfair and flawed tax legislation. Ending crucial benefits that Americans rely on every day is another attack on the very people who sent us here. Instead of continuing to hurt Americans, Congress must come together to create a tax code that is fair for all American workers and the middle class. I urge my colleagues to create a tax code that evens out the playing field for American workers, strengthens working families, and helps our economy benefit all Americans.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act. In an era of partisanship, bipartisan legislation like this bill is sorely needed. A little over a year ago, Houston was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Recovering from a storm of that magnitude doesn't happen in a single year. The Houston ship channel is still in need of dredging just to return to the authorized depth that we were at before the storm hit. That is why bills like this one are so important. In this legislation, the Army Corps of Engineers will receive just under $7 billion, $171.5 million above the 2018 enacted level. The Army Corps works hand in hand with local organizations like the Port of Houston and Harris County Flood Control in our district to repair damage from previous storms and mitigate future risk. It is essential that we fund the corps at an adequate level that ensures that we are constructing projects that limit future damage, not just repair the damage already there. I am pleased to see that funding levels have increased in this year's bill, but more needs to be done. This issue is not a partisan one and affects districts far and wide. I am also pleased to see that the harbor maintenance trust fund will receive $1.55 billion, $149 million over the 2018 allocation and $584 million above the request. Ports are the economic drivers are our country. At the Port of Houston, we had drafting restrictions that affected safety and commerce for months because of Hurricane Harvey. While I am pleased that we are increasing the allocated money this year, there is still an injustice that needs to be corrected with the harbor maintenance trust fund. Around $1.8 billion in harbor maintenance tax is collected every year through port user fees. When Congress enacted this fund, it intended to use the revenue to ensure that no port would be in need of dredging and that the people who use the port have a hand in funding the maintenance. It is essential that, in future years, Congress rectifies this issue and ensures that all money collected from usage of our ports goes directly to funding their maintenance, generating further economic activity. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act. In an era partisanship, bipartisan legislation like this bill is sorely needed. A little over a year ago, Houston was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Recovery from a storm of that magnitude doesn't happen in a single year. The Houston ship channel is still in need of dredging just to return to the authorized depth that we were at before the storm hit. That is why bills like this one are so important. In this legislation, the Army Corps of Engineers will receive just under $7 billion, $171.5 million above the 2018 enacted level. The Army Corps works hand in hand with local organizations like the Port and Harris County Flood Control in our district to repair damage from previous storms and mitigate future risk. It is essential that we fund the Corps at an adequate level that ensures that we are constructing projects that limit future damage, not just repair the damage already there. I am pleased to see that funding levels have increased in this year's bill, but more needs to be done. This issue is not a partisan one and affects districts far and wide. I am also pleased to see that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund will receive $1.55 billion, $149 million over the 2018 allocation and $584 million above the request. Ports are the economic drivers of the country. At the Port of Houston we had drafting restrictions that affected safety and commerce for months after Harvey. While I am pleased that we are increasing the allocated money this year, there is still an injustice that needs to be corrected with the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. Around $1.8 billion in Harbor Maintenance Tax is collected every year through port user fees. When Congress enacted this fund it intended to use the revenue to ensure that no port would be in need of dredging and that the people who use the port have a hand in funding the maintenance. It is essential that in future years Congress rectifies this issue and ensures that all money collected from the usage of our ports goes directly to funding their maintenance, generating further economic activity. While there is work still to be done, this bill moves the ball forward and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and more than a dozen Republican attorneys general began their case in a Texas Federal court arguing that the Affordable Care Act's preexisting protection is unconstitutional. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 130 million adults under age 65 have preexisting conditions. Prohibiting health insurance providers from denying coverage to Americans with preexisting conditions remains one of the most popular parts of the Affordable Care Act. If the court were to strike that part of the law, thousands of American families would be denied coverage or go broke because of the unaffordable health costs. We can't roll back the clock. I am shocked it is my home State taking the lead on this divisive issue when Texas still has the highest number of uninsured individuals in the Nation. What is more frustrating is Mr. Paxton stated in court briefs that States challenging the ACA should be able to eliminate protections if the judge does not decide to strike the law entirely. People need certainty in their healthcare, not politics.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Chair, I want to thank our ranking member for yielding me the time. I rise in support of H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act. This bill has been worked on in good faith with Mr. Johnson--I thank him for his kind words--which would expedite U.S. small-volume LNG exports, so long as they do not require an environmental impact assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. Natural gas production has dramatically increased all across the country thanks to the energy revolution that we have seen in the last 10 years. We are now able to get gas out of shelves long thought impossible. The U.S. has enough natural gas to meet our own energy needs for over a century. Soon, we also will be able to be a net exporter of these petroleum products. Despite being the world leader in production of natural gas, many companies are unable to export the small quantities of LNG, or liquefied natural gas, to neighboring countries in the Caribbean. If the U.S. does not have a free trade agreement with another nation, natural gas exports must go through a lengthy national determination at the Department of Energy. Currently, the U.S. has only a free trade agreement with the Dominican Republic in the region. DOE recently recognized that this placed an undue burden on small volume exports and issued a rule similar to this bill to address the issue. The dominant fuel source in the region for these countries is Venezuelan fuel oil, a source that is not geopolitically friendly or environmentally sound. What we would like to have is more natural gas being used for electricity in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico instead of fuel oil, which is an environmental disaster. U.S. LNG in the region would drastically reduce emission rates from burning fuel oil for power generation. The benefits of H.R. 4606 are not limited to other countries. As I said, Puerto Rico continues to rebuild with the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Chair, to rebuild from the devastation of Hurricane Maria, this LNG has the potential to reshape the Puerto Rican grid, making it safer and more reliable and more environmentally safe. This bill also protects the environment. No application for export under the Natural Gas Act will be granted unless the applicant qualifies for a categorical exclusion under NEPA, ensuring that there won't be an adverse environmental impact. Study after study has shown natural gas exports are a clear net positive to our domestic economy. Moreover, energy ties develop diplomatic ties with countries that they go to. This bill will strengthen U.S. ties with countries throughout the region. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 981, and to condemn the Ortega regime's escalating, brutal campaign against its own people. Ortega has now been in charge of Nicaragua for 22 of the last 39 years. After years of consolidating power by installing his wife as vice president, and gradually chipping away at the power of the judiciary and congress, Ortega has now dropped all pretense of being anything other than an authoritarian leader. More than 300 people have now died in Nicaragua for having the courage to speak out against his and his wife's dictatorial rule. Ortega has now shown himself willing to target members of the clergy for fulfilling their sacred duty to recognize the value of human life, and for putting themselves in harm's way to try to protect their people. This should be unacceptable to the U.S. and to the international community. I commend my colleague Rep. Ros-Lehtinen for taking a stand, and I encourage the executive branch to use all non-military means available to hold Ortega accountable for these deaths and to stop the carnage in Nicaragua.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3728, the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness Act, the EMPOWER Act. I thank the main sponsors of the bill--Representative and Chair Michael Burgess, Representative Jan Schakowsky, and Representative Larry Bucshon--for their work on this important bill. This legislation will reauthorize title VII health professional workforce programs under the Public Health Service Act that support loan repayment and provider training experiences in primary care, dentistry, rural, and underserved areas. These programs include the Centers of Excellence, the Health Professions Training for Diversity Program, Primary Care Training and Enhancement grants, and Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry grants. Investing in these programs helps ensure the availability of providers who are increasingly in demand across the country. These grants help support the health professional workforce by improving the diversity and distribution and supply of health professionals with an emphasis on primary care and interdisciplinary education and training. This legislation will also boost training for geriatric providers who are needed to respond to our aging workforce. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for this important piece of legislation that will continue support for our Nation's health professions workforce programs. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5385, the Dr. Benjy Frances Brooks Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018. I am proud to introduce this legislation that will reauthorize the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education program with our subcommittee chairman, Congressman Michael Burgess. The CHGME program was created by Congress in 1999 to provide payments to children's hospitals to support medical residency training programs. The Children's Hospital GME program is necessary due to how hospitals typically receive support for GME through Medicare, and these payments are based on hospitals' Medicare patient volume. Because the Medicare program is used primarily by people who are over the age of 65 and children's hospitals treat, primarily, people below the age of 18, children's hospitals have low Medicare patient volume and receive few Medicare GME payments. Children's Hospital GME funds go toward training our Nation's pediatric workforce, including pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists, as well as other physician types in nonpediatrics, focused specialists that may rotate through children's hospitals for a period of time during their residency. Since its creation, the Children's Hospital GME program has made it possible for thousands of pediatricians to receive training, including at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, home of one of the largest academic pediatric departments in the United States, which has a number of clinics in our Houston area district. Physicians receiving training in one of the 58 freestanding children's hospitals in 29 States go on to serve in the rural and other underserved areas, helping to alleviate the pediatric workforce shortage impacting communities throughout America. The CHGME program is needed now more than ever to help train the pediatric workforce that will be required to meet the needs of our children and our grandchildren. Our legislation will reauthorize the CHGME program for 5 years at $325 million, and a $25 million increase over current levels. The current authorization will expire at the end of September, so it is imperative that we reauthorize this important program. Our bipartisan legislation has 57 cosponsors, nearly equally divided between Democrats and Republicans. In addition, this legislation has strong support from outside stakeholders, the American Hospital Association, and the Children's Hospital Association. I thank Dr. Burgess and all our colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their hard work and support for this important legislation, and I ask for all Members to join us in support of the Dr. Benjy Frances Brooks Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1676, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and our committee member, Congressman Eliot Engel, for introducing this important legislation. I would also like to thank other cosponsors: Congressman Buddy Carter, also a member on our committee, and Representative Tom Reed for their work and support on this legislation. Palliative care complements efforts to treat or cure illness by focusing on patients' quality of life. It is appropriate for patients with serious illnesses, starting at the point of diagnosis through treatment, and onward through hospice and the end of life. Palliative care entails communication with patients and their families to coordinate care, determine patient preferences, and assist with medical decisionmaking. A growing body of research has documented the benefits of high- quality palliative and hospice care for patients in hospitals and payers, and the healthcare system as a whole. Palliative and hospice care have been associated with enhanced quality of life for patients, reduced hospital expenditures and lengths of stay, and other positive outcomes, including longer patient survival time. Despite the benefits of palliative care, many Americans aren't aware of the supports available to them. There is also a shortage of educated providers who can offer quality palliative care. The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act will address these issues. This legislation will help create an infrastructure to improve palliative care training for healthcare providers, encourage the National Institutes of Health to expand its research on palliative care and pain management, and ensure Americans have an understanding of how palliative care may benefit them and their loved ones. I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation. In fact, this bill has 285 cosponsors, two-thirds of the entire House of Representatives. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation that will expand our Nation's research and infrastructure on palliative care and pain management. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), a member of our Energy and Commerce Committee and cosponsor of this bill.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 959, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act. I thank the main sponsor of the legislation, Representative David Joyce, and original cosponsors including: Representative Doris Matsui, Representative Kathy Castor, and Representative Tulsi Gabbard for their hard work on this important legislation. An estimated 10,000 people are turning 65 years old in America every day. That trend will continue through the end of the decade. In addition to an aging population, the United States faces rising healthcare costs, prevalent chronic diseases, and the rise in substance abuse disorders. In order to meet this increased need for care, we need to grow the largest group of healthcare providers in our Nation: nurses. The title VIII programs bolster nursing education at all levels, from entry-level preparation through graduate study, and provides support for institutions that educate nurses for practice in rural and medically underserved communities. This program is designed to address specific needs within the nursing workforce and America's patient population. This legislation will reauthorize title VIII of the Public Health Service Act that provides Federal resources toward nursing workforce development programs, including the recruitment, retention, and advanced education of skilled nursing professionals. This bill extends advanced education nursing grants to support clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurse leaders, defines nurse- managed health clinics, adds clinical nurse specialists to the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, and reauthorizes loan repayments, scholarships, and grants for education, practice, quality, and retention. This bipartisan legislation passed the Energy and Commerce Committee on voice vote earlier this month. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation to expand and strengthen our American nursing workforce, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard), who is a cosponsor of this bill.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Russia is not our friend; Russia is our adversary. We witnessed our President side with an autocrat and adversary of our country over his own intelligence community and blame the USA for our relationship with Russia. From separating families at the southern border to embracing Putin over the protection of U.S. interests, Mr. Trump has thrown out that values that our country is founded on. Putin may be Mr. Trump's friend, but he is not America's. Our President forgets that the U.S. interests go beyond his own personal interests and relationships. If Putin wants to return to the days with no pushback from the U.S., that is one thing. If our President wants to return to those days, rather than defend America and our allies, that is another. It shouldn't matter whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. If the President of the United States won't defend our interests before those of our adversaries, Congress must.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 490. This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Senators Steve Daines, Jon Tester, and Jim Risch, would reinstate and extend the deadline for the construction of a hydroelectric project on the Gibson Dam in Augusta, Montana. Congressman Gianforte of Montana introduced companion legislation last year. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensed the project in 2014, but the developer was unable to commence construction before the statutory deadlines passed. S. 490 is substantially similar to legislation that, during the previous Congress, was reported unanimously by the Energy and Commerce Committee and passed the House with 410 votes. I know of no objections to the bill on this side of the aisle, and I ask my colleagues to join me in voting in support of S. 490. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5333, the Over-the- Counter Monograph, Safety, Innovation and Reform Act. I am a proud original cosponsor of this legislation that will strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's ability to oversee the over-the-counter drug market and establish a user fee program for this market for the first time. H.R. 5333 is legislation that enjoys bipartisan support and would reform the current monograph system that is relied upon by industry to legally market over-the-counter drugs in response to concerns raised by both the FDA and the industry that the current system is outdated and burdensome. Under current law, the safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter drugs is established through conformance with a monograph. Monographs serve as a type of rule book outlining the conditions of use for a particular drug ingredient, including the dosage form, patient population, labeling and warnings, and other requirements. This rule book is established currently through a three-phase rulemaking process and is very resource and time intensive. This process has made it difficult for the FDA to finalize, revise, or update monographs to reflect innovations, changes in science, or to respond to safety issues. We also have heard from the industry that the current process inadvertently discourages innovation, as it is not nimble enough to respond to evolving science and technology. The legislation we are considering today would address these concerns by transitioning the monograph system from rulemaking to administrative order, create a procedure for the FDA to respond to the needs for safety label changes, and establish an innovation pathway. These reforms can only be successful if it is also accompanied by stable and reliable funding that more appropriately represents the growth and science of the over-the-counter industry. Today, the over-the-counter monograph program oversees more than 100,000 products with a staff of about 30 people and a budget of just over $8 million. The user fees provided in this bill would help the FDA transition the monograph program from rulemaking to administrative order, provide for additional staff capacity, and enable the FDA to respond to innovation and safety changes in the current market. I want to thank my colleague from Ohio, Congressman Bob Latta, for introducing this legislation and for working with me and other members of our committee. I would like to thank the original cosponsors of the bill, Representative Diana DeGette, Representative Debbie Dingell, Chairman Mike Burgess, and Representative Brett Guthrie for their dedication and hard work on this important issue. I ask all my colleagues to join me in supporting the Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), my colleague and a member of our committee.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Schrader), our colleague from the Energy and Commerce Committee.