Gene Green

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Elvin Hayes, ``The Big E'', on his induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and numerous accomplishments as a professional athlete. Mr. Hayes, a fellow University of Houston Cougar, is today considered one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. In 1966, Elvin Hayes, along with Don Chaney, became the first African American basketball players for the University of Houston. During his sophomore year, Hayes led the Cougars to victory in the ``Game of the Century''; an upset win, played in the Houston Astrodome, against the UCLA Bruins. While at U of H, Hayes was a 2-time NCAA First Team All- American, leading the Cougars to back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances. In 1968, Hayes was the UPI, Sporting News, and the Associated Press' College Player of the Year. To this day, Elvin Hayes holds the University of Houston's single-game, single-season, and career records in scoring and rebounding. With his early departure from college, Mr. Hayes was the first overall pick in the 1968 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets, who later became the Houston Rockets. During his illustrious NBA career Mr. Hayes played 1,303 games over 16 seasons accruing a number of accomplishments: 12 NBA All Star (1969-1980), NBA Scoring Champion (1969), and finally NBA Champion (1978). He is 8th all time in NBA scoring and 4th all time in NBA rebounding. After his retirement from the NBA, Mr. Hayes returned to the University of Houston to finish up his Bachelors degree, an example for all athletes who are called into professional sports before graduating. In 2010, Mr. Hayes again returned to the University of Houston where he now serves as an analyst for radio broadcasts of the Cougars' games. It is with great pleasure that I recognize Mr. Elvin Hayes, for his service to the city of Houston, and I congratulate him on his induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to the Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act. This bill returns federal student loans to a system of market-based variable rates, an imprudent policy that seeks profits for deficit reduction at the expense of students struggling with the substantial and climbing cost of post-secondary education. While the bill may appear to reverse the interest rate hike that occurred on July 1, setting rates at 3.8 percent for this year and 4.6 percent for next year for undergraduate Stafford student loan borrowers, it is essentially a bait and switch that will pile extra debt onto students when the current record-low rates inevitably rise. This is unacceptable. Student loan debt is a major drag on the American economy, reaching $1 trillion and climbing, and recently surpassing credit card debt as the largest form of consumer debt. Approximately 60 percent of students take out loans to attend college, and increasing the costs of borrowing will prevent millions from being able to pursue higher education. While the interest rate caps are a step in the right direction, they are too high to meaningfully protect students when the temporarily low rates give way to rates that are even higher than the 6.8 percent rate this bill attempts to fix. College educated students are the future engine of our country, and anyone who wants to pursue a post-secondary education should have the opportunity to do so without going into crushing debt. I urge my colleagues to vote against this legislation and instead, extend the current interest rate of 3.4 percent until Congress enacts a true long- term solution to the cost of college that is worthy of our Nation's young people.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I would like to thank the ranking member for allowing me time. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my strong support for H.R. 2218, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act. Last Congress, this Chamber twice passed legislation on a bipartisan basis that was weaker than the bill before us today. Last Congress, the effort resulted in legislation that would create a State-run waste disposal program with minimal Federal requirements while assuring that coal ash can continue to be reused and recycled in everyday products. The legislation before the House today continues that model but with even greater environmental protections, including: accelerated requirements for groundwater monitoring; fixed deadlines for when problems at an impoundment must be cured; and periodic inspections for the structural integrity of impoundments. Currently, there is a patchwork of State programs to regulate the disposal of coal combustion waste with no Federal oversight. H.R. 2218 would for the first time establish comprehensive, minimum Federal standards for coal ash management and disposal and give EPA the authority to enforce compliance if a State does not establish a coal residuals permit program or if a State's program does not conform to Federal requirements. This legislation would assure that coal ash can continue to be reused beneficially, which puts billions of dollars in our economy annually and protects tens of thousands of jobs in the beneficial reuse industry. Encouraging the beneficial reuse of coal ash ensures that less of it ends up in landfills, which is good for the environment and good for our economy. I know some Members have concerns about the legislation, but we have worked diligently with the majority and stakeholders to make improvements in the bill. The assertions by some of my colleagues that this legislation does nothing to protect the environment are making the perfect the enemy of the good. Part of legislating is moving the ball forward, and we cannot continue to work on legislation that simply will die in the Senate. This bill is a reasonable compromise and a win-win for the American people, as it will help protect the environment and create jobs. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my opposition to H.R. 5, the Student Success Act. This bill undermines the fundamental purpose of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was created to ensure that disadvantaged children are provided a high-quality education that allows them to compete on a level playing field with their more-advantaged peers. Among its many problematic provisions, this bill locks in devastating sequestration-level education funding, fails to hold States and districts accountable for supporting and improving the achievement of all students, eliminates and weakens protections for disadvantaged students, and lacks critical support systems for our Nation's educators. I believe No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is flawed and must be reformed, and reauthorization presents a tremendous opportunity to make much- needed improvements and bring our education system into the 21st century. However, instead of fixing the problems of NCLB, the Student Success Act does not reflect best practices and fails to strike the appropriate balance between flexibility and accountability. Reauthorization should support college and career-ready standards, address the overuse of testing in teacher and school evaluations that currently forces educators to substitute test preparation for instruction, and feature an accountability system that includes meaningful targets for improving student attainment that gives schools and districts flexibility in how they achieve those goals. I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 5 and instead support reauthorization that restores our Nation's commitment to providing equal opportunity for all students regardless of background.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker and Members, I rise in strong opposition to the further Republican attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act. The administration recently announced that due to logistical issues they were delaying the employer mandate for a year. I do not support this measure, but it is within their authority to do it. However, the decision of the Department of Treasury does not justify delaying the implementation of other portions of the law. Implementing this law is too important for America's well-being and their economic security to delay it. Low-cost, high-quality health care is right around the corner. If we delay the individual mandate, the risk pools will be skewed so that the coverage is less affordable for those who choose to purchase it. Delaying the employer mandate will have a higher impact on States like mine that are refusing to expand Medicaid. If an employee makes between 100 percent and 133 percent of the Federal poverty level, they will receive no Medicaid, no subsidies, and now employers won't have to cover them for another year. I am told that this is a small number, but in a district like ours, which has the highest rate of working uninsured in the country, this is a big problem. Up to 260,000 individuals in our district who lack health insurance will have access to quality, affordable care without fear of discrimination or higher rates because of a preexisting condition. Our country has waited too long for real health care reform--coverage that our industrial competitors and partners provide. I oppose both these bills.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Chair, I represent areas of North and East Harris County and Houston, including a large portion of the Port of Houston and the Houston Ship Channel. Water development projects at the Army Corps of Engineers are critical to our economy and to our safety. We rely on flood control and dredging projects in the Houston / Harris County, Texas area. Flood control projects protect lives and property every year in our district. However, without adequate Army Corps money, necessary maintenance and new projects will be neglected putting our area at risk. The Energy and Water Appropriations bill is important to us. This bill needs to provide more funding for the Army Corps. The Port of Houston is the largest foreign tonnage port and the largest petrochemical port in the country. In fact, it moves the second largest amount of cargo in the country, as 8.5% of our nation's cargo moves through the Port of Houston. The commerce that occurs at our port is critical to our nation's energy and chemical sectors and to our country's ability to trade and move goods throughout our country. It is a port of national significance, but has not received the attention that is necessary to answer the challenges we face in the near future. Despite the national importance of our port, it is facing a dredging crisis. The President's budget request funded dredging at the Port at around half the actual need. The Energy and Water Appropriations bill doesn't even get us to the President's request level. Infrastructure is a key component of commerce and it is time the House of Representatives starts passing legislation recognizing this important fact. Additionally, by cutting New Starts completely, this bill prevents funding for a vital project in Houston that will explore widening and deepening the shipping channel to the Turning Basin. This funding is critical to preparing our Port for the years ahead. In 1998, the Federal Government and the Port of Houston invested $700 million over the course of years, to deepen and widen the Ship Channel. An investment we have benefitted from tremendously. As the years have passed silt has settled and reduced the draft in the channel significantly. Today, only a small portion of the channel is dredged to its proper depth across the entire width of the channel. That is astounding. Our nation's investment is rapidly deteriorating. Currently, the Houston Ship Channel is dredged to a depth of 43 feet, but it should be 45 feet. The Panama Canal is expanding and when it is completed, the Port of Houston should be at a minimum of 45 feet and we could take advantage of additional depth. As we confront the dual challenges of adopting policies that create jobs and reduce the debt, funding for dredging projects is an item that, while costly, will have more of a positive impact on our economy than a negative impact on our deficit. The Texas Transportation Institute performed a study and determined that a direct economic impact of the loss of 1 foot of draft is $373 million. The majority of this impact is lost business opportunities due to light loading of non- containerized vessels. As the dredging crisis at the port continues to worsen, the opportunity cost will quickly increase. The time to increase our investment in our infrastructure is now. We can't wait until the economy improves because strengthening our infrastructure is integral to growing our economy.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 353, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Personal Explanation

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Doug Rogers and his 24 impressive years of service as the executive director of the Association of Texas Professional Educators. His many years of service to Texas education and his career leading ATPE are to be commended--it represents the highest level of enthusiasm and dedication to the educators and students of the State of Texas. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Mr. Rogers attended North Texas State University, where he earned multiple education degrees and certificates. Rogers served as a teacher and administrator for nine years in both elementary and secondary schools. He began his service with ATPE in 1981, spent two years with the Texas Association of School Boards, and rejoined the ATPE staff before accepting the position of Executive Director in June of 1989. During Mr. Roger's tenure, the membership of ATPE has more than doubled, reaching its highest enrollment at 116,000 members, and is today the leading educators' association in the State and the largest independent association for public school educators in the Nation. The ATPE Foundation was established in 2000 and has since benefitted more than 23,000 Texas school children. ATPE recently honored Mr. Rogers by naming its office building in Austin, Texas, the ATPE Rogers Building. Mr. Speaker, this month Mr. Rogers will retire after a long and distinguished career serving educators and students in Texas. While his time as Executive Director of ATPE may be coming to an end, his impact on the association will long remain. I would like to thank him for his many decades of service to Texas education and wish him a ``splendid'' retirement.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Members, I rise tonight to honor a man that I'm proud to call a good friend and a mentor, John Dingell. Recently, John became the longest-serving Member of the Congress, serving for 57 years, 5 months, and 26 days, surpassing the service record of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. John has a storied career in the House of Representatives, and you'll hear a lot about that tonight and already have. He has served with 11 Presidents, congressional icons like Speaker Sam Rayburn from Texas, and had the opportunity to vote on landmark legislation like the 1964 Civil Rights Act. He is the ultimate legislator for both Michigan and for America. He's also played an integral part in groundbreaking legislation, like the creation of the Medicare program, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air Act, just to name a few. I always think of him as chairman, though. Since 1996 I've been fortunate to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, with John as our committee leader for much of that time. While most associate John's leadership on the committee with his tenacious government watchdog activities, I saw a leader that did not fall victim to the partisan politics that define the current House, but instead epitomized what we are here to do--the people's business. He's a true legislator. It has truly been an honor to serve with him and learn from him, and, most importantly, to call him friend. He has a partner in his wonderful wife, Deborah, and a friend who, like my wife, Helen, allows us to serve our respective districts. John, I look forward to continuing our friendship and our work together.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2231, The Offshore Energy and Jobs Act and H.R. 1613, The Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act. H.R. 2231 directs the Interior Department to develop a new five-year offshore leasing plan that makes available for oil and gas exploration and development at least 50% of the unleased coastal areas with the most potential for energy production, and it creates a nationwide revenue sharing system so coastal states will receive a share of the federal royalties. It also requires that drilling be allowed off the coasts of California, South Carolina and Virginia and statutorily reorganizes the Interior Department agencies that oversee offshore leasing and permitting, safety inspections and revenue collection. While I do not agree with some of the environmental provisions in this bill, I support it because it is a message bill about the importance of accessing our offshore resources. While leasing and permitting has come back some since the Deepwater Horizon accident, it is not back to the level it was before the spill. Additionally with the President reneging on certain areas originally contained in his 2012- 2017 Five Year Offshore Leasing Plan, our future access over the next decade is extremely limited. We need to open new offshore areas up for production instead of producing on the same lands we have for decades. H.R. 1613 would approve the February 2012 agreement between the United States and Mexico concerning transboundary oil and gas reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico. It also provides guidelines that the administration must follow in implementing all future transboundary hydrocarbon agreements. H.R. 1613 is different than H.R. 2231 in that it is not a message bill. It gives the State Department the authority it needs to move forward on an important negotiated agreement with Mexico so that our respective countries can jointly develop in the Gulf of Mexico. I am hopeful we can get this bill to the President's desk for his signature soon.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to support H.R. 2289, introduced by Representative Sam Johnson (R-TX). This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to rename the section heading of provisions relating to the individual retirement accounts (IRAs) of married individuals as the Kay Bailey Hutchison Spousal IRA. Senator Hutchison, from Texas, along with Senator Mikulski, co- authored the now 15-year-old law that allows homemakers to make the same deductible contributions to their IRA as salaried workers. The Spousal IRA was one of Senator Hutchison's proudest achievements while in Congress. I thank Senator Hutchison for her years of service to the U.S. Senate. I believe this is a fitting tribute for her championing of this issue. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2289 to honor Senator Hutchison.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of extending the 3.4 interest rate on Stafford Student loans to protect students from seeing their interest rates double on July 1, 2013. As the cost of higher education continues to climb and total student loan debt eclipsed credit card debt for the first time, the consequences of inaction are unacceptable. We need to be making college more affordable for all students, not putting it further out of reach. As an advanced degree becomes more and more of a requirement for well paying jobs, it is vital that low interest loans be available so that students can access an affordable college education. Approximately 60 percent of students take out loans to attend college and increasing the cost of borrowing will prevent millions from being able to obtain a degree. H.R. 1595, the Student Loan Relief Act of 2013, is a clean extension that would freeze the 3.4 interest rate on Stafford loans for two years. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation to prevent a crippling hike in rates and give Congress time to find a true long-term solution to student loans and college affordability that is worthy of our nation's young people. A strong middle-class, well educated workforce and the opportunity for upward mobility are the building blocks of a thriving economy. To maintain and strengthen each, every student must have the opportunity to pursue higher education, not just the privileged few. College educated students are the future engine of our country, and anyone who wants to pursue a post-secondary education should have the opportunity to do so without going into crushing debt. I urge my colleagues to stop rates from doubling and extend the current interest rate of 3.4 percent.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by my good friends, Congressmen Royce and Engel. This amendment would cripple the Food for Peace Program, our Nation's premier foreign aid program, and endanger tens of thousands of jobs in agriculture and the maritime industry. Since 1954, Food for Peace has enabled the United States to play a leading role in responding to international food assistance needs and ensuring global food security, reaching more than 3 billion people in 150 countries. In 2012 alone, the Food for Peace Program shipped million of tons of American food aid abroad aboard dozens of U.S.-flagged and crewed ships. Food for Peace also helps maintain our domestic merchant marine by ensuring a steady flow of American cargo shipped by Americans on U.S.- flagged ships. Unfortunately, many benefits from the Food for Peace Program are being threatened by this amendment, which would redirect 45 percent of the program's budget to send direct cash payments overseas with little accountability, scant transparency, and no benefit to U.S. farmers and merchant marines.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Chair, today I rise to oppose the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act plan to cut SNAP funding by $20.5 billion over the next ten years The need for food assistance has increased dramatically during our nation's economic slump. Texas's rate for food insecurity is 27.6%-- more than one in four Texas children is food insecure. The impacts to Texas would be devastating, including 171,000 immediately off of SNAP and the elimination of almost 500 million meals from hungry Texans. In Harris County alone, more than 27,000 children, seniors, and their families would lose SNAP benefits; more than 76 million meals would be eliminated; and the Harris County economy would lose almost $175M in lost food retail dollars. Meeting the need for food assistance is especially critical for our most vulnerable citizens--pregnant and nursing women, infants, children, and seniors for whom the consequences of hunger and poor nutrition are the most severe. It is critical that we maintain support for the charitable food system and funding for SNAP. I have been a strong supporter of SNAP in Congress to help those who are food insecure during their time of need. Our office works closely with the Houston Food Bank, the largest in the Country, and the Texas Food Bank Network to help end hunger in America.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the bill, H.R. 1797. At a time of enduring economic troubles we should not bog down the House of Representatives with this type of legislation. I know my Republican colleagues are sincere in their pursuit to end abortions after 20 weeks and probably before 20 weeks too. We've heard their concerns, but they're just plain wrong. The decision to have an abortion is a private one. It should be made by the patient, in consultation with her physician, her family, and faith leader, if she chooses. Congress has no place micromanaging the practice of medicine by deciding what medical procedures are appropriate and at what time. We should not be intruding on the privacy and medical decisions of individuals. The right for a woman to make her own medical decisions has been rightfully upheld by our courts. Those of us in this chamber may not believe that abortion is moral or right and we are free to disagree with those who seek abortion. We have already stated numerous times that federal funds may not be used to provide the procedure. But, we must end this pursuit to erode access to types of healthcare we do not like. It will drive women to much less safe alternatives and criminalize doctors who wish to provide a safe environment. We should not go back in time. Instead, it is time for us to really tackle the issues that confront our country: growing our economy, achieving comprehensive immigration reform, and putting our Nation on the track for prosperity for years to come.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1151, a resolution in support of one of our nation's closest friends in the Asia-Pacific Region, Taiwan. This resolution directs the State Department to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the upcoming International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly. The United States, in the 1994 Taiwan Policy Review, declared its intention to support Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations and has consistently reiterated that support. In 2004, this Chamber voted, with my support, legislation in support of Taiwan's efforts to gain observer status to the World Health Organization. Those efforts finally succeeded in 2009 when Taiwan was included in the International Health Regulations (IHR). For decades, Taiwan has been a key security, economic, and political partner for the American people. Taiwan has been one of America's biggest trading partners for many years--the 11th largest in 2012--purchasing nearly $25 billion worth of American goods that year. Taiwan is also a global leader in information technology, telecommunications, and other knowledge-based industries. Most significantly, Taiwan is becoming a beacon of democracy for the Chinese people after their successful, open elections in 2008 and 2012. It is important for this Chamber to continue its support of the Taiwanese people and enhance Taiwan's standing in international bodies. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and vote in support of America's partner in peace and prosperity, Taiwan.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 244 final passage, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment (#63), to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would require the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to provide free Internet access for servicemembers serving in a combat zone. This amendment comes as a response to several servicemembers from our district who, while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, found the distribution and pricing of recreational Internet usage for servicemembers to be unequal and exorbitant. For the vast majority of our nation's servicemembers serving overseas, the Internet has become the best means to communicate with spouses, children, parents, and other loved ones. It is the key link to staying connected with home and provides a much needed boost in morale for our nation's warriors who have had to endure multiple tours of duty in some of the most difficult terrain in the world. It is imperative that as the people's elected representatives, we make sure that this important service is provided to those who have answered the call of duty and are putting their lives in harm's way at the lowest cost for our servicemembers. For situations in which the local security environment does not allow for recreational Internet usage, this amendment provides for a temporary waiver. I ask for my colleagues to stand with our servicemembers and their families and vote in support of my amendment.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the Houston firefighters who lost their lives and were injured battling a deadly five-alarm blaze. Every year, our Houston Firefighters Pension Board holds a memorial service to honor all firefighters, but especially those who gave their lives in the service as firefighters. I have attended many of those services over the years. Last Friday, May 31, the deadliest fire in the 118-year history of the Houston Fire Department broke out in southwest Houston. Unfortunately, four brave firefighters lost their lives performing their duties. Captain Matthew Renaud, Engineer Operator Robert Bebee, Firefighter Robert Garner, and Firefighter Anne Sullivan tragically fell during the fire. Many firefighters were injured, including Engineer Operator Anthony Livesay, EMT Robert Yarbrough, EMT Foster Santos, Engineer Operator and Paramedic Marcus Hernandez, and Captain William Dowling. These firefighters were injured and died trying to save people in a motel unit. Our hearts and our prayers go out to their families and friends. Being the grandson and nephew of a family of Houston firefighters, I understand the sacrifice their loved ones made. We shall never forget their heroic efforts to keep us safe.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to H.R. 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act. This bill will return federal student loans to a system of market- based variable rates, an imprudent policy that seeks profits for deficit reduction at the expense of students struggling with the substantial and ever-climbing cost of post-secondary education. With federal student loan interest rates set to double on July 1, 2013, Congress must act quickly to extend the current rate, rather than passing legislation that hurts students and families. According to the Congressional Research Service, H.R. 1911 will actually make it more expensive for students than if Congress did nothing and let the current interest rate expire. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill will cost students and parents an addition $3.7 billion in additional interest charges over the next 10 years. This is unacceptable. Approximately 60 percent of students take out loans to attend college and increasing the costs of borrowing will prevent millions from being able to pursue higher education. Last year the total amount of student loan debt reached $1 trillion and the average borrower from the class of 2011 graduated with $26,600 in debt. College educated students are the future engine of our country, and anyone who wants to pursue a post-secondary education should have the opportunity to do so without going into crushing debt. I urge my colleagues to extend the current interest rate of 3.4 percent for two years and find a true long-term solution to the cost of college worthy of our nation's young people.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this great legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 271, the Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts Act. I'm proud to be an original cosponsor to this bill that we worked on with my good friends, Congressman Pete Olson and Congressman Mike Doyle, last Congress. This bipartisan legislation addresses a conflict in Federal law where a company or individual can be held liable for violating environmental laws when the Federal Government orders them to generate power to avoid blackouts. Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act gives the Department of Energy the authority to order an electric generating facility to generate power in order to avoid an electric reliability emergency. At the same time, the possibility of violating environmental laws and regulations may restrict the operation of power plants or transmission lines. For example, a company may have mothballed a power plant because it had reached its Clean Air Act emissions limit for the year. So if a company, or publicly owned utility, is ordered by DOE to operate under section 202(c), and at the same time is prohibited from operating in accordance with the DOE order due to environmental limitations, the operator must choose which legal mandate to follow. These conflicting legal mandates should not complicate an electric reliability crisis, but they do. It is not fair for the government to put a power generator in this position. As a longtime member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and someone who has worked on both reliability and environmental legislation during that time, I can honestly say that it was never our intention to put electric generating facilities in the position of having to choose between compliance with one law over another. And while there have only been a couple of instances to date where a generator has been in this situation, this potential for conflict will only grow as several coal- fired plants are scheduled to be taken offline in the coming years. That is why Congress needs to address this issue. Otherwise, we risk threatening our electric reliability and for certain regions of the country, this issue is coming fast. H.R. 271 simply clarifies that if an emergency order issued pursuant to section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act may result in a conflict with an environmental law or regulation, the order shall expire no later than 90 days after issuance. This deadline does two things. First, this ensures that the Department of Energy continues to have the necessary authority to ``keep the lights on'' in true emergencies. However, it then gives DOE the opportunity to renew or reissue the order for an additional 90-day period only after consulting with the appropriate Federal agencies and including conditions submitted by these agencies to mitigate any potential adverse environmental impacts. This is not a messaging bill. It's not an anti-EPA bill or an anti- air toxic standards bill. Instead, it's a commonsense bill that addresses a very worrisome deficiency in current law that is only going to become more prominent in the coming years. I want to thank our ranking member, Mr. Waxman, for his continued support of this bill. This is one of a handful of bills that actually were supported by both Democrats and Republicans in the Energy and Commerce Committee, and it has support across the utility industry. My hope is that the committee will continue to refer to the floor truly bipartisan bills like this one. It's time we get back to legislating and not messaging. With that, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank our ranking member from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for allowing me to speak. I've been a longtime supporter of the Keystone XL pipeline. I'm frustrated that the pipeline has still not been approved after four favorable environmental impact statements. It's time for the administration to approve the project. I actually represent the refineries where most of the oil sands product will go. The fact is that these refineries will continue to seek supplies of heavy crude oil whether the Keystone XL pipeline is approved or not. The problem is that if the President does not approve the Keystone pipeline, he will force these facilities to continue to purchase oil from unstable, foreign countries with very few environmental regulations. I want my Democratic colleagues to understand that even if we made all the investments we want to in alternative energy--and I support that--we still need to rely on oil for the next 25 or 30 years. This number comes from our administration. So if we have to purchase oil from somewhere, doesn't it make sense to purchase it from a province that regulates carbon? I plan to support the bill this afternoon. But let me be clear about a couple of things: I support the bill because it's a message bill, and it's time for the administration to stop stalling and make a decision. There are provisions of the bill I don't like. I do not support the precedent and policies laid out in section 4 through section 8. I also don't know why we continue to send bills that don't have a chance in the Senate except to tell them the House again will support the pipeline. I hope this vote will put this issue behind us because I have 5 refineries in east Harris County that are ready to use that heavier crude because they're importing it from other countries like Venezuela. I would rather import it from Canada, our closest neighbor.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Stolen Valor Act (H.R. 258). This bill would amend the federal criminal code to rewrite provisions relating to fraudulent claims about military service to be subjected to a fine, imprisonment, or both. This would apply to an individual who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefits, fraudulently holds himself or herself out to be a recipient of a military medal. This bill was passed with overwhelming support in the previous Congress, but was found by the Supreme Court to violate the first Amendment. I commend Rep. Heck for making the necessary changes and trying again. The men and women of our Armed Forces unselfishly answer the call of duty to defend our freedom. Congress should not allow anyone to capitalize on their accomplishments. I urge my colleagues to stand with our Brave Men and Women and support this bill.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Patients' Rights Repeal Act. Here we go again, and my colleague from Georgia knows it: 37 times, counting today, that the Republican majority has tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a law that was upheld by the Supreme Court, a law that will help not only millions of uninsured but everyone with health insurance because the Affordable Care Act improves coverage. ``Repeal'' means that insurance companies can once again deny coverage for preexisting conditions. It means college-aged dependent children will be kicked off their parents' insurance. Medicare beneficiaries will lose access to vital preventative screenings. Also, insurance company practices of the past, which frustrated the insured and drained their savings, will be allowed to return. The Affordable Care Act means more than 80 percent of premium dollars are spent on health care. That was in the Affordable Care Act. The law prevents insurance companies from providing their executives extraordinary perks while failing to provide health care to their customers. But this will never happen again. The repeal of the Affordable Care Act will not be successful. It wasn't successful the first 36 times. It won't be today. That's because the American people need it. The law isn't perfect. The medical device excise tax and the Independent Payment Advisory Board should be addressed. This majority refuses to work with our side to fix the problems. The American people want to see Congress work together to fix problems. What they don't want is more political theater.