Sam Graves

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller).

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood).

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce).

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, passing S.J. Res. 38 is important. If the Biden administration continues to push its aggressive agenda on American families and consumers, at a minimum, they should have to comply with the Buy America requirements, at a minimum. In 2021, despite Congress expanding Buy America requirements in IIJA to ensure our Nation's infrastructure comes from and is built by American companies, the administration is all too willing to issue a waiver of Buy America requirements for EV chargers in pursuit of its EV-for-all pipe dream. A Buy America waiver undermines domestic investments, and it risks empowering foreign adversaries like China. We should not funnel taxpayer dollars to China in order to achieve this administration's unrealistic EV goals, which families and businesses have signaled that they are not ready for. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this joint resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize the Bethany Republican-Clipper of Bethany, Missouri, on celebrating its 150th anniversary. The Republican-Clipper has carried on the tradition of delivering local and national news to the residents of Northwest Missouri for over a century. The Republican-Clipper was born out of the consolidation of two local newspapers in Harrison County; the Bethany Republican, founded in 1873, and the Bethany Clipper, founded in 1905. The papers were purchased and merged by Erwin C. Conger in 1929. The Republican-Clipper is the legacy of a strong journalism history in Harrison County, which at one time had at least 10 news publications, and is considered the longest running business in Harrison County. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in congratulating the Bethany Republican-Clipper on 150 years of publication. This newspaper has been keeping the people of Harrison County, Northwest Missouri, and well beyond informed for over a century. I am proud to have such a dedicated publication in the Sixth Congressional District.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5473) to amend certain laws relating to disaster recovery and relief with respect to the implementation of building codes, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material into the Record on H.R. 5473, as amended.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards) for introducing H.R. 5473, the Promoting Resilient Buildings Act of 2023. H.R. 5473 cuts red tape and improves resiliency against disasters by making a technical correction to the Stafford Act and extending the building code of 2018, which expired earlier this year. This bill ensures that there is flexibility in how the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, applies definitions for building codes and promotes individual States' abilities to consider what is best for their communities. This bill also supports homeowners in mitigating against future disasters through a pilot program intended to test and analyze whether such assistance will help reduce future costs and save some lives. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), a former T&I Committee member.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. This bill extends the current building code definition set in the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to allow greater flexibility for States and local governments, ultimately ensuring that disaster victims have an easier time rebuilding after a disaster. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6503) to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, and for other purposes.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on H.R. 6503.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 6503 extends the statutory authorities of the Federal Aviation Administration through March 8, 2024. This bill also authorizes the continued collection of aviation excise taxes, which are user fees that are critical to ensuring the safe operation of our air traffic control system and for capital infrastructure projects at airports all over the country. This subsequent extension is necessary because the Senate has yet to finalize their FAA reauthorization bill. The House did its part to provide for a long-term reauthorization when we passed H.R. 3935 in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion on July 20 with more than 350 votes. I commend my House colleagues for their commitment to reauthorizing the FAA on time and ahead of schedule. I remain committed to enacting a long-term comprehensive FAA bill as soon as possible, and I know that that goal is shared by our counterparts in the Senate. In the meantime, however, we have to keep the lights on at the FAA to ensure continued safe operation of the national airspace system. Failure to enact this legislation would result in a loss of revenue totaling $50 million per day from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. In other words, not passing this bill would directly and immediately increase our national debt by more than $50 million a day and leave our aviation system less safe. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this bill so that we can maintain safety in the national airspace system in the absence of a long-term reauthorization. I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the words of the gentleman from Tennessee. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), the chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Again, I urge all Members to support this must-pass bill so we can keep our aviation system operating safely. Failing to pass an extension would cost the Federal Government more than $50 million a day in those lost revenues. What is more, the FAA would be prohibited from making new obligations from the aviation trust fund to fund FAA's important safety, operational, and research functions. To be clear, and I want to be clear to my colleagues, this bill provides a clean extension of FAA authorities. This bill does not include any policy riders at all. Again, I know there is an appetite across the Capitol to enact a long-term and comprehensive FAA bill, and that continues to be my priority. I urge the Senate to act soon on its FAA bill so that Congress can deliver certainty to the aviation industry and the FAA. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, today I missed a series of rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 599 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 600. personal explanation

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I missed a series of rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 514 and ``yea'' on rollcall 515.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Elizabeth Funchess. Elizabeth is a very special young woman who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 8G, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. The multiyear journey to the Eagle Scout Award is one of the most involved and transformative experiences a young person can have. They try new things through the merit badge program, develop confidence in the outdoors, practice leadership tactics, and plan, develop and give leadership to a service project that benefits their community. For Elizabeth's Eagle Scout service project, she, built 2 picnic tables that convert into benches for her church to have an outdoor classroom. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Elizabeth Funchess for her accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for her efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I missed a series of votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall no. 383, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 384, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 385. personal explanation