Sam Graves

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2914 is going to help speed up the recovery following a disaster by helping disaster victims who have lost their personal records, and likely much more, to verify residency and homeownership. It is a very good piece of legislation, and I would urge support of this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2914, which would help disaster victims verify residency and homeownership following a disaster. When disasters strike, essential property and possessions are often destroyed. Disaster victims may not be able to easily obtain the paperwork needed for them to verify their residency, which delays needed assistance and the recovery process. This bill is going to clarify how the Federal Emergency Management Agency addresses alternate verification. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico, Miss Gonzalez- Colon, for her work with Mr. Espaillat of New York on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I would urge support of the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8408 addresses the nonpartisan expert safety recommendations to improve the FAA's aircraft certification process in the aftermath of tragic Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents in 2018 and 2019. This bill is responsible, comprehensive, bipartisan, and it is going to improve aviation safety. I thank again Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Garret Graves and the committee staff on both sides, with special thanks to Holly Woodruff Lyons, Hunter Presti, Jamie Hopkins, Corey Cooke, Jack Ruddy, and Paul Sass for their work on this important piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8408, the Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act. I want to thank Chairman DeFazio and Chairman Larsen for working with us to put together this bipartisan bill. The Committee's response following the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines tragedies has been to take the time that is necessary to understand all the contributing factors in these accidents. Throughout this process, I have taken the position that if the safety experts recommend improvement to our certification system, then Congress should act. We now have the benefit of a number of nonpartisan reviews by aviation safety experts confirming that multiple factors were involved. There is only so much the United States can do to influence factors outside of our borders, but the experts identified issues to address those things that are within our control and made recommendations to improve our system, and that is the focus of this bill. We can all agree that the United States and the Federal Aviation Administration has to--must--continue to be the gold standard in aviation. The safety of the traveling public depends on that, but so does our economy, our competitiveness, and hundreds of thousands of American jobs. Plain and simple, we can't remain the gold standard if our system isn't safe. And one reason for our achievements in aviation has been our ability to leave partisan politics at the door and work together on critical safety issues, and that is what we have done today in this bill. This bill before us today is going to require additional improvements beyond those which the FAA and Boeing have already undertaken. These changes are going to make our safe system even safer. To be clear, the experts have concluded that the current system does not need to be dismantled, but that we can and should take action to improvement. H.R. 8408 thoughtfully addresses the multiple contributing factors involved in the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents that are within our control, as well as the many expert recommendations to improve safety within our own system. This is a well-reasoned, comprehensive, and bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), the ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this bill, H.R. 5953, is going to ensure that disaster victims applying for FEMA assistance in good faith are not revictimized by the Agency if it realizes that it did make an error. Residents in north Missouri and across this country need to be able to rely on FEMA's determination on eligibility for assistance and not have to look over their shoulder as they rebuild, wondering if they are going to have to give back money sometime down the road. This bill also ensures that FEMA is working to prevent such errors in the future, making it a much better steward of the taxpayers' dollars and vital disaster funding. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this very important piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am the proud sponsor of H.R. 5953, the Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act. In the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act, Congress made the recovery process fairer and more equitable for most communities. This bill builds upon those efforts by ensuring that spent funds aren't clawed back. When a disaster victim applies in good faith to FEMA for assistance and receives it from the Agency, we fully expect those individuals need to move quickly to use the assistance for eligible expenses, like home repairs, to speed up recovery, to begin rebuilding their lives. These victims should never expect FEMA to come back weeks or months or sometimes even years later and say: Sorry, we made a mistake. Now, you, the victim, have to give back those funds that we have already distributed to you and that you have already put to good use. To add insult to injury, FEMA's information on how disaster victims can appeal these decisions is incredibly confusing, and it is insufficient. Through no fault of their own, many disaster victims are faced with debt collectors and the full force of the Federal Government seeking repayment. People acting in good faith to rebuild should not be revictimized because they relied upon FEMA's determination that they were qualified for assistance that they did receive. Unfortunately, disaster victims have experienced this recently in my own district in a few of my communities, and one in particular, Craig, Missouri, and in other communities all across the country. One constituent in my district was awarded just over $12,000 only to have FEMA show up after the money was spent to say that they messed up, that that individual didn't actually qualify for the money, in their determination, and that it needed to be paid back. That is simply wrong, and it can devastate someone who is already facing some very difficult circumstances. H.R. 5953 is going to clarify that if FEMA makes an error and there is no evidence of fraud, the victim will not be revictimized, and their debt is automatically viewed as a hardship and waived. In addition, the bill would also require FEMA to report back to Congress on its error rates and tell us what they are doing to be more accountable. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation to ensure that the government does not revictimize disaster victims, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4358 is going to improve consistency in FEMA's preliminary damage assessments to better help communities hit by disaster. Inconsistencies in FEMA training and personnel on the ground following a disaster often slow the recovery process down dramatically. This bill is going to help ensure that there is more consistency within FEMA to support State and local communities as they navigate the preliminary damage assessment process to determine eligibility for assistance. Ultimately, the bill is about helping Americans impacted by disasters to get the help that they need sooner and more reliably. I want to thank Ranking Member Katko for his leadership and work on this piece of legislation. I urge support for the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko).

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Blake Hurst. Blake is a close friend and fierce leader who, after many meaningful years of service, is retiring as president of the Missouri Farm Bureau. Blake is a staple of the Missouri agricultural community after serving as a district board member and Vice President of the Missouri Farm Bureau before being elected its President in 2010. He is best known for his passion for agriculture and longtime advocacy on behalf of farmers. Blake has spent a significant amount of his life ensuring that farmers across the state of Missouri are heard and fighting for favorable agriculture policy at the state and federal levels. Blake's devotion to the success of agriculture in Missouri has exponentially improved the life of all in the Sixth District and beyond. While the Missouri Farm Bureau will miss the institutional knowledge that Blake has brought to the table, I'm sure that Blake's family will enjoy having his experienced hand in growing their greenhouse business and taking care of their own corn and soybeans together. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing Blake Hurst for his commitment to Missouri agriculture, the state of Missouri and the Sixth Congressional District. I am honored to represent him in the United States Congress and honored to call him and his family my friends and neighbors.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4470. By adding the words ``Great Lakes'' to the name of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, the corporation will better reflect its geographic location and its economic importance to this significant region of the Nation. Located within the Department of Transportation, the corporation is charged with operating and maintaining all U.S. infrastructure and waters of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The corporation is also tasked with developing trade focused on driving economic activity for the entire Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Seaway system. I urge support of the bipartisan legislation to better represent what this federally owned corporation means to the Great Lakes. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I don't have any speakers. I urge support of H.R. 4470, and I yield back the balance of my time and.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5912, the Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 2020. This bill, which I am very proud to have introduced, gives airports the option to use some of their Airport Improvement Program, or AIP, money to expedite early completion of airport projects. Incentives such as these are commonly used in the surface transportation area, as encouraging early completion of road projects obviously can spare drivers additional weeks or months of congestion and sitting in traffic. An airfield is no different. Taking a runway or taxiway out of commission can impair airport efficiency and capacity, and it results in flight delays, upset travelers, you name it. Additionally, some airports, particularly in cold weather States, are racing against the clock to complete projects during a limited construction season. Even if a project is on schedule, an early winter or late spring can grind construction to a halt, costing the airport time and money. This bill is going help ensure that airports have the tools necessary to avoid these situations and get runways back into service faster. This bill allows airports to achieve cost savings. Projects completed early means a greater chance of avoiding construction price increases due to inflation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5912, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I don't have anyone else to speak, so with that, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the dean of the House.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today that S. 1982, the Save Our Seas 2.0, or SOS 2.0, Act is scheduled for consideration today. Last Congress, we passed the Save Our Seas Act building upon the work of the Marine Debris Act, which combats ocean-based solid waste pollution. Save Our Seas 2.0 develops these existing programs by establishing a Marine Debris Foundation to enhance Federal and private efforts to combat marine debris and authorizing a genius award to promote improved ocean cleanup technology. The bill also authorizes studies, grant programs, and international negotiations to better understand the causes of ocean pollution and improve how we prevent and eliminate this pollution. Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Don Young for his work and leadership on the House companion to this bill. His district was hit particularly hard by marine debris arriving from Japan after the 2011 tsunami. That tsunami drove one ghost fishing boat all the way from the coast of Japan to the Gulf of Alaska before being sunk by the U.S. Coast Guard; just one example of how far debris can travel. Mr. Speaker, I also thank Chairman DeFazio for working with us on minor changes to this bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Weston T. Henning. Weston is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 43, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Weston has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Weston has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Weston has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Weston restored a sign and added landscaping around the Agency Community Center in Agency, Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Weston T. Henning for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize the City of Bethany. Bethany is celebrating 175 years of being a town this September. Located within Harrison County, Bethany may be a small town within my district, but this town's roots run farther than can be imagined. Bethany, having been around since 1845, is well known for its early days of being a railroad town which ultimately shaped the economy, culture and community of this wonderful town for almost 100 years until the last train pulled out of Bethany in 1980. The Railroad industry wasn't the only industry that helped the City of Bethany become what it is today. For many years, Bethany was known as one of the best trading places in Northwest Missouri. Now thanks to the Interstate 35, Bethany is still is on the map in Northwest Missouri for its service industry and retail industry which has fueled the wonderful growth of Bethany over the past 30 to 40 years. Home of Babe Adams, a great baseball player who pitched in three world series games, and Benjamin Prentiss, a Civil War General and former Postmaster of Bethany, the city of Bethany has many reasons to be proud of its past 175 years. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing the City of Bethany for 175 years of existence but also to recognize the city's extremely bright future ahead. I am honored to represent every citizen within and around the City of Bethany in the United States Congress.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Dylan Montgomery Evans. Dylan is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 115, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Dylan has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Dylan has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Dylan has Firebuilder in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Dylan has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Dylan constructed two signs that can be removed and replaced as needed for Wesley United Methodist Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Dylan Montgomery Evans for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize David Kent Fruechtenicht. David is a very special husband, father, and leader who is proudly retiring from a career of service to this country. David Fruechtenicht has dedicated over 41 years to protect this nation. After joining the Air Force in 1980, David quickly realized that he enjoyed serving his country, as he says he just kept reenlisting and next thing he knew 20 years had flown by. After leaving active duty, David used his expertise with Electronic Intelligence to move over into DOD defense contract work but still found his way back to the Air Force by April of 2007. Whether it be active duty, consultant, or Air Force Civilian, David has continuously found a way to serve his nation. As David says he wouldn't change anything that he has done and ultimately that shows the true love and pride that David has for this country and I wish him well in retirement. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing David Fruechtenicht on his retirement and for his years serving our nation. l am honored to represent him in the United States Congress.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize HappyBottoms. HappyBottoms is a very important organization as they help bridge the gap for the almost 22,000 children that do not have enough diapers and bring awareness to the need during Diaper Need Awareness Week, which is celebrated the week of September 21 through 27, in Missouri. HappyBottoms is Kansas City's only diaper bank and they have been instrumental in alleviating the need of diapers for families in the Kansas City area since its creation. Created in 2011, HappyBottoms has provided over 13 million diapers for low income families in collaboration with 41 partner agencies at 54 distribution sites across 6 counties. In addition to their work within the community, HappyBottoms is also active within 5 area hospitals providing diapers to eligible mothers of newborns under their ``Bundle of Joys'' program. I strongly support these efforts to address the dire need of diapers within the Kansas City area as I believe this will ultimately lead to improved health for families within our communities. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing HappyBottoms for their effort in collecting, packaging and distributing diapers to low income families across the Kansas City metro area. I am honored to represent this wonderful organization in the United States Congress.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Peyton Thompson. Peyton is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1376, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Peyton has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Peyton has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Peyton has served his troop as Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and attended the Seabase High Adventure in the Bahamas. Peyton has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Peyton constructed two raised garden beds for Pharis Farm, an antebellum Clay County Historic Site outside of Liberty, Missouri. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Peyton Thompson for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman), who is on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.

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