Frank Guinta

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and its impact on both New Hampshire's natural resources and our access to hunting, fishing, and outdoor activities. Established by Congress in 1965, the LWCF provides money to Federal, State, and local governments to purchase and preserve land, water, and wetlands for the benefit of all Americans. As Granite Staters know, we are blessed to call one of the most pristine ecological environments in the Nation our home. From the seacoast region to the White Mountain National Forest to Lake Winnipesaukee, outdoor recreation and activities are a vital part of New Hampshire's First Congressional District's economy. In fact, the Outdoor Industry Association found that active outdoor recreation generates $4.2 billion annually in consumer spending in New Hampshire, supports nearly 50,000 jobs across the State, and produces $293 million annually in State and local revenue. Furthermore, over 800,000 people hunt, fish, or watch wildlife in New Hampshire each year, spending over $560 million on wildlife-related recreation. It is no surprise that the LWCF is a critical part in maintaining and strengthening those numbers, while simultaneously preserving our beautiful State. I urge my colleagues to join in support of this legislation.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a selfless Granite Stater who is paving the way for our mental health community and was recently awarded the Portsmouth Rotary Club's Humanitarian Award. In 2014, Don Moore founded Seacoast Pathways in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with the goals of providing those with mental illness resources to find a stable place to live, find a job, and opportunities for members to develop talents and interests to stay engaged in our community. For far too long, the topic of mental health has been regarded as taboo and carries with it an undeserved stigma. People like Don Moore are changing this negative perception and bringing about positive change for our communities. In fact, the successes of the clubhouse model used by Seacoast Pathways are borrowed from another successful clubhouse in Manchester, New Hampshire, called Granite Pathways. This spring, I had the privilege of visiting both, meeting with their staffs and clubhouse members. Seacoast Pathways' commitment to creating a community where members can reach their goals of work, education, and stable housing are absolutely commendable, and it is because of the selfless and dedicated folks like Don that our State remains a shining example of best practices in this area. On behalf of the entire Granite State, congratulations to Don on receiving a well-deserved honor, and for working tirelessly on behalf of the mental health community.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Meaghan Six, an outstanding recent graduate of Manchester Memorial High School, located in New Hampshire's First Congressional District and a future graduate of Daniel Webster College in Nashua, New Hampshire. As a dedicated student and an active individual, Meaghan Six quickly distinguished herself as an influential leader amongst her peers. Meaghan was the captain of her high school volleyball team, as well as being named as an alternate to the Women's Jr. National A1 Working team, placing her in the top 100 volleyball players nationwide for her age group. She was also a competitor on the spring track and field team and nominated for the female in spring sports award. She was awarded the single Crusader award for her graduating class. Meaghan's talents do not only set her apart athletically, but also in the classroom. Along with completing 28 consecutive quarters on both the Honor Roll and High Honors she was inducted into the National Honor Society; which recognizes students for their exemplary character, commitment to scholarship, and, their dedication to service outreach in their community. This coming fall Meaghan will continue her impressive career as a notable student-athlete at Daniel Webster College on their women's volleyball team; she serves as an inspiration to all young people in New Hampshire and throughout the nation. She is proof that hard work and dedication can certainly pay off. I am proud to recognize her accomplishments and look forward to witnessing her future successes. Congratulations to Meaghan Six for all of her achievements.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman, and I look forward to working with him on this particular issue as it is important and critical to New Hampshire. I recognize the differences between the East and the West and the challenges that we do face. Certainly, I support, again, the underlying bill, and I look forward to working with the chairman on this very important issue in New Hampshire. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill in order to increase funding by $16 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Since 1977, LWCF receipts have been collected annually to specifically fund Federal land acquisition, conserve threatened and endangered species, and provide grants to States. However, more than $18 billion has been syphoned from the LWCF trust fund since the program's inception in 1965, diverted from their original conservation purpose. Despite a history of underfunding, the LWCF remains a crucial Federal program to conserve our Nation's land, water, historic, and recreational heritage. As those in my home State of New Hampshire know, we are lucky to call one of the most pristine ecological environments in the Nation our home, and we understand firsthand LWCF's impact on both our State's natural resources and on our access to hunting, fishing, and outdoor activities. The LWCF is also an essential tool to expand public lands and to protect national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, wild and scenic river corridors, national scenic and historic trails, the Bureau of Land Management lands, and other Federal areas. I applaud the Appropriations Committee for its hard work on this important bill as it does prevent harmful executive overreach, reduces regulatory burdens on job creators and local communities, and it finds important savings for taxpayers. I certainly urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill, but given the importance of the LWCF programs across the country and in New Hampshire, I believe more robust funding for this particular program is important for the reasons I have stated. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an individual from Manchester, New Hampshire, who has been named Franco American of the Year. Gerald Cardinal Lacroix was born in Quebec but moved to New Hampshire while still a young boy. Lacroix attended Catholic schools in Manchester, and he continued his studies at Saint Anselm College before receiving degrees in theology from Laval University in Quebec. In 1975, he entered religious life by joining the Pius X Secular Institute. Ordained a priest in 1988, Father Lacroix served as a missionary in Colombia. He then returned to North America and was elected as director general of the institute. Consecrated as a bishop in 2009, Lacroix began his service as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Quebec. Two years later, he succeeded as archbishop of Quebec and primate of Canada, receiving his pallium from Pope Benedict XVI. Most recently, Pope Francis elevated Lacroix to the College of Cardinals, appointing him a cardinal-priest in Rome. This is a tremendous accomplishment. On behalf of the Granite State, we are all proud of Cardinal Lacroix's accomplishments. He is truly worthy of the title ``Franco American of the Year.''

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the estimated 145 million Americans who are at risk of losing their employer-sponsored healthcare insurance due to an excise tax included in the President's healthcare law. Beginning in 2018, employers will be required to pay a 40 percent tax on their employees' healthcare plans due to ObamaCare. I am already hearing from constituents back home who hear from their employers and employees alike that are preparing for this devastating tax by looking at increasing deductibles, reducing benefits, and shifting costs to consumers and property taxpayers alike. This tax is set to cost New Hampshire's largest city, Manchester, over $5 million. Americans simply can't afford another costly tax, and that is why I introduced H.R. 879, a bill to repeal the so-called Cadillac tax. As we prepare to vote on a series of healthcare bills this week, I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this commonsense bill. H.R. 879 is a win for employers. It is also a win for municipalities. And, most importantly, it is a win for all those hard-working Americans who expected the President to keep his promise that, if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris) be removed as a cosponsor from H.R. 1942.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of cutting the bureaucratic red tape strangling our Nation's small businesses. In 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau implemented guidance that would prevent families and individuals from obtaining auto financing discounts. The CFPB issued this guidance without a public comment period for consumers, small businesses, or stakeholders. This guidance not only affects the American auto industry and the hundreds of hard-working auto dealers in the Granite State; but it also affects Granite State families and individuals, for example, the young couple in Manchester struggling to afford a new minivan to accommodate their growing family or the startup logistics company in Conway wishing to add another truck to their fleet to grow their business. The detrimental aspects of this onerous regulation are felt throughout our State and our Nation. That is why I introduced H.R. 1737, a bipartisan bill to rein in the CFPB's overreach and merely bring more transparency, accountability, and clarity to the formal rulemaking process. It will reverse the CFPB's indirect auto financing guidance and allow the public's voice to be heard. This bill has 49 Republican cosponsors and 40 Democrat cosponsors. I look forward to working with all those interested in continuing to reverse this rule.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer my amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill to prevent any funds from being used to conduct a new round of military base closures through a process known as Base Realignment and Closure, also known as BRAC. While President Obama continues to discuss the possibility of another round of BRAC as a way to reduce defense spending, we know all too well the negative impacts closing military bases have on our communities, States, national security, and military preparedness. For more than 200 years, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has provided thousands of Granite Staters with jobs and contributed millions in revenue and military equipment for the United States Navy. Today, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has roughly 100 naval officers and enlisted personnel assigned to the facility. In addition, the shipyard employs roughly 4,700 civilian employees and offers an active apprentice and engineer recruitment program in the communities surrounding the facility. This base is more than just helpful to our local economy and our military readiness. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is absolutely essential to New Hampshire. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is one of only four shipyards remaining in the country. Each of these facilities has a mission to overhaul, repair, and modernize our Nation's submarine fleet. These services are vital toward maintaining fleet readiness. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment to show our unwavering support for our men and women in arms. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the gentleman's concerns. While I certainly hope that there is no BRAC round, there are concerns expressed by Members relative to the President's comments in this area as a method of reducing defense spending. We have gone through sequestration. I have seen firsthand the concerns expressed by the civilian employees at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. They are the best and the brightest in the business, and I feel very strongly that this is important to New Hampshire and important to the defense of our Nation. I certainly share the concern and welcome the opportunity to look at the Department of Defense to try to find efficiencies and effectiveness to make sure that our men and women are properly prepared, but I feel that a BRAC realignment would be inappropriate at this time. I hope that Members would support this amendment. I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and the rest of the committee for their hard work on this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life, service, and valor of Captain John J. Dearborn, a Granite Stater, family man, and American hero. Captain Dearborn, a lifelong resident of Deerfield, was New Hampshire's oldest living U.S. marine, having served in World War II as a Corsair fighter. During his service, Dearborn witnessed history in the making, having seen the final Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, marking the end of World War II. Dearborn remained as an active member of the veterans community and just this April traveled from Manchester, New Hampshire, to Washington, D.C., to participate in an Honor Flight with other veterans from around the Nation. His service, legacy, and courage live on. We will never forget the service and sacrifice that Captain Dearborn made for our freedoms and our liberty. It is because of our Nation's heroes like Dearborn that our Nation remains the land of the free and the home of the brave. For that, we are forever grateful.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the 5.3 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease as we observe Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Families affected by this illness know firsthand Alzheimer's takes more than just memories; it takes the lives of loved ones. Despite being the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, Alzheimer's is the only disease in the top ten causes of death that cannot be slowed, stopped, or prevented. The time to take action is now. It is our duty as Members to work on behalf of the families who lose their loved ones to this devastating disease and on behalf of those individuals who slowly lose those pieces of themselves that made up who they once were. No one should have to go through such an emotionally tolling process. As a member of the Congressional Alzheimer's Caucus, I am devoted to raising awareness and devising solutions to once and for all end Alzheimer's. Together we can, and must, fight this important fight.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill to increase the funding for our Nation's drug courts by $5 million. Drug courts keep people in treatment and can be one of the most effective intervention programs for those suffering from drug addiction. And just as important, these courts reduce crime, save money, and serve families and children affected by substance abuse. Drug and substance abuse directly impacts our States, communities, law enforcement, and families across the country. In the past 5 years alone, in my home State of New Hampshire, overdoses have increased fivefold. Last year in the Granite State, deaths from heroin and illicit drug use exceeded auto-related deaths in the State. Drug use and abuse have devastated countless families from the Granite State. Drug courts are transforming the criminal justice system across our Nation by creating a systematic response to substance abuse and crime as an alternative to incarceration. It is not every day that we get to directly save lives in government. The drug courts program has proven to do just that. I would also like to acknowledge and thank my colleague from Massachusetts, Congressman Lynch, for working with me on this amendment to ensure this much-needed funding. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment as we continue to tackle the drug abuse epidemic that is plaguing communities around our Nation.

Mr. GUINTA. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. GUINTA. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUINTA. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I want to echo the sentiments of the gentleman from Massachusetts. This is a worthwhile attempt to try to help and heal families, address our process of incarceration, but also to make sure that we are doing the right thing for families across not just our region in New England, but across the country. I would also like to thank Appropriations Committee Chairman Rogers and Subcommittee Chairman Culberson for their hard work not just on this component, an amendment to the bill, but the overall bill and the commitment to this particular issue. Again, I would urge my colleagues to support the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I plan to withdraw this amendment, but I would like the opportunity to briefly explain. The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act of 1954 imposed a special duty on fish and fish products imported into the United States and required that 30 percent of the money collected by NOAA would go toward supporting fisheries and research and development on the industry's long-term sustainability. However, NOAA has not been properly paying into its regional fishing grant programs and is using these tariffs as part of its operational expenses. To ensure a thriving fishing industry, we must invest in initiatives that increase the stock of our Nation's fisheries by providing grants to research and monitor them as well as management programs. During my first term, I introduced legislation that would ensure that key programs critical to sustainably managing ocean fish populations and the fishermen and communities that depend on them would receive increased and sustained funding. I sincerely thank Chairman Culberson for considering my appropriations letter and including the transfer of $130 million in existing funds to be used exclusively on Saltonstall-Kennedy fishing activity, particularly the S-K regional fisheries investment grant program. This transfer of funds will directly provide grants to regional fishery management councils that would work with area fishermen to identify investment priorities. These investment priorities include disaster assistance, improving shoreside infrastructure, seafood promotion, and managing highly migratory species. The transfer of these funds will help; however, it is a temporary fix to a much larger issue. This year, I, along with my friend Congressman Bill Keating, have introduced the same legislation that would ensure that NOAA follow the requirement laid out in the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act of 1954. Again, I want to thank Chairman Culberson for taking my letter and thoughts into consideration. I appreciate the hard work of the committee on this issue and the bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the significant contributions of a New Hampshire-based business that employs almost 1,500 people and contributes approximately $1.8 billion in economic revenue. For nearly 40 years, Timberland Shoe Company has remained a staple in the New England region business community. From what started out as a small shoe company in Boston, Timberland has grown into a worldwide leader of outdoor footwear and apparel. Headquartered in Exeter, New Hampshire, Timberland employs over 400 Granite Staters in a variety of departments such as marketing, operations, retail, administration, and more. The accomplishments of Timberland also transcend the workplace in ways where they have logged 8,300 hours of community service just in the last year. Mr. Speaker, giving back to the community is an important aspect of successful business, and Timberland sets a great example for what all businesses should strive for. It was a privilege to visit Timberland's headquarters last month, and I look forward to their next 40 years in the great State of New Hampshire.

Mr. GUINTA

Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate on behalf of a cause near and dear to my heart, fixing our mental health system. As some of you may know, I have a family member with a mental illness. This has allowed me to witness firsthand where our system fails those with a mental illness and to see where the opportunities are for improvement. As part of my effort to bring about change to New Hampshire's mental health system, I joined my colleague, Representative Kuster, last week in hosting a mental health summit with local advocates, healthcare providers, and New Hampshire lawmakers. These experts are essential in the fight to reform and strengthen our mental health system. It is with their feedback, perspective, and opinion that myself, Representative Kuster, and my colleagues in Congress can devise bipartisan solutions to fix this very important issue. Together, we can bring about real bipartisan change for individuals and families affected by mental illness. We need to change this to a patient-centered and metrics-driven environment to ensure that Granite State patients and their families are provided with the necessary care, support, and resources they deserve.