Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank the gentlelady. I indicated I was prepared to close, but I have been advised that we need to occupy a little time as well. So I yield myself such time as I may consume, and we will try to be slow about it. Mr. Speaker, in this particular legislation, the minority views that were developed allow, among other things, the following: The Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act would be an assault on health, safety, and environmental protections. This legislation would erect new barriers to slow down the regulatory process, and it would give corporations an unfair advantage in the regulatory process; Section 5 of the bill would repeal language that excludes independent regulatory agencies from the reporting requirements of the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act, with the exception of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve and the Federal Open Market Committee. I spoke to that earlier. I found that passage strange. The Office of Management and Budget is responsible for overseeing the UMRA process. Since the independent agencies would be under the direction of OMB for purposes of UMRA compliance, this could compromise the independence of those agencies. Section 7 of H.R. 899 would create a new point of order in the House of Representatives for legislation containing an unfunded mandate, making it more difficult to enact legislation. Section 8 would incorporate a cost-benefit requirement from Executive Order 12866, but it would not include language from the same executive order directing agencies to perform these assessments to the extent feasible. Section 10 would require agencies to provide impacted parties in the private sector--but not other stakeholders--with an advanced opportunity to provide input on proposed regulations. It would require agencies to conduct consultations with private sector businesses as early as possible, before the issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking. Expanding this consultation requirement only to the private sector could allow businesses to have an advantage over other stakeholders, as I mentioned previously, such as taxpayers and environmental groups, with reference to the development of regulatory proposals. During consideration of this bill by the committee, one of the Members offered an amendment that stated that any opportunities or rights afforded to a corporation under this section shall also be afforded to any interested individual. The amendment was rejected. My good friend on the other side mentioned the fact that I pointed out that we continue to have one House legislation that goes nowhere in the Senate. And she pointed correctly to the fact--and I stand with her if it needs to be corrected--that there were 76 measures that reached the President's desk, and that 64 of them came out of the House of Representatives. Not knowing all of the statistical imperatives, my belief would be that of that 64 that came out of House of Representatives, a substantial number of them had companion legislation. I questioned whether or not this particular measure that we are addressing today has companion legislation in the Senate, and that is why I feel that it is not going to go anywhere. Listen, one side is arguing that we need to start the 2014 election right now and don't do anything else that is going to allow for both bodies--it is true, as my colleague said, that the Constitution mentions the House of Representatives first, but it does not give the House of Representatives autonomy in the sense that they, and they alone, can pass legislation. So there is a requirement here that has not been being met, and that is that the Senate and House confer on matters of legislation and then offer it up to the executive branch. We seem to have circumvented that process. And what we are doing, rather than pass, or at least address--I am fascinated by the fact that I don't believe my colleagues have the courage of their convictions. If we were to put a flood insurance measure on the floor not on suspension, I doubt very seriously that it would not pass. It will pass if it were to come to the floor that way. I believe that if we offer up a reasonable minimum wage, I don't think anybody in this country can say that $16,000 for a family of two or more people is sufficient in order for them to be able to meet requisites having to do with food and rent alone, let alone educating their children or providing daycare. I don't think anybody really is against those who paid into the employment system receiving unemployment compensation, and yet we find ourselves here repeatedly addressing a significant number of matters. Someone wrote the other day, if they got a stain on their tie, it would be because of ObamaCare. My goodness gracious, people, we are a legislative body. We could be about the business of serious legislating. That kind of legislating would require, among other things, not just bipartisan activity as this legislation has manifested itself as being bipartisan, but it would allow that we would really sit down and talk through the things that are needed in this country. There is nobody around that doesn't believe that we have bridges that are in disrepair. I haven't found anyone that said that if we invested in infrastructure, that it would not create more jobs in this country. The people want us to do this, and not to do one-sided, one-way measures that are not going to go anywhere anytime soon. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will insert in the Record the Statement of Administration Policy, and I will only lift one paragraph, and that is the last paragraph and sentence. ``H.R. 899 would unnecessarily add to the already robust analytical and procedural requirements of the rulemaking process. In particular, H.R. 899 would create needless grounds for judicial review, unduly slowing the regulatory process. In addition, it would add layers of procedural steps that would interfere with agency priority setting and compliance with statutory mandates.'' I guess, not surprisingly to my friends on the other side, ``If H.R. 899 were presented to the President, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.'' Mr. Speaker, contrary to my friend's favorite rhetoric, the free market does not solve all problems. Markets fail. We have seen that, have we not? Government is the actor of last resort when the market does not create the necessary incentives for businesses and individuals to protect the public good. What is more, Federal regulations are not strangling the economy or preventing growth. In fact, it is quite the opposite. As the Office of Management and Budget has reported, major Federal regulations issued over the last 10 years resulted in annual benefits from $193 billion to $800 billion, while costs are only between $57 billion to $84 billion. It seems to me that an $84 billion investment with an $800 million return is not a bad thing. Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I am going to offer an amendment to the rule to bring up legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour and give at least 25 million Americans a well-deserved pay raise. A business in the constituency that I serve did this on their own. Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlour in Dania Beach raised it because they said they feel the pain of the people that work with them and that they made a fair profit and wanted to share it with them. The American people are calling for an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' and defeat the previous question. Vote ``no'' on the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. Statement of Administration Policy H.R. 899--Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2013 (Rep. Foxx, R-NC, and 4 cosponsors, February 27, 2014) The Administration is committed to ensuring that regulations are tailored to advance statutory goals in a manner that is efficient and cost-effective, and that minimizes uncertainty. By layering on additional, burdensome judicial review and other unnecessary changes to the regulatory process, H.R. 899, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2013, would introduce needless uncertainty into agency decision-making and undermine the ability of agencies to provide critical public health and safety protections. Accordingly, the Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 899. When a Federal agency promulgates a regulation, the agency must adhere to the robust and well-understood procedural requirements of Federal law, including the Administrative Procedure Act, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and the Congressional Review Act. In addition, for decades, agency rulemaking has been guided by executive orders issued and followed by administrations of both political parties. These require regulatory agencies to promulgate regulations upon a reasoned determination that the benefits justify the costs, to consider regulatory alternatives, and to promote regulatory flexibility. The President's regulatory approach has been consistent throughout his Administration. We don't have to choose between protecting the health, welfare, and safety of Americans and promoting economic growth, job creation, competitiveness, and innovation--we can do both. To this end, Executive Order 13563 requires careful cost-benefit analysis, increased public participation, harmonization of rulemaking across agencies, and flexible regulatory approaches. Through executive orders and other presidential directives, agencies must ensure that they take into account the consequences of rulemaking on small businesses. And, through Executive Orders 13579 and 13610, the Administration has also taken important steps to promote systematic retrospective review of regulations by all agencies, including encouraging independent agencies to conduct such a review. Collectively, these requirements promote flexible, cost-effective regulation. H.R. 899 would unnecessarily add to the already robust analytical and procedural requirements of the rulemaking process. In particular, H.R. 899 would create needless grounds for judicial review, unduly slowing the regulatory process. In addition, it would add layers of procedural steps that would interfere with agency priority setting and compliance with statutory mandates. If H.R. 899 were presented to the President, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the European Parliament's February 20, 2014 public hearing on Afrophobia, as well as the critical importance of continuing to work with the European Union (EU) to address racism and discrimination against Black Europeans. It has been organized by the Green Party in collaboration with the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) and the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR). An estimated seven to ten million individuals of African descent currently live in Europe, particularly in France, the United Kingdom, and The Netherlands. These populations form an influential part of the African Diaspora. From labor and scholarship to politics and civil rights, they have contributed greatly to European history and culture over the past several centuries. However, the story of Black Europeans remains widely untold, rendering many of their past and present contributions to the political and social life of Europe invisible or forgotten. Furthermore, similar to the experiences of many African Americans, they have increasingly become the targets of discrimination, pernicious racial profiling, and violent hate crimes impacting equal access to housing, employment, education, and justice. I commend Members of the European Parliament Jean-Jacob Bicep, Jean Lambert, and Philippe Lamberts of the Greens/European Free Alliance (EFA) for building upon previous efforts and hosting a public hearing on Afrophobia in the EU. As the Ranking Democratic Member of the Helsinki Commission, I have long worked with European policymakers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community leaders to help address inequality and discrimination facing persons of African descent. In November 2013, the U.S. Helsinki Commission hosted an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) delegation of Black European Rights Leaders representing 10 countries. During a Commission briefing, entitled ``Europeans of African Descent `Black Europeans': Race, Rights, and Politics,'' members of the delegation shed light on the challenges encountered by many Black Europeans due to ongoing racism and discrimination, including barriers to greater political representation and leadership opportunities. Furthermore, they drew attention to the need for increased cooperation between Europe and the United States to combat racial discrimination and continuing racial disparities. In conjunction with the Delegation's visit, I introduced H. Res. 421 ``Recognizing People of African Descent and Black Europeans'', which outlines concrete steps that the United States can take to help address racism and discrimination in Europe. It calls for the adoption of a Joint U.S.-European Union Action Plan to develop transatlantic solutions to combat racial discrimination and promote racial equality in Europe. In addition, I sent a letter to President Obama on December 20, 2013 urging him to sign a Presidential Memorandum on ``International Initiatives to Advance Human Rights, Social Inclusion, Equality, and Empowerment of Peoples of African Descent.'' Mr. Speaker, Europe is currently grappling with complex questions at the intersection of national identity, decreasing birth rates, increasing immigration, security concerns, and a rise in extremist political parties. Cooperation between the United State and the EU is key to addressing the global challenges of racism and discrimination, and we should recognize the efforts made by the EU to address them.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the life of Dr. Leslie M. Collins, a lifelong educator, writer, and academic. Dr. Collins was a well respected professor who was always available to guide his students as they embarked on their careers. I was deeply saddened to hear of his passing this week. For more than 50 years, Dr. Collins taught English and African- American literature at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Even after his retirement in 1979, he continued to teach several courses every year for nearly three decades. His dedication to education speaks for itself. A graduate of Dillard University, Dr. Collins was awarded an M.A. from Fisk University in 1937 and a doctorate from Western Reserve University's Department of American Culture in 1945. His studies of the relationships between the peoples of the world through literature took him across the globe, to the Universities of Havana, Oslo, Florence and Madrid, as well as Africa, Europe, and the Mediterranean. In 1945, Dr. Collins joined the English Department at Fisk University, where he taught courses ranging from Composition to Black Literature, Milton, and the Harlem Renaissance. For nearly 50 years, he reviewed books for the Nashville Tennessean, and in 1990, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Fisk University. The same year, his work One Hundred Years of Fisk Presidents was published, and later, his poem the Creole Girl was set to music and performed by the Black Music Repertory Ensemble of Chicago. Mr. Speaker, we have lost a great academic and a gifted educator. Dr. Collins dedicated his life to reviving students' relationships with literature, and I feel blessed to have known him as a mentor. This week, my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, the Fisk University community, and the countless students whose lives he undeniably touched.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014, legislation that creates a new pilot program within AmeriCorps VISTA focusing on creating and improving access to community gardens in areas with high poverty rates. Community gardens have been shown to be very beneficial to the communities they serve. They improve quality of life, encourage self- reliance, and reduce family food budgets--all while producing highly nutritious food for participants. Additionally, community gardens create opportunities for recreation, social interaction, exercise, education, and economic development. Providing new avenues for nourishment like the one in this legislation has become even more important since the recent cuts of $19 billion to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A report released in August 2013 by the Union of Concerned Scientists concluded that if Americans ate one extra serving of fruits or vegetables daily, there would be approximately 30,000 fewer deaths from cardiovascular diseases and $5 billion saved in health care costs in our nation every year. Nearly 130,000 deaths would be prevented and $17 billion saved in medical costs if that amount was increased to an additional two and a half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit daily. These figures highlight the importance of making healthy foods more easily available for those who would benefit from them the most. Mr Speaker, my legislation is very straightforward. It requires the creation of at least 40 new community garden projects in both urban and rural areas suffering from high poverty rates. AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers in this program will work with members of these communities to establish new gardens, which will help to expand general anti- poverty efforts, teach basic nutrition, and help provide affordable healthy food options. Within 90 days of the completion of the program, the Director will submit to Congress a report describing the projects that were created, information about the volunteers that were placed, and a recommendation regarding continuation and expansion of the program. I can think of no better way to mark the 50th anniversary of the war on poverty than to rededicate ourselves to the principle of improving people's lives. We can do this by increasing access to healthy foods and fighting health crises like the obesity epidemic. Just last year, President Obama announced an expansion of the AmeriCorps program, led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), to develop new strategies for expanding national service. This legislation could play a significant role in these efforts. The pilot program created within the Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014 will help to educate about the importance of nutrition and empower Americans living in impoverished regions to be more self-reliant while increasing access to healthier foods. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank my friend. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first say and credit the chairman of the Rules Committee for having addressed this problem. He has spoken about it to me and to others. The same holds for my cochair of the Florida delegation, Vern Buchanan. All of us on the Florida delegation, minus one person, are supportive of this particular measure. Here is an opportunity then for us to defeat the previous question and bring this matter up now. Enough already of continuing to discuss it. We have had ample time to deal with this problem. Don't forget: Florida, among other States, is a donor-state in this business.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to rise today in order to celebrate the service and accomplishments of Mr. Dan B. Kimball, Superintendent of Everglades National Parks. After 10 years, Dan will be retiring in March 2014. During his tenure as superintendent, Dan consistently demonstrated his expertise and unwavering commitment to the preservation of our national parks. Upon his arrival in 2004, he was entrusted with managing the park's involvement in the restoration of the Everglades, the largest ecosystem restoration project in the world. He and his team faced complex challenges with skill and resolve, making invaluable contributions to the ongoing defense of the Everglades and to the balance of Florida's ecosystem. A 20-year veteran of the National Park Service (NPS), Dan also served as the Chief of National Park Service Water Resources Division. He was instrumental in the successful settlement of park water rights issues in the western United States, and in the continued protection of Yellowstone National Park. In addition, he has held positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Surface Mining (OSM), as well as in various environmental consulting firms. His accomplishments have earned him a number of awards, including the U.S. Department of the Interior's (DOT) Superior Service Award (1989), the Stephen Tyng Mather Award for resource conservation given by the National Parks Conservation Association (1995), and the Pacific Northwest Regional Directors Award for Professional Excellence in Natural Resources (2002). Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to work with Mr. Dan Kimball. I want to offer my sincerest congratulations and heartfelt gratitude to him for all that he has done for the state of Florida and this nation. I wish him the very best on his retirement, and much success in his future pursuits.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to rise today and honor the Rev. Pamela Cahoon on the occasion of her retirement. The Rev. Cahoon has led for more than 30 years Christians Reaching Out to Society (C.R.O.S.) Ministries, as its executive director. Her passion to end hunger began many years ago, when, as a child she noticed that some of her classmates did not have the benefit of a simple brown bag lunch. She persuaded her own mother to start packing extra lunches to share with classmates who had none of their own. Today, her family and many others have joined her efforts to ensure that no one goes hungry. In one year alone, C.R.O.S. Ministries, under the Rev. Cahoon's leadership, provided emergency food to more than 40,000 individuals, more than 40 percent of whom were children; served 85,000 meals to hungry families in the ministries' kitchens; distributed 28,000 afterschool snacks to hungry kids; and sent home 16,000 brown bag lunches to ward off hunger for families during the long weekends. C.R.O.S. Ministries also led efforts to gather food, salvaging more than 218,000 pounds of fresh produce from harvested fields, and then distributed the food to 100 nonprofit agencies across the county. Although the Rev. Cahoon is retiring, I am sure that she will continue to be involved in local efforts to help people in need for many years to come. Mr. Speaker, the Rev. Pamela Cahoon is someone with whom we can all admire and respect. I commend her for her selfless efforts to end hunger, and wish her the very best on her retirement.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Tom Kaiser, a veteran and member of America's Greatest Generation. Tom is a resident of Delray Beach, Florida, and has helped more than 500 South Florida veterans receive government awards and medals for their military service. Thanks to Tom's dedication, veterans who helped to liberate France in WWII regularly are presented the Legion of Honor in special ceremonies by France's Consuls General from Miami. One of the men receiving this prestigious award is a Holocaust survivor who, after making it out of France, moved to the United States and served America in the Korean War. Aside from helping veterans, Tom has also been instrumental in getting 22 war monuments placed at Boynton Beach's Veteran's Park. There are monuments dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen, Korean War and other famous veterans and battles. Tom chairs the Boynton Beach Veteran's Council. Together with Ray Carter, the city's Fire Chief, he recently unveiled a memorial to the victims of 9/11 at the park. Tom noted at the ceremony that, ``it makes the park a history lesson, so that anytime of the year people can come and reflect.'' A humble man, Tom would be reluctant to accept the title of hero, but that is what he is to all the veterans who have gotten the recognition they deserve due to his efforts. Mr. Speaker, the term Greatest Generation was created to describe Tom and others like him, who served our country so bravely. I am very pleased to honor him on this day.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I thank my friend, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop), for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we have real problems facing our Nation. The measures before us today are partisan and have no chance of becoming law. My friends across the aisle would rather pick political battles than propose real solutions. We worked together on the farm bill, on the budget, and on the omnibus appropriations bill, and I hope that soon we will pass a bipartisan Water Resources Development Act conference report. Instead of continuing in a bipartisan manner, however, we are here once again considering partisan bills that will not become law. For example, H.R. 3964 is a far-reaching measure of drastic and immediate consequences for its chosen winners, yet the bill was introduced only a week ago and with only Republican cosponsors. California is in the middle of a terrible drought. Some Californians are already reporting that no water comes out when they turn on their taps. They need a real solution. We have got our water issues in Florida. There is not enough of it in places that need it and too much of it where it is not needed. Yet my friends across the aisle have decided to handpick when states' rights don't matter and to take the opportunity to blast California's prerogative. California has a plan--the Bay Delta Conservation Plan--that has been worked on in a unanimously important way. Instead, this legislation has turned a legitimate crisis into a justification for a power grab, prioritizing junior water rights holders over those with senior rights. I respect my colleagues from California, but the Governor is responsible for the entire State, and he expressly rejects the measure before us today. Mr. Speaker, Californians already have, as I have said, a water use plan in place. The plan is a result of long, detailed discussions and carefully crafted policy. Yet this bill would substitute--indeed, preempt--the will of the people with a reactionary Federal policy. Specifically, the bill preempts California law, eliminates Endangered Species Act protections for salmon and other fisheries, overturns existing Federal law, as well as undermines existing agreements and court orders related to water use in California. Moreover, this bill will not fix the problem, which is simple--there is not enough water. H.R. 3964 will not end the drought. It will not create more water. Simply put, it will only decide who will go thirsty. California's secretary for natural resources, John Laird, wrote to the relevant committees: The bill falsely holds the promise of water relief that cannot be delivered because, in this drought, the water simply does not exist. How and when to direct water is very similar to problems we face in the Everglades. Without an ongoing flush of water into the ocean, seawater intrudes upon the delta. You then wind up with saltwater inland, and then you might as well not have any water at all. I didn't have to deliberate long to decide against this bill. California, the State the bill supposedly helps, is strongly opposed to it. Let me be very clear. That means the Governor and those who are critical to it are opposed. I understand that there are members of the California delegation who do support this matter, and I respect that. I can't say it any better myself. The only way we are going to help California is to realize that you can't play politics with a person's drinking water. Turning now to the other piece of legislation, H.R. 2954 is no better either substantively or procedurally. My friends across the aisle continue to play fast and loose with their pledge to address one issue at a time. That is what they said. H.R. 2954 is 10 unrelated bills stitched together. Some of the provisions we are looking at today are not controversial, but rather than pass noncontroversial provisions through less contentious means, my friends have packaged them together with partisan measures for rank political purposes. It is Frankenstein's parliamentary monster. The other day at the Rules Committee, my friends across the aisle talked about how much they love national parks, and shared their experiences hiking and visiting the parks with their families. Yet they are still bringing H.R. 2954 to the floor, a bill that would greatly hamstring the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Forest Service in their capabilities to protect public land and endangered species. These 10 bills are designed to influence or dictate management decisions about the conveyance or disposal of Federal lands. They tie the hands of public land managers and give away millions of dollars worth of Federal land to local governments without ensuring the land is used in the public's best interest. They include drastic changes to regulations related to grazing policy and waive or undermine existing environmental law. Some of these provisions would be significantly less controversial were it not for the unnecessary provisions waiving environmental protections. It is no secret my friends across the aisle look to undermine, if not eliminate, the National Environmental Policy Act at every chance they can. These are the kinds of policies that leave 300,000 West Virginians without water to drink or bathe. We don't know the effects of the chemicals that spilled into the drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians. We don't know yet how much or even specifically what was spilled. The lasting damage to West Virginia's water supply can't be predicted. That is why it should be an exemplar for why we need to have careful environmental regulations everywhere. Mr. Speaker, week after week, my Republican colleagues continue to bring up partisan bills that offer no relief to hardworking Americans. I believe that this institution is better than that and must change course. I am astounded that we haven't authorized unemployment insurance. Let me repeat that. I am astounded that we have not reauthorized unemployment insurance for now what is 1.6 million Americans. With each passing day, more families face the threat of losing their homes. With each passing day, our roads, bridges, schools, parks, ports, airports, and railways continue to degrade due to lack of adequate investment. With each passing day, Americans burdened by long-term unemployment see little, if any, action in the House of Representatives to give them hope. With so many Americans and their families enduring difficult times, we cannot afford to wait any longer. Americans deserve peace of mind and a government that functions. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), a former member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), with whom I served previously on the Intelligence Committee and who is as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman), a member of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), who is a member of the Education and Workforce Committee and a former chair of the relevant committee having to do with the environment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we gave the House an opportunity to consider flood insurance reform which the Senate has already adopted, but unfortunately it was denied. As incongruous as it might be, we consider it such an important issue, while we are here talking about an equally important issue, drought, to bring up this measure having to do with flood insurance. It is an important issue for families across the Nation, so today we will provide that opportunity again. If we defeat the previous question, I am going to offer an amendment to this rule to bring up a bill that will delay flood insurance premium hikes and provide financial relief to thousands of American families and, specifically, families in Florida. To discuss our proposal, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford), my good friend.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), my good friend.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), my good friend. (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), who is the ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services. I wish to make clear to my friend on the other side who continues to say that he wants to bring us back to the subject matter of this underlying bill that the minority has been granted a motion to recommit, and that motion to recommit is just as relevant as the underlying bill. To speak to this issue, then, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California.