Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2809, American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act. This legislation grants the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) in the Department of Commerce the power to allow U.S. nationals and NGOs to operate objects manufactured or assembled in outer space, with or without human occupants, and all items used on these objects. To obtain an operation certification in outer space, all activities must include a clean-up plan for any debris that may result from their activities. This legislation will also establish an advisory committee within the OSC that will evaluate space activities and provide guidance on the U.S. private industry in outer space. Additionally, this bill abolishes the Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and establishes the Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing to advise U.S. commercial space- based remote sensing industries. I believe that protecting our environment and natural habitats is critical, and outer space is no exception. As we venture further into the cosmos, making sure that the U.S. creates legislation to limit our space debris should be a priority for Congress. We are already facing the consequences of pollution on our planet and we must do better in this new frontier than we have done on earth. This legislation will provide the proper support and oversight that the space industrialization will need to ensure we are exploring the universe responsibly. We must build a solid framework for future space activities in order to create a proper path for exploration.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Music Modernization Act, and I am also proud to be a cosponsor. This comprehensive music bill will help create an efficient and fair music licensing system. Currently, streaming services have to obtain licenses on a song-by- song basis. The Music Modernization Act would reform section 115 of the Copyright Act by establishing a collective to offer blanket licenses to streaming services for mechanical rights. Under current law, only sound recordings made after 1972 receive payments from digital radio services under Federal law. This bill would benefit legacy artists and music creators who recorded music before 1972 by establishing royalty payments whenever their music is played on digital radio. That is why this section of the bill is supported by Dionne Warwick, Duke Fakir of the Four Tops, Tina Turner, and the estates of Miles Davis and Otis Redding, among many others. The bill provides producers a right to collect digital royalties and provides a process for studio professionals to receive royalties for their contributions to the creation of music. This bill would, for the first time, add producers and engineers who play an important role in the creation of sound recordings to the U.S. copyright law. Music organizations representing U.S. music publishers, record labels, songwriters, composers, artists, and performance rights organizations support this bill. The reforms made by this bill are critical because the royalty system has not kept pace with the digital age. These changes will benefit consumers, creators, and the entire music marketplace. I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill. I commend the efforts of Doug Collins, Hakeem Jeffries, and Chairman Goodlatte, as well as Ranking Member Nadler for shepherding this legislation to this point.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as the corporations, the wealthy, and the well-connected enjoy lavish tax cuts, while retaining the ability to avoid paying any taxes whatsoever because of the many tax loopholes still in the Tax Code, millions of low- and middle-income Americans work diligently to complete their tax returns today. The Republican tax scam has made the rich even richer, while economic inequality in America has gotten a whole lot worse. Sadly, most Americans say they have seen no change in their withholding taxes. While the wealthy are reaping massive windfalls from the giveaways in the GOP tax scam, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that this tax scam will cause the annual deficit to soar to over $1 trillion in 2020, and an additional $3.4 trillion will be added to the national debt over the next 10 years. Ending deficit spending and reducing the Federal debt is what Republicans have always claimed they were about, but we see now, with Republicans in total control, that they have misled us. It is time to put this scam to bed, Mr. Speaker, and bring new order to this House. Shame on the Republicans.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the first sponsor of H.R. 141, a bill originally introduced by Representative Conyers of Michigan, for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to a serious health crisis in America: the maternal mortality rate in the country is worse than in the rest of the developed world. In fact, the United States is the only industrialized nation where the number of pregnancy-related deaths is on the rise. This is particularly true for Black women, who are nearly four times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than White women. Additionally, The New York Times reported yesterday that Black infants are now more than twice as likely to die as White infants, a disparity which is larger now than it was in 1850. Black Maternal Health Week started yesterday. Today, I stand before Congress not only to raise awareness, but to encourage my colleagues to take swift action and fund maternal healthcare clinics in 2019.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, no one in their right mind should be supporting this cynical and hypocritical Republican balanced budget amendment. This resolution has been rushed to the floor today without a single committee hearing. The don't-tax-but-spend Republicans just exploded the national debt. They exploded this national debt by nearly $2 trillion with the tax scam-tax cut bill that dished out a $5.5 trillion gift to big multinational corporations and to the top 1 percent crowd: $5.5 trillion. Now they come back dumping, like a wheelbarrow full of horse manure, a radical balanced budget amendment onto this House floor today. The Washington Post said that this is like Donald Trump proposing to lead a campaign to make adultery illegal. I agree with that assessment. After passing their $5.5 trillion tax cut, and after passage of the omnibus spending bill that exploded the national debt, the don't-tax- but-spend Republicans are now shamelessly demanding that needy seniors sacrifice their retirement security to pay for the shameful tax giveaway to the greedy. And that is not all. Just this week, the CBO released a report forecasting annual deficits of $1 trillion or more every single year that President Trump remains in office. This Republican hypocrisy has got to stop. Republican fiscal strategy has three goals: one, cut taxes for the wealthy; two, keep up the charade that they are fiscally responsible; and, three, and above all, they want to cut the social safety net. They want to cut programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamps, all to pay for their handouts to those who already have plenty. Enough is enough. The American people cannot afford Republicans' fiscal hypocrisy any longer. Democrats will continue to fight for a better deal for working people in America: policies that create good-paying jobs, reduce the deficit, and grow the economy for everyone. Americans deserve a better deal. They deserve better jobs, better wages, and a better future.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Equal Pay Day. The Equal Pay Act became law more than 50 years ago, and today women comprise almost half of the American workforce. They serve in our hospitals, schools, and our factories. They are executives at major corporations. They are doctors, they are lawyers, and they serve in countless other occupations that make our economy one of the greatest in the world. Yet, women are still disadvantaged by the gender wage gap. They are compensated at only 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man. This must not continue. It is unjust, it prevents a fair and productive economy, and is something that we need to close, this gap. Closing the wage gap is an economic imperative.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3996, the Protecting Access to the Courts for Taxpayers Act. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that taxpayers who mistakenly file certain claims in the wrong venue will still have their day in court. Under current law, when a Federal court does not have jurisdiction over a case, it typically may transfer that case to the appropriate Federal court that does have proper jurisdiction. However, due to a quirk in the law, the United States Tax Court is not authorized to have misfiled cases transferred to it, even when the Tax Court is the proper--and, in many cases, the only--court with jurisdiction to hear the case. This legislation will remedy that flaw in the law and enable Federal courts to transfer cases directly to the Tax Court when appropriate. The need for this bill is not simply a matter of judicial efficiency; it is fundamentally one of access to justice. The Tax Court was established to resolve disputes between taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service, and many taxpayers choose to represent themselves in Tax Court proceedings. Unfortunately, these litigants--lacking legal representation--make procedural errors, including filing in the wrong court. In most instances, by the time a taxpayer's claim is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, the strict guidelines and deadlines for filing in the Tax Court--generally 90 days or fewer--have long passed, and the taxpayer is then barred from filing a claim altogether. By allowing these cases to be transferred directly to the Tax Court, H.R. 3996 ensures that the case will retain its original filing date and the taxpayer will be able to preserve his or her claim. As a result of this modest but significant amendment to current law, this bill will protect the right of taxpayers to be heard in court. I appreciate the efforts of the various Tax Court representatives who are bringing this issue to our attention and for their guidance in helping us to develop the legislation. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to acknowledge H.R. 3996's author, my friend, Representative Darrell Issa, whose leadership on this issue is to be commended. Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4564-- Post-Caliphate Threat Assessment Act of 2017. This legislation would direct the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of State, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to perform a threat assessment of current foreign terrorist fighter activities. This multi-agency assessment will include a breakdown of any country or region with a substantial increase in foreign terrorist fighter activity, travel and trends of terrorist movement, and an analysis of travel trends in and out of Iraq and Syria. To successfully continue the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), our government agencies must understand the current terrorist threat. This conflict is complex and ISIS has lost a significant amount of territory in their self-declared caliphate, while anti-ISIS fighters have successfully regained control of the cities of Mosul and Raqqa. After these recent victories for the anti-ISIS forces in Northern Iraq and Syria, the enemy has dispersed across the region. The anti-ISIS victories have been essential to reestablishing order in the conflict zone, but unfortunately present new challenges in defeating the terrorist group. Shifts in power have caused ISIS to disperse into countries that border Syria and Iraq, such as Libya, Afghanistan, and Turkey, in order to evade total defeat. Recent reports on the whereabouts of fleeing ISIS fighters have varied, prompting the need for a post-caliphate threat assessment. As a former member of the House Armed Forces Committee, I understand well the complexity of this conflict. By creating this assessment for our intelligence and defense agencies we will provide them with the proper tools to fight ISIS and current terrorist threats. We must continue to update our intelligence as the war against ISIS goes on and forces hide, recuperate, and go underground. Some terrorist fighters have been believed to migrate to neighboring countries, others have relocated to their homes, and members of this group might even be seeking to return to Europe or the U.S. Keeping track of this terrible enemy will be of the utmost importance and H.R. 4564 will help us assess this threat and will bolster our arsenal to combat terror abroad.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3202, the Cyber Vulnerability Disclosure Reporting Act. H.R. 3202 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to Congress detailing the procedures involved in disclosing cyber vulnerabilities to the private sector. This bill aims to safeguard the nation against cyber security threats by requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to release a report disclosing specific cyber security vulnerabilities to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate. H.R. 3202 also requires that the report include examples of these procedures in action over the past year, noting when the disclosure took place and how the information was used to prevent cyber-attacks. Finally, the report will also explain how the Secretary of Homeland Security, other Federal agencies, and relevant industries are working collaboratively to prevent, detect, and mitigate cyber vulnerabilities. To best combat cyber threats, we must support full cooperation between the private and public sectors. In the past, cybersecurity vulnerabilities have been collected by the Department of Homeland Security and monitored by the intelligence community. The disclosure of these vulnerabilities to the private sector is an important step to promote transparency and to encourage preventative action on the part of stakeholders and industries. I fully support H.R. 3202 to strengthen documentation of cybersecurity threats across the public and private sectors. I believe that informing Congress of disclosure procedures is a critically important step in guaranteeing transparency at the Federal level and ensuring that vulnerabilities are acted on.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4569-- Counterterrorism Information Sharing Improvement Act of 2017. This legislation will require the coordination of counterterrorism information sharing to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has access to biographic and biometric data collected by the U.S. Government on individuals associated with a terrorist organization for counterterrorism purposes. I believe counterterrorism information sharing between the U.S. Government and the DHS will be an essential asset to the United States. Lack of interagency cooperation prevents critical details from being shared in time sensitive situations, leading to avoidable errors and potentially fatal consequences. In the past few years, ISIS has suffered significant defeats in Iraq and Syria. In the wake of these losses, ISIS fighters have dispersed into surrounding states, Europe, and even the United States. The changing landscape where we meet this enemy necessitates information sharing between law-enforcement agencies. Though we first made contact with members of ISIS on a foreign battlefield, this threat is pervasive and dynamic. H.R. 4569 will allow the Department of Defense to share intelligence with the DHS, should members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria attempt to enter the United States. The DHS will be able to utilize this intelligence for frontline screening, vetting, and protecting Americans on domestic soil. As a former member of the Armed Services Committee I understand the obstacles facing our fight to eliminate terrorism worldwide. H.R. 4569 will remove at least one of these obstacles by promoting interagency cooperation. ISIS is not a traditional enemy and it is critical our security and intelligence agencies support one another. I support H.R. 4569 and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4578-- Counter Terrorist Network Act. This legislation will allow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to enhance border security operations that will interrupt and dismantle transnational criminal and foreign terrorist networks that threaten the security of our country. The purpose of this bill is to ensure the CBP has the authority necessary to prevent terrorists from exploiting legitimate avenues of traveling to and entering the United States. We must continue to provide our law enforcement and security agencies with the appropriate resources to protect our great nation from terrorist networks. The CBP's primary mission is to keep the United States borders and ports safe against all threats domestic and foreign. The CBP mainly deals with transnational criminal organizations, smugglers and human traffickers, and terrorist networks. All of these groups pose significant threats to our national security and the safety of the American people. The CBP's border security mission uniquely situates this agency to combat terrorist threats that begin far from our homeland. Despite all the work performed by the CBP, the agency doesn't have explicit legal authorization to combat threats or to assign their personnel to other U.S. agencies both domestically and internationally to support their mission. This bill seeks to provide such explicit authorization. As a former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have always voted to support our law enforcement and our security agencies. This legislation will help provide the CBP with the proper authorization to collect intelligence on foreign terrorist threats before they reach the border. This will help ensure the safety of our homeland and the security of our border. I support H.R. 4578 and I urge my fellow members to lend their support as well.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4559. H.R. 4559, the Global Aviation System Security Reform Act of 2017, aims to conduct a global aviation security review to improve global aviation security standards. H.R. 4559 directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to comprehensively review challenges facing the global aviation system and review aviation security implementation. This legislation encourages cooperation between multiple agencies of the Federal Government, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the TSA to ensure proper coordination and outreach both within and outside of the United States government. The DHS and the TSA have expressed concerns about threats to inbound civil aviation. To manage these threats, key aspects of H.R. 4559 would work to improve the security at last point of departure airports overseas and more generally improve security at airports across the world. We must establish global aviation security standards to create safer skies across the world. Additionally, as a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure committee, ensuring the safety of transportation mechanisms has been of paramount importance to me, and as a member of the subcommittee on Aviation, I am particularly concerned with this issue. Georgia is home to the busiest airport in the world; 55 million passengers annually travel through Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International airport. I will do everything I can to protect passengers in Georgia, the United States, and the world. I wholeheartedly support H.R. 4559 and urge my fellow members to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3320, a bill that directs the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO). This bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress the observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly (WHA) held by the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland. If Taiwan fails to obtain observer status for a particular year, this bill requires the Secretary to include an account of the changes and strategic improvements that the State Department has made to help Taiwan regain observer status in the WHO. Taiwan first sought to participate in the WHO as an observer in 1997. In 2009, with strong support from successive United States Administrations and Congress, Taiwan received an invitation to attend the WHA as an observer under the name ``Chinese Taipei''. Taiwan received the same invitation each year until 2016, following the election of President Tsai-Ing Wen of the Democratic Progressive Party. President Tsai-Ing Wen's administration has threatened Taiwan's engagement in the international community and Taiwan has faced increased resistance from the People's Republic of China (PRC) when seeking inclusion in numerous organizations. Taiwan's invitation to the 2016 WHA was received late and included new language conditioning Taiwan's participation on the PRC's ``one China principle''. In 2017, Taiwan did not receive an invitation to the WHA. Taiwan remains a model contributor to world health efforts, providing financial and technical assistance in response to numerous global health challenges. Taiwan has invested over $6 billion in international medical and humanitarian aid efforts impacting over 80 countries since 1996. In 2014, Taiwan responded to the Ebola crisis by donating $1,000,000 and providing 100,000 sets of personal protective equipment. Through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, the United States and Taiwan have jointly conducted training programs for experts to combat MERS, Dengue fever, and Zika. These diseases know no borders, and Taiwan's needless exclusion from global health cooperation increases the dangers presented by global pandemics. H.R. 3320 expands the report the Department of State is required to produce discussing Taiwan's status at the WHO and encourages Taiwan's inclusion in this international organization. I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 535, the Taiwan Travel Act. H.R. 535 reaffirms congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act and upholds the policy that allows U.S. officials at every level to travel to Taiwan to meet their counterparts, and allow Taiwanese officials to do the same in Washington. The bill also encourages the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) to continue to conduct business in the U.S. Since the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, ties between the United States and Taiwan have suffered from insufficient high-level communication, largely due to the restrictions that the United States placed on visits by high ranking officials to Taiwan. The United States and Taiwan maintain what the U.S. Department of State calls ``a robust unofficial relationship.'' The relationship has been unofficial since January 1, 1979, when the Carter Administration established diplomatic relations with China and ended formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. In the absence of diplomatic relations, the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA, P.L. 96-8), enacted on April 10, 1979, provides a legal basis for the U.S. relationship with Taiwan. I fully support H.R. 535 and encourage officials at all levels of the U.S. government to travel to Taiwan to meet their counterparts. Official travel between our countries is an integral part of developing stronger diplomatic ties, and our international trade relationship makes this bond between us particularly important. Taiwan is currently our 10th largest trading partner, and in 2016 this partnership totaled an estimated $84.9 billion. Our established trade partnership with Taiwan continues to help bolster the United States economy also by providing and sustaining jobs. According to the Department of Commerce, in 2015 U.S. exports of goods and services to Taiwan supported an estimated 208,000 jobs domestically. It is essential we support H.R. 535, the Taiwan Travel Act to encourage strong diplomatic partnerships between the United States and Taiwan.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4555, DHS Interagency Counterterrorism Task Force Act. This legislation provides the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with the authorization to assign their workforce to participate in overseas interagency counterterrorism task forces. Participation in these task forces will aid in counterterrorism information sharing and combat the threat of terrorism and associated risks to the United States, as determined by DHS. To continue to fight terrorism domestically and worldwide, I believe it is critical for agencies overseas to have open communications with one another. The more counterterrorism information that the DHS and other task forces overseas share, the more effectively these agencies can strategize. We must provide our security agencies with this critical asset to defend our country and citizens. Encouraging DHS personnel to participate in international task forces could create new solutions and help save the lives of our armed forces and personnel overseas. This task force could also assist the DHS in being more properly prepared to take on any counterterrorism efforts in the U.S. As a former member of the Armed Services Committee, I have long advocated for protecting our personnel overseas. I strongly believe in providing our U.S. security agencies with the proper training and communication tools to successfully fight terrorism. This legislation will provide the DHS with the appropriate authorization to share information with allies overseas and will bring us one step closer to rooting out terror worldwide. H.R. 4555 will allow DHS personnel to not only build relationships with allied counterterrorism task forces overseas but also help better prepare them to take on terrorism at home.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4433. H.R. 4433, the Securing DHS Firearms Act of 2017, makes the Under Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for the security of sensitive assets, such as badges, firearms, or other weapons. This legislation directs the DHS's Under Secretary to create and disseminate a directive. This directive should designate which assets should be classified as sensitive, the requirements for securing and safeguarding sensitive assets, and the methods to record and report lost assets. H.R. 4433 also directs the Under Secretary to revise the Personal Property Asset Management Program Manual, which contains the procedures and trainings for safeguarding sensitive assets, guides for recording lost assets, and requirements that a lost asset file contain both a DHS report and a corresponding police report. H.R. 4433 is vital to safeguard sensitive assets that could result in loss of life and significant mission derailment if lost. From 2014 to 2016, DHS purportedly lost 2,141 sensitive assets, including firearms, badges, and secure immigration stamps. In many of these cases, DHS personnel acted recklessly and were not held accountable for improperly safeguarding their sensitive assets. Furthermore, DHS personnel often fail to track down their lost sensitive assets. H.R. 4433 will address this loose behavior by holding the Under Secretary of the DHS accountable for ensuring that sensitive assets are kept safe. I am particularly concerned with safeguarding sensitive assets due to the increase in stolen guns within Georgia's 4th district and the state as a whole. The Atlanta police chief recently reported that 954 guns were stolen from cars in Atlanta last year. This represents a 40 percent increase in the number of firearms stolen from cars compared to 2015. However, this is not just a Georgian problem--a study by Harvard and Northeastern researchers this past year estimated that roughly 380,000 firearms are stolen in the U.S. every year. One of the best ways to address this issue is through prevention. By strengthening the expectations and rules for firearm ownership within the DHS, we can do a small part to reduce the number of stolen guns in Georgia and across the country. As a member of the Judiciary committee, I have worked consistently to promote responsible gun ownership. I cosponsored legislation that required the review of U.S. policy regarding capture, custody, treatment, judicial proceedings, and repatriation of suspected `unlawful enemy combatants.' With these past legislative actions in mind, I support H.R. 4433 and urge my fellow members to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 676. H. Res. 676 supports the rights of the people of Iran to free expression, condemns the Iranian regime for its crackdown on legitimate protests, and displays American support for peaceful Iranian protestors. H. Res. 676 recognizes the rights of Iranians to peaceful forms of free expression. On December 28, 2017, Iranians in the city of Mashad began protesting against the Iranian regime. The protestors expressed economic grievances, frustrations over widespread corruption, and disapproval of the regime's destabilizing support for terrorist groups. This message held sway with many Iranians and protests swiftly spread across the country. The Iranian regime has responded harshly to these protests. The regime has shut down mobile internet access and blocked and pressured companies to cut off social media applications that activists use to publicize protests. Consequently, H. Res. 676 provides Congress authority to license the provision of communications technology to Iran so that people can continue to express themselves freely. The Iranian regime has also engaged in a series of significant human rights abuses and major corruption cases. The Department of State strongly rebukes the Iranian regime's arrest of peaceful protestors, significant corruption, and destabilizing activities abroad. H. Res. 676 gives Congress the authority to designate and sanction elements of the Iranian regime involved in these abuses. This legislation is important for the United States because it emphasizes to Americans and citizens around the world that America is not afraid to stand up to defend the principles upon which our country was formed. I've long been a proponent of encouraging free and fair democracies and condemned authoritarianism abroad. As a member of the Judiciary committee, I have spent my tenure in Congress fighting for human and civil rights. Standing up for the rights of all people is of the utmost importance to me. Thus, it is with great pride that I support H. Res. 676 and urge my fellow members to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4581. H.R. 4581, the Screening and Vetting Passenger Exchange Act of 2017, requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop best practices for counter terrorism screening and vetting through the use of advanced passenger information (API) and passenger name record (PNR) data. This bill also encourages the Secretary of DHS to share best practices and assist with implementation for our foreign partners. The DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have all utilized API and PNR as tools for screening and vetting potential criminals and terrorists. In April 2016, the European Union (EU) decided to follow in our footsteps by implementing PNR data into their counter terrorism screenings. The EU set a deadline for full integration of PNR data by May 2018. Unfortunately, many EU countries lack the knowledge, expertise, and experience with PNR data to allow them to meet their upcoming deadline. H.R. 4581 would allow the DHS to develop best practices for utilizing API and PNR data in counter terrorism screening and then share these best practices with our foreign allies. This legislation will strengthen our national security and that of our foreign partners. Since 9/11, we have prevented hundreds of acts of terror and improved our national security. However, in the last two years, the United States has experienced a surge in terrorist acts and criminal activities. As a former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have always voted to support our law enforcement agencies in the work that they do. H.R. 4581 will fortify our Armed forces with best practices for preventing terrorism and allow them to continue doing their crucial work protecting our country. This legislation will also help our foreign allies so that they are able to effectively keep their people, and the people of the world, safe. Protecting our national security and the national securities of our allies ought to be a given. For this reason, I support H.R. 4581 and urge my fellow members to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4567, the DHS Overseas Personnel Enhancement Act of 2017. This legislation would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to brief the Committee on Homeland Security in the House of Representatives and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the Senate every six months on the operations of Department of Homeland Security personnel that work outside of the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the newest cabinet department in the United States federal government and was created in 2002 in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The department's mission is to prevent, prepare for, and respond to domestic issues, and it is deeply involved in border security and immigration services. In many ways, the DHS is still a fledgling cabinet department and H.R. 4567 aims to ensure transparency and accountability in this law enforcement body, and to encourage interagency communication and collaboration in their shared mission to fight terrorism abroad. As a federal law enforcement agency, it's important to establish oversight rules for the DHS. Government oversight is one of the pillars of the American democracy and is a vital part of promoting accountability among the powerful. This is even truer of personnel in countries outside of the United States, where agents can be operating far from a supervisor's watchful eye. We, as one of the most powerful nations in the world, must police our international presence to prevent abuses of power. As a former member of the Armed Services committee, I have long been a supporter of ethical practices and even sponsored legislation to review the United States treatment of suspected ``unlawful enemy combatants''. In our fight against terror worldwide, it's important to make sure that we ourselves are upholding the inalienable rights our democracy is founded upon. H.R. 4567 encourages communication and accountability within the DHS, and allows for transparency between this department and the legislative branch. I support H.R. 4567 and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 4577, the Domestic Explosives Detection Canine Capacity Building Act of 2017. This legislation directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to create a work group to explore best practices for developing a breeding and training program for explosive detection canines. This working group would also determine medical standards, behavioral standards, and training standards for the program. Currently in the United States, we rely heavily on explosive detection canines. They are a vital part of security measures not only at airports, but locations across the United States and the world. The sensitivity, complexity, and astuteness of a Bomb-sniffing dog's nose simply cannot be replicated with modern technology, and they are some of our best assets in the fight to protect Americans from acts of terror. Previously, the TSA oversaw a breeding program to train and produce top quality service canines; however, that program was cut from the budget in 2012. This has forced the agency to purchase lower quality canines abroad at exorbitant prices. In 2017, the TSA oversaw a work force of 1,000 dogs and would need to acquire 350 annually to maintain these numbers. A New York Times article detailing the problem noted that in one of the four trips TSA agents annually make less than half of the 110 dogs they might see pass preliminary screening requirements, and another 15 to 20 percent fail to complete the agency's training program. To put it blandly, we are buying the best dogs our money can buy, and they're not good enough. H.R. 4577 is the first step to rebuilding the TSA's breeding program and ensuring that the dogs protecting our nation's airports and travelers satisfy our standards of excellence. This legislation will allow experts to not only determine which breeds are best suited for the job, but also which training methods are most effective. I am particularly concerned with this issue, because Georgia houses the busiest airport in the world. Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson airport in January of 2017 alone was visited by over 7.5 million passengers and played host to over 70,000 different aircrafts. Canines are widely used in the daily operations of this airport and a critical part of safety operations. Additionally, as a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure committee, and a former member of the Armed Services committee I have long been concerned with issues relating to airport security and the safety of passengers who travel through our country. The TSA is an agency filled with people who have dedicated their careers to protecting Americans and we must provide them with the best tools available to do so. Explosive detecting canines are a crucial piece of the front line protecting Americans from harm and a necessary part of ensuring that all passengers and aircrafts are protected from any threat. H.R. 4577 will ensure that the United States can develop a program that will produce explosive detection canines that meet our standards of excellence and will build a sustainable method for ensuring the program's permanence. I support this legislation and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, our times are this: the President is abusing his authority. He is stacking the courts with incompetent and ideological judges. He is usurping the powers of the Justice Department and the FBI. He is turning them into political animals. At the same time as he is doing this, we are considering this legislation, which leaves the door wide open for the abuse of Fourth Amendment rights of Americans. This is a bad bill for a particularly bad time. I am asking my colleagues to vote ``no.'' We can do better than this. I am asking my colleagues to vote in favor of the USA RIGHTS amendment. If that amendment is not passed, then I ask Members to vote ``no'' on this overall bill. We can't afford to let this happen.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise to set the record straight about the Trump-Republican tax scam recently signed into law. Middle-income and working people in Georgia would see a minimal gain, and eventually they will see their taxes go up, while the richest 1 percent of Georgians will get an annual tax cut of $83,000. In fact, Georgia millionaires could receive a cut of more than $130,000 a year. In fact, the Trump-Republican tax cut bestows 83 percent of the $5.5 trillion tax cut to the wealthiest 1 percent who don't even need it, while blowing a $1.5 trillion hole in the Nation's debt. That is obscene, and that is why I am holding a tax teach this Saturday in my district to communicate with my constituents about what this tax scam means to them, what it means for their families, and what it means for jobs and economic growth.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, what do Iran, Ebenezer Scrooge, and the Republican tax scam have in common? Well, they are all ruthless, cutthroat, coldblooded, heartless, and stingy. That is why I voted ``no'' on the Republican tax scam, and if I could have added an H to the no, I would have. This legislation gives 83 percent of the tax cuts to the wealthiest 1 percent, while raising taxes on 86 million middle-income families. The numbers prove that this is a tax cut for the ultrawealthy and not for the middle class, and anyone who tries to deceive you into thinking otherwise, shame on them. Adding insult to injury, this tax cut adds $1.5 trillion to the national debt, and Republicans will soon use the debt to justify their ultimate plan, which is to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Today's vote proves that Republicans care more about the wealthy and big multinational corporations than they do for ordinary people. Merry Christmas to the wealthy, who already have plenty, and to their special interest lobbyists. And to the rest of America struggling to make ends meet, bah humbug.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following proclamation for Dr. Keith E. Baird: Whereas, our lives have been touched by the leadership and service of Dr. Keith E. Baird; and Whereas, Dr. Keith E. Baird was born on January 20, 1923 in Barbados, West Indies, he came to the United States in 1947 and began his college studies at Columbia University studying Spanish, Romance Philology and Linguistics, where he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees. He earned his doctoral degree in Sociolinguistics from the Union Graduate Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Whereas, Dr. Baird was an educator, author, advocate and administrator, he served and led our nation in many different roles. As a founding member of the African American Teachers Association in the late sixties, he proved to be a key actor in the nascent community control movement in Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York. As a steadfast pillar of our community, pioneered the teaching methods of 14 different languages in high schools and colleges. He was a community leader involved in the civic and educational direction of thousands in our nation. Along with his wife, Mrs. Mary A. Twining Baird, they educated us through the literary master piece ``Sea Island Roots: The African Presence in the Carolinas and Georgia''; and Whereas, Dr. Baird was lauded as a ``scholar's scholar and an educator's educator''. He was a community builder who served my district without bounds. His influence, inspiration and motivation of many have helped to mold our district in becoming more inclusive. He has opened the minds and hearts of thousands; and Whereas, he never asked for fame or fortune, nor found a job too small or too big; he gave of himself, his time, his talent and his life to uplift those in need by demonstrating unwavering commitment to educate, serve and goodwill; and Whereas, he was a husband, a father, a brother and a friend; he was a man of great integrity who remained true to the uplifting of humanity on an international scale; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia recognizes Dr. Keith E. Baird as a citizen of great worth and so noted distinction; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby attest to the 115th Congress that Dr. Keith E. Baird is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honor'' by declaring Dr. Keith E. Baird, U.S. Citizen of Distinction in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 12th day of August, 2017.