Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2148, the Clarifying Commercial Real Estate Loans Act. This legislation helps to clarify which loans must comply with the high-volatility commercial real estate (HVCRE) regulations made in 2015. Two years ago, the Federal Reserve and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency created new lending regulations. In the wake of the new rules and the complexity of the definition of high-volatility commercial real estate loans they created, many banks drew back on commercial real estate lending. This adversely affected acquisition, development, and construction lending by driving up borrowing costs and reducing credit availability. H.R. 2148 seeks to make clarifications on the new regulations to ease the lending process and solve the issues that were unintentionally created with the new regulations. H.R. 2148 will help lenders understand regulations, reduce borrowing costs, and make more loans available. This bipartisan measure will strengthen our real estate market and make sure Americans have the opportunity to continue constructing our cities, states, and nation. I support H.R. 2148, and I urge my fellow members to as well.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3911, the Risk-Based Credit Examination Act. This legislation amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to make the annual reporting requirements of the Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSROs) risk-based. The Securities Exchange Act was an innovative piece of legislation passed to regulate the secondary trade of securities such as stocks, bonds, and debentures. This act led to the creation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is the framework for the current federal regulations on financial markets. H.R. 3911 focuses specifically on federal requirements of NRSROs or credit rating agencies. Currently, the SEC performs annual reviews of NRSROs in eight review areas for its annual reports. These reviews disproportionally burden smaller NRSROs in the market. H.R. 3911 allows the SEC to perform reviews in the eight categories based off of risk-based analyses; reducing the burden on smaller credit rating agencies. This legislation promotes fairness, encourages small businesses in our financial markets and is a simple fix for a burdensome problem. H.R. 3911 also helps the SEC allocate its energy more efficiently and use its resources more effectively. I support this legislation, and I urge my fellow members to support H.R. 3911, the Risk-Based Credit Examination Act.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4173, the Veterans Crisis Line Study Act of 2017. This legislation would create a five year study in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) on the Veteran Crisis Line. A troubling 2016 study published by the VA reported that in 2014, 20 veterans died by suicide each day. These numbers are heartbreaking and unacceptable, and we must do more to support veterans' access to mental health services. Launched in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line is a subsection of the suicide prevention lifeline, and is a resource created to connect veterans with professionals trained to address their specific needs and prevent suicide. Men and women who have served and their families can reach out for help on this toll free hotline, online chat, or text. H.R. 4173 aims to study the efficacy and outcomes of this resource, pinpointing how the hotline is helping our veterans, and how we can improve it to better address the troubling suicide rates among our nation's heroes. Veterans are owed the best care and upmost respect when they return from duty and I am deeply troubled by their increased likelihood of suicide. H.R. 4173 will help build our arsenal to combat mental illness and develop resources for the men and women who have selflessly served our nation. I support H.R. 4173 and I urge my fellow members to lend their support as well.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3634, the Securing Electronic Records for Veterans' Ease (SERVE) Act of 2017. This is an important piece of legislation and I am proud to support it. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an educational benefit program for veterans who have courageously served our country since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Through this bill, tuition and fee payments, as well as a monthly housing allowance, are paid to schools on behalf of veterans based on the length of their period of active duty. H.R. 3634 directs the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide these veterans with verification of the amount of their monthly housing stipend. This verification would also be available online in the same way that the VA provides information about other benefits it offers. This bill is the simplest way to clarify a living expense for those who have sacrificed for their country. Since 2009, this program has provided benefits to over 773,000 veterans and their family members, providing over $20 billion in benefits. As a representative from Georgia, a state that hosts a number of military bases, supporting this bill is the least I can do to make life easier for veterans and their family members who are transitioning to life after active duty.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3949, the Veterans Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act. H.R. 3949 aims to increase access to apprenticeship training programs for veterans. Currently, apprenticeship programs are registered state-by-state, creating a cumbersome paper trail and bureaucratic barriers to opening new programs. This legislation aims to streamline this registration process to ensure that veterans have access to as many apprenticeship training programs as possible. It is crucial that returning veterans have the skills to join the workforce, and apprenticeship programs are a great way to ensure that these heroic men and women are prepared to rejoin civilian life. H.R. 3949 will strengthen accessibility to these programs, which is why I am pleased to support this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3329, the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of2017. This is an important piece of legislation strengthening economic and financial sanctions on Hizballah and its enablers, and I am pleased to support it. Hizballah is an organization based in Lebanon that plays a major role in regional tensions in the Middle East. Based on existing intelligence, it is believed that Hizballah is simply being used as a proxy by foreign governments to fight against Israel and other western influences in the area. In order to prevent the situation from escalating, the first step is to prevent the group from being able to fund further military actions. H.R. 3329 would direct the President to apply sanctions that would freeze Hizballah's assets, prevent fundraising, and prevent financial institutions from working with the group. Furthermore, this legislation would extend financial sanctions to any foreign entity that provides funding to the group. The bill would also authorize the proper congressional committees to create reports on Hizballah's racketeering and international narcotics trafficking. This legislation requires the President to report valuable information to Congress regarding the relationships among Iran, other foreign countries, and the Hizballah organization. Opening up this line of communication will help Congress better decide how to apply future sanctions against these state sponsors of terrorism. With as many military bases as Georgia accommodates, I understand how conflict affects not only our nation, but also the young men and women who will be thrust into a needless international conflict. It is important that we take the necessary steps to prevent an escalation to prevent losing American lives in any conflict, which is why I support H.R. 3329.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1698, the Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act. This legislation confirms the United States's mission to prevent Iran its developing their nuclear-capable ballistic missile program. H.R. 1698 requires the President to impose sanctions on the Iranian government, foreign actors or people who supply technology and material to contribute to the Iranian ballistic missile program, and any party who contributes weapons or related material to Iran. This legislation also directs the President to investigate violations of these sanctions either by Iran or foreign entities and report all violations to Congress. In taking these actions, H.R. 1698 recognizes the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 from 2015 and commits to enforcing it by authorizing investigations of all ballistic missile tests to see if they are in violation of the resolution. The investigations that this bill authorizes will help us better understand and identify the banks, companies, governments and other foreign entities that contribute in some way to the development of the Iranian ballistic missile program. It is crucially important that we take steps to recognize these key actors and punish them with sanctions. It is for these reasons that I am pleased to support this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 359, legislation urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization and increase international pressure on the organization. Hizballah has demonstrated its commitment as an organization to promoting fear, violence, and terror worldwide for decades through the murder of global citizens. Its 1983 attack on the U.S. Marine Compound in Beirut was the most deadly single-day attack on the United States Marine Corps since the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Our nation has condemned Hizballah as a terrorist organization and leveraged significant financial sanctions against it, but we believe more can be accomplished through international cooperation with our friends at the European Union. With this resolution, we urge the European Union to condemn Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization, rather than condemning its military wing alone, and ask them to stand with us to fight terrorism internationally. With increased financial pressure and more active international policing, together we can end Hizballah's terrorist activities and create a more peaceful and safer world. Cooperation between the European Union and the United States is crucial in the fight against transnational terrorism, and it is for this reason that I support this resolution.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3898, the Otto Warmbier North Korea Nuclear Sanctions Act of 2017. This legislation imposes heavy economic sanctions on North Korea. These sanctions will signal to North Korea and its enablers that the United States condemns North Korea's current nuclear and long-range missile programs. Specifically, the bill would impose conditions and oversight of foreign banks that seek to open American accounts for any North Korean or any agent of North Korea. As United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley stated, ``[c]ountless innocent men and women have died at the hands of North Korea, but the singular case of Otto Warmbier touches the American heart like no other.'' In remembrance of Otto Warmbier, this bill demonstrates to North Korea that its human rights violations and military actions are unacceptable. North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile programs have been a noted threat to our security for many years and its frequent missile testing in the past year demonstrates the even greater risk they now pose. By supporting H.R. 3898, we are showing North Korea that there are consequences to its pursuit of nuclear warfare and we intend to increase economic pressure on it each time they show willingness to use force against us or our allies. We have a responsibility to do all that we can to protect American citizens. H.R. 3898 will discourage North Korea from further developing their nuclear weapons program and take a much-needed step towards the goal of international peace, and this is why I support this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4038, the Department of Homeland Security Accountability Enhancement Act. This legislation works to ensure stability in our nation's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by requiring the Secretary to submit organizational changes for congressional approvaL Our government is built upon a balance of power; arrangement has helped sustain our country for hundreds of years and is one of the most fundamental properties of our nation. H.R. 4038 ensures oversight of the DHS to guarantee that an appropriate balance of power is maintained. The DHS, the third largest department in the federal government, has already absorbed the Immigration and Naturalization Service and reorganized three new agencies since its creation in 2002. If the Secretary of DHS has the power to make extensive changes, he/she should be held accountable for them and should be required to obtain approval from Congress. Furthermore, the current administration has been defined by unprecedented instability in the White House, with an extremely large turnover rate in President Trump's cabinet and administration. The DHS currently has no Secretary and is being run by an acting head who did not obtain congressional approval through the nomination process. This legislation would prevent a Secretary that was not confirmed by the Senate from making changes without approval from the American people. I support H.R. 4038 and I support demanding accountability from the cabinet departments. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3101, the Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act of 2017. This legislation would increase cybersecurity measures at ports. As we have seen in the last couple months, all sectors of our government are in danger of being compromised due to our outdated cybersecurity standards. This past June, the Port of Los Angeles and businesses were compromised by hackers, shutting down essential structures of our economy. The security firm, Symantec, warned that hackers may have even gained access to parts of our energy grid. H.R. 3101 authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to more freely share information regarding the cybersecurity threats to our naval interests. As a part of this bill, the DHS would continuously assess current and future cybersecurity risks, seek input from the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, create guidelines to encourage the reporting of cybersecurity risks, and implement recommendations from other agencies to enhance the security for emergency response agencies, law enforcement, ports, and our maritime border. The bill would also direct the Coast Guard to share information regarding port-specific vulnerabilities and enact security plans to prevent and respond to cyber threats. Because of today's constant cybersecurity risks, it is imperative that we have proper contingency plans in place to respond to any threats that may appear. We must actively take steps to ensure the safety and security of our maritime infrastructure to better prepare ourselves for the threats of the 21st century. As a Representative of Atlanta, I was shocked to see how hackers were able to infiltrate Equifax and so easily compromise the privacy of millions of Americans. By being proactive, this body has the chance to prevent other similar cybersecurity attacks that would target our government and infrastructure. I have previously supported other cybersecurity-related legislation that would secure the integrity of our elections and now I believe that we should extend this security to other vital infrastructure, which is why I am pleased to support H.R. 3101.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4010, the Congressional Subpoena Compliance and Enforcement Act. This legislation allows the House of Representatives to enforce congressional subpoenas in federal court. Too often, congressional subpoenas are flouted because they lack enforcement mechanisms. Under current law, Congress must refer subpoenas to the appropriate United States attorney for enforcement. Typically, this United States attorney is appointed by the same administration over which Congress seeks to exert its oversight authority. H.R. 4010 creates a clear set of enforcement mechanisms surrounding the congressional subpoena power. Although congressional subpoenas have been used by Congress and its committees for many years, there is currently no law requiring compliance. This legislation requires that recipients of congressional subpoenas either comply or provide the committee with an explanation of the legal privilege that allows them to resist. This bill would also provide enforcement cases with an expedited review at the federal court leveL Alternatively, committees can request that the enforcement case be heard by a district court panel of three judges with the option to appeal to the Supreme Court. Codifying these enforcement measures will provide Congress and its committees with a clear set of expectations for how to present and enforce subpoenas. In these especially political times, checks and balances have never been more important. Congress must fully utilize its constitutional right to hold hearings and investigate members of the federal government, and we need tools to enforce these investigations if people refuse to comply. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I stand for transparency and honesty in our government, and as a Congress we have the duty to seek out both for our constituents. H.R. 4010 gives Congress the tools it needs to demand that people attempting to shroud and hide the truth reveal it, and I urge my fellow members to stand with me and support the Congressional Subpoena Compliance and Enforcement Act.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3551, the C-TPAT Reauthorization Act of 2017. This legislation reauthorizes the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Program (C-TPAT). The C-TPAT program works to improve United States border security and the security of our international supply partners by providing a voluntary public-private sector partnership focused on bolstering trade while keeping Americans safe. Since its creation in 2001, this program has allowed trade partners and American businesses to opt into increased security measures and make corrective actions in order to streamline their entry into our country. The program simplifies the process of suppliers bringing products into our country and allows our country to broaden security trade measures without discouraging trade with those who do not opt in. In the United States, more than 41 million jobs depend on international trade, and my home state of Georgia boasts the largest single-terminal container facility of its kind in North America, based in Savannah. This industry supports over 360,000 jobs statewide and is vitally important in our local and national economy. The C-TPAT program is good for trade and promotes the safety of our citizens, and I urge my fellow members to support H.R. 3551 to reauthorize funding for this program.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 2142, the International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting Incoming Contraband with Technology (INTERDICT) Act, to aid U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers with narcotics screenings. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that fentanyl and synthetic opioids took the lives of 64,070 people, a 21 percent increase from the previous year. In my home state, the Georgia Department of Public Health found that the number of deaths due to opioid overdoses is now nearly equal to the deaths from motor vehicle crashes. In the 4th District alone, over 200 lives were tragically lost due to this horrible epidemic. As a country, we can no longer afford inaction on an issue that has turned into an epidemic under our watch. H.R. 2142 requires the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to increase the amount of chemical screenings to prevent the smuggling of fentanyl, opioids, and other narcotics into the country, either through mailing services or through a carrier. The bill also mandates that sufficient funds and employees, including scientists, are available to ensure thorough screenings and resources available at all operational hours. By giving our CBP officers a better chance of detecting these illicit drugs at the border, we may be able to save the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of Americans. Only with our action can we, as members of Congress, start to make a meaningful difference in this fight that is ravaging our country. This is why I have strongly favored more funding to prevent the spread of the opioid crisis in the past, and will continue to fight for more resources that will end the opioid addiction crisis. For this reason, I am pleased to support H.R. 2142.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support S. 504, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2017. S. 504 would permanently authorize the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card program, an initiative that provides expedited airport processing to those who are eligible. The program, originally created for business travelers from Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries, expanded to include United States citizens after the passage of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011. Without reauthorization, the program is set to expire on September 30, 2018. Georgia is home to one of the world's busiest airports, Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Atlanta residents witness firsthand the chaos of international travel and the need for streamlined processing in international airports. S. 504 would permanently authorize designated lanes at airports in participating countries, encouraging companies to continue international trade operations and business transactions. Ensuring smooth and efficient modes of transportation is critical for Americans to expand our economy overseas. As a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I look for legislation that will streamline aviation safety, innovation, consumer service, and airport infrastructure. S. 504 achieves many of these goals, and that is why I support this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support my amendment to H.R. 469, and to advocate for rural Georgians and Americans across the country who don't have dependable access to broadband internet services. We are here today debating H.R. 469, a bill that would require burdensome and unnecessary processes that would delay the enforcement of Federal regulations. H.R. 469 undermines the ability of government agencies to protect public health and safety by prohibiting them from using consent decrees and settlements to enforce the law that we pass by allowing private industry to intervene in opposition to regulations that they deem unfavorable to them. It requires the publishing of the personal data of those who bring complaints against the government, thus deterring complaints. My amendment would ensure that future actions taken by Congress to increase broadband access in rural areas are not stymied by these excessive regulatory burdens. My amendment would exempt any future legislation, or any future rules that may be enacted to bring this technology to underserved areas from the requirements put in place by H.R. 469. It shouldn't be groundbreaking news that, in many of our districts, a gap exists between urban and rural communities insofar as broadband connectivity is concerned. The Fourth District of Georgia has some rural pockets that are facing this challenge today. According to a study done by the Pew Research Center in 2016, rural Americans are still 10 percentage points less likely than average citizens to have broadband access at home. Although we have seen improvements since the 16-point gap in 2007, we have much work to do to ensure that all families have access to what is now a modern necessity. My home State of Georgia ranks 21st in the Nation in terms of access to 25 megabit per second broadband, according to a report put together by the Georgia House and Senate Study Committee on High Speed Broadband Communications Access for all Georgians. In rural counties where this problem persists, we have seen local development stall without access to telehealth services, educational materials, and other digital resources. Broadband connectivity brings with it countless learning opportunities and exchanges of information that are not possible in isolated communities without broadband. The issue of broadband access is inextricably linked to the vitality of these rural areas, and it is in our best interest as a Congress to give rural communities all of the modern tools they need to succeed. The FCC's 2016 Broadband Progress Report identified 24 million rural Americans throughout the country who don't have a broadband connection--24 million Americans whose access would be delayed even further by the implementation of H.R. 469's elimination of consent decrees. I hope Congress can agree on the importance of achieving full broadband access, and I hope that this amendment will begin removing this hurdle that is being put in place by my friends on the other side of the aisle who support business as opposed to people. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I just enjoyed the contrast between our different styles. The Congressman, my friend from Georgia, is very upbeat and passionate. I am more laid back and kind of reserved. But we both agree on the fact that we want more broadband to be accessible to rural customers. We both agree on that. We just simply disagree on whether or not we should allow a process whereby a third-party corporation can come in and gum up the regulatory scheme that has been laid out in the rulings that have been made and, thus, delay the availability of broadband to rural customers. Mr. Chair, I would ask respectfully that my colleagues support my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 732, which would prohibit the U.S. Government from entering into settlement agreements or enforcing settlement agreements if the settlement agreement includes a term that provides a payment to be made to a third party. In the class action context, these donations are known as cy-pres. Under existing laws, settlements from Federal enforcement actions can include payments to third parties to advance programs that assist with recovery, benefits, and relief for communities harmed by lawbreakers to the extent such payments further the objectives of the enforcement action. This bill would cut that ability off. It cuts off any payments to third parties other than individualized restitution and other forms of direct payment for actual harm. That restriction would handcuff Federal enforcement officials from actually doing justice. This legislation arose out of the Wall Street too-big-to-fail episode in 2008, which resulted in the Great Recession, where millions of Americans lost their homes to foreclosure because of the actions of these too-big-to-fail banks insofar as the subprime mortgage crisis is concerned. So the Department of Justice sued these big banks, which, by the way, have continued to just get bigger and bigger after they received their Wall Street bailout, and the American people who lost their homes did not receive a bailout. This legislation is to protect those same banks, and I would add that we have got Steve Mnuchin now as the head of the Treasury Department in the Trump administration. So this legislation is in keeping with that which would protect and coddle these Wall Street thugs who have now ascended to the seat of government and look to lock down their control. With this legislation, they prevent themselves from being sued. My friends on the other side of the aisle are complicit. They support too big to fail. They support the big banks. It is at the expense of the little guy, the people who work hard every day working for a salary, an honest day's work for an honest day's pay, which seems to be harder and harder to do these days because of the legislation that this Congress passes. This is just another in a long line of pieces of legislation that coddles and protects those who really need no protection. They should be under the jail for what they have done to the American people. I fight against this kind of legislation. It is wrong for America, and it is wrong for its citizens. It is great for the big banks.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, the Department of Justice, the same Federal agency that obtained benefits for the homeowners who were hurt by the excesses of the big banks, that Justice Department is now controlled by Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, who is not very keen on trying to recover damages on behalf of the people. If he has to get permission from Steve Mnuchin of the Treasury Department to do it, they work so hand in hand, you know that there is not going to be any relief for the homeowners of this country.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment to this so-called Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act. It is not a slush fund at all. It is a fund that goes to compensate people who are harmed due to the wrongdoing of mostly large multinational corporations. So this is misnamed. It talks about a slush fund. There is no slush fund involved here. This is an unwise and odious bill. What my amendment would do would be to exempt cases concerning manipulations of emissions standards from the harshness of this bill. In other words, the Federal Government, through the EPA, could institute a lawsuit against a firm or company, large multinational foreign company like Volkswagen, as it did a couple of years ago, and obtain benefits that would accrue to not just the direct recipients of the harm from Volkswagen, but also to society at large that was harmed by Volkswagen's fraudulent activity. What happened was that Volkswagen sold about 590,000 diesel-powered vehicles here in the United States. These vehicles were supposed to conform with U.S. law insofar as emissions standards are concerned. What Volkswagen did was put a mechanism in the cars that would defeat the ability of the regulators who wanted to check to find out whether or not the vehicles complied with emissions standards. So Volkswagen cheated. They sold 590,000--almost 600,000--vehicles on America's roads that were unknowingly polluting the very air that all of us breathe. So we all suffered a harm as a result of Volkswagen's fraud. But there were 590,000 vehicle owners who had to be protected as well. So the EPA sued Volkswagen. Volkswagen knew they were wrong. They settled the case. It was about $15 billion. That shows you how much money they have and how much money they are trying to protect here with this bill. The $15 billion was to go to compensate the aggrieved vehicle owners as well as society at large for the harm that was done due to the fraudulent conduct. Now, what this legislation would do would be to cut the ability of the U.S. Government to sue a corporate wrongdoer and receive benefits that it would then put into the hands of the individuals who were harmed, as well as to rectify the harm done to society. This amendment would exempt this kind of case, the Volkswagen case, from the harsh restrictions of this legislation. So I would ask, in the interest of our environmental consciousness, that this body would vote in favor of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, it is nonsense to say that this bill protects corporate polluters and corporate wrongdoers--that is what we just heard--and that the amendment is unnecessary because it addresses indirect harm, and that indirect harm should be addressed by not bureaucrats in the EPA, but by Congress. Now, we all know how gridlocked Congress has been over the years. There has been nothing coming out of this Congress. I predict they won't even be able to do--they couldn't do repeal and replace. They were at it for 9 months, stalled everything else out, couldn't do repeal and replace. So now they are on comprehensive, what they call, tax reform, which is only tax breaks for the top 1 percent when you peel everything back. They are not going to be able to do that because my friends in the Freedom Caucus will prevent them from adding $1.5 trillion to the national debt. I support them in that endeavor. They can count on my vote for that. But this is nonsense, ladies and gentlemen. We have to stop protecting these corporate wrongdoers and put the hands back into the courts and to the American people. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 2061, the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2017. This is an important piece of legislation and I am pleased to support it. H.R. 2061 reinstates the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, which was originally designed to address the ``deplorable human rights conditions'' for North Koreans, as well as support various human rights groups and provide solutions toward permanent resettlement for North Korean refugees. Since 2004, the United States has resettled 244 North Korean refugees, making it the largest refugee resettlement program in the world. However, Congress has found that human rights conditions still have not improved as refugees remain at risk of losing their lives. As Americans, we have an enduring bipartisan interest to promote freedom for human rights, the transparency of human rights, and the importance of refugee protection. As members of Congress, we should work with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to expedite the resettlement of refugees, to increase our diplomatic efforts to cooperate with neighboring countries, and to urge China to work with us to help tackle the status of North Korean refugees within their territory. I have seen, firsthand, the positive impact that refugees have had on my community. Clarkston, a city within my district, has received over 40,000 refugees over the past 25 years and almost 1,500 within the past year. These refugees have contributed to our economy and democracy. Clarkston embodies the American spirit, providing a chance to these individuals who left everything behind in the hopes of finding a better life here in America. I am proud of the hope and opportunity of what Clarkston stands for, and that is why I am pleased to support H.R. 2061.