Pete King

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me also at the outset thank the distinguished ranking member for his support and his cooperation as this bill has gone forward. I am sure the two of us will be able to continue to work and cooperate as, again, this will be monitored in the future. The Department of Homeland Security and all Federal agencies are targeted by adversaries on a daily basis. Some of the most damaging attacks to the U.S. Government have been committed by U.S. citizens who have been granted access to government facilities and electronic networks. This bill provides the framework for DHS to implement an Insider Threat Program that identifies and disrupts malicious insiders who seek to do the Department and its employees harm. It also seeks to protect the Department's workforce by conducting a transparent process to reinforce cyber hygiene, data security, and awareness of malicious activity through a robust training program. I want to thank the committee staff, especially John Neal and Tyler Lowe. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 3361. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Yes, I agree with the gentleman from Mississippi. The implementation of the Insider Threat Program, including a possible continuous evaluation component, needs congressional oversight and must be transparent. I look forward to working with the gentleman from Mississippi on this issue as we go forward.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. The bill under consideration ensures that the Department of Homeland Security has the authority and congressional mandate to create a robust Insider Threat Program. In the Manning and Snowden espionage scandals, two trusted insiders abused their access to classified information. When Aaron Alexis attacked the Washington Navy Yard, 12 Americans lost their lives. In the face of these insider threat scenarios, it is vital that government agencies have the tools to detect and disrupt future insider threat situations before damage is done. Unfortunately, all three were able to conduct their traitorous work undetected because the government had at one time vetted and granted them access to secure facilities and information systems. H.R. 3361 reinforces the message that a security clearance is a privilege granted to individuals who have pledged to protect the American people from threats domestically and abroad. Had investigators more thoroughly scrutinized Edward Snowden's background, they might have identified disturbing trends that made him unfit to hold a clearance of any kind and a potential insider threat to U.S. national security. Had Federal adjudicators had access to criminal history records from the Seattle Police Department, they would have been aware of Aaron Alexis' arrest in 2004 on firearms charges and potentially conducted a more rigorous screening of his background prior to authorizing him access to the Washington Navy Yard. Trusted insiders, going back to Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen, not only severely damaged national security, their traitorous actions led to the loss of life. In each case, the post-breach review highlighted that the previously trusted individual exhibited suspicious behavior, but it was not reported due to a lack of understanding by colleagues or failures in the reinvestigation process. In describing the new type of insider threat represented by Snowden and WikiLeaks, Michael Hayden correctly concluded that, ``in this new, modern, connected era, the trusted insider who betrays us is far more empowered to do damage far greater than these kinds of people were able to do in the past. And therefore we have to be even more vigilant.'' The Department of Homeland Security has over 280,000 employees, including tens of thousands with access to classified or sensitive information. The Department has an existing Insider Threat Program and is moving forward to increase security controls on internal systems, but much more remains to be done. The bill directs DHS to develop a strategy for the Department to identify, prevent, mitigate, and respond to insider threats, and requires DHS to ensure that personnel understand what workplace behavior may be indicative of a potential insider threat and how their activity on DHS networks will be monitored. The bill codifies a comprehensive Insider Threat Program at DHS that can be implemented throughout the Department and its component agencies and, most importantly, reinforces the importance of preventing future insider attacks. I want to thank Homeland Security Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Thompson, Ranking Member Higgins, and Congressmen Katko, Donovan, and Barletta for working with me to bring this bill to the floor. The bill went through regular order and received bipartisan support during subcommittee and full committee consideration. I urge my colleagues to support this bill so we can establish a comprehensive, transparent DHS-wide Insider Threat Program that is a model for the public and private sectors. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3361) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Insider Threat Program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Ranking Member Payne and Chairman Martha McSally for their efforts on this. I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2206, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me just say at the outset, it is great to have two New Yorkers running a debate. It doesn't happen often that we run the House; so, Kathleen, let's take advantage of it while we can. Any motions you can think of we can make? Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2206, the State Wide Interoperable Communications Enhancement Act, which was introduced by the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne). This bill recognizes the important role played by Statewide Interoperability Coordinators, SWICs. We have all witnessed the communications failures during the response to the September 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. Interoperability is vital during disaster response. However, despite investing more than $5 billion in grant funding to enhance communications capability over the past 10 years, interoperability remains a challenge. To address this challenge, States have appointed SWICs to ensure emergency response providers in their States have the ability to communicate. SWICs complete Statewide Interoperable Communications Plans, ensure grant investments are coordinated statewide, and oversee communications projects. Many SWICs also serve as the State point of contact to FirstNet for the design and construction of the Public Safety Broadband Network. H.R. 2206 requires Governors to certify, as part of their applications for State Homeland Security grant programs, that they have designated a person to serve as the SWIC or, if not, that the functions of a SWIC are being carried out in another manner. The Committee on Homeland Security approved H.R. 2206 in May by a bipartisan voice vote. I urge Members to join me in supporting this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2206) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require recipients of State Homeland Security Grant Program funding to preserve and strengthen interoperable emergency communications capabilities, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. Let me emphasize the bipartisan nature of it. Bill Pascrell has been there from the start. He referenced the anthrax attacks here in the Capitol back in 2001. None of us who was here at that time will ever, ever forget that. That should have been a wakeup call then. Unfortunately, not enough action was taken. Now, finally, after all these years, we are taking this first major step. I want to thank Bill Pascrell for being there. I want to thank Miss Rice for the whole tone of the debate here this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. If Miss Rice has no further speakers, I am prepared to close after she closes. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 1300, the First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act, which I introduced along with my good friend and colleague from New Jersey, Bill Pascrell. This important, bipartisan legislation will ensure that emergency response providers have access to preevent anthrax vaccines. An anthrax attack is a serious mass casualty threat. Our national response capability to a wide-area anthrax attack would be greatly enhanced by having prevaccinated responders able to deploy immediately and confidently, knowing that they have been afforded as much protection as possible. To achieve that goal, this legislation establishes a preevent anthrax vaccination program to provide surplus anthrax vaccines from the Strategic National Stockpile to emergency response providers on a voluntary basis. In advance of the full vaccination program, the bill directs the Secretary of DHS to carry out a pilot program. Both the preevent vaccination program and the pilot program are required to have robust communication, education, and training for program participants. The bill requires a report on the progress of the pilot and directs the Department of Homeland Security to conduct risk assessments regarding anthrax terror attacks and to share threat information with State and local law enforcement. The Department has been working for over 3 years on establishing a preevent vaccination effort for first responders, but the project has been continually stalled. I am encouraged that DHS has hired a vaccination expert from the Department of Defense to take over the effort, and I believe that the mandates in this legislation will ensure that the pilot program moves forward. I would like to thank Committee on Homeland Security Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson, along with Chairman McSally and Ranking Member Don Payne of the committee's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications for their leadership on this issue and their work to advance this bill to the floor. I also want to thank Homeland Security Committee staff Kerry Kinirons, Kate Nichols, and Rosanna Muno. And this is significant, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank Chairman Upton and his staff at Energy and Commerce, Carly McWilliams and Karen Christian, for working with us on this bill. This bill is a great example of how committees can and should work together to advance commonsense legislation and not get involved in turf battles. I will include the letters exchanged by Chairman McCaul and Chairman Upton on H.R. 1300 in the Record. H.R. 1300 has 50 bipartisan cosponsors and is supported by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of EMS Chiefs, and the Alliance for Biosecurity. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill, which will help to ``protect our protectors,'' and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, July 21, 2015. Hon. Michael T. McCaul, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McCaul: I write in regard to H.R. 1300, First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act, which was ordered to be reported by the Committee on Homeland Security on May 20, 2015. As you are aware, the bill also was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I wanted to notify you that the Committee on Energy and Commerce will forgo action on H.R. 1300 so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. This is done with the understanding that the Committee on Energy and Commerce's jurisdictional interests over this and similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. In addition, the Committee reserves the right to seek conferees on H.R. 1300 and requests your support when such a request is made. I would appreciate your response confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 1300 and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Sincerely, Fred Upton, Chairman.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1300) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to make anthrax vaccines and antimicrobials available to emergency response providers, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, Islamic State (ISIS) is a massive threat to America's national interests and to human decency. Each day brings more news of ISIS advances, terrorist attacks, military gains and horrible atrocities. And each day the Administration continues to deny its policies are failing. Mr. Speaker, I believe that ISIS can indeed be stopped if it heeds the thoughtful recommendations which Kevin Carroll detailed in his May 27, 2015 Wall Street Journal OP/ED (``How to Prevent the Fall of Baghdad''). Mr. Carroll speaks with authority and first-hand knowledge. He served as a U.S. Army officer in Iraq and Afghanistan and as a CIA case officer in a Middle East war zone. Also, I had the benefit of having Kevin Carroll serve as Senior Counsel when I chaired the House Homeland Security Committee in 2011-2012. I found his advice to be invaluable. I urge the Administration to follow his advice today. I am proud to submit Kevin Carroll's article and urge all members to read and give thoughtful consideration to his proposals. Islamic State is likely to use the tactics that worked in Ramadi. The U.S. can do much to change the outcome Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has seized control of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province just 70 highway miles from Baghdad. Fallujah, located between, is already a terror stronghold. There is little doubt that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi plans to capture the city whose name he bears. A man who declared himself a caliph, Baghdadi knows his home was the seat of the Abbasid caliphate, founded in the eighth century to which ISIS would like to return. It would be a mistake for the Obama administration to continue to underestimate ISIS as the junior varsity. ISIS demonstrated operational capability recently, attacking in opposite directions to occupy both Ramadi and Palmyra, deep inside Syria. Its Ramadi assault mixed terrorism with conventional tactics. At least 30 huge truck bombs, some reportedly as large as the one used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, obliterated the city's defenses, and ISIS forces poured through the breach. A similar attack could be in store for Baghdad. It is assumed that ISIS operatives are in the capital's Sunni enclaves, with more en route disguised as refugees. The fall of Baghdad to ISIS would harm American strategic interests as the fall of Saigon did in 1975. The blow to U.S. credibility and the enhancement of ISIS's prestige, of its black flag rising over an evacuated U.S. Embassy, would be incalculable. To prevent this outcome, President Obama should consider taking the following actions. Use strategic air power. America's unrivaled air forces can hit ISIS from anywhere: neighboring countries, the sea and the continental U.S. Yet the sorties flown so far have been minimal, and damage inflicted still less, even as ISIS held a parade in broad daylight in Rutba, Iraq, last week. That is the kind of target our aviators dream of. Rules of engagement need to be loosened, U.S. air controllers sent to the front to call in strikes, and more combat aircraft put into the fight. Launch ruthless special operations. Recent raids into Syria were daring and skillful. But a handful of missions do not resemble the operations led by U.S. Army Gens. Stanley McChrystal and Michael Flynn in 2006-07 that eventually broke the back of ISIS's predecessor, al Qaeda in Iraq, and drove it abroad. At that campaign's height, commandos conducted multiple missions every night. They analyzed intelligence collected on one ``objective'' to find and fix targets they finished on successive raids. The rhythm, persistence and sheer number of those operations crushed the enemy. Emulate them now, starting near Baghdad. Capture and interrogate ISIS leaders. Much of the intelligence exploited on those missions came from documents and electronics found in terrorist safe houses. But the best came from interrogations, some conducted on the battlefield as the smoke cleared. Interrogators acted within the bounds of decency against evil men who deserved no quarter. Yet neither were military and CIA personnel constrained by the rules of evidence and criminal procedure, because their goal wasn't a courtroom conviction, but the location of the next high-value target. A robust program of capturing and roughly interrogating terrorists abroad should resume, first focused on the whereabouts of ISIS operatives in and around Baghdad. There is also a role for police work. ISIS has devotees in all 50 U.S. states; hundreds of Americans traveled abroad to fight for them, and some number have returned. The FBI and state and local law enforcement should make aggressive use of antiterror statutes to question--and perhaps flip into informants--suspects who may be in contact with terror leaders with details of ISIS plans regarding Baghdad. Congress should reauthorize the National Security Agency's signals intelligence programs identifying such communications between Americans and known terrorists abroad. Send ground combat forces. Despite U.S. efforts to retrain them, the Iraqi army is now unable or unwilling to stand and fight ISIS alone. Its commanders have shamefully thrown down their weapons, discarded their uniforms, and abandoned their men and posts when ISIS threatens. The Iraqi army needs a backbone transplant. U.S. airborne units can arrive quickly to secure Baghdad's airport and the long and vital road from the city to that airfield. More Marines can better defend the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Americans can stiffen Iraqi lines around the city, and provide artillery and engineer units needed in urban combat. U.S. cavalry units can launch what imperial Britain called ``punitive expeditions'' to destroy ISIS lairs further afield. The arrival of thousands more American fighting men will improve the Iraqi army's performance. It was no accident that the Sunni Awakening and U.S. surge succeeded at the same time in 2006-07. As U.S. troops poured in, Sunni sheiks cast their lot with what Bing West memorialized as the ``The Strongest Tribe'' in his book of the same name. There are natural advantages to defending Baghdad, which the Iraqis can exploit if steeled by U.S. troops. To seize the capital, ISIS's lines of communication would expand, a logistical challenge that would leave them more vulnerable to counterattack. The Iraqi army's lines of communication would helpfully contract. The Tigris River is a significant obstacle, and a defensible one. Urban combat favors prepared defenders. And Baghdad is a dense city, its population having swelled to more than seven million, crammed into a place the size of Baltimore or Boston. Most important, the predominantly Shiite Iraqi army would be fighting to protect its brethren, unlike previous battles in mostly Sunni cities where they broke and ran. This fight is winnable. But if the administration whistles past the graveyard and insists its policy is working even as ISIS nears Baghdad and our diplomats there, the White House may face a debacle that makes Benghazi seem minor in comparison.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his years of service in law enforcement and for his dedication here in the United States Congress. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. I think it is particularly appropriate that this bill will be passed during National Police Week at a time when we honor those who put their lives on the line every day. This isn't just an abstraction. This is really very real, as we saw tonight with the delegation from Mississippi acknowledging their two police officers who were murdered on Saturday night. And just last week in New York a neighbor and constituent of mine, Brian Moore, a member of the NYPD, was shot down. He was murdered in Queens Village in Queens, New York, a young man, 25 years old. He already had 150 arrests. He was a member of an elite anticrime unit. He was shot down in the prime of life. His father was a retired police sergeant. His cousins were on the NYPD and also the Nassau County Police Department. So these are real, Mr. Speaker. These are real lives. These are real lives that are lost. These are real people putting their lives on the line, and there are real families who suffer when they are left behind. That is why it is so important, I think, that we in Congress acknowledge that. One way to do that is by being able to present a flag signed by the Speaker and by the Member of Congress who represents the person who was killed in the line of duty. Tonight we had a new Member of Congress sworn in, Dan Donovan from Staten Island. Dan was with me on Friday at the funeral of Brian Moore. Also, we had two tragic deaths in December, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, two NYPD officers who were murdered in Brooklyn. Dan and I were at that funeral along with thousands and thousands, in fact, tens of thousands of officers from all over the country. So it is important that we stand in solidarity with the men and women of blue. They come under terrible onslaughts and attacks. So much of it is untrue, so much of it is slanderous, and so much of it is carried on by the media. But, Mr. Speaker, the fact is these men and women are out there every day. They are out there doing their job, and it is really important that we stand with them. The very least we can do is stand here in Congress and support them and also then pay them the tribute of standing with their family with the flag when that terrible moment comes that they lose their lives in the line of duty. So with that, Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentleman for his leadership, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his bipartisan spirit, and I strongly urge support of this legislation.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Thank you, Congressman Rangel. It is my privilege to introduce a man who has been a friend for many years. He has been a career prosecutor. For 12 years, he was district attorney in Staten Island. He was overwhelmingly elected. He is a true public servant. He is universally respected and is a man of unquestioned integrity. He is going to be an outstanding Congressman. It is my privilege to introduce the Congressman from Brooklyn and Staten Island, the Honorable Dan Donovan.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. It is just as critical and just as vital, in some ways more so, in that the ultimate result could be so devastating to our Nation. So, Mr. Speaker, I would ask, again, passage of the rule, which I believe is obviously essential, but also passage of the underlying bills because, again, our Congress has been criticized, with some validity, for not being able to work together and for not being able to get things done. But to have such a vital, controversial issue as this, to have both committees who deal with it most closely, to have them come together, all the effort and work that went into it, to have them come together to come up with this package of legislation, this shows Congress works. It shows we take this issue seriously, and it means we are going to go forward in all we can to combat terrorism in all its forms. Right now, probably the most lethal are the cybersecurity attacks being made on us. Mr. Speaker, I urge strong support of the rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. KING of New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule and also of the underlying bills, H.R. 1731 and H.R. 1560. As was pointed out, I am the only Member of Congress who is on the Homeland Security Committee and the Intelligence Committee; and I was able to both take part and also to observe closely the extent to which the gentleman from Texas, Chairman McCaul, and the gentleman from California, Chairman Nunes, worked with Members on both sides of the aisle, worked with privacy groups, worked with Federal officials, government officials, and administration officials to try to make this as bipartisan a bill as possible, to ensure that privacy would be protected, but also to ensure that everything possible can be done to protect our Nation against cyber intrusions. Now, every day there are attacks upon our infrastructure. The critical infrastructure--mostly in private hands--is being targeted; and Federal networks, databases that are vital to our national security, are under assault every second of every day. Cyberterrorism, whether it is carried out by a nation-state, such as Iran or Russia or China, or carried out by terrorist organizations, such as ISIS or al Qaeda, is extremely damaging and threatening to our national security; and it is essential that we, especially since so much of our critical infrastructure is in the hands of the private sector, allow for sharing, that we allow companies to share information with the government, that there is mutual sharing with the government, with the private sector, so that these companies can do it without fear of being sued, without fear of liability--they act in good faith; they do what has to be done. Every measure that was put in there--I know the gentleman from Colorado disagrees, but every measure is in there to ensure that individual rights will not be violated, that privacy will not be violated. And again, we have to look at, for instance, if the gentleman from Colorado is wrong, what this could mean to our country, how this could devastate--devastate--our infrastructure, devastate our national security, devastate our financial system. So again, this was not something that was rushed into. And when you have both bills passing out of committee with, as far as I recall, not one dissenting vote--not that everyone was in full agreement with the bills. But the fact is this is probably as close to a consensus as you can come in the Halls of Congress on such a critical and, in some ways, such a controversial issue, to find that type of unanimity on the two committees that deal with this most significantly. H.R. 1731 is the Homeland Security Committee bill that allows this information to be shared. The port will be the Department of Homeland Security, and that was done, again, working with privacy groups and working with those who are concerned with civil liberties, at the same time working with those who realize how absolutely essential to our security passage of this legislation is and how we have to have this type of cooperation, this type of sharing, this information sharing, and being done with the government and with the private sector working together to combat these enemies which can come at us from all directions. Again, every second of every day these attacks are being attempted and carried out. That is the crisis that faces us as a nation. It is not as obvious as a bomb going off in Times Square, and it is not as obvious as a bomb going off at the Boston Marathon, but it is just as critical.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Slain Officer Family Support Act of 2015. This bill, championed by Representative Hakeem Jeffries, which I was proud to co-sponsor, will encourage charitable contributions to the families of slain New York Police Department (NYPD) Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos by extending the tax deduction period for such contributions. I have been fortunate to meet and talk with the families of these two heroes. The government has a moral duty to reward those who step forward in times of tragedy. The Slain Officer Family Support Act is critical to ensuring that those who kindly assist the families of slain NYPD Officers Liu and Ramos are rewarded. I commend Representative Jeffries for his hard work on this important bill.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, today, March 23rd, marks the 5th anniversary of the signing into law of the bipartisan Elder Justice Act. I was proud to have been the sponsor of the House version of this bill with my former colleague Rahm Emanuel. I also note the strong leadership of Senator Hatch, former Senator Lincoln, and Senator Grassley on the Senate bill, which ultimately became law. The Elder Justice Act was passed for an important reason: to allow us to approach the growing problem of elder abuse with a more coordinated and comprehensive federal response. This has been accomplished to a certain degree over the past 5 years through some initiatives including the Elder Justice roadmap and the work of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council. We have a new Office of Elder Justice in the Department of Health and Human Services. Yet much of the Elder Justice Act remains unfulfilled because of an ongoing struggle for appropriate funding for its provisions. On this occasion I rededicate myself to seeing that the Act is reauthorized and that we invest adequate resources to its work. I am proud to be the author of H.R. 988 to renew the EJA and I commend my colleagues Representatives Lujan Grisham, Swalwell, Schakowsky, Cohen, Blumenauer, Frankel, Grayson and Honda for joining me as co-sponsors. At this point, I wish to submit a statement issued by the bipartisan, 3,000-member Elder Justice Coalition which has been steadfast in its leadership on behalf of elder justice for more than 10 years. I am pleased to work closely with the Coalition and its national coordinator Robert Blancato and look forward to our continued work to help ameliorate the national outrage of elder abuse. Statement from the Elder Justice Coalition (Bob Blancato, National Coordinator) March 23, 2015 marks the fifth anniversary of the bipartisan Elder Justice Act being signed into law by President Barack Obama. This law is historic as it represented the most comprehensive legislation ever enacted to address the growing national crisis of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. Five years later, we still find ourselves in the grip of elder abuse with an estimated one in ten persons over 60 as victims. Elder financial abuse is especially rampant with victims losing a minimum of $3 billion a year and perhaps as high as $35 billion per year based on new research. It is important, however, to mark this fifth anniversary noting that significant progress has been made as a result of the passage of the EJA. This includes: The Elder Justice Act receiving $4 million in first-time direct funding in FY 2015. President Obama's FY 2016 budget request including $25 million to continue the Elder Justice Initiative and a previous request including $5 million for the long-term care ombudsman program. The 2015 White House Conference on Aging including elder justice as one of its four priority issues. A Global Summit planned for 2015 to observe the tenth anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). The creation of a new Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services (APS) in the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The renewal of both the National Center on Elder Abuse and the APS Resource Center by the Administration. A data collection project from ACL with APS. Increased work of the Social Security Administration to combat elder financial abuse. Ongoing education and outreach work in the Office of Older Americans in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The release of the Elder Justice Roadmap by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS). The recommendations of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council sent to HHS Secretary and later to Congress. On this fifth anniversary we also reflect on our disappointment in how difficult it has proven to be to secure appropriate funding for this law. To date, less than $13 million has been directed to elder justice over the past five years and it took until just last year to achieve the first direct Congressional appropriation for the law. The law authorized a total of $777 million dollars for local grants, training, services, education, to address abuse in the community and long-term care facilities, to help prevent abuse, and to assist victims and prosecute perpetrators. We have not made the progress and the investment that this issue and those that have been victimized deserve. In this year ahead we must focus attention on reauthorizing the Elder Justice Act. The Coalition commends Representative Peter King for his introduction of H.R. 988 in this Congress and also for being the House author of the original Elder Justice Act. Similarly we salute the leadership of Senator Orrin Hatch, the author of the Elder Justice Act in the Senate. We also acknowledge the critical work that Senator Chuck Grassley did to help pass the Act. As our nation continues to grow older, we have to recognize that elder abuse will also grow unless we commit resources to help prevent it. This includes providing adequate funding for Adult Protective Services in all our states as well as for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program so we are able to investigate elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. This is the essence of the Elder Justice Act, a sound investment in a safe future for older Americans. We also recognize that we need to reauthorize and fund other programs that work hand in hand with the EJA. The Older Americans Act with its important elder abuse provisions and aging network is past due for reauthorization. We must also protect the core funding we currently have for Adult Protective Services through the Social Services Block Grant Program. Finally, we must also take advantage of an important opportunity provided by the Congress in the FY 2015 omnibus appropriations bill. In this measure, the cap for the Crime Victims' Fund, created by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), was more than tripled from $730 million to a new high of $2.361 billion. We call on the Justice Department and state VOCA agencies to direct an appropriate amount of these new funds to aid elder abuse crime victims. Our bipartisan 3000 member Elder Justice Coalition sees this fifth anniversary as a turning point in our national effort to prevent elder abuse. We cannot be in denial that the problem exists; instead, we need to put the same commitment into addressing this crisis as we have done with child abuse for more than 40 years and domestic violence over the past 20. Older adults deserve to live a life free from the reality or even the fear of elder abuse. That is our agenda, pure and simple. Let us build on the work done over these past five years and strive to achieve elder justice which has to mean the prevention of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Mr. KING of New York

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to the actions taken by the Obama Administration in December to re-establish relations with Cuba. Among other reasons, Castro's Cuba has been entirely uncooperative with the United States by providing safe harbor to numerous American fugitives, with offenses ranging from hijacking to murder. One of the most notable fugitives hiding out in Cuba is the known terrorist William Morales. Morales was a leader of the terrorist organization FALN, which has committed numerous terrorist attacks on United States soil, including the 1975 bombing of Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan. This attack killed 4 and injured more than 60 others. I urge the Administration to reevaluate its stance towards Cuba and make it a top priority to extradite William Morales and other fugitives evading justice in Cuba to the United States immediately.