William Keating

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the retirement of Captain Edward J. Marohn, the Chief of External Affairs for the Coast Guard First District in Boston, Massachusetts. Captain Marohn joined the United States Coast Guard at the age of seventeen and has served this country honorably for thirty-one years. He served in a variety of afloat, ashore and staff tours on both Coasts and on the Great Lakes. He also conducted counterdrug, fishery enforcement, search and rescue, and environmental protection operations from the Bering Sea to the Sea of Cortez. Further, while serving in Michigan, he coordinated the execution of over 7,000 search and rescue operations that resulted in saving or assisting over 1,200 lives and $10 million in property. Complementing his remarkable operational career, Captain Marohn served as the Coast Guard Liaison to the National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement in Silver Spring, Maryland; Assistant Chief of Enforcement for First Coast Guard District in Boston, Massachusetts; Maritime Drug Interdiction Officer at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and earned a Master of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington. Recognized as an expert in fisheries management and enforcement, Captain Marohn has also served as the Coast Guard representative to the New England Fisheries Management Council, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, the U.S. delegation to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, and the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum. Further, he was the sole Coast Guard representative on the U.S. State Department led delegation to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, where he negotiated the first ever U.S. enforcement presence in this international fishery regime. Captain Marohn pioneered the Integrated Maritime Security Operations program, an international approach to law enforcement on the northern border that involves joint operations between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. These operations continue to serve as a model for overcoming jurisdictional challenges along a shared international maritime border to improve security. He is also known as the primary architect of the Coast Guard's Ice Rescue Program, and received the 2005 Coast Guard Innovation Award for Operational Management to recognize his groundbreaking achievement of developing the first-ever Ice Rescue Manual. Today Captain Marohn has been married to his wife Christine for 26 years, and together they have two daughters, Meaghan and Lauren. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Captain Edward J. Marohn as he retires from the United States Coast Guard. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing his many years of dedication to his community and his country.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the life of Scoba Francis Rhodes, a resident of East Falmouth, Massachusetts and dedicated civil rights and education advocate. Scoba was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and moved to Falmouth with his family in 1947. Following his graduation from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College, he served in the Air Force as an education specialist during the Vietnam War era. His laudable devotion to public service continued through his position as a guidance counselor at the Mores Pond School in Falmouth, while he ran a night program for students unable to finish High School. Later, he served as the assistant director of admissions and then associate director, at Southeastern Massachusetts University. Further, he served as the dean of students at Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School and Worcester Academy and on the board of trustees for Cape Cod Community College. Throughout his life, Scoba worked tirelessly to advance civil rights. To name a few roles in which he served, he was elected chairman of the Cape Cod Council of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in 1973, served as president of the Cape Cod chapter of the NAACP, and was the 2018 recipient of the Civic Leadership Award from the Falmouth ``No Place for Hate'' organization. Unfortunately, Scoba passed away on June 23, 2018. His commitment will live on through his growing family and the legacy of his activism in our community. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the life of Scoba Rhodes. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing his many years of dedication to his community and his country.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I thank my two colleagues from California. Mr. Chairman, I am here rising in support of my amendment to H.R. 6237. The underlying bill requires all members of the Foreign Service to serve three consecutive terms if they have received language training in certain languages. My amendment adds the Russian language to that list. Extending Foreign Service officers' length of service in these positions is vital to our foreign policy and national security objectives. Through this continuity of service, they can develop and deploy their cultural and language expertise to make the most of our diplomatic efforts in-country. Putin has become one of the greatest antagonists of the United States. He attacked our elections and those of our allies, and he is behind a number of cyber-related incidents recently. He has invaded sovereign nations when they looked toward strengthening ties with the West. His government and government- controlled entities spread lies and misinformation about the United States--not only in Russia, but here in the U.S. as well--through fake social media accounts that attempt to sow division among all Americans. He seeks to undermine all aspects of civil society and a free political process that challenge him and his control over the Russian Government and its people. Putin presents a serious security threat to the United States and our interests. We must respond to these actions through sanctions, indictments, and other means, whether related to election interference, incursions into Ukraine, or human rights violations. However, we must also keep our eyes on the long game. Russian language is broadly spoken around the globe, not just in Russia, but across Eastern Europe and many parts of Central Asia as well. Representing the United States and our ideals abroad means being able to actually have meaningful person-to-person exchanges with local communities and build the relationships that will help us combat Putin's misinformation apparatus. It means we can talk to local press in-country to clarify misunderstandings and to communicate directly with the local population about what we actually stand for. It means having the most accurate understanding of real-time security information, so that the United States can respond quickly and appropriately. Today, we are not operating at full capacity in this regard when it comes to Russia, and, frankly, we cannot afford to keep looking the threat from Russia and Putin in the face and refusing not to do everything we can about it. We have heard many times that the Russian people themselves have great concern and great antagonism to Putin and his leadership. We need to have skilled people fluent in the language and understanding the culture there and on the front lines of our efforts to encourage them to stand up within their own country, and to make sure that our allies in Europe know that we are there, using every tool at our disposal to stop his aggression and interference. Mr. Chairman, I hope this amendment passes.

Mr. KEATING

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, my amendment requires the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to develop a strategy for how they plan to implement electronic monitoring in the Northeast Multi-Species Fishery by 2021. Today, the majority of monitoring is conducted by at-sea, in-person monitors who NOAA sends on only about 30 percent of the trips. What is more, vessel owners must pay the cost of this in-person monitoring, at a cost of $900 a day. Not only is this a financial burden, especially on the small boat fleet owners, but it is also less effective because it leaves massive gaps for bad actors to exploit the system. Modernizing fisheries monitoring programs by the full-scale adoption of electronic monitoring is critical for the future sustainability and the development of the North Atlantic's multi-species fishery. Full implementation of electronic monitoring will mean better data for making stock assessments and making sure that every fishing trip is monitored. This means better protections for our environment and more sustainable fisheries so that our fishing industry can remain strong for the generations to come. This is why, in my district, there is already broad support among fishermen for moving to an electronic monitoring regime. It costs less. It rewards fishermen who play by the rules. It ensures that sustainability of the fisheries that their industry depends upon goes forward. In fact, the Northeast Fisheries Council has already outlined the goal of total adoption of an electronic monitoring regime. However, NOAA's Marine Fishery Service does not have a strategy in place to make that goal a reality. Without an implementation strategy from NOAA, fishermen who elect to invest in electronic monitoring for their vessels would still be subject to the costly at-sea monitoring regime, so, in effect, would be forced to pay twice. We need to move forward on this issue, take advantage of the new technologies that not only make it cheaper and easier to monitor, but more effective as well. We have an opportunity for a win-win scenario, but it requires that we commit to pursuing it. Step one is NOAA reporting to Congress on what full implementation of the electronic monitoring should look like and by focusing first on the Northeast region. This strategy will serve as a model for other fishery regions around the country as they take their own steps towards adopting electronic monitoring across the country.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague from Alaska. I think the gentleman understands full well that that monitor on the ship poses very challenging times from the time that they are on that ship, and the $900 a day is simply something that fishermen can't afford right now. It is not necessary. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague from Alaska for joining with me in this effort, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, this is another amendment that will reduce the cost of monitoring on fishermen. My amendment would allow the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to spend the fees they collect from penalties that are assessed against violators of fisheries regulations to help defray the costs related to monitoring. Being able to use the fees in this way will actually help NOAA prevent against future violations, as well as possibly reduce the cost to fishermen themselves. Currently, these fees can be used only to support NOAA enforcement actions. While enforcement is important, it unnecessarily prevents NOAA from spending these funds on preventing violations in the first place. Electronic monitoring and at-sea monitoring trips help to ensure that these kinds of abuses do not occur. This makes them a critical tool to NOAA in enforcing regulations and ensuring that our fisheries remain sustainable. Countless fishermen in my district have been suffering this past year because a select few decided to abuse the system. Greater investments in monitoring may have helped prevent this massive fraud that occurred. However, now that it has, it is important that measures be put in place to prevent anything like this from ever happening again. That means funding for prevention and monitoring. NOAA should be able to use the funds it collects from the recent cases and any other cases that inevitably arise to double down on protecting the sustainability of fisheries and preventing as much abuse as possible before the harm is ever done. My amendment does just that by allowing NOAA to use the fees it collects to support prevention efforts. This gives NOAA and the fisheries managers greater flexibility to find the right balance between prevention and enforcement, and, at the same time, lowers the cost of monitoring for fishermen. Mr. Chairman, I urge support of this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from Alaska for his support. He knows full well how difficult it is, particularly in our region, for fishermen just to sustain themselves, let alone sustain the fish. We want to sustain the fishermen themselves. These small vessels are out there, and they are facing $900-a-day monitoring charges. This is another means by which we will be able to do it. So I find myself agreeing three times in the last few minutes with my colleague from Alaska--twice on my amendments and the other, indeed, on a prior amendment where he rightfully pointed out the rather hyperbolic description of the State of Maine, as wonderful as it is, and remind and agree with him that, indeed, this was just a mere portion of Massachusetts at one time. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the grave marking of Isaac Berry at the Woodside Cemetery in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. Born in 1728, Isaac Berry was a landowner, farmer, merchant, constable, sea captain, and lawyer in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. He was elected as constable in 1774, where he had the unique opportunity to directly serve the townspeople of Yarmouth. In this position he was assigned to oversee that a limited amount of British tea was consumed in Yarmouth. In 1778, Berry joined the Yarmouth militia during the American Revolution. Under the command of Lot Crowell, he responded to the Alarm at Falmouth and the Alarm at Dartmouth. During his time, he was also responsible for guarding the prisoners of the HMS Somerset after the ship sank in Cape Cod waters. Isaac Berry married Sarah Crowell in 1751 and together they started a family. After living a long life dedicated to his community and country, he passed away in 1803 and was buried in Yarmouth. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Isaac Berry and his contribution to the town of Yarmouth. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing his hard work and dedication on the event of his grave marking.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the retirement of Officer James Francis Winn, a thirty-five-year veteran of the Dennis Police Department. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Jim got his Associates Degree in Law Enforcement from Springfield State Technical Community College. He then went on to receive a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice at Western New England College. In 1983 Jim began working for the town of Dennis as a summer-appointed special officer. He soon rose to becoming a Dispatcher, and finally, a Patrol Officer. Jim is dedicated to the safety of children and families in the town of Dennis. Throughout his thirty-five years on the force and thirty-one years as a Patrol Officer, Jim held positions ranging from K-9 Officer, to D.A.R.E. Officer, to Family Services Officer. He has been praised for his work at a Bike Safety Program and with the students of the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District, to name just a few. Further, Jim has received many awards and recognitions for his incredible work for the people of our community. In 2003, Jim married his wife Anne. They have two children, Lindsay and Ryan, and I wish them many years of happiness and more time spent with their family. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor James Francis Winn and his commitment to ensuring the safety of his community. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing his hard work and dedication as he celebrates his retirement.

Mr. KEATING

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment that directs the Department of the Health and Human Services to issue and expand guidelines for medical providers for prescribing naloxone to reflect a major shift that has occurred in the opioid health crisis that we continue to work to counter today. Mr. Chairman, earlier this year, I sat in a room with my colleagues on the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force and listened to Dr. Francis Collins and the NIH leadership present data revealing how we have seen a shift in the opioid crisis. For the first time, we learned that opioid overdoses from prescriptions of opioid drugs have dropped. That is good news. The shocking news was that overdose rates for illicit opioids, heroin and fentanyl, had risen at an alarming rate. If we are going to save lives of people overdosing from increasingly prevalent and increasingly unpredictable illicit compounds, we need to make sure naloxone gets in the right hands. My amendment would provide necessary guidance to patients, providers, public health professionals, first responders, and loved ones on the ability to obtain effective doses of naloxone to combat overdoses of all types of opioids, prescriptions or otherwise. It is so crucial that people dealing with this brain disease know how to use naloxone in an emergency and, importantly, understand that it is okay to have naloxone in the home. I was proud that I and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), who also joins me as a cosponsor of this bipartisan amendment, were able to insert legislative language on prescribing guidelines into the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act that passed Congress and became law last year. But giving HHS the option to issue guidelines didn't go far enough. This amendment before us is firm in its requirement, and I believe my amendment will more explicitly and more expansively direct and yield necessary change. Mr. Chairman, I conclude by reaffirming our commitment to ending this devastating epidemic that takes the lives of 115 people every day on average in our country. I share this commitment with the Members of the House, and I pledge to work with you all to see this amendment's passage and to effect necessary change that reflects the ever-shifting landscape in this battle. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), the cosponsor of this amendment.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, in Cape Cod, the islands, and South Shore and south coast of Massachusetts, the real cause of death in overdoses now is fentanyl. It is being mixed with cocaine. It is being mixed with marijuana. And this is very important. This bipartisan amendment will save lives. I want to thank Chairman Walden. I want to thank Chairman Brady. I want to thank my cosponsor Mr. Rothfus. I want to thank Ranking Member Pallone and Ranking Member Neal for their work on an amendment that will truly save lives.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Elizabeth O'Handley, a resident of Rockland, Massachusetts, who today celebrates her 80th birthday. Elizabeth, more affectionately known as Betty or Betty O', was born on June 19, 1938 to Daniel and Rose MacDonald. She is the oldest of three sisters, mother to nine children, grandmother to 42, biological and through love, and great-grandmother to 10. In her 40s, Betty made the decision to return to school to pursue her degree. She worked a full-time job and a part-time job and attended nursing school full-time while raising the 7 of her children who were still at home. There were many nights when she could be found at Dunkin' Donuts doing homework or studying because it was quieter than at home. She currently works at the Brockton VA Hospital, where she has worked for over 35 years in the spinal cord injury unit. She was the recipient of the Pierik Award in recognition of her outstanding nursing skills. Betty has been a devoted parishioner of Holy Family Church in Rockland since 1970 where all of her children were confirmed . She has lived her life as a woman of great faith who shared this by providing religious education to children through teaching CCD for many years. She has shown that being trustworthy, generous, and making everyone feel included are traits to be emulated. The words ``great'' and ``exceptional'' do not even begin to describe the truly amazing people like Betty. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Betty O'Handley on this joyous occasion of her 80th birthday. I ask that my colleagues join me in wishing her continued health and happiness.

Mr. KEATING

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

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment that would direct the VA to establish an opioid abuse kit for community healthcare providers. We are fortunate to live in a time when, because of medical advancements, members of the military are surviving combat injuries at unprecedented rates. However, our duty of care for military veterans does not stop there. As our Nation welcomes home thousands of veterans from missions all over the world, we must be better prepared to provide those who suffer from chronic pain with the help that they need. It is the responsibility of this Congress to do our part to ensure they are receiving the level of healthcare they deserve. According to VA data, despite the number of opioid prescriptions at the VA declining--and that is the good news--since 2012, the number of veterans with opioid use disorders has spiked 55 percent between 2011 and 2016. Additionally, the American Public Health Association found that veterans are twice as likely to overdose on prescription opioids as the general population. The Veterans Health Administration has taken initial steps to combat the growing opioid crisis by rolling out its Opioid Safety Initiative for VA health settings, and the VA has also begun to publish toolkits for its community health providers so they better understand why veterans are looking to them for help. My amendment provides the resources for the VA to take their efforts a step further. It would direct the VA to utilize the opioid safety resources already available at the VA and create a similar opioid toolkit for healthcare providers at civilian facilities who help veterans with opioid use disorders. This is even more important, Mr. Chairman, because of the establishment of the Veterans Choice Program. The toolkit will provide safe prescribing practices provide additional resources for effective pain management, and it will ultimately save lives. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join with me in support of this. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I know the gentleman from Texas and I will work together on this going forward and, hopefully, this amendment will move us in that direction further. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment that would direct healthcare providers with VA affiliation to continue their efforts at continuing education courses in specific areas to manage pain, opioids, and substance abuse disorders. Nationally, about 30 percent of Americans have some form of chronic pain. However, the percentage of veterans who report chronic pain is significantly higher. Over 50 percent of elderly veterans report chronic pain, as do 60 percent of veterans returning from current conflicts. In fact, chronic pain is the most common medical problem experienced by returning combat veterans over the last decade. Of course, pain is not a standalone problem. We are increasingly aware of the mental health, the hidden wounds consequences stemming from time in combat. Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or brain trauma are more likely to report physical pain and, in turn, are more likely to receive a prescription for opioids. Likewise, approximately one out of every three veterans seeking treatment for a substance use disorder also have PTSD. My amendment addresses this challenge by helping those who provide healthcare services to veterans to learn the latest pain management techniques, understand safe prescribing practices, and spot the signs of potential behavioral health conflicts and challenges, including substance abuse disorders. Further, my amendment recognizes that VA healthcare providers already need continuing education credits to maintain their State-issued professional licenses. The amendment does not add to the total number of credits that prescribers already have to take. It simply makes sure that appropriate time is spent learning about this important issue. My constituents are fortunate in Massachusetts because we have State laws that deal with this and require that kind of continuing education on this matter. However, in the other part of my district, in the southwestern portion, most of the veterans in that area go to the Rhode Island veterans center and, in Rhode Island, this is not covered by the State. Healthcare professionals in Providence, Rhode Island, already have pain management education available, but there is no guarantee that they are taken. There is a recommendation, but no guarantee. My amendment simply makes sure that our veterans get that guarantee. I urge my colleagues to join in support of this amendment.

Mr. KEATING. I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).