William Keating

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time. MR. CARTER of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I will not oppose this amendment.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, it is another area where we can keep working together to help veterans, and this amendment will bring us forward in that task. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 200th Anniversary of the Plymouth Fragment Society of Plymouth, Massachusetts. This exceptional organization was founded on February 13, 1818 with the goal of aiding families living in poverty. In response to the Embargo Act of 1807 and the War of 1812, Marie de Verdier Turner gathered with 183 women to sew garments for the poor. Their mission was expanded to provide aid such as milk, fuel, and rent to those who needed assistance. As one of the oldest continuously operating charitable organizations in the country, they have adapted to the changing needs of the community, guiding Plymouth through prosperous times and economic downturns, including the Great Depression. The Plymouth Fragment Society, which was founded and run by dedicated and determined women, exemplifies the work women did for our communities long before they had the ability to engage in politics or business. Those who carry on this legacy remind us all of the power of dedicated individuals and their ability to effect lasting change. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the 200th Anniversary of the Plymouth Fragment Society for their dedication to bettering their community. I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking them for their invaluable service and wishing them all the best in the many years to come.

Mr. KEATING

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would direct the Army Corps to consider the historic and national significance of dredging projects as the Corps makes its funding decisions. In my area, this amendment will provide much-needed support for the completion of the Plymouth Harbor dredging project in time for the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower landing in Plymouth and Provincetown, Massachusetts. The year 2020 will be a momentous year for our country, as we commemorate the 400th anniversary of the settlement at Plymouth by the Pilgrims, the vital contributions of the Aquinnah and Mashpee Wampanoag Tribes, and the significant events that followed, including the signing of the Mayflower Compact, the 50-year Pilgrim-Wampanoag peace treaty, and, of course, the first Thanksgiving. For my entire time in Congress, I have worked closely with my constituents to prepare for this commemoration of Plymouth 400. The Plymouth Harbor dredging project has always been at the heart of these preparations. The dredging project is required ahead of the return to Plymouth of the fully restored Mayflower II, a full-scale replica of the original ship that brought the Pilgrims to Cape Cod in 1620. The Mayflower II cannot return to her home in Plymouth Harbor unless much-needed dredging work is completed. We also anticipate a maritime salute to mark the return of the Mayflower II as part of the commemoration, and the flotilla will need safe passage in the harbor. Furthermore, an uptick in marine traffic is also expected as Americans and visitors from around the world travel to Plymouth to participate in the 2020 celebration. It is therefore critical for navigational safety concerns that this dredging occur. This amendment will help ensure that one of the final pieces of the 2020 commemoration is completed and in place. We anticipate an exceedingly memorable year for the people of our community, for visitors across the country, and for a significant number of international visitors as well. Mr. Chair, I look forward to the completion of this project ahead of the commemoration, which also, it is important to note, will bring in significant added revenue and jobs. I thank the chairman, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and staff for their cooperation. And I also invite them to come to Plymouth in 2020 and enjoy what will be an amazing international celebration and a celebration of the beginning of our country as well. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, my amendment seeks to provide adequate resources for the marine and hydrokinetic energy resource supported by the Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office. Renewable power offers exciting and important security opportunities for our energy future here in the United States. My amendment would allocate resources to support these efforts, including for the development of pilot project plans, development of prototype turbines and associated undersea cables, as well as environmental impact assessments. In my district, there is an important research already underway in marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies to tap the power of ocean waves, tides, and currents to generate electricity. For example, the Marine Energy Renewable Collaborative of New England created the first permanent tidal power testing station in the entire United States. This state-of-the-art testing station is collecting new and valuable data every day on tidal power. Companies like MERCO in Marion, Massachusetts, and Littoral Power in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, are also pursuing this cutting-edge science in this emerging field of energy projection. Southeastern Massachusetts is a leader in the maritime economy. The research and technologies being developed currently will enhance our energy security for the future. We must make these investments today to ensure our security, health, and economic competitiveness going forward. The power supplied by these marine and hydrokinetic technologies is clean, predictable, and domestic. These technologies are environmentally friendly and don't rely on the importation of energy from foreign sources. They give us even more flexibility to keep our energy prices low for families and businesses. Cheaper energy means keeping business operating costs low so they can invest in more employees and on products and research. Supporting research in these technologies also means investigating the potential positive and negative effects that they might hold. We need to know more about water quality, our cultural and historic sites, our electromagnetic devices, and our shellfish, fish stocks, marine habitats, and large mammals. This is a very important program for my region and for the country. I thank my colleagues. I will say, this is so technologically advanced, this is a real tongue twister as I have gone through this whole thing, but don't let that dissuade anyone going forward. This is the future. This is where economic growth is already occurring in our region. We should do everything in our power to help the development of this power. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Simpson for that opportunity to work together. I think we can work together going forward in the short term. Perhaps as this goes to conference, we can look at working together in the long-term and really investigating the importance of this new energy that can be developed here in the United States so cleanly. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my amendment.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, there are people in our country who are looking for jobs. We also have in our country jobs that are looking for people. So this matches that up. Research and development is important, but without people to be trained to go forward it will come to no avail in our country. It is important for our region; it is important for our country.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Simpson for yielding me additional time. This gives me a brief time to tell how it is important in my region as well as how real it is in our region. In my district, a major offshore wind project just got the green light to build an 800-megawatt wind farm 15 miles south of Martha's Vineyard. It is going to bring with it hundreds and hundreds of new, high-quality job opportunities in southeastern Massachusetts. This requires skilled labor, and the amendment would try to connect those workers with these skills and the training they need to take advantage of these opportunities to these new jobs. This is something that has to be done ahead of time in our country. One of the biggest weaknesses we do have, I think, economically, is that we have to prepare for the jobs that are here that we don't have people for and the jobs that will grow that we don't have enough people for. It is an opportunity to do this. I thank the chairman again for yielding the time, and I thank the leadership of the gentlewoman from Massachusetts, Ms. Tsongas.

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, my amendment allocates resources for additional research into innovative technologies and processes for safe and secure storage, treatment, transportation, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel from civilian nuclear reactors. Five nuclear power plants have retired since 2013. Six more across the country, including the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in my district, are slated to retire just in the next few years. This is also timely, because just last month, this House passed, by a margin of 340-72, a bill to improve nuclear waste storage. Reactors can shut down, but that doesn't mean there is a safe, secure plan for spent fuel stored onsite. Pilgrim has been operating for over 45 years in Massachusetts, and its spent fuel has been stored there ever since. The Pilgrim Plant is slated to retire in 2019, almost exactly 1 year from today. The spent fuel there needs to be addressed. My community in Plymouth and those around the country are asking legitimate questions on how the safety and security of these materials can be increased. We have an opportunity to dig deeper into these questions and find better answers for my constituents and for people around the country who have a nuclear power plant nearby. New advanced research should examine how the safety and security of spent fuel pools can be improved. Additionally, the safe transfer of materials to dry casks deserves to be reexamined, as does the design and long-term integrity of dry casks. Furthermore, research into the transportation and ultimate disposal of spent fuel is crucial in identifying the best and safest long-term solutions. They too need to be examined and improved. My amendment supports further research into these areas so that when nuclear energy is part of our communities, we are able to ensure, as best we can, that spent nuclear fuel is secure and not posing unnecessary threats. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleagues for their consideration of this amendment and urge their support. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KEATING

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, my amendment seeks to ensure adequate resources for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the NRC, to provide for safe and effective decommissioning of nuclear power plants. In 2016, Entergy Corporation, the owner and operator of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth, Massachusetts, announced that the plant would be decommissioned by 2019 after facing severe losses in revenue and plagued by safety concerns. Since coming to Congress, I have been concerned by the safety of Pilgrim's day-to-day operations as well as the security of its spent fuel storage. Following Entergy's announcement, I have worked with State and local representatives to prioritize the safety of the decommissioning process, security of the plant's spent fuel, and the displacement of over 600 workers who are employed at the site. The NRC has previously issued reports revealing that Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station comes up short on critical systems maintenance, and it is currently the worst performing reactor in the entire country. While this infraction ultimately falls on the responsibility of Entergy, it is equally important that the NRC has the necessary resources to address concerns as they arise, including through cooperation with local communities. As we have often cited, decommissioning of nuclear power plants has an enormous economic and financial impact on host communities. We have urged that decommissioning funds be used for the safe removal of spent fuel to dry cask storage, to restoration, to remediation of the site and maintaining emergency preparedness and security resources throughout the entire process. Finally, it is my hope that the NRC prioritizes worker protections as it oversees decommissioning both in my district and around the entire country. As the number of decommissioned plants increases, the potential exodus of highly skilled experienced workers presents a serious threat to our safety. The people in my community rely on the workers in Plymouth to keep them safe, and we hope the NRC will facilitate workforce continuity throughout the entire decommissioning process. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleagues for their consideration of this amendment and urge their support. Again, I would like to thank the chairman from Idaho. We started the day working on issues from the Pilgrims to the Mayflower, too, to things the Pilgrims never envisioned, like decommissioned nuclear power plants. So rest assured that when we celebrate the 2020 400th anniversary in the town of Plymouth, America's hometown, that he will be very welcomed, and I will give him a personal tour of the awe-inspiring view of Plymouth Rock. Thank you again for your help, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chair, this amendment would direct the Army Corps to expedite and complete dredging in Plymouth Harbor in time for the 400th anniversary celebration of the Mayflower landing in Plymouth and Provincetown, Massachusetts. This is a huge international event that will attract people from all over the world, particularly from Britain--including Plymouth, England--and it is going to be a significant revenue producer for our Commonwealth but also for our country. The 2020 anniversary is a proud milestone for our country as we commemorate the 400th anniversary of the successful settlement of Plymouth by the Pilgrims; the essential contributions of the Aquinnah and Mashpee Wampanoag tribes; and the number of key events that followed, including the signing of the Mayflower Compact, the 50-year Plymouth Pilgrim-Wampanoag peace treaty, and of course, the first Thanksgiving. For my entire time in Congress, I have worked closely with my constituents to prepare for this Plymouth 400 event. The Plymouth Harbor dredging project has always been a cornerstone to these preparations. A centerpiece of the anniversary will be the return of the fully restored Mayflower Two, a full-scale replica of the original ship that brought the Pilgrims to Cape Cod in 1620. However, the Mayflower Two cannot return to her home in Plymouth Harbor unless much-needed dredging is completed by that time. Further, we anticipate a maritime salute to mark the return of the Mayflower Two as part of the commemoration. We also expect significant uptick in corresponding maritime traffic. The amendment is part of a final piece to ensure that 2020 will be a memorable year for our community and our country, and I look forward to the completion of this project and all the good that will follow. This is something that is critical not only in terms of the event but making sure there is safe navigation, which we will have to be able to, in some way, counter the influx of marine traffic as well. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chair, I just want to thank the chairman for his help working with this, and I want to say, you are welcome. In 2020, come be part of the celebration. It is so integral to our country, and it is something that will, I think, be a great revenue producer as well. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would grant the Army Corps of Engineers the authority to repair or replace any Army Corps bridge that is necessary for evacuation during extreme weather or natural disaster in New England. In my district, Mr. Chairman, the Bourne and Sagamore bridges represent the only roads for crossing the Cape Cod Canal by car. These bridges, owned by the Army Corps, have long reached the end of their working lives. In fact, the Army Corps is already spending a significant amount of funds just to keep the traffic on the bridges moving. Anyone who has gone there in the summer and experienced that can well attest to that. We cannot risk the safety of those vital roadways at any time, let alone at a time of an emergency. As the Corps already knows, it is important that we recognize that the canal bridges and other critical evacuation infrastructure across the Nation play a fundamental role in providing for the public safety of countless Americans. Much of this State and local work required to ensure the long-term safety of the canal bridges is already under way. I have also been working closely with the Army Corps leadership in New England and in Washington to ensure that the funding necessary for the safest, most resilient evacuation routes remains a priority. This amendment would authorize the Army Corps to continue down the path towards long-term safety for the people in my region, the people in New England, and, importantly, the over half a million people that the population swells to just in that small area over the summer months. For that reason, I ask my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman again for his cooperation. This is a vital matter of public safety going forward, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Bill and Linda Zammer who were named Citizens of the Year by the Mashpee Chamber of Commerce in Mashpee, Massachusetts. The Zammers moved to Mashpee from Wellesley, Massachusetts in the late 1980s. With their vision, the Chamber of Commerce grew from twenty members to over three hundred today. Their efforts and dedication have given tremendous life to the Mashpee business community and Mashpee Commons. Over the years they have owned many hotels, restaurants, and other similar establishments in the Mashpee area. They ran the Popponesset Inn in New Seabury for eleven years, the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth for twenty-one years, and they still own the Flying Bridge Restaurant which they bought in 1994. The Zammers are also celebrated today for their philanthropy in our community. Their charitable work aims to help the homeless and needy, youth programs like the Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod, and education through their scholarships. They also helped establish the William and Linda Zammer Institute for Hospitality and Culinary Studies at Cape Cod Community College. Their work in the Mashpee Scholarship Foundation gave over $100,000 to Mashpee High School students. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Bill and Linda Zammer as Citizens of the Year. I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating their accomplishments and wishing them many more years of success and community leadership.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Wilbert Lannon of Cotuit, Massachusetts; who turns 100 years young on Friday, May 25th. Wilbert has been devoted to taking care of others from an early age. After growing up in Roslindale, he displayed his devotion to family when--following his father's passing--he chose to stay home and help instead of attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 1950, Wilbert served his country in the United States Army Air Corps for four years. He returned home to Roslindale and married his wife Mary. They would go on to raise two children, Elizabeth and Ferne, and spend 55 blissful years of marriage together. The Lannon Family settled in Medfield and Wilbert, a dedicated and caring father, supported his family by working in the insurance business until his retirement in 2010. Wilbert's daughter Elizabeth speaks incredibly highly of her father, noting his compassion and dedication to taking care of others. He truly understands the value of lending a hand. In 1960, he drove his family to the New York World Fair just to see his children smile. He has dedicated his life to caring for his family and loved ones, including spending every moment taking care of his daughter, Ferne and wife, Mary when they fell ill. Today, he lives in Cotuit, near his loving daughter Elizabeth, where he continues to lend a hand to the residents of his retirement home. Wilbert, always ready to help, is truly beloved by everyone who has the opportunity to cross his path. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Wilbert Lannon on his 100th birthday. I ask that my colleagues join me in wishing him many more years of good health and happiness.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Marybeth Shea as she is named the 2018 Citizen of the Year by the Norwell Chamber of Commerce. Marybeth is a pillar of the community, serving on seventeen boards and committees and being a staple in town politics and events. For thirty years, she has put the people of Norwell first, always trying to figure out how to better her community. After first moving to Norwell, Marybeth immediately become involved in the Parent-Teacher Organization. Marybeth has stepped up at every point to improve our school and our community. Marybeth spent eight years as president of the Norwell High School Boosters Committee, where she planned fundraisers and headed countless initiatives, including the creation of the Norwell High School Athletic Hall of Fame. She made every opportunity to advocate for the students of Norwell and worked to ensure their incredible athletic accomplishments would long be remembered. Outside of school, Marybeth has become a familiar face in local politics and does not miss an opportunity to advocate and inform others about issues that have a direct impact on the town of Norwell. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Marybeth Shea for her dedication to her community. I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking her for her work and wishing her all the best as she continues her efforts.