Joseph Kennedy

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow this body is set to vote on a budget resolution that would dramatically cut Federal funding for Planned Parenthood. But today there is still time to reconsider that proposal and listen to the thousands, if not millions, of men, women, and children who are urging us not to because they understand the impact in our communities better than almost any of us here today. Now, this isn't just about blocking a woman's constitutional right to her own healthcare options, although that would be bad enough. This is about gutting Medicaid reimbursements for preventive care and family planning, revoking every single dollar for 360,000 lifesaving breast exams and 4 million tests for sexually transmitted diseases. This is Congress choosing political gamesmanship at the expense of Americans' health, particularly those who cannot afford care otherwise. This is a tactical strike on low-income women and families. In my home State of Massachusetts, it would immediately deny access to care to nearly 10,000 patients covered by MassHealth. For these men, women, and children, it is not as simple as walking to the nearest community health center, because over 50 percent of Planned Parenthood centers across our country are found in medically underserved communities. For the elderly woman in need of cancer screening, there would be nowhere else to turn. For the young expectant mother in need of prenatal care, there would no longer be a community doctor that she can trust. For the dad whose son is in need of strep throat treatment, the only option left may be an unaffordable trip to the emergency room. Mr. Speaker, if this is intended to be a warning shot on a constitutionally guaranteed right to have an abortion, my Republican colleagues are missing their target and, instead, they are aimed right at poor Americans. I urge every Member of this House to talk to their constituents who have received care at Planned Parenthood centers before voting on this bill. I ask them to listen and understand the life-altering impact that it will have on the families who can least afford it.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman O'Rourke for yielding and for organizing this critical Special Order. Most importantly, thank you for your fierce advocacy for people of your district, for people of our country, for immigrants, and for DREAMers. Let me begin by echoing your comments and that of our colleague, Mr. Castro's, as well. The stories that you both have shared underscore the urgency that we face in protecting these children and young adults from deportation under the next administration. Tonight, right now, there are high school seniors across our country writing college essays, compiling recommendations, and filling out applications who are not sure if they will be allowed to stay in this country when it comes time to enroll in classes. There are elementary and middle school students that are working diligently on their homework because, one day, they want to pursue a college education or work in their communities, but now they are not sure if that day will come. There are young professionals working in our factories, teaching in our schools, volunteering in our neighborhoods, or even preparing to join the military that are going to sleep tonight worried that, when the calendar strikes 2017, the only life that they have ever known might be shattered. All of these children, these young people, all 740,000 of them, they are our future. They put their trust in us, their government, in our promise to protect them if they stepped out of the shadows. Today, that faith is frayed. It is our responsibility, all of ours, as this body, to commit to them that the only country that they know will not wash away their contributions, those that they have made, and send them to an unfamiliar land; because they believe in the American Dream just as our ancestors did and as we do today; because they are DREAMers; because they are our neighbors, our friends, our classmates, our community, and so much more; because they are countrymen. Down this hallway in the Senate, a few of our Republican colleagues have already started on legislation to protect DACA beneficiaries. In order to lift the cloud of doubt for thousands in our country, fighting for their rights must be our priority today and every day until we succeed. Congressman O'Rourke, Congressman Castro, and my colleagues gathered here with us this evening, thank you for your work, thank you for your passion, thank you for your commitment. I know that we are on the right side of this fight when I see all of you standing here.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. I thank the ranking member for yielding. I also thank him, as well as Chairman Upton and Congresswoman DeGette, for being tireless throughout the entire process in their advocacy of trying to get this bill as a bipartisan compromise and for creating an environment that allows for our committee's members to raise their voices and shape this legislation. Mr. Speaker, when we first passed the version of this bill last year, it was as a result of strong, bipartisan compromise and sacrifice. It certainly was not easy, but the legislative process is not intended to be. While I am disappointed that the funding levels for the NIH were cut even further and that the investment is no longer mandatory, I take my Republican colleagues at their word that it will be appropriated in the years ahead. I am also pleased that this legislation includes language to remove obstacles for children who are covered by Medicaid; but my real concerns with the legislation lie with the mental health reform proposals, which don't go nearly far enough. Mental health parity is already the law, thanks to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Affordable Care Act; but each study we read, Mr. Speaker, and each story we hear proves that insurance companies are skirting those rules. Instead of further guidance or meetings or studies carried out years down the road, we need enforcement and transparency today. We need random audits before there have been violations, not after. We need insurers to publicly disclose the rates and reasons for denials in a way that patients and their families can understand, not in a way that mental health advocates can't even obtain. We need to increase Medicaid reimbursements in order to expand access to care, not to reduce them or roll back expansion; and we need to appreciate the difference the ACA has made for mental health patients, especially for the most vulnerable among us. Until we do, we cannot consider these proposals comprehensive, and we certainly can't pretend that they are nearly enough. This is an important compromise forged from an awful lot of hard work. I am happy and pleased to support this proposal, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for getting it here today.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Clark and Congressman Thompson, for their extraordinary leadership, as they always seek ways to advance career and technical education training. According to a recent report, Mr. Speaker, in my home State of Massachusetts, three out of five job openings in our Commonwealth 6 years from now will require less than a college degree. That means that students who are just starting their second week of middle school this week could walk straight out of their high school graduation and into a job in their own backyard. They will only be prepared for those jobs, though, if we ensure that their curriculum is informed by the needs of companies in their communities. Businesses and voc-tech schools in my district are already creating innovative partnerships that allow students to learn in their classrooms and then gain hands-on experience on factory floors. Guided by their example, I introduced the Perkins Modernization Act to align the curriculum that our students are learning today with the needs of the employers who will hire them tomorrow. I am grateful that the sponsors of this legislation included that language, and I hope the Senate will follow their lead by quickly taking up and passing this legislation.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), my colleague, for yielding and for her leadership on the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. Her efforts in fighting for consumer protection rights and privacy, including her support for this bill, are tireless. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5111, the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016. The Consumer Review Fairness Act is a solution to a problem consumers across America are facing. In an unjust effort to stop consumers from posting honest reviews online, some businesses have resorted to hidden contract clauses prohibiting any negative feedback for a product, service, or experience. These so- called nondisparagement clauses allow companies to sue reviewers simply for posting their candid opinions online. This is a problem I have heard about firsthand from a major company in my district, Mr. Speaker, TripAdvisor, whose members depend on an open, honest, and fair online forum. Like every American, those members have an undeniable right to voice their concerns when an experience or product fails to meet their expectations. Secret nondisparagement clauses limit our free speech and subject unsuspecting individuals to crippling lawsuits from businesses desperately trying to preserve their own reputation. The Consumer Review Fairness Act makes these clauses illegal and voids any contract that contains a nondisparagement clause. It would allow the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the law and take action against any business that inserts these provisions into their contracts. Importantly, Mr. Speaker, this bill preserves the rights of businessowners to take action against untruthful or dishonest reviews. Businesses still have a right to ensure that no confidential information is unfairly posted and may seek recourse in cases of defamation, libel, or slander. I think it is fair to say that most of us in this Chamber today have looked at a consumer review prior to purchasing a product or service. In some way or another, we have relied at least some or in part on those reviews, both good and bad. If consumers want to post a truthful review online, they should not fear retribution just because their review is negative. Mr. Speaker, there are several more people I would like to thank, including, of course, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Lance) for his leadership and partnership in this effort; the subcommittee chair, Mr. Burgess, and his staff; Chairman Upton; Ranking Member Pallone; and, as I said, the ranking member of the subcommittee, Ms. Schakowsky. I would like to thank also my good friend, Eric Swalwell, who has led legislative efforts on this issue for years. Lastly, and certainly not least, Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my gratitude to the majority and minority staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for their hard work and engaging in good faith discussion to help get this bill to the floor today. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5111.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, before heading to the airport earlier today, I met with a group of mothers from the Massachusetts chapter of Moms Demand Action. Even in a State with some of the strictest gun laws in the country, headlines of lives lost or forever altered by gun violence are commonplace: ``Boston shooting gravely injures man''; ``Two dead, two injured overnight in Boston shootings''; ``11-year-old boy shot in the face in Abington home''--all these from the last 2 weeks alone. In the time since we have last voted in this Chamber, guns have taken the lives of thousands of Americans in every corner of this country; and in the weeks to come, they will take thousands more. You cannot tell me we are powerless as men, women, and children carry the wounds of our inaction. You cannot tell me that the answer to this bloodshed is more guns capable of causing greater damage with less regulation; and you cannot tell grieving families that they are just in our thoughts and prayers, but that their memories are just not strong enough to spur action that could prevent another gun from falling into the wrong hands. Mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and colleagues are crying out for this body to address this Nation's epidemic of gun violence. It is time we listen and act.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for being such a strong voice on women's rights in this country. Colleagues, yesterday, this body considered a bill that would codify discrimination against our Nation's LGBT community under the guise of religious freedom. Today, we are debating legislation that would similarly distort this country's sacred promise of religious liberty and use it as a vehicle to deny women access to health care. Make no mistake, the ability to freely and fully practice your faith is a fundamental bedrock American liberty. But to ensure that liberty for all of us, our Constitution establishes a simple boundary. One person's sincerely held beliefs cannot trump another's. My freedoms and rights cannot be used to limit yours. And in this country, access to abortion is a right, as our Justices have ruled time and again. So let's be clear. This bill is not about protecting religious freedom of an employer or insurer. It is about imposing the religious views of a few on the healthcare choices of the many. And this bill is not about protecting women's health. Instead, it will create dangerous, discriminatory barriers to access to care for women and their families. Those who oppose abortion are free to exercise that belief fully in their personal lives. That is the promise that our country makes to each of us. But nowhere does this country promise that your government will be the vehicle through which your beliefs are imposed on someone else--your neighbor, your coworker, your employer, or your friend. Nowhere do we say that my faith is more legitimate than yours or that your religious principles outweigh my access to basic civil rights. In fact, the Constitution expressly prohibits that sort of system in the very first words of the very First Amendment. Since those words were written, the ever-changing, often elusive balance between religious freedom and civil rights in this country has been fought for every single day throughout our history. Passing this bill is an affront to those honest efforts and to the vast majority of Americans who value both their faith and their freedoms.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, in honor of the memory of Mike Dawid, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ranking Member Pallone, Chairman Upton, and Congressman Murphy for, once again, the bipartisan leadership that has guided this bill through our committee and onto the floor. Mr. Speaker, you cannot listen to the constant stories from patients and families who have been denied access to mental health care and believe that there are not tragic gaps in our mental health system. This bill is a bipartisan, incremental step forward in our efforts to address those gaps. I am especially pleased by the inclusion of my bill to remove the discriminatory barrier to care for children in certain inpatient psychiatric facilities, yet we have to acknowledge that, unless this is just the first step, we have failed to fix a broken system. Unless we increase Medicaid reimbursements rates, providers will still be forced to turn away our most vulnerable patient populations. Unless we inspire and encourage a new generation to pursue careers as psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, there will still be a shortage of professionals to care for our patients. Unless we can guarantee parity, insurance companies will continue to construct barriers to care, leaving patients without access to the mental health system no matter how strong that system may be. And that is where our eyes should be focused tomorrow after this bill is passed. Whether in conference or in our future committee hearings, we cannot accept this bill as a full, comprehensive fix to a fully broken system. If we do, patients suffering from mental illness will continue to fall through the same gaps that exist today.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, 3 weeks ago we gathered on this floor for another moment of silence to remember 49 victims of the mass shooting in Orlando. In the days that followed, our response was the same as it was after Sandy Hook, Umpqua Community College, and Colorado Springs-- silence followed by more silence. In the days since, we can add hundreds of names to the list of those lost in our Nation to a unique epidemic of gun violence, including the following from Massachusetts: David Atherton, a young firefighter and veteran; Marcus Hall, killed as his 4-year-old son sat feet away getting his haircut; Trevor Washington, gunned down after a disagreement at a party; Andrew Flonory, murdered less than a mile from where his sister and 2-year-old nephew had been executed 6 years earlier; Anthony Clay, a married father of two, who died as a woman yelled ``Don't leave me'' over his body; And 19-year-old Sabrina DaSilva, who had just stepped out of her apartment to grab juice out of her car for her 2-year-old daughter, a daughter who will never see her mother again. Mr. Speaker, they are friends and neighbors who will be forever missed by the lives they touched, daughters and sons, mothers and fathers, whose families will forever live with the pain and suffering of losing a loved one. This violence must stop.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, regardless of our party affiliation or our congressional district, we are all mourning the senseless violence and loss of life in Orlando. As we learn the names and the stories of each victim, our focus now turns to how we respond, how we prevent another act of terror and hate, another tragedy to which this country has become far too accustomed. We face a multitude of shortcomings that this Nation must account for: access to guns designed to maximize death and destruction as well as the very real threat that violent extremism and homegrown terrorism pose to American lives. Two debates, it is worth noting, that this body has repeatedly failed to take up. In the days and weeks ahead, these issues deserve and demand our attention. But as we wrestle with the means by which terror was expressed, we cannot ignore the specific target it sought: the LGBT community. We often use words like ``indiscriminate'' when we talk about gun violence, referring to the terrifying randomness these tragedies can reflect, the sense that it could happen anywhere, anytime, to any of us. We cannot use the term ``indiscriminate'' here. While the details are still coming to light, all signs point to a crime motivated by hateful prejudice against a specific subset of our population. It comes at a particularly difficult time. This month is LGBT Pride Month, 30 days to celebrate what it means to be an LGBT American, to be true to yourself, to remember the blood, sweat, and tears that activists and advocates have shed for generations demanding better of their country. On Saturday afternoon, I walked through the streets of Boston for our Commonwealth's annual Pride Parade. It is one of my favorite events of the year--the celebration, jubilation, camaraderie, and energy that takes the city by storm. The first year I participated, I had the honor of marching with my predecessor, Congressman Barney Frank. The year after that, I walked with my former college roommate, Jason Collins, who had recently come out as the first gay professional athlete in a major U.S. sport. Standing next to Congressman Frank and Jason, I saw not only what their presence meant to that sea of supporters surrounding us, but what those supporters mean to them: an incredible wave of love and acceptance that they had to fight a lifetime to see--a statement of support from community and country that most of us get to take for granted. This past Saturday was no different. Love and tolerance emanated from every sidewalk, every storefront, and every street. Yet less than 24 hours later, we woke up on Sunday to the devastating images of the Pulse nightclub: families and friends searching for loved ones; heroes carrying injured victims in their arms to a nearby hospital; strangers waiting in line for hours to donate blood; a community far too accustomed to violence and hate forced to confront a painful truth-- that for all of our recent strides and successes, this country continues to give discrimination against the LGBT community a home. While this body stands firmly united in heartbreak and horror over what transpired on Sunday morning, we cannot ignore the example that our actions--or inactions--have helped set. Our Nation was founded on a sacred promise of equal treatment under the law; yet, even today, we still fall short. When we allow some Americans to be fired from their job because of who they love, when we deny access to public accommodations because of who you are, when we fail to end legalized discrimination in businesses and hospitals and homeless shelters, when we set policies that treat an entire community as less worthy of our protection, then we cannot be surprised when that prejudice takes root across the country and rears its head with gruesome, gut-wrenching consequences. Bigotry begets violence. This is a lesson our country has learned time after time at tremendous human cost. Today, if we are serious about responding to hate, then we have to dismantle the policies within our Federal Government that give it cover.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Mr. Pallone for yielding, for his leadership on this issue throughout his time on Energy and Commerce, particularly over the last several months since I have been on the committee trying to galvanize support from all of our colleagues to recognize the impact that this is having every single day. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for including H.R. 4641 in this package of bipartisan opioid-related bills. None of our districts has been spared the heartbreaking headlines about lives lost to the opioid crisis. We have heard from each of our constituents who have attended funerals for friends, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and family members. The bills we are considering this week are a promising step forward as we find ways to respond to this crisis. To my colleague, Congresswoman Brooks, thank you for your partnership on this issue and on so many others. We have both seen firsthand how lack of access to treatment can lead those suffering from addiction to our courts. With this bill, we are trying to change the course of their path to stop addiction before it even begins. Mr. Chairman, last week the Boston Globe wrote a series of articles about the opioid crisis in my home State of Massachusetts. The statistics are devastating. Nationally, heroin overdose rates have tripled in the last 5 years. At home, our State faces a heroin overdose rate that is twice the national average. Last year alone, nearly 1,400 Massachusetts families lost loved ones to opioid overdoses. Between 2013 and 2014, prescription opioid overdoses nearly doubled. During that same time, the number of people in Massachusetts who overdosed on a combination of heroin and prescription opioids rose by almost 500 percent. The Globe also noted that there has been a noticeable shift from opioids to heroin with one exception, Bristol County, where many of my constituents live. In trying to explain that exception, the reporter included a haunting line that has stayed with me ever since. He wrote that, in Bristol County, ``prescription opioids remain a dominant killer, though it's not clear whether that's because this area is somehow less susceptible to heroin or if it's merely a matter of time.'' Mr. Chairman, we cannot accept a reality with a rise in heroin overdoses as ``merely a matter of time.'' We have all said it over 100 times. When it comes to a Federal response, there is no silver bullet. But H.R. 4641 tries to focus on what I believe offers us one of the very best opportunities for combating this problem: stopping addiction before it ever starts. The bill will create a new task force dedicated to the job of reviewing, modifying, and updating best practices for the management of pain and the prescription of pain medication. Voices from HHS, the VA, FDA, DEA, NIH, and other agencies will join prescribers, substance use disorder professionals, patients suffering from chronic pain, and patients who have lived through the heartbreaking reality of becoming addicted to prescription pills. These advocates and experts are on the front lines of this fight every single day. Under their guidance, this task force will ensure we implement the policies that balance responsible pain management with the urgency that our opioid crisis requires. Again, I am encouraged by the bipartisan progress we are making on this issue; yet, our work is just beginning. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and look forward to working with each of them to build on this momentum.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the service of Colonel David Hamilton, of the United States Army for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to our nation. Colonel Hamilton was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in Holliston, Massachusetts. He began his career in the Army in 1984 after receiving a nomination to attend West Point from my great-uncle, the late Senator Edward Kennedy. Colonel Hamilton was commissioned as a Field Artilleryman upon graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1988. Throughout his military career, his many assignments included serving as a Platoon Leader during Operation Desert Shield/Storm and then Company Fire Support Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. As a Captain, Colonel Hamilton commanded two batteries and deployed his unit to Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Guard. After battery command, he served as an Instructor at the School of Artillery in Puckapunyal, Australia. Upon his return, Colonel Hamilton served in the 2nd of the Army's two Stryker brigades while at Fort Lewis before becoming the Mission Commander, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Detachment-San Francisco from 2004 to 2006. He then departed for Korea where he commanded a Field Artillery Paladin battalion in the Army's 2nd Infantry Division before deploying to Iraq to serve as an Analyst and Deputy Director in the Multi-National Corps-Iraq Commander's Initiatives Group at Camp Victory, Iraq from 2008 to 2009. After concluding his deployment in Iraq, Colonel Hamilton was the Chief of the Training and Evaluation Division for the Brigade Modernization Command at Ft. Bliss, TX, before commanding the 212th Fires Brigade in the Army's 1st Armored Division from August 2011 to July 2013. From July 1st, 2014 to April 29th, 2016 Colonel Hamilton served as the Chief of the Army House Liaison Division, fostering a strategic partnership with both the 113th and 114th Congress and working tirelessly to navigate the complex issues the Army faced during the last two legislative cycles. With every deployment and every assignment, Colonel Hamilton brought unparalleled leadership and unquestioned commitment to the men and women serving beside him. While he never sought recognition, he has earned numerous military awards for his accomplishments, including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab, and British Jump Wings. In light of his achievements, the Army has assigned him to serve next as an Assistant Division Commander in the historic 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, GA. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to recognize Colonel David Hamilton's successful and decorated career as he and his family proceed to their next chapter. We are a nation grateful for the military service of the men, women, and families who sacrifice in defense of our freedom. I wish Colonel Hamilton and his family the best.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. I thank Congressman Johnson. I am honored to be here with the gentleman, and I thank him for his leadership on this important issue. I thank, of course, Ranking Member Conyers, who has for so long been a guiding light in our party on issues of justice. Congressman, you and Mr. Conyers together have been this Chamber's champions on civil rights and equality in our justice system. You are, once again, leading the fight as we call for reforms to an unjust and unequal arbitration system. I am grateful, and I thank you for your leadership. Mr. Speaker, at the foundation of our democracy is one simple promise: no matter who you are or where you come from or what you have done, you will be seen as equal before the law. Thomas Jefferson, himself, wrote centuries ago: The most sacred duties of government is to do equal and impartial justice to all citizens. Forced arbitration, Mr. Speaker, is an affront to that duty--a manipulation of the justice system that tips our scales in the direction of influence, money, and power. It removes even the slightest veneer of fair treatment in cases ranging from sexual harassment and discrimination to loss of housing and shelter, to neglect and abuse inside substance abuse treatment centers and retirement homes. When a plaintiff sits at an arbitration table across from a powerful corporation to challenge a fraudulent charge or to question its practices, the protections that we have spent centuries instilling in our justice system get washed away. There is no judge, no jury, no avenue for appeal. There is no justice at that table. At the very moment you need to access our courtrooms most, you find yourself locked out, diverted to a room outside the scope of our judicial system and beyond the bounds of our laws. Without your choice or sometimes even knowledge, forced arbitration transforms a level playing field into an uphill climb. At that point, most Americans turn around; but for the few who muster the will or the resources to continue their cases, there is no guarantee to counsel, forcing them to face off against some of the most experienced legal minds in our country completely on their own. The Arbitration Fairness Act would help remedy this profound shortcoming in our justice system and ensure that equal access to legal protection doesn't come along with a price tag. Mr. Speaker, that is one of the most fundamental promises we make in our country. I am grateful to Mr. Johnson for his leadership on the issue.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this legislation was reported out unanimously by the Energy and Commerce Committee. I know of no objections to the bill. I commend my colleague from Virginia (Mr. Griffith) for bringing it to the floor. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this legislation was reported unanimously out by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I know of no objections to the bill. I commend Mr. Zinke for his work on bringing it to the floor. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the House for allowing me to discuss the Fair RATES Act, H.R. 2984, and for bringing it to the floor for a vote. I also thank Chairman Whitfield, Chairman Upton, Ranking Members Rush and Pallone, as well as the committee staffs on both sides, for their work with our office to help this bill move forward. In particular, to echo Chairman Whitfield's comments, he has been an incredible partner with us as we have tried to move this bill forward, and I am truly grateful for his assistance in doing so. Mr. Speaker, every year regulators in New England hold energy capacity auctions to ensure that we have sufficient energy that is generated to meet consumer demand. Two years ago, during an auction, there was a shortfall that triggered administrative pricing at triple the current capacity payments, skyrocketing from about $1 billion to $3 billion. That rate increase hasn't even reached our constituents yet, and our region already pays the highest energy rates in the continental United States. Next June, a significant portion of their bills will triple due to that auction. When the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reviewed the rate increase, it was down to four commissioners and it deadlocked 2-2. One Democratic Commissioner and one Republican Commissioner raised concerns about whether those rates were just and reasonable for consumers. However, the rates took effect by operation of law without any action from FERC; and because there was no official decision by FERC, there was no decision to appeal, holding our constituents voiceless. Another annual auction just took place last month with rates, again, that were three times higher than they are today. Those rates are, again, being reviewed by a shorthanded FERC, which sets up the potential for the exact same outcome of consumers, once again, being shut out of the process. With bipartisan support and endorsements from the American Public Power Association, the New England Public Power Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, my bill, the Fair RATES Act, would simply ensure that avenues of good governance remain open. It provides that if at any time rate changes take effect by operation of law without Commission action, deadlocked or otherwise, aggrieved parties retain the right to protest those rates through the process that is outlined by the Federal Power Act. I am the first to admit that this is a complex issue, but my bill is a simple fix to a complex problem. When we as lawmakers identify a flaw in one of our laws, especially one that unduly harms our constituents, it is our obligation to act to amend the law. The unpredictability of my region's energy rates means families can't save for the future and local businesses can't grow. The least we can do is to ensure that they will never be held voiceless when their electric bills arrive at the end of each month; so I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I also want to give particular thanks to the committee staffs on both the majority and minority sides, including Patrick Currier, Allison Trexler, Rick Kessler, Caitlin Haberman, and Alexander Ratner. Finally, I have to acknowledge somebody on my own team, Eric Fins, who knows more about energy rates and capacity markets than he ever thought he would, and I am grateful for that. He is now writing a law school essay on the topic. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1268, the Energy Efficient Government Technology Act, sponsored by two Energy and Commerce Committee members, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger). H.R. 1268 promotes the use of energy-efficient and energy-saving information technologies and practices across the Federal Government, especially in data centers. The bill amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the EISA Act, to require Federal agencies to coordinate with OMB, DOE, and EPA in developing an implementation strategy for maintenance, purchase, and use of energy-efficient and energy-saving information technologies. The legislation highlights specific items that should be considered in the strategy and sets performance goals to evaluate agencies' efforts. It would also amend EISA to require DOE and EPA to collaborate with stakeholders as they implement the data center efficiency program and other measures to improve data center efficiency. This legislation was reported with unanimous consent last month by the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the provisions of H.R. 1268 previously passed committee in 2015 as part of H.R. 8. I commend Ms. Eshoo and Mr. Kinzinger. This is good, bipartisan efficiency legislation that deserves all of our support. I urge my colleagues to support its passage. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4427, legislation by the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Pompeo), which would add a $10 million threshold to trigger FERC review of a merger or consolidation under section 203 of the Federal Power Act. This is a significant change to current law as established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that essentially did away with the Public Utilities Holding Company Act, PUHCA, as it had existed for 70 years, in order to reduce the burden on industry. But it also fundamentally altered and strengthened section 203 of the Federal Power Act to protect against potential market abuses that might arise without the protections of PUHCA. With that reasonable compromise authored by then-Chairmen Barton and Domenici, it earned the bipartisan support of Ranking Members Dingell and Bingaman. Testimony we heard at a recent Energy and Power Subcommittee hearing highlighted that, last year, roughly 20 percent of section 203 applications fell beneath the $10 million threshold. That is a significant number of applications. Furthermore, in multiple conversations with FERC general counsel and others, it became clear that, if the bill were to be enacted in its original form, FERC would have no way to know if attempts were being made to evade the review threshold by structuring major merger consolidation activity as a series of below-threshold consolidations. FERC has already told us that it has the tools to deal with efforts to evade review through such schemes if it finds out that they are occurring. However, the clear problem was, which FERC acknowledged, that the bill, as introduced, would leave the Commission with no standardized way to acquire information to even know that these below-threshold transactions were actually occurring. I think we can all agree that FERC should not have to rely on trade publications or word of mouth to know that merger consolidation activity is occurring involving regulated entities. The easiest way to address this problem is by requiring regulated entities engaging in merger or consolidation activity to simply have to notify FERC that a transaction is occurring, and that is exactly what the committee did when it adopted by voice vote an amendment by Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Rush. The bill, as reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee, requires FERC to begin a rulemaking process to develop a short, simple notification process for transactions between $1 million and $10 million. The bill also includes statutory direction to FERC to minimize the notification burden on industry to the maximum extent possible. What we envisioned is a standard form of a page or less, able to be completed online, that simply informs FERC that a transaction is occurring or has recently occurred, who is involved, what the appropriate amount of that transaction is, and a brief description of the transaction. The bill we are considering now also adds language requested by industry, supported by both the chairman and ranking member of the committee, which provides further certainty by setting a reporting deadline of not later than 30 days from the consummation of a reportable transaction. I commend the gentleman from Illinois and the gentleman from Kansas, along with Chairman Upton, Chairman Whitfield, and Ranking Member Pallone, for coming together and addressing this issue. It is a sensible piece of legislation that reduces the burden not only on industry, Mr. Speaker, but also on the government, while ensuring the public good is protected. I urge passage of the legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2080, a bill sponsored and led by the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Zinke) to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction on the hydroelectric project involving Clark Canyon Dam. Mr. Speaker, on August 26, 2009, FERC licensed the Clark Canyon Dam project at the Bureau of Reclamation's Clark Canyon Dam on the Beaverhead River in Beaverhead County, Montana. Section 13 of the Federal Power Act requires licensees to commence construction of the hydroelectric project within a time fixed by the license, no more than 2 years from its being issued. It also authorizes FERC to issue one extension of that deadline for no more than 2 years. In March of 2015, FERC terminated the license for the Clark Canyon Dam hydroelectric project after the licensee did not commence construction by the already extended deadline of August 2013. The bill authorizes FERC to reinstate the terminated license for the Clark Canyon Dam hydroelectric project to extend for 6 years the date by which the licensee is required to commence construction. FERC has no objections to this legislation, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce reported the bill by voice vote without dissent. I hope my colleagues will support passage of H.R. 2080. I commend the gentleman from Montana for all his work in bringing this to the floor. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, this legislation was reported unanimously out by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I know of no objections to the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill was reported unanimously by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. It has the support of a number of Democrats on the Committee on Energy and Commerce from New York who have been working with Mr. Gibson on the legislation, including Mr. Engel, Mr. Tonko, and Ms. Clarke. It was reported out, as I said, without dissent. I urge passage of the bill. I commend Mr. Gibson for bringing it to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this legislation was reported unanimously by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I know of no objections to the bill. I commend my colleague, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley), for bringing it to the floor. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I just want to conclude today by thanking committee staff from both sides of the aisle, again, on the Energy and Commerce Committee for all the work they put into making sure that the legislation today is possible. A tremendous amount of hours went into those efforts. I also want to commend Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Rush, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Upton for working in such a collaborative manner to get these bills to the floor today as well as the individual sponsors of the bill. Mr. Griffith had two important pieces of legislation for his district. Mr. Speaker, this specific piece of legislation was reported, again, unanimously by the Energy and Commerce Committee. I know of no objections to the bill. I urge its passage. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Endocrine Society, in honor of its Centennial anniversary. A century ago, a small group of physicians joined together to unlock the secrets of the body's hormones--the chemical signals that govern breathing, metabolism, growth, reproduction and other critical biological functions. They were endocrinologists, and from this impassioned gathering, the Endocrine Society was born. Over the next 100 years, endocrinologists would discover lifesaving treatments and provide quality care for hundreds of millions of people with diabetes, osteoporosis, thyroid conditions, infertility, sleep disorders, hormone-related cancers and many other conditions. Today, the Society has more than 18,000 members in 122 countries and is the world's oldest and largest organization devoted to hormone research and the clinical practice of endocrinology. During its centennial year, the Endocrine Society will celebrate endocrinology's contributions to science and public health--while keeping an eye on today's promising research which will lead to tomorrow's discoveries. It will recognize Nobel Prize winners in the field (including four Society Past-Presidents) and historic breakthroughs such as the 1921 discovery of insulin, which transformed diabetes from a death sentence to a manageable chronic condition. In April, I am very pleased to recognize, the Endocrine Society will conduct its Annual Meeting and Expo, in Boston, Massachusetts. ENDO is the world's premier event for getting the latest updates in endocrine science and medicine, drawing thousands of endocrinologists from around the globe. ENDO 2016 will feature special programming celebrating the field's history and notable achievements. Because hormones affect nearly every cell of the human body, the work of endocrinologists is essential to manage conditions that affect millions, including: About 415 million adults worldwide who have diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation; More than 36 percent of American adults who are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; An estimated 48.5 million couples worldwide who were infertile as of 2010, according to the World Health Organization; and More than 10 million American adults who have osteoporosis, according to the Society's Endocrine Facts and Figures report. Endocrine Society members have been at the forefront of historic accomplishments in medicine and research. I offer my warmest congratulations to the Endocrine Society on its celebration of 100 years of breakthroughs and I look forward to what the next century brings.