John Katko

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 10th anniversary of the Gregory J. Harris Military Courtesy Room (MCR) at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Founded in 2008 by two TSA agents who grew tired of seeing soldiers sleeping on the floor of Syracuse's Hancock Airport, the MCR was developed to provide a place of refuge for soldiers awaiting flights. Since its inception, the MCR has aimed to provide traveling soldiers with a bit of home comfort. Fitted with amenities including a kitchen and lounge chairs for relaxation, the MCR has serviced hundreds of soldiers and has hosted everything from nervous recruits anticipating basic training to marriage proposals. As our servicemen and women, including the many brave men and women serving our nation at Fort Drum and at the 174th Attack Wing at Hancock Field, travel through Syracuse I believe that they deserve nothing but our utmost respect and gratitude. For this reason, I applaud the MCR organizers and volunteers as they work tirelessly to ensure that the MCR is a home away from home for soldiers in transit. While serving in Congress, I will continue to do everything in my power to show my appreciation for the men and women serving our country by working to ensure that they receive the treatment and benefits they deserve. Today, I am proud to honor the Gregory J. Harris Military Courtesy Room for celebrating its 10th anniversary and hope that we will continue to support those who have made significant sacrifices while serving this country.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Special Agent Nole Remagen. Special Agent Remagen suffered a stroke while supporting the recent Presidential trip to Scotland, and, sadly, passed away a few days later, surrounded by his family. Special Agent Remagen was a true patriot who dedicated his life to serving his country. He began his service as a member of the United States Marine Corps, where he served honorably for 5 years. After leaving the Marine Corps, he yet again heeded the call to serve his Nation, joining the Secret Service as an officer in the Uniformed Division. Special Agent Remagen served in the Uniformed Division for 10 years and rose to the rank of sergeant just like his father, also a retired sergeant in the Secret Service Uniformed Division. He became a special agent in 2009 and served faithfully many assignments, including the Dignitary Protection Division and the Presidential Protective Division. Special Agent Remagen represented the best of the United States Secret Service, and his dedication to the agency's mission is both admirable and inspiring. Special Agent Remagen is survived by his wife and two young children. I ask that you keep his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Addressing Alzheimer's Disease

Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about a disease that touches nearly every family in our country. There are more than 5.7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's and more than 16.1 million unpaid caregivers who dedicate much of their lives to caring for their loved ones struggling with this terrible illness. I became familiar with Alzheimer's long before I came to Congress. You see, my father, Andy Katko, or Pop-Pop, as he became known to us, his 7 children, his 18 grandchildren, and his 6 great-grandchildren, as well as everyone else, began, in 2008, to show signs that his memory was deteriorating. He was eventually diagnosed with dementia that same year. His condition progressed significantly each and every year after his initial diagnosis, and he was ultimately diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. My mother, his wife, Mary Lou, took on the challenging role millions of loved ones do and became his primary caretaker. Mary Lou remained by Andy's side, helping him with everything from cooking, bathing, dressing, and taking his medications, to offering him love and reassurance when he would wake up in the middle of the night confused and sometimes scared of his surroundings. About 1\1/2\ years ago, with Andy's condition progressing dramatically, and my mother, Mary Lou, suffering from her own health issues, our family had to make the terrible decision that many other families have to make and admit my father, Andy, into a nursing home, where he could receive the 24-hour care and attention that he desperately needed. Although Andy and Mary Lou lived apart since then, their strong bond of love for each other was still evident, perhaps in the hand-holding, perhaps in the kiss on the cheek, or perhaps just giving a reassuring look. Andy's eyes would light up at any mention of Mary Lou, especially when she came to visit him. In March of this year, when we had to tell him that Mary Lou had died, his beloved wife of 64 years, it barely registered. In fact, we can't tell whether he understands that his wife, the love of his life, is gone. Today, Andy still resides at our local nursing home. His condition has worsened, and he can no longer recognize his children or grandchildren, nor can he form coherent sentences. It is extremely difficult for our family to see him in this condition, as he is no longer the same talkative, strong-willed father and grandfather he once was. Although Alzheimer's has diminished my father, Andy's quality of life, the disease has not diminished his spirit. Yes, Andy's sincere appreciation for his family is still evident, and he has maintained his distinct sense of humor and happy-go-lucky disposition, which allows our family some temporary relief and lightness amongst such a heavy situation. This struggle my father and our entire family is going through is not unique. I have heard nearly identical stories told by countless families throughout my district--really, from throughout this country. The toll this disease takes on the millions afflicted, the millions of caregivers, and our overall economy cannot be understated. I am proud of the actions we have taken as a Congress to begin to address this epidemic, including the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which will strengthen efforts to find a cure. And the recent passage of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, which is now one of the first laws to address the needs of our Nation's family caregivers. However, we must do more. I will continue to support the doctors, the scientists, and the medical professionals, who are on the front lines caring for those suffering from Alzheimer's, working tirelessly day and night to find a cure, looking for promising treatments. I implore all of my colleagues to join me in supporting funding for research to put an end to this epidemic, honoring the millions of Americans, like my father, who have lost so much of their lives to this disease. This is for you Pop Pop. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the careers of West Genesee lacrosse coaches Mike Messere and Bob Deegan. In a career lasting over forty years, Coach Messere was responsible for leading the West Genesee Men's Lacrosse program to 846 wins and 15 New York State Class A Championships. Since the late 70s, Coach Messere brought unparalleled success to the program by instilling a mentality of hard-nose fundamental play into his players. Coaching alongside him for much of his career, Coach Deegan played an integral role in sustaining the program's long-term success by developing and implementing some of the most accomplished defensive schemes. Thanks to the contributions made by Coach Messere and Coach Deegan, lacrosse is thriving in Central New York and has now become the fastest growing sport in the country. Over the course of their careers, hundreds of players who have gone through this distinguished program have later won national championships at the collegiate level and even become coaches of their own teams. Now as the careers of these coaches comes to a close, the two can rest assured that their legacy in the sport of lacrosse will live on in Central New York and beyond. I am proud to honor the legendary careers of Coach Messere and Coach Deegan and want to thank them for spurring excitement and participation in the sport of lacrosse.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor retired Deputy Fire Chief Stu Cavuto, Jason Wheeler, and Melanie Mascato, for their actions to help save the life of a young father on Father's Day. While running an errand this Father's Day, Deputy Fire Chief Cavuto and Mr. Wheeler were alerted to an emergency situation when their vehicle was flagged down by Ms. Mascato. After pulling over to the side of the road, the two learned that a young father was without a pulse after overdosing on heroin inside a nearby car. Acting immediately, the trio called for an ambulance and began to prepare the man for CPR by extracting him from his car and bringing him to the adjacent lawn. However, before they were able to begin administering CPR the man's pulse and breathing suddenly returned. Shortly thereafter, paramedics arrived on the scene and transported the man to a local hospital. Hearing of the actions taken by these three individuals reaffirms my belief in the inherent kindness of strangers and further motivates me to work with my colleagues in Congress to pass legislation that combats the opioid epidemic. Today, I am proud to honor Stu Cavuto, Jason Wheeler, and Melanie Mascato for taking actions to save the life of a young father. In the future, I hope that we can look toward these good Samaritans as inspiration and rally around all efforts to help those struggling with opioid addictions.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the historical marker recognition awarded this summer to Derby & Miller by the City of Auburn. Established in March of 1848 after James C. Derby offered his then clerk Norman C. Miller partnership, the two worked in conjunction to plate, stereotype, bind, and emboss books for public consumption. Responsible for publishing more than a hundred books, Derby & Miller proudly developed their business to become the leading publisher of the 19th century in Cayuga County. With books on topics ranging from law to culture, Derby & Miller's publishing firm worked tirelessly to bring authors' words to life. Together, they served their community by providing the public with books that taught valuable lessons and inspired great minds. Notably, on July 15, 1848, Derby & Miller published the critically acclaimed manuscript ``Twelve Years a Slave'' by Solomon Northrup. Recounting Solomon's life experience as a free-citizen of color, kidnapped and sold back into slavery, ``Twelve Years a Slave'' brought awareness to the horrors of slavery and joined other abolitionist texts in provoking readers to demand for the abolition of slavery. I am proud to stand with the City of Auburn in recognizing the historic contributions of Derby & Miller to our community.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5729) to restrict the department in which the Coast Guard is operating from implementing any rule requiring the use of biometric readers for biometric transportation security cards until after submission to Congress of the results of an assessment of the effectiveness of the transportation security card program, as amended.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5729, as amended.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, to comply with the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 and the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006, the Coast Guard is establishing rules requiring electronic readers for use at high-risk vessel facilities. The intent of the rule is to ensure that, prior to being granted unescorted access to a designated secure area, an individual will have his or her Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or TWIC, authenticated. The Coast Guard issued a proposed rule to this effect in March 2013. The proposed rule limited the scope of the TWIC authentication requirements at facilities to secure areas that handle certain dangerous cargos in bulk through a vessel-to-facility interface. This was consistent with existing Coast Guard policy. Industry commented on the proposed rule, and the Coast Guard also held four public meetings across the country and worked with the Transportation Security Administration to conduct a pilot program. The Coast Guard issued its final rule in August of 2016, with an implementation date of August 23, 2018. The service noted that the final rule made a number of changes from the proposed rule, including flexibility with regard to purchase, installation, and use of electronic readers; clarifying that the rule only affects risk group A vessels and facilities; and eliminating the distinction between risk group B and C for both vessels and facilities. However, industry was surprised by the expanded scope of the final rule where facility areas subject to the TWIC reader requirement went beyond what was included in the proposed rule and regulatory analysis accompanying that rule. The Coast Guard has acknowledged the discrepancy between the proposed and final rules. To date, the service has not been able to identify any security benefits to the expanded scope of the final rule or definitively state how it will address industry concerns. The Office of Management and Budget recently completed its review of a proposed rule to delay the implementation date of the TWIC reader requirements. The text of the proposed rule was released on June 22, 2018, 2 months prior to the implementation date. Unfortunately, the rule proposed only partially addresses industry concerns. It delays implementation of the requirements until August 23, 2021, for two categories of facilities that handle certain dangerous cargo in bulk but do not transfer it. However, for facilities and vessels that handle certain dangerous cargo in bulk and transfer that cargo to or from a vessel or from facilities that receive large passenger vessels, the final rule requirements go into effect on August 23, 2018. Industry has been involved and willing to address security concerns, but facilities should not have to bear the burden of implementing a final rule proposal that has not yet been fully vetted to understand the impacts of the requirements. H.R. 5729 requires the Secretary to submit to Congress the comprehensive security assessment of the transportation security card program, as required in section 1(b) of Public Law 114-278, before implementation of its final rule. Doing so will provide Congress and stakeholders further information on any deficiencies in the effectiveness of the program. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments of my colleague from the District of Columbia. H.R. 5729 is a very straightforward bill. It fixes something that needs to be fixed quickly, and I urge Members to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5081) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish within the Transportation Security Administration the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5081, the Surface Transportation Security and Technology Accountability Act of 2018. America's transportation sector has long been, and continues to be, a top target for terrorism. In addition to persistent threats to aviation, terrorists continue to see surface transportation as soft targets that can yield high numbers of casualties. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, I have held numerous hearings, briefings, and roundtables dedicated to providing congressional oversight of the Transportation Security Administration's role in surface transportation security. The U.S. surface transportation system is a dynamic, interconnected network of passenger and freight railroads, mass transit systems, over- the-road bus operators, motor carrier operators, pipelines, and maritime facilities. These systems are the bedrock of the American economy and way of life, which is precisely why they are such attractive targets for terrorists. In addition to a number of horrific attacks against surface targets by terrorists overseas, we have recently experienced an attempted suicide bombing in New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal. This attack was the first attempted suicide bombing on American soil and represented a startling shift in the threat landscape. Luckily, this incident only yielded injury to the would-be attacker. However, it served as an important reminder that we must be prepared to respond to threats in all modes of transportation. While TSA is responsible for securing all of America's transportation systems, surface transportation security has been consistently overshadowed by the amount of attention and resources dedicated to aviation security. This imbalance is aptly illustrated by the glaring absence of surface transportation at TSA's ``Strategic Five-Year Technology Investment Plan'' as well as the ``Biennial Refresh.'' The plan is a key communication tool for TSA to help stakeholders understand the agency's priorities and to enable them to align investments and product investment initiatives accordingly. I would like to reiterate that TSA is responsible for securing all of America's transportation systems, and that surface transportation is a key and integral element of that mission. TSA does not procure technology for local surface transportation operators, but it does set the standards for viable security technologies and equipment for that environment. Therefore, investments related to research, development, testing, and evaluation of security technologies for surface transportation systems should be included in TSA's ``Strategic Five-Year Technology Investment Plan.'' My legislation will enhance the visibility of the surface transportation sector and ensure that TSA is positioned to address emerging threats through this critical infrastructure, which serves more than 10 billion riders in the United States annually. My bill authorizes the establishment of a Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee that will provide stakeholders the opportunity to coordinate with TSA and comment on policy and pending regulations. The Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee is a necessary and long-overdue complement to the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, which has been a critical resource for the agency and stakeholders, and has led to a number of improvements in aviation security, as well as TSA processes. Additionally, this bill explicitly directs TSA to expand the scope of its technology investment plan to incorporate investments related to surface transportation security and air cargo security. My bill will signal to TSA that this committee takes its oversight of all transportation modes seriously and that the security of surface transportation modes should be a higher priority for the agency. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the ranking member of the Transportation and Protective Security Subcommittee, Mrs. Watson Coleman, for cosponsoring this legislation and for her dedication to securing all modes of transportation. I also wish to thank Chairman McCaul for his support of this bill and for ensuring its swift markup at committee. Whether we talk about mass transit, passenger rail, buses, trucking, freight rail, or pipelines, I understand that surface transportation is of critical importance to all our communities, including my home district in central New York. For that reason, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Rhode Island for his kind words about this bill and for the bipartisanship that pervades our committee. It is a model, I think, that, Congress- wide, we could use more of. The bipartisanship that we have on this committee really is helping to keep America safer. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5730) to require testing and evaluation of advanced transportation security screening technologies related to the mission of the Transportation Security Administration, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5730, the Transportation Security Technology Innovation Reform Act of 2018. This legislation represents a culmination of years of bipartisan oversight efforts by the Homeland Security Committee and, more specifically, the Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, which I chair. My committee colleagues and I have seen, firsthand, the challenges facing TSA in delivering advanced security technologies to the front lines at airports. Technologies such as Computed Tomography and Credential Authentication Technology are years behind where they should be in deployment due to unnecessary delays, opaque testing timelines, and capacity challenges at TSA. What is even more frustrating is that these technologies, made by American companies, are already deployed at a number of airports overseas in foreign countries, while our own government cannot efficiently test and deploy these already-proven technologies. For far too long we have seen the traveling public wait for cutting- edge technologies while bureaucratic hindrances and government inefficiencies plague TSA's testing and evaluation process. Today, the House has the opportunity to pass a solution to this problem. H.R. 5730 will reform and galvanize efforts to bring 21st-century solutions to persistent security challenges facing America's transportation systems. Specifically, this legislation will authorize the core functions of the TSA Systems Integration Facility, or TSIF for short. The TSIF will be charged with conducting efficient and transparent testing of critical security technologies in a manner that is responsive to stakeholders and the needs of the traveling public. One key problem that I often hear from technology stakeholders is that TSA does not have the bandwidth or resources to efficiently conduct testing and evaluation of new screening technologies in a timely manner. This legislation will ensure that adequate staffing and resources are allocated to the TSIF, and that TSA is authorized to collaborate with outside laboratories and stakeholders to expedite the much-needed testing of these technologies. Further, this legislation provides significant accountability by requiring TSA to share test plans with original equipment manufacturers in order to ensure the integrity and consistency of testing and evaluation processes. The bill includes specific metrics for reporting to Congress and stakeholders on delays in testing so that there is greater visibility into potential bureaucratic hiccups. H.R. 5730 directs the TSA Administrator to conduct a wholesale evaluation of the agency's testing and acquisition processes and identify areas that can be streamlined and improved. This legislation emphasizes the agency's need to engage and leverage other government agencies, transportation stakeholders, and small businesses, to more effectively and expeditiously deploy critical security technologies. Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Security Technology Innovation Reform Act of 2018 cuts straight to the heart of the problems plaguing TSA, and directly addresses issues identified by stakeholders. As any of my committee colleagues can tell you, the threats facing transportation security now are more severe and more troubling than ever, and our ability to effectively mitigate these threats with advanced technology is of the utmost importance. I wish to thank my friend, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, Mrs. Watson Coleman, whose partnership and leadership on this issue has been critical to bringing this bill to the floor today. I also would like to thank the full committee chairman, Mr. McCaul, for his support of the bill and for shepherding it through the committee process. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all, I want to thank my colleague from Rhode Island for his comments in support of this bill as well, and shepherding it through the process here today on the floor. I will note--and I want to digress for a moment. We went on a congressional delegation. I led that delegation to Europe and the Middle East several months ago, and it was a bipartisan effort to evaluate the technologies in use at other airports in Europe and in the Middle East. And it was stunning for us to go to those airports and see American-made computed tomography, or 3-D scanners, already on the front lines, already doing the job, already making those airports much safer than ours are today, and those products are made here in the United States. It is maddening that we had this bureaucratic bottleneck of testing procedures and algorithms and everything else, while the front lines are not being addressed. So this bill attempts to address that backlog, and I am very proud to have been a sponsor of it. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close once the gentleman from Rhode Island does. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. To use an old saying that I like to use, TSA seems to be engaged in the practice of polishing the brass while the fire bell is ringing; and the fire bell is, indeed, ringing with the bad guys trying to get scary technology through our security measures in order to do harm to the American people. And the technologies that are already existing out there are not being put on the front line, and that is a shame. This bill attempts to address that. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5766) to improve the security of public areas of transportation facilities, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5766, the Securing Public Areas of Transportation Facilities Act of 2018. This legislation will improve security coordination among transportation stakeholders by establishing a working group between the Department of Homeland Security and public and private stakeholders to develop recommendations for enhancing public area security of transportation facilities. H.R. 5766 directs that the working group focus on key areas including information sharing, interoperable communications, incident response, and the prevention of terrorist attacks through strategic planning and security exercises. Taking steps to improve upon these critical components to security preparedness and resiliency is directly correlated to America's ability to mitigate the constantly-evolving threat to our transportation system. The traveling public must be secure in all modes of transportation security, and the millions of Americans who utilize surface transportation networks every single day to travel to work and school rely upon strong Federal, State, local, and private sector collaboration. Over the last several years we have seen a marked increase in attacks to public areas of transportation networks. From airports like LAX in Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Istanbul, Brussels, to mass transit hubs in New York City, London, Madrid and Belgium, we have witnessed horrific scenes of attack in crowded public spaces of transportation systems. I am glad this bill seeks to improve upon the resiliency, preparedness, and overall security infrastructure of these networks, which are absolutely crucial to our economy and the American way of life. The free movement of people and goods across the United States must never be stymied by violent extremism. That is why it is incumbent upon those of us in Congress to ensure that Homeland Security and TSA are doing all they can to promote effective collaboration among the litany of stakeholders charged with securing the traveling public. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for his focus on this important issue. I also thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. McCaul, for seeing this bill through the markup process. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Rhode Island for supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, my time on the Homeland Security Committee over the past 3\1/2\ years has been a true testament to bipartisanship: trying to get the right things done, putting aside political differences to keep the country as safe and secure as we possibly can. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to support the bill of my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Payne). I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.