John Katko

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, while the financial crisis certainly showed that targeted regulations were needed to protect our financial system, it also showed that the real threats to the system did not come from community banks and other small financial institutions. Yet, because of high compliance costs and a fiendish complexity of the Dodd-Frank law, which all too often fails to recognize the lower risks posed by these institutions, they have been put at a disadvantage. This bill is part of the effort by the House to institute targeted reforms and ensure that we are not holding back small, stable institutions that millions of individuals and small businesses trust. H.R. 3791 is a well-targeted bill that will make it easier for small bank holding companies to raise capital and provide needed regulatory relief by raising the consolidated asset threshold for small bank holding companies. In doing so, this bill will benefit local economies and improve the health of the American economy as a whole. At the same time, the bill contains important safeguards to ensure that the financial system isn't put at greater risk. In short, this bill is exactly the kind of measured approach that Congress should take to protect homeowners and investors while also ensuring that we have a vibrant, well-functioning financial sector. I would like to thank Representative Love for her work on this bill and Chairman Hensarling for his hard work and leadership. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the esteemed public service career of Mayor Richard J. Donovan. Mayor Donovan has faithfully served his community for forty-four years and is a pillar in the Village of Minoa community. Mayor Donovan attended Potsdam High School and graduated from Central City Business Institute, where he met his wife, Phyllis. Mayor Donovan and Phyllis moved to Minoa in 1971 and raised two children together. Mayor Donovan began his public service career in 1972 as a volunteer with the Minoa Fire Department and as an EMT. In 1990 Mayor Donovan won his first term as Trustee on the Minoa Village Board, continuing to serve as Trustee for 14 years. Mayor Donovan served for 8 years as Deputy Mayor of Minoa before being elected Mayor in 2004. Mayor Donovan has dedicated his career to public service serving on many local committees and organization boards. Mayor Donovan is the immediate past president of the New York Conference of Mayors and also serves as a member of its Task Force Mandate Relief Committee. Mayor Donovan also served as the past president of the Onondaga County Mayors Association. Mayor Donovan serves on multiple local committees and previously served on many local, county, and state-wide committees, including 20 years of service with ESM Youth Sports and 13 years on the Town of Manlius Zoning Board of Appeals. Mayor Donovan was instrumental in the construction of the St. Mary's Baseball Field where he initiated and chaired the construction of the field. Without question, Mayor Donovan has been an influential member of the Village of Minoa and Town of Manlius community and I know the community is deeply grateful for his lifetime of service. I congratulate Mayor Donovan on his long and distinguished career, and wish him a happy retirement with his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the great life of Dolph Schayes. Dolph was born in New York, New York, in 1928, and lived most of his life in Syracuse, New York. At the young age of 19 years old, he entered the National Basketball Association, where he went on to have a truly remarkable career. In his over 15 years of playing in the NBA, Dolph earned many records and many awards. He was, without a doubt, one of the best players who ever played the game at the National Basketball Association level, and he helped mold the NBA in its early years. While Dolph may be best known for his talents on the court, some of his most impressive moments happened off the court. He was a very giving member of the Syracuse community, working with youth on a constant basis, starting one of the earliest basketball camps in America. Dolph's legacy lies not only in the records he holds, but also in the many lives he touched. On March 26, just a few days from now, Dolph's jersey will be retired and his son, Danny--another great NBA player in his own time--will be accepting it on his behalf. I am truly honored to pay tribute to this incredible athlete and man who contributed greatly to the sport and to the community he loved so much. God bless you, Dolph, for a great life and a great NBA career.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the people and history of Oswego County, New York and celebrate the county's 200th Anniversary. The County of Oswego was established in March of 1816 through an act of the New York State Legislature. The county occupies 986 square miles of land on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario. The County of Oswego has played a significant role in the history of the Central New York region as well as our nation's history. Fort Ontario, overlooking Lake Ontario, in Oswego County, is one of our nation's most unique and historical landmarks. Fort Ontario is the only fort that has been involved in every war since the French and Indian War. During World War II, the Fort served as the nation's only Emergency Refugee Camp, sheltering nearly 1,000 refugees. The Fort is now a state historic site and operates as a museum, attracting tourists from across the country. Fort Ontario is just one example of the great history in Oswego County. As Oswego County celebrates its bicentennial, I want to honor all who have helped make Oswego County great and thank everyone who has played a part in preserving the irreplaceable history of Oswego County.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about an important issue that faces our society: domestic violence and sexual abuse. Violence against women is a worldwide but underexamined problem. Sadly, we are still far from a world where women are free from the threat of harassment, battering, and sexual assault. Consider some of these statistics: according to the FBI, a woman is battered every 15 seconds; 2 to 4 million American women are abused each year; up to 50 percent of homeless women and children in this country are fleeing domestic violence. Our country has a moral obligation to stand up against those who exploit their power to commit violence against women and children. In an effort to raise awareness and put an end to domestic violence and sexual abuse, the Vera House in Syracuse will be kicking off the White Ribbon Campaign. This campaign is one of the largest efforts in the world to prevent and end domestic violence and sexual assault. The campaign will begin Friday, March 4, and run through March 31. During this month, thousands of my constituents in central New York will be wearing a white ribbon or white wristband to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual abuse. Wearing the white ribbon demonstrates a personal pledge to never commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women or children. I encourage my colleagues to join me in this effort.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the career of an esteemed public servant, the Honorable Thomas J. McAvoy. Judge McAvoy has now served as a Federal District Court judge in the Northern District of New York for the past 30 years. During my time as a Federal prosecutor from the Northern District of New York, I had the high honor of regularly appearing before Judge McAvoy. A native of New York's southern tier, Judge McAvoy completed his undergraduate education at Villanova University and continued on to graduate third in his class from Albany Law School. He continues to be a very valuable member of the local legal community, mentoring young lawyers through continuing education programs and meeting regularly with young people through the Open Doors to Justice and Court Outreach programs. Throughout his 30 years on the bench, Judge McAvoy has tried over 900 cases and recently received the longevity award for 50 years of service to the bar by the Broome County Bar Association. Judge McAvoy has dedicated his life and career to making our community a better place to live. Thank you, Judge McAvoy, for your outstanding public service to our community and to our Nation. I look forward to your next 30 years on the bench.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Murphy. I rise today to talk about one of the most serious challenges facing our country, and that is the mental health issue. It is a problem that affects the rich and the poor, old and young, employed and unemployed. It can strike anyone. For far too long, the issue of mental health has stayed in the shadows in our country. If we want to directly face the challenges that the American people face in their everyday lives, we cannot allow the silence to continue. That is why I so enthusiastically support your bill, Doctor. A short time ago, I met with some of my constituents in upstate New York that were part of a drug treatment, education training, and rehabilitation program. One of the individuals told me of his personal battle with mental health. About 10 years ago, his sister died of cancer, and his marriage broke down soon thereafter. He couldn't sleep because of the trauma and stress, which led to anxiety and depression, and he didn't know what to do. As he was doing yard work one day, someone he knew walked past and said he could provide something to help him sleep. It was heroin. He tried it. Pretty soon he was hooked, and his life was ravaged for years and years. In fact, it took 7 years of him being pushed to the brink by drugs for him to seek help--7 years, 7 lost years. Six years later, he has found paid work, probably for the first time since his addiction. He told me that if we lived in a culture where the trauma of grief and the need to get help for mental health problems were more clearly recognized, things could have been much different for him. Just think how much better it would have been for him and think how much better it would have been for others in the country. The reality is that, for many people today, mental health is a huge issue. With the awareness of the mental health issue increasing, I fervently hope that the acceptance and understanding of the individual suffering from it will as well. We cannot prevent all mental health issues. There are no cures for all conditions. But we can help the culture change in our country. This bill goes a long way towards doing that, and I commend you for that, Doctor. We can insist that everyone counts and that everyone matters and that no one dealing with any form of illness should ever feel ashamed. That is how you bring real change to America. Before I close, I want to note that the second leading cause of death among individuals 24 years or younger in this country, as the doctor well knows, is suicide. The 10th leading cause of death in this country for all adults is suicide. It is an epidemic. It is not treated as such in this country, and it is high time that we do so. For every suicide in this country, there are 12 suicide attempts. Think of the costs to our society. Think of the costs and the burdens on families, the burdens on the health industry who have to deal with this. We must do a better job, and we have to do a better job. That is why I am proud in my district that soon after I was elected last year, we formed a mental health task force. We are enthusiastic about a lot of things and a lot of changes it is going to bring about, but there is nothing we are more enthused about than this bill. Doctor, I commend you for this. I hope that we get this passed in the House, and I hope we get this bill moving once and for all. Again, I commend you, Congressman Murphy, for your steadfastness on this issue.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4398) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for requirements relating to documentation for major acquisition programs, 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.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4398. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4398, the Department of Homeland Security Acquisition Documentation Integrity Act. This legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to improve management of its major purchases of systems to secure the border, better screen travelers, protect our shores, and other vital missions. Too often DHS has failed to document what these programs will cost, when they will be complete, and what they will deliver. It is unacceptable to spend billions of taxpayer dollars and not document this important information. H.R. 4398 will help our committee and congressional watchdogs hold the Department accountable, and ensure taxpayers dollars are being spent in an efficient and effective manner. This bill uses language similar to H.R. 3572, the DHS Headquarters Reform and Improvement Act, which also includes language that would comprehensively reform DHS' acquisition process. H.R. 3572 passed the House unanimously in October of last year, but has yet to be acted upon in the Senate. This important, bipartisan legislation will improve the oversight and management of billions of taxpayer dollars. It would empower DHS leaders to hold programs accountable, increase transparency for Congress, and require DHS to articulate a roadmap for how it spends billion of dollars to secure America. Safeguarding Americans' hard-earned taxpayer dollars is why our constituents sent us to Washington. I urge the Senate to act swiftly on these bills to improve the management of the Department of Homeland Security. I commend Ranking Member Watson Coleman for her leadership on this issue, and I ask all Members to join me in support of this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, H.R. 4408. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4408) to require the development of a national strategy to combat terrorist travel, 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 materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as a former Federal prosecutor, I have spent much of my life focusing on keeping Americans safe; but when I assumed office, I was taken aback by the lack of a coherent strategy to stop terrorists from infiltrating our country and to keep Americans from being lured to fight with jihadists overseas. That is why I gladly accepted the opportunity to lead the bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel. I worked closely with my colleagues to identify our Nation's top vulnerabilities and to close them quickly. Last September, we issued the Task Force's final report, marking the most extensive public review since the 9/11 Commission of U.S. efforts to fight foreign terrorist travel. We made 32 key findings and more than 50 recommendations in that report for enhancing our security. I am proud to say that, as of today, we have acted on almost half of those already, including with several of the bills we are considering today. H.R. 4408 would implement one of our top recommendations. It would require the President to send to Congress a National Strategy to Combat Terrorist Travel and an actionable plan to implement it. It has been nearly 10 years since the White House produced such a strategy, and since then, the threat has changed dramatically. Terror has gone viral, and violent extremists are recruiting at the speed of a re-tweet. The consequences for U.S. and international security have been enormous. We have seen terrorist groups balloon into terrorist microstates capable of fielding their own armies. In fact, today in Syria and Iraq, we are witnessing the largest convergence of Islamist terrorists in history. Reports indicate nearly 40,000 individuals from more than 120 countries have traveled there to join jihadist groups, including thousands from Western countries, like the United States. Many of these individuals have easy access to our country and could potentially return undetected to launch attacks, just as we saw happen in Paris. Yet, many of the counterterrorism programs we created after 9/11 are not suited for this new era and have not kept pace with the evolving threat. What is worse, there is no regular process in place in the executive branch for reviewing all of our defenses against terrorist travel to find security gaps and develop a plan to close them. Agencies are operating without clear, strategic guidance, and programs to counter terrorist travel are often not fully coordinated across the government spectrum. The result is that not only are we at greater risk that terrorists will slip through the cracks, but we also are at greater risk of government waste, overlap, and duplication. This bill would force the administration to assess all of the efforts in place to stop terrorists from crossing borders, streamline them, identify security gaps, and prioritize taxpayer dollars where they are needed most. It would also, for the first time ever, require the White House to produce a plan for intercepting foreign fighters. After 9/11, we spent a lot of time focused on keeping terrorists from getting into our country, but we did not spend enough time focused on stopping terrorists from recruiting our citizens to leave it and become overseas operatives. Once they travel to terrorist safe havens, these individuals become a triple threat. They strengthen jihadist groups on the ground, incite followers back home to conduct attacks, and can return battle-hardened and prepared to carry out their own acts of violence on their homeland. Make no mistake: we are at war. ISIS has already been linked to nearly 75 plots against the West, including more than 20 against the U.S. homeland. Our adversaries are clearly dead set on attacking this country. We need to show the American people that we are dead set on defending it. I am proud of the bipartisan work of the task force and grateful for the close collaboration of Mr. Keating, Mr. Payne, and Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California on the Democratic side. I would like to especially thank Mr. Vela for his continued support and significant contributions. I am, of course, indebted to my Republican colleagues on the task force for their hard work as well. I also want to thank my personal office assistant Tim Wang and committee staff Tyler Lowe and Katy Flynn for their excellent work on this as well. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the issues addressed in H.R. 3584 are of vital concern to the safety of our Nation's security, and it is imperative that we send this bill to the Senate today. Congress cannot afford to wait to address critical issues that help advance and improve our security. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3584, the Transportation Security Administration Reform and Improvement Act. This critical bipartisan piece of legislation ensures several congressional oversight priorities for the Transportation Security Administration are addressed, including the authorization of the PreCheck program, the advancement of risk-based security initiatives, the enhancement of aviation worker vetting, and the improvement of airport screening technologies. H.R. 3584 also takes numerous steps toward augmenting the effectiveness and efficiency of various TSA security programs within both the surface and aviation transportation sectors, and it requires the administrator to conduct an efficiency review of the entire agency. Since assuming the chairmanship of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security at the beginning of this Congress, I have worked tirelessly with my colleagues to conduct rigorous oversight of this troubled agency. This bill is a direct result of our bipartisan efforts, and I am pleased to stand before you and have the House consider this important legislation. If signed into law, this legislation will make a direct impact on the safety and security of the traveling public and America's transportation systems. In an era of pronounced and evolving threats to the homeland, Congress must not wait to act in the best interests of transportation security. Further, the often misdirected nature of the TSA requires that we, as legislators and overseers, fulfill our obligation to reform this fledgling agency into an intelligence-driven organization. When I came to Congress, I pledged to my constituents that I would work hard to deliver results. I am proud of all the work the Committee on Homeland Security has done over the past year. I am honored to have the privilege to sponsor so many pieces of legislation that are helping to keep our country safe. I would like to thank Ranking Member Rice and Ranking Member Thompson for their time and attention to this important piece of legislation. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), the chairman of the full committee, for his continued support of the subcommittee's oversight efforts and for ensuring important pieces of legislation, such as H.R. 3584, are considered on the House floor. The Committee on Homeland Security's legislative results under the leadership of Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson are proof that, by working together in a bipartisan fashion, not only can we improve the security of our country, but we can demonstrate to the American people that Congress can actually work together and deliver results. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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 materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3584) to authorize, streamline, and identify efficiencies within the Transportation Security Administration, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In the last 12 years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has provided almost $100 billion in disaster relief and disaster assistance. However, a significant and increasing amount of these funds have gone to cover FEMA's administrative costs that support the delivery of disaster assistance. The Government Accountability Office, or GAO, has been looking into this for some time and found that, between fiscal year 1989 and fiscal year 2011, the percentage of disaster assistance spent on administrative costs doubled from 9 to 18 percent. While FEMA has tried to implement internal controls to keep these costs to a minimum, GAO has found that FEMA's administrative costs have not decreased. In fact, GAO estimates that internal controls could save hundreds of millions of dollars in administrative costs. S. 2109, the Directing Dollars to Disaster Relief Act of 2015, seeks to control and reduce rising administrative costs from major disasters by requiring the administrator of FEMA to develop and implement a plan to control and reduce its internal administrative costs. I would like to commend and thank the chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for introducing this important oversight measure, which will save taxpayer dollars. I would also like to thank the Senate chairman for working with us to ensure that the legislation includes a sunset provision and is consistent with our House protocols. As disasters become more frequent and severe, it will become critical to keep administrative costs in FEMA to a minimum, increase efficiencies, and ensure that resources are directed toward disaster victims and the restoration of infrastructure. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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 materials on S. 2109.

Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2109) to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop an integrated plan to reduce administrative costs under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and for other purposes.

Mr. KATKO

Mr. KATKO. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Texas for yielding. Mr. Speaker, after having spent much of the last year heading a bipartisan task force with the author of this bill, Mr. Hurd, it became clear that we are not winning the fight to keep Americans from being recruited by terrorist groups. The majority of our citizens who have tried to go to join ISIS have succeeded in doing so. They were not stopped by law enforcement. And while authorities have worked hard and have disrupted serious plots, we have got to do more to shut down the foreign fighter pipeline. On the House Homeland Security Committee, we are constantly briefed about the new threat streams, the soaring number of terror investigations here at home, and the Americans being lured to fight in places like Syria alongside ISIS. We cannot simply listen to this information and sit on our hands. We need to act. I commend my colleague for this bill and for implementing one of our important task force recommendations. We need to conduct a top-to-bottom review of instances where Americans were recruited to fight with jihadist groups abroad, and we need to figure out where we could have done more to stop it. This is why I rise in strong support of H.R. 4402, the Foreign Fighter Review Act of 2016. This legislation will ensure that our government takes a hard look at how to better deter, detect, and disrupt terrorist travel, especially when it involves our own citizens. But this will not be some review that is ordered and then forgotten. The administration is required to return to Congress with the ``lessons learned'' from these recent cases so that we can fix the problem, rather than allow it to persist. My colleague has a wealth of knowledge that proved to be invaluable during the past year on the task force when we focused on these issues. I would like to conclude by thanking Mr. Hurd for his steadfast leadership, especially on national security issues.