Frank LoBiondo

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder).

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd).

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4508) to commend the outstanding efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina by members and employees of the Coast Guard, to provide temporary relief to certain persons affected by such hurricane with respect to certain laws administered by the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bill to address the concerns of Coast Guardsmen and the merchant mariner community that were affected by the recent hurricanes along the gulf coast. Most of the provisions that are being offered in this bill are nearly identical to the language that was included in H.R. 889, the Coast Guard Maritime Transportation Act of 2005, that is currently in conference with the Senate. The conferees have made a great deal of progress towards reconciling the language in both bills. However, some issues remain unresolved. As a result, we are moving these temporary extensions today. This bill authorizes the Coast Guard to temporarily extend the validity of Merchant Mariner Document licenses and vessel certificates of inspection for mariners and vessel owners in the region that was affected by Hurricane Katrina. This extension will allow merchant mariners to continue working in the gulf region and will also allow the Coast Guard to continue its efforts to recover documents that were held at the Regional Examination Center in New Orleans. This bill also includes a provision to preserve up to 90 days of accumulated leave that would have been lost at the end of this year for Coast Guardsmen who were assigned to operations in response to Hurricane Katrina. Lastly, the bill commends the men and women of the Coast Guard for their heroic and extraordinary service in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita this year. We all watched with admiration at the skill of the Coast Guard helicopter and boat crews who rescued over 33,000 Americans. And while there were a lot of questions and still remain a lot of questions about the Federal response and that whole situation surrounding the gulf coast storms, the Coast Guard is a shining bright light of what dedication and extraordinary service to their country these young men and women have provided in response to a national disaster and emergency, the likes of which we have hardly ever seen before. We thank them for their selfless service and celebrate their bravery and outstanding efforts. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Coast Guard and the maritime community by supporting this important bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will close briefly and thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) for joining me, and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) for their strong support. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd). This is a great example of how we can recognize a problem, put our shoulders to the same wheel, and move forward with an issue. I will just use the opportunity, in addition to urging my colleagues to support this legislation, to remind them that over the year we have continued to give the Coast Guard many more missions, but not any more resources. Katrina and Rita were a great example of the dedication and the training and the patriotism of our men and women in the Coast Guard, and it should be a great example for all of us as to why we must continue to focus on getting these men and women the key resources they need for additional personnel, for men and for assets. There is not a mission that we could give the Coast Guard that they could not do unless we deny them the ability through the resources to be able to do that. We have made some great strides this year. The Coast Guard continues to do an outstanding job in relation to their domestic priorities, but especially for their number one mission now, which is homeland security and maritime antiterrorism. So, Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank my colleagues and urge everyone to support this legislation.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4508.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the gentleman from Minnesota's motion to instruct. As the gentleman knows, this provision was originally included in H.R. 1412, the Delaware River Protection Act, which I introduced and which passed with unanimous support in the House. I thank Chairman Young, and Ranking Member Oberstar for including the provisions of that bill as part of H.R. 889, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2005. I thank the co-sponsors of the original legislation for their assistance in crafting this provision: Mr. Saxton, Mr. Castle, Mr. Andrews and Ms. Schwartz, and I urge my colleagues to support the motion to instruct and the underlying bill as we move to conference with the Senate.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the ``Energy Price Discipline Act of 2005.'' This timely and important piece of legislation will ensure that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has the tools to investigate and strongly prosecute price gouging across the nation by those refining, selling, or shipping crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, natural gas, or petroleum distillates. Today, Americans are paying more than ever before for the fuel they need to run their cars and heat their homes. Even before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, consumers were paying almost a dollar more than they were a year ago for a gallon of gas. And in the days following this disaster, average gas price rose an additional 45 cents per gallon--with reported prices of nearly $6.00 at some stations in the affected areas. And, as the days get shorter and the air gets colder, more and more people are worrying about how they are going to be able to heat their homes this winter. According to figures released last week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, households heating their homes with natural gas can expect to spend about 48 percent more, or an additional $350, on fuel this winter. Those with heating oil can expect a 32 percent increase, or on average about $378 more. But as Americans look deeper into their wallets to put gas in their cars to get to work or to heat their homes, both oil companies and U.S. refineries are on track for record profits. I believe that consumers across the country should have the right to know that the prices they are struggling to pay are legitimate and that no one is profiting unjustly at their expense. For this reason, I am introducing the ``Energy Price Discipline Act of 2005.'' This bill will give the FTC broad discretion to investigate and, if necessary, strongly prosecute whoever--whether it is a gas station owner, a petroleum company, or a refiner--is guilty of manipulating the price of crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, natural gas, or petroleum distillates. The ``Energy Price Discipline Act of 2005'' recognizes that in today's global economy consumers in states far removed from a tragedy like Hurricane Katrina may see the results of it in their energy prices--often for legitimate reasons, but sadly also as a result of price gouging. In my home State of New Jersey, residents voiced concerns over fair and honest treatment when purchasing gasoline for weeks before a federal emergency declaration was declared and state price gouging statutes were triggered. For these reasons, the bill does not require a federal emergency declaration to be issued before the FTC could begin an investigation. Instead, the bill sets out specific factors for the FTC to use to determine whether the commodity is being sold at an unjust or unreasonable price. If the FTC makes the determination that price gouging exists, the bill ensures that the violator, whether an individual or a corporation, is subject to strong civil and criminal penalties. Americans in every corner of the country are today being faced with unprecedented energy costs. We owe it to our constituents to ensure that no one is profiting unjustly at their expense. I urge my colleagues to speak for them and to support the ``Energy Price Discipline Act of 2005.''

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, my vote on rollcall No. 510 was not recorded. I would like the Record to reflect that I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 510.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for rising on this matter. I am perplexed as to why this transfer has not yet occurred and concerned that it has not yet occurred. I have been told that the Department of Homeland Security needs to delegate the land transfer authority to the Coast Guard in order to complete and carry out this provision. I will work with the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr) to see that the transfer of this land to the City of Pacific Grove occurs in a timely manner.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, we are very happy to accept this amendment.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

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

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would significantly add to the Coast Guard's mission responsibilities by requiring the service to regulate the construction and expansion of liquefied natural gas facilities. Coast Guardsmen and -women do not have the expertise and background to inspect building plans as they would be required to do under this amendment. In addition, this amendment would in many ways duplicate the efforts already undertaken by the States and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to regulate these facilities. With the current situation, I question the addition of significant shore-side responsibilities to the Coast Guard's wide scope of missions. We have heard about what they have been expected to do, we have heard their missions have been expanded by some 27 items, that their personnel is not there, that their funding is not there; and I reiterate that they do not have the expertise and background to inspect these building plans and do the job that is required under this amendment. I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to accept the amendment.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, as modified, we are prepared to accept the amendment.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, as the designee of the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), I offer amendment No. 11, and I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to offer the amendment at this point in the reading.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment and on behalf of the ranking members, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner), and thank them for working so closely with us on this amendment. One of the key provisions of this amendment is it authorizes an additional $60 million for the Coast Guard's fiscal year 2005 for funds spent on responding to Hurricane Katrina which are not being reimbursed. Failure to reimburse the Service for the work it has done in New Orleans means that other Coast Guard missions will suffer. The amendment also temporarily extends existing mariner documents and vessel certificates for mariners and vessels whose paperwork was held in New Orleans and establishes a temporary center for the processing of new mariner documents. Because of the effects of the hurricane on the Coast Guard facilities and the need for new mariners to aid in reconstruction efforts, these temporary actions are necessary to ensure the smoothest possible return to normal operations of the important maritime industry in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Another important provision in this amendment is the Delaware River Protection Act, legislation that I introduced with a number of my colleagues to guard against another oil spill like the one that we suffered last November in the Delaware River. The bill unanimously passed the House in June, but, unfortunately, the other body has yet to act. The Delaware River Protection Act would require persons to notify the Coast Guard in the event that an object is released into U.S. waters that could cause an obstruction to navigation. The Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers have found three very large objects in the area of the Delaware where the Athos I ran aground last November. Had the notification requirement been in place at the time any of these objects had been released into the water, the Coast Guard could have marked the location of these objects and had them removed. This provision will improve maritime safety and will protect the environment and the economies of our local communities by preventing similar collisions in the future. The Delaware River Protection Act also directs the President to adjust liability limits for vessel owners to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index since 1990 and establishes a research program to develop and test technologies to detect and remove submerged oil from U.S. waterways. This amendment will enhance the Federal Government's oil spill prevention and response capabilities. I would like to thank in particular the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz), and a host of others, along with our chairman and the ranking member for working to include this. I urge everyone to support this amendment. Amendment Offered by Mr. Oberstar to Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. LoBiondo

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, is the gentleman withdrawing his amendment and asking for a colloquy?

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will further yield, still with the understanding that the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee) is going to withdraw the amendment, I commend the gentleman from Washington for his strong concern about the increased costs to local ports involved in complying with the Maritime Transportation Safety Act. These same concerns were on the minds of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure when we first passed the Act in 2002. We had extensive discussions about it, and at that time we authorized a port security grant in the Act. Unfortunately, as the gentleman has pointed out, it seems that the Department is not following the intent of the law, and that is a problem, and that is a mistake we would like to correct. We pledge, myself and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), to work with the gentleman and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) to continue as we move along with this bill to ensure that the port security grant program follows the criteria that we set out in the Maritime Transportation Safety Act. We will be very pleased to work with the gentleman on that.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank Chairman Young for his attention and leadership on this issue. I want to thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner). I think this is one committee and one area where we are probably a role model for the rest of the Congress to look at in terms of the way we have come together in a bipartisan way to recognize the needs and form a consensus and conclusion. Chairman Young outlined some of the basics of the bill, the $8.7 billion that we are authorizing. He talked a little bit about Operation Deepwater, and I want to sort of reemphasize a little of that. We are asking for $1.6 billion for the Deepwater System, which will result in the complete recapitalization of the Coast Guard. If there were ever a time and a need for it, it is now. While we have not talked about homeland security that much in the wake of Katrina, the Coast Guard's primary mission has been that of maritime anti-terrorism and homeland security. They are not able to conduct that mission with assets that are failing on a more regular basis, and every day Coast Guardsmen must deal with the reality and the possibility of asset failures that put the safety of the personnel and the success of their missions in jeopardy. This is an opportunity for us, in an authorization bill, to clearly state how important we think it is for the Coast Guard to have the right assets to go along with the extraordinary training and dedication they are bringing to the mission. This is a very good step forward, and I would urge all my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.