Jim Langevin

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, the Senate HELP Committee passed by voice vote S. 800, the Enhancing the Stature and Visibility of Medical Rehabilitation Research at NIH Act. As the lead sponsor of this legislation in the House of Representatives, with my good friend and colleague Congressman Gregg Harper, I am very encouraged to see progress on efforts to advance the state of rehabilitation science at the National Institutes of Health and improve the care provided to people with disabling injuries, illnesses, and conditions. Millions of people across the country require medical rehabilitation to restore, maintain, or prevent deterioration of function. And this legislation will play an important role in the provision of that care. I commend Senator Kirk for championing this important bill, and I look forward to its swift passage in the Senate and urge its subsequent consideration in the House.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, it has been over 3 years since the Carl D. Perkins Act expired, the primary source of funding for workforce development programs across the country. We now have the opportunity to remake Perkins in a way that works for the 21st century economy. Perkins reauthorization must deliver student- centered education that provides 21st century skills for successful careers. Across the country students continue to seek out career pathways, but funding has been reduced from its peak level in 2010 of $1.3 billion. If we fail to match this demand for CTE, we run the risk of our economy falling behind as companies pursue skilled workers in other parts of the world. Madam Speaker, our country and our economy need a Perkins reauthorization that focuses on skills that matter and work that pays, skills that matter and work that pays. Let's get this done.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, securing our networks from cyber attack is a challenging task. One of the most effective techniques is penetration testing, or turning hacking tools on one's own network to find weaknesses before bad actors have a chance to exploit them. Unfortunately, a rule proposed by the Bureau of Industry and Security within the Department of Commerce last May has the potential to make it much harder to share existing tools and develop new ones, which could severely harm our national security and our economic competitiveness. The rule was issued as part of the addition of ``intrusion software'' to the Wassenaar Arrangement, one of the principal international export control regimes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, using a 20-year-old framework--itself the successor of a three-quarter-century-old cold war agreement--to regulate cutting-edge technology has proved difficult. However, I am very thankful for the Bureau's willingness to reexamine the initial proposal, and I am looking forward to tomorrow's Homeland Security hearing as an important step in the process to produce a final rule that allows defenders to test their networks before they are attacked. This is a bipartisan hearing tomorrow, and I look forward to tomorrow's hearing.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman McSally for yielding. I want to thank her for bringing our attention to this important issue this evening. I am proud to serve with her on the House Armed Services Committee. I know she is very proud to represent the people of Arizona in the Second Congressional District there. I might make note that Ms. McSally's roots are from my home State of Rhode Island. She and I grew up in the same neighborhood, and I am proud to have worked with her on several issues since she has arrived in Congress. I was proud, again, back then to have her as my guest to the State of the Union Message as she mentioned. Again, I thank you for raising this important issue. I find it completely disheartening that the Women Airforce Service Pilots have been denied interment in one of our Nation's most sacred national burial grounds where we honor our men and women who have served. These brave female aviators of World War II embody courage, resiliency, and patriotism. Again, I am proud to support Congresswoman McSally's efforts to reinstate their interment eligibility in Arlington National Cemetery. Without these women, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice for our country in one of its greatest times of need, our Nation would not stand where it does in the world today. We are indebted to them for their service. The very least that we can do, Mr. Speaker, is to honor them with the dignity and the respect that they have earned and so deserve. We have got to see this policy reversed. I know that we will. It is a bipartisan effort. I am proud to join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in raising attention to this issue and insisting that we ensure that these brave female aviators of World War II, again, who embody the courage and resiliency and patriotism that this country so admires and that we are grateful for, and that we see that they are properly given the honor that they deserve. Again, I want to thank Congresswoman McSally for shedding this light on this misguided injustice.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President of the United States announced another series of actions that his administration is taking to curb our Nation's gun violence epidemic, for they are important steps, and I commend the President and Vice President for their continued focus on this ongoing crisis. As the President said yesterday, Congress still needs to act. In my 15 years as a Member of the House, Congress time and again has failed to answer the cries of Americans who have lost their loved ones, particularly our children, to the scourge of gun violence. Congress has failed to respond to the pleas of Americans who have been disabled by stray bullets. Congress has failed to acknowledge the vast majority of Americans--Republicans and Democrats, gun owners and non gun owners--who believe that every gun purchased should be accompanied by a background check. With each failure, we are closer to a day when tragedies like those of San Bernardino and Sandy Hook will become what they never should be: commonplace. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to find the courage to take action. It is long past overdue.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am appalled that Republicans are continuing to ignore the calls that Mr. Thompson has led to bring up my good friend from New York, Republican Peter King's bipartisan bill to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists. It is remarkable enough that individuals on the terrorist watch list are able to freely purchase weapons in this country, weapons that could then be turned against innocent Americans. In fact, the GAO report showed that over the last 10 years, 90 percent of the people on the terrorist watch list who wanted to buy a weapon passed a background check. That is simply outrageous. But it is extraordinary that, knowing of this truly absurd policy, Republicans refuse to bring Mr. King of New York's aptly named Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act. Mr. Chairman, protecting our Nation from its enemies motivates my work here in Congress, as it should motivate all of us. That Members on the other side of the aisle are in such thrall to gun advocates that they would place their political aspirations above our national security shocks the conscience. This cannot be. Mr. Chairman, I hope you will see Mr. King's worthy bill on the floor without delay

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month. Epilepsy affects more than 2.8 million Americans, almost 10,000 of whom reside in my home state of Rhode Island. For the majority of those diagnosed with this condition, there is no known cause. Furthermore, one-third of people living with Epilepsy have seizures that can't be controlled with current treatments. Richard and Deb Siravo tragically lost their five-year-old son Matty to Epilepsy in 2003. However, they chose to turn their tragedy into action and founded The Matty Fund. They didn't want other families facing similar challenges to go without help, and they dedicated themselves to raising awareness, providing family resources and improving the lives of children and families living with Epilepsy. I'm so proud of the work that the Matty Fund does in Rhode Island, and I encourage everyone to take a moment and reflect on what they can do to support Epilepsy awareness, not just during November, but all year long.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank the chairman and ranking member, particularly Chairman Wilson and the members of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, for their hard work and contributions to the legislation before us today. The NDAA moves us forward on so many important issues, from cyberspace, to research and development, to the integration of advanced technologies, such as directed energy, to the challenges of special operations, counterterrorism, and unconventional warfare. The NDAA also invests properly in crucial capabilities, such as the Ohio Replacement Program, the peerless Virginia-class submarines that are built starting in my district in Rhode Island, the Virginia Payload Module, the cutting-edge autonomous and unmanned systems. I am particularly pleased that the budget approach reflected in this bill is the result of the considered compromise that was reached last week. That framework paves a fiscal path that invests in all departments and all elements of national power, not just defense. That agreement and the NDAA before us this morning echoes that very point. It demonstrates that, when we work across the aisle, we can accomplish the hard work of legislating that the American people elected us to do. I do believe that the bill gets it wrong, though, in a few areas, most notably, on the provisions related to Guantanamo. However, no bill is perfect. In a net assessment, I believe that this bill reflects a bipartisan compromise that will properly provide for our national defense and for our men and women in uniform, and I look forward to supporting it. Again, I want to thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for the extraordinary work that they did together in bringing the bill to this point and the tireless staff, who are not often recognized like they should be, and their extraordinary work. I want to thank them for their work all collectively on this NDAA this year. I am already looking forward to getting to work on next year's bill.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak in recognition of the first National Apprenticeship Week. As always, it is an honor to join my good friend and colleague, Representative G.T. Thompson from Pennsylvania, who will be speaking next. I want to thank him for his bipartisan leadership on career and technical education issues. As co- chairs of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, G.T. and I are committed to expanding apprenticeships so that every American has the skills necessary to succeed in their chosen career. While apprenticeships have been slow to grow in the United States, Germany and Switzerland have long been recognized as global leaders in this field. Last month, I convened a CTE Caucus field hearing in Rhode Island, bringing experts from German industry and education to help spread the best practices of a robust apprenticeship model. I look forward to working with my colleague from Pennsylvania and all of my colleagues in the House to expand these options for all students, not just in my home State, but across the entire country.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan Export-Import Bank reauthorization. The Ex-Im Bank was founded by FDR to increase the competitiveness of American exports. It provides significant capital for U.S. companies and provides opportunities for U.S. jobs, allowing our companies to be competitive with companies overseas. It provides confidence to businesses and investors, allowing them to compete in the global marketplace. In Rhode Island alone, The Bank has helped 26 businesses with a combined export value of $134 million. The Ex-Im Bank is a vital part of our Nation's economic infrastructure, and I urge my colleagues to support its reauthorization.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities a happy anniversary, as both the NEA and NEH turn 50 years old today. As a Rhode Islander, I share a special connection with these agencies because both reflect the legacy of our late long-time senior Senator, Claiborne Pell. Senator Pell knew that art and culture were a vital part of our society because he grew up around the vibrant arts scene Rhode Island is justifiably known for. Today I know that Senator Pell would be proud of the legacy that he has left in our Nation and in his State. Whether it is the Providence International Arts Festival, which had a terrific inaugural year thanks to NEA support, or Cafe Recuerdos, an NEH-funded traditional Cuban coffee cart that serves as a forum for sharing stories as part of Latino Americans: 500 Years of History or the numerous other arts and cultural organizations, institutions, and events that were given birth because of the endowments, the endowments have been integral to our continued social and economic development. To the NEA and NEH, happy anniversary.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, this has probably been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make during my time in Congress. For the record, I still have deep reservations about the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. However, while it is not without flaws or risks, I believe the plan presents our best chance to limit Iran's nuclear ambitions and protect the security of the United States and our allies, particularly the State of Israel. The preamble to the agreement is both critically important and crystal clear when it states that ``Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop, or acquire any nuclear weapons.'' And we will hold Iran to it in perpetuity, as they have committed. Mr. Speaker, I do not trust Iran. But this agreement is built on verification, not trust, and I believe that it includes the needed monitoring and enforcement tools. If Iran violates the deal in any way, increased international monitoring will allow us to know quickly and act decisively. Conversely, if we were to abandon this agreement despite the international community's support, Iran's nuclear ambitions could go unchecked, and that is not a risk I am willing to take. Mr. Speaker, like many of my constituents, I still have significant concerns with the agreement and with Iran's pattern of behavior, particularly its support of terrorism. That is why I am committed to exercising rigorous oversight of this plan's implementation, leaving no doubt that cheating will result in severe repercussions. As the President has said publicly and he has reiterated to me personally, all of our options remain on the table when it comes to responding to failed Iranian commitments, including military options and the reimposition of sanctions, either in whole or in part, either unilaterally or multilaterally. Additionally, all the terrorism-related sanctions are outside the scope of this agreement and remain in force, and I am committed to providing any further tools necessary to constrain Iran's destructive nonnuclear activities. Mr. Speaker, Congress should also establish an oversight commission or Select Committee to ensure Iranian adherence to the deal and recommend courses of action in response to any breach of Iranian commitments. This would be in addition to the Oversight Committee related to Intelligence or the Foreign Affairs Committee or other committees, including the Armed Services Committee that might also have jurisdiction. The more eyes on Iran in this agreement in making sure that they are living up to the commitments, the better. Mr. Speaker, we need to show our resolve and ability to execute the fundamental objectives of the JCPOA, preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon. While I have deep concerns about aspects of the deal, rejecting it now would potentially lead us down an even darker path without the support of the international community and with severe and unpredictable consequences. I will vote to support this deal and what I believe is now our best chance to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear threat, our best chance for an international community united in support of our interests, and our best option for peace. We must give diplomacy a chance to work.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since its enactment, the ADA has been a beacon of hope for millions of people with disabilities, both throughout the United States and around the world. Many passionate advocates and champions fought for the rights and protections enshrined in this law. Thanks to their pioneering efforts, people with disabilities can participate in more aspects of society than ever before. Where barriers exist, so, too, do the opportunities to remove them, thanks to the protections and accommodations afforded under the ADA. We have come far since the passage of the ADA, but we still have much more work ahead. As we commemorate the silver anniversary of the ADA, I hope everyone will join me in celebrating the strides we have made, while also committing our efforts to achieving the full equality and opportunity on which the ADA and our country were founded.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, before I begin my remarks, it is my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished minority whip.

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman. Let me express my profound gratitude to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished minority whip, for his kind words, Mr. Speaker, but most especially because of his extraordinary commitment and the work that he put in, along with countless others, to actually pass the Americans with Disabilities Act and seeing it signed into law. As the gentleman from Maryland stated, Mr. Speaker, that law has had a profound impact on my life and on countless other lives--and will for generations to come. I thank the gentleman for his extraordinary work. Let me also thank the extraordinary list of individuals that the distinguished gentleman from Maryland just read off, some of whom I have had the absolute distinct honor and privilege to meet and to thank personally, and many of whom I will never have the privilege of actually knowing or meeting personally because many have also passed on. They made an extraordinary difference in the lives of millions of people, as I said, both now and in future generations to come; and it is with profound gratitude that I thank them for their work. Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a tremendous milestone for one of the most significant civil rights laws of the 20th century. As a Member of Congress, as co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and someone who has lived with the challenges of a disability, both before and after the ADA's enactment in 1990, I have experienced firsthand the profound changes that this law has affected within our society. When I was paralyzed at the age of 16, my life changed forever. As I lay in my hospital bed, I wondered what life could possibly have in store for me next, but I drew strength and inspiration from other people with disabilities who had accomplished both great things and small. They taught me that there was life after a disability. I was also incredibly fortunate to have the support of my family and my community, whose generosity and concern ultimately made me want to give back to Rhode Island through a career in public service, but accessibility was not yet considered a civil right at that time, and I know many people with disabilities were not as fortunate as I was. So many passionate advocates and champions like Mr. Hoyer fought for the rights and protections enshrined in this law. For all of us, the ADA has been a profoundly life-altering act that has provided new opportunities and fundamentally changed the way society views and treats people with disabilities. The ADA has broken down physical and psychological barriers. It has opened up opportunities to education, employment, and technology. It has made public transportation more accommodating, improved voting accessibility, and expanded inclusion and justice for millions. At its core, this groundbreaking legislation codified the correct collective ideal that no one should suffer discrimination because of a disability. Mr. Speaker, it was with this same conviction that I was pleased to support the passage of the ADA Amendments Act in 2008, after a number of court decisions diluted the definition of what constituted a disability. When that law was signed into effect, I had the privilege of being with Mr. Hoyer and several of the other champions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the original enactment, original authors of the ADA, including Senator Harkin and Cheryl Sensenbrenner. I also had the privilege of meeting President George H.W. Bush and be with his son, President George W. Bush, as President George W. Bush signed that bill into law. It was such an honor for me to be able to personally thank President George H.W. Bush personally for his support and leadership in seeing the original ADA signed into law. Now, when the ADA Amendments Act was passed, these rulings, effectively, the Court rulings that took place necessitating this act effectively limited the ADA's coverage and excluded people with disabling conditions that were not readily visible or apparent, like epilepsy, MS, and various developmental disabilities. The ADA Amendments Act reaffirmed the protections of the ADA and upheld the ideals of equality and opportunity on which this country was founded. As a result of these efforts, I am proud that future generations will live in a world that is more inclusive, more accessible, and increasingly recognizes the unique talents and abilities of individuals with disabilities. As we celebrate our accomplishments, so must we recognize that our work is not finished. Equal employment opportunities and fully integrated community living have not yet been entirely realized. In fact, recent data shows that 31 percent of disabled individuals live below the poverty line, and less than 34 percent are fully employed. Mr. Speaker, as a nation, we can do better, and we must. It is more important than ever that we educate businesses and connect them with proper resources to create more employment opportunities. Many people with disabilities have both the desire and the capability to work, as well as exceptional talents to offer. Mr. Speaker, let us not see those talents go to waste. I have often said, Mr. Speaker, that people with disabilities are still one of this Nation's greatest untapped resources, and we need to tap into that talent to see our Nation grow even further. Mr. Speaker, their divergent backgrounds, unique experiences and wide-ranging talents promote a culture of diversity that doesn't just play a role in the workplace, but also influences the very nature of our society. With proper awareness, accommodation, and investment, our economy and society can reap countless rewards. We must also ensure that transportation is available and accessible to everyone so that they can get to their jobs, the doctor, or the grocery store. I have often said that it doesn't do anyone any good if they can actually apply for a job and get the job, but can't get to the job, so that needs to improve. To help us realize this goal, I have introduced the Transit Accessibility Innovation Act, legislation that would create a competitive grant program to encourage transit systems to make public transportation more accessible and user friendly. Mr. Speaker, accessible public transportation is essential in order for people with disabilities to live independently and with full inclusion in their communities. By improving these services, we can improve the quality of life for countless individuals and families. Mr. Speaker, to further promote independence, we must also ensure that family caregivers of people with disabilities have greater access to critical services like respite care. Respite care provides temporary relief to family members engaged in the full-time task of caring for their aging or disabled loved ones with special needs. Mr. Speaker, these caregivers, I have often said, are unsung heroes. These caregivers devote so much of their time, energy, and love to their families, but in many cases, they can be often unprepared for these new responsibilities, and the challenges that they face can be daunting, from employment difficulties, to financial challenges, to depression and family stress. Very often, though, with just a little bit of assistance, they can continue to be extraordinary caregivers and fulfill all of the other challenges and responsibilities that a family requires. That is why I have introduced and I have championed the Lifespan Respite Care Act, Mr. Speaker, with my friend and former Republican colleague, Mike Ferguson from New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, that law, it passed into law in 2006 and has already provided grants to 32 States and the District of Columbia to help set up respite care networks for families in need. Mr. Speaker, I continue to push for that program's reauthorization, and I included it in the Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act that I introduced in April to strengthen the support services for family caregivers of injured and disabled veterans. I think this is an important thing that we can do for our veterans. We have come far, Mr. Speaker, since the passage of the ADA, but we still have much more work ahead. Disabilities don't discriminate on the basis of party affiliation, income level, or gender; instead, they can happen to anyone at any time. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that they also have the unique ability to unite us in common purpose. As we celebrate the silver anniversary of the ADA together, we must use this as a call to action and to reaffirm our commitment to equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self- sufficiency for people with disabilities everywhere. Let me close, Mr. Speaker, by thanking the many champions and the advocates and many unsung heroes who made the ADA possible and saw it through the legislative process and put it on the desk of President George H.W. Bush, who signed it into law and changed the lives of people with disabilities everywhere forever. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Rhode Island resident Felix Pelletier, not only for his courageous service in the Army during World War II, but also his continuous service to the men and women of the armed services long after he honorably completed his tour of duty. For years now, Mr. Pelletier has dedicated hours each day to making life more comfortable for our service members. Using his trusted Singer sewing machine, he has created neck coolers to help provide relief for the Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines from the heat endured while defending our freedom. At age 90, Mr. Pelletier has sewn over 50,000 of these devices and continues to craft them one stitch at a time. I commend Mr. Pelletier for his devotion to serving our country for over 70 years, from the shores of Normandy to our home state of Rhode Island. We are proud to have him as one of our own, and I thank him for his selfless commitment to helping our service members to this day.

Mr. LANGEVIN

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

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This amendment, which I am offering with my good friends, Mr. Keating and Mr. Cicilline, will provide $1 million to the southern New England estuaries geographic program. This program was funded at $5 million last year and has been incredibly successful at leveraging resources, bringing stakeholders together, and increasing efficiencies. Estuaries are essential for healthy coastal ecosystems. They provide benefits of great economic and ecologic significance, including vital nesting and feeding habitats for aquatic plants and animals; yet they are increasingly affected by impacts of human activity along our coasts. These funds will be used to continue efforts to protect and restore our coasts and estuaries, which are critical for our environment and our economy. The southern New England estuaries geographic program supports projects and science to restore the health of southeastern New England's estuaries watersheds and coastal waters and ensure access now and in the future to resilient, self-sustaining ecosystems and associated populations of our fish and shellfish. I would like to take a moment to say that the account that we are reallocating from, EPA science and technology, is also critically important. While we would have liked to offer an amendment increasing the southern New England estuary geographic program to its full funding amount of $5 million, there were neither sufficient nor appropriate offsets in this bill to do so. Mr. Chair, I hope that as our appropriators go to conference with the Senate, they are able to restore the full funding amount of $5 million for this important program. I would also like to thank Congressman Keating, along with Congressman Cicilline, for being tremendous partners in ensuring that our southern New England estuaries are restored and stay healthy for generations to come. I would like to thank Chairman Calvert, Ranking Member McCollum, and their staffs who worked on this bill. I urge my colleagues to support the funding for the southern New England estuary geographic program. I yield to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), my good friend and colleague, to speak on the amendment.

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his support of the amendment as well as my colleague and Mr. Keating. As I said, this is such an important amendment. It includes important funding for protecting our ecosystems. I urge passage of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, in the past 2 weeks, we have learned that the data millions of Americans entrusted to the Office of Personnel Management have been taken as a result of a cybersecurity breach. It did not have to happen this way. Since 2007, OPM's inspector general has documented repeated deficiencies in information security practices. Yet OPM's response has been glacial, and its systems remain antiquated. It was only after a security breach last year that OPM finally, in its 2016 budget request, asked for additional funds for the Office of Chief Information Officer. Well, it is about time. The question we need to ask, though, is: Why did OPM underinvest in cybersecurity before that breach happened? While I would hope that we find a definitive answer during oversight hearings, there is one thing that certainly contributed to the problem. There was no one in charge of cybersecurity with both policy and budgetary authorities to compel action. Even as we rely on agencies to be primarily responsible for protecting their networks, we lack a Federal cyber coordinator with budgetary authority to review agency spending and security plans. My Executive Cyberspace Coordination Act would remedy this by providing for a Senate-confirmed independent officer with the power to compel agency action. Let's get this done.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, the national sea-based deterrence fund is critical to the future of our national security. It provides space outside the shipbuilding fund for the most survivable piece of our national deterrence, a bill that last came due in the 1980s in the Reagan defense buildup. Mr. Chairman, these boats are absolutely essential. This is not just a Navy issue, as Secretary of Defense Connor has said. This is a national priority. The deterrence fund allows us to treat it accordingly and avoid pressuring the Navy out of badly needed investments in other ships and capabilities. Unless Congress acts, these boats will consume half of the projected shipbuilding funding for a decade, causing crippling shortages that would echo in our fleet for decades after. We and many of our colleagues have worked on a bipartisan basis to rise to this challenge, and the result is this sea-based deterrence fund. Earlier this year, this body spoke loudly and clearly in overwhelming support of the fund and its purposes. I urge my colleagues to reaffirm that position with this amendment.

Mr. LANGEVIN

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

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I am offering today with my good friends Congressmen Quigley and Butterfield will return funding for FTA Technical Assistance and Training back to its 2014 level. Older adults and individuals with disabilities disproportionately rely on public transit to live, learn, get to work and access recreation in their communities. The Technical Assistance and Training dollars made available by this amendment will help increase mobility for people with disabilities and older adults. By providing this assistance to our transit systems and services, we can ensure that they become more accessible for those who rely on them the most. Mr. Chairman, FTA has a long history of working with Easter Seals, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and others to provide training, technical assistance, and other problem-solving support to the transit industry, people with disabilities, and older adults; and it is imperative that this work continue as more people age and more people with disabilities seek to live as independently as possible. Now, in order to realize this goal, FTA needs adequate resources to support these technical assistance activities. To that end, my amendment will increase funding by $2 million for FTA Technical Assistance and Training and reduce, by an equivalent amount, funding for FTA administrative expenses. Mr. Chairman, the House adopted this exact amendment last year to restore FTA Technical Assistance and Training to $5 million. Unfortunately, it was cut to $3 million in this bill. My amendment will simply restore the funds back to the fiscal year '15 House-adopted level of $5 million. With that, Mr. Chairman, I ask that my colleagues support this amendment, which will provide a world of benefit to all those that it serves. I thank my colleagues today for their consideration. Again, I urge passage of the amendment, and with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chair, I rise today deeply disappointed that the Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization before us does not follow in its long- held tradition of thoughtful bipartisanship. The bill before us would roll back protections our citizens enjoy under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, and the Antiquities Act. This bill would remove requirements that prevent overfishing, thereby preventing us from enjoying the benefits of healthy fisheries. We cannot simply wish for more fish in the ocean, we must create the conditions that make it possible. Magnuson should promote innovation and responsible flexibility, while ensuring we have the resources to obtain the best data possible to make informed decisions about one of our most precious economic and food resources--our fisheries. This is the kind of flexibility my bill, the Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act, would provide. My bill would create two new spots for Rhode Island on the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. Rhode Island lands more Mid-Atlantic-regulated species than any other state in the Mid-Atlantic region besides New Jersey. Our circumstance parallels that of Florida and North Carolina, which each have voting membership on two different fishery management councils. The decisions of the Mid-Atlantic Council directly affect the success of Rhode Island's fishing industry and the ability of our fishermen to maintain their businesses, and they deserve a say in how those resources are managed. We all believe that Magnuson can be improved. The last Magnuson reauthorization was a bipartisan and widely supported bill. I am sorry to say that this bill does not follow the same path, and it is not a bill I can support. I look forward to working with Mr. Grijalva and my Republican colleagues on a bipartisan product which includes provisions our fishermen need and support, like H.R. 2541, the Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chair, I want to first thank the Chairman, the Ranking Member, and the committee staff for their hard work and effort that the bill before us represents. I particularly want to express my sincere thanks to Chairman Wilson and the members of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities subcommittee for what I believe are very fine contributions to the final bill. These initiatives span a variety of important areas, including cyberspace programs and authorities; technology transition and reauthorization of the Rapid Innovation Program; and research, development, and integration of advanced technologies such as railgun and directed energy. Also included in this legislation are critical provisions that address Special Operations, Counter-Terrorism, and Unconventional Warfare, including increasing Congressional oversight of sensitive operations, and the threats posed at home and abroad by weapons of mass destruction. I also applaud the bill's investment in critically important undersea capabilities such as the peerless Virginia-class submarines, the Virginia Payload Module, the recapitalization of our national deterrent through the Ohio Replacement Program, and cutting-edge autonomous and unmanned systems. These provisions demonstrate a shared, bipartisan commitment to the defense of our nation and support for our troops. However, as we move forward with this bill, I note with great concern that it reflects a budget approach that locks in sequestration and severs that critical link between our national and economic security. I'm sure that dedicated public servants fighting organized crime at the Department of Justice, combatting terrorist financing mechanisms at the Treasury, or securing our borders and defending our critical infrastructure in cyberspace at Homeland Security would be shocked indeed to find out that what they did wasn't a matter of national security. One could just as soon tell the brilliant scientists and engineers at our national labs, or the teachers educating future generations that what they do isn't important to the future competitiveness of our nation. National security is not just tanks, ships, and airplanes. The one-year nature of the approach in the bill is a flagrant abuse of a system designed to fund incremental and unpredictable costs of overseas operations, not to get around politically difficult votes for Members of Congress. It's bad management and worse policy; it doesn't live up to our commitment to the troops; it undermines our capability to conduct long-term strategy; and worst of all, it sets us up to have yet another round of budgeting by brinksmanship in a matter of months. Ducking debates is not why our constituents sent us here. While I support the important policy measures contained in the bill, and I ultimately support its passage, it is so unfortunate that the one piece of legislation that has historically been the pinnacle of bipartisanship and one of the last vestiges of regular order has been taken hostage by a refusal to address the Budget Control Act. I applaud the bill's recognition that the President's budget accurately reflects the level of investment needed, but that is true across all departments and all of the elements of national power that together make the United States great. Let's take that realization to its logical conclusion and use the seeds of bipartisanship that the Armed Services Committee has worked so hard to preserve to build a long-term agreement that can finally unshackle us from the tyranny of budgetary uncertainty.