Rick Larsen

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, the House passed this bipartisan bill on suspension as well in the past two Congresses. I look forward to passing this commonsense transparency measure again today. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 388, the Securities and Exchange Commission Real Estate Leasing Authority Revocation Act. This legislation, introduced by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia revokes the independent real estate leasing authority of the SEC and directs the Government Accountability Office to update its 2016 report on Federal entities with independent real estate leasing authority. While some Federal agencies have independent real estate leasing authority and have used it responsibly, the SEC has a history of egregious real estate practices. Congress granted the SEC independent leasing authority in 1990, which means the SEC does not need to use the General Services Administration for its real estate needs like most other government agencies do. In 2010, anticipating the agency would expand in response to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the SEC leased 900,000 square feet of space in the Constitution Center building in Washington, D.C. Then, a year later, in 2011, the SEC's Office of Inspector General issued a report which found that the SEC Office of Administrative Services conducted a flawed analysis to justify the need for this leased space and potentially committed Anti-Deficiency Act violations. SEC's Office of Inspector General found that OAS grossly overestimated the amount of space needed at SEC headquarters for the SEC's projected expansion and prepared a faulty Justification and Approval to support eliminating competition. Thankfully, Delegate Norton introduced identical legislation to repeal this authority during the 117th Congress, and that bill, H.R. 1468, passed both the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, H.R. 1468 was not considered by the Senate. Today, we are trying one more time to approve this commonsense legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to return the SEC's leasing authority to the GSA, the Federal Government's civilian real estate arm. This legislation would do just that. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentlewoman.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 346, the NOTAM Improvement Act of 2023, as amended. This bill was introduced by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber) and the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier). On the morning of January 11, the U.S. airspace came to a standstill when the FAA grounded all airline domestic departures for the first time since September 11, 2001, due to an agency contractor mistakenly causing an outage of the FAA's NOTAM system. NOTAMs are a critical part of our aviation infrastructure as they provide essential, real-time flight safety information--such as potential hazards--to pilots, flight dispatchers, and other airspace users. Although the FAA worked to quickly solve the problem and lift the subsequent domestic flight ground stop, the cascading effects of mass delays and cancellations were seen for hours. I fully support the FAA's actions to ensure the NOTAM outage would not affect the safety of the national airspace system; however, our constituents deserve better. They deserve to have both a safe and reliable national airspace system. The FAA has moved to put several operational and systematic mitigations in place to try to prevent future NOTAM outages from occurring. However, the recent NOTAM system outage shows a clear need to reexamine and modernize the safety-critical systems and legacy infrastructure that flight crews and airline passengers depend upon. To help strengthen the integrity of the system, this bipartisan bill directs the FAA to create a task force on NOTAM improvement to review existing methods for the content and presentation of NOTAMs to pilots; determine best practices to prioritize and disseminate critical flight information to pilots in a way that optimizes review and retention; and develop recommendations to ensure stability, resiliency, and cybersecurity of the NOTAM system. This task force will be comprised of key aviation stakeholders, including airline pilots, air traffic controllers, air carriers, and aviation safety and computer system experts, among others. This bill is an important step in a series of efforts Congress and the FAA will undergo to modernize the NOTAM system. Later this week, the chair and I and other Members of this body will be briefed by the FAA Acting Administrator on the status of the preliminary investigation into the NOTAM outage, how the FAA is responding to the incident, and issues that Congress should be considering to further strengthen the NOTAM system. Fortunately, we are due for an FAA reauthorization bill this year, giving us an opportunity to build upon the 2018 law and further implement any necessary improvements to safeguard the NAS from similar system outages. The task force created under this bill will play an important role in the FAA's ongoing NOTAM modernization initiative to ensure pilots, flight crews, and other airspace users receive NOTAMs that are timely, relevant, and accurate. There can be no compromises when it comes to safety in the national airspace. As demand for air travel begins to meet and even exceed prepandemic levels, this bill will help the FAA and the U.S. aviation industry implement best practices to improve the safety of the traveling public and the U.S. aviation workforce. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres).

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I believe we have to do everything we can to ensure the U.S. remains the gold standard in aviation safety. That is why I support H.R. 346, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of Chief Master Sergeant Terry Mickens, United States Air Force, and her work as the Department of Defense legislative fellow detailed to my office for 2022. In 2021, Chief Master Sergeant Mickens was selected to represent the Air Force as a Department of Defense legislative fellow. The Department of Defense (DoD) legislative fellowship program provides superior service members with valuable legislative experience and DoD with an understanding of how congressional actions affect DoD's budget, roles and missions, force structure, military projects, and quality of life. Over the past year, Chief Master Sergeant Mickens has been essential to my office and the defense portfolio. She has crafted and coordinated NDAA amendments in line with my priorities and the needs of Northwest Washington communities. She worked to protect service members from online sexual harassment, strengthen the total force by providing access to advanced education for enlisted members, improve interoperability with partners and allies in the Pacific and she pressed the Department of Defense to strengthen service cohesion, transparency and force restructure in electromagnetic spectrum operations. Chief Master Sergeant Mickens conducted research and provided comprehensive updates on DoD Arctic Strategy, DoD 5G Pilot Programs, AI/ML Education Strategy, and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations to inform my policy agenda. Chief Master Sergeant Mickens dedicates her time to her family, education and community. Chief Master Sergeant Mickens hails from El Paso, Texas. She is the proud mother of Asia Mickens-Perez and is the daughter of Cynthia Mickens and Army veteran, Leonard Mickens. She completed over 60 hours of professional development, was selected for the MIT AI/ML for Business Course and completed the Wilson AI and National Security six-week Fellowship program. She earned a certificate in Legislative Affairs from Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute. She and I share a love of soccer, and Chief Master Sergeant Mickens volunteers her free time to support regional soccer teams and raised $4,000 for a soccer travel abroad program. The Air Force recognized her hard work, leadership and dedication and promoted her to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant in October 2022. I thank Chief Master Sergeant Mickens for her commitment and service to her community, Washington's Second Congressional District and the United States of America.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the retirement of Les Reardanz and his remarkable 31-year career of service in the United States Navy. Les's years in uniform have meant time away from his family and friends. He has served our country, the Navy and our community with devotion and integrity. Whether on deployment in Afghanistan, advising the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on legal matters, or helping safeguard Puget Sound following 9/11, Les's tours of duty were as expansive as his skill set. The Navy and the Judge Advocate General's Corps are undoubtedly better off thanks to his years of service and leadership. Les also served as Executive Director for the Port of Everett. During his tenure, he strengthened the critical relationship between the Port and the Navy and helped lay the foundation to expand the seaport and redevelop the Everett waterfront. Also, Les played a key role in reaching the agreement that created the Blue Heron Slough. I wish Les the best as his Navy career ends, new chapters begin and as he continues serving his community at the Whatcom Transportation Authority. I thank Les for his dedicated service and congratulate him on a job well done.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 466.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the first sponsor of H.R. 783, a bill originally introduced by Representative Young of Alaska for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Robert A. Hungerschafer from Bellingham, Washington. Robert is a dedicated volunteer who has served his community with selflessness and compassion by donating blood, plasma and platelets. His contributions are staggering. Robert has made 1,100 voluntary donations, potentially saving more than 7,900 lives. He has donated more than 300 gallons of blood, plasma and platelets and traveled over 74,000 miles to help save lives. But Robert is more than a donor. He also volunteers by documenting the lives of Washington state servicemembers who lost their lives in World War I. Robert's donations help save the lives of people he will never meet. This selflessness is essential to building stronger communities and is a reminder that everyone can play a part in improving the lives of their neighbors. It is my honor to recognize Robert A. Hungerschafer for his service to his community, Washington state and the United States.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, Everett, Washington, suffered a tragic loss 2 weeks ago. On Friday, March 25, Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call near Everett Community College. Today, the city of Everett celebrated Officer Rocha's life at a memorial service attended by many family members, his friends, law enforcement, other first responders, and, of course, community members. My thoughts and prayers are with the Rocha family during this very difficult time, Dan's wife, Kelli; his two sons, Thomas and Harrison; and his very large extended family. As a citizen of Everett, I myself have called upon the Everett Police Department a few times in my neighborhood for help, for assistance, and just for presence. They have always responded without question. Officer Rocha made an incredible impact in a short time at the Everett PD, serving as an officer for the last 4 years. Two years ago, he landed his dream assignment as a day-shift patrol officer in north Everett. On the day he passed, Officer Rocha was doing the job he loved, serving and protecting the community. Sadly, the Everett PD has experienced tragedy before. In 1999, Officer Brian DiBucci was killed while pursuing a suspect near the U.S. 2 trestle. Law enforcement officers like Officers Rocha and DiBucci have dedicated their careers to keeping northwest Washington communities and residents safe. I know that the women and men of the Everett Police Department will continue to go out into the community every day and carry on Officer Rocha's legacy by upholding that department's commitment to service, integrity, professionalism, and honor. Today, I stand with my hometown of Everett to honor Officer Rocha and his service to our community. I thank Representative Newhouse for this opportunity to participate in the Special Order tonight.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, people have been traveling across the Merrill and Ring Creek Bridge in Everett, Washington, since Herbert Hoover was President of the United States. Every day, residents drive, walk, pedal, and roll across the bridge to get to and from work and school in Everett and to catch a ferry in Mukilteo. Commuters on Everett Transit's route 18 bus rely on the bridge to access Sounder commuter rail and Amtrak service at Everett Station. However, a recent assessment revealed the bridge is not only structurally deficient; it is vulnerable to collapse in the event of an earthquake. Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law, Washington communities will receive more than $605 million over the next 5 years to invest in critical bridge repairs. Last week, Everett officials took me across the Merrill and Ring Creek Bridge and told me how this bold, long-term investment will create jobs, drive economic recovery, and keep people on the move. Mr. Speaker, you cannot have a big-league economy with little-league infrastructure. Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law, communities in my district now have the resources needed to repair aging bridges and build a winning game plan for the region's economic future.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Robin Hebert. Robin was a beloved wife and a Gold Star mother. She passed away on September 13, 2021, after an extended battle with bone marrow cancer at age 63. Robin was an active and compassionate member of her community. On August 1, 2003, Robin lost her son, Army Specialist Justin Hebert when his vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in Kirkuk, Iraq. Robin fought her battle with cancer with the same honor and courage as Justin. Robin volunteered as a trial patient for an experimental bone marrow transplant. While she could not donate her organs, she proudly donated her information to researchers to save lives even after she passed. Robin will be remembered by friends and family for her resilience and tenacity. She will be missed greatly.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I share the concerns of my friend from Kansas regarding the need to upgrade the Nation's ground- based aviation infrastructure in a much timelier fashion. Aviation is a part of the backbone of the U.S. economy and keeping all aspects of the system up to date is essential to continued growth and quality of life for all Americans. The backlog of ground-based navigation aids that are currently operating past their useful life is real. In fact, at the current slow pace of modernization, some of these systems will be more than 100 years old by the time they are replaced. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, I am committed to addressing this issue before it becomes a crisis for the aviation system. The funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will give the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the tools it needs to make significant improvements in the safety and reliability of critical ground-based infrastructure by acquiring, installing, and commissioning new instrument landing systems; distance measuring equipment; tactical air navigation equipment; runway lighting systems; and very high frequency omni-range equipment. Further, this funding supports the FAA's administrative expenses, including salaries, giving the agency the flexibility to bolster its workforce and implement innovative solutions to accelerate the modernization of these systems. Ensuring the safety and reliability of the Nation's ground-based aviation infrastructure is a priority of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and I am committed to working with Representative Davids on this issue as we move forward, including oversight on the U.S. Department of Transportation spend plan.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and distinguished career of Everett Mayor Robert ``Bob'' Carl Anderson, the city's first mayor under its modern charter, who passed away on July 8, 2021. Mayor Anderson was instrumental in establishing the Boeing 747 ``Jumbo Jet'' plant at Everett's Paine Field in the late-1960s, which has had a lasting impact on the local economy for 50 years. Bob Anderson was born on July 11, 1929, in Portland, Oregon to Carl John Anderson and Helen Anderson. He spent most of his childhood in Seattle before later moving to Everett. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Seattle and the University of Washington, where he met his wife, Dona. Bob and Dona were married in 1950 and raised four children in Everett. Bob served in the Navy for six years during the Korean War. He was elected Mayor of Everett in 1968 and served until he became an executive of the Olympic Bank in 1977. In 1978, he became the director of the Washington State Department of Commerce and Economic Development. He founded the Washington State China Relations Council where he served as president, director and senior advisor. I would like to honor the life of Mayor Bob Anderson, his service to our country and his important contributions to the development of Everett and the State of Washington.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 100th birthday of Ms. Marianne Weingarten. Marianne Lilli Katz Weingarten was born in Germany in 1921. At age 14, she was sent to Spain to live with her aunt and uncle, but four months after she arrived, the Spanish Civil War broke out and she was forced to return to Germany. Marianne and her parents fled Nazi Germany in 1938 and immigrated to the United States. She worked with the Jewish Emigre service in Seattle during the war, taking immigrants off boats and helping them on their next steps in their new country. She married Morty Weingarten of North Dakota, who had come to Everett to work for The Boeing Company. Marianne and Morty had 2 children, Tom and Susan. Marianne has lived in her home in Seattle for 70 years, during which time she has cruised all over the world. She now serves on the gardening committee in her senior residence and enjoys playing ping pong. I would like to celebrate Ms. Marianne Weingarten for her rich and full life, and for her service to others that helped make the Pacific Northwest and this country a better place.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to clarify my position on the Motion to Adjourn considered on the floor this morning. I support full consideration of the For the People Act and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. I was unable to vote this morning. Had I been present, I would have voted: nay, on rollcall No. 56.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8408, the Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act. This comprehensive, bipartisan legislation will help improve the U.S. aircraft certification process, strengthen Federal Aviation Administration oversight, and ensure the safety of air travel. As chair of the Aviation Subcommittee, I am very pleased that this critical legislation is now before this Chamber for a vote. After two tragic Boeing 737 MAX crashes, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee launched a thorough investigation into the design, development, and certification of the 737 MAX. Since March 2019, the committee has received more than 500,000 pages of documents, held five oversight hearings, interviewed key employees at Boeing and the FAA, and listened to testimony from victims' families and from several whistleblowers. The resulting Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act improves aviation safety culture, enhances transparency and accountability, addresses undue pressure on employees acting on behalf of the FAA within an aviation manufacturer, and reinforces the importance of human factors in aircraft design and certification. The 346 victims of the two tragic crashes and their families have always remained at the forefront of this committee's work. A vital part of the committee's process was the advocacy of the victims' families. For nearly 2 years, the families have championed necessary reforms to the FAA certification process to ensure that no other families experience such unthinkable loss. This bill reinforces the integrity of the FAA and U.S. aviation manufacturing. I thank Chairman DeFazio for his leadership. I thank Ranking Member Graves of Missouri of the full committee for his leadership. And I thank the ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, for his leadership on coming together in a bipartisan way to make this bill a reality. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the life and public service of Senator Thomas Slade Gorton III. Senator Gorton passed away on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. He was 92 years old. Before entering public office, Senator Gorton served his country in the United States Army and Air Force and later enlisted in the Air Force Reserves. He then served his state of Washington as State House Majority Leader, Attorney General and for three terms as a United States Senator. After leaving office in 2000, Senator Gorton stayed active in public life. He served on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States as well as the 2011 Washington State Redistricting Commission. Slade Gorton will be remembered for always placing his state and country first. As Washington's Attorney General, he broke with his party to call for the resignation of President Nixon. In the Senate, he again showed his independence by supporting the Equal Rights Amendment and women's reproductive freedom. On the Armed Services Committee, he drew from his many years in uniform. As a diehard baseball fan, he worked hard to bring the Mariners to Seattle and ensure they stayed there. At every level of public service, Slade Gorton earned a reputation for bipartisanship, fairness and respectfulness. I join all Washingtonians in sharing my condolences and appreciation with Senator Gorton's family.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of medium-sized cities in Washington state and across the country who play a critical role in driving the nation's economy. In Washington state, transportation and infrastructure mean jobs and are key to economic recovery as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the House passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, a comprehensive package that invests more than $1.5 trillion in America's transportation and infrastructure over the next five years. This includes nearly $7 billion for Washington state's transportation network. The Moving Forward Act is part of a long-term vision to put Americans back to work, jumpstart the economy and make the transportation network smarter, safer and greener. Although H.R. 2 significantly increases surface transportation funding, it falls short in helping the nation's medium-sized cities, like Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood and Oak Harbor in my district. Congress must recommit to supporting medium-sized cities' efforts to improve their transportation systems and foster economic development. We can do this by increasing federal infrastructure investment. Previously known as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program awards grants to local surface transportation projects across the country. However, the BUILD program's structure can force medium-sized cities to delay or indefinitely postpone vital transportation projects. The City of Mountlake Terrace, Washington is one example. The city applied for a BUILD grant in 2011 and 2012 to help fund the redevelopment of Main Street to facilitate economic development and affordable housing connected to the planned Light Rail station. Despite receiving among the highest economic benefit ratios by DOT, the city's population size was the main reason DOT did not fund the project. The City of Shoreline, Washington faced a similar problem. For the past two years, Shoreline has submitted a BUILD grant application for a project to rebuild a highway interchange that will help reduce congestion and improve mobility. Although this project was highly rated and advanced to the Transportation Secretary's desk for consideration, it has not received federal funding due to its medium-sized population. To help address these issues, I introduced the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development for Underfunded Projects (BUILD UP) Act earlier this year. The BUILD UP Act would require at least 30 percent of funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's BUILD grant funding be awarded to cities with 10,000 to 75,000 residents. Over the past two years, cities with populations between 10,000 and 75,000 have received approximately 35 percent of BUILD funding. The BUILD UP Act would codify current DOT distribution practice and not re- route funding from other rural or urban areas. As the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress must ensure medium-size cities can access the federal resources necessary to proceed with shovel-ready infrastructure projects and to help put Americans back to work. I encourage House leadership and the Appropriations Committee to include a similar BUILD UP set- aside in a final FY2021 appropriations package.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the valuable service of grocery workers. Nearly three million grocery workers punch the clock in communities across the United States. In Northwest Washington, these women and men put themselves at risk to make sure their neighbors are fed. Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, I have heard from families of grocery employees who worry every time their loved ones go to work. Congress must support grocery workers the same way they support their communities. This means providing paid family and medical leave, guaranteeing workers' rights are protected and listening when they tell employers and Congress what they need to stay safe on the job. I would like to thank and recognize grocery workers for their commitment to keeping Washington healthy and fed during this unprecedented crisis. I encourage my colleagues to support these essential workers in any future relief package.

Mr. LARSEN of Washington

Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today with appreciation for health care workers in Washington state who are leading the charge against COVID-19. The bravery and resilience of health care professionals throughout the COVID-19 response is inspiring. Many health care workers are facing the toughest challenges of their professional careers. Still these professionals continue to provide lifesaving care to their patients. In my conversations with health care professionals, I know the personal toll these past weeks have taken, as they work to keep communities safe while living with the fear of contracting COVID-19 and exposing their loved ones to the disease. In addition, I want to express all of Northwest Washington's gratitude to the hundreds of volunteer health care workers across Washington state who have stepped up. In this time of crisis, retired health care workers and medical students are rising to the occasion, treating patients and keeping Washingtonians safe. Madam Speaker, the current COVID-19 pandemic has presented Washington's health care workers with what seem like impossible challenges. Despite the obstacles, doctors, nurses, volunteers and other medical professionals are showing up every day to care for their friends, neighbors, and communities. On behalf of a grateful community, I express my sincere thanks.