Robert Latta

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, that was my last speaker on the bill. I am prepared to close if my friend, the gentleman from Florida, is. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier on the previous bills, the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce has been moving legislation to make sure we get broadband deployed across this country. As the speakers have already mentioned, broadband is not something that is a luxury, but it is a necessity. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the legislation today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of our former colleague, friend, and fellow Ohioan, Congressman Dave Hobson. Before I talk about Dave's life of service, I think it is also important to reach out and talk about Dave himself. I don't think Dave had an enemy. I think Dave worked well with everyone, and I know that when people asked for assistance, he was always there. I also know this, that when I needed help, Dave was there to help me, and I can't ever say thank you enough. I always told Dave how much I appreciated what he did to help me. As has been mentioned, but I will mention again because I think it is important, Dave was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, received his bachelor of arts from Ohio Wesleyan University and law degree from the Ohio State University. Dave went on to serve honorably in the Ohio Air National Guard from 1958 to 1963 and was also later inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. As my colleague had mentioned before, Dave served our men and women in uniform, served our veterans, and was always there to make sure that they received the help that they needed and the benefits that they deserved. Dave served as an Ohio State senator from 1982 to 1990, and then from there, began his service here in the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2009. He did dutifully serve the Ohio Seventh District. I know I was proud to call Dave a friend and a colleague. As we honor his life and legacy today, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to the Hobson family.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7589) to direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, to conduct a study of the national security risks posed by consumer routers, modems, and devices that combine a modem and router, and for other purposes.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 7589, the ROUTERS Act. Routers and modems play a key role in communications networks. They are the entry point through which the public accesses the internet. Thus, we must make sure that they are secure. Bad actors can exploit vulnerabilities in routers to infect users' computers, access their information, or disrupt their networks. National security agencies, including the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security, have reported on the threat posed by the vulnerability in routers and how some Communist Chinese Party-sponsored hackers have used these vulnerabilities to launch attacks. We should take these matters and reports seriously. Further, we know that companies with ties to the CCP could be forced to support China's intelligence activities. We can imagine how they could use vulnerabilities in their equipment to aid these efforts. That is why I am pleased to sponsor the ROUTERS Act, which would direct the Secretary of Commerce through the Assistant Secretary of Communications and Information to study the national security risk posed by routers and modems produced by companies with ties to foreign adversaries. This study will help Congress understand the scope and risk of this threat and will inform whether we need to remove this equipment from our networks. This legislation bolsters our bipartisan efforts to remove untrusted equipment from our communications ecosystem. In the past 4 years, we passed the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act to remove Huawei and ZTE equipment from our networks, and we passed the Secure Equipment Act, which prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from authorizing equipment from untrusted vendors. Today's legislation builds on this work. I thank our chair, the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), and the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for a strong bipartisan vote for this legislation back in March. It is imperative we move forward with these efforts to mitigate the widespread availability of this equipment. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7589, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, this legislation moved through the Energy and Commerce Committee 43-0, showing the absolute importance of moving this legislation through. I urge support of H.R. 7589 and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2864) to amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to provide for the addition of certain equipment and services produced or provided by DJI Technologies to the list of covered communications equipment or services published under such Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar).

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, H.R. 2864, the Countering CCP Drones Act, led by the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik). DJI Technologies is the largest drone manufacturer in the world. Their drones are used by hobbyists, public safety agencies, and private companies to capture images from above, protect the public, and monitor critical infrastructure. Despite its significant presence, DJI is based in China, and it has known ties with the Chinese Communist Party, which represents a national security risk to the United States. As we know, companies with ties to the CCP operate in an environment tightly intertwined with the Chinese Communist Government, raising serious concerns about the level of influence and potential for exploitation by the CCP. For example, under China's 2017 National Intelligence Law, these companies are required to support, provide assistance to, and cooperate with China's national intelligence work, wherever they operate, which would and could jeopardize Americans. This threat is especially significant with DJI given how their drones are used within the United States, and we must act to address this threat. H.R. 2864 adds telecommunications or video surveillance equipment and surveillance services produced or provided by DJI Technologies to the FCC's covered list, which is a list of communications equipment or services that pose an unacceptable risk to national security. As a result of being placed on this list, the FCC could no longer authorize DJI drones going forward. This legislation is forward looking. It only applies to drones that DJI seeks FCC authorization for after this bill becomes law. It would not affect the authorization of drones already in use today. It is imperative we move forward with these efforts to remove the threat posed by DJI. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2864, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik), the bill's sponsor.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I further urge support of H.R. 2864. This bill, again, came out of the Energy and Commerce Committee 43-0, and I urge passage of the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 820) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to publish a list of entities that hold authorizations, licenses, or other grants of authority issued by the Commission and that have certain foreign ownership, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the record on the bill.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 820, the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act, led by the gentlewoman from New York's 21st District. The Chinese Communist Party and other foreign adversaries present security threats to our critical infrastructure. Entities with ties to these countries could be called upon to support and assist their national intelligence work, jeopardizing the security of American data and communications networks. As a result, the presence of their equipment in our networks pose a significant threat to our national security. Over the years, Congress has worked to address these threats from passing legislation to rip-and-replace Huawei and ZTE equipment from our networks by encouraging TikTok to divest from its CCP-controlled parent company, ByteDance. We must build on this work by bringing transparency into the ways our foreign adversaries operate in our networks. This legislation requires the FCC to annually publish a list of entities with ties to our adversaries, Communist China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, that hold a license, authorization, or other authority granted by the FCC. Understanding which adversaries are present in our communications networks as well as the threat they pose is necessary to strengthen our networks. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York's 21st District for her leadership on this bill and the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee for her leadership moving this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 820, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik), the bill's sponsor.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, this legislation came out of the Energy and Commerce Committee 44-0. It shows how important this legislation is, and I urge support of H.R. 820. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and extend my heartfelt wishes to a dedicated veteran, farmer, and volunteer firefighter on his 100th birthday. Mr. Wilmer Loy, a lifelong resident of Crawford County, turns 100 on August 26, 2024. Wilmer lived and worked in Crawford County until he was drafted in 1944 to fight in Europe as part of the U.S. Army. He initially trained in Georgia, but he was transferred to Belgium in 1945 where he trained on the 8-inch Howitzer. He participated in combat against Nazi Germany in the Black Forest, the Siegfried Line and the Rhine River. After the end of the war in Europe, Wilmer was transferred to the Pacific Theater where he served until the end of the war. Wilmer was sent home and honorably discharged from the Army after the Japanese surrendered in 1945. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Star; and the World War II Victory Medal. After his discharge from the Army, Wilmer worked at Chatfield Hardware for more than ten years. He went on to work the next forty years at Leonhart Gas and Oil in Tiro. He drove delivery trucks, semi tankers, and heavy equipment for the company while working on his farm outside New Washington, Ohio. Wilmer also served as a volunteer firefighter for the Chatfield Volunteer Fire Department for more than 60 years and was a member of the Tiro Volunteer Fire Department for more than 10 years. For the last seven decades, he has served in several positions with the American Legion Post 405 in New Washington and as a member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 669 in Bucyrus. Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to the life and service of Mr. Wilmer Roy. On behalf of the people of the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio, I recognize the devotion and compassion that Wilmer has for his community and our Nation. I wish him all the best on his 100th birthday.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the City of Willard's Sesquicentennial. The perseverance of pioneers and settlers to overcome the challenges faced during the early years of the city's history has persisted throughout the past 150 years. The hard work and spirit shown by generations of city residents have made Willard an outstanding example of American ingenuity. In 1874, the City of Willard was established as a community and a junction for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's line to Sandusky and the branch west to Chicago. The original name of Willard was Chicago; however, passengers would mistake the community for Chicago, Illinois. The city's name was changed to Chicago Junction, but the word ``junction'' did not fit on name boards at the time. In 1917, the town changed its name to Willard, after the then-president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Daniel Willard. In 1960, Willard officially became a city. The city is an asset to the great State of Ohio through its many contributions in the fields of manufacturing and agriculture. It remains to this day a key junction for the rail company CSX Transportation. Mr. Speaker, by remembering the 150th Anniversary of the City of Willard, community members recognize the outstanding achievements, maintain the pioneer attitude, and strive to better their city through the principles on which it was founded. I thank and congratulate Willard on this significant milestone.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the City of Willard's Sesquicentennial. The perseverance of pioneers and settlers to overcome the challenges faced during the early years of the city's history has persisted throughout the past 150 years. The hard work and spirit shown by generations of city residents have made Willard an outstanding example of American ingenuity. In 1874, the City of Willard was established as a community and a junction for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's line to Sandusky and the branch west to Chicago. The original name of Willard was Chicago, however, passengers would mistake the community for Chicago, Illinois. The city's name was changed to Chicago Junction, but the word ``junction'' did not fit on name boards at the time. In 1917, the town changed its name to Willard, after the then president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Daniel Willard. In 1960, Willard officially became the city's name. The city is an asset to the great State of Ohio through its many contributions in the fields of manufacturing and agriculture. It remains to this day a key junction for the rail company CSX Transportation. Mr. Speaker, by remembering the 150th Anniversary of the City of Willard, community members recognize the outstanding achievements, maintain the pioneer attitude, and strive to better their city through the principles on which it was founded. I thank and congratulate Willard on this significant milestone.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Semicentennial of the City of Findlay being designated as ``Flag City, U.S.A.''. Through a community-wide effort, spearheaded by the Women's Division of the Chamber of Commerce, the City of Findlay was named the Flag Capital of the United States on Flag Day, June 14, 1968. A proclamation by Congressman Jackson E. Betts became part of the Congressional Record on June 12, 1968. Findlay was officially declared ``Flag City, U.S.A.'' on May 7, 1974, by House Joint Resolution 1003, which was introduced by Congressman Tennyson Guyer. The effort started with John B. Cooke, member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), who believed it was important to fly the American Flag. Mr. Cooke had the idea that every house in Findlay should fly an American Flag on Flag Day, June 14, so he went around the city speaking to businesses and individual citizens to make it happen. A fund was created by the John Hancock Chapter of the SAR to help fund Mr. Cooke's goal to buy 14,000 small flags. The goal was accomplished with enough money remaining to dedicate a plaque in memory of those men and women who fought for our nation's freedom. The media was notified that Findlay would become the Flag Capital of the United States on Flag Day. On Wednesday, June 12, 1968, the Honorable Jackson E. Betts, Member of Congress from District 4, made a presentation in the House of Representatives and requested that a flag fly over the Capitol to mark the occasion. On June 14, 1968, flags waved, and the enthusiasm was set for the future flying of the National Flag. This tradition continued until 1974. By that time, Congressman Tennyson Guyer had replaced Congressman Betts in Congress. The Women's Division of the Chamber of Commerce started a campaign to have the flags fly once again and for Findlay to become Flag City, USA. Finally, Congressman Guyer introduced House Joint Resolution 1003, and Findlay was officially declared Flag City, USA. Since then, Findlay's community leaders, businesses, and residents have taken great pride in this designation. Findlay has become a growing community of over 40,000 citizens. It is an international community with several world-wide corporations and industries located in Findlay. For the last decade, Findlay has been named the Top Micropolitan Community in the United States by Site Selection Magazine. Every year, the city is proving that its values are based on hard work, patriotism, and a spirit of outstanding American ingenuity. Mr. Speaker, by celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Findlay's designation, we recognize the outstanding achievements and pride that Findlay citizens have for their city. Congratulations to the City of Findlay on 50 years of being designated as ``Flag City, U.S.A.''

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Lieutenant Colonel Harlan Chapman, USMC, who recently passed away at the age of 89. Lieutenant Colonel Chapman was a committed husband, father, veteran, and the Marine Corps' longest held POW of the Vietnam War. Chapman was born in 1934 in Elyria, Ohio. In June 1956, he commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps through Miami University's Navy ROTC program. Chapman served for over a decade before deploying to North Vietnam where he flew a Vought F8 Crusader off the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. During a fateful mission in Vietnam on November 5, 1965, Chapman's strike group was tasked with hitting a railroad and highway bridge deep behind enemy territory. Piloting the last plane of the strike group, Chapman skillfully and successfully delivered his payload to the target. Hit by anti-aircraft fire, he was forced to eject and was soon captured. Chapman spent 2,657 days--over seven years--as a prisoner of war in the notorious so-called `Hanoi Hilton' and other North Vietnamese camps where Chapman and other American prisoners endured ongoing torture, interrogation, and isolation. On February 12, 1973, during Operation Homecoming, Chapman was the first Marine Corps POW of the Vietnam War to be released. Upon his return to the United States, Chapman continued to serve our country and assumed command of Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 314 in El Toro, California, until his retirement in 1974. Mr. Speaker, Lieutenant Colonel Chapman was an American hero in the truest sense of the word. His story and service illustrate the indomitable American spirit in the face of great adversity. On behalf of Ohio's Fifth District, I want to thank Lieutenant Colonel Chapman for his service to our great Nation. May he rest in peace.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Bicentennial of Lorain County, Ohio. The perseverance of pioneers and settlers to overcome the challenges faced during the early years of the county's history has persisted throughout the past 200 years. The hard work and spirit shown by generations of county residents have made Lorain County an outstanding example of American ingenuity. In 1822, the Ohio Legislature enacted legislation creating Lorain County; however, the county became judicially independent in 1824. The original proposed name for the county was ``Colerain'', but the final name ``Lorain'' was chosen by Heman Ely, who had previously founded and named the City of Elyria. The county's name is based on the former German and now French province of Lorraine and encompasses roughly 923 square miles. The county is an asset to the great State of Ohio through its many contributions in the fields of manufacturing and agriculture. Mr. Speaker, by remembering the 200th Anniversary of Lorain County, community members recognize the outstanding achievements, maintain the pioneer attitude, and strive to better their county through the principles on which it was founded. Thank you and congratulations to Lorain County on this significant milestone.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4510) to reauthorize the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, to update the mission and functions of the agency, and for other purposes, as amended.