Betty McCollum

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairwoman Granger, Ranking Member Visclosky, and the staff for their hard work on this legislation. The FY19 defense bill funds to the levels of the bipartisan budget agreement, providing robust investments in the Department of Defense. I believe we have achieved a bipartisan product that will improve the readiness of our servicemembers, to ensure that they have the training and the equipment necessary to do their jobs and come home safely. Additionally, this bill makes serious investments in environmental cleanup by funding the environmental remediation accounts at almost $200 million over the President's request. This is a commitment that will ensure communities living on or around our military installations have access to clean drinking water. In Minnesota, this fund has been critical to cleaning up the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant. It is a site in my district. That restoration has made community and business development possible on what was once deeply polluted land. But I do want to mention one longstanding concern I have regarding the amount of money that we are set to spend on the Pentagon's Nuclear Posture Review over the next decade. We already have a credible nuclear deterrent, spending more than $1 trillion on the nuclear triad and billions more on low-yield nuclear weapons we don't need. It does not make a lot of budgetary sense to move forward on this program. The American people don't see the sense in this either. That is why I don't support this program. Again, I want to thank the chair and the ranking member for their work.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my thanks and to honor Martin ``Marty'' Rendon on the occasion of his retirement from UNICEF USA, where he worked for 25 years as Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy. In this capacity, Marty worked with me and with my staff to advance a wide range of funding and policy measures that have improved the lives of vulnerable children around the world, focusing particularly on global child health and child survival. Marty has also been an invaluable resource to the work my colleagues and I do through the House Global Health Caucus. While many of us may know him best from his advocacy work, prior to working at UNICEF, Marty had a 25-year career on Capitol Hill working on child survival and human rights issues. Marty worked with four Members of Congress, including 14 years of service to former Congressman Tony P. Hall (D-Ohio), where he helped implement the child health revolution in U.S. foreign policy and was on the ground floor of the 1986 bipartisan Congressional initiative for child survival funding. He capped his career on Capitol Hill as Staff Director of the House Select Committee on Hunger. A well-known leader on a wide range of global health and human rights initiatives, Marty was invited to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in 1996 for his work on East Timor (Timor Leste). Marty's work on the Hill and at UNICEF has literally saved the lives of millions of children. Members of Congress and the organizations working on global health constitute a close-knit community, of which Marty has been a leading voice and champion for 50 years. We thank him for his service, for the efforts he has made for the least among us, and for his persistent advocacy. We wish him well as he continues with the next chapter of his life.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Tom Melius on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service after nine years as the Midwest Regional Director. For more than 30 years of distinguished Federal service, Tom has been a leader who is always focused on the Service's mission to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. As the Director of the Midwestern Region of the USFWS, Tom skillfully oversaw more than 1,000 people based at eight field offices, and an area encompassing 1.5 million acres of land in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. Tom also led the national effort to protect the monarch butterfly: the state insect of Minnesota and synonymous with the imagery of the great plains throughout the Midwest. Under his stewardship, the program became a national model for other pollinator and wildlife conservation programs. Prior to his posting in the Midwest Region, Tom oversaw the vast and rugged terrain of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska region and served as Assistant Director for External Affairs in the Washington, D.C., Office from 2003 to 2006. There he led the national programs for Public Engagement, Congressional and Legislative Affairs, and the office of Native American Liaison. Tom has also conducted substantive conservation for the Service while he was Assistant Director for Migratory Birds and State Programs. In this role he acted as the Service's representative on issues regarding the management and conservation of migratory birds and the implementation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and wetlands programs. In 2014, Tom was named one of four U.S. Commissioners on the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and advised the sea lamprey control program, which became one of the most successful invasive species programs in the history of international conservation. His efforts in guiding this program directly improved the health of the vast habitat and ecosystem that is the Great Lakes. In turn, he ensured that the lakes would remain healthy and true to their natural characteristics well into the future. Before joining the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tom served as a staff member on Capitol Hill, rising to a senior position on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he crafted policy for fishery management with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Coast Guard; and for coastal programs with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He also advised the Committee on international conservation matters involving wildlife trade, marine mammals and endangered species. His thorough understanding of the legislative process has likely played a significant role in his ability to be an incredibly effective leader at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Tom Melius' career is exemplary of the impact that committed federal employees have on their work and the people who they serve. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the exceptional career of Tom Melius, a champion for the environment and the women and men of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I oppose President Trump's outrageous policy of separating families on our southern border. Tearing children from the arms of their parents, confining them in cages with children caring for one another, should never happen anywhere in the world, let alone in America. The National Association of School Psychologists calls this emotional violence. They go on to say, ``Such trauma can have lifelong consequences with respect to children's mental health and behavioral health.'' This is a human rights violation committed by the Trump administration. Make no mistake. President Trump has the power to end this today. When the President says he is required by law to enact this policy or when he blames Democrats for the crisis he has created, I say: Mr. President, you are not telling the truth. So tomorrow, you don't need to go to Minnesota. You need to stay here in Washington, stop this heartless policy. The American people demand that these children be given back to their parents and to end this crisis now.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to S. 2372, the VA Mission Act. When our brave men and women take an oath to serve in the United States Armed Forces, we make them a solemn promise. Upon completion of their service, we assure them and their families of clearly defined benefits that are guaranteed. Legislation that impacts those benefits must be held to a critical and fundamental test. It must never jeopardize the future of those benefits that our men and women in uniform and their families sacrificed for. While S. 2372 has a number of outstanding provisions that I support, I am disappointed and troubled to say that it fails that fundamental test. The changes this legislation makes to the Veterans Choice Program jeopardizes the necessary future funding to support our veterans and guarantee their healthcare benefits. For that reason I cannot support S. 2372. S. 2372 combines the VA community care programs by merging the current Veterans Choice Program with other VA community care initiatives. While this consolidation may make it easier for veterans to receive private sector care through the VA, S. 2372 creates a significant future funding problem for the Veterans Choice Program and the VA as we know it today. Currently, Veterans Choice is designated as mandatory spending-guaranteed. S. 2372 shifts funding for Veterans Choice to discretionary spending, meaning that spending on Veterans Choice will compete for funds directly within the VA against other programs for healthcare, benefits, homelessness, infrastructure, and electronic health record technology modernization. It also means that this funding will compete against spending in other appropriations bills including education, law enforcement, the environment, and infrastructure. Additionally, the current budget caps do not support the level of VA spending that would be required to absorb Veterans Choice as a discretionary program. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office has projected that S. 2372 will cost the VA nearly $47 billion over the next five years. This means that in the short-term, S. 2372 could subject the VA to automatic sequestration cuts that would jeopardize every VA program. This goes beyond simple bad budgeting. By failing to ensure future funding for veterans' benefits programs, S. 2372 fails to uphold that most solemn promise we make to our women and men in uniform when they serve this nation. Mr. Speaker, passing this legislation and subjecting the VA and our veterans to the threat of future budget cuts is plain wrong. Ensuring the highest quality care for our veterans is the right thing to do and is not a partisan issue. In the coming weeks it is my hope that Democrats and Republicans will come together to ensure that this legislation is fixed and that the guaranteed benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs are robustly funded for the future.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Susan Haigh, on the occasion of her retirement from Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. For 13 years, Sue has made an outsized impact on not only Twin Cities Habitat, but also on the greater Saint Paul-Minneapolis region. By forging creative and dynamic partnerships and through excellent fiscal leadership, more than 1,200 hundred families in 58 cities bought homes with Habitat under her stewardship. Twin Cities Habitat is firmly positioned for continuing and lasting success. Under Sue's leadership, Twin Cities Habitat is a growing force for good in our region. Not only is Sue's incredible impact felt in our community, she is also a leading force within Habitat across the country. Beginning at Twin Cities Habitat, A Brush with Kindness is now a national initiative to help moderate and low-income families with home repairs and updates. Sue led the way through robust growth and innovation, leaving the organization a foundation of strength. As Sue departs, she leaves Twin Cities Habitat well prepared to achieve the ambitious Impact 2020 strategic plan, which aims to double its impact on our community by partnering with 500 families by 2020. Sue Haigh's career exemplifies the very best in public service. Prior to her leadership of Twin Cities Habitat, Sue worked tirelessly to improve lives within Ramsey County as an elected commissioner. Her passion for putting people to work and building a better future resulted in major infrastructure planning and development projects. Sue was later appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to serve as the chair of the Metropolitan Council, where she led a 30-year planning vision called Thrive MSP 2040, invested millions of dollars in grants to cities, and helped to open the Green Line LRT, a light rail transit system which has vastly exceeded rider projections and sparked billions in additional private investment. A passion and dedication to serving others defines Sue Haigh's career. Whether working in government or in non-profit organizations, Sue always brings her creativity and tenacity to the job, creating unique and long-lasting partnerships that benefit the entire Twin Cities Metropolitan region. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the exceptional career of Susan Haigh, a community leader who has done so much, for so many.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Foxx amendment. In my home State of Minnesota, sugar beet is number one. That means this amendment will directly hurt my State's economy. Minnesota's sugar creates more than 28,000 jobs and has an annual impact of more than $3 billion. This amendment will cost Minnesota and other sugar-producing States so much more. It will hurt farmers, small businesses, schools, hospitals--real lives of real people in rural communities that this bill is supposed to help. We should be supporting American farmers instead of sending their jobs to countries that heavily subsidize sugar production, like Brazil and Mexico. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this harmful amendment, and I ask them to stand with farmers in Minnesota and all across the United States.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, Monday's events in Jerusalem and Gaza will long be remembered as the day the U.S. formally abandoned its role as mediator and peacemaker in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The Trump administration's decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem was a grave departure from internationally recognized norms regarding the final status of Jerusalem. Monday's opening ceremony of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will prove to be a historic mistake that will haunt future U.S. presidents long after Donald Trump has departed the White House. The ceremony marking the Embassy's opening was made for television, as well as the right-wing voters in America and Israel the policy was intended to appeal to. The prospects of peace were discarded and no consideration was given to the existence of millions of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation or the fact that just miles away from the new Embassy more than 60 Palestinian protesters were being killed by Israeli snipers. The extremist, homophobic, and racist televangelists--John Hagee and Robert Jeffress--were invited by the Trump administration to offer prayers on behalf of the America people at the ceremony. Their presence and prominent roles can only be described as an insult to American and Christian values. Israel is a nation that enjoys security and military superiority largely as a result of the generosity of American taxpayers. The rights and freedoms enjoyed by Jewish citizens of Israel are not enjoyed by non-Jews who suffer discrimination as second-class citizens. For the millions of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation there are no human rights, only repression, violence; and the constant pressure of having their land, water, and dignity taken from them. I believe in the critical role of the U.S. as a global leader for advancing human rights and justice. It should infuriate and illicit outrage among Americans to witness the Trump administration abandoning such leadership in exchange for a payback on political debts to right- wing special interest groups. For the Israelis and Palestinians who still believe that diplomacy, dialogue, and reducing conflict are the only path to peace, I will state clearly that the Trump administration cannot and must not be trusted with the future of your children or your countries. I include in the Record a column by Michelle Goldbert from the New York Times entitled A Grotesque Spectacle in Jerusalem that outlines the day that destroyed U.S. leadership in the Middle East. The more than sixty Palestinian protesters who were killed by Israeli snipers and soldiers have been buried. Their families and friends grieve. For Americans who believe the U.S. is a force to advance human rights, equality, and justice, we also grieve because Monday's spectacle in Jerusalem placed the U.S. on the side of oppression and repression of a people seeking basic human rights, freedom and self-determination. It was a truly grotesque spectacle. [From the New York Times: May 14, 2018] (By Michelle Goldberg) A Grotesque Spectacle in Jerusalem On Monday, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and other leading lights of the Trumpist right gathered in Israel to celebrate the relocation of the American Embassy to Jerusalem, a gesture widely seen as a slap in the face to Palestinians who envision East Jerusalem as their future capital. The event was grotesque. It was a consummation of the cynical alliance between hawkish Jews and Zionist evangelicals who believe that the return of Jews to Israel will usher in the apocalypse and the return of Christ, after which Jews who don't convert will burn forever. Religions like ``Mormonism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism'' lead people ``to an eternity of separation from God in Hell,'' Robert Jeffress, a Dallas megachurch pastor, once said. He was chosen to give the opening prayer at the embassy ceremony. John Hagee, one of America's most prominent end- times preachers, once said that Hitler was sent by God to drive the Jews to their ancestral homeland. He gave the closing benediction. This spectacle, geared toward Donald Trump's Christian American base, coincided with a massacre about 40 miles away. Since March 30, there have been mass protests at the fence separating Gaza and Israel. Gazans, facing an escalating humanitarian crisis due in large part to an Israeli blockade, are demanding the right to return to homes in Israel that their families were forced from at Israel's founding. The demonstrators have been mostly but not entirely peaceful; Gazans have thrown rocks at Israeli soldiers and tried to fly flaming kites into Israel. The Israeli military has responded with live gunfire as well as rubber bullets and tear gas. In clashes on Monday, at least 58 Palestinians were killed and thousands wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The juxtaposition of images of dead and wounded Palestinians and Ivanka Trump smiling in Jerusalem like a Zionist Marie Antoinette tell us a lot about America's relationship to Israel right now. It has never been closer, but within that closeness there are seeds of potential estrangement. Defenders of Israel's actions in Gaza will argue no country would allow a mob to charge its border. They will say that even if Hamas didn't call the protests, it has thrown its support behind them. ``The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas,'' a White House spokesman, Raj Shah, said on Monday. But even if you completely dismiss the Palestinian right of return--which I find harder to do now that Israel's leadership has all but abandoned the possibility of a Palestinian state--it hardly excuses the Israeli military's disproportionate violence. ``What we're seeing is that Israel has used, yet again, excessive and lethal force against protesters who do not pose an imminent threat,'' Magdalena Mughrabi, Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, told me by phone from Jerusalem. Much of the world condemned the killings in Gaza. Yet the United States, Israel's most important patron, has given it a free hand to do with the Palestinians what it will. Indeed, by moving the embassy to Jerusalem in the first place, Trump sent the implicit message that the American government has given up any pretense of neutrality. Reports of Israel's gratitude to Trump abound. A square near the embassy is being renamed in his honor. Beitar Jerusalem, a soccer team whose fans are notorious for their racism, is now calling itself Beitar ``Trump'' Jerusalem. But if Israelis love Trump, many Americans--and certainly most American Jews--do not. The more Trumpism and Israel are intertwined, the more left-leaning Americans will grow alienated from Zionism. Even before Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu helped open a partisan divide on Israel in American politics, where previously there had been stultifying unanimity. ``Until these past few years, you'd never heard the word `occupation' or `settlements' or talk about Gaza,'' Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the liberal pro-Israel group J Street, said of American politicians. But Ben-Ami told me that since 2015, when Netanyahu tried to undercut President Barack Obama with a controversial address to Congress opposing the Iran deal, Democrats have felt more emboldened. ``That changed the calculus forever,'' he told me. The events of Monday may have changed it further, and things could get worse still. Tuesday is Nakba Day, when Palestinians commemorate their dispossession, and the protests at the fence are expected to be even larger. ``People don't feel like they can stay at home after loved ones and neighbors have been killed for peacefully protesting for their rights,'' Abdulrahman Abunahel, a Gaza-based activist with the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, told me via email. Trump has empowered what's worst in Israel, and as long as he is president, it may be that Israel can kill Palestinians, demolish their homes and appropriate their land with impunity. But some day, Trump will be gone. With hope for a two-state solution nearly dead, current trends suggest that a Jewish minority will come to rule over a largely disenfranchised Muslim majority in all the land under Israel's control. A rising generation of Americans may see an apartheid state with a Trump Square in its capital and wonder why it's supposed to be our friend.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a hometown Olympic hero from Afton, Minnesota, Gold Medal winner Jessie Diggins. May 12, 2018 will forever be known as Jessie Diggins Day in Afton. In a ``Bringing Home the Gold'' celebration for Jessie's homecoming, family, friends and fans from far and wide got a chance to meet and cheer their hometown champion in person. History was made at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games on February 21, 2018. With the eyes of the world upon her in the final 100-meter stretch of the team sprint freestyle cross-country ski race, Jessie Diggins dug deep, somehow finding a burst of energy to surge past her competitors and clinch a thrilling first-place finish. Jessie and her racing partner, Kikkan Randall, didn't just win the race, they won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing for the United States. Here at home, friends and neighbors throughout the St. Croix Valley cheered on every stride. The entire state of Minnesota shares immense pride in their thrilling victory. The triumph by Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall shows what is possible through vision, determination--and a tremendous amount of hard work. Their victory inspires future generations of young people, especially girls, to dedicate themselves and pursue their dreams. Jessie continues to inspire us--to act. As a premiere athlete in a sport that depends on the presence of snow, it is not surprising that she is witnessing firsthand the rapid impact our changing climate is having on winter sports. Shortly after the Olympic Games, she shared her experience and her voice on Capitol Hill, speaking truth to power urging my colleagues and me to act now to address our changing climate. Her courage and passion to make a difference for future generations is co1nmendable. Jessie is a history-maker and a leader. I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to her historic Olympic accomplishment than to be chosen by her fellow Team USA athletes to be the standard-bearer for the closing ceremony of the 2018 Olympic Games. All Americans, but especially all Minnesotans were filled with joy to see Jessie lead her teammates under the United States flag. As the Representative of Minnesota's Fourth Congressional district, it is a privilege to be able to fly a flag in honor of Jessie and her incredible victory. Mr. Speaker, please join me in rising to pay tribute to an exceptional athlete and role model, U.S. Olympic Gold Medal winner, Jessie Diggins.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I missed the vote on May 8, 2018 to disapprove of the guidance issued by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding indirect auto lending and compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). Had I been present, I would have voted no on this joint resolution. I strongly support the CFPB's 2013 guidance, which prevents indirect auto lenders from discriminating against minorities in offering credit, a practice the CFPB determined was occurring. In fact, a January, 2018 study from the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) reveals just how widespread this discrimination in auto lending still is. The NFHA study found that over the life of a loan, minority borrowers pay an average of $2,662 more than white borrowers, and minority borrowers are consistently offered less loan financing options than white borrowers. As a Member of Congress who represents a number of diverse and vibrant minority communities, including the historic Rondo Neighborhood, I find these discriminatory practices repugnant. Reversing course on the CFPB's auto lending guidance would undermine their ability to enforce the ECOA and open up minority communities to further discrimination from indirect auto lenders. Additionally, I strongly disagree with the use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn this guidance. Using the CRA to overturn guidance issued five years ago, or any agency guidance for that matter, is not in keeping with congressional intent and is a gross overstep of power.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Wilderness Inquiry as it begins a year of celebration of its 40th anniversary with a May 7th celebration in the Minnesota State Capitol rotunda. A Minnesota nonprofit, Wilderness Inquiry is a national treasure, serving as a portal to the natural wonder around us--from right in our backyard to across the globe. During its first 40 years, Wilderness Inquiry has provided outdoor adventures for more than half-a-million people of all ages, backgrounds and physical abilities, Their work is defined by the understanding that our natural world belongs to all of us, and we can all enjoy and benefit from time shared together in the great outdoors. A lifelong passion for the outdoors led two new 1978 college graduates named Greg Lais and Paul Schurke to be trailblazers in organizing expeditions for all. The success of an earlier week-long trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with a group of people with a variety of physical abilities served as inspiration for a bold new nonprofit that could offer true wilderness adventures to everyone. ``Wilderness Inquiry'' was born, and under Greg's ongoing leadership, has grown to offer an incredible assortment of trips, both around the nation and across the world, that welcome people from all walks of life and all abilities. Whether it's a first canoeing trip down a local river, camping in a national park, or exploring the farthest reaches of the world, Wilderness Inquiry empowers everyone to access adventures. Their amazing team of staff and outdoor leaders create trips that are fun, memorable and life-changing for students, families and business teams alike. The strength of Wilderness Inquiry is that it doesn't do it alone. Through partnerships with more than 100 organizations, they fulfill their mission to share the outdoors with everyone. I am particularly proud of Wilderness Inquiry's collaboration with U.S. Interior Department agencies like the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on its Canoemobile initiative. This ``floating classroom'' works with urban cities and school districts, countless volunteers and other organizations to bring students from all backgrounds out on waterways around the country in beautiful, hand- crafted 24-foot Voyageur canoes to learn about science, history, geography and culture. Braving the wilderness doesn't come naturally to everyone. It takes courage to step outside our comfort zones. Wilderness Inquiry offers the support and opportunity for everyone to make this leap. Through these shared adventures, presumptions are challenged, people grow, and community is strengthened. I can vouch for the fact that these adventures are fun. But the best proof is in the smiling faces of the more than 40,000 people that Wilderness Inquiry serves each year. It's no surprise that over the years Wilderness Inquiry has received numerous awards in recognition of their unwavering commitment to people with disabilities, underserved youth, outdoor education, and conservation. Mr. Speaker, please join me in rising to recognize Wilderness Inquiry on their 40th anniversary and commending the passion and dedication of so many volunteers, staff, board members and partners for their efforts in providing outdoor opportunities for all.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 4). Since 2012, Congress has been unable to pass a long-term reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It is long overdue that we continue to ensure safe skies for the American people while also providing stability for our air traffic controllers. This legislation reauthorizes the FAA through 2023 and will offer the funding reliability needed to make improvements to our airports and air transportation infrastructure. I am also pleased that Republican Leadership abandoned their longstanding push to privatize America's air traffic control system which would have been downright fiscally irresponsible. H.R. 4 also includes a number of amendments unrelated to FAA reauthorization. One amendment that I support is the important disaster relief and recovery provisions that will directly help Americans in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and others around the country who remain vulnerable to natural disasters. These amendments to the Stafford Act will help communities rebuild from disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and will allow Americans to better prepare for future storms. Not only will this legislation help Americans rebuild, it will save taxpayers down the road by reducing future recovery costs. While I agree with this amendment, it is disheartening that it took this long for Congress to act to give the people of disaster-struck areas the relief they need. I do remain deeply concerned with two partisan amendments that were added to the bill on the House floor. The first amendment would pre- empt state and local laws that limit the hours a trucker can drive. This amendment is not only dangerous, but it has no business being in legislation that reauthorizes the FAA. Make no mistake, if this partisan provision is not stripped out by the Senate, truck drivers and all Americans who drive on our interstate system will be less safe. I am also troubled by an amendment that specifically targets the makeup of the Metropolitan Council in Minnesota. The Lewis Amendment represents an alarming infringement by the Federal Government on the local transit decision-making process in the Twin Cities metro area. By requiring the Metropolitan Council to shift from a citizens' board appointed by the Governor of Minnesota to a locally elected board in order to keep its status as a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), this amendment would throw transit planning for the entire Twin Cities metro area into political infighting and chaos. This amendment would stall transit planning for the metro region, significantly threaten future federal funding for Minnesota and inhibit the continued growth of our culturally diverse and economically dynamic metro area. I plan on working with Ranking Member De Fazio and my Senate counterparts to ensure that this misguided and non-germane amendment is removed in conference. I would also like to include in the Record an Op-Ed from The Star Tribune as well as a letter from Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, explaining why this amendment is harmful to Minnesota. Again, I am pleased that the House of Representatives is finally able to pass this long overdue but bipartisan reauthorization of the FAA. As the 115th Congress moves forward, I hope Congressional Republicans will continue to work with Democrats to invest in America's transportation system. State of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, April 30, 2018. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader, Washington, DC. Dear Majority Leader McConnell: On April 27, 2018, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 4, FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. As the Senate prepares to take up FAA reauthorization legislation, I urge you not to include language from the House bill that would effectively end the Metropolitan Council's designation as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. H.R. 4 will modify a statute relating to MPOs established prior to December 18, 1991, by now requiring local elected officials to serve on their governing boards. The Metropolitan Council has consisted of governor-appointed members since 1967 and has never had elected officials serve as members. In 1973, the Metropolitan Council was designated the MPO by the governor to meet the new federal requirement, because it was already serving the purpose of an MPO before they were federally required--to ensure the coordination of land use and transportation planning. In 1974, the state legislature also designated the Metropolitan Council as MPO in Minnesota state statute. The Metropolitan Council has properly and effectively served this function for 45 years, and amendment H.R. 4 would rescind this MPO model. In 1974, the Minnesota State Legislature also created the TAB to align more closely with federal MPO requirements and guide the Metropolitan Council's transportation funding decisions. Elected officials play a powerful role in spending federal transportation money through the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB). Today, the 34-member TAB consists of citizens and representatives of municipalities and counties, in fact, 18 of 34 members are elected officials. The TAB allocates the MPO's federal funds, and the Metropolitan Council's powers are limited to either concurrence or returning the decisions to TAB for reconsideration. The U.S. Department of Transportation has grandfathered the Metropolitan Council's unique governance structure, as allowed under current law, for over 25 years. The Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration have also recently reaffirmed the Metropolitan Council's status. I reiterate my request that the Senate exclude this damaging MPO provision from the Senate FAA reauthorization bill. Eliminating the Metropolitan Council's MPO status would trigger a lengthy redesignation process that would bring uncertainty about federally funded transportation projects in the Twin Cities, and circumvent a longstanding and productive process at a time when transportation investment is critical to our region. Thank you for your consideration. Mark Dayton, Governor.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Harry W. Camp, Jr., a remarkable individual who served a long and distinguished career with the U.S. Forest Service. Now retired at 107 years old, Mr. Camp exemplifies the tremendous expertise, talent and dedication of the federal employees who serve our nation, and the warmth and wit that we'd all welcome in a friend or neighbor. Serving in a career spanning from 1933 to 1974, Mr. Camp helped to oversee our national forests at a time of great change for our nation and our public lands. Recreational visits to national forests exploded from roughly 10 million in 1933 to 175 million in 1974 as more families could afford automobiles and the interstate highway system made traveling across the country easier. He also oversaw a period of dramatic advances in technology, including satellites and aerial photography to assist forestry management. Mr. Camp's passion for the outdoors and tireless work ethic were demonstrated at a young age. As a teenager, his summers were spent in the mountains of Washington on the Yakima Indian Reservation performing grueling and dangerous work on fire crews. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in forestry, he officially went to work for the U.S. Forest Service. Over the years, he worked his way up the ranks in a variety of positions across the country from ranger to research and management. In the 1950s, the U.S. Forest Service needed greater insight about how to best manage, maintain and improve the public lands that were undergoing strain from increasing usage for recreation. In 1959, Mr. Camp undertook a major role in this effort when he was named the first Branch Chief of Recreation Research in Washington, D.C. After 42 years with the U.S. Forest Service, Harry Camp retired in 1974 as regional director of the Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station in Berkeley, California, where he oversaw the work of more than 100 scientists. Researchers there are dedicated to improving firefighting techniques, battling forest insects and diseases, increasing timber production and water yield in California, and meeting the needs of the millions of recreational visitors to our national forests. Outside of his work in the U.S. Forest Service, Mr. Camp also dedicated considerable time and effort to volunteer service, including the Society of American Foresters. He received the prestigious John A. Beale Memorial Award for outstanding efforts in promoting forestry. Additionally, he served as program officer at the Fifth World Forestry Congress in 1960. Later, he worked as a member of the landmark Earth Resources Presidential Committee. I am happy to report that Mr. Camp and his wife, Myrna, now call the great state of Minnesota home. It is fitting that they have chosen to retire in a state where we are so proud of our public lands and committed to protecting our beautiful forests, lakes and rivers. Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the extraordinary life of Harry W. Camp, Jr. and his exemplary service on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service to ensure the sustainability of our national forests and public lands for today and future generations.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the omnibus appropriations act. While this is not the bill I would have written, nonetheless, it is a significant victory for Minnesotans and Americans. By investing in critical priorities like education, election integrity, housing, infrastructure, public safety, opioid abuse prevention and treatment, and veterans' healthcare, this legislation keeps Minnesota and our entire country safe, strong, and moving forward. As ranking member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, my focus has been on protecting the environment, upholding our commitments to Native Americans, and preserving our natural resources and cultural treasures. We added new resources to address the maintenance backlog at our national parks, support the Smithsonian Institution, and increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities. Importantly, we have removed many Republican riders that attacked endangered species, undermined environmental safeguards, and jeopardized public health. In addition, this bill ensures that the Federal Government will treat wildfires as the natural disasters they are and stop the ridiculous practice of forcing the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to borrow from other priorities to pay for wildfire suppression. I appreciate the hard work of all my colleagues, but especially Mr. Simpson in forging this bipartisan compromise. Mr. Speaker, the omnibus represents a major accomplishment on behalf of the American people. I thank Ranking Member Lowey. I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Chairman Calvert and all of our staff, both Democratic and Republican, for their hard work on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this bipartisan bill.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Representative Marcy Kaptur as she becomes the longest-serving woman in the history of the United States House of Representatives. For more than 35 years, Representative Kaptur has served the people of Toledo and northern Ohio with passion and tenacity. Ms. Kaptur has been a tireless advocate for energy independence, strong international engagement, robust national defense, workers' rights, and America's veterans. There is no greater physical symbol of Representative Kaptur's leadership than the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Ms. Kaptur shepherded legislation creating the memorial through Congress and then worked vigorously to appropriate the funds needed to complete it. It has been my privilege to serve with Marcy on the Appropriations Committee, where she is Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee and sits with me on both the Defense and Interior- Environment Subcommittees. On every issue we consider, Representative Kaptur is a thoughtful voice who consistently prioritizes the needs and interests of her constituents. Her support for our Great Lakes has been invaluable to me as we work to sustain important restoration efforts in the area. Mr. Speaker, the entire House is lucky to have such a distinguished colleague as Ms. Kaptur. As we celebrate this historic milestone, I salute Representative Marcy Kaptur on her service.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I recently held a hearing in St. Paul, Minnesota's capital city, to receive feedback on President Trump's fiscal year 2019 budget proposal. I am deeply appreciative for the input from the State of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota, Ramsey County, Washington County, the City of Saint Paul, and vital nonprofits like Lutheran Social Services, Clean Water Action, the Alzheimer's Association, Habitat for Humanity, Community Action Agencies, the Sierra Club, and the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits. The testimony I heard was clear and unambiguous, the President's budget will harm every aspect of our community--students, seniors, low- income families, housing, the environment, refugees, and the list goes on and on. If a White House intentionally wanted to write a budget that shredded vital services to communities and essential services to school districts, local governments and state agencies this is that destructive, dangerous document. As this Republican Congress limps along trying to finish work on the fiscal year 2018 federal budget (nearly six months past the start of the fiscal year), we are now starting appropriations work for 2019. I expect there to be largely bipartisan agreement that President Trump's budget will be largely rejected in favor of some bipartisan common sense, if such a thing exists anymore. I include in the Record the following testimony from Eric Hallstrom, Deputy Commissioner, Minnesota Management and Budget and it clearly articulates what is at risk in our state if Mr. Trump's backwards agenda is advanced: Good Morning. For the record, my name is Eric Hallstrom and I am Deputy Commissioner at Minnesota Management and Budget, the state's budget agency. On behalf of Governor Dayton and the State of Minnesota, thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the president's budget proposal. Federal budget decisions have a direct impact on the services Minnesotans receive. In considering the budget proposal, we appreciate your attention to the profound effects federal budget and fiscal policy decisions have on the State of Minnesota. The president's budget contains deep cuts in programs that have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable Minnesotans, including children, the elderly, and those living in poverty. As you are aware, at the state government level we adopt balanced budgets on a two-year cycle. We make budget decisions based on revenue projections that look out two and four years into the future. Governor Dayton has spent the last seven years working hard to right out state's fiscal ship by ensuring Minnesota's budget is balanced. Under Gov Dayton's leadership, we corrected the 6 billion dollar deficit left by the previous administration. We restored the state' s credit ratings to be some of the highest in the nation. And nine out of the last ten budget forecasts showed positive balances, compared to the decade of deficits before Governor Dayton took office. While we always face risk that our revenue projections will fluctuate, we are seeing more uncertainty and risk at what we can expect in federal funding levels than at any other point in recent history. The President's Fiscal Year 2019 budget cuts domestic programs by a total of $3.6 trillion. In the absence of substantial new spending by the State, the consequences of these cuts would be an increase in hunger, poverty and inequality in Minnesota. The President's budget cuts would undermine the well-being of children and families, lead to increases to Minnesota's uninsured rate and homeless population. These cuts will result in our land and waterways being less clean, our economic progress will be slowed, and education opportunities will be denied to many Minnesotans. In order to avoid these outcomes, the cuts would shift costs to the state. Yet even if the State of Minnesota attempts to bear as much of the burden as it can, we will simply not be able to make up for the cuts outlined in the president's draconian proposal. With the limited time I have, I'd like to discuss a few major areas of the state budget that will experience the most severe impacts. First I will start with health and human services. Health and Human Services: Over the next decade, the president's budget calls for cutting more than $800 billion from Medicaid-- the federal health program for lower income and persons with disabilities--as well as $192 billion from nutritional assistance and $272 billion over all from anti-poverty programs. These cuts create an enormous shortfall in Minnesota's state budget, taking away billions of dollars per year in federal Medicaid matching funds. The budget would rescind the ACA's Medicaid expansion and replace it with a plan similar to the Graham-Cassidy bill that failed in the Senate last year. These changes would create Medicaid block grants to states and a per person spending cap-in effect cutting spending and taking billions of dollars per year away from Minnesota in federal Medicaid matching funds. To make up for these losses, the state would be faced with making difficult decisions to reduce health care eligibility or benefits to make up for the shortfall. These options make coverage uncertain for over 1 million Minnesotans currently under Medical Assistance (MA), Minnesota's Medicaid program, and the 100,000 Minnesotans who purchased low-cost coverage through MinnesotaCare. Medicaid cuts of this level will also have a significant impact on Minnesota schools. School districts and charter schools rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements to provide federally mandated services to students with disabilities. An estimated $46 million of federal reimbursements is paid to Minnesota for these services annually. Any reduction will be absorbed by a reallocation of school district general education revenue or through increased burden on the state budget or local tax payers. The President's budget cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, by 30 percent, or $213 billion over ten years. SNAP is the most effective anti-hunger program in our country and provides food to more than 645,000 low-income Minnesota children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families. Minnesota would lose $150 million per year and over a billion dollars over 10 years, causing low-income Minnesotans to lose or reduce their nutrition benefits. The President's budget cuts Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) by 10 percent, resulting in a loss of $25 million per year for some of the lowest income Minnesota families. In 2017, an average of 95,000 people--more than 70 percent of them children--in 34,000 families are receiving assistance from the Minnesota Family Investment Program, our state's TANF program. The following programs in the area of health and human services are completely eliminated by President Trump's budget. To continue any of the services they provide, the state will have to backfill all of the funding. Social Services Block Grants (SSBG), a program that funds child and adult protective services in Minnesota, is eliminated. Minnesota receives $31 million from this program annually, 95 percent of which is provided to counties and tribes for direct services for vulnerable children and adults. Community Services Block Grants (CSBG) is eliminated. The program funds community action programs that serve every county in Minnesota by providing locally-defined solutions to address poverty. In 2015, more than 514,000 Minnesotans were served by these funds. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is eliminated. In federal FY 2017, Minnesota received $114 million in federal funds from LIHEAP and served nearly 320,000 Minnesotans. The impact of these cuts on the most vulnerable Minnesotans cannot be emphasized enough. However, for the sake of time, I will now briefly touch on the budget proposal's impact on the state in several critical areas, including education, infrastructure, housing, the environment, and agriculture. Education: All children in Minnesota depend on access to a great education for good jobs and a bright future. Governor Dayton has prioritized investments in education every year he has served as governor, including paying back our schools, increased investments in the K12 funding formula, funding all-day kindergarten across the state, funding pre-K programs for our youngest learners, and investing in our institutions of higher education. Once again, the president's budget threatens to undo much of this progress. The proposal includes an $8 billion or 12 percent cut from FY18 continuing resolution to the U.S. Department of Education. These cuts include: The elimination of 29 programs with an annual reduction of $5.9 billion (from FFY 17) The cancellation of $1.6 billion of unobligated balances in the Pell Grant program. A few of the programs that the president's budget completely eliminates include: Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants: Which provided Minnesota $31.5 million that went to Minnesota schools. 21st Century Community Learning Centers: Minnesota currently receives about $12.2 million that programs programming at 108 community and school-based centers. In the 2015-16 school year the programs service 23,517 students attending 384 different schools, including public, private, charter, and BIE schools. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program, a campus-based federal grant for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. In Minnesota in 2014 through 2015, approximately 27,000 postsecondary students received approximately $19 million of these funds: Department of Education GEAR UP Program, which provides funding for services at high-poverty middle and high schools to help students succeed and prepare for college. In Minnesota, over 61 ,000 students would lose valuable support for postsecondary preparation and access, 158 schools and over 40 higher education partners would be impacted, and about 20 full time employees would be out of a job. Again, this list is not exhaustive, but instead only illustrates some of the crucial social and economic programs that the president's budget eliminates. Infrastructure/Transit: Turning to Infrastructure and Transportation. Throughout his time as governor, Mark Dayton has proposed honest, straightforward policies to fix Minnesota's aging and under-funded transportation systems. The economic success of the state hinges on long-term vision and planning of our infrastructure. The governor welcomes a discussion on increased investments in infrastructure and the state stands ready to use increased funding on worthy projects. However, the president's budget is short-sighted and would significantly underfund critical projects. The budget flips the traditional source of federal funding for capital construction from a 20 percent state match to an 80 percent state match. Under this scenario, Minnesota would have trouble finding competitive projects. Critical to several ongoing transit projects across the metro area, the President's budget proposes to fund only those projects within the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grant Program (CIG) that already have existing full funding grant agreements. This policy would prohibit the extension of the Green Line (Southwest LRT), the Blue Line (Bottineau LRT) and Orange Line (Bus Rapid Transit). The CIG program supports and generates regional economic growth, connects workers to employers, relieves congestion, and improves urban air quality. The President's FY2019 budget proposal would essentially stop any of these projects from moving forward by eliminating funding for projects that are in the Capital Investment Grant pipeline but have not yet secured federal funding agreements. Housing: More than 554,000 Minnesota households struggle to afford quality housing, a 58 percent increase since 2000. Under Governor Dayton's leadership, public and private investments totaling more than $5 billion has helped nearly 325,000 low-and moderate-income households. He established a task force on housing and has worked to find consensus on policies to help alleviate Minnesota's housing challenges. Significant work has yet to be done and the cuts to affordable housing that are outlined in the president's budget would take us backward. They would significantly impact the stability of the most vulnerable households in Minnesota and would increase the state's homeless population. The President's budget includes an 11 percent decrease in Section 8 program funding. Minnesota Housing manages Section 8 project-based rental assistance on behalf of the federal government. In FY 2016, this funding assisted nearly 32,000 households with median incomes of $12,000, 48 percent who are seniors, and 22 percent are families with children. Housing choice vouchers assist another 31,000 households. In addition to cuts, the budget proposal would significantly strain low- income households by increasing the share of income paid towards rent and eliminating utility reimbursements. The president's budget completely eliminates the several programs that provide funding for affordable housing services, primarily within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A few examples include: The HUD HOME Investment Partnership, the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program at the Department of Energy, and as mentioned earlier, the Community Develop1nent Block Grant. These programs have collectively provided roughly $68 million to Minnesota for affordable rental housing, home rehabilitation, and energy efficiency improvements for low-income family homes. In addition, the Interagency Council on Homelessness would be eliminated, which would jeopardize Minnesota's recent successes in effectively ending veteran's homelessness as well as our 17 percent drops in family homelessness between 2014 and 2015. Environment: In the area of environmental policy, Governor Dayton has been consistent and outspoken in advocating for climate change prevention, the importance of clean water, and the adverse impacts President Trump's presidency has been on recent progress. The budget's attempt to gut the EPA and funding to states is another step in the wrong direction. Even as the Trump Administration continues to roll back a decade of hard-fought progress, Governor Dayton has made it clear that Minnesota will not flinch. We will show the nation what can be achieved by working together to solve the challenges facing our people, our economy, and our environment. We will share best practices with other states, and work with them to mitigate the damaging impacts of the President's dangerous and divisive policies. As the ranking member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, we sincerely appreciate your efforts to relay Governor Dayton's concerns over the president's enormous cuts to the EPA and programs it supports. The Environmental Protection Agency is cut by 23 percent in the President's budget, which equates to a severe 54 percent cut to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The impact to the state would be a loss $11.1 million in the 2019 federal fiscal year. These grants provide continuing environmental program funding for all areas of work at the MPCA. Programs proposed for elimination at EPA include the Nonpoint Source Implementation Program which targets local watershed studies and implementation projects to reduce or eliminate sources of water quality pollution from diffuse sources; Pollution Prevention Program which targets source reductions; and Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program that targets permitting and compliance activities for regulated USTs. Included in the cuts to the EPA, the President's budget reduces the Brownfield programs by 33 percent, limiting redevelopment and restoration of land to commercial uses. The president's budget also cuts the EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by 90 percent. The program supports restoring and protecting watersheds in eight states surrounding the Great Lakes that provide drinking water for over 40 million Americans and drives a $62 billion annual economy of fishing, boating and recreational activities. The Minnesota Department of National Resources and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency receive Restoration Initiative funding for the following activities: Annual grants for prevention and management of Aquatic Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Basin ($800,000), Habitat restoration and remedial action plan implementation activities in the St. Louis River Area of Concern Project ($4.5 million grant), and Lake management activities to protect water quality in Lake Superior Basin through efforts to reduce impairments and toxic chemicals ($896,000). In addition, the Coastal Zone Management program through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is cut by 20 percent. The program funds $972,000 annually for protecting streams and rivers in the Great Lakes area. Agriculture: Agriculture is a cornerstone of Minnesota's economy, providing more than 400,000 jobs and $121 billion in economic activity. The President's FY2019 budget proposes a 16 percent reduction in USDA discretionary spending and showcases a lack of understanding about what is important to rural America and the agriculture economy. The budget seeks to weaken the safety net of crop insurance during a time of low commodity prices putting our rural economies at risk. Crop insurance provides farmers with the security they need to increase yields, improve efficiencies, and stay competitive in world markets. The President's budget calls for steep cuts to premium subsidies and excludes producers with an Adjusted Gross Income of more than $500,000. These budget and policy changes will harm Minnesota's agricultural economy. We are hopeful that the next Farm Bill will focus on fostering a robust farm and rural economy, maintaining a strong nutrition title, and prioritizing conservation and water quality programs. On behalf of Governor Dayton, the executive branch of the State of Minnesota, and the millions of Minnesotans served by the state, please voice your opposition to these cuts in the President's budget, as well as any other draconian cuts to programs that Minnesotans rely on. Moving forward, we are available to work with you and others to ensure that the 2019 federal budget is a fair approach for the services upon which Minnesotans depend. Thank you for the opportunity to provide these remarks.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 620, the latest Republican attack on our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers with disabilities. Just as they did with cuts to Medicaid for people with disabilities, Republicans are once again demonstrating the cruelty of their backwards agenda. Nearly three decades ago, the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed and basic civil rights were guaranteed for persons with disabilities. Like the Civil Rights Act, the goal of the ADA was to remove ``unjustified segregation and exclusion of persons with disabilities'' in public accommodations such as hotels, restaurants, and theaters. The ADA did not enable individuals to bring lawsuits against public accommodations for non-compliance; however, many states have expanded these rights. If there are abuses, the states can and should solve these issues. H.R. 620 undermines the basic goals of the ADA by creating a disincentive for voluntary compliance of business owners and creating burdensome requirements for individuals to bring a private lawsuit for noncompliance. Contrary to what its supporters claim, H.R. 620 would create unnecessary hurdles for victims of discrimination to file an ADA claim. Over its nearly 30 year history, the ADA has been a monumental success story. But instead of building on that success, this Republican bill makes it harder for people with disabilities to protect their right to access public accommodations. I have heard from countless people with disabilities in Minnesota who are unified in their opposition to this Republican bill. I stand with them, and numerous groups representing people with disabilities, seniors, and veterans, opposing this harmful legislation that rolls back the ADA and Americans' civil rights. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 620.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge the immediate release of two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been imprisoned in Burma for their fearless reporting on the atrocities being perpetrated against the Rohingya. The ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya shocked the conscience of the world in part because of the important public testimony gathered by these two journalists. In December, these journalists were invited to meet with the police, they were handed documents by officers they had never met before, and then they were immediately arrested under an obscure colonial-era law. The arrest of these journalists and the Burmese Government's refusal to grant them bail is highly irregular. It seems obvious that the only purpose of their continued detention is to chill the independent media in Burma. Mr. Speaker, a free press is essential to a democratic society. I join the State Department and governments around the world urging Burma to release these journalists immediately and to allow them to reunite with their families and to return to their important work. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge the immediate release of two Reuters journalists--Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo--who have been imprisoned Burma for their fearless reporting on the atrocities being perpetrated against the Rohingya. The ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya has shocked the conscience of the world, in part because of the important public testimony gathered by these two journalists. In December, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were invited to meet with police officers in Yangon, were handed documents by two police officers they had never met before, and then were immediately arrested for allegedly breaching Burma's Official Secrets Act, a little-used colonial era law on government secrecy. The arrest of these journalists and the Burmese government's refusal to grant them bail is highly irregular. It seems obvious that the only purpose of their continued detention is to chill the independent media in Burma. I visited Burma and Bangladesh as part of a Congressional delegation in November, and it was clear to me that the urgent humanitarian crisis in the region needs more attention from the media and the public--not less. Despite their ongoing detention, the two journalists agreed to Reuters publication this month of their special report detailing the role of the military and Rakhine Buddhists in these atrocities. I salute these journalists for their willingness to bravely support the truth despite the personal risks to them. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are both ethnic Buddhists who grew up in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state. Their work on the ethnic cleansing and humanitarian crisis has won a joint honorable mention from the Society of Publishers in Asia. Additionally, Wa Lone has written an acclaimed children's book and co-founded a charity that promotes tolerance between different ethnic groups. Government officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley have called for the journalists' release. Top United Nations officials, as well as the leaders of many nations--including Canada and the United Kingdom--have also urged their release. Mr. Speaker, a free press is essential to a democratic society. I join the State Department and governments around the world urging Burma to release Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo immediately and allow them to reunite with their families and resume their vital work.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, as Americans, we have a responsibility to protect our environment and our public lands for today and for tomorrow, and that is why we, Congress, passed clean air and clean water laws. That is why we protected our public lands and treasured spaces. President Trump has a different set of priorities. With his dirty budget and his infrastructure scam, President Trump is attacking basic environmental safeguards. The Trump budget cuts environmental protections and makes it impossible for the EPA to keep American families safe and healthy. The Trump budget stops essential research on climate change, slashes clean energy development, and threatens endangered species. The Trump infrastructure scam repeals basic environmental safeguards and sells off our public lands to Big Oil. Once again, President Trump is putting polluters and their profits first at the expense of America's families being healthy. Our air, water, and our land should never be partisan issues. Congress must reject this dirty budget and infrastructure scam and work to protect our environment and not destroy it.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra on winning a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for their recording of Schubert's Death & the Maiden with violinist and artistic partner Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Founded in 1959, the SPCO is the only full-time chamber orchestra in the United States. Although they call the Ordway Concert Hall home, they present more than 130 concerts and educational programs throughout the Twin Cities each year. In addition, the Orchestra undertakes extensive international tours, and all while continuing to produce highly regarded musical recordings year after year. This is not the first Grammy for the SPCO having won Best Chamber Music Performance for their recording of Aaron Copland's ``Appalachian Spring'' in 1980. In 2016 the SPCO broke new ground and announced that violinist Kyu- Young Kim would become its artistic director, the first time a player took that role in a major U.S. orchestra. This role is generally performed by a conductor. Since then, the orchestra has worked to become an ``unconducted'' ensemble, frequently performing without a conductor. 2017 was a banner season for the SPCO, one in which a new organizational attendance record was set. Nearly 116,000 people attended their concerts last season, up 5 percent from the previous year. The number of young people in attendance has more than quadrupled from previous years in a stark and important reversal of national trends. The importance of an institution like the SPCO to our community cannot be emphasized enough. They are an invaluable asset that will continue to provide entertainment and musical education to Minnesotans for many years to come. Mr. Speaker, I honor the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I will vote no on H. Res. 727 because of my strong objections to the Republican majority's refusal to do Congress' work on time and their rejection of regular order for debate on critical national priorities. H. Res. 727 makes in order H.R. 1892. This bill is entitled the Honoring Hometown Heroes Act, but in its current form this legislation has nothing to do with recognizing our first responders. I voted along with 410 of my colleagues for the original version of H.R. 1892 when it passed the House of Representatives on May 18, 2017. In fact, the version of H.R. 1892 the House will consider under H. Res. 727 denies our first responders the certainty they deserve by providing them just 43 days of federal funding. Discord and delay is no way to run our government. Instead of playing political games, it is time that Republicans join Democrats to reach a bipartisan budget agreement that keeps our government open, protects our national security, and meets our commitments to hardworking families.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I will vote no on H. Res. 727 because of my strong objections to the Republican majority's refusal to do Congress' work on time and their rejection of regular order for debate on critical national priorities. H. Res. 727 makes in order H.R. 1892. This bill is entitled the Honoring Hometown Heroes Act, but in its current form this legislation has nothing to do with recognizing our first responders. In fact, the version of H.R. 1892 the House will consider under H. Res. 727 denies our first responders the certainty they deserve by providing them just 43 days of federal funding. Discord and delay is no way to run our government. Instead of playing political games, it is time that Republicans join Democrats to reach a bipartisan budget agreement that keeps our government open, protects our national security, and meets our commitments to hardworking families.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Emily Anne Staples Tuttle. Emily Anne passed away on January 13th at age 88. Born May 3, 1929, she is warmly remembered by her three children, Missy, Kathryn, and Gregory, four stepsons and 16 grandchildren and step-grandchildren as a beloved wife, mother and grandmother. Emily Anne's family and many friends will gather on February 12th, to celebrate her remarkable life and legacy. Emily Anne was also a bold community leader who led by example. After a career in business, she became the first woman member of the Democratic Farmer Labor Party to be elected to the State Senate in 1976. As a legislator, she distinguished herself as a trailblazer for gender equality and a champion for underserved communities. Following her legislative service, she was elected as a Hennepin County Commissioner, served as a candidate for Lt. Governor in 1990. Later she served as an advisor to Governor Jesse Ventura. Throughout her career in public service, she demonstrated a steadfast commitment to excellence in all she did. Her dedication to serving others continued long after her government service, and is defined by her drive to promote women, education, health care and the arts. Among the many institutions and organizations she helped to found and sustain were the first Minnesota Women's Political Caucus, the first Women's Institute for Social Change and the United Nations Association of Minnesota. She was active with numerous boards and organizations, including the University of Minnesota, the Guthrie Theater and Abbot Northwestern Hospital Foundation. It was a pleasure to know and work with Emily Anne. I valued our friendship and was always grateful for the many kindnesses she showed me and my fellow women elected officials. She truly was one of a kind and will be deeply missed. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the remarkable life of Emily Anne Staples Tuttle.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I thank our ranking member for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation, a misguided bill that ignores the urgent needs of the American people. The Federal Government's fiscal year started October 1, 2017--128 days ago. Instead of using that time to get their work done, Republicans have focused solely on partisan politics. When it comes to the essential responsibility of funding the Federal Government, the Republicans can't be bothered. Now we are asked, today, to vote for a bill that funds the Pentagon for the rest of the year while funding our schools and our hospitals for just 43 days. Mr. Speaker, our national security begins at home with investments in the future that keep our families and our communities safe, strong, and moving forward. This bill ignores those needs. It provides no certainty for our law enforcement professionals, no long-term funding for urgent repairs to our crumbling infrastructure, and no confidence for investments in lifesaving medical research. It doesn't even provide a full year of funding for veterans' healthcare. While it is encouraging that Republicans are finally reauthorizing vital healthcare programs like our community health centers, paying for these programs with cuts to the CDC's Prevention and Public Health Fund, which is currently providing lifesaving vaccines in this severe flu season, is the height of irresponsibility. Discord and delay is no way to run a government, but under Republican control, that is exactly what we are getting. Mr. Speaker, unlike the President, I do not want a government shutdown. We need a budget agreement that keeps our government open, protects our national security, and meets our commitments to hardworking families. So let's stop playing games, get to our work, and get to it now.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor Mamie Lanford Singleton, my nominee for the 2018 Excellence in Mentoring Award. On January 24th, 2018, Ms. Singleton received this distinguished honor from the National Mentoring Partnership in a ceremony at the Library of Congress. Ms. Singleton is a one-of-a-kind motivator and innovator. A retired Sergeant of the Saint Paul Police Department and founder and executive director of the Youth Initiative Mentoring Academies, she was one of the first African American women to rise through the ranks of Minnesota law enforcement. There she spent twenty years working to improve police community relations in Saint Paul. Ms. Singleton brought this experience to Youth Initiative Mentoring Academies, which pairs police officers and community mentors with youth in tutoring and aviation flight training. Through this work, she has introduced countless young people to aviation and other career fields they may have not otherwise encountered. Between her work at Youth Initiative Mentoring Academies, her personal investment in mentoring programs, and her many volunteer and board commitments, she continues to be a tireless ambassador for people of color and to influence a future generation of pilots. Through mentorships, young people can navigate through life's challenges--be they personal, academic or professional--to reach their full potential. Caring mentors can make all the difference in the life of someone who is at risk of falling off-track. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Mamie Lanford Singleton on this well-deserved recognition for her inspiring work on behalf of young people.