Tom MacArthur

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is a simple technical correction to fix a date error in the suspension bill that we just debated. I don't think it requires any discussion, other than if we want that bill to pass and have effect, we need to change the date, and that is what this bill accomplishes. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 148) directing the Secretary of the Senate to make a correction in the enrollment of the bill S. 3628.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3628) to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program.

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is an unfortunate day where we are once again extending the National Flood Program for--I don't know how many times we have done this. We have been unable to get to the basic reforms that this program demands. But, Mr. Speaker, there are 140 million Americans who live in coastal counties, millions of whom depend on this program to protect them from flood risk. Without this program, they cannot buy or sell homes. If their policies lapse because we allow the program to lapse, they will not be able to buy a new policy, and if, God forbid, a storm like Sandy or like the storms that ravaged the Southeast recently, if one of those storms comes along during that lapse, those people will have no coverage. We simply cannot allow our failure to so negatively affect so many millions of Americans. So, today, we are here to extend the program for another 6 months to give a new Congress time to get to some reasonable bipartisan reforms that will put this program on a solid footing for the future. I am asking that we pass this bill, this extension. It is not perfect, obviously, but it is better than the alternative, and we need to get this done before this Congress recesses. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I agree with everything the ranking member said except she turned me into an Irishman. It is ``MacArthur'' like the general, not ``McCarthy'' like the majority leader. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), who has been keenly focused on this issue.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Montana for yielding and for his work on the committee. As my colleague from New York has just said, this has been a bipartisan effort, and I appreciate that. It is bipartisan in the Senate, as well. Seventeen years ago yesterday, our world changed forever. Every one of us remembers where we were that day. It is getting harder to remember life before 9/11. We have a whole generation that doesn't know what it is like to go to an airport and not take off their shoes, or not sit on board a plane and wonder if somebody is meaning them harm. I was working in New York City in 2001, right up the block from the Trade Center, and on that terrible, sunny Tuesday when terrorists flew two planes into the New York World Trade Center, we lost nearly 3,000 of our fellow citizens. Like others, I lost people who I knew. Some lost those dearest to them: their husbands, their wives, their mothers and fathers, their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and close friends. We were also moved that day by stories of heroism, and we all watched as New York's finest and first responders from elsewhere in the region ran toward danger, not away from it. In the months that followed, I had to take the ferry to New York each morning because the tunnel was closed. And I think it seared on my memory for life the look and the smell of going past Lower Manhattan and seeing the rubble still smoldering and smelling the electrical fires still burning. Mr. Speaker, 10 years later to the day, on 9/11/2011, the memorial at the World Trade Center opened. It was erected to remember those who fell; to recognize the endurance of the survivors; to honor the bravery of those who risked their lives to save others; and above all, to remember the power of our free Nation to overcome evil with good. It stands as a reminder to every generation: Never forget. Never falter. Mr. Speaker, most Americans probably don't know that that memorial was erected with donations from privat citizens, and it has continued for 7 years now with donations from private citizens. I commend them for their good work. But it is now our turn, the United States Congress, to do our part to preserve and protect this hallowed ground, and to answer this national tragedy with national support. I introduced this bill to start a process for providing funding for this memorial and other memorials of what happened on 9/11, and it will provide, ultimately, funding for security, for maintenance, for operations, and still allow those who run the museum there and who have poured their hearts and souls into this, to continue to do that. I commend the private citizens for doing what they have done, but it is now our solemn duty to not only honor the fallen, but make sure that we protect the living, and that this site is a safe place for people to go and to remember. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the 9/11 Memorial Act. Again, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for coming together to introduce and, hopefully, pass this bill today. I want to thank my colleague in the Senate, Cory Booker, for introducing similar legislation so that we can do our part to honor those who fell.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I spent about 30 years in the insurance industry. A good deal of that time, I worked on this program. I know it, I would guess, better than anyone here, and I know what it does for people. I know its weaknesses as well. Mr. Speaker, 140 million Americans live in coastal counties today. They are ordinary Americans, mostly of moderate means. I represent many of these folks in Ocean County, New Jersey. These are the victims of disasters like Sandy, and they absolutely depend upon this program. In October, the House passed a bill that I worked on and I supported, a 5-year reauthorization with modest increases in premiums, increased mitigation dollars, and instilled some accountability at FEMA. It was too much reform for some, not enough for others. But it was absolutely necessary that we do that. The Senate has totally failed to act. So, what do we do today? We hold every homeowner along the coast hostage? We cannot do that. The NFIP program has $30 billion of borrowing capacity. That drops to $1 billion if this lapses. That is a modest event in this country. How do we look the American people in the eye after a storm and say: We don't have the money that you have been paying premiums for. How do we do that? How do we shut down the real estate market? If you can't get a mortgage, you can't buy a home. And you cannot get a mortgage in coastal counties without flood insurance.

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, we cannot pull the rug out from underneath the people depending on this program. I will continue to work with the committee, with our chairman, and with the Senate, which needs to get off their back sides and do something. They have done nothing on this. I will continue to work. But in the meantime, we must continue this program until the end of hurricane season. That is why I chose the date November 30 on this bill. That is the last day of hurricane season. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues, whatever your reservations, support it, and we will keep working on reforms.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation that will help Vietnam veterans who served in the territorial seas of Vietnam and were exposed to Agent Orange get the medical care they need. However, these are not the only veterans who have not received needed care for exposure to Agent Orange. That is why I'm grateful that H.R. 299 includes the text of my bill, the Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act, which expands eligibility for disability compensation for veterans who served at or near the Korean DMZ and are suffering from herbicide- related conditions. Evidence shows that test spraying began six months earlier than the date on which regular spraying began in the Korean DMZ, thereby exposing veterans to the herbicide during the test period. This legislation will allow veterans exposed during this time period to receive the health care they have earned. This issue was brought to my attention by Garfield Harper, a veteran who lives in Burlington County and was exposed to Agent Orange while serving at the Korean DMZ. As the son of a veteran who served during the Korean War and Representative of more than 50,000 veterans, I believe we have a moral obligation to provide quality care for these veterans. I would like to thank the co-author of this bill, Congresswoman Esty, Chairman Roe, Ranking Member Walz, and the 46 bipartisan cosponsors of my legislation for helping to move this bill forward. I would also like to thank the VFW and the American Legion for their help drafting this legislation and rallying support here in Congress. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this broadly bipartisan legislation.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Louis and Judith Costa on fifty years of marriage. The Costas were married on July 27, 1968 and built a life together in Providence, Rhode Island. Lou served his country proudly as an original member of U.S. Navy SEAL Team 2. He is a decorated combat veteran who served honorably in Vietnam, as well as serving as a Navy submariner. After his military service, Lou had a career as an electrician. Judy graduated from the University of Rhode Island, and later earned her Master's degree at Brown. She went on to become a high school chemistry teacher. Over the years, Judy has remained very active in her church. Her time as a lector, volunteer, and her service to the unborn is a testament to her faith. Family has been the central, unwavering pillar to Louis and Judith's marriage. Together, they raised seven children: Louis, Jason, Jennifer, Aaron, Michael, Timothy, and Jessica. They are the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, strong families build strong communities. I am proud to rise today and recognize Louis and Judith Costa for their commitment to their faith, country, and family. They have set a wonderful example for our communities across the country, and I extend my most sincere congratulations on their fifty years of marriage.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career and community contributions of Walter J. Corter, of the Third Congressional District, who will retire on July 1, 2018, after over thirty four years of public service to Burlington Township. Walter has dedicated his career to serving the public. He was hired as a Burlington Township Police Officer in 1974 and held various assignments in the Patrol Division and Investigation Division. He was then appointed as the Public Safety Director in 1983 , and remained in that position until 1994. From 1995 to 2003, he served as the Chief of Investigations for the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office. He additionally served 12 years as Burlington Township's Emergency Management Coordinator. In 2004, he returned to the role of Public Safety Director where he remained until 2011. He was ultimately appointed as the Township Administrator in 2012 and has served in that position ever since. Walter has received numerous recognitions throughout his career, including several lifetime achievements from the Jewish Relations Council of South Jersey, the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, the FBI National Academy Associates, and the Burlington County Police Chiefs Association. He has served on FBI Director Mueller's National Law Enforcement Advisory Committee and is a lifetime member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the FBI National Academy Associates. Through his efforts, several partnerships have been formed with various agencies and organizations, which continue to benefit the residents of Burlington Township. Walter is a highly respected individual whose leadership abilities, perseverance, and integrity are widely recognized and demonstrate his commitment to public service. He has continued to further initiatives and programs within Burlington Township that benefit the community as a whole. Mr. Speaker, the people of New Jersey's Third Congressional District are tremendously honored to have Walter J. Corter as a member of their community. Walter has shown a desire to serve the public and to give back to his community, and has worked continuously to do so at the best of his ability. I am honored to recognize his career of public service and to commend him for all that he has contributed to his community.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding. As co-chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, I have spent a lot of my time working on this opioid crisis. Congress must do everything we can to ensure that our communities have the resources for prevention, treatment, and enforcement. My district is also home to 140,000 seniors, among the highest in the country. As we work together in a bipartisan way to fight this epidemic, we cannot forget about our seniors and how this crisis affects them. More than 42 million Americans get their prescription drugs through Medicare. They rely on Medicare part D, the prescription drug program, for the drugs that they need. A 2017 report by the HHS Office of the Inspector General found that 500,000 Medicare part D beneficiaries received high amounts of opioids. High means in excess of what the manufacturer and CDC recommend--in other words, dangerous amounts. Too many senior communities are being flooded with opioids. We must protect our seniors, and that means we need to protect Medicare from those who would abuse it. We need to fight the fraudulent abuse of Medicare by people who do not have seniors' best interests at heart. In some cases, seniors are having their Medicare numbers stolen and then used to fraudulently bill Medicare for opioids. So-called pill dumping has resulted in millions of painkillers flooding small towns across the country through just a few pharmacies, much of it paid for by Medicare. Last year, the Department of Justice announced the biggest healthcare fraud bust in its history. They arrested 412 defendants for billing the government $1.2 billion in fraudulent charges, including prescription opioids which were then distributed in our communities. The SENIOR Communities Protection Act gives Medicare a new tool to crack down on those who would fraudulently use senior Medicare dollars to flood communities with unneeded drugs. The bill gives Medicare part D plan sponsors the ability to suspend payments to a pharmacy that is under investigation due to a credible allegation of fraud or abuse. This should make it easier to respond to harmful fraud and abusive activity more quickly. This protects Medicare dollars for those whom they are intended--for our seniors. If a criminal is fraudulently billing Medicare and distributing prescription drugs, Medicare should not have to pay for it while an investigation is underway. Those dollars are for seniors. This is the same tool available to other programs in Medicare, and this bill simply extends it to the prescription drug program. It is a good and smart tool. It is designed to make sure that seniors keep getting the drugs they do need, while protecting pharmacies that have done nothing wrong.

Mr. MacARTHUR. The bill is designed to make sure that seniors keep the drugs they do need and protect pharmacies that have done nothing wrong, while allowing us to go after those who abuse Medicare. I am grateful to the bipartisan sponsors of this bill. I am grateful for the bipartisan support it has received in committee. I would like to just mention those bipartisan Members who lent their support to it: Representatives Chris Collins, David Schweikert, Ann Kuster, Earl Blumenauer, and Paul Tonko. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service, scholarship, and contributions of Maj. Gordon L. ``Box'' Bocher, United States Air Force, retired. Specifically, I'd like to recognize his recent essay based upon his experiences during the Vietnam War. A resident of New Jersey, Maj. Gordon L. ``Box'' Bocher served in the United States Air Force from January of 1968 until June of 1980. From February of 1972 until February of 1973, Gordon. served in the 16th Special Operations Squadron as a Fire Control Officer (FCO) assigned to fly the AC-130A Gunship. During that year, he flew over 170 combat sorties. He was in-theatre when the armistice was signed in Paris on January 27, 1973. While compiling research for his book and doing speaking tours, Gordon found a great deal of misinformation regarding the last year of the Vietnam War. He felt compelled to tell his story through an informative essay detailing his experiences. Mr. Speaker, the people of New Jersey are tremendously honored to have Maj. Gordon L. ``Box'' Bocher, Ret. as a dedicated member of our community. It is because of his honorable service to our nation, his dedication to his community, and his work to honor the memory of all who served alongside with him, that I rise to recognize his scholarly contributions before the United State House of Representatives.

Mr. MacARTHUR

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

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the Agriculture Committee for his help and support and for crafting a farm bill that I think will benefit a great many Americans. Mr. Chair, this bill benefits both farmers and consumers across the country. Even in a densely populated State like mine, New Jersey, the most densely populated State in the Nation, I have over 800 family farms that will benefit from this bill. I have cranberry and blueberry growers that will benefit from specialty crop grants. Our main State university, Rutgers, will benefit from research grants. There are crop insurance provisions, conservation measures, things that will benefit all of us. But let's face it: the most controversial part of this bill, or at least one of the most controversial parts, has been the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP. Of the $867 billion of authorized spending over the next 10 years, $664 billion, or more than 75 percent, is for this one program. This has been bipartisan, up until now at least. It has always been that the Federal Government would partner with States to help the most vulnerable people in the Nation, and, at the same time, we would help those people towards self-sufficiency, help them prepare to enter the workforce so that they can have the dignity that comes with a job. I think every American deserves this. We have always balanced both compassion and individual responsibility, and I think this bill goes a long way to continuing in that tradition. My amendment is about children. It is imperative, as we continue this balance, that no child gets caught up, even unintentionally, in something harmful. No child can go to school on an empty stomach and learn, and no child should have to come home from school and wonder where their next meal is coming from. There is a lot in this bill already that protects children. I recognize that. I recognize that the committee has been very attentive to this. My amendment goes a little farther and makes it explicitly clear to those who administer the SNAP programs around the country that children cannot be harmed in any way. I will read the relevant part of the amendment. It says: ``If an individual becomes ineligible to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as a household member due to failure to meet the requirements under subparagraph (B), the remaining household members (including children), shall not become ineligible to apply to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program due to such individual's ineligibility.'' In other words, kids are off limits. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I regret my friend's confusion over what it does, but, as he well knows, we pass sometimes this much law and those who implement that pass this much, in terms of how it actually gets played out. This amendment makes it explicitly clear to those who administer the SNAP program that children must be held harmless, they must be protected. On top of that, the underlying bill also stops family sanctioning. So you can call it a belt-and-suspenders approach, but, when it comes to children, I think it is worth making it as crystal-clear as possible that they cannot be harmed. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson), my friend.

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to advance this bill--this bipartisan bill. I am grateful for my Democratic cosponsor, Congresswoman Sinema; Democratic Congressman Gottheimer; and Republican Congressman Hollingsworth, for joining me in this effort. The purpose of this bill is pretty simple and pretty narrow. Seven out of ten new jobs in this country come from our Nation's 28 million small businesses. When we help those businesses grow, we help them create new jobs. I think of the biopharmaceutical companies in my home State of New Jersey as an example of companies that desperately need capital to continue to grow, and that growth creates new jobs. The Federal Government cannot do everything, but we can surely help these companies grow in our country. The 1933 Securities Act laid the groundwork that all interstate security offerings have to be registered with the SEC. It was cumbersome, it was expensive, so that Congress made some exceptions. Regulation A allowed a limited amount of offerings for Main Street investors, and Regulation D allowed unlimited offerings for accredited investors. This bill is working at Regulation A. Over time, those limits have gone up periodically. The last time it was lifted was effective 2015. It was raised to $50 million, and it has been helpful. It has created growth. It has created new jobs. This bill is a modest improvement, raising that $50 million to $75 million. This was contemplated in the original JOBS Act, where we raised it to $50 million. In that law, the SEC was required to either increase the $50 million or to explain to us why they weren't doing it. Their deadline for doing that expired at the end of 2017. So this is an overdue increase, and I think it is high time that we do it. I could offer a lot of anecdotes of how this benefits companies. I thought I would offer the one that is closest to home, my own story. I was fortunate enough to buy a fairly small business in 2002. I did three capital raises in the years that followed. The first was for $12 million, the second was for $75 million, the third was for $500 million. And those capital raises continued during my period of ownership of the company. I can tell you, without any question, the smallest capital raises were the hardest for me. It is much harder to raise this much money than it is to raise this much. When I was raising a lot of money, I had a lot of interested parties. When I was raising the smaller amount, it was difficult. What this bill does is allow growing companies to have another point in the market where they can raise money. It is not just banks or private equity funds; it is regular, Main Street investors. I heard the remarks that this creates risk. I can tell you that there are dozens of people in my old company who became shareholders, who are living a better life today, them and their families, because they had an opportunity to buy stock in a growing company. Mr. Speaker, this bill is good for businesses. It is good for employees. It is good for Main Street investors. It is a win, win, win. And, ultimately, it is good for the American economy. I urge my colleagues to support it. Let's not be afraid of making a commonsense change. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I thought we were here to debate a rule on the Regulation A+ Improvement Act. As much as I also want to do things regarding the Dreamers, the issue at hand is a bill that is meant to help those who are creating jobs. I want to thank my cosponsors, Representatives Sinema and Gottheimer, for cosponsoring the bill. Any time we can do a bill together on a bipartisan basis, I think it is a better bill. The purpose of this bill is pretty simple. Seven out of ten jobs in this country, new jobs, come from the 28 million small businesses. I used to run one of those businesses and grew it to be a larger national business, and I know from experience that you have to have capital to grow businesses. If we help companies raise capital, then we help them create jobs. Biopharmaceutical companies in my State of New Jersey are perfect examples. These are growing companies. They are capital intensive. They need help. The government can't do everything, but the Federal Government can play a role in helping these companies access capital, and that is what this bill is about. Regulation A+ of the 1933 Securities Act, the very first securities law in this country, Federal law, allowed companies to offer shares on public exchanges. It required that any company that engaged in interstate commerce had to register with the SEC. They made two exceptions: Regulation A+, which was for Main Street investors, but it put a cap on the amount that could be offered; and Regulation D, which allowed an unlimited offering to companies that were only selling to accredited investors. It has been really helpful in creating jobs and giving companies access to capital. This bill is a modest improvement. Over time, Regulation A+ has gone from a small limit to, most recently, a $50 million limit under the JOBS Act of a few years ago, and it is time to raise that limit again. There is good precedent for this. The JOBS Act actually required that the SEC raise it within 2 years of 2015, when the JOBS Act took effect, or they had to explain to Congress why they didn't. Well, they haven't. They haven't raised it. We have an interest in making sure that we help our companies in this country create new jobs, and so this bill would raise that limit from $50 million to $75 million and allow companies to make offerings to Main Street investors, everyday people trying to find good companies so they can build a future for their families. Mr. Speaker, this bill has been through committee markup. It was open to amendments. It is a bipartisan bill. It has gone through the Rules Committee. It is in order for this bill to move to the floor, and I urge that the rule be passed.

Mr. MacARTHUR

Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate and honor a young student from my district who has achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. Erin Foreman of Forked River has just been named one of the top honorees in New Jersey by The 2018 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in each state and the District of Columbia. Ms. Foreman is being recognized for her program that provides seniors and people with serious medical conditions with lock boxes to give first responders easy access to their house keys. It's vital that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution this young citizen has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Ms. Foreman are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow. The program that brought this young role model to our attention--The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995 to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and highly valued, and to inspire other young people to follow their example. Over the past 23 years, the program has become the nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, and has honored more than 120,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level. Ms. Foreman should be extremely proud to have been singled out from the thousands of dedicated volunteers who participated in this, year's program. I heartily applaud Ms. Foreman for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can--and do--play important roles in our communities, and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future.