Dan Newhouse

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this legislation. I first want to thank Chairman Shuster as well as Ranking Member DeFazio for their hard work in marking up a meaningful, long-term transportation bill. It truly is something our country has eagerly anticipated, and we appreciate both you and your staff's hard work for giving our country the certainty that is needed on road and rail projects. I also want to say I appreciate you including a deadline extension for the full implementation of positive train control safety technology. While this technology is vitally important for safety and many reasons, it has become increasingly clear that our Nation's passenger and freight railroads are unable to meet the current deadline. As a farmer, I can tell you the resulting shutdown our country's freight network could experience if this deadline is not extended would have devastating consequences for both our farms and our entire Nation's economy. I appreciate your swift attention to this issue. I urge all of my colleagues' support.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of National Forest Products Week and in recognition of the 30,000 hardworking individuals employed by this industry in Washington State; including the over 1,000 pulp and paper employees in my district alone. In Washington, the industry provides nearly 2 billion dollars in annual compensation and is among the state's largest manufacturing sectors. Forest products play a valuable role in our daily lives and are manufactured using recyclable and renewable resources. They are used in our businesses, schools, and homes--whether they are books, paper, shipping boxes, or LCD monitors--these products continue to meet the evolving needs of people around the world. The industry is an integral part of America's manufacturing competitiveness and allows us to communicate, teach, and learn. I am excited to celebrate National Forest Products Week and my constituents who contribute to this industry. I urge my colleagues to exercise common sense and sound science when it comes to rules and regulations that unnecessarily burden this vital U.S. industry. By doing so, we can guarantee these products remain globally competitive and ensure that 900,000 Americans and 30,000 Washingtonians can continue working for this important industry.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the good gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 481 is a fair rule allowing for balanced, deliberative, and open debate, just as my colleague is asking, as well as numerous amendment opportunities from both parties. It provides for the consideration of a bill that is critical to the economic well-being of mining communities across the country, which are reeling from the continual impacts of Federal regulation and the bureaucratic permitting process we have in place. This regulatory environment has led to lost jobs and wages in the mining industry, ultimately hurting the middle class families that many of these rules and regulations claim they are intended to protect. H.R. 1937 streamlines our country's mine permitting process by removing unnecessary and onerous hurdles, which can lead to decades- long delays for mining activities and projects. The current Federal permitting system for the extraction of rare earth minerals is outdated, unproductive, and often impedes our ability to extract these critical minerals. You know, our country is blessed with a myriad of rare earth minerals, but this Federal red tape has had a devastating impact on the mining communities in our country whose livelihoods depend on the ability to obtain and develop these resources. We must stop punishing middle class Americans with these heavyhanded and poorly considered regulations that more often than not have unintended consequences and serious negative economic impacts. Mr. Speaker, already many countries around the world are looking to improve their infrastructure, which provides the U.S. with the unique opportunity to tap into this growing global market. Due to strong international demand for rare earth minerals, allowing for greater development of domestic resources also creates a unique opportunity to further American trade relationships and decrease our trade deficit. Additionally, by increasing the available supply of these rare earth minerals, manufacturing companies will be able to more efficiently produce their products, which could reduce consumer costs and open the door to greater innovation. Further, our outdated permitting system negatively impacts investment in our economy that hinders our ability to take on this expanded role in the global marketplace for these mineral resources. The Federal Government should be promoting investment in the U.S. by creating a regulatory framework that encourages the safe development of domestic resources. If we want to address the growing minerals trade imbalance, as we see more and more U.S. mining jobs moving overseas and higher energy and commodity prices here at home, then we must fix these delays which are at the root of the problem. Mr. Speaker, this rule allows for consideration of an important piece of legislation that will address the burdensome permitting and regulatory hurdles that are harmful to this vital industry. Yet, while this legislation allows for greater utilization of domestic resources, it also maintains important environmental safeguards designed to ensure the health of our constituents and ecosystems, striking an important balance that has been absent far too long. While my colleague from Colorado and I may have a few differences of opinion, I firmly believe this rule and the underlying bill are strong measures that are critically important to our country's future, both for my State as well as his and many, many others in this country. Mr. Speaker, I support the rule's adoption, and I urge my colleague to support House Resolution 481, and the underlying bill.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 481 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, just yesterday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule for House Resolution 481, providing for the consideration of an important piece of legislation--H.R. 1937, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2015. This rule provides for the consideration of H.R. 1937 under a structured rule, with five amendments made in order, four of which, I might point out, were offered by Democratic Members of this body. Therefore, this rule provides for a balanced, deliberative, and open debate if we focus our remarks on the merits of the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act and don't go off on unnecessary tangents. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support both House Resolution 481 and the underlying bill, H.R. 1937. I would like to congratulate the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Amodei) for sponsoring this legislation, and I would also like to thank the gentleman from Utah, Chairman Rob Bishop, for his leadership on this important issue. Mr. Speaker, this rule will allow us to consider the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, an important bill that will streamline our country's mine permitting processes to remove unnecessary and burdensome bureaucratic hurdles, which can delay some mining activities and projects by up to a decade--10 years--which is an outrageous amount of time that is indicative of the problem we seek to address here today. The permitting system the Federal Government currently uses to provide for the extraction of rare earth minerals in the U.S. is outdated, unproductive, and, more often than not, hinders our ability to extract these critical resources. This red tape has a devastating impact on communities across the country and in the West, particularly, that rely on the ability to obtain and develop these minerals for economic growth and our Nation's security. Our country is blessed with a myriad of rare earth minerals that are increasingly used to manufacture high-tech equipment as well as many other everyday applications and products. Many countries around the world are already working to improve their infrastructure, providing the United States with an exceptional opportunity to play a major role in the growing minerals marketplace by supplying foreign countries and businesses, as well as domestic companies, with the resources necessary to remain competitive in the international economy. However, a lack of communication between local, State, and Federal permitting agencies exists, and it creates a bureaucratic backlog of applications that delays mining activity by approximately, like I said, 7 to 10 years, which, if not addressed, will impede the ability of U.S. mineral companies to increase their share of the global marketplace. Mr. Speaker, due to onerous government red tape, the frivolous lawsuits that result, and a burdensome permitting process, good-paying jobs in the United States mining industry have moved overseas and have put domestic manufacturing jobs at the mercy of our foreign competitors. H.R. 1937 would fix our outdated and uncertain bureaucratic permitting system, which negatively impacts investment in our economy by discouraging domestic companies from extracting and developing these critical minerals. This is especially unfortunate given that we have only begun to scratch the surface of what we can potentially develop from our abundant natural resources, which have played such a critical role in making the U.S. a leading world economy and industrial power. Our Nation has vast energy potential from sources such as coal, oil shale, and natural gas, as well as numerous critical minerals that we should be developing. Yet the development of our domestic minerals resources has been obstructed time and time again under this administration, which, unfortunately, places the political goals of special interests over the welfare and well-being of hardworking Americans. Mr. Speaker, simply put, the Federal Government should promote investments in the U.S. and in American companies by creating a regulatory framework that encourages the safe development of domestic resources. If we are going to address the growing mineral trade imbalance--with more U.S. mining jobs moving overseas and higher energy and commodity prices here at home--we must first put a stop to the bureaucratic delays that are at the root of the problem. This legislation does just that by telling Federal agencies to make a decision about whether a project should move forward or not--a simple ``yes'' or ``no''--and do it in a timely manner. Give people certainty. We have streamlined and improved this process for other domestic industries, and it is now time to do it for our rare earth minerals sector, which is responsible for some of the highest paying middle class jobs across the country. It is illogical and irrational that red tape and delayed permit approvals can lead to 10 years of deliberation over whether or not to approve a mining permit or project. Actually, it borders on insanity. Mr. Speaker, this is a good, straightforward rule, allowing for the consideration of an important piece of legislation that will provide the U.S. with a unique opportunity to tap into the growing global marketplace for rare earth minerals by supplying both foreign and domestic companies with the resources they need to remain competitive. Mr. Speaker, I support the rule's adoption, and I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the contributions of Dave Olson, who is retiring as President of Washington River Protection Solutions, a Tank-Farm Contractor at the Hanford Nuclear site in Central Washington. After 30 years of service, Dave's retirement is well-deserved. Since taking over as President of WRPS in 2013, he has been an outstanding leader and under his leadership the company has tackled some of the most complex waste remediation issues at the site, while maintaining one of the best safety records across the EM complex. Hanford is one of the most critical environmental cleanup projects in the world--with 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous chemical waste stored in underground tanks--and Dave's dedication and contributions have been invaluable to the project. Dave also volunteered as a member of the Hanford Working Group, which I formed to advise me on issues of importance to the Hanford Site and local communities. I would like to congratulate Dave on his retirement and thank him for his time, valuable insight, and dedicated service to the cleanup mission at Hanford and the long-term prosperity of the Tri- Cities.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I, too, have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to support this good, bipartisan piece of legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Herrera Beutler), my colleague and friend, who has committed to me that she will go to every effort to make sure she has samples of Dungeness crab in her office so we all know what we are talking about.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today, we are considering H.R. 2168, sponsored by my friend and fellow Washingtonian, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler. This bipartisan, consensus-based legislation makes permanent the longstanding management of the Dungeness crab fishery by Washington, Oregon, and California. The three States manage this crab fishery under the umbrella of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Management is funded by the participating States. We must pass legislation to continue this management. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that H.R. 2168 would save the Federal Government up to $1 million in discretionary Federal spending since State management would continue under this bill. If State management expires and this bill is not enacted, then the Federal Government would have to expend new resources to manage the fishery. This bill keeps that from happening. The States have shown that they are exemplary at handling this management and it is unnecessary for this authority to fall to the Federal Government. This bill is a win for the American taxpayer, a win for the seafood consumer, a win for my home State as well as the States of Oregon and California, and a win for those employed by the sustainable harvest of the species. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2168) to make the current Dungeness crab fishery management regime permanent and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support S. 986. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 986, which would direct the Secretary of the Interior to place 11 acres of Federal land into trust for the collective benefit of 19 Pueblos in the State of New Mexico. These 11 acres were historically part of the Albuquerque Indian School site, which are culturally and historically significant to the Pueblos. Upon transfer, the lands may be used by the 19 Pueblos for the educational, health, cultural, business, and economic development purposes by these Pueblo tribes. One important thing to note is this land may not be used for gaming purposes under this bill. Since 1976, the 19 Pueblos have used the lands of the former Albuquerque Indian School for the cultural and economic benefit of the 19 Pueblos. This is the last portion of Federal lands of the former school site, which has not been conveyed to the 19 Pueblos. This bill is supported by the entire New Mexico congressional delegation. Recognizing the support of the local delegation, the House companion bill, H.R. 1880, sponsored by Congresswoman Lujan Grisham, was favorably reported by the Natural Resources Committee on September 30 of 2015. I urge passage of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 986) to require the Secretary of the Interior to take into trust 4 parcels of Federal land for the benefit of certain Indian Pueblos in the State of New Mexico.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a significant milestone in Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco, Washington. While the Tri-Cities led the way in ending World War II and the cold war and was very proud to do so, the Federal Government has a legal and moral obligation to clean up the legacy nuclear waste at Hanford. This week we celebrate a cleanup milestone and the transfer of more than 1,600 acres of land back to these communities. This transfer represents the culmination of years of local efforts as well as bipartisan, bicameral cooperation. I commend the work of Doc Hastings and Senators Murray and Cantwell that laid the groundwork for this achievement. As Hanford's cleanup mission is completed, this unneeded Federal land should continue to be returned to the local community for the goals of conservation, preservation, public access, and economic development to be achieved. This long anticipated land transfer will be used for industrial and energy production and creates jobs and boosts economic development in the mid-Columbia region. This week's transfer is an exciting step for the post-Hanford future. I will continue to work with all parties to have more land returned to the community.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Yakima Union Gospel Mission for 79 years of unwavering support and dedication to those in need in the Yakima Valley. The Union Gospel Mission ensures that individual needs are met, helping to provide between 400 and 600 meals a day, free clothing and household goods, free medical care, and dental care that can be paid for based on a sliding monetary scale or through hours worked at the mission. The mission offers long-term residential addiction recovery treatment programs for men and women and focuses on skill development through the provision of job training opportunities at the mission's catering, retail, and recycling centers. In 2014 alone, the Union Gospel Mission helped over 1,200 of its 1,400 clients find work and permanent housing. Additionally, the Union Gospel Mission operates the Madison House Youth Center, providing year-round tutoring, college preparation, meals, and activities for high-risk, inner-city youth. Please join me in thanking the Yakima Union Gospel Mission for its unrelenting commitment to serving our community.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, for the second year in a row, my home State of Washington and my Fourth Congressional District are facing the worst wildfires in the State's recorded history. One year ago the Carlton Complex fire broke out in Okanogan County. At the time, it was the most destructive in our State's history, burning over 250,000 acres, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses, and devastating the environment. Now the people of Washington are once again enduring another catastrophic wildfire season, far surpassing the scale of the devastation experienced last year. To put it in perspective, the amount of land burning in my home State is equivalent to the State of Rhode Island. Many of these fires continue to burn, even as Federal, State, and local agencies and officials work tirelessly to contain them. Communities across my State are mourning the tragic loss of three firefighters who fell in the line of duty on August 19 while battling the Twisp fire in Okanogan County. We remember and mourn the loss of these brave young men: Andrew Zajac, Richard Wheeler, and Tom Beshevsky. Our prayers are with their families and their loved ones. The current situation in Washington is dire, and the heartbreaking loss of life is a sober reminder of the dangerous conditions facing many residents. Already roughly 1 million acres have burned, along with countless homes and businesses and agricultural operations, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes as the threat continues. While the Governor has declared a state of emergency and the President approved a Federal emergency declaration, the threat remains for residents of central and eastern Washington, and more resources are necessary. For the first time in history, the Forest Service has spent more than half its budget on wildfire suppression and across the country over 8 million acres have already burned just this year. The Forest Service reported last week that it has begun the practice known as fire borrowing, which is transferring funds to supplement its diminishing firefighting budget. This practice of fire borrowing leads into a vicious cycle where funding is not available for critical fire mitigation efforts, such as thinning dense forests, rehabilitating areas after wildfires, and ensuring communities are more resilient and prepared for future fires. This leads the next fire season to be worse than the last, a trend that we are now experiencing in Washington, which is why it is more important than ever to pass legislation to fix this problem such as the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. To protect our communities and battle the wildfires, firefighters from across the U.S., as well as Australia and New Zealand, have joined the fight. We owe them our deepest gratitude and thanks. Additionally, the thousands of first responders and volunteers and National Guard servicemembers who have worked around the clock at great personal risk to fight the blaze deserve recognition for their heroic and selfless efforts. I have seen firsthand how our communities have pulled together to help one another during these trying times. Our communities in central and eastern Washington are resolute, resilient, and have come together to confront the many challenges facing them. The outpouring of support and effort of volunteers from all over the State and country, who provide shelter to survivors, cook meals, and unload trucks of relief supplies, is a testament to the spirit and determination of Washingtonians and our neighbors. However, help is needed still as the current fires have only worsened what was already a perilous situation, with more and more homes being destroyed, families being displaced, and severe economic hardship expected in the aftermath. Mr. Speaker, we must remember the losses caused by catastrophic wildfires of the last 2 years, and Congress must continue to push to improve forest health and to ensure that this does not happen again.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I have got something I think is very important and something I think you are going to enjoy. Sometimes we learn about some very remarkable people, individuals who, when we hear about them, make us pause, stop, and think about how much they inspire and really make a difference. Today, I want to recognize one such person, a young lady of 12 years old by the name of Makenna Schwab. She lives in the community of East Wenatchee, Washington, which happens to be in my legislative district in the State of Washington. Makenna was born with something called Larsen syndrome, which is a rare connective tissue disorder that causes bone dislocations. This affects her airway, spine, and joints. This remarkable young lady has already undergone 14 surgeries in her short life. Four years ago, Makenna and her mother, Melissa, wanted to give something back to Seattle Children's Hospital, which over the course of her life has been their home away from home. She said she wanted to give something back because Seattle Children's has made it so that she can walk and live independently. So she decided to sell lemonade and cookies, a perfectly natural thing for a 12-year-old to decide. This young lady raised more than $6,700 that year for Children's Hospital. The family knew they could do more. They wanted to do more. So the next year, she and her family collected over 650 new toys for the kids at the hospital. But even that wasn't enough. The following year, she wanted to do even more. So she sold 530 dozen donuts, raising more than $7,500 to go towards Seattle Children's Hospital. This year, Mr. Speaker, she set her sights even higher. According to Seattle Children's Hospital's Kathryn Bluher, Makenna's goal was to give the kids at the hospital something that was very important, near and dear to her heart. She wanted to give them red Radio Flyer wagons. I know you are smiling, Mr. Speaker, but that was an important thing because, in between her appointments throughout her young life, traveling between her room to the operating room to the playroom, the red Radio Flyer wagon was her ride. And she rode in style. She said that those wagons are a really good memory. They were less scary than a wheelchair. The support that she got to reach her goal in this year's fundraising I think was nothing short of amazing. Makenna collected enough to purchase 33 wagons for the hospital. Friends, family, the mayor of the city, Wenatchee High School, a group of local dentists, even assisted living homes helped in the effort. The whole community pitched in. Actually, the hospital had to tell her that that was enough wagons. She moved on to other things that were on the wish list. By the end of the drive, she had those 33 wagons, but she also had 36 DVD players, 12 headphones, five baby swings, 280 gift cards, 300 new toys, and many other things. Makenna and her family have started a tradition that will live on, that has and will continue to make kids' stay at the Seattle Children's Hospital just a little less scary. As Makenna said, ``I want to give kids hope.'' Well, in May, and very deservedly so, Makenna received a national Make a Difference Day award for her volunteer project on behalf of the hospital. As I told you before, sometimes you hear of remarkable people, and I am very proud to be able to share McKenna's story with you. I am proud to say that she is a fine citizen of my congressional district and my State of Washington.

Mr. NEWHOUSE

Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce my legislation, the Veterans Emergency Treatment Act. This important and necessary legislation would ensure that every enrolled veteran is afforded the highest level of emergency care at every emergency-capable medical facility under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA). It would accomplish this by applying the statutory requirements of the Emergency Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to emergency care furnished by the VA to enrolled veterans. EMTALA, designed to prevent hospitals from transferring, or ``dumping,'' uninsured patients at public hospitals requires 1) a hospital to conduct a medical examination to determine if an emergency medical condition exists; 2) if such condition exists, the hospital must either stabilize the patient or comply with the statutory requirements of a proper transfer; and 3) if an emergency medical condition exists and has not been stabilized, the hospital may not transfer the patient unless the patient, after being made aware of the risks, makes a transfer request in writing or a physician certifies that the medical benefits of a transfer outweigh the risks. EMTALA grants every individual a right to emergency care. While a 2007 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) directive indicates that the VA complies with the intent of the EMTALA requirements, VA hospitals are ``non- participating'' hospitals and are therefore not obligated to fulfill EMTALA requirements. It is has become abundantly clear that the VA is not fulfilling the EMTALA directive. All too frequently, the policy is to turn down those who try to access an emergency room. It happened to my constituent, 64-year-old Army veteran Donald Siefken, when the Seattle VA refused to assist him from his car into the emergency room. Last year in New Mexico, a veteran died when the VA refused to transport him the 500 yards to the emergency room. This is not a new issue. These incidents have been documented as far back as 2006, yet the VA has yet to change their policy, and Congress must act. Put simply, my commonsense and straightforward legislation would ensure that every enrolled veteran who arrives at the emergency department of a VA medical facility and indicates an emergency condition exists, is assessed and treated in an effort to prevent further injury or death. I urge all members to join me in supporting this legislation. This is common sense legislation to ensure our veterans are treated fairly.