Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1320, the Nuclear Utilization of Keynote Energy Act is a bipartisan bill. The NUKE Act, as it is known, was sponsored by my Energy and Commerce friends, Adam Kinzinger from Illinois and Mike Doyle from Pennsylvania. The bill went through regular order in the committee. With only one single amendment, it went through the full committee by a voice vote. The NUKE Act makes targeted reforms to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It reforms the fee structure, which, at present, threatens to increase the financial burden of our Nation's nuclear fleet, nuclear suppliers, and those working on cutting-edge technology. This will be critical in the coming years as a large number of reactors are taken out of service. The bill also streamlines some of the licensing steps and other rules at the NRC. It means Congress will get useful information for oversight so we can find even more steps to keep the NRC on track. We need to make sure the old rules on nuclear power, dating back as far as the 1960s, still makes sense today. Overall, H.R. 1320 will help the nuclear industry with more clear and straightforward rules. And in doing so, average Americans and companies, large and small, will benefit. Nuclear technology can be part of the future for industry, medicine, and clean energy. Nuclear power is unique. It is the only baseload power we have that has no hydrocarbon emissions, zero. We also make sure that global leadership on nuclear power stays right here in America. That is important not just for jobs but for our national security. There is no question that nuclear power in America is flying into a headwind, but there is also no question that the industry provides important and sometimes underappreciated benefits to America. Congress can help lighten the burden while still making nuclear power the safest in the industry. H.R. 1320 is a key piece of this effort to ensure we have a robust nuclear industry going forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), the chairman of the full Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger), the author of the bill.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, the ranking member of the full committee said it just perfectly: Support this bill. It is a good bipartisan bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Needville Sapphires Dance and Drill Team for earning All-Star Status and the title of Gold Elite Team. The team worked hard at dance camp in Galveston to earn the title of Gold Elite Team, as well as the title of All-Star. The team consists of 24 talented dancers: Alondra Vazquez, Ellye Filla, Jackie Argueta, Vasti Coronado, Cynthia Gaona, Kerri Kiser, Mia Rosales, Joselyn Argueta, Annie Rule, Maddy Knight, Rosalan Rule, Gabby Bonilla, Samantha Cruz, Tori Rash, Desiree Ojeda, Paris Green, Kendall Hudson, Melanie Fraga, Belen Barron, Ciara Cavazos, Leyla Mottu, Karla Barron, Tesa Gustavus, and Jill Reid. The team worked hard together to earn this accomplishment. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to the Needville Sapphires Dance and Drill Team for their new All-Star status and for earning the title of Gold Elite Team. We look forward to seeing their future successes on and off the dance floor.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Samuel Onstead of Sugar Land, TX for earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout is the highest honor a Boy Scout can earn. The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest honor a Boy Scout can achieve. It requires years of effort to develop the necessary leadership, service and outdoor skills. To earn this rank, Samuel developed and provided leadership to others in a service project. For his project, Samuel painted the interior of the gymnasium at First Colony Church of Christ in Sugar Land, TX, which serves both the church and Cornerstone Christian Academy. Samuel is also involved in team sports and a youth church group. His dedication to our community has prepared him to be a leader in his future career. The leadership skills he has learned through Boy Scouts will continue to benefit our community. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Samuel for becoming an Eagle Scout. We are proud and confident of his continued success and thank him for his dedication to making our community a better place.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn and celebrate the life of Deputy Chief (Ret) Kevin Cress of Fort Bend County's Emergency Medical Service (FBCEMS) team. Deputy Chief Kress worked for the FBCEMS for many years as a part- time paramedic before transitioning to full time in 1981. Kevin was promoted to Deputy Chief in 1984 and remained in that position until he retired in 2013. Deputy Kress completed over 35 years combined years of service at FBCEMS. He will receive full EMS honors at his visitation and memorial service. The Fort Bend community is humbled and grateful to Deputy Chief Kress for his outstanding commitment to service. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, we say goodbye to a valued public servant. Deputy Cress will be an example for future generations to come, and will be missed deeply. We wish him fair winds and following seas.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ashley Lane from Clear Lake for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. To earn this distinguished award, Ashley had to spend at least 80 hours developing and executing a project that would benefit the community, as well as have a long-term impact on girls. For her Gold Award project, Ashley addressed the lack of permanent visual images on the walls of the Early Childhood Program (ECP) at Clear Lake Presbyterian Church. For young children, these programs could be their first time away from their home and parents and being able to see murals and colorful images on their surroundings will help them grow their senses and creativity. Ashley led a team to design, create and paint mini murals on each of the classroom walls. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Ashley Lane for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. We are confident she will have continued success in her future endeavors. We are very proud of her accomplishment.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for being named one of America's top community hospitals by Becker's Hospital Review. This review recognizes hospitals that have achieved outstanding clinical quality and operational excellence, while having a significant economic impact on their communities. Houston Methodist Sugar Land is one of just five Texas hospitals named to the 2018 list and the only hospital in Fort Bend County to be honored. This award is a testament to the excellent care provided by the hospital's physicians, nurses and staff. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for being named one of America's top 100 community hospitals. I thank them for their commitment to providing only the best care for our Fort Bend County Community.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate TeKylah Simpson for being accepted into the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Austin. TeKylah, a senior at Stafford High School, enrolled in Chef Courtney Ralls' Culinary Program as a sophomore. Through the program, Simpson became the first in her family to travel outside of the United States when she went to Italy; next summer she will go to Spain. Her skills have developed and earned her a spot at the Culinary school. She is incredibly driven and one day hopes to open her own bakery. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to TeKylah Simpson for being accepted into the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Austin. We know that she will reflect the hard work and values of her community through her academics, and wish her the best of luck.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great school, J. Frank Dobie High School in Houston, Texas on 50 years of molding the young minds of the South Belt-Ellington area. Named for Texas folklorist and former University of Texas professor J. Frank Dobie, Dobie High school opened with 980 students in 1968 to address the growing population boom in the South Belt area. The original high school, located on Beamer Road, was a significant achievement in its construction alone, being the first district high school designed to be completely air conditioned. With the exception of the gyms, the building had no windows, making it an ideal shelter for tornados. The school moved to a new building in the fall of 2003, served as a critical emergency shelter during Hurricane Harvey and helped save many lives. Throughout the years, Dobie High School has been a leader in many areas, producing national championship Academic Decathlon teams, countless district victories in sports, music and agriculture. Dobie High School demonstrates an unparalleled commitment to enhancing the education of students in the South Belt-Ellington area. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to J. Frank Dobie High School on 50 years of academic excellence.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my dear friend from Kansas for letting me share with the American people the stories from home, Texas 22. My home county, my home district is on the verge of coming close to 900,000 people. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has changed all of their lives in a dramatic and very important way. Texas 22 is better off now. My home county, Fort Bend County, Texas, is the most diverse county in America; 140 languages are spoken all over Texas 22. Every time I am home, I ask people what they think about lower tax rates for their families, a 21 percent corporate tax rate, full expensing of their expenses in the same year, and an end of the death tax. They say the same thing over and over; 140 languages become one language, and that language is pure Texas. Quote from back home: I like these tax cuts. Are they good? Dang straight. I reckon I can buy a new pickup truck, provide healthcare for my employees who have back pains because their wallets in their back pockets of their Wrangler jeans are so darn heavy they are twisting their spine. Mr. Speaker, these Texans say: I can't understand how Democrats in the U.S. House can call these tax cuts mere crumbs. Crumbs. Back home, they are puzzled: How can these Democrats be so out of touch with America? How can my family keeping our money be such a bad thing? But one old boy Texan in Meadville, Texas, solved this problem. He said: If the money I get in my pocket from keeping my money is crumbs, I am fixing to be a world record holder in the Guinness Book of World Records. I will have a mound of crumbs as big as a Texas icon, Enchanted Rock. That rock is 640 acres big and stands 525 feet above the terrain. That is a dang big pile of crumbs. Gary Allred owns Rosenberg Tractor right there in Fort Bend County. He has had that up and running for 32 years. Being in the tractor business, agriculture, lots of ups and downs: One year it rains; the next year it doesn't. One year it is hot; one year it is cold. The big city is coming his way. We are growing dramatically in southeast Texas. All this growth has made his land very, very, very valuable. He knows if he has to sell his land sometime in the future, land that has been in his family now for almost 50 years, he will have to pay a death tax; and maybe his daughter, his son, his grandsons, his granddaughters won't have his dream, their tractor company in their possession. But Gary knows now he no longer has to worry: the death tax is dead. That is because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He said: I have guys coming in, customers, looking to buy a new tractor and all the farm implements that go with them. He is worried because he is a hay farmer, piles and piles of hay. He is worried because these so-called crumbs he will get will be so huge, they will block out all of his hay crops. That is a big, big, big pile of crumbs. Mr. Speaker, the final crumb story I have, again, is from an icon from Richmond, Texas. His name is Andres Novoa. He owns La Cocina Mexican restaurant. For every crumb of the Mexican food he makes, he sells, he gives two crumbs back to his local community. He has the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in all of Fort Bend County. He raises thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars for causes like Meals on Wheels in Fort Bend County. He has raised enough money to buy two vans for Meals on Wheels. With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, he can buy another van, a third van, for Fort Bend County Meals on Wheels. These Texans are all excited. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2.0 is coming quickly. That means this great law will be permanent. It will be more competitive. And guess what. We will have more and more records in Fort Bend County of piles and piles of crumbs for the Guinness Book of World Records. Americans are better off right now, and they will be better off in the future.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 4606.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act, a bill written by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson). This important bill will speed up the review of applications to export small amounts of natural gas to the emerging small LNG markets in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. This bill will strengthen our energy security, create jobs at home, and open new markets for Americans. This bill is about creating a level playing field for the smallest projects. Right now, to export natural gas to a country that we have a free trade agreement with, it is approved without red tape. We want to do that for very small projects, too, no matter the buyer. H.R. 4606 is truly focused on ``small-scale'' projects. We are talking about projects that amount to maybe one-tenth of 1 percent of the natural gas America consumes every single day. It is only 0.14 billion cubic feet per day. The big LNG products that you hear about are more like 2 billion cubic feet per day. That is 0.14 versus 2 billion cubic feet. These are tiny projects worth looking at. We want them to make their way to the emerging markets. But don't let the small size fool you. Just as larger LNG exports help us push back against Vladimir Putin and help free Eastern Europe, small LNG will preserve American influence in Latin America. We can give our trading partners a cleaner, more dependable option than unreliable and unstable Venezuelan exports. That is why I call our LNG exports ``liquid American freedom.'' America will never turn off the spigot over politics. Madam Chair, this is a bipartisan bill. It went through regular order in the Energy and Commerce Committee, where we held hearings and accepted a bipartisan amendment to perfect the bill. The Department of Energy is also in support of this bill's intent. Passing this bill, they said, means ``saving several months of review time, at a minimum.'' We have also heard from LNG producers, terminal operators, and overseas developers. One said it will provide certainty and speed up ``America's rise as a world-class exporter of natural gas, creating U.S. jobs, growing our economy, strengthening global energy security, all while reducing emissions and pollution.'' I believe it is important to point out that H.R. 4606 makes absolutely no changes to environmental law. In fact, at our markup we accepted a bipartisan amendment that clarifies that any project would have to qualify for a broad exclusion under NEPA to be put on the fast track. This bill is not about waiving environmental laws. Most importantly, DOD is working on the same problem and is improving their rules as we speak. They say that many of the countries in the Caribbean and Latin America don't have enough demand to cover the costs of enormous import terminals for huge ships. The small-scale LNG export market is the only path that makes sense to bring affordable American energy to these projects and countries. Congress needs to put DOE's policy into law. That is the only way we can create certainty. No one wants to make investments on a single administration's policy. Congress must create certainty, and this bill does just that. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. It is good for our economy, our jobs, and our economic diplomacy. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson), the author of the bill.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), the former chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the current chairman and a senior member of the Texas delegation. (Mr. BARTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar), the chair of the Western Caucus.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko).

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall).

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. It is real simple. This bill is about good-paying, American jobs, American energy going to our neighbors in Latin America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. This bill does not skate around any environmental laws. You have to comply with all the rules as they exist today to export this natural gas. This bill is bipartisan as here today, two speakers from the other side spoke in favor of this bill. I ask my colleagues to join those Members and our Members and vote for this good bill for American jobs, American security, and great foreign relations. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, this amendment is unnecessary and misguided because emissions from natural gas wells are already regulated by the EPA and States under the Clean Air Act. H.R. 4606 applies only to projects that have already undergone rigorous environmental review and are eligible for an exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. Other than the Natural Gas Act, DOE has the responsibility to protect the public interest. In doing so, DOE must consider whether the project applicant is following the laws and regulations, including those under the Clean Air Act. Let's be clear about the environmental benefits of natural gas in general and this legislation, specifically. U.S. carbon emissions in 2017 were the lowest they have been since 1992 because we are using more clean natural gas. Unfortunately, carbon emissions are increasing in other parts of the world because they don't have access to clean-burning natural gas. Our friends in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean are still burning Venezuelan fuel oil in places where our U.S. LNG can replace that fuel oil. H.R. 4606 is good for our economy. It is good for new American jobs, and it is good for our environment. This legislation will start America's rise as a world-class exporter of natural gas, which will help reduce emissions and pollution all across the globe. If you really care about reducing emissions, you can't deny the benefits of this legislation. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, again, this bill is all about good-paying American jobs. American exports of liquified natural gas help our neighbors in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. This bill makes our air cleaner. Let's lock those benefits in for years to come. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4606 and oppose this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.