Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the motion.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I want healthy air. Everyone here in this Chamber wants healthy air. Every American wants healthy air. Where I live in the greater Houston area, we have struggled with air quality, but we are making great progress. In fact, communities all across America have cut ozone levels by one-third in the last few decades. That progress must continue, and that is why this bill is not about blocking the path forward on clean air. As a top air official in California said about H.R. 4775: ``It does not roll back anything that is already in the Clean Air Act in the form of protections for public health . . . it will not slow down our progress as we move forward to reduce air pollution and improve public health.'' There has never been a regulator in this country who wants to drag their feet on clean air. Our States have said for years that they face real challenges under current law. Addressing those real challenges is what this bill is all about. That is why we need H.R. 4775. It gives our local officials the tools they need to make the Clean Air Act work. It tackles the challenges of States being asked to implement overlapping regulations. H.R. 4775 will let EPA consider whether its rules are achievable, but never putting cost ahead of public health when setting a new standard. H.R. 4775 will make sure that clean air rules are implemented fairly, and that communities like mine and yours aren't penalized for emissions they can't control. In 2008, the Bush administration put out lower ozone standards. In 2015, the Obama administration finally put out rules for 2008 standards. America lost 7 years of cleaner air. And then, in late 2015, the Obama administration put out even lower standards. Are we going to lose 7 more years of cleaner air? Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Let's not repeat the last 7 years of ozone insanity. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the motion to recommit. Give our local communities the ozone sanity they crave and deserve. Vote ``yes'' for final passage. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order against the motion to recommit.

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

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of a point of order.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, since 1980, ozone levels have decreased by 33 percent, and EPA projects air quality ``will continue to improve over the next decade as additional reductions in ozone precursors from power plants, motor vehicles, and other sources are realized.'' Nothing in this bill changes any existing air quality standards or prevents these improvements to air quality from being realized. This amendment, however, would allow the EPA, in consultation with CASAC, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, to invalidate the entire bill. Why we would give CASAC this power is beyond me because they haven't done a good job with ozone. Under the Clean Air Act, CASAC is required to provide advice to the Agency about the potential adverse effects of implementing new air quality standards. Section 109(d)(2)(C)(iv) expressly requires CASAC to ``advise the Administrator of any adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result from various strategies for attainment and maintenance of such national ambient air quality standards.'' Despite this provision, CASAC has not provided that advice. In May of 2015, the Government Accountability Office issued a report indicating that CASAC has never provided that advice because EPA has never requested that advice, and that EPA has no plans to ask CASAC to provide advice on potential adverse effects. In a recent survey, 80 percent of State air agencies said that such advice would be helpful to their agency. H.R. 4775 will ensure that such advice is provided and also ensure that States have the time and regulatory tools they need to comply with new ozone rules and other air quality standards. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, I will offer a quote from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District executive director. He said these words before our committee: ``H.R. 4775, in my opinion, provides for much-needed streamlining of the implementation of the Clean Air Act. It does not roll back anything that is already in the Clean Air Act in the form of protections for public health, safeguarding public health, and it does nothing to roll back any of the progress that has been made, and it will not impede or slow down our progress as we move forward to reduce air pollution and improve public health.'' This amendment trashes that statement. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, every time I talk about this bipartisan bill, I make sure to emphasize one point: I want clean air. I remember Houston in the 1970s. We could not see the downtown through the smog. We have made a lot of progress since then. The whole country has made a lot of progress since then. I want that progress to continue. Despite what some would have you believe, Mr. Chairman, this bipartisan bill is not about fundamentally changing the Clean Air Act. Nothing in this bipartisan bill changes any air quality standard or regulation. Nothing in this bipartisan bill puts cost before science when EPA sets a new standard. This bipartisan bill is about carefully thought-out, commonsense reforms. It is about listening to State regulators who actually had to make EPA's rules work for the people. The people I work for back home are full of common sense. Common sense says that EPA should put out guidance to follow a new rule at the same time they put out the rule. Folks in Texas 22 and across America are puzzled. What is wrong with EPA putting out a complete package of rules and regulations together instead of a rule first followed by regulations 7 years later? That is not common sense. That is a road to failure, a road we are going down right now. As Dr. Bryan Shaw, the top regulator for air quality in my home State of Texas, said, provisions in this bipartisan bill will ``allow States to focus their limited resources'' to implement EPA's previous ozone rule. We can continue to improve Texas air--and the air of every State--if we let our regulators do their jobs. I carefully wrote this bipartisan bill to include more common sense. Let EPA consider achievability when issuing a new rule. This is not a mandate. I ask my opponents to read this bipartisan bill. Read the language. It clearly says the EPA may consider achievability when they set a new standard. This provision will never allow EPA to set an unhealthy standard. They can't use cost to ignore science. Let's bring common sense to the EPA and work together to help States improve air quality. Vote for this bill.

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

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, I support this amendment. It is real simple. This says to the EPA: Do your job. Do your job. EPA admits half of the ozone in America comes from ``uncontrolled sources,'' ``uncontrolled sources.'' That means sources we can't control. Sources like ozone from China, like ozone in my home State from Mexico, like ozone coming from annual crop burnings, like ozone coming across the Atlantic from Sub-Saharan Africa sandstorms, like ozone coming from all over the world. This past Christmas, my wife and I went to the Grand Canyon-- beautiful. It has an ozone problem. They have a sign there that says: Most of the Grand Canyon air pollutants come from distant sources ignoring human boundaries. All this amendment says is: EPA, do your job. Do the research to find out where this is coming from and don't penalize Americans for something they can't control. I support this amendment.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chair, the intent of this bill is to end the nightmare scenario we are going through right now by which the EPA issues regulations 7 years after it announces a new rule, and it piles on a new regulation 6 months later. But don't take my word with regard to the problems that it causes in America; listen to the States. Teresa Marks, Arkansas' Department of Environmental Quality, July 31, 2012: Five years may not allow enough time for new technology or science to be fully developed. With more time between review processes, the States could have adequate time to develop proper SIPs and meet Federal deadlines. Martha Rudolph, Colorado's Department of Public Health and Environment, July 23, 2012: This ambitious schedule for evaluating and promulgating NAAQS revisions every 5 years has created an inefficient planning process. I saved the best for last. Michael Krancer, Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection, November 29, 2012: The development of the NAAQS on an interval of 5 years, section 109(d)(1), has created significant resource burdens for both the EPA and the States. Furthermore, the cascading standards can create confusion for the public actions because, as the State's EPA continues to work on SIP revisions and the determination of attainment for one standard with the ozone, the air quality index is based on another. NAAQS review intervals should be lengthened to 10 years. Section 3(d) of this bill provides that a new rule or a revised standard shall not apply to pending permit applications until the Agency has published regulations and guidance about how to implement the new standards in the permitting process. If a State, local, or tribal permitting authority wants to impose more stringent standards with respect to a particular preconstruction permit application, nothing in H.R. 4775 prevents it from doing so. This amendment allows the EPA to escape its responsibility for issuing timely guidance. We should ensure the EPA has to take timely action. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chair, for the Members who are thinking about voting for this amendment, I will simply say: Read the bill. Section 3(b) states that, if the EPA Administrator, in consultation with the EPA's independent scientific advisory committee, finds a range of levels of air quality that protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, then--and only then--``the Administrator may consider as secondary consideration likely technological feasibility in establishing and revising the national primary ambient air quality standard for this pollutant.'' It reads ``may,'' not ``must,'' not ``shall''--but ``may.'' H.R. 4775 does not change the Clean Air Act's requirement that standards be based on public health. This is a clarification for future administrations that Congress considers technical feasibility to be a reasonable part of the decisionmaking process when policy choices must be made among a range of scientifically valid options. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and neighbor to the east, Mr. Al Green, for holding this very Special Order about floods we have had in Texas. It has been a rough year in Texas' 22nd Congressional District. Last Memorial Day, we had the 100-year flood and lost one life, one who drove into a flooded small creek and died in their vehicle. Tax day 2016, there was lots of street flooding. I had to move my pickup truck off my street before it was taken over by the water. The worst came 2 weeks ago, the 500-year flood. The Brazos River came out of its banks like never before. That river cuts through the heart of my district. It first hit Simonton, a small town in the northwest part of Fort Bend County. They had a mandatory evacuation on May 29. Every home, except for 12, left. Almost all the homes have been flooded. Next, was Richmond and Rosenberg. Two days after Simonton, they, too, had mandatory evacuations and had homes north of the railroad track flooded. Next came my hometown of Sugar Land. We had to cancel our Memorial Day celebration because our park was flooded. Next came Missouri City, Sienna Plantation, floods there. It crossed over Brazoria County and went down to Rosharon, and that place was flooded out as well. Luckily, God willing, we lost no lives these past couple of weeks. I saw the greatest in Texans this past week. I put 500 miles on my pickup truck in 8 days. At our Fort Bend emergency command operations center, people from all over the region had taken pizza, Chick-fil-A, coffee, Shipley Do-Nuts, kolaches, making sure these people who were working 24/7 are fed. I saw an old-fashioned cattle drive. Sheriff Troy Nehls led other sheriffs on a cattle drive, moving some cattle down flooded 90, away from the threat of floods. But the best, my friend, was 2 days ago. My wife, Nancy, and I drove over the river and went down to Rosenberg, Texas, to be with B.F. Terry High School. There was a recovery center giving out goods to people in need. This effort was started by what is called The Church, Second Mile Ministry, and Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, who opened up B.F. Terry High School. Every single day they said, ``We need more rooms. We have to have more space,'' and they got it. Nancy and I were assigned to stuffing small bags with one roll of toilet paper, a toothbrush, some toothpaste, some shampoo, some soap, and a razor. We were supervised by three young ladies: Rachel, Isabella, and Layla. They were a true team of Texans, my friend. I called Rachel ``the skipper'' because, man, she was in charge. I called Isabella ``the executive officer'' because she was number two in making sure everything worked well. And Layla was ``the weapons officer.'' Don't mess with Layla. I failed my inspection the first two times. I could not get the bag closed. They got on my back and made sure that I closed that bag so people could have all they needed in times of crisis. That is what makes Texas so great, my friend: not waiting for D.C., but neighbors helping neighbors in need. Those ladies know what the Bible says: love thy neighbor more than thyself.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the following Principals of Pearland Independent School District for being named Principal of the Year. Each school year, principals, teachers and staff members are recognized by the school district with various awards as a reflection of their hard work and dedication to their students and the school as a whole. This year, the two principals that were awarded with the title ``Principal of the Year,'' are Verna Tipton from Sablatura Middle School and Jason Frerking from Pearland Junior High South. These principals have gone above and beyond to inspire their students and create a supportive educational environment. We are grateful for their commitment to education and providing a safe, inspirational learning environment for our students. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Principals Tipton and Frerking for being named Principal of the Year. On behalf of our children, we thank them for all that they do.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the following teachers of Pearland Independent School District for being named Campus Teachers of the Year. Each school year, principals, teachers and staff members are recognized by the school district with various awards as a reflection of their hard work and dedication to their students and the school as a whole. This year 23 Pearland teachers were awarded the title ``Campus Teachers of the Year'': Jennifer Black from Carleston Elementary, Anne Romolo from Challenger Elementary, Patricia Guel from Cockrell Elementary, Tiffany Cox from C.J. Harris Elementary, Katie Strong from Lawhon Elementary, Lisa Rocha from Magnolia Elementary, Christina Morton from Massey Ranch Elementary, Maureen Clayvon-Wright from Rustic Oak Elementary, Ruth Mondich from Shadycrest Elementary, Katie Cruz from Silvercrest Elementary, Gay Stricklin from Silverlake Elementary, Kristine Holland from Alexander Middle School, Rebekkah Rudd from Jamison Middle School, Crystal Hildebrand from Rogers Middle School, Connie Medley from Sablatura Middle School, Shaterra Jackson from Berry Miller Junior High, Lori Sandman from Pearland Junior High East, Lana Garcia from Pearland Junior High South, Mara Williams from Pearland Junior High West, Troy Myers from Dawson High School, Jennifer Duggan from Pearland High School, Hunter Morgan from Turner College and Career High School, and Ann Lowrey Merrill from the PACE Center. These teachers go above and beyond to inspire their students and create a supportive educational environment. We are grateful for their commitment to education and providing a safe, inspirational learning environment for our students. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to these dedicated Pearland teachers for being named Campus Teachers of the Year. We thank them for all that they do.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the following Principals of Pearland Independent School District for being named Employee of the Year. Each school year, principals, teachers and staff members are recognized by the school district with various awards as a reflection of their hard work and dedication to their students and the school as a whole. This year five employees were awarded with the title ``Employee of the Year'': Cindy Brown from the Education Support Center, Sharon Harper from the Food Service, Charlie Saenz from Maintenance, Laura Aguilar from Operations, and Abel Garza from Transportation. These employees go above and beyond to support the students and faculty in Pearland and we thank them for their exceptional service. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to these dedicated Pearland ISD staff members for being named Employees of the Year. We thank them for all that they do.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the following paraprofessionals of Pearland Independent School District for being named Paraprofessionals of the Year. Each school year, principals, teachers and staff members are recognized by the school district with various awards as a reflection of their hard work and dedication to their students and the school as a whole. This year 23 paraprofessionals were awarded with the title ``Paraprofessionals of the Year'': Tara Randall from Carleston Elementary, Julie Putnam from Challenger Elementary, Sharleen Escobar from Cockrell Elementary, Jacob Chavarria from C.J. Harris Elementary, Laura Lemmon from Lawhon Elementary, Sherry Schluntz from Magnolia Elementary, Tara Pitre from Massey Ranch Elementary, Suzan Kimball from Rustic Oak Elementary, Kim Phillips from Shadycrest Elementary, Lawonza Hampton from Silvercrest Elementary, Mindy Bitner from Silverlake Elementary, Christine Coleman from Alexander Middle School, Kenneth Martin II from Jamison Middle School, Reginald Mitchell from Rogers Middle School, Aurelia Montes from Sablatura Middle School, Deborah Cooks from Berry Miller Junior High, Beth Powell from Pearland Junior High East, Armando Torres from Pearland Junior High South, Maria Salais from Pearland Junior High West, Rebecca Moreno from Dawson High School, April Shecterle from Pearland High School, Jure Mejia from Turner College and Career High School, and Maria Fogarty from the PACE Center. These paraprofessionals go above and beyond to inspire their students and create a supportive educational environment. We are grateful for their commitment to education and providing a safe, inspirational learning environment for our students. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to these dedicated Pearland paraprofessionals for being named Paraprofessionals of the Year. We thank them for all that they do.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the following teachers of Pearland Independent School District for being named Campus Glenda Dawson Teachers of the Year. Each school year, principals, teachers and staff members are recognized by the school district with various awards as a reflection of their hard work and dedication to their students and the school as a whole. This year 20 teachers were awarded with the title ``Campus Glenda Dawson Teachers of the Year'': Elandrea McMillan from Carleston Elementary, Caitlin Walsh from Challenger Elementary, Page Madison from Cockrell Elementary, Holly Martinez from C.J. Harris Elementary, KellyAnn Walker from Lawhon Elementary, Joanna Kelley from Magnolia Elementary, Amanda Delgado from Massey Ranch Elementary, Jennifer Rayner from Shadycrest Elementary, Laura Kesseler from Silvercrest Elementary, Amy Klepper from Silverlake Elementary, Brittany Suarez from Alexander Middle School, Charlotte Raggette from Rogers Middle School, Jessica Stone from Sablatura Middle School, Carl Coleman from Berry Miller Junior High, Jennifer Crutcher from Pearland Junior High East, Katie Bruno from Pearland Junior High South, John Aleman from Pearland Junior High West, Daniel Nava from Dawson High School, Brittany Doyle from Pearland High School, and John D. Robinson from Turner College and Career High School. These teachers go above and beyond to inspire their students and create a supportive educational environment. We are grateful for their commitment to education and providing a safe, inspirational learning environment for our students. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to these dedicated Pearland teachers for being named Campus Glenda Dawson Teachers of the Year. We thank them for all that they do.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the St. John's United Church of Christ for providing faith and fellowship to the Rosenberg community for 75 years. St. John's United Church of Christ congregation has been a place of worship for generations. St. John's United Church of Christ had its beginnings in 1941 when Reverend William Luthe met in City Hall to develop plans for the beginning of an Evangelical and Reformed Church in Rosenberg. Since the church opened its doors, there have been six ministers and four interim ministers guiding their congregation in worship. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I want to congratulate St. John's United Church of Christ on its 75th anniversary. Thank you again for bringing faith, fellowship and worship to our community; we look forward to another 75 years.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pearland High School Coach, Fred Armstrong for his 35-year career of coaching track and field. Armstrong graduated from Beaumont French High School and Lamar University, where he attended school on a track scholarship. His first job was at Beaumont Charlton-Pollard High School, he then shifted to Clear Lake and Clear Brook High Schools. Eventually working his way to Pearland High School, Armstrong coached multiple state champions. Over his 35 year career in Track and Field, Armstrong has seen the sport evolve firsthand. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations to recognize Fred Armstrong for his 35 years as a track and field coach and mentor to our area's young athletes. Thank you for coaching some of the state's finest athletes.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my friend from North Carolina. Garrett, in an act of true human love, put his arms on his best friend's shoulders, looked him square in the eye, and whispered: That is why I did it. That is why I did it. Garrett did not earn this honor by his death; he earned it by his life. Because of this bill, Garrett's love will be on permanent display at 3130 Grants Lake Boulevard in Sugar Land, Texas, the Garrett W. Gamble Post Office.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from North Carolina. I would also like to thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Chaffetz, the ranking member, Mr. Cummings, and the entire committee for getting H.R. 4877 to the House floor this afternoon. This bill names a post office a few miles from my home after Lance Corporal Garrett Gamble, United States Marine Corps. Garrett died defending our freedom on March 11, 2010, in Afghanistan. He was 20 years young. Garrett died before I could meet him, but I will never forget him because of the stories I was told after God called him home. His mother, Chelle, told me about a 10-year-old boy who got very angry when he saw those towers fall, the plane crash into the Pentagon, and the plane go down in rural Pennsylvania on 9/11. He never wanted to see his homeland attacked like that again. The drive to join the Marine Corps had started, and that drive would never end. Garrett wanted to destroy evil. He knew that joining the Marine Corps was his calling when he saw al Qaeda's evil firsthand. Garrett and some marines were on a foot patrol in a small Afghan village. Garrett must have flashed that big smile because a young Afghan boy waved at Garrett. Garrett waved back and held up a small mint for the boy to have. The boy walked up slowly, took the mint, and ran to his father to show him what the American had given him. Garrett watched in horror as the dad beat the tar out of his son. He kicked him; he punched him; he knocked him senseless. Garrett wanted to shoot, but he could not. He got back to base and asked the old-timers what the heck happened. Why did that boy get beat for this small mint? The old-timers told him, al Qaeda was watching. When we left, they may go to that man's home and kill that man--the father, his boy, his mother, his sisters, his brothers. That was a plea from the father: Don't kill my family. My boy did wrong by taking this small mint. Please leave us alone. Garrett knew he was no longer fighting for America; he was fighting for people all over the world who craved freedom. The final story says everything about Garrett. When he finally enlisted, he was a junior in high school--Austin High School, the Bulldogs. He told his best friend: I have done it. I have joined the Marine Corps. His best friend became irate. He never thought Garrett would do that. He never thought he would join the Marine Corps. He said: I can't believe you joined the Marine Corps. You may get killed. I would never, ever join the Corps.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the TIRR Memorial Hermann Adult Hotwheels basketball team for winning the National Championship in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association's Division III. The TIRR Memorial Hermann Adult Hotwheels basketball team defeated the Fort Lauderdale Sharks 60-33 to claim the title. The championship took place in Louisville, Kentucky. The Hotwheels have defeated teams from Tennessee, Indiana, North Carolina, and Florida to earn this coveted title. This is the first national championship for the team. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to the TIRR Memorial Hermann Adult Hotwheels basketball team for winning this prestigious national title. We thank the team for representing TIRR Memorial Hermann so well and for bringing this title home.