Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge bipartisan support for this important bill related to hydropower dams, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this is the most shameful bill that I have ever seen. It takes healthcare away from 17 million people in order to give giant tax breaks to billionaires and large corporate interests. The increase in uncompensated care will force hospitals and nursing homes to close and increase costs for those who still have insurance. Costs are going to soar for hardworking families across the country, as health insurance premiums, energy bills, and medical debts rise for millions, while the rich get richer. However, this bill doesn't just destroy Americans' access to see their doctors or afford their monthly medications. It also makes devastating cuts to American energy and jobs, which will further increase energy bills and eliminate jobs across the country. This bill is fundamentally cruel. Hardworking Americans don't deserve to be treated this way by the Republicans in Congress, but the Republicans simply don't care. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the strongest terms to join me in voting ``no.''

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1737, a bill requiring the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, to assess the value, cost, and feasibility of a transatlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Ghana, and Nigeria, and to submit a report to Congress with its findings. The bill also directs NTIA to report to Congress on the current state of telecommunications connecting the U.S. Virgin Islands and the United States, including an assessment of the lifespan and security of telecommunications infrastructure linking the two. This legislation will provide Congress with vital information on the strength and resiliency of communications infrastructure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It will also help us determine whether American interests can be served by connecting the U.S. and the African Continent with undersea cable infrastructure by way of the U.S. Virgin Islands. This bill is an important step to enhance American communications security and competitiveness around the world. In recent years, Mr. Speaker, the United States and many allies have recognized the threat posed by untrusted Chinese telecommunications equipment to our national security. Thanks to the work of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Congress, we have taken steps to remove suspect equipment and software from American communications networks to protect against sabotage and undue influence by our adversaries. Much of this work has been done on a bipartisan basis. One noteworthy example is the legislation Congress passed to force the divestment of TikTok from ownership by companies controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, which passed overwhelmingly with hundreds of Democratic and Republican votes. That is why I was frustrated to learn last week that President Trump again unlawfully granted TikTok an extension, allowing China to infiltrate American networks for another 90 days. President Trump's disregard for the law is well known at this point, but I was more disappointed that none of my Republican colleagues had the courage to call on the President to enforce the law. Trump's stall tactics are allowing China to continue to collect massive amounts of information on Americans. There are American companies that want to buy TikTok. It is long past time for Trump to get this done. There is also still work to be done because network security does not end at the water's edge. For decades, China and other adversaries have spent considerable time and money to deploy suspect telecommunications equipment and infrastructure across the African Continent. The assessment required in this bill is an important step to understand the cost of securing the connection between the United States and our African allies and how best to ensure a critical global communications channel is protected from the prying eyes of our adversaries. I thank Delegate Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands for her leadership on this bill, and I thank Representative Fulcher, as well, for this effort. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, obviously, from what you are hearing from the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett), this is an important bill in terms of not only the Virgin Islands but strengthening our links, communications, and economy with Africa, as well. For all those reasons, I urge that we support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 2481, the Romance Scam Prevention Act. As more consumers report using online dating services, it is important that they are made aware of potential harms. This bill ensures that when an online dating service bans a user for fraud, it notifies all the other users who have been in contact with that banned person on the service. This will help to reduce the number of people who fall victim to identified fraudsters looking to extort money from dating app users. Mr. Speaker, this bill is an important first step in addressing harm in the online dating space. However, there is a lot more to be done, and vulnerable consumers need a strong and independent Federal Trade Commission to prosecute fraudsters and scammers and to protect them from having their emotions exploited for financial gain. I encourage my Republican colleagues to support this legislation as well as the bipartisan FTC that ensures consumer protection measures like this one are fully and fairly enforced for all Americans. I thank Representatives Pettersen and Valadao for their leadership on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying I do think this is an important bill for avoiding fraud. I am very concerned about fraud on these dating service apps. I commend Mr. Valadao for bringing this forward, and I urge everyone to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 1679, the Global Investment in American Jobs Act. This legislation will encourage foreign direct investment to support high-quality American jobs. Foreign direct investment from nonadversarial Nations can be used to grow critical sectors important for our economic success and national security including by creating new jobs in our Nation's manufacturing sector. Once the envy of the world, our manufacturing base has faced steady headwinds for the last several decades. Our Nation's share of global manufacturing activity declined from 28 percent in 2002 to just over 17 percent in 2020. Investment in America's small and medium manufacturers, the bedrock of our industrial might, has also declined over the last 20 years by more than $200 billion. In that same two-decade period, our domestic manufacturing base has shed more than 4 million jobs. It is time to reverse these trends by revitalizing our Nation's manufacturing industry and bringing jobs back home. The work we did under the Biden administration, passing the bipartisan infrastructure law, Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act, is already helping to turn the tide. I am concerned that actions by the Trump administration are putting this great success at risk. The attempts to claw back these historic investments in our manufacturing sector, unstable and erratic tariff policies, and mass elimination of trusted Federal programs and partners put American businesses at a disadvantage. All of these actions by the Trump administration are detrimental to our ability to compete globally. I encourage my Republican colleagues to stand up for American businesses, large and small, against the chaotic actions of this administration. Foreign direct investment can be part of the solution to revitalize American manufacturing and job creation. Over a third of all foreign direct investments are in domestic manufacturing, exceeding a total of $120 billion a year. This bill will help ensure we keep that flow of investment strong and that such investments support quality, good-paying jobs right here at home. It must be coupled with Federal trade policies coming from the White House and this Congress that encourages stability in the marketplace, protects our relationships with close trading partners, and lowers costs for American families. Mr. Speaker, I commend Representatives Kelly and Evans for their leadership on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I know in my district that foreign direct investment is important in creating jobs. I would certainly say that nationally this is an important piece of legislation. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 2269, the WIPPES Act. The improper disposal of nonflushable wipes can damage plumbing and lead to environmental contamination and pollution. Environmentalists from across the country have expressed the need for manufacturers to clearly label their wet wipe products so consumers know how to properly dispose of them. This bill ensures that wipe manufacturers, and other covered entities, clearly and conspicuously label nonflushable wipes as just that. By requiring these labels on the packaging of all nonflushable wipes, this bill will help ensure our plumbing and wastewater treatment facilities do not break down as a result of these wipes. However, the implementation and enforcement of this bill requires a strong, independent, and bipartisan Federal Trade Commission. House Republicans have stood by in silence as this critical agency is being compromised by President Trump's illegal attempts to remove the two Democratic commissioners from their posts, undermining the legitimacy and transparency of the FTC. Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to stand up for the two representatives, or I should say for the restoration of an independent FTC, to ensure this bill and the many others that are tasked with implementing are fully effective and enforced without fear or favor. We need a strong FTC. I commend Representatives Mullin and McClain for their leadership of this issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation. I do think that from an environmental point of view and to protect our waste treatment facilities this is important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 1767, the Awning Safety Act. In 2019, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall of 270,000 motorized awnings sold in the United States that had caused six injuries and, tragically, one death. While I commend the CPSC for taking action to protect Americans from this hazardous product, we must do more to ensure that awning products available to consumers are safe, regardless of brand or manufacturer. American families should be able to enjoy the shade without fear of injury or death from the awning that they use. Now, the Awning Safety Act would require the CPSC to create a safety standard for fixed and freestanding retractable awnings. While the CPSC has taken action through individual recalls on occasion, there is no voluntary or mandatory standard to these awnings, and injuries continue to mount. In 2023, Dr. Michael Hnat was the father of a former committee Republican staffer, and I believe that she is in the gallery today with her mother. Dr. Hnat was tragically killed as the result of an accident involving a retractable awning. We must act to ensure that other American families do not suffer a similar tragedy because of problems with retractable awnings. However, compliance with this bill depends on the existence of a strong, bipartisan, and independent CPSC to protect Americans from unsafe products. At the same time as my Republican colleagues praise this bill, they have continued to remain silent on President Trump's willingness to risk the safety of American children and families by attempting to unlawfully remove Democratic CPSC commissioners and planning to eliminate the CPSC altogether. I am pleased a district court recently upheld the law and reinstated the Democratic commissioners to their posts, but the Trump administration is fighting that ruling. I remain deeply concerned about this administration's attempt to eradicate the independence of the CPSC and other independent agencies like the CPSC. I also strongly oppose the Trump administration's ongoing plans to fold the CPSC's mission into the Department of Health and Human Services with a smaller budget, fewer expert staff, and a narrower mission. American consumers deserve to have peace of mind that the products they bring into their homes are safe. I commend Representatives Castor and Balderson for their work and leadership on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1767, the Awning Safety Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, obviously, this is an important bill from a consumer safety point of view. I urge all my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1664, the Deploying American Blockchains Act. For decades, our Nation's technological leadership has helped build the largest, most dynamic economy in the world. We must continue working to ensure that we outcompete the rest of the world because our economic rivals are trying to close the gap. This legislation commissions the Department of Commerce to support the leadership of the United States with respect to blockchain technology, which may have useful applications for supply chain monitoring, data security, and financial transactions. Investments that strengthen the ability of American industry to realize the benefits of new technology are essential to our global competitiveness. I am very mindful, Mr. Speaker, that the chaos of the Trump administration is undermining U.S. leadership in technology development and deployment. If my Republican colleagues are sincere in their desire to win the race to adopt advanced technologies, they will start to speak up rather than quietly stand by while the Trump administration recklessly cuts critical Federal research programs, engages in mass firings of crucial experts, and engages in wild swings in national trade policy from week to week. House Democrats have shown our commitment to American technological leadership. The CHIPS and Science Act, for example, makes transformational investments in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future. It will help us maintain our Nation's leadership in the industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. The CHIPS and Science Act is already making a huge difference, but we must build on this success rather than tear it down. One other thing to note is that this bill should already be law. It was agreed to last year as part of a bipartisan, bicameral legislative package that was set to be passed and signed into law in December before Elon Musk killed the agreement. That package included important provisions that would have lowered costs for hardworking Americans, but instead of passing it and sending it to the President's desk to be signed into law, my Republican colleagues caved to outside pressure from Elon Musk. I do want to commend Representatives Cammack and Soto for their leadership on this issue. This is an important bill, and I encourage all my colleagues to support this legislation on a bipartisan basis. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I urge support of this bill on a bipartisan basis, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1520, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act. This bill prohibits people who are eligible for a lifesaving organ transplant from being denied the transplant based solely on their disability status. Existing Federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Affordable Care Act, already prohibit organ transplant centers from discriminating based solely on disability. However, there are still cases where people with disabilities have been denied access to organ transplants. This is often because of misperceptions about how a disability impacts the medical likelihood of transplant success or unfounded assumptions regarding people with disabilities' ability to comply with postoperative care. This bill prohibits covered entities from determining that an individual is ineligible to receive a transplant based solely on the fact that the individual has a disability. The legislation also acknowledges the importance of support networks and services in helping with postoperative care. Organ transplants, Mr. Speaker, as you know, save lives, and it is important that the system is free from discrimination. I am pleased that we are taking this step to clarify and build upon existing civil rights protections for people with disabilities. However, I am concerned that ongoing cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services will limit the effectiveness of this bill. H.R. 1520 instructs the Office of Civil Rights to enforce the discrimination protections included in the bill. However, the Trump administration is not only proposing to eliminate the Office of Civil Rights as an independent agency, but it has fired some of the office's staff. The final number of staff who have or will be eliminated is unclear because the Department has refused to be transparent with Congress on the number of employees who have been terminated. The Office of Civil Rights is already understaffed and underfunded, which has created a backlog of cases. If my Republican colleagues truly care about the proper implementation of this bill, they will join me in conducting oversight of the Trump administration's rampant cuts at HHS and the Office of Civil Rights. I thank Representative Dingell and also Representative Cammack for their work on this bill. It is very important legislation, and I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1520. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell), a member of our committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, while I support this underlying legislation--and it is important legislation--I have to say that it is disappointing to see that my Republican colleagues are proceeding with this bill without a CBO score. They are violating their own protocol, which requires a CBO score before bringing a bill to the floor. Over the past 3 years, there have been countless times that Democratic bills have been denied floor consideration because they included an increased authorization line, which is against the majority leader's floor protocol. It is entirely inconsistent for Republicans to deny floor consideration for an increased authorization line that has no score but then bring a bill to the floor that could have a mandatory score. It is the majority's responsibility to request and obtain CBO scores for bills they are planning to move. The Republicans are changing the rules as they please. I am, of course, concerned about this from a process perspective, and I encourage my Republican colleagues to follow their own rules. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, let me associate myself with the remarks that the chairman made. This is an important bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1082, the Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act, sponsored by my colleagues Representative Dingell and Representative Moolenaar. Mr. Speaker, stem cell therapies and related products have shown tremendous promise for delivering treatments to patients, such as bone marrow transplants for certain cancer patients and therapies for patients with blood and immune system disorders. Yet, there are still rogue clinics that take advantage of patients who are desperate for cures. For example, there are reports of some clinics peddling unapproved treatments with exaggerated and deceptive claims. Exposure to these unproven treatments has put vulnerable patients' health at risk, leading to serious adverse events, including blindness, bloodstream infections, paralysis, and tumor growth. There are currently few meaningful repercussions in the human cell and tissue products industry. This bill would change that by providing the Food and Drug Administration with additional enforcement tools to more quickly and effectively protect the public. It provides a balanced approach to improving safety of human cell tissue and cellular and tissue-based products. First, it provides clarity regarding FDA's scientific and regulatory efforts to oversee these products. Second, it also enables more effective enforcement against an establishment that does not meet their donor eligibility obligations or current good tissue practice obligations. This would also encourage responsible manufacturers to continue to develop and license products where the scientific evidence supports the product's safety, purity, and potency. I support this bill, Mr. Speaker, but continue to have concerns regarding the chaos at HHS broadly and FDA specifically. While this bill provides the FDA with additional enforcement tools, the Trump administration has made massive cuts to both funding and staffing at FDA. The President's budget doubles down on this chaos by proposing an 11 percent cut to the FDA budget and eliminating 2,000 jobs. This hinders the FDA's ability to actually protect the public. Again, I call on my Republican colleagues to join me in conducting proper oversight of the Trump administration's actions. Otherwise, bipartisan efforts like this one will be rendered meaningless. If we are giving the agency new statutory tools and enforcement authority because we think there is a risk to the public, then the agency must be prepared to carry out those duties. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this important legislation on a bipartisan basis, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to S. 331, the HALT Fentanyl Act. The House approved this bill in February, and since that time, the Trump administration has set its sights on dismantling our Nation's public health infrastructure, including the agency directly responsible for addressing mental health and substance abuse disorders. Republicans are going to claim today that they are addressing the opioid overdose crisis with this bill, but this is nothing but a distraction from the fact that Republicans continue to silently stand by and allow the Trump administration to gut our public health agencies. Republicans are also attempting to distract from the fact that last month they passed the largest cuts to healthcare in American history as part of their big, ugly bill. Republicans are stripping healthcare away from 16 million Americans so they can give giant tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations, two groups that don't need any help right now. Now, Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of years, we have made significant progress in addressing the opioid overdose crisis. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a 24 percent decline in drug overdose deaths for the 12 months ending in September of 2024, compared to the previous year. This is encouraging news, but I am deeply concerned that the Trump administration's attacks on public health, coupled with the Republicans' attacks on Americans' healthcare will seriously threaten the improvements we have made. The bill before us today permanently schedules fentanyl-related substances on schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. This is based on a class definition disputed by scientists. I oppose this bill because it is a permanent extension instead of a temporary one that we agreed on for 2 years in the end-of-the-year appropriations package. Now, that bipartisan package was pushed aside by Speaker Johnson after Elon Musk voiced his opposition to the overall package. The temporary option would have left the door open for an off-ramp to substances found to have potential medical applications. However, this Republican bill would also exacerbate inequities in our criminal justice system because drugs placed on schedule I include mandatory minimum sentencing. S. 331 also does not provide additional resources for prevention, treatment, recovery, or harm reduction. So this bill is essentially recycling an incarceration first response to what I consider mainly a public health challenge. That is because Republicans don't want to talk about this as a public health challenge. Instead, President Trump and House Republicans want to focus on piecemeal policies in the hopes it will distract from their efforts to gut Medicaid and drug treatment programs. Now Republicans are sabotaging Medicaid, which will be devastating to people who struggle with mental health and substance use issues. Medicaid is the single largest payer in the country for behavioral health services, covering 40 percent of all Americans with opioid use disorder. Americans with substance use and mental health issues will face new barriers and red tape in signing up for and staying enrolled in their health insurance. House Republicans are setting up new barriers and roadblocks to care that will, unfortunately, result in our mental health and substance abuse crises only worsening. Republicans are silently standing by as the Trump administration is moving forward with an unauthorized and illegal plan to eliminate the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, better known as SAMHSA. SAMHSA is the very agency responsible for preventing substance use disorder, increasing access to treatment, and promoting recovery. It will be combined with other agencies that the Trump administration doesn't care about under the banner of a larger make America healthy again office. Now, these critical programs to treat mental health and substance abuse will be deprioritized or eliminated in favor of Secretary RFK, Jr.'s, pet projects, like destroying Americans' access to vaccines. He is going to prioritize that, and not SAMHSA and substance abuse treatment. Congress has received zero information from the Trump administration about how this new office will work and how the work of SAMHSA to address the mental health and substance use treatment needs of our community will be prioritized. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the Nation's leading mental health and substance use treatment organizations. It is called the Mental Health Liaison Group.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this letter is in strong opposition to the Trump administration's efforts to eliminate SAMHSA, as well as their reference to drastically cut funding and eliminate critical SAMHSA programs. As they write in this letter: These proposals ``would have devastating consequences for the 84.5 million Americans with a mental health and/or a substance use disorder, many of whom rely on SAMHSA's programs, research, oversight, and leadership to address critical mental health and substance use disorder needs.'' Mr. Speaker, the Trump administration is also rescinding more than $1 billion in essential funding that States rely on through block grants. This rescission is wreaking havoc on States' efforts to support prevention, treatment, and recovery. That is because States, counties, and towns are the main places where these treatment programs are. My Republican colleagues refuse to hold this administration to account for these devastating and illegal cuts. Instead, they are trying to distract with this bill. This bill is opposed by nearly 190 national, State, and local public health, criminal justice, and civil rights organizations. So, Mr. Speaker, I oppose the bill, and I encourage my colleagues to oppose it as well. I don't want anyone to misunderstand. What I am saying is that if we don't treat mental health and substance abuse as a public health crisis and, instead, we just say that we are going to have mandatory sentences and throw everybody in jail, lock the door, and throw away the key, then I don't think that is going to solve the problem. I will continue to highlight that while Republicans propose these mandatory sentences and want to put fentanyl permanently on the schedule, that is not the answer to this mental health crisis. It is not the answer. The answer is to provide adequate treatment, and education. It is also to prevent the drugs from coming into the country but not just to put people in jail and throw away the key. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think House Republicans know that we can't simply schedule our way out of this crisis, but they have refused to pass bipartisan solutions that address prevention, treatment, and recovery to help stop overdose deaths. I know that they passed reauthorizing the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act last week, but the bottom line is that all of the programs under the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act that have helped with treatment, helped with education, caused the number of overdose deaths to decline are being gutted. The staff that administer them and SAMHSA, the program that they are under, all of these things are being either eliminated, gutted, or the funding frozen by the Trump administration. My point today is this is not just a criminal justice issue. We must combat this opioid crisis through a multipronged public health approach. Nearly half of all people in Federal prison today have been convicted of a drug-related offense, with a racial and ethnic disparity among those convictions. Access to treatment remains a challenge today. In 2023, according to SAMHSA, approximately one-quarter of the people who are classified as needing substance use treatment received it in the last year. People with a substance use disorder who are untreated are eight times more likely to die of an overdose compared to those who receive medication treatment. Just putting people away and throwing away the key is not the answer. Cutting back on the treatment programs, and the education programs under SAMHSA, is certainly going to make things worse. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.