Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I want to stress again that one of the pay-fors that the Republicans don't talk about much is the fact that they are reducing the grace period from 90 days to 30 days. So if someone misses a payment on their insurance, they currently have 90 days to make up for it. Under this bill, they will only have 30 days. Now, the CBO estimates that over 500,000 people will lose their health insurance and have to reapply for next year because of this reduction in the grace period. I know my colleague from the other side says: Well, that is too bad because they have the responsibility to pay it. But the fact of the matter is that a lot of people have a hard time paying their monthly premium, and we should not be passing legislation that ends up with half-a-million people losing their health insurance. Again, this is a way to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act is trying to make more people covered, and has succeeded in covering 95 percent of the people in this country. Why in the world would we use a pay-for that cuts back on half-a- million people who would lose their health insurance? I want to emphasize, Mr. Speaker, we did not have to be here today. We could have done a bipartisan bill without sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. That is what concerns me most, Mr. Speaker. The Republicans tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They failed, and now they are trying to repeal it piece by piece. The pay-fors that are in this legislation are unfair to the American people. The Prevention Fund is used for opiate prevention and used for kids for various programs. Don't cut back on that to pay for these other things. The grace period--half-a-million Americans are going to lose their insurance because of the cutbacks in the grace period--another effort to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. Lastly, and probably even most important, again, the Republicans are going against the Medicare program. They are trying to make cuts in the Medicare program and restructure the Medicare program in a way that I believe will hurt the Medicare program, reduce the amount of people in the insurance pool, and ultimately lead to higher costs for middle class and lower-income seniors and the disabled in the Medicare program. I urge my colleagues: Don't let the Republicans continue to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. We could have done this on a bipartisan basis. Passing this bill today does nothing for the Children's Health Initiative or for community health centers because this bill is going nowhere. It will end up in the Senate. The Senate will not take it up, and we will be waiting around until Christmas to actually find a way to fund these programs and put these programs at risk. Vote ``no.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the New Jersey Broadcasters Association (NJBA) as its members gather to celebrate its 70th anniversary this year. This milestone and the NJBA's efforts to support radio and television stations in New Jersey are truly deserving of this body's recognition. Since its inception, the NJBA has represented the common interests of New Jersey's broadcasters. It continues to be the leading voice in Trenton, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. on broadcast issues and priorities and is an effective advocate on behalf of its member stations. In addition to its advocacy, the NJBA's training and educational programs are invaluable resources to radio and television stations and its understanding of compliance rules and procedures help its members navigate the changing broadcast landscape. Initiated by New Jersey radio stations, the NJBA's success is evident in its growth to include both radio and television stations throughout the state as well as several stations in New York City and Philadelphia. Its current President and CEO, Paul Rotella, maintains the NJBA's mission, while also adapting to meet the complex changes of technology in the broadcast field. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in marking the 70th anniversary of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association and recognizing its outstanding efforts to promote New Jersey's local broadcast stations.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I can't help but put what is happening today in terms of the Republicans putting up this bill on the IPAB and what is happening tomorrow with the Republicans putting up a CHIP and community health centers bill but point out that collectively what they are trying to do is what they were not able to do in the first 9 months of this session when they sought very hard and pushed very hard to repeal the Affordable Care Act. What is going on here today and tomorrow with the IPAB and community health centers and CHIP is essentially an effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act piece by piece, in my opinion. What do we do? We see the IPAB, which is part of the Affordable Care Act. We see the pay-fors for community health centers and the CHIP tomorrow, taking away money from the Prevention Fund from the Affordable Care Act, limiting the grace period when people will lose their insurance that they have under the Affordable Care Act. This goes along also with what is happening with the President as well. The President has, in the last month or so, said that he is not going to pay the cost-sharing subsidies. He has cut back on the outreach so that people don't know what is in the Affordable Care Act. He has cut back on the period when people can sign up and get their insurance in half. What we are seeing, in my opinion, is the Republicans sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. They couldn't repeal it, so now they are doing whatever they can to sabotage it. It is really ironic or inconsistent, however you want to put it. On the one hand they are insisting that when it comes to kids and community health centers, which is a group of people you would think they would be most concerned about, they insist on paying for it by taking money from other healthcare programs. We are asked to take money from the Prevention Fund, which pays for vaccines for children, which pays for the children's lead poisoning program, which is a major part of our opiate prevention program. This is the money that comes from the Prevention Fund. Basically, they are taking that money and using it to pay for the community health centers and the Children's Health Initiative, which means that that money is lost. That money is lost for those other purposes. With regard to the grace period, they are saying, well, if you fail to pay your insurance, it used to be 90 days before you lost it. Now it would be 30 days before you lost it, which means that you end up with about 500,000 or 600,000 people who have insurance now under the Affordable Care Act that would lose it, according to the CBO. Yet, at the same time, with the IPAB repeal, which we are considering now, which costs $17.5 billion, and which, as my colleague from Vermont said, is a mechanism to try to save costs, they are saying: Well, we don't have to pay for that. We can just repeal it. We will forego those additional costs, which become part of the deficit. Mr. Speaker, for all these reasons, the bottom line is, what the Republicans are doing is not fair. It is not fair to the kids. It is not fair to the people who are going to lose their health insurance. I will say as the last thing that this is going nowhere. One of the reasons why Democrats have been urging the Republicans with regard to the CHIP and community health centers to work with us on a bipartisan basis is because we know if this bill passes today on a partisan vote, because we can't support it for the reasons I explained, then that means that it is going to go to the Senate and it is going to die because there is no reason to believe that the Senate is going to take up this partisan bill. I think it is just a huge mistake on the part of Republicans. Basically, what they are signaling today is that they don't really care about this. They wanted to stick around until the end of year, which means the community health centers and CHIP just basically wither on the vine for lack of funds. That is not fair. It is not fair to the kids. It is not fair to those who use community health centers. Mr. Speaker, for all these reasons, I would urge a ``no'' vote on the bill today, the IPAB repeal; and I will also ask for a ``no'' vote tomorrow on the CHIP and the community health centers legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time remains?

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), a member of our committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 849, the IPAB repeal. Mr. Speaker, Republicans have spent the last 9 months trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act and they have failed, but instead of working with Democrats to improve the ACA, they will stop at nothing to repeal the law piece by piece. The Republicans' partisan bill to reauthorize CHIP, community health centers, and other public health extenders is paid for on the back of Medicaid recipients, Medicare, low- and middle-income families with the Affordable Care Act health coverage, and the Prevention Fund, but yet they will not bother to pay for the $17.5 billion it will cost to repeal IPAB. IPAB was enacted as a backstop to the other cost-saving and quality- improvement efforts in the ACA, such as accountable care organizations, patient-centered care models like Medical Homes, programs that pay for quality, not quantity and value-based purchasing. Because of the Affordable Care Act and these programs, Medicare spending growth has slowed and Medicare solvency has been extended. According to the CMS actuary, IPAB will not be triggered until 2021, so the timing of today's repeal is premature and politically motivated. IPAB repeal would increase the deficit by $17.5 billion. This is fiscally irresponsible of Republicans, especially as they prepare to announce a tax package that will saddle our country with $1.5 trillion of debt in order to give tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations. IPAB repeal is not about helping seniors. Don't let the Republicans kid you. Contrary to what the Republicans say, IPAB is prohibited from sending recommendations to Congress that would harm seniors by increasing their out-of-pocket costs or cutting their benefits. In fact, it is the Republican ACA repeal efforts that would cut nearly a trillion dollars from Medicaid and Medicare, harming seniors and other vulnerable Americans, which would have truly led to the rationing of healthcare. So for all these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 849, the IPAB repeal. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from Vermont.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Then you have the Prevention Fund, which is used for children's lead poisoning programs, children's vaccines, and for the opioid program that the Republicans say they care so much about. These are going to go away in order to pay for CHIP and community health centers. What is going on here is unbelievable. I just say to my colleagues: look at what is actually happening. We had a Democratic substitute and the Rules Committee wouldn't even let us consider it. So it is not just the underlying issue of what is actually happening here in terms of the substance of the bills. It is also the process that is being used. That is why I am glad I am talking during the Rules Committee time. We had a Democratic substitute that would have had a great piece of legislation that paid for the community health centers, paid for CHIP, without sacrificing other healthcare programs that help kids and other Americans. They wouldn't even let us consider it here today. So I say to my colleagues: basically, vote ``no'' on the rule. Turn down this rule and let us have another opportunity to actually do something that is important and that is meaningful.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the ranking member of the Rules Committee. I just want to express the tremendous frustration that I have and that Democrats have in general with the way the Republican leadership has handled the CHIP bill, IPAB, and community health centers, the legislation we are considering today and tomorrow. First of all, I need to point out that it was over a year ago when I asked leadership of our committee to try to come up with bipartisan legislation with regard to community health centers and SCHIP, the children's initiative, and all they wanted to do from January until September--9 months--was repeal the Affordable Care Act. That is all they were interested in. They didn't want to hear anything about CHIP or community health centers, just repeal the Affordable Care Act. My colleagues on the other side suggested that somehow, because of CHIP, they are very concerned about kids. Well, the fact of the matter is, if you repeal the Affordable Care Act, children--everyone--and community health centers would suffer such damage because they would lose their health insurance or the underpinnings of the community health centers, which have been financed with the Affordable Care Act, that any suggestion that somehow because you are concerned now about CHIP or community health centers is belied by the fact that you spent the last 9 months, through September, trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. If you really cared about these things, then you would not have sought that repeal. Once that repeal seemed to be over in September, then the Republicans on the committee and the leadership were willing to talk about CHIP and community health centers. But mind you, the authorization for those two programs ended September 30. So it was literally too late. Now my colleagues on the other side say: Oh, well, we are bringing this bill up today because we really care about kids and community health centers. Exactly the opposite. If you did care, in the sense that you wanted to get legislation passed, then you wouldn't bring this bill up today. We all know that if the bill is not bipartisan, which it is not, it will never pass the Senate. What is going to happen is these bills will pass on a partisan vote on Friday and, as a consequence, they will go to the Senate and there will be no action and we will have to deal with this at the end of the year as part of some larger omnibus spending bill or whatever we do at the end of the year. So anyone who tells you that the Republicans, in trying to pass a partisan bill, are actually moving forward on CHIP or on community health centers, that is simply not true. Now, what are we facing here with these three bills? And I include IPAB, CHIP, and community health centers. What we are really facing is another effort on the part of the Republican leadership to repeal or sabotage the Affordable Care Act. All these things are part, in some fashion, of either pay-fors or authorization of the Affordable Care Act. The fact of the matter is, we are now seeing what I would call piecemeal repeal. You couldn't repeal it outright, so you do a piecemeal repeal. You repeal IPAB. You basically use funding from the Prevention Fund and you gut that so you can pay for the CHIP funding. You change the grace period so something like half a million people lose their health insurance. Meanwhile, the President of the United States is out there every day issuing executive orders to get rid of cost-sharing subsidies to cut back on the outreach program. If you look at all this, it is nothing more than a piecemeal repeal of the Affordable Care Act. It is sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. This has not changed. The first 9 months to September, outright repeal. Now, between now and the end of the year, piecemeal repeal. Every day, a different bill. The real inconsistency, which is the best I can say about what is going on, is to say that we have to come up with offsets to pay for the Children's Health Initiative Program and the community health centers, but we don't have to do it for IPAB. $17.5 million is what it is going to cost, according to the CBO, to repeal IPAB. If you use that money, it would almost pay for the CHIP and the community health centers bill that will be considered the next day. So, again, we have this total inconsistency suggesting that somehow we care about one thing. What is really go on is robbing Peter to pay Paul. The way that you pay for the community health centers and the CHIP bill, basically, sabotaging the Affordable Care Act, is you shorten the grace period from 90 days to 30 days, when people, if they don't pay their premium, will lose their health insurance. We know that maybe almost 688,000 people, according to the CBO, will lose their health insurance.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Alfred William De Santis, Sr. for his 55 years of service to the Port-Au-Peck Chemical Hose Company No. 1 in Oceanport, New Jersey. Mr. De Santis' outstanding record will be celebrated at the company's 40th annual ``Old Timer's Night,'' which Mr. De Santis himself originated. Mr. De Santis' leadership and commitment to the department is evident. A Life Member and Ex-Chief, Mr. De Santis began his service with the company in March of 1962. In addition to his election as Chief of the Oceanport Fire Department in 1971, Mr. De Santis also served as Captain, Secretary and Treasurer of the company. He was elected Company President for six terms. He remains an active member of the company and is dedicated to his fellow fire fighters, organizing the annual ``Old Timer's Night'' celebrating and honoring members for the past 40 years. In addition to his service with the Oceanport Fire Department, Mr. De Santis was a member of the Fire Police Division for 30 years and served as Secretary of the Oceanport Relief Association and Secretary of the Exempt Association of Oceanport for 35 years. He also held leadership positions with the Ex Chief's Association of Eatontown, Oceanport and West Long Branch. Mr. Speaker, once again, I join with the Port-Au-Peck Chemical Hose Company No. 1 in honoring Alfred William De Santis, Sr. on his outstanding record of accomplishment. Mr. De Santis has dutifully served Oceanport for 55 years and his selfless commitment is truly deserving of this body's recognition.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to honor my longtime Chief of Staff and the current Staff Director for the Energy & Commerce Committee Democrats, Jeff Carroll, on 20 outstanding years serving on my staff. My office, the Energy & Commerce Committee, the Congress, and the entire state of New Jersey have benefited enormously from Jeff's steady leadership, strategic guidance, and commitment to achieving meaningful progress. Jeff is known on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of the Capitol for his candor, negotiating skills, and boisterous laugh. He is a diehard fan of the Mets, Giants, Bruce Springsteen, and the vaunted pork roll. He's a Jersey guy, through and through. A native of Lyndhurst, N.J., Jeff joined my office as an Executive Assistant in 1997 after graduating from George Washington University and briefly serving as a Staff Assistant to Senator Robert Torricelli. Within six years, he became my Chief of Staff, serving with distinction the people New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District for 12 years. In 2015, when I was elected the Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Jeff became the Democratic Staff Director. Jeff has been by my side through my greatest trials and achievements in office, relentlessly pushing forward and always holding himself and my staff to the highest standards. He is my most trusted advisor, and I thank him for his unwavering commitment and immeasurable contributions over the years. I also want to acknowledge the support provided to Jeff by his wife Shannon, daughter Lizzie and son Ryan, who share this dedicated husband and father with the House. Mr. Speaker, the American people have benefited from Jeff Carroll's 20 years here in the House. I look forward to our continued work together in the future.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Borough of Keansburg, New Jersey as it celebrates its centennial this year. It is my honor to join with its officials and residents in commemorating this significant milestone. With its beautiful shoreline and proximity to New York City, the area attracted visitors from the north that helped transform Keansburg from a fishing community to a resort town dating back to 1917. Over the years, its location and affordability, as well as the Keansburg Amusement Park, helped the borough develop into a year-round residential town. Today, Keansburg continues to grow, revitalizing its business district, improving its recreational resources and expanding its community activities. Although the town was devastated by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the community remains resilient and continues to rebuild. In 2016, the borough celebrated the opening of the new Joseph Caruso Elementary School, a 122,000 square-foot state of the art facility for kindergarten through fourth grade students. In its 100th year, the borough is governed by Mayor George Hoff, Deputy Mayor Thomas Foley and Council members Arthur Boden, James Cocuzza, Sr. and Sean Tonne, Sr. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in marking the 100th anniversary of the Borough of Keansburg and celebrating its rich history.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose H.R. 3823. First, I would like to mention I have deep concerns over Republicans' failure to extend vital healthcare programs that expire this Saturday, including important bipartisan programs like CHIP, Community Health Centers, and the National Health Service Corps. If we fail to act, access to affordable and quality care for children and vulnerable populations nationwide will be jeopardized. However, I want to focus on another issue that is extremely important to my constituents: flood insurance. This bill would undermine efforts to comprehensively reform the National Flood Insurance Program by allowing the development of a private flood insurance market while not confronting challenges to NFIP, like increasing affordability, investing in mitigation, and ensuring transparency and accountability. It would not even reauthorize the flood insurance program, which is due to expire on December 8; or raise its borrowing authority, which is due to run out in the coming weeks and could impact claims from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. When Superstorm Sandy devastated New Jersey 5 years ago, some of the hardest hit communities were in my district, and the NFIP did not help them the way it should have. Too many of my constituents are still dealing with high premiums, inaccurate flood maps, or still waiting for their Sandy claims appeals to be decided. That is why I helped introduce the bipartisan SAFE NFIP Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize the program, cap premium rate increases, authorize funding for more flood mapping, reform the appeals process, and cap the compensation of flood insurance companies. These are changes that we must pursue. The legislation we consider does none of this. Mr. Speaker, we should be working together to comprehensively improve the NFIP. Doing anything less is an abdication of our responsibility. I encourage all of my colleagues to oppose this legislation and work towards meaningful flood insurance reform.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I congratulate President Sargsyan and the people of the Republic of Armenia on 26 years of independence from the Soviet Union. Since this day 26 years ago, the Armenian people have lived up to their pledge to create a free and strong nation, built on strong democratic principles and a market economy. This year it was a great pleasure to be in Armenia to celebrate Independence Day with the Armenian people. Each time I visit, I am greatly impressed with how far the country has come since the first time I visited in 1997. In the past quarter century, the Republic of Armenia has strengthened its democratic institutions, empowered civil society, and engaged in economic diversification despite difficult barriers created by two of its four neighbors. While in Armenia, I was able to have incredible conversations with President Sargsyan, Members of the Presidential Cabinet, and Members of the National Assembly. They shared with me the progress being made in Armenia, and reaffirmed Armenia's role as a partner in the region. Armenia is a strong partner, cooperating on a number of regional and security challenges in NATO's Partnership for Peace program. The Republic of Armenia has also consistently championed the right to self-determination of its neighbors in the Republic of Artsakh. This is a right that Artsakh continues to fight for in its steadfast pursuit of regional security and stability despite a tenuous cease fire. I join with the Armenian people and the Armenian-American community in celebrating 26 years of independence. I send my best wishes on this important day and pledge my continued commitment to a strong United States-Armenia partnership.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last week I was outraged when President Trump announced that he would be ending the DACA program. DACA recipients are contributing members of our society, have no criminal record, and have known only this country as home. They work at leading American companies. They have served our country in the military. On the day of the President's decision, I met with several young people at Rutgers University in my district who may now face deportation. I was impressed by their courage in coming forward to tell their stories and to challenge the President's reckless action. Some examples: Yeimi, a 17-year-old from Freehold, left Mexico when she was 1 year old. She said at the meeting I had: ``I do want to become something in life, because that is why I am here. I do not want this dream to be shattered because DACA, apparently, is going to be killed.'' Then there is Alma, a 23-year-old from Perth Amboy in my district, who added: ``DACA has opened doors for me that I never knew existed. The elimination of this executive order without an appropriate replacement would not only be devastating for DREAMers but to the country as a whole.'' And I agree with Alma. Mr. Speaker, these New Jerseyans embody the best America has to offer, and I will continue to stand by their side as we work together to protect their DACA status. We need to pass the Dream Act as quickly as possible.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3388, the SELF DRIVE Act. I want to start by thanking Chairmen Walden and Latta, Ranking Member Schakowsky, and the other members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for all their work to reach a bipartisan agreement on this bill. Self-driving cars have the potential in the future to reduce deaths and injuries from car crashes, particularly those that result from driver distraction. This bill allows for testing and deployment of self-driving cars to help the United States reach that potential sooner. This legislation also includes important provisions that ensure safety is the top priority as self-driving cars are developed. For example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be required to issue rules and new safety standards for highly automated vehicles. The auto industry will be required to submit safety assessment certifications that detail how their vehicles are tested and function on the road. We also insist that any manufacturer entering this market must have cybersecurity and privacy practices in place before their cars are sold. Self-driving cars will not come all at once. Human drivers will be on the roads for the foreseeable future. So this bill also contains legislative initiatives geared toward protecting drivers and passengers, including requirements to ensure kids are not forgotten in hot cars and that all new cars have the latest technology in their headlamps. It also ensures NHTSA is able to consider whether a car functions as intended, not just whether it meets a specific standard. We also encourage NHTSA to come up with a plan on how it can alter testing using ranges so that cars cannot be built just to meet a particular test. This bill is not perfect. It is a bipartisan compromise and a product of what we can accomplish when we work together. As this bill moves to the Senate, I remain committed to continuing bipartisan efforts to address any issues and to ensure that safety is not compromised. I want to thank, again, all of the key leaders on both the Democratic and Republican side for making this happen today.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize Ruth Hyman, who was recently honored by Congregation Brothers of Israel in Long Branch, New Jersey for her contributions to the synagogue and the greater community. Throughout Ms. Hyman's long and vibrant life, she has maintained her mission to serve the community. Her work and generosity have been recognized by many awards and tributes over the years and it is my honor to join with Congregation Brothers of Israel in lauding her achievements and philanthropy. The daughter of Ida and David Hyman who were founding members of Congregation Brothers of Israel, Ruth Hyman has a strong connection to the synagogue and remains an active member. Ms. Hyman's commitment to the Jewish community extends beyond Congregation Brothers of lsrael with her support of Hadassah, the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family and Children's Service and the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group's Judaic pastoral care hospice program, among many others. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope my colleagues will join me in thanking Ruth Hyman for her immeasurable contributions to the community. Ms. Hyman's tireless efforts and dedication to philanthropy are truly deserving of this body's recognition.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize Sirvart Hovnanian as she is honored by Saint Stepanos Armenian Apostolic Church in Elberon, New Jersey with an award to be presented by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. I would also like to join with the Saint Stepanos parish in commemorating the 30th anniversary of the church and marking the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Armenian parish in Elberon. The Saint Mary Church parish in Elberon began 60 years ago, with 25 members worshiping during summer services. As the Armenian population in the area continued to grow, Kevork and Sirvart Hovnanian saw a need for a larger and rejuvenated place of worship. Born of the vision and philanthropic support of the Hovnanians, Saint Stepanos Armenian Apostolic Church stands on the site of the former Saint Mary Church. Saint Stepanos was consecrated on June 14, 1987 and the church hall was named ``Kevork and Sirvart Hovnanian Hall'' in honor of the benefactors. Sirvart Hovnanian is a beloved mother, grandmother and great- grandmother and carries on the philanthropic spirit she shared with her husband. Sirvart, along with her late husband, has always recognized the meaning of generosity and has spent her life working to make a difference in the world. An esteemed member of the Armenian community and a passionate philanthropist, Sirvart has been a supporter and partner in the many charitable endeavors undertaken along with her late husband, including the establishment of The Fund for Armenian Relief following the country's 1988 earthquake, the building of the Alton A. Hovnanian Emergency Care Center at Riverview Medical Center, and the donation of the K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, among many others. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in recognizing Saint Stepanos Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian parish of Elberon and Sirvart Hovnanian for their continued support of the Armenian people and culture. I know that I join with all who know Sirvart in expressing my sincere gratitude for her warm and giving nature and her immeasurable contributions to our community.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to extend heartfelt congratulations to the JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, as it celebrates 50 years of industry-leading innovation, research and high- quality patient care. In 1961, Edison Mayor Anthony Yelencsics launched an effort to establish a hospital that would provide residents of Edison, Metuchen, and Woodbridge with high quality, accessible care--as well as good, local jobs. A year later, more than 200 women joined together to form the JFK Auxiliary, which was charged with aiding fundraising for the project through activities like luncheons, fashion shows, and card parties. Within six years, the $5.6 million needed for the project was raised through large gifts from local businesses, civic and social organizations, and tireless efforts by the JFK Auxiliary and other township residents soliciting donations door-to-door. Notably, Edison Township ensured the project's success by pledging $100,000 and donating the 37-acre property where the hospital resides today. JFK Medical Center opened its doors to the community on August 7, 1967 with 206 beds and 450 dedicated employees, including compassionate nurses, technicians, and administrators. From the beginning, JFK established itself as an industry innovation leader, using new computerization for patient records, private and semi-private rooms, a meditation room, and visitor rooms on every floor. Over the next 50 years, JFK Medical Center evolved into one of Central New Jersey's most trusted hospitals, receiving nationwide recognition for its innovation, world-renowned research, and industry- leading quality of care. JFK's emergency department, the largest in the state, has been awarded the Outstanding Private EMS Agency Award by the New Jersey Department of Health. The JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute has been named a ``Top Hospital'' by U.S. News & World Report--an award bestowed upon only 148 hospitals out of nearly 4,800 across the country. In 2016, JFK's oncology program was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by the American College of Surgeons. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the residents of New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District and the state of New Jersey, I recognize JFK Medical Center and its dedicated staff for 50 years of exemplary service, cutting-edge innovation, and industry-leading quality of care.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green), the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2430, the FDA Reauthorization Act, a bill that would allow the FDA to continue its critical mission of reviewing and approving drugs and medical devices that save lives and improve the quality of life for many Americans. The legislation before us today is the product of compromise and almost 2 years of work between FDA, Congress, industry, and other stakeholders. The FDA Reauthorization Act reauthorizes FDA's medical product user fee agreements, providing FDA with the resources the agency needs to continue its critical public health work and hire the necessary scientists and review staff, and improve the certainty and efficiency of the drug review process. The sixth reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act will maintain current review timelines, modernize the user fee structure, and build on the work of 21st Century Cures Act by investing resources in the development of biomarkers and innovative clinical trial designs. The fourth reauthorization of the Medical Device User Fee Amendments includes some important new policies that will help to increase the consistency, efficiency, and effectiveness of drug and medical device reviews. The bill advances the use of the patient perspective and the risk- benefit assessment of medical devices. It establishes a system utilizing real world data for pre-market approval of new uses and post- market safety monitoring, and it improves presubmission communication with manufacturers in an effort to expedite the review process. This legislation also reauthorizes two of our newer user fee programs for generics and biosimilars. Both of these programs strive to expedite access to high-quality, lower-cost drugs for American families. The FDARA will also allow the agency to undertake new initiatives to create a category of over-the-counter hearing aids, advance the development of pediatric cancer treatments, and provide greater assistance and incentives to encourage additional competition for generic drugs. Since this is a bipartisan compromise--and I want to stress that--as my colleague Mr. Walden said, it really is important and people should take note that this is a major piece of legislation that is being done on a bipartisan basis by our committee. But it does not address every issue that I would have liked. It also includes troublesome language prohibiting the FDA from making the investments the agency needs as part of future user fee agreements. It is important that the FDA maintain a work environment that allows the agency to recruit and retain the world's best and brightest. I am concerned that this final agreement preserves language advanced in the Senate bill that will make it difficult in the future for the FDA to make the investments needed to recruit personnel and meet performance goals set out in the user fee reauthorizations. This is a concern, again, that was put in by the Senate that I hope we can address in the future. But I do want to stress, at the end of the day, that this final product represents all of the significant discussions and compromises that were made, and, of course, the legislation that is going to be effective is the result of compromise. I am pleased that we are considering this in a very timely fashion, because, as I mentioned, we don't want the personnel who work at the FDA to be affected; and if we do this in a timely fashion, they won't have to worry about pink slips or their jobs. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2430 so that we can continue to give the FDA the tools and resources it needs to continue doing the critical work of reviewing and improving lifesaving drugs and medical devices. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).