Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Honorable Michael B. Ryan on his retirement as Mayor of Lake Como, New Jersey. As a mayor, union member and United States Army Veteran, Mayor Ryan embodies the American spirit and his contributions are truly deserving of this body's recognition. Mayor Ryan has been an outstanding public servant and labor advocate for both New Jersey and his home state of California. Mayor Ryan's introduction to labor and politics began in his native California, but he continued his efforts upon moving to New Jersey after marrying his wife, Marlene Brown. Mayor Ryan dedicated many years to leading his community as a council member, council president and mayor. Although retiring from elected office, Mayor Ryan remains active in local and state politics. For nearly 20 years, he has been Democratic Municipal Chairman of South Belmar and Lake Como. He has also been elected to the New Jersey State Democratic Committee and previously served as President of the south Belmar Democratic Club. Mayor Ryan is also committed to protecting labor rights, currently serving as Secretary Treasurer of the Monmouth and Ocean Counties Central Labor Council AFL- CIO and as a member of Teamsters-GCIU 612M. In addition to his work in the public and labor sectors, Mayor Ryan is an Account Representative at Dimensional Management Corporation and is an active member of the community, volunteering at Camp Zehnder YMCA, serving as an usher at St. Rose Church and as a member of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh of the Jersey Shore and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in congratulating Mayor Michael Ryan on his retirement. It is my hope that my colleagues will join me in thanking him for his leadership and service to the Borough of Lake Como.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Ruth Hyman as she is honored by the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group at their Ruth Hyman Spiritual Support in the Jewish Tradition Hospice Program Tree of Life Donor Wall Dedication. A lifelong resident of Long Branch, New Jersey, Ruth Hyman continues her philanthropic endeavors to improve the well-being of New Jersey's residents. As the recipient of a generous donation by Ms. Hyman, the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group has named its hospice program's special services for Judaic pastoral care in her honor. The Ruth Hyman Spiritual Support in the Jewish Tradition program will continue to provide important spiritual and pastoral care and comfort to individuals and their families. The Visiting Nurse Association Health Group's mission to make the community a better place reflects Ms. Hyman's passion for helping others. The largest non-profit visiting nurse association in New Jersey, the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group provides an invaluable service to our communities through compassionate home health care and support services. Its skilled health aides continue to meet the needs of over 120,000 individuals in the comfort and security of their homes each year. Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in thanking Ruth Hyman and the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group for their immeasurable contributions to our community.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Ocean Chapter of Drifters, Inc. as its members gather to commemorate its 40th anniversary at a luncheon on March 14, 2015. This milestone and its commitment to service is truly deserving of this body's recognition. Sponsored by the Montclair Chapter, the Ocean Chapter of Drifters, Inc. was founded by Marilyn Joyce of Morganville, New Jersey, who was also one of the eight charter members. Forty years later, there are thirteen members of the Ocean Chapter, including four of the charter members, Ms. Joyce, Marjorie Clark, Mary Inge and Yvonne Russell. Since its inception, the Ocean Chapter of Drifters, Inc. has provided opportunities for women to engage in charitable and civic involvement to enrich the lives of others. In this endeavor, its members work closely with various agencies, organizations and individuals such as Meridian Health, the Special Olympics, Monmouth University and I.C.C.C. Monmouth County Head Start. The Ocean Chapter of Drifters, Inc. also aims to improve the well-being of seniors and promote opportunities for youth, through special programs and scholarships for graduating high school seniors. Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in congratulating the Ocean Chapter of Drifters, Inc. on its 40th anniversary and thanking its members for their dedication to volunteerism and community involvement.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to lend my support to H.R. 639, the Improving Regulatory Transparency for New Medical Therapies Act. This important public health bill aims to bring better reliability and transparency to medical therapies, while continuing to ensure that they reach patients in need quickly, but most importantly safely and effectively. When a new drug is approved by the FDA, a company can begin marketing the product upon its approval. However, for a subset of drugs, FDA recommends to the DEA they be included in the Controlled Substance Act--or ``scheduled,'' if there is abuse potential. Until DEA makes a final decision, a drug cannot be released to the public. Unfortunately, there is no deadline for the DEA to make a decision. As a result, the process has lengthened over time, in some instances lasting years before a decision is made. So even if a drug is considered safe and effective, patients and physicians are being forced to wait to access these therapies. This bill would continue to allow DEA to conduct its own analysis, but would remove much of the uncertainty from the process. It also would speed up the DEA registration process allowing the manufacture and distribution of controlled substances for use only in clinical trials. I want to thank Chairman Pitts for working with me on this bill last Congress, and committing to move forward early this Congress. Thank you to Mr. Green as well for joining us on this important bill. I am glad that we have been able to work with both DEA and FDA, our Senate counterparts and the bill sponsors, to ensure that the goals of this bill is met. I urge members to support H.R 639 and I look forward to its swift passage.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged that today the House will consider two important public health bills that deal with traumatic injury. These two bills would reauthorize a number of important trauma programs to help equip states to deliver these critical medical services. Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for children and adults under the age of 45. After an accident, the care received in the first hour presents the highest likelihood that the patient will survive rapid intervention after a traumatic injury. Without that immediate care, their survival rates decrease by 25 percent. Trauma systems not only provide rapid intervention at the time of injury but also include supporting equipment and personnel, and a continuum of care, including pre-hospital, hospital, and rehabilitation services The first bill, H.R. 648, the Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act, which passed the House last year, allows for planning and implementing trauma care systems in the States. The bill would also establish pilot projects for innovative models of regionalized trauma care. The second bill, H.R. 647, the Access to Life-Saving Trauma Care for All Americans Act, reauthorizes two additional trauma programs that will increase the availability of trauma services. Trauma centers should be available for all victims of traumatic injury. Unfortunately, many trauma centers are at serious risk of closure and financial insolvency. In fact, nearly thirty trauma centers have closed in the past fifteen years. The programs included in this bill will provide critically needed federal funding to help cover uncompensated costs in trauma centers, support core mission trauma services, provide emergency finding to trauma centers, and address trauma center physician shortages in order to ensure the future availability of trauma care for all our citizens. Mr. Speaker, none of these programs have received funding during the appropriations process in recent years. I hope that our consideration of these measures signals the importance of these programs to Members of Congress. I would like to thank Mr. Green and Mr. Burgess, who are both leaders on trauma care, for their work on these bills. I urge Members to support H.R. 647 and H.R. 648.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the Sumgait pogroms--violent riots that resulted in the murder of hundreds of Armenians. This was perhaps one of the most gruesome atrocities in a series of hostile acts against the Armenian people. In 1988, Armenians living in the town of Sumgait in Azerbaijan were burned alive, thrown from windows and senselessly murdered by Azerbaijanis. Hundreds of people were killed, raped, and maimed simply because they were Armenians. The police forces turned a blind eye towards the situation and allowed the crimes to continue for three days without intervention. Since then, Azerbaijan has sought to cover up these crimes and rewrite history. As we prepare to observe 100 years since the Armenian Genocide, these more recent acts of violence against Armenians remind us that the work towards peace in the region continues. Today, we recognize the anniversary of the Sumgait pogroms and to call attention to the work we have ahead of us. We have a shared responsibility to speak out when groups of people are targeted with oppression and violence just because of their ethnicity. Along with my colleagues on the Congressional Armenian Issues Caucus, I continue my efforts to try and shed light on these events so that those lives lost are not forgotten. We will continue to promote mutual understanding and security through the Caucasus region. It is my hope that we can all join together in condemning acts of violence in the past, and renew our commitment to vigilance in the future.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rabbi Donald Weber on his 30th Anniversary as Rabbi of Temple Rodeph Torah in Marlboro, New Jersey. Rabbi Weber is an outstanding leader of Temple Rodeph Torah and an active member of the community whose contributions are truly deserving of this body's recognition. Under Rabbi Weber's leadership, the Temple Rodeph Torah congregation has grown from 66 families in 1984 to more than 350 today. He also began the TRT Cares program to provide help to those in the community facing financial hardships, which earned the Fain Award for Social Justice in 2011. In addition to his efforts within Temple Rodeph Torah, Rabbi Weber is also an active member of the community. He has served as the Marlboro Township Police Chaplain since 2005, is a founding member and Board Chair of the Marlboro Township Ethics Board and is a life member of the Morganville First Aid Squad. He remains an advocate for hunger issues and personal rights, serving as a member and co-chair of the Jewish Leaders' Council of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and a trustee of Planned Parenthood of Monmouth County, among others. Prior to becoming the first full-time rabbi of Temple Rodeph Torah, Rabbi Weber served as Volunteer Chaplain and Supervisor of the Pediatrics Floor at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York and as Associate Rabbi of Temple Beth David in Commack, New York. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University and his Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters and Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion. Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Rabbi Donald Weber and recognizing him for his dedication to community outreach and social action.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Honorable Michael B. Ryan on his retirement as Mayor of Lake Como, New Jersey. As a mayor, union member, and United States Army Veteran, Mayor Ryan embodies the American spirit and his contributions are truly deserving of this body's recognition. Mayor Ryan has been an outstanding public servant and labor advocate for both New Jersey and his home state of California. Mayor Ryan's introduction to labor and politics began in his native California, but he continued his efforts upon moving to New Jersey after marrying his wife, Marlene Brown. Mayor Ryan dedicated many years to leading his community as a council member, council president and mayor. Although retiring from elected office, Mayor Ryan remains active in local and state politics. For nearly 20 years, he has been Democratic Municipal Chairman of South Belmar and Lake Como. He has also been elected to the New Jersey State Democratic Committee and previously served as President of the South Belmar Democratic Club. Mayor Ryan is also committed to protecting labor rights, currently serving as Secretary Treasurer of the Monmouth and Ocean Counties Central Labor Council AFL- CIO and as a member of Teamsters-GCIU 612M. In addition to his work in the public and labor sectors, Mayor Ryan is an Account Representative at Dimensional Management Corporation and is an active member of the community, volunteering at Camp Zehnder YMCA, serving as an usher at St. Rose Church and as a member of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh of the Jersey Shore and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in congratulating Mayor Michael Ryan on his retirement. It is my hope that my colleagues will join me in thanking him for his leadership and service to the Borough of Lake Como.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, there are just 2 days left until the Department of Homeland Security shuts down. The Department charged with keeping Americans safe is set to run out of funding tomorrow all because Republicans in Congress insist on manufacturing political crises instead of working to help hardworking Americans get ahead. A shutdown would mean that those charged every day with protecting our safety would all be expected to report for duty without any promise of a paycheck. In my home State of New Jersey, that would mean that over 4,000 Department of Homeland Security employees, including nearly 1,600 Active Duty Coast Guard members, would go to work without any pay. Payments to help Sandy victims recover would also not be able to be processed in the event of a shutdown. Those families have already suffered enough. They don't need a Republican shutdown making things even more difficult. Ensuring the safety of the American people should never be a partisan issue. And now is the time to come together and do what is right to protect all of our families. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up H.R. 861, the clean Department of Homeland Security funding bill that would keep the Department open so it can carry out its mission of keeping the American people safe.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 734, the FCC Consolidated Reporting Act of 2015. Congress has charged the Federal Communications Commission with overseeing industries that make up one- sixth of our national economy. The communications and technology sectors are driving economic growth across the Nation, connecting businesses to markets large and small and delivering innovative new products and services to consumers. As part of this critical mission, Congress has tasked the FCC with compiling reports to provide the public with information about these dynamic markets. Democrats and Republicans agree that the FCC needs to collect good data. Consumers and businesses rely on this information, and we here in Congress need this information, too, in order to make sound policy decisions and conduct effective oversight of the FCC. Mr. Speaker, by consolidating certain reports and eliminating references to other outdated reports, this bill allows the FCC to use the agency's limited resources more wisely and present a more holistic analysis of the communications marketplace. At the same time, we have worked together to ensure this effort to promote efficiency does not undermine important existing FCC obligations and authorities. We were able to come to agreement in the Energy and Commerce Committee on language that preserves the FCC's duty to provide transparency to consumers about their cable bills and does not alter the FCC's authority over broadband under section 706. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Eshoo for her leadership on these issues and Chairman Upton, Chairman Walden, and Representative Scalise for working with Democrats to address their concerns during the committee's consideration of the bill. In short, this bill is an example of the progress we can make when we engage in a truly bipartisan process. The consideration of H.R. 734 should be a model for legislative efforts in our committee and the entire House. Working together through regular order, we crafted legislation that addressed concerns from both sides of the aisle, and I look forward to continuing to work with our Republican and Democratic colleagues in the Senate to help this bill become law. I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

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, harmful algal blooms are a serious and growing threat to public health. The toxins they produce threaten communities that draw their water from coastal areas and the Great Lakes. They also pose risks to those who swim in contaminated waters or eat contaminated fish. Health impacts include skin and eye irritation, gastrointestinal illness, cancer, paralysis, and even death. Economic impacts are also serious, adversely affecting fishing, recreation, and tourism. Estimates of annual costs of these algal blooms in the United States are in the billions of dollars. This summer, Toledo, Ohio, experienced a profound disruption when citizens woke to a ``do not drink'' order. The impacts were significant and widespread. But the problem is not limited to Ohio or Lake Erie. Harmful algal blooms have been a recurring problem in my home State of New Jersey for decades. So I appreciate that the majority is taking up this bipartisan legislation to begin to address this most important environmental problem. This bill is a good step. More needs to be done. I am happy to say that language reported from the Energy and Commerce Committee reflects several changes sought by Democratic members of the committee. The bill was broadened to ensure that EPA will look at all algal toxins that may have an adverse effect on human health and consider source water protection measures, which are the preferred and most effective approach to managing harmful algal blooms. I thank the chairmen and majority staff for working with Ranking Member Tonko, myself, and the Democratic staff to improve the bill. For too long, Republicans in Congress have been more interested in attacking the EPA than supporting the important work the Agency does to protect human health, and safe drinking water should be a bipartisan issue. Unfortunately, this bill does lack resources. Addressing cyanotoxins in drinking water is very expensive for States and water utilities. If Congress doesn't make funding available at the Federal level, the money will have to come out of already strained State budgets or out of consumers' pockets. The cooperative agreements envisioned in the bill can address some of these costs, Mr. Speaker, but only if they are funded, and the strategic plan will have no impact if there are no resources to carry it out. So I hope this bill can be the start of broader drinking water work to address important threats like climate change, fracking, security, and aging infrastructure. As we continue our drinking water work this Congress, I hope the majority will recognize the importance of funding in addressing these needs. Resources are central to the conversation about safe drinking water. Much of our Nation's drinking water infrastructure is well beyond its useful life and in desperate need of replacement. Algae and other emerging threats, spurred by climate change and other factors, add to the challenge. Investing in drinking water infrastructure protects public health, creates jobs, and boosts the economy, and this is something that we should all support. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta), and my good friend from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for their hard work to address an important environmental threat. I support this bill. I urge its adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, there are 16 calendar days and only 6 legislative days until the Department of Homeland Security shuts down on February 28. Let me repeat that. The Department charged with keeping America safe is set to run out of funding in just 2 weeks, all because the Republican majority insists on pandering to anti-immigrant extremists in their party. In fact, when asked if they were going to take up a new DHS funding bill, the Republican response was: Well, why do we have to? Well, to my brazen colleagues across the aisle who refuse to govern, here is why: because keeping American families safe should be the first responsibility of this Congress. At a time of increased threats around the world, holding the country's national security hostage for the sake of a partisan stunt is the height of irresponsibility. Without funding, DHS would be unable to manage and support the homeland security infrastructure that was built following the 9/11 terrorist attacks to keep our country safe. Mr. Speaker, this is not leadership. The American people deserve much better than this. We must continue funding the Department of Homeland Security immediately.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush), the ranking member of the Energy and Power Subcommittee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The bill grants a regulatory earmark to TransCanada Corporation, effectively exempting TransCanada's Keystone tar sands pipeline from all Federal permitting requirements, including requirements that apply to every other construction project in the country. Keystone will increase carbon pollution and threaten critical water resources. Tar sands are a dirty, high-polluting fuel. On a lifecycle basis, tar sands crude produces up to 40 percent more carbon pollution than conventional oil. And even with the current proposed route, leaks from the highly corrosive crude in the pipeline would still threaten the aquifer, a critical resource for drinking water and irrigation. Mr. Speaker, we don't need this dirty oil. Since Keystone was proposed, we have cut U.S. oil demand. We have dramatically boosted less-polluting U.S. oil production. In fact, much of the tar sands oil will not go to America but will go through America and be exported overseas. This leaves the United States with all the risk and no reward. I would urge my colleagues once again to vote ``no'' on this legislation. It is not good for this country. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, how much time is now on the Republican side?

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains on both sides?

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I, again, yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I listened to the previous speaker on the Republican side and I don't understand how he can say that the President is trying to prevent domestic production. Domestic oil production is at a 29-year high. Whether it is oil or it is natural gas, we have never seen production of this magnitude. Under this administration, there has been such an increase in both oil and natural gas production in comparison to any previous administration for as long as I have been here. To suggest otherwise boggles the mind, in my opinion. I wanted to go back to another issue that we are concerned about in terms of the environment and why Keystone needs to continue to be reviewed by the President and not just be deemed approved, and that has to do, again, with oil spills and the impact on aquifers. Again, our first priority, Madam Speaker, must be to ensure public safety. The proposed Keystone pipeline is a massive project that would carry tar sand sludge throughout the middle of America. Even supporters agree that it should not be built until we have some assurance that it will be safe. Keystone poses real risks. Over the last few years, a litany of tragic failures have reinforced the need for strong pipeline safety standards. In 2011, another ExxonMobil pipeline ruptured in Montana, spilling crude oil into the Yellowstone River. The oil was carried hundreds of miles down the river, threatening the livelihoods of ranchers. In July 2010, a pipeline carrying tar sands oil ruptured near Marshall, Michigan. Over 800,000 gallons of oil spilled into the Talmadge Creek and then flowed into the Kalamazoo River. The cleanup will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Because the diluted bitumen is heavier than water and sinks to the bottom of the river, it has proven harder to clean up than conventional crude oil. TransCanada and its supporters have repeatedly assured the public and the Congress that we shouldn't worry about this pipeline carrying tar sand sludge through the middle of America and across the Ogallala Aquifer. They say it will be an ultra-safe state-of-the-art pipeline. The problem, though, is that we have heard this before. TransCanada's first Keystone pipeline, which brings Canadian tar sands oil to refineries in Illinois and Oklahoma, shouldn't inspire confidence. This was a brand-new, supposedly state-of-the-art pipeline. It was predicted to spill no more than once every 7 years. But in its first year of operation, it reported 14 separate oil spills. The largest spill occurred on May 7, 2011, when approximately 20,000 gallons of oil erupted from the pipeline in North Dakota. There was literally a 64-high geyser of oil. Amazingly, this spill was not detected by TransCanada but was reported by a local farmer. In response to this spill and others, the pipeline safety agency issued a corrective action order temporarily shutting down the original Keystone pipeline. The agency based this action on a finding that the continued operation of the pipeline without corrective action would be hazardous to life, property, and the environment. With this track record, we need a thorough review of whether the standards necessary to safely transport tar sands oil are in place. The proposed route of this tar sands pipeline would cross the Ogallala Aquifer. Millions of Americans depend on this aquifer for their drinking water and for their livelihoods. If there is an oil spill, the consequences would be devastating to the Americans who depend on this precious water resource. Again, this is another reason why we shouldn't be approving this and deem this pipeline approved. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to make this point about the impact of low oil prices on Keystone and on exploitation of tar sands. The price of oil has dropped precipitously in the past few months and is expected to stay in the $65 to $75 per barrel range for the foreseeable future. Just last month, the price of oil actually dipped below $50 per barrel, and gas prices have fallen below $2 per gallon in some areas. Obviously, this is good news for the American consumer but bad news for tar sands producers who are struggling to remain profitable in the face of rising production costs and limited transportation options. In a scenario where tar sands are less profitable due to low oil prices and transportation constraints, the State Department concluded that the construction of Keystone will play a pivotal role in future tar sands development and increased carbon pollution that comes from it. So just last week, EPA made clear that low oil prices mean that the pipeline's impact on future tar sands production could be substantial, with significant implications for climate change. Now, when I was at Rules, some of my colleagues on the Republican side said: Well, if you don't build the pipeline, this tar sands oil is going to be transported by rail or by some other means, and so what is the difference if we build Keystone? Well, the bottom line is that it is very likely that, with low oil prices, there wouldn't be the investment in tar sands. If tar sands had to be transported by means other than the pipeline, investment would not be there. Therefore, the argument is made, obviously, that without Keystone, you might not be exploiting these tar sands and you wouldn't increase the greenhouse gases and force the major change in climate that would result from it. So again, the point that the EPA is making that with low oil prices, a decision to approve the pipeline could be a significant factor in increased tar sands production and increased greenhouse gas emissions, and the President and the Congress need to look at this development carefully and assess its impact. One of the reasons--and there are others, like the impact of the pipeline if there was a spill on groundwater and other things. This is one of the reasons why the President has said that the decision of whether this is in the national interest still has to be weighed, and it shouldn't be dictated to by Congress and just deemed approved because the Canadian company or others think this is appropriate. This is something that the President needs to continue to review, as he has said. That is why he is vetoing the bill. And that is, again, Madam Speaker, why we are wasting our time today. I reserve the balance of my time.