Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

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

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

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

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I grew up with my father and my uncle having a used car business, and I know that because we still lease the business to another person who operates it today. They are still selling used cars. People will buy gas-powered cars, hybrids, and electric vehicles. There is nothing in here that mandates that they have to buy an electric vehicle. The bottom line is, if we don't continue to invest in American innovation and help auto manufacturers and look for various options, we are not going to be able to compete with China. If you pass this resolution, you are making it much, much more difficult for us to compete with China. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I keep hearing arguments from my Republican colleagues that the EPA is forcing electric vehicles onto American consumers, but nobody's forcing anyone to buy an electric vehicle, and to claim that is happening is just false. Expanding and diversifying our domestic vehicle manufacturing industry will increase consumer choice and provide more options for all Americans. The rule that the Republicans seek to repeal today is actually supported by the auto manufacturers as well as auto unions. We should be empowering industry to innovate and create better- performing, more affordable options for our constituents. This is about options. There is no mandate. EPA's consistent vehicle emission standards have empowered decades of innovation in the vehicle industry, which have benefited all Americans. If we want to compete with China, we have to continue to provide choice. We have to continue to make sure that electric vehicles and other options are available. Otherwise, we are going to fall behind. I urge my colleagues again to vote ``no'' on this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, may I ask again as to the time remaining on each side?

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, we are not mandating EVs. We are not forcing anybody to use EVs. I am going to say that over and over again. However, what we are doing is trying to reduce air pollution. This resolution is a step backwards in addressing dangerous air pollution that contributes to climate change and contributes to asthma and all kinds of health disorders. The transportation sector is responsible for a significant portion of our Nation's greenhouse gas emissions and other dangerous air pollutants that harm human health. Over 130 million people across the country live in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Even worse, air pollution is associated with 100,000 premature deaths every year. Let me repeat that because I don't think my Republican colleagues are getting how serious this is. Every year, 100,000 people across the country die sooner than they are expected to because of air pollution. Congress directed the EPA to protect public health and the environment and granted it several tools to do so through the Clean Air Act. One of these tools is the authority to set vehicle emission standards for harmful pollutants emitted by vehicles, which is exactly what EPA did when it proposed and finalized the rule that the Republicans are attempting to repeal today. This reduction in air pollution will result in fewer heart attacks, fewer respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, fewer cases of aggravated asthma, and fewer cases of decreased lung function. The rule is also projected to prevent up to 2,500 premature deaths. With this CRA, Republicans want to wipe out these significant air pollution reductions and associated public health benefits. It is that simple. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, again, how much time is remaining on each side?

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. House Democrats are united in our understanding that we must decarbonize our transportation sector while preserving consumer choice and driving technological innovation in the domestic auto industry. This resolution would undermine our ability to achieve these goals. Instead of backtracking on decades of progress like the CRA would do, I offer a different path forward. First, we must protect the integrity of the Clean Air Act and EPA's authority to set forward-looking vehicle emission standards that protect public health and the environment. Next, we need to foster innovation and technological development in the clean transportation sector. Finally, we must continue to build on the historic investments in the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law. With this CRA, my Republican colleagues are attempting to strand these incredible investments and stop this tremendous progress. When Republicans oppose our investments in America's manufacturing, which is what they are doing today, they are advocating for American industry to stand down. Rather than ceding ground to Communist China, House Democrats are investing in America's ability to compete and beat out our economic competition. That is why we have to oppose this bill. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Puerto Rican Association for Human Development (PRAHD) as they celebrate their historic 50-year milestone of service. On September 19, 2024, they commemorate this accomplishment at PRAHD's Annual Roberto Clemente Gala. It is my privilege to recognize the outstanding efforts of PRAHD to improve the well-being of our communities. The rich history of this organization started with the mindset of the late Roberto Clemente. As a human service agency, the PRAHD staff is dedicated to being an open door for community members facing life altering obstacles. Honorably, the amazing organization has served over 14,000 people in the last year, feeding over 400 families annually. In May of 1974, the organization began their impact by operating youth services within Perth Amboy and have since expanded to serve Middlesex, Monmouth, Union, and Hudson counties. For 50 years, PRAHD has succeeded in an exemplary campaign for the betterment of impoverished individuals. Their expansive human services empower the individual to reach their highest potential. I applaud PRAHD for its remarkable generosity. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope my colleagues will join me in honoring the Puerto Rican Association for Human Development for their contributions to the community and congratulating them on this 50-year milestone.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7208, the Dennis John Benigno Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act. This bill was long championed by the late New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell. It reauthorizes a critical grant program to States through the Administration for Community Living, as well as data collection, surveillance, and analysis through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before I talk about the importance of the bill, I want to take a moment to talk about our dear friend and colleague, Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr., who served here in this House for 27 years. He truly was the first son of Paterson and left an indelible mark on north Jersey throughout his public service career as a mayor, a public schoolteacher, an assemblyman, and a Congressman. Simply put, he never, ever backed down from doing what was right and was always fighting for the little guy. So it is fitting today that we are considering legislation that he was extremely passionate about and embodied his tenacious spirit in supporting policies that made an impact in all of our communities. First enacted in 1996 thanks to the tireless advocacy of Representative Pascrell, this law was the only Federal program which specifically addressed TBI prevention, research, and service delivery through grants to States. Today, I am proud that this legislation will bear the names of two fierce advocates in the TBI community. In his first term in Congress, Representative Pascrell founded the Congressional Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force after meeting with Dennis John Benigno. Dennis John was a 15-year-old boy who was critically injured in 1984 after being struck by a car and suffered a severe brain injury that left him completely disabled. Before then, many in Congress had little firsthand knowledge about TBI or its forever long-term care impact on patients and families. This passion to share Dennis John's story and highlight the need of TBI research and support across the country became the successful law before us today. This legislation will not only honor the legacy and courage of the Benigno family but also rename the national program to bear its biggest congressional champion's name, the Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. National Program for Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance and Injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 214,000 TBI-related hospitalizations in 2020 and more than 69,000 TBI-related deaths in 2021. These estimates do not include the many TBIs that are only treated in the emergency department, urgent care, primary care, or those who simply go untreated. I urge my colleagues to continue the support for this program and the research, treatment, and data surveillance counted on by the 5.3 million people living with lifelong disabilities due to a TBI. I thank Chair Rodgers and Subcommittee Chair Guthrie for their collaboration to advance this important bipartisan bill and to forever honor the legacy of its greatest champions. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues' support on a bipartisan basis, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this in the name of both Mr. Benigno and our colleague, Bill Pascrell, 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. 8111, which is sponsored by the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright). Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan bill would require State Medicaid agencies to regularly obtain updated beneficiary address information from reliable sources, including Medicaid managed care plans. This requirement helps to accomplish two things. First, when the time comes for a State Medicaid agency to renew a person's Medicaid eligibility, it is critical that the State has the most up-to-date address information. Too often, people lose Medicaid coverage for administrative reasons. Some people just don't return the paperwork for this reason, for example. Some people simply never receive the notice that the State has sent to them indicating it was time to renew their healthcare coverage for Medicaid. Collecting and using updated address information from reliable sources helps States to reach people and renew their coverage. The second thing is having updated address information helps States identify when an individual may have moved out of State, and this information could help States ensure payments are not made for beneficiaries who are no longer residents of the State. Mr. Speaker, this is a straightforward policy that helps to address practical challenges for people and for State Medicaid agencies, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 8111. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. In closing, I would simply ask that Members vote for this bill on a bipartisan basis. It is important for Medicaid recipients. 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 today in support of H.R. 4758, the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act, sponsored by the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan) and the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller- Meeks). Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4758 will ensure that children enrolled in Medicaid who need specialized care from out-of-State providers can receive that care without undue delay. Children with complex medical needs often require care that can only be provided by specialists in States other than the one in which they live, and it is unacceptable that these children may have to wait months to receive the care they need, making their condition worse and adding unnecessary stress and burden to their already overwhelmed families. These delays stem from complicated processes that prevent out-of- State Medicaid providers from quickly enrolling in the child's home State Medicaid program. H.R. 4758 will streamline that process to ensure children can more quickly get the care that they need. This bill also includes a prohibition on so-called spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers in the Medicaid program. Spread pricing occurs when pharmacy benefit managers keep a portion of the amount paid to them for prescription drugs, charging Medicaid an excess amount for the drug. I will be pleased to see this wasteful spending come to an end, frankly. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan) for her leadership on this important bill. I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan), the main author of this bill.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I think we heard from Representative Trahan why this is so important. I urge all colleagues to vote for it 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. 7218, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, sponsored by Health Subcommittee Chairman Guthrie and Representative Tonko. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize funding for State and local programs that support their public health efforts to address Alzheimer's dementia in their communities. Approximately 6.9 million Americans ages 65 or older are living with Alzheimer's dementia. Given the impact Alzheimer's has on those suffering from the disease and their families, it is critical we reauthorize funding for the BOLD Act to continue efforts to address this disease. In 2018, the original BOLD Act was signed into law, which directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to build an Alzheimer's public health infrastructure to address the disease across the country. Since then, State and local public health departments have been able to build out Alzheimer's programs that focus on increasing early detection and diagnosis, risk reduction, prevention of avoidable hospitalizations, and supporting caregiving for dementia. Now, thanks to the BOLD Act, our Nation has made significant strides in strengthening our Alzheimer's public health infrastructure. By passing this bill, we make a commitment to continue our progress in addressing Alzheimer's dementia. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to reauthorize funding for the BOLD Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that is very important. We know how important it is to address Alzheimer's, so I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' 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. 8112, legislation to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to further require certain additional provider screening under the Medicaid program. This bill clarifies that States must regularly check a Federal database that identifies healthcare providers that have been revoked from Medicare or terminated from States' Medicaid programs. It is important that States regularly take this step to identify providers who have been terminated from Medicare or Medicaid for reasons like fraudulent conduct or falsification of medical records. Once these bad actors are identified, States should take appropriate action against them. This is yet another way that we can protect Americans against healthcare providers who don't have the best interests of their patients in mind. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on H.R. 8112, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, again, what we are trying to do here, as the chair of the committee has said, is get rid of bad actors. I think this is an effective way to do it, so I would hope everyone would join me on both sides of the aisle in voting ``yes'' on this 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 in support of H.R. 7213, the bicameral, bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Autism CARES Act, which is sponsored by my colleague from New Jersey, Chris Smith. The Autism CARES Act, formerly known as the Combating Autism Act, is the primary source of Federal funding for autism research services, training, and monitoring. Since 2006, this law has paved the way for incredible scientific developments. Research funded by the law has advanced diagnosis in young children 18 to 24 months of age and has helped identify timely interventions to make a lifetime difference in the care and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Another significant example of the act's success is the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities, or LEND program. This program has trained nearly 22,000 interdisciplinary health professionals in autism screening and identification benchmarks to improve diagnosis and care. These programs collectively provide diagnostic services to confirm or rule out autism or developmental disabilities to over 115,000 children. In my home State of New Jersey, the prevalence of autism remains alarmingly high as the incidence of autism continues to grow nationally. We are fortunate to have Rutgers University as the home of New Jersey's Autism Center for Excellence, leading the way on several important issues to the New Jersey autism community, including highlighting disparities in getting diagnosed, providing service programs to adults with autism spectrum disorder, and improving the lives of people who are living with this disorder. Progress has been made, but our work is far from over. We must continue supporting children, families, and caregivers throughout their lives. I am pleased that through our bicameral, bipartisan negotiations, we are able to increase the number of NIH Centers of Excellence from five to seven. We were also able to come to agreement on requiring more updated reporting for the Department of Health and Human Services on mental health needs among autism patients. This will help provide better research and support for children transitioning to adulthood with autism and providing a technical assistance center to ensure evidence-based communication tools are available to patients with speech pathology or audiological challenges. Now, I must say that I am disappointed that the current Speaker's protocol prevents us from providing the robust funding necessary to meet the implementing agency's projections for this law's 5-year reauthorization period. I feel the bicameral, bipartisan compromise before us is a strong product, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.