Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), who is the ranking member of our Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), who is the ranking member of our Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes), a member of our committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters), a member of our committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Mullin).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I hear the Republicans constantly talk about choice, a choice of vehicles. Let me just stress again that nobody is taking away your gas- powered vehicle. We are actually providing you the choice, and the States that are adopting the California standards are providing you a choice of vehicles because if you pass this bill, then you are basically insisting that people have to have gas-powered vehicles because nobody's going to develop EVs. The fact of the matter is, contrary to my colleague from Indiana's remarks, people are buying EVs, more people than ever. Even Republicans are buying electric vehicles. This bill will discourage any manufacturing of hybrid or electric vehicles because there will be no incentives for the automakers to invest in the production of hybrids or EVs, and they would simply not be available. People won't have a choice of a cleaner car either because of better emission standards if it is gas powered or because they might want to buy a hybrid or an EV. The other argument that is being made here is about China, and I have to dispute that, as well. Republicans are making the claim that this bill protects America from playing into China's hands. I totally disagree. Basically, Republicans think that China is leading in the EV space. Rather than relying on American industry and American ingenuity to compete with China, Republicans think we should step aside. They basically say we will just stand down. While the global demand and the American demand for EVs is rising, if we don't compete, China benefits. If we step back, China ends up controlling all the supply chains. Democrats aren't denying that China is very active in this space and controls a lot of the existing supply chains for electric vehicles, but rather than ceding more ground, we are investing in America's ability to compete. We are investing in domestic battery manufacturing, creating jobs here and reducing our dependence on foreign supply chains. Republicans are operating under the assumption that by stepping away from electric vehicles, China's dominance in the space disappears. That is nonsense. In reality, it means that the growing global demand for electric vehicles will be met by China, and American progress and competitiveness just recedes. One of my colleagues--I think it was Mr. Peters--said that the Republicans are stuck in the past. That is exactly the problem here. They don't understand that the auto industry is innovating. The auto industry has been creating gas-powered cars with less emissions. The auto industry is creating EVs here. Let them flower. Let them do what they can so, ultimately, we are in charge of manufacturing these vehicles so that Americans buy and the rest of the world buys our electric vehicles. Don't let China continue to dominate the market. That is what this bill will do. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time. I don't have much time left.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time because I have very little time remaining.

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

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, may I ask the time remaining on both sides again?

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

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear again. Nobody is taking away your gas-powered vehicles. If this bill were to become law, there would be no choice because the United States would not build electric vehicles and we would fall further and further behind China. The Republicans are trying to legislate away years of American innovation and cleaner transportation in yet another attempt to do the bidding of their Big Oil friends. They are once again putting polluters over people. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to congratulate the Ocean Grove Home Owners Association on its 70th anniversary this year. This milestone is truly deserving of this body's recognition. Since its inception, the Ocean Grove Home Owners Association (OGHOA) has striven to uphold the aesthetic and historical character of Ocean Grove, while maintaining and improving property values. It represents and supports the common interests of concerned homeowners, welcoming input and open discussion from members and residents. In that endeavor, the OGHOA maintains an active role in local government, staying informed of government actions and policies, advocating on behalf of the community, and encouraging its members to serve on boards and commissions that affect homeowners. In addition to its preservation and advocacy efforts, the OGHOA provides fellowship among its members, gathering socially twice a year and encouraging members to participate in community celebrations. The Ocean Grove Home Owners Association continues to play a vital role in the promotion of Ocean Grove and its homeowners. As it celebrates its 70th anniversary, I am honored to recognize the contributions of the Ocean Grove Home Owners Association and to extend my gratitude for its efforts to preserve the charm of Ocean Grove.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, as family, friends, and community members gather to celebrate the life of Nazar L. Nazarian, I would like to join in paying tribute to his memory. Mr. Nazarian passed away on August 28, 2023, after a life filled with numerous professional and personal accomplishments. Mr. Nazarian was a prominent member of the Armenian community, a successful businessman, and a fixture of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). From the Levon and Satenig Nazarian Primary School in Lebanon to the Levon and Claudia Nazarian Radiology Center, to name just a few, Mr. Nazarian's philanthropic endeavors support Armenians across the globe. Likewise, his vision to connect and promote the Armenian community led to the construction of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Lebanon and the AGBU Armenia building in Yerevan. He also focused his philanthropic endeavors to serve the Church, supporting the construction of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York and the St. Dertad chapel at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Yerevan, among others. His commitment to faith, culture and the arts, as well as social and humanitarian causes have left an indelible mark on the community. Mr. Nazarian lived his life in service to his community and his passion to help others is evident. Born in Aleppo, Syria and raised in Lebanon, Mr. Nazarian immigrated to the United States in the 1950s. Together with his late wife Artemis Topjian, Mr. Nazarian instilled in their children the importance of hard work and community service. Mr. Nazarian leaves behind a loving family, including his daughter Seta, son Levon and his wife Claudia, 5 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren, who will no doubt continue the Nazarian legacy of charity and compassion. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in honoring Nazar L. Nazarian for his devotion to family, faith, and community. His generous spirit and impact on the Armenian community both here and abroad will continue to be felt for generations to come.

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. 1338, the Satellite And Telecommunications Streamlining Act, or the SAT Streamlining Act. Within the last decade, satellite capabilities have jumped leaps and bounds. We have seen significant advancements in satellites providing broadband internet and other services to consumers and the public throughout the country and the world. While this is beneficial to all, it is especially helpful to those living in areas where other types of technologies have not been built out yet due to geographic considerations and other factors. These technological breakthroughs are a positive step forward for our country, but it is evident that other countries, including our foreign adversaries, are also aggressively trying to dominate this industry. It is imperative that Congress act now to retain our country's leadership position in the satellite marketplace. H.R. 1338 helps to accomplish this goal. This bill will enhance the competitiveness of our Nation's satellite industry by requiring the FCC to set reasonable rules to prevent harmful interference as satellites utilize spectrum to communicate with one another and with base stations on Earth. It does not expand the FCC's jurisdiction over the space industry. Instead, it sets new rules of the road with respect to the licensing of electromagnetic spectrum, which is needed to operate satellite systems. For instance, it establishes application requirements for the licensing of the spectrum and sets forth the guidelines for how and when the FCC should consider these applications and the timeframes for doing so. We must implement these solutions to ensure the United States remains competitive with our counterparts across the globe, including China, in producing cutting-edge consumer innovations and fortifying our public safety and national security capabilities. The Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Speaker, has traditionally worked in a bipartisan fashion on key telecommunications matters, and I commend Chair Rodgers for continuing this tradition with this legislation. Unfortunately, though, another bipartisan bill that I led with Chair Rodgers that unanimously passed out of the committee would have directly addressed the threat of adversaries deploying their satellite systems for use by U.S. customers. H.R. 675, the Secure Space Act, would extend the framework Congress adopted in the bipartisan Secure and Trusted Communications Network Act to satellite operators. This framework ensures that foreign adversaries cannot use our communications network for espionage and disruption. The Energy and Commerce Committee, and then the full Congress passed last year then-Minority Whip Scalise's bipartisan legislation to extend that framework to the FCC's equipment authorization process. It surprised and disappointed me that some members of the Republican caucus are objecting to the Secure Space Act--again, a bill passed unanimously out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Unfortunately, it can't go forward without amendments limiting its scope, and therefore its effect, in keeping unquestionably bad actors from infiltrating our networks. We should be passing this bill today rather than allowing a small extreme minority in the House Republican caucus to have veto power over a policy that is so important to our national security and that a significant majority of this House favors. It is unfortunate that the Republican majority continues to cave to the extreme elements of their party. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1338, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).

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