Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation which will give Congress the ability to swiftly enact President Biden's American Rescue Plan. Our Nation and our people are hurting. While we have made historic progress developing lifesaving vaccines in record time, we are now in a race to get these vaccines into the arms of Americans as new variants of the virus spread. Unfortunately, the Trump administration left President Biden a mess to clean up. President Trump refused to develop a national strategy to crush the virus and said it was the responsibility of the States. This led to a sluggish and flawed vaccine rollout, a disjointed patchwork of State testing plans, and supply chain constraints on essential medical supplies and personal protective equipment. In December, Congress made a down payment to help jump-start our Nation's recovery. However, our work is far from done. Congress must provide the new Biden administration the additional resources and support necessary to implement a national strategy. The American Rescue Plan is a comprehensive, multipronged national approach. It is robust because we need a big plan to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan will invest billions to speed up the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines across the country. It will support the development of community vaccination centers, as well as mobile vaccination units that can go into hard-to- reach areas that are often underserved. The American Rescue Plan invests in a national testing strategy with funding for rapid tests, expanding lab capacity, and assisting States. Expanded testing will ensure that schools can support safe reopening, that vulnerable settings like long-term care facilities can regularly test their populations, and that any American can get a test for free when they need one. Mr. Speaker, we will also provide specific funding for health services and underserved communities. This includes funding to hire 100,000 new public health workers. They will perform vital tasks like vaccine outreach and contact tracing for underserved populations. The American Rescue Plan provides additional investments in community health centers and health services on Tribal lands, and these funds will support the expansion of COVID vaccinations, treatment, and care to underserved populations. Mr. Speaker, this plan delivers bold relief to the American people. It deserves strong, bipartisan support here in the House. I urge my colleagues to act with the urgency of the moment and support this resolution.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I rise in strong support of this final omnibus package that includes critical legislation from the Energy and Commerce Committee. First, this agreement includes $69 billion to crush the coronavirus by supporting the rapid and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as critical testing and contact tracing. Second, this package finally ends surprise medical bills for American consumers. These surprise bills have burdened millions of patients with crushing medical debts. It saves money, which pays for a 3-year extension to fund community health centers and other vital healthcare programs. Third, the bill phases down HFCs. This is a big win in the fight against climate change, along with the reauthorization of the Pipeline Safety Act, which reduces methane leaks. And, fourth, we provide major assistance for struggling families to better afford their internet service. These are just a few of the key provisions from the Energy and Commerce Committee. But I want to end by thanking the chair, Nita Lowey. As she mentioned, she and Eliot Engel, myself, and Rich Neal are the last in our class. I hate to say it that way. She has been an outstanding legislator and a great friend. My only regret is that she is going to just leave Richie Neal and myself to carry on here. So I really wish she would not leave, but I know she wants to, and I wish her the best. I love you, Nita.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3361) to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize hydroelectric production incentives and hydroelectric efficiency improvement incentives, and for other purposes.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3361.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3361, the Reliable Investment in Vital Energy Reauthorization Act, or the RIVER Act. This bipartisan bill was introduced by Representatives McKinley, Tonko, and Loebsack. Hydropower is a vital part of our clean energy portfolio, and the RIVER Act reauthorizes important hydroelectric production incentives established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The RIVER Act extends incentives that provide payments to owners or operators of hydroelectric facilities that are added to existing dams or conduits. Additionally, it reauthorizes efficiency improvement payments for improving facility efficiency. I support this legislation, Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleagues for their hard work on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5541) to amend the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to reauthorize programs to assist consenting Indian Tribes in meeting energy education, planning, and management needs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5541.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5541, the Tribal Power Act. This is a bipartisan bill that was introduced by Representative O'Halleran from Arizona and Representative Mullin from Oklahoma, both members of the Energy and Commerce Committee. This important legislation addresses some of the urgent energy needs of Tribal communities by improving access to energy sources that are affordable and reliable. H.R. 5541 reauthorizes the Department of Energy's Office of Indian Energy and reauthorizes programs to assist Indian Tribes in meeting energy education, planning, and management needs. Mr. Speaker, we must work with Tribal Governments to ensure the members of Tribal Nations have access to affordable, reliable energy. We have made some strong bipartisan strides on these matters during this Congress, including this bill before us today. As we prepare for the upcoming Congress, I am committed to working with the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Rush and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do even more to help Native American communities on these matters in the 117th Congress. I thank the sponsors of this bill for their continued work and leadership on Tribal issues. I also thank House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Grijalva, a champion of Native American priorities, for his support which was crucial to bringing this bill to the floor today. This is an important bipartisan bill that deserves to become law. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting passage, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, December 7, 2020. Hon. Frank Pallone Jr., Chair, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chair Pallone: In recognition of the goal of expediting consideration of H.R. 5541, the ``Tribal Power Act,'' the Committee on Natural Resources agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources. The Committee on Natural Resources takes this action with the mutual understanding that, in doing so, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues within our jurisdiction. Our Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation. Thank you for agreeing to include our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Raul M. Grijalva, Chair, House Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3797.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3797, the Medical Marijuana Research Act. In recent years, including in this most recent election cycle, many States have taken action to allow cannabis use. While States are moving ahead with this action, there is a significant need for more research about the use of cannabis products in these States and the safety of products on the shelves. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, 36 States, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia have approved medical cannabis programs, while 15 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands have approved adult-use cannabis. This is a major shift in cannabis policy, and the United States is not the only one making these changes. Just last week, in a vote by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the body acknowledged the medicinal and therapeutic potential of cannabis and removed it from the most restrictive classification category. While still voicing a need for control, the United States voted in favor of this move, stating that the legitimate medical use of cannabis has been established through scientific research. Unfortunately, American researchers seeking to study the products widely available and used by consumers in these States and territories face restrictions and numerous hurdles created by U.S. Federal policy. It is time we break through this catch-22. This bipartisan bill begins to address this issue by reducing barriers to cannabis research. In January, the Committee on Energy and Commerce heard from Federal officials about the difficulty researchers face when it comes to conducting research with cannabis. As an example, for years, there has been only one source of marijuana made available by the University of Mississippi that can be used in the U.S. for research purposes. Another difficulty is that the current Federal registration requirements can be time-consuming and add unique and additional responsibilities than what is required for other types of medical research. The Council on Governmental Relations, an association of research universities and other entities, says that this more cumbersome process often requires 6 to 12 months to complete. In testimony before our committee on this bill, Dr. Nora Volkow, who is the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, underscored this point. She testified that barriers in the current process ``present challenges to advancing cannabis research.'' As a result, she said, we have a gap in our understanding of cannabis products on health. Mr. Speaker, now this bill, H.R. 3797, addresses some of these barriers by streamlining the registration process for those who want to advance cannabis research. The bill does this while still maintaining appropriate oversight from both the Department of Health and Human Services and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This bill also requires HHS and DEA to act within specified time periods to ensure timely registration for researchers, and it encourages additional manufacturers and distributors to supply cannabis for purposes of research. This will diversify the range of products and make it easier for legitimate researchers to obtain products that better reflect the changing cannabis landscape. Mr. Speaker, finally, the bill would also promote research on cannabis products available through State-authorized programs. This additional research is critical if we are to better understand the benefits and risks of cannabis products available in State markets today and most frequently used by consumers. Mr. Speaker, I thank the lead sponsors of this bipartisan legislation, Representatives Blumenauer, Harris, Lofgren, Griffith, Bishop, and Dingell, and their staffs, for their tireless work. I also thank the committee staff for their hard work, as well as the staff for both HHS and DEA for their technical assistance. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I hope the Senate will act on it swiftly, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, December 7, 2020. Hon. Frank Pallone, Jr., Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Pallone: This is to advise you that the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to review the provisions in H.R. 3797, the ``Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2019,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo action on H.R. 3797, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions or their subject matters. In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the right to request an appropriate number of conferees to address any concerns with these or similar provisions that may arise in conference. Please place this letter into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our committees. Sincerely, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell), one of our colleagues on the committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3797) to amend the Controlled Substances Act to make marijuana accessible for use by qualified marijuana researchers for medical purposes, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1966.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mfume).

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1426) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to address insufficient compensation of employees and other personnel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and for other purposes.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1426.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7898) to amend title XXX of the Public Health Services Act to provide for a technical correction to provide the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Service certain authorities with respect to investigations of information blocking, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 7898.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in 2016, the Energy and Commerce Committee led the charge in passing the 21st Century Cures Act. In addition to investing billions in cutting-edge research and opioid abuse prevention and treatment, the Cures Act also included several provisions related to improving the interoperability of health information technology. Specifically, the act defined the practice of information blocking. It also provided the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, or OIG, with the authority to investigate and levy penalties on entities found to be engaging in information blocking. Examples of information blocking could include a developer placing unnecessary restrictions on authorized exchanges of information. Another example would be when a developer implements their electronic health record, EHR, technology in such a nonstandard way that it becomes incredibly difficult to exchange a patient's health information with a system not owned by that developer. Practices like these simply stand in the way of patients accessing their own data and carrying their data with them as they move between plans and providers. I am pleased that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, ONC, and the OIG have worked since the passage of the Cures Act to implement these important policies. The bill before us today, H.R. 7898, provides for a technical correction to the Cures Act to ensure that the OIG has the authority they fully need to enforce the information blocking prohibitions. H.R. 7898 also includes another health IT-related policy that was part of a bipartisan, bicameral health agreement released by the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions last December. This policy incentivizes healthcare entities to adopt strong cybersecurity practices by encouraging the Secretary of HHS to consider entities' adoption of recognized cybersecurity practices when conducting audits or administering HIPAA fines. Cyberattacks are increasingly a major concern for healthcare providers. It is important that we acknowledge those providers that are acting in good faith and doing everything in their power to safeguard patient data. This provision encourages providers to follow widely recognized best practices in the field with the goal of helping all providers be better prepared for potential cybersecurity attacks. These both are commonsense policies, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting them. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I was hoping I wasn't going to have to make this statement about Greg Walden retiring because I really didn't want him to retire. I guess I kept hoping that he wouldn't or that he would still be here in some fashion--and he will be in some fashion. But I wanted to thank him for 20 years of extraordinary service on the Energy and Commerce Committee, in particular. And I want to particularly thank him for his leadership and friendship over the last 4 years as he served as the top Republican on the committee. During those first 2 years, he chaired the committee, and then over the last 2 years, he served as the ranking member. Our committee, as he knows and I think a lot of people know, has a long and proud tradition of bipartisanship, and Greg has really been a great partner, particularly over the last year as we faced the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19. We have worked very closely over the last 11 months on all the legislation that was signed into law to respond to the pandemic. Among those laws was the CARES Act, which provided essential assistance to the American people, healthcare workers, hospitals, small businesses, and State and local government. We have taken some significant steps, but the work continues as we hope to complete another COVID-19 relief package in the coming days before we adjourn. Prior to the pandemic this year, we were able to come together over the last 4 years, thanks to Greg's leadership, to pass a lot of other substantial bills that actually became law. We passed comprehensive legislation to address the opioid epidemic by expanding treatment to people fighting opioid use disorder and supporting those affected by the opioid crisis. We reauthorized the Safe Drinking Water Act for the first time in 20 years. We eliminated annoying robocalls--I don't know, ``eliminating'' may not be accurate, but we eliminated a lot of them. We passed the RAY BAUM'S Act, named after the late Republican staff director of the committee and Greg's longtime friend, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission for the first time in 28 years. I know the law is very important to Greg, not only because it was named after Ray but also because of Greg's longtime love for broadcasting. Of course, not everything is bipartisan. He will probably never forget his initiation as chairman. His first full committee markup--as was already mentioned by other colleagues--was the longest markup in the Energy and Commerce Committee's history, 27 hours as we debated the Republican Affordable Care Act repeal bill. That was really baptism by fire. At the end of the day, I am going to remember Greg most for the commitment he made day in and day out to help everyday Americans. It is really special. A lot of people have a bad opinion of Congress. They think that we come here for self-aggrandizement because somehow we want to get a better job after we leave--not that there is one--or that we are trying to help our families or trying to help special interests. The one thing I will say about Greg is that none of that is true. One thing I will say about Greg is that none of that is true. He has a strong dose of humility, and humility is something that I would say oftentimes is lacking, not just in Congress, but in general. Sometimes I wonder if people even value it as something that they cherish. But certainly Greg does. He is not only humble, he really cares about everyone, and he is not just out for himself. I also want to thank his wife, Mylene, for sharing him with us for all these years. We are going to miss Greg, and we will miss Mylene also. Greg, I wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors. I have been hearing different rumors from other Members. Earl actually told me about some trip you took in the mountains in Oregon. Everybody is sort of secret about these different things that he is doing, but I suspect that they are going to be endeavors that he loves and that, when I hear about them, will be fantastic. I just feel bad about even making this speech about his leaving, but that is the way it is, and I am going to miss him. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for passage of the bill, and I also yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask for support on this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 549.