John Ratcliffe

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I thank the chairman. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the majority whip.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, how much time is remaining on both sides?

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Dent and Ranking Member Bishop for their hard work on behalf of the 57,000 veterans in my district and on behalf of veterans and servicemembers across the country. I am also grateful for the support of Congressmen MacArthur, Hurd, and Norcross in offering this bipartisan amendment, one which would simply prohibit any funds made available in this act from being used to propose or execute a new or additional round of BRAC. Mr. Chairman, I am honored to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Texas, home to the Red River Army Depot. The depot has supported the warfighters since 1941. Although the depot community has weathered many changes over the years, their commitment to mission remains the same. It is reflected on the placard placed in each of the vehicles there which reads, ``We build it as if our lives depend on it. Theirs do.'' The Red River Army Depot is a vital job creator in northeast Texas, and it is a critical component of our national defense. Mr. Chairman, in this fiscal environment, we need to be careful stewards of taxpayer dollars and focus our limited resources on addressing critical national security objectives and military readiness. Having another round of BRAC won't help us achieve this goal. In fact, the Government Accountability Office reports that the last round of BRAC in 2005 cost the American taxpayers $35.1 billion, which was 67 percent more than the original cost estimate. At the same time, the expected savings from the last round of BRAC were 73 percent less than was advertised. Starting another round of BRAC would weaken our capabilities and increase our vulnerability in the face of the critical threats facing our Nation. I would like to thank my colleagues who have supported this amendment.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I thank the gentleman. I would like to yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. MacArthur).

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd).

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of amendment No. 2. This is a bipartisan amendment that will help clarify language in both the Homeland Security Act and this bill. This amendment narrows the definition of the word ``incident'' to ensure that a cybersecurity incident is limited to actions taken against an information system or information stored on that system. This amendment, Mr. Chairman, ensures that information shared with the NCCIC or other private entities is limited to threats and actions against information systems and information stored on that system.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I rise as the designee of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) to offer amendment No. 2.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I support this amendment, which requires the Department of Homeland Security to identify and mitigate cybersecurity threats to our Nation's seaports. It requires the Secretary to identify the 10 ports with the highest vulnerability to cybersecurity incidents and to fully evaluate and establish procedures to mitigate relevant cyber vulnerabilities. America's seaports are critical infrastructure, and 95 percent of America's foreign trade travels through these seaports. A cybersecurity incident which impacts a major U.S. port could have profound effects on the global economy. The Department of Homeland Security must take immediate, proactive measures to identify and mitigate cybersecurity threats in America's most vulnerable ports. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Chairman McCaul in crafting the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act. I would also like to thank Ranking Members Richmond and Thompson for their hard work on this issue; and a special thank you to the Homeland Security staff, who worked incredibly hard to bring this important bill to the floor today. Mr. Chairman, for years now, the private sector has been on the front lines in trying to guard against potentially devastating cyber attacks. Just 2 months ago, one of the Nation's largest health insurance providers, Anthem, suffered a devastating cyber attack that compromised the personal information and health records of more than 80 million Americans. The consequences of that breach hit home for many of those Americans just a week ago, on tax day, when thousands of them tried to file their tax returns, only to see them be rejected because cyber criminals had used their information to file false tax returns. Mr. Chairman, attacks like these serve as a wake-up call to all Americans and provide clear evidence that our cyber adversaries have the upper hand. The consequences will get even worse if we fail to tackle this issue head on because even greater and more frightening threats exist, ones that extend to the critical infrastructure that support our very way of life. I am talking about cyber attacks against the networks which control our bridges, our dams, our power grids, rails, and even our water supply. Attacks on this critical infrastructure have the potential to produce sustained blackouts, halt air traffic, shut off fuel supplies, or, even worse, contaminate the air, food, and water that we need to survive. These scenarios paint a picture of economic crisis and physical chaos that are, unfortunately, all too real and all too possible right now. Mr. Chairman, 85 percent of our Nation's critical infrastructure is controlled by the private sector, not by the government, a fact which underscores the reality that America's security, when it comes to defending against cyber attacks, largely depends on the security of our private networks. The simple truth is that many in the private sector can't defend their networks or our critical infrastructure against these threats. H.R. 1731 provides a solution for the rapid sharing of important cyber threat information to minimize or, in some cases, prevent the cyber attacks from being successful. Through the Department of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity Communication and Integration Center, or NCCIC, this bill will facilitate the sharing of cyber threat indicators between the private sector entities and between the private sector and the Federal Government. With carefully crafted liability protections, private entities would finally be able to share cyber threat indicators with their private sector counterparts through the NCCIC without fear of liability. The sharing of these cyber threat indicators, or, more specifically, the tools, techniques, and tactics used by cyber intruders, will arm those who protect our networks with the valuable information they need to fortify our defenses against future cyber attacks. Because some have said that prior proposals didn't go far enough in safeguarding personal privacy, this bill addresses those concerns with robust privacy measures that ensure the protection of Americans' personal information and private data. H.R. 1731 will provide protection only for sharing that is done voluntarily with the Department of Homeland Security's NCCIC, which is a civilian entity. It does not provide for or allow sharing with the NSA or the Department of Defense. In fact, this bill expressly prohibits information from being used for surveillance purposes. This bill also limits the type of information that can be shared, and it requires the removal of all personally identifiable information, which is scrubbed out before the cyber threat indicators can be shared. In short, this bill improves and increases protection for the personal privacy of Americans, which currently remains so vulnerable to malicious attacks from our cyber adversaries. Mr. Chairman, the status quo isn't working when it comes to defending against cyber threats. The need to better secure Americans' personal information and better protect and safeguard our critical infrastructure is precisely what compels congressional action right now. I strongly endorse the passage of this vital legislation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it as well. I thank the gentleman from Texas for his leadership.

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate and honor a young student from my district who has achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. Kayce Welch of Texarkana has just been named one of the top honorees in Texas by the 2015 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in each state and the District of Columbia. Ms. Kayce Welch is being recognized for creating the ``One of a Kind'' project to help raise funds and awareness of juvenile diabetes, the disease she was diagnosed with at age 11, and so far raised $3,000 through a charity walk to support a summer camp for children with diabetes. Ms. Welch is currently planning a ``One of a Kind Gala for Diabetes,'' to be held in the spring of 2015, which she hopes will raise at least $30,000 to help fund research into a cure. Given the challenges we face today, it is vital that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contributions that these young citizens have made. Youth volunteers like Ms. Welch are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow. The program that brought this young role model to our attention--The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995 to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and highly valued, and to inspire other young people to follow their example. Over the past 20 years, the program has become the nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, and has honored more than 100,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level. Ms. Welch should be extremely proud to have been singled out from the thousands of dedicated volunteers who participated in this year's program. I heartily applaud Ms. Welch for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can--and do--play important roles in our communities, and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future. Congratulations.

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, congratulations to Ms. Brittany Seymore on her well-deserved recognition as the 2014 Outstanding Teaching Award winner. Ms. Seymore has proven herself a leader and a role model for her 3rd grade class in the Rockwall ISD. As a son of two public school teachers and a graduate of public school myself, I know the critical role that educators play in preparing our children to be the leaders of tomorrow. Rockwall ISD and the surrounding areas are fortunate to have such a passionate and dedicated teacher to call its own. Her own principal has said that Ms. Seymore has built a reputation throughout the district as a leader and a top level teacher. Ms. Seymore's ability to differentiate utilizing stations and homework according to student need is a feat that all teachers strive to reach, and one that Ms. Seymore has mastered. Her involvement on her campus also goes above and beyond the duties of a teacher. Her part in the district's ``Launch Pad Cadre'' leadership team fosters innovated and meaningful classroom projects. Not only is Ms. Seymore valued in her school but also in the Rockwall community. Just this past year, her ability to collect supplies for a young student that was being treated for leukemia shows a great level of compassion and intertwines life lessons into what she teachers her students. Recognizing the role that education plays in enabling opportunity for all, the United States was the first country in the world to develop a public education system free for anyone to attend. In my job as your Congressman, I'm engaged in many policy debates about education in this country. But let me tell you, nothing that legislators do in Washington or Austin can change this undeniable fact--good education starts with great teachers. And we need more dedicated and passionate teachers like Ms. Seymore. That's why I'm so happy to be here to present this award. Congratulations.

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing the extraordinary work that constituents do giving back to their communities every single day. They don't do it for fame, and they don't do it for glory. They do it because they want to make a difference. No one person embodies this spirit of service better than Margo Nielsen. During her 25 years at the helm of Helping Hands, the organization has seen tremendous growth and helped tens of thousands of people by ensuring that essential health and emergency services are available to everyone in Rockwall County. Margo--congratulations on your remarkable career. Your leadership will be missed, but your legacy not soon forgotten. Thank you all for joining me in honoring Margo and supporting Helping Hands. God Bless.

Mr. RATCLIFFE

Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me this time. This week, I was honored and grateful to be able to vote for and help pass several bills that will improve the lives of so many hardworking Americans. Earlier today, I was proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 3, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act. I am grateful to be pushing this bill across the finish line because the Keystone runs through the Fourth Congressional District that I am privileged to represent. It is a long overdue, commonsense piece of legislation which will create good-paying jobs, will grow our economy, and will support more manufacturing and trade in this country. During its construction, it is estimated that 42,000 jobs will be created by the Keystone, and it will put more than $2 billion in the pockets of American workers. To put this impact in perspective, those 42,000 jobs are 12,000 more than the unemployed population in the Fourth Congressional District of Texas. Unfortunately, President Obama has indicated that he will veto the Keystone if it passes both Houses. I hope that this is just an idle political threat because, if it is not, then the President is intentionally harming the middle class Americans that this great job creation bill is going to help. I hope and pray that our President won't play politics with legislation that will provide opportunities to create jobs for tens of thousands of Americans to support their families. This week, I was also proud to be able to support H.R. 30, which changes the definition of a full-time employee from 30 hours a week to 40 hours a week under the perversely named Affordable Care Act. ObamaCare's 30-hour rule places an impossible burden on individuals and small businesses in my district and across this country, and I am glad to be able to help pass a bill which repeals a terrible provision from a terrible law. But I say we haven't gone far enough. I know the people that I represent in east and north Texas won't be satisfied until we repeal every provision of the Affordable Care Act. I was sent here to Washington to deliver results for the hardworking people of north and east Texas, and these bills show that I am doing that, and it is what I intend to keep doing because, while these are great bills and I am proud that we passed them this week, it is just a start. We need more good bills to combat the President's executive overreach; to restore fiscal sanity; to secure our borders; to repeal all of ObamaCare; and, most importantly, to defend our great Constitution.