John Shimkus

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Georgia for his comments, and now I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for his strong work, his positive statements, and his reaching out so that we could have a national solution to a national problem.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague. So we have heard from Oregon, Tennessee, Minnesota, and then from California. Now I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his comments. I now yield to the gentleman from the State of California (Mr. McNerney), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, a good friend, also.

Mr. SHIMKUS. I do that, Mr. Speaker, because we have had Members from Oregon--I am from Illinois--Tennessee, Minnesota, California, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Connecticut come down. Many, many Members from all over this country also wanted to join me here tonight, but they could not, so they will be submitting statements for the Record. I appreciate the Chair allowing us to us do that. Mr. Speaker, I also want to highlight a few things and just follow up on some of my colleagues, who I really appreciate coming down and spending their time to talk about the importance of this issue. This issue has national support, I think identified by the 49-4 vote out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. People are very diverse, from all over the country, on the Energy and Commerce Committee. I would encourage people to go to the Energy and Commerce Committee website and look at the members of that committee and how wide and how diverse we are. We are all united on this issue. The national newsmakers and the recorders of what is going on are starting to take interest in solving this problem. We have a couple editorials and statements from some major papers and some smaller ones. Here is The Washington Post: ``Put Yucca Mountain to work. The Nation needs it.'' As was stated, the law was passed in 1982 and it was amended in 1987. Congressman Duncan said it right. This is the law of the land. For the last 8 to 10 years, we have been breaking the law by not moving forward. People have heard me say that numerous times before. Here is The San Diego Union-Tribune: ``Revival of Yucca Mountain nuclear waste project overdue.'' Well, it is 20 years. We should have been receiving spent nuclear fuel and defense waste 20 years ago. Now we are paying judgments because of our inability to comply with the law. Wouldn't you like the government to do what it says it wants to do and then is planning to do it? And then shouldn't they do it? Here is Aiken Standard: ``Fed should proceed with Yucca Mountain.'' Here is the Reason: ``Open the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.'' Here is the Los Angeles Times and their statement on this issue: ``The Federal Government needs to renew its efforts to bring the Yucca Mountain site into operation.'' There is a lot of support in California because they are closing nuclear power plants and they have spent nuclear fuel on the beach, as Congressman Carbajal has said. He is talking about San Luis Obispo. I think I will show a chart later on that shows San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, or SONGS, which is being decommissioned. Here is the Chicago Tribune, from my State: ``Yucca Mountain is the only viable alternative to the jury-rigged status quo. We hope the Trump administration and Congress will revive it because if they don't''--well, you can read it, right? So let me give you an example. It was mentioned by one of my colleagues, and I will talk about Illinois for a little bit. Zion Nuclear Power Station is decommissioned. On the shore of Lake Michigan is spent nuclear fuel. Part of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act Amendments of 2017 does a couple things. It makes sure the authorization language is in place so that we start moving forward on a final repository. We have listened to my colleagues from around the country to say it is not going to move fast enough, even if you start it. Can't we find some regional temporary locations. Now, in the nuclear timeframe, ``temporary'' is about 40 years. That is temporary when you are talking about nuclear stuff. So we want to be able to consolidate. What this shows is licensed and operating nuclear spent fuel storage installations. These are just locations where you have nuclear power. And you can see the red dots all over the place, and other nuclear registered locations. I am not talking about the other issue, which is defense locations. That is why I am glad my colleague Joe Courtney came down to talk about Connecticut and the nuclear Navy. A colleague that really wanted to be down here was Dan Newhouse, who represents Hanford. Hanford is the epitome story of why we need to get our act together as a nation and fulfill our obligations to clean up these sites. This is a defense site. We created waste in the production of our nuclear arsenal. Decades, stored in tanks, toxic sludge underneath the ground that needs to be glassified, as Chairman Walden mentioned. And where that glassified toxic sludge is supposed to go is underneath the mountain in a desert in Yucca Mountain. So these are the different locations we have here across the country. As was stated tonight already, 39 States, 121 locations. Thirty-nine States, 121 locations. So let me give you a few examples of what we are talking about. My colleague Jason Lewis was down here earlier, and he mentioned Prairie Island. These are old charts, but they are oldies but goodies because we haven't done anything. I can go into the dustbin of history when I talk about this on the floor, and the only thing that has changed is there is more spent nuclear fuel on these sites. So you have Prairie Island. You have waste stored aboveground in pools and in casts. You have, in the Mississippi floodplain, on the Mississippi River, 50 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul versus Yucca Mountain. Now, what do we have at Yucca Mountain? Now, Yucca Mountain is where, by law, we are supposed to be receiving long-term repository. I refer people, there is no nuclear waste on site. Here is the mountain in a desert. The waste will be stored 1,000 feet underground and 1,000 feet above the water table. The Colorado River is the closest body of water 100 miles away. So that is the example. That is what we want to show to the American people. Would you rather have nuclear waste or defense waste next to your major cities and by major bodies of water, or would you rather have them in a desert underneath a mountain? I had a few Californians down here tonight. Why? Because they are decommissioning nuclear power plants. This is the one I visited just maybe 14 months ago. It is no longer an operating nuclear power station. They are decommissioning it. The waste will be stored onsite. It is the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. It is between L.A. and San Diego right on the Pacific Ocean. At this time, there are 2,300 waste rods onsite. That has probably increased by a number I don't know. Waste is stored aboveground. It is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, and it is located 45 miles from San Diego, versus Yucca Mountain which is located here, which is a mountain in a desert. The waste would be 1,000 feet underground, and that is 1,000 feet above the water table. So I have listened to my colleagues from Nevada. In fact, in this picture, this green area, these are all the counties around the Federal land site that have passed resolutions in support of moving forward. Now, what do the Nevadans tell me? They want to make sure it is safe. How do you make it safe? You decide to adjudicate the science. We give Nevada, as per law, their last chance to question the science. That is what we are trying to do in the appropriation process is get the money to do the final adjudication so that the question can be answered. To my friends from the State of Nevada: Is a mountain in a desert a safe place to store the defense waste and spent fuel? Now, the red part is Federal land. Yucca Mountain would be about right here, a little pinhole. That yellow there is--when you hear people say local consensus, the yellow here is a local consensus from Sweden, and if you notice, it is smaller than the Federal land that we have. So I would argue the local consensus is the Federal Government since it is all that property. Now, why do we have all that property? Because Yucca Flat is there. Because we put nuclear fuel--nuclear waste, in some short and some shade, is already housed there. So, again, it is a great location. I was given a pin tonight from Nye County, and it says, ``Host of Yucca Mountain.'' So with all due respect to my colleagues from the State of Nevada, when they say that everyone is against it, they are not talking to everyone in the State of Nevada. I have been to Las Vegas, I have been to Reno, and I have been to Pahrump, and there are people that--if proven safe. So I would ask the Governor, allow us to have the litigation to fight the science. That is what he wants to prove, that is what we want to prove, and that is what we need to appropriate the money, get the final adjudication, and then I am convinced that our nuclear scientists, the studies, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that issued a safety and evaluation report will come out and say: You are not going to find a safer place on this planet; there is no more of a studied location on the planet than Yucca Mountain. So, again, I want to thank my colleagues for coming down to do a couple things. First of all, we want to highlight to our leadership in this House and our appropriators that we need to get money into the final omnibus to do the adjudication to fight for the science, and we have to do that now--issue one. Issue two, there is a bipartisan consensus, as proven by the 49-4 vote in the committee and by 108 cosponsors, and when we get the bill on the floor, a passage of a bill that we probably would project to get 300 votes out of 435. So the nuclear era started in World War II. It was started to beat Hitler to make sure they didn't win World War II. Then we had the arms race with the Soviet Union. It has helped protect our freedom and liberty. There was a price to pay, environmental degradations across this country. We owe it to these communities and to ourselves to safely gather, store, and protect the environment and protect our citizens. We do that through the appropriation process. We do it by passing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act amendments of 2007. Mr. Speaker, I want to again thank my friends from both sides of the aisle for coming down this night. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his comments, and I will pull up a chart later on to show that the five surrounding counties have all passed resolutions in support of Yucca Mountain, and there are recent numbers from the northern part of the State that show a very positive movement as far as the acceptance, as long as we show there is a science. And now I will address that in a later discourse. I want to thank my colleague for joining us. I now yield to the gentleman from the State of Georgia (Mr. Carter), another member from the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my chairman, the gentleman from Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann), who has actually been a pretty big leader in this issue because of Oak Ridge and the area that he represents.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Tennessee for his comments, and I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by yielding to the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Mr. Walden.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Minnesota and appreciate him spending this evening with us. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas for his comments. Mr. Speaker, before I introduce the next speaker, I want to highlight that, in the days when people say we don't work together, there is no bipartisanship shown, I just want to remind folks that this bill came out of our committee 49-4. It has 108 cosponsors, many Democrats on there. So, with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Carbajal), a new Member of Congress who has been very active and whom I have been proud to get to know.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 2018 IHSA Class 1A State Champions the Danville Schlarman High School Girls Basketball Team. The Lady Hilltoppers won the state title game 53-31 to cap off a season with a record of 31 wins and just one loss. Schlarman was led in scoring by Janiah Newell, Caprina Brown, and Anaya Peoples all scoring in double digits. But this was a team effort and team victory as the Hilltoppers were equally impressive on defense as they were on offense. I would like to congratulate the entire Danville Schlarman Girls Basketball Team on their victory and on a superb end to a great season: Anaya Peoples, Cece Damilano, Destiny Dye, Emma Bogen, Janiah Newell, McKaylee Allen, Suzet Sermensheim, Sydney Gouard, Tannah Ceader as well as Head Coach Keith Peoples. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Danville Schlarman Girls Basketball Team in winning the 2018 IHSA Class 1A State Title. I wish the team and their coach all the best in the future.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the upcoming centennial anniversaries of the statehood and independence of the three Baltic States. This year marks 100 years since the restoration of the state of Lithuania on February 16, and the proclamations of independence of Estonia on February 24, and Latvia on November 18. Thus, in the aftermath of World War I, in 1918, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia declared their independence and marked their beginnings as new republics and their emergence as modern democratic societies. Despite a history of turmoil, the people of the Baltics have always stood up for their values and worked to maintain their independence, freedom, and sovereignty. Today, 100 years later, the three Baltic States are strong allies of NATO and full-fledged members of the European Union. They are committed to making the transatlantic community an area of cooperation, partnership, and prosperity. The United States is proud to be strong allies of the Baltic States, and our nations stand together to defend our shared values of freedom and democracy. Mr. Speaker, I extend sincere congratulations and send best wishes to Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia on their centennial observations and anniversary

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the First Baptist Church of Harrisburg, IL. The church was established on February 15, 1868. The first meetings were held at the Harrisburg Courthouse. The Church is located in the Saline county seat. Because of the strength and character of its members, the First Baptist Church possesses both a rich history and a vibrant future. They are commemorating their 150th anniversary with a special celebration on Saturday, February 17. Beginning at 1:00 PM, there will be a video presentation, an organ concert, a quartet singing, a beard judging, a historical fashion show, and a dessert and pie social at the end. I am honored to recognize such a strong community of faith in my district. I look forward to the continued prosperity of the First Baptist Church in Harrisburg for many years to come.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I can't beat the chairman's long years of friendship and devotion and service with Ray. But we are down here to make sure that we remind the American people that most of us know that we are only as good as the people we have around us. That is why I wanted to come down and join my colleagues to talk about our former Republican staff director of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Ray Baum. Now, I don't have the long years that Chairman Walden has, but I do remember Ray coming to the city in 2011, as was noted, to be the senior policy adviser of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, which I was fortunate to serve on. Right away, I personally noticed there was something different, and this is before I really knew Ray very well. But it all made sense when you found out that he had served in elected office and he had been reelected. He served as the majority leader, and then he moved on to the public utilities commission. We love our staff and we love the people who devote everything. But we all know, as elected officials, that really the crucible of what we do is election and standing in front of voters and being held accountable and responding to them. So to particularly have a staff director, or what I would call a chief of staff, the person who is trying to keep the trains running on time, it is all important, but one who knows the trials and tribulations of serving in elected office is very, very helpful. I think the chairman mentioned that when he talked about Ray being on the floor, being able to talk to Members and people in the leadership alike, understanding when our colleagues were struggling. I think the tributes earlier this evening by Ranking Member Pallone and Congresswoman Eshoo also highlighted the fact that he had a great relationship across the aisle, which is critical in getting that bipartisan consensus to really move bills on the floor. We have been very fortunate to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee. We have, I would argue, an almost unparalleled record of success, bipartisan, major votes, because either we work together or we have staff directors who are able to keep us focused on the prize, and that is, getting by in so that there are not hugely contentious votes on the floor. They are large bipartisan majorities which are not spoken of very much in Washington today or covered because they just are not newsworthy enough. Chairman Walden mentioned Ray's great love, which is his family and public service. But I think there is a third one that would call someone from the West Coast to Washington, D.C. I think a lot of us were able to observe and appreciate this relationship between the staff director and the chairman that went over decades: trust, loyalty, and support; so much that, as Ray continued to fight through this challenge, something that kept him going was the fact that he loved this institution. He loved his Members that he was responsible for--that is all of us on the committee--but he loved Chairman Greg Walden and he wanted him to succeed. I think that is a great tribute to remember. So I am here just to thank Kristine, his wife, and the children who were named Rachael, Wyatt, Alexis, Mary, Andrew, and Elizabeth. I want them to know, Mr. Speaker, that we appreciate the sacrifice they gave to allow Ray to be part of this institution.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it is a great day. I came down here, also, with Congresswoman Eshoo. We chair the bipartisan NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus. Fifty years is a great anniversary. The caucus has been around 50 years. It is one of those true bipartisan developments. When Anna and I started, it was Conrad Burns in the Senate and Hillary Clinton on the Senate side. When addressing 911 services and the problems that roll out when we have a successful program, there is nothing perfect. We have to come back and revisit. But it is like baseball, apple pie, and Chevrolet. What could be wrong with being focused on getting emergency services to people in need? That is why 911 is such a great service. I want to thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) for bringing this up. We always have to keep changing and updating. As technology moves from the dial-up phone to the iPhone and we start doing text and we start doing video, the NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus works with industry, the telecommunications sector, and the Peace apps to make sure that ou first-line responders have the best opportunity to find, as Anna said, what floor. That is a big issue. Technology will overcome that some day, and we have to achieve what we can achieve now, but never shy away from the fact that we can always refine and get better. This is a good start. I want to thank my colleague from Texas. I appreciate his work. I do appreciate my friends on the Democratic side for their commitment and support on this over the years, not just today.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to recognize the life of the famed entertainer Jerry Van Dyke. Jerry is a native of Danville, Illinois where as a young boy he began his life in show business. His first job in the entertainment industry was as an usher at the Fischer Theatre in downtown Danville. Jerry's first stage appearance came in 1947 with Danville's Red Mask Players. Jerry made his first major guest appearance on his brother's Dick Van Dyke Show. Jerry went on to be a regular on the Judy Garland Show and perform in supporting roles in various films. Jerry caught his big break in the TV series Coach. For his role, he received four Emmy nominations. Jerry, even with all of his success never lost his love for his home town. Through his career, he made numerous visits to Danville to visit with friends or support his community. In fact, Jerry alongside fellow Danville stars Dick Van Dyke, Donald O'Connor, Bobby Short, and Gene Hackman raised $400,000 for the Fischer Theater. Danville honors Jerry and others local celebrities through a mural that faces the Fischer Theatre. Mr. Speaker, I wish to send my most heartfelt condolences to Jerry Van Dyke's family and friends. He will be missed dearly by all of those he has touched.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate General Ben Hodges on his 37 years of active military service and his retiring on December 15. Ben and I entered West Point together in 1976, and both graduated as Goats in 1980. We both branched infantry and attended ranger school together, graduating in the spring of 1981. While I went Active Duty and Reserves, Ben continued his active military service. We met in Kirkuk, Iraq, as he commanded the brigade in the 101st Air Assault Division. We bumped into each other as he headed the Army legislative liaison here in Washington, D.C., and we saw each other numerous times in his last assignment commanding the United States Army in Europe. In that position, Ben gave comfort to our NATO allies in the east, creating a permanent rotational mission. Congratulations, Ben, on a job well done. Pride and excellence, and beat Navy. May God bless you and your future endeavors.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to remember Neil Etson of Olney, Illinois, who passed away on December 2, 2017, at the age of 93 surrounded by his family at the homestead he built fifty years ago. Neil dedicated his life to service to others, serving his country, his church, and his community. In May the Rotary Club of Richland County presented Neil with the Quilt of Valor for his service during World War II, where he served honorably as a Staff Sergeant with the 766th Military Police Battalion. However, anyone who met him knows that Neil's first and foremost priority was his family, especially Frances, his wife of 66 years, their three children, ten grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. The Olney community has lost a dedicated entrepreneur and community leader. Yet while we mourn his loss, we should remember that Neil Etson's legacy lives on in his family and in the three children's books that he authored based on a lifetime of stories shared with his family.

Mr. SHIMKUS

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am just going to sum up, too, with thanking my ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Pallone; obviously, my ranking member on the subcommittee, Mr. Tonko; the associated staffs on both that had been mentioned numerous times. They did a lot of work in this process. It was good to get to know the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee a little bit better, and we look forward to working with them more.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 631, I call up the bill (H.R. 3017) to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to reauthorize and improve the brownfields program, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 3017.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Poliquin).

Mr. SHIMKUS. I thank the gentleman for his courtesies.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3017, the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act of 2017. This legislation has broad bipartisan support, and I would like to thank Chairman Walden and Ranking Members Pallone and Tonko. I would also like to specifically thank a few of my colleagues who have exhibited leadership and commitment on this issue, Congressman David McKinley, my fellow Energy and Commerce Committee member, who introduced this important bill, and my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Congressman John Katko and Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty who guided a similar bill through their committee. We have been working closely with our colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee over these past few months, and the bill that we will vote on today reflects compromise on both sides. The bill takes a very important step in reauthorizing the Environmental Protection Agency's brownfields program for the first time since the law was enacted, and so I would like to also thank Chairman Shuster for his leadership and support as we move forward. The bill we are voting on today makes several important changes to the brownfields law that will result in more contaminated sites being cleaned up and returned to productive use, such as the creation of multipurpose grants, which will allow communities to use grant funds for both assessment and remediation, as well as allow communities to clean up more than one site in a designated area. The bill also provides liability relief to States and municipalities who voluntarily acquire brownfields property through their authority as a sovereign, which will allow local units of government to address contamination on property they acquire through tax delinquency, bankruptcy, and/or abandonment. The bill expands grant eligibility for nonprofit organizations and for publicly owned brownfields sites that acquired the property prior to January 11, 2002, which will put more parties into the mix of persons eligible for grant funding, which will result in more sites being assessed and cleaned up. The legislation increases the limit for remediation grants from $200,000 to $500,000. As we learned from witnesses at our hearings, this will result in more brownfields sites being cleaned up because many of the sites that remain to be addressed are more complicated and, therefore, more expensive. The bill provides for a limited amount of grant funds to be used for administrative costs, which will allow small and rural communities to be able to receive and utilize grant funds, and it carves out grant money to assist Indian Tribes in small, rural, and disadvantaged communities as they work to assess and clean up contaminated properties. The EPA brownfields program is critical to States and local communities as they address contaminated industrial and commercial properties and return them to productive use. Cleaning up these sites is great for the economy because brownfields grants can be directly leveraged into jobs, additional redevelopment funds, and increased residential and commercial property values. In fact, the brownfields program, on average, leverages over $16 in private investment for every Federal dollar spent and leverages 8\1/2\ jobs for every $100,000 of brownfields funds expended on assessment and cleanup. The brownfields program is a proven results-driven program that has changed the way contaminated property is perceived, addressed, and managed. A visible, national example of the brownfields program at work was the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers facing off in game three of the World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Minute Maid Park sits on a former brownfields site that the city of Houston redeveloped and obviously returned to a very productive reuse, especially for the Astros. The EPA brownfields program is uniquely positioned to protect the environment and spur the economy. You can tell, from the broad bipartisan support that H.R. 3017 enjoys, the support for the EPA brownfields program is unqualified. The program has strong support from local and State governments, private developers, and all sectors of the economy. Because brownfields funding is so important to States and local communities across the country, I want to encourage my colleagues on the appropriations committee to fully fund this important and successful program. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC, November 9, 2017. Hon. Greg Walden, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC. I write concerning H.R. 3017, the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act of 2017. This legislation includes matters that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this legislation before the House of Representatives in an expeditious manner, and accordingly, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will forego action on the bill. However, this is conditional on our mutual understanding that foregoing consideration of the bill does not prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. Further, this is conditional on our understanding that mutually agreed upon changes to the legislation will be incorporated into the bill prior to floor consideration. Lastly, should a conference on the bill be necessary, I request your support for the appointment of conferees from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure during any House-Senate conference convened on this or related legislation. I would ask that a copy of this letter and your response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest as well as the mutually agreed upon changes to be incorporated into the bill be included in the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor, to memorialize our understanding. I look forward to working with the Committee on Energy and Commerce as the bill moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Bill Shuster, Chairman.

Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).