Paul Tonko

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Chair, I choose not to speak in opposition to the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Chair, let me reiterate what has been said before. Neither the Biden administration nor the Department of Energy is trying to ban gas stoves. No one is coming into your home to remove that stove. I implore my colleagues across the aisle to stop lying to the American people about this. Apparently, Republicans think that standards to make something better, to make it more efficient, is a ban. Regardless, this amendment makes no sense. This amendment calls for a study on how banning natural gas appliances will affect rates and charges for electricity. As I said, no one is actually talking about a ban, but the funny thing is we already know that electrification does result in lowering energy bills. Electric appliances like heat pumps save households money because they are more efficient than gas appliances. Especially as we see fuel prices rise, electrification becomes even more critical, more important. Republicans see the tide turning against their friends in the oil and gas industry, so how do they respond? With a big energy package and a bunch of amendments that attempt to lock Americans into a dirty, expensive fossil fuel choice. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Chair, I will start by saying I have good news for my colleagues across the aisle. The Department of Energy isn't banning gas stoves. It doesn't even have the authority to ban gas stoves. This amendment, like this whole bill, is political messaging. What DOE is doing is proposing a standard to make new residential gas stoves more efficient and cut gas waste, not to ban them. The proposed standard is so reasonable that half of the current models already meet it, including all entry-level models. They already meet the standard, and for those that don't meet the standard, manufacturers have until 2027 to upgrade their product line, so this really isn't anything outrageous. Also, DOE is required by law to review and update standards for appliances like refrigerators and air conditioning units. DOE is actually late with this stove standard. It was supposed to be completed in 2017, but we are glad they are working on it now. Models that meet the proposed standard consume 30 percent less energy than the least efficient models on the market. That is, indeed, significant. The full proposed rule, which also includes updated standards for electric and gas residential stoves and ovens, would result in up to $1.7 billion worth in savings for United States consumers and avert about 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 30 years of sales. I stand in deep opposition to this amendment. This amendment would bar DOE from finalizing any future efficiency standards for gas stoves, locking consumers into less efficient appliances that are certainly more costly to use. This is just political fearmongering. It is a waste of our time, and I do urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the students of South Glens Falls. They recently marked their 46th annual marathon dance, a student- driven event to raise money for local families and organizations. This year, they raised more than $630,000, adding to a staggering total of more than $10.5 million raised since the event's inception. The success of this marathon dance is proof of the remarkable things our students and young people can achieve. I had the honor of joining them last weekend and seeing firsthand their enthusiasm and their heart. United by music, dance, and a resounding spirit of giving, these students demonstrate the power that lies in a love of community and desire to do good. It fills me with inspiration and hope for both their future and ours. They are movers and shakers in every sense. They are the leaders of today. Congratulations to the students of Glens Falls on their incredible, remarkable achievement. Go Bulldogs.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4439) to take certain Federal land located in Siskiyou County, California, and Humboldt County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Karuk Tribe, and for other purposes.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 4439, the Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam Sacred Lands Act sponsored by Senator Alex Padilla and led here in the House by Representative Jared Huffman. The Karuk Tribe's ancestral territory encompasses over 1 million acres in northern California and southern Oregon with about 900 acres currently held in trust for the Tribe. The lands known as Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam are ceremonial areas and village sites located at the Karuk Tribe's center of the world. These sites host the final series of the Tribe's Pikyavish World Renewal ceremonies. The Ameekyaaraam is located downriver from the Katimiin and serves as the site of the Jump Dance and First Salmon ceremonies and the historical location of pre-contact inter-Tribal fish harvesting. These sites remain essential to the Tribe's intergenerational cultural and environmental teachings. Unfortunately, the Tribe's access to these sacred sites is not always guaranteed. In recent years, Tribal members have even been interrupted by members of the public during private components of their ceremonies. S. 4439 will resolve this access issue by placing approximately 1,031 acres of Federal land located in Siskiyou and Humboldt Counties in trust for the Tribe. The bill contains gaming prohibitions and confirms the U.S. Forest Service's authority over managing the wild and scenic rivers located on this parcel. I thank Senator Padilla and Representative Huffman for championing this important bill. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3519) to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail, and for other purposes.

Mr. TONKO. Madam 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 the measure under consideration.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3519, the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail Designation Act, introduced by Senator Boozman of Arkansas. This bill passed the Senate unanimously earlier this week. This bill amends the National Trails Systems Act to designate the Butterfield National Historic Trail stretching from St. Louis, Missouri, to San Francisco, California. Known as the Oxbow Trail, the Butterfield Overland Trail was an important 19th century postal route that the National Park Service studied and deemed to be nationally significant and feasible, suitable, and desirable for addition to the national trails system as a national historic trail. I congratulate the Arkansas delegation and supporters of this bill, as this will be a great addition to a growing network of national historic trails. However, I would like to note the bill includes novel language regarding energy development that has never been included in the National Trails Act. Simply, it states that nothing in the bill shall prohibit or hinder the development, production, or transmission of energy. While this is an important concern, historic trails designations like the one envisioned by this bill have not been an impediment to energy development. So while this is a worthy trail designation--and I support the adoption of this particular bill--I think we should be mindful of the need to include similar language in future designations. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I enjoyed hearing that bit of nostalgia. I have no further requests for time. I have no other speakers. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1529, I call up the bill (S. 1942) to standardize the designation of National Heritage Areas, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on S. 1942.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I realize we are quickly reaching the end of the 117th Congress, and there is necessary business to finish before the end of the year. I do want to express my immense gratitude to Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairman Grijalva, and Ranking Member Westerman for recognizing the importance of S. 1942, the National Heritage Area Act, and finding the time to allow it to be considered today. National Heritage Areas are far too often overlooked, but they are so important to so many Members and the communities that they serve. There are 55 National Heritage Areas across our country, sites of cultural, historical, or natural significance that help tell our unique and very diverse American story. In New York's 20th Congressional District, these legendary sites include the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Corridor named after our late colleague. For decades, these sites have opened wide the doors of economic opportunity and community engagement for constituents in my district and well beyond. I am so grateful to Bob Radcliff and Meg Downey for their leadership and commitment that drives the success of the sites in my district. Across our country, heritage areas touch 34 States and nearly 600 counties. They create local jobs, boost local economies, and certainly bind communities together in every corner of America. In total, heritage areas have a nearly $13 billion annual economic impact and support almost 150,000 jobs nationwide. They also return an average of $5.50 for every Federal dollar appropriated by effectively leveraging public and private partnerships in the communities which they serve. Despite broad, bipartisan support and continued interest in the areas from communities, these sites have faced inconsistent treatment before Congress. There is no standardized programmatic system of administration for our heritage areas, which has required each area to pursue individual funding extensions and reauthorizations, often with last-minute congressional action. Even in this year's omnibus agreement, several sites required extensions. This stopgap model puts a burden on local coordinating entities. Heritage areas have been made to function over the past few years through multiple short-term stopgap reauthorizations while Congress has failed to provide long-term certainty. We cannot let that continue into next year as some 45 of our 55 areas face expiration dates during the upcoming 118th Congress. For years, I have worked alongside my colleagues in the House and passionate partners from local heritage areas to pass the bipartisan National Heritage Area Act, beginning with the efforts of our former colleague, Representative Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania. That effort has continued to grow as more and more Members have begun to understand the rich value that heritage areas play in their given districts. H.R. 1316, the House companion to the bill we are considering today, was introduced with Congressmen David McKinley, Glenn Thompson, and 135 other Members, and it has already passed the House this Congress as part of the Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act. In the 116th Congress, it was passed as a suspension. This bill is not controversial. It has widespread support. Importantly, it will finally bring stability and, very importantly, predictability to these sites, allowing them to continue to serve their communities and strengthen surrounding economies with minimal Federal support. The National Heritage Area Act would end the current system of piecemeal reauthorizations through a 15-year authorization of all existing areas; it would establish the first-ever standardized criteria for designating new heritage areas; it would include new study authorizations and designations, most of which have already passed the House on suspension; and, finally, it would ensure that private property rights are never affected by heritage area activities. National Heritage Areas are an incredibly popular, bipartisan way of preserving American history and culture while supporting local economies, creating a deeply rooted sense of destination. Congress now has the opportunity to ensure these sites can be enjoyed for generations to come by finally making our National Heritage Area Act law. Madam Speaker, I encourage Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford.) Representative Horsford, who I thank for his advocacy, represents the Fourth District of Nevada and includes in his terrain the Great Basin National Heritage Area and Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area.

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Nevada an additional 30 seconds.

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

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

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself balance of my time. Again, I want to thank Chair Grijalva and Ranking Member Westerman for their help with this measure. This bill certainly would not have been possible without the incredible leadership, and I might add passion, of Sara Capen of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas, of Alan Spears of NPCA, and so many other stakeholders and supporters. These advocates of this concept have been tremendously passionate. That is an understatement, and they deserve this response. I also want to recognize the great work by the staff who have fought for years to bring this bill to the floor: David Watkins, Brandon Bragato, Henry Wykowski, and Lora Snyder of the House Natural Resources majority staff, and indeed, Miranda Miller and Emily Silverberg from my office. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of S. 1942 to finally provide the certainty and, yes, the predictability that National Heritage Areas need to continue to serve local communities and strengthen local economies all across our great United States. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Lymphedema Treatment Act, and to pay tribute to my constituents with lymphedema and their loved ones. Nearly ten million Americans currently suffer from lymphedema, symptoms of which include intense discomfort, recurring infections, and difficulty moving. Lymphedema is characterized by swelling of the arms and legs often caused by cancer or cancer treatments that result in the damage or blockage of the lymphatic system. There is no cure, but there are effective treatments. I want to take the time to recognize one of my constituents named Emma. Emma is 14 years old and was born with this incurable, progressive disease in her legs and feet. She first visited D.C. to advocate for this bill when she was 6 years old. Emma's advocacy has taught my team and me about lymphedema and the priorities for those living with this disease. She has shared about the painful complications and the need for the best treatment to be affordable. Currently, Medicare does not cover the cost of compression treatment items. The Lymphedema Treatment Act would improve coverage for the treatment of lymphedema by extending coverage to include certain lymphedema compression treatment items. As a proud cosponsor and longtime supporter, I was excited to vote in support of H.R. 3630, the Lymphedema Treatment Act, when it came for a vote in the House of Representatives. I urge the Senate to move this critical legislation forward. We owe it to Emma and to all those suffering from lymphedema to get this bill signed into law. I also hope that private insurers will follow suit and do the right things with coverage for compression treatment items. I thank Emma, her family and my many constituents who advocated for this and made a difference in pushing this forward.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for yielding. The Manufacturing.gov Act is a vital piece of legislation that supports American manufacturers, boosting our economy, our job growth, and our global competitiveness. The COVID crisis has strained our supply chains and limited factory production abilities, overwhelmingly hurting the middle-class workers who drive our Nation's economy and our industry. Congress has a duty to support manufacturers and their workers in every way possible, and that includes making it easier to navigate what Federal resources are available to them. The Manufacturing.gov Act offers a simple, bipartisan solution to do just that. This legislation establishes a one-stop hub to centralize the 58 different Federal manufacturing programs that span some 11 Federal agencies. It also encourages public feedback by offering an online avenue for people to submit comments and concerns regarding such programs. Now is the time to secure our supply chain and give local manufacturers in my home State of New York and across our great Nation the tools they need to identify the Federal support they will need to help them flourish. I thank Representatives Axne and Upton, as well as Senator Peters, for being great collaborators on this bill. I urge my colleagues to come together to bolster our United States manufacturing arena.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize October as National Spina Bifida Awareness Month, and to pay tribute to my constituents with Spina Bifida and their loved ones. In the past I have been honored to have the opportunity to attend the Spina Bifida Walk and Roll as well as the Spina Bifida Dare to Dream Gala which are both held by the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) of Northeastern New York. During these special events SBA raised funds for research, brought awareness to the public, and told the stories of those in our community with this disease. There are currently an estimated 166,000 individuals in the United States living with Spina Bifida. According to the CDC, each year approximately 1,400 babies born in the United States have Spina Bifida. While there is no known cause, we know that taking folic acid before and during the first three months of pregnancy helps reduce the incidence of Spina Bifida. I am so impressed with the breakthroughs in research that have helped to give those living with this disease a more fulfilling life. Thanks to the work of organizations like SBA, new medical treatments and technologies have been developed that allow most people with Spina Bifida to live a normal life span, ensuring they can have a full career, get married, and start a family--no different than those without this disease. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to ensure that organizations like the Spina Bifida Association continue to receive the funding and support they have earned. I also will continue to support federal research funding for better understanding the condition, the cause, and treatments. I hope that together we can continue to raise awareness.