Marc Veasey

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support S. 1768 to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. I want to thank Senators Feinstein and Murkowski for developing this good legislation. I also would like to thank my colleagues, Representatives Rohrabacher and Jayapal, for introducing a House companion, and the chairs and ranking members of the authorizing committees for working to arrive at the consensus legislation we are considering today. The years 1964 and 1994 mark two of the worst earthquakes in U.S. history. Hundreds of people lost their lives, and thousands sustained injuries in these earthquakes that hit Alaska and the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles. Economic losses were in the billions of dollars resulting from earthquakes and tsunamis. While our Nation has been in the path of many disastrous natural events lately, we have been spared from a big earthquake for many years. But we should not become complacent, because another big earthquake will happen, and the human and economic toll will be felt far beyond the immediate disaster zone. S. 1768 makes Federal investments in research and preparedness activities that will help mitigate earthquake risks for Americans from coast to coast. Specifically, S. 1768 reauthorizes funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to continue to carry out research and other activities under the NEHRP program. Under NEHRP, NSF and USGS carry out fundamental research in the earth sciences. Both agencies have extensive networks of instrumentation that record seismic activity and advance our understanding of the onset, propagation, and intensity of earthquakes. Such research helps advance our early-warning capability and helps communities make informed decisions for earthquake preparation. NIST is the lead agency for NEHRP and also carries out applied research that provides the scientific basis for earthquake resilient building codes and design guidelines. This bill aims to help communities survive a catastrophic event and continue with critical operations, such as emergency services, utilities, and communication networks. FEMA provides earthquake training and awareness to States and territories and assists communities in creating seismic mitigation plans in the event of a high-impact earthquake. These activities are invaluable in preparing communities for an earthquake and its aftermath. The last NEHRP reauthorization was nearly 15 years ago, and the authorizing law needs several updates to ensure it is keeping pace with the state of the science on earthquakes and translating that science into saving lives and property. The bill before us today includes those much-needed updates and, importantly, provides NEHRP agencies with the needed authority to continue these investments with greater budgetary certainty for the next 5 years. I appreciate my colleagues working on this bill in a bipartisan fashion in the House and Senate, and I urge support for this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, Representatives Kind, Davis, H. Johnson, Wasserman Schultz, and I, as co-chairs and members of the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports, would like to honor Triangle Volleyball Club of Morrisville, North Carolina for being the winner of the 2018 S.T.R.I.V.E. (Sports Teach Respect, Initiative, Values and Excellence) Organization of the Year Award. Each year, the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) recognizes five finalist organizations that strongly meet the ``kids first'' approach, evidenced by their implementation of best practices and policies that protect kids and promote safety. The award, sponsored by AIG, is presented to the organization that the voters feel most exhibits heartfelt passion and shows a committed spirit to helping kids succeed in sports, while maintaining a commitment to safety procedures. This year, Triangle Volleyball Club was selected from four other excellent finalists: Baltimore SquashWise of Baltimore, Maryland; O'Fallon Little Panthers of O'Fallon, Illinois; Police Athletic League of Buffalo, New York; and Snider Youth Hockey of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Comprised of the who's who in the youth sports industry, NCYS was founded in 1979, and its membership represents more than 200 organizations and corporations serving over 60 million registered participants in organized youth sports programs. NCYS is the largest known organization in America representing the youth sports industry, and its members include organizations such as Little League Baseball, American Youth Soccer Organization, Jewish Community Centers Association of North America, YMCA of America, Pop Warner, and Special Olympics North America. Triangle Volleyball Club is being recognized for how it places the health and safety of their athletes as their top priority while also competing at the very highest level of girls' junior club volleyball. Furthermore, Triangle Volleyball Club deserves this distinction for its commitment to educate the whole person through excellence in the sport of volleyball and the inclusion of service projects working with the disabled (veterans and young people) through sitting volleyball and leadership in adaptive sitting volleyball development and outreach. Triangle Volleyball Club is just one example of many great youth sports organizations in this country, and we likewise commend all those that work and volunteer to allow the youth this Nation to gain the benefits of youth sports participation and helping to prepare our next generation of leaders. We commend Triangle Volleyball Club for this wonderful achievement, and the great work they are doing.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Robert Martinez, 14th President of the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers. Robert Martinez is a fighter for the working man. His current role as President of the IAM is just one of many titles he has carried over 36 years of fighting for union workers. After serving his country in the Navy, he began his IAM career as a member of Local 776A in Fort Worth, TX after being hired as an Aircraft Assembler at Lockheed Martin. At the IAM, Mr. Martinez has actively recruited and made a point to reach new generations of workers while protecting its nearly 600,000 active and retired members. Throughout his career, Bob has held positions at the local level and worked his way up to become the General Vice President of the office of Southern Territory, where he oversaw training and education for 14 southern states. He also served as General Vice President of IAM Headquarters where he was responsible for the William H. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, and IAM's Government Employees and Aerospace sectors. Bob has been a vocal activist for labor rights in the Latino community. He recently received the Cesar Chavez Award for his distinguished work on behalf of Latino working women and men. He currently serves as the Vice President on the Executive Board of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. I honor Robert Martinez for his 36 years of service to union workers.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to Botham Jean. Botham Jean was from the island of St. Lucia. He moved to Dallas, went to college, and got a good job. As soon as he moved to Dallas, he joined a church because he was a Christian and very much into the Word of Jesus Christ. On a Friday night a few weeks ago, he was in his apartment doing the right thing at 10 o'clock at night, probably trying to relax and unwind from the workday, and a Dallas police officer mistakenly came into his house and shot and killed him. My prayers are with Botham's family and friends. Officer Amber Guyger, who killed Botham, has been charged with manslaughter, even though she aimed, pulled, and fired the trigger. The last five people in Dallas County who have been charged with manslaughter have been charged with that charge because of drunk driving. She was charged with manslaughter even though she aimed, again, and pulled the trigger. The Dallas Police Department fired Guyger on Monday amid overwhelming outrage in the community. I think it was the right decision, but it was long overdue. I want to be clear. I respect law enforcement in this country and their sacrifices. But also, if we look at the facts of this case, the facts show us that Officer Guyger shot an unarmed Black man in his own apartment, and she was able to go back to her apartment that night. She had days before police finally arrested her, and she was given the benefit of the doubt, something that was not given to Botham Jean. I firmly believe that if Officer Guyger had walked into that apartment and seen a White man or a White woman, she would not have pulled that trigger. I firmly believe that. That is the root of the problem. What I can say with certainty is that I am tired of waiting for a time when it is safe to be a Black man in America. I have a 12-year-old son. Other Congressional Black Caucus members have kids and grandkids, sons and grandsons. Other people around the country have sons, grandsons, and nephews whom they love and want to be safe every day. America is at the brink of a prolonged watershed moment between the African-American community and police officers in this country. We need action. We need to collectively break the dam. As a Nation, we need to fix the culture of police brutality and gun violence against communities of color that have lined the fabric of this country for over a century. Our criminal justice system is rooted in a systemic failure to prosecute the unjustified shooting of Black men and boys. I am deeply troubled that the Texas Rangers took so long to issue an arrest warrant for Amber Guyger. I am angry that people are actually calling Botham's character into account because he had a very small amount of marijuana in his apartment: 0.3 ounces. We will never know what was in Amber Guyger's apartment because, again, it was 36 hours before a warrant was issued for her arrest. Police didn't go and search her apartment. She had days to clear out her apartment, if there was anything in there, but we will never know because it took them so long to issue an arrest warrant after she walked into someone's apartment that was not her own and, again, aimed, fired, and pulled the trigger. I am heartbroken that this man was killed in his own apartment, a place where all of us should feel safe. But what gets me most upset is that nothing has changed. This is a story that we have heard on repeat, and the dial will keep spinning until we put an end to it. We all know the names, and there have been too many to share, but I just wanted to remind you of a few. In South Carolina, Levar Jones was stopped at a gas station. He was instructed by police officers to get his license. He had his hands up. As he was reaching for his license, the police shot him, after being instructed to get his license and insurance out of the car. In Florida, Charles Kinsey was shot while taking care of an autistic patient. Go back and look at the YouTube videos of these. You don't have to take my word. He is sitting on the curb, taking care of this autistic patient, hands up in the air, and police shoot him. Antwon Rose from east Pittsburgh was 17 years old. He was unarmed, with his hands up, and shot by a policeman. Go and look at the videos. Their lives have all been cut short. Males in the Black community have been unjustly killed in our country at a staggering rate. We need law enforcement to be transparent in the line of duty and we need to work diligently to remove biases for those ranks. I hope that is something we can do together. Don't think it can't be your rights next. Don't think they won't tread on you.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Zebedee ``Zeb'' Strong. Zeb was from Kilgore, Texas, and was raised on a cattle farm down in the oilfields there. But when he came to Arlington and settled in that city, he left a strong legacy. He worked at his alma mater, which was the University of Texas at Arlington, known as UTA, for 25 years. As director of multicultural services and recruitment, he really embodied the spirit of the UTA campus. He served as an adviser for over 40 student organizations and mentored so many students. Zeb was someone whom I first met when I was a congressional staffer back in the 1990s, and he was someone who really helped me out a lot as I was beginning my career in that field. He was also dedicated and committed to volunteer work at Big Brothers & Big Sisters, and he was also one of the individuals who was really the driving force behind starting an African American studies program at UTA. He was also one of the founders of the Arlington African American Chamber of Commerce and the Arlington chapter of the NAACP. My prayers and condolences go out to his four children and his wife, Sheri, who lost Zeb unexpectedly. But I want the family and friends of Zeb Strong to know that he was such a uniting force. If you walked around the campus of UTA at any moment, anyone, from any background, would come up to Zeb and they would feel like Zeb was their best friend because that was just the type of gentleman that he was. My prayers, again, go out to the family

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019. This bipartisan piece of legislation is crucial for our Nation's armed services, and it is an honor and privilege to be selected again to serve as a conferee. We have over 15 major military installations in Texas, and NDAA funds key defense and scientific research industries throughout the State, and especially for the constituents that I serve in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. This bill ensures our military is supported with the research they need to complete their missions and face the national security challenges at home and abroad. This is a crucial time for Democrats and Republicans to find ways to work together for solutions that will ensure the safety of the United States and our allies--now, really, more so today than ever before. This bill will make great strides in achieving that mission. This bill provides the highest pay increase for our troops in a decade, funds innovation in emerging technologies that will increase aviation readiness, and requires the DOD establish a pilot program to maximize opioid safety in the military health system by monitoring controlled substances for servicemembers. It is also a great point of pride in Texas that we supply some of the best military and defense readiness equipment for our armed services. Many of the Nation's F-35 Joint Strike Fighters are built in Fort Worth, and Lockheed Martin is one of the metroplex's largest employers. I will continue to fight tirelessly for additional funding for F-35s to ensure that our Armed Forces have the most advanced jet fighters in the world. Democrats have also succeeded in taking out funding for the wall, which I think was very important in this bill. I was disappointed about taxpayer dollars being spent to fund a very extravagant military parade that I don't think that we need. I think it shows authoritarianism. However, this bill funding makes great progress in improving our military readiness and continues to demonstrate America's resilience and strength.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule in order that the Quigley amendment restore funds to prevent Russian interference in our elections.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my fellow Texans in honoring Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks for a tremendous year of leadership as president of the National Association of Counties. For over 30 years, Commissioner Brooks has fought for underserved communities across Tarrant County. As a community volunteer, a city elected official, and county commissioner, his integrity, innovation, and fervor to help others has touched generations of Texans. He has taken on issues such as healthcare for the homeless, infant mortality, obesity, criminal justice reform, mental health, and AIDS education; and this past year, he worked tirelessly to bring awareness to his presidential initiative Serving the Underserved: Counties Addressing Poverty. The project has pushed over 3,000 counties to look at the role they play in alleviating poverty and to develop best practices to address vital societal needs, especially as pertain to early childhood development. Through his work, he has created a community family that supports and lifts each other up, building hope and faith across Tarrant County. I honor his lifetime of work and his dedication to advocating for the toughest issues that our communities face.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my fellow Texans in congratulating Tarrant County Commissioner, Roy Charles Brooks, for his tremendous leadership as the President of the National Association of Counties. This month, Commissioner Brooks is completing a very successful year representing the 3,069 counties in America as the President of the National Association of Counties. He has worked tirelessly this year to bring his Presidential Initiative: ``Serving the Underserved: Counties Addressing Poverty,'' to light. His proposal pushed counties to look at the role they played in alleviating generational poverty with a focus on early childhood development. Under his leadership, counties now have some best practice solutions at their fingertips that can be used to address important societal needs.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support a robust and innovative space industry. I also believe that it is very important that we leverage the investment taxpayers have allowed the Nation to make in its facilities and workforce. The bill before us today that is known as H.R. 5345, also known as the American Leadership in Space Technology and Advanced Rocketry Act, recognizes the rocket propulsion work of the Marshall Space Flight Center and that center's role in helping to develop the next generation of rocket propulsion capabilities. The Marshall Space Flight Center has a long and storied history in rocket development dating back to the huge Saturn V rockets that powered our astronauts to the Moon. That tradition continues to this day. Mr. Speaker, I support moving this bill out of the House floor, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support a robust and successful commercial space industry. In that regard, I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on policies that facilitate the Nation's continued growth and leadership in space. The bill before us today, H.R. 5346, known as the Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act, will amend the statute to provide the Secretary of Transportation with authority to license or permit space support vehicles for space support flights such as crew training or research and development that are related to space launch or reentry. While I am not aware of any pressing need for this amendment at this time, it may provide the industry with some additional flexibility. In addition, Mr. Speaker, it is very important to point out, too, that the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation is sufficiently resourced to accommodate any additional work so that the office can continue to focus on its core responsibilities of licensing and permitting commercial space launch and reentry vehicles. Mr. Speaker, I support moving the bill out of the House, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5905, the Department of Energy Science and Innovation Act of 2018. This bill provides important statutory direction to the Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is our Nation's largest supporter of research in the physical sciences. So it is impossible to overstate its importance to our energy future and to our overall innovation enterprise. This agency also operates more than 30 world-class scientific user facilities, whose applications range from developing new materials for next generation batteries, to new pharmaceuticals that will better treat diseases, to even examining the fundamental building blocks of the universe. Much of this bill is derived from previous bipartisan, bicameral agreements that were included in H.R. 589, the House-passed Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act of 2017. As we await Senate action on that legislation, I support moving forward with additional language included in this bill that would authorize upgrades to several important user facilities, direct DOE to provide sufficient support to maintain our commitments to the ITER international fusion project, and provide statutory authority to fund low-dose radiation research as well as a promising computational materials initiative at our national labs. I also note that I am happy to see robust funding levels included in this bipartisan bill, particularly for the Biological and Environmental Research program, which supports critical research to reduce uncertainties and better understand the impacts of climate change. I strongly support this bill and encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5906, the ARPA-E Act of 2018. After years of successes and several independent assessments praising ARPA-E's work, this bill is a welcomed development. It preserves the mission and flexibility of the Agency while enabling it to consider funding projects or technologies that can address DOE's monumental and longstanding challenge of environmental cleanup at the legacy sites of the Manhattan Project. It also includes language from a bipartisan ARPA-E Reauthorization Act that our committee's ranking member, Ms. Johnson, introduced last year, which would ensure that sensitive business information collected by the Agency remains protected. This will enable even greater private sector engagement in its programs. The ARPA-E projects have attracted more than $2.6 billion in private sector follow-on funding. Mr. Speaker, 71 projects have formed new companies, and 109 have gone on to partner with other government agencies to further their research. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Lucas and Chairman Smith for embracing ARPA-E's innovative model and joining our Members in supporting its reauthorization. I support this bill and encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5907, the National Innovation Modernization by Laboratory Empowerment Act. This bill would provide our national laboratories with the authority to directly enter into certain research agreements with the private sector, as long as those activities align with the laboratories' strategic plans approved by the Department of Energy. This bill also includes appropriate safeguards to prevent waste, fraud, or abuse of this provision. This language previously passed the House as part of bipartisan legislation that we considered in the last Congress. I am happy to see this important policy change is moving forward once again. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. I encourage my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, due to an unavoidable conflict I was unable to attend the vote series noted below on June 22, 2018. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 288.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring awareness to the Trump administration's effort to gut the Affordable Care Act. Last Friday, the Justice Department failed to defend a key provision of the ACA that protects people with preexisting conditions. The decision jeopardizes millions of people's healthcare in Texas. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex has one of the highest uninsured rates in the entire country. The congressional district that I represent, alone, has the highest uninsured rate in the entire country. Right now, Republicans are complicit in allowing insurance companies to discriminate against over 10 million Texans with preexisting conditions. Mr. Speaker, this is bad, and we are asking for basic empathy. We want to make sure that people don't have to live in a constant state of panic and praying for the day that their health is in jeopardy and know that their insurance won't be there for them. Let's save the Affordable Care Act. Let's make it stronger. These insurance plans that support hardworking families were put in place for a reason. We need to protect our loved ones with preexisting conditions, and that is what we demand.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible life and legacy of Pauline Valenciano. Pauline was raised in Fort Worth and was able to observe the diversity and vast culture and traditions that are embraced in our community. I knew Pauline when I first got started in politics in the late 1990s, working at Town Center Mall, which is now La Gran Plaza. But Pauline was one of the very first people that I met, and I am just very saddened to hear about her loss. From an early age, Pauline looked up to leaders in the community who gave voice to injustices and fought for equal representation. From observing local Tarrant County School Board races to statewide campaigns, Pauline knew her calling was activism, and she became a fierce leader for the Latino community and for women. When Pauline got told to dial it down, that meant, for Pauline, that she needed to dial it up. She won the respect of minority groups across Texas as she fought for civil rights and gender equality. As a precinct chair and election judge, she became an icon in the Latino community for giving voice to those who felt silenced. She also canvassed for John Kennedy and marched alongside Cesar Chavez. Inspired by leaders who were great orators, she spoke about raising the level of discourse in the country. And naturally, in 2016, when the first female candidate for President was on the ballot, she teamed up with local groups to get out the vote. The city of Fort Worth grieves her loss. The last time I saw her was at a Cinco de Mayo event, and she came up and gave me a big hug. That is the type of person she was in the community, just so inspiring, so encouraging, and a good person. We are going to miss her very much. Her work and legacy will live in Fort Worth for decades and years and years to come. Everyone is thinking about you, my friend, Pauline. I know that you are looking down, and a lot of people are sad about your loss, but know that you helped make Fort Worth a better place to live for all of us.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate our immigrants' heritage. Over one-third of north Texans in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were born outside of the United States. They live and work in my district: Hondurans in South Irving, Somalians in Stop Six, Mexican nationals in Oak Cliff. Whether they are from Jalisco to Tijuana, El Salvador to Nigeria, they are our fellow Texans. Across the metroplex, they fulfill their own version of the American Dream as teachers in classrooms, engineers who design defense equipment, doctors who care for our families, and soldiers who protect our Nation. Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, they are fulfilling a lot of jobs in agriculture and construction and other areas that are simply hard to fill and cannot be filled at home by native-born Americans. This administration is attempting to abolish their patriotism and demoralize their American spirit, but we can't let them win. We need to heal the distrust and fear that comes from talks of border walls, and instead, build community ties that can withstand. Let's start with the protection of our Active Duty servicemembers and veterans. Let's celebrate our immigrants' heritage this month by honoring our country's legacy as a Nation of immigrants. Let's pass a clean Dream Act now.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush. As our nation mourns the loss of a true patriot, an advocate for families, a treasured First Lady, a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother, we also take the time to remember the legacy Barbara Bush left behind. Barbara Bush was born in New York City in 1925 to Pauline and Marvin Pierce. She went on to marry her beloved husband, George H.W. Bush in 1945. The two recently celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary early this year. Mrs. Bush devotedly stood by her husband's side though his military service and later supported him as he entered public service and ascended the presidency. As First Lady, moved to action by her own experience as a mother to a child with dyslexia, she used her influence to highlight the importance of family literacy. She championed this cause across our nation, helping to raise over $110 million to support family literacy programs through the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Dedicated to her mission to end the generational cycle of illiteracy, she advocated for the passage of the National Literacy Act of 1991, which established the National Institute for Literacy and allowed libraries to serve as educational literacy center for adults. Among her big achievements was to set an example of humility and hard work for her family. In her own words, Mrs. Bush wrote, ``I want to be known as a wife, a mother, a grandmother . . . that's what I am. And I'd like to be known as someone who really cared about people . . .'' Our nation grieves with President George H.W. Bush and the entire Bush family. Our hearts are heavy, but we are grateful that we were privileged enough to bear witness to her message of grace, civility, and patriotism. She was a true gift to our nation. I honor the incredible life and legacy of First Lady Barbara Bush.