Greg Walden

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 931) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a voluntary registry to collect data on cancer incidence among firefighters, as amended.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, the gentleman who helped move this legislation forward, and leads our committee on matters of health.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 931, the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2017, introduced by my friend and colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Representative Chris Collins from New York, who we will hear from shortly, will create a national registry to collect information to better understand cancer incidence in firefighters. These heroic first responders experience occupational health risks every day. In my district, it is oftentimes from forest fires, like we are having all summer long. This past weekend I saw firsthand what our firefighters face as they battle a number of fires raging in Oregon, putting themselves in harm's way to save property, infrastructure, lives, watersheds, habitats, and our forests. I was deeply reminded yesterday morning, as I watched some of the news coverage that took us back 16 years ago to 9/11, and seeing the scenes of the buildings collapsing and burning and the people emerging, individual citizens, first responders, caked in dust and toxins and dealing with smoke, you realize just the peril that our first responders often find themselves in. They rush into buildings to save lives, and we deeply appreciate what they do. That is why this legislation is an important step to help them. Nationwide, we have this problem with our firefighters. They came to us and said: We need this registry. Again, going back to the West and what we face, and I saw it when I flew across the country to come here, not only are there fires and smoke throughout Oregon, but also all across the West: Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, hill and valley choked with smoke. Close to 8 million acres burned in wildfires so far this year; more than half a million in Oregon on both public and mostly private lands. Thousands of residents have had to be evacuated. Firefighters, of course, stayed behind. They do what they do. Multiple studies have shown a correlation between firefighting and cancer. However, the reasons behind this are not fully understood. We owe it to these first responders to understand the causal link to cancer. Having better data to identify why firefighters are at an increased risk for some cancers will hopefully lead to better protective measures and ultimately reduce some of the hazards that they face when putting their lives on the line. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Collins) for his good work on this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, we all join in thanking our first responders. This is the least of the things we can do to show how much we care about our firefighters, and I would encourage our colleagues in the House to support this very important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the ten World War II veterans from Oregon who visited their memorial on the National Mall on Friday, September 8, 2017 through Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon. Every time I have the chance to meet one of these heroes from the ``Greatest Generation,'' I am reminded of the poignant words of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. In a message to Allied troops just before D-Day, he said, ``The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you.'' He was right then, of course, Mr. Speaker. But over seventy years later, liberty loving people everywhere continue to owe these heroes for their extraordinary service and their incredible stories of sacrifice and bravery on behalf of our country. That's why it is my privilege to enter their names into the Congressional Record today. The veterans on this Honor Flight from Oregon are as follows: Kenneth Brandt, Army; George Droz, Army; Charles Robertson, Army; George Schoppert, Army; William Evarts, Army Air Force; Alfred Kruckman, Army Air Force; August Evert, Navy; Ben Lemire, Navy; Otto Schaffer, Navy; Billy Baucum, U.S. Coast Guard. Some of these brave men served on land in France, Germany, Austria, England, Normandy and throughout the European and Pacific Theatres. Some served at sea in the South Pacific and the Philippines, on patrol frigates and Navy vessels. Some served as air crewman and infantrymen. While each of their roles was different, their dedication to their country was the same. These ten heroes join the over 150,000 veterans who have been honored through the Honor Flight Network of volunteers nationwide since 2005. I would also like to recognize the four guardians traveling on this trip who have served our country: Terrie Evarts, Jerry Rozelle, Harley Keiley, and Candy Kelley. I also want to thank and recognize the group leaders on this night, as well as the dedicated Board Members of Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon and the Bend Heroes Foundation, who worked so hard to make this trip happen. Mr. Speaker, at the height of the Civil War in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln wrote, ``Honor to the Soldier, and Sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause.'' Each of us in this chamber and in this nation should be humbled by the courage of these brave veterans who put themselves in harm's way for our country and way of life. As a nation, we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude owed to them for their honor, commitment, and sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we have today. My colleagues, please join me in thanking these veterans and the volunteers of Honor Flight of Eastern Oregon for their exemplary dedication and service to this great country.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have put enormous work into that, all the members of the committee, and especially Mr. Latta for his great leadership. Today marks a really important milestone in the pursuit to make our roadways safer and support American leadership in self-driving innovation. So the SELF DRIVE Act, H.R. 3388, is something we can all support. Simply put, the rapidly advancing technology behind highly autonomous vehicles is stunning. I speak from some experience because a few months ago I got the opportunity to ride in a self-driving car with engineers and experienced a vehicle perform without any need for human intervention. Though we can look to a future that fulfills the promise of these innovations, we cannot ignore the current troubling trend in the number of lives that are lost on our roadways in America. Given the latest roadway fatality numbers, this technology is especially needed today. Almost 40,000 people lost their lives on our roads last year. That represents another yearly increase in traffic-related fatalities. In my own State of Oregon, traffic fatalities were the highest they have seen in 14 years--up 20 percent from the prior year. Statistics tell us 94 percent of accidents relate to human behavior. During our morning commute into work, just look around. We see folks on their phones in the cars next to us doing other things. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can't write a safety standard to make us all perfect drivers, it can work to avoid lifesaving technologies to avoid collisions. That is part of what this bipartisan legislation will put in place. This bill is also about ensuring America stays a global leader in the development of self-driving technology. After all, the auto industry is responsible for more than 7 million American jobs nationwide and drives more than $900 billion into the economy each year. We want to see these numbers grow, we want this innovation to occur here, and we want to bring greater traffic safety to our roadways. Additionally, self-driving cars hold the promise of better access to transportation for our Nation's 47 million senior citizens, 27 million Americans with severe disabilities, and the many communities across the country underserved by public transportation. For Americans to enjoy all these benefits, we needed to put together a framework that is national and will drive it, and that is what this bill does. I want to commend Mr. Latta, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Upton, Mrs. Dingell, and my friend, Frank Pallone, the ranking member on the committee, for all their great work on this legislation. We can be proud of the product the Energy and Commerce Committee has brought to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I urge people to support H.R. 3388.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Troy Ferguson, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, a caring and compassionate servant to the people of Oregon's 2nd District, a leader amongst Team Walden, and a man that I am honored to call a friend. Troy first served his country as a Marine, where he excelled in the high standards of the Marine Corps and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. Troy's southern upbringing and faithful Marine Corps service made him a gentleman, through and through. Troy always demonstrated the bearing of a leader, and had the character to back it up. Troy joined my staff in 2001 as a part time worker manning the front desk. In a very short period of time, it became apparent that he had a natural talent for this business and helping constituents. In his 16 years he did just about all the jobs that make up a district office: receptionist, constituent services representative, constituent services manager, constituent services director, field representative, legislative advisor, and regional director. Troy has been a jack-of-all-trades on my team, acquiring expertise in a wide array of issues, policy, and casework, and he mastered each area quickly. In particular, Troy's 11 years of service in the Marine Corps equipped him with an unmatched ability to help veterans in need throughout my district. Troy played an integral role in our effort to save ``The Dom''--the local VA facility in Southern Oregon--when the VA shortsightedly made an attempt to close that facility. Now renamed as the Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics, this facility continues to provide critical services to thousands of veterans each year. Over the years, thousands of individual constituents received personal guidance and assistance from Troy. He was the guru of constituent services, not only on Team Walden but also in the Oregon delegation. Whether it was casework involving the IRS, veterans and military service members, or Social Security and Medicare, Troy became a recognized expert at identifying the problem and promptly finding a solution. When the delegation constituent services folks got together, Troy was looked to by all as the most knowledgeable person in the room when it carne to taking care of constituents and ensuring that the agencies had the opportunity to make things right. On top of that, when most people struggled to master the skills of proficient writing required of congressional staffers, Troy stood out as a naturally gifted writer. He has that rare ability of organizing complex concepts and putting them on paper so that they can be easily understood by anyone. Troy was a born communicator who could deliver bad news to a constituent with compassion and good news with enthusiasm. His ability to communicate, breadth of knowledge, and natural leadership made him a key part of welcoming new members to the team. Eager to show new staff the ropes and make them feel at home, Troy became a respected mentor and trainer to those joining Team Walden. New staffers were often advised to ``Ask Troy. He'll walk you through how to get the job done and done right.'' Outside of the office, Troy is a man of many gifts and talents. He is a gourmet cook--those who worked with Troy over the years have fond memories of the incredible Italian lunches he prepared for his fellow staffers. He co-founded the Jackson County Veterans Advisory Committee, and exhibits selfless service even in his off hours. As a respected member of the local veterans community in southern Oregon, Troy will continue to serve with Jackson County Veterans after he leaves my office. He is a family man in every sense of the word. He is a devoted husband and father, and most recently, a proud grandfather. Troy will be impossible to replace. Though he will never truly leave Team Walden, I will miss his dedication to serve Oregonians. It comes as no shock to anyone who knows Troy that his next endeavor will involve serving his community--this time with the United Way. I have no doubt Troy will bring his sense of duty to helping others, his fine character, and his leadership to his next career--just as he did for my team for 16 years.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. As I have said, it is a bipartisan bill. I think even more importantly than that, Mr. Speaker, this legislation will save lives. It will bring about quicker cures for those who need new medicines and medical devices. This is the finest work that we can do in this body, working with those scientists and innovators in helping develop a system where they can get approvals and get new medicines to market that are safe and that will save lives. We are doing that today. I want to thank the staff, who have been incredibly important in this effort and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who worked together. We didn't get everything everybody wanted in this bill, but we got a bill that passed unanimously out of our committee and that I believe the Senate will take up and adopt, as well, and we can move forward in such a positive direction for people that you heard about today from my colleagues. Lives that are on the line can be saved by innovation. The quicker we get that innovation to the market, the more we can reduce costs and save lives. Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to support passage of this very important lifesaving legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), who is the resident pharmacist on the committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), a passionate advocate for those who really need access to medications at the end stage of their lives.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and one of the authors of a portion of this bill that is really important for kids.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Lance), a very important member of our committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), a very important member of our committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2430, the FDA Reauthorization Act--FDARA--of 2017. While it may not be headline news, for almost a year now, the Energy and Commerce Committee has been working in a bipartisan fashion on this critical legislation which will build on the landmark 21st Century Cures Act. The FDARA will ensure that innovative and lower cost treatments, as well as lifesaving medical technologies, reach patients sooner. Last month we reported this bill out of committee on a 54-0 vote. Unanimously, Mr. Speaker. For starters, the FDARA updates and reauthorizes four user fee programs at the Food and Drug Administration. Though they sound like just another set of wonky Washington acronyms, the UFAs, as they are called--user fee agreements--are absolutely critical to the Food and Drug Administration's timely and consistent review of brand and generic drugs, biosimilars, and medical devices. They also maintain the agency's gold standard of patient safety. Before the generic drug user fee program was established 5 years ago, there were literally thousands of applications pending at that agency-- thousands. Significant strides have been made to clear that backlog, and the FDARA will build on that progress so that generics come to market as soon as safely possible. Make no doubt about it, this bill will increase competition and it will provide lower cost alternative medications to patients. Through a series of hearings and markups at the Energy and Commerce Committee, Members on both sides of the aisle proposed a number of additional provisions to improve the processes at the FDA and to strengthen this legislation in ways that will benefit patients, medical product manufacturers, and the agency itself. For example, my colleague from Oregon (Mr. Schrader), who I know is on the floor, partnered with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) on meaningful ways to incentivize generic entry into markets where competition was lacking and patients were being exploited by bad actors. I thank them for their work on this effort. Their work will save patients money, and their work will get new products into the market sooner. In addition, there are a number of improvements to the regulation of various medical technologies that will expand access, that will streamline bureaucratic processes, and that will lower costs. Further, this legislation includes provisions that have been championed by Republicans and Democrats alike in both Chambers throughout their discussions on the user fee agreements, including a range of improvements to the pediatric drug and device development process, and guidance on ways to expand patient access to clinical trials. Finally, this legislation includes a revised version of the RACE for Children Act that Representatives McCaul, Mullin, and Butterfield have worked tirelessly on for quite some time. H.R. 2430 is the product of significant bipartisan and bicameral discussions with a wide range of stakeholders that went throughout regular order at the committee after a series of substantive hearings and then received a unanimous vote. Which, Mr. Speaker, is probably why nobody will ever read about this or see it on television, because we actually worked together and did it in a bipartisan way and achieved the unanimous vote that will bring drugs and devices to patients quicker, sooner, and safer in the long run. This legislation is yet another example of Congress getting good things done. We are working together. And it is important to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their work on this legislation, particularly full committee Ranking Member Pallone, Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Green, Health Subcommittee Chairman Burgess. This bipartisan work has produced a big win for patients. The FDARA will help bring lower-cost generic drug alternatives and biosimilars to market faster, increasing competition, lowering drug costs. It will streamline the process for reviewing or approving new treatments and cures for patients, ultimately delivering new and innovative therapies, drugs, and devices to patients more quickly. Finally, this bill is a big win for the millions of Americans working in the healthcare sector and the drug and device manufacturers that help us live better and healthier lives. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' I want my colleagues and all Americans to know this is just step one in a long- term effort in our committee to help patients get access to better medicines and lower costs. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), chairman of the Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Costello), who is from the Philadelphia suburbs and is an important member of our committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), the former chairman of the committee, and the leader of the 21st Century Cures Act legislation.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague from Oregon for his good work on this part of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2430) to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological products, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New Jersey for his good work and kind comments on our legislation that we put together. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), the former chairman of the full committee. (Mr. BARTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. 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 in the Record on the bill.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. I thank the gentleman, who chairs our Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee and is so passionate in not only finding a solution to the opioid epidemic, but also his great work on mental health reform as well, as was passed into law in the 21st Century Cures legislation. As you know, the year before, the Energy and Commerce Committee also passed legislation to begin to address this issue. We will be doing a lot of work, going forward, to look at what is working on the ground and what is not. Addiction, as you well know from your clinical experience, is an equal opportunity destroyer. It is a crisis that doesn't pick parties. It doesn't pick people because of their race, age, or socioeconomic status. We all know someone impacted by the opioid epidemic. It has literally touched every corner of our country and every community in our States. The epidemic has hit close to home in my home State of Oregon, where more people now die from drug overdoses than from deaths in automobile accidents. I have met with community leaders, first responders, doctors, police officers, patients, and those on the front lines of this fight against opioid addiction. At roundtables throughout the Second District of Oregon, I have heard firsthand accounts of the impact of the opioid epidemic. It didn't matter if I was in a rural eastern Oregon community or a more populated city in southern Oregon. The tragic stories were all too similar and all too familiar. Medical professionals across Oregon told me about the rapid acceleration of the opioid epidemic over the last 20 years. They have witnessed patient after patient fall into the traps of addiction. I heard from Oregonians who have struggled with the epidemic themselves. At our roundtable, a woman in Hermiston talked about how she became addicted to painkillers. After a minor foot injury, she got a prescription for an opioid-based painkiller. In her decades-long battle with this addiction--trying to get off of this addiction--she was forced to travel more than 5 hours into Washington State just to find a provider who could help her with Suboxone and get off of her addiction. There was nobody locally who could help her. I heard from a father whose son was a high school athlete. He was prescribed opioids after a sports injury. Tragically, he became addicted. Soon, he transitioned to what we know as a cheaper and more deadly version of the drug known as heroin. Sadly, this young man would not survive his addiction. He died from heroin. It devastated the family and stole another American in the prime of his life. This story is repeated all too often. Combating the opioid epidemic in Oregon and every State of the union is going to require a real bipartisan team effort to continue, from elected officials with the input from healthcare experts and those on the front line of this fight in our local communities. In the Energy and Commerce Committee, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder, all of us together, saying: What can we do more to help in this crisis; to seize the opportunity before us; to look at the legislation that was enacted in the last Congress to make sure that the grants are getting to the ground, as they are in my State; and that we are getting the help and that it is actually working? It is one thing to pass a bill. It is another to make sure it is implemented correctly and that it actually works effectively. I commend my colleague from Pennsylvania, Chairman Murphy, for the work that he is doing on this and the compassion he has for those families who are tragically caught up in this addiction. Together, we are going to find our way through it.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize twenty-five World War II veterans from Oregon who visited their memorial on the National Mall on Friday, June 9,2017 through Honor Flight of Oregon. Every time I have the chance to meet one of these heroes from the ``Greatest Generation,'' I am reminded of the poignant words of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. In a message to Allied troops just before D-Day, he said, ``The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you.'' He was right then, of course, Mr. Speaker. But over seventy years later, liberty loving people everywhere continue to owe--these heroes for their extraordinary service and their incredible stories of sacrifice and bravery on behalf of our country. That's why it is my privilege to enter their names into the Congressional Record today. The veterans on this Honor Flight from Oregon are as follows: Robert Turkisher, Air Force; Curtis Lyon, Army Air Force; Benny Ashbaugh, Army; Lloyd Bert Baldwin, Army; Fred Feigner, Army; Albert Wellman, Army; Kenneth Williams, Army; Helen Bennett, Women's Army Corps; Frank White, Army and Navy; Jack Rickard, Marine Corps; Ray Rigutto, Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve; Duane Amundson, Navy; Theodore Bennett, Navy; Rudolph Fenk, Navy; Frank Kline, Navy; Robert Martin, Navy; Thomas McAllisterr, Navy; Andrew Naylor, Navy; Julene Peterson, Navy; John Sefren, Navy; Samuel Sorrels, Navy; Quentin Smith, Navy; Dan Smith, Navy; Donald Warneke, Navy; Santo Regalbuto, Navy Reserve. These twenty-five heroes join the over 150,000 veterans who have been honored through the Honor Flight Network of volunteers nationwide since 2005. I also want to thank and recognize the guardians and group leaders on this flight, as well as the dedicated Board Members of Honor Flight of Oregon, who worked so hard to make this trip happen. Mr. Speaker, at the height of the Civil War in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln wrote, ``Honor to the Soldier, and Sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause.'' Each of us in this Chamber and in this Nation should be humbled by the courage of these brave veterans who put themselves in harm's way for our country and way of life. As a nation, we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude owed to them for their honor, commitment, and sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we have today. My colleagues, please join me in thanking these veterans and the volunteers of Honor Flight of Oregon for their exemplary dedication and service to this great country.