Greg Walden

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Flores), a real leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, if I could get an indication in terms of the amount we are down on each side here? I think we were allocated a half an hour.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. After 7 years, we have heard the stories of our constituents, patients, friends, and family who have suffered under ObamaCare. We have heard from those who have benefited in some respects. I think of the struggles of constituents like Indra from Bend, Oregon. She lost her private insurance and her preferred doctor. When she went to look for a new plan under ObamaCare, she found the plans were too expensive, and she went without insurance for almost 2 years. See, her story should not be lost in this debate either. Then there is April. Last fall, she found out her insurer would not be offering her plan this year. The most comparable plan available would raise her monthly premium by $564 per month, bringing her total monthly premium to $1,503. You see, there is a whole other group of Americans out there who are suffering these effects of ObamaCare. The American Health Care Act represents a better way for patients like Indra and April all across our country. Our plan will rescue and revitalize the market and lower costs and increase flexibility for patients to choose. They will have more choices for health care and keep a health insurance plan that works for them and for their family. This legislation creates the Patient and State Stability Fund. Now, this is an innovative approach to give States the financing and flexibility to repair the damage done to the insurance markets by ObamaCare and meet the unique needs of their citizens. More importantly, we provide an additional $15 billion, Mr. Speaker, to States devoted for maternity coverage. We heard from people who said we need to do more in this area: newborn care, mental health, and substance disorders. We are also taking action to strengthen Medicaid. We want to put Medicaid on a sustainable path so it can better care for those it was intended to serve, a path through this per capita program for States that, frankly, was at one time embraced by Democrats, including President Clinton. The most vulnerable in our communities need this help. It represents the most substantive reform to the Medicaid program since its creation and will restore power to our States and local communities and governments where they can make better decisions than a one-size-fits- all here in Washington. We want to give our States more control in how they manage these people that they are closest to. In closing, I want to thank our colleagues and the President of the United States and the Vice President and Secretary Price. They have worked day in and day out, tirelessly, without hesitation, to help get to the best policy possible here and to work and listen to our colleagues, as we have all done, to craft the best bill we can, given the constraints under which we must operate. The end result highlights the diverse ideas of our Conference that come from the American people and the determination that we share to save this market and make it work again. Remember, we are talking about a narrow slice of the insurance market, that driven by ObamaCare, that, last year, there were 225 counties in America where, if you were looking for insurance on that exchange, you had one option. This year, it is 1,022 counties. That is one out of every three in America. And that was before Humana pulled out and other companies said this market is about gone. We need to fix this market. That is what this legislation seeks to do. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our terrific staff that has worked day and night to get us to this point. We know there is a lot more work to do. This should not be taken in isolation as the only healthcare reform on our list. We are going to go after the cost drivers. We are going to go after prescription costs. We are going to go after hospital costs. Wherever it is in the health system, if you have nothing to hide, you won't have to fear our investigations. But we are going to get costs down. We are going to get costs down. The American Health Care Act is just the first step in our mission to rescue the American people from the failures of the underlying law. We know they are there. We are going to fix this. We are committed to it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 20 seconds. The irony of that argument is it was just a year or so ago that every Member of this House who was here at the time and the Senate, by a unanimous vote, agreed to waive the essential benefits he just listed off for the employment market between 51 and 100--and, by the way, those essential benefits don't apply to the large group market--so this has already been done. I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), the vice chairman of the full committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Collins), a real leader on our committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds before I yield to the gentleman from Michigan. I would just suggest that the American people are very smart. Unfortunately, under ObamaCare, 19.2 million Americans said: I am not going to buy ObamaCare. I am going to pay a penalty to the IRS instead. You see, we are trying to fix it so they will want to buy it. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), our resident pharmacist on the committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, March 10, 2016, I was unable to be present and missed the recorded votes on roll call no. 157 and 158 regarding H.R. 720, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 157, and YEA on Roll Call No. 158.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker and Ranking Member Torres, thank you for bringing this legislation to the floor once again. I want to elaborate a little bit on what my friend and colleague from Portland talked about. It was more than just a camping trip. It was 3 nights with backpacks, 4 days, 41 miles, and 9,000 feet of gain and loss in elevation. We went all the way around Mt. Hood, which is an extraordinary piece of Oregon, and we had a wonderful time. Along the way, we had our ornithologist there; we had geologists there; we had biologists; we had advocates for wilderness and advocates for recreation. We were met by, I think it was, the Mazamas with watermelons. One afternoon, they hiked them up I don't know how many thousand feet to share with us. It was really a kind of Oregon-way experience, because we all care deeply about the watersheds, the jobs, the recreation, the beauty, the incredible piece of the world we live in around Mt. Hood. It is my home area. I grew up around the Hood River. This land exchange has been a battle since the 1970s, in a sense, in that my community long ago said: We don't want a lot of development up in this Crystal Springs watershed and in this very pristine area around the Hood River upper valley. It really belongs around the corner of Mt. Hood, up in Government Camp where there already is development. This fight has gone on for years; and all sides came together, as we did in our legislation, and said: We agree. And so we said: Fine, we will put that in the bill. They worked it out with the Forest Service and everybody else, and then we said: Okay. They have done the heavy lift for the last, I don't know, 30 years. Forest Service, you just make this transfer and do it in 16 months. That is what the law said. We are nearly 8 years later and this is still languishing; and, unfortunately, we are back trying again, because we are never going to quit until we are done. We are getting much closer. In fact, the law we passed back in 2009, Public Law 111-11, deals with this Public Lands Act. It said: ``Deadline for completion of land exchange. It is the intent of the Congress that the land exchange under this subsection shall be completed not later than 16 months after the date of enactment of this Act.'' Again, that was back in 2009. It is important to protect this watershed. It is important that where development occurs, it occurs in the right places. We have always felt that way in Oregon. And, indeed, facilitating this exchange resolves a decades-long controversy and puts development where it belongs, protects a special area in the upper Hood River Valley that needs protection, and finally brings certainty and resolution. I hope you all will come out and see it, or you can come over to the Energy and Commerce Mt. Hood Room which soon will have a beautiful photograph there of Mt. Hood at Lost Lake, and I encourage you to come over. When you are tired of that, you can come over to the new Crater Lake room in the Energy and Commerce Committee suites as well. I have discovered being chairman of the full committee, you get to name rooms--at least briefly during your tenure--and show off some of the best aspects of your State. With that, Mr. Speaker, thank you for bringing this to the floor. I look forward to House passage, Senate passage, and getting this puppy signed into law.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, as the new chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I, too, want to join in showing my appreciation and affection for Gary. He has given our committee and, dare I say, our country incredible service for many years. I am grateful for his friendship, I am grateful for his guidance, his counsel and, as we have gone through this transition, his advice, a steady hand, incredible intellect, a curiosity about how to get policy done. From his start on Capitol Hill working in both Bush administrations and then leading the Energy and Commerce Committee staff effort, he has this passion for public service. He is relentless in his devotion to serving the American people and to driving the committee over time and really putting together a great team. As you have heard, because of his leadership, the committee successfully shepherded through dozens of pieces of really important bipartisan legislation for the American people that have made their lives better, such as the 21st Century Cures Act, modernizing our chemical safety laws, improving pipeline safety, among many others. We are fortunate to have had such a gifted adviser, exceptional leader, tireless advocate at the helm of this committee staff for the last 6 years. It has been a real honor, Gary, to work with you. I wish you, Sue, and your whole family the very best in the years ahead. You have given this country incredible service, and we appreciate you for that. God bless you and Godspeed.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the Energy and Commerce Committee and our new chair of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Mrs. Blackburn, and the new ranking member on the committee, Mr. Doyle. I believe by the end of today, Mr. Speaker, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will have produced close to 20 pieces of legislation already this Congress for consideration by the House, and I think all of them have been bipartisan. That is the kind of work this great committee is known for and we hope to continue to do. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I think we agreed that the FCC was in need of process reform. This is the people's business that they are conducting. It needs to be done in an open and transparent and predictable way so that all of those involved in the public's business can see what is happening. The Federal Communications Commission regulates an incredibly dynamic and innovative sector of the American economy. The communications technology sector directly impacts the lives of consumers in meaningful ways. Consumers are able to map their ways to new places, find information and enriching content, and reach their loved ones who might live in the most remote places, literally, of the globe. Communications technology also enables other industries to reach their audiences in new and life-changing ways: health care, finance, manufacturing, agriculture. All of these industries are leveraging communications technologies in ways to better serve the American consumer. It is essential that we do as much as we can to protect and promote innovation in this sector of the economy. We can't afford to allow this fundamental sector of the economy to languish or fail under outdated regulations or faulty regulatory processes. That is why Committee on Energy and Commerce has focused on improving the processes at the FCC, so that it operates in an effective and transparent manner. This bill represents the fourth time, as you have heard, that we have brought a measure to this House floor that seeks to improve the way the FCC conducts its business. Last Congress, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, process reform was a priority and it still is. I am committed to continuing the reform effort by supporting this legislation once again. Over the years, we have worked closely across the aisle to formulate a bipartisan compromise piece of legislation that addresses many of the concerns that we all share. Whether it is creating certainty for regulated industries by requiring shot clocks and deadlines, protecting consumers by prohibiting data dumps at the eleventh hour, or empowering all Commissioners by creating a tool for bipartisan majority to bring an item up for a vote at the FCC, this legislation is intended to improve the way the FCC does its business all across the board. One of the concerns we heard from some on the committee during the consideration of this legislation was that an overly proscriptive piece of legislation could hamstring the agency. Well, I think we have structured this legislation to fully address that legitimate concern by allowing the agency, itself, to determine the specifics of the overarching principles that we set forth. We give them that flexibility. We just want them to do the job. For example, the bill requires that all Commissioners have adequate time to review decision documents before having to vote. However, we allow the agency to determine what the adequate amount of time is through a rulemaking process that will generate input from the industries, the consumers, the stakeholders; and, ultimately, that should result in a Commission decision that reflects the way that the agency can best function. I think it is important to note that we are still extremely committed to these important reforms, even though we have seen a change in administrations and will see a new chairman. Process reform is not about political ideology or partisan rancor, rather, it is about ensuring that government continues to work for the people. I am hopeful that this legislation will reach the President's desk and result in a better, more efficient, more transparent Federal Communications Commission, the kind of regulator that the most innovative and dynamic sector in the world deserves.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the new subcommittee chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. I know our country is in good hands and our committee is as well with Mrs. Blackburn chairing that important subcommittee. I want to thank my colleague from California for his kind comments and his work over the years on these issues. I concur with him that we have a wonderful opportunity to continue our bipartisan work as the committee has been known for, for a long time. Clearly, from time to time, we will have our differences, and we know that as well. It is part of democracy. There is so much of this work, like this bill, that is so very important. As we begin the 115th Congress, I am pleased to be here to support this bipartisan bill because I think it reflects the best of what government can do for those who sent us here. Small Business Broadband Deployment Act seeks to alleviate, as you have heard, Mr. Speaker, these unnecessary regulatory burdens on small Internet service providers--these are the small ones, oftentimes in our rural communities but not always--while still ensuring that consumers are protected. We found the right balance here. By extending an exemption to the Federal Communications Commission's enhanced reporting rules, this bill allows these small businesses to focus on their core mission, and that is to provide broadband Internet access to customers throughout America. Over the past year, we spent a great deal of time focused on this issue. We first raised concerns with the Federal Communications Commission in a letter, Mr. Speaker, from the committee, as well as from the Committee on Small Business. We urged the chairman, Tom Wheeler, to not only make the exemption permanent but also to raise the threshold by defining a small business to bring it in line with the definitions previously blessed by the Obama administration's Small Business Administration. We were trying to find some consistency, some workability, and some common sense here. Well, unfortunately, the FCC only extended the exemption for 1 year, despite the overwhelming support to do this permanent extension. It was clear Congress needed to act. That is what we are doing here. I introduced a discussion draft last year that would have permanently extended the exemption and increased the threshold by defining a small business. At our January 2016 legislative hearing on the bill, we heard from a small Internet service provider who shared the dilemma that many small ISPs face in these circumstances: Should they put up new equipment, or should they hire a lawyer to help with compliance? Should they improve service for customers, or should they devote those financial resources to sifting through regulatory language and drafting extensive reports on packet loss? So often these small ISPs provide service to areas of the country that are rural, like in my district throughout eastern Oregon or Representative Loebsack's district in Iowa--we heard from him--or may not be as easy to serve and, in some cases, provide a vital competitive edge to larger Internet service providers. We should be making all efforts to promote the viability of these businesses, not saddle them with additional requirements that make it more difficult to do what they are in business to do. Representative Loebsack and I were able to come to a compromise through extensive negotiation. In the bill we have before us today, we extend this exemption for 5 years. Now, it gives greater regulatory certainty to these small Internet service providers looking for predictability when making investment decisions. In addition, we increased the threshold for defining a small business and required the FCC to report back to Congress on the exemption along with data around small ISPs that is currently lacking. In the end, this bill presents a good compromise that will relieve burdens for small businesses while leaving in place protections for consumers. So it is important to note this bill doesn't affect the transparency rules, as my colleagues have mentioned, adopted in the FCC's 2010 rules. Consumers will continue to have access to those disclosures they have come to expect, with the information needed to make informed decisions about their Internet service. Again, this bill passed the House unanimously last year, 411-0. Unfortunately, while it made it through the Senate Commerce Committee, it never quite came up for a vote in the Senate. In addition, the exemption granted by the FCC expired on December 15, 2016, and has not yet been renewed. Now, that leaves these many small businesses exposed to the serious reporting burden that we have heard about throughout this process, as well as a great deal of uncertainty around what the future may hold for them. It is now more important than ever that we act to quickly fill this gap and protect these businesses and the consumers they serve. I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, especially Representative Loebsack, for working with us on this bill. This bipartisan process has resulted in a strong piece of legislation that I am confident will protect many and promote continued network investment and build-out by small businesses. This legislation represents a commonsense approach to a problem that directly impacts so many of our constituents. This solution will enable our country to continue its leadership in broadband deployment. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for this important piece of legislation, H.R. 304, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act. This is a bipartisan bill. It was introduced by two of our colleagues from North Carolina, Representatives Hudson and Butterfield. It previously passed the House by voice vote, no objection, back in November; but, unfortunately, it was not taken up by the Senate before the last Congress adjourned, meaning we have to be here today to restart this process. This, along with three other Energy and Commerce bills that we are considering today, shows that the Energy and Commerce Committee is picking right up where we left off, in a bipartisan way, to produce quality legislation that will improve the public health. Now, H.R. 304 is really an important bill because it enables our Nation's emergency medical services professionals to continue to provide quality emergency care by recognizing the unique nature of their practice. Specifically, as you may have heard, the bill clarifies that paramedics and other EMS professionals can administer certain pain and antiseizure medications in emergency situations pursuant to standing or verbal orders. In other words, the doctor has said to the EMS person, you can do these things in emergencies. Now, think about this. You are in a car wreck. The EMT shows up in the ambulance. They can't communicate with anybody because they are down in a valley or somewhere where they don't have communication. Without this legislation, it is uncertain now, because of this ruling out of the administration, whether or not they can give you antiseizure medication or pain relief medication until they can get in contact. This is not what any of us wants, so this legislation fixes that. During this process, when this decision was made a while back, I heard from Dr. Paul Rostykus, an emergency physician in Jackson County, Oregon. He said that this is really critical to saving lives and reducing suffering, particularly in our remote and rural areas where these emergency technicians, EMTs, may struggle to call in emergencies and it can take much longer for patients to reach the nearest doctor. I just implore you to talk to anybody that is running around the ambulances, and they will tell you this is really, really important for patients. I had an ambulance driver tell me--an EMT tell me it is important for them because sometimes in an accident, somebody is injured and they are kind of out of control and have a seizure. Now, I am not a doctor. We actually have one here who can tell us more. But they then are able to administer certain medications that will calm the patient, prevent them from hurting themselves or hurting the EMT. So I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 304 as well as the other bipartisan Energy and Commerce bills that are on the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to pass these important bills.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the non-profit Bend Heroes Foundation of Bend, Oregon, for its outstanding dedication to Oregon's veterans of the Armed Services. As a member of the National Honor Flight Network, the Foundation has honored over 550 World War II Oregon heroes who helped save the world from tyranny over seven decades ago. It has been my high honor to welcome them to Washington, D.C. and present each World War II veteran with a flag flown over our nation's Capitol in his or her honor. The Foundation created the Bend Heroes Memorial to honor Bend's veterans who served and died during war from World War I to the present. It was my privilege to help dedicate the memorial on Veterans Day back in 2009. The Foundation also inaugurated the Bend Parade of Flags program displaying 300 flags in Bend on eight patriotic days each year. I was again privileged to provide those flags and have them flown over our nation's Capitol. Furthering their efforts, the Foundation worked with the Oregon Legislature to create six war veterans highways across Oregon: World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf/Afghanistan and Iraq and the Purple Heart Trail. Sixty-seven honorific signs have been installed on 1,730 miles of border-to-border highways, in total honoring 500,000 Oregon war veterans. The Bend Heroes Foundation also created the Oregon Medal of Honor Exhibit to celebrate 26 Oregonians who received our nation's highest award for valor above and beyond the call of duty during combat from the Civil War to Vietnam. Mr. Robert ``Bob'' Maxwell of Bend is one of the World War II recipients, and at 96 he is our nation's oldest living recipient. It was a privilege for me to provide him with a large American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. That flag is now prominently displayed at the Foundation's exhibit in McMinnville. I would also like to honor the members of the Bend Heroes Foundation for their tireless efforts: Chairman Dick Tobiason, President Erik Tobiason, Vice President-Secretary Yvonne Drury, Treasurer Priscilla Reich, Directors Bob Dent, Denny Drury, Joe Gallagher, Mike Genna, Harley Kelley, Bob Maxwell, Darla Rozelle, Rob Walker and Diane Harris, and Volunteers Candace Kelley, Mike Brock, Sid Poe, and John and Jean Frye. All serve without pay and are extremely proud of their efforts. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful state and country, I wish to honor the Bend Heroes Foundation for its many grand accomplishments over many years.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and especially for the courtesy to spend a minute or two talking about not only this rule, but also the legislation that will be coming to the floor soon. I want to thank especially Chairman Fred Upton, who has put his whole heart and soul into the 21st Century Cures Act, joined by Diana DeGette, certainly Dr. Burgess, Congressman Murphy, and others who have really played a key role in trying to find cures to diseases that don't exist today, find treatments for those in order to bring better health to all Americans, both physical health and, certainly in the case of Dr. Murphy, mental health as well. This really means a lot. This will make a difference in real people's lives back home in our communities. I have heard from those people, like Carol Fulkerson in Bend, who has MS. She is ecstatic about this. She said it is a great step toward making it possible to find a cure to MS. Can you imagine what that means in a person's life? There are critical reforms and improvements on mental health and substance abuse programs, as we have heard. These changes will help people all across America, and certainly in Oregon. A Medford resident, Justin, overcame his own battle with addiction through a dual diagnosis treatment program that dealt with the underlying issues fueling addiction instead of just sort of a Band-Aid approach to his symptoms. These are the kinds of ideas coming from our folks back home that are now incorporated in legislation. I heard from a clinical lab owner in rural Oregon, Judy Kennedy, who voiced her support for the provisions in Cures that provide precise diagnostic testing services to rural and other underserved communities across the country. We are going to do so much to improve the health, both mental and physical, in the lives of people we represent when this legislation becomes law. Mr. Speaker, I am just delighted to support this bill. I think it is an enormous step forward in so many ways, and I commend Chairman Upton and all those who have been involved in this in its writing. I urge passage of the rule so we can get on to this legislation.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the seven World War II veterans and six Korean War veterans from Oregon who visited their memorial on the National Mall on Saturday, October 8, 2016 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 70 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: Shirley Boehmer, Army; Arnold Ebert, Army; Gordon Nelson, Army; John Hull, Marine Corps; Clarence Kelm, Marine Corps; Albert Pule, Marine Corps; Bruce Pence, Marine Corps; James Estep, Navy; William Isely, Navy; Johnny Johnson, Navy; Wilma Norris, Navy; Marvin Stuber, Navy; and Helen Watson, Navy. These 13 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 three guardians traveling on this trip who have also served our country: Jeffrey Hull, Army; Rosemary Agee, Navy; and Terry Haines, Navy. Terry served Oregon's Second District for many years as our veterans outreach liaison, and has always been a strong advocate for the men and women who have worn the uniform. I also want to thank and recognize Janet Yakopatz and Rita ``Sam'' Boyd, the 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. And, of course, none of this would be possible without Gail Yakopatz, the longtime President of Honor Flight of Southern Oregon. Gail is one of a kind. For many years, she has been a tireless advocate for Oregon's veterans, and I am proud to call her my friend. 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.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 42 World War II veterans from Oregon who will be visiting their memorial this Friday in Washington, D.C. through Honor Flight of Oregon. On behalf of a grateful state and country, we welcome these heroes to our nation's capital. The veterans on this flight from Oregon are as follows: Russell Carter, Army; Carolyn Clark, Army; Robert Kakuska, Army; Henry Kreminski, Army; Milford McDougal, Army; William Osteen, Army; Carl Propes, Army; Richard Reeve, Army; Arthur Schlenther, Army; Carl Smith, Army; Richard Sowell, Army; Frank Spiegel, Army; Alvin Tesky, Army; Edward Usselman, Army; Walter McNeill, Army Air Corps; Gordon Sodorff, Army Air Corps; Shirley Wilson, Army Air Corps; Clarence Read, Army Air Forces; Walter Seaman, Army Air Forces; William Thompson, Army Air Forces; Robert Turkisher, Army Air Forces; Robert Lortie, Coast Guard; Nancy Songer, Coast Guard; Frank Gibson, Marine Corps; Owen Anson, Navy; Ellsworth Bell, Navy; Jack Clevinger, Navy; Leroy Colvin, Navy; Kenneth Harding, Navy; David Henthorne, Navy; Robert Jackson, Navy; Hugh Keavney, Navy; William Krager, Navy; Willis Marshall, Navy; William Miller, Navy; Melvin Probst, Navy; Margaret Ross, Navy; Leonard Tischler, Navy; Donald Quinn, Navy; Forrest Hall, Navy Reserve; Santo Regalbuto, Navy Reserve; and Patsy Seaman, Women's Army Corps. These 42 heroes join the estimated 20,000 to 25,000 veterans who will travel to Washington, D.C. from their home states in 2016, adding to the over 150,000 veterans who have been honored through the Honor Flight Network of volunteers nationwide since 2005. Mr. Speaker, each of us is humbled by the courage of these brave Americans 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.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Commerce be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 1878) to extend the pediatric priority review voucher program, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 253) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to consolidate the reporting obligations of the Federal Communications Commission in order to improve congressional oversight and reduce reporting burdens, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.