[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 87 (Tuesday, June 2, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H3660-H3694]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT,
2016
General Leave
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2578, and that I may include
tabular material on the same.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 287 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 2578.
The Chair appoints the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mooney) to
preside over the Committee of the Whole.
{time} 1403
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 2578) making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, with Mr. Mooney of West
Virginia in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson) and the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Today, I am very pleased to present to the House the fiscal year 2016
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill
with my colleague, Mr. Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania.
I would like to begin by thanking my ranking member Chaka Fattah of
Pennsylvania. It has been a pleasure to work with him. We have worked
together closely on this legislation. I appreciate Mr. Fattah's
approach to the bill. His input has improved the bill considerably. I
look forward to working with him and all the members of the
subcommittee as we move forward and go into conference with the Senate
on this important legislation. I also want to thank Chairman Hal Rogers
of Kentucky and Ranking Member Nita Lowey of New York for their help in
putting this legislation together.
This is my first year chairing the Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies Subcommittee. It is an extraordinarily important
committee that oversees so many noble and worthwhile efforts that the
Federal Government is engaged, both in preserving and protecting lives
and property of the American people and advancing scientific research
and space exploration.
I am especially grateful to Chairman Hal Rogers for his trust in me
in this extraordinarily important assignment. I want to thank him also
for his generous allocation to this subcommittee. As the Congress under
the Republican leadership has done our very best to live within our
means, as every American must do, every business and every private
citizen knows how important it is to only spend the money that you have
on hand. Don't spend more than you have got. We have in this Republican
Congress done our very best through the appropriations process to live
within our means.
Our subcommittee has--with that in mind, I am a personal follower of
Dave Ramsey's advice. I do so in my personal life and try to do so in
representing the people of west Houston--don't spend more money than
you have got, and the money you have got you want to prioritize--and we
have in this subcommittee prioritized the many agencies that we have
responsibility for. In priority order, we have approached it with law
enforcement number one and made sure that the FBI has got the resources
they need to do their job of protecting this Nation against terrorists
and espionage, cyber espionage. They are a growing problem that we see
in so many ways. The enemies of the United States have figured out how
to hardwire Trojan horses and back doors into telecommunications
equipment. The FBI has just done a spectacular job of protecting this
Nation in the area of cyber espionage and terrorism, and we have made
the FBI a top priority in this legislation and made sure that they have
got all the money that they need to do their job.
We have also prioritized the work the Department of Justice is doing
in enforcing our laws. We have made sure that scientific research,
space exploration are prioritized, and America will preserve its
leadership in the world in space exploration.
We have made sure that weather forecasting is funded and taken care
of.
Managing the Nation's fisheries is extraordinarily important.
As you work down that list of priorities, we have made sure those at
the top of the list are fully funded and those that tend to fall
towards the bottom--we have just simply had to drop some programs that
are no longer authorized, the length of time for which Congress
approved them is expired, or they weren't fulfilling the function for
which they were originally intended.
But we in the bill before us today, Mr. Chairman, have provided $51.4
billion in funding for this year, which is a $1.3 billion increase over
last year but $661 million below the President's request. The
President's budget assumed a number of tax increases and fee increases
that are simply not going to happen. We, again, wanted to live within
our means and do our very best to minimize the debt that we are passing
on to our children and grandchildren, so we have done our best in this
environment to fund the priority programs while reducing funding for
activities that are not essential to the operations of the Federal
Government.
Once we have taken care of the FBI and made sure they have got the
funding they need to protect this Nation in an era of evolving threats,
we have also included funding, Mr. Chairman, for 55 new immigration
judges. Our committee has jurisdiction over these executive branch
judges who handle immigration cases. Because of the tremendous backlog
of immigration cases, we have added 55 new immigration judges to reduce
that backlog and made sure at the same time that we are providing for
fully funding the U.S. Attorney's Offices, the Marshals Service, the
Drug Enforcement Agency, the ATF--Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives--and our prison system.
Now, for State and local law enforcement, Mr. Chairman, the
subcommittee has increased funding for priority programs such as the
Byrne Formula Program and the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
funding, which compensate State and local taxpayers for the cost of
housing people who are in the country illegally and have committed
criminal acts in violation of State law and are housed in State prison
facilities--that is the responsibility of the Federal Government--and
we have funded that program to the highest extent that we can.
We have also funded youth mentoring programs, which have done such
great work. We have created, in addition, Mr. Chairman, in this bill a
$53 million community trust program that will fund police body cameras,
body camera demonstration programs, and justice reinvestment
initiatives.
I want to say a special thanks to our Texas State Senator Royce West,
who just concluded the Texas legislative session. Texas became the
first State in the Union to pass legislation controlling when, where,
and how body camera data can be provided to law enforcement or in a
criminal trial to make sure to protect the privacy rights of
individuals. We respect that. In our legislation we make sure that
State law controls when, where, and how police body camera data will be
used.
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We have also made sure, Mr. Chairman, that NASA is fully funded in
this legislation. We have provided an $18.5 billion funding level this
year for NASA, which is a $519 million increase and is equal to the
request we received from the President.
We have made sure to preserve America's leadership role in manned
space exploration, planetary science, and made sure that we are also
continuing to advance aeronautics research that NASA does such an
extraordinarily important job in.
We have funded the continued development of the Orion crew vehicle at
the level asked for by the White House and increased our resources for
the Space Launch System to speed up when we will use that important
launch system to get Americans back into orbit.
We have made sure that the National Science Foundation is fully
funded. We increased the funding level for the National Science
Foundation by $50 million above the historically high level they had in
last year's bill.
We also included full funding for the very important BRAIN
Initiative, which Ranking Member Fattah has championed over the years,
which promises to unlock the secrets of the single most important organ
in the human body and promises great things for the future.
Mr. Chairman, we have also funded the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, prioritizing weather forecasting and
fisheries management in particular.
We made sure the Joint Polar Satellite System is funded, as well as
the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite series.
We have, though, in order to live within our allocation, had to
reduce funding in some other areas, eliminating those that no longer
were necessary, those whose authorizations had expired, and, in fact,
cut funding for more than a dozen bureaus and agencies that can operate
with a little less.
Let me also point out in conclusion, Mr. Chairman, that we have in
this legislation extraordinarily important oversight language that
requires each agency under our jurisdiction to submit a spending plan
to the subcommittee. We have capped the life cycle costs for poorly
performing programs. And we have also withheld some funding for the
Department of Justice until the new Attorney General can demonstrate to
us that the inspector general's recommendations regarding sexual
harassment and inappropriate conduct are being implemented. I cannot
stress that highly enough. When I met with the new Attorney General,
that was one of the first things I brought to her attention.
We have also required, Mr. Chairman, that agencies that purchase very
sensitive information technology or telecommunication systems conduct a
supply chain risk assessment in consultation with the FBI to be sure
that there are no hardwired Trojan horses or back doors in that
communications equipment or computer equipment being purchased by the
Federal Government in those agencies under our jurisdiction.
We are also requiring quarterly reporting on immigration judge
performance and requiring agencies to provide inspectors general with
timely information.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, I want to point out that our legislation today
continues Second Amendment protections that have been built into the
bill before. We have withheld funding, for example, to make sure that
the United Nation's arms control treaty there has been some discussion
about is not funded.
We have also prohibited the transfer or housing of GTMO prisoners
into the United States.
But above all, the bottom line on this legislation is we want to
ensure that the law as enacted by Congress is enforced. If an agency
wants to have access to our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars, Mr.
Chairman, they are going to need to demonstrate that they are enforcing
the law as written by Congress, not based on some memorandum or some
internal document. The law as written by Congress is fundamental to our
entire system of government. Our liberty lies in the enforcement of
law. It is the most fundamental principle of a republic. This great
Nation was founded on that principle that no one is above the law and
the law shall be enforced equally and fairly to everybody with due
process.
Through our work on this subcommittee with the checks and balances
that we have built into this legislation, the agencies under our
jurisdiction are going to need to demonstrate that they are enforcing
the law as written by Congress in order to entitle them to access to
our taxpayers' very precious and hard-earned tax dollars.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Let me first, since this is my first appearance on the floor since
the tragic news of the Vice President's son's death, offer my
condolences. I am sure all of my colleagues and the people of
Philadelphia consider the Biden family one of our own since they are
nearby neighbors.
I also want to offer my sincere condolences and concern for the
people of Texas, given the tragedy of the deaths and the severe weather
incidents there that have occasioned the flooding.
We rise today in moving an appropriations bill, the Commerce,
Justice, Science bill. The chairman and the ranking member from New
York have assisted the subcommittee in its work. I want to thank the
subcommittee chairman for all of the cooperation that has been
extended.
He has pointed to a number of the circumstances in which he has
helped make sure that priorities that we were interested in were
accommodated in the bill, and I want to talk a little bit about that.
One is in the area of brain science, neuroscience. The BRAIN
Initiative is critically important. We have some 50 million Americans
suffering from brain-related diseases or disorders. Fifty million in a
country of a little over 300 million is a very significant number.
The diseases themselves, everything from Alzheimer's to epilepsy,
autism, brain cancer--in the case of the Vice President's son--a whole
host of challenges that cost our country in not just financial ways,
but affect so many families.
I want to thank the chairman for his continued cooperation and work
with me on what I think is the most important area of scientific
discovery that we need to be focused on as a nation.
Also, in the area of youth mentoring, the work in terms of supporting
our efforts to make sure that millions of the Nation's young people
have the appropriate guidance that they need, such as the great
congressionally chartered organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of
America; the YMCA; and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, which is
celebrating their 100th anniversary this month. I want to thank him for
that.
I could go on through a laundry list of areas, manufacturing and the
like, in which we have worked very closely together; and there is
nothing that could be improved upon in terms of the process between the
interactions between the majority and the minority on this bill.
There is an elephant in the room, no pun intended, in the sense that
the majority has an absolute view about the budget allocations, given
the Budget Control Act, and see that as something that limits our
ability to meet the challenges of our great Nation.
The minority has the view that we need to move away from that budget
control agreement and move away from these automatic caps and meet the
needs, as the Constitution indicated that the Appropriations
Committee's job was, to meet the needs of our great Nation. We know
that there are needs that are not going to be met.
The chairman just talked about how important our system of laws were.
Well, in this bill, we fall short, at least at this moment, of what we
need to fully do to fund the Legal Services Corporation, which was
established under a Republican administration; but it provides
services, not to Democrats or Republicans, but to Americans all across
our country, to provide access to the courts and to make sure that they
can have due process in civil litigations. We know that we are short
there.
We have a constitutional responsibility to fund the Census. We are
going to, at this moment, fall shy of that.
Now, we hope that we will improve this bill. We can't improve the
process, but we can improve the product as we go toward a conference
with the Senate.
There are areas related to NASA, even though we funded above $18
billion, which is a historic commitment to NASA, that we still are not
dealing with the pressing issues of fully funding Commercial Crew which
requires--we have now paid out $500 million to our Russian counterparts
to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, and we are
going to have to continue that longer than we need to because we are
not able, under the allocation, to meet our responsibilities and the
needs on the Commercial Crew appropriations.
Now, Galileo, 400 years ago, pointed us toward Europa. I agree with
the chairman that the need to fully explore and to bring back a sample
and to do everything else necessary to fully understand what the
potential may be is an important effort, but also funding space
technology and our Commercial Crew Program--and I know the chairman
agrees with me--are going to be important efforts for us to try to
improve in this bill as we go towards conference with the Senate.
The minority can't shirk its responsibility to point out these
shortcomings. Having pointed them out, I do want to make the point,
though, that the working relationship is one that I think appropriately
reflects the kind of process we want to have in the House. We want all
views to be considered, and I know that every offering of a view from
the minority has been fully considered by the chairman.
I thank him, and I want to thank his staff, and I want to thank my
staff of the committee because they have worked very hard for us to
come to this moment.
We are at a point in the process in which the majority will have its
way. There eventually will be a Senate bill, but we also have to weigh
in the administration's viewpoint in order to have a law of the land.
The administration has issued a statement on this bill, and in
appropriate ways, it compliments the subcommittee for its foresight on
a range of points, but it also strongly recommends changes in
directions in appropriations in a variety of areas that the
administration thinks would hold our country back.
I think that there is a lot to be said about fiscal prudence. We need
to make sure that we are operating in a fiscally responsible way.
This Nation at its founding, at the point in which we had to separate
ourselves from the British, we borrowed a few dollars. It costs us
something at almost every point in the history of our country, as in
the case for most families and most businesses, in which you have to
make investments and which sometimes those investments cause you to
have an imbalance for a moment or for a period of time.
There is a reason why we have mortgages, so that people can buy
homes, and we invest in student loans so that young people can get an
education. There is a need for our country, from time to time, to look
beyond the immediate balance of the books to understand what our
calling is.
We say, sometimes, that we are an exceptional nation. Exceptionalism
requires us to have some foresight. We know that this is an age of
innovation and scientific discovery. Some have suggested that there is
nothing new under the Sun, but we know that that is not so.
Just in recent months, we found the largest volcano on Earth--just
discovered. We found in drought-stricken parts of Africa, deep down
underneath the earth, some of the largest aquifers of water. We have
now discovered a warmblooded fish for the first time ever and a new
species of bird in China. This is not an age in which discovery is not
possible.
This is a time for our country where we should be investing in
science and innovation. We have a need to as a country, as I mentioned,
of just some 300-million plus, when we compete against billion-plus
populated countries like China and India, we can't afford to leave any
of our young people in the shadows. We can't afford to not invest in
science and innovation.
I want to thank the chairman for what he has done. I want to tell him
that we will continue to work with him as we go forward because I
believe what we have here today is not a perfect bill, but the
foundation for what will be, I think, the best Commerce, Justice,
Science bill that could be produced.
It is a beginning of that process, and I want to thank him. I look
forward to the debate in the amendment process.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is my privilege to yield such time as
he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the
chairman of the full committee.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank Chairman Culberson for yielding me
the time.
[[Page H3668]]
Mr. Chairman, I am proud to announce my support of this bill. It
contains $51.4 billion for effective, proven programs within the
Departments of Justice and Commerce, as well as NASA and the National
Science Foundation. Within that total, funding is targeted at programs
that are vital to our economic development, our public safety, and
national security.
These important programs, overall, receive a boost of $1.3 billion
over last year, allowing us to make critical investments in law
enforcement, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and science and research
activities.
For example, the legislation increases funding for the Department of
Justice by $852 million above last year's levels, enhancing the way we
protect and secure communities across the Nation. That increase will
provide the FBI with greater resources to fight terrorism and cyber
crime.
It will also allow the DEA to amplify activities, including $372
million to combat prescription drug abuse, what the CDC calls a
national epidemic that is taking more lives than car wrecks.
Funding is targeted to high-priority national grants with increases
for violence against women programs and the Byrne JAG Program.
The bill also creates a new community trust initiative that will help
improve the safety of communities across the Nation and work to
facilitate a supportive relationship between these local communities
and the police. This includes funding for body camera pilots and
research, training, justice reform efforts, and upgraded statistics
collection.
Mr. Chairman, the bill also directs funding toward key programs that
will help secure America's role as the leader in scientific innovation,
grow our economy, and promote job creation. For instance, NASA receives
a $519 million increase above last year, keeping us on the forefront of
the space frontier.
The National Science Foundation receives a $50 million increase,
directing funds to programs that will spur U.S. economic
competitiveness. To help protect communities from devastating natural
disasters, we provided $5.2 billion for NOAA to help boost weather
warning and forecasting efforts.
As with any appropriations bill, Mr. Chairman, the committee had to
make some tough choices to live within a tight budget allocation, but
that is what the Appropriations Committee does. We make hard decisions.
I believe that this bill does that in a very responsible way,
eliminating unnecessary or unneeded programs, reducing funding for
other lower-priority programs. This sort of smart budgeting will help
improve the way our government operates and show that we can live
within our means.
Mr. Chairman, I want to congratulate Chairman Culberson for his
successful first go as chairman of this subcommittee. He wanted this
tour and is happy to have it and is doing a good job with it, Mr.
Chairman, and I am proud of him.
I think he and Ranking Member Fattah and their subcommittee have
drafted a good bill that I am proud to have before the House today. As
always, I want to thank the staff for their tireless work in drafting
and bringing this bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, this is the fourth appropriations bill we have brought
to the floor this year, and I am glad we are progressing at a great
pace on these very important bills.
I am told that this is the earliest and quickest start to
appropriations bills in recorded history. I am proud of the work that
our committee is doing and, I think, doing good work.
{time} 1430
So I urge my colleagues to continue this forward momentum and vote in
favor of this very important and very well done Commerce, Justice,
Science funding bill.
Mr. FATTAH. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman
from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member and a great leader for
our team on Appropriations.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I would like to take a moment to congratulate
Chairman Culberson on his first Commerce, Justice, and Science bill, as
well as Ranking Member Fattah and full committee Chairman Rogers for
their efforts. I know how hard they worked to try and put together the
best bill possible.
Before I go further, I want to thank my friend, Ranking Member
Fattah, and join him in expressing our heartfelt condolences to the
Vice President on the loss of his son. I just can't imagine the pain
that one feels at such a tragedy. I know our hearts and prayers go out
to the Biden family.
The pictures of the floods in Texas were so horrifying, and I know
how hard everyone was working to minimize the loss of life. I also want
to express my condolences to Chairman Culberson as well.
The House Republican ``work harder for less'' budget resolution was
opposed by every Member on my side of the aisle in part because it
really makes it impossible to give hard-working Americans the
opportunity to succeed. Democrats want to end the sequester, and we
need more reasonable and realistic budgeting that could help families
afford college, a home, and a secure retirement.
The insufficient overall allocation for discretionary investment
hurts initiatives in all the appropriation bills that grow the economy,
create jobs, and make us more secure. While I appreciate the chairman's
efforts, the grossly inadequate allocation creates shortcomings that
are evident in the fiscal year 2016 Commerce, Justice, and Science
bill.
Instead of providing the desperately needed investments in community
policing and improving the juvenile justice system, the COPS hiring
program would receive no funding, and the Office of Juvenile Justice
would receive $68 million less than fiscal year 2015 and $156 million
less than the President's request. These failures are particularly
shameful, given the inclusion of a number of gun riders, including
language blocking a reporting requirement on multiple purchases of
rifles or shotguns by individual buyers. We must eliminate riders such
as these that prevent law enforcement from sensibly addressing gun
crimes.
While Violence Against Women prevention and prosecution programs
would appear to receive an increase above both fiscal year 2015 and the
President's fiscal year 2016 request, it is actually below the request
when you account for a transfer in Victims of Trafficking grants.
Similar gimmicks are also included in the portion of the COPS program
that would be funded.
The Legal Services Corporation would fare far worse: $75 million
below fiscal year 2015, $152 million below the request. This is
unacceptable for a vital service that provides legal help for hard-
working Americans.
Turning to science, the bill continues the majority's practice of
burying its head in the sand instead of focusing on the stark climate
change realities. As in previous years, the bill severely cuts funding
for NOAA climate research by 19 percent below fiscal year 2015, a $30
million decrease. We should be supporting, not hindering, this
important work to help save our environment.
The bill also cuts Geosciences and Social, Behavioral, and Economic
Sciences of the National Science Foundation by $257 million below the
fiscal year 2015 level, an approach universally opposed by the
scientific community.
Rather than properly preparing for the constitutionally mandated 2020
Census, the mark is $387 million below the President's request for the
U.S. Census Bureau. Failure to provide these funds now will only cost
taxpayers more in the long run, as the Census Bureau would be unable to
thoroughly develop and test innovative, cost-saving business practices.
Developing a well-designed and thoughtful Census now could save up to
$5 billion in 2020 Census costs.
As in other bills, the majority has included a number of
controversial riders. In addition to those on firearms I already
mentioned, another provision is aimed at placing restrictions on
exports to Cuba.
However, despite the numerous shortcomings, I want to thank the
chairman again for his work related to the National Instant Criminal
Background Check System, Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, and the
community Backlog Reduction Program to process sexual assault kits.
These evidentiary kits have historically gone untested for decades,
giving violent and culpable offenders the ability to strike again. So
it is important we fund this program at a workable level.
[[Page H3669]]
I want to make it clear that Democrats are more than willing to
support bills that include adequate spending levels to ensure public
safety, promote economic growth, and that exclude unnecessary riders.
Unfortunately, although this bill does such wonderful things, and I am
a great supporter once again of all the brain research, the important
investments that are being made to address Alzheimer's, autism, and
other serious, serious diseases of the brain, the bill does not make
appropriate investments that hard-working Americans need but, instead,
advances misguided policy changes. I urge my colleagues to vote against
this bill.
Thank you again to our chair and ranking members.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Jolly), my colleague on the Appropriations Committee.
Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I want to compliment the chairman for a bill
that invests responsibly in law enforcement, space science research,
ocean and marine resources, and weather sciences. I also want to thank
the chairman for his support of an innovative data collection
initiative in this bill to improve fish stock assessments and research
of the fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
As we discussed in many of our hearings, we as a nation need to
utilize all tools and technology and work with all fisheries sector
participants, including recreational, for-hire, and commercial, that
provide the most accurate assessment of the health of our fish stocks,
including the red snapper species so critical to our quality of life in
Gulf States like Florida and Texas as well as our regional economies.
This innovative data collection initiative will better enable the
National Marine Fisheries Service and the regional council to make more
informed decisions about the length of various fishing seasons.
Mr. Chairman, without constantly improving and accurate and
quantifiable data, data that is believed to reliably reflect the
fisherman's experience on the water, our commercial and recreational
fishermen, alike, find it difficult to understand decisions by
government to shorten fishing seasons and limit catches.
To be clear, this new provision included in this year's CJS bill is
intended to provide the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast
Regional Office new tools to utilize data collection efforts from our
recreational, for-hire, and commercial fishermen, from State and local
officials, from third-party researchers, and from academia. Data
collection and research focus on the unique stock assessment challenges
of Gulf fisheries. By working with our recreational, for-hire, and
commercial fishermen, and by engaging them directly in data collection,
NMFS Southeast Regional Office will ultimately collect more and better
data and will begin to restore trust between the sectors and
regulators.
This public-private effort will allow officials tasked with managing
our fishery resources to strike the right balance: balance for our
recreational fishing communities' quality of life and right to fish on
our waters, balance for our regional economy fueled by the commercial
and for-hire fishing industry, and balance for our strong interests in
stock rehabilitation, species preservation, and protecting our critical
natural resources.
Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you as we continue to
work through this appropriations process on this important provision,
as well as working with NOAA and the NMFS Southeast Regional Office,
during implementation of this funding to stand up to this critical
innovative stock assessment initiative and make it a success for
Florida and for all five of our Gulf States, including your home State
of Texas.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The chairman and the staff have done a remarkable job working on a
whole range of issues related to fish, not just in the Gulf of Mexico
and Texas, but throughout the questions around salmon in Washington
State and the issues related to even our part of the country where we
fish a little bit. So I want to thank the gentleman for his comments.
I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of
California (Mr. Honda), my colleague on the subcommittee, who has
really helped us on the subcommittee, particularly around areas related
to innovation and science and advanced manufacturing.
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Let me start by thanking Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Fattah
for their ongoing enthusiasm and support for many of the key programs
funded by this bill. I am grateful for their support, including
provisions addressing key concerns of mine such as the growing rape kit
backlog and long delays in testing DNA evidence; preventing the
politically motivated termination evaluation of a fundamental science
observatory, SOFIA; and ensuring the Federal Marine Debris program,
which will focus on plastics in our Nation's waterways and oceans.
Despite the inclusion of these and other beneficial programs, this bill
unfortunately falls short of supporting a robust and effective
portfolio of Commerce, Justice, and Science programs.
This bill was crafted under the restrictive spending cap imposed by
sequestration. This unworkable funding cap has forced unacceptable cuts
that greatly weaken key programs serving our country. For example, at a
time when the funding for the constitutionally mandated decennial
Census should be on a significant ramp-up, this bill underfunds the
Census Bureau by $387 million.
At the direction of Congress, the Census Bureau is testing sweeping
reforms to Census methods that would reduce the overall cost of the
enumeration substantially by bringing the Census into the 21st century.
But without sufficient money next year, the Census Bureau may have to
abandon plans for a modern Census and go back to the more costly,
outdated, manual 2010 design, which will end up costing $5 billion
more--$5 billion. We cannot afford to waste $5 billion. We need to be
fiscally responsible and have an understanding of cuts beyond the time
scale of a 1-year funding bill, which means investing in the Census
now.
Additionally, this bill severely underfunds and deprioritizes earth
science. The bill proposes generous funding to support NASA for
planetary science but seems to overlook the most important planet of
all--our own. That is why I offered an amendment in committee to fully
fund the earth and geoscience research at NASA and NSF instead of the
$520 million underfunding being proposed.
Research in the earth and helio sciences helps protect lives,
business, and infrastructure because economic and public welfare
consequences of natural hazards such as droughts, hurricanes, space
weather, and earthquakes can be devastating. As our climate continues
to change, this research is even more important, and yet this bill
proposes to cut earth and geoscience research. We should be increasing
funding in these fields to better understand natural systems and allow
for more informed policy decisionmaking and not cutting them.
Additionally, this bill seeks to micromanage the NSF by singling out
earth science and social sciences as lesser research priorities. This
is a prime example of political meddling into scientific research. The
draconian spending caps have forced the cannibalization of these and
other essential programs and resulted in a bill that is unworkable.
{time} 1445
We need to adopt the President's proposed overall funding levels to
ensure that key programs such as the Census and NASA's Earth Science
Research Program are able to be effective and serve our Nation.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Jenkins), my colleague and good
friend from the committee.
Mr. JENKINS of West Virginia. I thank the Chairman for his good work.
Mr. Chairman, I have the honor of serving on the Appropriations
Committee, which enables me to have input into our spending priorities.
This bill has a number of important programs. I want to highlight
drug courts. Drug courts have a proven track record. Drug courts are
effective and efficient. Drug courts work.
A respected pastor and community leader in my State said: ``Prisons
are
[[Page H3670]]
for people we are really scared of, not just mad at.''
The drug epidemic continues to ravage my State, and drug courts give
a needed alternative to sending those suffering from addiction to jail.
Drug courts allow individuals to undergo treatment, get help staying
clean, and reenter society as a productive individual.
West Virginia drug courts are succeeding. Earlier this year, West
Virginia honored the first 1,000 adults and juveniles to successfully
complete the program.
While no single program will solve the drug epidemic, we must
continue to support programs that work. This bill maintains critical
funding for a number of other programs that will help those trying to
end this crisis.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee), a fellow appropriator.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank our ranking member for yielding
but also for his very steady and competent leadership of this
subcommittee on our behalf. Also, I want to thank the chairman for his
consistent work at bipartisanship, even though this is still yet
another funding bill brought to the floor that woefully underfunds our
critical Federal programs.
The fiscal year 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill
really should reflect our Nation's commitment to growing our economy,
keeping our communities safe, and driving innovation. Instead, it makes
critical cuts to programs at a time when they are needed most.
In the Justice title, this bill includes no funding for the Community
Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program and a $68 million cut to
juvenile justice programs from fiscal year 2015.
It also includes a $75 million cut to the Legal Services Corporation,
which provides critical legal services to low-income Americans. Given
what is happening in communities around the country, especially in
terms of communities of color and law enforcement, these are truly
unwise and misguided cuts.
Under the Science title, the National Science Foundation, which funds
critical research at the University of California at Berkeley in my
congressional district, is funded at $50 million below the fiscal year
2015 enacted level. These cuts are a huge blow to investments we should
be making in scientific research to keep our Nation competitive.
In the Commerce section, this bill also includes cuts to critical
programs, such as a $274 million cut to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and funds the Census Bureau at $387 million
below the President's budget request.
Add to all of this an inappropriate policy rider about exports to
Cuba and you have a bill that, despite the hard work of the chair and
our ranking member, is deeply flawed.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Emmer of Minnesota). The time of the
gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. FATTAH. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
Ms. LEE. Finally, let me just say we need to stop starving our
critical Federal programs. We need to protect our communities in crisis
and drive scientific breakthroughs in the future.
In committee, I sponsored an amendment along with Ranking Member
Lowey to increase COPS Hiring funding and also introduced an amendment
to require jurisdictions receiving Byrne-JAG grants to put their
officers through training to better work with diverse communities that
they protect and serve. Congressman Lacy Clay has championed this idea,
and later in this debate we will enter into a colloquy regarding this
important issue, and I want to thank the chairman and ranking member
for their support.
Mr. FATTAH. May I inquire of the time remaining on both sides?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 7 minutes
remaining. The gentleman from Texas has 12 minutes remaining.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, at this time it is my pleasure to yield
2 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce), my good
friend.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Chairman, I rise for the purpose of engaging in a
colloquy with the gentleman from Texas, the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.
I want to thank the chairman and Ranking Member Fattah for their
efforts to forge a truly bipartisan bill to fund critical programs
within the Departments of Justice, Commerce, and the scientific
community. This diverse bill provides a wide range of support, from
continued scientific research in space to the funding our law
enforcement officers need to keep our families and communities safe. It
is truly a diverse, vital bill.
Chairman Culberson, please permit me one point of clarification in
the bill. The NASA budget includes a space operations account. This
account provides funding for everything from space communications to
research on the International Space Station to supporting space launch
complexes. I would like to specifically discuss the space
communications function within this account.
Regardless of age or mission, NASA must be able to communicate with
the system it has in orbit. The space and ground networks that comprise
NASA's space communications system are the foundation for all of NASA's
orbital work. The network provides constant, real-time communications
for all aspects of our space mission, from the unmanned probes at the
very edges of our solar system to the ISS and Hubble Space Telescope.
Without this capability, our Nation would be jeopardizing the safety of
our manned operations and depriving the world of the discoveries made
by our space systems.
It should be a commitment of the House to ensure that the funding for
our space operations ensures strong support for the infrastructure and
support needed to maintain strong and capable space communications.
Again, I thank the committee for its work in crafting this
legislation and strongly supporting space communications in the past.
It is my understanding that the committee has provided the space
operations account with nearly $130 million more than it did in fiscal
year 2015, and that it intends to support a robust level of funding for
the space communications component within this account.
Is that understanding correct? I yield to the gentleman.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.
I want to thank my good friend and colleague from New Mexico. He is
absolutely right. We have increased funding for the space operations
account by $129.5 million, and we will make sure that that funding is
adequate to support the space communications components with that
increase.
Mr. PEARCE. I thank the gentleman.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the
great State of Texas (Mr. Cuellar), a fellow appropriator.
Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member for
yielding, number one. Number two, I want to thank him for the steady
leadership he has provided as the ranking member. I also want to thank
my good friend from Texas, John Culberson. We go back to the State
legislature. I thank him for his leadership on this one particular
issue that I want to bring up today, and that is the work that we are
doing together in adding 55 new immigration judges--the largest amount
of immigration judges that we are going to have at one time.
So I want to thank him for working together to add that money, as
well as the accountability for those judges. We have got to make sure
that we not only have the judges, but we have got to make sure that
they move those cases with all due process given to everybody--and to
move them as soon as possible. I also thank him for the work that we
have done on Stone Garden and other border law enforcement needs.
Why do we need those new judges? Because right now there are more
than 450,000 pending cases. There is a large backlog of immigration
cases. There are about 250 judges right now, with about 58 courtrooms
across the Nation, but we need to do more.
If you look at the casework of an immigration judge, that person will
handle about 2,100 cases. If you look at a Federal judge, that judge
will handle about 440 cases. You can see the large amount of cases that
we have.
So, basically, some of those cases are taking about 2\1/2\ years to
handle, and therefore we need to make sure that we
[[Page H3671]]
have the judges in place to handle the backlog that we have.
Just to give you an example, just in the last 6 months, 170,000
people crossed the border. Therefore, we need those judges.
To conclude, I want to thank the chairman and his staff, as well as
the ranking member and his staff.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), my good friend.
Mr. WALBERG. I thank the chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today deeply concerned by the increase of heroin
and opioid abuse in Michigan and around the country.
In Jackson, six heroin-related deaths have happened since March. In
April, in Monroe County, three people overdosed in a 24-hour period.
Last year, Lenawee County, my home county, had seven drug-related
deaths in the first three quarters. Sadly, we hear similar stories in
far too many communities across Michigan.
Today's CJS Appropriations bill includes essential funding to assist
States and localities to combat drug-related problems, including over
$400 million to advance strategic plans to address the growing heroin
and opioid epidemic and $372 million to tackle prescription drug abuse.
It will take all of us working together--concerned citizens,
treatment providers, law enforcement, elected officials at every
level--to fight this growing epidemic and keep our homes and streets
safe.
I appreciate the work of the chairman of the committee on this, and I
support it.
Mr. FATTAH. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms.
Eddie Bernice Johnson), who has led the Democratic effort in terms of
science, and I particularly thank her for her leadership on NASA.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me express my
appreciation and respect for the chair as well as the ranking member of
the subcommittee.
I really do respect the work, but I do rise in opposition to H.R.
2578. It represents a missed opportunity to help the Nation's research
and innovation enterprise at a time when that help is urgently needed.
Until the mismatch between the House budget resolution and the needs
facing our country is addressed, we are going to continue to fall
behind, both in our efforts to maintain our global competitiveness and
our efforts to maintain R&D capabilities we need right here at home.
As ranking member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I
would like to use some of my time to address some specific concerns
that I have with the bill, which I elaborate on in my statement for the
Record.
In short, the bill's report language would make arbitrary and
ideologically driven cuts to NSF social sciences and geoscience
research programs. In addition, the bill's funding would put NSF's new
headquarters building at risk, adding cost growth and schedule delays.
With respect to the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
in addition to the funding cuts, I am particularly concerned about the
report language that would gut the critical forensic standards
activities already underway at NIST, as well as the bill's language
that would covertly, without any hearings, debate, or authorizing
legislation, eliminate an entire agency, the National Technical
Information Service.
The bill would also make significant cuts to NOAA's budget, including
climate research and NOAA's Polar Follow On weather satellite program.
Finally, the bill would make deep cuts to NASA's Earth Science
Program, disrupting activities that will help us better understand our
home planet and the climate change that is occurring right now.
Mr. Chairman, in closing, as I said before, the bill is a missed
opportunity, and I cannot support it in its current form.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2578. While I respect the
work put into the bill by my colleagues on the Appropriations
Committee, I am afraid that it represents a missed opportunity to help
the nation's research and innovation enterprise at a time when that
help is urgently needed.
As other speakers have noted, this bill is the result of a
fundamentally flawed House budget resolution that provides insufficient
allocations for critically important activities of the federal
government, including investing in our future. Until that mismatch is
addressed, we are going to continue to fall behind, both in our efforts
to maintain our global competitiveness and our efforts to maintain the
R&D capabilities we need here at home.
As Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology
Committee, I would like to use my remaining time to address some
specific concerns I have with the bill.
With respect to the National Science Foundation, I have two specific
concerns beyond the overall funding level. Following the direction
contained in the report accompanying this bill would result in a 15-20%
cut to each of the social sciences and geosciences directorates at NSF.
Let me be clear. These are arbitrary and ideologically-driven cuts that
reflect a lack of understanding of how science works, and a lack of
understanding of the great importance of these fields of research to
our national interests. Moreover, with these cuts we stand to lose a
generation of talent and expertise in fields essential to the wellbeing
of this nation, and we may never recover from that loss.
Second, I must comment on the flat-funding for the NSF operations
account. NSF is already in the midst of building a new headquarters in
Alexandria, and the funding provided to NSF in this bill may very well
result in delays and therefore increased cost for that building. This
is a clear-cut case of the Congress being penny-wise and pound foolish.
With respect to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, I
am concerned about the funding cuts to all of the accounts. I am
particularly concerned about the report language that would gut the
critical forensics standards activities already underway at NIST, and
the bill language that would covertly, without any hearings, debate, or
authorizing legislation, eliminate an entire agency, the National
Technical Information Service. NTIS performs both essential and
perhaps nonessential activities. This bill would throw out the baby
with the bathwater without any consideration given to the consequences.
The CJS bill we are considering today fails short in a number of ways
in its treatment of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. It cuts the NOAA budget 5 percent below current
spending and more than 13 percent below the President's request. This
cut will have a significant impact on NOAA's ability to provide local
communities and decision-makers with the information they need to
effectively manage the nation's resources and protect the lives and
property of every American.
I am especially concerned about the lack of support for NOAA's
efforts to maintain continuity in our polar observing capabilities. The
President's budget request included $380 million to fund a Polar
Follow-on program. This program would help mitigate a potential gap in
this critical data by building robustness into our satellite
constellation. As many of you know, accurate weather forecasts and
warnings are vital for the economic security of the United States, and
we must ensure NOAA has the resources it needs now to ensure the long-
term health of our satellites.
Additionally, I am concerned about the bill's $30 million dollar cut
to NOAA's climate research activities. Addressing climate change is our
most pressing environmental challenge and NOAA's climate research
furthers our understanding and the implementation of effective
adaptation and mitigation strategies. We should be doing more to combat
climate change, not less.
Finally, with respect to NASA, while I'm pleased that the Committee
on Appropriations has proposed a strong top-line for the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration that is consistent with the
President's overall request, I am troubled by the way that funding is
allocated. In particular, I cannot support the deep cuts made to NASA's
Earth Science program. Given the leadership role NASA plays nationally
in studies of the Earth system, including climate change, these cuts
will do serious long term damage if enacted into law.
In addition, I question the proposed reduction to the Orion crew
vehicle program from the FY 2015 funding level, especially given the
concern expressed in the report language about NASA's ability to test
all human-rated systems on the first Exploration Mission-1. I also
question the proposal to fund the Safety, Security, and Mission
Services account, which is critical to maintaining a world class
workforce and infrastructure, below the President's request.
Mr. Chairman, in closing, as I said before, this bill is a missed
opportunity, and I cannot support it in its current form.
I yield back.
{time} 1500
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross).
[[Page H3672]]
Mr. ROSS. Thank you, Chairman Culberson, and thank you for presenting
this bill.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of an important amendment that
will be offered by my colleague, Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer, to
defund the Department of Justice program known as Operation Choke
Point.
Created under the guise of a program to root out banking fraud and
money laundering, Operation Choke Point has been used by administration
bureaucrats to pressure and force banks to end relationships with
legitimate businesses it considers objectionable or a ``reputational
risk.''
This administration has targeted legitimate small businesses such as
firearm and ammunition dealers, cigar shops, pawn stores, payday
lenders, and others. The backdoor effort to target legitimate law-
abiding businesses it does not like and to coerce banks to choke off
relationships with these legitimate businesses is contrary to our
Nation's fundamental principles of freedom.
In voting to defund Operation Choke Point, I will be voting to rein
in this out-of-control administration and its assault on small, legal,
legitimate businesses.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), a gentleman who, in this House, has spent a
great deal of time providing leadership in terms of small businesses
and connecting them up with our research institution.
Mr. LIPINSKI. I thank my friend for yielding and for his work on the
Appropriations Committee.
I want to say that, Mr. Chairman, I understand the constraints that
the chairman is working under, and I appreciate his work on those items
that were mentioned by Ranking Member Fattah and other Members on this
side.
I rise in opposition to this bill because it fails to fund scientific
research at levels we need to spur innovation and remain competitive as
a Nation. In particular, I want to call attention to report language in
the bill that will result in cuts to the social sciences and
geosciences of over $250 million.
The NSF is the largest single source of funding for basing research
in our country in a variety of fields, and that is especially true for
the social sciences.
Some will say these cuts are needed to prioritize research in other
areas, but this approach of limiting funding for social science is
misguided for several reasons.
First, other areas of research are already heavily prioritized at the
NSF. In fiscal year 2015, the NSF will spend only 3.7 percent of its
budget on social science research--clearly not an outsized priority.
This is especially true when you consider that social science
research saves lives and money. It was NSF-funded social science
research that developed the kidney transplant program that has led to
thousands of successful donor-patient pairings that had not been
possible before.
Spectrum auctions conducted by the FCC were made possible by economic
research sponsored by the NSF. These auctions raise billions of dollars
for taxpayers and will free up chunks of spectrum so we can stay at the
cutting edge of wireless technologies.
Social science research is also critical for cybersecurity, as we
have heard from many expert witnesses in the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee. Most cyber breaches occur because of human
factors, and social science is vital in addressing this grave security
risk.
For these reasons, I am urging my colleagues to oppose these cuts and
to oppose this bill. We need to do better for scientific research for
the sake of our country, our economy, and our jobs.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, could I inquire as to how much time
remains on each side?
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Duncan of Tennessee). The gentleman from Texas
has 7\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 1
minute remaining.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my good friend from
Wisconsin (Mr. Duffy).
Mr. DUFFY. Mr. Chairman, one of the greatest innovations that has
ever been developed by man to connect people from every corner of the
Earth, whether in cafes or homes or in schools, is the Internet.
The reason the Internet has expanded and grown around the world and
has been such an engine for innovation is the fact that the Internet
embodies the American idea of free speech. That very idea of free
speech in the Internet is under attack because the administration and
some people in this institution want to see the core functions of the
Internet be transferred to a foreign body that doesn't share our idea
of free speech.
Let's keep the Internet open. Let's make sure that we continue with
the great American idea of free speech not just here in America, but in
every corner of the globe because the Internet will embody that idea of
free speech.
The Internet was made in America. Let's keep the core functions of
the Internet in America.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I have one remaining speaker, so I reserve
the balance of my time to close.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is a distinct privilege to yield 3
minutes to the gentlemen from Texas (Mr. Smith), the distinguished
chairman of the full Science, Space, and Technology Committee, my
colleague and good friend.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend, the chairman of
the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee of the Appropriations
Committee for yielding me time.
I thank the chairman, also, and his staff, especially John Martens,
Leslie Albright, and Ashley Schiller, for working with the House
Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
I especially appreciate the chairman's support for prioritizing the
funding of the basic research at the National Science Foundation. This
research--especially in the areas of math and physical sciences,
biology, computing, and engineering--holds the promise of breakthroughs
that will trigger technological innovation, jump-start new industries,
and spur economic growth.
This bill ensures that NSF is transparent and accountable to American
taxpayers about how their hard-earned dollars are spent and that NSF-
supported research is in the national interest.
The House CJS Appropriations bill also addresses concerns about the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's costly satellite
program. In addition, this bill encourages NOAA to include private
sector involvement in the space-based weather industry.
Finally, I thank Chairman Culberson for his reprioritization of NASA
planetary science, which implements the Science, Space, and Technology
Committee's NASA authorization reported in April.
I further look forward to working with Chairman Culberson and
Chairman Rogers to fully fund the Orion and Commercial Crew programs so
that we can once again launch American astronauts on American rockets
from American soil.
Again, I thank my friend from Texas, Chairman Culberson, for his
enthusiasm and initiative and urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Culberson and the staff of the Commerce-
Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee, especially John Martens,
Leslie Albright and Ashley Schiller for working with the House Science,
Space, and Technology Committee. I particularly appreciate your support
for prioritizing the funding of the basic research at the National
Science Foundation.
This research, especially in the areas of math and physical sciences,
biology, computing and engineering, holds the promise of breakthroughs
that will trigger technological innovation, jumpstart new industries
and spur economic growth.
This bill also supports other language in the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2015, which passed the House two weeks ago.
It ensures that NSF is transparent and accountable to American
taxpayers about how their hard-earned dollars are spent and that NSF-
supported research is in the national interest.
The National Science Foundation has played an integral part in
funding breakthrough discoveries in numerous scientific fields such as
lasers, the Internet and nanotechnology.
However, NSF has also approved dozens of grants for which the
scientific merits and national interest are not obvious, to put it
politely.
[[Page H3673]]
These include a climate change musical, a Norwegian tourism study, a
grant on human-set fires in New Zealand in the 1800's, a study of
lawsuits in Peru in the 1600s, and a grant on the causes of stress in
Bolivia.
This bill supports the policy that every NSF public announcement of a
grant award must be accompanied by a non-technical explanation of the
project's scientific merits and a certification of how it serves the
national interest. This reinforces the standards set forth in the
America COMPETES Act of 2015.
The House CJS appropriations bill also addresses concerns about the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) costly
satellite program.
It ensures that appropriate oversight access is given to the Office
of the Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, and
NOAA's own Independent Review Team. Likewise, recommendations from
these bodies will help guide the satellite programs as they move closer
to their anticipated launch dates.
In addition, this bill encourages NOAA to include private sector
involvement in the space-based weather industry.
NOAA's costly satellite programs have historically been plagued with
management problems. Encouraging NOAA to purchase services from the
private sector will allow for a more robust, cost-effective and
efficient weather forecasting system that will help save lives and
property.
I look forward to offering an amendment shortly, with Chairman
Culberson's support, to further enhance NOAA's weather research of
near-term, affordable and attainable advances in observational,
computing and modeling capabilities. The amendment will result in
substantial improvements in weather forecasts.
Finally, I thank Chairman Culberson for his re-prioritization of NASA
planetary science, which implements the Science Committees' NASA
Authorization reported in April.
I further look forward to working with Chairman Culberson and
Chairman Rogers to fully fund the Orion and Commercial Crew Programs so
that we can once again launch American astronauts on American rockets
from American soil.
The Commercial Crew program will allow the U.S. access to the
International Space Station without depending on Russia. The Orion
program will expand human reach into deep space and serve as an
emergency backup for the Commercial Crew program.
As we move forward with a Conference with the Senate, I hope that we
can identify ways to support these programs more robustly, perhaps by
moderating the growth of other accounts such as Earth Science, which
has increased 63 percent since 2007 while other areas of NASA have
remained flat.
Again, I thank my friend from Texas, Chairman Culberson, for his
enthusiasm and initiative on this bill and urge my colleagues to
support it.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I have no additional speakers, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
We are going to move into a process of amendments in which the House
will work its will, but I think the general debate has illuminated a
host of areas where we agree and a few areas where we disagree.
The last speaker, my good friend from Texas, Lamar Smith, who has
done a lot of work, as he mentioned, there are some areas where we
remain in disagreement, which is the notion that we should make some of
these changes in terms of science prioritization are issues that not
just are there disagreements between the parties, but there is vast
concern in the scientific enterprise in the Nation, that we would
interject perhaps a viewpoint into science that would move away from
merit-based processes.
On that point, I look forward to the amendment process, and I thank
the House for listening to our points of view.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As we conclude the debate on this bill, it is important for all of us
here today to know that, Members of the House, this process is open.
Members can come down to the floor and offer an amendment, 5 minutes
per side.
We have in this bill prioritized our funding, as we all do in our
private life and our business life. Following the good advice of
financial guru Dave Ramsey, you don't spend money you don't have, and
try to eliminate debt at all possible costs.
We in the majority have done our very best to make sure that we are
living within our means. Although the budget caps--I know there is a
great deal of frustration among my Democrat colleagues on the
limitations on spending. That is the law that was suggested initially
by the White House.
It is important that we do all that we can to minimize the debt that
we pass on to our children and grandchildren. The budget caps are
reality, and we have, within the limitations that we have, prioritized
the funding in this bill to make sure that law enforcement is number
one; the FBI and the Department of Justice are taken care of; that the
National Science Foundation, in fact, is funded at a historically high
level. We have given them a $50 million increase.
We have also funded NASA at a historically high level since the
Apollo program. I would certainly like to see the American space
program given more. As more money becomes available, if we find an
opportunity as we move through conference, of course, we will work hard
to make sure that we will plus-up funding for the sciences and space
exploration everywhere we can.
I heard my colleagues mention the Legal Services Corporation, which
does important work in representing the poor. We will certainly do our
best to find additional funding there.
I will also be filing legislation to give attorneys a tax deduction,
dollar for dollar, for work that they do donating their time to the
poor. I think that is a far better way to get legal services to the
poor, through the Tax Code, rather than by appropriating our taxpayers'
hard-earned tax dollars.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I want to point out to the Members that,
above all, this legislation will ensure that the laws, as enacted by
Congress, are enforced. If Federal agencies want the privilege of
spending and using our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars, they will
need to demonstrate through their spending plans, through their
presentations to this committee, that they are actually enforcing the
law as written by Congress.
We will, throughout the course of the year, engage in vigorous
oversight to ensure that our money is not only wisely spent, that it is
prudently spent, that it is only spent when absolutely necessary, but
that our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars are only spent to
enforce the law as written by the people's elected representatives.
I urge my colleagues to join us today in voting for this important
legislation.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2578.
The Internet is one of the great American success stories in our
history, benefitting billions of people around the world. Congress has
a longstanding and bipartisan commitment to a global, open Internet,
free from governmental control. Our support for the decentralized,
multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance has enabled its
growth as an unparalleled platform for economic opportunity and
democratic participation.
Last year the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) announced that the U.S. government would take an
important step to transition technical functions of the domain name
system to the multi-stakeholder community. This transition of the
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to the private sector has
been a U.S. policy goal for two decades, through Republican and
Democratic administrations alike.
Since NTIA's announcement, the multi-stakeholder community has
stepped up to the plate to craft a transition proposal and enhanced
accountability measures needed in the absence of U.S. government
stewardship. NTIA has articulated specific criteria for the transition
proposal and made clear that any plan must advance our vision of a free
and open Internet.
Despite this significant progress, H.R. 2578 includes language that
blocks NTIA from using funds to relinquish the IANA functions. This
limitation of funds is not only unnecessary, it sends the wrong message
to the international community. Our diplomats point to the IANA
transition announcement as a key factor helping us win allies and
support for an Internet free of government control. As the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce stated, this funding restriction ``could result in harm to
U.S. businesses and Internet users as a whole.''
[[Page H3674]]
While I oppose this provision in H.R. 2578, I agree with my
colleagues that the IANA transition must be conducted carefully and
transparently. That's why I'm working with my Republican colleagues at
the Energy and Commerce Committee on legislation to ensure NTIA
implements the IANA transition consistent with the principles we all
support. Our legislation will address concerns about transparency and
accountability, while reaffirming our commitment to the transition.
While I cannot support the funding restriction in H.R. 2578, I stand
ready to work with my colleagues on responsible oversight of the IANA
transition.
The Acting CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment
under the 5-minute rule.
During consideration of the bill for amendment each amendment shall
be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the
proponent and an opponent and shall not be subject to amendment. No pro
forma amendment shall be in order except that the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective
designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for
the purpose of debate. The Chair of the Committee of the Whole may
accord priority in recognition on the basis of whether the Member
offering an amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the
Congressional Record designated for that purpose. Amendments so printed
shall be considered read.
The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2578
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, namely:
TITLE I
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
operations and administration
For necessary expenses for international trade activities
of the Department of Commerce provided for by law, and for
engaging in trade promotional activities abroad, including
expenses of grants and cooperative agreements for the purpose
of promoting exports of United States firms, without regard
to sections 3702 and 3703 of title 44, United States Code;
full medical coverage for dependent members of immediate
families of employees stationed overseas and employees
temporarily posted overseas; travel and transportation of
employees of the International Trade Administration between
two points abroad, without regard to section 40118 of title
49, United States Code; employment of citizens of the United
States and aliens by contract for services; rental of space
abroad for periods not exceeding 10 years, and expenses of
alteration, repair, or improvement; purchase or construction
of temporary demountable exhibition structures for use
abroad; payment of tort claims, in the manner authorized in
the first paragraph of section 2672 of title 28, United
States Code, when such claims arise in foreign countries; not
to exceed $294,300 for official representation expenses
abroad; purchase of passenger motor vehicles for official use
abroad, not to exceed $45,000 per vehicle; obtaining
insurance on official motor vehicles; and rental of tie
lines, $472,000,000, to remain available until September 30,
2017, of which $10,000,000 is to be derived from fees to be
retained and used by the International Trade Administration,
notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code:
Provided, That, of amounts provided under this heading, not
less than $16,400,000 shall be for China antidumping and
countervailing duty enforcement and compliance activities:
Provided further, That the provisions of the first sentence
of section 105(f) and all of section 108(c) of the Mutual
Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2455(f) and 2458(c)) shall apply in carrying out these
activities; and that for the purpose of this Act,
contributions under the provisions of the Mutual Educational
and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 shall include payment for
assessments for services provided as part of these
activities.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Goodlatte
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $23,600,000)''.
Page 28, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $2,733,000)''.
Page 30, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $293,000,000''.
Page 47, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $45,000,000)''.
Page 49, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $52,500,000)''.
Page 72, line 7, after the first dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $270,000,000)''.
Page 72, line 7, after the second dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $266,900,000)''.
Page 72, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $4,000,000)''.
Page 72, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert
``(decreased by $1,000,000)''.
Mr. GOODLATTE (during the reading). Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the
Record.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Virginia?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Virginia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the
gentleman's amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, my amendment restores necessary funding for the Federal
Prisoner Detention program.
The Marshals Service assumes custody of individuals arrested by all
Federal agencies and is responsible for the housing and transportation
of prisoners from the time they are brought into Federal custody until
they are either acquitted or transferred to the Federal Bureau of
Prisons' custody for incarceration.
The FPD program provides housing, medical care, and transportation
for Federal prisoners housed in non-Federal facilities and has an
average daily population of approximately 45,000 prisoners. This
funding is critical to ensuring that the United States Marshals Service
can provide safe, human care and custody for the approximately 204,000
Federal prisoners it will be responsible for in fiscal year 2016.
{time} 1515
Mr. Chairman, the fiscal year 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science
Appropriations bill falls nearly $400 million short of the funding
necessary to maintain the Marshals Service's prisoner detention
operations. This matter must be corrected. My amendment would simply
reduce less critical accounts to make up for this astounding shortfall.
This amendment reduces youth mentoring programs by $45 million,
leaving a generous sum of $50 million for youth mentoring.
My amendment also zeros out the new, unauthorized grant program to
improve police-community relations. While this concept may have merit,
the creation of such a program is the responsibility of the House
Judiciary Committee.
This amendment also reduces funding for the International Trade
Administration by 5 percent and for the Community Relations Service by
20 percent.
Finally, my amendment leaves $30 million in funding for the Legal
Services Corporation to administer existing grants and to promote pro
bono efforts.
Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson),
the chairman of the subcommittee, who has worked with my staff very
diligently on a number of issues related to this matter, and I would be
prepared to withdraw this amendment in lieu of all the difficulties he
has in finding funds for the priority he has but, nonetheless, hoping
that he will acknowledge that this is a priority that has been
shortchanged and that we need to make sure that not only are these
prisoners able to be held, and held according to law, but also that it
does not give rise to prisoners being released in circumstances where
they otherwise should be held in incarceration.
So I am hoping that, if the gentleman would agree moving forward to
help us try to find additional funds for this account, perhaps the
gentleman from Pennsylvania would be willing to help as well, and I
would be willing to withdraw the amendment.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with the
chairman of the Judiciary Committee to ensure that these prisoners are
not released. I will work diligently with my colleague from
Philadelphia to find additional funds as we move forward in
[[Page H3675]]
the process. The last thing we want is these people being released.
It has been a privilege for me to work with you and your staff. I am
very privileged to follow in the footsteps of your colleague from
Virginia, Frank Wolf, who was chairman of the CJS Subcommittee, and I
have continued that close working relationship. We will do everything
we can to find funding to make sure that these Federal prisoners are
not released early. That is a subject near and dear to my heart. I am
very sensitive to it.
We had a Federal judge in Texas running our prisons for 25 years,
William Wayne Justice; and I sued him, as a State representative, to
end his control over the prisons because one of the main things he was
doing was causing the early release of prisoners to go victimize
Texans, which is utterly unacceptable. So this is a top priority. I
will work with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah).
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. GOODLATTE. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. I obviously would work with the chairman on this and a
whole range of other items. The offsets that you have identified would
be very problematic, from my point of view. But I will work with the
chairman. We need to make sure we fully fund the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the chairman and the ranking member.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Guinta
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 3, line 10, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(reduced by $5,000,000)''.
Page 42, line 24, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.
Page 44, line 6, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from New Hampshire and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to
the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill to increase the
funding for our Nation's drug courts by $5 million.
Drug courts keep people in treatment and can be one of the most
effective intervention programs for those suffering from drug
addiction. And just as important, these courts reduce crime, save
money, and serve families and children affected by substance abuse.
Drug and substance abuse directly impacts our States, communities,
law enforcement, and families across the country. In the past 5 years
alone, in my home State of New Hampshire, overdoses have increased
fivefold. Last year in the Granite State, deaths from heroin and
illicit drug use exceeded auto-related deaths in the State. Drug use
and abuse have devastated countless families from the Granite State.
Drug courts are transforming the criminal justice system across our
Nation by creating a systematic response to substance abuse and crime
as an alternative to incarceration. It is not every day that we get to
directly save lives in government. The drug courts program has proven
to do just that.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank my colleague from
Massachusetts, Congressman Lynch, for working with me on this amendment
to ensure this much-needed funding.
I urge my colleagues to support my amendment as we continue to tackle
the drug abuse epidemic that is plaguing communities around our Nation.
Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. GUINTA. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's
amendment.
Drug courts are a proven way to get a good outcome for people who are
arrested for drug offenses. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Fattah) and the subcommittee have already funded the drug courts at $41
million, $5 million above the request. I think the gentleman's
amendment is a worthwhile increase, and I urge my colleagues to support
it.
Mr. GUINTA. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time
in opposition, even though I am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, on that, I want to say something, and then
I will yield to my colleague.
I led the effort in my home State to create drug courts when I was in
the State senate before any of my gray hairs. They have worked out
spectacularly well in many places throughout the country. So I support
the gentleman from New Hampshire's amendment.
I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from New
Hampshire (Mr. Guinta). He and I were of a similar mind in terms of
this amendment, and I am delighted that the chairman has accepted the
amendment.
We understand the good that drug courts do in our society and in our
system. It actually combines the resources of family, the courts, law
enforcement, substance abuse agencies, our local and town governments,
State governments, and, of course, the Federal Government as well.
Drug addiction in the United States is an epidemic that affects every
city and town across America, and it cuts across every demographic. It
leaves in its wake shattered lives and families and costs taxpayers
hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that the total overall
cost of substance abuse in the United States, including lost
productivity and health and crime-related costs, exceeds $600 billion
every year. The institute also reports that drug addiction treatment
has been shown to reduce associated health and social costs by far more
than the costs of treatment, itself. Drug courts can be the first step
on the road back for those suffering with addiction.
Drug addiction is a disease, and people under the influence often act
out of character. Society is beginning to recognize that we need to
deal with addiction and its outcome in a way that can have a positive
effect on individuals and their families and communities. I believe
drug courts offer this opportunity by providing a support system and a
road map for moving forward.
The drug courts are specialized dockets which handle cases involving
drug- and/or alcohol-dependent offenders charged with nonviolent
offenses determined to have been caused or influenced by their
addiction.
I have visited many of the prisons in my State, and I would say, in
some cases, 80 to 90 percent of those inmates who are in there have
dual addictions at the root of their problems.
I do want to recall the support that we received in the past from the
former chairman, Frank Wolf of Virginia, who is a good and decent man,
and we miss him here. But I am glad to see that the current chairman is
of a similar mind, and I want to thank him as well.
Mr. GUINTA. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I want to echo the sentiments of the gentleman from
Massachusetts. This is a worthwhile attempt to try to help and heal
families, address our process of incarceration, but also to make sure
that we are doing the right thing for families across not just our
region in New England, but across the country.
I would also like to thank Appropriations Committee Chairman Rogers
and Subcommittee Chairman Culberson for their hard work not just on
this component, an amendment to the bill, but the overall bill and the
commitment to this particular issue. Again, I would urge my colleagues
to support the amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FATTAH. I yield back the balance of my time.
[[Page H3676]]
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Reichert
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $1)''.
Page 4, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $1)''.
Page 7, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $100,000,000)''.
Page 42, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $100,000,000)''.
Page 43, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $100,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Washington and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Culberson and
Chairman Rogers for working together with Representatives Pascrell,
Dent, and Herrera Beutler to develop this amendment.
I rise today to offer this critical amendment with the colleagues
that I just mentioned. This amendment increases the Edward Byrne
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program by $100 million and decreases
the Census Bureau by an equal amount.
Last year, the COPS Hiring Program received bipartisan support and
was funded at $180 million in the omnibus. Unfortunately, the
underlying legislation completely eliminates the COPS Hiring Program.
While we cannot restore COPS Hiring Programs and add them back into
the bill due to House rules governing consideration of appropriation
measures, we can help ease the burden and mitigate the impact of the
program's elimination on local law enforcement by passing this
bipartisan amendment.
To continue to meet the needs of police departments across the
country, this additional $100 million for Byrne JAG should specifically
be used for grants to police departments for hiring. Ensuring the
safety of our communities and neighborhoods should be one of our first
priorities, and we cannot do without a sufficient number of police
officers.
Mr. Chairman, the police officers and law enforcement agencies across
this country are asked to do more and more with less and less, and let
me just give you some examples.
When I was the sheriff in Seattle, I provided deputies to Federal
task force efforts, the Joint Fugitive Task Force; the Joint Terrorism
Task Force; the HIDTA Task Force, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking
Area Task Force; the fusion center; and I could go on with some others.
The role that local law enforcement plays in the efforts of Federal
law enforcement are integral. They are interconnected. They can't be
separated. It is a team effort from the Federal law enforcement
agencies to the local law enforcement agencies. And sometimes people in
this Chamber get confused as to what the local law enforcement's role
is when it comes to Federal responsibility.
I will just give you an example of one of my own personal
experiences. Early in my career as a police officer, a sheriff's deputy
on the streets in the mid-seventies, I made a traffic stop. I came
across a young lady who happened to be in the employment of somebody
who was connected to a crime syndicate within the Washington State area
who was operating human trafficking operations from Texas to Anchorage,
and not only that, but they were involved in drug trafficking.
So I developed this informant as a patrol officer driving around in
my patrol car. You would never think that I might have the opportunity
to bust a big case like this. But this is just an example of the day-
to-day activity that police officers operate in, and they collect this
information. I took it to the Federal agency responsible. I went to the
DEA.
I had a secret meeting in a hotel room in downtown Seattle. The
informant wouldn't trust the Federal operatives, but she trusted me. So
I had to bring her there. We came up with a plan for me to travel to
Texas. It is a long story. I won't get into the rest of it. But I think
that everyone in this room gets the picture of how critical it is for
us to integrate Federal and local law enforcement and that we have a
responsibility, as the United States Congress, on the House side and on
the Senate side, to support those efforts.
{time} 1530
As matter of fact, Mr. Chairman, I was hired under a Federal grant in
1972 called the PEP program. I would not have had a 33-year career if I
wasn't hired with Federal money. So this $100 million is going to be so
much appreciated by our men and women.
I want to mention just one other criminal aspect of this bill. It is
not perfect. No bill is perfect. The law enforcement community is not
perfect. We are not perfect. Congress is not perfect. The community is
not perfect. We need to stop looking at the negative and the bad in all
of these organizations together and start looking at the good, come
together, and figure out a solution to bringing police and community
together.
Today there aren't enough cops on the street. The community policing
program has, in some parts of this country, been eliminated or cut
back. So school resource officers are gone in some communities.
Storefront officers are gone. They are gone, Mr. Chairman, and we need
to bring them back. We can do it together. We can solve this problem
and keep our community safe.
I appreciate the gentleman and the time you have allowed me.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, even
though I am not in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Pennsylvania
is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I gladly yield 1 minute to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Culberson), my chairman, if he has any more to add on
this matter before I yield to my colleague over here.
Mr. CULBERSON. I thank the gentleman, just to say that, as you know,
we discussed in full committee that the purpose of our bill was to
shift the COPS hiring because it has not been reauthorized a number of
years over to the Byrne JAG Program, which can be used for hiring
because these are grant applications that can be tailored for your
specific community. You can be sure the money is targeted precisely for
your needs in Seattle or Philadelphia, so the Byrne JAG Program money
can indeed be used for hiring police officers.
I strongly support the gentleman's amendment because it will allow
more community hiring of police officers, and that is a good thing. God
bless all our law enforcement officers, and we can't give them enough
support.
Mr. FATTAH. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Pascrell).
Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member and my brother
in the Law Enforcement Caucus, David Reichert, from Washington.
I want to thank my colleagues who have joined in a strong show of
bipartisan support for the COPS program, Ms. Herrera Beutler and Mr.
Dent included.
Let us be clear what this amendment does. The Reichert amendment
increases funding for the Byrne JAG by $100 million for hiring
purposes, a critical step--I think, an important message.
Our amendment is supported by the major voices in the law enforcement
community, including the National Association of Police Organizations,
the Major County Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police,
and the Sergeant Benevolent Association, so I urge my colleagues to
support it.
But despite all of the debate about community policing happening
across our Nation, as Mr. Reichert referred to, the American people
need to know that, despite what our amendment does, the underlying bill
eliminates the Federal COPS Hiring Program. It is simply unacceptable
that every year we ask the law enforcement community to do more and
more with less and less.
Mr. Chairman, in last year's House bill, the COPS program was cut by
$109 million, 61 percent. So we can pontificate all we want about how
we are behind the police officers of this country,
[[Page H3677]]
but what we continue to do with successful programs, successful
programs by any account, cut and cut. We were able to restore some of
the money thanks to David Reichert and a few other people from both
sides of the aisle, thanks to you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member.
This year--this, despite being joined by over 150 of our colleagues
from both sides of the aisle in asking the committee to support the
COPS program--you gutted it. We can't even amend it. It is done. It is
over.
As a cornerstone of the Federal Government's efforts to assist State
and local law enforcement, COPS Hiring has funded over 127,000 public
safety officer positions. David Reichert was on the front line. He can
speak to the issue over and over again. He has been there and done it.
I just can talk about it.
Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member, it is plain and simple. Fewer
cops on the beat mean more crime on the street. Fewer cops on the beat
mean more crime on our streets. I ask you--I ask you to do everything
in your power, as you have done in the past--to restore what I think is
probably one of the most efficient programs in the entire Federal
Government, the COPS program.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, let me say in conclusion that I join with the chairman.
I support this amendment. I support the COPS program.
For 20 years, the Federal Government has been engaged in this,
launched under President Clinton, which has reduced crime in our
country, has saved lives, has made communities safer. And even though
there is some disagreement about the authorization, there is no
disagreement, I don't believe, that we should be providing resources. I
think the gentleman articulated on the front end of this discussion how
intertwined local police are with our Federal law enforcement efforts
and how critically indispensable they are in these efforts.
Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. FATTAH. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. Chairman, if I could point out to my good friend from New Jersey
what we have done is simply shift the program over to the Byrne JAG
Program, because with Byrne JAG you can customize your application for
New Jersey, for Philadelphia, or for Seattle. You can hire police
officers under the Byrne JAG Program. We shifted the program over to
Byrne JAG because it is far more effective and can be tailored to your
community.
So, Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this amendment because with this
amendment we are restoring the funding for the COPS Hiring Program, but
doing it through a far more effective and locally tailored program, the
Byrne JAG Program. So I would urge all my colleagues to support this
bipartisan amendment.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, we are in agreement, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Poliquin
Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $44,000,000)''.
Page 6, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $8,000,000)''.
Page 7, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $36,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Maine and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maine.
Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, families in northern, central, western, and downeast
Maine are some of the hardest working, most honest people you can find
in the country. They expect and they want a more effective and a more
accountable government that works for them, sir, and not against them.
Now, one of the most important jobs of the Federal Government is to
make sure that we protect American workers against unfair and unlawful
trade practices. This is very clear in our Constitution, and the
Founding Fathers made this clear to us all.
Today, here in Washington, the International Trade Administration is
responsible for enforcing these trade rules. Last year, three of our
major paper mills in our district, the Second District of Maine, in
Bucksport, Old Town, and Millinocket, closed. Mr. Chairman, 1,000 of
the most skilled paper makers in the world are no longer working, and
those 1,000 paychecks are no longer flowing to their families to help
them care for their kids.
This year in central Maine, in Madison, Maine, a fourth paper mill is
now facing difficulty and has temporarily shut down a couple of times
and furloughed another 200 workers. Now, if you talk to the folks that
own the mill and work on the floor in Madison, they cite two reasons:
number one is the high cost of energy to run their machinery; secondly,
a provincial government in Canada has provided about $125 million of
unfair subsidies to a competing paper mill across the border. These
subsidies, which are unlawful and unfair, have allowed this competing
paper mill to buy new equipment and to subsidize the cost of energy to
run their machinery. As a result, the price of supercalendered paper
that is made across the border and also in Madison, Maine, has
plummeted, causing our mill in Madison to temporarily shut down and
furlough its workers.
Now this, Mr. Chairman, is not right, and this is not fair. American
workers are the best in the world. We can compete with anybody in any
industry in the global marketplace as long as it is a level playing
field.
As our office, Mr. Chair, got involved in this issue, the ITA made it
very clear to us that they did not have the staff able to fully address
this issue in what we believe to be a full, thorough, and comprehensive
investigation, including a number of different paper mills, when it
comes to these unfair subsidies.
Up in our district, we are very frugal. We are fiscal conservatives.
The folks in Maine can stretch a dollar, Mr. Chair, wider than anybody
else in the country. So I am not suggesting that we increase the size
of government and we increase spending. Quite the opposite. I believe
our government is too big and too intrusive. However, I do have a
solution to this problem.
My amendment, Mr. Chair, asks that we transfer less than 5 percent of
the funding this year going to the Census Bureau to the ITA such that
they have the resources to thoroughly and effectively conduct an
investigation dealing with these unfair provincial subsidies in Canada.
Now, not only will a thorough and fair investigation help our workers
at the Madison mill in central Maine, but it will also help the backlog
of cases at the ITA that affect tens of thousands of workers in various
industries all throughout America. We all know in this room, on both
sides of the aisle, that fair trade results in more jobs.
All of us here in this Chamber want to make sure we do everything
humanly possible to help our companies grow, be more competitive, more
successful, and hire more workers. When that happens, Mr. Chairman, our
workers have better lives with more opportunities, more freedom, and
less government dependence.
This is about jobs, Mr. Chair, and it is all about national security.
I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Republicans and
Democrats, to please support this amendment to make sure that we have
fair trade in this country.
Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly rise in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleague to consider
withdrawing the amendment. I would like to work with him to ensure that
this case is investigated. The ITA is funded at a level of over $470
million.
I can only imagine how devastating this must be to the families there
in Madison, Maine, that have lost their
[[Page H3678]]
jobs and had their jobs furloughed and suspended because of an unfair
subsidy right across the border. This is exactly what ITA is supposed
to be doing. The Appropriations Committee has extraordinary influence
over these agencies, and this is exactly the kind of case the ITA
should be working on.
I want to pledge to you my full support and assistance in making sure
that this case is investigated and pursued aggressively if you consider
withdrawing the amendment, because the Census has gotten hammered
pretty hard. They just had $100 million transferred over to COPS
Hiring. And if we could, I would certainly like to work with you as we
move forward in ensuring that this case is investigated and handled.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. I would also work with the chairman on this matter to
make sure this is fully reviewed and investigated.
Mr. POLIQUIN. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Maine.
{time} 1545
Mr. POLIQUIN. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate it very much.
Although I do believe, sir, that jobs are more important than
counting people, we will use the full authority of our office to help
our workers at the Madison Mill to make sure that we do everything to
have a level playing field.
I will withdraw this amendment, and I accept your pledge to do
everything within your power and authority to please help our paper
workers, the most skilled in the world, in central Maine.
Mr. CULBERSON. We will be on it and help you. I look forward to doing
so aggressively and in a timely manner. Thank you very much.
Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Maine?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Bureau of Industry and Security
operations and administration
For necessary expenses for export administration and
national security activities of the Department of Commerce,
including costs associated with the performance of export
administration field activities both domestically and abroad;
full medical coverage for dependent members of immediate
families of employees stationed overseas; employment of
citizens of the United States and aliens by contract for
services abroad; payment of tort claims, in the manner
authorized in the first paragraph of section 2672 of title
28, United States Code, when such claims arise in foreign
countries; not to exceed $13,500 for official representation
expenses abroad; awards of compensation to informers under
the Export Administration Act of 1979, and as authorized by
section 1(b) of the Act of June 15, 1917 (40 Stat. 223; 22
U.S.C. 401(b)); and purchase of passenger motor vehicles for
official use and motor vehicles for law enforcement use with
special requirement vehicles eligible for purchase without
regard to any price limitation otherwise established by law,
$110,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the provisions of the first sentence of section 105(f)
and all of section 108(c) of the Mutual Educational and
Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2455(f) and 2458(c))
shall apply in carrying out these activities: Provided
further, That payments and contributions collected and
accepted for materials or services provided as part of such
activities may be retained for use in covering the cost of
such activities, and for providing information to the public
with respect to the export administration and national
security activities of the Department of Commerce and other
export control programs of the United States and other
governments.
Amendment Offered by Mr. McClintock
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk
involving page 3, line 10.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the Clerk will report the
amendment.
There was no objection.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $311,788,000)''.
Page 98, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $311,788,000)''.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I think we have passed that point in the
bill.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I had risen before we had passed that
point in the bill and was not recognized.
Mr. FATTAH. I don't think it is any fault of your own. I am just
saying for the technical matter I think that we have.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from California has two amendments at
the desk, one to the pending paragraph and one to the previous
paragraph.
The Chair is entertaining the one to the previous paragraph by
unanimous consent.
Mr. FATTAH. Is this the one that the Clerk just read?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is correct. That is the amendment
that the Clerk just read and addressing page 3, line 10.
Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman from California and a
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, this amendment enacts a CBO
recommendation to eliminate the trade promotion activities of the
International Trade Administration to save almost $312 million.
What does the ITA do exactly? Well, it has some legitimate functions
enforcing trade agreements and treaties. This amendment leaves these
functions untouched.
But the ITA also does trade promotion activities. To quote from its
own material, it ``provides counseling to American companies in order
to develop the most profitable and sustainable plans for pricing,
export, and the full range of public and private trade promotion
assistance. . .as well as market intelligence, and industry and market
specific research.''
Well, this is all well and good, but isn't that what businesses and
trade associations are supposed to do and used to do with their own
money? Why should taxpayers pay for the profits of private companies?
If a specific business or industry is the sole beneficiary of these
services, shouldn't it be the sole financier of them, either
individually or collectively through trade associations?
True, this program has been around for generations, but Franklin
Roosevelt, who was hardly a champion of smaller government, had the
right idea when he slashed its budget in 1932 and closed 31 of its
offices. The problem is that reform didn't take. ITA now has over 250
offices and several thousand personnel around the world.
The ITA's authorization lapsed in 1996--19 years ago. It has not been
reviewed or authorized by Congress since then, but we still keep
shoveling money out the door.
Although it hasn't been reviewed by Congress in all of these years,
it has been thoroughly weighed by the Congressional Budget Office, the
Office of Management and Budget, and the President's fiscal commission,
and they have all found it sadly wanting. The Simpson-Bowles report
summed it up nicely when they said:
``Services provided by ITA's U.S. Commercial Services and other
divisions directly providing assistance to U.S. companies should be
financed by beneficiaries of this assistance. While the agency charges
fees for those services, its fees do not cover the cost of all of its
activities. Additionally, it is argued that the benefits of trade
promotion activities are passed on to foreigners in the form of
decreased export costs.''
Simpson-Bowles then goes on to say:
``According to a study by the Office of Management and Budget,
businesses can receive similar services from State, local, and private
sector entities.''
This CBO option to eliminate ITA's promotion activities saves $312
million in 2016 and $3.5 billion through 2024.
Mr. Chairman, if the CBO, the OMB, and the President's fiscal
commission all agree this is wasteful and Congress hasn't bothered to
reauthorize it since it expired 19 years ago, why do we continue to
spend money that we don't have duplicating services the beneficiaries
of those services either don't need or are perfectly capable of funding
on their own?
And if the companies that we are told directly benefit from these so-
called ``essential'' services aren't willing to
[[Page H3679]]
fund them, maybe that is just nature's way of telling us we shouldn't
be fleecing our constituents' earnings to pay for them either.
And why would we tap American taxpayers to subsidize the export
activities of foreigners, as Simpson-Bowles notes?
The rules of the House were specifically written to prevent this type
of unauthorized expenditure, and they provide for a point of order to
be raised if it is included in an appropriations bill. That is exactly
what we have here. But alas, that rule is routinely waived when these
measures are brought to the floor, making this amendment necessary.
This is a prime example of corporate welfare, and we ought to be done
with it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I share my colleague Mr. McClintock's
feeling about programs that are unauthorized and share his passion for
ensuring we don't spend money we don't have.
But as the gentleman from Maine was just out here a moment ago, Mr.
Poliquin has a perfect example of one of the really valid and very
important functions of the ITA, and that is to identify subsidies that
are unfair, that imbalance our trade with a foreign nation. As he
pointed out, the Canadian Government is unfairly subsidizing a paper
mill right directly across the border from his constituents in Madison,
Maine, and caused the furloughing of workers at the Madison paper mill.
And as I just pledged to Mr. Poliquin, I want to make sure that ITA is
doing its job when it comes to identifying and enacting some measures
to counterbalance unfair trade practices like that.
I would agree with my friend from California: when it comes to
promoting American business, that is the job of the Chamber of
Commerce; when it comes to making sure that American businesses get the
word out and shares information, that is something American businesses
ought to do; but when it comes to unfair subsidies given by foreign
governments to their businesses that cause American workers to lose
their jobs, that is exactly what the ITA is designed to do. We need
trade enforcement, we need countervailing duties, and we need export
assistance.
The amendment which the gentleman from California has offered looks
to be about a 70 percent cut. I would be happy to work with you and
find some ways to find savings within the agency when it comes to
promoting American businesses because I am a big believer. Let the
Chamber of Commerce do it.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. This amendment leaves all of those legitimate
activities of the ITA intact. It still leaves $160 million of
activities. All it does is to defund the trade promotion activities
that the CBO recognized as being wasteful, as did OMB, as did Simpson-
Bowles.
Mr. CULBERSON. Well, the scale of the reduction to reduce the agency
by $311,788,000 so abruptly is going to eliminate the ability, for
example, to help Mr. Poliquin and other businesses like theirs across
the country that are suffering from unfair subsidies by foreign
governments. So, unfortunately, I need to oppose the amendment. A 70
percent cut is simply not sustainable. And Mr. Poliquin, I think, made
a very eloquent case just a moment ago for the type of work the ITA
needs to do. So I would need to urge my colleagues to oppose this
amendment.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I would be happy to yield to my friend from
Philadelphia.
Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentleman.
I also oppose the amendment. The business of our country is, I think,
appropriate in making sure that our businesses are not locked out of a
market around the world. Only 2 percent of American businesses export
anywhere, and we need to have a robust effort because 90 percent of the
world's consumers live somewhere else. We do have a reality that other
governments are aggressive about promoting their business
opportunities. If we want Americans to have jobs here, some of those
are connected to these opportunities. So I thank the chairman, and I
suggest that this is not an amendment that would be in the interest of
the American business community or workers.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I think the scale of the cut would be
devastating to the agency. Houston, Texas, is one of the premier
exporting centers of the United States, and it is important that we do
everything in our power. The Federal Government does have an obligation
to enforce trade agreements to make sure that trade is fair and free
and that subsidies that are unfairly used by foreign governments to
support their own industries, that we have got some way to
counterbalance that. That is the essential function of this agency. So,
therefore, I would ask Members to oppose this amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate that this does not
in any way affect the enforcement activities of the ITA. It does not in
any way affect the measures that Mr. Poliquin of Maine just referenced.
It affects only the trade promotion activities of the ITA that have
been singled out time and again as being duplicative of what the
companies profiting from these activities should be paying for
themselves or are duplicative of other programs. It is only the trade
promotion activities. None of the enforcement activities are affected
by this amendment. I would ask for an ``aye'' vote.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California
will be postponed.
The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Economic Development Administration
economic development assistance programs
For grants for economic development assistance as provided
by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, for
trade adjustment assistance, for grants authorized by section
27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980
(15 U.S.C. 3722), $213,000,000, to remain available until
expended.
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses of administering the economic
development assistance programs as provided for by law,
$37,000,000: Provided, That these funds may be used to
monitor projects approved pursuant to title I of the Public
Works Employment Act of 1976, title II of the Trade Act of
1974, section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology
Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3722), and the Community
Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1977.
Minority Business Development Agency
minority business development
For necessary expenses of the Department of Commerce in
fostering, promoting, and developing minority business
enterprise, including expenses of grants, contracts, and
other agreements with public or private organizations,
$32,000,000.
Economics and Statistics Analysis
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses, as authorized by law, of economic
and statistical analysis programs of the Department of
Commerce, $100,000,000, to remain available until September
30, 2017.
Bureau of the Census
current surveys and programs
For necessary expenses for collecting, compiling,
analyzing, preparing and publishing statistics, provided for
by law, $265,000,000: Provided, That, from amounts provided
herein, funds may be used for promotion, outreach, and
marketing activities: Provided further, That the Bureau of
the Census shall collect data for the Annual Social and
Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey using
the same health insurance questions included in previous
years, in addition to the revised questions implemented in
the Current Population Survey beginning in February 2014.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Nugent
Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
[[Page H3680]]
Page 6, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $4,000,000)''.
Page 44, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
Page 46, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
Page 42, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increased by $4,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Florida and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, each day more and more Americans are
realizing that we need to take action to deal with mental health issues
in this country. We need to make it a priority.
My amendment, in keeping with that sentiment, would provide
additional funding for programs under the Mentally Ill Offender
Treatment and Crime Reduction Act and for Veterans Treatment Courts.
{time} 1600
These are programs with proven track records of effectively
addressing some of the important issues associated with mental health
illnesses. My amendment would offset this increase by taking $4 million
from the periodic censuses and programs account.
Mr. Chairman, both of the programs that would receive an increase in
funding under my amendment highlight the need for our justice and
mental health systems to work together. As a former sheriff, I can tell
you that cooperation is vital. If our justice and mental health systems
are collaborating, we can provide more positive outcomes not only for
those with mental health illnesses, but for our taxpayers as well.
Grants provided under MIOTCRA are used, among other purposes, to set
up mental health courts, for community reentry services, and for
training State and local law enforcement officers to help identify and
deescalate mental health crises, which saves the lives of both the
mentally ill and of the responding officers.
During my 37 years as a cop, I saw firsthand how our jails were
becoming warehouses for people with mental health needs. No one is well
served by this process, not those with mental illness, not our
taxpayers, and, certainly, as I spoke earlier, not our veterans. Let me
provide you with some numbers to illustrate what actually is going on
within our jails.
According to the Florida Mental Health Institute, over a 5-year
period, 97 individuals from Miami-Dade County accounted for 2,200
bookings in the county jail; 27,000 days in the jail; and 13,000 days
in crisis units, State hospitals, and emergency rooms.
The cost to the State and to local taxpayers was nearly $13 million
for just 97 people. However, the type of programs my amendment supports
have been shown to dramatically reduce those rates.
In Pinellas County, for instance, which is another Florida county, a
mental health jail diversion program showed an 87 percent reduction in
rearrests for the nearly 3,000 offenders who were enrolled. Not only
does my amendment support these programs, but it also recognizes the
unique responsibility that we have to our veterans.
Veterans are disproportionately affected by mental health illnesses.
Even more, they would likely not have these issues if it weren't for
their service to this country. We owe them a better outcome, and
Veterans Treatment Courts can help. My point is that they are some of
the best investments we can make.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I am
not opposed to the gentleman's amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I support the gentleman's amendment.
Veterans courts and mental health courts do great work. It is a very
important role that they serve.
I want to also thank the gentleman for his service as a police
officer. We just simply cannot thank our police officers enough for the
good work that they do, and I strongly support the gentleman's
amendment.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. I support the gentleman's amendment, and I thank him for
offering it.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Collins).
Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I appreciate the gentleman from Florida for
yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Nugent-Collins
amendment, which provides critical additional funding for Veterans
Treatment Courts and mental health courts.
I have seen firsthand the difference that mental health courts and
Veterans Treatment Courts can make. Over the course of the past few
months in and around the Ninth District and all over Georgia, this is
something that I have worked on not only in the State of Georgia, but
also now in working nationally here with my friend from Florida.
Our jails are not mental health facilities, but we continue to use
them that way, despite the fact that they are not in anyone's best
interest. By treating the mentally ill with compassion, we can provide
them a second chance to get better.
We can also cut costs, empower States, reduce recidivism, and ensure
that law enforcement officers can focus on protecting the safety of the
public. By investing in Veterans Treatment Courts, we can better serve
those who have served us, and we can address PTSD and related issues in
a more meaningful way.
I appreciate Mr. Nugent and his tireless leadership on this issue in
advocating for a better, more sensible approach. Together, we
introduced the Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act, which would
expand and further improve upon the mental health and Veterans
Treatment Court programs that are funded by H.R. 2578.
I just want to encourage everyone to support this amendment. Again,
let's take an honest, serious look at how we are dealing with those
with mental health issues.
Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Fattah).
Mr. FATTAH. I talked to our colleague from Georgia, who just spoke on
this matter, and I know he has talked about how this is really
critically important for veterans.
It is a population that we have to be concerned about, so I want to
thank you again for offering this, and the chairman and I agree.
Mr. NUGENT. In reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the
chairman of the subcommittee and I appreciate the ranking member in
their support of this because it really is about how we deal with our
fellow man.
It is about a way that we shouldn't be criminalizing mental health
disorders. That is the worst thing that we can do. As a police officer
and as a sheriff for over 38 years, I have seen the effects of
untreated mental illness, particularly in the county jails where they
are now warehoused.
I truly do appreciate the support across the board, and I will tell
you that our law enforcement officers and our correctional officers
will support it also.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois). The question is on
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Nugent).
The amendment was agreed to.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
periodic censuses and programs
(including transfer of funds)
For necessary expenses for collecting, compiling,
analyzing, preparing and publishing statistics for periodic
censuses and programs provided for by law, $848,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2017: Provided, That,
from amounts provided herein, funds may be used for
promotion, outreach, and marketing activities: Provided
further, That within the amounts appropriated, $1,551,000
shall be transferred to the ``Office of Inspector General''
account for activities associated with carrying out
investigations and audits related to the Bureau of the
Census: Provided further, That not more than 50 percent of
the amounts made available under this heading for information
technology related to 2020 census delivery, including the
[[Page H3681]]
Census Enterprise Data Collection and Processing (CEDCaP)
program, may be obligated until the Secretary submits to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate a plan for expenditure that (1) identifies for
each CEDCaP project/investment over $25,000 (a) the
functional and performance capabilities to be delivered and
the mission benefits to be realized, (b) the estimated
lifecycle cost, including estimates for development as well
as maintenance and operations, and (c) key milestones to be
met; (2) details for each project/investment (a) reasons for
any cost and schedule variances, and (b) top risks and
mitigation strategies, and (3) has been submitted to the
Government Accountability Office.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Poe of Texas
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 7, line 8, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(reduced by $17,300,000)''.
Page 38, line 9, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(increased by $17,300,000)''.
Page 41, line 14, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(increased by $17,300,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, Congress has made it clear that it
will not stand for this new scourge that we are finding in our country
of human sex trafficking. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act
passed the United States Senate 99-0, and it passed the House of
Representatives before that with only 3 Members voting against it and
all 400-plus voting for it.
Modern-day slavery does happen in the United States. It is a
multibillion-dollar business. It is second only to the international
crime syndicates of drug trafficking for the amount of money that is
raised. It is not time for us to lower the amount of money we have for
grants that will assist the victims of this scourge. That is why my
amendment brings in just $17.3 million to this fund that was cut. This
$17.3 million will bring it up to last year's level so that $43 million
will go for victim services and victim grants.
Where does this money come from? From where are we taking it? We are
taking it out of the periodic censuses and programs and applying it to
this fund.
The periodic censuses and programs--let me make it clear--is not the
constitutional census counting that is required to be done by the
Census Bureau. This is another program that the Census Bureau has. It
is sometimes called the American Community Survey, which is very
intrusive.
Without really much choice, it asks citizens numerous questions that
are an invasion of their privacy. For example: What time do you go to
work? What time do you get home from work? Does anybody in your
household have a mental illness or disease? They are questions such as
these that are very intrusive. The Census Bureau shouldn't be asking
these questions.
Set aside that anyway. With this money, rather than asking people in
the community--citizens--to tell us what time they go to work or what
time they go during the day to different appointments, like doctors'
appointments, we should show the priority of putting just $17 million
of that money back into this appropriation to help the victims of
trafficking.
It will bring it up to last year's level of a mere $43 million of
grant money. That is what this legislation does. It ensures that we are
telling trafficking victims there will be money available for grants to
assist them and money available for law enforcement to assist them in
their training.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, even
though I am not in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Fattah) is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, first of all, this is where you can find
the contradictions of public policy with the interjection of politics,
right?
I totally agree with the purpose, but I totally disagree with the
underlying notion that this money is not important to the Census. First
and foremost, I agree with the amendment and that we should invest in
another $16 million in helping victims of human trafficking.
It is a major problem in our country--in my part of the country, in
your part of the country, and throughout our Nation. We should do more,
so I support the amendment.
I don't want us to assume that the periodic census dollars are not
important, however, and are not part of the constitutionally mandated
census as they are part of the 2020 preparation. We will have to deal
with that in some other way, but I don't want to because I agree with
the amendment. That is not to suggest that I agree with the underlying
thought that this money is not important to the Census.
Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. FATTAH. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to join
him in supporting this amendment.
Mr. Chairman, we have a terrible problem in this country with human
slavery and with human sex trafficking. My colleague from Texas is
exactly right, and I strongly support his amendment.
I also share his concern about the American Community Survey, and I
intend to pursue aggressive oversight during the months ahead. I do
think it is intrusive. Our right to be left alone as Americans is one
of our most important rights, so I share the gentleman's concern about
the American Community Survey.
We have a responsibility to make sure the Census is funded, but this
is a very important amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it
to help combat this disgraceful scourge of human trafficking.
Mr. FATTAH. In reclaiming my time, I am glad that we are all in
agreement. I don't want families to be left alone, though, if they have
someone who is suffering from mental health illnesses.
The reason that question is asked in a community survey is so that,
when we are doing funding for communities for mental health services,
we know where the impact of those dollars can be most applied. The
census is taken for a good reason, but let us agree for the moment on
the amendment, and let's move on.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the ranking member and I thank the
chairman, as well, for their comments.
Mr. Chairman, the issue is not the American Community Survey. The
issue is where we are going to get this money to bring this fund up to
last year's level. It is going to come from that portion of the Census
that is about $800 million, and that is why that section was picked. We
need to have this lively debate about the American Community Survey in
some other setting.
Right now, let's take care of trafficking victims in the United
States and provide them grants, and let's provide law enforcement
grants and victim services grants so that they can help minor sex
trafficking victims who are being trafficked throughout the United
States.
I appreciate the ranking member's support and the chairman's support.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
The amendment was agreed to.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses, as provided for by law, of the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA), $35,200,000, to remain available until September 30,
2017: Provided, That, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 1535(d), the
Secretary of Commerce shall charge Federal agencies for costs
incurred in spectrum management, analysis, operations, and
related services, and such fees shall be retained and used as
offsetting collections for costs of such spectrum services,
to remain available until expended: Provided further, That
the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to retain and use as
offsetting collections all funds transferred, or previously
transferred, from other Government agencies for all costs
incurred in telecommunications research, engineering, and
related activities by the Institute
[[Page H3682]]
for Telecommunication Sciences of NTIA, in furtherance of its
assigned functions under this paragraph, and such funds
received from other Government agencies shall remain
available until expended.
public telecommunications facilities, planning and construction
For the administration of prior-year grants, recoveries and
unobligated balances of funds previously appropriated are
available for the administration of all open grants until
their expiration.
United States Patent and Trademark Office
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) provided for by law, including
defense of suits instituted against the Under Secretary of
Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO,
$3,272,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the sum herein appropriated from the general fund shall
be reduced as offsetting collections of fees and surcharges
assessed and collected by the USPTO under any law are
received during fiscal year 2016, so as to result in a fiscal
year 2016 appropriation from the general fund estimated at
$0: Provided further, That during fiscal year 2016, should
the total amount of such offsetting collections be less than
$3,272,000,000 this amount shall be reduced accordingly:
Provided further, That any amount received in excess of
$3,272,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and deposited in the
Patent and Trademark Fee Reserve Fund shall remain available
until expended: Provided further, That the Director of USPTO
shall submit a spending plan to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
for any amounts made available by the preceding proviso and
such spending plan shall be treated as a reprogramming under
section 505 of this Act and shall not be available for
obligation or expenditure except in compliance with the
procedures set forth in that section: Provided further, That
any amounts reprogrammed in accordance with the preceding
proviso shall be transferred to the United States Patent and
Trademark Office ``Salaries and Expenses'' account: Provided
further, That from amounts provided herein, not to exceed
$900 shall be made available in fiscal year 2016 for official
reception and representation expenses: Provided further, That
in fiscal year 2016 from the amounts made available for
``Salaries and Expenses'' for the USPTO, the amounts
necessary to pay (1) the difference between the percentage of
basic pay contributed by the USPTO and employees under
section 8334(a) of title 5, United States Code, and the
normal cost percentage (as defined by section 8331(17) of
that title) as provided by the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) for USPTO's specific use, of basic pay, of employees
subject to subchapter III of chapter 83 of that title, and
(2) the present value of the otherwise unfunded accruing
costs, as determined by OPM for USPTO's specific use of post-
retirement life insurance and post-retirement health benefits
coverage for all USPTO employees who are enrolled in Federal
Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) and Federal Employees Group
Life Insurance (FEGLI), shall be transferred to the Civil
Service Retirement and Disability Fund, the FEGLI Fund, and
the FEHB Fund, as appropriate, and shall be available for the
authorized purposes of those accounts: Provided further, That
any differences between the present value factors published
in OPM's yearly 300 series benefit letters and the factors
that OPM provides for USPTO's specific use shall be
recognized as an imputed cost on USPTO's financial
statements, where applicable: Provided further, That,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, all fees and
surcharges assessed and collected by USPTO are available for
USPTO only pursuant to section 42(c) of title 35, United
States Code, as amended by section 22 of the Leahy-Smith
America Invents Act (Public Law 112-29): Provided further,
That within the amounts appropriated, $2,000,000 shall be
transferred to the ``Office of Inspector General'' account
for activities associated with carrying out investigations
and audits related to the USPTO.
National Institute of Standards and Technology
scientific and technical research and services
(including transfer of funds)
For necessary expenses of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST), $675,000,000, to remain
available until expended, of which not to exceed $9,000,000
may be transferred to the ``Working Capital Fund'': Provided,
That not to exceed $5,000 shall be for official reception and
representation expenses: Provided further, That NIST may
provide local transportation for summer undergraduate
research fellowship program participants.
Amendment Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment
at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 12, line 9, after the dollar amount insert
``(increased by $3,000,000) (reduced by $3,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
My amendment is intended to ensure that the important forensic
standards work at the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
or NIST, is fully funded.
The criminal justice system relies on forensic science to identify
and prosecute criminals and to exonerate the falsely accused. Justice
is not served by either the falsely accused or the victims and their
families when the wrong person is imprisoned.
In a series of investigations over the last few years, The Washington
Post, the Innocence Project, and the FBI itself have reported on a
flawed forensic work that may be responsible for wrongful convictions
in thousands of criminal cases.
{time} 1615
Innocent people have spent decades in prison, and our State certainly
knows about many of them--my home county, as a matter of fact. Some may
have already been put to death while the guilty have gone free.
These investigations have covered hair analysis, bite mark analysis,
and even DNA, which most people previously believed to be 100 percent
accurate and reliable. In short, there has been a steady stream of bad
news about flawed forensic work being used in criminal court. And I
worry that we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg.
In a year 2009 report, ``Strengthening Forensic Science in the United
States: A Path Forward,'' the National Academy of Sciences found that
the interpretation of forensic evidence is severely compromised by the
lack of supporting science and standards.
Many forensic techniques and technologies lack a scientific
foundation. Operational principles and procedures are not standardized,
and there are often no standard protocols governing the reporting of
forensic evidence.
Since then, I have worked with colleagues in the Senate to develop
legislation that would strengthen forensic science and standards. The
administration also took notice and has initiated several activities,
even without direct action from Congress. The Department of Justice and
NIST have become strong partners in this effort. Now, some of my
colleagues on Appropriations would like to gut one of these core
activities, the standards development work managed by NIST.
For reasons that I cannot comprehend, the report language
accompanying this bill would forbid NIST from continuing the voluntary
consensus standards development work already underway through the
forensics scientific area committees. These committees coordinate
development of standards and guidelines for the forensic science
community to improve the quality and consistency of forensics evidence
used by our justice system.
These committees were established according to the longstanding and
well-respected NIST process for developing voluntary consensus
standards. As such, the membership of these committees represent the
full breadth and depth of stakeholder organizations, including forensic
science practitioners, as well as academic scientists and engineers,
law enforcement, and others.
To the best of my knowledge, these committees have the support of the
full range of stakeholders. Why would we stop, in its tracks, a
voluntary consensus standards process that has proven itself effective
time and time again? I can see no justifiable reason for trying to keep
sound science out of the courtroom.
Mr. Chair, since the language in question is in the committee's
report rather than the bill text and will not be sufficiently addressed
with this amendment, I plan to withdraw this amendment but seek the
approval of both the chair and the ranking member to help correct this
language as we move toward the conference report.
My colleagues, I hope, will work with the Senate to rectify this
unjustified and unjust restriction.
Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentlewoman yield?
[[Page H3683]]
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from
Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chair, I look forward to working with my colleague
from Texas and with my colleague from Philadelphia on this matter as we
move forward in the conference.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Thank you very much, Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chair, I also would work with the gentlewoman and the
chairman on this. You know, the premise of our entire judicial system
is that we would rather a guilty person go free than any innocent
person be in prison.
Forensic science has brought a lot to the business of better
understanding actually what has taken place and to make sure that we
don't have innocent people incarcerated.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. With that, I ask unanimous
consent to withdraw this amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Texas?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
industrial technology services
For necessary expenses of the Hollings Manufacturing
Extension Partnership of the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, $130,000,000, to remain available until
expended.
Amendment Offered by Ms. Esty
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 12, line 20, after the dollar amount insert
``(increased by $11,000,000)''.
Page 36, line 7, after the dollar amount insert ``(reduced
by $31,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman
from Connecticut and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Connecticut.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, we should invest in manufacturing, which
plays such a vital role in innovation and competitiveness. The Federal
Government is uniquely situated to help ensure that manufacturing
remains the backbone of the U.S. economy.
My amendment fully funds the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
program by increasing funding for the industrial technologies account
by $11 million. This program is the top priority for the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce. Just earlier today, the Chamber listed fully funding the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership at $141 million as its highest
priority for the Commerce, Justice, Science bill.
My amendment is also fiscally responsible. It decreases funding for
the Federal prison system by $31 million to ensure that this investment
in manufacturing does not affect our national spending.
In Connecticut, we are proud to be a national leader in
manufacturing. Our State is home to more than 5,000 manufacturers that
provide stable, good-paying jobs for our families. For more than 20
years, our Manufacturing Extension program, the Connecticut State
Technical Extension Program, known as CONNSTEP, has been a trusted
adviser for our small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies looking
to grow their business and increase their workforce in sales.
Since 2013, CONNSTEP's clients have helped create 511 jobs, retained
more than $527 million in sales, and realized cost savings of $81
million statewide. In Thomaston, in my district, Metallon,
Incorporated, a metal stamping and assembly facility, partnered with
CONNSTEP to help conduct internal quality auditing and secure new
products. Thanks to the partnership with CONNSTEP, Metallon expanded
their workforce and increased sales by half a million dollars.
Metallurgical Processing, Incorporated, a metal processing facility
in New Britain, Connecticut, saw a 20 percent increase in production
capacity and $181,000 in cost savings after working with CONNSTEP to
streamline product flow and improve production efficiency.
CONNSTEP's support for Connecticut business is critical to our
continued leadership in manufacturing, as we not only retain but grow
these jobs statewide. I have seen firsthand how CONNSTEP's support has
successfully helped our manufacturers to be competitive in an
increasingly globalized economy.
But make no mistake, these successes are not just in Connecticut. The
Manufacturing Extension program has a proven track record of effective
partnerships with manufacturers all across the country. Since the MEP
program started more than 25 years ago, centers across America have
created more than 729,000 manufacturing jobs, saved companies more than
$13.4 billion, and turned every dollar of Federal investment into $19
in new sales growth.
The additional funding of the MEP program will enable our centers to
fully execute their mission and undertake a robust technology transfer
program to help manufacturers take new discoveries from the research
lab to the marketplace.
I encourage all my colleagues to support my amendment to fully fund
the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program and invest in our
manufacturing future.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment
because our Federal prison system is already between 30 and 50 percent
overcrowded. We have not built a new prison in the United States since
2009. It is vitally important that we have got these prisons in place
to keep our most dangerous criminal offenders off the streets.
The amendment that the gentlewoman has offered would immediately
prevent the Bureau of Prisons from expanding its capacity and do severe
damage to their ability to reduce overcrowding, which is a threat to
the staff, a threat to the inmates, and a threat to the public.
The gentlewoman's amendment--I understand she is concerned--to
support the Manufacturing Extension program, we cannot do so at the
expense of public safety.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky, the full
committee chairman.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank the chairman for yielding.
It is no secret, Mr. Chairman, that there is a strain on our Nation's
prison system. As the inmate population continues to rise, our prisons
get more and more crowded every day. As the inmate population continues
to rise, with 216,000 individuals currently serving Federal sentences,
our prisons get more and more crowded every day.
At the end of fiscal 2013--listen to this--25 percent of our medium
security inmates and 85 percent of our low security inmates were triple
bunked--triple bunked. Considering that 8 out of every 10 medium
security inmates has a history of violence, this creates some very
serious questions about the safety of the BOP staff, the public, and
even other inmates. Updating our prisons will provide greater
efficiency and staffing and permits staff to safely oversee more
inmates.
Our medium and maximum security prisons house some of the world's
most dangerous and violent criminals. The bill before us provides
critical funding to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in order to modernize
and strengthen our Nation's prison infrastructure. These funds will
help protect the public as well as the men and women who work at these
facilities. It is imperative that we provide them a safe and secure
environment within which to work.
The Federal Government has a commitment to keep the public and prison
staff safe, and these dollars are needed to fulfill that commitment. So
I oppose this effort to reduce funding for the Bureau of Prisons and
urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I want to point out
the Manufacturing Extension program is already fully funded. They have
got $130 million set aside for the program in the bill; and, quite
frankly, the
[[Page H3684]]
amendment would endanger the public because we would not be able to
proceed with the urgently needed construction of new prison facilities.
So I urge my colleagues to join us in opposing this amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chair, how much time do I have remaining?
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Connecticut has 1\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. ESTY. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, let me just say that I rise in support of
the amendment, and I think this shows the bigger picture here if the
country has to choose between promoting manufacturing and whether or
not we can safely operate the world's largest prison system. We
incarcerate more people than any other country in the rest of the world
on a per capita basis. We need to be employing more people in
manufacturing. This makes sense. I support the gentlewoman's amendment.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from
Connecticut will be postponed.
The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
construction of research facilities
For construction of new research facilities, including
architectural and engineering design, and for renovation and
maintenance of existing facilities, not otherwise provided
for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as
authorized by sections 13 through 15 of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278c-
278e), $50,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the Secretary of Commerce shall include in the
budget justification materials that the Secretary submits to
Congress in support of the Department of Commerce budget (as
submitted with the budget of the President under section
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code) an estimate for each
National Institute of Standards and Technology construction
project having a total multi-year program cost of more than
$5,000,000, and simultaneously the budget justification
materials shall include an estimate of the budgetary
requirements for each such project for each of the 5
subsequent fiscal years.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
operations, research, and facilities
(including transfer of funds)
For necessary expenses of activities authorized by law for
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
including maintenance, operation, and hire of aircraft and
vessels; grants, contracts, or other payments to nonprofit
organizations for the purposes of conducting activities
pursuant to cooperative agreements; and relocation of
facilities, $3,147,877,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2017, except that funds provided for
cooperative enforcement shall remain available until
September 30, 2018: Provided, That fees and donations
received by the National Ocean Service for the management of
national marine sanctuaries may be retained and used for the
salaries and expenses associated with those activities,
notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code:
Provided further, That in addition, $130,164,000 shall be
derived by transfer from the fund entitled ``Promote and
Develop Fishery Products and Research Pertaining to American
Fisheries'', which shall only be used for fishery activities
related to the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program, Cooperative
Research, Annual Stock Assessments, Survey and Monitoring
Projects, Interjurisdictional Fisheries Grants, and Fish
Information Networks: Provided further, That of the
$3,295,541,000 provided for in direct obligations under this
heading $3,147,877,000 is appropriated from the general fund,
$130,164,000 is provided by transfer, and $17,500,000 is
derived from recoveries of prior year obligations: Provided
further, That the total amount available for National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration corporate services
administrative support costs shall not exceed $208,100,000:
Provided further, That any deviation from the amounts
designated for specific activities in the report accompanying
this Act, or any use of deobligated balances of funds
provided under this heading in previous years, shall be
subject to the procedures set forth in section 505 of this
Act: Provided further, That in addition, for necessary
retired pay expenses under the Retired Serviceman's Family
Protection and Survivor Benefits Plan, and for payments for
the medical care of retired personnel and their dependents
under the Dependents Medical Care Act (10 U.S.C. 55), such
sums as may be necessary.
{time} 1630
Amendment Offered by Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia
Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the
desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $200,000)''.
Page 98, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert
``(increase by $200,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Georgia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take a
minute to tell you how we got here.
As someone who fished in the Gulf of Mexico long before I got elected
to Congress, when they started reducing the snapper season back in
2007, we had approximately 190 days to fish as the recreational angler.
They have now taken that down to 10 days.
Through the Gulf councils, the National Marine Fisheries Service has
worked through the councils to reduce the American recreational
fishermen's opportunity to fish for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico
by 95 percent since 2007. At the same time, they have increased quotas
and allocations for the commercial sector. And most recently through
the Gulf council, they cast a vote, 7-10, to split the recreational
sector, and they gave the for-hire recreational sector 45 days and the
not-for-hire 10 days.
Now, let me just explain what that means to you. It means that if you
want to just take your family fishing, you have 10 days to do it. If
you want to go in the other 35 days of that recreational season, you
have to pay a charter boat captain to take you out.
What happened with the council is three of the members who voted had
a vested interest in the charter boat industry that they did not
disclose prior to the vote, even though Federal law required that they
do it. Then, they turned around and cast that vote which personally
benefited them, which, again, was illegal.
I appreciate the committee working to put in the money for more data
in an effort to get the recreational season back for the not-for-hire
recreational angler, but to be honest with you, if you give them all
the data in the world, no matter what it says, if they continue to
conduct themselves in that manner, it won't matter. They will simply
allocate themselves more fish.
So with that, Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition, but I am not
opposed.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. CULBERSON. I understand the gentleman is going to withdraw his
amendment, and he has identified a serious problem that he has brought
to our attention that I want to work with my ranking member on.
I understand that it sounds to me like we have got a clear violation
of Federal law involved here, and I am very distressed to hear of this
reduction. It is a 95 percent reduction in the time available to
individual Americans to fish, which is a very important part to all of
us who live next to the Gulf of Mexico who go out and fish for red
snapper.
I am very concerned to hear about this failure to disclose the
conflict of interest, and I would like to work with the gentleman from
Georgia to help rectify this and make sure that the law not only is
obeyed, but the agency is responsive to the needs of private fishermen.
I would like to work with my colleague from Philadelphia on this.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, let me say that I thank
the chairman and ranking member. This is something that needs to be
rectified. If an illegal action was taken, it needs to be reversed.
Based on your commitment to work with us on this amendment at this
[[Page H3685]]
time, I look forward to having those discussions, and I ask unanimous
consent to withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Blumenauer
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 14, lines 1, 18, and 19, after each dollar amount,
insert ``(reduced by $60,760,000) (increased by
$60,760,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Oregon and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.
Sadly, the funding in this bill for NOAA's climate research is
shamefully inadequate and puts at risk efforts to mitigate and respond
to the impacts of climate change. It cuts NOAA's climate research by
$30 million relative to the current fiscal year's inadequate level and
is $61 million below the President's request. I am offering an
amendment to restore the funding to the President's level.
All across America, we are dealing with the impacts of climate
change. Extreme weather events, whether it is the recent floods in
Texas, or the persistent 4-year drought in California, are regular
events. They claim lives and cost billions of dollars each year.
Floods, droughts, superstorms, wildfires, heat waves, and sea level
rise are all made worse as a result of climate change.
We are no longer talking just about preparing for the future. It is
happening now. And the evidence is clear as we go from one extreme
weather event to another that it is getting worse.
NOAA climate research funds atmospheric and oceanic research,
cooperative institutes, universities, climate research laboratories,
and others that will advance climate science and enable better
decisionmaking and better policies to make our communities more
resilient.
It makes no sense to defund programs to help us prepare for extreme
weather events; mitigate the impacts of such events; prevent the loss
of human life, infrastructure, and property; and better predict these
occurrences.
Choosing to deny climate change does not stop it from happening, and
failing to study and authorize these programs will not make the problem
go away. In fact, it will only make us more vulnerable and hurt our
ability to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. CULBERSON. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
has a record level of funding in this bill for weather forecasting,
which is where they need to focus their work: predicting the future and
telling American farmers, American workers, American industry, and the
American people what the future holds. What does the next week, the
next month, or hurricane season hold for the people of the Gulf of
Mexico or the Atlantic Coast?
So, in an era of scarce resources we have funded NOAA with a record
level of funding for weather forecasting. We have made sure they have
got all the money they need for maritime safety and for supporting and
monitoring America's fisheries.
We have made sure in this bill that NOAA is focusing on their core
function, and that is looking to the future. That, of course, is going
to involve looking at climate. But over the past several years climate
funding within NOAA has received more than adequate funding, and we
have to use the scarce, very precious, hard-earned taxpayer dollars
that we are entrusted to appropriate very carefully. We have to
prioritize that funding, and within this bill, we have chosen to
prioritize weather forecasting.
I respect the gentleman's judgment but would ask him if he could
withdraw the amendment, and I look forward to working with him to
ensure that NOAA has got everything they need to accurately predict the
weather in the future.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Beyer).
Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Blumenauer amendment.
In business, we are always fighting the tendency of the long term
giving away to the short term, the important giving away to the urgent
and the immediate.
I am deeply disappointed that this budget for climate research has
been cut by $30 million. Now is not the time to cut climate research.
From the floods in Houston to the drought in California, shifts in
climate over the next few decades will cost American companies and
American communities hundreds of billions of dollars. NOAA has the
ability to do advanced forecasting predictions certainly for weather-
and for ocean-related phenomena, but they also have it for climate
short- and long-term change. This ability is crucial to support the
future of our businesses, coastal cities, and environmental health.
This Congress has repeatedly affirmed that climate change is real. We
may have different ideas about the cause of climate change and
certainly what we can do to combat it, but it makes no sense to slash
the very research which will enable us to find effective, bipartisan
solutions.
We must robustly fund climate science research, and I urge my
colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I understand the gentleman is going to
withdraw the amendment, and I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Fattah).
Mr. FATTAH. In this bill there are three cuts: at NASA on the Earth
Science program, the cut to the National Science Foundation in terms of
the ability to focus on geosciences, and the issue that is raised by my
great friend from Oregon, and they combine to make the point that there
is not yet a consensus in one place. Even though there is a consensus
in the scientific community, the majority still is not yet clear that
climate is something that we need to focus on.
I urge support for the Blumenauer amendment.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I respect my friend from Texas. I
appreciate his willingness to work with me and his notion of putting
more resources in forecasting, but that is not the issue here.
What we need to be doing is having a robust effort at NOAA to be able
to deal comprehensively with climate, being able to deal with how we
help communities be more resilient, how we are able to deal with the
forces that are down upon us to help the scientific bases to be able to
maybe even encourage this Congress to step up and do its job.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, could the gentleman be more specific
about what it is he is asking NOAA to do?
Mr. BLUMENAUER. It is our ability to provide reliable, long-term
drought forecasts, projections of regional drought indicators, and
issues dealing with the prediction of what happens in terms of flood
research and performance of climate and weather models.
This is not simply a matter of predicting next week's weather. This
is dealing with long-term consequences and helping communities deal
with the impact of climate change and being able to understand it
better.
Mr. Chairman, this is an entirely self-imposed constraint from my
Republican friends. They have passed hundreds of billions of dollars of
unfunded tax cuts out of committee. There is more than adequate money.
Because the budget is so hopelessly inadequate, I ask unanimous
consent to withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Guinta
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
[[Page H3686]]
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $70,000,000) (increased by $70,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from New Hampshire and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I plan to withdraw this amendment, but I
would like the opportunity to briefly explain.
The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act of 1954 imposed a special duty on fish
and fish products imported into the United States and required that 30
percent of the money collected by NOAA would go toward supporting
fisheries and research and development on the industry's long-term
sustainability. However, NOAA has not been properly paying into its
regional fishing grant programs and is using these tariffs as part of
its operational expenses.
To ensure a thriving fishing industry, we must invest in initiatives
that increase the stock of our Nation's fisheries by providing grants
to research and monitor them as well as management programs.
During my first term, I introduced legislation that would ensure that
key programs critical to sustainably managing ocean fish populations
and the fishermen and communities that depend on them would receive
increased and sustained funding.
I sincerely thank Chairman Culberson for considering my
appropriations letter and including the transfer of $130 million in
existing funds to be used exclusively on Saltonstall-Kennedy fishing
activity, particularly the S-K regional fisheries investment grant
program.
This transfer of funds will directly provide grants to regional
fishery management councils that would work with area fishermen to
identify investment priorities. These investment priorities include
disaster assistance, improving shoreside infrastructure, seafood
promotion, and managing highly migratory species.
The transfer of these funds will help; however, it is a temporary fix
to a much larger issue.
{time} 1645
This year, I, along with my friend Congressman Bill Keating, have
introduced the same legislation that would ensure that NOAA follow the
requirement laid out in the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act of 1954.
Again, I want to thank Chairman Culberson for taking my letter and
thoughts into consideration. I appreciate the hard work of the
committee on this issue and the bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I am
not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I would like to work with the gentleman
from New Hampshire on this issue as we move forward. I understand the
importance of the issue. I appreciate very much you raising it here
with us today, and we look forward to working with you.
We do include language stating that certain funds may be used only
for activities related to the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program.
We have worked with NOAA for the past several years to reduce their
administration costs. We will continue to do so this year, and I will
continue to work with you as we move forward through the process.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from New Hampshire?
There was no objection.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Polis
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 14, lines 1, 18, and 19, after each dollar amount,
insert ``(reduced by $30,000,000) (increased by
$30,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Colorado and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to several of the
critical accounts in the bill that have been cut, which my amendment
would address.
The CJS Appropriations Act specifically targets funding for NOAA's
climate research programs by $30 million over currently enacted levels,
a program so important for farmers, for businesses, for air safety, for
so many different reasons. That is a 20 percent cut to programs that
are imperative to our Nation's ability and resilience in the face of
climate threats.
Twenty-five people were killed in the floods that saturated Texas
last month. Damage from Hurricane Sandy was estimated at $700 billion
back in 2012, and at least six people died in Boulder and Larimer
County during the flooding that overtook my region in 2013. None of
these places had ever seen storms like the ones they encountered over
the last 5 years, and each were unprepared to handle it.
NOAA and its partner institutions have made a huge dent in preventing
disasters like these by keeping first responders, weather forecasters,
businesses, communities, and families on the cutting edge of data
predictability and resilience, providing quality raw data, as well as
helping to develop new algorithms for interpreting existing data.
Two of our partner institutions, CU and CSU, are located in my
district in Colorado. Together with NOAA, these institutions are
developing unmanned atmospheric assessment aircraft that allow us to
foresee changes in weather patterns, incoming storms, days before we
could otherwise, saving lives and saving property damage.
These are very real tangible benefits that benefit all and protect
Americans, regardless of whether one believes in climate change or what
is causing it. I urge my colleagues to consider a world without these
capabilities and what that would look like.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
We have, as I said earlier, scarce resources this year. We have to
prioritize the very precious and scarce hard-earned taxpayers dollars
that we are entrusted to look after, and we have prioritized funding
within NOAA for forecasting in the future.
As I was telling Mr. Blumenauer earlier, Mr. Polis, we have made sure
that NOAA has got a record level of funding for weather forecasting and
most of the things that Mr. Blumenauer was mentioning, in terms of
forecasting drought, identifying where floods are going to occur.
Looking forward, we have made sure that NOAA's got all the money they
need for forecasting in the future, and we have to, I think, do
everything we can to avoid cutting other parts of NOAA that would
impair the weather forecasting or the development, maintenance, and
operation of the weather satellites which could help NOAA inform people
of severe weather.
We, on the Gulf Coast in particular and on the Atlantic Coast as
well, depend on NOAA to give us accurate forecasts of the paths of
hurricanes. Hurricane season this year, they are predicting--because of
the increase in computing power of supercomputers, they are able to
predict it looks like it is going to be--the hurricane season this year
is not going to be as severe.
That capacity of NOAA to use supercomputing power to look that far
into the future is of vital importance, so we have made sure that they
have got a record level of funding for forecasting.
We also do not want to reduce NOAA's capacity to support maritime
navigation or to appropriately manage their fisheries. We just have
limited resources, is the problem, Mr. Polis; and I just have had to
prioritize NOAA's funding.
We have put weather forecasting at the top of the list because of its
vital importance for the economy and for the safety and security of the
American people.
I understand you are planning to withdraw the amendment, and I would
certainly look forward to working with
[[Page H3687]]
you. As Mr. Blumenauer mentioned a number of worthwhile endeavors that
NOAA is engaged in, if you feel there are areas we need to work
together on to get NOAA focused on to do a better job of forecasting in
the future or other concerns, I would be happy to work with you.
Mr. POLIS. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado if he would
like to engage in a colloquy.
Mr. POLIS. I would like to emphasize the importance of climate
science with regard to predicting weather. The more we know about
climate and climate patterns, the more it enhances our ability to
predict short-term weather phenomena; therefore, a disproportionate cut
to the climate science piece hampers our ability to anticipate weather
patterns as well.
Mr. CULBERSON. I look forward to working with you as we move forward
in the process. I understand you are planning to withdraw the
amendment.
Mr. POLIS. I have additional speakers.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle).
Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I think one of
the most concerning things about this budget proposal is, without
question, the proposal to cut $30 million to NOAA. That represents an
approximately 20 percent cut, as my colleague from Colorado was
pointing out.
Mr. Chairman, I find it interesting that those who would deny the
science of climate change often like to say, Well, the jury is still
out, we need more research; yet here we are, with a budget that will
cut that very research.
Mr. Chairman, just a couple of years ago, in my house in
Philadelphia, we were riding out a hurricane. Hurricane Sandy ended up
becoming Superstorm Sandy. We never imagined that, in Philadelphia, we
would be experiencing the kind of hurricane that typically is
experienced by Florida and the Gulf Coast States.
As even a Republican Governor said at the time, it seems as if the
storm of the century is now happening once every couple of years.
Mr. Chairman, we desperately need this research. We need this
funding. Let's restore NOAA funding.
Mr. CULBERSON. I am still trying to identify what precisely you are
asking for because I think we are on the same page when it comes to
forecasting and prediction. That is what you are asking for.
Mr. POLIS. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.
Mr. POLIS. I wanted to inquire with regard to how the funding cuts
would impact the development of the unmanned atmospheric assessment
aircrafts that are critical to foreseeing changes in weather pattern.
Mr. CULBERSON. If I could, we are going to make sure that NOAA has
got all the--we have given them a record level of increase this year so
they can engage and make sure we have got accurate forecasting. Whether
it be through their aircraft or their supercomputers or their modeling,
they have got the resources they need to do accurate forecasting for
the future.
I am just trying to get a precise idea what it is you are looking for
because I think we have given them all they need for forecasting, and
that is what you are asking for.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, very specifically, this amendment would
restore the $30 million of cuts--namely, a 20 percent cut--a
disproportionate cut to climate science activities, including unmanned
atmospheric assessment aircrafts and including creating raw data
streams that can be used by those who predict weather, as well as by
farmers and businesses, because you can't separate out weather and
climate.
I think, perhaps because of political reasons--I don't know why--
there is a disproportionate cut, 20 percent, to the climate science
piece of NOAA. Now, that climate science piece of NOAA, just because it
has the word ``climate'' in it, that doesn't mean it is something where
they are out there doing things that are political.
What they are doing is they are trying to research the macro effects
of climate on weather, on population and patterns, on dangers on ships.
If the gentleman would simply allow that discretion within NOAA, undo
the 20 percent cut, we fund that within NOAA.
We are not, nor can we, under the budget, seek new money. We are
simply taking the $30 million and putting it back into the climate
science program.
Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. POLIS. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. Thank you for yielding because I have just checked
with my staff, and it appears that the money that we have allocated, a
record level of funding for NOAA's forecasting, takes care of that
aircraft. The money that we have allocated for NOAA for forecasting
takes care of the data stream.
That is why I kept asking what are y'all specifically asking for. We
have taken care of it. We are deeply concerned with making sure that
NOAA has got the money they need to predict hurricanes, to predict
floods, to predict the terrible flooding that has taken place in
Houston or the drought that has taken place in California.
I think we are on the same page. I want to be sure the gentleman
knows that I will work with him as we move forward in conference. If
you can identify something specific that NOAA does not have as a result
of our record increase for forecasting, we will help you restore it.
Mr. POLIS. Reclaiming my time, one of the areas we would love to work
with you on is Cooperative Institutes funding, the partnerships that
NOAA has with our institutions of higher education to better leverage
our taxpayer dollars.
I reserve the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw this
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Colorado?
There was no objection.
amendment offered by mr. smith of texas
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $21,000,000) (increased by $21,000,000)''.
Page 14, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert
``(reduced by $21,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, my amendment takes direct, strong
action to address America's weather forecasting shortcomings in order
to reduce the loss of life and property from severe storms.
The amendment I offer on behalf of myself; Science, Space, and
Technology Committee Vice Chairman Frank Lucas; and Environment
Subcommittee Chairman Jim Bridenstine directs that the full $120
million authorized in House-passed H.R. 1561, the Weather Research and
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015, be provided in the NOAA Operations,
Research, and Facilities appropriation account.
The recent flooding in Texas and tornados in Oklahoma demonstrate the
immediate need to quickly implement better weather research and
forecasting by fully funding H.R. 1561.
The House unanimously passed that bill just 2 weeks ago. We also
unanimously passed it over a year ago in April 2014.
Now, thanks to Chairman Culberson's initiative and support, the CJS
bill will add the needed resources to transform our antiquated 1980s
weather forecasting system into a 21st century weather enterprise in
the next few years.
Specifically, this amendment will provide $5 million more for weather
lab research in NOAA, to total the $80 million authorized. The
amendment will also provide $16 million more for weather research
technology transfer in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric
Research, to total $20 million authorized to implement a labs
[[Page H3688]]
and Cooperative Institutes research-to-operations program.
This program will improve the understanding of how the public
responds to warnings and transfer new technology to the National
Weather Service, the American weather industry, and the academic
partners.
This new joint Technology Transfer Initiative should include support
for the Vortex-SE project and development of advanced national and
global cloud resolving models; quantitative observing system assessment
tools; atmospheric chemistry needed for weather prediction; and
additional sources of weather data, which includes commercial observing
systems.
Once again, I appreciate Chairman Culberson's accepting the
amendment, which will help save lives and reduce property damage.
As the CJS Appropriations chairman, Mr. Culberson has proved himself
to be capable, knowledgeable, and committed to the country's best
interest.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Does the gentleman from Texas seek to rise in
opposition?
Mr. CULBERSON. Well, I would like to seek some time in opposition,
but I do not oppose the amendment. We have agreed to accept it and work
this out.
The Acting CHAIR. Is the gentleman from Pennsylvania opposed?
Mr. FATTAH. I am authentically opposed to the amendment, but I would
also make an allowance to yield to my chairman after I make my
comments.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania is recognized for 5
minutes.
{time} 1700
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Culberson), the chairman of the subcommittee.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I just want to stress, if I could, that
Chairman Smith has been very supportive and cooperative. We have worked
together arm in arm, as has his ranking member, who is also from Texas.
This amendment is one that will help the Weather Service do a better
job of forecasting. I think it is a good amendment. It is one that we
have worked out together. I do urge Members to support it.
I appreciate the gentleman from Pennsylvania yielding to me.
Mr. FATTAH. Reclaiming my time in opposition, in all good, there is
some bad. It is true that this amendment would offer some additional
dollars for weather forecasting. But $16 million of it--the bulk of the
$21 million--would go into technology transfer. Now, I am not opposed
to technology transfer, but to take it out of the administrative work
at NOAA, I have visited NOAA, and I understand how the operations there
work. I have spent a lot of time learning about its operations. And I
can tell you that NOAA cannot perform the duties that our Nation needs
without the administrative capabilities.
It would be just like coming here to the Hill and expecting the
Congress to function without our back office operations. We would not
be able to proceed forward. So I think that it is more important for us
to have an appropriate allocation so that we can meet these needs than
it is to rob the administrative capability of NOAA at a time when we
want to place more demands on it.
I think that the amendment--even though moving towards additional
help for weather forecasting--the bulk of it is for a technology
transfer to the private sector, which I am all for, but it sounds to me
like it is robbing Peter to pay Paul.
On the floor, it may be easy to pass an amendment that cuts
administrative costs at a government agency, but it may be something
that we live to regret. So I stand in opposition to the amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman
from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine), who is the chairman of the Environment
Subcommittee of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Smith
for his leadership on this important amendment as well as Chairman
Culberson. I thank them for working with us on this amendment. I know
we have been working very hard to make sure that this is adequately
funded and from the right sources.
By fully funding the weather research and technology transfer that
was authorized by my bill, H.R. 1561, this appropriations bill now
reflects the House's will that NOAA prioritize activities that save
lives and property. The funding will go to support critical work to
increase the lead times that we receive for tornadoes. A lot of this
critical work is being done at the University of Oklahoma. I have heard
already that we were looking for more funding for some Cooperative
Institutes, and that is what this is.
This is of extreme importance to my State, as I have already lost
constituents this year from tornadoes. It is my sincere belief that
this appropriations bill now ensures that programs are funded that will
eventually move us to a day where no one is killed in a tornado or
other severe storm event.
Again, I thank Chairman Culberson and Chairman Smith for their
leadership on this issue. We need to adopt this amendment so that we
can save lives and property, especially as it relates to my
constituents in Oklahoma.
Mr. FATTAH. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Keating
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $1,750,000) (increased by $1,750,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Massachusetts and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to offer and withdraw my
amendment.
I rise for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy with the chairman
and the gentlewoman from Maine.
Since 1972, the National Marine Fisheries Service has utilized
trained fishery observers to monitor and assess the health of fish
populations along the coast of the United States, providing critical
data gathered from commercial vessels that is then used to guide NOAA
in determining best practices for conservation and sustainable
management.
The fishing industry is a willing and engaged partner in supporting
the use of on-vessel observers. However, following a legal challenge,
this August, NOAA will run out of funding to continue paying for this
mandated program.
I have heard from fishermen from the south coast of Massachusetts, to
Cape Cod and the islands, to the south shore who are still struggling
from the impacts of diminishing groundfish stocks and worry they will
be unable to cover the burden of this cost.
Our region is still reeling from the collapse of the groundfish
industry that prompted Federal disaster relief. This is particularly
true for some small fishing businesses, where this added burden can be
the difference between success and failure as a business.
I am working with my New England and Massachusetts colleagues and
NOAA to find an interim solution. And as we look to 2016, I ask that we
work to provide adequate funding for at-sea and dockside monitoring for
fisheries with approved catch share management plans that impose
observer coverage as a condition for new and expanded fishing
opportunities. We also can use this time, I believe, to seek cost-
effective technological alternatives, where appropriate.
I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Maine
(Ms. Pingree).
Ms. PINGREE. I thank my colleague from Massachusetts and Chairman
Culberson for chatting with us about this particular issue.
Mr. Chairman, as has been already stated here by my colleague today,
there is never a good time to ask our fishermen to take on a cost of
this size that we are discussing here. But now is
[[Page H3689]]
an even worse time than most because it will be asking those who make
their living on the Gulf of Maine to pay for onboard monitors when the
ground fishery is struggling. I understand the tough position that NOAA
is in due to tight budgets, but times are even tougher on the men and
women who make their living from groundfish right now.
I hope NOAA can find a way to avoid making them pay for onboard
monitors, and whatever the short-term solution is, I think NOAA should
look at ways to conduct monitoring through the use of onboard cameras
or other cost-effective electronic technologies.
I hope the chairman will be willing to work with us on this and with
NOAA on this issue that affects so many of our hard-working
constituents.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this time to thank
the chair and ranking member for their willingness to engage in what
really is an important issue. I look forward to working together with
Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Fattah on this issue.
Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. KEATING. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with the
gentleman from Massachusetts. I recognize how important the Northeast
Multispecies Sector Management Program is, and I look forward to
working with the gentleman and my colleague from Philadelphia as we
move forward through conference.
Mr. FATTAH. We are going to work to get to a more satisfactory
resolution.
Mr. KEATING. I thank the ranking member and the chair.
Mr. Chairman, at this time, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw this
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Clawson of Florida
Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the
desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount insert
``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
Page 25, line 3, after the dollar amount insert ``(reduced
by $2,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Florida and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, this afternoon I am introducing
an amendment which would take $2 million from the Department of
Justice's legal activities, salaries and expenses, general legal
activities current budget of $885 million, which has been flat over the
last several years, and I would put this $2 million, instead, to NOAA
in their operations, research, and facilities fund--specifically
directed to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat
Conservation and Restoration initiative.
This nationwide initiative includes hundreds of community-based
habitat restoration projects that conserve or restore America's
precious native species and critical water quality restoration.
This amendment is consistent with the focus of my office to cut
government spending and motivate our civil servant management teams to
achieve higher cost efficiencies throughout the Federal Government and
to focus more on critical environmental priorities. In short, less
administration expense; more money for water, fish, and atmosphere.
Back in April, I introduced an amendment to H.R. 2028, the Energy and
Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, with
Representative Patrick Murphy of Florida that would move $1 million of
the Army Corps of Engineers' salary and expense budget to construction
projects in the Corps, like the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration and
the Herbert Hoover Dike.
This amendment today likewise will help fund critical habitat
projects across America, including important work in my district, like
the Galt Preserve Restoration Project in St. James City; the Clam Bayou
Oyster Reef Restoration and Evaluation of Seagrass and Water Quality on
Sanibel Island; the Ding Darling Mangrove Restoration Project on
Sanibel Island; Florida's Bay Scallop Metapopulation Stabilization at
Pine Island Center; the Mangrove Conservation Initiative in Naples; and
the Sam Williams Island Mangrove Restoration and Tarpon Bay Hydrologic
Restoration on Marco Island.
Habitat restoration plays an important role in all of our communities
and in the lives and welfare of our constituents, especially mine.
America's ecosystem is the lifeblood of so many of our American
communities, economies, and culture. Let's do everything we can to
preserve it.
Fisheries contribute more than $70 billion to the gross domestic
product. Nationwide, commercial and recreational fishing, boating,
tourism, and other industries provide more than $28 million jobs.
Together, coastal watershed counties contribute more than $4.5 trillion
to the GDP. An estimated 53 percent of the current population live in
coastal communities. More than 60 percent of our coastal rivers and
bays are moderately or severely degraded by nutrient runoff. This was
my original reason for getting into politics. We live with this
nutrient runoff in my district, in my backyard, every day. It looks
bad. It smells bad. It is a pitiful situation.
One added fact: according to NOAA's studies, 17 to 33 jobs are
created for every $1 million invested in habitat restoration.
I say today, let's save a little bit of money, save a lot of jobs. It
is good economics. It is good policy. It is good conservation. And I
urge both sides to support it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I do
not oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's
amendment. It is a worthwhile cause and one that we have worked
together closely on. So I would urge Members to support the amendment.
I look forward to working with you as we move through conference to
make sure this is addressed. It is a problem throughout the Gulf Coast
and one you are very right to focus Congress' attention on.
I urge Members to support the amendment.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I also rise in support of the gentleman's
amendment.
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. I would like to thank the chairman and the
ranking member for their leadership on this. This is a big deal in the
Gulf. My appreciation is heartfelt for them making this move and
showing this symbol of importance. So in the name of all of my
constituents, I thank both of them for their leadership and support on
this.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Clawson).
The amendment was agreed to.
{time} 1715
Amendment No. 4 Offered by Ms. Bonamici
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I have amendment No. 4 at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced
by $21,559,000) (increased by $21,559,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman
from Oregon and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment to increase funding
for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to
support its
[[Page H3690]]
Integrated Ocean Acidification research and fulfill the
administration's requested funding level of $30 million in fiscal year
2016.
The administration's requested funding increase for ocean
acidification research reflects a growing consensus in the scientific
community and in the coastal and fishing communities that so many of
our colleagues and I represent. Ocean acidification is already
affecting marine organisms and could irreversibly alter the marine
environment and harm our coastal ecosystems.
On the West Coast alone, a $270 million shellfish industry has
experienced disastrous oyster production failures and faced the risk of
collapse in recent years because of changes in water condition that
have been attributed to ocean acidification. This change in chemistry
is caused by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolving into the
ocean, and the increased acidity of the ocean is harming basic building
blocks for life in the sea. This makes it more difficult for marine
organisms to build their skeletons and shells, and it slows the
formation of important ecosystem features like coral reefs. These
changes can ripple through the food chain, disrupting delicate marine
ecosystems and threatening major commercial fisheries.
In the Pacific Northwest, the combination of seasonal upwelling of
acidic waters, low alkalinity, and increased anthropogenic carbon
dioxide creates some of the most corrosive ocean conditions in the
world.
In the last few years, Mr. Chairman, the scientific community has
increasingly raised concerns about the ocean. Researchers at Oregon
State University have been working with the fishing community in Oregon
to determine the effects of acidification. They have been helping the
shellfish hatcheries assess the oyster die-off and finding ways to
mitigate the harmful upwelling events by monitoring the water entering
their facilities. This exemplifies the kind of academic and industry
partnerships that are possible when the Federal Government supports
academic research.
NOAA's Integrated Ocean Acidification research program supports
extramural research awards that fund studies on acidification in ocean,
coastal, and estuary environments. Not only does this program support
studies on the effects of acidification, it also allows NOAA to run the
observing system that helps monitor areas of increased acidity.
These examples have focused on the effects in Oregon and on the West
Coast, but our changing ocean conditions can have far-reaching
implications for fisheries throughout the U.S., including the East
Coast and Gulf shellfish industries. It also affects the people across
the Nation who eat seafood and the stores and restaurants that sell it.
Mr. Chairman, it is clear that we need more information, which is why
NOAA's Integrated Ocean Acidification research program must be fully
funded. Unfortunately, this bill falls short of what the American
people and our fishing communities deserve.
I urge support of the amendment, and reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. CULBERSON. I understand the gentlewoman is going to withdraw this
amendment.
I agree with the gentlewoman that ocean acidification is a serious
problem. That is why you see funding in the bill for it. We just have a
limited amount of resources.
I will listen to your other speakers, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, can I please inquire about the remaining
time.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Oregon has 2 minutes
remaining.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from California (Mr. Farr), my colleague.
Mr. FARR. I wish the chairman was accepting this amendment because
the faults that we hear are that we have limited resources. We have
limited resources, but it is a priority where you give them. This ocean
acidification is a serious problem. It is the most serious problem of
mankind that we can do something about. When the ocean is starting to
melt all the shellfish, the lobster industry, the crab industry,
the oyster industry, and the clam industry, all of these industries
have a huge effect on not only where they are farming, but where the
tourism that is attracted to them.
Mr. Chairman, we can do something about it. We need more money. The
President asked for $30 million in this program. The committee cut it
to $8.4 million, says he is funding it. However, the President asked
for the same amount of money for the exploration of the moon of Jupiter
called Europa. The committee decided to give them $110 million more
than the President asked for. So don't tell me that there isn't money
available. It is just the priority where you give it.
Are you going to save this planet or put all the money into the moon
of Jupiter? I think it is more important that we research ocean
acidification, and that is why Don Young and I are introducing a bill
to tackle this problem more than just this amendment in this moment.
Mr. Chairman, we have to get serious about this. The planet is
melting, and the ocean acidification is melting the organisms in the
ocean; and when they die, we die.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, I would point out to my colleagues we have $8.5 million
in the bill for studying ocean acidification. I share your concern. It
is a vitally important issue. And the thrust of our work in NASA, as
you know from reading the bill, is we have prioritized those missions
in the bill that are the top priority of the Planetary Decadal Survey.
We have encouraged NASA to follow the recommendations of the best
minds in the scientific community. Every 10 years they get together and
prioritize the earth science missions, heliophysics missions,
astrophysics missions, those missions aimed at the outer planets, and
the Europa mission has been the single highest priority of the Decadal
Survey last decade and this decade. The past administration and this
one continue to resist the best recommendations of the best minds in
the scientific community. I can't think of a more exciting question
that science could answer as to whether or not there is life on another
world, and that is going to be answered by this mission to Europa.
I agree strongly that we need to research ocean acidification, and
that is why there is $8.5 million in the bill for it.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. Even though I am in a totally opposite position on the
matter than you.
Mr. CULBERSON. I am happy to engage in a colloquy with my friend from
Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. We have an Earth in which the majority of it is covered
by oceans. As a nation, we have more responsibility territorially for
the world's oceans than any other nation. You agree that this is a
major issue. It is funded at a level that we think should be increased.
I hope that the chairman will work with us as we go forward to see
whether we can improve and make even more robust our stewardship, which
is our responsibility, as I would understand it. Even though there are
other areas in the bill where we have made important sacrifices, maybe
this is an area where we can do more.
Mr. CULBERSON. It is one in which I look forward to working with you
on to do more to research ocean acidification. That is why you see in
the bill a major investment in oceanographic mapping and research, the
economic zone of the United States which is unmapped and uncharted and
loaded with rare earths and great mineral wealth that Dr. Bob Ballard
and his team and other scientists are exploring, and we are investing
there.
I look forward to working with you in conference.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, we will work together on this. This is a
very important area of interest for me, and I thank the gentlewoman for
offering her amendment.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H3691]]
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned, I do plan to withdraw this amendment. I
do want to emphasize the seriousness of this issue in addressing it. I
do contend that the amount in this bill is inadequate. So I do look
forward to working with the committee chairman, the ranking member, and
the committee going forward to address this very important issue.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
procurement, acquisition and construction
(including transfer of funds)
For procurement, acquisition and construction of capital
assets, including alteration and modification costs, of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
$1,960,034,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018,
except that funds provided for construction of facilities
shall remain available until expended: Provided, That of the
$1,973,034,000 provided for in direct obligations under this
heading, $1,960,034,000 is appropriated from the general fund
and $13,000,000 is provided from recoveries of prior year
obligations: Provided further, That any deviation from the
amounts designated for specific activities in the report
accompanying this Act, or any use of deobligated balances of
funds provided under this heading in previous years, shall be
subject to the procedures set forth in section 505 of this
Act: Provided further, That the Secretary of Commerce shall
include in budget justification materials that the Secretary
submits to Congress in support of the Department of Commerce
budget (as submitted with the budget of the President under
section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code) an estimate
for each National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
procurement, acquisition or construction project having a
total of more than $5,000,000 and simultaneously the budget
justification shall include an estimate of the budgetary
requirements for each such project for each of the 5
subsequent fiscal years: Provided further, That, within the
amounts appropriated, $1,302,000 shall be transferred to the
``Office of Inspector General'' account for activities
associated with carrying out investigations and audits
related to satellite procurement, acquisition and
construction.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Bridenstine
Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 15, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert
``(reduced by $9,000,000) (increased by $9,000,00)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from Oklahoma and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, my amendment designates $9 million within NOAA's
Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction account for the purposes of
funding a pilot program for space-based commercial weather data as
authorized by H.R. 1561, the House-passed Lucas-Bridenstine Weather
Research and Forecasting Act of 2015.
Although I intend to withdraw my amendment, I intend to use this time
to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. Chairman, the commercial satellite industry has revolutionized
everyday life. From telecommunications to imaging to navigation, we
reap the benefits of private sector innovation. I truly believe we have
that opportunity when it comes to weather satellites as well. By
introducing newer, more innovative, more resilient and additional forms
of data into our numerical weather models, we can improve our ability
to forecast weather and save the lives of our constituents.
By providing NOAA with the funds to purchase commercial data, it
sends a clear signal to the burgeoning, nascent weather satellite
industry: NOAA is interested in commercial data from the private
sector. This pilot program has the potential to shift paradigms within
our weather enterprise and serve as the first step toward moving to a
day where the government does not have a monopoly on weather
satellites.
NOAA operates huge, monolithic, billion-dollar satellite programs
that have experienced cost overruns and launch delays. These programs
are important to ensuring we have robust weather data, but we need a
mitigation strategy when problems arise, a role that commercial sources
can play. In addition, they can augment our programs of record, and for
a fraction of the cost. In fact, to fully fund this program, NOAA would
only need to find the equivalent of one dime out of a $20 bill.
Mr. Chairman, I believe, in the long run, purchasing data from the
private sector will lead to lower costs for the taxpayers, as well as
better data, more data, and more innovation. However, I understand the
constraints that the gentleman from Texas is under when crafting this
appropriations bill, and I appreciate his willingness to work with me
on this issue. The question I pose to him is: Does the chairman intend
to have NOAA provide $9 million from within its Procurement,
Acquisition, and Construction appropriation for NESDIS Systems
Acquisition to carry out this pilot program in fiscal year 2016 as is
authorized in H.R. 1561?
Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. BRIDENSTINE. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. I agree completely with the gentleman that NOAA should
work with the private sector when data is available. It is cost
effective and can save the taxpayers money, and, in fact, that is why
we included a statement on this in the committee report. I look forward
to working with you as we move forward in conference to ensure that
this worthwhile goal is achieved.
Mr. BRIDENSTINE. I thank the chairman. I look forward to working
together with you and with NOAA to ensure that congressional intent is
clear and to make this critically important pilot program a reality. I
appreciate your leadership and assistance on this issue.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Oklahoma?
There was no objection.
Amendment No. 5 Offered by Ms. Bonamici
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I have amendment No. 5 at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 15, lines 16, 19, and 20, after the dollar amount
insert ``(increased by $380,000,000)''.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the
gentlewoman's amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman from Oregon and a
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment to
ensure the continuity of NOAA's polar satellite program by restoring
its funding. There are many important priorities in this bill, but the
technical nature of this satellite program and its value to our Nation
are being overlooked.
The importance of these satellites and the need to maintain the
information they collect is not daily news, but the accurate, timely
data the satellites provide to our weather forecasters is crucial. This
data is needed not only in severe weather scenarios, but also for the
wide-ranging accessibility to everyone in our Nation, from those who
hear a weather forecast on the local news to the millions across the
Nation who open up an app on their phones.
Weather is important. It affects everything from our commute to the
food on our table. In fact, a 2009 study from the American
Meteorological Society stated that U.S. weather forecasts generate
$31.5 billion in benefits for $5.1 billion in cost.
{time} 1730
Unfortunately, past trouble and mismanagement in the polar satellite
program means that a gap in coverage within the next decade is
possible, with the worst-case scenario being a gap lasting more than 5
years. Any loss of coverage from the polar satellites would have
serious consequences on the accuracy and timeliness of our weather
forecasts, warnings, and the capabilities of the National Weather
Service.
[[Page H3692]]
Thankfully, NOAA and NASA have worked very hard to get the polar
satellite program back on track. Unfortunately, the bill we are
considering today has the potential to undermine that progress. The
President's fiscal year 2016 budget request included $380 million for a
polar follow-on program. This important program will minimize the risk
of a gap in polar weather data and address a recommendation from
various independent groups, including the Government Accountability
Office, regarding the need to develop a robust satellite program, a
program that can withstand a launch failure.
By not funding the polar follow-on program in 2016, the continuity
for the polar weather mission is put at risk and the Nation will be
exposed to the vulnerabilities and impacts of a potential gap.
Mr. Chairman, working families in my district and across the country
are balancing enough already. They need to rely on accurate and timely
forecasts, not worry about a gap or where the weather data comes from.
We need this program to continue so we do not lose the gains we have
made. Americans deserve to have access to the best available scientific
data.
Mr. Chairman, unfortunately, the funding levels in this bill are
stretched so thin that it is impossible for me to find more than $300
million to provide an offset. So I do ask the subcommittee chairman and
ranking member to work with me on ways that we can find to preserve and
maintain this essential program.
At this time, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
The Clerk read as follows:
pacific coastal salmon recovery
For necessary expenses associated with the restoration of
Pacific salmon populations, $65,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2017: Provided, That, of the funds
provided herein, the Secretary of Commerce may issue grants
to the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada,
California, and Alaska, and to the Federally recognized
tribes of the Columbia River and Pacific Coast (including
Alaska), for projects necessary for conservation of salmon
and steelhead populations that are listed as threatened or
endangered, or that are identified by a State as at-risk to
be so listed, for maintaining populations necessary for
exercise of tribal treaty fishing rights or native
subsistence fishing, or for conservation of Pacific coastal
salmon and steelhead habitat, based on guidelines to be
developed by the Secretary of Commerce: Provided further,
That all funds shall be allocated based on scientific and
other merit principles and shall not be available for
marketing activities: Provided further, That funds disbursed
to States shall be subject to a matching requirement of funds
or documented in-kind contributions of at least 33 percent of
the Federal funds.
fishermen's contingency fund
For carrying out the provisions of title IV of Public Law
95-372, not to exceed $350,000, to be derived from receipts
collected pursuant to that Act, to remain available until
expended.
fisheries finance program account
Subject to section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, during fiscal year 2016, obligations of direct loans
may not exceed $24,000,000 for Individual Fishing Quota loans
and not to exceed $100,000,000 for traditional direct loans
as authorized by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936.
Departmental Management
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses for the management of the Department
of Commerce provided for by law, including not to exceed
$4,500 for official reception and representation,
$50,000,000.
renovation and modernization
For necessary expenses for the renovation and modernization
of the Herbert C. Hoover Building, $3,989,000, to remain
available until expended, of which $1,082,000 shall be for
security systems and $2,907,000 shall be for blast-resistant
windows.
office of inspector general
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General
in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act
of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), $32,000,000.
General Provisions--Department of Commerce
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 101. During the current fiscal year, applicable
appropriations and funds made available to the Department of
Commerce by this Act shall be available for the activities
specified in the Act of October 26, 1949 (15 U.S.C. 1514), to
the extent and in the manner prescribed by the Act, and,
notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3324, may be used for advanced
payments not otherwise authorized only upon the certification
of officials designated by the Secretary of Commerce that
such payments are in the public interest.
Sec. 102. During the current fiscal year, appropriations
made available to the Department of Commerce by this Act for
salaries and expenses shall be available for hire of
passenger motor vehicles as authorized by 31 U.S.C. 1343 and
1344; services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109; and uniforms
or allowances therefor, as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5901-
5902).
Sec. 103. Not to exceed 5 percent of any appropriation
made available for the current fiscal year for the Department
of Commerce in this Act may be transferred between such
appropriations, but no such appropriation shall be increased
by more than 10 percent by any such transfers: Provided, That
any transfer pursuant to this section shall be treated as a
reprogramming of funds under section 505 of this Act and
shall not be available for obligation or expenditure except
in compliance with the procedures set forth in that section:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Commerce shall notify
the Committees on Appropriations at least 15 days in advance
of the acquisition or disposal of any capital asset
(including land, structures, and equipment) not specifically
provided for in this Act or any other law appropriating funds
for the Department of Commerce.
Sec. 104. The requirements set forth by section 105 of the
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-55), as amended by
section 105 of title I of division B of Public Law 113-6, are
hereby adopted by reference and made applicable with respect
to fiscal year 2016: Provided, That the life cycle cost for
the Joint Polar Satellite System is $11,322,125,000 and the
life cycle cost for the Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite R-Series Program is $10,828,059,000.
Sec. 105. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary may furnish services (including but not limited to
utilities, telecommunications, and security services)
necessary to support the operation, maintenance, and
improvement of space that persons, firms, or organizations
are authorized, pursuant to the Public Buildings Cooperative
Use Act of 1976 or other authority, to use or occupy in the
Herbert C. Hoover Building, Washington, DC, or other
buildings, the maintenance, operation, and protection of
which has been delegated to the Secretary from the
Administrator of General Services pursuant to the Federal
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 on a
reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis. Amounts received as
reimbursement for services provided under this section or the
authority under which the use or occupancy of the space is
authorized, up to $200,000, shall be credited to the
appropriation or fund which initially bears the costs of such
services.
Sec. 106. Nothing in this title shall be construed to
prevent a grant recipient from deterring child pornography,
copyright infringement, or any other unlawful activity over
its networks.
Sec. 107. The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration is authorized to use, with their
consent, with reimbursement and subject to the limits of
available appropriations, the land, services, equipment,
personnel, and facilities of any department, agency, or
instrumentality of the United States, or of any State, local
government, Indian tribal government, Territory, or
possession, or of any political subdivision thereof, or of
any foreign government or international organization, for
purposes related to carrying out the responsibilities of any
statute administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
Sec. 108. The National Technical Information Service shall
not charge any customer for a copy of any report or document
generated by the Legislative Branch unless the Service has
provided information to the customer on how an electronic
copy of such report or document may be accessed and
downloaded for free online. Should a customer still require
the Service to provide a printed or digital copy of the
report or document, the charge shall be limited to recovering
the Service's cost of processing, reproducing, and delivering
such report or document.
Sec. 109. The Secretary of Commerce may waive the
requirement for bonds under 40 U.S.C. 3131 with respect to
contracts for the construction, alteration, or repair of
vessels, regardless of the terms of the contracts as to
payment or title, when the contract is made under the Coast
and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883a et seq.).
Sec. 110. In fiscal year 2016, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology may use unobligated balances from
the ``National Institute of Standards and Technology--
Industrial Technology Services'' account for the purposes of
and subject to the limitations in section 34(e)(2) of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
278s(e)(2)).
This title may be cited as the ``Department of Commerce
Appropriations Act, 2016''.
TITLE II
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
General Administration
salaries and expenses
For expenses necessary for the administration of the
Department of Justice,
[[Page H3693]]
$105,000,000, of which not to exceed $4,000,000 for security
and construction of Department of Justice facilities shall
remain available until expended.
Amendment Offered by Mr. McKinley
Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 23, line 6, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(decreased by $2,000,000)''.
Page 72, line 1, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman
from West Virginia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.
Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, many small businesses around the country
are struggling, struggling to compete against low-priced foreign
imports benefiting from unfair trade practices. They are constantly
intimidated by the cost of the legal challenges that they face.
The intent of this amendment is simple. It transfers $2 million to
the International Trade Commission to provide legal and technical
assistance to small businesses seeking a remedy.
I offered this amendment last year to the bill and it was approved.
Time and time again small companies are losing business against
unfair, low-cost imports which flood our country. Something needs to be
done. Small businesses need help.
They don't have access to the same legal resources as larger
companies. They can't afford the cost to file a claim against large
state-supported industries like we see coming from China. These small
businesses in America deserve to be treated better.
In West Virginia, Mr. Chairman, we have one particular company which
manufactures glass, lead-free marbles. The company has less than 50
employees. They, among other firms like that, have asked our office a
simple question: When an average cost to file an antidumping claim is
$1 million or more, how can small manufacturers afford access to
justice?
The Federal Government provides pro bono attorneys in criminal cases
for those who can't afford representation. Mr. Chairman, why not offer
something similar to our small businesses across America who are facing
unfair competition?
A recent contract was for 300 million marbles per year. Currently,
this company manufactures 1 million per day. This contract would have
guaranteed 300 days of manufacturing production for hard-working West
Virginians.
The Chinese company undercut their bid. Unfortunately, we have seen
this story far too often where the Chinese currency manipulation and
state subsidies have cut our tin, steel, and hot-rolled steel
industries, among others.
The ITC must have the tools to protect our small businesses, and this
amendment is a step in the right direction.
Let's be clear, Mr. Chairman: Do we want to keep talking about jobs,
or do we want to offer a solution? Supporting this amendment will be an
immense help for small business employers who are trying to fight back
against unfair trade.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I
am not in opposition.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Pennsylvania
is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the gentleman's
amendment. We are willing to accept the amendment, and I yield to the
gentleman from Texas.
Mr. CULBERSON. I join you in supporting the amendment.
Mr. FATTAH. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment Offered by Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I have an
amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Page 23, line 6, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(decreased by $2,000,000)''.
Page 42, line 24, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
Page 44, line 8, insert after the dollar amount the
following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman
from New Mexico and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, trust between
law enforcement and the public that they are sworn to protect is not
just important but essential to safe, collaborative, and constitutional
community policing. Trust promotes healthy relationships and
interactions that are in the best interest of the both the public and
the police.
Unfortunately, the public's trust in law enforcement has eroded in
many communities across the country, including my own. The Federal
Government needs to make targeted investments to ensure that law
enforcement has the tools to rebuild and strengthen that trust, which
is the cornerstone of successful policing.
That is why I am so proud to introduce this bipartisan amendment,
along with my colleagues Congressman Murphy and Congressman Blumenauer,
to add $2 million to the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime
Reduction Act programs. These programs provide a broad range of
services, including crisis intervention training for State and local
law enforcement agencies to identify and improve responses to people
with mental illnesses and substance abuse issues. Crisis intervention
training can help prevent injuries to officers, deescalate potentially
dangerous situations, and alleviate harm to the person in crisis.
Interactions between the mentally ill and law enforcement too often
end in tragedy. Since the beginning of the year, 385 people have been
shot and killed by police, and about a quarter of these individuals
have been identified as mentally ill. The more training we can provide
law enforcement to improve their skills to interact with the public,
the more likely crises will be resolved peacefully. And the more
nonviolent peaceful interactions police have with the public, the more
we can strengthen trust between police and the public that they are
sworn to protect.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although
I am not supposed to the gentlewoman's amendment because it is a good
amendment and I support it.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. CULBERSON. At this time, I yield to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy), my good friend and colleague.
Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania. I thank the Chairman, and I also thank
Representative Grisham for this thoughtful amendment we are working on
together, which will put $2 million towards crisis intervention
training for State and local law enforcement and also work towards
substance abuse treatment and mental health courts.
In the 1950s, this country had 550,000 psychiatric hospital beds for
the population of 150 million. Now, with a population twice that size,
we only have 40,000 psychiatric hospital beds.
So what happened? Some people got better. But sadly, what we ended up
with is huge increases in homelessness and visits to emergency rooms.
Last year in this country there were 40,000 suicides and 1 million
suicide attempts.
With this critical bed shortage we have many people who end up
committing crimes. Of the 2.4 million incarcerated Americans, about
half of them, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, are
estimated to have a mental health condition. That is 64 percent in our
county and local jails, 56 percent in State, and 45 percent of Federal
prisoners. By comparison, there are only 35,000 patients with severe
mental illness in State psychiatric hospitals.
[[Page H3694]]
And, according to a report from April 2014, the number of mentally ill
persons in prison is ten times higher than that in psychiatric
hospitals.
The largest jails in the country--Cook County in Illinois, Los
Angeles, and New York--have 11,000 prisoners combined with serious
mental illness. Now, that is over twice as large as the three largest
State-run mental hospitals.
Mentally ill inmates are twice as likely to be charged with rule
violations when incarcerated and actually remain in prison four times
longer than a non-mentally ill person with the same original crime. And
what happens then? Solitary confinement, tasered. Then when they are
discharged, they repeat the cycle in the revolving door.
What we need to make sure we are doing is to deal with public safety,
make sure there is restitution to the community for what has happened,
but the key is to provide help for those with serious mental illness.
It is not right for our country to continue to say things like, It is
not illegal to be crazy. Our courts and systems that do not understand
mental illness continue to say that, but to them I say it isn't just an
issue of someone has a right to be mentally ill; they have a right to
be well.
{time} 1745
What we need to do is to stop this revolving door of having someone
who is hallucinating and delusional and waiting until he commits a
crime or is a threat to public safety, instead of intervening earlier.
We need mental health courts; we need ways a policeman can intervene
early to help persons, and we need evidence-based initiatives to fix
our broken mental health system in America. I know that, in our own
court in Allegheny County, they saw a nearly 38 percent reduction in
recidivism when they used mental health courts.
This is compassion, and this is the right thing to do. I urge my
colleagues to support this amendment.
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2
minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
Mr. BLUMENAUER. I appreciate the gentlewoman's courtesy and her
leadership on this, and I appreciate my good friend from Pennsylvania
in his eloquence and his tireless championship in this area.
Mr. Chairman, the fact is that we have a broken system that does not
meet the needs of people with mental illness, and it places an undue
burden on law enforcement. His words about people having a right to be
well really resonates with me because we have seen in all of our
communities situations that escalate because they don't have the proper
response--we don't have the proper training; we don't have the proper
resources--where people get worse.
It is not just that it costs more money; it is the pain to the
individuals, to their families, and, ultimately, since virtually all of
these people are released but are released in a more damaged situation,
they are worse. They are a greater risk to themselves and society, and
the cycle continues.
There is no doubt in my mind that, if we were able to properly
account for the costs and consequences of the current nonsystem that
there would be far more resources saved in treating them humanely and
effectively, giving the police and the community the resources they
need that will more than pay for itself. This is an important step for
the Federal Government to be a better partner.
I appreciate the gentlewoman's leadership. I appreciate my friend Mr.
Murphy from Pennsylvania, and I am looking forward to working with him
on other items.
I respectfully request that our colleagues not just support this, but
take it to heart because we can make a difference on so many different
levels.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I support the amendment, and I would
encourage Members to support it if you would be willing to request a
recorded vote on this.
Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. FATTAH. On behalf of our country, I attended the Healthy brain:
healthy Europe conference in Ireland. The estimate in these 28 EU
countries was that some 36 percent of the population had some type of
mental health challenge, and they deal with it much more openly and
without the stigma that sometimes we attach here in our country to
mental health challenges.
I want to thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for his extraordinary
leadership on this issue, and I thank the gentlewoman for offering
this.
We will support this amendment and ask for a recorded vote.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I encourage Members to support the
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I want to
thank my colleagues for working so diligently on this very important
improvement to public safety and police training, and I encourage all
Members to vote in favor of this amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from New Mexico
will be postponed.
The Acting CHAIR. The Committee will rise informally.
The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Holding) assumed the chair.
____________________