[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 184 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1816-E1817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 FIRST RESPONDERS PASSPORT ACT OF 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 16, 2015

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as the Ranking Member of the Judiciary 
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and 
Investigations, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3750, the 
``First Responders Passport Act of 2015.''
  I thank Representative Darrell Issa and the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee Leadership, Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for 
shepherding this legislation along.
  This bill amends the Passport Act of June 4, 1920 to waive passport 
fees for an individual who has contracted with the U.S. government, 
including a volunteer, to aid a foreign country suffering from a 
qualifying natural disaster.
  As the African proverb goes, ``in moments of crisis, the wise build 
bridges--'' this is what our first responders do: they build bridges 
for those caught in natural disasters.
  In today's world fraught with natural disasters from Storm Desert 
that our friends in the U.K. are facing to cyclones, hurricanes and 
tornadoes across the globe, more than ever, it is very important that 
we build bridges by equipping our first responders dedicated to aiding 
countries across the globe suffering from natural disasters.
  According to scientists, the first half of this decade featured 
deadly climate-related disasters, among them the great floods in 
Thailand in 2011, Hurricane Sandy in the United States in 2012, and 
Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013.
  Moreover, the year 2014 was the earth's warmest in 134 years of 
recorded history, and 2015 could well turn out to be even hotter.
  According to some scientists, it is difficult to not draw a nexus 
between climate change and some of the natural disasters we have 
suffered on planet earth in this decade alone.
  In the end, climate related and natural disasters have cost the world 
a lot in lives as well as economically.
  In fact, according to the World Meteorological Organization, 1,300 
climate-related natural disasters have been recorded in Africa between 
1970 to 2012.
  In this time frame, these natural disasters in Africa have caused the 
loss of 700,000 lives and caused economic damage worth U.S. $26 
billion.
  Experts inform us that in 2012 there were 99 natural disasters in 
Africa--twice the long-term average.
  The passage of H.R. 3750 is very timely, especially in light of 
recent talks in Le Bourget, France at the Conference of Parties (COP 
21), with the objective of achieving a legally binding and universal 
agreement on climate, from all the nations of the world.

[[Page E1817]]

  In other words, the conveners at COP 21 seek to protect our precious 
earth, address the nexus between our protection of precious earth to 
some of the natural disasters we are suffering and reach a consensus on 
how we leave our children their inheritance of the earth better than we 
found it.
  Every day, hundreds of thousands of first responders heed the call 
during natural disasters to protect and serve the people of planet 
earth who find themselves at the mercy of mother-nature during natural 
disasters.
  I hold in high regard the service of our first responders: 
firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency response technicians, 
nurses, emergency room doctors, and the dozens of other professionals 
and volunteers who are the ultimate public servants.
  From Katrina to earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal, time and time again, 
first responders have put their lives and comfort on the line in order 
to rescue survivors, care for those in need, and prevent the further 
loss of life.
  H.R. 3750 is very critical because it aims to reduce personal costs 
borne by first responders--people who help others in their time of 
need.
  According to the Global Increase in Climate-Related Disasters, we 
face more frequent floods, storms, heat waves, and droughts which are 
connected to greater extremes in temperatures and rainfall.
  Moreover, recent warnings by the U.S. National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, inform us that the global temperature is 
already halfway to the ``two degree warming'' threshold for limiting 
catastrophic climatic impacts.
  As the evidence shows, unequivocally, the dedication of first 
responders is an integral part of bringing relief to parts of the world 
where natural disasters have struck.
  I support this legislation and hope that as we move forward, we 
continue to engage in dialogue about the fact that:
  Climate impacts are not just concerns for the distant future, but are 
already being felt by us and our children;
  All countries, rich and poor are casualities of natural disaster, but 
the death toll is higher among the poor who are more likely to live in 
harm's way, such as in flood-prone areas; and
  It is important to create structures that facilitate the swift 
deployment of first responders to people in dire need of disaster 
relief.

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