[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 153 (Monday, September 25, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7457-H7469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DISASTER TAX RELIEF AND AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2017

  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3823) to amend title 49, United States Code, to 
extend authorizations for the airport improvement program, to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure 
authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, to provide disaster tax 
relief, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3823

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster 
     Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                   TITLE I--FEDERAL AVIATION PROGRAMS

Sec. 101. Extension of airport improvement program.
Sec. 102. Extension of expiring authorities.
Sec. 103. Federal Aviation Administration operations.
Sec. 104. Small community air service.
Sec. 105. Air navigation facilities and equipment.
Sec. 106. Research, engineering, and development.
Sec. 107. Funding for aviation programs.

                 TITLE II--AVIATION REVENUE PROVISIONS

Sec. 201. Expenditure authority from Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
Sec. 202. Extension of taxes funding Airport and Airway Trust Fund.

                 TITLE III--EXPIRING HEALTH PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Extension of certain public health programs.
Sec. 302. Extension of Medicare Patient IVIG Access Demonstration 
              Project.
Sec. 303. Funds from the Medicare Improvement Fund.

        TITLE IV--DEVELOPMENT OF PRIVATE FLOOD INSURANCE MARKET

Sec. 401. Private flood insurance.

       TITLE V--TAX RELIEF FOR HURRICANES HARVEY, IRMA, AND MARIA

Sec. 501. Definitions.
Sec. 502. Special disaster-related rules for use of retirement funds.
Sec. 503. Disaster-related employment relief.
Sec. 504. Additional disaster-related tax relief provisions.
Sec. 505. Budgetary effects.

                   TITLE I--FEDERAL AVIATION PROGRAMS

     SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--Section 48103(a) of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``and $1,670,410,959 for the period beginning on 
     October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018.''.
       (2) Obligation of amounts.--Subject to limitations 
     specified in advance in appropriations Acts, sums made 
     available pursuant to the amendment made by paragraph (1) may 
     be obligated at any time through September 30, 2018, and 
     shall remain available until expended.
       (3) Program implementation.--For purposes of calculating 
     funding apportionments and meeting other requirements under 
     sections 47114, 47115, 47116, and 47117 of title 49, United 
     States Code, for the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and 
     ending on March 31, 2018, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration shall--
       (A) first calculate such funding apportionments on an 
     annualized basis as if the total amount available under 
     section 48103 of such title for fiscal year 2018 were 
     $3,350,000,000; and
       (B) then reduce by 50 percent--
       (i) all funding apportionments calculated under 
     subparagraph (A); and
       (ii) amounts available pursuant to sections 47117(b) and 
     47117(f)(2) of such title.

[[Page H7458]]

       (b) Project Grant Authority.--Section 47104(c) of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended in the matter preceding 
     paragraph (1) by striking ``September 30, 2017,'' and 
     inserting ``March 31, 2018,''.

     SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES.

       (a) Section 47107(r)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``October 1, 2017'' and inserting ``April 
     1, 2018''.
       (b) Section 47114(c)(1)(F) of title 49, United States Code, 
     is amended--
       (1) in the subparagraph heading by striking ``for fiscal 
     year 2017''; and
       (2) in the matter preceding clause (i) by striking ``for 
     fiscal year 2017 an amount'' and inserting ``for each of 
     fiscal years 2017 and 2018 an amount''.
       (c) Section 47115(j) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by inserting ``and for the period beginning on 
     October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018'' after 
     ``fiscal years 2012 through 2017''.
       (d) Section 47124(b)(3)(E) of title 49, United States Code, 
     is amended by inserting ``and not more than $5,160,822 for 
     the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on March 
     31, 2018,'' after ``fiscal years 2012 through 2017''.
       (e) Section 47141(f) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``September 30, 2017'' and inserting 
     ``March 31, 2018''.
       (f) Section 186(d) of the Vision 100--Century of Aviation 
     Reauthorization Act (117 Stat. 2518) is amended by inserting 
     ``and for the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending 
     on March 31, 2018,'' after ``fiscal years 2012 through 
     2017''.
       (g) Section 409(d) of the Vision 100--Century of Aviation 
     Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 41731 note) is amended by 
     striking ``September 30, 2017'' and inserting ``March 31, 
     2018''.
       (h) Section 140(c)(1) of the FAA Modernization and Reform 
     Act of 2012 (126 Stat. 28) is amended by striking ``2017'' 
     and inserting ``2018''.
       (i) Section 411(h) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act 
     of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 42301 prec. note) is amended by striking 
     ``September 30, 2017'' and inserting ``March 31, 2018''.
       (j) Section 822(k) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act 
     of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 47141 note) is amended by striking 
     ``September 30, 2017'' and inserting ``March 31, 2018''.
       (k) Section 2306(b) of the FAA Extension, Safety, and 
     Security Act of 2016 (130 Stat. 641) is amended by striking 
     ``October 1, 2017'' and inserting ``April 1, 2018''.

     SEC. 103. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OPERATIONS.

       Section 106(k) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in subparagraph (E) by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
       ``(F) $4,999,191,956 for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2017, and ending on March 31, 2018.';''; and
       (2) in paragraph (3) by inserting ``and for the period 
     beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018'' 
     after ``fiscal years 2012 through 2017''.

     SEC. 104. SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE.

       (a) Essential Air Service Authorization.--Section 
     41742(a)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
     striking ``and $175,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 and 
     2017'' and inserting ``$175,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2016 and 2017, and $74,794,521 for the period beginning on 
     October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018,''.
       (b) Airports Not Receiving Sufficient Service.--Section 
     41743(e)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting ``and $4,986,301 for the period beginning on 
     October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018,'' after 
     ``fiscal years 2012 through 2017''.

     SEC. 105. AIR NAVIGATION FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT.

       Section 48101(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) $1,423,589,041 for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2017, and ending on March 31, 2018.''.

     SEC. 106. RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT.

       Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (8) by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in paragraph (9) by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(10) $88,008,219 for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2017 and ending on March 31, 2018.''.

     SEC. 107. FUNDING FOR AVIATION PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Section 48114 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(2) by striking ``2017'' and inserting 
     ``2018''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)(2) by striking ``2017'' and inserting 
     ``2018''.
       (b) Compliance With Funding Requirements.--The budget 
     authority authorized in this title, including the amendments 
     made by this title, shall be deemed to satisfy the 
     requirements of subsections (a)(1)(B) and (a)(2) of section 
     48114 of title 49, United States Code, for the period 
     beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018.

                 TITLE II--AVIATION REVENUE PROVISIONS

     SEC. 201. EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY FROM AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST 
                   FUND.

       (a) In General.--Section 9502(d)(1) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking 
     ``October 1, 2017'' and inserting ``April 1, 2018''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (A) by striking the semicolon at the 
     end and inserting ``or the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport 
     and Airway Extension Act of 2017;''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 9502(e)(2) of such Code 
     is amended by striking ``October 1, 2017'' and inserting 
     ``April 1, 2018''.

     SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF TAXES FUNDING AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST 
                   FUND.

       (a) Fuel Taxes.--Section 4081(d)(2)(B) of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``September 30, 
     2017'' and inserting ``March 31, 2018''.
       (b) Ticket Taxes.--
       (1) Persons.--Section 4261(k)(1)(A)(ii) of such Code is 
     amended by striking ``September 30, 2017'' and inserting 
     ``March 31, 2018''.
       (2) Property.--Section 4271(d)(1)(A)(ii) of such Code is 
     amended by striking ``September 30, 2017'' and inserting 
     ``March 31, 2018''.
       (c) Fractional Ownership Programs.--
       (1) Treatment as noncommercial aviation.--Section 4083(b) 
     of such Code is amended by striking ``October 1, 2017'' and 
     inserting ``April 1, 2018''.
       (2) Exemption from ticket taxes.--Section 4261(j) of such 
     Code is amended by striking ``September 30, 2017'' and 
     inserting ``March 31, 2018''.

                 TITLE III--EXPIRING HEALTH PROVISIONS

     SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS.

       (a) Extension of Program of Payments to Teaching Health 
     Centers That Operate Graduate Medical Education Programs.--
     Section 340H(g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     256h(g)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and $60,000,000'' and inserting ``, 
     $60,000,000''; and
       (2) by inserting ``, and $15,000,000 for the first quarter 
     of fiscal year 2018'' before the period at the end.
       (b) Extension of Special Diabetes Program for Indians.--
     Section 330C(c)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 254c-3(c)(2)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(D) $37,500,000 for the first quarter of fiscal year 
     2018.''.
       (c) Technical Corrections.--Part D of the Public Health 
     Service Act is amended by redesignating--
       (1) the second subpart XI (42 U.S.C. 256i; relating to a 
     community-based collaborative care network program) as 
     subpart XII; and
       (2) the second section 340H (42 U.S.C. 256i) as section 
     340I.

     SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF MEDICARE PATIENT IVIG ACCESS 
                   DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

       Section 101(b) of the Medicare IVIG Access and 
     Strengthening Medicare and Repaying Taxpayers Act of 2012 (42 
     U.S.C. 1395l note) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ``for a period of 
     3 years'' the following: ``and, subject to the availability 
     of funds under subsection (g)--
       ``(A) if the date of enactment of the Disaster Tax Relief 
     and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017 is on or before 
     September 30, 2017, for the period beginning on October 1, 
     2017, and ending on December 31, 2020; and
       ``(B) if the date of enactment of such Act is after 
     September 30, 2017, for the period beginning on the date of 
     enactment of such Act and ending on December 31, 2020' '''; 
     and
       (2) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following 
     new sentences: ``Subject to the preceding sentence, a 
     Medicare beneficiary enrolled in the demonstration project on 
     September 30, 2017, shall be automatically enrolled during 
     the period beginning on the date of the enactment of the 
     Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 
     2017 and ending on December 31, 2020, without submission of 
     another application.''.

     SEC. 303. FUNDS FROM THE MEDICARE IMPROVEMENT FUND.

       Section 1898(b)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 24 U.S.C. 
     1395iii(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``during and after 
     fiscal year 2021, $270,000,000'' and inserting ``during and 
     after fiscal year 2021, $220,000,000''.

        TITLE IV--DEVELOPMENT OF PRIVATE FLOOD INSURANCE MARKET

     SEC. 401. PRIVATE FLOOD INSURANCE.

       (a) Flood Insurance Mandatory Purchase Requirement.--
       (1) Amount and term of coverage.--Section 102 of the Flood 
     Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a) is amended 
     by striking ``Sec. 102. (a)'' and all that follows through 
     the end of subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``Sec. 102. (a) Amount and Term of Coverage.--After the 
     expiration of sixty days following the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, no Federal officer or agency shall approve any 
     financial assistance for acquisition or construction purposes 
     for use in any area that has been identified by the 
     Administrator as an area having special flood hazards and in 
     which the sale of flood insurance has been made available 
     under the National

[[Page H7459]]

     Flood Insurance Act of 1968, unless the building or mobile 
     home and any personal property to which such financial 
     assistance relates is covered by flood insurance: Provided, 
     That the amount of flood insurance (1) in the case of Federal 
     flood insurance, is at least equal to the development or 
     project cost of the building, mobile home, or personal 
     property (less estimated land cost), the outstanding 
     principal balance of the loan, or the maximum limit of 
     Federal flood insurance coverage made available with respect 
     to the particular type of property, whichever is less; or (2) 
     in the case of private flood insurance, is at least equal to 
     the development or project cost of the building, mobile home, 
     or personal property (less estimated land cost), the 
     outstanding principal balance of the loan, or the maximum 
     limit of Federal flood insurance coverage made available with 
     respect to the particular type of property, whichever is 
     less: Provided further, That if the financial assistance 
     provided is in the form of a loan or an insurance or guaranty 
     of a loan, the amount of flood insurance required need not 
     exceed the outstanding principal balance of the loan and need 
     not be required beyond the term of the loan. The requirement 
     of maintaining flood insurance shall apply during the life of 
     the property, regardless of transfer of ownership of such 
     property.''.
       (2) Requirement for mortgage loans.--Subsection (b) of 
     section 102 of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 
     U.S.C. 4012a(b)) is amended--
       (A) by striking paragraph (7);
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (7);
       (C) by striking the subsection designation and all that 
     follows through the end of paragraph (5) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(b) Requirement for Mortgage Loans.--
       ``(1) Regulated lending institutions.--Each Federal entity 
     for lending regulation (after consultation and coordination 
     with the Financial Institutions Examination Council 
     established under the Federal Financial Institutions 
     Examination Council Act of 1974) shall by regulation direct 
     regulated lending institutions not to make, increase, extend, 
     or renew any loan secured by improved real estate or a mobile 
     home located or to be located in an area that has been 
     identified by the Administrator as an area having special 
     flood hazards and in which flood insurance has been made 
     available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, 
     unless the building or mobile home and any personal property 
     securing such loan is covered for the term of the loan by 
     flood insurance: Provided, That the amount of flood insurance 
     (A) in the case of Federal flood insurance, is at least equal 
     to the outstanding principal balance of the loan or the 
     maximum limit of Federal flood insurance coverage made 
     available with respect to the particular type of property, 
     whichever is less; or (B) in the case of private flood 
     insurance, is at least equal to the outstanding principal 
     balance of the loan or the maximum limit of Federal flood 
     insurance coverage made available with respect to the 
     particular type of property, whichever is less.
       ``(2) Federal agency lenders and mortgage insurance and 
     guarantee agencies.--
       ``(A) Federal agency lenders.--A Federal agency lender may 
     not make, increase, extend, or renew any loan secured by 
     improved real estate or a mobile home located or to be 
     located in an area that has been identified by the 
     Administrator as an area having special flood hazards and in 
     which flood insurance has been made available under the 
     National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, unless the building or 
     mobile home and any personal property securing such loan is 
     covered for the term of the loan by flood insurance in 
     accordance with paragraph (1). Each Federal agency lender may 
     issue any regulations necessary to carry out this paragraph. 
     Such regulations shall be consistent with and substantially 
     identical to the regulations issued under paragraph (1).
       ``(B) Other federal mortgage entities.--
       ``(i) Coverage requirements.--Each covered Federal mortgage 
     entity shall implement procedures reasonably designed to 
     ensure that, for any loan that--

       ``(I) is secured by improved real estate or a mobile home 
     located in an area that has been identified, at the time of 
     the origination of the loan or at any time during the term of 
     the loan, by the Administrator as an area having special 
     flood hazards and in which flood insurance is available under 
     the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, and
       ``(II) is made, insured, held, or guaranteed by such 
     entity, or backs or on which is based any trust certificate 
     or other security for which such entity guarantees the timely 
     payment of principal and interest,

     the building or mobile home and any personal property 
     securing the loan is covered for the term of the loan by 
     flood insurance in the amount provided in paragraph (1).
       ``(ii) Definition.--For purposes of this subparagraph, the 
     term `covered Federal mortgage entity' means--

       ``(I) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, with 
     respect to mortgages insured under the National Housing Act;
       ``(II) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to loans 
     made, insured, or guaranteed under title V of the Housing Act 
     of 1949; and
       ``(III) the Government National Mortgage Association.

       ``(C) Requirement to accept flood insurance.--Each Federal 
     agency lender and each covered Federal mortgage entity shall 
     accept flood insurance as satisfaction of the flood insurance 
     coverage requirement under subparagraph (A) or (B), 
     respectively, if the flood insurance coverage meets the 
     requirements for coverage under such subparagraph and the 
     requirements relating to financial strength issued pursuant 
     to paragraph (4).
       ``(3) Government-sponsored enterprises for housing.--The 
     Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home 
     Loan Mortgage Corporation shall implement procedures 
     reasonably designed to ensure that, for any loan that is--
       ``(A) secured by improved real estate or a mobile home 
     located in an area that has been identified, at the time of 
     the origination of the loan or at any time during the term of 
     the loan, by the Administrator as an area having special 
     flood hazards and in which flood insurance is available under 
     the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, and
       ``(B) purchased or guaranteed by such entity,

     the building or mobile home and any personal property 
     securing the loan is covered for the term of the loan by 
     flood insurance in the amount provided in paragraph (1). The 
     Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home 
     Loan Mortgage Corporation shall accept flood insurance as 
     satisfaction of the flood insurance coverage requirement 
     under paragraph (1) if the flood insurance coverage provided 
     meets the requirements for coverage under that paragraph and 
     the requirements relating to financial strength issued 
     pursuant to paragraph (4).
       ``(4) Requirements regarding financial strength.--The 
     Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, in 
     consultation with the Federal National Mortgage Association, 
     the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Secretary of 
     Housing and Urban Development, the Government National 
     Mortgage Association, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
     develop and implement requirements relating to the financial 
     strength of private insurance companies from which such 
     entities and agencies will accept private flood insurance, 
     provided that such requirements shall not affect or conflict 
     with any State law, regulation, or procedure concerning the 
     regulation of the business of insurance.
       ``(5) Applicability.--
       ``(A) Existing coverage.--Except as provided in 
     subparagraph (B), paragraph (1) shall apply on the date of 
     enactment of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory 
     Improvement Act of 1994.
       ``(B) New coverage.--Paragraphs (2) and (3) shall apply 
     only with respect to any loan made, increased, extended, or 
     renewed after the expiration of the 1-year period beginning 
     on the date of enactment of the Riegle Community Development 
     and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994. Paragraph (1) shall 
     apply with respect to any loan made, increased, extended, or 
     renewed by any lender supervised by the Farm Credit 
     Administration only after the expiration of the period under 
     this subparagraph.
       ``(C) Continued effect of regulations.--Notwithstanding any 
     other provision of this subsection, the regulations to carry 
     out paragraph (1), as in effect immediately before the date 
     of enactment of the Riegle Community Development and 
     Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994, shall continue to apply 
     until the regulations issued to carry out paragraph (1) as 
     amended by section 522(a) of such Act take effect.
       ``(6) Rule of construction.--Except as otherwise specified, 
     any reference to flood insurance in this section shall be 
     considered to include Federal flood insurance and private 
     flood insurance. Nothing in this subsection shall be 
     construed to supersede or limit the authority of a Federal 
     entity for lending regulation, the Federal Housing Finance 
     Agency, a Federal agency lender, a covered Federal mortgage 
     entity (as such term is defined in paragraph (2)(B)(ii)), the 
     Federal National Mortgage Association, or the Federal Home 
     Loan Mortgage Corporation to establish requirements relating 
     to the financial strength of private insurance companies from 
     which the entity or agency will accept private flood 
     insurance, provided that such requirements shall not affect 
     or conflict with any State law, regulation, or procedure 
     concerning the regulation of the business of insurance.''; 
     and
       (D) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
       ``(8) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(A) Flood insurance.--The term `flood insurance' means--
       ``(i) Federal flood insurance; and
       ``(ii) private flood insurance.
       ``(B) Federal flood insurance.--The term `Federal flood 
     insurance' means an insurance policy made available under the 
     National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et 
     seq.).
       ``(C) Private flood insurance.--The term `private flood 
     insurance' means an insurance policy that--
       ``(i) is issued by an insurance company that is--

       ``(I) licensed, admitted, or otherwise approved to engage 
     in the business of insurance in the State in which the 
     insured building is located, by the insurance regulator of 
     that State; or
       ``(II) eligible as a nonadmitted insurer to provide 
     insurance in the home State of the insured, in accordance 
     with sections 521 through 527 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street 
     Reform and Consumer Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 8201 through 
     8206);

       ``(ii) is issued by an insurance company that is not 
     otherwise disapproved as a surplus lines insurer by the 
     insurance regulator

[[Page H7460]]

     of the State in which the property to be insured is located; 
     and
       ``(iii) provides flood insurance coverage that complies 
     with the laws and regulations of that State.
       ``(D) State.--The term `State' means any State of the 
     United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
     Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin 
     Islands, and American Samoa.''.
       (b) Effect of Private Flood Insurance Coverage on 
     Continuous Coverage Requirements.--Section 1308 of the 
     National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4015) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(n) Effect of Private Flood Insurance Coverage on 
     Continuous Coverage Requirements.--For purposes of applying 
     any statutory, regulatory, or administrative continuous 
     coverage requirement, including under section 1307(g)(1), the 
     Administrator shall consider any period during which a 
     property was continuously covered by private flood insurance 
     (as defined in section 102(b)(8) of the Flood Disaster 
     Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a(b)(8))) to be a 
     period of continuous coverage.''.

       TITLE V--TAX RELIEF FOR HURRICANES HARVEY, IRMA, AND MARIA

     SEC. 501. DEFINITIONS.

       (a) Hurricane Harvey Disaster Zone and Disaster Area.--For 
     purposes of this title--
       (1) Hurricane harvey disaster zone.--The term ``Hurricane 
     Harvey disaster zone'' means that portion of the Hurricane 
     Harvey disaster area determined by the President to warrant 
     individual or individual and public assistance from the 
     Federal Government under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
     Relief and Emergency Assistance Act by reason of Hurricane 
     Harvey.
       (2) Hurricane harvey disaster area.--The term ``Hurricane 
     Harvey disaster area'' means an area with respect to which a 
     major disaster has been declared by the President before 
     September 21, 2017, under section 401 of such Act by reason 
     of Hurricane Harvey.
       (b) Hurricane Irma Disaster Zone and Disaster Area.--For 
     purposes of this title--
       (1) Hurricane irma disaster zone.--The term ``Hurricane 
     Irma disaster zone'' means that portion of the Hurricane Irma 
     disaster area determined by the President to warrant 
     individual or individual and public assistance from the 
     Federal Government under such Act by reason of Hurricane 
     Irma.
       (2) Hurricane irma disaster area.--The term ``Hurricane 
     Irma disaster area'' means an area with respect to which a 
     major disaster has been declared by the President before 
     September 21, 2017, under section 401 of such Act by reason 
     of Hurricane Irma.
       (c) Hurricane Maria Disaster Zone and Disaster Area.--For 
     purposes of this title--
       (1) Hurricane maria disaster zone.--The term ``Hurricane 
     Maria disaster zone'' means that portion of the Hurricane 
     Maria disaster area determined by the President to warrant 
     individual or individual and public assistance from the 
     Federal Government under such Act by reason of Hurricane 
     Maria.
       (2) Hurricane maria disaster area.--The term ``Hurricane 
     Maria disaster area'' means an area with respect to which a 
     major disaster has been declared by the President before 
     September 21, 2017, under section 401 of such Act by reason 
     of Hurricane Maria.

     SEC. 502. SPECIAL DISASTER-RELATED RULES FOR USE OF 
                   RETIREMENT FUNDS.

       (a) Tax-favored Withdrawals From Retirement Plans.--
       (1) In general.--Section 72(t) of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 shall not apply to any qualified hurricane 
     distribution.
       (2) Aggregate dollar limitation.--
       (A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
     aggregate amount of distributions received by an individual 
     which may be treated as qualified hurricane distributions for 
     any taxable year shall not exceed the excess (if any) of--
       (i) $100,000, over
       (ii) the aggregate amounts treated as qualified hurricane 
     distributions received by such individual for all prior 
     taxable years.
       (B) Treatment of plan distributions.--If a distribution to 
     an individual would (without regard to subparagraph (A)) be a 
     qualified hurricane distribution, a plan shall not be treated 
     as violating any requirement of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 merely because the plan treats such distribution as a 
     qualified hurricane distribution, unless the aggregate amount 
     of such distributions from all plans maintained by the 
     employer (and any member of any controlled group which 
     includes the employer) to such individual exceeds $100,000.
       (C) Controlled group.--For purposes of subparagraph (B), 
     the term ``controlled group'' means any group treated as a 
     single employer under subsection (b), (c), (m), or (o) of 
     section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (3) Amount distributed may be repaid.--
       (A) In general.--Any individual who receives a qualified 
     hurricane distribution may, at any time during the 3-year 
     period beginning on the day after the date on which such 
     distribution was received, make one or more contributions in 
     an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount of such 
     distribution to an eligible retirement plan of which such 
     individual is a beneficiary and to which a rollover 
     contribution of such distribution could be made under section 
     402(c), 403(a)(4), 403(b)(8), 408(d)(3), or 457(e)(16), of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the case may be.
       (B) Treatment of repayments of distributions from eligible 
     retirement plans other than iras.--For purposes of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if a contribution is made 
     pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to a qualified 
     hurricane distribution from an eligible retirement plan other 
     than an individual retirement plan, then the taxpayer shall, 
     to the extent of the amount of the contribution, be treated 
     as having received the qualified hurricane distribution in an 
     eligible rollover distribution (as defined in section 
     402(c)(4) of such Code) and as having transferred the amount 
     to the eligible retirement plan in a direct trustee to 
     trustee transfer within 60 days of the distribution.
       (C) Treatment of repayments for distributions from iras.--
     For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if a 
     contribution is made pursuant to subparagraph (A) with 
     respect to a qualified hurricane distribution from an 
     individual retirement plan (as defined by section 7701(a)(37) 
     of such Code), then, to the extent of the amount of the 
     contribution, the qualified hurricane distribution shall be 
     treated as a distribution described in section 408(d)(3) of 
     such Code and as having been transferred to the eligible 
     retirement plan in a direct trustee to trustee transfer 
     within 60 days of the distribution.
       (4) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
       (A) Qualified hurricane distribution.--Except as provided 
     in paragraph (2), the term ``qualified hurricane 
     distribution'' means--
       (i) any distribution from an eligible retirement plan made 
     on or after August 23, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, to 
     an individual whose principal place of abode on August 23, 
     2017, is located in the Hurricane Harvey disaster area and 
     who has sustained an economic loss by reason of Hurricane 
     Harvey,
       (ii) any distribution (which is not described in clause 
     (i)) from an eligible retirement plan made on or after 
     September 4, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, to an 
     individual whose principal place of abode on September 4, 
     2017, is located in the Hurricane Irma disaster area and who 
     has sustained an economic loss by reason of Hurricane Irma, 
     and
       (iii) any distribution (which is not described in clause 
     (i) or (ii)) from an eligible retirement plan made on or 
     after September 16, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, to an 
     individual whose principal place of abode on September 16, 
     2017, is located in the Hurricane Maria disaster area and who 
     has sustained an economic loss by reason of Hurricane Maria.
       (B) Eligible retirement plan.--The term ``eligible 
     retirement plan'' shall have the meaning given such term by 
     section 402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (5) Income inclusion spread over 3-year period.--
       (A) In general.--In the case of any qualified hurricane 
     distribution, unless the taxpayer elects not to have this 
     paragraph apply for any taxable year, any amount required to 
     be included in gross income for such taxable year shall be so 
     included ratably over the 3-taxable year period beginning 
     with such taxable year.
       (B) Special rule.--For purposes of subparagraph (A), rules 
     similar to the rules of subparagraph (E) of section 
     408A(d)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall apply.
       (6) Special rules.--
       (A) Exemption of distributions from trustee to trustee 
     transfer and withholding rules.--For purposes of sections 
     401(a)(31), 402(f), and 3405 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986, qualified hurricane distributions shall not be treated 
     as eligible rollover distributions.
       (B) Qualified hurricane distributions treated as meeting 
     plan distribution requirements.--For purposes the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986, a qualified hurricane distribution 
     shall be treated as meeting the requirements of sections 
     401(k)(2)(B)(i), 403(b)(7)(A)(ii), 403(b)(11), and 
     457(d)(1)(A) of such Code.
       (b) Recontributions of Withdrawals for Home Purchases.--
       (1) Recontributions.--
       (A) In general.--Any individual who received a qualified 
     distribution may, during the period beginning on August 23, 
     2017, and ending on February 28, 2018, make one or more 
     contributions in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount 
     of such qualified distribution to an eligible retirement plan 
     (as defined in section 402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986) of which such individual is a beneficiary and 
     to which a rollover contribution of such distribution could 
     be made under section 402(c), 403(a)(4), 403(b)(8), or 
     408(d)(3), of such Code, as the case may be.
       (B) Treatment of repayments.--Rules similar to the rules of 
     subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subsection (a)(3) shall apply 
     for purposes of this subsection.
       (2) Qualified distribution.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, the term ``qualified distribution'' means any 
     distribution--
       (A) described in section 401(k)(2)(B)(i)(IV), 
     403(b)(7)(A)(ii) (but only to the extent such distribution 
     relates to financial hardship), 403(b)(11)(B), or 
     72(t)(2)(F), of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
       (B) received after February 28, 2017, and before September 
     21, 2017, and
       (C) which was to be used to purchase or construct a 
     principal residence in the Hurricane Harvey disaster area, 
     the Hurricane Irma disaster area, or the Hurricane Maria 
     disaster area, but which was not so purchased or constructed 
     on account of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, or Hurricane 
     Maria.
       (c) Loans From Qualified Plans.--

[[Page H7461]]

       (1) Increase in limit on loans not treated as 
     distributions.--In the case of any loan from a qualified 
     employer plan (as defined under section 72(p)(4) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986) to a qualified individual made 
     during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of 
     this Act and ending on December 31, 2018--
       (A) clause (i) of section 72(p)(2)(A) of such Code shall be 
     applied by substituting ``$100,000'' for ``$50,000'', and
       (B) clause (ii) of such section shall be applied by 
     substituting ``the present value of the nonforfeitable 
     accrued benefit of the employee under the plan'' for ``one-
     half of the present value of the nonforfeitable accrued 
     benefit of the employee under the plan''.
       (2) Delay of repayment.--In the case of a qualified 
     individual with an outstanding loan on or after the qualified 
     beginning date from a qualified employer plan (as defined in 
     section 72(p)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)--
       (A) if the due date pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (C) of 
     section 72(p)(2) of such Code for any repayment with respect 
     to such loan occurs during the period beginning on the 
     qualified beginning date and ending on December 31, 2018, 
     such due date shall be delayed for 1 year,
       (B) any subsequent repayments with respect to any such loan 
     shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the delay in the 
     due date under paragraph (1) and any interest accruing during 
     such delay, and
       (C) in determining the 5-year period and the term of a loan 
     under subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 72(p)(2) of such 
     Code, the period described in subparagraph (A) shall be 
     disregarded.
       (3) Qualified individual.--For purposes of this 
     subsection--
       (A) In general.--The term ``qualified individual'' means 
     any qualified Hurricane Harvey individual, any qualified 
     Hurricane Irma individual, and any qualified Hurricane Maria 
     individual.
       (B) Qualified hurricane harvey individual.--The term 
     ``qualified Hurricane Harvey individual'' means an individual 
     whose principal place of abode on August 23, 2017, is located 
     in the Hurricane Harvey disaster area and who has sustained 
     an economic loss by reason of Hurricane Harvey.
       (C) Qualified hurricane irma individual.--The term 
     ``qualified Hurricane Irma individual'' means an individual 
     (other than a qualified Hurricane Harvey individual) whose 
     principal place of abode on September 4, 2017, is located in 
     the Hurricane Irma disaster area and who has sustained an 
     economic loss by reason of Hurricane Irma.
       (D) Qualified hurricane maria individual.--The term 
     ``qualified Hurricane Maria individual'' means an individual 
     (other than a qualified Hurricane Harvey individual or a 
     qualified Hurricane Irma individual) whose principal place of 
     abode on September 16, 2017, is located in the Hurricane 
     Maria disaster area and who has sustained an economic loss by 
     reason of Hurricane Maria.
       (4) Qualified beginning date.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, the qualified beginning date is--
       (A) in the case of any qualified Hurricane Harvey 
     individual, August 23, 2017,
       (B) in the case of any qualified Hurricane Irma individual, 
     September 4, 2017, and
       (C) in the case of any qualified Hurricane Maria 
     individual, September 16, 2017.
       (d) Provisions Relating to Plan Amendments.--
       (1) In general.--If this subsection applies to any 
     amendment to any plan or annuity contract, such plan or 
     contract shall be treated as being operated in accordance 
     with the terms of the plan during the period described in 
     paragraph (2)(B)(i).
       (2) Amendments to which subsection applies.--
       (A) In general.--This subsection shall apply to any 
     amendment to any plan or annuity contract which is made--
       (i) pursuant to any provision of this section, or pursuant 
     to any regulation issued by the Secretary or the Secretary of 
     Labor under any provision of this section, and
       (ii) on or before the last day of the first plan year 
     beginning on or after January 1, 2019, or such later date as 
     the Secretary may prescribe.

     In the case of a governmental plan (as defined in section 
     414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), clause (ii) 
     shall be applied by substituting the date which is 2 years 
     after the date otherwise applied under clause (ii).
       (B) Conditions.--This subsection shall not apply to any 
     amendment unless--
       (i) during the period--

       (I) beginning on the date that this section or the 
     regulation described in subparagraph (A)(i) takes effect (or 
     in the case of a plan or contract amendment not required by 
     this section or such regulation, the effective date specified 
     by the plan), and
       (II) ending on the date described in subparagraph (A)(ii) 
     (or, if earlier, the date the plan or contract amendment is 
     adopted),

     the plan or contract is operated as if such plan or contract 
     amendment were in effect; and
       (ii) such plan or contract amendment applies retroactively 
     for such period.

     SEC. 503. DISASTER-RELATED EMPLOYMENT RELIEF.

       (a) Employee Retention Credit for Employers Affected by 
     Hurricane Harvey.--
       (1) In general.--For purposes of section 38 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986, in the case of an eligible employer, 
     the Hurricane Harvey employee retention credit shall be 
     treated as a credit listed in subsection (b) of such section. 
     For purposes of this subsection, the Hurricane Harvey 
     employee retention credit for any taxable year is an amount 
     equal to 40 percent of the qualified wages with respect to 
     each eligible employee of such employer for such taxable 
     year. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the amount of 
     qualified wages which may be taken into account with respect 
     to any individual shall not exceed $6,000.
       (2) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
       (A) Eligible employer.--The term ``eligible employer'' 
     means any employer--
       (i) which conducted an active trade or business on August 
     23, 2017, in the Hurricane Harvey disaster zone, and
       (ii) with respect to whom the trade or business described 
     in clause (i) is inoperable on any day after August 23, 2017, 
     and before January 1, 2018, as a result of damage sustained 
     by reason of Hurricane Harvey.
       (B) Eligible employee.--The term ``eligible employee'' 
     means with respect to an eligible employer an employee whose 
     principal place of employment on August 23, 2017, with such 
     eligible employer was in the Hurricane Harvey disaster zone.
       (C) Qualified wages.--The term ``qualified wages'' means 
     wages (as defined in section 51(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986, but without regard to section 3306(b)(2)(B) of 
     such Code) paid or incurred by an eligible employer with 
     respect to an eligible employee on any day after August 23, 
     2017, and before January 1, 2018, which occurs during the 
     period--
       (i) beginning on the date on which the trade or business 
     described in subparagraph (A) first became inoperable at the 
     principal place of employment of the employee immediately 
     before Hurricane Harvey, and
       (ii) ending on the date on which such trade or business has 
     resumed significant operations at such principal place of 
     employment.

     Such term shall include wages paid without regard to whether 
     the employee performs no services, performs services at a 
     different place of employment than such principal place of 
     employment, or performs services at such principal place of 
     employment before significant operations have resumed.
       (3) Certain rules to apply.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, rules similar to the rules of sections 51(i)(1) 
     and 52, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, shall apply.
       (4) Employee not taken into account more than once.--An 
     employee shall not be treated as an eligible employee for 
     purposes of this subsection for any period with respect to 
     any employer if such employer is allowed a credit under 
     section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect 
     to such employee for such period.
       (b) Employee Retention Credit for Employers Affected by 
     Hurricane Irma.--
       (1) In general.--For purposes of section 38 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986, in the case of an eligible employer, 
     the Hurricane Irma employee retention credit shall be treated 
     as a credit listed in subsection (b) of such section. For 
     purposes of this subsection, the Hurricane Irma employee 
     retention credit for any taxable year is an amount equal to 
     40 percent of the qualified wages with respect to each 
     eligible employee of such employer for such taxable year. For 
     purposes of the preceding sentence, the amount of qualified 
     wages which may be taken into account with respect to any 
     individual shall not exceed $6,000.
       (2) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
       (A) Eligible employer.--The term ``eligible employer'' 
     means any employer--
       (i) which conducted an active trade or business on 
     September 4, 2017, in the Hurricane Irma disaster zone, and
       (ii) with respect to whom the trade or business described 
     in clause (i) is inoperable on any day after September 4, 
     2017, and before January 1, 2018, as a result of damage 
     sustained by reason of Hurricane Irma.
       (B) Eligible employee.--The term ``eligible employee'' 
     means with respect to an eligible employer an employee whose 
     principal place of employment on September 4, 2017, with such 
     eligible employer was in the Hurricane Irma disaster zone.
       (C) Qualified wages.--The term ``qualified wages'' means 
     wages (as defined in section 51(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986, but without regard to section 3306(b)(2)(B) of 
     such Code) paid or incurred by an eligible employer with 
     respect to an eligible employee on any day after September 4, 
     2017, and before January 1, 2018, which occurs during the 
     period--
       (i) beginning on the date on which the trade or business 
     described in subparagraph (A) first became inoperable at the 
     principal place of employment of the employee immediately 
     before Hurricane Irma, and
       (ii) ending on the date on which such trade or business has 
     resumed significant operations at such principal place of 
     employment.

     Such term shall include wages paid without regard to whether 
     the employee performs no services, performs services at a 
     different place of employment than such principal place of 
     employment, or performs services at such principal place of 
     employment before significant operations have resumed.
       (3) Certain rules to apply.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, rules similar to the rules

[[Page H7462]]

     of sections 51(i)(1) and 52, of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986, shall apply.
       (4) Employee not taken into account more than once.--An 
     employee shall not be treated as an eligible employee for 
     purposes of this subsection for any period with respect to 
     any employer if such employer is allowed a credit under 
     subsection (a), or section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986, with respect to such employee for such period.
       (c) Employee Retention Credit for Employers Affected by 
     Hurricane Maria.--
       (1) In general.--For purposes of section 38 of the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986, in the case of an eligible employer, 
     the Hurricane Maria employee retention credit shall be 
     treated as a credit listed in subsection (b) of such section. 
     For purposes of this subsection, the Hurricane Maria employee 
     retention credit for any taxable year is an amount equal to 
     40 percent of the qualified wages with respect to each 
     eligible employee of such employer for such taxable year. For 
     purposes of the preceding sentence, the amount of qualified 
     wages which may be taken into account with respect to any 
     individual shall not exceed $6,000.
       (2) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
       (A) Eligible employer.--The term ``eligible employer'' 
     means any employer--
       (i) which conducted an active trade or business on 
     September 16, 2017, in the Hurricane Maria disaster zone, and
       (ii) with respect to whom the trade or business described 
     in clause (i) is inoperable on any day after September 16, 
     2017, and before January 1, 2018, as a result of damage 
     sustained by reason of Hurricane Maria.
       (B) Eligible employee.--The term ``eligible employee'' 
     means with respect to an eligible employer an employee whose 
     principal place of employment on September 16, 2017, with 
     such eligible employer was in the Hurricane Maria disaster 
     zone.
       (C) Qualified wages.--The term ``qualified wages'' means 
     wages (as defined in section 51(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986, but without regard to section 3306(b)(2)(B) of 
     such Code) paid or incurred by an eligible employer with 
     respect to an eligible employee on any day after September 
     16, 2017, and before January 1, 2018, which occurs during the 
     period--
       (i) beginning on the date on which the trade or business 
     described in subparagraph (A) first became inoperable at the 
     principal place of employment of the employee immediately 
     before Hurricane Maria, and
       (ii) ending on the date on which such trade or business has 
     resumed significant operations at such principal place of 
     employment.

     Such term shall include wages paid without regard to whether 
     the employee performs no services, performs services at a 
     different place of employment than such principal place of 
     employment, or performs services at such principal place of 
     employment before significant operations have resumed.
       (3) Certain rules to apply.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, rules similar to the rules of sections 51(i)(1) 
     and 52, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, shall apply.
       (4) Employee not taken into account more than once.--An 
     employee shall not be treated as an eligible employee for 
     purposes of this subsection for any period with respect to 
     any employer if such employer is allowed a credit under 
     subsection (a) or (b), or section 51 of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986, with respect to such employee for such period.

     SEC. 504. ADDITIONAL DISASTER-RELATED TAX RELIEF PROVISIONS.

       (a) Temporary Suspension of Limitations on Charitable 
     Contributions.--
       (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in paragraph 
     (2), subsection (b) of section 170 of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 shall not apply to qualified contributions and 
     such contributions shall not be taken into account for 
     purposes of applying subsections (b) and (d) of such section 
     to other contributions.
       (2) Treatment of excess contributions.--For purposes of 
     section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986--
       (A) Individuals.--In the case of an individual--
       (i) Limitation.--Any qualified contribution shall be 
     allowed only to the extent that the aggregate of such 
     contributions does not exceed the excess of the taxpayer's 
     contribution base (as defined in subparagraph (G) of section 
     170(b)(1) of such Code) over the amount of all other 
     charitable contributions allowed under section 170(b)(1) of 
     such Code.
       (ii) Carryover.--If the aggregate amount of qualified 
     contributions made in the contribution year (within the 
     meaning of section 170(d)(1) of such Code) exceeds the 
     limitation of clause (i), such excess shall be added to the 
     excess described in the portion of subparagraph (A) of such 
     section which precedes clause (i) thereof for purposes of 
     applying such section.
       (B) Corporations.--In the case of a corporation--
       (i) Limitation.--Any qualified contribution shall be 
     allowed only to the extent that the aggregate of such 
     contributions does not exceed the excess of the taxpayer's 
     taxable income (as determined under paragraph (2) of section 
     170(b) of such Code) over the amount of all other charitable 
     contributions allowed under such paragraph.
       (ii) Carryover.--Rules similar to the rules of subparagraph 
     (A)(ii) shall apply for purposes of this subparagraph.
       (3) Exception to overall limitation on itemized 
     deductions.--So much of any deduction allowed under section 
     170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as does not exceed 
     the qualified contributions paid during the taxable year 
     shall not be treated as an itemized deduction for purposes of 
     section 68 of such Code.
       (4) Qualified contributions.--
       (A) In general.--For purposes of this subsection, the term 
     ``qualified contribution'' means any charitable contribution 
     (as defined in section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986) if--
       (i) such contribution--

       (I) is paid during the period beginning on August 23, 2017, 
     and ending on December 31, 2017, in cash to an organization 
     described in section 170(b)(1)(A) of such Code, and
       (II) is made for relief efforts in the Hurricane Harvey 
     disaster area, the Hurricane Irma disaster area, or the 
     Hurricane Maria disaster area,

       (ii) the taxpayer obtains from such organization 
     contemporaneous written acknowledgment (within the meaning of 
     section 170(f)(8) of such Code) that such contribution was 
     used (or is to be used) for relief efforts described in 
     clause (i)(II), and
       (iii) the taxpayer has elected the application of this 
     subsection with respect to such contribution.
       (B) Exception.--Such term shall not include a contribution 
     by a donor if the contribution is--
       (i) to an organization described in section 509(a)(3) of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or
       (ii) for the establishment of a new, or maintenance of an 
     existing, donor advised fund (as defined in section 
     4966(d)(2) of such Code).
       (C) Application of election to partnerships and s 
     corporations.--In the case of a partnership or S corporation, 
     the election under subparagraph (A)(iii) shall be made 
     separately by each partner or shareholder.
       (b) Special Rules for Qualified Disaster-related Personal 
     Casualty Losses.--
       (1) In general.--If an individual has a net disaster loss 
     for any taxable year--
       (A) the amount determined under section 165(h)(2)(A)(ii) of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be equal to the sum 
     of--
       (i) such net disaster loss, and
       (ii) so much of the excess referred to in the matter 
     preceding clause (i) of section 165(h)(2)(A) of such Code 
     (reduced by the amount in clause (i) of this subparagraph) as 
     exceeds 10 percent of the adjusted gross income of the 
     individual,
       (B) section 165(h)(1) of such Code shall be applied by 
     substituting ``$500'' for ``$500 ($100 for taxable years 
     beginning after December 31, 2009)'',
       (C) the standard deduction determined under section 63(c) 
     of such Code shall be increased by the net disaster loss, and
       (D) section 56(b)(1)(E) of such Code shall not apply to so 
     much of the standard deduction as is attributable to the 
     increase under subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
       (2) Net disaster loss.--For purposes of this subsection, 
     the term ``net disaster loss'' means the excess of qualified 
     disaster-related personal casualty losses over personal 
     casualty gains (as defined in section 165(h)(3)(A) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
       (3) Qualified disaster-related personal casualty losses.--
     For purposes of this subsection, the term ``qualified 
     disaster-related personal casualty losses'' means losses 
     described in section 165(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986--
       (A) which arise in the Hurricane Harvey disaster area on or 
     after August 23, 2017, and which are attributable to 
     Hurricane Harvey,
       (B) which arise in the Hurricane Irma disaster area on or 
     after September 4, 2017, and which are attributable to 
     Hurricane Irma, or
       (C) which arise in the Hurricane Maria disaster area on or 
     after September 16, 2017, and which are attributable to 
     Hurricane Maria.
       (c) Special Rule for Determining Earned Income.--
       (1) In general.--In the case of a qualified individual, if 
     the earned income of the taxpayer for the taxable year which 
     includes the applicable date is less than the earned income 
     of the taxpayer for the preceding taxable year, the credits 
     allowed under sections 24(d) and 32 of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986 may, at the election of the taxpayer, be 
     determined by substituting--
       (A) such earned income for the preceding taxable year, for
       (B) such earned income for the taxable year which includes 
     the applicable date.
     In the case of a resident of Puerto Rico determining the 
     credit allowed under section 24(d)(1)(B)(ii) of such Code, 
     the preceding sentence shall be applied by substituting 
     ``social security taxes (as defined in section 24(d)(2)(A) of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)'' for ``earned income'' 
     each place it appears.
       (2) Qualified individual.--For purposes of this 
     subsection--
       (A) In general.--The term ``qualified individual'' means 
     any qualified Hurricane Harvey individual, any qualified 
     Hurricane Irma individual, and any qualified Hurricane Maria 
     individual.
       (B) Qualified hurricane harvey individual.--The term 
     ``qualified Hurricane Harvey individual'' means any 
     individual whose principal place of abode on August 23, 2017, 
     was located--
       (i) in the Hurricane Harvey disaster zone, or

[[Page H7463]]

       (ii) in the Hurricane Harvey disaster area (but outside the 
     Hurricane Harvey disaster zone) and such individual was 
     displaced from such principal place of abode by reason of 
     Hurricane Harvey.
       (C) Qualified hurricane irma individual.--The term 
     ``qualified Hurricane Irma individual'' means any individual 
     (other than a qualified Hurricane Harvey individual) whose 
     principal place of abode on September 4, 2017, was located--
       (i) in the Hurricane Irma disaster zone, or
       (ii) in the Hurricane Irma disaster area (but outside the 
     Hurricane Irma disaster zone) and such individual was 
     displaced from such principal place of abode by reason of 
     Hurricane Irma.
       (D) Qualified hurricane maria individual.--The term 
     ``qualified Hurricane Maria individual'' means any individual 
     (other than a qualified Hurricane Harvey individual or a 
     qualified Hurricane Irma individual) whose principal place of 
     abode on September 16, 2017, was located--
       (i) in the Hurricane Maria disaster zone, or
       (ii) in the Hurricane Maria disaster area (but outside the 
     Hurricane Maria disaster zone) and such individual was 
     displaced from such principal place of abode by reason of 
     Hurricane Maria.
       (3) Applicable date.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
     term ``applicable date'' means--
       (A) in the case of a qualified Hurricane Harvey individual, 
     August 23, 2017,
       (B) in the case of a qualified Hurricane Irma individual, 
     September 4, 2017, and
       (C) in the case of a qualified Hurricane Maria individual, 
     September 16, 2017.
       (4) Earned income.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
     term ``earned income'' has the meaning given such term under 
     section 32(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (5) Special rules.--
       (A) Application to joint returns.--For purposes of 
     paragraph (1), in the case of a joint return for a taxable 
     year which includes the applicable date--
       (i) such paragraph shall apply if either spouse is a 
     qualified individual, and
       (ii) the earned income of the taxpayer for the preceding 
     taxable year shall be the sum of the earned income of each 
     spouse for such preceding taxable year.
       (B) Uniform application of election.--Any election made 
     under paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to both sections 
     24(d) and section 32, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
       (C) Errors treated as mathematical error.--For purposes of 
     section 6213 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, an 
     incorrect use on a return of earned income pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) shall be treated as a mathematical or clerical 
     error.
       (D) No effect on determination of gross income, etc.--
     Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied without regard to any 
     substitution under paragraph (1).
       (d) Application of Disaster-related Tax Relief to 
     Possessions of the United States.--
       (1) Payments to possessions.--The Secretary of the Treasury 
     shall pay to each possession of the United States with a 
     mirror code tax system amounts equal to the loss in revenues 
     to that possession by reason of subsection (c). Such amounts 
     shall be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury based on 
     information provided by the government of the respective 
     possession.
       (2) Definition and special rules.--
       (A) Mirror code tax system.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, the term ``mirror code tax system'' means, with 
     respect to any possession of the United States, the income 
     tax system of such possession if the income tax liability of 
     the residents of such possession under such system is 
     determined by reference to the income tax laws of the United 
     States as if such possession were the United States.
       (B) Treatment of payments.--For purposes of section 1324 of 
     title 31, United States Code, the payments under this 
     subsection shall be treated in the same manner as a refund 
     due from a credit provision referred to in subsection (b)(2) 
     of such section.
       (C) Coordination with united states income taxes.--In the 
     case of any person with respect to whom a tax benefit is 
     taken into account with respect to the taxes imposed by any 
     possession of the United States by reason of this title, the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied with respect 
     to such person without regard to the provisions of this title 
     which provide such benefit.

     SEC. 505. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       (a) Emergency Designation.--This title is designated as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) of the 
     Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
       (b) Designation in Senate.--In the Senate, this title is 
     designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     403(a) of S. Con. Res. 13 (111th Congress), the concurrent 
     resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2010.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Curbelo) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.

                              {time}  1700


                             General Leave

  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill currently under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, since Hurricane Irma hit south Florida earlier this 
month, my staff and I have been on the ground in the Florida Keys and 
South Dade helping our district with immediate recovery efforts and 
listening to what our constituents need going forward.
  In the lower and middle Florida Keys, it is hard to find someone who 
hasn't been affected financially by this storm's devastation. From 
restaurant workers who have been without a paycheck to fishermen whose 
boats or traps were damaged, small businesses and the families that 
depend on them are really struggling.
  In South Dade, crops and agricultural structures critical to daily 
operations were devastated by wind. Some small farms that were already 
struggling to make ends meet have now exhausted their cash on hand to 
pay for cleanup, leaving them little to pay workers or keep up with 
their planting schedule.
  Mr. Speaker, my district and similar communities throughout Florida, 
Louisiana, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands need relief, 
and this bill is a great start.
  Through the business tax credit for wages, small-business owners like 
Owen, a lobster and crab fisherman whose traps in the middle Keys were 
destroyed by Hurricane Irma, will be able to claim a tax credit for 40 
percent of employee wages. That is money Owen can use to get his 
employees back to work as soon as possible.
  The bill will also allow taxpayers to refer to earned income from the 
immediately preceding year for purposes of determining the earned 
income tax credit. That is over 415,000 hurricane survivors in Miami-
Dade, and nearly 7,500 in Monroe County, who will be able to keep more 
of their paycheck when the time comes to pay taxes next year.
  We are also going to make it easier for individuals and businesses, 
like farmers struggling in South Dade and fishermen in the Keys, to 
deduct more of the costs from the extensive property damage these 
storms left behind.
  This legislation would also give anyone struggling with initial 
recovery immediate access to their retirement savings, without 
penalties, so they can make ends meet and take care of their families.
  Lastly, this legislation will lift caps on charitable giving to 
qualified hurricane relief organizations, encouraging more American 
businesses and individuals to continue generously supporting their 
fellow citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, Americans in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, and Puerto Rico need Congress to act. My constituents and 
those in other communities like my district don't have time to wait. 
They certainly don't have time to play political games. The Disaster 
Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017 will give them 
the means to recover faster and rebuild their communities better and 
stronger than before. This tax relief package we are considering 
deserves bipartisan support from my colleagues.
  I thank Chairman Brady and the Ways and Means Committee for allowing 
me to shape this legislation for the benefit of south Florida 
residents, especially those in Monroe County who were hardest hit by 
Hurricane Irma. I hope we can get this done today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand in opposition to H.R. 3823, the Disaster Tax 
Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act, for one simple reason. 
This is an anemic response to these disasters, whether they occur on 
the mainland of the United States or within American possessions.
  This should have been done on Friday afternoon with the two parties 
working together. Instead, once again, this was put together by one 
party, with minimal input from our side. These are all

[[Page H7464]]

members of the American family that have been impacted by what has 
happened with this terrible weather.
  The chance here for us to work together to make this an expanded 
package, where we could be talking about a host of opportunities for 
these folks who have been put in such a precarious situation, is now 
being missed. There are 90 Members of this Congress who actually voted 
against direct aid in the past for relief for members of the American 
family, where we should have taken the position here, clearly: Let's 
try to figure out what we can do for a robust tax package, what we can 
do for immediate aid, and highlight the role that FEMA plays. And I 
certainly have expressed to Mr. Curbelo time and again I am there on 
board. I just think this needs to be more, and I think that is the 
position that we are offering today.
  Furthermore, a partisan position had to be taken in terms of many 
priorities that we should have been consulted on, and even those could 
have been turned into bipartisan moments. I support the disaster relief 
that is in this bill, but it is clear that the package is woefully 
inadequate. I would hope that we could work together on these 
provisions.
  The disaster relief package included in this bill does not provide 
the comprehensive package of incentives and relief that will drive 
investment and speed up recovery in the American communities that 
include Texas, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. 
Without the fix that we want on this side, the effect of lost revenue 
is going to mean that money is lost that otherwise would be needed for 
normal operations and the response effort. It is going to take years to 
adequately respond to what has happened and the devastation that these 
folks are up against. We need to be sitting here, both parties working 
together, to say: They are all members of the American family. Let's 
get it done.

  I consider this a missed opportunity, and I hope that we can do more 
in the next few days to get back on track to help them bounce back from 
these, indeed, tragedies. We should be sitting down here in the next 48 
hours and putting together a massive package of relief for these States 
and for these possessions and making sure that they have what is 
necessary, rather than doing a piecemeal fix on what is sure to be a 
very tormented time for members of these communities and these States 
and these possessions.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, briefly, I want to first convey 
my gratitude to the gentleman from Massachusetts because, indeed, the 
first day I returned after being back home helping my community 
recover, the gentleman expressed his disposition to work together. That 
really meant a lot to me, and I know it meant a lot to all of our 
colleagues who represent areas that were hit hard by the storm. We 
should work more closely together. We can always do better. However, 
let's not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
  The bottom line is that there are a lot of provisions in this 
legislation that are supported by Members of both parties, and there 
are millions of Americans who are suffering, especially in south 
Florida and especially in Puerto Rico that was hit hard by Maria just a 
few days ago, and they are counting on us to deliver something. We can 
always do more later, but this is a good package that will help people 
get back up on their feet.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Shuster), the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for 
yielding me time.
  I rise today in support of the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and 
Airway Extension Act of 2017.
  This extension provides stability to our aviation system and extends 
the funding to the FAA over the next 6 months while Congress continues 
to make progress on a full FAA reauthorization bill. This extension is 
absolutely necessary to prevent a shutdown in FAA programs, delays in 
airport construction projects, and the possible furlough of thousands 
of FAA employees across the country. I will be the first to admit I am 
disappointed we have not passed a long-term bill yet.
  Unfortunately, this is not a new problem for Congress. Between 2007 
and 2012, Congress passed 23 extensions before approving a full 
reauthorization. These short-term stopgaps, while necessary, create 
long-term budget instability, and they contribute to the FAA's overall 
inability to effectively manage the modernization of our antiquated air 
traffic control system.
  Congress has passed numerous piecemeal reforms over the years to try 
to help the FAA act more like a business and efficiently modernize the 
system. These reforms have not worked, and passing the same kind of 
reforms again is not going to change the simple fact that the Federal 
Government is not an innovative, high-tech service business.
  It is time to face the truth that, without transformational reform, 
the American people will not get the most modern and efficient air 
traffic control system that they have been promised and deserve. For 
too long, we have been trying to manage the symptoms of the problem 
instead of finding a cure.
  Thankfully, we now have that cure. H.R. 2997, the 21st Century AIRR 
Act, and progress is being made every day on this bill to provide long-
overdue reform of the FAA.
  While we have made progress, I believe we will move this bipartisan 
bill through the House in the next few weeks. In the meantime, we have 
to pass this extension today to provide 6 months' worth of certainty 
and stability to the FAA, the aviation community, and the flying 
public.
  Without it, starting this Sunday, October 1, the FAA programs will 
face a shutdown, thousands of FAA employees could be furloughed, 
airport projects across the country will come to a halt, and 
approximately $40 million a day in aviation trust fund revenue will go 
uncollected. That is funding for air traffic control, airport 
development, and other safety and modernization programs that will 
never be recovered.
  I want to remind my colleagues again that the very fact that we have 
to pass this bill today is one of the many reasons we need fundamental, 
comprehensive FAA reform.
  In order to ensure America remains the world leader in aviation, I 
look forward to bringing the bipartisan 21st Century AIRR Act to the 
floor in the coming weeks. Until then, I urge my colleagues to support 
today's bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Brady and Chairman Hensarling for their 
work on this bill, and I thank my friend for yielding.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, we have a problem here. My record is very, 
very clear. I am providing assistance to any place in this country. In 
fact, my record is 100 percent. So I have some credibility to come to 
the floor to discuss this with my friend from Florida, and I hope he 
will listen.
  My heart goes out to those impacted my Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and 
Maria the past several weeks. I am committed to providing for Federal 
response and recovery.
  I was pleased to support aid to those affected by Harvey and Irma, 
and I will continue to do so. We urgently need to deliver relief and 
assistance to those currently impacted by Hurricane Maria in the U.S. 
Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, where the entire island has lost power 
or many are without water. However, this bill today does not provide 
that needed relief.
  Let's be clear: we in New Jersey are not some Johnny-come-lately on 
disaster tax relief. This is not a question of you got yours and I want 
mine.
  We have been working on disaster tax issues since 2012, based, in 
part, on how we addressed helping victims of Hurricane Katrina more 
than a decade ago. Let me remind you: Hurricane Sandy devastated the 
northeastern United States in 2012, cost 233 lives, and caused $75 
billion in damage. At the time, it was the costliest storm after 
Hurricane Katrina.
  While Congress, until then, had routinely provided tax relief to 
communities in the wake of our worst storms--tax relief, I am talking 
about--Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, victims of Hurricane Sandy 
did not receive the same treatment. In fact, we had to wait 3 months. 
We just

[[Page H7465]]

did it in 3 days. We seem to have short memories.
  179 Republicans in this body and 36 Senators voted against aid to 
victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2013--that many. And today, those same 
Members asked us to support not only aid for Hurricanes Harvey and 
Irma, but tax relief provisions, which they never even considered after 
Hurricane Sandy.
  I was a ``yes'' vote a week before last for your aid, unequivocally. 
Why should I take out on your citizens the foolishness that happened in 
2013? That would be wrong. And I think you feel the same way, through 
the Chair.
  This whole debate smacks of a certain hypocrisy, and I know I am not 
the first to point it out. In the weeks after Sandy, I worked in a 
bipartisan manner to draft a tax relief bill that would make permanent 
the most commonsense tax relief provisions to take politics out of the 
equation when it comes to disaster relief.

                              {time}  1715

  Over the years, I worked with many of my colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle and from both Chambers of the Capitol.
  Our bill, the National Disaster Tax Relief Act, led also by 
Congressman Tom Reed from New York----
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
additional time.
  The bill provides tax relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy and puts 
in place permanent provisions for all disaster areas going forward.
  I am ready and waiting to debate these provisions and go through 
regular order. Let's have hearings, let's have a markup, let's have 
regular order on something that should be as noncontroversial as 
helping those in need.
  Instead of taking a bipartisan approach, some in the majority have 
chosen to sneak in a few provisions taken from our bill and tack them 
onto an unrelated aviation bill and apply them to only this year's 
hurricane victims, leaving out all of the disaster victims that been 
have waiting for support over the years.
  A front-page story in the papers in New Jersey today says people are 
still not back in their homes from Sandy, 2013. That is not fair. It is 
not the American way.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has again expired.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
additional time.
  The specific provisions Republican leadership put in from our bill 
include bigger-than-usual property casualty loss deductions, penalty-
free retirement withdrawals.
  He may smile, but think about those people who are out of their homes 
since 2013. That is no laughing matter, Mr. Speaker.
  An increased threshold for charitable giving, a tax credit for 
impacted employers, and flexibility in applying for the earned income 
tax credit and child tax credit.
  I would note that Puerto Ricans, despite being American citizens, are 
ineligible for the earned income tax credit, and I have a bill to 
correct this.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, no one was laughing at anything 
that the gentleman said. We were listening intently.
  The reason that we are all here is because the people of Florida, the 
people of Texas, the people of Louisiana, the people of Puerto Rico, 
and the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands need our help. They were hit 
in the last few weeks, and they need our help. There are people 
struggling in all of these communities.
  Is this bill perfect?
  No. I have never seen one.
  Can we do more?
  Yes. We must do more, but this is an important first step.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Hensarling), the distinguished chairman of the House Financial Services 
Committee.
  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, it is so obvious to all as we have looked in horror on 
our television screens to see the devastation of Harvey, Irma, and 
Maria. There have been lots of tragic stories, harrowing tales of 
survival.
  I have been to Houston. I have met with a number of the victims. Mr. 
Speaker, let me tell you about one tragic story. One tragic story is 
that there are people who are living in homes that repeatedly flood 
five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, even twenty times.
  Something is fundamentally wrong in America and something is 
fundamentally dangerous in America when people are living in harm's 
way. Many of these people are ready to move.
  Mr. Speaker, last week I made a comment about these repeatedly 
flooded properties that was clearly inartful. It was not meant to be 
taken literally, but it was. I regret the comment because it diverted 
from a very important point that needs to be made, and the point is 
this: if we care about our fellow citizens, if we wish to be 
compassionate, then Federal aid and Federal policy will help move these 
people to safer ground.
  It is time to either help mitigate these homes or to help move these 
homes. For this small set of properties, we must help. Otherwise, I 
fear that the fatalities and the economic carnage will continue.
  If we simply rebuild the same properties in the same manner, in the 
same place, and expect a different result, we are not helping our 
fellow citizens, we are not helping our first responders, and we are 
certainly not helping the taxpayer.
  Mr. Speaker, another tragedy of these storms is how many people 
needed flood insurance but didn't have it. Many of them had no idea 
that they actually needed it. In Houston, by some reports, 80 percent 
of the damaged homes didn't have flood insurance.
  Why?
  One of the reasons, Mr. Speaker, is because we have a government 
monopoly in flood insurance. Many people don't understand that flood is 
not included in their typical homeowner's insurance policy. Many 
people, unfortunately, took false security from living outside the 
government-designated 100-year flood plain. Many have seen no options.
  But help is on the way. Bipartisan help is on the way with the Flood 
Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act, known as the Ross-Castor 
bill. It is a critical piece of legislation to give more people more 
affordable options for flood insurance.
  In the small part of the national market where we have competition, 
particularly in Pennsylvania and in Florida, people are saving hundreds 
of dollars, if not thousands of dollars, in many cases on their 
flood insurance premiums.

  The very respected firm of Millman, which studies insurance matters, 
said that half of policy owners in Florida, two-thirds in Louisiana, 
and 75 percent in Texas--my native State--could all save with private 
flood insurance.
  Think about it, Mr. Speaker. If we had a real competitive market with 
multiple companies advertising and selling multiple policies, more 
people would become educated about the need for flood insurance and 
have that rolled into their normal homeowner's policy. This is vital.
  Mr. Speaker, last year this bill passed this House 419-0. You can't 
get any more bipartisan. It recently passed the Financial Services 
Committee 58-0.
  If there is one thing that we need to do--and it is urgent that we do 
it now, with the National Flood Insurance Program, which is in debt, 
facing another bailout and an uncertain future, which we must remedy--
as folks begin to rebuild, let's get them more affordable flood 
insurance policies.
  I appreciate the bill included in this package, and for the sake of 
all the victims of the hurricanes, I urge its adoption.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I think that there is a sufficient opportunity 
here going forward, as the previous gentlemen has spoken, to discuss 
the whole issue of flood insurance. I just don't think this is the 
moment to be discussing the flood insurance initiatives. Instead, I 
think that ought to be subject to a full-throttled debate in this

[[Page H7466]]

institution about getting those things done. This is not, I think, the 
appropriate forum for accomplishing that.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. 
DeFazio), the ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, this is purportedly an absolutely essential 
extension of authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration to 
continue to operate after October 1. Unfortunately, it has devolved 
into other issues because it has turned into a Christmas tree on the 
Republican side of the aisle.
  We need to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration. The last 
time Congress failed to do this--and the ticket tax, which is what pays 
for air traffic control in America, expired--almost every airline in 
America raised their rates 7.5 percent, got a $400 million windfall, 
which the government lost, with the exception of two: I understand, 
Alaska and Spirit.
  So if we fail to reauthorize, we can expect that that will happen 
again.
  Actually, their long-term plan is to privatize the FAA, do away with 
the ticket tax, reap a $10 billion windfall, and then impose a new per-
head fee to use our national airspace, which, by the way, Congress will 
have nothing to say about that. No elected official will have any 
authority over what new fees they charge. That is extraordinary.
  That came out of the Republican side of the Ways and Means Committee. 
What a bunch of losers. Come on. Give me a break. You are going to 
allow the airlines to have the authority, a private corporation, to tax 
people in America, and then say: Oh, it is not a tax; it is a user fee.
  It sure feels like a tax to me, and it is going to feel like that to 
your constituents. But when they complain, you will say: Oh, go talk to 
the private corporation.
  That is why we are here today, because the chairman of the committee 
has stubbornly persisted in attempting to privatize the air traffic 
organization of the United States of America, the most complex, the 
most efficient, and the safest system in the world.
  Yes, there are a few reforms that are needed there. Most of them have 
to do with us. Congress sequesters their money. Even though there is 
enough money raised in the ticket tax and other taxes to pay for the 
system, we sequester their money, we shut them down. We do dumb things 
like that.
  So I introduced a bill to take care of those problems, to exempt them 
from sequestration; to exempt them from budget shutdowns; and to 
require reforms in their personnel procedures, their policy procedures 
in terms of acquisitions; and to enhance the role of their coordinating 
committee, which has been doing a great job coordinating between the 
government and the airlines and all the people who use the system, not 
just the commercial airlines; and authorize funds to rebuild some of 
the major air traffic control centers, which are falling apart.
  Instead, the chairman has insisted that we must privatize because 
Canada did it, which is kind of a tiny fraction of what we are.
  Then the airlines have this fake group called the Citizens for On 
Time Flights, who say:

       We have to fly zigzag routes, which are World War II radar.

  No. Actually, we have deployed a system where you could fly all the 
planes in America closer together with GPS, but the airlines haven't 
bought the equipment, so they are blaming the FAA. That kind of stinks. 
So that is why we are here today.
  We have a bill that otherwise is totally agreed upon. If we were 
voting today on an FAA bill to give them a 6-year extension without 
privatization, with the reforms we need, we would be pressuring the 
Senate to get something done.
  Now, the Senate is hung up over whether or not you should have 1,500 
hours of experience to sit in the copilot's seat. After the tragic 
Colgan accident, reforms were adopted that made these requirements. So 
they are hung up on that. On this side, we are hung up on privatizing 
the system.
  So it is sad that we have come to this point today. My hope is that 
we will move forward soon in the bipartisan tradition of my committee, 
and we will move an FAA bill and any amendments that are allowed, or 
any riders or anything that is in it will have only to do with 
aviation, not to do with flood insurance, not to do with any of all 
these other miscellaneous things that are being thrown in here today. 
We are here with the Ways and Means Committee on a bill that should be 
a transportation bill.

  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise and want to make 
comments actually echoing a lot of the comments that were made already.
  The gentleman from Massachusetts talked about this needing to be a 
bipartisan bill, and I agree. The gentleman from New Jersey talked 
about Hurricane Sandy tax relief, and I agree. The gentleman from 
Florida talked about the need to ensure that we are responding quickly 
and appropriately in response to the devastating disasters that have 
affected his State of Florida and the State of Texas. I also support 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania's comments regarding a short-term 
reauthorization to the FAA so we can continue to move forward on 
reform.
  But you may be wondering why, Mr. Speaker, groups like the 
Association of State Floodplain Managers and the Consumer Federation of 
America have expressed opposition to this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I include these letters in the Record.

                                              Association of State


                                    Floodplain Managers, Inc.,

                                               September 24, 2017.
     Re Private flood insurance in H.R. 3823, Disaster Tax Relief 
         and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017.

       Dear Leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives: Early 
     this week, the House will consider legislation promoting 
     development of private flood insurance as part of a bill to 
     reauthorize the FAA for 6 months and provide hurricane tax 
     relief. The bill is scheduled to be taken up under suspension 
     this week. ASFPM strongly objects to consideration of private 
     flood outside the reauthorization of the NFIP. The proposed 
     bill does not insert HR 2901 from the 114th Congress as 
     mentioned in press reports, but inserts HR 1422, the Ross-
     Castor bill from the 115th Congress as Title 4, with 
     provisions that as written could substantially weaken and 
     undermine the critical functioning of the National Flood 
     Insurance Program,. The NFIP not only provides flood 
     insurance, but is a comprehensive flood risk management 
     program.
       Although we understand the potential benefits of more flood 
     insurance options, we point out that the private market has 
     been readily expanding since Biggert-Waters 2012 was passed 
     authorizing private flood insurance. ASFPM cannot support 
     authorization for private flood insurance as written in HR 
     1422. The temporary extension and reauthorization of the NFIP 
     expires on 8 Dec 2017, giving Congress ample time to consider 
     the full scope of the NFIP, into which private flood must 
     integrate, without causing irreparable damage to the other 3 
     fundamental elements of this comprehensive flood risk 
     management program. Those are floodplain mapping, 
     implementation of local floodplain ordinances to protect new 
     development, and hazard mitigation grants to reduce damage 
     and loss of life from flooding.
       ASFPM has stated that three modifications of that HR 1422 
     language must be made to ensure continuity of the 
     comprehensive flood risk reduction aspects of the NFIP that 
     exist today. A federal policy fee on all NFIP policies pays 
     for almost half the cost of floodplain mapping and all of the 
     costs of floodplain management including technical assistance 
     to over 22,000 communities that have joined the NFIP. Hazard 
     mitigation grants are funded by premium income to the 
     program. None of these functions are provided by private 
     flood insurance policies.
       Yet private insurance companies acknowledge that mapping 
     (i.e. identification of flood risk areas and areas of 
     mandatory purchase of flood insurance) and floodplain 
     management (i.e. reduced risk due to local requirements for 
     hazard-resistant construction) help them to target their 
     marketing and to price premiums lower where floodplain 
     ordinances exist.
       First, private policies must also carry the federal policy 
     user fee to support the mapping and floodplain management 
     functions. Private flood policy holders, private insurance 
     companies, as well as the NFIP and its policy holders, 
     benefit from these functions by identifying at-risk areas, 
     ensuring building construction standards which facilitate 
     lower flood insurance premiums, and targeting areas and 
     structures which could benefit from mitigation actions 
     leading to lower premiums. As policies migrate to the private 
     sector, millions of dollars in revenue to support those 
     floodplain management and mapping functions will be lost 
     unless there is an equivalent policy user fee on private 
     policies.
       Second, private policies to satisfy the mandatory purchase 
     requirement for properties in floodplains must only be sold 
     in communities that participate in the NFIP (meaning

[[Page H7467]]

     they have adopted floodplain management ordinances to guide 
     safer development). In smaller communities with only a 
     handful of properties required to purchase flood insurance, 
     if that requirement can be met with private policies, those 
     communities may drop out of the NFIP and no longer maintain 
     floodplain management ordinances to reduce future losses. 
     This could result in lack of abililty to reduce future flood 
     losses and in taxpayers picking up disaster costs.
       Third, several provisions of the existing definition of 
     private flood insurance must be retained. The Biggert-Waters 
     2012 legislation (42 USC 4012a(b)(7)) defines private flood 
     insurance, among other things, as providing coverage ``at 
     least as broad as'' that provided by the NFIP. The language 
     provides consumer protections to ensure policies would not 
     have excessive deductibles, exclusions, or eliminate some 
     essential coverages like Increased Cost of Compliance, which 
     provides assistance to policyholders to rebuild in a manner 
     that reduces flood damage in the future. Without these 
     important provisions in place, policyholders could face 
     unaffordable deductibles when they have a claim; communities 
     would find it much harder to help homeowners become eligible 
     for mitigation funding; and there would be a greater chance 
     that claim payments would not be applied to building repairs 
     resulting in increased community blight. ASFPM further notes 
     that with this language in place, the private market has 
     already been growing. The private flood insurance bill 
     strikes this language.
       The nation's floodplain managers strongly urge adoption of 
     these elements if private flood language is added to the 
     House NFIP reauthorization bill. This would preserve the 
     flood risk mapping and floodplain management functions that 
     the NFIP provides and would protect consumers from purchasing 
     low-cost policies that provide less than adequate coverage 
     and/or higher deductibles they could not pay. This would not 
     happen if insureds had an NFIP policy.
       The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) and 
     its 36 chapters represent more than 17,000 state and local 
     officials, as well as other professionals engaged in all 
     aspects of floodplain management and flood hazard mitigation 
     including management of local floodplain ordinances, flood 
     risk mapping, engineering, planning, community development, 
     hydrology, forecasting, emergency response, water resources 
     development and flood insurance. All ASFPM members are 
     concerned with reducing our nation's flood-related losses.
       Again we urge you to oppose inclusion of these ill-advised 
     private flood provisions outside of the context of 
     comprehensive NFIP reauthorization legislation. The 
     suspension package makes it impossible to properly address 
     these issues. Thank you for seriously considering these 
     recommendations from the Association of State Floodplain 
     Managers.
           Very sincerely,
                                                   Chad Berginnis,
     ASFPM Executive Director.
                                  ____



                               Consumer Federation of America,

                                               September 25, 2017.
     Re Oppose adding flood insurance provisions of H.R. 1422 to 
         the FAA extension bill.

       Dear Representative: Today, the House will consider 
     legislation promoting development of private flood insurance 
     as part of a bill to reauthorize the FAA for six months and 
     provide hurricane tax relief. The bill is scheduled to be 
     taken up under suspension this week. CFA strongly objects to 
     consideration of private flood insurance outside the 
     reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program 
     (NFIP). The proposed bill does not include H.R. 2901 from the 
     114th Congress as mentioned in press reports, but rather, 
     includes H.R. 1422, the Ross-Castor bill from the 115th 
     Congress as Title 4, with provisions that as written could 
     substantially weaken and undermine the critical functioning 
     of the NFIP.
       We oppose the inclusion of H.R. 1422 for numerous reasons:
       First, several provisions of the existing definition of 
     private flood insurance must be retained. The Biggert-Waters 
     2012 legislation (42 USC 4012a(b)(7)) defines private flood 
     insurance, among other things, as providing coverage ``at 
     least as broad as'' that provided by the NFIP. The language 
     provides consumer protections to ensure policies would not 
     have excessive deductibles, exclusions, or eliminate some 
     essential coverages like ``increased cost of compliance,'' 
     which provides assistance to policyholders to rebuild in a 
     manner that reduces flood damage in the future. Without these 
     important consumer protective provisions in place, 
     policyholders could face unaffordable deductibles when they 
     have a claim; communities would find it much harder to help 
     homeowners become eligible for mitigation funding; and there 
     would be a greater chance that claim payments would not be 
     applied to building repairs resulting in increased community 
     blight. The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) 
     further notes that with this language in place, the private 
     market has already been growing. The private flood insurance 
     bill strikes this language which significantly eliminates 
     important consumer protections.
       Second, the 45 day notice of cancellation provision must be 
     maintained or private insurers could cancel coverage when a 
     storm is approaching and not leave consumers with enough time 
     to get NFIP coverage, which has a 30-day waiting period for 
     coverage attachment. H.R. 1422 as included in this bill 
     problematically removes this notice provision.
       Third, surplus line insurers should not be authorized to 
     sell flood insurance since they are not covered by state 
     guarantee funds should they fail after a big storm, and they 
     are not regulated by the states and should not be allowed to 
     offer flood insurance unless the policy provisions are at 
     least equal to the NFIP coverage and the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency (FEMA) is given some authority to regulate 
     claims practices. H.R. 1422, as included in this bill, 
     permits surplus line insurers to sell flood insurance, 
     placing consumers at risk.
       Fourth, private policies must also carry the federal policy 
     user fee to support the mapping and floodplain management 
     functions. Private flood policy holders, private insurance 
     companies, as well as the NFIP and its policy holders, 
     benefit from these functions by identifying at-risk areas, 
     ensuring building construction standards which facilitate 
     lower flood insurance premiums, and targeting areas and 
     structures which could benefit from mitigation actions 
     leading to lower premiums. As policies migrate to the private 
     sector, millions of dollars in revenue to support those 
     floodplain management and mapping functions will be lost 
     unless there is an equivalent policy user fee on private 
     policies. H.R. 1422 would diminish flood mapping resources 
     and increase risk to consumers.
       Fifth, private policies to satisfy the mandatory purchase 
     requirement for properties in floodplains must only be sold 
     in communities that participate in the NFIP (meaning they 
     have adopted floodplain management ordinances to guide safer 
     development). In smaller communities with only a handful of 
     properties required to purchase flood insurance, if that 
     requirement can be met with private policies, those 
     communities may drop out of the NFIP and no longer maintain 
     floodplain management ordinances to reduce future losses. 
     This could result in a lack of ability to reduce future flood 
     losses and in taxpayers picking up disaster costs.
       We strongly urge you to oppose the inclusion of H.R. 1422 
     in the FAA extension bill.
           Sincerely,
                                                 J. Robert Hunter,
                                           Director of Insurances.

  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, extraneous provisions on flood 
insurance that should not be pasted into this legislation were 
included. These provisions actually undermine the very solvency of the 
program. They are establishing a private market at a time when the 
National Flood Insurance Program--the Federal program--is going to need 
the resources to pay claims. Establishing a private market within 60 
days is going to divert resources from the Federal program to private 
insurers. It is going to divert these dollars to where they don't have 
the resources to make the payments.
  Private insurance companies are already involved in flood insurance, 
and once we authorize them to step into these markets, they are going 
to be able to cherry-pick low- and moderate-risk policies, leaving the 
National Flood Insurance Program with only high-risk policies, leaving 
them with the burden of flood mapping and leaving them with the burden 
of a $24.6 billion debt. I don't understand how the program is going to 
have the resources to pay the claims it underwrites.
  Next, Mr. Speaker, one of the other big problems we have is that this 
shows floods in Texas, floods in Louisiana, and gutting homes in 
Louisiana here and in Texas there.

                              {time}  1730

  These were both 1,000-year flood events. I don't understand the 
difference on why we choose these folks get tax relief and these don't. 
We introduced nearly identical legislation to address this.
  We shouldn't be discriminating against folks in New Jersey and New 
York and Louisiana in exchange for the others.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Curbelo for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I just heard the ranking member get on the floor and 
call me stubborn. I am pretty committed to what we are doing here 
because this week will be the second year anniversary of this quote by 
the ranking member in debate on the floor on H.R. 3614. ``The FAA is 
the only agency in government worse at procurement than the Pentagon. 
Congress has tried to reform it; it didn't stick. We have got to try 
something different to get it more agile, to give us the 21st century 
equipment and software that we need.''
  That is exactly what we are trying to do in the 21st Century AIRR 
Act. We

[[Page H7468]]

have tried for the last 40 years to get it modernized. We spent 
somewhere around 40 to $50 billion, and we haven't been able to get it 
done. This is a true transformational reform.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Denham).
  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I support the 21st Century AIRR Act, H.R. 
2997. This is something that needs to get done. We need to solve our 
problems for America's airlines and our passengers who are traveling 
across the country.
  This is a short-term extension, but we have got to get our job done. 
As well, we have got to get our job done on teaching hospitals. While 
we continue to debate the healthcare of this Nation, we have got areas 
like mine that have a lack of access. If you can't see a doctor today, 
you have no healthcare.
  I think it is important that our Teaching Health Center Graduate 
Medical Education program gets extended long term. We have a bill to do 
that. Just expanding it 3 months, if you are graduating from medical 
school right now, you want to be able to have the certainty that you 
are going to have a residency program long term.
  I support this extension, but we have got to do a lot more. It is 
time for both Houses to come together. More importantly, it is time for 
both parties to come together to solve our issues for the FAA, for 
modernization, making sure that we actually have an aviation system 
that works. It is ridiculous that I can look at the Waze app on my 
phone, yet we have got the airlines getting stalled across the entire 
country. We can do better. We have got to come together to do that.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me reassure the gentleman from California that when 
you talk about graduate medical education, believe me, in 
Massachusetts, we are for graduate medical education. Be assured of 
that.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me say that we all support 
reauthorization of the FAA. What has happened here again is a breakdown 
in the conversation that used to meld this institution together.
  There was a chance on Friday for Republicans to consult with us in 
the minority, put together a bipartisan package of many very important 
provisions that are important to Mr. Curbelo, important to certainly 
Texas, important to the Virgin Islands. It is certainly important to 
Puerto Rico.
  Let me give you a quick example of how this institution used to work. 
We used to call this the national principle. The national principle 
essentially said if there was an earthquake in California, we all rose 
to the support of California. If there were forest fires in Alabama, 
which there were, we would all come to the aid of the people of 
Alabama. If there was a horrific, torrential downpour in Texas, we 
simply said: We don't ask if it is a red State or a blue State, or if 
they are Libertarians or Socialists or Democrats or Republicans. We 
said: They are members of the American family. We said: Do what has to 
be done and then send us the bill. We believe that there will be ample 
opportunity to debate and discuss the size of the portionality at that 
moment.
  Instead, where we had this opportunity right here to provide a robust 
package to the people of the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Florida, and 
Texas, we decide to come back with an anemic proposal.
  We are coming up short on our responsibility. We had a tornado in my 
hometown 5 years ago. Those Federal employees did a spectacular job 
everywhere in eight communities, and nobody said: Too much government. 
They said: Let's fix this for, again, the American family to get this 
straightened out.
  I have said to Mr. Curbelo, and I will repeat it, we will put up 195 
Democrats immediately for a bigger package for the people of Florida, 
Texas, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, not to piecemeal this 
together.
  By the way, let me use this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, for those of us 
from the Northeast, the idea that 90 Members of this institution voted 
against direct relief just a couple of weeks ago looking for a pay-for, 
I wonder if they are going to use that same application of consistency 
when we get to the tax proposals that are about to consume our time.
  We want to provide adequate relief to these families and the 
communities that need it. We could do this in the next 48 hours without 
any problem whatsoever.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, because this is not big enough and not 
supportive enough of the American family, I am going to urge my 
colleagues to oppose this legislation, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Brady and the Ways and Means 
Committee staff for their work on this legislation. It has been a tough 
couple weeks in the State of Florida, especially down in my 
community. Again, I want to thank my colleague from Massachusetts, Mr. 
Neal. As I said earlier, when I came back here, the first conversation 
we had was about helping south Florida, and he said he was willing and 
certainly able to do it.

  Here today, we are trying to take that first step to help the people 
of Florida, to help the people of Texas, of Louisiana, of the Virgin 
Islands, of Puerto Rico. But as often happens in the House, if 
something isn't perfect, then we get nothing. That is wrong. That is 
wrong, because there are people out there who need the help, people who 
don't have a roof, people who don't have a home, people who have been 
without power.
  I visited the Marathon Emergency Operations Center, Mr. Speaker. It 
was replete with people buzzing, everyone working hard, full of energy, 
even though they hadn't slept in days. The emergency operations manager 
there told me that a third of the employees there who were helping 
their fellow residents, conchs in the Florida Keys, had lost their 
homes.
  This is about them, and we can help improve their lives today, and we 
can work together to do more later, and we should. But why should the 
perfect be the enemy of the good? Why, when we have the opportunity to 
help people, because some think we should be doing even more, we are 
going to give them absolutely nothing? I think that is a major mistake, 
and it sends the wrong message.
  Throughout this debate, we have seen everything from posturing to 
name calling, and we wonder why so many Americans reject this 
institution and are disappointed by it. We have to do better, and we 
can do better. It would send a strong message if we all voted for this 
legislation to take this first step to helping the people of the 
Florida Keys, of south Florida, of Texas, of Louisiana, of the U.S. 
Virgin Islands, of Puerto Rico, help them get back up on their feet.
  Mr. Speaker, this is very important, and on behalf of my community 
and a lot of people who have, quite frankly, lost their lives, I ask 
all of my colleagues to join together and to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the funding 
authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is 
currently set to expire on Saturday, September 30. The FAA depends 
heavily on reliable and long-term funding provided through the Airport 
and Airway Trust Fund and the spending levels set in a corresponding 
authorization bill. This consistent and reliable funding is the 
mainstay of the FAA's success in managing the safest and most complex 
airspace in the world. Absent access to this funding through a long-
term authorization for FAA programs, we are threatening the safety, 
reliability, and effectiveness of our airspace.
  Sadly, Congress is yet again backed into a corner of taking up a 
short-term, six-month measure that would extend this funding 
authorization through March 31, 2018. This is simply unacceptable. 
Congress needs to pass a long-term authorization bill so that the FAA 
can focus on the important tasks of maintaining public safety, staffing 
air traffic controllers, and bolstering our airport infrastructure 
through the timely distribution of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) 
dollars. A six-month extension poses new challenges for each of these 
important aspects of managing our airspace.
  The extension being debated today also adds several extraneous 
provisions that run counter to regular order in the House and threatens 
the success of passing an ever-important reauthorization. The bill 
selectively extends the authorization for certain public health 
programs, while leaving out other critical programs such as the State 
Children's

[[Page H7469]]

Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The bill also includes language that 
would encourage the creation of private flood insurance markets, while 
stripping important consumer protections such as the 45 day of 
cancellation provision that prevents private insurers from cancelling 
cover Just moments before a devastating storm.
  Mr. Speaker, allow me to be clear: I suppose a clean, long-term 
reauthorization of the FAA's funding authority. However, the underlying 
bill not only includes a host of extraneous provisions that I could not 
support, but it was done so without the input of me or any of my 
Democratic colleagues. If Republicans are serious about maintaining the 
safest and most complex airspace in the world, they will pass a clean 
reauthorization that authorizes FAA programs for several years, not 
several months. We cannot politicize this issue with provisions related 
to healthcare, or flood insurance, or privatizing our air traffic 
control services. It is far too important and time is quickly running 
out.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Curbelo) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3823.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________