[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 209 (Thursday, December 21, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8261-S8263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse):
S. 2264. A bill to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act to add Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Rhode Island
Fishermen's Fairness Act along with my colleague, Senator Whitehouse. I
am also pleased that my colleagues, Representatives James Langevin and
David Cicilline, will be introducing a companion measure in the House
of Representatives.
Our legislation will give Rhode Island voice and voting
representation on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC),
which manages some of the most important fish stocks for our State's
commercial fishing industry--chief among them squid. Indeed, the
National Marine Fisheries Service reported that Rhode Island led
Atlantic States in the harvest of squid in 2016, bringing in 22.5
million pounds and helping make Point Judith, Rhode Island one of the
most productive and valuable commercial fishing ports in the United
States. For years now, Rhode Island's landings of stocks managed by the
MAFMC have outpaced the landings of those managed by the New England
Fishery Management Council, where Rhode Island is represented.
Moreover, Rhode Island has a larger stake in the Mid-Atlantic fishery
than many of the States that currently hold seats on the MAFMC.
Because so much is at stake for our State in every decision the MAFMC
makes, our bill would expand the MAFMC by two seats in Order to ensure
that Rhode Island will have the minimum number of seats guaranteed to
other States on the council. It will allow Rhode Island to continue to
have representation on the New England Fishery Management Council,
where it still has significant interests. This proposal is not
unprecedented. In fact, it is modeled on a provision of the 1996
Sustainable Fisheries Act that added North Carolina to the MAFMC in
1996 while allowing it to retain its membership on the South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council.
Mr. President, this is a commonsense proposal and one that my
colleagues and I will be working to advance either on its own or as
part of the reauthorization the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act.
______
By Mr. DAINES (for himself, Ms. Harris, Mr. Merkley, Ms.
Klobuchar, Ms. Murkowski, and Ms. Baldwin):
S. 2270. A bill to make improvements to the account for the State
response to the opioid abuse crisis to improve tribal health; to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
[[Page S8262]]
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2270
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Mitigating the
Methamphetamine Epidemic and Promoting Tribal Health Act'' or
the ``Mitigating METH Act''.
SEC. 2. ACCOUNT FOR THE STATE RESPONSE TO THE OPIOID ABUSE
CRISIS.
Section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act (42 U.S.C.
290ee-3 note) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and Tribal'' after
``State'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(A)(ii), by striking ``$500,000,000''
and inserting ``$525,000,000''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)(B), by inserting ``and Tribal'' after
``State'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``State response
to the opioid'' and inserting ``state and tribal response to
the opioid'';
(ii) in the first sentence, by inserting ``and Indian
tribes and Tribal organizations (as the terms `Indian tribes'
and `tribal organizations' are defined in the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act)'' after ``grants
to States''; and
(iii) in the second sentence, by inserting ``and Tribes''
after ``States'' each place that such term appears;
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
(I) by inserting ``, Tribe, or Tribal organization'' after
``to a State'';
(II) by inserting ``or Tribal'' after ``by the State''; and
(III) by inserting ``or by a Tribe or Tribal organization''
after ``et seq.)'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``and Tribal'' after
``State'';
(iii) in subparagraph (E),by inserting ``or Tribe'' after
``as the State''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Other substances.--A State or Indian tribe may use
grants awarded under this section for prevention and
treatment of the use of other substances such as
methamphetamine, if the use of such other substances is
determined by the State or tribe to have a substantial public
health impact on the State or tribe.''; and
(3) in subsection (d), by inserting ``, Tribe, or tribal
organization'' after ``A State''.
______
By Mr. REED (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cochran, Mrs.
Gillibrand, and Ms. Murkowski):
S. 2271. A bill to reauthorize the Museum and Library Services Act;
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senators
Collins, Cochran, Gillibrand, and Murkowski in introducing legislation
to renew the law that expands the reach of libraries and museums and
enables them to better serve their communities. These vital
institutions educate, inform, engage, and connect people from all walks
of life.
In 1996, Congress passed the Museum and Library Services Act,
establishing the Institute of Museum and Library Services, IMLS, to
house our Nation's library and museum programs together for the first
time. My predecessor, the late Senator Claiborne Pell, a great champion
for expanding educational and cultural opportunities to all
communities, was instrumental in passage of this law. The Senate
Committee report for this bill noted the ``great potential in an
Institute that is focused on the combined roles that libraries and
museums play in our community life, in support of research, learning,
and entertainment, and in support of American culture and history.''
Over the last 21 years we have seen IMLS, with a relatively modest
Federal investment, build the capacity to support and expand access to
library and museum services at the State and local levels. IMLS has
been the source of major Federal support for nearly 120,000 libraries,
including public, academic, research, special, and tribal libraries,
and 35,000 museums, including art, history, science and technology,
children's, historical societies, tribal, planetariums, botanic
gardens, and zoos. We have seen access to libraries and museums
increase, and these institutions continue to evolve as community hubs,
advancing the growth and vitality of the areas they serve.
In Rhode Island, IMLS funding for the grants to States program under
the Library Services and Technology Act, LSTA, has supported improved
online resources; literacy initiatives, including a summer reading
program; and the provision of talking books to residents with visual
impairments and disabilities. Providence Public Library was awarded a
recent grant to provide underserved teens with learning opportunities,
leading to digital credentials, academic credit, exposure to work, and
entry into education and career pathways. IMLS has also supported and
elevated the work of Rhode Island museums. For instance, the Tomaquag
Museum in Exeter was one of ten recipients nationally to be recognized
with a 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The
Providence Children's Museum and the Preservation Society of Newport
County also received grants to support their work in recent years.
I have been proud to continue the work of Senator Pell in supporting
robust funding for libraries and museums and authoring the last two
renewals of the Museum and Library Services Act. I have seen firsthand
the impact libraries and museums have had on our communities in Rhode
Island and the residents and visitors they serve, making our State
stronger because of the services and experiences that these
institutions provide.
The museum and library communities have provided invaluable input in
helping us craft this bipartisan legislation. I would especially like
to thank the Rhode Island library community for hosting me at libraries
across the state and convening a roundtable discussion last year to
delve deeper into the programs libraries are providing and ways to
improve how they serve their communities.
In response to the input and insight offered by the library and
museum communities, the bill we are introducing today, the Museum and
Library Services Act of 2017, strengthens the use of data-driven tools
to measure the impact and maximize the effectiveness of library and
museum services and better tailor local services to address and meet
community needs. The legislation provides for technical support and
assistance to improve data collection. It also enhances IMLS's
collaborative efforts with an expanded number of Federal agencies in
order to fully leverage the benefits libraries and museums provide to
Americans.
This legislation also amends LSTA to highlight the role of libraries
as community hubs, equipped to provide services and programming in such
areas as literacy, education, lifelong learning, workforce development,
economic and business development, digital literacy skills, critical
thinking, financial literacy skills, and new and emerging technology.
The bill provides greater emphasis on recruiting and training the next
generation of library and information science professionals from
diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Additionally, it focuses
leadership grant funds on activities that serve a range of library
types and geographically diverse areas; have evaluation, analysis, and
dissemination components; and involve, impact, or have future
applicability in libraries. And, in the aftermath of this past year's
devastating hurricanes and wildfires, the bill clarifies that grant
funds can be used to help libraries get resources back online as
communities face the challenge of recovering from a disaster.
The Museum and Library Services Act of 2017 also builds on the over
40-year legacy of Federal support for improving and expanding access to
museum services. It addresses the critical need for professional
development and recruiting and preparing the next generation of museum
professionals, emphasizing diversity so that museums better reflect the
communities they serve. The legislation also highlights the educational
role of museums and the diverse ways that museums engage their
communities, and it encourages partnerships with other agencies,
professional networks, and community-based organizations to expand and
enhance access to museum services.
The Museum and Library Services Act of 2017 will continue our
tradition of supporting our communities through their museums and
libraries, while looking ahead and providing flexibility for these
vital institutions to respond to changing demands and missions. Our
bill has the support of the American Library Association and the
American Alliance of Museums and many of their affiliated associations.
I thank my colleagues for supporting this endeavor
[[Page S8263]]
and look forward to more joining us as we work together to urge swift
action to adopt this important legislation.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleague from Rhode
Island, Senator Reed, in introducing the Museum and Library Services
Act of 2017. This bill would reauthorize the core programs administered
by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which support
libraries and museums in Maine and across the country. This bill
includes important updates to improve the abilities of libraries and
museums to meet the needs of local communities.
The Museum and Library Services Act represents a commitment to
supporting libraries and museums that enrich our communities. Libraries
provide not only a wonderful learning tool, full of books, public
documents, and internet access, but also are community hubs where
citizens can meet to share and explore ideas. Likewise, great museums
do more than accumulate artifacts--they tell stories. The programs
reauthorized in this bill would help libraries and museums across Maine
and the United States better serve the public by helping with research,
planning, and programming.
The Museum and Library Services Act would make important improvements
to IMLS's ability to collaborate with states and communities. It would
reauthorize the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), the only
federal program that helps public libraries meet their community's
needs, enhance their services through technology, reach underserved and
rural populations, and recruit new professionals to the library field.
Ensuring that federal resources reach our rural communities is
particularly important to me, and I am pleased that this bill
highlights support for rural and tribal areas.
Every state in our country receives its share of the LSTA, which
leverages the federal investment with a state and local funding match.
In Maine, the LSTA has helped libraries lend books and other materials
by mail to reach residents in communities that do not have libraries
nearby or who are homebound. It has helped Maine libraries serve
individuals with disabilities through access to book recordings and
special media players, including braille and audio downloads. It has
helped my state improve online access to magazines, newspapers, and
reference books, and spurred innovative collaborations with schools
statewide.
The bill would also reauthorize the Museum Services Act, providing
support for museums to collaborate with schools, libraries, and
colleges and universities, and to encourage new technologies to extend
the reach of programs and museum collections. As with the LSTA, museums
are incentivized to leverage other sources of support to match the
federal investment.
This reauthorization underscores the role that libraries and museums
play in community revitalization. Libraries are important information
centers for workforce development, health information, and digital and
financial literacy. Museums are also vital community partners that work
to connect our communities to the cultural, historical, natural, and
scientific pieces of our heritage.
From providing job search resources and free internet access to
exposing children and families to enriching literary and educational
experiences, libraries and museums serve vital roles in our
communities. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
______
By Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself and Ms. Murkowski):
S. 2273. A bill to extend the period during which vessels that are
shorter than 79 feet in length and fishing vessels are not required to
have a permit for discharges incidental to the normal operation of the
vessel; considered and passed.
S. 2273
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF MORATORIUM.
Section 2(a) of Public Law 110-299 (33 U.S.C. 1342 note) is
amended by striking ``December 18, 2017'' and inserting
``January 19, 2018''.
____________________