Congressional Record, Volume 164 Issue 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)

[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10485-H10500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CHILD PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1183, I
call up the bill (H.R. 695) to amend the National Child Protection Act
of 1993 to establish a voluntary national criminal history background
check system and criminal history review program for certain
individuals who, related to their employment, have access to children,
the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes,
with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Byrne). The Clerk will designate the
Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment.
Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment:

In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the House
amendment, insert the following:

DIVISION A--FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019

Sec. 101. The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019
(division C of Public Law 115-245) is further amended--
(1) by striking the date specified in section 105(3) and
inserting ``February 8, 2019''; and
(2) by adding after section 136 the following:
``Sec. 137. Notwithstanding section 251(a)(1) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and
the timetable in section 254(a) of such Act, the final
sequestration report for fiscal year 2019 pursuant to section
254(f)(1) of such Act and any order for fiscal year 2019
pursuant to section 254(f)(5) of such Act shall be issued,
for the Congressional Budget Office, 10 days after the date
specified in section 105(3), and for the Office of Management
and Budget, 15 days after the date specified in section
105(3).
``Sec. 138. The authority provided under title XXI of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 621 et seq.), as
amended by section 2(a) of the Protecting and Securing
Chemical Facilities from Terrorist Attacks Act of 2014
(Public Law 113-254), shall continue in effect through the
date specified in section 105(3).
``Sec. 139. Section 319L(e)(1)(A) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-7e(e)(1)(A)) shall continue in
effect through the date specified in section 105(3) of this
Act.
``Sec. 140. Section 405(a) of the Pandemic and All-Hazards
Preparedness Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6a note) shall continue in
effect through the date specified in section 105(3) of this
Act.''.
This division may be cited as the ``Further Additional
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019''.

DIVISION B--MEDICAID EXTENDERS

SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF MONEY FOLLOWS THE PERSON REBALANCING
DEMONSTRATION.

(a) General Funding.--Section 6071(h) of the Deficit
Reduction Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) subject to paragraph (3), $112,000,000 for fiscal
year 2019.'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``Amounts made'' and inserting ``Subject to
paragraph (3), amounts made''; and
(B) by striking ``September 30, 2016'' and inserting
``September 30, 2021''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) Special rule for fy 2019.--Funds appropriated under
paragraph (1)(F) shall be made available for grants to States
only if such States have an approved MFP demonstration
project under this section as of December 31, 2018.''.
(b) Funding for Quality Assurance and Improvement;
Technical Assistance; Oversight.--Section 6071(f) of the
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note) is
amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
``(2) Funding.--From the amounts appropriated under
subsection (h)(1)(F) for fiscal year 2019, $500,000 shall be
available to the Secretary for such fiscal year to carry out
this subsection.''.
(c) Technical Amendment.--Section 6071(b) of the Deficit
Reduction Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(10) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.''.

SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF PROTECTION FOR MEDICAID RECIPIENTS OF
HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES AGAINST
SPOUSAL IMPOVERISHMENT.

(a) In General.--Section 2404 of Public Law 111-148 (42
U.S.C. 1396r-5 note) is amended by striking ``the 5-year
period that begins on January 1, 2014,'' and inserting ``the
period beginning on January 1, 2014, and ending on March 31,
2019,''.
(b) Rule of Construction.--
(1) Protecting state spousal income and asset disregard
flexibility under waivers and plan amendments.--Nothing in
section 2404 of Public Law 111-148 (42 U.S.C. 1396r-5 note)
or section 1924 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-
5) shall be construed as prohibiting a State from
disregarding an individual's spousal income and assets under
a State waiver or plan amendment described in paragraph (2)
for purposes of making determinations of eligibility for home
and community-based services or home and community-based
attendant services and supports under such waiver or plan
amendment.
(2) State waiver or plan amendment described.--A State
waiver or plan amendment described in this paragraph is any
of the following:
(A) A waiver or plan amendment to provide medical
assistance for home and community-based services under a
waiver or plan amendment under subsection (c), (d), or (i) of
section 1915 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396n) or
under section 1115 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1315).
(B) A plan amendment to provide medical assistance for home
and community-based services for individuals by reason of
being determined eligible under section 1902(a)(10)(C) of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(C)) or by reason of section
1902(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(f)) or otherwise on the
basis of a reduction of income based on costs incurred for
medical or other remedial care under which the State
disregarded the income and assets of the individual's spouse
in determining the initial and ongoing financial eligibility
of an individual for such services in place of the spousal
impoverishment provisions applied under section 1924 of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-5).
(C) A plan amendment to provide medical assistance for home
and community-based attendant services and supports under
section 1915(k) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396n(k)).

SEC. 103. REDUCTION IN FMAP AFTER 2020 FOR STATES WITHOUT
ASSET VERIFICATION PROGRAM.

Section 1940 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396w)
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(k) Reduction in FMAP After 2020 for Non-Compliant
States.--

[[Page H10486]]

``(1) In general.--With respect to a calendar quarter
beginning on or after January 1, 2021, the Federal medical
assistance percentage otherwise determined under section
1905(b) for a non-compliant State shall be reduced--
``(A) for calendar quarters in 2021 and 2022, by 0.12
percentage points;
``(B) for calendar quarters in 2023, by 0.25 percentage
points;
``(C) for calendar quarters in 2024, by 0.35 percentage
points; and
``(D) for calendar quarters in 2025 and each year
thereafter, by 0.5 percentage points.
``(2) Non-compliant state defined.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term `non-compliant State' means a State--
``(A) that is one of the 50 States or the District of
Columbia;
``(B) with respect to which the Secretary has not approved
a State plan amendment submitted under subsection (a)(2); and
``(C) that is not operating, on an ongoing basis, an asset
verification program in accordance with this section.''.

SEC. 104. MEDICAID IMPROVEMENT FUND.

Section 1941(b)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396w-1(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``$31,000,000'' and
inserting ``$6,000,000''.

SEC. 105. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

(a) Statutory Paygo Scorecards.--The budgetary effects of
this division shall not be entered on either PAYGO scorecard
maintained pursuant to section 4(d) of the Statutory Pay-As-
You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(d)).
(b) Senate Paygo Scorecards.--The budgetary effects of this
division shall not be entered on any PAYGO scorecard
maintained for purposes of section 4106 of H. Con. Res. 71
(115th Congress).
(c) Classification of Budgetary Effects.--Notwithstanding
Rule 3 of the Budget Scorekeeping Guidelines set forth in the
joint explanatory statement of the committee of conference
accompanying Conference Report 105-217 and section 250(c)(8)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985, the budgetary effects of this division shall not be
estimated--
(1) for purposes of section 251 of such Act; and
(2) for purposes of paragraph (4)(C) of section 3 of the
Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 as being included in an
appropriation Act.
(d) PAYGO Annual Report.--For the purposes of the annual
report issued pursuant to section 5 of the Statutory Pay-As-
You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 934) after adjournment of the
second session of the 115th Congress, and for determining
whether a sequestration order is necessary under such
section, the debit for the budget year on the 5-year
scorecard, if any, and the 10-year scorecard, if any, shall
be deducted from such scorecard in 2019 and added to such
scorecard in 2020.

Motion to Concur

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the motion.
The text of the motion is as follows:

Mr. Frelinghuysen moves that the House concur in the Senate
amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to
H.R. 695 with an amendment consisting of the text of Rules
Committee Print 115-88.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1183, the
amendment consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-88 shall
be considered as read.
The text of the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill
is as follows:

In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the
Senate, insert the following:

DIVISION A--FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019

Sec. 101. The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019
(division C of Public Law 115-245) is further amended--
(1) by striking the date specified in section 105(3) and
inserting ``February 8, 2019''; and
(2) by adding after section 136 the following:
``Sec. 137. Notwithstanding section 251(a)(1) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and
the timetable in section 254(a) of such Act, the final
sequestration report for fiscal year 2019 pursuant to section
254(f)(1) of such Act and any order for fiscal year 2019
pursuant to section 254(f)(5) of such Act shall be issued,
for the Congressional Budget Office, 10 days after the date
specified in section 105(3), and for the Office of Management
and Budget, 15 days after the date specified in section
105(3).
``Sec. 138. The authority provided under title XXI of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 621 et seq.), as
amended by section 2(a) of the Protecting and Securing
Chemical Facilities from Terrorist Attacks Act of 2014
(Public Law 113-254), shall continue in effect through the
date specified in section 105(3).
``Sec. 139. Section 319L(e)(1)(A) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-7e(e)(1)(A)) shall continue in
effect through the date specified in section 105(3) of this
Act.
``Sec. 140. Section 405(a) of the Pandemic and All Hazards
Preparedness Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6a note) shall continue in
effect through the date specified in section 105(3) of this
Act.
``Sec. 141. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Act, there is appropriated for `U.S. Customs and Border
Protection--Procurement, Construction, and Improvements'
$5,710,357,000 for fiscal year 2019, to remain available
until September 30, 2023.
``Sec. 142. Notwithstanding section 101, section 230 of
division F of Public Law 115-141 shall not apply to amounts
made available by this Act.''.
This division may be cited as the ``Further Additional
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019''.

DIVISION B--MEDICAID EXTENDERS

SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF MONEY FOLLOWS THE PERSON REBALANCING
DEMONSTRATION.

SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF PROTECTION FOR MEDICAID RECIPIENTS OF
HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES AGAINST
SPOUSAL IMPOVERISHMENT.

SEC. 103. REDUCTION IN FMAP AFTER 2020 FOR STATES WITHOUT
ASSET VERIFICATION PROGRAM.

Section 1940 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396w)
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(k) Reduction in FMAP After 2020 for Non-Compliant
States.--
``(1) In general.--With respect to a calendar quarter
beginning on or after January 1, 2021, the Federal medical
assistance percentage otherwise determined under section
1905(b) for a non-compliant State shall be reduced--
``(A) for calendar quarters in 2021 and 2022, by 0.12
percentage points;
``(B) for calendar quarters in 2023, by 0.25 percentage
points;
``(C) for calendar quarters in 2024, by 0.35 percentage
points; and
``(D) for calendar quarters in 2025 and each year
thereafter, by 0.5 percentage points.
``(2) Non-compliant state defined.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term `non-compliant State' means a State--
``(A) that is one of the 50 States or the District of
Columbia;

[[Page H10487]]

``(B) with respect to which the Secretary has not approved
a State plan amendment submitted under subsection (a)(2); and
``(C) that is not operating, on an ongoing basis, an asset
verification program in accordance with this section.''.

SEC. 104. MEDICAID IMPROVEMENT FUND.

Section 1941(b)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396w-1(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``$31,000,000'' and
inserting ``$6,000,000''.

SEC. 105. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

DIVISION C--ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF,
2019

The following sums in this division are appropriated, out
of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other
purposes, namely:

TITLE I

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS

Processing, Research and Marketing

Office of the Secretary

For an additional amount for the ``Office of the
Secretary'', $1,105,442,000, which shall remain available
until December 31, 2020, for necessary expenses related to
losses of crops (including milk), trees, bushes, and vines,
as a consequence of Hurricanes Michael and Florence, other
hurricanes, typhoons, volcanic activity, and wildfires
occurring in calendar year 2018 under such terms and
conditions as determined by the Secretary: Provided, That
the Secretary where authorized may provide assistance for
such losses in the form of block grants to eligible states
and territories and such assistance may include compensation
to producers, as determined by the Secretary, for forest
restoration and poultry and livestock losses: Provided
further, That in the case of producers impacted by volcanic
activity that resulted in the loss of crop land, or access to
crop land, the Secretary shall consider all measures
available, as appropriate, to bring replacement land into
production: Provided further, That the total amount of
payments received under this heading and applicable policies
of crop insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7
U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) or the Noninsured Crop Disaster
Assistance Program (NAP) under section 196 of the Federal
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C.
7333) shall not exceed 85 percent of the loss as determined
by the Secretary: Provided further, That the total amount of
payments received under this heading for producers who did
not obtain a policy or plan of insurance for an insurable
commodity for the applicable crop year under the Federal Crop
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) for the crop incurring
the losses or did not file the required paperwork and pay the
service fee by the applicable State filing deadline for a
noninsurable commodity for the applicable crop year under NAP
for the crop incurring the losses shall not exceed 65 percent
of the loss as determined by the Secretary: Provided
further, That producers receiving payments under this
heading, as determined by the Secretary, shall be required to
purchase crop insurance where crop insurance is available for
the next two available crop years, excluding tree insurance
policies, and producers receiving payments under this heading
shall be required to purchase coverage under NAP where crop
insurance is not available in the next two available crop
years, as determined by the Secretary: Provided further,
That, not later than 120 days after the end of fiscal year
2018, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress
specifying the type, amount, and method of such assistance by
state and territory: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Farm Service Agency

emergency forest restoration program

For an additional amount for the ``Emergency Forest
Restoration Program'', for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence and wildfires
occurring in calendar year 2018, and other natural disasters,
$200,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

Natural Resources Conservation Service

watershed and flood prevention operations

For an additional amount for ``Watershed and Flood
Prevention Operations'', for necessary expenses for the
Emergency Watershed Protection Program related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence and of
wildfires occurring in calendar year 2018, and other natural
disasters, $125,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

Rural Development

rural community facilities program account

For an additional amount for ``Rural Community Facilities
Program Account'', $8,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2020, for Community Facilities Technical
Assistance and Training Grants pursuant to section 306(a)(26)
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to assist
recovering communities in identifying public and private
resources to address identified community facility needs
related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, and economic
revitalization as a consequence of Hurricanes Michael and
Florence: Provided, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

Sec. 101. Notwithstanding section 3(r) of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028), not to exceed
$8,500,000 of funds made available for the contingency
reserve under the heading ``Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program'' of division A of Public Law 115-31 shall be
available for the Secretary to provide a grant to the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for disaster
nutrition assistance in response to the Presidentially
declared major disasters and emergencies: Provided, That
funds made available to the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands under this section shall remain available for
obligation by the Commonwealth until September 30, 2020, and
shall be in addition to funds otherwise made available:
Provided further, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 102. For purposes of administering Title I of
Subdivision 1 of Division B of the Bipartisan Budget Act of
2018 (Public Law 115-123), losses to agricultural producers
resulting from hurricanes shall also include losses incurred
from Tropical Storm Cindy and losses of peach and blueberry
crops in calendar year 2017 due to extreme cold: Provided,
That the amounts provided by this section are designated by
the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further,
That amounts repurposed under this heading that were
previously designated by the Congress as an emergency
requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 are designated by the Congress as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

TITLE II

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

economic development assistance programs

(including transfers of funds)

Pursuant to section 703 of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3233), for an additional amount
for ``Economic Development Assistance Programs'' for
necessary expenses related to flood mitigation, disaster
relief, long-term recovery, and restoration of infrastructure
in areas that received a major disaster designation as a
result of Hurricanes Florence, Michael and Lane, Typhoons
Yutu and Mangkhut, and of wildfires, volcanic eruptions and
other natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2018 under
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), $300,000,000, to
remain available until expended: Provided, That such amount
is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985:
Provided further, That within the amount appropriated, up to
2 percent of funds may be transferred to the ``Salaries and
Expenses'' account for administration and oversight
activities: Provided further, That within the amount
appropriated, $1,000,000 shall be transferred to the ``Office
of Inspector General'' account for carrying out
investigations and audits related to the funding provided
under this heading.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

operations, research, and facilities

For an additional amount for ``Operations, Research, and
Facilities'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoon
Yutu, and of wildfires occurring in calendar year 2018,
$70,570,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020, as
follows:
(1) $3,000,000 for repair and replacement of observing
assets, real property, and equipment;
(2) $11,000,000 for marine debris assessment and removal;

[[Page H10488]]

(3) $31,570,000 for mapping, charting, and geodesy
services; and
(4) $25,000,000 to improve (a) hurricane intensity
forecasting, including through deployment of unmanned ocean
observing platforms and enhanced data assimilation; (b) flood
prediction, forecasting, and mitigation capabilities; and (c)
wildfire prediction, detection, and forecasting:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall submit a
spending plan to the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and the Senate for funding provided
under subsection (4) of this heading within 45 days after the
date of enactment of this Act.

procurement, acquisition and construction

For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Acquisition and
Construction'', $25,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2021, for improvements to operational and
research weather supercomputing infrastructure and satellite
ground services used for hurricane intensity and track
prediction; flood prediction, forecasting, and mitigation;
and wildfire prediction, detection, and forecasting:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall submit a
spending plan to the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and the Senate within 45 days after
the date of enactment of this Act.

fishery disaster assistance

For an additional amount for ``Fishery Disaster
Assistance'' for necessary expenses associated with the
mitigation of fishery disasters, $82,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That funds shall be used
for mitigating the effects of commercial fishery failures and
fishery resource disasters declared by the Secretary of
Commerce, as well as those declared by the Secretary to be a
direct result of Hurricanes Florence and Michael and Typhoons
Yutu and Mangkhut: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

United States Marshals Service

salaries and expenses

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes
Florence and Michael, and Typhoon Yutu, $1,336,000: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM

buildings and facilities

For an additional amount for ``Buildings and Facilities''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricanes Florence and Michael and Typhoon Yutu,
$28,400,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

RELATED AGENCIES

Legal Services Corporation

payment to the legal services corporation

For an additional amount for ``Payment to the Legal
Services Corporation'' to carry out the purposes of the Legal
Services Corporation Act by providing for necessary expenses
related to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence and
Michael, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, and calendar year 2018
wildfires and volcanic eruptions, $5,000,000: Provided, That
the amount made available under this heading shall be used
only to provide the mobile resources, technology, and
disaster coordinators necessary to provide storm-related
services to the Legal Services Corporation client population
and only in the areas significantly affected by Hurricanes
Florence and Michael, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, and
calendar year 2018 wildfires and volcanic eruptions:
Provided further, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That none of
the funds appropriated in this division to the Legal Services
Corporation shall be expended for any purpose prohibited or
limited by, or contrary to any of the provisions of, sections
501, 502, 503, 504, 505, and 506 of Public Law 105-119, and
all funds appropriated in this division to the Legal Services
Corporation shall be subject to the same terms and conditions
set forth in such sections, except that all references in
sections 502 and 503 to 1997 and 1998 shall be deemed to
refer instead to 2018 and 2019, respectively, and except that
sections 501 and 503 of Public Law 104-134 (referenced by
Public Law 105-119) shall not apply to the amount made
available under this heading: Provided further, That, for
the purposes of this division, the Legal Services Corporation
shall be considered an agency of the United States
Government.

TITLE III

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--MILITARY

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps'', $200,000,000, for necessary expenses related
to the consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

Operation and Maintenance, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $400,000,000, for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

TITLE IV

CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

investigations

For an additional amount for ``Investigations'' for
necessary expenses related to the completion, or initiation
and completion, of flood and storm damage reduction,
including shore protection, studies which are currently
authorized or which are authorized after the date of
enactment of this division, to reduce risk from future floods
and hurricanes, at full Federal expense, $50,000,000, to
remain available until expended: Provided, That funds made
available under this heading shall be for high-priority
studies of projects in States that were impacted by Hurricane
Florence: Provided further, That such amount is designated
by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further,
That the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works
shall provide a monthly report directly to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
detailing the allocation and obligation of these funds,
including new studies selected to be initiated using funds
provided under this heading, beginning not later than 60 days
after the enactment of this division.

construction

For an additional amount for ``Construction'',
$250,000,000, to construct flood and storm damage reduction,
including shore protection, projects which are currently
authorized or which are authorized after the date of
enactment of this division, and flood and storm damage
reduction, including shore protection, projects which have
signed Chief's Reports as of the date of enactment of this
division or which are studied using funds provided under the
heading ``Investigations'' if the Secretary determines such
projects to be technically feasible, economically justified,
and environmentally acceptable, in States that were impacted
by Hurricane Florence: Provided, That for projects receiving
funding under this heading, the provisions of section 902 of
the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 shall not apply
to these funds: Provided further, That the completion of
ongoing construction projects receiving funds provided under
this heading shall be at full Federal expense with respect to
such funds: Provided further, That using funds provided
under this heading, the non-Federal cash contribution for
projects eligible for funding pursuant to the first proviso
shall be financed in accordance with the provisions of
section 103(k) of Public Law 99-662 over a period of 30 years
from the date of completion of the project or separable
element: Provided further, That not less than $15,000,000 of
the funds made available under this heading shall be used for
continuing authorities projects to reduce the risk of
flooding and storm damage: Provided further, That any
projects using funds appropriated under this heading shall be
initiated only after non-Federal interests have entered into
binding agreements with the Secretary requiring, where
applicable, the non-Federal interests to pay 100 percent of
the operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and
rehabilitation costs of the project and to hold and save the
United States free from damages due to the construction or
operation and maintenance of the project, except for damages
due to the fault or negligence of the United States or its
contractors: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985:
Provided further, That the Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Civil Works shall provide a monthly report directly to
the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate detailing the allocation and
obligation of these funds, beginning not later than 60 days
after the enactment of this division.

mississippi river and tributaries

For an additional amount for ``Mississippi River and
Tributaries'' for necessary expenses to address emergency
situations at Corps of Engineers projects and rehabilitate
and repair damages to Corps of Engineers projects, caused by
natural disasters, $225,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That the
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works shall provide
a monthly report directly to the Committees on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives and the Senate detailing the
allocation and obligation of these funds, beginning not later
than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.

operation and maintenance

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance''
for necessary expenses to dredge Federal navigation projects
in response to, and repair damages to Corps of Engineers
Federal

[[Page H10489]]

projects caused by, natural disasters, $245,000,000, to
remain available until expended, of which such sums as are
necessary to cover the Federal share of eligible operation
and maintenance costs for coastal harbors and channels, and
for inland harbors shall be derived from the Harbor
Maintenance Trust Fund: Provided, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985:
Provided further, That the Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Civil Works shall provide a monthly report directly to
the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate detailing the allocation and
obligation of these funds, beginning not later than 60 days
after the enactment of this Act.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Central Utah Project

central utah project completion account

For an additional amount for ``Central Utah Project
Completion Account'', $350,000, to be deposited into the Utah
Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Account for use by
the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission,
to remain available until expended, for expenses necessary in
carrying out fire remediation activities related to wildfires
in 2018: Provided, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Bureau of Reclamation

water and related resources

For an additional amount for ``Water and Related
Resources'', $15,500,000, to remain available until expended,
for fire remediation and suppression emergency assistance
related to wildfires in 2017 and 2018: Provided, That such
amount is designated by the Congress as being for an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

TITLE V

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

operations and support

For an additional amount for ``Operations and Support'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes
Michael, Florence, and Lane, Tropical Storm Gordon, and
Typhoon Mangkhut, $46,977,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2020: Provided, That such amount is designated
by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

environmental compliance and restoration

For an additional amount for ``Environmental Compliance and
Restoration'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence, $2,000,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2023: Provided, That
such amount is designated by the Congress as being for an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

procurement, construction, and improvements

For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Construction,
and Improvements'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Michael, Florence, and Lane,
Tropical Storm Gordon, and Typhoon Mangkhut, $194,755,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2023: Provided, That,
not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, or her designee, shall submit
to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a detailed expenditure plan
for funds appropriated under this heading: Provided further,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

TITLE VI

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

construction

For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence,
Lane, and Michael, flooding associated with major declared
disaster DR 4365, and calendar year 2018 earthquakes,
$32,400,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

National Park Service

historic preservation fund

For an additional amount for the ``Historic Preservation
Fund'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and Typhoon Yutu,
$50,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2022,
including costs to States and territories necessary to
complete compliance activities required by section 306108 of
title 54, United States Code (formerly section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act) and costs needed to
administer the program: Provided, That grants shall only be
available for areas that have received a major disaster
declaration pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.):
Provided further, That individual grants shall not be
subject to a non-Federal matching requirement: Provided
further, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

construction

For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence
and Michael, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, calendar year 2018
wildfires, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, $78,000,000,
to remain available until expended: Provided, That such
amount is designated by the Congress as being for an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

United States Geological Survey

surveys, investigations, and research

For an additional amount for ``Surveys, Investigations, and
Research'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, earthquake damage
associated with emergency declaration EM 3410, and in those
areas impacted by a major disaster declared pursuant to the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) with respect to calendar year
2018 wildfires or volcanic eruptions, $69,500,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That of this amount,
$43,310,000 is for costs related to the repair and
replacement of equipment and facilities damaged by disasters
in 2018: Provided further, That, not later than 90 days
after enactment of this Act, the Survey shall submit a report
to the Committees on Appropriations that describes the
potential options to replace the facility damaged by the 2018
volcano disaster along with cost estimates and a description
of how the Survey will provide direct access for monitoring
volcanic activity and the potential threat to at-risk
communities: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Departmental Offices

Insular Affairs

assistance to territories

For an additional amount for ``Technical Assistance'' for
financial management expenses related to the consequences of
Typhoon Yutu, $2,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

Office of Inspector General

salaries and expenses

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of major
disasters declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121
et. seq.) in 2018, $1,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.

RELATED AGENCIES

Environmental Protection Agency

science and technology

For an additional amount for ``Science and Technology'' for
necessary expenses related to improving preparedness of the
water sector, $600,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

leaking underground storage tank trust fund program

For an additional amount for ``Leaking Underground Storage
Tank Fund'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and Typhoon
Yutu, $1,500,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

state and tribal assistance grants

For an additional amount for ``State and Tribal Assistance
Grants'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricanes Florence and Michael for the hazardous waste
financial assistance grants program, $1,000,000, to remain
available until expended; for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Typhoon Yutu for the hazardous waste
financial assistance grants program and for other solid waste
management activities, $56,000,000, to remain available until
expended; and for grants under section 106 of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act, $5,000,000, to remain available
until expended, to address impacts of Hurricane Florence,
Hurricane Michael, Typhoon Yutu, and calendar year 2018
wildfires, notwithstanding paragraphs (b), (e), and (f), of
such section: Provided, That such amounts are designated by
the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

forest and rangeland research

For an additional amount for ``Forest and Rangeland
Research'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and calendar year 2018
wildfires, $1,000,000, to remain available until

[[Page H10490]]

expended for the forest inventory and analysis program:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

state and private forestry

For an additional amount for ``State and Private Forestry''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and calendar year 2018
wildfires, $2,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as
being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

national forest system

For an additional amount for ``National Forest System'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes
Florence and Michael, and calendar year 2018 wildfires,
$63,960,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

capital improvement and maintenance

For an additional amount for ``Capital Improvement and
Maintenance'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and calendar
year 2018 wildfires, $36,040,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.

wildland fire management

(including transfers of funds)

For an additional amount for ``Wildland Fire Management'',
$720,271,000, to remain available through September 30, 2022,
for urgent wildland fire suppression operations: Provided,
That such funds shall be solely available to be transferred
to and merged with other appropriations accounts from which
funds were previously transferred for wildland fire
suppression in fiscal year 2018 to fully repay those amounts:
Provided further, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

GENERAL PROVISION--THIS TITLE

Sec. 601. Not later than 45 days after enactment, the
Agencies receiving funds appropriated by this title shall
provide a detailed operating plan of anticipated uses of
funds made available in this title by State and Territory,
and by program, project, or activity, to the Committees on
Appropriations: Provided, That no funds shall be obligated
before the operating plans are provided to the Committees:
Provided further, That such plans shall be updated, including
obligations to date, and submitted to the Committees on
Appropriations every 60 days until all funds are expended.

TITLE VII

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

children and families services programs

For an additional amount for ``Children and Families
Services Programs'', $25,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2021, for Head Start programs, for necessary
expenses directly related to the consequences of Hurricanes
Florence and Michael, Typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu, and
wildfires occurring in 2018 in those areas for which a major
disaster or emergency has been declared under section 401 or
501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 and 5190), including making
payments under the Head Start Act: Provided, That none of
the funds appropriated in this paragraph shall be included in
the calculation of the ``base grant'' in subsequent fiscal
years, as such term is defined in sections 640(a)(7)(A),
641A(h)(1)(B), or 645(d)(3) of the Head Start Act: Provided
further, That funds appropriated in this paragraph are not
subject to the allocation requirements of section 640(a) of
the Head Start Act: Provided further, That funds
appropriated in this paragraph shall not be available for
costs that are reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, under a contract for insurance, or by self-insurance:
Provided further, That up to $500,000 shall be available for
Federal administrative expenses: Provided further, That
obligations incurred for the purposes provided herein prior
to the date of enactment of this Act may be charged to funds
appropriated under this heading: Provided further, That such
amount is designated by the Congress as being for an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

Office of the Secretary

public health and social services emergency fund

(including transfers of funds)

For an additional amount for the ``Public Health and Social
Services Emergency Fund'', $15,500,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2020, for necessary expenses directly
related to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence and
Michael, Typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu, and wildfires occurring
in calendar year 2018 in those areas for which a major
disaster or emergency has been declared under section 401 or
501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 and 5190) (referred to under
this heading as ``covered disaster or emergency''), including
activities authorized under section 319(a) of the Public
Health Service Act (referred to in this title as the ``PHS
Act''): Provided, That of the amount provided, $7,500,000
shall be transferred to ``Health Resources and Services
Administration--Primary Health Care'', for expenses directly
related to the covered disaster or emergency for disaster
response and recovery, for the Health Centers Program under
section 330 of the PHS Act, including alteration, renovation,
construction, equipment, and other capital improvement costs
as necessary to meet the needs of areas affected by a covered
disaster or emergency: Provided further, That the time
limitation in section 330(e)(3) of the PHS Act shall not
apply to funds made available under the preceding proviso:
Provided further, That of the amount provided, not less than
$7,500,000 shall be transferred to ``Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration--Health Surveillance
and Program Support'' for grants, contracts, and cooperative
agreements for behavioral health treatment, crisis
counseling, treatment of substance abuse disorders, and other
related helplines, and for other similar programs to provide
support to a covered disaster or emergency: Provided
further, That of the amount provided, up to $500,000, to
remain available until expended, shall be transferred to
``Office of the Secretary--Office of Inspector General'' for
oversight of activities responding to such hurricanes,
typhoons, and wildfires: Provided further, That such amount
is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Hurricane Education Recovery

(including transfer of funds)

For an additional amount for ``Hurricane Education
Recovery'', $50,000,000, to remain available through
September 30, 2021, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoons
Mangkhut and Yutu, and wildfires or earthquakes occurring in
2018 in those areas for which a major disaster or emergency
has been declared under sections 401 or 501 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5170 and 5190) (referred to under this heading as
``covered disaster or emergency''), for assisting in meeting
the educational needs of individuals affected by a covered
disaster or emergency: Provided, That such assistance may be
provided through any of the programs authorized under this
heading in title VIII of subdivision 1 of division B of
Public Law 115-123 (as amended by Public Law 115-141), as
determined by the Secretary of Education, and subject to the
terms and conditions that applied to those program, except
that the Secretary shall understand references to dates and
school years in Public Law 115-123 to be the corresponding
dates and school years for the covered disaster or emergency:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Education may
determine the amounts to be used for each such program:
Provided further, That $500,000 of the funds made available
under this heading, to remain available until expended, shall
be transferred to the Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of Education for oversight of activities supported
with funds appropriated under this heading, and up to
$500,000 of the funds made available under this heading shall
be for program administration: Provided further, That such
amount is designated by the Congress as being for an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

Sec. 701. Not later than 30 days after enactment of this
Act, the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and
Education shall provide a detailed spend plan of anticipated
uses of funds made available in this title, including
estimated personnel and administrative costs, to the
Committees on Appropriations: Provided, That such plans
shall be updated and submitted to the Committees on
Appropriations every 60 days until all funds are expended or
expire.
Sec. 702. Unless otherwise provided for by this title, the
additional amounts appropriated by this title to
appropriations accounts shall be available under the
authorities and conditions applicable to such appropriations
accounts for fiscal year 2019.

TITLE VIII

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

Salaries and Expenses

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$4,000,000, to remain available until expended, for audits
and investigations relating to Hurricanes Florence, Lane, and
Michael, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, the 2018 wildfires and
volcano eruptions, and other disasters declared pursuant to
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.): Provided, That not
later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Government Accountability Office shall submit to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate a spend plan specifying funding estimates for
audits and investigations of any such declared disasters
occurring in 2018 and identifying funding estimates or
carryover balances, if any, that may be available for audits
and investigations of any other such declared disasters:
Provided further, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.

[[Page H10491]]

TITLE IX

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Navy
and Marine Corps'', $90,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2023, for planning and design related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael: Provided,
That not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of the Navy, or his designee, shall submit to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate a detailed expenditure plan for funds provided
under this heading: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Military Construction, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
Force'', $150,000,000, to remain available until September
30, 2023, for planning and design related to the consequences
of Hurricane Michael: Provided, That none of the funds shall
be available for obligation until the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
receive a basing plan and future mission requirements for
installations damaged by Hurricane Michael: Provided
further, That, not later than 60 days after enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of the Air Force, or his designee, shall
submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a detailed expenditure plan
for funds provided under this heading: Provided further,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

Military Construction, Army National Guard

For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Army
National Guard'', $42,400,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2023, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael: Provided,
That none of the funds shall be available for obligation
until the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate receive a form 1391 for each
specific project: Provided further, That, not later than 60
days after enactment of this Act, the Director of the Army
National Guard, or his designee, shall submit to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate a detailed expenditure plan for funds provided
under this heading: Provided further, That such funds may be
obligated or expended for military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That such
amount is designated by the Congress as being for an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veterans Health Administration

medical facilities

For an additional amount for ``Medical Facilities'',
$3,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2023, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes
Florence and Michael and Typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu:
Provided, That the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, upon
determination that such action is necessary to address needs
as a result of the consequences of Hurricanes Florence and
Michael and Typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu, may transfer such
funds to any discretionary account of the Department of
Veterans Affairs: Provided further, That before a transfer
may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
submit notice thereof to the Committee on Appropriations of
the House of Representatives and the Senate: Provided
further, That none of these funds shall be available for
obligation until the Secretary of Veterans Affairs submits to
the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a detailed expenditure plan
for funds provided under this heading: Provided further,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as being for
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

TITLE X

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

operations

(airport and airway trust fund)

Of the amounts made available for ``Federal Aviation
Administration-Operations'' in Division B of the Bipartisan
Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123), up to $18,000,000
shall also be available for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of major declared disasters occurring in
calendar year 2018: Provided, That amounts repurposed under
this heading that were previously designated by the Congress
as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 are designated by
the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

Federal Highway Administration

emergency relief program

For an additional amount for the ``Emergency Relief
Program'' as authorized under section 125 of title 23, United
States Code, $1,650,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Federal Transit Administration

public transportation emergency relief program

For an additional amount for the ``Public Transportation
Emergency Relief Program'' as authorized under section 5324
of title 49, United States Code, $10,542,000 to remain
available until expended, for transit systems affected by
major declared disasters in 2018: Provided, That not more
than three-quarters of one percent of the funds for public
transportation emergency relief shall be available for
administrative expenses and ongoing program management
oversight as authorized under sections 5334 and 5338(f)(2) of
such title and shall be in addition to any other
appropriations for such purpose: Provided further, That such
amount is designated by the Congress as being for an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Community Planning and Development

community development fund

(including transfers of funds)

For an additional amount for ``Community Development
Fund'', $1,060,000,000, to remain available until expended,
for necessary expenses for activities authorized under title
I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42
U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) related to disaster relief, long-term
recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, economic
revitalization, and mitigation in the most impacted and
distressed areas resulting from a major disaster that
occurred in 2018 pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.):
Provided, That funds shall be awarded directly to the State,
unit of general local government, or Indian tribe (as such
term is defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974) at the discretion of the Secretary:
Provided further, That any funds made available under this
heading and under the same heading in Public Law 115-254 that
remain available after the funds under such headings have
been allocated for necessary expenses for activities
authorized under such headings shall be allocated to grantees
that received allocations for disasters that occurred in 2018
for mitigation activities in the most impacted and distressed
areas resulting from a major disaster that occurred in 2018:
Provided further, That such allocations shall be made in the
same proportion that the amount of funds each grantee
received under this division and the same heading in division
I of Public Law 115-254 bears to the amount of all funds
provided to all grantees that received allocations for
disasters that occurred in 2018: Provided further, That of
the amounts made available under the text preceding the first
proviso under this heading and under the same heading in
Public Law 115-254, the Secretary shall allocate to all such
grantees an aggregate amount not less than 33 percent of the
sum of such amounts of funds within 120 days after the
enactment of this Act based on the best available data, and
shall allocate no less than 100 percent of such funds by no
later than 180 days after enactment of this Act: Provided
further, That the Secretary shall not prohibit the use of
funds made available under this heading and the same heading
in Public Law 115-254 for non-Federal share as authorized by
section 105(a)(9) of the Housing and Community Development
Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(9)): Provided further, That
of the amounts made available under this heading, grantees
may establish grant programs to assist small businesses for
working capital purposes to aid in recovery: Provided
further, That as a condition of making any grant, the
Secretary shall certify in advance that such grantee has in
place proficient financial controls and procurement processes
and has established adequate procedures to prevent any
duplication of benefits as defined by section 312 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5155), to ensure timely expenditure of funds,
to maintain comprehensive websites regarding all disaster
recovery activities assisted with these funds, and to detect
and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds: Provided
further, That with respect to any such duplication of
benefits, the Secretary and any grantee under this section
shall not take into consideration or reduce the amount
provided to any applicant for assistance from the grantee
where such applicant applied for and was approved, but
declined assistance related to such major declared disasters
that occurred in 2017 and 2018 from the Small Business
Administration under section 7(b) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 636(b)): Provided further, That the Secretary
shall require grantees to maintain on a public website
information containing common reporting criteria established
by the Department that permits individuals and entities
awaiting assistance and the general public to see how all
grant funds are used, including copies of all relevant
procurement documents, grantee administrative contracts and
details of ongoing procurement processes, as determined by
the Secretary: Provided further, That prior to the
obligation of funds a grantee shall submit a plan to the
Secretary for approval detailing the proposed use of all
funds, including criteria for eligibility and how the use of
these funds will address long-term recovery and restoration
of infrastructure and housing, economic revitalization, and
mitigation in the most impacted and distressed areas:
Provided further, That such funds may not be used for
activities reimbursable by, or for which funds are made
available by, the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the
Army Corps of Engineers: Provided further, That funds
allocated under this heading shall not be considered relevant
to the non-disaster formula allocations

[[Page H10492]]

made pursuant to section 106 of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5306): Provided further,
That a State, unit of general local government, or Indian
tribe may use up to 5 percent of its allocation for
administrative costs: Provided further, That the first
proviso under this heading in the Supplemental Appropriations
for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2018 (division I of
Public Law 115-254) is amended by striking ``State or unit of
general local government'' and inserting ``State, unit of
general local government, or Indian tribe (as such term is
defined in section 102 of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302))'': Provided
further, That the sixth proviso under this heading in the
Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements
Act, 2018 (division I of Public Law 115-254) is amended by
striking ``State or subdivision thereof'' and inserting
``State, unit of general local government, or Indian tribe
(as such term is defined in section 102 of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302))'':
Provided further, That in administering the funds under this
heading, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may
waive, or specify alternative requirements for, any provision
of any statute or regulation that the Secretary administers
in connection with the obligation by the Secretary or the use
by the recipient of these funds (except for requirements
related to fair housing, nondiscrimination, labor standards,
and the environment), if the Secretary finds that good cause
exists for the waiver or alternative requirement and such
waiver or alternative requirement would not be inconsistent
with the overall purpose of title I of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974: Provided further, That,
notwithstanding the preceding proviso, recipients of funds
provided under this heading that use such funds to supplement
Federal assistance provided under section 402, 403, 404, 406,
407, 408(c)(4), or 502 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)
may adopt, without review or public comment, any
environmental review, approval, or permit performed by a
Federal agency, and such adoption shall satisfy the
responsibilities of the recipient with respect to such
environmental review, approval or permit: Provided further,
That, notwithstanding section 104(g)(2) of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5304(g)(2)), the
Secretary may, upon receipt of a request for release of funds
and certification, immediately approve the release of funds
for an activity or project assisted under this heading if the
recipient has adopted an environmental review, approval or
permit under the preceding proviso or the activity or project
is categorically excluded from review under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.):
Provided further, That the Secretary shall publish via notice
in the Federal Register any waiver, or alternative
requirement, to any statute or regulation that the Secretary
administers pursuant to title I of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 no later than 5 days before the
effective date of such waiver or alternative requirement:
Provided further, That of the amounts made available under
this heading, up to $5,000,000 shall be made available for
capacity building and technical assistance, including
assistance on contracting and procurement processes, to
support States, units of general local government, or Indian
tribes (and their subrecipients) that receive allocations
pursuant to this heading, received disaster recovery
allocations under the same heading in Public Law 115-254, or
may receive similar allocations for disaster recovery in
future appropriations Acts: Provided further, That of the
amounts made available under this heading and under the same
heading in Public Law 115-254, up to $2,500,000 shall be
transferred, in aggregate, to ``Department of Housing and
Urban Development--Program Office Salaries and Expenses--
Community Planning and Development'' for necessary costs,
including information technology costs, of administering and
overseeing the obligation and expenditure of amounts under
this heading: Provided further, That the amount specified in
the preceding proviso shall be combined with funds
appropriated under the same heading and for the same purpose
in Public Law 115- 254 and the aggregate of such amounts
shall be available for any of the purposes specified under
this heading or the same heading in Public Law 115-254
without limitation: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as being for an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985:
Provided further, That amounts repurposed under this heading
that were previously designated by the Congress as an
emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act are designated by the Congress
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

Sec. 1001. (a) Amounts previously made available for
activities authorized under title I of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.)
related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration
of infrastructure and housing, economic revitalization, and
mitigation in the most impacted and distressed areas
resulting from a major disaster, including funds provided
under section 145 of division C of Public Law 114-223,
section 192 of division C of Public Law 114-223 (as added by
section 101(3) of division A of Public Law 114-254), section
421 of division K of Public Law 115-31, and any mitigation
funding provided under the heading ``Department of Housing
and Urban Development-Community Planning and Development-
Community Development Fund'' of Public Law 115-123 that were
allocated in response to Hurricane Matthew may be used
interchangeably and without limitation for the same
activities in the most impacted and distressed areas related
to Hurricane Florence. In addition, any funds provided under
the heading ``Department of Housing and Urban Development--
Community Planning and Development--Community Development
Fund'' in this Act or in division I of Public Law 115-254
that are allocated in response to Hurricane Florence may be
used interchangeably and without limitation for the same
activities in the most impacted and distressed areas related
to Hurricane Matthew. Until HUD publishes the Federal
Register Notice implementing this provision, grantees may
submit for HUD approval revised plans for the use of funds
related to Hurricane Matthew that expand the eligible
beneficiaries of existing programs contained in such
previously approved plans to include those impacted by
Hurricane Florence. Approval of any such revised plans shall
include the execution of revised grant terms and conditions
as necessary.
(b) Amounts made available for administrative costs for
activities authorized under title I of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.)
related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration
of infrastructure and housing, economic revitalization, and
mitigation in the most impacted and distressed areas under
this title or any future Act, and amounts previously provided
under section 420 of division L of Public Law 114-113,
section 145 of division C of Public Law 114-223, section 192
of division C of Public Law 114-223 (as added by section
101(3) of division A of Public Law 114-254), section 421 of
division K of Public Law 115-31, and under the heading
``Department of Housing and Urban Development--Community
Planning and Development--Community Development Fund'' of
division B of Public Law 115-56, Public Law 115-123, and
Public Law 115-254, shall be available for eligible
administrative costs of the grantee related to any disaster
relief funding identified in this subsection without regard
to the particular disaster appropriation from which such
funds originated.
(c) Amounts repurposed pursuant to this section that were
previously designated by the Congress as an emergency
requirement or as being for disaster relief pursuant to the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act are
designated by the Congress, respectively, as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 or
as being for disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D)
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.

TITLE XI

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS DIVISION

Sec. 1101. Each amount appropriated or made available by
this division is in addition to amounts otherwise
appropriated for the fiscal year involved.
Sec. 1102. No part of any appropriation contained in this
division shall remain available for obligation beyond the
current fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
Sec. 1103. Unless otherwise provided for by this division,
the additional amounts appropriated by this division to
appropriations accounts shall be available under the
authorities and conditions applicable to such appropriations
accounts for fiscal year 2019.
Sec. 1104. Each amount designated in this division by the
Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall be available (or rescinded
or transferred, if applicable) only if the President
subsequently so designates all such amounts and transmits
such designations to the Congress.
Sec. 1105. For purposes of this division, the consequences
or impacts of any hurricane shall include damages caused by
the storm at any time during the entirety of its duration as
a cyclone, as defined by the National Hurricane Center.
Sec. 1106. Any amount appropriated by this division,
designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and subsequently so
designated by the President, and transferred pursuant to
transfer authorities provided by this division shall retain
such designation.
This division may be cited as the ``Additional Supplemental
Appropriations for Disaster Relief, 2019''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The motion shall be debatable for 1 hour,
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member
of the Committee on Appropriations.
The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) and the gentlewoman
from New York (Mrs. Lowey) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.

{time} 1830

Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the House amendment to the
Senate amendment to H.R. 695, a bill making further additional
continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2019.
This measure keeps our government open until February 8, 2019, and
prevents a costly, destabilizing government shutdown. This continuing
resolution reflects the House position on

[[Page H10493]]

border security and provides $5 billion for the construction of
physical barriers at our borders.
This is the same amount that was provided in the Homeland Security
funding bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee back in
July of this year. In addition, this legislation includes $7.8 billion
in supplemental funding for disaster relief.
Congress has always been responsive to hurricanes, and wildfires, and
typhoons, and other natural disasters. We must continue to do so to
help our fellow Americans as they rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
I don't support a government shutdown, and I never have. Americans
deserve stability and predictability of a government that is 100
percent operational. I would have much preferred to complete
negotiations on our remaining seven bills with our Senate counterparts,
but there were several very challenging issues that remained. As I
stated before, a continuing resolution is the last resort when it comes
to funding the Federal Government.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I
urge the Senate to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, last night, the Senate unanimously passed legislation
that would fund our government through February 8. Democrats are
disappointed that Congress would kick the can down the road once again;
yet, we remain willing to pass that bill to keep the government open.
Unfortunately, even that simple, stopgap measure is apparently
unacceptable to a President hell-bent on shutting down the government
over his wasteful wall. And instead of showing leadership and moving
forward with the Senate legislation, despite the President's tweets,
House Republicans have caved once again to Trump's political whims.
They now have put up this grab bag of legislation that wastes
taxpayer dollars, fails to meet the urgent needs of disaster victims,
and, frankly, is dead on arrival in the Senate.
With all the challenges facing our country, from soaring healthcare
costs to crumbling infrastructure, it is inconceivable that Republicans
want to spend $5.7 billion on an unnecessary wall that President Trump
himself promised Mexico would pay for.
Moreover, the disaster supplemental attached to this bill
shortchanges nutrition needs in Puerto Rico, needs that were apparent
16 months ago. Republicans have continued their pattern of denying
science by grossly underfunding mitigation and resilience against
future disasters caused by climate change.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is nothing but another attempt by lameduck
Republicans to appease President Trump. It is a fitting final act for
the most chaotic and dysfunctional Congress in modern history.
Mr. Speaker, I oppose this reckless and irresponsible bill. I urge my
colleagues to reject this legislation, and, instead, pass the Senate's
clean CR. Keep our government open, and prevent a Trump shutdown. I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn).
Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, just over 2 months ago, Hurricane Michael
ravaged the panhandle of Florida. It was a devastating Category 4.9
storm, which damaged more than 90 percent of Tyndall Air Force Base,
decimated our agriculture industry, and destroyed entire communities.
Mr. Speaker, the folks back home in my district, the Second District
of Florida, are hurting. This supplemental disaster relief funding is a
downpayment on getting the hardworking folks in my district back on
their feet. This funding, by no means, is even close to what we will
need to completely rebuild, but it is a start.
I commend President Trump for remaining steadfast in his commitment
to our Nation. After Hurricane Michael, President Trump and Vice
President Pence came down to the Second District and made it clear that
we have their support and we will rebuild.
Mr. Speaker, I will continue to fight for the disaster relief funding
in the coming months and years because the survivors of Hurricane
Michael across the South deserve nothing less.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the ranking member of the Energy
and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Mrs. Lowey from
New York, for yielding. And here we are, again, and again, and again--
in fact, that is the ninth continuing resolution that the Republicans
have punted in this Congress rather than getting the job done.
This President claims to be a great dealmaker, but what kind of a
deal does he even want? He keeps switching the goal posts again and
again. It reminds me of a child who flips over a Monopoly board when he
realizes he is about to lose.
The President's nonsense is compounded by the dysfunction, sadly, of
the House Republicans. They are about to vote on funding a bill that
has no chance of becoming law, zero chance of becoming law. All of this
because they want to waste money on a border wall that Mexico was
supposed to pay for and won't work anyway because it is 13th century
technology.
Imagine billions of dollars being able to pay some of the student
loan debt around this country, or help our teachers earn better
salaries, or pave the roads and bridges around this country that need
repair, or invest in good clean-air energy jobs. Take your pick, Mr.
President, but $5.7 billion for a wall that won't even work? No thanks.

The American people expect so much more of us in this Congress.
Sadly, the Republican leadership and this President are attempting
eleventh-hour shenanigans to get a wall that voters across this
country, clearly, definitely rejected when they sent a new majority to
Congress. And, frankly, they can't get here fast enough.
The American people deserve better. I urge my colleagues to vote
``no.''
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the importance of any funding
bill, including funding for the border wall, as well as funding for our
communities and farmers who have been hit hard by natural disasters.
For those of us representing rural communities, we know how important
the agriculture community is, not just to the livelihood of those
areas, but to our entire Nation. Our farmers are often the unsung
heroes of our Nation, helping to create and maintain the breadbasket
that our country is known for.
In short, the American farmer feeds the world. It is not by accident
that American agriculture produces the safest and most abundant food
supply in the world. It is through blood, sweat, and tears over
generations.
In my home State of Georgia, agriculture is our top industry.
Blueberries represent a $1 billion industry across Georgia, and the
commodity is the backbone in many of our communities. After several
hurricanes and other natural disasters, it is past time that Congress
takes a stand to support our agriculture community by addressing their
needs.
I have been fighting for months to secure the disaster relief needed
by our farming community, especially blueberries. Plain and simple,
disaster relief funding must be included in any end-of-the-year funding
package.
Georgia has faced devastating weather recently, including hurricanes
and freezes. Georgians in every corner of the State are feeling the
impact. Whether it is along the coast or southwest Georgia, the need
for disaster funding is very much alive. Our number one responsibility
is to our constituents, those who have put their faith in us to do what
is right for our districts and for our country.
For this reason, Congress should stay here until we get this job
done. We need border security and we cannot kick the can on disaster
funding. I urge my colleagues to help us get this to the finish line
and to provide the help that millions of Americans are depending on.
Vote for our national security. Vote for our farmers and growers who
desperately need disaster assistance. Let's get this done.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano),

[[Page H10494]]

the ranking member of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related
Agencies Subcommittee.
Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me
this time. For me, this is a very simple thought; it is the same
thought I have had all along; this country, of all countries, should
not be building a wall. This country, the land of opportunity, the land
of freedom, the land where people come to build a new life, should not
be building a wall.
So what do we do? There isn't the support necessary for building the
wall, for funding it. So at the last minute, we sneak it into a so-
called must-pass bill, or otherwise, you shut the government down.
But the President has already said that he doesn't mind taking credit
or taking responsibility for shutting this government down. This is
very simple.
People say, well, there is aid here, disaster aid. We have been
dealing with this disaster issue now for over a year, and still, we
don't do the right thing.
This is simple for me. We can't build a wall. This wall will be a
waste of money. I don't know who, but as we speak here, there are
people already who know how to get over, through, and under the wall.
The wall is not what we need. What we need is immigration reform, and
we need another outlook.
But, lastly, again, I repeat: of all of the countries in the world,
this is the one that can't go down in history as being the greatest
democracy when it builds a wall. And in my city, there is a statue that
says: Give me your tired; give me your poor. But not if they come from
Mexico.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).
Mr. WENSTRUP. Mr. Speaker, our Federal Government was founded for one
purpose: to fulfill the charges set forth in the Constitution,
establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty.
Lawmakers take an oath to uphold the Constitution. We fail in our
sworn duty if we refuse to ensure the sovereignty, security, and
wellbeing of this Nation through secure borders. The situation at the
border is a serious problem that demands our immediate attention. It
has been constantly brushed aside because somewhere along the way, our
conversation about border security got muddled.
The wall, border patrol, surveillance of human trafficking routes,
all of these have been recast exclusively into the context of
immigration policy.
Border security is, indeed, a part of immigration policy, but it is
much more than that. It is part of keeping drugs off our streets and
keeping Americans safe. Our porous borders can allow drugs, cartels,
and even terrorists into our Nation. An unsecure border makes it
impossible for us to enact meaningful immigration reform as we cannot
expect any legal system to work if we do not have control of who is
entering.
Funding for border security is not a political point. This is about
keeping America safe, keeping illicit drugs out of our country, and
protecting American families and our own precious lives.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the ranking member of the
Transportation, House and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Subcommittee.
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, once again, we find
ourselves only hours away from the third Republican shutdown of the
Trump Presidency, and we know how we got here.

{time} 1845

Seven key appropriations bills, six of them teed up with bipartisan
support, could have and should have been passed in September or, for
that matter, this very week. Instead, Republicans came up with a 6-week
continuing resolution, and now they have backed down even on that.
Instead of taking ``yes'' for an answer following last night's Senate
vote on this continuing resolution, the best House Republicans could
come up with is a craven attempt to placate the President and his anti-
immigrant demagoguery.
Despite telling us for years that Mexico would pay for this grandiose
border wall, the President and the Speaker have decided that fulfilling
this foolhardy campaign promise is worth shutting down the government.
The President said so himself last week. ``I will take the mantle,''
he said. ``I will be the one to shut it down.''
To add insult to injury, as though throwing billions in taxpayer
money at the President's wall wasn't bad enough, the Republican
majority now has cynically added much-needed disaster recovery funds in
the final hour, despite knowing full well that this bill is no more
than a political stunt.
Mr. Speaker, we know we need these disaster funds. I have repeatedly
stressed the urgency of increased funding for the millions in my State
still reeling from disasters. But it is cynical; it is deceptive; and
it is cruel to hold the needs of these people hostage to fulfill
President Trump's anti-immigrant wish list.
Our Nation faces many pressing needs: disaster recovery and
comprehensive immigration reform. But the best Republicans can give us
is political games and Twitter tantrums. We have a responsibility to
our constituents to keep the government open, and by providing cover to
the President's impulses, my colleagues are failing on that
responsibility.
So let's end this charade. Let's pass the Senate continuing
resolution, and let's fulfill our most basic responsibility, to fund
our government.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).
Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, which will
continue operations for several Federal agencies and, importantly,
appropriate funds to be used in securing the southern border.
We have talked for years about securing our border. This is important
for the entire Nation. My perspective comes from representing a
district hard-hit with the opioid epidemic. Mexico and the United
States have a mutual interest in securing our border.
Heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamines, and other narcotics flow
northbound while, importantly, illicit cash is flowing southbound. This
illicit cash is fueling a reign of terror by Mexican drug cartels that
have murdered more than 200,000 Mexico citizens over the last 10 years,
and only 5 percent of them have been prosecuted.
They have killed priests. They have killed journalists. They have
killed students. And they have killed each other. There are mass graves
all over Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, we need to secure that border for the benefit of both
countries. It is past time we do this, and I ask support for this
legislation.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Roybal-Allard), who is the ranking member of the
Homeland Security Subcommittee.
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, Democrats understand the critical
responsibility we have to keep our government funded and to serve the
needs of the American people. But House Republicans are driving our
Nation to the brink of another disastrous government shutdown.
Republicans, who control the House, the Senate, and the White House,
have the power to keep our government open. Yet, at a time of great
economic uncertainty and right in the middle of the holiday season,
Republicans are refusing to stand up to the President who made it clear
he would be proud to shut down the government if he cannot force
American taxpayers to spend billions of dollars on an immoral,
ineffective, and expensive wall.
The fact is that serious homeland security vulnerabilities will not
be addressed if the President is allowed to squander $5.7 billion on a
border wall. This includes not being able to hire more law enforcement
agents to focus on opioid, gang, trade, and child exploitation
investigations; no funding to recapitalize the Coast Guard's air and
sea fleets, including the procurement of our first heavy icebreaker
since the 1970s. As Arctic ice recedes, Russia, China, and other
countries are winning the race to lay claim to the vast resources of
that region where, at times, there is no U.S. presence.

[[Page H10495]]

There will be no funding to hire additional Customs officers to
intercept illicit drugs and other contraband, almost all of which comes
into our country through the ports of entry.
Mr. Speaker, there will be no increased funding for first responder
grants to help States and localities better prepare and respond to
terrorism and disasters of every kind.
All of these funding needs have strong, bipartisan support, yet these
critical national security needs simply cannot be met if we waste $5.7
billion on an overly expensive and unnecessary border wall.
On election day, the American people sent a message that they want a
government that works for them. Unfortunately, House Republicans
continue to ignore them and are steering our Nation into a Trump
shutdown. The Senate passed a clean, bipartisan CR extension to keep
our government open. It is time for House Republicans to do the same on
behalf of the American people.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Culberson), who is a member of the House Appropriations
Committee.
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me tonight
in voting for this important bill to keep our word to the American
people. Keeping our word to our constituents is one of our most
important responsibilities, and the President and those of us who ran
to secure the southern border promised that we would see this wall
built in those parts of the border where it makes sense.

We are relying on the good judgment of our sector chiefs down on the
border to tell us whether a fence makes the most sense or a wall or
perhaps a weir dam in places on the Rio Grande River where you simply
dam up the water. Where the local sector chief believes that is
probably the best way to secure the border, we are going to follow that
recommendation.
But this $5 billion that is set aside in this bill for construction
of border fencing and a wall is consistent with what the full
Appropriations Committee did this summer. We debated this extensively,
Mr. Speaker. We all talked about this. This is not a new number. This
is something that the full committee voted on and approved when the
Appropriations Committee voted the Homeland Security bill out of
committee this summer.
This is consistent with what the committee did. This keeps our word
to our constituents, and we are also keeping our word to those
Americans who suffered as a result of the disasters in California with
the wildfires and the flooding that occurred from the hurricanes.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen again for his support of
the people of southeast Texas who suffered from Hurricane Harvey. It
was my privilege, as the Representative from District Seven in west
Houston, to help spearhead that recovery package for Hurricane Harvey
that brought together the delegations from Florida and Texas.
Mr. Speaker, we put together, with the chairman's help, the largest
hurricane recovery package in the history of the United States and made
sure that the people who need that money got it as soon as possible.
That is another reason it is so important to pass this bill to make
sure the flood-ravaged people of Florida get the help they need.
Above all, this is about keeping our word to our constituents,
something I have been proud to do in representing the people of west
Houston in District Seven for 18 years.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
important piece of legislation tonight.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee), who is a senior member of the Appropriations
Committee.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman for yielding and
for her leadership on so many issues.
Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in opposition to this bill. It
really is a hateful and un-American demand for $5 billion to build
President Trump's border wall.
Let's be clear: President Trump and congressional Republicans aren't
negotiating. They are holding our government hostage and demanding this
wasteful, expensive wall as their ransom.
Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. Mr.
Speaker, you would think that they could at least keep the government
open. Instead of passing the Senate-passed, clean continuing resolution
to prevent a shutdown, Republicans want to vote on this unnecessary
border wall.
Mr. Speaker, this is completely irresponsible. Federal workers rely
on their paychecks, especially during the holidays. People have planned
national park trips over the holidays.
Is President Trump really going to shut down the American government
in the midst of this holiday season during their vacation, during their
time with their families? How sinister and mean-spirited can the
President and our Republican colleagues be?
But this wouldn't be the first time that the Republicans were
manufacturing a crisis. The Republican-led shutdown in 2013 cost our
economy $24 billion. If President Trump shuts down the government--for
the third time this year, I might add--he will sabotage our economy.
Instead of pushing forward with this bill, House Republicans should
allow a vote on the Senate-passed continuing resolution to keep the
government open.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this disastrous
bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from
engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice).
(Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks.)
Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for his
great leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and urge my colleagues to
come together in support of securing our Nation's southern border.
We finally now have an opportunity before us that enables us to take
a step in resolving the immigration and border crisis, frankly, one
that is growing daily in its scope and complexity, largely because of
the inaction of this body. But we have the opportunity now to change
that.
The $5 billion requested by the President is a relatively small
amount when we consider the Federal Government's discretionary spending
this year is at a whopping $1.3 trillion. That comes to about $2.5
million a minute. If you do the math, this $5 billion comes to less
than 1\1/2\ days' worth of Federal spending, about 33 hours.
To give people some degree of comparison, in late 2016, the
Department of Transportation awarded a little over $1 billion in a
grant to the city of San Diego to expand its trolley service 11 miles.
That is roughly $100 million per mile for something that the DOT
estimated only 25,000 people would use. If we can spend $1 billion on a
trolley for 11 miles that very few people will even use, then,
certainly, we can spend $5 billion to do something that is going to
benefit and protect our Nation, our border.
Wherever walls have been built on our border, whether we are dealing
with San Diego or El Paso or Tucson or wherever, the walls have been
effective tremendously.
The border wall in itself is no magic bullet. There are some other
things we need to do: closing the asylum loopholes, for example; making
E-Verify mandatory; ending chain migration; and shifting toward a
merit-based immigration system. But this is our opportunity to secure
the border, and I urge support for the bill.
But these other solutions cannot be effective unless we can ensure
that our border is secure. These solutions are mutually supportive.
It is now or never, Mr. Speaker.
We made a promise to the American people and they sent us here to
fulfill that promise.
This bill also provides some much needed disaster relief for States
like Georgia.
I urge my colleagues to support the funding bill, to support the
President, and--most importantly--to support the American people.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is the Democratic whip.

[[Page H10496]]

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
What a sad day.
Chairman Frelinghuysen, I feel badly that you are leaving on this
note. I know it is not your wish. I know that, if you were in charge,
we would have reached agreement. I know, under your leadership, we
passed--we didn't pass them. Six bills were forged in a bipartisan way,
not our bills, your bills.
Mr. Speaker, the seventh bill is also agreed to, save one item, so
that approximately 96 percent of the legislation has been agreed to by
both sides, and the United States Senate has passed a continuing
resolution based upon those bills by voice vote. Yet here we are,
twisting in the wind at 7 p.m. on the day before the government shuts
down.
What a sad performance. What a regrettable lack of responsibility,
how we have undermined the faith of our people, treated the Federal
employee terribly, and given cause for the rest of the world to think:
What are they doing?
There is not one person on the Republican side of the aisle who
believes that, if they pass this bill, it will be accepted by the
Senate. Not one of you believes that. So we are playing political games
here to pander to the President of the United States, who sadly
rejected a compromise that was reached by all of us.

{time} 1900

The majority leader of your party and the Speaker were for this
compromise. We were for this compromise and the Senate was for this
compromise. One person, why are we here?
I will shut down the government, absolutely. I am proud to shut down
the government. That is what the President of the United States said
just a few days ago. And today, he put the entire Congress in a tizzy.
How sad it is that the Republican leadership of this Congress and the
last Congress have consistently been unable to meet their fiscal
responsibilities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Maryland an
additional 1 minute.
Mr. HOYER. John Boehner brought a bill to open up the government and,
sadly, only 78 Republicans would follow their leadership--Mr. Boehner,
Mr. Cantor, Mr. McCarthy--only 78, and the rest, including the present
Director of OMB, voted to keep the government shut down.
So I am not surprised that we are here, but it is sad that we are
here acting so irresponsibly. If we have one duty as we come here, it
is to have our government function effectively for our people. We are
failing tonight.
This is a pretense. This bill is going nowhere. The Senate won't
accept it. Perhaps the Senate will send it back, amended--perhaps. But
we are, we think, adults. Let's act responsibly. Defeat this bill.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Maine (Mr. Poliquin).
Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Speaker, I don't quite understand what the other
side is saying today, talking about politics and being irresponsible
and not compassionate. Are you kidding me?
Here in the House of Representatives and in the Senate we take an
oath to support and defend our Constitution. That means keeping our
families safe. There is no more important responsibility, nothing more
important than keeping our families safe. That means rebuilding our
military, and, yes, it also means securing our borders and knowing who
is entering our country.
I don't know why it is so hard to make a distinction between what is
legal and what is illegal entry. I come from Maine. We have a 600-mile
border with Canada. They are great neighbors. But I feel for the people
down in the southwest part of our country. It is common sense to secure
our borders, know who is entering our country.
I will tell you, my heart goes out to these folks who have made their
way from Central America to the other side of the border fence with
Texas, in Mexico, wanting to come in here. But we don't know who they
are, beyond the fact that we do know, according to Homeland Security,
there are 600 folks who have criminal backgrounds.
These folks have been offered asylum and work permits by the country
of Mexico--every single one of them--and they have refused. Now they
want to enter our country. Fine, but they have got to do it legally.
In rural Maine, we have been hard-hit by the opioid epidemic. There
is nothing more difficult than this issue in rural America. Eighty
percent of this terrible, cheap heroin--deadly heroin--which is a
substitute for the opioid pills comes over that southwest border.
The House should pass this bill and secure our borders. It is common
sense. The best Christmas gift for America is securing our borders, and
I support this bill.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Labor, Health and
Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, if the other side of the aisle thought this
was such an important bill, they should have brought it to the floor.
That is what we do here.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment before us. It is
staggering that the Republicans have the United States careening toward
another government shutdown.
The American people do not want a shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of
workers will be sent home. Many others will continue to work without
pay. Parks and museums will close down. In fact, according to the
estimates by The Connecticut Mirror, this Trump shutdown--and he does
own it--could impact as many as 1,500 Federal employees in Connecticut,
right before the holidays.
The American people don't want a wall. It does not reflect our values
as a nation. Experts are telling us it is not an effective use of
taxpayer dollars with regards to maintaining border security. It is
money we should be spending on working families, on roads and schools
in our communities, not a fence in the desert.
It is not just a border wall, which was a nonstarter. Disaster relief
provisions of the CR are inadequate. It fails to meet the communities
devastated by disaster, risking the future of children who suffer from
severe trauma. Communities are still picking up the pieces.
It leaves out $600 million of antihunger and nutrition support for
women, infants, and children in Puerto Rico. That is unacceptable.
The President and the Republicans have two choices: perform the basic
job of governing and keep the government open, or perform for Fox News.
They have chosen the latter. It is an outrageous tantrum. This is not
government for the people and by the people. It is government by
tantrum and tweets.
Please vote ``no.''
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from South Carolina (Mr. Rice).
Mr. RICE of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, opioids and illegal
immigration are two cancers of a porous southern border, and my
constituents have had enough.
Illegal immigration holds down wages and diminishes our middle class.
The Democrats say they are for border security; they just don't want to
pay for it--empty words.
It is funny, Mr. Schumer voted for a border wall in 2006, but he is
against it now. Why? Because our President wants it? Empty words.

In 2017, 150 people in my district in 2017 were killed by opioid
overdoses. My law enforcement agencies tell me that 85 percent of those
drugs come across our porous southern border.
You say you are for border security, but you don't want to pay for
it--empty words, playing politics.
There were 150 people killed in my district. They are in your
districts, too. It is a cancer. It doesn't just affect my district. It
is across this entire country. You say you are for border security, and
you won't take any action to stop it.
Mr. Speaker, it has gone on long enough. Illegal immigration holds
down wages, stretches our social safety net, holds down our middle
class. The opioids kill people across our country. It is a cancer and
it is growing. It is not even leveling off. It is growing, killing
people in my district and yours, too.
Empty words, shame on you.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to make it clear that most of the
opioids,

[[Page H10497]]

the drugs, are coming through the ports of entry.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Bishop), the ranking member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, as a legislative body, one of Congress' core
responsibilities is to keep the government open and working for the
people. Another core responsibility is to help communities struck by
disaster to recover and rebuild.
The continuing resolution before us is not a sufficient response to
these vital needs. It includes only token disaster relief for rural
communities and farmers in middle and southwest Georgia that were
devastated by Hurricane Michael and other disasters that occurred in
2018.
It does not include a number of provisions that were being
negotiated. It only includes $8 million for impacted rural communities,
instead of $150 million.
It does not change the percentage recovery for crop losses from 85
percent for those with crop insurance to 90 percent and from 65 percent
for those without crop insurance to 70 percent.
It includes less than half of the estimated need for the Emergency
Forest Restoration Program, $200 million instead of $480 million.
It does not include the lower threshold for pecan tree mortality to
7.5 percent, but leaves it at the current level of 15 percent, which is
totally inadequate.
It does not include the most recent estimate for the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands Disaster Nutrition Assistance, which is
$8.5 million instead of $9.3 million.
Finally, it does not include any of the $600 million for Puerto Rico
nutrition assistance.
Unfortunately, it does include significant funding for a misguided
and wasteful wall on our southwestern border. This wall would do
nothing to improve our Nation's security and is a serious misallocation
of taxpayer dollars. It should have been stripped from this important
legislation and considered separately.
Furthermore, this legislation is dead on arrival in the Senate.
We must do better. We must meet the significant needs of my Georgia
constituents and Americans across the country who are still rebuilding
from Hurricane Michael. We must pass a government bill that would avoid
the damage caused by a government shutdown.
I urge my colleagues to reject this bill.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), a member of the committee.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the disaster
supplemental package, especially as it relates to agriculture and rural
development.
As chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I worked with the
ranking member and other members who represent districts that have been
impacted by this historical weather that is related to disasters to
support bipartisan relief to the farming and rural communities.
From hurricanes to volcano activity, to deadly wildfires, this
supplemental provides Federal financial relief to those most negatively
impacted by the national disasters. While many of us favor limited
government, there are times like these where Federal assistance is
needed and is warranted.
Members from the Southeast to California, to Hawaii, to communities
in between represent districts with agriculture and rural constituents
who have suffered devastating losses to their livelihood. In my home
State of Alabama, for example, producers of cotton to vegetables have
lost everything. In Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South
Carolina, producers of crop or livestock lost their source of income
now and into the future.
At a time when hardworking farmers invested limited dollars and
countless hours of labor, their livelihoods were wiped out within hours
by a once-in-a-lifetime storm. These farmers and producers take
financial risks that are unknown to most Americans. Even if the
delivery of this critical relief is delayed by the normal
administrative process, lenders and bankers must see a signal from the
Federal Government that financial support will be coming before the
next crop-year.
I want to highlight, just briefly, those parts of the package that
relate to agriculture and rural communities.
The agriculture portion of the bill totals $1.4 billion. A majority
of the funding supports the hardworking farmers and ranchers who
produce crops and livestock for food on our dinner tables. The package
also provides funding for critical watersheds damaged by the hurricanes
and fires. Lastly, the funding provides for basic nutritional needs for
those who qualify in the Northern Mariana Islands.
In closing, I ask my colleagues to support this bill as we build
America's communities impacted by these natural disasters.

{time} 1915

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on the
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this new
Republican continuing resolution that is going nowhere. House
Republicans continue to cater to every whim and Twitter temper tantrum
that the President throws, abdicating their responsibility to the
American people.
Last night, the Senate passed by voice vote a continuing resolution,
and the House was ready to follow suit today. And the President said he
would sign it. But, rather than keeping his word, the President appears
to have put the demands of conservative pundits over the American
people, causing a government shutdown.
It is time for Republican leadership to stand up to the President and
pass the agreed-upon continuing resolution that will bring back
economic certainty to our economy.
The President has still not used the money that Congress appropriated
for border security last year, yet Republicans are ready to give him
the same amount of funds this year, and we agreed to that. But there is
no reason to waste $5.7 billion on a border wall that experts have
stated will not do what the President has promised.
Our country faces many challenges--opioid epidemic, increasing
effects of climate change, the rising cost of prescription drugs, an
infrastructure that is crumbling--and Congress should be working on
these issues.
So let us stand together. Let us pass a responsible spending bill
that will keep the Government open, give our local and State
governments, our businesses, and, most importantly, the American
people, a sense of stability this holiday season.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are again reminded to refrain from
engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the Republican whip.
Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chairman's leadership on
this.
Mr. Speaker, this is about keeping America safe. This is not a
complicated vote, but it is an important vote that really defines
whether or not we are going to stand for border security in this
country.
For decades it has been promised. There have been bills going back to
the 1980s where we were promised that we were going to get a secure
border, and it never happened.
So now we have a President who ran on this issue. This isn't
something that just popped up. It was front and center during the
campaign.
He said: I am going to secure the border. I am going to build a wall.
The people on the other side, our Democrat friends, said they didn't
want that. Some of them actually said they want open borders. Some on
the other side, Mr. Speaker, have said they want to abolish ICE, the
very border patrol agents that are keeping the interior of America
safe.
Who are ICE? Who are the people they want to get rid of, Mr. Speaker?
Those ICE agents, last year alone, saved over 900 kids from human
trafficking. That is stuff that came across our border.
We are a Nation of immigrants and a Nation of laws. My great-
grandparents

[[Page H10498]]

came here from Italy, and I am proud of that.
We, by the way, Mr. Speaker, let more than a million people into this
country legally every single year. The most generous country in the
world. We should be proud of that.
For those people who want to say it is a country of closed borders,
this is about getting back to rule of law. This is about keeping
America safe and saying there is a legal way to come here.
President Trump has said that. Even on asylum, he said, if you want
to seek asylum, there is a legal way to do it. But it is pretty hard to
claim asylum, Mr. Speaker, when you came through Mexico and you forced
yourself across that border and Mexico said: We will offer you asylum.
We will even offer you work permits and a job--and you said ``no.'' So
it is really hard to say you are claiming asylum here in America when
you turned down asylum in Mexico when you were coming across their
border.
So it is not about asylum. It is about rule of law. What do you say,
Mr. Speaker, to the millions of people from other countries all around
the world who are waiting--in some cases 10 years, 15 years, 20 years--
to come to America legally? They are waiting in these theoretical
lines, and they are doing it the right way.
Then you have got a few thousand people who say: We are just going to
storm across your border regardless. And the President stands up and
says: You know what, I want to secure this border.
We have a choice to make, Mr. Speaker. Are we going to stand with the
President and say we are going to give you the tools to secure the
border or not? It is a straight-up vote. You are either for border
security or you are against border security.
Let's not hide behind it. When you saw that meeting at the White
House last week when you had the Senate minority leader and the future
Speaker of the House going over to the White House, they didn't want to
give the President money for the wall because they didn't want to give
him a win.
You saw them. They were bragging. They just wanted to assign blame:
Are you going to take blame for the shutdown? But they said: We don't
want to give you money for the wall. And they have said it since.
So if they have got a personality conflict with the President, don't
let the security of this Nation get in the way of that.
This President said: This is something I believe in because I care
about the American people, and I have a responsibility to keep this
country safe.

I wish everybody who came here across the border wanted to come here
to seek the American Dream. But, Mr. Speaker, we know that there are
people that have come across this border with ill intentions for our
citizens all across the Nation.
Again, I mentioned last year the 900 children who were saved from
human trafficking. My colleagues have talked about the opioids, the
illegal drugs that come across our border.
Mr. Speaker, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
says, on average, every single day in America, 10 known or suspected
terrorists try to come into this country illegally.
Some on the other side have said: Oh, the number is not 10. Okay,
then, what is your number? How many terrorists coming into this country
illegally every single day are enough? I say none.
There is a legal way to come here. Those are the people, by the way,
that we know of. How many people that want to break our laws, that want
to do harm to our citizens, that want to jump in front of other people
who are trying to come here to America the right way, how many more
people have tried to come across that we don't know about because we
don't have a secure border?
So we have a President who says: I need tools.
And, oh, by the way, there are some things that are in law. Right
now, we, in law, tell the President where he can and can't build the
wall, what materials he can and can't use.
So he has got ideas. Mr. President has shown ideas of how to actually
build a better border security wall at a cheaper cost, and yet the law
prohibits him from building it cheaper, in a better way, more
efficiently for the American people. How ridiculous is that?
So we remove that in this bill and tell the President he can build
the wall however he wants, in the most efficient way, to keep America
safe.
Again, Mr. Speaker, as I close, we have got a choice to make. There
is going to be a bill before us in a few minutes that we get to vote on
to say, are we going to stand up for the rule of law and keeping this
country safe and supporting the President's ability to secure America's
border or not?
You can vote ``yes,'' or you can vote ``no,'' but don't hide behind
politics. This isn't about the personality of the person in the White
House. It is whether or not we are going to respect the rule of law and
keep America safe.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Ryan), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Legislative
Branch.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, this has been a really interesting
debate, because our friends on the other side, Mr. Speaker, it is like
they have amnesia and nothing happened before the election a couple of
years ago.
All of these promises about a border wall were followed by the cheers
and the chants of: And who is going to pay for that wall?
And you remember all your fans would stand up: Mexico is going to pay
for that wall.
Who?
Mexico.
And here we are today getting ready to shut down the Government over
you asking the American taxpayer to pay for this border wall. And then
some of you even are saying that we have hollow words, that our words
don't mean anything, when this President is going back on the promise
that he made.
He said Mexico was going to pay for it. He said it at the rallies. He
was in Ohio. He was in the swing States.
And now he is going back on his word on that. And he just went back
on his word where he promised the entire Senate he was going to support
the continuing resolution, and you are calling us and saying our words
are hollow. Are you kidding me?
Now, look, I am for border security. I am for border security. But I
am not for a wall. You know what, I like cars, too. I am for cars. I am
not for the Model T.
I like planes. I don't want a glider that was designed and built by
Wilbur Wright.
I like my phone, but I don't want to go back and get the rotary dial
out.
You guys are living in the past. And this Government is in chaos. It
is in a free-fall. The market is in a free-fall. The staffing at the
White House is in a free-fall. The Secretary of Defense is gone. We are
pulling out of Syria.
What is going on? You are in charge of the House, the Senate, and the
White House. Get a grip, and learn how to govern the country.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded that they should direct
their comments to the Chair, and, once again, Members are reminded to
refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President; otherwise,
they will be ruled out of order.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the ranking member of the Subcommittee
on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this
legislation.
We are at this point because of President Trump's recklessness and
House Republicans' refusal to govern responsibly. We are already nearly
3 months behind schedule on completing the fiscal year 2019
appropriations bills.
Mr. Speaker, Democrats would prefer to get our work done instead of
kicking the can down the road. However, it appears that the only thing
that seemed possible for us to accomplish before adjourning for the
holidays was to pass the CR until February 8 that the Senate passed
unanimously last night.
However, after another Twitter tantrum, House Republicans are once
again catering to Trump's worst impulses with this terrible bill. This
bill wastes billions of taxpayer dollars, fails to fully address the
urgent needs of disaster victims, and will fail in the Senate. It is a
waste of time for us to consider it.

[[Page H10499]]

Our country faces many pressing needs, and there is simply no reason
to waste $5.7 billion on President Trump's immoral, unnecessary,
irresponsible wall.
Mr. Speaker, $5.7 billion would completely rebuild Tyndall Air Force
Base, rebase the F-22s and F-35s, and completely rebuild all damaged
Marine Corps facilities in North Carolina with money to spare. These
are facilities and equipment that were wiped out by Hurricane Michael.
The disaster supplemental funds in this bill are designed to be a
sweetener but aren't even enough to give us a toothache.
Democrats have always been willing to negotiate how best to secure
our border, but we will not support the President's boondoggle vanity
project that Mexico was supposed to pay for. Likewise, we strongly
support a comprehensive disaster supplemental, but this bill completely
fails to address mitigation and resilience efforts that will prevent
future disasters.
We are now less than 36 hours from another Trump government shutdown.
Democrats were prepared to bail out Republicans once again by providing
the votes to pass a clean CR, yet they can't take ``yes'' for an
answer.
No wonder voters have said they have had enough. This is no time for
political games. It is time to go home for the holidays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are yet again reminded to refrain
from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, we hear references to an ``immoral'' wall.
We have heard ``wall'' demonized. Yet, I read yesterday that President
Obama, in his new house, has constructed a 10-foot wall around his
property. Now, either the walls work or they don't.
And if we are going to have Democrats continue to say they don't
work, then you need to stand up and say: Mr. Obama, tear down your
wall.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Quigley), the ranking member of the Financial Services
Subcommittee.

{time} 1930

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, your point is well taken. I will address my
remarks to the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, the arguments we have heard tonight remind us of the
tale full of sound and fury signifying nothing, reminding us who told
us that tale.
Every border chief since the border chief under President Reagan has
said a wall will deter a crosser from somewhere between 90 seconds and
3 minutes. Mr. Speaker, $5 billion for that.
If they really want to protect our country, and that is what they are
so bent on doing in spending $5 billion, my subcommittee can help you.
In January of 2017, with a high degree of certainty, the entire
intelligence community said the Russians attacked our democratic
process. We are not prepared for their next attack. DNI Coats warned
that the lights are flashing red. We spent $380 million on election
security in 2018--nothing since then.
Mr. Speaker, 40 States do not even have sufficient equipment to put
on software that blocks this hacking. Mr. Speaker, 13 States don't even
have a paper trail. The last time our democratic process was called
into question for such matters was during Bush-Gore, where this very
body spent $3.5 billion to protect its integrity. We can--we must--do
better.
By the way, you have control of the House and Senate. You don't need
to yell at us, folks. You can yell at your own caucus.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, Democrats support strong, smart border security, but we
will not allow Republicans to fleece American taxpayers by making them
pay $5.7 billion for Trump's ineffective wall. I remind my friends that
88 percent of opioids seized come through the port of entry. Let's get
the facts on the table.
I will say my other comment includes praising Chairman Frelinghuysen
for his distinguished career in public service, for the debates on a
bill that has an actual chance at becoming law.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to vote ``yes'' on the
bill, to keep the government open until February 8, to support critical
border security, which is badly needed, and to look after the needs of
so many Americans who have suffered from so many disasters over this
past year.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1183, the previous question is ordered.
The question is on the motion by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Frelinghuysen).
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mrs. LOWEY. 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, this 15-
minute vote on the motion will be followed by a 5-minute vote on the
motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6602, if ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 217,
nays 185, not voting 31, as follows:

[Roll No. 472]

YEAS--217

Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amodei
Arrington
Babin
Bacon
Balderson
Banks (IN)
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Bergman
Biggs
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blum
Bost
Brady (TX)
Brat
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Budd
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Cheney
Cloud
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comer
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crawford
Culberson
Curtis
Davidson
Davis, Rodney
Denham
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Donovan
Duffy
Duncan (TN)
Dunn
Emmer
Estes (KS)
Faso
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Flores
Fortenberry
Foxx
Frelinghuysen
Gaetz
Gallagher
Garrett
Gianforte
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guthrie
Handel
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hensarling
Hern
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Higgins (LA)
Hill
Holding
Hollingsworth
Hudson
Huizenga
Hunter
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Katko
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger
Knight
Kustoff (TN)
Labrador
LaHood
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Latta
Lesko
Lewis (MN)
LoBiondo
Long
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Marshall
Massie
Mast
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McSally
Meadows
Messer
Mitchell
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Newhouse
Norman
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Pearce
Perry
Pittenger
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Posey
Ratcliffe
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Rice (SC)
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney, Francis
Rooney, Thomas J.
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce (CA)
Russell
Rutherford
Ryan (WI)
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smucker
Stefanik
Stewart
Stivers
Taylor
Tenney
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tipton
Turner
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)
Zeldin

NAYS--185

Adams
Aguilar
Amash
Barragan
Bass
Beatty
Bera
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (MD)
Brownley (CA)
Buck
Bustos
Butterfield
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Cooper
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Crist
Cuellar
Cummings
Curbelo (FL)
Davis (CA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
Demings
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle, Michael F.
Engel
Eshoo
Espaillat
Esty (CT)
Evans
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Gomez
Gonzalez (TX)
Gottheimer
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Heck
Higgins (NY)
Himes
Hoyer

[[Page H10500]]

Huffman
Hurd
Jackson Lee
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (MI)
Kaptur
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Khanna
Kihuen
Kildee
Kilmer
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster (NH)
Lamb
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lawson (FL)
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowey
Lujan, Ben Ray
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn B.
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McEachin
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Morelle
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O'Halleran
O'Rourke
Pallone
Panetta
Pascrell
Paulsen
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Pocan
Price (NC)
Quigley
Raskin
Rice (NY)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez
Sarbanes
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Sherman
Sires
Smith (WA)
Soto
Speier
Suozzi
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Tsongas
Upton
Valadao
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wasserman Schultz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wild
Wilson (FL)

NOT VOTING--31

Black
Capuano
Comstock
Crowley
Davis, Danny
Duncan (SC)
Ellison
Hanabusa
Hastings
Hultgren
Issa
Jenkins (KS)
Jones (NC)
Keating
Kind
Love
Lowenthal
Lujan Grisham, M.
Noem
Polis
Richmond
Rosen
Roskam
Scott, David
Shea-Porter
Sinema
Swalwell (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Trott
Walz
Yarmuth

{time} 1956

Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. CLYBURN, Ms. JONES of Michigan, Messrs.
McNERNEY, CLEAVER, and HIGGINS of New York changed their vote from
``yea'' to ``nay.''
So the motion to concur was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________