[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H626-H662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019


                             General Leave

  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 268, currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 43 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 268.
  The Chair appoints the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. 
Norton) to preside over the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  1416


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole

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House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 
268) making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, with Ms. Norton in the 
chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the 
first time.
  The gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) and the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Granger) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Chair, while President Trump continues to keep our government 
shut down, House Democrats are committed to working for the American 
people. I am pleased to present legislation today that helps meet the 
urgent needs of our fellow Americans affected by recent national 
disasters.
  Across the country, we have watched as hurricanes have pummeled 
Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas; wildfires have burned large swaths 
of the West; volcanoes have erupted in Hawaii; and typhoons have struck 
territories in the Pacific. In addition to the tragic loss of life, 
families have lost everything. Businesses have been upended. 
Communities have been ripped apart.
  This legislation attempts to meet these needs with $12.14 billion in 
emergency spending. It includes $2.96 billion to rebuild damaged 
infrastructure to help communities rebuild and to bring local economies 
back to life.
  The legislation embraces the unique needs of farmers and rural 
communities, providing $1.86 billion to help them recover.
  It enhances our national security and cares for our veterans and 
their families by funding $1.46 billion for repairs and rebuilding of 
damaged Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs 
facilities.
  The bill before us meets the complex needs of disaster victims, with 
$555 million for social services, mental healthcare, education, and 
activities that improve the prospects of dislocated workers.
  Importantly, and unlike Republican legislation that was brought up in 
December, the bill meets the urgent healthcare and nutrition needs of 
Americans in the Northern Marianas, Guam, American Samoa, and, yes, 
Puerto Rico.
  President Trump grossly mismanaged the response to Hurricane Maria in 
Puerto Rico, and since then, he has added insult to injury by 
repeatedly trying to shortchange our fellow U.S. citizens in Puerto 
Rico. This bill rights that injustice.
  Finally, this legislation recognizes scientific reality and the 
simple fact that climate change is increasing the number and severity 
of national disasters. It includes $2.54 billion in resiliency funding 
to mitigate damage from future disasters, preventing loss of life and 
damage to property.
  We all want to ensure that American families and communities have the 
resources they need to recover from recent national disasters.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Chair, I rise today on H.R. 268, the Supplemental 
Appropriations Act, 2019.
  On December 20 of last year, the House considered a bill that 
included a continuing resolution to keep the government open, more than 
$5 billion to secure our southern borders, and a supplemental 
appropriation to help disaster-affected areas. That bill passed the 
House, but it was not taken up by the Senate.
  As it did in December, the bill before us today also includes funding 
for disaster relief. In fact, it includes $4.3 billion more for 
communities recovering from national disasters, including storms and 
other events that occurred in 2017 and 2018. This would help the 
American people get back on their feet after these devastating events.
  The bill also includes help for farmers and ranchers for crop and 
commodity losses, assistance for flood and storm damage, and allows our 
military and Federal agencies to repair facilities and assets.
  Like it did in December, the bill we are considering today also 
includes a continuing resolution to fund the government and ensure that 
our hardworking Federal employees are paid.
  What this bill does not include is funding for border security needs 
identified by the agents and officers on the front lines. Therefore, 
the bill before us today will not resolve the government shutdown. It 
will not reopen the government and ensure that our TSA screeners, our 
Coast Guard defenders, our Border Patrol agents, and our air traffic 
controllers are paid.
  We must stop wasting time voting on bills that have no chance of 
becoming law. We should, instead, work with urgency to get our 
government back up and running. In order to do that, we must address 
border security and funding for the remaining appropriations bills.
  I thank Chairwoman Lowey for her work, and I am hopeful that in the 
coming days, together, we can come to an agreement with all of our 
partners in the Senate, the House, and the White House to address the 
remaining funding issues in 2019.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to my friend from Ohio 
(Ms. Kaptur), the chair designee for the Energy and Water Development 
and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Chair, I thank my dear friend, the chair of the 
Appropriations Committee, for yielding me this time.
  Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 268, the emergency disaster 
recovery package.
  National disasters across our Nation devastated the lives of millions 
of Americans this past year. A few ranked as the worst and most severe 
incidents around the world.
  It is the top responsibility of Congress to provide these hard-hit 
communities with the strength, hope, and support to recover. This 
supplemental will provide necessary aid to these ailing communities.
  This Nation needs a better strategy to mitigate damage in future 
disasters, especially as year after year we see accelerating numbers 
and severity of national disasters due to climate change. This bill 
also includes funds for future mitigation.
  From our subcommittee's energy and water accounts, we have seen 
recent hurricanes and storms devastate existing infrastructure. 
Included in this supplemental is $470 million to repair damages at Army 
Corps of Engineer projects across our Nation.
  Given the Corps' important role to help protect communities 
nationwide and in the territories against national disasters, we also 
included $750 million for the Army Corps to accelerate construction on 
flood risk mitigation projects.
  Americans should not have to worry whether their community can 
provide adequate power to our homes and businesses, but across our 
Nation, fire- and flood-ravaged communities need funds to repair 
extensive damage and to strengthen electric grids. This bill ensures 
the Department of the Interior and Department of Energy have the 
resources needed for this assistance.
  Now, let me be clear. This administration has considered 
reprogramming funds appropriated for disaster recovery projects. These 
funds are appropriated to rebuild and strengthen America's resiliency 
against future disasters. They are intended to protect American 
families and communities from natural disasters.
  I am actually appalled that this administration would raid money for 
communities broken from actual disasters.
  The CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the 
gentlewoman from Ohio.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Chair, in conclusion, this nation must confront, 
head-on, the reality of strengthening storms. We must help all 
communities recover from disasters, as we never know when it will hit 
our own backyard.

  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the disaster package.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Chair, I thank the ranking member.
  I originally had intended to offer my support for this disaster 
supplemental package, especially as it relates to agricultural and 
rural development. But because of the actions of our colleagues on the 
other side of the aisle, I can no longer support the bill in its 
current form.
  As the former chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies, I worked with my friends and the new chairman, 
Sanford Bishop, and other Members who represent districts impacted by 
historical weather-related disasters to provide relief to the farming 
and rural communities.
  However, including the already-failed CR in the rule puts partisan 
politics above bipartisanship. I cannot support this poison-pill 
package, especially after all we have heard from our Democratic 
colleagues about letting the legislative process work.
  Members from the Southeast to California, to Hawaii, to all of the 
communities in between represent districts with agriculture and rural 
constituencies that have suffered devastating losses in their 
livelihoods. From cotton to vegetables, to livestock, to losses in my 
home State of Alabama, as well as Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina, 
including South Carolina, means lost income now and lost income for the 
future.
  Unfortunately, constituents are being used politically as human 
shields. Everyone in Democratic leadership knows the President will 
veto this CR, and it is very unfortunate to have this in the rule.

                              {time}  1430

  Our farmers put food on our tables and clothes on our backs. They put 
in countless hours of labor and take risks. Putting the CR in this bill 
is making it 100 percent veto bait.
  Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to do the right thing and take 
out the CR, and let the bill proceed to the Senate with a chance of 
passage.
  Madam Chair, when Superstorm Sandy ravaged the Northeast in 2012, the 
House put aside partisan differences and provided $750 billion. I hope 
that our Democratic colleagues would look at that and do the same.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Price), who is the chair-designee of the 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
Subcommittee.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, I rise in support of this 
legislation, to provide $12 billion in critical disaster relief for 
North Carolina and other States recovering from devastating natural 
disasters.
  Last year, Hurricane Florence made landfall in the Carolinas with a 
powerful storm surge, intense rainfall, and massive flooding. It 
displaced thousands of individuals, many of whom still have not 
returned to their damaged homes. Dozens of communities in eastern North 
Carolina, some also hit by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, were entirely 
inundated for the second time in as many years.
  Meanwhile, other States like Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and 
California have been hit by terrible hurricanes and wildfires. Puerto 
Rico and other territories continue to slowly recover from powerful 
storms and typhoons.

[[Page H634]]

  This legislation will ensure that the Federal Government remains an 
active partner in the recovery effort. It provides more than $1 billion 
in flexible funding for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster 
Recovery program, including resources for mitigation and resiliency 
projects.
  The bill would clear out a $1.5 billion backlog of emergency highway 
and bridge repair projects, and it provides additional supplemental 
funds for Army Corps construction projects along our coasts and rivers, 
crop and livestock assistance for farmers, repairs at damaged military 
installations, and other critical recovery activities.
  It reflects bipartisan priorities and ensures that American citizens, 
regardless of where they live, get the assistance they need to recover.
  Unfortunately, disaster assistance, including funds that have already 
been appropriated, will not be distributed to communities if this 
government shutdown continues.
  Madam Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this disaster 
supplemental, which appropriately includes a provision to temporarily 
reopen government.
  The Trump shutdown has real consequences, Madam Chairman. The people 
of North Carolina and other States who have suffered from natural 
disasters cannot wait any longer. It is time for Congress, Democrats 
and Republicans alike, to come together to end this shutdown.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).
  Mr. FORTENBERRY. Madam Chair, first, I thank Mrs. Lowey--this is, I 
think, the first time that we have had a chance to dialog publicly--for 
her leadership and congratulate her as the new Appropriations chair. I 
congratulate the gentlewoman, and we look forward to working with Mrs. 
Lowey.
  I also want to thank the Republican leader, our ranking member of the 
committee, Ms. Granger, for her steadfast leadership and help in 
navigating so many essential issues that are before us today.
  Madam Chair, I want you to know that I support the underlying bill 
without the complicating amendments and urge its passage.
  I believe that this is a good bipartisan piece of legislation to help 
those negatively affected by serious and devastating weather events 
that have occurred throughout the previous year, and we should be 
working together to provide the needed disaster assistance and unite to 
rebuild communities damaged by these hurricanes, typhoons, and 
earthquakes, as well as volcanoes.
  But let us be honest. This bill would sail through the Congress--it 
would sail through this body--if we could get past the paralysis of 
this moment that is dividing Democrats from Republicans, the Speaker 
from the President, the House from the Senate, and on and on.
  Let's put all of those considerations aside for just a moment and 
provide the needed support to our agricultural communities who are 
hurting and those who are in need.
  As the new ranking member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food 
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Subcommittee, I want to speak briefly to an important number of 
provisions in the underlying bill.
  It provides financial support to farmers and producers from the 
Pacific Islands to California and to the Southeast States who have lost 
crops, trees, and livestock, and so much more. It provides funds for 
essential conservation efforts in our rural communities to rebuild the 
watersheds and funds to restore the land in order to prevent future 
flooding that is so devastating.
  The bill provides financial support to forestlands for their 
restoration, some of which have been wiped out by the strongest storms 
recorded in several parts of the United States.
  The bill also provides nutritional assistance to those who are 
vulnerable among us.
  These are all reasons that we need to put momentary difficulties 
aside and pass the underlying piece of legislation. I suggest that we 
move this bill as quickly as possible and keep it separate from the 
amendments that will delay its implementation.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Bishop).
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding.
  Madam Chair, I rise to speak on behalf of the bill before us.
  Madam Chair, on October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael, one of the most 
powerful storms to make landfall in the U.S., slammed into the Florida 
Panhandle, then directly into Georgia, and drove through much of the 
Southeast. It left a path of destruction all the way up to Virginia. My 
district, which spans middle and southwest Georgia, took a direct hit.
  Across the State of Georgia, small towns and rural communities were 
devastated, as were production agriculture and forestry. Agriculture is 
the largest industry in Georgia, driving one in seven jobs. Many 
producers suffered near 100 percent crop losses.
  Hurricane Michael destroyed some 97 chicken houses and killed more 
than 2 million chickens. It devastated the Georgia cotton crop, which 
was nearing peak harvest and was on track to be the best season in 
years.
  Unfortunately, this is all too familiar for the region. This is the 
third straight year hurricane damage has caused significant losses to 
the pecan, peanut, cotton, vegetable, forestry, landscaping, and 
agritourism industries.
  Less than a month before Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Florence 
crashed into the Carolinas, causing $22 billion in damage. The 
agricultural losses there are also overwhelming. Several lagoons 
responsible for containing animal waste were breached and are in 
drastic need of repair.
  Last year, California witnessed yet another devastating fire season, 
including both the largest and deadliest fires on record. In Hawaii, 
volcanic activity caused farmers nearly $30 million in damage. 
Americans in the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa were also 
hit by violent storms.
  This disaster supplemental bill provides the funds to begin 
addressing these needs. This bill increases payments for losses from 85 
to 90 percent for producers with crop insurance and from 65 to 70 
percent for producers without insurance. It also includes $150 million 
for the rural community facilities program. From debris removal to the 
repair of local infrastructure, such as drinking water and water 
systems, small communities across the Nation and the territories often 
struggle to rebuild in the aftermath of natural disasters.
  The legislation includes $480 million for the Emergency Forest 
Restoration Program and $125 million for the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service. It provides $600 million in funds for the 
nutrition assistance program in Puerto Rico and $10.2 million to the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
  From coast to coast and beyond, there is an urgent need for this 
disaster bill. As I said in October after touring the damage from 
Hurricane Michael, responding to natural disasters and helping our 
communities recover is a responsibility we all share, regardless of 
geography, ideology, or political affiliation.
  Madam Chair, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill and to 
bring relief to our communities that continue to recover and rebuild. 
Let's open the government and get this job done for the American 
people.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Rutherford).
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Chair, I thank the ranking member for yielding.
  Madam Chair, I rise again today in opposition to the political 
ultimatum that has poisoned this bill.
  I had anticipated that I would support Chairwoman Lowey's proposal to 
provide disaster relief to American families struggling to rebuild from 
recent disasters like Hurricane Michael that devastated my home State 
of Florida.
  I do thank her and her staff for the hard work that they have done in 
putting together this disaster relief bill. However, in the dark of 
night, the majority leadership slipped into this bill another 
continuing resolution that they know will hold this bill back from ever 
becoming signed into law.
  Some on the other side have asked why adding a CR would be a poison 
pill

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in this measure. The answer is really simple: This bill will never be 
considered by the Senate or signed by the President. Leadership knows 
this, but they continue to place politics over helping hardworking, 
taxpaying American citizens.
  So what are we here to accomplish? Is the majority trying to help 
American citizens recover or simply content to blame the President 
while punishing hardworking taxpayers who have been devastated by 
natural disasters, including those, by the way, in the Speaker's home 
State of California? Those folks are desperately in need of this relief 
as they recover from devastating wildfires.
  Instead of doing the right thing and passing a clean disaster relief 
bill, the other side of the aisle continues to play childish games in 
an effort to resist the President's call for border security.
  If the goal of this bill is to provide disaster relief, why on Earth 
would the majority attach something that effectively ensures its 
defeat?
  Madam Chair, this move has again effectively victimized those 
devastated by hurricanes and fire.
  It is time to accept the reality of the situation in which we find 
ourselves. Compromise is the only path forward. President Trump has 
made clear, I believe, that he is ready to negotiate and to compromise. 
But this bill before us today could have provided much-needed relief to 
Florida families recovering from Hurricane Michael. It is not just 
those families who will suffer. It is the Florida farmers who had their 
crops decimated by the storm, and the Americans who rely on them, who 
will suffer also.

  Madam Chair, we are 26 days into this shutdown, and leadership is 
still playing these games. If the majority is serious about providing 
disaster relief, bring a clean supplemental funding bill to the floor 
and stop playing games with so many hurting American lives.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I appreciate the gentleman from Florida's 
remarks, but I remind the gentleman that we can't deliver this 
essential disaster aid with the government closed. So I suggest the 
gentleman urge those who are keeping the government closed that we must 
deliver this aid, so open the government now, and we can have some 
adult conversation.
  Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Lee), who is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, first of all, I thank our chair 
for yielding, for her tireless leadership, and for reminding us very 
clearly that we need to open up the government right away.
  As a Representative from northern California, let me just say that I 
remember vividly the Oakland Hills fire in 1991 that killed 25 people 
and destroyed more than 3,000 homes, and the 1989 earthquake that 
killed many people and devastated many parts of my city. I represent 
Oakland and Berkeley, California. Just as many helped us then, we will 
help our neighbors now.
  Disasters can impact any district. Just this morning, a small 
earthquake hit my district again. Thankfully, there are no reported 
injuries.
  Let me also say that I am deeply grateful to our firefighters and 
first responders who work around the clock to help save lives in 
disasters that have ravaged our country, especially this past year.
  Madam Chair, I am in strong support of this emergency supplemental, 
which provides $12.1 billion in disaster relief to people who have been 
impacted by wildfires, hurricanes, typhoons, and other natural 
disasters. Our neighbors in Paradise, California; Puerto Rico; Guam; 
Florida; southern California; the Virgin Islands; and the territories 
all need our help, and they need it now.
  Northern California's most recent wildfire known as the Camp fire is 
the most destructive in California's history. Eighty-five people lost 
their lives, and 13,000 homes were destroyed. These families have lost 
everything, and they deserve our support now more than ever. Many of 
these communities in California ravaged by wildfires are only just 
beginning to recover, yet just last week, President Trump threatened to 
withhold disaster assistance to California.

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  Does this President have no shame, bullying scared families with no 
homes and communities to return to? Real leaders help families recover.
  The CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 
seconds.
  Ms. LEE of California. Real leaders help families recover and 
rebuild. They don't use suffering families as political pawns.
  Madam Chair, that is why we need to pass this bill. With the $12 
billion provided in this bill, our communities will be able to recover 
and rebuild, and families will finally get some peace of mind knowing 
that we are with them.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the bill and yes to helping our 
communities get back on their feet.
  The CHAIR. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in 
personalities toward the President.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the chair designate of the Interior, 
Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, I rise in support of this funding package, 
and I am pleased that, within the Interior, Environment, and Related 
Agencies Subcommittee's jurisdiction, the bill provides more than $2 
billion for recovery from devastating natural disasters.
  This includes $849 million to rebuild drinking water and wastewater 
systems to a state of resiliency against future storms, $50 million for 
coastal resiliency projects to reduce ecosystem and community 
vulnerability to help with sea level rise and with the flooding and 
erosion caused by storms.
  The bill provides funds to repair Federal facilities that were 
destroyed or damaged, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, funds 
for historic preservation grants to repair culturally significant sites 
and properties, and funds to clean up hazardous and solid waste sites.
  A critical provision in this bill provides $720 million to fully 
repay the U.S. Forest Service for funds it was forced to borrow in the 
last fiscal year to cover the cost of wildland fire suppression. An 
additional $103 million will help the Forest Service to address damage 
to national forests and treat hazardous fuel loads.
  This emergency funding is in sharp contrast to the President's 
threats to block disaster response funds to Californians who are 
struggling to restore their lives and to return to their homes after 
the devastating fires of last year.
  I have just heard from a friend that he is being evacuated now 
because of potential mudslides because of the burnt area in the Malibu 
part of California.
  Americans in all of our States and territories deserve Federal 
support so they can recover from natural disasters, and our government 
agencies have to be open in order to ensure the delivery of these 
important emergency funds.
  Democrats are proud to bring this bill to the floor to help our 
communities who have suffered from these natural disasters and want to 
begin to rebuild and heal in their lives.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Carter).
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding.
  Madam Chair, it is no surprise that many of the communities we 
represent are in need of disaster assistance. This past year, many 
areas of the country experienced devastating disasters that had 
significant impacts on communities and on our constituents.
  I have the honor and privilege of representing coastal Georgia, a 
vibrant area that has suffered from a number of these incidents in 
recent years.
  I was elected and sent here, like everyone else in this body, to look 
out for my constituents and their needs. That includes advocating for 
support following these devastating events.
  In December, the House passed a supplemental appropriation package 
that encompassed disasters such as hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires, and 
other disasters. That package would have brought about the relief we 
need.
  Now, Democrats are holding disaster assistance hostage with this 
legislation. We can't afford to continue this

[[Page H636]]

partisanship when it comes to rebuilding our communities.
  Whether it is a wildfire or a hurricane, relief is needed urgently. 
That includes coastal Georgia.
  For instance, our blueberry growers have taken some devastating 
losses over the last few years. Those growers have not had time to 
properly recover, and now we are dealing with partisan games that will 
jeopardize their ability to receive much-needed aid.
  Agriculture represents the heart and soul of many of our rural 
communities, and with that so go those communities.
  Now is not the time to derail this desperately needed relief. We need 
a clean disaster package that will allow us to take care of the 
communities that are hardest hit.
  Hurricanes don't see political parties, and they certainly don't 
discriminate on the damage they cause. That is why we should move a 
package that is devoid of any partisan efforts and bring up a clean 
disaster package.
  I say to my Democratic colleagues: Now is the time to stop playing 
games. Let's move a bill that helps, rather than hurts, the ability of 
our communities to receive disaster relief.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the chair designate of the Military 
Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee 
of Appropriations.

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this essential emergency supplemental 
appropriations bill.
  H.R. 268 totals $12.14 billion in emergency disaster appropriations 
funding to provide relief and recovery assistance for Americans 
affected by recent hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires, and other natural 
disasters, especially in my home State of Florida.
  The MILCON-VA portion of the bill provides $860.4 million for 
Department of Defense military construction needs and the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
  Specifically, the bill includes $115 million for the Marine Corps to 
begin planning for construction projects related to the devastation 
left behind by Hurricanes Florence and Michael on Marine Corps 
facilities in North Carolina at New River, Cherry Point, and Lejeune.
  The Marine Corps is planning facility consolidation efforts as a 
result of the severe damage, and this funding represents the first step 
in a vital rebuilding process for the Marine Corps.
  Mr. Chair, the bill also includes $700 million to begin the 
rebuilding of Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida's Panhandle. This 
funding will support the relocation of the F-22 mission and the bed-
down of F-35s, along with the planning for new facilities there.
  This funding is a crucial first step to begin the necessary 
rebuilding of Tyndall, which we will rebuild.
  Mr. Chair, I also want to point out that this funding for Tyndall and 
North Carolina is just a down payment. Congress is going to need to 
provide much more support to get these locations back on their feet, 
and this administration should take the time to address these real 
emergencies and not the ones they have manufactured.
  Finally, this bill includes a continuing resolution to reopen our 
government, which is now in its 26th day of being shut down. Mr. Chair, 
as I said just yesterday, the Trump shutdown is continuing to inflict 
serious financial pain and anxiety on families, businesses, and 
communities across the United States.
  Opening the government is not a poison pill. It is our duty. This 
legislation will enable the areas affected by the hurricanes to begin 
to rebuild the communities and military installations that are vital to 
our national defense and those local economies, as well as provide 
relief to 800,000 Federal workers and their families who are living 
under a cloud of economic insecurity right now.
  Mr. Chair, I urge all Members of this body to cast a yes vote.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from South 
Carolina (Mr. Rice).
  Mr. RICE of South Carolina. Mr. Chair, I hail from the Seventh 
District of South Carolina, and for 3 days in September the Nation was 
rapt as Hurricane Florence stalled directly on top of my district.
  I have eight counties in my district. All eight counties were 
declared disaster areas. The inland counties were inundated, as North 
Carolina was, and all the rain that fell in North Carolina and those 
inland counties comes through five river systems out Georgetown County, 
South Carolina.
  My district was overcome by a slow-motion, rolling disaster. And if 
that wasn't bad enough, that was the third storm in 4 years. Hurricane 
Matthew hit us 3 years ago.
  With Hurricane Matthew, the Federal Government awarded us $95 million 
to rebuild 1,350 houses for indigent families. And, at the speed the 
Federal Government moves, as of now, 2\1/2\ years after the storm, 
about 400 of those 1,300 homes have been rebuilt, so we have got about 
1,000 indigent South Carolinians either gone or living in substandard 
housing.
  Now, in this storm, 12,163 homes were ``moderately damaged.'' I asked 
the definition of ``moderate damage.'' They said that means that there 
was water inside the house but it was less than 2 feet deep.
  My friends, we also incurred $200 million of agricultural damage. In 
these last two storms, our agricultural department didn't even ask for 
help from the Federal Government, but the farmers are at their wits' 
end.
  A farmer told me that 3 years ago they used their cash, the last 
storm they used their equity, and now they are at the end of their 
rope. We will be losing South Carolina farmers if we don't help these 
people.
  So, I was prepared to support this, and House Republicans passed this 
disaster bill as part of the supplemental in December.
  Now the Democrats bring it back up, and it is subject to opening the 
government up with no wall funding, and they know full well that the 
President wouldn't sign it, even if we did pass it.
  This is a political game, and they are playing to win. But what they 
are playing with, the pieces that they are playing with, are hurting 
people in South Carolina. There are damaged people in South Carolina. 
They are suffering people who are on their knees.
  Three of the counties that were hit the hardest--Marion, Dillon, and 
Marlboro counties--are some of the poorest counties in South Carolina. 
Overwhelmingly African American, these people had nothing before the 
storm, and what little they had has been taken away. And we are using 
these people as pawns in this fight over the government shutdown.
  My friends, enough is enough. It is time to stop playing politics. As 
my friend across the aisle said earlier: Leaders don't hold people 
hostage; they find solutions.
  And it is time to find a solution. They know full well that, by 
attaching this continuing resolution to this disaster bill, it will not 
pass this House, it won't get a hearing in the Senate, and the 
President won't sign it.
  All this is for show. Enough show. Let's deliver this relief to the 
people who need it.
  The storm hit my area September the 14th, 4 months ago. Enough show. 
Stop using these indigent people as pawns. Enough
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, before I introduce our next, I would like 
to say to the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina: I agree with 
the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina. Let's stop this 
political game. Let's direct our remarks. Let's make clear that the 
President has the responsibility to open this government and to do it 
now.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Thompson).
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairwoman for 
yielding and for all that she is doing to end the Trump shutdown and 
open up our government, but I rise today to engage in a colloquy with 
the distinguished chairwoman of the Homeland Security Appropriations 
Subcommittee, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, in regard to a commitment 
made between the two of us.
  My district and the State of California were, once again, ravaged by 
devastating and historic fires. In my own district, the Mendocino 
complex fire burned a combined total of 460,000 acres, making it the 
largest physical fire in California history. As a result, a

[[Page H637]]

major disaster declaration was announced for Lake County, which, sadly, 
has been rocked with fires for the past several years.
  California also experienced the deadliest and most destructive fire 
in our State's history with the Camp fire, which, tragically, took the 
lives of more than 60 people. The town of Paradise, which was home to 
almost 27,000 people, was near completely destroyed, and more than 
12,000 structures were burnt to the ground.
  In addition, our State experienced other devastating fires, and they 
continue. We need the continued support from the Federal Government 
because it is essential as residents seek to rebuild and California 
begins long-term recovery.
  In response to these devastating disasters, I offered a bipartisan 
amendment with Representatives LaMalfa, Lieu, Calvert, Garamendi, 
Huffman, and 19 other bipartisan cosponsors from our State. This 
amendment provided much-needed relief to the State of California and 
local entities by increasing to 90 percent the Federal cost-share for 
debris removal and emergency assistance for the 2018 wildfires.
  The substance of this amendment has been supported by both the 
Speaker and the majority leader and is consistent with the relief 
generously provided in the 113th Congress.

                              {time}  1500

  The distinguished chairwoman and I have discussed this amendment and 
the importance of Congress providing this much-needed relief to the 
State of California and all affected communities impacted by these 
wildfires.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Sablan). The time of the gentlewoman has 
expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman from California.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I thank Representative   Mike 
Thompson for his diligent work on behalf of his fire-impacted 
communities and our State. It is critical that Congress ensures that 
every Federal resource is made available to the States, local 
governments, and all affected communities of the historic and 
unprecedented 2018 wildfires.
  Ensuring that Californians get the support and resources they need is 
not a partisan issue. It is particularly frustrating that FEMA has the 
sole discretion to adjust these cost shares and often does so after 
catastrophic disasters or when multiple disasters strike the same State 
in a short period of time, as we have experienced in California. The 
State of California has requested the administration to adjust these 
cost shares, unfortunately, to no avail.
  I appreciate Mr. Thompson's diligent work on this issue. I remain 
committed to working with him, our leadership, and the bipartisan 
cosponsors of the amendment to provide, in the Department of Homeland 
Security's full-year fiscal year 2019 funding bill, an increased cost 
share of 90 percent for these additional categories of Federal disaster 
funding for California communities devastated by the 2018 wildfires.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentlewoman from California.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chair, in closing, in the meantime, I will 
work with him and the other members of the California delegation in 
pursuing this matter with the administration on this reasonable and 
much-needed adjustment within its existing authority.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairwoman and the 
bipartisan coauthors of this bill. I look forward to working with her 
and appreciate her help.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Dunn) for the purpose of a colloquy.
  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for yielding 
and also for the opportunity to bring up an important issue to my 
district and State.
  As you all know, Hurricane Michael had a devastating effect on my 
district. One of the most important areas in my district that was 
destroyed was Tyndall Air Force Base.
  The underlying bill before the House today contains $700 million for 
planning, design, and construction related to the consequences of 
Hurricane Michael at Tyndall Air Force Base. This funding would support 
the relocation of the F-22s, the beddown of the F-35s, and the planning 
of facility construction so that the base can continue to recover.
  This is a down payment for the Air Force, and it signals that 
Congress is committed to rebuilding Tyndall Air Force Base because 
Tyndall will need additional funds.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DUNN. I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  As a fellow Floridian, I support the need to rebuild Tyndall, as I 
just mentioned in my opening statement, and support the Air Force's 
next-generation aircraft. It is important to ensure that our airmen and 
their families have state-of-the-art facilities that support the new 
mission.
  I look forward to working with Mr. Dunn and Ranking Member Granger as 
we begin the process to ensure future funding is available to continue 
this vital reconstruction of Tyndall Air Force Base.
  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz for 
agreeing to work with me going forward to address appropriate funding 
levels and types of facilities that will be necessary to bring Tyndall 
back to life.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleagues for this colloquy.
  Tyndall Air Force Base is vital to Florida and the United States. I 
look forward to working with the gentleman as well as the gentlewoman 
of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 
Subcommittee to rebuild this base.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the chairman of the Homeland Security 
Committee.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from 
New York for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 268, a bill to help our 
country recover from another year of devastating natural disasters.
  In 2018, Americans across the country faced extreme hardship due to 
hurricanes, wildfires, and other catastrophic events. From Hurricanes 
Michael and Florence in the Southeast to historic wildfires in the West 
and volcanic activity in Hawaii, no part of our Nation was spared.
  Last week, the President responded to these events by callously 
proclaiming on Twitter that he plans to stop aid to wildfire survivors 
in California. This behavior is not in the spirit of our great Nation. 
The funding provided in this bill would show the American people that 
we stand with them, even if the President does not.
  Importantly, in response to Hurricane Maria, it provides $600 million 
to Puerto Rico for debris removal and restoration of its electric grid.
  Additionally, the bill provides much-needed funding to communities 
across the Nation for Head Start, farmers who suffered crop losses, and 
Americans with housing needs.
  I have firsthand knowledge of the challenges after a devastating 
hurricane. It took years and sustained commitment from the Federal 
Government to help my community recover from Hurricane Katrina. H.R. 
268 will help put our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico on a critical 
path to recovery.
  Additionally, I support the McGovern amendment to prevent the 
President from raiding the Army Corps of Engineers' funds to build his 
border wall.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).
  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto Rico. Mr. Chair, I thank the ranking 
member for yielding.
  Today, I rise in support of the Nutrition Assistance Program, or NAP, 
that is included in the bill under consideration today. NAP is the sole 
source of nutrition assistance and food security for over 1.3 million 
American citizens on the island.
  After Hurricane Maria, the 115th Congress approved an additional 
$1.27 billion increase in Puerto Rico's NAP program in addition to the 
annual block grant amount of about $1.8 billion, and that means that we 
helped a

[[Page H638]]

lot of people who have a lot of necessities.
  This disaster relief allowed an increase in the benefits for the 
current beneficiaries as well as an increased enrollment to bring 
assistance to close to 153,000 new participants in the program. 
However, this additional assistance is currently set to be expended in 
March of this year, and the program's funding would then be lowered 
again to the base amounts associated with the block grants.
  That is why, in May of last year, I submitted an amendment to H.R. 2, 
also known as the farm bill, to increase the amount of funding allotted 
to Puerto Rico's NAP.
  Then, in December, we got a letter and a meeting asking for the $600 
million in additional NAP funding. During the first day of Congress, we 
did the same thing to both the Committees of Appropriations and Rules 
with the same request. I thank the chairwoman of the committee for 
including that money in this bill.
  We had a meeting in December with the Governor of Puerto Rico and the 
minority leader and the chairwoman asking for this $600 million 
increase in Puerto Rico's NAP program, so we really need this money to 
be included and to be available until fiscal year 2020.
  This bill also contains an important provision for Puerto Rico and 
the U.S. Virgin Islands as well, extending the 100 percent Federal cost 
share for assistance under the Stafford Act for the disasters in the 
territories to rebuild to the current standards. That was included in 
the last provision last Congress.
  Having this extension is important in order to maximize the 
resources. This is critical since the losses caused by these disasters 
left our communities in no position to cover matching fund 
requirements, and, believe me, the hurricane was worse than this going 
down. So this bill, especially, will be important for my constituents.
  I am a little bit disappointed that the continuing resolution was 
attached to the bill. I do support the reopening of the government; 
however, this should be not the vehicle for it. This disaster 
supplemental was intended to help people to recover and rebuild from 
natural disasters.
  I really appreciate the good faith effort of all involved here to 
help those struck by natural disasters--not just in Puerto Rico, the 
Virgin Islands, and Florida, but the fires in California as well--
especially in Puerto Rico; however, it is my hope that this becomes a 
clean bill between the House and Senate that can be signed by the 
President.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the 
U.S. Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett).
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from New York--her 
and her staff, as well as the members of the committee--for putting 
together this supplemental disaster appropriations, H.R. 268, which 
seems to address many of the issues that the territories and other 
areas that have been affected by disaster are continuing to face.
  Additionally, it is sending a strong message to the administration 
about the slow walking and the additional restrictions that they have 
put in funding that Congress had already passed both here in the House 
as well as on the Senate side and the President himself sent.
  So this disaster supplemental bill contains much-needed support for 
ongoing disaster recovery efforts in my district, the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, as well as Puerto Rico and other disaster-affected States and 
territories.
  For the Virgin Islands, this bill, as well as for Puerto Rico, 
addresses Federal cost share for all FEMA public assistance grants, 
including for debris removal and emergency measures to protect public 
health and safety--if you can believe, we are still dealing with debris 
removal--and for permanent infrastructure restoration for the duration 
of the recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

  Additionally, of the funds provided for EPA programs, while I am very 
pleased to see that $74.6 million is set aside for the Virgin Islands 
to improve drinking water and wastewater systems resiliency, this is a 
very positive relief package for Americans in our island territories 
still reeling from unprecedented disaster, still reeling from a place 
where our hospitals are not back in operation and where our children 
just went back to a full day of school this October after over a year.
  I am pleased that the House will be sending a firm message to the 
administration that its recent decision not to continue the waiver of 
cost share of public assistance to the Virgin Islands would severely 
hinder the territory's ongoing recovery.
  I also take this opportunity to express my strong opposition to 
diverting disaster funds to build a border wall, which would create a 
true national emergency.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this 
measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Chair, to allow Federal agencies to begin the vital work that we 
are funding in this bill, we must reopen the Federal Government.
  I am pleased that the bill before us includes a continuing resolution 
to immediately reopen the Federal Government and pay Federal employees, 
who are going through such a difficult time taking care of their 
families, putting food on the table, just going through the normal, 
normal time that families have to endure when they don't have any money 
to spend. This would pay Federal employees through February 8.

                              {time}  1515

  This continuing resolution ensures the Federal Government is working 
for the American people, provides certainty for Federal employees, and 
gives President Trump and the Congress time to negotiate on border 
security and immigration policy.
  Mr. Chairman, this legislation is a critical first step to meeting 
our fellow citizens' urgent needs as they recover from recent 
disasters, so I urge my colleagues: Join me in support of this bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak in favor of H.R. 268, the 
Emergency Disaster Appropriations bill.
  This bill would appropriate funds for programs supporting communities 
rebuilding after suffering through numerous natural disasters 
throughout 2018. My home State of Hawai'i is in particular need of 
assistance. It was hit hard by multiple devasting storms over the 
islands and by the sustained eruption of Kilauea Volcano.
  Among the impacts on Hawai'i Island by the volcanic eruption were:
  716 dwellings destroyed by lava;
  Roughly 30 miles of roads covered by lava; and
  About 60,000 earthquakes striking the area from April through August, 
with the largest a magnitude 6.9 earthquake.
  Additionally, Hurricane Lane wreaked havoc across Hawai'i in late 
August. Up to 50 inches of rain fell in parts of Hawaii Island and 35 
inches on the island of Kaua'i. This caused massive unprecedented 
flooding that these communities in Hawaii continue to deal with.
  The natural disasters of the past year affected all parts of our 
Hawai'i, from major damage throughout O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands to 
disruption of our tourism and agriculture industries and beyond. These 
sorely needed funds will assist those affected to recover and carry on 
with their lives.
  The programs and funding in H.R. 268 is a step in the right direction 
of how government should be working and responding to the needs of our 
constituents.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill to help residents across 
the country rebuild and move forward after these devastating natural 
disasters.
  Mr. CASTEN of Illinois. Mr. Chair, I will vote today in support of 
H.R. 268, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2019. Americans have a 
long history of helping each other in times of emergency and this bill, 
in that American spirit, provides needed funding to help families and 
businesses recover from natural disasters.
  That said, I am concerned that the bill, in many respects, is a stop-
gap measure that defers action on bigger problems. Our disaster funding 
protocols have historically been predicated on the idea that, when 
American citizens' face a loss of property due to a rare and 
unpredictable event, we have a moral obligation to help them rebuild. 
That is a noble and righteous goal and consistent with this bill.
  However, we must also begin to face up to the fact that climate 
change is creating a situation where disasters are no longer rare, nor 
unpredictable. We know with certainty where flood risk is intensifying 
in low-lying coastal regions. We know with certainty where the risks of 
wildfires are growing.
  A review by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of 
$1-billion-plus

[[Page H639]]

weather and climate disasters proves the point--such disasters are 
increasing in frequency and concentrated in very specific regions of 
the country.
  To continue to provide federal funds to encourage rebuilding in those 
areas is ultimately unsustainable. At some point, those funds will have 
to be diverted to development on less disaster-prone grounds. That is 
scary and unfortunate, but we cannot ignore that reality. It is my hope 
that, as a body, we can begin to develop the strategies to redirect 
those funds on our terms rather than being compelled to do so by fiscal 
or natural events.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I can attest to the importance of 
Emergency Disaster Supplemental Appropriations to the efforts of 
communities to recover following a disaster.
  Texans impacted by Hurricane Harvey and are working towards recovery 
are grateful for the appropriations provided by Congress to address 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations.
  We are in the midst of a government shutdown that is unnecessary and 
wasteful.
  Caught in the crosshairs of the government shutdown are eight-hundred 
thousand hardworking government employees who want nothing more than to 
do an honest day's work, and be fairly remunerated for their efforts.
  More than anyone else, this government shutdown imperils their 
financial security, which makes our country less strong.
  Mortgage and rent payments are going unpaid; credit ratings are being 
damaged; families are being made more insecure.
  This situation requires answers, and resolution for hundreds of 
thousands of hardworking Americans caught in the middle.
  President Trump instead of ending his shutdown is threatening to take 
Hurricane Harvey Army Corps funding and divert it for the construction 
of his border wall.
  He plans to divert funds appropriated for Hurricanes Harvey, Jose, 
and Maria recovery to pay for his border wall is outrageous and 
immoral, and an affront to the millions of Americans affected by real 
disasters that have struck the homeland.
  We need to ensure that the President cannot undermine the disaster 
recovery projects and programs that Congress has approved and funded by 
diverting funds for construction of his border wall vanity project.
  This President is so easily consumed by concerns over a wall to the 
point that he cannot see real threats such as the vulnerability of 
coastal communities to powerful hurricanes.
  The people along the Texas Gulf Coast face real threats from 
hurricanes that are increasingly more violent, and result in 
catastrophic losses.
  The only defense against hurricanes is improving resilience and 
survivability of communities from wind, storm surge and rain.
  We improve coastal resilience against hurricanes by completing Army 
Corps of Engineer projects that are paid for previously under separate 
appropriations bills that are now law.
  The President wants to use his authority under a National Emergency 
Declaration to erroneously gain access to the funding so desperately 
needed for Hurricane Harvey recovery and other disasters.
  Declaring a national emergency for purely political reasons is 
antidemocratic, petulant, dangerous and unbecoming of the President of 
the United States.
  The president and his staff have been routinely and repeatedly 
corrected and rebuked for their attempts to spread false and misleading 
information about the state of our southern border.
  They have wrongly claimed that the lack of a border wall at the 
southern border is a major source of drugs coming into the United 
States, when in fact it is ports of entry.
  They disregarded the fact that border apprehensions are at a 45 year-
low, and have been dropping since 2000.
  Having been defeated legislatively by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, now the 
President according to a story in the New York Times would like to pay 
for his immoral border wall by diverting funds that the Congress has 
appropriated for disaster relief, such as Hurricane Harvey to help 
citizens in my home state of Texas; victims of Maria in Puerto Rico and 
other hurricane victims; and victims of deadly wildfires in California.
  I support this Disaster Appropriations bill in order to help rebuild 
communities devastated over the last year by deadly disasters.
  Now the President needs to open the Government in order to stop the 
disaster occurring among our out of work federal employees.
  The Acting CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, an amendment in the nature of a substitute 
consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 116-2, modified by the 
amendment printed in part A of House Report 116-2, shall be considered 
as adopted, shall be considered as an original bill for purpose of 
further amendment under the 5-minute rule and shall be considered as 
read.
  The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows

                                H.R. 268

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,
       That the following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any 
     money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of 
     applicable corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds, 
     for the several departments, agencies, corporations, and 
     other organizational units of Government for fiscal year 
     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 or Florence, other 
     hurricanes, typhoons, volcanic activity, or wildfires 
     occurring in calendar year 2018 under such terms and 
     conditions as determined by the Secretary:  Provided, That 
     the Secretary 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 past or future crop 
     insurance premiums, forest restoration, and poultry and 
     livestock losses:  Provided further, That of the amounts 
     provided under this heading, tree assistance payments may be 
     made under section 1501(e) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 
     U.S.C. 9081(e)) to eligible orchardists or nursery tree 
     growers (as defined in such section) of pecan trees with a 
     tree mortality rate that exceeds 7.5 percent (adjusted for 
     normal mortality) and is less than 15 percent (adjusted for 
     normal mortality), to be available until expended, for losses 
     incurred during the period beginning January 1, 2018, and 
     ending December 31, 2018:  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 90 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 70 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 2019, 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, 
     $480,000,000, 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 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 the cost of grants for rural 
     community facilities programs as authorized by section 306 
     and described in

[[Page H640]]

     section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
     Development Act, for necessary expenses related to the 
     consequences of Hurricanes Michael and Florence and wildfires 
     occurring in calendar year 2018, and other natural disasters, 
     $150,000,000, to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That sections 381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and 
     Rural Development Act are not applicable to the funds made 
     available 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.

                     GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

       Sec. 101.  In addition to other amounts made available by 
     section 309 of Public Law 115-72, there is hereby 
     appropriated $600,000,000 for the Secretary of Agriculture to 
     provide a grant to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for 
     disaster nutrition assistance in response to Presidentially 
     declared major disasters and emergencies:  Provided, That the 
     funds made available to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 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.  In addition to amounts otherwise made available, 
     out of the funds made available under section 18 of Food and 
     Nutrition Act of 2008, $10,200,000 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: 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. 103.  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 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.
       Sec. 104. (a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
     person or legal entity is not eligible to receive a payment 
     under the Market Facilitation Program established pursuant to 
     the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714 
     et seq.) if the average adjusted gross income of such person 
     or legal entity is greater than $900,000.
       (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a person or legal 
     entity if at least 75 percent of the adjusted gross income of 
     such person or legal entity is derived from farming, 
     ranching, or forestry related activities.
       (b) A person or legal entity may not receive a payment 
     under the Market Facilitation Program described in subsection 
     (a)(1), directly or indirectly, of more than $125,000.
       (c) In this section, the term ``average adjusted gross 
     income'' has the meaning given the term defined in section 
     760.1502 of title 7 Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect 
     July 18, 2018).
       (d) The amount provided by this section 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 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, 
     earthquakes, 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.), 
     $600,000,000, 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, $120,570,000, 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;
       (3) $31,570,000 for mapping, charting, and geodesy 
     services;
       (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; and
       (5) $50,000,000 for Title IX Fund grants as authorized 
     under section 906(c) of division O of Public Law 114-113:

       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.

                     fisheries disaster assistance

       For an additional amount for ``Fisheries Disaster 
     Assistance'' for necessary expenses associated with the 
     mitigation of fishery disasters, $150,000,000, 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, including 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, Michael, 
     and Lane, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, and calendar year 2018 
     wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes, $15,000,000:  
     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:  Provided further, That none of the 
     funds appropriated in this Act 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 Act 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 Act, the Legal Services Corporation 
     shall be considered an agency of the United States 
     Government.

[[Page H641]]

  


                               TITLE III

                         DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                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 Act, to reduce risk from future floods and 
     hurricanes, at full Federal expense, $35,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended, in States and insular areas that 
     were impacted by Hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoon 
     Mangkhut, Super Typhoon Yutu, and Tropical Storm Gita:  
     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 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 Act.

                              construction

       For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary 
     expenses, $715,000,000, to remain available until expended, 
     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 Act, 
     and flood and storm damage reduction, including shore 
     protection, projects which have signed Chief's Reports as of 
     the date of enactment of this Act 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 and insular areas that were impacted by 
     Hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoon Mangkhut, Super 
     Typhoon Yutu, and Tropical Storm Gita:  Provided, That 
     projects receiving funds provided in Public Law 115-123 shall 
     not be eligible for funding provided under this heading:  
     Provided further, That for projects receiving funding under 
     this heading, the provisions of Section 902 of the Water 
     Resources 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 not eligible as 
     ongoing construction projects 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 up to 
     $25,000,000 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 date of the enactment of this Act.

                   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 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.

                          DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

                            ENERGY PROGRAMS

                          electricity delivery

       For an additional amount for ``Electricity Delivery'', 
     $15,500,000, to remain available until expended, for 
     necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes 
     Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and Super Typhoon Yutu, including 
     technical assistance related to electric grids:  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 
     Electricity Delivery shall provide a monthly report 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.

                                TITLE V

                    DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

               SECURITY, ENFORCEMENT, AND INVESTIGATIONS

                              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.

              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, $476,755,000, 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.

                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.

                     GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

       Sec. 501. (a) In General.--The Federal share of assistance 
     provided for DR-4336-PR, DR-4339-PR, DR-4340-USVI and DR-
     4335-USVI under sections 403, 406 and 407 of the Robert T. 
     Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5170b and 5173) shall be 100 percent of the eligible 
     costs under such sections.
       (b) Applicability.--The Federal share provided by 
     subsection (a) shall apply to disaster

[[Page H642]]

     assistance applied for before, on, or after the date of 
     enactment of this Act.
       Sec. 502.  The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency may provide assistance, pursuant to section 
     428 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), for critical 
     services as defined in section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford 
     Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for the duration 
     of the recovery for incidents DR-4404, DR-4396, and DR-4398 
     to--
       (1) replace or restore the function of a facility or system 
     to industry standards without regard to the pre-disaster 
     condition of the facility or system; and
       (2) replace or restore components of the facility or system 
     not damaged by the disaster where necessary to fully 
     effectuate the replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged 
     components to restore the function of the facility or system 
     to industry standards.

                                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, and flooding associated with major 
     declared disaster DR-4365, and calendar year 2018 
     earthquakes, $82,400,000, to remain available until expended: 
      Provided, That of this amount $50,000,000 shall be used to 
     restore and rebuild national wildlife refuges and increase 
     the resiliency and capacity of coastal habitat and 
     infrastructure to withstand storms and reduce the amount of 
     damage caused by such storms:  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.

                         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, and 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, and calendar year 2018 
     wildfires, 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, $98,500,000, to remain available until expended:  
     Provided, That of this amount, $72,310,000 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.

                    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, calendar 
     year 2018 earthquakes, 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 additional amounts for ``State and Tribal Assistance 
     Grants'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences 
     of Hurricanes Florence and Michael and calendar year 2018 
     earthquakes for the hazardous waste financial assistance 
     grants program, $1,500,000, 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, 
     provided that none of these funds shall be subject to section 
     3011(b) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act; 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 
     subsections (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.
       For an additional amount for ``State and Tribal Assistance 
     Grants'', $349,400,000 to remain available until expended, of 
     which $53,300,000 shall be for capitalization grants for the 
     Clean Water State Revolving Funds under title VI of the 
     Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and of which 
     $296,100,000 shall be for capitalization grants under section 
     1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act:  Provided, That 
     notwithstanding section 604(a) of the Federal Water Pollution 
     Control Act and section 1452(a)(1)(D) of the Safe Drinking 
     Water Act, funds appropriated herein shall be provided to 
     States in EPA Regions 4, 9, and 10 in amounts determined by 
     the Administrator for wastewater treatment works and drinking 
     water facilities impacted by Hurricanes Florence and Michael, 
     Typhoon Yutu, and calendar year 2018 wildfires and 
     earthquakes:  Provided further, That notwithstanding the 
     requirements of section 603(i) of the Federal Water Pollution 
     Control Act and section 1452(d) of the Safe Drinking Water 
     Act, for the funds appropriated herein, each State shall use 
     not less than 20 percent but not more than 30 percent amount 
     of its capitalization grants to provide additional 
     subsidization to eligible recipients in the form of 
     forgiveness of principal, negative interest loans or grants 
     or any combination of these:  Provided further, That the 
     Administrator shall retain $10,400,000 of the funds 
     appropriated herein for grants for drinking water facilities 
     and waste water treatment plants impacted by Typhoon Yutu:  
     Provided further, That the funds appropriated herein shall be 
     used for eligible projects whose purpose is to reduce flood 
     or fire damage risk and vulnerability or to enhance 
     resiliency to rapid hydrologic change or natural disaster at 
     treatment works as defined by section 212 of the Federal 
     Water Pollution Control Act or any eligible facilities under 
     section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, and for other 
     eligible tasks at such treatment works or facilities 
     necessary to further such purposes:  Provided further, That 
     the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may 
     retain up to $1,000,000 of the funds appropriated herein for 
     management and oversight:  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.
       In addition, for an additional amount for ``State and 
     Tribal Assistance Grants'', $500,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended, of which $261,000,000 shall be for 
     capitalization grants for the Clean Water State Revolving 
     Funds under title VI of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
     Act, and of which $239,000,000 shall be for capitalization 
     grants under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act:  
     Provided, That notwithstanding section 604(a) of the Federal 
     Water Pollution Control Act and section 1452(a)(1)(D) of the 
     Safe Drinking Water Act, funds appropriated herein shall be 
     provided to States or Territories in EPA Regions 2, 4 and 6 
     in amounts determined by the Administrator for wastewater and 
     drinking water treatment works and facilities impacted by 
     Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria:  Provided further, That, 
     for Region 2, such funds allocated from funds appropriated 
     herein shall not be subject to the matching or cost share 
     requirements of sections

[[Page H643]]

     602(b)(2), 602(b)(3) of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
     Act nor the matching requirements of section 1452(e) of the 
     Safe Drinking Water Act:  Provided further, That, for Region 
     2, notwithstanding the requirements of section 603(i) of the 
     Federal Water Pollution Control Act and section 1452(d) of 
     the Safe Drinking Water Act, each State and Territory shall 
     use the full amount of its capitalization grants allocated 
     from funds appropriated herein to provide additional 
     subsidization to eligible recipients in the form of 
     forgiveness of principal, negative interest loans or grants 
     or any combination of these:  Provided further, That, for 
     Regions 4 and 6, notwithstanding the requirements of section 
     603(i) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and section 
     1452(d) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, for the funds 
     allocated, each State shall use not less than 20 percent but 
     not more than 30 percent amount of its capitalization grants 
     allocated from funds appropriated herein to provide 
     additional subsidization to eligible recipients in the form 
     of forgiveness of principal, negative interest loans or 
     grants or any combination of these:  Provided further, That 
     the Administrator shall retain $74,600,000 of the funds 
     appropriated herein for grants to any state or territory that 
     has not established a water pollution control revolving fund 
     pursuant to title VI of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
     Act or section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act for 
     drinking water facilities and waste water treatment plants 
     impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria:  Provided further, 
     That the funds appropriated herein shall only be used for 
     eligible projects whose purpose is to reduce flood damage 
     risk and vulnerability or to enhance resiliency to rapid 
     hydrologic change or a natural disaster at treatment works as 
     defined by section 212 of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
     Act or any eligible facilities under section 1452 of the Safe 
     Drinking Water Act, and for other eligible tasks at such 
     treatment works or facilities necessary to further such 
     purposes:  Provided further, That, for Region 2, 
     notwithstanding section 603(d)(2) of the Federal Water 
     Pollution Control Act and section 1452(f)(2) of the Safe 
     Drinking Water Act, funds allocated from funds appropriated 
     herein may be used to make loans or to buy, refinance or 
     restructure the debt obligations of eligible recipients only 
     where such debt was incurred on or after September 20, 2017:  
     Provided further, That the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency may retain up to $1,000,000 of the funds 
     appropriated herein for management and oversight:  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.

                            RELATED AGENCIES

                       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 the calendar year 
     2018 wildfires, $1,000,000, to remain available until 
     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 the 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 the 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 the 
     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 transfer 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.

                DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

                     National Institutes of Health

          national institute of environmental health sciences

       For an additional amount for ``National Institute of 
     Environmental Health Sciences'' for necessary expenses in 
     carrying out activities set forth in section 311(a) of the 
     Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
     Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9660(a)) and section 126(g) 
     of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 
     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.

                     GENERAL PROVISION--THIS TITLE

       Sec. 601.  Not later than 45 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, 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, and 
     activity, to the Committees on Appropriations:  Provided, 
     That no such 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 such funds are expended.

                               TITLE VII

                          DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

                 Employment and Training Administration

                    training and employment services

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``Training and Employment 
     Services'', $50,000,000, for the dislocated workers 
     assistance national reserve for necessary expenses directly 
     related to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence and 
     Michael, Typhoon Mangkhut, Super Typhoon Yutu, or the 
     California wildfires occurring in calendar year 2018, to 
     remain available through September 30, 2020: Provided, That 
     the Secretary of Labor may transfer up to $1,000,000 of such 
     funds to any other Department of Labor account for 
     reconstruction and recovery needs, including worker 
     protection activities: Provided further, That these sums may 
     be used to replace grant funds previously obligated to the 
     impacted areas: Provided further, That of the amount 
     provided, up to $500,000, to remain available until expended, 
     shall be transferred to ``Office of Inspector General'' for 
     oversight of activities responding to such consequences:  
     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 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

       Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

                health surveillance and program support

       For an additional amount for ``Health Surveillance and 
     Program Support'', $30,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2019, for grants, contracts and cooperative 
     agreements for behavioral health treatment, crisis 
     counseling, and other related helplines, and for other 
     similar programs to provide support to individuals impacted 
     by Hurricanes Florence and Michael, Typhoon Mangkhut, Super 
     Typhoon Yutu, and the California 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 5191):  Provided, 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.

                Administration for Children and Families

                      social services block grant

       For an additional amount for ``Social Services Block 
     Grant'', $250,000,000, which shall remain available through 
     September 30, 2020, for necessary expenses directly related 
     to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, 
     Typhoon Mangkhut, Super Typhoon Yutu, and the California 
     wildfires 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 5191):  Provided, That 
     notwithstanding section 2002 of the Social Security Act, the 
     distribution of such amount shall be limited to States 
     directly affected by these events:  Provided further, That 
     the time limits in section 2002(c) of the Social Security Act 
     shall not apply to funds appropriated in this paragraph that 
     are used for renovation, repair or construction:  Provided 
     further, That funds appropriated in this paragraph are in 
     addition to the entitlement grants authorized by section 
     2002(a)(1) of the Social Security Act and shall not be 
     available for such entitlement grants:  Provided further, 
     That in addition to other uses permitted by title XX of the 
     Social Security Act, funds appropriated in this paragraph may 
     be used for health services (including mental health 
     services), and for costs of renovating, repairing, and 
     construction of health care facilities (including mental 
     health facilities), child care centers, and other social 
     services facilities:  Provided further, That of the amount 
     provided, up to $1,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended, shall be transferred to ``Office of the Secretary--
     Office of Inspector

[[Page H644]]

     General'' for oversight of activities responding to such 
     hurricanes, typhoons, and wildfires:  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 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 up to $3,000,000 
     may be used to supplement amounts available for the necessary 
     expenses of administering subtitle A of title XX of the 
     Social Security Act:  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.

                children and families services programs

       For an additional amount for ``Children and Families 
     Services Programs'', $60,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2021, for Head Start programs, including making 
     payments under the Head Start Act, for necessary expenses 
     directly related to the consequences of Hurricanes Florence 
     and Michael, Typhoon Mangkhut, Super Typhoon Yutu, and the 
     California wildfires 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 5191):  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 $2,000,000 
     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.

                        DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

                           education recovery

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``Education Recovery'' for 
     necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes 
     Florence and Michael, Typhoon Mangkhut, Super Typhoon Yutu, 
     the California wildfires in 2018, the November 2018 Anchorage 
     Earthquake or the volcanic eruption and earthquakes in Hawaii 
     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 5191) (referred to under this heading 
     as a ``covered disaster or emergency''), $165,000,000, to 
     remain available through September 30, 2019:  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 such assistance may be provided 
     through any of the programs authorized under this heading in 
     division B of title VIII 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 programs, except that references to dates 
     and school years in Public Law 115-123 shall be deemed 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 and shall notify the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
     of these amounts not later than 7 days prior to obligation:  
     Provided further, $2,000,000 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 
     $1,000,000 of the funds made available under this heading 
     shall be for program administration.

                     GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

       Sec. 701. (a) Section 1108(g)(5) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1308(g)(5)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and (E)'' and 
     inserting ``(E), and (F)'';
       (2) in subparagraph (C), in the matter preceding clause 
     (i), by striking ``and (E)'' and inserting ``and (F)'';
       (3) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F);
       (4) by inserting after subparagraph (D), the following:
       ``(E) Subject to subparagraph (F), for the period beginning 
     January 1, 2019, and ending September 30, 2019, the amount of 
     the increase otherwise provided under subparagraph (A) for 
     the Northern Mariana Islands shall be further increased by 
     $20,000,000.''; and
       (5) in subparagraph (F) (as redesignated by paragraph (3) 
     of this section)--
       (A) by striking ``title XIX, during''and inserting ``title 
     XIX--
       ``(i) during'';
       (B) by striking ``and (D)'' and inserting ``, (D), and 
     (E)'';
       (C) by striking ``and the Virgin Islands'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``, the Virgin Islands, and the 
     Northern Mariana Islands'';
       (D) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
     and''; and
       (E) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(ii) for the period beginning January 1, 2019, and ending 
     September 30, 2019, with respect to payments to Guam and 
     American Samoa from the additional funds provided under 
     subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall increase the Federal 
     medical assistance percentage or other rate that would 
     otherwise apply to such payments to 100 percent.''.
       (b) The amounts provided by the amendments made by 
     subsection (a) 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.
       Sec. 702.  Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of Labor, 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. 703.  The second proviso under the heading ``Hurricane 
     Education Recovery'' under the heading ``Department of 
     Education'' under title VIII of subdivision 1 of division B 
     of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123; 132 
     Stat. 95) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(K) assistance provided to an eligible entity under this 
     heading, including assistance provided to an eligible entity 
     before the date of enactment of the Supplemental 
     Appropriations Act, 2019, may be used by the eligible entity 
     for a purpose described in section 406 of the Robert T. 
     Stafford Disaster and Relief Emergency Act (42 U.S.C. 5172), 
     notwithstanding section 102(e)(3) of title IV of division B 
     of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2794), if the eligible 
     entity will receive funds for that purpose under such section 
     406; and
       ``(L) any duplicative Federal assistance provided under 
     this heading to an eligible entity may be retained by the 
     entity and used for other activities to restart school 
     operations in accordance with this paragraph;'';
       (2) in paragraph (9), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (3) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (11); and
       (4) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
       ``(10) amounts available under paragraph (4) that exceed 
     the amount required to meet the need for such funds as 
     determined by the Secretary as of December 31, 2018, shall be 
     available to carry out paragraph (3); and'':

       Provided, That amounts repurposed pursuant to this section 
     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 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 VIII

                           LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

                    Government Accountability Office

                         salaries and expenses

       For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'', 
     $10,000,000, to remain available until expended, for audits 
     and investigations related to Hurricanes Florence, Lane, and 
     Michael, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, the calendar year 2018 
     wildfires, earthquakes, 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.

                                TITLE IX

                         DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

              Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps

       For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Navy 
     and Marine Corps'', $115,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2023, for planning and design related to the 
     consequences of Hurricanes Florence and Michael on Navy and 
     Marine Corps installations:  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 master plan for the installations and a form 1391 
     for each specific project:  Provided further, 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

[[Page H645]]

     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'', $700,000,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2023, for planning and design, and construction expenses 
     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 significantly 
     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 form 1391 for each 
     specific request:  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 planning and design and 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

                     (including transfer of funds)

       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 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 occurring in calendar year 2018:  
     Provided, That not more than three-quarters of 1 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.

                    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.

              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'', $1,160,000,000, 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 (except as otherwise provided under this 
     heading) 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 of the amounts made available under 
     this heading that remain available, after the funds under 
     this heading and under the same heading in Public Law 115-254 
     have been allocated to meet unmet needs for disasters that 
     occurred in 2018, up to $100,000,000 shall be allocated to 
     meet unmet infrastructure needs for grantees that received 
     allocations for disasters that occurred in 2017 (excluding 
     disasters specified in section 501(a) of title V of this Act) 
     under this heading of division B of Public Law 115-56 and 
     title XI of Public Law 115-123: Provided further, That of the 
     amounts provided in the previous proviso, the Secretary's 
     unmet infrastructure needs determinations shall not take into 
     account mitigation-specific allocations:  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, 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 Act 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 the 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 
     disasters that occurred in 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

[[Page H646]]

     Corps of Engineers:  Provided further, That funds allocated 
     under this heading shall not be considered relevant to the 
     non-disaster formula allocations 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 same such 
     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.

                     GENERAL PROVISION--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. Once the implementing Notice is published, any 
     additional action plan revisions shall follow the 
     requirements contained therein.
       (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 Act 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) The additional uses pursuant to this section for 
     amounts that were previously designated by the Congress, 
     respectively, 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 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 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 PROVISION--THIS ACT

       Sec. 1101.  Each amount designated in this Act 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.

              TITLE XII--FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS

       Sec. 1201.  The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 
     (division C of Public Law 115-245) is further amended by 
     striking the date specified in seciton 105(3) and inserting 
     ``February 8, 2019''.
        This Act may be cited as the ``Supplemental Appropriations 
     Act, 2019''.

  The Acting CHAIR. No further amendment to the bill, as amended, is in 
order except those printed in part B of House Report 116-2. Each such 
further amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the 
report, by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered read, 
shall be debatable for the time specified in the report, equally 
divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be 
subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division 
of the question.


            Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Bishop of Georgia

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 1, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,900,000,000)''.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Bishop) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise to speak on behalf of this 
amendment, which is cosponsored by my very good friend, the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott), and 12 other distinguished Members on 
both sides of the aisle.
  As I said during general debate, Hurricane Michael devastated my 
district and left a path of destruction all the way up to Virginia. 
Across the State of

[[Page H647]]

Georgia, many producers suffered nearly 100 percent crop loss. Damages 
were experienced by the pecan, peanut, cotton, vegetable, and timber 
industries, and this is the third straight year these folks were hit.
  A few weeks before that, Hurricane Florence hit the Carolinas, 
causing $22 billion in damage. Last year, Californians witnessed 
another devastating wildfire season, while Hawaii suffered from volcano 
damage, the Northern Mariana Islands were hit by typhoons, and American 
Samoa, by a horrific cyclone.
  This disaster supplemental bill provides funds to begin addressing 
these needs for our agriculture and our rural communities. The bill 
increases payments for losses from 85 to 90 percent for producers who 
have crop insurance and from 65 to 70 percent for producers without 
crop insurance.
  Unfortunately, the $1.1 billion in the bill was based only on USDA's 
assessment of need, nationwide. However, the various State departments 
of agriculture, those States that were devastated by these disasters, 
submitted to the committee assessments which came to over $7 billion.
  To ensure that more of these needs can be fully met, Mr. Scott and I 
put our heads together. We looked at the numbers and concluded that the 
original estimate by the Department of Agriculture of $1.1 billion in 
damages could very well and was, most likely, going to be too low; so 
we have offered this amendment to increase it by $1.9 billion, for a 
total of $3 billion.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote on the Bishop-Scott amendment. It was needed. 
We want to make sure that we can do what is necessary to allow 
Americans who were devastated by these natural disasters to have 
sufficient recovery.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in 
opposition, although it is a technical opposition. I am not opposed to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, throughout middle and late 
October and into the first of November, Congressman Bishop and I 
crisscrossed paths many times and sometimes--in fact, many times--ended 
up in the same room trying to help our farmers. The storm straddled our 
districts.
  I have never seen the devastation to our crops that I saw over those 
couple of weeks, and that devastation is still there.
  I can't thank my colleague, Congressman Bishop, enough for his work 
and his help on this amendment. I would also like to thank his staff 
and the staff of both the Democrats and Republicans on the 
Appropriations Committee.
  The gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) has been a tremendous 
amount of help, as has Ms. Granger, and Chairwoman Lowey on the 
Democratic side. Mr. McGovern has been a lot of help. A lot of people 
have reached out and been willing to help those of us in the Southeast, 
and I can't say thank you enough for that.
  Our losses are estimated at over $5.4 billion for Alabama, Florida, 
Georgia, and the Carolinas.
  The underlying text of the bill is good--in fact, I think it is very 
good--and sets a framework that will be used as we go forward in the 
years to handle disaster relief for agriculture. The primary problem is 
that the request of $1.1 billion currently included in the base text 
simply does not fund the formula for the losses.
  With Congressman Bishop's help, we have worked to draft the 
amendment, increasing that amount by $1.9 billion, to a total of $3 
billion, which I believe, along with Mr. Bishop, more accurately 
reflects the need to fund the formula.
  I, again, hope my colleagues will support the amendment.
  I want to thank Congressman Bishop and the many others who have 
worked with us on this.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer).
  Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my good colleague and 
friend, Austin Scott, for his leadership on this, as well as, 
certainly, the chairman, Chairman Bishop from Georgia, whom, by the 
way, I have heard lots about for many, many years from many mutual 
friends that he and I both have. I look forward to working with him not 
only on this, but on many other matters as they come before us.
  There is absolutely no question: agriculture all across the Southeast 
has been significantly damaged, devastated in many, many parts.
  In North Carolina, we are still reeling from the hurricane in 2016, 
Hurricane Matthew. And then, of course, Hurricane Florence came and hit 
not only the same areas that Hurricane Matthew hit, but hit a much 
broader area of North Carolina. In fact, why don't we just say it 
really devastated and inflicted a lot of harm all across eastern North 
Carolina, this on top of a 5-year decline in farm income not only in 
North Carolina, but across the country.
  So you have had a significant shortfall in income for all these farm 
families all over the country, North Carolina included.
  Then comes Hurricane Matthew in 2016, floods all those out who are in 
its path. And when I say ``floods,'' I mean a real flood, flooding that 
you have not seen in many, many years.
  And then Hurricane Florence comes in 2018. It is not only the same 
areas that Hurricane Matthew hit in 2016, but hits a much broader 
geographical region in North Carolina and elsewhere.

  So over the last 5 years, you have not only had a huge decrease in 
farm income, you have had all kinds of natural disasters--not just in 
North Carolina, but elsewhere. As a result, all these farm families 
have lost all their equity. They have no equity left.
  Without the disaster recovery package that Congress has previously 
passed and what we hope to pass eventually here, that is contained in 
this body of work today, will be a start to rebuild, to enable these 
folks to cash-flow, to enable them just to get the financing that they 
need to put in the ground a new crop for the year 2019.
  So I commend both of my colleagues for their help and their support 
on this, and I encourage the rest of the body to join with us and adopt 
this amendment.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, to close, I just want to 
reiterate how important it is for us to pass sufficient resources in 
order to allow these communities that have been devastated all across 
the United States, as well as the territories, to recover from these 
natural disasters.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. McGovern

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk, and I 
ask for its consideration.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. ___.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act for the Army Corps of Engineers or 
     Department of Homeland Security may be obligated or expended 
     to plan, develop, or construct a new physical barrier along 
     the Southwest border.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  Mr. Chairman, I don't get to say this often, but I agree with Senator 
Ted Cruz. Yesterday, along with members of the Texas congressional 
delegation, he wrote to President Trump. Part of his letter read: `` . 
. . we are strongly opposed to using funds appropriated by Congress for 
disaster relief and mitigation for Texas for any unintended purpose.''
  I agree. Disaster funding should go where Congress intended: to the 
sites of actual disasters, to communities dealing with things like 
hurricanes, mudslides, wildfires and floods.

[[Page H648]]

  That is what my amendment is all about. It states that none of the 
funds in this disaster supplemental for the Army Corps of Engineers or 
Department of Homeland Security may be used to plan, develop, or 
construct the President's border wall. It is that simple.
  If someone like me, a progressive Member of the House, can see eye to 
eye with Senator Ted Cruz on this, one of the biggest cheerleaders for 
the President's border wall, then this amendment should pass with broad 
bipartisan support.
  It isn't about whether or not you support building a border wall; it 
is about whether we support a President moving disaster funding away 
from where Congress said it should go, away from communities that are 
rebuilding. These people aren't interested in building a wall. They 
need to rebuild their homes.
  So today, we are talking about President Trump and the wall. But, Mr. 
Chairman, if we don't take a strong stand against subverting the will 
of Congress this time, then it opens the door for the next President, 
Democrat or Republican, to use disaster funding as a piggy bank for 
their priority, whatever it may be.
  I think the border wall would be ineffective and a waste of taxpayer 
dollars, but you can disagree with me and still support my amendment, 
because we all should agree that no President should be redirecting 
funding away from where Congress said it should go.
  The supplemental provides $12 billion in disaster relief for 
communities trying to rebuild. Let's make sure every penny actually 
goes to disaster relief.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR (Ms. Plaskett). The gentlewoman from Texas is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, the funds in this bill, especially those 
funds for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard, are 
specifically for repairing storm damage in our communities. The 
agencies have identified specific projects and calculated estimates to 
bring our infrastructure and agency assets back to full operation.
  Not a single paragraph in the bill before us includes funds for a 
wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, yet this amendment restricts funds for 
this purpose.
  My colleagues, this amendment walks away from all the good work 
Chairwoman Lowey tried to do for the Corps and the Coast Guard and 
blocks the necessary border investments required in a final compromise.
  Unfortunately, this amendment will be viewed by many of my colleagues 
as a poison pill. It ignores investments that those on my side of the 
aisle believe are necessary to fund a way forward, that will provide 
disaster funds, address the border crisis, and reopen the government.
  I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of 
my time.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Chair, I include in the Record a letter to the 
President from the Texas delegation objecting to using disaster money 
for the border wall.
  These individuals support the wall, I assume most of them do, but 
they don't support the President's promise that he might use executive 
powers to go into disaster money to pay for the border wall.


                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                 Washington, DC, January 15, 2019.
     Hon. Donald Trump,
     President of the United States,
     The White House, Washington, DC.
       Mr. President: The widespread flooding, storm surges and 
     high winds that resulted from Hurricane Harvey's landfall 
     (DR-4332) left many parts of the Texas coast paralyzed for 
     months. Harvey leveled thousands of homes and businesses, 
     altering many Texas communities forever. This disaster 
     required a massive, coordinated response at the state, local 
     and federal levels to help individuals restore their lives to 
     normal as quickly as possible. Texas continues to rebuild 
     through coordinated efforts at all levels of government and 
     important work is underway to mitigate against future storms.
       We--and the millions of Texas citizens we represent--remain 
     thankful to the numerous federal agencies and first 
     responders who coordinated and contributed resources and 
     personnel. Shortly after the rains subsided, Congress swiftly 
     acted by passing three separate disaster supplemental bills, 
     including the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123), 
     which contained over $15 billion dollars for U.S. Army Corps 
     of Engineers civil works projects.
       Recent reports have indicated that your Administration is 
     considering the use of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funds, 
     appropriated by Congress and intended for Hurricane Harvey 
     recovery and mitigation efforts, in an effort to secure our 
     southern border. We strongly support securing the border with 
     additional federal resources including tactical 
     infrastructure, technology, ports of entry improvements and 
     personnel. However, we are strongly opposed to using funds 
     appropriated by Congress for disaster relief and mitigation 
     for Texas for any unintended purpose. As Texans continue to 
     rebuild and prepare for future disasters, these funds, 
     appropriated by Congress to be spent directly on rebuilding 
     and mitigation, are critical to helping our communities 
     recover, preventing future flooding and protecting our 
     constituents. Thank you for your commitment to help Texas 
     respond to Hurricane Harvey and to secure the southern 
     border. We ask that you ensure necessary efforts on border 
     security do not jeopardize long-term hurricane recovery and 
     mitigation in Texas.
           Sincerely,
         Greg Abbott, Governor, State of Texas; John Cornyn, U.S. 
           Senator; Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator; Michael McCaul, Member 
           of Congress; Randy Weber, Member of Congress; Will 
           Hurd, Member of Congress; Kevin Brady, Member of 
           Congress; Pete Olson, Member of Congress; Lance Gooden, 
           Member of Congress; Brian Babin, Member of Congress; 
           Kenny Marchant, Member of Congress, Bill Flores, Member 
           of Congress; Dan Crenshaw, Member of Congress; Lizzie 
           Fletcher, Member of Congress; K. Michael Conaway, 
           Member of Congress; Roger Williams, Member of Congress, 
           Kay Granger, Member of Congress; John Carter, Member of 
           Congress; Sheila Jackson Lee, Member of Congress; 
           Filemon Vela, Member of Congress; Vicente Gonzalez, 
           Member of Congress, Henry Cuellar, Member of Congress; 
           Sylvia Garcia, Member of Congress.

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Escobar).
  Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Chair, I thank Chairman McGovern for yielding and 
for offering this amendment.
  Madam Chair, I rise today in support of amendment No. 2, which would 
prevent funds in the underlying bill, made available for the Army Corps 
of Engineers or the Department of Homeland Security, from being used 
for the planning, development, or construction of any new physical 
barrier along the southwest border.
  Sadly, this amendment is necessary because this administration wants 
to divert critical disaster relief funds meant for other projects to go 
toward border wall construction.
  The reality is that our country needs help recovering from some of 
the greatest natural disasters that we have seen in our lifetime.
  Let's ensure that our Nation has the necessary tools to recover, 
rebuild, and mitigate future natural disasters.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and to 
hold this administration accountable and ensure that they do not 
deceive the American people by pulling a bait-and-switch.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Chair, I would inquire how many more speakers the 
gentlewoman has.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I have no further speakers.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Chair, how much time do I have remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Chair, I want to thank Representatives Velazquez, 
Hastings, Torres, Jackson Lee, Jayapal, Pocan, and Escobar for 
cosponsoring this amendment with me.
  This is not about whether or not you believe a border wall is 
necessary or not. I don't believe it is. Some of my friends on the 
other side believe it is. But when the President said he was going to 
declare an emergency and dip into emergency funds, disaster funds, that 
are dedicated to helping people deal with real disasters to pay for 
this wall, that set off alarm bells here.
  So no matter what side you are on on this border wall issue, you 
should support this amendment, because this President, and no 
President, should dip into disaster relief money to use it for 
something different than what Congress intended.
  The people who this money is aimed at helping are not interested in 
building a wall; they are interested in rebuilding their homes.
  Let us not put these moneys in jeopardy. Let's have a bipartisan 
moment when we all can agree that the disaster money ought to be 
disaster money, period.

[[Page H649]]

  Madam Chair, I urge a strong vote in favor of this amendment, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and 
I yield back the balance of my time
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it,
  Ms. GRANGER. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from 
Massachusetts will be postponed.


         Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Rice of South Carolina

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. RICE of South Carolina. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of 
my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 59, line 17, strike ``labor standards, and the 
     environment'' and insert ``and labor standards''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Rice) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
  Mr. RICE of South Carolina. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of 
my amendment, a commonsense fix that gives HUD the flexibility to waive 
redundant and unnecessary environmental requirements that slow down the 
disaster recovery process.
  Anyone from a district that has endured one of these devastating 
hurricanes, wildfires, or floods can attest to the fact that Congress 
should do everything in our power to quickly give these communities 
relief.
  Madam Chair, 3 years ago, South Carolina was struck by Hurricane 
Matthew. As a result of that storm, South Carolina was awarded $95 
million, which was to be used to repair the households of 1,300 
indigent families.
  The three counties that were most affected were three of the very 
poorest counties in South Carolina, Marion, Dillon, and Marlboro, and 2 
years and 6 months later, about $25 million of that $95 million has 
been spent, about 400 of those houses have been repaired, which leaves 
about 1,000 South Carolina families, indigent families, people who had 
nothing to begin with, either out of their homes or living in 
substandard, mold-infested housing that could burn down from electrical 
problems, or the flooring is buckled and so forth. We have to do 
better.
  Why does it take so long? Why does it take two-and-a-half years to 
get these people back in their homes?
  What I want to do, what my amendment does, is remove some of the 
burdensome Federal requirements that stand in the way of delivering the 
relief that the Federal Government has offered up money to pay for.
  Now we come to Hurricane Florence. Hurricane Florence parked on top 
of my district and the southern part of North Carolina for 3 days in 
September and dumped over 40 inches of rain in places. And then when 
the storm finally did leave, for the next 2 weeks, the rivers rose and 
people were driven from their homes.
  16,000 houses in my district were damaged. 12,000 of those houses had 
what they call moderate damage, which in their definition means that 
the house had water inside of the house but it was less than 2 feet 
deep.
  Since the first major hurricane hit my district, I have been in 
constant contact with all Federal and State agencies involved in the 
recovery and rebuilding process. I frequently visit homes that are 
under construction and check with my constituents to ensure the process 
is going smoothly.
  With respect to Matthew from two-and-a-half years ago, almost 1,000 
of my constituents are still not in their homes.
  My top question is, Why is this taking so long? And what can we do to 
fix it?
  Part of their answer is reforming the long, expensive, and redundant 
environmental review process.
  Currently, before a home is rebuilt with HUD funds, the South 
Carolina Disaster Recovery Office must conduct two environmental 
assessments. After completing a countywide assessment, every single 
home that is eligible to be repaired with HUD funds must undergo a 
second assessment, no matter the size or type of repair that they are 
using the HUD dollars to complete.
  For example, if someone is using FEMA funds to repair a hole in the 
roof, the contractor can repair the hole without the homeowner having 
to complete an environmental study. However, if a home is being 
repaired using HUD funding, a costly and time-consuming environmental 
assessment must be completed before even the most minor of repairs can 
be made to the home.
  This onerous regulatory requirement is just one more roadblock that 
my constituents face in the recovery process.
  And I tell you again, the counties that were affected by this storm 
most severely are the poorest counties in South Carolina; majority 
African American, these people never had anything to begin with, and 
whatever they had has been taken away from them, and they need relief 
and they don't need Federal regulatory roadblocks.
  Bringing the regulations that apply to HUD in line with other Federal 
agencies will create a more streamlined process and ensure the Federal 
dollars are put to use in a more prompt fashion.
  We need to cut down the time and the costs that are preventing people 
in my district from getting back in their homes, back to normal, and on 
with their lives, and this practical amendment will do just exactly 
that.
  Madam Chair, I have to reiterate that the House Republicans passed 
this disaster package in December, and here we come, the Democratic 
majority has put it back up, but has subjected it to reopening the 
government, and has made that a poison pill to make it impossible to be 
passed in this House.
  Certainly it will not pass in the Senate, and the President will not 
sign it even if we pass it in this House.
  Madam Chair, I urge Members to vote for this amendment and I urge the 
Democratic majority to stop playing politics with disaster recovery 
funds.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, the National Environmental 
Policy Act was first enacted in 1970, and since then, it has ensured 
that new projects comply with environmental standards that protect both 
human health and the environment. It is unwise and unnecessary to waive 
these requirements as we undertake disaster recovery.
  This amendment is particularly troubling when we consider that the 
loss of wetlands has actually contributed, contributed heavily, to an 
increase in coastal flooding from hurricanes.
  A 2017 study led by the University of California Santa Cruz showed a 
strong correlation between wetland cover and reduced property damage. 
The study estimated that wetlands in New York and New Jersey prevented 
a half a billion dollars in flood-related damage.
  So our public policy should aim to reduce the impacts of future 
disasters, which is why this bill contains more than $800 million in 
mitigation funding.
  To allow the Secretary to waive environmental requirements would 
undermine the principle that disaster recovery efforts should ensure 
communities are in a better position to withstand future natural 
disasters.
  Also, many disaster recovery projects involve multiple Federal 
funding sources. This provision actually could slow down recovery 
efforts, since HUD's environmental standards would no longer match 
those of other Federal agencies.
  If we are going to get serious about mitigating the effects of 
climate change and the impacts of natural disasters, we need a robust 
environmental framework, and for 49 years, NEPA has provided that 
guidance.
  This bill is not the place to discard decades of environmental 
protections. I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment.

[[Page H650]]

  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Rice).
  The amendment was rejected.


                Amendment No. 4 Offered by Ms. Velazquez

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 5, line 23, insert ``(increased by $5,000,000)'' after 
     the dollar amount.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Ms. Velazquez) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which 
I believe will make meaningful strides to help alleviate problems of 
poverty and hunger in Puerto Rico.
  Unlike the States, Puerto Rico has been forced to work with the 
limited NAP block grant since 1982. This has led to a systemic 
underfunding of the nutritional needs of these American citizens for 
nearly 4 decades.
  Sadly, with a severely restricted budget resulting in reduced 
benefits and eligibility on the island, we are leaving thousands of 
families hungry every day.
  Already tragic, these problems were made worse when Hurricanes Irma 
and Maria made landfall. Puerto Rico was devastated, leaving a large 
share of the population out of work and unable to meet their basic 
needs.
  In the year since the immediate aftermath, the island is still 
suffering. Poverty levels have risen dramatically and the economy 
continues struggling. Sixty percent of the children in Puerto Rico live 
in poverty.

                              {time}  1545

  This has meant an increase in the share of individuals who would 
otherwise be eligible for NAP, except for the fact that the program is 
capped. NAP is simply incapable of meeting the needs of Puerto Ricans, 
particularly given the current circumstances resulting from the 
disaster.
  The underlying bill we are debating today will provide Puerto Rico 
with an additional $600 million for disaster food assistance. I thank 
the chairwoman for including this critically needed funding.
  This funding, and previously appropriated disaster resources, address 
two critical needs in Puerto Rico. First, it is providing NAP 
recipients with a bit more support to feed their families. Second, it 
aids an additional 200,000 people who lost their jobs and homes.
  However, I believe Hurricanes Maria and Irma taught us some painful 
lessons with regard to nutritional support in Puerto Rico. We should be 
evaluating the benefits that adequate nutritional assistance has on 
Puerto Rican's health and economy.
  My amendment would provide up to $5 million to support the 
Commonwealth in conducting such a study. This will be an independent 
analysis that includes a survey of NAP participants on the island and 
fully investigates the impact disaster nutrition assistance has on the 
food security, health status, and well-being of the people of Puerto 
Rico.
  I should note that the USDA conducted similar studies for the SNAP 
program that operates in 53 jurisdictions during and after the Great 
Recession. It is my hope that this analysis will provide Congress with 
additional insight and tools to further reduce poverty, hunger, and 
hardship on the island.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 5 Offered by Ms. Velazquez

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 5 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Chair, I rise to offer my amendment, No. 5.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 16, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $25,000,000)''.
       Page 17, line 5, after the colon, insert:
      Provided further, That of this amount $25,000,000 shall be 
     used for Corps of Engineers ecosystem restoration projects.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Ms. Velazquez) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Chair, I rise to discuss an environmental and 
humanitarian crisis affecting the people of San Juan.
  For decades, Cano Martin Pena has been a repository for sewage 
overflow, mercury, and PCBs. The Cano Martin Pena was once a navigable 
and commercially used channel. Today, it is so clogged that it is 
possible to walk across it on some parts.
  Due to the clogging, the approximately 25,000 U.S. citizens who live 
near the Cano Martin Pena face significant public health and safety 
challenges. Combined stormwater and the regional sewage system 
contribute to high concentrations of coliforms in the channel.
  Frequent flooding is a constant risk that can put residents into 
direct contact with polluted water. Exposure to these polluted waters 
causes an elevated risk of gastrointestinal diseases and a higher 
prevalence of chronic diseases and asthma. Sadly, we often see these 
ailments in children 5 years old and younger. Those who reside near the 
canal live in constant fear that the next rainfall could become a major 
flood, dumping raw sewage into homes, schools, and businesses.
  After the 2017 hurricanes, which exacerbated the Cano Martin Pena 
crisis with greater flooding, the communities that live near the 3.7 
miles of this channel need our help more than ever.
  Because of the hurricanes, more than 1,200 families partially or 
totally lost the roofs of their homes, and 70 percent of the community 
flooded with wastewater in the immediate aftermath.
  These are the working people of San Juan, with one of the highest 
labor participation rates in the island. All they want is to be able to 
raise their families in safe and healthy communities. If we are ever to 
bring justice to these afflicted communities, we must dredge this canal 
and work toward its long-term remediation.
  Puerto Rico has spent millions of dollars attending to the problem, 
but without additional Federal funds, this project will stall. The U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers is ready to initiate construction as soon as 
Federal funding is made available.
  My amendment will jump-start the most important flood mitigation 
project for Puerto Rico, ensuring the resiliency of critical 
infrastructure and doing justice to the working families living in this 
vulnerable area.
  Madam Chair, this is not only an environmental project but a pressing 
issue of social and environmental justice. The people who live along 
this troubled canal have suffered long enough, but Hurricanes Maria and 
Irma underscored how quickly these problems can worsen with extreme 
weather. We have an obligation to act before the next hurricane or 
flood.
  Madam Chair, I have been there and seen with my own eyes the 
devastation and hardship caused by this ecological disaster. I have 
seen children wading in contaminated waters after every heavy 
rainstorm. I ask my colleagues to join me in helping Puerto Rico by 
voting in support of this amendment.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Idaho is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Chair, first, I would like to assure my colleague 
that I am not opposed to the project she is trying to fund. I am aware 
of the project and its importance to Puerto Rico. In a different 
context, I could support it.
  In fact, as the previous chairman of the Energy and Water 
Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, I have 
worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide funding 
for ecosystem restoration projects well above the annual budget 
request.

[[Page H651]]

  What I am opposed to is funding the ecosystem restoration projects in 
a disaster supplemental appropriations bill. A disaster supplemental is 
not simply a chance to clear the Army Corps of Engineers' construction 
backlog. That is what the annual appropriations process is for.
  A disaster supplemental is intended to protect storm-ravaged areas 
against future storms and to reduce Federal liabilities from future 
storms. That is why the underlying bill is consistent with previous 
disaster bills and limits funding to projects that provide real 
benefits for that type, namely, flood and storm damage reduction 
projects.
  Additionally, I would be remiss if I did not point out that the 
particular project of interest would not even be eligible for funding 
under this amendment.
  The underlying bill restricts construction funding to areas impacted 
by various storms, none of which impacted Puerto Rico. We should not 
raise hopes knowing the project isn't even eligible.
  While I am happy to offer to work with my colleague and try to 
support the project through the regular appropriations process, which I 
am sure the new chairwoman, Chairwoman Kaptur, is willing to do also, I 
must oppose funding in a disaster supplemental appropriations bill for 
ecosystem restoration projects.
  Madam Chair, therefore, I oppose the amendment. I urge my colleagues 
to vote ``no,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Chair, I thank Congresswoman Velazquez for her 
daunting and unparalleled leadership in trying to help the people of 
Puerto Rico.
  And I thank our very distinguished ranking member for his interest in 
helping to solve the real challenge of Cano Martin Pena.
  I have to say to the people of Puerto Rico and our fellow citizens, 
those who reside in Puerto Rico and those who reside stateside here: We 
are very aware, from Congresswoman Velazquez's work, how devastated 
Puerto Rico is. She has spent so much of her substance in trying to 
educate the membership here. We are very fortunate for her abiding 
leadership.

  We all need to stand up for the residents of Puerto Rico. I 
appreciate her work, and all of our colleagues' efforts, to do just 
that.
  I am committed to working with her to address any issues with this 
amendment as we move forward. Its intent is absolutely on point. I 
think that, working together on a bipartisan basis, we can find a way 
to help heal our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico and bring a better way 
of life there in the future.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Chair, I would just say, again, it doesn't really 
matter whether you vote for this amendment or not. It doesn't really do 
anything because the project is not eligible. What we are doing by 
adopting this amendment is raising false hopes, knowing that the 
project isn't even eligible.
  I encourage the gentlewoman to withdraw the amendment and work with 
us to see if we can fund this through the regular appropriations 
process.
  Madam Chair, I encourage a ``no'' vote on the amendment, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Stewart

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 6 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. STEWART. Madam Chair, I rise to offer my amendment on the floor.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 35, beginning line 5, strike ``$63,960,000, to remain 
     available until expended: Provided,'' and insert 
     ``$84,960,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 
     that of this amount $21,000,000 shall be used for hazardous 
     fuels management activities: Provided further,''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Stewart) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
  Mr. STEWART. Madam Chair, I thank Mr. McGovern of the Rules Committee 
for making this vital amendment in order.
  The base text of the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2019 provides 
critical relief for natural disasters that have recently plagued our 
Nation. The supplemental is necessary, and it is needed, but we do have 
a problem, and it is a problem that we have to fix.
  The interior West and, for example, my home State of Utah have been 
largely ignored. My amendment seeks to rectify this and seeks to 
increase funding for the West to address the impacts of ongoing drought 
and, something that we are all aware of, the catastrophic wildfires 
that we have been experiencing.
  The amendment provides increased funding for hazardous fuel 
management activities in the hopes of doing three things: first, to 
increase the resiliency of our forest; second, to protect against 
future catastrophic fires; and, third, to reduce the amount of damage 
caused by these fires.
  Like many Western States, and, as I mentioned, my home State of Utah, 
we suffered a devastating fire season that burned countless acres and 
threatened life and property. Now we are left with the scars of the 
burns that can be almost as damaging, with flooding, mudslides, and 
threats to water supplies.
  If adopted, my amendment will not only help mitigate the losses from 
past fires but help to create future resiliency in our forests and 
lessen the devastating aftermath.
  The simple fact is, we can do better. We can actively manage our 
forests by combating undergrowth, disease, and insect infestation. The 
Forest Service estimates that my home State of Utah has something like 
436 million dead trees that are just waiting to burn. If this is not a 
threat, I don't know what is.
  Madam Chair, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), my friend, Madam Chair of the Interior, 
Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for the time.
  As I pointed out earlier, the supplemental includes $824 million to 
the U.S. Forest Service to help California and those who have been 
impacted by wildfires and Hurricanes Florence and Michael to recover.
  While the funding includes $27 million for hazardous fuel, I support 
the gentleman's proposal to increase this amount because we know we 
have a lot of work to do in fuel reduction. I would like to point out 
to the gentleman, I also support the continuing resolution portion of 
this legislation in front of us today because we need to reopen the 
Forest Service so we can use these funds.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. STEWART. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. STEWART. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Utah will be 
postponed.


         Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Thompson of California

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 7 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 1, line 15, insert ``and harvested adulterated wine 
     grapes'' after ``milk''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Thompson) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.

[[Page H652]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Chair, I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  I appreciate the opportunity to speak in support of my proposed 
amendment.
  Over the past 2 years communities across my district and throughout 
the State of California have been devastated by some of the biggest, 
deadliest, and most damaging wildfires in history. These disasters have 
catastrophic consequences for our agricultural communities.
  Wildfires can and do incinerate entire fields of crops, but they also 
pose a threat of smoke contamination, exposure to high levels of smoke 
which damages crops beyond repair.
  While smoke damage can affect a range of crops, wine grapes are 
particularly vulnerable. I have heard from dozens of my constituents 
who are facing the loss of their crop as their grapes are rejected due 
to this smoke damage.
  I want to thank the Appropriations Committee and their staff for 
working with me to ensure that grape growers like those in my district 
are supported.
  However, many wine grape growers do not discover smoke damage until 
after removing their fruit from the vine. These growers sustain heavy 
losses and deserve support. They should not be penalized simply because 
the damage to their grapes was discovered after the harvest.
  My amendment would clarify that assistance offered under H.R. 268 is 
available to growers who discover smoke damage after removing their 
grapes from the vine. This situation is tragic and far too common, and 
this clarification is needed to ensure that growers like those in my 
district receive the support that they deserve.
  Madam Chair, I want to reiterate my thanks to the Appropriations 
Committee and their staff, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
amendment.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).
  The amendment was agreed to.


         Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Thompson of California

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 8 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 54, line 18, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $50,000,000)''.
       Page 55, strike line 9 and all that follows through ``up 
     to'' in line 12.
       Page 55, line 12, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $50,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Thompson) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Chair, I yield myself as much time 
as I may consume.
  Madam Chair, I rise in support of amendment No. 8, which provides an 
additional $50 million in community development funds for the 2017 
federally declared disasters.
  In October 2017, my district experienced, at that time, the most 
devastating fires in the history of California. The October 2017 
wildfires devastated nearly 300,000 acres in California, destroyed some 
7,000 homes, caused billions of dollars in damage, burned to the ground 
many businesses, and, most sadly, took the lives of 44 people.
  In response to these fires, Congress enacted legislation that 
delivered California Community Development Block Grant disaster relief 
funding to address unmet needs and mitigation against future disasters.
  As communities in my district continue the long and hard process of 
rebuilding, we are finding that the unmet needs are greater than the 
Federal relief provided. Local inspections of residences damaged or 
destroyed in the October 17 fires indicate that FEMA's individual 
assistance inspection process significantly underestimated the number 
of homes damaged or destroyed in Santa Rosa, one of the cities in my 
district, by a difference of nearly 2,900 homes.
  Because the FEMA IA data may have informed HUD's initial allocation 
to the State of California, this leaves some communities in California, 
including Santa Rosa, with considerable unmet need for homeowners who 
are rebuilding.
  In terms of public infrastructure, California's CDBG-DR action plan 
allocates 3 percent, at a total of $3.5 million for the entire State, 
to aid unmet need for public infrastructure. However, Santa Rosa alone 
has significantly greater needs for recovery of public infrastructure 
with its projected local cost share for the repair of the damage 
infrastructure over $11 million.
  In addition to the local match requirement for FEMA public assistance 
projects, there are several large infrastructure projects needed due to 
the 17 wildfires, including street repairs, street tree removal, repair 
to the sidewalks in one particular area, and restoration to 
neighborhood parks.
  The estimated cost for these projects is more than $20 million. My 
amendment aims to help close this gap by providing the additional 
moneys in community development funds for the 2017 federally declared 
disasters.
  Continued support from the Federal Government is essential as 
residents seek to rebuild and my district continues its long-term 
recovery.
  Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to my colleague from California (Mrs. 
Torres).
  Mrs. TORRES of California. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from 
California for yielding and for being such a great leader in helping 
those impacted by the devastating California wildfires.
  The numbers are devastating. Nearly 2 million acres burned. Upwards 
of $3.5 billion in damage, 8,500 individual fires, 98 civilians killed, 
6 firefighters killed, and over 11,000 homes destroyed.
  With climate change only making things worse, we must help California 
rebuild because this is just the beginning. Rainstorms will now further 
ravage communities, causing mudslides and flooding.
  The amendment I have offered with Representative Thompson begins that 
rebuilding process by increasing funding for the community development 
fund by $50 million, specifically for those communities that were 
hardest hit in the previous year.
  Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for his work on this.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Chair, I yield the remainder of my 
time to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the chair of the 
subcommittee, and I thank him for all of his help.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, we have no objection to 
this amendment, in fact, urge its adoption. The amendment ensures that 
States and territories that have suffered from natural disasters in 
2017 are made whole with respect to increased costs to repair public 
infrastructure.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).
  The amendment was agreed to.


           Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Graves of Louisiana

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 9 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 58, line 10, strike ``That such'' and all that follows 
     through ``of Engineers:'' on line 13 and insert ``That such 
     funds may not be used for activities reimbursed by, or for 
     which funds have been made available by, the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency or the Army Corps of Engineers, 
     in excess of the authorized amount of the project or its 
     components:''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Graves) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Chair, since 1980, we have had about 
220

[[Page H653]]

disasters that have caused over $1 billion in damages. In fact, when 
you add all that money up, we have spent about $1.5 trillion in 
disaster recovery, nearly all of that being emergency spending, adding 
to our deficit.
  Now, the thing that we do here in the Federal Government to help 
bring an offense to the table, to help address resiliency, is largely 
the mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: projects for flood 
protection, for water management, for ecosystem restoration that can 
help improve the resiliency of our communities, hurricane protection in 
my home State of Louisiana.
  Yet we have a $100 billion backlog in Corps of Engineer projects 
across the United States. This Congress provides between $1 billion and 
$2 billion a year in construction.
  Madam Chair, you can do the math. You have $100 billion in authorized 
projects. You get $1 billion to $2 billion a year in construction, you 
will finish that backlog approximately never. You are not going to 
finish it.
  And so what we did in the Disaster Recovery and Reform Act in 
October, that was signed into law in October and passed through this 
body three times, is we did a provision that says that FEMA's Hazard 
Mitigation Grant Program funds can be used to build a Corps of 
Engineers' project if your State, if your community determines that is 
the highest priority.
  Right now, under Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery 
Funds, there is a prohibition--and this is largely boilerplate 
language--that prohibits these funds from being used for a Corps of 
Engineers' project.
  What this amendment does is it simply removes that if a State, if 
your community determines that that is the highest priority, addressing 
resiliency, telling your community that it is okay to build back here 
because we are going to make it safer, we are going to reduce the risk, 
prevent you from having future disaster, future damages.
  Madam Chair, right now, sitting in the gallery is a group of students 
from Ed White High School in my home State of Louisiana. They have a 
project in their community that has been in the study phase since 1992, 
and the Corps of Engineers has spent $80 million studying it. That is 
ridiculous. It has caused billions of dollars in flood damages in this 
area. This project has not moved forward.
  We have got to make sure that we are advancing these projects as 
quickly as we can, improving the resilience of our communities. So this 
amendment, again, makes the CDBG-DR funds eligible if your State, if 
your community determines that is the highest and best value, the best 
investments of the funds.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. Members are reminded to refrain from referencing 
occupants of the gallery.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to 
claim the time in opposition, even though I am not actually opposed to 
the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, this amendment amends a 
section of the base bill that sets out the sequence of assistance for 
communities seeking relief.
  The base bill maintains that CDBG-DR funding should be used after 
grantees sought out funding from FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers 
to meet any needs that remain.
  Public Law 105-276 limits the use of CDBG-DR funding to $250,000 per 
Army Corps of Engineers' project, and this provision would not be 
changed by the amendment.
  The amendment would allow communities to utilize CDBG-DR funds for a 
project in advance of FEMA or Corps of Engineers' funding. The CDBG-DR 
funding would still be subject to the usual limitations on duplication 
of benefits.
  I have some concern that the amendment's language is ambiguous with 
respect to the phrase ``in excess of the authorized amount of the 
project.'' I assume that the gentleman means the authorized amount by 
FEMA or the Army Corps, respectively, and not an amount authorized by 
HUD.
  I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), if he would 
respond and confirm my understanding.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Chair, I appreciate the gentleman's 
question, and certainly there is no intention under the provision as 
written to appropriate or provide more funds than are authorized under 
the existing act or allocated to that State or county or parish or what 
have you.

                              {time}  1615

  In addition, obviously, there would be no intention under the 
provision to spend more money than the project is actually authorized 
for because you couldn't build a project more than once.
  I hope that was responsive to the gentleman's question.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. The question, though, is: Authorized by 
whom?
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Chair, the chairman brings up a good 
point in that is the authorized amount the full authorized amount that 
the Federal law for a Corps of Engineers project provides? For example, 
if Congress authorized a flood protection project for $100 million, 
could they possibly get more than $100 million? The answer to that 
question is no.
  The second question to attempt to clarify would be, if a community is 
allocated $50 million through the CDBG-DR program, would it be possible 
for them to spend more than $50 million on the project? Once again, to 
the chairman's question, the answer would be no. This would not intend 
to obligate or in any way spend more money that is allocated to them 
under CDBG-DR or under the authorized project in Federal law.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. So when the amendment states the phrase 
``in excess of the authorized amount of the project,'' can I confirm 
that the gentleman is saying that he means the authorized amount by 
FEMA or the Army Corps and not the authorized amount by HUD?
  Madam Chair, I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Yes. Absolutely. That is the intention that 
we would not exceed the authorized amount of the project authorized by 
the Corps or by FEMA. As I indicated, we couldn't build a project more 
than once, so whatever that authorized level is in existing Federal 
law, that would apply.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman.
  Given that understanding, the amendment is a modest change to the 
existing program, and I have no objection.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from 
North Carolina and thank the Rules Committee for making this in order.
  Madam Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Richmond

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 10 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. RICHMOND. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 57, line 13, strike ``and any grantee'' and all that 
     follows through line 19 and insert the following: ``shall act 
     in accordance with section 1210 of Public Law 115-254 (132 
     Stat. 3442) and section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford 
     Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
     5155):''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Richmond) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
  Mr. RICHMOND. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer a simple bipartisan 
amendment. This amendment would ensure the language in the bill 
conforms with current law.
  All of us who represent areas around the country that have 
experienced natural disasters know how difficult and complicated the 
recovery process can be.

[[Page H654]]

  Last Congress, we came together to pass the Disaster Recovery Reform 
Act, a bipartisan bill that made key changes to improve how we respond 
after disasters and also make recovery an easier process.
  One of those changes was a provision outlining a better way to handle 
concerns over duplication of benefits after a disaster. It created a 
process that allows greater flexibility to respond to the unique 
situations that occur after every disaster.
  It is important to my constituents and anyone dealing with the 
effects of a natural disaster that this administration has clear 
instructions and that they can readily act on what Congress has 
instructed them to do. The language of this amendment eliminates the 
risk of any confusion over what process the administration should 
follow.
  Madam Chair, this is just another attempt by my colleague and me from 
Louisiana who have, unfortunately, had the benefit of surviving through 
a number of natural disasters and just trying to make it easier for our 
constituents to navigate the process and difficulty of FEMA and 
recovery. So what this amendment does is helps every area that will 
have a disaster deal with the question of duplication of benefits.
  Madam Chair, I urge adoption of the amendment.
  Madam Chair, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Price), who is the chairman of the subcommittee.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding. I am happy to express support for his amendment.
  The amendment would clarify that HUD should follow existing law when 
it comes to duplication of benefits with respect to SBA loans and CDBG-
DR grants.
  This is an issue that needs clarification. It has affected 
individuals in my home State of North Carolina as well as people in 
Louisiana, Texas, and other States recovering from recent disasters.
  I agree, we shouldn't be penalizing individuals who take out an SBA 
loan in good faith and then later discover that that makes them no 
longer eligible for a CDBG-DR grant.
  So I thank the gentleman for the amendment. It is a helpful 
clarification of our intent, and I have no objection to the amendment.
  Mr. RICHMOND. Madam Chair, I would just offer support for the 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition, 
but I don't intend to oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Madam Chair, I want to thank my colleague 
from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond) and the chairman from North Carolina for 
their help in getting these amendments put together, both the last one 
and this one.
  As my good friend from Louisiana indicated, this is the result of 
lessons learned, unfortunately, from countless disasters in our home 
State.
  What this does is it assures conformity between this appropriations 
bill and law, as indicated, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act that was 
signed into law in October, to ensure--and let me be clear, Madam 
Chair. That bill passed the House of Representatives three times, the 
last time by voice vote; and I think the second to last time it passed 
with maybe 12 opposing votes in this entire body, but not because of 
this provision. None of those opposing votes had anything to do with 
this provision.
  What it does is it simply says, in the aftermath of a disaster, if 
you applied for a loan, that doesn't make you ineligible for grants 
that anyone else can apply for. We shouldn't penalize people for 
leaning forward, being proactive, and seeking loans, and then tell them 
later they can't be eligible for a grant. The alternative is they stay 
in a FEMA-supplied hotel room, incurring taxpayers more cost, and it 
delays recovery.
  So what Mr. Richmond's provision does is it ensures conformity to the 
changes in law that occurred in October in this appropriations bill, 
the duplication of benefits as applied in a consistent manner. I want 
to thank him for his continued leadership on this issue and working 
together.
  Madam Chair, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Westerman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 11 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 34, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, I would like to first thank my colleague 
from California, Representative Panetta, for his cosponsorship of this 
bipartisan amendment. I also would like to thank Representative 
McCollum from Minnesota for her support of this amendment.
  Madam Chair, this amendment simply adds $10 million to the State and 
private forestry fund. The purpose of this is to prevent some of these 
catastrophic wildfires that we have been seeing over the past few 
years.
  What we have here is a map that shows what the Forest Service has 
delineated as a wildland-urban interface. This is where forestry and 
urban areas intersect, and this is where we have potential for 
significant loss of property and lives.
  There are already programs in place to manage these wildland-urban 
interfaces, and what we hope to do with this additional appropriation 
is just to help the State forestry units manage these areas better.
  We talk a lot in Congress about Federal lands and how we need to 
manage those, but across the country, over half of all forestland is 
owned by private forest landowners. There are literally millions of 
these private forest landowners, many of them on very small parcels of 
forestland, and they have no incentive to manage them to help stop the 
spread of catastrophic wildfire.
  What the State and private forestry program does is allows State 
foresters to go in and help these private landowners to understand how 
to manage their forests and give them the assistance they need so that 
we can make these wildland-urban interfaces safer places.
  Madam Chair, if we managed everything perfectly on the Federal lands 
and these wildland-urban interfaces, you still have the issue of all 
the private lands. The map shows wildland-urban interfaces in places 
you would expect out in California and other Western States, but 
because of the population density, we see a lot of these wildland-urban 
interfaces are in the East where there is more dense populations.
  So these funds, although rather small in relation to this huge bill--
as a matter of fact, they make up only eight one-hundredths of 1 
percent of the total funds in this bill--would have a huge impact all 
across the country in making our communities more resilient to 
catastrophic wildfire, would really help to save property and lives in 
the future, and would also save a lot of future disaster supplemental 
funding that the Federal Government would have to dish out.
  So, again, I am just asking for this amendment to help State and 
private forests with a $10 million plus-up to their funds.
  Madam Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Panetta).
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Arkansas has 2 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Panetta).
  Mr. PANETTA. Madam Chair, I thank Mr. Westerman for all of his work 
on this.

[[Page H655]]

  Madam Chair, our amendment would provide $10 million in additional 
funding to the U.S. Forest Service and its State and private forestry 
account. That account is set up to help State and local landowners 
recover from damages caused by wildfires and to provide more resources 
for proactive forest management.
  What we have seen, unfortunately, in the last few years is a number 
of horrific fires throughout our Nation, and especially where I am from 
in California and the central coast of California. But what we know is 
that we must do something about it.
  This amendment does something about it by providing the necessary 
resources to maintain certain areas in which human beings are living 
close to forests and, therefore, making sure that there are certain 
requirements that are met by the local entities.
  But we can do this without sacrificing our environmental protections. 
This is why we are basically able to increase resources for wildfire 
mitigation practices such as prescribed burns and maintenance of fuel 
breaks and technical assistance to landowners. We can make sure that 
they are advanced, but that they can also be in compliance with 
environmental safety guards. We can do both in this amendment, and this 
amount of money does that.
  So, Madam Chair, I continue to ask for support of this amendment, and 
I urge my colleagues to vote ``yea'' on this.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Arkansas has 1 minute remaining.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, I yield 45 seconds to the gentlewoman 
from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, a point of parliamentary inquiry.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Minnesota will state her 
parliamentary inquiry.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, could I ask unanimous consent to rise in 
opposition even though I am not opposed to the bill, claim 5 minutes, 
and then the gentleman could have time to close?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Minnesota is correct.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, I leave that to the gentleman. He has 1 
minute remaining, Madam Chair, if he would like to use it now and then 
I will use my own time.
  The Acting CHAIR. Does the gentleman from Arkansas reserve his time?
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time 
in opposition, even though I am not opposed to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Minnesota is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, the supplemental appropriation that we are 
discussing today includes $8.24 million for the U.S. Forestry Service 
to work on disaster relief, and it includes $2 million for State and 
private forestry. As I have told the Members here, I totally support 
the gentleman's proposal to increase the amount, and they have done an 
excellent job describing why it is so important.
  As wildfires continue to increase in both frequency and intensity as 
a result of climate change, we need to do more to prevent them. The 
State private forestry programs bring together States, Tribes, and 
local governments and gives them the tools they need to protect 
communities and our environment from wildfires. I have seen firsthand. 
I have spoken to people who have used these programs, and it is money 
well spent to prevent wildland fires.

                              {time}  1630

  However, in order for the Forestry Service to be able to use these 
critical funds, I will be supporting the CR portion of this bill to 
reopen the government, because without this continuing resolution the 
agencies won't be able to receive funds to get to work immediately.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, this bill, again, would help State and 
private forests. It would help to reduce the risk of catastrophic 
wildfires. It is sound environmentally, and it is a good investment for 
the Federal Government.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 12 Offered by Ms. Jayapal

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 12 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. ____.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     for the Department of Homeland Security may be used for the 
     construction or expansion of immigration detention 
     facilities.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentlewoman 
from Washington (Ms. Jayapal) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Washington.
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Madam Chair, my amendment would simply make clear to the 
Department of Homeland Security that these funds, which Congress is 
specifically dedicating to the Coast Guard's environmental remediation 
efforts as a result of hurricane damage, cannot be reprogrammed to 
increase DHS's detention capacity.
  Madam Chair, this amendment is critical. Just a few months ago, we 
learned that DHS transferred $169 million from other agencies to U.S. 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain and remove people.
  Madam Chair, $10 million of that money came from FEMA, diverting 
funds from the disaster relief agency at the start of the hurricane 
season when Hurricane Florence was heading toward the East Coast; $1.8 
million of that diverted money came from the Domestic Nuclear Detention 
Office; $29 million was taken out from the Coast Guard's budget; and 
over $34 million came from several TSA programs. That is simply 
unacceptable.
  ICE continues to spend far above its appropriated funding to detain 
people, but these funds are being transferred from other critical 
agencies, in clear violation of congressionally mandated funding.
  As of January 1, more than 48,000 people were being held in ICE 
custody, even though they only have funding appropriated by Congress to 
detain 40,520 people. In the last appropriations act passed by this 
Chamber, we provided funding to ICE with the understanding that the 
funding amount would, ``require ICE to reduce the number of detention 
beds,'' in use before the end of the year.
  We clearly stated our intent to ICE, yet ICE has chosen to ignore the 
mandates of the United States Congress again and again.
  Moreover, the Government Accountability Office has found a number of 
inconsistencies and errors in ICE's own calculations for its 
congressional budget justifications. While ICE officials stated their 
budget documents undergo multiple reviews to ensure accuracy, ICE was 
not able to provide any documentation of such reviews, and the GAO 
concluded that ``ICE is not positioned to ensure the credibility of its 
budget requests.''
  If the GAO concludes that ICE is not positioned to ensure the 
credibility of its own requests, then we need to be doing a better job 
of checking for accuracy and exercising oversight.
  And, most of all, we need to make sure that these funds that are 
being appropriated for disaster relief stay for disaster relief.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Idaho is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Chair, first of all, there are no funds in this 
bill to expand or build detention facilities.
  There are no funds in this bill to expand or build detention 
facilities.

[[Page H656]]

  There are no funds in this bill to expand or build detention 
facilities.
  But let me get this straight, see if I have got it straight. We don't 
want to enhance border security to stop people from coming across the 
border illegally. We have got immigration courts being overrun. And we 
don't want to have the necessary facilities to keep those people 
because they can't get into the immigration courts right away.
  What exactly do you want us to do?
  Just because Congress says, Hey, I am only giving you funding for 
40,000 people. What if 100,000 people come across the border illegally? 
What do you expect us to do?
  You have no answers, except: No, no, don't detain them.
  Just let them go?
  I know how we can reduce the cost of prisons in this country. Let's 
only appropriate enough money to house 100,000 prisoners. Regardless of 
the crimes they have committed or anything else, I am only going to 
fund 100,000. Above that, just let them go.
  I don't get it. I don't know where the heck we are coming from on 
this. All this does is put another poison pill in this bill that will 
make it much more difficult to pass and will ensure that the Senate 
will never take it up, which I doubt they will anyway.
  To me, I just don't understand what the heck is going on here. We all 
know what the answer to this shutdown is. Every one of us, in our 
heart, knows what the answer is. It is a compromise. And a compromise 
means both sides give some and get some. That is the nature of a 
compromise.
  That means there are going to be parts in it that I don't like, but I 
am going to end up voting for it. That means there are going to be 
parts in it you don't like, but you need to end up voting for it.
  Anyway, we need to get back to opening this government and quit 
putting these poison pills and this nonsense in this bill.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. Members are reminded to address their remarks to 
the Chair.
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Madam Chair, I am going to yield to my colleague in just 
a second. But this should be easy to vote for because you yourself said 
there is nothing in here that provides funding for detentions. So I 
look forward to seeing the gentleman vote for my amendment because, 
actually, then you are saying there is no problem here, we are going to 
make sure that these funds actually go where they are supposed to, to 
disaster relief.
  That is all I am saying in this amendment is let's make sure that the 
funds we appropriate go to disaster relief, which is necessary, and 
States across the country--certainly in my part of the country--
wildfires, hurricanes--we have lots of issues we have got to deal with 
here.
  So, given that the gentleman just started his remarks with multiple 
statements saying there is nothing in this bill that would allow for 
this, I look forward to seeing your yes vote on my amendment.
  Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Espaillat).
  The Acting CHAIR. Members are again reminded to address their remarks 
to the Chair.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Chair, I rise in support of this amendment and 
want to thank Ms. Jayapal for allowing me time to speak in support.
  As she outlined, this amendment would restrict the Department of 
Homeland Security from using any emergency funds from being 
reprogrammed to add beds at immigration detention centers.
  Last year, during the historic hurricane season that ravaged Puerto 
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and parts of Texas, the White House 
brazenly shifted millions of dollars slated for recovery to Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement in order to fund the immoral detention of 
refugees and other immigrants as part of its horrible zero tolerance 
policy.
  Throughout the Gulf Coast, but especially in Puerto Rico and the 
Virgin Islands, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. 
Businesses must reopen, power infrastructure needs to be restored and 
made more resilient, and communities must be rebuilt, yet President 
Trump is threatening to declare a phony national emergency so he can 
take these critical funds and put them toward a useless, medieval wall 
and other components of his cruel immigration policies.
  I am happy to support this amendment, Madam Chair.
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Madam Chair, let me just say how pleased I am that we 
are on the same page, that disaster relief funding should go to 
disaster relief; it should not go to expanding detention beds, which 
are already oversubscribed.
  So I hope that the other side will be happy to vote yes on this 
amendment. And I would just say we are happy to have a discussion about 
immigration and all of the things we need to do to reform our 
immigration system at the right time.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Chair, may I inquire how much time I have 
remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Idaho has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Chair, I would just say that the argument I just 
heard is kind of ridiculous. If what we are going to do is list 
everything this bill, these funds, can't be spent on, I don't think we 
should be able to give any of this money to NASA to put a man on the 
moon.
  We could list everything that the Federal Government does except 
these things and say we have to specify it in the bill.
  No. This is a poison pill.
  Again, I didn't hear an answer. What do you expect to do when these 
people come across the border illegally? What if they are waiting for 
hearings and stuff and the courts are just being flooded?
  There are no answers. You have no answers. This is a bad amendment. 
Just trying to make a statement.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. Members are reminded to address their remarks to 
the Chair.
  The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Ms. Jayapal).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 13 Offered by Mr. Sablan

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 13 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 44, line 23, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $16,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) and a Member opposed each 
will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment that 
increases funding for the Marianas Medicaid block grant.
  Our islands were struck by two catastrophic weather events late last 
year. Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall September 10, and on September 29 
the President declared a major disaster for the islands of Saipan, 
Tinian, and Rota.
  While recovery from Mangkhut was still ongoing, super Typhoon Yutu, 
the second most powerful storm ever in United States history, struck. 
Yutu caused widespread destruction of homes, businesses, public 
facilities, and infrastructure. On October 26, the President declared a 
second major disaster for our islands.
  Yutu also brought death.
  Never in anyone's memory has a typhoon caused death in our islands, 
but one person died during Yutu and another in a storm-related 
accident. Over 130 people were injured.
  Our only hospital, which has just 75 beds, packed people into the 
emergency room to stitch up wounds; remove glass and flying debris from 
legs, arms, and faces; and attend to those who needed dialysis or other 
treatment, while waiting days for power to be restored.
  Medicaid provides one-quarter of the revenue for the hospital and 
health insurance for 30 percent of our population, but there is a cap 
on how much Medicaid funding is available to the Marianas. When a storm 
strikes, the program has to steal from tomorrow to pay for today.

[[Page H657]]

  The disaster appropriation the House passed on December 21, generous 
though it was, provided no money for Medicaid for the Marianas.
  Chairwoman Lowey, recognizing the lapse, added $20 million in H.R. 
268 for the Marianas Medicaid program to be available for the rest of 
the year. After her bill was drafted, however, the Centers for Medicare 
and Medicaid Services, CMS, informed appropriations staff that the 
Marianas can actually use $36 million in the wake of the typhoons.
  Following that advice from CMS, I am offering an amendment that adds 
$16 million to the original bill, bringing total assistance for the 
rest of the year to the recommended $36 million.
  Madam Chair, I ask my colleagues for their support of my amendment 
and of the underlying bill, H.R. 268. The $36 million I am requesting, 
by adding $16 million to the $20 million already in the bill, is what 
CMS told Chairwoman Lowey's staff that the Marianas can spend this year 
in the aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut and super Typhoon Yutu.

                              {time}  1645

  Madam Chair, I include in the Record a recent news report, ``From 
Something to Nothing,'' published in the Honolulu Civil Beat.

  `From Something To Nothing': Life In Saipan After Super Typhoon Yutu

                        (By Anita Hofschneider)

       Chalan Kanoa, Saipan.--Elkanah Igisaiar watches her 
     daughter climb onto an old car and lift herself up onto the 
     branches of a tree. It's late afternoon on the Wednesday 
     before Christmas and Igisaiar is sitting in a plastic chair 
     outside at her family's compound in this tiny village in 
     southern Saipan.
       The cluster of homes down the street from the island's 
     cathedral is where her family has lived for generations.
       But since Super Typhoon Yutu blew through her neighborhood 
     in October, her mother's house is uninhabitable--and their 
     street is now a cluster of tents.
       ``Most of us are not really ready to talk about the 
     storm,'' says Igisaiar, 27. ``We are just kind of in 
     disbelief that we went from something to nothing.''
       Two months after the worst storm to hit the U.S. since 
     1935, thousands of people like Igisaiar are still sleeping in 
     tents or outdoors. They're waiting for electricity to go back 
     on. And they are wondering how they'll afford to rebuild 
     their homes even if they are lucky enough to get some federal 
     aid.
       Despite the severity of the storm, there's been little news 
     media coverage of what life is like in its aftermath. The 
     islands are thousands of miles away from the mainland U.S. 
     and the storm had only one reported casualty.
       But the low death toll belies how drastically Yutu 
     continues to affect thousands of people.
       Before Yutu, there were fewer than 100 homeless people 
     sleeping outdoors on the island of Saipan, the capital of the 
     U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Despite 
     widespread poverty--more than half of the community was below 
     the U.S. poverty line and the median income was $19,201 in 
     2016--it was rare to see people living in tents.
       But overnight, the storm displaced an estimated 15,000 to 
     17,000 people, more than a quarter of the commonwealth's 
     population of about 55,000 people.
       Severe storms are common in the Mariana Islands, an 
     archipelago in the western Pacific that includes Guam. Three 
     years ago, another storm downed half of Saipan's power poles, 
     leaving some families without electricity for three months.
       The expectation that every year will bring extreme weather 
     events means government buildings and schools are built from 
     concrete to withstand strong winds.
       More than 80 percent of houses had concrete walls as of 
     2016, and more than half had concrete roofs. Locals are well-
     versed in the annual rituals of buying nonperishable food, 
     filling buckets of water and boarding up windows to protect 
     them from flying debris.
       But Yutu exceeded expectations.
       Its 180-mph sustained winds with gusts over 200 mph broke 
     the National Weather Service's wind instruments, flipped over 
     containers and ripped off thousands of roofs. Families hid 
     beneath cabinets, under beds and inside bathrooms to stay 
     safe. Even elderly people who had survived countless typhoons 
     on the islands say they feared for their lives. One woman was 
     killed by a collapsing building.
       Igisaiar was in her second-floor apartment during the 
     storm, watching roofs flying off her neighbors' homes. She 
     saw one family trying to escape their house, temporarily 
     blocked by a huge piece of tin that flew onto their doorway. 
     As they crawled underneath to get out, Igisaiar's boyfriend 
     went downstairs to urge them to hide in their apartment.
       By the time the sun rose, Igisaiar says several neighbors 
     were sheltering with her, her boyfriend and four children.
       The storm damaged so many public schools that students 
     didn't have classes for more than a month and still only have 
     half-days. The tourism-based economy came to a standstill, 
     with fewer than 6,000 visitors in November, down from 48,000 
     the previous year.
       Two months later, debris has been cleared from many 
     villages and the economy is rebounding. It's once again 
     common to see tourists on the sidewalks and their bubble-gum-
     colored convertible rental cars on the roads.
       But on the southern side of Saipan and throughout the 
     neighboring island of Tinian, families are still sifting 
     through the wreckage of their lives, sleeping outdoors and 
     waiting for the electricity to be turned back on. The storm 
     destroyed or severely damaged more than 5,000 houses, some of 
     which were home to multiple families.
       And unlike disasters on the U.S. mainland, victims can't 
     just drive to the next county to find another place to live.
       There aren't enough undamaged units on the islands of 
     Saipan and Tinian to house everyone who has been displaced. 
     Instead of handing out rental subsidies like they did after 
     Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Florence, federal disaster 
     responders have passed out more than 1,700 tents along with 
     military rations.
       ``When you've been hit like this, things get real primal 
     real fast and we understand that so our objective is to 
     provide a safe and sanitary living arrangement,'' says Victor 
     Inge, a FEMA spokesman based on Saipan.
       The housing shortage is so severe that FEMA is calling 
     families and offering to buy them plane tickets out of the 
     islands. So far, 29 households have taken advantage of the 
     program and have booked tickets to Hawaii and other states.
       But even though more than 3,600 people are eligible to 
     leave, the vast majority are choosing to stay. Igisaiar's 
     family is Carolinian, an indigenous Micronesian community 
     that sailed in canoes to the Marianas in the 19th century 
     after a typhoon devastated the Caroline Islands.
       Although Yutu was the worst storm she's seen in her life, 
     Igisaiar says she wouldn't leave the Marianas even if FEMA 
     gave her money to do so.
       She doesn't want her kids to miss more school. She's 
     worried about their house.
       ``If we leave, there's nothing that can be done with our 
     house,'' Igisaiar says. ``If we go, how are we going to get 
     the assistance?''


                       The Hazards of Cleaning Up

       Igisaiar felt lucky at first. She didn't lose her roof. But 
     the next day she says her landlord asked her to move out 
     anyway because of the hazards posed by the damaged apartment 
     building.
       They took just their clothes and one bed, leaving their 
     children's beds and their refrigerator. They drove to what 
     was left of the house of her mother, Rufina Angui, in Chalan 
     Kanoa.
       The U.S. military built the house out of wood and tin 30 
     years ago after Typhoon Kim destroyed the previous house, 
     Rufina Angui says.
       Angui was 27 then. Now 57, it's the first time in her life 
     that she's been homeless. The heat and the mosquitoes aren't 
     the only challenge--the lack of power means she can't use the 
     breathing machine she relies on to help with her sleep apnea.
       Angui only recently moved back to the house and started 
     sleeping in the tent. During and immediately after the 
     typhoon, she stayed at her brother's house, which is 
     concrete, while Igisaiar and her boyfriend tried to fix up 
     the Chalan Kanoa house.
       It was too dangerous to sleep inside the broken house at 
     first, so Igisaiar and her boyfriend lay pallets outside and 
     secured a tarp over them to block the rain. Igisaiar's 
     boyfriend, a construction worker, missed work for three weeks 
     to help clean up. They stacked plywood, tin and debris in 
     separate piles along the roadside.
       Even though there were shelters available, they slept 
     outside and cleaned. They worried about missing their FEMA 
     inspection if they weren't around. Plus, who would fix up 
     what was left of the house if they weren't there?
       But increasingly Igisaiar realized fixing the house was an 
     impossible task. The mold made her sick--it started with a 
     cough but progressed to a sinus infection until she couldn't 
     hear or smell well.
       When Angui saw her three weeks after the storm, her 
     daughter was so weak that she was having a hard time 
     breathing. Igisaiar didn't want to leave her kids, but Angui 
     convinced her to go to the hospital.


                          Exacerbating Poverty

       The first 24 hours after the storm, no one went to the 
     emergency room of the hospital on Saipan. And then suddenly 
     the ER was flooded with twice as many patients as on a normal 
     day--so many that there weren't enough beds in the ER.
       The flow of injuries has slowed over the past two months 
     but hospital officials say that the disaster has illuminated 
     the major gaps in health care coverage. Temporary clinics set 
     up in devastated villages revealed that nearly half of 
     patients were uninsurable because they were guest workers, 
     undocumented immigrants or citizens of Pacific island nations 
     who are ineligible for Medicaid.
       Esther Muna, the CEO of the local public hospital, says 
     she's currently most worried about mental illnesses. She's 
     seen patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and 
     depression and says there's been a spate of recent suicides.
       Food safety is another concern. Commonwealth officials say 
     they had just reached

[[Page H658]]

     their goal of providing 24-hour water to all villages on 
     Saipan in September, and storm damage has set them back 
     again.
       Many locals say that the U.S. government's response to Yutu 
     is much better than it was for Soudelor, another powerful 
     storm that hit Saipan three years ago.
       But a speedy recovery is hindered by the islands' distance 
     from the rest of the U.S. The Mariana Islands are at least an 
     eight-hour flight from Hawaii, not including a stop in Guam. 
     Disaster responders have to ship in everything from concrete 
     poles to tents, lumber, tin, wire, transformers, even screws.
       It's even harder to reach the island of Tinian, which is 
     between Guam and Saipan and home to about 3,500 people, 
     similar to the island of Lanai in Hawaii.
       The entire island was engulfed by the eye of the storm. At 
     the commuter airport on Saipan that facilitates flights to 
     Tinian, airplanes were destroyed, preventing travel for days. 
     Passengers now buy tickets from a makeshift airport building 
     made out of containers and tents.
       Staff of the Tinian Health Center, an outpost of the public 
     hospital, hid in the radiology room to survive the storm. 
     Ninety percent of the 35-member staff lost their homes, Muna 
     says.


                         things could be worse

       Things have been a lot easier ever since Igisaiar got back 
     from the ER. She wishes she remembered the name of the doctor 
     who helped her and got her family a tent to sleep in.
       Sleeping inside the tent is a huge improvement over 
     sleeping under the tarp, even though it's hot during the day.
       Life now consists of waiting. Waiting until FEMA tells her 
     mother and aunt how much money they qualify for, waiting 
     until they can figure out what to do with the house and how 
     much it will cost to rebuild it.
       She's thought about selling her families' goats--they have 
     seven, with names like Olaf and Elsa. But she wants to keep 
     them because her kids love them. Plus, in Carolinian culture 
     you're supposed to value gifts more than things you buy.
       She thought about applying to FEMA for funds to make up for 
     losing their cell phones and appliances when their apartment 
     flooded during the typhoon. But she decided against it.
       ``For me, those are nothing,'' she says. ``There are other 
     people that just totally lost everything so why not give it 
     to the people that need it the most?''
       She did apply for money from the Red Cross and used the 
     $750 to buy school supplies and clothes for her kids.
       Every morning, she goes to buy ice so that her kids can 
     have cold water. She spends the day watching her children and 
     helping her mom. They have even started volunteering at Empty 
     Vessel, a Christian social service organization that hands 
     out clothes to those in need.
       Angui says she's tired of eating canned goods, but the 
     family knows it's lucky to have food stamps.
     ``We're not hungry,'' Angui says.

  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Chair, I rise in support of Mr. Sablan's 
amendment. As chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services and 
Education Appropriations Subcommittee, I believe we must ensure 
Americans can access vital health programs, especially in times of dire 
need.
  Yet, after terrible typhoons, Americans in the Northern Marianas 
could see Medicaid run out. Unlike States, territories have finite 
pools of Medicaid funding, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services estimates the Northern Marianas needs $36 million to maintain 
care for Medicaid patients, up from $20 million, which we provided in 
the underlying bill.
  Mr. Sablan's amendment would provide that additional $16 million. We 
have an obligation to help Americans in Middletown, Connecticut, and, 
yes, the Northern Marianas access Medicaid as well, especially when 
they need it the most.
  Madam Chair, I strongly support the amendment.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, I have no further statements to make. I ask 
for support of my amendment and the underlying bill, H.R. 268, and I 
yield back the balance of my time
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                 Amendment No. 14 Offered by Mr. Sablan

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 14 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 6, line 13, insert ``(increased by $15,000,000)'' 
     after the dollar amount.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentleman from 
the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) and a Member opposed each 
will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands.
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Chair, my second amendment to this Supplemental 
Appropriations Act increases emergency food assistance for the 
Marianas.
  As I explained earlier, our islands were struck by not one, but two 
typhoons last year, one right after another--Typhoon Mangkhut and Super 
Typhoon Yutu, the second most powerful storm ever in U.S. history.
  Within the first 30 days after Yutu, our local food stamp program had 
incurred costs of $10.2 million. That money helped families replace the 
food they lost in the storms when their homes lost roofs and water 
poured in and electricity and refrigeration were cut off.
  Over 40,000 people, out of our total population of 54,000, received 
help in that first month, according to the Department of Agriculture's 
Food and Nutrition Service. H.R. 268 replaces that first month's 
expenditure with an appropriation of $10.2 million.
  I thank Chair Lowey for recognizing the need, but beyond that first 
month of emergency, more is needed.
  The Marianas is not part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program, SNAP. Instead, we receive a block grant from the Federal 
Government. With the block grant, there is no reserve, as with SNAP. 
When disaster strikes, not only is money used up faster than planned on 
the front end, future costs also rise until families get back on their 
feet.
  Madam Chair, I have no official projection of the ongoing costs, 
because Agriculture employees are furloughed. But just before the 
lights went out, my staff learned that about 20 percent of the people 
who received food assistance right after the storm were expected to 
remain eligible.
  If these projections hold true, total caseload will double from 3,000 
households to 6,000 households. The $15 million in my amendment will 
provide a little over 6 months of funding for those newly eligible 
households until their incomes can recover.
  If $15 million proves too generous, which I very much doubt, the 
Secretary has authority to grant only as much as needed to respond to 
the disaster caused by Typhoon Mangkhut and Super Typhoon Yutu. I ask 
my colleagues for their support of my amendment and of H.R. 268.
  Madam Chair, again, because the Marianas is not part of SNAP, there 
is no contingency funding to absorb the costs of this disaster. With 
more families eligible for assistance, unless we make more funds 
available, benefits will have to be cut across the board. That is not a 
right way to respond when people are trying to put their lives back 
together so they can support themselves and their families again.
  Madam Chair, I ask my colleagues to support my amendment making 
another $15 million available so these families have enough food. I 
urge your support for the underlying bill as well, and I yield back the 
balance of my time
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan).
  The amendment was agreed to.


     Amendment No. 15 Offered by Miss Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 15 
printed in part B of House Report 116-2.
  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto Rico. Madam Chair, I rise as the 
designee of the gentlewoman from American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen), and I 
have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 5, line 23, insert ``(increased by $5,000,000)'' after 
     the dollar amount.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 43, the gentlewoman 
from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon) and a Member opposed each will 
control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico.
  Miss GONZALEZ-COLON of Puerto Rico. Madam Chair, today, I rise to 
offer an amendment to increase the nutritional assistance funding 
amount of

[[Page H659]]

the bill by $5 million so the bill can include American Samoa in the 
emergency appropriation due to the damage caused by Cyclone Gita in 
February of last year.
  The 100 mile-per-hour winds of Cyclone Gita wiped out an entire 
growing season for the American Samoan people, a rural community that 
largely depends on subsistence farming. Staple crops of bananas, 
breadfruit, and taro were lost wholesale, which led to an enormous 
drain on the islands' small nutritional assistance grant.
  These funds are vital to sustain the basic local population and help 
fulfill the basic nutritional assistance needs of the American Samoan 
population. By approving this amendment, approximately 6,000 people in 
the territory will benefit and will have greater access to food 
security.
  Madam Chair, I believe that including American Samoa in the disaster 
bill will do what the people need there. I ask for your support for 
this emergency provision to benefit the people of American Samoa, on 
behalf of Congresswoman Amata Radewagen. 
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).
  The amendment was agreed to.


  Vacating Demand for Recorded Vote on Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. 
                                Stewart

  Mr. STEWART. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent that the request 
for a recorded vote on my amendment be withdrawn to the end that the 
Chair put the question de novo.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Utah?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. McGovern

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, the unfinished 
business is the demand for a recorded vote on amendment No. 2 printed 
in part B of House Report 116-2 offered by the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) on which further proceedings were 
postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The Acting CHAIR. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 230, 
noes 197, not voting 12, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 37]

                               AYES--230

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Amash
     Axne
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brown (MD)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Case
     Casten (IL)
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu, Judy
     Cicilline
     Cisneros
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Cox (CA)
     Craig
     Crist
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny K.
     Dean
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Delgado
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Engel
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Finkenauer
     Fitzpatrick
     Fletcher
     Foster
     Frankel
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Golden
     Gomez
     Gonzalez (TX)
     Gonzalez-Colon (PR)
     Gottheimer
     Green (TX)
     Grijalva
     Haaland
     Harder (CA)
     Hastings
     Hayes
     Heck
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill (CA)
     Himes
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Jackson Lee
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (TX)
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Khanna
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster (NH)
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Levin (CA)
     Levin (MI)
     Lewis
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan
     Luria
     Lynch
     Malinowski
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McAdams
     McBath
     McCollum
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Moore
     Morelle
     Moulton
     Mucarsel-Powell
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Norcross
     Norton
     O'Halleran
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Plaskett
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Raskin
     Rice (NY)
     Richmond
     Rose (NY)
     Rouda
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan
     Sablan
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Shalala
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Sires
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Speier
     Stanton
     Stevens
     Suozzi
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres Small (NM)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Underwood
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wexton
     Wild
     Yarmuth

                               NOES--197

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Bergman
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Bost
     Brady
     Brindisi
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budd
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chabot
     Cheney
     Cline
     Cloud
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Comer
     Conaway
     Cook
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Cunningham
     Curtis
     Davidson (OH)
     Davis, Rodney
     DesJarlais
     Duffy
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Emmer
     Estes
     Ferguson
     Fleischmann
     Flores
     Fortenberry
     Foxx (NC)
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Gianforte
     Gibbs
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez (OH)
     Gooden
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hagedorn
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hern, Kevin
     Herrera Beutler
     Hice (GA)
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill (AR)
     Holding
     Hollingsworth
     Horn, Kendra S.
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Hunter
     Hurd (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Katko
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Kim
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger
     Kustoff (TN)
     LaHood
     Lamb
     Lamborn
     Latta
     Lesko
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Marchant
     Marshall
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     Meadows
     Meuser
     Miller
     Mitchell
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Newhouse
     Norman
     Nunes
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Pence
     Perry
     Peterson
     Posey
     Ratcliffe
     Reed
     Reschenthaler
     Rice (SC)
     Riggleman
     Roby
     Rodgers (WA)
     Roe, David P.
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose, John W.
     Rouzer
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Shimkus
     Simpson
     Slotkin
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Spano
     Stauber
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Taylor
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Timmons
     Tipton
     Turner
     Upton
     Van Drew
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walker
     Walorski
     Waltz
     Watkins
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Woodall
     Wright
     Yoho
     Young
     Zeldin

                             NOT VOTING--12

     Jones
     LaMalfa
     Marino
     Massie
     Mast
     McEachin
     Payne
     Radewagen
     Rooney (FL)
     San Nicolas
     Sensenbrenner
     Wilson (FL)

                              {time}  1726

  Mr. PENCE, Ms. SLOTKIN, Messrs. CRAWFORD, UPTON, McKINLEY, and Ms. 
GRANGER changed their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The Acting CHAIR. There being no further amendments, the Committee 
rises.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Ms. 
DeGette) having assumed the chair, Ms. Plaskett, Acting Chair of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 268) 
making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 2019, and for other purposes, and, pursuant to House Resolution 43, 
she reported the bill, as amended by that resolution, back to the House 
with sundry further amendments adopted in the Committee of the Whole.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is 
ordered.
  Is a separate vote demanded on any further amendment reported from 
the

[[Page H660]]

Committee of the Whole? If not, the Chair will put them en gros.
  The amendments were agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third 
reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Mr. DUNN. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
  Mr. DUNN. Yes, in its current form.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Dunn moves to recommit the bill H.R. 268 to the 
     Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report the 
     same back to the House forthwith with the following 
     amendment:
       Strike title XII.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. DUNN. Madam Speaker, this motion to recommit strikes title 12 
from the bill, H.R. 268. This was inserted by Democratic leadership at 
the eleventh hour today. Title 12 is a continuing resolution, meaning 
it will never be taken up or passed by the Senate; it will never be 
signed by the President.
  Three months ago, Hurricane Michael devastated north Florida, 
Georgia, and Alabama. Five months ago, Hurricane Florence caused severe 
damage in all of the Carolinas. Wildfires in California, all fall long, 
caused billions of dollars in damage and took almost 100 lives. 
Typhoons and volcanos in Hawaii and the American trust territories also 
caused savage destruction. Disaster victims across the Nation are in 
dire need of our help right now.
  Today, we will be voting on a bill that we had been told would be a 
stand-alone emergency funding bill, addressing only the 2018 disasters, 
unencumbered by hot button, divisive issues. Unfortunately, we are 
voting on a very different bill. House Democrat leadership pulled a 
bait-and-switch at the last minute and made this otherwise good bill 
into an attack on President Trump.
  Madam Speaker, my people at home are hurting. I worked hard on this 
bill. I truly believed that we were having a good faith conversation on 
how to help suffering victims all across our Nation.
  Instead, House Democrats chose to play political games rather than 
help our victims. They knew full well, when they inserted this poison 
pill continuing resolution at the eleventh hour, that they doomed any 
chance of this bill passing the Senate, and yet they did just that. It 
is now dead on arrival in the Senate.
  I have people back home, in my district, sleeping in tents, in the 
cold, in the rain, because FEMA housing has not yet arrived.
  I lost two hospitals. One was a level two trauma center. That has 
never happened in the history of the country.
  I have sheriff's deputies who are homeless, but they are still 
working. They are still performing their duties. They are still 
protecting and serving the people. You would like to think that 
Congress could follow their example.
  Madam Speaker, the people of America have lost a great deal of faith 
in their government over the years. But the one thing that they still 
believe in is that when a disaster strikes, their government will come 
to their aid. And now we are letting them down on even that simple 
promise.
  I won't allow the people of north Florida, suffering after Hurricane 
Michael, to be used as political pawns against the President. That is 
why I urge all Members of this House to support the motion to recommit. 
We can remove the bitterly divisive part of this bill and pass a truly 
bipartisan, compassionate bill that provides urgently needed relief to 
millions of people across all of our Nation and our territories, who 
are desperate for that relief. After we address this disaster, we can 
work on a compromise to address border security and reopen the rest of 
the government.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the motion to recommit, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to 
recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from New York is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, in fact, I am not even sure I heard 
correctly. Trump, the President, opposes the dollar amount in the bill 
because the only emergency is building the wall? Did I hear that 
correctly, my friends?
  Madam Speaker, this shutdown, frankly, has gone on long enough. 
Perhaps, my good friends don't know the people who are suffering, who 
are living paycheck to paycheck and who have to worry about taking care 
of their kids. It is really puzzling to me that a statement like that 
is being made tonight.
  My friends, this shutdown has gone on long enough. This motion to 
recommit would only further prolong the shutdown and the suffering and 
the people who are really victims of this action.
  The bill we are voting on today is very similar to the same package 
that my Republican colleagues voted on back on December 21.
  H.R. 268 provides disaster relief to those communities affected by 
hurricanes, wildfires, typhoons, other natural disasters, and it funds 
the entire government through February 8. In fact, this package 
provides even more relief to those disaster-affected communities 
following the adoption of the bipartisan and Republican amendments here 
today. The only component that is not in this package that my friends 
on the other side of the aisle voted for in December is the President's 
wall money.
  So, to use this MTR to further delay the government, this doesn't 
make any sense to me at all, because this package being delayed is 
unconscionable. Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues 
to oppose the motion to recommit, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the motion to recommit.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. DUNN. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 5-
minute vote on the motion to recommit will be followed by a 5-minute 
vote on the passage of the bill.
  This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 193, 
noes 231, not voting 9, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 38]

                               AYES--193

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amash
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Bergman
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Bost
     Brady
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budd
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chabot
     Cheney
     Cline
     Cloud
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Comer
     Conaway
     Cook
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Curtis
     Davidson (OH)
     Davis, Rodney
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Duffy
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Emmer
     Estes
     Ferguson
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Flores
     Fortenberry
     Foxx (NC)
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Gianforte
     Gibbs
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez (OH)
     Gooden
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hagedorn
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hern, Kevin
     Herrera Beutler
     Hice (GA)
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill (AR)
     Holding
     Hollingsworth
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Hunter
     Hurd (TX)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Katko
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger
     Kustoff (TN)
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Latta
     Lesko
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Marchant
     Marshall
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     Meadows
     Meuser
     Miller
     Mitchell
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Newhouse
     Norman
     Nunes
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Pence
     Perry
     Posey
     Ratcliffe
     Reed
     Reschenthaler
     Rice (SC)
     Riggleman
     Roby
     Rodgers (WA)
     Roe, David P.
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose, John W.
     Rouzer
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Shimkus
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Spano
     Stauber
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Stewart

[[Page H661]]


     Stivers
     Taylor
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Timmons
     Tipton
     Turner
     Upton
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walker
     Walorski
     Waltz
     Watkins
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Woodall
     Wright
     Yoho
     Young
     Zeldin

                               NOES--231

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Axne
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brindisi
     Brown (MD)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Case
     Casten (IL)
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu, Judy
     Cicilline
     Cisneros
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Cox (CA)
     Craig
     Crist
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny K.
     Dean
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Delgado
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Engel
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Finkenauer
     Fletcher
     Foster
     Frankel
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Golden
     Gomez
     Gonzalez (TX)
     Gottheimer
     Green (TX)
     Grijalva
     Haaland
     Harder (CA)
     Hastings
     Hayes
     Heck
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill (CA)
     Himes
     Horn, Kendra S.
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Jackson Lee
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (TX)
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Khanna
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kim
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster (NH)
     Lamb
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Levin (CA)
     Levin (MI)
     Lewis
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan
     Luria
     Lynch
     Malinowski
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McAdams
     McBath
     McCollum
     McEachin
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Moore
     Morelle
     Moulton
     Mucarsel-Powell
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Norcross
     O'Halleran
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Raskin
     Rice (NY)
     Richmond
     Rose (NY)
     Rouda
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Shalala
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Sires
     Slotkin
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Speier
     Stanton
     Stevens
     Suozzi
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres Small (NM)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Underwood
     Van Drew
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--9

     Jones
     Marino
     Massie
     Mast
     Payne
     Rooney (FL)
     Sensenbrenner
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). There are 2 minutes 
remaining.

                              {time}  1747

  Mr. LAMB changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  So the motion to recommit was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  Pursuant to clause 10 of rule XX, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 237, 
nays 187, not voting 9, as follows

                             [Roll No. 39]

                               YEAS--237

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Axne
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brindisi
     Brown (MD)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Case
     Casten (IL)
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Cicilline
     Cisneros
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Cox (CA)
     Craig
     Crist
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny K.
     Dean
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Delgado
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Engel
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Finkenauer
     Fitzpatrick
     Fletcher
     Foster
     Frankel
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Golden
     Gomez
     Gonzalez (TX)
     Gottheimer
     Green (TX)
     Grijalva
     Haaland
     Harder (CA)
     Hastings
     Hayes
     Heck
     Herrera Beutler
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill (CA)
     Himes
     Horn, Kendra S.
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Hurd (TX)
     Jackson Lee
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (TX)
     Kaptur
     Katko
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Khanna
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kim
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster (NH)
     Lamb
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Levin (CA)
     Levin (MI)
     Lewis
     Lieu, Ted
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan
     Luria
     Lynch
     Malinowski
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McAdams
     McBath
     McCollum
     McEachin
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Moore
     Morelle
     Moulton
     Mucarsel-Powell
     Murphy
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Norcross
     O'Halleran
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Raskin
     Rice (NY)
     Richmond
     Rose (NY)
     Rouda
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Shalala
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Sires
     Slotkin
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Speier
     Stanton
     Stefanik
     Stevens
     Suozzi
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres Small (NM)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Underwood
     Van Drew
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wexton
     Wild
     Yarmuth

                               NAYS--187

     Abraham
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Amash
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Bergman
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Bost
     Brady
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budd
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Chabot
     Cheney
     Cline
     Cloud
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Comer
     Conaway
     Cook
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Curtis
     Davidson (OH)
     Davis, Rodney
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Duffy
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Emmer
     Estes
     Ferguson
     Fleischmann
     Flores
     Fortenberry
     Foxx (NC)
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Gianforte
     Gibbs
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez (OH)
     Gooden
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hagedorn
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hern, Kevin
     Hice (GA)
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill (AR)
     Holding
     Hollingsworth
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Hunter
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kinzinger
     Kustoff (TN)
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Latta
     Lesko
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Marchant
     Marshall
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     Meadows
     Meuser
     Miller
     Mitchell
     Moolenaar
     Mooney (WV)
     Mullin
     Newhouse
     Norman
     Nunes
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Pence
     Perry
     Posey
     Ratcliffe
     Reed
     Reschenthaler
     Rice (SC)
     Riggleman
     Roby
     Rodgers (WA)
     Roe, David P.
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose, John W.
     Rouzer
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Shimkus
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smucker
     Spano
     Stauber
     Steil
     Steube
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Taylor
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Timmons
     Tipton
     Turner
     Upton
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walker
     Walorski
     Waltz
     Watkins
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Woodall
     Wright
     Yoho
     Young
     Zeldin

                             NOT VOTING--9

     Chu, Judy
     Jones
     Marino
     Massie
     Mast
     Payne
     Rooney (FL)
     Sensenbrenner
     Wilson (FL)


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). There are 2 minutes 
remaining.

                              {time}  1754

  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated against:
  Mr. MASSIE. Madam Speaker, for final passage of H.R. 268, the 
Supplemental Appropriations Act, I am not recorded because I was

[[Page H662]]

absent on account of attending a U.S. Army Basic Combat Training 
graduation ceremony.
  Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 39.

                          ____________________