Congressional Record, Volume 165 Issue 9 (Wednesday, January 16, 2019)

[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

[[Page H627]]

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.

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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.

{time} 1445

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

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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)''.

[[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.

____________________