[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8273-8310]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2016


                             General Leave

  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2578, and that I may include 
tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 287 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. 2578.
  The Chair appoints the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mooney) to 
preside over the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  1403


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 2578) making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and 
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, with Mr. Mooney of West 
Virginia 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 gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson) and the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Today, I am very pleased to present to the House the fiscal year 2016 
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill 
with my colleague, Mr. Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania.
  I would like to begin by thanking my ranking member Chaka Fattah of 
Pennsylvania. It has been a pleasure to work with him. We have worked 
together closely on this legislation. I appreciate Mr. Fattah's 
approach to the bill. His input has improved the bill considerably. I 
look forward to working with him and all the members of the 
subcommittee as we move forward and go into conference with the Senate 
on this important legislation. I also want to thank Chairman Hal Rogers 
of Kentucky and Ranking Member Nita Lowey of New York for their help in 
putting this legislation together.
  This is my first year chairing the Commerce, Justice, Science, and 
Related Agencies Subcommittee. It is an extraordinarily important 
committee that oversees so many noble and worthwhile efforts that the 
Federal Government is engaged, both in preserving and protecting lives 
and property of the American people and advancing scientific research 
and space exploration.
  I am especially grateful to Chairman Hal Rogers for his trust in me 
in this extraordinarily important assignment. I want to thank him also 
for his generous allocation to this subcommittee. As the Congress under 
the Republican leadership has done our very best to live within our 
means, as every American must do, every business and every private 
citizen knows how important it is to only spend the money that you have 
on hand. Don't spend more than you have got. We have in this Republican 
Congress done our very best through the appropriations process to live 
within our means.
  Our subcommittee has--with that in mind, I am a personal follower of 
Dave Ramsey's advice. I do so in my personal life and try to do so in 
representing the people of west Houston--don't spend more money than 
you have got, and the money you have got you want to prioritize--and we 
have in this subcommittee prioritized the many agencies that we have 
responsibility for. In priority order, we have approached it with law 
enforcement number one and made sure that the FBI has got the resources 
they need to do their

[[Page 8274]]

job of protecting this Nation against terrorists and espionage, cyber 
espionage. They are a growing problem that we see in so many ways. The 
enemies of the United States have figured out how to hardwire Trojan 
horses and back doors into telecommunications equipment. The FBI has 
just done a spectacular job of protecting this Nation in the area of 
cyber espionage and terrorism, and we have made the FBI a top priority 
in this legislation and made sure that they have got all the money that 
they need to do their job.
  We have also prioritized the work the Department of Justice is doing 
in enforcing our laws. We have made sure that scientific research, 
space exploration are prioritized, and America will preserve its 
leadership in the world in space exploration.
  We have made sure that weather forecasting is funded and taken care 
of.
  Managing the Nation's fisheries is extraordinarily important.
  As you work down that list of priorities, we have made sure those at 
the top of the list are fully funded and those that tend to fall 
towards the bottom--we have just simply had to drop some programs that 
are no longer authorized, the length of time for which Congress 
approved them is expired, or they weren't fulfilling the function for 
which they were originally intended.
  But we in the bill before us today, Mr. Chairman, have provided $51.4 
billion in funding for this year, which is a $1.3 billion increase over 
last year but $661 million below the President's request. The 
President's budget assumed a number of tax increases and fee increases 
that are simply not going to happen. We, again, wanted to live within 
our means and do our very best to minimize the debt that we are passing 
on to our children and grandchildren, so we have done our best in this 
environment to fund the priority programs while reducing funding for 
activities that are not essential to the operations of the Federal 
Government.
  Once we have taken care of the FBI and made sure they have got the 
funding they need to protect this Nation in an era of evolving threats, 
we have also included funding, Mr. Chairman, for 55 new immigration 
judges. Our committee has jurisdiction over these executive branch 
judges who handle immigration cases. Because of the tremendous backlog 
of immigration cases, we have added 55 new immigration judges to reduce 
that backlog and made sure at the same time that we are providing for 
fully funding the U.S. Attorney's Offices, the Marshals Service, the 
Drug Enforcement Agency, the ATF--Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives--and our prison system.
  Now, for State and local law enforcement, Mr. Chairman, the 
subcommittee has increased funding for priority programs such as the 
Byrne Formula Program and the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program 
funding, which compensate State and local taxpayers for the cost of 
housing people who are in the country illegally and have committed 
criminal acts in violation of State law and are housed in State prison 
facilities--that is the responsibility of the Federal Government--and 
we have funded that program to the highest extent that we can.
  We have also funded youth mentoring programs, which have done such 
great work. We have created, in addition, Mr. Chairman, in this bill a 
$53 million community trust program that will fund police body cameras, 
body camera demonstration programs, and justice reinvestment 
initiatives.
  I want to say a special thanks to our Texas State Senator Royce West, 
who just concluded the Texas legislative session. Texas became the 
first State in the Union to pass legislation controlling when, where, 
and how body camera data can be provided to law enforcement or in a 
criminal trial to make sure to protect the privacy rights of 
individuals. We respect that. In our legislation we make sure that 
State law controls when, where, and how police body camera data will be 
used.
  We have also made sure, Mr. Chairman, that NASA is fully funded in 
this legislation. We have provided an $18.5 billion funding level this 
year for NASA, which is a $519 million increase and is equal to the 
request we received from the President.
  We have made sure to preserve America's leadership role in manned 
space exploration, planetary science, and made sure that we are also 
continuing to advance aeronautics research that NASA does such an 
extraordinarily important job in.
  We have funded the continued development of the Orion crew vehicle at 
the level asked for by the White House and increased our resources for 
the Space Launch System to speed up
when we will use that important launch system to get Americans back 
into orbit.
  We have made sure that the National Science Foundation is fully 
funded. We increased the funding level for the National Science 
Foundation by $50 million above the historically high level they had in 
last year's bill.
  We also included full funding for the very important BRAIN 
Initiative, which Ranking Member Fattah has championed over the years, 
which promises to unlock the secrets of the single most important organ 
in the human body and promises great things for the future.
  Mr. Chairman, we have also funded the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, prioritizing weather forecasting and 
fisheries management in particular.
  We made sure the Joint Polar Satellite System is funded, as well as 
the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite series.
  We have, though, in order to live within our allocation, had to 
reduce funding in some other areas, eliminating those that no longer 
were necessary, those whose authorizations had expired, and, in fact, 
cut funding for more than a dozen bureaus and agencies that can operate 
with a little less.
  Let me also point out in conclusion, Mr. Chairman, that we have in 
this legislation extraordinarily important oversight language that 
requires each agency under our jurisdiction to submit a spending plan 
to the subcommittee. We have capped the life cycle costs for poorly 
performing programs. And we have also withheld some funding for the 
Department of Justice until the new Attorney General can demonstrate to 
us that the inspector general's recommendations regarding sexual 
harassment and inappropriate conduct are being implemented. I cannot 
stress that highly enough. When I met with the new Attorney General, 
that was one of the first things I brought to her attention.
  We have also required, Mr. Chairman, that agencies that purchase very 
sensitive information technology or telecommunication systems conduct a 
supply chain risk assessment in consultation with the FBI to be sure 
that there are no hardwired Trojan horses or back doors in that 
communications equipment or computer equipment being purchased by the 
Federal Government in those agencies under our jurisdiction.
  We are also requiring quarterly reporting on immigration judge 
performance and requiring agencies to provide inspectors general with 
timely information.
  Finally, Mr. Chairman, I want to point out that our legislation today 
continues Second Amendment protections that have been built into the 
bill before. We have withheld funding, for example, to make sure that 
the United Nation's arms control treaty there has been some discussion 
about is not funded.
  We have also prohibited the transfer or housing of GTMO prisoners 
into the United States.
  But above all, the bottom line on this legislation is we want to 
ensure that the law as enacted by Congress is enforced. If an agency 
wants to have access to our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars, Mr. 
Chairman, they are going to need to demonstrate that they are enforcing 
the law as written by Congress, not based on some memorandum or some 
internal document. The law as written by Congress is fundamental to our 
entire system of government. Our liberty lies in the enforcement of 
law. It is the most fundamental principle of a republic. This great 
Nation was founded on that
principle that no one is above the law and the law shall be enforced 
equally and fairly to everybody with due process.

[[Page 8275]]

  Through our work on this subcommittee with the checks and balances 
that we have built into this legislation, the agencies under our 
jurisdiction are going to need to demonstrate that they are enforcing 
the law as written by Congress in order to entitle them to access to 
our taxpayers' very precious and hard-earned tax dollars.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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                              {time}  1415

  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me first, since this is my first appearance on the floor since 
the tragic news of the Vice President's son's death, offer my 
condolences. I am sure all of my colleagues and the people of 
Philadelphia consider the Biden family one of our own since they are 
nearby neighbors.
  I also want to offer my sincere condolences and concern for the 
people of Texas, given the tragedy of the deaths and the severe weather 
incidents there that have occasioned the flooding.
  We rise today in moving an appropriations bill, the Commerce, 
Justice, Science bill. The chairman and the ranking member from New 
York have assisted the subcommittee in its work. I want to thank the 
subcommittee chairman for all of the cooperation that has been 
extended.
  He has pointed to a number of the circumstances in which he has 
helped make sure that priorities that we were interested in were 
accommodated in the bill, and I want to talk a little bit about that.
  One is in the area of brain science, neuroscience. The BRAIN 
Initiative is critically important. We have some 50 million Americans 
suffering from brain-related diseases or disorders. Fifty million in a 
country of a little over 300 million is a very significant number.
  The diseases themselves, everything from Alzheimer's to epilepsy, 
autism, brain cancer--in the case of the Vice President's son--a whole 
host of challenges that cost our country in not just financial ways, 
but affect so many families.
  I want to thank the chairman for his continued cooperation and work 
with me on what I think is the most important area of scientific 
discovery that we need to be focused on as a nation.
  Also, in the area of youth mentoring, the work in terms of supporting 
our efforts to make sure that millions of the Nation's young people 
have the appropriate guidance that they need, such as the great 
congressionally chartered organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of 
America; the YMCA; and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, which is 
celebrating their 100th anniversary this month. I want to thank him for 
that.
  I could go on through a laundry list of areas, manufacturing and the 
like, in which we have worked very closely together; and there is 
nothing that could be improved upon in terms of the process between the 
interactions between the majority and the minority on this bill.
  There is an elephant in the room, no pun intended, in the sense that 
the majority has an absolute view about the budget allocations, given 
the Budget Control Act, and see that as something that limits our 
ability to meet the challenges of our great Nation.
  The minority has the view that we need to move away from that budget 
control agreement and move away from these automatic caps and meet the 
needs, as the Constitution indicated that the Appropriations 
Committee's job was, to meet the needs of our great Nation. We know 
that there are needs that are not going to be met.
  The chairman just talked about how important our system of laws were. 
Well, in this bill, we fall short, at least at this moment, of what we 
need to fully do to fund the Legal Services Corporation, which was 
established under a Republican administration; but it provides 
services, not to Democrats or Republicans, but to Americans all across 
our country, to provide access to the courts and to make sure that they 
can have due process in civil litigations. We know that we are short 
there.
  We have a constitutional responsibility to fund the Census. We are 
going to, at this moment, fall shy of that.
  Now, we hope that we will improve this bill. We can't improve the 
process, but we can improve the product as we go toward a conference 
with the Senate.
  There are areas related to NASA, even though we funded above $18 
billion, which is a historic commitment to NASA, that we still are not 
dealing with the pressing issues of fully funding Commercial Crew which 
requires--we have now paid out $500 million to our Russian counterparts 
to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, and we are 
going to have to continue that longer than we need to because we are 
not able, under the allocation, to meet our responsibilities and the 
needs on the Commercial Crew appropriations.
  Now, Galileo, 400 years ago, pointed us toward Europa. I agree with 
the chairman that the need to fully explore and to bring back a sample 
and to do everything else necessary to fully understand what the 
potential may be is an important effort, but also funding space 
technology and our Commercial Crew Program--and I know the chairman 
agrees with me--are going to be important efforts for us to try to 
improve in this bill as we go towards conference with the Senate.
  The minority can't shirk its responsibility to point out these 
shortcomings. Having pointed them out, I do want to make the point, 
though, that the working relationship is one that I think appropriately 
reflects the kind of process we want to have in the House. We want all 
views to be considered, and I know that every offering of a view from 
the minority has been fully considered by the chairman.
  I thank him, and I want to thank his staff, and I want to thank my 
staff of the committee because they have worked very hard for us to 
come to this moment.
  We are at a point in the process in which the majority will have its 
way. There eventually will be a Senate bill, but we also have to weigh 
in the administration's viewpoint in order to have a law of the land.
  The administration has issued a statement on this bill, and in 
appropriate ways, it compliments the subcommittee for its foresight on 
a range of points, but it also strongly recommends changes in 
directions in appropriations in a variety of areas that the 
administration thinks would hold our country back.
  I think that there is a lot to be said about fiscal prudence. We need 
to make sure that we are operating in a fiscally responsible way.
  This Nation at its founding, at the point in which we had to separate 
ourselves from the British, we borrowed a few dollars. It costs us 
something at almost every point in the history of our country, as in 
the case for most families and most businesses, in which you have to 
make investments and which sometimes those investments cause you to 
have an imbalance for a moment or for a period of time.
  There is a reason why we have mortgages, so that people can buy 
homes, and we invest in student loans so that young people can get an 
education. There is a need for our country, from time to time, to look 
beyond the immediate balance of the books to understand what our 
calling is.
  We say, sometimes, that we are an exceptional nation. Exceptionalism 
requires us to have some foresight. We know that this is an age of 
innovation and scientific discovery. Some have suggested that there is 
nothing new under the Sun, but we know that that is not so.
  Just in recent months, we found the largest volcano on Earth--just 
discovered. We found in drought-stricken parts of Africa, deep down 
underneath the earth, some of the largest aquifers of water. We have 
now discovered a warmblooded fish for the first time ever and a new 
species of bird in China. This is not an age in which discovery is not 
possible.
  This is a time for our country where we should be investing in 
science and innovation. We have a need to as a country, as I mentioned, 
of just some 300-million plus, when we compete against billion-plus 
populated countries like China and India, we can't afford to leave any 
of our young people in the shadows. We can't afford to not invest in 
science and innovation.
  I want to thank the chairman for what he has done. I want to tell him 
that we will continue to work with him as we go forward because I 
believe what we have here today is not a perfect bill, but the 
foundation for what will be, I think, the best Commerce, Justice, 
Science bill that could be produced.

[[Page 8282]]

  It is a beginning of that process, and I want to thank him. I look 
forward to the debate in the amendment process.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is my privilege to yield such time as 
he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the 
chairman of the full committee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank Chairman Culberson for yielding me 
the time.
  Mr. Chairman, I am proud to announce my support of this bill. It 
contains $51.4 billion for effective, proven programs within the 
Departments of Justice and Commerce, as well as NASA and the National 
Science Foundation. Within that total, funding is targeted at programs 
that are vital to our economic development, our public safety, and 
national security.
  These important programs, overall, receive a boost of $1.3 billion 
over last year, allowing us to make critical investments in law 
enforcement, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and science and research 
activities.
  For example, the legislation increases funding for the Department of 
Justice by $852 million above last year's levels, enhancing the way we 
protect and secure communities across the Nation. That increase will 
provide the FBI with greater resources to fight terrorism and cyber 
crime.
  It will also allow the DEA to amplify activities, including $372 
million to combat prescription drug abuse, what the CDC calls a 
national epidemic that is taking more lives than car wrecks.
  Funding is targeted to high-priority national grants with increases 
for violence against women programs and the Byrne JAG Program.
  The bill also creates a new community trust initiative that will help 
improve the safety of communities across the Nation and work to 
facilitate a supportive relationship between these local communities 
and the police. This includes funding for body camera pilots and 
research, training, justice reform efforts, and upgraded statistics 
collection.
  Mr. Chairman, the bill also directs funding toward key programs that 
will help secure America's role as the leader in scientific innovation, 
grow our economy, and promote job creation. For instance, NASA receives 
a $519 million increase above last year, keeping us on the forefront of 
the space frontier.
  The National Science Foundation receives a $50 million increase, 
directing funds to programs that will spur U.S. economic 
competitiveness. To help protect communities from devastating natural 
disasters, we provided $5.2 billion for NOAA to help boost weather 
warning and forecasting efforts.
  As with any appropriations bill, Mr. Chairman, the committee had to 
make some tough choices to live within a tight budget allocation, but 
that is what the Appropriations Committee does. We make hard decisions.
  I believe that this bill does that in a very responsible way, 
eliminating unnecessary or unneeded programs, reducing funding for 
other lower-priority programs. This sort of smart budgeting will help 
improve the way our government operates and show that we can live 
within our means.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to congratulate Chairman Culberson for his 
successful first go as chairman of this subcommittee. He wanted this 
tour and is happy to have it and is doing a good job with it, Mr. 
Chairman, and I am proud of him.
  I think he and Ranking Member Fattah and their subcommittee have 
drafted a good bill that I am proud to have before the House today. As 
always, I want to thank the staff for their tireless work in drafting 
and bringing this bill to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, this is the fourth appropriations bill we have brought 
to the floor this year, and I am glad we are progressing at a great 
pace on these very important bills.
  I am told that this is the earliest and quickest start to 
appropriations bills in recorded history. I am proud of the work that 
our committee is doing and, I think, doing good work.

                              {time}  1430

  So I urge my colleagues to continue this forward momentum and vote in 
favor of this very important and very well done Commerce, Justice, 
Science funding bill.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member and a great leader for 
our team on Appropriations.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I would like to take a moment to congratulate 
Chairman Culberson on his first Commerce, Justice, and Science bill, as 
well as Ranking Member Fattah and full committee Chairman Rogers for 
their efforts. I know how hard they worked to try and put together the 
best bill possible.
  Before I go further, I want to thank my friend, Ranking Member 
Fattah, and join him in expressing our heartfelt condolences to the 
Vice President on the loss of his son. I just can't imagine the pain 
that one feels at such a tragedy. I know our hearts and prayers go out 
to the Biden family.
  The pictures of the floods in Texas were so horrifying, and I know 
how hard everyone was working to minimize the loss of life. I also want 
to express my condolences to Chairman Culberson as well.
  The House Republican ``work harder for less'' budget resolution was 
opposed by every Member on my side of the aisle in part because it 
really makes it impossible to give hard-working Americans the 
opportunity to succeed. Democrats want to end the sequester, and we 
need more reasonable and realistic budgeting that could help families 
afford college, a home, and a secure retirement.
  The insufficient overall allocation for discretionary investment 
hurts initiatives in all the appropriation bills that grow the economy, 
create jobs, and make us more secure. While I appreciate the chairman's 
efforts, the grossly inadequate allocation creates shortcomings that 
are evident in the fiscal year 2016 Commerce, Justice, and Science 
bill.
  Instead of providing the desperately needed investments in community 
policing and improving the juvenile justice system, the COPS hiring 
program would receive no funding, and the Office of Juvenile Justice 
would receive $68 million less than fiscal year 2015 and $156 million 
less than the President's request. These failures are particularly 
shameful, given the inclusion of a number of gun riders, including 
language blocking a reporting requirement on multiple purchases of 
rifles or shotguns by individual buyers. We must eliminate riders such 
as these that prevent law enforcement from sensibly addressing gun 
crimes.
  While Violence Against Women prevention and prosecution programs 
would appear to receive an increase above both fiscal year 2015 and the 
President's fiscal year 2016 request, it is actually below the request 
when you account for a transfer in Victims of Trafficking grants. 
Similar gimmicks are also included in the portion of the COPS program 
that would be funded.
  The Legal Services Corporation would fare far worse: $75 million 
below fiscal year 2015, $152 million below the request. This is 
unacceptable for a vital service that provides legal help for hard-
working Americans.
  Turning to science, the bill continues the majority's practice of 
burying its head in the sand instead of focusing on the stark climate 
change realities. As in previous years, the bill severely cuts funding 
for NOAA climate research by 19 percent below fiscal year 2015, a $30 
million decrease. We should be supporting, not hindering, this 
important work to help save our environment.
  The bill also cuts Geosciences and Social, Behavioral, and Economic 
Sciences of the National Science Foundation by $257 million below the 
fiscal year 2015 level, an approach universally opposed by the 
scientific community.
  Rather than properly preparing for the constitutionally mandated 2020 
Census, the mark is $387 million below the President's request for the 
U.S. Census Bureau. Failure to provide these funds now will only cost 
taxpayers more in the long run, as the Census Bureau would be unable to 
thoroughly develop and test innovative, cost-saving business practices.

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Developing a well-designed and thoughtful Census now could save up to 
$5 billion in 2020 Census costs.
  As in other bills, the majority has included a number of 
controversial riders. In addition to those on firearms I already 
mentioned, another provision is aimed at placing restrictions on 
exports to Cuba.
  However, despite the numerous shortcomings, I want to thank the 
chairman again for his work related to the National Instant Criminal 
Background Check System, Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, and the 
community Backlog Reduction Program to process sexual assault kits. 
These evidentiary kits have historically gone untested for decades, 
giving violent and culpable offenders the ability to strike again. So 
it is important we fund this program at a workable level.
  I want to make it clear that Democrats are more than willing to 
support bills that include adequate spending levels to ensure public 
safety, promote economic growth, and that exclude unnecessary riders. 
Unfortunately, although this bill does such wonderful things, and I am 
a great supporter once again of all the brain research, the important 
investments that are being made to address Alzheimer's, autism, and 
other serious, serious diseases of the brain, the bill does not make 
appropriate investments that hard-working Americans need but, instead, 
advances misguided policy changes. I urge my colleagues to vote against 
this bill.
  Thank you again to our chair and ranking members.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Jolly), my colleague on the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I want to compliment the chairman for a bill 
that invests responsibly in law enforcement, space science research, 
ocean and marine resources, and weather sciences. I also want to thank 
the chairman for his support of an innovative data collection 
initiative in this bill to improve fish stock assessments and research 
of the fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
  As we discussed in many of our hearings, we as a nation need to 
utilize all tools and technology and work with all fisheries sector 
participants, including recreational, for-hire, and commercial, that 
provide the most accurate assessment of the health of our fish stocks, 
including the red snapper species so critical to our quality of life in 
Gulf States like Florida and Texas as well as our regional economies. 
This innovative data collection initiative will better enable the 
National Marine Fisheries Service and the regional council to make more 
informed decisions about the length of various fishing seasons.
  Mr. Chairman, without constantly improving and accurate and 
quantifiable data, data that is believed to reliably reflect the 
fisherman's experience on the water, our commercial and recreational 
fishermen, alike, find it difficult to understand decisions by 
government to shorten fishing seasons and limit catches.
  To be clear, this new provision included in this year's CJS bill is 
intended to provide the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast 
Regional Office new tools to utilize data collection efforts from our 
recreational, for-hire, and commercial fishermen, from State and local 
officials, from third-party researchers, and from academia. Data 
collection and research focus on the unique stock assessment challenges 
of Gulf fisheries. By working with our recreational, for-hire, and 
commercial fishermen, and by engaging them directly in data collection, 
NMFS Southeast Regional Office will ultimately collect more and better 
data and will begin to restore trust between the sectors and 
regulators.
  This public-private effort will allow officials tasked with managing 
our fishery resources to strike the right balance: balance for our 
recreational fishing communities' quality of life and right to fish on 
our waters, balance for our regional economy fueled by the commercial 
and for-hire fishing industry, and balance for our strong interests in 
stock rehabilitation, species preservation, and protecting our critical 
natural resources.
  Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you as we continue to 
work through this appropriations process on this important provision, 
as well as working with NOAA and the NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 
during implementation of this funding to stand up to this critical 
innovative stock assessment initiative and make it a success for 
Florida and for all five of our Gulf States, including your home State 
of Texas.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The chairman and the staff have done a remarkable job working on a 
whole range of issues related to fish, not just in the Gulf of Mexico 
and Texas, but throughout the questions around salmon in Washington 
State and the issues related to even our part of the country where we 
fish a little bit. So I want to thank the gentleman for his comments.
  I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of 
California (Mr. Honda), my colleague on the subcommittee, who has 
really helped us on the subcommittee, particularly around areas related 
to innovation and science and advanced manufacturing.
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  Let me start by thanking Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Fattah 
for their ongoing enthusiasm and support for many of the key programs 
funded by this bill. I am grateful for their support, including 
provisions addressing key concerns of mine such as the growing rape kit 
backlog and long delays in testing DNA evidence; preventing the 
politically motivated termination evaluation of a fundamental science 
observatory, SOFIA; and ensuring the Federal Marine Debris program, 
which will focus on plastics in our Nation's waterways and oceans. 
Despite the inclusion of these and other beneficial programs, this bill 
unfortunately falls short of supporting a robust and effective 
portfolio of Commerce, Justice, and Science programs.
  This bill was crafted under the restrictive spending cap imposed by 
sequestration. This unworkable funding cap has forced unacceptable cuts 
that greatly weaken key programs serving our country. For example, at a 
time when the funding for the constitutionally mandated decennial 
Census should be on a significant ramp-up, this bill underfunds the 
Census Bureau by $387 million.
  At the direction of Congress, the Census Bureau is testing sweeping 
reforms to Census methods that would reduce the overall cost of the 
enumeration substantially by bringing the Census into the 21st century. 
But without sufficient money next year, the Census Bureau may have to 
abandon plans for a modern Census and go back to the more costly, 
outdated, manual 2010 design, which will end up costing $5 billion 
more--$5 billion. We cannot afford to waste $5 billion. We need to be 
fiscally responsible and have an understanding of cuts beyond the time 
scale of a 1-year funding bill, which means investing in the Census 
now.
  Additionally, this bill severely underfunds and deprioritizes earth 
science. The bill proposes generous funding to support NASA for 
planetary science but seems to overlook the most important planet of 
all--our own. That is why I offered an amendment in committee to fully 
fund the earth and geoscience research at NASA and NSF instead of the 
$520 million underfunding being proposed.
  Research in the earth and helio sciences helps protect lives, 
business, and infrastructure because economic and public welfare 
consequences of natural hazards such as droughts, hurricanes, space 
weather, and earthquakes can be devastating. As our climate continues 
to change, this research is even more important, and yet this bill 
proposes to cut earth and geoscience research. We should be increasing 
funding in these fields to better understand natural systems and allow 
for more informed policy decisionmaking and not cutting them.
  Additionally, this bill seeks to micromanage the NSF by singling out 
earth science and social sciences as lesser research priorities. This 
is a

[[Page 8284]]

prime example of political meddling into scientific research. The 
draconian spending caps have forced the cannibalization of these and 
other essential programs and resulted in a bill that is unworkable.

                              {time}  1445

  We need to adopt the President's proposed overall funding levels to 
ensure that key programs such as the Census and NASA's Earth Science 
Research Program are able to be effective and serve our Nation.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Jenkins), my colleague and good 
friend from the committee.
  Mr. JENKINS of West Virginia. I thank the Chairman for his good work.
  Mr. Chairman, I have the honor of serving on the Appropriations 
Committee, which enables me to have input into our spending priorities.
  This bill has a number of important programs. I want to highlight 
drug courts. Drug courts have a proven track record. Drug courts are 
effective and efficient. Drug courts work.
  A respected pastor and community leader in my State said: ``Prisons 
are for people we are really scared of, not just mad at.''
  The drug epidemic continues to ravage my State, and drug courts give 
a needed alternative to sending those suffering from addiction to jail. 
Drug courts allow individuals to undergo treatment, get help staying 
clean, and reenter society as a productive individual.
  West Virginia drug courts are succeeding. Earlier this year, West 
Virginia honored the first 1,000 adults and juveniles to successfully 
complete the program.
  While no single program will solve the drug epidemic, we must 
continue to support programs that work. This bill maintains critical 
funding for a number of other programs that will help those trying to 
end this crisis.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Lee), a fellow appropriator.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank our ranking member for yielding 
but also for his very steady and competent leadership of this 
subcommittee on our behalf. Also, I want to thank the chairman for his 
consistent work at bipartisanship, even though this is still yet 
another funding bill brought to the floor that woefully underfunds our 
critical Federal programs.
  The fiscal year 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill 
really should reflect our Nation's commitment to growing our economy, 
keeping our communities safe, and driving innovation. Instead, it makes 
critical cuts to programs at a time when they are needed most.
  In the Justice title, this bill includes no funding for the Community 
Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program and a $68 million cut to 
juvenile justice programs from fiscal year 2015.
  It also includes a $75 million cut to the Legal Services Corporation, 
which provides critical legal services to low-income Americans. Given 
what is happening in communities around the country, especially in 
terms of communities of color and law enforcement, these are truly 
unwise and misguided cuts.
  Under the Science title, the National Science Foundation, which funds 
critical research at the University of California at Berkeley in my 
congressional district, is funded at $50 million below the fiscal year 
2015 enacted level. These cuts are a huge blow to investments we should 
be making in scientific research to keep our Nation competitive.
  In the Commerce section, this bill also includes cuts to critical 
programs, such as a $274 million cut to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, and funds the Census Bureau at $387 million 
below the President's budget request.
  Add to all of this an inappropriate policy rider about exports to 
Cuba and you have a bill that, despite the hard work of the chair and 
our ranking member, is deeply flawed.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Emmer of Minnesota). The time of the 
gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
  Ms. LEE. Finally, let me just say we need to stop starving our 
critical Federal programs. We need to protect our communities in crisis 
and drive scientific breakthroughs in the future.
  In committee, I sponsored an amendment along with Ranking Member 
Lowey to increase COPS Hiring funding and also introduced an amendment 
to require jurisdictions receiving Byrne-JAG grants to put their 
officers through training to better work with diverse communities that 
they protect and serve. Congressman Lacy Clay has championed this idea, 
and later in this debate we will enter into a colloquy regarding this 
important issue, and I want to thank the chairman and ranking member 
for their support.
  Mr. FATTAH. May I inquire of the time remaining on both sides?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 7 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Texas has 12 minutes remaining.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, at this time it is my pleasure to yield 
2 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce), my good 
friend.
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Chairman, I rise for the purpose of engaging in a 
colloquy with the gentleman from Texas, the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.
  I want to thank the chairman and Ranking Member Fattah for their 
efforts to forge a truly bipartisan bill to fund critical programs 
within the Departments of Justice, Commerce, and the scientific 
community. This diverse bill provides a wide range of support, from 
continued scientific research in space to the funding our law 
enforcement officers need to keep our families and communities safe. It 
is truly a diverse, vital bill.
  Chairman Culberson, please permit me one point of clarification in 
the bill. The NASA budget includes a space operations account. This 
account provides funding for everything from space communications to 
research on the International Space Station to supporting space launch 
complexes. I would like to specifically discuss the space 
communications function within this account.
  Regardless of age or mission, NASA must be able to communicate with 
the system it has in orbit. The space and ground networks that comprise 
NASA's space communications system are the foundation for all of NASA's 
orbital work. The network provides constant, real-time communications 
for all aspects of our space mission, from the unmanned probes at the 
very edges of our solar system to the ISS and Hubble Space Telescope. 
Without this capability, our Nation would be jeopardizing the safety of 
our manned operations and depriving the world of the discoveries made 
by our space systems.
  It should be a commitment of the House to ensure that the funding for 
our space operations ensures strong support for the infrastructure and 
support needed to maintain strong and capable space communications.
  Again, I thank the committee for its work in crafting this 
legislation and strongly supporting space communications in the past. 
It is my understanding that the committee has provided the space 
operations account with nearly $130 million more than it did in fiscal 
year 2015, and that it intends to support a robust level of funding for 
the space communications component within this account.
  Is that understanding correct? I yield to the gentleman.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.
  I want to thank my good friend and colleague from New Mexico. He is 
absolutely right. We have increased funding for the space operations 
account by $129.5 million, and we will make sure that that funding is 
adequate to support the space communications components with that 
increase.
  Mr. PEARCE. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the 
great State of Texas (Mr. Cuellar), a fellow appropriator.

[[Page 8285]]


  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member for 
yielding, number one. Number two, I want to thank him for the steady 
leadership he has provided as the ranking member. I also want to thank 
my good friend from Texas, John Culberson. We go back to the State 
legislature. I thank him for his leadership on this one particular 
issue that I want to bring up today, and that is the work that we are 
doing together in adding 55 new immigration judges--the largest amount 
of immigration judges that we are going to have at one time.
  So I want to thank him for working together to add that money, as 
well as the accountability for those judges. We have got to make sure 
that we not only have the judges, but we have got to make sure that 
they move those cases with all due process given to everybody--and to 
move them as soon as possible. I also thank him for the work that we 
have done on Stone Garden and other border law enforcement needs.
  Why do we need those new judges? Because right now there are more 
than 450,000 pending cases. There is a large backlog of immigration 
cases. There are about 250 judges right now, with about 58 courtrooms 
across the Nation, but we need to do more.
  If you look at the casework of an immigration judge, that person will 
handle about 2,100 cases. If you look at a Federal judge, that judge 
will handle about 440 cases. You can see the large amount of cases that 
we have.
  So, basically, some of those cases are taking about 2\1/2\ years to 
handle, and therefore we need to make sure that we have the judges in 
place to handle the backlog that we have.
  Just to give you an example, just in the last 6 months, 170,000 
people crossed the border. Therefore, we need those judges.
  To conclude, I want to thank the chairman and his staff, as well as 
the ranking member and his staff.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to 
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), my good friend.
  Mr. WALBERG. I thank the chairman.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today deeply concerned by the increase of heroin 
and opioid abuse in Michigan and around the country.
  In Jackson, six heroin-related deaths have happened since March. In 
April, in Monroe County, three people overdosed in a 24-hour period. 
Last year, Lenawee County, my home county, had seven drug-related 
deaths in the first three quarters. Sadly, we hear similar stories in 
far too many communities across Michigan.
  Today's CJS Appropriations bill includes essential funding to assist 
States and localities to combat drug-related problems, including over 
$400 million to advance strategic plans to address the growing heroin 
and opioid epidemic and $372 million to tackle prescription drug abuse.
  It will take all of us working together--concerned citizens, 
treatment providers, law enforcement, elected officials at every 
level--to fight this growing epidemic and keep our homes and streets 
safe.
  I appreciate the work of the chairman of the committee on this, and I 
support it.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Eddie Bernice Johnson), who has led the Democratic effort in terms of 
science, and I particularly thank her for her leadership on NASA.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me express my 
appreciation and respect for the chair as well as the ranking member of 
the subcommittee.
  I really do respect the work, but I do rise in opposition to H.R. 
2578. It represents a missed opportunity to help the Nation's research 
and innovation enterprise at a time when that help is urgently needed.
  Until the mismatch between the House budget resolution and the needs 
facing our country is addressed, we are going to continue to fall 
behind, both in our efforts to maintain our global competitiveness and 
our efforts to maintain R&D capabilities we need right here at home.
  As ranking member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I 
would like to use some of my time to address some specific concerns 
that I have with the bill, which I elaborate on in my statement for the 
Record.
  In short, the bill's report language would make arbitrary and 
ideologically driven cuts to NSF social sciences and geoscience 
research programs. In addition, the bill's funding would put NSF's new 
headquarters building at risk, adding cost growth and schedule delays.
  With respect to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
in addition to the funding cuts, I am particularly concerned about the 
report language that would gut the critical forensic standards 
activities already underway at NIST, as well as the bill's language 
that would covertly, without any hearings, debate, or authorizing 
legislation, eliminate an entire agency, the National Technical 
Information Service.
  The bill would also make significant cuts to NOAA's budget, including 
climate research and NOAA's Polar Follow On weather satellite program.
  Finally, the bill would make deep cuts to NASA's Earth Science 
Program, disrupting activities that will help us better understand our 
home planet and the climate change that is occurring right now.
  Mr. Chairman, in closing, as I said before, the bill is a missed 
opportunity, and I cannot support it in its current form.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2578. While I respect the 
work put into the bill by my colleagues on the Appropriations 
Committee, I am afraid that it represents a missed opportunity to help 
the nation's research and innovation enterprise at a time when that 
help is urgently needed.
  As other speakers have noted, this bill is the result of a 
fundamentally flawed House budget resolution that provides insufficient 
allocations for critically important activities of the federal 
government, including investing in our future. Until that mismatch is 
addressed, we are going to continue to fall behind, both in our efforts 
to maintain our global competitiveness and our efforts to maintain the 
R&D capabilities we need here at home.
  As Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology 
Committee, I would like to use my remaining time to address some 
specific concerns I have with the bill.
  With respect to the National Science Foundation, I have two specific 
concerns beyond the overall funding level. Following the direction 
contained in the report accompanying this bill would result in a 15-20% 
cut to each of the social sciences and geosciences directorates at NSF. 
Let me be clear. These are arbitrary and ideologically-driven cuts that 
reflect a lack of understanding of how science works, and a lack of 
understanding of the great importance of these fields of research to 
our national interests. Moreover, with these cuts we stand to lose a 
generation of talent and expertise in fields essential to the wellbeing 
of this nation, and we may never recover from that loss.
  Second, I must comment on the flat-funding for the NSF operations 
account. NSF is already in the midst of building a new headquarters in 
Alexandria, and the funding provided to NSF in this bill may very well 
result in delays and therefore increased cost for that building. This 
is a clear-cut case of the Congress being penny-wise and pound foolish.
  With respect to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, I 
am concerned about the funding cuts to all of the accounts. I am 
particularly concerned about the report language that would gut the 
critical forensics standards activities already underway at NIST, and 
the bill language that would covertly, without any hearings, debate, or 
authorizing legislation, eliminate an entire agency, the National 
Technical Information Service. NTIS performs both essential and perhaps 
nonessential activities. This bill would throw out the baby with the 
bathwater without any consideration given to the consequences.
  The CJS bill we are considering today fails short in a number of ways 
in its treatment of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration. It cuts the NOAA budget 5 percent below current 
spending and more than 13 percent below the President's request. This 
cut will have a significant impact on NOAA's ability to provide local 
communities and decision-makers with the information they need to 
effectively manage the nation's resources and protect the lives and 
property of every American.
  I am especially concerned about the lack of support for NOAA's 
efforts to maintain continuity in our polar observing capabilities. The

[[Page 8286]]

President's budget request included $380 million to fund a Polar 
Follow-on program. This program would help mitigate a potential gap in 
this critical data by building robustness into our satellite 
constellation. As many of you know, accurate weather forecasts and 
warnings are vital for the economic security of the United States, and 
we must ensure NOAA has the resources it needs now to ensure the long-
term health of our satellites.
  Additionally, I am concerned about the bill's $30 million dollar cut 
to NOAA's climate research activities. Addressing climate change is our 
most pressing environmental challenge and NOAA's climate research 
furthers our understanding and the implementation of effective 
adaptation and mitigation strategies. We should be doing more to combat 
climate change, not less.
  Finally, with respect to NASA, while I'm pleased that the Committee 
on Appropriations has proposed a strong top-line for the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration that is consistent with the 
President's overall request, I am troubled by the way that funding is 
allocated. In particular, I cannot support the deep cuts made to NASA's 
Earth Science program. Given the leadership role NASA plays nationally 
in studies of the Earth system, including climate change, these cuts 
will do serious long term damage if enacted into law.
  In addition, I question the proposed reduction to the Orion crew 
vehicle program from the FY 2015 funding level, especially given the 
concern expressed in the report language about NASA's ability to test 
all human-rated systems on the first Exploration Mission-1. I also 
question the proposal to fund the Safety, Security, and Mission 
Services account, which is critical to maintaining a world class 
workforce and infrastructure, below the President's request.
  Mr. Chairman, in closing, as I said before, this bill is a missed 
opportunity, and I cannot support it in its current form.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to 
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross).
  Mr. ROSS. Thank you, Chairman Culberson, and thank you for presenting 
this bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of an important amendment that 
will be offered by my colleague, Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer, to 
defund the Department of Justice program known as Operation Choke 
Point.
  Created under the guise of a program to root out banking fraud and 
money laundering, Operation Choke Point has been used by administration 
bureaucrats to pressure and force banks to end relationships with 
legitimate businesses it considers objectionable or a ``reputational 
risk.''
  This administration has targeted legitimate small businesses such as 
firearm and ammunition dealers, cigar shops, pawn stores, payday 
lenders, and others. The backdoor effort to target legitimate law-
abiding businesses it does not like and to coerce banks to choke off 
relationships with these legitimate businesses is contrary to our 
Nation's fundamental principles of freedom.
  In voting to defund Operation Choke Point, I will be voting to rein 
in this out-of-control administration and its assault on small, legal, 
legitimate businesses.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), a gentleman who, in this House, has spent a 
great deal of time providing leadership in terms of small businesses 
and connecting them up with our research institution.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. I thank my friend for yielding and for his work on the 
Appropriations Committee.
  I want to say that, Mr. Chairman, I understand the constraints that 
the chairman is working under, and I appreciate his work on those items 
that were mentioned by Ranking Member Fattah and other Members on this 
side.
  I rise in opposition to this bill because it fails to fund scientific 
research at levels we need to spur innovation and remain competitive as 
a Nation. In particular, I want to call attention to report language in 
the bill that will result in cuts to the social sciences and 
geosciences of over $250 million.
  The NSF is the largest single source of funding for basing research 
in our country in a variety of fields, and that is especially true for 
the social sciences.
  Some will say these cuts are needed to prioritize research in other 
areas, but this approach of limiting funding for social science is 
misguided for several reasons.
  First, other areas of research are already heavily prioritized at the 
NSF. In fiscal year 2015, the NSF will spend only 3.7 percent of its 
budget on social science research--clearly not an outsized priority.
  This is especially true when you consider that social science 
research saves lives and money. It was NSF-funded social science 
research that developed the kidney transplant program that has led to 
thousands of successful donor-patient pairings that had not been 
possible before.
  Spectrum auctions conducted by the FCC were made possible by economic 
research sponsored by the NSF. These auctions raise billions of dollars 
for taxpayers and will free up chunks of spectrum so we can stay at the 
cutting edge of wireless technologies.
  Social science research is also critical for cybersecurity, as we 
have heard from many expert witnesses in the Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee. Most cyber breaches occur because of human 
factors, and social science is vital in addressing this grave security 
risk.
  For these reasons, I am urging my colleagues to oppose these cuts and 
to oppose this bill. We need to do better for scientific research for 
the sake of our country, our economy, and our jobs.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, could I inquire as to how much time 
remains on each side?
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Duncan of Tennessee). The gentleman from Texas 
has 7\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 1 
minute remaining.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my good friend from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Duffy).
  Mr. DUFFY. Mr. Chairman, one of the greatest innovations that has 
ever been developed by man to connect people from every corner of the 
Earth, whether in cafes or homes or in schools, is the Internet.
  The reason the Internet has expanded and grown around the world and 
has been such an engine for innovation is the fact that the Internet 
embodies the American idea of free speech. That very idea of free 
speech in the Internet is under attack because the administration and 
some people in this institution want to see the core functions of the 
Internet be transferred to a foreign body that doesn't share our idea 
of free speech.
  Let's keep the Internet open. Let's make sure that we continue with 
the great American idea of free speech not just here in America, but in 
every corner of the globe because the Internet will embody that idea of 
free speech.
  The Internet was made in America. Let's keep the core functions of 
the Internet in America.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I have one remaining speaker, so I reserve 
the balance of my time to close.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, it is a distinct privilege to yield 3 
minutes to the gentlemen from Texas (Mr. Smith), the distinguished 
chairman of the full Science, Space, and Technology Committee, my 
colleague and good friend.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend, the chairman of 
the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee of the Appropriations 
Committee for yielding me time.
  I thank the chairman, also, and his staff, especially John Martens, 
Leslie Albright, and Ashley Schiller, for working with the House 
Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
  I especially appreciate the chairman's support for prioritizing the 
funding of the basic research at the National Science Foundation. This 
research--especially in the areas of math and physical sciences, 
biology, computing, and engineering--holds the promise of breakthroughs 
that will trigger technological innovation, jump-start new industries, 
and spur economic growth.
  This bill ensures that NSF is transparent and accountable to American 
taxpayers about how their hard-earned

[[Page 8287]]

dollars are spent and that NSF-supported research is in the national 
interest.
  The House CJS Appropriations bill also addresses concerns about the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's costly satellite 
program. In addition, this bill encourages NOAA to include private 
sector involvement in the space-based weather industry.
  Finally, I thank Chairman Culberson for his reprioritization of NASA 
planetary science, which implements the Science, Space, and Technology 
Committee's NASA authorization reported in April.
  I further look forward to working with Chairman Culberson and 
Chairman Rogers to fully fund the Orion and Commercial Crew programs so 
that we can once again launch American astronauts on American rockets 
from American soil.
  Again, I thank my friend from Texas, Chairman Culberson, for his 
enthusiasm and initiative and urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Culberson and the staff of the Commerce-
Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee, especially John Martens, 
Leslie Albright and Ashley Schiller for working with the House Science, 
Space, and Technology Committee. I particularly appreciate your support 
for prioritizing the funding of the basic research at the National 
Science Foundation.
  This research, especially in the areas of math and physical sciences, 
biology, computing and engineering, holds the promise of breakthroughs 
that will trigger technological innovation, jumpstart new industries 
and spur economic growth.
  This bill also supports other language in the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2015, which passed the House two weeks ago.
  It ensures that NSF is transparent and accountable to American 
taxpayers about how their hard-earned dollars are spent and that NSF-
supported research is in the national interest.
  The National Science Foundation has played an integral part in 
funding breakthrough discoveries in numerous scientific fields such as 
lasers, the Internet and nanotechnology.
  However, NSF has also approved dozens of grants for which the 
scientific merits and national interest are not obvious, to put it 
politely.
  These include a climate change musical, a Norwegian tourism study, a 
grant on human-set fires in New Zealand in the 1800's, a study of 
lawsuits in Peru in the 1600s, and a grant on the causes of stress in 
Bolivia.
  This bill supports the policy that every NSF public announcement of a 
grant award must be accompanied by a non-technical explanation of the 
project's scientific merits and a certification of how it serves the 
national interest. This reinforces the standards set forth in the 
America COMPETES Act of 2015.
  The House CJS appropriations bill also addresses concerns about the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) costly 
satellite program.
  It ensures that appropriate oversight access is given to the Office 
of the Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, and 
NOAA's own Independent Review Team. Likewise, recommendations from 
these bodies will help guide the satellite programs as they move closer 
to their anticipated launch dates.
  In addition, this bill encourages NOAA to include private sector 
involvement in the space-based weather industry.
  NOAA's costly satellite programs have historically been plagued with 
management problems. Encouraging NOAA to purchase services from the 
private sector will allow for a more robust, cost-effective and 
efficient weather forecasting system that will help save lives and 
property.
  I look forward to offering an amendment shortly, with Chairman 
Culberson's support, to further enhance NOAA's weather research of 
near-term, affordable and attainable advances in observational, 
computing and modeling capabilities. The amendment will result in 
substantial improvements in weather forecasts.
  Finally, I thank Chairman Culberson for his re-prioritization of NASA 
planetary science, which implements the Science Committees' NASA 
Authorization reported in April.
  I further look forward to working with Chairman Culberson and 
Chairman Rogers to fully fund the Orion and Commercial Crew Programs so 
that we can once again launch American astronauts on American rockets 
from American soil.
  The Commercial Crew program will allow the U.S. access to the 
International Space Station without depending on Russia. The Orion 
program will expand human reach into deep space and serve as an 
emergency backup for the Commercial Crew program.
  As we move forward with a Conference with the Senate, I hope that we 
can identify ways to support these programs more robustly, perhaps by 
moderating the growth of other accounts such as Earth Science, which 
has increased 63 percent since 2007 while other areas of NASA have 
remained flat.
  Again, I thank my friend from Texas, Chairman Culberson, for his 
enthusiasm and initiative on this bill and urge my colleagues to 
support it.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I have no additional speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  We are going to move into a process of amendments in which the House 
will work its will, but I think the general debate has illuminated a 
host of areas where we agree and a few areas where we disagree.
  The last speaker, my good friend from Texas, Lamar Smith, who has 
done a lot of work, as he mentioned, there are some areas where we 
remain in disagreement, which is the notion that we should make some of 
these changes in terms of science prioritization are issues that not 
just are there disagreements between the parties, but there is vast 
concern in the scientific enterprise in the Nation, that we would 
interject perhaps a viewpoint into science that would move away from 
merit-based processes.
  On that point, I look forward to the amendment process, and I thank 
the House for listening to our points of view.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  As we conclude the debate on this bill, it is important for all of us 
here today to know that, Members of the House, this process is open. 
Members can come down to the floor and offer an amendment, 5 minutes 
per side.
  We have in this bill prioritized our funding, as we all do in our 
private life and our business life. Following the good advice of 
financial guru Dave Ramsey, you don't spend money you don't have, and 
try to eliminate debt at all possible costs.
  We in the majority have done our very best to make sure that we are 
living within our means. Although the budget caps--I know there is a 
great deal of frustration among my Democrat colleagues on the 
limitations on spending. That is the law that was suggested initially 
by the White House.
  It is important that we do all that we can to minimize the debt that 
we pass on to our children and grandchildren. The budget caps are 
reality, and we have, within the limitations that we have, prioritized 
the funding in this bill to make sure that law enforcement is number 
one; the FBI and the Department of Justice are taken care of; that the 
National Science Foundation, in fact, is funded at a historically high 
level. We have given them a $50 million increase.
  We have also funded NASA at a historically high level since the 
Apollo program. I would certainly like to see the American space 
program given more. As more money becomes available, if we find an 
opportunity as we move through conference, of course, we will work hard 
to make sure that we will plus-up funding for the sciences and space 
exploration everywhere we can.
  I heard my colleagues mention the Legal Services Corporation, which 
does important work in representing the poor. We will certainly do our 
best to find additional funding there.
  I will also be filing legislation to give attorneys a tax deduction, 
dollar for dollar, for work that they do donating their time to the 
poor. I think that is a far better way to get legal services to the 
poor, through the Tax Code, rather than by appropriating our taxpayers' 
hard-earned tax dollars.
  In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I want to point out to the Members that, 
above all, this legislation will ensure that the laws, as enacted by 
Congress, are enforced. If Federal agencies want the privilege of 
spending and using our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars,

[[Page 8288]]

they will need to demonstrate through their spending plans, through 
their presentations to this committee, that they are actually enforcing 
the law as written by Congress.
  We will, throughout the course of the year, engage in vigorous 
oversight to ensure that our money is not only wisely spent, that it is 
prudently spent, that it is only spent when absolutely necessary, but 
that our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars are only spent to 
enforce the law as written by the people's elected representatives.
  I urge my colleagues to join us today in voting for this important 
legislation.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2578.
  The Internet is one of the great American success stories in our 
history, benefitting billions of people around the world. Congress has 
a longstanding and bipartisan commitment to a global, open Internet, 
free from governmental control. Our support for the decentralized, 
multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance has enabled its 
growth as an unparalleled platform for economic opportunity and 
democratic participation.
  Last year the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration (NTIA) announced that the U.S. government would take an 
important step to transition technical functions of the domain name 
system to the multi-stakeholder community. This transition of the 
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to the private sector has 
been a U.S. policy goal for two decades, through Republican and 
Democratic administrations alike.
  Since NTIA's announcement, the multi-stakeholder community has 
stepped up to the plate to craft a transition proposal and enhanced 
accountability measures needed in the absence of U.S. government 
stewardship. NTIA has articulated specific criteria for the transition 
proposal and made clear that any plan must advance our vision of a free 
and open Internet.
  Despite this significant progress, H.R. 2578 includes language that 
blocks NTIA from using funds to relinquish the IANA functions. This 
limitation of funds is not only unnecessary, it sends the wrong message 
to the international community. Our diplomats point to the IANA 
transition announcement as a key factor helping us win allies and 
support for an Internet free of government control. As the U.S. Chamber 
of Commerce stated, this funding restriction ``could result in harm to 
U.S. businesses and Internet users as a whole.''
  While I oppose this provision in H.R. 2578, I agree with my 
colleagues that the IANA transition must be conducted carefully and 
transparently. That's why I'm working with my Republican colleagues at 
the Energy and Commerce Committee on legislation to ensure NTIA 
implements the IANA transition consistent with the principles we all 
support. Our legislation will address concerns about transparency and 
accountability, while reaffirming our commitment to the transition.
  While I cannot support the funding restriction in H.R. 2578, I stand 
ready to work with my colleagues on responsible oversight of the IANA 
transition.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak to the 
provisions in the bill related to programs of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that address the monitoring and 
mapping of our Nation's coastlines. This function is an important 
function for the safety of navigation, environmental protection, and 
homeland security of the United States. There is little dispute that 
important commercial, military, and recreational activities are 
supported by this effort.
  While important across the entire country, I want to address the 
specific needs of my State of Alaska. I understand that there is a 
concerted effort by NOAA to improve sea subsurface surveys. I fully 
support their efforts and applaud them for continuing this important 
work. The safety of navigation for our waterways is extremely 
important.
  However, there is another dimension of survey that needs some 
attention also. Most of the shoreline in the Arctic along Alaska's 
northern and western coasts has not been mapped since 1960, if ever, 
and confidence in the shoreline depicted on the region's nautical 
charts is extremely low. Less than 10% of Alaska has contemporary 
shoreline data and less than 1% is mapped annually. There is also a 
disturbing lack of consistent elevation data.
  The current state of shoreline mapping leaves those who ply Alaskan 
waters and depend on accurate shoreline mapping for their livelihood 
unnecessarily vulnerable. Due to Alaska's vast size and sparse 
population, the cost of acquiring traditional high-resolution 
topographic data and mapping thousands of miles of coastline is a 
daunting endeavor. Alaska has more than 44,000 miles of shoreline, 
which more than doubles the shoreline of the entire lower 48 states. 
Further, the emerging importance of the Arctic is adding to the need 
for updated shoreline charts. Increased economic development and 
shipping transits require that the most accurate data be collected and 
up to date charts be produced.
  As a result, citizens and the State's economy are at risk. In 
addition to understanding sea-level rise impacts on fish and wildlife 
habitat, sea-level rise investigations are also important given that 
three quarters of Alaska's citizens live in coastal regions, which 
support 80% of the state's economic activity. Economic activity in 
Alaska's coastal zones includes world-renowned fish and shellfish 
industries as well as a burgeoning recreation and tourism industry.
  Many approaches are available. Some techniques can be a painstaking 
undertaking due to cost and logistical challenges because of the vast 
area and distances involved. As a result the data collected within 
Alaska can be fairly limited in coverage. Another promising technology 
is the use of satellite remote sensing that can help assist current 
NOAA efforts. The complementary use of optical and radar satellites can 
add a new dimension to remote sensing applications. Within the State of 
Alaska there is an emerging capability using this approach that is cost 
effective and not dependent on weather conditions. This capability 
includes the ability to download data and provide the refined products 
needed to create the needed mapping quickly and cost effectively. I 
understand that NOAA regularly uses both government and commercial 
satellite imagery to support nautical charting in Alaska.
  Regardless of the approach, I want to encourage NOAA to make a 
concerted effort to use funding received to reduce the backlog of 
outdated and uncharted shorelines in Alaska as quickly and cost 
effectively as possible in addition to continuing the important work of 
conducting the sea subsurface surveying. The economic and strategic 
importance of the Pacific Northwest region and the emerging Arctic 
require that this be done.
  Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chair, I want to compliment the Chairman for a good 
bill that responsibly invests in law enforcement, space, the sciences, 
research, our oceans and marine resources, and our weather sciences.
  I also want to thank the Chairman for his support in this bill for an 
innovative data collection initiative to improve fish stock assessments 
and research of the fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico. As we discussed in 
our hearings, we as a nation need to utilize all available tools and 
technology, and work with all fisheries' sector participants, including 
recreational, for-hire and commercial, to provide the most accurate 
assessment of the health of our fish stocks, including the Red Snapper 
species so critical to our quality of life in our Gulf states like 
Florida and Texas, and so critical to our regional economy. This 
innovative data collection initiative will better enable the National 
Marine Fisheries Service and the regional council to make the most 
informed decisions possible about the length of various fishing 
seasons.
  Mr. Chair, without constantly improving, more accurate, quantifiable 
data--data that is believed to reliably reflect the fisherman's 
experience on the water--our commercial and recreational fishermen 
alike find it difficult to understand decisions made by government to 
shorten fishing seasons and limit catches.
  To be clear, this important new provision included in this year's CJS 
bill is intended to provide the National Marine Fisheries Service 
Southeast Regional Office new tools to utilize data collection efforts 
from our recreational, for-hire and commercial fishermen, state and 
local officials, third party researchers, and academia--data collection 
and research focused on the unique stock assessment challenges of Gulf 
fisheries.
  By working with our recreational, for-hire and commercial fishermen, 
and engaging them directly in data collection, the NMFS Southeast 
Regional Office will ultimately accumulate more and better data, and 
will begin to restore trust between the sectors and regulators.
  This public-private effort will allow officials tasked with managing 
our fishery resources to reach the right balance, balance for our 
recreational fishing community's quality of life and right to fish on 
our waters, balance for our regional economy fueled by the commercial 
and for-hire fishing industry, and balance for our strong interest in 
stock rehabilitation, species preservation and protecting our critical 
natural resources.
  Mr. Chair, the Florida Institute of Oceanography estimates that 
Florida's ocean economy generates almost $30 billion dollars per year

[[Page 8289]]

in economic activity, more than that generated by citrus, cattle, 
ranching and the space industry of Florida combined. It is critical 
that we get this right.
  I look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Culberson through 
the appropriations process, and with NOAA and NMFS Southeast Regional 
Office during implementation of this funding, to stand up this 
critical, innovative stock assessment initiative and make it a success 
for Florida and for all five of our Gulf States, including the 
Chairman's home state of Texas.
  The Acting CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 5-minute rule.
  During consideration of the bill for amendment each amendment shall 
be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent and shall not be subject to amendment. No pro 
forma amendment shall be in order except that the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective 
designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for 
the purpose of debate. The Chair of the Committee of the Whole may 
accord priority in recognition on the basis of whether the Member 
offering an amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the 
Congressional Record designated for that purpose. Amendments so printed 
shall be considered read.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2578

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, namely:

                                TITLE I

                         DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

                   International Trade Administration

                     operations and administration

       For necessary expenses for international trade activities 
     of the Department of Commerce provided for by law, and for 
     engaging in trade promotional activities abroad, including 
     expenses of grants and cooperative agreements for the purpose 
     of promoting exports of United States firms, without regard 
     to sections 3702 and 3703 of title 44, United States Code; 
     full medical coverage for dependent members of immediate 
     families of employees stationed overseas and employees 
     temporarily posted overseas; travel and transportation of 
     employees of the International Trade Administration between 
     two points abroad, without regard to section 40118 of title 
     49, United States Code; employment of citizens of the United 
     States and aliens by contract for services; rental of space 
     abroad for periods not exceeding 10 years, and expenses of 
     alteration, repair, or improvement; purchase or construction 
     of temporary demountable exhibition structures for use 
     abroad; payment of tort claims, in the manner authorized in 
     the first paragraph of section 2672 of title 28, United 
     States Code, when such claims arise in foreign countries; not 
     to exceed $294,300 for official representation expenses 
     abroad; purchase of passenger motor vehicles for official use 
     abroad, not to exceed $45,000 per vehicle; obtaining 
     insurance on official motor vehicles; and rental of tie 
     lines, $472,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2017, of which $10,000,000 is to be derived from fees to be 
     retained and used by the International Trade Administration, 
     notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code: 
     Provided, That, of amounts provided under this heading, not 
     less than $16,400,000 shall be for China antidumping and 
     countervailing duty enforcement and compliance activities: 
     Provided further, That the provisions of the first sentence 
     of section 105(f) and all of section 108(c) of the Mutual 
     Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
     2455(f) and 2458(c)) shall apply in carrying out these 
     activities; and that for the purpose of this Act, 
     contributions under the provisions of the Mutual Educational 
     and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 shall include payment for 
     assessments for services provided as part of these 
     activities.


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. Goodlatte

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $23,600,000)''.
       Page 28, line 22, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $2,733,000)''.
       Page 30, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $293,000,000''.
       Page 47, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $45,000,000)''.
       Page 49, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $52,500,000)''.
       Page 72, line 7, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $270,000,000)''.
       Page 72, line 7, after the second dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $266,900,000)''.
       Page 72, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $4,000,000)''.
       Page 72, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(decreased by $1,000,000)''.

  Mr. GOODLATTE (during the reading). Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous 
consent that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the 
Record.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Virginia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment restores necessary funding for the Federal 
Prisoner Detention program.
  The Marshals Service assumes custody of individuals arrested by all 
Federal agencies and is responsible for the housing and transportation 
of prisoners from the time they are brought into Federal custody until 
they are either acquitted or transferred to the Federal Bureau of 
Prisons' custody for incarceration.
  The FPD program provides housing, medical care, and transportation 
for Federal prisoners housed in non-Federal facilities and has an 
average daily population of approximately 45,000 prisoners. This 
funding is critical to ensuring that the United States Marshals Service 
can provide safe, human care and custody for the approximately 204,000 
Federal prisoners it will be responsible for in fiscal year 2016.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. Chairman, the fiscal year 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science 
Appropriations bill falls nearly $400 million short of the funding 
necessary to maintain the Marshals Service's prisoner detention 
operations. This matter must be corrected. My amendment would simply 
reduce less critical accounts to make up for this astounding shortfall.
  This amendment reduces youth mentoring programs by $45 million, 
leaving a generous sum of $50 million for youth mentoring.
  My amendment also zeros out the new, unauthorized grant program to 
improve police-community relations. While this concept may have merit, 
the creation of such a program is the responsibility of the House 
Judiciary Committee.
  This amendment also reduces funding for the International Trade 
Administration by 5 percent and for the Community Relations Service by 
20 percent.
  Finally, my amendment leaves $30 million in funding for the Legal 
Services Corporation to administer existing grants and to promote pro 
bono efforts.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), 
the chairman of the subcommittee, who has worked with my staff very 
diligently on a number of issues related to this matter, and I would be 
prepared to withdraw this amendment in lieu of all the difficulties he 
has in finding funds for the priority he has but, nonetheless, hoping 
that he will acknowledge that this is a priority that has been 
shortchanged and that we need to make sure that not only are these 
prisoners able to be held, and held according to law, but also that it 
does not give rise to prisoners being released in circumstances where 
they otherwise should be held in incarceration.
  So I am hoping that, if the gentleman would agree moving forward to 
help us try to find additional funds for this account, perhaps the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania would be willing to help as well, and I 
would be willing to withdraw the amendment.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with the

[[Page 8290]]

chairman of the Judiciary Committee to ensure that these prisoners are 
not released. I will work diligently with my colleague from 
Philadelphia to find additional funds as we move forward in the 
process. The last thing we want is these people being released.
  It has been a privilege for me to work with you and your staff. I am 
very privileged to follow in the footsteps of your colleague from 
Virginia, Frank Wolf, who was chairman of the CJS Subcommittee, and I 
have continued that close working relationship. We will do everything 
we can to find funding to make sure that these Federal prisoners are 
not released early. That is a subject near and dear to my heart. I am 
very sensitive to it.
  We had a Federal judge in Texas running our prisons for 25 years, 
William Wayne Justice; and I sued him, as a State representative, to 
end his control over the prisons because one of the main things he was 
doing was causing the early release of prisoners to go victimize 
Texans, which is utterly unacceptable. So this is a top priority. I 
will work with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah).
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GOODLATTE. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. I obviously would work with the chairman on this and a 
whole range of other items. The offsets that you have identified would 
be very problematic, from my point of view. But I will work with the 
chairman. We need to make sure we fully fund the U.S. Marshals Service.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the chairman and the ranking member.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Virginia?
  There was no objection.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Guinta

  Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 3, line 10, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(reduced by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 42, line 24, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 44, line 6, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from New Hampshire and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.
  Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to 
the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill to increase the 
funding for our Nation's drug courts by $5 million.
  Drug courts keep people in treatment and can be one of the most 
effective intervention programs for those suffering from drug 
addiction. And just as important, these courts reduce crime, save 
money, and serve families and children affected by substance abuse.
  Drug and substance abuse directly impacts our States, communities, 
law enforcement, and families across the country. In the past 5 years 
alone, in my home State of New Hampshire, overdoses have increased 
fivefold. Last year in the Granite State, deaths from heroin and 
illicit drug use exceeded auto-related deaths in the State. Drug use 
and abuse have devastated countless families from the Granite State.
  Drug courts are transforming the criminal justice system across our 
Nation by creating a systematic response to substance abuse and crime 
as an alternative to incarceration. It is not every day that we get to 
directly save lives in government. The drug courts program has proven 
to do just that.
  I would also like to acknowledge and thank my colleague from 
Massachusetts, Congressman Lynch, for working with me on this amendment 
to ensure this much-needed funding.
  I urge my colleagues to support my amendment as we continue to tackle 
the drug abuse epidemic that is plaguing communities around our Nation.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GUINTA. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's 
amendment.
  Drug courts are a proven way to get a good outcome for people who are 
arrested for drug offenses. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Fattah) and the subcommittee have already funded the drug courts at $41 
million, $5 million above the request. I think the gentleman's 
amendment is a worthwhile increase, and I urge my colleagues to support 
it.
  Mr. GUINTA. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, 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 gentleman 
from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, on that, I want to say something, and then 
I will yield to my colleague.
  I led the effort in my home State to create drug courts when I was in 
the State senate before any of my gray hairs. They have worked out 
spectacularly well in many places throughout the country. So I support 
the gentleman from New Hampshire's amendment.
  I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from New 
Hampshire (Mr. Guinta). He and I were of a similar mind in terms of 
this amendment, and I am delighted that the chairman has accepted the 
amendment.
  We understand the good that drug courts do in our society and in our 
system. It actually combines the resources of family, the courts, law 
enforcement, substance abuse agencies, our local and town governments, 
State governments, and, of course, the Federal Government as well.
  Drug addiction in the United States is an epidemic that affects every 
city and town across America, and it cuts across every demographic. It 
leaves in its wake shattered lives and families and costs taxpayers 
hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
  The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that the total overall 
cost of substance abuse in the United States, including lost 
productivity and health and crime-related costs, exceeds $600 billion 
every year. The institute also reports that drug addiction treatment 
has been shown to reduce associated health and social costs by far more 
than the costs of treatment, itself. Drug courts can be the first step 
on the road back for those suffering with addiction.
  Drug addiction is a disease, and people under the influence often act 
out of character. Society is beginning to recognize that we need to 
deal with addiction and its outcome in a way that can have a positive 
effect on individuals and their families and communities. I believe 
drug courts offer this opportunity by providing a support system and a 
road map for moving forward.
  The drug courts are specialized dockets which handle cases involving 
drug- and/or alcohol-dependent offenders charged with nonviolent 
offenses determined to have been caused or influenced by their 
addiction.
  I have visited many of the prisons in my State, and I would say, in 
some cases, 80 to 90 percent of those inmates who are in there have 
dual addictions at the root of their problems.
  I do want to recall the support that we received in the past from the 
former chairman, Frank Wolf of Virginia, who is a good and decent man, 
and we miss him here. But I am glad to see that the current chairman is 
of a similar mind, and I want to thank him as well.
  Mr. GUINTA. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I want to echo the sentiments of the gentleman from 
Massachusetts. This is a worthwhile attempt to try to help and heal 
families,

[[Page 8291]]

address our process of incarceration, but also to make sure that we are 
doing the right thing for families across not just our region in New 
England, but across the country.
  I would also like to thank Appropriations Committee Chairman Rogers 
and Subcommittee Chairman Culberson for their hard work not just on 
this component, an amendment to the bill, but the overall bill and the 
commitment to this particular issue. Again, I would urge my colleagues 
to support the amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. Reichert

  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1)''.
       Page 4, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1)''.
       Page 7, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $100,000,000)''.
       Page 42, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $100,000,000)''.
       Page 43, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $100,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Washington and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Culberson and 
Chairman Rogers for working together with Representatives Pascrell, 
Dent, and Herrera Beutler to develop this amendment.
  I rise today to offer this critical amendment with the colleagues 
that I just mentioned. This amendment increases the Edward Byrne 
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program by $100 million and decreases 
the Census Bureau by an equal amount.
  Last year, the COPS Hiring Program received bipartisan support and 
was funded at $180 million in the omnibus. Unfortunately, the 
underlying legislation completely eliminates the COPS Hiring Program.
  While we cannot restore COPS Hiring Programs and add them back into 
the bill due to House rules governing consideration of appropriation 
measures, we can help ease the burden and mitigate the impact of the 
program's elimination on local law enforcement by passing this 
bipartisan amendment.
  To continue to meet the needs of police departments across the 
country, this additional $100 million for Byrne JAG should specifically 
be used for grants to police departments for hiring. Ensuring the 
safety of our communities and neighborhoods should be one of our first 
priorities, and we cannot do without a sufficient number of police 
officers.
  Mr. Chairman, the police officers and law enforcement agencies across 
this country are asked to do more and more with less and less, and let 
me just give you some examples.
  When I was the sheriff in Seattle, I provided deputies to Federal 
task force efforts, the Joint Fugitive Task Force; the Joint Terrorism 
Task Force; the HIDTA Task Force, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking 
Area Task Force; the fusion center; and I could go on with some others.
  The role that local law enforcement plays in the efforts of Federal 
law enforcement are integral. They are interconnected. They can't be 
separated. It is a team effort from the Federal law enforcement 
agencies to the local law enforcement agencies. And sometimes people in 
this Chamber get confused as to what the local law enforcement's role 
is when it comes to Federal responsibility.
  I will just give you an example of one of my own personal 
experiences. Early in my career as a police officer, a sheriff's deputy 
on the streets in the mid-seventies, I made a traffic stop. I came 
across a young lady who happened to be in the employment of somebody 
who was connected to a crime syndicate within the Washington State area 
who was operating human trafficking operations from Texas to Anchorage, 
and not only that, but they were involved in drug trafficking.
  So I developed this informant as a patrol officer driving around in 
my patrol car. You would never think that I might have the opportunity 
to bust a big case like this. But this is just an example of the day-
to-day activity that police officers operate in, and they collect this 
information. I took it to the Federal agency responsible. I went to the 
DEA.
  I had a secret meeting in a hotel room in downtown Seattle. The 
informant wouldn't trust the Federal operatives, but she trusted me. So 
I had to bring her there. We came up with a plan for me to travel to 
Texas. It is a long story. I won't get into the rest of it. But I think 
that everyone in this room gets the picture of how critical it is for 
us to integrate Federal and local law enforcement and that we have a 
responsibility, as the United States Congress, on the House side and on 
the Senate side, to support those efforts.

                              {time}  1530

  As matter of fact, Mr. Chairman, I was hired under a Federal grant in 
1972 called the PEP program. I would not have had a 33-year career if I 
wasn't hired with Federal money. So this $100 million is going to be so 
much appreciated by our men and women.
  I want to mention just one other criminal aspect of this bill. It is 
not perfect. No bill is perfect. The law enforcement community is not 
perfect. We are not perfect. Congress is not perfect. The community is 
not perfect. We need to stop looking at the negative and the bad in all 
of these organizations together and start looking at the good, come 
together, and figure out a solution to bringing police and community 
together.
  Today there aren't enough cops on the street. The community policing 
program has, in some parts of this country, been eliminated or cut 
back. So school resource officers are gone in some communities. 
Storefront officers are gone. They are gone, Mr. Chairman, and we need 
to bring them back. We can do it together. We can solve this problem 
and keep our community safe.
  I appreciate the gentleman and the time you have allowed me.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, even 
though I am not in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I gladly yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Culberson), my chairman, if he has any more to add on 
this matter before I yield to my colleague over here.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I thank the gentleman, just to say that, as you know, 
we discussed in full committee that the purpose of our bill was to 
shift the COPS hiring because it has not been reauthorized a number of 
years over to the Byrne JAG Program, which can be used for hiring 
because these are grant applications that can be tailored for your 
specific community. You can be sure the money is targeted precisely for 
your needs in Seattle or Philadelphia, so the Byrne JAG Program money 
can indeed be used for hiring police officers.
  I strongly support the gentleman's amendment because it will allow 
more community hiring of police officers, and that is a good thing. God 
bless all our law enforcement officers, and we can't give them enough 
support.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member and my brother 
in the Law Enforcement Caucus, David Reichert, from Washington.
  I want to thank my colleagues who have joined in a strong show of 
bipartisan support for the COPS program, Ms. Herrera Beutler and Mr. 
Dent included.
  Let us be clear what this amendment does. The Reichert amendment 
increases funding for the Byrne JAG by

[[Page 8292]]

$100 million for hiring purposes, a critical step--I think, an 
important message.
  Our amendment is supported by the major voices in the law enforcement 
community, including the National Association of Police Organizations, 
the Major County Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, 
and the Sergeant Benevolent Association, so I urge my colleagues to 
support it.
  But despite all of the debate about community policing happening 
across our Nation, as Mr. Reichert referred to, the American people 
need to know that, despite what our amendment does, the underlying bill 
eliminates the Federal COPS Hiring Program. It is simply unacceptable 
that every year we ask the law enforcement community to do more and 
more with less and less.
  Mr. Chairman, in last year's House bill, the COPS program was cut by 
$109 million, 61 percent. So we can pontificate all we want about how 
we are behind the police officers of this country, but what we continue 
to do with successful programs, successful programs by any account, cut 
and cut. We were able to restore some of the money thanks to David 
Reichert and a few other people from both sides of the aisle, thanks to 
you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member.
  This year--this, despite being joined by over 150 of our colleagues 
from both sides of the aisle in asking the committee to support the 
COPS program--you gutted it. We can't even amend it. It is done. It is 
over.
  As a cornerstone of the Federal Government's efforts to assist State 
and local law enforcement, COPS Hiring has funded over 127,000 public 
safety officer positions. David Reichert was on the front line. He can 
speak to the issue over and over again. He has been there and done it. 
I just can talk about it.
  Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member, it is plain and simple. Fewer 
cops on the beat mean more crime on the street. Fewer cops on the beat 
mean more crime on our streets. I ask you--I ask you to do everything 
in your power, as you have done in the past--to restore what I think is 
probably one of the most efficient programs in the entire Federal 
Government, the COPS program.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, let me say in conclusion that I join with the chairman. 
I support this amendment. I support the COPS program.
  For 20 years, the Federal Government has been engaged in this, 
launched under President Clinton, which has reduced crime in our 
country, has saved lives, has made communities safer. And even though 
there is some disagreement about the authorization, there is no 
disagreement, I don't believe, that we should be providing resources. I 
think the gentleman articulated on the front end of this discussion how 
intertwined local police are with our Federal law enforcement efforts 
and how critically indispensable they are in these efforts.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. Chairman, if I could point out to my good friend from New Jersey 
what we have done is simply shift the program over to the Byrne JAG 
Program, because with Byrne JAG you can customize your application for 
New Jersey, for Philadelphia, or for Seattle. You can hire police 
officers under the Byrne JAG Program. We shifted the program over to 
Byrne JAG because it is far more effective and can be tailored to your 
community.
  So, Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this amendment because with this 
amendment we are restoring the funding for the COPS Hiring Program, but 
doing it through a far more effective and locally tailored program, the 
Byrne JAG Program. So I would urge all my colleagues to support this 
bipartisan amendment.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, we are in agreement, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. Poliquin

  Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $44,000,000)''.
       Page 6, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $8,000,000)''.
       Page 7, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $36,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Maine and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maine.
  Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, families in northern, central, western, and downeast 
Maine are some of the hardest working, most honest people you can find 
in the country. They expect and they want a more effective and a more 
accountable government that works for them, sir, and not against them.
  Now, one of the most important jobs of the Federal Government is to 
make sure that we protect American workers against unfair and unlawful 
trade practices. This is very clear in our Constitution, and the 
Founding Fathers made this clear to us all.
  Today, here in Washington, the International Trade Administration is 
responsible for enforcing these trade rules. Last year, three of our 
major paper mills in our district, the Second District of Maine, in 
Bucksport, Old Town, and Millinocket, closed. Mr. Chairman, 1,000 of 
the most skilled paper makers in the world are no longer working, and 
those 1,000 paychecks are no longer flowing to their families to help 
them care for their kids.
  This year in central Maine, in Madison, Maine, a fourth paper mill is 
now facing difficulty and has temporarily shut down a couple of times 
and furloughed another 200 workers. Now, if you talk to the folks that 
own the mill and work on the floor in Madison, they cite two reasons: 
number one is the high cost of energy to run their machinery; secondly, 
a provincial government in Canada has provided about $125 million of 
unfair subsidies to a competing paper mill across the border. These 
subsidies, which are unlawful and unfair, have allowed this competing 
paper mill to buy new equipment and to subsidize the cost of energy to 
run their machinery. As a result, the price of supercalendered paper 
that is made across the border and also in Madison, Maine, has 
plummeted, causing our mill in Madison to temporarily shut down and 
furlough its workers.
  Now this, Mr. Chairman, is not right, and this is not fair. American 
workers are the best in the world. We can compete with anybody in any 
industry in the global marketplace as long as it is a level playing 
field.
  As our office, Mr. Chair, got involved in this issue, the ITA made it 
very clear to us that they did not have the staff able to fully address 
this issue in what we believe to be a full, thorough, and comprehensive 
investigation, including a number of different paper mills, when it 
comes to these unfair subsidies.
  Up in our district, we are very frugal. We are fiscal conservatives. 
The folks in Maine can stretch a dollar, Mr. Chair, wider than anybody 
else in the country. So I am not suggesting that we increase the size 
of government and we increase spending. Quite the opposite. I believe 
our government is too big and too intrusive. However, I do have a 
solution to this problem.
  My amendment, Mr. Chair, asks that we transfer less than 5 percent of 
the funding this year going to the Census Bureau to the ITA such that 
they have the resources to thoroughly and effectively conduct an 
investigation dealing with these unfair provincial subsidies in Canada.
  Now, not only will a thorough and fair investigation help our workers 
at the Madison mill in central Maine, but

[[Page 8293]]

it will also help the backlog of cases at the ITA that affect tens of 
thousands of workers in various industries all throughout America. We 
all know in this room, on both sides of the aisle, that fair trade 
results in more jobs.
  All of us here in this Chamber want to make sure we do everything 
humanly possible to help our companies grow, be more competitive, more 
successful, and hire more workers. When that happens, Mr. Chairman, our 
workers have better lives with more opportunities, more freedom, and 
less government dependence.
  This is about jobs, Mr. Chair, and it is all about national security. 
I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Republicans and 
Democrats, to please support this amendment to make sure that we have 
fair trade in this country.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly rise in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleague to consider 
withdrawing the amendment. I would like to work with him to ensure that 
this case is investigated. The ITA is funded at a level of over $470 
million.
  I can only imagine how devastating this must be to the families there 
in Madison, Maine, that have lost their jobs and had their jobs 
furloughed and suspended because of an unfair subsidy right across the 
border. This is exactly what ITA is supposed to be doing. The 
Appropriations Committee has extraordinary influence over these 
agencies, and this is exactly the kind of case the ITA should be 
working on.
  I want to pledge to you my full support and assistance in making sure 
that this case is investigated and pursued aggressively if you consider 
withdrawing the amendment, because the Census has gotten hammered 
pretty hard. They just had $100 million transferred over to COPS 
Hiring. And if we could, I would certainly like to work with you as we 
move forward in ensuring that this case is investigated and handled.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. I would also work with the chairman on this matter to 
make sure this is fully reviewed and investigated.
  Mr. POLIQUIN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Maine.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. POLIQUIN. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate it very much.
  Although I do believe, sir, that jobs are more important than 
counting people, we will use the full authority of our office to help 
our workers at the Madison Mill to make sure that we do everything to 
have a level playing field.
  I will withdraw this amendment, and I accept your pledge to do 
everything within your power and authority to please help our paper 
workers, the most skilled in the world, in central Maine.
  Mr. CULBERSON. We will be on it and help you. I look forward to doing 
so aggressively and in a timely manner. Thank you very much.
  Mr. POLIQUIN. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Maine?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    Bureau of Industry and Security

                     operations and administration

       For necessary expenses for export administration and 
     national security activities of the Department of Commerce, 
     including costs associated with the performance of export 
     administration field activities both domestically and abroad; 
     full medical coverage for dependent members of immediate 
     families of employees stationed overseas; employment of 
     citizens of the United States and aliens by contract for 
     services abroad; payment of tort claims, in the manner 
     authorized in the first paragraph of section 2672 of title 
     28, United States Code, when such claims arise in foreign 
     countries; not to exceed $13,500 for official representation 
     expenses abroad; awards of compensation to informers under 
     the Export Administration Act of 1979, and as authorized by 
     section 1(b) of the Act of June 15, 1917 (40 Stat. 223; 22 
     U.S.C. 401(b)); and purchase of passenger motor vehicles for 
     official use and motor vehicles for law enforcement use with 
     special requirement vehicles eligible for purchase without 
     regard to any price limitation otherwise established by law, 
     $110,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 
     That the provisions of the first sentence of section 105(f) 
     and all of section 108(c) of the Mutual Educational and 
     Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2455(f) and 2458(c)) 
     shall apply in carrying out these activities: Provided 
     further, That payments and contributions collected and 
     accepted for materials or services provided as part of such 
     activities may be retained for use in covering the cost of 
     such activities, and for providing information to the public 
     with respect to the export administration and national 
     security activities of the Department of Commerce and other 
     export control programs of the United States and other 
     governments.


                  Amendment Offered by Mr. McClintock

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk 
involving page 3, line 10.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the Clerk will report the 
amendment.
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 3, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $311,788,000)''.
       Page 98, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $311,788,000)''.

  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I think we have passed that point in the 
bill.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I had risen before we had passed that 
point in the bill and was not recognized.
  Mr. FATTAH. I don't think it is any fault of your own. I am just 
saying for the technical matter I think that we have.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from California has two amendments at 
the desk, one to the pending paragraph and one to the previous 
paragraph.
  The Chair is entertaining the one to the previous paragraph by 
unanimous consent.
  Mr. FATTAH. Is this the one that the Clerk just read?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is correct. That is the amendment 
that the Clerk just read and addressing page 3, line 10.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman from California and a 
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, this amendment enacts a CBO 
recommendation to eliminate the trade promotion activities of the 
International Trade Administration to save almost $312 million.
  What does the ITA do exactly? Well, it has some legitimate functions 
enforcing trade agreements and treaties. This amendment leaves these 
functions untouched.
  But the ITA also does trade promotion activities. To quote from its 
own material, it ``provides counseling to American companies in order 
to develop the most profitable and sustainable plans for pricing, 
export, and the full range of public and private trade promotion 
assistance . . . as well as market intelligence, and industry and 
market specific research.''
  Well, this is all well and good, but isn't that what businesses and 
trade associations are supposed to do and used to do with their own 
money? Why should taxpayers pay for the profits of private companies?
  If a specific business or industry is the sole beneficiary of these 
services, shouldn't it be the sole financier of them, either 
individually or collectively through trade associations?
  True, this program has been around for generations, but Franklin 
Roosevelt, who was hardly a champion of smaller government, had the 
right idea when he slashed its budget in 1932 and closed 31 of its 
offices. The problem is that reform didn't take. ITA now has over 250 
offices and several thousand personnel around the world.
  The ITA's authorization lapsed in 1996--19 years ago. It has not been 
reviewed or authorized by Congress since

[[Page 8294]]

then, but we still keep shoveling money out the door.
  Although it hasn't been reviewed by Congress in all of these years, 
it has been thoroughly weighed by the Congressional Budget Office, the 
Office of Management and Budget, and the President's fiscal commission, 
and they have all found it sadly wanting. The Simpson-Bowles report 
summed it up nicely when they said:
  ``Services provided by ITA's U.S. Commercial Services and other 
divisions directly providing assistance to U.S. companies should be 
financed by beneficiaries of this assistance. While the agency charges 
fees for those services, its fees do not cover the cost of all of its 
activities. Additionally, it is argued that the benefits of trade 
promotion activities are passed on to foreigners in the form of 
decreased export costs.''
  Simpson-Bowles then goes on to say:
  ``According to a study by the Office of Management and Budget, 
businesses can receive similar services from State, local, and private 
sector entities.''
  This CBO option to eliminate ITA's promotion activities saves $312 
million in 2016 and $3.5 billion through 2024.
  Mr. Chairman, if the CBO, the OMB, and the President's fiscal 
commission all agree this is wasteful and Congress hasn't bothered to 
reauthorize it since it expired 19 years ago, why do we continue to 
spend money that we don't have duplicating services the beneficiaries 
of those services either don't need or are perfectly capable of funding 
on their own?
  And if the companies that we are told directly benefit from these so-
called ``essential'' services aren't willing to fund them, maybe that 
is just nature's way of telling us we shouldn't be fleecing our 
constituents' earnings to pay for them either.
  And why would we tap American taxpayers to subsidize the export 
activities of foreigners, as Simpson-Bowles notes?
  The rules of the House were specifically written to prevent this type 
of unauthorized expenditure, and they provide for a point of order to 
be raised if it is included in an appropriations bill. That is exactly 
what we have here. But alas, that rule is routinely waived when these 
measures are brought to the floor, making this amendment necessary.
  This is a prime example of corporate welfare, and we ought to be done 
with it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I share my colleague Mr. McClintock's 
feeling about programs that are unauthorized and share his passion for 
ensuring we don't spend money we don't have.
  But as the gentleman from Maine was just out here a moment ago, Mr. 
Poliquin has a perfect example of one of the really valid and very 
important functions of the ITA, and that is to identify subsidies that 
are unfair, that imbalance our trade with a foreign nation. As he 
pointed out, the Canadian Government is unfairly subsidizing a paper 
mill right directly across the border from his constituents in Madison, 
Maine, and caused the furloughing of workers at the Madison paper mill. 
And as I just pledged to Mr. Poliquin, I want to make sure that ITA is 
doing its job when it comes to identifying and enacting some measures 
to counterbalance unfair trade practices like that.
  I would agree with my friend from California: when it comes to 
promoting American business, that is the job of the Chamber of 
Commerce; when it comes to making sure that American businesses get the 
word out and shares information, that is something American businesses 
ought to do; but when it comes to unfair subsidies given by foreign 
governments to their businesses that cause American workers to lose 
their jobs, that is exactly what the ITA is designed to do. We need 
trade enforcement, we need countervailing duties, and we need export 
assistance.
  The amendment which the gentleman from California has offered looks 
to be about a 70 percent cut. I would be happy to work with you and 
find some ways to find savings within the agency when it comes to 
promoting American businesses because I am a big believer. Let the 
Chamber of Commerce do it.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. This amendment leaves all of those legitimate 
activities of the ITA intact. It still leaves $160 million of 
activities. All it does is to defund the trade promotion activities 
that the CBO recognized as being wasteful, as did OMB, as did Simpson-
Bowles.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Well, the scale of the reduction to reduce the agency 
by $311,788,000 so abruptly is going to eliminate the ability, for 
example, to help Mr. Poliquin and other businesses like theirs across 
the country that are suffering from unfair subsidies by foreign 
governments. So, unfortunately, I need to oppose the amendment. A 70 
percent cut is simply not sustainable. And Mr. Poliquin, I think, made 
a very eloquent case just a moment ago for the type of work the ITA 
needs to do. So I would need to urge my colleagues to oppose this 
amendment.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I would be happy to yield to my friend from 
Philadelphia.
  Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentleman.
  I also oppose the amendment. The business of our country is, I think, 
appropriate in making sure that our businesses are not locked out of a 
market around the world. Only 2 percent of American businesses export 
anywhere, and we need to have a robust effort because 90 percent of the 
world's consumers live somewhere else. We do have a reality that other 
governments are aggressive about promoting their business 
opportunities. If we want Americans to have jobs here, some of those 
are connected to these opportunities. So I thank the chairman, and I 
suggest that this is not an amendment that would be in the interest of 
the American business community or workers.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I think the scale of the cut would be 
devastating to the agency. Houston, Texas, is one of the premier 
exporting centers of the United States, and it is important that we do 
everything in our power. The Federal Government does have an obligation 
to enforce trade agreements to make sure that trade is fair and free 
and that subsidies that are unfairly used by foreign governments to 
support their own industries, that we have got some way to 
counterbalance that. That is the essential function of this agency. So, 
therefore, I would ask Members to oppose this amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate that this does not 
in any way affect the enforcement activities of the ITA. It does not in 
any way affect the measures that Mr. Poliquin of Maine just referenced. 
It affects only the trade promotion activities of the ITA that have 
been singled out time and again as being duplicative of what the 
companies profiting from these activities should be paying for 
themselves or are duplicative of other programs. It is only the trade 
promotion activities. None of the enforcement activities are affected 
by this amendment. I would ask for an ``aye'' vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, 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 California 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                  Economic Development Administration

                economic development assistance programs

       For grants for economic development assistance as provided 
     by the Public Works and

[[Page 8295]]

     Economic Development Act of 1965, for trade adjustment 
     assistance, for grants authorized by section 27 of the 
     Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
     3722), $213,000,000, to remain available until expended.

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses of administering the economic 
     development assistance programs as provided for by law, 
     $37,000,000: Provided, That these funds may be used to 
     monitor projects approved pursuant to title I of the Public 
     Works Employment Act of 1976, title II of the Trade Act of 
     1974, section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
     Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3722), and the Community 
     Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1977.

                  Minority Business Development Agency

                     minority business development

       For necessary expenses of the Department of Commerce in 
     fostering, promoting, and developing minority business 
     enterprise, including expenses of grants, contracts, and 
     other agreements with public or private organizations, 
     $32,000,000.

                   Economics and Statistics Analysis

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses, as authorized by law, of economic 
     and statistical analysis programs of the Department of 
     Commerce, $100,000,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2017.

                          Bureau of the Census

                      current surveys and programs

       For necessary expenses for collecting, compiling, 
     analyzing, preparing and publishing statistics, provided for 
     by law, $265,000,000: Provided, That, from amounts provided 
     herein, funds may be used for promotion, outreach, and 
     marketing activities: Provided further, That the Bureau of 
     the Census shall collect data for the Annual Social and 
     Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey using 
     the same health insurance questions included in previous 
     years, in addition to the revised questions implemented in 
     the Current Population Survey beginning in February 2014.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Nugent

  Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 6, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $4,000,000)''.
       Page 44, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 46, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 42, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $4,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Florida and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, each day more and more Americans are 
realizing that we need to take action to deal with mental health issues 
in this country. We need to make it a priority.
  My amendment, in keeping with that sentiment, would provide 
additional funding for programs under the Mentally Ill Offender 
Treatment and Crime Reduction Act and for Veterans Treatment Courts.

                              {time}  1600

  These are programs with proven track records of effectively 
addressing some of the important issues associated with mental health 
illnesses. My amendment would offset this increase by taking $4 million 
from the periodic censuses and programs account.
  Mr. Chairman, both of the programs that would receive an increase in 
funding under my amendment highlight the need for our justice and 
mental health systems to work together. As a former sheriff, I can tell 
you that cooperation is vital. If our justice and mental health systems 
are collaborating, we can provide more positive outcomes not only for 
those with mental health illnesses, but for our taxpayers as well.
  Grants provided under MIOTCRA are used, among other purposes, to set 
up mental health courts, for community reentry services, and for 
training State and local law enforcement officers to help identify and 
deescalate mental health crises, which saves the lives of both the 
mentally ill and of the responding officers.
  During my 37 years as a cop, I saw firsthand how our jails were 
becoming warehouses for people with mental health needs. No one is well 
served by this process, not those with mental illness, not our 
taxpayers, and, certainly, as I spoke earlier, not our veterans. Let me 
provide you with some numbers to illustrate what actually is going on 
within our jails.
  According to the Florida Mental Health Institute, over a 5-year 
period, 97 individuals from Miami-Dade County accounted for 2,200 
bookings in the county jail; 27,000 days in the jail; and 13,000 days 
in crisis units, State hospitals, and emergency rooms.
  The cost to the State and to local taxpayers was nearly $13 million 
for just 97 people. However, the type of programs my amendment supports 
have been shown to dramatically reduce those rates.
  In Pinellas County, for instance, which is another Florida county, a 
mental health jail diversion program showed an 87 percent reduction in 
rearrests for the nearly 3,000 offenders who were enrolled. Not only 
does my amendment support these programs, but it also recognizes the 
unique responsibility that we have to our veterans.
  Veterans are disproportionately affected by mental health illnesses. 
Even more, they would likely not have these issues if it weren't for 
their service to this country. We owe them a better outcome, and 
Veterans Treatment Courts can help. My point is that they are some of 
the best investments we can make.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I am 
not opposed to the gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I support the gentleman's amendment. 
Veterans courts and mental health courts do great work. It is a very 
important role that they serve.
  I want to also thank the gentleman for his service as a police 
officer. We just simply cannot thank our police officers enough for the 
good work that they do, and I strongly support the gentleman's 
amendment.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. I support the gentleman's amendment, and I thank him for 
offering it.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Collins).
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I appreciate the gentleman from Florida for 
yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Nugent-Collins 
amendment, which provides critical additional funding for Veterans 
Treatment Courts and mental health courts.
  I have seen firsthand the difference that mental health courts and 
Veterans Treatment Courts can make. Over the course of the past few 
months in and around the Ninth District and all over Georgia, this is 
something that I have worked on not only in the State of Georgia, but 
also now in working nationally here with my friend from Florida.
  Our jails are not mental health facilities, but we continue to use 
them that way, despite the fact that they are not in anyone's best 
interest. By treating the mentally ill with compassion, we can provide 
them a second chance to get better.
  We can also cut costs, empower States, reduce recidivism, and ensure 
that law enforcement officers can focus on protecting the safety of the 
public. By investing in Veterans Treatment Courts, we can better serve 
those who have served us, and we can address PTSD and related issues in 
a more meaningful way.
  I appreciate Mr. Nugent and his tireless leadership on this issue in 
advocating for a better, more sensible approach. Together, we 
introduced the Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act, which would 
expand and further improve upon the mental health and Veterans 
Treatment Court programs that are funded by H.R. 2578.
  I just want to encourage everyone to support this amendment. Again, 
let's

[[Page 8296]]

take an honest, serious look at how we are dealing with those with 
mental health issues.
  Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Fattah).
  Mr. FATTAH. I talked to our colleague from Georgia, who just spoke on 
this matter, and I know he has talked about how this is really 
critically important for veterans.
  It is a population that we have to be concerned about, so I want to 
thank you again for offering this, and the chairman and I agree.
  Mr. NUGENT. In reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the 
chairman of the subcommittee and I appreciate the ranking member in 
their support of this because it really is about how we deal with our 
fellow man.
  It is about a way that we shouldn't be criminalizing mental health 
disorders. That is the worst thing that we can do. As a police officer 
and as a sheriff for over 38 years, I have seen the effects of 
untreated mental illness, particularly in the county jails where they 
are now warehoused.
  I truly do appreciate the support across the board, and I will tell 
you that our law enforcement officers and our correctional officers 
will support it also.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois). The question is on 
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Nugent).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                     periodic censuses and programs

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses for collecting, compiling, 
     analyzing, preparing and publishing statistics for periodic 
     censuses and programs provided for by law, $848,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2017: Provided, That, 
     from amounts provided herein, funds may be used for 
     promotion, outreach, and marketing activities: Provided 
     further, That within the amounts appropriated, $1,551,000 
     shall be transferred to the ``Office of Inspector General'' 
     account for activities associated with carrying out 
     investigations and audits related to the Bureau of the 
     Census: Provided further, That not more than 50 percent of 
     the amounts made available under this heading for information 
     technology related to 2020 census delivery, including the 
     Census Enterprise Data Collection and Processing (CEDCaP) 
     program, may be obligated until the Secretary submits to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate a plan for expenditure that (1) identifies for 
     each CEDCaP project/investment over $25,000 (a) the 
     functional and performance capabilities to be delivered and 
     the mission benefits to be realized, (b) the estimated 
     lifecycle cost, including estimates for development as well 
     as maintenance and operations, and (c) key milestones to be 
     met; (2) details for each project/investment (a) reasons for 
     any cost and schedule variances, and (b) top risks and 
     mitigation strategies, and (3) has been submitted to the 
     Government Accountability Office.


                 Amendment Offered by Mr. Poe of Texas

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 7, line 8, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(reduced by $17,300,000)''.
       Page 38, line 9, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $17,300,000)''.
       Page 41, line 14, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $17,300,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, Congress has made it clear that it 
will not stand for this new scourge that we are finding in our country 
of human sex trafficking. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act 
passed the United States Senate 99-0, and it passed the House of 
Representatives before that with only 3 Members voting against it and 
all 400-plus voting for it.
  Modern-day slavery does happen in the United States. It is a 
multibillion-dollar business. It is second only to the international 
crime syndicates of drug trafficking for the amount of money that is 
raised. It is not time for us to lower the amount of money we have for 
grants that will assist the victims of this scourge. That is why my 
amendment brings in just $17.3 million to this fund that was cut. This 
$17.3 million will bring it up to last year's level so that $43 million 
will go for victim services and victim grants.
  Where does this money come from? From where are we taking it? We are 
taking it out of the periodic censuses and programs and applying it to 
this fund.
  The periodic censuses and programs--let me make it clear--is not the 
constitutional census counting that is required to be done by the 
Census Bureau. This is another program that the Census Bureau has. It 
is sometimes called the American Community Survey, which is very 
intrusive.
  Without really much choice, it asks citizens numerous questions that 
are an invasion of their privacy. For example: What time do you go to 
work? What time do you get home from work? Does anybody in your 
household have a mental illness or disease? They are questions such as 
these that are very intrusive. The Census Bureau shouldn't be asking 
these questions.
  Set aside that anyway. With this money, rather than asking people in 
the community--citizens--to tell us what time they go to work or what 
time they go during the day to different appointments, like doctors' 
appointments, we should show the priority of putting just $17 million 
of that money back into this appropriation to help the victims of 
trafficking.
  It will bring it up to last year's level of a mere $43 million of 
grant money. That is what this legislation does. It ensures that we are 
telling trafficking victims there will be money available for grants to 
assist them and money available for law enforcement to assist them in 
their training.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, even 
though I am not in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Fattah) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, first of all, this is where you can find 
the contradictions of public policy with the interjection of politics, 
right?
  I totally agree with the purpose, but I totally disagree with the 
underlying notion that this money is not important to the Census. First 
and foremost, I agree with the amendment and that we should invest in 
another $16 million in helping victims of human trafficking.
  It is a major problem in our country--in my part of the country, in 
your part of the country, and throughout our Nation. We should do more, 
so I support the amendment.
  I don't want us to assume that the periodic census dollars are not 
important, however, and are not part of the constitutionally mandated 
census as they are part of the 2020 preparation. We will have to deal 
with that in some other way, but I don't want to because I agree with 
the amendment. That is not to suggest that I agree with the underlying 
thought that this money is not important to the Census.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to join 
him in supporting this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, we have a terrible problem in this country with human 
slavery and with human sex trafficking. My colleague from Texas is 
exactly right, and I strongly support his amendment.
  I also share his concern about the American Community Survey, and I 
intend to pursue aggressive oversight during the months ahead. I do 
think it is intrusive. Our right to be left alone as Americans is one 
of our most important rights, so I share the gentleman's concern about 
the American Community Survey.
  We have a responsibility to make sure the Census is funded, but this 
is a very important amendment, and I urge

[[Page 8297]]

my colleagues to support it to help combat this disgraceful scourge of 
human trafficking.
  Mr. FATTAH. In reclaiming my time, I am glad that we are all in 
agreement. I don't want families to be left alone, though, if they have 
someone who is suffering from mental health illnesses.
  The reason that question is asked in a community survey is so that, 
when we are doing funding for communities for mental health services, 
we know where the impact of those dollars can be most applied. The 
census is taken for a good reason, but let us agree for the moment on 
the amendment, and let's move on.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the ranking member and I thank the 
chairman, as well, for their comments.
  Mr. Chairman, the issue is not the American Community Survey. The 
issue is where we are going to get this money to bring this fund up to 
last year's level. It is going to come from that portion of the Census 
that is about $800 million, and that is why that section was picked. We 
need to have this lively debate about the American Community Survey in 
some other setting.
  Right now, let's take care of trafficking victims in the United 
States and provide them grants, and let's provide law enforcement 
grants and victim services grants so that they can help minor sex 
trafficking victims who are being trafficked throughout the United 
States.
  I appreciate the ranking member's support and the chairman's support.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       National Telecommunications and Information Administration

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses, as provided for by law, of the 
     National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
     (NTIA), $35,200,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2017: Provided, That, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 1535(d), the 
     Secretary of Commerce shall charge Federal agencies for costs 
     incurred in spectrum management, analysis, operations, and 
     related services, and such fees shall be retained and used as 
     offsetting collections for costs of such spectrum services, 
     to remain available until expended: Provided further, That 
     the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to retain and use as 
     offsetting collections all funds transferred, or previously 
     transferred, from other Government agencies for all costs 
     incurred in telecommunications research, engineering, and 
     related activities by the Institute for Telecommunication 
     Sciences of NTIA, in furtherance of its assigned functions 
     under this paragraph, and such funds received from other 
     Government agencies shall remain available until expended.

    public telecommunications facilities, planning and construction

       For the administration of prior-year grants, recoveries and 
     unobligated balances of funds previously appropriated are 
     available for the administration of all open grants until 
     their expiration.

               United States Patent and Trademark Office

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the United States Patent and 
     Trademark Office (USPTO) provided for by law, including 
     defense of suits instituted against the Under Secretary of 
     Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, 
     $3,272,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 
     That the sum herein appropriated from the general fund shall 
     be reduced as offsetting collections of fees and surcharges 
     assessed and collected by the USPTO under any law are 
     received during fiscal year 2016, so as to result in a fiscal 
     year 2016 appropriation from the general fund estimated at 
     $0: Provided further, That during fiscal year 2016, should 
     the total amount of such offsetting collections be less than 
     $3,272,000,000 this amount shall be reduced accordingly: 
     Provided further, That any amount received in excess of 
     $3,272,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and deposited in the 
     Patent and Trademark Fee Reserve Fund shall remain available 
     until expended: Provided further, That the Director of USPTO 
     shall submit a spending plan to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
     for any amounts made available by the preceding proviso and 
     such spending plan shall be treated as a reprogramming under 
     section 505 of this Act and shall not be available for 
     obligation or expenditure except in compliance with the 
     procedures set forth in that section: Provided further, That 
     any amounts reprogrammed in accordance with the preceding 
     proviso shall be transferred to the United States Patent and 
     Trademark Office ``Salaries and Expenses'' account: Provided 
     further, That from amounts provided herein, not to exceed 
     $900 shall be made available in fiscal year 2016 for official 
     reception and representation expenses: Provided further, That 
     in fiscal year 2016 from the amounts made available for 
     ``Salaries and Expenses'' for the USPTO, the amounts 
     necessary to pay (1) the difference between the percentage of 
     basic pay contributed by the USPTO and employees under 
     section 8334(a) of title 5, United States Code, and the 
     normal cost percentage (as defined by section 8331(17) of 
     that title) as provided by the Office of Personnel Management 
     (OPM) for USPTO's specific use, of basic pay, of employees 
     subject to subchapter III of chapter 83 of that title, and 
     (2) the present value of the otherwise unfunded accruing 
     costs, as determined by OPM for USPTO's specific use of post-
     retirement life insurance and post-retirement health benefits 
     coverage for all USPTO employees who are enrolled in Federal 
     Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) and Federal Employees Group 
     Life Insurance (FEGLI), shall be transferred to the Civil 
     Service Retirement and Disability Fund, the FEGLI Fund, and 
     the FEHB Fund, as appropriate, and shall be available for the 
     authorized purposes of those accounts: Provided further, That 
     any differences between the present value factors published 
     in OPM's yearly 300 series benefit letters and the factors 
     that OPM provides for USPTO's specific use shall be 
     recognized as an imputed cost on USPTO's financial 
     statements, where applicable: Provided further, That, 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, all fees and 
     surcharges assessed and collected by USPTO are available for 
     USPTO only pursuant to section 42(c) of title 35, United 
     States Code, as amended by section 22 of the Leahy-Smith 
     America Invents Act (Public Law 112-29): Provided further, 
     That within the amounts appropriated, $2,000,000 shall be 
     transferred to the ``Office of Inspector General'' account 
     for activities associated with carrying out investigations 
     and audits related to the USPTO.

             National Institute of Standards and Technology

             scientific and technical research and services

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses of the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology (NIST), $675,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended, of which not to exceed $9,000,000 
     may be transferred to the ``Working Capital Fund'': Provided, 
     That not to exceed $5,000 shall be for official reception and 
     representation expenses: Provided further, That NIST may 
     provide local transportation for summer undergraduate 
     research fellowship program participants.


        Amendment Offered by Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment 
at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 12, line 9, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000) (reduced by $3,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman 
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  My amendment is intended to ensure that the important forensic 
standards work at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
or NIST, is fully funded.
  The criminal justice system relies on forensic science to identify 
and prosecute criminals and to exonerate the falsely accused. Justice 
is not served by either the falsely accused or the victims and their 
families when the wrong person is imprisoned.
  In a series of investigations over the last few years, The Washington 
Post, the Innocence Project, and the FBI itself have reported on a 
flawed forensic work that may be responsible for wrongful convictions 
in thousands of criminal cases.

                              {time}  1615

  Innocent people have spent decades in prison, and our State certainly 
knows about many of them--my home county, as a matter of fact. Some may 
have already been put to death while the guilty have gone free.
  These investigations have covered hair analysis, bite mark analysis, 
and

[[Page 8298]]

even DNA, which most people previously believed to be 100 percent 
accurate and reliable. In short, there has been a steady stream of bad 
news about flawed forensic work being used in criminal court. And I 
worry that we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg.
  In a year 2009 report, ``Strengthening Forensic Science in the United 
States: A Path Forward,'' the National Academy of Sciences found that 
the interpretation of forensic evidence is severely compromised by the 
lack of supporting science and standards.
  Many forensic techniques and technologies lack a scientific 
foundation. Operational principles and procedures are not standardized, 
and there are often no standard protocols governing the reporting of 
forensic evidence.
  Since then, I have worked with colleagues in the Senate to develop 
legislation that would strengthen forensic science and standards. The 
administration also took notice and has initiated several activities, 
even without direct action from Congress. The Department of Justice and 
NIST have become strong partners in this effort. Now, some of my 
colleagues on Appropriations would like to gut one of these core 
activities, the standards development work managed by NIST.
  For reasons that I cannot comprehend, the report language 
accompanying this bill would forbid NIST from continuing the voluntary 
consensus standards development work already underway through the 
forensics scientific area committees. These committees coordinate 
development of standards and guidelines for the forensic science 
community to improve the quality and consistency of forensics evidence 
used by our justice system.
  These committees were established according to the longstanding and 
well-respected NIST process for developing voluntary consensus 
standards. As such, the membership of these committees represent the 
full breadth and depth of stakeholder organizations, including forensic 
science practitioners, as well as academic scientists and engineers, 
law enforcement, and others.
  To the best of my knowledge, these committees have the support of the 
full range of stakeholders. Why would we stop, in its tracks, a 
voluntary consensus standards process that has proven itself effective 
time and time again? I can see no justifiable reason for trying to keep 
sound science out of the courtroom.
  Mr. Chair, since the language in question is in the committee's 
report rather than the bill text and will not be sufficiently addressed 
with this amendment, I plan to withdraw this amendment but seek the 
approval of both the chair and the ranking member to help correct this 
language as we move toward the conference report.
  My colleagues, I hope, will work with the Senate to rectify this 
unjustified and unjust restriction.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from 
Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chair, I look forward to working with my colleague 
from Texas and with my colleague from Philadelphia on this matter as we 
move forward in the conference.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Thank you very much, Mr. 
Chairman.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chair, I also would work with the gentlewoman and the 
chairman on this. You know, the premise of our entire judicial system 
is that we would rather a guilty person go free than any innocent 
person be in prison.
  Forensic science has brought a lot to the business of better 
understanding actually what has taken place and to make sure that we 
don't have innocent people incarcerated.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. With that, I ask unanimous 
consent to withdraw this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                     industrial technology services

       For necessary expenses of the Hollings Manufacturing 
     Extension Partnership of the National Institute of Standards 
     and Technology, $130,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.


                     Amendment Offered by Ms. Esty

  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 12, line 20, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $11,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 7, after the dollar amount insert ``(reduced 
     by $31,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Connecticut.
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, we should invest in manufacturing, which 
plays such a vital role in innovation and competitiveness. The Federal 
Government is uniquely situated to help ensure that manufacturing 
remains the backbone of the U.S. economy.
  My amendment fully funds the Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
program by increasing funding for the industrial technologies account 
by $11 million. This program is the top priority for the U.S. Chamber 
of Commerce. Just earlier today, the Chamber listed fully funding the 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership at $141 million as its highest 
priority for the Commerce, Justice, Science bill.
  My amendment is also fiscally responsible. It decreases funding for 
the Federal prison system by $31 million to ensure that this investment 
in manufacturing does not affect our national spending.
  In Connecticut, we are proud to be a national leader in 
manufacturing. Our State is home to more than 5,000 manufacturers that 
provide stable, good-paying jobs for our families. For more than 20 
years, our Manufacturing
Extension program, the Connecticut State Technical Extension Program, 
known as CONNSTEP, has been a trusted adviser for our small- and 
medium-sized manufacturing companies looking to grow their business and 
increase their workforce in sales.
  Since 2013, CONNSTEP's clients have helped create 511 jobs, retained 
more than $527 million in sales, and realized cost savings of $81 
million statewide. In Thomaston, in my district, Metallon, 
Incorporated, a metal stamping and assembly facility, partnered with 
CONNSTEP to help conduct internal quality auditing and secure new 
products. Thanks to the partnership with CONNSTEP, Metallon expanded 
their workforce and increased sales by half a million dollars.
  Metallurgical Processing, Incorporated, a metal processing facility 
in New Britain, Connecticut, saw a 20 percent increase in production 
capacity and $181,000 in cost savings after working with CONNSTEP to 
streamline product flow and improve production efficiency.
  CONNSTEP's support for Connecticut business is critical to our 
continued leadership in manufacturing, as we not only retain but grow 
these jobs statewide. I have seen firsthand how CONNSTEP's support has 
successfully helped our manufacturers to be competitive in an 
increasingly globalized economy.
  But make no mistake, these successes are not just in Connecticut. The 
Manufacturing Extension program has a proven track record of effective 
partnerships with manufacturers all across the country. Since the MEP 
program started more than 25 years ago, centers across America have 
created more than 729,000 manufacturing jobs, saved companies more than 
$13.4 billion, and turned every dollar of Federal investment into $19 
in new sales growth.
  The additional funding of the MEP program will enable our centers to 
fully execute their mission and undertake a robust technology transfer 
program to help manufacturers take new discoveries from the research 
lab to the marketplace.
  I encourage all my colleagues to support my amendment to fully fund 
the

[[Page 8299]]

Manufacturing Extension Partnership program and invest in our 
manufacturing future.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment 
because our Federal prison system is already between 30 and 50 percent 
overcrowded. We have not built a new prison in the United States since 
2009. It is vitally important that we have got these prisons in place 
to keep our most dangerous criminal offenders off the streets.
  The amendment that the gentlewoman has offered would immediately 
prevent the Bureau of Prisons from expanding its capacity and do severe 
damage to their ability to reduce overcrowding, which is a threat to 
the staff, a threat to the inmates, and a threat to the public.
  The gentlewoman's amendment--I understand she is concerned--to 
support the Manufacturing Extension program, we cannot do so at the 
expense of public safety.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky, the full 
committee chairman.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank the chairman for yielding.
  It is no secret, Mr. Chairman, that there is a strain on our Nation's 
prison system. As the inmate population continues to rise, our prisons 
get more and more crowded every day. As the inmate population continues 
to rise, with 216,000 individuals currently serving Federal sentences, 
our prisons get more and more crowded every day.
  At the end of fiscal 2013--listen to this--25 percent of our medium 
security inmates and 85 percent of our low security inmates were triple 
bunked--triple bunked. Considering that 8 out of every 10 medium 
security inmates has a history of violence, this creates some very 
serious questions about the safety of the BOP staff, the public, and 
even other inmates. Updating our prisons will provide greater 
efficiency and staffing and permits staff to safely oversee more 
inmates.
  Our medium and maximum security prisons house some of the world's 
most dangerous and violent criminals. The bill before us provides 
critical funding to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in order to modernize 
and strengthen our Nation's prison infrastructure. These funds will 
help protect the public as well as the men and women who work at these 
facilities. It is imperative that we provide them a safe and secure 
environment within which to work.
  The Federal Government has a commitment to keep the public and prison 
staff safe, and these dollars are needed to fulfill that commitment. So 
I oppose this effort to reduce funding for the Bureau of Prisons and 
urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I want to point out 
the Manufacturing Extension program is already fully funded. They have 
got $130 million set aside for the program in the bill; and, quite 
frankly, the amendment would endanger the public because we would not 
be able to proceed with the urgently needed construction of new prison 
facilities. So I urge my colleagues to join us in opposing this 
amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chair, how much time do I have remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Connecticut has 1\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. ESTY. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, let me just say that I rise in support of 
the amendment, and I think this shows the bigger picture here if the 
country has to choose between promoting manufacturing and whether or 
not we can safely operate the world's largest prison system. We 
incarcerate more people than any other country in the rest of the world 
on a per capita basis. We need to be employing more people in 
manufacturing. This makes sense. I support the gentlewoman's amendment.
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                  construction of research facilities

       For construction of new research facilities, including 
     architectural and engineering design, and for renovation and 
     maintenance of existing facilities, not otherwise provided 
     for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as 
     authorized by sections 13 through 15 of the National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278c-
     278e), $50,000,000, to remain available until expended: 
     Provided, That the Secretary of Commerce shall include in the 
     budget justification materials that the Secretary submits to 
     Congress in support of the Department of Commerce budget (as 
     submitted with the budget of the President under section 
     1105(a) of title 31, United States Code) an estimate for each 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology construction 
     project having a total multi-year program cost of more than 
     $5,000,000, and simultaneously the budget justification 
     materials shall include an estimate of the budgetary 
     requirements for each such project for each of the 5 
     subsequent fiscal years.

            National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

                  operations, research, and facilities

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For necessary expenses of activities authorized by law for 
     the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
     including maintenance, operation, and hire of aircraft and 
     vessels; grants, contracts, or other payments to nonprofit 
     organizations for the purposes of conducting activities 
     pursuant to cooperative agreements; and relocation of 
     facilities, $3,147,877,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2017, except that funds provided for 
     cooperative enforcement shall remain available until 
     September 30, 2018: Provided, That fees and donations 
     received by the National Ocean Service for the management of 
     national marine sanctuaries may be retained and used for the 
     salaries and expenses associated with those activities, 
     notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code: 
     Provided further, That in addition, $130,164,000 shall be 
     derived by transfer from the fund entitled ``Promote and 
     Develop Fishery Products and Research Pertaining to American 
     Fisheries'', which shall only be used for fishery activities 
     related to the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program, Cooperative 
     Research, Annual Stock Assessments, Survey and Monitoring 
     Projects, Interjurisdictional Fisheries Grants, and Fish 
     Information Networks: Provided further, That of the 
     $3,295,541,000 provided for in direct obligations under this 
     heading $3,147,877,000 is appropriated from the general fund, 
     $130,164,000 is provided by transfer, and $17,500,000 is 
     derived from recoveries of prior year obligations: Provided 
     further, That the total amount available for National Oceanic 
     and Atmospheric Administration corporate services 
     administrative support costs shall not exceed $208,100,000: 
     Provided further, That any deviation from the amounts 
     designated for specific activities in the report accompanying 
     this Act, or any use of deobligated balances of funds 
     provided under this heading in previous years, shall be 
     subject to the procedures set forth in section 505 of this 
     Act: Provided further, That in addition, for necessary 
     retired pay expenses under the Retired Serviceman's Family 
     Protection and Survivor Benefits Plan, and for payments for 
     the medical care of retired personnel and their dependents 
     under the Dependents Medical Care Act (10 U.S.C. 55), such 
     sums as may be necessary.

                              {time}  1630


            Amendment Offered by Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia

  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $200,000)''.
       Page 98, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increase by $200,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman

[[Page 8300]]

from Georgia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take a 
minute to tell you how we got here.
  As someone who fished in the Gulf of Mexico long before I got elected 
to Congress, when they started reducing the snapper season back in 
2007, we had approximately 190 days to fish as the recreational angler. 
They have now taken that down to 10 days.
  Through the Gulf councils, the National Marine Fisheries Service has 
worked through the councils to reduce the American recreational 
fishermen's opportunity to fish for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico 
by 95 percent since 2007. At the same time, they have increased quotas 
and allocations for the commercial sector. And most recently through 
the Gulf council, they cast a vote, 7-10, to split the recreational 
sector, and they gave the for-hire recreational sector 45 days and the 
not-for-hire 10 days.
  Now, let me just explain what that means to you. It means that if you 
want to just take your family fishing, you have 10 days to do it. If 
you want to go in the other 35 days of that recreational season, you 
have to pay a charter boat captain to take you out.
  What happened with the council is three of the members who voted had 
a vested interest in the charter boat industry that they did not 
disclose prior to the vote, even though Federal law required that they 
do it. Then, they turned around and cast that vote which personally 
benefited them, which, again, was illegal.
  I appreciate the committee working to put in the money for more data 
in an effort to get the recreational season back for the not-for-hire 
recreational angler, but to be honest with you, if you give them all 
the data in the world, no matter what it says, if they continue to 
conduct themselves in that manner, it won't matter. They will simply 
allocate themselves more fish.
  So with that, Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition, but I am not 
opposed.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I understand the gentleman is going to withdraw his 
amendment, and he has identified a serious problem that he has brought 
to our attention that I want to work with my ranking member on.
  I understand that it sounds to me like we have got a clear violation 
of Federal law involved here, and I am very distressed to hear of this 
reduction. It is a 95 percent reduction in the time available to 
individual Americans to fish, which is a very important part to all of 
us who live next to the Gulf of Mexico who go out and fish for red 
snapper.
  I am very concerned to hear about this failure to disclose the 
conflict of interest, and I would like to work with the gentleman from 
Georgia to help rectify this and make sure that the law not only is 
obeyed, but the agency is responsive to the needs of private fishermen. 
I would like to work with my colleague from Philadelphia on this.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, let me say that I thank 
the chairman and ranking member. This is something that needs to be 
rectified. If an illegal action was taken, it needs to be reversed.
  Based on your commitment to work with us on this amendment at this 
time, I look forward to having those discussions, and I ask unanimous 
consent to withdraw my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                  Amendment Offered by Mr. Blumenauer

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, lines 1, 18, and 19, after each dollar amount, 
     insert ``(reduced by $60,760,000) (increased by 
     $60,760,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Oregon and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  Sadly, the funding in this bill for NOAA's climate research is 
shamefully inadequate and puts at risk efforts to mitigate and respond 
to the impacts of climate change. It cuts NOAA's climate research by 
$30 million relative to the current fiscal year's inadequate level and 
is $61 million below the President's request. I am offering an 
amendment to restore the funding to the President's level.
  All across America, we are dealing with the impacts of climate 
change. Extreme weather events, whether it is the recent floods in 
Texas, or the persistent 4-year drought in California, are regular 
events. They claim lives and cost billions of dollars each year. 
Floods, droughts, superstorms, wildfires, heat waves, and sea level 
rise are all made worse as a result of climate change.
  We are no longer talking just about preparing for the future. It is 
happening now. And the evidence is clear as we go from one extreme 
weather event to another that it is getting worse.
  NOAA climate research funds atmospheric and oceanic research, 
cooperative institutes, universities, climate research laboratories, 
and others that will advance climate science and enable better 
decisionmaking and better policies to make our communities more 
resilient.
  It makes no sense to defund programs to help us prepare for extreme 
weather events; mitigate the impacts of such events; prevent the loss 
of human life, infrastructure, and property; and better predict these 
occurrences.
  Choosing to deny climate change does not stop it from happening, and 
failing to study and authorize these programs will not make the problem 
go away. In fact, it will only make us more vulnerable and hurt our 
ability to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CULBERSON. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
has a record level of funding in this bill for weather forecasting, 
which is where they need to focus their work: predicting the future and 
telling American farmers, American workers, American industry, and the 
American people what the future holds. What does the next week, the 
next month, or hurricane season hold for the people of the Gulf of 
Mexico or the Atlantic Coast?
  So, in an era of scarce resources we have funded NOAA with a record 
level of funding for weather forecasting. We have made sure they have 
got all the money they need for maritime safety and for supporting and 
monitoring America's fisheries.
  We have made sure in this bill that NOAA is focusing on their core 
function, and that is looking to the future. That, of course, is going 
to involve looking at climate. But over the past several years climate 
funding within NOAA has received more than adequate funding, and we 
have to use the scarce, very precious, hard-earned taxpayer dollars 
that we are entrusted to appropriate very carefully. We have to 
prioritize that funding, and within this bill, we have chosen to 
prioritize weather forecasting.
  I respect the gentleman's judgment but would ask him if he could 
withdraw the amendment, and I look forward to working with him to 
ensure that NOAA has got everything they need to accurately predict the 
weather in the future.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Beyer).
  Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Blumenauer amendment.
  In business, we are always fighting the tendency of the long term 
giving

[[Page 8301]]

away to the short term, the important giving away to the urgent and the 
immediate.
  I am deeply disappointed that this budget for climate research has 
been cut by $30 million. Now is not the time to cut climate research.
  From the floods in Houston to the drought in California, shifts in 
climate over the next few decades will cost American companies and 
American communities hundreds of billions of dollars. NOAA has the 
ability to do advanced forecasting predictions certainly for weather- 
and for ocean-related phenomena, but they also have it for climate 
short- and long-term change. This ability is crucial to support the 
future of our businesses, coastal cities, and environmental health.
  This Congress has repeatedly affirmed that climate change is real. We 
may have different ideas about the cause of climate change and 
certainly what we can do to combat it, but it makes no sense to slash 
the very research which will enable us to find effective, bipartisan 
solutions.
  We must robustly fund climate science research, and I urge my 
colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I understand the gentleman is going to 
withdraw the amendment, and I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Fattah).
  Mr. FATTAH. In this bill there are three cuts: at NASA on the Earth 
Science program, the cut to the National Science Foundation in terms of 
the ability to focus on geosciences, and the issue that is raised by my 
great friend from Oregon, and they combine to make the point that there 
is not yet a consensus in one place. Even though there is a consensus 
in the scientific community, the majority still is not yet clear that 
climate is something that we need to focus on.
  I urge support for the Blumenauer amendment.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I respect my friend from Texas. I 
appreciate his willingness to work with me and his notion of putting 
more resources in forecasting, but that is not the issue here.
  What we need to be doing is having a robust effort at NOAA to be able 
to deal comprehensively with climate, being able to deal with how we 
help communities be more resilient, how we are able to deal with the 
forces that are down upon us to help the scientific bases to be able to 
maybe even encourage this Congress to step up and do its job.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, could the gentleman be more specific 
about what it is he is asking NOAA to do?
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. It is our ability to provide reliable, long-term 
drought forecasts, projections of regional drought indicators, and 
issues dealing with the prediction of what happens in terms of flood 
research and performance of climate and weather models.
  This is not simply a matter of predicting next week's weather. This 
is dealing with long-term consequences and helping communities deal 
with the impact of climate change and being able to understand it 
better.
  Mr. Chairman, this is an entirely self-imposed constraint from my 
Republican friends. They have passed hundreds of billions of dollars of 
unfunded tax cuts out of committee. There is more than adequate money.
  Because the budget is so hopelessly inadequate, I ask unanimous 
consent to withdraw my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Guinta

  Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $70,000,000) (increased by $70,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from New Hampshire and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.
  Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I plan to withdraw this amendment, but I 
would like the opportunity to briefly explain.
  The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act of 1954 imposed a special duty on fish 
and fish products imported into the United States and required that 30 
percent of the money collected by NOAA would go toward supporting 
fisheries and research and development on the industry's long-term 
sustainability. However, NOAA has not been properly paying into its 
regional fishing grant programs and is using these tariffs as part of 
its operational expenses.
  To ensure a thriving fishing industry, we must invest in initiatives 
that increase the stock of our Nation's fisheries by providing grants 
to research and monitor them as well as management programs.
  During my first term, I introduced legislation that would ensure that 
key programs critical to sustainably managing ocean fish populations 
and the fishermen and communities that depend on them would receive 
increased and sustained funding.
  I sincerely thank Chairman Culberson for considering my 
appropriations letter and including the transfer of $130 million in 
existing funds to be used exclusively on Saltonstall-Kennedy fishing 
activity, particularly the S-K regional fisheries investment grant 
program.
  This transfer of funds will directly provide grants to regional 
fishery management councils that would work with area fishermen to 
identify investment priorities. These investment priorities include 
disaster assistance, improving shoreside infrastructure, seafood 
promotion, and managing highly migratory species.
  The transfer of these funds will help; however, it is a temporary fix 
to a much larger issue.

                              {time}  1645

  This year, I, along with my friend Congressman Bill Keating, have 
introduced the same legislation that would ensure that NOAA follow the 
requirement laid out in the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act of 1954.
  Again, I want to thank Chairman Culberson for taking my letter and 
thoughts into consideration. I appreciate the hard work of the 
committee on this issue and the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I am 
not opposed to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I would like to work with the gentleman 
from New Hampshire on this issue as we move forward. I understand the 
importance of the issue. I appreciate very much you raising it here 
with us today, and we look forward to working with you.
  We do include language stating that certain funds may be used only 
for activities related to the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program.
  We have worked with NOAA for the past several years to reduce their 
administration costs. We will continue to do so this year, and I will 
continue to work with you as we move forward through the process.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from New Hampshire?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Polis

  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, lines 1, 18, and 19, after each dollar amount, 
     insert ``(reduced by $30,000,000) (increased by 
     $30,000,000)''.


[[Page 8302]]


  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Colorado and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to several of the 
critical accounts in the bill that have been cut, which my amendment 
would address.
  The CJS Appropriations Act specifically targets funding for NOAA's 
climate research programs by $30 million over currently enacted levels, 
a program so important for farmers, for businesses, for air safety, for 
so many different reasons. That is a 20 percent cut to programs that 
are imperative to our Nation's ability and resilience in the face of 
climate threats.
  Twenty-five people were killed in the floods that saturated Texas 
last month. Damage from Hurricane Sandy was estimated at $700 billion 
back in 2012, and at least six people died in Boulder and Larimer 
County during the flooding that overtook my region in 2013. None of 
these places had ever seen storms like the ones they encountered over 
the last 5 years, and each were unprepared to handle it.
  NOAA and its partner institutions have made a huge dent in preventing 
disasters like these by keeping first responders, weather forecasters, 
businesses, communities, and families on the cutting edge of data 
predictability and resilience, providing quality raw data, as well as 
helping to develop new algorithms for interpreting existing data.
  Two of our partner institutions, CU and CSU, are located in my 
district in Colorado. Together with NOAA, these institutions are 
developing unmanned atmospheric assessment aircraft that allow us to 
foresee changes in weather patterns, incoming storms, days before we 
could otherwise, saving lives and saving property damage.
  These are very real tangible benefits that benefit all and protect 
Americans, regardless of whether one believes in climate change or what 
is causing it. I urge my colleagues to consider a world without these 
capabilities and what that would look like.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. 
We have, as I said earlier, scarce resources this year. We have to 
prioritize the very precious and scarce hard-earned taxpayers dollars 
that we are entrusted to look after, and we have prioritized funding 
within NOAA for forecasting in the future.
  As I was telling Mr. Blumenauer earlier, Mr. Polis, we have made sure 
that NOAA has got a record level of funding for weather forecasting and 
most of the things that Mr. Blumenauer was mentioning, in terms of 
forecasting drought, identifying where floods are going to occur.
  Looking forward, we have made sure that NOAA's got all the money they 
need for forecasting in the future, and we have to, I think, do 
everything we can to avoid cutting other parts of NOAA that would 
impair the weather forecasting or the development, maintenance, and 
operation of the weather satellites which could help NOAA inform people 
of severe weather.
  We, on the Gulf Coast in particular and on the Atlantic Coast as 
well, depend on NOAA to give us accurate forecasts of the paths of 
hurricanes. Hurricane season this year, they are predicting--because of 
the increase in computing power of supercomputers, they are able to 
predict it looks like it is going to be--the hurricane season this year 
is not going to be as severe.
  That capacity of NOAA to use supercomputing power to look that far 
into the future is of vital importance, so we have made sure that they 
have got a record level of funding for forecasting.
  We also do not want to reduce NOAA's capacity to support maritime 
navigation or to appropriately manage their fisheries. We just have 
limited resources, is the problem, Mr. Polis; and I just have had to 
prioritize NOAA's funding.
  We have put weather forecasting at the top of the list because of its 
vital importance for the economy and for the safety and security of the 
American people.
  I understand you are planning to withdraw the amendment, and I would 
certainly look forward to working with you. As Mr. Blumenauer mentioned 
a number of worthwhile endeavors that NOAA is engaged in, if you feel 
there are areas we need to work together on to get NOAA focused on to 
do a better job of forecasting in the future or other concerns, I would 
be happy to work with you.
  Mr. POLIS. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado if he would 
like to engage in a colloquy.
  Mr. POLIS. I would like to emphasize the importance of climate 
science with regard to predicting weather. The more we know about 
climate and climate patterns, the more it enhances our ability to 
predict short-term weather phenomena; therefore, a disproportionate cut 
to the climate science piece hampers our ability to anticipate weather 
patterns as well.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I look forward to working with you as we move forward 
in the process. I understand you are planning to withdraw the 
amendment.
  Mr. POLIS. I have additional speakers.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle).
  Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I think one of 
the most concerning things about this budget proposal is, without 
question, the proposal to cut $30 million to NOAA. That represents an 
approximately 20 percent cut, as my colleague from Colorado was 
pointing out.
  Mr. Chairman, I find it interesting that those who would deny the 
science of climate change often like to say, Well, the jury is still 
out, we need more research; yet here we are, with a budget that will 
cut that very research.
  Mr. Chairman, just a couple of years ago, in my house in 
Philadelphia, we were riding out a hurricane. Hurricane Sandy ended up 
becoming Superstorm Sandy. We never imagined that, in Philadelphia, we 
would be experiencing the kind of hurricane that typically is 
experienced by Florida and the Gulf Coast States.
  As even a Republican Governor said at the time, it seems as if the 
storm of the century is now happening once every couple of years.
  Mr. Chairman, we desperately need this research. We need this 
funding. Let's restore NOAA funding.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I am still trying to identify what precisely you are 
asking for because I think we are on the same page when it comes to 
forecasting and prediction. That is what you are asking for.
  Mr. POLIS. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.
  Mr. POLIS. I wanted to inquire with regard to how the funding cuts 
would impact the development of the unmanned atmospheric assessment 
aircrafts that are critical to foreseeing changes in weather pattern.
  Mr. CULBERSON. If I could, we are going to make sure that NOAA has 
got all the--we have given them a record level of increase this year so 
they can engage and make sure we have got accurate forecasting. Whether 
it be through their aircraft or their supercomputers or their modeling, 
they have got the resources they need to do accurate forecasting for 
the future.
  I am just trying to get a precise idea what it is you are looking for 
because I think we have given them all they need for forecasting, and 
that is what you are asking for.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, very specifically, this amendment would 
restore the $30 million of cuts--namely, a 20 percent cut--a 
disproportionate cut to climate science activities, including unmanned 
atmospheric assessment aircrafts and including creating raw data 
streams that can be used by those who predict weather, as well as by 
farmers

[[Page 8303]]

and businesses, because you can't separate out weather and climate.
  I think, perhaps because of political reasons--I don't know why--
there is a disproportionate cut, 20 percent, to the climate science 
piece of NOAA. Now, that climate science piece of NOAA, just because it 
has the word ``climate'' in it, that doesn't mean it is something where 
they are out there doing things that are political.
  What they are doing is they are trying to research the macro effects 
of climate on weather, on population and patterns, on dangers on ships. 
If the gentleman would simply allow that discretion within NOAA, undo 
the 20 percent cut, we fund that within NOAA.
  We are not, nor can we, under the budget, seek new money. We are 
simply taking the $30 million and putting it back into the climate 
science program.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. POLIS. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Thank you for yielding because I have just checked 
with my staff, and it appears that the money that we have allocated, a 
record level of funding for NOAA's forecasting, takes care of that 
aircraft. The money that we have allocated for NOAA for forecasting 
takes care of the data stream.
  That is why I kept asking what are y'all specifically asking for. We 
have taken care of it. We are deeply concerned with making sure that 
NOAA has got the money they need to predict hurricanes, to predict 
floods, to predict the terrible flooding that has taken place in 
Houston or the drought that has taken place in California.
  I think we are on the same page. I want to be sure the gentleman 
knows that I will work with him as we move forward in conference. If 
you can identify something specific that NOAA does not have as a result 
of our record increase for forecasting, we will help you restore it.
  Mr. POLIS. Reclaiming my time, one of the areas we would love to work 
with you on is Cooperative Institutes funding, the partnerships that 
NOAA has with our institutions of higher education to better leverage 
our taxpayer dollars.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Amendment is withdrawn.


                amendment offered by mr. smith of texas

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $21,000,000) (increased by $21,000,000)''.
       Page 14, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $21,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, my amendment takes direct, strong 
action to address America's weather forecasting shortcomings in order 
to reduce the loss of life and property from severe storms.
  The amendment I offer on behalf of myself; Science, Space, and 
Technology Committee Vice Chairman Frank Lucas; and Environment 
Subcommittee Chairman Jim Bridenstine directs that the full $120 
million authorized in House-passed H.R. 1561, the Weather Research and 
Forecasting Innovation Act of 2015, be provided in the NOAA Operations, 
Research, and Facilities appropriation account.
  The recent flooding in Texas and tornados in Oklahoma demonstrate the 
immediate need to quickly implement better weather research and 
forecasting by fully funding H.R. 1561.
  The House unanimously passed that bill just 2 weeks ago. We also 
unanimously passed it over a year ago in April 2014.
  Now, thanks to Chairman Culberson's initiative and support, the CJS 
bill will add the needed resources to transform our antiquated 1980s 
weather forecasting system into a 21st century weather enterprise in 
the next few years.
  Specifically, this amendment will provide $5 million more for weather 
lab research in NOAA, to total the $80 million authorized. The 
amendment will also provide $16 million more for weather research 
technology transfer in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Research, to total $20 million authorized to implement a labs and 
Cooperative Institutes research-to-operations program.
  This program will improve the understanding of how the public 
responds to warnings and transfer new technology to the National 
Weather Service, the American weather industry, and the academic 
partners.
  This new joint Technology Transfer Initiative should include support 
for the Vortex-SE project and development of advanced national and 
global cloud resolving models; quantitative observing system assessment 
tools; atmospheric chemistry needed for weather prediction; and 
additional sources of weather data, which includes commercial observing 
systems.
  Once again, I appreciate Chairman Culberson's accepting the 
amendment, which will help save lives and reduce property damage.
  As the CJS Appropriations chairman, Mr. Culberson has proved himself 
to be capable, knowledgeable, and committed to the country's best 
interest.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Does the gentleman from Texas seek to rise in 
opposition?
  Mr. CULBERSON. Well, I would like to seek some time in opposition, 
but I do not oppose the amendment. We have agreed to accept it and work 
this out.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is the gentleman from Pennsylvania opposed?
  Mr. FATTAH. I am authentically opposed to the amendment, but I would 
also make an allowance to yield to my chairman after I make my 
comments.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania is recognized for 5 
minutes.

                              {time}  1700

  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Culberson), the chairman of the subcommittee.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I just want to stress, if I could, that 
Chairman Smith has been very supportive and cooperative. We have worked 
together arm in arm, as has his ranking member, who is also from Texas. 
This amendment is one that will help the Weather Service do a better 
job of forecasting. I think it is a good amendment. It is one that we 
have worked out together. I do urge Members to support it.
  I appreciate the gentleman from Pennsylvania yielding to me.
  Mr. FATTAH. Reclaiming my time in opposition, in all good, there is 
some bad. It is true that this amendment would offer some additional 
dollars for weather forecasting. But $16 million of it--the bulk of the 
$21 million--would go into technology transfer. Now, I am not opposed 
to technology transfer, but to take it out of the administrative work 
at NOAA, I have visited NOAA, and I understand how the operations there 
work. I have spent a lot of time learning about its operations. And I 
can tell you that NOAA cannot perform the duties that our Nation needs 
without the administrative capabilities.
  It would be just like coming here to the Hill and expecting the 
Congress to function without our back office operations. We would not 
be able to proceed forward. So I think that it is more important for us 
to have an appropriate allocation so that we can meet these needs than 
it is to rob the administrative capability of NOAA at a time when we 
want to place more demands on it.
  I think that the amendment--even though moving towards additional 
help for weather forecasting--the bulk of it is for a technology 
transfer to the private sector, which I am all for, but it

[[Page 8304]]

sounds to me like it is robbing Peter to pay Paul.
  On the floor, it may be easy to pass an amendment that cuts 
administrative costs at a government agency, but it may be something 
that we live to regret. So I stand in opposition to the amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine), who is the chairman of the Environment 
Subcommittee of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Smith 
for his leadership on this important amendment as well as Chairman 
Culberson. I thank them for working with us on this amendment. I know 
we have been working very hard to make sure that this is adequately 
funded and from the right sources.
  By fully funding the weather research and technology transfer that 
was authorized by my bill, H.R. 1561, this appropriations bill now 
reflects the House's will that NOAA prioritize activities that save 
lives and property. The funding will go to support critical work to 
increase the lead times that we receive for tornadoes. A lot of this 
critical work is being done at the University of Oklahoma. I have heard 
already that we were looking for more funding for some Cooperative 
Institutes, and that is what this is.
  This is of extreme importance to my State, as I have already lost 
constituents this year from tornadoes. It is my sincere belief that 
this appropriations bill now ensures that programs are funded that will 
eventually move us to a day where no one is killed in a tornado or 
other severe storm event.
  Again, I thank Chairman Culberson and Chairman Smith for their 
leadership on this issue. We need to adopt this amendment so that we 
can save lives and property, especially as it relates to my 
constituents in Oklahoma.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Keating

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,750,000) (increased by $1,750,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Massachusetts and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to offer and withdraw my 
amendment.
  I rise for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy with the chairman 
and the gentlewoman from Maine.
  Since 1972, the National Marine Fisheries Service has utilized 
trained fishery observers to monitor and assess the health of fish 
populations along the coast of the United States, providing critical 
data gathered from commercial vessels that is then used to guide NOAA 
in determining best practices for conservation and sustainable 
management.
  The fishing industry is a willing and engaged partner in supporting 
the use of on-vessel observers. However, following a legal challenge, 
this August, NOAA will run out of funding to continue paying for this 
mandated program.
  I have heard from fishermen from the south coast of Massachusetts, to 
Cape Cod and the islands, to the south shore who are still struggling 
from the impacts of diminishing groundfish stocks and worry they will 
be unable to cover the burden of this cost.
  Our region is still reeling from the collapse of the groundfish 
industry that prompted Federal disaster relief. This is particularly 
true for some small fishing businesses, where this added burden can be 
the difference between success and failure as a business.
  I am working with my New England and Massachusetts colleagues and 
NOAA to find an interim solution. And as we look to 2016, I ask that we 
work to provide adequate funding for at-sea and dockside monitoring for 
fisheries with approved catch share management plans that impose 
observer coverage as a condition for new and expanded fishing 
opportunities. We also can use this time, I believe, to seek cost-
effective technological alternatives, where appropriate.
  I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Maine 
(Ms. Pingree).
  Ms. PINGREE. I thank my colleague from Massachusetts and Chairman 
Culberson for chatting with us about this particular issue.
  Mr. Chairman, as has been already stated here by my colleague today, 
there is never a good time to ask our fishermen to take on a cost of 
this size that we are discussing here. But now is an even worse time 
than most because it will be asking those who make their living on the 
Gulf of Maine to pay for onboard monitors when the ground fishery is 
struggling. I understand the tough position that NOAA is in due to 
tight budgets, but times are even tougher on the men and women who make 
their living from groundfish right now.
  I hope NOAA can find a way to avoid making them pay for onboard 
monitors, and whatever the short-term solution is, I think NOAA should 
look at ways to conduct monitoring through the use of onboard cameras 
or other cost-effective electronic technologies.
  I hope the chairman will be willing to work with us on this and with 
NOAA on this issue that affects so many of our hard-working 
constituents.
  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this time to thank 
the chair and ranking member for their willingness to engage in what 
really is an important issue. I look forward to working together with 
Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Fattah on this issue.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. KEATING. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with the 
gentleman from Massachusetts. I recognize how important the Northeast 
Multispecies Sector Management Program is, and I look forward to 
working with the gentleman and my colleague from Philadelphia as we 
move forward through conference.
  Mr. FATTAH. We are going to work to get to a more satisfactory 
resolution.
  Mr. KEATING. I thank the ranking member and the chair.
  Mr. Chairman, at this time, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


              Amendment Offered by Mr. Clawson of Florida

  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 25, line 3, after the dollar amount insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Florida and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, this afternoon I am introducing 
an amendment which would take $2 million from the Department of 
Justice's legal activities, salaries and expenses, general legal 
activities current budget of $885 million, which has been flat over the 
last several years, and I would put this $2 million, instead, to NOAA 
in their operations, research, and facilities fund--specifically 
directed to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat 
Conservation and Restoration initiative.
  This nationwide initiative includes hundreds of community-based 
habitat

[[Page 8305]]

restoration projects that conserve or restore America's precious native 
species and critical water quality restoration.
  This amendment is consistent with the focus of my office to cut 
government spending and motivate our civil servant management teams to 
achieve higher cost efficiencies throughout the Federal Government and 
to focus more on critical environmental priorities. In short, less 
administration expense; more money for water, fish, and atmosphere.
  Back in April, I introduced an amendment to H.R. 2028, the Energy and 
Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, with 
Representative Patrick Murphy of Florida that would move $1 million of 
the Army Corps of Engineers' salary and expense budget to construction 
projects in the Corps, like the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration and 
the Herbert Hoover Dike.
  This amendment today likewise will help fund critical habitat 
projects across America, including important work in my district, like 
the Galt Preserve Restoration Project in St. James City; the Clam Bayou 
Oyster Reef Restoration and Evaluation of Seagrass and Water Quality on 
Sanibel Island; the Ding Darling Mangrove Restoration Project on 
Sanibel Island; Florida's Bay Scallop Metapopulation Stabilization at 
Pine Island Center; the Mangrove Conservation Initiative in Naples; and 
the Sam Williams Island Mangrove Restoration and Tarpon Bay Hydrologic 
Restoration on Marco Island.
  Habitat restoration plays an important role in all of our communities 
and in the lives and welfare of our constituents, especially mine. 
America's ecosystem is the lifeblood of so many of our American 
communities, economies, and culture. Let's do everything we can to 
preserve it.
  Fisheries contribute more than $70 billion to the gross domestic 
product. Nationwide, commercial and recreational fishing, boating, 
tourism, and other industries provide more than $28 million jobs. 
Together, coastal watershed counties contribute more than $4.5 trillion 
to the GDP. An estimated 53 percent of the current population live in 
coastal communities. More than 60 percent of our coastal rivers and 
bays are moderately or severely degraded by nutrient runoff. This was 
my original reason for getting into politics. We live with this 
nutrient runoff in my district, in my backyard, every day. It looks 
bad. It smells bad. It is a pitiful situation.
  One added fact: according to NOAA's studies, 17 to 33 jobs are 
created for every $1 million invested in habitat restoration.
  I say today, let's save a little bit of money, save a lot of jobs. It 
is good economics. It is good policy. It is good conservation. And I 
urge both sides to support it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I do 
not oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's 
amendment. It is a worthwhile cause and one that we have worked 
together closely on. So I would urge Members to support the amendment. 
I look forward to working with you as we move through conference to 
make sure this is addressed. It is a problem throughout the Gulf Coast 
and one you are very right to focus Congress' attention on.
  I urge Members to support the amendment.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I also rise in support of the gentleman's 
amendment.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. I would like to thank the chairman and the 
ranking member for their leadership on this. This is a big deal in the 
Gulf. My appreciation is heartfelt for them making this move and 
showing this symbol of importance. So in the name of all of my 
constituents, I thank both of them for their leadership and support on 
this.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Clawson).
  The amendment was agreed to.

                              {time}  1715


                Amendment No. 4 Offered by Ms. Bonamici

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I have amendment No. 4 at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 14, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $21,559,000) (increased by $21,559,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman 
from Oregon and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment to increase funding 
for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to 
support its Integrated Ocean Acidification research and fulfill the 
administration's requested funding level of $30 million in fiscal year 
2016.
  The administration's requested funding increase for ocean 
acidification research reflects a growing consensus in the scientific 
community and in the coastal and fishing communities that so many of 
our colleagues and I represent. Ocean acidification is already 
affecting marine organisms and could irreversibly alter the marine 
environment and harm our coastal ecosystems.
  On the West Coast alone, a $270 million shellfish industry has 
experienced disastrous oyster production failures and faced the risk of 
collapse in recent years because of changes in water condition that 
have been attributed to ocean acidification. This change in chemistry 
is caused by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolving into the 
ocean, and the increased acidity of the ocean is harming basic building 
blocks for life in the sea. This makes it more difficult for marine 
organisms to build their skeletons and shells, and it slows the 
formation of important ecosystem features like coral reefs. These 
changes can ripple through the food chain, disrupting delicate marine 
ecosystems and threatening major commercial fisheries.
  In the Pacific Northwest, the combination of seasonal upwelling of 
acidic waters, low alkalinity, and increased anthropogenic carbon 
dioxide creates some of the most corrosive ocean conditions in the 
world.
  In the last few years, Mr. Chairman, the scientific community has 
increasingly raised concerns about the ocean. Researchers at Oregon 
State University have been working with the fishing community in Oregon 
to determine the effects of acidification. They have been helping the 
shellfish hatcheries assess the oyster die-off and finding ways to 
mitigate the harmful upwelling events by monitoring the water entering 
their facilities. This exemplifies the kind of academic and industry 
partnerships that are possible when the Federal Government supports 
academic research.
  NOAA's Integrated Ocean Acidification research program supports 
extramural research awards that fund studies on acidification in ocean, 
coastal, and estuary environments. Not only does this program support 
studies on the effects of acidification, it also allows NOAA to run the 
observing system that helps monitor areas of increased acidity.
  These examples have focused on the effects in Oregon and on the West 
Coast, but our changing ocean conditions can have far-reaching 
implications for fisheries throughout the U.S., including the East 
Coast and Gulf shellfish industries. It also affects the people across 
the Nation who eat seafood and the stores and restaurants that sell it.
  Mr. Chairman, it is clear that we need more information, which is why

[[Page 8306]]

NOAA's Integrated Ocean Acidification research program must be fully 
funded. Unfortunately, this bill falls short of what the American 
people and our fishing communities deserve.
  I urge support of the amendment, and reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I understand the gentlewoman is going to withdraw this 
amendment.
  I agree with the gentlewoman that ocean acidification is a serious 
problem. That is why you see funding in the bill for it. We just have a 
limited amount of resources.
  I will listen to your other speakers, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, can I please inquire about the remaining 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Oregon has 2 minutes 
remaining.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Farr), my colleague.
  Mr. FARR. I wish the chairman was accepting this amendment because 
the faults that we hear are that we have limited resources. We have 
limited resources, but it is a priority where you give them. This ocean 
acidification is a serious problem. It is the most serious problem of 
mankind that we can do something about. When the ocean is starting to 
melt all the shellfish, the lobster industry, the crab industry, the 
oyster industry, and the clam industry, all of these industries have a 
huge effect on not only where they are farming, but where the tourism 
that is attracted to them.
  Mr. Chairman, we can do something about it. We need more money. The 
President asked for $30 million in this program. The committee cut it 
to $8.4 million, says he is funding it. However, the President asked 
for the same amount of money for the exploration of the moon of Jupiter 
called Europa. The committee decided to give them $110 million more 
than the President asked for. So don't tell me that there isn't money 
available. It is just the priority where you give it.
  Are you going to save this planet or put all the money into the moon 
of Jupiter? I think it is more important that we research ocean 
acidification, and that is why Don Young and I are introducing a bill 
to tackle this problem more than just this amendment in this moment.
  Mr. Chairman, we have to get serious about this. The planet is 
melting, and the ocean acidification is melting the organisms in the 
ocean; and when they die, we die.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I would point out to my colleagues we have $8.5 million 
in the bill for studying ocean acidification. I share your concern. It 
is a vitally important issue. And the thrust of our work in NASA, as 
you know from reading the bill, is we have prioritized those missions 
in the bill that are the top priority of the Planetary Decadal Survey.
  We have encouraged NASA to follow the recommendations of the best 
minds in the scientific community. Every 10 years they get together and 
prioritize the earth science missions, heliophysics missions, 
astrophysics missions, those missions aimed at the outer planets, and 
the Europa mission has been the single highest priority of the Decadal 
Survey last decade and this decade. The past administration and this 
one continue to resist the best recommendations of the best minds in 
the scientific community. I can't think of a more exciting question 
that science could answer as to whether or not there is life on another 
world, and that is going to be answered by this mission to Europa.
  I agree strongly that we need to research ocean acidification, and 
that is why there is $8.5 million in the bill for it.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. Even though I am in a totally opposite position on the 
matter than you.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I am happy to engage in a colloquy with my friend from 
Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. We have an Earth in which the majority of it is covered 
by oceans. As a nation, we have more responsibility territorially for 
the world's oceans than any other nation. You agree that this is a 
major issue. It is funded at a level that we think should be increased. 
I hope that the chairman will work with us as we go forward to see 
whether we can improve and make even more robust our stewardship, which 
is our responsibility, as I would understand it. Even though there are 
other areas in the bill where we have made important sacrifices, maybe 
this is an area where we can do more.
  Mr. CULBERSON. It is one in which I look forward to working with you 
on to do more to research ocean acidification. That is why you see in 
the bill a major investment in oceanographic mapping and research, the 
economic zone of the United States which is unmapped and uncharted and 
loaded with rare earths and great mineral wealth that Dr. Bob Ballard 
and his team and other scientists are exploring, and we are investing 
there.
  I look forward to working with you in conference.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, we will work together on this. This is a 
very important area of interest for me, and I thank the gentlewoman for 
offering her amendment.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned, I do plan to withdraw this amendment. I 
do want to emphasize the seriousness of this issue in addressing it. I 
do contend that the amount in this bill is inadequate. So I do look 
forward to working with the committee chairman, the ranking member, and 
the committee going forward to address this very important issue.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

               procurement, acquisition and construction

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For procurement, acquisition and construction of capital 
     assets, including alteration and modification costs, of the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
     $1,960,034,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018, 
     except that funds provided for construction of facilities 
     shall remain available until expended: Provided, That of the 
     $1,973,034,000 provided for in direct obligations under this 
     heading, $1,960,034,000 is appropriated from the general fund 
     and $13,000,000 is provided from recoveries of prior year 
     obligations: Provided further, That any deviation from the 
     amounts designated for specific activities in the report 
     accompanying this Act, or any use of deobligated balances of 
     funds provided under this heading in previous years, shall be 
     subject to the procedures set forth in section 505 of this 
     Act: Provided further, That the Secretary of Commerce shall 
     include in budget justification materials that the Secretary 
     submits to Congress in support of the Department of Commerce 
     budget (as submitted with the budget of the President under 
     section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code) an estimate 
     for each National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     procurement, acquisition or construction project having a 
     total of more than $5,000,000 and simultaneously the budget 
     justification shall include an estimate of the budgetary 
     requirements for each such project for each of the 5 
     subsequent fiscal years: Provided further, That, within the 
     amounts appropriated, $1,302,000 shall be transferred to the 
     ``Office of Inspector General'' account for activities 
     associated with carrying out investigations and audits 
     related to satellite procurement, acquisition and 
     construction.


                  Amendment Offered by Mr. Bridenstine

  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 15, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $9,000,000) (increased by $9,000,00)''.


[[Page 8307]]


  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment designates $9 million within NOAA's 
Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction account for the purposes of 
funding a pilot program for space-based commercial weather data as 
authorized by H.R. 1561, the House-passed Lucas-Bridenstine Weather 
Research and Forecasting Act of 2015.
  Although I intend to withdraw my amendment, I intend to use this time 
to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. Chairman, the commercial satellite industry has revolutionized 
everyday life. From telecommunications to imaging to navigation, we 
reap the benefits of private sector innovation. I truly believe we have 
that opportunity when it comes to weather satellites as well. By 
introducing newer, more innovative, more resilient and additional forms 
of data into our numerical weather models, we can improve our ability 
to forecast weather and save the lives of our constituents.
  By providing NOAA with the funds to purchase commercial data, it 
sends a clear signal to the burgeoning, nascent weather satellite 
industry: NOAA is interested in commercial data from the private 
sector. This pilot program has the potential to shift paradigms within 
our weather enterprise and serve as the first step toward moving to a 
day where the government does not have a monopoly on weather 
satellites.
  NOAA operates huge, monolithic, billion-dollar satellite programs 
that have experienced cost overruns and launch delays. These programs 
are important to ensuring we have robust weather data, but we need a 
mitigation strategy when problems arise, a role that commercial sources 
can play. In addition, they can augment our programs of record, and for 
a fraction of the cost. In fact, to fully fund this program, NOAA would 
only need to find the equivalent of one dime out of a $20 bill.
  Mr. Chairman, I believe, in the long run, purchasing data from the 
private sector will lead to lower costs for the taxpayers, as well as 
better data, more data, and more innovation. However, I understand the 
constraints that the gentleman from Texas is under when crafting this 
appropriations bill, and I appreciate his willingness to work with me 
on this issue. The question I pose to him is: Does the chairman intend 
to have NOAA provide $9 million from within its Procurement, 
Acquisition, and Construction appropriation for NESDIS Systems 
Acquisition to carry out this pilot program in fiscal year 2016 as is 
authorized in H.R. 1561?
  Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I agree completely with the gentleman that NOAA should 
work with the private sector when data is available. It is cost 
effective and can save the taxpayers money, and, in fact, that is why 
we included a statement on this in the committee report. I look forward 
to working with you as we move forward in conference to ensure that 
this worthwhile goal is achieved.
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. I thank the chairman. I look forward to working 
together with you and with NOAA to ensure that congressional intent is 
clear and to make this critically important pilot program a reality. I 
appreciate your leadership and assistance on this issue.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Oklahoma?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                Amendment No. 5 Offered by Ms. Bonamici

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I have amendment No. 5 at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 15, lines 16, 19, and 20, after the dollar amount 
     insert ``(increased by $380,000,000)''.

  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the 
gentlewoman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman from Oregon and a 
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment to 
ensure the continuity of NOAA's polar satellite program by restoring 
its funding. There are many important priorities in this bill, but the 
technical nature of this satellite program and its value to our Nation 
are being overlooked.
  The importance of these satellites and the need to maintain the 
information they collect is not daily news, but the accurate, timely 
data the satellites provide to our weather forecasters is crucial. This 
data is needed not only in severe weather scenarios, but also for the 
wide-ranging accessibility to everyone in our Nation, from those who 
hear a weather forecast on the local news to the millions across the 
Nation who open up an app on their phones.
  Weather is important. It affects everything from our commute to the 
food on our table. In fact, a 2009 study from the American 
Meteorological Society stated that U.S. weather forecasts generate 
$31.5 billion in benefits for $5.1 billion in cost.

                              {time}  1730

  Unfortunately, past trouble and mismanagement in the polar satellite 
program means that a gap in coverage within the next decade is 
possible, with the worst-case scenario being a gap lasting more than 5 
years. Any loss of coverage from the polar satellites would have 
serious consequences on the accuracy and timeliness of our weather 
forecasts, warnings, and the capabilities of the National Weather 
Service.
  Thankfully, NOAA and NASA have worked very hard to get the polar 
satellite program back on track. Unfortunately, the bill we are 
considering today has the potential to undermine that progress. The 
President's fiscal year 2016 budget request included $380 million for a 
polar follow-on program. This important program will minimize the risk 
of a gap in polar weather data and address a recommendation from 
various independent groups, including the Government Accountability 
Office, regarding the need to develop a robust satellite program, a 
program that can withstand a launch failure.
  By not funding the polar follow-on program in 2016, the continuity 
for the polar weather mission is put at risk and the Nation will be 
exposed to the vulnerabilities and impacts of a potential gap.
  Mr. Chairman, working families in my district and across the country 
are balancing enough already. They need to rely on accurate and timely 
forecasts, not worry about a gap or where the weather data comes from. 
We need this program to continue so we do not lose the gains we have 
made. Americans deserve to have access to the best available scientific 
data.
  Mr. Chairman, unfortunately, the funding levels in this bill are 
stretched so thin that it is impossible for me to find more than $300 
million to provide an offset. So I do ask the subcommittee chairman and 
ranking member to work with me on ways that we can find to preserve and 
maintain this essential program.
  At this time, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    pacific coastal salmon recovery

       For necessary expenses associated with the restoration of 
     Pacific salmon populations, $65,000,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2017: Provided, That, of the funds

[[Page 8308]]

     provided herein, the Secretary of Commerce may issue grants 
     to the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, 
     California, and Alaska, and to the Federally recognized 
     tribes of the Columbia River and Pacific Coast (including 
     Alaska), for projects necessary for conservation of salmon 
     and steelhead populations that are listed as threatened or 
     endangered, or that are identified by a State as at-risk to 
     be so listed, for maintaining populations necessary for 
     exercise of tribal treaty fishing rights or native 
     subsistence fishing, or for conservation of Pacific coastal 
     salmon and steelhead habitat, based on guidelines to be 
     developed by the Secretary of Commerce: Provided further, 
     That all funds shall be allocated based on scientific and 
     other merit principles and shall not be available for 
     marketing activities: Provided further, That funds disbursed 
     to States shall be subject to a matching requirement of funds 
     or documented in-kind contributions of at least 33 percent of 
     the Federal funds.

                      fishermen's contingency fund

       For carrying out the provisions of title IV of Public Law 
     95-372, not to exceed $350,000, to be derived from receipts 
     collected pursuant to that Act, to remain available until 
     expended.

                   fisheries finance program account

       Subject to section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974, during fiscal year 2016, obligations of direct loans 
     may not exceed $24,000,000 for Individual Fishing Quota loans 
     and not to exceed $100,000,000 for traditional direct loans 
     as authorized by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936.

                        Departmental Management

                         salaries and expenses

       For necessary expenses for the management of the Department 
     of Commerce provided for by law, including not to exceed 
     $4,500 for official reception and representation, 
     $50,000,000.

                      renovation and modernization

       For necessary expenses for the renovation and modernization 
     of the Herbert C. Hoover Building, $3,989,000, to remain 
     available until expended, of which $1,082,000 shall be for 
     security systems and $2,907,000 shall be for blast-resistant 
     windows.

                      office of inspector general

       For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General 
     in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act 
     of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), $32,000,000.

               General Provisions--Department of Commerce

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 101.  During the current fiscal year, applicable 
     appropriations and funds made available to the Department of 
     Commerce by this Act shall be available for the activities 
     specified in the Act of October 26, 1949 (15 U.S.C. 1514), to 
     the extent and in the manner prescribed by the Act, and, 
     notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3324, may be used for advanced 
     payments not otherwise authorized only upon the certification 
     of officials designated by the Secretary of Commerce that 
     such payments are in the public interest.
       Sec. 102.  During the current fiscal year, appropriations 
     made available to the Department of Commerce by this Act for 
     salaries and expenses shall be available for hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles as authorized by 31 U.S.C. 1343 and 
     1344; services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109; and uniforms 
     or allowances therefor, as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5901-
     5902).
       Sec. 103.  Not to exceed 5 percent of any appropriation 
     made available for the current fiscal year for the Department 
     of Commerce in this Act may be transferred between such 
     appropriations, but no such appropriation shall be increased 
     by more than 10 percent by any such transfers: Provided, That 
     any transfer pursuant to this section shall be treated as a 
     reprogramming of funds under section 505 of this Act and 
     shall not be available for obligation or expenditure except 
     in compliance with the procedures set forth in that section: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary of Commerce shall notify 
     the Committees on Appropriations at least 15 days in advance 
     of the acquisition or disposal of any capital asset 
     (including land, structures, and equipment) not specifically 
     provided for in this Act or any other law appropriating funds 
     for the Department of Commerce.
       Sec. 104.  The requirements set forth by section 105 of the 
     Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-55), as amended by 
     section 105 of title I of division B of Public Law 113-6, are 
     hereby adopted by reference and made applicable with respect 
     to fiscal year 2016: Provided, That the life cycle cost for 
     the Joint Polar Satellite System is $11,322,125,000 and the 
     life cycle cost for the Geostationary Operational 
     Environmental Satellite R-Series Program is $10,828,059,000.
       Sec. 105.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
     Secretary may furnish services (including but not limited to 
     utilities, telecommunications, and security services) 
     necessary to support the operation, maintenance, and 
     improvement of space that persons, firms, or organizations 
     are authorized, pursuant to the Public Buildings Cooperative 
     Use Act of 1976 or other authority, to use or occupy in the 
     Herbert C. Hoover Building, Washington, DC, or other 
     buildings, the maintenance, operation, and protection of 
     which has been delegated to the Secretary from the 
     Administrator of General Services pursuant to the Federal 
     Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 on a 
     reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis. Amounts received as 
     reimbursement for services provided under this section or the 
     authority under which the use or occupancy of the space is 
     authorized, up to $200,000, shall be credited to the 
     appropriation or fund which initially bears the costs of such 
     services.
       Sec. 106.  Nothing in this title shall be construed to 
     prevent a grant recipient from deterring child pornography, 
     copyright infringement, or any other unlawful activity over 
     its networks.
       Sec. 107.  The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration is authorized to use, with their 
     consent, with reimbursement and subject to the limits of 
     available appropriations, the land, services, equipment, 
     personnel, and facilities of any department, agency, or 
     instrumentality of the United States, or of any State, local 
     government, Indian tribal government, Territory, or 
     possession, or of any political subdivision thereof, or of 
     any foreign government or international organization, for 
     purposes related to carrying out the responsibilities of any 
     statute administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.
       Sec. 108.  The National Technical Information Service shall 
     not charge any customer for a copy of any report or document 
     generated by the Legislative Branch unless the Service has 
     provided information to the customer on how an electronic 
     copy of such report or document may be accessed and 
     downloaded for free online. Should a customer still require 
     the Service to provide a printed or digital copy of the 
     report or document, the charge shall be limited to recovering 
     the Service's cost of processing, reproducing, and delivering 
     such report or document.
       Sec. 109.  The Secretary of Commerce may waive the 
     requirement for bonds under 40 U.S.C. 3131 with respect to 
     contracts for the construction, alteration, or repair of 
     vessels, regardless of the terms of the contracts as to 
     payment or title, when the contract is made under the Coast 
     and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883a et seq.).
       Sec. 110.  In fiscal year 2016, the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology may use unobligated balances from 
     the ``National Institute of Standards and Technology--
     Industrial Technology Services'' account for the purposes of 
     and subject to the limitations in section 34(e)(2) of the 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
     278s(e)(2)).
       This title may be cited as the ``Department of Commerce 
     Appropriations Act, 2016''.

                                TITLE II

                         DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

                         General Administration

                         salaries and expenses

       For expenses necessary for the administration of the 
     Department of Justice, $105,000,000, of which not to exceed 
     $4,000,000 for security and construction of Department of 
     Justice facilities shall remain available until expended.


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. McKinley

  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 23, line 6, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(decreased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 72, line 1, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman 
from West Virginia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.
  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, many small businesses around the country 
are struggling, struggling to compete against low-priced foreign 
imports benefiting from unfair trade practices. They are constantly 
intimidated by the cost of the legal challenges that they face.
  The intent of this amendment is simple. It transfers $2 million to 
the International Trade Commission to provide legal and technical 
assistance to small businesses seeking a remedy.
  I offered this amendment last year to the bill and it was approved.
  Time and time again small companies are losing business against 
unfair, low-cost imports which flood our country. Something needs to be 
done. Small businesses need help.
  They don't have access to the same legal resources as larger 
companies. They can't afford the cost to file a claim against large 
state-supported industries like we see coming from

[[Page 8309]]

China. These small businesses in America deserve to be treated better.
  In West Virginia, Mr. Chairman, we have one particular company which 
manufactures glass, lead-free marbles. The company has less than 50 
employees. They, among other firms like that, have asked our office a 
simple question: When an average cost to file an antidumping claim is 
$1 million or more, how can small manufacturers afford access to 
justice?
  The Federal Government provides pro bono attorneys in criminal cases 
for those who can't afford representation. Mr. Chairman, why not offer 
something similar to our small businesses across America who are facing 
unfair competition?
  A recent contract was for 300 million marbles per year. Currently, 
this company manufactures 1 million per day. This contract would have 
guaranteed 300 days of manufacturing production for hard-working West 
Virginians.
  The Chinese company undercut their bid. Unfortunately, we have seen 
this story far too often where the Chinese currency manipulation and 
state subsidies have cut our tin, steel, and hot-rolled steel 
industries, among others.
  The ITC must have the tools to protect our small businesses, and this 
amendment is a step in the right direction.
  Let's be clear, Mr. Chairman: Do we want to keep talking about jobs, 
or do we want to offer a solution? Supporting this amendment will be an 
immense help for small business employers who are trying to fight back 
against unfair trade.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I 
am not in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the gentleman's 
amendment. We are willing to accept the amendment, and I yield to the 
gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I join you in supporting the amendment.
  Mr. FATTAH. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley).
  The amendment was agreed to.


     Amendment Offered by Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico

  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I have an 
amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 23, line 6, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(decreased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 42, line 24, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 44, line 8, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentlewoman 
from New Mexico and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.
  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, trust between 
law enforcement and the public that they are sworn to protect is not 
just important but essential to safe, collaborative, and constitutional 
community policing. Trust promotes healthy relationships and 
interactions that are in the best interest of the both the public and 
the police.
  Unfortunately, the public's trust in law enforcement has eroded in 
many communities across the country, including my own. The Federal 
Government needs to make targeted investments to ensure that law 
enforcement has the tools to rebuild and strengthen that trust, which 
is the cornerstone of successful policing.
  That is why I am so proud to introduce this bipartisan amendment, 
along with my colleagues Congressman Murphy and Congressman Blumenauer, 
to add $2 million to the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime 
Reduction Act programs. These programs provide a broad range of 
services, including crisis intervention training for State and local 
law enforcement agencies to identify and improve responses to people 
with mental illnesses and substance abuse issues. Crisis intervention 
training can help prevent injuries to officers, deescalate potentially 
dangerous situations, and alleviate harm to the person in crisis.
  Interactions between the mentally ill and law enforcement too often 
end in tragedy. Since the beginning of the year, 385 people have been 
shot and killed by police, and about a quarter of these individuals 
have been identified as mentally ill. The more training we can provide 
law enforcement to improve their skills to interact with the public, 
the more likely crises will be resolved peacefully. And the more 
nonviolent peaceful interactions police have with the public, the more 
we can strengthen trust between police and the public that they are 
sworn to protect.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although 
I am not supposed to the gentlewoman's amendment because it is a good 
amendment and I support it.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CULBERSON. At this time, I yield to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy), my good friend and colleague.
  Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania. I thank the Chairman, and I also thank 
Representative Grisham for this thoughtful amendment we are working on 
together, which will put $2 million towards crisis intervention 
training for State and local law enforcement and also work towards 
substance abuse treatment and mental health courts.
  In the 1950s, this country had 550,000 psychiatric hospital beds for 
the population of 150 million. Now, with a population twice that size, 
we only have 40,000 psychiatric hospital beds.
  So what happened? Some people got better. But sadly, what we ended up 
with is huge increases in homelessness and visits to emergency rooms. 
Last year in this country there were 40,000 suicides and 1 million 
suicide attempts.
  With this critical bed shortage we have many people who end up 
committing crimes. Of the 2.4 million incarcerated Americans, about 
half of them, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, are 
estimated to have a mental health condition. That is 64 percent in our 
county and local jails, 56 percent in State, and 45 percent of Federal 
prisoners. By comparison, there are only 35,000 patients with severe 
mental illness in State psychiatric hospitals. And, according to a 
report from April 2014, the number of mentally ill persons in prison is 
ten times higher than that in psychiatric hospitals.
  The largest jails in the country--Cook County in Illinois, Los 
Angeles, and New York--have 11,000 prisoners combined with serious 
mental illness. Now, that is over twice as large as the three largest 
State-run mental hospitals.
  Mentally ill inmates are twice as likely to be charged with rule 
violations when incarcerated and actually remain in prison four times 
longer than a non-mentally ill person with the same original crime. And 
what happens then? Solitary confinement, tasered. Then when they are 
discharged, they repeat the cycle in the revolving door.
  What we need to make sure we are doing is to deal with public safety, 
make sure there is restitution to the community for what has happened, 
but the key is to provide help for those with serious mental illness.
  It is not right for our country to continue to say things like, It is 
not illegal to be crazy. Our courts and systems that do not understand 
mental illness continue to say that, but to them I say it isn't just an 
issue of someone has a right to be mentally ill; they have a right to 
be well.

                              {time}  1745

  What we need to do is to stop this revolving door of having someone 
who is hallucinating and delusional and waiting until he commits a 
crime or is a

[[Page 8310]]

threat to public safety, instead of intervening earlier.
  We need mental health courts; we need ways a policeman can intervene 
early to help persons, and we need evidence-based initiatives to fix 
our broken mental health system in America. I know that, in our own 
court in Allegheny County, they saw a nearly 38 percent reduction in 
recidivism when they used mental health courts.
  This is compassion, and this is the right thing to do. I urge my 
colleagues to support this amendment.
  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 
minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I appreciate the gentlewoman's courtesy and her 
leadership on this, and I appreciate my good friend from Pennsylvania 
in his eloquence and his tireless championship in this area.
  Mr. Chairman, the fact is that we have a broken system that does not 
meet the needs of people with mental illness, and it places an undue 
burden on law enforcement. His words about people having a right to be 
well really resonates with me because we have seen in all of our 
communities situations that escalate because they don't have the proper 
response--we don't have the proper training; we don't have the proper 
resources--where people get worse.
  It is not just that it costs more money; it is the pain to the 
individuals, to their families, and, ultimately, since virtually all of 
these people are released but are released in a more damaged situation, 
they are worse. They are a greater risk to themselves and society, and 
the cycle continues.
  There is no doubt in my mind that, if we were able to properly 
account for the costs and consequences of the current nonsystem that 
there would be far more resources saved in treating them humanely and 
effectively, giving the police and the community the resources they 
need that will more than pay for itself. This is an important step for 
the Federal Government to be a better partner.
  I appreciate the gentlewoman's leadership. I appreciate my friend Mr. 
Murphy from Pennsylvania, and I am looking forward to working with him 
on other items.
  I respectfully request that our colleagues not just support this, but 
take it to heart because we can make a difference on so many different 
levels.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I support the amendment, and I would 
encourage Members to support it if you would be willing to request a 
recorded vote on this.
  Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. FATTAH. On behalf of our country, I attended the Healthy brain: 
healthy Europe conference in Ireland. The estimate in these 28 EU 
countries was that some 36 percent of the population had some type of 
mental health challenge, and they deal with it much more openly and 
without the stigma that sometimes we attach here in our country to 
mental health challenges.
  I want to thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for his extraordinary 
leadership on this issue, and I thank the gentlewoman for offering 
this.
  We will support this amendment and ask for a recorded vote.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I encourage Members to support the 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I want to 
thank my colleagues for working so diligently on this very important 
improvement to public safety and police training, and I encourage all 
Members to vote in favor of this amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from New Mexico 
will be postponed.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Committee will rise informally.
  The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Holding) assumed the chair.

                          ____________________