taylor: the house will be in order. -- the speaker pro team: the house will be in order. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered or on which the vote incurs objection under clause 6 of rule 20. the for what purpose does the gentleman from kentucky seek recognition? mr. barr: mr. speaker, i move

to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2740, the rabbi michoel ber weissmandl congressional gold medal act of 2017. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title. the clerk: h.r. 2740, a bill to to posthumously award a congressional gold medal to rabbi michoel ber weissmandl in recognition of his acts of valor during world war ii. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from kentucky, mr. barr, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from kentucky. mr. barr: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and tend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. barr are -- mr. barr: i rise today in support of h.r. 2740, the rabbi michoel ber weissmandl

congressional gold medal act of 2017, introduced on april 25, 2017, by our colleague, representative nydia velazquez, co-sponsored by representative mast of florida. the bill authorizes the award of a congressional gold medal to the jewish rabbi for his acts of valor during world war ii, to save many jewish people from slovakia, from persecution, the atrocities in the holocaust committed by the nazis during the second world war. i wholeheartedly support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. ms. velazquez, you are now recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you. i rise as the proud sponsor of the rabbi michoel ber weissmandl congressional gold medal act of 2017, which will award a congressional gold

medal to the rabbi for his acts f valor during world war ii. rabbi michoel ber weissmandl was born in hundred gary in 190 -- hungary in 1903. he moved to slovakia and quickly became a senior figure within the local jewish community. as fascism spread acrossed europe in the late 1930's and early 1940's, rabbi weissmandl left some of the -- led some of the most daring efforts to lead the people from the holocaust. as they began to move against the slovak jews in 1942, rabbi weis mandel became a key member -- e -- weis manned weissmandl became a key member of the working group.

these people came from different ideological spectrums goal, to by a common protect them from hitler. in his role as a member of the working group, rabbi weis mandel worked to raise -- weissmandl worked to raise nds in order to delay mass deportations. we cannot understate the dangers the rabbi undertook in this endeavor. as he approached the official or an unyielding hitler supporter, he most spernlswoo have put his un-- certainly would have put his own life in jeopardy. he persevered, demonstrating an unyielding determination to stop the slaughter of the innocent. using his contacts in england, worked to andl secure british visa for rabbis

and the annexation of austria, becoming one of the first individuals to protect european jews by arranging for their escape to england. the working group was also one of the first to record accounts of auschwitz escapees in a document widely referred to as the auschwitz protocols. weissmandl later transmitted the local documentation from german to hebrew and included an addendum. he also wrote the first nonappeal for the use of allied airpower to disrupt the holocaust, including the use of aerial bombs to destroy the raillines and tunnels leading to auschwitz. during one of the darkest periods in human history, rabbi weissmandl's efforts to protect the lives of european jews at the risk of his own life

reflect true heroism in the face of unspeakable evil. we must never forget these contributions, and it is fitting we honor his legacy by awarding a congressional gold medal in his name. with that i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from kentucky is recognized. mr. barr: mr. speaker, we have no more speakers and we are prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. ms. velazquez: i'm prepared to close. i am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you. mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. i have no further speakers. i am prepared to close. at a time of unparalleled evil, rabbi weissmandl took extraordinary risks to save the lives of slovakian jews. to this day, his influence can be felt throughout the jewish community, not only here in the united states, but around the

world. it is with the utmost respect and honor that i have introduced this bill to award rabbi weissmandl with a congressional gold medal, the highest civilian award in the united states. i want to thank my friend, representative mast for introducing this bill with me and his work to advance this legislation. also want to send my other 295 other co-sponsors of the bill. i strongly urge passage of the bill. i yield back the balance of my time. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the the gentlelady yields back. -- the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from kentucky is recognized. mr. barr: his story is uplifting and his actions are inspiring. this gold medal is an overduhon and is supported by -- overdue honor and is supported by over 295 members of the house. i urge its immediate passage and want to thank chairman hensarling, ranking member waters, representative

velazquez and representative mast for their work on this important legislation. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2740. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition? mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, my fellow coloradan, i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4033. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title. the clerk: union calendar number 385, h.r. 4033, a bill to re-authorize the national geologic mapping act of 1992. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from colorado, mr. lamborn, and the gentlewoman from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, each will control 20 minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman is recognized. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i'm proud to sponsor h.r. 4033, the national geologic mapping act re-authorization act. this commonsense measure will continue funding for advanced digital geologic maps and three-dimensional models by re-authorizing funding for the program through 2023. identical companion bill, senate bill 1787, was introduced in the senate by senator murkowski, and has been favorably reported out of the senate energy and natural resources committee. geologic maps provide valuable information needed for identifying energy, mineral and water resources, geologic and environmental hazards, unstable grounds subject to landslides, swelling soils, floodplains, and abandoned mine lands. with this knowledge, communities and citizens are able to plan for septic assistance in rural areas, road construction and maintenance, home construction and other infrastructure. the geologic mapping act of

1992 established the national cooperative geologic mapping program, or ncgmp. this program allows for coordination between the united states geological survey and the various state geologic surveys allowing for geologic maps to be produced efficiently and cost-effectively. the original authorizing act also created the national geologic database which catalogs data on geologic maps which was ever produced which resulted in over 100,000 products. each state and puerto rico has an advisory committee and review panel. more than 8,500 new geologic maps have been produced through the ncgmp with an average of 350 new maps and reports created each year. that's about one a day. about 53% of the united states now has been mapped as a result. the benefits from this program have been felt by end users across the country.

geologic maps in kentucky, for example, have assisted city planners, water systems developers and producers of coal and other mineral resources. in ohio, developers and engineers that use geologic maps were estimated to save an average of $50,000 on each project. in my home state of colorado, this program resulted in the production of an advanced geologic map and companion report that showcased recreational and historical ining, leading to efficiency opportunities. re-authorizing the national geologic mapping act through h.r. 4033 will continue to provide the economic and developmental benefits of geologic mapping with effects enjoyed across the nation. i urge adoption of the measure, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from hawaii is recognized. ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume.

mr. speaker, i rise in support h.r. 4033, and i'd like to begin by yielding as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from maryland, the congressman anthony brown, to give remarks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland is recognized. mr. brown: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank my colleague, representative hanabusa from hawaii. mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 4033, the national geologic mapping act re-authorization act, a bipartisan practical piece of legislation. i'm proud to have co-sponsored this bill with my friend from colorado and colleague on the natural resources committee, congressman lamborn. our bill would re-authorize the national cooperative geologic mapping program for an additional five years which is the primary source of fubbeds to produce gee -- funds to produce geologic maps in the united states. even though most people are not familiar with the geologic maps, it's hard to overstate

their importance. geologic maps are essential in supporting a variety of industries, services, and activities that hold immense societal and economic value. geologic maps are used to locate groundwater resources, evaluate groundwater quality, leading to better land and habitat management decisions. it happens city planners, emergency responders, landowners assess how vulnerable an area is to sinkholes, landslides, earthquakes, floods, and other deadly and destructive natural hazards. geologic maps enable the government and industry to locate and develop mineral resources used for a variety of scientific applications and military technology and in consumer products. further, geologic maps provide valuable information that engineers and developers use when designing and constructing highways, bridges, tunnels and other transportation assets. .

in maryland, even though it is a compact state, it has an incredible variety of landscapes and geologies stretching from the beaches on the atlantic coast to the appalachian mountains. this type of diversity in our geology demand as robust understanding of science and mapping of underground formations. on top of this, maryland is home to several institutions that rely on the secondary benefits of the usgs geological mapping program. the nasa space flight center, the national institutes of health in bethesda, and our military cyberoperations in fort meade all reap the rewards of a nation that has broadened its knowledge and capabilities by investing in gee logic map -- geologic mapping. there's no doubt that this is vital to our nation's safety and prosperity and i urge a vote in favor and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i want to thank my colleague and

friend across the aisle, mr. brown, for his work on this bill. and it was a good collaboration and i appreciate his remarks tonight and i appreciate what did. i look forward to working with him in the future. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i have no more speakers. i'm just inquiring, no more speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has yielded back the balance of his time. the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the question is will the house spend -- ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: did jeat yield the balance of her time? ms. hanabusa: i wanted to close and make closing remarks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady. ms. hanabusa: this bill would extend the tenure of a program for an additional five years, as well as make technical changes to the law. since 1992, the national geologic mapping act has supported geologic mapping in

the united states throughout the establishment of the national cooperative geologic mapping program or ncgmp. the ncgmp is responsible for promoting geologic mapping within the united states and has done so successfully for over 25 years, by supporting efforts at the federal, state and university levels. geologic maps are used in several important ways. mineral, energy and water resource exploration, geoscience research, toxic and nuclear waste disposal, environmental land use planning, decreasing the impact of natural hazards, constructing and maintaining infrastructure and much more. we liable and accurate geologic mapping is underappreciated by and in most cases invisible to the public. but it underpins the huge sectors of our economy and is essential for improving the health and safety of every american. i want to thank representatives lamborn and brown for their work on this bill and happy to voice my support of it. with that, mr. speaker, i yield

back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 4033. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the i believe -- upon the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition? mr. lamborn: i move to pass h.r. 5787 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 5787. a bill to amend the coastal barrier resources act, to give effect to more accurate maps of units of the john h. chafee coastal barrier resources system, that were produced by digital mapping of such units and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from colorado, mr. lamborn, and the gentlewoman from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. lamborn: and i yield myself such time as i may consume.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lamborn: i rise today in support of h.r. 5787, the strengthening coastal communities act of 2018, sponsored by our colleague from florida, congressman neal dunn. this legislation codifies modernized digital maps under the coastal barrier resources act, and is developed in a collaborative manner with the u.s. fish and wildlife service, and the members whose districts are impacted by the maps' revisions. only those maps that received sign-off from the affected members were included in this package. and i want to thank mr. dunn, ms. blunt rochester, and all who participated in this process for their hard work on this important issue. the coastal barrier resources system has proven to be a win-win for the taxpayers and the environment since its enactment in 1982. saving the taxpayers billions of dollars by avoiding federal investment in undeveloped storm and flood-prone areas. h.r. 5787 will strengthen and update this system and allow

its success to continue. i urge adoption of the measure and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. hanson than thank you, mr. speaker -- ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 5787 and i'd like to begin by yielding four minutes to my the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is colleague, the gentlewoman from delaware, congress lisa blunt rochester, to give remarks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from delaware is recognized for four minutes. ms. blunt rochester: thank you. mr. speaker, today i rise to urge my colleagues to support the passage of h.r. 5787, the strengthening coastal communities act of 2018. i want to start by thanking chairman bishop and ranking member grijalva for working with myself and congressman dunn to quickly pass this important piece of legislation. in my home state of delaware, and in communities all over the country, our beaches and coast lines are critical, not only for their contributions to our economy, but also for their

natural beauty. for too long those communities were encroached upon by overly ambitious development. that development was in part aided by programs that were put in place by the federal government. in the 1980's, congress recognized the burden that development was placing on local communities and passed the coastal barrier resources act. the act ensures that certain coastal areas were removed from the federal programs which incentivized increased development. through the creation of the john h. chafee coastal barrier resource system, coastal communities across the united states were able to ensure that their cherished natural heritage was protected and preserved for generations to come. as the years passed, the coastal communities across america evolved, the coastal barrier resources act should have evolved as well. unfortunately that didn't happen and it has been far too long since the maps' designating areas belongsing -- belonging to the designated

resources system were updated. it was through efforts of the members of those coastal communities that this problem was identified. we are the people's house. and the strengthening coastal communities act of 2018 emanated from the thoughts and concerns of everyday citizens. it was the voice of a member of my home state of delaware that brought the issue to my attention, and i'd be remiss if i didn't recognize him. tom demico, the president of the south shore homeowners association, shared with me just how badly outdade daytonaed the maps were -- outdated the maps were. tom and other coastal delawareans told me the only way in which the coastal barriers resources act could truly be effective is if the maps designated the exempt areas were kept up to date. i should also recognize the efforts of my state's senior senator and ranking member on the senate committee for the environment and public works, tom carper. i know that senator carper was playing an important -- paying very close attention to this issue, as it has impacted our shore lines for many years.

finally, i want to recognize my friend and gentleman from florida, mr. dunn. while initially members from many states had introduced legislation updating maps for their individual states, it became clear that one bill that would update all the maps across the country would be most effective and efficient way to accomplish our goals. when i came to congress, i made a promise to the people of delaware to work with other members, not based on the letter that was next to their name. but rather by finding members with common interests, common challenges and those who were willing to work to find common solutions and i am proud to have found a partner for this bill in mr. dunn. from the coast of delaware to florida, to louisiana, hawaii, the virgin islands, we all have a common interest in maintaining the natural beauty of our great country. and while development is crucial to the continued economic growth in our country, we recognize that not every place is appropriate for development.

we should not only acknowledge the wisdom of the 97th united states congress in passing the coastal barrier resources act, but do everything possible to uphold its legacy by ensuring that the maps are updated and modernized, as this bill has done. we also want to recognize congressman tom evans, who was an original co-sponsor from the state of delaware. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i yield back the alance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from florida, who introduced the bill, mr. dunn. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for such time as he may consume. mr. dunn: thank you, mr. chairman, and thank you, mr. speaker. i'm grateful to be here for the opportunity to speak on this bill to provide much-needed modernization and updates of a coastal barrier resources system maps. i'd like to thank chairman bishop for his help throughout this process as well as my colleague on the other side of the aisle, my friend,

representative blunt rochester, for her work on this issue as well. the coastal barrier resources act signed into law in 1982 is meant to preserve our nation's barrier islands by borrowing federal funds and financial assistance from being used there, which therefore disincentivizes development. this bill maintains these protections for our nation's barrier islands, while simply providing for more precise, digital maps to distinguish the cobra zones. for decades some of my constituents throughout the second district of florida have been burdened by being erroneously included in the cobra zones, in some cases this is due to the width of the pencil marks outlining the boundaries on the original outdated hand-drawn maps. this is unacceptable in 1982 and it's outrageous in 2018. now more than ever, in the wake of one of the most devastating hurricanes in american history, a lack of access to federal resources is particularly debilitating for residents in coastal communities across the

florida panhandle. this means no flood insurance, no fema assistance, no s.b.a. loans. being included in the cobra zones, resulting from -- actually precludes the use of the funds from the b.p. oil spill in 2010. i am grateful that this bill will provide a remedy for some people who are dealing with these unnecessary burdens. i urge my colleagues to support the bill and encourage the senate to take it up. before the end of congress. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i'm ready to close. do they have any other speakers? the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: then i will close. mr. speaker, i commend congressman dunn and congresswoman blunt rochester for their leadership on this bipartisan bill to codify a series of updated coastal barrier resource system pilot project maps. this legislation, much like the underlying act, demonstrates the good environmental stewardship, conservation and coastal resiliency go hand in

hand with responsible taxpayer protections. with that, mr. speaker, i ask my colleagues to support this measure and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 5787, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended -- the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and i make a point of order that a quorum is not present. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceed ongs this motion will be postpone -- further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition? mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 5636, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 772. h.r. 5636. a bill to designate additions to the flatside wilderness on

the national forest and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from colorado, mr. lamborn, and the gentlewoman from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. lamborn: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, h.r. 5636 adds approximately 640 acres to the 9,500-acre flatside wilderness in a national forest. this land has been studied and recommended as an addition to the wilderness by the u.s. forest service. the bill also names the addition after congressman ed bethune, who served the people of arkansas from 1979 to 1985. this relatively minor change will establish more manageable wilderness boundaries, allowing forest service to take better care of the land. and most importantly, this new

wilderness designation has local support and support from the arkansas delegation. i commend my colleague, congressman french hill, for introducing this legislation to benefit his district. i urge adoption of the measure and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. hanson than thank you, mr. speaker. this -- ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. this bill amends the arkansas wilderness act of 1984 to designate 640 acres in the national forest. we are pleased to work with our colleagues across the aisle to identify areas that deserve wilderness designation and to increase conservation opportunities for our most wild and sureven places. this bill adds to a conservation legacy signed into law by president reagan, and demonstrates the protection of public lands can be a bipartisan priority. . we continue to work on this as

we wrap up the year and go into the next congress. with that, mr. speaker, i urge a yes vote on the bill and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i yield five minutes to the gentleman from arkansas, who introduced the bill, mr. hill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. hill: thank you very much. my colleague, thank you for the time. i appreciate being on the house floor to talk about 5636, the flatside wilderness enhancement act, to preserve the wilderness for future generations of arkansans. on october 19, 1984, president ronald reagan signed into law the arkansas wilderness act, which set aside the first wilderness areas in the state of arkansas. one of the wilderness areas was flatside which is located in both perry and saline county, both of which are in my district. in 2005, the u.s. forest service recommended that these 640 acres be included in the

national wilderness program. stating that adding these lands to the wilderness program would establish a more logical and manageable boundary for these areas and is consistent with the forest management plan. this measure is a first step in enhancing flatside. additional measures are being considered to study other u.s. forest lands that are suitable for addition to the area adjacent to flatside. we're also working to restore certain adjacent areas that were in former prior ownership to native species. perry county offers something very special for arkansans, visitors young and old alike, seeking an authentic outdoor recreational experience. this tourism has had a positive effect on arkansas' economy, especially in these largely rural counties. by increasing the wilderness area and promoting it, arkansas, especially in perry county, can attract more people to enjoy these natural resources and continue the

trend of tourism's positive impact on arkansas' economy. it's important to note this bill is narrowly tailored to only place lands carefully selected by the u.s. forest service into the wilderness area. it will not affect any private property. on a personal note, mr. speaker, this bill is of particular importance to me because as a young senate staffer working on the hill in 1984, i was able to work with then-senator dale bumpers from arkansas and representative bethune's offices in help secure the passage of the wilderness act in the senate. what a treat three decades later for me to represent the second district of arkansas and see this good work continue while also being able to recognize my predecessor, former congressman of arkansas' second district, ed bethune. i believe naming this track for congressman bethune is a proper way to recognize him for his dedicated service for conservation causes important

to the natural state. this enthusiasm is shared by the entire arkansas del bation. i want to thank -- delegation. i want to thank my friends for helping advocate for this bill that's so important for my district and i urge my colleagues to support it. thank you, mr. lamborn, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: we're prepared to close at this time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady has yielded back. mr. lamborn: then i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the ill h.r. 5636, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition? mr. lamborn: i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 6064. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6064, a bill to

rename the oyster bay national wildlife refuge as the congressman lester wolf national wildlife refuge. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from colorado, mr. lamborn, and the gentlewoman from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. elected to the united states house of representatives in 1965, congressman wolff served eight terms representing the people of new york. he pushed to create the national wildlife refuge on the shore of long island. it's the largest refuge in the long island refuge complex and

most popular with visitors. congressman wolff has the distinction of being the oldest living member of congress. he continues to host a weekly pbs show called "ask congress" where he works to connect people with u.s. legislators. i urge the adoption of this measure and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hanabusa: i yield four minutes to congressman suozzi, who is the sponsor of this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for four minutes. mr. suozzi: i want to thank the gentlelady from hawaii and the gentleman from colorado for yielding to me. this bill will be named as the congressman lester wolff wildlife refuge. as congressman lamborn pointed

out, congressman wolff is the oldest living former member of congress and he will be celebrating his 100th birthday on january 4, 2019. the congressman back in the 1960's got into a big battle with very well-known figure in new york, government and politics at the time and was known as the power broker, robert moses and they wanted to build a bridge across the long island sound, connecticut, to oyster bay. congressman wolff, who was a freshman congressman at the time, recognized the importance of preserving this natural resource and created the oyster bay national wildlife refuge. one of the most important areas for natural refuge anywhere on the north shore of long island today. home to many types of water fouls such as black ducks and greater scouts and bafflebacks and long tail ducks as well as great herons and now red tail

hawks. this was a major battle when the environmental movement was naysent at the time during the united states of america and it took tremendous courage on the part of congressman wolff to stand up with governor nelson rockefeller to block the bridge that would have gone across the long island sound. 8 1/2-mile bridge from connecticut to long island. so this was a great fitting tribute for a wonderful man who we hope will be able to enjoy his 100th birthday celebrating the naming of the congressman lester wolff national wildlife refuge. yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: we're prepared to close, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i'm ready to close, too. mr. speaker, i'd like to commend representative suozzi for this bipartisan initiative to honor the leg sieve of congressman lester wolff who

had the foresight to protect oyster bay. thanks to his hard work and vision, this is a stopover for water foul and outdoor recognize -- waterfowl and outdoor recreation. this is a tremendous tribute that deserves our support. for that, mr. speaker, i ask my colleagues to vote yes and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, yield back the balance of my time as well. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the ill h.r. 6064. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative -- mr. lamborn: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from the rules -- the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: on that i demand the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requests. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. does the rpose does

gentleman from colorado seek recognition? mr. lamborn: i ask unanimous consent that the house suspend the rules and pass senate 440. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title. a bill k: senate 440, to establish a procedure for the conveyance of certain federal property around the dickinson reservoir in the state of north dakota. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from colorado, mr. lamborn, and the gentlelady from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i rise in support of senate 440. this legislation is identical to legislation sponsored by our colleague who will soon be departing us, congressman kevin cramer, which was favorably reported by the natural resources committee in august. this legislation would transfer small par sells of federal -- parcels of federal land around

dickinson reservoir in north dakota. it will provide people with financial security and the community with increased tax revenue that will be reinvested toward the upkeep of the reservoir. other land will remain in use for recreation, public access, fish and wildlife habitat, a fish and game headquarters, or preserved in its natural character. if not it will revert to the federal government. federal ownership of the land has led to financial uncertainty for private citizens and the state and i applaud the dedication of former natural resources committee member and future senator cramer and senator hoeven to alleviating these bureaucratic challenges and supporting their constituents. i urge adoption of the measure, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. s. 440 authorizes the conveyance of certain public lands owned by the bureau of

reclamation around the dickinson reservoir in north dakota. i'm glad to say this bill ensures the taxpayers receive appropriate compensation for transferred public lands. the legislation also ensures the transferred recreation lands continue to be available to the public for recreational uses. congress has a long tradition of approving public land conveyances so long as they promote public purposes and provide appropriate compensation to the american taxpayers. s. 440 meets these requirements. i support the passage of this bill and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from north dakota, mr. cramer, who will speak on this and the following bill, because they are very similar. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north dakota is recognized. mr. cramer: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank chairman lamborn and chairman bishop, ranking member, thank you for your cooperation and for helping me move this important

legislation that was sponsored as chairman lamborn said, by senator hoeven. and for working on my companion bills that were introduced in the house earlier this year. i appreciate the hearings the natural resources committee held and for favorably reporting the bills out of the committee. these two bills to convey b.r.o. property to local park entities are very important to many of my constituents. in july, two of those constituents, tom fisher and craig hedlin, came to washington to testify in support of these bills. combined, they represented over 100 families with homes on these recognize are a lakes properties who wish -- reclamation properties who wish to cast aside the uncertainties of living out on federal land and carry out the dream of homeownership. certainty not only for them but it will generate greater investments to improve the lifestyles and local economy while maintaining the integrity of the use of the reservoirs. the land, beyond those

residents, which makes up the vast majority of the acreage, will continue to be open to the public for recreation and other uses to benefit -- to the benefit of our people. as a firm believer in land use decisionmaking authority being as local as possible, i believe these bills will allow for better management and improved opportunities for the citizens of north dakota and for our visitors. lastly, i want to thank the administration for working on these bills with senator hoeven and me. i'm grateful the administration is willing to work on issues such as these that have carried on for years and sometimes decades with indecision and delay. so i urge support by my colleagues. again, thank the chairman, ranking member, and the committee for their good work. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 440. as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed,

and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition? mr. lamborn: i ask unanimous consent that the house suspend the rules and pass senate bill 2074, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 2074, to establish a procedure for the conveyance of serl federal property around the jamestown reservoir in the state of north dakota, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from colorado, mr. lamborn, and the gentlelady from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lamborn: this legislation is nearly identical to legislation sponsored by our colleague, congressman kevin cramer, which was favorably reported by the natural resources committee in august. this is another bill similar to

the one that was discussed a few minutes ago that looks to transfer smart parcels of federal land to state and local government this time surrounding the jamestown reservoir in north dakota. the land will continue to be used for recreation and public purposes, public access, fish and wildlife habitat, a fish and game headquarters, and for cabins. if any of the land is sold, the proceeds will be given to the federal government or the land will revert to the united states. like senate bill 440, which the house just considered, this legislation aims to alleviate financial uncertainty for private citizens residing around the reservoir and will help support the local community through tax revenue. i urge adoption of the measure and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. senate bill 2074 authorizes the conveyance of certain public lands owned by the bureau of reclamation around jamestown reservoir in north dakota.

like senate bill 440, this bill ensures that taxpayers receive appropriate compensation for transferred lands and also ensures the transfers recreation lands continue to be available to the public for recreational uses. for these reasons, i support the passage of senate bill 2074 and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from colorado. mr. lamborn: mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 2074, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 6146 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of

the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6146. a bill to authorize, direct, expedite and facilitate a land exchange in arizona and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from arizona, mr. gosar, and the gentlewoman from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. gosar: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gosar: like many of my colleagues from western states, i represent rural counties that are growing quickly but hitting road blocks due to the large amount of federal land in them. a county in my district is no district. my bill is a commonsense land exchange between the forest service and the county. that would allow the county to expand a park by add nugtrailts and bridges for the residents of cottonwood to enjoy. in exchange for 80 acres in the

cottonwood -- in the national forest, the county has offered to the forest service nearly 370 acres of land adjacent to the forest. this land is habitat for the endangered arizona cliff rose and the exchange will allow for better protection and conservation for the rose and other sensitive species. h.r. 6146 is truly a win-win for both the residents of the county and the federal government, at no cost to the taxpayers. i urge adoption of the measure and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is rosed. -- recognized. hanson than thank you, mr. speaker. this -- ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. this bill allows a land exchange. the federal land that will be conveyed to the county is surrounded by county-owned and private land, including windmill park, a popular recreation destination for local residents. the county intends to manage the land as part of the park in

an effort to increase access and improve management efficiency. in exchange, the forest service will receive a parcel of land adjacent to a national forest that proteproys habitat for the cliff rose, an endangered plant species. this bill ensures an equal value exchange based on standard appraisal requirements, a critical safeguard that guarantees a fair return for taxpayers' owned assets. i urge adoption of this measure and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 6146, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona seek recognition? mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and concur with the senate amendment to

h.r. 2615. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2615. an act to authorize the exchange of certain land located in gulf islands national seashore, jackson county, mississippi, between the national park service and the veterans of foreign wars, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from -- the gentleman from arizona, mr. gosar, and the gentlewoman from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gosar: h.r. 2615, introduced by congressman palazzo of mississippi, authorizes the national park service to convey to the veterans of foreign wars post 56199, acres within the gulf islands national seashore in jackson county, mississippi. in exchange for a 2.16 acre parcel of land owned by the

v.f.w. post. this bill benefits both the v.f.w. post and the park service. it provides the v.f.w. post with permanent access to their building via a long driveway, currently owned by the park service. while also adding land to the gulf islands national seashore. i urge adoption of this measure and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. h.r. 2615 is a simple bill that authorizes the land exchange between the national park service and the veterans of foreign wars post 5699 in ocean springs, mississippi. the bill passed the house in the 114th congress and we passed it again nearly a year ago. the veterans of post 5699 in mr. palazzo's district have been waiting a long time for this exchange. so i am pleased that we have an opportunity to agree to the changes proposed by the senate and advance this measure to the

president's desk. this exchange is supported by the v.f.w. post and the national park service. it is a simple and logical solution to a local issue. i urge adoption of the bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from mississippi, mr. palazzo. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from mississippi is recognized for two minutes. plazzplazz mr. speaker, i rise today in doctor plasplas mr. speaker, i rise -- palestine palestine mr. speaker, i rise today -- mr. palazzo: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of this bill. the gulf allens national seashore -- islands national seashore includes the and ssippi barrier islands cat as well as the davis bayou area. i am proud to have this important park and this natural beach as historic sites and wildlife sanctuaries within my district. the gulf islands national seashore has been a part of the mississippi gulf coast community since congress established the park in 1971.

since that establishment, the gulf island national seashore has worked closely with the mark sea more veterans of foreign wars v.f.w. post. the post has shared a road with the seashore for the better part of the last 30 years. the gulf islands national seashore land exchange act would make permanent a 30-year easement that's provided an access road and driveway for the v.f.w. in exchange, the v.f.w. will give the gulf island national seashore some of its acreage, which includes valuable wetlands. the gulf island national seashore and the v.f.w. both strongly support this land exchange, but the department of interior needs congressional approval before it can make the land exchange official. that's why, mr. speaker, i encourage the house to pass this billed a azarenka a suspension vote -- as a suspension vote. i'd also like to thank the members for their support and help in bringing this bill to the floor. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the

balance of his time. the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and concur in the senate amendments to h.r. 2615. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative -- the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, on that i demand the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona seek recognition? mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 5706. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 773. h.r. 5706. a bill to establish the pearl harbor national memorial in the state of hawaii and the national historic site in the state of hawaii and for other purposes -- for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the

gentleman from arizona and the gentlewoman from hawaii will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. gosar: i yield myself such time as i may consume. h.r. 5706 will bring increased recognition to two important world war ii sites in hawaii. the attack on pearl harbor on december 7, 1941, will never be forgotten. over 2,300 sailors, soldiers and civilians lost their lives that fateful day the united states entered world war ii. five sites in hawaii have been designated memorials, including the u.s.s. arizona, the u.s.s. oklahoma, the u.s.s. utah. receiving over a million vitters each year, these serve as places of reflection and remembrance, as well as tombs of honor for the crew members who remain there. the creation of the sweeping world war ii valor in the pacific national monument in

2008 incorporated the five hawaiian sites, way long with three locations in alaska and one in california. h.r. 5607 -- 5706 will establish the areas in hawaii as the pearl harbor national memorial, as a distinct unit of the national park system. giving it the full recognition this hallowed site deserves. this new designation will not effect the existing management f the area in any way. h.r. 5706 would also redesignate another national monument as a national historic site. this site was the largest and longest used world war ii confinement facility in the hawaiian islands. by war's end, over 2,000 people of japanese ancestry were interned there. the majority of which were american citizens. the boundaries and management of the site will not change with the enactment of h.r. 5706. i urge the adoption of the measure and reserve the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves the balance of her time. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. hanson than -- ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i'm very pleased to speak on this next bill, h.r. 5706. the world war ii pacific sites establishment act. and it means a great deal to me. h.r. 5706 would allow for a functional redesignation of two significant sites in hawaii. pearl harbor and the internment camp, providing both of these sites with enabling legislation that recognizes their significant roles in history. the boundaries and management of these sites will not change. pearl harbor is the only site in hawaii currently incorporated in the world war ii valor of the pacific national monument, which also includes sites located in california and alaska. although the monument consists of multiple sites, national park service materials refer to pearl harbor as the world war

ii valor of the pacific national monument. h.r. 5706 will separate pearl harbor from the valor monument and establish it as the pearl harbor national memorial. pearl harbor is a physical representation of the day that will live in infamy. the strides made in u.s.-japan relations and the u.s. entry into world war ii. this historic site dedeserves a name to match its separate identity and significance from the rest of the monument. along with the well-known u.s.s. arizona memorial, pearl harbor is host to the u.s.s. missouri, the u.s.s. submarine museum and park. together these sites attracts over a million visitors to hawaii and pearl harbor every year, serving as a significant contributer to hawaii's tourist-driven economy. h.r. 5706 would also establish the national monument as the national historic site. as some of you know, i am the

granddaughter of two internees. one of whom was interned there, which i did not learn about until very late in his life. in fact, many who grew up in hawaii did not know about the internment site until it was designated, highlighting the need to quickly preserve the site and its history. also not known as other confinement sites, it is unique in that it provides an important historical perspective for martial law in the u.s., the treatment of prisoners of war and the distinguished history of the 100th battalion and the 442nd infantry regiment. in their evaluation of the site, the national park service said it appears to offer the greatest potential to preserve resources and interpret the history of the world war ii internment. with japanese americans on the mainland were interned indiscriminate atly, that would have been impossible in hawaii's predominantly

japanese--- american japanese work force. martial law was imposed in hawaii for the duration of world war ii and came up with a process to identify those perceived to be a threat. these prisoners, mostly male, were separated from their families for years, some were sent to the mainland, like my other grandfather, or other sites in hawaii. despite these circumstances, over 10,000 japanese american men from hawaii signed up to serve this country in war. over 2,000 were accepted and served in what eventually became the 100th and the 442nd regiment -- regmental combat team. this unit, which includes hawaii's late senator,, is the most decorated of world war ii. their story is one of incredible patriotism, currently and service. . the collective stories of honouliuli and the content which it was built and operated, invaluable lessons about the decisions made in the

name of war. h.r. 5706 is supported by our local community, receiving endorsement fathers the pacific historic parks, the japanese cultural center of hawaii. in addition, this bill has been endorsed by the national education center and the a.m. vets. h.r. 5706 will go a long way towards preserving what happened over 75 years ago at both pearl harbor and honouliuli. the good and the bad. for future generations. and i hope will leave an impression of the sacrifices and courage of our greatest generation. i urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation. congress' affirmation of what these sites symbolizes in our history will mean a great deal to our world war ii veterans and their families, japanese americans, and others around the world. i ask for everyone's support, and with that i yield back the

balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona. >> mr. speaker, i yield the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 5706. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from arizona seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6666. , a bill to .r. 6666 authorize the secretary of the interior to grant to states and local governments easements and rights of way over federal land within gateway national recreation area for construction, operation, and maintenance of projects for control and prevention of flooding and shoreline erosion. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from arizona, mr. gosar, and the gentlewoman from hawaii, ms. hanabusa, each will

control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include -- the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gosar: h.r. 6666, introduced by congressman daniel donovan, is an essential piece of legislation that will help property from storm surges in new york. hurricane sandy was one of the most destructive hurricanes in our country, tragically killing 162 people and causing $70 billion to staton island, new york, in damage, was especially hard hit. h.r. 6666 seeks to ensure this type of devastation does not happen again. this bill authorizes the secretary of interior to issue an easement across the gateway national recreation area for the construction of a sea wall to protect coastal residents and infrastructure. the plans for this sea wall was developed by the army corps of

engineers as part of a coastal storm risk management plan. the national park service, which operates the recreation area, supports this necessary project. i thank congressman donovan for his good work on this bill. i urge adoption and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady from hawaii. ms. hanabusa: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hanabusa: thank you, mr. speaker. we support this bill to authorize the national park service to permit flood control and erosion projects in the gateway national recreation area. specifically, the gentleman's bill will enable new york city to move forward with the staten island sea wall, a project designed to protect communities from future flooding events. a few weeks ago was the six-year anniversary of superstorm sandy. a somber reminder of the importance of planning for powerful storm surges, sea level rise, and other impacts of climate change. for good reasons, the sea wall project is a major priority for the residents of staten island

and new york. residents of hawaii understand the urgency of preparing for the impacts of climate change, so i understand the persistence of representative donovan and others in new york to advance this bill. mr. speaker, i urge a yes vote and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from new york, mr. donovan. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. donovan: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you, my colleagues from hawaii and arizona, for your support. today, i rise in support of h.r. 6666, a bill to authorize the secretary of interior to grant an easement to the city of new york for operation and maintenance of the staten island sea wall project following its completion. i have lived on staten island my entire life and was there with my fellow residents as superstorm sandy devastated our community. new york suffered an astronomical $19 billion in damages, and nearly 1.2 million

of my neighbors were without power. we lost 43 new yorkers during that storm, 24 of them from staten island, and several more from the portion of the district that i represent in brooklyn. this project will help my constituents to recover. this was a transformative -- this will be transformative for tens of thousands of staten islanders, as it will give them the comprehensive flood protection and flood insurance relief they need. when a project is 50% complete, many people will begin to receive discounts in their flood insurance premiums. when the project is completed, most of the families living on the other side of this project will have no requirement to have flood insurance coverage at all it will be truly a life-changing project for them. mr. speaker, i ask that the house approve this legislation under the suspension of the rules so that the sea wall project can bring these benefits to my neighbors on staten island, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the ill h.r. 6666. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended -- the gentleman from arizona. mr. gosar: mr. speaker, i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present pourdpourd. -- and i make a point of order that a quorum is not present. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. the speaker pro tempore: for

what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. royce: well, mr. speaker, i'd like to move that the house suspend the rules and that we pass h.r. 6651, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6651, a bill to extend certain authorities relating to united states efforts to combat hiv-aids, tuberculosis, and malaria globally, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. royce, and the gentleman from new york, mr. engel, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california. mr. royce: so i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material for the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. royce: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. royce: mr. speaker, i am rising in support of h.r. 6651, this is the pepfar extension act of 2018. 20 years ago i was honored to

serve as chairman of the africa subcommittee on the house foreign affairs committee, and during my tenure, everywhere i went, particularly in southern africa, hospitals were full and classrooms sat empty as teachers fell ill. life expectancy plummeted, economies deteriorated across the continent. tens of millions of children were orphaned across africa when mothers and fathers and teachers and soldiers and factory workers and health professionals died. the aids pandemic that ravaged sub-saharan africa and parts of latin america and eastern europe and asia was so bad that in 2000, the u.s. intelligence community identified hiv-aids as a major threat to u.s. economic security and to our

national security. to address this, a diverse bipartisan coalition of administration officials, of members of congress, faith leaders, advocates, n.g.o.'s, all joined with president bush to launch the most significant global response to a single disease in our history, authorized by congress in 2003 and later re-authorized in 2008 and in 2013, the president's emergency plan for aids relief, known today as pepfar, quickly became the most successful u.s. foreign aid program since the marshal plan. today through pepfar, the u.s. is supporting 14 million people with life-saving treatment which helps stabilize societies and which shrinks the pool of new infections. over 85 million people have

received voluntary testing and counseling. while over two million babies, born to h.i.v.-positive mothers, have been born aids-free. and by strategically targeting resources and holding partners accountable, pepfar has helped reduce new infections among the most vulnerable groups, particularly young women and adolescent girls, and it has done so by as much as 40%. just last month, i returned to southern africa and witnessed the impact of pepfar for myself. parents are surviving, the workforce is recovery, the health systems are becoming stronger. this is tremendous progress of which we all should be extremely proud. but now is not the time for retreat. there remains more to be done. the pepfar extension act of 2018 provides the framework for

pepfar's continued success while addressing new challenges. among other improvements, this act extends the requirement for the inspectors' general for the state department, for the u.s. agency for international development, and the department of health and human services to conduct joint oversight and joint audit plans. it extends annual reporting requirements which contributes to continued and effective congressional oversight. the united states cannot and should not fight this fight alone, and that's why this act ensures that our programs are complemented by an effective, efficient global fund to fight aids, malaria and tuberculosis and that fund is accountable. this is a sensible bipartisan approach that will enable the united states through pepfar to continue to help partner countries expand access to treatment, to prevent new

infections, to achieve epidemic control. i urge my colleagues to support this timely, important, lifesaving measure, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from new york. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in strong support of this measure, and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. engel: let me first of all, as i have so many times before, thank chairman royce for his leadership in advancing this lifesaving legislation, as well as representative smith, the bill's author, and i also want o acknowledge my friend from california, congresswoman barbara lee, not for this sponsor but the 2003 legislation, that originally authorized pepfar. she is the chair of the congressional hiv-aids caucus and a tireless champion in the fight to end hiv-aids, and i salute her tremendous leadership. she was talking about this when very few people were, and look

at what we have accomplished. 15 years ago, the idea that we would one day talk about an aids-free generation would have seem like fantasy. at the time, this disease had killed more than 20 million people, another 42 million were infected, a mere 50,000 people in africa had access to lifesaving treatments that were still relatively new. the president's plan, the largest commitment to combat a single disease. thanks to pepfar, 14 million men, women and children are receiving treatment. more than 85 million were tested for hiv-aids. new diagnoses among women and girls have dropped and two illion babies have been born i-free. when president bush signed pepfar into law, he said, we

will keep our commitment until we have turned the tide against aids. i think that will be president bush's legacy. positive force, he was for pepfar. and to help people living with aids of the the bill we are now considering is the newest chapter in that commitment and extends key provisions to allow pepfar to succeed and oversight role so the vital work plows ahead to make sure the taxpayer dollars are put to use effectively and efficiently. and pepfar thrived under the previous two administrations and i regret that the current administration has cut funding as these cuts were enacted and thankfully congress has rejected the request that would set us back. we would see a spike in infections.

it would negate the enormous work and billions invested over the past 15 years. at the same time, the administration has re-imposed the so-called mexico city policy. i think it's the wrong approach. this is denying so many people the right to comprehensive health care from providers they trust. it has ripple effects to combat hiv-aids. for example, an association for family development clinic tested nearly 6,000 patients over a three-month period between july and september of last year. and then the gag rule went into force and the clinic lost its funding. just 671 patients were tested for-, a decline of 90%. this is not something that we should just fathom. for 15 years, pepfar has been a

model of what can be achieved through bipartisan cooperation. i hope that the administration will return to that consensus by ending its budget request and lifting the global gag rule which shows it is at odds with the goals of pepfar. we cannot have budget cuts for something like this. only then will it be possible to accelerate the progress over the last 15 years. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. royce: yes. mr. speaker. i yield three minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. smith. and mr. chris smith is co-chair on committee of global human rights and international organizations and he is the author of this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for three minutes. smith smith i thank you for --

mr. smith: i thank you for your leadership. we were there when president bush signed this legislation. this has made an enormous difference in the lives of so many people. and i call on my colleagues to support this bill which authorizes funding for each of the next five years for health care. because of the vision of george w. bush and it was henry hyde and tom lantoast. pepfar has saved 16 million lives. 13 countries are on track to control their hiv-aids epidemic by 2020. when the president signed it, hiv-aids is one of our greatest challenges. across africa, this disease is

in grave yards and creating orphans and leaving millions in a desperate fight for their lives. we have a moral duty to act and we are acting. today, according to the u.s. department of state, pepfar is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease. before pepfar, only 50,000 people in africa had access to treatment. that number has increased to approximately 14 million receiving treatment. thanks to medicine, 2 toin 2 million babies have been born i-free. since the start of pepfar, new infections have deliped by 41-76% depending on the country and 16 million people have been saved. yet, the need for this

legislation continues to be absolutely compelling, because so much more needs to be done. the trump administration in 2018, pepfar's report to congress sounds the alarm that according to a study, nearly 37 million people are living with- globally and 29 million are getting treatment. we must continue to act with our resources and bring other donors and other countries to the table. otherwise, we all risk an epidemic that rebounds beyond the global capacity to respond. the time toll act is now. every week, 32,000 people are h.i.v.ed with- nearly 75% are among females and they are up to 14 times more

likely to contract hiv-aids. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i thank my colleagues and i thank the speaker and keffyip mccarthy in bringing this legislation to the floor. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: i yield three minutes to the the gentlewoman from california, one of the lead sponsors of this bill, ms. lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is recognized. ms. lee: let me thank you, our ranking member, mr. engel, for yielding me time and also for your hard work and being a real champion for our global health programs and thank you for your kind words. let me thank thank mr. royce and the chair of the africa subcommittee. it has been a pleasure working with you from day one. and i cannot forget the late

chairman henry hyde and our ranking member, tom lantoost, who worked so hard, because you remember this, worked so hard in making sure that this legislation stayed on track and making sure it was bipartisan. and to our current ranking member of the house africa subcommittee, representative karen bass, i thank her for her leadership as well as the congressional black caucus because it was the congressional black caucus who supported me in my work with president bush and our leader nancy pelosi who helped with this transformational legislation. and it was many years ago and i have to salute them and to my colleague, betty mccollum and we insisted in must-have efforts on behalf of children and/or fans. as a co-author, i'm very proud

to continue now with this legislation which really is the legacy of bipartisan leadership and support for pepfar and the global fund. mr. speaker, this extension act of 2018 is extremely important. it would re-authorize pepfar and the global fund for five years. pepfar is arguely one of the most efficient foreign assistance programs in history. at the time that will pepfar was established in 2003, only 50,000 people were treated in subsahara africa. thanks to strong bipartisan support for pepfar over the last 15 years, it supports treatment for more than 13.3 million people in over 50 countries. our investments have allowed 2.2 illion babies to be born

h.i.v.-free and 6 million orphans are provided with assistance under these programs. i remember the very first individual, i believe his name was john roberts who i met in uganda. he is now alive and so happy and raised in a family and i believe he was a teacher. he had tears and told me to make sure i thank the united states of america for these life-saving drugs. we can't allow these successes to lull us into come placensy. we made strides in the fight against hiv-aids and may i have another two minutes. mr. engel: i yield the gentlewoman an additional two minutes sm the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for two minutes. ms. lee: we made significant strides and the needs for robust investments is more than

important. the report released by the "lancet" the h.i.v. pandemic is not on tractor end and little progress has been made. tens of millions of people will require access to sustain treatments for decades to come. every week, 32,000 people are fected with h.i.v. including 900, 19,000 people die of this illness each week. the epidemic risk rebounding. we must reject any attempts by the trump administration to cut any funding for pepfar and the global fund and fight against the imposition against the global gag rule which is affecting access to critical

health care. support for pepfar has never been a partisan issue. we cannot allow that to change now. i urge a yes vote on the bill and i thank my colleagues to work through these tough negotiations this time and we will move forward and hopefully fact we cane in the wipe aids from the face of this earth by 2030. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. royce: i yield two minutes to the representative ros-lehtinen. and original co-sponsor of this bill and the co-chair of the hiv-aids caucus here in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from florida is recognized for two minutes. ms. ros-lehtinen: thank you so much. and i'm so proud to be an original co-sponsor along with you, mr. chairman and along with

our wonderful ranking member of the pepfar extension act which has been led by chris smith of new jersey and ms. barbara lee of california. this will build upon the success of pepfar which has been a ogram in fighting hiv-aids this epidemic worldwide. pepfar has has given treatments to close to 14 million people and five-fold increase over the last 10 years. since the program's inception, -- y two million i-free h.i.v.-free babies and contributed to the security and economic growth of countries around the globe. when president bush called on congress to take in action in responding to the crisis of h.i.v. 15 years ago, republicans

and democrats stood together, like we are standing together tonight to authorize this program and time and time again, pepfar has been re-authorized with overwhelming bipartisan support. i will forever cherish, mr. speaker, standing in the oval office as president bush signed this essential program into law. i'm proud of what we as a nation have accomplished through this incredible program and with the help of our global partners. ery day we are closer to hieving an h.i.v.-free generation. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yield back. the gentleman from california reserves. the gentleman from new york. mr. engel: it's my pleasure to yield two minutes to the the gentlewoman from from minnesota, ms. mccollum who is a great advocate for those living with

hiv-aids. ms. mccollum: i rise in support of the president's emergency plan for hiv-aids relief referred to as pepfar for an additional five years until 2023. when this law was accomplished in 2003, i was proud to be a member of the international relations committee thanks in large part to the bipartisan leadership of chairmanship heny hyde and ranking member tomlantost. this required at least 10% of the funds be used for orphans and vulnerable children. i thank the chairman and ranking mber and thank mr. smith and ms. bass to make sure this was restored when we marked up this bill in september. today, more than 12 million children worldwide have lost one parent to hiv-aids and 80% live

in subsahara africa. of the 88.1 children, only half have the necessary treatment. and without this treatment, it's expected that 80% will not make it to their fifth birthday. the dedicated funding in this bill will ensure these children will be a priority in our fight against hiv-aids and responding to physical, emotional and economic impacts hiv-aids has on vulnerable children. the programs protect children from contracting hiv-aids. expand access to high quality health services and work with families to strengthen capacity and resilience building and give these children a future. . . september, 2017, pepfar had

provided care and support to more than 6.4 million orphans vulnerable children and their caregivers worldwide. i want to thank the foreign affairs committee's leadership for this and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. royce: i reserve the right to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves. therefore, the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. nd then let me close and let me say that as the sponsor of the last pepfar re-authorization in 2013, i'm proud to be part of this effort. i, again, thank chairman royce, congresswoman lee, chair and ranking member of our africa and global health committee, representative smith and bass, and congresswoman ros-lehtinen as well. i also like to thank ambassador

burks, the u.s. global aids coordinator, and u.s. special representative for global health diplomacy, for her tireless work to ensure pepfar's success. mr. speaker, over the last 15 years, pepfar has been nothing short of revolutionary. as a humanitarian and global health triumph with very few rivals across history. but it's still a work in progress. an aids-free generation remains aspirational, certainly more within reach than it was a few years ago, but still a vision that we need to keep working for. if we reverse course, if we slash funding for these efforts, if we undermine our own efforts with foolish policies, we stand to lose so much of what's been achieved. so i'm glad to support this bipartisan measure, which would keep us on the right course, and i, again, urge the administration to agree with what congress has done, not to

cut funding in this much-needed help. i'm pleased to support the bill. i ask all members to do the same. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york yields back his time. the gentleman from california is recognized for the remainder of his time. mr. royce: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. royce: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, the committee on foreign affairs with the help of our ranking member, mr. eliot engel, we have worked across both chambers of congress. we worked across party lines. we worked to craft a bill that preserves congressional prerogatives and advances u.s. interests and help save lives. i, again, thank mr. critz smith, because -- mr. chis smith, because h.r. 6051 does all of that. it does not contain new authorized appropriations, nor does it affect direct spending or ref nuse. it does not create new --

revenues. it does not create new programs or policy provisions. it is, in other words, a noncontroversial bipartisan measure that extends critical pepfar authorities and the transparency requirements that expired on september 30, 2018. congress has re-authorized now this program twice before. and i thank the u.s. global aids coordinator, ambassador burks, for her steadfast commitment to making pepfar as efficient and effective as possible and, of course, i want to, again, thank all of these sponsors, representatives smith and ros-lehtinen, engel and lee, for championing this effort and doing so from the very start and finally i want to thank joan on my staff who's been instrumental in seeing this important legislation over the finish line and who has

long worked for effective u.s. assistance programs that both save lives and reinforce the moral stature of the united states around this globe. the success of these efforts, the success of this program will forever be measured by the lives it has saved. i urge my colleagues to support this bill, and i yield the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6651, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. and without objection, the itle is amended. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition?

mr. royce: mr. speaker, i move the house suspend the rules and pass house resolution 1055. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1055, resolution to affirm strong united states-liberia ties and support for democratic principles, and call for full implementation of the truth and reconciliation commission recommendations, including the establishment of an extraordinary criminal tribunal for liberia. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. royce, and the gentleman from new york, mr. engel, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. royce. mr. royce: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to evise and extend their remarks , and to include any extraneous material on the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. royce: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for as much time as he wishes to use. mr. royce: mr. speaker, so i rise in support of house resolution 1055, which affirms

the strong ties between the united states and liberia and calls for full implementation of the truth and reconciliation commission recommendations, and thank thank representative donovan and representative johnson for their work on this resolution. during my time as chairman of the africa subcommittee, we held hearings and we pressed legislation to bring attention to the brutal civil war in liberia and sierra leone that killed 200,000 people, that displaced more than one million. ne of whom was also an orphan, orphaned by this conflict and he worked in my office here in congress. we heard testimony, for example, also, from a young girl no more than 10 years old who recounted the atrocities she herself endured during the

war, a gruesome illustration of the horrific and lasting impact this conflict had on the people of liberia and sierra leone. the africa subcommittee worked across party lines and alongside inter-- the international community and alongside the people of liberia and sierra leone to apprehend the notorious warlord charles taylor, and i'd like to thank our staff director, tom, for his work in this regard. today, charles taylor remains behind bars. in 2003, the government of liberia, rebel groups, and political parties signed a comprehensive peace agreement, a truth and reconciliation commission was created which recommended the establishment of a war crimes tribunal to ensure justice for the people

of liberia. this would be along the same lines of what we had worked to effectively establish for the people of sierra leone in terms of their special court. unfortunately, however, this war crimes tribunal for liberia has never been established, although liberian government figures and liberian activists alike have continued to call for one. this resolution repeats this important call. we have turned the page on this horrific chapter in liberia's history. in march, the u.n. peacekeeping mission there officially ended. it is not often we get to successful end of a mission, and we remember the 202 peacekeepers that lost their lives to bring peace and to bring stability to the region.

president johnson was democratically elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2011 before stepping down from power. last year the country experienced its first democratic democratic transition of power since november, 1944. this further strengthened democratic institutions and it set an important precedent for future leaders. much more needs to be done to crack down on corruption and create a more conducive environment for trade and economic investment. the government must ensure the policies are in place to encourage business to invest and grow and create jobs, but this resolution affirms the u.s. commitment to continue to partner with liberia to support civil society, rule of law, and good governance. we stand by the liberian people in their continued efforts for

a more prosperous and more democratic liberia. the united states and liberia share close historical, policecal, and economic ties -- political and economic ties over the course of our nearly 200-year relationship. the united states is home to 80,000 people of liberian ancestry. his resolution commends this deis a practice population which has -- diaspra population which has been instrumental in build a prosperous liberia. i yield back the balance of my time, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: mr. speaker, i rise in support of this measure, and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for as much time as he wishes to use. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank representative donovan for his work on this resolution which reaffirms united states' relationship with liberia and calls for the

government of liberia to hold accountable of those who carried out mass violence and atrocities during the country's civil war in the 1990's. that war resulted in the deaths of over 200,000 people, and was marked by gross human rights violations. in the wake of this conflict, the liberian government started working to investigate the horrific crimes committed during the war. in 2005, a truth and reconciliation commission put forward recommendations to follow through on those efforts. but now 10 years later, the government of liberia still hasn't fully implemented those recommendations. liberia, as the chairman pointed out, and the united states share close historical, political, and economic ties. we in the united states are committed to helping liberia prosper as a stable democracy. the 2017 elections were an important turning point. this was the country's first

peaceful democratic transition of power since 1944. today's measure rightly congratulates liberia for this achievement. but for liberia to fully move forward it must deal with its past. so this resolution urges liberia to implement the recommendations from the truth and reconciliation commission. there must be justice and accountability for the atrocities committed during liberia's civil war. mr. speaker, the resolution before us today is a very important step to continue our strong relationship with liberia and i'm happy to support it and i reserve the balance of my time. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves his time. does the gentleman from california wish to reclaim his time and? or has he yielded back? mr. royce: yes, i do, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: is there any objection?

without objection, the gentleman from california may reclaim the remainder of his time and is recognized for the remainder of his time. mr. royce: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield two minutes to the gentleman from new york, mr. donovan, an esteemed member of the committee on foreign affairs and the author of this resolution. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized for two minutes. mr. donovan: i affirm strong support for democratic principles and truth and reconciliation recommendations including the establishment of an extraordinary criminal tribunal for liberia. my district is home to thousands of liberians who have fled civil war. my constituents have told me how important it is to them that liberia accomplish a criminal trials try buneal. people who have committed war crimes hold positions in lie

beer yeah's government. unfortunately, they have seen it all. it has been decades since this has occurred, wouppeds cannot be healed. this lack of accountability is leading liberia into a slow creep backwards. without the justice liberians are searching for, there will be further violence. it is crucial to establish a war crimes tribunal. i have had the great pleasure of working with chairman royce and ranking member engel and ranking member of my subcommittee, mr. smith of new jersey, the bipartisan manner in which they have conducted committee business in order to move consequential legislation is something to be admired.

that thank you chairman royce, thank you ranking member engel and hank johns ons and all of our other co-sponsors. i would like to thank the committee staff, meg, sean and maurice. i urge all my colleagues to support this resolution and continue to seek justice across the globe. i yield. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california reserves and the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. royce: i yield to two minutes to the gentleman from from new jersey, mr. smith. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for two minutes. mr. royce: i rise in strong support of h.res. 1055 offered by dan donovan.

this is an important piece of legislation. it underscores the unfinished business towards liberia. it is one of our best friends and former slaves went back and helped to make liberia what it is. and charles taylor, a december potic leader who killed and maimed and engrossed a rape, he is being held to account. the chief prosecutor who has appeared before our subcommittee did a wonderful job in bringing large numbers. . i will never forget of his photo looking down at the floor never thinking he would get a 50-year jail term. but there are many others who never got.

and they made true recommendations and not been followed up for its own criminal tribunal. the time has come. dan donovan's bill puts the house on record saying we think this this needs to be done. thank him for his leadership. great voice of reason and strength as well as for human rights particularly for those in liberia. he chaired one of our hearings on liberia. and i want to thank him for that leadership. mr. speaker, this is an important bipartisan bill. and i urge its passage and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california reserves. the gentleman from new york. mr. engel: i'm prepared to close, mr. speaker. i again want to thank mr. donovan and chairman royce for

their work on this effort. we want to ensure that the u.s. ntinues to enjoy its centuries' long. it puts the united states encouraging liberia in the right direction to a democratic stability and accountability. i urge all members to support this resolution and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york yield back. and the gentleman from california is recognized for the remapeder of his time. mr. royce: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. royce: i thank my colleagues and i thank representative dan donovan and hank johnson for their work as well as chris commiggetfer smith and the u.s. stands by the liberian people, those living in liberia and their continued efforts for a more prosperous and more

democratic liberia. reconciliation is an important step in this process and will ensure peace and ensure that the stability remains. he you us must sustain democratic institutions. i urge my colleagues to support this measure and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. all time has been yielded back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1055. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the the motion to reconsider is laid n the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. royce: i move the house suspend the rules and the house

pass the house resolution 1052. the clerk: house resolution 1052 cooperation on space research, exploration and utilization. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. royce, and the gentleman from new york, mr. engel, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes mr. royce. mr. royce: i ask unanimous consent that member may have five legislative days to include extraneous material. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. royce: i want to thank my colleague, representative castro soaring for response this measure with which especially our extensive cooperation on space-related activities. australia has played a key role in the u.s. space program and

hosts several facilities that are crucial for maintaining communications with our manned and robotic missions. these facilities support spacecraft including military and the establishment of the australian space agency which was announced this past year will add to this long history and will promote beneficial cooperation as advanced technologies will create jobs in both countries. this increased cooperation is especially timely as australia's importance to the national security is enhanced by the ongoing militarization of space that is being undertaken by beijing and moscow. this resolution highlights the growing importance of our two countries' cooperation and looks

forward to closer ties in the future. i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york, mr. engel. mr. engel: i rise in support of this resolution and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. engel: let me thank mr. castro for introducing this asure for strengthening this bilateral resolution in space. and bringing this to our attention in the house. the united states and australia share deep bonds of cooperation. we are treaty allies and share intelligence and engaged on a range of issues around the world from defense to trade to development. we share a deep cultural connection rooted in our democracy and openness and this is a friendship quite literally

forged in blood. americans and australians have fought side-by-side in every war since world war i. in july, the relationship entered its 100th year and we celebrate together 100 years where we are thinking about our cooperation over the next 100 years in space research and exploration and utilization will be a key area. the days are gone when human activity is limited. today with telecommunication and weather satellites, space plays a major role in the lives of people all over the world. not all countries interested in space exploration share our interests and values when it comes to space. that's why we want to ep sure that the values that has under pipped our relationship is carried into the collaboration

in the space domain. this resolution affirms those values in the forward-looking partnership. i'm pleased to support it and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. royce: i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york. mr. engel: i yield three minutes to the author of this bill and valid member of this committee, mr. castro of texas. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. castro: thank you for all of your help on this piece of legislation and i thank my colleague for introducing this which honors the space cooperation. this year marks 100 years of close cooperation between the united states and australia. dating back to world war i we have collaborated.

just as we come together, we must come together to better understand what lies beyond our own universe. this july, australia set up its national space agency. with this creation, it joined a chorus of nations. this isn't the first time that our nations have cooperated on space. the first images of neil armstrong were transmitted throughout the world through radio stations in are australia and we secure our people's futures. the establishment of the space agency is an opportunity to expand on a more complete understanding of all of these issues. this includes manned and unmanned exploration and our universities and the development of commercial options to access space. this resolution recognizes the importance and value of

cooperation with australia or space exploration and encourages our state department to facilitate international cooperation on this issue through diplomatic channels. we will strengthen our partnerships in the region and internationally. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas he yields back. and the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. royce: reserve the right to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized for the remapeder of his time. mr. engel: i will close now. let me thank mr. castro for putting this timely and important resolution and has been a valued leader on policy, on asian policy in australia as we look to the future over the next 100 years. i'm confident that our countries will be able to expand our close collaboration in the critical

research. this commends the country of australia which lays the foundation for a bilateral cooperation in space and underscores america's interest in prioritizing america's cooperation in the years to come and in doing it with a good friend in australia. i support the passage of this resolution and i encourage my colleagues to do the same. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. royce: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. royce: i thank my colleague for sponsoring this measure. our cooperation with australia in space-related activities is a key element of our broader strategic relationship. those ties will become important as new technologies create expanded opportunities for

peaceful endeavors and as beijing and moscow challenge u.s. national security in space. expanding our joint efforts will enhance the efforts of both countries and further strengthen. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this timely bipartisan measure. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1052. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. royce: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 6018, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of

the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6018, a bill to establish an intraagency program to assist countries in adjacent maghreb and regions of africa to improve immediate and long-term capabilities to counter terrorist threats, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. royce, and the gentleman from new york, mr. engel, each will minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. royce. mr. royce: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. royce: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for as much time as he wishes to use. mr. royce: mr. speaker, i rise support of h.r. 6018, the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership act, and i want to thank my colleagues mere, mike an -- here, chairman

mccaul and ranking member keating to advance this important measure and, mr. speaker, as you know, boko haram and isis west africa, as well as isis in the greater sahara, al qaeda affiliates, and other armed groups continue to create havoc across north and west africa. thousands of civilians, including women and children, have died at the hands of these terrorist organizations. in response to these threats, the u.s. has deployed over 1,000 troops in the region, but the many diverse and increasingly pressing security threats across africa demand more than just a military presence. realizing this, in 2005, the u.s. established the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership, known as the tsctp

program, to bring together the department of state, the department of defense, and the u.s. agency for international development, and they did that to coordinate and streamline u.s. and partner nations' efforts to combat terrorism as well as preventing the spread of violent extremism in north and west africa. this program rightly recognizes that we must build the capacity of countries so that they can themselves detect and defeat terrorists within their own countries. this is a long-term approach that can produce high returns with relatively low investment. we are investing in the future security of partner nations. but tsctp is not just about security assistance. strengthening democratic institutions of partnering ation to ensure responsive

democratic governance and rule of law is also key. bring people around the table including women's groups and including civil society at large. to increase dialogue on peace and security. having women at the table not only makes peace agreements more likely, but also makes agreements last longer. this region is home to some of the poorest countries of the world, and the humanitarian and development needs are immense. high youth unemployment, food insecurity, low education, and severe lack of government services together create an environment ripe for terrorist recruitment. o improve these underlying conditions, usaid is supporting vulnerable populations through livelihood training, through access to health resources and through agricultural

development. tsctp coordinates our diplomatic, defense, and development tools to counter these terrorist threats and to help bring stability to this region. the bill we are considering today supports this program by establishing core objectives and benchmarks and strengthening congressional oversight so it continues to be efficient and effective and timely. so i urge all my colleagues to support this important measure, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves his time. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york, mr. engel. mr. engel: mr. speaker, i rise in support of this measure, and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for as much time as he wishes to use. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to begin by thanking mr. mccaul for putting forward this important bill which would authorize the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership. i want to also thank congressman keating for his hard work on this bill as well.

this interagency program was stablished in 2005 to help america partner in the sahel, maghreb and other regions. it's important we collaborate with our allies and that our policy is driven by united, interagency effort. that's why this bill is so critical. it requires the secretary of state to work with the secretary of defense and the usaid administrator to create a comprehensive strategy. by coordinating our diplomatic, military, and development efforts at home and with partners abroad, the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership act strengthens our response to the international security threats facing these regions of africa. mr. speaker, the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership is an important program that will enhance our international security efforts in an area

that demands attention. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves his time. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california. mr. royce: yeah. i yield three minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. mike mccaul, chairman of the committee on homeland security, a senior member of the foreign affairs committee, and the author of this legislation. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas, mr. mccaul, is recognized for three minutes. mr. mccaul: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to commend chairman royce and ranking member eliot engel, both of whom this congress and your leadership and chairman royce, we're going to miss you, as we move on to the end of this congress. i do rise in support of this bill, the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership act. this bill will strengthen our counterterrorism operations in africa, an area where the threat of terrorism is rapidly rising. while our attention has been focused on the middle east, terrorism in africa has spread.

our military successes in iraq and syria has splintered isis, squeezed terrorists out of the middle east and sent them fleeing to africa. and the numbers, mr. speaker, are alarming. on the eve of 9/11, it's important to point out al qaeda, on the eve of 9/11, only had a few hundred followers. today, it's estimated that 10,000 isis and al qaeda jihadists have established bases across the continent. along with other existing terrorist organizations, such as boko haram, terrorism is taking hold in africa and prohibiting its prosperity. my bill, which i introduced with my friend, mr. keating, authorizes for the first time a program called the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership. this program works with countries like as chad, malli, nigeria to help con-- mali, nigeria, to help conduct

counterterrorism activities and strengthens the rule of law. it will develop a counterterrorism strategy in africa. by taking a multifaceted approach, we may be able to prevent terrorism to gaining a larger foot hold in these countries. so, again, i'd like to thank mr. keating, chairman royce, ranking member engel for all your support in this important legislation, and with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time. the gentleman from california reserves, and the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves, so the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. royce: i would like to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from florida, ileana ros-lehtinen, who chairs the subcommittee on the middle east and north africa and is the former chair of the africa subcommittee as well. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from florida is recognized for two minutes. ms. ros-lehtinen: thank you so

much, mr. speaker. again, thank you, chairman royce and ranking member engel, for your leadership, for your bipartisan spirit, for everything that you do to bring our congress together. we need more of you around here. thank you for bringing mr. mccaul's bill to the floor today, and i thank my esteemed foreign affairs committee colleague, michael mccaul, for his authorship of this important bill, the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership act, codifies an important program, the program after which the bill is named, and helps build partner capacity in a critical region of the world. thanks to chairman royce and ranking member engel, i recently had the privilege of leading a delegation to one of those partner countries, morocco, where i met with the moroccan equivalent of the f.b.i. and on the front lines of terrorism, north africa, and the sahel, morocco has successfully thwarted plot after plot that was threatening

position ests and its to play an position to play an even bigger role in our joint counterterrorism efforts. trans-sahara he counterterrorism partnership help bring law enforcement services in places like morocco even closer together, allowing us to share information about terrorist groups like isis, al qaeda, hezbollah, and it helps to protect our homeland. so i urge all of my colleagues to support mr. mccaul's important bill, and i thank the gentleman for his time. i yield back, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from california reserves. the gentleman from new york. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. in closing, i, again, want to thank mr. mccaul for his hard work on this measure and to chairman royce for moving it forward. this bill authorizes a very important program that strengthens our efforts to assist partners in the sahel and maghreb to counterterrorism and violent extremism. so i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan

legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york yields back the remainder of his time. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california for the remainder of his time. in oyce: mr. speaker, conclusion, the trans-sahara counterterrorism partnership act mandates an important interagency effort to combat terrorism and to prevent the spread of radical extremism. it increases congressional oversight by requiring increased reporting and regular monitoring and evaluation, frankly, of all of our programs. in doing so, through programs like tsctp, and with just a relatively small amount of foreign assistance dollars, we are investing in the future stability of these nations and their own ability to defeat terrorist attacks. i thank chairman mike mccaul for this measure, and i yield

back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time. all time has been yielded back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6018, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. and without objection, the itle is amended. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until approximately

>> tomorrow house members on a foreign affairs subcommittee will look at counterterrorism policy with testimony from nathan sales a coordinator for counterterrorism at the state

department. the hearing begins live wednesday at 2:00 p.m. eastern on c span 3. join us this weekend for live coverage of the miami book fair. starting saturday at 10:00 a.m. eastern with journalist michael isakoff and david korns discussing their book "russian roulette," and then an interview th supreme court justice sotomayor. she discusses her new book "turning pages." at 3:45 p.m., "national review" columnist jonah goldberg with his book "soffeds the west. wts on sunday, our live coverage continues at 10:30 a.m. eastern with alan der show wits discussing his book "the case against impeaching trump" and then "guardian" columnist

melissa court with her book "squeeze." d fox news politics editor chris stile discusses his book, "every man a king" and then former secretary of state john kerry with his memoir "every day is extra." watch the miami book fair live this weekend on c-span2's book tv. >> sunday on "q&a," california democratic congresswoman jackie eier talks about her memoir, "undaunted." >> i wasen an airstrip in the remote jungles of guyana, having just finished a tour with the then-congressman leo ryan. we were ambushed an shot. ing anman ryan was shot 45 times and died. member os