of congress but by visiting the members making sure that they understand that their work with the center for judicial excellence and protective parents association of california have made sure that they've -- that they saw these issues clearly and talked to members of congress about our ideas, not only as we fund federal programs but as we understand in our discussions with states that we prioritize and help them look at what is a seemingly national crisis this national crisis is about how our children are dealt with in the court system and looked at and specifically this is a concurrent resolution which urges states to develop family court procedures to resolve claims of abuse in family violence before making any other

determination in the case, allowing courts to focus on these allegations affecting child safety independently. what did i just say? what i just said is, many times in court proceedings, where there is a family violence circumstance where there is a stress in the family, there are examples that either side might talk about what's in the breast interest -- in the best interest of the child and courts across this country, whether local court, state court, we're asking them to understand that this national crisis deals with children that are being placed in a circumstance that might not be in their best interest and calls on states to prohibit the use of discredited or unscientific theories in their family's court -- families' courts. many time $provisions in a court to take one side or the other.

finally, it highlights the problems that some litigants, these are people back in their own home states, faced regarding mandatory fees and congress is asking the states to look at these. many times as the distinguished jerusalem from houston talked about there are fee structures which keep families from fully participating to protect their children because of the cost. . tragically millions of children are impacted in the united states of america. they call it domestic violence or child abuse. ut the bottom line is that the resulting harm is lasting to our children. physical, sexual or emotional abuse. this trauma stays with our children for some period of time and many times it lasts for a lifetime. it also imposes billions of dollars on society where these children need to be handled, dealt with, and worked through a

system for them to understand what happened in their childhood , would create some difficulties later in their life. so, simply put, we believe that family courts need better expertise, better expertise not only in terms of legal counsel that is involved, but perhaps outside professionals who would address these issues. in my home state of texas, we have had to reevaluate the circumstances not just of divorce but of domestic violence, where a child is involved. trying to focus more directly on the needs of the child and then having that family, two sides for sure, who would come together to see what's in the best interest of that child. family courts need to address abuse and, once again, many times it is not uncommon for them to have to address these through the frailties of a

system, frailties of people who give testimony and perhaps theories that are not always in the best interest of the child that might be proposed in court. so, one story in particular, a young girl named cara ray who tragically lost her life at the age of 2 in 2016 while her family was going through the court system. and the focus became the battle, not the child. and the child fell in between the processes and unfortunately the tragedy occurred because of this huge disagreement between the family to where a father brutally murdered her before setting the house on fire and killing himself. the tragedy involved, rather than highlighting the differences between these two, of the safety of the child. and the safety of the child and of the mother is vitally

important. at least 653 child murders by a parent involved in a divorce separation, custody or visitation, child support have been documented in the united states over the last 10 years. that is a tragedy. that is a nightmare that is happening directly before us. and this is why we believe that listening to outside groups such as the domestic violence legal empowerment and appeals project and the judicial excellence coalition have come to congress to say, we would like for you to see what is happening back in your states. back in your communities. back where you are from, members of congress, and see if you can shine a spotlight on showing how important children and women are , not just in our society, but in the court system. so what i would say is, i would like to thank my colleagues, the gentleman who started this, the

gentleman from pennsylvania, congressman pat meehan, for his dedication to this issue, as well as my dear friend from new york, congresswoman maloney, for her leadership as she has joined me on so many issues where we deal with women's health and women's safety. children's health, children's safety. including disabled children and people who cannot protect themselves. mr. speaker, whether you live in florida, texas, pennsylvania, or wherever you might be in this country, it is important for us to understand that the focus on children's safety in court matters is essential to the nation's health and support for the future. i want to thank the distinguished gentleman and the chairman of the committee, chairman goodlatte, for allowing this to come forth at this time. and i would thank you and, mr. speaker, i would yield back my time to the distinguished gentleman from florida for his time that he would, i'm sure, choose to reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from florida. >> we reserve. we're ready to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from texas. mr. jackson: -- ms. jackson lee: to the gentleman from florida, are you prepared to close, or are there any other speakers? >> yes, we are. ms. jackson lee: thank you. first of all, let me certainly thank mr. sessions, my colleague out of texas, for his very posh words and moving commentary -- important wordses and moving commentary. an thank you, congress -- words and moving commentary. and thank you, congressman rutherford, for your commitment, and the other co-sponsors of this legislation. it really has more impact. let me conclude my remarks by acknowledging a tragedy in my district. as a hrdworking mother was -- a hardworking mother was separating from her spouse, it had not yet gotten to the court, but it's evidence what have can happen. the remarks of the dad was, bring him over for know see them

one more time and, even though the relationship between mom and dad was hostile, mom wanted to be cooperative and brought them over and left them for a moment, as she went to her small business. nd the next call she got was the police and neighboring screaming because, at his call to her, the parents called, the father called, and said, now come over and see your two dead children, because i've killed them. so this is constant throughout the nation and we need intervention and we need recognition of the tragedies that can happen. so as i previously stated, i strongly support passage of house concurrent resolution 72. it is a sober acknowledgment of how family courts in the united states are failing to protect the very children they're sworn to protect in cases involving

domestic violence. and obviously these cases have histories of domestic violence. but also as a legislative body, we have far more effective ways to deal with these problems. they can economyment h.res. 72 -- compliment h.res. 72 and i would like to again reinforce the bill that was introduced last year, last july, excuse me this july. 150 i introduced, over co-sponsors, i believe. i introduced a robust bill to re-authorize the violence against women act. this re-authorization seeks to address the problem of domestic violence from a holistic perspective, by attacking problem -- by attacking the problem from many different angles. recognizing all the different components that are now before us. e need to re-authorize vawa. and we need to do it with this. if we hope to make any dent in this very serious problem, and to protect women and children and men who are abused and

victimized day in and day out, this is how we need to do it. pass bills like the concurrent resolution and also vawa. i urge my colleagues to support this resolution and join me in this bipartisan effort as well. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from florida. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i first want to thank the gentlewoman from her comments and thank you so much for your hard work on this resolution. i also want to thank chairman sessions for bringing this forward today. and i want to encourage all of my colleagues here to vote in the affirmative for house concurrent resolution 72. and with that, mr. speaker, we yield back. 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 concurrent resolution 72, 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 concurrent resolution is agreed to, and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman

from florida seek recognition? -- seek recognition? huggethugget i move to suspend the rules -- mr. rutherford: i move to uspend the rules and pass h.r. 6580, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6580, a bill to amend the immigration and nationality act to provide for expedited naturalization processes for the alien spouses of first responders who die as a result of their employment, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. rutherford, and the gentlewoman from washington, ms. jayapal, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. rutherford: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on h.r. 6580, currently under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. rutherford: mr. speaker, i'd first like to call on the good gentleman from nebraska, my home state, and give him as much time

as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i appreciate our distinguished representative from florida, my good friend, thanks for yielding so much time. -- some time. mr. speaker, i rise today to urge my colleagues to support kerrie , the kerry -- orozco first responders family support act. this is a first responders bill that will give our heroes the peace of mind every day when they leave their home for work to keep us safe. this legislation is simple, commonsense and compassionate. under current law, the surviving family members of first responders who have pending immigration applications face delays in the naturalization sprose. mr. bacon: this can weigh heavily on our first responders, causing undue burden upon them as they protect our communities. should they be killed, would their family members who are not uasi citizens lose their ability

o stay in the -- who are not u.s. citizens -- are not u.s. citizens lose their ability to stay in the country? we owe it to our first responders to ensure their family is taken care of, thud this -- he should they pay the ultimate -- should they pay the ultimate sacrifice of keeping us safe. this will give them the peace of mind. this legislation will extend the same privileges to our first responders that are currently afforded to our military service members. this bill honors our first responders, it values family, this bill is for hector orozco and all of the widows and widowers of our fallen first responders and this bill tells our law enforcement officers, our firefighters that we have your back. i urge the adotchings h.r. 6580 -- adoption the h.r. 6580 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 florida.

mr. rutherford: which reserve -- we reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from washington. ms. jayapal: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume and i rise today in support of h.r. 6580rk the kerrie owe rose could he -- 6580, the kerrie orozco first responders act. this is a tribute to ms. orozco, a police officer in omaha, nebraska. on may 20, 2015, after seven years of service in the omaha police department, kerrie was fatally shot in the line of duty while serving a felony arrest warrant. she was survived by her husband, hector orozco, and her two step-children, natalie and santiago. h.r. 6580 gives tribute to the sacrifice made by kerrie and her family, by recognizing the sacrifices made by all first responders who are killed in the line of duty, as well as their surviving family members. the bill honors their sacrifice by speeding up the citizenship process for the surviving immigrant spouses, children and

parents of slain first responders. specifically, the bill would waive certain physical residence requirements for surviving immediate family members who are already on the road to becoming citizens. current law requires such individuals to reside in the united states as lawful permanent residents for five years before becoming eligible to apply for naturalization. this bill would waive that five-year requirement and thus allow surviving family members to naturalize more quickly. it is modeled on the military personnel citizenship processing act, which became law in 2008 after receiving unanimous support in both house of congress. that bill provides similar benefits to the surviving immigrant family members of u.s. armed services members who were killed in action. this bill recognizes that domestic first responders also serve this country at great sacrifice both for themselves and their families. this bill is the least we can do

to recognize their service and sacrifice. i congratulate representative bacon for introducing this bill and ensuring its vote on the floor. i also want to thank judiciary chairman good lat and ranking member jerry nadler for their support on this important piece of legislation. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. he gentleman from florida. mr. rutherford: having no further speakers, we are prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized to close. the gentleman is recognized to close. mr. rutherford: i rise in pport of h.r. 658, 0 the kerrie orozco first responders family support act. this legislation is sport but will have an immense impact on close family members of certain first responders who die as a result of injury and illness occurring in the line of duty.

the immigration and naturalization act currently requires that in order to naturalize and become a united states citizen, a lawful permanent resident must reside continuously in the united states for five years prior to naturalization. for spouses that residency requirement is three years. h.r. 6580 waives that residency requirement altogether for the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a federal, state, or local first responder who dies as a result of injury or illness incur during the line of duty activities as a first responders. there's precedent in immigration law for such a waiver. the language is patterned on the current law whichways the same residency requirements for the surviving spouse, child or parent of a military service member killed while in active

duty service in the armed forces. first responsers routinely place their lives in peril to help those of us in need. when they are killed or injured carrying out their duties we know their -- we owe their families a deep debt of gratitude. h.r. 6580 is a small price to pay in return for the sacrifice first responders make every day. he legislation was named after kerrie orozco, an omaha, nebraska, police officer killed while serving an arrest warrant. at the time of her death her husband was in the process of becoming a u.s. citizen. h.r. 6508 will speed up the process and make sure other surviving immediate relatives in the same situation are a afforded the same opportunity. i appreciate the work of the gentleman from nebraska, mr.

bacon, on this important piece of legislation and i urge my colleagues to support the bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6580 as amended? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. without objection the title amended. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. rutherford: i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1872 -- the reciprocal access to tibbett act of 2018 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. -- h.r. 1872 a bill po to the promote access

for united states officials, journalists and others to tibetan areas of the people's republic of china and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. rutherford and the gentlewoman from washington, ms. jayapal will each control 0 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. rutherford: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to rhett re-their rack -- their remarks and include extraneous materials on h.r. 1872 under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. rutherford: mr. speaker, h.r. 1872 the resipry call access to tibet -- reciprocal provides ibet act access to tibetan areas criminaled by china. in 1915, the chi these people's

liberation army went into tibet in order to establish control other the region. in the years since then as noted by the u.s. department of state the chinese government has imposed severe restrictions on tibetans' ability to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms up such restrictions occur with regard to religious practice, freedom of travel, freedom to practice cultural and language references and other aspects of everyday life. in addition, the chinese government routinely engages in human rights abuses such as extrajudicial killings, torture and arbitrary arrests. in fact, the chinese government's actions are so severe that in recent years over 150 tibetans have self-imlated in a last ditch effort to get the rest of the world to focus on this problem. in order to prevent documentation of the religious

freedom restrictions and other human rights abuses to the outside world, the government of china has severely limited access by foreign nationals to these tibetan regions. such limitations prevent access to u.s. officials seeking diplomatic and consular access, journalists, human rights workers, and even tourists. when rare access is granted, activities are closely monitored by the p.r.c. and information dissemination is restricted. matteo mikashi, president of the international campaign for tibet, stated chinese leadership is seeking to enforce complete isolation of tibet often described as being worse than in north korea. where at least some foreign media are based. independent international observation -- observers are shut out of tibet or allowed to

visit only under strictly controlled circumstances while numerous delegations and party officials face no obstacles traveling to western democracies to spread their propaganda. in fact, travel by chinese nationals including those with direct and substantial involvement in the formulation of policies that restrict access to tibet is routinely allowed by governments all over the world including the united states. during fiscal year 2017, for instance, nearly 1.5 million tourist visas were issued by the united states to chinese nationals and those visas are valid for 10 years during which the thigh -- the chinese nationals can visit the united states multiple times. during that same period the united states issued nearly 4,500 diplomatic visas to chinese officials. h.r. 1872 prohibits an

individual who is substantially involved in the formulation, execution of policies related to access to foreigners from being granted a u.s. visa if the secretary determines that, one, the requirement for specific official permission for foreigners to enter the tibetan autonomous regions remains in effect or two, such requirement has been replaced by regulation that as a -- that has a similar effect and requires foreign travelers to gain a level of permission to enter the tibet autonomous region that's not required for travel to other provinces in china, and three, restrictions on travel by officials, journalists, and citizens of the united states to areas designated as tibetan autonomous in the provinces.

are greater than any restrictions to such provinces not designated. any visa held by such individuals will be revoked under this by the bill then requires the state department to report annually to the house and senate judiciary committees as well as the house foreign affairs committee an the senate foreign relations committee on the number of actions taken regarding visas pursuant to this resolution -- to this legislation. according to the state department, in recent years there have been very small inroads made with regard to access to the tibetan areas. and while some have expressed concern that maybe this bill could make the chinese government roll back some of those inroads, moving this bill is the right thing to do. it is time that congress take a stand with regard to access by

foreign nationals to the tibetan regions. i want to thank congressman mcgovern for his work on this issue and i urge my colleagues to support the bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from washington. >> thank you, mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise today in strong support of the reciprocal access to tibet bill introduced by my colleague, jim mcgovern who has been working on this issue for such a long time as our ranking member on the rule committees and the co-chair of the lantos human rights commission. ms. jayapal: i'd like to thank him for his hard work and dedication to this subject and on this bill. this bill is about human rights and careful u.s. diplomacy at its core. for too long, china restricted access to tibet, preventing

journalists from observing human rights abuses in tibet and preventing tibet tab americans from visiting their home country. this bill seeks to reset that table. h.r. 1872 is premised on the idea thats preprossity forms the basis of diplomatic law and the practice of mutual exchanges between countries. this bill simply requires that if chinese officials, journalists and other citizens are able to travel freely in the united states, then it's only fair that their american counterparts are also able to do the same. if americans are not granted the same access to tibet that the chinese enjoy in the united states, then there should be consequences. this is more than reasonable and long overdue. tibet is so difficult to visit that a "washington post" journalist said in 2016 that tibet, quote, is harder to visit as a journalist than north korea, end quote. mr. speaker, i had the great honor last year of traveling

with our minority leader, nancy pelosi, and congressman mcgovern with the dalai llama. it was a deeply moving meeting with him and the government in exile and the 10,000 plus people who came to a public celebration event while we were there. the world knows his holy sns a man of peace and tremendous integrity. he's laid out a phi-year road map with for negotiations with china and is willing to work with china to find a way forward. fi any peace plan to get a footing, we have to work closely with our global partners to push this issue at this time because if his holiness should die and he will eventually do so a period of greater instability is likely to ensue, making human rights issues and the possible solutions still more intractable. the timing of u.s. actions here is extremely

important. mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from florida. mr. rutherford: i yield to the gentlelady from florida as much time as she may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. ros-lehtinen: when the dalai llama was awarded the congressional gold medal in 2007 and this was through legislation that i had the privilege of authoring with tom lantos, our esteemed late chairman of the foreign affairs committee and the only holocaust survivor to have served in this body, when we passed that in the house and we had the celebration of the dalai llama down the hall, the plight of the people of tibet was at the forefront of u.s. policy toward china.

as china has grown in strength and power, tibet has been purchased to the edges. it is an afterthought. i was worried that china's bully tactics on display had extended so far that our united states congress no longer had the will, no longer had the desire to speak out in support of tibet. but with this bill, authored by my good friend and my colleague jim mcgovern, we are refierce r versusing that trend. we are sending a true signal that the united states has indeed not forgotten about the people of tibet, that congress

will not september beijing's bullying and intimidation and we will stand up for human rights for the people of tibet. beijing's shing, policy's are not only immoral and injust, but are threatening the stability for u.s. interests. so we must put pressure on china o stop its repressure. this continues to be an important factor. and i encourage all of my colleagues to give mr. mcgovern's full support for this bill. i thank you and i yield back my ime.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. mcgovern: i thank my colleague from washington for yielding me the time and her leadership on this legislation. and i'm grateful for their support ap their leadership. mr. speaker, today is a great day for human rights. the house is about to approve will partisan bill that impose real consequences for china's bad behavior. we ought to send a message that we stand with those working for

freedom, that those values and we see something that is wrong ap we will hold accountable those who violate the basic rights and that is what this bill is all about. law. is is mutual while chinaes travel freely in the united states, china has erected in areas of china. and u.s. diplomats must obtain permission to object tape the region. a requirement that doe not exist for any entity of china. visitors face obstacles to travel to the areas. but under this bill, chinese authorities who are involved in the design and implementation of policies that restrict travel

become ineligible to get a advisea. this is a victory for tibet ands and america caps. negative are many consequences. they are left isolated and and they are suffering under chinese rule, torture and ill treatment and restrictions on the use of their language and religious and cult tral practices. they are hidden from sige. preventing journalists from traveling to tibet. i know first happened how important this is because i had the opportunity to join leader ploys for a visit in november of 2015. i saw the tight control that the

depoft exercises overall aspects of the daily lives. people thanked me for fighting for that rights. and they den quy america caps to experience the culture and its rich fs in. and americans may be denied. and i'm reminded after october 2013 bus crash and the ta rmp, u.s. consular officers faced a long delay. this hippedered their ability to serve american citizens in distress. and following the earthquake that trapped u.s. sit accepts, he consular germ faced

challenges. this is unacceptable. if china wants its citizens to travel freely, americans must be able to travel freely in china including tibet beginning now. this bill will move us in the right direction. and let me also take a moment to recognize several organizations which i have had the privilege to work with. i thank human rights watch, the office of tibet, students for a free tibet and the imcampaign on tibet. without their persistence, this bill wouldn't be on the floor on today. and we are reaffirming our support. and we are sending a message to

the government of china, human rights are not negotiable. it is the right thing to do and e right american to do and i thank the gentlelady for ielding. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from washington. ms. jayapal: i reserve myself such time as i may consume. the absence called for in this bill are measured and calibrated, measured in they ollow the line of taking careful steps but calibrated to achieve a real opening to widely sed u.s. power to open up an

opportunity. there are many americans throughout the united states whose family members reside and they are watching this chamber for signs that the united states is willing to allow them to visit their families and hoping the experience. this is a time for bold u.s. leadership. and i do believe that is what this bill offers. our timely consideration of this bill takes an important step in leveling this. changes. simple to make clear that china cannot bar our people from tibet ap expect open expect.

allowing for the freedom of movement. such an important precedent for going to forward. and mr. speaker, let me just say, we are waiting for another speaker to come and this has been an incredit apply important bipartisan collaboration we have had and i'm grateful to my colleague from florida for her work on this and i'm grateful to chairman demrate and to ranking member nadler. and with that, i'm proud to yield to our leader, nancy pelosi who has been a tireless champion and has led to meet with his holyness and a champion for human rights. i yield to the leader. ms. pelosi: i thank the entlewoman from from day one

who has been a champion. i was proud to travel with her to travel with her where this issue has been on the forefront of many years and curply. i thank mr. holden for his leadership and being part of this legislation and chris smith and frank wolf before him. on our trip, we called on a previous trip we called mr. mcgovern, the spiritual leader of our trip and everywhere where e went, he brought up this issue of reciprocity. it also is a practical matter nd want to improve

communication. and the chinese government in the form of the local government. and wants more people to go to school as a practical matter. it would be important for us to .ave a diplomatic rise in support of a strong bipartisan bill. and it advances dignity for the the people. and i acknowledge the hep of representative mccomborn who is co-chair of the tom lantoost. he has been working on this. d honors the legacy of tom lantoogs and the responsibility nd that has always been not om

bipartisan and bicameral. he holds chinese filibusters to end tibet -- to cut tibet off from america and the world. it promotes diplomats and jourmists acknowledge foster strong bonds and send a clear signal that it is unacceptable. r six decades, the people of tibet have faced from an authoritarian china. they have spoken out. ap they have been spurred to action for justice and dignity. we must continue do speak out to herp, worship. and i might add, sadly, that we would hope there would be

respect for the dignity and the face of the week ars in china as well. led a congressional dell depation in a long time to enter tibet with congressman tibet. and we witnessed the strength of the people and the beauty of their culture. has year, i led another delegation where we were pleas p blessed to be received. and we had the opportunity to see the aspirations firsthand now living in independent yeah, especially in the eyes of the school children. these chirp are there separated by their parents because they are not allowed to practice

their faith, speak their language and enjoy their culture because that us suppressed. those aspirations are in in peril. they are day, they in the commine and people of homing congress and throughout hina are threatened to china and pursue a future. . .

this bill takes a strong step toward that mission and i urge my colleagues to join in a strong bipartisan yes on this vote. our i want to commend colleagues on the other side of the aisle who have for a very long time been such leader in the issue of human rights throughout the world including in china and for whom this particular bill has emerged as a one manifestation of where we can make a reasonable, measured difference in our relationship. so i thank mr. hultgren and mr. mcgovern for their leadership in bringing this forth, i thank the judiciary committee and my colleague who was so important on our trip. it's really a joy to see you on the floor leading this debate. thank you for bring yurg eloquence, your compassion, your concern, your leadership to this important issue. with that i urge a yes vote and

yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentlewoman from washington. ms. jayapal: i am prepared to close, we have no further speakers. i would just say we're incredibly proud to be hopefully passing this legislation tonight with such bipartisan support and reminding the world that the united states stands for human rights, we stand for the human rights of tibetans and i thank my colleagues on the other side for their work on this. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentleman from florida. mr. ruther frdford: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the minority leader for her comments on this issue and strong bipartisan support for human rights not only in tibet but all over the globe and i really this is a great moment i think for this body so thank you both. i will repeat again that i -- it is time that congress take a

stand with regard to access by foreign nationals to the tibetan regions. again i want to thank congressman mcfworn for his work on this issue and i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 1872 and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1872 as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. ed in the opinion of the chair 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. without objection, the title amended. -- the title is amended.

for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 6013 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6013, a bill to amend the migratory bird treaty act to establish january 31 of each year as the federal closing date of duck hunting season and to establish special duck hunting days for youth, veteran, and active military personnel and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock, and the gentleman from california, mr. huffman, each will control 20 minutes. the schare recognizes the gentleman from -- the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock. mr. mcclintock: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to eth rhett -- to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. mcclintock: this bill

accomplishes two goals. first it provides certainty to states by setting a specific framework closing date for duck hunting and second, it provides states the option to establish special duck hunting days for youth, veterans, and members of the armed forces. in addition to the department of interior i want to thank ducks unlimited, vista outdoors, congressional sportsman's foundation and others for their work on and in support of this important bill. i urge adoption of the measure and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. huffman: thank you, mr. speaker. as the gentleman mentioned this bill amends the migratory bird treaty act to establish special duck hunting days for youth and veterans. i generally support expanding hunting opportunities for youth and veterans, it's important to do it in a way that doesn't detracten from management decisions based on sound science. this year marked the 100th anniversary of the

migratory bird treaty kt a law which codified our nation's commitment to honor international treaties that protect migratory bird populations. it's important to remember that prior toits passage birds like the snowy egreat and the wood duck were plummeting toward extinction due to hunting and trade in bird feathers. thanks to the law these birds and many others have recovered from the brink of extinction while maintaining many opportunities for hunters to participate in water foul hunting -- waterfowl hunting. the secretary of interior retains the right to decide when happen of waterfowl can in the united states. establishing the framework for migratory bird management is a federal decision that should be done in cooperation with councils. i want to thank chairman bishop for working with staff to make some modest changes to the bill

to address some of our concerns. we hope to continue working with our colleagues in the senate to make further refinements and ensure that this bill doesn't move us forward in a way that departs from sound, science-based management. i reserve the balance of my ime. mr. mcclintock: i'm prepares -- prepared to close when the entleman is. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. huff minnesota: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. mcclintock: i have no further speakers. mr. huffman: i yield back. mr. mcclintock: thank you, mr. speaker, i ask for adoption of the measure. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6013 as amended. those in favor say aye. pose pez -- those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. without objection the title

amended. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. mcclintock: i move to sprulls and pass h.r. 6299 as amended. the clerk: a bill to modify the process of secretary of the interior for examining certain mining claims on federal lands in story county nevada to ensure certain pinion juniper related projects, to modify the boundaries of certain wilderness areas in the state of november, to pull fully implement the white pine development act and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock and the gentleman from california, mr. huffman, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock. mr. mcclintock: thank you mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without

objection. mr. mcclintock: h.r. 6299 introduced by congressman amday of nevada provides commonsense improvements and technical corrections to existing laws that will spur economic development and ensure better land management in several nevada counties including story, clark, lincoln and white pine. the provisions included in this bill represent strong collaboration with state and local elected officials and have been supported by the entire nevada congressional delegation. at this point i'd like toinsert in the record an exchange of letters between chairman rob bishop of the natural resources committee and chairman gowity of the committee on government and oversight reform. i want to thank chairman gowdy for his cooperation getting this bill scheduled for consideration and simply conclude by saying this is a good bill, it's going to enhance sound land management and provide significant public benefit to the people of these nevada communities and i want to thank congressman a.m.day for his fine work. i urge adoption of the measure and reserve the balance of my

time and i'm prepared to close when the gentleman is. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. huff minnesota: i agree with my colleague, this is a gd pill, we're pleased it facilitates the implement eags of multiple species habitat plan for the lower virgin river, authorizes funds for fuel reduction and restoration projects, makes technical corrections to the boundary of several wilderness areas and validates a patent with a previous land exchange. a previous version of the bill was co-sponsored by this eentire nevada tell gation. we recognize its passage is important to the people of nevada so i want to thank the sponsor for working with b.l.m. to address many of their concerns throughout the bill's history. resolving those concerns and working with b.l.m. turned this bill into a proposal. we tissue a proposal we can support. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from california.

mr. mcclintock spi -- mr. mcclintock: i urge adoption and yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house sprowls and pass h.r. 6299 as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair 2/3 being 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 california seek recognition? mr. mcclintock: i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 6687 as amendedled. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: a bill to direct the secretary of the entireor to manage the point rays national seashore in the state of california consistent with congress' long-standing intent to maintain working dairies an ranches on agricultural property as part of the seashores unique history, culture, scenic and natural values and for other purposes.

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule the gentleman from california, mr. mcclening to be and the swrelt from california, mr. huffman each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock. mr. mcclintock: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. mcclintock: i'm pleased to present this bill on behalf of its author, mr. huffman and its co-sponsor, chairman bishop. chairman bishop is also -- has also asked i commend thinkmy colleague from california for his work and collaboration on this measure. representative huffman worked to forge consensus with diverse local stake holders on a complicated issues. when we found local solutions that local people agree is the answer, as has been done here, we should do everything we on both sides of the aisle to advance the solution forward. i urge adoption of the measure and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. huff minnesota: i thank the gentleman.

s that bill that's strongly bipartisan and reaffirms congressional intent to continue to authorize sustainable working dairies and ranches within a portion of the point rays national seashore. this is consistent with the seashore's historical culture and scenic natural values. it was also agreed that "daredevil"ries and farmers will be offered long-term permits so they can make long-term decisions to continue operations. for over 150 years, agriculture has been a vital part of the fabric of west marin in my district. this includes historic ranches and dairies when the point rays national seashore and also some northern portion of the golden gate national recreation area. these ranches and dairies contribute to the unique history, character, and cultural heritage of these magnificent

national park units. statutory history of point rays ere-flects congress' intent to continue ranching in the pastoral areas of the seashore to ensure that future generations could experience working landscapes. we are reaffirming that intent with this bill. i think the agriculture heritage of west marin is worth protecting. the national park service agreeing. across presidential administrations and since the creation of the seashore and the ggnra, the park service has consistently supported continuation of the ranching heritage in these areas. today congress is reaffirming long-standing policy and decades of diligent effort by the park service. we're also making gooden a commitment interior secretary salazar made in november of 2012 to provide long-term assurances for these ranches and dairies. he specifically directed the park service to proceed with extend 20g-year permits consistent with applicable laws and planning processes. toward that same end, this bill

directs the issuance of 20-year leases an permits after completion by the park service of a robust general management plan update process including public engagement and environmental review under the national environmental policy act which must include compliance with the endangered species act and any other environmental reviews. through this planning and environmental review process the park service will receive public comment, evaluate possible measures that could improve environment 58 sustainability and ensure the good stewardship of the seashores resources. the general management plan process and how the park services to set terms and conditions in the leases and permits and develop actions and policies involving lapped and land management. any visitor knows one of this is

the the tuley elk. elk.has existing it provides to manage for separation between elk and livestock and have presented vestock such as taking interfering or damaging infrastructure. hardly it was envisioned. while providing this depideance, he bill has to determine how best to determine the elk ap adding a new opportunity to explore new relocation with trips.ted native

marin ges from the county of board. and the critics have raised. nothing in this bill and it specifically does not amend the the se section which meaps dare reese will reprain with the stewardship of the land. 1-third. wice of that amount is designated as willed deerness. ap there is and i want to address and emfa size nothing in this pill he limb nates elk. who has suggested eliminateing

lk . there is no reason they cannot co-exist. this bill leaves broad zreppings to make the most sense to achieve that goal. this bill may open the 2012 decision to not renew the and designate and manage. let me be clear, there is nothing in the intent of this bill that could be to do that. t focuses on make upping the 2012 decision, the part providing long-term is actually carried out. i was mindful in drafting the bill in the specific direction 012.ovember 29, 20

laws that is kin with the to recognition of the law of 20-year terms. the secretary directed that the alues of multi general ralrational ranching should be considered. they are vibrant and both know nd in the future and are a great resource. i couldn't agree more. we have been careful not to micro manage. as we made clear in the committee report, the service retaste the ability to the supervision and administering of

its leases. the park service is not responsible and not required to bring back property if it has been retired and does president have to allow where from is no willing lessey. othing in this bill existing thorte how to manage the prot. nd and allowing shorter leaser terms if they don't want a permit. all of this is common sense. inclusion, h.r. 687 is a bill to ensure that they continue as part of our fabric of our national see show for generations to come. it does it.

is consistent with the kept and with the current national park service planning process. this has been a bipartisan effort in congress. and i thank my colleagues for their assistance and chairman b bishop and who have worked to perfect this lemmings and move it forward. and i thank jenny and christine from my legislation team to make this bill pob. i reserve the balance of my time. >> i'm prepared to close if my alcohol eeg is finished. i ask for adoption of the bill. the speaker pro tempore: will the house pass the bill.

those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the pip of the chair, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed ap without objection. the title is amended. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i move to suspend the rules h.r. 2450. he clerk: number 758, h.r. 50, lapped to the home of in the state of new york. and for other purposes. ifment the gentleman from california, mr. mcclintock, each will control 0 minutes. lynn lynn i ask that all members may have all members may have. mr. expire, h.r. 5420 by

congressman fast o'would be added to the sight in hyde park, new york, which was deathed as a national historic site. the lapped is owned by the trust and would lying to deed it. the edition would provide for visitors and better director hat links the sight with the national historic site to the north. the transfer would be donation or change. i would like to congressman faso for this legislation and i urge adoption of the measure. the speaker pro tempore: jsh. mr. faso: i agree with the gentleman's description on this

very good bill. have itors and00 om fitting we should work to to the he cease built public. and it's a priority for his offense and i commend him for including the senator and i congratulate. do want to mention the money to carry out will come from the lapped and water consesks fund that expires at the end of this week rgs after more than 50 years of support. his is on the brink of expiring. members upported 232 of the house. it was voted ap they are

bringing this up for a vote. and this protects or public lands and by mr. faso. i urge action and that is bringing for the the bill to address. and with that, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: yoobt. >> i would like to remind the chair that the transfer of this land would be by donation or hange using funds. and with that, i ask for adoption of the bill. will the house suspend the bill ap pass the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the rules are suspended --

>> mr. speaker. >> i would object to the vote on he ground that the vote is not present. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8, rule 0, further proceedings on this otion will be postponed. >> i move to suspend the rules p pass h.r. 6599 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: a bill toll modify the application of limited apointment modifications and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california, mr. will ton and mr. huffman each control 20 minutes. .> i ask that they have

mr. speaker, the office of personnel management questioned seasonal rehaired employees. they did not agree but nonetheless complied. there was con filings and threat yepped the ability of parks to open and operate this patcht summer. many seasonal employees were left without a job. h.r. 6 99 addresses this issue seasonals them to hire employees. and congressman steve knight has brought us this issue. americans are go to go benefit from this work. i would like to incertificate in

bishop. from rock the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> and natural resources would like to thank his cooperation and i i reserve the balance of my time. >> catch california. decision orrect, this created confusion. ey are highly seasonly different. and a lifestyle that is supported by the without haffering to compete and it i agree with lt my colleague and i thank the representatives for coming with

this solution. with that, i yield the balance of my time. >> i ask for adoption of the bill. >> the speaker pro tempore: will the house pass the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid porn the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: a bill to stepped the authorizationation. e speaker pro tempore: chasm the chair recognizes the the gentleman is recognized alifornia.

the speaker pro tempore: mr. mckinley: it extends the authorization of the cape cod advisory commission until 028. the admission provides feedback which promotes public access and ensure that the national access and i would access of the easure and i'm prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: clasm california. >> i kneeled such time as he may consume, my col owing from mace, bill keating. . mr. keating: i rise in support of my bill, to re-authorize the cape cod national seashore advisory commission for another decade and i yield myself such

time as i may consume. one of president john f. kennedy's first acts was to sign into law the bill that created the cape cod national seashore. a bill which he himself had previously authored when he was a senator from massachusetts. this beautiful ex pabss of sand dunes -- expanse of sand dunes, mar belands, lakes, -- marshlands, lakes, rivers, streams stretches from the south to the north and includes six towns that form the outer cape and spans over 43,000 acres. today more than four million visitors from around the world come to my district every year to experience the natural beauty and recreational opportunities that the seashore offers. in this way the seashore is crucial for the many local businesses that depend on the cape's tourism industry for their livelihoods.

yet even while hosting the millions of visitors each summer, the seashore continues to protect dozens of threatened, endangered species, invests in important local science and education, expands cultural arts , and hosts numerous environmental endeavors. one of these projects, the herring river restoration project, will be the largest salt marsh restoration project in new england history. it's important to note that for many communities on the cape, the parklands make up more than 75% of their land area. that's why this regional board, the first of its kind in the national park system, is so important. it links federal partners in the park service with their state and local partners to inform the public about park matters, to problem solve on numerous environmental, economic and public infrastructure issues, and promote open lines of

communication with the national park service. think about it. ix small communities and a large federal agency drawing several millions of people into their towns each year. and solutions rather than conflict. time and time again this commission has proven itself to be an important form doctor forum for the communities that make up the -- forum for the communities that make up the outer cape to have productive discussions with their leadership about issues that effect not only the seashore, but the broader outer cape region as well. for 60 years the relationship that the commission has provided between the national seashore and its host communities represents the best of what a partnership with local entities and federal officials can and should be. the track record of success that the cape cod national seashore advisory commission has shown

since its inception clearly demonstrates the need for it to continue its exemplary work for the challenges of the next decade. i'd like to thank the chairman of the committee, the ranking member, i'd like to thank my two colleagues from california for their help in moving this bill forward. and i urge my colleagues, all my colleagues, to join me in support of this legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman, mr. huffman, do you yield as well? mr. huffman: i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. >> i'd ask for adoption of the bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, the house -- will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 5585. 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 n the table.

for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. mcclintock: mr. speaker, i'd ask unanimous consent to take from the speaker's table the bill h.r. 46 with the senate amendment thereto and concur on the senate amendment. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill and the senate amendment. the clerk: h.r. 56. an act to authorize the secretary of the interior to conduct a special resource study of fort ontario in the state of new york, senate amendment, strike out all after the enacting clause -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. mcclintock: i'd ask unanimous consent to have the amendment considered as read. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the reading is dispensed with. is there objection to the request from the gentleman from california? without objection, the senate amendment is agreed to and the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. mcclintock: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that the committee on natural resources be discharged from further consideration of house resolution 418 and ask for its

immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 418. resolution urging the secretary of the interior to recognize the cultural significance of rib mountain by adding it to the national register of historic places. the speaker pro tempore: is there objection to the consideration of the resolution? mr. mcclintock: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. mcclintock: i have an amendment to the text at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the amendment. the clerk: amendment offered by mr. mcclintock of california. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. mcclintock: i'd ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the reading is dispensed with. and without objection, the amendment is agreed to. the resolution is agreed to. the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. without objection, the title is amended. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. mcclintock: mr. speaker, i'd ask unanimous consent that the committee on natural resources be discharged from further consideration of house

resolution 460 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 460. resolution requesting the secretary of the interior to recognize the rich history of the logging industry and the importance of lumberjack sports by adding the lumberjack bowl to the national register of historic places. mr. mcclintock: mr. speaker, i have an amendment to the text at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: is there objection to -- the clerk will report the text. the clerk: amendment offered by mr. mcclintock of california. page 2, line 1, strike that the house of representatives -- mr. mcclintock: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. mcclintock: i'd ask unanimous consent to suspend with the reating -- reading. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. without objection, the reading is dispensed with. is there objection to the original request? without objection, the amendment is agreed to. the resolution is agreed to. the motion to reconsider is laid n the table.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. smith: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 5509, the innovations in mentoring, training and apprenticeships act, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 5509, a bill to direct the national science foundation to provide grants for research about stem education approaches and stem-related work force and for other purposes.

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. smith, and the gentleman from illinois, mr. lipinski, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. smith: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on h.r. 5509, the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. smith: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. smith: mr. speaker, h.r. 5509, the innovations in mentoring, training and apprenticeships act was introduced by kevin mccarthy, co-sponsored by a number of committee members and aplooved -- approved by the science, space and technology committee. h.r. 5509 continues the bipartisan progress the science committee has made to expand and improve science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science education programs to create new pathways to stem careers.

we can't overstate the value of a strong stem work force in america. stem workers drive innovation, manufacturing, scientific discovery and productivity across the economy. according to the national science board's most recent science and engineering indicators report, the number of u.s. jobs that require stem skills has grown by 1/3 over the past decade. stem work force demand is forecast to increase steadily for years to come. unfortunately, we know that nearly 40% of students who embark on a stem major do not complete it. and only half of stem graduates are employed in stem jobs. we also know that apprenticeship in mentoring initiatives can improve the rate of stem degree completion at both four-year universities and community colleges. america's competitiveness in stem fields requires a diverse and flexible work force comprised of workers with educational backgrounds ranging

from certificate level technical occupations to ph.d.'s. to this end, h.r. 5509 directs the national science foundation to fund initiatives that support innovative partnerships between academic institutions and local industries. the n.s.f. will offer at least $5 million per year over the next four years in grants to community colleges to develop new stem courses and degrees. these programs will combine formal education with on-the-job work experiences such as apprenticeships and internships by partnering with local employers. additionally, the pending legislation directs n.s.f. to offer at least another $2.5 million per year for the next four years to four-year universities to partner with local industry and -- industries and offer apprenticeships and other applied experiences for stem undergraduate students. the bill also requires the national science foundation to

award $2.5 million per year over the next four years for research grants to measure student outcomes and the effectiveness of computer-based and online courses for technical skills training. leader mccarthy's legislation further directs the n.s.f. to research the difference between skilled technical work force development in the united states and in other developed countries. lastly, h.r. 5509 requires the national science foundation to conduct research on labor market analysis innovations, and america's skilled technical work force in order to improve our understanding of this work force's trends and needs. the innovative initiatives in this legislation will leverage the hard work and ingenuity of women and men of all ages, education levels and backgrounds to meet the demand for a stem-capable work force. much like the action of the trump -- the trump administration has already taken

to expand apprenticeships to help meet today's rapidly changing economy, the innovations in mentoring, training and apprenticeships act takes significant steps to invest in new stem education and work force development programs. such investments will ensure the united states remains competitive in the global economy both today and tomorrow. the majority leader's bill will enhance america's stem competitiveness and contribute to our future economic prosperity. so there are many good reasons to support this legislation. mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from illinois. >> i yield myself such time as i my consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized . 550 rise in support of h.r. . mr. lipinski: i would like to

thank majority leader mccarthy. building a work force finds technology, engineering and math which could meet our pressing challenges that we face today. any companies are having difficulty with recruiting workers. this gap. and it is continuing to widen. with companies across all economic sethors, on data and business models, the need for stem workers has never been greater. employers are concerned that their inenact to hire will float san spapped imly. make no mistake.

america's prosperity is on the line. high schools, community colleges and universities have been slow to respond. truggling to adapt their curriculum. there is a fleed to encourage prepare ip to better the skilled technical workers. apresence tinships have garnered it in recent years. they offer hands-on training and the potential to earn credit towards a credit or behalf lore agrees. they are on the path with little or no jeag debt. jeag, they can have

kills to taylor the specific needs. espite the benefits for employ eys and employers. president obama first called for apresence tsships. n 2016, congress aappropriated funding. and h.r. 5509 builds on these efforts and by providing support for the support of the programs this tnerships in to skillon also sports the work force.

we must prepare a work force if we are to reach our full economic potential and remape the leaders. .r. 5509 is a if step. i urge my colleagues to support this lemmings and i reis every. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. >> i yield three minutes to the to the the gentlewoman from arizona ms. lesko. ms. lesko: mr. speaker, first, i nt to applaud the american members who are joining us tonight ap their crfrlt e.o. ap her staff. i thank them for attending. i rise in strong support of h.r. 5509, the innovations and etropolitanoring and training.

esently, the economy faces short eabling workers by 11 million. this work force shortage will only cop to grow unless we focus on the next generation. in arizona, we are seeing rapid deproth. ur aerospace industry like the a.s.u. institute and area supposors. we der tore support this, must take action, this legislation is a step in the right direction to stem trecks and related work force development. the bill expand the stem fields

to experiments with apresence tinsships for college students two-years the focus on degree programs in order to meet the shortage. i want to thank the majority leader for bringing this legislation forward and i urge my colleagues to support this bill the speaker pro tempore: yield book back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the gentleman from illinois. >> i reserve. >> i'm go to go yield four minutes to mrs. comstock who is member of the science committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognize. mrs. comstock: i rise in support . h.r. 5509

this bill takes important steps in addressing the need for stem work force. technological advances have have 20% of all jobs requiring some level of stem training. these joss are expected to grow, faster than any other category. hey are hirke. unform, we know we have been failing to kep students in the stem paper line. some students do not graduate. those who graduate, only half go on to a degree. .nd in order to ensure the u.s. haring and from

across the country. hey mentoring and on the job training are and i'm happy to say the lessons learned are reflected this bill ap the most successful programs from hands-on work sprebs. the 509 directed to dation to award grants thes. ar institution and applied learning experiences by partering needing to fill stem jobs. this bill calls for them to ard grants to determine best

programs of dance learning and stem education and lastly it directs the foundation to the development of skilled from across the u.s. and around the world for the feasibility of survying the work force and research cement labor marblingt. these programs and important research will support and build the pipe line in the stem work force in order to pete the challenges of the 21 st. september try. conley. leader mc and thank for others who brought this on a boip bay is.

i i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from i will know. >> is the chairman prepared to close? >> i'm prepared to close. >> i will yield myself the balance of my tim. >> mr. lipinski: i'm a proud co-sponsor and the national science fouppingsvapped program. this program works to promote and ensures ut be prioritized. as my col ocean are aware, i have two degrees in engineering and i'm an ardept supporter and this is a hype for in the career. one is called for the national

security at marine valley community college. it has received funding from .s.f. in cybersecurity education. d it provides curriculum and for cyber securityy. there is a immediate tore this. according to the department of homeland security initial nitiative thrrks over 3,1 open jobs incolliding 13,000 in the open sector. and the need wim need to meet more programs like the one at marin value yes.

and this type of education benefits students, our economy and national security is worthy of the chamber support. i thank chamber smith and for their work on this bill. and i thank chairman smith on this bill we are doing here tonight and i'm hopeful there will be more to do before the end of this congress. i hope you support this bill and i yield. >> just briefly. i thank mr.la opinions ki for work wig us on so many bills sm he has been as active as any member of the committee and suggested most of the bills we have passed are in fact bipartisan bills and he has been

an important player in the passage of those piece of legislation. no other requests of time and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: i yield back the balance of my time. the question is will the house suspend the rules. thopessm those in favor say aye. the bill is passed and without objection, and the bill is raid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from valve seek recognition? >> i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6299 the national institutes

authorization act of 2018 as ealeded. and for : h.r. 6229, other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant the woman from virginia minutes.each control 0 mrs. comstock: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise their remarks and include their remarks on the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. comstock: i yield myself such time as i may consume. mrs. comstock: thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf the pill, h.r. 6229, the rethorsation act of 018.

by is to promote u.s. advancing measurements, standards and technology that enhance security and improve quality of life. since its establishment in 190 , the leading edge at the products and services. from law logy rages enfor thement. also to atock lick clocks. this legislation authorizes this industrial technology, for ction activities and two years rment. ap this capability to kibt to

other areas. to this end, this legislation increases eninvestments in four areas. apt umh science and advanced communication and the internet of things and composite research development. these ininvestments will have tech nolingically advancement. as we have head in our as we have heard in our committee, this is immense. by advancing our ability to store and process large and complex data sets through a.i. and machine learning, computers are able to refine and enhance future predictions. this advanced technology is already creating tremendous developments in many fields, including medicine, manufacturing and finance.

this legislation also directs nist to capitalize on its deep and varied expertise and advanced composites. nist is directed to conduct research that will provide the evidence and data needed to set industry standards and design guidelines to encourage the safe adoption and application of composite materials in u.s. infrastructure projects. nist plays a very important role in protecting the nation from cyberthreats through its ongoing cybersecurity research. nist is examining the applications of block chain technology and creating voluntary frameworks and standards to help reduce cyber risks to federal agencies, multiple industries and critical infrastructure. its cybersecurity technical standards and frameworks are widely regarded as among the best and most comprehensive in the world. i want to thank ranking -- ranking member lipinski for co-sponsoring this important legislation with me.

as the chairman has mentioned, he has been an essential partner with us in getting so many of our bipartisan bills put forward. i'd also like to thank chairman smith and ranking member johnson for assisting in ushering this bill through the science committee on a bipartisan basis. as industries national laboratory, nist is dedicated to supporting research and technology development in the areas of national importance, from communications technology and cybersecurity to advanced manufacturing and disaster resilience. this bill supports nist's critical work of helping u.s. industries and improving americans' quality of life by developing new measurement tools and bringing stakeholders together to find solutions to ensure u.s. competitiveness in the 21st century economy. i strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from illinois. liplip i yield myself such -- mr. lipinski: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lipinski: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 6229, the national institute of standards and technology re-authorization act of 2018. and i thank chairwoman comstock for sponsoring this bill. this is a bipartisan bill that provides support for nist's important work, carrying out scientific and technical research and assisting small and medium sized u.s. manufacturers. the agency's work helps advance standards development in critical areas of innovation across all sectors of our economy. nist's core mission is to promote u.s. innovation, industrial competitiveness. through its laboratories and user facilities, nist carries out world class measurement science and facilitates the development of standards for emerging technologies.

standards ensure users that promising technologies have been rig roy rousely tested for -- rigorousry tested for safety, -- rigorously tested for safety and reliability. it offers its expertise to other agencies and the private sector. this bill provides funding to support nist's work in critical areas of national importance, including advanced communications, cybersecurity and privacy, the internet of things, quantum information science, and infrastructure resilience. the wireless demands of the 21st century require the advances in measurement science that nist is carrying out. the devastating hurricanes and other natural disasters that have plagued our communities underscore the importance of nist's work in disaster resiliency and new infrastructure materials. in addition, this bill provides significant funding for nist's quantum information science and artificial intelligence research programs.

quantum technology has promising applications in health care, navigation, encryption and many other areas. we're only beginning to explore the significant advances that artificial intelligence or a.i. may bring to the world. at the same time there are significant policy implications for a.i. and i look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on issues dealing with ethics, work force impacts, and a human a.i. -- human-a.i. interface as these technologies move forward. finally, with five nobel prize winning scientists in its ranks, nist continues to track some of the nation's leading scientists. even so, recruiting and retaining top talent is a challenge. and this bill provides flexibility to help nist bring on and train the best and brightest measurement scientists in order to remain at the leading edge of emerging technologies. i'm also happy to see the bill increases support for the labs

program and funding for manufacturing extension partnership program. in the future, i hope my colleagues will support increases for necessary improvements to nist's agencying lab infrastructure. mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 6229 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from virginia. mrs. comstock: mr. speaker, i yield five minutes to the gentleman from texas, the chairman of the science committee, mr. smith. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. smith: mr. speaker, i thank the gentlewoman from virginia, the chairwoman of the subcommittee -- research and technology subcommittee, for yielding me time to speak on her legislation. the bill, h.r. 6229, the national institute of standards and technology re-authorization act of 2008, is an important bill that has been worked on both by chairwoman comstock and the gentleman from illinois, danley pinsky. i appreciate their -- dan

lipinski. and i appreciate their taking initiative on this legislation. this authorizes nist research and technology programs for two years. the nist re-authorization act ensures that the research and development conducted by nist keeps the united states on the cutting edge of global technological capabilities. nist is one of the nation's oldest physical science laboratories. the technology standards and measurements provided by nist support u.s. competitiveness in key industries, including manufacturing, nanomaterials, computing, communications and cybersecurity. these have real-world applications. through basic research, nist sets standards and facilitates the implementation and use of technologies that impact the lives of our constituents every day. examples include providing the precise official time for the united states that we see on our computers and smartphones to the

thresholds for the smoke detectors that protect our families and homes. for instance, nist research and standards have improved the self-contained breathing apparatuses worn by more than a million american firefighters. nist also provides modeling techniques that allow scientists to develop and test cancer therapies using active viruses that cannot be studied using standard practices. and nist's smart grid work is improving the reliability and capability of our electric grid. these are just a handful of examples that illustrate why nist's scientific and technical research and services are critical to american innovation and industrial competitiveness. chairwoman comstock's bill significantly increases nist research to facilitate commercial use of emerging technologies. specifically, this legislation increases the core nist

laboratory's account of $125 million to transform more basic and early-stage research into usable innovations and new technologies. it accelerates basic quantum information science research and standards development and provides funds to address fundamental research gaps, enabling the u.s. to take the lead in developing quantum standards and measurements. chairwoman comstock's bill allows nist to expand its fundamental and applied cybersecurity research to address key questions relating to privacy, security and vulnerabilities of software tools and communications networks. it expands the research, infrastructure and scientific staff needed to develop the institute's capabilities in artificial intelligence and data science, including rigorous scientific testing to support the development of trustworthy a.i. systems. it further directs nist to expand its composites research and standards development to

facilitate the adoption of composite technology in american infrastructure. finally, the legislation encourages nist to continue to examine the internet of things and address measurement and security challenges created by the convergence of digital technologies with the physical world. by supporting this bill, congress ensures continued u.s. innovation leadership in quantum science, artificial intelligence, big data science, cybersecurity, the internet of things, and resilient infrastructure. we can thank chairwoman comstock for her work on this legislation. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 6229 and the critical work done by nist 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 illinois. mr. lipinski: i'm the final speaker on our side. does the gentlelady have any more speakers? are you prepared to close?

mrs. comstock: yes -- mr. lipinski: i will reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from virginia. mrs. comstock: mr. speaker, i yield four minutes to the gentlewoman from arizona, mrs. lesko. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. lessless thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in strong -- less less thank you, mr. speaker -- mrs. lesko: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in strong support of h.r. 6229. as a co-sponsor of this legislation, i understand the importance of positioning the united states as a strong leader in scientific research and development. this bill supports basic quantum information science research and standards development and provides funds to address fundamental research gaps, create a stronger work force pipeline, and allow the united states to take the lead in developing global quantum standards and measures. -- measurements. this bill also supports the

developments in our national security, as cybersecurity threats from across the globe increase, it is important the federal government have the guidelines in place to defend against potential cyberattacks and protect our sensitive information against foreign adversaries. the bill also provides for the institute to expand its fundamental and applied cybersecurity research to address key questions relating to measurement of privacy, security and vulnerability of software tools in and communication networks -- in communication networks. i want to thank representative comstock for introducing this legislation to push the united states forward, and for chairman smith's leadership in advancing the scientific position of the united states. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentlewoman from virginia. mrs. comstock: mr. speaker, i have no further speakers and i

continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from illinois. mr. lipinski: mr. speaker, i yield myself the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lipinski: mr. speaker, nist expertise across many fields is critical to our economy. our research enterprise and our manufacturing sector. this bill puts nist in a strong position to carry out its work through the end of fiscal twinte. i want to particularly highlight the -- twinte. i want to particularly highlight the strong -- 2019. i want to particularly highlight the strong support for the manufacturing programs which receive a robust authorization under industrial technology services account. and i want to thank my majority colleagues on the science committee for working with me to match the agency requests for fiscal year 2019. i have a strong relationship with the manufacturing u.s.a. digital manufacturing and the zion inowe -- innovation institute located in chicago just outside my district.

through partnerships with universities, manufactures, -- manufacturers, nonprofits and government entities, they work to develop the technology-enabled manufacturing tools the industry needs. pilot them through on the factory floor, and train the mothering work force -- manufacturing work force. the digital manufacturing hub is just one of many across the country. each with its own technology focus. and together they're working to ensure that we have a competitive manufacturing sector the partnership the future. played a key role iney iting the jobs. beyond manufacturing. i want to highlight this bill, the quapt umh science. it is often difficult to