Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 162 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016 No. 24 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was In the United States, we often take erage industry, for example, that have called to order by the Speaker pro tem- those conditions for granted. But as a keen interest in maintaining water pore (Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia). has been demonstrated recently in infrastructure would, on a voluntary f Flint, Michigan, we do so at our peril basis, pay a miniscule fee. In exchange, because we have serious problems right they would be designated as supporting DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO here in the United States. It is not just the clean water trust fund. TEMPORE Flint, Michigan. There are up to 10 mil- It is estimated that this could gen- The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- lion lead water lines that remain where erate up to $7 billion annually in new fore the House the following commu- even a slight change in the water revenue that could go to State and nication from the Speaker: chemistry, even from just repairing it, local governments as grants and loans, WASHINGTON, DC, can damage lead pipes enough to start which in turn could leverage even more February 10, 2016. contaminating people’s water. What is money. I hereby appoint the Honorable JODY B. underground and out of sight is actu- This legislation would also give di- HICE to act as Speaker pro tempore on this ally in worse condition than our crum- rection and resources for the EPA to day. bling roads and bridges. America leaks deal with the affordability gap. We can PAUL D. RYAN, more water than we drink every day. Speaker of the House of Representatives. actually finance much of the needed In the aftermath of the recession, we water and infrastructure improve- f have seen States cut drinking water ments, but we are hamstrung because MORNING-HOUR DEBATE budgets and staff. The Federal Govern- there is understandable reluctance to ment had cut our investment in drink- raise rates that fall too much on the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ing water infrastructure by more than ant to the order of the House of Janu- poorest of citizens. Thus, we are in a 80 percent by 1980. This, despite the cycle of unpaid water and sewer bills ary 5, 2016, the Chair will now recog- fact that ours is a growing country nize Members from lists submitted by that leaves nobody with satisfactory with aging infrastructure that was alternatives. the majority and minority leaders for rated a D by the American Society of This legislation would give more morning-hour debate. Civil Engineers in their latest report. The Chair will alternate recognition Now, I am pleased that the adminis- money to State and local governments, between the parties, with each party tration in its budget would put a little allowing them to leverage additional limited to 1 hour and each Member extra money to help replace lead pipes. money and to focus on ways to deal other than the majority and minority Sadly, that is being financed by cut- with a very substantial problem of low leaders and the minority whip limited ting even more from the Clean Water income for whom access to safe drink- to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- State Revolving Fund, essentially at ing water and sanitation is every bit as bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. the expense of keeping water clean in fundamental a human right as what we are doing to help poor people overseas f the first place. We should look at our water infra- achieve. DEDICATED WATER structure as an entire system and in- Mr. Speaker, I celebrate Secretary INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST FUND creased Federal investment is long Clinton and a number of our colleagues The SPEAKER pro tempore. The overdue. We would have to increase our going to Flint, Michigan, to focus on Chair recognizes the gentleman from funding 500 percent to reach the level the problem. I applaud people who are Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- of spending during Jimmy Carter’s looking at where the system failed, but utes. presidency. I would hope we would pay as much at- Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I I have long advocated the develop- tention to the systematic failure of came to Congress committed to help- ment of a water infrastructure trust Congress and at the State level to at- ing the Federal Government do a bet- fund. We have reintroduced a bipar- tach priority to this fundamental ter job dealing with water and sanita- tisan, budget-neutral solution to create building block for a livable commu- tion. We have had great success inter- a dedicated water infrastructure trust nity. nationally raising the profile and di- fund to provide additional revenue to I hope my colleagues will join me, recting more money in a more effective State and local water and sanitation not just in cosponsoring H.R. 4468, but way to deal with water and sanitation projects. It is financed by a voluntary enacting the trust fund and fighting for in poor countries, making a difference program where businesses that rely budgets that represent the resources in millions of lives. heavily on clean water, like the bev- this crisis demands. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H653 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:36 Feb 10, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A10FE7.000 H10FEPT1 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H654 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 10, 2016 DEDICATED WATER tion’s first public July 4th celebration cessions for the public good that will INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST FUND that took place in 1783. Most impor- ultimately benefit all stakeholders. I The SPEAKER pro tempore. The tantly, the local community will come sense that a bipartisan consensus is fi- Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from together to celebrate and reflect on nally emerging in support of reason- North Carolina (Ms. FOXX) for 5 min- how Salem’s past informs its present able debt restructuring authority for utes. and shapes its future. Puerto Rico. Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, next week f Second, the bill should address the outrageous disparities that Puerto marks an important milestone in the FORTHCOMING LEGISLATION ON Rico faces under key Federal programs, history of North Carolina’s Piedmont PUERTO RICO region—the 250th anniversary of the a main driver of our deficits and debt. founding of the town of Salem. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Consider that historically, Puerto Rico In 1752, Moravian Church leaders pur- Chair recognizes the gentleman from received $300 billion in annual Medicaid chased a 100,000-acre tract in North Puerto Rico (Mr. PIERLUISI) for 5 min- funding, while the similarly sized Or- Carolina from the British Lord Gran- utes. egon receives $5 billion. I challenge any ville. On February 19, 1766, twelve Mo- Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, Con- State to run a decent Medicaid pro- ravian brethren from nearby settle- gress will hold its eighth hearing on gram with that insulting sum without ments made an 8-mile journey to estab- Puerto Rico later this month. At the overborrowing in the capital markets. lish the town of Salem, a new commu- direction of Speaker RYAN, the Natural Impossible. nity that would serve as the tract’s Resources Committee will then lead an Finally, the Puerto Rico Government commercial center. effort to craft legislation for the terri- has a record of fiscal mismanagement. Moravian Church leaders decided tory. The record will demonstrate that This is a painful fact, but a fact none- that the new town should have the con- there is not a single crisis in Puerto theless. We must face up to it, resolve venience of running water to the build- Rico, but a series of intertwined crises. to do better, and welcome some tem- ings. The town built a waterworks, It is an economic crisis, a fiscal crisis, porary assistance. I would support the which was constructed by burying a liquidity crisis, a debt crisis, an im- creation of an independent board to ap- hollowed logs from springs located migration crisis, and a public adminis- prove Puerto Rico Government’s finan- about a mile away. This addition to Sa- tration crisis. cial plan and annual budgets and to lem’s infrastructure attracted the at- If you visualize Puerto Rico as a tree help ensure they are adhered to. tention of President George Wash- and each crisis as a withering branch, The past is not always a prologue. ington, who visited in 1793. the root of the tree is Puerto Rico’s un- There is no reason why future Puerto However, Washington was not the equal and undignified political status. Rico leaders cannot embrace fiscal dis- first famous visitor to Salem. In 1767, While the immediate aim is to mend cipline, as distinct from austerity, and the royal Governor William Tryon the branches, ultimately, we will need rapidly put the oversight board out of heard about the building going on in to attack the problem at its root and business. And Congress should be care- North Carolina’s northwest wilderness. that means Puerto Rico must become a ful about casting moral judgment on He and his wife made the long journey State or a sovereign nation.