E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 163 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017 No. 119 Senate The Senate was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, July 17, 2017, at 3 p.m. House of Representatives FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017 The House met at 9 a.m. and was May all that is done within the peo- Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today called to order by the Speaker pro tem- ple’s House be for Your greater honor to advocate for the victims of human pore (Mr. SIMPSON). and glory. trafficking and for the law enforce- f Amen. ment and organizations who are on the f front lines combating this growing DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER problem. Human trafficking is a grow- PRO TEMPORE THE JOURNAL ing problem in Illinois where we rank The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ninth in the Nation in reported traf- fore the House the following commu- Chair has examined the Journal of the ficking cases. nication from the Speaker: last day’s proceedings and announces Cases are on the rise nationwide. As WASHINGTON, DC, to the House his approval thereof. a father of three and grandfather of 11, July 14, 2017. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- I am angry. We must wipe out this evil I hereby appoint the Honorable MICHAEL K. nal stands approved. before it does any more harm. SIMPSON to act as Speaker pro tempore on I am proud that Republicans and this day. f Democrats came together to pass three PAUL D. RYAN, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE antitrafficking bills this week. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Our work is far from over, but these The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the f bills are vitally important to help pro- gentleman from Illinois (Mr. BOST) tect American families. PRAYER come forward and lead the House in the f The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick Pledge of Allegiance. J. Conroy, offered the following prayer: Mr. BOST led the Pledge of Alle- RECOGNIZING RICHARD DEWITT We give You thanks, O God, for giv- giance as follows: SMITH ing us another day. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was We commend to You the Members of United States of America, and to the Repub- given permission to address the House Congress, the President, his Cabinet, lic for which it stands, one nation under God, for 1 minute.) and all who struggle to lead Your peo- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ple. May they acknowledge Your sov- f rise this morning to recognize Richard ereignty over all events and times. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER DeWitt Smith, a native of my home Renew America in confident faith PRO TEMPORE State of North Carolina and a graduate and deepen our commitment to seek of our alma mater, North Carolina Cen- peace—help us to work together when The SPEAKER pro tempore. The tral University. confronting those whom we find it dif- Chair will entertain up to five requests Tomorrow night, Richard will be ficult to trust, but with whom we must for 1-minute speeches on each side of honored by the NCCU Alumni Associa- try to forge a common future of secu- the aisle. tion with the prestigious Alumni rity and prosperity. f Founder’s Lifetime Achievement In all, inspire the Members of this Award. people’s House with Your spirit, that COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING Richard is most deserving of this all might seek to find first areas of (Mr. BOST asked and was given per- great honor. Since graduating in 1981, agreement where possible, and open- mission to address the House for 1 Richard has been a dedicated alumnus ness to honest exchange where it is minute and to revise and extend his re- to the university, always exemplifying not. marks.) our motto of Truth and Service. 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. H5835 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:27 Jul 15, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0636 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A14JY7.000 H14JYPT1 H5836 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 14, 2017 Richard continues to serve NCCU and b 0906 allowed more employers to purchase its alumni community in numerous ca- IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE State workers’ compensation. Unfortunately, in 2011, the Depart- pacities at the local, State, and na- Accordingly, the House resolved ment of Labor issued a burdensome and tional levels. He gives of his time, tal- itself into the Committee of the Whole confusing rule creating a new defini- ent, and resources to help students House on the state of the Union for the tion of recreational vessel. This change from across the country succeed in ob- further consideration of the bill (H.R. contradicted legislation passed by the taining a quality education from His- 2018) to authorize appropriations for Congress in 2009, and effectively denied torically Black Colleges and Univer- fiscal year 2018 for military activities recreational vessel repair workers ac- sities. of the Department of Defense and for Richard Smith has been married to cess to more affordable State workers’ military construction, to prescribe Jacqueline Beatty Smith for 28 years. compensation insurance. military personnel strengths for such They met 40 years ago as NCCU stu- This regulatory confusion and uncer- fiscal year, and for other purposes, dents. tainty is reducing access to affordable with Mr. SIMPSON (Acting Chair) in the Mr. Speaker, time does not permit workers’ compensation policies and chair. me to fully describe Richard’s many also hurting the overall recreational The Clerk read the title of the bill. other contributions; but suffice it to repair industry. The Acting CHAIR. When the Com- say that Richard Smith is most deserv- Our bipartisan amendment increases mittee of the Whole House rose on ing of this high honor—the NCCU strong protections to ensure that no Thursday, July 13, 2017, a second set of Alumni Association 2017 Alumni vessel used for commercial or military amendments en bloc, offered by the Founder’s Lifetime Achievement purposes is inappropriately excepted gentleman from Texas (Mr. THORN- Award. from the Federal requirements. BERRY) had been disposed of. I am proud of Richard Smith, and I This amendment would provide regu- It is now in order to consider amend- thank him for his extraordinary work. latory relief for small businesses, in- ment No. 16 printed in House Report I ask my colleagues to join me today in cluding those in coastal Alabama, 115–217. congratulating this great American while also ensuring the maritime work- hero. AMENDMENT NO. 17 OFFERED BY MR. BYRNE ers receive the protections they need. The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance f to consider amendment No. 17 printed of my time. HEALTHCARE TOWNHALLS in House Report 115–217. Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, I (Ms. ADAMS asked and was given Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Chairman, I rise as rise in opposition to the amendment. permission to address the House for 1 the designee of the gentlewoman from The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman minute.) Florida, and I have an amendment at from Connecticut is recognized for 5 Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, 118,000— the desk. minutes. Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, I the number of people in my district The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will rise in opposition to this amendment alone who will lose healthcare if designate the amendment. that is offered by my good friend from TrumpCare passes. The text of the amendment is as fol- 250—the number of people who joined lows: Alabama (Mr. BYRNE). I would just note that this is an me for a healthcare townhall on Mon- At the end of title XXXV add the fol- amendment that has been around the day in Charlotte. lowing: last couple Congresses, and the intent Zero—the number of public hearings SEC. ll. APPLICATION OF LAW. the Senate has held on TrumpCare. Section 4301 of title 46, United States Code, clearly is to carve out a larger exemp- Despite the potential for 22 million is amended by adding at the end the fol- tion from the longshoremen’s act people who will lose their healthcare if lowing: which is a law that goes back to 1927. I would note that if that is the in- TrumpCare passes, Senator MCCONNELL ‘‘(d) For purposes of any Federal law ex- hasn’t asked to hear from any of them. cept the Federal Water Pollution Control tent, the language of this amendment Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), any vessel, in- actually is kind of like legislating with On Monday, I held a townhall where cluding a foreign vessel, being repaired or my constituents shared their stories a chainsaw instead of a scalpel because dismantled is deemed to be a recreational by carving out a larger exemption for and asked that I share them with you. vessel, as defined under section 2101(25), dur- Katie Mpelkas, a mother of a 3-year- ing such repair or dismantling, if that ves- recreational vessels above or beyond 55 old with autism, relies on Medicaid for sel— feet long, basically there is a whole se- her son’s healthcare. She is terrified at ‘‘(1) shares elements of design and con- ries of Coast Guard rules and regula- the thought that without Medicaid struction of traditional recreational vessels tions that have been enforced by the coverage her son won’t get the care he (as so defined); and Coast Guard for many years that this needs.