February 11, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1039 Madam Speaker, Mrs. Johnson ican people and, in some cases, to the We started GEAR, which stands for worked as the ‘‘mother of the environ- world. Government Efficiency, Account- mental justice movement’’ to address We have addressed issues such as re- ability, and Reform, to develop a play- racial injustices and improve environ- ducing drug pricing to all Americans. book of commonsense, nonpartisan so- mental protections fundamental to this We have addressed issues when it lutions for improving our government. action. comes to making sure that children We came up with more than 100 im- Therefore, I take pride in introducing have a safe place to go to school. provements. They are all recorded in legislation to celebrate the month of We have many issues that we are our report, which is now available, and April as Hazel M. Johnson Environ- faced with here in the House of Rep- I am excited to yield to my colleagues mental Justice Month. resentatives, and I am proud to say to talk about them here today. We will start with my good friend f that, although the media says that we just can’t get along, and, yes, we dis- from North Dakota, Representative b 1445 agree at times, but, at the same time, KELLY ARMSTRONG, who was a member HONORING JAMES RING we are, in fact, getting the work of the of the task force and really led our ef- people done in the House of Represent- forts to find these areas where we could (Mr. SPANO asked and was given per- atives. reform. mission to address the House for 1 I pray that we see the same go on in Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- minute and to revise and extend his re- the Senate and, in addition to that, see tleman from North Dakota (Mr. ARM- marks.) many of those bills get signed by the STRONG). Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise President of the United States. Mr. ARMSTRONG. Madam Speaker, I today to honor U.S. Army veteran thank Congressman JOHNSON and Con- f James Ring. gressman GIANFORTE for their efforts After graduating high school, James RECOGNIZING THE 150TH ANNIVER- to make our Federal Government more enlisted in the Army and served in SARY OF CANNON LODGE 104 efficient and accountable with these both Iraq and Afghanistan. He later (Mr. VAN DREW asked and was given commonsense reforms. joined the Reserve Forces and, at the permission to address the House for 1 The Republican Study Committee’s same time, began a 13-year career as a minute and to revise and extend his re- GEAR Task Force report is a solutions- City of Lakeland police officer. marks.) based plan to reduce the government’s Now, in addition to serving as CEO Mr. VAN DREW. Madam Speaker, I size and inefficiency. Anyone who has dealt with the Fed- for his own small business, James is ac- recognize Cannon Lodge 104, which, on eral Government knows the frustration tive with the Lakeland Chamber, pro- February 26, will be celebrating 150 that the bureaucratic process can moting issues important to the small years as a chartered Masonic lodge. bring. Unnecessary government delays business community. Cannon Lodge had its first outreach to infrastructure projects have a par- Very soon, James will be returning on October 27, 1869, from Henry Can- ticularly damaging effect on economic to Active Duty and deploying again. non, whom the lodge is named after. On Now, that is commitment. growth and job creation. February 26, 1870, a Masonic charter Madam Speaker, I thank the Repub- People like James make me proud was granted, and Cannon Lodge 104 not only to be an American, but proud lican Study Committee for including came into existence. my bill, H.R. 3671, the Federal Permit- of my district. The spirit and the drive In January 1960, through the gen- that propel him to serve our commu- ting Reform and Jobs Act, in the re- erosity of Brother Elmer Smith, the port. This bipartisan bill will stream- nity as a small business owner and our present location of the lodge was do- Nation as a uniformed servicemember line and modernize the Federal infra- nated and dedicated to his father, Cap- structure permitting process. are unique and invaluable. tain Charles S. Smith. From the bottom of my heart, thank The Federal Permitting Reform and In 1995, Sea Isle City Lodge No. 280 Jobs Act will build on the reforms that you, James. And thank you Ring fam- was merged with Cannon; and, in 1999, ily for your service and your sacrifice. were included in the Fixing America’s Arbutus Lodge No. 170 of Cape May Surface Transportation Act of 2015, I know I speak on behalf of the entire Court House did the very same thing. district when I say that we are so very otherwise known as FAST–41. I am a proud member of Cannon My bill would make permanent the proud of you. Lodge 104, and we live by the motto: FAST–41 provisions and enact addi- f ‘‘Making Good Men Better.’’ These men tional reforms, such as a 2-year dead- around me there have made me a bet- WE ARE GETTING THE WORK OF line for the permitting process. ter man. We are dedicated to the bet- THE PEOPLE DONE IN THE FAST–41 ensures coordination among terment of ourselves, our community, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES several Federal agencies to streamline and giving to charity. ´ the permitting process for the largest (Mr. CARDENAS asked and was Madam Speaker, I look forward to infrastructure projects. given permission to address the House the continued work we will do in the The Federal Permitting Reform and for 1 minute and to revise and extend community, and I thank them all for Jobs Act would expand these types of his remarks.) the work my fellow brothers do. They projects that would qualify for this ´ Mr. CARDENAS. Madam Speaker, I are truly heroes in south Jersey. streamlined process: simply put, more am here in the House of Representa- f projects completed in a shorter period tives. I have had the honor to have REPUBLICAN STUDY COMMITTEE’S of time at a reduced cost. been elected to this incredible body for, This is a win for jobs; this is a win for GEAR TASK FORCE now, four terms. But I just want to re- infrastructure improvements; this is a port to you, Madam Speaker, that we The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. win for reforming the Federal bureauc- have, in fact, passed 275 bipartisan bills MCBATH). Under the Speaker’s an- racy and providing Americans with a in the last 12 months in these Cham- nounced policy of January 3, 2019, the more efficient and effective govern- bers. gentleman from Montana (Mr. ment. Madam Speaker, I thank my Repub- GIANFORTE) is recognized for 60 min- Mr. GIANFORTE. Madam Speaker, I lican colleagues, my Democratic col- utes as the designee of the minority thank Mr. ARMSTRONG for his work. leagues, and, yes, the one Independent leader. Permitting is an area where we can colleague who is part of every single Mr. GIANFORTE. Madam Speaker, I really make advances to make the one of those votes. appreciate the opportunity to hold this process more deterministic so we can I just want to say, that is the busi- Special Order on the Republican Study get projects on the ground going. I ness of the House of Representatives. I Committee’s GEAR Task Force. thank the gentleman for his leadership just want to remind you, Madam I thank MIKE JOHNSON, chairman of there. Speaker, that we are serious here, from the Republican Study Committee, for Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- all parties, to make sure that we ad- his leadership to make this task force tleman from Michigan’s Seventh Dis- here to the needs of the entire Amer- possible. trict, Representative TIM WALBERG, VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:27 Feb 12, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K11FE7.036 H11FEPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with HOUSE H1040 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 11, 2020 and I want to recognize him for his the GEAR Task Force and really do everything we can to rein in this work on the Taxpayers Right-to-Know brought a number of ideas to the table, Washington spending machine. effort. I thank the gentleman for his and he is here today to reflect on a Mr. GIANFORTE. Madam Speaker, I leadership. number of those. thank the gentleman for his leadership Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- here in highlighting some of these tleman from Michigan (Mr. WALBERG). tleman from Texas (Mr. CLOUD). wasteful programs. Clearly, we can do Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, I Mr. CLOUD. Madam Speaker, I thank better, and I thank him for bringing thank the gentleman for yielding. the gentleman for yielding, and I thank them forward. Madam Speaker, I would like to him for his work and leadership on this At this time, I will yield to the gen- thank Chairman JOHNSON, Task Force task force. It has been a worthwhile tlewoman from Arizona’s Eighth Con- Chairman GIANFORTE, and my col- project, to say the least. gressional District, Representative leagues at RSC for their leadership on Madam Speaker, with over $23 tril- DEBBIE LESKO. She has brought to us this task force and putting together a lion in national debt and annual defi- some of the reforms related to improv- document that has answers if we are cits at $1 trillion, it is obvious that ing our immigration system, and I look willing to accept them and move them Washington has a spending problem.