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, TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2017 No. 54 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was The RECLAIM Act will send $1 bil- gram that helps low-income families called to order by the Speaker pro tem- lion in Federal funds to Appalachia to lead healthier lives through education. pore (Mr. WOODALL). revitalize and diversify coal commu- SNAP-Ed works to help individuals f nities and to create new jobs. For West who benefit from the Supplemental Nu- Virginia, that means nearly $200 mil- trition Assistance Program, SNAP. It DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO lion over 5 years to invest in our coal- aims to help people make healthy TEMPORE fields. This money will allow us to re- choices within a limited budget and The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- develop abandoned mine lands, bring choose active lifestyles consistent with fore the House the following commu- new companies and industries to West the current dietary guidelines for nication from the Speaker: Virginia, and provide more jobs for our Americans. people. WASHINGTON, DC, As chairman of the Agriculture Com- March 28, 2017. Now, the RECLAIM Act doesn’t mean mittee’s Nutrition Subcommittee, we I hereby appoint the Honorable ROB we are giving up on coal. Far from it. have been examining SNAP and how we WOODALL to act as Speaker pro tempore on Coal is our heritage and must play an can improve it in the next farm bill. this day. important part in our State’s future. SNAP-Ed is an important part of this, PAUL D. RYAN, But while we are bringing back our and the results show that it works. Speaker of the House of Representatives. coal jobs, we must also look at how we In my home State of Pennsylvania, f can redevelop these former mine sites. 17 percent of people are living below Many of these sites are currently sit- the poverty line; 1.8 million Pennsylva- MORNING-HOUR DEBATE ting vacant, and our towns and coun- nians are eligible for SNAP; 85 percent The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ties just don’t have the funds to rede- of Pennsylvania adults do not eat the ant to the order of the House of Janu- velop these sites so that their job-cre- recommended daily amounts of fruits ary 3, 2017, the Chair will now recog- ating potential can be unleashed. The and vegetables; and 14 percent of Penn- nize Members from lists submitted by RECLAIM Act will prioritize hard hit sylvanians are food insecure, meaning the majority and minority leaders for States like West Virginia and help em- they lack reliable access to a sufficient morning-hour debate. ploy hundreds of laid-off West Vir- quantity of affordable, nutritious food. The Chair will alternate recognition ginians to prepare these sites for new Mr. Speaker, SNAP-Ed helps low-in- between the parties, with each party developments and new industries. come families stretch tight budgets limited to 1 hour and each Member In addition, once these sites are open and bring home healthy foods from the other than the majority and minority for business, new employers will create grocery store. It teaches low-income leaders and the minority whip limited hundreds, if not thousands, of good- families how to prepare nutritious to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- paying jobs. The RECLAIM Act can be meals. bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. and should be part of the solution to SNAP-Ed is a $400 million program revitalize our coal fields. awarded through Federal grants to f I want to say thank you to Leader State agencies. SNAP-Ed has the flexi- MCCONNELL and Senator CAPITO in the SUPPORTING RECLAIM ACT bility to work in schools, grocery Senate for their leadership on this The SPEAKER pro tempore. The measure as well. stores, parks, even public gyms. SNAP- Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in Ed offers many different forms of di- West Virginia (Mr. JENKINS) for 5 min- both the House and the Senate to join rect education and takes community utes. us in supporting this important legisla- input into consideration when devel- Mr. JENKINS of West Virginia. Mr. tion and helping Appalachia. oping education programs. Speaker, coal communities in my dis- Another food education program au- trict and across America and across f thorized through the farm bill is the Appalachia are struggling. The war on SNAP-ED HELPS LOW-INCOME Expanded Food and Nutrition Edu- coal has decimated many small towns FAMILIES cation Program. This program is an ap- and left thousands of hardworking coal The SPEAKER pro tempore. The proximately $68 million initiative oper- miners without jobs. Chair recognizes the gentleman from ated through the Cooperative Exten- Help is on the way—the RECLAIM Pennsylvania (Mr. THOMPSON) for 5 sion Service of land grant universities. Act, introduced by Congressman HAL minutes. It delivers direct education via peer ROGERS. I am proud to be a sponsor Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. educators in a series of interactive with him. Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight a pro- hands-on lessons to improve four core 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. H2467 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:49 Mar 29, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A28MR7.000 H28MRPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2468 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 28, 2017 areas: diet quality and physical activ- Chernobyl’s and the more recent one in people for their concerns about the ity, food resource management, food Fukushima, Japan. But Belarus has Astravets nuclear power plant. I share safety, and food security. chosen to skip four of the six steps, in- their concerns. I hope Belarus will The Expanded Food and Nutrition cluding crucial steps, and ignore the calm their fears by allowing in inter- Education Program tends to be less people in the land of Lithuania. national experts and representatives. flexible in how it delivers services than There is a real concern that the main Belarus should also comply with the SNAP-Ed, but it has the capacity to purpose behind the project is to grow International Atomic Energy Agency’s reach more people than SNAP-Ed be- Russian influence and power, especially recommendations for the design, con- cause it operates in more areas, both over energy, in the European Union. struction, and running of safe nuclear urban and rural, across this country. The President of Belarus said that the power plants. Mr. Speaker, both of these edu- Astravets plant and another Russian f cational programs are helping low-in- plant are a fishbone in the throat of come families lead healthier lives and the European Union and the Baltic RECESS make better choices when it comes to States. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- nutritious food. Through education we Nuclear power plants in sensitive ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair can help ensure that American fami- areas should be discussed within the declares the House in recess until noon lies—especially children—learn about Espoo Convention. Nearly all of Lith- today. the importance of a balanced diet as uania is within 186 miles of the plant, Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 12 part of a healthy lifestyle and the joy which means that, if a disaster were to minutes a.m.), the House stood in re- of preparing their own meals. strike, the land of Lithuania could be cess. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to affected. The country’s drinking water f strengthening these programs in the could also be affected since the plant is next farm bill so that we can continue supposed to draw water from the Neris b 1200 to educate and serve American fami- River that supplies drinking water to AFTER RECESS lies. Lithuania. The recess having expired, the House f But incidents are occurring that cast doubt on Belarus’ commitment to was called to order by the Speaker pro CONCERNS BREWING ABOUT NU- working with neighbors and ensuring tempore (Mr. POE of Texas) at noon. CLEAR POWER PLANT CON- the plant is safe. In 2016, four accidents f STRUCTION occurred, and Belarus has failed to be PRAYER The SPEAKER pro tempore. The upfront with Lithuania about any of Chair recognizes the gentleman from them. Rabbi Sanford D. Akselrad, Con- Illinois (Mr. SHIMKUS) for 5 minutes. A 330-ton nuclear reactor shell was gregation Ner Tamid, Henderson, Ne- Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to allegedly dropped from about 13 feet vada, offered the following prayer: address concerns brewing in Lithuania last summer. Belarus did not reveal O source of wisdom, gathered before and other Baltic States about the con- anything about the incident until inde- this august body, I ask Your blessings struction of a nuclear power plant. pendent media reported it, and then upon us. This plant is 121⁄2 miles from the Lith- downplayed it. Decisions impacting the fate of our uanian border and in sight of Vilnius, Building a nuclear power plant re- country weigh heavily upon our lead- Lithuania’s capital and largest city. quires care in construction according ers. They stand here with backs bowed, I speak here not only as a friend of to the most stringent standards with eyes turned downward, shoulders the Baltic people and as a descendant the utmost transparency, and for the formed into an amorphous shrug.