U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from all members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate as well as the House and Senate leadership and House and Senate committees.
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Sen. McCaskill Issues Statement on Tragedy at Table Rock Lake
WASHINGTON, July 20 -- The office of Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, issued the following statement on the duck boat tragedy at Table Rock Lake in Branson:
"Our hearts are heavy for those families involved in the tragedy that struck in Branson last night.
"Sincere thanks to the first responders and those on the scene helping in the search and rescue."
McCaskill's office has been in contact with the National Transportation Safety Board, which is sending a large team to Branson to investigate the incident and to offer family assistance.
Reps. Courtney, Larson Issue Statement on Home Foundations Problem
WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Reps. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, and John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following statement after the House approved two amendments to help address the home foundations problem:
"Homeowners in more than three dozen towns in north central and northeast Connecticut have reported that their home foundations are failing due to the mineral pyrrhotite that could affect up to 35,000 homes in the area. That is why it is critical to make sure that all municipal, state, federal and private sector measures are taken to address this catastrophe. This week was another small
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WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Reps. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, and John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following statement after the House approved two amendments to help address the home foundations problem:
"Homeowners in more than three dozen towns in north central and northeast Connecticut have reported that their home foundations are failing due to the mineral pyrrhotite that could affect up to 35,000 homes in the area. That is why it is critical to make sure that all municipal, state, federal and private sector measures are taken to address this catastrophe. This week was another smallstep to help our constituents as two amendments passed in the House of Representatives.
"The first provides funding for the U.S. Geological Survey to develop a map showing pyrrhotite occurrences across the United States, and the second provides funding for a Department of the Treasury study to examine the financial impact of crumbling foundations on our community lenders, homeowners, and our towns that have taken a huge financial hit.
"We urge the Senate to act on these measures so they can be sent to the president's desk for signature," said Courtney and Larson
The Congressmen have recently engaged with Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) to examine the federal opportunities for assistance in addressing crumbling foundations.
Rep. Tonko Issues Statement on House Vote on Election Security Funding
WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-New York, issued the following statement after the House voted to reject on a motion restoring $380 million to help state and local election officials upgrade outdated voting technology, counter cyberattacks and address other election vulnerabilities:
The vote failed along strictly partisan lines, 182-232.
"With their vote today, Congressional Republicans put politics and allegiance to party over common sense and their duty to the American people. Our nation's top intelligence experts have been unanimous and clear: Russia continues to engage in active
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WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Rep. Paul D. Tonko, D-New York, issued the following statement after the House voted to reject on a motion restoring $380 million to help state and local election officials upgrade outdated voting technology, counter cyberattacks and address other election vulnerabilities:
The vote failed along strictly partisan lines, 182-232.
"With their vote today, Congressional Republicans put politics and allegiance to party over common sense and their duty to the American people. Our nation's top intelligence experts have been unanimous and clear: Russia continues to engage in activeand coordinated attacks on our democracy, including working to undermine the legitimacy of our elections. Despite knowing full well that Americans' votes are in jeopardy, the Republican majority continues to sit on their hands.
"An empty promise from Presidents Putin and Trump will not safeguard our elections or stop these destabilizing attacks. Doing nothing in the face of an unambiguous assault on our democratic principles and homeland security is an inexcusable failure."
Director of National Intelligence and former Republican Senator Dan Coats recently described the threat of Russian attacks, saying, "It was in the months prior to September 2001 when, according to then-CIA Director George Tenet, the system is blinking red. And here we are nearly two decades later, and I'm here to say, the warning lights are blinking red again."
Rep. Pelosi Issues Statement on House Vote on Funding Election Security
WASHINGTON, July 20 -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following statement after the House voted on a motion to restore funding for state election security grants:
"It seems that Putin is Trump's puppeteer, and that House Republicans have decided to join the charade.
"I salute Congressman Mike Quigley for his strong leadership in the Congress to secure our elections from the Russians' ongoing attacks. It is deeply disturbing that House Republicans chose to vote to pursue the President's Putin-first agenda, instead of protecting our democracy.
"The President and Republicans
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WASHINGTON, July 20 -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following statement after the House voted on a motion to restore funding for state election security grants:
"It seems that Putin is Trump's puppeteer, and that House Republicans have decided to join the charade.
"I salute Congressman Mike Quigley for his strong leadership in the Congress to secure our elections from the Russians' ongoing attacks. It is deeply disturbing that House Republicans chose to vote to pursue the President's Putin-first agenda, instead of protecting our democracy.
"The President and Republicansneed to prove whose side they're on: Putin's or American democracy."
Rep. Noem: Fighting for Farmers
WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Rep. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following column:
It's been a tough few years for agriculture. Between a drought, hail, and low prices, net farm income has been cut in half the last four years.
The Farm Bill was designed to provide a safety net for our food supply during stretches like this. In 2014, we approved a five-year Farm Bill, which offered strong crop insurance and livestock disaster programs for producers. That legislation is now up for renewal, which we're making steady progress on.
The House's updated Farm Bill incorporates reforms I helped write
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WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Rep. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following column:
It's been a tough few years for agriculture. Between a drought, hail, and low prices, net farm income has been cut in half the last four years.
The Farm Bill was designed to provide a safety net for our food supply during stretches like this. In 2014, we approved a five-year Farm Bill, which offered strong crop insurance and livestock disaster programs for producers. That legislation is now up for renewal, which we're making steady progress on.
The House's updated Farm Bill incorporates reforms I helped writeto strengthen commodity programs. It also increases CRP acreage, updates the wetland determination process, and strengthens dairy policy. I've detailed many of these changes at noem.house.gov/FarmBill.
Because the Senate passed a separate version, we're in the process of merging the two documents into a final proposal, and I'm hopeful we'll be able to wrap up negotiations quickly.
The Farm Bill, however, is just one aspect of agriculture policy that we're closely monitoring. For years, China has exploited the American people, and they need to be held accountable for that. But in recent months, farmers and ranchers have been forced to bear the burden of retaliatory tariffs.
In July, I invited Scott VanderWal, a Volga-area farmer and president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, to testify before Congress about the impact of China's trade and tariff threats. He explained: "We understand other countries, particularly China, have not played fairly, and we respect President Trump's desire to remedy those situations. The problem is, those countries know just where to punch us back in a dispute by targeting our agriculture products. Through no fault of our own, and unintentionally, our industry ends up being used for leverage."
I share these concerns and have personally expressed them to top administration officials and President Trump himself. In addition to phone calls and meetings, I wrote to President Trump this spring, warning that "All our hard-won gains in Farm Country are at serious risk of being wiped away because China is threatening retaliation against American farmers."
Especially given the national security risks that would come if another country controls our food supply, the administration must help provide a strong safety net for America's producers in the face of China's retaliatory actions. Along with Senators Rounds and Thune, I urged President Trump in July to make U.S. agriculture exports a priority with our trading partners around the world and explained how recent market uncertainty has already cost South Dakota producers hundreds of millions of dollars. Farmers and ranchers simply can't afford to be further entangled in global trade disputes.
While there were more than 200 rural congressional districts 50 years ago, just over 30 remain. There's no doubt that creates a disconnect in Congress. So few understand that most producers take a loan out each year, bury that money in the ground in the form of seed and fertilizer, and hope - not only for a good yield - but for the right market conditions at the right time. It's a tough business. But as a lifelong farmer and rancher, I get why folks do it and why we must fight for trade and agriculture policies that protect the safest, most reliable, and most abundant food supply in the world.
Rep. Buck Issues Statement on Northern Integrated Supply Project
WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colorado, issued the following statement on the release of the final environmental impact statement for the Northern Integrated Supply Project:
After 15 years of wading through needless red tape in the federal permitting process, the completion of the FEIS marks a significant milestone.
"This is a great step forward for a very important project. For northern Colorado, proper water stewardship and storage is vital to our agriculture, recreation, and economy.
"While it's unfortunate that overly complex government permitting regulations have held up NISP
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WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colorado, issued the following statement on the release of the final environmental impact statement for the Northern Integrated Supply Project:
After 15 years of wading through needless red tape in the federal permitting process, the completion of the FEIS marks a significant milestone.
"This is a great step forward for a very important project. For northern Colorado, proper water stewardship and storage is vital to our agriculture, recreation, and economy.
"While it's unfortunate that overly complex government permitting regulations have held up NISPfor this long, I am extremely encouraged that this final impact statement will soon allow northern Colorado to have a more certain supply of water."
The FEIS is an exhaustive study undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that investigates potential alternative water supply sources for northern Colorado and addresses environmental concerns with the NISP project. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires a permit for this project because it intends to impact 51 acres of federal Waters of the U.S. and 19 acres of wetlands.
NISP is a water storage and infrastructure project that would provide a more reliable water supply in fifteen towns, cities, and water districts throughout the region. Congressman Buck has been vocal about the need for faster permitting of water storage projects and has called attention to the unnecessary delay of the NISP project. He has also supported legislation such as the Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act, which would streamline the water project permitting system.
CBO Issues Cost Estimate for National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act
WASHINGTON, July 20 -- The Congressional Budget Office issued the following cost estimate:
H.R. 2345
National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018
As reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 18, 2018
H.R. 2345 would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services to study and report on the feasibility of designating a N11 dialing code as a national suicide prevention and mental health
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WASHINGTON, July 20 -- The Congressional Budget Office issued the following cost estimate:
H.R. 2345
National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018
As reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 18, 2018
H.R. 2345 would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services to study and report on the feasibility of designating a N11 dialing code as a national suicide prevention and mental healthcrises hotline system.1
Under the bill, VA and SAMHSA would each be required to complete a separate study and analysis that would be used by the FCC to develop a comprehensive study and report that includes information from those two studies. The FCC would be required to provide additional analysis and recommendations on the logistics and costs to develop such a dialing code if the other agencies recommend that a dialing code be used.
Using information from the affected agencies, CBO estimates that implementing the provisions of H.R. 2345 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2019-2023 period for the agencies to coordinate and develop the analyses and reports required under the bill; that spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting H.R. 2345 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-yougo procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2345 would not increase net direct spending or onbudget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
H.R. 2345 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
On November 15, 2017, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 1015, the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2017, as passed by the Senate on November 7, 2017. The two pieces of legislation are similar and CBO's estimates of their budgetary effects are the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Stephen Rabent. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
1. The term N11 dialing code refers to an abbreviated dialing code consisting of three digits, of which the first may be any digit other than one or zero and each of the last two digits be one.
