September 20, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 152 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2020, AND HEALTH EXTENDERS ACT OF 2019

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                               speech of

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 19, 2019

  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I will vote yes on H.R. 4378, which funds 
the federal government through November 21, 2019, although I do have 
several concerns regarding what is in the bill.
  The House has completed nearly all of its appropriations bills. The 
Republican Senate has passed none. Because the Senate has not done its 
work, bridge funding is needed to keep the government open past 
September 30.
  Let me be clear: it is imperative that Congress provide long-term 
stability and funding. Congress, specifically the Senate, needs to get 
its work done and halt the ridiculous and irresponsible lurching from 
short-term fix to short-term fix. Shutting down the government does 
nothing but harm Americans. The shutdown earlier this year resulted in 
Coast Guard personnel going without a pay check for 35 days. I have a 
bill to ensure that never happens again.
  The continuing resolution includes provisions that I strongly 
support. I am glad it contains language to stop roughly $1.2 billion in 
cuts to transit formula funding from going into effect on October 1, 
2019. Had this language not been included, the so-called ``Rostenkowski 
test'' would have been triggered for the first time ever, leading to a 
roughly 12 percent cut in funding to transit agencies. This test, 
originally intended to prevent overspending from the Highway Trust 
Fund, is no longer relevant given that the Trust Fund now consistently 
relies on General Fund transfers and should ultimately be repealed.
  It also includes funding for Community Health Centers, which provide 
a vital lifeline for health care services to thousands of Oregonians 
and millions of Americans in rural and underserved communities. It also 
modifies Medicaid's drug rebate program to ensure that rebates paid to 
the federal government and the states by brand name drug manufacturers 
are calculated based solely on the price of a brand name drug, and not 
on generic drug prices.
  It includes language to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) has the funding it needs to process claims from Blue Water Navy 
Veterans impacted by Agent Orange as well as critical provisions that 
will significantly expand enrollment in the World Trade Center Health 
Program, aiding 9/11 first responders and survivors.
  Importantly, the bill provides $250 million in aid to Ukraine to help 
it defend itself from Russian aggression, which President Trump 
suspiciously delayed this summer. Disturbingly, Trump may have even 
tried to use this aid as leverage to coerce Ukraine into conducting 
politically-motivated investigations to help Trump's former campaign 
chairman Paul Manafort and to target former Vice President Joe Biden's 
family.
  However, I am extremely disappointed that the continuing resolution 
did not address a highway program funding issue created by the 
Republicans in the last surface-transportation reauthorization bill. 
Section 1438 of the Fix America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act 
rescinds $7.6 billion of Federal highway funding on July 1, 2020. State 
Departments of Transportation are very concerned about the impact of 
the rescission on planning, construction, and repair of roads and 
bridges, and it is imperative that we address this before we finalize 
the fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills.
  I also have serious concerns with the bill's attempt to reimburse the 
Commodity Credit Corporation for trade relief that has been disbursed 
to farmers and ranchers hurt by President Trump's trade war with China. 
While's there's no doubt that farmers and ranchers have suffered under 
President Trump's trade policies, this legislation essentially clears 
the way for the president to continue his erratic trade policies 
unchecked by providing an absurd bailout of more than $20 billion.
  I hope the Senate can get its work done during the next eight weeks 
so we can stop the budget gimmicks and spend our time working on 
important issues like improving access to health care and repairing our 
dilapidated infrastructure. That is what Americans expect, and that is 
what they deserve.

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