mr. frelinghuysen: mr. speaker, for the fifth time since last fall, i rise today to present another continuing resolution. the house amendment to senate amendment to h.r. 1892, to fund the operations of the federal government through march 23, fund the department of defense for the rest of the fiscal year, 2018, and extend critical health care programs, including funding for community health centers. our current continuing resolution expires on thursday, and without this legislation large segments of the federal government will shut down again. of course, all of us are keenly aware more time is needed for our leaders in the house and senate and white house to negotiate overall funding levels for the 2018 fiscal year. this bill should allow that to happen. my colleagues, this continuing resolution also makes a very limited number of technical changes in funding levels for only the most essential needs to include, to prevent delays in preparation for the 2020 census, to assure that the judicial branch is able

mr. frelinghuysen: mr. chairman, i am pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from west virginia, mr. jenkins, a member of our appropriations committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from west virginia is recognized for two minutes. mr. jenkins: thank you, mr. speaker. fellow members, west virginia is literally ground zero in the opioid epidemic. our overdose rate is not just a little bit higher than the national average or the number two state. it is actually 33% higher than the number two state. so when we pass 21st century cures legislation dedicating $1 billion to fight this horrific epidemic, it gave us hope. it gave me hope. and that hope was particularly strong in rural states like west virginia. that finally we might see real resources, where it really counts, in rural communities. but unfortunately many of the worst-hit states like mine ended up receiving only minimal amounts of funding. let me give you an example. a more populous state received five times more funding than my state,

mr. frelinghuysen: mr. speaker, pursuant to house resolution 34, i call up the bill h.r. 18 the 2 with senate amendment to the house amendment to the senate amendment and i have a motion at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will designate the senate amendment. the clerk: an act to amend title 4 united states code to provide for the flying of the flag in half staff in the death of a first responder. senate amendment, motion opened by mr. frelinghuysen of new jersey. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 734, the motion shall be debatable for one hour controlled by the chair and anking member of appropriations. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new jersey. mr. frelinghuysen: i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise this morning to present the senate amendment to the house amendment to the senate amendment, a bipartisan -- mr. speaker, the house is not in order. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is correct. the house is not in order. mr. frelinghuysen: i rise to p

mr. frelinghuysen: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the further consideration of senate amendment to h.r. 1892. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. frelinghuysen: mr. speaker -- the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? mr. frelinghuysen: mr. speaker, pursuant to house resolution 727 i call up the bill h.r. 1892 with the senate amendment thereto and i have a motion at the desk. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill, designate the senate amendment and designate the motion. the clerk: h.r. 1892, an act to amend title 4, united states code, to provide for the flying of the flag at half-staff in the event of the death of a first responder in the line of duty, senate amendment. motion offered by mr. frelinghuysen of new jersey. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 727, the motion s

mr. frelinghuysen, opened his remarks saying he came to the floor to introduce the fifth -- fifth -- continuing resolution. and the gentleman who followed him talk about this being the fifth continuing resolution the more is not the merrier. it's like golf, the lower the score, the better. to have five continuing resolutions is a statement of incompetence and ineptitude. the republicans control the house, the senate, and the white house, yet they are pressing forward on their fifth stopgap short-term spending bill, demonstrating their failure to govern. since president reagan was mentioned, i'll mention our very first president, our patriarch, george washington. president washington, when he was leaving office , he cautioned against political parties who were at war with their own government. does that sound familiar to you? here we are again two days from another shutdown, careening toward another manufactured republican crisis. demonstrating the republican failure to govern. we don't want to go to that place. as members of congress, we take a solemn oath to support and defend the constitution

mr. frelinghuysen: mr.peaker, for the fifth time since last fall, i rise today to present another continuing resolution. the house amendment to senate amendment to h.r. 1892, to fund the operations of the federal government through march 23, fund the department of defense for the rest of the fiscal year, 2018, and extend critical health care programs, including funding for community health

mr. speaker. and for us to blame both houses i think is not fair to the leadership that paul ryan has provided, to the leadership that rodney frelinghuysen has contributed to this effort. and most of all, mr. speaker, the people who voted for the bill in the house. they did the responsible action and i think that if we're going to do anything, we need to look to the united states senate, which is constitutionally required. president trump, vice president pence not only visited the ravaged areas, but tried to provide the leadership. but it's up to constitutional provisions of the united states senate and that is where the problem lies. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from new york voids. -- is recognized. ms. slaughter: mr. speaker, may i inquire of my colleague if he has any further speakers? mr. sessions: i would thank the gentlewoman for asking. i do not have additional speakers. i would choose to close. absolute slaught all right. i'm prepare -- ms. slaughter: all right. i'm prepared to close as well. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is