mrs. lowey: mr. speaker, i am very pleased to yield 2.5 minutes to the very gentlelady from ohio, ms. kaptur, ranking member of the subcommittee on energy and water. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for 2 1/2 minutes. ms. kaptur: i want to thank my dear colleague, mrs. lowey, the ranking member of the committee, for yielding and thank chairman frelinghuysen, rogers and ranking member lowey again, for the hard work they did to push this bill across the finish line. yet, today, i rise with frustration that it has taken us so long to finish doing our job. there is simply no good reason why over seven months into the 2017 fiscal year we are only now taking a vote to fund this year's government operations. the american people deserve so much better. there are many things in this bill with which i disagree, but i am pleased to see that the bill before us represents a bipartisan compromise. it also includes a lot of positive aspects for ohio. the agreement brings welcome news to coal in

mrs. lowey: mr. speaker, i am very pleased to yield 2.5 minutes to the very gentlelady from ohio, ms. kaptur, ranking member of the subcommittee on energy and water. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for 2 1/2 minutes. ms. kaptur: i want to thank my dear colleague, mrs. lowey, the ranking member of the committee, for yielding and thank chairman frelinghuysen, rogers and ranking member lowey again, for the hard work they did to push this bill across the finish line. yet, today, i rise with frustration that it has taken us so long to finish doing our job. there is simply no good reason why over seven months into the 2017 fiscal year we are only now taking a vote to fund this year's government operations. the american people deserve so much better. there are many things in this bill with which i disagree, but i am pleased to see that the bill before us represents a bipartisan compromise. it also includes a lot of positive aspects for ohio. the agreement brings welcome news to coal in

i served with mrs. lowey on the h.h.s. subcommittee and the national institutes of health is this place that has the biblical power to cure. it has scientific opportunity. and where there is scientific opportunity, we want to place additional resources. lives depend on it. in stark contrast to a skinny budget that came out earlier, this legislation increases funding for the national institutes of health by $2 billion and i want to say on that, as we relish that $2 billion and what it could mean in the good health of the american people, we have to protect their investments. as we invest in new treatments and cures, we must also ensure that all americans have access to them. that is why it is curious to me that on the same day that we vote on this omnibus bill, increase funding for the national institutes of health, increase funding for our veterans and all the rest of that, that republicans are working furiously to advance trumpcare's devastating impact on america's health care. no matter what activities they are having to

at this time i would like to recognize mrs. lowey. >> thank you so much, mr. chairman. there are so many questions. but i must continue this discussion, having been part of this issue of records for the last five, six, seven years. and i gather we have spent 1$1. billion on this. i don't even know what i want to call it, project, search, int interoperability. what i'm confused about, it's my understanding that the defense department has already rolled out the system. it seems to me you make a lot of sense saying, we're not going to be in this business anymore, we want an off-the-shelf system. however, in order to foster, to ensure there's interoperability, what's wrong with the defense program, and why wouldn't you at least at the outset explore that? because if you choose another system, and they have their system, what's it going to be, another billion dollars that we could use for suicide prevention, for treatment, for all kinds of important things. i have to tell you, as the ranking member, chairman frelinghuysen and i go to a lot of committee hearings, but this aff

mrs. lowey: mr. speaker, i thank my good friends, chairman ed royce and ranking member elliott engel and all those involved in advancing this important legislation. i rise in support of house solution 672, the combatting european anti-semitism act, which was introduced by the co-chairs of the bipartisan task force for combatting anti-semitism. with the rising threat of anti-semitism in europe, this bill would require enhanced reporting to congress on anti-semitic incidents in europe, the safety and community and the efforts of the united states to partner with european entities to combat anti-semitism. this bill also urges the department of state to continue ing encouraging european governments and multilateral institutions to have a definition of anti-semitism. i find it hard to believe that in the 21st century european jews worry about whether or not there is a future for their communities in europe. anti-semetic sentments throughout europe, many jews are becoming the target of verbal, physical and

lowey, thank you very much. mr. chairman, the responsibility that both of you have is not so much policy, although you carry the policy forward, but it's making sure you fund that policy and making sure that policy is funded properly and followed through. with that said, as you know, there are lots of controversial issues, so to speak, that are in our domain that we deal with. and one of those issues that i would like for you to, as best as you would choose to speak about, and that is -- and there is at least an amendment that is on this issue, but sanctuary cities, the funding of sanctuary cities, the issue as it relates across the country on sanctuary cities that became an issue, as you know, several years ago in particular, with the death outside of san francisco. and i know there's been a lot said about this. what is the bill that's before us today, how does it address funding of sanctuary cities, and those ideas? >> the bill has no money in there for sanctuary cities, or no language in there that relates to san

frelinghuysen of new jersey, and our ranking member, mrs. lowey of new york. in the house, the work must continue today, but hopefully will be concluded today. the package in front of us not only keeps the government open and operating through the end of the fiscal year, but also represents a successful completion of key member priorities on both sides of the aisle. this bill provides for a $25.7 billion increase in defense spending. notably including an additional $7.3 billion for department of defense readiness and training. as well as the largest pay raise our troops have received in six years. these funds will help us enhance our military readins and marks an end to the erosion of our national military strength. importantly, we accomplish this without a dollar for dollar increase i nondefense discretionary spending. a practice which was imposed upon us by the previous administration. that practice threatened to drive our national deficit ever higher. i'm pleased that we broke that connection for we should never operate under such a formula in the future. t

is preparing to carry far beyond mrs. lowey: earth orbit. he once served -- beyond low earth orbit. for the next 2 1/2 days. among his many awards are two nasa exceptional service medals. actually his awards go on and on. most recently adding the national space society's 2017 space pioneer award. and the aiaa off the natics award. if you look him up in the all-knowing, all had-seeing wikipedia, will you find this terrific photo of bill in a wind tunnel with a model of the space transportation system, most of us know it as the space shuttle, with his hand up on this metal model. in the tunnel. that was 1978. so been at this for a while. let's go on to thomas. thomas with a ph.d. in physics from the university of switzerland. thomas is the associate administrator for nasa's science mission directorate. prior to joining the agency, he was professor of space science and aerospace engineering at the university of michigan in ann arbor. and the founding director of the center for entrepreneurship in the college of engineering. you'll find his name on more than 200 peer-reviewed articles.

mrs. lowey: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the chair: the gentlelady is ecognized. > the clean tano: i -- water act in no way hinders, delays or prevents the use of approved pesticides for pest control operations. in fact, the clean water act ermits, i repeat, permits -- permit provides a specific emergency provision to prevent outbreaks of disease such as zika virus. under the terms of the permit, pesticide aply kators are covered automatically under the ermit and any spraying my be performed immediately for any pest emergency situations. in most instances, sprayers are only required to notify e.p.a. of their spraying operations 30 days, 0 days after the beginning of spraying operation. most pesticide applications in the united states are done in accordance with fifra, the federal insecticide, if you thinkside and rodenticide act which only requires proper labeling. however, fifra labeling is no substitute for ensuring we understand the volumes of pesticides we seem to apply to our rivers, our lakes, our streams on an annual

lowey. mr. secretary, we understand that your flute edges for a system to consolidate the various non-va care programs including choice. while we realize your proposal are by no means locked down, it sounds like you're contemplating a plan that will allow veterans to seek urgent care outside the va system followed by discussion with a va care provider and about whether the veteran should be seen in the community or by the va. that decision would be based on the results of the local health market analysis identifying the capacity, quality and cost of the first service at the local va. iis the basic premise of this proposal to keep services within the va subject to availability, quality, capacity, rather than open the doors more broadly to non-va care? >> let me to describe it, mr. chairman, although thatt differently than that. first of all i think you are correct that what we identify. coming out of the 2014 wait time crisis out of phoenix was that the va i don't believe had the appropriate mana

lowey. >> thank you, mr. chairman. mr. secretary, i was disappointed by the significant proposed cuts for fema preparedness grant programs. the uwasi program which helps the most at-risk urban areas such as new york prevent and prepare for terrorist attacks will be cut by 26% and the state homeland security grand program would be slashed by more than 25%. over all, the fy '18 budget proposes a cut of 918 million to fema grand programs that really help law enforcement prevent and respond to terrorism and other disasters. to put that into perspective you would cut vital funds to protect the top terror targets in the u.s. by 31%, which is equal to, roughly, half of what you're proposing to build a wall on the mexican border that is not needed. state and local jurisdictions just cannot effectively plan for, establish and maintain their preparedness programs when support from their federal partner is inconsistent and subject to major deviations. mr. secretary, could you please share with us the impotence for proposing such dras

mr. chairman. i now recognize ms. lowey, the ranking member of the full committee. >> thank you. and i would like to thank chairman carter and ranking member roybal allard for holding this hearing. of course it's always a pleasure for me to appear with chairman frelinghuysen who is the distinguished chair of the full committee. secretary kelly, welcome, and thank you for joining us. the department of homeland security's in addition is to secure our nation from consistent threat is not an easy one, as underscored by the tragic attack in manchester earlier this week. to keep us safe, different agencies within the department of homeland security must effectively coordinate and cooperate, while also working closely with other federal, state, and local agencies. the budget request unfortunately does not fully reflect the grave character of the threats we face. in new york and many other states, preparedness grants are the difference between being able to prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism or not. secretary kelly, put simply, your budget proposal would ma

lowey. and mr. secretary, we understand that you are floating ideas to consolidate the various non-v.a. care programs including choice, but while we realize that the proposals are by no means locked down, but it sounds like you are contemplating a plan to allow the veterans to seek urgent care outside of the v.a. system followed with a discussion with a v.a. care provider if the veteran should be seen in the community or by the v.a. that decision would be based on the decision of a local health market analysis and evaluating the cost and capacity and quality of services at the local v.a. is the basic premise to keep the services within the v.a. subject to availability, quality and capacity rather than opening up the doors to nonv.a. care? >> let me try to describe it, mr. chairman, little bit differently than that. and first of all, i think that you are correct what we have identified is coming out of the 2014 wait time crisis of the phoenix was that the v.a. i don't believe they had the appropriate