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 to pay jurors, to provide 220 million in emergency funding for the Small Business administration, to provide emergency loans to those whose lives and livelihoods were destroyed by last years historic natural disasters. This legislation also includes the full fiscal year 2018 department of defense appropriations bill, totaling 659 billion for our armed forces, and i dont have to remind my colleagues that this bill already passed this house three times on a bipartisan basis, most recently last week. Mr. Speaker, we ask a great deal of our men and women in uniform, and we have an obligation to provide them and their families the resources they need to be safe, to complete their Mission Successfully at home and abroad. Governing from c. R. To c. R. Ust creates more unpredict ict, more instability unpredictability, more instability for everyone. Mr. Speaker, the challenges we face around the world cannot be t under this stop and go process. While we delay doing the nations business, our military and economic competitors are consolidating their gains. Finally, i would add, this legislation includes necessary funding extensions for Bipartisan Health priorities, Like CommunityHealth Centers and other Public Health programs. It also funds important medicare extenders and includes commonsense reforms and improvement in the program. But let no one doubt our position on continuing resolutions. They are bad fiscal policy. They do not allow programs to grow, to be reduced or eliminated, if thats needed. They maintain outdated policies and stop new critically important programs from ever starting, including programs that enhance National Security and protect our armed forces from our enemies. Continuing resolutions are fiscally wasteful and prevent the executive branch and congress from planning and preparing. This is true for the private sector as well. Most importantly, they undermine congressional oversight that is a onstitutionally mandated is congressionally mandated for our appropriations. While i am pleased that we are here to include the defense appropriations bill in this continuing resolution, we must still pass all 12 Appropriations Bills for the fiscal year as well as our third emergency disaster supplemental. As soon as the congressional and white house leaders reach a bipartisan agreement, which could and should happen at any moment, our committee will get to work immediately to finish negotiations on all 12 yearlong funding bills. Mr. Speaker, i urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey reserves his time. The chair recognizes the gentlelady from new york. Mrs. Lowey mr. Speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for as much time as she wishes to use. Mrs. Lowey since president trumps draconian f. Y. 2018 budget was released last year, democrats have warned republicans that a bipartisan budget agreement was needed to adequately invest in American Families and communities. Without a budget agreement, programs as diverse as head start, job training, terrorism prevention grants are in danger of inadequate funding at best. Instead of engaging with democrats to reach a budget agreement, the majority is seeking to advance a full year of funding for only the department of defense, busting budget caps while punting every other federal service and vestment to an uncertain future. Mr. Speaker, the most powerful country in the world now being completely run by a republican government cant keep the lights on more than weeks at a time. How did we get here . Democrats will not go along with any plan that neglects critical National Security and domestic needs. If this bill were to become law, the majority would have no workable plan to make the investments that are necessary for priorities, including biomedical research, infrastructure projects, pell grants, homeland security, assistance for local communities, Veterans Health, opioid funding, job training, the f. B. I. , and other federal Law Enforcement and more. This is not a serious bill. We know that it will be quickly rejected by the senate. It is the furthest possible cry from regular order that the majority so frequently discusses yet rarely follows. It is nothing more than a political ploy that will place us on the brink of another shutdown. Its well past time to increase budget caps and enact responsible spending bills. The majority displays a lack of urgency regarding reaching a budget agreement and enacting appropriations law, choosing instead to advance partisan measures that fail to lift unmanageable budget caps for both defense and nondefense. Republicans must abandon these partisan shortterm bills and work with democrats to fund the entirety of government for the remainder of the fiscal year to serve the American People. I reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady reserves her time. The chair recognizes the gentleman from new jersey. Im pleased to yield two minutes to the chairman of the agricultural subcommittee on appropriations, mr. Aderholt. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Aderholt as the house takes up the fifth continuing resolution for f. Y. 2018, it seems all too appropriate to quote president reagan when he says, here we go again. I rise on the floor of the house this afternoon to urge my colleagues to support the c. R. Which runs through march 23. As the chairman of the appropriation ag subcommittee, our nations farmers and ranchers will find it hard to access credit during the upcoming planting season and those recovering from disastrous weather events will not be able to access essential programs in order to help them. If we do not finalize a fullyear Funding Agreement right away. These are just a couple of examples of the hardships that are faced by our citizens here in the u. S. That depend on this legislation. As i say,s the fifth c. R. For this fiscal year. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle must come to the table willing to negotiate on these budget caps. As you know, the house passed each of the 12 appropriation bills. We have done our job, of course the other body continues to be the weakest link in all of this, as it needs to seriously reform their process in order to do the work of the people. Finally, i appreciate that this bill includes fullyear funding for the department of defense. To quote president reagan once again, we have no choice but to maintain ready Defense Forces that are second to none. Yes, the cost is high. But the price of neglect would be infinitely higher. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back his time. The gentleman from new jersey reserves. The gentlelady from new york is recognized. Mrs. Lowey im pleased to yield one minute to the gentlewoman from california, the democratic leader, ms. Pelosi. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. Ms. Pelosi thank you, mr. Speaker. I thank the gentlelady for yielding and commend her for her extraordinary leadership on the Appropriations Committee where important decisions are made about how to allocate the resources of our country to respect the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and to honor the values of our founders for a country thats making the future better for every generation to come. The distinguished chairman of the committee, 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. Its 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 shortterm spending bill, demonstrating their failure to govern. Since president reagan was mentioned, ill 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 dont want to go to that place. As members of congress, we take a solemn oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States and to protect the American People. Democrats support a Strong National defense. We too want our men and women in uniform to have the resources they need to keep them safe and to keep the American People safe as they accomplish their mission. But we will not allow republican to use this continuing resolution, the fifth time they have come to the floor because they could not govern, to hollow out our nations commitment to the health, education, and Economic Security of americas working families. We all know that our military might is part of our nations strength. But the health, education, and security and well being of the American People is also a source of that strength. Instead of working constructively with democrats to meet the needs of the American People, republicans are trying to starve the domestic budget. I want to remind our colleagues, one third, 34 , one third, of the nondefense domestic budget goes to National Security. So when you starve the domestic budget, you are not making us stronger. One third of the domestic budget is about security. Homeland security. Veterans affairs. The state department. And antiterrorism activities. Of the justice department. Republicans refuse to give those thope domestic side the resources they need to do their job, just the chaos and uncertainty of another stopgap extension. As defense secretary mattis aid, stopgap measures create instability, it makes us rigid. We know our enemies are not standing still so its about as unwise as it can be. And here we are as one as unwise as can be for the fifth time. While theyre conchting resolution seeks to ransack every other commitment to the health of the American People, republicans hide behind a fig leaf of a twoyear extension of Community Health centers. We all support Community Health centers. It was an important part of the Affordable Care act. A very important part. Our colleague, congressman assistant leader, mr. Clyburn of south carolina, was a one of the great champions of all time in congress of expanding the funding for programs for care and for bricks and mortar for our Community Health centers. This is a very important piece for us. We want should be extending it in a fuller bill to five years, except its used here to hide from the fact of so much other domestic investment that we are not making. Republicans are eliminating the Home Visiting initiative thats vital for ma tern and childcare and cutting off Work Force Training for lowincome americans seeking goodpaying jobs in health care. The sole purpose of the republican bill is to destroy our leverage to achieve parity in the caps. To eliminate any need for bipartisan compromise. To eliminate any need to invest in working families. Why . Because if they get their defense number, then they dont have to negotiate about the domestic number. And as i said, we support our men and women in uniform having what they need to be safe and to keep us safe. But the strength of our country is measured in other ways as well. They dont believe that, they cant pass that, so they have to put the defense bill there. But that cannot support that because again it comes at at the expense, instead of as a source of strength to our country. Democrats simply want action on the critical overdue and bipartisan priorities of the American People. So beautifully spelled out by our Ranking Member, congresswoman lowey. Again, we need funding for Opioid Epidemics. The president talked about that. Show us the money. But Opioid Epidemic claims the live of 115 americans every day and its getting worse every year in every district in the country. Bipartisan support to fight the Opioid Epidemic. Lets do it. We need funding, more funding for veterans to meet our responsibility and ensure that no veteran is denied the care they deserve upon returning from the battlefield. We need emergency disaster funding for all communities ravaged by hurricanes and wildfires. We need to save millions of hardworking americans endangered pensions. We need to pass a bipartisan dream act immediately. This is a moral priority for us. This is about the target of our nation. Who we are as a country. A nation over time constantly invigorated by people coming to our country to seek the american dream. A dream that is predicated on every generation making working to make the future better for the next. A dream that takes determination, optimism, hope, and courage. And then these newcomers come to america with that determination that courage, that optimism, that hope, that they associate themselves with the values of our founders to make the future better for the next generation. These newcomers to america make america more american. Hurdo, we should bring the after aguilar bill to the floor. It was burn. It had bipartisan support on the floor. It would pass. Have the courage to bring a bill that protects the dreamers. To the floor of the house. These priorities that i mentioned are all bipartisan. They would pass if brought to the floor for an up or down vote. The g. O. P. Squandered all their time, energy, and votes and enthusiasm on tax breaks for corporations and the wealthiest, with 86. 3 of the tax bill going to the top 1 . And now plurns need to get serious and get to work on a budget that funds both the military and domestic investments that keep our nation strong. I want to make one point about the tax bill, again. Did you see that the speaker of the house sang the glory of the tax bill because a woman was getting 1. 50 a day more in her paycheck . Id you see that . Do you believe thats a good thing when the top 1 are probably getting 1,500 a week, compared to her 1. 50 a week in her paycheck. Thank god after millions of people objected, the speaker withdrew that tweet but i dont think he withdrew that sentiment because its the same sentiment that haunts all of these negotiations about investing in the American People. Republicans must stop governing from manufacturing crisis to manufactured crisis to crisis and work with democrats to pass many long overdue priorities of the American Peopleful we must abandon, as our distinguished Ranking Member said earlier in her remarks, mrs. Lowey said we must abandon these shortterm bills. She spelled out very clearly why. I associate myself with her remarks. Urge a no vote. I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back her time. The gentlelady from new york reserves her time. And the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Frelinghuysen im pleased to yield three minutes to the chairman they have subcommittee on appropriations, judge john carter from texas. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Carter thank you, mr. Speaker. The secretary of defense this morning testified before the committee on armed services. He remarked if the military is forced to continue to operate under a continuing resolution for the rest of the year, it will be untable provide pay to our brave member and women in uniform. Unable to recruit personnel we need. Unable to maintain our naval ships. Unable to maintain our aircraft. Unable to supply our troops in the theater of combat. And unable to strike contracts critical to modernizing our course. Nable, unable, unable. As congress, it is our responsibility to make our military force the most able in the world. Able to keep our country safe. Able to promote the ideals of freedom across the globe. It would be deeply irresponsible for members of this house to vote against providing fullyear funding to Defense Department which addresses the needs of today and tomorrow, not last year. The secretary was on the hill to discuss something very important, the departments National Defense strategy which seeks to address the significant challenges we face with rising adversaries in china and russia along with enduring threats of Nuclear Armed korea, a terrorist state in iran a terrorist network like isis. And he said, and i quote, i regret that without sustained, predictable appropriations, my presence here today waste yours time. Because no strategy can survive without funding necessary to resource it. Mr. Speaker, this bill funds our military for the year, with funding that addresses the challenges we face today. And separate this is critical funding from the political fight heres in washington, d. C. Our troops need our support for this bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds. Mr. Carter they need what this bill provides. Because of that, i support the bill and urge passage and yield back. Thank you. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas yields back his time. The gentleman from new jersey reserves his time they have gentlelady from new york is recognized. Mrs. Lowey mr. Speaker, im pleased to yield five minutes to the gentleman from indiana, the Ranking Member of the defense subcommittee, mr. Visclosky. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from indiana is recognized for five minutes. Mr. Visclosky thank you very much. The first observation i would make is when i was raised by my parents, i was taught not to wine and not to blame others for problems that arose, but rather to work hard to solve them. I think it is listening pastime for people in this body to blame people in another bdy for the collective inability of the congress of the United States to make a decision about something so important as to budget as the budget of the United States of america. It is a leadership issue. For the democratic leadership and the Republican Leadership of the house to come to an agreement to overturn the caps of the budget control act. It is time for the democratic and Republican Leadership of the senate to do the same and for those two bodies to come to an agreement collectively to meet our constitutional responsibilities. A few days ago, i was on this floor and said that we are confronted with a number of problem with a number problem. That is, what is our total spending for this fiscal year, year in the 129th day of it, for the department of defense. What is the total budget number for all of our domestic spending so that we can have a strong and vibrant economy and people . We still have a number problem. For the we still have a number problem for the sake of this congress, the committee and the work that chairman frelinghuysen and mrs. Lowey and members of our committee have done. Repeatedly, please let us have some leadership. Louis carroll wrote through the Looking Glass and there was an interchange in that story where alice said, in our country, still panting a little, you generally get somewhere else if you run very fast for a long time as we have been doing. A slow sort of country, the red queen said. Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place. In september, we did the first c. R. Through december 8 because it was going to be different then. But we were in the same place. Then, we did a c. R. For december 22, because it was going to be different then. But were in the same place. Then, we did a c. R. For january 19 because it was going to be different in the new year. Were in the same place. Today we have february 8, because it was going to be different on february 8 and now it is going to be the fifth time weve done a continuing resolution to march 23 because its going to be different next month. Thats five. We did our defense appropriations bill. We did it in july. Then, we did it in september. Then, we did it in december. Then, we did it in february. Four times. Between c. R. s repeatedly doing the same defense appropriations bill, weve done it nine times. If we go through this sequence one more time, mr. Speaker, im not going to be able to keep track of my numbers anymore. This is a numbers problem, and i will conclude by noting that i for one did not vote for the budget control act. And i would note that an independently elected congress set it aside for two years because they knew a mistake had been made. Then a subsequently elected congress did away with the budget control act because they had a twoyear deal because they knew they had a mistake. There are negotiations apparently taking place as we meet here today to set it aside for another two years because they know we made a mistake. Within our legislation, because chairman frelinghuysen, mrs. Lowey, my chairwoman, ms. Greaninger, everybody has been on set ms. Granger, everybody has been on setting aside this to fund for defense. How many times does congress has to hit its head with a hammer to in the fix this problem permanently . Three different independently elected congresses have overturned a really rotten bill, and were still in the same place. It is time to stop for the sake of this country. Give the chairman, give the Ranking Member, give the committees in both houses numbers so we can complete our bills. The last time i looked, every department of this country has completed their work on fiscal year 2019, are going to present us with their budgets next week and they dont know what were doing this year. This is unbecoming a great nation. I yield back my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back his time. The gentlelady from new jersey reserves her time. The chair lays before the house n enrolled bill. The clerk senate 534, an act to prevent the sexual abuse of minors and amateur athletes by requiring the prompt reporting of sexual abuse to Law Enforcement authorities, and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from new jersey. Mr. Frelinghuysen mr. Chairman, im pleased to yield two minutes to the chairman of the ways and Means Committee, mr. Brady of texas. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Brady thank you, mr. Speaker. And thank you, chairman, for your leadership and hard work on this effort. For over a year the ways and Means Committee has been leading efforts to advance smart, focused solutions to improve medicare for the American People. A number of these solutions are included in the bill before us today. These policies take action on three primary goals. First, expanding access to highquality care. Secondly, increasing efficiency in the way we deliver care. Key goal that will help patients better receive the care they need when they need it. And third, incorporating Health Care Technologies that are focused on patients such as telehealth and eliminating barriers to coordinating care. This means providing new tools of patients and Health Care Providers can use to better access care and deliver it. At the same time reducing red tape burdens that now make it harder for our local doctors to provide the highquality care our americans deserve. So many of these provisions have support from republicans and democrats and for good reason. These are smart, targeted improvements that will go a long way in helping medicare patients in texas, and frankly, throughout the country. I want to thank all the members of our committee and throughout the house whove worked on these provisions. Improving and strengthening medicare for the long term is a major priority for the American People. With this bill we have an opportunity to take meaningful steps toward this important goal. I urge all my colleagues in joining me in supporting its passage. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas yields back his time. The gentleman from new jersey reserves his time. And the gentlelady from new york is recognized for her time. Mrs. Lowey mr. Speaker, im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentlewoman from ohio, the Ranking Member of the energy and water subcommittee, ms. Kaptur. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from ohio is recognized for two minutes. Ms. Kaptur i thank Ranking Member lowey and rise in opposition to this bill. Our nation really needs to be on an even keel to produce steady Economic Growth in this country. This bill doesnt help that. I agree, america must have a strong defense. But a nation has to be strong at home to be strong abroad. You cant shortchange the home front. Nation at home must be secure. Without wild stock market swings to be strong abroad. A nation at home must be strong , without a massive drug epidemic here at home to be strong abroad. This bill cant produce a steady economy with consistent job growth because it fails to dedicate sufficient resources re at home, to education, to health care, to employment and retraining, for head start, for energy independence, and for Law Enforcement, for localities satisfyaged by the drug epidemic savaged by drug epidemic. Our we need to be on an even keel, not the wild fluctuations in this bill. This bill tilts in the wind far, far starboard, and that is not a setting that can assure a steady ship of state to maintain a steady growth economy. I rise in opposition and i yield back any remaining time to the gentlelady. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from ohio yields back her time. The gentlelady from new Jersey New York reserves her time. And the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Frelinghuysen thank you, mr. Chairman. Im pleased to yield two minutes to the chairman of the Human Resources subcommittee of the house ways and Means Committee, mr. Adrian smith from nebraska. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from nebraska is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Smith thank you, mr. Speaker. And mr. Chairman, i rise in support of this continuing resolution package. While i appreciate this legislation will keep government open, fund Community Health centers for two years and fully fund our military while we continue to work toward a broader budget agreement, i would like to focus on the various ways and Means Committee provisions included in the bill. This legislation includes numerous medicare provisions important to Rural Health Providers and patients, including permanently repealing therapy caps and extending the floor on geographic payment adjustments for rural providers anded aons for rural ambulance providers. Just as importantly, these Health Provisions are paid for without cutting swing bed reimbursements to critical access hospitals, including the 55 critical access hospitals in nebraskas third district, as originally proposed. Im particularly pleased two important improvements to programs within the jurisdiction of the subcommittee on Human Resources, which i chair, are included today. We have much work to do to lift americans out of poverty and into prosperity, and each of these bills will play an important part in that effort. The Family First Prevention Services act reforms our Child Welfare system to reinforce the importance of keeping children with their families whenever possible. We know children who stay with their families have better longterm outcomes than those who move to nonfamily settings and our goal for every program in this space to demonstrate results through empurecal evidence. I want to thank the sponsor of family first, mr. Buchanan, for working to address my concerns about Nurse Staffing requirements which would have been costly to implement for entities like omahabased boys town while providing no tangible improvements to their familydriven model of care. The other h. R. Item in this package, the supporting social partnerships, also moves our Family Support programs to more results driven model by Incentivizing States and local governments to pilot new ideas and verving federal funding until they demonstrate outcomes through rigorous evaluation. We still have more work to do in this space, starting with completing the work begun by this chamber last september when we passed a paid for fiveyear reauthorization. But like the rest of this legislation, these provisions are a down payment on the work we are committed to mr. Frelinghuysen pleased to yield the gentleman another 30 seconds. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from nebraska is recognized for 30 seconds. Mr. Smith i thank everyone i thank the gentleman for the time, and i certainly urge passage of this bill and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from nebraska yields back his time. The gentleman from new jersey reserves her time. The gentlelady from new york is recognized. Mrs. Lowey mr. Speaker, im pleased to yiled two minutes to the gentlelady from connecticut, the Ranking Member subcommittee, ms. Delauro. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from connecticut is recognized for two minutes. Ms. Delauro i rise to strongly oppose this continuing resolution. I cannot support a bill that flies in the face of responsible governing. This is pure incompetence. How many times are we going to do this . This is our fifth shortterm spending bill since september. How many times will we punt our priorities, lurching from one selfinflicted wound to another . That is exactly what this continuing resolution represents a failure to govern. It is shameful that yet again we neglect our core obligation as a congress, which is to Fund Government programs. We should be voting on new top line spending levels for 2018 that alleviates sequestration for both nondefense and defense spending. We should have spent the last few months fulfilling our responsibility as legislators by writing bipartisan bills to Fund Programs that help the middle class and the vulnerable, support evidencebased scientific research, help working people get the skills they need to find good jobs and get good wages. Instead, the majority forced through their tax scam for millionaires and billionaires. They became the first party to ever control both chambers of congress and the white house and yet they shut down the government. And today, the president of the United States says that he supports a Government Shutdown. The republican majoritys failed to respond to the needs of the American People. Instead of working with democrats to set budget numbers and ensure parity, equal for defense spending and nondefense spending, they have put the government on autopilot. They put services and investments that are critical to our families, to our communities at grave risk. From apresentishships, childcare, apprenticeships, childcare, afternoonschool families, Financial Aid for students who are attending college. Instead, they are forcing through another continuing resolution, this time cutting almost 3 billion from the Prevention Fund over the next 10 years the speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expired. The gentlelady is recognized for one minute. Ms. Delauro cutting 3 billion from the Prevention Fund over the next 10 years on top of the 750 million they cut in december. We are talking about cuts to programs that improve our Public Health immunization infrastructure. At a time when the flu is rampant in this country, as well as cuts to lead poisoning prevention programs that seek to prevent and ultimately eliminate childhood lead poisoning. Programs like these and others in the Prevention Fund save billions of taxpayer dollars to prevent the disease before think occur. You put Health Care Centers, Community Health centers, you pit them against he the Prevention Fund. Take the money. Take the money from the 1. 5 trillion that you gave to the richest people in this country, the millionaires, the billionaires, and the richest corporations. Dont take it from Childrens Health. Dont take it from the Health Care Centers and dont take it from the Prevention Fund. Its unacceptable because here we talk about peoples lives. I urge my colleagues, reject this continuing resolution. It fails to meet our obligation to the American People. The speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expired. The gentlelady from new york reserves her time. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Frelinghuysen mr. Chairman, mr. Frelinghuysen i yield two minutes to mr. Barton from texas. Bart bart i thank the distinguished appropriations chairman. I rise in support of this continuing resolution. We would rather fund the government for the entire year before the start of the fiscal year, but thats in a perfect world. And one thing the congress has never been accused of is being in a perfect world. To my good friend from connecticut that just spoke, i would point out that the bill before us doesnt cut money from money on ut directs the Prevention Fund. It is takeic some discretion and directing that spending that congress thinks it should be spent for. One of the programs we are going to fund for two years is the Community Health centers. 24 Million People each year get their health care from these Community Health centers and one county. S in my home the hope clinic. Ut in my hometown, we have the a nmp nex. These two clinics are providing health care for over 10,000 people in the county. This is not exotic care. It is checkups and screenings and mammograms and all the odds and ends that you have in your basic health care facilities. If they need more specific treatment, they are referred to special lifts in the dallasfort worth area. But for the 10,000 citizens that depend on hope, this is a big bill. The executive director was in my office today saying we want to expand, but we dont know if we will have the funds that we need to some certainty. I rise in strong support and i would urge a yes vote on the c. R. Later this evening. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from new jersey reserves. The gentlelady from new york. Mrs. Lowey i yield two minutes to the the gentlewoman from from california, a senior member, ms. Lee. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Lee i thank the the gentlewoman from new york. As a member of the Appropriations Committee and Budget Committee i rise in strong opposition to this continuing resolution. This bill kicks the can down the road down the road for the fifth time and shamelessly includes a standalone defense spending ll of 659 billion to an out of control pentagon budget. It includes 75 billion for wars that congress has never debated or voted on. And it includes 1 billion in funds to increase troop levels in affle by 3,500 not to mention the billions in waste, fraud and abuse that the taxpayers have already lost by irresponsible pentagon spending. Republicans control the house, the senate and the white house. Least they could do is keep the government open. We stand once again with no deal on dreamers and no agreement on a longterm spending bill. Republicans have no strategy on funding the government. C. R. Uld prefer to pass after c. R. After c. R. How long will republicans govern from crisis to crisis. No one can budget like the republicans are governing. This ignores urgent bipartisan priorities. The democrats have been fighting for it for months. The most urgent is passing a clean dream act. Dackave recipients are american in every way except on paper. We have less than one month until daca expires, a deadline that the president himself created. This continuing resolution is morally bankrupt and fails to honor the protective status for immigrants and fails to raise the budget caps. This continuing resolution fails to honor the trare protective status for immigrants and fails to raise the caps and neglects to provide funding for hurricane and wildfireimpacted communities and our veterans. This bill underscores the majoritys complete lack of regard for struggling americans and families. These leave the American People out on a limb with no confidence in their federal government. This resolution makes it clear that is just what republicans want to do. They sent us to gomp in their best interest. Now we have spent the last four months passing shortterm spending bills and for what . Because republicans refuse to do their job. Instead of wasting more time on this terrible c. R. , we should deal with our bipartisan priorities and fund the government for the longterm. Its the right thing to do for our country. Mr. Speaker, i urge a no vote on this bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yield back. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Frelinghuysen i yield to representative bilirakis. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from florida is recognized for one minute. Mr. Bilirakis thanks for doing an outstanding job this year passing all 12 Appropriations Bills. Mr. Speaker, i support passage of this c. R. Which includes three provisions of mine and reauthorize the Community Health centers for the next two years. Community Health Centers have a track record of providing High Quality Health Care to approximately 25 million america answer that have endured bipartisan support because they are a prime example of what is working in our health care system. The c. R. Updates the civil and criminal penalties in the medicare and medicaid programs, many havent been updated in 20 years. And repeals the medicare therapy cap. This will ensure that patients who need physical speech or Occupational Therapy services can receive them without losing their benefits if they hit an arbitrary cap. This is so important. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from new york. Mrs. Lowey im pleased to yield two minutes to the the gentlewoman from minnesota, the Ranking Member of the interior subcommittee, ms. Mccollum. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i thank our Ranking Member for the time. I rise in opposition to this legislation a misguided bill that ignores the needs. The federal government fiscal 2017. Arted october 1, 128 days ago. Instead of using that time to get their work done, republicans have focused on partisan politics. When it comes to the spongesbilities of funding, republicans cant be bothered. We are asked today to vote for a bill that funds the pentagon for the rest of the year while funding our schools and our hospitals for just 43 days. Mr. Speaker, our National Security against at home with investments in the future that keeps our families and communities safe, strong and moving forward. And this bill ignores those needs. It provides no certainty for Law Enforcement professionals, no longterm funding for urgent repairs to our infrastructure, no confidence for investments and life saving medical research and doesnt provide a full year funding for Veterans Health care. While it is encouraging that they are reauthorizing vital health care, paying these programs with cuts to the c. D. C. , which is currently providing life saving vaccines in this severe flu season is the hype of irresponsibility. That is no way to run the government. Under republican control that is what were getting. Unlike the president , i do not want a Government Shutdown. We need a budget agreement that protects our National Security and meets our commitments to hardworking families. Lets stop playing games and get on to our work and get to it now. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentlelady from new york reserves. And the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Frelinghuysen i yield two minutes to the gentleman from georgia. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Carter i thank the gentleman for yielding. What this means for our country and our constituents, this continuing resolution we are considering includes a number of Health Provisions that are desperately needed. Under this legislation, well see a twoyear extension of federally qualified Health Centers that employ 190,000 people and serve over 24 Million People across the country. There is a twoyear extension of Public Health programs such as the National HealthService Corps and graduate medical education, family to family ealth information centers. Additionally, this helps by eliminating the 5 billion for disproportionate share hospitals that were included in the a. C. A. Many provisions will include Public Health. This legislation pushes through a permanent repeal of the medicare payment cap for Therapy Services meaning that patients will have better access to important medical devices. All of these efforts wouldnt be possible without chairman walden and chairman burgess. Now is the time to Work Together to ensure that these bills are passed into law and that is why i urge my colleagues to support this bill. Thank you, mr. Speaker. And i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from new jersey reserves. The gentlelady from new york is recognized. Mrs. Lowey im very pleased to yield 2 1 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from florida, the Ranking Member of the Veterans Affairs subcommittee, ms. Wasserman schultz. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized. Schultz schultz i thank the ms. Wasserman schultz i thank the gentlelady. I rise in strong opposition to this continuing resolution which yet again is a complete and total abdication of our responsibilities. For the fifth time, republicans are asking us to fund the government for another flip of the calendar. The last time they dragged us down this path of incompetence, we had the complete shutdown. Yet here we are again left with this ludicrous approach of funding the u. S. Government month to month while ignoring the pressing issues. Today, we have heard republicans may endless lip service to their devotion to military spending and that funding is vital. What republicans havent mentioned that this is going to ob noncrucial defense budgets, veterans, homeland security, counterterrorism and state Department Programs will be ignored. Thats why democrats are asking for a compromise to raise the spending caps that are unreasonable. That is because we want a Strong National defense and we need qual increases in our domestic budget so families can feel safe and financially secure. Join us in confronting the shortfall at the v. A. So no veteran is denied. We need recovery funds for the texas, florida, puerto rico and the u. S. Virgin islands and the areas impacted by wildfires. We want republicans to fight opioid and protect pensions and do what americans want us to do, pass a clean dream act. Dont tell me we dont have the funds. His Congress Gave out a huge standout. But this resolution fails to address those needs of the people that sent us here. We must end this cycle of budgetary neglect. I urge my colleagues to vote no. And i yield back. Im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from panama city, florida. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from twhra the gentleman from florida is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Dunn thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, our troops comprise the most professional, highly trained and dedicated military force that the world has ever seen. They have pledged their lives, the wellbeing of their families, and their sacred honor to serve and protect this nation. Yet here we are, over a month into 2018, and our military and our National Security are being held hostage by our colleagues across the aisle over unrelated issues. Its time for the senate to get its act together. The house has passed the full defense funding three times this year. And tonight whether he pass it a fourth time. It is wrong for us to send our best young men and women into harms way without the resources that they need. Asking them to make up with their efforts and their risks for our shortcomings. Mr. Speaker, i urge my colleagues to support this funding legislation and prove to our troops that we have their backs. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from new jersey reserves. The gentlelady from new york. Mrs. Lowey mr. Speaker, im very pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, the Ranking Member of the committee on energy and commerce, mr. Pallone. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey is recognized, for two minutes. Mr. Pallone thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleague from new york, the Ranking Member. I rise in opposition to h. R. 1892. Im disappointed that once again my republican colleagues are playing politics with important Health Programs. Rather than bringing a standalone, Bipartisan Health extenders package to the floor, the republicans have once again delayed any action on these extenders so that they could attach them to a c. R. That democrats cannot support. This strategy may hide their inability to pass a final funding bill for fiscal year that began on october 1. But it has also created uncertainty for the millions of americans who rely on these programs every day. Im glad that republicans have dropped some of the harmful offsets that have led to months of delay and uncertainty for these Health Programs. However, i remain concerned that the package excludes Important Health priorities, including the maternal infant and early chiledehood Home Visiting program childhood Home Visiting program, the Health Opportunity grant program, and the increased funding that is desperately needed to combat the ongoing opioid crisis. The c. R. Poses a serious threat to Public Health, because it cuts 2. 85 billion from the Prevention Fund. And these funds are critical to keeping americans healthy. The Prevention Fund funds vaccines for children, lead poisoning prevention, opioid prevention, and response to diabetes, Heart Disease and other prevention programs. And im also concerned with the medicaid cuts in this package. Republicans have included over 10 billion in medicaid cuts, including new money from the medicaid improvement fund. We should also reject the prioritization of funding for the Defense Department at the expense of all of our domestic needs. So i urge my colleagues to vote no. Its the only way were going to guarantee that ultimately these Health Programs are funded and we dont rely so much on the Prevention Fund. I yield back, mr. Chairman. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentlelady from new york reserves. The gentleman from new jersey is recognize. Mr. Frelinghuysen im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentlewoman from tennessee, mrs. Blackburn. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from tennessee is recognized for two minutes. Mrs. Black thank you, mr. Chairman mrs. Blackburn thank you, mr. Chairman. It is so interesting to listen to this debate. So i just want to make three poinlts. First, on the military points. First, on the military funding, i represent fort campbell. And when you walk on that post and talk to the men and women in uniform, and talk to them about their readiness training, their redeployment training, you know what they tell news is give us certainty in funding tell us . Give us certainty in funding. Thats exactly what we are doing. Providing that certainty that they need to defend us. To protect us. They deserve it and they deserve our best efforts. , so i find so i find it so curious that there would be opposition to funding our military. The second point, the Community Health centers. Now, many of my colleagues may come from urban areas. I have a rural district. Community Health Centers are vitally important to constituents, to tennesseans, who want the access to care. And seek the education to know how to take better care of themselves and their families. Lets give them this funding. Two years of certainty that is necessary. And third, legislation that i have authored and worked on is included in the medicare therapy cap provision. Have you ever talked to a senior , as i have, who had a stroke, who is seeking Speech Therapy or physical therapy from a hip replacement or a fall . And there is a cap, an arbitrary cap. And it runs out. And they can no longer seek that medical attention, which is necessary for a full and complete recovery and a quality of life that they desire and that they deserve. This is something that our committee has worked on, to provide for seniors. Mr. Frelinghuysen id be pleased to yield another minute to the gentlewoman. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from tennessee is recognized for one minute. Mrs. Blackburn this is something that allows them to have that quality of life. Why would you vote against lifting these caps . And giving seniors what they deserve . They have paid for medicare through their working life. What they are seeking is to be able to have a full recovery. It is not only the appropriate thing to do. This is something that adds to the quality of life. Just as keeping these Community Health centers funded enriches our communities, it enriches rural america. And i close with reiterating the int, out of fairness, out of respect, out of loyalty to those who put on the uniform to defend , let us join together and vote to fund the military and to support their efforts to defend this nation. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from tennessee yields back. The gentleman from new jersey reserves. The gentlelady from new york. Mrs. Lowey i reserve. The speaker pro tempore reserves. The gentleman from new jersey. Mr. Frelinghuysen mr. Chairman, im pleased to yield two minutes to the chairman of the energy and Commerce Committee, mr. Walden of oregon, for as much time as he wishes to consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from oregon is recognized for as much time as he wishes to use. Mr. Walden thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to thank the chairman of the house Appropriations Committee and his great staff who have worked diligently for, well, all year. Month after month after month. They approved five months ago next week all 12 appropriation bills. One after another, regular order through the house of representatives. And there they sit over in the senate. Where the democrats block them. What brings us here today is really important work. What brings us here today, we are taking care of significant Public Health care issues. We are fully funding for the next two years Community Health centers. Now, ive heard from my colleagues about the things that arent in this bill, they wish they were. So thats why theyre going to vote no. Or some other thing thats not even before us and thats why theyre going to vote no. But lets talk about whats actually before us. Whats before us is taking care of our men and women in uniform and their needs, especially when theyre in harms way. And fund really, really important Public Health programs that used to always be bipartisan. Lets talk about those. The Valley Family health care in ontario. Winding Waters Health Center up in walawa county. Ive visited both of these recently. Theyre on the front lines of health care prevention. Theyre on the front lines of saving lives and helping children and adults. Or the clinic down ined meford, ashland area. In fact, in my district we have 12 federally qualified Health Centers, 63 delivery sites, that give care for 240,000 oregonians. 24 million nationwide are served by this. On november 3 this house had the opportunity to fully fund those Community Health centers for two years and take care of Childrens Health insurance and a lot of other of these programs. And it was a separate bill brought to the house floor. And a handful of democrats broke with their party and voted with us. But unfortunately when it got to the senate, they couldnt be freed up to support it. So we had to come back on the last continuing resolution and fully fund Childrens Health insurance program. Not sure Many Democrats voted for that here unfortunately. But here we are today, same process. Same situation. To fund Community Health centers. So were going to do that. Your choice when you vote yes or no, do you want the Community Health centers funded or not, do you want to shut the government or not, do you want to take care of our military or not . Then theres the disproportionate share hospitals, what are those . Those are the hospitals in our districts and states that take care of disproportionately more poor people than other hospitals. And under the Affordable Care act or obamacare or however you want to describe it, there was prescribed in law automatic cuts to these hospitals that take care of the poorest of the poor in our communities. Those cuts totaled 2 billion and in this legislation, as in the legislation we brought from the energy and Commerce Committee on november 3, we turn ff those cuts. If youre in ontario, that in oregon is the most affected hospital, im told. And they will lose money and have to decide how they cope with that. We solve that here. For two years. 6. 8 million in my state. And then we extend the special diabetes programs, for heavens sakes, we should be able to come together in this chamber and in this congress to take care of people with diabetes. My grandfather lost both legs due to diabetes. They were amputated. I have other relatives that have dealt with diabetes and still do to this day. And good friends whose kids do. So for our native americans and for others, we have two separate programs. And we fully fund them, we tie them together. Thats done in this legislation. 50,000 people in my district have diabetes. My hunch is all of our districts are not dissimilar from that. We take care of those people in this legislation. And then we take care of therapy caps. Since 1997, when this law was put in place, people who needed physical therapy, my colleague from tennessee talked about it, stroke victims, seniors who need therapy, rather than the physical therapist, the speech therapist saying, heres the program you need to get well, get on your feet, recover from whatever it is that afflicts you, the government put an arbitrary cap in and that was it. Youre done. Whether you are done or not. And everybody is different in terms of recovery. We repeal the therapy caps in here. And by the way, weve heard about all these things that now wont get funded because a part of the funding for this comes out of the public Prevention Fund. 2. 85 billion is not insignificant. Its true. But were applying that money to health prevention, Community Health centers. As we did before for Childrens Health insurance program. Were providing it for diabetes help. Were removing the physical therapy caps so people can get well. That seems to me to be pretty good use of the Prevention Fund. And oh, by the way, during the same period were spending 2. 85 billion out of that, there will still remain 12 billion, 12 billion are left, and the talented folks at the Appropriations Committee will decide how that moneys spent. On vaccines and on all these other issues. All these things we care about. Theres still 12 billion left in here. So were using discretionary funds that were set aside for health care and Preventive Care for that very purpose here. And then we heard about some medicaid cuts. Well, let me tell you what those are. We said, if youre a big lottery winner, maybe now that youve won a big prize you shouldnt be on government funded medicaid. Cause by the way you won a about a zillion dollars. So were taking bazillion dollars. So were taking those winners and saying that. Then we said on Third Party Liability that if insurers actually are responsible for the cost, insurers should pay the cost, rather than the taxpayers. So we make a little reform here that puts the insurers first to pay rather than the taxpayers. So, mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Youve done marvelous work here. We should mr. Frelinghuysen reclaiming my time. I thank the gentleman from oregon. I reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new jersey reserves. The gentlelady from new york. Mrs. Lowey im going to close, mr. Chairman. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from new york wishes to close. Mr. Frelinghuysen i think i reserve the right to close on a statement. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from new york is recognized. Rs. Lowey my friends, this is latest example of the republicans being incapable of governing. We must finish our work. And i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields back. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Mr. Frelinghuysen the Administration Policy says it supports this continuing resolution and the advisers would recommend his signature on the bill. I ask that the statement of Administration Policy dated february 6, 2018, be included in the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection, so ordered. Mr. Frelinghuysen i urge all of my colleagues to support this continuing resolution to keep the government open for business until march 23 and to support our men and women in the armed services, current government funding current government funding runs out thursday. The house voted to fund the government through march 23. The legislation now heading for action in the u. S. Senate. Live coverage of the house on cspan and the senate on cspan2. Cspans washington journal, live with news and policy issues that impact you. Coming wednesday morning, Oklahoma Republican congressman Steve Russell will join us to discuss the latest on the deal to avoid a Government Shutdown in the governments waste watch report. Then we are live from jackson, mississippi for the next stop on the cspan 50 capitals tour. Joining us will be attorney general jim hood, talking about key policy issues in his state. Democratic congresswoman Carolyn Maloney on efforts to avoid a Government Shutdown this week, and volatility in u. S. Financial markets. Be sure to watch cspans washington journal. Join the discussion. Wednesday, a hearing on military leader misconduct focusing on prevention and accountability. Well have it live coverage starting at 9 00 am eastern on cspan3. The Defense Departments role in countering weapons of mass destruction is the focus of a Committee Hearing wednesday. The committee is examining pentagon strategy on potential threats from north korea and terrorist groups. See a live starting at 2 30 p. M. Eastern