Subjugation of others on the basis of race. Unfortunately, that same Confederate Flag flew on the grounds of the State Capitol amidst the funeral of a state senator and dedicated pastor who taught that we are all god ose children as the historic emanuel a. M. E. Church. We have come a long way in america but we still have a long way to go in our march toward a more perfect union. Racial hatred continues to adversely impact our society and people of good will must unite to eradicate it. Limiting the use of federal funds for purchase or display of the Confederate Flag is an important step in that direction. Earlier today lawmakers in South Carolina from both sides of the aisle came together to support removing the confederate battle flag from their State Capitol grounds. This evening, the United States house of representatives has the opportunity to further limit the public display of this divisive symbol that is so closely associated with defense of the institution of slavery. I thank the chairman and Ranking Member for their consideration, for the aforementioned reasons, i urge my colleagues to support the amendment and i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman reserves. Does any member rise in opposition to the amendment . The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Jeffries i yield to the distinguished gentlelady from minnesota. The chair the gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i am very happy that this opportunity has been presented for us to have a discussion on the house floor, and the National Park service doing the right thing about the removal of this symbol of whats become abrasive hate speech and i thank the gentleman for bringing forward the amendment and rise in support of it. Mr. Jeffries i thank the gentlelady for her support and yield back the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman yields back. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from new york. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The amendment is agreed to. For what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition . I have an amendment at the desk. The chair the clerk will report the amendment. The clerk amendment by mr. Smith of texas. At the end of the bill before the short title, insert the following. None of the funds made available by this act may be used by the Environmental Protection agency to impose, finalize, implement or revise any regulation in which the data relied on is subject to o. M. B. Circular a110 and is withheld in contravention of the freedom of information act or if the Science Advisory Board of the Environmental Protection agency fails to provide scientific advice as may be requested on such regulation to the congress in contravention of section 4365 of title 42, United States code. The chair pursuant to House Resolution 333, the gentleman from texas and a member opposed each will control five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. Mr. Smith this amendment reflects the Core Principles of two bills passed by the house earlier this year with bipartisan support h. R. 1029, the e. P. A. Science Advisory Board reform act, and h. R. 1030, the secret science reform act. Im pleased to be joined by the science committees former environment subcommittee chairman representative David Schweikert who sponsored the original version of the secret science bill in 2014. The amendment requires the Environmental Protection agency to base its regulations on publicly available data that can be verified. Why would the Administration Want to hide this information from the American People . We must make sure that federal regulations are based on science that is available for independent review. Many americans are unaware that some of the e. P. A. s most expensive and burdensome regulations such as its po posed climate and ozone rules are based on underlying data that not even the e. P. A. Has seen. This amendment ensures that the decisions that affect every american are based on indently independently verified research instead of on secret data hidden from the American People. Thats called a scientific method. This amendment also assures that the e. P. A. Science Advisory Board is able to provide meaningful, balanced and independent assessments of the Science Behind the e. P. A. Regulation. The e. P. A. Frequently undermines the s. A. B. s independence and prevents it from being able to provide advice to congress. As a result the value juble ad valuable advice these experts can provide is often ignore or silenced. The publics right to know must be protected in a democracy. This amendment ensures that happens. The e. P. A. Has a responsibility to be open and transparent with the people it serves and whose money it uses. Anyone who supports Government Transparency and accountability should be able to support this amendment. It helps e. P. A. And the Obama Administration keep their promise to be open and honest with the American People. Mr. Chairman i yield whatever time he may consume to the appropriations subcommittee chairman, ken cowart the gentleman from california. Mr. Cowart i rise in support of this amendment having chaired that subcommittee for six years mr. Calvert i rise in support of this amendment, having chaired that subcommittee for six years i think the bills passed by the House Science Committee earlier this year, i voted for them both times. I think its a good amendment. I aurge urge an aye vote. Mr. Smith i thank the gentleman for his comments. I reserve. The chair does the gentlelady rise in opposition in ms. Mccollum yes, mr. Chairman i claim time in opposition. The chair the gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Mccollum the gentlemans amendment seeks to stop the Environmental Protection agency from issuing regulations through two different measures. The first would prevent e. P. A. From issuing regulations if the data is withheld under the freedom of information act. Second it would withhold regulations if the agencys Science Advisory Board doesnt provide the requested advice and information to congress. I would like to take a moment to address each of these issues fully. Last year, for example, the e. P. A. Received 10,500 foia requests, freedom of information requests, for an average of or an average of 40 per work day. These requests require nearly 11 million in personnel costs to process. Yet the e. P. A. Receives less than 1 million to collect fees for these requests. So they get 11 million in personnel costs to process yet they get less than 1 million to collect the fees for these requests. So you can simply do the math, theres only nine allowable exemptions under the law that would prevent the e. P. A. From complying with foia requests in the first place and these exemptions range from classified National DefenseForeign Relations information the confidential business information, and matters of personal privacy something we discuss in this room all the time. So the amendment is simply another attempt to stop the e. P. A. From issuing regulations. Many which are required by law. And are designed to improve human health and the environment. Now, that was in regard to the first point. About e. P. A. Issuing regulations. The freedom of information act. Lack of funding available to do it. And then theyre following the laws with the nine exemptions. With regards to the Science Advisory Boards, let me remind my colleagues that these boards are comprised of nearly four dozen experts from academia. There are academics from the university of texas, Health Science cent for the houston the Environmental Systems and Research Institute in redlands, california and from the university of minnesota, my home state. Now, in my opinion its very disengenerals you to suggest that this Advisory Board would withhold information to the congress. So i urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment which simply puts two more roadblocks in the e. P. A. s regulations. With that, i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentlelady reserves. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Smith i yield myself 15 seconds simply to point out that this amendment does not prevent the e. P. A. From issuing any regulations. In fact it doesnt take a position on regulations. It simply says if the underlying data that the e. P. A. Is using to justify regulations needs to be made public. I dont know who could oppose transparency and honesty by this administration. Ill reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman reserves. The gentlelady from minnesota is recognized. Ms. Mccollum reserve. The chair the gentlelady reserves. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Smith we have one remaining speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentleman wishes to recognize the gentleman from arizona. Mr. Smith sfok conclude the debate on the amendment. The chair the gentlelady from minnesota has the right to close. Mr. Smith ok. The chair the gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Mccollum i reserve me balance of my time, i have the right to close. Mr. Smith i yield the balance of my time to the gentleman, mr. Schweikert a former chairman of the science committee, now a member of the Financial Services committee. The chair the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Schweikert can i inquire in the remaining time . The chair 45 seconds. Mr. Schweikert this amendment is based on the o. M. B. Circular that said this data is supposed to be public. Number two the release of data if youre making rules, does not preassume that the reg is too tough too little, too soft. What it means is if youre going to be doing public policy, public policy, doesnt the public deserve access to public data . Because theres lots of smart people out there on the left and the right or just academia that should have this information this raw data, to decide, are we doing it the most rational, the most powerful way . With that, i yield back, mr. Chairman. The chair the gentlemans time has expired. The gentlelady is recognized. Ms. Mccollum thank you, mr. Chairman. I would like to reiterate. There are only nine allowable exemptions under this law that would prevent the e. P. A. From complying with foia requests. They range from classified National DefenseForeign Relations information, confidential business information, and matters of personal privacy system of once again, mr. Chairman, i urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment which simply works to put roadblocks in front of the e. P. A. Ever being able to issue a regulation. With that, i yield back. The chair the gentlelady yields back. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from texas. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair the ayes have it. The cement the amendment is agreed to. For what purpose does the gentlelady from california seek recognition . I have an amendment at the desk. The chair the clerk will report the amendment. The clerk amendment offered by ms. Speer of california. At the end of the bill before the short spitele title insert the following limitation of use of funds, section, none of the funds made available by this act may be used to implement, administer or enforce the rule following the Environmental Impact statement for the dog Management Plan plan s. E. I. S. , Golden Gate National reck rational area, ggnra, california 78 fed reg 55094, september 9, 2013. The chair for what purpose does the gentleman rise . Mr. Calvert i reserve a point of order. The chair the point of order is reserved. The chair pursuant to House Resolution 333 the gentlelady from new york and the gentleman from california is recognized for the gentleman from california is recognized the gentlelady the gentleman from california is recognized for five minutes the gentlelady from california is recognized for five minutes. Thank you mr. Chairman. Roof. Thats what my dog, buddy, does when he wants to go out for a walk. And thats what dogs throughout the bay area have been accustomed to doing in the Golden Gate NationalRecreation Area for decades. Ms. Speier i, like them, believe that the ggnra should be able to afford the opportunity for people to recreate, whether one wants to watch a bird, ride a horse walk a path, or climb a hill. Some of these uses are incompatible but that doesnt mean we shouldnt we should ban them. That means that we should create opportunities for all. In my district, the ggnra has zero offleash dog areas. Closing down one site that has been in operation for over many decades. This public land provides muchneeded recreational space in a densely populated bay area. Today that access is at risk. The National Park service is trying to dramatically change how it manages recreational areas in the bay area by turning a majority of open space in the ggnra into what are called controlled zones, where visitors access visitorsa access and activities could be visitors access and activities could be highly restricted. Hiking, surfing, bike riding horse back riding and dog walking. The bay area is densely populated and open space is precious. For many the ggnra is the only option for time outdoors. My amendment would slow the National ParkServices Regulatory overreach and ensure that people in the bay area continue to have recreational access to these urban parks. People and nature arent incompatible. We can be good stewards and also allow those in the ggnra to have access to this very, very beautiful area. I ask for an aye vote. Mr. Chairman, i reserve the balance of my time. The chair the gentlelady reserves. The gentleman from california is recognized. Mr. Calvert i first would like to say that im very sympathetic to i insist on my point of order. The chair the gentleman will state his point of order. Mr. Calvert mr. Chairman, i make a point of order against the amendment because it proposes to change existing law and constitute legislation in an appropriation bill, therefore it violates clause 2 of rule 21. The rule states in pertinent part, an amendment to a general appropriation bill shall not be in order in changing existing law. The amendment requires a new determination. I ask for a ruling from the chair. The chair do other members wish to be heard . This includes language requires a new determination as to whether a rule follows a specified Environmental Impact statement. The amendment therefore constitutes legislation in violation of clause 2 of rule 21. The point of order is sustained and the amendment is not in order. For what purpose does the gentleman from South Carolina seek recognition . Mr. Chairman, i have an amendment at the desk at the desk. The chair the clerning will report the amendment. The clerk amendment offered by mr. Rice from South Carolina. Insert the following, limitation on use of funds for offshore oil and gas leasing. Section, none of the funds made available by this act may be used to issue any oil and gas lease under the 20172022 outer Continental Shelf oil and Gas Leasing Program unless the secretary of the interior has entered into revenue sharing agreement with each affected state. The chair pursuant to House Resolution 333, the gentleman from South Carolina and a member opposed each will control five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from the gentleman from california is recognized. Mr. Calvert i must reserve a point of order. The chair without objection reserved. The chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina. Mr. Rice mr. Speaker, my amendment withholds funding for permitting of offshore Oil Exploration until the secretary of interior reaches reserve knew sharing agreements with the coastal states. The bureau of ocean, ocean Energy Managements 20172022 outer couldnt neble shelf oil and Gas Leasing Program opens the regions to oil and Gas Development after several decades of being off limits. While advanced drilling techniques and spill response have made environmentally safe access to oil and gas reserves in the atlantic possible coastal states should consider and prepare for impacts that offshore Energy Development present. Sharing of revenues with coastal states will help address the risk and responsibilities that states and coastal counties assume with offshore Energy Development. These revenues would help state governments expand Coastal