I'm particularly pleased to have the opportunity to introduce him here today.

I'm pleased that the rule has been finalized, as it will provide more certainty for those working to develop medical countermeasures to protect American people.

I am particularly concerned by the fact that they attempted to achieve this by driving a wedge between the agriculture and maritime communities, while using scarce food aid funding to do it.

I strongly urge you to reject the dangerous arguments made by those seeking an end to in-kind food aid and cargo preference and continue the steadfast, bipartisan support the United States Merchant Marine has enjoyed from Congress for over…

I want to thank my friend, Chairman Duncan Hunter, along with our other colleagues on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, for their willingness to examine these issues with us.

Given the interconnectedness of our maritime security and food aid programs, undermining one ultimately jeopardizes both.

This joint hearing of the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture... will come to order.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, November 13, the world was reminded once again that freedom has its foes when Islamic State militants killed 129 people and injured hundreds more in coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris. As we mourn those whose…

Does that also give online video distributors a competitive advantage over traditional distributors, as OVDs would not be overburdened by the rules?

A call that used to cost as much as $14 per minute now costs 11 cents per minute.

This is very important to me, and it is important to members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Let me first direct my question to you, Chairman Wheeler.

If this approach does not honor licensing terms that are negotiated between programmers and MVPDs, how would that affect the diversity of programming available to consumers?

Does that serve the public interest?

Mr. President, I have the sad duty to report to the Senate the passing of the first lady of North Carolina, Dorothy ``Dot'' Helms. Mrs. Helms was known to many in this body as the ever gracious wife of my illustrious predecessor, Senator…

Mr. President, I will close by saying that I hope we all remember another great North Carolinian who was buried just today, Congressman Howard Coble. He served 5 years in the North Carolina House and 30 years in the U.S. House of…

Mr. Speaker, ensuring Americans are capable of filling the skills gap and finding quality jobs through stakeholder-led and accountable workforce development programs has been one of my highest priorities in Washington. That is why I was so…

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the inaugural observance of National Apprenticeship Week. Across the United States, hundreds of thousands of apprenticeship programs are helping to prepare workers for today's high-skilled, in-demand…