Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act of 2021

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5679) to make technical amendments to update statutory references to certain provisions classified to title 7, title 20, and title 43, United States Code.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5679.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as I explained during consideration of H.R. 5677, this bill has been prepared by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel and makes a number of conforming changes to statutes that

have been impacted by OLRC's editorial reclassification of titles 7, 20, and 43 of the United States Code.

As I described previously, the statutory changes made by this bill are purely technical in nature and they do not change the meaning or effect of any existing laws.

I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jones) for introducing this legislation, I urge all Members to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as important as this legislation is, my brief remarks were enough to explain the bill for the record.

Therefore, with the time remaining, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Perry Apelbaum for more than 30 years of tireless service to the House Judiciary Committee.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, the Judiciary Committee is entrusted with a wide and diverse set of issues, ranging from constitutional law and the Federal criminal code to immigration and intellectual property.

In his three decades with the committee, as a trusted counsel and staff director, Perry has left his mark on nearly every area of law within that broad jurisdiction: protecting the right to vote, securing our basic civil liberties, and holding the powerful to account where necessary.

All of official Washington knows Perry as a brilliant attorney, a selfless friend, and a voice of calm in a crisis. He earned that reputation leading the country through some of the toughest moments in our recent history.

He has worked as senior staff on three impeachments. He coauthored three books with his longtime boss, Chairman John Conyers, Jr.: ``What Went Wrong in Ohio,'' ``The Constitution in Crisis,'' and ``Reining in the Imperial Presidency.''

After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Perry worked across the aisle to keep us safe in a manner that would be consistent with our civil liberties.

After the attacks of January 6, 2021, he spent many sleepless nights ensuring that our democratic institutions would endure.

What strikes me, Mr. Speaker, is that Perry's most important and lasting contributions to the committee have gone to secure a better life for the Americans who need our help most. These accomplishments include the Innocence Protection Act, the Matthew Shepherd-James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, the Second Chance Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, and the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

All told, these accomplishments have benefited countless citizens. They have made our social contract more just and our justice system more fair. Mr. Speaker, the Talmud teaches us that whosoever saves one life has saved an entire world. By this measure, worlds upon worlds owe a debt of gratitude to Perry Apelbaum.

Perry is, of course, far from finished in his work for the American people. He has told us repeatedly that he intends ``to run all the way through the tape'' on his last days on Capitol Hill.

He leaves us with a clear sense of mission. He has laid the groundwork for our most important prerogatives, including but not limited to comprehensive police reform, commonsense checks on the scourge of gun violence, and the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act.

Perry will continue his public service in the Department of Justice as a senior counsel in the Antitrust Division. He has already proven himself a committed advocate for American consumers. His sense of fairness in matters of antitrust law is unwavering, and our loss will be the Department's gain.

Of course, we owe our thanks to Perry's beloved wife, Laura Apelbaum, and his two children, Benjamin and Sarah. There is no question that they have sustained Perry, in good times and bad, through these many years.

But most of all, Mr. Speaker, we owe our thanks to Perry Apelbaum. His departure marks the end of an era on Capitol Hill. Our parting is bittersweet, but we are so grateful for his leadership, and we wish Perry nothing but the best as he takes on this new challenge on behalf of the American people. Please join me in thanking Perry for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this is a technical correction bill, but it is well-needed. The minority has not only no objection, but we fully support its passage.

I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.