H.Res. 1404

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1404 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

general leave

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, yesterday the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1404, making in order a motion offered by the chair of the Committee on Appropriations, or her designee, to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 6833. The rule provides 1 hour of debate on the motion equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations.

The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 8987, the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary, and provides one motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, I am sure we will have a spirited debate on this rule, but before we do, I want to begin by expressing my heartfelt sympathy for the people of Florida. The catastrophic devastation left behind by Hurricane Ian is unlike anything we have seen in quite some time.

Our hearts are with those whose lives have been lost and their loved ones, and we pray for those who are missing that they will be located safely and soon. If there is one thing we know, it is that the people of Florida are strong. This is not their first hurricane. They will recover and they will come back stronger than ever.

I want to thank all of the first responders who have sprung into action to save lives: from local police, fire, and EMS, all the way up to our Federal response at FEMA. The people of Florida ought to know that America stands with them. Part of standing with the people of Florida is passing this important legislation to keep the government open during this critical moment.

Madam Speaker, with less than 24 hours until the end of the fiscal year, today we are here to do our job. We, in Congress, have a responsibility to the American people to keep the lights on. In addition to preventing the furlough of thousands of Federal employees, averting a shutdown will also ensure that our constituents can continue to receive the vital government services that they need.

The last shutdown, when the Republicans were in charge of the House and the Senate and the White House, was the longest shutdown in our history. It cost our economy an astounding $11 billion.

In contrast, Democrats are doing our job. We are keeping the government open as we finish up bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on a longer-term fiscal year 2023 appropriations package.

This CR also provides Ukraine with the security, economic, and humanitarian assistance that they need to fight back against Russia's brutal invasion. With Russia holding fake elections to annex parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian people urgently need our support to protect their families and defend global democracy.

Finally, Madam Speaker, I mentioned earlier the devastating hurricane in Florida. We also just had an awful hurricane in Puerto Rico. The people of Puerto Rico are still reeling from the damage of Hurricane Fiona. Also, the people of Alaska are recovering from a terrible typhoon.

This bill contains money to support communities across the United States as they recover from natural disasters.

Madam Speaker, we are talking about hurricane relief for God's sake. I am begging my Republican friends, can we please at least come together on providing relief to communities devastated by hurricanes?

Can we all agree that we ought not shut the government down in the middle of a major natural disaster response?

The funding in this bill will help families and small businesses get back on their feet and rebuilt from extreme weather events while repairing damage to critical infrastructure.

This is a bipartisan bill, Madam Speaker. It earned 72 votes in the Senate. I don't think you can get 72 votes in the Senate on what to have for lunch, let alone on government funding legislation.

Madam Speaker, I am going to again plead with my colleagues, do not vote against additional funding to help people recover from hurricane damage, please, especially my Republican friends from Florida. A vote against this CR is a vote against funding for help with hurricane recovery in your own State.

I just hope that we are not at the point where we have become so partisan and so polarized that we can't even agree on this.

Madam Speaker, this rule also includes H.R. 8987, the Fairness for 9/ 11 Families Act. This bill will ensure thousands of 9/11 families and victims who received some but not all of the compensation that they deserve are made whole.

Both of these measures deserve broad support today. Americans are depending on us to get this done.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I appreciate my friend from Pennsylvania reciting the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee's greatest hits, but let me remind people who are watching why we are here today.

We are here today to move two important pieces of legislation forward; one that would help 9/11 families, which I hope we all can agree is worth supporting; and the second is to make sure that the government doesn't shut down; that we continue to provide funding that will help aid some of the natural disasters that we are seeing happen all over this country.

While it is too early to have a damage assessment from Hurricane Ian and actually know what the true cost of all this is going to be, make no mistake, this CR will help. There is money for 2022 disasters and community development block grants for disaster recovery above the OMB request.

More importantly, we included language to give FEMA a full year's worth of funding up front, not just for the 2\1/2\-month CR period; and more help will come for Florida, as we find out what is needed.

Communities across America are currently dealing with record-breaking numbers of storms. According to The Washington Post this morning, ``Since 2017, an unprecedented number of storms rated Category 4 or stronger have lashed the U.S. shoreline: Harvey, Irma, Maria, Michael, Laura, Ida, and now Ian. They all qualify as `rapid intensification events,' when a storm's wind speeds increase by at least 35 miles within 24 hours.''

People should read The Washington Post about what is happening as a result of these storms.

We have an obligation to help all of these communities. But you know what won't help? A government shutdown in the midst of a natural disaster of this magnitude.

Again, I would point out to my colleagues here, we think it is unacceptable to ever shut down the Federal Government. My Republican friends obviously have a different point of view because when they were in charge, when they controlled the House, the Senate, and the White House, they shut the government down, the longest government shutdown in our history, and it was costly. To even contemplate doing that in the face of these natural disasters is unbelievable.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

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

I appreciate the gentlewoman's comments, and I hope that she will vote for the rule because if the rule doesn't pass, we can't bring this bill up for a vote. I agree with her; this is incredibly important. So I hope all my colleagues will vote for the rule, not just to help 9/11 families, but also to keep the government open during this really critical time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I am embarrassed for my friends on the other side of the aisle. I just saw the bill. I am looking at the bill, and all it does is ask for more reports, more paperwork. I don't know. I kind of think it is silly that that is going to fight crime, asking for more reports and more paperwork. Give me a break.

We are here today, Madam Speaker, to try to bring two important bills to the floor, one to help 9/11 families and the other, Madam Speaker, to keep the government open because if it shuts down amidst all of these natural disasters, things are going to be incredibly worse for everybody who right now is suffering. And this is what they come to the floor with? This is what they want to talk about?

If you want to talk about what they are about, let's look at their poorly named ``Commitment to America,'' which I guess is a rip-off on Contract with America, which basically would gut Social Security and Medicare. They want to ban abortion nationwide, and they want to make it easier for people to overturn the will of the American people in elections.

I mean, that is the radical agenda they are all pushing here.

Here we are, at this moment, trying to make sure that essential funding is there to help deal with these natural disasters, and this is what we get? This is like we hear the greatest hits from the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee. They use Russian B-roll in their rollout of their Commitment to America. Come on.

At this moment, right now, we have two bills that, quite frankly, should enjoy huge bipartisan support. We ought to move forward to help the 9/11 families, and at the same time, we ought to keep this government open. Then, that gives us time to work out a longer term bill, which we can vote on after the election.

But turn on the news. Look at what is happening in Florida right now. Look at what happened in Puerto Rico. Look at what is happening in Alaska. People need help. We have a responsibility.

Look at what is happening in Ukraine. Do we support helping preserve democracy in Ukraine or not? That is what is at stake here.

So, we can try to cut a political ad on the House floor here. Fine. But let's not kind of make-believe that what my friends are trying to do is somehow real or will make any kind of a difference. It is a sound bite, plain and simple.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

My friend can yell all that she wants, but what I took exception to is the fact that a proposal that essentially does nothing more than call for more reports to be sent to the Committee on the Judiciary is somehow fighting crime.

I would also tell my friends, let's not talk about defunding the police when my friends on the other side of the aisle have Members that are now selling T-shirts to defund the FBI and law enforcement or the fact that many of them voted against bills last week that actually provided more funding to the police.

Come on. Reports somehow are going to fight crime? I mean, if that is your crime-fighting solution, well, America is in trouble.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Let me say this again: a reporting requirement. I mean, all of us are against violent crime, and we are against all the things that the gentleman listed. That is why we brought a group of bills to the floor last week to try to deal with some of these challenges. Again, many of my Republican colleagues voted against it.

I am not questioning why my friends bring these items to the floor. I know why they do it. It is politics 101. But I do have to say that I do have a problem when they come to the floor and say that they are making a proposal that will somehow do something. A reporting requirement, more paperwork to the Committee on the Judiciary, oh, boy, that is really going to stop carjackings, that is going to stop murder. Give me a break.

If you want to come up with something that actually does something, we are all willing to work with you. But to come to the floor to say, oh, a reporting requirement, more paperwork going to the Committee on the Judiciary is somehow going to do something to prevent crime, I mean, I don't know anybody who believes that.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Speaker, I have great respect for the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), but I will take exception with his characterization of us passing messaging bills.

Let me just go through a few items here that we did pass and that have been signed into law:

The Honoring our PACT Act for our veterans.

The Inflation Reduction Act.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the biggest investment in infrastructure ever in this country. A bill, by the way, that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle voted against, but they were at the announcement of moneys to rebuild bridges and roads in their district even though they voted against it.

The Postal Service Reform Act.

Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act.

The American Rescue Plan Act.

I could go on and on and on. These aren't messaging bills. These are major investments in our country that will have an impact for generations, that will help our children, that will help our senior citizens, that will help our veterans.

This is what we are supposed to be doing, helping uplift the American people, investing in our country. So that is not messaging. That is real work.

Today's bills aren't messaging bills, either. I mean, helping 9/11 families. That is not a messaging bill. That is real. It is something we should do. We ought to be together on that.

This continuing resolution, this is important, especially in light of all the natural disasters that are happening in this country right now.

Madam Speaker, this should be simple. We have an obligation to fund the government. We have a bipartisan bill, again, that had 72 votes in the Senate. We have a bipartisan bill that not only will keep the lights on but will provide critical funding to help communities devastated by recent natural disasters.

Now, House Republicans have made it clear that they would rather brag about their dangerous, extreme, unpopular agenda than do real work. All I can say to that is that Democrats are committed to putting people over politics.

The Republicans' radical agenda bans abortion, and we want to protect Americans' right to affordable, accessible healthcare and safeguard America's right to reproductive care.

We are here to defend Americans' right to vote. They want to make it easier to overturn elections.

We want to protect Social Security. You saw the agenda that the Republican leaders in the Senate unveiled. They gut Social Security.

There is a contrast here. But today, we are here to advance relief for communities hit by natural disasters, pass overdue benefits for 9/ 11 families, and keep the government running.

What does putting people over politics mean?

It means that we come together to make sure that the people of Florida have what they need to get through this terrible disaster.

It means that we are there for the people of Puerto Rico and that we are there for the people of Alaska, that we are there for people anywhere in this country, whether it is a red State or blue State, who are dealing with these natural catastrophes.

That is what this is about. If this went down and we shut the government down, the pain that people are already dealing with would only increase. Shame on us for doing that.

Now, I get it, Madam Speaker. There are some people here who don't really care about whether the government stays open or shuts down.

I remind you again, when my friends were in charge, when the Republicans controlled the House, when they controlled the Senate, when they controlled the White House, they shut the government down. They walked away. The longest shutdown in history. Billions and billions and billions of dollars it cost our economy.

We had to clean up their mess when we took over. Today, we are doing what is right for the American people, for all people. This is not about politics. This is about putting people over politics. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, my very good friend, Chairman McGovern, for yielding me the customary time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I want to begin by associating myself with the chairman's very appropriate remarks about the unfolding disaster in Florida and the southeast. It is something that moves all Americans. Florida, and frankly all of the region, is in our prayers and in our thoughts as they deal with an unprecedented natural disaster.

Madam Speaker, today's rule covers two items. The first I will discuss is H.R. 8987, the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act. This bill would shift just under $3 billion from the CARES Act small business loan fund to the United States

Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund to compensate victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Last night at the Rules Committee we heard testimony on this bill, which unfortunately, is the only hearing this bill will receive this Congress. My Republican colleagues on the Judiciary Committee testified at length about the efforts they have gone to in order to work with the majority on this matter. But instead of working together in a bipartisan manner, the majority instead chose to move ahead on this bill with no hearing or markup held in the committee of jurisdiction.

This represents a complete failure of regular order. Madam Speaker, it results in a lack of process that is unfair to everyone. It is especially unfair to the victims of 9/11 who deserve both a bipartisan process and a bipartisan bill that everyone can support. It did not have to be this way, and it is unfortunate that the majority decided to treat this issue with less than the gravity it deserved.

Despite these procedural failures, however, I intend to support this legislation, but we could have and should have done much better.

Our second bill is the Senate amendment to H.R. 6833, a continuing resolution funding the government through December 16 of 2022.

Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that Congress has waited until the last minute to take up the serious work of funding the government and keeping it open. It is equally unfortunate that our only option for doing so is the flawed, inadequate bill that does not meet the needs of the American people.

Despite this bill's flaws, there is much to like in it and much that I do support. I voted in favor of the omnibus spending bill back in March, and this bill would maintain those spending levels through the middle of December. I support additional funding for Ukraine as they seek to defend themselves against Vladimir Putin's unjust and illegal invasion, and I support additional funds for disaster relief.

But just as important as what is included in this bill is what is not included in this bill and should have been.

It is undeniable that we are facing a humanitarian crisis on our southern border, caused in large part by the Biden administration's unwillingness to confront what is staring them in the face. The administration asked for $1.8 billion to assist migrants, which they have received in this legislation, but they did not ask for a single penny to secure the border.

The Biden administration has sought to add workers elsewhere in the government, like 87,000 new employees at the IRS, but they did not ask for money to add any new Border Patrol agents to help address this Biden-made crisis on the southern border. This could and should have been addressed in this bill, but it is not.

Similarly, the bill does nothing to address the high price of energy or provide new sources of energy. We should be doing everything we can to provide secure, reliable, and inexpensive energy to the American people. Instead, the President is spending his time chastising energy companies. We should have addressed this issue in this bill, too, but we did not.

Nor does this bill address other crises affecting the American people, including inflation and the economic recession, both caused by the reckless and profligate spending policies of the Biden administration and this majority. I could go on and on, but the point remains: so much should have been in this bill but is not.

I hope that if my friends in the majority take anything from today's discussion, it is this: it is high time for them to get serious about appropriations and about holding bipartisan discussions with Republicans on full-year spending bills.

Consider where we are: the House Appropriations Committee, I am proud to say, passed all 12 bills out of committee this summer, yet, as of today, only six have passed the floor. It is the majority's responsibility to bring those bills to the floor.

In the Senate, which Democrats also control, the record is even worse. Not a single bill has been passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In addition, no serious negotiations have taken place between Republicans and Democrats and between the House and the Senate. These negotiations have been postponed all summer and into the fall while the House takes up one political messaging bill after another.

Madam Speaker, we need to focus on the serious business of funding government. In order to accomplish that goal and achieve a bipartisan agreement, four conditions will have to be met.

First, defense spending will have to go up to meet the level authorized in the fiscal year 2023 NDAA. The level included in the House defense appropriations bill is wholly inadequate to meet America's defense needs and must go up to reach a final deal.

Second, non-defense discretionary spending will have to come down. The House non-defense appropriations bills were all marked up at a bloated level of spending which cannot be justified. These numbers must be reduced for an agreement to be had.

Third, longstanding bipartisan pro-life policies that have historically been carried in appropriations bills must be restored. The majority stripped these out in the Appropriations Committee this year, but they must go back in. I cannot emphasize this point strongly enough, Madam Speaker. No Republicans--and I mean no Republicans--will vote for these bills unless these bipartisan pro-life riders are restored.

Fourth, the 12 House Appropriations Committee bills include countless poison pills that have to come out. These are liberal policy riders on all matters of topics, ranging from climate change to abortion to labor law. They have to come out to reach a bipartisan deal. The appropriations bills cannot pass this House and pass the Senate unless there is a bipartisan deal.

Madam Speaker, we can reach a bipartisan, bicameral, full-year spending deal if my friends in the majority get serious about negotiating. At the end of the day, Republicans must be included in these negotiations. If the majority continues to dither, we are headed for a year-long continuing resolution. That is a bad outcome for the institution, a bad outcome for the government, and a bad outcome for the American people.

When the majority begins to seriously negotiate on a bipartisan appropriations package, I will certainly be there to help. But neither I, nor many of my colleagues, will participate in kicking the can down the road so my Democratic friends can ignore their responsibility to govern until after the upcoming election.

I urge opposition to the rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Reschenthaler), my good friend and my fellow member of both the Appropriations Committee and the Rules Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Malliotakis), my good friend.

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

If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 7967, the Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act, for immediate consideration. The bill will ensure that the perpetrators of violent crimes are held accountable for their actions and that victims of violent crimes receive the justice that they deserve.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Madam Speaker, America's largest cities are in the midst of a wave of violent crime, making some of them nearly unlivable. This spike in violent crime has many causes, but one factor is undeniably making the problem worse: That is the fuzzy-headed ideology followed by woke prosecutors who are refusing to do their jobs and prosecute violent offenders.

As part of the Commitment to America, Republicans have made it clear

that we will fund the police; that we will take clear steps to stop the scourge of fentanyl coming over the southern border into our Nation; and that we will crack down on prosecutors and district attorneys who refuse to prosecute violent criminals.

H.R. 7967 fulfills that commitment. It would require the same prosecutors to report annually on the cases they receive and their decisions to prosecute or not prosecute. As Justice Louis Brandeis said, ``sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.''

This reporting would allow the citizens of our great cities to see, once and for all, just what this wave of progressive woke prosecutors is actually up to, and just how many violent crime cases they are refusing to prosecute out of ideology.

To further explain the amendment, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Malliotakis), my good friend, the author of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to quickly respond to my friend.

Crime is also a problem all across the country, and we will work with you on the 9/11 survivors bill, which I point out, again, was originally my colleague from New York's bill as opposed to a Democratic proposal. But I will give you credit for picking up a good idea that my friend originated.

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Malliotakis), my friend, to respond.

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

Madam Speaker, it has become all too common in recent years to learn about the perpetrators of violent crime who should have been locked up for earlier incidents. All too often, we hear that a woke prosecutor decided not to pursue charges against a criminal for an earlier violent act, only for that same criminal to then offend again and again. As part of our Commitment to America, House Republicans will take action to end this practice.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany) to speak more about this

issue and the solution contained in H.R. 7967.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing.

Madam Speaker, it is deeply unfortunate that we have once again waited until the last minute to fund the government. With no time left for negotiations, the majority is putting forward a bill to fund the government that was not subject to bipartisan negotiations in the House. It is no surprise, then, that this bill fails to accomplish so many things that are necessary to address the crises currently confronting the Nation.

I am an appropriator, and I would advise my friend that the Appropriations Committee--and I give great credit to my friend, the chairwoman of that committee, Ms. DeLauro from Connecticut, and the ranking member, Ms. Granger from Texas--actually got all 12 bills done by the end of July and out of committee.

Six of those have come across the floor. That is a good thing. Six others

have not. That includes, by the way, the bills to defend the United States of America, the largest spending bill. It includes the bill to defend our southern border.

The reality is, they haven't come to the floor because my friends don't have the votes to pass them. Many of their own Members want to reduce the size of defense as opposed to increase it in a dangerous world. Many of their friends simply don't want to do anything to secure the southern border.

Now, the reality is, in the end, I think we will get both those things done, and there will have to be a bipartisan negotiation to do it. There has been absolutely no negotiation since July in the House.

I also point to the United States Senate, which is not the responsibility of my friends, but their party controls it. That body has not moved a single bill out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Not one.

Now we are asked, because we are in an emergency, to kick the can down the road. My friends have had months to deal with this issue and to engage in serious bipartisanship. They have chosen not to do that. They would rather do messaging bill after messaging bill after messaging bill. That is what we have been dealing with.

Frankly, the Rules Committee, unusually, has become a committee of original jurisdiction in bill after bill after bill because those bills have not gone through the committee. They are raced through the Rules Committee to come to the floor to make a political point on the eve of an election. That is a bad way to govern.

Now, I am hopeful once we get to the other side of the election, my friends will sit down, and we will arrive at a bipartisan agreement on funding the government, which is the primary responsibility of Congress, in my view. But so far those negotiations have not taken place. We don't have agreed-upon top lines.

My friends can't pass important bills, so they are left to linger. And then they come to us at the very last minute and say, gosh, you have to help us here in this emergency.

We are going to pass the bills. The government is not going to shut down. Nobody here has the illusion that it will. But we should not be in this situation. Both sides have done this, I will grant my friend that. But this is a particularly egregious process of no negotiations on things like defense and securing the southern border.

We live in a dangerous world. We don't need a CR in defense; we need a bill. Actually, the Democratic-controlled House Armed Services Committee produced a bill. It is just $30 billion more than the President asked for because that is what that committee felt we needed. It passed on a bipartisan basis.

Why can't we move the appropriations level up to do what a Democratic-controlled House Armed Services Committee asked us to do?

Our friends have not wanted to deal with that issue.

We know we have a crisis on the southern border. You can turn on the television and see it every night. You can look at the fentanyl pouring into the country. You can see the tragedy of human trafficking.

Is there anything in this bill that asked us to do anything different, anything new?

Has any legislation come to the floor to do that?

No. We are just asked, please allow us to continue the current state of affairs to exist on the southern border. That is a travesty.

When you say, well, we are bringing irrelevant issues, the reality is you won't bring the relevant issues to the floor. You won't bring the relevant appropriations bills to the floor.

But make no mistake, Republicans have put forward a Commitment to America to address the concerns of our citizens:

We will fund the police and uphold law and order.

We will add needed security infrastructure at the southern border.

We will achieve longer and healthier lives for our citizens.

We will ensure that America has an all-of-the-above energy policy that provides consistent, low-cost energy to keep our economy strong. That is something my friends don't want to deal with.

We will end the majority and the Biden administration's reckless spending policies that have led to record inflation and stifling economic recession.

This administration inherited a V-shaped recovery, and a 1.4 percent inflation rate. Now we are in a recession with a 40-year-high, 8.3 percent inflation rate. That is a record of disaster. We ought to be talking about those issues, not maintaining the status quo.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership.

I am very glad to say that there is something that responsibility calls you to do: save lives. This CR indicates that we will not shut the government down in the face of disasters around the world. We will not freeze out low-income families by not providing them with the home energy assistance program. And, yes, we will ensure that agencies like housing and health and public safety, to reduce the crime across America, to respond to the needs of our police officers and victims of crime, will not shut down.

But, yes, we will also recognize that we are good neighbors. In Pakistan, 33 million people have been dislocated because of catastrophic floods of Biblical proportions. Mothers are about to deliver babies, 70,000 of them, and we can help them as USAID goes and does its work internationally.

I am glad that we are putting a stop sign on closing the government down. I wish our friends on the other side would join us.

Finally, I want us to give more money to the hostage section of the Department of State because people like Brittney Griner are in cages in Russia, and we have to get our hostages out. Americans are looking for America to stand by their side.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman very much and again applaud her persistence in helping the American people.

As I finish, on the issue of Brittney Griner, introducing this to many of our colleagues that don't know, she is a hostage in Putin's Russia. Playing basketball there was her only crime, if you will. There she is, in a cage in Russia, a hostage since February.

We have a department that works on this issue inside the Department of State. I want to implore them and make sure they have the resources for the many Americans who are innocently held by countries around the world. It is a tragedy and a shame that we have a circumstance where Americans cannot travel. I am grateful for that support.

I am also grateful to acknowledge, if you will, the Disaster Relief Fund for our domestic crises. As I said earlier, a man was interviewed in Florida and said: I have lost everything, my house and everything in it.

There are a million people with no access to power, so this is a crucial and important CR. Puerto Rico is in need. It is a crucial and important CR. We always stand to hand out to our friends around the Nation and around the world. That is the United States of America. That is why we are passing the CR.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 6833: the Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government through December 16, 2022.

I commend our colleagues in the Senate and the House for crafting this bipartisan, bicameral agreement that keeps the federal government fully operational without any interruption.

The agreement that led to this Continuing Resolution reflects our commitment to the policies on which Americans rely.

It reassures the American people that our government will continue to deliver all services while negotiations continue on funding federal agencies, programs, activities, and services for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2023.

Passing this continuing resolution might appear to be a basic ministerial act; but it is actually much more than that and highly consequential.

Throughout my 27 years of service in Congress, I have never lost sight of my principal responsibilities to my constituents and to the American people.

Paramount among them are two priorities: to do everything we can to keep our country and our people safe, and to provide the vitally necessary services and activities that preserve and enhance quality-of- life standards for all Americans.

Keeping our country safe includes protecting Americans from:

domestic terrorism and violent extremism,

public health pandemics,

aggression from adversarial countries and non-country actors,

environmental hazards to our air and water,

food and drug contamination,

racially based hate crimes, and

gun violence, which we advanced this summer by enacting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Maintaining vital services includes providing:

health care and public health programs,

food stamps and SNAP funding,

clean air and water standards,

weather forecasting to enable resilience against natural disasters and FEMA funding to help rebuild lives and communities after they strike,

child nutrition and immunizations,

education programs and funding,

economic and business support programs that help create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities,

workplace safety protections and safeguards for employee rights,

prosecution of crimes and protections of civil rights,

housing assistance and homelessness prevention assistance,

broadband and other communication services,

medical research and healthcare innovation,

American leadership in the world community, and

myriad other services and programs that are synonymous with service to all Americans, especially those who are most in need of a helping hand to uplift themselves and thrive.

Both of these goals--keeping Americans safe and providing vital services--require that the federal government and all of its programs remain fully operational at all times without any interruption, especially a disruption due to political discord.

It is incumbent upon Congress to pass appropriations bills that enable the federal government to fulfill its diverse mandates.

With 535 members of the House and Senate, is essential that we negotiate, compromise, and reach agreements to ensure that the government will deliver for the American people on all activities that we are entrusted to perform.

Failure is not an option because the consequences on peoples' lives and livelihoods would be far too great to bear.

Failure would debilitate our economy, eliminate jobs, and devastate family finances.

Failure would mean that:

the health of Americans would suffer,

more people would become homeless,

production of food would be limited and its safety put at risk,

public safety would be impaired,

rebuilding from natural disasters would grind to a halt,

veterans and Social Security recipients would not receive their checks, and

the global stature of the United States would be diminished, among many other unacceptable outcomes.

These are just some of the reasons why I support passage of this Continuing Resolution.

It is imperative that we keep the federal government open and fully functional over the next few months as we continue to craft appropriations legislation that will fuel the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year.

During this time, we will be able to craft language to improve government operations, address urgent needs, and accelerate forward- looking initiatives that will strengthen our country, ensure equity, and enhance opportunity for all Americans.

Yet, some needs are already well recognized. That is why I am particularly pleased that this bill not only continues funding for government programs and services at their current rate, but also includes funding for critically necessary activities, and extends programs that would have expired.

Some of the many provisions in the bill that would achieve these aims and which I fully support are the:

$1 billion in aid to Jackson Mississippi to help them resolve their water crisis,

$1 billion in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program support to help low income families afford heat during the upcoming cold weather months,

funding for victims of natural disasters that is needed to help them restore their homes and rebuild their lives,

maintenance of social security customer service systems,

$2 billion for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program,

extension of child and family services programs,

extension of veterans' health care and housing supports,

fortification of cybersecurity by funding the newly created Office of the National Cyber Director,

enhancement of the Judiciary's court security program,

extension of the national flood insurance program,

funding of the FDA to continue its activities, and

$12.35 billion in aid to Ukraine that will enable them to combat Russia's hegemony.

Mr. Speaker, this continuing resolution is crucial for the sustenance and resilience of the American people.

I urge all my colleagues to support the Continuing Resolution so that we can keep the government operating while we negotiate a comprehensive bill to maintain programs, services, and activities through the remainder of this fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1404, I call up the bill (H.R. 6833) to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the Employee Retirement Income

Security Act of 1974 to establish requirements with respect to cost- sharing for certain insulin products, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the Senate amendment to H.R. 6833.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which extends funding for Federal programs and services through December 16.

With a 72-25 vote, the United States Senate approved this legislation with the support of all Democrats and 22 Republicans, including Senators Shelby and McConnell.

Before I begin, I want to acknowledge the millions of people in Florida, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and elsewhere reeling from recent disasters, stranded without power and other necessary resources, and mourning the loss of loved ones. This institution will stand with communities across America as they rebuild and recover.

With the many challenges facing our Nation and the world, including devastating natural disasters and the high cost of living, we cannot wait any longer to pass this bill.

This bill guarantees that we have the means to continue the important work we are doing to help middle class and working families with the cost of living, support vulnerable Americans by keeping roofs over the heads of millions of families and food on their tables, uphold our commitment to our veterans, and strengthen our national security. But this is not enough, and this solution is only a short-term one.

The Appropriations Committee and House Democrats worked to clear all 12 government funding bills out of committee and pass six on the floor of the House this summer. These are transformational bills needed to meet the moment and tackle our Nation's biggest challenges.

The legislation before us allows additional time for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations to enact final 2023 funding bills.

The bill also includes $12.35 billion in necessary emergency funding to support the Ukrainian people and global democracy in the face of Russia's grievous invasion of Ukraine. This body came together twice earlier this year to deliver on our commitment to the courageous people of Ukraine, but most of those resources have already been disbursed or committed.

For that reason, this bill includes necessary security assistance for Ukraine, including $3 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption, and $1.5 billion to replenish U.S. stocks of equipment sent through drawdown authority.

We also help Ukraine protect its democracy by supporting the continuity of its democratic government and delivery of citizen services with $4.5 billion. This contribution ensures we continue upholding our moral responsibility to support the people of Ukraine in the face of a vicious invasion that continues to demand decisive action from us.

The bill also includes safeguards over these funds, such as a requirement of third-party monitoring and a certification by the Secretary of State that protects against corruption.

With $2 million for the DOD Inspector General to monitor funds and provide Congress with a report inventorying security assistance, we ensure weapons are used for their intended purpose by their intended recipients.

At the same time, this bill responds to the devastation that recent natural disasters and extreme weather events have left behind. As the climate crisis wreaks havoc on communities all over our Nation, this legislation provides significant support for disaster response and recovery efforts.

Included in this is a critical $20 million in funding to complete previously authorized Army Corps of Engineers projects that will help address the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, and upgrade its water and wastewater infrastructure.

In the wealthiest Nation in the world, the bare minimum every person deserves is drinking water that is clean and safe, and this bill gets us one step closer to that minimum.

By fully funding the Disaster Relief Fund, this bill responds to Hurricane Ian in Florida; to the crisis left behind in Puerto Rico after the devastating Hurricane Fiona; and to the severe storm, flooding, and landslides in Alaska, helping with recovery and disaster relief efforts.

We also provide $1 billion in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help lower-income families cover the rising energy costs of home heating and cooling; including $2.5 billion to address the largest wildfire in New Mexico, in their history, that started from prescribed burns on Federal land; and support these and other communities all over the Nation, including Kentucky, California, Louisiana, and Texas, by providing $2 billion to help address unmet housing, infrastructure, and economic recovery needs in communities recovering from recent wildfires, major storms, droughts, floods, and extreme heat.

While this legislation provides a bridge to an omnibus, it is not perfect. I am saddened that the continuing resolution does not fully meet some of our country's most urgent needs, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and monkey pox outbreak. I will continue working to provide the resources to combat these public health crises and support the areas in need of additional resources to recover from natural disasters.

Despite these shortcomings, the investments included in this bill are urgent and necessary to avoid disruptions to vital Federal agencies, to help communities get back on their feet, and to ensure we have the time needed to negotiate a final funding agreement that meets the needs of hardworking people.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York.

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

We need this bill. We need this bill to continue negotiating final 2023 funding bills.

With the bill before us, what is in this bill, and why is it so onerous to some?

We provide relief to working families, our schools, our children, small businesses, and communities across this Nation.

We support the people of Ukraine. We support them in what is the fight for their lives, for their democracy, and for world democracy against Russian aggression.

We protect communities everywhere in need of safe water. We help to rebuild them from crushing natural disasters.

This bill will make a very real difference in the lives of Americans everywhere, and I am proud to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting these bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act, another vital step to support our September 11 heroes and their families.

I salute Chairman Nadler for his committed leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, on September 11, our Nation watched in horror as unfathomable acts of terror unfolded on our soil, gripped by an unthinkable nightmare.

For thousands of families, it was only the beginning: Children growing up without a mom or dad by their side; missing smiles at dance recitals and soccer games; empty seats at graduations and weddings and baptisms.

Yet, in the wake of such harrowing tragedy, these grieving families rallied together, channeling their sorrow into solidarity, transforming their pain into purpose, mobilizing their agony into advocacy. Some of them were very much responsible for us getting a 9/11 Commission, which some in Congress had resisted. Without their outside mobilization, it would not have happened.

Congress and the country greatly admire the courage of the survivors and families who have come together to make their voices heard.

In fact, it was my honor to host many of them in the Capitol just earlier this month, to listen to their moving stories and learn how we can continue to support them.

This is an injustice, as was described. Moved by their remarkable resilience, the House has worked relentlessly over the years to honor our solemn promise to the 9/11 families. We passed the Zadroga Act to ensure that they could receive help from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund; and we passed the Never Forget the Heroes Act to permanently authorize those funds.

But there is still more to be done to ensure they get every last cent they are due. I don't know that any money really makes up for their loss; but what they are due, they should receive.

The Fairness for 9/11 Families Act corrects an outrageous injustice, finally delivering the $2.7 billion that these families are owed from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. This initiative was established to support Americans devastated by evils of international terror, but for years, the wives, husbands, and children of those killed on 9/11 were refused assistance from this particular fund, even as more distant relatives received compensation.

Yes, they were getting funds from an earlier fund, but if you got money from the earlier fund, you couldn't get

money from this additional fund. This is about fairness today.

As Democrats took the majority, we ended this unconscionable disparity. Today, we vote to make them whole, delivering the benefits they were wrongfully denied. No amount of money can replace those who were stolen away, nor restore the memories and moments that could have been; but with this legislation, we can further ease two decades of anguish, and we can take another step to ensure that justice is done. I am so pleased it is being done in a bipartisan way, because at the start, that was not the case.

President Lincoln once cautioned against the ``silent artillery of time''--the slow, steady fading of our Nation's collective memory.

For 21 years, these families have served as a bulwark against that silent threat. Here today, let us stand with them and renew our sacred promise to never forget.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a resounding and bipartisan ``yes'' and, hopefully, a unanimous vote so that we may empower thousands of Americans to begin finding the peace that they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, as I have the floor, I also rise in strong support of the continuing resolution to keep government open and working for the people. This legislation ensures full government funding through December 16, giving appropriators more time to reach bipartisan, bicameral agreement on funding levels for the upcoming fiscal year.

It includes critical funding to support Ukraine, to respond to natural disasters, and to advance many additional key priorities.

I thank Rosa DeLauro, chair of the Committee on Appropriations, for her strong values-driven leadership to bring forth this necessary legislation. As I always say, as an appropriator myself, left to their own devices, the appropriators will find a bipartisan path.

I thank Rosa for her ongoing work to assemble an omnibus government funding package that honors our values as a Nation. That is the next step.

Today, we proceed with this legislation. As we do, war rages on in Ukraine. With the legislation we pass today, Congress secures an additional $12.3 billion for Ukraine-related priorities, including security, economic and humanitarian aid to the historic and heroic Ukrainian people.

This package comes at a pivotal moment as Ukraine's freedom fighters work to turn the tide, liberating key cities and repelling Russian forces.

When I traveled to Berlin for the G7 Speakers' Summit earlier this month, it was my privilege to hear directly from Ukraine Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, who offered an invaluable report on the state of the war.

At those meetings, I reiterated America's unbreakable, unshakeable commitment to stand with Ukraine in the fight for democracy. By the way, every other Speaker from the G7, they call them heads of parliament in some countries, spoke out strongly in favor of democracy in Ukraine. So it wasn't just me talking about unbreakable, unshakeable commitment, others did, too.

With this supplemental funding, we take another strong step to honor our country's pledge.

Alongside this critical package for Ukraine, this legislation directs significant funding to help American families devastated by disaster. We continue to hold all of the families affected by Hurricane Ian in our hearts and prayers during this difficult time, but we need money to help them.

The $2 billion more in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding in this bill will go toward supporting Florida, as well as Puerto Rico, Alaska, and other communities hit by catastrophe. But, again, we need more.

We are also allowing FEMA to spend up to its entire year of funding, giving the agency access to an additional $18.9 billion from FEMA's disaster relief fund to quickly respond to disasters, especially appropriate now with Ian; and we will need more.

Thanks to the leadership of Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez, we are sending $2.5 billion to help New Mexicans begin to heal, recover, and rebuild after the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon fire. She and the Members from New Mexico were very instrumental in making sure we were aware of the disastrous mistake that was made in New Mexico and how we need to address it.

At the same time, thanks to the impassioned advocacy of Congressman Bennie Thompson, we secured $20 million in Jackson, Mississippi, which is suffering a devastating water emergency. This man-made disaster poses a direct threat to public health and demands urgent action.

Additionally, we are proud that this legislation includes $1 billion more for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a vital lifeline to help families pay their bills and stay safe in their homes this winter.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a package for the people. I urge a strong bipartisan ``yes'' on the continuing resolution so that we may swiftly send this bill to the President's desk. I hope that we will have a unanimous vote on the legislation, Fairness for 9/11 Families to support our 9/11 heroes and their families.