Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on June 10, 2019 during roll call no. 242, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 542, the Supporting Research and Development for First Responders Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 243, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 2539, the Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was unavoidably detained during roll call no. 244, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 2590, the DHS Overseas Personnel Enhancement Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on April 10, 2019 during roll call no. 163, on Agreeing to the Amendment, Delgado of New York Part A Amendment No. 4, to H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 164, on Agreeing to the Amendment, Wexton of Virginia Part A Amendment No. 6, to H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I was unavoidably detained during roll call no. 165, on Agreeing to the Amendment, McAdams of Utah Part A Amendment No. 12, to H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 166, on Motion to Recommit with Instructions for H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 167, on Passage of H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on April 8, 2019 during roll call no. 157, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to H. Con. Res. 19, Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 158, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1331, the Local Water Protection Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was unavoidably detained during roll call no. 159, on Approving the Journal. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on April 9, 2019 during roll call no. 160, on Ordering the Previous Question to H. Res. 294, Providing for consideration of H.R. 1644, Save the Internet Act; and providing for consideration of H.R. 2021, Investing for the People Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 161, on Agreeing to the Resolution, H. Res. 294, Providing for consideration of H.R. 1644, Save the Internet Act; and providing for consideration of H.R. 2021, Investing for the People Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was unavoidably detained during roll call no. 162, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 1759, the Building on Reemployment Improvements to Deliver Good Employment for Workers Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on April 3, 2019 during roll call no. 144, on ordering the Previous Question to H. Res. 281, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1585) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and for other purposes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 145, on Agreeing to the Resolution, H. Res. 281, Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1585) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and for other purposes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was unavoidably detained during roll call no. 146, on Agreeing to the Resolution, H. Res. 271, Condemning the Trump Administration's Legal Campaign to Take Away Americans' Health Care. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 147, on Agreeing to the Amendment, Jeffries of New York Part B Amendment No. 1, to H.R. 1585. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 148, on Agreeing to the Amendment, Scanlon of Pennsylvania Part B Amendment No. 2, to H.R. 1585. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 149, on Agreeing to the Amendment, Waters of California Part B Amendment No. 7, to H.R. 1585. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 150, on Agreeing to the Amendment, Wagner of Missouri Part B Amendment No. 10, to H.R. 1585. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on April 4, 2019 during roll call no. 151, on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 829, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1450 Montauk Highway in Mastic, New York, as the ``Army Specialist Thomas J. Wilwerth Post Office Building.'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 152, on the Motion to Commit with Instructions for S.J. Res. 7, to direct the removal of the United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' I was unavoidably detained during roll call no. 153, on Passage of S.J. Res. 7, to direct the removal of the United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 154, on Agreeing to the Amendment, Torres Small of New Mexico Part B Amendment No. 40, to H.R. 1585. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 155, on the Motion to Recommit with Instructions for H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 156, on Passage of H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on January 17, 2019 during roll call no. 42, on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.J. Res. 30. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 43, on Motion to Recommit with Instructions H.J. Res. 28. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``nay.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on January 16, 2019 during roll call no. 37, on Agreeing to the Amendment to H.R. 268, McGovern of Massachusetts Part B Amendment No. 2. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on March 14, 2019 during roll call no. 125, On Agreeing to the Resolution, H. Con. Res. 24, Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on April 2, 2019 during roll call no. 140, on ordering the previous question for H. Res. 274, consideration of S.J. Res. 7 and H. Res. 271. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 141, on agreeing to the resolution, H. Res. 274, consideration of S.J. Res. 7 and H. Res. 271, and suspension authority. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 142, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 540. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 143, on approving the Journal. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on April 1 during roll call no. 137, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended, H.R. 1593. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 138, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended, H.R. 1590. Had I been present, I would have votes ``yea.'' I was also unavoidably detained during roll call no. 139, on approving the Journal. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.''

The descriptions would be, respectively:

137--``On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 1593, the Coordinating and Leveraging Activities for School Security Act'';

138--``On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 1590, the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act''; and

139--``on approving the Journal''

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, and the need for Federal election reform.

Mr. Speaker, in the 2016 and 2018 election cycles, we witnessed overt discrimination, disinformation, and intimidation tactics aimed at disenfranchising our most vulnerable friends and neighbors.

Individuals and organizations intentionally aimed to spread deceptive material regarding the time and place of elections, endorsements, and voter eligibility. Moreover, there were also explicit attempts to intimidate voters at the polls.

In my home, the Commonwealth of Virginia, there were reports of a man standing in front of a polling place holding a Trump sign with a barking German shepherd on the roof of his truck, and yet that man broke no laws.

Such efforts can interfere with one of our basic rights as Americans: the right to vote. As such, I am pleased that H.R. 1 includes language from a bill I introduced in the last Congress with then-Ranking Member Nadler, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act.

This language will prohibit the dissemination of false information regarding Federal elections and prevent efforts to hinder, interfere, or prevent a person from voting, registering to vote, or helping another person to vote or register to vote. We, as Americans, shall make it easier to vote, not harder, and this language will further that goal.

In the same vein, I am equally proud that another bill has been included in H.R. 1, the Election Day Holiday Act, which I cointroduced with Congresswoman Eshoo in the last Congress. As the title suggests, this bill would direct Federal agencies to treat election day as a holiday and urge private employers to do the same.

Going to the polls is among the most democratic of American traditions. Making election day a holiday would honor that tradition, while helping voters to continue it long into the future.

I thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Sarbanes, for introducing this historic bill. I thank all of the many Members and stakeholders who have helped shape this bill and who have seen fit to support the measures I have described.

As the name indicates, this bill is for the people, and I look forward to the day when we do the people's work and pass it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Virginia State University for being named the `HBCU of the Year' by HBCU Digest.

Founded in 1882, Virginia State University, also known as Virginia State, is a historically black public land-grant university located in Ettrick, Virginia. Virginia State was the United States' first fully state-supported four-year college for African-Americans and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Virginia State is a renowned institution of higher learning, producing impressive, highly-qualified graduates in a variety of important fields--including agriculture, education, and business. Virginia State is an acclaimed institution for attracting and retaining first-time college students, helping to open opportunities to communities of color across the country and expanding access to well- paying, 21st century jobs. Virginia State also boasts a variety of impressive and decorated athletic programs.

Virginia State, over its rich 116-year existence, has been distinguished by an impressive and influential faculty and administration.

John Mercer Langston, the first African-American member of Congress from Virginia, served as Virginia State's first president. Dr. Makola Abdullah, the 14th and current president, is the youngest African American ever to receive a Ph.D. in engineering.

I call on my colleagues to join me in celebrating Virginia State University's receipt of this momentous award in recognition of its invaluable contributions to Virginia and the entire nation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the comments of my colleagues about the importance of our Nation's premier outdoor recreation and conservation program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Over the past five decades, LWCF has helped protect our Nation's most treasured places, including many in my congressional district like the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and both the Richmond and Petersburg National Battlefields.

As we know, authorization of LWCF is set to expire in 100 short days. That is why the timing of this Special Order hour is so critical. If Congress does not reauthorize LWCF, we will lose one of our most powerful tools for protecting our Nation's natural, historical, and cultural landmarks. If that happens, every State and district in our country will feel the damaging consequences.

That outcome is unacceptable, which is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 502, which is Ranking Member Grijalva's legislation to permanently reauthorize LWCF. I also support robust funding for LWCF in the appropriations bills.

For my constituents, preserving our lands and waters is personal. Virginia's Fourth Congressional District is home to many beautiful public lands and waters, along with many other sites that still need to be protected.

Earlier this month, I toured the beautiful James River National Wildlife Refuge with local nonprofits to highlight the need to reauthorize the LWCF. My tour reminded me that there is no place quite like the James, but my district is far from unique. Across our district, LWCF has helped conserve precious ecosystems that wildlife, people, and local economies needed to survive.

While preserving these lands is the right thing to do, it also makes good business sense. In fact, outdoor recreation generates billions of dollars for the Commonwealth's economy.

The same dynamic applies across the country. That is why I intend to keep up the fight to reauthorize the LWCF. It helps communities protect the places they love, and we owe it to our children and our children's children to keep this tool in place.

Mr. Speaker, ZTE, the Chinese telecom corporation, poses a clear threat to our security. The Pentagon has banned the sale of ZTE devices on U.S. bases, saying they ``may pose an unacceptable risk to the Department's personnel, information, and mission.''

Similarly, there is no dispute that ZTE violated sanctions designed to pressure Iran and North Korea. In April, the Department of Commerce instituted appropriate penalties.

Now, for transparently political reasons, President Trump has reversed those penalties, giving ZTE a new lease on life.

As elected officials, one of our most basic responsibilities is to keep Americans safe. In granting ZTE an undeserved reprieve, the President did just the opposite. The failure is dangerous and unacceptable.

Last week, the Senate approved a bipartisan NDAA amendment to restore the penalties President Trump revoked. I am pleased by their success, and I will strongly support efforts to maintain that language in the coming NDAA conference. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.

Politics needs to stop at the water's edge. Congress can and must do what the President will not.