Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to protect seniors and crack down on drug companies obscuring the side effects of their prescription drugs in their television ads.

The United States is one of only two countries that allow direct-to- consumer pharmaceutical advertising, and there are serious consumer safety concerns about these ads. These ads use distracting imagery, such as butterflies, happy puppies, cheesy music, and

beautiful sunrises to distract consumers from a drug's dangerous side effects.

Congress instructed the FDA to crack down on these deceptive techniques more than a decade ago. However, the FDA has misused that statutory deadline by more than a decade.

My amendment simply instructs the agency to finalize the rulemaking as soon as possible. Medical decisions should always be made between a patient and their doctor, not between a patient and their TV screen.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my commonsense consumer protection amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 7606, the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act.

Congress cannot shy away from addressing the urgent economic challenges that face our local communities

and our entire country, and that challenge continues to be inflation. We know how rising prices, consolidation across industries, and supply chain challenges are impacting America's families, businesses, and seniors, and as lawmakers, our job is to listen to the people we represent and then respond with legislation that can help solve those problems.

Indeed, this package, the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, is just that. It is a compilation of bills put together by lawmakers who are responding to their constituents. I have heard from the other side of the aisle that, in fact, it would have been nice if we came together in a bipartisan way. So I would note that my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle from Iowa, Arkansas, New York, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee--it feels like I am practicing State capitals with my fifth grader-- Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Iowa, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Florida, Wyoming, Virginia, Minnesota, each of these are individual Members of Congress from the Republican side of the aisle who are leading on this issue.

In fact, two of the bills in this package are led by our Republican colleagues, and I am proud that I have joined with Congressman Dusty Johnson in support of the bipartisan Butcher Block Act. I am proud to be his co-lead as he leads that important piece of legislation. It is a commonsense step toward allowing American processors the ability to expand their operations, launch a new business or just make sure they are keeping--

Mr. Speaker, this is the first step towards lowering meat prices, but in addition to increasing processing capacity for American cattlemen and poultry producers, we need to go after anticompetitive practices in the meat industry.

That is why I am proud that this package also includes the bipartisan Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act. The bill would establish a special investigator at USDA to investigate violations of our existing antitrust laws that have been on the books for more than 100 years, and I thank Congresswoman Miller-Meeks for co-leading this effort.

This bill has broad bipartisan support and bicameral support. So I thank Senator Jon Tester, Senator Grassley, Republican; Senator John Thune, Republican; Senator Hoeven, Republican; and Senator Rounds, Republican, for joining with us in pushing this bill forward. It has support from the U.S. Cattlemen's Association, and this bill is responsive to the needs of the people I represent because the Virginia Cattlemen's Association supports this bill, as does the National Farmers Union.

Americans want lower meat prices both now and in the future. They want lower gas prices and to make biofuels accessible to more Americans. We have the opportunity to do that. I urge my colleagues to support this package.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk made in order by the rule.

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

I rise in support of my amendment to include the American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act in H.R. 7606, the Lower Food and Fuel Cost Act. I thank Congressman Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio for his partnership on this bipartisan legislation.

Supply chain disruptions are impacting the operations of businesses in Virginia and across the country, leaving shelves empty and driving up prices for consumers. For crop and livestock producers, as well as agribusinesses, the current disruptions are a threat to their livelihoods and their ability to deliver high-quality products at an affordable price while still making ends meet.

Meanwhile, Americans are suffering from rising food prices at grocery stores, dollar stores, and restaurants. Rising inflation makes trips to the grocery store more and more stressful as the price of staple items like meat, eggs, and vegetables rise, sometimes going up monthly, even weekly.

Americans have shared the experience of going to the grocery store-- we all have--picking up our favorite food items that we have purchased for years and thinking, well, this is more expensive than last week. My husband and I were just talking about this issue over the weekend as we changed our own shopping list because of it.

Few products are more essential than the foods we eat. Farmers, particularly small- and medium-sized producers, have been left out of investments that are meant to mitigate supply chain challenges, and that has meant it is getting more difficult to get products from the farm to the market and, finally, to the table.

While big companies have the budget to invest in supply chain innovations, research, and experts, small- and medium-sized producers are paying higher prices than ever for fertilizer, fuel, shipping, and other input costs.

When farmers pay more to produce food, all Americans pay more at the

grocery store. That is why we must empower USDA to do more to resolve farmers' and food businesses' supply chain challenges. We must be prepared.

To address these concerns, I was proud to lead the bipartisan American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act. This legislation would establish supply chain regional resource centers through cooperative agreements with the Agricultural Marketing Service at USDA.

These resource centers would offer locally tailored coordination, technical assistance, and grants to small- and medium-sized producers and agribusinesses, leading to stronger supply chains. This bill would also expand the great work of the Agriculture Innovation Program to include research and support on supply chains.

By establishing supply chain regional resource centers, this bill would provide additional support to family farmers and food businesses trying to deliver their goods at a lower price for consumers. These centers would help local producers get through lean years, obtain the inputs they need, and address challenges related to transportation costs, labor, and high energy prices.

In fact, USDA has already taken similar steps to build collaboration across sectors of local and regional food supply chains through regional centers. Our bipartisan legislation would support and build on these centers, as well as make sure they are a wise, tailored investment with a clear mission and fair reporting requirements.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our bipartisan bill. Once again, I thank Congressman Gonzalez for his partnership.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

My colleague on the other side of the aisle mentioned that this bill will not provide immediate relief, and I concur. This bill is not meant to provide immediate relief. The amendment before us would plan for the future and would recognize that we face disruptions in our supply chain, and frequently, when we do, it is our farmers and producers who are impacted, particularly smaller and medium-sized producers like those in our districts.

This bill, this amendment to the larger bill, is an issue of planning for the future, recognizing disruptions that may come, and being able to proactively plan for such challenges.

It is unfortunate that the gentleman feels that they were left out of the process, but I am heartened that the scope of concern relates to the process and not the underlying amendment.

This amendment is about long-term planning. It is about ensuring that our smaller and medium-sized producers and agribusinesses have the technical assistance, the support, and the coordination that they will need to weather challenges in supply chain disruptions that may occur today, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years into the future.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

There is no disagreement that across America's regions and across our commodities, our Nation's farmers and ranchers have gotten the short end of the stick, particularly when it comes to rising input costs as a result of supply chain bottlenecks and inflation.

The Lowering Food and Fuel Costs Act and this amendment take crucial, commonsense steps toward addressing these challenges, both now and into the future, planning for a future where we can be proactive, continually so, and ensure that small and targeted investments from USDA today can have impacts on small- and medium-sized producers' ability to get food to market and improve their bottom lines.

At the same time, these investments should also lead to lower food prices for Americans at the grocery store, convenience stores, and restaurants.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment. I look forward to working with my colleague across the aisle to receive additional, very specific feedback on how we can make some of these provisions stronger, better with that input into the future.

Today, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the amendment in front of us and, ultimately, ``yes'' on the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the 340B program. I rise today to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 340B drug discount program, which has supported health providers in their mission to care for the most vulnerable and low-income patients in our communities, all at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

Tonight, the House will hear stories from both Democrats and Republicans about how 340B supports the healthcare safety net in districts across the country, including in Virginia's Seventh District.

In 1992, Congress started the 340B program with a simple goal. The 340B program has helped hospitals, community health centers, and Federal grantees stretch their scarce resources as far as possible, helping them reach more eligible patients and provide more comprehensive services.

The way it works is simple: 340B requires pharmaceutical companies to make drugs more affordable for healthcare providers serving vulnerable communities and low-income patients. By discounting the drugs, these providers can stretch their resources further and reach even more patients.

The 340B program is especially important for providers in rural America. In these areas, lower incomes lead to higher rates of uncompensated care and a disproportionate number of patients with Medicare and Medicaid. Hospitals struggle to maintain costly services such as maternity wards and trauma centers, and patients at federally qualified health centers lack the resources to access high-cost drugs for HIV/AIDS, hemophilia, or diabetes.

Unfortunately, since the summer of 2020, at least 16 pharmaceutical companies have announced or implemented restrictions on 340B pricing. Both the current Biden administration and the previous Trump administration have found these restrictions to be unlawful, yet HHS has taken no serious enforcement action to prevent or penalize these illegal actions.

Let me be very clear: Every time a pharmaceutical company withholds a 340B discount from an eligible pharmacy, that company is unlawfully overcharging the healthcare safety net and withholding resources from the most vulnerable patients in our communities. And, in response, we need to defend 340B.

I commend HHS for its commitment to protecting the integrity of the 340B program, but I urge the agency to penalize the companies that refuse to comply with Federal law. It is the right thing to do for the people we serve.

Madam Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Tennessee (Mr. Rose).

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his comments. Certainly, his comments focus so much on the importance of the 340B program. We know that rural hospitals are the lifeblood of their communities. They often serve as the largest employer in a town and a way to keep and attract young people to that community.

Rural hospitals are already in crisis, and since 2005, more than 180 rural hospitals have closed their doors. One reason why that number is not higher is the 340B program.

Savings from 340B discounts and community pharmacies are half of all the savings for rural hospitals. If these losses are allowed to stand and grow bigger, we will face a real crisis across rural America.

Recent actions by the pharmaceutical companies threaten the ability of rural hospitals to stay open, costing them, on average, $229,000.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. O'Halleran).

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Arizona for speaking about this important program and the value that it has across his district.

I am now grateful for the opportunity to yield to my colleague from Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for his comments. They are so important because he was talking about the impact that we see when pharmaceutical companies do not abide by the 340B program.

We know that hospitals that serve more urban areas report that, on average, they have lost nearly a quarter of the 340B resources they receive through partnerships with community pharmacies. That is a median loss of $1 million.

For critical access hospitals that are the only source of hospital care for their remote, rural communities, this loss is nearly 40 percent, and the median loss is $220,000.

These losses of millions of dollars are harmful to hospitals with razor-thin operating margins, especially the more than half that operate in the red even with 340B support, echoing and illustrating the point made by my colleague from Pennsylvania.

To be clear, these losses are going to drug companies that continue to report excellent results to their shareholders, many of whom report double-digit profit margins. We know that that impacts hospitals across our communities and their ability to serve patients and provide care.

I am now pleased to yield time to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas).

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Pappas for sharing the stories that he is hearing directly from his district.

When I asked pharmacists about how this program works in practice, we were overwhelmed with responses related to how patients have been able to access care through the 340B program. I will just give one example as follow-up to Mr. Pappas' comments.

We had a pharmacist say, ``I have countless numbers of patients who are now able to get their insulin and control their diabetes because of the 340B program.'' When their local pharmacy prices put their insulin costs into the range of hundreds of dollars each month, this pharmacist, because of the 340B program, is able to meet the needs of these community members with diabetes who otherwise would not be able to afford their lifesaving medication.

We have story after story from pharmacists who recognize the value of this program and depend on it in order to serve patients throughout Virginia, New Hampshire, and throughout the country.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis).

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Davis for his comments and certainly for bringing up the important role that federally qualified health centers raise in providing care. We know that they stretch their scarce resources. In fact, one of the federally qualified health centers in my district in Louisa County has shared with us some stories about the impact of this program.

Louisa County is one of the most rural counties in my district, and the Louisa County Health and Wellness Center is a federally qualified health center, and it is an invaluable resource for Louisa County and our local community.

Discounts through the 340B program allows the Central Virginia Health Services and the Louisa County Health and Wellness Center to offset the costs of providing nonprofitable services, such as dental and behavioral health. The savings from 340B allows Central Virginia Health Services to have a strong clinical pharmacy team that provides extensive support with Medicare annual wellness visits, medication compliance with complex patients, managing its hepatitis C program, and overseeing diabetic initiatives. Most importantly, the 340B savings allows Central Virginia Health Services and other federally qualified health centers to offer substantial sliding fee discounts to patients regardless of whether or not they have insurance.

The Federal grant only covers about 40 percent of the cost of treating a patient, and the rest comes from 340B savings. So let me be clear on that: It is the savings that federally qualified health centers receive because they are able to participate in this program. Because the drugs that they are prescribing and giving to their patients cost less, those savings they are able to invest elsewhere. In the case of Louisa County, they are putting those dollars into dental and behavioral health.

The intent of the 340B program for the past 30 years has been to help stretch Federal resources for the benefit of the taxpayer, and this is a great example of exactly how that is happening back home in Virginia's Seventh District.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia) to speak on this important program.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Illinois for providing such an important story, illustrating the value of the 340B program in Illinois, and those stories exist across the country.

I now yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose), as we continue our discussion about the value of this program.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Tennessee. I appreciate his talking about the PROTECT 340B program. I was so proud to lead this effort. And certainly, as we have heard today, Congress' intention for the 340B program is to support safety net providers and their ability to stretch their scarce resources and provide more comprehensive services to vulnerable patients.

Congress certainly did not intend for the 340B program and those discounts to subsidize the profits of Fortune 100 pharmacy benefit managers, and I thank Mr. Rose for recognizing that.

I was proud to work with my colleagues across the aisle to introduce PROTECT 340B to stop PBMs from, frankly, pickpocketing 340B discounts so that we can ensure the benefits of 340B reach the community health centers, the HIV/AIDS clinics, and the rural hospitals that Congress intended to support.

I thank the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley), who has been an absolute champion of this issue. I have been so grateful to work with him and his team every step along the way. His commitment to West Virginia, the safety net hospitals, the rural hospitals, and the communities that rely on 340B is apparent through his dedication to this.

Our bill is in response to the stories that we have heard from pharmacists across our districts. PBMs have established two tiers of payment for pharmacy-dispersed drugs, one for chain and retail pharmacies unassociated with 340B providers, and another significantly lower rate for 340B pharmacies.

Years of market consolidation have given the three leading PBMs incredible market power, and they can effectively dictate terms to smaller 340B pharmacies. What that means is PBMs are essentially pickpocketing 340B savings from safety net providers. Instead of helping the healthcare safety net reach more patients, the 340B savings are subsidizing the profits of some of the largest, most profitable companies in America, and that means that those safety net hospitals, those rural hospitals, those federally qualified health centers are not able to put those savings toward care to patients.

Our PROTECT 340B Act would hold PBMs accountable and prevent them from applying these predatory business practices to the local health centers, the rural hospitals, and other Federal grantees. It would also create a national clearinghouse to track 340B discounts and make sure 340B drugs are not included in States' Medicaid rebate requests. Together, these changes

would restore the integrity of the program and protect the healthcare safety net so many of our constituents rely on.

I am proud that for over the past 2 years many States, including Virginia, have passed laws to protect the healthcare safety net from these predatory business practices, but it is not enough. A Federal standard is necessary to ensure consistent and broad protections for healthcare providers and, importantly, to actually ensure that we are enforcing the law, and we are seeing momentum toward that moment. Currently, our bill has more than 90 cosponsors, and I welcome the rest of our colleagues to join our effort. Certainly, from tonight, people should be able to see this is an issue that many people from across the country and across the aisle certainly can get behind, and I urge my colleagues to consider joining us in this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I am happy to yield time back to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose) to continue this conversation and education about the value of the 340B program.

Madam Speaker, I thank and appreciate the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, we have been joining together to recognize the importance of this program, ensuring that it is there to serve our communities. And I will give an example.

Virginia Commonwealth University, or VCU, is the largest safety net hospital in Virginia, and it serves the greatest number of uninsured and Medicaid patients in our Commonwealth.

Nearly three-quarters of VCU's payor mix is public or uninsured. I am proud that VCU has been a good steward of the discounts it receives through the 340B program, consistent with Congressional intent that the 340B program be used to ensure these discounts can stretch Federal resources.

The 340B program supports VCU's health systems' commitment to serving all members of the community, regardless of their ability to pay. And in 2020 alone, the program's savings helped VCU Health provide nearly 2,100 patients with $27,300 discounted or free medications and over $64 million in uncompensated care in fiscal year 2021.

I am going to repeat that. The program savings, the savings that VCU was able to get through the 340B program, allowed them to provide $64 million in uncompensated care.

VCU has used its 340B discounts to stretch its resources and expand patients' access to care. For example, in just one year, one patient visited VCU's Emergency Department nearly 50 times. He was homeless, and he had multiple chronic conditions; so the emergency department referred him to VCU's Health Complex Care Clinic. There, thanks to 340B discounts, the patient received significantly discounted medications from the hospital pharmacy. Meanwhile, the clinic staff helped the patient find transitional housing and apply for Medicaid coverage.

Over the next 3 years, the patient only had four emergency department visits. In 1 year, this man visited the emergency room 50 times because it was how he was able to get the healthcare that he needed. But thanks to the 340B program and how well it is utilized by hospitals like VCU and hospitals across the country, this man was able to get the medicine he needed through this program at a discounted rate. And the hospital was able to invest its resources in providing care and ensuring that this gentleman could get the medication he needed for his chronic illness and also find his way into transitional housing, apply for Medicaid coverage, and over 3 years, he had four emergency department visits.

That is investing in the community, in better health outcomes, and this is exactly why this program was created. The discounts available through 340B helped providers like VCU meet the needs of their patients and certainly uphold the intent of 340B and the program as it was created 30 years ago.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose), my colleague.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Rose and his commitment to this issue, and I thank him for joining me in this Special Order hour. It has really been a wonderful experience to hear from our colleagues from across the country and across the aisle talk about the value of this program.

Certainly, we heard Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania talk about the impact that the 340B program has on hospitals; their ability to operate, their ability to provide their service, and their ability to be there for their patients, the importance that this program has to the operation of our healthcare system here in the United States.

We heard from Mr. Pappas of New Hampshire, stories of particular people's experience, that thanks to the 340B program, patients with a need in communities wanting to serve their constituents have been able to ensure that people who need medication can get it through the 340B program.

Mr. O'Halleran of Arizona highlighted the value of this program in rural communities across the United States. And Mr. Davis of Illinois talked about the creation of Federally qualified health centers and how vital the 340B program is to their ability to serve their patients, their communities, and our communities.

Mr. Garcia of Illinois told a really specific story about the impact of 340B on a patient with diabetes and what he

is hearing directly from constituents. And certainly, Mr. Rose, in our comments back and forth, my colleague and I have talked about the value of this program, the intent of this program, and our efforts to ensure that pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers are not breaking the law and are not raiding the coffers of the 340B discount program.

Madam Speaker, I close out tonight by just thanking all of the Members who came to the floor, all of the Members who support legislation to support this vital program, and all of the Members who recognize the value of the 340B program within their district. Again, I give a very special thanks to my friend from Tennessee that helped manage the floor during this Special Order hour.

Since it came into being nearly 30 years ago, 340B has enabled a strong healthcare safety net that has served thousands of communities and millions of patients. It has been a lifeline for hospitals, health centers, and clinics that serve patients with low incomes, especially those who are uninsured or on Medicaid and those in rural areas. It has done so with strong bipartisan support and without costing any taxpayer dollars. Again, these savings allow our communities' hospitals to stretch those Federal dollars, to save those Federal dollars. This program does not cost a single taxpayer dollar.

The 340B Drug Pricing Program is a success story for patient access to care. We should celebrate it. We should protect it. We should defend 340B.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the remainder of my time.

Madam Speaker, During National Police Week, Virginians have reflected on the sacrifice of the men and women who keep our communities safe--and they honor those who never came home. As part of these commemorations, the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy in Fredericksburg, Virginia held their fallen officer memorial service alongside family members of the fallen and those they proudly served alongside.

Today, I am honored to remember the names of the officers who were recognized and remembered by the Academy:

Sergeant Harry V. Smeeman--Ashland Police Department; Deputy Strother W. Lewis, Sr.--Caroline County Sheriff's Office; Sheriff Thomas G. Thornton--Caroline County Sheriff's Office; Deputy George R. Lillard, Jr.--Culpeper County Sheriff's Office; Captain James A. Sisk--Culpeper County Sheriff's Office; Sergeant Charles E. Murray, Jr.--Fauquier County Sheriff's Office; Deputy John H. Walter--Fauquier County Sheriff's Office; Officer Todd A. Bahr--Fredericksburg Police Department; Officer William F. Mines--Fredericksburg Police Department; Officer Ellsworth A. Moore--Fredericksburg Police Department; Sergeant Roy G. Wright--Fredericksburg Police Department.

Sheriff Joel L. Powers--Goochland County Sheriff's Office; Investigator Chadwick A. Carr--Greene County Sheriff's Office; Deputy Craig L. Brooks--King George County Sheriff's Office; Sergeant Donald C. Benson, Sr.--Lancaster County Sheriff's Office; Deputy James A. Brent--Lancaster County Sheriff's Office; Sergeant John D. Conner, III--Manassas City Police Department; Deputy John W. Sanford, Jr.-- Northumberland County Sheriff's Office; Sheriff Willie C. Bond--Orange County Sheriff's Office; Sheriff Willie B. Young--Orange County Sheriff's Office; Sergeant Julian F. Boyer--Orange Police Department; 1st Sergeant Michael J. Krueger--Rappahannock Regional Jail.

1st Sergeant Challoughlczilczise Randle, II--Rappahannock Regional Jail; Deputy Bryan M. Berger--Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office; Deputy Dean Ridings--Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office; Detective Richard L. Samuels--Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office; Deputy Ford T. Humphrey--Stafford County Sheriff's Office; Deputy Jason E. Mooney-- Stafford County Sheriff's Office Marine; Patrol Officer Peter Crockett--V.M.R.C.; Trooper Adam M. Bowen--Virginia State Police; Trooper Jose M. Cavazos--Virginia State Police; Trooper Jessica J. Cheney--Virginia State Police; Trooper Rannie DeWitt Kennedy--Virginia State Police.

As the U.S. Representative for Virginia's Seventh District, I am humbled to present their names before the U.S. House of Representatives. On behalf of a grateful Commonwealth and country, I thank them for keeping our communities safe. They will be remembered.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this important legislation of which I am a cosponsor and intend to vote for.

Firefighters are routinely exposed to high stress, smoke, heat, and various toxic substances. As a result, they are far more likely to contract cardiovascular disease, lung disease, and cancer than other workers.

I strongly support extending workers' compensation to America's Federal civilian firefighters as we will do with the Federal Firefighter Fairness Act, but I want to use this opportunity to call on House leadership and the Veterans' Affairs Committee to bring forward another related bill, the Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act.

I strongly support extending workers' compensation to our civilian firefighters, but we must extend the same benefits to our military firefighters. Not doing so would be nothing short of a dereliction of our sacred duty to them.

One such military firefighter was Michael Lecik, an Air Force firefighter. He deployed twice to the Middle East, and after coming home to central Virginia some years later, Mike was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer linked to the dangerous conditions of his service as a military firefighter, a connection we are acknowledging for Federal firefighters with our votes for the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act.

While I am grateful that we are moving this bill forward, I am deeply concerned and disappointed that we are not remedying this issue for the brave servicemembers like Mike who had similar exposures.

Mike died in March 2021 at the age of 41, leaving behind a loving wife and three school-age daughters. As he faced down his illness, he worked and advocated to ensure that other military firefighters would have their service-connected illnesses recognized.

In his honor and in service to military firefighters like him, I will continue to work to ensure an acknowledgment of harm is extended to all affected populations, including veterans dying from cancer without any acknowledgment of their service-connected injury.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here to recognize the service of Marcus Tuck of Crewe, Virginia.

During the Korean war, Mr. Tuck served in the United States Army. He was part of E Company, 223rd Infantry Regiment, 40th Division. He served honorably and dutifully, but for decades, Mr. Tuck never received the medals he was owed, the medals he earned.

This year, my office worked with Mr. Tuck and fought to get Mr. Tuck the medals he rightfully earned nearly 70 years ago. For his brave service to our country, Mr. Tuck earned the Good Conduct Medal. He earned the National Defense Service Medal. He earned the Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars. He earned the Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, and he earned the United Nations Service Medal.

On behalf of a grateful Seventh District, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and our country, I thank Marcus Tuck for his commitment to our beloved Nation. I am humbled to call him a constituent, and I am honored to be able to deliver these physical reminders of his service to him and his family.

I also want to recognize the Crewe Gold Star Memorial VFW Post 7189 for getting Mr. Tuck in touch with our office and for making sure he received the medals and the recognition that had long been deferred.

As an American people, we are stronger when we honor our veterans, remember their stories, and carry onward the torch of their legacy. Thank you for your service, Mr. Tuck.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to honor the life of Henrico County Police Officer Trey Marshall Sutton.

Officer Sutton was described as kind, confident, and someone who devoted his life to others.

Originally from Chesterfield County, Officer Sutton graduated from the police academy earlier this year, and he was training to serve in the Henrico County PD's patrol bureau. He was also soon to be married.

Last week, Officer Sutton's life was cut tragically short in a car crash during field training. In an instant, Virginia lost one of our best, someone who demonstrated both bravery and compassion through his actions.

We will remember Officer Sutton for his service to our community. We will remember his commitment to our Commonwealth. And we will remember his story as one of purpose and inspiration for our country.

In the words of the ``Hero's Welcome'': ``And through your selfless actions, others will hear the call.''

My prayers are with Officer Sutton's fellow officers in the Henrico County Police Department, his classmates at the academy, his fiance, Zoe, and all of his loved ones.

Please join me in honoring the life of Officer Trey Marshall Sutton.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the remarkable contributions of Phil Jenkins, who recently finished serving as managing and executive editor at the Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Phil gave his time, his energy, and his dedication to the Free Lance- Star for 24 years.

``Equally wise and unflappable,'' that is how his colleagues describe him. ``A trusted leader, gifted editor, and generous mentor.''

When he arrived at the paper in 1998, Phil made sure the paper stayed at the top of its game. As the years went on, his determination guided the paper through difficult stretches and through thousands of local news developments.

He oversaw critical investigations, including those related to the D.C. sniper trial. He managed major transitions, such as shifting from an afternoon to morning production cycle and moving the paper's offices to downtown Fredericksburg.

Under Phil's leadership the Free Lance-Star was nine times judged as Virginia's best midsize daily between 2011 and 2020, winning first place for its writing, design, and photography.

In Fredericksburg, Phil supervised dozens of people, including writers, photographers, designers, editors, web producers, and clerical staff. Those who worked with him over the years said that ``few knew a more journalistically savvy, more evenhanded or more calming influence in the newsroom.''

When asked to describe Phil's tenure at the paper, a former colleague said that Phil showed ``unparalleled leadership'' as well as ``an uncanny ability to measure and satiate the community's hunger for the news that makes it unique.''

Today, Phil's staff and the entire greater Fredericksburg region and the Free Lance-Star readership will greatly miss Phil's hand at the helm of the Free Lance-Star.

One former Free Lance-Star editor said, ``Working with such a gifted journalist and wonderful person as Phil Jenkins was one of the highest honors of my life. There is no way to adequately thank him for the contributions he has made to the paper and to the community.''

Phil's service to the Fredericksburg area and Virginia overall speaks to the enduring importance of local news, including print journalism. Local news keeps us informed about the day-to-day events in our communities. It allows us to share the triumphs of our neighbors. It holds those in power to account, and it brings to light the challenges we face together, as a community, as a Commonwealth, and as a country.

As another former colleague said, ``Nobody gave more to the cause of community journalism than Phil Jenkins.''

Today, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would like to thank Phil Jenkins for his service to the people of Virginia. We thank him for his devotion to his colleagues, his commitment to accuracy, and his love of a good story founded on the truth.

Recognizing Bill Shugarts

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Seventh District constituent and U.S. Army veteran Bill Shugarts.

Bill is a Vietnam veteran who served with the 23rd Infantry Division. In Vietnam, Bill planned and ran convoys, and one day, while doing command and control above the Hiep Duc Valley, Bill was in a helicopter crash. Thankfully, he suffered only minimal injuries.

Bill was honorably discharged in 1971 with various commendations and medals, including a Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters. He began a successful corporate career spanning three different Fortune 500 companies.

But never forgetting his experiences in Vietnam or with his soldiers, Bill has devoted himself to his fellow veterans and our Nation's allies who have stood by our servicemembers.

In service to the community and local veterans, Bill founded the Northern Virginia Military Ministry Outreach, and he cofounded the Fawn Lake Veterans Group. He is a docent at the U.S. Army Museum, and he is a lay leader of the Methodist Wilderness Community Church's military ministry.

In my earliest days in office, and well before the final exit of American forces from Afghanistan, Bill was working to bring attention to the urgent needs of the SIV program. As a founding member of No One Left Behind, Bill focused on increasing the number of visas available, speeding up processing, and bringing refuge to those in danger. Bill worked closely with my office as we strived to make progress, get questions answered, and ultimately get SIVs home to America, their new home.

Now, through their church, Bill and his wife, Margene, continue their tireless work to help Afghan evacuees resettle and build community in their new home in Virginia.

Bill represents the best of Virginia, a Commonwealth made stronger through our ability to keep our promises to our veterans, our military families, and our allies. As the U.S. Representative for Virginia's Seventh District, I thank Bill Shugarts for his advocacy, his compassion, and his deep and abiding sense of service to our country and our Commonwealth.

Madam Speaker, I have been so pleased to hear colleagues across the aisle speak in favor of competition and price negotiations.

I hope that they will follow through in their commitment to supporting competition and negotiation and co-sponsor Lower Drug Costs Now, H.R. 3.

But that is not the bill we are talking about today. Today, we are talking about the Affordable Insulin Now Act, a bill that would make changes in the lives of the more than 630,000 Virginians who are living with diabetes.

The Affordable Insulin Now Act would finally make sure that every affected child, teenager, family member, every American can afford the insulin that they need.

People living with diabetes do not have the choice of whether to purchase insulin or not. They depend on it to stay alive. People like my constituent, Joshua Davis, a 13-year-old Virginian with type 1 diabetes who accompanied Dr. Jill Biden to the State of the Union Address earlier this year.

I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation to make sure that no American is skipping lifesaving doses of their insulin or making choices between whether they take their insulin or put food on the table.

I am grateful to my colleagues for leading this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my Better Cybercrime Metrics Act and its companion bill in the U.S. Senate, S. 2629. And I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for that introduction and for her support of this bill since the moment we introduced it.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation is under constant attack from cybercriminals. And with the range of new threats emanating from adversaries around the world, including the Russian Federation, Congress has an obligation to move legislation forward that can better protect the American people, their data, their finances, and their personal information.

Over the last few years, we have seen massive rates of cybercrime. Millions of Americans have had their personal data compromised, their money stolen, their identity taken, or their safety put at serious risk. In fact, cybercrime remains the most common crime in America, and this trend was only exacerbated by the pandemic and the many fraudsters looking to scam vulnerable Americans in a moment of crisis or make a quick buck off of a global catastrophe.

Unfortunately, a vast majority of these crimes are not properly reported or tracked by law enforcement. Far too often, they are not measured or even documented. And to make matters worse, our government lacks the preparedness required to fully address the next generation of cybercrime and cyberattacks.

Our legislation would give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to better track and identify cybercrime, prevent attacks, and hold perpetrators accountable. Our bill would require Federal reporting on the effectiveness of current cybercrime mechanisms.

And it would go one step further--it would also highlight disparities in reporting data between cybercrime data and other types of crime data. This is such an important step for strengthening our understanding and our defenses against the phishing attempts, extortion, identity theft, and ransomware attacks that are plaguing everyday Americans in communities and across our country. Additionally, our bill would make sure America's law enforcement is prepared for the next generation of cyberattacks.

Mr. Speaker, I am a proud former Federal law enforcement officer, and I understand that local and State police and sheriff's departments are often strained for resources. And I know that their time is precious, so I recognize the importance of having their backs and making sure that we have as much information as possible about potential threats.

This legislation follows through on that commitment and it is why I am glad to see it endorsed by several national organizations--including the National Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the National White Collar Crime Center, which has a presence in Virginia's Seventh District.

In fact, this legislation--bipartisan and bicameral--was partially inspired by the attack on the Colonial pipeline last year, something that impacted many communities across my district.

After thousands of Virginians, their gas tanks, and their wallets were impacted by this disruptive ransomware attack, I was proud to build a bipartisan coalition focused on improving America's efforts to undercut hackers, protect critical infrastructure, and strengthen existing cybercrime prevention efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives who joined this bipartisan coalition. I thank Congressman Blake Moore, Congressman Andrew Garbarino, and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for their partnership. Clearly, there is still bipartisan consensus for cybersecurity reforms and protections.

Mr. Speaker, I also thank our friends across the Capitol complex for ushering the Senate version through the process. Thank you to Senators Schatz, Tillis, Cornyn, and Blumenthal for your cooperation and leadership on this important bicameral effort.

When our bipartisan bill passes the House tonight, it will head to the President's desk to be signed into law. And with a stroke of a pen, we will ensure that our national crime classification system can properly identify cybercrimes and prevent future attacks.

Once our legislation is signed into law, we will be protecting more families who bank online. We will be protecting more businesses who manage their employees' payroll information over the internet. We will be protecting more seniors who are using the internet to communicate with their loved ones far away or rely on the internet to manage their Federal benefits, such as Social Security.

Together, we will thwart cybercriminals. And together, we will prevent more Americans from becoming targets or victims online.

Madam Speaker, I stand here to recognize the incredible achievement of Midlothian resident Keira D'Amato.

Earlier this year, Keira broke the American record for the women's marathon, winning the Chevron Houston Marathon with a 2-hour, 19- minute, and 12-second finish. For those of you keeping score, that is 24 seconds faster than the previous record set back in 2006.

This new record demonstrates Keira's remarkable resiliency, it shows her undeniable passion, and it highlights her proven ability to overcome injuries and adversity.

As a mother of two, Keira is not just a winner, she is an ambassador for her

sport. Her enthusiasm is already inspiring the next generation of Virginia marathon runners.

Today, on behalf of Virginia's Seventh District, I want to congratulate Keira for making Chesterfield County, central Virginia, and our entire Commonwealth proud. We are honored to be the home of a true American champion.

Mr. Speaker, my commitment to supporting veterans suffering from toxic exposures has been ironclad since I first met the late Michael Lecik, a father, a husband, a firefighter, and a veteran who died of cancer related to his exposures.

It continued when I met Gillie Jenkins, an atomic war veteran from Chesterfield, Virginia, who in his 90s is still fighting for the recognition of his brothers in arms and the sacrifices that they made.

Today, when I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 3967, I am doing so inspired by William G. Collins, a veteran from Louisa County, Virginia. My amendment would require the VA to investigate the long- term health impacts of jet fuel exposures on our country's servicemembers.

Mr. Collins, a veteran from Louisa County, Virginia, is living with Parkinson's. As a former Air Force crew fire chief, his years of constant exposure to jet fuel put him at risk, but now the VA does not recognize Mr. Collins' condition as having a service connection. Mr. Collins served honorably, and he should know that his country has his back.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment would bring us one step closer to ensure that veterans like William have the healthcare benefits they deserve and the acknowledgment of their sacrifice.

Mr. Collins says, ``This disease has impacted my health, my economic security, and potentially my wife and I's dream of spending our last years on our beloved farm where we raised our family.''

Mr. Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to support this long overdue amendment as we support all of our Nation's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 381.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to recognize the Kristallnacht Remembrance Service that has taken place in the community I represent for more than 60 years.

In 1938, during Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass, more than 90 Jews were killed, murdered, and 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. Hundreds of synagogues were burned, and thousands of Jewish homes and businesses were ransacked. It was a prelude to the horrors to come.

Every year, central Virginians come together on the anniversary of Kristallnacht at the Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial Cemetery in Henrico County, a cemetery that serves as the final resting place for so many Virginians with ties to the Holocaust.

At the service, our community joins to remember what took place, honor loved ones, and remind us that we can never forget.

I am immensely grateful to the local leaders in central Virginia's Jewish community who bring people together for this remembrance service.

This community is committed to education and celebrating Jewish culture, and the Kristallnacht Remembrance Service is indicative of that spirit and that commitment.

Madam Speaker, I rise to speak on the House floor about Summer Barrow.

Summer was born on July 4 and was named for the season. Her mother, Carey Colvin, said that Summer was a firecracker, she was vivacious, she loved to dance, she loved to sing, and she loved music. But Summer died of a fentanyl overdose in January of 2020.

Summer's substance use disorder began after she was prescribed oxycodone after a car accident, and when the prescription ran out, she turned to heroin.

This vibrant young woman lost her life to a substance use disorder, and amid her loss, her mother, Carey, has turned to advocacy.

In her honor, I was proud to introduce the bipartisan Support Recovery for Addiction Act, legislation that would create a guaranteed funding stream for recovery support services and community organizations.

Of her daughter, Carey said: ``I know what she would want to say is: `Please get help.'''

This bill would help deliver that help to others, just as Summer and so many others that we have lost to substance use disorder would have wanted.