Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the Palestinian people as they face grave injustices, violence, and certainly abuse. I join the countless people around the world, Mr. Speaker, who are vehemently opposed to the planned, forced evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah and saddened by the escalating violence that threatens Israelis and Palestinians alike.

We must condemn all forms of violence and mourn the loss of both Palestinian lives and Israeli lives.

I stand here today as one of the three Muslims serving in Congress on Eid day, heartbroken to see the attacks on the worshippers at the Al- Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites of Islam in our holiest month of the year by the Israeli Government.

For decades, Israel has violated international law and basic human rights through its systematic displacement of Palestinians. For too long, America has looked the other way as Israel has engaged in this horrific campaign against Palestinians.

Israel is our security partner. In fact, the U.S. alone gives Israel billions of dollars per year. But we must make sure that our taxpayer dollars are not being used to fund human rights violations.

Enough is enough.

America has a moral obligation to use our influence to protect the victims of human rights violations including the Palestinian people. We must work to strengthen our work to bring peace to this region. This is our moral responsibility to do the right thing. It is not about Jews versus Muslims or Israel versus its neighbors. It is about right versus wrong.

Let me be clear: Israel's decade of forced displacement is wrong. That is why we are working hard in Congress to make things right. Our American Government must enforce international law and our own foundational principles, and our allies, like Israel, must be held accountable for human rights violations.

Now, we are going to keep working hard in Congress to pass much- needed legislation that achieves accountability, equality, and justice for all.

America is great and powerful--probably the greatest nation in recorded history. But America is complex. It is a complicated work in progress. For centuries she has engaged in and enabled the mistreatment of countless people from the slavery enshrined in its Constitution against Africans to the taking of land from Native Americans, or the shameful support of dictators beyond our shores. But today we face an inflection point, a reckoning of whether we will stand up for the values we claim to cherish or if we will turn a blind eye to repeated violations of human rights.

We cannot turn our backs now. We must recognize that this is an international struggle and stick by the words of Dr. King when he said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

I am thankful for Dr. King and for the long list of great Americans who have helped bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice. We stand on the shoulders and march in their footsteps as we advance their legacy and boldly stand up to protect the human rights of the Palestinian people. By working together, we can ensure that America uses her power for good in Palestine and around the world.

Let's keep up this momentum. Let's help secure justice for the Palestinian people. Let's work for peace. Let's never give up.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, the Representative who we affectionately call Chief Demings, for organizing this Special Order hour. You don't get many friends like Congresswoman Demings. She is a true leader; she is thoughtful; and she is a true public servant.

I join her, Mr. Speaker, this National Police Week to honor and remember the officers who lost their lives last year in the line of duty.

I can remember, years ago, traveling with my colleagues from the Indiana State Excise Police to honor my colleague's dad, who passed away in a high-speed pursuit on State Road 231. He was the sheriff, Sheriff Jim Baugh of Putnam County, and we came out here years ago to honor Mr. Baugh.

Though nothing can bring back the lives that have been lost or ease the collective grief we feel, we take comfort in knowing that we will never forget them or the sacrifices they have made.

We pledge, Mr. Speaker, to keep their legacy alive through our efforts to improve policing for every community, for all Americans.

As a former law enforcement officer, this priority is deeply personal. I want to pay special tribute to all the law enforcement officers in my district who are working to keep our city safe and build greater trust with the neighborhoods they serve.

I also want to honor the Hoosier officers statewide who have lost their lives. One such officer I would like to recognize is Officer Breann Leath, an Indianapolis Metro Police Department officer who was shot and killed last April while responding to a domestic disturbance.

She was 24 years old, Mr. Speaker, a veteran of the National Guard, the mother of a young son, and part of a family and a proud legacy of law enforcement. She had her whole life and a great career ahead of her, only to have it tragically cut short.

Today and every day, Mr. Speaker, we honor her and those like her who have been killed in the line of duty.

Mr. Speaker, I would also be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to recognize the countless Americans who we have lost to police brutality.

In Indianapolis alone, and in communities across our country, the list grows longer each day. We must honor their memory and commit to enacting reforms that save lives in the future.

Now, let's be clear, Mr. Speaker. We are not advocating for these reforms in order to punish police or to make their jobs harder. We also want to improve their lives as well. We want to provide police with better training and the right resources. We want to help police build stronger and healthier relationships with the communities they serve.

We also want police to be able to focus on keeping the peace and relieve them of their many other duties that they are expected to do even when they are not trained or equipped to carry out these additional duties.

As a former law enforcement officer and as a Black man who has been the victim of police excess and misconduct, it is clear to me that these changes are desperately needed.

We can improve policing and save lives by passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The House has done its work and passed it twice, last year and this year. Now, the Senate must be bold and pass it as soon as possible so President Biden can sign it into law.

Thank you again to all the law enforcement officers who risk their lives to keep Americans safe, and a special thanks to those we have lost.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce the COVID-19 Memorial Quilt Act of 2021 to again honor all the victims of this pandemic with a national memorial quilt.

The horrors of the COVID-19 pandemic have touched every corner of our country, wreaking unprecedented devastation on Americans' lives. As I reintroduce this legislation today, COVID-19 has infected at least 32 million Americans. Tragically, this disease has quickly robbed our country of at least 578,000 of our fellow citizens. We need to remember that these numbers are not just statistics: they are people. They are our moms, dads, children, grandparents, neighbors, teachers, religious leaders and fellow Americans who have been taken from us due to this pandemic.

Moreover, these numbers do not capture the depth of this disease's devastation. While our television screens are often filled with images of empty streets and packed hospitals, we often don't see the private isolation and loneliness of the individual struggles against COVID-19. In order to slow the spread of this disease, our hospitals, nursing homes, funeral homes, and businesses have had to impose strict social distancing and protective measures. While necessary for our public health, these restrictions come at a great human cost and deepen the private pain caused by this disease.

For the thousands of brave patients fighting COVID-19, including the hospitalized patients, nursing home residents, and individuals at home in quarantine, the struggle against COVID-19 is a lonely, scary, and isolating fight. In hospitals and nursing homes, often a patient's only human contact is a health care worker in full personal protective equipment (PPE). Family, friends, and loved ones can't be there to provide comfort, to hold their hands, or to pray with them in this terrifying time. At best, loving words and support might be shared over the telephone or video call. At worst, there is only an isolating silence where

a loved one should be. These scars need to be acknowledged and hopefully healed.

The death toll from COVID-19 is even more wrenching. At least 112,000 Americans--whether in the hospital, the nursing home, or at home--have met the end of their lives without the comfort of their family, friends, or loved ones. Yesterday, more than 700 Americans died from this disease, and many were forced to close their eyes without the support of their loved ones nearby.

In my home state of Indiana, we have lost at least 12,966 Hoosiers to COVID-19 at nursing homes. We also know that African Americans are dying at disproportionate rates from COVID-19. African Americans in Indiana. Institutional racism, compounded by environmental and economic injustices, have made COVID-19 particularly devastating for African Americans. My heart grieves for my fellow Americans who took their last breath, because of this terrible disease, without the loving comfort and support they deserved.

For the family, friends, and loved ones of those who died from COVID- 19, the isolation and loneliness brought by this disease only grows after their loved one's passing. Social distancing and the isolating fear of this disease prevent us from adequately honoring and memorializing the many victims of COVID-19. Large memorial services are not possible. Family gatherings to celebrate lost loved ones are curtailed, with supportive hugs replaced by six feet of distance and protective masks. Private funeral services--if not cancelled or postponed altogether--have often had to take place with only 10 people or less.

In addition to its sickness, death, and disruption, COVID-19 has robbed us of traditional ways of honoring our lost loved ones. Holding smaller funerals or forgoing them entirely because of social distancing measures has denied us the opportunity to fully celebrate the lives of the deceased. Our ability to publicly grieve together, and to adequately honor and celebrate the lost has been largely denied due to this isolating and frightening disease.

Many Americans will also remember another isolating and frightening disease: the AIDS epidemic. Ryan White, a brave and remarkable Hoosier, faced isolation and many frightening obstacles because of his AIDS diagnosis. However, Ryan's courage, bravery, and advocacy for AIDS research galvanized many in support of AIDS treatment, research and recognition of this disease's horrific impact. Since no official commemoration existed, concerned Americans decided to celebrate and honor the lives of those who died from AIDS--often isolated and alone-- by creating a memorial quilt. As a result, in 1987, the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed and stretched the length of the National Mall. This remarkable quilt allowed us to honor and celebrate the lives of those tragically lost to a frightening disease, which at that time, had no cure, vaccine or effective treatment. More than 105,000 individual lives are commemorated through this quilt's 50,000 individual panels that contain photographs, correspondence, and news clippings to remember those who died from AIDS. In these panels, the memory of the victims were able to live on in public view.

Inspired by the brave advocacy and powerful legacy of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, I am proud to introduce the COVID-19 Memorial Quilt Act of 2021. This legislation honors and celebrates the lives of those we have lost to the COVID-19 pandemic through the creation of a memorial quilt. Like the AIDS quilt, creating a memorial quilt to remember the lives lost due to COVID-19 will allow Americans to publicly grieve our lost loved ones, but also commemorate their lives in permanent, visible, and dignified way.

The COVID-19 Memorial Quilt Act of 2021 authorizes the design, creation, and display of a memorial quilt and other commemorative programming and exhibits to honor the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. My legislation does this by creating a Congressional Advisory Panel which will submit plans to the Smithsonian Institution and the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for how the quilt should be developed and displayed. Once complete, this memorial quilt will be displayed on the United States Capitol Grounds with a subsequent display on the National Mall and other locations, continuing the legacy of the AIDS quilt. This legislation also supports the powerful creativity of artists around the country by providing them with grants from the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) to help design and prepare panels for the memorial quilt.

All Americans have been affected by COVID-19. All have felt the disruption wrought by this pandemic to our families, our workplaces, our businesses, our places of worship, and our social lives. But that is nothing compared to the Americans who have not only faced disruptions, but also the wrenching loss of loved ones from this disease. Because of social distancing and protective restrictions, we have been denied the ability to adequately honor, commemorate, and publicly celebrate those we have lost. And unfortunately, as more Americans continue to die in isolation from this disease, this deficit in our collective grief will only grow. As a result, my legislation builds on the powerful legacy of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and will help our country to collectively grieve and appropriately honor the victims of COVID-19.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join us in supporting the COVID-19 Memorial Quilt Act of 2021, and I urge the House to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise with my fellow Congressional colleagues from lndiana to honor the 8 Hoosiers we lost in the senseless shooting at the FedEx facility in Indianapolis.

We also honor those who were injured, and pray that they have a full and fast recovery.

The deceased were our friends, family and neighbors.

They had hopes, dreams, and plans for the future--only to have their lives tragically cut short.

And sadly, they are part of a much larger group of Hoosiers and Americans we have lost to gun violence.

As our community and our state grieve, and as we seek to move forward, we pledge to never forget those we lost--in this shooting, or any other senseless act of violence.

Their legacies will live on through our efforts to save lives in the future.

Hoosiers are resilient, and we will continue working hard to create safer communities across America, always carrying the memory of those we have lost in our hearts.

We will never forget them.

[Apr. 18, 2021]

Indianapolis FedEx Shooting: Who Were the Eight Victims?

Officials in Indianapolis have released the names of the

eight people who were killed when a gunman opened fire at a

FedEx warehouse on Thursday night.

Among the victims were four members of the local Sikh

community--including a mother, a father and two grandmothers.

Other victims include two 19-year-olds, a university graduate

and a father.

Local Sikhs say they feel ``traumatized'' by the attack.

It remains unclear if Sikhs were targeted, authorities say.

About 90% of workers at the facility are members of the

local Sikh community, police chief Randal Taylor said. Here's

what we know about the victims.

Amarjeet Johal, 66

Johal was a ``mother, grandmother and member of the

Indianapolis' Sikh community'', according to the Indianapolis

Star.

Her granddaughter, Komal Chohan, says she is

``heartbroken'' at the death of her ``naniji'', or

grandmother.

``I have several family members who work at the particular

facility and are traumatised,'' Ms Chohan said in a statement

released by the Sikh Coalition.

``My nani, my family, and our families should not feel

unsafe at work, at their place of worship, or anywhere,'' she

said. ``Enough is enough--our community has been through

enough trauma.''

Jaswinder Singh

Mr. Singh only started working at the FedEx facility this

week and had told everyone how excited he was, an inlaw,

Harjap Singh Dillon, told the New York Times. He said Mr.

Singh had been working a night-shift sorting mail when the

attack happened.

An active member of the local temple, Mr. Singh had moved

to Indianapolis from California.

``He was a simple man,'' Mr. Dillon said. ``He used to pray

and meditate a lot, and he did community service.''

Authorities provided Mr. Singh's age as 68, but his family

told the newspaper that he was 70.

Amarjit Sekhon

A mother of two sons, Ms Sekhon began working at the FedEx

facility six months ago on an overnight shift, her niece told

the New York Times.

``She was a workaholic, she always was working, working.

She would never sit still unless she felt really bad,'' her

brother-in-law, Kuldip Sekhon, told the Associated Press news

agency.

While officials said Sekhon was 48, her relatives said she

was 49.

Ms. Kaur had been planning to make her ``renowned yogurt''

to celebrate for her granddaughter's second birthday at a

large family gathering on Saturday, Rimpi Girn, a family

member, told the New York Times.

``And today we're gathering to plan a funeral,'' she said.

Authorities said Kaur was 64, but her family told media

outlets she was 50.

Samaria Blackwell was a 19-year-old soccer and basketball

enthusiast who dreamed of becoming a police officer.

Her parents, Jeff and Tammi Blackwell, said they were

``blessed by the Lord to have such a fun-loving, caring

daughter as the baby of our family'', in a statement posted

on GoFundMe page launched to fund funeral and other expenses.

``Samaria was tenacious in everything she did, from playing

basketball and soccer to being a lifeguard for Indy Parks,''

they said. ``As an intelligent, straight-A student, Samaria

could have done anything she chose to put her mind to.''

Mr. Weisert was a former Air Force officer who served in

Vietnam and had previously worked as a mechanical engineer

``to make ends meet'', his son, Mike Weisert, told the New

York Times. Mike Weisert said his father had been thinking of

retiring in the coming months.

Mr. Weisert's wife of 50 years, Mary Carol Weisert, told

local broadcaster WKRC she felt ``terror, horror, fear,

shock'' at his death. ``I don't know how else to describe

it.''

A fan of action and classic movies, he enjoyed playing

country and bluegrass guitar, according to the New York

Times.

Mike Weisert described his father as ``a very decent, kind

man, very dedicated to protecting and providing for the ones

he loved''.

Ms. Smith was a sister and daughter, the Indianapolis Star

reported her family saying.

The recent High School graduate was awaiting her first pay

cheque after starting work at the plant two weeks ago, a

family member told the newspaper.

``She was a lovely, beautiful and youthful teenage girl,''

a family member told the Indianapolis Star. ``She had just

started to buckle down and get a job and take life a little

more serious.''

Mr. Alexander was a former Butler University student who

had worked at FedEx for several years, according to the

Indianapolis Star.

```He was a great kid. He loved to play golf. Had a big

heart--always had a smile on his face,'' Albert Ashcraft, a

former FedEx colleague, told the newspaper.

``Everybody liked him,'' Ashcraft said. ``He was always

saving somebody's ass. People would bring doughnuts in and he

was always sticking doughnuts back for his drivers.''

``The Butler community is mourning the loss of Matthew

Alexander, a former student who was killed tragically along

with seven others at the FedEx facility in Indianapolis. We

want to extend our deepest sympathies to Matthew's friends

and families during this time of great sorrow,'' the

university said in a tweet.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, joined by my fellow congressional colleagues from Indiana, as well as our two Senators, to honor the eight Hoosiers we lost in last week's senseless shooting at the FedEx facility in Indianapolis. We also honor those who were injured and pray that they have a fast and speedy recovery.

The deceased were our friends, family, and neighbors. They had hopes, Madam Speaker, dreams, and plans for the future, only to have their lives tragically cut short. And, sadly, they are part of a much larger group of Hoosiers and Americans we have lost to gun violence.

As our community and our State grieve, and as we seek to move forward, we pledge to never forget those we lost in this shooting and any other senseless act of violence. Their legacies will live on through our efforts to save lives in the future.

Hoosiers are resilient, Madam Speaker, and we will continue working hard to create safer communities across America, always carrying the memory of those we lost in our hearts. We will never forget them.

Please join us for a moment of silence.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor my mentor and friend, Mrs. Cordelia Lewis-Burks, a remarkable Hoosier who has dedicated her life to the service of others. Throughout her career, Ms. Cordelia has fought tirelessly for inclusion, equality, and justice through the election of qualified diverse individuals.

Ms. Cordelia discovered a love of politics from an early age, inspired by her father who was a pastor in West Virginia. Recognizing the importance of policy as a means to help her community, she engaged in political efforts as a young woman after moving to Chicago by volunteering for a local Congressional campaign.

In 1959, Ms. Cordelia moved to Indiana where she worked as a licensed practical nurse for two decades before accepting an internship with the A. Philip Randolph Institute. She next embarked on a career with the senior constituency group of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Ms. Cordelia continued her work with unions for many years. In 1989, she served as chief lobbyist for the Indiana branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union (AFSCME), and then as the Director of Politics and Legislation until 2005.

Ms. Cordelia served as a precinct committeewoman in the 7th Congressional District of Indiana for forty years, promoting the importance of voting. She has worked on local and national campaigns, including Bill Clinton's 1996 presidential campaign and Barack Obama's 2004 Illinois senate campaign. On March 20, 2021 she will end her 15 year tenure as the Vice-Chair for the Indiana Democratic Party.

Ms. Cordelia has been honored as one of the City of Indianapolis's 100 most influential Black citizens and has received Indiana's highest honor, the Sagamore of the Wabash Award. She is also a recipient of the Rosa Parks award, Rosa Parks Trail Blazer Award, as well as the Sojourner Truth Award.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the outstanding achievements and remarkable life of an Indiana treasure, Mrs. Cordelia Lewis-Burks and extend our best wishes for her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, today I rise in remembrance of Susan Bayh, 46th First Lady of Indiana, who passed on February 6, 2021. Susan is survived by her husband, former Indiana Governor and United States Senator Evan Bayh, twin sons Beau and Nick as well as her parents and two siblings.

At 29 years of age, Susan became the 46th First Lady for the State of Indiana and the youngest First Lady of Indiana. She worked tirelessly to support her husband, Evan Bayh, in his work. She also worked hard to advance her own priorities as First Lady, focusing on important causes like combating adult illiteracy.

Professionally, Susan served on the boards for several biotech, telecommucations, and healthcare companies. She was on the board of Trustees for Butler University, on the Dean's Council at Indiana University's Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and she taught at both Butler University and her alma mater, the University of Southern California. In 1994, Susan was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the International Joint Commission and served for six years.

Susan was a loving wife, married to Evan for more than 36 years, a proud mother of twin sons, Beau and Nick, and a beloved child, sibling, and friend. She will be remembered by Hoosiers for her commitment to our state, and for the barriers she helped break for women throughout her distinguished career. We also commend her courageous fight against the cancer that took her life. I will continue supporting cancer research and advocacy to honor people like Susan Bayh and help save lives in the future.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Susan Bayh. She leaves behind a legacy of outstanding accomplishments, as well as a deep connection with her community and those whose lives she touched.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 1, the For the People Act, and am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill. It will fight big money in politics, take on the power of special interests, end dark money, and ensure public officials are working in the public interest. It will expand voting rights to ensure we have secure, accurate elections and stop voter suppression efforts designed to keep people from voting based on their perceived political preferences. It ends extreme partisan gerrymandering by creating a non- partisan, open process to draw transparent and fair congressional district maps. This bill will also hold elected officials accountable by implementing tougher ethics laws to ensure elected officials are held accountable.

I am also proud to cosponsor an important amendment to this bill with my colleague Congresswoman Speier. Our amendment extends the statute of limitations on campaign finance violations. As a former law enforcement officer, I know that extending the statute of limitations is necessary to improve accountability and ensure that those who break campaign finance laws and then try to hide their actions can be brought to justice. As we have learned in recent events, violations of campaign finance laws may not be uncovered until years after the fact. Extending the statute of limitations provides investigators and prosecutors the ability to go after those who the break the law. This is an important addition to H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

However, there is one provision in the bill that I believe could be improved, and I look forward to working with Chairwoman Lofgren to make improvements. I was just recently made aware of concerns about voting machines that will need to be updated or redesigned after enactment of H.R. 1, including some equipment like Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines. I would like to make sure that we don't exclude machines that are currently approved by the Election Assistance Commission without providing reasonable time and assistance to bring these machines into compliance with the new, higher standards of H.R. 1. In my home state of Indiana, many counties rely on DRE machines, and transitioning to the higher standards will require time and resources that I hope we can provide. Also, I have learned that the disability community has concerns about these provisions, so I would like to include in the Record a statement describing their concerns. I am committed to working with my colleagues to address these concerns so we can make voting more accessible for everyone.

Disability Community Fears Paper Ballot Mandate Will Hurt Voters With

Disabilities

[Jan. 29, 2021]

Washington, DC.--Today, the undersigned disability

organizations issued the following joint statement expressing

concerns over a paper ballot mandate.

How ballots are cast in the United States varies depending

on what different jurisdictions offer to their voters. Today,

most voters in the U.S. cast their ballot by marking a paper

ballot by hand or by Ballot-Marking Device (BMD), with some

use of Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines.

Most American voters are familiar with the former, which

requires voters to mark, verify and cast a paper-based

ballot. BMDs use an electronic interface to aid voters in

marking their ballot. Once the voter has made selections with

the BMD, the device directly marks on or prints the ballot.

The voter then typically verifies and casts the ballot into

the same optical (or digital) voting scanner that hand marked

paper ballots are cast. BMDs simply increase the

accessibility of paper ballots by allowing voters with

disabilities to use these accessible voting machines to

magnify, `voice,' and mark their ballots. For example, a

blind voter cannot privately and independently mark a paper

ballot with a pen, however, they can privately and

independently mark their ballot using a BMD.

DRE voting systems, on the other hand, allow voters to use

an electronic interface to mark, verify and cast their votes

electronically with or without a paper back up. Arguably,

DREs provide the best option for voting privately and

independently for all voters with all types of access needs

based on age, disability, language fluency, literacy, and

many other individual circumstances, as guaranteed to all

voters by the Help America Vote Act and Americans with

Disabilities Act. DREs eliminate the need to handle or

directly verify a paper ballot, which prevents BMD voting

systems from being fully accessible to all eligible voters.

Despite overall reduced paper consumption in many areas of

daily life, as a result of technological advancement, paper-

based ballot voting options have become the preferred voting

system to many who believe mandating the use of paper ballots

is necessary to ensure the security of our elections.

However, it must be made abundantly clear, that the ability

to privately and independently hand mark, verify, and cast a

paper ballot is simply not, and will never be, an option for

all voters.

Given that paper ballots are already the predominant method

of casting a ballot in America today, mandating paper ballots

is frankly unnecessary. Additionally, any mandate of a paper-

based voting system will inevitably harm voters with

disabilities. A paper ballot mandate would: 1.) end all

voting system innovation and advancement to produce a fully

accessible voting system that provides enhanced security

without relying on inaccessible paper; 2.) limit voters with

disabilities' federal right to privately and independently

verify and cast their ballots and; 3.) ultimately segregate

voters with disabilities.

Further, any paper ballot mandate that entitles voters to a

hand marked ballot threatens the availability of BMDs for

voters who rely on them to mark their ballots and drastically

limits use of BMDs to voters with disabilities. This would

result in segregating voters with disabilities away from the

entire pool of voters by making them the only group of people

that use a particular type of voting machine. Federally

mandated segregation is problematic alone, but in practice,

it also increases the likelihood that poll workers will not

be properly trained on the machine, the machines will not be

properly maintained or set up for use, and if the only

available BMD is not functioning, there is no alternative

option for voters who need it. Limits on BMD use will also

saddle poll workers with determining who is ``disabled

enough'' to use the BMD, a decision for

which they have no qualifications or legal right. Finally, if

the ballot produced by the BMD is not identical to the hand

marked ballot or the BMD ballot cannot be scanned and stored

with hand marked ballots, the voters right to cast a private

ballot is violated.

To be clear, no paper ballot voting system today, ready for

widespread use, is fully accessible. Even BMDs require voters

with disabilities to verify and a cast a paper-based ballot,

which does not ensure a private and independent vote. A fully

accessible voting system by Federal law must ensure the voter

can receive, mark, verify, and cast the ballot without having

to handle paper. Most, if not all, market-ready voting

systems cannot do this.

Before paper-based voting systems become the law of the

land, the harm to voters with disabilities must be addressed.

Signed,

American Association of People with Disabilities, American

Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind,

American Network of Community Options & Resources,

Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs, Association

of Programs for Rural Independent Living, Association of

University Centers on Disabilities, Autistic Self Advocacy

Network, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Disability

Rights Education and Defense Fund, National Association of

Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Council on

Independent Living, National Disability Rights Network,

National Federation of the Blind, Paralyzed Veterans of

America, RespectAbility, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered,

The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, United

Spinal Association.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce this resolution with my colleague Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina. Our resolution supports the designation of Rare Disease Day on the last day of February. I am pleased that this resolution has been endorsed by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and am thankful for its leadership on these critical issues over many years.

Nearly one in ten Americans live with one or more of the roughly 7,000 known rare diseases. More than half of those struggling with rare diseases--defined as affecting less than 200,000 people--are children. Sadly, many rare diseases and conditions are serious, life-threatening, and lack effective treatments. These are not just statistics: I am sure most of us know at least one family member or friend who has been affected by or struggled with the unique challenges of rare diseases.

Moreover, as we observe Black History Month, it's important to know that African Americans and other minorities are especially vulnerable to rare diseases, including Sickle Cell Anemia and Sarcoidosis. These diseases and conditions--including Thalassemia and Hereditary ATTR (hATTR) amyloidosis--disproportionately affect African Americans. Despite these unique obstacles, African Americans have an inspiring tradition of both combatting rare diseases and improving medical science.

One great example is Dr. Charles Drew, an African American scientist who helped found the modem ``blood bank,'' which helped dramatically expand blood transfusions. A faculty member at Howard University, Dr. Drew's pioneering work in blood transfusions took place against the backdrop of segregation and discrimination. During his time overseeing the Red Cross's blood plasma donation program, Dr. Drew was prohibited from donating his own blood because of the color of his skin. Despite these obstacles, Dr. Drew's work improved the practice of blood transfusions, which is now a lifeline for many individuals struggling today with rare diseases. The examples of Dr. Drew and countless other researchers, physicians, nurses, activists, and

patients underscore the importance of bringing additional awareness to rare diseases.

Despite the many challenges, some progress has been made. More than 840 drugs and biologics have been approached by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of rare diseases. However, Congress must do more to combat rare diseases. In addition, more work needs to be done to bring attention to the needs of those who struggle with rare diseases, and to celebrate their courage. That's why Rep. Hudson and I are reintroducing this important resolution. Each year, many individuals with rare diseases and their loved ones celebrate Rare Disease Day to share their stories and educate communities of researchers, health professionals, governments, and community organizations about how rare diseases affect them.

In 2019, more than 100 countries observed Rare Disease Day. Our resolution expresses support for the designation of the last day of this month as Rare Disease Day. Congress should recognize this work and improve our efforts to address the challenges facing the rare disease patient community.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join us in supporting Rare Disease Day's designation on the last day of February to better champion people with rare diseases. I urge the House to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, as we mark Black History Month, I am proud to reintroduce legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Muhammad Ali in recognition of his contributions to our nation. I believe it is long past time to recognize an American civil rights activist and sporting legend with Congress' highest honor. Unfortunately, Congress failed to act before The Champ's death in 2016, at the age 74, so I ask my colleagues to join me now in honoring an American hero. Over the course of his illustrious career, Muhammad Ali produced some of our nation's most lasting sports memories. From winning a Gold Medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics, to lighting the Olympic torch at the 1996 Summer Olympics, his influence as an athlete and a humanitarian spanned over fifty years.

Despite having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the 1980s, Ali devoted his life to charitable organizations. Ali, and his wife Lonnie, were founding directors of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and Movement Disorders Clinic in Phoenix, AZ and helped raise over $50 million for Parkinson's research. In addition to helping families cope with illness, Ali led efforts to provide meals for the hungry and helped countless organizations such as the Make-A-Wish-Foundation and the Special Olympics.

Muhammad Ali's humanitarian efforts went beyond his charitable activities in the United States. In 1990 Muhammad Ali travelled to the Middle East to seek the release of American and British hostages that were being held as human shields in the first Gulf War. After his intervention, 15 hostages were freed. Thanks to his devotion to diplomatic causes and racial harmony, Ali was the recipient of many accolades, including being chosen as a ``U.N. Messenger of Peace'' in 1998 and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 from President Bush.

Through his unyielding dedication to his sport and to struggling populations around the world, Muhammad Ali still serves an example of service and self-sacrifice for generations of Americans. The Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting commemoration of his life and work, for which he is deservingly known as ``the Greatest.''

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing one of our nation's most lasting and influential figures by signing on to this important legislation.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, first, I thank Chairman Schiff and Ranking Member Nunes for their work on the Intelligence Authorization Act this year. It is always a pleasure to serve under Chairman Schiff's leadership. Without it, the Intelligence Committee would not have been able to pass such a strong bill out of committee.

I rise today, Mr. Chair, in support of an amendment that I have offered to the underlying bill text. This amendment will help the United States protect the integrity of its economic supply chain infrastructure. I am pleased that my good friend Representative Elise Stefanik has joined me in cosponsoring this amendment.

Today, businesses and organizations in the United States face an array of distinct and stealthy threats. The American supply chain is under repeated attack from foreign intelligence services, cyber hackers, and sophisticated criminal enterprises.

Unfortunately, experienced adversaries often exploit vulnerabilities in American companies' technological infrastructure or weak links in their organizational supply chain so that they can steal their intellectual property, co-opt equipment from suppliers, damage software, or conduct surveillance. Moving forward, we must be more vigilant to stop them.

The Carson-Stefanik amendment, Mr. Chair, will guard against these grave concerns, and it will lead to stronger safeguards for the supply chain by mandating the National Counterintelligence and Security Center to produce a plan within 6 months to strengthen the supply chain intelligence function within the intelligence community.

The plan, Mr. Chair, will identify personnel with the right expertise from the intelligence community workforce, outline budgetary and resource needs, and describe the necessary authorities and governance structure for future implementation of this plan.

It will inform both the executive branch and Congress' efforts to enhance our defenses against exploitation of the supply chain.

The United States remains one of the most technologically advanced economies in the world. Throughout the past century, America has enjoyed unprecedented economic growth because of the ingenuity of our people and the technological innovation that undergirds that entrepreneurial spirit.

While that economic growth has not always been evenly distributed, and we are still wrestling with debates about economic inequality, surrendering our technological edge and innovative advantages to strategic rivals would pose a huge risk to America's future prosperity and security.

I believe, Mr. Chair, it is very important to offer this amendment, recognizing the evolving and emerging threats to our Nation's supply chain infrastructure. In a very rapidly developing global economy, the intelligence community must work to safeguard the core of what America and her competitive strength is: economic, intellectual, and technological ingenuity.

My amendment proactively works toward that goal, ensuring that we stay on top of those varying threats to our supply chain infrastructure that emanate from strategic rivals.

In addition to this amendment, Mr. Chair, I would like to highlight another important part of the base bill. This year's Intelligence Authorization Act includes an entire section on domestic terrorism. It is important that we acknowledge domestic terrorism as a very serious threat, and we must do more than just talk about it as a societal problem. We must act.

Domestic terrorism incidents in the U.S. are on the rise, fueled by hatred, stoked by fear, and inspired by dangerous rhetoric. At a time when this President is ignoring the truth about domestic terrorism, and his administration is concealing and hiding the proliferation of white supremacist-inspired incidents, Congress and the public urgently need more information to better understand and prevent domestic terrorism.

Specifically, Mr. Chair, this bill would require the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and NCTC to produce an annual report on domestic terrorism. With the reporting that is mandated in the underlying intelligence authorization bill, we can better determine how to change the law and make the necessary adjustments to procedures and to adequately shift current practices in order to fully address the threat of domestic terrorism and its root causes.

Much of the report, Mr. Chair, would be made available to the public, increasing transparency, while the full report would be provided to oversight committees in greater detail. It would be valuable information and would require an annual strategic assessment on trends and patterns. Ultimately, it will dramatically expand the information on domestic terrorism available to Congress and the public.

I urge my colleagues to support the Carson-Stefanik amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor and recognize Imam Muhammad Siddeeq on his 83rd birthday.

Imam Siddeeq has long been a dedicated advocate for social justice, engaging Muslim communities in Indianapolis and across our country in grassroots activism and policy objectives to bring about positive change. Whether serving as the director of the University of Islam, the largest Islamic school in America, or a teacher in our local schools and universities, he has remained a driven and principled individual who is deeply passionate about preparing future leaders.

Imam Siddeeq is a man who speaks his mind and is unafraid to spark difficult but necessary conversations about issues affecting our communities. I have been blessed to call him a friend and mentor for many years, as have many others throughout his life.

Imam Siddeeq is an educator, activist, published author, and spiritual leader. He is also a proud family man, with an equally resolute wife, Sister Fareedah Siddeeq. Together, they have been blessed with fifteen children and many grandchildren.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Imam Muhammad Siddeeq a happy birthday. His work has informed and inspired countless individuals in our community, and he leaves a legacy of service to be followed for all Americans.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment, which would increase the funding level to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) from the Department of Defense by four million dollars above current levels. I want to thank Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Visclosky for his support of this program and of this amendment.

Since 1837, HBCUs have served as training grounds for generations of African American students and scholars, and more recently, these important institutions have strengthened America's scientific workforce. Educating students and communities as anchors of academic excellence, HBCUs have a storied past and a dynamic present in their unique role of raising up new academic leaders against the grain of decades of discrimination and racism.

Building on this long history of achievement through investment, my amendment will increase resources for HBCUs by strengthening the Department of Defense's investments in the physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering programs at HBCUs and their corresponding national security benefits.

HBCUs support some of the most cutting-edge defense and national security-related research in the country. Armed with these continued investments, HBCUs will be able to maintain their unique role in buttressing important national security initiatives.

For example, these programs support research in mobile computers that can be deployed to aid our servicemen and servicewomen on the battlefield.

Additionally, these programs are helping to improve the way our intelligence community classifies and manages large infrared photographs taken on important reconnaissance missions.

At a time when we are encouraging more training for students in the STEM fields, and promoting the benefits of a more diverse workforce in research and in the high-tech sectors, increasing DoD's investments for Historically Black Colleges and Universities strengthens these goals and institutions, as well as our national security. I am encouraged that this amendment was included in the package of bipartisan en bloc amendments. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that Americans pay too much for their prescription drugs, and something must be done.

That is why I am pleased House Democrats are addressing the rising costs of these medications. We have passed legislation like H.R. 987 and H.R. 1503, both of which can lower the cost of prescription drugs by helping to bring a greater number of generic drugs to market, but we can't stop there.

We must act boldly and in a bipartisan manner, Mr. Speaker, to confront the obstacles that stand between hardworking Americans and affordable prescriptions necessary for their well-being. In the wealthiest nation in the world, Mr. Speaker, no one should have to face these barriers to affordable, quality healthcare.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor and recognize Tom Joyner, of the Tom Joyner Morning Show, who is an iconic DJ and radio legend, and plans on retiring at the end of this year.

Tom has entertained and inspired millions of people throughout his career. He is a brilliant individual and a hard worker, earning the nickname ``The Fly Jock'' by flying between a morning show in Dallas, Texas and an afternoon show in Chicago, Illinois earlier in his career. In 1994, The Tom Joyner Morning Show was syndicated, and it has aired on the WTLC airwaves in the Indianapolis community for more than 25 years. Tom is also the founder of The Tom Joyner Foundation, Reach Media Inc., and BlackAmericaWeb.com. His tireless work and influence was honored in 1998 when he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

Tom grew up in Alabama, and his father served as a Tuskegee Airman. True to these roots, he has a deep commitment to civil rights, and has used his platform to serve others. He has raised millions of dollars through the Tom Joyner Foundation to provide scholarships, endowments, and capacity building enhancements for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and their students. Tom has also been a champion for voting rights. He has tirelessly promoted voter engagement--inspiring listeners not only to register to vote but to be better informed about the issues and the candidates. His efforts are credited for helping to turn out a record number of voters in the African American community during the historic 2008 election.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Tom Joyner a happy retirement. His work has informed and inspired countless individuals in our community, and he leaves a legacy of service to be followed for all Americans.