Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Barbara Kim-Hagemann, who recently made history by being the first woman elected to the position of State Commander in any major New Jersey veterans organization.

Barbara has dedicated her career to serving her country and the veteran community in New Jersey. She served in the U.S. Army for eight years as an illustrator deployed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After being discharged from the Army, Barbara attended Georgian Court College, and later began her work serving New Jersey's veterans. Barbara first started out with the Ocean County Veterans Affairs in Toms River, where she worked with veterans and their families to help them secure health care and disability benefits.

After joining the Jackson, NJ VFW Post 4703, Barbara became the first female Post Commander in Ocean County, and later became the first female District Commander. She has also served on a number of VFW state committees, including the Legislative Committee, in an effort to advocate for veterans, military personnel and families. Barbara has remained a leader in the veterans community in our area, coordinating the Ocean County Veterans Thanksgiving Food Drive and Christmas Toy Drive, working as an instructor at the Marine Corps ROTC Leadership and Character Development Academy at Fort Dix, and serving as the Grand Marshal for the Point Pleasant Memorial Day Parade and Toms River Veterans Day Parade.

For her years of service to the veterans community in New Jersey, Barbara was recognized twice by the New Jersey State Assembly, and was inducted into the Jackson Township Hall of Fame. On June 22, 2019, Barbara was installed as the State Commander of the New Jersey VFW, becoming the first female to ever hold that position.

The importance of the work that Barbara has done throughout her career to help the veterans community in New Jersey cannot be understated. After serving in the U.S. Army, Barbara returned home and went to work to make sure that other servicemembers returning home received quality care and resources to live a comfortable life.

I would like to thank Barbara for the incredible work she has done over the years, and I look forward to working with her as the first female State Commander of a major New Jersey veterans organization.

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

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

My amendment today is a simple one. It provides more support for two critical programs that have helped jump-start small businesses, create jobs, and foster the American Dream. The Small Business Administration's Veterans Business Outreach Centers and Small Business Development Centers may not be household names to some, but they have been a lifeline and resource to small business owners across our country.

Veterans Business Outreach Centers provide counseling and training to eligible servicemembers, veterans, and military spouses. With 22 centers nationwide, this program provides the skills aspiring entrepreneurs need to get their ideas and businesses off the ground. At a time in which military spouse unemployment is more than six times the national average, these programs can help provide opportunities for those who have served and their families.

Small Business Development Centers also provide essential services to small business owners who fuel our economy. These centers have trained hundreds of thousands of Americans in developing business plans and accessing capital. These programs touch each and every one of our districts, but let me tell why it is important to the people of Burlington and Ocean Counties in New Jersey.

Small businesses are the backbone of the New Jersey economy. According to the Small Business Administration, approximately half of New Jersey's private-sector workforce is employed by a small business.

By voting for this amendment, we can empower these job creators to continue to strengthen our economy.

By voting for this amendment, we can give back to those who have served our country in uniform.

By voting for this amendment, we can continue to invest in our programs that have proven to work.

I urge adoption of this commonsense amendment.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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

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

Mr. Chair, as the vice chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, improving road safety at and around our military facilities is an important part of maintaining and enhancing military readiness.

Simply put, if our servicemen and -women can't safely drive, they can't safely train, and that puts our military at a distinct disadvantage.

We have dozens of military facilities across our country, but I want to give you one example of how prioritizing road safety will improve our readiness.

My district, made up of Burlington and Ocean Counties in New Jersey, is home to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The joint base is a key military training facility, but the lack of proper investment in road safety projects has impeded our military's ability to train.

By building a simple overpass over Route 539, the Army Reserve would have access to more than hundreds of additional training acres. Because one-third of Army reservists live within a short drive of under 4 hours from the joint base, additional training would save us money and give them more time with their families.

Furthermore, this would allow the Army Reserve to conduct much-needed training exercises with night vision equipment used in war zones, training exercises that they simply cannot execute because the roads aren't safe enough.

This is one example, but it is not the only one.

This is a chance for us to stand with our servicemen and -women, a chance for us to stand for readiness, and a chance for us to stand for safety.

Mr. Chair, I urge support for the men and women across our country who serve and the adoption of this commonsense amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her words of support here.

This is something that I find all of us are committed to, in terms of ensuring that our armed services men and women have everything that they need to be able to do their jobs and be able to have the success of their missions.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, earlier this month, I held a town hall in Toms River, New Jersey, focused on the opioid and addiction crisis.

At this town hall, and nearly every day since I was sworn in to represent the Third District of New Jersey, I have heard heartbreaking stories from people in my community on how they've struggled with opioid addiction issues.

The bill we're debating today provides important funding to fight this epidemic.

This amendment directs that funding to prioritize funding for medication assisted treatment.

This treatment is proven to make a positive impact in the lives of those dealing with these issues and proven to save lives.

According to the CDC, more than 70,000 Americans died in 2017 due to drug overdoses. Reducing that number should be an absolute priority of this Congress and is the intent of this amendment.

I want to thank Congressman Foster for his leadership on this issue and urge support and passage.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of taking action to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs.

In each of my townhalls, I heard from my neighbors that they are tired of the politics; they can't afford the partisanship; and they need Congress to be the adults in the room and to act now. I am proud that my bill, the SAVE Act, has been incorporated into the bill that we will be voting on today.

The SAVE Act came from a conversation, a single conversation, as I reached across the aisle to Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, put aside our parties, and worked together to help the people we wake up every day committed to serve.

Congress needs more conversations like that. Congress needs bold action like the one we will be taking today. I call on our colleagues in the House to recognize that our neighbors need healthcare relief, and I call on our colleagues in the Senate to recognize that our neighbors cannot wait for that relief to come.

This is our moment to act to lower healthcare costs. This is our moment to get something done for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible contributions that small business owners across Burlington and Ocean Counties are making to our communities.

This week is National Small Business Week, and I have talked with New Jersey small business owners about the opportunities they see and the challenges that they face. One owner is Kristofor Sabey, who runs Surf Liquors and Market with his wife, Patty, in Seaside Heights.

In 2012, Kristofor and Patty faced the unthinkable when Superstorm Sandy destroyed their store. But as Kristofor told me, small business owners are nothing if not determined, and they have rebuilt, even though they still face challenges.

It is that determination that drives more than 860,000 small businesses in New Jersey, and it is that determination that makes them the backbone of our economy and our communities.

I hope my colleagues take a moment this week to reach out, listen, and thank our small business owners. When we do better for our small business owners, they do better for our communities. We should strive for that this week and every week forward.

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

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

Mr. Chair, I rise to offer my amendment to H.R. 9.

My amendment is straightforward. This bill requires the President to submit a plan to Congress to meet our obligations under the Paris accord. This amendment ensures that we do not forget the impact of our infrastructure when addressing the threat of climate change.

We know that climate change is real. We know that we are already feeling its effects and that it will only intensify. Strong scientific research tells us that storms are getting stronger and more frequent. Sea levels are rising, and this poses a direct threat to our coastal communities.

While this bill and the Paris accord take significant steps to address the root causes of climate change, we must be prepared to address the significant impact it is having on our Nation's infrastructure today.

My district in New Jersey was among the hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy. Toms River alone saw $2.25 billion in property damages, the highest out of any township in New Jersey, and we are still recovering from that storm that hit our State years ago.

In 2017 we saw three of the five costliest storms in our history in Harvey, Maria, and Irma. Rising sea levels are increasing the severity and frequency of flooding and are contributing to beach erosion, posing a major threat to our coastal tourism economy.

Climate change isn't just measured by rising tides and rising temperatures. It is measured by the rising costs that will incur on our communities and the investment needed in infrastructure to keep our communities resilient in the face of that threat.

In the coming months, as we hopefully take up and pass a bold infrastructure package, this amendment will provide guidance towards achieving the infrastructure resiliency our communities need. We know that infrastructure improvements don't only need to come in the form of potholes fixed and bridges rebuilt, they need to lessen the impact of rising storm surges from the next big storm and make sure communities like mine in Ocean County can remain a place for people to raise a family, create jobs, and achieve the American Dream.

The Paris Agreement's loss and damage provision recognizes the importance of updating our infrastructure to help communities deal with the adverse impacts of climate change. I urge that we include this amendment because it is crucial that there is an understanding from top to bottom of the threat that climate change poses and the impact that it will have toward infrastructure resiliency across our country.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and ensure we are not only protecting our climate but the infrastructure we need to support our communities, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), who is the Speaker of the House.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. Chair, I reiterate that my amendment is straightforward. It recognizes the importance of safeguarding our communities and updating infrastructure to protect against the adverse impacts of climate change.

We can see that storms are getting worse and worse and costlier. The storms are not hitting just red States or blue States. They are hitting all of us.

I urge all my colleagues to stand behind my amendment and lend your support to ensure that our communities are resilient after the next big storm so that they can remain a place for people to raise a family, create jobs, and achieve the American Dream.

Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Korean School of Southern New Jersey.

Since its founding in 1979, the Korean School of Southern New Jersey (KSSNJ) has been central to developing and strengthening ties in the Korean American community in New Jersey. The school focuses on teaching Korean cultural heritage and sharing it with the local community.

KSSNJ provides various performing arts and culture classes, organizes community events, facilitates student competitions and offers exciting summer camp programs for their students. Over the years, the school has received numerous accolades for their outstanding work supporting Korean American youth, cultural heritage and classroom achievement.

I am honored to be the first Asian American Member of Congress to serve the state of New Jersey, and the only Korean American to be currently serving in Congress. I am proud of the work that KSSNJ has done to bring the Korean American community together in Southern New Jersey, and to help develop the next generation of Korean American leaders. I wish them continued success in the many years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Melissa Antinoff, a devoted educator who has helped shape the minds of New Jersey's youth throughout her 19 years as a public school teacher. Ms. Antinoff was recently named Burlington County's Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Department of Education for her tireless work as a 3rd grade teacher at Ashbrook Elementary School.

Passionate from an early age about working with and educating children, Ms. Antinoff has developed a classroom environment that fosters innovation, creativity, and self-confidence within her students. Ms. Antinoff recognizes the importance of reading to developing a child's sense of confidence and therefore strongly encourages independent reading in her classroom. She credits this practice with instilling in her students greater self-esteem and willingness to take risks in their other areas of study. Ms. Antinoff's colleagues praise her for her ingenious ability to integrate interdisciplinary elements, such as music, into her classroom as well as her eagerness to take risks in her instruction methods including granting her students the independence to work' and learn collaboratively in small groups.

Ms. Antinoff is a prime example of the kind of teacher who goes above and beyond to ensure that the well-being of the entire student, including his or her emotional and mental needs are attended to just as much as his or her academic needs. Above all else, she wants her students to have the confidence to enjoy school and feel safe and secure there so that they can learn and grow creatively. For these reasons, I am proud to honor Ms. Antinoff for her efforts and sincerely thank her for the positive influence she has had on countless students throughout her distinguished career.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Bill Smith, a dedicated and enthusiastic educator who has worked as a public school teacher for the past 11 years and was recently named Ocean County's Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Department of Education for his work as a Social Studies teacher at Southern Regional Middle School.

Mr. Smith is a leader and a mentor in a classroom that values teacher-student collaboration, critical thinking, and character development. A product of the New Jersey public school system himself, his enthusiasm as an educator stems from a lifelong love of history and teaching. In his own words, Mr. Smith tries to make history come to life in his classroom in order to foster the same passion in his pupils. This, combined with his keen ability to build an exceptionally strong rapport with his students creates a dynamic and engaging classroom environment that has led to a notable score increase in interdisciplinary summative assessments among his classes. Recognizing the importance of a holistic education, Mr. Smith works vigorously to collaborate with the other teachers at Southern Regional to develop interdisciplinary educational opportunities.

A lifelong learner, Mr. Smith continuously explores new educational opportunities for himself as well. Combining his love of learning with a passion for travel, he has journeyed from Dallas where he studied President Kennedy to Scotland to study the Enlightenment. A testament to his educational efforts, Mr. Smith has been published in academic, peer-reviewed journals as well as awarded various summer learning grants.

Perhaps the most telling testament to Mr. Smith's life and career, is the informal conversations with his students that reveal that deep admiration for their teacher as well as a genuine excitement for his class. Mr. Smith's work as an educator thus far serves as a great example to teachers throughout the country regarding the power of applying dynamic instruction and building strong, positive relationships with students. I thank Mr. Smith for his service to our nation's young people and congratulate him on his well-deserved recognition as Ocean County Teacher of the Year.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Moorestown High School Quakers boys' basketball team, who on Sunday won the Group 3 State Championship for the first time in 60 years.

Led by 2018 Burlington County Coach of the Year, Shawn Anstey, and a strong roster from starters to reserves, the Quakers showed incredible teamwork and perseverance all season. From clutch shooting, to diving for loose

balls and making hustle plays, the team's balance and focus helped them play through a tough schedule to bring home the school's first state championship since 1959.

In the State Final, Moorestown's strong fundamentals and a focus on doing the little things right helped propel them to victory: they shot well from the free-throw line late in the game to secure the title. The Quakers played through pressure in the final to finish the season on a 14-game winning streak, ending the year at 27-5.

I'm proud to be able to celebrate the success of some of the talented student-athletes from my district in New Jersey. I want to congratulate Coach Anstey and the Moorestown boys on their tremendous season and wish them luck in the Tournament of Champions.

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

Mr. Chair, I rise to offer my amendment to H.R. 1.

Mr. Chair, our democracy isn't working for the majority of Americans. This is a simple message I hear from the people in my district every single day: there are too many barriers to participate in our democracy; there is too much dark money influencing our politics; there are too many loopholes for bad actors to skirt our ethics laws and use the revolving door of politics to enrich themselves instead of empowering the American people.

H.R. 1 isn't just a step in the right direction, it is a massive shift that takes power and puts it back in the hands of our constituents. It is legislation that reminds us that our government must be for the people, but just as importantly, our democracy must be by the people.

That is why I rise today to offer this amendment to H.R. 1, which will require Federal election ballots to be made in America.

In short, this is a win-win for the American people. It will help protect and create American jobs by ensuring that manufacturing stays right here in America. It will help protect the integrity of our Federal elections, which are increasingly under attack by foreign powers.

We have an opportunity today to not only help clean up our government, but create jobs and secure our elections.

I hope that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle will come together to make the democracy we swore to protect truly of, by, and for the people.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense made-in- America amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I just want to start by saying that I am very much looking forward to being able to continue to work with the gentleman from Illinois throughout my time here. I appreciate his welcome to me here on the House floor.

Mr. Chair, for me, as we go about this, it is essential that we understand that our ballots are the most fundamental form of our democracy that citizens here are engaged in, that we understand them as a tangible manifestation of that participation that each and every voter plays.

So this is a manifestation of our value, our collective value that with this most important symbol of our democracy, this tangible form that our voters take, that this should be something of, by, and for the American people.

That is something that I think would be an important signal from the United States Congress across this country that we recognize the importance of that and we want to hold and commit to making sure that this tangible piece of our democracy is something that is made in America.

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

Mr. Chair, I appreciate the perspective on the other end, and I understand our common value that, of course, we would want to see things made in America, and I want to make sure that I constantly, as I will every time on this House floor, seek bipartisanship as we move forward.

I reiterate that this is a commonsense amendment that is simply good policy. My amendment would give a leg up to domestic supply chains and ensure that taxpayer dollars are used to support local middle-class jobs and boost our economy.

Amendments like mine also ensure that when Federal agencies buy products to carry out their responsibilities, that they put American manufacturers first.

Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the efforts in Congress to clean up our democracy and deliver power back to the American people.

I never thought that I would run for Congress. I never thought that I would have the chance to stand right here on the floor of the House of Representatives.

I am here today because I was tired of watching corporations and special interests cutting to the front of the line ahead of the people. I was tired of watching dark money grow, gerrymandering polarize our politics, and the American people pushed aside.

Now we have a precious chance to fix this and to build the kind of government the American people deserve. As we make up our minds and cast our votes, I ask us not to think of this as a partisan issue. I assure you that the people in my district on both sides believe that the system isn't working for them.

I call on my colleagues to vote to pass H.R. 1 and deliver the change our constituents demand and deserve.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to deliver a message from my district. It is a message I have heard in my townhalls and from my neighbors throughout Burlington and Ocean Counties: Healthcare costs are too high, and we need to act now.

That is why I am proud to introduce the SAVE Act. This is bipartisan legislation that would help States establish State-based exchanges that would increase access and drive down costs.

These are solutions that we know work. States with State-based exchanges have higher enrollment rates and more affordable coverage.

Right now, there are a number of States that haven't set up their own exchanges. That is tens of millions of people, including millions of people throughout New Jersey, who stand to benefit.

It is time to listen to our constituents and help them save. I hope Members will join me in acting and moving this legislation forward.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pastor James L. Betner, a leader in the Baptist church and dedicated servant to his community, for 20 years of leadership at the Delaware Valley Baptist Church.

Dr. Betner has led Delaware Valley Baptist Church through a remarkable period of revitalization over the past 20 years, which has grown the congregation's ability to positively impact their community. Under Dr. Betner's leadership, the church has grown spiritually, as well as in size. He has led Delaware Valley Baptist Church to build and expand into a new worship center and has aided in the spiritual development of countless men and women. Dr. Betner also serves as a denominational leader within the Baptist Resource Network (BRN) of Pennsylvania and South Jersey, serving most recently as the Healthy Church Catalyst for all the affiliated churches in South Jersey. Pastor James is a recognized leader and one of the longest tenured and most respected pastors in the BRN.

Pastor Betner has also led the church to establish its own community development corporation, the New Vision CDC. The New Vision organization prioritizes education, economic development and employment. Through this organization and Dr. Betner's leadership the CDC has partnered with the Food Bank of South Jersey to serve as a food and clothing pantry in Burlington county serving over 1,000 people annually. The CDC also has provided an annual low-cost summer camp to school age children in the community and has given out scholarships to rising high school seniors and college freshmen annually.

Dr. Betner's life of service has created educational opportunities for young people and helped grow the Delaware Valley Baptist Church's ability to effect change in South Jersey. Dr. Betner's commitment to the betterment of our community is deeply valued by all New Jerseyans, and we look forward to seeing the positive impacts of his legacy for years to come. I thank and congratulate Dr. Betner for his 20 years of service to our community.