Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, as I rise today for the last time as a Member of the 117th Congress, I must begin by thanking the people of New York's 19th Congressional District.

I thank them for trusting me to represent them in Washington. I thank them for every phone call they have placed to my office. I thank them for the hundreds of thousands of letters and emails they have sent to me. I thank them for coming to my town halls, and for scheduling meetings with me and my staff. Democracy is a two-way street, and their passionate engagement has helped me to be a more effective Representative.

I would also like to thank Lacey, my wife, and the love of my life, who has sacrificed so much since I decided to run for Congress more than four years ago. I want to thank Maxwell and Coltrane, my two sons, who drive my desire for positive change day in and day out.

I first addressed this Chamber in January of 2019. The longest government shutdown in our Nation's history had just ended, and I spoke about the need for Congress to live up to its charter as outlined in Article I. I said that Democrats and Republicans must work together to shoulder the sacred responsibilities entrusted to us by voters--and that we all must pledge to cast partisanship aside and be good stewards of the republic that we inherited from the generations that came before us.

Congress has done important work in the years since I gave that speech. We passed a once-in-a-generation investment in our Nation's infrastructure; we outlawed surprise medical billing; we delivered pandemic relief that helped America recover better economically than any of its peer nations. All in all, 18 of my bills were signed into law under two presidents--bills to provide emergency pandemic funding to municipalities of all sizes, to support underserved veterans, to provide loan forgiveness to small businesses and to protect family farms. I am proud of this record.

Over the past few years, I have tried to build a brand of politics that puts people before partisanship. I have made decisions based not on whether an idea comes from the right or left, but whether that idea is right or wrong. I fought tirelessly for those I represent; I listened to others before speaking; and I treated all people with love and respect.

Building a political movement based on love, respect, and humility will be the work I carry on in the years to come. The Capitol--this Chamber--is hallowed ground. I hope and pray that Congress will once again become a place where Representatives from every corner of this great country gather together not to emphasize their differences and use them for political gain, but to hash those differences out for the good of the people.

Representing New York's 19th District in Congress has been the greatest honor. But I have not done it alone and I want to acknowledge the incredible team that has made it all possible.

Several members of my team have been with me since day one.

My Chief of Staff, Jessie Andrews, is at the heart of my legislative success and has served our team as a sound and trusted leader.

Amanda DeSantis, my District Director, has logged tens of thousands of miles traversing NY-19 with me and on my behalf and shares my love of New York State and every corner of the district.

My Legislative Assistant, Matthew Gerson, with his intellectual curiosity and commitment to the veterans and small businesses in NY-19.

Vicky Perry has spearheaded my in-district programming--from Military Service Academy nominations to the Congressional Art Competition to our ``Antonio's Summer Superstars'' reading program.

Many others have joined along the way and brought immense value to the work.

My incredibly talented Legislative Director, Robert Dougherty. Christine Bienes, the best Scheduler in Congress. Jacob Salzmann, who accompanied me to countless events across the district. And the rest of my team in Washington and in-district for all their tireless work on behalf of my NY-19 constituents: Gabriela Foster, Sarah Bibeau, Max Prime, Chris Hanse, Daniel Wrenn, Natalie Lincoln, and Marques Grimes.

Madam Speaker, it is with a hopeful heart that I close out my time in Congress. I thank the residents of upstate New York for their love and support and to all who have been on this journey with me.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the past couple of years have been difficult on small businesses. COVID-19 upended life as we knew it. While America is turning a corner from the perspective of public health, the pandemic's aftershocks are still raising costs, scrambling supply chains, and disrupting labor markets.

That is what I heard from folks in Cooperstown last month when I invited the SBA administrator to tour Main Street with me. That is what I heard a few days ago when I visited small businesses in Tannersville in Greene County. That is what I regularly hear from small businessowners at my townhall meetings across the district. That is why Congress should be doing everything it can to reduce burdens on small business owners. That is what my bipartisan bill, the One Stop Shop for Small Business Compliance Act, would do.

In 1996, Congress passed a law requiring Federal agencies to publish easy-to-use regulation compliance guides for small businesses; a good idea that was poorly implemented.

The problem is, these guides are housed on different agency websites, making it difficult for small businesses to find and utilize them. If you want to find something for OSHA, you have to go to the OSHA website. If you want to find FTC's compliance guide, you go look around at FTC.gov. These guides are scattered across countless government websites.

My bill is simple, it would require the Small Business Administrator's Office of the National Ombudsman to create a centralized website that houses all Federal agency compliance guides in one place.

By creating a one-stop-shop online, we make these guides more accessible for small business owners who often lack the resources to hire staff to focus on compliance issues. The platform would also list contact information for the appropriate agency staff who could provide regulatory assistance to small businesses.

Small businesses are essential elements of the economic and social fabric of upstate New York. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation which will make it easier, not harder, for folks back home to run their businesses and access resources from the Federal Government.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne for her partnership on this bipartisan, commonsense legislation. I thank Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Luetkemeyer for their support, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). On this day 60 years ago, when concurrent compact legislation ratified by Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Congress became law, the DRBC was born.

It was a seminal moment in water resource management: it marked the first time that the federal government and a consortium of states formed a regional body to establish a coordinated approach to manage a river system. The DRBC--made up of the four governors and a senior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official--work collectively to protect the basin's water quality and supply allocation, address droughts and flooding, and ensure that future generations can enjoy all that the river has to offer.

The Delaware River is the longest un-dammed river in the U.S. east of the Mississippi. It provides drinking water for more than 17 million Americans. Its watershed generates $25 billion in annual economic activity and contributes $21 billion worth of ecosystem goods and services each year. It's critically important that we protect this precious resource.

That's why I started the first-ever Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus with my colleague, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. Our caucus supports conservation efforts for the basin and raises the profile of this ecological gem and economic driver. I look forward to continuing to work with the DRBC on our shared goals, and I congratulate the Commission on 60 years of outstanding work.

Madam Speaker, throughout the appropriations process, I have worked to secure investments for upstate families, farmers, small businesses, and veterans.

I would like to highlight a few projects included in this year's funding package that will improve and empower communities all across my district.

In Columbia County, more than 300 homes and businesses in the towns of Ghent, Canaan, New Lebanon, and Austerlitz will be connected to high-speed broadband.

The village of Philmont Fire Department will be able to purchase 12 new air packs and replace an 81-year-old fire siren.

In Delaware County folks will soon have access to quality, safe, and affordable childcare.

Northern Dutchess Hospital will add 18 beds to its family birth center.

These are just a few of the projects that we were able to secure. These are invaluable investments in New York-19.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 277) to adjust collateral requirements under the Small Business Act for disaster loans, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 277, the Access to Sufficient Capital for Everyone in Natural Disaster Areas Act, also called the ASCEND Act.

However, before we get to the substance of the bill, I want to thank the ranking member, Ranking Member Chabot, and his staff, for working in a bipartisan way on this package of bills.

I also would like to thank all our Members, both Republican and Democrat, for their hard work and continued bipartisan commitment to putting small businesses first. It is, once again, a reminder of the importance of working across the aisle and getting things done for the American people.

Being the only committee dedicated solely to the needs of small firms, we remain committed on working to promote policies that will encourage economic prosperity on Main Street.

Access to capital is essential for business success, and it is particularly true after a natural disaster. That is why I rise in support of H.R. 277, the ASCEND Act, which will permanently set the unsecured credit threshold for SBA's disaster loans at $25,000.

The SBA's Disaster Assistance program was implemented to provide timely financial assistance in the form of low-interest loans and working capital for businesses and homeowners devastated by a disaster.

Continual improvement and modernization of the program has been a priority of our committee for many years. And as we continue to experience increased disasters, both in frequency and strength, it is imperative Congress provides the necessary policies to get communities back on their feet.

One of those policies originated in the 114th Congress as part of a bill introduced by Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez, H.R. 208, the Recovery Improvements for Small Entities After Disaster Act of 2015, the RISE Act. That law raised the collateralization threshold on disaster loans to make it easier for victims to obtain capital to rebuild their homes and businesses. Unfortunately, this provision will expire this year, so Congress must act.

H.R. 277 permanently raises the minimum disaster loan amount that the SBA may require collateral from $14,000 to $25,000. This means that a disaster victim can continue to receive a $25,000 loan, rather than just $14,000, within 5 days of closing to speed up the reconstruction project.

Raising the unsecured loan amount provides support for Americans when they need it most. And for smaller businesses, time and again, we have seen that in the aftermath of a disaster, access to affordable credit can make the difference between remaining in business or closing their doors and putting Americans out of work.

Without this legislation, the unsecured loan limit for agency declarations will revert to the lower limits and create an unfair discrepancy for disaster survivors in areas of an SBA declaration and that of a major disaster declaration.

I thank Ranking Member Chabot for cosponsoring this legislation, which allows more borrowers to access loans without having to put up collateral. I urge Members to support this bipartisan piece of legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

There is little doubt that natural disasters result in economic hardship for the people living in those communities. And no matter the scope or the cause of a disaster, the first few weeks are critical to a small firm's recovery.

H.R. 277 seeks to provide that lifeline by permanently increasing the collateralization threshold to $25,000 and giving peace of mind to disaster victims. This legislation is a much-needed response to the record-breaking disasters of the past 2 years, the impacts of which are still being felt in various parts of the country.

It is a commonsense move, and one supported by the Small Business Administration. In a report assessing the SBA Disaster Loan Program, the SBA recommended that an increase in the unsecured loan limit for disaster loans should be made permanent.

The agency, again, stated as much in congressional testimony at a hearing held last September before our committee and in its fiscal year 2020 budget and legislative proposals.

Again, I thank Ranking Member Chabot for his support, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2142) to amend the Small Business Act to require the Small Business and Agriculture Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman to create a centralized website for compliance guides, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2142, which eases regulatory compliance for small businesses.

Agencies are required by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act to publish small entity compliance guides for each rule requiring a regulatory flexibility analysis. That guide is supposed to be posted and accessible to the public no later than the day a rulemaking becomes effective.

Yet, our committee continually hears from small business owners that they have great difficulty locating the guides. In our own investigation, we found that Federal agencies are inconsistent in their compliance with this rule.

Small businesses don't always have the resources to navigate multiple agency websites to understand their responsibilities under new laws. Instead, they are worried about meeting payroll, hiring talented workers, and running day-to-day operations of their small firms.

This bill provides a centralized location at the SBA's Office of the National Ombudsman to make it easier for business owners to find agency regulatory compliance guides and contact information. The SBA's Office of the National Ombudsman was created to help the small business community overcome regulatory barriers and ensure that agency actions are fair and reasonable. Centralizing various agency compliance guides in this office is a logical step to provide transparency and clarity for small businesses.

I want to thank Dr. Joyce for working with me to identify this issue and find a bipartisan solution to ensure America's small firms have a one-stop shop for regulatory assistance.

I ask my fellow Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, we know that small business owners don't necessarily have the resources and time to navigate multiple websites to fully understand their responsibilities with Federal laws. My bill is an important step toward reversing these problems. H.R. 2142 will make it easier, not harder, to comply with Federal regulations by providing them one location for compliance assistance.

The ombudsman already maintains a site for guidance, but this bill goes one step further by requiring that they not just provide agency contacts, but also keep a regular, updated page of compliance guides readily accessible to the public. My legislation renews our commitment towards small business growth and success by creating transparency and accountability of Federal agencies.

Again, I want to thank Dr. Joyce for cosponsoring this bill and putting our small businesses first.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2331) to require an annual report on the cybersecurity of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 2331, the SBA Cyber Awareness Act of 2019, which strengthens the Small Business Administration's cybersecurity infrastructure to handle and report cyber threats that affect small businesses.

The Small Business Administration processes a significant amount of small business data, and protecting these businesses is essential to its mission. That is why they must protect its precious digital networks from cyberattacks. But after the massive data breach at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 75 percent of Americans are doubtful that the government can protect their personal information.

With 28 million small business owners in the U.S. that provide 64 percent of new private-sector jobs, America cannot afford for small businesses to lose faith in the SBA. Today, we take an important step to restore American confidence in the SBA's cybersecurity protections and prevent the harmful results of cyberattacks.

H.R. 2331 ensures that the SBA has an effective cyber strategy and requires timely reporting of cyber incidents to Congress and affected individuals. Through these measures, the SBA will better serve the American small businesses that support the U.S. economy.

I thank Congressman Crow and Congressman Balderson for working so diligently to strengthen the agency we oversee and protect the Nation's small business community that utilizes its services.

I ask my fellow Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, the Small Business Administration fuels the U.S. economy, and through its lending and contracting programs, helps Americans start, build, and grow small businesses, but in doing so, the agency is tasked with handling vital information.

As we all know, cyberattacks are very real, and nobody, not even the Federal Government, is immune.

That is why this piece of legislation, H.R. 2331, is fundamental to the health of our national cyber infrastructure as it relates to small firms.

The SBA must protect its digital networks from cyberattacks and collaborate more with Congress. Modernizing the agency's IT infrastructure and implementing an effective cyber strategy is the key component of this bill. Doing so guarantees the SBA can adequately and effectively defend its digital network.

This bill also requires timely reporting of cyber incidents to Congress and affected individuals in the unfortunate event of a breach. The sharing of this information allows us to collaborate with the SBA to better address vulnerabilities in the system.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2331 has bipartisan support, so I once again want to urge my colleagues to support the measure. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1649) to amend the Small Business Act to require cyber certification for small business development center counselors, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1649, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2019, which helps Small Business Development Centers, or SBDCs, become better equipped to assist small entities with their cybersecurity needs.

Small businesses have increasingly become the targets of cyberattacks, and because of the complexity and cost associated with identifying, monitoring, and sharing information with appropriate agencies, only 31 percent of small firms have cybersecurity plans in place.

Besides access to capital, cybersecurity is one of the main impediments to entrepreneurial success. Our committee has heard many heartbreaking stories about how it took just one attack to shutter a business.

We have also heard time and time again the frustration business owners feel as they attempt to protect against ever-changing threats and navigate cyber regulations to win government contracts.

This legislation ensures that our Nation's most vulnerable businesses are prepared to combat the imminent threat from cyberattacks.

Leveraging the vast network of SBDCs and their expertise in assisting entrepreneurs from all over the country is a step in the right direction to provide education and training to business owners seeking to implement safeguards to their networks.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Ranking Member Chabot and Congressman Evans for working together on this important issue, and I ask my fellow Members to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, cybercrime is one of the greatest risks to every business in the world. Cybercriminals have realized small entities are more exposed than larger businesses that have dedicated in-house IT personnel overseeing their systems and networks.

Unfortunately, just 14 percent of small businesses have a plan in place for keeping their company secure.

This is why Congress and the SBA must continue to make cybersecurity training and resources a top priority for our Nation's small firms.

Through H.R. 1649, U.S. small businesses will be more prepared and better protected against cyber threats.

This bill has bipartisan support and is essential to enhancing America's cyber infrastructure, by starting with the most vulnerable businesses.

Our committee remains dedicated to advancing more policies to address the cyber challenges of small employers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2345) to amend the Small Business Act to clarify the intention of Congress that the Administrator of the Small Business Administration is subject to certain requirements with respect to establishing size standards for small business concerns, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2345, the Clarifying the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2019.

The Federal Government recognizes two categories of businesses: small and other-than small. Since there is no Federal definition for ``other- than small,'' this category can encompass firms that barely exceed the SBA's small business size standards, up to the multibillion-dollar household names.

To ease the transition from ``small'' to ``other-than small'' to give growing businesses a real chance at competing against some of the biggest companies in the world, we enacted the Small Business Runway Extension Act last year.

By increasing the average-receipts-based calculation for SBA size standards, transitioning firms will have more time to grow and develop their competitiveness and infrastructure.

However, since the Runway Extension Act became law, its interpretation and implementation have been thwarted by the agency responsible for its implementation. This conflict between law and regulation has created much confusion in the Federal contracting community.

The bill before us today clearly and unequivocally states Congress' intention regarding the Runway Extension Act of 2018. It sets forth a specific date by which SBA must complete their rulemaking process while also creating a transition plan for small firms caught up in this tug of war.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Representatives Stauber and Golden for collaborating to find a resolution to this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Golden).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Stauber and Representative Golden for working together on this important bill to ensure that congressional intent is not thwarted when it comes to the adequate and prompt implementation of the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018. That law was intended to make it easier for small Federal contractors to transition into the open marketplace.

The SBA has interpreted that the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018 applies to every other agency adopting its own size standard but not the SBA itself. Many small businesses and legal experts disagreed with the SBA's position, as did our committee.

This bipartisan bill reiterates that the law has been effective since its enactment and requires the SBA to issue a final rule for its implementation before the end of this year.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for voting to include my amendment to the NDAA that will allow our armed services to aid small farmers across the country.

Two weeks ago, the USDA released its congressional district-specific data for the ``Census of Agriculture'' and reported that in my district, New York's 19th Congressional District, 96 percent of the farms there are small family farms.

During our most recent in-district work period, I visited small farms back home in Rensselaer and Montgomery Counties and learned more about their work with organizations to help veterans gain the skills needed to transition to jobs in agriculture.

Today, the House passed my amendment that requires a report from certain Defense agencies on programs, policies, and practices relating to small farms, farms owned by new and beginning farmers, veteran farmers, and minority farmers in order to better understand how much the Armed Forces are working with small farms to supply commissaries and feed servicemembers.

With this data, Congress and Defense agencies can work together to expand opportunity for our small family farmers.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for standing with me on this very important issue.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the end of Dairy Month, which is recognized throughout June. I also rise to highlight the USDA's new Dairy Margin Coverage program, which is enrolling farmers right now.

My district in upstate New York is home to hundreds of dairy farmers, and way too many are struggling to survive with years of plummeting milk prices.

Now at the mercy of not just a complex pricing system, but also trade wars, our farmers need real support. I

encourage all dairy farmers in New York's 19th Congressional District to begin making coverage decisions.

The Dairy Margin Coverage program is retroactive until the beginning of the year, with applicable payments following soon after enrollment.

As dairy farmers continue to face low prices and increased market consolidation, I hope this program will provide much-needed support during this challenging farm economy.

As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I am deeply committed to supporting our dairy farmers, and I will be closely following implementation of the Dairy Margin Coverage program. I will continue fighting to give our farmers the support and the certainty they need.

Mr. Speaker, as we work through this year's appropriations package, I want to thank my colleagues for passing my amendment to fix our broken broadband mapping system.

Access to broadband is a timely and urgent need in my district, and if we don't address how we map and evaluate who has high-speed Internet, small business owners, students, and farmers will be left behind.

The FCC's recent Broadband Deployment Report states that more than 21 million Americans lack access to high-speed internet, but everyone in this body and back home knows there are many more out there.

The issue is that we evaluate broadband coverage based on census- block mapping. In other words, if one house on one block can purchase coverage, the whole block is deemed ``served.''

We will never close the digital divide relying on bad data. My amendment prevents the National Telecommunications and Information Administration from relying solely on census-block data for broadband availability maps.

Bad data yields bad maps, and this critical amendment will put an end to it. I thank my colleagues for joining me in support of this crucial amendment.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

At its core, Juneteenth is a bittersweet celebration of deferred liberation.

While the Civil War ended at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, it took more than two months for word of General Robert E. Lee's surrender to reach Texas. When General Gordon Granger, stationed in Galveston, heard the news on June 19th, he issued a proclamation that announced the freedom of 250,000 slaves in the state. By that time, more than two and a half years had passed since the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863.

Speaking at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln had prophesized that the Civil War would bring a new birth of freedom to America. However, for the quarter of a million slaves in Texas that freedom would come much later. And for millions of black Americans, the end of slavery meant new forms of oppressive labor practices, racial violence, police brutality, and the Jim Crow era.

While there have been tremendous strides for racial equality in the last 70 years including Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act, affirmative action, and the election of our first black president, we know that we have a long way to go. We must continue to uphold our enduring commitment to equality and strive for a more just society for people of all creeds and colors.

On Juneteenth, we remember the untold millions who suffered the horrors of slavery and celebrate the liberation of a people. We do so while keeping our eyes toward tomorrow, knowing that our best days as a nation are still ahead of us.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Madam Chair, upstate New York and communities across the country are experiencing an unprecedented increase in Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases. At all 14 of the townhalls that I have held in my district this term, folks asked me what Congress is doing about Lyme disease.

Today, I am offering an amendment to better understand and prevent this disease. The amendment adds $1 million in critical CDC funding for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease.

This package of appropriations bills makes critical investments in our priorities. But as temperatures rise and families spend more time outside, we must invest more in treating and preventing Lyme.

Lyme disease is a devastating disease that can often go undetected as it travels through ticks, tiny bugs that reside in dense forests and rural areas, areas found all across my district in upstate New York.

While most Lyme disease patients who are diagnosed and treated early can fully recover, 10 to 20 percent of patients suffer from persistent symptoms, which, for some, are chronic and disabling.

These numbers are even more startling as we consider that, over the last 25 years, Lyme disease has increased by over 300 percent in the northeastern States. In 2017, there were 3,502 confirmed cases of tick- borne Lyme in New York State alone.

Madam Chair, I have 5-year-old twin boys. Whenever I do bath time, I have to check for ticks. There have been a few scary moments where I have actually had to pull ticks off my little boys. It is a frightening experience.

Parents, myself included, are sending their children into their backyard or local park with fears that they can return with a chronic lifelong and potentially disabling disease.

But this is just not a medical or moral issue. Lyme disease is costing our economy. How much money are the American people spending on this disease as we still know so little about it?

Studies indicate that Lyme disease costs approximately $1.3 billion each year in direct medical costs alone in the United States. The American people are spending $1.3 billion on the symptoms of a disease rather than investing in medical research to treat and prevent it.

This figure doesn't even address the opportunity cost of failing to act to address Lyme disease in our communities. How will our local economy attract tourists when people can get sick? What is the cost of keeping children cooped up inside rather than enjoying the outdoors for fear of tick-borne illnesses?

Upstate New Yorkers and communities struggling with tick populations need medical solutions now to stop this disease in its tracks. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases are crucial to prevent long-term complications.

Today, available diagnostic tests can be inaccurate and complex to interpret, especially during the earliest stage of infection when treatment is most effective. My amendment offers trying to better understand the disease and allowing for research to develop a more effective treatment of the disease.

Unlike in other infectious disease settings, tests to directly measure the presence of the infecting organism are not available for Lyme disease. This leaves physicians without the tools needed to diagnose; and without an accurate diagnosis, it is challenging for physicians to provide early treatment.

The disease requires specialized treatments, which requires real investments in research to better manage and prevent the disease. Madam Chair, the time to invest is now. Indeed, the National Science Foundation has declared that Lyme disease is an emerging global pandemic due to climate change.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

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