Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today because we must listen to our children. Our children are calling out for us to take action to address the epidemic of gun violence, which has spread to traditionally safe places like schools, concert halls, movie theaters, and places of worship.

Our children are growing up under the constant paranoia of gun violence. Try, if you can, to imagine the depth of their fear and anxiety. Nowhere is safe.

Last week, I visited seven schools in my district and spoke with students who fear for their safety and stress over our inability to take action on gun violence.

We are not even halfway through 2019, and there have already been 13 school shootings. Is there any mystery behind the student walkouts we experienced last year in response to gun violence?

I was proud to support H.R. 8, back in March, in order to achieve long-overdue universal background checks, a baseline measure to address gun violence.

Now the Senate must act. I implore my colleagues in the Senate to hear the young people of our country calling for change and to pass H.R. 8. The time is now.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join in celebrating the 66th Congress.

100 years ago today, in 1919, this House voted to pass the 19th Amendment to grant women the right to vote. I rise today to celebrate the women's suffrage movement and the women who, at the time, were seen as revolutionary for demanding a voice, a representation in our democracy.

Today, we applaud the women who organized in upstate New York, in Seneca Falls, who marched down Pennsylvania Avenue, and who lifted their voices across this country to demand ``votes for women.''

As we prepare to celebrate a century of women's suffrage, let us acknowledge the tireless work of women to demand the right to vote and the women, including Ulster County's own Sojourner Truth, who recognized that suffrage still denied treatment under the law for all.

Today, I am proud to celebrate the tireless work of women to demand the right to vote and the men who stood on the right side of history by voting to pass the 19th Amendment.

Their work set the stage for the historic 116th Congress, full of trailblazing women, and firsts in their own right.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Infrastructure Week and call attention to the urgent need for investment in rural areas like mine in upstate New York.

As an example, every time I am home in my district, I hear from folks about the need to invest in infrastructure to help our family farmers succeed.

When farmers drive their livestock or dairy products down to New York City or the immediately surrounding areas, they need bridges and roads they can rely on, structures that can carry product without potholes or fear of collapse.

But infrastructure does not just mean bridges, roads, and seaports. It means access to markets through high-speed internet.

Astoundingly, 25 million Americans lack rural broadband. This means 25 million Americans who own small businesses, operate small farms, want to apply for college online, or do homework, or access lifesaving medicine cannot, because they lack internet access.

This week, I was proud to launch, with the leadership of Whip Clyburn, a task force on rural broadband.

I am ready to partner with folks on both sides of the aisle to address the need to rebuild our infrastructure and access broadband both in upstate New York and across the country.

Let's get this done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today because I have heard from too many parents and siblings in upstate New York who have lost a loved one to overdose from opioids.

I rise because overdose fatalities are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50.

I rise because addressing the opioid crisis means understanding and treating addiction. We must see addiction for what it is: not a weakness, but a disease that requires treatment.

I am proud to have introduced legislation to address this crisis, H.R. 2482, the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act. This bipartisan bill would end a redundancy in Federal law that restricts health providers from prescribing buprenorphine, a proven treatment for addiction.

To tackle this crisis, we must go beyond taking the needed steps of holding Big Pharma accountable and creating more drug courts. We must treat the addiction.

Madam Speaker, we cannot let the wrongheaded stigmatization of addiction undermine our capacity or our commitment to treating it.

Let's pass H.R. 2482.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Madam Chair, I want to first thank my colleague, Chairman Doyle, for his leadership on this bill.

The Save the Internet Act restores critical net neutrality protections that the FCC repealed last year. This legislation is necessary to hold on firm legal ground the net neutrality principles we should all support: no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization.

While ensuring a free and open internet is of the utmost importance, so, too, is ensuring broadband internet access for all. In fact, according to the FCC's 2018 Communications Marketplace Report, nearly one in four Americans lack access to broadband internet service at home.

As a proud Representative of one of the most rural congressional districts in the country, I cannot overstate what

a huge problem this is. Individuals and small businesses in my district still lack access to stand-alone broadband internet because of high service costs, a lack of broadband infrastructure, and outdated and unreasonable bundling practices that require consumers to purchase a home telephone service or a cable package as a condition for purchasing broadband internet service.

In today's global economy, broadband shouldn't come with any strings attached. That is why my amendment would give GAO 1 year to report to Congress on the benefits to consumers of making broadband internet service available to everyone on a standalone basis.

Additionally, it would include recommendations to Congress on ways to increase the availability of stand-alone broadband internet service to consumers, particularly those living in rural areas.

Consumers increasingly don't want to buy big cable bundles. They just want access to the internet. That is why I urge support for this amendment and for the underlying bill.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Michael F. Doyle), chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Once again, I would like to thank Chairman Doyle for introducing this critical legislation and urge Members on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment.

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

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to highlight the need for our country to finally achieve universal healthcare coverage.

As the wealthiest country in the world, there is simply no excuse for us to be the only developed country left without universal healthcare. There are a lot of different ways to achieve universal healthcare, and I believe that a public option is the best way for us to get there. That is why I was pleased yesterday to introduce the Medicare-X Choice Act, which will finally bring our country to universal healthcare coverage.

My bill will combine Medicare physician networks and reimbursement rates with ACA coverage standards to create a new public option available to all Americans. My bill would allow those who are happy with their employer-provided insurance to keep it, while offering another more affordable coverage option to those in need.

With this bill, we are introducing more choice and more competition to the marketplace, starting in the places that need it most, like rural areas with provider shortages. This much-needed competition will drive down costs for everyone.

Our constituents expect us to take on the big issues impacting their lives. This should not be a partisan issue. We must roll up our sleeves and get to work so we can lower the cost of coverage for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act, a bill that I am proud to cosponsor. This bill is a critical step in expanding access to quality affordable healthcare by bringing down prescription drug costs.

Too many of my constituents and too many Americans across this country can't afford the healthcare coverage they need. There is no bigger driver of this problem than the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs.

The United States pays the highest prices for prescription drugs in the world, and over the past decade, the prices of 90 percent of brand name drugs have more than doubled.

How is it that one in five American adults cannot afford the medicine they need?

In the wealthiest country in the world, it is inexcusable that we have seniors who have to choose between their prescriptions and buying groceries, cancer patients who can't afford their drugs, and diabetics who need to ration the insulin they need to survive.

The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act couldn't be more commonsense. It allows the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate Medicare drug prices, putting consumers first, not the drug industry.

My constituents sent me here with a clear mandate to fight for quality affordable healthcare, and this bill is a crucial part of that work.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a true hero from Pine Plains, New York, who tragically lost her life in service to this country on January 16, 2019, in Syria.

Chief Kent was 35 years old and is survived by her husband, a retired member of the Army, and her two young sons.

After graduating with honors from Stissing Mountain High School on December 11, 2003, Chief Kent enlisted in the United States Navy, where she quickly rose through the ranks and served as a member of the Navy's Cryptologic Warfare Unit.

Chief Kent was fluent in five different languages and six dialects of Arabic and was one of the first women to complete the rigorous course required for troops to accompany Navy SEALs on raids.

Chief Kent could run a marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes, do a dozen full-arm-hang pull-ups, and then march for miles with a 50-pound rucksack--amazing.

A cancer survivor, Chief Kent had assignments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and, finally, Syria. Just 1 month into her deployment, Chief Kent was killed by a suicide bomber.

A recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, Chief Kent gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and will be remembered for her courage and determination.

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.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Sojourner Truth. Born a slave in Ulster County in 1797, she ran away to freedom with her infant daughter in 1827. She then challenged the illegal sale of her son to a slave owner and was the first Black woman to win such a case against a White man. She spent the rest of her life as a national leader in the abolitionist movement, challenging the norms of her time by advocating for gender and racial equality and for the right to vote.

Her bust is displayed here in the Capitol in Emancipation Hall, the first sculpture here to honor an African American woman.

It is an unbelievable honor as well as incredibly humbling to stand here during this Black History Month, as the first African American Congressman from Upstate New York, to recognize the life of a true American hero.

I hope and pray that we as a nation continue to honor her legacy and so many others who have committed their lives to ensuring America live up to the promise of true equality for all.

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

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

No veteran in Upstate New York or across the country should have to forgo healthcare because they can't access childcare services. My amendment adds emergency mental healthcare as a covered healthcare service for veterans under H.R. 840.

As it now reads, the bill provides for regular and intensive care, such as monthly VA medical appointments. However, it does not account for unscheduled appointments that, sadly, can make the difference between life and death. What if there is no time for an appointment? What if the individual is thinking about harming themselves or others?

My amendment would allow veterans to receive childcare services when there is an immediate need for assistance due to mental ailment, whether from addictive opioids, post-traumatic stress disorder, or depression, just to name a few.

In my district and throughout most of the country, we have seen the opioid crisis rise to horrific numbers and impact millions of families. In fact, between 2010 and 2015, studies revealed that the number of veterans addicted to prescribed opioids grew by more than 50 percent, a total of 68,000 servicemembers. This is quite a concern. In my district, I represent more than 39,000 veterans, and much too often, addiction and mental health are swept under the table.

Mental health should not be treated differently than one's physical health, and this legislation and proposed amendment take significant steps to do just that, helping to aid veterans and their respective families with this fight. Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and when faced with a mental health crisis, it is our responsibility as a nation to do everything we can to provide for their well-being.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).

Again, Mr. Chairman, I thank Congresswoman Brownley and Chairman Takano for their efforts to get H.R. 840 to the House floor. I urge both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

My amendment would add extended day programs, otherwise known as before- and after-school programs, to the childcare services that qualify for a stipend or reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under H.R. 840.

Extended day programs held at educational institutions, typically K- 12, are offered to students whose parents have obligations prior to school hours and/or obligations that extend beyond school hours. They are a valuable educational tool. Recent studies suggest that childcare programs that focus on education rather than general daycare services improve students' academic achievement and help close the achievement gap.

In rural communities like those in my district, going to the doctor can mean a long commute, so expanding access to childcare services is especially important.

Expanding such access is also vital as we look to fulfill our Nation's commitment to support female veterans. Mothers in particular often have to forgo their own healthcare in order to provide for their children. With more and more women in service, including the estimated 3,500 woman servicemembers in my district, we must prioritize ways we can help them and their families. This bill is one way we can do that, and adding this amendment would just strengthen that measure.

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

Mr. Chairman, again, I have to thank Congresswoman Brownley and Chairman Takano for their efforts to get H.R. 840 on the House floor.

I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise, pleased that the government is reopened and determined to not repeat ourselves in 3 weeks.

A poll taken last weekend found that 6 in 10 Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, and nearly 70 percent have negative opinions on the state of the Nation. These findings are grim, but can anyone in this Chamber blame our fellow citizens for their skepticism?

The longest shutdown in American history brought fear, confusion, and financial harm on upstate New York and our entire country--$11 billion worth of economic loss, according to the CBO. And here is what that looked like back home in upstate New York:

The Small Business Administration stopped processing new loans to potential small business owners, slowing the engine of American enterprise;

The FDA stopped routine food safety inspections, putting Americans at risk at their own dinner tables;

The Department of Agriculture stopped administering farm support programs, which include subsidized home loans and tariff relief payments, putting additional financial stress on farmers in upstate New York already suffering from our Nation's ill-conceived trade wars;

The Department of Housing and Urban Development stopped processing mortgage extensions or housing loans, leaving 100,000 rural homeowners at risk of eviction;

The EPA suspended the cleanup efforts at Superfund pollution sites, including in places like Hoosick Falls, with poisoned groundwater.

When the shutdown began, the EPA stopped returning calls from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. I held two townhalls during the shutdown and opened up our phone lines on weekends in order to remain accessible to those in my district who need an advocate in Washington.

I heard from constituent after constituent about the negative repercussions of the shutdown.

I heard from store owners who couldn't accept EBT cards because their SNAP vendor license expired with no possibility of renewal.

I heard from Federal employees, more than 4,200 of whom I am proud to represent in Congress, who worried about losing their dental and vision insurance.

I met with members of the U.S. Coast Guard, the only military personnel who went without pay during the shutdown.

And I heard from small business owners, more than 27,000 of whom live in my district, about the effect of the shutdown on their bottom lines.

All of this for what purpose?

From day one, I joined any colleagues in vote after vote to reopen the government on a bipartisan basis.

It is incumbent on Congress to ensure that the government remains open when the current spending package expires on February 15.

The border wall is a monument to division that, according to experts, is ineffective and wasteful. Holding the government hostage over it was wrong. Indeed, not a single Member of the House body--Democrat or Republican--representing a border district is for the construction of a wall.

When discussing the need for improved border security, we must move past fear-driven partisan politics which seek only to divide us and paralyze our democracy. Moreover, we cannot allow ourselves to fall short of our constitutional obligation as Members of Congress.

Let us not forget that our Founding Fathers began with the legislative body in Article I of our Constitution. This is the one body that represents the will of the people, legislatively.

Our work should not be contingent upon the whims and desires of another branch of government meant to only execute the laws our body is obliged to legislate. This is not how to preserve a democratic order anchored in the separation of powers and sustained by healthy checks and balances.

To be clear, now is not the time to run away from our responsibility as a coequal branch of government. Democrats and Republicans, alike, need to come together and have an evidence-based and transparent debate on the question of border security, have a vote, and then send legislation to the President. It shouldn't take a costly shutdown and a threat of another looming one in order to accomplish this.

As Members of both parties from both Houses begin budget negotiations in a conference committee, I ask that they remember the hardships endured in recent weeks not only by the Federal employees who went without pay in upstate New York, but also by business owners, farmers, and so many others in our region who were harmed because of ripple effects of the shutdown.

The government must not close again. My district and our country can't afford another shutdown. It is our collective responsibility to ensure we do not find ourselves on February 15 at the start of yet another shutdown.

In short, I urge this body to do as envisioned by our Founding Fathers, get to work, and do our job.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to lay bare the calamity that is the shutdown. From phones ringing off the hook, to folks I talked to at my townhall meeting on Monday, we have heard from far too many of our fellow citizens struggling because of government inaction.

Take the Coast Guard, who I met with in Saugerties last Friday. They are providing an invaluable service to our community up and down the Hudson River, not only search and rescue, but ice cutting, which is critical to our local economy.

They are out there working in the freezing cold and not being paid. This is the first time in history U.S. Armed Forces servicemembers are not being paid during a lapse in government funding.

I repeat: Because of the shutdown, members of the U.S. military are working without pay.

Government dysfunction of any kind is not good for the well-being of our democratic order. We are now approaching levels of dysfunction that ought not be tolerable for anyone who cares to preserve the dignity of our citizenry. We must open the government now.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor Major James M. Brophy, a marine from Staatsburg who lost his life while serving our country and was laid to rest this past Friday.

Major Brophy was a decorated combat veteran who served in Afghanistan as well as Japan. He dedicated his life to our Nation, and he was a devoted father, husband, and son.

This is a tremendous loss to not only his family but to the entire Dutchess County community, and he serves as an example to all of us.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, and I offer my sympathy, support, and gratitude for his selfless service to our country.