Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6443, the Advanced Cybersecurity Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation Act.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6443 would codify the existing Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation, or CDM, program within the Department of Homeland Security's National Protection and Programs Directorate, NPPD.

CDM is an important part of our national approach to securing Federal networks. Through CDM, DHS works with Federal agencies to identify, purchase, and integrate cybersecurity tools and services to help defend their networks against cyber attacks.

By taking advantage of bulk pricing, CDM allows agencies to purchase security services at a discounted rate and, in turn, devote more of their limited resources to carrying out their missions. Another benefit of the program is that it enables DHS to track threats to agency networks, giving the Department a more holistic view of the threat landscape.

Still, given the enormous challenges associated with protecting such a massive and diverse set of networks, it is not surprising that DHS has, at times, struggled.

For instance, in rolling out CDM, DHS officials mapped four phases of implementation where, in the first phase, agencies would identify all the assets and devices on their networks.

At the time, DHS projected that the last phase, which is focused on protecting the data that agencies store, would begin being tackled in 2017. Unfortunately, the CDM deployment schedule has been plagued with across-the-board delays, starting with the implementation of phase 1, which took years. As a result of these delays, the data housed on agency networks--what the bad guys are really after--remains less secure than might otherwise have been.

H.R. 6443 would address CDM's challenges in a few ways, for example, by asking DHS to reconsider its phased approach to implementation and examine opportunities to streamline adoption of CDM technologies.

This bill would also require DHS to develop a comprehensive strategy that addresses deployment challenges, areas where greater coordination is needed, and recommendations for continuous improvement.

Finally, H.R. 6443 adds specificity to DHS' responsibilities under CDM and includes robust reporting requirements to inform congressional oversight.

Every year, Federal networks get hit by tens of thousands of attempted intrusions, many of them sophisticated, state-sponsored attacks. We have seen time and again the cost and damage that can flow from a high-profile Federal breach. As such, we need CDM to work.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on this bill, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6443 seeks to improve DHS' capacity to carry out one of its more important homeland security missions: the protection of Federal agency networks.

Over the past decade, we have seen the number of cyber attacks against Federal agencies rise by more than 1,000 percent. Last year alone, the Office of Management and Budget reported that Federal agencies experienced more than 35,000 cybersecurity incidents. A challenge of this magnitude cannot be undertaken by each agency on its own. They need help.

That is where the CDM program comes in. By authorizing CDM in law, DHS and its agency partners can confidently move forward to bolster Federal network security. By requiring the Department to revisit its implementation plans and work to finally resolve its longstanding CDM challenges, H.R. 6443 puts the program on an even more secure footing.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5869, the Maritime Border Security Review Act.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5869 would require the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a threat analysis of the maritime border. The bill directs the threat analysis to identify terrorist and criminal elements looking to enter the U.S. through, or exploit vulnerabilities of, our maritime border. Further, H.R. 5869 directs DHS to identify improvements to mitigate such threats.

In carrying out this analysis, DHS is directed to look at vulnerabilities in law and policy that hinder border security and other criminal efforts along the maritime border. It is important to note that the bill limits the scope of the legal and policy analysis provisions to maritime security and, as such, has no relationship to the Jones Act.

In the current climate where we have a President who repeatedly threatens to shut down the Federal Government if Congress fails to provide funding to build a wall along the southwest border that candidate Trump repeatedly told would be paid for by the Mexican Government, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that border security concerns more than the U.S.-Mexico land border.

I commend the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico for reminding us of the need to secure maritime borders and seaports.

Cargo volume is up. In fiscal year 2017 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection processed $2.39 trillion in imports. This translates into our ports of entry processing more than 28.5 million in imported cargo containers.

Seaports are critical infrastructure that drive our economy. As such, it is critical that DHS stay abreast of the maritime security threat picture. To that end, I support H.R. 5869, the Maritime Border Security Review Act, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, in the current climate, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that border security encompasses land, air, and maritime borders. Maintaining situational awareness along our maritime borders and in the transit zone can be a daunting task for the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, given the vastness of the maritime domain. H.R. 5869 will position DHS to better understand what additional resources are required to protect our maritime ports and borders.

Given that the measures before us were authored by the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico, I would be remiss if I didn't take this moment to acknowledge September 20 will mark a year since Hurricane Maria upended the lives of millions of Americans living in Puerto Rico.

The death and destruction caused by this category 4 storm was compounded by the Trump administration's flat-footed, weak, and slow response to the suffering.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a piece published by The New York Times this past weekend entitled ``Don't Give Trump a Pass on Puerto Rico.''

[From the New York Times, Sept. 1, 2018]

Don't Give Trump a Pass on Puerto Rico

The president thinks the government did a fantastic job last year handling Hurricane Maria. But the revision of the death toll, to nearly

3,000 from 64, says different

(By Mekela Panditharatne)

The wind and rain began lashing New Orleans in the early

hours of Aug. 29, 2005, while President George W. Bush was on

vacation at his ranch in Texas. As the levees buckled and

water poured into the city, the federal government tarried.

Later, Hurricane Katrina's long pall--the more than 1,800

related deaths, the devastation and the slow federal

response--would come to haunt Mr. Bush's presidency,

cratering his approval rating.

President Trump, who has overseen his own hurricane crisis

after last year's storms in Texas and Puerto Rico, has

largely escaped the presidency-defining censure that dogged

Mr. Bush after Hurricane Katrina. Last week, Puerto Rico's

government increased the island's official death toll,

estimating that 2,975 people died as a result of the

hurricane and its effects--up from the tally of just 64 that

had been the official count until then. Nearly one year after

the storm hit, we now know that Hurricane Maria may be among

the deadliest natural disasters to occur in the United States

in a century.

So why the pass for President Trump?

Mr. Trump's scandal-plagued presidency has benefited from a

deliberate pattern of diversion and the deep executive

dysfunction he has created in the federal government. Under

his tenure, the president has given the impression it is not

the White House's job to coordinate with federal agencies and

that by extension, he does not own his agencies' failures.

This shouldn't stand.

The scope of the administration's negligence is reflected

in a report released by the Federal Emergency Management

Agency in July. FEMA said the agency ``had thousands fewer

workers than it needed'' and that many of those it had

weren't qualified to take on a catastrophe of this scale. The

report also states that the agency took longer than expected

to secure supplies and lost track of much of the aid it

delivered.

An investigation by Politico found that FEMA provided

roughly a third of the meals, half as much water and a small

fraction of tarps to Puerto Rico than it provided to Texas

after Hurricane Harvey in the first nine days after the

storm. Several weeks elapsed before FEMA and the Defense

Department increased their presence on the island, even

though airports and ports had reopened after a few days. The

agencies failed to direct the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham

Lincoln and other ships to Puerto Rico to aid with the

response. Mr. Trump remained largely out of the picture.

No president in recent memory has upended internal

executive branch norms so much. In immigration, military and

other matters, major executive orders have been introduced by

the Trump administration without consulting with his cabinet.

Agency heads have been caught off guard when policies

affecting them are put into motion. The robust interagency

exchange that typically characterizes complex decisions has

atrophied.

All of this makes it easy for Mr. Trump to escape blame for

his agencies' missteps. But this isn't normal. In an unwieldy

bureaucracy, pressure and high-level oversight from the White

House ensure that disaster response does not fall by the

wayside. Where agencies are ill-equipped to handle the on-

the-ground devastation and local authorities cannot fill the

void, presidential leadership assumes greater import.

The Trump administration has additionally taken actions

that may set back Puerto Rico's recovery. The funding request

the White House sent to Congress last November drew

condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats for being

too low. The administration gave Puerto Rico little choice

but to adopt an experimental funding formula to rebuild its

public infrastructure. The formula gives Puerto Rico

flexibility during the rebuilding process but requires the

island to pay for any cost overruns, putting it at risk of

being on the hook for costly receipts down the road. To make

matters worse, last Thursday a federal judge ruled that

Puerto Ricans who have been living in motels and hotels on

the mainland as part of FEMA's temporary housing aid after

Hurricane Maria have to check out on Sept. 14, possibly

rendering many of them homeless.

Going forward, Mr. Trump must ensure that his agencies

focus attention and resources on the resilient, sustainable

rebuilding of the outdated power grid and on restoration of

the water infrastructure and health care system in Puerto

Rico to buttress the island against future disasters. If not,

it's up to us, as fellow Americans, to hold him to task.

The image of Mr. Trump lobbing rolls of paper towels to a

crowd last October in Puerto Rico, arms arched, mimicking a

basketball player, should rank high in the pantheon of

presidential slip-ups. It brings to mind another iconic

image--Mr. Bush surveilling Hurricane Katrina's wreckage in

New Orleans, from Air Force One. Mr. Trump has defied many

dogmas in politics. But the abnormal executive branch

dynamics that he

has created should not absolve him from responsibility for

the grave humanitarian situation in Puerto Rico.

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

Mr. Speaker, as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I rise to express my appreciation of Ms. Colleen Altstock upon the conclusion of her service to the Committee as a Pearson Foreign Policy Fellow and return to the Department of State.

Since joining the Committee in September 2017, Ms. Altstock has made valuable contributions to our legislative and oversight work by sharing her vast knowledge of counterterrorism and foreign affairs, especially with respect to U.S. policy toward Russia and China. She has been a reliable resource to both our staff and the Members of the Committee.

During her tenure on the Committee, Ms. Altstock shared her extensive knowledge of State Department programs such as its visa vetting and foreign assistance programs, including its counterterrorism grant and anti-corruption rule of law assistance programs. Ms. Altstock made valuable contributions to our staff's understanding of the State Department's visa operations by arranging a staff visit to State consular training facilities so that my staff could observe firsthand State's visa screening and fraud prevention techniques. Finally, Ms. Altstock prepared background memoranda on U.S. relations with Russia, North Korea, and Iran, including President Trump's Summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un and the possible consequences of the U.S. decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement.

Ms. Altstock played a key role as a staffer on the Congressional Task Force on Election Security, a task force established by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi which I co-chaired with Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA). She contributed greatly to the work of the Task Force, including assisting with writing the Task Force's final report and recommendations. Ms. Altstock was also instrumental in drafting H.R. 5011, the Election Security Act, which currently has co-sponsorship of over 100 Members of Congress. Ms. Altstock also contributed to over a half dozen Committee oversight hearings.

Throughout her time on the Committee, Ms. Altstock has displayed a high degree of professionalism and personal commitment to providing Members of the Committee and staff valuable insight and information. We thank Ms. Altstock for her service to the Committee and our country and wish her the very best as she returns to the U.S. Department of State.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. William Clayton ``W.C.'' Tucker, well known as a Christian man of great character and integrity with an enormous love for the Lord and his family.

Mr. William Clayton ``W.C.'' Tucker passed away surrounded by his family on Friday, July 13, 2018. He was born on February 25, 1950 to William Tucker and Olivia Smith Tucker. He was a 1968 graduate of Siggers High School in Shannon and a 1971 graduate of Mississippi Industrial College in Holly Springs.

Mr. Tucker shared 39 years of marriage with the love of his life, Mrs. Patty Tucker. They were blessed to have raised two wonderful daughters, Camille Young and Dr. Emily C. Tucker, and three lovely grandchildren; Amber and Kayla Young and William Tucker Young.

In 1989, while attending Union Baptist M.B. Church in Shannon, Mr. Tucker was ordained a deacon. He later joined White Hill M.B. Church in Tupelo where he taught Men's Sunday School classes.

After 35 years of hard work as a Senior Certified Engineer Technician, Mr. Tucker retired from the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Post retirement, he launched Tucker's Fresh Produce and sold fresh vegetables at the Tupelo Farmers Market.

Mr. Tucker was an avid gardener who was featured in the Daily Journal, the Lee County Courier, Mississippi State Extension Publications, Mississippi Farm Bureau Magazine, Minority Landowners Magazine, and WTVA for

his successful high tunnel gardening techniques. He enjoyed working with the youth of White Hill Church and Haven Acres Boys and Girls Club teaching raised-bed gardening. He was a member of the Lee County Master Gardener's Association and the Mississippi Minority Farmers Alliance. He was a former 4-H volunteer and Red Cross volunteer.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. William Clayton ``W.C.'' Tucker for his dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I rise to express my appreciation of Mr. Calvin Mitchell upon the conclusion of his service to the Committee as a Congressional Fellow.

Since joining the Committee this past November, Mr. Mitchell has made valuable contributions to our legislative and oversight work by sharing his considerable knowledge of federal acquisitions. He has been a reliable resource to our staff on all Department of Homeland Security acquisition-related matters. Additionally, during his tenure on the Committee, Mr. Mitchell was deeply involved in our oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to Hurricane Maria which devastated Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, he helped develop innovative approaches to promote federal procurement opportunities for small businesses and enhance the participation of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in federal acquisitions.

Throughout his time on the Committee, Mr. Mitchell has displayed a high degree of professionalism and personal commitment to providing Members of the Committee and staff valuable insight and information. In all of this, Calvin has demonstrated benevolence, vitality, and enthusiasm, which has helped all of us enormously.

We thank Calvin for his service to the Committee and our country and wish him the very best as he returns to the General Services Administration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Louisa Young Denson.

Louisa Young Denson lived a life devoted to public service. Ms. Denson was born on September 24, 1949 to Louisa Harvey-Young and Willie Young of Jackson, MS. She realized early on the value of an education and a foundational relationship with Christ. After accepting Christ at an early age, she allowed her belief in him to guide her in all walks of life. Shortly after graduating from Lanier High

School in 1967, she enrolled at Jackson State University. At Jackson State she completed both a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and a Master's degree in Public Policy and Administration.

The degrees Ms. Denson received from Jackson State University began her life-long journey of helping to improve the health of Mississippians. She started her career in state government at the Mississippi State Department of Health in the 1990s and devoted more than 40 years of service to the agency. During her tenure, Ms. Denson served in many positions throughout the agency and has been awarded two of the highest awards with the Mississippi Public Health Association. In 2000, she was awarded the Felix Underwood Award and in 2002 the Jon Vic Baily Award for outstanding public health and community service.

Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Louisa Young Denson. As we continue our pursuit of improving the quality of life for all Mississippians, let us do so by honoring a true change agent Ms. Louisa Young Denson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Ralph Paige, a man who tirelessly fought for African-American farmers.

Beginning in 1985, Ralph Paige, spearheaded an advocacy organization for African-American farmers, formally known as The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. This organization grew out of the civil rights movement. As a known champion and advocate for black farmers, Mr. Paige helped organize black farmers and others in the southeast into economic cooperatives. He educated them on how best to retain their land and later became their spokesman. His work to increase the awareness of the difficulty for African-Americans to maintain ownership of land and receive financial support from local institutions is appreciated and admired today.

Mr. Paige wrote a 2010 column for The San Marcos Daily Record, ``When President Abraham Lincoln created the United States Department of Agriculture in 1862, he referred to it as the People's Department. The problem is that its services have never been available to all the people.'' Blacks were disproportionately denied loans, disaster relief, and other monetary aid for black farmers. Ralph Paige recognized that the loans black farmers did receive were often smaller and took longer to process than those for white farmers. Instead of complaining, he worked to ensure that thousands of farmers have land today.

Today, we mourn the death of Ralph Paige. As a controversial figure, he managed to provoke thought in all of those who he came in contact with either in person or through his work. As we continue to dismantle stereotypes and racism, let us do so by honoring the life and legacy of Ralph Paige.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Gloria Richmond Jackson.

Gloria Richmond Jackson came into this world on a windy day in March of 1957. She is the eleventh of thirteen children born to Floyd and Earnestine Richmond. She spent her early years on the Adams Plantation, three miles southwest of Lambert, Mississippi in Quitman County.

She left the State of Mississippi in 1972, and spent 33 years living in Louisiana, Texas, California and Illinois. In 2005, the Lord led her back to Lambett to work with the youth; but the true blessing of her return was the loving and nurturing relationship that developed between her and her mother who passed away July 17, 2011.

Jackson's mission quickly led her to become immersed in community work. In June 2005, she began working with the youth at the North Delta Youth Development Center in Lambert. As Director of The Children's Village Project, she encouraged them by sharing her story of trials and triumphs in an attempt to assist them with healthy development.

Jackson is proud of her southern upbringing and credits a lot of her accomplishments as a direct result of having a wonderful mother. She describes her mother as being, ``Mississippi Strong.'' Her mother wasn't afraid to get involved with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. She worked with others to help get African Americans registered to vote in Quitman County. She even defied the Superintendent of Education's warning, that if any of the school bus drivers participated in a Freedom March with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., they would be fired. She marched, but kept her job as a Bus Driver for the elementary school in Lambert.

Mrs. Earnestine Richmond's positive impact wasn't limited to only a few of her children: Her first-born daughter, Tressie Richmond Woods, in 1965 became the first African American to work as a Loan Officer for the Quitman County Farmers Home Administration, located in Marks, Mississippi.

Her daughter, Evon Richmond Ector, participated in the now famous, ``Poor People's Mule Train March to Washington'' in 1968.

Her daughter Mae Richmond Mosley was the first African American to become Vice President of Human Resources for Briggs and Stratton Engines Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 2003 to 2007 when she retired.

Gloria Richmond Jackson, her youngest daughter, was the first African American to attend Lambert Jr. High School in 1969. Five of Mrs. Richmond's sons have owned businesses: Edgar Richmond (Automotive Repair Shop) Chicago, Illinois. Benjamin and Leo Richmond, co-owners (Bar and Lounge) Chicago, Illinois. Charles Richmond (Vending Machine Service Company, St. Louis, Missouri and a Home Health Service Company with locations in St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. James Richmond currently owns an Automotive Towing Service in Wellston, Missouri.

Jackson was appointed to the position of Town Clerk for Lambert, June 13, 2016. Prior to her appointment as Town Clerk, she was employed with Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Inc. of Lambert, Mississippi for eight years. There she worked as a Data Research Associate and Abstinence Educator in the Quitman, South Panola and Coahoma Municipal School Districts.

Her career with American Airlines began at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois in 1989; it spanned for over fifteen years. She started out at American while working evenings in Facilities Maintenance, concurrently attending Catherine Business College at night. After graduation, she was promoted to Ticket Counter Agent, two years later she was promoted to Sales Support Representative, and later she accepted the position of City Ticket Office Sales Representative until 2001. At that time she returned to Chicago O'Hare Airport to fill a position as Premium Service Representative in the very same office where she once worked as a janitor (Facilities Maintenance). Following a seven-year leave from American Airlines, she returned to work at AA in 2012, commuting from Lambert to Chicago for seven months. She retired May 13, 2013 after fifteen years of dutiful service.

Jackson is a Baptist Minister and Assistant Pastor, Sunday School Teacher and Lecturer at Pleasant Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Lambert, Mississippi under the leadership of Pastor Reginald Griffin.

She is a Published Author, ``Leaving Lambert'' (a painful journey to joy in God from a small Mississippi town) Inspirational Speaker, Certified Abstinence Educator, Data Researcher and Retired Premium Service Representative.

Jackson also entered into the political arena where she ran for Quitman County Tax Assessor and also ran for Chancery Clerk. She remains engaged in community activities, writing, her church ministry and mentoring the youth of Quitman County.

In December 2010, Jackson married Robert L. Jackson, Mississippi State Senator for District 11. They have a blended family of six children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Gloria Richmond Jackson for her dedication in serving her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable community servant, Officer Alexis Hall. Officer Hall has shown what can be done through hard work, setting goals, and aiming high.

Officer Hall has been with the Vicksburg Police Department since September 2015. Officer Hall is following in the footsteps of law enforcement professionals in her family. Officer Hall's mother and uncle, Lt. Penny Jones and Captain Milton Moore, have served the Vicksburg Police Department since 1999.

Officer Hall has gone above and beyond her duties as a law enforcement officer on several occasions. Officer Hall's prompt reaction to provide medical attention proved to be lifesaving measures for the individuals involved. Hall's quick thinking was a commendable effort. Officer Hall received the 2017 Vicksburg Police Department Top Cop.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Officer Alexis Hall for her dedication to serving her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an athletic young lady, Ms. Bria Carbo of Clinton, Mississippi.

Bria Carbo is the youngest child of Ron Carbo and Dana Carbo-Bryant. She is one of three siblings to Brent and Jolie Carbo. Currently, Bria is a Junior of Clinton High School in Clinton, MS.

Bria Carbo is a very outgoing and athletic young lady, who is carrying on a legacy of track athletes in her family. Bria began running track at the age of eight (8), participating on the Amos track team and the Mississippi Track Stars summer track program in the Jackson, MS area. She began her school track career at Byram Middle School, Byram, MS and continued on when she transferred to Clinton Middle School, Clinton, MS. In 8th grade, Bria started varsity cross country with Coach Marett and varsity track in 9th grade with Coach Perkins. She has had the privilege of being a part of the state championship winning Clinton track team, three out of their 5 wins.

Bria's family history in track is very valuable. Her father, Ron, had a successful varsity and Junior Olympic track career as a native of New Orleans, La. Her older siblings, Brent and Jolie, were sprinters for Terry High School, Terry, MS. Her sister, Jolie, is currently completing her senior year as a member of the track team for the University of Mississippi. All three (3) have participated in the Junior Olympics at some point in their track careers.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Bria Carbo for her hard work and dedication at Clinton High School and I wish her much success as she continues to pursue her track career and carry her family's legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the tenancy and dedication of Mrs. Delores Gibbs Rankin.

Delores Gibbs Rankin was born in Jefferson County, Mississippi. She attended both elementary and high school in the same county. Delores attended Jackson State University receiving a Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology in 1969 and a Masters in Sociology in 1980.

Delores started working as an Eligibility Worker with the State Department of Public Welfare in 1970. Five years later, she was appointed to Social Worker until 1980. Effective July 1, 1980, Delores was appointed the first African-American County Director for the Jefferson County Welfare Department. She faithfully kept the position of County Director until she retired in August 2010.

Delores considers it an honor to have served in various positions within the Department of Human Services. By putting God first and having a great and dedicated staff, services were provided for those in need.

During her forty years of her employment career, Delores was affiliated with the following community organizations: Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce; Jefferson County Extension Services Advisory Council; Jefferson County School District Federal Programs Advisory Committee; AJFC Community Action Board of Directors; Chairperson of Jefferson County Daycare Center; Medgar Evers Home Health Advisory Board; Chapter I Parent Advisory Council; FHA Agricultural Council; Headstart Policy Council; Jefferson County Vo-Tech Advisory Board; Mental Health Advisory Council; Vice President of State Employees Association of Mississippi; County and Regional Directors Association; Interagency Council for Jefferson County; Southwest Development and Planning District; Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center Advisory Council; Jefferson County Economic Development County; and Home Extension Services Advisory Council.

Delores is a devoted member of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church in Fayette, Mississippi. Her church affiliations include being the Usher Board President, Finance Committee Chairperson, Senior Choir Treasurer, Sunday School Treasurer, United Methodist Women Treasurer, Building Fund Committee Secretary, and Adult Sunday School Teacher.

Delores has four beautiful children and eight gorgeous grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to travel, shop, help others, spend time with family, and indulge in outdoor fishing.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Delores Gibbs Rankin for her dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, the late Mr. Andrew F. Atkins.

Mr. Atkins was a native of St. Joseph, Louisiana. In 1911, Mr. Atkins' family moved to the Mississippi Delta. He attended Alcorn High School in Lorman, Mississippi, where he completed his education. He was a resident of Hollandale, Mississippi, most of his adult life. Mr. Atkins made sure it was possible that all of his six children got a college education.

Mr. Atkins was a strong minded and religious person. He was a loyal and noble character. He lived a beautiful, rewarding and spiritual life. Mr. Atkins was the longest serving member on the Board of Trustee and deacon board plus secretary/treasurer of the Little Rock Baptist Church of Hollandale, Mississippi. He also served as Superintendent of the Sunday School for a number of years.

Mr. Atkins began his career at the age of 21, where he was a Burial Insurance Agent for Dillon Funeral Home and Dillon Burial Association of Vicksburg and Leland, Mississippi for more than 70 years. Not only was he a successful insurance agent, he was also a successful Farmer. He owned and operated his farm for a number of years. At this time that same farm is being rented to another farmer in Hollandale, Mississippi. Mr. Atkins' life also included the involvement in the lives of school students. He was the first Black school bus driver to be hired in the Black Hollandale Consolidated School District. He drove the school bus for twenty-eight years where he played a positive role in the lives of the students that rode his bus. There was a good student/bus-driver relationship.

Mr. Atkins was an outstanding Mason F & AM. He was elected Worshipful Master where he served for 43 years. On the District level, he served as secretary/treasurer from 1949 to 2009. He was also a member of the third largest and one of the oldest African American Organization--The Knights and Daughters of Tabor of Mound Bayou, Mississippi.

Lastly, Mr. Atkins was a character member of the Darlove-Murphy, Mississippi Water Association. He was instrumental in getting running water to approximately 150 residents in the Darlove-Murphy communities. He had over 60 years of community/civic service in the Mississippi Delta and other Mississippi cities and towns.

During Mr. Atkins' spare time, he loved hunting rabbits, squirrels and raccoons. Mr. Atkins' departed this life at the age of 101.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Mr. Andrew F. Atkins for his dedication to serving others and giving back to the African American community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Comrade Willie Lee Lindsey, Jr. who was born on February 23, 1936.

He enlisted into the United States Air Force on February 3, 1954 and was trained to be a Fire Fighter in the United States Air Force.

He obtained the rank of Airman 3rd Class (A/3C) during his 3 years and 10 months of service.

Comrade Willie L. Lindsey, Jr. served 1 year and 10 months under imminent danger and hazardous duty conditions on the Korean Peninsula of South Korea.

Comrade Willie L. Lindsey, Jr. was awarded the National Defense Medal along with the Korean Service Medal during his time of service in the Air Force.

Airman 3rd Class Willie L. Lindsey, Jr. was Honorably Discharged from the United States Air Force on January 7, 1958.

After serving his country as a Fire Fighter in the military, Comrade Willie L. Lindsey, Jr. transitioned into civilian life and worked and retired after 30 years of employment at Vickers Inc. in Jackson, Mississippi.

In December of 1985, Willie Lindsey joined the Brooks, William, Stewart, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9832, in Jackson, MS. He was elected VFW Post 9832 Commander in 1988 and served in that position from 1988 to 2008. He also served as VFW 5th District Commander during his time as VFW Post 9832 Commander.

In 2006 through 2007, Willie Lindsey became the first African American in the State of Mississippi to be elected and serve as State Commander of the Department of Mississippi's Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Comrade Willie L. Lindsey, Jr. was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. He is survived by his son Roderick Odems.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Comrade Willie L. Lindsey, Jr. for his dedication to serving his country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for yielding the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the closed rule for H.R. 4760. I was proud to sign on to the bipartisan discharge petition to force a vote on a Dreamer bill. Passage of this rule will not only kill that discharge petition, but any hope of this Congress considering the one bill that has enough bipartisan support to deliver a meaningful remedy for the Dreamers.

What are we voting on instead? H.R. 4760 is an antifamily bill that maintains the cruel zero-tolerance policy, limits access to asylum, shrinks legal immigration, ends the diversity visa lottery program, abolishes protections for unaccompanied children, and builds President Trump's border wall.

We are considering only H.R. 4760--a measure that may not have the votes to pass--to placate the most extreme elements of the Republican Conference. Mr. Speaker, something is fundamentally wrong and broken in this body when the will of a handful of extremists overrules the will of a bipartisan majority.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule and the underlying bill.

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

I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4760, a bill that doubles down on the President's cruel zero-tolerance policy. This harsh anti-immigrant, anti-American bill is the realization of the President's cruel immigration and border security rhetoric and policies.

Remember when the Republican Party used to say it was the party of family values? H.R. 4760 is focused on families, but not in a good way. It is focused on separating families, incarcerating families, and eliminating pathways for family-based immigration.

Remember when the Republican Party used to say it was the party of law and order? Well, it does take action with respect to local law enforcement, but not in a good way. It would withhold Homeland Security and other law enforcement grants from so-called sanctuary cities that, for the purpose of public safety, seek to foster trust from immigrant communities.

Law enforcement officials across the country oppose this provision because it would make their communities less safe. For example, Latinos in three major cities have been reporting fewer crimes since President Trump took office, particularly as it relates to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Finally, remember when the Republican Party used to say it was the party of fiscal discipline? Well, no more.

If enacted, H.R. 4760, would require billions of taxpayers' dollars to be wasted on the President's border walls, which I seem to recall hearing that it will be paid for by the Mexican Government. Now they want the taxpayers of America to pay for it.

It also waives the paygo scorecard. So now you pull a hat trick. You spend the money, but you don't score it. So, ultimately, it won't show up in our budget numbers. Shame on you.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 4760, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings), the retired chief of police of Orlando, Florida.

Mr. Speaker, we all recognize the sovereignty of our country, but we also recognize its diversity, and we all are immigrants. So let's get over it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Houston, Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

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

Mr. Speaker, as you heard, H.R. 4760 is fatally flawed. We are here only today debating it because the Republican leadership was essentially extorted by extremists within its ranks.

Instead, we should be here debating legislation to give Dreamers a path to citizenship. We should be here debating legislation to give safe haven to refugees from Haiti, El Salvador, Sudan, and Nicaragua.

We should be here debating a measure to end zero tolerance and family separation. Even before the Trump administration created this family separation crisis, America's image was suffering the effects of the Trump slump due to the President's inflammatory and cruel immigration and border security policies and rhetoric.

In fact, last June, the Pew Research Center released an international survey that concluded that sentiment regarding the U.S. had taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

What the President and supporters of H.R. 4760 do not understand is that what makes America great is its people, both native-born and immigrants.

Let's send a message to the President that we know what makes America great. Let's defeat H.R. 4760.

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