Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 91) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 810 South Pendleton Street in Easley, South Carolina, as the ``Private First Class Barrett Lyle Austin Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 91 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 810 South Pendleton Street, Easley, South Carolina, as the Private First Class Barrett Lyle Austin Post Office Building.

Private First Class Barrett Lyle Austin was born in Easley, South Carolina, on November 10, 1992. In 2011, he graduated from Pickens High School. Following his graduation, he enlisted and was sworn in at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

In August 2012, Private First Class Austin graduated basic training and advanced infantry training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, as a combat engineer.

Immediately following, he was stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, where he was assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. He was later deployed to Afghanistan in 2013.

On April 17, 2013, Private First Class Austin suffered massive head and chest trauma after an attack while driving an armored truck on patrol in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.

On April 21, 2013, at the age of 20, Private First Class Austin succumbed to his injuries in Landstuhl, Germany. Posthumously, he was awarded a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Palmetto State Hero award, and the South Carolina Governor's Award for Extraordinary Sacrifice and Heroism.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Private First Class Austin by naming the post office at 810 South Pendleton Street in Easley, South Carolina, as the Private First Class Barrett Lyle Austin Post Office Building.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 91, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 92) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 110 Johnson Street in Pickens, South Carolina, as the ``Specialist Four Charles Johnson Post Office''.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 92 to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 110 Johnson Street in Pickens, South Carolina, as the Specialist Four Charles Johnson Post Office.

Specialist Four Charles Johnson was born on August 4, 1940, in Pickens, South Carolina, to Mr. Charles Johnson, Sr., and Mrs. Essie Jamison Johnson.

He attended the Pickens County Training School and was a 1958 graduate of Clearview High School in Easley, South Carolina.

After completing high school, he enlisted in the United States Army with the military parental consent of his mother since he was only 17 years old when he began his military career.

Specialist Four Johnson completed his basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was a paratrooper. Unfortunately, he was killed in action by a gunshot wound to the chest while serving in Vietnam.

His mother described him as a playful boy and happy all the time. He served with his brothers, Specialist Four John H. Johnson and Specialist Four Leroy Johnson.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Specialist Four Johnson by naming the post office at 110 Johnson Street in Pickens, South Carolina, as the Specialist Four Charles Johnson Post Office. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 92, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 207) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 215 1st Avenue in Amory, Mississippi, as the ``Command Sergeant Major Lawrence E. `Rabbit' Kennedy Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 207, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 215 1st Avenue in Amory, Mississippi, as the ``Command Sergeant Major Lawrence E. `Rabbit' Kennedy Post Office Building.''

Command Sergeant Major Lawrence Kennedy enlisted in the U.S. Army in October of 1940 by walking for 2 days from his hometown of Smithville to Tupelo.

Over the course of his 35 years in the United States Army, he served in World War II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war.

Command Sergeant Major Kennedy fought in the Battle of the Bulge, participated in 506 airborne jumps, and was featured on the cover of Life Magazine, along with the Army's 1st Cavalry 9th Division.

In 2017, Command Sergeant Major Kennedy was commended by the Mississippi legislature by House Concurrent Resolution 51, authored in honor of his outstanding military career.

After serving for 35 years, he continued to serve local veterans, founding the annual veterans' breakfast in partnership with Community Bank.

On July 20, 2017, Command Sergeant Major Kennedy passed away.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the legacy of this patriot by naming the post office at 215 1st Avenue in Armory, Mississippi, as the ``Command Sergeant Major Lawrence E. `Rabbit' Kennedy Post Office Building''.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 207 for this national hero, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 209) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 305 Highway 15 North in Pontotoc, Mississippi, as the ``Lance Corporal Marc Lucas Tucker Post Office Building''.

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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 209, to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 305 Highway 15 North in Pontotoc, Mississippi, as the ``Lance Corporal Marc Lucas Tucker Post Office Building''.

Lance Corporal Marc Lucas Tucker joined the Marine Corps at the age of 23. He was deployed to Iraq with the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Everyone in his family and community knew that Lance Corporal Tucker chose a life of service, and his mother confirmed his commitment to the U.S. military, saying he was a ``lifer.''

On June 7, Lance Corporal Tucker called his mother to let her know about the timeline of his latest mission. Unfortunately, at 11 a.m., Ms. Bagwell recalls having a horrible headache, which she later learned occurred at the time of her son's death.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Lance Corporal Tucker by naming the post office at 305 Highway 15 North in Pontotoc, Mississippi, as the ``Lance Corporal Marc Lucas Tucker Post Office Building''.

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

Mr. Speaker, if the gentlewoman from South Carolina has no further speakers, I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 209, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3508) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 39 West Main Street, in Honeoye Falls, New York, as the OCW4 Christian J. Koch Memorial Post Officeo.

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 this measure.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 3508 to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 39 West Main Street in Honeoye Falls, New York, as the ``CW4 Christian J. Koch Memorial Post Office''.

Chief Warrant Officer Koch grew up in the York/Leicester area and was a 1999 graduate of York Central School District. Before enlisting in the National Guard Infantry in March of 2000, he studied mathematics at Brockport State.

He graduated second in his basic training class with honors and was immediately awarded a slot in Airborne School and assigned to the A Company 1st Battalion 108th Infantry.

He was soon promoted to E5 and given a slot in Air Assault School, a distinct honor. In 2004, Chief Warrant Officer Koch was accepted into Warrant Officer School and went on to attend flight school and graduate in 2008. He was then deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2008 to 2009, where he flew supplies and personnel.

Throughout his training and Active Duty, he served as an honor guard for veterans' funerals, participated in Veterans Day ceremonies, and had his unit featured in the Geneseo Warplane Museum. In addition, he participated in Operation Noble Eagle, guarding the northern border and the Ginna Nuclear Power Plant following the tragedy of 9/11.

Sadly, on January 20, 2021, Chief Warrant Officer Koch lost his life during a training mission with the New York State National Guard. He is survived by his wife and four children.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in honoring Christian's legacy by naming the post office at 39 West Main Street in Honeoye Falls, New York, as the ``CW4 Christian J. Koch Memorial Post Office''.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 3508, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) on the occasion of its 80th anniversary and to recognize Internal Audit Awareness Month.

The IIA was founded in 1941 by a small group of auditors based in New York City who understood the importance of the profession as well as its critical role in governance, risk, and control. From these humble beginnings the IIA has grown tremendously with branches in 170 countries and over 210,000 members. By relentlessly advocating for its members, providing valuable training to students, hosting conferences and so much more the IIA works to uplift this critically important profession.

Madam Speaker, the IIA is a real New York success story. I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the Institute for all that they do to promote the critical field of auditing and wish them continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the contributions of Henry Thacker ``Harry'' Burleigh of the great state of New York. The newly christened Harry T. Burleigh Place in Gramercy Park celebrates a man who dedicated his life to enhancing lives through music singing, composing and social justice. This well- deserving recognition honors the indelible impact Mr. Burleigh, known widely as the Father of Spiritual Music, left on New York and communities around the world.

Born in 1866 and growing up in Erie, Pennsylvania as a young African- American baritone singer, Harry Burleigh traveled to New York City and applied to the National Conservatory of Music to study with well-known Director and composer, Antonin Dvorak. His exceptional talent was recognized, and a scholarship awarded to Mr. Burleigh in 1892 enabled him to gain experience editing recordings and developing his classical spirituals. One of these was ``Deep River'' a spiritual composition from 1917 which is recognized all over the world to this day.

Tragically, Mr. Burleigh's life was spent under the heinous abuses of Jim Crow, and the systemic discrimination of ``separate but equal'' endemic to it. Yet in the face of these challenges to his rights and liberties, Mr. Burleigh always led with his talents and tireless work ethic, earning him many glowing accomplishments throughout his life. In 1894, Mr. Burleigh auditioned at St. George's Episcopal Church at 4 Rutherford Place in Manhattan, which still stands proudly today within my district and holds concerts celebrating Burleigh's compositions annually. Church member J.P. Morgan insisted that St. George's hire Mr. Burleigh, and so became the church's Choral Director. He would continue to introduce and play his classical spiritual music there for 52 years. Concurrently he integrated Temple Emanu-El, now Congregation Emanu-El, for a quarter of a century. In 1895, Mr. Burleigh made it a point to personally test the strength of newly passed civil rights laws in New York by asking for service at 25 establishments.

From 1908 onward, he sang for King Edward VII in London, performed on Mayor La Guardia's weekly radio show Talk to the People, and composed over 200 pieces encompassing the classical spiritual music genre. The renowned Dvorak' Symphony No. 9 (From the New World) credits the incorporation' and soulfulness of Burleigh's spiritual works. Mr. Burleigh was also a distinguished chartered member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) bestowed with great public honors. He received

the 1917 N.A.A.C.P. Spingarn Achievement Medal, and honorary Doctorate of Music from Howard University and Atlanta University in 1920. In addition, Mr. Burleigh mentored Paul Robeson, Marion Anderson, Roland Hayes and Enrico Caruso who would go on to make their own exciting contributions to our nation's musical story.

Mr. Burleigh's legacy of social justice lives on through The Harry T. Burleigh Society. Formed in 2017, the society continues Burleigh's important legacy of disrupting boundaries and challenging social norms to address issues of our time. The Center for Peace, Equity & Justice at Friends Seminary School in New York City, coordinated an education/ postcard campaign that was sent to Community Board Six in Manhattan, further highlighting his importance in American social justice to our beloved city.

The co-naming on September 12, 2021 at the South East corner of 16th Street and Third Avenue, Harry T. Burleigh Place, stands now as a testament to his important work as a baritone soloist, choral director, music arranger, editor, mentor, and a New York Community leader.

Harry Burleigh contributed so much to New York and the world, adding his sonorous and unique brand of spiritual signing to our ever-growing chorus of American culture. I am pleased to add my own voice to that chorus today in recognition and remembrance of this great man.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Uma SenGupta, a lifelong educator and the first Indian American woman elected as a Democratic District Leader in Queens. Uma passed away peacefully on March 9, 2022. She is known for her steadfast commitment to ensuring justice, access, and equity for Indian Americans in Queens.

In 1970 Uma moved to New York with her husband Suprabhat. Shortly after arriving, Uma founded the Rainbow Montessori School in Flushing and became its first educational director. During her 30+ years as an educator Uma became a fixture of the Indian community in Flushing which led her to make history in 2004 when she was elected as a Democratic District Leader in Queens. Uma used her role as a District Leader to encourage minorities, women, and other marginalized populations to become more directly involved in the political process. Because of her vital work in this area the number of women, minorities and immigrants involved in local politics has increased substantially which is a testament to the lasting impact of her efforts.

Madam Speaker, my constituents and I are grateful to Uma for everything she did for New York City throughout her long and storied career. May she rest well.

Madam Speaker, I was caught in traffic. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 126.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Brown (OH) (Jeffries)

Brownley (Correa)

Butterfield (Evans)

Carey (Balderson)

Castro (TX) (Correa)

Craig (Pallone)

Crist (Wasserman Schultz)

DeFazio (Blumenauer)

DeSaulnier (Beyer)

Garcia (IL) (Pressley)

Gohmert (Weber (TX))

Gonzalez, Vicente (Correa)

Jackson (Nehls)

Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)

Kelly (IL) (Jeffries)

Lamb (Pallone)

Lawrence (Stevens)

Lawson (FL) (Evans)

Levin (MI) (Beyer)

Lowenthal (Beyer)

Morelle (Jeffries)

Murphy (FL) (Deutch)

Ocasio-Cortez (Escobar)

O'Halleran (Stanton)

Payne (Pallone)

Ross (Beyer)

Sires (Pallone)

Smith (WA) (Beyer)

Spartz (Miller-Meeks)

Strickland (Jeffries)

Suozzi (Beyer)

Taylor (Van Duyne)

Torres (NY) (Correa)

Trahan (Beyer)

Trone

(Ruppersberger)

Waltz (Gimenez)

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the MORE Act and I applaud my colleagues, Chairman Nadler and Barbara Lee, for their leadership on this critical legislation.

For years, public support for marijuana legalization has surged. Thirty-seven States have voted to legalize marijuana. It is past time that Congress answers the call for marijuana justice.

This sweeping legislation would finally decriminalize cannabis at the Federal level by removing it from the Controlled Substance Act. The law would apply this retroactively to prior and pending convictions that have disproportionately harmed communities of color.

The MORE Act would also help those whose convictions are overturned through the Opportunity Trust Fund that would provide job training, reentry assistance, legal aid, and healthcare.

If we are serious about criminal justice, we need to get rid of the antiquated cannabis laws. The MORE Act would do just that. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting on this long overdue bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of sixty years of independence of the nation of Jamaica, and over sixty years of cooperative and friendly relations between Jamaica and the United States.

The United States was among the first countries to recognize Jamaica's independence in 1962 and has enjoyed strong diplomatic and cultural ties with the stalwart island nation since. This diplomatic support has expressed itself through the work of organizations like USAID and direct commercial links between our nations for six decades. And in the last year alone, the United States has demonstrated its strong support for Jamaica through its fight against COVID-19. The United States has sent hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 vaccines to Jamaica to combat the pandemic, and as of December 2021 we have shipped over 400,000 vaccines to the island. But the effects of this crisis expand beyond public health; Jamaica has relied heavily on tourism for its economic successes, and the COVID-19 pandemic hit the nation extraordinarily hard.

To help alleviate those pains, Vice President Harris met Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the White House this week. There she announced $30 million in economic assistance to further augment Jamaica's economic recovery from the pandemic, including investments in human capital and violence reduction. These essential investments were capped by the announcement of even more investments to help Jamaica survive a rapidly changing Caribbean climate, as evidenced by the ever- stronger storm systems and hurricanes that ravage the region every year.

The United States and Jamaica also cooperate proactively on Caribbean security. Under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, the United States provides Jamaica with support in tackling trafficking, including training, equipment, and technical assistance on maritime security procedures and more. Our cooperative efforts help to counter public corruption and enhances the Jamaican justice system's efforts to fight crime across the country.

But good relations between our nations goes beyond diplomatic ties, as Jamaicans have emigrated in droves over the decades to the United States. In New York City we are able to enjoy such cultural staples such as Jamaican jerk chicken and ox tails, live Reggae music and more as a result of our neighbor's cultural heritage. Even the highest levels of government enjoy cultural links to Jamaica, where the father of our Vice President was born.

Congratulations to Jamaica for six decades of independent governance, and for being such a longstanding and firm partner of the United States.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Polish and Slavic Center (PSC) on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. For five decades, PSC has promoted the culture and heritage of Poland, whilst providing a broad range of services and opportunities to the Polish American community.

Working alongside Polish immigrants who had just arrived in New York City, Reverend Longin Tolcyzk established PSC in 1972. In the 50 years since, PSC has expanded rapidly, becoming an important cultural institution for the Polish-American community in the tri-state area and has over 40,000 members.

Over the course of this period, PSC has continuously expanded the services it provides to the local community. For over 48 years, the Extended Social Services Program has provided information and assistance for elderly Polish and Slavic-Americans, in matters as varied as social security, healthcare, and housing. PSC further assists seniors by providing daily low-cost meals at the Krakus Senior Center and John Paul II Friendship Center.

Since 1994, PSC has expanded its reach by providing immigration and legal support. Through its bilingual services, PSC works to provide free legal aid to all members of the community. Beyond these services, PSC offers ESL classes each year to over 100 recently arrived immigrants, and a scholarship program for Polish and Slavic-American youth seeking higher education degrees.

PSC works to provide enriching cultural experiences for all, partnering with both established and emerging Polish and Slavic- American performers to host exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural events. PSC seeks to inspire creativity and confidence in the younger generation through programming for aspiring young artists.

As PSC enters its sixth decade, it plans to continue expanding its services. A 3-K for All Preschool Program will serve the growing population of young Greenpoint families. PSC also plans to open a new cafeteria at its 177 Kent Street location. To enhance its cultural programming, PSC intends to renovate its old church premises into a modern venue for holding concerts, conferences, and community gatherings.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the ongoing work of PSC for the Polish and Slavic-American community. For 50 years, it has made a significant contribution in making New York the vibrant city of immigrants and diverse cultures that exemplifies the promise of the United States and the American Dream.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Insulin prices in the United States are the highest in the world. I support the Affordable Insulin Now Act, a bill that would cap patient costs at $35 a month. It would make lifesaving medicine affordable for millions of Americans living with diabetes.

My committee's investigation found that since the 1990s, insulin manufacturers have been raising the price of this lifesaving medicine despite no improvements to the drug, while making record profits.

The price gouging has harmed Americans. More than one in four Americans with diabetes report having to ration insulin, and some have died.

Nearly 2 million New Yorkers have diabetes. Capping out-of-pocket costs to $35 a month is an important step that Congress can take to reduce insulin costs for patients with diabetes.

Let's make prescription drugs affordable. Vote for this bill.

I thank Representatives Kildee, Craig, and McBath for their leadership in authoring this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the centennial anniversary of the first Bat Mitzvah of an American girl, which took place on March 18, 1922, at the Society for the Advancement of Judaism (SAJ) in New York City.

At 12 years of age, Judith Kaplan became the first girl on American soil to formally step into the Jewish community by becoming a Bat Mitzvah (daughter of the commandments). Her father, Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan, founded SAJ just three months prior, in January of 1922. He believed strongly that girls should have equal religious opportunities, so he arranged for his daughter to read from the Torah soon after the synagogue was created.

This momentous occasion helped begin the meaningful inclusion of women and girls in Jewish religious life. Bat Mitzvahs became common place, Jewish women started to serve in leadership roles in synagogues and organizations, and exactly 50 years later, the first female rabbi in American history was ordained by a rabbinical seminary.

Judith Kaplan's Bat Mitzvah was also the first in a long line of countless innovative and groundbreaking advancements in Jewish thought and practice by SAJ and their leadership.

Rabbi Kaplan established SAJ as the first synagogue based on the principles of Reconstruction, which views Judaism as a constantly evolving civilization. He believed that Jewish life was rooted in tradition but also able to adapt alongside the ever-changing circumstances of wider society under that guiding principle.

Since Rabbi Kaplan's pioneering tenure, SAJ has continued to live up to his powerful legacy of American Jewish innovation. The synagogue is considered a cornerstone of Jewish life in New York's Upper West Side. SAJ, led by an all-female clergy and staff, is an intellectual stalwart in the community that is dedicated to practicing a modern, American, egalitarian form of Judaism. They advance Jewish education, arts, music, and cultural self-expression as vital to the religious practice.

SAJ upholds the Jewish tenet of tikkun olam, a Hebrew phrase that means to repair the world. The synagogue embodies this teaching by working for economic, immigrant, and reproductive justice; affirming LGBTQ+ members and interfaith families; and actively supporting and partnering with New York City's Westside Campaign Against Hunger to fight against food insecurity.

I honor Judith Kaplan's courage and celebrate the 100th anniversary of her groundbreaking Bat Mitzvah.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Society for the Advancement of Judaism's remarkable contributions to the Jewish community in New York City and all over the world.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation banning Russian oil and gas imports and imposing additional sanctions to punish Putin and his cronies for their war of aggression in Ukraine, which has caused more than 2 million Ukrainians to flee their country.

President Biden has already imposed swift and severe consequences, including yesterday's executive action. However, it is the duty of Congress to join the President, enact a congressional ban on Russian oil and gas imports to the U.S., and send a strong message to the Kremlin that none of our money will be used to bankroll shelling of Ukrainian families.

Yesterday, the Oversight and Reform Committee held a bipartisan briefing with U.S. and Ukrainian Government officials. The message was clear: Putin's regime must be denied these crucial oil revenues while we continue to provide urgently needed aid to Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation for the good of the United States and the support of Ukraine.