Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Shen Yun, and welcome it back to Lincoln Center for its 17th anniversary. Shen Yun is a classical Chinese dance and music company with the mission of preserving traditional Chinese culture. The name Shen Yun means ``the beauty of divine beings dancing.'' Shen Yun preserves, memorializes, and revitalizes ancient Chinese stories and traditions, introducing this rich culture and art form to New Yorkers and many other people around the world.

In 2006, a group of Chinese artists, persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party for practicing Falun Dafa, founded Shen Yun to preserve their traditions and ancient history, which has been under threat since the Cultural Revolution. These artists chose to gather in New York, a testament to this city's status as a haven for the arts, culture, and freedom. Shen Yun creates a new performance each year dedicated to these principles.

Shen Yun's performances draw from historical Chinese stories and legends such as Mulan and Journey to the West. Its dances are accompanied by traditional Chinese instruments such as the pipa, suona, and dizi.

Three of Shen Yun's performers were recipients of the Chinese Ministry of Culture's ``National First-Class Performer Awards''.

Shen Yun currently has seven troupes that travel and perform all around the world. The troupes perform in over 130 cities in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Latin America. In their first three years of touring, over 1 million people attended Shen Yun performances.

I congratulate them for their unwavering devotion not only to putting on a fantastic show, but to preserving cultural treasures for future generations.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Shen Yun for celebrating thousands of years of Chinese culture and history through traditional dance, orchestration, costumes, and more.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 881) condemning the heinous terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022, 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 this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 881, and I condemn in the strongest terms the hateful attack on Congregation Beth Israel of Colleyville, Texas, on January 15 of this year.

Anti-Semitism is a dangerous and growing crisis both in the United States and around the world. According to the Anti-Defamation League, in 2020 and 2021 alone, there were 8,366 incidents of extremism or anti-Semitism just here in the United States.

According to the FBI, in 2020, more than half of the religiously motivated hate crimes reported targeted Jewish people, even though Jewish Americans make up only 2 percent of the population of the United States of America. This is a staggering level of anti-Semitism.

Tragically, on January 15, 2022, violent anti-Semitism became all too real for the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. Four individuals were taken hostage simply for being Jewish.

Although all hostages were eventually rescued safely, this attack never

should have happened in the first place. After the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, the revelations of the barbarity, and the scope of the Holocaust, the world vowed never again. Yet, the hate and bigotry that drove the Nazis to commit genocide is still alive and well. This is something we simply cannot allow to continue.

I have made fighting hatred and anti-Semitism--a personal mission. In 2020, we passed my bill, the Never Again Holocaust Education Act, to support Holocaust education in all schools across this country so that the next generation will learn the horrific consequences of anti- Semitism, bigotry, and hate.

Freedom of religion is one of the most basic rights afforded to every American in the First Amendment of our Constitution. No one should face discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs.

We must send a clear and unequivocal message that anti-Semitism has absolutely no place here in the United States.

I thank my colleague, Representative Van Duyne, for introducing this important resolution. Let it be a reminder that the rallying cry of ``never again'' must be more than mere words. It is our duty to come together to denounce anti-Semitism and hate, and this resolution does just that.

I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Florida an additional 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I call upon all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important resolution, H. Res. 881, and to join me in condemning, in the strongest terms, the heinous attack on Congregation Beth Israel of Colleyville, Texas, on January 15 of this year.

Mr. Speaker, anti-Semitism is a growing crisis, both in the United States and across the world, and we need to stand up together to denounce anti-Semitism and hate. This resolution does just that.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3967, the Honoring our PACT Act, which will ensure comprehensive benefits and care for our troops who suffer from toxic exposure, especially from burn pits. I want to thank Chairman Takano for his leadership on this bill. It is something we should all support. It supports our veterans.

As the daughter of a veteran, the sister of a veteran, and the wife of a veteran, caring for our veterans is extremely important to me, as it should be to every American. I could not help but be struck by the similarities between this bill and the 9/11 health and compensation bill which served and supported our heroes and heroines of 9/11 who likewise were exposed to burning toxins that later gave them cancers and severe illness.

This bill could help over 3 million veterans who are currently suffering from exposure to toxic burn pits.

Whether a veteran has served in Afghanistan, Iraq, or elsewhere, if they were exposed to these toxic hazards, they are entitled to care. They were there for us; we should be there for them. We should all support this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership.

I rise today in strong support of the rule on my bill, H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act. The Postal Service Reform Act has been years in the making, and I am proud to say that it is bipartisan.

As we all know, the Postal Service is one of our Nation's most vital and respected institutions. It provides service to every American no matter where they live, binding us together in a way no other organization does.

What's more, it is one of the oldest institutions in the United States. In fact, the Postal Service is older than the United States. It has been operating in some form since 1775 when Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress.

Ensuring that this vital American institution has the tools that it needs to prosper and serve the American people for years to come is of the highest priority. This bill does just that. This bill would require postal employees to enroll in Medicare when they are eligible and retire. All postal employees already pay into Medicare through their careers, and the Postal Service has paid about $35 billion into the program since 1983, and it is the second largest contributor to the Medicare trust fund.

In short, Postal Service employees have already earned these benefits. The bill would also eliminate the unfair requirement that the Postal Service prefund its retiree health benefits for 75 years into the future, a provision that has already passed the House in previous Congresses. These two reforms would save the Postal Service nearly $50 billion over 10 years.

I want to emphasize that these changes do not cost American taxpayers one single dime. In fact, the nonpartisan CBO just last week determined that this bill would save $1.5 billion over the next 10 years.

In addition to these savings, the bill includes a provision that will allow the Postal Service to work with States and localities to provide non-postal service in post office locations. This provision would allow the Postal Service to more effectively serve communities based on their individual needs and raise revenue from currently untapped sources.

It is abundantly clear that this bill is good for both the Postal Service and the American people.

I thank Representative Comer for working diligently with me on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this rule.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 912, I call up the bill (H.R. 3076) to provide stability to and enhance the services of the United States Postal Service, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials on H.R. 3076.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act, which I introduced along with my distinguished ranking member, Mr. Comer.

I am proud to say that our bill, the bill before us today, is the result of a truly bipartisan effort from the beginning until our time on the floor today. We have jointly over 100 cosponsors almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. And according to the nonpartisan CBO, this bill actually reduces Federal spending by $1.5 billion over the next 10 years.

The administration also supports the bill's efforts to ``strengthen the U.S. Postal Service.''

Madam Speaker, I include the President's statement in the Record.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 3076--postal service reform act of 2022--rep. maloney, d-ny, and

102 cosponsors

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 3076, the

Postal Service Reform Act of 2022. The United States Postal

Service and its dedicated employees provide an essential

public service and the critical public infrastructure for the

delivery of mail and packages to all Americans in every

corner of the country. The Postal Service provides crucial

support to millions of Americans, including our Nation's

veterans, including by ensuring their ability to vote and

providing access to prescription medications. Furthermore,

the Postal Service is an indispensable complement to and

foundational support for American businesses and communities.

The Administration supports efforts to strengthen the

United States Postal Service, including by providing Postal

employees with the dignity, fair pay, and employer-provided

benefits they have earned. The Administration is committed to

ensuring that the Postal Service delivers the highest

quality, most reliable service possible to every American.

This legislation would advance these goals in several ways.

Under current law, the Postal Service is required to

annually prepay future retirement health benefits, a

requirement not imposed on most other public or private

entities. Consistent with the President's longstanding

commitment, H.R. 3076 would repeal this requirement, which

unfairly and unnecessarily burdens the Postal Service.

H.R. 3076 would also establish a new, separate Postal

Service Health Benefits Program (PSHBP) within the existing

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), that

integrates Postal employees and annuitants into Medicare.

Making these changes would improve the Postal Service's long-

run financial outlook, without sacrificing quality,

affordable health coverage for Postal employees and retirees.

The Administration is mindful that these reforms would impose

administrative burdens on the Office of Personnel Management

and FEHBP, and further, that there could be potential

challenges with operationalizing Medicare integration and

with ensuring ongoing funding to support administration of

the new PSHPB. The Administration looks forward to working

with Congress to ensure that the goals of H.R. 3076 are met

in an efficient, equitable, and cost-effective manner, while

safeguarding the continued stability of the FEHBP.

Finally, H.R. 3076 would establish new transparency and

reporting requirements for the Postal Service and its

regulator, the Postal Regulatory Commission; require the

Postal Service to provide semi-annual reports to Congress on

the implementation of its strategic plan; provide for a

public dashboard using nationwide delivery metrics to track

delivery performance; and mandate a review of the costing of

competitive and non-competitive products. The Administration

supports these efforts to improve accountability, reliability

and transparency at the Postal Service.

The Postal Service is one of America's most vital and respected institutions. Originally established in Article I of the Constitution, for over two centuries it has provided service across our country to every single address whether you are in an urban skyscraper or rural family farm. It binds our Nation together in ways that no agency or organization does, and it adds over 1 million new delivery points every year.

This bill is an agreement to fix some of the serious problems that have been looming over the post office for years and threatening its financial stability.

It is an agreement that was reached with input from Democrats, Republicans, the postal unions, the postal professionals, and a wide array of private- and public-sector stakeholders. Over 200 different organizations have come out in support of this bill.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the organizations in support of this bill.

Organizations Supporting the Postal Service Reform Act

American Postal Workers Union; National Association of

Letter Carriers; National Rural Letter Carriers Association;

National Postal Mail Handlers Union; United States Postal

Service; National Active and Retired Federal Employees

Association; Federal-Postal Coalition; National Association

of Postal Supervisors; Package Coalition; Scholastic; Pitney

Bowes; CVS Health; eBay; International Paper; National Retail

Federation; OSM Worldwide; Pharmaceutical Care Management

Association; Pirate Ship; Keep Us Posted; Consumer Action.

Sylvamo; Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service;

American Catalog Mailers Association; American Forest & Paper

Association; Association of National Advertisers; Envelope

Manufacturers Association; Greeting Card Association; Major

Mailers Association; MailersHub; National Association of

Presort Mailers; National Newspaper Association; National

Postal Policy Council; National Retail Federation; Letter in

Support of H.R. 3076, p. 2; News Media Alliance; Parcel

Shippers Association; Printing United Alliance; Retail

Industry Leaders Association; Saturation Mailers Coalition;

The Package Coalition Companies.

4-Imprint; Action Mail Presort; AIIM; All Island Media;

Amazon; Arcadia News; AT&T; Ballard Designs; Baudville Inc.;

BCC Software; Belk; Biely & Shoaf Co., Blue Kite Press;

BlueCrest; Bluegrass Integrated Communications; Bluestone

Perennials; BMS Direct; BMS Technologies; Business

Communication Solutions (BCS); C & G Newspaper.

Calyx Flowers, Inc.; Cathedral Corporation; Centron Data

Services; Christianbook, LLC; Clarity; CohereOne; Colony

Brands: Montgomery Ward, Seventh Avenue, Ginny's, Midnight

Velvet, Monroe & Main; The Swiss Colony, The Tender Filet;

The Wisconsin Cheeseman, Country Door, Ashro; Columbia

Sportswear; Community Papers of Michigan; Content Critical

Solutions; Continuum | Marketing Production Services;

Corporate Mailing Services; Corporate Mailing Services (CMS);

Data Media Associates; Datamatx; Datapage; DataProse;

Demographix Media.

Design Toscano; Direct Mail Solutions; DMM; DNI Corp.;

Domtar; Doxim; EasyPost; eBay; Etsy; Everything Marketing,

LLC; Fairytale Brownies; Fluence; FRONTGATE; FSSI; Gardener's

Supply Company; Garnet Hill; Genesee Valley Pennysavers;

Grayhair Software; Grizzly Industrial, Inc.; Hallmark Cards,

Inc.; Harbor Sweets.

Hatteras/FocusOne; HC3; Holt's Cigar Company; HSN; IC

Group; ICS Corp; Image Options; Impact; Improvements; IMS;

Indrio Brands: Hale Groves, Pittman & Davis, Sun Harvest

Citrus, StuartDM; InfoIMAGE; Inland Press; International

Bridge; International Paper; Japs Olson; Johnson & Quin; JSM;

Kathleen Schultz Marketing; King Solutions; K-Log; L & D Mail

Masters; L&M Mail & Courier; Las Vegas Presort; Legacy

Publishing Group; Lett Direct; LSC Communications; Mail

Maine; Mailbox Merchants; Mailing Services of Pittsburgh;

Mailing Technical Services, Inc.; Midland; Midwest Direct;

National Grange; Mountain Hard Wear; MPX; MRS Mail Express;

My Shipping Post; Northern Safety & Industrial Novica.

Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats; OBRIEN; OSG; OSM

Worldwide; Package Shippers Association; Path2Response; PCI

Group; Pill Pack; Pirate Ship; Pitney Bowes; Pittsburgh

Mailing; Plow & Hearth; PMSI; Polaris Direct, LLC; Poshmark;

Potpourri Group: Cuddledown, NorthStyle, The Pyramid

Collection, Serengeti, In the Company of; Dogs, Magellan's,

Catalog Favorites, Young Explorers, Back in the Saddle,

Whatever Works; Country Store, Expressions, Nature's Jewelry,

The Stitchery, SafeFinds, TravelSmith; Chadwicks; prAna.

Premier Press; Presort Essentials, Inc.; Print Mail

Solutions; Print Mannschaft; Prolist; Publishers Clearing

House; Quad Inc.; Qurate Retail Group; QVC; R.R. Donnelley;

Raymond Geddes & Co., Inc.; Recreation Supply Company;

RevSpring; Scottish Gourmet USA LLC; Shades of Light; Shark

Publications, LLC; Shippo; Signature Graphics; Silver Star

Brands: Miles Kimball, Walter Drake, Easy Comforts,

Exposures, As We Change; NativeRemedies, Fox Valley Traders.

SiteForm, Inc.; Smart Market, Inc; Sorel; Specialty Print

Communications; Sporty's; Summit Direct; Letter in Support of

H.R. 3076, p. 5; Sylvamo; Target Direct; The Bradford

Exchange: Hammacher Schlemmer; The

Dingley Press; The Masters Touch; The PLD Group; The Vermont

Country Store; Think Patented; TLC Management, Inc.; United

Business Mail; United Mailing Services; United Postmasters

and Managers of America.

Up With Paper; Upper Valley Press; Ursa Major Associates;

USM Print Solutions; Value Direct, LLC; VariVerge; Whittier

Mailing Products Inc.; Wiland; Wisconsin Community Papers,

Town Money Saver; Wolverine Solutions Group; YRSTORE INC.;

Zappos; Zulil.

Madam Speaker, it is an agreement that contains two major reforms that together will save the post office over $50 billion in the coming decade.

First, the bill requires postal employees to enroll in Medicare when they are eligible and retire. All postal employees have already been paying into Medicare throughout their careers, but not all retirees could or would enroll when they reached 65. So the bill simply ensures that Postal Service employees can fully utilize the benefits that they have already paid for.

Second, the bill will eliminate the unfair requirement that the Postal Service prepay its retiree health benefits for 75 years into the future. This commonsense change will help reduce the burden on the retiree health benefit fund and help it remain solvent.

And the bill would provide Congress and the American people with a whole new level of transparency and accountability. It would establish an online, public-facing database that shows weekly service performance information by zip code.

The bill also requires the Postal Service to continue to deliver mail 6 days a week, using an integrated network, ensuring that Americans can receive their mail and medications on weekends.

The bill also enables our Postal Service to increase revenue through nonpostal services, such as selling permits to go fishing or hunting.

I would like to thank my friend, Ranking Member Comer, for his partnership on this bill and for helping to shepherd it to the floor. It has truly been a joint effort.

I would also like to thank Representatives Connolly, Lynch, Lawrence, and Foxx, for their work and dedication and devotion to getting this bill done.

I also would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Whip Clyburn, all of whom supported this and helped move it to the floor.

Let's do the right thing by all Americans and pass this bill, and send it to the Senate with a large support from this body.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this historic, bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of

Representatives,

Washington, DC, February 8, 2022.

Hon. Carolyn Maloney,

Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight and Reform,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairwoman Maloney: I write concerning H.R. 3076, the

``Postal Service Reform Act of 2021,'' which was additionally

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of

H.R. 3076, the Committee agrees to waive formal consideration

of the bill as to provisions that fall within the Rule X

jurisdiction of the Committee. The Committee takes this

action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any

jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or

similar legislation, and that the Committee will be

appropriately consulted and involved as this bill or similar

legislation moves forward so that we may address any

remaining issues within our jurisdiction. I also request that

you support my request to name members of the Committee to

any conference committee to consider such provisions.

Finally, I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter

into the Congressional Record during floor consideration of

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader of this Congress.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to join my colleague, Mr. Comer, in thanking Representative Foxx for her unique contribution to this bill. She is co-chair of the Postal Caucus and played a vital role in moving this bill to the floor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the distinguished chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over this bill also, and I thank him for his leadership on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the distinguished chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the distinguished

chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the distinguished chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to

the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the distinguished vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch), the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence), the distinguished co- chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 15 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), the distinguished chairman of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the distinguished chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

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

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

Madam Speaker, as we have heard many times on the floor today, the Postal Service is vital to the United States. It is so important that the Founding Fathers put it in the Constitution, right there under Article I. They did this because they knew that the Postal Service would keep our people connected and would ensure that no matter where a person lives in this country, they can receive mail and other critical deliveries.

As the gentleman, the dean, from Alaska said, one stamp can take you from across the street in an urban area all the way to Alaska to some of the most remote areas. It is a critical, critical service.

Madam Speaker, this bipartisan bill will dramatically improve the financial situation of the Postal Service--and I would say the country that depends on it--and enable it to continue performing these essential services for the American people.

We all know firsthand the incredible job that the postal workers did during the COVID-19 crisis, risking their lives to deliver our mail every day. While many of us were quarantined and safe in our homes, they were out interacting with people every day providing the service. At times in my district, half the Postal Service was out sick with COVID because of the interaction that they did to save our lives.

Just as 9/11 was helped so dramatically by the police and fire, along with the healthcare workers, this COVID crisis was helped dramatically by the Postal Service. They are really the heroes and heroines of this crisis.

Madam Speaker, I share my thanks for the support of so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who understand and support the necessity of these reforms. A vote for this bill is not only a vote for the post office, I would say it is a vote for yourself, for the services that we all receive, for America, for our institutions, and our values.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter that lists all the Members who reached out to indicate that they would have cosponsored the bill had they had the opportunity to do so.

Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of

Representatives,

Washington, DC, February 8, 2022.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Ms. Johnson: As a result of a clerical error, numerous

Members of Congress who had expressed interest in

cosponsoring H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act, were

not added to the bill before it was discharged

from all committees and placed on the union calendar. Below

is a list of the Members of Congress who would have

cosponsored H.R. 3076 had they been able to be added.

Brad Sherman (CA), David B. McKinley (WV), Andy Levin (MI),

Maria Elvira Salazar (FL), Mark Pocan (WI), Mariannnette

Miller-Meeks (IA), Salud Carbajal (CA), Madeleine Dean (PA),

Eric Swalwell (CA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Veronica

Escobar (TX), Jim Langevin (RI), Peter DeFazio (OR), Yvette

D. Clarke (NY), Peter Welch (VT), Betty McCollum (MN), Bobby

L. Rush (IL), Marc Veasey (TX), David Trone (MD), Nydia

Velazquez (NY), Brendan Boyle (PA), Alma Adams (NC).

Raul M. Grijalva (AZ), Ann Kuster (NH), Jim Himes (CT),

Robin Kelly (IL), Doris Matsui (CA), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Tom

Malinowski (NJ), Barbara Lee (CA), Haley Stevens (MI), Jake

Auchincloss (MA), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Greg Stanton (AZ),

Judy Chu (CA), Gregory Meeks (NY), John Yarmuth (KY), Deborah

Ross (NC), Colin Allred (TX), Antonio Delgado (NY), Jim

McGovern (MA), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ), Diana DeGette (CO),

William Keating (MA).

Sara Jacobs (CA), David Cicilline (RI), Andre Carson (IN),

Kweisi Mfume (MD), Mark DeSaulnier (CA), Lizzie Fletcher

(TX), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Luis Correa (CA), Henry Cuellar

(TX), Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA), Paul Tonko (NY), Adam Smith

(WA), Suzan K. DelBene (WA), Danny K. Davis (IL), Chrissy

Houlahan (PA).

Jared Golden (ME), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA), Mike Levin (CA),

Matt Cartwright (PA), Sean Casten (IL), Vicente Gonzalez

(TX), Suzanne Bonamici (OR), Michael Waltz (FL), Julia

Brownley (CA), Jamie Raskin (MD), Ashley Hinson (IA), Glenn

``GT'' Thompson (PA), Mark Takano (CA), Adam Schiff (CA),

Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX).

Sincerely,

Carolyn B. Maloney

Chairwoman,

Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Madam Speaker, I also include in the Record a list of over 200 diverse organizations across our country that support this bill.

United States Postal Service,

Washington, DC, June 28, 2021.

Hon. Gary C. Peters,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental

Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

Hon. Rob Portman,

Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

Hon. Carolyn P. Maloney,

Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Hon. James Comer,

Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Peters, Chairwoman Maloney, Ranking Member

Portman, and Ranking Member Comer: I want to salute your

leadership in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation

to restore the Postal Service to financial sustainability

while advancing service and operational accountability. You

have struck an important balance in the Postal Service Reform

Act, evident by the impressive list of bipartisan original

cosponsors. The American people and the men and women of the

Postal Service will be the beneficiaries of this outstanding

work for years to come.

The Postal Service supports the bill and has provided your

staff with modest technical refinements that we hope will be

adopted as the legislative process advances. We have provided

similar feedback to the Office of Management and Budget at

their request. Postal reform legislation has faltered in past

Congresses when language is added that unsettles the kind of

careful balance you have achieved in this bill. Accordingly,

I would commend your collective resolve in advancing a reform

bill limited to the current set of provisions.

I wanted to particularly comment on Section 202, the

Integrated Delivery Network provision, which as introduced

requires six-day delivery through an integrated delivery

network for market-dominant and competitive products. This

provision sets forth important principles that underlie the

Postal Service's provision of universal mail and package

delivery service and that therefore benefit the American

people. I strongly urge you to retain the wording as

introduced, despite what we consider to be a parochial and

misguided effort to modify or eliminate it.

I have elaborated in an attachment on the reasons this

provision is so essential to our mission.

I look forward to continuing to work with you to advance

the postal reform legislation you have put forward to serve

the interests of the American people. Each of you have

already shown yourselves to be exceptional leaders to

preserve this essential institution and its noble mission.

Please let me how we can assist in your important efforts.

Sincerely,

Louis DeJoy,

Postmaster General, CEO.

And I would again thank Ranking Member Comer for his partnership on this widely supported bill. It would not have happened without his partnership, and I am deeply grateful.

Madam Speaker, with that, I urge all of my colleagues to support this historic bipartisan bill. We rarely get a chance to vote for a bill that helps so many people, that actually saves taxpayers money, that reforms our government, doesn't cost anything. We are just reforming and making government work better to serve the people. That is what this bill is. It is a win-win-win in every direction.

Madam Speaker, I hope that this body would unanimously vote for it and send it to the Senate with a message that they should pass it as quickly as possible.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Comer, for his leadership, his friendship, and for the long path we went through together to make this happen. I thank all my colleagues who participated in making this happen, particularly our Speaker and our leadership in this Congress.

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

Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this manager's amendment to H.R. 3076, which makes minor technical changes to the bill. We have already discussed this bill at length so I will be brief.

The Postal Service is one of America's most vital and respected institutions. Every American benefits from the services it provides. This bill will dramatically improve the financial situation of the Postal Service and will allow it to continue providing its essential services for years to come. The technical changes made by the manager's amendment will help ensure that the bill is implemented swiftly and effectively.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment, but before that, I want to really give my heartfelt thanks to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, the staff, that made this happen, particularly Mark Stephenson and Ethan VanNess.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer), my friend, the ranking member.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and for her leadership.

I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Act. As our country fights to emerge from this pandemic, the policies of the Biden-Harris administration increased GDP by 5.7 percent in 2021, with the last quarter clocking in at an impressive 6.9 percent Gross Domestic Product.

But we cannot return to the pre-pandemic status quo in which geopolitical adversaries, like China, threatened our industrial base, supply chains, intellectual property, technological security, and global leadership and innovation.

The America COMPETES Act will protect and enhance the competitive edge of America's workers, businesses, and economy, which other nations are seeking to undermine.

Nowhere are the intentions of our adversaries clearer than in the cyber realm. Over the past several years, the country has been rocked, rocked by major attacks by cybercriminals like China and Russia.

Just this morning, our committee approved a sweeping, bipartisan bill to modernize and improve the cybersecurity framework of the Federal Government. But these efforts will be hindered if we don't have the right personnel in place to implement our Federal policies.

The America COMPETES Act will help address this by including H.R. 3599, a bipartisan bill by Ro Khanna and Nancy Mace, which establishes a rotation program for cybersecurity professionals at Federal agencies.

The America COMPETES Act also includes H.R. 4469, a bill I led with Representatives Lynch and Raskin, to ensure the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has the authority and resources it needs to protect civil liberties through oversight of artificial intelligence use of executive agencies.

The America COMPETES Act will ensure that America can compete and win in the economy of the future, and it positions the Federal Government in a way to lead the way forward. There is so much to say about it.

My time has expired. This is a must vote if you want America to be competitive in the world economy.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Dr. Hossam Maksoud for his outstanding career and dedication to creating accessible health services. For over twenty-five years, Dr. Maksoud has been at the forefront of providing affordable medication and healthcare.

When Dr. Maksoud received his pharmaceutical degree in 1990 from St. John's University's School of Pharmacy, he already had an established family business and chain of pharmacies in Egypt. Dr. Maksoud used this entrepreneurial experience in the United States to establish Maksoud Pharm, Inc in 1993.

Maksoud Pharm grew into a chain of independent retail pharmacies in the New York tristate area. With the revenues generated from Maksoud Pharm, Dr. Maksoud was able to launch his long-term care pharmacy company, Community Care Rx.

Dr. Maksoud currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Community Care Rx. As a

long-term care pharmacy, the company serves Adult & Pediatric Residential Programs, Assisted Living Facilities, Hospital Discharge Programs, HIV Programs, Hospital and Nursing Home Discharges and Skilled Nursing Facilities. Community Care Rx has a specific focus on nonprofit organizations that serve individuals unable to care for themselves.

Dr. Maksoud's goal is to address pharmaceutical drug shortages, working with lists provided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Over the years, Dr. Maksoud created additional healthcare companies to confront shortage concerns, such as Community Care Specialty Pharmacy, which is URAC and ACHC accredited, to address the difficulty in obtaining specialty disease state medications for patients. Dr. Maksoud also created Community Care Consulting, which reviews patients' medication charts in order to reduce patient and facility financial burdens.

In 2017, Dr. Maksoud once again launched an initiative to address the drug shortage problem. With four partners, he created Dawah Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a drug manufacturing company. Dawah Pharmaceuticals aims to provide affordable medication to the market by producing generic versions of otherwise widely inaccessible medication. One of these generics is currently under review by the FDA and has a projected release in the second quarter of 2022. In partnership with Oakrum Pharma, Dawah Pharmaceuticals will market the medication through wholesale distribution across the United States, to the benefit of institutions such as hospitals and clinics.

Dr. Maksoud is a board member of the Egyptian African Business Association (EABA) and is an active participant in many long-term care and nonprofit associations in the tristate area, such as IAC, ESAAL, NYAEMP, NYSACRA, HCANJ, and NJACP. Additionally, Dr. Maksoud, along with his family, established The Maksoud Foundation, which assists the elderly in obtaining medication they cannot afford.

As a dual citizen of Egypt and the United States with extensive experience living and working in multiple countries, Dr. Maksoud brings a unique perspective to his work. His global experience has demonstrated to him the importance and the value of diversity and community philanthropy.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Hossam Maksoud for his community service, his generosity, and especially his commitment to providing affordable medication and increasing access to quality healthcare.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 838, I call up the bill

(H.R. 5314) to protect our democracy by preventing abuses of presidential power, restoring checks and balances and accountability and transparency in government, and defending elections against foreign interference, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act. This sweeping package of reforms would restore integrity, accountability, and transparency to our government.

The landmark reforms in this bill would protect against future abuses, no matter who is President. This includes preventing abuses of the President's pardon power and requiring the President and Vice President to disclose their tax returns.

This bill includes many provisions that have bipartisan support. For example, the bill includes a provision based on a bill previously introduced by Representative Darrell Issa to make it easier for Congress to enforce subpoenas.

The bill would strengthen protections for inspectors general by only allowing an IG to be removed for specific documented causes. This reform passed the House with a bipartisan vote in June as part of a bill I introduced to increase the independence of inspectors general, and it passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2007.

This bill also includes the bipartisan Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act, which I was proud to introduce. These provisions would strengthen protections for whistleblowers who are retaliated against for reporting waste, fraud, and abuse.

These reforms would provide whistleblowers the long overdue right to challenge retaliation in court. It would also prohibit agencies from launching retaliatory investigations and disclosing a whistleblower's identity; and it would make clear that no Federal employee, including the President or Vice President of the United States, may interfere with or retaliate against a whistleblower for sharing information with Congress.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act would also protect the government from political interference by strengthening the Hatch Act.

Just last month, the independent Office of Special Counsel found that 13 senior Trump administration officials, including top White House aides and Cabinet members, broke the law by using their official government position to campaign for President Trump.

This legislation would also limit who can be named an acting official and for how long. I thank Representative Katie Porter for her leadership on these reforms which are included in her bill, the Accountability for Acting Officials Act.

The reforms in this bill have broad support from over 150 groups, including the Brennan Center For Justice and the Project On Government Oversight.

My colleagues from across the aisle continue to claim that this bill is about punishing former President Trump, but this is simply not true.

While this bill addresses issues that were highlighted by past abuses, it is not about the past. It is about the future of our democracy, and it will strengthen our democracy.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge all of my colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, to vote for the Protecting Our Democracy Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Appropriations.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the great State of California (Ms. Lofgren), the distinguished chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of California (Mr. Schiff), the distinguished chair of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great Commonwealth of Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Budget.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary.

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

I include in the Record a letter of support for the Protecting Our Democracy Act listing over 150 organizations supporting this important legislation. We have widespread support across this Nation.

October 6, 2021.

Over 150 Organizations Send Joint Letter Urging Congress To Pass the

Protecting Our Democracy Act

Dear Members of Congress: The undersigned organizations, on

behalf of the millions of Americans our groups collectively

represent, write to urge you to support and pass the

Protecting Our Democracy Act.

For decades, congressional authority has been undermined by

the executive branch, diminishing the ability of Congress to

fulfill its constitutional duties, to protect the rule of

law, and to hold all presidents accountable for overreaches

and abuses of power. The last time Congress passed

significant reform to protect our democracy from abuses of

executive power was after the Watergate scandal. The time has

come for new guardrails to reassert Congress' role as a

coequal branch of government.

Today, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and in both

chambers have an interest in restoring the checks and

balances entrusted to them in our Constitution. The

Protecting Our Democracy Act would do just that by restoring

the powers the Founders vested in the legislative branch to

serve as a check on the executive without infringing upon the

president's constitutional powers.

Among other reforms, this historic bill would:

Strengthen Congress's ability to oversee the executive

branch by fortifying congressional subpoena power by

providing expedited consideration of subpoena enforcement by

courts, so the executive branch cannot run out the clock on

congressional oversight;

Ensure inspectors general are qualified and empowered to

hold federal agencies accountable without fear of reprisal by

requiring the

president to have ``good cause'' for removing an inspector

general and enhancing reporting requirements when there is a

vacancy;

Ensure whistleblowers can continue shining light on

corruption and abuses of power that betray the public trust

by enhancing protections against retaliation, providing legal

defenses for whistleblowers against civil and criminal

liability, and allowing whistleblowers to have their day in

court;

Reinforce Congress's constitutional powers over spending

and the power of the purse by requiring the Office of

Management and Budget to make public basic information about

the management of federal funds, and reporting to Congress to

ensure those funds are spent in accordance with the law;

Prevent political interference with the U.S. Department of

Justice by putting a permanent, statutory requirement in

place that will ensure transparency and accountability

related to their communications with the White House;

Strengthen the Hatch Act to protect federal agencies from

being used for political purposes and ensure senior political

appointees are held accountable under the law the same way

other federal employees are.

Prevent abuse of the president's pardon power by increasing

transparency of the pardon process, prohibiting self-pardons

by the president, and clarifying that pardons are ``official

acts'' for the purposes of federal bribery statute;

Provide for enforcement of the domestic and foreign

Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution, to prevent a

president from profiting from payments by foreign or domestic

governments; and

Secure our elections from foreign interference, by ensuring

political campaigns are informed of the laws banning foreign

interference and are prepared to comply and report any

attempts of foreign interference.

In this perilous moment for our republic, we believe it

should be a top priority for this Congress to repair our

democracy, including ensuring that no future president is

permitted to abuse the power of their office.

If enacted, the Protecting Our Democracy Act would protect

against future presidential abuses of power, restore the

integrity of our democratic institutions, and ensure

transparency from the chief executive.

Given the urgency of this crisis and for these reasons, we

call on you to swiftly pass this critical legislation.

Sincerely,

20/20 Vision, Academics Stand Against Poverty,

Accountability Lab, Affiliation of Christian Engineers,

American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Oversight,

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Animals

Are Sentient Beings, Inc., Arab American Institute (AAI),

Asian Law Alliance, Asian Pacific American Labor alliance,

AFL-CIO, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Beyond Pesticides,

Blacks in Law Enforcement of America, Blue Wave Postcard

Movement, Brave New Films, Brennan Center for Justice.

Campaign Legal Center, Center for American Progress, Center

for Common Ground, Center for International Environmental

Law, Center for International Policy, Center for Media and

Democracy, Center for Progressive Reform, Citizens for

Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Clean Elections

Texas, Coalition of Labor Union Women, AFL-CIO, Columbia

Legal Services, Common Cause, Communications Workers of

America, Community Research, Community Science Institute,

Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, Constitutional

Alliance, Consumer Action, Corruption kills, Council for a

Livable World, CovertAction Magazine.

Demand Progress, DemCast USA, Democracy 21, Democracy Fund

Voice, Democracy Matters, Demos, Disaster Accountability

Project, Eco-Justice Collaborative, End Citizens United//Let

America Vote Action Fund, Equal Justice Society, Equal Rights

Advocates, Essential Information, Faith in Public Life, Fix

Democracy First, Fix the Court, Food & Water Watch,

Franciscan Action Network, Free Speech Coalition, Inc., Free

Speech For People.

Geos Institute, Global Integrity, Government Accountability

Project, Government Information Watch, Green Delaware,

Greenpeace USA, Hanford Challenge, Heart of America NW, Hip

Hop Caucus, Human Environmental and Leadership Prevalent

Center (HELP Center), Indivisible, Information Trust,

Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection,

Georgetown Law, International Association of Whistleblowers,

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Iowa Institute for

Public Accountability, Keep Our Republic, Kentucky

Environmental Foundation, Kentucky Resources Council, Inc.

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), League of

Women Voters of the United States, Mainers for Accountable

Leadership, Michiganders for Fair and Transparent Elections,

Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action, MoneyOutVA, Mormon Women for

Ethical Government, MoveOn, Muslim American Law Enforcement

Association (MALEA), National Center for Health Research,

National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, National

Education Association, National Employment Law Project,

National Organization for Women, National Security

Counselors, National Voter Corps, National Whistleblower

Center/Whistleblower Network News, National Workrights

Institute, Network for Environmental & Economic

Responsibility of United Church of Christ, NETWORK Lobby for

Catholic Social Justice.

New American Leaders Action Fund, New Moral Majority,

Niskanen Center, No More Guantanamos, Northwest Immigrant

Rights Project, Open The Government, Our Bodies Ourselves,

Pax Christi USA, People For the American Way, People's Parity

Project, PRESS4WORD2020, Professional Managers Association,

Project Blueprint, Project On Government Oversight (POGO),

Protect All Children's Environment, Protect Democracy, Public

Citizen, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility,

Public Justice Center.

Republicans for the Rule of Law, Rock the Vote,

RootsAction.org, S.T.O.P.--The Surveillance Technology

Oversight Project, Secure Elections Network, Senior

Executives Association, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change,

Sierra Club, SocioEnergetics Foundation, Sojourners, Stand Up

America, Stand Up Republic, Strategies for Justice, BWMP LLC,

Sustainable Energy & Economy Network, T'ruah: The Rabbinic

Call for Human Rights, The Digital Democracy Project, The

Ecotopian Society, The National Air Disaster Foundation, The

National Vote, The Press Freedom Defense Fund of First Look

Institute.

The Rutherford Institute, The Shalom Center, The Signals

Network, The Workers Circle, Transparency International--U.S.

Office, Truckers Justice Center, Tully Center for Free

Speech, Un-PAC, Union of Concerned Scientists, Unitarian

Universalists for Social Justice, UNITED SIKHS, Voices for

Progress, Vote Vets, Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil

Rights and Urban Affairs, Washington Office on Latin America

(WOLA), WESPAC Foundation, Inc., Whistleblowers of America,

Win Without War, Women's Action for New Directions (WAND),

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom US,

Workplace Fairness, Worksafe, X-Lab.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from the great State of Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the chair of the Subcommittee on Government Operations of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the distinguished chair of the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

(Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Natural Resources and Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples of the United States.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), the distinguished chair of the Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Porter), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross), the distinguished vice chair of the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague. We came to Congress together, and I thank her for her outstanding leadership in this body and her beautiful statement today.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I would like to point out to my very good friend and colleague, Mr. Comer, that President Trump is no longer President. This bill is not about President Trump. If anyone, it is about President Biden and our future Presidents and having more oversight, accountability, and transparency.

Now, addressed in this bill are past abuses that have occurred. This is not about the past; it is about the future. It is about the future of our democracy and the strength of our democracy.

Democrats are not standing alone. The reforms in this bill have broad support from over 150 outstanding groups, including the Brennan Center for Justice, the Project On Government Oversight, and many others. I have included that list in the Record.

Madam Speaker, the Protecting Our Democracy Act is a historic package of prodemocracy reforms to create or strengthen guardrails and prevent the abuse of executive power. Many of the provisions in our bill have broad bipartisan support and have literally been authored by Republicans.

You yourself at the Rules Committee said that the President should release his taxes. You said that.

These are issues that both sides of the aisle should be supporting. It is time for Congress to restore our authorities as a coequal branch of power.

Madam Speaker, this is about the future, the strengthening of our democracy, and I urge strong support from all of my colleagues. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us in strengthening democracy and urge them to vote with Republicans for this very important reform bill.

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

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 838, I offer amendments en bloc.

Madam Speaker, several amendments offered would increase transparency of White House operations and personnel.

The amendment offered by Congressman Mike Quigley would require the President to publicly release White House visitor logs with certain exceptions.

The amendment offered by Congressman David Cicilline would require the White House to publicly release salary information and financial disclosure statements for White House employees.

The amendment offered by Congressman Bill Pascrell would further strengthen the Hatch Act by increasing penalties for employees who knowingly break the law and use their position for partisan political activity. This amendment would also allow the Office of Special Counsel to continue investigations into former political employees after they leave Federal office.

The amendment offered by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would direct the Office of Government Ethics to establish ethics requirements on the establishment or use of legal expense funds for the President, Vice President, or any political appointee.

The amendment offered by Congressman Gerry Connolly would protect the civil service by preventing any position in the Federal competitive service from being reclassified outside of merit system principles. Employment in the Federal workforce should be based on an individual's knowledge, skills, and abilities, not political connections.

This package of amendments will bring accountability and transparency to our government. These reforms are critical for preserving and strengthening our democratic institutions.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this package of amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great State of California (Mr. Correa), who is the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), who is the distinguished chair of the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the great State of North Carolina (Ms. Adams). Dr. Alma Adams is the distinguished chairwoman of the Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), the distinguished vice chair of the Committee on House Administration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the great State of California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished and effective Speaker of the House.

Mr. Speaker, the amendments contained in this package will help ensure that the executive branch is accountable to the American people. This package includes amendments that were offered by both Democrats and Republicans.

These amendments bolster the many reforms in the Protecting Our Democracy Act that will protect against future abuses by the executive branch. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this package of amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 838, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to these amendments.

Together, these amendments would gut the bill and strike everything in this important package of reforms.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act would make the government more transparent and accountable to the American people.

Provisions in this bill have been supported by both Democrats and Republicans. For example, my Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act in Title VII is a bipartisan bill. Many of the reforms in this bill stem from efforts by prior administrations of both parties to enhance executive power.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress should unite in reasserting congressional authority.

Representative Burgess' amendment would strike important reforms in the bill which would ensure that Presidents and Vice Presidents can be held accountable for criminal conduct just like every other American.

Representative Comer's amendment would strike every section of the bill, including reforms to strengthen whistleblower laws that encourage Federal employees to report government waste, fraud, and abuse.

The amendment would strike protections against Federal agencies' misuse of government funds. The amendment would strike the provision in the bill that would require the President and Vice President to disclose their tax returns.

The sponsor of this amendment, Representative Comer, said at the Rules Committee recently, just 2 days ago, that he supports that very reform. Yet, his amendment would remove it from the bill.

These amendments are not a serious attempt at addressing the protections in this bill. They are simply a messaging tool that will gut the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

My colleagues from across the aisle continue to claim that this bill is about punishing former President Trump. But Joe Biden is our President now, and these bold, good-government reforms will impact his administration as well as future Presidents of both parties.

It is not about the past. It is about the future and the strengthening of our democracy. I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on this package of amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), the distinguished chair of the Committee on the Judiciary.

I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman.

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

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

The underlying bill is about the future, the future of our democracy. It is about strengthening our democracy. These amendments would gut the underlying bill, the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

I support the bill, because it includes reforms, such as curbing the abuse of the pardon power, increasing penalties for political appointees who violate the Hatch Act, strengthening whistleblower protections and IG protections, and it would require the President and Vice President to reveal their taxes, among other reforms.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this package of amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this amendment and thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio- Cortez) for her leadership in offering it. This amendment would clarify the Government Accountability Office's authority to investigate the intelligence community.

As Congress' watchdog, GAO helps to improve Federal Government performance and ensure accountability for the American people. GAO has the tools and expertise to ensure that classified information is treated with appropriate care and confidentiality. They have been doing that for decades.

For example, as part of its audit work, GAO is authorized to examine highly sensitive tax return information. Strict protocols are followed to protect that information while still enabling GAO to carry out its important legislative and oversight responsibilities.

This amendment includes important safeguards to balance the protection of sensitive information with the need for oversight of the intelligence community.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong ``yes'' vote on this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5119) to amend title VI of the Social Security Act to extend the coverage of Coronavirus Relief Fund payments to Tribal Governments, as amended.

Madam 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.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5119, a bill to extend the availability of Coronavirus Relief Fund payments allocated to Tribal Governments under the CARES Act of 2020 for 1 additional year.

This bipartisan bill was introduced by Mr. O'Halleran of Arizona and Mr. Young of Alaska with companion legislation sponsored by Mr. Sullivan and Ms. Murkowski in the Senate.

The historic CARES Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020, and included critical aid for States, territories, Tribes, and large localities to combat the coronavirus pandemic. However, the Treasury Department did not have a preexisting allocation process for disbursing the $8 billion set aside for Tribes.

According to a GAO review, it took extra time to set up these processes. Treasury also established some allocation methodologies without consulting with Tribes first, which led to legal challenges and even further delays of emergency relief.

Taken together, these delays have resulted in a compressed timeframe for Tribal Governments to put their CARES Act funds to work, which is unacceptable in light of the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on the Tribal community.

According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 infections were 3.5 times higher for American Indians and Alaska Natives compared to White Americans during the first 7 months of the pandemic. Other reports revealed that 1 in 475 Native Americans in the U.S. died from COVID-19 compared to 1 in 825 White Americans.

The ravages of the pandemic have been compounded for our Tribal neighbors due to longstanding health disparities and social inequities. The deaths of Tribal elders from COVID-19 caused an incalculable and irreplaceable loss of cultural knowledge and language.

Tribes must be given a fair opportunity to put Federal aid dollars to work tackling these serious issues. H.R. 5119 is a commonsense step to ensure that Tribes have parity with recipients who have not faced similar delays in gaining access to CARES Act funding.

Finally, I want to assure my colleagues that CBO has confirmed that this bill does not increase Federal spending.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank the dean of the House, the outstanding leader from the great State of Alaska, for his insightful comments and for fighting so hard for the residents of Alaska, the Alaska Native residents, and the American Indians. This bill will take care of the Tribes in many of our States across the country.

I also want to thank my colleague, Mr. O'Halleran, who could not be with us. He has a conflict with another committee meeting.

I want to thank the Democratic leadership here in the House, Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic team, for bringing this to the floor and also Mr. Comer, Mr. LaTurner, and others for being part of this bipartisan effort. This is truly a bipartisan effort.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and if the gentleman from Kansas is ready, then I am prepared to close.

Madam Speaker, the gentleman raised some important points, and it is under consideration. But this bill is before us right now, and it is an important bill.

Madam Speaker, if the gentleman from Kansas has no further speakers, then I am prepared to close.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this important bill, and also the dean of the House, Mr. Young, for his passionate support, who expressed so clearly the need of this important bill.

I thank Mr. Comer. It was good to work together in a bipartisan way.

And I want to also thank the Democratic leadership for bringing this bill to the floor.

I urge passage of H.R. 5119, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her outstanding work on the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule for H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

This sweeping package of reforms, many of which have been supported by Democrats and Republicans in the past, will protect our government from future abuses, restore the government's system of checks and balances, and strengthen our accountability and transparency.

The Committee on Oversight and Reform has jurisdiction over several titles in this landmark legislation, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act includes the Inspector General Independence Act, which I introduced last year with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and several other members of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

The bill would strengthen protections for inspectors general by only allowing an IG to be removed for specific, documented causes and not for political retaliation, for doing their jobs and conducting oversight.

The bill also includes my Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill the Committee on Oversight and Reform approved earlier this year. These provisions would strengthen protections for whistleblowers by protecting their anonymity and prohibiting retaliation when they come forward with abuses in government.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act would strengthen the Hatch Act, which is intended to protect the government from political interference with our workforce.

Last month, the independent Office of Special Counsel found that senior officials in the last administration repeatedly broke the law by using their government positions to campaign for the former President.

The bill also includes Representative Katie Porter's bill, the Accountability for Acting Officials Act, which would limit who can be named an acting official and for how long. These reforms would close loopholes that are ripe for abuse.

Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote for this important bill.

Madam Speaker, I just left the Supreme Court where people were chanting: liberate abortion everywhere.

Earlier today and right now the Supreme Court is hearing a case challenging Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban. During oral arguments, the State of Mississippi repeatedly asked the Court to overturn its own long-held precedent for 58 years in Roe v. Wade.

Should that happen, more than 36 million people in 26 States would immediately be deprived of the right to abortion overnight. These restrictions mostly harm people of color, young people, and people of low-income.

Earlier this year, in anticipation of this Court case, the House passed the Women's Health Protection Act which would establish a statutory right to abortion care across our country.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues and the Senate to pass this legislation immediately so that all people are free to make their own decisions about their bodies. There is no democracy in this country if women cannot make decisions about their own healthcare and their bodies.

Madam Speaker, I rise in celebration of the Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop's 4th anniversary of operation in my District.

At the entrance, you will find yourself frozen with intrigue at the pink exterior of the shop, enticing customers in from a scorching summer day. Once you enter, you will be greeted by the sweet smells of waffle cones, the soft hum of freezers preserving their precious creamy contents, and of course the modern decor that characterizes many of New York's most famous establishments.

The Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop is also home to a special hidden treasure--a small speakeasy in the back of the shop. Where the front of the store is modern-day in its design and decor, the back is a tasteful

mishmash of 20th century style and dining booths. It truly has everything for all ages and all tastes.

The Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop represents perhaps one of the most enduring and important characteristics of New York City: that even the smallest players can play a big role in an even bigger city. The COVID- 19 pandemic has frozen out many businesses in New York City, with many neighborhood favorites still slowly thawing thanks to President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan.

I am pleased that the Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop is one of the small businesses that survived the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to thrive even as the weather turns cold.

I wish them all the best and I look forward to visiting them at their establishment for many more years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Build Back Better Act.

The Oversight Committee, which I chair, authored several key sections of this bill, which together will allocate nearly $14 billion.

My committee's sections are more than just numbers on a page--they represent a substantial and genuine investment in our future.

We have no future if we don't get serious about combatting climate change, and my committee's title would make the federal government a leader on combatting climate change by electrifying the federal government's vehicle fleet, and building the fleet of the future.

Our title includes nearly $3 billion for GSA to purchase tens of thousands of electric vehicles and build the infrastructure necessary to support them.

It also includes nearly $6 billion for the Postal Service to purchase electric vehicles for its new fleet, and to build the infrastructure necessary to charge these vehicles.

EVs are a sensible and cost-effective investment that will reduce emissions and keep the federal government competitive.

The title also includes $4 billion for GSA to expand the use of emerging green technologies and ensure that federal buildings are modernized with greener construction materials and modern environmental systems.

I'm especially pleased that we've included dedicated funding for OMB to support implementation of the Act and track labor, equity, and environmental standards and performance.

Our title also includes funding to ensure proper oversight of these programs.

It is critical that the House pass the Build Back Better Act as quickly as possible so that we can get this to the President's desk without delay.

I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his strong and important leadership on this historic bill.

I rise in strong support of the Build Back Better Act and thank the Democratic leadership for their historic investment into the American lives and the lives of their families.

We have no future if we don't get serious about combating climate change, and this bill is transformative in this area and so many other areas.

The Oversight Committee's title would make the Federal Government a leader on combating climate change by electrifying the Federal Government's vehicle fleet. Our title includes nearly $3 billion for GSA and $6 billion for the Postal Service to purchase tens of thousands of electric vehicles and build the infrastructure necessary to support them.

Electric vehicles are a sensible and cost-effective investment that will reduce emissions and help save our planet.

The title also includes $4 billion for GSA to expand the use of emerging green technologies and to green Federal buildings.

I am especially pleased that we have included dedicated funding for OMB to track labor equity and environmental standards and performance.

It is critical that the House pass this bill as quickly as possible. Congratulations to everyone who is supporting this critically important bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and in support of the underlying resolution, H. Res. 789. This is an extraordinary measure, and I do not support it lightly.

As chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, I support and defend the rights of all committee members to express their views, even if I disagree with them. But the honest exchange of ideas cannot happen when one committee member promotes violence against another.

No other workplace in America would tolerate such dangerous conduct, and neither should the House of Representatives.

What Representative Gosar did is both despicable and beneath the office he holds. But make no mistake about it: Promoting political violence has real consequences.

Many of our colleagues, including myself, and the Capitol Police have received credible death threats.

Rejecting violence should not be a partisan issue. I call on my Republican colleagues to join us today in demanding accountability for those who promote it.