Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 521) to permit disabled law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officers, firefighters, air traffic controllers, nuclear materials couriers, members of the Capitol Police, members of the Supreme Court Police, employees of the Central Intelligence Agency performing intelligence activities abroad or having specialized security requirements, and diplomatic security special agents of the Department of State to receive retirement benefits in the same manner as if they had not been disabled, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 521, the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act, which was introduced by the chairman of the Government Operations Subcommittee, Representative Connolly, along with Representatives Fitzpatrick and Langevin.

This bipartisan bill makes an important change to the law governing certain retirement programs which cover Federal first responders and law enforcement officials in the event that they become disabled on the job and continue government service in a different capacity.

Currently, these Federal employees are enrolled in and pay into a system with mandatory retirement at the age of 57, or after 20 years of service. This system also requires greater retirement contributions from the employee.

Under current law, when these employees become injured and disabled in the course of their work--which is inherently dangerous--they lose the benefits they earned before they became disabled.

H.R. 521 would allow employees in positions covered by enhanced retirement programs to retain their original benefits if they are injured and disabled on the job and choose to continue working for the Federal Government.

The employees covered under this bill include law enforcement officers, firefighters, nuclear materials couriers, and diplomatic security special agents. These are, by definition, high-risk jobs. Denying them the retirement that they were guaranteed when they entered public service is deeply unfair.

The men and women who sign up for dangerous jobs to serve our Nation should not be punished if they sustain injuries on the job--especially when, despite these injuries, they choose to continue their career in public service in a new capacity. These people should be rewarded, not punished.

I commend Chairman Connolly for his leadership on this bill which enjoys bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important

bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman from Pennsylvania has no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 521, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 203) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4020 Broadway Street in Houston, Texas, as the ``Benny C. Martinez Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 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. 203, to honor Benny Martinez.

Mr. Martinez was born in Goliad, Texas, in 1934. He attended segregated schools before his father moved the family to Houston so that Mr. Martinez and his siblings would not have to pick cotton for a living.

At the age of 18, Mr. Martinez was inducted into the U.S. Army. He first went to boot camp in El Paso, Texas, and was then sent to supply handling school for the Quartermaster Corps in Fort Lee, Virginia. After completing this training, he was sent to Korea where he was assigned to the 564th Quartermaster Company.

On June 23, 1958, Mr. Martinez was discharged from Active Duty and transferred to the Army Reserves at Fort Hood, Texas, where he served as a medic until his final discharge on September 4, 1962. After his honorable discharge, he returned home to Houston and re-engaged with his local community.

Mr. Martinez went on to graduate from Houston Community College as a licensed vocational nurse in 1967. He later obtained a bachelor of general studies degree from the University of Houston-Downtown College. Mr. Martinez put his education degree to use as an associate teacher at Crockett Elementary.

Mr. Martinez was most known for his collaboration with fellow members of the League of United Latin American Citizens to organize a gala for President John F. Kennedy during the President's trip to Texas. Historians credit this meeting as the very first time a sitting United States President met with a Latino civil rights group.

Mr. Martinez was a member and active participant in many civic engagement organizations including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American GI Forum, The American Legion, LULAC, and the Knights of Columbus. He was also an honorary member of the Goliad Rotary Club and active volunteer for the American Red Cross.

Due to his 35 years of service, Houston and Harris County declared Benny C. Martinez Day on August 27, 1997, and February 17, 1998. Mr. Martinez passed away at the age of 85 on December 29, 2019.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring his legacy by naming the Post Office at 4020 Broadway Street in Houston, Texas, as the Benny C. Martinez Post Office Building, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia), the vice chair of the Committee on Financial Services' Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 203, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3544) to require the Administrator of General Services to transfer certain surplus computers and technology equipment to nonprofit computer refurbishers for repair, distribution, and return, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 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 today in strong support of H.R. 3544, the Computers for Veterans and Students Act.

Technology pervades every aspect of modern life, and the gulf between those who have access to technology and those who do not continues to widen. Today, millions of Americans still lack access to home-based, internet-connected computers and technology equipment. In fact, according to the Census Bureau, only 78 percent of households in the U.S. owned a desktop or laptop computer in 2018, leaving tens of millions of households without the resources that are essential for success in the modern economy.

These disparities were made worse by the coronavirus pandemic, especially among veterans, low-income students, and seniors. This digital divide has tangible, life-changing, and often heartbreaking consequences, preventing people of all ages from completing schoolwork, working remotely, or connecting with their loved ones.

H.R. 3544 will help address these disparities by ensuring surplus Federal computers find their way to the households that need them most.

The bill requires the General Services Administration to transfer surplus computer and technology equipment from Federal agencies to nonprofit computer refurbishers to repair and distribute to students and educational institutions, low-income individuals, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and seniors in need.

The bill also requires these refurbishers to offer relevant computer and technology training to recipients, further reducing barriers presented by the digital divide.

I thank Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger for leading this important bipartisan legislation, along with Representatives Rob Wittman and Elaine Luria. Representative Spanberger worked tirelessly to bring the voices of veterans and students in her district here to the Halls of Congress as she wrote and championed this bill.

For those who lack access to internet-connected computers and the skills to use them, H.R. 3544 will unlock doors to new opportunities. It will also bring a greater return on investment for the American taxpayer, ensuring Federal information technology assets are used to their full potential in the fight to close the digital divide.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 3544, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5794) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 850 Walnut Street in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, as the ``First Sergeant Leonard A. Funk, Jr. 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.

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5794, a bill to honor First Sergeant Leonard Funk.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Michael F. Doyle), chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5794 and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1095) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 101 South Willowbrook Avenue in Compton, California, as the ``PFC James Anderson, Jr., 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. 1095, a bill to honor private first class James Anderson, Jr.

James Anderson was born on January 22, 1947. After attending Los Angeles Harbor Junior College for a year and a half, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Marines to serve in Vietnam.

Upon graduation from recruit training, he was promoted to private first class and then transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, where he trained with the 2nd Battalion.

In December of 1966, Private Anderson arrived in Vietnam where he served as a rifleman. While on patrol, his platoon was ambushed, and an enemy grenade landed near him and his fellow marines.

Without hesitation, Private Anderson pulled the grenade to his chest and absorbed the majority of the blast with his body, saving the lives of the marines around him. Due to his heroic sacrifice, Private Anderson was the first African-American marine to receive the Medal of Honor.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring James Anderson's bravery by naming the Post Office at 101 South Willowbrook Avenue in Compton, California, as the Private First Class James Anderson, Jr., Post Office Building, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 1095, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5659) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1961 North C Street in Oxnard, California, as the ``John R. Hatcher III 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. 5659, a bill to honor John Hatcher. John Hatcher III was born to a civil rights leader in Birmingham, Alabama, during the Jim Crow era.

He followed in his father's footsteps and spent his life fighting for equality. Mr. Hatcher was a member of the NAACP for more than 60 years, 40 of which he served as the president of the Ventura County Chapter. In addition, he spent 8 years as the NAACP southern area president, covering six States.

He was also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving for more than 22 years before working as a civil servant for the Department of the Navy.

As a recipient of the African-American Achievement Award at California State University, Channel Islands, Mr. Hatcher aided in the establishment of the Ventura County African American Chamber of Commerce, the Tri County Sentry newspaper, and naming of the Thurgood Marshall School in the Oxnard School District.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring this civil rights leader by naming the Post Office at 1961 North C Street in Oxnard, California, as the John R. Hatcher III Post Office Building, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5659, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5271) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2245 Rosa L Parks Boulevard in Nashville, Tennessee, as the ``Thelma Harper 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. 5271, a bill to honor Thelma Harper.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper), the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services' Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5271, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5809) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1801 Town and Country Drive in Norco, California, as the ``Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 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. 5809, a bill to honor Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui.

As a high school student, Lance Corporal Nikoui joined the Air Force Junior ROTC program where he volunteered for the city of Norco's Pearl Harbor anniversary as well as prisoner of war events.

After graduating from high school, he joined the Marine Corps, where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines unit stationed at Camp Pendleton. When he was afforded leave, he often returned home and invited his fellow marines to share a home-cooked meal with his family.

Lance Corporal Nikoui was tragically killed in the attack on Afghanistan's Kabul airport last year.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the sacrifice of Lance Corporal Nikoui by naming the post office at 1801 Town and Country Drive in Norco, California, as the ``Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui Memorial Post Office Building.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5809, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4622) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 226 North Main Street in Roseville, Ohio, as the ``Ronald E. Rosser 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. 4622, a bill to honor Ronald E. Rosser, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 4622, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2472) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 82422 Cadiz Jewett Road in Cadiz, Ohio, as the ``John Armor Bingham 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 rise in support of H.R. 2472, a bill to honor John Armor Bingham, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 2472, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 228) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2141 Ferry Street in Anderson, California, as the ``Norma Comnick 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 rise in support of H.R. 228, a bill to honor Norma Comnick, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 228, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, with the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, Congress has come together to address the deadly gun violence epidemic that has plagued our communities and the innocent children in them for far too long. The Act will finally codify enhanced background checks for individuals under 21, fund mental health and school safety, provide incentives for states to implement ``red flag'' laws, limit the ``boyfriend loophole'' and prohibit the straw purchasing and trafficking of firearms--a provision that I have worked on for over a decade. This legislation represents one of the most significant steps Congress has taken to reduce gun violence in nearly 30 years. The American public and its children will be safer because of the passage of this groundbreaking bipartisan bill and the legacy of this legislation will resonate for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1191, I call up the bill (H.R. 4176) to improve Federal population surveys by requiring the collection of voluntary, self- disclosed information on sexual orientation and gender identity in certain surveys, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the bill before us.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4176, the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act. This historic bill takes the long overdue step of ensuring that Federal agencies collect data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variation in sex characteristics so that the Federal Government can better understand and serve America's LGBTQI+ communities.

We are considering this legislation at a critical time. Across the United States, the rights of the LGBTQI+ people are under attack and the health and safety of LGBTQI+ people are under threat. From the limited data currently available, we understand

that LGBTQI+ people disproportionately experience poverty, housing insecurity, adverse physical and mental health outcomes, discrimination, and more. For example, according to the Williams Institute, more than one in five LGBTQI+ people live in poverty. According to the American Psychiatric Association, LGBTQI+ people are 2.5 times more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and substance abuse than people who are heterosexual.

There is also an epidemic of violence against transgender and gender- nonconforming people across the U.S.--an epidemic that killed more than 50 people last year.

The LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, introduced by my friend and chair of the Natural Resources Committee, Raul Grijalva, would close many longstanding gaps in the collection of data pertaining to our Nation's LGBTQI+ communities. By ensuring that Federal surveys collect data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics, this bill will equip Congress and Federal agencies with the information they need to better understand the specific challenges faced by the LGBTQI+ communities and help us develop equitable policy solutions.

This bill currently has 128 cosponsors. The legislation has also received overwhelming support from more than 200 civil rights, health, and scientific organizations and the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus.

This bill builds on the Biden administration's efforts to advance equity for LGBTQI+ populations, including by empowering Federal agencies to carry out the President's recently announced executive order to expand collection of Federal data pertaining to LGBTQI+ people.

The Biden administration issued a Statement of Administration Policy that strongly supports passage of the bill.

Importantly, under this bill answering questions about one's sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics would be entirely voluntary, and the bill also includes strong confidentiality and privacy protections. The design of this bill strikes a necessary balance between informing policymaking and protecting the personal information of LGBTQI+ people across the country.

Before I conclude, let me take a moment to acknowledge the importance of the House taking this historic step during Pride Month--a celebration of immeasurable contributions made by LGBTQI+ people in every aspect of American life and a reminder of our continued mission to ensure that every community in the United States is treated with equality and respect.

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

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

I point out to my good colleague that this year the National Academies put out a report which found that complete and accurate demographic information on the LGBTQI+ community should be standardized and collected. The report showed that only a limited number of Federal surveys collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity, and that none collect data on intersex populations.

This bill would greatly improve our data collection efforts. This would help ensure the Federal Government's programs and services can reach every person in the U.S. with the greatest effectiveness.

It would help us also to better address longstanding health and economic inequities for America's LGBTQI+ population. From the limited research currently available, we understand that LGBTQI+ people disproportionately experience poverty, housing insecurity, adverse physical and mental health outcomes, discrimination, and more. So collecting this data is critically important to ensure that our policies meet the needs of our LGBTQI+ constituents.

I will give one example of why this is so important. Without the collection of this data, States were not able to measure the impact of the pandemic on the LGBTQI+ individuals. They were completely left out of all medical surveys leaving pandemic response programs at risk of neglecting these individuals. It moves us to a more inclusive and equitable society.

Representative Raul Grijalva is the distinguished and outstanding chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources. He is the author of the original bill. I was proud to work with him, with the committee members to bring it to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva).

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

Madam Speaker, I respond to his statements on the citizenship status in saying that it should be collected with LGBT data.

I want to make it very clear that the citizenship question should not be part of this bill. Requiring that citizenship questions be included in this bill is a duplication and totally unnecessary.

The Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics already ask about citizenship status in two different surveys: the American Community Survey, and the Current Population Survey.

This data is collected in addition to the volumes of citizenship records collected and maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.

The Trump administration's efforts to add the citizenship question to the Census was a fear tactic, intended to discourage specific people from participating in the Census, and to exclude them from the count.

Requiring citizenship data collection on Federal surveys was, and always will be, about suppressing data sets and denying U.S. citizens and residents the representation and resources they need to contribute to their communities.

Now, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration's stated reasoning for adding the citizenship question was ``pretextual.''

Unlike the citizenship question, collecting data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics will allow individuals to receive the proper care and resources they need to thrive, while helping to combat the discrimination they face every day.

Unlike the citizenship question, these questions will be voluntary, and respondents' privacy will be vigorously protected.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), Chair of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his extraordinary statement, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the distinguished chief deputy whip.

I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas.

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

I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) for introducing this important legislation. I am pleased that we were able to bring this bill before the House during Pride Month to show that we care about everyone in our country. We think everyone should be counted, everyone should be surveyed, and everyone's needs should be listened to.

I particularly thank the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus for their attention and work on this bill and the Committee on Oversight staff for all the work required to make this happen.

I am also very grateful to the more than 124 cosponsors, my colleagues here in this body, and more than 200 civil rights, health, and scientific organizations that have supported this bill

and affirm the need for comprehensive Federal data collection on members of the LGBTQI+ communities.

This bill, H.R. 4176, moves this country one step closer to equality and gives us the tools to see and support all of our communities, all of our constituents.

I again urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank the leadership of this body, our Speaker, our majority leader, and our Caucus chair, all of whom have played a role in supporting this legislation and moving it to a vote today.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Jackson Lee amendment.

This amendment would require reporting to Congress on the impact of data collection on the LGBTQI+ populations, facilitated by this act, and the provision of services extended to those groups.

As the chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, I am committed to ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of government operations for all Americans. Reporting on the impacts of H.R. 4176 will provide transparency into the data collection and help inform our policymaking efforts.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Madam Speaker, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney has an amendment at the desk, and I am his designee.

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

Today, I rise in support of this amendment that clarifies the Federal surveys governed by this bill can and should collect data on deceased LGBTQ individuals when applicable.

As we know, due to mistreatment and being stigmatized, LGBTQ+ youth are over four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.

In recent years, the number of violent fatal attacks against transgender people have hit record highs. But importantly, the actual number of fatal attacks is widely believed to be undercounted. Allowing a proxy of a deceased person to respond to a Federal survey can right this wrong.

Federal surveys often do not collect key demographic information on those they study, such as the gender identity or sexual orientation of a deceased person. As a result, we as policymakers do not have the full picture and cannot accurately identify disparities or create policy solutions that serve each person we represent.

For example, the Justice Department's National Crime Victimization Survey only asks questions about the victim's sexual orientation but not about their gender identity.

This potentially severe undercount of targeted violence against the transgender community has left us making policies with one hand tied behind our backs.

This amendment ensures that researchers and policymakers can understand the experiences of deceased LGBTQ individuals and make more informed decisions as we fight for equality and justice under the law.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise as designee for Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib's amendment made in order by the rule.

Madam Speaker, this straightforward amendment requires the agencies collecting information through this bill to create standards and protocols for anonymizing and destroying personally identifiable information at the appropriate time.

This amendment is a strong addition to the underlying bill, as it ensures that the necessary demographic information collected will be responsibly destroyed to fully protect an individual's privacy.

Complete and accurate data collection is essential to informing policies, laws, and programs that address the needs of our communities.

Individuals who identify as LGBTQI+ have been underrepresented in Federal data collection efforts for generations. This critical information has been missing from this community in all areas of data collection and has led to worsened outcomes compared to individuals who are fully counted in Federal data collection.

I am proud to support this commonsense pro-privacy amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 279.

members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress

Allred (Takano)

Bonamici (Manning)

Bourdeaux (Correa)

Bush (Takano)

Carter (LA) (Williams (GA))

Carter (TX) (Weber (TX))

Cohen (Beyer)

Connolly (Beyer)

Costa (Correa)

Crist (Wasserman Schultz)

Davis, Danny K. (Gomez)

DeSaulnier (Beyer)

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 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 thank Chairman Takano once again for his leadership, and it is now time for us to finally send this bill to President Biden's desk.

As a daughter, sister, and wife of a veteran, caring for our veterans is extremely important to me, as it should be to every American. The Honoring our PACT Act will help over 3 million suffering veterans and ensure that they can get the care that they need.

I note especially the similarities between this bill and my 9/11 Health and Compensation Act which supports the 9/11 first responders who were exposed to dangerous toxins that made them sick, still to this day.

Our veterans were there for us. We must be there for them. We should all support this important bill.