Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1760) to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs planned to be built in Oahu, Hawaii, as the ``Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department of Veterans Affairs Community- Based Outpatient Clinic''.

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 S. 1760.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my strong support for S. 1760, a bill to designate the veterans' health facility in Oahu, Hawaii, as the Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic, named after the first United States Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry, the late Daniel Akaka.

I recognize Senator Mazie Hirono for spearheading this effort to honor a man of such great esteem. The CBOC in

Oahu will stand as a lasting testimony to his commitment to the men and women of the Armed Forces, providing countless services and benefits to our Nation's veterans for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Kai Kahele, whose constituency includes parts of Oahu, for leading this effort on the House side. He grew up the son of a Native Hawaiian mother and a father of Chinese and Native Hawaiian heritage. As a student of Kamehameha, a high school for boys, a military school, Senator Akaka's path was forever changed after having witnessed firsthand Japanese fighter planes attacking Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Like most patriotic Americans during World War II, Senator Akaka wanted to join in the U.S. effort to defend our freedom. He ultimately ended up joining the Army Corps of Engineers and served throughout the Pacific theater.

After the war, Senator Akaka took advantage of the GI Bill benefits, and earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Hawaii. After working several years in State government, Akaka was persuaded to enter elected office to ensure there would be a Native Hawaiian presence in his State's decisionmaking process.

Elected to the House of Representatives in 1977, Daniel Akaka became a congressional champion of indigenous and veteran issues. In 1990, he was elected to represent Hawaii in the United States Senate.

Thanks to Senator Akaka's commitment to recognizing the military contributions of the AAPI community, more than 30 Medals of Honor were awarded to Asian and Asian-American World War II veterans; a recognition of their patriotism and bravery that was long overdue.

When it comes to the question of naming the VA community-based outpatient clinic in Hawaii, I ask this body: Who better than Daniel Kahikina Akaka; a Hawaiian-born, Hawaiian-serving veteran whose life philosophy was sharing aloha and was a true public servant for over three decades.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from our colleagues in the Hawaiian Congressional Delegation, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, November 17, 2021.

Hon. Jon Tester,

Chairman, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 1760, to designate the soon-to-be-constructed VA community-based outpatient clinic in Oahu, Hawaii, after our friend and former colleague, Daniel Kahikina Akaka. In doing so, this body will appropriately commemorate the significant achievements of America's first Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), who serves on the Appropriations Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 1760, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2514) to rename the Provo Veterans Center in Orem, Utah, as the ``Col. Gail S. Halvorsen `Candy Bomber' Veterans Center''.

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 S. 2514.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my support for S. 2514, a bill to recognize and remember the life of Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen, who passed away on February 16, 2022, at 101 years old.

I thank Senator Lee and my colleagues from Utah's congressional delegation for their work to pay tribute to Colonel Halvorsen. Colonel Halvorsen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and in 1942 he joined the Army Air Corps and trained as a fighter pilot. While stationed in Germany, where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes as part of Operation Vittles; Halvorsen noticed dozens of hunger-starved German children outside of the barbed wire fence. Having two pieces of gum, Halvorsen broke it into strips and gave it to the children to share amongst them. Inspired by the children's glee, Halvorsen committed to more frequently distributing candy from his plane to them.

Earning his nickname ``The Candy Bomber,'' Halvorsen dropped miniature parachutes of candy rations in the street of Berlin to feed the children. By the end of the Berlin Airlift, Halvorsen and his fellow airmen distributed an estimated 250,000 parachutes with over 20 tons of candy throughout Operation Little Vittles.

The Provo Vet Center plays a vital role in the community and provides important services such as counseling for veterans with PTSD and confidential counseling sessions to those who have experienced military sexual trauma--all free to the veterans, reservists, and members of National Guard--regardless of service connection or VA health enrollment status.

To rename this important vet center after Colonel Halvorsen would be a fitting honor for one of the Beehive State's most selfless members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, and a letter dated July 28, 2021, from the U.S. Senate.

Veterans of Foreign Wars,

Department of Utah,

November 1, 2021.

Chairman Jon Tester,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Chairman Mark Takano,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Ranking Member Jerry Moran,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Ranking Member Mike Bost,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, Chairman

Takano, Ranking Member Bost: We, the members of the Utah

Veterans of Foreign Wars, write to support that the

Provo Veterans Center located at 360 South State Street

Building C 103 in Orem, Utah be renamed after Colonel Gail S.

Halvorsen, affectionately known as the ``Candy Bomber'', who

performed military service of an extraordinarily

distinguished character during the Berlin Airlift in 1948.

Halvorsen's creativity and compassion helped to heal the

wounds of the Second World War and softened the relationship

between an occupied Germany and the United States. Col.

Halvorsen exemplifies the best of our brave veterans who have

each demonstrated service before self.

Gail Halvorsen was assigned to Germany in 1948 to work as

an airlift pilot where he flew C-47 and C-54 cargo planes as

part of Operation ``Vittles''. While on mission at Tempelhof

Airport in Berlin, Halvorsen noticed a group of German

children standing just outside the barbed wire fence. The

children were destitute and clearly had very little to eat.

Halvorsen gave the children two sticks of gum he had in his

pocket, which they split into little pieces to share among

themselves. The looks of joy on their faces left an indelible

impression. Colonel Halvorsen was deeply affected by the

experience and wanted to do more to help. He promised the

children he would drop more candy to them from his plane as

he flew his regular airlift missions.

After enlisting his copilot in the project, Halvorsen began

attaching their candy rations to miniature parachutes which

he dropped from their plane to the starving children below.

The children gave Halvorsen many nicknames including ``Uncle

Wiggly Wings,'' ``The Chocolate Flyer,'' ``The Gum Drop

Kid,'' and ``The Chocolate Uncle.'' He eventually became

known around the world as ``The Candy Bomber''.

As the candy drops continued, word of ``Operation Little

Vittles'' reached the United States. American families,

schoolchildren, and candymakers began contributing candy and

homemade parachutes that Halvorsen and other pilots could

drop.

When the Berlin airlift ended, an estimated 250,000

parachutes with 21 tons of candy had been dropped by

Halvorsen and his fellow airmen as part of Operation Little

Vittles. Halvorsen's candy drops had a significant impact on

Berliners' public perception of America. He retired from the

military in 1974 after 31 years of service and more than

8,000 hours of flying time. Since his retirement, Halvorsen

has continued his humanitarian and community service. He has

voluntarily represented the U.S. Air Force and the United

States abroad and has re-enacted his famous candy drops

several times in Berlin, the Middle East, and around the

world in an effort to bring peace and relief. He was awarded

the Congressional Gold Medal, a German Order of Merit, an Air

Force Commendation Medal, and a Medal for Humane Action.

Halvorsen has also been a tremendous boon to his community

through his church service.

His non-profit organization, the Gail S. Halvorsen Aviation

Education Foundation, advances aviation education, promotes

youth leadership development, enhances community capacity for

emergency response, and encourages humanitarian on macro- and

micro-levels. The Foundation also provides education by

giving free lectures and multimedia presentations on

aviation, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

(STEM) topics at local schools, community groups, and at its

own facility at the Spanish Fork Airport in Spanish Fork,

Utah.

Renaming the Provo Vet Center in Orem, Utah after Colonel

Halvorsen is a fitting and deserved recognition for such an

exemplary U.S. Air Force veteran and American hero. Thank you

for your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

David Johnson,

Commander.

Terral Curtis,

Sr. Vice Commander.

Heath Silcox,

Jr. Vice Commander.

Dennis Parizek,

Adjutant/Quartermaster.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 2514, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 2514, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7500) to authorize major medical facility projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2022, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 7500.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7500, the Fiscal Year 2022 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act.

I thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Allred) for his work on this bill. I also thank the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Tester, for introducing the Senate companion to this important legislation.

Each year, the Department of Veterans Affairs submits an annual budget request to Congress, and it is our job to authorize and appropriate the funding the VA needs to care for America's veterans and their families.

Within that larger funding request is the VA's request for funds to replace and modernize its medical facilities. This year's major construction requests total just over $3.4 billion. It will build a much-needed spinal cord injury center in Dallas, Texas; erect a new surgical intensive care unit and renovate operating rooms in Oklahoma City; construct a new critical care center in West Los Angeles; and allow for the seismic retrofit and renovation of buildings in Portland, Oregon, among other things.

Mr. Speaker, this Congress, the committee has highlighted VA's aging infrastructure. During our oversight efforts, the committee has learned that in order to fully recapitalize the Department's portfolio, the VA would need roughly $90 billion.

Delivering 21st century healthcare in buildings that were built during the latter half of the 19th century is far from ideal and certainly not what our veterans deserve.

Given the severity of underfunding as it relates to the VA's capital assets, we cannot afford to wait until the AIR Commission provides recommendations to Congress and the White House, as my colleagues across the aisle would advocate for. Life-safety and seismic issues across the portfolio must be recognized now. Regular maintenance should not be delayed because of budgetary concerns, nor should we delay retrofitting facilities to meet the VA's fastest-growing population, women veterans, or delay addressing the lessons learned from this Nation's first pandemic in more than 100 years.

If we are going to build back veterans' trust in the VA, we have to start making serious investments in the outdated infrastructure meant to serve them, and nearly three-fourths of Americans agree.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7500. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5754) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the ability of veterans to electronically submit complaints about the delivery of health care services by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5754.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5754, the Patient Advocate Tracker Act, sponsored by the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain).

This bill will require VA to create a system to allow veterans to electronically submit complaints about the delivery of VA healthcare services and to track the resolution of those complaints by local VA patient advocates through an online system in real time. VA's existing IT system only allows VA employees to track complaint resolution, but not patients.

This bill has garnered the bipartisan support of an impressive 115 cosponsors since it was introduced 7 months ago. H.R. 5754 is also endorsed by numerous veterans service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Student Veterans of America.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5754, the Patient Advocate Tracker Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6604) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the method by which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines the effects of a closure or disapproval of an educational institution on individuals who do not transfer credits from such institution, 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 to insert extraneous material on H.R. 6604, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak in strong support of H.R. 6604, as amended, the Veterans Eligible to Transfer School (VETS) Credit Act.

This bipartisan legislation is a product of work from the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy) that, together, will make it easier for veterans and their dependents to use their earned benefits.

Representative Buchanan's legislation would provide students that qualify a new provisional certificate of eligibility for benefits that may have been unfairly lost due to circumstances outside of their control. That means if a student veteran is left in the unfortunate situation where their school closes, they will be provided detailed information from the VA on how to reserve their benefits or have their benefits restored or transferred to a new institution.

H.R. 6604, as amended, would also ensure that clerical errors don't rob veterans of transferring their benefits to a dependent. Under current law, if a servicemember accidentally makes a mistake on their paperwork, such as indicating an expiration date for the benefits, and the servicemember passes away before the benefits are used, there is no way for the paperwork to be changed to allow the dependent to use the benefits.

This bill clarifies existing law and ensures that clerical errors do not prevent dependents from receiving educational assistance.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hard work of the members of the committee on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing this important piece of legislation, H.R. 6604, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2687) to provide the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs testimonial subpoena authority, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on S. 2687.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan bill, S. 2687, the Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act, introduced by Senator Tester. I thank Representative Rice and Delegate Radewagen for introducing the House companion to this bill.

This bill seeks to strengthen the VA Office of the Inspector General by granting the office testimonial subpoena authority, an essential tool for conducting oversight.

Too often, individuals with important information relevant to an investigation retire or move to a position in another agency, thereby evading OIG investigations. Currently, the inspector general cannot require testimony of these former employees. Questioning these individuals could shed light on wrongdoing or mismanagement that puts the care and safety of our veterans and their families at risk.

This bill has bipartisan support in Congress as well as from Veterans of Foreign Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and the Project on Government Oversight.

Again, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 2687, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7375) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update the payment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow for electronic fund transfer of educational assistance, administered by the Secretary, to a foreign institution of higher education.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 7375.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7375, introduced by Representative Mikie Sherrill.

This legislation directs VA to finally update its student payment systems to allow for educational assistance funds to be transmitted electronically to a foreign institution of higher education, as long as the institution is providing an approved course of study. Our committee has heard from students and schools about the impact of VA's inability to modernize its systems for student payments.

The bill has bipartisan support as well from Disabled American Veterans, Student Veterans of America, Veterans Education Success, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Madam Speaker, Representative Sherrill's legislation is a response to strong advocacy for our student veterans studying abroad who are often unsure how their benefits will translate overseas.

Madam Speaker, I thank her for offering this legislation, I urge support and passage, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7375, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6376) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend eligibility for a certain work-study allowance paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certain individuals who pursue programs of rehabilitation, education, or training on at least a half-time basis, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 6376, as amended.

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

I strongly support H.R. 6376, as amended, the Student Veteran Modernization Act, which would make much-needed improvements and modernizations to the VA work-study program.

This legislation will create a pilot program to allow part-time student veterans to access VA work-study programs for the next 5 years, ensuring they can complete their certification or degree without taking on unmanageable amounts of student debt and still care for themselves and their families.

I would prefer this be a permanent change in the law, but I understand the need to review these changes in a pilot program. I hope that when this pilot program concludes, and we have an idea of how many veterans were helped, Congress will make this change permanent.

Currently, student veterans must maintain a full class load to be eligible for work-study, which is not feasible for many veterans who are balancing families or other work obligations. With this change, part-time student veterans will be able to earn a paycheck while also earning workforce skills.

I thank Representative Axne for her hard work on the introduction of this bill. I also thank student veterans and the Department of Veteran Affairs for their feedback, which improved the bill and will bring more student veterans into the work-study program.

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

Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me and pass H.R. 6376, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7153) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a plan to modernize the information technology systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other purposes, 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 to insert extraneous material on H.R. 7153, as amended.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7153, as amended, the Department of Veterans Affairs Principles of Benefits Automation Act, introduced by Ranking Member Bost.

This bill provides clarification on the sense of Congress on the automation of benefits claims and requires the VA to submit to Congress a plan for modernization of the information technology systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration.

As the VA moves toward greater automation, we must ensure that the VA does automation the right way for all stakeholders, including both veterans and the workforce. It is also important for the VA to identify systems in need of modernization to support successful implementation of bills, such as the PACT Act, and important initiatives such as the Secretary's announcement of several new presumptions.

I will reinforce that. On the topic of automation, it is not the intent of Congress or the VA to use automation on claims to eliminate, reduce, or contract out the duties of the VBA workforce. We intend to conduct close oversight of the use of automation and potential expansion. This bill is part of those efforts.

When implemented in the right way, automation has the potential to reduce the day-to-day burden of employees by diminishing menial tasks and allowing the dedicated VA staff to focus on the kind of work that truly needs a human touch. Such an approach stands to benefit the ultimate consumer of the VA: our veterans.

Madam Speaker, I support this bill and encourage my colleagues to support it as well, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7153, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the service of Sergeant Roy ``Buddy'' Charles DeLauter, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country during the Korean War.

A resident of Smithsburg, Maryland, Sgt. DeLauter bravely answered the call to defend the values of democracy and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1948.

On December 1, 1950, Sgt. DeLauter was tragically killed in action. Like many fallen service members of foreign wars, his remains could not be easily recovered and returned. For over 70 years, his family was deprived of the closure America's Gold Star families so rightly deserve.

Credit to the tireless efforts of his loved ones, Sgt. DeLauter was finally brought home this week to Hagerstown. Friday, he was given a proper burial with full military honors.

By all accounts, Sgt. DeLauter was an exemplar of the Army's core values: loyalty, duty, respect, personal courage, honor, integrity, and selfless service. To his family, the same.

We are forever indebted to Sgt. DeLauter and his family for their service to this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our bill, the REMOTE Learning Act, to protect veterans' education benefits.

Last year, Congress prevented cuts to veterans' tuition payments as students transitioned to online learning. This helped folks stay in school during the pandemic, which remains one of the most challenging times to pursue higher education.

Unfortunately, these benefits are at risk once again. By law, the Department of Veterans Affairs is required to cut housing benefits for student veterans who are taking classes remotely. This doesn't make sense during a global pandemic.

While some colleges and professors have chosen to keep classes remote, many student veterans have opted to live on campus. We need to act now to ensure our veterans receive the necessary flexibility to achieve academic success.

The REMOTE Learning Act will extend remote learning waivers, ensure veterans receive full housing benefits, allow universities to continue recruiting foreign students so that student bodies can remain diverse, and minimize paperwork for tuition reimbursement.

Our veterans deserve a world-class education. They deserve to earn their degrees on time. Some of these brave servicemembers have waited their whole lives to get their degrees. The negative effects of the pandemic shouldn't hinder them from doing that. We have a responsibility to help.

I want to thank Chairman Takano and Chairman Levin for their leadership on this bill and for all the hard work they have done to protect our veterans. It is time to pass this bill and give the veterans the benefits they have earned.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support my bill, the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act.

This bipartisan bill directly addresses the worsening opioid crisis by authorizing $10.5 billion over 6 years in grants to States and Tribes. This funding will prevent and treat those suffering from addiction.

During Recovery Month last month, I met with several healthcare providers to discuss the challenges faced by those in recovery. We hear time and time again how individuals in recovery often struggle to access the resources they need.

This bill meets the moment by giving States and Tribes the consistent, necessary funding they need to meet their specific needs.

I want to thank Energy and Commerce Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers, and Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Eshoo, and my friend, Subcommittee Ranking Member Guthrie, for considering this bill.

I thank our bipartisan sponsors. In particular, I want to thank Congresswoman Sherrill, Congressman Baird, and Congressman Armstrong for their advocacy. I am so grateful to the members of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force for helping us get this over the finish line.

When we put aside partisan politics and focus on the real issues and work hard, we can make a difference. For these reasons, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself and my colleagues from Maryland, Representatives Hoyer and Raskin. Our State of Maryland has a proud history of innovation in satellite technology and space exploration. Greenbelt, Maryland is home to Goddard, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's first Space Flight Center. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operates a fleet of weather satellites, has its headquarters in Silver Spring. Additionally, the largest provider of residential satellite broadband service, Hughes Network Systems, is headquartered in Germantown. Hughes serves consumers in some of the most rural, hard-to- reach areas of the country.

As the House considers the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we join our colleague, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) in expressing our support for satellite technology, which offers an opportunity for helping achieve our broadband deployment goals. Satellite innovators in Maryland and elsewhere have designed measures to reduce latency by using a mix of communications platforms, including low-earth orbit satellites and fixed wireless networks.

The infrastructure bill provides broadband grants for service providers that meet a ``real-time, interactive'' standard for permissible latency. We believe that residential satellite broadband service providers could potentially meet this standard by using a mix of geostationary and non-geostationary satellite networks or fixed wireless networks. Satellite broadband service providers that are able to meet the standard for permissible latency should be considered for broadband grants provided in the infrastructure bill. We look forward to working with our colleagues and the Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration staff on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Wild very much for her kind words.

I rise today to urge my colleagues to pass my bill to extend the work of the National Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking so, together, we can complete the Commission's important work in a timely manner.

As many of you know, my mission in Congress is to end the opioid epidemic in this country. This bipartisan Commission will help us do just that.

Thanks to the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and our former congressional colleague, Max Rose, this bipartisan Commission was established by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020. I was honored that Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed me to the Commission, and that my colleagues on the Commission voted to elect me co-chair, along with Senator Tom Cotton.

The goal of the Commission is to develop a strategic approach to combating the flow of synthetic opioids into the United States, but my goal for the Commission is much more simple. It is simply to save lives--save lives, period.

Last year, we saw more than 93,000 people die of a drug overdose in this country. We set a new record, a record we never wanted to set. In Maryland alone, we lost nearly 2,500 to opioids.

After we made progress in the fight against overdoses in 2019, the numbers are continuing to rise due to the pandemic. As overdoses continue to rise in communities across the country, we have our work cut out for us in this

fight against synthetic drug trafficking.

Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are among the deadliest illicit substances in the drug industry today. In my home State of Maryland, fentanyl was involved in 93 percent of all opioid deaths in 2020, and opioid-related deaths were up 46 percent in western Maryland in 2020, compared to the same time last year.

We need to act now if we are going to put an end to these senseless deaths, and we cannot do it alone. That is why I am so grateful for the work of the bipartisan Commission.

The Commission's membership includes the best of the best. From the administration, we have representatives from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, DEA, DHS, DOD, Treasury, State, and the Director of National Intelligence.

In Congress, Republican Congressman Fred Upton and Democrat Senator Ed Markey, two champions in the fight against addiction, are working alongside Senator Cotton and me.

We have a number of experts from outside government, including Karen Tandy, Sandy Winnefeld, and other distinguished individuals. We are grateful that Kemp Chester, from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, guides our work as executive director. We are lucky to have the expertise of the experts at RAND working to find solutions for this incredibly difficult challenge.

Due to the pandemic, we were not able to begin our work as soon as we would have liked. For that reason, we must pass this simple but crucial bill to extend the work of the Commission until February of next year.

This extension will allow us to continue our important work and produce a report with actionable steps that will combat the flow of synthetic opioids into our country and, most importantly, save lives.

I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank Chairman McGovern for yielding, and also for his leadership on the Rules Committee and, equally important, his relentless leadership in the House to help those that are unacceptably hungry in America.

I rise today as a member of the House Appropriations Committee to urge support for the rule and the bill, which includes important investments to fight our Nation's substance use and mental health crisis, and significant funding for the National Institutes of Health.

The COVID pandemic has only worsened our Nation's addiction and mental health epidemics. The data is alarming. Last year over 93,000 people died in America from an overdose. That is a 30 percent increase in our country. This year more people are reporting frequent thoughts of suicide and self-harm than ever before.

Unlike COVID, there will be no vaccine for addiction, no vaccine for mental health.

It is going to take consistent, increased funding to meet the needs of our most vulnerable Americans. I am happy to say this bill does that. I am also happy to have secured over $6 million in this bill for critical projects in Maryland's Sixth District that invest in important social services for the most vulnerable and job training in our community for those that need it the most.

I want to thank Chair Rosa DeLauro for her work to lead this committee and invest long term in this important funding for our country. I urge a ``yes'' vote.