Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I rise today in strong support of the Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act, legislation that will help tackle the backlog of cold cases and bring long overdue justice to more than a quarter of a million unresolved or unsolved murder cases.

It is estimated that every murder victim leaves behind more than four family members. This means that more than a million grieving loved ones, families, friends, and communities, are still waiting for answers.

And this is not just a problem in older cases. In 2017, the FBI Uniform Crime Report estimated that across all levels of law enforcement, investigators were only able to close 62 percent of murder cases. We can help remedy this with the Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act.

This bill empowers families by affording them the right to have their loved ones' homicide cases examined by a Federal investigator to see if the case should be reinvestigated.

This is an important review process to establish, especially since our technological and scientific investigation techniques are constantly evolving and being improved, providing law enforcement new tools to investigate even the oldest of cold cases.

This is a straightforward, smart bill that will hopefully bring peace to victims' loved ones who are too often left in the dark.

I want to thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Swalwell, for his extraordinary leadership on this bipartisan bill and encourage all my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a national victims' organization group coalition letter of support; individual letters of support from The American Investigative Society of Cold Cases, Parents of Murdered Children, Inc., and Murder Accountability Project; and individual letters of support from the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

December 6, 2021.

Re Support the Homicide Victims' Families Rights Act.

Chairman Jerrold Nadler,

House Judiciary Committee,

Washington, DC.

Ranking Member Jim Jordan,

House Judiciary Committee,

Washington DC.

Dear Chairman Nadler and Ranking Member Jordan: The

undersigned organizations strongly support the bipartisan

Homicide Victims' Families Rights Act (HVFRA). It is our

understanding that this legislation, which is introduced by

Representatives Eric Swalwell (CA-15) and Michael McCaul (TX-

10), is being considered before your committee.

Violent homicides affect so many more lives that just the

victim. The undersigned organizations all provide essential

resources to families and loved one of homicide cases by

engaging in ongoing emotional support, education, prevention,

advocacy, and awareness. We provide continued support to

survivors during the devastation and helplessness they

constantly feel while waiting for justice and closure for the

murder of their loved ones.

HVFRA would expand rights to the families and loved ones in

federal cases by requiring reviews and reinvestigations of

cold case

homicides. HVFRA would also provide relevant resources to law

enforcement agencies by updating and categorizing the types

of crimes that lead to homicide, cold cases. With our

collective goals towards supporting families and loved ones

who seek justice for unsolved, crimes, we collectively agree

that HVFRA will provide important resources which will

provide justice.

The HVFRA assists families and loved ones of homicide

victims by:

Reinvigorating reviews of cold case murders files. Reviews

are initiated upon request by a loved one or family member

three years after a case goes ``cold.'' A case is ``cold'' if

no suspect is readily identifiable and all leads have been

exhausted.

Providing a full reinvestigation using the most up-to-date

technologies and investigative standards. Following a review

request, if law enforcement concludes that new probative

investigative leads would result, a full re-analysis must be

undertaken. This includes a complete review of the file and

accompanying evidence, new or renewed interviews with

potential subjects and witnesses, and other methods to

identify possible missed steps.

Increasing transparency in national crime databases. The

National Institute of Justice would annually publish detailed

statistics on the number of cold cases, aggregated by the

types of associated crimes and agency. This information will

assist law enforcement agencies across state lines to help

identify trends and hopefully find new leads.

Ensuring reviews and reinvestigations are working. Federal

law enforcement agencies would be required to provide annual

reports to Congress on what is working and what is not

working with new investigations. This will aide in ensuring

that programs are biased towards assisting family members and

loved ones find justice.

The undersigned organizations proudly support the HVFRA.

This important legislation is completely aligned with our

collective commitment towards assisting those who suffer

following a cold case homicide. It is our hope that the House

Judiciary Committee will promptly markup this legislation so

that it can be received before the full House floor for swift

passage.

Sincerely,

American Investigative Society of Cold Cases.

Murder Accountability Project.

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

National Organization for Victim Assistance.

Parents of Murdered Children, Inc.

Project: Cold Case.

Uncovered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act--commonsense bipartisan and bicameral legislation to restore a key aspect of fairness to our criminal justice system.

Under the U.S. criminal justice system, you are innocent until proven guilty. A principle that is foundational to our system of law and order.

Coupled with this principle, is that if you are charged with a crime, you are entitled to a trial by a jury of your peers. If they find you innocent, your case is finished.

This all makes sense--and aligns with our understanding of our justice system. But, in too many cases, tour courts are punishing people for crimes they've been found innocent of.

Currently, even if one jury finds you innocent and acquits you of a crime, a different judge can still use that allegation as a basis of providing a harsher punishment for a crime you are convicted of.

This means that the second judge can effectively unilaterally overturn a prior acquittal when considering a future sentence-- dismissing the presumption of innocent until proven guilty.

This is absurd.

I was a litigator and defense attorney for many years, and I understand exactly how unjust it is for someone found innocent to have this ticking timebomb looming overhead.

This bill will end the practice of judges increasing sentences based on conduct for which a defendant has been acquitted by a jury-- restoring a foundation pillar of fairness in our criminal justice system.

I want to thank Congressman Cohen and Congressman Armstrong for their leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 963, the FAIR Act, which prohibits the enforcement of forced arbitration clauses in consumer, employment, civil rights, and antitrust disputes.

Buried deep within the fine print of almost every contract consumers sign are clauses that deprive hardworking Americans and small businesses of their day in court when they attempt to hold corporations accountable for breaking the law.

We heard from lots of small businesses in support of this bill. No one claimed that they were required to have forced arbitration in order to remain successful. Forced arbitration protects systemic wrongdoing. Everyone is always allowed to have arbitration if they want to voluntarily once a dispute arises.

This forces people to give up their right to have their claims heard, and most Americans don't even know they have given up that right because they are forced to sign contracts, where in the fine print is a provision where you are waiving that right. When you get a phone, when you get cable, when you have internet service. This outrageous practice, as my colleague from Florida just described, is nothing short of a corporate takeover of our Nation's system of justice, and it affects almost every single American.

This private arbitration that is very expensive, that lasts a very long time also lacks the procedural safeguards of our justice system. It is not subject to oversight, it doesn't have a judge, doesn't have a jury, it is not bound by laws even passed by Congress or the States in which it occurs, but it has become a requirement of everyday life for tens of millions of consumers and workers who have to surrender their rights to hold wrongdoers accountable.

These provisions require people to give up the right to have their claims heard in a court of law and to have that remedy that will prevent the wrongdoer from continuing.

Think about someone bringing a family member or loved one into a nursing home who doesn't have the opportunity to negotiate taking out that provision because someone they love is in desperate need of care.

I will give you a real example: Someone who is defending our country; the case of Lieutenant Commander Kevin Ziober, who testified in support of the FAIR Act in the last Congress. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserves since 2008. He was activated multiple times to serve in Afghanistan and Iraq.

On the last day of his employment, they had a party for him. They had a cake in the shape of a flag; they celebrated him; and moments later he was fired. When he said to his employer, ``You can't fire me, there is a Federal statute that protects me,'' they said, ``Sorry for you, you agreed to forced arbitration. You waived away your rights in your employment contract.'' And in the fine print, sure enough, there it was.

He testified at the hearing in 2019 that his case was in arbitration 7 years later. Nothing fast about that. And sadly, he said, ``This happens every day across America, not only to servicemembers and veterans whose rights are violated, but also to working people and consumers of all backgrounds.''

The FAIR Act will ensure that what happened to Lieutenant Ziober and what happens to millions of other hardworking Americans never happens again. Let's restore justice to our justice system by getting rid of these pernicious, horrible, unfair provisions.

As I conclude, I thank Congressman Johnson for his extraordinary leadership. He has been fighting to try to free the hardworking Americans and consumers and people who fight for our country from the bondage of forced arbitration clauses, and finally we can do that today. Vote ``yes.'' Vote for the FAIR Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Meeks for his extraordinary leadership in this very important moment.

I rise in strong support of H. Res. 956 and in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

On February 24, Vladimir Putin thought he was making another step toward realizing his delusional pursuit of reconstituting the U.S.S.R. when he ordered the brutal invasion of the sovereign and peaceful nation of Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin thought the Ukrainian people would give in quickly to the violence and abandon their freedoms.

Vladimir Putin thought President Zelensky would flee and capitulate to Russian demands.

Vladimir Putin thought the world would turn a blind eye toward Russian aggression.

Vladimir Putin thought wrong.

In fact, as Chairman Meeks said, we saw firsthand the determination and the will of the Ukrainian people to fight to preserve their own country and their own freedoms. They are doing that today, fighting day by day, hour by hour, to protect their country and secure a free and democratic future for themselves and their families.

The free world has rallied together to impose devastating sanctions against Russia, against the Russian economy, and to hold the Putin regime and his enablers to account for their crimes.

I strongly support this resolution, and I know the United States and its allies are united behind the people of Ukraine, behind the values of freedom and democracy and against the tyranny of a thuggish dictator, Vladimir Putin.

I thank Chairman Meeks for his extraordinary leadership and thank Ranking Member McCaul as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I would like to begin by thanking Chairman Takano for his incredible leadership on this legislation and tireless work on behalf of veterans all across our country.

H.R. 3967, the Honoring our PACT Act of 2021, recognizes the full range of military toxic exposure, from contaminated water at military bases and airborne hazards from burn pits, to radiation from atomic testing. It upholds and recognizes the promise we made to every servicemember that we would care for them should they become wounded or sick while risking everything to protect this country.

This legislation is long overdue, and it is the least we can do for the more than 3.5 million veterans who are currently suffering without the healthcare they need and deserve.

These veterans and their loved ones should never have been forced to come to Congress demanding that we and the VA provide the care they have so clearly earned, which is why I am glad that this bill ensures that future veterans will be able to get the help they need without waiting decades for help by streamlining the VA's toxic exposure presumptions.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in support of H.R. 3485. I want to begin by expressing my profound gratitude to Chairman Meeks for his consistent, passionate, and powerful support of this bill and of the LGBTQI community broadly. He has been such a champion for our community. We would not be here today on this floor without his support, and we are grateful for that.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to recognize Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, Senator Shaheen, and Senator Portman for their partnership and leadership in making this legislation bipartisan and bicameral.

Of course, I want to recognize and thank President Biden for his incredible commitment to LGBTQI equality here at home and around the world.

With today's vote, the U.S. House will send a strong message across the world that every member of the LGBTQI community deserves to live with dignity and free from violence, unlawful detention, torture, and other forms of brutality.

H.R. 3485, the Global Respect Act, builds on existing sanction authorities by requiring the President to deny visas to foreign nationals who commit gross human rights violations against members of the LGBTQI community. Let me be clear. This bill protects LGBTQI people from murder, torture, and other forms of violence.

If you reject this proposal, you are saying people like me can be murdered and tortured with no consequence. Whether that is your intention or not, that is the impact of your vote.

In past years, we have seen a dangerous increase in violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people and their families.

So, when my colleague on the other side of the aisle says, ``What is the need for this?'' tell that to the victims who are being tortured, detained, and murdered because of who they are.

In too many places, violence against this community is pervasive and even sanctioned or directed by government officials.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that ``all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.'' As with any form of social or legal marginalization, whether based on sex, race, religion, ethnicity, or other status, the denial of human rights of LGBTQI people is not only wrong but negatively affects health outcomes, social stability, the rule of law, and economic potential.

This bill sends a signal to not just the abusers but also signals to the victims and survivors that the United States stands with them, as we have throughout the course of human history, in standing up for human rights.

Victims like Camila Diaz Cordova, a 29-year-old transgender woman from El Salvador who was arrested, beaten, and thrown from a moving vehicle after being deported from the United States--she died several days later; or the young gay man who fled from Sudan to Egypt after threats of public outing and violence, only to experience kidnapping and further stigmatization and violence in his new home; or I.J., a victim of Ramzan Kadyrov's systematic rounding up and torture of men and women thought to be gay in Chechnya.

In recounting the attack, I.J. said: ``They threw me to the floor and beat me. They beat my chest and my face with their feet, and they hit my head against the floor. One of them said: `Do not beat him until the shock stage. At that point, he will stop feeling pain. We don't need that.' They addressed me with female pronouns and demanded that I tell them the names of other gay people I knew. They threatened to kill me if I didn't.''

In public reports, we heard of ISIS officials throwing gay men off rooftops and then stoning them to death.

These are just some examples of the many, many stories.

The Global Respect Act is simple. It is straightforward. It gives the executive branch greater tools to punish those who murder and torture members of the LGBTQI community.

I want to take a quick moment to tell you what this bill does not do. It doesn't duplicate existing rights legislation such as the Global Magnitsky Act because Global Magnitsky is obviously a very important tool for human rights, but it is voluntary. It has only been used once for LGBTQI human rights violations, despite many documented cases.

The Global Respect Act is different because it requires sanctions if a foreign national commits gross human rights violations against LGBTQI people.

It doesn't have overly broad language. As the chairman said, it has language that comes from 22 U.S.C. 2304. It doesn't create any new definitions. It has the definition in existing law of what gross human rights violation is.

It doesn't prevent speech or religious beliefs. This bill targets conduct and actions. The Global Magnitsky has never, nor will this bill ever, be used to impede anyone's right to say or believe anything. It is their actions, the gross human rights violations, that are at issue.

My friend on the other side of the aisle said it is cancel culture. When did preventing murder, torture, and violence, and standing up for human rights, become cancel culture?

We have a long tradition in this country of doing this all around the world. The Global Respect Act honors that history, that responsibility that we have as a world superpower to continue to protect and stand up for human rights in the face of unspeakable human violence.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I end where I began, with enormous gratitude to our extraordinary chairman for his leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 900, I offer the amendments en bloc.

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

Before I address the en bloc amendments, I just want to respond quickly to a claim that has been made again on this floor that was made in the Rules Committee by my friend on the other side of the aisle that the Magnitsky Act has already adequately covered LGBTQI human rights violations. I am going to say it one more time: That is simply, factually incorrect.

All of the cases that my friend cited, Mr. Speaker, do not involve LGBTQI people, save one. There is one specific LGBTQI case in which sanctions were imposed in 2019 against the Chechen leader for kidnapping, torturing, and killing members of the LGBTQI community.

The cases she makes reference to in Bangladesh, in Cuba, and in Uganda involve judicial corruption, and they involve a government crackdown on democracy, but they don't involve individuals who were targeted or brutalized because they were members of the LGBTQI community.

So there is, in fact, not sufficient use of Magnitsky. That is what the Global Respect Act will fix. It will make visa sanctions against such individuals a mandatory requirement.

So this idea of pulling other human rights cases and saying, Isn't this enough?

It is not. This is a growing, serious, and deadly problem.

Mr. Speaker, I move these amendments which, taken together, both

strengthen the bill and make a strong statement that the United States stands with the LGBTQI community around the world.

This package of amendments clarifies that torture is a part of the definition of a human rights violation. This definition, which we have used since the passage of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, makes it clear that it is actions--torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment--that lead to sanctions.

These amendments firmly state that the value of religious freedom is protected. The United States has long been a leader of protecting freedom of religion, and our foreign policy must uphold that tradition. The Harder amendment within the en bloc makes it clear that no one--I repeat, no one--will be sanctioned due to their religious beliefs; instead, only those who commit egregious acts of violence--torture, enforced disappearances, or extrajudicial killings--will be denied entry to the United States.

Despite what some of my colleagues may say, religious freedom is not in conflict with the promotion of global LGBTQI rights. This amendment acknowledges this truth and upholds the rights of all people regardless of their religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics to be protected from violence and brutality.

These amendments will also provide the Biden-Harris administration with additional tools to continue its historic work to build the international coalition of countries protecting LGBTQI people. It is important that we stand with countries around the world, including those like Botswana, which legalized same-sex relationships in 2019, to strengthen equality around the globe.

With today's vote, the U.S. House will send a strong message around the world that every member of the LGBTQI community deserves to live with dignity and free from violence, unlawful detention, torture, and other forms of brutality.

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

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Williams).

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close.

Madam Speaker, I just want to respond quickly to two things before I close. The first is, again, the Global Respect Act, like Magnitsky, does not punish and cannot be invoked for speech. It is very clear. It has never been used in that way, and it specifically targets conduct. But out of an abundance of caution, to reassure our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Mr. Harder offers an amendment that makes that explicit, that says that no one will be sanctioned due to their religious beliefs. Instead, only those who commit egregious acts of violence, including: torture, enforced disappearance, or extrajudicial killings will be denied entry into the United States.

This notion of like, well, we were concerned about this religion issue, but when it is explicitly addressed because it is offered by a Democrat through the

amendment process and not a Republican, it doesn't satisfy my friends on the other side of the aisle. It is very disappointing; very disappointing.

This Global Respect Act legislation is designed to address a real problem, and I will just say one last time, in section 3 of the bill, the language in the bill includes gross violations of internationally recognized human rights as codified in 22 U.S.C. 2304. What is that? Not your view on marriage, not whether you like someone. It is defined as: ``. . . torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, prolonged detention without charges and trial, causing the disappearance of persons by the abduction and clandestine detention of those persons, and other flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of person.''

This is a well-established definition for gross human rights violations. This bill simply says, if you engage in that kind of behavior, you do not have a right to enter the United States of America. We will deny you a visa because we stand for human rights.

So I urge my colleagues to support the en bloc amendment, support this bill, be proud today that the United States is standing again for the protection of human rights of all people here in the United States, and around the world.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I heard some of my friends on the other side of the aisle say no one wants this legislation. Nothing could be further from the truth. The survivors of sexual assault and harassment want this, and we should listen to them.

H.R. 4445 would restore access to justice for victims of sexual assault or harassment who are currently locked out of the court system due to forced arbitration clauses. These clauses are everywhere. They block survivors from making their stories known, having their day in court, and prevents them from holding their abusers accountable.

Some of the stories we heard during this hearing were horrific of the kind

of abuse and assault and demeaning behavior, and those predators knew that they were protected from being held accountable because there were forced arbitration clauses often accompanied with provisions that kept those proceedings private.

So this private system forces survivors into a process, this forced arbitration, that is not like a court system. There is no discovery. There is no judge or jury. There are no requirements that they follow laws passed by the Congress or the State. And when you, as I said, combine that with nondisclosure agreements, it silences the survivors of sexual harassment and assault. Plain and simple. This bill will end it.

Predators rely on that silence. As long as their actions are hidden, they are free to act with impunity, and we heard evidence that is in fact what they do, over and over and over again. This bill will end that.

Madam Speaker, I thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, who has made this her life's work since she got to Congress. This bill will help millions of survivors who have had the conduct that they have complained about unaddressed and unanswered and kept quiet, and it will end that practice.

We heard testimony about the founder of Invisalign and the CEO of Afiniti, who actually started an arbitration, invoked the clause, because he knew that would keep the proceedings secret and his abuse would go unaccounted for. This is disgraceful.

Madam Speaker, this should be a unanimous vote. Everyone should want to put an end to this practice. I urge you to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4445.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and giving me an opportunity to say a few words about our extraordinary colleague, the late John Lewis.

John Lewis is someone who had such an enormous impact on this country, someone who risked his life and endured violence and intimidation to help create a more beloved community and a better country. John was a gentle man who continued his fight for equality and justice and dignity for every single person in this country.

Many of us had the privilege of crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge with John Lewis, but for me what was particularly helpful and memorable was that John Lewis was a champion in the fight for LGBTQ and the Equality Act. At a very critical moment, he became part of that effort, and I thought to myself: Here is a man who has already done more than anyone could imagine one person could do for human dignity, for equality, and for justice, and he was still in the fight for the LGBTQ community.

One of the most extraordinary honors of my life is having served in Congress and, certainly, having the friendship of the extraordinary John Lewis, someone who was beloved by everyone here.

I will end with this. When I first met Mr. Lewis, he called me brother. That went on for about 6 months. I thought to myself, well, he doesn't remember my name. You know, that is just the way it is. But I soon learned that he called everyone brother and sister because, in John's heart, we were all part of a common family.

So this post office--and I thank Congresswoman Nikema Williams for her sponsorship--will be a permanent memorial to the extraordinary contributions of the life of John Lewis to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 566, legislation to rename the United States Postal Service facility in Slatersville, Rhode Island, the Specialist Matthew R. Turcotte Post Office.

A fallen soldier from North Smithfield who gave his life in service of his country, Specialist Matthew Turcotte was tragically killed during a training accident in 2017 when he was only 20 years old. An exceptional young man who exemplified the utmost commitment to serving his community and his country, Matthew's service continues to make all Rhode Island proud.

Matthew, a lifelong North Smithfield resident eager to serve his country, enlisted in the U.S. Army while attending North Smithfield High School, where he was cocaptain of the football team and a member of the track and field team.

After his graduation in 2015, Matthew enlisted as a specialist and began his military career at Fort Benning. During his 2 short, enlisted years, he earned numerous awards for his service, including the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Ribbon, and the NATO Medal.

Matthew's superiors in the military described him as a tremendous soldier who exemplified selfless service to our military and our Nation. He was deployed to Kosovo in 2016, and following his return, married his high school sweetheart and beloved wife, Megan.

In August of 2017, Matthew was killed during a live-ammunition training exercise at Fort Carson in Colorado while serving with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division.

As we prepare to dedicate this post office in Matthew's memory, I am thinking about his father, Raymond; his mother, Liza; his wife, Megan; his sisters, Kayla and Paige; and all his extended family and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, let us never forget the enormous debt of gratitude that we owe to not just Matthew and his family, but to all military families across the country who support the brave men and women who defend our Nation and often shoulder the pain of unimaginable grief and loss.

The decision to live one's life in service of others is never an easy one, and Matthew's commitment to a vocation of service represented the very best of our Nation and Rhode Island. For his patriotism, for his love of family and community, and for his dedication to the principles we as Americans hold dear, we salute Matthew and dedicate this post office in his honor.

I know that Matthew's legacy will continue to inspire our community in North Smithfield and all Rhode Islanders.

The dedication of this post office is an enduring expression of our gratitude for his service and a permanent reminder of his sacrifice. We know that Matthew's legacy and the impact he had on those who knew and loved him will far outlast anything we do or say, Mr. Speaker, but it is the least we can do for one of the great heroes of our Nation, Matthew R. Turcotte.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and thank him for his extraordinary bipartisan leadership on this issue and on so many issues that come before our committee. I want to begin by acknowledging the leadership of the Speaker who has been an advocate and a strong voice for human rights around the world, but particularly in China for many, many years.

I rise, Mr. Speaker, in strong support of this bicameral version of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, to ensure that the United States does all we can to condemn the appalling human rights record of the Chinese Government against Uyghur Muslims. With the ongoing genocide against the Uyghur population in Xinjiang, and with the crackdown on democracy and the rule of law in Hong Kong, the world has seen what a glimpse of Chinese leadership in the international system would mean: a rejection of human rights; a commitment to authoritarianism; a silenced press; and the abandonment of the rule of law.

In Xinjiang, over 1 million members of the Uyghur population have been forced to live in squalor; forced to abandon their beliefs; forced to abandon their children; and forced to work. Many have been tortured. Many have died. All have suffered.

Policies undertaken in Xinjiang continue to stir the conscience and represent this country's most agonizing human rights catastrophes ever. The Chinese Government has unleashed a series of draconian measures that should give anyone in the civilized world a pause. They have mandated abortions, they have forcibly sterilized men and women; they have forcibly taken over half a million children from their families, and they have sent them to so-called reeducation centers.

They monitor the movements and the online activities of millions, ensuring Uyghurs and other minorities are robbed of their privacy; and they force Uyghurs and other minorities into factories for no pay and with no recourse.

We must recognize that the Chinese Government built this policy over time. What has happened to the Uyghur population is not borne out of spontaneous brutality; it has been a well-planned endeavor designed to extinguish a population that China finds undesirable.

This is a systematic policy that denies the Uyghurs their humanity, their dignity, and seeks to ultimately deny them of their existence.

We must do all we can to ensure that the clarion call of ``never again'' reverberates around the globe. This bill would ensure that goods made in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region imported into the United States are not made with forced labor.

I want to thank Chairman McGovern for his extraordinary leadership and urge all of my colleagues to support the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and again thank the chairman for his courtesy.

Madam Speaker, the blatant and corrupt actions that we saw during the Trump administration demand that Congress take action to prevent any future President or administration officials from committing these same abuses of power.

Our laws have to be equipped to protect the Office of the Presidency and hold anyone privileged enough to hold that office accountable for their actions.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act will prevent Presidential abuse, restore our system of checks and balances, strengthen accountability, and protect our elections.

I am proud that this package includes one of my pieces of legislation, the White House Open Data Act, which will make White House visitor logs and salary information easily accessible and available to the public. The Presidency demands integrity and transparency. The Protecting Our Democracy Act gives us the tools to defend and protect our democracy; our most sacred responsibility.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Schiff for his leadership, and I thank Chairwoman Maloney. Let's all stand up today, vote for democracy, protect the right to vote so that the world, when they watch this, knows that America remains committed and renews today its commitment to a great democracy.

Madam Speaker, for too long, healthcare providers struggling with mental illness have suffered in silence, intimidated by stigma and afraid of being penalized for seeking treatment.

Even before the pandemic, 42 percent of the physicians reported experiencing burnout, and 40 percent reported a reluctance to seek treatment for a medical health condition. This is far too many people suffering in silence.

How can we expect our doctors to take care of us when they feel they can't take care of themselves?

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, named for a doctor who lost her life to suicide after fighting on the front lines of the pandemic, will help reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, and mental health conditions of healthcare professionals. It does so by supporting training to prevent suicide and burnout; creating a national awareness campaign encouraging healthcare professionals to seek support for mental health concerns; and establishing a comprehensive study on healthcare professional mental health and burnout, including the impact of the pandemic.

Our healthcare professionals have been serving on the front lines, taking care of us amid an unprecedented global pandemic. It is time we take care of them.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation.

Madam Speaker, I first want to say thank you to the Appropriations chair and to the members of the Appropriations Committee for their extraordinary work.

Let's be clear about one thing. A continuing resolution is not a way to proceed, but it is the only way we can proceed in the face of Republican obstruction, and when you vote ``no'' on the continuing resolution, you are voting to defund the government and shut it down.

That means veterans can't access healthcare at the VA.

It means Native American Tribes can't have access to healthcare and schools.

It means our troops won't get the pay they deserve.

You are voting to shut the government down, and at the same time you are unwilling to be part of a process to pass appropriations bills for an entire year. You are here to govern. You have a responsibility to make sure this appropriation process works. And I am grateful for the service of the members of the Appropriations Committee that have worked on this in a painstaking way.

We have Republicans in the Senate who are obstructing this process, but I am glad that I am part of the process that makes sure government remains open, that we take care of our responsibilities, that we ensure that the economic recovery that is underway is not hampered. I thank the chair of the Appropriations Committee for the hard work in bringing us to this moment.

I urge everyone to support the continuing resolution. Be responsible.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this important legislation that will bring greater transparency to the judges adjudicating cases every day all across this country.

Most high-level government officials in all three branches of government, including Federal Justices and judges, must file annual financial disclosure reports. For Members of Congress, as well the President, Vice President, and other executive branch officials, these disclosures are readily available and searchable online. This makes the information easy for the American people to obtain, and this tool is vital to a transparent government.

Federal judges and Justices, however, do not have to make their disclosures readily available to the public online. It often takes the public months to request this information under the current disclosure system.

This delay in information often prevents the public from being able to determine if a judge has a financial interest in a certain court case in a timely manner, effectively weakening the enforcement of recusal requirements even if there is a conflict of interest.

I am sure many or most judges willingly recuse themselves from cases in which they have an interest, but a Wall Street Journal investigation found that this is not always the case. That investigation found that since 2010, more than 130 Federal judges have not recused themselves in nearly 700 cases where they or a family member had a financial interest, an unacceptable breach of the public's trust.

For example, in one case, a judge denied a class action motion against Microsoft, which he held stock in, potentially saving the company more than $45 million. These kinds of conflicts must be transparent.

The bipartisan Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act of 2021 would increase transparency and empower the public by mandating that Federal judges' financial disclosures are publicly available and searchable within 90 days of filing. This will allow the public to access these disclosure forms more easily, providing the information we need to ensure fair proceedings and necessary recusals.

I thank Congresswoman Ross for introducing this extremely important legislation, and I thank her for her leadership. I also want to thank Representative Johnson and Representatives Roy and Issa for taking the lead on this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, we are at critical crossroads as we work to recover after the health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic here at home and around the world.

As we look to our future, we are going to build back better to create an economy that works for every American and all families that leaves no one behind. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the lives of millions of Americans by reducing costs for everything from prescription drugs to childcare; creating good-paying union jobs by addressing the urgency of the climate crisis; cutting taxes for working families; and making sure that none of these investments add to the deficit by making the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this investment in our Nation's future.