Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for yielding and for his steadfast leadership in equipping our Nation to face unprecedented challenges at home and abroad. I also thank Ranking Member Rogers for his role in bringing a bipartisan NDAA to the floor.

I rise in support of my amendment requiring a joint briefing from the Army and Air Force on the lack of a childcare center to serve Camp Bull Simons at Eglin Air Force Base.

After hearing the stories of families stationed there, it is clear we need to add transparency to a process that has left our servicemembers and their families behind.

These brave men and women make immense sacrifices to protect and serve our Nation. The least we can do is make sure that they do not have to stress about affordable and accessible childcare while deployed or on assignment.

Currently, the closest government-run CDC, a benefit our servicemembers are entitled to, would add an average of 4 hours per day to a parent's commute. The options that the services are proposing to remedy the situation for those families are wholly inadequate.

As chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, I understand the value of child development centers and quality-of-life issues for our servicemembers.

I offered this bipartisan amendment with my colleagues, Representatives Castor, Hudson, and Gaetz, to help find a solution that meets the standard of care that we must deliver for our military families.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for including this amendment in the en bloc.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 30th anniversary of The Veterans Consortium, a nonprofit organization providing pro bono services to our nation's veterans with cases pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC).

The Veterans Consortium was established after the first Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims encouraged Congress to create a program to provide veterans with suitable legal representation before the Court--and help them receive every dollar in benefits they are entitled to.

A competitive grant was awarded to The Veterans Consortium for the formation of a legal services corporation to carry out Congress's wishes. Although today it is an independent nonprofit, The Veterans Consortium's founding members are four hallmark veterans advocacy organizations: The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, National Veterans Legal Services Program, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Over the past 3 decades, The Veterans Consortium has become one of the most prominent organizations providing pro bono services for veterans' claims, with almost 6,000 volunteer attorneys having delivered over $400 million in rightful benefits, care, and compensation to American veterans. They did so by astoundingly winning over 83 percent of their appeals cases.

While this number demonstrates the effectiveness of the Consortium, it also underscores significant room for improvement in the Department of Veterans Affairs benefits determination process. That's what makes the work of The Veterans Consortium so important.

As Chair of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations subcommittee, I have the distinct honor and responsibility of leading the only committee in Congress that cares for our servicemembers through their entire lifecycle: both during and after their service.

I'm proud to work with our VSOs to ensure those who have risked their lives for this Nation are supported throughout their transition to civilian life and are able to age with dignity. A critical component of that work is ensuring the Veterans Benefits Administration is adequately funded and that our veterans receive the benefits they need and are entitled to.

We know the benefits and claims process is in dire need of reform, and it has been for years now. That is why I will continue working with VA Secretary McDonough to improve upon the existing system, and by conducting rigorous oversight of all VA agencies to ensure they are spending the money we provide effectively.

Congress can honor our veterans--and the decades of committed work of The Veterans Consortium--by legislating and using the power of the purse to make sure the benefits and claims process is working for those who served their country. For all that veterans sacrifice for this Nation, the least we can do is ensure they receive the benefits they were promised and deserve.

Congratulations to the Veterans Consortium and the TVC National Volunteer Corps on 30 impactful years, and I thank them for all the critically important work they do.

Madam Speaker, I rise to confront the Nation's leading child killer: gun violence.

Passing the Protecting Our Kids Act does that by raising the legal age to buy certain semiautomatic rifles and closing the ghost gun loophole. It strengthens safe storage rules at home and clamps down on bump stocks and high-capacity magazines.

Once more, House Democrats will do something meaningful to address this carnage while House Republicans do nothing. Yes, a few Senate Republicans may do the absolute minimum, but when an 11-year-old tells Congress that she smeared her murdered friend's blood on her own body to play dead and stay alive in Uvalde, I will take baby steps over no steps.

From Uvalde and Buffalo to Parkland, Orlando, and Las Vegas, America is bleeding. While this legislation will not end gun violence, it is a tourniquet.

The deaths, suicides, and astronomical health costs are too high, and we cannot continue to forsake our national freedoms to learn, work, and worship without fear.

Let's pass this legislation and reclaim America's values and confront this Nation's leading killer of children: gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. And I congratulate him on this incredible work product and a remarkable career.

I rise today in support of H.R. 7776, the Water Resources Development Act. This bill will advance the economic interests of South Florida.

After more than 20 years of work, the Port Everglades deepening and widening project will enable safe passage of next-generation cruise and cargo ships, and it is estimated to create 1,500 good, permanent jobs when it is finished.

This bill authorizes an additional $269 million in Federal funding for Port

Everglades to complete the project, protect our coral reefs from disruption, and begin construction on an overdue new Coast Guard station.

I came to Congress as a young mom, and I remember telling my children about the potential effects of climate change. Now, in 2022, we know that the perils of a warming planet are no longer just predictions.

We have over 1,000 miles of levees and canals, 150 water control structures, and 16 major pump stations providing flood protection for 11 million residents in central and South Florida alone.

A 2009 study identified 18 water control structures in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties alone that are within 6 inches of failure.

I urge passage of this important bill, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak in favor of it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and for both gentlemen's remarks.

Mr. Speaker, 17 years ago, the first legislation I passed as a Member of Congress declared the month of May as Jewish American Heritage Month, or JAHM, and urged the President of the United States to make that declaration on behalf of the United States.

Since that resolution passed, every President has issued a proclamation declaring May as Jewish American Heritage Month.

The mission of JAHM is to educate all Americans about the contributions American Jews have made to our Nation for more than 350 years.

Jews have blazed American trails, from the battlefield and basketball court, across the biggest stages, to the big screen, and from the Supreme Court, to civil rights and social justice movements. Our story is woven into America's history, through generations of leaders.

Yet, as we who honor the profound impact American Jews made on our national history and culture, I must sadly acknowledge that the recognition and understanding JAHM seeks to foster is critically needed now more than ever.

There has been a precipitous rise in anti-Semitism. In the last year alone, the Anti-Defamation League reports that anti-Semitic incidents are up 34 percent nationwide.

The American Jewish Committee reports that 24 percent of American Jews were personally targeted by anti-Semitism in the past 12 months. Four in 10 American Jews changed their behavior at least once out of fear of anti-Semitism. An alarming 90 percent believe anti-Semitism is a problem in the United States.

We also know that there has been a particularly disturbing surge in assaults against Americans who are identifiably Jewish by virtue of their wearing religious garb, particular clothing, or based upon the locations in which they live or shop.

In May 2021, during the military conflict between Israel and Hamas, there was a substantial surge of anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S., with 387 of them reported, or a 148 percent increase in reports of anti-Semitic incidents compared to May of 2020.

Anti-Semitism also emerged in the horrific Buffalo shooting, where an armed white terrorist targeted African Americans for mass murder. He was driven, in part, by a xenophobic plan called replacement theory, which at its root, blames Jews for masterminding an effort to erode the power of White Americans. This madness will only fuel more violence, and it cannot be allowed to stand.

To combat this anti-Semitic scourge in our communities, leaders throughout our country must firmly, and clearly, and forcefully denounce the alarming rise in rampant hate, violence, and harassment targeting Jewish Americans.

That is why I am proud today to bring H. Res. 1125 to the floor, which is unequivocal, bipartisan condemnation of anti-Semitism, because enough is enough.

This resolution denounces the alarming rise in anti-Semitism in the United States and globally, and it issues a call for real, concrete action to combat it. Those action items include:

Promoting Holocaust education, Jewish identity, and anti-Semitism education, along with condemnation of all denials and distortions of the Holocaust.

Working with the newly confirmed State Department's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism to ensure U.S. leadership in the fight against global anti-Semitism.

Working with all social media platforms to institute stronger efforts to address online anti-Semitism, while protecting First Amendment rights.

Taking all possible steps to improve the physical security of Jewish institutions, including increased funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program so it can continue its essential work of protecting Jewish and other faith-based institutions across the country.

Ensuring the safety, security, and dignity of American Jews in all aspects of their lives, including the workplace, university campuses, and at home.

During Jewish American Heritage Month, we celebrate the continued diversity and contributions to American life by the Jewish community. In doing so, we must also acknowledge anti-Semitism is not a relic of the past but remains a clear and present danger today.

Taking action today is just one step. Let us renew our commitment to defending the rights of all people.

Before I end, I want to take a moment to thank all those who made today possible: my co-leads, Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart, Brad Schneider, and Lee Zeldin and, of course, Leader Hoyer, and many other colleagues and staff whose effort helped bring this resolution to the floor today.

Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize the 100th birthday of Lucille ``Lucy'' Levy.

Lucille ``Lucy'' Levy was born in New York City on May 12, 1922. Her family moved to Long Island where she grew up and graduated from Lawrence High School. Upon graduation, she went to work as a model in the New York City garment industry. She met and married her dashing husband, Daniel Herman in 1941. They had three daughters: Nan, Marsha, and Laura; and were married for 43 years before his passing.

Lucy worked with her husband in the family retail business, Sandra Post, for many years. She was also involved in charitable causes including Variety Children's Hospital and Temple Beth Sholom. She married her second husband, Irving Lovitt, and they were married for 22 years until his death.

As a centenarian, the history she has witnessed over the past century is quite remarkable. In her lifetime, 19 Presidents have served our nation, the global population has increased by nearly 6 billion people, and countless inventions from the airplane to the internet have launched us into a new technological era.

Today, Lucy lives in Aventura, Florida and is keeping up with currents events, reading the newspaper cover to cover every day, and continues to be a devoted and loving mother, grandmother, and great- grandmother. Countless individuals have been touched by the richness of the stories and memories she has shared throughout the years.

I join Lucy's family and her Aventura community in wishing her a Happy 100th Birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate National Infertility Awareness Week to salute the parents, doctors, researchers, and many others for the extraordinary advancements made over the last four decades to help individuals build families who, without this progress, could not do so. National Infertility Awareness Week, founded in 1989 by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, is the largest public awareness campaign that addresses the public health issue of infertility.

Most Americans are not aware that one in eight, or nearly 7.4 million Americans are hindered by the disease of infertility. It affects both men and women and knows no barriers. Infertility affects all races, religious backgrounds, and every economic status. I introduce this bipartisan resolution to highlight this issue, encourage research, and support all those affected by infertility.

Since 1978, extraordinary medical advancements have enabled millions of couples to receive life-affirming treatments that resulted in the delivery of babies. We must continue this progress and especially work to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in research and treatment. Bringing a child into the world is truly a blessing and should be available for anyone who wants to start a family, no matter their background.

The contributions that research scientists have made to advance infertility treatments--including a procedure that allows young cancer patients to preserve their fertility prior to undergoing lifesaving chemotherapy treatments--are utterly amazing. Organizations like RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, and the Alliance for Fertility Preservation, all advocate for the millions of individuals and couples in this country who need help to have a family.

I know from my own infertility experience, that to realize the dream of having children, we must better understand infertility and how it affects individuals and families to advocate for sensible solutions, more effectively.

Ms. Barb Collura, the CEO of RESOLVE, has testified before Congress in support of fertility services for the countless military veterans whose service-related injuries have rendered them infertile. There are also others such as Joyce Reinecke, Executive Director of the Alliance for Fertility Preservation and cancer survivor, has lent her voice to the importance of affordable fertility preservation options for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. In fact, in the absence of adequate coverage, charitable organizations provide valuable, life- changing, financial assistance to cancer survivors who would like to have children but lack support.

Congress can do more to remove barriers that currently exist for those who experience infertility challenges. And I applaud my colleagues, including Congresswomen Julia Brownley, Rosa DeLauro, Marilyn Strickland, and Congressman Rick Larsen for joining me in introducing legislation devoted to eliminating obstacles to building families.

I also salute the millions of infertility warriors throughout the country and the world, who advocate on behalf of that most precious of gifts, that of creating a family.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to recognize the tremendous career and meaningful work of Lillian Tamayo, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida.

Planned Parenthood health centers provide millions of people in the U.S. with contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, lifesaving cancer screenings, and safe, legal abortion. Many Planned Parenthood patients are low-income, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, undocumented immigrants, or those who live in rural areas and underserved communities. They empower people to make informed decisions about their healthcare and lead healthier lives.

Lillian Tamayo served more than two decades in her position at Planned Parenthood, working to protect the vital right to bodily autonomy and self-determination. During Ms. Tamayo's tenure, the organization saw a more than fivefold increase in patients getting the care they need. When she took the helm, Planned Parenthood had four health centers in Florida and now there are 11. Under her stewardship as the first Latina CEO in the federation, Planned Parenthood has greatly expanded access to reproductive care for all Floridians and especially among marginalized communities and populations.

Never has the work done by compassionate individuals like Ms. Tamayo been more important. As a woman's reproductive freedom is increasingly threatened in states like Florida, Planned Parenthood continues to be a beacon of advocacy and a stalwart defender of women's healthcare.

Lillian Tamayo is a selfless and devoted public servant whose commitment to ensuring access to women's healthcare is admirable. I wish her a heartfelt congratulations on her exemplary work at Planned Parenthood, and I am immensely grateful for her invaluable work to improve the lives of those in Florida's 23rd Congressional District, the state of Florida as a whole, and beyond.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the dedicated public service and congressional career of a phenomenal woman, Vivian Piereschi.

In August 2001, the people of south Florida's 20th Congressional District, which later became the 23rd District that I proudly represent today, received a precious gift in the dedicated service of Vivian.

After more than 20 years, this daughter of Cuban refugees, who emigrated to Florida in search of a better life, ended her career making the lives of so many others better.

Vivian became a trusted adviser, advocate, and community leader.

Through four administrations and two Members of Congress, Vivian navigated the Federal Government, in all the ways it serves the American people, with a nurturing spirit and patient persistence.

When we passed the Affordable Care Act, a jubilant Vivian Piereschi said: ``Now, we can help so many more people.''

Whether it was passing life-changing legislation, going door-to-door to give

hurricane relief and assistance, providing immigration help, or just hugging the families that lost loved ones in the Surfside condo tragedy, Vivian has always been there for our people.

Vivian sought out a career in public service to be a voice for the voiceless, to speak for those who don't have a seat at the table. Every day of her 20-plus years of service, she has done just that.

I know that Vivian will continue to do this self-sacrificing work as she moves on to serve seniors in our community in her new role.

The constituents of Florida's 23rd Congressional District and the State as a whole benefited from Vivian's dedicated, diligent work ethic and her compassion.

I know that Vivian's husband, Alex, and sons, Eric and Nicholas, are so proud of her and all the work that she has done, and so am I. I thank Alex, Eric, and Nicholas for sacrificing their precious family time with Vivian so she could serve the people of south Florida for all these years.

I will miss my friend, but I know that we will end up spending many more hours of personal time together.

On behalf of my constituents, current and former staff, and all its stakeholders, we proudly thank Vivian and congratulate her as she begins the next chapter of her service.

Te quiero, mi amiga. I love you, my friend.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise today to put the full force of the American people and this Congress behind dismantling the savage Kremlin war machine.

This legislation shows President Zelenskyy, Ukrainians, and the world that America will boldly confront Russia's savage attacks on the Ukrainian people. This bill also holds Belarus to account for its complicity in Russia's murderous aggression.

They each will learn what every tyrant must: If you invade another nation, normal trade within our global economy is over.

While President Biden marshals the free world to fiscally cripple Putin and his oligarchs, this Congress will also move to crush Russia's militarized economic might.

So this legislation also reviews Russia's and Belarus' access to the World Trade Organization, and it extends and strengthens the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, both of which will further clip Russia's economic wings.

The grisly, heartbreaking images President Zelenskyy showed us yesterday made clear that Russia must be punished. And with this legislation, the people of Ukraine and every global democracy can count on America to help make that happen.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this far-reaching spending bill that lowers costs, creates jobs, and rethreads our safety net.

As chair of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, I am very proud of our funding for veterans, servicemembers, and their families.

We steer $14.9 billion to critical base infrastructure to add new barracks and childcare centers and rid military family housing of mold and lead. It also invests in climate change and energy resilience on bases, devoting $150 million to PFAS contamination cleanup.

It provides more to NATO and the European Deterrence Initiative, devoting $631 million to confront Russian aggression.

For Veterans Affairs, it provides $112 billion to tackle disability claim backlogs, boost medical research, fully fund veteran medical care, and make major investments in women's health and mental health and suicide and homelessness prevention.

I thank Ranking Member Carter and Ranking Member Granger for our close work together on this good bill, and I thank both the majority and minority staff.

I am very proud of what this bill delivers to Florida, like investing $2 million into the Virginia Graeme Baker pool and spa safety grant program to curb drownings.

We also add a record $350 million to restore the Everglades, the lifeblood of south Florida. This is on top of the $1.1 billion President Biden just allocated to our River of Grass in the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Florida cities win, too, because we unleash infrastructure funds and provide local government formula funding and fund local community projects for the first time in more than a decade. For Dania Beach, that is $3 million to rebuild the C.W. Thomas Park Community Center. In Sunrise, it is $2 million for flood protection.

There is tons more, from increased breast cancer screenings and reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act to provide lifesaving funds to curb domestic violence and sexual assaults. We even create a cancer screening program for disadvantaged communities that honors our departed dear friend, Alcee Hastings.

Mr. Speaker, this bill helps every American every day. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly stand with my colleagues to condemn the terrorizing of our historically Black colleges and universities.

The cowards who made bomb threats to America's HBCUs sought to sow fear on the very campuses where Black scholars seek belonging, safety, and support.

They exploited the legacy of bombings long inflicted on Black communities, like those ignited in Jim Crow Florida at White businesses that served Blacks, at synagogues, and at the home of the brave civil rights pioneers, Harry and Harriet Moore.

They tried to light the same fires of hatred right outside Black bastions of higher learning, like Florida Memorial, Edward Waters, and Bethune-Cookman Universities.

On the first day of Black History Month in 2022--2022--over a dozen other HBCUs saw bomb threats and lockdowns. If Howard and Spelman aren't safe, they seem to warn, then neither is FAMU.

HBCUs were always scholarly havens when Whites shut Black students out, and they still mold strong Black leaders, celebrate Black culture, and nurture academic excellence.

Hatred cannot diminish that, and it will not, but only if we unite as one to affirm that racism and terror will not be tolerated on college campuses, especially our HBCUs. A threat to one, after all, is a threat to us all.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for bringing this resolution to the floor.

I rise today in support of this bipartisan resolution condemning the horrific domestic terrorist attack in Colleyville, Texas.

Saturday, January 15, 2022, was supposed to be a day of rest and prayer for Jews across the world. Instead, it was a day of hate, fear, and violence.

Four people walked into Congregation Beth Israel as worshipers, but they walked out as survivors. Their Jewish identity alone put them at risk of inherent danger. They were ordinary citizens distinguished only by their faith.

In 2022, this may seem unfathomable. Tragically, it is not.

It is clear that the terrorist responsible subscribed to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and dangerous tropes.

Due to the valiant efforts and skills of first responders and the bravery of these hostages, these worshipers made it out safely.

While no one was physically hurt, the trauma leaves scars far deeper than any headline could convey. Those wounds and trauma are felt not only in Texas, but they reverberate all over this country in Jewish communities and Jewish sanctuaries all over the United States and the world.

Generations of Jews have faced and continue to face bigotry, hate, and violence every day. Jews are attacked on public streets, assaulted, and our synagogues are vandalized.

Anti-Semitic literature has been distributed in neighborhoods in many parts of this country, including my community in South Florida.

Anti-Semitism is rising at an alarming rate, and an astounding amount of it has become mainstream.

One in four American Jews has been the target of anti-Semitism over the past year. Four in 10 have changed their behavior out of fear of anti-Semitism. That includes people being afraid to wear a Star of David in public and men afraid to wear a kippah who would wear one normally in their everyday life.

On a personal note, as the first Jewish woman elected to Congress from Florida, my family and I know what it feels like to be the target of anti-Semitic hate.

To combat this scourge in our communities, leaders throughout our country must clearly, firmly, and forcefully denounce the alarming rise in rampant hate, violence, and harassment targeting Jewish Americans.

Today's resolution is an important condemnation of one act, but we must go further. It is time for this body to vote on a resolution that unambiguously and singularly denounces anti-Semitism.

It should not take a domestic terrorist attack for this body to do that.

We need an unequivocal, bipartisan condemnation of anti-Semitism. Enough is enough.

We must denounce the alarming rise in anti-Semitism in the United States and globally and issue a call for real action to combat it.

Hatred and bigotry against one community are often only a symptom of a deeper problem affecting all ethnic, racial, and religious minorities. This resolution condemns a terrible incident, but we must condemn the underlying root cause of anti-Semitism.

I thank Congresswoman Van Duyne, my good friend, for bringing today's resolution to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, we must increase the Nonprofit Security Grant program so it can continue its essential work of protecting Jewish and other faith-based institutions across the country.

We must confirm Dr. Deborah Lipstadt as the State Department's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism to advance our efforts to combat discrimination against Jewish people worldwide.

We must denounce the alarming rise in anti-Semitism in the United States and globally and issue a call for real, concrete action.

Resolutions are nice. Sentiment is helpful. But actions speak louder than

words, and we need to come together as a Congress to make sure that worldwide it is known that the United States of America resolutely stands against anti-Semitism, not only for one instance but in all instances.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand today with my friends and colleagues as we mark the 105th anniversary since United States citizenship was granted to the people of Puerto Rico. In many ways, today is a joyous day in recognition of the decades of activism undertaken by our Puerto Rican sisters and brothers.

Yet, amidst the celebration, it is also an acknowledgement that for too long we have treated Puerto Rico and her residents as second-class citizens with laws and policies that put them at a real disadvantage. The residents of Puerto Rico, more than 3 million strong, pay Federal taxes, are U.S. citizens with U.S. passports and U.S. currency, and they have long served bravely in our military, just ask any Borinqueneer who fought valiantly in the Korean war.

Yet, the people of Puerto Rico continue to be denied equal rights, including voting representation in the United States Congress. This inequality has real consequences. As we saw so vividly in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico faced injustices that no U.S. State would ever endure.

These inequities exist not only when it comes to recovery assistance, it can be seen in tax and Medicare inequities. Put simply, these disparities are un-American. A stronger political voice can help remedy that.

Today, I stand in solidarity with my colleagues in calling for what has been long overdue: statehood for Puerto Rico.

In 2020, Puerto Ricans voted overwhelmingly in support of statehood. The Puerto Rican people should be given a chance to cast a vote where those results will be respected. Now is the time for us to listen loudly and clearly to the calls from the Puerto Rican people. It is a matter of civil rights both on the island and in the greater diaspora.

Legislators on both sides of the aisle understand how crucial it is that we fully support this effort, and I am proud to work with my friend, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, and was proud to work for many years with her predecessor, now Governor, Pedro Pierluisi. Today is proof of that.

Puerto Ricans have made their desire for statehood clear, and Congress must follow suit. I will continue fighting for statehood to ensure that every citizen's voice is heard and to give respect to the Puerto Rican people that is long overdue.

As we commemorate this 105th anniversary of citizenship for Puerto Ricans, let us remember that Puerto Rican statehood is a long overdue step toward equality and democracy for all. You cannot have true equality without full representation. We will be a better and stronger Nation when we include Puerto Rico as our 51st State.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this long-elusive, bipartisan legislation that has been years in the making. Congratulations to Chairwoman Maloney on her Herculean effort, along with Mr. Comer.

In the past 2 years, postal workers faced historic public health challenges to heroically provide a lifeline for all Americans. Just as they always deliver for us, this reform bill will deliver long-overdue reforms to allow our Postal Service to thrive.

No other entity, public or private, is required to prefund retiree health benefits for all its employees decades into the future. Only the Postal Service faces that fiscally untenable mandate, and this legislation eradicates that burden.

This reform also codifies 6-day mail delivery, which I am proud to have long fought for as an appropriator.

This consensus bill increases transparency; allows other services to be offered to its customers; and expands special rates for newspapers, to help these vital community watchdogs thrive. These are all commonsense reforms.

As we build on it, the next steps should require that Members be able to conduct oversight at postal facilities without prior notice and allow designation of single ZIP Codes for cities like Hollywood and Cooper City, Florida, in my district, where assigned ZIP Codes overlap jurisdictions.

Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this critical legislation to help the Postal Service better serve the American people.