Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6387) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a school security coordinating council, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 6387, the School and Daycare Protection Act.

Over the years, we have seen horrific school shootings from Columbine to Sandy Hook to Parkland.

As a father of triplets, I cannot imagine the pain of those who have lost loved ones to school violence.

As I look back at my time leading the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, I take pride in the work that we did in the school security space.

Under my leadership, school security was, for the first time in Congress, viewed as a homeland security issue.

The Department of Homeland Security certainly takes that view, too. My bill, the School and Daycare Protection Act, recognizes that there are a diverse range of DHS entities with school and campus security responsibilities and seeks to ensure that activities are coordinated.

H.R. 6387 establishes a standing council within DHS to coordinate school security activities, plans, and policies, and requires DHS to report to Congress about the council's activities.

Additionally, it authorizes DHS to participate in the government-wide SchoolSafety.gov clearinghouse.

Within DHS, there are some incredibly useful school security strategies, tools, and research being produced.

CISA published a K-12 School Security Guide. Secret Service put out an operational guide for preventing targeted school violence. And FEMA maintains a multi-hazard toolkit to help school officials manage everything from tornadoes to active shooters.

H.R. 6387 would help ensure that such DHS school security efforts are coordinated to get education officials actionable tools and support.

A version of this bill passed the House last Congress, and in this Congress, the committee approved it with strong bipartisan support.

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

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

I thank the gentleman for supporting this bill. We know that this is an issue that is of a bipartisan nature. We all want to make sure that our children are safe in school and between home and school.

We all have an interest in getting the best information and resources to school administrators, teachers, and parents to protect our children.

H.R. 6387 focuses on ensuring that DHS is effectively coordinating internally to help combat violence and other terrorist threats facing schools.

Consideration of H.R. 6387 is particularly timely, given how often schools continue to be targeted.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6387, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5633) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance transparency regarding reports conducted by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5633, and yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the author of this bill and the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close after the gentleman closes.

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

A transparent Office of Inspector General is a critical piece of a functional and effective Department of Homeland Security.

H.R. 5633 seeks to make the DHS OIG more transparent by requiring additional public reporting by the DHS OIG so that the public and Congress know how their tax dollars are spent and can hold the DHS Secretary and other leaders within the department accountable

for wrongdoings by the agency or its personnel.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1540) to provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to Congress regarding incidents of terrorism, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous materials on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1540, the REPORT Act.

In December of 2015, a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, left 14 people dead and 22 wounded. Local law enforcement and first responders were heroes that day, saving lives just as they do every day across this Nation.

When terrorists strike our communities, Americans understandably have questions, and they look to us, their elected Representatives, for answers.

Our constituents want to know whether there were warnings or indications of a potential attack; whether anything could have been done to prevent it; and what can be done to thwart future attacks.

H.R. 1540, the REPORT Act, authored by Congressman Pete Aguilar, seeks to ensure that Members of Congress can be more responsive to their constituents by requiring better communication by Federal agencies with Congress following an attack.

Specifically, the bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney General and the FBI Director, to submit to Congress an unclassified report within 1 year of completing a terrorism investigation.

The report, which may include a classified annex, must include a statement of facts regarding the attack; information on any homeland or national security gaps that could be addressed to prevent future attacks; and any recommendations for measures, including changes in the law, that would improve homeland or national security.

This vital information needs to be shared by the executive branch with the legislative branch to strengthen our Nation's terrorism response and prevention efforts.

H.R. 1540 is a commonsense measure, and I urge my colleagues to support it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar), the author of this commonsense legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of the time.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation faces a complex and evolving terrorism threat landscape. We all celebrate the heroic first responders who save lives when an attack occurs, but the American people also expect Congress to respond to attacks and prevent future ones.

The REPORT Act is a commonsense bill that would ensure Congress has the information necessary to do just that.

The REPORT Act received bipartisan support during the committee consideration, and an earlier version of the bill passed the House in the 115th Congress by voice vote.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1540, the REPORT Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4209) to support remediation of illicit cross-border tunnels, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous materials on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4209, the DHS Illicit Cross- Border Tunnel Defense Act.

Since 1990, more than 200 cross-border tunnels built by smugglers and transnational criminal organizations have done smuggling of illicit drugs, humans, weapons, and money, and have been discovered along the U.S. border with Mexico.

The Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2012, signed into law by President Obama, enhanced the criminal penalties for unauthorized construction,

financing, or use of a tunnel or subterranean passageway between the U.S. and another country.

Yet, since that time, transnational criminal organizations, or TCOs, continue to construct illicit cross-border tunnels in the hopes of circumventing detection by border authorities.

The tunnels are mainly used to traffic narcotics, such as heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, and facilitate the illicit movement of weapons, contraband, and currency.

Introduced by Congressman Pfluger, H.R. 4209 seeks to build upon existing law to enhance Customs and Border Protection's capacity to detect and remediate illicit cross-border tunnels. In 2013, CBP established a Tunnel Program Management Office to develop and acquire technology to detect tunnels.

With funding and technological advances, CBP has significantly increased its ability to detect the existence of tunnels. These developments have allowed the agency to progress from manual methods of detection, such as human observation of traffic patterns and routine patrol operations, to the use of sensors to detect, classify, and localize subterranean activity.

To help the Tunnel Program Management Office become more effective, H.R. 4209 provides dedicated funding and requires the development and implementation of a comprehensive and strategic approach to tunnel threats.

In addition to authorizing $1 million annually to purchase specialized material to seal the tunnels, the bill directs DHS to issue a strategic plan that addresses resource needs, including technology and staffing needs, to identify, assess, and remediate illicit tunnels.

The bill also requires the submission of a report to Congress on activities carried out to implement the strategy.

This legislation is very timely. Just as technology that allows our government to detect the existence of these illicit tunnels has improved, so has the technology used by transnational criminal organizations to construct them.

In January 2020, CBP discovered the longest smuggling tunnel ever found on the U.S.-Mexico border. The tunnel stretched for more than 4,000 feet and was equipped with a makeshift elevator, drainage and air ventilation, and high-voltage electrical cables.

The consequences of not detecting and shutting down these illicit cross-border tunnels stretch far beyond our border communities. The impact of narcotics and weapons making their way into American communities can be devastating.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4209, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close after the gentleman.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, let me just commend the gentleman from Texas for this well-thought-out legislation. The challenge of ending the scourge of drugs in our communities is complex as there are many ways these poisons come into our communities.

H.R. 4209 targets illicit cross-border tunnels. By joining me in supporting this legislation today, Members can help CBP continue to carry out its detection and remediation program in a strategic and commonsense way.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4209 seeks to make smart and bipartisan investments in our Nation's border security. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4209, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4476) to establish the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Trade and Economic Security Council and the position of Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security within the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous materials on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4476, the DHS Trade and Economic Security Council Act of 2021.

One of the Department of Homeland Security's core missions is to preserve and uphold the Nation's prosperity and economic security. However, in 2020, DHS completed an economic security assessment that found that COVID-19 ``laid bare some growing gaps in the U.S. economy, particularly around manufacturing and supply chains for tangible goods.''

To ensure the U.S. has a secure, resilient, and prosperous economy, the assessment concluded supply chain gaps that could be exploited by adversaries should be mitigated.

H.R. 4476 seeks to help minimize such vulnerabilities and enhance economic security efforts at DHS by codifying two existing entities within the Department: one, the DHS Trade and Economic Security Council and, two, the position of Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security.

H.R. 4476 specifies that the mission of the council, composed of members across the Department, is to assist the DHS Secretary with identifying risks to trade and economic security, setting priorities for the Nation's trade and economic security, and proposing changes to enhance economic security.

Additionally, H.R. 4476 outlines what the Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security's responsibilities would be to perform, including supply chain activities and enhancements.

H.R. 4476 will help enhance the reliability of our domestic supply of essential goods to secure our economy.

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

House of Representatives,

Committee on Energy and Commerce,

Washington, DC, January 27, 2022.

Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Thompson: I write concerning H.R. 4476, the

``DHS Trade and Economic Security Council Act of 2021,''

which was additionally referred to the Committee on Energy

and Commerce.

In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of

H.R. 4476, the Committee agrees to waive formal consideration

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

jurisdiction of the Committee. The Committee takes this

action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any

jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or

similar legislation, and that the Committee will be

appropriately consulted and involved as this bill or similar

legislation moves forward so that we may address any

remaining issues within our jurisdiction. I also request that

you support my request to name members of the Committee to

any conference committee to consider such provisions.

Finally, I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter

into the report on H.R. 4476.

Sincerely,

Frank Pallone, Jr.,

Chairman.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted America's economic security and exposed supply chain vulnerabilities.

As a proud New Jerseyan, I would like to acknowledge the yeoman's work the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest container port on the East Coast, has done during the pandemic to meet the demands of the growth in e-commerce and move cargo into our communities in a timely way.

As our economy continues to recover, H.R. 4476 will help ensure that DHS is well-positioned to proactively address potential threats and vulnerabilities that could be exploited by adversaries or exacerbated.

I thank my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee for unanimously supporting H.R. 4476, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Edgar Winfield Barcliff, Jr. after his passing on March 16, 2022. Edgar was a beloved husband and family man as well as a proud son of Newark, NJ.

Born in Newark in 1944, Edgar knew that helping his community and those most in need would be his life's work. He started off as a young cadet in the 1960s before he passed the examination to become an Essex County Correction Officer in 1970. He would serve a long and accomplished career at the Essex County Jail in Newark. In 1986, he became the first Correction Officer in Essex County to receive the Officer of the Year Award. Later, Edgar was the first Correction Officer from the State of New Jersey to be recognized as one of the top five Correction Officers in the country.

Edgar continued his exemplary record of service when he completed a training course for investigators at the Criminal Justice Academy's New Jersey Division. After that, he was appointed as an Investigator at the Internal Affairs Bureau. In 1996, Edgar was promoted to Sergeant and became a Supervisor in the Internal Affairs Division of the same jail where he began his career. He was active in Newark's West Ward Civic Organization and received numerous awards and commendations from federal, state, county, and municipal agencies for his contributions.

After more than 31 years of service, Edgar retired in 2002. But he continued his service with several local and national law enforcement organizations. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and the National Director and Vice Chairman of the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation (CPOF). He was committed to supporting officers and their families as they navigated through the very demanding law enforcement profession. Edgar's law enforcement and volunteer work were both personal and professional for him. He was a fierce protector of his family, neighbors, and friends and a true advocate for safer, more just neighborhoods and community service. His legacy will live on through the people he touched--from the officers he mentored to the people in Newark and surrounding communities that he served to the family he loved.

Madam Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating his life of public service and extend my deepest condolences to his spouse, children, grandchildren, great-grandchild, cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Elnardo Webster after his passing on March 22, 2022. Elnardo was a beloved School Superintendent, devoted husband and father, and a proud member of the West Orange community.

Dr. Webster was born on March 6, 1948, in Jersey City, NJ. He earned a B.S. and M.A. from Saint Peter's University and, in 2000, he received a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University. While a student, he played a pivotal role on the renowned 1967-68 ``Run Baby Run'' men's basketball team. Dr. Webster went on to play professional basketball for seven years with the New York Nets, Memphis Pros, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Eastern League for the New York Knicks, In 2018, Dr. Webster was named to a list of the top 25 men's college basketball players in New Jersey's history.

Following a distinguished career in education, Dr. Webster retired as superintendent for Roselle Public Schools and became a consultant for the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education as a Highly Skilled Professional. Of late, Dr. Webster served as director for Saint Peter's Center for After School and Expanded Learning (C.A.S.E.L). He was a former council member of the West Orange Township Council and a former commissioner of the Hudson County Freeholders.

Dr. Webster also served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Saint Peter's University, a member of the Trustee Board of the Ethics Committee New Jersey Supreme Court District VI, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Urban League of Hudson County, a member of the King Solomon Masonic Lodge No. 19, and a member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Chapter Anthropos. He will be greatly missed by his wife Sandra Webster, his two sons Elnardo and Damarko Webster, and his entire extended family.

Madam Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the life of Dr. Elnardo Webster.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman for giving me this opportunity because I wanted my colleagues on the other side to see what an insulin patient looks like. You are looking at him.

I need insulin in order to stay alive. The boot that I am wearing is not a fashion decision, it is because I have a diabetic ulcer on my foot, the fourth one I have had in 7 years.

I have left my insulin in New Jersey, gone to the drugstore when I arrived down here in Washington, and said: I need insulin. They said: Well, Mr. Payne, your insurance isn't ready to cover it. I said: Well, that is all right. I am doing okay in life, I will pay for it. She goes back, she gets the bag and hands it to me and says: $348. What happens to the people that are not at the level of a Member of Congress? Think about that. It is $12 in Canada.

We are asking for it to be three times higher than it is in Canada. Think about that. I live it every single day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Affordable Insulin Now Act.

In America, a unit of insulin costs almost $100. I paid $348 for a vial. Across the border in Canada, it costs $12 for the same insulin.

This enormous price difference causes diabetics to take drastic steps to survive. They ration their insulin to make it last. Some of them stop taking it for days to save money. These are life-threatening financial decisions.

As a diabetic myself, I know the importance of insulin to daily life. This boot on my foot is not a fashion choice. It is for a diabetic ulcer that I have been fighting for 8 months, and I have had seven in 10 years. I am one of the more than 37 million diabetics in America.

If we can cap insulin payments to $35 per month, it saves lives. That is why we need the Affordable Insulin Now Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to praise a sensational basketball team from my district. Saint Peter's University is a small, exceptional school in Jersey City, New Jersey.

This year, Coach Shaheen Holloway's Peacocks became the first 15th seed to reach the Elite Eight of the men's NCAA basketball tournament.

In the first round, the Peacocks shocked the world when they upset Kentucky, the number 2 seed and college basketball powerhouse. They did it again when they beat Murray State and Purdue to get to the Elite Eight.

I was honored to watch the comeback victory over Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen. I did it as a Congressman and proud parent of two Saint Peter's graduates, my sons, Donald III and Jack.

Saint Peter's University will be remembered as one of the most successful teams in the NCAA tournament history, and I am extremely proud to have it in my district.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for those wonderful remarks and her continued leadership here in the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss health equity disparities in America. Today, American minorities do not get the same quality of healthcare as our White counterparts, and it causes too many of them to die needlessly every single day. It is a problem that we must solve immediately.

The numbers tell the story. African Americans are 24 percent more likely to die in this country than White Americans.

The average life expectancy for a White American male is 75. For Black American males, it is about 71.

African Americans between 18 and 49 years old are twice as likely to die from heart disease than our White counterparts.

African Americans between 35 and 64 years old are 50 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than our counterparts.

One out of every five African-American deaths could have been prevented if they received the same level of healthcare as White Americans.

This should not be a surprise to anyone. Research shows that Black Americans receive less and lower quality care

than White Americans for a variety of ailments.

One study of 400 U.S. hospitals found that African Americans with heart disease received cheaper and older treatments than White Americans, not the newest technology available. They were less likely to receive coronary bypass operations. If they were lucky enough to receive surgery, they were discharged earlier regardless of post- surgery health conditions.

More than that, African-American women are less likely to receive a mastectomy or radiation therapy if they are diagnosed with breast cancer.

These disturbing facts are just part of the reason we need the Health Equity and Accountability Act. It would invest in solutions to make sure that all Americans had access to quality healthcare. It would help diversify our country's medical workforce to improve the care in marginalized communities. And it would eliminate the gaps in medical insurance coverage, particularly for Medicare and Medicaid recipients.

This is not all we must do. I am working diligently to improve the health disparities in how we treat colorectal cancer and limb amputations in this country. Colorectal cancer is the second-highest cause of cancer deaths and the fourth-highest cause of new cancers nationwide. This year, an estimated 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. More than 52,000 people will die from it.

It is an even greater problem in minority communities. African Americans are 20 percent more likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer than White Americans. They are more likely to die from this deadly disease.

Yet, colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer if detected early. That is why I am taking action to save lives from this dreaded disease.

In the 116th Congress, my Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act was signed into law. It allows Medicare to cover procedures to remove cancerous growths, or polyps, during routine colorectal cancer screenings, called colonoscopies.

In addition, I introduced the Colorectal Cancer Payment Fairness Act to provide this new coverage by the end of 2023.

We must introduce more legislation and take more actions to encourage more colorectal and other cancer screenings and save lives.

Another area of health disparity is limb amputations, specifically limb amputations related to peripheral artery disease, or PAD. It is a disease of the arteries that is related to conditions that cause heart attacks. It can cause blockages in the arms and legs that could lead to amputations.

There are more than 200,000 PAD patients who lose limbs to this disease every single year. It is even worse in minority communities, as usual.

African Americans are three times more likely to have a limb amputated than other Americans. These patients are less likely to receive the proper screenings and treatment for PAD compared to White patients.

Too few doctors who serve minority communities even know about PAD, so they miss the warning signs in patients that could have prevented amputations. But when they understand PAD, doctors can order a vascular screening and target it specifically.

I cofounded the bipartisan Congressional Colorectal Cancer Caucus and also the bipartisan Congressional PAD Caucus to create more awareness of these diseases.

Awareness is key, but we must do more to close the gap in healthcare coverage and treatment. We must give all Americans access to the best medical care. It will save thousands of lives every year in America, and it is simply the right thing to do.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to praise a great man from my district after his passing recently. Donald Harris was a developer with a conscience, a visionary, a dreamer, a thinker. He helped rebuild Newark and created housing projects in areas that needed redevelopment.

His housing projects were more than just buildings. Mr. Harris used them to educate new residents on proper homeownership and how to move forward in this economy to sustain their lives. He made sure his projects created more opportunities for African Americans and other minorities. That is why he earned the Golden Broom Award for improving Newark's quality of life.

He was a man whose faith guided him to help those in need. He was an example for all of us to follow.

Madam Speaker, I am here to honor Donald Laverne Harris for a life well lived.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to condemn the actions of Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona and support this resolution.

There have been many times when I have stood on this floor and disagreed with my Republican colleagues. At times, I have done so with passion. But I have never supported or promoted violence against any of them. The vast majority of my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, have shown that they feel the same way.

We know that there is a line that cannot be crossed when it comes to how we refer to our political rivals, and Representative Gosar has crossed that line. He crossed it when he created a video that depicts attacking President Joe Biden and killing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

This behavior is unacceptable from any Member of Congress. It would not be tolerated in any workplace in the country, and it should not be tolerated here.

That is why we must censure Representative Gosar and remove him from his committees. We must show the country that inappropriate actions, like his video, have consequences. We must remind all Members that there is a certain decorum to how we treat each other that must be respected at all times. We must show the country that we can debate as Democrats and Republicans but still respect each other as Americans.

Madam Speaker, I heard the gentleman from Florida mention Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. Yes, it is true that they are cartoons, but neither one of them can pick up a gun. Congressman Gosar can.

Madam Speaker, during Roll Call Vote Number 293 on H.R. 4350, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, I mistakenly recorded my vote as YEA when I should have voted NAY.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, my proxy holder was detained and unable to cast a vote for me. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Rollcall No. 227.