Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sharon Leatrice (Karr) Ritzman of Golden, Colorado who passed away on February 8, 2021.

Sharon's childhood was spent in Omaha, Nebraska. After graduating high school in Nebraska, Sharon went on to attend the University of Iowa. There she was an active member of Pi Beta Phi and graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Shortly thereafter, Sharon married Vern Ritzman on August 28, 1965 in Omaha, NE. Following their wedding, Sharon accompanied Vern on his career path of family medicine, all the while holding a variety of meaningful positions herself. Sharon's accomplishments include chief operator for Northwestern Bell Telephone in Sioux City and Iowa City, Iowa; client advocate with the Colorado Job Corps; special assistant to the United States Air Force Red Horse Officer Corps at Osan Air Force Base in Korea ('68-'69 Pueblo Incident); healthcare quality assurance consultant for Northrop Corporation ('84 Saudi Arabia); office manager of Vern's practice, president of both the Clear Creek Valley and Colorado Medical Society Auxiliaries, and an advocate for child health issues through the American Medical Association.

Sharon became active in the community in which she and Vern raised their family--Wheat Ridge, Colo. She owned a ladies' boutique, Stepping Out, where her daughter helped to manage the store and created memories there together until Sharon's retirement in 2004. During retirement, Sharon and Vern traveled the world and enjoyed time with their family and friends.

Sharon was a devoted wife and loving mother and grandmother. Sharon is survived by her husband of fifty years Dr. Vern Ritzman; son Michael Ritzman of Breckenridge, Colo.; daughter Michelle (Matt) Spidell, of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; grandson Trevor Ritzman of Lakewood, Colo.; and furry granddaughters Daisy and Maya.

I appreciate and thank her for her lifetime of service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joe ``Val'' Valentin Vigil of Thornton, Colorado who passed away on February 5, 2021.

Val, as he was known, was born on July 9, 1947 in Taos, New Mexico to Manuel Vigil and Felicia Vallejos. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and secondary education from Adams State University in 1971. Val went on to start his own financial consulting business, Vigil & Company, which he continued operating until his passing.

Val served in local and state government in Colorado for many years. I had the pleasure of working with him when he was a State Representative for House District 32 and during his tenure as a Thornton City Councilmember for eight years--two of which he was Mayor Pro Tem. Beginning in the 1970's, Val became active in the Democratic party for many years where he advocated for the Latino community and issues such as education. During his term in the Colorado State Legislature from 1999 to 2006, he became known for his legacy of promoting higher educational opportunities for students across Colorado. One of Val's lasting impacts on Colorado was his work to pass the ASSET Bill (Senate Bill 13-033), which grants in-state tuition to undocumented students.

In addition to his service in state and local government, Val served on the Board of Trustees for Adams State University from 2011 through 2019. He was an active member of the Adams State Denver Alumni Chapter, and volunteered many hours at local schools as a guest speaker. He was in high demand to speak on immigration issues and was considered an expert on the topic, as he was the first legislator in Colorado to introduce the in-state tuition legislation in 2000.

Val was known and admired for his passion for community service and his dedication to expanding educational opportunities and advocating for issues important to Colorado's Latino community. Val was a devoted husband and a loving father and grandfather. He loved camping, fishing, gardening, and spending time with his family. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Celina Annabelle Vigil, children Nadine (Sammy) Cordova and Valerie Vigil, and grandchildren Brandon, Jared (Brianne), and Amanda (Jorge) and one great grandchild, Hazel. I am deeply grateful for his lifetime of service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Carl Cerveny of Wheat Ridge, Colorado who passed away on January 27, 2021.

Carl Albert Cerveny was born on October 11, 1929. He attended Columbine Elementary School, Smiley Middle School and graduated from East High in 1947. He then enrolled at the University of Colorado as a second-generation CU student in the business school and graduated with a degree in marketing in 1951.

In 1957, Carl helped to found the Wheat Ridge Optimist Club. Being a founding member was no coincidence, with family and friends frequently describing Carl as one of the most optimistic people they knew. He ran their annual Optimist Pancake Supper for 60 years and served as president of the club twice. In 2010, the Club established the Carl Cerveny Scholarship Fund for graduates of Wheat Ridge High School.

Carl was known and admired for his passion for community service and his dedication to the Wheat Ridge community. He played an active role in enforcing the special election provision of the TABOR amendment in the city. Carl served on the board of the Westridge Sanitation District for 10 years, also serving as its president, and also served on the Planning Commission of Wheat Ridge for 10 years. In 1997, he walked the entire length of Wheat Ridge with his wife, Gretchen, when she ran and was elected the Mayor of Wheat Ridge.

Carl had a separate career running the Scotchman Restaurant in Wyoming. After the closure of the restaurant in 1977, Carl began his second career in real estate. After earning a Broker Certification from the University of Colorado and working for several agencies, Carl owned/operated Carl Cerveny Realty until he retired in 1999. Carl served on the Legislative Committee of the Colorado Association of Realtors and was honored with the Political Service Award by the Jefferson County Association of Realtors in 1991.

Carl was a devoted husband and a loving father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Gretchen, along with their three children and families: daughter Mara Marks, husband Stephen and their son Colby; daughter Carla Rail, husband Anton and their son Jacob, daughter Martha, and son Nathan with his wife Emily; son Chris Cerveny, wife Lorie Chandler and their sons Chandler and Chase. I appreciate and thank him for his lifetime of service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Captain David Sagel of the Westminster Fire Department who passed away on January 24, 2021 after courageously battling work-related cancer for more than a year and a half.

Captain Sagel served in the Westminster Fire Department for 34 years, in roles as a firefighter and engineer to lieutenant and captain. Throughout his career, Captain Sagel was best known for his passion for community service. In his off-duty time, he instituted and led a foster home renovation program where he worked with Adams and Jefferson Counties to identify foster homes in need of repairs and recruited the help of other fire department members and local businesses to assist in renovating them at no cost to the families. For many years, he served as the organizer for the ``Hot Times KOOL Cars'' event in conjunction with KOOL 105.1 FM, which was an annual car show that raised money for Children's Hospital of Colorado.

Captain Sagel's passing during Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month is an important reminder to redouble Congress' efforts to prevent occupational cancers of firefighters and invest in additional healthcare research and development of new safety equipment to protect firefighters as they work to protect our communities.

Captain Sagel was a beloved and devoted husband and a loving father. He was a master craftsman who loved woodworking and restoring cars and tractors. He spent his free time

fishing with his boys and father, traveling the world with his wife and close friends, and making a mess in his barn.

Captain Sagel is survived by his wife, Pam, and his two sons Spenser and Austin. I appreciate his lifetime of service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Harry T. Lewis, Jr., a long-time Denver business and civic leader, who passed away on November 11, 2020.

Harry was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Margretta (Borrmann) and Harry T. Lewis. The family moved to Denver when Harry was two years old. Harry attended East High School and earned his A.B. in Art History from Dartmouth College and his M.B.A from the Amos Tuck School of Business in 1956. He was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and spent most of his service stationed in Honolulu, HI.

Harry began his career in Denver in 1959 as a C.P.A and spent the bulk of his career as an Investment Banker in Denver with Boettcher & Co. and Dain Bosworth. In 1990, he established his own firm, Lewis Investments. Throughout his life and career, he held strong beliefs in the importance of giving back to the city and state he loved. He invested substantial time and expertise to multiple non-profit and civic organizations, guided by his viewpoint we should all strive to improve our quality of life and better the City of Denver. Harry served on numerous community boards including the Boettcher Foundation, Colorado Outward Bound School, C.S.U. Research Foundation, Colorado Forum, Dartmouth Association of the Great Divide, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Denver, Inc. and The Stapleton Foundation. In his personal life, he was an avid skier and fly fisherman, loved fine art, good wine and opera, and was a passionate gardener.

Harry Lewis was predeceased by his beloved wife, Tanya (deLuise) Lewis (2001) and a son, Colin M. Lewis (2016), and is survived by his son, Kevin H. Lewis, his daughter Valerie Lewis Savoie, and grandchildren Derek and Connor Lewis, Isabelle and Duncan Lewis and Julia and Cael McCarthy. I appreciate his lifetime service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lee Moss Kutner who passed away surrounded by family on December 18, 2020.

Lee was born in Niagara Falls, New York in 1955. When he was nine, his family moved to Oak Park, Michigan. When in college, Lee's parents later moved to Denver, Colorado. Lee graduated from the University of Michigan in 1976 and then went on to graduate from the National Law Center of George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1980.

Following his graduation, Lee moved to Denver and began as an associate in a law practice in 1981, in short time becoming a partner. He later became the primary shareholder in Kutner Brinen, PC where he enjoyed 37 years practicing corporate reorganization and bankruptcy law with his partner and friend, Jeff Brinen. Lee pushed the practice of bankruptcy law forward, setting precedent, speaking at conferences, and publishing chapters in respected legal texts.

Lee was a beloved and devoted husband of 38 years and was a loving, father, and grandfather.

He never missed a moment in the lives of his children and never missed a moment to celebrate his wife. He was brilliant, honest, and kind. He told his family he loved them every day, and it was the last thing he told them before he passed.

Lee is survived by his wife, Cynthia, his children, Justin (Jennifer Sisk), Alyssa, Mia, and his grandson Charles Julian Kutner. He is also survived by his sister, Roslyn Zigmond, and many sisters and brothers- in-law and nieces and nephews. I appreciate his lifetime service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize William (Peter) W. Grant, III, who passed away surrounded by family on December 12, 2020.

Peter was born in New York to W.W. Grant III (Bill) and Katherine (Kocie) O'Connor in 1932. He attended Phillips Academy, Andover MA and Yale University, graduating with a degree in English. While at Yale, he met Rhondda Lowery and they were married in 1955. They moved to New York City where he had started his career at Bankers Trust Company in 1954. Together they moved to his parents' hometown of Denver in 1958. He attended Harvard University's two summers-long Advanced Management Program in the mid '70s, widening his ever-growing circle of friends and associates worldwide.

A nearly lifelong Colorado resident, he retired in 1993 from his position as Chairman of the Colorado National Bank of Denver and Colorado National Bancshares after a 35-year career there. He rose from bond trader to President and Chairman, over years that brought a multitude of changes in banking from a single branch to holding companies; the addition of a credit card issuer (Rocky Mountain BankCard); interstate banking and finally a sale to First Bank Systems (now USBank) in 1993.

His second career as a devoted philanthropist and advisor spanned over many years. He was a Director of Plains Petroleum and Barrett Resources. He served on, often chairing, the Boards of The Gates (rubber) Family Foundation, The Denver Museum of Nature and Science (formerly the Denver Museum of Natural History), The Nature Conservancy of Colorado, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Episcopal Church Foundation, Four Mile Historic Park, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy (formerly the Rocky Mountain Nature Association), the Illif School of Theology, the Midwest Research institute, Colorado Energy Science Center, KRMA-TV, Channel Six, as well as an active vestryman and Senior Warden for St. Barnabas Episcopal Church (of Denver). He was active in the Andover Alumni Association and funded a scholarship.

With his wife of 65 years, Rhondda, they supported the Smithsonian American History Museum providing lead funding on the Jefferson Bible conservation and printing and the Abraham Lincoln exhibit at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. They have been significantly involved in the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, supporting the Gates Summer Internship Program as well as other initiatives in stem cell research there. Most recently, they were one of three sponsors of the Denver presentation of American Democracy: a Great Leap of Faith developed by the National Museum of American History and currently on exhibit at the History of Colorado Center. He stood with integrity, honesty, intelligence and admirable devotion to his large Grant family and his friends with a great sense of humor.

Peter was a long-time steward of Grant family interests in Colorado properties. His father Bill initiated development of their parents farm property southwest of Denver in the early '80s. Peter and two other family branch representatives entered into a partnership with Jordan Perlmutter to develop a number of shopping centers at the sites. One family branch resides in England; Peter was instrumental in persuading British Airways to open daily direct service to Denver. The Grant Family managing ``Senior Committee'' which he developed, survives today as a model of family investment and stewardship now serving and benefiting the 4th, 5th and 6th generations.

Peter was a devoted fan of the Colorado Rockies, both the hockey team (now the New Jersey Devils) and his beloved baseball team. He is survived by his wife Rhondda, their three daughters: Hallidie Haid (Don), Deirdre Mercurio (Jim) and Liza Grant, as well as six grandchildren: Relly, Wes, Marielle, MacKenzie, Patrick and Caleigh. I appreciate his lifetime service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jeff Dorschner of the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Colorado, for his more than 20 years of service to the state and people of Colorado.

Throughout Jeff's time with the U.S. Attorney General's office, he has had many different responsibilities and roles--from Spokesman and Public Affairs Specialist to a Member of the Executive Management Team. He is best known and will be remembered for his hard work and dedication to the office and the people it serves.

During his tenure, Jeff handled media relations for the office on issues large or small, and no matter what time or day of the week. This required Jeff to know about all office activities, stay up to date with major investigations and law enforcement events, and be well versed in all offices policies and programs. He served as a spokesperson on many diverse subjects, ranging from criminal law to civil law and financial litigation, and served as a credible voice on behalf of the U.S. Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorneys. He developed long-standing, close relationships with members of the news media, referred to by many reporters upon his retirement as one of the state's ``top-tier'' Public Information Officers (PIO), always helpful, trustworthy and responsive.

In his role in public affairs and as part of the Executive Management team, Jeff provided sound advice and counsel to the U.S. Attorney as well as responded to citizen inquiries. On occasion, Jeff would also handle inquiries from Members of Congress or state or local elected officials. Jeff was on duty on 9/11/2001 and was subsequently assigned as the Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Attorney's Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee (ATAC).

During his tenure with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jeff coordinated more than ten different visits by other U.S. Attorneys General as well as visits by the Deputy Attorneys General of the United States. He served four Presidents (Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump) along with many presidential appointed and acting U.S. Attorneys (Tom Strickland, Richard ``Dick'' Spriggs, John Suthers, William ``Bill'' Leone, Troy Eid, David Gaouette, John Walsh, Bob Troyer and Jason Dunn).

I want to extend my deepest appreciation for Jeff's long career in public service and countless contributions to our community. I wish him the best in retirement and future endeavors

Madam Speaker, I am filled with sadness and anger following the attack on the U.S. Capitol today. It is the result of a fever that has been building for weeks, months and years and which has only been further incited by President Trump. Today is a point of inflection and reflection, and we need to say enough. This only strengthens our resolve to get the Electoral Votes counted and certified and continue with a peaceful transition of power, as has been a hallmark of our nation.

The vote was decisive. Despite the ongoing pandemic, we saw a historic 158 million Americans vote. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won 306 votes in the Electoral College after earning the support of more than 81 million Americans. After 60 failed lawsuits and dozens of recounts, there is not one shred of evidence of major fraud in this election. Yet ever since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won this election, there has been a concerted effort to overturn the will of the voters. These objections are unfounded, absurd and dangerous. They are contrary to 60 courts which denied claims of fraud or vote improprieties. I am saddened to see many of my colleagues continue to peddle these lies and falsehoods instead of supporting the peaceful transition of power enshrined in our Constitution.

Our elections are among the safest and most transparent in the world. For that, I want to thank the tens of thousands of Americans who work to secure our elections each and every year, including Colorado's elections officials and workers who continue to exemplify a successful mail-in voting system and workers for Dominion Voting Systems based in Colorado. Unfortunately, due to these baseless attacks on the election results, many of these election workers have been threatened and intimidated. Yet these poll workers did their duty and counted the votes, shepherding and overseeing one of the most fundamental and integral pillars of our democracy--free, fair and open elections.

Today, Congress resolves to complete our work in Joint Session to formally receive the votes of the Electors, which have not been disputed by any state. Our job is not to overturn the will of the voters or the states, it is simply to certify their decision on who will be the next President and Vice President of the United States. I urge all my colleagues to reject these frivolous and dangerous objections to the vote of the Electoral College and join with the country in supporting the peaceful transition of power. It's time to get back to the business of the people and of the country as we build a better future.

Madam Speaker, I was not present to vote on July 11, 2019 and July 12, 2019 due to a family obligation.

Had I been present for roll call No. 473 on passage of H.R. 2500, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, I would have voted AYE.

Had I been present for roll call No. 474 on passage of H.R. 1327, the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act, I would have voted YEA.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend the Colorado Railroad Museum on their 60th anniversary.

Railroads have played a unique role in the development and history of the state of Colorado, enabling the safe transportation of people and goods across Colorado's rugged geography and serving as the backbone of Colorado's economy and culture since 1876.

Connecting the past and future of Colorado, the Museum serves to tell the story of America from the First Nations of the region to the immigrants and their families who came after to build their new lives in Colorado. Servicing more than 100,000 visitors annually, the Museum provides hands-on educational opportunity, preserves and displays educational historical artifacts, and offers exemplary educational programs to the community including: ``Day Out with Thomas'' events for children and ``Living History'' train rides in a restored steam locomotive. Thanks to a fundraising effort the Museum has expanded their work to include a climate-controlled library to handle archival records and a roundhouse to ensure the safety of their rolling stock so generations to come may continue to enjoy them. As such they have continually ranked amongst the top 10 paid attractions in the Denver metro area and as one of the top 10 railroad museums in the United States.

The Museum has been recognized by the Smithsonian Institute and others for their work in preserving the history of the Rocky Mountain West. I extend my deepest congratulations to the Colorado Railroad Museum for their well-earned accolades and I look forward to another 60 years of their service to our community and the people of Colorado.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 389 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Woodall), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, the Rules Committee met on Monday night and reported a rule, House Resolution 389, which covers a lot of territory. It provides for consideration of H.R. 1500, the Consumers First Act under a structured rule which makes in order 17 amendments.

The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 1994, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, or the SECURE Act, under a closed rule which self-executes Chairman Neal's manager's amendment.

Additionally, the rule provides same-day authority and suspension authority through Thursday, May 23, and it provides filing authority for the Committee on Appropriations through 5 o'clock p.m., Sunday, June 2.

Finally, the rule provides recess instructions through next Friday, May 31.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 1500, the Consumers First Act, reverses the anti- consumer actions taken by this administration to ensure the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau once again serves the needs of American consumers.

More than a decade ago, the United States experienced one of the worst financial crises in our history, caused, in part, by a failure to have strong protections for consumers of financial products and services.

Through the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to be a strong and independent agency with the mandate to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices in the financial marketplace. When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was first stood up, it was a powerful ally to consumers in middle-class families across the country.

Under former Director Richard Cordray, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau returned nearly $12 billion to over 30 million consumers who were harmed, handled over 1.2 million consumer complaints about financial institutions, and implemented new safeguards to better protect consumers who utilize a wide range of consumer financial products and services.

Unfortunately, the Trump administration has politicized the agency, weakened supervision and enforcement, and reduced transparency and accountability. The Bureau has dismantled protections for Active Duty servicemembers, weakened fair lending enforcement, blocked payday loan cases, and terminated the Consumers Advisory Board. These are just a few examples of how the agency is failing to meet its mission.

The Consumers First Act would block the Trump Administration's agenda and ensure the CFPB starts working for the people once again.

Among other things, the bill would direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau leadership to reverse all anti-consumer actions taken under this administration, including resuming Military Lending Act oversight. The bill restores the supervisory and enforcement powers of the Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity. It also reestablishes a dedicated student loan office to help protect students as they find ways to finance their education. Importantly, the bill requires adequate agency staffing across the Bureau, including for supervision and enforcement.

I want to thank Chairwoman Waters for her work on this legislation, which I cosponsored and is supported by 51 consumer civil rights, housing, and labor organizations.

This rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 1994, the SECURE Act. I am also a cosponsor of this bill to make it easier for American workers to save for their future. One of my number-one priorities is ensuring all Coloradans and all Americans have the opportunity to find a good job, can afford to send their kids to college, and have something left over for their retirement.

Unfortunately, nearly half of Americans in the private sector work for an employer who does not offer a retirement plan. A 2018 study by the National Institute on Retirement Security found over 100 million people of working age have few, if any, retirement assets.

The SECURE Act is a bipartisan bill which was approved unanimously by the Ways and Means Committee, and I am eager for the House to pass this important legislation. The SECURE Act would make it easier for small businesses to offer retirement plans to their employees by eliminating outdated barriers to the use of multiple employer plans and improving the quality of these providers. This could result in hundreds of thousands of new retirement accounts to help people save.

Additionally, the bill would allow long-time part-time workers to participate in 401(k) plans and create a new tax credit to incentivize small employers to set up retirement plans for their employees. It would also add more flexibility for how long individuals could contribute to their retirement accounts, and when they must begin drawing down on those accounts.

This legislation is a big step forward in helping Americans save and prepare for retirement, and I am proud to support it. I urge all of my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I will start where my friend from Georgia just left off, complaining about a tiny section in the bill that was stricken in the Rules Committee. He is correct, because there are individuals within our Caucus who don't think it is appropriate. The bill, however, has dozens of provisions that benefit Americans of every stripe, millions of people.

I would say to my friend from Georgia, if he feels so strongly about it, then bring it up in a motion to recommit. It isn't the last statement here. If my friend wants to see how many people want to vote for this, then certainly bring it up there.

Otherwise, as my friend said, this was a major step forward on retirement security for so many Americans. The perfect shouldn't be the enemy of the good because the bill, the SECURE Act, advances that.

Secondly, I wish Representative Maloney was still in the chair, Madam Speaker, because she would recognize, as it applies to the Consumers First Act, that the purpose of having a single agency focus on consumers first was so important because we saw that by having certain activities handled by the Housing and Urban Development Department, others handled by the Federal Reserve, and others handled by the Federal Trade Commission, consumers were not being protected. Much of that failure to protect--shark practices in the credit card industry and bad practices in the mortgage industry--led to the recession that we faced back in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

The purpose of having an independent agency like the CFPB was to avoid that and put consumers first, just as H.R. 1500 is intended to do.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta).

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

Responding to my good friend from Georgia, we are going to have a chance to vote on this in the rule, and we will see whether or not a majority is in favor of the changes that were made as part of this rule package.

I would say to my friend, as part of the changes, we are adding Gold Star families and other children to this entire SECURE Act package to benefit them because in the race to give a $2 trillion tax cut to the richest Americans, the Republican Party forgot about a lot of families and a lot of children. That is being corrected in this bill and in this amendment.

I urge my friend to take another look at it because this rule does benefit Americans all across the board and all income levels.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan).

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

Madam Speaker, just in response to my friend, we have two bills that are encompassed in this rule: H.R. 1500, the Consumers First Act, and H.R. 1994, the SECURE Act.

The gentleman is focusing on one sentence out of dozens of provisions that benefit millions of Americans to complain about this rule and what was done.

Well, people get to vote on this rule. It isn't just 6 people or 10 people or 13 people. There will be 435 of us voting on whether we approve the rule or not. There are other opportunities to take care of the one sentence, if my friend is so aghast that it might be stricken in favor of dozens of other provisions, including the Gold Star family and children across America.

So, I appreciate the rhetorical abilities of my good friend from Georgia, but, quite frankly, he is missing the forest for the trees through all of this.

Secondly, H.R. 1500 is another key piece of legislation that is encompassed in this rule to really get consumers first again, as opposed to the financial services industry being first, which appears to be the effort of the Trump administration.

Madam Speaker, I would inquire of my friend from Georgia if he has any other speakers. If not, I suggest we close.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Panetta and Mrs. Trahan for joining us today to speak on this rule, the Consumers First Act, and the SECURE Act.

And, just briefly, with respect to the Consumers First Act, there are dozens and dozens of consumer, civil rights, and labor organizations supporting the Consumers First Act and how we are approaching it pursuant to this rule: Americans for Financial Reform, the Center for Responsible Lending, the Communication Workers of America, the Consumer Federation of America, and the NAACP, just to mention a few, with respect to the Consumers First Act.

With respect to the SECURE Act: AARP, SEIU, the Church Alliance, the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, the National Association of Women Business Owners.

And today is the 100th anniversary of a woman's right to vote, so here we have got the National Association of Women Business Owners, as well as the

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, TIAA-CREF, and the Air Line Pilots Association.

So we have consumer groups, insurance groups, and business groups supporting the SECURE Act so that millions more Americans can feel secure in their retirement, something that so many people feel insecure about today.

The bill has dozens and dozens of provisions. The amendment that is in the nature of the manager's amendment by Mr. Neal includes additional children, Gold Star families, a lot of people who were left out by the giant tax cut that the Republicans passed a year and a half ago to benefit the wealthiest Americans.

These two bills are important steps forward for the constituents that you represent, Madam Speaker, that the gentleman from Georgia represents, and the people I represent.

The Consumers First Act will realign the Consumer Bureau's focus as a truly independent voice protecting consumers first. We have seen what the bureau can accomplish in the millions of consumers who were helped under Director Cordray, and our constituents need the bureau to continue to focus on them.

The SECURE Act is an important bipartisan package which addresses retirement security and makes an important technical change to the GOP tax bill for Gold Star families, among others. This package was developed by both sides of the aisle and with many stakeholders.

While the other side of the aisle may be upset over one provision out of dozens and dozens of provisions, I hope they can recognize the effort that went into this package to bring both sides together and the millions of Americans who are benefited by this legislation.

These are both commonsense bills, and I look forward to their passage.

Madam Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I kind of wanted to object, but I didn't.

Madam Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Vertafore, Inc. for celebrating their 50th anniversary.

For more than fifty years, Vertafore has provided software services to the insurance industry worldwide. Founded in 1969, Vertafore was previously known as AMS Holding Group, Inc. In 2017, they relocated their headquarters to Denver, Colorado where they have created hundreds of jobs in the city and partnered with the thousands of agents across the state. The mission at Vertafore is to transform the way the industry operates by putting people at the heart of insurance technology. By focusing on their customers and delivering results you can see, they offer a level of trust and security that's at the heart of the insurance industry. It is that service and level of trust that has allowed the company to be successful for over fifty years.

To all the employees of Vertafore, congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment, and I thank them for their continued commitment to the insurance community and contribution to the state of Colorado.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Madam Chair, as we work to rebuild from hurricanes, flooding, and other natural disasters through this supplemental appropriations bill, I am glad the Appropriations Committee included funding to improve U.S. weather forecasting, modeling, and computing capabilities.

Improving our forecasting abilities can save lives and protect property, which is exactly the mission charged to the National Weather Service. My amendment adds an additional $5 million for NOAA's weather forecasting, modeling, and cloud computing programs and helps accelerate implementation of the new Earth Prediction Innovation Center, or EPIC, for short.

Congress authorized EPIC late last year to serve as a center of excellence to create an agile, focused, and measurable approach to community involvement in improving weather forecasting. The center will create a community global weather research modeling system that is publicly available to encourage collaboration. It will also strengthen NOAA's ability to undertake innovative research projects.

Importantly, EPIC has an opportunity to continue breaking down barriers by accelerating the transfer of research to operations and operations to research, which will improve our weather forecasting enterprise. Improving these capabilities will help everyone across the country, and I urge all my colleagues to support my amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano).

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman, and as there is no opposition, I will close.

Madam Chair, I would urge support for this amendment. I see my friend, Mr. Dunn, who has been in front of the Rules Committee half a dozen times on issues relating to this disaster relief bill and the impact that it has had on his State, Florida, and all of the Southeast United States and throughout the Midwest.

We have heard the gentlewoman from Texas make a great case for this bill, generally.

Madam Chair, I urge support of my amendment, and I urge support of the overall disaster relief bill. We need it now, not later.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Teacher Appreciation Week and honor all who inspire and motivate our children every day.

I want to thank all the wonderful and dedicated teachers across Colorado and the country, including my wife, Nancy, and my sister, Cassie, who are both public schoolteachers. I have witnessed firsthand their commitment to their students and their schools.

Being a teacher is a tough job, but one of the most important. We all have teachers who pushed us, counseled us, or took a friend or family member under their wing and shaped our lives.

Nowadays, too often, our teachers, in addition to teaching and educating us, have to protect and defend us. We have had that instance recently in Colorado.

The passion for education shown by teachers in Colorado and across the country is amazing. I look forward to working with my colleagues to invest in our schools, reduce class sizes, and ensure our teachers have the resources they need to educate the next generation.