Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support this amendment. The amendment requires navigators to receive training on how to assist consumers with Medicaid and CHIP enrollment.

This amendment has also been scored by the Congressional Budget Office to have no effect on direct spending or revenue.

The health insurance navigator's program was created by the Affordable Care Act to assist individuals with selecting and enrolling in health insurance coverage plans.

They were intended to carry out public education activities, provide information to prospective enrollees about insurance options and Federal assistance, and examine enrollees' eligibility for other Federal or State healthcare programs.

Fundamentally, their responsibility was to help people make the best healthcare decisions for themselves and their families.

Unfortunately, this essential program has been targeted in recent years, among others. The administration has slashed the open enrollment period in half, slashed funding for consumer outreach and enrollment education activities by 90 percent, and slashed funding for navigators by 84 percent.

Because of this intentional sabotage, enrollment in the Federal marketplace has dropped each year under this Presidency.

In my home State of Texas, we are, unfortunately, deeply familiar with the consequences of the lack of health insurance.

Texas has the highest rate of uninsured people in the Nation, with 4.7 million people lacking coverage and adequate access to healthcare.

As representatives of Americans from all corners of the country, we have a responsibility to ensure that our constituents and communities are knowledgeable and can access the health insurance best suited for their individual health needs.

By voting in favor of this amendment, Congress will ensure that navigators are fully equipped and informed to assist our families and children with their potential options within the Medicaid and CHIP programs.

I appreciate my colleagues on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and their partnership in expanding training requirements for navigators, and in the Strengthening Healthcare and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act.

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

Mr. Chairman, I have no further statements, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and thank Imam Omar Suleiman for offering the opening prayer before the House of Representatives this afternoon.

Imam Suleiman is a world renowned scholar and theologically driven activist for human rights. He is the Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and a professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University. He's also the resident scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center and Co-Chair Emeritus of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square, a multi-faith coalition of clergy for peace and justice. He frequently writes for CNN, USA Today, The Guardian, HuffPo, and The Dallas Morning News.

His career started in his hometown of New Orleans where he served as the Imam of the Jefferson Muslim Association in New Orleans for 6 years and directed the ``Muslims for Humanity'' Hurricane Katrina Relief effort. It was during this time that he was recognized on a national level as being a strong advocate of community service, interfaith dialogue, and social justice. He co-founded the East Jefferson Interfaith Clergy Association and was awarded for his outstanding civic achievement by the Mayor and City Council of New Orleans in 2010. He's also the founder of MUHSEN, a non-profit umbrella organization serving the community to establish a more inclusive ``Special Friendly'' environment for our brothers & sisters of all disabilities.

In July 2016, he marched with demonstrators in Dallas against the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. In the wake of the tragic shooting of officers after that protest, he was chosen to lead the invocation at the Presidential memorial alongside former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. The D-Magazine published a feature on him titled ``The Religious Leader Dallas Needs.'' His work in bringing people together was the subject of a BBC documentary in 2016, and work with refugees in Syria featured in PBS in January 2017, and in 2016, he was a recipient of the United Nations Global Goals Award with Faith Forward Dallas. He led the airport protests in Dallas against President Trump's Muslim ban in 2017; led a group of clergy to the Mexico border that intercepted a bus of children taken from their parents under the family separation policy; and has worked closely with the families of the victims of police brutality to amplify their cause. Most recently, he was recognized by CNN as one ofthe 25 most influential Muslims in America and included amongst the Frederick Douglass 200 most influential Americans whose modern day work embodies the legacy of the great abolitionist.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Imam Sulieman for offering the opening prayer before the House of Representatives and to recognize the commencement of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal. He offers counsel and religious guidance to many Muslims in my district and throughout the north Texas region.

We are fortunate to live in a nation that embraces religious diversity and interfaith understanding. I am proud to have introduced a resolution to recognize the commencement of Ramadan and to commend the Muslim community in the United States and throughout the world for their faith.

Mr. Chair, I want to voice my support for H.R. 986, the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019.

This legislation will rescind the administration's October 2018 Section 1332 waiver guidance, which is an essential step to protect pre-existing conditions and prevent the loss of comprehensive coverage plans. We will ensure that our constituents will be able to access the essential health benefits guaranteed under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

As representatives of Americans from all corners of our country, we have a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in our communities. We must ensure that our constituents, many with pre- existing conditions, are not placed at risk of losing their health insurance coverage or fall victim to plans which fail to offer essential health benefits.

As the first registered nurse elected to the United States Congress, I am proud to safeguard the healthcare of my constituents and all Americans through my support of the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Taiwan Assurance Act and to recognize the 40th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. Taiwan has made great strides over the past forty years becoming a beacon of democracy and individual freedom.

The Taiwan Assurance Act reaffirms the United States' strong commitment to Taiwan, and takes necessary steps to ensure that the friendship between the people of the United States and Taiwan continues to grow. Furthermore, this bill recognizes Taiwan's contributions in various areas such as global health and makes it the policy of the United States to advocate for Taiwan's inclusion in the United Nations and other international organizations such as the World Health Assembly.

It was an honor to travel to Taiwan last month with a few of my colleagues to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act and to witness the opening of the new facility for the American Institute in Taiwan.

While our relationship remains unofficial, enacted legislation such as the Taiwan Travel Act will allow high level officials from both governments to travel and meet with their counterparts, allowing both parties to foster and strengthen the important relationship we share.

Mr. Speaker, in these rapidly changing times across the world, it is important and even more necessary for us to recognize and appreciate our allies who carry a strong belief in democracy and human rights. Taiwan is a prime example of that and I commend them for the progress they have made over the past forty years. I look forward to seeing this relationship continue and strengthen over time.

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the STEM Opportunities Act of 2019 with the ranking member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Mr. Frank Lucas.

The goal of our legislation is to develop and implement evidence- based policies to promote the progress of

women and minorities and other groups underrepresented in STEM studies and research careers.

The result is a bipartisan bill that attempts to systematically address the full suite of issues facing both female and minority STEM researchers, from work/life balance policies, to campus climate, to better data collection, to recruitment and retention practices.

Our economic future relies on what we do now to nurture the STEM talent that will be necessary to meet the demands of an increasingly technological and knowledge-based economy.

I want to thank Ranking Member Lucas for joining me in introducing this bill, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to please join us. I include my full remarks on this legislation for the Record.

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the STEM Opportunities Act of 2019. A very similar bill passed the House as part of the America Competes Act of 2010, but unfortunately did not make it into the enacted law. As a result, every Congress since then, I have worked hard to keep the legislation updated and to convince my colleagues of the urgency of the challenges this bill addresses. Today I am reintroducing this bill with Ranking Member of the Science Committee, Frank Lucas. The goal of our legislation is to develop and implement evidence-based policies to promote the progress of women, minorities, and other groups underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies and research careers.

The need for full engagement in STEM by women and underrepresented groups goes beyond enabling individuals to fulfill their dreams of becoming a scientist. Our economic future relies on what we do now to nurture the STEM talent that will be necessary to meet the demands of an increasingly technological and knowledge-based economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that STEM employment is the fastest growing sector, with computer science and engineering jobs among the fastest growing STEM occupations.

If things continue as they are now, however, I fear we will be ill equipped to fill these jobs. We are nineteen years into the 21st century and the demographics of the STEM workforce do not reflect the diversity of the nation. In 2017, women earned only 20 percent of bachelor's degrees in engineering and 19 percent in computer science. Black and Hispanic students are similarly underrepresented in these fields at the undergraduate level, and the problem is even more pronounced in STEM faculty. Women hold only 26 percent of all tenured and tenure-track positions, while Black and Hispanic faculty combined hold a dismal 6.8 percent of these positions. We need to leverage all of our human capital if we are to achieve the necessary capacity to innovate and to discover.

The STEM Opportunities Act is focused on identifying and lowering barriers for those who have already chosen a STEM path. First, so that we better understand the nature and scope of the challenges, the STEM Opportunities Act requires more comprehensive demographic data collection on the recipients of federal research awards and on STEM faculty at U.S. universities. These data would be available to researchers to study the participation and trajectories of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM so that policy makers can design more effective policies and practices to reduce barriers.

Next, this bill requires the development of consistent federal policies, such as no-cost award extensions, for recipients of federal research awards who have caregiving responsibilities, including care for a newborn or newly adopted child and care for a sick family member. The bill also requires consistent federal guidance to grant reviewers and program officers on best practices to minimize the effects of implicit bias in the review of federal research grants. It requires OSTP to develop guidance for universities and Federal laboratories to aid them in identifying any cultural and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment, retention, and achievement of women, minorities, rural students, and other underrepresented groups in academic and government STEM research careers and in developing and implementing current best practices for reducing such barriers. Finally, the legislation authorizes NSF to award grants to universities to implement or expand research-based practices targeted specifically at increasing the recruitment and retention of minority students and faculty.

Mr. Speaker, in developing this legislation, we solicited extensive input from governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to ensure that the guidance and requirements reflect today's needs and opportunities without unduly burdening our research universities. The result is a bipartisan bill that attempts to systematically address the full suite of issues facing both female and minority STEM researchers, from work-life balance policies, to campus climate, to better data collection, to recruitment and retention practices. This bill proposes concrete and evidence-based solutions to the indisputable reality that our nation continues to fall well short of engaging our entire talent pool in STEM careers. That disparity in our STEM workforce will continue to have real and increasing consequences for our economic and national security if we do not begin to implement scalable solutions soon.

I want to thank Ranking Member Lucas for joining me in introducing this bill and for contributing his good ideas to make the bill even better. I urge the rest of our colleagues to join us and to help us move this legislation forward into law.

Madam Speaker, as the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I am proud to have the opportunity to donate a direct descendant of the apple tree that inspired Sir Isaac Newton's theory of gravity to Billy Earl Dade Middle School in honor of Arbor Day 2019. In the past several years, Billy Earl Dade Middle School has become a national example of how strong campus leadership and the surrounding community can vastly improve the quality of education and experience offered to students.

I'd like to thank the National Institute of Standards and Technology for making this donation possible by providing a sapling from their Newton apple tree in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

In the mid-17th century, while on leave from Cambridge University, Isaac Newton was sitting beneath a tree when he saw an apple fall to the ground. This moment captured his curiosity, and he began to wonder if the same force that drew the apple towards the center of the earth similarly affected the moon and the planets. It was that day that inspired Newton to begin development of his law of universal gravitation. Nearly three and a half centuries later, scientists are still trying to understand gravity.

Just as the ancestor of this tree inspired Sir Isaac Newton, who went on to formulate his laws of motion and become one of the most esteemed and influential scientists of all time, I hope this apple tree inspires the students, faculty, and mentors that attend and visit Billy Earl Dade Middle School to continue acting as role models in the community and to pursue new ideas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum of Rice University in Houston and Dr. James Truchard and Jeff Kodosky of National Instruments in Austin for their induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame on May 2, 2019.

Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum is the first woman and the youngest Rice faculty member to earn the rank of University Professor. Early in her career, as a biomedical engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin, she learned that early screening programs for cancer were out of reach for many and began creating a low-cost imaging system to detect precancerous cells. This technology was further developed to detect oral cancer. Studies later showed that her system could improve early detection of cancer while drastically reducing costly and unnecessary biopsies. In her travels to Malawi, she witnessed an issue with under-equipped neonatal wards, and thus in 2005 after moving to Rice, Dr. Richards-Kortum cofounded the Rice 360 deg. Institute for Global Health where she began working with students on low-cost, low- power devices to save newborn lives. Her work has improved medical care for millions of newborns and saved thousands of lives in low-income countries. Her and her team's successes to date include systems that help babies breathe and that help caregivers detect jaundice and accurately dose children's liquid medication. For this work, she was the first Houston scientist and first Houston woman to win a coveted ``genius grant'' from the MacArthur Foundation.

Dr. James Truchard and Jeff Kodosky, who will also be inducted into the National Inventor's Hall of Fame, conceived a better method of high-end testing using computers instead of the inefficient data collection methods they employed as researchers at the University of Texas Applied Research Laboratories in the 1970s. With their colleague Bill Nowlin, they founded National Instruments to develop a concept called virtual instrumentation, where software and hardware combine to perform the functions of traditional instruments, through a product called LabVIEW. LabVIEW became the flagship product of National Instruments and is used today by engineers, scientists, academics and students around the world. Having been adopted across many industry sectors, its applications are as wide-ranging as controlling the CERN Large Hadron Collider to facilitating navigation of the FDA regulatory process. LabVIEW created a new paradigm for programming and has been honored with more than 100 national and international awards, while National Instruments--with its global headquarters in Austin--has grown to become a multinational, billion-dollar company.

I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating these outstanding Texas inventors. Their induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame speaks volumes for the culture of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship that exists in the great State of Texas.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act. The Paris Agreement codified what many across the world already knew must be done to meaningfully address our most serious environmental challenge: climate change. Four years ago, 190 countries came together to make a commitment. Now, however, the United States stands alone in its intent to withdraw from it.

Establishing a commitment to action, not for some, but for all countries, is the first step towards limiting the worst effects of a changing climate. Scientific reports like the Fourth National Climate Assessment and the IPCC's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees, both released at the end of last year, summarized 50 years of scientific evidence. These reports concluded that every bit of warming matters, for our economies, for our families, and for public health.

I cosponsored H.R. 9 because it represents a simple, bold, and achievable goal. It lays out common-sense steps that will lead to a healthier environment, because acting on climate change is not only an environmental imperative, but a public health and economic one as well.

Without action, climate change will be costly. With the right signals from the federal government, however, addressing climate change can also lead to business opportunities. This

bill sends a signal to the private sector that a stable framework for action will be put in place, enabling private actors to invest, innovate, and inspire further action.

It promotes the transition to a clean economy. And perhaps, most importantly, it sends a strong and much needed signal to the rest of the world about the seriousness of the United States in addressing climate change. It restores meaningful international engagement.

The United States has been a leader in global initiatives on climate solutions before and should be again. This Congress my colleagues and I have worked to re-establish the U.S.'s climate leadership. On the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, we have held hearings examining the findings of major climate reports, discussing the warming, deoxygenation, and acidification of our oceans, and how our interconnected energy and water systems are stressed by a changing climate. The House Science Committee has marked up four bipartisan bills that address ocean acidification, as well as the Energy and Water Research Integration Act, which I reintroduced with my colleague and Ranking Member of the House Science Committee, Mr. Lucas. It instructs the Department of Energy to incorporate the consideration of water use and treatment into all of its relevant research, development, and demonstration programs. We hope to continue the momentum of discussion and action on climate change, and urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill.

Madam Speaker, after 21 seasons as the face of the Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki played his final game in Dallas. Since he arrived as a 19 year-old from Germany, Dirk has transformed the game of basketball and led the Mavericks to unparalleled success.

He has earned the respect of fans and fellow players alike over the course of his record-setting career. In his early days in the NBA, however, he faced great adversity. But his resilience and determination proved too strong for any negativity. Dirk's leadership and great play culminated in a championship run in 2011. Because of his MVP performance, a championship banner now hangs in the American Airlines Center, which I can see from my District Office in Dallas. This building, which was the setting for many of Dirk's greatest games and most memorable moments, will forever be known as ``the house that Dirk built.''

His accolades on the court are many--15 appearances in the NBA Playoffs, a 14-time NBA All-Star, a 12-time All-NBA team member, one of only eight players to score 30,000 points, a regular season MVP award, a Finals MVP award, and an NBA Championship. But the true measure of the man is what he has done off the court. For years, he has visited Children's Hospital as ``Uncle Dirk'' to give ill children and their families fond memories and glimmers of happiness. Never with fanfare, never with TV cameras chronicling his generous deeds, Dirk gave of himself out of the goodness of his heart and character. For as much as we have enjoyed his iconic three-pointers and fade-away jumpers, he has given us so much more. In addition to being one of the greatest athletes to ever play in Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best human beings to play in Dallas.

Madam Speaker, no one embodies the big, beautiful, diverse city of Dallas better than Dirk Nowitzki. Like me, he wasn't born in Dallas but made it his home, and we are grateful that he did. As he retires from professional basketball, we are delighted that he will always be a part of what makes Dallas great, and I wish my friend and his family the best in the days and years ahead.

Madam Speaker, forty years ago today, President Carter signed the Taiwan Relations Act, which established a new chapter in the United States relationship with Taiwan. The Taiwan Relations Act allowed the people of the United States and Taiwan to continue commercial, cultural, and other relations even after the United States government had changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing earlier that year.

One of the most integral parts of this legislation was the establishment of the American Institute in Taiwan. This organization's directive was to carry out programs, transactions and any other forms of relations by the United States government with respect to Taiwan.

Today, I want to recognize the hard work done by the personnel at the American Institute in Taiwan, past and present. The AIT has served a unique role for the past four decades in regards to United States diplomacy in East Asia. Staffed by employees from various agencies throughout the U.S. government, AIT manages the day-to-day security and defense, economic and commercial, and people-to-people aspects of our close relationship with Taiwan.

As the United States-Taiwan relationship continues to grow, I hope the American Institute in Taiwan will continue to play an important role in strengthening our friendship with Taiwan.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to the life and legacy of Charles Ronald Rose, Sr.

Mr. Rose served the Dallas community for an extraordinary 39 years, holding many different roles along the way. He served as a Trustee on the Wilmer Hutchins Independent School Board, as the Dallas County Justice of Peace for Precinct 8, Place 1, and held memberships in numerous local, state and national organizations. As Justice of Peace, Mr. Rose was well-respected amongst his colleagues for his fairness on the bench.

Mr. Rose collected multiple accolades recognizing his service to the community, including the 2013 Legislative Black Caucus Texan of the Year, the Alpha Sigma Lambda Chapter Trailblazer Award, and the 2018 Jubilee Productions Award of Service. However, it was not the awards that he worked for; rather, Mr. Rose found satisfaction in positive, tangible change in his community.

Mr. Rose was preceded in death by his parents, Homer Rose, Sr. and Dorothy Evelyn Hollingsworth Rose; two children, Ronnie and Nikki; five brothers, Homer, Jr., Horace, Roger, Odell and Fred; and one sister, Marie Conner. His memory is survived by his wife, Gazelle; three daughters, Texas State Representative Toni Rose, Lachon Jacobs (nee Jeffrey), and Nina Hawkins (nee Everett); and many wonderful grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and friends.

Madam Speaker, I would like to extend my condolences to Charles Rose's family, friends and loved ones. The Dallas community will miss him dearly.

Mr. Speaker, my experience as the first registered nurse elected to Congress allows me to examine our Nation's healthcare priorities with firsthand knowledge.

Currently, our mental health system is failing our communities. Our Federal Government spends billions each year without addressing the underlying causes of mental health illnesses.

Needless to say, reform is necessary. In Congress, we have defended protections for preexisting conditions in the Affordable Care Act, a law that has brought a sense of security for the 11.5 million Texans and 133 million Americans living with preexisting conditions.

As we continue our work, we cannot lose sight of those living with mental health illnesses as preexisting conditions.

There is much to be achieved, and I am eager to continue working for the people to improve mental healthcare for every American.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment offered to H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019.

My amendment will ensure that a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking is able to apply for an emergency transfer to another available and safe dwelling unit assisted under a covered housing program. The covered housing provider shall grant such application.

This amendment has also been scored by the Congressional Budget Office to have no effect on direct spending or revenues.

In my home State of Texas and my city of Dallas, we are, unfortunately, deeply familiar with the tragedies involved in domestic violence. Families have been broken apart and people have lost their lives to the scourge of domestic violence.

We have the duty to do more to protect these people. Therefore, it is necessary for us to make clear the distinction in law, the difference between internal and external transfers. Though it may sound trivial, this amendment is crucial to providing victims of domestic violence a sense of safety, security, and dignity.

As representatives of Americans from all corners of our country, we know that this problem is not unique to any one part of our Nation. It is widespread and engrossing, and our response to it must also measure up to the significance of the challenge.

Americans today are in need of protections and assistance to recover from domestic violence. They need these protections to return to full and prosperous lives.

By voting in favor of this amendment, Congress is upholding our sacred obligation to protect the millions of victims and survivors who need and deserve our wholehearted, full support.

As co-chair of the Congressional Homeless Caucus, I have worked on housing issues for a long time. I am appreciative of my colleagues on the Judiciary and Financial Services Committees for their partnership in strengthening the housing protections in this Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I simply urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as the first registered nurse elected to Congress, I can attest to the importance of the Affordable Care Act in improving our country's health care, especially for the 133 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions--of which 11.5 million live in my home state of Texas.

Today, we bring a resolution to the floor that reaffirms our support of the Affordable Care Act and defends its protections. It is clear as day that this president and his administration will stop at nothing to tear down the very law that has expanded critical health care coverage to millions of Americans.

I urge my Republican colleagues to join us to protect the health care of all our constituents. We cannot stand silent when our health care system is thrown into chaos.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.