Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary achievements in the life of Billie Holiday--a gifted vocalist, a dedicated activist, and a cultural icon.

Billie Holiday's story is one of perseverance and resiliency. Born into modest means and harsh circumstances, she suffered through a dark and difficult childhood in the face of poverty, parental absence, and trauma. But it was music--specifically, that of Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith--that reignited her dimming spark. Through song, she found the uncanny ability to express her pain through her true voice. And what a voice it was.

Amid heightened racial tensions in the 1930s, Billie Holiday introduced a new genre of protest--melody. In her hit rendition of ``Strange Fruit,'' she posed an unapologetic and uncensored challenge to the injustice of lynching of black Americans at one of the darkest moments of history in our nation. Burdened by the weight of the song's message and facing public backlash, she continued to perform and record it to reach a greater audience. Despite the vitriolic backlash, Strange Fruit quickly became the unofficial anthem of the anti-lynching movement and was an early mantra towards the success of the larger civil rights movement.

Madam Speaker, until her passing at only 44 years old, Billie Holiday had already established a legacy that would survive for generations to come. As she fortuitously predicted, her lyrics remain a main stay in modern pop culture. May we be confident in her everlasting influence, because ``life dies but forever there will be music.''

Madam Speaker, this evening, on the occasion of this special order hour, I rise to commemorate the Congressional Black Caucus and its rich history of representation of Black voices across the nation.

Today's Black Caucus is the materialization of the vision that our founding members had 50 years ago. Now nearly 60 members strong, our caucus has fought to empower the Black community so that they too may achieve the American Dream. And our success in doing so, as well as upholding the fundamentals of democracy, is unparalleled in this body's history.

Now, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we face one of our toughest challenges yet. While it is true that the pandemic has affected all of us in some way, it has especially highlighted and exacerbated the inequalities that the Black community still faces in our society. We have been forced to battle the pandemic on two fronts-- health-wise and economically.

Studies show that the comorbidities most closely associated with COVID-19 complications are diabetes and hypertension, which disproportionately affect the Black community. The prevalence of these diseases is systemic in nature--a result of decades of a lack of access to quality, accessible, and culturally competent medical care.

I have also met with Black business owners in North Texas, who credited preexisting funding gaps and feeble relationships with lenders for their hardships during the pandemic. Disadvantaged at the onset, these businesses became increasingly unable to meet market needs, and reports now say that the pandemic has wiped out nearly half of Black small businesses in our country.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Caucus has played a critical role in the

drafting and enacting of legislation to support Black Americans-- including President Biden's newest package. Billed as the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion relief package consists of several provisions advocated for by the Black Caucus. Among them include $400 billion for vaccine distribution with a focus on minority communities, $15 billion for equitably distributed grants to minority-owned small businesses, and investment in infrastructure projects to create more jobs for unemployed minorities.

Madam Speaker, the Congressional Black Caucus will certainly play a prominent Congress for generations to come. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the caucus to advance better, more equitable policies for all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, to recognize and congratulate Mr. Samuel Moon on his impressive tenure as President of the Sam Moon Group. Mr. Samuel Moon's keen business acumen has played a critical role in the development of the Texas retail sector over the last few decades.

Mr. Samuel Moon followed in the footsteps of his father and joined their family franchise, the Sam Moon Group, in 1984. Under his leadership and creative direction, the Sam Moon Group flourished in the state of Texas, expanding its horizons beyond the retail line. Now, as President of the company, Mr. Samuel Moon's duties are diverse. They include the management of the real estate and retail development, overseeing the design and development of new hotels and shopping centers, and the operations of the Sam Moon Trading Co. stores, among others.

Mr. Samuel Moon is a graduate of North Texas University and currently resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife Sandra.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to honor Mr. Samuel Moon today, and I wish him good fortune and happiness in the New Year.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition for and in support of the Texas Nurses Association during their 2021 Nurse Day at the Texas State Capitol. Nurses from across my home state will gather virtually to make their voices heard.

It is critical that the concerns of our front-line essential workers are heard by policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels. The timing could not be more apropos as our nation is still faced with fighting the COVID-19 public health global crisis. As the first Registered Nurse elected to the Congress, I am grateful that nurses across Texas are convening today to support of one another. They will learn about the health landscape in Texas, meet with legislators, and discuss ways that they can positively influence policy. It is essential that nurses are supported by our policies and programs, and I look forward to continuing my work in the House of Representatives to bring light to the needs of our medical professionals in Texas and across the nation.

Prior to my time as a federal legislator, I had first-hand knowledge of the hard work, sacrifices, and expertise that nurses bring to their work. Therefore, during these particularly challenging times, we must provide nurses with the adequate resources to meet the dangerous demands of the nursing profession. My commitment to recognizing their selfless contributions to the medical field will always remain at the forefront of my work in the Congress.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of Texas nurses during the Texas Nurses Association 2021 Nurses Day at the state Capitol. I invite House colleagues to join me in honoring the sacrifices and tireless work of nurses in Texas and across these United States.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, to recognize and congratulate Mr. David D. Moon for his success as the Chairman and Founder of the Sam Moon Group. Mr. David Moon's impressive career in the retail sector has made an immeasurable contribution to the Texas economy.

Mr. David Moon's career began after his relocation from South Korea to the United States as a salesman for a wig manufacturing firm in 1971. A little more than ten years later, he followed through on his vision of building a family business rooted in integrity and diligence and established Sam Moon Trading, Inc. As the success of this business grew, he continued to open new Sam Moon Trading Company locations, which now span the state of Texas. Marked by their savvy ability to offer desirable women's fashion at low costs, Sam Moon Trading Company quickly became a household name. The Sam Moon Trading Company has now expanded into the Sam Moon Group, an enterprise of real estate development, dining, retail, and entertainment.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. David Moon has served on the Board of Trustees for Dallas Baptist University and received numerous accolades including a Lifetime Achievement Award from Dallas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce; a Citizen's Medal of Merit from the Government of the Republic of Korea; and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Dallas Baptist University.

Mr. David Moon has a degree from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and currently resides in Las Colinas, Texas with his wife In Sun Moon.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the achievements of Mr. David Moon, and wish him good fortune and happiness in the New Year.

Mr. Speaker, when the COVID-19 crisis hit, the National Science Foundation rose to meet the challenge. The agency has already invested $200 million in research to understand the coronavirus, understand and model how the virus spreads, and enable approaches that lessen the harm of COVID-19 to public health, society, and the economy.

The additional funding provided for in this budget resolution will enable our Nation's best and brightest researchers to continue to help us through this crisis and will contribute to better preparedness for the next one.

Similarly, the National Institute of Standards and Technology reacted quickly as the pandemic unfolded, asking Manufacturing USA institutes to submit their best proposals for rapid, high-impact projects to help with the crisis. Several institutes had already redirected their efforts, but more funding was needed.

Congress provided $10 billion in the Cares Act. The additional funding provided for in this resolution will support important manufacturing innovations across a range of needs, including therapeutics, accelerating production of critical supplies, and ensuring supply chains for the pandemic response.

The Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which I chair, held numerous hearings, briefings, and roundtables last year to discuss the role of the National Science Foundation, NIST, and other science agencies in helping the Nation through this pandemic. $750 million represents just a fraction of what is needed, including to recover all the science and, more importantly, the talent that is hemorrhaging from the STEM pipeline as a result of this crisis. I will continue to push for such funding as part of the stimulus discussions.

Finally, while I do support the entire package, I want to lend my voice in particular to the support of vaccinations and immunizations, another topic my committee has spent considerable time on. We will not begin to move beyond this crisis until we have widespread immunization and vaccination.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 335, a bill to provide Ret. General Lloyd Austin an exception to a limitation against appointments of persons as United States Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces.

It is incumbent upon Congress to consider a waiver for such persons who are deemed not far enough removed from active duty to head the Department of Defense. Previous exemptions through a waiver have only been granted twice in our nation's history, most recently in 2017. However, my colleagues and I in the Congressional Black Caucus find it altogether fitting and proper that Ret. General Lloyd Austin is the recipient of the third.

Ret. General Austin is an experienced leader, a brilliant strategist, and a decorated hero. He has seen war from the frontlines as a soldier, and from afar as a commander. He is not one that seeks the spotlight or controversy, but one who quietly, but confidently gets the job done-- earning him the nickname of ``invisible general.''

Mr. Speaker, as the first African American to hold the title of Secretary of Defense, I am confident that Ret. General Austin would carry out the mission of the Department of Defense with the utmost sense of professionalism and civility. That is why I am proud to support his waiver today and look forward to his swift confirmation in the Senate.

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to be joined by Ranking Member Lucas in introducing the STEM Opportunities Act.

The need for full engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by women and other underrepresented groups goes beyond enabling individuals to fulfill their dreams of becoming a scientist. As the global competition in science and technology continues to intensify, the lack of diversity in the U.S. STEM workforce creates a significant drag on our own capacity to innovate. Our future prosperity depends on what we do now to nurture the STEM talent that will be necessary to keep pace with our competitors and deliver benefits to all Americans.

Study after study has shown that the underrepresentation of women, and racial and ethnic minorities is not attributable to a lack of interest or talent. Institutional and cultural barriers, including discrimination, harassment, unconscious bias in hiring and promotion, limited access to the internet, poor mentoring, and limited support networks serve to disadvantage, marginalize, and push talented individuals at all education and career levels to abandon their interest in pursuing STEM careers. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 crisis has only exacerbated these challenges.

The goal of the STEM Opportunities Act is to develop and implement evidence-based policies to promote the advancement of women, minorities, and other groups underrepresented in STEM studies and research careers. This bill 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.

The STEM Opportunities Act has been a priority of mine for well over a decade. Every Congress since 2007 I have worked to raise awareness among my colleagues about the urgent challenges this bill addresses. While we were successful in passing this bill out of the House last year, we have yet to garner the necessary support to advance this bill in the Senate. I am hopeful that this year will be different. I am honored to be joined by my good friend, Ranking Member Lucas, again in this effort and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get this bill to the President's desk.

I want to thank Ranking Member Lucas for his continued partnership in advancing thoughtful solutions to the challenges we face in maintaining our standing as the global leader in science and innovation. The STEM workforce is the bedrock of this effort and, in the wake of the COVID- 19 crisis, the need to act is more urgent than ever. I encourage the rest of our colleagues to join us and to help us move this bill forward into law.

Madam Speaker, today I am joined by Ranking Member Lucas in introducing the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act.

As access to COVID-19 vaccines continues to grow, so too does our optimism for emerging from this long national crisis. I look forward to the day when this virus is under control and we can begin the process of recovery. While the full scope of the damage is not yet known, there can be no doubt that this virus has touched every segment of our society. As Chair of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I am deeply concerned about the severe and long-lasting impacts of this pandemic on our nation's research enterprise.

In order to slow the spread of the virus, universities across the country were forced to cancel in person classes and shut down campus operations as they slowly transitioned to remote learning and hybrid approaches. I commend universities for their dedication to doing their part to slow the spread of the virus and for their commitment to ensuring the safety of their students, faculty, and staff. Universities also stepped up to donate personal protective equipment, reconfigure laboratory space and equipment for COVID-19 research and provide for testing and contact tracing.

These actions, while likely life-saving, came at a cost. The full extent of the financial loss incurred by universities is unknowable at this point. In order to stave off catastrophe, many universities instituted hiring freezes and cancelled new faculty hires.

I am deeply worried about the disappearance of STEM job opportunities and the potential long-term consequences for our STEM pipeline and consequently our innovation ecosystem. For established researchers, the COVID-19 crisis has severely limited their access to their laboratory space. But for early career researchers, these disruptions came at a critical juncture in their research career, threatening to derail their career path.

Even in normal times, postdoctoral research positions provide little job security, with most postdocs employed on two-year contracts. With the academic job market severely contracted, postdocs find themselves in a truly precarious position. Many of them may be forced to abandon their career path altogether in order to support themselves and their families.

I am thrilled that, after months of deliberations, a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package has been enacted. While this package includes funding for universities, it falls far short of meeting the need. We must act now to avoid losing an entire generation of talented scientists and engineers from our research pipeline. These are they very people whom we will need to overcome the next health crisis, to protect our population against the consequences of catastrophic climate change, and to ensure we remain a global leader in science and technology--leadership that is essential to our economic and national security.

The Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act establishes a $250 million postdoctoral fellowship pilot program at the National Science Foundation. This program would provide authorization for a much-needed bridge to help early career researchers weather this storm and prevent a permanent loss of STEM talent our nation can ill afford. I look forward to moving this bill quickly.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Willis Johnson for his induction into the 2019 Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

Mr. Johnson spent the majority of his career as a program manager and radio talk show host for the Dallas-based KKDA-AM. He used his show to advocate on behalf of the African American community in Dallas, highlighting critical issues that disproportionately affected our community and providing a platform for underrepresented voices.

In addition to his career in radio, Mr. Johnson is the CEO of JBJ Management--a public affairs firm specializing in business to government community engagement. He is also a recipient of the Lifetime Leadership Award from the Dallas Business Journal for his exceptional social and civic service.

Mr. Johnson will join a distinguished crowd of inductees into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame including Walter Cronkite, Verne Lundquist, and Willie Nelson, to name a few.

I am pleased to recognize the achievements of Mr. Johnson and wish him continued success. His contributions to the Dallas community are truly immeasurable.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the issue of stagnant wages for African Americans and, as a result, the lack of economic opportunities.

We have seen a recent epidemic of the working poor--hardworking Americans who each day are forced to choose between food, shelter, clothing or health care for themselves and their families. In the past 40 years, minimum wage increases have not kept pace with inflation, causing millions of families to struggle with stagnant wages while the cost of goods and services continue to rise. The current minimum wage in my home state of Texas is only $7.25 an hour, and even lower for workers in the service industry, who instead rely heavily on customer tips for take-home pay.

The African American community, which makes up a significant portion of the minimum-wage workforce, is disproportionately affected by lower wages. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 38.1% of all black workers would receive higher pay as a result of an increased wage, therefore opening up new economic opportunities.

We must act quickly to ensure that any American willing to work 40 hours a week can afford basic necessities, that is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act. This bill would lift millions of Americans out of poverty by gradually increasing the minimum wage over a period of five years to $15.

Mr. Speaker, the growing racial wealth gap in our country can no longer go unnoticed. We now have an opportunity to take concrete steps to help close the gap.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to the distinguished life and legacy of Dr. Wright L. Lassiter, Jr., who passed away on Monday, July 1, 2019. Dr. Lassiter was known throughout the Dallas community for his wisdom as an educator, his leadership as a businessman, and his selflessness as a volunteer.

Dr. Lassiter served in the higher education system for an impressive thirty-plus years. His positions included President of Schenectady County Community College, President of Bishop College, President of El Centro Community College, and most recently Chancellor of the Dallas County Community College District, the largest community college system in Texas. He was also a Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Leadership Studies and Management/Ethics at Dallas Baptist University, a Master Professor in the Educational Leadership Program at the University of Texas, and a Visiting Professor at Texas A&M University. Dr. Lassiter had a passion for higher education and made it a priority of his to ensure that underrepresented students had equal access to it.

In addition to his career as an educator and administrator, Dr. Lassiter earned national recognition for his diversity and inclusion advocacy. He held presidential appointments to the White House Commission on Minority Business Development and the National Advisory Council to the National Endowment for the Humanities under Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively. He also held an appointment from former Texas Governor Rick Perry to the Task Force to Develop the State Higher Education Plan.

Dr. Lassiter was recognized for his work as the first African American recipient of the Russell Perry Distinguished Leadership Award by Dallas Baptist University, the Distinguished Service Award by the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, and the Jubilee History--Maker Award. He also published thirteen books and collections of speeches and sermons.

Outside of his professional life, Dr. Lassiter lent his free time to our community. He was a board member of the Dallas Salvation Army, United Way, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Foundation, and the Dallas Housing Authority, to name a few. His contributions to the Dallas area are truly immeasurable, and his work will have a lasting-impact on our community.

Dr. Lassiter is survived by his wife Demetria; son Wright Lassiter III; daughter Michele LassiterEwell; and two granddaughters, Ryan and Loren.

I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Dr. Lassiter and his contributions through public service, his dedication to his students, and his love for the Dallas community. We will miss him dearly.

Mr. Chair, l rise today to voice my support for my three amendments to H.R. 2500, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.

My first amendment requires an annual update of the climate vulnerability and risk assessment tool by the Secretary of Defense. This tool will play a critical role in measuring the impact of climate change on our defense infrastructure, therefore we must ensure that it is routinely updated to reflect a rapidly changing climate.

My second amendment ensures that cultural competence and diversity are integrated in the recruitment and retention efforts of mental health providers for our active duty service members. It is essential that these providers reflect the diversity of our troops and are culturally competent in their treatment services.

My third amendment mandates the installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide detectors in all military family housing units. This will ensure that our armed services families are protected against the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in their own homes.

I urge my colleagues to support these amendments.

Madam Speaker, today, I would like to honor the life and legacy of Ross Perot, a Texas native and gracious philanthropist. His innovation, leadership, and generosity in both the private and public sectors were immeasurable.

Mr. Perot led a life of excellence and service. He was a pioneer in the computer services industry, founding the Electronic Data Systems Corp. in 1962 and Perot Systems Corp. in 1988. With his success, he prioritized efforts to honor and care for our nation's POWs and veterans. For this work, he was recognized with the Winston Churchill Award, only the third American to receive this award.

His humanitarian efforts through the Perot Foundation have brought immeasurable gains to the Dallas community and the state of Texas. He was a strong supporter of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in my district, and his family continues to honor his legacy with the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

We are all grateful for the talents he shared with us. I would like to extend my deepest

sympathies to his wife, Margot; their five children and spouses, Ross Jr. and Sarah Perot; Nancy Perot and Rod Jones; Suzanne and Patrick K. McGee; Carolyn and Dr. Karl Rathjen; and Katherine and Eric Reeves; and his 16 grandchildren.