Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce a bill that would permit commercial filmmaking and photography on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Complex. Currently, such filmmaking and photography is only authorized in Union Square.

In many countries, freedom of expression is limited, and while the January 6th insurrection was one of the greatest threats to American democracy in history, the Capitol and the United States remain beacons of democracy for the world. We should encourage commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol to share this symbol of democracy with the world. Movies and television shows that involve the Capitol should not have to go to other cities or use a fake building.

This bill would allow commercial filmmaking and photography outside of the Capitol and Congressional office buildings by permit, so long as neither chamber is in session. The policy allowing commercial filmmaking and photography in Union Square shows that the Capitol Police can handle commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol Complex, especially when Congress is not in session. However, that vantage point captures the least familiar view of the Capitol. Preventing commercial filmmakers and photographers from shooting in front of the Capitol is neither business-friendly nor true to the nation's democratic traditions. Encouraging commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol would help spread the story of democracy around the world.

There is no good reason why commercial filmmaking and photography should be confined to Union Square. Specifically, my bill would give the Capitol Police complete discretion to issue a permit for commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol Complex under the same terms and conditions as those for commercial filmmaking and photography in Union Square. No policy or security reasons exist to justify limiting commercial filmmaking and photography at the Capitol Complex to Union Square, especially considering that permits are necessary. Visitors are regularly seen taking videos and pictures around the Capitol Complex, demonstrating the arbitrary nature of limiting commercial filmmaking and photography to Union Square.

This bill would provide the Capitol Police authority to charge fees to cover any costs incurred by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for permit approval. The fees would be deposited into the Capitol Trust Account, which was established to accept fees collected from commercial filmmaking and photography permits for Union Square. Amounts in the Capitol Trust Account would be available without fiscal year limitation for maintenance, improvements and projects the AOC considers appropriate, subject to the approval of the Appropriations Committees.

Views of the Capitol are among America's most iconic. Limiting commercial filmmaking and photography of the Capitol, an important vehicle for telling the nation's story, does not serve the American people. Indeed, most of the world reveres our system of government largely through commercial films and photos of the Capitol, a symbol of our democracy at work. Commercial films and photographs of the Capitol, the seat of our democracy, are perhaps the best modern vehicles for telling the nation's story and showcasing its democratic system of government. Republicans and Democrats alike revere the image of the Capitol as a symbol of democracy. My bill would enable appropriate, permitted commercial filmmaking and photography of the Capitol, and would create economic benefits for the Nation, the District of Columbia and private businesses.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gwendolyn ``Gwen'' Elaine Benson-Walker, my former chief of staff, who died on February 2, 2024.

Gwen worked for me in various capacities for 20 years, starting as my scheduler and ultimately becoming my chief of staff. As my chief of staff, Gwen fostered a collaborative environment and helped me hire the best and brightest for my office.

Gwen was also a devoted mother and grandmother, and had a passion for wellness, physical fitness, and world travel. After her retirement, Gwen traveled the world and lived in Spain from 2013 to 2022.

Gwen was not only beloved by her family, friends and colleagues, she was also beloved by me. I am honored to have known Gwen, and I will be forever grateful for her service to Congress, as well as to the District of Columbia.

Again, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life of Gwen Benson-Walker.

Mr. Speaker, I introduce the Washington, D.C. Area Helicopter Noise Information Exchange Act, which would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create and implement a helicopter noise-sharing mechanism for all helicopter operators in the National Capital Region (NCR) and to make such mechanism accessible to the public online. I got this bill included in the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (H.R. 3935), which the House passed last year.

Residents of the NCR have been plagued by helicopter noise for years. Yet, there is no centralized complaint system nor any comprehensive data about helicopter noise in the NCR Helicopter noise can harm health, quality of life, and the structural integrity of homes. In 2019, I led members of the NCR in requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) study helicopter noise in the NCR. In 2021, GAO recommended that the FAA implement a noise sharing mechanism for helicopter operators in the NCR.

In 2022, the FAA initiated a pilot program with a private company to create a helicopter noise sharing mechanism in the NCR. After the end of the pilot program, Fairfax and Arlington Counties contracted with the private company to maintain such a mechanism solely for Northern Virginia. However, the company is not required to share the collected data with any jurisdictions, other than those in Northern Virginia, or the public. The FAA must be involved in the collection and analysis of helicopter noise data in the NCR to effectively address the impacts on the public, and the public has a right to know the source of the noise.

This bill would direct the creation of a more effective information sharing mechanism, which would allow for better, more comprehensive data on helicopter noise complaints. This data would in turn help us develop solutions to address helicopter noise.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, as this year's Black History Month ends, I rise today to honor two District of Columbia residents who have made tremendous contributions to civil rights, Walter Fauntroy and Robin Williams.

Walter Fauntroy served as a key organizer alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., helping to organize the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965. Walter was also a noted lobbyist for civil rights, where he played a pivotal role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965. Walter's efforts during this critical period were key to ushering in a new era of progress and possibility for all Americans.

Walter was also the second Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia, a position he held for almost 20 years. During his tenure in Congress, Walter was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and a champion for D.C. home rule.

Robin Williams is an associate director at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and a member of the National Board of Directors of the NAACP.

Robin joined UFCW as an employee at the Georgetown Safeway in 1986 and was elected International Vice President in 2015. As a labor organizer, Robin was a lead coordinator for the ``Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride,'' which brought together tens of thousands of immigrant workers and immigrant rights activists for a tour throughout the United States to demand respect for immigrant workers' rights. Robin also serves as an Executive Vice President of the UFCW Minority Coalition and is a trustee on the board of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.

Robin is also a noted community activist. Some of Robin's local contributions include developing the D.C. Workers' Rights Board and D.C. Jobs With Justice. Robin has been recognized by the AFL-CIO Washington Metropolitan Central Labor Council for her impact on the National Capital Region.

Again, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Walter Fauntroy and Robin Williams.

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

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bipartisan bill. This bill would allow the District of Columbia to transform the RFK Stadium campus, 174 acres of underutilized Federal land in D.C. that primarily consists of parking lots, sports fields, and a long-vacant stadium in the process of being demolished, into a thriving mixed-use development.

The National Capital Planning Commission, the central planning agency for the Federal Government in the District of Columbia, has long called for the revitalization of the campus, and the Department of the Interior testified in support of the goals of this bill.

During my tenure, Congress has passed several bipartisan bills to transform underutilized land in D.C. into thriving mixed-use developments, including The Yards on the southeast waterfront and The Wharf on the southwest waterfront. Reservation 13, 67 acres next to the RFK campus, is now being transformed into a mixed-use development.

Since 1988, D.C. has leased, without consideration, the RFK Stadium campus from the Department of the Interior. The lease only permits D.C. to use the campus for recreation, a stadium, and open space. The lease expires in 2038.

This bill would give D.C. administrative jurisdiction over the campus for at least 99 years and permit D.C. to use the campus for commercial and residential development, recreation, a stadium, parks, and open space.

This bill would require D.C. to preserve 30 percent of the campus for parks and open space, and prohibit D.C. from building along the waterfront.

This bill is a win-win for the Federal and D.C. Governments. As the Department of the Interior testified, this bill would allow D.C. to transform the campus from ``acres of asphalt to a complex focused on community sports, recreation, park space, and community amenities'' and would ``guarantee public access to a sizable amount of park land and outdoor recreation areas.''

At the same time, this bill would allow D.C. to create a mixed-use development and to generate significant revenue for D.C.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Comer for his leadership and partnership on this bill, and I also thank Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Grijalva for their work on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to respond to the comments from my friend from Maryland.

The National Park Service has a maintenance backlog of $23 billion, including $2 billion in the District of Columbia alone. The National Park Service does not have the money to transform the RFK Stadium site from acres of asphalt into parks or mixed uses.

There is precedent for Congress giving title to or administration jurisdiction over Federal land to States and other jurisdictions for no consideration. We do not have to look far for examples. Let's look at two of the many examples in D.C.

First, section 8124 of title 40 of the U.S. Code has long permitted the Federal Government to transfer administrative jurisdiction over Federal land in D.C. to the D.C. government for no consideration. Second, in 1986, Congress directed the Department of the Interior to enter into a 50-year lease with D.C. for the RFK Stadium site for no consideration.

While it is true that H.R. 4984 does not require D.C. to pay the Federal Government for administrative jurisdiction over the RFK Stadium site, it is expected D.C. will spend hundreds of millions of dollars transforming the site from acres of asphalt into mixed-use development.

This bill would not require a stadium to be built at the site. Whether to build a stadium would be a decision for the elected D.C. government. Several members of the D.C. Council have expressed opposition to a new football stadium at the site.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act District of Columbia Equality Act, which would make the District of Columbia eligible for the same federal funding as states under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act. D.C. residents pay full federal taxes and therefore D.C. is treated as a state under federal programs, with limited exceptions, most of them simply oversights or failures to update post-home rule.

The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act provides funding, derived from excise taxes on sporting equipment, for five distinct purposes: program administration, wildlife restoration, basic hunter education and safety, enhanced hunter education and safety grants,

and multistate conservation grants. D.C. does not receive any funding under this Act. The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act provides funding for sport fish restoration, aquatic education, wetlands restoration, and boat-related activities. Under this Act, states receive a minimum of one percent of the total amount apportioned, while D.C. is capped at one-third of one percent.

This omission and lack of parity under these Acts have serious consequences for D.C. D.C. has roughly 7,800 acres of parkland covering nearly a quarter of the city, which means it has more parkland per capita than any other city in the United States. This bill would define ``State'' in these Acts to include D.C., providing D.C. with equal funding for wildlife conservation in our Nation's capital.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the McIntire-Stennis Act District of Columbia Equality Act, which would correct an apparent oversight in the exclusion of the District of Columbia from eligibility for funding under the McIntire-Stennis Act.

The Act provides the states and certain territories with formula funding to support state designated institutions' cooperative forestry research programs. The funding available under this Act assists the states and territories in carrying out forestry research programs at state forestry schools and colleges and developing a trained pool of forest scientists capable of conducting needed forestry research.

District of Columbia residents pay full federal taxes and therefore District of Columbia is treated as a state under federal programs, with limited exceptions. The Act defines ``State'' to include Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam, whose residents do not pay full federal taxes. D.C.'s exclusion from the Act makes it ineligible for federal funding that would support research at D.C.'s public university, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences at UDC, the nation's only urban land-grant university, offers programs that complement D.C.'s ongoing forestry efforts and serve individuals in D.C. and beyond. Rectifying D.C.'s exclusion from the Act would ensure equal treatment for D.C. and provide UDC a fair share of resources.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Federal Employee Short-Term Disability Insurance Act of 2024, which would help provide financial relief for federal employees who have a short-term injury or disability, become pregnant or develop a pregnancy-related illness. This bill would offer federal employees short-term disability insurance at no cost to the federal government. Employees would be responsible for 100 percent of the premiums and be able to receive disability insurance benefits for up to one year, which would replace a portion of their lost income due to a nonwork-related injury or illness or pregnancy. This bill is more important now than ever with the prevalence of so-called Long COVID.

I decided to investigate how we could provide short-term disability insurance for federal employees after learning that many of them already buy short-term disability insurance as individuals in the private market at high individual rates. Although federal employees have good health insurance, federal health benefits do not replace lost income if employees are unable to work. Moreover, while federal employees may have available sick or annual leave days, they may not have enough such days to pay the bills if they have to be out of work for an extended period, such as following surgery. Although there are long-term disability options for federal employees who become permanently disabled, federal employees do not qualify for such benefits until they have worked for the federal government for at least 18 months. This bill does no more than put federal employees in the same position as many of their private-sector counterparts, who often have access to disability insurance through an employer at group rates, an option unavailable to federal employees. This bill would prohibit participating insurance companies from excluding employees based on preexisting conditions. Because of the federal government's purchasing power, this bill would provide these benefits at a lower rate than is available for employees purchasing as individuals, as many do. Under this bill, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management would contract with private carriers to provide this coverage, essentially providing the equivalent of group coverage available to many workers in the private sector.

According to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old worker has a one-in-four chance of becoming disabled by retirement age. The majority of disabilities are not caused by major accidents, but by injuries or illnesses, such as back injuries or cancer, according to the Council for Disability Awareness.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Equal Federal Funding for the District of Columbia Act, which would amend title 1 of the United States Code to deem the District of Columbia as both a state and political subdivision of a state (such as a city or county) for the purpose of eligibility for federal funding, unless otherwise provided in a statute. D.C. operates as the functional equivalent of a state, city and county, and D.C. residents pay all federal taxes. Therefore, D.C. deserves to be eligible for federal funding available for each level of government.

While federal statutes generally expressly treat D.C. as a state for federal funding--and

most federal grants go to states--federal statutes that provide federal funding directly to political subdivisions are often silent on whether D.C. is to be treated as a political subdivision. In the absence of clear language in a statute, federal agencies are inconsistent in their treatment of D.C.'s eligibility for federal funding.

By amending title 1 of the U.S. Code to deem D.C. as both a state and political subdivision for federal funding, this bill would automatically correct imprecise treatment of D.C.'s eligibility for federal funding in existing and future statutes and remove discretion from federal agencies in their treatment of D.C.'s eligibility for federal funding.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Reducing the Effects of the Cyberattack on OPM Victims Emergency Response Act of 2024, or the RECOVER Act, which would require the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to make permanent the free identity protection coverage that Congress required OPM to provide at that point for 10 years to individuals whose Social Security Numbers were potentially compromised during the OPM data breaches. In 2015, OPM reported that the personally identifiable information of as many as 25.7 million current, former and prospective federal employees and contractors was stolen in two data breaches. I appreciate that Representative C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger is co-leading this bill.

After OPM announced that it would offer identity protection coverage of limited duration and value, Senator Ben Cardin and I introduced the RECOVER Act in July 2015, which would have provided affected individuals lifetime identity protection coverage and at least $5 million in identity theft insurance. Congress subsequently passed a version of our bill as part of an appropriations bill, but limited the duration of the protection. Under current law, OPM is only required to provide identity protection coverage through fiscal year 2026. Under the bill I am introducing today, OPM would be required to provide coverage for the remainder of the lives of affected individuals.

The current coverage duration is inadequate, given that there is no limit to when the stolen data may be exploited. Therefore, there should be no limit on the duration of the coverage provided to affected individuals. This bill would give current, former and prospective federal employees and contractors who were affected both some peace of mind and protection. OPM failed to protect these people. It follows that the government must make up for its mistake.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Protecting Homes from Trains Act of 2024, which would establish a grant program for the design and construction of barriers to mitigate rail activity that may harm homes and their occupants, including derailments, noise and vibrations.

The Noise Control Act of 1972 created the Office of Noise Abatement and Control within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), granting EPA authority and oversight over noise control regulations. However, years of defunding left this office without any resources to conduct enforcement, forcing EPA to phase out the office in 1982. District of Columbia residents frequently tell me about the negative impact of train noise and vibrations on their lives. The noise and vibrations can harm health and quality of life, and can even harm the structural integrity of homes. Congress and the executive branch must do more to reduce this harm.

As a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I have been working to reduce transportation noise and vibrations. I have convened community meetings with the Federal Railroad Administration, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to examine how to reduce train noise and vibrations.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Universal Prekindergarten and Early Childhood Education Act of 2024, which would establish and expand prekindergarten programs in public and public charter schools for three- and four-year-old children.

This bill seeks a breakthrough in public education by providing funding for states to add prekindergarten for children at three and four years of age, like the kindergarten programs for five-year-olds now routinely available in public schools. This bill would eliminate major shortcomings of unevenly available day care and, importantly, would take advantage of the safe facilities required in public schools.

This bill would provide federal funds to states, which would be matched by at least 20 percent of a state's own funds, to establish or expand universal, voluntary prekindergarten in public and public charter schools for three- and four-year-olds, regardless of income. The classes, which would be full-day and run throughout the entire school year, would be taught by teachers who possess equivalent or similar qualifications to those teaching other grades in the school. The funds would supplement, not supplant, other federal funds for early childhood education. The unique, money-saving aspect of this bill is that it would use existing public-school infrastructure and trained teachers to make early childhood education available to all, saving billions of dollars in implementation costs.

The success of Head Start and other prekindergarten programs, combined with scientific evidence on the importance of brain development in early childhood, virtually mandates the expansion of early childhood education to all children. Early learning programs have been available only to the affluent, who can afford them, and to some low-income families in programs such as Head Start, which would be unaffected by this bill. This bill is a practical way to create universal, public prekindergarten. The goal of this bill is to provide the benefits of early childhood education to those who have been left out of this essential education.

We cannot afford to allow the most fertile years for childhood development to pass unenriched. This bill responds both to the great needs of parents who seek early childhood education and neuroscience, which shows that a child's brain development begins much earlier than had been previously understood.

Considering the staggering cost of day care, the inaccessibility of early childhood education and the opportunity that early education offers to improve a child's chances of success, schooling for three- and four-year-olds is overdue. The absence of viable options for working families demands our immediate attention.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia Superior Court Jury Duty for Seniors Opt Out Act of 2024, which would allow individuals 70 years of age or older to opt out of jury service in D.C.'s local trial court, the Superior Court.

Most federal courts allow individuals 70 years of age or older to opt out of jury service, including the federal district court for D.C. A majority of states have similar provisions for their courts.

Under the D.C. Home Rule Act, the D.C. Council does not have authority to amend title 11 of the D.C. Code (relating to organization and jurisdiction of the local D.C. courts). This bill would amend title 11.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act. Senator Cory Booker is introducing the companion bill in the Senate. This bill would permit the use of marijuana in federally assisted housing, including public housing and Section 8 housing, in compliance with the marijuana laws of the state (including the District of Columbia) where the property is located.

Individuals living in federally assisted housing should not be denied admission, or fear eviction, for using a legal product. Adult-use marijuana, medical marijuana or both are currently legal in 38 states and the District of Columbia, and over 90 percent of Americans support legalized medical marijuana. Under current federal law, users of drugs that are illegal under federal law, including marijuana, are prohibited from being admitted into federally assisted housing. Moreover, federal law allows landlords to evict residents of federally assisted housing for using illegal drugs.

The federal government has begun to change its approach to marijuana. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved Epidiolex, which is derived from marijuana. Epidiolex is used to treat children who suffer from seizures. Notably, the medicine does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana. For the last several years, Congress has prohibited the Department of Justice (DOJ) from using federal funds to prevent jurisdictions from implementing their medical marijuana law's. This bill would similarly allow individuals to use marijuana in federally assisted housing in compliance with a state's marijuana laws. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), like DOJ, should not be allowed to prevent jurisdictions from implementing their marijuana laws.

Under this bill, HUD must develop regulations that restrict smoking marijuana in federally assisted housing in the same manner and the same locations as HUD restricts smoking tobacco in federally assisted housing.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Flood Prevention Act of 2024. This bill would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) to include the District of Columbia in the definition of ``coastal state.'' Senator Tom Carpen the Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, is the sponsor of this bill in the Senate. The House passed this bill as part of the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act in the 116th Congress.

This bill would correct an apparent oversight in the omission of D.C. from the CZMA and thereby make D.C. eligible to receive federal funding and have oversight for federally issued permits, facilities and actions that affect its coastal waters. D.C. urgently needs the protection of the CZMA because of serious flood

risks that affect federal assets, residents and businesses in D.C., including the National Mall and federal buildings in the Federal Triangle area.

The CZMA provides planning and technical services to assist states in protecting, restoring and developing coastal communities and resources. Once the federal government approves a state's coastal management plan, the state becomes eligible for grants. Federal actions must be consistent with the state plans and vice versa.

Even though D.C. is located on two rivers, and has suffered substantial coastal floods in the past, it was omitted from the list of eligible entities in the CZMA. It is notable that, under the CZMA, the term ``coastal state[s]'' includes the states and territories. D.C. residents pay full federal taxes and therefore D.C. is usually treated as a state for federal programs. It appears D.C.'s omission was a mistake. This oversight likely occurred because the CZMA was passed in 1972, which was before D.C. achieved home rule.

Scientists have predicted that the tides on the Atlantic Coast could rise two to four feet by 2100, causing property worth as much as $7 billion in D.C. to be routinely under threat by floodwaters. This includes private homes and businesses, the National Mall, federal buildings and three military bases. The Anacostia and Potomac rivers, which surround D.C., are tidally influenced, part of an ``intertidal zone'' between high and low tides. In addition, the Maryland and Virginia coastal zones each include the tidal Potomac River, with Maryland's zone ending at the D.C. line.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.