Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on October 5th, on Roll Call Votes 555, 556, and 557, I was not present because I was tending to my community in Las Vegas, in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in United States history. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call vote 555, NAY on Roll Call vote 556, and NAY on Roll Call vote 557.

Madam Speaker, on October 3rd, on rollcall votes 546, 547, 548, 549, and 550, I was not present because I was tending to my community in Las Vegas, in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in United States history. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Nay'' on rollcall vote 546, ``Nay'' on rollcall vote 547, ``Yea'' on rollcall vote 548, ``Nay'' on rollcall vote 549, and ``Yea'' on rollcall vote 550.

Mr. Speaker, on October 2nd, on rollcall votes 544 and 545, I was not present because I was tending to my community in Las Vegas, in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in United States history. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 544 and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 545.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my colleague Congresswoman Julia Brownley's amendment to increase funding for veterans treatment courts.

Veterans courts keep our heroes struggling with addiction or a mental health condition from going to jail, instead providing them with the care they need and a second chance.

Our Nation's military is returning home from a decade and a half of war with invisible wounds: PTSD, depression, TBI, trauma, and more. Researchers are continuing to find links between substance abuse and combat-related mental health struggles.

Specialized drug court participants are significantly less likely than nonparticipants to relapse or later commit crimes. By keeping veterans out of prisons, focusing on rehabilitation and sobriety, these programs offer long-term solutions rather than shortsighted punishments.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' for this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to increase funding to the National Science Foundation's Computer and Information Science and Engineering research directorate, commonly known as CISE.

CISE supports research in computing, communications, information science, and engineering. Through their NSF-supported work, our Nation's scientists have been able to develop innovative solutions to energy,

advanced manufacturing, national security, healthcare, and personal communications.

CISE also provides advanced cyber infrastructure for all areas of science and engineering, and it contributes to the education and training of computer engineers, ensuring our future generations are well equipped with the skills they need in an increasingly competitive global market.

In Nevada and across the country, we are continuing to see a huge demand for workers in the tech industry, including software developers, analysts, engineers, and computer programmers like myself. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the computing industry's rate of job creation in the U.S. is now three times the national average. In order for our workforce to continue to push the boundaries, we must invest in research and training programs at NSF.

CISE is particularly important because it provides funding for cutting-edge computing and information science research, which is critical to innovation in nearly all lines of work from business to government.

Simply put, the 21st century runs on computers and constantly evolving technologies. As one of the few women in Congress to build her career in STEM, I know all too well the demand for talent in STEM is real, and we must make smart investments now.

Current CISE projects across the country include developing unmanned aerial systems technology to help reduce wildfires, creating new clinical modeling techniques to use electronic health records for personalized patient care, and strengthening our cyber infrastructure.

In my district, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is using CISE funding for several groundbreaking initiatives. One of their projects focuses on increasing the participation of students with disabilities in computer science courses by creating accessible tools and curricula, preparing professors for diverse students.

UNLV is also partnering with the local Clark County School District to mentor high school teachers on computer science, cybersecurity, and big data.

Mr. Chairman, this current bill maintains fiscal year 2017 level funding for NSF research and related activities, which CISE is funded through. That is admirable, given the fact that President Trump's proposed budget slashed NSF research. Maintaining level funding shows shared, bipartisan support for scientific research right here in Congress.

I thank the majority and the subcommittee chairman for recognizing the importance of supporting computer and information science. However, even with this funding level, according to agency leadership, the NSF has had to deny over $2 billion worth of excellent proposals every year, indicating the fact that it is underfunded.

If we are going to be serious about competing in the economy of tomorrow and the economy of today, then we must continue funding programs that help our country to remain the global leader in innovation, productivity, economic growth, and provide good-paying jobs for the future.

My amendment would increase funding to CISE by 2 percent, allowing it to keep up with year-over-year inflation and fund the same number of grants as previous years. This level funding in real dollars is the least we can do to remain globally competitive in computer science and engineering.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' for this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am disgusted by House Republicans' continued efforts to end DACA and help this heartless administration tear families apart. Yesterday, House Republicans had a chance to rectify the Trump Administration's despicable decision to betray DREAMers in Nevada and across this country.

Instead, they chose to block the immediate consideration of the bipartisan Dream Act. And then last night, House Republicans in the Rules Committee doubled down on this President's cowardly assault on DREAMers by blocking an amendment that I helped file with my colleagues Julia Brownley and Luis Correa.

That would have prohibited funds from being used to deport DACA recipients. In Nevada, DACA has allowed more than 13,000 young people to come forward, pass background checks, and live and work legally. These young men and women who are brought here as children are patriotic and brave. They include college students, members of our military, and so many others who are contributing to our society.

They fear they will be taken from their homes and their families torn apart. President Trump's decision to end DACA is an affront to everything our Nation stands for and only cements his legacy of shortsighted cruelty.

House Republicans ought to be ashamed of themselves for helping this administration push DREAMers one step closer to deportation. I will continue to fight for our values, our principles, because as Americans, we do not turn our backs on people who represent the best of our Nation.

We must take the Dream Act up without delay.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to increase funding by $35 million for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, better known as NeighborWorks America.

For the past 40 years, NeighborWorks America, a congressionally chartered nonprofit, has provided financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based development right here in the USA.

NeighborWorks partners with more than 240 organizations focused on providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. These organizations are public-private partnerships providing maximum transparency and accountability in their stewardship of scarce Federal dollars.

In fiscal year 2016, NeighborWorks America developed nearly 13,000 affordable homes, repaired over 55,000 houses, created more than 21,000 new homeowners, and assisted over 360,000 families with affordable housing.

NeighborWorks has demonstrated the ability to attract private sector investments to its affordable housing projects, leveraging 91 private dollars for every $1 of funding appropriated.

Our country is finally on the pathway to recovering from a crippling housing crisis. My home State of Nevada was hit the hardest when the housing bubble burst and we experienced one of the highest rates of foreclosure. My district, which includes Las Vegas, has some of the lowest availability of affordable rental homes to households with low- income levels. In fact, there are only 15 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 rental households.

NeighborWorks has played a critical role in helping develop and preserve affordable housing, revitalize and sustain neighborhoods, and create jobs. Last year, Nevada affordable housing organizations like Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada, and Nevada HAND, received over $600,000 in grants, providing homeownership counseling and education to over 6,500 households, creating over 600 new homeowners, and preserving homeownership for over 250 individuals. Congress needs to continue to strengthen programs that allow low-income families to keep a roof over their heads.

In addition to financial support and technical assistance, NeighborWorks offers home buyer and foreclosure counseling, and previously administered the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling program. Created in 2007 to address the nationwide housing foreclosure crisis, this program has counseled more than 2 million homeowners facing foreclosure in response to the housing crisis.

You may hear from my friends across the aisle that there is no longer a need for foreclosure mitigation counseling because foreclosure rates are decreasing nationwide. And I am glad to see the rates decrease, but the reality is that foreclosures continue to plague many parts of this country, including my district.

Statistics from the Department of Housing and Urban Development show that a foreclosed home depresses home values, reducing appraisal values by nearly 9 percent. Clearly, preventing even one foreclosure helps every household in a neighborhood.

Foreclosure mitigation counseling plays a crucial role in reducing chances that a homeowner will not fall back into foreclosure. These programs enable counselors to work with homeowners on their budget and find the best option for their situation.

According to an Urban Institute study, counseled homeowners were nearly twice as likely to receive a cure for their serious delinquency or foreclosure as homeowners not counseled through the NeighborWorks program.

Additionally, NeighborWorks also offers disaster preparedness and recovery for communities, including training, resources, and assistance. In fact, organizations in and around the impact zone of Hurricane Harvey in Houston are ready to offer disaster recovery right where it is needed most, and we know Irma is on its way to Florida.

On the heels of one the worst natural disasters of our lifetime, and in the face of additional severe weather events, now is not the time to roll back our investment in NeighborWorks and the organization it supports.

Despite the continued need for affordable housing and NeighborWorks' success at revitalizing communities, the underlying bill would cripple NeighborWorks by slashing its funding. We cannot afford to reverse our progress made on affordable housing. Instead, we should continue critical investments in programs like NeighborWorks that have proven to be successful.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' for this amendment.

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

Mr. Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price).

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge passage of my amendment which supports the Army's unfunded requirements request for improved munitions precision.

The continued development of missile cooling technology, which releases a refrigerant at predetermined temperatures, maintains the integrity of missile electronics when fired. This improves flight control, extends range, and provides greater targeting precision.

My amendment improves current and future missile systems, furthering our ability to reach every corner of the world in defense of our Nation.

As we grapple with threats from adversaries such as North Korea, Russia, and Iran and execute our counter-ISIL campaign, our military deserves the greatest technological edge so that our troops never find themselves in a fair fight.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment to maintain America's military technology superiority as our servicemembers bravely safeguard our Nation.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to strip funding for defense nuclear waste disposal and return this money to the Treasury in order to reduce the deficit.

The $30 million allocated under the appropriations bill being considered here tonight has the potential to be used to expand Yucca Mountain so that it can be used to store defense waste, in addition to civilian nuclear waste.

If there is one issue a majority of Nevadans agree on, it is that we wholeheartedly oppose becoming the Nation's dumping ground for radioactive waste.

First, for my non-Nevada friends, some history. In 1987, Congress amended the Nuclear Waste Policy Act and targeted Yucca Mountain, located less than 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, as the sole site for our Nation's geological repository. It is a fancy way of choosing Nevada as their nuclear dump.

For over 30 years, the State of Nevada and local communities have rejected this misguided project on safety, public health, and environmental grounds. In fact, we have filed 218 contentions against the Department of Energy's license application, citing safety and environmental issues in its assessments.

Numerous scientific studies have deemed Yucca Mountain unsafe based on the fact that it sits above an aquifer and is in a seismically active area that just experienced a 4.1 magnitude earthquake.

Any plans involving Yucca Mountain, including the recently introduced Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Acts, or any proposed plans to comingle defense and civilian nuclear waste at Yucca, ignore the environmental, safety, and security concerns of Nevadans who would be forced to store nuclear waste that they had no role in creating.

Using Yucca Mountain as the Nation's dumping ground would require transporting over 70,000 metric tons of radioactive waste, much of it through my district and through the heart of Las Vegas, a city that attracts over 43 million visitors annually and generates over $59 billion in revenue.

Not only does this project endanger those in Nevada, Mr. Chairman, it also threatens the health and safety of millions of Americans from over 329 congressional districts across this country who live along the proposed transportation route.

As if this wasn't bad enough, now the Nation's most egregious nuclear waste producers and even some of my colleagues across the aisle are suggesting that we comingle defense waste with civilian waste from power plants, inappropriately increasing the amount of high-level radioactive material dumped in Nevada by 37 percent. This means more nuclear material coming to Yucca, and more waste traveling through 44 States and Washington, D.C.

There are also concerns that this will hinder the Air Force's readiness and our country's ability to defend itself. Last week, the Las Vegas Review-Journal ran a story featuring Heather Wilson, Secretary of the Air Force, and her concerns with the Yucca Mountain project.

She cited how it will directly impact Nellis Air Force Base's ability to complete its mission to train servicemembers for war, because there is no route across the range that would not impact testing and training.

Her concerns, unfortunately, are not new. Since 2003, the Air Force has consistently stated that they know of no route through the Nevada Test and Training Range that would avoid sensitive areas or not negatively impact readiness activities.

I understand that our country's nuclear waste must go somewhere, but this decades-old battle has proven that Yucca is not the place. We must stop wasting billions of taxpayer dollars by resurrecting a project that has been dead for over 30 years, and, instead, identify viable alternatives for the long-term repository in areas that are proven safe and whose communities consent to storage.

Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to withdraw my amendment, with the understanding that we will begin a serious discussion on how to properly handle our country's waste, instead of continuing down the path of forcing this waste on my State.

I fully understand we have to put our country's defense and civilian waste somewhere. But for the first time, let's bring Nevadans to the table and let's share the responsibility of facing the consequences of nuclear production.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time and withdraw my amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I want to echo the sentiments of my colleague from Nevada (Mr. Kihuen) by making one thing perfectly clear: Nevadans are completely against becoming the Nation's nuclear dumping ground. And make no mistake, that is exactly what this appropriations bill does.

Without Mr. Kihuen's amendment, of which I am proud to be a cosponsor, Congress will tie the hands of this administration by explicitly prohibiting, even considering, closing Yucca Mountain or conducting a technical review before licensing activities begin.

You heard that right. The underlying bill forbids any funds from being used to conduct activities that preclude Yucca Mountain from becoming the Nation's dumping ground for radioactive waste, no matter the science, no matter the evidence.

And we already have the evidence that bringing America's nuclear waste to Yucca is bad for Nevadans and bad for Americans. We know that Yucca is unsafe for nuclear waste because it is seismically active and sits above an aquifer. And with 70,000 metric tons of radioactive waste through my district and through the heart of Las Vegas, those visitors from all across the country and the world will be exposed.

Mr. Speaker, in Nevada and across the country, we are continuing to see a huge demand for workers in the technical industry, including software developers; engineers; and computer programmers, like myself. Despite the progress we have made, fewer than one in five computer science graduates are women.

I am proud to introduce my bill, H.R. 3316, the Code Like a Girl Act, because I believe in breaking down barriers and closing the gender gap once and for all.

This bipartisan legislation invests in computer science education, opening doors for women to become part of a highly skilled workforce. Funding programs that encourage girls to take up computer science is one of the most important steps we can take to break down barriers and level the playing field for women everywhere. The Code Like a Girl Act will go one step further by teaching our girls that zero is false, one is true, and that we matter, too.

I encourage my colleagues to invest in our girls by supporting my bill.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of Congressman Lamborn's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to require the President, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress on the use of commercial aircraft by the Government of Iran for illicit activities. I am proud to be the lead Democratic co-sponsor of this bipartisan amendment, along with Reps. Lamborn, Roskam, Zeldin, and Sherman.

As we are all aware, U.S. firms have reached multi-billion-dollar agreements to sell or lease hundreds of aircraft to Iran, supposedly to help bring the country's fleet into the 21st century. I am deeply concerned, however, that these aircraft, intended for civilian use, could instead be used for nefarious purposes, such as transporting fighters to Syria or weapons to Iran's proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah.

Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism, with a longstanding record of human rights violations. Its support of radical groups throughout the Middle East poses a threat both to our greatest ally in the region, Israel, and also to U.S. interests.. For this reason, we must keep a watchful eye on Iran's actions, including how it uses dual use exports from the United States.

If Iran is indeed only using American-made commercial aircraft for legitimate purposes, there should be no concern that a report confirming this would have an adverse effect on American trade. If Iran is using aircraft to conduct illicit activities, we must be made aware, and we must hold Iran accountable.

I am also proud to have co-sponsored another amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that will help hold Iran accountable for it actions. This bipartisan amendment, offered by my Nevada colleague, Rep. Kihuen, would extend a presidential reporting requirement to ensure that we have an integrated strategy between the Administration and Congress to deter Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Two years ago today, the United States, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Iran agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA), which aimed to ensure that Iran's nuclear program would be exclusively peaceful and that Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon. I was not a Member of Congress when the JCPOA came to the floor for Congressional approval, but had I been, I would have opposed the agreement. However, I have said since before I first came to Congress that now that the JCPOA is the law of the land, the United States must demand that Iran abide by it completely, and that any cheating or subversion should be dealt with swiftly.

Both the Lamborn and Kihuen Amendments that I have co-sponsored are manifestations of this principle. If Iran is directly violating the JCPOA by developing a nuclear weapons program, the Administration and Congress must be ready to respond. And if Iran is violating

the spirit of the JCPOA by taking advantage of new streams of commerce to wage war in the Middle East, it should not matter what financial ties U.S. companies have to the regime.

For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote for the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes both the Lamborn and Kihuen Amendments.

Mr. Speaker, if today's vote on the previous question fails, instead of voting on a partisan bill that rolls back key environmental laws, overturns State law, and ignores real solutions to our water supply shortages in the West, we will have the opportunity to vote on my bill, H.R. 1868, the Restoring American Privacy Act of 2017.

This bipartisan legislation will reverse the President's decision to assign a disastrous resolution allowing internet providers to sell their customers' personal information without their acknowledge or without their consent.

As a former computer programmer and someone who has firsthand experience writing code, I can tell you that the first step towards protecting vulnerable and sensitive data is to make sure it remains private.

S.J. Res. 34, which now, unfortunately, is the law, prevents vital online protections for millions of Americans nationwide from taking effect later this year. The resolution, signed by the President, negating FCC broadband consumer privacy rules is not only wrong and a blatant violation of privacy, but it jeopardizes Americans' personal data and puts them at risk of hacking.

The October 2016 rule was the only rule that required internet service providers to obtain consumers' permission before selling their private internet browsing history and other sensitive information, including geolocation and amp usage.

I am simply shocked that most of my colleagues across the aisle voted for a

measure that violates Americans' privacy by selling our most intimate and personal information, all without our consent.

Repealing the FCC rule with S.J. Res. 34 now allows broadband providers to turn private personal information over to the highest bidder--or anybody they want, including the government--without a warrant and without ever telling you.

That is right. Without this rule that President Trump and most Republicans in Congress blocked, internet service providers don't need to ask for permission to collect and share sensitive personal information. Even worse, the passage of this resolution also told providers they no longer have to use reasonable measures to protect consumers' personal data.

This is absolutely unacceptable. We are living in a time where identity theft and internet hacking have become the new norm. Shortly after President Trump and Republicans repealed these consumer protections, we experienced a massive ransomware attack that caused major damage to businesses and companies around the world. No American wants their most personal information to be up for grabs.

By using the Congressional Review Act to eliminate this rule, the FCC is now prevented from publishing rules that are substantially the same absent additional legislation, establishing a dangerous precedent for private citizens.

Americans should have the right to decide how their internet providers use their personal information, especially since many people can't choose their own broadband provider.

What my bill does, Mr. Speaker, is simple. H.R. 1868 makes it clear that the American people's browsing histories are not for sale; the American people's personal information is not for sale; the American people's financial information is not for sale; and the American people's location data is not for sale.

It is a very simple concept, one that I hope my colleagues across the aisle will recognize and support. The American people don't want the legislation that was signed into law this last spring. In overwhelming numbers, they are calling Congress and letting it be known they want to keep their private information private.

I am proud to stand up for the American people, and I hope you take up the Restoring American Privacy Act of 2017 for consideration. This is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will reverse a misguided resolution by saying, once and for all, that ISPs cannot sell customers' personal information without their knowledge and without their permission. This bill says that your privacy is not for sale, period.

Mr. Speaker, I find it deeply disturbing that highly classified intelligence information from Israel, our indispensable ally, was carelessly compromised by President Trump in a meeting with Russian officials.

By recklessly sharing this sensitive intelligence, the President has not only endangered our troops, intelligence officials, and sources who risk their lives every day to keep us safe, but he has jeopardized the relationship we have with our most important ally in the Middle East, Israel.

If we wish to defeat ISIS, the President must rectify this unacceptable blunder. The American people must receive immediate assurances that this administration is doing everything necessary to repair any damage caused by the President's reckless actions.

The role of Commander in Chief is one that must be taken seriously and should never result in the compromising of our most sensitive information, especially to a foreign adversary at the expense of one of our strongest allies.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and commemorate the life of Robert Stanley Ferraro, a pillar in our community and one of the longest-serving public officials in Nevada history, who passed away last week at the age of 81.

Robert Ferraro served on the Boulder City Council for 31 years and was Boulder City's first elected mayor, and successfully stood for election nine times. He knocked on every voter's door, and provided leadership to one of the most unique communities in our state.

Bob led the effort to maintain Boulder City's character as a special community, and to be the ``Clean, Green Boulder City'' that many of my constituents call home, and thousands visit each year.

He was named Nevada Public Official of the Year in 1986, Community Leader of the Year in 2001, and led a life that was a true American success story, coming from humble beginnings to be one of the great civic leaders in our state. He will be greatly missed, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and commemorate the life of Robert Stanley Ferraro, a pillar in our community and one of the longest serving public officials in Nevada history who passed away last week at the age of 81.

Robert Ferraro served on the Boulder City Council for 31 years and was Boulder City's first elected mayor, and successfully stood for election nine times. He knocked on every voter's door and provided leadership to one of the most unique communities in our State.

Bob led the effort to maintain Boulder City's character as a special community and to be the clean, green Boulder City that many of my constituents call home and thousands visit each year.

He was named Nevada Public Official of the Year in 1986, Community Leader of the Year in 2001, and led a life that was a true American success story coming from humble beginnings to being one of the great civic leaders of our State.

Bob will be greatly missed, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends today.

Mr. Speaker, the GOP is trying to pull a fast one over working families. This week, House Republicans and President Trump gave into extreme demands of the Freedom Caucus by colluding on a dangerous amendment that would gut protections for individuals with preexisting conditions, allowing insurers to once again discriminate against sick Americans.

We all know that the ACA isn't perfect, but we cannot, in good conscience, throw out essential health benefits that have helped working families to get the protections that they need.

The MacArthur amendment would take us back to the days before these key protections helped save lives. Without protections for preexisting conditions, my constituents with serious illnesses and health conditions would face discrimination from insurance companies solely based on their illness.

How can Speaker Ryan seriously tell Americans that this plan is somehow better for people with preexisting conditions? We need a health plan that will help working families pay for their health coverage, not one that puts health insurance out of reach.