Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today I wish to recognize the accomplishments of an incredible public servant, County Commissioner Elise Jones.

Commissioner Jones has proudly served as a Boulder County Commissioner since 2013, and has shown throughout her impressive career a passion for helping those in need. She has fought for social justice and advocated for

measures that would help combat climate change and protect our treasured public lands and open spaces. During her time as a County Commissioner, she also represented Boulder County on the Denver Regional Council of Governments, and as the Representative to the Statewide Transportation Advisory Committee. She has served as a member of the Metro Area County Commissioners, which she chaired in 2016, and was recently appointed by the Governor of Colorado to the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission. In this latter position, Commissioner Jones has been able to utilize her extensive experience to fight for cleaner air for all Coloradans. She has helped her community through countless disasters, including the 2013 flooding, historic wildfires, and the immense challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, and I am thankful for her leadership.

I am grateful that Commissioner Jones plans to continue her environmental work. While she leaves enormously big shoes to fill, her legacy will not be forgotten. On behalf of the people of Colorado's 2nd Congressional district, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for her service.

Madam Speaker, today I wish to recognize the accomplishments of an incredible public servant. Since 2012, Gail Watson has served as a County Commissioner for Gilpin County. During her time in office she has proven that hard work and determination are the cornerstones of implementing change.

As a County Commissioner, Gail has been a huge proponent of environmental protection. She has spent endless hours ensuring that Gilpin County's public lands remained free of invasive plant species and protected from development. Commissioner Watson has been a huge asset to her community and her work has positively impacted the people she has been so proud to serve.

She has shown a passion for maintaining the safety and wellbeing of her constituents. During her time as a County Commissioner, Gail prioritized access to broadband internet and phone service in Gilpin County, emphasizing that access to broadband service is a necessity in cases of emergency and for education. She also ensured that Gilpin County was well prepared for any natural disaster that might hit and focused on bolstering Gilpin's emergency preparedness.

I am grateful for Gail's dedicated service as a Gilpin County Commissioner, and I know that the impact of her work will continue to be felt for many years to come. I wish her a restful and well-deserved retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.

Madam Speaker, today is an important day. In 1862, during the depths of the Civil War, President Lincoln submitted his annual message to Congress, to this body, and in it, he wrote the following: ``Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We, of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. . . . The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation. . . . We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of Earth.''

Madam Speaker, we gather today to ensure the survival of our grand American experiment, the greatest democracy this world has ever known, and there are millions of people watching today's proceedings. The eyes of the world are on us now, my colleagues, wondering if we will keep the faith, wondering if our constitutional Republic will hold.

Will we adhere to our Constitution, that solemn visionary document that has guided us so well for so long and enabled the peaceful transfer of power for the last 230 years?

Will we continue to be a country premised on the consent of the governed, a Congress that respects the will of the people, and a Republic that will endure?

Madam Speaker, those are the questions before us today. With respect to my new colleague from Colorado, the question is not whether Joe Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States. He clearly was. The people of Arizona, like so much of the country, spoke clearly and resoundingly. They voted in record numbers, and over 81 million Americans selected Joe Biden as the next President.

Now, today, we hear from some in this Chamber--not all, but some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--vague claims of fraud.

No substance.

No evidence.

No facts.

No explanation for why over 88 judges across this land have rejected the very same claims.

Madam Speaker, the bottom line is this. As my colleague, Representative Raskin, so eloquently put it, the people have spoken, and that is why, on December 14, the electoral college met to certify the election of a duly elected President, just as they have done for centuries during terrible world wars, recessions, depressions, plagues, and pandemics.

They met their duty, and they once again rose to the occasion and certified the election. And the question now is, will we do ours?

Now, I know there are many textualists among us, many of my colleagues who would understand that the Constitution must guide our work today. And the Constitution is crystal clear: Our duty today is a narrow one.

Article II, Section 1, Clause 3 reads: ``The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes for President shall be the President.''

That is it, period. Our job is not to replace the judgment made by the American people with our own. Yet, that is precisely what so many of my House and Senate Republican colleagues ask this body to do, to substitute their judgment for the expressed will of the American people.

In America, we don't do that. In the United States, we accept the results of free and fair elections.

Madam Speaker, we don't ignore the will of the voters and attempt to install a preferred candidate into power. That doesn't happen here.

Madam Speaker, I will close with this. Our duty, our task, is a very simple one: to honor the voice of the people, to honor our Constitution, to count the votes, to certify this election, and begin to heal this great country of ours.

I pray each of us may find the courage to do so.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.

Madam Speaker, to my colleague from Pennsylvania, I will say this: I carry the same Constitution that you do. And the Constitution, sir, does not allow you, me, or any Member of this body to substitute our judgment for that of the American people. It does not allow us to disregard the will of the American people. Because under this Constitution, under our Constitution, Congress doesn't choose the President. The American people do. And they have chosen in resounding numbers, as every single Member of this body well understands.

Madam Speaker, I have been at a loss to explain what happened today, but there is a statement that I found that largely summarized my thoughts on the matter.

``The scenes of mayhem unfolding at the seat of our Nation's government'' are a ``sickening and heartbreaking sight. This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic, not our democratic Republic. I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement. The violent assault on the Capitol, and the disruption of a constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress, was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes. Insurrection could do grave damage to our Nation and our reputation.

``In the United States of America, it is the fundamental responsibility of every patriotic citizen to support the rule of law. To those who are disappointed in the results of the election: Our country is more important than the politics of the moment.''

Those are not my words. Those are the words of former Republican President George W. Bush.

To my colleagues, it is after midnight tonight. It has been a long day

for our country, a long day for our Republic.

Let us dispense with this. Let's do the right thing. Let's honor our oath. Let's certify the results, and let's get back to the work of the American people.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

Madam Chair, while I do not oppose the amendment, I would like to take advantage of the time in opposition.

Madam Chair, I appreciate that my colleague from the Third Congressional District, Mr. Tipton, is highlighting a program that is so deeply valued by the entire Colorado delegation, myself included.

HAATS, as was just mentioned, offers unique training for rotary wing pilots in power management at high altitudes. It is the only Department of Defense aviation school that teaches pilots this skill outside of the classroom. Students come from all over the world to receive this incredible training.

As more skiers, hikers, and rock climbers visit Colorado, there are more instances where outdoor enthusiasts may need to be rescued and evacuated. And, because of the work done at HAATS, evacuations can happen in some of the most unforgiving terrain on Earth.

Of course, as my distinguished colleague mentioned, HAATS also provides the training for our military aviators to simulate real-world combat scenarios to be prepared to support our men and women in uniform.

I know I speak for the entire Colorado delegation when I say that the work done at HAATS is critically important, and we are proud to have such a renowned training facility headquartered in Colorado in the Third Congressional District, as my colleague mentioned, which borders my own beautiful congressional district, the Second.

It is also for those reasons I would just say that I do believe it is important, as cosponsors of wilderness legislation, that we work to ensure that the bills that we pursue don't adversely affect current or future military transit and training in Colorado.

I would like to address the comment made by my colleague from Colorado Springs, the distinguished gentleman, to say that the good news is my bill that I have introduced, the CORE Act, with Senator Bennet does not adversely affect current or future military transit and training in Colorado, nor does it impact HAATS.

Years have been spent working constructively with representatives from the Colorado National Guard, HAATS, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, the FAA, and relevant land management agencies to ensure that that bill in particular would allow for continued and future military training and transit in Colorado, so that is why I am excited that that bill is making its way to the floor.

Again, I appreciate my colleague's dedication to ensuring that the mission of HAATS is protected. I certainly share that dedication, and I look forward to continuing to support this program that brings so much pride to our State, alongside my colleague, Mr. Tipton.

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

Madam Speaker, today I wish to honor the great Colorado statesman and devoted community member, University of Colorado Regent Emeritus Tilman ``Tillie'' Bishop, who passed away at the age of 86 on Sunday, June 16th.

Born and raised in Colorado, Tillie dedicated his long and influential life to service for the people of our state. In 1970, he was elected to the Colorado General Assembly and served for four years in the Colorado House of Representatives and an additional 24 years in the Colorado Senate, during the last six years of which he was president pro tem. Tillie's 28 years of service in the General Assembly place him fourth in Colorado history for years of continuous service, and he is the longest-serving state senator from the Western Slope. His tenure of public service also includes four years as a Mesa County Commissioner. Finally, Tillie represented our state's 3rd Congressional District on the University Board of Regents from 2007 to 2013.

Nationally, Tillie served as Colorado's representative on the Executive Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. He also sat on the Executive Committee of the Energy Council.

Tillie's passion for education and commitment to promoting a school system that diligently serves each and every student that passes through it was tangible, and no doubt came from the seven years he taught in public schools and the 31 years he served as a Mesa State College administrator.

It was my honor to serve on the Board of Regents alongside Regent Bishop. Together, we consistently found ways to work across the aisle in order to ensure that the students at the University of Colorado were given a top-tier education which would prepare them for a successful future. I'll never forget Tillie's determination and devotion to the University and the people of Colorado.

I send my deepest condolences to Regent Bishop's wife Pat, and to all of his family.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, June 27, 2019, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Colorado statesman and a devoted community member, University of Colorado Regent Emeritus Tilman ``Tillie'' Bishop, who passed away on June 16.

Born and raised in Colorado, Tillie dedicated his long and influential life to service for the people of our great State.

He held a wide variety of elected offices, including 28 years in the Colorado General Assembly, making him the longest serving State senator from Colorado's western slope, as well as 6 years on the University of Colorado Board of Regents.

Tillie's passion for education and his commitment to promoting a school system that diligently serves each and every student was tangible and, no doubt, came from the over 30 years he worked as a public school teacher and college administrator.

It was my honor to serve on the board of regents with Regent Bishop. He always found ways to work across the aisle to ensure that the students at the University of Colorado were given a top-tier education that would prepare them for a successful future.

And I will never forget Tillie's determination and his devotion to those he served. He was a great statesman, and I know that many in Colorado, myself included, will miss him.

I send my deepest condolences to Regent Bishop's wife, Pat, and to all of his family, and we thank him for his incredible service.

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

Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment that would provide an additional $1 million increase to the NASA Office of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Engagement for the purpose of supporting the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program also known as Space Grant.

I first want to thank Chairman Serrano and the House Appropriations Committee for providing $48 million for the Space Grant Program, especially given that the President's fiscal year 2020 budget request proposed an entire elimination of not only the Space Grant Program, but also the entire Office of STEM Engagement.

Founded in 1989, the NASA Space Grant Program is made up of a national network of colleges and universities. It is a program that inspires, educates, and develops America's future technological workforce with hands-on projects, courses, and research, ensuring that our next generation is excited and equipped to thrive in our Nation's aeronautics and space programs.

I would be remiss if I didn't say that my district, Colorado's Second District, which I am proud to represent, is home to three Space Grant consortium members: Colorado State University in Fort Collins; the University of Colorado in Boulder; and Front Range Community College.

These institutions support almost 300 students, preparing them for successful STEM careers. In April, I was proud to lead a bipartisan letter with the entire Colorado delegation in support of this program.

The program doesn't just provide benefits to my home State, but to the entire country, Space Grants consist of over 850 affiliates and 52 total consortia across the country. There is one in every State, as well as the District of Columbia.

From reaching Mars, to exploring the depths of the galaxy, if we want to ensure that our Nation remains on a path of discovery and innovation, we must invest in our students and education.

With that, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment before them, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank the gentleman from Alabama, and as he articulated, I think there is incredible work happening with respect to the Space Grant Program in his State, in my State, and in States across the country.

With that, I appreciate the ability to offer the amendment, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of funding for a critical, lifesaving program, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. We know that background checks save lives.

Since the NICS background check system was put into effect, over 38 million background checks have been conducted, preventing over 3 million firearm purchases from ending up in the wrong hands.

In 2018, Colorado conducted 340,816 checks against the NICS system with 6,279 denials. Making sure that guns are not sold to people who should not have them is one of the most important things we can do to prevent gun violence. But we can, and we must do more to strengthen the background check system.

The dangers of an incomplete system are clear. Just about 2 years ago in November of 2017, a gunman walked into a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and fatally shot more than two dozen people.

The shooter was prohibited from owning a firearm due to a domestic violence conviction he received while serving in the military, but the Air Force failed to upload the proper record to NICS, and the gunman was able to pass a background check and purchase the firearm that he used in that massacre.

In response to that incident, this body authorized additional funds to

support the efforts of States and Federal agencies to submit critical criminal history and mental health records to NICS. The need for these funds was underscored just 2 months ago in April in my home State of Colorado.

A Florida woman who should not have been able to buy a gun and could not have bought one in her home State, traveled to Colorado, passed a background check, and purchased a shotgun. Schools around the region were forced to close as authorities searched for the woman following credible threats made to schools across the Front Range.

These episodes underscore why it is so critically important that we increase funding for the NICS program so that we can continue to enhance it and improve it, and ultimately save lives.

I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment to try to prevent gun violence in our country. And with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank my distinguished colleague from

South Carolina for his leadership on this amendment.

With respect to the Member from Arizona, I, given his comments, look forward to him voting for this amendment as well. It is an incredibly important amendment, and, ultimately, this program has been our Nation's premier conservation program for over 50 years.

I would like to thank the Appropriations Committee for their work to reprioritize the program after the President's budget actually proposed drastic cuts to LWCF. As a result of their efforts, the bill before us today would provide the highest level of funding for the program in 17 years.

I have the great honor of representing the State of Colorado, and I have seen firsthand the benefits that LWCF brings to our State. Colorado received $278 million in LWCF funding over the last decades, including for a variety of areas in my district: Rocky Mountain National Park, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, to name just a few.

LWCF not only conserves critical land; it is an investment in outdoor recreation economies. Studies have shown that every dollar invested in the LWCF is $4 in economic value from natural resource goods and services.

Mr. Chair, I appreciate the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina for bringing forth this amendment. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Madam Speaker, due to a committee meeting, I was delayed with regards to the following vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 356.

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I may be new to Washington, but, apparently, I have learned something that the other side of the aisle has not, which is how to read a bill. If my colleagues go to page 11, line 21, of this bill, they will learn that gang members are not eligible under

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to spare me this false outrage because if this really were about gang violence, my colleagues have continuously had opportunities to pass legislation that would curb that threat.

If this were about gun violence and gang violence, where were my Republican colleagues last year when Congressman Connolly introduced H.R. 5960, a bill actually called the Preventing Gang Violence Act of 2018, a bill that they killed in committee?

If my colleagues across the aisle truly wanted to combat gang violence, why did they refuse to let H.R. 1297, the Youth PROMISE Act, come out of committee when it was introduced in the 114th Congress by Congressman Scott?

At the end of the day, there is no question that no one is interested in allowing gang members to benefit from the American Dream and Promise Act, and that is why this bill addresses this exact issue.

At the end of the day, the Secretary has the ability to deny any applicant if they have directly participated in gang activity, even if they have not been convicted of a crime.

Mr. Speaker, what we have lost in the debate today, in my view, is what this bill is all about at its core.

I rise today not just as a Member of this body, not just as a proud American, but as the son of immigrants, as the son of African refugees who came to the United States over 35 years ago from a war-torn country in east Africa.

They became naturalized citizens, and they never forgot nor took for granted the freedom and the opportunities that the United States of America gave them and their children.

That I am able to stand in this Chamber with all of my colleagues today is proof that the American Dream is real, and I want it to be attainable for generations to come.

That is why we must pass H.R. 6 today. Right now, there are young people all across our country who know no other home but the United States. These kids are dedicated and willing to put in the hard work to earn a college education. They are excelling in their careers. They are contributing to our communities in countless ways every day.

We cannot allow these young people to continue to live in fear, to be at risk every single day of being ripped away from their lives and losing everything that they know.

In America, immigrants are integral parts of each of our communities and of our economy. They are our friends. They are our neighbors. They are our coworkers. They are fighting each and every day, just as we are, to live up to the American ideals that our country was founded on.

Mr. Speaker, I have often heard my colleagues on the other side of the aisle offer quotes in this Chamber, in my limited time here. Well, let me give you a quote.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer a quote, and the quote is as follows: ``It is bold men and women, yearning for freedom and opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to start their lives over. They believe in the American Dream. And over and over, they make it come true for themselves, for their children, and for others. They give more than they receive. They labor and succeed. And often they are entrepreneurs. But their greatest contribution is more than economic, because they understand in a special way how glorious it is to be an American.''

That quote, those are not my words. Those are the words of President Ronald Reagan, and they were delivered by President Ronald Reagan in 1980, the same year my parents came to the United States.

Let's pass H.R. 6 today, and let's treat every person in our country who has struggled and is just as American as you and I are, let's treat them with the respect that they deserve.

Vote ``no'' on this motion to recommit, and let's pass H.R. 6 today.

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

Madam Speaker, today I want to recognize my alma mater, the University of Colorado-Boulder. Last week CU became the first university in the nation to sign

on to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework.

The University joins other prominent sporting organizations such as the Olympic Committee, FIFA and the NBA to establish a clear path for the world's sporting communities to fight climate change.

The University of Colorado's Athletic Program has committed to reducing overall climate impact, educating others on climate action, promoting sustainable consumption, advocating for climate action and promoting environmental responsibility.

This is leadership.

This is not the first time that my state and my district have picked up the slack for where the federal government is falling short on climate action. Our constituents are acting on this issue, and it's about time we follow their lead. I am incredibly proud of my University and of my community for their leadership on climate change and commend their efforts to be the change they want to see in the world.

Madam Speaker, this week we honored the 100th anniversary of the House passage of the 19th Amendment.

One hundred years ago on May 21st, the House passed HJR 1 proposing an amendment to the Constitution extending the right to vote to women. It took just over a year to ratify this amendment, forever enshrining women's right to vote in our Constitution.

At the forefront of this effort was a diverse group of women. From their first official call for equality at the Seneca Falls Convention, across multiple generations, from farms and villages throughout our nation, women organized, educated, and demanded enfranchisement. Through this brave and enduring movement, women received the vote.

It is in tribute to the fearlessly bold women who championed equality in our nation that I stand before you today, and ask for your support of H.R. 473 to establish the first outdoor statue dedicated to the Suffrage movement in Washington, D.C.

I want to ensure that my daughter and every girl growing up alongside her feel represented and are assured of the fundamental role they play in our society. Passing H.R. 473 and establishing this monument is a critical way to guarantee just that, and to inspire the next generation to continue advocating for justice and equality for one another and for all who will follow them. I urge your support for H.R. 473.

Madam Speaker, today I offer you my heartfelt condolences to the Daniel family on the loss of their father and husband Judge Wiley Daniel. Judge Daniel was a chief judge for the U.S. District Court of Colorado and was my home state's first African-American federal judge.

Judge Daniel was not only an incredible legal mind, but also a role model for aspiring attorneys. I was lucky enough to try several cases in Judge Daniel's court, and found him to be tough and fair-minded, always pushing the attorneys before him to present the best and most sound case that we could put forward. He made each of us better at our craft.

Being a ``first'' for any community is difficult and brave, but if the work stops at getting through the door, then it does not leave a true legacy. Judge Daniel was the first through but then spent so much of his energy ensuring

that door remained open and welcoming for every generation that followed. In my mind, his legacy is not just that he was the first, it is that he ensured he would not be the last.

I am grateful to have known Judge Daniel and ask that my colleagues join me in sending condolences to the family of this pioneer of our legal system and inspiration to our entire nation.