Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the life and legacy of my dear friend and a proud Coloradan, Gloria Tanner, who we lost earlier this week.

In 1985, Gloria became the second ever African-American representative elected to the Colorado House of Representatives, and in 1994 she became the first African-American woman State senator in Colorado history.

Long before her passing, she was inducted into Colorado Women's Hall of Fame. She was an incredibly accomplished leader. We have lost an extraordinary public servant, a remarkable human being, and a loving and devoted friend. Her commitment to advocacy benefited countless communities throughout the country, and she had a profound impact on my own life. I have no doubt that her leadership and dedication will continue to inspire generations for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, we all stand on the shoulders of giants, and Gloria Tanner was one of those giants. We will miss her deeply. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of the people of Colorado who are experiencing historic, destructive, and devastating wildfires. Four of the largest wildfires in our State's history have happened in just the last 18 months.

For my community, we are no longer witnessing wildfire seasons but, instead, wildfire years. Fires are burning in August, December, and March. Our communities are under threat by worsening, more dangerous, unrelenting wildfires 365 days a year.

I would like to explain, Madam Speaker, to the American people what this encroaching threat will mean for families, for firefighters, for communities, and for our neighborhoods.

On December 30, as the Speaker may be aware, a rangeland fire, fueled by hurricane-force winds, ran through suburban neighborhoods in my district of Louisville and Superior, Colorado, forcing over 30,000 people to evacuate and destroying 1,084 homes and businesses in less than 18 hours--1,084 homes and businesses in 18 hours.

Over 1,000 families left with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the items that they carried. Their lives will forever be changed as they begin the long, challenging, complex recovery process.

The Marshall fire, now the most destructive fire in Colorado history, was not the first, and it will not be the last.

The Cameron Peak fire in Larimer County, Colorado, burned over 400,000 acres from August 2020 through December of that year. The East Troublesome fire in Grand County grew more than 100,000 acres in 1 day. Collectively, those fires have destroyed countless structures and left millions in damages for our communities to take on.

Madam Speaker, these disasters warrant a response from the Federal Government, a bold, decisive response. We have proposed some of the potential solutions.

First, we have to start paying our firefighters a living wage. I was looking at job postings this morning, Madam Speaker, in my district. In Boulder, there are customer service representative positions at copy stores, shops, and retail establishments with a starting pay of $20 an hour, $23 an hour. Yet, we have Federal wildland firefighters making today $19 an hour, $18 an hour, $16 an hour as they are literally sacrificing so much and putting their own lives on the line to protect our communities. It is unconscionable, and it should be unacceptable to every Member of this body.

That is why we introduced Tim's Act to honor Tim Hart, a brave smokejumper who tragically lost his life last year working on a wildfire in New Mexico.

Our bill with Representative Liz Cheney is the first bipartisan, comprehensive legislation of its kind to significantly raise pay for Federal wildland firefighters and ensure access to mental health services, healthcare, housing, retirement benefits, and so much more.

These firefighters are risking their lives every day, Madam Speaker. They deserve just compensation. We have to change it, and I am committed to doing everything in my power to get this bill to the floor of this House.

We also have to support our communities in recovery. Rebuilding takes time, and it takes a lot of money. It is emotionally exhausting and complex.

Last week, families in my district in Boulder who are in the process of literally rebuilding their homes lost in the Marshall fire were evacuated from their new temporary homes, rental properties in Boulder, as the NCAR fire burned as close as 1,000 yards from homes in the area. Firefighters are literally working as we speak to contain that fire.

My bill, the Wildfire Recovery Act, which recently passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last year, would help local communities like Boulder, Fort Collins, and communities across my State, from the Western Slope to the Eastern Plains, recover. It would invest money in mitigation, in resiliency.

It is time for us to get this done, Madam Speaker. I am committed to doing everything I can to get those bills and many more to the floor, and we intend to get this done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5001, the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Recovery Act. This bipartisan bill would reauthorize and extend critical endangered fish recovery programs in the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program was first established in the 1980s to help bring four species of endangered fish back from the brink of extinction, while continuing existing water development and ensuring compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program was established in 1992, and similarly works to protect these endangered fish in the San Juan River sub-basin, a part of the larger Upper Colorado River Basin.

These programs are unique collaborative efforts between local, state and Tribal officials, federal agencies, water and power interests, and environmental groups--all working together to recover these endangered species, preserve ecosystems, and maintain water development.

These four species of fish are only found in the Colorado River Basin--making the work of the recovery partners crucial to their recovery. Both programs work collaboratively for the recovery of these species, and have become models for their collaborative conservation efforts to protect endangered species.

Last year, one of the endangered species in the Upper Colorado River Basin--the humpback chub--was moved from endangered to threatened status due to the many years of effort from this partnership. Another species--the razorback sucker--was also proposed for delisting last summer, resulting from the actions of the recovery programs and their partners over the past 30 years.

My bill would reauthorize these critical programs through 2024 and extend current reporting deadlines for the Recovery Programs.

Extending the program authorization an additional year allows federal partners to include funding for the programs in their three-year budgetary planning cycle, and does not raise the cost ceiling for the current programs.

The bill also provides an extension of reporting requirements for the recovery programs--as requested by the program partners--to account for challenges and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I am glad to have the support of several of my colleagues from these states as cosponsors on this effort, along with the support of local and state officials across the Upper Colorado River Basin.

The technical amendments my bill makes are necessary to preserve the functioning of these successful programs, and ensure the programs are able to continue to operate smoothly for an additional year.

Madam Speaker, along with Rep. Ed Perlmutter, I rise in remembrance of my mentor and dear friend Odell Barry.

After a lifetime of accomplishments Odell passed away on January 3rd at eighty years old. He is survived by his wife, Glenda, two sons, Jay and Damon, and five grandchildren.

He was a tenacious football player and all-star athlete, making a lasting impression on the people of Colorado during his tenure as a Bronco. The records he set during his rookie year extend an unbeatable precedent for Bronco players to this day.

Not only this, Odell was an inspirational political activist and public servant. He was the first Black American elected mayor in a major city in Colorado, serving the people of Northglenn for years on end.

He was an entrepreneur and well-respected businessman. Odell's greatest accomplishment was the influence he had on the youth in Northglenn and across the state of Colorado. His impact undoubtedly molded countless generations.

Odell held all those around him to high standards, teaching us to live with generosity and compassion and lead with benevolence. I am deeply grateful to have known him.

As a giant in many of our lives, the legacy Odell leaves behind will not soon be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with my dear friend, Glenda, and the entire Barry family. As we mourn his passing, we will remember his life and be inspired by his devotion to making this world a better place.

Madam Speaker, just over a week ago, on December 30, a devastating disaster hit the Boulder community. Fueled by hurricane- force winds, exacerbated by months of drought and dry conditions, the Marshall fire spread through the suburban neighborhoods of Louisville and Superior with a speed and magnitude that we have never witnessed before.

Over 1,000 homes and businesses destroyed. Over 30,000 individuals evacuated. Countless families and community members dealing now with unprecedented loss left only with the clothes on their backs and the items carried in their departure. One known fatality and still one member of our community missing. Our hearts ache for every single person touched by this disaster.

For every first responder and firefighter that worked to keep our community safe, we owe you a debt of gratitude.

Madam Speaker, finally, I close by saying that I have lived in this community for many, many years. And we know that even in this unprecedented and terrible tragedy, that we are strong, that our community is resilient, and that our community will get through this together.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the life of Dr. Sharon Bailey.

Dr. Bailey, a proud Coloradan, Princeton graduate, and accomplished leader, dedicated her life to guaranteeing students of color, teachers, and administrators in Colorado and across the nation had the means necessary to both achieve and provide a high quality of education. She is survived by her husband and my friend, John, her three sons, five grandchildren, and a generation forever impacted by her influence.

Dr. Bailey was a passionate and dedicated leader, and a pivotal force on the Denver Public School Board to ensure quality education for all.

Throughout her life she championed the need for a deeper understanding of the experiences of the Black community in education and worked to ensure that all children are given the same opportunity to succeed.

The accomplishments of her life in service will continue to be felt throughout the state of Colorado for years to come, and her legacy will not soon be forgotten.

My thoughts and prayers are with John and all of Dr. Bailey's family and friends. As we mourn her passing, we will remember her life and be inspired by her wisdom and tenacity.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the life of Justice Greg Hobbs who we lost on Monday, November 29th.

As a former Supreme Court Justice in Colorado, Justice Hobbs was a mentor to countless Coloradans, our state's preeminent authority on water law and relied on by many for his expertise and leadership.

He was caring and compassionate, a friend to many and a vibrant member of our community.

The impact of his work will continue to be felt throughout the state of Colorado for years to come, and his legacy will not soon be forgotten.

My thoughts and prayers are with Emily, Bonnie and Dan and all of Justice Hobbs family and friends, and the community that loved him.

This week and in the weeks to come we will mourn his passing, remember his life and be inspired by his wisdom and leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tina Marquis, the President of the Boulder Valley School District Board of Education, in Colorado for her many years of service to our community and our students.

Tina has been a Board Member of Boulder Valley since 2013, and during her tenure she also served as the Board Treasurer and four years as President.

She has a more than decade-long history of volunteerism and service to the Boulder Valley community, beginning with the elementary school her two children attended--and eventually at the district-level through the District Accountability Committee, where she served as the chairwoman for two years.

She is a tireless advocate for public education, equity and student safety and has worked closely with local municipalities and state legislators to address the safety needs of students.

Finally, during the pandemic and the other challenges she has been a stalwart leader, approaching each challenge with an open mind, while also being committed to doing what was best for students.

She was recently recognized for her outstanding leadership by the Colorado Association of School Boards--who bestowed upon her their McGuffey Award.

I would like to thank Tina Marquis for her outstanding service to the Boulder Valley School District, to the State of Colorado and to our great country. She, no doubt, has been a beacon of leadership--and her influence has benefited the lives of many children in BVSD and beyond.

Madam Speaker, with all the respect in the world to my colleague from Pennsylvania, to the extent he wants to talk about Joe Biden's America, let's stick to the facts.

In Joe Biden's America, wage growth is up, and unemployment is down. In Joe Biden's America, family income is up, and prescription drug pricing is poised to go down.

That is why I am excited to be here today, Madam Speaker, to support the Build Back Better Act and speak in support of this transformative, historic legislation that will inure to the benefit of each and every American.

There is a lot to be proud of in this bill, such as the tax cuts for working families that it will deliver, the jobs that it will create, and the costs for working families that it will lower.

But for me, personally, the part that I am most enthused and excited about is universal pre-K because, as the Speaker knows, I am a father. I have a young 3-year-old daughter who started preschool this year. There is nothing that can bring a smile to my face more than seeing my daughter after a day at preschool, seeing how much she has enjoyed it and how much she has learned. We are lucky to be able to send her to school, but many families in Colorado and across the country are not.

Thanks to President Biden's vision, universal pre-K for every 3-year- old and 4-year-old in the United States of America will be a reality.

So let's pass this bill. Let's send it to the Senate. Let's get it across the finish line. And let's deliver for the American people.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Madam Speaker, House Democrats are delivering for the people, and let me explain to you how they are doing so.

Under President Biden's leadership, our economy is growing at nearly the fastest rate in over 40 years. The child tax credit is cutting taxes for hardworking middle-class families across the country. And by putting more of working people's own money back into their pockets, it is generating $20 billion in spending in local economies, supporting local businesses and jobs.

Now, Madam Speaker, we are hard at work to deliver even more for working families through the Build Back Better plan and the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

But while House Democrats are delivering for the people, unfortunately, some on the other side of the aisle are promoting misinformation about the coronavirus and opposing overwhelmingly popular vaccine mandates that will save lives and keep our schools open. Some of them, Madam Speaker, have even spread false narratives about the attack on our Capitol and on this Chamber nearly 9 months ago.

As The New York Times reported earlier this month: ``A growing number of Republicans and their media allies have downplayed the riot. Some have begun to treat it as a heroic act.''

Madam Speaker, this dangerous rhetoric from Republicans continues as Senate Leader Mitch McConnell now threatens the full faith and credit of the United States, and Senate Republicans refuse to do their job to ensure that America can pay its bills on time.

Let's be clear, Madam Speaker, raising or suspending the debt limit does not authorize new spending. It is about meeting obligations that the government has already made, including the bipartisan COVID relief package passed last year in December and vital payments to Social Security recipients as well.

In fact, much of the debt was accumulated under President Trump. The massive tax giveaways for millionaires and billionaires that Republicans pushed through under President Trump added $1.8 trillion to the national debt, and a full 97 percent, Madam Speaker, of the total debt subject to the limit was accumulated before President Biden took office.

Madam Speaker, it is no surprise that congressional Republicans voted three times--not once, not twice, but three times--to suspend the debt limit under President Trump.

Leader McConnell and congressional Republicans know what is at stake. In 2019, Mitch McConnell himself said that raising the debt ceiling, and I am going to quote, Madam Speaker, ``ensures our Federal Government will not approach any kind of short-term debt crisis in the coming weeks or months. It secures our Nation's full faith and credit and ensures that Congress will not throw this kind of unnecessary wrench into the gears of job growth and a thriving economy.''

Not my words, Madam Speaker, Mitch McConnell's words. He said it himself. This is about supporting American jobs and our economy. This is about doing our job for the American people.

We urge Leader McConnell: Stop playing games with the full faith and credit of the United States. Stop playing games with American jobs. Do your job to ensure that America can pay its bills on time by addressing the debt limit.

Now, I think it is important for the American people to understand why we are here standing up for the credit of the United States, and I can think of no one better to help explain precisely that than my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman for his comments. He couldn't be more right.

He raises a real salient point, which is the hypocrisy of the minority leader in the United States Senate and the position that he is taking today in threatening the full faith and credit of the United States of America juxtaposed against the position that he took a mere year ago.

But it just so happens that we have several distinguished colleagues from the State of Pennsylvania who know a thing or two about the debt ceiling, and that includes our prestigious colleague on the Ways and Means Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle).

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks and for showing once again the innovative and creative problem-solving that the good State of Pennsylvania is so well-known for, with respect to the legislative solution that he has proposed.

I certainly agree with his admonition that it is time for our political leaders to stop playing politics with respect to the debt ceiling. I hope our colleagues in the upper Chamber, including the minority leader, are listening.

I do want to zero in on one particular thing that my colleague from Pennsylvania referenced, which is the consequences, right? What happens if, in fact, the United States Government defaults?

I think a lot of folks watching at home are asking themselves that same question, so I would pose to my other colleague from Pennsylvania that same question.

What happens, as a practical matter, if we, God forbid, were to default?

Well, I would just simply say what is so striking about the consequences that you described, Mr. Cartwright, and that Mr. Boyle described, in terms of the warning that was given by Secretary Mnuchin years ago, is that congressional Republicans back then did the right thing. They heard the same warnings that Representative Boyle described, and they voted to increase the debt limit. They did it not once, not twice, but three separate times during President Trump's administration.

What has changed? That is the question that I wish the minority leader of the United States Senate would answer.

But I think we know the answer, that this is ultimately politics and gamesmanship. I would hope that for the good of the country, he and his colleagues would reach the same conclusion that they reached literally less than a year ago.

I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle), because his experience on the Ways and Means Committee, I think, is instructive with respect to how we dispose of this particular question and issue.

Well, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania. Again, he couldn't be more right in terms of the hypocrisy of some on this particular issue and the adherence to, I think, the morally correct and economically correct position that so many on this side of the aisle have taken year after year after year. Our hope is that our colleagues in the upper Chamber will do the same.

Don't you agree, Mr. Cartwright?

Madam Speaker, the gentleman couldn't be more right. And certainly, the good news, for those that are watching, is that House Democrats are committed to doing everything that we need to do to ensure that the full faith and credit of the United States is not threatened or undermined.

We have a colleague who has joined us who has spent her entire career ensuring precisely that, and that is the distinguished gentlewoman from the State of Texas.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for her to address this Chamber on this subject.

I thank the gentlewoman for her remarks. Those of us who have had the privilege to work with the gentlewoman from Texas know that her ability to speak truth to power really is second to none, and I think her argument is as compelling as it is straightforward. General welfare. Full faith and credit. Pay your bills.

And so I say to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in this Chamber and in the upper Chamber, it is time for you to do your job. Let's address the debt ceiling and let's get on with the business of this Congress in promoting and protecting the general welfare of our wonderful country.

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

Mr. Speaker, 6 months ago today, we experienced a tragedy in my community of Boulder, Colorado.

On a Monday afternoon in March, 10 lives were lost at our local King Soopers as a gunman opened fire on customers and employees.

Ten lives were taken far too soon--daughters, sons, neighbors, spouses, coworkers, community members, each of whom left a profound impact on our community.

While the national news may have moved on, for our community, for the families, friends, and neighbors, we are still grieving and still healing.

May we continue to remember them. May we lift up their families and friends in our prayers and in our thoughts.

In the words of Thomas Campbell: ``To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.''

Our community remains strong in the face of this senseless act of violence. In strength, in kindness, and in compassion, may we move forward.

Madam Speaker, I seek recognition to make a statement in support of my amendment offered by myself and Chairman Grijalva.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment with Chairman Grijalva. It would amend H.R. 4350 to add the text of two bills, H.R. 577, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, and H.R. 1052, the Grand Canyon Protection Act. These bills have already passed the House with bipartisan support not once, not twice, but three times.

They would protect our public lands, natural resources, and Tribal cultural sites and help preserve access to our clean water, clean air, and a livable environment.

Of course, as climate change becomes a growing national security threat, we know that conservation becomes a moral imperative. My bill, the CORE Act, would conserve over 400,000 acres of public land and consists of four titles that Coloradans have been asking for Congress to pass literally for over a decade.

One of those provisions that I would like to focus on tonight is the Camp Hale and 10th Mountain Division legacy. This includes establishing the first ever national historic landscape at Camp Hale in my district in honor of the storied legacy of the Army's 10th Mountain Division in Colorado and around the world.

It was in the mountains of Colorado that American soldiers received the training that allowed them to defeat Germans in the northern Italian Alps and lead our Nation to victory during World War II. Those same soldiers came back to the State of Colorado and literally built the modern ski industry in our wonderful State.

Hut visitors share the special spirit of the 10th Mountain Division in their pursuit of excellence, self-reliance, and love of the outdoors, and my constituents in Summit County and Eagle County and across Colorado have been imploring the United States Congress to take steps to make these protections a reality, literally for years.

As a result, Madam Speaker, I would encourage my colleagues to support this important amendment to protect our treasured public lands, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, with much respect to my colleague from Colorado Springs, he knows, because we have debated this amendment every year for the last 3 years, every time we have successfully added this amendment to this particular bill, that the statements regarding this bill and the notion that it locks up land in the way that he describes is simply not true.

He knows that this bill only includes 73,000 acres of wilderness with respect to the CORE Act. I know my colleague from Colorado Springs certainly is aware that this bill includes 80,000 acres for specific recreational use, to preserve the ability for folks to be able to go mountain biking and to enjoy those outdoor areas. Of course, that is why this particular bill has so much support from local communities.

I was a bit surprised, Madam Speaker, to hear this notion that county commissioners have talked to my colleague from Colorado Springs. I would suggest that he talk to the county commissioners in Gunnison County, in Pitkin County, in San Juan County, in San Miguel County, in Eagle County, or perhaps the city councils in Avon, Basalt, Carbondale, Crested Butte, Glenwood Springs, perhaps Gunnison, maybe Mountain Village, Ridgway, Telluride. I don't want to go through all of the communities, Madam Speaker, because I would expend my entire 5 minutes.

I think my point is fairly clear, which is that this bill has broad support within the communities that it would impact, and therefore I would certainly encourage my colleagues again to support this particular amendment.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time remains on both sides?

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would just again say I think many of the communities that I referenced and the various stakeholders that have been engaged and working on this bill would take offense at this notion that it is some, I think the word used was secret environmental wish list or whatever the case may be.

Clearly this bill, in particular the CORE Act, has broad local support.

With respect to wildfires, my district was the site of the first and second largest wildfires in the history of Colorado in 137 years. It is why we created a bipartisan wildfire caucus working with several Republicans in the United States Congress to come together on solutions that would address this epidemic of pervasive wildfires across the Rocky Mountain west.

This bill is about protecting the legacy of public lands in Colorado and across the western United States to ensure that our children can enjoy the same public lands that we are so blessed and treasured to have in our State.

Madam Speaker, again, I would urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 601 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, earlier today, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 601, providing for consideration of three measures.

First, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4 under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their designee. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment from Chairman Nadler, provides one motion to recommit, and provides the Judiciary Committee with the authority to insert in the Congressional Record explanatory material related to H.R. 4 no later than August 24.

The rule also provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 3684. The rule makes in order a motion offered by the chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that the House concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 3684. The rule provides for 1 hour of debate on the motion equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure or their designees.

Finally, the rule provides that S. Con. Res. 14 is adopted under adoption of the rule.

Madam Speaker, today is an important day. The underlying bills before us today are critical pieces of legislation to enact President Biden's Build Back Better agenda. This plan will create good-paying jobs, put money in the pockets of American families, lower healthcare and childcare costs, and invest in our Nation's infrastructure paid for by ensuring that the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share in taxes. We also take important critical steps today to secure the right to vote and safeguard our democracy.

S. Con. Res. 14 begins the process to enact this important legislative agenda. In short, the resolution sets out President Biden's Build Back Better plan, which includes critical investments that we can and must make now to provide a better future for our country.

This is a plan to create jobs, to cut taxes, and to lower costs for working families.

Our plan will make things affordable for the middle class and working families and reduce healthcare costs.

The Build Back Better plan will help prepare our Nation for the impacts of climate change: Through historic investments in a reimagined Climate Conservation Corps, investments that will put people to work to protect and conserve our public lands and open spaces, invest in the electrification of our infrastructure, and ensure that we can prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

We will provide for wildfire prevention and mitigation, resources that are desperately needed, Madam Speaker, across the western United States as we continue to experience devastating wildfires year after year. My State of Colorado, along with many other western States, are in the midst of a terrible drought which, combined with extreme heat, is continuing to wreak havoc on our communities.

As a father of a 3-year-old daughter who will be starting preschool just next week, we will invest in our children through the Build Back Better plan by ensuring universal pre-K for every 3-year-old and 4- year-old in our country, provide tuition-free community college, childcare for working families, upgrading school infrastructure, and strengthening our education workforce.

We will fund investments in child nutrition programs, expand Medicare, Madam Speaker, for the first time in its 55-year history to include dental benefits, vision benefits, hearing coverage, critical coverage that will help our seniors access the care that they need.

The Build Back Better plan will be transformational for the American people, reaching every aspect of their lives and making investments in resources that they can rely on. Madam Speaker, we will lower costs for the American people, we will cut taxes, and we will create jobs. This resolution is a first step toward making those critical investments a reality.

I now turn to a bill that I know, Madam Speaker, you care deeply about, as you are the sponsor of the legislation, and that is the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, H.R. 4. Voting is a sacred right foundational to our democracy and to our Republic. It is a right that many have fought and died to secure and that the late civil rights hero, our dear friend and colleague, John Lewis, fought to protect, despite being harassed, jailed, and beaten. Madam Speaker, as you know, Mr. Lewis often told us that the vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool that we have.

Unfortunately, it is a right that is once again under attack, and we see it, Madam Speaker, in the laws that are being passed in Georgia and in Florida and in Iowa. In State after State after State, and in the glaring absence of Federal standards and enforcement, partisan legislatures are making it harder for those who are legally eligible to vote to do so.

We cannot stand by, Madam Speaker, as discriminatory measures run rampant, blocking Americans from participating in our democracy.

Voting is a constitutional right. It is ingrained at the very core of who we are as Americans, Madam Speaker. As a Congress, protecting that right is foundational; it really is the heart of our duty.

The vote can only truly represent the people's voice if they have the ability to execute it freely and easily. That is why Congress needs to take clear, decisive action today to protect voting rights by passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This bill would strengthen the VRA and respond to recent Supreme Court cases striking critical provisions of the bill, while making clear that Congress has the power to create a new formula.

The VRA has been reauthorized, Madam Speaker, as you know, on a bipartisan basis for decades, most recently in 2006 when the reauthorization on the VRA passed this Chamber 390-33, and in the Senate 98 votes for it, zero votes against it. This should not be a partisan issue.

Our democracy is safeguarded only when every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate, and that is what we will ensure today by passing this bill out of the House.

Finally, Madam Speaker, as you know, the rule provides for consideration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bipartisan bill is an important down payment toward meeting the critical infrastructure needs of our communities. We all know that our Nation's infrastructure is in desperate need of repair, and this bipartisan bill seeks to make those much-needed investments.

The bill invests in our roads, our highways, our bridges, focusing on making infrastructure resilient to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.

It has become particularly clear over the course of this last year that access to affordable, reliable broadband is absolutely critical for Americans to be able to do their jobs and to participate equally in remote learning, to access healthcare, to stay connected. This Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $65 billion to expand broadband coverage to areas most in need across the United States, and it also takes steps to make sure that that coverage is more affordable for individuals for whom those costs might be prohibitive.

The bill makes critical investments in our drinking water infrastructure, ensuring that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.

Lastly, I would be remiss, Madam Speaker, if I didn't mention that there are several priorities that I have been working on with many of my colleagues from the western United States that are part of this bill, the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership Program, my bill to help restore our forests and respond to wildfire risks; the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools Program; and, of course, the Disaster Safe Power Grid Act, which ensures a safer and more resilient power grid in the face of emergencies.

The Senate has already passed this bill and shown the desire to invest in our infrastructure, and the House must now do the same.

Madam Speaker, these three underlying bills that we are considering today make essential investments in American families and communities, and we have to meet this moment for the American people.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I must say with great respect for my colleague from Minnesota, I think the Republican minority leader of the United States Senate, Mitch McConnell, would disagree with the gentlewoman's characterization of the bipartisan infrastructure bill being for--I think she said--urban cities or blue cities.

Madam Speaker, 19 Republicans voted for that bill in the United States Senate, including the Senate minority leader. So I think that it is important for us to recognize that the investments made in that bill, as well as the investments made in the resolution, the Build Back Better plan that we are also considering over the coming weeks are incredibly important for the future of our country.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross), a distinguished member of both the Committee on Rules and the Committee on the Judiciary.

Madam Speaker, you know what is interesting? I don't remember the ranking member complaining about the deficit 3 years ago when they passed tax cuts for billionaires across our country to the tune of $2 trillion in terms of adding it to the deficit. I don't remember them complaining about process when they had to do three rules within a time period of 6 weeks to try to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in 2017.

I heard much today by way of process, but very little in terms of substance. Why? Because they know that the plan we have put forward today will lower costs, will cut taxes, and will create jobs.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished Speaker of this House.

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

Madam Speaker, I certainly understand where my colleague is coming from and have great reverence and respect for him and his service to our country, and I certainly look forward to continuing to work with him on the important issues that he described.

But defeating the previous question would hand over the floor to the Republican Conference. And, as you know, Madam Speaker, we have incredibly important pieces of legislation that we are considering, specifically, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and the bipartisan infrastructure budget, and the President's Build Back Better plan today.

Madam Speaker, I look forward to voting for the rule, and would encourage all Members in the House to vote for the rule, to vote for the previous question so that we can proceed with the business of the House.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), who is the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

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

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague on the Rules Committee for the respectful way in which she has engaged in today's debate. I wish I could say the same for all of the speeches that Members have delivered today.

I think it is unfortunate to have deeply partisan speeches made on the floor on matters of such great significance. I have great respect and reverence for Democratic and Republican Members of this body who have served so honorably in our Nation's Armed Forces and who have been working together to do everything they can, in concert with the administration, to evacuate Americans and our Afghan partners out of Afghanistan.

I think it is unfortunate, as I said, to hear folks politicize that particular issue. I didn't hear much, Madam Speaker, regarding the bipartisan infrastructure deal that we are considering today. I didn't hear much by way of specifics in terms of the voting rights advancement act that we are considering today. Why? Because my friends on the other side of the aisle know that both the Build Back Better plan and the bipartisan infrastructure deal will create jobs, will lower costs, and will cut taxes.

I wish we could have a reasonable debate on the merits of these particular policies, but it is clear that some would prefer to avoid that debate entirely.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), my distinguished colleague on the Judiciary Committee.

Madam Speaker, while I would relish the opportunity to respond to the points made by my colleague, we have a lot of enthusiasm on our side to speak in support of this rule.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the distinguished chairwoman of the Committee on Appropriations, who has led on the child tax cut for decades.

Madam Speaker, my colleague from California is certainly right about one thing, the Build Back Better plan would raise taxes on billionaires. The tax cuts that ultimately were approved by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle several years ago for the richest Americans in our country, we do not pursue that in our bill. Instead, we pursue tax cuts for working families, for middle-class Americans.

Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), the distinguished chairwoman of the Committee on Financial Services, whose leadership has kept millions of Americans in their homes over the course of the last year.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished majority leader.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

We have heard a lot about partisanship during the course of today's debate.

What are the three bills that we are considering within the rule today?

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. VRA has been reauthorized by Republicans and Democrats in the United States Congress for decades. The last time it was signed by George W. Bush, a Republican.

A bipartisan infrastructure deal that earned the votes of 69 Senators, 19 Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, but apparently, that proposal is too radical for the House Republican Conference.

And a Build Back Better plan that would invest in American families, that would lower costs, that would cut taxes for working families.

Americans are worth investing in. Our families, our students, our teachers, our firefighters, our communities

are worth investing in. And we have a chance to do that today.

The late Congressman John Lewis once said that every generation leaves behind a legacy. What that legacy will be is determined by the people of that generation. Madam Speaker, I would say that our legacy must be one of progress, of courage, and of action.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this rule and on the previous question.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, Wednesday, tomorrow, marks 200 days of this Congress and 200 days of House Democrats delivering for the people.

Together, with President Biden we have created millions of jobs since he took office at a faster pace than any President in U.S. history. Economic growth projections are up. Wages are up. And unemployment is down.

With the passage of the American Rescue Plan, we have brought needed relief to families across the country.

More than 160 million Americans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. And nearly 70 percent of adults in the United States have received at least one shot.

We invested in helping schools reopen safely and to make up for lost learning time. We sent money to States and to local communities to help keep childcare providers on the job and to lower costs for working families. And we got more than 163 million economic impact payments into the hands of hardworking Americans in 2021.

And last week, child tax credit monthly payments began hitting the bank accounts of roughly 39 million households, covering almost 90 percent of children nationwide. That is historic tax relief for nearly every working family across the United States.

And behind each of those numbers is a family member, a neighbor, a colleague faced with untenable circumstances, getting the support that they need.

Last week I had a chance to sit down, Mr. Speaker, with families in my district. I represent northern Colorado. It is a wonderful place. Many of these families shared with me exactly what these child tax credit payments will mean for them and for their families.

Annie in Boulder, a woman that I met last Wednesday, is 8 months pregnant, and her child tax credit payment is helping her pay for healthcare while she is on maternity leave until she is able to return to work full time.

Johanna from Fort Collins, already received her credit on July 15, and she will use that credit to pay for a summer camp for her son.

Others shared how these payments will help pay for their childcare, for food, or rent payments. Child tax credit payments for many Colorado families, for many California families, for many Texas families, for many Montana families, for many American families is a lifeline because the payments mean money in the pockets of hardworking parents that will ultimately help strengthen our economy and build better lives for their families.

The bottom line is that with the child tax credit and with the American Rescue Plan, help is here for so many.

I recently had an opportunity to take a road trip across my district to see what the American Rescue Plan has meant for families in northern Colorado from Boulder County to Larimer County up to the Wyoming border from Vail to Grand Lake to Bailey, Evergreen, and many places in between, visiting with families and small business owners, childcare workers, and communities.

And we heard story after story about how these funds are helping our communities, providing support to local food banks who have seen skyrocketing demands, providing a needed lifeline to small business owners and renters, and supporting, as I said, our cities and counties amidst the unprecedented moment that we are all experiencing.

We have always said that at this time of unprecedented challenge, we could not leave our families or our communities to weather this moment alone. Well, we have not. President Biden has not. House Democrats have not. Senate Democrats have not. And we will not.

Mr. Speaker, 200 days--200 days of shots in arms, money in pockets, children in schools, people in jobs. And our work is just getting started, because

we will continue to deliver for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lieu), my good friend, the co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, someone who has been delivering for the people in his district in California and for the people of our country for many years.

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to entertain the gentleman's question.

It is funny that you ask that question, Mr. Lieu, because not a single Republican, not one, voted for the child tax credit; no laughing matter, as it were.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from California.

If the distinguished gentleman from California might be willing to engage in a brief colloquy with me, I would be interested in yielding to him.

I was fully aware that the House Republicans didn't vote in favor of the child tax credit, but you mentioned a litany of other programs that have come to pass over the course of the last 200 days that have had a dramatic impact on the American people.

Is it your understanding that no Republicans voted for, for example, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund as part of the American Rescue Plan?

Well, Mr. Lieu, I couldn't agree with you more. And you make a very interesting and salient point, because as we reflect on the 200 days with House Democrats leading the charge here in the Congress, pushing to get money in pockets and restaurant revitalization funds and funds for small businesses and the child tax credit payments, and funds for our schools and funds for firefighting departments and local communities, we know that House Democrats have been working for the people.

And while it is unfortunate that the House Republican Caucus has been unwilling to partner with us in this effort, we certainly hope that they will come around.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, one of the privileges of serving in this august body is meeting giants. The Speaker, of course, is familiar with the refrain that we stand on the shoulders of giants, and that is certainly the case in the instance of the colleague of whom I have the honor of recognizing, someone who has been a voice for the voiceless, who has been a champion for working families in our country, for doing everything that she can possibly do to eradicate poverty, not just in the State of California, but across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), my distinguished colleague and friend.

Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank the gentlewoman from California, and I certainly could not have said it any better, because we were proud to take the steps that were necessary to help constituents across the country.

The problems, the challenges that we face as a country don't discriminate on political lines or jurisdictional lines. We don't focus on helping Republican communities or Democratic communities. American communities, that is who we are here to help; American families, the American people.

Mr. Speaker, Social Security was created over 80 years ago. And I was at an event earlier today. As we talked about the child tax credit, I was joined by my colleague, Mr. Lieu. And Senator Booker was so eloquent as he described the child tax credit program, in particular, as a new Social Security for kids, for children.

So that every child in the United States has the opportunity to succeed and live the American Dream, that is what it is all about. The stories that you heard from my colleagues today, that is who we are helping. The single mother in Broomfield, Colorado, who is trying to make ends meet. The working family in Texas, California, Iowa, Nebraska, Seattle, or Florida trying to find the resources to pay for childcare, to put food on the table, to pay their mortgage, that is what the child tax credit is all about.

Mr. Speaker, 200 days, 200 days of progress. I am proud of the work. My colleague, Mr. Lieu, is proud of the work that House Democrats have done in partnership with President Biden; the work that Representative Axne has done to fight for farmers in Iowa; the work that Representative Harder has done to increase appropriations for firefighting in the Western United States, as we are besieged by wildfires; the work that Representative Delgado did to secure local community support for the smallest cities, towns, and municipalities in rural America.

Money in pockets, shots in arms, children in schools, and people in jobs. Mr. Speaker, 200 days, and we are just getting started.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Boulder County on their inaugural Juneteenth celebration this year.

In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing millions of enslaved people. Two years later, on June 19, 1865, the impact of this proclamation reached Texas, where the last enslaved people were liberated when Union soldiers marched into Galveston to deliver the news.

Over 150 years have since passed, and while there is still much work to be done in the fight for racial justice and equality, we celebrate the resilience of Black Americans and the long struggle for freedom and justice that they have led.

I am incredibly proud that Boulder County is holding an inaugural Juneteenth event. By exposing more people to the importance of this day and educating our community, we have the power to make a difference in Boulder County.

Thank you to everyone for putting the work in to organize this event, and I look forward to celebrating the event with you.