Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fort George G. Meade. For a century, Fort Meade has been an integral part of both our national security system as well as the Maryland community.

First constructed to house troops shipping off to fight in World War I, Camp Meade--as it was then known--was named for Civil War hero Major General George Gordon Meade, whose victory at the Battle of Gettysburg halted the Confederacy's invasion of the Union and turned the tide of the war. Over the course of World War I, more than 400,000 service members left from Camp Meade to fight in the war.

During the interwar period, Fort Meade housed the Army Tank School as well as the

Experimental Motorized Forces. During World War II, approximately 3.5 million soldiers trained at Fort Meade, which was also used to house Italian and German prisoners of war.

After WWII, the Fort reverted to peacetime activities. The Fort's importance grew when the Second U.S. Army moved to Fort Meade, and again when the First U.S. Army merged with the Second and moved to Fort Meade. In 1953, the Fort became the first to deploy the Nike I antiaircraft missile system. Later renamed the Nike Ajax, the Nike I was the world's first surface-to-air missile defense system and was designed to protect the capital region from Soviet bombers.

The Cold War period initiated a shift at the base to a greater intelligence focus. Fort Meade has been vital to the intelligence mission of the United States since the 1950s, when it became the headquarters for the National Security Agency (NSA). The Fort's mission expanded in 1995 when the Defense Information School moved there. Since that time the School has expanded to include both the Defense Visual Information School and the Defense Photography School. More recently US Cyber Command was moved to Fort Meade. Today, six cyber headquarters are housed at Fort Meade, making it the epicenter of our 21st century defense.

The 2005 BRAC ushered in some of the most significant growth in the history of the Fort. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), which provides complete information technology services to the Department of Defense, moved its headquarters to Fort Meade, bringing 4,300 workers to a new 1.1 million-square-foot headquarters. The Defense Media Activity and Defense Adjudication Activities also relocated to the base, bringing a combined total of over 1,300 positions employees with them. The continued growth of Fort Meade during a time of downsizing and shrinking budgets speaks to its efficacy and its essential mission.

The NSA presence at Fort Meade makes the base one of the most important to the security of our nation. The work done by thousands of Marylanders at the Fort every day is crucial for maintaining day to day IT stability for all Americans and disrupting terrorist networks and plans. In addition to its vital impact on our nation's intelligence mission, Fort Meade has sent many active duty service members abroad. Collectively, around 2,700 personnel from 42 units were deployed from the base during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

I also want to emphasize the enormous impact Fort George G. Meade has on the economy of our state. Fort Meade employs over 56,000 personnel across 119 agencies and has a supported population of over 145,000, providing a significant boost to the local economy. Fort George G. Meade is the largest employer in Maryland, the fifth-largest employment center in the state, and has the third-largest workforce of any U.S. Army installation.

In the past 100 years, Fort Meade has made a profound impact on Maryland, the United States, and the world. I am confident that legacy will continue over the next 100 years and beyond, and once again congratulate Fort George G. Meade and all who have served there on this momentous anniversary.

Mr. Chairman, in 2008 our financial system cratered, bringing the broader world economy to its knees. Millions of Americans lost their homes; millions more lost their jobs by no fault of their own; and $13 trillion in wealth and savings was lost.

We went to work fixing the glaring holes in our Nation's financial regulatory system. Among other things, we enacted tougher mortgage standards; we brought the derivatives market out of the shadows; we stopped the casino-like bets at our investment banks; and we created a consumer-focused protection bureau.

Unfortunately, what we couldn't do was eradicate greed; and, sadly, today greed is rearing its ugly head once again. The Republican- controlled Congress is about to pass H.R. 10, the ``Wrong'' CHOICE Act, a bill that would throw away the lessons of the 2008 financial crash and unleash the demons that nearly took down the world economy.

I urge the House to reject this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 354, which forcefully condemns the shocking assault carried out here on American soil, here in our Nation's Capital, by trained paramilitary agents of the Turkish Presidential security force against a peaceful assembly of protesters who were exercising their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.

Video footage offers evidence that President Erdogan sanctioned the attack, and then calmly sat back to watch as his bodyguards carried it out.

Each of us in this Chamber must ask the question: What sort of foreign leader invited for an official visit by the President of the United States would conduct himself in such a reprehensible manner and would show such contempt for America's commitment to human rights and civil liberties?

Make no mistake. This is the same man who has ordered mass incarcerations in his own country, who persecutes dissenters and jails democratically elected officials, and who locks up journalists on a whim. In fact, he is the number one jailer of journalists in the world.

The assault on innocent protesters in the streets of Washington, D.C., is entirely consistent with the impulses of an autocratic Turkey. It has unmasked President Erdogan for the bully that he is and offers Americans a teachable moment on the character of official Turkey. It reflects a deeply imbedded reflex that, in the modern era, has brought the world, among other things, the unlawful invasion and occupation of Cyprus, the Armenian genocide, and the violent repression of the Kurdish people.

This incident demands more than just the prosecution of Erdogan's security personnel or the expulsion of the Turkish Ambassador or the strong condemnation of Erdogan himself, all of which should happen. It is time for a complete reevaluation of the U.S. relationship with Turkey. We cannot pretend that it is business as usual with a foreign leader that has attacked our Nation's most cherished democratic values on our very own soil.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I came to the floor today expecting to support H.R. 1293, which has to do with the reporting of official time, but based on the negative commentary we are getting generally about official time and the knock against Federal employees we have heard here today, I am anxious now about supporting this bill because it appears that what is happening is our colleagues on the other side are setting the table for bringing other legislation eventually to the floor that is actually going to attack and undermine official time.

My colleague earlier referred to a wolf in sheep's clothing represented by this bill. You can look at it as the camel's nose under the tent. Whatever it is, I am worried now that the agenda here is to undermine official time.

Let's remind ourselves of the various benefits of official time. It helps to resolve workplace disputes, which is really important. It helps to improve efficiency within the workplace. It is what leads to negotiating positive agreements between labor and management. It is how official time, when it is used wisely--and there is no evidence that it is not used wisely; there is no evidence of abuse or misuse of official time--and when it is used the way it has been used, it helps our Federal agencies help the American people. It helps these agencies function well.

I hope that we can reject whatever is coming down the pipeline. I was cautiously optimistic when I came to support this bill that these other efforts that seem to be underway were maybe being put to bed, but now I am concerned that there is an agenda coming. So we will just have to see how it goes.

I want to reiterate my strong support for the use of official time the way it is used by our Federal employees, which is in a very positive fashion, and I urge my colleagues on the other side to protect official time and all of its benefits.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. John S. Ostrowski, a retired Navy Captain who will celebrate his 75th Birthday on May 28th. He has lived a life of service to his country, and has produced a legacy of continued service to our Nation through his family as a result of his example, inspiration and guidance.

As an officer in the United States Navy, Captain Ostrowski served his country honorably for 26 years as a dentist, with tours of duty on ship, ashore at various Naval Hospitals, and overseas in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He pioneered the use of dental implants in the U.S. Navy, and in the latter phase of his career, taught a new generation of Navy Dentists to prepare them for service to their fellow Sailors and Marines. Following his Navy career, Dr. Ostrowski opened his own private practice in Annapolis Maryland, which he successfully operated for over 25 years, providing services for the patients in his community. He was often known to provide his dental services for free to those in need--an expression of the importance he has consistently placed on charity and compassion to others.

Dr. Ostrowski and his wife Maeve raised five children--four sons and one daughter. His oldest son is a 28-year active duty Marine pilot who has achieved the rank of Colonel and served in Iraq, Haiti, Okinawa, and on multiple shipboard deployments. His second son joined the Navy, also as a pilot, attained the rank of Commander and commanded a squadron in Oceana Virginia before tragically losing a battle with cancer. His 3rd son is an automobile mechanic who has owned and operated a successful auto repair business in Annapolis for the past 20 years. His fourth child, his daughter, has been a successful school teacher, principal and executive school administrator. She has recently pursued her entrepreneurial interests and founded a small business as a nutrition specialist and coach. Finally, his youngest son is a successful executive and partner in a financial services company.

His legacy has extended to his grandchildren, of which he has 21, with number 22 on the way this fall. Included in this number are 3 Naval Academy Midshipmen and a scholarship student at Temple University. High school baseball, softball, football and lacrosse athletes, student government representatives, gymnasts, and cheerleaders are counted among his other grandchildren.

On behalf of the State of Maryland, the County of Anne Arundel, and our constituents, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for Dr. Ostrowski's commitment to public service and inestimable contributions as a father, grandfather, dentist, Naval Officer, mentor, counselor, and advisor. Not only has he led an exemplary life of service, charity, and industry, but he has inculcated those same qualities into his children and grandchildren, thus perpetuating the highest ideals of service and citizenship in subsequent generations of Naval officers and his family. As he celebrates his milestone 75th birthday, I congratulate him on a life well lived and look forward to his continuing contributions to our communities, and wish him, his wife Maeve, his children and his grandchildren all the best in his years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump and the Republicans are looking for a win. They want to put points on the scoreboard. But why would you want to win by taking healthcare coverage away from 24 million Americans? Why would you consider it a victory to raise premiums and copayments and deductibles on millions of Americans, including millions of older Americans? Why would you view it as a success to eliminate protections for preexisting conditions?

If I could vote against this bill 100 times, I would do it. If I could vote against it 1,000 times for the thousands of my constituents that will be hurt by this bill, I would.

It is wrong, it is immoral, and it is inhumane.

Mr. Speaker, the President said he would drain the swamp in Washington. He has flooded it. He said he would break the cycle of corruption. He has accelerated it. Nearly 100 days into his administration, the President has reneged on the fundamental promise that he would clean up Washington.

Today, the Democracy Reform Task Force is releasing a report detailing 100 ways the Trump administration has flooded the swamp in the first 100 days. As the report chronicles, President Trump has made a mockery of ethics law and regulation, promoted a culture of secrecy in the executive branch, stacked his Cabinet with Big Money campaign donors, installed a special interest revolving door into the Trump White House, put big money ahead of the public interest, turned the Presidency into a profit-making enterprise, pursued public policy for his personal benefit, and raided the Treasury to pay for vacations and private business promotion.

These are not the actions of a President intent on draining the swamp or restoring a voice to the voiceless or restoring power to the powerless. Americans of all political stripes are starting to wonder: ``Maybe the President isn't looking out for me and my family. Maybe he is just looking out for himself, his business, and his brand.''

Mr. Speaker, this is a terrible bill. It is a terrible bill. It is wrong for the country.

Why would the President, why would the leadership on the Republican side here in Congress, why would they choose as the first order of business taking healthcare coverage away from 24 million Americans?

It is wrongheaded. It is immoral. It is inhumane. It makes no sense. It is wrong for America.

In the people's House, we need to vote it down.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to yet another reckless attack by the majority on the retirement security of millions of Americans. I don't get why the majority is so determined to go after the retirement security of so many millions of Americans across this country, but that is what H.J. Res. 66 would do.

It may get harder for everyday Americans to prepare for their retirement. The resolution we are considering today would prevent State governments--it doesn't make any sense to do this--from providing retirement savings opportunities for their citizens.

The fact of the matter is, as was just alluded to, this resolution was designed at the behest of Wall Street and well-connected lobbyists to sideline competition and transparent financial products in the retirement savings market. But this isn't the first time.

They put all their energy behind blocking the automatic IRA when it was a proposal that came forward a few years back, even though it was a Heritage Foundation proposal. Then they went after the fiduciary rule that President Obama and the Department of Labor sought to put in place that would protect our retirees from unscrupulous investment advisers.

Then President Trump comes in with an executive order to undo what the Department of Labor was trying to do. So we shouldn't be surprised by this action, but we ought to be furious about it.

My State, Maryland, was one of the States that tried to figure out how to protect retirees because we couldn't get it done up here. Now, what are we doing? The party of states' rights is advancing a Congressional Review Act resolution designed to hinder State legislatures that are working to provide access to safe and affordable retirement savings options for their citizens. We shouldn't allow this to happen.

I encourage my colleagues to reject this senseless resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary events surrounding the SS Exodus 1947, to which a historic memorial will be dedicated in the Port of Haifa in Israel this coming July.

The SS Exodus 1947, originally known as the President Warfield, was a passenger ship operating on the ``Old Bay Line'' between Baltimore, MD and Norfolk, VA. The ship served in that role for nearly 15 years before being repurposed during World War II, when it served both the Royal Navy and the United States Navy. Following the war, the ship returned to the U.S. and was placed in the Naval Reserve Fleet in Virginia, where it was to be sold for scrap.

Before the ship could be scrapped it was sold to the Haganah, the precursor to the Israel Defense Forces. The Haganah intended to use it, amongst 9 other ships, to evacuate displaced Jews from Europe to what was then Palestine, at the time under British Control. Before undertaking this mission the ship was towed to Baltimore, where it was refitted and crewed, primarily by volunteer Jewish-American ex- soldiers.

Once in Europe, the ship originally designed for 400 passengers was loaded with 4,454 Holocaust survivors and departed from the French Port of Sete. The ship was intercepted in international waters by a task force of eight British Naval vessels and was boarded by Royal Marines. While the unarmed crew and passengers fought back with whatever could be turned into weapons, they were eventually overwhelmed and taken back to France and then to displaced persons camps in Germany on British prison ships.

The events on the Exodus garnered international media attention and are considered by historians to have played a role in the passage of United Nations Resolution 181, which established the State of Israel. The mayor of Haifa in 1950 dubbed the Exodus the ``Ship that Launched a Nation.''

Memorials and historical markers for the Exodus have been placed in the Baltimore Harbor, as well as France and Germany. I am proud of the small role that Baltimore played in these historic events and also commend the work of my constituent, Dr. Barry S. Lever, with the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation to dedicate a memorial to the Exodus in Israel, and I congratulate them on their successful efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the Republican leadership to bring a clean funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security to this floor.

The Department of Homeland Security provides vital programs and services that ensure the American public's safety. This Congress must also ensure that DHS has adequate funding to continue its important and effective work protecting our borders, our ports, our aviation systems, and all of our communities across the country. Without funding, DHS will be forced to shut down critical counterterrorism and natural disaster programs that safeguard millions of Americans.

It is the height of irresponsibility for Republicans to hold DHS funding hostage for the sole purpose--and the dangerous purpose--of partisan politics. Instead of putting forth a clean DHS funding bill, Republicans put forward legislation that is littered with unrelated policy riders.

We all agree that withholding funding for DHS is bad for our Nation's safety and security, so let's pass a clean DHS funding bill and debate these separate issues on their own merits. It is time for the House to pass a clean DHS funding proposal and stop playing games with the safety and the security of the American people.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on ordering the previous question, so that we can consider the constitutional amendment, the Democracy for All amendment, that would rein in the excesses that have been unleashed by Big Money on our political system. That occurred 5 years ago in the Citizens United decision.

We have an opportunity, acting on behalf of the millions of Americans who feel their voices are drowned out, to push back on the influence of Big Money in this town and on this Chamber.

It seems, Mr. Speaker, that every week we get another example of how Big Money is influencing policy here in Washington. Last week, it was the influence of Wall Street leaning on the institution to pass legislation that would get them out from reasonable regulation. This week, it is the energy industry leaning on the institution with respect to this Keystone bill that we are going to see--example after example of how Big Money has undue influence here in Washington.

It is time that we fought on behalf of the American people and made sure that their voices are the ones being heard, not the voice and the megaphone of Big Money.

Let's vote against ordering the previous question. Let's consider the amendment to the Constitution that would allow us to push back on the undue influence of Big Money here in Washington.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the underlying bill. There are two provisions in this bill that are deeply offensive to the American people and their sense of fairness.

Over here, you have a provision that would backstop with taxpayer money increased risky activity on the part of Wall Street. This would allow them to go out, make more money with less risk, and then if they run into a problem, the taxpayers of this country would be asked to come in and bail them out. So you have that provision for Wall Street.

Over here, you have a provision that would allow Wall Street, the wealthy, and the well-connected to pour 10 times more money into the political apparatus up here on Capitol Hill and buy influence. Over here, you have got a Wall Street giveaway, and over here, you have an opportunity for Wall Street to put more money into the political process.

These two provisions bumped into each other somewhere in the middle of the night in the corridors of Capitol Hill up here. They bumped into each other. Maybe they were introduced, and one said, ``I will be the quid,'' and the other one said, ``I will be the quo.''

Madam Speaker, I don't know which is which, but I know this is a quid pro quo, and it is the kind of quid pro quo

that is corrupting the machinery of our government and is offensive to the American people. We need to get rid of the quid, we need to eliminate the quo from this bill, and we need to bring it back in a way that we can actually support it. That is what we need to do for the American people.

Thank you for yielding.

It is a privilege to rise and acknowledge the incredible service of George Miller and Henry Waxman. I had the honor of serving with both of them on each of their committees, the Education and the Workforce Committee in the case of George Miller, and the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Oversight Committee with Henry Waxman.

As public servants, they are unrivaled. At a time when unfortunately many Americans have become cynical and wonder whether their voice is heard here in Washington, these are two individuals that when you look back over their careers in public service, you cannot have a shred of cynicism because they got up every day determined to do the right thing to help people across this country.

In the case of Henry Waxman, his fight on behalf of consumers is legendary. His work to guarantee access to affordable health care is before us every day. His desire to see that every citizen be able to live in a world where they have clean air and clean water, a world that is protected against the ravages of climate change, is his legacy. In fact, when it comes to climate change, I think we can say he is the conscience of the Congress.

In the case of George Miller, he is somebody who was deeply committed to making sure that the next generation had decent educational opportunities and fought for that during his entire time here in this Congress; of course, he was always putting the priorities and the needs of working families first.

If legislating is a profession, then these two individuals reached the height of that profession. They knew the substance of the work. They fought hard for what they believed in, but they knew how to reach compromise when it was demanded.

As people, they are both decent, ethical, and caring, and most importantly, down to Earth, getting up every day saying, ``I have got a job to do,'' and going out to do it. We will miss them. We thank them for their service. As long as we have the privilege of serving here, we will cherish their legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Daughters of Penelope on its 85th Anniversary and to recognize the organization's civic contributions and commitment to public service in the United States and abroad.

Since its founding in 1929, the Daughters of Penelope has become a preeminent international women's organization and affiliate of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), the nation's leading association of American citizens of Hellenic heritage. Today there are 250 Daughters of Penelope chapters around the world.

I am especially proud to recognize the Daughters because I believe the organization embodies the spirit of philotimo; a conviction for civic duty and deep honor in volunteerism that all Hellenes strive to uphold.

The Daughters of Penelope was first established with the mission of improving the lives of all women and providing them the opportunity to make significant contributions to American society. Today, the organization strives to promote the ideals of ancient Greece: education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.

Through this enduring commitment to the philotimo ethic, the Daughters of Penelope has achieved remarkable accomplishments: providing educational opportunities for youth, tirelessly caring for the elderly and victims of domestic abuse, and raising funds for important civic causes and medical research. Demonstrating strong character, determination, and hard work, it's no surprise that Daughters of Penelope members often rise to become leaders in their respective professions, from government to business to the arts.

On this 85th Anniversary, I congratulate the Daughters of Penelope for its tremendous accomplishments and thank the organization for its enduring commitment to public service.