Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the brave firefighters and first responders who swiftly responded to and recently contained the Mountain fire, a destructive and devastating wildfire that burned over 20,000 acres in the hillsides of Camarillo in my district of Ventura County, California.

Ignited on the morning of November 6, the blaze, fueled by 80-mile- per-hour winds, quickly spread. While many homes were damaged and destroyed in this disaster, fortunately no lives were lost thanks to the swift and strategic response of emergency personnel.

I join a very grateful community in thanking the men and women of the Ventura County Fire Department, CAL FIRE, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, local law enforcement, and the unified command of 3,000 personnel on the ground who responded to this incident and protected the lives and livelihoods of so many.

I remain deeply inspired by the heroism of our firefighters and first responders and our community's unwavering support for one another as we enter the recovery process and rebuild a stronger Ventura County.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.

As you know, last week on Veterans Day, many of us attended events in our congressional districts to commemorate Veterans Day and to honor the men and women who have served our Nation in uniform. As Members of Congress, on Veterans Day, we recognize every man and woman who has answered the call to duty. In fact, it has been nearly a century since Veterans Day was first established as a Federal holiday in 1938.

While celebrating Veterans Day is an important tradition, we also owe our Nation's veterans more than words of thanks. Our words ring hollow if we don't do our part to fulfill our Nation's solemn promise to serve our veterans and their families as well as they have served our country.

As you may know, access to long-term care is one of the biggest challenges facing our aging veteran population and the families who care for them. I have been working for several years now to address this need, working with former Senator Elizabeth Dole, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, veterans service organizations, and with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both Houses of Congress.

I was proud when the bill passed the House in November of 2023 with overwhelming bipartisan support. It has been a year, and we simply cannot deny our veterans this crucial care any longer. We must get the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act across the finish line and signed into law.

Passage of my legislation would be the most impactful change in VA long-term care in decades. It would also be one of the smartest. Currently, every veteran enrolled in the VA has the right to nursing home care if clinically eligible, but it is important to note that nursing homes are not where veterans want to live their golden years. They want to be at home with their families and in their communities.

It turns out care at home is also less expensive than institutionalized care. Probably most important of all, health outcomes are far, far better by having received care at home than it is in an institutionalized setting.

As you know all too well, our healthcare system is facing a silver tsunami as baby boomers enter their

later years. The VA is not exempt from this tsunami, and immediate preparation is critical. Almost half of the VA's patient population is over 65. Without fixing veteran home and community care in the next 15 years, the VA will double its spending on institutionalized long-term care services, nearing $15 billion to meet these needs.

Congress has a great deal of difficulty coming to agreement on most things, but we all agree that long-term care at home is better for our veterans. It is better for the VA, and it is better for our country.

I am proud to say my bill has been incorporated into the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. The package before us also includes legislation that Senator Sanders and I have worked on to create a new pilot program to expand VA comprehensive dental care to veterans diagnosed with diabetes and other heart disease, as well as numerous bipartisan, bicameral provisions to improve VA's benefits for veterans.

I thank Chairman Bost, and I thank Ranking Member Takano for their work to reach an agreement on this package that will help veterans all over the country by delivering the relief caregivers and veterans need and what they have been advocating for. I also thank Senator Elizabeth Dole for her help and support in making this the perfect bill.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Illece Buckley Weber, Mayor of the City of Agoura Hills, and an inspirational public servant who has dedicated her career to being a voice for the people who call this beautiful and vibrant community home.

Throughout her tenure, Mayor Buckley Weber has been a tireless advocate for her community, prioritizing the values of collaboration, service, and progress. Her leadership has not only guided Agoura Hills through challenging moments but has also laid the foundation for continued growth and prosperity.

In 1992, Illece moved to Agoura Hills with her husband Joe and their two children, Sara and David. Seeking that quintessential small-town feel and an excellent school district, Illece and Joe knew Agoura Hills was the right fit for their family. We are so fortunate that they chose to make this wonderful city their home.

At the heart of public service is the burning desire to create a better world for our children--a world where they can learn and grow to reach their fullest potential. Illece's commitment to serving this unique city was only strengthened by her deep appreciation and admiration for Agoura Hills' bountiful natural beauty. It is no surprise that she decided to take the next step and immerse herself in local governance. In 2006, she was appointed to the Agoura Hills Planning Commission, and in 2011, she was elected to the City Council, where she has dutifully and faithfully served the Agoura Hills community for nearly 13 years.

Illece has served on all of the city's subcommittees with an emphasis on Public Works, Environmental Sustainability, and Community Services. A fierce defender and protector of the city's natural landscape, Illece currently serves as the Chairperson and Agoura Hills representative on the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee as well as the Chair of the CalCities Environmental Quality Policy Committee.

In addition to her prominent committee roles and leadership positions across our region, Illece has had the honor of serving as the City of Agoura Hills Mayor in 2015, 2020, and 2024. Her steadfast and positive leadership has been enjoyed not only by the residents of Agoura Hills, but also by the many families, businesses, and organizations of the Conejo Valley.

Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to work with Illece to bring to fruition two projects near and dear to her heart-- and to the heart of this community. In partnership with the City of Agoura Hills, we successfully secured $3 million in federal funding for the civic center microgrid and the design and construction of critical infrastructure of the city's bicycle master plan.

Mayor Buckley Weber's commitment to enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Agoura Hills is evident in every initiative she has championed. Whether working on preserving the city's open spaces, improving public services, or fostering a strong sense of community, she has always placed the needs of her constituents and her neighbors at the center of her work.

Beyond her achievements on the Agoura Hills City Council, Mayor Buckley Weber has also served as a role model for civic engagement. Her dedication and passion for public service have inspired countless individuals in Agoura Hills to get involved and make a positive impact in their own community.

As she steps down from her seat on the City Council, I am proud to join our community in acknowledging her profound contributions and expressing our gratitude for her leadership. Agoura Hills is a better place because of her vision and hard work, and her legacy will continue to inspire those who follow in her footsteps.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great admiration and respect that I recognize Illece Buckley Weber for her remarkable service to the City of Agoura Hills. We thank her for her dedication and wish her all the best in the next chapter of her journey.

Madam Speaker, from imposing a nationwide ban on abortion to curbing voting rights to gutting Social Security and Medicare, Project 2025 is an extremist MAGA Republican manifesto that pledges an egregious assault on our freedoms, our economy, and our democracy.

At the urging of the former President, a small but extreme number of House Republicans are threatening to shut down the government unless they can impose radical actions of Trump's Project 2025.

A government shutdown would not only have a devastating economic impact, but it would jeopardize the critical services and programs American families rely on, hinder our military readiness, and deprive veterans of the healthcare they need and benefits they have earned.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to reassess their priorities and prioritize the interests of the American people over the interests of the former President. We must keep the Federal Government open and keep the Federal Government working for the people.

Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call No. 438, I was not recorded, but I intended to vote NAY.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the accomplishments of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), which is celebrating a 40-year history of advancing climate solutions. The institute was founded by a bipartisan group of members of Congress. including then-Rep. Richard L. ``Dick'' Ottinger (D-N.Y.), who continues to serve on its board of directors as chair emeritus, and then-Rep. Thomas B. Evans (R-Del.). Since 1984, EESI has worked in a nonpartisan manner to provide science-based educational resources to policymakers and the public. As we enter this decisive decade for climate action, the role played by EESI in advancing science-based solutions for climate change, energy, and environmental challenges is more important than ever.

On multiple occasions, I have had the pleasure of working closely with EESI. For example, their briefing on lowering carbon emissions from commercial aviation coincided with the initial release of my bill, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act (H.R. 2747). I also spoke at an EESI briefing on food waste reduction in December 2021. While I served on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis from 2019 to 2023, EESI submitted a substantive response to our request for information. The institute also organized a briefing about the report issued by the Select Committee majority in June 2020.

I commend EESI for serving as a trusted source of credible, nonpartisan, science-based information about energy and environmental topics and climate change solutions. EESI has helped to strengthen federal climate policy. Each year, the institute produces more than 20 Congressional briefings, 35 newsletters, and 100 articles, as well as fact sheets, issue briefs, and podcast episodes. Since 2010, EESI has also provided free technical assistance to help dozens of rural utilities across the country develop and implement inclusive on-bill financing programs for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and beneficial electrification.

I truly hope that EESI will continue to work with Congress for the next 40 years, continuing to prioritize the climate, advancing solutions, fostering bipartisanship, supporting rural communities, and cultivating young leaders.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in opposition to this resolution. This resolution is nothing more than a stunt to obstruct the progress and the success of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Since the passage of this historic, once-in-a-generation investment in our Nation's infrastructure, we have seen strong economic growth and the creation of over 7 million good-paying American jobs.

The investments in this transformative legislation are reaching communities across our country, including communities in my district in Ventura County in California.

This week, the Biden administration announced the award of $12 million for the construction of countywide electric vehicle charging centers, off-grid EV charging, and solar battery storage, as well as fast-charging ports.

As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have seen firsthand the critical need to not only complete long overdue repairs to our Nation's infrastructure, but I have also seen the need to invest in clean energy and alternative fueling infrastructure in our country.

It takes bold action to tackle the climate crisis and reduce our carbon footprint, and the bipartisan infrastructure law does just that. The law is working to help communities plan their growth, connect our cities, and significantly improve safety along our roads, bridges, and rail systems. The law is working to grow our local, regional, and national economy. The law is working to accelerate the Biden administration's efforts to grow our Nation's middle class from the bottom up and the middle out.

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is working for the American people, and this resolution is both bad for innovation, bad for job creation, and bad for America. That is why I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Takano for his partnership and his efforts to bring this important bill for our Nation's disabled and aging veterans and their caregivers to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, Representative Bergman's and my bill, H.R. 542, the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act.

I am so proud to have authored this legislation, which delivers the largest set of reforms to the VA's long-term care programs in decades. The bill will significantly expand access to the programs disabled and aging veterans need to live their lives at home and with their families.

Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide access to all home- and community-based services, such as home health aides, home-based primary care, home skilled nursing, and respite care for caregivers to all veterans who need them. Currently, elderly and disabled veterans only have access to these programs if their VA medical centers choose to offer them.

My bill would also require VA to improve care coordination between the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and VA's other home-based programs. If a veteran does not meet the enrollment criteria for the comprehensive caregiver program, VA would be required to proactively assist the veteran and their caregiver in enrolling in other home-based programs and ensure there is a warm handoff for those who do not qualify for the comprehensive caregiver program.

Finally, my legislation would require VA to establish a public-facing website that will enable veterans and their loved ones to assess their eligibility for each of the home- and community-based services VA offers and provide information about how to access these services.

I have served on the Veterans' Affairs Committee since my first term in Congress, and over the last 10 years, I have participated in at least five oversight hearings related to improving long-term care for our veterans. I have also spoken with countless veterans and their loved ones, and based on my experience, one thing is very clear: Almost every veteran would prefer to age at home rather than in a facility. However, for many veterans, doing so requires certain clinical support that can be prohibitively expensive if not covered by the VA. This bill would help address just that.

Furthermore, it is important to really underscore this point: Home- and community-based care is far and away higher quality and cheaper to provide than institutional care. VA's veteran-directed care program can serve three veterans for every one who would be in institutionalized care at VA's expense. It is important to note that veterans who participate in this program are less likely to develop complications or to be hospitalized than those who do not.

Yet, this program is currently not made available to all veterans. The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act changes that.

Passage of this legislation cannot wait any longer. Like so many families across the country, thousands of elderly and catastrophically disabled veterans and their families are having critical and often difficult conversations about their long-term care. They question whether they spend their lifesavings to keep their veterans at home or whether it is safer to go to a VA-funded nursing facility.

H.R. 542 would help relieve this heartache and give families access to programs that will help veterans stay in their homes and receive the care they need, the care that they have earned, and the care that they deserve.

I will repeat one more time that, most importantly, health outcomes prove to be far better at home compared to institutionalized care.

Last week, 45 veterans service organizations, military service organizations, and community-based organizations sent a letter to House and Senate leadership, urging the swift passage of this bill and saying that, as the ranking member said, disabled veterans and their families cannot wait any longer. I could not agree more.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to try to put a face to the experiences that so many disabled or aging veterans often go through and why this bill is so necessary.

This bill is for the 40-year-old veteran who is quadriplegic and who may have to move into institutionalized care because VA won't provide the skilled nursing services that would help him remain at home.

This bill is for the 50-year-old veteran with ALS who has three small children and wants to spend the remaining time he has with them at home. He shouldn't be forced to move into a long-term care facility because the cost of his care has gone over an arbitrary spending cap.

This bill is for the Vietnam-era amputee who needs help getting dressed and preparing food but can otherwise live safely at home. He should not have to wait for Congress to act to get the care and assistance he needs.

Moreover, this bill is for the Korean war veteran whose aging spouse can no longer provide the level of care she once did. They want to stay at home together. It is unconscionable this Congress would make them wait a moment longer. They need these services and support, and they need it now.

I am, therefore, perplexed that when the majority brought H.R. 542 to the House floor, they chose to bring a version of the legislation that did not include the minor revisions that had been negotiated with our Senate counterparts. This means future House action will be warranted, which is truly inexcusable to me and the veterans, their families, and their caregivers who are waiting on passage of this bill. We had the opportunity to get this done before the end of the year, send it to the Senate, and then to the President's desk for enactment.

When Representative Bergman and I first introduced this legislation, we named it after Senator Elizabeth Dole. She has done more for aging and disabled veterans and their caregivers in one lifetime than most of us could hope to do in several.

It was introduced in February 2022, just a few months after the veteran she cared for, Senator Bob Dole, passed away. Tomorrow, we will mark the second anniversary of Senator Bob Dole's passing. It is a shame that we could not honor Senator Elizabeth Dole's example and life's work on this anniversary by sending a hotline-ready bill to the Senate that the President could sign before Christmas. It is shameful, and it is disrespectful, really, to play politics with a bill the veteran community wants so badly and a bill that is more cost- effective, provides better outcomes, and is what our Nation's veterans need and want.

I hope we will soon be voting on the final passage of the bill language that the House and Senate have already agreed to and that veterans and their families so desperately need. All of us will, one day, have conversations about what we want our last years to look like. Our aging and disabled veterans have more than earned the right to have the option of living out these final years at home.

Of all the things we owe these men and women, a peaceful and dignified

life after their service to our country is the least we can do. I call on my colleagues to do right by these veterans. Put politics aside, keep families together, and keep veterans healthy and at home.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, and I thank Ranking Member Takano and Representative Bergman for their work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, support the renaming of the VA outpatient clinic in Hinesville, Georgia, after the four servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country in Vietnam. Like a majority of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I will support this bill because it is the right thing to do.

This weekend, so many of us returned to our districts to honor the men and women who have served our Nation in uniform in theaters and eras from World War II to our veterans who served multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. We recognized every man and woman who has answered the call to duty because it is the right thing to do.

However, it is incumbent upon all of us in this Chamber to do more and to do better. Our words ring hollow if we don't do our part to fulfill our Nation's solemn promise to serve our veterans and their families as well as they have served our country. These words cannot only be spoken, but we must act upon them, live upon them.

While I believe it is important that we recognize John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, and Frankie Smiley, I ask myself how do we best serve the next generation of our Nation's veterans? How do we show them the respect that they have shown us? How do we let them age with as much dignity as they deserve and as much as possible?

Long-term care is one of the biggest challenges facing our aging population and their families. That is why I am calling on Speaker Johnson to bring before the House my bill, H.R. 542, the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, for a vote. This bill, which has overwhelming bipartisan, bicameral support and passed out of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee unanimously almost 4 months ago, would be a fitting honor for the service and sacrifice of the Vietnam veterans advocating for this bill.

It would be the single largest expansion of long-term care services at VA in decades. It would impact nearly every veteran living with catastrophic disabilities or living with the effects of aging.

Currently, every veteran enrolled in VA has the right to nursing home care if clinically eligible, but it is important to note that nursing homes are not where veterans want to live their golden years. They want to be home. They want to be with their families. They want to be in their communities and with their communities. I doubt there is a person here today who has not grappled with how best to care for an aging or disabled loved one. Every veteran should have the right to dignity in their later years.

VA home- and community-based services enable veterans to do just that. However, these services are not available at all VA medical centers, and my bill changes that.

In addition to listening to what veterans want, home- and community- based services are also a far less expensive option for taxpayers and an investment in the elder care infrastructure this country so desperately needs. Even more important is, the health outcomes of those who are cared for at home are far, far better than the outcomes of those who receive care in an institution.

The chairman spoke about the Elizabeth Dole bill and said that CBO has scored it in a way that has caused him to have to revisit the bill. I don't know what he means because we got a CBO score. We had one CBO score that was astronomical. Then, finally, we won with CBO, and CBO went back and looked at the bill again and said, oh, no, it is just a very minimal cost. The beauty of this bill is the health outcomes of veterans are much better, it is less expensive than institutionalized care, and we can use that money to invest in other programs for our veterans.

As you all know too well, our healthcare system is facing a silver tsunami as the largest generation, baby boomers, enter their later years. VA is not exempt from this tsunami, and preparation is critical.

Almost half of VA's patient population is over 65. Without an aggressive expansion of home care, in the next 15 years, VA will have doubled its spending on institutional, long-term care services, nearing $15 billion, to meet these needs.

Without the option of receiving care at home, veterans will have to languish on wait lists or move to facilities far away from their families.

All this aside, the Elizabeth Dole act is the right thing to do right now. As both Chairman Bost and Ranking Member Takano have stated, this is the right time. The Elizabeth Dole act is the right bill for this Congress to pass and move forward.

It is too late for this bill to go to the President's desk before Veterans Day,

as I had hoped, but we cannot delay any further. Our veterans, their caregivers, and their families cannot wait any longer. To further delay this bill is really absolutely cruel.

Let us work together. Let's work with Senator Elizabeth Dole to fulfill our promise to America's veterans. Let us act, and let us act now, Mr. Speaker.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I come before this body to remember the 12 innocent lives lost 5 years ago today at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California.

Our community was forever changed by this tragedy inflicted by the plague of gun violence that continues to permeate every corner of our country.

While House Republicans wasted precious time fighting with each other over electing a new Speaker for 21 days and 21 hours, there were 33 more mass shootings, 1,030 people died from gun violence, and another 2,072 people were injured.

Within hours of Speaker Johnson being elected, there was a mass shooting in Maine that resulted in the tragic loss of 18 lives and left 13 others injured.

Madam Speaker, the American people are no longer satisfied with empty offers of thoughts and prayers in times of such tragedies. They want action, not meaningless words.

In memory of the Borderline 12, I call on Speaker Johnson and my Republican colleagues to bring commonsense, lifesaving gun safety legislation, including a ban on assault weapons, to the floor now.

Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 579.

Amendment No. 86 Offered by Mr. Crane

Mr. Chair, this year marks 50 years since our country stopped drafting citizens into service and began instituting an all- volunteer force. Unfortunately, today's military is facing significant recruitment challenges. That can be detrimental to the security of our great Nation.

Seeking to limit the reproductive rights and freedom of America's servicewomen only exacerbates the issue. Why would a woman who takes an oath to defend our Nation do so when House Republicans stand in this Chamber attacking their bodily autonomy?

Today, women make up about 20 percent of our Armed Forces, and our military is stronger because of their contribution. It is important to note that servicewomen experience higher unintended pregnancy rates than their civilian counterparts, largely due to limited access to contraceptive services and the inexcusable high degree of sexual assault.

It is an appalling reality that nearly one in four female servicemembers have reported sexual harassment during their careers. That my Republican colleagues would force a woman raped by her superior to pay for her own travel to access abortion care is beyond appalling.

This amendment is a shameful politicization of our military, and it is using our servicemembers as pawns in an ideological debate.

Madam Speaker, this week, during National Police Week, House Republicans are again exploiting law enforcement for political gain rather than helping law enforcement with real policy.

House Republicans are using messaging bills to nowhere to trick the public into thinking they support law enforcement while turning around and stripping communities of the funds necessary to support local law enforcement agencies across the country.

It was only 2 weeks ago that House Republicans voted to slash funding for law enforcement by 22 percent. That would decimate local law enforcement agencies nationwide while leaving our streets unsafe and our communities vulnerable.

I call on my colleagues to reject the empty rhetoric, and instead, work with House Democrats to provide the resources necessary to actually support our law enforcement officers and their mission to protect and serve our families and our communities.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2, House Republicans' so-called border security bill, is yet another glaring example of the false outrage exhibited by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

As they speak blatant mistruths about concerns over Americans' safety, they turn a blind eye to the deadly epidemic of gun violence within our borders.

Instead, House Republicans clamor around a bill that guts the U.S. asylum process and eliminates any realistic pathways to legal immigration.

Their proposal costs the American people $6.1 billion and does nothing to increase border security personnel. In fact, the bill would pay for the former President's vanity project, an expensive and ineffective wall that would make our Nation more vulnerable to drug and human trafficking.

It is with a deep understanding that we are a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants that House Democrats are working to pass comprehensive immigration reform that will protect our communities, the American people, and the American Dream.

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National Infertility Awareness Week, I rise to bring greater awareness to infertility and to express my solidarity and support for individuals and families facing this difficult disease.

As you may know, National Infertility Awareness Week was founded in 1989 to salute the parents, doctors, researchers, and others for the extraordinary progress over the last four decades to destigmatize infertility and bring awareness to the many barriers people face when trying to start and build their families.

Most Americans are not aware that approximately one in five Americans are impacted by the disease of infertility. The disease affects both men and women of all races, religious backgrounds, and economic status; it knows no barriers and impacts millions of individuals.

Through the revolutionary contributions of research scientists and considerable medical advancements, fertility treatments have vastly improved since the first successful IVF pregnancy and live birth occurred in 1978. Such advancements include early infertility detection through detailed and data-driven testing, advanced egg-freezing technology, and progressive procedures that allow young cancer patients to preserve their fertility prior to undergoing lifesaving chemotherapy treatments. Organizations like RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association, advocate for millions of individuals and couples in this country who need medical assistance to have a family. Other groups, such as the Military Family Building Coalition (MFBC), have focused on raising awareness for active-duty service members and their spouses facing unique challenges with family building. They are actively working to bring awareness to these unique challenges and advance laws and policies that will help our servicemembers sacrificing for our country achieve their dream of building or expanding their own family. There are also organizations such as the Alliance for Fertility Preservation, who stand up to voice on the importance of affordable fertility preservation options for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. In fact, in the absence of comprehensive and reliable fertility preservation and family building healthcare coverage, the option of having children may not otherwise be available for millions of Americans without the financial assistance of organizations like RESOLVE, AFP, and MFBC, and countless other worthwhile organizations.

Since 1978, and because of extraordinary medical advancements and steadfast advocacy organizations, millions of Americans have been able to receive life affirming treatments that have resulted in the delivery of babies. And while advancements have been a substantial step forward for family building, significant medical, financial, and health equity barriers still exist for others who require medical assistance to combat infertility.

During this National Infertility Awareness Week, I am calling on my colleagues in Congress to do more to remove many of the barriers that currently exist for those experiencing infertility challenges in their pursuit of having a child. The ability to have children and the timing of building a family is a basic human right, and thus we must work together to pass legislation to create a path for these American families. I also applaud my colleagues including Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, Congresswoman DeLauro, Congresswoman Strickland, and Congressman Rick Larsen for joining me in introducing legislation devoted to eliminating obstacles to building families. I salute the millions of infertility warriors throughout the country and the world, who advocate on behalf of that most precious of gifts, that of family.