Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor another Oklahoma trailblazer in space.

Astronaut John Herrington is a retired United States naval aviator and former NASA astronaut. Born in Wetumka, Oklahoma, Herrington made history in 2002 as the first Native American to fly in space.

A citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Herrington earned a bachelor's of science degree in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, a master's of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Ph.D. from the University of Idaho.

As a mission specialist on the STS-113 Endeavour mission, it was the 11th American assembly mission to the International Space Station. Dr. Herrington spent more than 330 hours in space and conducted three space walks, totaling nearly 20 hours.

Dr. Herrington then served as a capsule communicator, supporting shuttle and space station training and operations, and he was later chosen to become the chief engineer for safety and mission assurance at the Johnson Space Center.

I am proud of Dr. Herrington's achievements and barriers broken for Tribal citizens in space exploration.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Smith for yielding.

I rise today to speak about two amendments in this en bloc package that are critical to the Nation's security and good governance.

The first is a bipartisan amendment that addresses the need for oversight and accountability in our national security infrastructure. This bipartisan amendment directs the IG to audit DOD departments and agencies to determine if excess profit and cost escalation on sole- source contracts has taken place. This is important not only for our bases and maintenance, but it impacts our Nation's readiness.

While we understand that contractors and suppliers need to make a profit, that doesn't mean that our taxpayer dollars should go to fund excess profits and escalations that are well outside of the norm.

This good governance is reasonable and helps us to ensure our Nation's security while being good stewards of the taxpayer dollars.

The second amendment in this en bloc package addresses our Nation's security in a different way: that of the air traffic controllers, who pay into their retirement throughout their career until they are forced to retire at the age of 56, many of whom are our Nation's veterans.

Right now, we are experiencing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers across this Nation, and retired air traffic controllers are some of the most qualified supervisors and trainers. However, under current law, all FERS retirees either must work under 1.5 days per week or full-time, otherwise, they lose their Federal retirement.

This amendment allows all retirees to simply retain their hard-earned retirement dollars that they have paid in, so we can train the next generation of air traffic controllers.

Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 476, I offer amendments en bloc as the designee for Mr. Smith of Washington.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild).

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider).

Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time is remaining on each side?

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Schrier).

Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, as well as the NDAA upon final passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, pursuant to House Resolution 476, as the designee of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith), I offer amendments en bloc.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).

Mr. Chair, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, as well as the NDAA upon final passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 476, I offer amendments en bloc as the designee of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Chair, I yield 8 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rose).

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

Madam Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 476, I offer amendments en bloc as the designee of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Madam Chair, I currently have no speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, as well as the NDAA upon final passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 476, I offer amendments en bloc as the designee of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Madam Chair, I have no speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, as well as the NDAA upon final passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 476, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 13 as the designee of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Madam Chair, I currently have no speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, as well as the NDAA upon final passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 476, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 14 as the designee of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Madam Chairwoman, I currently have no speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, as well as the NDAA upon final passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 476, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 15 as the designee of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Madam Chairwoman, I currently have no speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I have no speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, as well as the NDAA upon final passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the legacy and accomplishments of Oklahomans in space.

Retired Air Force Colonel Stuart Roosa was one of six Apollo astronauts to fly solo around the Moon.

After growing up in Claremore, Colonel Roosa studied at both Oklahoma State University and the University of Arizona before earning a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering with honors from the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1960. Later he graduated from the Aviation Cadet Program at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, where he received his flight training commission in the U.S. Air Force.

Roosa was one of 19 people selected to the astronaut class of 1966. Colonel Roosa served as a member of the astronaut support crew for the Apollo 9 mission and as the command module pilot for the Apollo 14 mission from January 13 to February 9, 1971. In completing his first spaceflight, Roosa logged a total of 216 hours and 42 minutes in space. Following Apollo 14 he served as backup command pilot for Apollo 16 and Apollo 17. He was assigned to the space shuttle program until his retirement as a colonel from the Air Force in 1976.

Former NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin describes Colonel Roosa as one of the can-do spacefarers who helped take America and all humankind to the Moon. Goldin said that Colonel Roosa exemplified the talents that NASA strives for: service to our Nation, technical know-how, and an unbridled creative spirit.

Celebrating Oklahomans in Space

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of Oklahomans in space.

Skylab was the first space station operated by the United States. This space station spent 6 years orbiting the Earth. Within those 6 years, two Oklahomans were part of the three successive, three-man crews to live aboard Skylab: William Pogue and Owen Garriott.

Born in Okemah, Oklahoma, Pogue joined the U.S. Air Force and fought in the Korean war. In 1955 Colonel Pogue became a member of the Thunderbirds, the Air Force's elite aerobatics team, and then earned a master's degree from Oklahoma State University in 1960. In 1966 Colonel Pogue became an astronaut and served on the support crews for the Apollo 7, 11, and 14 missions.

The pilot of record-setting American missions in space, Pogue was one of the few astronauts to ever go on strike while in orbit to demand more time to contemplate the universe.

Colonel Pogue and the three-manned crew he was a part of flew the longest and last manned mission aboard Skylab from November 16, 1973 to February 8, 1974.

Astronaut Owen Garriott was born in Enid, Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Oklahoma and his master's and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Dr. Garriott served as an electronics officer while on Active Duty with the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1956 and was stationed aboard several U.S. destroyers at sea. He was selected as a scientist-astronaut by NASA in June 1965 and then completed a 53-week course in flight training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. He logged more than 5,000 hours flying time, including more than 2,900 hours in jet and light aircraft, spacecraft, and helicopters. Garriott was the science-pilot for Skylab 3, the second crewed Skylab mission, and he was in orbit from July 28 to September 25, 1973.

The crew of Skylab 3 logged 1,427 hours and 9 minutes each in space, setting a world record for a single mission. Garriott spent 13 hours and 43 minutes in three separate spacewalks as well. He also held the FAA commercial pilot and flight instructor certifications for instrument and multi-engine aircraft.

Sadly, we lost Dr. Garriott just 2 months ago at the age of 88, but we are grateful for the contributions and the legacy set by Oklahomans, Colonel Pogue and Dr. Garriott and their exploration in space.

Madam Chair, I rise to speak on the Amendment offered by Mr. Babin.

I thank the gentleman for his interest in commercial space and for the opportunity to work with him on the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, which I chair and on which he serves as Ranking Member.

The gentleman's amendment concerns the organization of space activities within the Department of Commerce and its National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

My concern with this amendment is that it should be considered in the authorizing committee of jurisdiction through its work on commercial space.

Reorganizing space activities in the Federal government shouldn't be something slipped into an appropriations bill. Those decisions should be evaluated and considered by the Committee of jurisdiction--the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

There are multiple stakeholders involved in commercial space activities, including Federal government agencies, commercial providers, users of commercial space activities, and partnerships among the various stakeholders.

Their views on the current state of commercial space activities and regulations should inform policy going forward as should the perspectives of the Federal government agencies involved working on commercial space-related activities.

How Federal agencies are organized to carry out their roles and responsibilities related to commercial space is the work of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee and I plan to engage the Subcommittee on these and other important commercial space matters.

The Members of the Subcommittee and the full Science Committee expect to be involved in matters regarding the future of space activities within the Federal government. Changing important policy affecting many stakeholders in a multi-agency spending bill may have unintended consequences. Such changes should be addressed through the committee of jurisdiction where they can be debated and reviewed in the light of day. I hope that this provision will be removed from the appropriations bill before it goes to the President.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about Oklahomans in space.

Born in Oklahoma's Fifth Congressional District in Shawnee, retired Air Force Colonel Gordon Cooper was one of the first Mercury astronauts. In 1962, he served as a backup for the Sigma 7 mission. A year later, he circled Earth 22 times in the space capsule Faith 7, completing the sixth and last of the Mercury manned spaceflights.

He also served as a command pilot of Gemini 5 on an 8-day endurance mission. This not only made him the first person to make two orbital flights, but he also set an endurance record on this mission of nearly 191 hours.

Before becoming an astronaut with NASA, Colonel Cooper earned a commission with the U.S. Army in the late 1940s and then transferred to the Air Force where he received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautics from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright- Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

If you visit the National Portrait Gallery in D.C., you will see a picture of Colonel Cooper as one of NASA's Mercury Seven astronauts. I am proud to honor his memory, legacy, and history-making achievements in space.

Madam Speaker, women astronauts from Oklahoma have also made critical contributions to our Nation's space program. Jerrie Cobb and Shannon Lucid are two of those pioneers who paved the way in space and aeronautics.

Cobb is considered one of the most gifted female pilots in history and a fierce advocate for women astronauts. Born in Norman, Oklahoma, and a graduate from Oklahoma City's Classen High School, Cobb became the first woman to fly in the Paris Air Show and was among the first women certified to be an astronaut as a member of the little-known Mercury 13 in the early 1960s. She testified before Congress in 1962, urging lawmakers to allow women to go into space.

Though she never got to leave the Earth's atmosphere, Cobb helped pave the way for future generations of women astronauts like fellow Oklahoman and astronaut, Dr. Shannon Lucid. I pause to honor the memory of Dr. Cobb today, as she passed away 3 months ago at the age of 88.

Lady astronaut Dr. Shannon Lucid, a Congressional District Five resident, graduated from Bethany High School. Among the first six women astronauts selected by NASA, Dr. Lucid became an astronaut in 1979. Not only did she fly on five spaceflights, she is also the only American woman to serve aboard the Mir Space Station.

Before Peggy Whitson broke the record of the number of hours in space, Dr. Lucid set the record with 5,354 hours in space. In December of 1996, she became the first woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for her record-breaking service aboard the Mir, and she retired from NASA in 2012.

Because of the glass ceiling shattered by Jerrie Cobb and Dr. Shannon Lucid, generations of women can and do now follow in their footsteps.

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

Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to address the critical need to support both our law enforcement and individuals in our communities who are experiencing mental health crisis.

Across this country, one in every ten calls for police response involves a person experiencing a mental health crisis; one in four people killed by police are suffering from a mental illness; one in three people transported to hospital emergency rooms for psychiatric reasons are taken by the police.

Simply put, our police officers are on the front lines in our Nation where far too few people have access to the mental healthcare they need and deserve. But far too few have the training and the skills they need to understand, identify, and deescalate these situations.

We need to provide our officers with the skills and understanding of mental illness and how to appropriately respond to both the safety of the officer and the individual. The right training makes everyone safer. We must equip officers for encounters with people experiencing mental health crises, and my amendment helps to accomplish this goal.

With this amendment, we can help save lives and turn these encounters into effective responses that help both the individual and our communities. My amendment funds grants for crisis training for law enforcement through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. This program is giving State, local, and Tribal governments the critical support they need to provide individuals with important training and education, and equipment to operate at their best.

Byrne JAG is the leading source of funding for local law enforcement to help prevent and control crime, improve the justice system, and funds everything from education and intervention programs to reentry services to target the roots of crime. Some of its most well-known programs include the bulletproof vests program, Smart Policing Initiative, and the Juvenile Indigent Defense, the National Missing Unidentified Person System, and numerous other programs.

Byrne JAG is a critical funding source that makes our community safer by attacking the problem of crime from multiple angles, from community education to improving interactions with police and the neighborhoods they protect and, thus, is an excellent way to provide mental health crisis response training for our police officers.

Mr. Chair, in my State of Oklahoma, officers in 2018 alone transferred 17,860 individuals experiencing a mental health crisis to the emergency room.

Behavorial and psychological science has progressed leaps and bounds in the last 50 years, but access to that training is expensive, and we must break down cost barriers for law enforcement agencies to save lives and address mental illness.

Mr. Chair, I look forward to, and urge, support on this amendment that will make our communities safer and address mental illness.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about an important achievement that changed the world as we know it.

In just over a month, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. On July 20th, 1969, for the first time ever, human beings walked on the Moon.

Apollo 11 was indeed a giant leap. It inspired and continues to inspire generations to explore. The discoveries and technology that come out of America's investment in space not only help us better understand the universe but fundamentally change our modern life.

Apollo 11 is one of America's greatest achievements, and I am proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as in both the House and the Senate, on resolutions that commemorate and celebrate this achievement.

Celebrating the Apollo 11 mission ensures that future generations will not just remember, but also take us further into space exploration.

As a lifelong Oklahoman, I also want to acknowledge the unique contributions of Oklahoma astronauts. In each week leading up to the Apollo 11 mission celebration, I will highlight Oklahomans who shaped our knowledge and discovery within space.

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

Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, I am pleased today to offer an amendment that ensures that rural areas are included in navigator outreach under H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act.

This amendment ensures that the navigators who help people understand their options under the Affordable Care Act also help our rural communities.

The overall bill places federally funded grants in communities across the country to pay navigators who play a vital role in helping Americans understand their health coverage options in the marketplace. It helps them know what they qualify for.

Without question, access to healthcare is one of our Nation's most critical issues. This is true across the country, whether in major metropolitan areas, big cities, small towns, on the coasts, or in the heartland. But specific problems look different from place to place, and our rural communities are undoubtedly struggling.

One of the worst outcomes in rural communities of lack of access to healthcare is hospital closures.

Sadly, Oklahoma is no stranger to them. We have already lost six hospitals since 2010, and many more are teetering on the edge.

Simply put, hospitals can't stay open when their patients don't have coverage and the hospitals aren't able to pay their bills.

Right now, Oklahoma has the second highest uninsured rate in the Nation, and our rural areas often bear the brunt of the coverage gap. They simply don't have enough patients with coverage to offset the ones without it.

The Washington Post just wrote a story about a 15-bed hospital in my home State in a town called Fairfax. Fairfax Community Hospital is so close to closing that their computer software won't operate because the licensing fees haven't been paid.

Their air-conditioning is also shut down. Imagine that, as it gets hotter and hotter in the Oklahoma summertime.

I want to share an excerpt of the story because these matters are about real lives. It is not about numbers. These are about people who are suffering because they don't have access to care.

It starts with CEO Tina Steele talking to the employees who are crammed in a crowded office and sweating.

``So how desperate are we?'' One employee asked. ``How much money do we have in the bank?''

``Somewhere around $12,000,'' Steele said.

``And how long will that last us?''

``Under normal circumstances?'' Steele asked. She looked down at a chart on her desk and ran calculations in her head. ``Probably a few hours. Maybe a day at most.''

The only reason the hospital had been able to stay open at all was because about 30 employees continued showing up to work without pay. There was no other hospital within 30 miles of the two-lane roads and prairie in sprawling Osage County, which meant Fairfax Community was the only lifeline in that part of the county that increasingly needed rescuing.

``If we aren't open, where do these people go?'' asked a physician assistant, thinking about the dozens of patients he treated each month in the ER, including some in critical condition after drug overdoses, falls from horses, oil field disasters, and car crashes.

``They'll go to the cemetery,'' another employee said. ``If we're not here, these people don't have time. They'll die along with this hospital.''

Like I said, there are similar stories in other hospitals that have played out six times across Oklahoma, and in many other places. According to some estimates, there are 102 hospitals that have closed nationwide, and we, as Americans, can't let our neighbors die simply because they live in small towns. We must solve this rural health crisis.

Navigators are a part of this solution. This amendment makes sure that we help people living in small towns across Oklahoma and the country stay healthy and understand their options so that they can take care of themselves and their families.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, adding on to this, the inclusion of rural communities with navigators serving them is critical, because from 2016 to 2018, Oklahoma lost 78 percent of its navigator funding. The very communities that are in the most need, where people have the least access to services and understanding, including broadband, so that they can access the services they need, are the very ones that are suffering most.

These closures and the lack of access not only have an effect in the communities that directly impact them, but ripple across my State and this Nation.

Madam Speaker, maintaining America's global leadership means that we must equip our youth with the skills to meet the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) needs of the future. Two teams from Oklahoma schools, Sequoyah Middle School and the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics high school students, showcased their STEM skills at the National Science Bowl finals and I want to recognize them for this achievement.

Sequoyah Middle School was represented by Alex Kelley, Jack MaGill, Shirsha Mukherjee, and Billy Sweiger and led by Coaches Beth Bryan and Shaun Sweiger.

The Oklahoma School of Science and Math was represented by Peter Ha, Brad Luo, William Wang, Howard Zhong and led by their coach Dr. Fazlur Rahman.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition that tests students' knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics. Middle and high school student teams from diverse backgrounds are comprised of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. These teams face-off in a fast-paced question-and-answer format, being tested on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, energy, and math.

This year, 111 teams competed for a national title by demonstrating their knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics. Oklahoma was represented by the Sequoyah Middle School team in the middle school division and the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics in the high school division. These teams worked tirelessly throughout the year and competed at the local and regional level to get to Washington, D.C. So we congratulate their efforts and celebrate their achievement, dedication, and hard work.

Mr. Chair, I am honored to have supported the 2019 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This vitally important legislation continues and expands critical protections for families and women facing abuse.

As an Oklahoman and member of the Native American Caucus, I am grateful this legislation expands protection for our Native women, children, and law enforcement. House Resolution 1585 improves tribal access to federal crime information databases. It creates new mechanisms that let us hold non-Native abusers of Natives accountable. It reaffirms that tribal governments can prosecute those non-Natives in cases of domestic and intimate partner violence, and it expands those protections to children. Native children are 50 times more likely to be abused, according to the National Congress of American Indians, and 60 percent of the non-Native-on-Native abuse crimes tried since 2013 have involved children.

Health care is one of the most important issues in my district. H.R. 1585 creates more opportunities and access to survivors. It reauthorizes critical grants providers use to treat patients, and it broadens the reach of these grants to develop services to address the safety, medical, and mental health needs of survivors, while maintaining the grants' local focus on providing funds to state domestic and sexual violence coalitions.

We need to work every day to support survivors and provide the services they and their families need. When we work with survivors, though, we must examine the root of the problem and study long-term effects. We, as policymakers, understand survivors have undergone trauma, but we do not focus enough on the lasting effect trauma can have on health--both mental and physical. We need to acknowledge Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

ACE scores are determined through a ten-question quiz that is based on a list of experiences people might see or undergo before turning 18. It includes sexual abuse, neglect, and incarceration of a parent or family member.

If a person has experienced four or more of these adverse experiences, they are 700 percent more likely to be diagnosed with depression. They are more likely to have attempted suicide. Severe obesity, diabetes, cancer, and stroke all become more likely the higher one's ACEs score. Oklahoma's average score is 4.8. It is no coincidence that we rank poorly for health outcomes.

I am proud of local providers in my own district including the Palomar Family Justice Center, that use ACEs data to interrupt the cycle of abuse. I am also proud of the Potts Family Foundation, which has been a leader in our community on the conversation about trauma.

We must take an evidence-based approach. We must understand the nature and impact of trauma to best serve those who have suffered.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Stevens for yielding to me.

I am honored to rise this evening to talk about our accomplishments in the first 100 days. As a Representative of Oklahoma and Oklahoma's Fifth Congressional District, I talked to people all across my district about what is important to them, about what is paramount, and above and beyond everything else, the thing I heard from people across my district is that people need a voice. That is exactly what we have done in this first 100 days.

From day one, I have said and will continue to say and advocate for the people of Oklahoma in the Fifth Congressional District that their voice is number one.

Throughout this time, we have prioritized commonsense solutions for the people of Oklahoma, legislation and actions that help to improve the lives of everyday individuals. I have shown that with the time I have spent back in my district talking to and listening to the people there.

In order to hear from as many people as possible, we have held eight public events, or townhalls, ranging from coffee meetings to large townhall gatherings. From Seminole to Oklahoma City, from Oklahoma City Community College to diners, in both Oklahoma and Washington, D.C., I have met with more than 2,300 Oklahomans over the course of more than 200 meetings.

In response to inquiries from folks back home, I have replied to thousands of calls, letters, emails, and text messages about issues that are most important to them. Over and over I have heard: We need a voice.

So I have cosponsored 28 pieces of bipartisan legislation ranging from ensuring that the Indian Health Service is funded to increasing transparency in politics with the passage of H.R. 1, to ensuring that those individuals have that voice.

When we came in in the middle of a, sadly, historic shutdown, I spoke up for the members of the FAA and our Federal employees, including our air traffic controllers, because we should never play politics with people's lives. No family should have to endure the hardships caused by partisan political games.

I cosponsored legislation; that is the Shutdown to End All Shutdowns Act. And beyond that, we stood up for paycheck fairness and for wage equality, which is not just a women's issue. This is an issue that impacts our families and our communities and our overall quality of life.

I have spoken up for education and ensuring that everyone has access to quality, available healthcare. That includes protecting people with preexisting conditions, lifetime caps, and working, as we will continue to do, to make prescription drugs more affordable.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been a vocal advocate for our servicemen and -women who have, sadly, had to deal with substandard housing.

I have spoken up for the security of our Nation, but also for respect for every single individual in our district.

And in an effort to stay in touch with all corners of the district, I have toured some of our most critical facilities, from Tinker Air Force Base to the Palomar Family Justice Center and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, and so many more.

I have spoken with some of our most vital organizations, like the VFW, the Black Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau, education and healthcare advocates, as well as local elected leaders, about priorities in our communities.

I have even had the privilege of showing a sheep at the Oklahoma Youth Expo, the largest youth expo in the Nation.

I am proud of what we have accomplished so far, and I am especially proud to serve with this historic freshman class. I look forward to what we accomplish moving forward and to being an independent voice for Oklahomans.

We have only begun, and I look forward to what we can accomplish in the next 100 days and the next 100 days after that to put the people first.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

This critical legislation is important not only for survivors, but it impacts all of us. When we are talking about survivors, we need to also look at the root of the problem and the lasting impacts of trauma on the survivors and individuals as a whole. We must acknowledge the impact of adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs.

ACE scores are based on a list of events one can witness or undergo before turning 18, including sexual abuse or death in a family. If a person scores higher than 4, they are 700 times more likely to develop depression and other negative impacts. Obesity, diabetes, and stroke also become more likely the higher one's ACE score.

Oklahoma's average ACE score is 4.8, significantly higher than the rest of the country. It is no coincidence that we rank at the bottom for health, too.

I am proud of leaders in my own district, like the Palomar Family Justice Center that uses ACE data and addresses trauma in treating survivors. I am thankful for the work of the Potts Family Foundation, which has helped lead the conversation on trauma in Oklahoma and across the Nation.

These models need to be implemented on a wider scale across the country, and I am proud to stand with the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act today.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding time to me to speak on this important topic.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of this amendment today which directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study the relationship between domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking experience and the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder.

This information is critical. If we are going to make smart policy, we must take an evidence-based approach. We must understand the nature and impact of trauma to best serve those who have suffered.

We know traumatic experiences, such as domestic violence, are associated with behavioral conditions, including substance abuse; and we know that these behavioral health conditions are also associated with collective trauma. The full impact of trauma is only now beginning to be understood as tools such as the Adverse Childhood Experiences Score, or ACES, begin to inform this.

As the gentleman from Illinois mentioned, broadening our understanding will weaken stigma. Far too often, social stigma silences both domestic violence survivors and those suffering from substance use disorders. We must empower them, not further traumatize them.

To reduce this stigma, we have to continue to talk about these issues, educate ourselves about these issues, and support those who are struggling with them. This amendment and, more broadly, this bill is an important step towards fulfilling that responsibility.

Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act reaffirms and expands protections for women everywhere. It improves services available to survivors, empowers local law enforcement to protect their communities, prevents stalkers and abusers from obtaining firearms, and strengthens protections against discrimination in housing and the workplace-- because everyone, everywhere deserves a life free from abuse.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, so we can better protect and treat those who have experienced unspeakable suffering, and to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Girl Scouts of the United States as it celebrates its 107th birthday today.

On this day in 1912, Juliette Gordon Low founded this organization for, in her words, the girls of Savannah and of all America and of the world.

As you might be able to tell from the pictures next to me, Girl Scouts holds a very special place in my life.

Girl Scouts prepares girls to empower themselves, promotes compassion, courage, confidence, character, leadership, entrepreneurship, and active citizenship.

You see, my life has been shaped, as have many other girls and women throughout this country, in large part by the lessons I learned through scouting. From my great-grandmother, to my grandmother, to my mother, to myself, Girl Scouts and the values that they taught me and the strengths that Girl Scouts helped me to achieve have helped carry me through life.

For more than a century, the Girl Scouts have taught girls to be go- getters, innovators, risk-takers, and leaders.

Today, with a record number of women serving in the U.S. Congress, there are also a record number of Girl Scouts. Fifty-eight percent of the women in the U.S. House of Representatives are Girl Scouts and 73 percent of female U.S. Senators are Girl Scouts.

Though there are hundreds of Girl Scout alums in both houses of Congress, there are three of us who earned scouting's highest honor: myself, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, and Senator Tammy Duckworth.

This award, the Gold Award, is given to high schoolers after they identify an issue in their community, investigate it, build a team, build a plan, and implement it. These 1- to 2-year take-action projects must have sustainable impacts on the community. They can be petitions to add playgrounds to local parks, recycling campaigns, building emergency kits, and on and on and on, but the one thing they have in common is a sustainability requirement. They simply can't be a one shot. They must create lasting change.

Girl Scouts teaches its members to look for the root cause of a problem, not simply the symptoms.

The Gold Award is the highest achievement in all of Girl Scouts.

Congress isn't the only place as well that Girl Scouts have gone into public

service. Three Secretaries of State, Condoleezza Rice, Madeleine Albright, and Hillary Clinton, were all Girl Scouts, and virtually every single female astronaut has also been a Girl Scout.

Today, more than 50 million women alive have participated in Girl Scouts growing up. I am proud to say that for the Girl Scouts of western Oklahoma, there are today 14,000 girls who are members. Worldwide, Girl Scouts has 2.6 million current girl and adult members.

Although Girl Scouts is perhaps best known for the entrepreneurial skills it introduces through the cookie program, it does so much more to develop leadership skills in girls. It teaches them how to advocate for themselves, for others, and it gives them a voice beginning at a very young age.

Programs introduce girls to science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, or STEAM, often paths where girls might not otherwise be encouraged or supported to go on their own. Those STEAM programs introduce girls to these important areas and help them to move through challenges.

Girl Scouts can also learn about the outdoors through going on long treks, camping, kayaking, mountain biking, and countless other activities, all while learning how to minimize their impact on the environment.

Bottom line, Girl Scouts teaches girls the skills they need and they might not get elsewhere about healthy relationships, soft skills, financial literacy, nutrition and health.

All of these journeys are designed by girls and for girls, following evidence-based approaches that ensure they fit girls and foster their growth.

I am honored today to rise to celebrate the Girl Scouts on their 107th anniversary as a fourth generation Girl Scout and Gold Award recipient.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the visionary and unwavering leadership of Civil Rights icon and notable Oklahoman, Ms. Clara Luper. Six months ago, I got to witness history, as Oklahoma City commemorated the 60th anniversary of the sit-ins she organized. And even as a 5th generation Oklahoman, I realized how little I knew.

Clara Luper and her students sparked a movement: the sit-ins that led into our nation's civil rights movement. They deserve to be a household name.

Clara Luper made her mark in a time where people of color couldn't even walk into the front door of Oklahoma City businesses. They were relegated to hidden back doors. But she had a vision for equality, a heart for service, and a commitment to justice. She, in her words, ``believed in a sun when it didn't shine, and the rain when it didn't fall.'' She knew that Oklahoma and this country could be a place where everyone is treated with respect, dignity, and humanity.

As a history teacher at Dunjee High School in Spencer Oklahoma, she instilled those principles into her students. Her steadfast commitment to ending racism and systemic discrimination inspired her to organize America's first sit in.

In August 1958, she and 14 of her NAACP walked up to a lunch counter they knew would refuse them, and they ordered a hamburger and a Coke. They were denied, but they did not waver. They knew what was on the line. In Ms. Luper's words, ``within that hamburger was the whole essence of democracy.''

At their own personal peril, they returned each day with more people until they broke the barrier. It was never easy. The protestors were verbally and physically assaulted. Ms. Luper received death threats.

Because of Ms. Luper and her students' fearlessness and determination, Katz Drug Stores integrated their lunch counters not just in Oklahoma City, but in Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa too. When the 1958 sit-in happened in Oklahoma City, a group of college students were inspired by what had taken place in Oklahoma City and took note. So in 1961 the students launched the Greensboro, N.C. sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter--which fueled momentum within the civil rights movement.

It didn't end there. For years, Ms. Luper and others continued their fight. The sacrifices continued too. Authorities arrested Luper 26 times during her fight for freedom.

Clara Luper empowered young people to imagine a future brighter than their present and taught them how to make that future a reality. She changed lives and planted seeds of ethical leadership into those who were lucky to be mentored by her. Each of her former students talks about the pivotal role Ms. Luper played in instilling confidence, character, and dignity in them.

Generations reap the benefits of her sacrifice and the efforts to integrate not only businesses in Oklahoma City, but educational spaces. Ms. Luper integrated the History department at the University of Oklahoma, becoming the first Black graduate of that Master's program.

Her contributions are reflected across our state: in a namesake scholarship program at Oklahoma City University, a Corridor on the northeast side of Oklahoma City, a classroom at the University of Central Oklahoma, designating the Oklahoma City Public Schools District building as the Clara Luper Center, and naming the African American studies department at the University of Oklahoma after her.

As a lifelong Oklahoman, the representative of the fifth Congressional District, and as an American, I recognize how we are beneficiaries of Clara Luper's efforts to create a more just and equitable place to live. I cannot and will not take that history and her impact for granted.

Although we've come so far because of her sacrifices and the sacrifices of other heroes during the Civil Rights Era, there's still so much work left to do. Even with the numerous accolades given to her, the best way that we can honor Ms. Clara Luper is to uphold her legacy through a commitment to justice and equality in the policies that we propose. She knew that democracy isn't a spectator sport. It is our duty as a Congress and as Americans to make good on the constitutional promise of establishing justice and ensuring domestic tranquility. So we must continue to work for an inclusive, equitable place for everyone to live and feel safe as well as build an economy where every American has the opportunity to thrive. I thank the sit-inners and I thank Clara Luper, for their resilience and giving us the torch to carry.