Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, March is National Nutrition Month, and I am proud to join my colleagues, Representatives Judy Chu and Jackie Walorski, in leading H.R. 1551, the Nutrition Counseling Aiding Recovery for Eating Disorders Act, or the Nutrition CARE Act for short.

Madam Speaker, eating disorders account for one death every 52 minutes and can impact the lives of individuals across their lifespan. This mental illness does not discriminate, but longstanding health inequities, implicit bias, and stigma contribute to why people of color with eating disorders are half as likely to be diagnosed or to receive treatment.

The Nutrition CARE Act would provide Medicare part B coverage for medical nutrition therapy for beneficiaries with eating disorders, meaning hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries who identify as Black, indigenous, or people of color would have coverage of a key treatment component.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to help lead this effort, and I urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 1551 and bring it to the floor of this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, to Chairman Scott and the entire Committee on Education and Labor, I thank you for the time and for your hard work.

Mr. Speaker, as the former labor secretary from the State of Delaware, I am proud to support the National Apprenticeship Act and have my amendment to H.R. 447 before the House today.

My amendment would make improvements to the bill to expand pathways for Americans to obtain good-paying jobs and ensure a diverse and highly skilled workforce, which we need today more than ever.

This amendment will make certain that we engage schools which accept Federal funds for students to promote apprenticeships for low-income students, specifically title I schools.

It will coordinate with HHS to better support healthcare and childcare jobs. It would ensure that nontraditional populations, such as the Latino community, are represented in apprenticeship programs and, finally, ensure that apprenticeship websites are user-friendly and accessible to those with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is vital. As we, in America, are in the midst of a pandemic, we know more than ever that jobs are important and that our economic viability is paramount. This bill is also about opportunity and improving the lives of Americans.

I stand in support of this bill, and I ask for your support on these amendments.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from Third Way.

Third Way,

February 1, 2021.

Hon. Bobby Scott,

House Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Scott: We are pleased to see that the

National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 is receiving a vote this

week on the House floor. With millions of Americans out of

work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that

policymakers work toward an inclusive economic recovery.

That's why we encourage House lawmakers to pass the National

Apprenticeship Act of 2021, which would provide a much-needed

revamp of the nation's registered apprenticeship system.

Apprenticeships can play a key role in our economic recovery

and help people regain their footing in the job market.

Through your leadership, the National Apprenticeship Act of

2021 would take important steps to bolster apprenticeships

across the country. It would broaden economic opportunity by

expanding apprenticeships to women, people of color, and

people facing barriers to employment. The legislation would

help small and medium-sized businesses create apprenticeship

programs. Further, it would modernize our nation's

apprenticeship system by expanding apprenticeships in growing

fields like information technology, advanced manufacturing,

and health care.

The bill would also expand apprenticeships in part by

relying on intermediaries, or apprenticeship hubs, which

would bring together employers, education providers, unions,

and other organizations in each state that will work in

concert to expand apprenticeships. This is an approach Third

Way has long advocated for, and we're thrilled that it's a

key part of this legislation.

Through the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, this

country can promote apprenticeships as a key tool in our

economic recovery and ensure everyone has pathways to in-

demand, good-paying careers. We thank you and the House

Education and Labor Committee for your leadership on this

legislation and urge Members to support it.

Sincerely,

Gabriel Horwitz,

Senior Vice President,

Third Way.

Mr. Speaker, since January, the House of Representatives has passed bills lowering prescription drug prices, strengthening protections for preexisting conditions, and making sure Americans can find affordable, quality health insurance coverage.

I know thousands of Delawareans, small businesses, and millennials all across the board are struggling to afford the healthcare that they need, and in 2019 that is unacceptable.

Many of us saw hope and help when the Affordable Care Act was passed, and my commitment to the American people is protecting the ground that we gained while strengthening this landmark legislation.

As part of that commitment, six bills stabilizing the ACA and lowering the cost of prescription drugs were incorporated into my bill, the MORE Health Education Act, and the entire package passed the House a few weeks ago.

This bill will help lower the cost of prescription drugs by bringing generics to the market faster, helping Americans understand health insurance options available to them, and protect those with preexisting conditions.

I am proud that this legislation passed the House of Representatives, and I look forward to working with the Senate to ensure that these bills become law.

Every American deserves quality healthcare that is accessible and affordable, and we will keep fighting for our States and for the country.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my

amendment to the division C Defense appropriations of H.R. 2740.

I applaud my colleagues for including expanded authorities in the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act that would allow the Defense Department's Space-Available Flights program to benefit veterans with 100 percent service-connected disability.

As you may know, the Space-A program offers free military air travel to eligible participants if there is available space on a flight heading to a destination within the continental United States.

Prior to the fiscal year 2019 NDAA, the Space-A program provided Active Duty, reservists, retirees, and certain family members with this benefit.

Space-A is an example of programs operated by the military that can and do work for the American people.

Expanding the benefit to include 100 percent disabled veterans was common sense, and will help those veterans visit their family, old friends from the service, and even seek services for medical and mental health treatment with the best possible healthcare providers.

For 100 percent disabled veterans in Delaware, the expansion of Space-A offered an especially convenient travel alternative due to the Dover Air Force Base's central location within the State.

Many such communities across the country are similarly improved thanks to this program.

While the effort to expand access to this program to some of our Nation's veterans was well-intentioned, I have heard from some veterans that there may have been an unintended consequence.

The new authorities do not allow caregivers or spouses to travel with eligible veterans as part of the program. For many veterans that are rated as 100 percent disabled, the inability to have their caregiver or spouse join them on the flight effectively disqualifies them from utilizing this incredible program.

We must ensure that all eligible veterans have equal and fair access to the benefits they have earned.

President Lincoln made it clear that it is our country's duty to care and assist those that had borne the battle on behalf of the country, and it is our duty as a country to follow through on that promise.

That is why I request that the Department of Defense provide to Congress an assessment of feasibility or possible issues in expanding eligible participants to include spouses and caregivers when traveling with 100 percent disabled veterans.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on improving this benefit afforded to these veterans.

I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

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

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I want to first thank the members of the Appropriations Committee for recognizing the ongoing and critical shortage of primary care physicians and behavioral health specialists, a trend that is projected to continue into the coming years, by requesting that HRSA, the Health Resources and Services Administration, issue a report to Congress on how to better recruit and train these health professionals, as well as recommendations to address health professional staffing shortages.

My amendment serves to underscore the importance of the requested report and to encourage HRSA to not just analyze how these efforts can improve staffing shortages in underserved areas, but how we can increase the number of physicians serving in community health centers located in those areas.

Delaware, like many States around the country, is facing a severe primary care physician shortage. In 2018, there were just 815 primary care physicians in Delaware, down 5.4 percent from 2013.

According to HRSA, of the three counties in Delaware, two of them, Kent and Sussex, exceed the 2,000 to 1 primary-doctor-to-patient ratio, which is a benchmark for shortages.

According to a study commissioned by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, this trend is going to significantly impact the State's rural, downstate communities.

As HRSA develops recommendations for addressing physician shortages, they should also focus on how we can incentivize primary care physicians, in addition to other physicians experiencing health staffing shortages, to not just practice in underserved areas, but at community health centers.

Community health centers bring comprehensive primary care to underserved areas, improving not only access to healthcare, but health outcomes.

People in my State depend on community health centers for a variety of reasons. La Red Health Center, located in Georgetown, Delaware, shared that their patients appreciated their access to primary care, behavioral health services, and oral health care all in one place, and that medical services focused on the full lifecycle. For some, they face the inability to access care at private practices.

Community health centers will continue to be a vital source of care for underserved communities, and we should know the best ways to attract physicians to serve in them.

Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support the amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), a tireless advocate and distinguished Member, the chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2740 and this commonsense amendment. It will ensure that we have the best information available to help all communities, both rural and urban.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today, standing on the achievements of brave women who came before me, to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment House passage, expanding the right for women to vote.

As we celebrate this historic day, I want to pay tribute to an overlooked but trailblazing woman who helped make it possible, Delaware pioneer and suffragist, Mary Ann Shadd Cary. In her prophetic words: ``We should do more and talk less.''

Using the power of the pen, Shadd Cary was the first woman to edit and publish a newspaper in North America, using that role to combat systemic racism and slavery.

After the Civil War, she set her sights on a new cause: voting. She became one of the first Black female lawyers in the United States to testify before the House Judiciary Committee, in 1874, advocating for women's suffrage in these very Halls.

Described by W.E.B. Du Bois as ``well-educated, vivacious, with determination shining from her sharp eyes,'' Mary Ann Shadd Cary blazed trails for women everywhere, and throughout her life, always fought in the name of justice and equality.

We owe it to her and we owe it to all to continue to fight for our rights.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Pallone for yielding and for his leadership.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act. This legislative package is comprised of commonsense proposals that will advance important gains made by the Affordable Care Act and further improve our healthcare

system by, one, lowering the cost of prescription drug prices and, two, increasing access to care.

Included in this package is my bill, the MORE Health Education Act, which will restore funding to the Affordable Care Act's marketing and outreach programs and, according to the CBO, help an additional 5 million Americans get health coverage.

Educating Americans about when they can enroll and what their options are gets more people covered, creates a better risk pool, brings down some of the cost of high premiums, and gets us one step closer to stabilizing the individual marketplace.

ACA outreach not only boosts enrollment, but is also cost effective. The private sector spends between $250 and $1,000 per enrollment; however, it costs the government just $29 to enroll someone in the individual marketplace using TV ads--$29.

The goal of affordable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare is not a D or an R, it is an A for American.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the chairman of the committee.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, ``sabotage'' is, an act or process intended to hurt or hamper.

I am a person who is really particular about words, and I have heard this word used a lot. And when I look at what has happened to the Affordable Care Act over the past few years, the administration has slashed the enrollment period, we scrubbed the ACA from government websites, we have cut in-person assistance, and eliminated almost all of the educational outreach for the open enrollment period.

All of the administration's actions were intended to deliberately damage the ACA and hamper American's access to affordable, quality healthcare.

I don't question people's motivations. I think we all want the same thing. We all want healthcare for Americans.

But this bill, H.R. 987, is intended to do two things. Number one, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and number two, strengthen this historic legislation, the ACA.

Today, we have an opportunity to reverse the administration's relentless sabotage of the healthcare system and lower prescription drug prices. And as I think about individuals in my State, I think about a woman who came to me crying because of the cost of her prescription drugs.

Every one of us in here wants to see something happen. Today, we have the opportunity to make that happen.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 987.

Mr. Chair, I would like to revise my remarks made during general debate of the underlying measure, H.R. 987. In my remarks, I stated that the marketing and outreach provision under Title II of H.R. 987 would increase enrollment into health plans by five million over the ten year period as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office. Due to the methodology adopted by the Congressional Budget Office to estimate the enrollment effect of the underlying measure, the figure is more appropriately represented as increasing enrollment by about 500,000 each year over the ten year period.

Mr. Chairman, I oppose this amendment because by stripping the ACA's stabilization bills from this package, we are reneging on the promise that we made to the American people: access to quality, affordable healthcare.

This complete package of bills helps stabilize the ACA which will improve the risk pool, reduce premium cost, and lower the number of uninsured.

The CBO found that my bill, the MORE Health Education Act would help 5 million Americans obtain high-quality health insurance created by the ACA. It is supported by AARP, the American Hospital Association, and a number of other organizations, as was mentioned before.

From day one, there has been a concern that when we shorten the amount of time that people can enroll, when we tell them that we are not going to let them know what is even available to them, and then we take away the resources and the individuals that can help them get there, that is why we feel like we have been watching and witnessing the move backwards.

What we want to do with this bill is move forward. So I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment and support the full legislative package for the people.

Mr. Chair, I would like to revise my remarks made during debate of amendment No. 2 of H.R. 987, offered by Mr. McKinley. In my remarks, I stated that the marketing and outreach provision under Title II of H.R. 987 would increase enrollment into health plans by five million over the ten year period as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office. Due to the methodology adopted by the Congressional Budget Office to estimate the enrollment effect of the underlying measure, the figure is more appropriately represented as increasing enrollment by about 500,000 each year over the ten year period.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, this is a simple amendment designed to ensure that Congress is able to review the Department of Health and Human Services' own analysis of the ACA's marketing and outreach programs.

In April of this year, I led a letter signed by 30 of my House colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee requesting HHS disclose any studies and data related to their marketing and outreach efforts for the ACA. HHS and CMS have had more than 50 days to respond to this request and provide crucial documents to the public and Congress. The lack of response confirms our concerns about transparency and commitment to implementing the current law.

While estimates vary, it is clear that marketing and outreach efforts created by the ACA could significantly improve the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. Many of these Americans are simply unaware of the health insurance and financial assistance options available to them. HHS and CMS have the power and obligation to assist the public in understanding these options.

My colleagues would agree that HHS and CMS also have the obligation to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars by doing this effectively. Because of this, earlier this morning, I sent a follow-up letter requesting that these documents be released without delay.

The results of this study need to be made public so that Congress can enact effective policy that reaches our common goal of quality and affordable health insurance for all Americans.

Simply put, public awareness of the ACA isn't as high as folks are made to believe, and the ACA's marketing and outreach program was an effective tool in helping Americans make informed decisions for their families.

According to Joshua Peck, a former senior adviser at CMS who oversaw the marketing program, the private sector spends between $250 and $1,000 per enrollment. How much did it cost the Federal Government? Twenty-nine dollars.

It costs government just $29 to enroll someone in the individual marketplace using TV ads. That is a good use of taxpayer dollars.

A July 2018 Government Accountability Office report on ACA outreach and enrollment even cites the HHS' study, which looked at the most cost-effective forms of advertising for new and returning enrollees. The GAO found that the study named television ads as one of the best forms of advertising for enrolling Americans. Despite objective, fact- based analysis, the administration eliminated these ads.

Mr. Chairman, I support the underlying legislation, and I ask my colleagues to support my amendment and make clear that HHS should be transparent and release these studies.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and also support the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of my colleagues Senator Tom Carper and Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, to honor and congratulate Beatrice ``Bebe'' Coker, a mother, sister, artist, advocate, mentor, leader, and recipient of the 2019 John H. Taylor Jr. Education Leadership Award.

Bebe, as she is affectionately called, is a lifelong advocate for quality public education, the arts, and diversity and inclusion. She was honored by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce affiliate, The Partnership, Inc., at Superstars in Education Reception and Awards Ceremony on May 13, 2019, for her unrelenting dedication and leadership in advancing education for all children and making our community a better place to live and work.

Ms. Coker is a revered community mobilizer and literacy advocate, as well as a champion of social justice in Delaware. Among her many contributions to our state, Ms. Bebe was appointed by former Gov. Pierre S. du Pont to join the Citizens Alliance for Public Education to ensure the peaceful desegregation of Delaware schools. She has volunteered for countless organizations, including The Christiana Cultural Art Center, the NAACP Young Adults Group and the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. She chaired the State Civil Rights Commission and has aided numerous organizations focused on literacy.

Bebe holds a bachelor's degree from Morgan State University and a Doctor of Humanities from Delaware State University. She is a playwright, poet, and lyricist. She is, quite simply, a renaissance woman.

Never one to shy away from fighting for what she believed in, her work throughout Delaware has had a tremendous impact on us all. As a writer, or through her work in the community, she has always been an honest story teller--the stories of our past, our present, and those that inform the work we do to create a better future.

A mentor to many young people, Ms. Coker's greatest source of pride and support is embodied in her three ``daughter/best

friends'', retired Capt. Laurie Coker, U.S. Navy Public Health Services, CDC, Atlanta, GA; Dr. Joan Coker, Head and Neck Surgeon, Wilmington, DE; and Julie Coker Graham, President & CEO, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. While each has accomplished much in the ``career-world'', Ms. Coker's pride stems from each embracing a love of service to others as their privilege and responsibility.

A community activist in Delaware for over 50 years, Bebe is an inspiration to me. I am proud to stand here today with my fellow Delawareans honoring an extraordinary woman with an extraordinary heart, who is steadfast and unmovable in our community and who consistently sacrifices her time and talent to improve the lives of others. Ms. Coker's anchor is her strong faith in God and lifelong words she was taught to live by, ``Don't let your talents take you, where your character can't keep you. It is all about the ``integrity of one--you''.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor a friend, a colleague, a confidant, and a great Delawarean on the occasion of her semi-retirement. Sylvia Banks has served as my State Director since I was first sworn in as Delaware's member of Congress. While new members have a host of difficult decisions to make when assuming office, naming Sylvia as the leader of my team was by far my easiest. From her extensive experience as the Manager of Corporate Contributions Program at the DuPont Company, to her work as a founding trustee of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, Sylvia's resume even before this job was long and impressive. It's why I had to convince Sylvia to end her much-deserved retirement early to come and join my team. But it wasn't just her experience that made Sylvia a must-have. Her wise counsel had served me well personally for years and anyone who has spent any amount of time with her can testify to her calming, assured presence and her incredibly sharp sense of humor.

Luckily for me, and for my whole team, Sylvia's sense of public service won the day, and we made a deal that she would serve as State Director for 1 year. Well, Madam Speaker, 2 years and some months later, I'm happy to say that I got the better end of that bargain. Sylvia is now trying retirement again after failing the first time. Lucky for all of us, I managed to strike another deal with Sylvia. She will be staying on the team part-time as a Senior Advisor, meaning for all of us, her wise counsel will never be more than a phone call away. For her end of the deal, Sylvia will now have more time for her most important job; mother, grandmother, and golfer.

Sylvia Banks has left a lasting mark on my office and our State of Delaware, setting a very high bar, both professionally and personally for which we can all strive. I am eternally grateful for her work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my colleagues, Senator Tom Carper and Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, to honor and congratulate Major General Carol Timmons for a lifetime of dedicated service to our country.

After graduating from William Penn High School in 1977, Timmons enrolled in college and enlisted in the Delaware National Guard. With a childhood dream of becoming an airline pilot, her career in flight would begin that very summer on a C-130 airplane in Savannah, Georgia.

Despite her love of airplanes, Air Force rules prevented women from flying combat mission planes like the C-130. Due to these unfair regulations, she joined the Army National Guard in 1980 and would learn to fly noncombat Army helicopters like the UH-1 Huey.

Undeterred and committed to her dream, Timmons joined the Air Force Reserves, where she flew noncombat support missions. She soon realized her dream as Federal laws ended the discriminatory prohibition on women flying in combat missions, and during Operation Desert Storm, then- Captain Timmons would become one of the first women to fly in combat.

Following that operation, her career would come full circle as she rejoined the Delaware National Guard, flying the same C-130s she learned to fly on and to operate in the beginning.

On January 8, 2012, then-Brigadier General Timmons would make history by becoming the Delaware Air National Guard's first female commander, and again on February 1, 2017, when she was promoted to the rank of major general and made Adjutant General of the Delaware National Guard, the Governor's chief military adviser, commanding 1,500 soldiers and 1,100 airmen.

During her storied 42-year career, she earned a Bronze Star for her service in Afghanistan and has flown over 5,200 hours in the cockpit, including 400 combat hours during contingencies spanning from Operations Desert Shield to Inherent Resolve. She served on the National Guard's Joint Diversity Executive Council and the Air Force Reserve Policy Committee. She has received numerous honors, including induction into the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame and the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame.

By refusing to compromise on her dream, Timmons broke down barriers, blazed trails, and inspired women to let nothing stand in their way in service to our Nation.

I join Senator Carper and Senator Coons in thanking Major General Carol Timmons for her over four decades of service to our State and our country, and we wish her the very best.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of my colleagues Senator Tom Carper and Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, to honor and congratulate Major General Carol Timmons for a lifetime of dedicated service to our country.

After graduating from William Penn High School in 1977, Timmons enrolled in college and enlisted in the Delaware National Guard. With a childhood dream of becoming an airplane pilot, her career in flight would begin that very summer on a C-130 airplane in Savanah, Georgia. Despite her love of airplanes, Air Force rules prevented women from flying combat-mission planes, like the C-130. Due to these unfair regulations, she joined the Army National Guard in 1980 and would learn to fly Army helicopters, like the UH-1 Huey.

Undeterred and committed to her dream, Timmons joined the Air Force Reserves where she flew noncombat support missions. She soon realized her dream as federal laws ended the discriminatory prohibition on women flying in combat missions, and during Operation Desert Storm, then- Captain Timmons would become one of the first women to fly in combat. Following that operation, her career would come full circle as she rejoined the Delaware National Guard--flying the same C-130s she first learned to operate.

On January 8, 2012, then-Brigadier General Timmons would make history by becoming the Delaware Air National Guard's first female commander, and again on February 1, 2017, when she was promoted to the rank of Major General and named Adjunct General of the Delaware National Guard--the Governor's chief military advisor commanding 1,500 soldiers and 1,100 airmen.

During her storied 42-year career, she earned a Bronze Star for her service in Afghanistan and has flown over 5,200 hours in the cockpit, including 400 combat hours during contingencies, spanning Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Joint Guard, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Inherent Resolve. She served on the National Guard's Joint Diversity Executive Council and the Air Force Reserve Policy Committee. She has received numerous honors, including induction into the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame and the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame.

By refusing to compromise on her dream, Timmons broke down barriers, blazed trails, and inspired women to let nothing stand in their way in service to our nation. I join Senator Carper and Senator Coons in thanking Major General Carol Timmons for her over four decades of service to our state and country, and we wish her the very best.

Madam Speaker, on this, the 34th day of the longest shutdown in American history, I sat down with a group of air traffic controllers in my office today.

These workers told me about how an already stressful job has been made even worse by this shutdown, that many of them are working 6 days a week, 10 hours a day with no pay.

They know that their work requires no mistakes because it is life and death, but to make matters even worse, 30 percent of them are already stretched thin and currently are eligible to retire, and many are considering retiring earlier so that they can at least get a paycheck.

In the words of Ranika, one of the air traffic controllers: This shutdown is the perfect storm for a national emergency.

Madam Speaker, the collateral damage of this shutdown is difficult to fathom, but this much is clear: Every day that goes by, we are less safe, our economy is more weakened, and all Americans from all backgrounds suffer.

This must end. Open the government.

Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of 800,000 Federal workers and millions of Americans who have been negatively impacted by President Trump's shutdown. Like many of you, hundreds of my constituents have written into my office to share how the shutdown is impacting them.

One of my constituents in Bear, Delaware, is an air traffic controller at the Philadelphia International Airport. He has been working without pay to ensure travelers can travel and continue living their lives during this shutdown, something he is struggling to do himself.

He shared how the shutdown is placing immense financial strain on his family and the needs of his child, who has a disability, that the stress of not receiving a paycheck and not knowing when the next will come is too much.

Our constituents deserve better. We are on day 27 of this unprecedented shutdown. Democrats have already voted eight times to reopen the Federal Government, and yet, still, we wait on the Senate Republicans to act.

This shutdown is unprecedented, but we have an opportunity to set a new precedent, a positive one, where we work together on comprehensive immigration reform and border security.

First, let's open the government.

Mr. Speaker, one in two, the number of Delawareans living with a preexisting condition, including cancer survivors and those with chronic diseases.

Before the Affordable Care Act, having a preexisting condition meant your access to healthcare was in jeopardy. You could be charged unaffordable premiums with limited benefits or denied coverage outright. Because of the ACA, the fear of not being able to find coverage has been replaced with the guarantee of lifesaving protections.

To those who want to roll back those protections, I ask you to think about the Delawareans caring for a newborn with congenital heart disease, those struggling to overcome substance use disorder, or the many monitoring their blood sugar up to 10 times a day.

Just 9 years ago, this body rightfully promised to protect those very people. I urge my colleagues to stand with me in defending strong protections for people with preexisting conditions and reject efforts to turn back the clock on millions of Americans and their families.