Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 362.

Madam Speaker, today I want to recognize Mr. Patrick Lavin, who has retired after serving seven terms as Business Manager and Financial Secretary of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local No. 47 in Diamond Bar, California. I thank Pat for his years of friendship and counsel and congratulate him on his retirement following his 55-year career at IBEW, during which he was one of the most effective and longest-serving members of the IBEW International Executive Council (IEC), among many other roles.

A journeyman lineman by trade, Pat joined IBEW Local 9 outside Chicago as a summer helper before his sophomore year in high school and came on the job full time in 1968. In 1969, Pat interrupted his IBEW career and volunteered to serve his country in the U.S. Marine Corps during the height of the Vietnam War.

Over his lengthy career, Pat was a lineman for four different utilities. He worked for Southern California Edison (SCE) as a lineman, service crew foreman, and heavy crew foreman in Redondo Beach, Huntington Beach, and Santa Ana.

Pat has said that he saw many different changes in the electrical industry over the course of his career, and that the need for the services of electrical workers has grown immensely over the past twenty years. In his decades on the job, Pat also weathered numerous challenges including recessions and periods of anti-union rhetoric. In his own words: ``As a groundman, an apprentice and a lineman, I have helped keep the lights on since 1969.''

In addition to seven terms as Business Manager and Financial Secretary of IBEW Local No. 47, Pat served five terms as the IBEW 7th District International Executive Council member. He was chosen as Secretary of the Council by the IEC in June 2003. During his many years in the field, Pat has worked for numerous IBEW signatory contractors and four utilities out of various local unions around the United States. When Pat took over Local 47 in 1999 it was a 4,500-member utility. Today, it serves 14,000 members in nearly 200 classifications over a nearly 80,000 square mile jurisdiction from the Pacific to Arizona and from Mexico to just south of Lake Tahoe.

Pat was also chairman & treasurer of the Coalition of California Utility Employees (CCUE), a board member of California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE), an executive board member of the Califomia State Association of Electrical Workers (CSAEW), and a member of the board of directors of California

Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (CFEE). He was a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and served as chair of the IBEW No. 47 Retiree Medical Trust Fund, along with being a trustee of the Cal-Nevada IBEW/NECA JATC Board.

As a member of the IBEW International Executive Council, Pat was a trustee on the IBEW Pension Benefit Fund and all funds of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. In addition to those duties, he served on the National Employee Benefit Board (NEBB), which is the board of directors for the National Electric Benefit Fund (NEFB), National Electric Annuity Plan (NEAP), and the National Electric 401 K (NEFP). In June 2017, Pat was nominated California Veteran of the Year by the California State Assembly.

Pat holds a Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Management from Southern California College. He was married to his wife, Ellen, for 45 years prior to her passing in 2019 and recently married his current wife, Dianne. Pat has two daughters, two sons, and eleven grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and thanking Mr. Patrick Lavin for his many years of outstanding service to electrical workers in Southern California and nationwide and for his exemplary leadership ``keeping the lights on.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize October as National Spina Bifida Awareness Month, and to pay tribute to the numerous individuals and their families across our country living with this condition.

Spina Bifida is the nation's most common, permanently disabling, birth defect compatible with life. According to the March of Dimes, about 1,645 babies are born with this condition in the United States each year, with its prevalence being highest in the Hispanic population. Known as a neural tube defect, Spina Bifida stems from a hole in the spinal cord that occurs when the spinal column fails to close properly during development in the womb. As a result, this condition impacts virtually every major organ system in the body. Children born with Spina Bifida typically undergo dozens of surgeries before they become adults. Adults living with Spina Bifida face a myriad of physical and mental health conditions, as well as other challenges, such as unemployment and limited access to quality primary and specialty care.

Over the last three decades we have made significant strides in preventing this birth defect and managing the care of those born with this condition. In response to research showing the incidence of Spina Bifida could be reduced by up to 70 percent with the addition of folic acid in a woman's diet, the United States Public Health Service recommended that all women of childbearing years should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily to prevent having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect. Based on this recommendation, I introduced the Folic Acid Promotion and Birth Defects Prevention Act, which was passed into law as part of the Children's Health Act of 2000. This Act authorized a program within CDC to provide professional and public education for folic acid awareness.

In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required that folic acid be added to enriched grain products such as bread, pasta, rice, and cereal to increase the likelihood that women would have sufficient folic acid in their diet before becoming pregnant. And in 2016, after years of advocacy with the FDA and the corn masa industry, folic acid fortification of corn masa flour was finally begun to target Hispanic communities that consume more corn masa products than grains. But there is still much work to be done to ensure adequate consumption of this critical nutrient that can neural tube defects.

There are currently an estimated 166,000 individuals in the United States living with Spina Bifida, approximately 65 of whom are adults. This disease is now witnessing its first generation of adults, an incredible milestone, considering that the original designation of Spina Bifida as a childhood condition meant most children born with this condition did not experience life beyond youth. Today, a generation of adults living with Spina Bifida, some of whom are 65 years and older, is an achievement worth celebrating. But unfortunately, there remain many unmet needs and additional health challenges affecting this medically fragile population.

As individuals develop, their clinical needs change, as should the type of care, and often the type of medical professional they see for that care. One challenge is that while we have a coordinated system of care designed to treat children with Spina Bifida in the United States, there is no equivalent for adults. Thus, the ``graduating child'' enters a very fractured medical system where individuals struggle to find physicians willing to provide treatment. Unfortunately, many of these physicians lack basic knowledge of this complex condition, and thousands of young to middle-aged adults are left with few options other than to seek care in the emergency room--or continue to see their pediatric care team at Spina Bifida Centers, which are designed for children.

In recent years, the Spina Bifida community has seen a growing incidence of sudden death in its over 25 population. There is speculation this sudden loss of life has something to do with the central nervous system, but the cause or causes remain unknown. As such, we must explore and understand this sudden death phenomenon so we can reverse this troubling trend. Moreover, we must support--and expand investment in--research to address other issues related to Spina Bifida and associated secondary and co-morbid conditions, such as hydrocephalus, latex allergy, neurogenic bladder and bowel problems, developmental delay, and impaired executive functioning.

The CDC's National Spina Bifida Program is the sole federal program tasked with improving the care and outcomes for people with Spina Bifida. In 2008, the Spina Bifida Program created a National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR) to collect the scientific data needed to evaluate existing medical services for Spina Bifida patients, and to provide clinicians, researchers, patients, and families a ``window'' into what care models are effective and what treatments are not making a measurable difference. Building on this in 2014, the Spina Bifida Program funded the development of a Spina Bifida Collaborative Care Network (SBCCN) to identify and disseminate ``best practices'' for the care of people with Spina Bifida at all ages. These programs continue to improve quality-of-life and outcomes for people with this birth defect, but their full potential has been constrained due to flat federal funding over the last six years. Additional funding could expand the number of clinics participating in the registry and increase the amount of information reported, which will provide further insights into how to continue improving care and outcomes for people with Spina Bifida.

People with Spina Bifida deserve no less than the rest of us as we age. During a lifetime, someone with Spina Bifida will face at least a $1,000,000 in medical expenses, including multiple surgeries, and most can expect to spend much of their lives in a wheelchair or walking with braces. We must ensure that adults with Spina Bifida can receive evidence-based medical care tailored for their condition and receive that care in age-appropriate, non-emergency settings. I call upon my Congressional colleagues to prioritize increased funding for the CDC Spina Bifida Program to ensure that it will be poised to best guide the health care community in optimal treatment options for people living with Spina Bifida.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the PUMP Act to expand workplace protections for breastfeeding moms and ensure they have access to appropriate and necessary accommodations.

Decades of research have shown that breastfeeding is one of the most cost-effective interventions for improving maternal and child health.

Compared with formula-fed children, breastfed babies have a reduced risk of ear, skin, stomach, and respiratory infections, sudden infant death syndrome, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, asthma, and childhood leukemia.

However, while 84 percent of U.S. babies are breastfed at birth, only 25 percent are still exclusively breastfed at 6 months of age.

I commend my colleague, Carolyn Maloney, for her career-long dedication to improving these breastfeeding statistics.

Congresswoman Maloney's 2010 Break Time for Nursing Mothers law provided the first critical protections to ensure mothers would have reasonable break times and a private place to pump breast milk.

Mothers with this access to workplace support have lower healthcare costs, absenteeism, and turnover and show improved job morale, satisfaction, and productivity.

However, that law unintentionally excluded 9 million women from these workplace protections, including teachers, software engineers, and many nurses.

Expanding workplace protections to include these women is important because research clearly shows that without protections, breastfeeding employees have increased risk of painful illness and infection, diminished milk supply, and are more likely to stop breastfeeding early.

As cochair of both the Maternity Care Caucus and the Public Health Caucus, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the PUMP Act, which is a commonsense solution to eliminating workplace barriers that interfere with successful breastfeeding.

The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act is critical to ensuring all mothers have the opportunity to reach their personal breastfeeding goals to protect their babies, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Written Statement of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Before the

United States House of Representatives, September 27, 2021

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McCarthy, Members of

the U.S. House of Representatives: The Academy of Nutrition

and Dietetics submits this letter to the U.S. House of

Representatives in full support of the Providing Urgent

Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act (H.R.

3110).

Representing more than 112,000 credentialed nutrition and

dietetics practitioners, the Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics is the world's largest organization of food and

nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to

improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of

dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Our

vision is a world where all people thrive through the

transformative power of food and nutrition. Our mission is to

accelerate improvements in global health and well-being

through food and nutrition.

The Academy's impact goals include increasing equitable

access to food, nutrition and other life-style related

services. As an organization that is overwhelmingly composed

of women in the workforce, the struggle to balance

professional responsibilities and motherhood is well-known to

our members as is the nutritional case for breastfeeding and

its continuance despite returning to work. Thus, for the

Academy, the issue of workplace accommodations for

breastfeeding women is both personal to our members and their

health and professional given the unquestionably essential

role of human milk in early nutrition for infants.

For over a decade--truly since the passage of the

Affordable Care Act--the Academy has advocated for

legislation addressing workplace accommodations for mothers

doing their best to meet the demands of earning a wage,

caring for their infants and protecting their own health but

who work for employers not included in existing law.

Women choosing to continue breastfeeding after returning to

work should be supported in this very personal yet

consequential decision that carries life-long outcomes for

both mom and infant.

It is unfortunate that such an important decision is often

not supported or understood by employers who benefit

directly. In one study, only 40 percent of mothers reported

having access to both break time and a private space to pump

while on the job. There is also inconsistency regarding how

employers meet legal requirements to accommodate

breastfeeding workers, even for those currently covered by

the law. As shared in the media, stories from women employees

report janitorial and other closets as the designated pumping

location and reveal barriers faced by moms requesting an

unpaid break.

A key recommendation of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines

for Americans is, ``For about the first 6 months of life,

exclusively feed infants human milk. Sadly, among women who

work full-time, only 10% of those who started breastfeeding

their babies will still be breastfeeding by the time their

infant reaches six-month of age. The anticipation and

apprehension associated with how to continue to breastfeed

after returning to work prevents some moms from even

initiating breastfeeding.

There are three key reasons that Congress should pass the

PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act: 1) Human milk offers superior

nutrition and health benefits compared to infant formula, 2)

employers benefit from breastfeeding moms who return to work

and 3) increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration are

public health priorities of the United States. Examining the

rationale more closely demonstrates the positive outcomes

expected with passage of the bill.

1. Human Milk Offers Superior Nutrition and Health Benefits

Compared to Infant Formula

The Academy has previously noted that ``. . . exclusive

breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and health

protection for the first 6 months of life and breastfeeding

with complementary foods from 6 months until at least 12

months of age is the ideal feeding pattern for infants.

Breastfeeding is an important public health strategy for

improving infant and child morbidity and mortality, improving

maternal morbidity, and helping to control health care costs.

Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of otitis

media, gastroenteritis, respiratory illness, sudden infant

death syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, obesity, and

hypertension. Breastfeeding is also associated with improved

maternal outcomes, including a reduced risk of breast and

ovarian cancer, type

2 diabetes, and postpartum depression. These reductions in

acute and chronic illness help to decrease health care

related expenses and productive time lost from work.

2. Employers Benefit from Breastfeeding Moms Who Return to

Work

Aside from nutrition and the health benefits to the mother

and baby, employers gain from women who continue to

breastfeed after returning to work. First, breastfeeding

employees miss work less often. One-day absences to care for

a sick infant or child happen twice as often for mothers who

chose to feed their infants formula. Second, since

breastfeeding is associated with lower health care costs for

mother and baby, employers also benefit from lower medical

insurance claims. One insurance company, CIGNA, found that

343 employees participating in a worksite lactation support

program resulted in an annual savings of $240,000 in health

care expenses, 62 percent fewer prescriptions and $60,000

savings related to absenteeism rates over a two-year period.

Finally, for businesses that offer a worksite lactation

program, there are even greater tangible benefits to the

employer. These include lower turnover rates and absenteeism

for working women, fathers and partners; additional health

care savings; higher productivity and loyalty; as well as a

positive public image.

3. Increasing Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration are

Public Health Priorities of the United States

Across federal agencies, significant resources are

appropriated and authorized to encourage mothers to initiate

breastfeeding and to continue after returning to work. A few

examples include:

Health and Human Services

In 2011 a landmark policy document, The Surgeon General's

Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding, outlined measurable

goals and objectives for stakeholders' efforts to align

national policy with public health goals. While progress has

been made over the past decade because of the recommended

actions, there continue to be gaps and opportunities to

address policies that support breastfeeding including those

related to employment and the workforce.

The Office of Women's Health offers support for women

through published guidance and notably for employers through

its ``Business Case for Breastfeeding.''

U.S. Department of Agriculture

The Women, Infants and Children's Program receives

appropriated funds to support its peer counseling program and

the program extends participation to women who continue to

breastfeed for one-year post-partum.

The 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans led by

the USDA recently added new recommendations for children from

birth to two years of age. As noted, a key recommendation is

that for the first 6 months of life, infants should be fed

human milk. After 6 months of life, complementary foods and

breastfeeding are recommended until one year of age.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers CDC has made breastfeeding a public health

priority and encourages state health departments, hospitals

and local communities to implement public health goals and

align resources to support breastfeeding rates for

communities of color. ``Because of the importance of

breastfeeding for the health of mothers and babies, CDC

supports breastfeeding through hospital initiatives, work

site accommodation, continuity of care, and community support

initiatives.''

The federal government advocates for breastfeeding and its

continuance for working women, but laws and regulations don't

make it easy for women in all sectors of the workforce to

fulfill breastfeeding public health goals and objectives.

Why will the PUMP Act help?

It is reasonable to expect that if breastfeeding and

workplace accommodations are seen as public health priorities

by the federal government and tax-payer dollars are used to

fund programs designed to encourage and support breastfeeding

for the public, that policies protecting and advancing the

interest of the government's investment should be

implemented. The PUMP Act is one such policy that will

eliminate barriers for women who are teachers, flight

attendants and other exempt workers.

The bi-partisan PUMP Act will bring equity to nearly nine

million women in the workforce and their families who

currently lack protections as they seek to provide

recommended nutrition to their new babies.

Women in the workforce are striving for economic stability

to help support their families. The country benefits from

their contributions to our economy. Instead of focusing on

what happens when employees need unpaid time to feed their

baby as their doctor, nutrition experts, and the U.S.

government recommend, consider what happens and the cost to

our nation when they do not. Through WIC, the U.S. government

provides services to approximately 53 percent of all U.S.

infants. Infant formula is the most expensive item in WIC

food packages and costs to the government exceeded $927

million in fiscal year 2010. The direct cost to the

government of providing infant formula and the related

indirect cost of employee turn-over, absenteeism and most

importantly, the increased health care costs of formula-fed

infants make this bill a win for all parties and protects the

economic interest of the U.S.

Perhaps then Federal Reserve Chair and current Secretary of

Treasury Janet Yellen said it best in an essay following her

2017 remarks at the ``125 Years of Women at Brown

Conference'' sponsored by Brown University in Providence,

Rhode Island:

``. . . a number of factors appear to be holding women

back, including the difficulty women currently have in trying

to combine their careers with other aspects of their lives,

including caregiving. In looking to solutions, we should

consider improvements to work environments and policies that

benefit not only women, but all workers. Pursuing such a

strategy would be in keeping with the story of the rise in

women's involvement in the workforce, which has contributed

not only to their own well-being but more broadly to the

welfare and prosperity of our country.''

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics urges all members of

Congress to vote in support of this bill because it is the

right step to support babies, mothers, employers and

ultimately the health and prosperity of our nation.

Thank you for your consideration.

Jeanne Blankenship, MS RDN,

Vice President, Policy Initiatives and Advocacy, Academy of

Nutrition and Dietetics.

Madam Speaker, I support this rule and commend the chairs who worked diligently to produce funding bills that reflect our goal to ``Build Back Better'' for the American people.

As vice chair of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, I am delighted that this bill lives up to its reputation as the ``People's Bill,'' thanks to the work and commitment of its chair, Rosa DeLauro.

The bill has strong outlays in job training and apprenticeship programs, increased funding for childcare and worker protections, transformative investments to help adults in all communities access post-secondary educational opportunities, and critical investments to ensure our children can return to school safely and receive high- quality education to overcome the pandemic setbacks.

The Labor, HHS, and Education bill has historic investments to strengthen our public health system and ensure the infrastructure and resources needed to address future public health challenges.

This includes increased investments in REACH, the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, the Climate and Health Program, and the Chronic Disease Education and Awareness Program.

As co-chair of the Maternity Care Caucus, I am grateful for the strong investments in mothers and babies, like the large increases in the MCH block grant, the Healthy Start Program, and Safe Motherhood programs. I am also pleased the bill expands the capacity of the Maternal Mental Health Hotline, the SAMHSA Pregnant and Postpartum Women Program and midwifery education funding within the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students.

Madam Speaker, President Biden said: ``Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I will tell you what you value.''

I thank all the subcommittee chairs for outlining our values so distinctly in their appropriation bills, and I urge passage of the rule and this minibus.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 205.

members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress

Babin (Nehls)

Cawthorn (Nehls)

Cicilline (Pingree)

Cohen (Beyer)

Comer (Cammack)

Fallon (Nehls)

Gallego (Gomez)

Garcia (TX) (Jeffries)

Grijalva (Stanton)

Herrera Beutler (Rodgers (WA))

Horsford (Jeffries)

Jacobs (NY) (Garbarino)

Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)

Katko (Joyce (OH))

Kirkpatrick (Stanton)

Lawson (FL) (Evans)

Leger Fernandez (Jacobs (CA))

Lieu (Beyer)

Long (Fleischmann)

Lowenthal (Beyer)

McNerney (Huffman)

Meng (Jeffries)

Mullin (Lucas)

Napolitano (Correa)

Nunes (Garcia (CA))

Owens (Stewart)

Payne (Pallone)

Ruiz (Aguilar)

Rush (Underwood)

Salazar (Cammack)

Sewell (DelBene)

Steube (Franklin, C. Scott)

Strickland (DelBene)

Suozzi (Panetta)

Timmons (Gonzalez (OH))

Wasserman Schultz (Soto)

Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

Young (Mast)

Amendment No. 132 Offered by Mrs. Lee of Nevada

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support reauthorization of my Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act. I thank Chairman Pallone for his support and for bringing my bill to the floor.

My sincere gratitude to my newborn screening partners and colleagues, Mike Simpson, Katherine Clark, and Jaime Herrera Beutler, and my heartfelt appreciation to the public health groups that continue to support my newborn screening efforts, including the March of Dimes, the Association of Public Health Laboratories, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and

the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

Newborn screening involves a baby receiving a simple blood test to identify life-threatening diseases before symptoms begin. Prior to the development of these tests, children would die or suffer lifelong disabilities.

In 2008, when my original bill passed, newborn screenings and access to follow-up information were not consistent or available to families in all communities. Only 10 States and the District of Columbia required screening for a complete panel of recommended disorders, and there was no Federal repository of information on the diseases.

Today, all 50 States and D.C. screen for at least 30 of the 35 recommended core conditions, and a national clearinghouse has the most recent newborn screening information available to parents and professionals.

Newborn screening is a public health success story that makes the difference between health and disability, or even life and death, for the approximately 12,000 babies who each year test positive for one of these conditions, babies like Cruz, a beautiful little girl born on February 4 this year to one of my district office deputies. Thanks to newborn screening, in just 4 days, Cruz was diagnosed with maple syrup urine disease, which prevents the body from breaking down certain amino acids typically obtained from protein.

If Cruz's disease had gone undetected, the buildup of amino acids in her body would have become toxic, leading to seizures, swelling of the brain, coma, and, ultimately, death. Today, the management of her amino acid levels keeps Cruz out of the hospital, protects her from critical medical complications, and gives her family the gift of watching their daughter grow up healthy.

This is just one of the thousands of success stories that illustrate the critical need to pass H.R. 482 into law. This will guarantee high- quality technical assistance for State programs and public health labs, access to the most current programs and educational materials, and it will ensure the advisory committee continues its work of researching and recommending new screenings for State programs, which also save our healthcare system millions of dollars for each child identified and treated early.

Reauthorization will also commission a National Academy of Sciences study to make recommendations for a 21st century newborn screening system.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the passage of H.R. 482 to ensure all newborns like Cruz are blessed with early, comprehensive, and consistent testing and follow-up programs for a healthy and productive life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the TELACU Education Foundation (the Foundation), a non-profit organization that significantly impacts thousands of talented students from low- income families, the majority of whom are Californians and many are from my 40th Congressional District.

For nearly four decades, the Foundation has annually empowered approximately 2,000 first-generation high school, college, and graduate school students--including brave veterans of our nation's military--to achieve academic and professional success, and to become the leaders who inspire future generations. The 37th Annual Building the Dream Gala celebrates this year's graduates who will join an army of TELACU Scholar Alumni who are changing our world by innovating solutions as researchers and engineers in cutting-edge laboratories such as NASA/ JPL, CalTech, Harvard and MIT; serving on the frontlines of COVID-19 as nurses, doctors, vaccinators, and other health care professionals; and crusading for equality and justice across our nation--from the boardroom to the courtroom!

TELACU's ``CREO'' Award, the ``I Believe'' Award, recognizes individuals who exemplify the highest ideals and commitment to improving society through personal and public service. This year it will be presented to the first Latina Los Angeles City Council President in the City Council's 170-year history, the Honorable Nury Martinez. President Martinez is an outstanding role model who embodies the hopes and dreams of all TELACU Scholars--the children of Latino immigrant families, the first (but not the last) in their family to graduate from college, the dreamers who consistently shatter historical barriers to achievement.

This year's gala will also include a Special 80th Birthday Tribute to Chairman and Founder of the TELACU Education Foundation, Dr. David C. Lizarraga. With a dedicated career of service spanning six decades, Dr. Lizarraga's impact is immeasurable. Beginning as a social worker and community organizer, he quickly gained a reputation for equipping people with the tools they need to achieve self-sufficiency and the American Dream. As President and CEO of TELACU in the early 1960s, he developed a unique business model for community development based on one simple but profound principle--profitability is inseparable from positive, tangible social impact. Under his leadership for more than 35 years, TELACU flourished and grew into the largest Community Development Corporation in America.

In response to staggering college dropout rates among young Latinx, in 1983 Dr. Lizarraga created what is without a doubt his most impactful and legacy in service to our community and to our nation--the TELACU Education Foundation. TELACU Scholars have built a stellar legacy individually and collectively. Historically, over 98 percent of high school scholars graduate and almost without exception pursue higher education; more than 99 percent of college Scholars earn at minimum a Bachelor's, with an increasing number going on to attain advanced degrees. Their achievement of higher education, increased earning power and dedication to service lead to the socioeconomic empowerment not only of their local community, but also of our nation and beyond!

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating The Honorable Nury Martinez in recognition of her invaluable contributions to the City of Los Angeles. And on behalf of the tens of thousands of students, veterans, families and communities they have served, empowered, and advanced to achieve self-sufficiency, I also ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the TELACU Education Foundation and its Founder Dr. David C. Lizarraga--whose tireless work to expand educational opportunities has opened the door to vast new possibilities for thousands of young professionals and veterans.

Madam Speaker, I would like to speak briefly to the Department of Homeland Security's portion of the supplemental, which includes $6.8 million.

The direct role of the Department of Homeland Security on January 6 was limited to the protection of Vice President Pence and Vice President-elect Harris.

The Secret Service, like almost every other Federal agency, was insufficiently aware of open-source information that made clear the severity of the security threat on that day, and it failed to take seriously the threat information it was aware of.

Through discussions with the Secret Service, we identified $6.8 million in funding requirements to address security deficiencies that were exposed on January 6, generally related to the protection of the White House complex and open-source intelligence collection and analysis.

The total includes $2 million to reimburse the Secret Service for temporary anti-scale fencing used to expand the White House security perimeter beyond the permanent White House fence earlier this year.

It included temporary fencing around Blair House while Vice President Harris resided there during needed repairs to the official Vice Presidential residence.

This fencing was required by the heightened security posture associated with the Presidential transition.

These costs were unanticipated, because the Secret Service is unable to budget for a Presidential transition following a sitting President's first term in office.

The fiscal year 2021 funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security provided $43 million above the request to help cover some of the Presidential transition costs, but the Secret Service has had to absorb other costs, totaling more than $35 million. So this is a very modest but much-needed reimbursement.

The total also includes $3.2 million for less lethal equipment, civil disturbance unit training and vehicles, and the establishment of a new civil disturbance unit class to help the Secret Service improve its ability to appropriately respond to civil unrest.

Finally, the total includes $1.6 million to enhance the Secret Service's open-source intelligence analysis capability.

This is intended to help fill the gaps that led to a failure to identify the January 6 insurrectionists as a serious threat, based on open-source information available prior to that date.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and thank Captain Mark McDaniel as he retires from the Downey Police Department on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

Captain Mark McDaniel began his career with the Downey Police Department from April 1990 to August 1991 as a police aide. He attended the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Academy and graduated as a Downey police officer in 1991. Mark was promoted to the rank of captain on May 7, 2018. He currently oversees the Downey Police Department Field Operations Division.

From August 1991 to August 2005, Mark served as a police officer, field training officer, police corporal, and patrol supervisor. He has also worked as a detective in the Downey Police Department Gang Unit and in the Special Enforcement Team (SET) assisting with the recruitment and background investigations of all police department employees.

Mark served as the administrative sergeant from August 2005 to May 2010, during which time he supervised, trained, and mentored sworn officers and professional staff throughout the organization; oversaw the department's accounts payable and equipment purchasing; and supervised other programs as needed throughout the organization.

Mark served as a lieutenant in the Downey Police Department from May 2010 to May 2018. During this time, he has served as a patrol watch commander and detective bureau lieutenant, where he served as the department's public information officer. Mark managed and provided leadership to field operations personnel; the department's Field Training Program; and implemented the department's Mental Health Team. In addition to being the officer in charge of managing and leading the Detective Bureau, he also managed and prepared multi-million dollar budgets for the Patrol and Detective Bureaus. Mark also co-founded the department's PEER Support Team.

In his most recent position, Captain McDaniel is the commanding officer of both the Detective Bureau and the Administration Division. He also serves as executive leader and command staff; manages the recruitment and hiring of all department personnel; provides strategic and multimillion dollar budgetary planning and management; participates in labor negotiations and employee conflict resolution; manages vehicle fleet operation; ensures good public relations with various community organizations; ensures adherence to policies, rules, and procedures; mentors all personnel; and inspires those in his charge to reach goals and better the organization.

In addition to his responsibilities at work, Mark also volunteers in the Downey community. He belongs to Gangs Out of Downey and was elected twice as president in 2016-17 and 2017-18. He has also been a member of the Downey Kiwanis club since 2017; a founding member of the Downey Police and Fire Foundation; president of the Downey Police Management Association; and a board member of the Friends of the Downey Police Mounted Unit Foundation.

Captain Mark McDaniel was born in the city of Downey and was raised in Cerritos. He is a graduate of Cerritos High School. Mark earned a bachelor's degree in occupational studies from California State University, Long Beach and holds a master's degree in emergency services administration. Mark is also a graduate of the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and the Los Angeles Police Department Leadership Program.

Mark enjoys spending time with his wife Lorena, his two sons Mark, Jr. and Nicholas, and his daughter Mia; camping and fishing; and is an avid Dallas Cowboys and UCLA Bruins football fan.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking and congratulating Captain Mark McDaniel for his many years of exemplary leadership and outstanding service to our community. Let us wish him many happy years of retirement.

Mr. Speaker, on April 16, 2021, I was unavoidably detained by a meeting with the U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator, and was not present for one roll call vote on a bill considered under suspension of the House rules.

Had I been present, I would have voted: Aye on Roll Call 119, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1482, the 504 credit Risk Management Improvement Act of 2021.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Allred (Wexton)

Babin (Fallon)

Barragan (Beyer)

Buchanan (LaHood)

Cardenas (Gonzalez, Vicente)

Crenshaw (Fallon)

Gomez (Pressley)

Gottheimer (Panetta)

Graves (MO) (Wagner)

Greene (GA) (Gosar)

Grijalva (Garcia (IL))

Jayapal (Pocan)

Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)

Keating (Clark (MA))

Lawrence (Kildee)

Lawson (FL) (Evans)

Lieu (Beyer)

Lowenthal (Beyer)

McHenry (Banks)

Meng (Clark (MA))

Mfume (Wexton)

Moore (WI) (Beyer)

Moulton (Underwood)

Napolitano (Correa)

Neal (Lynch)

Nehls (Fallon)

Norcross (Pallone)

Omar (Pressley)

Payne (Pallone)

Porter (Wexton)

Rush (Underwood)

Sewell (DelBene)

Sires (Pallone)

Steube (Timmons)

Trahan (Lynch)

Walorski (Wagner)

Wasserman Schultz (Soto)

Watson Coleman (Pallone)

Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

Wilson (SC) (Timmons)

Mr. Speaker, as a co-author of H.R. 6, I rise in strong support of the American Dream and Promise Act.

I thank Speaker Pelosi for making the American Dream and Promise Act one of the top 10 Democratic priorities in the 117th Congress.

I also thank Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and the Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee for their invaluable hard work on this bill.

Today, this House has another opportunity to pass H.R. 6 and, once and for all, end the fear and uncertainty that have plagued the lives of our Nation's Dreamers, who have become an integral part of the fabric of American society.

According to the Center for American Progress, each year Dreamers contribute over $17.3 billion in Federal taxes, nearly $9.7 billion in State and local taxes, and their households have $75 billion in buying power.

Over the course of this deadly corona pandemic, an estimated 202,500 DACA recipients have risked their lives to protect the health and safety of Americans.

Yet, in spite of the critical role they play in our society, over 2.1 million Dreamers live in a state of limbo, doubt, and anxiety of being deported to a country most do not know.

H.R. 6 eliminates the ambiguity in their lives and recognizes the talents and indispensable contributions Dreamers make to our country. While their individual stories may vary, they share the common denominator of embracing and exemplifying American values and love for this country, the only country they call home.

The American Dream and Promise Act has the support of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, as well as businesses, organized labor, faith groups, educators, health professionals, former cabinet officials, and the majority of the American public.

This unprecedented coalition of support highlights that protecting our Dreamers and providing them with a path to citizenship is not a partisan issue. It is an issue about who we are as Americans, and what is in the best interest of our country.

By passing the American Dream and Promise Act, we will live up to our American values of fairness, justice, and compassion. And these incredible young Dreamers, like generations of immigrants before them, can continue to play their vital role in the well-being our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the American Dream and Promise Act today.

Mr. Speaker, as a co-author of H.R. 6, I rise in strong support of the Dream and Promise Act.

I thank Speaker Pelosi for making the Dream and Promise Act one of the top ten Democratic priorities in the 117th Congress.

I also thank Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and the Judiciary Immigration sub-Committee for their invaluable hard work on this bill.

During the last Congress a similar version of the Dream Act passed the House with bipartisan support. But unfortunately, the Senate failed to take up the bill.

Today this House has another opportunity to pass H.R. 6, and once and for all end the fear and uncertainty that has plagued the lives of our nations Dreamers who have become an integral part of the fabric of our American society.

According to the Center for American Progress, each year Dreamers contribute over $17.3 billion in federal taxes, nearly $9.7 billion in state and local taxes, and their households have $75 billion in buying power.

During this health emergency they also demonstrated the vital role they play in American society.

Over the course of this deadly Corona pandemic, an estimated 202,500 DACA recipients have risked their lives to protect the health and safety of Americans.

Dreamers are amongst the essential workers helping to package and stock our food, the teachers of our children, and the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who daily have sacrificed their lives to save the lives of others.

Yet inspite of the critical role they play in our society, over 2.1 million Dreamers live in a state of limbo, doubt, and anxiety of being deported to a country most do not know.

H.R. 6 eliminates the ambiguity in their lives and recognizes the talents and indispensable contributions Dreamers make to our country.

I have the privilege of representing the 40th Congressional district, home to 24,000 Dreamers--the largest number in any congressional district.

Since I co-authored the original Dream Act twenty years ago, known then as the Student Adjustment Act, I have met many of them and hundreds more, from all over the country, who have traveled to our nation's capital to tell their personal stories of hope, fear, exclusion, and heartbreak.

While their individual stories may vary, they share the common denominator of embracing and exemplifying American values and love for this country, the only country they call home.

They are American in every way, except on paper.

They are Dreamers like Gabriela Cortes who was brought here at age two and will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science degree. She says the Dream Act gives her hope because quote,'' This is the only way I can fully contribute to my country, the only home I know.''

They are Dreamers like Sheila Salinas Navarro who is a first year PhD student at USC Leonard School of Gerontology. She says, quote, ``We need permanent solutions so that folks like me can contribute to this nation. All I ask is an opportunity to do so.''

And they are Dreamers like Marvin Perez, brought to this country at age five and now attending Glendale Community college. He says he wants the opportunity to continue working on becoming a physician.''

H.R. 6 will give them and all our Dreamers the opportunity to reach their full potential, contribute to their community, and help ensure America remains the strongest and greatest nation in the world.

The Dream and Promise Act has the support of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, as well as businesses, organized labor, faith groups, educators, health professionals, former Cabinet officials, and majority of the American public.

This unprecedented coalition of support highlights that protecting our Dreamers and providing them with a path to citizenship is not a partisan issue.

It is an issue about who we are as Americans and what is in the best interest of our country.

By passing the Dream and Promise Act, we will live up to our American values of fairness, justice, and compassion. And these incredible young Dreamers like generations of immigrants before them, can continue to play their vital role in the well-being of our nation.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Dream and Promise Act today.

Mr. Speaker, in the traumatic year since the COVID-19 pandemic attacked our country and the world, countless families have experienced heart shattering personal losses.

Parents, children, friends, neighbors, and colleagues have lost their lives fighting the virus. Businesses have shuttered, schools have closed, and our way of life with family and friends has nearly disappeared.

President Biden's American Rescue Plan is a courageous and positive step to address the destructive tragedy of the coronavirus pandemic.

I applaud my democratic colleagues who crafted this bold and unprecedented response in support of the American people.

I am proud to vote for the American Rescue Plan on behalf of my constituents and the nation as a whole.

This bill will provide individuals and families, including those of mixed status, with an economic impact payment of $1,400 dollars to help pay for essentials such as food, utilities, rent, medicine and other life-saving essentials.

This bill will ensure unemployed workers can continue to receive unemployment benefits during our emergency economic shut down. And it will ensure the continuation of critical food assistance for those in need.

The legislation also will provide much needed assistance to homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payment and it provides resources to help families pay their backrent to prevent eviction and homelessness.

And finally, The American Rescue Plan, recognizes the dignity of work by raising the national minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour by

2025. This wage increase is critical to ensuring all working families are earning a living wage to meet their most basic of needs.

Beyond vital pocketbook issues, the legislation also reinforces the primary responsibility of our federal government to respond effectively to the pandemic by activating the Defense Production Act to ensure a more prolific means by which to guarantee the materials we need to manufacture the vaccine and the hardware needed to inject it into the arms of individuals to prevent further spread of the virus.

To address the weaknesses in our public health infrastructure's ability to respond to the crisis, the legislation also provides funding to support critical community health centers, so vital to meet the health care needs of my constituents and all residents of the United States.

This pandemic is unlike anything our world has encountered in over a hundred years. This robust package is a testament to the strength of our country and its responsibility and ability to meet the challenge of any crisis.

I heartily commend President Biden and my colleagues in the House and Senate who have worked so hard on behalf of the American people to address the catastrophic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which has taken the precious lives of over 500,000 Americans.

Madam Speaker, last week, we experienced a tragic day in American history when President Donald Trump incited insurrection with irresponsible aggressive rhetoric that encouraged and incited a mob of his supporters to violently breach and defile the United States Capitol Building. This attack was a supreme act of domestic terrorism that ultimately led to bloodshed and death in the sacred temple of our democracy.

I take no joy in voting to impeach President Trump, but the president has blood on his hands in the wake of this attempted coup. The fact remains no one, including the president of the United States, is above the law. And this president has sadly violated his oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. As members of Congress who have taken that same pledge, it is our duty to take this action.

His constant bombardment of false information alleging widespread voter fraud and his repeated attempts to delegitimize the 2020 presidential election has deeply divided an already fractured nation and has violently turned American against American. As this unprecedented attack on American democracy and our Constitution transpired, President Trump was reported to gleefully watch on television the attempted destruction to our nation's capitol while ignoring repeated pleas for him to call on his supporters to stand down.

Trump continues to reject any responsibility for the violence and has shown no remorse or

concern for those who have died because of his insurrection. A heartbreaking example was his initial failure to honor the fallen Capitol Police officers by lowering the White House flag to half-staff.

At a time when thousands of Americans are dying of an insidious virus, which demands effective presidential leadership and unity of purpose to defeat, the president continues to be focused solely on himself. Defeating this pandemic cannot be undertaken while we have a president who denies its existence and is actively encouraging violence to overturn a well-documented free and fair election.

Even after the tragedy of January 6th, Trump continues to fuel the fire of his supporters with his self-serving and dangerous rhetoric and to incite violence and distrust across America. He still refuses to denounce the insurrection and unequivocally call on his supporters to stand down from carrying out their armed threats against our nation's capitol and state capitols across the country.

This lack of leadership and concern for the lives of our countrymen and women is one more example that confirms Donald Trump is unfit for office and poses a true danger to America and American democracy. To protect our country and our democracy, he must be impeached and barred from holding federal office again.

This lack of leadership and concern for the lives of our countrymen and women is one more example that confirms Donald Trump is unfit for office and poses a true danger to America and American democracy. To protect our country and our democracy, he must be impeached and barred from holding federal office again.

I cast my vote today for the safety of my constituents and all Americans nationwide, and for the survival of our democracy in the days, months, and years to come. In good conscience, I simply have no other choice.

Madam Speaker, I take no joy in voting to impeach President Trump, but this President has blood on his hands in the wake of this attempted coup.

The fact remains, no President of the United States is above the law, and this President has sadly violated his oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

As Members of Congress who have taken that same pledge, it is our duty to take this action and impeach this unfit and dangerous President.