Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was chairing the crypto hearing. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 519.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Axne (Pappas)

Beatty (Neguse)

Brooks (Fleischmann)

Burgess (Weber (TX))

Cawthorn (Gaetz)

Cherfilus-McCormick (Brown (OH))

Cicilline (Sewell)

Clyburn (Butterfield)

DeFazio (Pallone)

Dingell (Pappas)

Doyle, Michael F. (Evans)

Dunn (Salazar)

Escobar (Garcia (TX))

Espaillat (Correa)

Gonzales, Tony (Fleischmann)

Gosar (Weber (TX))

Grijalva (Correa)

Horsford (Kelly (IL))

Jacobs (NY) (Sempolinski)

Johnson (TX) (Pallone)

Kim (NJ) (Pallone)

Kirkpatrick (Pallone)

Krishnamoorthi (Pappas)

Larson (CT) (Pappas)

Maloney, Sean P. (Beyer)

Meng (Khanna)

Moolenaar (Bergman)

Newman (Correa)

Norcross (Pallone)

O'Halleran (Pappas)

Palazzo (Fleischmann)

Pascrell (Pallone)

Porter (Beyer)

Posey (Cammack)

Pressley (Neguse)

Rice (SC) (Weber (TX))

Rush (Beyer)

Sanchez (Correa)

Simpson (Fulcher)

Sires (Pallone)

Stevens (Craig)

Strickland (Correa)

Tiffany (Fitzgerald)

Titus (Pallone)

Welch (Pallone)

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Frank Scarfo, a 94-year-old U.S. Army veteran in my Congressional District who has quite an interesting history. Mr. Scarfo served our country as a counterintelligence officer based in Italy during the Korean War. In a little-known Army operation, Mr. Scarfo helped identify and report communist party operatives who were attempting to infiltrate the Army's leadership by working as support staff in Italy.

Born and raised in a small coal-mining town called Norton in West Virginia, Mr. Scarfo was brought up speaking only Italian in his parent's household until the age of eight. After graduating from college, he registered for the draft in December 1950 and after making the Army aware of his fluency in Italian was sent to Fort Holabird, Maryland, home of the Army's Intelligence School from 1945 to 1972, where he was trained as a counter-intelligence officer.

Assigned to the 7617 Military Post in Livorno, Italy, Mr. Scarfo served his country for two years supporting the 4th Logistical Command, uncovering potentially dangerous enemy operatives who were working for the U.S. Army in Livorno, Pizza, and Florence, Italy. The cover name for the operation was the ``Labor Control Detachment'' and it remains somewhat secretive to this day. Mr. Scarfo went on to serve for an additional four years in the Army Reserve, rising to the rank of sergeant.

Proud of his contributions to the American occupation of Europe in the early 1950s, Mr. Scarfo would have continued his service in the Army if he didn't need to return home to West Virginia to take care of his ailing parents. He later moved to California and worked with space pioneer Wernher von Braun's operation at the Aerospace Corporation, which led to the successful moon landings in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In honor of Frank Scarfo's participation in this little-known military operation in the European theater, I am pleased to bring to light his service to our country and thank him for a job well done.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6889) to mend the Federal Credit Union Act to modify the frequency of board of directors meetings, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material thereon.

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

First, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Vargas) for offering H.R. 6889, the Credit Union Board Modernization Act.

This bipartisan bill would revise Federal credit union board meeting requirements to bring highly rated Federal credit unions in line with State credit union charter requirements in 17 States, including my home State of California.

Under this bill, Federal credit unions that are highly rated by their regulator, including a highly rated management team, would be required to meet at least six times annually, with at least one meeting held during each fiscal quarter. This would be a reduction from the current requirement to meet monthly.

To ensure stability and mitigate the risk of institutional failure, there are important safeguards included in the bill. For example, de novo or new Federal credit union boards would still be required to meet at least monthly during the first 5 years of receiving a charter, as well as Federal credit unions that have received low exam ratings.

Additionally, if emergencies or issues arise requiring a board meeting, nothing in the bill prevents Federal credit unions from meeting more frequently.

Credit unions and consumer groups support H.R. 6889, including the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues, Americans for Financial Reform, and Center for Responsible Lending.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill as well, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

H.R. 6889 will incentivize Federal credit union boards to ensure their institutions are highly rated and well run in order to reduce the number of board meetings they need to hold.

I therefore urge Members to support H.R. 6889, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2710) to increase transparency with respect to financial services benefitting state sponsors of terrorism, human rights abusers, and corrupt officials, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2710, the Banking Transparency for Sanctioned Persons Act of 2021.

This legislation requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report to Congress semiannually with a copy of any license Treasury issues in the preceding 180 days that authorizes a U.S. financial institution to provide services benefiting a state sponsor of terrorism and certain other sanctioned entities, including human rights abusers and corrupt officials. It would sunset 7 years after enactment of the act.

I am supportive of the disclosure requirements in this bill because I believe that this after-the-fact reporting to congressional committees regarding these specific licenses can serve as a useful oversight tool.

When the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, issues a specific license, it allows a particular individual or entity to engage in a transaction that would otherwise be prohibited under a United States sanctions program. Typically, specific licenses are granted by OFAC when the person or entity requesting such a license makes clear that allowing for the permitted transactions serves a compelling public policy goal. But currently, Treasury does not release specific licenses granted to individuals or entities or any information about them.

OFAC's licensing authority is an important part of an effective administration of United States sanctions, and disclosure is an important part of Congress' ability to conduct effective oversight.

Now, there is a risk that if some licenses were to become public, they would disclose commercially sensitive information to potential market competitors, introducing issues of corporate theft and unfair competition. That is why the bill allows for sensitive information in these licenses to be included in a classified annex to the report. Moving forward, we may want to examine whether this provides sufficient protection for proprietary or commercially sensitive information submitted by private-sector representatives which may not be classified and, if publicly released, would allow potential market competitors to gain an unfair competitive advantage. We certainly do not want to create a chilling effect and a wariness on behalf of companies about continuing to file for licenses moving forward, and we should guard against that.

Mr. Speaker, ultimately, I support the underlying goal and the disclosure requirements of H.R. 2710 because I believe they will increase congressional oversight of United States' sanctions activity. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the Banking Transparency for Sanctioned Persons Act of 2021 will help ensure that Members of Congress have the information they need to provide more effective oversight of the decisions made by Treasury and OFAC and the impact that those decisions have on sanctioned persons.

I thank Mr. Steil for bringing this measure forward, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Earl ``Skip'' Cooper II for his outstanding service over many decades to the African American business community in the United States.

On August 20, 2022, fifty years to the day after Mr. Cooper moved to Los Angeles from Oakland, CA, he will be honored by the Black Business Association (BBA) in a celebration of his 50 years of activism and service.

Mr. Cooper and I have known each other and worked together on numerous projects for more than 45 years. We first met when I was the Chief of Staff for Los Angeles City Councilman David Cunningham, and we developed an excellent working relationship. Mr. Cooper continued to be a trusted advisor when I was elected to the California State Assembly and then to the United States Congress.

Before joining the BBA, Mr. Cooper served his country in the Vietnam War, was an instructor at California State University Los Angeles and earned a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California (USC), with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. Mr. Cooper's primary focus all these years, has been assisting Black businesses survive and grow.

Founded in 1970, the Black Business Association, headquartered in Los Angeles, is the oldest active ethnic business support organization in the state of California. Originally named the Black Businessmen's Association of Los Angeles, the BBA was one of the first business groups of any ethnicity to recognize and honor the contributions of female entrepreneurs. Mr. Cooper joined the BBA in 1974, became its President/CEO in 1976 and was named Executive Director in 1992.

Always an innovator, Mr. Cooper has continued to be an effective advocate for the advancement of minority business enterprise on a local, state, and national level. He led the first ``trade mission'' of African Americans to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus and the White House in the 1970s. He has been a close ally and advisor to African American leaders, from Mayor Tom Bradley to Congresswoman Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke, from California Speaker Willie Brown to Congresswoman Barbara Lee. He is the publisher/editor of the award- winning Black Business News magazine and is quick to assist policy makers in crafting legislation that makes it easier for minority businesses to succeed. A 100 percent Disabled Vietnam Veteran, Mr. Cooper is known to most community leaders for his sense of humor, his cultural pride, and his unabashed devotion to God. He is a savvy and intelligent observer of culture, politics, economics, and business. His positive, selfless, and inspiring energy has contributed much to California's Black community for more than half a century.

I salute Earl ``Skip'' Cooper II upon BBA's celebration of his 50th anniversary in Los Angeles and look forward to more opportunities to work together in his role as President Emeritus and Chairman of BBA's Board of Directors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of the very long and difficult negotiations that have taken place following the Build Back Better Act, led by President Biden and the Democrats. I applaud all the beneficiaries of the reconciliation bill in what is now the Inflation Reduction Act.

This act includes historic climate change legislation. It will lower prescription drug costs, reduce the cost of Medicare, and, hopefully, force major corporations to pay their fair share of taxes.

However, as chairwoman of the Financial Services Committee, I have worked with members of my committee and many Members of Congress to confront the housing crisis in this country. We organized a request for $150 billion in the Build Back Better Act, which included rental assistance with Section 8 vouchers, development of more affordable housing units, support for first-generation home buyers, repairs to fix deteriorating public housing, and fair housing enforcement to eliminate discrimination and unlawful evictions.

However, there is not one nickel, not one dime, not one dollar, for the development of housing in this bill. We can no longer afford to have housing as an afterthought, a ``nice to have,'' or simply something that can wait until later. It is foundational to the prosperity of families, key to a healthy economy, and crucial to fighting inflation.

Yes, I am disappointed. I am going to vote for this bill because so many people are going to benefit in different ways, but I am disappointed that housing does not show up anywhere in this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7734) to amend title 31, United States Code, to require the timely production of reports to Congress under the Bank Secrecy Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, suspicious activity reports and other materials, collectively known as ``BSA reports,'' are held by Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, and can be critical to congressional investigations. For example, this committee has requested documents related to our ongoing investigation into the flow of illicit funds from the former Soviet states into the United States.

There is a long history of cooperation on the proper exchange of these records, but in response to a recent Treasury-initiated reversal of decades-long practice, I have found it necessary to introduce this bill, H.R. 7734.

Unfortunately, Treasury has severely restricted congressional access to suspicious activity reports, or SARs, by requiring congressional staff to review all material in a reading room, prohibiting the copying of materials, and restricting information collection to notetaking alone. These limitations are not placed upon the Federal, State, and local agencies that have been granted access to review SARs.

Treasury has no statutory basis for imposing restrictions on congressional authority to obtain SARs. Neither legislative language, statutory provision, nor case law prohibits government personnel or the financial institutions from providing these materials to Congress.

I am very concerned that these restrictions and similar alternatives offered by Treasury will severely impede effective congressional oversight and investigations. In response to my committee's recent request to review SARs related to the flow of illicit funds from former Soviet states into the United States, FinCEN has informed the committee that it is withholding thousands of pages of responsive documents containing technical, detailed information about multiple transactions involving numerous parties. Given the restrictions imposed by Treasury, it is not possible for my staff to effectively capture and analyze needed information in such complex documents. It will be even more difficult for Members to review such materials.

Treasury's refusal to produce the documents in the manner requested has severely obstructed the committee's investigation of this important matter. To ensure that Congress can conduct effective oversight moving forward, I have introduced this bill, and I am pleased to say that it passed our committee on a bipartisan basis.

H.R. 7734 requires the Secretary of the Treasury to deliver BSA reports to a congressional committee or subcommittee of appropriate jurisdiction within 30 days of its request for such documents. The bill further requires a financial institution to deliver BSA reports by the return date specified in a subpoena issued by a committee or subcommittee of appropriate jurisdiction.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill to ensure that Congress can obtain access to BSA reports without cumbersome restrictions and can do so in a timely manner to support its investigatory work.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Treasury's refusal to give Congress reasonable access to SARs is severely impeding our ability to effectively make use of the materials to conduct investigations.

Treasury has no statutory basis for imposing such restrictions and has offered no rationale for changing the current practice, which has been in place for over 20 years.

H.R. 7734 clarifies the existing statutory authority of Congress and ensures that Congress continues to obtain timely access to BSA reports without restrictions.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7733) to amend the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 to reauthorize and improve the community development financial institutions bond guarantee program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 7733, the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program Improvement Act, led by Representative Cleaver, who also is the chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance.

The CDFI Fund's Bond Guarantee Program provides CDFIs with federally guaranteed, long-term, low-cost capital to support existing and new economic development projects in their communities.

Unfortunately, small-sized CDFIs currently have difficulty applying for this financing directly because the current $100 million minimum financing amount is much higher than the amount many small CDFIs are seeking. As a result, some CDFIs can only access the program by applying with larger CDFIs.

This bill would lower the minimum threshold for a bond issuance from $100 million to $25 million, giving smaller CDFIs a fairer shot at being able to access this program. This will help expand financing and investments to support small businesses, healthcare facilities, and affordable housing.

This bill builds upon the work I led last Congress to provide CDFIs with $12 billion in equity and grant funding. In particular, that legislation, which has already distributed $1.25 billion to CDFIs, represented the largest public investment in CDFIs ever.

Mr. Cleaver's bill complements those efforts by helping smaller CDFIs better access private dollars to further their efforts to serve low- income and underserved communities.

While the Bond Guarantee Program's authorization ended in 2014, Congress has extended it on a year-by-year basis in annual appropriations bills. This bill would extend the program for 4 years, creating longer-term certainty. The bill also includes studies to examine areas where the program can be strengthened.

Furthermore, this bill is a House companion to a bipartisan bill in the Senate, S. 3441, introduced by Senators Tina Smith and Mike Rounds.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill to ensure that more CDFIs have access to long-term financing through the Bond Guarantee Program so they continue to spur economic development in communities across the Nation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

H.R. 7733 is supported by a number of groups, including the CDFI Coalition, Credit Union National Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, and Opportunity Finance Network.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4586) to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with respect to risk-based examinations of Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and include extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 4586, sponsored by Mrs. Wagner, to help the Securities and Exchange Commission robustly oversee the credit rating agencies through more prudent annual examinations.

Mrs. Wagner's proposal ensures that the SEC continues its annual examinations of all credit rating agencies but can now focus their examinations on the aspects of the rating agencies that pose the greatest risk to investors in our capital markets.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 4586, sponsored by Mrs. Wagner, to help the Securities and Exchange Commission robustly oversee the credit rating agencies through more prudent annual examinations.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my Members to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 310) to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith, in recognition of their contributions to the Nation, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and include extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 310 to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith, in recognition of their contributions to the Nation.

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) for his unwavering dedication to ensuring Congress

honors the memories of the four brave individuals who served our country bravely for 59 collective years in public service.

The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress, and it is the highest representation of national gratitude for exemplary achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions.

The four individuals honored today, Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith, exemplified what it means to live a life of service. Mr. Doherty, Mr. Woods, and Mr. Smith were decorated servicemembers, known for their bravery and dedication to protecting the American diplomats with whom they served. Ambassador Stevens was a lifelong public servant and diplomat, deeply invested in promoting peace and security throughout the world.

As we come upon the 10-year anniversary of their tragic deaths, we, as a Nation mourn the loss of these shining examples of our shared American values. And to their loved ones, who carry their memories with them today and always, we offer our sincerest condolences and profound gratitude with their tireless efforts to preserve their legacy.

This bill would present the Congressional Gold Medal to the four brave men who protected and served their country honorably and died in service of their country. I cannot think of any who are more deserving of this great honor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank, again, Mr. Lynch, as well as the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast) for their tireless efforts to ensure that these four individuals receive the recognition that they clearly deserve. We must strive to recognize these brave and honorable members of our country who have committed their lives to protecting it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5128) to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to expand access to capital for rural-area small businesses, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5128, the Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act, introduced by Representative Axne.

While small businesses in the big cities may enjoy easier access to capital to grow their businesses, hire and support their employees, and serve their communities, the businesses in rural America often struggle. Rural America's job growth is half the rate than that of big cities, and rural America's poverty rate is also higher than that of the big cities, even though it has dropped under President Biden's leadership and as a result of this Congress' work.

Congresswoman Axne's bill would require SEC's small business advocate to report to Congress particular challenges that rural businesses face in accessing our capital markets.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I thank Mrs. Axne for her work on this important issue and for always working on behalf of the rural businesses and communities in her district. Congresswoman Axne's bill directs the SEC's Small Business Advocate to similarly focus on the challenges rural small businesses face.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7981) to require qualifying smoke alarms in certain federally assisted housing, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

I thank Representative Dean for introducing H.R. 7981, the Public and Federally Assisted Housing Fire Safety Act of 2022, in response to the devastating apartment fire that occurred in a Philadelphia public housing unit, where 12 people died, including 9 children.

The subsequent investigation into this tragedy, found that the majority of the smoke alarms in the home were inoperable, as they had either been removed from the walls or had no batteries inside.

With proper fire safety tools in place, these deaths could have been prevented. A 2021 study from the National Fire Protection Agency found that nearly three out of five home fire deaths are caused by fires in properties with no smoke alarms present, or smoke alarms that failed to operate. Functional smoke alarms can reduce the number of home fire deaths.

To help prevent similar tragedies like the one in Philadelphia from occurring, H.R. 7981 would require the installation of either tamper- resistant or hardwired smoke alarms in federally assisted housing, better ensuring families have adequate warning when a fire occurs.

Additionally, this bill will help ensure families across America better understand and properly use fire safety features in their homes through a national education campaign led by HUD.

I commend Representative Dean for her work on this very important issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7981 is a commonsense bill that will save countless lives by improving the quality and reliability of smoke alarms in public and federally assisted housing. It is no wonder why the bill was passed out of our committee with bipartisan support and is being supported by the fire safety community, as well as affordable housing advocates.

I thank Representative Dean for this bill, and I, again, urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 7981.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1842) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint commemorative coins in recognition of the Bicentennial of Harriet Tubman's birth.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 1842, the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act.

I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) for his tireless efforts to ensure that Congress celebrates and upholds Harriet Tubman's legacy of passionate advocacy for civil rights, women's suffrage, and the liberation of enslaved persons.

Historians value coins and currencies as an important form of visual storytelling. This is because the objects and, more importantly, the people depicted on a currency reflects the values and the narratives that a society tells about itself. As such, I cannot think of an individual who more perfectly embodies American values of seeking justice, protecting freedom, and enduring personal sacrifices in the pursuit of a more perfect Union than Harriet Tubman.

Born enslaved in March 1822 on the plantation of Anthony Thompson in Dorchester County, Maryland, Harriet Ross Tubman, also known as Araminta ``Minty'' Ross, was a notable abolitionist, who not only freed herself but also others from slavery.

After freeing herself in the fall of 1849 with the help of the Underground Railroad network, Tubman devoted herself to the arduous and life-threatening process of freeing other enslaved persons. Throughout the 1850s, Tubman made 13 trips back to Maryland, guiding approximately 70 enslaved persons to the north, including family members, and providing instruction to about 70 more who found their way to freedom on their own.

During the Civil War, Tubman served as a spy, cook, and a nurse in South Carolina and Florida. She also recruited newly freed African- American men to join regiments of African-American soldiers called United States Colored Troops and served herself as an Army scout and spy for Union leaders Major General David Hunter and Colonel James Montgomery. For her invaluable service, Tubman was inducted into the Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame.

After the Civil War, Tubman continued her legacy of activism and care for the community, often sheltering and providing for newly freed, formerly enslaved persons in her home on South Street in Auburn, New York.

Ms. Tubman was also an ardent supporter of women's suffrage, civil rights, and access to healthcare, and would attend meetings and give speeches in support of these rights in Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

This bipartisan bill championed by Representative Meeks and Representative Katko would provide tangible support to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Harriet Tubman Home, Incorporated, in Auburn, New York, to advance their shared mission of sharing Harriet Tubman's legacy and continuance to advance her vision of a more just and equitable America.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to produce noncirculating commemorative coins for purchase bearing Harriet Tubman's image and depicting her legacy as an abolitionist.

I thank Representatives Meeks and Katko for introducing this historic bill, and I urge Members to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time until my colleague yields back.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlemen from New York, Mr. Meeks and Mr. Katko, for their hard work on this bill. I thank the gentlewoman from Nevada, Senator Rosen, and the gentleman from Ohio, Senator Portman, for leading the Senate companion version of this bill.

Who we choose to honor on our currency says a lot about who we are and what we value as a society. This bill is an opportunity for us to declare to ourselves and to our prosperity that we are a society who values courage in the face of oppression, and liberty and justice for all, not just for the lucky few.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to declare themselves as supporters of these shared American values by supporting this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6528) to require owners of covered federally assisted rental dwelling units to install temperature sensors in such units, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and include extraneous material.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Torres for introducing H.R. 6528, the Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2022, in response to the tragic apartment fire that occurred in his district in the Bronx. Seventeen people died in that fire, including eight children, while dozens more were injured. Sadly, this tragedy was entirely preventable and even foreseeable.

The Twin Parks North West apartment building was home to 120 families, including 91 families who were assisted through the housing choice voucher program. Because of heating and ventilation issues in the building, too often families found themselves shivering in their apartments, forcing them to take matters into their own hands by purchasing space heaters, which were deemed to be the cause of this tragic fire.

To address this issue, and to better hold housing providers accountable to ensuring their apartments are meeting temperature requirements, H.R. 6528 would create a pilot program to install and study the efficacy of temperature sensors in federally assisted housing.

As the tragedy in the Bronx proved, inadequate heating and cooling in federally assisted units is a danger to our communities. This bill provides a key step towards researching and improving tools to better ensure families' homes are both safe and warm.

I thank Representative Torres for his leadership on this issue.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6528, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 6528 is an important step forward in holding housing providers accountable to better protect the health and safety of families receiving Federal housing assistance.

What happened in the Bronx is a tragedy that was wholly preventable. While more must be done to prevent similar tragedies, I am glad that we are providing new solutions to improve fire safety in Federal housing.

I thank Representative Torres for this bill.

Madam Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6528, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4590) to require the Federal banking regulators to jointly conduct a study and develop a strategic plan to address challenges faced by proposed depository institutions seeking de novo depository institution charters; and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 4590, the Promoting New and Diverse Depository Institutions Act, sponsored by Representative Jake Auchincloss, the vice chair of the Financial Services Committee.

Since the 1980s, we have seen steady consolidation in the number of U.S. depository institutions from having roughly 33,000 banks and credit unions in 1980 to less than 10,000 today. Over the last decade, we have also seen a reduction of 3,300 branches by the four largest banks leaving behind banking deserts where residents lack access to a nearby branch for basic banking services.

I have also been troubled by the recent decline of roughly one-third of all minority depository institutions, also known as MDIs, and more than half of Black-owned banks since the 2008 financial crisis.

In December 2020, I was pleased to work with Ranking Member McHenry and Senators Brown, Crapo, and Warner to reach a bipartisan deal to provide $12 billion in capital investments and grants to shore up and strengthen existing MDIs as well as community development financial institutions, better known as CDFIs.

But I am still concerned that very few depository institutions, especially MDIs, have been newly chartered in recent years while banking deserts continue to grow. This bill would help address this concern by requiring regulators to study this problem, request feedback from the public, and develop a strategic plan so they can take steps to encourage the creation of new banks and credit unions, including MDIs and CDFIs.

H.R. 4590 also requires regulators to share with Congress any legislative recommendations to further promote the creation of new depository institutions, again, including MDIs and CDFIs.

So I thank Vice Chair Auchincloss for his work on this bill which received bipartisan support in our committee.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4590, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from

Massachusetts (Mr. Auchincloss), who is also the vice chair of the Financial Services Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

H.R. 4590 is supported by a wide range of stakeholders, including California & Nevada Credit Union Leagues, Community Development Bankers Association, Inclusiv, Independent Community Bankers Association, and many others.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.