Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, almost 20 years ago our country began sending brave servicemembers on deployment after deployment during the global war on terror. Around the world, they faced dangers not just from the enemy, but also from the circumstances of their service.

Too many of those who served in areas of toxic exposure now bear life-long illness in exchange for the security they provided to all of us.

And too many of those who faced the traumas of combat or sexual assault, now bear unseen and often debilitating burdens on their mental health.

This is why I introduced two amendments to this bill. The first directs $1 million to Burn Pits Centers of Excellence, one of which is located in East Orange, New Jersey, for critical research.

The second directs $10 million to expand vet center counseling services to additional locations, including in my district where a new vet center is badly needed.

Our veterans deserve the best treatment available, whether their injuries are physical or mental. We owe it to them to support this funding.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to be rising today alongside so many of my colleagues to declare loudly that the time has come to finally address the State and local tax deduction cap for families that have been slapped with this double tax for 4 long years.

In States like New Jersey, we pride ourselves on making the investments necessary to sustain our top-tier public schools, invest in infrastructure and open spaces, and support a prevailing wage for our unions. That is why people move to my State. That is why families stay for generations.

But when the SALT deduction cap imposed by the 2017 Trump tax bill instituted, our ability to keep making those key investments was threatened.

The SALT deduction cap affects residents in every corner of my district. It impacts families made up of teachers, first responders, and public servants.

For my constituents and millions of taxpayers throughout the country, the bottom line is you don't have to be a millionaire to be impacted by SALT. The simple fact is that it has imposed a harmful double tax and has created one of the largest marriage penalties in the Federal tax code.

With the SALT cap in place, States and localities face increased pressure to cut back on important investments in priorities like education, prevailing wages, infrastructure, environmental protections, and services for seniors. Those investments became harder to make when the Federal Government decided to tax New Jersey families twice. This means that more New Jerseyans' money is going to the Federal Government, instead of being invested in our local communities.

The result will be less spending over time on these priorities, which would be a detriment to ensuring our economy works for everyone.

I have been fighting since my first day in office to repeal the SALT deduction cap. I have helped secure passage of a repeal twice in this very Chamber. And I feel confident that so many of my colleagues understand this issue and why it is critical that we repeal it; largely because of the work and advocacy of the Members who are speaking here tonight.

But we need to keep up this fight for our constituents. As we head into crunch time on infrastructure negotiations in Congress, now is the time to deliver relief for families across New Jersey and States around the country that are disproportionately impacted by this harmful double tax.

Last week, I launched an initiative back in New Jersey, declaring it the Summer of SALT, to make it clear that we will do everything in our power to make it happen. There simply isn't another option for New Jersey families.

Sure. So as you know, the people in my district pay State and local taxes, and that is what funds our great public school system. New Jersey has the best public school system for 2 years running in the Nation; types of things like that, services that our New Jersey families care so much about. And now the Federal Government is taxing that money. So you are getting taxed twice in New Jersey, to really put downward pressure on our ability to fund those great public services.

Exactly.

Yep. Exactly.

And now not able to deduct that.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Nikhil Badlani, a talented and compassionate 11-year old boy from West Orange, NJ whose enthusiasm and laughter brought joy to all who met him.

Nikhil was an excellent student. He received straight A's and had an advanced understanding of science and math. From the time he was three years old, Nikhil knew all there was to know about dinosaurs and he brought his passion and curiosity for understanding the world into the classroom.

Beyond his studies, Nikhil was a talented musician and at the age of 11 he was already excelling at both the piano and trumpet. His talent was undeniable and he was accepted to play trumpet with the Youth Orchestras of Essex County. Nikhil also loved the theater and he was a captivating actor.

It is impossible to fathom that on June 11, 2011 Nikhil was tragically killed when a distracted driver failed to stop at a stop sign. Nikhil is fondly remembered by his friends and family for his talent, energy, and kindness. Nikhil's life inspired his family to create the Nikhil Badlani Foundation in his honor, which provides lessons for musicians, scholarships for graduating seniors and brings traffic safety awareness and advocacy to our community.

In the years since his passing, community members have come together to celebrate his life and promote traffic safety in his honor. As this year marks ten years since that tragic day, South Orange Township will commemorate this milestone with a moment of silence at the crash site before unveiling its new name, ``Nikhil's Way.'' Nikhil will never be forgotten.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3233, which creates a bipartisan independent commission to investigate the attacks on the Capitol on January 6.

Why do we need this commission?

We need this commission because the American people must understand exactly what happened so we can all forge a more resilient democracy.

We need this commission because, on January 6, I was lying on the floor to avoid possible shooters in this very Chamber, holding a gas mask in one hand and a phone in the other as I called my husband in case I didn't make it home.

We need this commission because, despite our own experiences, despite video footage, despite testimony by police, it has been suggested that this was simply a normal tourist event. Well, we have a lot of tourism where I am from. People visit our beautiful shore and historic sights, and no tourist event I have ever seen looks like that day.

As The New York Times reported: The pure savagery of the mob was breathtaking, as cataloged by injuries inflicted. One police officer lost an eye; another, the tip of his finger. Still another was shocked so many times with a taser gun that he had a heart attack.

Madam Speaker, we need this commission.

Madam Speaker, I rise on tax day. Teachers, cops, single moms, seniors, veterans, middle-class Americans--I am here to speak for all of them today, to be their voice in the fight against a tax provision that punishes States like New Jersey for investing in its residents.

In States like mine, our State taxes go toward paying for top-tier public schools, investing in infrastructure and open spaces, and supporting a prevailing wage for our unions. That is why people move here. That is why families stay for generations.

But without the ability to deduct State and local taxes, calling New Jersey home is becoming less and less viable for our middle-class residents.

Seniors are rethinking retiring in New Jersey; married couples are rethinking starting a family in New Jersey; young people are rethinking moving back to New Jersey after college.

The bottom line is, you don't have to be a millionaire to be impacted by the SALT cap, and New Jersey families are getting taxed twice.

The time is now to bring relief to everyday middle-class New Jersey residents who are getting crushed by this cap.

Madam Speaker, l rise to recognize Dianne Greff, public school teacher and North Jersey Council President of the Navy League of the United States, for her lifetime of service to her students, her community, and to New Jersey.

Dianne's commitment to service began when she was 18 years old, when she enrolled at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, to study education and fulfill her dream of being a public school teacher. Upon her graduation in 1959, Dianne set off on her 40-year career as an educator, helping to shape the lives of thousands of New Jersey students. She was awarded the New Jersey Governor's Teacher of the Year Award before retiring in the early 2000s.

Dianne's impact on Passaic County extended beyond education. As President of the North Jersey Council of the United States Navy League, she worked to support America's Navy service members. The Navy League aids military families while spouses or parents are deployed, honors enlisted personnel, and adopts ships and shore commands. While Dianne was president of the New Jersey chapter, there were over 300 active members.

Later in life, Dianne committed herself to helping our seniors. She was elected the President of the Saint Mary's Active Senior Ministry in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. She also served on the Board of Trustees for the Golden Age Circle of Wayne, and advised the Mayor as a member of his Wayne Township Senior Citizen Advisory Committee.

There was never a moment in Dianne's life when she wasn't trying her hardest to help other people. Whether for students, service members, veterans, seniors, or immigrants, Dianne went the extra mile to help them achieve their dreams or have a good life.

Dianne passed away on January 29, 2021. Her legacy will live on in all of the lives she touched in Passaic County and across New Jersey. The world is a kinder, better place because of Dianne Greff.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize former Fire Chief Mark Janton for 50 years of service at the Boonton Fire Department.

As we prepared this winter to recognize Mark Janton, alongside two of his fellow firemen, the community received the sad news that Mark passed away after a two-year battle with cancer.

Mark devoted his life to his community and to serving his neighbors. It's his dedication that made Boonton, and New Jersey, such a special place, and is something that I know we are all so grateful for.

Mark first joined the Boonton Fire Department in 1971. Over the years he rose through the ranks, serving as Firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief, Chief, and Chief Driver for Maxfield Hose and Engine Company No. 1, aka The Workhorse.

Mark's memory lives on in the impact he made on his town and the people who loved him. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to Mark's family: his children, grandchildren, and his high school sweetheart, Kathy.

Fifty years is a lifetime of service. I want to honor Mark for everything he has done for his town, Boonton, New Jersey. He will be remembered fondly.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize Morris County Administrator John Bonanni and Passaic County Administrator Anthony J. DeNova for receiving the first-ever County Administrator Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC). This award was created to highlight and honor the lifetime of dedication and hard work public officials like Bonanni and DeNova have brought to our communities in North Jersey.

John Bonanni is known for his deep commitment to Morris County, as a lifelong resident from Boonton and over 30 years of service in county administration. John does not like to be in the spotlight, but this award reflects how we all depend on his quiet, behind the scenes leadership. Early on in the coronavirus pandemic, he acted fast to protect those at high risk: long-term care residents, seniors, and people with disabilities. He was instrumental in securing funding for Morris County and other counties from the state's allocation of the Corona virus Relief Fund to cover critical expenditures on testing, PPE procurement, and crisis pay for first responders.

Anthony J. DeNova has deep roots in Passaic County and his dedication to and love for the community he has lived in his whole life shines through in the work he does each day. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who does not consider Tony their friend. Under his leadership, strong county budgeting has barred any tax increases for his constituents, while still funding the county's most important programs. When the pandemic hit, he worked swiftly to set up testing sites and at-home testing for all Passaic residents. With the COVID-19 vaccine distribution underway, he has worked diligently to get vaccination sites up and running and get shots into arms.

County Administrators play a vital role in our counties and communities. John Bonanni and Anthony DeNova dedicated themselves to public service and improving the everyday lives of the residents of Morris and Passaic counties. Their leadership was critical in guiding NJ-11 through the darkest day of the pandemic. It has been a pleasure working with both of them over the past two years and I look forward to the years ahead. This lifetime achievement award is well-deserved.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my deep gratitude to a departing member of my staff, Jill Jensen. Dr. Jill, as she is known in our office, came to Capitol Hill as a Brookings Legislative fellow from the Department of Defense. We were all excited to have someone with her deep expertise and experience as a part of our team, and we were looking forward to her contributions to my work on the Armed Services Committee.

As with so many things this year, the pandemic upended our plans. In late February and early March, as COVID-19 picked up speed and congressional offices started to respond, Dr. Jill quickly became an indispensable member of our team. Not only is she an expert in defense policy, but Dr. Jill has a doctorate in public health. She quickly stepped up to the plate to lead our office's response to the pandemic, coordinating weekly calls with local health care providers and public health experts, spearheading the Regional Recovery Task Force, and providing invaluable insight and advice to me and the other members of my team.

While leading our response efforts during the COVID-19 crisis, Dr. Jill still managed to be a critical member of our defense team. Her ideas and hard work led to several provisions' successful inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act, and now, even as her fellowship in our office winds up, she is still coming up with creative ideas for new and important legislation.

Beyond her expertise, excitement to learn about the Hill, and creativity, Dr. Jill is simply a joy to work with. She is always positive, attacking new challenges with a smile on her face. She is always willing to put her shoulder to any task, whether it is drafting new legislation that will impact the lives of thousands of service members or organizing our office suite after a move. Her optimism and insight kept many of us on track in those first days of the pandemic, and her excitement about arcane congressional processes was always a breath of fresh air.

Our office's loss is the Defense Department's gain, and as she ends her fellowship and returns to the Department, I wish her the very best of luck. I am confident we will be saying ``I knew her when . . .'' very soon.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to oppose the motion to recommit. As a veteran and as an American, I urge all of you to put the political games aside, put our troops and our country first, and pass this defense bill.

For 58 years straight, this Congress has come together across party lines to pass a bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act. This critical piece of legislation ensures Congress has a say in the mission of our military, the policies of our Department of Defense, and the safety and security of our women and men in the field.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, and I thank the chairman, the ranking member, all the leaders, and all of my colleagues for their dedication to our military and to our national security.

As a U.S. Navy veteran who served for almost 10 years, I am proud to be part of the new class of veterans and national security professionals who

have worked on this bill in committee. We know what it is like to rely on Congress to execute our mission and to keep our country safe, so we must pass the National Defense Authorization Act in this House. We must make sure that the vitally important priorities included in this House bill make it to the President's desk, and we must show the country that our disagreements are nothing compared to our tradition of crossing party lines and supporting the National Defense Authorization Act.

And don't take my word on the importance of this bill. Take it from a Republican and a fellow Naval Academy graduate, who said:

How do we explain to Americans who are risking their lives

for us that we could not summon the courage to take some hard

votes?

How do we explain that we could not come together and work

together when it mattered most?

The fundamental purpose of this legislation, which has

united Members from both sides of the aisle, is to provide

our Armed Forces what they need to do the jobs we ask of

them.

Madam Speaker, John McCain knew this must be an area of bipartisan support, and this MTR is an attempt to strip away that bipartisanship, to inject the broken politics of Washington into a bill that should be bigger than your political party.

The NDAA fully funds a 3.1 percent pay raise for U.S. military personnel, exactly what the President asked for. Madam Speaker, this is the largest pay increase since 2010, the last time the Democrats were in power.

My colleagues had almost 10 years and, more recently, 21 hours of markup and 28 hearings to discuss this very issue, but not one of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle brought this issue up in committee. This last-second partisan motion undercuts the hard work of the House Armed Services Committee, which passed the largest pay raise for our troops in years.

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

Madam Speaker, today I rise today in support of the en- bloc amendment, and to thank the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman, Ms. McCollum, for including the Sherrill Amendment No. 191 in the en-bloc package.

My amendment ensures that the EPA will continue to provide adequate funding, $8 million, for the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers.

The Children's Centers have made profound contributions to our scientific understanding of how exposures to chemicals and pollutants uniquely impact children and pregnant women. Researchers working in the Children's Centers study how environmental exposures are linked to adverse health outcomes such as poor birth outcomes, behavioral and learning deficits, respiratory issues, and childhood cancers.

All children deserve a healthy environment where they can grow and thrive. It is imperative that we support the research necessary to understand how our environment impacts children and families' health and wellbeing.

I am concerned that the grants that currently fund thirteen Children's Centers are set to expire in July and that no announcement has been made to indicate renewed funding. To ensure that these valuable programs can continue, I am offering an amendment and asking the House of Representative to vote in strong support of the Children's Centers and their important work.

I thank Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce for their leadership in adopting this important provision.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our colleague, Representative Bill Pascrell, for whom the fire headquarters in his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey, is being named.

Representative Pascrell has been a tireless champion of our country's firefighters. In 2000, he led the passage of the FIRE Act, the only Federal program to deliver grant funds directly to local fire departments. In 2015, he helped secure a $7.5 million grant for the Paterson Fire Department, which prevented a dangerous reduction of forces. He is co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.

Just this month, I proudly cast my vote for Representative Pascrell's amendment to increase funding for the Firefighter Cancer Registry to ensure our firefighters can get the care they need.

As a representative of New Jersey and as an American, I am grateful for all the work the Congressman has done to ensure protection and care for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

Though I regret I cannot be there with him this morning in Paterson, I congratulate Representative Pascrell on this well-deserved honor.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the en bloc amendment, and to thank the Defense Subcommittee Chairman, Mr. Visclosky, for including the Sherrill Amendment 58 in the en bloc package.

My amendment reduces the Surface and Shallow Water Mine Countermeasures program by $5 million in order to add $5 million for the Navy to advance the qualification and certification of Advanced Manufacturing processes for the integration of 3-D printed components into undersea warfare platforms. This amendment furthers the Navy's goal of embracing cutting-edge technologies.

3-D printing reduces the cost of manufacturing parts for which there is limited supply. It also creates unique parts that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive to make with traditional manufacturing.

I am very proud of the work Marotta Controls in Montville, New Jersey, is doing to support this very effort. Marotta is a family-owned business, now in its third generation of ownership. President and CEO Patrick Marotta is proudly carrying on the work his grandfather began when he founded the company during WWII. I thank Marotta Controls for their work to ensure efficiency and quality control to enable our Navy's submariners to continue to play their critical role in defense of our nation.

I thank Defense Subcommittee Chairman Visclosky and Ranking Member Calvert for their leadership in adopting this important provision.

Madam Speaker, this week, we will commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and I rise to honor two of our New Jersey residents who participated in Operation Overlord.

William Brodish worked at Picatinny Arsenal for 3 years. He joined the Army and was assigned to the 27th Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad.

On the morning of June 6, Private Brodish landed on Omaha Beach and got to work removing projectiles and rockets from the shoreline. He was only 22-years-old when he died on the beach as a German artillery projectile exploded over his position.

Herbert Terner enlisted in the Army in 1942, and on D-Day, he parachuted into Normandy with the 101st Airborne.

As a radio specialist, he alerted troops of landing positions, and he continued to fight after D-Day in the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, helped to liberate prisoners from the concentration camps.

I had the great honor of meeting Herb, now 98 years old and a resident of Montville, over Memorial Day weekend.

Tonight, I honor William, Herbert, and all the New Jersey residents who put their lives on the line to defend democracy and free Europe from the grasp of the Nazis and totalitarianism.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the motion to recommit offered by the gentlewoman from North Carolina.

There are few things that define us as a country more distinctly than the idea of the American Dream: the idea that anyone can make it here through hard work and dedication. That dream rests on giving people a fair shot.

Right now, too many people in this country just aren't getting a fair shot, and women in this country face additional barriers because they simply are not paid equally for their work.

Madam Speaker, this bill, H.R. 7, supports paycheck fairness because equal pay for equal work is about respect, and in New Jersey we know respect. I know what paycheck fairness looks like because we just passed it in New Jersey. It is high time that Congress ensures these commonsense values for the rest of the women across this country.

I have listened to objections raised today that women already have protections for equal pay. Well, let me assure you that the protections in our laws are not adequate.

I rise today, Madam Speaker, for women who are earning just 80 cents on every dollar. I rise for our African American women who are only earning 61 cents on the dollar. I rise today for Hispanic women who are only earning 53 cents on the dollar.

Madam Speaker, I rise today for American women and for their families so we can give them a fair shot, like a woman in my district who, despite being a single mom helping to pay off her children's college debt, was passed over for a raise because her male coworker had a family to support, or another who found that she was being paid less than her male coworkers after years of performing the same job and with the same seniority. And, Madam Speaker, I am fighting today for my two daughters so they have the same opportunities and the same rights as my two sons.

In the House, we know what our coworkers are making. We can look it up. We need our constituents to have that same opportunity.

Madam Speaker, I have joined my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in the past on their motions. I believe deeply in the need for this body to come together today to focus on issues that matter to our families. It is time for my colleagues to now join me, because supporting women, supporting families, and supporting the American Dream is a shared value.

I know in New Jersey the equal pay bill passed with broad bipartisan support. In fact, in the entire State senate

and assembly, there were only two people who voted against it.

If there were ever a moment, if there were ever a bill, if there were ever a time to put obstruction aside, it is now. The motion put forth has nothing to do with equal pay, and I urge my colleagues to reject it.