Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I salute the leadership of Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and Ranking Member James Comer. I thank them both for bringing this important legislation to the floor and their determined leadership to have a bipartisan bill, which is really important, and doing so, again, in a spirit of bipartisanship that would make our Founders proud.

Madam Speaker, 230 years ago this month our fledgling Nation took a bold step toward the future by formally establishing the modern United States Postal Service, a beautiful thread that continues to weave together communities across America.

Today, I rise in support of the Postal Service Reform Act, which takes long overdue actions to strengthen this pillar of our democracy so that it can continue to serve our communities for decades to come.

Since our earliest days, when couriers on horseback traversed the Colonies, America's postal system has been a model for the world.

Indeed, our Founders knew the value of a strong Postal Service, enshrining it into Article I, Section 8 of our Constitution: ``The Congress shall have the power . . . to establish post offices and post roads.''

And, when Alexis de Tocqueville visited in the early 19th century, he was in awe of how our Postal Service brought Americans together, writing there was ``no French province in which the inhabitants knew each other as well as 13 million men spread over the extent of the United States.''

Yet, decades of poor policy decisions and chronic underinvestment have put this all-American institution on the path of insolvency. As was indicated by the gentleman who just spoke, experts project that USPS will run out of cash as soon as 2024; and reduced services and added delays would only continue and bring harm in every ZIP Code.

Meanwhile, our Nation continues to ask more and more of our postal workers. Today, they deliver to nearly 159 million delivery points-- imagine that--159 million delivery points--across the Nation, and they add one million more delivery points each year. And millions of Americans depend on the USPS to deliver prescriptions, Social Security benefits, paychecks, tax returns, absentee ballots, and more.

I will just say in the period of COVID the U.S. Postal Service was angelic. It was delivering prescriptions to our veterans who were in need of those prescriptions, as well as to seniors and others. So we thank them for that.

So this legislation would put the Postal Service on stronger financial footing while improving the reliability of its services while protecting the benefits of employees and retirees.

The legislation makes bipartisan, commonsense provisions that will welcome all future postal retirees into Medicare, free the U.S. Postal Service from the unnecessary requirement to prefund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance--and we call that a financial albatross-- and improve USPS reliability with new transparency measures that will help ensure consistent on-time mail delivery.

I have much more on that that I will submit for the Record, Madam Speaker.

As a mother of five and grandmother of nine, I heavily depend on the Postal Service for all kinds of things. Children write letters to Santa. They still write letters to Santa. They do not text Santa. Some do, maybe, but the letter to Santa is very important. Parents sharing graduation photos; friends offering condolences; wedding announcements; whatever it is, it is still the duty of the Postal Service to deliver it. And servicemembers communicating with home is so important.

This important legislation takes the strong step to empower the Postal Service to continue its crucial mission to improve our lives, touch our hearts, and connect our communities.

With that, I once again want to thank Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer, and I urge a strong bipartisan vote for this legislation.

And again, even though we are communicating electronically in so many ways, there is no substitute for that personal connection that the Postal Service provides for us.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chair for her strong leadership in bringing the CR to the floor, but also for her relentless work in negotiating the omnibus, what this is all about.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the CR that will keep government open, meet the needs of the American people, and honor the values of our Nation.

This short-term measure will ensure that we have the time we need to finalize negotiations on a strong, bipartisan omnibus to fund the government through the end of the year.

As I commend the gracious madam chair, Rosa DeLauro, the chair of the Appropriations Committee, I want to also commend Ranking Member Granger for her leadership as well.

This legislation extends government funding at current levels through March 11. To be clear, this bill keeps government open while making virtually no changes to existing funding policy. The CR does, however, include urgently needed emergency funding to help clean up contaminated drinking water leaking from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii. In doing so, we deliver a crucial downpayment to help the Navy meet immediate needs and keep families safe.

In order to advance our priorities for our country and our communities in the long term, Congress must enact an omnibus funding package.

For families, a new full-year spending package means strengthening public schools, protecting clean air and clean water, improving public health, and ensuring food and consumer safety.

For workers, it means creating new jobs and supporting small businesses.

For our veterans, it means funding for benefits, reducing backlogs for veterans and their families seeking assistance, and meeting the needs of the VA's healthcare system.

For our national security, it means support for our troops, improvements to defense readiness and modernization, the securing of our cyber infrastructure, and stronger leadership abroad.

Now that President Biden has proudly signed our bipartisan infrastructure bill, it is essential that we enact an omnibus in order to unlock billions in more Federal dollars for infrastructure projects. While they were in the infrastructure bill, the money cannot be spent unless we pass the omnibus.

This will help us rebuild our Nation while reinvigorating our middle class, creating millions of good-paying jobs improving roads and bridges, ports and airports, water systems, broadband, and more.

As the preamble to our Constitution states: It is our duty as lawmakers to ``establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.''

Today, we uphold this sacred responsibility in the short term with this continuing resolution. With our omnibus legislation, which we hope to bring to the floor soon, we will take an important step to honor the vision of our Founders.

Madam Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan ``aye'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her recognition. I want to recognize her as a great leader on the matter before us today. This legislation, the America COMPETES Act, is something that has come to the floor largely because of the investments that she has made over the years in science and technology, keeping America competitive, and now as the chair of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. I thank her for the intellect that she has brought to this and the reputation that she has enjoyed in the scientific and academic community in support of her legislative initiatives, this bill being a highlight of it all.

Madam Speaker, America has long been a beacon of excellence in science and engineering in the world, forging innovations that have been transformative for workers, businesses, and for our economy. By investing in education and research, we were preeminent. We have been preeminent in the world's arena. A number of years ago, maybe 20, maybe longer, other countries followed our blueprint. They followed our lead. They invested in education and recognized the value of investment in research and new technologies. Now they threaten our position as the world leader in science and innovation. We have been seeing that over time.

The technology that we rely on each day and those that will take us into the future must be made here in America or else we will be at the mercy of those other countries, driving up costs for American families and eroding our global competitiveness.

Madam Speaker, this situation is a challenge to the economic security of our country, the financial security of our families, and the national security of our Nation. It must be met head-on with bold, strategic action that seizes the opportunity for progress. Today the House is seizing that opportunity in passing legislation that meets the moment by securing the preeminence of American manufacturing, innovation, and economic strength with the America COMPETES Act.

To be preeminent in technology and innovation is essential so that America becomes self-sufficient in the manufacture of critical goods.

The America COMPETES Act will do this, and transport our Nation into the future, by: First, supercharging our investment in CHIPS for America Act. Semiconductors are a key component to everything from computers to cars to your personal phone, Madam Speaker. Cars contain hundreds of chips; electric cars, thousands. Chips are the lifeblood of modern technology.

Over the past 30 years, America's global share of manufacturing semiconductors has been outpaced by other

countries, leaving us dependent on those countries and vulnerable to their supply chain issues, which drive up costs at home, for Americans.

The America COMPETES Act directs $52 billion for the CHIPS for America Act. That is contained in this bill. It will address supply chain disruptions that push up costs for families, bring back chips production to America, and ensure that the United States leads the way on semiconductor fabrication.

Madam Speaker, specifically, the bill provides financial assistance to incentivize investment in facilities and equipment for semiconductor fabrication, assembly, testing, advanced packaging, and research development. This is very specific and very well thought out.

Secondly, the America COMPETES Act advances manufacturing at home in our country and strengthens our supply chains. The pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of global supply chains that rely on other countries. We need to be making goods in America with American workers. The America COMPETES Act authorizes $45 billion to support the manufacture and acquisition of critical goods or industrial equipment that are essential for national security and economic vitality including components and products for public health in biological preparedness. This is very important.

Madam Speaker, information and communications technology, energy and transportation sector's industrial base, and agriculture and food product supply chains, that affects everyone in our country.

The America COMPETES Act reduces our reliance on critical goods from countries of concern and encourages the relocation of manufacturing facilities out of those countries. It supports the creation of jobs with competitive wages including by preserving existing collective bargaining agreements and supporting union organizing efforts.

I will remind you that one and two were about supercharging our investment in chips and advancing manufacturing at home and strengthening the supply chains.

Three, the America COMPETES Act advances America's scientific research and innovation excellence to ensure that we lead the technologies of the future. It includes a suite of bipartisan science, research, and technology bills to turbocharge American innovation focused squarely on producing solutions and results. I reiterate, a suite of bills that have been bipartisan in committee and on the floor of the House.

It maximizes the American talent pool by strengthening and diversifying our Nation's STEM workforce. This is very important because we want many more people, women, people of color, other previously underrepresented communities to be part of this.

And, fourth, the America COMPETES Act promotes U.S. global leadership, ensuring that the 21st century is the American century, positioning the interests and values of the United States to win on the world stage. And there are competitors for that honor.

Central to the America COMPETES Act is the strong action taken to hold the PRC accountable for its trade abuses, which hurt U.S. workers, and for its human rights violations, including the genocide against the Uyghurs. People have to understand the connection between human rights violations and fairness to American workers. Actually, what is happening in China with the Uyghurs is beyond human rights; it is genocide to the nth degree.

This use of forced labor which they are doing with the Uyghurs is immoral and horrific, yes, and it hurts U.S. workers who have to compete with slave labor. So understand human rights there and fairness to our workers here are connected.

The House bill reflects a rigorous, comprehensive process of listening to the experts and crafting legislation that will truly rise to this challenge, and I thank Madam Chair for doing that. Eleven committees have fed into this legislation, so I know we have heard from many of the chairs in the debate today, and we will hear from many more Members as we go into the amendment process. But I want to congratulate you, Madam Chair.

Well over 100 research and scientific institutions have already endorsed this bill or its key components, from:

Academic institutions: Including the Association of American Universities and dozens of top research universities, including the Ivy League schools and leading public institutions, including the University of California system.

Leading scientific groups: Such as American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Nuclear Society, American Mathematical Society, and American Society for Engineering Education.

Top innovation firms and business groups: The Chamber of Commerce, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, and companies like Intel who invest in these chips.

Groups representing American workers--and this is very important.

Groups representing American workers, led by the AFL-CIO, and I mentioned the Teamsters, who write, ``On behalf of America's supply chain union,'' they call themselves, ``I applaud the House Democratic leadership for moving forward with their own legislation that addresses the crucial issue of competing with China in a way that benefits U.S. working families for many years to come.'' Their statement continues, ``I agree with President Biden that America COMPETES Act will bring manufacturing jobs back home to this country and make America's supply chains more resilient.''

The America COMPETES Act is built on bipartisan bills, many of which have already passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan margins, my colleagues, overwhelming bipartisan margins. And that includes the National Science Foundation for the Future Act, the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act, Rural STEM Education Act, Open RAN Outreach Act, FUTURE Networks Act, Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act, and many more.

In closing, I just want to say the America COMPETES Act recognizes and meets the challenges of the 21st century, ensuring that America cannot just compete but must win the global landscape. As I said in the beginning, we were in the lead. We set a good example for the world. Others followed our lead and became competitive with us.

A vote for this bill would be a vote for making more American goods here in America with American workers. A vote for this bill would strengthen our supply chains and lower costs for families. It would bring forceful action to ensure that America, not the People's Republic of China, but America writes the rules of the road for the 21st century.

Madam Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote for the America COMPETES Act and for ensuring the global preeminence of America's manufacturing for American workers and the American economy and our security now and for years to come.

Again, congratulations to Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and other chairs who worked so hard to bring this very important legislation to the floor and to the fore.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for bringing this important legislation to the floor of the House in such a bipartisan way.

I rise today in support of legislation to honor the leadership and legacy of Congressman John Robert Lewis.

I thank the gentleman, who is also from Georgia, for presiding. It makes it very special to all of us.

I support this legislation officially and personally, as our beloved John Lewis was the conscience of the Congress and a dear friend to many of us who served with him.

I came in with the same class as John Lewis, so I served with him for decades, and I had the benefit of seeing up close and personal on a daily basis the special nature of this man.

Let us salute Congresswoman Nikema Williams, who has the awesome privilege of serving in John Lewis' seat for Georgia, for her committed leadership in making this legislation possible.

John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement--we all know that--a moral giant on Capitol Hill and in the country, and a hero of American history who transformed our Nation with his vision, his persistence, and his courage.

John offered our Nation a clarion voice for freedom and justice from lunch counters in Nashville to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the floor of the House. On the floor of the House, John led a demonstration in support of gun violence prevention that was historic.

John's extraordinary sacrifice, indomitable spirit, and endless generosity in the face of unimaginable adversity made him revered in both Houses of Congress, on both sides of the aisle, and across the country.

It was my solemn honor to welcome John back to the Capitol a final time in July 2020 to lie in state.

Then, in July 2021, I had the great privilege of leading a congressional delegation to San Diego to christen the formidable USNS John Lewis.

Today, we again honor John by affixing his name upon a post office in the heart of his beloved Atlanta, another fitting tribute that will inspire generations of Georgians.

It is appropriate we do so today as Americans across the Nation mark the beginning of Black History Month this very day.

As we do so, let us pledge to continue to carry on John's mission to strive for a more perfect Union and to work to build a world worthy of John Lewis' legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I also proudly honor a pioneering spirit and a friend of John Lewis', a progressive champion and a dear longtime friend of so many of us, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, with legislation to rename the Petaluma downtown post office in her honor, which I am proud to cosponsor as a Californian.

We pay a proper tribute to an inspiring leader who has improved the lives of countless working families in the bay area and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Jared Huffman for his committed leadership to bring this legislation to the floor and for carrying on a great legacy that he and Lynn Woolsey shared of leadership on behalf of the families of the north bay.

During Lynn's two decades in the House on the Education and Labor Committee and as co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she was a leader on welfare reform in the nineties, opposing the war in Iraq since day one, working relentlessly on ending gender discrimination, championing fervently our environment, and, again, bravely protesting the genocide in Darfur.

So the Congress will salute her instrumental leadership. She was one of the leaders who established Women's History Month, an important tradition allowing us to pay homage to the extraordinary women on whose shoulders we now stand.

For two reasons I come to the floor. Of course, one, to share in honoring John Lewis in the naming of the post office, and to honor Lynn Woolsey. I hope we have a strong bipartisan ``aye'' in both cases.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank Chair Wasserman Schultz for affording me this opportunity to speak on behalf of two great champions of the Congress, and I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Madam Speaker, since 1983, the U.S. Congress House and Senate and the German Bundestag and Bundesrat have conducted an annual exchange program for staff members from both countries. The program gives professional staff the opportunity to observe and learn about each other's political institutions and engage in discussion regarding mutual interest.

A staff delegation from the U.S. Congress will be selected to visit Germany from Friday, May 27-Sunday, June 5, 2022. During this exchange, the delegation will attend meetings with Bundestag/Bundesrat party staff members, and representatives of numerous political, business, academic and media agencies.

A comparable delegation of German staff members will visit the United States from Saturday, July 9-Monday, July 18, 2022. They will attend similar meetings in Washington organized by the members of the U.S. delegation.

The Congress-Bundestag/Bundesrat Exchange is highly regarded in Germany and the United States and is one of several exchange programs sponsored by public and private institutions in the United States and Germany to foster better understanding of the politics and policies of both countries. This exchange is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The U.S. delegation shall consist of experienced and accomplished Hill staff who can contribute to the success of the exchange on both sides of the Atlantic. The Bundestag reciprocates by sending senior staff professionals to the United States.

Applicants should have a demonstrable interest in events in Europe. Applicants need not be working in the field of foreign affairs, although such a background can be helpful. The composite U.S. delegation should exhibit a range of expertise in issues of mutual concern to the United States and Germany such as, but not limited to, trade, security, the environment, economic development, health care, and other social policy issues. This year's delegation should be familiar with transatlantic relations within the context of recent world events.

Please note that there is a significant time commitment aspect for those selected for the program. In addition, U.S. participants are expected to plan and implement the meetings and programs for the Bundestag/Bundesrat staff members when they visit the United States.

Members of the House and Senate who would like a member of their staff to apply for participation in this year's program should direct them to submit a resume and cover letter in which they state their qualifications, the contributions they can make to a successful program and some assurances of their ability to participate during the time stated.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all staff selected for the exchange program must be fully vaccinated in order to travel. Proof of vaccination must be submitted with the application.

Applications should be sent to the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, HC-4, the Capitol, by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Questions may be directed to Ms. Kate Knudson at 202-226-1766 or Ms. Claudia Marconi at 202-226-3441.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, today our Nation faces the most dangerous assault on the vote since Jim Crow. Last year alone, more than 440 draconian voter restrictions have been introduced across 49 States, with at least 19 States enacting 34 measures into law. This legislation seeks not only to suppress access to the ballot but empowers States to nullify election results entirely. That is the legislation that I referenced across the country.

This sinister campaign has particularly targeted communities of color. As the Committee on House Administration proved in last summer's report, partisan forces are accelerating a sinister campaign to silence the voices of color in particular.

There are four things, just four things, I want people to know about the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, four things to remember, and one observation, the four reasons why every Member should vote for this bill today.

First, it ends shameful voter suppression and election subversion, which lets local officials simply choose winners and losers based on their own political interests. Nullification of elections, vote ``no'' on that.

Secondly, it ends partisan gerrymandering so that the redistricting process will meet the standards of the Constitution, of the Voting Rights Act, and keep communities of interests together.

One, stopping voter suppression and election nullification; two, ending partisan gerrymandering.

Third, it stops big, dark, special interest money, which is suffocating the airwaves with misrepresentations, which does suppress the voices of the American people. Get rid of big, dark money. People can still give their big, dark, special interest money, but they have to disclose it so that the public knows.

Fourth, this legislation empowers the grassroots by rewarding their participation in our democracy and amplifying a voice and, yes, the power of matching their small-dollar contributions.

Hear this: There are no taxpayer dollars involved in that, no matter what you might hear them misrepresent. No taxpayer dollars.

Four things: end voter suppression and election nullification; end political gerrymandering; end big, dark, special interest money crushing the political system; and reward the grassroots. That is in the Freedom to Vote Act.

In the John R. Lewis Act, which is part of what we are voting on today, I just want to be clear: The Voting Rights Act has been strongly bipartisan. Indeed, Republican Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and George W. Bush, who signed the most recent Voting Rights Act, which received like 390 votes in the House, unanimous in the Senate--it was signed by George W. Bush. It was bipartisan.

Four times the Congress has reauthorized the Voting Rights Act in a bipartisan way. This is the first time we have the assault that we have on that.

I am very, very proud of the House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, because we have twice passed the For the People Act, which is to protect our vote, and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Even before he passed and had this named in his honor, we passed it once.

The House has made it clear: We stand with the people in the fight for voting rights.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to commend Mr. Butterfield for his leadership on all of this, going around the country; John Sarbanes, the author of the For the People Act; Terri Sewell, the author of the Voting Rights Act; Zoe Lofgren, the chair of the House Administration Committee; and Mr. Nadler, the chair of the Judiciary Committee. I also want to acknowledge the work of Jim McGovern, the chair of the Rules Committee, who has brought these bills to the floor time and time again.

This is a day when Democrats will once again take a strong step to defend our democracy as we send the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act to the Senate for urgent consideration. Nothing less is at stake than our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong, bipartisan ``aye'' vote on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor and for yielding.

We owe our veterans everything. They make us the home of the brave and the land of the free. They protect our democracy. They and their families make us so very, very proud.

I thank the gentleman again, Mr. Takano, as chair of the committee, and Mr. Levin for his leadership on this particular legislation which I will acknowledge in a moment.

First, Mr. Speaker, I want to say, nearly eight decades ago when Congress enacted the first GI Bill, our Nation made a bipartisan and unbreakable promise: that every hero who steps forward to defend our Nation deserves the tools to succeed when they come home. Today, the House will proudly take another strong step toward fulfilling that pledge.

On behalf of the Congress, I commend the outstanding leadership of the committee chair, Mark Takano, who has ensured that the Veterans' Affairs Committee remains committed to its long legacy of bipartisanship. I salute the chair of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Congressman Mike Levin of California, both for leading on this important legislation every step of the way and for his lifetime advocacy on behalf of our military communities.

Every time our Nation seeks to strengthen and expand benefits for veterans, we have listened closely to our men and women in uniform and our veterans, taking their insight and expertise into account. We continue to listen to them today as we continue to build upon our progress and appropriately honor their service.

On a regular basis we have a meeting with our veterans service organizations. The American Legion is very much a part of that, as well as other groups reflecting our involvement in other wars since World War II, and we still have a few veterans from then.

What is interesting about this legislation today to me is that, again, it sprang from listening to our men and women in uniform and our veterans as to what their needs are. That is exactly how the first GI Bill came to be.

The veterans of World War I, recognizing the disadvantages that they were at after World War I, came forth with the proposal to have the GI Bill. So this was passed and signed by Franklin Roosevelt during World War II at the suggestion of veterans of World War I.

During the dark days of the Second World War and after listening to the calls of the brave veterans of World War I, President Roosevelt made clear the urgent moral imperative of supporting our returning soldiers.

In a message to Congress in November 1943, he said,

``The members of the Armed Forces have been compelled to make greater economic sacrifice and every other kind of sacrifice than the rest of us, and they are entitled to definite action to help take care of their special problems.''

I am very proud that my father, Thomas D'Alesandro, was in this Chamber. He was a Member of Congress from Baltimore when the President said that. His brother would be lost shortly thereafter in the battle leading up to the Battle of the Bulge.

Less than a year later, Congress enacted the first GI Bill on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote marking a turning point in how our Nation cares for our veterans. In doing so, we made a transformational investment in our servicemembers, opening the doors to a college education and home ownership, launching millions of families into the middle class.

In 2008 it was my great privilege to serve as Speaker as the Congress took a crucial step to bring these benefits into the 21st century. With the Post-9/11 GI Bill--passed on a strong bipartisan vote and signed into law by President George W. Bush--we expanded the promise of a full, 4-year college education to veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we ensured subsequent legislation that their families could also take advantage of that benefit. In 2017 we strengthened this law by improving benefits and closing gaps in eligibility so that we can best serve those who served our Nation.

Yet, today, too many veterans still do not receive equal access to the life-changing benefits they have earned. Over the last few decades, our valiant reservists and guardsmen have become even more integral to America's national security strategy. Our reservists often serve side by side with Active-Duty servicemembers, do the same jobs, and incur the same risks. And as our Nation has battled the pandemic, our communities have relied on our guardsmen to help protect our Nation from the deadly virus.

These heroes are essential to keeping our families and our Nation safe, but current law falls short of delivering the benefits they deserve. With the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act, we will ensure that every day our reservists and guardsmen heroes serve in uniform count toward their GI benefits. In doing so, we will lift up hundreds of thousands of current and future veterans across the Nation so that they, too, will have the opportunities they need to thrive in the 21st century economy.

Let me be clear: ensuring every servicemember has equal access to hard-earned benefits is an issue of fairness. When the House passes this legislation today, we will build on the proud, bipartisan progress forged by generations of lawmakers in this Chamber and in the Senate as well, we show our heroes that they will always have our unwavering support, and we honor the sacrifice on the battlefield. The military vows that on the battlefield we will leave no soldier behind, and when they come home, we pledge that we will leave no veteran behind.

There is so much more that we can learn from listening to our veterans and our servicemembers that we must do, so that they can take their strongest position when they come home.

Mr. Speaker, in this all-American spirit, I urge a very strong ``aye'' vote for this legislation.

I want to thank the distinguished chairman for his leadership and Mike Levin for his relentless persistence for the benefit of our veterans as a member of that important committee.

Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, the distinguished chair of the Rules Committee, for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor tonight to enable us to fight for voting rights tomorrow when we vote for the legislation. Many of us will have more to say tomorrow on the substance of that bill, but I just want to place this action in time.

Today is a historic day because we are taking a big step forward thanks to the leadership of the distinguished majority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer. We are in a position now to take a step forward with this rule to enable us to debate the bill tomorrow to fight for voting rights.

Yesterday, President Biden made it crystal clear that the Senate must find a path forward to enshrine critical voting rights legislation into law. That was yesterday.

Today, House Democrats will take another step to defend our democracy with legislation called the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. We will send it to the Senate for urgent consideration after we debate it and vote on it tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank John Sarbanes from Maryland. This is a bill that we have voted on in the last Congress but also in this Congress, in this House of Representatives. We voted for the For the People Act, which is the essence of the legislation we are considering now. It was H.R. 1 in the House.

In addition to that, it is attached to H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which will be part of this package tomorrow because of the leadership of Chuck Schumer; John Sarbanes; Zoe Lofgren; Terri Sewell, who has carried this legislation again and again; Mr. Butterfield; the distinguished chair of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Nadler; and so many people.

We have had this debate over and over again in the House and in this Congress, so when I hear people say, ``Oh, here comes a bill that has never seen the light of day,'' no. We had a vote in the House on this already. We had a vote on this in the House already, and this is as it came back to us this time from the Senate.

Yesterday, as I said, the President made it crystal clear that we had to get something done. Again, Mr. McGovern is giving us that opportunity now. So I just want to say that is why this is necessary. It has been said in the gentleman's committee this evening--but let me just be brief because the night is getting on--since we passed the bill before, and in the course of the year, the Republicans have continued their assault on voting rights in our country.

Nearly 400 bills were introduced, 20 of them enacted into law, which not only suppressed the vote, making it harder for people of color and people with disabilities--people--to vote, but also legislation to nullify the vote.

It doesn't matter how the people vote; it matters how the people we appoint decide how they vote. That is not a democracy. It strikes to the heart of a democracy.

It strikes to the heart of a democracy, and that is why this legislation is even more necessary than when it was first introduced. It is a continuation in legislatures across the country of the assault that was made on this Capitol to undermine the Constitution, the Capitol, the Congress, and our democracy on January 6.

As the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts mentioned earlier, there was not even a vote to accept on the part of many on the other side of the aisle the results of that election. I thank Mr. McGovern not only for his leadership tonight but for that dangerous day for him to take over the chair after the security spirited me out because of threats on my life.

So, again, this is urgent. It is a repeat of what we have done and done again and again. We are glad that the Senate is ready to receive this next iteration with very little change from what we had passed before.

In Georgia, when President Biden delivered a clarion call to defend our democracy, he said: ``I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend your right,'' he said to folks, ``to vote and our democracy against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And so the question

is: Where will the institution of the United States Senate stand?''

Well, we will see. We had the question of the filibuster. Now, until we had this debate on this voting rights and filibuster has become a discussion, what was your view, Madam Speaker, of what that word meant?

When somebody said they were going to filibuster something or they were engaged in a filibuster, you thought they were going to talk for a long time, to filibuster, to talk for a long time, not to obstruct justice, not to obstruct debate, not to obstruct the majority to be able to take a vote, to discuss something.

By passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, the Democratic House will make clear that we in this House stand with the President, yes, but with the American people to fight for voting rights.

Nothing less is at stake than our democracy. The sanctity of the vote and the integrity of our elections is what is at stake.

I thank all of our colleagues who participated in this for their committed leadership for the people in the fight for voting rights.

Madam Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Gregory Meeks, of the Foreign Affairs Committee, for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor which addresses an issue of faith, of values, and of our country.

The House comes together, hopefully, in a spirit of unity--I would have hoped--and patriotism to condemn and combat Islamophobia and all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination.

Listening to the debate, I heard Mr. Danny Davis earlier as he was singing ``don't mess with Mister In-Between'' talking about religion and talking about how it should be off-limits and people's religion should be respected. I know--and probably it is true of everyone here-- the respect we have for our own faith and our own religion enables us to appreciate the faith and respect people have for their faith. That is why this is so sad because it is an attack on the faith of one of our Members.

Sadly, but clearly, Islamophobia is a sinister, growing, and for too many American Muslims, a constant presence in our Nation.

To just review some of the figures: Nearly 70 percent of American Muslims have personally experienced anti-Muslim discrimination since September 11.

Thousands of documented acts of anti-Muslim bigotry and violence are recorded each year, with many thousands unreported.

Attacks are growing more common and more brazen--from vandalism of

mosques, to physical assaults on women wearing hijabs, to hate speech from public officials, to bullying and violence of children at schools. Think of how the children hear this.

As we all know, this bigotry has targeted one of our own--shamefully, from within this congressional community. Racism and bigotry of any form, including Islamophobia, must always be called out and condemned in any place it is found. This is particularly true in the Halls of Congress which are the very heart of our democracy and where we have a responsibility under the rules of the House to behave in a way that brings dignity to this body.

Our first President, George Washington--there he is looking over us-- over 230 years ago in a letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport wrote: ``For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.'' He, himself, was defining what is the right way to live. Indeed, bigotry and persecution have always been un-American as demonstrated by our patriarch, George Washington.

Anti-Muslim bigotry affects not only Members but many other members of our congressional community. As hundreds of Muslim staffers wrote in a letter last week, Mr. Speaker, they said ``hateful rhetoric by public officials directly impacts us and puts our safety at risk, both at the workplace and in our everyday lives.''

The Muslim staffers whom we value here further said: ``We must now come to work every day knowing that the same Members and staff who perpetuate Islamophobic tropes and insinuate that we are terrorists also walk by us in the Halls of Congress.''

It is really frightening.

Disturbingly, Islamophobia is not a unique American experience but a global scourge. Earlier this year, the U.N. Human Rights Council declared that discrimination against Muslims has risen to epidemic proportions. Around the world, we see tragedy and tragic consequences of anti-Muslim attitudes: the genocide against the Uyghur people and other Muslim minorities in China, atrocities committed against the Rohingya in Burma, attacks on Muslim refugees in central Europe and white supremacist violence against Muslims in New Zealand and Canada, the targeting of Muslim minority communities in western Asia and the Middle East.

We must confront Islamophobia or any form of racism wherever it is found--around the world, in our country, or even in these very Halls.

This legislation will not only address the rise in incidents of Islamophobia worldwide but launch a plan to combat this bigotry.

I thank Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for their leadership in advancing equity, justice, and dignity in our Congress, in America, and in the world with this action. I thank also the Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, Gregory Meeks, for his support of this important action.

With this bill's passage, Mr. Speaker, a special envoy for monitoring and combating Islamophobia will be created, just as the State Department has special envoys on anti-Semitism and international religious freedom. That is something we have always shared in this body, across the aisle and across the Capitol in a bipartisan way, support for and respect for religious freedom at home and internationally.

This special envoy created here will be charged with establishing a comprehensive strategy to combat Islamophobia worldwide. The State Department's annual human rights reports will be expanded to include state sponsors of Islamophobic violence and impunity.

As a nation that prides itself on the defense of human rights and dignity, we must be leaders both on the global stage and at home by example to combat violence against Muslims.

Again, Islamophobia in any place is offensive, dangerous, and must be condemned; and Islamophobia in our own congressional community-- specifically, the repeated, ongoing, and targeted Islamophobic comments and actions against another Member as we witnessed this past year--is appalling and totally unacceptable.

That language and behavior are far beneath the dignity, integrity, and decency with which the Constitution and our constituents require that we act in this House. These actions must be called out and not tolerated.

Mr. Speaker, every day that we are in session we begin with a prayer because we believe in our own way. Some don't believe, but by and large, most people here believe. We do so with reverence for our own religious beliefs and with respect for the beliefs of others. If we didn't have such strong beliefs in ourselves and our own religion, it would be okay and easy to believe that somebody might be frivolous about respecting someone else's devotion. But we do. We all profess to be people of faith.

The House will continue to look into an array of options to address this priority and to take real action to combat Islamophobia as we have many times taken action to condemn anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman again for his leadership and Congresswoman Schakowsky, who was very much a part of this, and Congresswoman Omar; and I urge a strong, bipartisan vote on this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and more importantly, for bringing this important legislation to the floor. Now we say that with many bills, and let me tell you, Madam Speaker, what this means to America's families.

America's families, as they gather around the kitchen table and figure out their priorities and how they are going to pay their bills is what keeps them up at night.

We must lift the debt ceiling to cover the expenses already incurred. It is important to note over 95 percent of it occurred during the Trump administration, under 4 percent of it during the Biden administration.

But sadly, Republicans have not only abandoned the responsibility they have

in all of this, this is what it means to you.

For families, a default could mean millions of American jobs eliminated, trillions in household wealth erased, reducing the value of the dollar and an immediate reversal of our strong economic recovery-- six million jobs already under Joe Biden--and having a terrible impact globally for decades to come.

Just the discussion of not lifting the debt ceiling a number of years ago when the Republicans in Congress were refusing to do so lowered the credit rating of the United States of America.

Our Constitution says and it makes clear the validity of the public debt of the United States authorized by law shall not be questioned.

I point out this other fact. If you have a car loan, if you have a mortgage, if you have a student loan, if you have credit card bills, any other borrowing, your interest rates will go up unless we lift the debt ceiling. So this has a direct impact on the pockets of the American people on the prospects for their success.

Let's be clear, Republicans want less money in the pockets of the American people for whatever reason. I don't know what the middle class and working families ever did to them for them to want to exact this toll on our economy, on our standing in the world and what it means globally, but very importantly when you are discussing your finances over the kitchen table, understand that if your interest rates go up it is because the refusal of the Republicans to lift the debt ceiling.

I close by saying the full faith and credit of the United States should never be questioned. The health of our economy should never be threatened. The financial security of our families must never be gambled.

I urge a strong ``yes'' vote for this legislation so that we strengthen our economic recovery, spare families the pain of a catastrophic default and uphold our duty in the Constitution of the United States to uphold the full faith and credit of the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I thank Mr. Beyer for his leadership on this issue and Mr. Richie Neal, the chair of the committee, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I congratulate her on her great leadership chairing an important committee of the House, and thank her for bringing this legislation to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Adam Schiff for his leadership in putting this legislation together, and I will get to that in a moment.

But first, I just want to say how proud we are today. Every day that we serve in this House, a House of the people, is a privilege. No matter what honors others may bestow on us in this House, whether we are Speaker, or leader, or whip, or whatever, nothing, no honor is greater than to be able to step on the floor and say that we speak for the people of our district; that they have chosen us to come here, as was intended by our Founders.

Mr. Speaker, 245 years ago, in an act of daring that would redefine the world, our Founders--imagine the courage they had--declared their independence from an oppressive monarch. They said: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'' The pursuit of happiness was written into the founding document.

And they continued:

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of

these ends, it is the people's duty to throw off such

government, to provide new guards for their future security.

They were speaking about England.

Our Founders would then forge those guards for our own government, the democratic institutions enshrined in the Constitution which, for nearly 2-1/2 centuries, have safeguarded the security and well-being of the American people.

But, disturbingly, the last administration saw our democracy in crisis, with a rogue President who trampled over the guardrails protecting our Republic.

Now, Congress has the solemn responsibility and opportunity to safeguard our democracy, ensuring that past abuses can never be perpetrated by any President, of any party.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act ensures the strength and survival of a democracy of, by, and for the people, defending the rule of law, revitalizing our system of checks and balances, and restoring our democratic institutions.

Thank you to Chairman Adam Schiff and the chairs of the committees of jurisdiction, Judiciary being one of those, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, another, and many cosponsors for their leadership on this transformative package of democracy reforms which will put in place essential safeguards to prevent any President from abusing the public trust, no matter what his or her party is.

This legislative package is sweeping and future-focused, looking to the future, designed to restate the rule of law now and for generations to come.

Our chairs have crafted a robust reforms package that can stand up to and prevent attempts to undermine our democracy including: The abuse of pardon power, abuse of office for personal enrichment, the solicitation of foreign assistance in our elections, retaliatory attacks on whistleblowers and inspectors general, politicization of the tools of justice, and contempt of Congress' oversight powers on behalf of the American people, including our lawful subpoena power and the power of the purse.

These steps ensure that no one, not even a President, is above the law.

During the Constitutional Convention, one of our Founders, George Mason, asked: ``Shall any man be above justice? Above all shall that man be above it, who can commit the most extensive injustice?''

In his great wisdom, George Mason knew that the injustice committed by the President erodes the rule of law, the very notion, the idea of fair justice, which is the bedrock of our democracy. And if we allow a President to be above the law, we surely do so to the peril of our Republic.

Addressing Presidential abuse, therefore, goes to the very heart, the very survival of our democracy. We are a democracy; three coequal branches government, each a check and balance on the other that cannot be undermined. Otherwise, we are a monarchy, and that is what we chose not to be.

Let me close by recalling another scene from that Constitutional Convention. On its final day, as our Constitution was adopted, Benjamin Franklin was greeted by folks as he descended the steps from Independence Hall. People know this story. Children in school learn it.

The people asked, what do we have, a republic or a monarchy? Benjamin Franklin responded, ``A republic, if you can keep it.''

This was the vision of our Founders, and we are grateful to them for it. This is what our men and women in uniform defend, freedom, our democracy, and we are grateful to them for it.

This is what we owe our children as we go forward, to meet their aspirations to live in the United States of America, with liberty and justice for all. And we are responsible it.

May we be worthy of the vision of our Founders, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, and the aspirations of our children.

The Congress--as Article I, the first branch of government--will uphold our solemn duty to keep our Republic by passing the bill, for the people.

I say this with great appreciation to all who worked so hard to put this together. I support this bipartisan amendment that is on the floor right now, and I thank those who worked together in a bipartisan way to put that forward, and I hope that we can have a successful day for the people, again, honoring our Founders, our men and women in uniform, and for the children.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his recognition, and I thank him for hosting us this evening with this Special Order to honor a real hero in our country, Bob Dole.

I also thank the gentleman for what he did for the bereavement resolution, enabling us to have the use of the rotunda, which takes an act of Congress to use the rotunda, and to have the catafalque that was constructed for Abraham Lincoln to lie on so that Bob Dole could lie on that, a true hero for our country.

I take great pride, Mr. Estes, in the fact that Senator Dole served in the House of Representatives as his first step in the Congress of the United States. I was teased by some of the Senators saying, you are laying claim to him. He was only there 4 years. He was in the Senate over 24 years. And yet we do because, again, his service here is a source of pride to us.

But not only that, when he turned 90, we had his birthday party in Statuary Hall on the House side of the Capitol, and so many of his friends and colleagues that served with him and friends and staff who had served with him came, and I was happy to be invited by him to participate in the ceremony. It was his 90th birthday, fully pledging to be there to honor him for his 100th birthday. Well, we made it to 98 and nearly a half.

A great life, beautifully lived, one that is justified by his lying in state and, as I said today at our ceremony, wrapped in the American flag. It is hard to think of anyone who deserves that honor more than Bob Dole, super patriot.

As a young, young person, he fought for our freedom in World War II. He has been a champion for our men and women in uniform ever since, along with Elizabeth Dole, Senator Dole also. Senator Elizabeth Dole took up the cause of hidden heroes, those who care for our men and women in uniform when they come home and need care.

The beautiful love between the two of them is a joy to all who knew and love them--know and love them, still in the present. And they are prayerful, patriotic, lovely Americans.

Indeed, it was just 4 years, almost 4 years ago and we gathered under the very dome where we were in the rotunda to present him with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor that Congress can bestow. We knew then, as we do today, that Bob Dole belongs among the pantheons of patriots memorialized in the rotunda.

And I couldn't help but thinking, watching him lying in state there, he felt very comfortable under the dome of the Capitol, where he spent so much time, but time beautifully spent in leadership, making a difference. As his casket lies in this temple of democracy right now, draped in the American flag, we are so proud.

From his heroism in World War II to his leadership in the House and the Senate, he served our Nation with legendary courage, dignity and integrity. Duty was a word that sort of guided his actions, his duty to our country and its military and the elective office and as an elder statesman in this country.

He was greatly admired on both sides of the aisle, on both sides of the Capitol, and across the country because he was a person of integrity, a person of his word. He worked in a bipartisan way, whether it was addressing hunger in America, respect for people with disabilities, and advocates for troops, veterans and our hidden heroes and, of course, he took great pride in his work on Social Security.

He continued his powerful legacy beyond his retirement from Congress, alongside, again, his loving wife and prayerful partner, Senator Elizabeth Dole. His life and legacy will forever challenge us to act worthy of him. As he said, we shouldn't try to change the ideals of our country. We should try to be worthy of them.

May it be a comfort to his beloved wife, Elizabeth, his dear, dear daughter, Robin, his longtime colleagues and friends, and the people of Kansas that a grateful Nation joins them and prays for them at this sad time as we mourn with him.

May he rest in a very much-deserved peace.

Thank you, Senator Dole, for your leadership to our country, for being a leader, exemplary leader, one that everyone would want to be like. We are going to miss him, his humor. He was very funny and very serious and very patriotic.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Estes for bringing us together to say some more words about Senator Robert Dole. It is such an honor to have him lie in state under the rotunda, an honor shared by very few people, but one very much deserved by Senator Dole.

Mr. Speaker, I salute the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee for his leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor. It is historic.

I want to join him in saluting Mr. McCaul, who has been a champion for human rights. We have worked together for years on these subjects. I thank them both for their leadership.

As has been recognized earlier, Mr. Speaker, this week marks a momentous milestone in human history. Seventy-three years ago tomorrow, the international community convened in Paris to approve the United Nations Genocide Convention.

In doing so, the world forged an historic commitment to always condemn and combat the crime of genocide, which they had defined 2 years prior as: ``a denial of the right of existence,'' which ``shocks the conscience of mankind'' and is ``a matter of international concern.''

Today, in some ways, we are falling short on that promise.

In its latest Human Rights Report, our own State Department has definitively declared that the barbaric oppression of the Uyghurs by the Government of China amounts to genocide. We salute the administration for that recognition.

New research by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum sheds light on these crimes, with a survivor describing Beijing's intentions as: ``to make us slowly disappear, so slowly that no one would notice.''

Indeed, the erasure of the Uyghurs is precisely the definition of genocide from three-quarters of a century ago.

That is why, with the strong bipartisan package of legislation we will pass today, the House takes yet another bold, bipartisan step to counter these crimes against humanity.

We are honoring the challenge to our conscience, and I thank Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul. Congress and the country are grateful to the relentless leaders of the legislation before us.

At the helm of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, as well as the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Chairman Jim McGovern has long served as a voice for the voiceless, not only in China, but around the world.

With his Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, we are taking decisive action against the exploitation of the Uyghur people. We are stepping up to the plate.

I salute, again, Congressman Michael McCaul for a resounding resolution condemning the genocide of the Uyghurs in China.

Thank you to Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton for her resolution demanding that Beijing immediately guarantee the safety and freedom of tennis star Peng Shuai.

I also thank Chairman Gregory Meeks, Chairman Richard Neal, and Chairwoman Maxine Waters for their longstanding leadership in the House's fight against forced labor.

Together, this legislation, which we will pass today, makes unequivocally clear the House's firm commitment to human rights in China and does so in a bipartisan way.

That has always been the case over time. Chris Smith and I have been working on these issues for decades together, with others such as Frank Wolf, who was here before him, and with many others on both sides of the aisle.

Right now, Beijing is orchestrating a brutal and accelerating campaign of repression against the Uyghur people and other Muslim minorities.

In Xinjiang and across China, millions are enduring outrageous human rights abuses, from mass surveillance and discriminatory policing to mass torture, including solitary confinement and forced sterilization, to intimidation of journalists and activists who have dared to expose the truth. And the Chinese Government's exploitation of forced labor reaches across the oceans to our shores and across the world.

They always say that the most horrible form of torture to a prisoner, or somebody in one of these camps, is to say to them: Nobody knows you are even here; nobody even cares about you. We want those people, the Uyghurs and others oppressed in China, to know that we do care about them, we know many of them by name, and we will never forget our responsibility to act upon the actions that the Chinese Government is engaged in.

That is why the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act employs America's great economic might to combat this brutality and hold the perpetrators accountable by blocking certain imports produced with forced labor, leveling sanctions against the perpetrators, and imposing disclosure requirements on companies engaged in Xinjiang.

With this strong, bipartisan legislation, we are better able to fight forced labor, we shine a bright light on this pattern of abuse, and we send Beijing a clear message that this genocide must end now.

As we focus on this genocide against the Uyghurs, we must also remember Beijing's decades-long assault on human rights.

Those of us who have long been in this fight for human rights in China have seen a regime of terror and repression that has only intensified: from Tibet to Taiwan; to assaults on basic freedoms in Hong Kong and beyond; to jailing of journalists and detaining of dissidents; and more.

In Congress, for decades, we have taken strong bipartisan actions fighting for human rights in China.

That is why, in 1991, Democrats and Republicans stood up together for free speech during a visit to Tiananmen Square just 2 years after the government's infamous crackdown.

That is why, in 1993, in a bipartisan way, we convinced the world that China's dismal record on human rights disqualified the nation from hosting the 2000 Olympic Games.

That is why, in 2000, I took to this floor to urge my colleagues to block China from the World Trade Organization, arguing that we should not put deals ahead of ideals. China has not honored the agreement.

That is why, in 2015, working together, we had a Congressional delegation to Tibet to see the aspirations in the eyes of the schoolchildren who have endured China's and Beijing's intimidation.

That is why, in 2019, working together, we sounded the alarms as the Chinese Government locked up pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.

Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate, have come together to enact strong policies standing up for human rights in China, including: the Tibet Policy and Support Act, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, and the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act; all enacted into law, signed into law.

For decades, many of us have fought against what they call normal trade relations with China, because, as the world's strongest economy, America has a moral duty to tie our trade relations with human rights.

When China joined the WTO 20 years ago this week, the world gave Beijing a blank check to prosper from its abuses while simply hoping it would change its behavior.

Many of us knew then, as we still know today, that this approach was fated for failure. Today's legislation will help right this wrong.

We must respond with more than legislation. We must show leadership.

As House Speaker, I applaud and support President Biden's strong leadership in announcing there will be no official U.S. presence at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Allowing a country with an abysmal human rights record to host the games makes a mockery of the Olympic Charter, which states that the games should seek to foster ``respect for universal and fundamental ethical principles.''

Make no mistake: our athletes can and should be celebrated. But this year, we should celebrate them from home. They can be there; we should be home.

As noted, when I called for the diplomatic boycott last May, the world must not reward more than three decades of abusive and repressive actions by the Chinese Government by giving our official imprimatur to China.

I thank Mr. McCaul for his leadership, particularly in calling out the Olympic Committee for making this choice.

Mr. Speaker, today we have an opportunity to forge further progress in the fight for human rights in China, a fight that many of us have been extraordinarily proud to help lead over our careers in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, if we do not speak out for human rights in China because of commercial or economic ties, we lose all moral authority to speak out against human rights violations anywhere in the world.

We must never fail to live up to our sacred duty to safeguard the dignity and worth of every person and build a better future for generations to come.

Proudly, this legislation, all of it--Mr. McCaul's, Mr. McGovern's, and Ms. Wexton's leadership, the leadership of the chairman, Mr. Meeks, and ranking member, Mr. McCaul, of the committee--has earned overwhelming bipartisan support when we passed it in the House last year. I hope we will do so again this year.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong vote for the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the other legislation that is before us this afternoon and do so asking for a very strong bipartisan vote so that we know that we will have the numbers to send a message to the Chinese Government that this is bipartisan, bicameral, on both sides of the Capitol, and a view shared by the President of the United States. I ask for an ``aye'' vote all around.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a visionary and inspiring leader, my longtime friend Rita Semel, as she recently celebrated her 100th birthday. Beloved in the Bay Area and beyond, Rita has torn down barriers to peace and brought communities together--here at home and around the world.

Personally, it has been a great privilege to have had a front row seat to Rita's greatness for many decades. Deeply committed to her faith and driven by her values, every day she lives out the spirit of tikkun olam, `to heal the world'--which she teaches us is not just a gentle phrase, but a clarion call to action.

Born a New Yorker, but forged into a true San Franciscan by more than eight decades in the Bay Area, Rita has long seen the world not as it is but as it could be--and has labored tirelessly to make real her inspiring vision. At a time when few women could be found in the workplace, she helped break barriers by serving as a reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle during World War II and freelancing for nonprofits as a working mother.

San Franciscans are especially grateful for her decades of leadership of the San Francisco Interfaith Council, which she helped establish in the wake of the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake to bring our community together. Under her leadership, the Council has been a force for justice and opportunity and has improved countless lives: from offering emergency shelter in the winter for people experiencing homelessness to fostering interreligious understanding to creating a chaplaincy program at the Youth Guidance Center, and so much more.

That this revered Bay Area institution, three decades later, continues to unite San Franciscans across races, religions and economic backgrounds is a testament to her unyielding belief that we are always more powerful together than we could ever be alone.

As she advanced justice at home, Rita has also brought boundless energy and a fierce spirit to her work building a world without poverty, violence or discrimination. All Americans can be proud of her service representing our nation to the world as a delegate to two United Nations World Conferences on Women. And as a longtime Jewish activist, she was an early and vocal supporter of the state in Israel-- and has been an essential force in advancing a safer, fairer future for Jewish people around the world.

All who have had the high honor of working alongside Rita know that she never takes no for an answer--and it is best to save time and just agree with her right from the start. For her relentless work, she has been recognized with many accolades, including Woman of the Year by the California State Assembly, the San Francisco Foundation's Community Leadership Award and the Rosa Parks Award from Women in Community Service. Most importantly, however, her impact is measured by the indelible mark she leaves on the lives of her loved ones, her many friends and all fortunate enough to know her.

On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I extend the warm greetings of the Congress to the extraordinary Rita Semel as she and her loved ones celebrate her century on this earth--and offer best wishes for happy and healthy years to come.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership.

He and other chairs have brought us to a moment in history on the floor of the House today when we can do something of significance for the people. I thank the chairman.

Madam Speaker, with confidence in the vision of President Biden, and associating myself with the inspiring and informative comments of the distinguished chairman, Mr. Neal, with our distinguished Democratic leader, Mr. Hoyer, the Democratic whip last evening, and with respect for those who work in this Capitol, and as a courtesy to my colleagues, I will be brief.

In his remarks, our Democratic leader, Mr. Hoyer, talked about the pride we take in telling our children and our grandchildren that we were here present to pass the Build Back Better legislation and what it means for future generations. Whip Clyburn talked about the three legs of the Biden platform: the Rescue Plan, the BIF, the Infrastructure and Jobs bill, and now the Build Back Better, the infrastructure for our future. And Chairman Neal quoted Daniel Webster and spoke of our responsibilities to the people.

Madam Speaker, in that spirit, I proceed by saying: Under this dome, for centuries, Members of Congress have stood exactly where we stand now, to pass legislation of extraordinary consequence in our Nation's history and for our Nation's future.

In the original House Chamber, now Statuary Hall where Lincoln served, is Clio, the muse of history. Clio reminds men and women in these hallowed Halls that we are part of history; that our words and actions will face the judgment of history; and that we are part of the long and honorable heritage of our democracy.

With the passage of the Build Back Better Act, we--this Democratic Congress--are taking our place in the ``long and honorable heritage of our democracy,'' with legislation that will be a pillar of health and financial security in America that will be historic in forging landmark progress for our Nation. We talk about history as we look and prepare for the future.

Much has been said since our distinguished Democratic leadership spoke last evening. Much has been said on this floor. But the facts are these: Following the vision of President Biden, guided by the expertise and energy of our chairs, Members, and staff, we have the Build Back Better bill that is historic, transformative, and larger than anything we have ever done before. We are building back better.

If you are a parent, a senior, a child, a worker--if you are an American--this bill is for you. And it is better.

It is better in terms of healthcare. It is better if you are a senior: Your cost at the pharmacy will be cut to a fraction, with annual costs capped under Medicare Part D, and you will benefit from the Medicare hearing benefit.

It is better if you have diabetes: When you go to the pharmacy, instead of paying hundreds for insulin, you will pay no more than $35 per month.

And it is better for all Americans: We are halting Big Pharma's outrageous tax hikes; and in addition to that, we are dramatically lowering healthcare costs under the Affordable Care Act.

We are also expanding coverage to millions under the Affordable Care Act, as I mentioned.

It is better in terms of family care. If you are a parent, it is better. Most families will benefit from reduced childcare costs, cut fully in half for most families, and free universal pre-K for every 3- and 4-year-old in America.

It is better if you are a middle-income family. You will benefit from an expanded Biden child tax cut and paid family and medical leave.

It is better if you are a caregiver. You will have the respect you deserve with the benefit of an historic investment of high-quality home healthcare.

And it is better for America's working families, with an average of 2 million jobs created each year over 10 years, together with the BIF.

Jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs; a four-letter word.

And it is better for climate. If you want your family to benefit from clean air, clean water, for the development of good-paying green jobs for the future and from improved national security, we are meeting the President's vision to cut pollution in half by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050, creating good-paying union jobs and lowering families' energy costs; advancing environmental justice with the Justice40 initiative of President Biden; and honoring our commitment to passing on a better planet to our children. Our responsibility is always to our children and to the future.

Last week, our congressional delegation went to COP26 in Glasgow and affirmed the commitment of this Congress to meet and beat our climate goals. With this legislation, we can achieve this for the children and for Mother Nature.

The Build Back Better agenda creates jobs, secures tax cuts for the middle class, lowers costs for families, while making the wealthiest pay their fair share. Good-paying jobs; cut taxes for the middle class; lower costs, especially in regard to healthcare and childcare; making the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share.

Build Back Better is fully paid for. It reduces the deficit and grows the economy. Unlike--and perhaps I need to remind you--unlike the Republican tax scam, which was passed in the dark of night, with the speed of light, with no hearings whatsoever, and it increased the deficit by more than $2 trillion, more than this whole bill does for the American people; tax cuts for the wealthiest, giving 83 percent of the benefits to the top 1 percent and did nothing to help the American people in terms of jobs, clean air, clean water, affordable healthcare, and the rest.

Madam Speaker, 83 percent to the top 1 percent, in the dark of night, at speed of light. Don't make me laugh about criticizing this bill.

Build Back Better will not increase inflation, according to the experts, including an array of Nobel Peace Prize-winning economists and Moody's.

This victory is possible because of the tenacious, tireless, and values-based leadership of our chairs, members, and staff of the committees.

I just want to acknowledge the staff of this institution, the House of Representatives, for their just being there for us over and over again regardless of when and where. Thank you so much.

Build Back Better is a better agenda for workers, for families, for children, and for our planet. If you believe, as I do, that this planet is God's creation, and we have a moral obligation to be good stewards of it, this bill is for you.

Even if you don't share that view--and I think most of us do. If you don't share that view, we all agree that we have a moral responsibility to our children and to their future to pass on the planet in a responsible way.

We are proud to be passing this legislation under the leadership of President Joe Biden. He was an advocate and a leader in terms of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, but he did not confine his vision for America to that bill alone.

Today, we have the opportunity to build back better for the American people and for the children. Madam Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote on the legislation and a ``no'' vote on the motion to recommit.