Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Roofing Contractors Association headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., and its efforts to designate the week of June 6-12, 2021, as National Roofing Week.

The roof is one of the most important components of any home or business. It is the first line of defense against natural elements, such as rain, snow or wind, and yet it is often taken for granted until it falls into disrepair. National Roofing Week honors the thousands of roofing-related businesses and workers across the country, as well as the industry's commitment to public service. National Roofing Week is a valuable reminder of the significance quality roofing has on every home and business in the U.S.

Established in 1886, NRCA is one of the nation's oldest trade associations and the voice of professional roofing contractors worldwide. NRCA has nearly 4,000 roofing company members who represent the entire roofing supply chain. Using its vast network of roofing contractors and industry-related members, NRCA is responsible for the installation of new construction and replacement roof systems on commercial and residential structures in America. Most of its members are small, privately held businesses that provide family-sustaining jobs for thousands of hardworking individuals who are the backbone of our economy.

Professional roofing contractors provide vital services to their communities, on and off the clock. NRCA members will recognize National Roofing Week June 6-12 by supporting numerous charitable projects and employee training programs throughout the nation. I commend NRCA and the vital role the organization and its members play in every community, and I ask my colleagues to join me in acknowledging their contributions during National Roofing Week.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join thousands of organizations and individuals around the country in observation of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Ten years ago, a mother who lost her daughter to a distracted driving crash successfully petitioned this body to have April officially designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with the impact of distracted driving on our roadways.

Research shows that using electronic devices increases cognitive distraction. This can be deadly on the road, where a split-second distraction can cause a crash. Approximately 3,142 people died in distraction affected driving crashes in 2019--that's eight people every day dying from a completely preventable cause--and this number is widely believed to be undercounted.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the roads have become much more dangerous. Motor vehicle deaths in 2020 are estimated to be the highest in 13 years, despite dramatic drops in miles driven Americans stayed home. While it's too early to have a full understanding of what caused this increase in the number of people dying in crashes, distraction certainly played a part.

Recognizing these dangerous trends, I'm proud to be the leader of the SAFE TO DRIVE Act with my colleagues Mike Gallagher and Steve Cohen. SAFE TO DRIVE incentivizes states to pass laws eliminating distraction on our roadways. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting passage of this legislation.

I encourage all motorists to commit to driving attentively and safely, without the distraction of cell phones or other devices. I also hope my colleagues will join me this month in raising awareness about this important issue. Do it for all of our constituents. Their lives are more valuable than any call, email, or text.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the month of April as ``Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month'' in my home state of Illinois. The 8th Congressional District is home to many Sikh- Americans and Sikh faithful, and I wish to recognize their valuable contributions to my district and to our state and country, I believe this recognition is especially timely, given the disturbing rise in hate crimes and violent acts perpetrated against Sikh-Americans, most recently on April 15, 2021 at a Federal Express facility located in Indianapolis.

The first followers of the Sikh religion emigrated to the United States over 125 years ago, where they found work on farms located in California and in the lumber mills of Washington state. Despite suffering persecution and discrimination, these patriotic Sikh- Americans persevered and found ways to participate in civic life, including service in the United States Army. In 1918, Sergeant Bhagat Singh Thind was the first serviceman in the history of the United States Army allowed to wear a turban as part of his military uniform. Sikh-Americans continued to proudly serve with distinction in the Second World War, Korean War, Vietnam War and in our conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In addition to military service, Sikh-Americans have made countless contributions to our common good. They include scientists like Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, who is widely known as the ``father of fiber optic technology,'' and Dr. Gurtej Singh Sandhu, one of the world's most prolific inventors. They include artists and musicians like Grammy nominee Snatam Kaur Khalsa, and activist and award-winning filmmaker Valarie Kaur. They include entrepreneurs like Waris Ahluwalia, an actor, model and businessman. And they include men and women called to public service, like Dalip Singh Saund, who in 1957 became the first Asian-American, Indian-American and member of a non-Abrahamic faith to be elected to serve in this House of Representatives.

As revealed by Guru Nanak and the Adi Granth, Sikhism teaches that there is only one God, that God is without form or gender, that we are all equal before God, and that a good life is lived as part of a community and expressed by good deeds and not merely by good thoughts. These tenets of service and respect for the rights and dignity of all stand in painful contrast to the recent vile speech and acts of violence directed at Sikh communities. Madam Speaker, during this month of appreciation for Sikh Americans, I want to officially recognize the contributions of the more than 700,000 members of the United States Sikh community to business, the arts, science, medicine, literature and philosophy. Additionally, I ask all Americans to take to heart the Sikh religion's belief in the sanctity of each person, respect for freedom of religion, and creed that community service is the foundation for living a good life.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Coach Sean Desai, the first person of South Asian and Indian heritage to attain the elite position of Defensive Coordinator in the National Football League (NFL). Sean's trailblazing ascent with the Chicago Bears football team serves as a shining example of what South Asian and Indian-Americans can achieve in our nation and in professional sports.

Coach Desai was born in Shelton, Connecticut and attended Boston University, where he majored in Philosophy and Political Science and graduated Cum Laude in 2004. He then earned a master's degree in higher and postsecondary education from Columbia University, and a doctorate in educational administration from Temple University. Postdoctorate, Coach Desai served as an adjunct professor at Temple and Defensive and Special Teams' Coordinator for the Temple Owls football team. He joined the University of Miami as Assistant Director of Football Operations in 2011 and spent the 2012 season as the Running Backs' Coach and Special Teams' Coordinator at Boston College.

In 2013, Coach Desai was hired by the Chicago Bears as a Quality Control Assistant, working with defensive backs and linebackers while assisting the special teams' coaches. Coach Desai held this position until 2018, when he was promoted to Safeties Coach. His colleagues attribute Coach Desai's meteoric rise to his experience as an educator and his ability to connect with his players. In his own words:

The ability to develop and have a chance to lead young men

and bring them past what they can do . . . opened my eyes to

a whole new world of education. To me, that's what an

educator has to do-whatever you are teaching . . . I mean, if

you're not out there to develop and help bring kids to a

place that they can't be on their own, then I don't know what

the purpose of education is.

Racial biases have thwarted upward mobility for men and women of color since the NFL's inception in 1920. As the first South-Asian and Indian-American Defensive Coordinator in the NFL, Coach Desai will inspire young men and women of all ethnicities and races to believe that they can and should aspire to positions of leadership in professional sports.

As a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, I am thrilled to congratulate Coach Sean Desai on his remarkable achievement with the Bears and the trail he is blazing for future generations. I wish him great success in his new role and in all his future endeavors. Let's Go Bears!

Madam Speaker, my parents brought me as an infant to America because they knew it is the land of democracy. It is the beacon of hope for all the world. We called it the American Dream.

When Donald Trump told rioters to go to the Capitol and, quote, unquote, ``fight like hell,'' he incited an attack on the Capitol and the ideals comprising the American Dream.

I am voting for impeachment because I know we are still the country my parents believed in, and I will fight like hell for it.

Mr. Speaker, I am so glad our friends have changed their mantra from ``stop the steal'' to ``start to heal.''

But in order to heal, you have to take strong medicine, and that medicine happens to be the truth. My friends, the truth is, unfortunately, this President is no longer fit to serve.

We cannot trust this President to protect American democracy after he encouraged his supporters ``fight like hell'' in storming the Capitol.

We cannot trust him to protect American safety after he told these violent seditionists, ``We love you. You are very special.''

We cannot trust this President to tell right from wrong even today when he said that his remarks on January 6 were ``totally appropriate.''

Mr. Speaker, we cannot trust this President to protect us when he instigated a mob that tried to kill us.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Her Holiness Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, known simply as ``Amma'' to her many admirers over the world,

for her exemplary humanitarian and conservation efforts and her work to build bridges of love, peace and understanding not only to the people of India, but to all nations.

Amma was born in 1953 in a small, coastal village in the South Indian state of Kerala. Drawn from a very early age to a life of service to others, Amma began her lifelong practice of trying to alleviate suffering by sharing food and clothing from her home while still a young girl. This devotion to service was not always appreciated by her family, who faced their own economic challenges and could ill afford to give away any of the little they had, but Amma persisted and soon began her practice of embracing those in need of comfort and support.

As she matured, Amma grew to understand that hugging and personal acts of kindness were not sufficient to heal our world, and she began to speak publicly on the importance of selfless service, compassion towards all beings, conservation, the importance of inter-religious harmony, and against human trafficking and slavery. She founded two important charitable organizations, Mata Amritanandamayi Math and Embracing the World, which have provided essential disaster relief, food, clean water, housing, health care and education to thousands of needy men, women and children in India and in Mexico, Costa Rica, France, Spain, Kenya, Brazil, Slovenia and Australia.

Amma is beloved by many as their guru and has a large following in my district. Her humanitarian efforts have been recognized and celebrated by, among others, the United Nations, the Parliament of World Religions, and Rotary Club International, and she has been awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from the State University of New York in Buffalo.

Amma continues to share her vision of peace, understanding and love through speaking programs, meditation retreats and her willingness to embrace all in need of blessing. Madam Speaker, I want to recognize Amma's selfless and compassionate devotion to all people, the work of her charities to relieve poverty and provide health care and education, her outspoken advocacy against human trafficking, and her efforts to encourage sustainable practices and protect our shared ecosystem.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1044, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation with over 300 cosponsors.

I want to thank Chairwoman Lofgren for her excellent leadership on this legislation which will end discrimination based on national origin in our employment-based immigration system and strengthen our economy.

Our current system limits the number of employment-based green cards to 7 percent per country, regardless of population. As a result, high- skilled workers from certain countries face backlogs of upwards of 70 years, while applicants from other countries go to the front of the line. That is not fair. This legislation ensures that all high-skilled visa applicants have an equal opportunity to contribute to American economic development, regardless of their country of birth.

Many highly educated and high-skilled workers who come to this country on temporary visas in the tech industry and other sectors raise their children here, are a part of our communities, pay their taxes, and want the opportunity to become lawful, permanent residents. This legislation helps keep families together, and it helps American businesses retain top talent, growing and making them more prosperous.

Mr. Speaker, it is long overdue that we end the discriminatory per- country cap on employment-based visas. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. I salute the bipartisan cooperation between Chairwoman Lofgren and Congressman Buck.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the International Association of Tamil Research, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America, and the Chicago Tamil Sangam on the occasion of the 10th World Tamil Conference, commencing on July 4, 2019 in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Since the first World Tamil Conference in 1966, various cities around the world have hosted this important gathering of scholars and the Tamil community. The oldest sangam in the United States, Chicago Tamil Sangam is honored to observe its Golden Jubilee 50th Anniversary in concert with the four-day World Tamil Conference, its important scholarly presentations on Tamil language and history, and its celebration of the rich heritage of Tamil culture and art.

This year's research conference theme is ``New Historicist, Scientific and Comparative Study of the Antiquity of the Tamils, Tamil Language, Literature, Culture and Civilization.'' In addition to this scholarly focus, the World Tamil Conference will feature a host of cultural programs, the International Conference Seminar on Tamil Studies, a Global Tamil Entrepreneurs meeting, and a festive parade and banquet. Above all, the conference is a celebration of the vibrant Tamil community and preserves and shares the rich history and culture of Tamil people worldwide.

The 2019 World Tamil Conference also will recognize the passing of the late Dr. V.C. Kulandaiswamy, former Vice Chancellor of Anna University and Vice Chairman of the International Association of Tamil Research. In addition to his outstanding contributions to the science of hydrology, Dr. Kulandaiswamy was instrumental in bringing the International Association of Tamil Research conference to the United States, and was honored for his contributions to science, engineering and education by the nation of India with the prestigious national Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the World Tamil Conference and the Chicago Tamil Sangam, International Association of Tamil Research, and Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America for their tireless efforts to bring together proud Tamils from around the world, for their commitment to preserving one of the world's oldest languages and civilizations, and for their many years of service to the Tamil diaspora in the United States.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the International Association of Tamil Research, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America, and the Chicago Tamil Sangam on the occasion of the 10th World Tamil Conference, commencing on July 4, 2019 in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Since the first World Tamil Conference in 1966, various cities around the world have hosted this important gathering of scholars and the Tamil community. The oldest sangam in the United States, Chicago Tamil Sangam is honored to observe its Golden Jubilee 50th Anniversary in concert with the four-day World Tamil Conference, its important scholarly presentations on Tamil language and history, and its celebration of the rich heritage of Tamil culture and art.

This year's research conference theme is ``New Historicist, Scientific and Comparative Study of the Antiquity of the Tamils, Tamil Language, Literature, Culture and Civilization.'' In addition to this scholarly focus, the World Tamil Conference will feature a host of cultural programs, the International Conference Seminar on Tamil Studies, a Global Tamil Entrepreneurs meeting, and a festive parade and banquet. Above all, the conference is a celebration of the vibrant Tamil community and preserves and shares the rich history and culture of Tamil people worldwide.

The 2019 World Tamil Conference also will recognize the passing of the late Dr. V.C. Kulandaisamy, former Vice Chancellor of Anna University and Vice Chairman of the International Association of Tamil Research. In addition to his outstanding contributions to the science of hydrology, Dr. Kulandaisamy was instrumental in bringing the International Association of Tamil Research conference to the United States, and was honored for his contributions to science, engineering and education by the nation of India with the prestigious national Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the World Tamil Conference and the Chicago Tamil Sangam, International Association of Tamil Research, and Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America for their tireless efforts to bring together proud Tamils from around the world, for their commitment to preserving one of the world's oldest languages and civilizations, and for their many years of service to the Tamil diaspora in the United States.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the Indian Business Association (IBA) for its achievements representing Indian-American businesses and its assistance to numerous Indian- Americans across the country.

The IBA was conceived in Edison, New Jersey by a group of concerned citizens who felt the need to act when they witnessed injustices within their community. This experience was a catalyst for the IBA's founding principles of fairness, solidarity, and social activism. The IBA has played an important role nationwide to encourage the Indian-American community to embrace entrepreneurship.

As their members use their voice to build a better America, the IBA has worked to become a leader in reinforcing civic participation in Indian-American community. Members of the IBA have worked tirelessly to generate greater voter engagement by organizing non-partisan voter registration drives. These efforts by members of the IBA have garnered significant attention and helped make the IBA a pillar of the community.

As the IBA has expanded its footprint, the organization continues to uphold and share Indian culture and tradition with Americans of all walks of life. In its 39th year of existence, the IBA will host and celebrate its annual New Jersey India Day Parade, our nation's largest such parade honoring India's independence and the creation of the world's largest democracy. Attended by nearly 40,000 people and includes more than 100 organizations, giving the parade and opportunity to celebrate the rich and cultural heritage of Indian-Americans and their contributions to our country.

Madam Speaker, I want to recognize the great achievements of the IBA and acknowledge its continuing actions to support Indian-American entrepreneurs and the jobs they create, its dedication to civic engagement, and its steadfast efforts to advance civil rights protections for all Americans.

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

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

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of amendment No. 267 and in support of H.R. 3055, legislation that includes robust funding for the Department of Transportation.

Simply put, H.R. 3055 will bolster our infrastructure and increase the safety and security for citizens across the country, and I am proud to support it. But, Mr. Chair, when we use billions of dollars in taxpayer money to invest in our infrastructure, our constituents are relying on us to do so in a manner that is fair, transparent, and ethical.

That is why I am introducing, today, amendment No. 267, which would prohibit any funding in the appropriations bill from being used in violation of section 2635.702 of title 5, which is the law mandating that no public office be used for private gain.

In light of recent reporting alleging potential misconduct by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, it is imperative that we remind Federal officials that public money cannot be used for private purposes. Government officials across agencies should not make policy decisions with the intent of benefiting family businesses. They should never use their position in an official capacity to promote their own personal financial interests, and when tasked with any decision where there are potential conflicts of interest, they must recuse themselves.

Government officials should make decisions only for the public good, not private gain. Favoritism corrodes trust in government and in the vital institutions that have kept our democracy strong for over 200 years. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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

Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price).

Mr. Chair, I have no further speakers, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment because we must operate in the public interest, not for private gain, as Federal employees and people in trust in the Federal Government.

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

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2740 and its amendments.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation is a self-sustaining government agency that helps American businesses invest in emerging markets. This October, it will become the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the DFC, with increased capabilities to invest and drive economic growth around the developing world.

Critically, the DFC will be able to compete with China on a global stage, strengthening our relationship with nations around the world.

However, these agencies do not have specific national security processes or reviews in place. They are entirely dependent on Federal standards.

My bipartisan amendment, which I introduced with Republican Congressman Chris Stewart, prohibits any agency from violating the Export Controls Act, which lays out what goods, items, and knowledge can be exported.

This amendment would ensure that an American business investing funds and technology in foreign ventures are not inadvertently exporting equipment that is, for example, Huawei supported.

It is essential that all government agencies, particularly in times of transition and growth, are fully compliant with national security requirements.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of amendment No. 18 to H.R. 987.

I want to thank Congressman Brown for his partnership on this amendment, which will ensure that we conduct thorough outreach to inform consumers in areas with high health disparities about their insurance options.

The underlying legislation restores assistance to help Americans enroll in affordable, high-quality health insurance, and this amendment makes sure those efforts include a particular focus on low-income areas most in need not only of health insurance, but also of improved health outcomes.

In addition to reversing the Trump administration's sabotage of the Affordable Care Act, this bill is a huge step forward in our efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

For families in my district and across the country, the high cost of prescription drugs is more than a health issue; it is an economic issue. Increasing competition and improving access to safe, lower cost generics can save American families thousands of dollars each year at the pharmacy counter.

Mr. Chair, working families are counting on this body to help strengthen access to high-quality health insurance. For this reason, Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove myself as a cosponsor of H. Res. 346.