Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. My amendments seek to better understand the mental health challenges and mechanisms of support available to servicemembers; mandate strong reports which will be critical in enacting better policy for servicemembers in the future; and make defense communities more resilient to the growing threat of climate change.

The first amendment (Amendment No. 322), which my colleague, Congresswoman Elaine Luria, has cosponsored, represents an important step forward in better understanding and combatting the epidemic of suicide facing not just the Navy, but the entire armed forces. There is a dearth of information about suicide and suicide prevention in the Navy, particularly on Navy ships. This is why directing the Inspector General of the Department of Defense to compile and publish a report on instances of suicide, suicide prevention, and response within the Navy is so important. This report will be comprehensive and desperately needed, given how little we truly understand why some sailors choose to end their lives, as well as the failures of command and areas where available resources have failed to catch and prevent these tragedies.

Additionally, the report will contain a survey of the mental health teams found on Navy ships and installations, so that we might better understand the limitations faced by these critical teams to properly treat, prevent, and respond to instances of suicidal ideation, suicidal intent, and suicidal attempts of the crewmembers they serve. These mental health teams are critical components of every unit, but do not always have the staff or resources available to provide necessary treatment and counseling to the sailors under their care. This report will be critical in better understanding the shortfalls these teams face, which will allow us to set them up for better successes in the future.

The discussion of suicides in the Navy is a personal one. I have lost constituents in the Navy, particularly this year wherein the shocking number of sailors who died by suicide while serving on the USS George Washington in Newport News, Virginia made national headlines. It is my belief that this DoD report will be the first step in better understanding how to prevent another, similar tragedy and see where the Navy could be doing more to actively support its servicemembers during times of mental and emotional crisis.

My second amendment (Amendment No. 323) requires the Inspector General of the Department of Defense to survey and report on programs across the armed services which allow servicemembers to file anonymous complaints and concerns without fear of identification or reprisal from command.

The chain of command is something that every soldier and employee of the Department of Defense is taught to respect from the earliest days of training. Soldiers know there are some issues they cannot voice without risking the ire of their commanding officers or drawing undue attention to themselves, even if the nature of their complaint is a valid quality of life concern, a note about morale, a safety issue, or any reasonable request for support from existing Department services and programs.

Programs which allow anonymous complaint filing for servicemembers fill a critical gap of inter-unit communication by encouraging soldiers to advocate for themselves through a channel which they know will protect their identity and be taken seriously and reviewed on its merits. However, there is currently no DoD-wide review of where such programs exist, making it difficult to gauge their level of user participation, analyze data on the sorts of complaints filed, or even know which units and branches support such programs. This is a gap in knowledge that merits a proper review by the Department of Defense, so that we may better understand what support our soldiers are asking for and where they are and aren't being given the opportunity to even ask.

My third amendment (Amendment No. 321) seeks to improve adaptation and emergency management coordination between state, local, and federal entities in defense communities, especially the Department of Defense. By creating interagency regional resilience coordinator positions in defense communities, this amendment will enhance military readiness and community resilience. I was pleased to have the support of my colleagues, Congresswoman Luria, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and veteran of the Navy; Congressman Wittman, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee; Congressman McEachin; and Congresswoman Sanchez on this important amendment.

As a Nation, our aging stormwater infrastructure, housing stock, emergency management systems, and power grid exacerbate the threats of climate change. Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the United States is making our infrastructure more resilient and creating jobs in the process. These investments in our infrastructure will help protect our communities and prevent needless loss and human suffering.

The Department of Defense recognizes that, as the climate changes, ``leveraging knowledge and actions when planning climate change adaptation and emergency preparedness and response requires expanded collaboration with surrounding communities.'' This is especially true in Hampton Roads, Virginia due to the significant federal footprint, including 15 military bases, and the region's geographic complexities.

In my district and throughout Hampton Roads, communities play an essential role in supporting critical defense installations. Community assets, infrastructure, and services ensure the region's bases are ready and provide the region's 83,000 active-duty service members and their families with amenities to live, get to work, and recreate. The threat of sea level rise and increasingly frequent and severe storms, however, jeopardize these community services and military readiness.

Fortunately, the region has developed strong cooperation and expertise in this regard. This acumen and spirit of collaboration are clear in the two recent Joint Land Use Studies and a 2016 report released following

the Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise Preparedness and Resilience Intergovernmental Pilot Project.

Thanks to the hard work of local governments, federal partners, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, and academic support from Old Dominion University and others, much has been done to implement the recommendations of these studies.

That being said, much work remains to be done. Recommendations from the earlier pilot project and Joint Land Use Studies that are ripe for action include a number of items that require collaboration with the federal government. The establishment of Interagency Regional Coordinators for Resilience positions would be well suited to address persistent challenges that have hindered the ``whole of government'' and ``whole of community'' approach that the growing threats require.

As the climate continues to change, lessons learned from these partnerships would be beneficial to defense communities and others that support federal entities and assets of national importance.

Addressing the threat of climate change and ensuring members of the armed services have access to comprehensive mental health services and mechanisms to confidently advocate for their quality of life is not only crucial to ensuring military readiness, addressing these threats is morally imperative.

Lastly, I am pleased that my amendment (Amendment No. 618) regarding the transfer of federal land currently occupied by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the City of Norfolk has been included in this package. I am disappointed to lose a valuable asset in my district as they continue their planned move to Rhode Island, and it is important that this economic impact does not further affect the city. Transferring the land without cost to the city and in a timely manner will allow Norfolk and the Army Corps of Engineers to better protect the city from future flooding.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Smith for his work on behalf of our Nation's military and his support for these initiatives, and I urge my colleagues to support these important amendments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my concerns regarding the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. While I support the underlying bill and appreciate that several Republican Senators finally came to the table to work with Democrats to address our nation's gun violence epidemic, I remain troubled by the legislation's possible expansion of the federal death penalty and the creation of broad new criminal offenses that may disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities.

Specifically, with regard to the expansion of the federal death penalty, I have not been given a clear answer as to the impact of the legislation's additions to the definition of ``racketeering activity'' in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1961(1), commonly known as ``RICO predicates.'' On its face and cross referencing the impacted provisions in Title 18, it appears that murder committed in the furtherance of these new RICO predicates would trigger the federal death penalty. In states that do not have the death penalty, this creates an opportunity for federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in states where it does not currently exist. It is possible that but for these changes, a new universe of defendants would now be subject to the federal death penalty.

The Senate Judiciary Committee staff circulated a document that appears to confirm my reading of this provision. However, the Department of Justice sent a dismissive e-mail to staff simply stating that ``changes to RICO laws do not constitute an expansion of the potential applications of the federal death penalty as a matter of law.'' While I hope this is indeed the case, DOJ provided no citation to federal law or reference to internal Department memorandum directing charging decisions. I hope that the Department provides Congress with their legal authority on this matter expeditiously.

I also consulted several experts in the criminal justice defense community who also confirmed that this bill expands federal death penalty-eligible offenses. However, there is no consensus as to the magnitude of these expansions. While this may in fact not be a measurable expansion, I have been troubled by the lack of comprehensive legal analysis available for a reasonable understanding of the breadth of this legislation.

While I find this troubling, I will vote in favor of this bill. It should not go uncelebrated that this is the first significant legislative effort in thirty years that attempts to address the scourge of gun violence in our country. I have a long record of supporting measures to curb the epidemic of gun violence and it includes provisions I have long supported. This bill closes the boyfriend loophole for domestic abusers, enhances background checks for those aged 18 to 21 when purchasing a gun, and provides incentives to states to enact red flag laws that protects individuals in crisis from perpetuating further harm on themselves or others. But without adequate time for members and the American public to review the unintended consequences of the many provisions within the bill, many questions are left unanswered where they should not be for such a significant piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, despite my strong concerns, I applaud the bipartisan effort that went into crafting this legislation. With reservations about the bill's potential to expand the federal death penalty, I will vote for yes because of the assurance from the Department of Justice and the positive strides towards creating safer communities that the bill seeks to achieve.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1204, I call up the bill (S. 2089) to amend the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to extend child nutrition waiver authority, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment to the House amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the legislation currently under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are here, again, to pass legislation to ensure that our Nation's children have access to healthy meals. The Senate amended the bill that we passed yesterday, and so today we are going accept that amendment so the bill can be forwarded on to the President for signature.

S. 2089 would:

Maintain school meal flexibilities that do not increase costs;

Continue flexibilities to support summer food programs this year;

Provide additional support for child and adult care feeding programs; and

Increase school meal reimbursement rates for this upcoming school year.

We know this bill alone will not end hunger in America, nor does it uphold the stronger provisions in the bill that the House passed yesterday, but it is an important step to take for our Nation's children and to fulfill our basic responsibility to keep them from going hungry.

I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina, the ranking member of the committee, Dr. Foxx, for cooperating and making sure this legislation could come to the floor, along with the Senator Stabenow from Michigan and Senator Boozman from Arkansas.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the motion, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

The reality is that Congress has reached its deadline. We must pass this critical legislation to ensure that children have healthy meals this summer and that schools and daycares have the funding and flexibilities they need to respond to the supply chain challenges and high food costs in the future.

If we do not act, we will jeopardize children's access to nutritious meals.

I wish, again, to thank the ranking member, Dr. Foxx, for her cooperation in bringing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to the floor, along with Senators Stabenow and Boozman.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2089, support the motion, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record for S. 2089, as amended, the following letters from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Feeding America, Save the Children, the School Nutrition Association, the Council of the Great City Schools, and the Center for Law and Social Policy in support of the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022.

[June 21, 2022]

Protect Nutrition Security for Children: Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics Welcomes New Bipartisan Bill

Chicago--The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics strongly

supports the new Keep Kids Fed Act, introduced June 21 in

Congress, as a crucial step in addressing nutrition security

among school-aged children in the United States. The bill was

introduced by U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) and John

Boozman (Ark.) and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott (Va.) and Virginia

Foxx (N.C.).

``Studies have shown that the school cafeteria is the

healthiest place for children to eat in the U.S.,'' said

registered dietitian nutritionist and the Academy's 2022-2023

President Ellen R. Shanley. ``The Keep Kids Fed Act therefore

is more important than ever in providing parents and

guardians with the assurance that their children are

receiving healthful meals to fuel them throughout this summer

as well as the next school year.''

The Academy commends the Keep Kids Fed Act, which grants

the U.S. Department of Agriculture the authority to provide

temporary waivers that will provide full flexibilities to

summer meal programs, eliminate the reduced-price meal

category and increase reimbursement rates in response to

rising food costs.

``The Academy and our members have tirelessly advocated for

the continuation of child nutrition waivers as the country

continues to grapple with ongoing supply chain and labor

shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as

inflation,'' Shanley said.

Because the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on

people from underrepresented communities and those with diet-

related disease, access to healthful school meals promotes

nutrition security as well as health equity.

While the Academy considers nutrition waivers to be a step

in the right direction, the legislation comes late in the

process as schools are organizing and operating summer meal

programs and planning meal programs for the next school year.

``A better solution is to make school meals free for all

children, all year,'' Shanley said.

``The Academy has long advocated for Healthy School Meals for

All and will continue to educate members of Congress on its

benefits. We look forward to working with Congress on a

permanent solution to issues of nutrition security for all,

particularly for children.''

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2089) to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that grants provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for State veterans' cemeteries do not restrict States from authorizing the interment of certain deceased members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces in such cemeteries, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that

all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2089.

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

Madam Speaker, S. 2089 was amended to replace the language of that bill with the language of H.R. 8150, the bipartisan and bicameral Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022, in order to send the bill to the Senate for expedited passage.

Roughly 2 years ago, our communities experienced an unprecedented surge in child hunger, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just weeks into the pandemic, more than one of every three households with children, and nearly half of all mothers with young children, struggled with food insecurity.

In response, Congress took decisive action to ensure that child nutrition programs, our best tools for addressing child hunger, could continue feeding hungry children during the pandemic.

One of the most important steps we took was providing child nutrition programs with the flexibility they needed to expand access to school meals and address the challenges of serving students who are not physically in the school buildings.

This relief made a measurable difference in our fight against child hunger. By expanding access to child nutrition programs, we allowed an additional 10 million students to receive free school meals each day. From January 2021 to April 2021, food shortages among households with children fell by more than 40 percent.

Regrettably, unless Congress acts, these key flexibilities would expire at the end of this month.

The bipartisan and bicameral Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 is likely our best and last opportunity to preserve relief for child nutrition programs. This legislation would:

Maintain school meal flexibilities that do not increase costs;

Continue flexibilities to support summer food programs this year;

Provide additional support for child and adult care feeding programs; and

Increase school meal reimbursement rates for this upcoming school year.

As we continue to recover from the pandemic, the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 would take a critical step to support child nutrition programs and prevent children from going hungry during the ongoing public health emergency. This is a step well worth taking.

I thank the ranking member of the full committee, Dr. Foxx, and Senators Stabenow and Boozman for working with me on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor and a leading advocate to reduce and eliminate child hunger.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams), a member of the Committee on Education and Labor and chair of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), the distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record two letters from No Kid Hungry and the Food Research and Action Center, better known as FRAC.

[From Share Our Strength]

Share Our Strength's Lisa Davis on the Introduction of the `Keep Kids

Fed' Act To Extend Child Nutrition Waivers

Washington, DC.--This afternoon, leadership from the Senate

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and the

House Committee on Education and Labor announced an agreement

to extend nationwide child nutrition waivers, which are set

to expire on June 30. The Keep Kids Fed Act would extend some

of these waivers through the 2022-2023 school year and

provide school nutrition programs with additional funding to

help address food price inflation and supply chain

challenges. The following is a statement from No Kid Hungry

Senior Vice President Lisa Davis:

``We are grateful that a deal has come together to help

address the immense challenges facing schools and community

organizations working tirelessly to feed kids this summer and

during the school year. This issue couldn't be more urgent

with waivers expiring in nine days and summer meals programs

already up and running.

``Time is of the essence, especially for those operating

summer meals sites without the certainty and flexibility of

the waivers who will face difficulties turning on a dime. We

know these waivers are needed and that they work. The reach

of the summer meals program increased dramatically with them,

doubling in 2021 and even tripling in 2020.

``While these waivers don't solve supply chain issues,

lower the rising cost of food and gas, or solve our nation's

inflation problem, they do help soften their impact on

schools and community organizations and, ultimately, keep

kids fed and nourished.

``As we know with legislation like this, there can be miles

to go before it gets across the finish line. We urge Congress

to move quickly on the Keep Kids Fed Act before nationwide

child nutrition waivers expire on June 30.''

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, as I said at the beginning of the debate, the legislation before us is likely our last and best opportunity to protect millions of students' access to nutrition programs, which have been critical to feeding hungry children during the pandemic.

The simple reality is that schools, children, and families are still dealing with the impacts of COVID-19. As school meal programs continue to endure supply chain disruptions, inflation, and other challenges, the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 would provide school meal programs that are urgently needed for stability and will help continue providing students with nutritious meals that they need.

We know this bill alone will not end all hunger in America, but it will be an important step to stand up for our Nation's children and fulfill our basic responsibility to keep them from going hungry.

Again, I thank the ranking member of the committee, Dr. Foxx, and I thank the gentlewoman from California, Mrs. Steel, for helping to bring

this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to the floor. I also thank Senators Stabenow and Boozman for their work in bringing this legislation to reality.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2089, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules

and pass the bill (H.R. 5407) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to promote comprehensive campus mental health and suicide prevention plans, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Madam Speaker, over the last 2 years, our Nation's college students have grappled with a mental health crisis that was significantly worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. A national survey last year found that 65 percent of students reported having poor or only fair mental health. And according to the CDC, suicide attempts amongst females aged 15 to 23 increased by 87 percent from 2007 through 2020.

The surging mental health needs of students on college campuses have further strained campus-based mental health care providers. Since the start of the pandemic, campus counseling centers have been forced to respond to an increased demand for services without the funding, staffing, and resources that they need.

Regrettably, insufficient access to mental health care during the pandemic has exacerbated preexisting mental health inequities. A 2015 survey indicated that students of color are significantly less likely to be diagnosed or treated for mental health conditions than White students. The gaps between the increased mental health needs of students and the limited capacity of institutions to address them demand urgent action.

In response to this crisis, the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild), along with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), introduced a bill, Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act.

This bill will help institutions of higher education develop comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans to better support mental health needs of college students.

Specifically, the legislation directs the Department of Education to build on existing mental health programs to create evidence-based approaches to suicide prevention and mental health care. And it would encourage the Department to collaborate with State agencies, nonprofit organizations, and stakeholders to help ensure that these programs fully meet the needs of students.

In other words, the Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act is a critical opportunity for each of us to stand up for the healthcare needs of our Nation's students and ensure that we care for their well-being.

I thank Ms. Wild and Mr. Keller for their work on this critical priority, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild), the sponsor of this legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, the evidence is clear that our Nation's students are continuing to grapple with an ongoing mental health crisis. Even as we continue to recover from COVID-19, we are still seeing far too many students suffer from depression, anxiety, and stress without the support and services they need to get back on their feet.

Madam Speaker, students in this country should not have to grapple with serious mental health challenges on their own. However, we cannot expect campus mental health care providers to support students if we do not support them with the resources that they need.

The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act is legislation that we need to help ensure that our institutions of higher education are equipped to support students' mental health, both during the pandemic and into the future.

I, again, thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller) for their leadership and cooperation on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6493) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prevent certain alcohol and substance misuse, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, across the country, students on college campuses are facing an increased incidence of substance misuse.

Even before the pandemic, there was a rising demand for substance prevention and recovery programs on campuses. Unfortunately, the pandemic has only exacerbated the mental health and student well-being crisis.

In fact, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study found that 89 percent of college students experienced increased anxiety, and one in four students surveyed said their depression significantly increased.

College-aged students misuse substances more than any other age group. In a lot of cases, substance misuse in college can lead to lower academic performance and unemployment after graduation. Tragically, in the worst cases, substance misuse can lead to illness and death.

That is why the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez) acted and introduced the bipartisan Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act.

This bill brings together the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to encourage institutions to develop evidence-based substance misuse prevention and recovery programs for students with substance use disorders.

This bill also encourages institutions to holistically address substance use and mental health concerns. Importantly, it reauthorizes grants to help institutions carry out these efforts.

Madam Speaker, if we want to tackle the mental health crisis head-on and help our students reach their full potential, then we must invest in their well-being. This legislation will help deliver on that goal.

I thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico for leading this effort, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), who is the sponsor of the legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, as lawmakers, we have an opportunity to make a difference in students' lives and protect their health, including their mental health. The benefits of doing so are clear. Students with higher rates of well-being have higher GPAs and are more likely to graduate and be engaged in our community. Unfortunately, mental health issues and substance misuse are rising, and that is a concern for our college campuses.

The Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act will provide both guidance and funding to help make sure that students have the tools that they need to reach their full potential.

Again, I thank the chief sponsor of the bill, Ms. Leger Fernandez; the lead cosponsor of the bill, the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson); and Mr. Keller for their leadership on this important bill.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6493, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Honorable Paul Trible for his 26 years of extraordinary service as the president of Christopher Newport University located in Newport News, Virginia.

Prior to his service at Christopher Newport University, President Trible served as a Commonwealth's Attorney for Essex County, Virginia before being elected to represent Virginia's First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. After serving three terms in this chamber, President Trible was then elected to the United States Senate, where he served one term. After working as a teaching fellow at Harvard University, he returned to the Virginia Peninsula to serve as president of Christopher Newport University.

Over the course of his tenure, President Trible has ensured that Christopher Newport University has remained focused on both the academic achievement and personal development of its students, a focus which is exemplified by the establishment of the President's Leadership Program. Through a combination of academic study and community service, the program prepares students for a life of leadership, service and civic responsibility.

Under Mr. Trible's presidency, enrollment at Christopher Newport grew from 2,920 to over 4,700, with a graduation rate of 74 percent. Full- time faculty also increased from 166 to 282, and the university library's holdings increased to 1.2 million volumes. In 1996, President Trible worked with then-Delegate Alan Diamonstein to secure a $5 million appropriation for the university's Ferguson Center for the Arts and a 21 percent increase in the university's operating funds. Since then, President Trible has overseen $1 billion in construction projects, including the recent $60 million, 83,00-square-foot Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center. The university's endowment,

which stood at $330,000 when President Trible took office, has grown exponentially under his tenure and now exceeds $60 million, securing a bright future for the university for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, as the Christopher Newport University community gathers to celebrate a truly remarkable leader, I want to congratulate Paul Trible on 26 years of legendary service to Christopher Newport University, and over 50 years of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. I also want to thank Rosemary Trible, his wife and partner for over 40 years, for her countless contributions, and their two children--Mary Katherine and Paul. I thank President Trible for his decades of service and congratulations on a well-deserved retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. William R. Harvey for his 44 years of extraordinary service as the president of Hampton University, ending one of the longest serving tenures of any sitting college president in our country.

After obtaining degrees from Talladega College, Virginia State University and Harvard University, Dr. Harvey became the 12th president of Hampton University, then-named Hampton Institute, in 1978. A native of Alabama, he looked forward to returning to the south and working at an Historically Black College & University (HBCU) after receiving his doctorate at Harvard.

Over the course of his legendary tenure, he has ensured that Hampton University has remained focused on both the academic achievement and personal development of its students. He has remained responsive to the needs of his students, building one of the nation's most premiere institutes of higher education, and he has overseen the graduation of more than 38,000 students.

Under Dr. Harvey's presidency, Hampton has built over 30 new buildings, introduced over 90 new degree-granting programs, including 12 doctorates. The average SAT score for accepted students has risen by more than 300 points during his tenure. Thanks to Dr. Harvey's visionary leadership, Hampton University is home to the world's largest freestanding proton beam cancer treatment institute. It also became the first HBCU to lead a NASA mission, launching weather and atmospheric research satellites into space. The university's endowment, which stood at $29 million when he became president, has grown exponentially under his tenure and now exceeds $400 million, securing a bright future for the university for generations to come.

Most recently, Dr. Harvey successfully guided Hampton University through the COVID-19 pandemic by following the science. Also leading by example, Dr. Harvey recently opened the doors of Hampton for the upcoming summer semester to refugees displaced by the Russian War in Ukraine.

Aside from his work at Hampton University, Dr. Harvey has served on numerous boards, including the National Geographic Society, National Merit Scholarship Corporation, and National Collegiate Athletic Association. He is also the sole owner of a plant that bottles Pepsi products in Houghton, Michigan. Dr. Harvey has been the recipient of many accolades and awards over the years, including the Daily Press Citizen of the Year and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Award.

Madam Speaker, as the Hampton University community gathers this weekend to celebrate a truly remarkable leader, I want to congratulate Dr. Harvey on 44 years of legendary service to Hampton University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. I also want to thank Norma Harvey, his wife and partner for over 50 years, for her countless contributions, and their three children--Kelly Renee, William Christopher, and Leslie Denise--and five grandchildren, Taylor, Gabrielle Lauren, Victoria, and Chloe. I thank Dr. Harvey for his decades of service and extend congratulations on a well-deserved retirement.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut for yielding.

Madam Speaker, more than 2 million Federal employees provide key services to the public. In fact, during the height of the pandemic, Federal workers were critical in delivering vaccines, personal protective equipment, and other COVID relief to the American people. So it stands to reason that when a Federal worker gets sick or injured on the job, we are obligated to provide them and their families with the resources and medical care that they need.

Today, we can improve that effort by providing expanded healthcare access for injured Federal workers who are seeking healthcare covered by Federal workers' compensation. We live in a country where people are increasingly turning to nurse practitioners and physician assistants as their primary healthcare provider. This is particularly true in rural America where they are disproportionately impacted by physician shortages.

Unfortunately, Federal law now limits what can be reimbursed under Federal workers' compensation, forcing injured workers to see only a physician to certify the injury and disability as work-related and to deliver services. It is time to correct this lag in access to healthcare. After all, core Federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and the Veterans Affairs' system, already recognize services delivered by nurse practitioners and physician assistants if provided within the scope of practice allowed by State law.

This bill would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to receive reimbursement for healthcare services they are providing to injured Federal workers if, and only if, those services are already permissible under their State laws.

Madam Speaker, a ``yes'' vote on this bill is a step to expand the group of available healthcare providers consistent with existing State law so that we can ensure injured Federal workers and their families get the support and care they deserve.

I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for his leadership on the bill, along with the distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), and the committee's ranking member, Dr. Foxx, for their support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7791) to amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to establish waiver authority to address certain emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7791, the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022.

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

Madam Speaker, across the country, the ongoing shortage of formula is disproportionately hurting women and children who rely on the benefits through the WIC program, leaving them with few options to purchase safe formula for their infants. That is because about half of the infants in America participate in the WIC program.

In times of crisis, one of our core responsibilities as lawmakers is to ensure that families in need can continue to feed their children and keep them healthy.

While I am encouraged that the Biden administration and Abbott Nutrition have reached an agreement to restart formula production following the company's recall, the immediate consequences facing our children require additional action.

That is why the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Steel) and I took action to help vulnerable Americans provide their babies with the nutrition they need. One of the flexibilities in the WIC program that the Access to Baby Formula Act provides will allow families in need to use WIC benefits to purchase other safe and available infant formula products.

WIC vouchers can be limited to one brand product. This makes sense because a WIC program can require companies to bid for the privilege of participating. Having the power to limit participation to just one brand encourages vendors to agree to huge discounts.

Unfortunately, in a time of shortage, a voucher for a product not on the shelf is of no value. This bill allows flexibility in such a time so that parents will be able to purchase whatever brand is actually available.

This legislation reflects our commitment to ensuring access to formula for those who need it most, during both the current crisis and into the future.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut and the gentlewoman from California for their urgent leadership on the Access to Baby Formula Act, and I urge my colleagues to join in taking a stand for our Nation's children.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney), the chairwoman of the Oversight and Reform Committee.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from dozens of health, nutrition, education, and child advocacy organizations urging passage of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

May 18, 2022.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Charles Schumer,

Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Kevin McCarthy,

Minority Leader, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Mitch McConnell,

Minority Leader, U.S. Senate,

Washington, DC.

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader Schumer, and

Leader McConnell: Parents across the country are increasingly

anxious about the diminished availability of infant formula

in traditional retail channels after Abbott Nutrition

instituted a nationwide recall of its most popular products

in February 2022. The undersigned organizations urge swift

action in Congress to provide federal agencies with the

flexibilities and resources needed to shore up supply, assure

the safety of infant formula available on the market, and

provide families with options that ensure babies have access

to essential nutrition.

Although breastfeeding is the optimal source of infant

nutrition, sustained breastfeeding is not an option for many

mothers. Infant formula is an essential product constituting

the majority--or even exclusive--source of nutrition for many

infants and some older children and adults with metabolic

disorders. Since Abbott Nutrition announced the infant

formula recall in February 2022, the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) has led an interagency effort to address

supply challenges and encourage increased production among

the limited domestic manufacturers. The infant formula

manufacturing sector is highly concentrated, with only four

companies--Abbott Nutrition, Reckitt Benckiser (Mead

Johnson), Nestle (Gerber), and Perrigo--commanding nearly 90

percent of the domestic infant formula supply. As the nation

navigates through the Abbott recall, manufacturer assurances

of increased production have not yet translated to increased

stock on the shelves, leaving many families with limited

options and acutely impacting individuals who need specialty

formulas to accommodate for allergies, digestive issues, or

metabolic disorders.

More than half of all infant formula purchases in the

country go through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program

for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which typically

limits the 1.2 million infants receiving formula benefits to

a specific brand. Though WI C's State-based, sole-source

contracting process has been a successful cost containment

strategy, limited options posed a unique challenge during

this unprecedented failure of the manufacturing sector.

Starting in February 2022, a patchwork of waivers from the

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and contract

flexibilities exercised by State WIC Agencies allowed for WIC

families have more options--including additional container

sizes and brands--to ensure that low-income families could

obtain infant formula amid limited supply on the shelves.

As with the commercial market, WIC's program structure did

not anticipate the possibility of the widespread shortages

that are felt today by all parents of formula-fed infants.

The bipartisan Access to Baby Formula Act advances common-

sense, but essential, flexibilities that will provide

regulatory relief and maximum flexibility to State and local

providers as they support low-income families during product

recalls and public health emergencies. This legislation also

works to build contingencies into State contracts with infant

formula manufacturers and promotes collaboration between USDA

and FDA to assure a coordinated, public-private response to

infant formula recalls and supply disruptions. These steps

empower WIC with the flexibility to ensure that the most

vulnerable infants have access to adequate nutrition when

supply is strained or limited.

Additionally, the Infant Formula Supplemental

Appropriations Act of 2022 would provide $28 million in

funding for FDA to address product shortages and strengthens

the agency's capacity to assure safety of infant formula,

especially as new products enter the domestic market. FDA's

limited bandwidth to monitor for safe manufacturing practices

at infant formula production sites is concerning, and this

additional funding will be essential to building a safe and

more resilient supply chain that delivers quality product to

support infants' nutrition needs.

Together, these two bills provide a substantial next step

in the federal response to the Abbott recall and will better

position agencies and low-income families to weather the

crisis. But more must be done to identify and remedy the

structural factors that allowed for the domestic infant

formula supply to be so substantially impacted by the closure

of only one manufacturing facility. We look forward to

ongoing efforts in Congress and federal agencies to assess

the competitiveness of the infant formula manufacturing

sector and assure that any given manufacturer's operations

are sufficiently diversified to deliver essential product to

parents in need.

We thank you for your attention to this issue, which

remains top-of-mind for so many parents across the country,

and we urge swift action to deliver change and build a better

future for the next generation of Americans.

Sincerely,

National Organizations

National WIC Association, MomsRising, 2020 Mom, 9to5, A

Better Balance, Academy

of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Federation of State,

County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Alliance to End

Hunger, American Academy of Family Physicians, American

Federation of Teachers, American Public Health Association,

American Public Human Services Association, American Society

for Nutrition, Association of Maternal & Child Health

Programs, Association of State and Territorial Health

Officials, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Autistic People of Color Fund, Autistic Women & Nonbinary

Network, BUILD Initiative, Campaign for a Family Friendly

Economy, Catholics for Choice, Center for Science in the

Public Interest (CSPI), Chamber of Mothers, Child Care Aware

of America, Child Welfare League of America, Children's

Advocacy lntitute, Children's HealthWatch, Coalition on Human

Needs, Community Change Action, Congregation of Our Lady of

Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Province; Democratic

Mayors Association, Disability Rights Education & Defense

Fund, Educare Learning Network, Equal Rights Advocates.

Family Values @ Work, Family Voices, Families USA, FARE

(Food Allergy Research and Education), First Five Years Fund,

First Focus Campaign for Children, Food Research & Action

Center (FRAC), Hispanic Federation, Hunger Free America,

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), March of

Dimes, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Mom Congress,

National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd,

National Association for the Education of Young Children,

National Association of Councils on Developmental

Disabilities, National Association of Counties (NACo),

National Association of Social Workers, National Birth Equity

Collaborative.

National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy & Community

Empowerment (National PLACE), National Community Action

Partnership, National Council of Jewish Women, National

Diaper Bank Network, National Education Association, National

Head Start Association, National Partnership for Women &

Families, National Women's Law Center, Nemours Children's

Health, Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Nurse-

Family Partnership, ParentsTogether Action, Partnership for

America's Children, Perigee Fund, PL+US: Paid Leave for the

U.S., Population Connection Action Fund, Prevent Child Abuse

America, Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK)), Research 2 Impact,

Madam Speaker, I had another speaker on the way, but he is not here yet, so I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, as I said at the beginning of debate, one of our core responsibilities as lawmakers during times of crisis is to ensure that families, particularly those most in need, can continue to feed their children. This is precisely the goal that the Access to Baby Formula Act seeks to achieve.

By providing additional flexibilities in the WIC program, we have a critical

opportunity to assure that families can continue using their WIC benefits to get safe and available formula products that their children need.

Simply put, the Access to Baby Formula Act is legislation we need to ensure access to formula for children and families who need it most, both during this current shortage and into the future.

I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes) and the gentlewoman from California, (Mrs. Steel) for their urgent leadership on behalf of our Nation's children and families.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7791, the Access to Baby Formula Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of H.R. 7309, the Clerk be authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, spelling, and cross-references, and to make such other technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the actions of the House.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1119, I call up the bill (H.R. 7309) to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 7309, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

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

Madam Speaker, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or WIOA, is the backbone of our Nation's workforce development system. Each year, WIOA programs help working people across the country get the skills they need to find better-paying careers and help employers access a dedicated and skilled workforce.

Unfortunately, our investment in workforce development has fallen significantly over time. While the U.S. labor force has grown approximately 50 percent over the last four decades, Federal investment in workforce development has fallen by two-thirds when adjusted for inflation. Federal investment in workforce development has fallen by two-thirds.

This underinvestment hurts workers, it hurts businesses, and it hurts our economy's competitive edge. Other developed countries spend between one-half of 1 percent to 1 full percent of their gross domestic product on workforce development. We spend only one-tenth of 1 percent.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022 addresses this chronic underinvestment so that we can finally meet the needs of workers and businesses, fill job openings with qualified workers, reduce supply chain shortages, and lower costs for families.

By investing approximately $80 billion over the next 6 years, this legislation would more than double the number of people receiving training services in fiscal year 2023 and allow us to train 1 million workers per year by 2028.

The legislation modernizes WIOA to help expand work opportunities for disconnected youth. It makes critical reforms to improve Job Corps, and it expands sector-based training so that we can train for entire sectors such as electric cars, trucking, and nurses. It strengthens community colleges' capacity to help workers succeed in in-demand industries. It helps justice-involved individuals re-enter the labor force and obtain sustainable career paths.

Madam Speaker, if we want to keep our global competitive edge, if we want to lower costs, and if we want to accelerate our economic recovery, then we must pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This legislation is the product of a largely bipartisan, year-long effort, including a bipartisan roundtable and three bipartisan hearings in our committee. While many of my counterparts across the aisle have voiced opposition to the size of the investments in the bill, I remain hopeful that all of my colleagues will join me in voting to stand with America's workers.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, Ms. Wilson, for her work on this critical priority, and I urge support of the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut.

Madam Speaker, could you advise as to how much time is remaining on both sides?

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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

Madam Speaker, the evidence is clear that our economy has made meaningful progress toward recovering from the pandemic. Thanks to the efforts of Congress and the Biden-Harris administration, our economy has added a record 8.3 million jobs since the start of 2021, and the unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6 percent.

Despite this progress, we know that job openings currently exceed job applicants and employers are clamoring for skilled workers. In fact, research suggests that workers are leaving their job to seek better career opportunities in record numbers. This bill takes a critical step forward to empower workers to fill those competitive job positions and, in turn, helps reduce supply chain shortages, lower costs for families, increase their incomes, and improve our business competitiveness.

Madam Speaker, investing in workforce development has historically been a priority for both Democrats and Republicans. That is why our committee conducted an extended bipartisan process to put this legislation together, despite the opposition we have heard from our colleagues today.

As our economy rebounds from the pandemic, we should all agree that we must take this opportunity to expand access to high-quality job training opportunities for America's workers.

I thank my colleague again, Ms. Wilson, for her leadership in bringing this critical legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

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

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 1.

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

Madam Speaker, this en bloc contains several bipartisan amendments from our colleagues to continue improving the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This en bloc contains commonsense proposals that strengthen the underlying bill, and I thank my colleagues for their contributions.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge support for both the en bloc and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the chair of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development of the Committee on Appropriations, and a strong supporter of sector grant training.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

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

Madam Speaker, I reiterate that this is an en bloc amendment containing commonsense, bipartisan proposals that strengthen the underlying bill. I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 2.

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

Madam Speaker, this en bloc amendment contains additional Democratic amendments from my colleagues to continue improving the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

This en bloc amendment contains proposals that strengthen the underlying bill, and I thank my colleagues for their contributions.

I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester), who is a former member of the Committee on Education and Labor and a strong supporter of workforce development.

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

I reiterate that this en bloc amendment contains commonsense proposals that will strengthen the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge support for both the en bloc amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 4 of House Resolution 1119, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 3.

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

Madam Speaker, this en bloc amendment contains several amendments which I oppose; therefore, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am the only speaker on this side. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I focus my comments on two of the amendments in this en bloc that undermine the improvements we are putting forward in this legislation.

The first strikes language from the bill that prevents nonregistered apprenticeships from receiving WIOA funds. If you want to have a nonregistered apprenticeship program you can do that, but we ought to fund the registered programs first since they are much better, and we shouldn't spend money on those nonregistered programs.

Registered apprenticeship programs are a proven strategy that have demonstrated high-quality training and wage progression across multiple industries. This bill supports efforts to expand registered apprenticeships to additional populations and industries, by reserving 50 percent of the funds for programs serving individuals with barriers to employment.

Many of my colleagues have opposed the so-called Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, or IRAPs, because that program discards key features that are the cause of success for our registered apprenticeship program, including quality standards, worker protections, national recognition, and the fact that virtually all registered apprenticeship graduates end up in jobs that pay well above the median wage.

The second amendment in this en bloc amendment group prohibits WIOA funds from being used to reimburse any healthcare services. I am not sure where they find that physical health is included. Mental health counseling and substance abuse is included as possible funding.

The question about whether WIOA will pay for health services is a distraction from the work we are trying to do today, to ensure an equitable recovery, and provide opportunity for economic advancement for all individuals in all communities.

This legislation reflects the input from stakeholders across the country who know what it takes to expand access to high-quality job training, career navigation services, and other critical services.

The statute has long provided for flexibility for local programs. The statute also allows for the provision of supportive services, such as assistance with transportation, childcare, dependent care, or housing; services that are crucial to facilitating individuals' ability to participate in WIOA-funded programs.

In fact, the legislation specifically ensures that treatment of substance use disorder is a permissible use of supportive services under WIOA.

Fundamentally, needs of individuals seeking job training are not always distinct from health needs. These programs should meet people where they are to facilitate full participation to ensure continued and sustained economic success.

Updating and improving programs authorized through WIOA, such as the bill we are considering today, will lift up communities and help us achieve that goal. This is what we need to do today by voting ``no'' on this en bloc amendment and ``yes'' on the underlying bill.

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

Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, we are here today to modernize and reauthorize the Nation's premier job training program to help jobseekers and workers connect with well-paying jobs and career pathways.

Although the substitute offered by our colleagues does not meet the urgent needs to strengthen the programs, I do want to make it clear that we welcome the opportunity to have further discussion as the bill heads toward the Senate. My goal is to forge common ground wherever we can, and I am hoping that this can be the beginning, not the end, of the conversation.

The Republican substitute reauthorizes funding for the formula programs, regrettably, at roughly the same levels as we have today. The status quo is not working. As a result, the substitute will not provide the level of intensive training needed to move people into higher wage jobs.

The average amount the adult formula program spends per participant today is about $2,000, not nearly enough to provide quality job training to lead to good jobs with competitive wages, benefits, and other hallmarks of job quality. The Republican substitute continues the unacceptable status quo with respect to underinvestment in training.

To meet the moment, the underlying bill also codifies SECTOR grants, which are demonstrated to be effective in training workers for jobs in high-demand sectors.

The gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) talked about electric cars. We need a lot of training in that area, but regrettably, the substitute omits the SECTOR grants.

Our committee meetings held last year highlighted bipartisan support for reentry programs for justice-involved individuals. In response, the bill codifies the program at the Department of Labor and commits $250 million for fiscal year 2023, more than double the amount appropriated this year, and provides stable funding amounting to $2.3 billion over 6 years.

With 600,000 individuals released from our prisons and jails each year, close to half of them experiencing repeat contact with the criminal justice system within a year, funding levels in the substitute do not come close to meeting the critical needs to invest in services to help these individuals obtain and retain employment.

We also reject the requirement of the substitute for non-Federal match to receive a grant. This matching requirement is not part of the existing grant program and would exclude many grassroots organizations that are best positioned to meet the needs of justice-involved individuals in our communities.

When we provide subsidies to employers in the form of on-the-job training or customized training, we also need to make sure that it is matched by job quality.

The Republican substitute, regrettably, leaves too many disconnected youth behind.

To help our youth, whether in school or not, gain life skills, the bill invests almost $1 billion in fiscal year 2023 for summer and year- round youth employment opportunities. The evidence is abundant that these youth employment opportunities increase lifelong earnings and reduce engagement in the criminal justice system.

The Republican substitute also fails to meet the moment and address the needs of the workers in the 21st century, so I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

In the remaining time, Madam Speaker, I would like to thank members of my staff on the Committee of Education and Labor. They worked hard on this legislation, starting with Kevin McDermott, Scott Estrada, Lorin Obler, Phoebe Ball, Danyelle Honore, Jessica Schieder, and former staff members Richard Miller and Katie McClelland.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership on this legislation.

Today the committee action agencies, or CAAs, form a network of more than 1,000 organizations that meet the unique needs of communities to help lift low-income individuals and families out of poverty. For decades community action agencies have been central pillars to our communities. They administer programs such as Head Start, to provide quality early childhood education for low-income children and support their families; Meals on Wheels, to support seniors experiencing hunger and isolation; and LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that helps people keep up with their utilities.

In fact, it is the only Federal program whose broad mission is to address poverty conditions and allow community action agencies to tailor services for low-income individuals in their communities, and they do this with the goal of giving a hand up, not a handout.

Community action agencies' work is made possible by the community services block grant, the CSBG. Unfortunately, the CSBG program has not been reauthorized since 1998 creating uncertainty in the program.

The bipartisan Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2022 reauthorizes CSBG for 10 years, the longest period in history, and improves the statute to help CAAs expand their work and reduce poverty across the country.

This includes increased authorization levels and raising the CSBG program income eligibility thresholds to expand access to their services. This will put CSBG on solid footing so that the program continues to meet the complex and changing needs of low-income individuals and communities without changing local control to this important program.

I thank the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson), the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik), the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier), and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) for championing this bipartisan legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

The chair of the subcommittee has said a lot about the charitable choice provision and the fact that faith-based entities have long participated in community action programs from the very beginning in the 1960s, and there is no evidence that they will stop participating.

Charitable choice purports to advance religious freedom, ensuring participation of faith-based organizations. The fact is, they are going to participate. Some may not because they cannot operate without discriminating. Well, that is their right. But if you are going to take Federal money, you should not discriminate.

This language that is being offered, the language that is not in the bill, authorizes broad religious discrimination against employees and fails to adequately protect religious liberty rights of beneficiaries in taxpayer-funded social services.

Now, when a church runs a program, they can hire whoever they want based on religion with church money. But when you take Federal money, there ought to be equal opportunity in hiring.

So, the charitable choice language, which is not in the bill as it is, requires equal opportunity, so if you apply for a job, you won't be discriminated against.

Unfortunately, this charitable choice thing kind of redefines the victim of discrimination. When somebody applies for a job under charitable choice and is told, ``We don't hire your kind because you are the wrong religion,'' we have redefined the victim in that as the agency discriminating because if we don't let them discriminate, we are violating their religious liberty.

What about the person who applied for the job? They have been denied a job solely on the basis of religion. It is my view that that is the one who needs the protection. We don't need to protect the right to discriminate.

In fact, that is why a broad coalition of civil rights, labor, and health organizations supports the removal of the language that allows that kind of discrimination, and that is in the letter that the chairwoman has offered.

That letter says, in part: ``Charitable choice does not protect religious freedom; rather, it uses the guise of religious freedom to justify discrimination against employees and put people who need government services at risk.''

I think it is time that this language be removed, as this bill before us does, so that the real victims of discrimination who are being discriminated against can get the protection of the Federal Government as they have since the 1964 civil rights bill.

Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of committees were delivered to the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar, as follows:

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia: Committee on Education and Labor.

H.R. 7309. A bill to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and

Opportunity Act; with an amendment (Rept. 117-321). Referred

to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the

Union.

Madam Speaker, as a proud member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise today to pay tribute to the founding Chair of our caucus and a dedicated public servant, the late Secretary Norman Mineta, who passed away on May 3, 2022.

It was an honor to serve my first term in Congress alongside Congressman Mineta. Norman was the son of Japanese immigrants who were held in an internment camp during World War II, and he would later became one of our country's highest-profile Asian American political leaders. In 1971, Norman was the first Asian American to lead a major U.S. city when he was elected Mayor of San Jose, California. In 1974, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from California's 13th congressional district. He went on to serve ten terms in Congress and served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton appointed Norman to be U.S. Secretary of Commerce and he became the first Asian American to hold a cabinet position. President George W. Bush appointed him U.S. Secretary of Transportation in 2001, making him just the fourth person to serve in the cabinet of two presidents from different political parties. He was highly influential in creating the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Madam Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues join in paying tribute to an extraordinary American and public servant.