Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, every investment in the Build Back Better Act addresses an urgent challenge facing families, workers, and our economy.

Within the jurisdiction of the Education and Labor Committee, this proposal makes childcare more affordable and invests in securing free, universal, and high-quality preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. These provisions will give millions of parents the opportunity to reenter the workforce without having to worry that their children are safe.

The Build Back Better Act makes nearly 9 million more children eligible for free school meals and invests in helping more children get healthy nutrition over the summer. It lowers the cost of higher education by increasing the value of Pell grants and making another major investment in historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions.

The bill invests in high-quality job training programs so that workers can build their skills and increase their paychecks, and it will help employers find the skilled workers they need to grow their businesses.

It shields workers from wage theft, unsafe workplaces, and violations of their right to organize by strengthening enforcement and increasing penalties for companies that break the law.

And it funds service opportunities and job training programs that will help protect our communities from the climate crisis.

The Build Back Better Act strengthens programs that provide vital services to millions of older Americans and Americans with disabilities.

It lowers the cost of prescription drugs, particularly insulin.

Madam Speaker, any of these provisions individually would meaningfully improve the lives of our constituents, but taken together, this historic proposal will lower costs for nearly every family, create millions of good-paying jobs, and set a strong foundation for the future of this country. It is fully paid for by making corporations and the wealthiest pay their fair share.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting the Build Back Better Act and taking a critical step toward a monumental victory for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, thank you today, the House has an opportunity to support older workers by passing H.R. 3992, the Protect Older Job Applicants Act, introduced by Representative Garcia of Texas.

While Americans are working later in life than ever before, many older workers are finding that their experience can count against them when applying for new jobs. Research shows that three-fourths of workers age 45 and older say age discrimination has eroded their confidence in finding a new job, and more than 40 percent of older job applicants have been asked for age-related information in the hiring process.

For more than half a century, older workers and older job applicants who face age discrimination were equally protected under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, or A-D-E-A.

Earlier this year, House Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act, which strengthens protections for workers who allege disparate treatment based on age under the A-D-E-A.

Unfortunately, recent decisions in the Seventh and Eleventh Federal Circuit Courts have excluded job applicants from seeking recourse under the disparate impact provision of the A-D-E-A, even while maintaining that same protection for current employees.

This means older job applicants in the Seventh and Eleventh Circuits can only challenge age discrimination in hiring when they prove that an employer intended to discriminate based on age. They are unable to challenge hiring practices that appear neutral, but, in fact, result in a disproportionate, harmful impact on older workers.

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court declined to grant review of this matter. Therefore, it is up to Congress to clarify what has otherwise been the law of the land with regard to the coverage of job applicants under the A-D-E-A.

Current law provides recourse for job applicants in most jurisdictions, but not all. By amending the A-D-E-A, this legislation clarifies that older job applicants across the country can effectively seek justice when they are harmed by age discrimination in hiring.

The Administration issued a Statement of Administration Policy in support of this legislation. It states in part:

``Workplace age discrimination, including at the application stage, prevents people from fully accessing the American dream and limits the contributions that they can make to our shared prosperity. Ensuring equitable access to employment is a priority for the Administration. The Administration supports this legislation that protects older job applicants.''

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 716, I call up the bill (H.R. 2119) to amend the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to make improvements, 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 materials on H.R. 2119.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge support for the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 introduced by the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko).

Before I continue, I want to encourage anyone struggling with intimate partner violence to reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1-844-7NATIVE.

Madam Speaker, it is difficult to overstate the need to address intimate partner violence in this country. Roughly 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 10 men reported experiencing some sort of intimate partner violence.

These incidents often cause severe physical injuries that portend even graver consequences, including the tragic loss of life.

For survivors of violence, emotional trauma and intimate partner violence often last long after the physical injuries have healed, triggering lifelong struggles with disease and mental health challenges.

For decades, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act has been a central pillar in our response to domestic violence, authorizing services like shelters and 24-hour domestic violence hotlines.

Regrettably, these programs have been technically expired since the end of 2015. Although funding has continued, updates to the law have been long overdue. For example, we know that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of intimate partner violence and restricted access to critical services for survivors.

H.R. 2119 strengthens our fight in this public health crisis by updating the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act in two important ways.

First, it prioritizes equity by expanding funding to reach communities that have disproportionately high rates of intimate partner violence but limited access to services.

Second, it invests more in prevention so we can avert the physical danger and emotional trauma that survivors experience before it occurs.

These updates represent the next steps we must take not only to support the survivors who need it most, but also to prevent intimate partner violence from harming our communities.

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

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), the lead sponsor of the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning), who is a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan) who is a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild),

who is a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams), who is the chair of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Newman).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a Statement of Administration Policy in support of the legislation.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 2119--Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of

2021--Rep. McBath, D-GA, and 83 cosponsors

The Administration strongly supports House passage of H.R.

2119, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement

Act of 2021. Congress first enacted the Family Violence

Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) in 1984 to provide

resources to address domestic violence as a public health

issue and to support life-saving services and prevention

programs throughout the nation. FVPSA, last reauthorized in

2010, allocates funding to states and territories that

reaches over 1,500 domestic violence shelters and services

programs, as well as funding for over 240 tribes and tribal

organizations, to address and prevent domestic violence and

dating violence. FVPSA also provides funding for a network of

state and territorial domestic violence coalitions, the

National Domestic Violence Hotline, and national technical

assistance providers that provide training and capacity

building to ensure that vital services and support are

available to individuals experiencing domestic violence and

their children. Additionally, FVPSA funds the DELTA program,

which provides funds to design, implement, and evaluate

innovative domestic violence and dating violence prevention

models.

As a result of FVPSA funding, each year approximately 1.3

million survivors receive critical services such as emergency

shelter, crisis counseling, safety planning, assistance in

seeking an order of protection, and assistance recovering

from financial abuse and addressing housing insecurity.

Nonetheless, research demonstrates that the need for services

continues to outpace availability and many survivors are

unable to access critical services and support. Furthermore,

the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated economic insecurity,

increased isolation, and compounded barriers faced by victims

and survivors in seeking safety and stability, particularly

for those from historically marginalized communities.

H.R. 2119 is a bipartisan bill that will authorize

increased funding to strengthen existing services while

expanding access to tribes and tribal coalitions, culturally-

specific programs, and other underserved communities. It will

also expand investments in domestic violence prevention by

increasing support for existing evidence-based, community

projects and by funding new initiatives to reach more

communities nationwide. The Administration urges swift

passage of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the family violence prevention working group, a coalition of national organizations working on domestic violence issues.

September 20, 2021.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington,

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I have to respond to a comment about the budget. I would point out and remind everyone that since the 1960s, every Democratic President has ended an administration with a better deficit situation than they inherited, without exception. And every Republican administration has ended their administration with a worse deficit situation than they inherited, without exception. The last President was well on his way to fulfilling that trend before the pandemic.

The Build Back Better and the transportation plans are in the process of being paid for so they will not be adding to the deficit.

Madam Speaker, each person in this Chamber should agree that we must do more to address intimate partner violence in this country. The critical services for survivors under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act

have now expired, have been expired for more than 5 years, and are in urgent need of updates.

During the pandemic, many survivors have been isolated with their abusers, while the gaps in our response to domestic violence have been exacerbated. This is not the time for Congress to stand by while our communities continue to endure the far-reaching and lifelong impacts of this public health crisis. Now is the time for Congress to take action.

As we face new challenges during the pandemic, we must ensure that survivors in our most vulnerable communities have access to the support services they need. We must prioritize effective prevention strategies that stop intimate partner violence from occurring in the first place.

Madam Speaker, each of us has the responsibility to do our part to fight against domestic violence. The bill before us is an opportunity to come together and reaffirm our commitment to supporting survivors and preventing all Americans from suffering the devastating consequences of intimate partner violence.

I want to thank all the bipartisan sponsors for their leadership and for their work to pass this urgent legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution 716, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 1.

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

Madam Speaker, there are six amendments in this en bloc.

Mr. Kahele has offered an amendment which establishes the Native Hawaiian Resource Center on domestic violence.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has offered an amendment to amend the definition of a child to include any child under 18, including emancipated minors.

Mr. Cohen has offered an amendment to clarify grant eligibility for legal aid organizations.

Ms. Newman has offered an amendment to clarify that domestic violence coalitions may partner with mental health and substance abuse disorder providers.

Ms. Jackson Lee has offered an amendment requiring the GAO study required in the underlying bill to include information on outreach to racial and ethnic minorities.

Ms. Bush has offered an amendment to clarify that domestic violence coalitions can provide training to housing service providers.

These amendments make meaningful improvements to the bill. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendments en bloc No. 1, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), the chair of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Texas.

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

Madam Speaker, again, these amendments included in the amendments en bloc make meaningful improvements to the bill. I urge a ``yes'' vote on en bloc No. 1, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution 716, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 2.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, there are two amendments in this en bloc. First, as it has been explained, the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) has offered an amendment to reinstate the State match requirement, and the gentlewoman from Louisiana (Ms. Letlow) has offered a substitute amendment, leaving out the majority of the programming improvements in H.R. 2119 and adding a problematic provision regarding abortion.

These amendments undermine the bipartisan, bicameral progress included in H.R. 2119 and neglect to make any changes or enhancements to FVPSA programs.

These amendments en bloc fail to meet the moment. There are a number of things they do:

They halt the creation of a new resource center on disability and domestic violence needed to counter the disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence among people with disabilities.

They prevent Tribal governments from getting the resources they need to combat domestic violence, which occurs at alarming rates in Tribal communities.

They strike grants that support survivors from racial and ethnic minority groups. Communities of color face disproportionate rates of domestic violence and sexual assault and often experience barriers to accessing services.

They remove the addition of new prevention grants to ensure prevention funding goes to every State, Tribe, and territory, despite the fact that currently only 10 States receive funding to do any prevention work, and this amendment maintains that status quo.

These amendments would also reinstate State matching fund requirements. Particularly during the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis, this would create significant operational challenges for service providers. For example, nonprofit organizations do not have the benefit of guaranteed funding and may struggle to meet match requirements. Ultimately, this means fewer services available for survivors.

The amendments en bloc also include a partisan attack on abortion, undermining a comprehensive reauthorization that can meaningfully improve the lives of survivors of intimate partner violence.

These amendments inject needless political controversy into this debate, undermining the hard work we have done to develop a comprehensive reauthorization. Instead of acknowledging the complexities of medical decisions for both women and their providers, abortion opponents use these bills and amendments like these as a distraction.

These amendments threaten the progress we have made on the bill, and therefore I urge a ``no'' vote on amendments en bloc No. 2.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance my time.

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

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

Madam Speaker, again, the amendments included in this en bloc weaken the bill. I urge a ``no'' vote on en bloc No. 2. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his hard work on the Education and Labor Committee and for his strong support for working men and women in Michigan and across the country.

I rise today in honor of Richard Trumka, the late AFL-CIO president and one of the Nation's fiercest and most effective champions for workers and their families.

As a former coal miner and leader of the storied United Mine Workers of America, Richard Trumka deeply understood the power of the labor movement and the importance of defending workers' rights to organize. His commitment to improving the lives of workers and their families never waned and has inspired countless people from all walks of life.

To honor Mr. Trumka's legacy, I remain committed to championing legislation that supports hardworking Americans and strengthening their rights in the workplace. To that end, the House has twice passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act.

Our Nation's labor unions are critical to rebuilding the middle class in America, but decades of antiunion attacks have eroded workers' basic rights to organize and negotiate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Among other things, this legislation would ensure effective sanctions for those who violate the law by retaliating against those who exercise their legal rights; and require workers whose rights have been violated to be temporarily reinstated while their cases are pending. The bill would lift restrictions on workers' First Amendment rights to engage in boycotts and strikes; and ensure workers can win a first contract, if they vote to support a union.

It is a fitting tribute that the PRO Act will be named after him. The next most important step to honor his legacy is for the Senate to pass this historic legislation. I look forward to the day when the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act is signed into law.

But we also have an opportunity to strengthen and protect our workforce through the Build Back Better plan. Notably, the Committee on Education and Labor's section of the plan will increase enforcement of labor law and civil rights violations and set meaningful civil monetary penalties for violations of wage and hour, worker safety, and labor laws.

The plan also includes a major investment in proven workforce development programs to ensure that Americans can access the training they need to find a rewarding career and earn fair wages.

These historic provisions advance Mr. Trumka's vision: to ensure that all workers have a good job and the power to determine their wages and working conditions.

Even up to his final days, Mr. Trumka was fulfilling that mission, rallying workers across the country and demonstrating the spirit and solidarity that defined his tenure as president of the AFL-CIO.

I hope my colleagues in the House and the Senate will join me in honoring Mr. Trumka's legacy by passing both the Richard L. Trumka PRO Act and the Build Back Better Act. I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his hard work and dedication.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 716, I call up the bill (H.R. 3110) to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to expand access to breastfeeding accommodations in the workplace, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam 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 H.R. 3110, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act.

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

Madam Speaker, today the House has an opportunity to pass H.R. 3110, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act, or the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, a bipartisan bill that would strengthen workplace protections for nursing mothers.

Nursing mothers should have a clear right to break time and a clean, private space to pump breast milk at work. As we have heard from health experts and worker advocates across the country, these basic accommodations ensure that nursing mothers can balance their work, their health, and the health of their babies.

Regrettably, many nursing mothers still do not have these protections. Under current law, millions of workers--including farmworkers, transportation workers, and teachers--are currently excluded from Federal protections for nursing employees.

The nursing mothers who are covered by existing law have limited recourse when their rights are violated.

To close these gaps, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act expands existing protections for nursing mothers for nearly 9 million employees who are currently left out. It provides nursing workers with access to meaningful remedies when employers fail to provide appropriate time and pumping space.

Importantly, this bill includes an amendment to clarify that congressional employees are covered by these protections and to address safety concerns by including airline crew members break time to pump during a flight.

No working American should be forced to choose between going to work and staying healthy, so we must take this urgent step to support nursing workers and strengthen our economy.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a Statement of Administration Policy in support of H.R. 3110.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 3110--PUMP FOR NURSING MOTHERS ACT--Rep. Maloney, D-NY, and 8

cosponsors

The Administration strongly supports House passage of H.R.

3110, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for

Nursing Mothers Act. No new mother should face unfair

treatment in the workplace because their employer refuses to

provide them with reasonable break time and private, clean

space needed to adequately express breast milk while at work,

forcing them to choose between their health and the health of

her child, and earning a paycheck. Yet millions of new

working mothers, disproportionately working mothers of color,

face this challenge every day.

Congress recognized the importance of ensuring that workers

are able to have the time and space they need to express

breast milk by passing section 4207 of the Patient Protection

and Affordable Care Act, also known as the 2010 Break Time

for Nursing Mothers Act. The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act

would ensure that millions of working mothers previously

excluded from the 2010 Break Time law are protected. By

closing this gap, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act will

ensure millions of nursing mothers have a clear right to pump

at work. Without these protections, nursing mothers face

serious health consequences, including risk of painful

illness and infection, diminished milk supply, or inability

to continue breastfeeding.

H.R. 3110 is a bipartisan bill that would also require

employers to pay an hourly employee for any time spent

pumping if the employee is also working. The legislation

would ensure that nursing mothers have access to remedies

available for other violations of the Fair Labor Standards

Act. Finally, the PUMP Act also gives employers flexibility

to identify solutions that work for their specific business

environment. For example, the bill requires employees to

inform their employers about inadequate space to express

breast milk 10 days before filing suit for violating the

requirement.

The Administration encourages the House to pass this

bipartisan, commonsense legislation and looks forward to

working with the Congress to fill the gaps in the law so that

all new mothers who choose to breastfeed are guaranteed the

workplace protections they deserve.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of the legislation and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney), chair of the Oversight and Reform Committee and the lead Democratic sponsor of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington State (Ms. Herrera Beutler), the co-chair of the Maternity Care Caucus and the lead Republican sponsor on the bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood), the co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard), the co-chair of the Maternity Care Caucus.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the chair of the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor.

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

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

Madam Speaker, 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 include in the Record letters in support of the bill from the AFSCME and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

American Federation of State, County and Municipal

Employees, AFL-CIO,

Washington, DC, October 21, 2021.

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative: On behalf of the 1.4 million members

of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal

Employees (AFSCME), I urge you to vote yes on the PUMP for

Nursing Mothers Act (R.R. 3110). This bill prioritizes both

the physical and economic needs that new mothers must balance

upon returning to work. It strengthens federal employment

standards that protect working women who need break time and

a private space, other than a bathroom, to express breast

milk.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) currently requires

employers with more than 50 employees to provide a space for

mothers to either nurse or express breast milk. Covered

employers must also provide reasonable breaks for workers to

nurse. An estimated 8.65 million women of childbearing age

are excluded from these nursing mother protections because

they are not covered by wage and hour standards under the

FLSA. Current law also lacks broader enforcement mechanisms

for workers denied these protections.

H.R. 3110 improves current protections by:

Expanding the number of nursing workers protected by the

law.

Extending the duration of the protections from one year

after the child's birth to two years after the employee gives

birth or begins providing breast milk for a nursing child.

Limiting undue hardship exemption to employers with fewer

than 25 employees, rather than employers with fewer than 50

employees under current law.

Clarifying that banned workers can seek legal and equitable

relief for their employer's failure to provide them with the

needed break times and private space to express milk.

We urge you to stand with working women and their families

by voting to pass H.R. 3110.

Sincerely,

Bailey K. Childers,

Director of Federal Government Affairs.

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

Madam Speaker, it has now been more than a decade since Congress passed critical protections to guarantee nursing workers break time and private space to express breast milk at work.

As we have heard today from Members on both sides of the aisle, these protections are essential to protecting the health of nursing workers and their

families, yet nursing workers are continuing to suffer from gaps and weaknesses in the Federal law.

The need to address these gaps is even greater today as our economy recovers from COVID-19. Millions of workers, particularly working mothers, are looking to re-enter the workforce after being forced out of their jobs during the pandemic.

The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act would provide workers with the peace of mind that they will not have to choose between returning to work and protecting themselves and their babies.

Madam Speaker, we have an opportunity to deliver on our promise to help all workers recover from the pandemic, stay safe, and succeed in their careers. This legislation will strengthen existing law, improve the lives of nursing workers across the country, and help our economy get back on its feet.

We know this program works because the provisions in this bill are already law on the Federal level and in several States, without the kind of problems that have been suggested that might happen--those have not occurred under present law--and without any explosion of lawsuits. These provisions are already law, and there have not been lawsuits.

The substitute offered by the minority does not expand to as many mothers as this bill does, and it would actually roll back some protections they already have.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentlewoman from Washington State (Ms. Herrera Beutler) for their leadership on this bipartisan legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1693, the EQUAL Act, which would eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. I would like to thank my colleagues Representatives Jeffries, Bacon, and Armstrong for their work to bring this bill to the floor today.

In 1986, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act created a 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between the amount of crack cocaine that triggered an automatic 5-year mandatory minimum sentence and the amount of powder cocaine that would trigger the same punishment. This sentencing disparity had a racially disparate impact on Black communities, did nothing to change personal behaviors, and has been a tremendous waste of taxpayer money and resources. There are no pharmacological differences between these two substances. Yet more than 80 percent of people convicted in federal court for crack offenses are Black, while only 27 percent of those convicted of powder cocaine offenses are Black.

The crack cocaine sentencing disparity has forced judges to impose higher penalties for very small amounts of crack cocaine. This also had the bizarre effect of punishing those individuals lower in the drug distribution chain much more severely than the actual drug kingpins for two reasons: the kingpins generally distribute powder from which the crack is produced, and lower level defendants often lack information on the drug operation that they can turn over to prosecutors in order to obtain sentencing credit for cooperation.

Mandatory minimums, whether they are equal or not, must be eliminated. The ``tough on crime'' policies based on slogans and sound bites have failed, and mandatory minimums have been studied extensively--they fail to reduce crime, they waste taxpayers' money and often require judges to impose sentences that violate common sense. Instead of arguing about whether someone should receive a five-year mandatory minimum, we should be investing in early education, workforce training, and our communities.

The EQUAL Act is the next step on the long road toward eliminating this unfair sentencing disparity. In 2009, I led the effort in the House to eliminate this disparity in the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act. That effort eventually led to the 2010 passage of the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduced the crack/powder cocaine disparity from 100:1 to 18:1. That was a hard-fought compromise, and the EQUAL Act will finally end this disparity. This is an important step toward fixing our criminal justice system and making it fairer. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and hope the Senate moves quickly to send this bill to the President's desk.

Madam Speaker, I hereby include in the Record the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 2119, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021. The cost estimate was not available at the time of the filing of the Committee report.

U.S. Congress,

Congressional Budget Office,

Washington, DC, September 24, 2021.

Hon. Robert C. (Bobby) Scott,

Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2119, the Family

Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be

pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jennifer

Gray.

Sincerely,

Phillip L. Swagel,

Director.

Enclosure.

H.R. 2119, Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021--As ordered reported by the House Committee on Education and Labor

on July 15, 2021

------------------------------------------------------------------------

By fiscal year, millions of

dollars--

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. 2119. A bill to amend the Family Violence Prevention and

Services Act to make improvements; with an amendment (Rept.

117-126). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the

state of the Union.

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

H.R. 3992. A bill to amend the Age Discrimination in

Employment Act of 1967 to prohibit employers from limiting,

segregating, or classifying applicants for employment, with

amendments (Rept. 117-127). Referred to the Committee of the

Whole House on the state of the Union.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to Amendment No. 3, which directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reclassify public safety telecommunications officers, also called 911 dispatchers, as a protective service occupation in the U.S. Government's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. This Amendment would have no direct effect on these workers' wages, benefits, or other resources; proponents of this reclassification have stated that it ``would provide validation.''

The SOC classification system is a federal statistical standard used across agencies in data collection. According to OMB, ``[t]he SOC is designed exclusively for statistical purposes.'' Changes to the codes affect multiple data sources frequently used by policymakers, researchers, and employers, including the American Community Survey, the nation's largest household survey; the Current Population Survey (CPS), the key source of our monthly employment numbers; and the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES), the authoritative source of employment and wage information by occupation. These changes would undermine the intent and legitimacy of the SOC by deviating from the long-established process designed to ensure the objectivity and integrity statistical data classifications more broadly.

A standing committee at OMB, the SOC Policy Committee (SOCPC), is responsible maintaining the accuracy of these codes using well-defined principles. The SOCPC undertakes a routine revision of the codes roughly once per decade; the process spans multiple years and ``involves extensive background research, periods of public comment, review of comments, and implementation of revisions.'' During its latest revision, which began in early 2012 and was finalized in 2018, OMB specifically rejected comments requesting it reclassify 911 dispatchers as directed in Amendment No. 3. In its response to public comments presented in the May 2014 Federal Register, the Obama Administration's OMB explained it ``did not accept these recommendations based on Classification Principle 2, which states that workers are coded according to the work performed. The work performed is that of a dispatcher, not a first responder.'' In 2016, OMB declined a similar request for reclassification. Based on the principles OMB's policy committee applies to determine SOC codes, 911 telephone dispatchers are already properly and accurately classified. This point was reiterated in communications with the Education and Labor Committee in 2021, explaining ``After an extensive technical review of the requested reclassification for 911 dispatchers, OMB, consistent with the recommendation of the Chief Statistician of the United States, decided not to make such an adjustment because it is inconsistent with the statistical purposes of the SOC.''

Furthermore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in a written communication with the Education and Labor Committee on September 26, 2021, reported that the change made by H.R. 1175, a bill identical to Amendment No. 3, would ``will introduce costly, unnecessary logistical and data interpretation delays and challenges affecting the quality of data.'' Moreover, changes outside of the routine revision process would undermine the goal of data continuity, limiting data sources' usefulness for their key purpose of statistical analysis; create precedent for disrupting the standard SOC revision process; and undermine the SOCPC's authority as experts to apply the classification principles to determine what accuracy requires.

Public safety telecommunications officers perform critical, challenging work. They deserve our honor and gratitude for their efforts. However, considering the many alternative ways policymakers could confer ``validation,'' as the proponents are seeking, there is little policy justification for this Amendment's approach to achieving that goal. The SOC is not intended to rank or group occupations by education, credentials, earnings, benefits or any other user-defined indicator of status.

In conclusion, mandating a change to a statistical code would not affect these workers' wages, benefits, or other resources--but it would disrupt data series continuity; require significant additional work for government agencies, researchers, employers, and others; and intervene in an official, routine government data-collection and statistical process.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act which would deliver a win-win-win for stormwater-stressed ecosystems; the military; and communities, like Hampton Roads, that host military installations. I was pleased to introduce this bipartisan amendment with support from my Hampton Roads colleagues, Representatives Luria and Wittman, as well as Representatives Sarbanes and Brown from Maryland and Representative Mace from South Carolina.

Flooding that occurs on and around bases jeopardizes military readiness and compounds the stress of military families. In addition to causing flooding, stormwater also remains a stubborn source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, complicating the ongoing work to restore this national treasure. For that reason, I introduced this amendment to enhance both community resilience and the health of waterways.

As rainwater falls on and travels across pavement and other impermeable surfaces, it picks up all kinds of things--nutrients from lawn fertilizer, pet waste, sediments, and chemicals that pollute the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Because climate change and unchecked emissions are heating up our atmosphere and oceans, extreme precipitation events and deadly storms, like Ida, have become more severe. In addition to more frequent and severe precipitation events on land, climate change-driven sea level rise also wreaks havoc on coastal stormwater systems, especially during high tide.

My amendment would help address the growing threat stormwater poses by expanding the authorization of existing infrastructure and resilience programs to help slow, store, and filter stormwater on military bases and in the communities that host them. Through the implementation of low impact design and installation of stormwater management features like stormwater ponds, rain gardens, permeable pavement, cisterns, and tree boxes, my amendment will reduce the stress on water infrastructure and address both the issue of flooding and stormwater pollution.

The military recognizes climate change as the ``threat multiplier'' that it is and I am grateful for the Department of Defense's partnership in the coordinated effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay. This amendment will provide the military the authorization it needs to integrate its work to enhance mission readiness with its work to protect the communities and watersheds in which installations are situated.

While we continue to work to enhance resilience in Hampton Roads and beyond, we must also work to rapidly mitigate emissions and protect precious carbon sinks--like the Chesapeake Bay--to avoid the worst of the climate crisis.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment in en bloc number four.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4502, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education; Agriculture, Rural Development; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Interior, Environment; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs; Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act of 2022.

I sponsored the 400 Years of African American History Commission Act with Senator Tim Kaine. This bill includes $3.3 million for the Commission to continue their critical work. Since the Commission was first funded in Fiscal Year 2020, it facilitated participation in the 400-year anniversary commemoration of the arrival of Africans in the U.S. colonies at Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia; initiated the 400 Distinguished Award to honor African American social justice leaders; supported programing to engage students in historic preservation; and sponsored a documentary film on Black economic empowerment. More recently, the Commission has also launched a series of virtual public education meetings to continue its mission during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The legislation also includes a major federal investment in Hampton Roads by including $83.7 million for the deepening and widening of the Norfolk Harbor's channels. This project, while authorized, has not yet received its share of federal funds; however, the Port of Virginia has already begun construction on this critical project and these funds will ensure that the project maintains its timeline. The deepening and widening at the Port will allow for larger container and bulk ships visiting the Port of Virginia to arrive and depart fully loaded, providing for safer and more timely passage. The project is expected to deliver nearly $4 billion of benefits to the national economy.

As a co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Taskforce, I am also pleased that this package includes much needed support for the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. This bill provides $90.5 million for the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay program as well as $15 million for the Chesapeake WILD (Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense) Program. I sponsored legislation, with Reps. Sarbanes and Wittman, to

create Chesapeake WILD grants to leverage the expertise of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service throughout the Bay's 64,000 square mile watershed. These grants will fund on-the-ground work to enhance water quality, mitigate flooding, provide opportunities for recreation, and protect habitat. This funding and these projects will advance efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay by the 2025 deadline.

I am also pleased that my amendments supporting essential funding for our National Labs were adopted. These changes highlighted the need for funding for Nuclear Physics and Medium Energy Operations within the Department of Energy's Office of Science. Scientists and researchers at Jefferson Lab, located in the heart of my district in Newport News, train the next generation of scientists, advance lifesaving cancer radiation therapies, and have been awarded more than 150 patents. The funding included in the President's Budget for the Electron-Ion Collider and the design of a High Performance Data Facility at Jefferson Lab would advance our understanding of nuclear physics and increase the National Laboratories' computing power, supporting experiments that contribute to our understanding of matter and enhance our safety, quality of life, and even medical care.

Also included in the legislation is funding for eight Community Projects in Hampton Roads. These projects include the expansion of rural broadband in Isle of Wight; an inventory of lead drinking water pipes in Portsmouth; the buildout and expansion of an LGBT community center on the Peninsula; an expansion of mobile health services in Franklin and Isle of Wight; the sidewalk extension for safe pedestrian connectivity in the South Norfolk community of Chesapeake; replacing athletic field lighting at public schools and a community center in Newport News; the development of a Maritime Trades magnet program for K-12 students; and the relocation of a frequently flooded YMCA in Norfolk. Federal investments like these are critical to the development and resilience of communities in Hampton Roads.

This bill helps us move forward by spurring innovation, creating jobs, enhancing opportunities for trade and economic development, restoring ecosystems, and making necessary local investments. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendments to H.R. 4502, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act of 2022.

These three amendments, included in en bloc three, support essential funding for our National Labs. The first amendment, which I introduced with Reps. Wittman, Beyer, Luria, and Wexton of Virginia; Reps. Suozzi and Rice of New York; and Rep. Slotkin of Michigan, highlights the need for funding for Medium Energy Operations and Nuclear Physics within the Department of Energy's Office of Science. The funding level included in the President's Budget would advance our understanding of nuclear physics, study which enhances safety, quality of life, and even medical care. Scientists and researchers at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), located in the heart of my district in Newport News, train the next generation of scientists, advance lifesaving cancer radiation therapies, and have been awarded more than 150 patents. Insufficient funding for Nuclear Physics and Medium Energy research would jeopardize Jefferson Lab's run times, contributing to an increased backlog of experiments ultimately slowing innovation and decreasing the United States' scientific achievements.

Given the incredible work that Jefferson Lab does, I also submitted an amendment to encourage much needed investment in the Electron-Ion Collider, on which scientists at Jefferson National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory are collaborating. Again, the funding level included in the President's Budget Request is essential to moving this critical project forward. I thank my colleagues Reps. Wittman, Beyer, Luria, Wexton, Suozzi, and Rice for their support of this effort. By supporting the development of the Electron-Ion Collider, we enable researchers to answer pressing physics questions about the world in which we live.

Lastly, I was pleased to see funding for the High Performance Data Facility to support real-time analysis for experiments across the National Laboratories included in the President's Budget. The proposed facility would meet the needs of increasingly complex research projects across the labs. Jefferson Lab, the first National Lab to deploy a graphics processing unit for scientific computing, is incredibly well- suited to house this facility on the East Coast. Establishing the facility at Jefferson Lab would not only increase the National Laboratories' computing capacity, it would also enhance their resilience and help Jefferson Lab achieve its vision for a diversified scientific mission moving forward. I thank my colleagues Reps. Wittman, Beyer, Luria, and Wexton for their support of this amendment.

These amendments, like the underlying bill, help us move forward, spurring innovation, creating jobs, facilitating incredible discovery. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and these amendments.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life and legacy of Susan Scanlan.

Susan was a public servant, leader, and mentor who dedicated herself to improving the lives of women and families. This personal drive led Susan to help found the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues and its associated policy arm, the Women's Research and Education Institute (WREI), in 1977. For five years, Susan served as the Caucus's director before taking the helm of WREI's Congressional Fellowship on Women and Public Policy, which provides aspiring policy leaders with invaluable Capitol Hill experience. Thanks to Susan's leadership, the WREI Congressional Fellowship (and its successor) has placed hundreds of talented fellows in congressional offices, bringing their unique talents, strengths, and passion for women's issues to the Hill.

Throughout my service in Congress, I have had the pleasure and honor of hosting over a dozen fellows through this successful program. These fellows have been incredible assets to both my office and the work of the institution. Most importantly, however, they have had the unique opportunity to gain firsthand experience in policymaking--all because of Susan's work. Today, the WREI Congressional Fellowship--Susan's legacy--lives on through the Congressional Fellowships on Women and Public Policy.

My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 848) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 in order to improve the service obligation verification process for TEACH Grant recipients, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 848, the Consider Teachers Act of 2021.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 848, the Consider Teachers Act, introduced by Senators Braun and Sinema in the Senate, and led by Delegate Holmes Norton and Representative Spartz in the House.

High quality teachers are the backbone of our Nation's education system. Yet, since even before the COVID-19 pandemic, communities across the country, particularly low-income communities, have faced a growing shortage of educators.

To address this shortage, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education grant program, or the TEACH grant program, offers upfront grant aid to incentivize individuals to pursue teaching and serve in low-income communities.

Since 2007 these grants have helped people across the country become high-quality teachers in the communities where they are needed most. However, administrative issues with the program have inadvertently converted thousands of these grants into loans which must be paid back with interest. According to an investigative report in 2016, upwards of 63 percent of TEACH grants had been converted to loans, leaving badly needed teachers with burdensome debt.

The bipartisan bill we are considering today addresses these issues in two key ways: First, it implements a reconsideration process to ensure TEACH grant recipients do not see their grants converted into loans by mistake; and, second, the bill creates flexibility so that teachers can still fulfill the grant's requirements in light of school closures and disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Simply put, the Consider Teachers Act is a bipartisan legislative fix which will ensure TEACH grants can continue to strengthen and expand our Nation's teacher workforce.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate again my thanks to Representative Spartz and Delegate Norton for working across the aisle on this bipartisan priority in the House.

As my colleagues have reiterated, the TEACH grant program is supposed to

help prepare high quality and diverse educators for our Nation's underserved students. Today it is critical that the TEACH grant program actually works as intended as we recover from a global health emergency that cost education jobs, exacerbated achievement gaps, and worsened the teacher shortage in many States and districts. That is why we must ensure that Federal initiatives to strengthen the teacher workforce make it easier, not harder, for individuals to enter the teaching profession.

The Consider Teaching Act would help achieve this goal by ensuring that TEACH grants do not have the unintended effect of leaving educators with burdensome loans. This simple yet urgent step will allow prospective teachers across the country to continue accessing the resources they need to pursue careers in teaching.

Importantly, this bill is an opportunity to demonstrate that regardless of party affiliation, each of us in Congress shares a commitment to improving the quality of education by investing in well- prepared teachers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues, again, to support the bill and vote for the Consider Teachers Act.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the INVEST in America Act.

I want to thank Chairman DeFazio for bringing this bill to the floor. I represent the 3rd

congressional district of Virginia where the Chesapeake Bay meets the James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth Rivers. This location presents both challenges and opportunities. My district is home to the Port of Virginia, one of the largest and busiest ports on the eastern seaboard. With 95 percent of our nation's trade moving by water, it is essential that the port is able to maintain operations.

Unfortunately, due to sea level rise, both attributable to climate change as well as historic subsidence, these same waterways also pose a serious risk. State and local elected officials in Virginia already appreciate the significant threat sea level rise poses to Hampton Roads. Unfortunately, the cost to proactively and aggressively address this problem head-on is far too great for any city to bear by itself. While Hampton Roads has already spent considerable sums of money to address the rising water and implement resilient infrastructure where feasible, the scope of the entire project to actually address the problem is expected to total in the billions of dollars.

Hampton Roads is also home to significant traffic backups throughout the region, especially at waterway crossings. The widening of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel is primarily being financed with local and state revenue from sales and gasoline taxes in the Hampton Roads Transportation Fund but it requires federal support. There are limits to how these major transportation projects can move forward without federal assistance. For example, the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels, connecting the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, were in such a state of disrepair and need of expansion that the Commonwealth had few options other than to enter into a lopsided private-public partnership leading to egregious tolls for decades to come. The Hampton Roads region is also in vital need of public transit investments. Our airports, roads, and bridges are in need of repair and I would urge the committee to commit crucial federal support for infrastructure in every state.

This infrastructure bill includes much needed investments in a cleaner and greener infrastructure. This bill targets investments that will improve energy efficiency and resilience and grow local economies without passing the burden onto local communities.

I am pleased that this bill will also directly impact my district by dedicating nearly $24 million in critically needed infrastructure funds, so that we can invest in the future of our communities. With these funds the Birthplace of America Trail can expand in Newport News; the City of Chesapeake can begin a pilot program for electric emergency response vehicles; Hampton Roads Transit can move forward with the Bus Rapid Transit project making traveling around Hampton Roads without a car easier; Tidewater Drive, a major arterial road connecting to Naval Station Norfolk, can be repaired; and work on the Craney Island Access Road, which will help keep up with the increased import/export demands at the Port of Virginia, can advance.

Mr. Speaker, this bill makes necessary investments that will create good-paying jobs and resilient infrastructure as we face the rising seas and changing climate.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and, more importantly, I thank her for her leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus and her leadership on the Committee on Financial Services.

Madam Speaker, we are slowly recovering from the economic mess that we inherited after the last administration. The number of jobs, up. Unemployment, down. Initial claims for unemployment insurance, down. The economy is going in the right direction, but, clearly, not fast enough.

That is why the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan are so important. The American Jobs Plan will create funding for the traditional infrastructure, like roads, bridges, tunnels, rail, public transit; also investments in ports.

It also proposes significant investment in broadband. And we have heard how important broadband is because it connects families and businesses to the internet, and connects students to the internet. Those students who did not have connectivity could not take advantage of educational opportunities for over a year, and if they don't get connectivity, they will be disadvantaged going forward.

We need to have universal broadband, and the investments in the American

Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan will go a long way towards universal access to broadband.

We even have electric charging stations for people who are not inclined to buy electric cars if they can't charge those cars on the highway. And people are not building charging stations along the highway because there are not that many electric cars.

The American Jobs Plan will have funding for electric charging stations so that more people will be inclined to buy electric cars. And not surprisingly, as soon as that happens, all of the restaurants up and down the highways will have charging stations so people will be inclined to hook up; and while they are waiting, they will go in and take advantage of the restaurant.

Madam Speaker, those are just some of the investments in the American Jobs Plan.

It also includes school construction. There is an article recently in Virginia that told the story that about 50 percent of the schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia are over 50 years old. That sends a disappointing message to students when they are going into old schools. It gives the impression that education is not important. We need to improve our schools, and we can do that with the funding in the American Jobs Plan.

Madam Speaker, we have funding to improve housing, that we have heard, and many other projects. Creating millions of jobs, good-paying jobs--mostly union jobs--where they are guaranteed to be able to negotiate a decent wage and equal pay for equal work. But those jobs will go unfilled unless we also pass the American Families Plan, which has funding for childcare and early childhood education and improved child nutrition so parents can actually go to work; job training and apprenticeships and improved access to higher education so workers can get the skills needed to perform those jobs.

These bills will create millions of jobs and enable workers to perform those jobs, and these programs will be fiscally responsible because they will be paid for.

Madam Speaker, that is how we will build back a better America.