Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, Mr. Evans, for yielding and for his leadership. I associate myself with the words of my colleagues who have already spoken.

Mr. Speaker, I never tire in my call to end senseless gun violence. But I am emboldened this evening by the grassroots movement we have seen from the brave and bright students that survived the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which took the lives of 17 of their classmates and teachers. These brave students remind me of the determined young people I have come to know in the Chicago area who have been calling for change.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my Republican colleagues: Do you remember the terror you felt this past summer on the baseball diamond when you were senselessly attacked with a rifle? Do you remember the terror you felt as grown men?

Now imagine being a teenager, without the protection of trained Capitol Police officers at your side, being senselessly attacked with an AR-15.

Imagine being raised in a world where fear of being shot at school, on your block, or in a park was a daily reality.

Countless daily shootings that do not make the news certainly don't spur you to act. Losing 20 elementary school students didn't spur you to act. A colleague suffering a severe brain injury didn't spur you to act. You, yourselves, being the targets hasn't even spurred you to act.

In the aftermath of Parkland, our children have made one thing abundantly clear: If you do not act to end this senseless violence, America will replace you with bold leaders who will.

The solutions are simple: mandatory background checks on all gun sales, including purchases online and at gun shows, and tightening the background check system; closing the loopholes; removing weapons of war from our streets; implementing gun violence protective orders; allowing scientists to study this issue for what it is, a public health crisis; and investing in programs that provide young people with hope so they put down guns and pick up pens, pencils, books and job skills; when appropriate, access to mental health. You cut the budget to mental health, yet you blame mental health as the reason these things are happening.

None of these proposals are new. In my first term in Congress, I issued the Kelly Report, studying this issue, with each of these recommendations. I will gladly provide every Member of this House a copy.

The solutions and the choice are clear.

Will you stand up to the NRA? Will you even read my report?

Our children are demanding it.

Mr. Speaker, I couldn't be in this job if I wasn't an optimist, believe me. I think people hear me. It is whether they are willing to act.

There are bipartisan bills ready to go; bipartisan bills. Some bills are sponsored by Republicans, some by Democrats. They have a lot of cosponsors, but the leadership has to hear; the leadership has to want to do something. Actually, the leadership on both sides has been very, very silent, unfortunately. But I am hoping that the

pressure will continue to be put on by everybody across this United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because, on a day when schoolchildren should be thinking about baseball tryouts, prom, and college selections, again they head to school living the reality that a gun may strike them down at any moment.

Today 17 children will never again return to their school in Florida, casualties in America's 18th shooting in 44 days. Once again parents and counselors will have to bring the comfort and security that this Congress refuses to offer.

This week in Chicago, a decorated police commander, Paul Bauer, was shot and killed, another officer lost in a disturbing trend of police shootings that we have not addressed either.

Mr. Speaker, Melissa Falkowski, a teacher in that school, asked when Congress will do something. A student said, The country needs to look in the mirror. He said, We cannot get used to this. This cannot become the norm.

Do you remember the terror you felt as grown men on that baseball field?

Well, imagine those young people in that school, in our neighborhoods, at a concert, in a park.

Despite your words, your prayers, you have proven over and over you don't care about anyone but yourselves and your contributions. It is sickening, and shame on you.

Mr. Speaker, February is National Children's Dental Health Month.

During this month, we raise awareness about the importance of oral health, especially for America's kids. Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease--five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. Oral health status is directly tied to academic achievement and school attendance.

One way we can fix this is by passing my Action for Dental Health Act, H.R. 2422, which was unanimously reported out of the Energy and Commerce Committee on September 25. This bipartisan bill is cosponsored by 83 Members and supported by the American Dental Association, the National Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association, and 39 other advocacy groups.

Once enacted, this bill will empower the CDC to deliver more and better healthcare to underserved populations, especially urban and rural communities, and increase education about the importance of oral health.

I am proud to be working with Congressman Mike Simpson from Idaho on this bipartisan bill. I ask the Speaker to schedule a vote on the bill before the end of National Children's Dental Health Month.

Lastly, I would like to wish my colleagues and constituents a Happy Valentine's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank one of my longest serving staff members, Jay Cho, who will be departing my team this Friday.

Jay volunteered to be part of my very first intern class. Jay grew to be a vital piece of my operation, and in no short time, I asked him to join my staff in a permanent capacity.

He climbed through the ranks of my office, serving as my legislative assistant and right hand in handling technology issues for the Oversight and Government Reform Committee's IT Subcommittee.

Jay is the kind of person this Congress and country need more of. Forging relationships on both sides of the aisle, his efforts were critical in passing legislation to modernize government technology and make government websites mobile friendly.

I am honored to have had the privilege to work with Jay, and on behalf of the people of Illinois he served for nearly 5 years, I would like to thank him for his hard work and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the majority is working to pass a tax scam that will raise taxes on my constituents.

For nearly a year, Republicans have promised tax reform that benefits middle class families. Once again, there is a big difference between what the majority says and what the majority does.

Instead of being a tax break for middle class Americans, it is a tax scam that will force hardworking Illinois moms and dads to pay the bill for tax giveaways to the rich and well connected. That is just wrong.

Mr. Speaker, the American people know it is a scam. A new poll from Monmouth University found that half of all Americans believe this GOP tax scam will raise their taxes. These folks are right. It will raise their taxes, especially for families in Illinois and in the Second District.

Mr. Speaker, I will never vote to raise my constituents' taxes just to pay for massive tax giveaways to major corporations and a handful of superwealthy families.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' and stand with America's middle class and working families, the backbone of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman LaHood for yielding and for organizing tonight's Special Order about our great State, Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I am Illinois proud, and I rise today to celebrate our State's upcoming 200th birthday.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to represent Illinois' Second Congressional District--in my opinion, the best district in the entire country. This community starts at 53rd and Cornell around the Museum of Science and Industry, it then reaches south to include many suburbs in Cook and Will Counties. It stretches all the way to the border of Indiana and the border between Kankakee and Iroquois Counties, to include some of our Nation's most productive family farms.

While I am humbled and honored to represent the remarkable people and families of Illinois' Second District, as you have heard, I first moved to Peoria to attend Bradley University.

While at Bradley, I joined the Zeta Phi chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho and completed my BA in psychology and my MA in counseling. I am proud to have been a Bradley University trustee, since 2003, and to continue to be a part of this amazing institution that is preparing the next generation of leaders.

I lived in Peoria until 1992, when I moved to Matteson, Illinois, my current home in the great Second Congressional District, to become the village's director of community affairs.

In 2002, I was elected to the Illinois General Assembly, where I first met many of my current colleagues in the

Illinois delegation while serving together in Springfield. At the time, I also served with the State senator who would eventually go on to become President of the United States, Barack Obama.

As someone who has been privileged to live throughout Illinois and travel it extensively while working as a chief of staff to the State treasurer, I couldn't be more proud to represent this great State and the great people who will call it home, especially those who call the Second District home.

The Second District is truly a microcosm of Illinois and the entire U.S. It is urban, suburban, and rural. It includes parts of the city of Chicago and more than 1,200 farms.

In the Second District, Nucor makes American steel and our Ford facility makes American cars. We grow corn, soybeans, and raise American pork. We have local breweries and giants like Amazon, alongside world-class bike trails, scenic vistas, and the historic Pullman neighborhood, and we will soon be home to the new Obama Presidential Library and Museum.

Mr. Speaker, the Second District is home to many universities and Blue 1647, a tech incubator, that are training the next generation of businesses, tech, and innovation leaders.

Our small, medium-sized, and family businesses like Pullman Cafe, K&S Tire, SA Piggush Financial Consultants, South Creek Animal Hospital, Two Whisks Bakery, Homewood Bat, and Affordable Flooring By Rodrigo drive forward our regional economy and create local jobs for Illinois families.

Our farms, like Van Drunen Farms and FutureCeuticals, feed people in more than 70 countries around the world, and our manufacturers, including Crown Cork and Seal, Best Diamond Plastics, and Chicago Heights Steel continue the proud tradition of Make It In America.

While we are proud to build and grow products used around the State, country, and globe, you might be surprised to learn that many of the things you buy every day cross through the Second District. For generations, Chicago has been the crossroads of America, a hub for transcontinental and global commerce, and the Second District is the beating heart of that transportation infrastructure that creates good- paying American jobs.

The Second District is also home to a vibrant faith community that is committed to serving their community by putting their faith into action. Leaders in these movements have their houses of worship in the Second or they serve many people in the Second: Reverend Dr. James Hunt of New Hope Christian Community Church; Rami Nashashibi, executive director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network and a recent MacArthur Foundation Fellow; Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus, B'nai Yehuda Beth Sholom; Father Mike Pfleger, a tireless champion to end gun violence; Pastor Andrew Singleton from Victory Apostolic; Apostle Ron from Full Gospel Christian Assembly.

Our local nonprofits are helping to create a better, fairer, and more just world, organizations like Chicago Family Health Center; Aunt Martha's; Polished Pebbles; Alliance of the Southeast; the Dovetail Project; Centro de Trabajadores Unidos; and Kids Off The Block, which provides at-risk young people with positive alternatives.

In the Second District, our young people are active and engaged. They are dedicated to being a force for positive change in their communities, in our country, and in their world. In the face of any darkness, they stand proud and allow their personal life to shine through circumstance.

Now, we have had a few famous people coming through the Second also: Quinn Buckner, the basketball player; Shonda Rhimes, famous from ``Scandal,'' ``Grey's Anatomy,'' and ``How to Get Away With Murder;'' Eddy Curry, basketball; Tom Dreesen; Mary Matalin, who worked for Dick Cheney; and Mike Tomczak, who was a player for the Bears.

So, yes, Mr. Speaker, I am Illinois proud. As we, the congressional delegation of families throughout the State, celebrate our 200th birthday over the next year, we are focusing on what makes Illinois great, things that I have discussed and you will hear tonight.

Illinois greatness is born, it is built, it is grown, and we are proud of it. Happy birthday, Illinois. Here is to 200 more years of growth, innovation, and leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman LaHood for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I yet again rise along with my colleagues because Americans are dying and this House is doing nothing. They are dying every day in their homes, in our schoolyards, and, yes, even at events hosted by Members of this House. Still we do nothing.

Mr. Speaker, every day, 93 Americans lose their lives to gun violence, and still this House has not acted.

If anything, last week, the majority passed through a dangerous bill that will put more lives, especially the lives of law enforcement officers, at risk.

Mr. Speaker, these are fathers and mothers, daughters and sons, beloved friends and dear colleagues. These are people in every one of our communities and in every one of our districts. Not one Member of this House can come to the floor and say that their community--their neighbors and their district--hasn't been affected by gun violence. Not one Member, yet we still do nothing as bullets fly and mothers cry. We do nothing as we lose children and

police officers. The death, destruction, and carnage continue, and still we do nothing.

In less than a decade, two Members of this House have been shot and a staffer murdered, and even that can't move us to act and save American lives.

Mr. Speaker, at what cost does our continued silence come?

Earlier this year, I pledged to read the names of 5,950 gun violence victims into the Congressional Record--a number that should have special significance to the Speaker.

Today we continue honoring those taken from us by gun violence, and we pledge to honor their legacy through action that saves lives.

So I asked my social media followers to share their personal stories of how gun violence has torn their families and communities apart. These are their names and stories:

Lenore Draper, a community activist working to stop the violence.

Kenneth D. Mitchell, Jr., served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait. He lost his life to gun violence here in America, leaving behind three sons, one of whom will never meet his father.

Thomas R. Lee was killed in Harvey, Illinois, on August 13, 2008.

Patricia May Springer.

Malcolm Dowdy was killed leaving a Memorial Day party. He had just purchased a home, was getting married, was on the dean's list, and was the proud father of a 17-month-old. His mom, Michelle, asked me to read his name.

Katie Kearns, just 24 years old, was murdered in rural Kankakee County.

John Thomas Larimer, just age 27, gave his life protecting two friends at the Aurora, Colorado, theater shooting.

Jessica Ghawi was also killed at the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado. Her mother, Sandy, asked me to read her name today.

Jonathan Schaffer.

Camilo Senchyna-Beltran, killed while celebrating the completion of paramedic school. Tomorrow should have been his 30th birthday.

Sterling ``Steelo'' G. McKenzie.

Rami Cooks.

Lashea Cretain was shot five times by a boyfriend in 1996, and survived. She reached out on Twitter, asking me to tell her story. She still lives with those bullets.

Steven Laurence, 21, a friend of my staffer, Mia.

Kenneth Bowens.

Diane Mokos Kriz, the mother of four girls, was murdered while stopping at her church on the way to the hospital where she worked. Her sister, Charlene, asked me to read her name.

Lindsay Key.

Calvin Thompson, Jr.

Kenzo Dix, just 15 years old, killed in an accident with a loaded, but unlocked, gun.

Bill Venable, 17, and his father, Billy Venable.

Tim Boyd of Chicago Heights.

Kerry Parks was killed in a drive-by shooting. Her friend Lucy asked me to read her name. She said that Kerry ``was my best friend and was just playing out in her front yard like we always did. She was full of life, love, and smiles.''

Maurice Hobbs.

Betsy Lowther, who left behind a husband, a daughter, and grandson. Her niece Amy asked me to read her name. She said her aunt ``was a generous, loving, vibrant woman who struggled with depression.''

James Williams, 21 years old.

Larry Perrine, 17 years old.

Galen Gibson, 18 years old.

Professor N. Saez.

Ricky Riggins.

Joyce Penebaker. I was asked to read her name by her son Khary. He said: ``I chose to tell my daughter about my mom, her grandmother, and how she died by suicide with a gun when I was very young. I wanted my daughter to know what has motivated me to get active in the gun violence prevention movement.''

Christy Owens.

Patrick Wyatt McKinley. His mother, Jeanette, asked me to read his name. He was killed in front of his home on New Year's Eve 2004, a day that should be a celebration of new beginnings.

Steven Shears.

Kimberlee Thomas and her father, Keith Thomas.

Kay Weins was taken while showing compassion to a stranger. She left behind two sons and several beautiful grandchildren. Her cousin Edward asked me to read her name.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ms. Clark). Since her election, Congresswoman Clark has been a dedicated leader in efforts to protect the health and safety of American families. Congresswoman Clark cares deeply about this issue and was the architect of the gun violence prevention sit-in.

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry the Congresswoman had to read all of those names. Maybe, as we go on, things will change. We will learn and things will change.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of California (Ms. Lee), a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Since her election to Congress, Congresswoman Lee has been a fearless and dedicated leader on ending poverty and health disparities in our Nation's communities, including gun violence.

Like many who serve in this House, she is someone who has attended too many funerals and comforted too many grieving mothers, fathers, and colleagues because of gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Lee's words remind me of what I hear sometimes: we need to wait before we do anything; this group or that group or someone just died, and we are already talking about what we are going to do. It has been 5 years since Newtown, and we still have done nothing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings). She sees this issue through a number of lenses: a mom, a wife of law enforcement, and a career law enforcement officer herself.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Demings for those remarks, and I thank her for reminding us of the law enforcement officers who have lost their lives protecting us.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty), from the town of Newtown. Congresswoman Esty is a tireless advocate for

commonsense legislation that will save American lives. She knows all too well the cost that gun violence takes on our communities and on our families. Like many who serve in this House, she is someone who has attended funerals, comforted, and continues to comfort so many grieving mothers and fathers because of gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Esty for her words, her commitment, and her voice in making sure that those 26 lives will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I have been reading names for nearly half an hour, and we still have stacks and stacks of names--the names of Americans taken by gun violence--to still read. And, tragically, every day the list of names grows and grows as we do nothing to stop it.

Children are murdered in their kindergarten classroom and we remain silent. Mothers and their children are killed in Cracker Barrel parking lots and we still do not act.

Hadiya Pendleton, a smart, charming, and talented young woman who performed at Barack Obama's inauguration has been resting for nearly 5 years. How much longer must she wait, Mr. Speaker?

Country concerts, nightclubs, and even a congressional baseball practice have been shooting galleries, and the majority callously often calls for thoughts and prayers and moments of silence.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to crawl out from under the gun lobby checkbook and do something--anything--to save American lives.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 24 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise yet again because Americans are dying and this House is doing nothing. Correction, we aren't doing nothing. House Republicans are planning to make the situation worse.

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee considered the so-called Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which should be called the ``Exporting Gun Violence Across State Line Act.''

In addition to threatening the safety of our communities, this bill, H.R. 38, is not only a threat to innocent citizens, but a direct threat to the brave men and women who protect and serve our communities.

So far this year, 42 law enforcement officers have been shot and killed in the United States.

I come from a law enforcement family. I have police officers--uncles, cousins, and nephews--serving in New York City and Chicago. I know the fear that law enforcement families feel, the constant worry that they may not come home, that you might get that call in the middle of the night or a knock on the door from the police chaplain.

If this House passes this dangerous bill, more law enforcement families will get these calls and get these late-night visits that no family should ever get.

H.R. 38 is opposed by many law enforcement organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Foundation, the Police Executive Research Forum, Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Associations of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, and many others.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of opposition from the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence.

National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence

Mr. Speaker, the letter, in part, states that the bill will create unacceptable risk to our Nation's 900,000 police officers and the public at large.

The Fraternal Order of Police has come out in opposition to a similar bill in the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, the police are telling us that it is dangerous to them and the public safety at large.

So why is the majority pushing it so hard?

Because, once again, the majority is putting the NRA's agenda above the lives of Americans and our law enforcement officers. This is simply unacceptable.

Why are we considering a bill that puts our officers at greater risk? Why should we take up legislation that we know will increase the number of gun deaths, including among law enforcement officers? Why would we make a dangerous job more dangerous just to satisfy the NRA?

Why is it cosponsored by one of my colleagues who demanded that a painting be taken down for disrespecting law enforcement, but he is willing to cosponsor a bill that puts their lives at greater risk?

I guess it is easier to complain about a picture than stand up to the

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

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a blog post regarding this bill written by Congressman Pallone and myself.

[From the Energy & Commerce Democrats, Sep. 13, 2017]

It's Time To Give the Government an Upgrade for the Mobile World

(By Frank Pallone, Jr. and Robin Kelly)

In the wake of the natural disasters devastating so much of

the country, millions of Americans are turning to federal

agencies for help--but the government's websites don't always

make it easy. We've introduced legislation in the House that

would change that, and it's moving forward at a time when it

can help a lot of Americans who are suffering.

For people who were forced from their homes or are without

power because of hurricanes, storms or wildfires, their only

connection to necessities of survival--food, water, fuel, and

shelter--is through their mobile phones. It's the device they

could take with them when they had to flee their homes. But

while private websites and charities have developed new

mobile websites and apps to help those who are still

struggling, many of the essential government websites on

which people depend are essentially unusable on a phone.

During any natural disaster, we expect the government to be

at its best. But for people whose homes have been flooded,

burned out, or leveled, trying to navigate government

websites on their phones likely feels like a waste of time.

For instance, if you need to start looking for a loan to

rebuild your home, good luck trying to use your phone to

navigate the website for the Department of Housing and Urban

Development. If you need to reach state or local authorities,

the problems get worse. And asking people to hunt down a

working desktop computer right now is just unreasonable.

Although these natural disasters are making this problem

more acute, the need for a

government-wide upgrade is only growing more important every

day. That's because the people who need the most help are

often on mobile devices. If you are young, if you have a

lower income, or if you are a minority, you are much more

likely to use a smartphone as your only entry point to the

internet.

The gap is significant--people earning less than $30,000

were 13 times more likely in 2015 to depend on a smartphone

than people earning more than $75,000. Yet websites that are

intended to strengthen the social safety net like programs

providing food assistance are nearly inaccessible on a phone.

A smart government brings services to people when they need them most--

not the other way around

Last year we crossed a significant threshold--Americans are

now more likely to access the internet on their mobile device

than on their desktop computer. If people rely on mobile

devices, our services should be designed for mobile devices,

and that's why agencies with consumer-facing websites should

be designed with an eye towards mobile first. These mobile

sites can make it easier for people who may not have the time

to wait in line at a government office.

In order to bring government up to speed, we have

introduced the Connected Government Act, which ensures that

all new federal agency websites are designed to work well on

mobile devices. These federal sites would serve as an example

to the states who need to do more to modernize their own

technology. This simple change can have a big impact--from

shorter lines and faster service, to providing more help to

more people. Mobile friendly websites will ultimately help

build a stronger democracy.

Today, our bill is expected to clear a crucial committee

vote in the House. And our colleagues Senators Maggie Hassan

(D-NH) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) recently introduced a

companion bill in the Senate. With this progress, our path to

a smarter government is within reach. Congress should act

soon to get this bill passed.

In the wake of these recent disasters, we need to ensure

that anyone looking for assistance from a federal agency can

get the information they need through their mobile device.

This is the least we can do to help alleviate some of the

stress people feel in times of need.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the coleader on this bill, Congressman Frank Pallone, who has been a strong supporter every step of the way, from the bill's drafting through today's floor consideration. I also thank my good friend Congressman Mark Meadows, a cosponsor of the bill, and I thank Senator Hassan, who introduced the Senate companion.

Mr. Speaker, this is a simple bill that will ensure all government websites are accessible to all Americans. It simply requires that any new or updated Federal websites be mobile friendly. It is 2017. We need Federal websites to work for all Americans.

In the past 90 days, there were 2.61 billion visits to Federal websites. Almost 40 percent of those came from mobile devices. That is over 1 billion hits from mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. But today, according to a report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, 40 percent of government websites don't work on smartphones or are mobile unfriendly.

Alarmingly, many of these sites are critical to serving the American people, like the application for Federal student aid and the launch point for bidding on Federal Government contracts. For millions of Americans without access to reliable broadband or without a desktop computer, smartphones are their doorway to the internet.

A recent Pew report found that younger Americans, low-income Americans, rural Americans, and people of color are more likely to rely only on smartphones to browse the web.

Today, 77 percent of Americans own and use smartphones to access the internet. For 10 percent of Americans, it is their primary access to the internet. That is 32 million Americans. It is unacceptable for 32 million Americans to have difficulty reaching their government simply because we couldn't keep up with technological trends.

Recently, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria showed just how vital smartphones have become, especially during disasters. In the aftermath of these storms, millions of Americans relied on their smartphones to find assistance. Imagine the frustration of navigating SBA, FEMA, or HUD websites, looking for assistance on a 5-inch screen, and the site not working because it is only designed for desktop browsing.

In my time serving as the ranking member of the Information Technology Subcommittee, it has been clear that the Federal Government's IT systems are not working and have not kept up with even the most basic technology trends that are common in the private sector.

Americans deserve a modern American Government that is accessible and responsive to their needs. This bill takes us one step closer to realizing this goal.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill that the CBO has said will have no significant cost to taxpayers.

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

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

H.R. 3071, the Federal Acquisition Savings Act, as amended, would require Federal contracting officers to consider short-term rentals in addition to long-term leasing or purchasing when acquiring equipment agencies need. I would like to thank Chairman Gowdy and Representative Carter for working with the minority in a bipartisan manner to address concerns that were raised about the bill as introduced.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation is currently unclear about whether short-term rentals are permitted. Rental equipment, as opposed to purchasing or leasing, can be a cost-effective option for Federal agencies in certain circumstances.

This bill would provide additional flexibility by allowing such rentals. It would also improve efficiency by requiring the cost- effectiveness of renting to be considered by Federal contracting officers. I support giving contracting officers additional tools to make the most cost-effective decisions.

The bill, as amended, also would require GAO to produce a report card on the use of renting or leasing by Federal agencies. The requirements for that report were very burdensome for GAO in the bill as introduced. I know we all value GAO's work and want to make the best use of its resources. I am glad that those reporting requirements have been streamlined.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this legislation would amend the Former Presidents Act of 1958 to cap a former President's annual pension at $200,000 indexed to inflation. The bill also would provide an additional annual allowance for expenses that would start at $500,000 per year and decrease gradually to $250,000. Under this bill, the annual allowance would be reduced dollar for dollar in instances in which a former President's adjusted gross income in a taxable year exceeds $400,000.

Taxpayers should not have to pay for a former President's allowance if the former President is making a comfortable living earning millions of dollars a year, as many former Presidents do. This legislation would not affect any funding for the security and protection of former Presidents and their spouses. This legislation would update the pension amount for surviving spouses of former Presidents, which has been unchanged since 1958, by increasing it from $20,000 to $100,000.

Last Congress, President Obama vetoed a previous version of this legislation because it would have had unintended consequences. For example, due to technical drafting errors, it would have resulted in the immediate termination of the salary and benefits of certain staff of the former Presidents. It would also have resulted in the termination of leases for office space and the removal of furniture and equipment. That was clearly not an acceptable situation, and I am glad we have been able to resolve these problems in the legislation before us today.

I believe this bill makes fiscal sense, and I urge Members to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say what many in this body have said: we should simplify our Tax Code. However, I am 100 percent opposed to you and your caucus's efforts to write this bill in secret, hidden away from the public eye.

I am 100 percent opposed to your plan to give massive tax breaks to a superrich few and leave middle class and working families to pay the bill. As written, the richest 1 percent of Americans will receive one- third of the overall benefits from your so-called tax reform plan in 2018, but by 2027, this lucky superrich handful of Americans will receive half of its benefits.

Mr. Speaker, that is just wrong. Hardworking moms and dads deserve a tax break, not the wealthiest.

So, yes, I am 100 percent opposed to limiting the State and local tax deduction, a provision in the Republican tax plan that would hike taxes on more than 40 percent of my constituents.

I am 100 percent opposed to limiting the student loan deduction, especially

at a time when student debt totals more than a trillion dollars. Nearly two-thirds of Illinois college graduates have debt, and their average debt totals more than $28,000.

Mr. Speaker, I am 100 percent opposed to repealing the elder tax credit, which helps families keep loved ones at home as they age.

I am 100 percent opposed to denying teachers, hardworking men and women who have dedicated their lives to teaching the next generation, a deduction when they dip into their own pockets to purchase school supplies their students need.

I am 100 percent opposed to repealing the work opportunity tax credit that helps businesses hire our brave veterans and young people starting their careers.

I am 100 percent opposed to repealing the orphan drug expense credit that helps find cures for terrible diseases like sickle cell anemia, pancreatic cancer, and cerebral palsy.

I am 100 percent opposed to saddling my children and grandchildren with an additional $1.5 trillion in national debt just so Republicans can give a tax break to their donor base.

This is a scam. Mr. Speaker, I stand with the National Farmers Union, AARP, the National American Council on Adoptable Children, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Fix the Debt, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Association of Realtors, the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the majority of Americans in opposing your so-called tax reform that is, frankly, nothing more than another attempt by the GOP to steal from the middle class and give to the rich.

Instead of packaging tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, let's work together on a plan for all Americans.

Let's stop allowing one side of the aisle the ability to write legislation affecting more than 300 million people, in secret, behind closed doors, and away from the public eye. I am 100 percent in favor of bringing in some sunlight and letting the American people know exactly what we are doing.

I am 100 percent in favor of doing what we were elected to do: fix problems by working together.

I am 100 percent in favor of real tax reform.

I am 100 percent in favor of giving hardworking moms and dads what they need and deserve: a tax break.

I am 100 percent in favor of growing the earned income tax credit so families get bigger paychecks.

I am 100 percent in favor of creating tax initiatives for businesses that hire and train at-risk young people and underemployed people.

And I am 100 percent in favor of a child care tax credit that actually reflects the true cost of childcare in America.

Let's put the politics aside and give the American people real tax reform that supports working families and our small businesses.

On other note, one more thing I am 100 percent against is more thoughts, prayers, and moments of silence and no action toward gun violence prevention. Shame on us, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise, yet again, because Americans are dying each and every day. The epidemic of gun violence has ended too many futures before they have begun, left too many empty seats at the dinner table, torn too many families apart, and left too many communities asking: How many more before Congress acts?

Mr. Speaker, I can't blame them. With 90 Americans dying from guns every day, this House and this Speaker continue to turn a blind eye to this epidemic.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, one man carried out this Nation's worst mass shooting in history in just 11 minutes, leaving 58 Americans dead. These are mothers and friends, sons

and brothers, people just trying to enjoy some country music.

Instead of going home to their loving families, instead of going home and being greeted at the door by their toddler, they were carried away in bags. They are now another tragic statistic, another empty seat at Christmas dinner--lives taken, not lost--lives with such potential, lives that were doing amazing things, lives that were raising families and serving their community--lives taken, not lost--lives surrounded by hundreds of other lives that will never, never be the same.

Each life taken is a tragedy, but the hundreds of other lives impacted forever in those 11 minutes are, equally, now made tragic.

489 people were injured. Mr. Speaker, let me say that again, because we often focus on those killed but forget about the hundreds fighting for their lives in the intensive care unit. We forget about those who will need to learn to walk again or will never walk again. We forget about the mom who will never hold her baby again because her arms are paralyzed, the other grandfather who will never see his grandchildren again because he has been blinded.

Mr. Speaker, while Las Vegas marked that largest mass shooting in U.S. history, just 477 days earlier, the largest mass shooting was a preventable tragedy at Pulse nightclub in Orlando that took 49 lives and wounded 58.

How can you say there isn't a problem with gun violence when it takes less than 500 days for one horrific mass shooting to eclipse another as the deadliest in American history?

How can you say there is nothing we can do, as Americans die, as kids get shot and are never the same?

How is one man able to be so destructive in such a short amount of time?

The answer is in an after-market modification called the bump stock that turns an assault weapon into a machine gun, something outlawed by this House during the days of Al Capone. Yet it is still possible to walk into a gun store, purchase this device, and, within minutes, have a gun of war in your hands.

Mr. Speaker, how did we let this happen? More importantly, how are we still letting this happen? Why haven't we acted to outlaw these devices that allow people to make machines in their backyard?

There is a commonsense bipartisan bill awaiting action. Why haven't you called it to the floor? Is it because the NRA changed its mind and now opposes the bill?

Crickets--that is what I thought.

How can we keep our families safe when this House and this majority is beholden to the gun lobby dedicated to profits over people?

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and I thank him for leading this important hour tonight.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and with Americans from our great country because it is time to root out racism.

While racism has, tragically, been a part of the American story--from Jamestown to Jim Crow; to the Little Rock Nine, whose 60th anniversary is today--in 2017, we are seeing it rise in new and disturbing ways.

Right now, there is a sham, ``Presidential voting commission,'' plotting to turn back the clock on our voting rights.

Right now, African Americans live in fear that they will be stricken down, unjustly, because of the color of their skin.

Right now there is an un-American and unconstitutional Muslim ban preventing families from reuniting.

Right now the Attorney General is undoing consent decrees and pouring billions of tax dollars into the for-profit prison industry.

Right now there are rabid racists, White nationalists, and White supremacists that this administration won't denounce.

And right now our President refuses to blame White supremacists for racially motivated killings in Charlottesville. The individuals, who inspired this bigoted violence, he called ``some very fine people.''

Just this weekend, we saw President Trump attack athletes for exercising their First Amendment rights; using terms like ``you people'' and ``those people'' in an effort to further divide us.

Our Commander in Chief is uniting those who hate, while ignoring millions of Americans facing a humanitarian disaster in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Florida, and Houston.

Madam Speaker, if we want to root out racism, we need to start at the top. Let's start with this White House.

Racism is a cancer. You don't ignore a cancer. You don't let it fester and grow. You cut it out. You purge it. You remove it. That is what we must do with racism: remove it, stop it before it grows further and consumes us.

America's greatest strength has always been our diversity. It is the source of our economic innovation that made us the world's largest economy. It is our ability to stand shoulder to shoulder and face down any threats that have been made to America, from the Contrabands and the Red Tails to Lance Corporal Jose Gutierrez. It is our ability to see ourselves and our families in one another that makes America great. It is our compassion and belief that we all share a higher purpose, as Americans, that propels us to higher heights.

It is our capacity to come together and break bread, help someone with a flat tire, even give our own lives for those of others. These are the things that make America great, not some idealized, grayscale image of a misremembered past.

It is all Americans who make America great, and that greatness comes in all colors, all genders, all faiths, all orientations. When we stand together, we are stronger. When we are divided, we will fail. That is why it is imperative that we call out racism, decry racism, and, most importantly, root out racism.