Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6201, the ``National Liberty Memorial Preservation Act.''

Four hundred years ago, ships set sail from the west coast of Africa and in the process, began one of humankind's most inhumane practices: human bondage and slavery. For two centuries, human beings--full of hopes and fears, dreams and concerns, ambition and anguish--were transported onto ships like chattel, and the lives of many forever changed.

The reverberations from this horrific series of acts--a transatlantic slave trade that touched the shores of a colony that came to be known as America, and later a democratic republic known as the United States of America--are not fully recognized and remain worthy of further exploration. Approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved from 1619 to 1865 in the American and thereafter in the United States.

The institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the Government of the United States from 1789 through 1865. American slavery is our country's original sin and its existence at the birth of our nation is a permanent scar on our country's founding principles and documents, as well as on the venerated authors of those documents. It is a legacy that continued well into the last century.

The framework for the Constitution and our country to which we all take an oath describes African Americans as three-fifths of a person. The infamous Dred Scott decision of the United States Supreme Court, issued decades later, described slaves as private property, unworthy of citizenship.

And, a civil war that produced the largest death toll of American fighters in any conflict in our history could not prevent the indignities of Jim Crow, the fire hose gatherings, the beatings at lunch counters; and the systemic and institutional discrimination that would follow for a century after the end of the Civil

``The mythology built around the Civil War--that victory by the North eradicated slavery and all of its vestiges throughout our nation--has obscured our discussions of the impact of chattel slavery and made it difficult to have a national dialogue on how to fully account for its place in American history and public policy.

While it is nearly impossible to determine how the lives touched by slavery could have flourished in the absence of bondage, we have certain data that permits us to examine how a subset of Americans-- African Americans--have been affected by the callousness of involuntary servitude.

By the end of the Civil War, roughly 179,000 black men (10 percent of the Union Army) served as soldiers in the U.S. Army and another 19,000 served in the Navy. Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died over the course of the war--30,000 of whom died of infection or disease. Black soldiers served in artillery and infantry units and performed all noncombat support functions that sustain an army, as well. Black carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters also contributed to the war cause.

There were nearly 80 black commissioned officers. Black women, who could not formally join the Army, nonetheless served as nurses, spies, and scouts, the most famous being Harriet Tubman, who scouted for the 2d South Carolina Volunteers.

Because of prejudice against them, black units were not used in combat as extensively as they might have been. Nevertheless, the soldiers served with distinction in a number of battles. Black infantrymen fought gallantly at Milliken's Bend, LA; Port Hudson, LA; Petersburg, VA; and Nashville, TN. The July 1863 assault on Fort Wagner, SC, in which the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers lost two-thirds of their officers and half of their troops, was memorably dramatized in the film Glory. By war's end, 16 black soldiers had been awarded the Medal of Honor for their valor.

In addition to the perils of war faced by all Civil War soldiers, black soldiers faced additional problems stemming from racial prejudice. Racial discrimination was prevalent even in the North, and discriminatory practices permeated the U.S. military. Segregated units were formed with black enlisted men and typically commanded by white officers and black noncommissioned officers.

The 54th Massachusetts was commanded by Robert Shaw and the 1st South Carolina by Thomas Wentworth Higginson--both white. Black soldiers were initially paid $10 per month from which $3 was automatically deducted for clothing, resulting in a net pay of $7. In contrast, white soldiers received $13 per month from which no clothing allowance was drawn. In June 1864 Congress granted equal pay to the U.S. Colored Troops and made the action retroactive. Black soldiers received the same rations and supplies. In addition, they received comparable medical care.

The black troops, however, faced greater peril than white troops when captured by the Confederate Army. In 1863 the Confederate Congress threatened to severely punish officers of black troops and to enslave black soldiers. As a result, President Lincoln issued General Order 233, threatening reprisal on Confederate prisoners of war (POWs) for any mistreatment of black troops. Although the threat generally restrained the Confederates, black captives were typically treated more harshly than white captives.

In perhaps the most heinous known example of abuse, Confederate soldiers shot to death black Union soldiers captured at the Fort Pillow, TN, engagement of 1864. Confederate General Nathan B. Forrest witnessed the massacre and did nothing to stop it.

Madam Speaker, it is obvious that this chamber needs to pass this legislation to honor these soldiers' lives. Black people's labor and service must be amplified because it often goes intentionally overlooked, and this legislation is key in righting that historical wrong.

I am proud to support this legislation and urge my colleagues to as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4693, Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021, which will establish programs and direct the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to carry out activities to prevent and treat malnutrition globally.

This bill would advance targeted and evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of global malnutrition and to improve the coordination of such programs.

Under this bill, USAID must leverage resources to address malnutrition through the Global Nutrition Coordination Plan and its role on the board of directors of the International Development of Finance Corporation.

The Global Nutrition Coordination plan is an interagency effort to strengthen the impact of U.S. investments in nutrition.

USAID must also select countries based on specific malnutrition- related indicators for the purpose of targeting malnutrition prevention and treatment programs.

The plan will prioritize high-need, underserved, marginalized or impoverished communities.

However, countries must display strong political commitment and have existing nutrition strategies already in place, which ensures that the plan to combat malnutrition in a select country will be effective and impactful.

Additionally, USAID may:

establish the Nutrition Leadership Council to coordinate activities to prevent and treat malnutrition;

target resources and nutrition interventions to the populations most susceptible to severe malnutrition, and otherwise support efforts to prevent and treat malnutrition globally;

coordinate activities among partner countries, United Nations agencies, civil society, private sector actors, and others to, for example, build capacity in partner countries to sustain nutrition interventions.

USAID would also be required to provide Congress with an implementation plan and annual reports concerning the programs for treating and preventing malnutrition.

As a senior Member of the House of Representatives and the founding chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I believe this bill is vital for preventing and treating malnutrition around the world.

We must ensure continued focus on multi-sectoral nutrition programs, while monitoring these interventions to ensure effective use of American taxpayer dollars.

I commend the USAID maternal and child nutrition programs that seek to improve health outcomes by implementing nutrition-specific interventions, and those that address the immediate, health-related determinants of undernutrition.

It is no secret that poverty amplifies the risk of malnutrition.

People who are poor are more likely to be affected by different forms of malnutrition.

Furthermore, malnutrition increases health care costs, reduces productivity, and slows economic growth, which can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and ill-health.

Malnutrition can have several negative and deadly effects such as decreased cognitive development in newborns, greater vulnerability to disease and other issues.

Optimizing nutrition early in life, especially from the 1,000 days from conception to a child's second birthday ensures the best possible start in life, with long-term benefits.

According to UNICEF, nearly half of all deaths in children under 5 are attributable to undernutrition.

Every year, the world loses hundreds of thousands of young children and babies to hunger-related causes.

Women, infants, children, and adolescents are at particular risk of malnutrition.

I would be remiss if I stood here today without addressing the global impact of COVID-19 on malnutrition.

The significant and life-altering shocks created by the pandemic and efforts to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 have resulted in the disruption of food systems.

This has also upended health and nutrition services which has devastated livelihoods, as well as threatened food security.

These necessary containment measures have unfortunately caused more vulnerable children to face malnourishment.

By the end of this year nearly 14 million more children are likely to be severely malnourished because of the pandemic's impacts.

This means that 58.9 million young children--or almost the whole population of South Africa--will likely face life-threatening malnutrition if the global community doesn't act.

The pandemic revealed the already existing brutal food insecurity struggles in many nations while triggering economic recessions and jeopardizing access to food.

The combined impacts of environmental factors, COVID-19 and political conflicts place malnutrition as an overwhelming concern in the global community.

I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 4693 because with this bill we are committing ourselves to improving the health of women and children in impoverished areas, helping prevent illness, and improving economic conditions in poorer countries.

Every parent deserves the opportunity to put nutritional food on the table to take care of their families.

By supporting these effective nutrition interventions, we unlock the ability to begin investing in the well-being, growth, and productivity of our generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 812, a bill to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO), and for other purposes.

This bill directs the Department of State to include additional information in its annual reports concerning Taiwan's participation at the WHO's World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer.

The report shall describe changes and improvements to the State Department's plan to support Taiwan's observer status at the WHA, following any meetings at which Taiwan did not participate under such status.

The measure also directs the Secretary of State to establish a strategy for obtaining observer status at the WHA, the decision-making body of the WHO.

Taiwan is excluded from most global organizations such as the WHO, the U.N. health agency, because of the objections of China, which considers the island one of its provinces and not a separate country.

Taiwan cannot be excluded from the global health body because as we have seen, infectious viruses like the COVID-19 pandemic, have the ability to transcend all borders.

Taiwan has contributed more than $6 billion in international medical and humanitarian aid efforts to over 80 countries since 1996 and donated millions of personal protective and testing equipment during the COVID-19 crises.

After successfully suppressing the spread of COVID within its borders, Taiwan also generously donated millions of pieces of personal protective equipment and testing reagents to countries in need.

Taiwan is an important partner to the United States, and we must assist their effort to participate at the W.H.O.

Taiwan's absence from the World Health Assembly over the last several years may negatively impact us all, since public health is safeguarded when everyone is engaged.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic it is now more important than ever for all nations to come together and share information regarding public health.

I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for S. 812 because the U.S. should support Taiwan's involvement with the international community on all matters regarding public health.

These efforts will benefit global public health, and potentially save many lives.

Madam Speaker, today, former Secretary Madeleine Albright was funeralized at the National Cathedral.

I rise today to pay tribute to a great American and a woman who exuded confidence and knowledge of worldwide diplomacy. She was appointed by President Clinton and became a champion for women's rights around the world.

I remember meeting her on the border of Bangladesh, meeting with young girls who had just been trafficked and returned to their native land. How empathetic she was to these young girls who had been traumatized and were Bangladesh citizens.

I understand, as well, that she cared about ensuring that human rights was heard around the world. She was a fighter against anti- Semitism because of the history of her own life and family, fleeing Europe during that time.

As we stand against the ideals of hatred and anti-Semitism, we stand in honor of former Secretary Madeleine Albright.

May she rest in peace, and may her legacy be one of worldwide diplomacy, the rights of women, peace, and solutions to hatred. We never hope to have hatred in this land and in this world. May she rest in peace and rest in power.

Madam Speaker, I was pleased to join the Hoyer codel to Europe, which included a number of countries and also the border between Poland and Ukraine. That is why I am stunned by the remarks of Foreign Minister Lavrov, who indicates that, ``Russia warns of nuclear war risks as Ukraine talks go on.''

Let me speak directly to Foreign Minister Lavrov. Maybe Russia should stop the bestiality, the cruelty, the brutality of this war, the killing of children and seniors, and leaving people to starve, and leaving their soldiers on the battlefield.

It is important that peace talks have an opportunity but saber- rattling gets you nowhere. And frankly, you would be as much afraid of a nuclear outright war than anyone else. Ukraine has a right to be a sovereign-free nation. Their children have a right to grow up free in this world, and democracy has a right to exist over autocracy.

I believe this is Putin's war, a senseless, vile, and violent war.

Thank you to the strength of the people of Ukraine. It is important that the Biden administration do as they have done. We should applaud them for what they are doing, as well as acknowledge what Germany is now doing in providing the air-to-ground weapons.

Stand with Ukraine and stop the saber-rattling.

Russia, stop the war.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act. This legislation takes important steps to keep our children and our communities safe from unsecured firearms.

On May 18, 2018, Kimberly Vaughan was among eight students and two teachers who were shot and killed at Santa Fe High School in Texas. Thirteen others were wounded. The shooter was a 17-year-old who brought a shotgun and a .38 caliber pistol from his home to commit this heinous crime. Neither weapon was stored securely and placed the lives of all these students in jeopardy.

Sadly, school shootings like the one that occurred in Santa Fe have become horrifyingly familiar. In 80 percent of school shootings involving a shooter under 18 years old, the gun was taken from the home of family or friends. Some of these shootings may have been prevented if the weapons were securely stored and made inaccessible to minors. Unsecured firearms also increase the risk of unintentional shootings and suicide.

On average, eight children are killed every day by improperly stored or misused guns. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that if parents keep firearms in their home, all firearms should be locked, unloaded, and stored separately from ammunition. However, only 3 of 10 adults in households with children report storing all guns unloaded and locked up. It is estimated that 4.6 million

American children live in a home with at least one unlocked, loaded firearm.

The Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act encourages responsible firearm storage to make our communities safer. This legislation would require the Department of Justice to establish and publish voluntary best practices for safe firearm storage. It requires a label or notice on most firearms at purchase that says, ``Safe Storage Saves Lives'' and includes the website where the Department of Justice's best practices can be found. It also requires Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to have compatible safe storage devices available for purchase for every handgun, rifle, or shotgun that they sell. The bill authorizes $10 million in grants every year for 10 years to state, local, and tribal governments to distribute safe firearm storage devices. Finally, this legislation incorporates the Prevent Family Fire Act, authored by Congressman Mike Levin, which establishes a 10 percent tax credit to FFLs for safe storage devices sold for up to $400 to encourage the sale of these devices.

I ask my colleagues to join me in keeping our children safe from unsecured firearms by supporting this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1021 in recognizing the holiest of celebrations of the Islamic faith. The holy month of Ramadan is a sacred time of study, sacrifice, commitment and spiritual renewal--a month of fasting, worship, self-reflection, community, and charitable activities.

Muslim Americans embrace the values and ideals that make our Nation great, such as discipline, egalitarianism, empathy, and moderation. In no month is this more evident than in the month of Ramadan, when, from sunrise to sunset Muslims exercise great discipline in abstaining from eating, drinking, and sensual pleasures from sunrise to sunset.

Occurring on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar that begins with the sighting of the crescent moon, Ramadan is a month that Muslims recognize as the month that the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

We are reminded during this holy month of the rich diversity and many contributions that Muslim Americans have made in every sector of society. Diversity is a corner stone of American society and success. Our Muslim American community is a vital contributor to our nations diversity, as well as to the talents, perspectives, and achievements that diversity brings.

Unfortunately, racial profiling, harassment, and discrimination against Muslim Americans have increased since the tragedy of 9/11. Many years of Civil Rights jurisprudence and law have been ignored and thrown out the window when America permits the racial profiling, harassment, and discrimination of Muslim Americans to occur with impunity.

Since its establishment in 1994, Council on American Islamic Relations has fulfilled the important role of being a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding across the United States making it America's largest Islamic civil liberties group. Council on American Islamic Relations has served to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

There are approximately 3 million Muslims living in the United States. Muslims make up approximately 1.2% of the population in the Houston area.

The Islamic Society of Greater Houston began in 1969 when local Muslim families gathered for prayer at a small house in the Medical Center. From this tiny group, their community has grown to include 19 masjids across greater Houston making it the largest Islamic Society in North America.

Through the Shifa Clinics, the Islamic Society of Greater Houston has been healing the community one patient at a time through free medical care provided to all those in need. The Shifa Clinics provide healthcare services ranging from ophthalmology to dentistry to wellness exams and immunizations at 4 clinics across the region.

The Islamic Society of Greater Houston is at the heart of the Houston Muslim Community. It embodies the unity that the Islamic faith brings brothers and sisters together.

Muslims from around the world join in this special joy-filled occasion that brings loved ones together in festive celebration that serves as an inspiration for others.

I have been a proud co-sponsor over the years of the resolution recognizing the start of Ramadan, an important reaffirmation of the diversity and unity of America. Today, I am honored to join my fellow colleagues in recognizing the condemning of Muslim Americans and those around the world for their faith. The Muslim American community is an integral part of the fabric of our nation. We must come together, not apart. Out of many, we are one. May this Ramadan bring joy, peace, and unity throughout the World. Eid Mubarak.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule to consider the Resolution Recommending That the House of Representatives Find Peter K. Navarro and Daniel Scavino, Jr., In Contempt Of Congress For Refusal To Comply With Subpoenas Duly Issued By The Select Committee To Investigate The January 6th Attack On The United States Capitol.

Mr. Speaker, the events that took place on January 6, 2021, constituted an insurrection. A mob of deluded and misguided individuals, inspired by the former President, stormed the Capitol attempting to interrupt the certification of a legitimate election.

Five people died that day and around 140 were injured. The damage to our democracy and republic was just as stark, as the marauders tried to halt our long-standing tradition of peaceful transfers of power.

Our history of peaceful transfers of power serve as a model to the world of what a representative democracy should look like. But all that hard work done by generations of Congresspeople and staff alike was vulnerable that afternoon.

That stain on our national identity and international image was by publicly known indications coordinated by the narcissistic authoritarian who was allowed to occupy the Oval Office, with Peter Navarro and Daniel Scavino, Jr., among the key lieutenants trying to implement that effort.

Both Navarro and Scavino played key roles in the former President's attempt to override the election, with Navarro even publishing a book about his efforts.

The plan, as Navarro described it, was to have members of Congress debate the electoral results from six contested swing states for four hours each, after which Congress would declare the results to be disputed, leading to the House selecting the president based on each congressional delegation getting one vote.

Since Republicans controlled more delegations than Democrats, Navarro assumed this would probably lead to Trump's re-election.

In a January 2022 MSNBC interview, Navarro said the former President was in favor of his plan and that they had ``more than 100'' members of Congress on board.

If that is not a damning admission of guilt, Mr. Speaker, I don't know what is.

It is no surprise Navarro was subpoenaed, and even less a surprise that he didn't show up. He suggested that his absence was rooted in executive privilege, but even that is a false premise,

Navarro has blatantly ignored the Supreme Court's ruling in United States v. Nixon (1974) in which the Court held that presidential communications of the type in question are not within the scope of executive privilege. Additionally, President Biden has confirmed that Navarro's executive privilege does not apply in this instance, but Navarro still won't show up on his own accord.

We, therefore, must hold Navarro accountable for his role on January 6th and fully prosecute him.

As for Mr. Scavino, the January 6th Committee found he had worked with Mr. Trump to spread false information via social media regarding election fraud and had recruited a crowd to Washington on Jan. 6.

The committee said it had ``reason to believe'' Mr. Scavino, whose subpoena was served at Mar-a-Lago, the former president's property in Palm Beach, Fla., was with Trump on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6 in 2021 when plans were discussed to ``challenge, disrupt, or impede the official congressional proceedings.'' He also was with Trump while people trapped inside the Capitol were urgently calling on the president to halt the violence.

The committee said it ``has reason to believe that Mr. Scavino may have had advance warning about the potential for violence on Jan. 6,'' because he was known to monitor pro-Trump websites where plans to commit violence were discussed.

The committee has sought Mr. Scavino's testimony since September, when it issued him a subpoena. The panel said it delayed Mr. Scavino's deposition six times to try to accommodate him.

Mr. Scavino sued Verizon in January--at first, anonymously--seeking to stop the company from turning over his phone records to the committee.

Mr. Scavino's actions are incredibly disturbing, and considering the committee's findings, he too must be held accountable and fully prosecuted.

It is for that reason, Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues' support as well. This resolution reaffirms our commitment to accountability no matter the title, so I am proud to lend it my support.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3807, the ``Relief for Restaurants and Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022,'' which provides $70.6 billion in FY2022 for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased that this Congress is reconsidering this critical piece of legislation for America's restaurant owners. The American Rescue Plan made great progress in providing the funding in an equitable manner, prioritizing women, veteran, and economically and socially disadvantaged restaurant owners. In addition, the majority of funds were reserved for restaurants whose gross receipts were no more than $1,500,000 dollars.

It is essential to promote equity through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Madam Speaker, considering that only 8 percent of restaurants are owned by blacks and 23.8 percent Asian owned businesses are restaurants. As legislators we must do everything we can to ensure their survival.

Unfortunately, the funds appropriated from last year's lifeline did not reach enough of those businesses the Administration prioritized. Due to the efforts of Republican motivated court challenges, the prioritization program was ended just three weeks after it was enacted.

Records reviewed by The New York Times show that hundreds of the 24,000 grants made after the rule change went to applicants who were supposed to have been bumped to the end of the line. During that same period, the agency canceled at least 3,000 already-approved awards.

Additionally, more than 1,000 successful applicants filed their claims on or after May 19, the day after the agency said the fund had effectively run dry.

Countless black owned, veteran owned, and women owned restaurants were shuttered because of this heartless rule change, so it is essential we approve this new appropriation.

To further underscore the personal importance this funding holds to me, I would like to mention a widely loved black owned, and historic Third Ward restaurant: Cream Burger.

Cream Burger sits on the corner of Elgin and Scott and has been in operation for 60 years. It is a cash only restaurant that has only had two additions to the menu across the entirety of its existence: chili cheese fries and bacon.

The Greenwood family has been serving the residents of the Third Ward their delicious burgers and homemade ice cream for decades and has no plans of closing any time soon.

The original owners of the restaurant, Verna and Willie Greenwood, opened the restaurant to generate their own income and create generational wealth, which they certainly have done. Ever since their tragic passing, the business is now owned and operated by their daughters, Beverly and Sandra.

Beverly and Sandra hope to pass the business onto the next generation of children so they can, ``see it through. Maybe 100 years,'' Beverly said.

The restaurant sees a range of Third Ward customers every day, from the students at the University of Houston to the cashiers working at the historic Houston Food Mart just down the street.

Cream Burger is iconic in the city of Houston, and I hold it in the highest reverence. It, and so many restaurants like it, is one of those restaurants that would receive funds from this legislation.

It is for that reason Madam Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 3807, the ``Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022.'' It will help save so many businesses like the beloved Cream Burger, so I urge my colleagues to support this critical piece of legislation as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5633. This bill requires the OIG to submit to Congress any report that substantiates a violation of specified provisions regarding prohibited personnel practices, protected communications, or retaliatory personnel actions.

The bill also requires the OIG to submit to Congress any report about a violation of Presidential Personnel Directive-19 (protecting whistleblowers with access to classified information); or an allegation of misconduct, waste, fraud, abuse, or a violation of policy within DHS involving a senior DHS official.

The OIG must make each report publicly available on its website, with some exceptions.

The bill requires the OIG's semiannual reports to include specified information regarding ongoing audits, inspections, and evaluations.

Mr. Speaker, the importance of this bill cannot be understated. Inspectors General are incredibly important in the justice process, and especially so when Homeland Security is under review.

The Department of Homeland Security has one of the hardest jobs of all federal agencies: protecting the homeland from terror.

As a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I am fervently committed to overseeing and improving the Department of Homeland Security and keeping America safe from terrorism.

One way we do that is through enforcing accountability in all the Department's functions, which is the purpose of this bill.

To underscore its importance, I want to remind this body of critical reports from the Office of Inspector General in the Department of Homeland Security in 2018 and 2019. They brought to light the cruel humanitarian situation migrants were suffering through under the previous administration's zero-tolerance immigration policies.

In 2018, the Office of Inspector General released a scathing report detailing the previous administration's child separation policy.

The details of the report were damning. Specifically, it stated that: Department of Homeland Security was not prepared to deal with the staggering repercussions of separating children from their parents and there was no computer or automated system to facilitate the reunification of parents after they have been separated.

The OIG determined that, despite a 72-hour limit on the time a child may be separated from their parents, many children were separated for five days, and some as long as a dozen days.

The report concluded that the government failed to adequately notify parents of the child separation policy, and the process to initiate reunification.

The OIG found that government officials gave inconsistent information to parents arriving at the border, which had the effect of instituting confusion at these ports of entry.

The report made special note of how the former Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristjen Nielsen signed off on the actions which led to the child separation policy, which is in stark contrast to Secretary Nielsen's May 15, 2018, testimony to the United States Senate.

In another report published in 2019, the Office of Inspector General discussed the pitiful conditions for those being held in detention facilities along the border.

During the Inspector General's visits to five Border Patrol facilities and two ports of entry in the Rio Grande Valley, they reviewed compliance with CBP's Transport, Escort, Detention and Search (TEDS) standards, which govern CBP's interaction with detained individuals, and observed serious overcrowding and prolonged detention of unaccompanied alien children (UACs), families, and single adults that require immediate attention.

Specifically, Border Patrol was holding about 8,000 detainees in custody at the time of our visit, with 3,400 held longer than the 72 hours generally permitted under the TEDS standards. Of those 3,400 detainees, Border Patrol held 1,500 for more than 10 days.

In addition to the overcrowding they observed, Border Patrol's custody data indicates that 826 (31 percent) of the 2,669 children at these facilities had been held longer than the 72 hours generally permitted under the TEDS standards and the Flores Agreement.

For example, of the 1,031 UACs held at the Centralized Processing Center in McAllen, TX, 806 had already been processed and were awaiting transfer to HHS custody. Of the 806 that were already processed, 165 had been in custody longer than a week.

Additionally, there were more than 50 UACs younger than 7 years old, and some of them had been in custody over two weeks while awaiting transfer.

In addition to holding roughly 30 percent of minor detainees for longer than 72 hours, several Rio Grande Valley facilities struggled to meet other TEDS standards for UACs and families.

For example, children at three of the five Border Patrol facilities the Inspector General visited had no access to showers, despite the TEDS standards requiring that ``reasonable efforts'' be made to provide showers to children approaching 48 hours in detention.

At these facilities, children had limited access to a change of clothes; Border Patrol had few spare clothes for the children and no laundry facilities. While all facilities had infant formula, diapers, baby wipes, and juice and snacks for children, the Inspector General observed that two facilities had not provided children access to hot meals--as is required by the TEDS standards--until the week the Inspector General arrived.

Instead, the children were fed sandwiches and snacks for their meals. Additionally, while Border Patrol tried to provide the least restrictive setting available for children (e.g., by leaving holding room doors open), the limited space for medical isolation resulted in some UACs and families being held in closed cells.

These investigations and reports provide just a snapshot of the work the Office of Inspector General under the Department of Homeland Security does. Time and time again, they have shone a much-needed light on affairs that are all of public interest.

It is for that reason Mr. Speaker I strongly support H.R. 5633.

It will hold all decision makers accountable and force their actions to be submitted not only to Congress, but the court of public opinion as well.

This bill prioritizes both transparency and accountability, so I urge my colleagues to support this critical piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1540, the Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2021 or the REPORT Act.

The purpose of this bill is to provide reports to Congress that are jointly developed by relevant federal agencies regarding incidents of terrorism.

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, whenever an incident of terrorism occurs in the United States, to submit to Congress an unclassified report upon completion of the investigation by the primary U.S. government agency conducting the investigation concerning the incident.

The report should contain:

1. A statement of the facts of the incident that are known at the time of the report.

2. Any recommendations for changes in practices or law, consistent with the Constitution, with particular attention to changes that could help prevent future incidents of terrorism.

The bipartisan bill requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, the FBI, and/or the National Counterterrorism Center to work together to submit a report to Congress after a foreign or domestic terrorist attack, which must include an explanation of what happened, any gaps in national security, and recommendations for additional measures to improve homeland security and prevent future terrorist attacks.

After a terrorist attack, federal agencies will be required to report to Congress with information about exactly what happened and recommendations to prevent future attacks.

The first priority of government should be making sure that all Americans are safe, secure, and free.

The 9/11 attack on American soil on September 11, 2001 took the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent civilians and since that day, the role of virtually every federal, state, and local law enforcement agency changed.

The 9/11 attack remains a tragedy that defines our nation's history. But the final chapter will be written by those who are charged with keeping our nation and people safe while preserving the way of life that terrorists sought to change.

On January 6, 2021, during a joint session of Congress, a mob breached the U.S. Capitol, illegally entering the complex, violent participants, incited by the former President's rhetoric, injured scores of D.C. Police and U.S. Capitol Police officers--killing one, while four civilians also died.

The escalation in violent domestic attacks since the January 6 attack has been felt by our nation's law enforcement officers, as well as others which is evidenced by the rise in murder and assaults across the nation.

Today, we find ourselves in a nation where the terrorism landscape is more complex, it is imperative that we recognize and communicate the evolving and unorthodox nature of the terrorism threats we face today.

This bill is the most effective way for us to protect our country through solid reporting and communicating.

To prevent terrorist attacks and ensure efficiency and effectiveness in responding to an attack, agencies need to coordinate with each other to determine what went wrong so that we can strengthen our counterterrorism efforts moving forward.

Congress must have all available information to make the most informed policy decisions following a terrorist attack.

The REPORT Act ensures that members of Congress will receive the full accounting of the facts, so that they can hold federal agencies accountable.

Information sharing with both Congress and the American people, is a vital element of preventing, and responding to, terrorism.

I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 1540 because our mission has been and will continue to be focused on preventing and preparing for all issues surrounding terrorism.

We owe a debt to those who have lost their lives and we must do all that we can to prevent another attack on United States soil.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4209, the ``Department of Homeland Security Illicit Cross-Border Tunnel Defense Act.''

This bill authorizes for FY2022 and FY2023 U.S. Customs and Border Protection activities to identify and close tunnels criminals use to illegally cross our Southern Border.

This bill also directs the Customs and Border Patrol to develop and report to Congress a strategic plan to improve tunnel closures.

According to Customs and Border Patrol, Cross-border tunnels are dug by transnational criminal organizations to smuggle contraband into the U.S. from neighboring countries. Current detection capabilities rely on random tips and the laborious collection of human intelligence (HUMINT).

When tunnels are discovered, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have limited ability to access the tunnel to arrest and prosecute those involved in creating and using the tunnel.

The reason behind such limited ability is because Customs and Border Patrol lack the needed fiscal resources needed to combat tunnel construction and usage. This bill aims to ameliorate that problem.

Mr. Speaker, after considering statements from Customs and Border Patrol, it is clear that people seeking a better life do not use illegal tunnels to achieve such ends. The tunnels are instead used by those seeking to wreak havoc and bring crime into our communities, with no other purpose.

For example, upon discovery of a 183-foot-long subterranean tunnel in Mexicali, Baja California, near the international border, Cardell T. Morant, special agent in charge of HSI San Diego said, ``These types of tunnels enable drug traffickers to conduct illicit activities virtually undetected across the U.S.-Mexico border.''

Morant continued, ``Discovering and shutting down these tunnels deals a major blow to drug trafficking organizations because it denies them the ability to smuggle drugs, weapons and people across the border.''

That tunnel had an entrance measuring 12 feet by 10 feet and extended 3 feet north of the international border wall but had no exit on the U.S. side of the border, apparently creating temporary exits on an ad hoc basis.

The Drug Trafficking Organization who designed it equipped the tunnel with electricity, ventilation, a rail system with a cart, and an electric hoist.

Mr. Speaker, these tunnels, even if they are only open for a short period, can allow traffickers to move massive amounts of drugs, humans, currency, and firearms back-and-forth between Mexico and the United States.

As Chair of the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Committee, I am committed to ensuring our internal and homeland security. Fighting these criminals at every turn is critical to achieving of that objective, and this bill provides the CBP additional tools for that purpose.

I am therefore proud to support H.R. 4209, the ``Department of Homeland Security Illicit Cross-Border Tunnel Defense Act'' and urge my colleagues to as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4476, the ``Department of Homeland Security Trade and Economic Security Council Act of 2021.''

This bill establishes the DHS Trade and Economic Security Council, which shall provide trade and economic security advice and recommendations to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This includes identifying high priority risks and setting priorities for protecting the nation's trade and economic security.

The bill also establishes the position of Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security within DHS's Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.

Mr. Speaker, the mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to secure the nation from the many threats we face.

Those threats encompass not only threats abroad but also at home, and our economic security is integral to national security.

Securing our economy means we will have safeguards in place to help prevent another economic disaster like the one brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, from which countless Americans suffered.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout caused significant hardship. In the early months of the crisis, tens of millions of people lost their jobs.

While employment began to rebound within a few months, unemployment remained high throughout 2020.

Improving employment and substantial relief measures helped reduce the very high levels of hardship seen in the summer of 2020.

Nonetheless, considerable unmet needs remained near the end of 2021, with 20 million households reporting having too little to eat in the past seven days and 10 million households behind on rent.

In early 2022, some 3 million fewer people are employed than before the pandemic, though steady progress has been made, including in recent months.

Hardship in 2020 and 2021 would have been far worse without the extraordinary steps taken by the federal government, states, and localities to respond to the pandemic and its economic fallout.

Key hardship indicators showed strong improvement during early 2021, aided by job growth and government benefits.

Hardship rates fell especially fast thanks to the American Rescue Plan enacted on March 11, 2021, which included $1,400 payments for most Americans as well as other assistance to struggling households.

Food hardship among adults with children also fell after the federal government began issuing monthly payments of the enhanced and expanded Child Tax Credit, which was first distributed on July 15, 2021, along with improvements in food assistance.

While those measures taken by the Biden Administration were swift and, I believe, lifesaving, much of the suffering the American people went through could have been mitigated through extensive planning.

This bill provides those means, which drives my support. No more Americans should suffer because the federal government refused to plan in the case of a disaster.

The DHS Trade and Economic Security Council Act of 2021 is a legislative embodiment of that understanding, so I am proud to support it. I urge my colleagues to as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 831, which reaffirms unequivocal support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as an alliance founded on democratic principles.

This resolution also calls on the President to use the voice and vote of the United States to adopt a new Strategic Concept for NATO that is clear about its support for shared democratic values and committed to enhancing NATO's capacity to strengthen democratic institutions within NATO member, partner, and aspirant countries.

Finally, the resolution calls on the President to use the voice and vote of the United States to establish a Center for Democratic Resilience within NATO headquarters.

First, I would like to commend all Ukrainians for their outstanding courage, resilience, fortitude, and bravery. It is truly inspiring for Americans, and for people around the world. America stands with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

Russia's launch of a premeditated war against Ukraine is an attack on democracy and a grave violation of international law, global peace, and security.

The fighting has sparked massive displacement and has forced over two million Ukrainians to flee their homes to neighboring states and has put women and girls at heightened risk of violence.

Although the world hopes for peace, Russia's invasion of Ukraine shows no signs of ending. Russian forces continue their bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and the southern port city of Mariupol.

Additionally, as a body we must condemn the recent execution style killings of Ukrainians in Bucha.

It is abundantly clear that Russian soldiers were out to torture, rape, and kill innocent Ukrainian civilians. These actions amount to war crimes, and we must treat them as such.

Therefore, along with the President I believe we must hold Russian authorities and President Putin accountable before the International Criminal Court via a War Crimes trial.

This will bring the justice so greatly deserved to those families who lost their mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters to savagery. I additionally believe that this is a good first action under NATO's new Strategic Concept, which this bill seeks to redefine.

Considering the direness of the situation in Ukraine, it is absolutely critical that NATO

powers continue to bind together in opposition to President Putin's soulless actions.

Adopting a new Strategic Concept and establishing a Center for Democratic Resilience will further display to Putin and those like him that the West will not back down to autocrats and dictators.

I therefore am proud to support H. Res 831, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4738, the ``COVID-19 American History Project Act.''

This bill directs the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to establish the COVID-19 American History Project which will collect and make publicly available individual stories and records of experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

The bill includes a requirement to collect video and audio histories and testimonials of those who were affected by the pandemic.

Madam Speaker, the United States will soon reach a grave milestone. As of 9 o'clock this morning, there have been 974,277 American deaths from COVID-19. In the coming weeks, we will reach 1,000,000 deaths.

However, I believe that only focusing on that horrific number, though nonetheless important, makes us forget about who we lost.

Therefore, with this time I would like to tell the stories of my fellow Houstonians who sadly passed because of this unprecedented public health crisis.

The stories I will be recounting are all courtesy of Houston Public Media, of whose journalists I have been a strong supporter.

Knowing that his daughter would be unable to walk at her college graduation commencement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Carlos Araujo-Preza threw his daughter, Andrea Araujo, a belated graduation celebration with her close friends and family in late October. She said he really put in the effort to give her the best ceremony he could.

Dr. Araujo-Preza always went out of his way to make sure his daughter and her brother were taken care of, despite a busy work schedule at Tomball Regional Hospital. The siblings and their father spent their weekends together binge-watching movies and TV shows together.

But in 2020, Andrea Araujo was forced to spend her 23rd birthday without her father.

Araujo-Preza was two weeks away from receiving his first round of the COVID-19 vaccine before he passed away. He died Nov. 30, 2020, at the age of 51.

He knew at a young age he was meant to pursue a career in the medical field. Coming from a family of doctors himself, Araujo-Preza was viewed as a loving caregiver and someone his patients could always rely on.

Araujo-Preza was the leading doctor at his hospital who specialized in plasma research, while also distributing COVID-19 vaccines to nurses.

``His colleagues were fans of him,'' she said. ``They loved when he came into work.''

He would go out of his way to give his personal phone number to patients and would accommodate their needs at any time of day. Araujo said her father would wake up as early as 3 a.m. to go into work. Araujo-Preza would sleep in the hospital for days and sometimes weeks at a time to always be on call for his patients.

Now, Araujo said she tries to live by a saying her father used to share in Spanish: ``The sun always rises the next day.'' Araujo-Preza would tell his children to not let daily challenges in life hold them back. Because, he said, as life goes on, you should too.

``I feel like people always say, `with time, things get better', but I've noticed it's quite the opposite,'' she said. ``Every day gets harder.''

That story was courtesy of Emily Jaroszewski at Houston Public Media.

The next story is one that is especially close to my heart: Dick Cigler from the University of Houston.

Those who were mentored by Dick Cigler would tell you he left a lasting impression as one of the most influential staff members at the Daily Cougar--a highly regarded champion of free speech at the University of Houston's newspaper.

``He taught us about the importance of journalism,'' said Tanya Eiserer, an Emmy-award winning reporter for WFAA in Dallas and former Daily Cougar student editor. ``He really taught us the importance of doing the right thing, doing it for the right reasons, and standing up for the underdog.''

Nowhere was that more evident than when, in the 1990s, a group of UH journalists wrote a series of articles challenging the decreased university budget for UH downtown students and the increased budget for subsidiary campuses.

Dick allowed the students to voice their concerns brazenly.

``He didn't try to, you know, tell us to back down,'' Eiserer said. ``He ran interference, and they knew that we were an independent news operation.''

Eiserer remembers Cigler as being a listening ear and a guiding mentor when she transferred from Baylor University to UH. She regarded him as one of the people who helped her become the reporter she is today.

``I learned how to be a journalist at the Daily Cougar,'' said Eiserer. ``I would not give that time back for all the money in the world.''

Cigler worked as Director of UH's Student Publications department, now known as the Center for Student Media, for 23 years until his retirement in 2010.

His impact on the Daily Cougar can be felt to this day.

Cigler died on Jan. 24, 2021, at the age of 79. He leaves behind his two daughters Kerri Runge and Michelle Cigler.

That story was courtesy of Myrakel Baker at Houston Public Media.

The last individual I want to mention is someone who is a local hero but should be a national one. That person was John Bland.

More than 60 years ago, a group of Texas Southern University students took seats at the lunch counter at Weingarten's Supermarket at 4110 Almeda Road, knowing they wouldn't be served.

It was Houston's first sit-in, and that spring, Black college students in cities across the country forced the beginning of an end to racial segregation--at lunch counters, department stores, and city halls.

One of the TSU students at the sit-in was John Bland, a 20-year-old who spent the rest of his life working to advance civil rights and equal opportunity.

Bland worked as a bus operator at HouTran, now called Metro, and he spent more than 50 years organizing with the Transport Workers Union. He served as a vice president of the Texas State AFL-CIO, a president of the Houston chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, a precinct judge, and a member of the Houston Police Department Citizen Review Committee.

``When workers would doubt their ability to beat the odds and make change, Mr. Bland would say, `When we fought for integration in the 1960s, they arrested me 27 times, jailed me, and fined me, but that didn't stop us,' '' Hany Khalil, Executive Director of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, said.

Bland died on July 9, 2020, at the age of 80. He leaves behind his wife, Betty Davis Bland, and their two daughters and grandson.

That story was courtesy of Jen Rice at Houston Public Media.

I wish I could mention every Houstonian and honor their lives because they all deserve it. They were mothers, wives, fathers, husbands, sons, daughters, and so much more. They will all be missed and are not just another number.

It is for that reason, Madam Speaker, that I strongly support H.R. 4738 and urge my colleagues to support it as well.