Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1105, the ``Debbie Smith Act of 2023,'' a bill that would reauthorize critical grant funding aimed at ending the rape kit backlog.

As the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, I am proud to be one of four original cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation, and I am proud to stand with Representative Steve Cohen and Representative Wesley Hunt.

And I am encouraged by the number of cosponsors--Republicans and Democrats--who have joined us, including Judiciary Ranking Member Nadler, Crime Subcommittee Chairman Biggs, and many other members of the Judiciary Committee.

This bill was introduced by Representative Ann Wagner, who I have worked with on many occasions to ensure that victims of crime receive justice. And this is one such measure.

H.R. 1105 reauthorizes legislation that provides resources to state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to reduce the national backlog of DNA evidence, most notably, rape kits.

Although DNA evidence has proven critical to solving crimes and delivering justice, particularly in crimes of sexual violence, there are still challenges to holding offenders accountable using such evidence.

Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors increasingly collect and rely on DNA evidence, such as rape kits, to investigate and solve crimes.

But delays in processing rape kits and other DNA evidence can result in delays in apprehending or prosecuting violent or serial offenders. It can also result in the wrongfully convicted serving time in prison for crimes they did not commit.

For every rape kit or DNA sample that languishes on a shelf, untested, in a crime lab or police department somewhere in America, there is at least one victim--possibly living in fear and most certainly searching for an end to their nightmare.

That is why, as Ranking Member Nadler said, it is imperative that we end the rape kit backlog.

Since passage of the Debbie Smith Act in 2004, as the firs piece of legislation aimed at ending the backlog of untested and unanalyzed DNA evidence--more than 860,000 DNA cases have been processed with over 376,000 DNA profiles uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System, commonly referred to as CODIS, and nearly 200,000 DNA samples have been matched.

Research has shown that testing backlogged kits can lead to CODIS hits as well as arrests and convictions.

One study of 491 untested kits in the possession of the Houston Police Department yielded l04 CODIS hits after testing, and 16 of those hits led to an arrest.

Debbie Smith grants have helped reduce the backlog in jurisdictions in every corner of the country.

For instance, the New York Times reported that my home state of Texas had a backlog of approximately 20,000 untested kits in 2013.

According to a report by the Dallas Morning News, that number was reduced to just over 6,000 by 2021.

Unfortunately, a measure of the progress made in reducing the national backlog was lost due to the COVID-l9 pandemic.

However, recognizing the accomplishments made since the Debbie Smith Act first became law, I am confident that we will once again reduce the number of untested samples and rape kits and eventually end the backlog.

The Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program provides grants to state and local governments for nine major purposes that include (1) conducting analyses of DNA samples; (2) increasing the capacity of state and local laboratories to carry out DNA analyses; and (3) ensuring that the testing and analysis of DNA samples from crimes, including sexual assault and violent crime are carried out in a timely manner.

The program also provides funds to process offender DNA samples to ensure evidence from unsolved crimes can be matched to the databases of known offenders as in the case of the woman for which this bill was named.

The perpetrator who kidnapped and raped Debbie Smith was identified using a DNA sample collected from him while he was serving 161 years in prison for robbing and abducting two women.

The ``hit'' connecting this individual to her rape was not made until the DNA evidence was analyzed and uploaded to CODIS six and a half years later.

In an op-ed written in 2019, Mrs. Smith said, ``For six and a half years, I lived in the fear that he would return or, even worse, that he would take out his revenge on my children or my husband. That fear held me so tightly that it choked out any joy of life.''

Her fears and thoughts of suicide--simply to find peace--changed when the results of her rape kit analysis identified her rapist.

I am grateful that Mrs. Smith brought this issue to Congress and advocated for victims like herself.

It is now up to Congress to make certain that every victim and every survivor experiences the relief she felt knowing that her rapist could no longer do harm to her, her loved ones, or her communIty.

That is why I will do all that I can to ensure that every rape kit is tested, and every sample is analyzed so that no survivor's voice is silenced and no victim's cry for justice goes unanswered, and that no criminal goes free because of a failure to act.

That includes supporting this bill and encouraging my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and risked their lives to defend our freedoms and way of life and took and lived the oath to ``support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.''

Our Veterans have borne ``true faith and allegiance to the same, an obligation they took freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.''

Veterans are truly heroes walking among us.

I want to thank all of our armed servicemen and women for their selfless dedication to our protection every day.

Veterans Day is a reminder to all of us who live in freedom that as President Kennedy said, ``The price of freedom is high, but Americans have always paid it.''

This Veterans Day is a welcome opportunity to remember the fallen who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country on battlefields around the world--in places whose names may be unforgettable--or locations that have slipped into the pages of history.

We will never forget:

Revolutionary War--Valley Forge; York Town;

Civil War--The Battle of Antietam; The Battle of

Gettysburg;

World War I--The Battle of Argonne; Flanders Field; Verdun;

World War II--Pearl Harbor; Battle of Bataan; The Battle of

Midway; D-Day; Battle of the Bulge; Battle of Anzio; Battle

of Corregidor;

Korean War--Inchon; Heart Break Ridge; Pork Chop Hill;

Vietnam--Tet Offensive; Battle of Hue;

Desert Storm--September 11, 2001; Pentagon Attack (125

killed);

Operation Enduring Freedom; Battle of Kandahar;

Operation Iraqi Freedom; Second Battle of Fallujah;

Operation Allies Refuge; Operation Allies Welcome.

The memory of the fallen is never forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, each Veterans Day, Americans come together to remember those who have served our country around the world in the name of freedom and democracy.

The debt that we owe to them is immeasurable.

Their sacrifices, and those of their families, are freedom's foundation.

Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and Coast Guardsmen and women and their families, our country would not live so freely.

I offer my deepest gratitude to our nation's 1.4 million troops and reservists, their families, and the 16.2 million veterans, including 22,809 here in the 18th Congressional District.

16.2 million brave men and women are veterans of our nation's military service.

This includes more than 1.7 million women, 2.7 million African American men and women, 1.32 million Hispanic men and women, 342,000 Asian American Pacific Islanders, and 113,000 American Indians.

Of the veteran population in the country, 1.5 million veterans call Texas their home.

We use Veterans Day to show our veterans and military families how important they are to us and how grateful we are for them each day.

November is National Caregivers Month to show our caregivers how grateful we are for them.

It is only fitting that we thank those caregivers who serve our military today.

5.5 million spouses, parents, children, and other loved ones care for our wounded warriors and 15 percent of caregivers spend 40+ hours a week providing care for our military families.

As a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security, I care deeply about our veterans.

In Congress, I have sponsored many legislative proposals and co- sponsored more than 50 pieces of legislation that will positively benefit our veterans and their families.

Including H.R. 232, the Real Justice for Our Veterans Act of 2023, which looks to prioritize veterans court treatment programs, ensuring equal access for women, as well as racial and ethnic minorities who have served.

Additionally, I introduced H.R. 236, which would create a ``Battle Buddy Check Week,'' meant to provide outreach and education, as well as peer wellness checks for Veterans.

On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldiers behind.

As a Nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we will leave no veteran behind.

This day and every day, let us honor their service with actions that fulfill our commitment to our troops, their families, and our veterans--and that are worthy of our grateful Nation.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4394--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024. This bill needs to be revised to be truly bipartisan to serve the American people and Houston.

As with all the additional appropriation bills that have been up for consideration on the House Floor, I strongly oppose the passage of this bill for a myriad of reasons--including the following listed below.

The majority has put forth a bill that increases energy costs for American families, undermines the growth and modernization of our energy infrastructure, weakens our national security, and would yield the world's energy future to foes abroad.

With massive cuts that renege on the debt limit agreement that was just signed into law, the 2024 Energy and Water bill raises costs for families and weakens energy security and our ability to out-compete China.

The bill invests $55.2 billion, a decrease of $3.9 billion or 6.5 percent below 2023.

Further, the bill's domestic allocation is effectively 21.5 percent, $5.4 billion, below 2023 while its defense allocation is 3.5 percent, $1.1 billion, above 2023, creating a further disparity between domestic and defense programs.

This harmful legislation would have the following damaging impact on America:

Increases energy costs by cutting the Department of Energy's clean energy programs that lower American families' energy bills;

Jeopardizes energy security by enabling Russia to continue weaponizing energy to destabilize global markets;

Hurts U.S. competitiveness by allowing competitors like China to monopolize markets for new energy technology; and

Fails to confront the climate crisis and create better-paying, clean energy jobs.

The bill cuts the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account by $466 million or 14 percent below 2023 ($1.8 billion or 38 percent below the President's budget request). This office is critical to developing manufacturing, building efficiency, clean energy like hydrogen and solar, and weatherization technologies that are critical to our Nation's growth and resilience.

The bill includes dangerous cuts that House Democrats have been sounding the alarm about for months.

With this bill, House Republicans irresponsibly:

Call for $5.7 billion in untenable repeals from the Department of Energy's Inflation Reduction Act programs, including:

$4.5 billion from the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program;

$1 billion from the Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy Code Adoption; and

$200 million from the State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants.

Repurpose critical Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) resources including:

$3.6 billion from the Department of Energy's IIJA Civil Nuclear Credit Program that help preserve the existing U.S. reactor fleet and save thousands of high-paying jobs across the country; and

$84 million from the Corps of Engineers' IIJA programs.

Revoke $15 billion in loan authority from the Department of Energy's Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program--an increasingly successful program that promotes climate-friendly innovation and American manufacturing.

Sadly, this bill exemplifies Republican misguided values: increasing costs for hardworking families, decreasing job opportunities, failing to confront the climate crisis, and allowing Russia and China to outcompete us.

In an attempt to provide some reasonable action in this unreasonable legislation, I offered an amendment for consideration by the Rules Committee that would help our Nation's government take seriously our ever-changing climate and the crises that ensue creating national and international instability at unprecedented levels and degree.

The Jackson Lee Amendment (Rules Committee No. 121) to H.R. 4394-- Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024, if adopted would have added the following language to this bill:

It is the sense of Congress that energy and water are emerging as paramount and critical issues, posing challenges not only to the United States' national security and economy but to the stability of the global community; and

As each nation grapples with climate change, which is evidenced by climatic events taking place in this nation and others over the last decade, where precipitation in all of its forms and extreme drought have triggered calamities that clearly inform decision makers that nations must be purposeful in preparing to meet these challenges to protect life and human advancement in all of its forms.

Temperatures are rising, snow and rainfall patterns are shifting, and more extreme climate events--like heavy rainstorms and record high temperatures--are becoming more common.

The planet's oceans and glaciers have also experienced changes-- oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, ice caps are melting, and sea level is rising.

As these and other changes become more pronounced in the coming decades, they will

likely present challenges to our society and our environment, our country and our world.

This summer saw the hottest days in Earth's modern history as a climate-change fueled surge of heat shattered temperature records across the globe.

According to scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) in New York, the summer of 2023 was Earth's hottest since global records began in 1880.

The months of June, July, and August combined were 0.41 degrees Fahrenheit (0.23 degrees Celsius) warmer than any other summer in NASA's record, and 2.1 degrees F (1.2 C) warmer than the average summer between 1951 and 1980. August alone was 2.2 F (1.2 C) warmer than the average.

This new record comes as exceptional heat swept across much of the world, exacerbating deadly wildfires in Canada and Hawaii, and searing heat waves in South America, Japan, Europe, and the U.S., while likely contributing to severe rainfall in Italy, Greece, and Central Europe.

As backed up by NASA and global scientists and witnessed by everyone across the world, the Summer of 2023's record-setting temperatures are not just a set of numbers--they result in dire real-world consequences.

From sweltering temperatures in Arizona and across the country, to wildfires across Canada, extreme flooding in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as catastrophic earthquakes striking across the Middle East, extreme weather is threatening lives and livelihoods around the globe.

As we entered into the fall, September started with a typhoon that ripped through Hong Kong, uprooting trees and flooding the city.

It was the first of a slew of extreme weather events that hit ten countries and territories in just 12 days--the most catastrophic being the floods in Libya, which have killed more than 11,000 people according to the UN and left many thousands missing.

Scientists warn that these types of extreme weather events, affecting countries all over the world, may become increasingly common as the climate crisis accelerates, putting pressure on governments to prepare.

These real impacts of climate change are a threat to our planet and future generations that we must continue to confront and tackle head on.

The scientific evidence is overwhelming, and we will no doubt continue to see more climate records and more intense and frequent extreme weather events impacting society and ecosystems, until we come to acknowledge and accept the devastating impact of climate change and actively stop the harms that are contributing to the deadly and damaging climate crises of our time and inevitably forthcoming in our future.

Texans and the constituents in my home district of Houston are no strangers to the adverse impacts and dangers of climate change.

When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, dumping over 50 inches of rain on Houston, it caused more than $125 billion in economic damage as my constituents' homes, workplaces, schools, and businesses flooded.

Yet, research has shown that climate change made Harvey's torrential rainfall much worse, roughly 15 percent to 38 percent greater rainfall than it would have been in a world that was not warming.

This difference is far from insignificant--up to 50 percent of the properties that flooded in Harris County might have escaped that fate in a world without climate change.

Houstonians are not the only ones to have faced harm from climate change fueled national disasters.

Since 1980, the US has sustained 341 weather and climate disasters, coasting over $2.4 trillion in all.

However, for Houstonians, Texans, and all of our constituents, the worst of the threat is far from over.

The US coastline is projected to rise 10 to 12 inches in the next 30 years, threatening the coastal states and vastly increasing the risk of flooding for those on either coast.

Average global temperatures will continue to rise, prompting a crop loss of 10 percent in the next 5 to 25 years, melting glaciers, and further driving the rise of sea levels.

It is estimated that climate change could cost from 30 to over 100 billion dollars per year, along with significant potential for economic and federal revenue losses.

The OMB has predicted that climate change could reduce the national GDP by as much as 10 percent by the end of the century, costing a $2 trillion loss in the federal budget.

Further, some of the most severe harms from climate change will fall disproportionately on socially vulnerable populations, including racial and ethnic minority communities.

Additionally, the GAO has highlighted that climate change further poses threats to national security, as rising sea levels and catastrophic storms threaten both military and civilian infrastructure and can even affect migration patterns.

There is no Planet B. We must address the existential threat of climate change now.

We are seeing the consequences of climate change at home and abroad.

However, Republicans continue to deny the scientific consensus of climate change.

Now more than ever before, we need to strengthen our energy security and diversify our energy sources, so we are not dependent on global adversaries--while also tackling the devastating global and economic policies impacting our climate.

And yet today, House Republicans are putting forth a bill that threatens to raise energy costs for more than 250,000 U.S. households and halt the creation of more than 50,000 new jobs, while failing to acknowledge and address energy policies that are decimating our global climates.

I call upon my fellow colleagues across the aisle to stand up against these harmful and dangerous policies offered in this appropriations bill.

For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote in opposition to H.R. 4394, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Act of 2024.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I am pleased to speak on the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM).

American society today embraces a remarkable breadth of cultures, and Hispanics are an integral part of this diversity.

The Hispanic American community is a beautiful array of distinct groups, including people with roots in Central and South America, including our neighbors in Mexico and the Caribbean, and Spain.

In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson designated a National Hispanic Heritage Week because of the growing impact of the Latin American culture in shaping the Nation and society.

The week was expanded in 1988 to a 31-day period by President Reagan to provide all Americans the opportunity to participate and commemorate the important contributions of the Hispanic culture to mainstream America.

Today in communities across the Nation millions of American families come together to celebrate in this facet of American culture and participate in traditional comidas and fiestas.

There are over 63.7 million Hispanics living in the U.S. and Hispanics continue to be the fastest growing ethnic group.

In Harris County, Texas there are 43.1 percent Hispanic, approximately 2.02 million people.

In 2022, 44.5 percent of the Houston population identified as Hispanic or Latino in the Census.

Not only is this a month to celebrate Hispanic culture and traditions, but it is also a time to reunite and celebrate the importance of keeping traditions alive through family gatherings and fiestas.

Yet, in the time we currently live in many families are separated from one another.

While we must acknowledge the challenges at our border, we should never forget that behind the statistics given to us are real families, real children, and real people in desperate need.

One of my own staffers, Amy Arceo, had her grandmother rejected USA entry and banned for 10 years due to crossing the border from Mexico, when all she wanted to do was to see her family and return home.

After those 10 long years and an additional 3 years to work her way through our immigration system, her grandmother Ma. Esperanza Bugarin was finally able to receive her papers to re-enter the USA.

Her family has been reunited after 13 long years of being separated from one another, the ban having forced her to miss many important family events.

During this month, let us reaffirm our commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and most importantly unity.

It is essential that we continue working together to break down barriers and ensure that all Americans, regardless of their background, have equal access to opportunities and the chance to achieve their dreams.

On behalf of my constituents and in my duties as a U.S. Representative, I am committed to speaking up for the rights of Hispanics and confronting the issues that affect them.

From lowering the uninsured healthcare rates and fighting to make higher education more affordable, to championing an increase in the minimum wage and addressing the economic challenges facing working women and families, my colleagues and I will continue working for the Latino community's top priorities.

Devoted to family, faith, country, and hard work, Hispanic Americans bring unique and bountiful perspectives and experiences to our national community and character.

The vibrant Hispanic influence can be seen in all aspects of American life and culture, and especially in Houston, Harris County and Texas, and from distinctive cuisine to colorful festivals, and from the rhythms and melodies of traditional music to the contagious beat of today's most popular songs.

The Hispanic community has persevered in the face of discrimination and hardships.

While significant barriers still stand in our way, I will continue fighting with a strong commitment to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and to support an inclusive and unified country.

Madam Speaker, I just spent time with my constituents over the weekend, and everywhere I went and announced that the government was going to remain open because of the advocacy of Democrats, there was applause. No matter what party, what affiliation they had, there was applause to recognize that law enforcement would be paid, those at the border would be paid, the supplemental nutrition program that families so desperately need would be provided for, and the women and children program would be provided for.

However, at the same time, it is important to take note that we have passed draconian appropriation bills that sizably cut what working families need--the supplemental nutrition program, the WIC program, housing.

We cannot continue on this route. We must find a bipartisan pathway to fund this government, recognizing that we do have a deficit created by the past administration and that we have been dug out of poverty because of Biden's American Rescue Plan Act that cities have depended on. These cities relied on large Federal dollars that helped them bridge the gap during the pandemic for rural communities, as well.

Madam Speaker, we are getting ready to take a monumental step today. Let's focus on the priorities for the American people.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania for her leadership and for managing this rule that we now have on the floor of the House.

I stand here in the name of so many Americans who live in cities and rural communities that are so dependent on the Federal funding that helps to bridge local government funding, and also those who are most vulnerable in our Nation.

As I rise today, we Democrats did come together to stop the shutdown. As I said earlier, there was applause across my district. At the same time, bills are passed that really shock me. Again, bills were passed that cut $800 million from the women, infants, and children program dealing with feeding babies. Then, one of the most talked about issues across America--we just saw something where Habitat for Humanity is building 39 homes under the name of the great President Jimmy Carter and his wife. Here we are cutting $1 billion to $500 million from the HOME Investment Partnerships Program that directly deals with the funding that is necessary.

Can you believe the cuts in Medicare? Can you absolutely believe that that is what is happening? The bills are being passed by the Republican majority.

Now, I thought they were concerned about Homeland Security--I served on this committee since 9/11--but border management funding has been severely cut for shelter and services programs, the very programs that are needed by those who come seeking asylum or even those who come whose asylum will be rejected, but the burden is on those local cities. The USCIS and the Transportation Security Administration are both receiving cuts.

Then, of course, we are dealing with this particular legislation, legislative branch and energy and commerce.

It is important to note that funding dealing with water, dealing with climate, and dealing with renewables are all being cut.

I offered amendments in particular to deal with water that were not accepted. I offered amendments to ensure that DACA residents could be hired, which we have done before. Those are individuals that did not spend any time in their foreign land, were brought here as children, and are now doctors, paramedics, lawyers, and teachers, and because of the DACA program we cannot hire them. How insensitive is that?

Then the attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, all of the amendments throughout the entire time that attack them. Then to get rid of the diversity office that we worked so hard for, to ensure that this Congress, the people's House, the United States Senate, reflects the wonderment of America, this wonderful experiment that the world looks to and says: How great this land is. ``My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty.'' That is what America is to people. How can we in appropriations after appropriations put in these poison pills?

We stopped the shutdown, but what I can say to you is there is more work to be done. We don't know what the vote will be on the floor today, but I want whatever happens, as I said before, to be for the best for the American people. That is Democrats leading.

Mr. Speaker, the people of America are suffering. We have repeatedly told them that they are our priority, but the people of America are suffering while my colleagues insist on a government shutdown, which is what they are doing.

Blatantly they have violated the very agreement that Speaker McCarthy and the President of the United States--two people holding the greatest trust--agreed to to be able to go forward on a funding scheme that would save the American people.

Yet, we stand here today where my very constituents in Houston, Texas, are going to have the soldiers that served in our Nation's military not paid. It is going to have $2 billion in loans to small businesses not given. It is going to stop nearly 800,000 children from getting nutrition. It is going to stop 456 million people from getting housing, and yet, we are standing here stating that we are patriots?

I don't want a government shutdown. Food safety will be, in essence, in jeopardy. Law enforcement will not be paid. These are the people who say we are pro-law enforcement, but, yet, they will not be paid.

What goes on with the Senate? It is a bipartisan resolution that if we vote on it today as it comes across, the government will stay open.

I support the previous question because the people of America are suffering, and I don't expect this draconian cutting of everything, losing salaries for the military, cutting out food benefits, cutting Social Security payments, cutting Medicare payments, Medicaid payments, to be our definition of individuals who are standing here working for the American people and fellow Houstonians.

My commitment is to be here to insist that the government not close. I don't know why a commonsense continuing resolution cannot be passed.

I do want to say that as this has been offered into the Record, the President's statement, how can we run government if a deal that Speaker McCarthy made with the President of the United States on behalf of the people of this Nation cannot be kept?

As I stand here today, I want to say that people are suffering. Let us stop their suffering and keep the government open.

Mr. Speaker, let me take a moment to offer my deepest sympathy to the people of California, her family, and the people of this Nation on the passing of Senator Feinstein.

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious moment in history. This is a serious moment for patriots and persons courageous enough to do the right thing.

I started out this morning by saying it will be the American people that will suffer, but it will be my neighbors in Houston and my fellow Texans.

We have a solution, and I think it should be very clearly stated. What my friends on the other side of the aisle are arguing is chaos and confusion. They are arguing no solution. They are shouting from the top of their lungs to be heard and to generate excitement for social media, but we have a very calm situation.

The Senate has voted 77-19 to put forward a reasoned extension, keeping the funding as it is, making sure our military is being paid, not cutting off women and children from supplemental nutrition--these are infants we are talking about--and taking care of communities, like the firefighters in the West who are suffering after fighting fires and other natural disasters.

They have a CR. It will come here. It has a privileged status. That status will allow us to vote. The government will be open, and then the engagement on issues that are in disagreement or agreement could be worked out.

If we continue this shrill talk and don't reasonably act courageously as patriots to be able to stop the suffering of the American people, we will have 50,000 pounds of cocaine here because we won't have Customs and Border officers.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding additional time.

Mr. Speaker, we will have 110,000 children--where their parents are going to work--that will have no Head Start slots; 65,000 will not have access to childcare; 60,000 seniors will be robbed of nutrition programs. Then we will have 2.3 million women, infants, and children, as I said, without WIC. No educational dollars, fewer teachers, 4,000 fewer safety inspections, and we will be undermining law enforcement.

So if everyone wants to be shrill, here is a solution. Bring the temperature down, pass the Senate CR, open the doors, and stop these draconian cuts because you are hurting the American people and my fellow Houstonians.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in opposition to H.R. 5525 Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024.

The reckless funding proposal included in this bill would painfully impact the lives of millions of Americans by making disastrous cuts to programs that workers and families count on every day.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are more focused on introducing unpopular and dangerous funding bills that cut virtually all non-defense discretionary funding by 8 percent than working on a bipartisan solution that could be enacted.

The Republican funding bill is a short-term radical solution and would only keep the government open until October 31, 2023.

This deadline guarantees Congress will need to pass another Continuing Resolution (CR) and means either House Republicans will slash critical resources again at the end of October or the dangerous cuts in this extreme bill will be in place until Congress is able to pass all 12 full-year bills.

In exchange for keeping the government open, House Republicans are:

Slashing investments in the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Medical research into treatments and cures for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, and heart disease would be cut with the reduction of 2,000 research grants.

Furthering their goal of eliminating public education by cutting funding for Title I, IDEA, and Head Start. Cuts to Title I and IDEA would be the equivalent of removing more than 40,000 teachers and service providers from classrooms serving low-income students and students with disabilities. And approximately 100,000 children would lose access to Head Start, undermining early education for children in low-income communities and parents' ability to go to work.

Failing to support communities recovering from natural disasters. In the midst of hurricane season and with several response and recovery efforts to major disasters underway, this bill harms FEMA's readiness by failing to address the urgent need for additional Disaster Relief Funds to address existing shortfalls and respond to future unknown disasters.

Cutting border security funding. Despite claims that this bill prioritizes border security, it does the opposite by cutting funding critical to those operations. The bill would ensure disruption and chaos at the border, harm our economy, empower transnational criminal organizations, endanger communities, and put our agents' and officers' lives at risk.

Neglecting our water infrastructure by cutting funds to the Army Corps of Engineers. House Republicans are cutting funds to the Army Corps of Engineers Construction activities by 21 percent. With $444 million slashed from the Corps of Engineers' Construction activities, projects critical to waterway navigation of supply chains, reducing flood and storm damage, or providing ecosystem restoration would freeze.

Taking food out of the mouths of children, families, and seniors. House Republicans are threatening food safety, raising the costs of food, and killing jobs in rural communities by slashing the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) by 11 percent (or $124 million).

Turning their backs on America's small businesses. The Small Business Administration (SBA), Entrepreneurial Development Programs would be cut by 8.1 percent. This means approximately 107,000 fewer small businesses would be assisted. This would have a significant impact on underserved communities such as Veterans, Women, and Native American entrepreneurs.

Slashing resources for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and Opioid Use Disorder treatment. The Republican CR cuts funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by 18 percent. Nearly 1 million people facing a suicidal or mental health crisis would be unable to access support services through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and thousands of individuals would be denied admission to opioid use disorder treatment, denying them a potentially life-saving path to recovery.

Mr. Speaker, their unrealistic proposals almost guarantee that our government will shut down tomorrow at midnight.

A Republican government shutdown would hurt hard working families in Texas:

172,877 active duty and reserve personnel serving our nation's armed forces in Texas would be forced to go without the pay they earn during a shutdown.

The Small Business Administration would stop processing small business loans, halting a program that provides $2,742,702,800 in funding to small businesses in Texas every year.

176,276 people flying through Texas airports every day would face potential delays and safety concerns due to staffing impacts on TSA agents and air traffic controllers.

786,686 people in Texas would soon lose access to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits.

168,4l3 federal workers in Texas would be furloughed or forced to work without pay, in addition to the many employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed, or see their hours cut.

Workers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be sidelined, risking interruptions and delays to the 892 food safety, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and other inspections conducted in Texas last year.

The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing housing loans, which provide $456,125,359 in funding to help 2,742 families in rural Texas communities buy homes every year.

The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing farm loans which provide $209,391,000 in funding for farmers in Texas every year.

3,291,584 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in Texas would lose access to benefits in a prolonged shutdown.

5,4l3,161 people who visit national parks in Texas every year would be turned away or unable to fully access parks, monuments, and museums.

State governments would be forced to pay for federal services like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, potentially risking benefits for the 20,846 TANF beneficiaries in Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to oppose H.R. 5525 as its passage would be detrimental to lives of millions of Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to acknowledge our great President Jimmy Carter and thank him for his life and service.

It is becoming that we stand on the floor today to be able to speak in contrast to the generosity of the Carters to where we are today because we are supposed to be saving America.

Frankly, we now have a challenge where the Republican leadership cannot even find a way to stop the government from shutting down. I think if the American people knew what their plan was, you might ask the question: Is it possible to lead in this way?

Attacking the National Institutes of Health, that is what they are doing.

They are cutting education and dollars for disabled children and taking money away from 150,000 teachers who

I will be engaging with in my hometown by phone.

Of course, they are not recognizing the needs of energy support for those low-income families and not helping those communities that are suffering every day from natural disasters. We know the West has suffered from fires. We in the southwest have suffered from floods.

Of course, they are disrespecting the needs of Israel and Ukraine.

This is not the American way, and now we are gone because the bill they put up could not even get the Republican votes.

Let's do what is right for the American people. Don't shut down. Stand up for the American people.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4365--Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act.

As with all the additional appropriation bills up for consideration on the House Floor, I strongly oppose the passage of this bill for a myriad of reasons--including the following:

It is disappointing this bill does not include funding for a new Southwest Border Contingency Fund. This fund would enable DHS to respond more effectively to changing conditions on the Southwest border and fulfill its critical and complementary missions of securing the border, performing efficient and effective screening and processing, and meeting the Nation's humanitarian obligations.

It also shameful that this bill seeks to eliminate the Shelter and Services Program, a priority grant program for DHS that provides temporary food, shelter, and other services to state and local entities and nongovernmental organizations that provide support to migrants who are released from DHS custody. This grant program is a key mechanism for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to relieve overcrowding in short-term holding facilities.

This bill further fails to provide appropriations for USCIS application processing and grant programs. Without this funding, USCIS would be unable to improve its operations and the application processing backlog would continue to grow in FY 2024.

It is absolutely abhorrent that this bill eliminates the TVTP grant program. TVTP provides funding to nonprofits and to State, local, tribal, and territorial governments to develop multidisciplinary targeted violence and terrorism prevention capabilities in local communities, to pilot innovative prevention approaches, and to identify prevention best practices that can be replicated in communities across the Nation.

Targeting violence and terrorism at our borders and throughout our Nation is the only way we will be able to combat the incredibly intricate and widespread webs of trafficking run by violent gangs and terrorists.

The ability to combat human trafficking and missing and exploited children depends on the ability of jurisdictions, organizations, and programs to receive government funding and support.

I also stand with the Administration in strongly opposing section 220 of the bill, which would prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using appropriated funds to carry out the Administration's immigration enforcement priorities, as well as the

requirement in the bill for ICE to fill 41,500 detention beds and enroll all nondetained migrants in Alternatives to Detention. These requirements are unrealistic, pose implementation challenges, and would dilute the Department's focus on protecting America from security threats.

This bill wrongfully eliminates funding for the Young Adult Case Management Program, as well as for Operation Horizon, and grant funds for a case management pilot program. These restrictions would simultaneously strain limited resources and remove valuable flexibilities in managing low-risk populations.

Prohibiting the transport of noncitizens to interior locations risks overcrowding at border processing sites and other DHS facilities, threatening to exacerbate life and safety concerns of those in custody.

Section 222 of the bill is also particularly harmful, which would make it more difficult to access lawful reproductive healthcare. I stand in strong opposition to this section, which targets LGBTQI + individuals who are in ICE detention.

This bill further prohibits the use of funds to implement the Administration's Asylum Processing Rule--which serves as a key part of the Administration's efforts to streamline the immigration system, allowing USCIS Asylum Officers to hear and decide certain asylum claims in the first instance.

I further oppose the bill's prohibition on using funds to implement the Administration's Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Rule. The Rule encourages migrants to use lawful, safe, and orderly processes for entering the United States; imposes conditions on asylum eligibility for those who fail to do so or fail to seek protection in a country through which they transit; and supports the swift return of migrants who do not have valid protection claims. The bill would undermine DHS's continued ability to safely, effectively, and humanely enforce and administer U.S. immigration law.

I also strongly oppose the bill's restrictions on using the CBP One application. A key part of the Administration's efforts to foster fair and orderly conditions at the border, the CBP One application allows border officials to screen migrants seeking asylum along the Southwest border, and issue them a document to appear in court upon their arrival.

Lastly, I oppose the homeland security appropriation bill for its rescission and reappropriation of $2.1 billion in border wall funding. Building a border wall is not a serious policy solution nor is it a responsible use of Federal funds.

In addition, certain provisions of this bill raise separation of powers concerns, including by conditioning the Executive's authority to take certain actions on receiving the approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.

This bill does nothing to advance our ability to fund our government appropriately and responsibly. And it also does nothing to prevent a shutdown, which is what we should be focusing our time on preventing.

Aside from being built on a foundation of reneging on the budget agreement that was just signed into law, the 2024 Homeland Security funding bill squanders billions of dollars on misguided border measures, while disregarding the threats presented by terrorists, transnational criminals, and violent extremists.

As outlined above and summarized below, this legislation:

Wastes over $3.7 billion on ineffective border security and immigration policies, while failing to address the ongoing fentanyl and opioid crisis and doing nothing to address the growing requirements at our ports of entry and interior Border Patrol checkpoints--thus, providing a false sense of national security by spending billions on outdated and expensive border wall, leaving our ports of entry and interior Border Patrol checkpoints vulnerable to the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit narcotics.

Eliminates critical funding for CBP's border management requirements, $2.4 billion below 2023 levels, and fails to fund a third Joint Processing Center--thus, cutting necessary funding to manage the border safely and securely, putting our DHS workforce and our border communities at risk.

Cuts requested funding to combat terrorism, extremism, and cybersecurity attacks by over $232 million--thereby, weakening our national security through inadequate cybersecurity and infrastructure security investments, opening the U.S. to increased cyberattacks and foreign adversary influence and failing to protect our communities from violent extremists, underfunding programs that enhance regional preparedness and response capabilities, making our communities less secure.

Guts funding for climate-change, climate-resiliency, and facilities transformation initiatives by over $748 million--thus, leaving Americans vulnerable to the growing number and increasing severity of natural disasters by failing to deliver needed resources to mitigate the loss of life and property, combat climate change, and support climate resilience.

Reverses our commitments to the TSA workforce cutting funding for workforce pay and collective bargaining initiatives by over $469 million from the request--thus, undermining the Transportation Security Administration workforce by unfairly implementing the pay restructuring we committed to last Congress.

Slashes funding for humanitarian programs by over $796 million, including family reunification efforts, immigration detention oversight, the Citizenship and Integration Grant program, and refugee processing--mandating ICE maintain no less than 41,500 detention beds and requires all individuals on the non-detained docket enrolled into the Alternatives to Detention Program be on GPS monitoring program throughout the duration of their immigration proceedings without the funding to implement.

Reduces funding for diversity and inclusion efforts by over $12.5 million--thereby, setting us back as a nation not only in critical recruitment and retention, but in our morals, standards and liberties as Americans representing and fighting for and on behalf of a nation that can only elevate through advancements in diversity and embracing inclusivity.

This offensive and irresponsible appropriations bill is a shameful effort to target underserved, underrepresented, and vulnerable populations while only weakening our Nation's defenses and resiliency.

For all these reasons, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 90 to H.R. 4365--the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024.

I want to thank my colleagues on the Rules Committee for making this amendment in order.

The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 90 is an important and potentially life-saving amendment in an unfortunate and distracting appropriations bill.

Namely, the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 90 seeks to allocate $10 million to fund Triple Negative Breast Cancer Research (``TNBC'').

I must offer my appreciation to both the military and the Biden administration for making research into breast cancer a priority, but there is still work to be done.

Breast cancer accounts for 12.5 percent of all new annual cancer cases worldwide, making it the most common cancer in the world.

This issue is extremely important, especially for the brave men and women in the military, who are up to 20-40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

There are few people in this country whose lives have not been touched by breast cancer.

Yet, there are persistent disparities in breast cancer incidence and death rates:

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States for Black and Hispanic women.

Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than women of any other racial or ethnic group.

Experts believe that it's partially because about 1 in 5 Black women is diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, more than any other racial or ethnic group.

Compared with non-Hispanic white women, Black women are less likely to receive guideline adherent care and have an approximate 2-fold higher mortality incidence, resulting in a disproportionately higher risk of death from Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (``TNBC'') is one of many forms of breast cancer and accounts for about 15-30 percent of all diagnosed invasive breast cancer cases in the United States.

Due to its aggressive behavior, TNBC grows quickly and is more likely to have spread at the time it is found and is more likely to come back after treatment than other types of breast cancer.

TNBC cells do not contain (are ``negative for'') three key receptors that medicines typically target in other types of breast cancers; therefore, there are limited treatment options that can be used to treat the cancer.

Patients with an early diagnosis can often be treated with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery; however, the limited therapies available specifically addressing the management of TNBC has made treating this disease a challenge for clinicians.

Recent innovation in targeted therapies have fueled advances in the fight against TNBC.

Advances in breast cancer screening and treatment over the last few decades have reduced the overall breast cancer mortality rate, yet the disproportionate impact of TNBC on racial and ethnic minority communities raises considerations about the underlying determinants driving the disparities.

It is necessary to promote TNBC education, raise awareness about the disease-related disparities, and tackle inequities within the health care delivery such as inadequate access to screening, diagnostic testing, and care, to improve early detection and survival.

The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 90 would allow for more research so we can one day hopefully learn a way to reduce the number of military personnel affected by breast cancer.

We all know, by the way, that breast cancer can affect both men and women.

The bad news is breast cancer has been just about as brutal on women in the military as combat.

Let me say that sentence again. Breast cancer has been just about as brutal on women in the military as combat.

More than 800 women have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Army Times; 874 military women were diagnosed with breast cancer just between 2000 and 2011. And according to that same study, more are suspected. It grows.

The good news is that we have been working on it, and I want to add my appreciation to the military. This amendment, however, will allow for the additional research needed.

As new young women come into the United States military, as women stay longer in the United States military, as women get older in the United States military, as women ascend to leadership roles in the United States military, these dollars provide research.

Not only is breast cancer striking relatively young military women at an alarming rate, but male service members, veterans and their dependents are at risk as well.

With a younger and generally healthier population, those in the military tend to have a lower risk for most cancers than civilians-- including significantly lower colorectal, lung and cervical--but breast cancer is a different story.

Military people in general, and in some cases very specifically, are at a significantly greater risk for contracting breast cancer, says Dr. Richard Clapp, a top cancer expert at Boston University who works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on military breast cancer issues. He says life in the military can mean exposure to a witch's brew of risk factors directly linked to greater chances of getting breast cancer.

So, my friends, I am asking that we do the right thing.

We are on the right track, we are on the right rail, we are on the right road.

But with the expansion of women in the military, I can assure you, for long life, a vital service that these men and women give, it is extremely important to move forward with this amendment.

Researchers have pointed to a higher use of oral contraception in the military than in the general population, and oral contraception has long been linked to breast cancer among women--an alarming factor that would ensure that this particular amendment would be a positive step forward.

Despite significant advancements in prevention, diagnoses and treatment, more progress can and must be made, not only to reduce the fatality rate of breast cancer, but also to research methods of prevention and ways to drastically reduce risk factors.

To this end, I have over the years been successful in winning passage of several Jackson Lee Amendments to the National Defense Appropriations Act in prior years to improve breast cancer research across the United States.

I am here today seeking support for the same amendment to provide increased funding for the Defense Health Program's research and development by $10 million. These funds would specifically address the issue of breast cancer in the United States military.

Several initiatives I have designed in the past have aided active- duty servicemen and women along with veterans, such as enforcing accurate reporting of maternity mortality rates among the Armed Forces, addressing physical and mental health concerns, and securing authorization for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as Triple Negative Breast Cancer research funding.

Additionally, I have introduced H.R. Bo, the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act of 2013, which focuses on expanding, intensifying, and coordinating programs for the conduct and support of research on triplenegative breast cancer, a type of breast cancer that is difficult to detect but disproportionately impacts African American and Hispanic women.

I am very proud of the work that I and Congress have done to address the health concerns of active duty and veteran servicemen and women, but there are still improvements to be made.

As a breast cancer survivor myself, I understand the toll which this destructive disease takes on patients and their family members.

Support and encouragement are invaluable resources to those battling

cancer, and spreading awareness of one of the most pressing health concerns can help minimize the burden on those currently fighting.

The men and women who are on the front lines or have already completed their valiant service to this country have many pressing issues and challenges they already must face; breast cancer should not be one of them.

Our service members fight and sacrifice for our freedoms.

Now, as lawmakers, we should be working to ensure to protect their lives and freedoms--not trying to take their rights away.

While the negatives of this defense appropriations bill disappointedly outweigh my positive amendment, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 90--notwithstanding my strong opposition and encouragement to vote down the underlying bill.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4665--Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024.

While I am grateful the Rules Committee made my Jackson Lee Amendment 16 in order, I strongly oppose the underlying bill.

I will, however, briefly recap why my amendment is important for this particular measure should we be able to move forward with a feasible appropriations bill that can accommodate this amendment.

The Jackson Lee Amendment 16 increases funds by $1,000,000 and decreases funding by $1,000,000 for the Global Health Programs account to highlight and support the fight against the practice of Female Genital Mutilation.

I have been a dedicated champion against this practice for a long while, working closely with former Congressman Joe Crowley of New York to introduce legislation targeted at supporting the elimination of this ludicrous practice of mutilating young women.

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

This practice is rooted in gender inequality and is often linked to other elements of gender-based violence and discrimination, such as child marriage and recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of women and girls.

Unfortunately, this means an estimated 200 million girls and women alive today have been victims of FGM/C, with girls 14 and younger representing 44 million of those who have been cut.

For example, consider that around the world, at least five girls are mutilated/cut every hour and more than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk of FGM/C, annually.

The impacts of FGM/C on the physical health of women and girls can include bleeding, infection, obstetric fistula, complications during childbirth and death.

Other significant barriers to combatting the practice of FGM/C include the high concentration in specific regions associated with several cultural traditions, that is not tied to any one religion.

According to UNICEF, FGM/C is reported to occur in all parts of the world, but is most prevalent in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Due to the commonality of this practice many migrants to the U.S. bring the practice of FGM/C with them, increasing the importance of combatting FGM/C abroad.

Jackson Lee Amendment 16 prioritizes funding for foreign assistance to combat Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), an internationally recognized violation of the human rights of girls and women comes to an end.

Yet, as it pertains to the underlying appropriations bill, I stand with the Administration and my colleagues to express my opposition for the following noted reasons:

Treasury High-Leverage Programs. I strongly oppose section 7061(b) of the bill, which prohibits funding being made available to the Clean Technology Fund. The $425 million requested for this account would support a loan of $1.2 billion. It is disappointing that the bill does not support loan guarantees at the multilateral development banks, where $111 million in subsidy would leverage $3 billion in loan guarantees to finance energy security. The appropriations for this bill should include the requested authority to use existing resources for loans to the International Monetary Fund's Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust and Resilience and Sustainability Trust, which would leverage billions of dollars to accelerate progress in developing countries.

Global Health. I appreciate that the bill includes full funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and urges the Congress to reauthorize PEPFAR for another five-year period to accelerate global progress toward reaching HIV epidemic control. However, it is deeply troubling that the bill significantly reduces funding available for global health security, which would leave the world more vulnerable to infectious disease threats and pandemics.

Reproductive Health Restrictions. It is also deeply concerning that the bill includes new restrictions on lifesaving global family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) services and other global health assistance; these excessive conditions would undermine U.S. efforts to combat infectious diseases and to advance gender equality globally by restricting America's ability to support health programs. Section 7058(b) of the bill imposes a ceiling on FP/RH funding levels that is far below the longstanding enacted level, leaving even more women without access to these essential health services. Further, section 7057(a) of the bill prohibits funding for the United Nations Population Fund, which provides essential work to address preventable maternal deaths and the unmet need for family planning, prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and end harmful practices around the world, including in places where the United States does not have its own programming, as well as in many humanitarian crises. In addition, section 7057(b) of the bill would require application of a harmful policy that imposes excessive conditions that would undermine U.S. foreign and development assistance. Similar prior restrictions, which were ended by the President during his first days in office, affected local partners around the world receiving global health assistance, limiting the United States' ability to work with these partners and inhibiting their efforts to confront a range of health challenges.

Diplomatic and Development Workforce. It is deeply concerning that the bill would reduce funding for America's international affairs workforce and operations by nearly 20 percent, which would significantly curtail implementation of U.S. foreign policy, and would likely reduce U.S. presence overseas. This funding level, along with the large number of directives in the bill, would force the Department of State to make very difficult tradeoffs, and could result in hiring freezes, reductions in force, and contract suspensions.

United Nations (UN) and Other International Organizations. It is further deeply concerning that the bill does not include funding for the UN regular budget and many other international organizations. The bill includes more than $1 billion in draconian reductions that would undermine U.S. leadership, compromise America's ability to meet its treaty obligations, and limit U.S. capacity to address shared global challenges, while inviting America's adversaries to take America's place. The bill also provides no funding for the International Organizations and Programs account, which would eliminate critical resources to organizations such as the UN High Commissioner for

Human Rights and the UN Children's Fund, which provide essential life- saving services to women and children around the world.

Humanitarian Assistance. I am also disappointed at the significant reduction, below the FY 2023 enacted levels, provided in the bill for life-saving humanitarian assistance during a time of record displacement and complex challenges worldwide. The bill also provides no new funding for the President's Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, which is currently depleted and requires replenishment to enable the United States to respond to unexpected humanitarian crises.

Prohibitions. I also strongly oppose the inclusion of prohibitions throughout the bill, such as in sections 7064(e)(3), 7061(a), 7070, and 7059(f), that limit the Administration's flexibility in advancing key national security and foreign policy objectives. These include prohibitions related to funding for special envoys and similar positions, the Green Climate Fund, LGBTQI+ protections, and the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund focused on advancing women's economic security, among others.

Afghan Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs). I am disappointed that the bill fails to provide the requested increase of 20,000 visas to the Afghan SIVs cap or to extend Afghan SIV program through 2029. This program demonstrates the steadfast commitment of the United States to Afghan allies who have supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan for over two decades.

Rescissions. I am also deeply troubled that the bill rescinds over $1.5 billion across the Development Assistance, Economic Support Fund, and Peace Corps accounts. These rescissions would drastically reduce the U.S. Government's ability to support U.S. allies and partners to defend shared national security interests and to combat poverty, corruption, and food insecurity.

Clean Technology Rescission. I am also disappointed that the bill would rescind $11 billion in funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program at EPA. This rescission would eliminate funds designed to mobilize private capital into clean technology projects, especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities, that would expand economic opportunities in communities, reduce harmful pollution, and protect people's health while tackling the climate crisis.

Constitutional Concerns. Certain provisions of the draft bill raise constitutional concerns, including by interfering with the President's authority to determine the command of the Armed Forces, to recognize territorial sovereignty, and to conduct diplomacy.

We can do better. We are better than this. The American people deserve better.

I cannot support this bill as it stands, and I urge all my colleagues to vote against this cruel proposal.

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

Mr. Chair, I thank the manager and the chairman and ranking member of this committee.

State, foreign operations, and related programs are the face of America, the most powerful nation in the world, the nation that the world looks to for guidance and direction in the interactions of this world. I am saddened to say that this face has been altered and threatened desperately by some of the shortchanges in the funding.

The threat to national security by abdicating U.S. leadership, and the underfunding of the U.N. Development Program and the U.N., the underfunding of the State Department, and the threat to women's health equality globally around the world, is why my amendment is so very important, and I ask my colleagues to support it.

I thank the Rules Committee, and I thank the subcommittee, for my amendment is an important and potentially lifesaving amendment in an unfortunate and distracting approach to State and foreign relations.

My amendment increases funds by $1 million and decreases funding by $1 million for the global health programs account to highlight and support the fight against the practice of female genital mutilation.

I have been a dedicated champion of this and introduced legislation in years past supporting the elimination of this very difficult and ludicrous practice of mutilating young women around the world.

Female genital mutilation or cutting, FGMC, comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for nonmedical reasons.

My colleagues may be shocked to know that some of this occurs in the United States of America. This practice is rooted in gender inequalities often linked to other elements of gender-based violence and discrimination, such as child marriage, and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of women and girls. That is why it is so important that we fund women's global health.

Unfortunately, this means an estimated 200 million girls and women alive today have been victims of FGMC, with girls 14 and younger representing 44 million of those who have been cut.

For example, consider that around the world at least five girls are mutilated, cut, every hour. More than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk right now with FGMC annually.

The impacts of FGMC on the physical health of women and girls can include bleeding, infection, obstetric fistula, complications during childbirth, and death.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, let me, first of all, thank the ranking member, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, for her consistent, steady, and unrelenting commitment to world affairs as well as to the peace and harmony of women around the world and humanitarian practices.

That is why this amendment and this emphasis on FGMC is so important because other significant barriers to combating the practice of FGMC include the high concentration in Pacific regions associated with several cultural traditions that are not tied to any one religion, so it spreads all over.

I emphasize to this body that girls as young as 14 who can make no determination are put upon by this process. According to UNICEF, FGMC is reported to occur in all parts of the world but is most prevalent in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Due to the commonality of this practice, many migrants to the U.S. bring the practices of FGMC with them, increasing the importance of combating FGMC abroad.

As I said, it happens in the United States. My amendment prioritizes funding for foreign assistance to combat female genital mutilation or cutting, an internationally recognized violation of the human rights of girls and women, so that it can finally come to an end.

With the negatives of this Defense appropriation, let's do something positive with the State Department appropriations.

I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Jackson Lee amendment, notwithstanding the vast, extensive work that is going on that is without restraint of dealing with FGMC around the world.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak in support of the Jackson Lee Amendment 16 to H.R. 4665--Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024.

I want to thank my colleagues on the Rules Committee for making this amendment in order.

The Jackson Lee Amendment 16 is an important and potentially life- saving amendment in an unfortunate and distracting appropriations bill.

The Jackson Lee Amendment 16 increases funds by $1,000,000 and decreases funding by $1,000,000 for the Global Health Programs account to highlight and support the fight against the practice of Female Genital Mutilation.

I have been a dedicated champion against this practice for a long while, working closely with former Congressman Joe Crowley of New York to introduce legislation targeted at supporting the elimination of this ludicrous practice of mutilating young women.

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

This practice is rooted in gender inequality and is often linked to other elements of gender-based violence and discrimination, such as child marriage and recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of women and girls.

Unfortunately, this means an estimated 200 million girls and women alive today have been

victims of FGM/C, with girls 14 and younger representing 44 million of those who have been cut.

For example, consider that around the world, at least five girls are mutilated/cut every hour and more than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk of FGM/C, annually.

The impacts of FGM/C on the physical health of women and girls can include bleeding, infection, obstetric fistula, complications during childbirth and death.

Other significant barriers to combatting the practice of FGM/C include the high concentration in specific regions associated with several cultural traditions, that is not tied to any one religion.

According to UNICEF, FGM/C is reported to occur in all parts of the world, but is most prevalent in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Due to the commonality of this practice many migrants to the U.S. bring the practice of FGM/C with them, increasing the importance of combatting FGM/C abroad.

Jackson Lee Amendment 16 prioritizes funding for foreign assistance to combat Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), an internationally recognized violation of the human rights of girls and women comes to an end.

While the negatives of this State appropriations bill disappointedly outweigh my positive amendment, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Jackson Lee Amendment 16--notwithstanding my strong opposition and encouragement to vote down the underlying bill.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, let me indicate my appreciation to the chairman and to the ranking member for their support of this amendment.

I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment. Let's end FGMC against women and girls around the world forever.

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

Mr. Chair, I am so proud to be an American, and I am proud to be an American because the world watches as this experiment of so many different communities--racial, ethnic, and religious groups-- have come together. By and large, we have been successful--our United States military, our educational system, and our neighborhoods.

I am so proud to be a Houstonian, an eclectic city with so many different, wonderful diverse communities, including the LGBTQ+ community.

Mr. Chair, I rise today with shock and dismay because my good friend from Colorado has a train wreck of amendments against those of color and diversity as well as the LGBTQ+ community.

Day after day, after all of these appropriations, these poison pill riders of getting rid of the Office of Civil Rights, getting rid of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, is absolutely absurd.

Why? Because I lived exclusion in this Nation, but it didn't make me bitter. We worked. We struggled. We marched. We died. Those in the civil rights movement died.

Dr. King was killed because he insisted on a place where we did not discriminate because of the color of your skin. Some have turned that around, but what he was saying is that race exists, and it still does in discrimination against people who are different and diverse.

Why did I have honors classes, and yet no college recruitment came, or I was not invited to any college recruitment in my high school? Why did I not have an acceptance in any college because of not being drawn to any college recruitment?

Mr. Chair, it is not an ideological office. The gentlewoman didn't hear. There has been racism, there has been discrimination, and we have not accepted the fullness of the wonderment of America. We now insult a full-time dedicated employee.

Before the Charlie Rangel Fellows, we could find little individuals who are diverse in Foreign Service. We now have many because we reached out and made a difference. This train wreck of attacking inclusion, diversity, and equity is disgraceful, and my friend should stop it. Our cities are better, our States are better, the Nation is better because of it. This is a fine public servant, and I want to lift her up and say thank you. The gentlewoman should cease and desist eliminating civil rights, diversity, and inclusion because it hurts people, it harms people whose very heritage is tied up to a history of racism and people who died fighting for justice and equality for all of America.

Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, we all mourn for the loss of our brave soldiers, not only at the time of evacuation, but also in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and throughout America's history. However, the State Department is the face of our international policies that will create the opportunities for engagement and collaboration and change.

I chair the Pakistan Caucus. It is one of the largest caucus of Members of the United States Congress who understand the relationship that the United States and Pakistan has enjoyed for 76 years. What my colleague speaks of is not the Pakistan Government or people.

Over the decades, both countries have built a multifaceted and diverse relationship driven by cooperation in areas such as defense, counterterrorism, trade, investment, agriculture, IT, energy, climate, health, and education. Enduring the raging aspects of the Afghan war, many Pakistan soldiers lost their lives fighting terrorism.

The cooperation is rooted in our shared democratic values that they are still working to improve, and human rights as well. Today, the bilateral relationship is moving in the right direction. This past year, both countries have recently held dialogue on security and nonsecurity areas. These include trade, investment, renewable energy, climate change, health, education, as well as security cooperation, counterterrorism, and defense.

The Pakistan diaspora has doctors and lawyers and business persons in our communities, and they are contributors philanthropic to the needs of this country. In the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan assisted the United States in safe and secure evacuation of its citizens.

I know some who went through Pakistan. I believe this is a wrongheaded decision. This will have a negative impact. In the midst of a horrific flood, one of the most catastrophic floods that happened in years that impacted 30 million people and caused the loss of life of so many, I was the first American to be in that area this past year.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, may I inquire how much time do I have remaining.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), the ranking member of the subcommittee.

Mr. Chair, who has the right to close?

Mr. Chair, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Chairman, many of our allies and friends live in tough neighborhoods, and I am very glad that Pakistan lives in a neighborhood with friends; that is India and Bangladesh, that at least they are engaged. They also live in the neighborhood of Afghanistan where the Taliban has risen again. Pakistan soldiers have fought against the Taliban.

You don't turn your back on a nation where 650,000 Pakistani Americans are living here in the United States, they are contributing, they are patriots, and they serve in the United States military.

We have been able to facilitate safe immigration and relocation of Afghans with Pakistan. Pakistan has provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, following our lead. Our bilateral ties are further strengthened by the presence of nearly 650,000 Pakistani Americans.

Pakistan is a democratic state working against challenges. Yes, it is. Its parliament has just completed its third consecutive 5-year cycle without disruption. They are planning democratic elections.

What we need to do is to ensure that Pakistan has access to migration and refugee assistance, economic support, international disaster assistance, global health, humanitarian assistance, and economic development. These are important taxpayer dollars that help Pakistan become even stronger as a democratic nation and an ally.

For the issues my good friend has spoken about, diplomacy works these issues out.

Mr. Chair, as the founder and Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, I stand in strong opposition to this irresponsible and dangerous amendment.

The passage of this amendment would be detrimental to Pakistani U.S. relations and would put the livelihood of millions of people at risk.

The United States and Pakistan have a long-standing and enduring partnership spanning 76 years.

Over the decades, both countries have built a multifaceted and diverse relationship, driven by cooperation in areas including defense, counter-terrorism, trade and investment, agriculture, energy, climate, health, and education.

This cooperation is rooted in our shared democratic values and convergence of interests on regional and strategic security.

The passage of this amendment would severely damage our unique and longstanding partnership.

In its Congressional Budget Justification for FY 2024 Foreign Operations, the United States State Department reported foreign assistance to Pakistan of about $218 million.

These essential dollars fund critical programs in Pakistan that include:

Migration and Refugee Assistance: $62 million;

Economic Support Funds: $50 million (``Funding will support stability and political, economic, and judicial reforms in communities bordering Afghanistan, increase private-sector-led trade and investment, foster people-to-people exchanges, strengthen civil society, support climate mitigation and adaptation, and improve gender equity and women's empowerment'';

International Disaster Assistance: $47 million;

Global Health Programs: $31 million (includes funding on Tuberculosis, Global Health Security, Maternal and Child Health, and Family Planning and Reproductive Health);

International Narcotics and Law Enforcement: $25 million (these programs in Pakistan ``combat violent extremism, transnational crime, strengthen the capacity of law enforcement, expand access to justice, and bolster the rule of law nationwide with a focus on the newly merged districts along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border''; and

International Military Education and Training: $3.5 million (these programs ``emphasize professional military education, respect for the rule of law, human rights, and civilian control of the military'')

USAID has a total of $82 million in obligated assistance for Pakistan in FY 2023, which funds 110 activities in five major sectors:

Humanitarian Assistance: $40.12 million (15 activities led by emergency food assistance at $21.5 million);

Economic Development: $15.5 million (13 activities include power sector improvement at $7.5 million);

Democracy, Human Rights and Governance: $13.7 million (10 activities include those on good governance and rule of law/human rights);

Education and Social Services: $4 million (13 activities focused on both basic and higher education); and

Health: $1.2 million (6 activities mainly tuberculosis-related projects).

Last year Pakistan faced a catastrophic monsoon season with floods of Biblical proportions leaving over one third of the country under water and directly impacted the lives of 33 million Pakistanis.

1,700 people lost their lives, one third of whom were children, 12,900 people were injured, 7.9 million people were displaced, and there were devastating impacts to the infrastructure, crops, and livestock throughout the country.

As the Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, I gathered members and personally organized the first congressional fact-finding mission to the hardest hit areas in Pakistan.

I have seen the devastation and human suffering firsthand, and I want to clarify that Congress must continue to fund programs that help support Pakistan's flood recovery efforts and humanitarian assistance.

By January of this year, the United States government had pledged more than $200 million to support Pakistan's flood recovery efforts.

In June, USAID pledged an additional $16.4 million in additional development and humanitarian assistance.

The support provided by the United States is essential to the recovery effort, which will likely take many years.

Pakistan is a democratic state and remains committed to promoting and protecting democratic values.

Pakistan remains a critical partner of the United States in stabilizing Afghanistan and promoting peace and stability in the region.

Our government should continue to engage with Pakistan, addressing important issues related to human rights, democracy and religious freedom, rule of law, to advance our shared commitment to these universal values.

The amendment is not in line with the long-standing ties between U.S. and Pakistan and its passage would disrupt the 1U.S. relations with a partner in the region.

I urge all my colleagues to oppose amendment No. 51.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, in my meeting last week with the President of Ukraine, we spoke about the devastation of stolen children from Ukraine by the Russian fighters, children now that have been taken, reprogrammed, and not returned to their families.

Today, we voted to continue to support Ukraine in its democratic fight for freedom and democracy against the tyranny of Russia.

I now stand here today introducing the Oleksandr Ivanov Act. This bill, on which I am joined by Representative Joe Wilson and other Members, is a bill to address the stolen children of Ukraine that have been taken to Russia. This act is dedicated to Oleksandr, a young boy who was shot dead in the car with his grandmother.

This unjust and brutal war has put millions of Ukrainian women and children at risk of trafficking. Millions of children have been deprived of their education and are experiencing trauma.

More than 6,000 children are in custody in Russia, and there are at least 43 camps and facilities where the Russian Government has interned Ukrainian children.

This legislation will provide sanctions against Russia and demand that the children of Ukraine be returned to Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce the introduction of my bill, the Oleksandr Ivanov Act.

On February 26, 2022, Lilia Vasylivna Kolesnyk was driving from Kyiv, Ukraine to the suburb of Bucha with her grandson, Oleksandr Ivanov when Russian forces opened fire on their car, killing Oleksandr.

Although wounded herself, Ms. Kolesnyk was able to drive to a medical clinic, where her grandson was formally declared dead.

This act is dedicated to Oleksandr Ivanov, his family, and all the children and families of Ukraine who are suffering serious injury and trauma due to Russia's unjustified, brutal, and genocidal war on Ukraine.

On February 24, 2022, Russia, under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, launched a premeditated war against Ukraine in an attack on democracy and a grave violation of international law, global peace, and security.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, as of July 2023, there are a recorded 5.1 million internally displaced people in Ukraine, 6.2 million refugees from Ukraine globally, and 17.6 million Ukrainian people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The unjust and brutal war has put millions of Ukrainian women and children at risk of trafficking, millions of children have been deprived of their education and are experiencing trauma, and according to a report by Yale University, more than 6,000 children are in Russians custody.

According to a report by Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab (Yale HRL), at least 6,000 children from Ukraine ages four months to 17 years have been held at camps and other facilities within Russia- occupied Crimea and mainland Russia since Russia's full-scale invasion began.

There are at least 43 camps and facilities where the Russian government has interned Ukrainian children.

Among the camps identified by Yale HRL, at least 32 (78 percent) of the camps seem to be engaged in organized re-education initiatives that subject Ukrainian children to Russia-focused educational, cultural, patriotic, and/or military teachings.

And numerous Ukrainian children have been placed into Russian foster families.

These Ukrainian children have had their names and birthdates changed when adopted, making them difficult to trace.

Russian propaganda cynically portrays its adoption of Ukrainian children as an act of generosity that gives new homes to helpless orphans.

Russian state media shows local officials hugging and kissing newly arrived Ukrainian children and handing them Russian passports.

These children are not happy, they are being ripped away from their families and their homes.

Forcibly transferring children of one group to another group is a violation of Article II(e) of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 1948 and the Geneva Convention IV, including articles 24, 25, 50, 78 and 82.

The International Criminal Court has indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute.

As reported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Education, over 4oo schools have been destroyed and an additional 2,600 schools are damaged across Ukraine.

The war has also caused Ukrainian women and children to become more vulnerable to being trafficked.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that 90 percent of the 5.8 million refugees who have fled Ukraine for Europe are women and children.

Reports have stated that traffickers patrol border entry points, train stations, and refugee centers with the purpose of attracting, exploiting, and targeting refugees.

Specifically, traffickers lure in refugees with promises of accommodation, transportation, and employment, sometimes disguising themselves as volunteers providing humanitarian assistance.

To hold accountable those who have committed these atrocities and have put the lives of thousands of Ukrainian women and children at risk, my bill:

Supports programs specifically for trauma treatment and healing, rehabilitation and where necessary prostheses, for Ukrainian children affected by the war including nationwide educational programs of psychological support to address trauma and stress for all of Ukraine's children, integrated into school curriculum and offered through clinical and social services;

Supports programs to rebuild the education system in Ukraine and education for Ukrainian child refugees, in cooperation with other countries, international organizations, and civil society;

Supports the development of a unified and consolidated searchable registry of missing Ukrainian children in order to facilitate identification of children and family reunification. The registry should ensure strict data protection and availability in the Ukrainian, Russian, and English languages. In addition, the public should be made aware of its existence and use;

Supports the creation of a unified central emergency call center hub linked to law enforcement in Ukraine and in other countries to enable reporting on and interventions on behalf of missing children originally from Ukraine and suspected cases of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, including online, of children originally from Ukraine.

Supports the creation of an international mechanism to facilitate vetting of volunteers and other non-governmental front-line responders working with refugees or with victims of other major crises or natural disasters by government authorities or law enforcement. Such an international vetting system could include internationally recognized certifications verifying individuals who have been recently cleared to work with refugees;

Supports efforts to only allow appropriately vetted and credentia11ed individuals (such as described in the above section) access to refugees;

Continues to support efforts by the Ukrainian government to increase collaboration with their European counterparts on anti-trafficking

investigations and increased awareness efforts.

Supports the development of robust child protective mechanisms for vulnerable children, including those from Ukraine, in Ukraine and in countries that have received Ukrainian refugees, that include social assistance and protection to help prevent human trafficking and sexual abuse of Ukrainian children.

Works with Ukrainian authorities to ensure that law enforcement officials stationed at major border crossing points during a refugee crisis are appropriately trained to prevent human trafficking and support other measures to monitor for indications of human trafficking targeting refugees in areas surrounding border crossings.

My bill also imposes financial blocking and visa sanctions on any foreign person or organization that the President or Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, determine are responsible for engaging in or facilitating the transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia and/or Russian controlled areas of Ukraine and/or for their forced assimilation, adoption, or placement in a foster home, and engaging in or facilitating the human trafficking of Ukrainian refugees.

The Oleksandr Ivanov Act also contains a provision that requires the Department of State to submit a report on United States efforts for reintegrating Ukrainian children affected by the war including but not limited to: supporting the rebuilding and redevelopment of the Ukrainian education system, and the implementation of mental health supports to address trauma and family separations.

Holding Russia accountable for war crimes is crucial.

There can be no impunity for these heinous crimes.

Today, I call my colleagues to action and ask that they join me in seeking liberty and justice for all those in Ukraine by cosponsoring the Oleksandr Ivanov Act.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4365--the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024.

This offensive attempt at an appropriations bill is being used by Republicans to sneak partisan and damaging policies under our noses.

H.R. 4365, which should be earnestly attempting to best support the Department of Defense, however, does not reflect the input of nearly half the Members of this body and is strongly opposed by the ranking members who sit on the very committee this bill originated from.

In order to further promote a culture war, the members who oversaw this bill are going to put many Americans at risk.

First, they are targeting the many brave servicewomen currently employed by the Department of Defense by directly going against the Secretary of Defense's promises for them to have access to reproductive healthcare regardless of their station.

Women currently make up 1 in 5 members of our military.

Denying them their previously promised ability to check their reproductive health is not only dangerous, but also grossly irresponsible.

The loss of these rights also increases the risk for low retention amongst female servicemembers who need these benefits this bill would strip away.

Second, the bill targets the LGBTQ+ community, who are increasingly victimized by Republican agendas around the country.

Regardless of your beliefs, it is important to treat everyone with respect and equality, which this bill does not do.

This bill would prohibit hormone therapy or surgical treatment for gender affirming care, directly affecting those who experience gender dysphoria.

Individuals who feel they do not belong in their own body is a serious issue and has led to 1 in 5 transgender and nonbinary young people attempting suicide in the past year.

Our priority as the legislative body of this country is to protect the wellbeing of ALL citizens, regardless of personal beliefs and ideologies.

The language in this legislation would further embolden those who wish to commit harm and violence against a minority group already facing so much hardship, both socially and legally.

This is unacceptable.

The lives and wellbeing of those who live across the country should not be put at risk simply to push a regressive agenda that does not promote the diversity of our nation but rather seeks to suppress it.

This brings me to my third point, which is the underhanded way Republicans sought to eliminate ``Critical Race Theory'' or ``CRT''.

Let me be clear: Republicans have a warped understanding of what this term means, and they are using it as a means to remove any diversity in education.

Critical Race Theory is a collegiate field of study that examines the complex ways in which race fits into the structures of our society; it is not an attack on white people for their history, just as it does not victimize Black people based on ours.

Based on an incorrect definition, Republican leaders at all levels of government have worked to eliminate all diverse viewpoints providing a complete framework of the history of this country, and instead wash over the negative to present a false narrative.

At the same time, legislation aimed at elementary schools against Critical Race Theory--which again, is only offered at the collegiate level--deprives diverse students of hearing their voice reflected accurately in the history of this multicultural nation.

Another issue with this Defense Appropriations bill is the cut of $714 million to adapt military equipment to be more climate friendly.

Climate change is a crisis that requires global attention and efforts.

The refusal to even allow for updating our military alternative source of energy is regressive and promoted under a false message.

It was not Biden who indicated that he wanted an ``all electric'' fleet of tanks as is commonly stated, but rather the United States Army.

This part of the bill stands directly in the way of innovation as well as keeping us from doing our part in the world to strive towards a net zero future.

In 2020 alone, the United States military was responsible for 51 million tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere; more than most countries.

But now, when the U.S. Army decides for themselves that they want to scale back on their emissions, certain members in Congress want to limit their choice.

One bright spot of this bill--though it is short-lived--is the Jackson Lee Amendment [No. 90/No. 233] to H.R. 4365 that was made in order by the committee.

The Jackson Lee Amendment [No. 90/No. 233] to H.R. 4365 seeks to allocate $10 million to fund triple negative breast cancer research.

This issue is extremely important, especially for the brave men and women in the military, who are up to 20-40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

I must offer my appreciation to both the military and the Biden administration for making research into breast cancer a priority, but there is still work to be done.

This amendment would allow for more research so we can one day hopefully learn a way to reduce the number of military personnel affected by breast cancer.

Several initiatives I have designed in the past have aided active- duty servicemen and women along with veterans, such as enforcing accurate reporting of maternity mortality rates among the Armed Forces, addressing physical and mental health concerns, and securing authorization for Triple Negative Breast Cancer as well as Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I am very proud of the work that I and Congress have done to address the health concerns of active duty and veteran servicemen

and women, but there are still improvements to be made.

The men and women who are on the front lines or have already completed their valiant service to this country have many pressing issues and challenges they already must face; breast cancer should not be one of them.

While this amendment is important, the negatives of this defense appropriations bill vastly outweigh this positive amendment--which is why H.R. 4365 must be voted down.

Access to abortion and fertility care is essential to a person's freedom, including for service members, to make decisions about their health and well-being, and having control over their economic security.

Anti-abortion policymakers want to take away service members' ability to make personal decisions about their health and safety.

We must defend their freedom to control their own bodies, lives, and futures.

These attacks on the Department of Defense's policies make it crystal clear: anti-abortion lawmakers will take any action to ensure people cannot access abortion care.

Anti-abortion lawmakers are pushing an extreme agenda to take away service members' freedom and autonomy, all while trying to claim they support those who serve.

Our service members fight and sacrifice for our freedoms.

Now, as lawmakers, we should be working to ensure to protect their freedoms--not trying to take their rights away.

Access to reproductive health care, including abortion and fertility care, is critical to safety and well-being.

As policymakers, we must ensure that all service members can access abortion care without barriers.

We aren't truly free unless we can control our own bodies, lives, and futures.

Our laws and policies should protect our rights, not try to control and dehumanize us.

The numbers are clear in the devastating impact this measure would have on those serving America.

The Military Health System serves approximately 1.62 million women of reproductive age (15-45), including service members, retirees, and their dependents.

As of 2021, there were 116,970 U.S. Armed Forces personnel stationed in Texas, the third most of any state in the Nation.

With Texas being the home to 59 military bases, active military personnel make up 422 out of every 100,000 people among Texas residents--the 16th highest share concentration among the 50 states.

There are currently 2,369,990 Military Health System beneficiaries living in one of the 14 states where abortion is either wholly or almost fully restricted or unavailable--with the state of Texas sadly being one of those states.

The percentage of active-duty service women who have no or severely restricted access to abortion care has increased to 46 percent.

This means that roughly half of all women currently serving in America's active-duty military have restricted access to the full suite of reproductive health care.

As of 2021, there were more than 708,000 Department of Defense civilians in the continental United States, over 250,000 of whom are women.

Roughly 275,000 Department of Defense civilians live in states with a full ban or extreme restrictions on access to abortion, and of those civilians, over 81,000 are women.

Similar to their active-duty counterparts, nearly 43 percent of civilian women employed by Department of Defense will have no access to abortion or will have their access severely curtailed in their home states.

An estimated several thousand transgender men who may require abortion care also serve on active duty in the Armed Forces and in the reserve components, in addition to nonbinary members and those who identify with a different gender.

We cannot continue to deny our service members their most basic and fundamental healthcare needs.

It must stop now, and it must stop with the voting down of this severely harmful and outrageous bill.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for her courtesies.

However, I am particularly concerned as we move forward. This bill directly impacts the men and women who have unselfishly put on the uniform.

I am grateful to the chair and ranking member for working together, but let me be very clear, we have an overall defense bill that is enormously challenging for the American people.

First, it is important for them to know that the members of the United States military, women in particular--1 in 5 members of the military are women--will be blocked from reproductive services that are necessary. Those women, in particular, that live in the State of Texas will be blocked from achieving the reproductive health that they need.

The LGBTQ+ community is also negatively impacted by healthcare.

Mr. Chairman, this has nothing to do with military preparedness and should not be involved. In addition, the general has offered a commitment to electric vehicles, but yet this bill cuts $714 million.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to say I do not want a government shutdown, but I would like us to do the right thing. Democrats don't want a government shutdown. We are obviously fighting against those who are getting direction from the former President who says to shut it down.

I am very grateful that my amendment dealing with triple negative breast cancer is in this legislation. This is very important to me. It seeks to allocate $10 million to fund triple negative breast cancer research. This issue is extremely important, especially for the brave men and women in the military who are 20 to 40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

Mr. Chair, I offer my appreciation to both the military and the Biden administration for making research into breast cancer a priority. This amendment would allow for more research so that we can one day, hopefully, learn a way to reduce this most devastating aspect of breast cancer. This has a more deadlier impact--that is why it is called triple negative breast cancer--that targets women.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, the Jackson Lee amendment, and a complete defense bill that responds to the needs of the United States military.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak in support of the Jackson Lee Amendment [#90/#233] to H.R. 4365--the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024.

I want to thank my colleagues on the Rules Committee for making this amendment in order.

The Jackson Lee Amendment [#90/#233] is a simple and straightforward amendment in an unfortunate and distracting appropriations bill.

Namely, the Jackson Lee Amendment [#90/#233] seeks to allocate $10 million to fund triple negative breast cancer research.

This issue is extremely important, especially for the brave men and women in the military, who are up to 20-40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

I must offer my appreciation to both the military and the Biden administration for making research into breast cancer a priority, but there is still work to be done.

The Jackson Lee Amendment [#90/#233] would allow for more research so we can one day hopefully learn a way to reduce the number of military personnel affected by breast cancer.

Several initiatives I have designed in the past have aided active- duty servicemen and women along with veterans, such as enforcing accurate reporting of maternity mortality rates among the Armed Forces, addressing physical and mental health concerns, and securing authorization for Triple Negative Breast Cancer as well as Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I am very proud of the work that I and Congress have done to address the health concerns of active duty and veteran servicemen and women, but there are still improvements to be made.

The men and women who are on the front lines or have already completed their valiant service to this country have many pressing issues and challenges they already must face; breast cancer should not be one of them.

Our service members fight and sacrifice for our freedoms.

Now, as lawmakers, we should be working to ensure to protect their lives and freedoms--not trying to take their rights away.

While the negatives of this defense appropriations bill disappointedly outweigh my positive amendment, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Jackson Lee Amendment [#90/#233]--notwithstanding my strong opposition and encouragement to vote down the underlying bill.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I said that I would come to the floor and each time I would say that I do not want a government shutdown. I don't want the American people to suffer, and I want the government to be able to function.

As an almost 20-year member of the authorizing committee of Homeland Security, I am stunned at the lack of concern that my friends on the other side of the aisle would have on the government shutdown on Homeland Security.

These are extensive government employees, many of them represented by the American Federation of Government Employees. TSOs, of course, would continue to work in the Transportation Security Administration, but so many would be working without compensation.

If we are concerned about the border, I don't know why the Southwest Border Initiative is out, why money for USCIS is eliminated, why opportunities for shelter services are eliminated, particularly when we realize that throngs of people are coming here that aren't having the ability to apply for asylum.

Mr. Chair, the answer to this, of course, is to give ourselves more time to address the question of serving the American people.

I rise, as the leader did, to support the bipartisan Senate continuing resolution, which maintains current funding, takes care of communities impacted by natural disasters, and provides funding to Ukraine and contains no poison pills.

If we are serious about doing the job of keeping this government open, supporting the hardworking American workers, then we will support the Senate continuing resolution. We will do it

tomorrow or the next day and save this Nation.

Do not shut down.