Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, we are better than this. Surely, all of us ought to be saying that to ourselves as we conclude this Congress. We are better than this. You will hear that said so often when we talk about our friend, Elijah Cummings.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this legislation. The Old Testament tells us of a man long ago who saw injustice, wrongdoing, and suffering and devoted his life to banishing these evils from his native land, a man who kept an enduring faith not only in God, but in his fellow men and women, a man who inspired that same faith in the people around him. That man was Elijah the prophet.

The Elijah I served with in Congress for nearly 23 years was my dear friend Elijah Cummings. He was like Elijah the prophet. He possessed a moral clarity that guided him in every part of his life.

Whether it was protecting voting rights, alleviating poverty, expanding civil rights, or promoting justice, Elijah Cummings demonstrated principled tenacity and boundless energy when standing up for the causes in which he believed. He believed in this House's ability and sacred responsibility to better our Republic and the lives of each and every one of our citizens.

It was because of that belief that he held all who served in this House to such a high standard of ethics, the same standard to which he held himself.

When he believed this institution was falling short of that standard, he would demand of us, as I said at the beginning and will repeat again: ``We are better than this.''

Frankly, as we sit in these extraordinary seats given to us only through the hands of our neighbors and friends in our districts, when we have the opportunity to make a decision, we ought to have resounding in our head that someone will say when we act that we are not better than this but we are what we have done. We need to be better.

No place benefited from Elijah's principled leadership more than his hometown. He was a true son of Baltimore.

Mr. Speaker, he was a true son of Baltimore, the city of grit, of opportunity, of hard work, and, as they would say of themselves, of charm.

He loved his city, and his city loved him in return.

Naming this post office after him pays tribute to his lifelong devotion to Baltimore, to democracy, to justice, to the average person, to every person, to his brothers and sisters, and to his country.

Mr. Speaker, we lost Elijah far too early. His memory continues to guide us. His example is one to which all Members of this institution, all Members, all Americans, and all people ought to aspire.

Attaching his name to this post office will serve as a reminder to all who seek, in his words, ``not just common ground, but higher ground.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentlewoman from Michigan, for yielding. I congratulate her on a victory her team had. I called her, and I hope she got the message.

I also say to my friend, Bruce Westerman, who is as suited to be the chairman of this committee as anybody by training and by values, I thank him for his work on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend John Sarbanes. His father would be so extraordinarily proud of the service that he has given and at the service I know he is going to be giving as a former Member of this body, but never a former friend.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this legislation and in honor of my dear friend of almost 60 years, Paul Sarbanes.

I had the privilege of serving with Paul for 4 years in the general assembly. We were both elected in 1966--I might say, along with another gentleman whose name is Ben Cardin, who served in this body for 20 years and in the other body for three terms. We were all elected in 1966.

In that time, I came to respect his great intellect, wonderful wit, sense of decency, and profound integrity. He was a man of principle, guided by the ethics of his immigrant parents, the tenets of his Greek Orthodox faith, and the values of his Baltimore community. He instilled those same virtues in his son, John Sarbanes, who I have referenced.

From drafting the first Article of Impeachment against President Nixon to spearheading the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which protects Americans from fraud in our financial markets, Paul Sarbanes made history.

Paul Sarbanes was a historical Member of the United States Senate and of this Congress.

This bill recognizes Paul, who also sought to preserve our history and, indeed, our Constitution and our democracy. As vice chair of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, he worked to ensure that Americans remember the lessons from the Nation's second march of independence.

Naming the Fort McHenry Visitor Center after Paul is a fitting tribute to a man who not only secured the funding for the facility but who was a lifelong champion for the Chesapeake Bay and its history.

Fort McHenry is itself an extraordinary historic site. The rockets' red glare and the bombs bursting in air gave illumination to Fort McHenry. By adding Paul Sarbanes' name to that visitor center at Fort McHenry, it will add further luster to the history of Fort McHenry, for Paul Sarbanes was a man of which this institution and this country could be extraordinarily proud.

It is, therefore, fitting and appropriate that we would add his name to a linchpin of our democracy and our victory for democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with Mr. Westerman, with Mrs. Dingell, and with all of his colleagues who served with him and who at least have heard of him. I rise to join my colleagues in supporting this legislation so that we can give the visitor's center a name that ought to commend the respect of all Marylanders and all Americans, my friend, a great Member of this Congress, and a great American, Paul Sarbanes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dear friend and great Marylander: Dr. Mike Galiazzo. He was recently named a 2024 Maryland Manufacturing Star by the Regional Manufacturing Institute (RMI) of Maryland and the Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership. I hope all my colleagues will join me in celebrating him for this achievement.

I've long calied Mike `the Godfather of Maryland Manufacturing'--and for good reason. He was the one who founded RMI in the first place, 35 years ago, outlining its mission `to advocate for Maryland manufacturing and help companies grow and be competitive.' He's brought together leaders from private industry, labor, education, and local, state, and federal government to make progress toward that goal. From helping students and young Marylanders build successful careers in the field to incentivizing manufacturers to set up shop in Maryland, Mike has devoted his life to creating new opportunities for our state's workers and businesses to get ahead.

Mike has also been an extraordinary supporter of the Make it in America agenda I launched back in 2010 to ensure that the American economy can meet the challenges of the twenty-first century and continue to outcompete the rest of the world. From the start, manufacturing has been a cornerstone of that agenda. He and I have worked to provide our workers, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers the tools and opportunities they need to Make it in America--and Make it in Maryland. Mike's work is especially crucial at a time when we are implementing the historic CHIPS and Science Act and ensuring that this once-in-a-generation investment in manufacturing reaches every corner of our state and country.

Mike's advocacy is more than just his work; it's his calling. He believes--as I do--that America is a nation of builders. American factories churned out the innovations that led to tremendous improvements in quality of life around the globe; that defeated the forces of fascism and authoritarianism; that turned our country into the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world. American strength and prosperity depend on American manufacturing, and, Mr. Speaker, American manufacturing depends on tireless, principled advocates like Dr. Mike Galiazzo.

I ask that all my colleagues join me in honoring Mike for receiving this award and in thanking him for his indelible contributions to Maryland and America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, Americans know that it is crazy to do something you know will not have any effect. That is what is crazy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill.

As majority leader in the last Congress, I put 365 pieces of legislation on the floor that became law.

Under the Republican majority this Congress, our House has only passed 78 pieces of legislation that have become law, and they have the majority. That is fewer than any of the 22 previous Congresses in which I have served.

It is because the Speaker wastes our time on blatantly partisan legislation, including the bill before us today that has no chance of becoming law and risks shutting down the government and which Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, says makes no sense. He didn't say that it was crazy, but I might add that.

The Senate, including several Senate Republicans, made it clear that this bill's impact on military readiness, veterans' healthcare, and disaster response will make it dead on arrival. It is crazy to send it as dead on arrival.

Furthermore, the President has said that he would not sign it.

Mr. Speaker, this House's most basic constitutional responsibility is to fund the government, not to appease a handful of far-right Members.

We know how this situation ends. It will end the same way as the fight for supplemental aid for Ukraine and Israel. It will end the same way as the battle to raise the debt ceiling. It will end the same way as the effort to fund the government at the start of this year and, very frankly, throughout the year. It will end with this partisan appeasement failing. A period of finger pointing will follow.

Finally, after much hand-wringing and some strongly worded tweets, the Speaker will ask Democrats for our votes to pass a bipartisan alternative that avoids shutting down the government of the American people.

Everyone knows how this ends because this deeply divided and dysfunctional majority hasn't accomplished anything of substance without Democratic support.

There were compromises, compromises that Democrats agreed to so that our government could function effectively for the American people, not because we agreed on everything that was in the bill any more than you will agree on the Republican side with everything in the bill. We did it because it was the responsible thing to do. It was the right thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen this film before. Let's just skip to the ending today. Put a CR on the floor.

I don't like CRs. We should have done our work. We should have passed 12 bills, sent them to the President, and had him sign it.

Let's skip this pretense that we have been involved in. Let's get to the nub of the issue. We haven't done our work, and therefore we need a short-term solution. Let's do it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor one of my constituents who has been a valued member of our community here on Capitol Hill for the past quarter century: Mark Fritter from Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He is retiring after providing crucial technical support to numerous congressional offices over the past 25 years. We ought to give thanks for his many contributions to his community, his Congress, and his country.

Mark is a bit of a kindred spirit. Like me, Mark was raised in Prince George's County. He is also a fellow Terp, having earned his degree in marketing from the University of Maryland, College Park. He kicked off his career on Capitol Hill in 1999 as a consultant helping congressional staff use the customer relationship management (CRM) software ``Capitol Letters.'' Following a merger, he pivoted to consulting staff on how to use Intranet Quorum (IQ). Back then, computers were still a relatively new technology. Mark played a vital role in helping staff harness the power of these new tools and integrate these innovations into Congress' day-today work.

In the past 25 years, Mark provided invaluable support to hundreds of legislative coordinators, communications directors, and other top staff. He has taught communications professionals how to use IQ's newsletter software to keep constituents informed and to expand Member offices' subscriber base and digital reach. His work has helped Members engage more closely with the people they represent. Mark has been particularly adept at helping set up new Member offices on these technologies and has helped facilitate more than a dozen congressional transitions during his tenure on the Hill.

Mr. Speaker, Mark is one of the thousands of people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help this Congress fulfill its responsibilities For the People. His commitment to service goes beyond his professional career, however. From supporting his local church to serving as Assistant Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 403 based out of Bowie, Maryland. Mark has devoted much of his free time to giving back to his community. He has also been a tremendous husband to his wife, Rhonda, and father to their son, Ben. Crucially, I hear Mark has been an excellent owner to their dog, Pepper, and their two cats, Lilly and Zoe-Zoe.

I know that many here on Capitol Hill and back in Maryland appreciate Mark's warmth, good humor, and willingness to lend a hand. Mark may be moving to Indiana to be closer to family, but he'll always be a Marylander at heart. It is a privilege to represent kind, generous, and hardworking people like Mark from Maryland's Fifth District.

I ask that all my colleagues join me in congratulating Mark on this milestone and in wishing him and his family all the best.

Mr. Speaker, the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed our Congress and spoke of how Iran has exported anti-Semitism around the world, including the United States, we saw reminders of that disgusting and dangerous influence just blocks from our Capitol.

Protesters graffitied ``Hamas is coming,'' ``Welcome to the Intifada,'' and other anti-Semitic messages outside of Union Station. Some brandished Hamas flags while burning the Stars and Stripes. This anti-Semitic hate has no place anywhere in the world, let alone within the view of this Capitol.

This vile hatred is a continuation of millennia of prejudice, discrimination, persecution, and violence toward Jews.

Hate and bigotry are un-American. Hate and bigotry are the tools of fascists, dictators, and thugs--the foul products of twisted minds.

Hatred and bigotry endanger not only Jews but democracy itself. It falls to each of us, Mr. Speaker, to remove the cancer of anti-Semitism from our society.

Jews are and have always been a fundamental part of our American family, and no amount of spray paint can ever change that.

Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Normally I don't speak on this bill, and I have been on the Appropriations Committee long enough to remember when this bill came to the floor in a bipartisan fashion.

Mr. Lewis, who was chairman of our committee at one point in time, and Mr. Fazio, who was chairman of our Democratic Caucus, joined together as the leaders, as the chair and ranking member or vice versa, on that committee and brought this bill to the floor. The legislative branch of government, the first branch of government, the first part of the Constitution, mentions the people's House and the United States Senate.

Unfortunately, it is no longer the case that this is a bipartisan bill because both parties have interest in making sure that we have the resources and the ability to do the job that we are asked to do, and that is not only to raise and authorize the money to be spent to do the people's work, but, also, to oversee the executive department to ensure that the laws are faithfully carried out.

One of the things that is necessary to make this body viable is to make sure that all Americans can serve in this House and that they be compensated in a way that will allow them--even though they may not be rich--to come to Washington, D.C., and serve the people of this country.

Sadly, for the last 14 years, the Congress has been unwilling because of, in my opinion, a lack of political courage and trust in the people's understanding that from a commonsense standpoint people will not be able to serve in a body, in a town, where the cost of renting an apartment has increased approximately 120 percent since the last cost- of-living adjustment, which all people understand is necessary to stay even. That means that the Members of Congress have substantially had their buying power reduced.

That is unfortunate because if we continue along that road, this will become a more aristocratic body and a less democratic body. That is not good for the country, it is not good for this institution, and it certainly is not good for the Members.

I would hope that as we move forward in this process, in a bipartisan way we could say honestly to the American people: That is not a sustainable policy.

Mr. Chair, I come to the floor to urge Members to understand it is not just about them. It is about this institution and the ability of people to serve in this institution with the resources necessary to sustain themselves and their families.

Too many people think that Members of Congress get money under the table. I don't think that is true. Are there some who abuse the rules? Of course, in any body there are some, but there are few.

To the extent that they can sustain themselves and their families on the resources that they earn, Members of Congress I think have average days of 10, 12, 14 hours a day and weekends. I have talked to my friends on both sides of the aisle, and let us over the next months come together and effect an appropriate compensation package for Members.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Marylander: Ed Lewis. He and his wife, former Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis, are two of my dearest friends. After an impressive, decades-long career in communications and government relations, Ed recently decided to retire. We ought to pay tribute to his many accomplishments and contributions to our community over the years.

An expert communicator with a deep understanding of public policy, Ed started to hone his skills at Howard University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in journalism, and later at the University of Maryland, where he earned a master's degree in public policy management. Ed began his career as a reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal. While there, he helped come up with innovative new journalism tactics, developing a best practices handbook for online interviews. Ed has always maintained strong ties to the journalism community. He was the first Black person to serve on the National Press Club's Board of Governors. From the National Press Club Journalism Institute to the Press Club's Speakers Committee to the Corporate Advisory Council of the National Press Foundation, he's held leadership positions at a variety of other press organizations. That includes his role as a founding member of the Washington Automotive Press Association.

Ed Lewis remains a towering figure in the public relations and automotive industries. He held senior positions at the Tire Industry Safety Council, the American Automobile Manufacturers Association, Nissan, Ford, and other leading automakers. For the past 18 years, Ed served as the Director of Public Policy Communications for Toyota. These companies always knew they could count on Ed to craft a compelling message and to distill complex policy into simple terms that the public could understand. Ed also cultivated close relationships with leading figures in government and the press that proved invaluable to his work. Whether it was handling crisis communications, navigating complex interactions between the public and private sectors, or helping guide high-level business decisions, Ed proved to be one of the very best professionals in his field.

Ed has received more honors and awards than I could ever list in full, but they include the Public Relations Society of America's Platinum Award and the National Press Club's Vivian Award--among many others.

What I most admire about Ed is his commitment to giving back to our community in Prince George's County. Although his corporate career may be coming to an end, I have no doubt that his commitment to serving Prince Georgians never will. I was pleased to see him and Yvette roll out their new Fresh Start initiative in partnership with Bowie State University just this past April. The program will provide financial aid to formerly incarcerated individuals to help them attend BSU. Ed and Yvette want to give these men and women an opportunity to build a better life as well as a better community for all. For that, they have our thanks.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues join me in congratulating Ed on his retirement and in thanking him for his service to our community--service that will surely continue for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. We won't have a colloquy, however.

Which we had so many, many times.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about a person who has made a great difference in this institution for the Republican Party and for the Democratic Party, a person who brought great judgment, great skill, a love for this institution and its Members, and a love for her country.

Unfortunately, the public does not get to see the extraordinary contributions that our staff make, whether they are on the floor, as Kelly has been for many years, or in committees, or in our offices.

Kelly Dixon is one of the best of a very, very distinguished group of people.

Kelly Dixon ran the floor with Shuwanza Goff of my staff, who now, as you probably know, is the Director of Legislative Affairs for the President and with Alexis Covey-Brandt, who was my floor director and then my chief of staff, who is now senior counselor to our Governor.

Kelly will now go on to greener pastures. I use that word advisedly. They are very fortunate to have her services. She is smart. She is engaging. She is personable. She is experienced. She always tries to do the right thing.

As all of us know, this floor gets pretty hot at times. The two parties differ greatly. Sometimes the parties disagree with each other greatly. Sometimes we disagree with the Chair. Sometimes we even disagree with the Parliamentarian.

Kelly was a calming voice, a voice of reason, a voice for a democracy that worked civilly. We will miss Kelly Dixon.

She is not leaving town, so hopefully we are going to see you, Kelly, from time to time, day to day, month to month, and we will have the opportunity to continue to learn from your experience, to have the pleasure of your company.

Jim McGovern in his statement said: ``I love Kelly.'' I join Mr. McGovern in that sentiment. I love you, Kelly. You have made our work in this place better, and you have made our lives in this place better. We thank you.

Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this political bill. This is not about policy. It is about politics. What a shame.

This is not in Israel's best interests. It is not in this Congress' best interests. The gentleman who just spoke, spoke with passion, immediacy, and urgency. Unfortunately, House Republican leadership has sought to turn it into a partisan issue on multiple occasions. This legislation is their latest attempt.

They claim President Biden is delaying some portion of aid. Where was

that outrage, I ask my colleagues, when, on November 2, you brought a bill to this floor with a poison pill that you knew would not pass and would not be signed by the President of the United States?

If it had been a clean bill, as I told you then, it would have passed with over or approximately 400 votes, but you waited 7 months--not 20 days--7 months. Where was the outrage when we waited 7 months to give Israel aid?

Also, by the way, we delayed on Ukraine, as well. Where was the outrage? I was told over and over again: Well, the Speaker is going to bring it to the floor sometime. He says he is going to bring it to the floor. Seven months--one, two, three--time went by. Where was the outrage then?

This is a political bill that does not help Israel, does not help America, and should be defeated.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation and all of the bills that will address the issues at hand.

I often say it is never too late to do the right thing, but waiting to do the right thing comes at a cost. We saw that cost in Israel this week as an emboldened Iran launched an unprecedented attack on our ally.

For Ukraine, the cost of our inaction is great, if incalculable. It is measured in Ukrainian lives, towns, and territory lost. For 478 days, Congress' words of support fell silent on Ukrainian ears deafened by air raid sirens, artillery bombardments, and drone attacks.

Today, we act. We act to make it clear to the world that America is still the defender of freedom, democracy, and international law--as well as our friends and allies--and the opponent of tyrants and terrorists.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' Vote ``yes'' to show Jews in Israel, America, and beyond, that this Congress will always stand up for their safety.

Vote ``yes'' to demonstrate to Russia, Iran, North Korea, and every other authoritarian despot and to terrorists everywhere that America remains committed to defending freedom here and around the world.

Let our bipartisan support for our allies endure in the months ahead, whether it is to secure the release of the 134 hostages held captive in Gaza or to turn back Putin's criminal invasion.

The voice of resolve and opposition to tyranny must not be muted, nor should it be delayed. Let us pray that the majority that speaks today will remain loud and clear for all to hear.

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the previous speaker of the bipartisan bill from the Senate, which does, in fact, deal with the critical issue she raised. The leadership of the Republican Party has refused to take up that bill.

However, there is a more important issue that confronts this House that we should have acted on days, weeks, months ago. That is the security of the global community, the sanctity of international law, and the saving of the sovereignty of Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of an embattled Israel and a beleaguered Ukraine and apprehensive allies around the world.

A month ago, Speaker Johnson said: ``No one wants Vladimir Putin to prevail. I am of the opinion that he wouldn't stop in Ukraine. If he was allowed, he'd go through all the way through Europe.''

The Speaker said: ``There is a right and wrong there--a good versus evil, in my view. And Ukraine is the victim here. They were invaded. We stand with good.''

The Speaker went on to say: ``I understand the timetable and I understand the necessity of the urgency of the funding.''

Yet, we twiddle our thumbs without any paper on this floor as to how we are going to affect the urgent end of which the Speaker spoke.

Speaker Johnson then said on April 16: ``We need steady leadership. We need steady hands on the wheel. Look, I regard myself as a wartime Speaker.''

If the Speaker regards himself as that, Speaker Johnson must act now. There is no time for delay. There is no time for political chaos to impede our aid to Ukraine.

Clearly, we are not acting urgently. If we did, we would have allowed us to pass the Senate national security bill a long time ago. Putin has to be happy with the failure to bring the Senate bill to the floor. It must look like ``Gulliver's Travels'' with the little people in America, the Lilliputians who are in our midst tying down America's ability to respond.

We have seen the consequences of House inaction. Over the weekend, Iran made an unprecedented attack on Israel, launching roughly 350 drones and missiles at targets across the country. They see an unresolved United States, although Israel shot down nearly all of them with the support of America.

God bless President Biden and our allies. The audacity and breadth of Iran's attack ought to concern us all as Americans and as global citizens.

In Ukraine, we have allowed our allies to run so low on ammunition that their air defenses cannot fend off similar air attacks. Shame on America. Shame on this House.

Indeed, Iran supplies Putin with the same drones and missiles to strike Ukrainian cities. Meanwhile, Ukraine's soldiers are so starved for ammunition that they wade into swamps in search of abandoned Russian artillery shells they can reuse. That is how committed they are to winning this war, and that is how desperate they are for our aid. This Congress has failed to provide it for them for 473 days.

The world watches us and wonders: Does America remain the defender of freedom, democracy, and its allies, or has the wellspring of democracy run dry? The free world expects more from the great arsenal of democracy, and so should we.

Most Members of this House agree. Over 300 Members of this House have voted for the proposition contained in the Senate bill. On seven occasions in the past year, over 300 Democrats and Republicans voted to aid Ukraine. Even more of us voted to aid Israel.

We are not a silent majority, but a silenced majority, silenced by a Speaker who refused to give us a vote. It will pass. He could put the Senate supplemental on the floor at any moment. It would pass with a large bipartisan majority.

Freedom is waiting upon us today. International law is waiting for us to redress the grievance that has occurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, let us act now.

Ukraine's time has expired.

Mr. Speaker, just hours ago in this Chamber, the Prime Minister of Japan asked this Congress: ``Without U.S. support, how long before the hopes of Ukraine would collapse under the onslaught from Moscow?''

The answer is not long.

It has been 469 days since we last secured aid for Ukraine. That Ukrainians continue to mount a courageous and effective defense despite our inaction is a testament to their skill on the battlefield and their determination and courage to defend democracy.

They are running dangerously low on ammunition, however. They cannot prevail without our help.

I echo what Prime Minister Kishida said today: ``The leadership of the United States is indispensable.''

Let us not retreat from leadership. Let us not leave our Ukrainian allies without ammunition. America is the world's hope. Let us not fall short.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, late at night, a ship being guided by people working for the Port Authority of Baltimore lost control of a gigantic ship. Unable to propel it or guide it, they immediately called the Transportation Authority, as Mr. Harris pointed out. The good news, for we don't know how many people, but perhaps hundreds, was that the Transportation Authority acted quickly.

We had a tragedy in the loss of six lives working on that bridge to keep it in good and safe shape. Tragically, for them, that gigantic ship that had lost power and the ability to steer took down a significant portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused their deaths.

For that, we lament, and we send our thoughts to their families.

That was the immediate tragic effect, but the effect on this bridge and the sections of the bridge falling into the channel and precluding ingress and egress had international consequences, certainly consequences to the State of Maryland and certainly consequences to the United States of America.

This port is one of the busiest ports in America. As the previous speakers have said, it carries a variety of critically necessary products and creates a dynamic economy not only around the port itself and in Maryland but internationally.

I rise to join my colleagues. You might be surprised, Mr. Speaker, that this is bipartisan and nonpartisan in approach, but it is because, as Mr. Harris, again, said: This is not a partisan tragedy. This is a tragedy for those who lost their lives and for those who have lost their immediate economic means of support, whether they were owners, shippers, or longshoremen and others working for the port.

As a result, we in Maryland believe this is, as we would believe if it were another port that had been so damaged, a question that the entire country needs to address.

We have done that before. We did it when a Minnesota bridge fell on an interstate. We acted. We acted as a nation, 100 percent paying for that Minnesota repair. We hope and believe that the Congress will do the same.

We are pleased that, in a very short time after the accident occurred, President Biden said that is what the Nation would do and that is what he would recommend.

I congratulate our Governor, who has essentially set up a command center.

I think every American citizen would be extraordinarily proud not only of those people who acted within 1 minute to stop traffic upon hearing the danger from the ship itself, but also the Coast Guard.

The Army Corps of Engineers acted within literally hours of the accident, putting in the machinery to fix and open this port and to take care of the people who work for and are advantaged by the port.

They are on the job today. They will be on the job tonight. They will be on the job tomorrow morning.

Our secretary of transportation, who oversees the Port Authority, indicated to us just a few days ago when we had a hearing that they are hoping to open this port to 80 percent of the shipping that would use this port--not this big tanker; they need a deeper draft, but a 30- plus-foot draft--by the end of May.

That is government at its best.

I will close with this: In the press conference we had, the biggest tragedies in many instances bring out the best of government, the best of people in helping one another overcome that tragedy.

I thank the gentleman for taking out this Special Order. This happened in his district, but it affects 434 other districts, the Nation, and countless countries. Therefore, I thank him for his leadership, for his strong voice, and for galvanizing the Maryland delegation along with the Governor of our State, Governor Moore, to meet this challenge and make it better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of an outstanding civil servant, Sharon Ratliff-Gross, who passed on April 2, 2024. She dedicated 37 years of her life to federal service and specialized in workforce planning, recruitment, and diversity at the U.S. Department of Labor. Before Mrs. Ratliff-Gross retired in 2010, she received several Secretary's Exceptional Achievement awards to recognize her work at the Department of Labor.

But family was the greatest joy for Mrs. Ratliff-Gross. Family members referred to her as ``Ma 2,'' and it became the cherished name by which she was known. When her grandson was born, the nickname was shortened to ``TuTu.'' Mrs. Ratliff-Gross loved to travel on cruises, play cards, attend church plays, and watch her favorite shows on television. One of her greatest joys was time spent with her husband. Mrs. Ratliff-Gross loved to join her husband on trips to the barbershop, grocery store, casino, and anywhere else in the neighborhood. She loved to bake and was known for her delicious sweet potato pie, pretzel salad, and brownies. In her spare time, she created her special ``money cakes'' and gifted them to friends and family for birthdays and retirements.

In addition, she was renowned for her efforts to support cancer survivors and others who struggled with the disease. Mrs. Ratliff-Gross dedication to life helped her conquer Breast cancer twice. She served as a beacon of hope for local women who needed comfort and encouragement to deal with their difficult cancer diagnosis. Even today, she is an inspiring figure who showed hundreds of local women there is life and recovery after a Breast cancer diagnosis.

Mrs. Ratliff-Gross left an indelible mark on everyone who was fortunate enough to meet and know her as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, mentor, or friend. She made a difference in countless lives with her infectious smile, laughter, and caring spirit. She cherished her family and friends with all her heart and embraced life with love and vitality. Her legacy of love and resilience will live on in the cherished memories of all those she touched.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating Mrs. Ratliff-Gross' life of public service and extend the deepest condolences to her beloved family and friends during this difficult time.