Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 1512, James M. lnhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. This bill contains many important provisions that should become law, but unfortunately those policies are outweighed by the staggering increase in military spending. Accordingly, I cannot support the bill as a whole.

I am grateful for the inclusion of robust policies to protect our ocean, especially provisions from my legislation, the BLUE GLOBE Act. These provisions will direct existing ocean-focused interagency committees to coordinate overlapping data collection, align supercomputing and data storage efforts, develop cross-agency databases, and support consistent archiving practices. The legislation will also better assess the value of the Blue Economy, develop a study on workforce shortages related to careers in oceanic and atmospheric data collection, and identify actions the federal government can take to promote diversity in STEM education. Further, it directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create, maintain, and regularly update a publicly available website that provides information about all resiliency grant programs. H.R. 7776 also prevents illegal fishing and forced labor, enhances marine mammal conservation, including of whales in the Puget Sound, and eliminates shark fin sales.

I also strongly support the pay increase for our troops, increased funding for research conducted at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, an increased military housing allowance, and providing reimbursement for members of the Armed Forces for childcare costs related to permanent base changes. Additionally, I commend Chairman Smith for his ongoing advocacy for additional funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides support and assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in their response to Russian aggression.

I cannot ignore, however, the unprecedented amount of military spending this legislation authorizes while too many Oregonians and Americans continue to struggle economically. This bill costs $847.3 billion, which far exceeds the President's budget request of $773 billion. In our current economy, supporting more than 74 billion additional dollars, primarily for weapons, is unjustifiable when our communities desperately need food and housing security, access to high- quality childcare, affordable health care, and support for small businesses. We must not accept the notion that annual increases in defense spending are inevitable and can be rationalized as modest when Americans continue to struggle.

I do not take this vote lightly and my commitment to providing for our servicemembers remains steadfast. It is a complex and challenging task to responsibly fund our national defense, but I am confident that we can maintain adequate security while reining in the immense and ever-increasing sums that endlessly pour into the military-industrial complex. I look forward to continued engagement with my colleagues as we address these difficult issues.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of The Respect for Marriage Act because everyone should be able to marry who they love. This important law will protect same-sex and interracial marriages.

When I was serving in the Oregon State Legislature in 2007, I helped pass the Oregon Family Fairness Act to give same-sex couples many of the rights afforded to married couples. In 2014, a federal district court judge found that Oregon's ban on same-sex marriages violated the Oregon Constitution, and in 2015 the United States Supreme Court held in Obergefell that all people have the right to marry who they love.

It is imperative that we pass the Respect for Marriage Act because Justice Thomas cast doubt on rights grounded in privacy, including same-sex and interracial marriages, in his concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The Respect for Marriage Act will enshrine this fundamental right into law and so it continues to be protected.

Although it is essential that we pass the Respect for Marriage Act, this legislation is a compromise. The bill as passed includes an overly expansive exemption for faith-based nonprofit organizations. This exemption is disappointing because it will allow legalized discrimination and undermine the fundamental principles of fairness this legislation is intended to uphold.

As Vice Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, I am proud to continue standing with members of the LGBTQI+ community and their allies as we pass the Respect for Marriage Act. I remain committed to continue fighting against discrimination, including by enacting the overdue Equality Act to close gaps in civil rights protections.

No one should face prejudice and violence because of who they are or who they love. I urge my colleagues to support the Respect for Marriage Act and swiftly send this bill to President Biden's desk.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the first sponsor of H.R. 5296, a bill originally introduced by Representative Charlie Crist of Florida, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and to highlight the importance of registered apprenticeships in building a diverse and talented workforce, expanding economic opportunity, and growing a more inclusive and resilient economy.

Registered apprenticeships allow workers to learn and earn both a living wage and a nationally recognized credential within their industry of choice.

Workers who go through apprenticeships earn an average starting salary of $70,000 a year, a salary that provides them with social mobility and economic security.

This Congress, we have passed historic legislation to fix our roads, bridges, ports, and infrastructure; to shore up domestic semiconductor manufacturing; and to combat climate change. The laws we pass create a need for thousands of well-prepared and fairly compensated workers.

Mr. Speaker, during this year's National Apprenticeship Week, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in expanding the opportunity to get more people, including more women and people of color, on the path to a good job by investing in registered apprenticeships.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Denise Bacon, and to recognize her many years of service to the residents of Newberg, Oregon.

Denise was an advocate, active community member, and treasured friend and colleague to many. As a longtime city council member, Denise was a champion for families and worked tirelessly to better the lives of the residents of Newberg, especially its most vulnerable community members. In times of crisis and stability, Denise was a leader, a bridge- builder, and a policymaker with deeply-rooted integrity. Yamhill County is a better place because of Denise's devotion to improving the lives of those around her.

I express my sincere condolences to Denise's family, colleagues, and all those she served. We can honor her legacy by building kinder communities and leading with respect. Let us continue to serve others in her memory.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Mental Health Matters Act. I thank Representative DeSaulnier for his leadership and for yielding. I thank Chairman Scott, as well, for making this important issue a priority in the committee.

In the fall of 2020, pediatric experts declared a national state of emergency in children's mental health. Our Nation's students continue to face significant and serious challenges with social, emotional, and mental health. We must meet them where they are by providing evidence- based treatment and support so they can learn and thrive.

This timely legislation provides needed resources and will greatly improve the behavioral health of children and school staff by building a pipeline of school-based mental health service providers. I want to mention the Ballmer Institute, which is going to be opening soon in Oregon for that very purpose.

Because stress can affect the developing brain, this bill invests in Head Start to address the mental and behavioral health of young children and to support staff wellness. Importantly, the bill will also support students with disabilities beyond their high school education by including my bipartisan bill, the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower Act, or RISE Act.

Students with disabilities face many barriers to earning a degree or credential after high school. Without the proper accommodations, students with disabilities complete college at a lower rate than their peers without disabilities. Less than 5 percent of students with disabilities disclose their specific learning disability to their college because of stigma. Currently, students are required to obtain expensive and expansive new evaluations before they can access special education services in college. This onerous process poses additional unnecessary barriers to success for students with disabilities.

The RISE Act is bipartisan legislation that aims to provide students with disabilities with affirmation, comfort, and peace of mind during their transition from high school to college by allowing college students to use existing documentation of a disability--whether it is an IEP, 504 plan, or another type of commonly recognized documentation--when seeking accommodations on campus.

My bipartisan, bicameral RISE Act will make it easier for students with disabilities to access the support services they need by easing the burdensome, expensive, and redundant requirements students frequently face when entering college. This action alone could save families hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.

I thank my co-leads, Representatives Bucshon, Schrier, and McMorris Rodgers, for supporting the RISE Act, Chairman Scott for including the RISE Act in this important mental health package we are discussing today, and Speaker Pelosi and Leader

Hoyer for bringing the Mental Health Matters Act to the floor.

By considering this legislation, we are showing a commitment to serving our Nation's most vulnerable students and making our schools and colleges safer and more welcoming places to learn.

Mr. Chairman, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the important Mental Health Matters Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of a transformational piece of legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Inflation Reduction Act's historic investments will reduce costs for families and individuals, expand access to affordable health

care, strengthen domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce the federal deficit. This plan will also reduce carbon emissions to address the climate crisis and move us toward a better, healthier, and more secure future for Oregonians and people across the country.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated longstanding economic inequities, and working families have been facing the consequences. Economic inflation caused by increased consumer demand, global supply chain disruptions, and Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine have shifted global markets, affecting everyday costs. Higher prices are straining household budgets and depriving workers of the full benefits of our growing economy. The Inflation Reduction Act will lower costs for health care, prescription drugs, and consumer energy, and make robust investments in energy security and climate solutions, including for disadvantaged and rural communities.

In the Pacific Northwest, climate change is not a distant threat; it's our current reality. The Inflation Reduction Act acknowledges the scale of the climate crisis by investing nearly $375 billion in a clean energy future. It will lower consumer energy costs with clean energy tax credits, and decarbonize every sector of the economy to reduce 40 percent of U.S. carbon emissions by 2030. Importantly, the Inflation Reduction Act will invest $60 billion in environmental justice and climate resilient solutions through sustainable agriculture, coastal, home energy, and transportation priorities to bolster rural communities and individuals disproportionately affected by climate change. Through economy-wide investments in agriculture, coastal restoration, energy, manufacturing, and transportation, this pivotal legislation will help the U.S. combat climate change while creating new, good paying jobs and mitigating climate inequities.

Everyone in the United States should have access to quality, affordable health care. To make health care more affordable, the Inflation Reduction Act will extend important health policies passed in the American Rescue Plan for an additional three years. These policies include eliminating the cap on subsidies for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, which will benefit up to four million Americans. Additionally, rising prescription drug costs are a burden for many Americans, particularly seniors. Too often, excessive drug prices force families to choose between their health and other necessities, like food and housing. That's unacceptable. The Inflation Reduction Act will reduce the price of prescription drugs by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices for certain medications, and will cap seniors' out-of-pocket costs to $2,000 a year. The bill also caps insulin costs at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries. The Inflation Reduction Act will stabilize Medicare Part D by holding annual premium growth to current levels, which will incentivize drug manufacturers and insurers to keep drug prices low.

These historic investments will be paid for by making our tax code more progressive, rather than regressive. With the tax provisions in this bill, the very largest corporations, currently contributing as little as one percent in taxes, will pay a minimum rate rather than take advantage of loopholes. After the Republicans' 2017 tax bill was signed into law, corporations spent more than $1 trillion on stock buybacks in 2018. The Inflation Reduction Act will help correct the missed opportunities of the so-called Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by establishing a tax on stock buybacks. It will also strengthen the Internal Revenue Service to enforce existing tax laws, improve customer service, speed access to tax refunds, and reduce abuse of the tax code. Improving tax fairness will bolster domestic investments in our economy while also reducing the deficit.

The Inflation Reduction Act makes tremendous progress, but it does not address all of the important priorities of the people of NW Oregon and across the country, including needed investments in workforce development and child care. I will continue working on those important priorities, but in the meantime, I look forward to making significant progress by working with my colleagues in Congress and partners in the Biden-Harris Administration to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the CHIPS and Science Act, and I thank Chairwoman Johnson for her leadership in bringing this bill to the floor today.

The pandemic has underscored how important our domestic semiconductor supply chain is to transportation, the energy sector, national security, and scientific advancement. With this bill, we will make a vital investment in domestic manufacturing and in workers in Oregon and across the country.

I am also grateful that this legislation includes two of my bipartisan bills. I am the co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, and my Coastal and Ocean Acidification Research and Innovation Act will help protect the health of our ocean while supporting coastal resiliency. Acidification of the ocean and estuaries destabilizes coastal communities, causing long-term economic harm. This bill will strengthen investments in research and monitoring, provide resources to mitigate, and increase our understanding of the socioeconomic consequences of inaction.

My Building STEAM Education Act will expand resources and grant opportunities to integrate art and design into STEM education programs, which will better engage students, prepare an innovative workforce full of creative and critical thinkers, and enhance the diversity of the STEM workforce.

Overall, Mr. Speaker, the CHIPS and Science Act will grow U.S. leadership, strengthen our scientific enterprise, bolster research and development, grow our domestic semiconductor manufacturing base, and on-shore critical supply chains. Importantly, it will also support workers and create many quality jobs in Oregon and across the country.

I thank the tireless committee staff for all of their work to bring this bill to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge all of my colleagues to put American leadership above politics and support this important bipartisan bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Women's Health Protection Act which will provide--in law--the right for people to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions.

The Supreme Court's Dobbs opinion overturning abortion rights is infuriating, it is heartbreaking, and it is dangerous.

For almost 50 years, the intensely personal decision about whether to bear a child or have an abortion was where it belongs--with the person who is pregnant.

I remember the days before Roe v. Wade when abortions done without medical care could, and often did, have tragic consequences.

Colleagues, make no mistake: Overturning Roe will not end abortions.

Make no mistake: Taking away the right to abortion care will disproportionately hurt families and individuals who are already struggling, and disproportionately hurt people in rural areas who will struggle to get the care they need.

My colleagues, if you believe life begins at conception, don't get an abortion. But that is a belief, it is not science, and others do not share it.

I don't think anyone over here would ever force someone with your beliefs to get an abortion, but you are forcing your beliefs on others, and that is wrong.

We need to restore personal freedom and put the decision about whether or when to bear a child back where it belongs.

Today, I will enthusiastically vote for the Women's Health Protection Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, long overdue legislation to address gun violence in our schools and neighborhoods. Although this legislation is far from perfect, it is an important step forward in solving the epidemic of gun violence that has gripped our nation for decades.

In the weeks following the tragedy in Uvalde at Robb Elementary and the racist attack at a grocery store in Buffalo, I spoke with many constituents who continue to urge action. Teachers, parents, and concerned community members from Northwest Oregon shared pleas for Congress to follow through on our responsibility to our children and our nation by immediately passing bold policies to implement gun safety reform. An educator I know told me that after Uvalde, she sat down with her students and told them she would take a bullet for them. Conversations like this are happening in classrooms across the country, but they shouldn't have to. Congress must provide all students with safe learning environments free from the threat of gun violence. The House already passed a comprehensive slate of gun violence prevention legislation, and I look forward to building on that by voting for this legislation that came out of the bipartisan Senate negotiations.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help to protect Americans and make gun sales safer. The most effective way to protect communities from gun violence is to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who are a danger to themselves and others. This legislation will incentivize states to establish extreme risk protection order laws, enhance background checks for people under the age of 21, end straw purchasing, and penalize gun traffickers. It will also safeguard survivors of domestic violence by closing the so called ``boyfriend loophole,'' prohibiting people convicted of domestic violence crimes from possessing firearms.

Additionally, this bill makes a robust investment in under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Fully funding this important grant program will help to close the opportunity and resource gaps in our nation's public schools, and I'm pleased this bill recognizes the importance of this program in providing students of all backgrounds with a well-rounded, safe, and healthy education.

Although these actions to address gun violence in our communities and fund critical school improvement programs are important, I am concerned about how various provisions in the bill could harm Black and brown students and students with disabilities in our nation's schools. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act increases funding for school resource officers (SROs) and codifies further involvement of the Department of Homeland Security in education through threat assessments. Research and practice show that both SROs and threat assessments are ineffective in keeping students safe in schools. As Chair of the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, I remain committed to protecting students' civil rights and delivering on the promise of an equitable, world-class public education for each and every student in this country. I will closely monitor the implementation of this legislation to make sure our most marginalized and vulnerable students are not subject to further disproportionate discipline and discriminatory targeting in schools.

As a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce, I again want to recognize how crucial the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is to our schools, communities, and country. This bill will be the first substantive action on gun violence prevention since the passage of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1994. In the last 30 years, our nation has been devastated over and over again by horrific tragedies like we saw in recent weeks at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. We cannot bring back those who have been murdered, but we can enact meaningful laws that will prevent more senseless deaths.

I urge swift passage of the legislation.

Mr, Speaker, I rise today in support of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, long overdue legislation to address gun violence in our schools and neighborhoods. Although this legislation is far from perfect, it is an important step forward in solving the epidemic of gun violence that has gripped our Nation for decades.

In the weeks following the tragedy in Uvalde at Robb Elementary and the racist attack at a grocery store in Buffalo, I spoke with many constituents who continue to urge action. Teachers, parents, and concerned community members from Northwest Oregon shared pleas for Congress to follow through on our responsibility to our children and our Nation by immediately passing bold policies to implement gun safety reform. An educator I know told me that after Uvalde, she sat down with her students and told them she would take a bullet for them. Conversations like this are happening in classrooms across the country, but they shouldn't have to. Congress must provide all students with safe learning environments free from the threat of gun violence. The House already passed a comprehensive slate of gun violence prevention legislation, and I look forward to building on that by voting for this legislation that came out of the bipartisan Senate negotiations.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help to protect Americans and make gun sales safer. The most effective way to protect communities from gun violence is to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who are a danger to themselves and others. This legislation will incentivize states to establish extreme risk protection order laws, enhance background checks for people under the age of 21, end straw purchasing, and penalize gun traffickers. It will also safeguard survivors of domestic violence by closing the so-called ``boyfriend loophole,'' prohibiting people convicted of domestic violence crimes from possessing firearms.

Additionally, this bill makes a robust investment in Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Fully funding this important grant program will help to close the opportunity and resource gaps in our Nation's public schools, and I'm pleased this bill recognizes the importance of this program in providing students of all backgrounds with a well-rounded, safe, and healthy education.

Although these actions to address gun violence in our communities and fund critical school improvement programs are important, I am concerned about how various provisions in the bill could harm Black and brown students and students with disabilities in our Nation's schools. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act increases funding for school resource officers (SROs) and codifies further involvement of the Department of Homeland Security in education through threat assessments. Research and practice show that both SROs and threat assessments are ineffective in keeping students safe in schools. As Chair of the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, I remain committed to protecting students' civil rights and delivering on the promise of an equitable, world-class public education for each and every student in this country. I will closely monitor the implementation of this legislation to make sure our most marginalized and vulnerable students are not subject to further disproportionate discipline and discriminatory targeting in schools.

As a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce, I again want to recognize how crucial the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is to our schools, communities, and country. This bill will be the first substantive action on gun violence prevention since the passage of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1994. In the last 30 years, our Nation has been devastated over and over again by horrific tragedies like we saw in recent weeks at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. We cannot bring back those who have been murdered, but we can enact meaningful laws that will prevent more senseless deaths.

I urge swift passage of the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott for yielding and for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022. This important legislation improves the existing statute in several critical ways.

First, this legislation formally authorizes sector partnerships. I have witnessed the significant benefit of sector partnerships. One persuasive example in northwest Oregon is the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center, OMIC, which develops and applies advanced metals manufacturing technologies in their R&D center, while educating an advanced manufacturing workforce in their training center run by Portland Community College. OMIC is an outstanding example of how sector partnerships between industry, higher education, and government can create new R&D outcomes, prepare workers, and fuel local economies.

Second, this legislation will improve access to supportive services like access to tools, work attire, transportation, childcare, and mentorship, which are crucial to helping workers stay in their training and in the workplace and to thrive.

Third, this legislation will define and formally authorize funding for pre-apprenticeship programs. In Oregon, we have tremendous programs, successful programs, like Oregon Tradeswomen, that prepare women for careers and trades through pre-apprenticeships. Despite the success of this program and others, funding has been extremely low. This legislation will help expand these life-changing programs and set participants up for success in apprenticeships and beyond. These are life-changing.

Importantly, this legislation will make Job Corps more inclusive by requiring Job Corps center operators to implement a tiered disciplinary system instead of adhering to a zero-tolerance drug policy. It would expand the definition of ``individuals with barriers to employment'' to include historically disadvantaged communities. These changes will modernize Job Corps in important ways, and it will better meet the needs of all communities.

I urge my colleagues to support this Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act reauthorization to help close the skills gap and to address the needs of working Americans, and I thank Chairman Scott for his leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1097, I call up the bill (H.R. 5129) to amend the Community Services Block Grant Act to reauthorize and modernize the Act, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5129, the Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2022.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bipartisan legislation, H.R. 5129, the Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2022.

In 1964, Congress first established the Community Action Program to support locally driven anti-poverty efforts.

Today, community action agencies, or CAAs, form a network of more than 1,000 organizations with a dedicated mission of assisting people in finding their way out of poverty.

These agencies provide services and programs that meet the unique needs of our local communities by helping individuals and families with low incomes achieve economic stability, secure meaningful employment, and adequate education, gain and improve job-related skills, obtain housing, access childcare, and participate in the community.

During our legislative hearing on updating the community services block grant, Katherine King Galian, the director of Family and Community Resources at Community Action in Washington County, Oregon, told us the story about Patricia.

Patricia lost her job and her home in the fall of 2019. Facing unaffordable rent and a rising risk of homelessness, she turned to Community Action and she got the support she needed.

At Community Action of Washington County, she accessed career coaching, help affording needed materials for her nursing curriculum, and other services that helped Patricia and her family get back on their feet. Patricia's story is just one of many from all across the United States where community action agencies have been helping low- income Americans get back on their feet for decades.

Unfortunately, the community services block grant program, CSBG, has not been reauthorized since 1998, the year Google was founded, and John Glenn flew the Discovery space shuttle mission. We are long overdue for Congress to pass a comprehensive reauthorization of this significant law.

Our bill continues the long tradition of broad bipartisan support for this program and makes important improvements to update CSBG. It will reauthorize CSBG for 10 years--the longest period in its history--which will provide critical stability to our local service providers.

Recognizing that there are many more families like Patricia's who can be served by CSBG, our bill strengthens funding for community action agencies and raises the program's income eligibility threshold to expand access to their important services.

I also highlight a provision championed by my friend and colead, Congressman G.T. Thompson, to create broadband navigator projects so community action agencies can assist their clients in accessing internet services and connected devices that are necessary for learning, finding employment, and other basic activities of everyday life.

Finally, the bill will modernize the statute to strengthen accountability and performance requirements, putting CSBG on solid footing so the program can continue to meet the complex and changing needs of low-income individuals in communities without changing the local control that is such an important part of CSBG's success.

I very much appreciate the productive collaboration with my bipartisan partner from the Education and Labor Committee, Congressman Thompson, and his staff, in leading this legislation.

I also thank our other Education and Labor Committee coleads, Representatives DeSaulnier, Stefanik, and Comer for leading us in this effort. I must also knowledge Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who led early iterations of this proposal in prior Congresses and has joined us this session to build on her foundational work to get this across the finish line.

Additionally, David Bradley, the CEO of National Community Action Foundation has been instrumental in offering his expertise to help us bring this bill to the floor today.

Finally, and importantly, I would thank Chairman Scott and his dedicated staff, particularly, Theresa Thompson, Jessica Schieder, Emily Hopkins, and Carrie Hughes, for working with us to bring this bill. I also thank my staff, Allison Smith, Jack Arriaga, Andrew Dunn, and Rachael Bornstein, who worked diligently on this bill from drafting and introduction through the committee markup.

I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important bill to renew our Nation's commitment to reducing poverty through community action.

Additionally, I include in the Record letters by the National Community Action Foundation, National Association of Counties, and National Association for State Community Service Programs in support of passing the Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2022.

National Community

Action Foundation,

May 10, 2022.

Hon. Suzanne Bonamici,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Glenn Thompson,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Rep. Bonamici and Rep. Thompson: We are writing to you

today to share our enthusiastic endorsement of your

bipartisan legislation, HR 5129, the Community Services Block

Grant (CSBG) Modernization Act of 2022.

As you know, CSBG touches virtually every community in the

United States. With 90 percent of each state's CSBG

allocation being distributed to local Community Action

Agencies (CAAs), our communities rely upon this unique

flexible funding. CAAs use it to combat poverty and promote

self-sufficiency, respond rapidly to unforeseen crises such

as natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic and implement

gap-filling activities that address unmet community needs.

Additionally, CAAs use CSBG to organize and support other

local charities and community-based initiatives, ensuring

services are streamlined and not duplicative. Without CSBG,

every single community in America would be hurt.

Your bill would codify critical updates to the program. It

provides security and reliability to communities across the

country by authorizing CSBG for 10 years and ensuring money

flows in a timely manner. The crucial modernizations included

in HR 5129, such as the new broadband navigator initiative,

will increase CAAs' ability to respond to emerging needs. We

are also pleased to see the emphasis on quality performance

at the federal, state and local level and that the essential

nature of CSBG as a locally-controlled program is retained

and bolstered.

Because of HR 5129's local impact in almost every county in

the country, we join in support of the bill. We hope Congress

passes this essential piece of legislation quickly, thereby

strengthening each community in America.

Sincerely,

David Bradley, CEO, National Community Action Foundation;

Mona Stallins, Financial Specialist, East Missouri Action

Agency, Ironton, Missouri; Jean Ann Miller, Senior Director,

Office for Student Involvement Oakland University, Rochester

Hills, Michigan; Esther Shutters, Family Advocate East,

Missouri Action Agency, Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Lisa

Straske, Manager, Oakland County Michigan Works! Southfield,

Hamtramck, Michigan; Jay Black, Jr., President CEO, Pathway

Inc., Toledo, Ohio; James Fox, President/CEO, Community

Action Wayne/Medina, Wooster, Ohio; Lisa Schmidtfrerick-

Miller, Owner PMT Services, Inc., Jamestown, New York; Myra

Lawson, Processer, East Missouri Action Agency, Park Hills,

Missouri; Denise Schneider, City Manager, City of Guttenberg,

Guttenberg, Iowa; Melissa Skaggs, Receptionist, East Missouri

Action Agency, Inc., Bonne Terre, Missouri; Vanessa Gibson,

Executive Director, Community Action of South Mississippi,

Gautier, Mississippi; Paul Mark, State Representative,

District 2, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Johana Lovig, Vice

President of Compliance, Full Circle Services, Oelwein, Iowa;

Sandra Twardosz, CAC Board Member, Knoxville-Knox County

Community Action Committee, Knoxville, Tennessee; Michael J

Murphy, Sheriff, Livingston County, Howell, Michigan; Amy

Kruppe, Superintendent, Hazel Park Schools, Hazel Park,

Michigan; Brenda Robbins, Teacher, LCCAA Head Start, Lorain,

Ohio; Dawn Godshall, Executive Director, Community Action

Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Keyon S. Payton, Lead Pastor, New Bethel Missionary Baptist

Church, Pontiac, Michigan; Yvonne Cherell, CEO, Ohio Urban

Resources System, Columbus, Ohio; Denise Schneider, City

Manager, City of Guttenberg, Guttenberg, Iowa; Jan Cooley,

Head Start Deputy Director, East Missouri Action Agency,

Bonne Terre, Missouri; Kris Rowe, Executive Director,

Community Action Association of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama;

Mary B. Killian, East Missouri Action Agency, Cape Girardeau,

Missouri; Nancy Ann Smith, Program Administrative Assistant,

Lorain County Community Action Agency, Lorain, Ohio; Margaret

L. Flood, Executive Director, Oberlin Community Services

Council, Oberlin, Ohio; Daniel Petersen, Member, Dan's Law

Office, PLC, St.

Joseph, Michigan; Sharon Harmon, Apprentice Program Manager,

Lorain County Community Action Agency Head Start, Lorain,

Ohio; Betty Cantley, Parent Advocate, End Childhood Lead

Poisoning, Grafton, Ohio; Teresa Beltran, Assistant Teacher,

Lorain County Community Action, Lorain, Ohio; Sherri

Hallauer, Finance and Administration Assistant, Lorain County

Community Action Agency, Elyria, Ohio; Rena Mellon, Community

Integration Coordinator, Imagine the Possibilities,

Guttenberg, Iowa; Kenyadah Sullivan, Board Member, CAC,

Knoxville, Tennessee; Lynn A. Harden, Executive Director,

Brown County Public Library, Mt. Orab, Ohio; Denise Teasley,

Site Manager, East Missouri Action Agency Head Start, Park

Hills, Missouri; Trisha Wilkins, Executive Director, NEICAC,

Decorah, Iowa; Jolene Leon, Admin, Children's Alliance,

Pleasanton, Texas; Kim L. Smith Oldham, Executive Director,

Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Benton Harbor,

Michigan; Patricia Kennedy, Family Self-Sufficiency,

Coordinator, East Missouri Action Agency, St. Genevieve,

Missouri; Deborah L. Rhodes, Board Member, Gallia-Meigs

Community Action Agency, Gallipolis, Ohio; Dennis Phelps,

Executive Director, Trehab, Montrose, Pennsylvania; David

Coulter, County Executive, Oakland County, Michigan; Laura L.

Smith, Owner, Asset4You Professional Services, Lorain, Ohio;

Mike Mellon, Regional Assoc; Exec; Director, Imagine the

Possibilities, Inc.--Northeast Region, Guttenberg, Iowa;

Roger McCann, Executive Director, Community Action Kentucky,

Frankfort, KY, Kentucky.

Jennifer Patrick, Board Member, ABCAP, Mt. Orab, Ohio;

Cheryl Williams, Board Member, Adams Brown Community Action

Program, Georgetown, Ohio; Jan F. Demers, VCAP Coordinator,

Vermont Community Action Partnership, Burlington, Vermont;

Linda Stepp, Board Member, Adams Brown Community Action

Agency, Winchester, Ohio; Suzanne Shears, CEO, Niagara

Community Action Program, Inc, Niagara Falls, New York;

Sharon Daugherty, Staff Accountant, EMAA, Potosi, Missouri;

Daniel Wickerham, Executive Director, Adams Brown Community

Action Partnership, West Union, Ohio; Amber Coleman,

Associate Executive Director, Capital Area Head Start,

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Barbara Bilek, Head Start Site

Manager, East Missouri Action Agency, Millersville, Missouri;

Deana Hageman, Director, Northeast Iowa RSVP, Decorah, Iowa;

Desiree Beasley, Board Secretary, Knoxville-Knox County CAC,

Knoxville, Tennessee; Brenda S; Wilmer, Executive Director,

Avoyelles Progress Action, Committee, Inc., Mansura, LA

71351, Louisiana; Darlene Bigler, CEO, Blueprints,

Washington, Pennsylvania; Gale Zalar, Chief Executive

Officer, Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc., Shamokin,

Pennsylvania; Shirley Vermace, Supervisor, District 3,

Winneshiek County, Iowa; Lisa Spencer, CEO, SSCAC, Inc.,

Plymouth, Massachusetts; Lenora Leifheit, Coordinator Health

Ministries, Meigs Cooperative Parish, Pomeroy, Ohio; Patricia

A. Keys, Low Income Board Member Ohio, Great Lakes Community

Action Partnership, Port Clinton, Ohio.

Brenda Fry, Executive, Director, South Central Iowa

Community Action Program, Inc., Chariton, Iowa; Cynthia

Zwick, Executive Director, Wildfire: Igniting Community

Action to End Poverty in Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona; Debbie

Myers, Executive Secretary/Administration, Manager, East

Missouri Action Agency, Park Hills, Missouri; Florence

Greiman; County Supervisor, Hancock County Iowa, Garner,

Iowa; Terry L. Barley, Board Member, Emeritus Tri-County

Community Action, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Rhonda

Williamson, Executive Director, Safer Path Family Violence

Shelter, Inc., Pleasanton, Texas; Eugene M. Brady, Executive

Director, Commission on Economic Opportunity, Wilkes Barre,

Pennsylvania; Kenneth Loy, Veterans Resources Coordinator,

Community Council of South-Central Texas, Jourdanton, Texas;

Jennifer Wintermyer, Chief Executive Officer, Community

Action Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Megan Shreve,

CEO, South Central Community Action Programs, Inc.,

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Ewing M. Johnson, Board Member;

Knoxville-Knox County Community Action, Committee, Knoxville,

Tennessee; Janine Robinson, Finance Director/Co-Director,

Frontier Community Action Agency, Winnemucca, Nevada; Scott

Zahorik, Executive Director, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity

Agency, Inc., Virginia, Minnesota; Karen Snair, Executive

Director, Allegheny Valley Association of Churches, Natrona

Heights, Pennsylvania; Renee Hungerford, Executive Director,

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, Albion, New York;

Katherine Riley Harrington, Executive Director, Iowa

Community Action Association, Des Moines, Iowa; Joseph

Barden, Executive Director, Margert Community Corporation,

Far Rockaway, New York.

Tom Heidenwirth, Board Member, North Iowa Community Action

Organization, Greene, Iowa; W. Anthony West, COO, Virginia

CARES Inc., Roanoke, Virginia; Georjean W. Trinkle, Executive

Consultant, Community Action Partnership NJ, Inc., Clinton,

New Jersey; Bailey Maulding, President, Casey Chamber of

Commerce, Casey, Illinois; Jeriemy Jones, CSR, East Missouri

Action Agency, Park Hills, Missouri; Mary Jane, Ostrander,

Human Services Division Manager, Carson City Health and Human

Services, Carson City, Nevada; Andrea Olson, Executive

Director, Community Action Partnership of North Dakota, West

Fargo, North Dakota; Jim Schuyler, President & CEO, Virginia

Community Action Partnership, Richmond, Virginia; Michele

Bautista, Board Member, Chautauqua Opportunities Inc.,

Dunkirk, New York; Carol L. Kern, Local Income Rep., GLCAP,

Tiffin, Ohio; Harold Monroe, CEO, Pennyrile Allied Community

Services, Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Melinda Gault, Chief

Executive Officer, Community Action Planning Council of

Jefferson, County, Inc., Watertown, New York; Amber Freeman,

Associate Director, INCA Community Services, Inc., Ardmore,

Oklahoma; Patricia McFarland, Executive Director, North

Central West Virginia Community Action, Association, Inc.,

Fairmont, West Virginia; Roger Tjarks, Board Member, District

5, Titonka, Iowa; Brian Mullins, CEO, Kentucky River

Foothills Development Council, Inc., Richmond, Kentucky; Joe

Pisney, County Supervisor, District 2, Howard County, Iowa;

Nicole Laurin, CEO, Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of

Clinton and Franklin Counties, Plattsburgh, New York; Yasmin

Abdul Ghafu, Outreach Aide, East Missouri Action Agency, Cape

Girardeau, Missouri; Marcia Erickson, CEO, GROW South Dakota,

Sisseton, South Dakota; Erik Schoen, Executive Director,

Community Chest, Inc., Virginia City, Nevada; Megan Sowers,

Executive Director, Jackson-Vinton Community Action,

Wellston, Ohio; Sharon Price, Executive Director, Community

Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison and

Nicholas Counties, Inc. Lexington, Kentucky; Chong-Anna

Canfora, Executive Director, Michigan Community Action

Association, Okemos, Michigan; Rene Ewing, Board Member,

Multi Service Center, Federal Way, Washington; Debbie K.

Herndon, Case Manager, Community Action of Laramie County,

Inc., Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Brenda L. Fox, Executive Director, Tri-County Community

Action Agency, LaGrange, Kentucky; Tom Baker, Executive

Director North Hills Community Outreach, Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania; Katie Ecker, Board Member, CAO, Kendall, New

York; Gina Ward, Associate Director, Southern Tier

Environments for Living Inc., Jamestown, New York; Craig A.

Reiter, Board Chair, Menominee-Delta-Schoolcraft Community

Action, Gulliver, Michigan; David Knight, Executive Director,

California Community Action Partnership Association,

Sacramento, California; Josephine M. Howard, Ed. S., Board

Member, The Agricultural and Labor Program, Inc, Haines City,

Florida; Daniel Brown, Executive Director, Community Action

Team, Inc., St. Helens, Oregon; Heather Cole, Director of

Advocacy and Public Innovation, United Way of Southwest

Michigan, Saint Joseph, Michigan; Duane Yoder, President,

Garrett County Community Action Committee, Inc., Swanton,

Maryland; David Coplan, Executive Director, Human Services

Center Corporation, Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania; Robin

Whitaker, Executive Director, Daniel Boone CAA, Inc.,

Manchester, Kentucky; Robert S. Jones, CEO, Audubon Area

Community Services, Inc, Owensboro, Kentucky; Brittany Tonet,

Director of Finance & Administration/CFO, North Hills

Community Outreach, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Joe Diamond,

Executive Director, Massachusetts Association for Community

Action, (MASSCAP), Boston, Massachusetts; Pearl L. Barth,

Housing Specialist II, East Missouri Action Agency, Park

Hills, Missouri; Julie Pearson, Community Service

Representative, East Missouri Action Agency, Bismarck,

Missouri; Amy Lynn Roark, Vice Chair, Community Action

Advisory Board in Clark County, Vancouver, Washington;

Heather Wallace, Board Member, Community Action of Skagit

County Burlington, Washington; Kimberly Ashley-Pauley,

Governing Board Chairwoman, Community Action Program of

Central Arkansas, (CAPCA), Conway, Arkansas; Cindy Davis,

Executive Director, North Iowa Community Action Organization,

Mason City, Iowa; Angela Martin, CEO, Maryland Community

Action Partnership, Annapolis, Maryland; Jill Sutton,

Executive Director Mid-Michigan Community Action, Farwell,

Michigan; Lyndsey Schoelzel, Executive Director, Nevada

Community Action Association, Reno, Nevada; Susan L. Carr,

Executive Director, Community Services Network of Wyoming,

Sheridan, Wyoming; Tara Glover, Executive Director,

Lowcountry Community Action Agency, Inc, Walterboro, South

Carolina.

Phil Verges, Board President, WestCAP, Spring Valley,

Wisconsin; Alex Fortune, City Councilperson, City of Cresco,

Iowa; Philip E. Cole, Executive Director, Ohio Association of

Community Action Agencies, Columbus, Ohio; James Fails, Board

Member, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, Fremont,

Ohio; Carmen A. Ortega, Board Member, Great Lakes Community

Action Partnership (GLCAP), Bowling Green, Ohio;

Ruthann House, President/CEO, Great Lakes Community Action

Partnership, Fremont, Ohio; Keri McCrorey, Executive

Director, East Missouri Action Agency, Inc., Farmington,

Missouri; Michael Crouse, Executive Director, STEP Inc.,

Rocky Mount, Virginia; Tina Tate, Commissioner, Hospital

District 304, Skagit County, Washington; Reshella Hawkins,

Executive Director, Emergency Shelter Services INC, Benton

Harbor, Michigan; Roseann Marchetti, Commissioner, District

4, Cass County, Michigan; Alyssa Jarrett, Community Services

Representative, East Missouri Action Agency, Farmington,

Missouri; Myron Gray, Owner

of Service Enterprises LLC, St. Louis, Missouri; Charles

Hargitt, Maintenance Supervisor E.M.A.A., Fredericktown,

Missouri; Nancy Jones, Board Member and Secretary, Mid-

Michigan Community Action Agency, Farwell, Michigan; Patti

Hall, Financial Specialist EMAA, Park Hills, Missouri; Amanda

Garner, Board Member GLCAP, Fremont, Ohio; Ruth Johnson,

Board of Directors, Gladwin County, Gladwin, Michigan;

Jacqueline Orr, CEO, New York State Community Action

Association, Guilderland, New York; Donna Dodgen, Mayor, City

of Seguin, Texas; Karen McCandless, Chief Executive Officer,

Community Action Services and Food Bank, Provo, Utah; Maria

M. Tracy, Board Member, Multi-Service Center, Federal Way,

Washington; C. Shawn Yardley, CEO Community Concepts, Inc.,

Lewiston, Maine; George T. Simon Jr., Executive Director,

TriCounty Community Action, Inc., San Augustine, Texas;

Thomas Mainella, Mayor, City of Fairmont, West Virginia; Bill

Grant, Executive Director, Minnesota Community Action

Partnership (MinnCAP), St. Paul, Minnesota; Elizabeth

Jennings, Director of Community Engagement, Community Action

of Skagit County, Bellingham, Washington; Roger Pavey, Sr.,

Chief Executive Officer, Community Action of Eastern Iowa,

Davenport, Iowa.

Steven Zittergruen, City Councilperson, Ward 5, City of

Decorah, Iowa; Shanna Yount, Community Services Rep, East

Missouri Action Agency Inc, Potosi, Missouri; Anita Leiws,

Section 8 Area Coordinator, East MO Action Agency,

Caruthersville, Missouri; Don Munson, Board Chairperson,

District 5, Douglas County, Illinois; Clint Cottam, Executive

Director, Community Action Partnership of Utah, Layton, Utah;

Susan Cooper, Executive Director, Community Action

Partnership of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, California; Daneen

Adams, Assistant Executive Director, Open Doors, Clearfield,

Utah; Teleda S. Holmes, Board Member, Multi-Service Center,

Federal Way, Washington; Michelle Faught, Executive Director

ICCAP, Indiana, Pennsylvania; James Hemm, Consultant, New

Jersey Association on Correction, Trenton, New Jersey;

Deborah Leonczyk, Executive Director, Berkshire Community

Action Council, Inc., Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Barbara

Kelly, Executive Director, Knoxville Knox County CAC,

Knoxville, Tennessee; Kathy DiNolfi, Chief Program Officer, A

New Leaf, Mesa, Arizona; Kim Embrey Hill, Executive Director,

Multi-Purpose Community Action Agency, Inc., Louisville,

Kentucky; Kimberly Skaggs, Housing Administrative Secretary,

EMAA, Park Hills, Missouri; Erica Pogue, Associate Director,

INCA Community Services, Inc., Atoka, Oklahoma; Patricia F.

White, Board Member Community Action Council-Lexington,

Lexington, Kentucky; Eva Felix, Director, A New Leaf,

MesaCAN, Mesa, Arizona; Robin Corak, CEO, Multi-Service

Center, Federal Way, Washington; Kati Ortiz, Board Member,

Community Action of Skagit County, Sedro Woolley, Washington;

Kenneth Walters, Executive Director, Licking Valley Community

Action Program, Flemingsburg, Kentucky; David A. Rumsey, DSS

Commissioner CAOG Board, Member, BOD Community Action of

Orleans and Geneseee, Batavia, New York; Carol A. Mack,

Teacher, East Missouri Action Agency Cape, Girardeau,

Missouri; John W. Edwards, Jr., Interim Executive Director,

Texas Association of Community Action Agencies, Austin,

Texas; Chris Berry, Board Member--Treasurer, Multi Service

Center, Milton, Washington; Lynne M. Johnson, Board Member,

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee Counties,

Lyndonville, New York.

Sandra Slade, Coordinator, East Missouri Action Agency,

Belgrade, Missouri; Mary L. Chipps, Executive Director, West

Virginia Community Action Partnerships, Inc., Charleston,

West Virginia; Megan Adkins, Home Care Coordinator, Gallia

County Council on Aging, Gallipolis, Ohio; Jennifer

Trowbridge, President/CEO, Northwest Indiana Community

Action, Crown Point, Indiana; Lisha Whitt, CEO, Pride

Community Services, Inc., LOGAN, West Virginia; Hal B. Goode,

Executive Director, Central Kentucky Community Action

Council, Lebanon, Kentucky; Charlene Engle, CEO, Gateway

Community Action, West Liberty, Kentucky; Kristin L.

Peterson, Council Member At Large, City of Oberlin, Ohio;

Janet Merrell, Executive Director, Community Action

Partnership of Oregon, Portland, Oregon; Richard Brocksmith,

City Councilperson, District 1, Mount Vernon, Washington;

Jimmy Jones, Executive Director, Mid-Willamette Valley

Community Action Agency, Salem, Oregon; Rebecca Missey, Cook

Aide, EMAA, Bonne Terre, Missouri; Michael Lincoln, White

County Judge, White County, Arkansas; Jada Shirriel, CEO,

Healthy Start, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Amanda Ewing, Executive Director, Oklahoma Association of

Community Action Agencies, Edmond, Oklahoma; Rebecca N.

Brumagin, Town Supervisor, Town of Mina, New York; Dreama

Padgett, CEO, Mountain Heart Community Services, Inc.,

Oceana, West Virginia; Barbara Shine, CA Board of Directors

Chair, Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Batavia, New

York; William Reder, Chairman Board of Directors, Mid-

Michigan Community Action Agency, Auburn, Michigan; Janet

Keefe, Board Member, Chautauqua Opportunities Inc., Fredonia,

New York; Steve Luse, City Councilperson, City of Decorah,

Iowa; John L. Hasten, Mayor, City of Marshall, Illinois; Dean

King, Board Member, GLCAP, Perrysburg, Ohio; Dean Bellack,

Executive Director, United Way of Orleans County, Medina NY,

New York; Susan Harding, CEO, OLHSA, Pontiac, Michigan; Paula

A. Brown, Head Start Collaboration Director, Oklahoma Head

Start Collaboration Office, Stillwater, Oklahoma; Tamara

Turner, Board Member, Seneca County, Fostoria, Ohio; Daniel

Byrnes, County Supervisor, Allamakee County, Iowa; Randy

Weldon, CEO, Southwest Georgia Community Action Council,

Inc., Moultrie, Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), who is the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), who is a member of Education and Labor Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson), who is a member of the Education and Labor Committee and a lead cosponsor of the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.

Madam Speaker, we all agree that the inclusion of faith-based organizations and faith leaders is important for the community action network. In fact, they have a long history of being involved with community action since the very beginning of the war on poverty in the 1960s, and I have no doubt that they will continue to do their important work.

In recent years, the Supreme Court has made clear that religious entities cannot be excluded from participation in publicly funded programs because of their religious status. This legislation, despite what the ranking member and others claim, would not change that.

We are here today to reauthorize and modernize the community services block grant program, which is almost 20 years past its authorization expiration.

I also note that the bipartisan bill introduced in the previous Congress, the 116th, also removed the charitable choice provision with broad bipartisan support, and H.R. 5129 reflects the same sensible compromise on this issue.

In fact, some Members would have liked the legislation to go further to expressly address other nondiscrimination issues, but I did not take that approach as we crafted the bill because I wanted to maintain the bipartisan agreement we reached to make real progress toward the much- needed reauthorization of CSBG.

Twenty years is too long for this program, our community action agencies, and the communities they serve. It is too long for them to wait for us to reach an agreement, and we have reached an agreement.

Additionally, Madam Speaker, for 60 years, community action agencies have had relationships with faith-based organizations. The involvement of faith-based organizations in community action programs long predates the charitable choice provision, and their involvement will continue without this controversial provision.

We also know that HHS regulations have existed for nearly 20 years incorporating many of the same principles. Eliminating the duplicative charitable choice provision in CSBG allows us to move forward with a reauthorization that is vital to so many of our agencies

and allows HHS to apply a single set of rules across programs.

This is a distraction that should not prevent us from moving forward with this reauthorization and maintaining the bipartisan consensus we have achieved.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination, a broad and diverse group of leading religious, civil rights, labor, and health organizations supporting the removal of the charitable choice provision from the community services block grant program.

The Coalition Against

Religious Discrimination,

May 11, 2022.

Dear Representative: As members and allies of the Coalition

Against Religious Discrimination (CARD), we write to support

the changes in H.R. 5129, the Community Services Block Grant

(CSBG) Modernization Act of 2022, that would remove

charitable choice, a highly controversial policy.

CARD is a broad and diverse group of leading religious,

civil rights, labor, and health organizations that formed in

the 1990s to oppose adding charitable choice to social

service program authorizations. Since then, CARD has

continued to advocate for strengthening the constitutional

and legal safeguards that apply to such partnerships in this

and other social service programs. We appreciate the

important role that religiously affiliated organizations

historically have played in addressing many of our nation's

most pressing social needs, including in some cases, with the

use of government funds; indeed, many members of CARD know

this firsthand. We also recognize that the separation of

church and state is the cornerstone of religious freedom.

Contrary to claims of its supporters, charitable choice

provisions did not remove any ``barriers'' to participation

for faith-based providers. Faith-based organizations

partnered with the government to provide services long before

the addition of charitable choice to the Community Services

Block Grant programs. Charitable choice instead changed the

rules. But faith-based organizations should follow the same

rules as all other providers, and effective government

collaboration with faith-based entities does not require

government-supported discrimination.

Charitable choice removed traditional church-state

safeguards that applied to social service providers that

accept taxpayer funds. It allows taxpayer-funded faith-based

organizations to discriminate in hiring, including by

undermining state and local nondiscrimination protections,

and threatens the rights of beneficiaries when delivering

services.

People in need should never be faced with the stark choice

between accessing the services they need or retaining their

religious freedom protections. And no one should be forced to

choose between conforming to a religious litmus test or

losing a government-funded job.

Charitable choice does not protect religious freedom,

rather it uses the guise of religious freedom to justify

discrimination against employees and put people who need

government services at risk of harm. Thus, we support the

removal of the charitable choice provisions from the CSBG

authorization.

Sincerely,

ADL (Anti-Defamation League), African American Ministers in

Action, American Atheists, American Civil Liberties Union,

American Federation of Teachers, American Humanist

Association, Americans United for Separation of Church and

State, B'nai B'rith International, Baptist Joint Committee

for Religious Liberty (BJC), Bend the Arc: Jewish Action,

Catholics for Choice, Center for Inquiry and the Richard

Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, Central Conference

of American Rabbis, Disciples Center for Public Witness,

Disciples Justice Action Network.

Equal Partners in Faith, Family Equality, Freedom From

Religion Foundation, GLSEN, Hindu American Foundation, Human

Rights Campaign, Interfaith Alliance, Jewish Women

International, Lambda Legal, The Leadership Conference on

Civil and Human Rights, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger,

Metropolitan Community Churches, Global Justice Institute,

NAACP, NARAL Pro-Choice America.

National Center for Transgender Equality, National Council

of Jewish Women, National LGBTQ Task Force, National Women's

Law Center, People For the American Way, PFLAG National,

Presbyterian Church (USA), Secular Coalition for America,

Secular Policy Institute, SPLC Action Fund, Union for Reform

Judaism, United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church

Ministries, The United Methodist Church--General Board of

Church and Society.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee.

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

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a Statement of Administration Policy from the Executive Office of the President supporting H.R. 5129 and praising the legislation's commitment to ensuring that communities have the tools they need to address poverty and achieve economic mobility.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 5129--Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2022--

Rep. Bonamici, D-OR, and 126 cosponsors

The Administration supports the poverty-fighting goals of

H.R. 5129, the Community Services Block Grant Modernization

Act of 2022, to provide states, territories, and Tribes with

resources for critical community services. This legislation

will reauthorize the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)

for a decade and help ensure that communities have the tools

they need to fight poverty and build economic mobility.

The CSBG has been supporting tribal and local governments

and community organizations across the country for over 50

years with funding to help them serve low-income individuals

and families. Local administration of some of the most

essential community programs--such as job training and

placement, food and nutrition assistance, Head Start, housing

and homelessness assistance, and the Low Income Home Energy

Assistance Program--is supported by CSBG funds. While these

services and strategies have always been key to helping

Americans get ahead and stay ahead, the COVID-19 pandemic

underscored just how vital it is to invest in the

organizations that deliver them. Faced with unprecedented

demand and the operational challenges of the pandemic, the

more than 1,000 organizations supported by CSBG continued

working to help low-income communities address housing and

food insecurity, provide high-quality early childhood

education, and support individuals re-entering the workforce.

Now, as this Administration works to build a strong and

equitable recovery, it is more important than ever to invest

in locally based solutions to the causes and conditions of

poverty in communities.

The CSBG update proposed by this Act would result in

greater equity for Tribes, expanded income eligibility data

modernization, strengthened performance management, and

support for community-based services and strategies. In

addition, this Act would support new broadband navigator

efforts and continues critical support for community economic

development and rural development activities. And

reauthorizing CSBG for the first time since 1998 would

provide organizations and the millions of families they serve

with the confidence and stability to make the long-term

investments communities need.

The Administration looks forward to working with Congress

to ensure that this bipartisan legislation achieves its

purposes, continues expanding opportunity for all Americans,

and ultimately is enacted.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative McCollum for supporting H.R. 5129. I am thankful for her leadership in the 116th Congress' legislation to reauthorize CSBG and her continued strong support for this program.

Madam Speaker, I also include in the Record letters from various organizations, individuals, and localities supporting this bipartisan legislation to reauthorize this community services block grant.

Madam Speaker, millions of families and individuals across our country benefit from the locally driven antipoverty programs and services backed by the community services block grant program. We are here today to make sure it continues to meet their needs and the unique needs of our communities.

I am pleased that the House is taking up this long-overdue update to the community services block grant program with strong bipartisan support.

CSBG enables community action agencies to be innovative, leverage public and private resources for their communities, and cost- efficiently administer many programs, including Head Start, LIHEAP, nutrition assistance, weatherization, job training, housing, and assistance for those experiencing homelessness.

This bipartisan legislation will strengthen funding for community action agencies, raise the CSBG program's income eligibility threshold to expand its important services; promote innovation in the CAA network through a federally administered community action innovations program; and, importantly, modernizes accountability, which is an important part of the bill, and performance standards.

The bottom line is that this legislation will better help low-income individuals and families achieve economic stability and access housing, childcare, utility assistance, employment, and other services.

I, once again, urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan bill to renew our Nation's commitment to reducing poverty through community action, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 11 of House Resolution 1097, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 1.

Madam Speaker, these amendments en bloc containing additional Democratic amendments from my colleagues continue to improve the implementation of the community services block grant program and strengthens partnerships with communities served by this program.

Ms. Escobar's amendment adds entities who support innovative community-based approaches and research-driven responses as partners for community action agencies in their work to broaden the resources directed to eliminating poverty.

Ms. Adams' amendment clarifies that institutions of higher education, including HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, can be considered as partners for CSBG projects.

Mrs. Hayes' amendment ensures that States provide notice on their website that CSBG services are offered at no cost and information about fraudulent activity related to CSBG.

Mr. Horsford's amendment adds language regarding Federal activities on place-based poverty alleviating strategies, clarifying that they can address health inequities.

Ms. Houlahan's amendment updates the use of funds to include behavioral health needs that an eligible entity may use CSBG funds for.

Ms. Jackson Lee's amendment requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study to identify the uses, programs, and activities that have the greatest impact and uses of funds under the program.

Ms. Moore's amendment authorizes States to use their statewide funds to ensure that eligible entities have the necessary supports to address food insecurity needs of low-income individuals, families, and communities.

Mr. Payne's and Ms. Tlaib's amendments ensure that CSBG funds can be used for home repairs for health and safety, energy, and water for low- income individuals.

Mr. Payne's amendment clarifies that CSBG funds can be used to address emergency needs, including emergency needs due to a national or public health emergency.

Ms. Pressley's amendment ensures that eligible entities take into account trauma prevention and mitigation when establishing partnerships to promote healthy communities.

Ms. Tlaib's, Mr. Payne's, Ms. Newman's, Ms. Barragan's, and Mr. Torres of New York's amendments add a requirement for the State to describe how the State and eligible entities will coordinate programs related to utility and water assistance services.

Mr. Torres of New York's amendment revises the reporting requirements of the Community Action Innovations Program to include an analysis of best practices for reducing poverty.

And Ms. Wild's amendment requires that eligible entities post their strategic plan, community needs assessment, and community action plan on their website.

These amendments en bloc contain commonsense proposals that strengthen the underlying bill. I thank my colleagues for their contributions. I strongly urge support of the amendments en bloc and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), a member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

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

Madam Speaker, once again, I reiterate that these amendments en bloc contain commonsense proposals that strengthen the underlying bill. I appreciate my colleagues for their contributions and their strong support of improving access to services, combating poverty, and uplifting low-income people in our communities.

I strongly urge support of the amendments en bloc and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 11 of House Resolution 1097, I rise to offer amendments en bloc No. 2.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to these amendments en bloc. The amendments contained in this en bloc are either a distraction from the bipartisan work we are doing today or fundamentally undermine the improvements we are putting forth in this legislation. Notably, this en bloc includes yet another Republican attack on women's rights and liberty.

Instead of focusing on what we have accomplished together to strengthen this program in a bipartisan way, some of my colleagues across the aisle are trying to further divide us. Madam Speaker, it has been 24 years since the last reauthorization of the community services block grant program in 1998.

Our communities need a comprehensive reauthorization, not a partisan controversy that will delay the urgent need to renew this program.

From the beginning of the program, community action agencies have addressed the health needs of low-income individuals in their communities, particularly important to rural communities. The 1964 Economic Opportunity Act, which first authorized the community action program, the predecessor to CSBG, specifies that such program shall be conducted in those fields with the purposes of this part, including employment, job training and counseling, and health, indicating that health has always been and continues to be a core part of addressing poverty conditions that is the central mission of these agencies.

Additionally, this en bloc would seek to strip out language from H.R. 5129 allowing CAAs, community action agencies, to serve individuals up to 200 percent of the Federal poverty line.

Congress supported, in a bipartisan manner, allowing community action agencies to serve individuals up to 200 percent of the poverty line to provide flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, for example, the FY 2022 Labor/HHS appropriations bill, and the recently passed omnibus all included an allowance for CAAs to serve individuals up to 200 percent of the poverty line.

The CSBG statute, which we know now is more than 20 years out of date, sets the income eligibility for CSBG services at 100 percent of the official poverty line or 125 percent if the State chooses. Currently, the very low-income eligibility criteria--this is equivalent to about $27,180 for a single person in 2022--for CSBG creates a cliff. Individuals will be cut off from public assistance and services as soon as they make a dime over the income threshold.

We must remember that community action agencies are unique, as they do not operate a single program. Rather, CAAs operate and often coordinate an array of Federal, State, and local programs, all with varying eligibility requirements. For example, more than half of community action agencies operate the Weatherization Assistance Program. That uses 200 percent of the poverty income guidance as the eligibility criteria.

I will share a story of Daniel from North Dakota. When the pandemic struck, Daniel was working in a fast-food restaurant, and his hours were reduced. With his employment income, he is above the statutory 125 percent, but below the 200 percent flexibility Congress has provided with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, Daniel's housing was unstable, and he was couch surfing. He received case management to assist with his housing search. Through CSBG funds provided under the CARES Act, he received assistance with a security deposit in February of 2021. With this assistance, Daniel has maintained stable housing for over a year.

Madam Speaker, Daniel's story is just one example of why raising the Federal poverty level eligibility to 200 percent is so critical to this legislation. Unlike the underlying legislation, these amendments en bloc would weaken CSBG, or it offers solutions in search of problems.

One of the needless proposals in this en bloc actually duplicates the current funding restriction in the bill and statute for voter registration activities which, of course, are nonpartisan activities.

Madam Speaker, we are here today to support a bipartisan CSBG reauthorization and the important work of community action agencies in our communities. These amendments en bloc would move us backward. I strongly urge my colleagues to reject these amendments in this en bloc and support the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have a lot to say in response to the gentleman, but I am going to take a deep breath and say, this is a bill about helping to lift low-income Americans out of poverty. It is a bipartisan bill we have been working on for many years. It is time to update the community services block grant program and help lift low- income Americans in Oregon and across the country out of poverty.

I oppose these amendments en bloc, and I encourage my colleagues to oppose them. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Madam Speaker, again, I reiterate my strong opposition to this en bloc amendment and support for the underlying bill.

This bipartisan bill is about improving services for our communities through community action, and these efforts are long overdue.

Unlike the underlying bill that enjoys broad bipartisan support and reflects the input of stakeholders who represent these agencies and their vital work in our communities, this en bloc amendment ignores what we have accomplished together to strengthen this program and seeks to further divide us.

Rather than addressing the real needs of low-income individuals, this en bloc amendment attacks women's reproductive rights at a time when they are under attack nationally.

The sponsors of this en bloc amendment have injected controversy into a policy on voter registration, which is nonpartisan. Head Start has had a nearly identical policy for the last 40 years with little evidence of a problem.

Together, these amendments all failed in our bipartisan committee markup, and they should again.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to reject this en bloc amendment and support the underlying bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Gottheimer for his amendment and for his leadership in addressing the needs of our country's veterans.

Madam Speaker, this amendment will help community action agencies meet the needs of veterans, particularly homeless veterans.

Although many community action agencies already implement other Federal programs serving veterans, this amendment will emphasize that all eligible entities are able and equipped to serve veterans and their communities.

Again, I thank my colleague for offering this amendment, and I thank the ranking member for supporting it as well.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership on this and so many important issues in the Education and Labor Committee.

I rise in strong support of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022 or SECURE 2.0, which makes important and bipartisan improvements that will improve enrollment in and access to retirement savings plans.

As employers have shifted from pension plans to retirement plans such as 401(k)'s, workers have increasingly become responsible for tracking, managing, and consolidating their retirement accounts when they change jobs.

There is no standard way for workers to consolidate their accounts, and many workers actually lose track of their hard-earned investments.

According to a Government Accountability Office report, about 25 million people changed jobs between 2004 and 2014 and left one or more retirement accounts behind. This problem is only expected to grow as young workers transition between jobs at greater rates than previous generations.

The SECURE Act 2.0 includes provisions from my Retirement Savings Lost and Found Act which will help address the challenge of tracking retirement savings. My bill creates a national lost-and-found registry for retirement accounts housed at the Department of Labor.

The lost-and-found registry will provide workers with a centralized way to track their retirement accounts, and it will also help workers claim their hard-earned retirement funds regardless of how often they transition from job to job.

I strongly support the commonsense improvements in the SECURE Act 2.0, including the creation of a retirement savings lost-and-found registry which will help working families retire with dignity.

I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of passage of this important legislation.

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

Our country is home to some of the most cutting edge research, innovative discoveries, and unparalleled national laboratories in the world.

Unfortunately, in some ways, we have fallen behind competitors during the past several decades, but with this legislation, we will strengthen our enterprise, bolster research and development, grow our domestic semiconductor manufacturing base, and make sure critical supply chains are based in the U.S.

This legislation includes a provision similar to my Regional Clean Energy Innovation Act to help cutting-edge technologies achieve commercialization by leveraging regional clean energy capabilities and markets.

As co-chair of the House Apprenticeship Caucus, I am thrilled that the America COMPETES Act includes not only the National Apprenticeship Act but also my PARTNERS Act, which will promote workforce training and help more people access good-paying jobs.

I am very grateful to Chair Johnson for her leadership on this bill and for Chair McGovern for making in order six of my amendments. If incorporated, they will help address climate change, improve workforce development, and enhance STEM education. In particular, the Blue Carbon for our Planet Act, BLUE GLOBE Act, and COAST Research Act will strengthen coastal acidification research and monitoring, expand efforts to map and conserve blue carbon ecosystems, and enhance ocean data collection.

And my bipartisan BUILDS Act, which provides grants for infrastructure industry partnerships, will play a pivotal role in helping workers get the skills they need to fill the jobs created by the bipartisan infrastructure law.

And my amendment with Mr. Langevin to enhance NSF's Mathematics and Science Education Partnership program will support innovative research and provide professional development for educators on how to boost creativity in STEM by integrating the arts.

The America COMPETES Act will reinvigorate America's research enterprise and restore its competitive edge. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Johnson for yielding me the time.

Madam Speaker, as the designee of Chairwoman Johnson, pursuant to House Resolution 900, I offer amendments en bloc.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

Madam Speaker, this is a package of en bloc amendments that are bipartisan. It includes the amendment that I offered with Representative Gonzalez-Colon and Representative Posey for the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act, which is very important to address ocean acidification, and also the amendment I offered with Mr. Posey to create an interagency working group on blue carbon led by NOAA to oversee the development of a national map of blue carbon ecosystems.

This package of amendments will improve the very important America COMPETES Act, and I urge its passage.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers, but I want to address the package of en bloc amendments.

Again, these amendments will improve the America COMPETES Act, which is so important for United States leadership and to incentivize and ramp up U.S. manufacturing. It is a very important bill, strengthened by this en bloc amendment, and I urge its passage.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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