Jake Auchincloss

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment with Mr. Perry to his bill, the Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies, or USE IT, Act. I support the intent and much of the substance of the underlying bill. I believe it is wise to require the Federal Government to be a good steward of its leases and of taxpayer dollars. It is important to reevaluate employee occupancy of Federal buildings in this new post- COVID employment environment, just as the private sector is doing, and to rightsize our Federal office space accordingly. This amendment makes two important revisions to the bill. I appreciate Mr. Perry's collaboration in adopting it. First, it defines occupancy in terms of hours per week instead of days per week to better reflect Federal employees who have compressed work schedules. Second, it codifies that any technology used to collect occupancy data should protect personally identifiable information, which GSA is already doing. This amendment does not solve every outstanding issue with this bill. I agree with the ranking member that Ms. Titus' amendment should also have been made in order, but I do believe it materially improves it, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Chair, I was necessarily absent from votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 73 and ``aye'' on rollcall No. 74. Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Lynch

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, Matthew Jefferson, in honor of his 100th birthday. Matt Jefferson and his late wife, Lillie, worked to eliminate racial, educational, and economic barriers in Newton. As Black residents in an overwhelmingly White city, they devoted themselves to their religious community, the Myrtle Baptist Church; their neighborhood, the village in West Newton, built around Myrtle; and the civil rights of people of color. Matt and Lillie helped found the Newton Interracial Fellowship to bring racial equity to Newton and helped form Newton's Fair Housing Committee, established to eliminate racial bias in housing. In 1968, Matt was appointed to the board of aldermen, becoming Newton's first Black city alderman. The board instituted the fair housing requirement that at least 10 percent of any large housing development filing for a special permit be affordable. Furthermore, he served on many boards and committees, including the Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Andover Newton Theological School, Middlesex Community College, Newton Housing Authority, and as president of the South Middlesex branch of the NAACP. Above all else, Matt is known for his kindness and generosity. He is a mentor, leader, family man, and fierce advocate for social justice. I am proud to recognize Mr. Jefferson's accomplishments this Black History Month. Happy 100th birthday.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to Congress' failure to show support for our allies abroad before leaving town for the holidays and ask that this body return to vote as soon as possible to secure the additional national security funding President Biden is requesting. This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a trip to the United States to lobby directly for the aid his nation needs as they continue to fight on the front lines of the free world. While addressing U.S. officers at the National Defense University, President Zelenskyy said: You can count on Ukraine, and we hope just as much to be able to count on you. Putin must lose. He is right. Putin must lose. The world is not only watching how we respond to Ukraine right now but whether or not we will stand with our ally Israel, the only liberal democracy in the Middle East, and whether or not we are prepared to buttress Taiwan as they face increased hostility from the Chinese Communist Party. As our allies are looking to us for support, our adversaries are waiting with bated breath to see if we will fail to meet this moment in history. This week, the Speaker wasted the House's time on a baseless impeachment inquiry, but he still can't put a bill on the floor to fund our democratic allies. We cannot hand a Christmas present to Putin, Hamas, or Xi Jinping. We must press President Biden's request for supplemental foreign aid. If that means coming back from the holidays early to vote on it, so be it.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida for her leadership on this issue. I rise today to tell the story of Ofer Kalderon. On October 7, the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Ofer, along with his children Sahar, 16, and Erez, 12, was taken hostage by Hamas from the Nir Oz Kibbutz close to the Gaza Strip. During that brutal attack, 29 of Kibbutz Nir Oz's 400 residents were murdered, and 80 were taken captive. These are not just numbers. Those residents who were murdered were individuals with hopes now extinguished, with lives now cut short. Those taken hostage are living in unimaginable terror, and their families are waiting, hoping for good news and fearing the worst. Ofer is a father of four, a carpenter. He loves to build and to rebuild engines, to travel, to take family camping trips, to race and ride dirt bikes, to help cook Shabbat dinner for his family. When asked about Ofer, his family describes his easygoing energy and a huge smile. We cannot lose sight of the fact that there is a family and a story like this one behind each one of these names of those murdered and of those taken hostage. Ofer is one of them. Ofer's children have thankfully been returned, but their family will not be made whole again until Ofer is released, as well. His relatives are my constituents, and my office is providing any support that we can, but the ultimate responsibility is on Hamas to release Ofer and all hostages immediately and unconditionally. I urge those terrorists to salvage a shred of humanity by releasing him and by releasing all the others held hostage, but I understand also that the hopes of finding a shred of humanity within Hamas are close to nil, which is why I remind my colleagues here today that we cannot handcuff Israel with calls for a unilateral cease-fire as they work to achieve their primary shared goal we all have: bringing all of the hostages home.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from votes on November 6, 2023. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 599, and YEA on Roll Call No. 600.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, due to travel delay, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 559, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 560, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 561.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the migrant crisis in my home State of Massachusetts. Massachusetts is the only State with a right-to-shelter law that guarantees every family with children a place to stay. According to recent reporting in The New York Times, 80 cities and towns across the Commonwealth have received migrants to date, with the number of families living in emergency shelters and hotels statewide doubling in the past year to nearly 6,300 last week. As the great-grandson of Jews who fled the Russian pogroms, I take seriously, like so many do, upholding the values this Nation was founded upon, including providing a safe haven for those seeking refuge. However, that promise is under threat now by our broken immigration system. Right now, Governor Healey and her administration are doing everything they can to rise to the challenge, but without Federal action to fix what was a Federal problem, States will continue to operate with their hands tied behind their backs. In addition to passing a disaster supplemental to provide FEMA with additional resources for States, we should be having a serious conversation in Washington about how to fix our immigration system to provide safe and legal pathways to entry. Last Congress, Democrats invited Republicans to the table in good faith to make progress on issues like infrastructure. Now, Republicans should do the same on immigration instead of demonizing those seeking a better life for themselves and their families.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

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

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Lieutenant General John Edwin Shaw of the United States Space Force for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to our Nation. Lieutenant General Shaw is retiring from active service after serving for three years as the Deputy Commander of United States Space Command and 33 total years of service to the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force. Lt. Gen. Shaw was born and raised in Norton, Massachusetts. He is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He received a B.S. degree in astronautical engineering and a minor in Russian language in 1990. After graduating from USAFA, Lt. Gen. Shaw attended the University of Washingtdn, earning his M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics. He also earned an M.A. in organizational management from the George Washington University, an M.A. in military operational arts and sciences from the Air Command and Staff College, and an M.S. in national security strategy from the National War College. Additionally, General Shaw was a senior executive fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School in 2010. Lt. Gen. Shaw has held numerous leadership positions in a variety of air and space units, highlighted by operations tours in the 50th Space Wing, the National Reconnaissance Office, the 32nd Air Operations Group, and the Space Warfare Center. His operational commands have included the 4th Space Operations Squadron, the 50th Operations Group, and the Space Wing. Prior to his current position, Lt. Gen. Shaw was dual hatted as the Commander, Combined Forces Space Component Command, U.S. Space Command, and Deputy Commander, Space Operations Command, U.S. Space Force at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. He also served as the Deputy Commander of Air Force Space Command, United States Air Force. Mr. Speaker, Lt. Gen. Shaw has honorably dedicated his life to the service of our Nation and to developing our country's vital space capabilities. On behalf of a grateful Nation, it is my honor to recognize the selfless service and sacrifice of Lt. Gen. Shaw, his wife, Tonia, and their children, Rachel and Timothy. I wish them the very best as they continue their journey in civilian life.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the extended processing times for passports, global entry applications, and tax returns. On average, Americans are waiting 2 to 4 months for passport renewals and 4 to 6 months for global entry appointments. Many are waiting even longer. There are also 2.6 million Americans still waiting on their 2023 tax refunds while facing hours-long wait times when calling the IRS. Since the start of this year alone, my office has assisted with more than 500 passport requests, nearly triple the number we assisted with all of last year. These numbers are unacceptable. This backlog exacerbates American citizens' frustration with Federal institutions and undermines their trust in our government's ability to serve them effectively. This is not the fault of our Federal workers. They are working tirelessly, including nights and weekends, to improve these delays, but they don't have the resources and bandwidth that they need. Now, House Republicans have proposed funding cuts to the IRS and the State Department that would only worsen these delays and the backlog, inhibiting Americans from accessing these essential services. Congress must reject these cuts and, instead, support these agencies with increased staffing and reliable funding.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 3395, the U.S. Supply Chain Security Review Act. I thank Coast Guard and Maritime Transformation Committee Chair Webster for his support on this legislation. Securing our maritime supply chain is critically important to American consumers and to our economic resilience. COVID-19, Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, and the increasing economic and security challenges from the Chinese Communist Party emphasize the need for the United States to better understand the influence, incentives, and dependencies at critical nodes in our supply chains, especially our ports. The U.S. Supply Chain Security Review Act would direct the Federal Maritime Commission to work with an independent academic or federally funded research center to evaluate the ownership of marine terminals at the 15 largest U.S. container ports. This study will consider the changes in ownership of marine terminals in these ports over the last 10 years, as well as any announced ownership changes anticipated in 2023 or 2024, with a specific focus on ownership by Chinese or Russian entities. These ports are critical to our economic and national security, and it is imperative that we have a real-time understanding of who is in charge. The study will also examine the amount of Federal grant funds that have gone to ports and marine terminals wholly or partially owned by foreign entities and a detailed analysis on the foreign operational control of these marine terminals. Lastly, the study will offer recommendations on policies to prevent malign foreign ownership of ports and terminal operators, whether ownership of the port gives the foreign entity unique access to operational technology and information, or if foreign ownership of the entity could have an impact on our supply chains. Understanding how our supply chains are and will be impacted by foreign ownership of marine terminals is a key aspect of our economic competition and will help the United States develop supply chains that are resilient against adversaries. This bipartisan legislation passed unanimously out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and I thank Chair Graves and Ranking Member Larsen for their leadership and support on this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so we can begin to address this critical issue and ensure the security of our maritime supply chains. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3395, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 3399, which, like my bill that is also under suspension today, will help to ensure a safe and resilient American supply chain. The Soo Locks, which are located on the St. Mary's River and connect Lake Superior to the rest of the Great Lakes system, facilitate the passage of 7,000 cargo ships per year. The locks connect the Great Lakes and are directly on the border with Canada, making them an important fixture for our national security. If something were to happen to the Soo Locks, 11 million jobs would be affected nationwide. This bill directs the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on any domestic or international threats to the Soo Locks, as well as the economic effect of an operational failure. This bill was reported out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously on May 23 of this year because my colleagues understand that economic resilience and national security are intertwined. A robust and resilient supply chain is the result of deliberate construction, maintenance, and operational security of locks, ports, waterways, roads, railways, and airports. As proponents of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law understood, maintenance of and investment in our ports and waterways is paramount. That law provided $17 billion for ports and waterways, which will go a long way to ensuring the viability of infrastructure like the Soo Locks and maritime transportation in the Great Lakes. This bill builds upon the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by understanding the vulnerabilities from a national security standpoint, and, thus, better protecting our investments. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3399, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Chair, I extend my appreciation to Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Graves, and Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Cohen for their work in crafting a robust bipartisan bill in committee. I am pleased that my language supporting airports' efforts to better manage their curb spaces was included in the bill. Curb management practices such as remote enforcement using sensors and cameras can reduce traffic at pickup and drop-off areas and improve travelers' airport experiences. Currently, though, curb management is in a regulatory gray area leading to uncertainty for airports and vendors that are trying to reduce traffic, unsafe vehicular maneuvers as the flying public arrives at their terminals, and stress for all involved. My provision would provide clarity and flexibility for airports' landside operations by making clear that there is no Federal regulation preventing airports from managing their curbs. This language would not impact any State or local restrictions, nor would it require airports to do anything at all. It simply creates legal clarity. In addition to helping large and medium-size airports improve safety, passenger experience, and queuing times in increasingly crowded and multi-modal drop-off and pickup areas, cutting-edge curbside management can serve as a demonstration project to adjacent cities and towns that are wrestling with how to unlock better curbside use for delivery, micromobility, rideshare, parking, and outdoor dining and recreation. Again, I thank the chairman and ranking member for their work including this provision.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding and for convening this critically important Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the plague of gun violence in our country. I was asked recently whether January 6, 2021, was my worst day in Congress, and I answered truthfully that no, it wasn't, actually. My worst day in Congress was the night of the Uvalde shooting when I tucked my children into bed knowing that families in Texas would never get to do the same again, when at that very moment, they were identifying them by their shoes. I am sad to say that since then, my Republican colleagues have continued to bow to the will of the gun lobby instead of listening to families across the country who are begging for action. This uniquely American suffering is a policy choice. It doesn't have to be this way. We know what we need to do to fix it. We need to pass the assault weapons ban. I slept, ate, trained, and patrolled with an assault weapon for 4 years as a marine officer. Weapons of war have no place on our streets or near our schools. We also need to adopt commonsense gun safety measures like universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, and evidence-driven violence intervention policies. All of these are supported by a supermajority of Americans and, indeed, by a majority of gun owners. My home State of Massachusetts is a good example of how strong, sound policy can save lives. Research suggests that if our State's gun safety legislation were adopted nationwide, tens of thousands of children could be saved every year. Congress would do well to follow that lead. It is time for Republicans in Congress to find a backbone, stand up to the gun lobby and NRA, and work with Democrats to keep our communities safe. We cannot continue to allow our schools, our places of worship, and our grocery stores to become scenes of terror because of a lack of political courage.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to a provision in the Coast Guard reauthorization that would decimate the offshore wind industry and prevent the United States from reaching President Biden's clean energy goals. If passed, all offshore wind installation vessels will be required to be U.S.-flagged and crewed, but there aren't any existing vessels that meet these requirements. We must support our domestic shipbuilding and mariner capacity, but this provision would constrict offshore wind construction in the short term and would sacrifice union jobs and energy independence in the long term. We will not reach the President's goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030 if this provision passes, and halting offshore wind production would jeopardize the creation of up to 83,000 domestic jobs by 2030. In committee, I offered a solution that would ensure offshore wind can thrive in the short term and create a pathway to more American offshore wind jobs. A prevailing wage requirement ensures that American mariners are not being passed up for jobs that we have the ships and workforce to perform ourselves. I support the intent of the crewing requirement language and am eager to support the development of our domestic shipbuilding and crewing capacity, but I cannot support the Coast Guard reauthorization with this language included. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Larsen for his commitment to working to resolve this issue, but I urge my colleagues to oppose this language in any legislative vehicle.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago, the Supreme Court rolled back a fundamental individual freedom in overturning Roe v. Wade. Now, abortion care is inaccessible in 14 States and heavily restricted in many others, with one in three women now living in States without access to abortion. That is unacceptable. In restricting access, States are forcing women to seek dangerous alternatives, undermining women's health and safety. Women should have the freedom to make their own decisions about their health, not State legislatures or the Federal Government. At this critical moment, my Democratic colleagues and I are taking action, despite the objections of Speaker McCarthy and the extremists in his party, to force a floor vote on the Women's Health Protection Act, which would make Roe the law of the land. I am thankful for the work of the Healey administration in my home State to protect Massachusetts residents' healthcare, but I will not stop fighting until women across the country have the same protections to access safe and effective reproductive healthcare.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from votes on May 31, 2023. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 244.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from votes on May 24 and 25. Had I been present, I would have voted nay on Roll Call No. 233; nay on Roll Call No. 234; yea on Roll Call No. 235; yea on Roll Call No. 236; and yea on Roll Call No. 237.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from votes on May 22, 2023. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 228 and YEA on Roll Call No. 229.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from votes on May 18, 2023. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 226 and YEA on Roll Call No. 227.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from votes on May 16, 2023. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 215, and NAY on Roll Call No. 216.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Hill for his partnership and leadership on this subject. The benefits that the United States enjoys due to the dollar's global reserve status have been called an exorbitant privilege, but that privilege rests in part upon scrupulous observance of the rule of law and how we regulate our currency. The Power to Mint Act reinforces the rule of law by emphasizing Congress' authority to control the future of the dollar. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to cosponsor my bill and keep the power to authorize new currency with Congress.