Cynthia Axne

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate, honor, and thank Hy-Vee and Hy-Vee employees in my district. For those not from the Midwest, you might not know the name of the grocery store with a helpful smile in every aisle. That's why I'm here today to let this Chamber know about the important and valuable work that Hy-Vee has done to support Iowans. In March this year, Iowa was hit with severe flooding. Entire communities were underwater, homes destroyed, farm land ruined, and Iowans wondering how they were going to recover. For some Iowa residents, the flooding was so catastrophic that they had to flee their houses with only the clothes on their back. The situation was dire and tragic for all those impacted. Hy-Vee stepped in during this difficult time to address the immediate food and water needs of these communities. They filled 8 semi-trucks with bottled water to make sure that those who were impacted had fresh, clean water. And they didn't stop with just donations. They helped raise money for these communities. They held a monthlong campaign and let their customers chip in to donate. They raised nearly $158,000 dollars--and then Hy-Vee pitched in an additional $50,000. This money is helping Iowan families recover and rebuild. So it's not a surprise that Hy-Vee was picked as a 2019 Winner for the Community Outreach Award for their work to address food insecurity issues and help Iowans get back on their feet. I'm proud to have such a great company in my district, working to help their community. Congratulations again to Hy-Vee and all their employees for their tremendous work on behalf of Iowa.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Winterset Middle School in Winterset, Iowa for receiving a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School Award. The National Blue Ribbon School Award recognizes outstanding schools based on their educational environment, academic success, and closure of achievement gaps between student populations. Only four Iowa schools were chosen this year. Winterset Middle School serves just over 400 students in 4th through 6th grades. Under Principle Wendy Sawyer, the school was nominated for and won the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program as an Exemplary High Performing School. Winterset Middle School prides themselves on their caring and supportive culture focused on student growth and development. Nine years ago when they first opened, Winterset Middle School was a ``School in Need of Assistance''. Just shy of a decade later, they've shown what hard work and dedication can do by winning this award and making us proud. The faculty 's dedication to their profession and students has made them the exemplary school they are today. I am proud to be able to represent these teachers, educators, administrators, parents, and students in Iowa's 3rd District. The school attributes this hard-won victory to their close-knit community, research-based teaching strategies, and treating every child as their own--and I couldn't agree more. It is an honor to commemorate the outstanding achievement of Winterset Middle School. I have great respect and admiration for our educators and am particularly thankful for the strong foundation they are giving our kids. As the mother of two boys, I know that a quality education is crucial to success. I hope the well-rounded training and techniques they found successful in the classroom become a model for the district and the country. I applaud Winterset Middle School for their hard work and dedication, and I congratulate them on their success.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to continue to work with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to find agreement on the USMCA soon. I visit each of the 16 counties in my district every month, and whether it is touring manufacturers, visiting with farmers, or stopping into small businesses, everywhere I go the message is loud and clear: Uncertainty is hurting our bottom line. Agriculture is the backbone of Iowa's economy. One out of every $5 is produced from Iowa agriculture in our State. Supporting farmers is neither a partisan nor a political issue; it is simply the right thing to do. Between devastating weather events, ongoing trade wars, and the EPA's unprecedented abuse of biofuel waivers, our farmers have been put through enough. They are asking for our help. As elected Representatives, we owe them the right answer. We must answer their call and get this deal done right and without unnecessary delay. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for the work they have done, and I urge them to expedite negotiations and finalize this agreement soon to make sure that we can make lives whole for the people suffering in the State of Iowa and across this country.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Deutch and Buchanan for this bill. I am very excited to be able to vote for it today. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the PACT Act, and am grateful for the support that it has. As a longtime animal lover and advocate, and somebody who worked to take care of the puppy mill issues that we have in my own State of Iowa, I know more than anybody that there is nothing like bringing animals to the forefront that brings people together. This is absolutely a bipartisan issue. And while the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act prohibits trade in obscene video depictions of live animals being tortured, as Representative Deutch said, the bill did nothing to prohibit the underlying conduct of the cruelty itself. This is what the PACT Act does. It strengthens the animal crush video law by prohibiting animal cruelty, regardless of whether a video is produced. There is documented connection between animal cruelty and violence to people. In fact, studies show animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people, and it is linked to domestic violence, as well as child and elder abuse. The PACT Act gives Federal law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to combat extreme animal cruelty and to protect our communities at the same time. Whether it is the veterinarian in my own State of Iowa--ranked 49th when it comes to animal welfare laws--who was recently arrested for debarking dogs by shoving rod-like objects into their vocal chambers without anesthesia, or whether it is in my neighboring State of Nebraska, where a man was recently accused of severely burning a cat by holding it under water, scalding hot water, across this country, people are torturing animals and it absolutely has to stop. So tomorrow, on Make a Dog's Day, which is in support of encouraging dog adoption, let's do these companion animal friends of ours one better by a unanimous vote for the PACT Act today and put an end to the horrible acts of cruelty that should not be allowed in this country.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor breast cancer survivors across Iowa. I want to recognize Christine Carpenter as a champion and advocate for Iowa women with breast cancer. Christine was diagnosed with breast cancer 26 years ago--and won. She took her experience with breast cancer and turned into a mission. She is now a leading voice with the Iowa Breast Cancer Advocacy Network, a valuable member of the Iowa Beyond Pink Team, and a frequent face here on Capitol Hill. I've had the chance to meet with Christine as she fights for research funding and advocates for legal changes that will better serve Iowans, and all women, with breast cancer. If you or a loved one in Iowa have experienced breast cancer, you've likely either met Christine or benefited from the work she's done. She helped ensure that those on Medicaid receive treatment for breast and cervical cancers--even if they didn't qualify under the standard programs. Through her persistent advocacy, Christine was able to protect Iowan women who are most in need. Christine is the right woman to have on your side and fierce advocate for breast cancer survivors. That is why it is no surprise that Christine was awarded the Iowa Cancer Champion of the Year 2019. Christine's ``Iowa-Nice'' approach has ensured that all our federally elected officials from Iowa are supporting important breast cancer reform legislation. In honor of Christine and Iowans with breast cancer, I am calling on my House colleagues to sign onto the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act. This legislation will waive the 24-month waiting period for Medicare eligibility and the 5-month waiting period of Social Security Disability Insurance for those with metastatic breast cancer. Metastatic breast cancer is when that cancer has spread beyond the breast and into other organs. Devastatingly, it cannot be cured. It is estimated that nearly 160,000 women in the United States have this terminal form of breast cancer. As we work toward a cure, it is important we provide these women and their families with the financial peace of mind they need in this difficult time.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mrs. Maloney, the chair of the Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets Subcommittee, for her support on this bill. I also thank Senator Peters and Representative McNerney for their work on the Outsourcing Accountability Act. Last December, Wells Fargo in my district laid off 400 workers, claiming it was due to technological advances. But I heard from dozens of laid-off employees who were directed to train their replacements overseas. Across the country, corporations are shipping jobs overseas, leaving American workers high and dry, just to benefit their bottom line. What is worse is that corporations aren't even required to disclose when they are laying off hardworking Americans by moving jobs overseas. Currently, when corporations submit their annual reports, they are only required to disclose the total number of employees, not where they are located. This makes it far too easy for companies to hide when they are laying off American workers and moving those jobs overseas. It also makes it easier for corporations to deceive the public about inaccurate job creation. If a company lays off 500 workers in Iowa and then hires 1,000 of them in India, their annual report would show that they added 500 jobs when, in reality, hardworking Iowans are left unemployed, wondering how they are going to pay their bills. Employees who lose their jobs due to overseas trade are eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance, or TAA. This program provides laid-off American workers with support and training to find a new job. But workers are only eligible for this assistance if they can certify that their job has been outsourced, which can be very difficult if a company is lying about outsourcing. Far too often, companies are more concerned with protecting their public image than protecting workers and are reluctant to notify laid- off workers that their job has been outsourced. We have seen this happen time and time again. My bill, the Outsourcing Accountability Act, would simply require public companies to include in their annual report where their employees are located by State and country. This will disincentivize companies from outsourcing, and it will certainly disincentivize them from lying to employees and the public about it. If a company knows that information will be disclosed, they will think twice about such unpopular actions. Not only will this help disincentivize the practice of outsourcing and protect American jobs, but it will give investors and consumers the information they need to identify companies that are supporting American jobs. I know some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have said this is too burdensome for companies. If a corporation isn't already tracking where in the world their employees are located, then for God's sake, they have bigger problems than this legislation. One of the most difficult things about trying to address outsourcing and offshoring is that it is so hard to get information about how many jobs it affects. This is a commonsense reporting bill that will increase transparency and accountability on a practice that is contributing to unemployment across this country, and it doesn't even cost the taxpayers a dime. I have heard from dozens of Iowans in my district who are looking at their expenses and wondering how they are going to get through the month. They are wondering this because they have been laid off by their employer that claimed technological advances only to then train employees to replace them overseas. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to go back home to their districts and talk to their constituents who are struggling to pay their bills or put food on the table because their jobs have been shipped overseas. Go back home. Ask them if they elected you to fight for American jobs or for multinational corporations. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill.

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Chair, as a new Member of Congress, there is a lot of learning to be done. But what I can tell you from listening to this debate this morning is that I am always astounded at how we can't come together to find common ground to help people in this country, and that is simply what this bill does. This amendment proposed by my colleague is, quite simply, designed to exempt the vast majority of companies from the Outsourcing Accountability Act and leave the disclosures exactly as they are now, and I fail to see any logic behind saying that companies that disclose their CEO pay ratio or whether they are using conflict minerals should be exempt from the disclosures in this bill. It has nothing to do with it. The disclosures in my bill are meant to show if a corporation is truly supporting American jobs or if they are shipping them overseas. If my colleague doesn't want to know where that information is and how many companies are shipping jobs overseas in the companies that he is investing in, then he should just simply say so. I know some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have brought up that there could be good reasons to add jobs overseas. Nothing in this bill prevents companies from explaining that. If a company is opening new retail stores abroad, they can simply say that. The same goes for any other reason. This bill is very simple. It simply requires the companies to disclose to the public information that they already have about what in country their employees are located. This amendment would remove that requirement, leaving companies free to continue to hide that information. A vote for this amendment is really a vote against the bill itself. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this unproductive amendment.

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Chairman, as written, my colleague's amendment would severely limit the Outsourcing Accountability Act and continue to leave companies in charge of whether or not they tell the public about outsourcing. Corporations are already going to great lengths to cover it up, and if they are moving jobs overseas, why would they voluntarily disclose it in their annual report? My colleague mentioned that this is the straw that broke the camel's back. I can tell you that these companies are already tracking this information. We have to pay workers; therefore, they know exactly where they are located. I have done this work in my past. I have been involved with human resources and organizational development for my entire career. I have tracked this kind of information. All it takes is programming and a push of the button to make sure that that information comes out. I would like to also talk about the WARN Act because the WARN Act does not require disclosure of whether layoffs are due to outsourcing. That is exactly why we need this information, so workers can get that Trade Adjustment Assistance they need to put food on the table to feed their children and keep their lights on. These disclosures are intended to find out if a corporation is truly creating American jobs or if, instead, they are just moving them overseas. This amendment, just like the last one, would leave things just as they are now, with corporations able to share that information only if they decide to do so. That situation has left us with, frankly, insufficient data about outsourcing as a general practice and minimal transparency about which corporations are creating American jobs. I urge my colleagues to reject this unproductive amendment.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the second annual Pride Camp held by Iowa Safe Schools. As the largest LGBTQ summer camp in the nation, Pride Camp is a crucial experience for LGBTQ youth in the state of Iowa to take advantage of opportunities to be creative, learn, grow, network, and most importantly have fun. During Pride Month and throughout the year, I am proud to express my unwavering support of our LGBTQ community. Too many young people in the LGBTQ community still experience discrimination daily, and Pride Camp offers a safe and supportive environment to connect with peers and build lasting bonds. From arts to policy to STEM, camp activities give campers daily opportunities to challenge themselves and build valuable skills. Pride Camp is an invaluable experience for LGBTQ youth who may otherwise not have the same interactions at school or in their community. By working with fellow campers, counselors and staff, Pride Camp participants can work together to build change and leadership for tomorrow. We still have a long way to go to fulfill our promise of equality, opportunity and justice for all, and it is important we foster this generation of change makers. I am pleased to acknowledge and congratulate Iowa Safe Schools on its second annual Pride Camp, and I wish all attendees a week full of learning and fun.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2409, the Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act. I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Mooney, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Riggleman, Mr. Pappas, and Mr. Rose for their work and for cosponsoring the Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act, and I want to thank our chairwoman of the Financial Services Committee to help us bring this here today. As a small business owner, I know how difficult it can be to access the capital you need to succeed, and my friends across the aisle just explained that very well. I thank them so much for the bill that they have brought to the floor. However, rural entrepreneurs face unique challenges when it comes to accessing capital, but far too often their voices are left out of the conversation. For example, in a recent Federal Reserve survey of small businesses, despite more than 70 percent of rural small businesses being a low credit risk, less than half received the full amount of funding that they were seeking. This restricts growth in rural areas. That same survey found that only 35 percent of rural small businesses expected to increase employment in the next year compared to 51 percent in urban areas. This can create a cycle where younger people leave rural areas because there are no jobs, furthering the decline in certain rural areas across this country. The bipartisan Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act will ensure that rural small businesses have a seat at the table as Federal policymakers consider new rules that govern investment and capital. The Office of the Advocate of Small Business Capital Formation at the SEC was established to promote the interests of small businesses and help make sure that they have access to capital with a focus on supporting women- and minority-owned businesses. I would also like to acknowledge the work of Ms. Velazquez and others last Congress to include small businesses affected by natural disasters, like the recent flooding in Iowa. My legislation, H.R. 2409, would expand the focus areas of the advocate to include rural-area small businesses. This data will help Congress and Federal regulators make better-informed decisions on how to best support economic growth in rural America. By ensuring that Washington listens to the voices of rural small businesses, this legislation will help create jobs in rural Iowa and in rural areas across the country contributing not only to their success but to the economic success of this entire country's GDP. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairwoman and my colleagues for their support and working on this issue, and I ask for a ``yes'' from the House.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on June 11, 2019 because I was returning to Washington, D.C. Had I been present to vote, I would have voted YEA on H. Res. 430--Authorizing the Committee on the Judiciary to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings to enforce certain subpoenas, and YEA on H.R. 2609--DHS Acquisition Review Board Act of 2019.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on June 11, 2019 because I was returning to Washington, D.C. Had I been present to vote, I would have voted YEA on H. Res. 430--Authorizing the Committee on the Judiciary to initiate or intervene in judicial proceedings to enforce certain subpoenas, and YEA on H.R. 2609--DHS Acquisition Review Board Act of 2019.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on June 10, 2019 because I had the privilege of attending a tour of the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) in my Congressional District with the President of United States. This tour and visit prevented me from traveling to Washington, DC in order to vote Monday the 10th. Had I been present to vote, I would have voted yea on H.R. 542--Supporting Research and Development for First Responders Act; yea on H.R. 2539--Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2019; and yea on H.R. 2590--DHS Overseas Personnel Enhancement Act of 2019.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Speaker, Iowans are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of prescription drugs. A teacher in Farragut, who has had diabetes for 20 years, is spending over $750 a month for insulin. That is a third of her take-home pay, and she needs a second job just to cover her costs. A woman from West Des Moines wrote to me that her medication used to cost $50 for a 90-day supply and now that price has gone to $1,000. Her family found they can buy the same medication in Canada for $60. In fact, Americans pay more for prescription drugs than any other country in the world. Brand-name drug manufacturers are gaming the system to reap profits and they are using delay tactics to prevent generic companies from bringing the same drugs to market. I ran for Congress to protect Iowans, not Big Pharma. This bill will help bring generics to market quicker to lower the cost for consumers and save billions in taxpayer dollars. No one should ever have to decide between putting food on the table and taking their medicine. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs for all Iowans and Americans.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, it has been almost 2 months since severe flooding devastated communities in southwest Iowa and our neighbors in Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri. Entire towns were under water, homes were destroyed, and family farms were devastated. Small businesses are facing irreparable damage, and many local schools may be forced to permanently close their doors. I have been down to the flood zones multiple times to speak with farmers, homeowners, and business owners who have lost everything. Their resilience is inspiring, but the damage is heartbreaking. When I helped Lizzie Young and her family muck out her house, I saw firsthand how desperately Iowans need that disaster relief. David Leuth, a farmer from Percival, has been kayaking out to his farm field to assess and repair his damage. Fran Par, a Pacific Junction resident whose home remained under water for weeks, has been helping repair large city water pumps to move water out of the flooded area. In Hamburg, Grape Community Hospital, the only rural hospital in the area, had to bring in military-operated water tanks just to keep its doors open to provide basic services. True to who Iowans are, they are now providing space to local businesses inside the hospital so that those businesses don't have to leave the area. We want to keep people in our State. School district superintendents in Mills and Fremont Counties are locating displaced students to provide them with transportation and meals so they can keep coming to school on a daily basis. Iowans need our help. My amendment today increases funding for programs that are crucial to helping Iowans and our neighbors rebuild and recover. My amendment will increase funding for the Emergency Watershed Program which is desperately needed for the Midwest to recover. The Emergency Watershed Program helps communities quickly address serious damages to infrastructure and land and fix imminent hazards to life and property caused by natural disasters. From my firsthand experiences in the flooded areas, I can attest to the serious damage and hazards that these communities face. The USDA had to release a new estimate in April for funding for the Emergency Watershed Protection program due to the Midwest floods. Instead of the $125 million that was the prior estimate, the USDA has now estimated they will need $435 million. So my amendment of $310 million makes sure the USDA has enough money to help the Midwest. Without this funding increase, the USDA might not otherwise be able to ensure Iowans and our neighbors get the help that they deserve. The Emergency Watershed Program funding will be used to remove debris from streams, roads, and bridges; it will help repair eroded river and stream banks, and it can be used to repair damaged and destroyed drainage facilities in communities like Hamburg. This funding can be used to repair the more than 40 levees that breached during the flooding, and those that didn't break suffered erosion damage from overspill from those that are still standing. Experts believe it will take years to repair all the damage. Iowans don't have that time to wait, and the National Weather Service shows the Midwest will remain vulnerable to flooding all spring and summer, and rivers are expected to stay high. This Federal aid is vital to rebuilding Iowa communities. The Iowa Governor believes we sustained almost $1.6 billion in damages. Early estimates also indicate at least $214 million in agriculture-specific damage, and we still don't know the true extent of our agriculture losses yet. We can't afford to wait. We can't let partisan politics stall this crucial bill, and we must not turn our backs on our communities when they are recovering from devastating damages of natural disasters. That is not who we are as Iowans, and that is not who we are as Americans. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in the House and the Senate to get together and work for hardworking Americans. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, my amendment is to increase funding for the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief program. As we have just discussed, I have toured the flood zones in my district, and I have experienced firsthand how badly the floodwaters have eroded and impacted our roads. The flooding was so severe that as of only just this past Wednesday of this week did our major interstate I-29 finally fully reopen, and this comes nearly 2 months after the flooding began. The closing of I-29 cut off the major north-south artery in Iowa that connects the Omaha-Council Bluffs area to Kansas City. Drivers are forced to travel hours out of their way and find smaller two-lane roads and highways to get to where they need to be. The resulting truck and traffic damage on our secondary roads is already apparent. Residents have suffered as traffic has suddenly doubled and tripled, and we still have roads that aren't open yet. Mr. and Mrs. Patel, motel owners in Fremont County, are dependent on I-29 being open and traffic coming through the area to keep their business open, and that is not going to happen without functional roads. If our roads remain closed, children can't get to school, community members cannot patron local businesses, and grandchildren can't spend time with their grandparents. The Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief program will help Iowa address our immediate highway repair needs, restore traffic, and help restore our facilities. Safe and functional roadways are some of the most critical infrastructure in any community, let alone one trying to recover from a disaster, and this type of Federal aid is vital to rebuilding Iowa communities in need. Initial estimates from our Governor show we sustained over $1.6 billion in damages, and that number is growing. Programs like this one mean that Iowa and Nebraska can focus on repairing our local roads and ensure the Federal Government does its part in paying for those roads. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in the House and the Senate to get to work helping hardworking Americans, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, I just want to close by thanking my colleagues across the aisle and, in particular, Representative Fortenberry and Mr. Curtis for helping out all these people in need, not just in our communities in Iowa, but across the country. I am looking forward to passing this disaster bill today so we can get this immediate relief out to folks across this country, including those in my own backyard. I am grateful for all the work that has been done by the chair of Appropriations and the subcommittee chair, Sanford Bishop, to help us get where we needed to be on this. I am looking forward to going back to Iowa and letting them know we have got the funding necessary to help them repair their lives. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, passing this disaster supplemental is vital to any community that suffered from disasters over these last 18 months. But I rise today to talk about one community--mine, Iowa's Third Congressional District. Entire towns were underwater. Many Iowans have had their homes, small businesses, and family farms destroyed. Medical centers and schools face irreparable damage and may never be able to reopen their doors again. Parents are worried about where they are going to be able to send their kids to school. The lasting impacts on the health and well-being of Iowa families and our rural communities are beyond calculation. I have been to our flood zones multiple times to speak to farmers, homeowners, and business owners who have lost everything. Their resilience is inspiring, but the damage is devastating. And Iowans are hardworking, taxpaying Americans. This motion to recommit is playing partisan politics with people's lives, and it is unacceptable. I helped Lizzie Young and her family muck out their house. David Leuth, a farmer from Percival, has been kayaking out to view his fields. Fran Mierzwa from Pacific Junction had her house underwater for almost 2 months. Great Community Hospital in Hamburg, the only rural hospital in the area, had to bring in military-operated water tanks just to keep its doors open for basic services. Now, because they are standing up for their community, they are providing space for small businesses to operate, in hopes that those businesses don't leave the area so that community doesn't die. If this motion to recommit passes, it will prevent this disaster funding from moving forward. If this motion to recommit passes, it will prevent disaster funding from moving forward. A ``yes'' vote is to tell Iowans and Americans to wait longer. A ``yes'' vote is a slap in the face to everybody across this country who is suffering from these disasters. I am here to tell you Iowans can't afford to wait. None of our constituents who have been impacted by floods, tornadoes, or fires can afford to wait. Madam Speaker, I urge this body to stop making Americans wait, to vote down this motion to recommit, and to pass this bill.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, the Violence Against Women Act expired on September 30, 2018. It is incredibly disappointing that we ever let this landmark bill expire in the first place, but we now have an opportunity to provide additional resources and address gaps in the expired law to better protect women in Iowa and across the land from violence. My amendment will help do that. I have introduced an amendment that will increase STOP grants to help local law enforcement agencies and community organizations better combat and prosecute violence against women. This funding will help law enforcement agencies develop and strengthen strategies to end domestic and sexual violence. I have met with local police officers and sheriffs throughout my district, and they all tell me they are underresourced and they are understaffed. I promised them I would do anything in my power to make sure they get what they need to protect our communities. STOP grants also provide prosecutors with the proper tools and resources they need to get justice for survivors and prosecute those who commit violence against women. While we must do everything in our power to stop violence against women, the sad reality is domestic and sexual violence is prevalent in this country. It is prevalent across all socioeconomic backgrounds, and it is something that is not exclusive to any one part of this country. We have it in our own backyard. For many victims of domestic and sexual violence, recovery can be a lifelong process. We need to make sure that we are providing organizations that provide victim services, like the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault, with the resources they need to develop and strengthen programs to help as many survivors as possible. When I worked at the State of Iowa, I helped the Crime Victims Assistance Unit in the AG's office improve their processes, so I know that in Iowa--I have seen it firsthand--we don't have enough resources to address the needs that we have. There are simple steps that we can take that have a major impact on the amount of people that we can help, and that is what these grants do. They will help our local law enforcement agencies, our local prosecutors, and local community organizations stop more crimes, prosecute more perpetrators, and provide services to more survivors. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), my colleague.

Mrs. AXNE. Madam Chair, I appreciate what my colleague across the aisle is saying; however, our debt can be looked at in many ways to amend. However, our local police officers, our local communities, and our organizations that support victims with assistance are in dire need of the additional funding. I would argue that this administration is the cause of this major debt that we have, and we should not take that out on our local communities that I know are supported across the aisle. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. AXNE

Mrs. AXNE. Mr. Speaker, this past winter, Iowa and the Midwest experienced record snowfall with freezing temperatures. The ground has remained frozen, which kept the snow from melting into our soil. And then the rapid warming over March 12 to March 14, along with heavy rains, resulted in mass flooding and devastation across Iowa, particularly in my district of southwest Iowa. The flooding has resulted in hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in agricultural losses; destroyed homes, schools, small businesses, medical centers; and has caused significant damage to public infrastructure that is vital to these communities. Entire small towns, such as Hamburg in Fremont County and Pacific Junction, shown here, in Mills County, are under water and are facing irreparable damage. Communities are without sanitary water. The lasting effects on the health and well-being of Iowa families is beyond calculation, and the flooding is still ongoing. We have yet to have seen, probably, the worst of it. I am grateful that the President declared a disaster emergency declaration to support efforts to guarantee public safety and rapid recovery, but, given the impact of this flooding--and it was mainly in smaller rural communities--the assistance needed to ensure these communities can recover is dramatic, and I have requested the House Appropriations Committee to fund additional disaster supplemental support.