Suzanne Bonamici

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, today, treasured children's author Beverly Cleary turns a remarkable 100 years old. Born in McMinnville, Oregon, Beverly Cleary later moved to Northeast Portland. Her neighborhood there, especially Klickitat Street, became the setting for her series featuring Henry Huggins, Ramona Quimby, and countless other characters who continue to hold a special place in the bookshelves and hearts of parents, children, and librarians around the world. Cleary's books spoke to generations of children from Oregon, across the country, and around the globe. Many of her stories were inspired by her own childhood in Northeast Portland, and almost everyone can identify with the imaginative Ramona or the studious Beezus--or a little bit of both. Although Cleary's stories evolved as our nation changed, her stories about a family working hard to make ends meet or facing the challenges of adolescence are timeless in their representation of childhood for so many young people. Cleary's love for her characters and respect for her young audience are evident in the national traditions she created. I am proud to honor her 100th birthday today, and look forward to watching her legacy continue to grow and flourish as she inspires a new generation of readers.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to start by thanking Chairman Kline and Ranking Member Scott for working to bring this important legislation to the floor today. Reauthorizing the Older Americans Act has been one of my top priorities. Over the years, I have sponsored legislation to strengthen essential programs that help keep seniors healthy and independent. Seniors in Oregon and across the country know how important the Older Americans Act programs are, so I have met with them to discuss ideas for improving the law, and I have advocated for funding for Older Americans Act programs and services. All along, my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have been committed to reauthorizing this important law. On behalf of seniors across the country, I thank my colleagues for their support for this legislation before the House--a 3-year reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. I also want to thank the advocacy community and service delivery groups for their ongoing support for a strong, bipartisan reauthorization. Backing from a wide range of groups that are dedicated to the well-being of America's seniors helped make possible the legislation we are considering today. Every day in our country, about 10,000 people turn 65. As the population of older adults continues to grow, we have a responsibility, as policymakers, to reevaluate and bolster the programs that keep seniors healthy, active, and engaged in their communities. The legislation we are considering will help older Americans from all backgrounds lead meaningful lives with dignity by continuing to support the delivery of health, transportation, and nutrition services to seniors in every State. This legislation includes modest increases in authorization levels, building on the amounts appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Act. Investments for currently funded Older Americans Act programs are overdue and will help meet the growing demand placed on these programs and services. Increasing investments in programs like Meals on Wheels, which serves thousands of seniors, many of whom are homebound or low-income, will allow more adults to stay in their homes, where they can remain connected to their communities and avoid costlier long-term care. For many adults, the hot meal they get from Meals on Wheels is the only one they will get that day. The volunteers who deliver the meal may provide their only social interaction, which is important for all seniors, but especially for those in isolated or rural areas. Significantly, this legislation provides tools to curb both financial and physical elder abuse by promoting proven strategies for responding to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. According to the Elder Justice Coalition, there are more than 6 million victims of elder abuse every year--roughly 1 out of every 10 people over age 60. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, victims of elder financial abuse lose an estimated $2.9 billion a year, and too often they lose their entire life savings. I am pleased that this legislation continues to address the problem of elder abuse and takes steps to make sure older adults are not robbed of their resources or denied the dignity they deserve. In addition, my colleague from Florida has expressed support for the Senior Medicare Patrol, a program that helps train senior volunteers to prevent and identify healthcare fraud and abuse. I want to reiterate support for this program and note that the Education and the Workforce Committee supports full funding for this important initiative, which should not come at the expense of funding other programs. The Senior Medicare Patrol saves taxpayer dollars by protecting the integrity of healthcare programs. The return on investment for Older Americans Act programs is undeniable, and this is certainly the case for Senior Medicare Patrol as well. Americans are living longer, more productive lives, and our policies need to keep pace. Older adults should not have to struggle to afford reliable transportation, nutritious food, and high-quality supportive services. Congress will need to continue to invest in and modernize services for seniors so all older adults, including LGBT elders and older individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, have access to programs that keep them healthy and engaged in their communities. This legislation is an important step forward. I am glad that Congress is coming together today with bipartisan support to recognize the valuable role that Older Americans Act programs play across the country. These programs work. Reauthorizing them means that America's seniors and their caregivers will continue to receive the services, resources, and support they need. Mr. Speaker, the reauthorization we are considering today is an important way to recognize that in the United States of America, our seniors--our parents and grandparents across the country--deserve to live healthy, fulfilling lives and live them with dignity. I, again, thank Ranking Member Scott and Chairman Kline for their leadership. I also want to thank the hardworking staff on both sides of the aisle for their dedication to improving the lives of all Americans. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

Ms. BONAMICI. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters).

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. In the United States, its population of older adults is projected to increase from approximately 57 million people, who were aged 60 and older in 2010, to about 76 million older adults by our next census in 2020. Despite the rapid rise in the population of seniors and the growing strain that has been placed on important services for older individuals, Congress allowed the Older Americans Act to expire in 2011. Fortunately, today, the House has the opportunity to pass a reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, and it is not a moment too soon. This legislation increases the Federal investment in Older Americans Act programs, which serve millions of seniors in towns, in cities, and in rural areas across the United States. Reauthorizing these programs means that older adults will continue to receive nutritious meals, legal assistance, preventative health care, and other essential services that make it possible for them to live independently and to age with dignity. I agree with my colleague from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) that, if one hasn't been to one of these programs, one should definitely go and spend some time with the people who are receiving these services. It is very meaningful. It changes their lives. I also thank my friend and colleague from Florida (Mr. Curbelo) as well as Ranking Member Scott and Chairman Kline for their commitment to America's seniors. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan measure to reauthorize the Older Americans Act. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be at votes on the evening of March 14, 2016 because my flight from Portland, Oregon, was delayed. If I had been present, I would have voted for passage of S. 2426, H. Con. Res. 75, and H. Con. Res. 121, all of which passed the House under suspension of the rules. S. 2426, a bill to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization, would move Taiwan closer to having access to the International Criminal Police Organization's (INTERPOL) global police communication system. In November 2015, I voted for a similar bill, H.R. 1853, and I support policies that further Taiwan's participation in international relations. H. Con. Res. 75, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that atrocities committed by ISIL against religious and ethnic minorities are ``war crimes,'' ``crimes against humanity,'' ``genocide'' passed the House unanimously. I support the resolution, and I would have voted for it if I had been present. H. Con. Res. 121, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress condemning the gross violations of international law amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Government of Syria, its allies, and other parties to the conflict in Syria, passed the House by a vote of 392-3, and I would have voted for the bill if I had been present. The atrocities committed against the citizens of Syria are appalling and inhumane, and I strongly condemn them.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be in Washington, D.C. on the afternoon on February 11th and on February 12th because I was attending a memorial service and I missed votes in the House. If I had been present, I would have opposed final passage of H.R. 3442, the Debt Management and Fiscal Responsibility Act, and H.R. 2017, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act. The Debt Management and Fiscal Responsibility Act may sound like a common-sense bill, but it is a misguided effort that creates duplicative burdens and reporting requirements on the executive branch. The bill would require the Secretary of the Treasury to appear before Congress when the country nears the statutory debt limit and provide a written report on the Treasury's debt-reduction proposals. The Administration, however, already provides Congress with an outline of its debt-reduction proposals in the President's annual budget. The President presented his final budget--which includes numerous debt- reduction proposals--to Congress just two days ago, but House leaders denied the opportunity for the director of the Office of Management and Budget to testify about these proposals. Instead, we are considering a bill that would create more requirements for the Administration by making them duplicate efforts they already undertake. For those reasons, I would have voted against H.R. 3442. I would have also opposed H.R. 2017, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act. This bill would have allowed certain restaurants and food retailers to limit the nutritional information they provide to consumers. The nutrition disclosure requirements this bill seeks to roll back became law as part of the Affordable Care Act. Preparing to comply with those requirements has been a substantial undertaking for many retailers, but Congress has already delayed implementation of this rule as part of the FY2016 omnibus and given retailers an additional year before the rule would go into effect. Making nutrition information available empowers consumers to make healthy and nutritious choices, and this bill would have further undermined that effort. For that reason, I would have voted against H.R. 2017.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, my home State of Oregon sits on the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault that separates the Juan de Fuca and North America tectonic plates. We are due--some say overdue--for an earthquake. Oregonians are well aware of the dangers facing our State, and I applaud the President and Interior Secretary Jewell for recognizing this potentially devastating threat to the West Coast. On Tuesday the White House convened scientists, public officials, and private companies at a summit to discuss how to improve warning systems and resilience to earthquakes. Oregon was well represented by the Oregon director of Emergency Management and by representatives from the University of Oregon and Intel. The University of Oregon manages the USGS Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and assists local governments in preparing for disaster resilience. Intel is a leader in efforts to involve the private sector in helping businesses and communities prepare for an earthquake. We all know that better warning systems can save lives and save property. I look forward to continuing to work with all of my colleagues in Congress to help communities prepare for earthquakes and related hazards.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I also thank the gentlewoman from California for her wise remarks and for her leadership, especially on issues facing foster children in our country. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to discuss a very important issue that affects many families across the country, and that is the need for affordable, quality child care and to encourage all of my colleagues to cosponsor House Resolution 386. This resolution, which I introduced in July, with the support of 27 original cosponsors, affirms the commitment of Congress to put high-quality child care within the reach of every hardworking family, regardless of how much one earns. Mr. Speaker, access to high-quality child care is essential to the well-being of children and families. Really, when we think about our economic future and about the quality of life in our communities, these are such important issues. I will share with you a real story. Deondre is a 9-year-old boy in Oregon who understands this issue well. He shared this experience with his childcare provider, Ms. Renee, who takes care of him and his brother while his mother goes to school and works. Deondre said: ``My mom works and goes to school. Sometimes she is done by 6:30, but, other days, she is not done until midnight... Ms. Renee,'' he says, ``picks both of us up from school, makes us dinner, helps us with homework, and puts us to bed.'' Mr. Speaker, Deondre's story is just one example, but it illustrates the critical role that childcare providers play in children's lives, and it emphasizes the value of high-quality child care for working parents. It is pretty clear, though, that our policies have not kept pace with our changing family structure and with our evolving workforce. In more than 60 percent of the married couples with children in the United States, both parents are working. In more than 40 percent of households, mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners for the families, and 34 percent of children are living with an unmarried parent. Access to affordable, quality child care is critical to the stability of families and to the communities across the country. Childcare costs also affect children's well-being and the local economy. In Washington, D.C., for example, families pay more than $20,000 each year, on average, for a child's care; and in many States, including in my home State of Oregon, the cost of child care exceeds in-State tuition at public universities. We hear a lot about how rising tuition costs create barriers to accessing postsecondary education, and this, too, is a critical issue. I know many of my colleagues in both the House and the Senate--frankly, on both sides of the aisle--are eager to curb the cost of college to enable more students to get a higher education. Yet, in many places, the cost of caring for our infants often outpaces the cost of earning a university diploma. Mr. Speaker, we need to be addressing the soaring costs of child care with the same urgency with which we seek to rein in college costs. Just as shutting students out of college has tremendous economic consequences, the fact that families must spend a growing share of their incomes on child care also comes with consequences. This is going to require some long-term thinking, and we have to really look into our future as to what this investment means for our families. Sadly, but not surprisingly, low-income families tend to be the hardest hit by the rising costs of child care. Some families with limited means spend about 40 percent of their household incomes on child care, and some estimates suggest that the inability of employees to find reliable child care costs companies billions of dollars in lost output. We see some companies now having on-site child care--and that is great--but they are few and far between. The high cost of child care is truly an issue of equity. When families are forced to make sacrifices to care for young children, these sacrifices disproportionately fall upon women and people of color. A recent Pew Research study found that, over the last 15 years, the cost of child care has likely contributed to an increasing number of mothers who have to put their careers on hold. Of course, there is nothing wrong with parents who choose to stay home with their children--absolutely not, when that is their choice--but for many parents in low-income households, leaving jobs to care for children is not a choice. These parents cannot afford to work and pay for child care. What do they do? Before childcare costs became unaffordable, more mothers were joining the workforce, were pursuing careers, and were contributing to the financial stability of families. Additionally, the childcare field primarily employs women, many of whom are underpaid--probably most of whom are underpaid. In fact, a new Economic Policy Institute study found that childcare workers are approximately twice as likely as other workers to live below the poverty line. When I went to college years ago, I had a friend who ran the childcare center at the university. He made a comment to me once that really stuck with me. He said that people pay more per hour to park their cars in the parking garage than they do to have them look after their children. Now, that is unacceptable. It is important to pay childcare workers well so we can recruit and retain great people to take care of our children, who are the next generation. Very few workers receive healthcare coverage or pension plans or any kind of retirement security. For many childcare workers who have children themselves, the cost of child care for their own children is truly out of reach. For many of our country's minority households, affordable child care is not only expensive, it is hard to find. The gap in wealth between White and Black households is the largest it has been in several decades. To exacerbate these challenges, low-wage jobs frequently have nontraditional schedules, which makes accessing high-quality child care especially difficult. Mr. Speaker, many families are caught in this financial trap of working parents who are struggling and who are doing their best. They are trying to make ends meet in the face of rising costs and stagnant wages, but they are forced to choose between leaving the workforce to care for their children, which can push their families closer to poverty, and handing over their paychecks to cover the cost of child care, which has a similar result on their household finances. In reality, there is no easy solution for these distressed families-- distressed and stressed, I might add. More than 60 percent of young children attend child care so that their working parents can earn a living. At the same time, child care costs more than $10,000 a year in many places--here in D.C., it is even more--and it too often rises faster than household incomes; but the problems caused by unaffordable child care extend beyond family finances. High-quality early childhood education produces many benefits for children that continue well into the future, and this is that long-term investment that I am talking about. Children who access these programs see long-term benefits, including success in school, improved employment outcomes, and good health. When families can't access those high-quality childcare programs, their children may lose access to some of the benefits of early learning, like developing literacy and teamwork skills. Congress does have a role to play in addressing these problems, and this is one of the most important investments we can make in our future. We must advance these existing programs that are effective at supporting working families and that are preparing children for success down the road. Head Start is an example of one such program. It serves, roughly, a million low-income people--more than 12,000 in my home State of Oregon. For each of these children and families, Head Start provides a quality early childhood education and increases access to health insurance, housing assistance, and job training. If you have never visited one of your Head Start facilities in your district, I encourage you to do so. They are really working hard to engage the families and to really get that early learning. The benefits of Head Start for families and children are well- documented. Last year, more than 200,000 families in Head Start received job training and adult education services, and studies show that children in Head Start are better prepared for kindergarten and that they make gains in learning and in social-emotional development. Preschool Development Grants, including a new program that just passed recently as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act, will help States to improve access to early childhood education programs. Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, Congress needs to do its part to promote universal prekindergarten programs. On a related note, my State of Oregon is instituting full-day kindergarten next year, and Congress should consider how it can support similar efforts in other States. Also, Federal child nutrition programs, including the Child and Adult Care Food Program, increase children's access to nutritious meals. We expect children to learn and to do well and to thrive, but if they are hungry, they can't do that, Mr. Speaker. The Child and Adult Care Food Program can help to deflect some of the childcare costs that are passed down to parents while also encouraging healthy eating habits and supporting children's development. I have introduced the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act. This is a bipartisan bill that makes commonsense, positive changes to the Child and Adult Care Food Program. This bill will encourage more childcare providers to participate in the program, which, in turn, means that more American children will receive nutritious meals and that more childcare providers will receive support to provide those meals--again, getting a good, healthy start for those kids in our communities. The Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act also authorizes childcare providers to offer additional healthy meals or snacks. Many working families rely on full-day care, but the Child and Adult Care Food Program only supports two meals a day. A child who is in care all day--sometimes until 8 p.m. or even later--needs to get a nutritious meal in the evening. That is good for kids, it is good for families, and it is good for our future. Prekindergarten and child nutrition programs are examples of how the Federal Government and we in Congress are playing an important and effective role in supporting working families and in investing in better outcomes for those families in the future; but, Mr. Speaker, we certainly could be doing more. Congress should promote fair work schedules, paid time off for parents and caregivers, which my State just did at the State level, and higher wages for working families, including for people who work in the childcare field. I want to add, Mr. Speaker--and my colleague from California mentioned this--that many moms now go back to work within 2 weeks of giving birth. For those women here who are listening and who have given birth, you know how challenging that is for families. Twenty-five percent of women in this country go back to work 2 weeks after giving birth. We are the only industrialized country in the world that does not offer paid leave for women who have children. We need to change that and get a better start for our kids, for our moms, and we need to respect those working families. As we continue to pursue efforts to make child care affordable for all families, I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor H. Res. 386. Let's show our support for our country's childcare workforce, its children, its hardworking families, and the future of our families and our country.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation which would push health coverage beyond the reach of millions of Americans. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that enacting this legislation could result in roughly 22 million more people living without health insurance. These people are single parents struggling to cover basic necessities, young adults trying to launch their careers and start families, and hardworking couples for whom the cost of insurance won't fit in the monthly budget. Without affordable health coverage, these Americans will be living with perpetual fear, fear that they will need to choose between paying for housing or food and getting treatment, and fear that any medical emergency could lead them into bankruptcy. To make things worse, this bill defunds Planned Parenthood, which would undermine access to reproductive health services and preventive care for women. That is not only wrong, it is counterproductive. It is unfortunate that, at the start of a new year, we are debating a regressive proposal that would make the lives of some of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors even less secure. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will acknowledge that this bill is irresponsible and join me in voting ``no.''

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the grand opening of the Muslim Educational Trust Community Center in my district. I recently had the honor of attending the ceremony and thanking Wajdi Said and the Muslim Educational Trust Center's Board of Directors for their leadership and hard work to establish this important Community Center. Now more than ever, our country needs organizations like the Muslim Educational Trust, whose work for the betterment of society--through education, cooperation, tolerance, and public awareness--transcends faith and bridges differences. The MET is educating the next generation of Muslim leaders and in the process, enhancing relations between Muslim and non-Muslim Oregonians. Like most, I condemn the hateful, closed-minded, anti-Muslim rhetoric that has infiltrated our public discourse. Equally disturbing are the reports of violence against Muslim Americans and their places of worship. Hate speech has always characterized darker periods of our history and these episodes will be similarly judged. Just recently, on the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution's 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, President Obama gave a poignant speech in which he described the long struggle that ended slavery, and the battle for civil rights and basic freedoms that followed. The victories won by previous generations of enlightened Americans have had far-reaching effects. However, discrimination remains prevalent and has manifested itself in an attack on religious freedom. During his speech, President Obama remarked, ``We betray the efforts of the past if we fail to push back against bigotry in all its forms.'' And he's right--we have an obligation to our nation, itself a protest against oppression, to speak up for the freedoms and safety of our friends and neighbors. President Obama also said, ``Our freedom is bound up with the freedom of others--regardless of what they look like or where they come from or what their last name is or what faith they practice.'' In the United States, this notion is fundamental and an important part of what distinguishes us from many other countries. The Muslim Educational Trust Community Center will continue to open its doors to all of its neighbors, enlightening minds and building bridges of friendship among Muslim and non-Muslim Oregonians. I am pleased to extend my congratulations and pledge support against bigotry in all its forms.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act. This bill is an improvement on the previous version that I opposed in June. For the past several years I have had many conversations with the people of Northwest Oregon about growing jobs and increasing exports. I've heard from workers, business owners, environmentalists, and others about the importance of enforcing and strengthening our existing trade laws and agreements. Strong trade facilitation and enforcement will keep other nations accountable for the labor and environmental standards we set and give the United States the ability to take swift action against those who seek to engage in unscrupulous trade practices. The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act earned my support because it includes provisions that are important for my constituents and for employers in Oregon, and because it provides resources and tools to take action against trade cheats. This bill incorporates the ENFORCE Act to require quick action on allegations of evasion of duties, dumping, and improper subsidies. A special enforcement fund would provide up to $30 million each year dedicated to enforcing trade agreements and making sure trading partners meet their commitments. It permanently establishes the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center to pursue across-agency enforcement of domestic trade rights and trade laws. There are also strong provisions to put an end to importation of products made by child and forced labor. Oregon receives funding through the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant program to help small businesses find new markets for their products and boost job growth. This legislation reauthorizes STEP through 2020 and increases its funding to expand small business exports. The Pacific Northwest is known for its great outdoors and recreational opportunities in the mountains, forests, beaches, rivers, and on the coast. Recreational outerwear businesses thrive in our region, marketing outerwear and active wear to sporting enthusiasts around the world. This legislation includes provisions that will make these products more competitive and reverse a scheduled increase in tariffs for small and medium-sized outdoor industry businesses. Mr. Speaker, as I said at the outset, this is not a perfect bill, but it is a bipartisan compromise. On the heels of the historic Paris Climate Agreement, our nation will continue to lead the world in addressing climate change; the language in this legislation will not change that. The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act is a step forward and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure that our nation has strong enforcement mechanisms to ensure our employers and workers can compete on a level playing field in the global economy.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Every Student Succeeds Act. This legislation represents a significant bipartisan achievement and one that is long overdue. For 14 years, our nation's public schools have operated under a well-intentioned but flawed education law, the No Child Left Behind Act. This law set aspirational goals for student learning, and it helped call attention to persistent achievement gaps between groups of students. But No Child Left Behind's rigid measure of academic achievement--that is, the requirement that schools demonstrate adequately yearly progress--and the law's one-size-fits-all interventions for low-performing schools proved to be unworkable. The unfortunate consequences of No Child Left Behind's inflexible requirements have plagued schools in northwest Oregon and in communities across the country. As states were forced to demonstrate leaps in student achievement, an era of high-stakes testing took much of the joy out of teaching and learning. The drive for higher test scores pressured many schools to narrow their curricular offerings. Schools shifted resources away from arts and music, history, and foreign languages to bolster the tested subjects. This is the day that students, teachers, school board members, and families across the country have been waiting for--Congress has finally reached an agreement to leave behind No Child Left Behind. The Every Student Succeeds Act is not perfect legislation, but reaching a bipartisan agreement requires compromise. For example, the bill eliminates or consolidates nearly 50 education programs. Although some of these programs were unfunded, merging the others creates genuine concerns about some states disinvesting in current priorities, like physical education, and spending the money elsewhere. The bill maintains the Secretary of Education's authority to hold states accountable to the law, but it also places new restrictions on the Secretary that raise questions about the federal government's ability to act. The Every Student Succeeds Act provides a great deal of discretion to states and school districts to improve schools where students are underperforming. Certainly returning control to states and school districts is welcome. Local school boards, superintendents, and educators are best equipped to design school improvement activities that will be effective in their communities. Yet the bill could have done more to make sure that schools make timely improvements when subgroups of students, such as English learners, students of color, low-income students, and students of disabilities, continue to lag behind their peers. Despite these concerns, the Every Student Succeeds Act represents a significant improvement for our nation's students and schools. The bill authorizes increased funding, which is especially important because more than half of our country's public school students now come from low-income households. The bill rejects a proposal to make Title I funding ``portable,'' which would have diverted funding from communities with high concentrations of poverty to affluent school districts. And the bill includes a maintenance-of-effort requirement to help make sure states are adequately funding their schools. The Every Student Succeeds Act also eliminates No Child Left Behind's federal accountability system and directs states to design systems for identifying schools in need of additional support. Importantly, the bill puts in place meaningful requirements for the accountability systems designed by states, including a requirement that state systems give substantial consideration to academic achievement and trigger action in any school where subgroups of students are underperforming. In this way, the Every Student Succeeds Act remains true to the civil rights legacy of the original Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The law will continue to require states to identify achievement gaps between groups of students and target resources to schools that need more support to close achievement gaps. Importantly, the bill also reduces testing and the high stakes associated with statewide exams. The bill requires states to evaluate schools using multiple measures of student learning, so schools will not be held accountable for test scores alone. Additionally, the Every Student Succeeds Act establishes a pilot program for some states to develop alternative assessment systems. I am particularly pleased that the bill includes language from the Support Making Assessments Reliable and Timely (SMART) Act, bipartisan legislation I authored to help reduce testing. This provision gives resources to districts to eliminate the unnecessary or duplicative assessments that proliferated under No Child Left Behind. This provision also helps districts make better use of assessments by speeding the delivery of assessment results to educators, students, and families and by giving educators more time to plan in response to assessment data. The Every Student Succeeds Act includes support for well-rounded education. I worked to include a provision in this section to make clear that schools can use federal resources to integrate arts and music into STEM courses. STEAM education, which combines arts and music with STEM subjects, educates both halves of students' brains; it teaches them to think creatively while they develop technical skills. Highly-skilled students who are also able to develop one-of-a-kind solutions to problems will excel in an economy that values innovation. Overall, the Every Student Succeeds Act strengthens our nation's system of public education. The bill correctly recognizes that teachers and principals are skilled professionals who know what is best for their students. At the same time, the bill puts in place commonsense requirements to improve achievement among students who have historically been underserved by public education. In other words, the bill strikes the appropriate balance of returning decision making to states and local communities without diluting the federal government's role in upholding our country's promise to deliver equal educational opportunities and outcomes to all students. I would like to thank Chairman Kline, Ranking Member Scott, Chairman Alexander, and Ranking Member Murray for their tremendous leadership on this bill. The Every Student Succeeds Act is moving forward with strong bipartisan, bicameral support because these leaders were willing to find common ground for the good of our country's students and educators. I have visited schools throughout my district and spoken with educators and students in urban and rural communities. In each community I visit, I am reminded of the urgency of efforts to end the test-and-punish culture created by No Child Left Behind. It is a great honor to be able to support the Every Student Succeeds Act to chart a better path forward for our country's educators and students. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, the students, educators, parents, and school board members I have spoken with over the years have been waiting for this day, and I am glad we are finally reaching agreement on a new education law, and we are going to leave behind No Child Left Behind. It was a well-intentioned law. Its goal was to create more equitable education for children across the country, but it resulted in too much emphasis on one-size-fits-all mandates and interventions, and the adequate yearly progress requirements caused too much focus on high- stakes testing. Change is long overdue. The Every Student Succeeds Act returns flexibility to States and school districts to design interventions that address the specific needs of their schools. Importantly, it has States use multiple measures of academic progress in their accountability systems so no schools will be punished for the performance of students on a single exam. They can focus on addressing resource inequalities and improving school climate and delivering access to advanced coursework and rich curricula. After hearing frequent concerns from students and teachers about the need for fewer, better assessments, I am pleased that the Every Student Succeeds Act includes a bipartisan provision I authored with Congressman Ryan Costello to help school districts eliminate unnecessary testing. The bill also improves STEM learning by encouraging the incorporation of art, music, and design. A well-rounded education that teaches our students to think creatively is good for their futures and good for the innovation economy. The Every Student Succeeds Act has States set high standards for students. It requires States and school districts to intervene in schools where students have poor academic outcomes and where subgroups of students, such as English learners, low-income students, or students of color, lag behind their peers. The law we are voting on today is true to the legacy of the original Elementary and Secondary Education Act and its goal of closing achievement gaps and promoting equitable opportunities and outcomes for students. Mr. Speaker, I commend Chairman Kline and Chairman Alexander and Ranking Members Scott and Murray and their very hardworking staffs for their commitment to this bipartisan accomplishment. I support the Every Student Succeeds Act and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, legislation that was introduced just 48 hours ago with no consideration by any Committees of jurisdiction. In the wake of horrific terrorist attacks across the globe, I understand and appreciate the concerns and fear in our communities. We must recommit to keeping our country safe and secure, but keeping our country safe and accepting refugees fleeing war and terrorism are not mutually exclusive and never have been throughout the history of our great nation. The American SAFE Act would effectively bar refugees, many of whom are women and children, from escaping violence and finding a safe haven in our country. The United States already has an extremely rigorous screening process for refugees that includes 18 to 24 months of detailed background checks, screening, and interviews administered by the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Defense. The President has committed to allowing an additional 10,000 refugees into our country, and more than half of those are children. Our history reflects a nation that thrives on diversity and is strengthened by the contributions of immigrants, and in darker times, our history also provides examples of where we have failed in the past, most notably during the early years of World War II. The men, women, and especially children who are seeking a better life and refuge from bullets and bombs are counting on us. As an American and a mother, I urge my colleagues not to respond to fear and political rhetoric by supporting this bill and instead commit to a thoughtful debate that will strengthen our national security policy without closing our border to the world's most vulnerable.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to add the Newberg Dundee Bypass Route as a High Priority Corridor and I would like to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for working with me to bring it forward. Let me be clear--there is no cost to this amendment--it merely raises the prominence and importance of the bypass. The construction of the bypass is underway and has great potential to ease congestion, promote freight mobility, and provide important multi-modal connections for residents and visitors in the broader Yamhill County region. The success of Oregon's wine and agricultural industries has increased freight traffic in the region. The bypass seeks to address the difficulties associated with transportation of goods and services and enhance the recovery of Yamhill County's economically distressed communities. The development of this corridor has wide support in the region, including from the state, local and tribal governments, and surrounding communities. I include a letter from Oregon's Department of Transportation in support of this amendment for the Record. Further, this project is of significant importance because of its location in the Cascadia Subduction Zone. We know that the question is not if, but when, an earthquake and tsunami will hit. Preparing our region is a priority for Oregonians and will save countless lives and federal funds. This road serves as an evacuation route for the central coast and is being built to withstand a 9.0 earthquake. I thank Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio for their support of my amendment. Department of Transportation, Office of the Director, Salem, OR, October 30, 2015. Re: Support for amendment to designate the OR 99W Newberg- Dundee bypass route between Newberg, OR, and Dayton, OR as a new High Priority Corridor on the National Highway System. Hon. Bill Shuster, Chairman, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Washington, DC. Hon. Peter DeFazio, Ranking Member, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio: I write today in support of an amendment to H.R. 22 offered by Representative Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon. Representative Bonamici has filed an amendment with the Rules Committee seeking to amend Section 1405 of the bill by adding the OR 99W Newberg-Dundee Bypass route between Newberg, OR, and Dayton, OR as a new High Priority Corridor on the National Highway System. The Newberg-Dundee Bypass project is one of many key regional transportation corridors in Oregon. The Bypass project is important to both regional freight movement and congestion relief. In addition, the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Safety Priority Index System for 2014 identified six sites on OR 99W that are in the top 10 percent of crash sites statewide based on frequency and severity of incidents. In the event of a major natural disaster such as a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami, this corridor would serve as an emergency evacuation and relief route for the central Oregon Coast. The first phase of the project, which is currently under construction, is being built to withstand a 9.0 Cascadia subduction zone earthquake to ensure this critical lifeline will remain operational in such an event. For these reasons, ODOT supports the inclusion of the Newberg-Dundee Bypass on the list of High Priority Corridors on the National Highway System. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Matthew L. Garrett, Director.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, next Wednesday is Veterans Day, and we will recognize and thank the millions of men and women who have put their lives on the line for our freedom. One way to honor those who have served is to make certain that our veterans--and all Americans--are protected from predatory payday lenders, who leave them saddled with insurmountable debt. That is why I am speaking out today to urge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to pass strong rules that protect veterans and all Americans from these harmful practices. In Oregon and around the country, predatory lenders prey on consumers who have fallen on hard times. When consumers cannot pay back the loans, with fees and interest rates that can dwarf the amount of the underlying loan, they find themselves in financial ruin. The CFPB must act quickly to develop rules to protect veterans and all Americans.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1090, the misnamed Retail Investor Protection Act, which essentially ends the progress made by the Department of Labor on releasing an updated conflict-of-interest rule that seeks to protect our constituents' hard- earned savings and strengthen the ability for those in the middle class to save for retirement. In June, I had the opportunity to speak with Secretary Perez in a hearing held by the Education and the Workforce Committee on the Department's work to draft a comprehensive rule and, importantly, a rule that is developed by working with diverse stakeholders and based on feedback from senior advocacy groups, civil rights groups, and the industry that provides these services. This is the process that is currently underway. H.R. 1090 would stop this process. Secretary Perez is on record saying he is listening to feedback and incorporating changes. Let's allow the process to go forward, not stop it. I have met with families and individuals across Oregon who are struggling to get ahead, and I know the sacrifice that is involved in each and every dollar they set aside to contribute to their future retirement. I am disappointed by the efforts today to stop this rule. We need a level playing field to allow our constituents to take advantage of the many opportunities that exist to grow and protect their investment. Finally, as a former consumer protection attorney, I learned and know that strong rules can empower consumers and bring transparency to the marketplace. This is what the Department of Labor is working toward, and I am disappointed in this bill's attempt to stop their important work to finish this rule. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposition to H.R. 1090.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3762, which would make getting health coverage more difficult and more expensive for millions of hardworking Americans. Today 17 million Americans who had been uninsured now have high- quality, affordable health coverage. We should not overlook this fact. Across the country, people are now able to live their lives, to pursue careers, to start families without the looming fear that any medical emergency could bankrupt them. The bill we are debating today would send our country back to a time when hardworking people couldn't access preventive services, when injuries and illnesses were not only physically debilitating, but could also be financially crippling. Imagine being diagnosed with cancer and fighting for your life to beat it and then facing the prospect of losing your home because you are torn between paying a mortgage and paying for life-saving treatment. No one should have to face that choice. What is especially disappointing is the fact that Members of both parties have ideas for improving the Affordable Care Act that are worthy of consideration. We just heard one from Ms. Stefanik of New York. Instead of coming together around issues of common interest, the House is using its time to debate an unrealistic measure that would simply push health care beyond the reach of hardworking people in communities across this country and, yet again, on top of that, try to defund Planned Parenthood. So I urge my colleagues to join me in me rejecting this bill. Let's get back to the table and work together.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, Congress should be discussing how to pay its obligations in a responsible manner, which is why I will oppose H.R. 692. This legislation would irresponsibly result in the payment of some obligations but not others. Importantly, this bill could result in payments going to China, but not to active-duty military, veterans, national security, and other important obligations. Instead of spending time on H.R. 692, which is likely to be vetoed, Congress should be working to raise the debt ceiling in a way that will prevent a default. Raising the debt ceiling permits payment of obligations already incurred. If we are unable to raise the debt ceiling by November 3rd, the Treasury will not be able to meet its obligations and the nation's credit rating would be in peril. The result would be devastating to our economic recovery. We can quickly put an end to this unnecessary crisis and the uncertainty it creates. Members of Congress can and must work together to prevent the United States from a catastrophic default, starting with a responsible approach to debt payment. Again, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting no on H.R. 692.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to H.R. 3192, the Homebuyers Assistance Act. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act required the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to consolidate and streamline the disclosures that a lender is required to make to a homebuyer under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). The CFPB has crafted a rule that will ultimately make it easier for borrowers to understand the terms of a mortgage and provide them with additional protections at each step of the process. But mortgages are complicated instruments, and the procedures for home loans have been established for a long time. There is no question that the new rules are complex and will ultimately result in some unintended violations during implementation. The CFPB has extended the timeline for compliance once, and I agree that it is reasonable to extend that compliance period again, as this bill does, until February of 2016. I also agree that lenders who inadvertently fail to comply because these rules are new and unfamiliar should not be subject to public enforcement actions during the implementation period. And indeed CFPB has given its assurance that it will grant very wide latitude to lenders during this period. If that were all this bill did, I could support it. But in the bill is a troubling section that I cannot support even though I agree with the rest of its provisions. Unfortunately this bill suspends until next February the private right of action that allows aggrieved borrowers to recover damages when lenders violate the law in bad faith. This means that consumers who borrow during that period of time have absolutely no recourse whatsoever, even if the lender has engaged in blatant violations of the law. That isn't right, and it isn't fair for our constituents who are buying homes in the next four months to have to face that risk. Although I agree that lenders acting in good faith who inadvertently violate the new rules should be given a reprieve over the next few months, I cannot endorse letting all violators off the hook for any action they take that harms borrowers. I hope we can continue to work to improve this bill, and I hope that we will soon consider a better version on the House floor to provide relief to lenders without also harming borrowers. I encourage my colleagues to oppose the bill in its current form.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the 21st Century Women's Health Act to increase access to reproductive health care and to provide compassionate care to survivors of sexual assault. Funding for the government runs out in a matter of hours. Rather than crafting a bipartisan solution on the Nation's budget, House leadership has been focusing on denying women their right to make their own healthcare decisions. This is 2015. We should be doing all we can to increase access to health care for women. We should not be rolling back women's rights and cutting access to lifesaving cancer and preventative health screenings for women, men, and youth across the country. As a mother, a daughter, and a Member of Congress, I understand the value of increasing access to health care for women; and that is why I am proud to introduce the 21st Century Women's Health Act, with my colleagues Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, and with our leadership of our ally in the Senate, Senator Patty Murray from Washington. This comprehensive bill will increase access to preventative health services and contraception for low-income women, and it will help women report instances of inappropriate charges for birth control, a problem that affects too many women across the country. It will also expand the primary care workforce and ensure that survivors of sexual assault are provided with free emergency contraception and compassionate care. I want my daughter and every woman in this country to live in a place where they have access to affordable healthcare providers like Planned Parenthood, a full range of reproductive choices, and, most importantly, the ability to make their own healthcare decisions. Colleagues, I grew up before Roe v. Wade, and I know what our country looks like when women don't have access to a full range of reproductive healthcare options. We know that if abortion is restricted, it does not go away. Let us not return to a time when women had to seek care in the shadows or the back alleys. Let us come together to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and let us champion our march forward toward a more equal society with the introduction of the 21st Century Women's Health Act. I urge my colleagues to join me as cosponsors, and I look forward to working toward the passage of this important bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Bishop and Congressman Pocan for introducing H.R. 3594, the Higher Education Extension Act. I would also like to thank Chairman Kline and Ranking Member Scott for supporting a bipartisan effort to avoid the expiration of the Federal Perkins Loan Program, a program that helps make college affordable for low-income students across the country. In my district in Oregon, across the State, and across the country, colleges and universities use the Perkins Loan Program to expand access to higher education. For example, Linfield College and Pacific University, in my district, award Perkins loans to hundreds of students; and University of Oregon and Oregon State University distribute Perkins loans to thousands, providing a clear benefit to students who have significant financial need. As Congress works to reauthorize the Higher Education Extension Act, it is important that we continue to increase access to affordable higher education. I commend my colleague for introducing the Higher Education Extension Act, and I ask all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill.