Suzanne Bonamici

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bipartisan National Apprenticeship Act, which I am honored to co-lead with Chairman Scott. Last summer, I held a roundtable discussion with apprentices and pre- apprentices from around northwest Oregon. I spoke with Melissa, who said that joining the Boilermakers Local 242 apprenticeship was a ``life-changing decision.'' And Lacy, who talked about her apprenticeship with Laborers Local 737; she said it ``made it possible to pay my bills and feed my kid.'' By supporting the National Apprenticeship Act, we will help more workers like Melissa and Lacy gain the skills and support services they need to provide for themselves and their families. As our Nation recovers from the economic consequences of the pandemic, registered apprenticeships provide especially meaningful upskilling and reskilling opportunities for displaced and dislocated workers to help them secure good-paying jobs. I am glad that my bipartisan PARTNERS Act is included to help small and medium-sized businesses develop registered apprenticeships and provide workers with support services like tools, work attire, transportation, childcare, and mentorship. The legislation we pass today will help more Oregonians and Americans get the skills they need to succeed. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the National Task Force on Tradeswomen's Issues in support of the National Apprenticeship Act. [From the National Task Force on tradeswomen's Issues, Jan. 28, 2021] Comments of the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen's Issues on the National Apprenticeship Act Reauthorization The National Taskforce on Tradeswomen's Issues (TWTF) is a national coalition of women's organizations and tradeswomen whose mission is to create access, opportunity and equity in nontraditional employment and training for women. TWTF very much appreciates the reauthorizing of the National Apprenticeship Act (NAA) of 2021 (H.R. 447) in a way that best protects apprentices and best serves other stakeholders in the apprenticeship system. In particular, TWTF is deeply grateful for the careful attention that H.R. 447 pays to enhancing opportunities for women and people of color-- populations that have historically been too often unfairly denied such opportunities because of their gender, race, or ethnicity--to gain access to and retain high-skill, high-wage jobs through registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and youth apprenticeships. TWTF is also highly appreciative of the significant investments that H.R. 447 makes to the national apprenticeship system. Our organizational members, such as Chicago Women in the Trades, Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., Tradeswomen, Inc. (in Northern California), ANEW (in Washington State), Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) (in New York City), and Nevada Women in Trades currently operate, and for years have operated, pre-apprenticeship programs and other programs for encouraging women's participation in the trades and in other occupations in which women have not traditionally worked. Together we have over 152 years of combined experience in operating such programs. Our organizational members also provide a wide range of technical assistance services and resources that support apprenticeship programs, employers, training providers and the workforce system in enhancing equity for diverse apprentices and potential apprentices through the National Center for Women's Equity in Employment and Apprenticeship. This technical assistance includes EEO planning guidance, toolkits, best practice briefs, curriculum, staff training, replicable program models, and other resources and strategies that have proven successful in attracting and retaining women in these fields. (The National Center for Women's Equity in Employment and Apprenticeship was funded until 2020 in part by a contract with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Apprenticeship (OA).) TWTF's individual members--current and former tradeswomen-- have, in our scores of years of lived experience in all aspects of apprenticeship and employment in the trades, seen it all. A number of these individuals also serve in leadership positions within apprenticeship programs and their sponsors and have intimate knowledge of registration, especially as it relates to EEO/AA. We have known the exhilaration of acquiring mastery of skills, the sense of accomplishment of working with the tools, the pride of being part of building something tangible and important, the comfort of genuine mentoring and support from our co-workers and colleagues, and the satisfaction of supporting our families with a living wage and real benefits. We have also known the financial struggle of being ``last hired, first fired'' and the sting and humiliation of hazing, harassment, and discrimination. Many, many of us have had successful careers in the trades; many others have been unable to continue in those occupations due to discrimination or other barriers. Indeed, historically, tradeswomen have been at the forefront of work to change conditions that prevent women from being fully integrated into well-paid, blue-collar jobs. These comments are informed by the experiences of both our organizational and individual members. TWTF is pleased to support H.R. 447 in general. In particular, we support the bill's incorporation of certain nondiscrimination and affirmative action standards for apprenticeship programs currently codified in 29 CFR part 30; the requirement that funded entities devote a minimum of 5 percent of grant funds to direct financial assistance to apprentices, pre-apprentices, or youth apprentices for supportive services; and the significant investments that the bill makes in registered apprenticeship, preapprenticeship, and youth apprenticeship programs and technical assistance to make progress on equity and inclusion for women and people of color. However, we do have some critical concerns about some of the language in the bill. For example-- Unlike current law, the bill does not clearly and unambiguously require registered apprenticeship programs (RAPs) to set goals for the proportions of their apprentices who are women, Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, and other racial categories that reflect those each of those groups' proportions among the people in the areas they recruit from who meet the minimum qualifications for the apprenticeship. Nor does it clearly and unambiguously require RAPs to take steps to target their recruitment, hiring, and retention practices to the underrepresented group(s) if they fail to meet those goal(s). The bill is subject to the interpretation that it completely preempts continuation or reinstatement of the positive requirements that are in 29 CFR 30, the current law but not clearly included in H.R. 447. Some of the requirements for pre-apprenticeship programs contained in H.R. 447 were designed for registered apprenticeship programs but are not appropriate for pre- apprenticeship programs. Some of the conditions on grants to be awarded under the bill may make it difficult for pre-apprenticeship programs to receive funding under the bill. We plan to work provide more detail on these concerns as the bill moves forward in the Senate, and will ask that Congress address them before the bill becomes law.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott for his leadership.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for President Biden's nomination of the uniquely qualified General Lloyd J. Austin III (U.S. Army, Ret.) to serve as Secretary of Defense. Today, we are debating whether in the case of Gen. Austin's confirmation there should be a waiver of the requirement that former military officers be separated from active service for seven years before serving as Defense Secretary. Civilian control of the military is foundational to our democratic republic, and any action that could be perceived as affecting that principle must be carefully considered. I do have reservations. If such an exception becomes a pattern, it may become a routine practice. Yet we find ourselves in times that are anything but routine, and I am convinced that current circumstances warrant this waiver. On January 6, 2021, violent insurrectionists stormed and attacked the U.S. Capitol attempting to overturn the will of the voters and impede the peaceful transfer of power to a new, democratically-elected administration. The current state of heightened security risks, the lack of cooperation by former President Trump for a successful transition, the emboldening of white supremacists and serious threat of domestic terrorism, and numerous other unprecedented challenges make it imperative that President Biden's national security team be in place as expeditiously as possible. This certainly includes a Secretary of Defense, a role that is also critical to vaccine distribution and other elements of our response to the coronavirus pandemic. President Biden has been elected by the people to serve as our Commander in Chief, and I respect his decision to nominate General Austin, a well-respected, experienced, and barrier-breaking nominee, to meet the many challenges our nation faces.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the resolution offering articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump. Our country and our Capitol have suffered a devastating attack in the past week, and the President's role in inciting the violence we experienced has left us no choice but to impeach him. President Trump, through his words and actions, encouraged and incited the insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021, when Congress was gathered to certify the results of the 2020 Presidential election. In the days and weeks preceding the deadly attack, President Trump made statements, both on social media and directly to his supporters, repeating false claims that he had won the election and urging supporters to come to Washington, D.C. and ``fight like hell.'' The morning of January 6, he led a rally and sent his supporters to the Capitol with the goal of stopping the certification of the Electoral College, thwarting the will of millions of Americans who voted for Joe Biden, and overturning the 2020 Presidential election. The events that unfolded that afternoon were dangerous, terrifying, unprecedented, and un-American. Armed domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol, leading to several deaths, countless injuries, untold property damage, and a democracy in crisis. Pipe bombs and zip ties were found on and around the Capitol grounds. Videos show Capitol Police officers being beaten by White supremacists. Elected officials in the line of presidential succession, including the Vice President and the Speaker of the House, were essentially hunted by terrorists and forced into hiding. The President did not quell the mob; nor did he offer any empathy whatsoever to his own Vice President or to the hundreds of Senators, Representatives, and staff who were at the Capitol and traumatized. In the following days, Donald Trump failed to take responsibility for the direct attack on the country he is responsible for leading and protecting and continued to incite insurrection by continuing to perpetuate the lie that he won the election. We are now forced to reckon with the grave reality that the President of the United States directly incited an attack on our government and country, and he must be held accountable. He is wholly unfit for office and must never be able to serve in government again. I commend my colleagues, Representatives Cicilline, Lieu, and Raskin, for drafting this resolution of impeachment. For the sake of democracy, the Senate must now follow our lead, rise to the occasion, and swiftly convict the President of the high crimes and misdemeanors he has committed.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes my bipartisan Water Power Research and Development Act. As we work to mitigate the climate crisis and transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy, we cannot ignore our ocean. It covers more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet, and we can capture the power of its waves, currents, and tides to power our homes, buildings, and communities. Marine energy has tremendous potential as one of the last untapped renewable energy sources, and federal investment can help unlock it. Earlier this year, I was pleased to work with my House Oceans Caucus CoChair, Congressman Don Young, and another marine energy enthusiast from the east coast, Congressman Ted Deutch, to introduce the bipartisan Water Power Research and Development Act. The bill would reauthorize funding for research, development, demonstration, and commercialization of marine energy within the Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office. Importantly, the bill authorizes funding for existing and new National Marine Energy Centers, including the Pacific Marine Energy Center--operated by Oregon State University, the University of Washington, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Researchers at Oregon State University are leading the way on this innovative work. Through the Pacific Marine Energy Center, OSU is currently in the process of developing PacWave, the first of its kind wave energy test facility off the Oregon Coast. Their leadership scaling up the PacWave testing facility will catalyze this nascent industry. Additionally, we are fortunate to have the advanced manufacturing capacity of companies like Vigor, which recently constructed an 826-ton wave energy device that was deployed off the shores of Hawaii. It was not until I visited Vigor to see the device that I grasped the scale of this resource and what we can gain from it. I appreciate the support of Chairwoman Johnson in helping to secure the inclusion of the Water Power Research and Development Act in today's comprehensive energy package and end of year spending bill, and I am thrilled that it will soon be signed into law. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, which is an important step forward in advancing ocean climate action.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of our home state of Oregon to honor my friend, colleague, and fellow Oregon Duck, Greg Walden, for his twenty-two years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Walden's call to service did not start in this chamber--and it will not end here. Greg Walden and I share similar paths. We both attended the University of Oregon School of Journalism, and we both began our careers in elected office in the Oregon State Legislature. We both started in the Oregon House, we were both appointed to the Oregon Senate, and we both served in leadership there before joining Congress. Congressman Walden was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1999, and his ascent in Congress, in both leadership positions in his party and on some of our most powerful committees, brought central, eastern, and southern Oregon to the table during the most pressing policy debates of the past two decades. Although Congressman Walden and I didn't agree on every vote, we worked together to find areas of common ground that helped Oregonians by advancing good policies. I am grateful for his most recent work to bring more resources to those with opioid addiction, and for our work together on wildfire relief. In this time of great division, I greatly admire Congressman Walden's lifelong commitment to serving with integrity, honesty, and humility. He puts pen to paper and does the hard work that's needed to serve his constituents and move our country forward. When I first joined the Oregon delegation, he welcomed me with kind words on the House floor and then invited me to the House dining room for lunch, a gesture that meant a lot to me as a new member of Congress. I will miss our chance to catch up on long flights to and from Oregon, and I'II certainly miss having a fellow Duck in the delegation. I offer my congratulations to Congressman Walden, as he closes this chapter of his career dedicated to helping others, and I know he will continue serving his community and Oregonians in new ways in the years ahead. Best wishes to him and his family.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Conference Report for H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. This bill contains many important provisions that should become law, but unfortunately those laudable policies are outweighed by the staggering cost and I cannot support the bill as a whole. I am grateful for the Conferees' work to include language increasing treatment and benefits for veterans by expanding the types of diseases that are presumed connected with exposure to Agent Orange. I also strongly support the pay increase for our troops, the removal of names and symbols associated with the racist legacy of the Confederacy, and the bolstering of paid parental leave policies across the federal government. I commend Chairman Smith for his ongoing work to advance legislation that improves the military's prevention of sexual assault and support for survivors, takes encouraging steps to address climate change, and prevents the misuse of taxpayer money on a wasteful border wall. In response to authoritarian tactics by federal agents in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere, the Chairman and House Conferees also achieved bipartisan support for a policy I championed requiring that any federal forces responding to a protest or civil disturbance by clearly identifiable. I cannot ignore, however, the unprecedented amount of military spending that this legislation would authorize. Amid a national crisis precipitated by a global pandemic, voting to allow billions of dollars to be spent on weapons is unjustifiable when our communities desperately need food and housing security, access to childcare, affordable health care, and small business support. We must not accept the notion that annual increases in defense spending are somehow inevitable and can be rationalized as modest when adding just one percent costs billions of dollars that should instead be invested domestically in schools or infrastructure. I do not take this vote lightly and my commitment to providing for our servicemembers remains steadfast. It is a complex and challenging task to responsibly fund our national defense, but I am confident that we can maintain adequate security while reining in the immense and ever-increasing sums that endlessly pour into the military-industrial complex. I look forward to continued engagement with my colleagues as we address these difficult issues.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chair of the House Oceans Caucus, I rise in support of S. 914, a bill to reauthorize and increase funding for the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System. The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the planet, but despite our intrinsic connection to our ocean we know very little about what is beneath its surface. The eleven Integrated Ocean Observing System regional networks use satellites, buoys, underwater gliders, and tide gauges to deliver accurate and continuous data on our ocean and coasts. I was pleased to work with my House Oceans Caucus Co-Chair, Congressman Don Young, on the House companion to reauthorize these important ocean observation efforts. Coastal communities, like those I represent in Northwest Oregon, rely on accurate ocean data and monitoring for information about ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, sea level rise, flooding, navigation, and port security. In the Pacific Northwest, we are fortunate to have the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems leading the way. Tribes, commercial fisheries, emergency responders, and public health officials rely on the free and open access data collected by NANOOS to learn about threats to the health of our ocean. I am excited about the partnership between NANOOS and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission that focuses on the Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction and will help to further our understanding of ocean-estuary interactions. I appreciate the continued innovation from NANOOS to meet the needs of our communities along the Pacific Coast and the Columbia River. I am also pleased that this bill directs NOAA to conduct a vulnerability assessment to identify communities that are dependent on coastal and ocean resources and that may be affected by ocean acidification. I am grateful for the bipartisan support for strengthening our understanding of the socioeconomic effects of ocean acidification on a range of geographically diverse coastal communities, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on this issue. To protect and preserve one of our planet's greatest natural resources, we must rapidly accelerate the collection, management, and dissemination of ocean data collection and monitoring. I recently joined my colleagues on the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in releasing a bold, science-based comprehensive Climate Action Plan to set our nation on a path to net-zero emissions no later than midcentury and net-negative thereafter. I'm thrilled that our plan for solving the climate crisis recognizes the power of our ocean as part of the solution. Our Climate Action Plan specifically includes the Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act to strengthen ocean observations. Thank you to NANOOS for their efforts to accurately predict, model, and manage ocean observation data that support the needs of our region. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act. In my home state of Oregon and around the country, Registered Apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and youth apprenticeships are helping workers, particularly those with barriers to employment, access meaningful employment. This is even more important at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are out of a job because of the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, significant sectors of our economy are on the brink of transformation as the future of work evolves. Recently I held a virtual roundtable discussion with apprentices, pre-apprentices, and union leaders from across Northwest Oregon. I heard from apprentices like Melissa who said that joining the Boilermakers Local 242 apprenticeship was a ``life-changing decision.'' And Lacy who said, ``I don't know where I would be or what I would be doing'' without her apprenticeship with Laborers Local 737, because it ``made it possible to pay my bills and feed my kid.'' By supporting the National Apprenticeship Act, we can strengthen investments in Registered Apprenticeships and help workers like Melissa and Lacy gain the skills and support services they need to be able to provide for themselves and their families. Last month, I visited with apprentices at IBEW Local 48 in Portland, Oregon. Through a partnership with the National Electrical Contractors Association, IBEW's electrical apprenticeship program demonstrates how our transition to a clean energy economy provides an extraordinary opportunity to create good-paying jobs. Earlier this year, I joined my colleagues on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in releasing a bold, comprehensive, science-based Climate Action Plan, which emphasizes the need to reauthorize the National Apprenticeship Act as part of supporting the increasing demand for skilled workers in the clean energy sector. Efforts at the NECA/IBEW Local 48 Electrical Apprenticeship Training Program provide an excellent example of the need to protect and strengthen our Registered Apprenticeship system. Industry partnerships can be one helpful tool in scaling up Registered Apprenticeships. For example, the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center, or OMIC, is bringing together industry leaders with educational institutions such as Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon State University, Portland State University, and Portland Community College to develop a Registered Apprenticeship program in advanced manufacturing. My bipartisan Promoting Apprenticeships through Regional Training Networks for Employers' Required Skills Act is modeled on the efforts at OMIC to help small and medium sized businesses develop Registered Apprenticeships. The bill supports industry partnerships that bring together employers, education, training, labor, and community-based organizations to create paid, on-the-job training programs that meet the needs of employers and provide workers with important support services, like access to tools, work attire, transportation, child care, and mentorship support. I am grateful that Chair Davis incorporated many of our PARTNERS Act provisions in the National Apprenticeship Act. Registered Apprenticeships provide meaningful upskilling and reskilling opportunities and supportive services for displaced and dislocated workers. I am pleased to be co-leading this important bill with Chair Davis to create nearly one million new Registered Apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, and preapprenticeship positions over the next five years. I thank Chairman Scott and Chair Davis for their leadership, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chair of the House Oceans Caucus, I rise in support of S. 910, a bill to reauthorize and increase funding for the National Sea Grant College Program. The health of our ocean reflects the health of our planet. The Sea Grant program's research, extension, and education efforts are essential to improve our understanding, conservation, and use of our nation's coastal resources. Affiliated with Oregon State University (OSU) as one of the 33 university-based programs, Oregon Sea Grant focuses on the ecological, social, and economic effects of many coastal issues, including evaluating development, adapting to coastal hazards, protecting marine fisheries, and understanding the cultural significance of marine resources. Oregon Sea Grant also fosters and increases public understanding of ocean and coastal issues through its management of the Visitor Center at OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon. The Center is an ocean and coastal learning laboratory for all ages. Oregon Sea Grant extension staff are based in coastal communities and along the Columbia River to engage stakeholders on topics related to ocean health and coastal communities. As Co-Chair of the House Oceans Caucus, I have had the opportunity to work with the Sea Grant program and witness the value of their collaborative model to crafting meaningful solutions to the most significant challenges facing our ocean today, like ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, marine debris, and tsunami preparedness. I am grateful to Oregon Sea Grant for their many efforts to protect and sustain coastal communities, and especially their work to strengthen the resiliency of our ocean and coastal ecosystems in Northwest Oregon. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. I also thank Chairman DeFazio for his ongoing efforts to help us bring this important bill to the floor today. As the co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, I rise in strong support of Save Our Seas 2.0, a bill to clean up marine debris. Every minute, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic is dumped into our ocean. According to the United Nations, that is more than 8 million tons a year. Plastic bottles, straws, grocery bags, cigarette butts, fishing gear, and abandoned vessels litter the ocean. After the tsunami hit the coast of Japan in 2011, large materials, like docks and boats that carried invasive species, ended up on the shores of northwest Oregon. Tiny pieces of plastic also make their way into marine life, blocking digestive tracts, altering growth, and in some cases killing marine mammals and fisheries. We still don't know how long it takes for plastic to completely biodegrade. Estimates range from 450 years to never. A recent study from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that without action, by 2040, the annual flow of plastic into the ocean could nearly triple to 29 million metric tons. Let me be clear: We need to fundamentally change our reliance on plastics. Plastics pollute our ocean and exacerbate the climate crisis. The fossil fuel and plastics industries are deeply connected, and plastics contribute a significant share of industrial emissions in the United States. A problem this pervasive, a global problem of this magnitude, cannot be solved with a single bill. We cannot limit our action to removing existing plastic from the ocean, and we can also not recycle our way out of plastic waste that ends up on our shores. We need comprehensive action, but today we have the opportunity to build on our foundation, a bipartisan, bicameral effort to strengthen the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Save Our Seas 2.0 will improve the domestic response to marine debris by creating a Marine Debris Foundation to support NOAA's work, advance the removal and prevention of plastic waste, and establish a pilot program to provide incentives for the proper disposal of marine debris collected at sea. The bill will incentivize international engagement to address marine debris by raising awareness about the sources of plastic waste and the effects of mismanaged waste and assess the potential for a new international agreement to address marine debris. Save Our Seas 2.0 will strengthen domestic infrastructure to prevent the creation of new marine debris by establishing grant programs to assist States and localities in improving local waste management systems and review opportunities to minimize the production of new plastic waste. The ocean is resilient, and we can help it heal, but we cannot afford to wait. We have significant work ahead to prevent marine debris and Save Our Seas 2.0 continues to build on our bipartisan foundation to protect the ocean. Mr. Speaker, I want to close by thanking my colleague and co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, Representative Don Young from Alaska, for his partnership on this bill, and to our Senate colleagues, Senator Dan Sullivan and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill to strengthen the Federal response to marine debris.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, which includes my Water Power Research and Development Act. Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet. Waves, currents, and tides can be used as a plentiful, renewable resource to power our homes, buildings, and communities. According to the Department of Energy, there is enough kinetic energy in waves and tides along the U.S. coastline to meet a significant portion of our Nation's power needs. As we transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy, we have the opportunity to capture the power of the ocean to help mitigate the climate crisis. Oregon is at the forefront of marine energy, thanks to the leadership of Oregon State University, the Pacific Marine Energy Center, and pioneering businesses like Vigor. Last year, I visited the Ocean Energy device, built by workers at Vigor, before it was deployed off the shores of Hawaii for a pilot. It was not until I was standing in front of this enormous device that I grasped the scale of this resource and what we can gain from it. Marine energy has tremendous potential as one of the last untapped renewable energy sources, and Federal investment can help unlock it. My bipartisan Water Power Research and Development Act would reauthorize funding for research, development, demonstration, and commercialization of marine energy within the Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office. This funding supports the leading research and development efforts at Pacific Marine Energy Center and will help their efforts to establish a wave energy test facility off the coast of Oregon. As a member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, I am pleased that this package includes many provisions from our bold, comprehensive, science-based Climate Crisis Action Plan. I thank Chairwoman Johnson, Congressman Young, and Congressman Deutch for their support. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan energy package.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 227, Savanna's Act, a bill to combat the epidemic of missing and murdered Native women and girls. In the United States, Native women face tragically high rates of violence, sexual assault, and murder. According to the Department of Justice, 84 percent of Native and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that homicide is the third leading cause of death among Native women. These rates are ten times higher than the national average and reflect centuries of institutional racism and systemic inequalities that Native communities face. Too often families of missing and murdered Native women are left without answers. We cannot allow the experiences of Native and Indigenous communities continue to slip through bureaucracy. I am a cosponsor of Savanna's Act, which will create and improve procedures, communication, and cooperation among federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies that may share jurisdiction over investigating crimes against Native women. Our Nation's devastating history of colonization has left missing and murdered Native women invisible to law enforcement for centuries, but today, by passing Savanna's Act we can give a voice to this silent crisis. We must strive to better understand the institutional racism and systemic inequalities that Native communities face. And we must keep fighting for justice for those who are missing or murdered. I thank Congresswoman Torres for her leadership on this bill, and I urge all of my colleagues to support Savanna's Act.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. As a mom and a policymaker, I know how important it is to protect the economic security of pregnant workers and working families; yet 41 years after the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Federal law falls short of guaranteeing that all pregnant workers have reasonable workplace accommodations to protect their health and the health of their baby. Reasonable accommodations can range from providing seating, water, and light duty to excusing pregnant workers from tasks that involve dangerous substances. But when pregnant workers do not have access to the accommodations they need, they are at risk of losing their job, being denied a promotion, or not being hired in the first place. Unfortunately, pregnant workers suffer workplace discrimination at alarming rates. According to a survey from the National Partnership for Women and Families, more than 60 percent of the women have experienced pregnancy discrimination on the job. Women of color are overrepresented in low-wage, physically demanding jobs and are, therefore, disproportionately harmed by a lack of access to reasonable accommodation. Last year, I chaired an Education and Labor Committee hearing on pregnancy discrimination. We heard very compelling testimony demonstrating that far too many pregnant workers are denied access to reasonable workplace accommodations despite the existing Federal law providing for equal treatment on the job. Now my home State of Oregon is helping to lead the way by passing bipartisan legislation that requires reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. The new law has protected pregnant women and also provided certainty to the business community. But we need to make sure that all pregnant workers, regardless of where they live, can access the protections they need to stay safe and healthy in the workplace. The bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is our opportunity to address pregnancy discrimination and protect the health, well-being, and economic security of pregnant and parenting workers and their families. By clarifying the right of pregnant workers to fair treatment in the workplace, we will finally guarantee that pregnant workers get the accommodations they need without facing fear of discrimination or retaliation. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott and Chairman Nadler for their leadership. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the National Women's Law Center in support of this legislation. September 11, 2020. Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of the National Women's Law Center, we urge you to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 2694) and vote no on any motion to recommit. The National Women's Law Center (``the Center'') has worked for over 45 years to advance and protect women's equality and opportunity--and since its founding has fought for the rights of pregnant women in the workplace. For the last eight years, the Center has been a leader in advocating for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and for pregnancy accommodation protections in states across the country. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would clarify the law for employers and employees alike, requiring employers to make reasonable accommodations for limitations arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, just as they already do for disabilities. Providing accommodations ensures that women can work safely while pregnant instead of being pushed out of work at a time when their families need their income the most. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant workers were all too often denied medically needed accommodations-- including simple accommodations like a stool to sit on during a long shift or a bottle of water at a workstation. As the United States enters the sixth month of COVID-19 lockdown, the need for clarity regarding employers' obligations to provide accommodations for pregnant workers has only increased. Across the country, as new information emerges about the risks COVID-19 poses during pregnancy, pregnant workers are urgently seeking, and far too often being denied, accommodations like proper personal protective equipment, telework, moving to a less crowded work area or changing start times so as not to risk riding public transit during peak hours. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act uses an already-familiar framework modeled on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that when such a request is made, employers and employees can engage in an interactive process to determine whether the employee's pregnancy related limitations can be reasonably accommodated without an undue hardship to the employer. This will help ensure that employees are not forced to choose between a paycheck and a healthy pregnancy. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will close gaps and clarify ambiguities in the law that have left too many pregnant workers unprotected for too long. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), passed in 1978, guarantees the right not to be treated adversely at work because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, and the right to be treated at least as well as other employees ``not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to work.'' Unfortunately, many courts interpreted the PDA narrowly and allowed employers to refuse to accommodate workers with medical needs arising out of pregnancy, even when they routinely accommodated other physical limitations. In Young v. UPS, the Supreme Court held that when an employer accommodates workers who are similar to pregnant workers in their ability to work, it cannot refuse to accommodate pregnant workers who need it simply because it ``is more expensive or less convenient'' to accommodate pregnant women too. The Young decision was an important victory for pregnant workers, but the standard it set out still left many important questions unanswered and created uncertainty for employers and employees about when exactly the PDA requires pregnancy accommodations. In addition, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. However, courts have consistently held that pregnancy is not a disability. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would fill the holes left in these protections with a common-ground and commonsense approach that ensures pregnant workers are accommodated when the accommodations they need are reasonable and do not pose an undue hardship to employers. Accommodating pregnant workers is not only good for working women and families, it is good for business. Moreover, today, women make up about half the workforce. More women are continuing to work while they are pregnant, through later stages of pregnancy. For example, two-thirds of women who had their first child between 2006 and 2008 worked during pregnancy, and 88 percent of these first-time mothers worked into their last trimester. When employers accommodate pregnant workers, businesses reap the benefits of avoiding the costs of turnover and keeping experienced employees on the job. And since pregnancy is temporary, pregnancy accommodations are, by definition, short-term; many of these accommodations are low and no cost. The time is now to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Thirty states and the District of Columbia have enacted provisions explicitly granting pregnant employees the right to accommodations at work, from Massachusetts, New York, and California, to South Carolina, Utah, Nebraska, West Virginia and Tennessee. Millions of pregnant workers have benefited from these protections, but a pregnant employee's ability to work safely should not depend on where she lives. We strongly urge you to support pregnant workers by voting for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and rejecting any motion to recommit. If you have any questions, please contact me. Sincerely, Emily J. Martin, Vice President for Education & Workplace Justice, National Women's Law Center.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7909) to facilitate access to child care services safely and securely during the COVID-19 pandemic, as amended.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7909, the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act. Access to high-quality, affordable childcare has always been fundamental to the well-being of families and children, so it is not surprising that childcare has emerged as one of the most urgent issues facing families and communities during this pandemic. I have spoken with parents who are struggling with how you balance kids at home with work at home. I have heard from business owners, economic development leaders, and local elected officials who are worried about the workforce and the economy, and childcare has always been an important part of all of these conversations because it is a key factor in reopening our communities safely. Many, and in some places most, childcare providers across the country were closed during the early months of the pandemic. But now, they are reopening and working hard to restore confidence and provide a safe place for the children in their care. Unfortunately, providers have told us that they have received little direct guidance about how to modify their practices for COVID-19 to keep children, families, and workers safe and that the guidance they have received keeps changing and is oftentimes unrealistic. This makes it difficult for providers to rebuild and to serve the number of children they need to sustainably run their business and survive the pandemic. It is worth noting that even before the pandemic, this industry operated on razor-thin margins and faced major difficulties. According to a recent report from the American Institutes for Research and Early Edge California, of the 278 California childcare providers surveyed, 52 percent reported that it was too difficult to understand or follow new requirements during COVID-19, and 79 percent reported a significant need for guidance on how to implement new COVID- 19 health and safety protocols. This important bipartisan bill before us today, introduced by my colleagues Representative Finkenauer and Representative Guthrie, will help meet this need by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to issue educational materials and guidance on how to provide childcare services safely during the pandemic. Critically, this bill authorizes funding that will enable States to provide direct outreach, technical assistance, and support to childcare providers. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Guthrie, for his kind remarks. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Ms. Finkenauer), the author of this important bipartisan legislation.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, may I please inquire how much time remains on each side.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I wish to once again thank Representatives Finkenauer and Guthrie for their leadership in crafting this urgently needed bipartisan bill and all of my colleagues who have spoken in support of the Ensuring Children and Child Care Workers Are Safe Act. This is such an important issue. Today's children are tomorrow's leaders. This bill will help make sure that childcare providers who are entrusted with the health, safety, and development of our Nation's very future have the support they need to succeed. I also want to note, as my colleague from Iowa noted, that the consideration of this bill comes after the House passage of the Child Care is Essential Act, which will provide $50 billion in direct grant funding to help childcare providers cover operating expenses, purchase PPE and cleaning supplies, pay providers through the pandemic and beyond, and, importantly, give struggling parents relief from high-cost copayments and tuition. This is a good investment in our children, our families, our economy, and our future. I continue to urge Senator McConnell and the full Senate to take up the Child Care is Essential Act, as well as this excellent bipartisan bill. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the legislation before us today, H.R. 7909, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Child Care Is Essential Act. Childcare is one of the most urgent and stressful issues facing families during this pandemic and stabilizing it will be a key factor in opening our communities safely. I recently spoke about this issue with Oregonians who are struggling, parents, early child educators, and small business owners. I released a report urging support for the childcare industry. As one mom told me: ``if childcare crumbles, if it even gets a fraction more difficult to find, then our collective ability to work crumbles too.'' The childcare crisis disproportionately affects women, who, because of entrenched gender roles, continue to take on the majority of childcare and household responsibilities. A lack of affordable childcare reduces the ability of women to work outside the home and extends the gender pay gap. This is also an issue of racial justice. Many childcare workers are women of color. I am grateful for previous stimulus efforts, but it is not enough. The Child Care Is Essential Act will provide immediate relief through $50 billion, which I will note is less than the amount that went to the Nation's airlines in coronavirus legislation. This is in direct grant funding to help childcare providers cover operating expenses, purchase PPE and cleaning supplies, pay providers through the pandemic and beyond, and importantly, give parents the relief they need from high copayments and tuition. Investing in our children now has long-term benefits for our families, for our communities, and for our economy. I thank Congresswoman DeLauro and Chairman Scott for their leadership, and I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of Representative John Lewis, whose passing is a tremendous loss for Congress and for the entire country. I will always remember walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with him on the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. I took my son with me on that trip, and when John passed last weekend, my son said this: ``He is the most memorable person I have ever met. I will never forget what it feels like to be in the same room as him.'' We will never forget what it felt like to serve in the same Chamber as him. And as the Nation reckons with centuries of systemic racism, we owe a great debt to John Lewis and the ``good trouble'' he made in the civil rights movement, past and present. If we only had half his courage. We as a Congress and we as a country would be better if we all exemplify his kindness, his passion, and his stoic ability to remain calm in any kind of storm. I can hear his voice urging us: Never give up, never give in, and always keep the faith. Rest in peace, rest in power, John Lewis.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Great American Outdoors Act. Protecting wilderness reflects the best values of Oregon: environmental protection, stewardship of our land, and community partnership. The Land and Water Conservation Fund represents a bipartisan commitment to safeguarding natural areas and providing recreation opportunities in the prized outdoor areas that make places in northwest Oregon, like Ecola State Park and the Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge, so special. Unfortunately, the program has faced significant instability in recent years, limiting the long-term planning needed for meaningful conservation efforts. Last month, I joined my colleagues on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in releasing a bold, comprehensive, science-based climate action plan. Our plan for solving the climate crisis recognizes the value of public lands and healthy ecosystems in sequestering carbon dioxide and promoting biodiversity, and it calls for a full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Great American Outdoors Act will help mitigate the climate crisis and protect the natural beauty and robust habitats that fish and wildlife depend on for survival. At a time when our communities are struggling to recover from the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, a time when there is heightened awareness about the inequities and injustices in our society, including inequitable access to our wild places, this bill will boost rural economies and expand access to public lands for future generations. I am also pleased that this bill takes steps to tackle our national park maintenance backlog to support treasured places like the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Oregonians care deeply about protecting our parks, forests, scenic areas, and wildlife refuges, and this bill takes important steps to safeguard them for future generations. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Grijalva for his leadership, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.