Suzanne Bonamici

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Madam Speaker, this is a package of en bloc amendments that are bipartisan. It includes the amendment that I offered with Representative Gonzalez-Colon and Representative Posey for the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act, which is very important to address ocean acidification, and also the amendment I offered with Mr. Posey to create an interagency working group on blue carbon led by NOAA to oversee the development of a national map of blue carbon ecosystems. This package of amendments will improve the very important America COMPETES Act, and I urge its passage. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers, but I want to address the package of en bloc amendments. Again, these amendments will improve the America COMPETES Act, which is so important for United States leadership and to incentivize and ramp up U.S. manufacturing. It is a very important bill, strengthened by this en bloc amendment, and I urge its passage. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of a meaningful and consequential piece of legislation, the Build Back Better Act. This bill will strengthen our economy, create good-paying jobs, and make extraordinary investments that will improve child care, education, health care, child nutrition, and housing. Importantly, the legislation will take critical steps to address the climate crisis. This legislation is a significant victory for children, families, caregivers, and early childhood educators. According to data from Oregon State University, every county in my home state of Oregon was a child care desert for infant and toddler care before the coronavirus pandemic, meaning that there is only one spot for every three children who need care. The $390 billion investment for early childhood care and universal preschool in the Build Back Better Act is fundamental to the long-term success and health of our kids and economy. These investments will help millions of parents, overwhelmingly women, return to work. Additionally, we will finally recognize the critical role of early childhood educators by making sure they are paid a living wage. We have also provided substantial investments in our students by making higher education more affordable, including by increasing the value of the Pell Grant and expanding federal financial aid to eligible students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), temporary protected status (TPS), and deferred enforced departure (DED) status. To help students succeed in school and transition into a rewarding career, the Build Back Better Act provides funding for retention and completion grants. The bill also supports our teaching workforce by investing in grant programs to help train new teachers and address the teacher shortage. Additionally, the legislation also supports communities of color through targeted investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic- Serving Institutions and other Minority Serving Institutions. As Chair of the Education and Labor Committee's Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, I know students will be better equipped to succeed when they are no longer worrying about their next meal. The Build Back Better Act provides nine million more students free school meals through improving the Community Eligibility Provision, which is a significant step toward ending childhood hunger. The Build Back Better Act provides for greater access to high- quality, affordable health care and lowers costs for many Americans, especially our nation's seniors. The bill extends the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were included in the American Rescue Plan, and lowers the cost of prescription drugs by finally allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for some drugs. The bill expands Medicare to cover the cost of hearing aids and makes home health care for elderly parents or loved ones with disabilities more affordable and accessible. It also includes significant resources for Older Americans Act meal programs and other senior services that I have long championed, particularly those supporting LGBTQ+ seniors and other underserved communities. The bill will allow work authorization and provide important protections from deportation for many immigrants who have been building lives in this country and contributing to our communities for more than a decade. The legislation will not provide the crucial path to citizenship that I have been advocating for, but this is significant progress that we can continue to build on. Importantly, we are facing a code red climate emergency and the Build Back Better Act is the most significant climate bill to come before the U.S. House of Representatives. It provides long-term extensions for renewable energy tax credits, and for the first time, energy storage projects will qualify for investment tax credits. This bill also invests $29 billion in nonprofit, state, and local institutions that support rapid deployment of low- and zero-emission technologies, with a particular focus on low-income communities that historically have not received these types of investments. This legislation combats methane emissions, which account for one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, by creating a methane emissions reduction program to incentivize oil and gas companies to reduce their methane leaks. The health of our ocean reflects the health of our planet. The Build Back Better Act makes a significant investment by providing $6 billion for habitat restoration projects to conserve, restore, and protect coastal and marine habitats, increasing these ecosystems' resilience to climate change. It also provides $500 million for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate research to improve our understanding of the interdependence of our nation's coasts, ocean, weather, and climate. Although there is still tremendous work needed to prevent national and global climate disaster, the Build Back Better Act makes transformational and unprecedented investments in combating climate change. The Build Back Better Act will also improve conditions for working Americans. It provides nearly $20 billion in funding for education and career training opportunities for underemployed and dislocated workers and fosters greater collaboration between industry, labor, nonprofits, and educational institutions to equip workers with skills training and post-training employment opportunities. This bill will also support families when they need to take leave from work. Currently, the U.S. is one of only six nations in the world without a national paid leave program. The Build Back Better act brings the United States in line with every other OECD country by providing workers with four weeks of paid family leave for childbirth, major illness recovery, and family caretaking responsibilities. Oregonians have long experienced pronounced challenges from the lack of affordable housing. The Build Back Better Act includes $150 billion to build and upgrade affordable housing stock and enhance rental assistance for low-income Americans. It also includes critical updates to and expands the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which will further incentivize affordable housing development. This funding will improve housing affordability, support people experiencing homelessness, and shrink the homeownership gap for people of color. Data reported by the United States Census Bureau found that the Child Tax Credit expansion that was included in the American Rescue Plan has already slashed taxes for millions of families and contributed significantly to reducing child hunger and housing insecurity. The Build Back Better Act builds upon this success by extending the enhanced Child Tax Credit for another year. And finally, The Build Back Better Act is fully paid for by making sure the wealthiest Americans and large corporations pay their fair share in taxes. The Build Back Better Act's historic investments will improve the lives of families and individuals, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and help our country rebuild after the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. And with the provisions to address the climate crisis, it will help bring about a better, healthier, and more secure future for Oregonians and Americans. For these reasons, I look forward to voting in favor of this bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives the overall infrastructure in the United States a dismal C- rating--and many of ASCE's scoring categories, including roads, waterways, levees, transit, and wastewater, score lower than the nation's overall average. Our national infrastructure is crumbling, outdated, and in urgent need of significant upgrades. Additionally, the largest source of energy- related carbon dioxide emissions in the country comes from the transportation sector, which disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color. Though this legislation leaves out many of the crucial climate provisions in the House-passed INVEST in America Act, it still represents a robust and meaningful investment in a more connected and resilient nation. The IIJA makes overdue investments in our nation's transportation sector. IIJA provides $110 billion for roads, bridges, and major projects, and makes some notable investments in clean transportation by providing more than $20 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure--the single largest federal investment of its kind in history. These investments are necessary, because 43 percent of public roadways are in poor condition, 40 percent of the 600,000 bridges in the United States are at least 50 years old, and more than one-third of all bridges need repairs. In addition, the IIJA includes over $16 billion for waterway and coastal projects, including $2.25 billion for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which supports investments in projects to upgrade and modernize ports. Coastal communities like mine in Oregon understand how important these investments are to maintain and expand ports as hubs for commerce, employment, and transportation. Widespread and dependable public transit systems are necessary to create more equitable communities and reduce carbon emissions. Public transportation provides communities with affordable commuting options that facilitate access to employment, school and daycare, vital health care services, and more. The Department of Transportation reports that nearly half of the total carbon footprint of the typical American family with two cars comes from car transportation. The IIJA provides more than $39 billion to support public transit, which will help reduce congestion and carbon emissions. This investment is estimated to support repairs for more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, and thousands of miles of tracks, all of which will help connect communities and support emissions reductions. The bill also includes $5 billion for low- and zero-emission buses--including school buses--which will help cut emissions that hurt vulnerable communities and students. Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of severe weather events like the fires, heatwaves, and droughts that the Pacific Northwest has experienced over the last year. We must improve our nation's infrastructure to withstand and protect people and property from these extreme weather events. The IIJA includes $65 billion for power and grid infrastructure resilience and expansion. This includes funding to support efforts to harden the electric grid against disruptive weather events, as well as funding to promote innovative demonstration projects that will improve grid resilience. The legislation also provides more than $3 billion for wildfire risk reduction efforts, including funding for firefighting resources, and $3 billion for the U.S. Forest Service to implement ecosystem restoration projects that can help minimize the spread of wildfires. Though broadband access has steadily inclined for the overall population, Americans who are non-white, less educated, lower income, and residents of rural communities disproportionately have limited broadband access. The 19 million Americans that lack access to consistent, quality broadband, may have greater difficulty realizing certain employment, educational, and social opportunities. To help remedy this disparity, the IIJA invests $65 billion for broadband investment, including funding for state grants, additional support for rural communities and Tribes, and support to accelerate broadband uptake through digital literacy training. By making crucial investments in our nation's infrastructure, this bill will create new, good-paying jobs and will help support our nation through the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It represents a significant commitment toward a more connected and resilient nation, and I applaud the House and Senate for passage of this historic legislation.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 3992, the Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2021.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 716, I call up the bill (H.R. 3992) to amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to prohibit employers from limiting, segregating, or classifying applicants for employment, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2021. Protecting all workers from workplace discrimination is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, older workers have disproportionately been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with more workers over the age of 65 leaving the workforce in 2020 than in any year over the last six decades. The Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2021 would help address discrimination older workers face in the hiring process, and it is an especially important step toward helping older workers reenter the workforce as the Nation recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the disparate impact provision in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the ADEA, covers older employees seeking relief from age discrimination, but not older job applicants. The bill we are considering today would clarify the disparate impact provision and make clear that older job applicants, not just older employees, are protected. This bill is a commonsense fix to the ADEA that would help protect workers from ageist hiring practices. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a Statement of Administrative Policy in support of H.R. 3992, the Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2021. Statement of Administration Policy H.R. 3992--Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2021--Rep. Garcia, D-TX, and 62 cosponsors The Administration supports House passage of the Protect Older Job Applicants (POJA) Act of 2021. The legislation would amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, which prohibits, among other actions, age-based discrimination in hiring, to specifically prohibit employers from limiting, segregating, or classifying job applicants on the basis of age. The POJA Act of 2021 provides a critical clarification to support older Americans during recruitment and hiring, ensuring the ADEA's nondiscrimination protections extend fully to older job applicants. Workplace age discrimination, including at the application stage, prevents people from fully accessing the American dream and limits the contributions that they can make to our shared prosperity. Ensuring equitable access to employment is a priority for the Administration. The Administration supports this legislation that protects older job applicants.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct the record on a couple of points. In fact, the committee did have a hearing on this subject on March 18, 2021, in the Subcommittee of Civil Rights and Human Services. It was a hearing called ``Fighting for Fairness: Examining Legislation to Confront Workplace Discrimination.'' Additionally, my colleague's argument simply misstates the law with regard to places like college campuses or online recruitment. For example, employers will always have the freedom to choose the time, place, and manner in which they recruit. Whether it be on a college campus or LinkedIn, employers face no risk of liability if they can show it was based on reasonable factors other than age, such as a larger pool of highly trained individuals from which to recruit. The argument that anyone who wasn't available to be recruited on LinkedIn or enrolled in college would be able to sue an employer for age discrimination is a misunderstanding of this law, Mr. Speaker. Finally, Title VII has outlawed disparate impact discrimination since 1972. If there are any doubts that these sorts of laws would wipe out recruiting practices, we would have seen those consequences. In fact, this law is to correct a couple of circuits that have gone a different way from the rest of the country. In 9 out of 11 circuits, it is already the law. So any parade of horribles that my colleague is suggesting, we would have seen that already and we have not. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia), the sponsor of the bill.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to note that the reality is that there is substantial evidence that older workers are routinely harmed by plausibly neutral but age-discriminate hiring practices. For example, in 2017, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco conducted a study on age discrimination and hiring by sending similar resumes to 13,000 job openings in 12 cities, totaling 40,000 applicants. For all five job position types they studied, the callback rate was higher for younger applicants and lower for older applicants, consistent with age discrimination in hiring. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on the underlying bill, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I do want to note with regard to my colleague's remarks, I believe there is a House rule about not impugning the motives of people who are here on this distinguished floor of the House of Representatives. Older workers are suffering from a higher rate of long-term unemployment versus their younger peers. According to AARP, this has produced devastating consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic, as 74 percent of workers aged 40 to 65 who have lost a job in 2020 reported being unemployed for more than 6 months. Again, Mr. Speaker, this is already the law of the land except for people in two Federal circuits here in the United States. This bill is intended to make a uniform law across the country. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Passing the bipartisan Protect Older Job Applicants Act should be a priority of every Member of Congress. Republicans and Democrats worked together just a few months ago to advance the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act. This bipartisan effort was a major step toward ensuring older workers can assert legal claims to hold employers accountable for disparate treatment that results in age discrimination. However, we cannot defeat age discrimination in employment if we leave older job applicants behind. Without equal protections, older workers are still being denied job opportunities because of hiring practices that, while not intentionally discriminatory, ultimately exclude workers based on their age. Providing job applicants with the tools to seek justice for discriminatory hiring practices is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. In 2018 our economy missed out on as much as $850 billion in gross domestic product because older workers who wished to switch jobs, grow in their jobs, or reenter the workforce were denied that opportunity. The Protect Older Job Applicants Act addresses this gap in an important ADEA protection and helps older workers eliminate barriers that prevent them from fully contributing to our economy. More broadly, this legislation will deliver on the promise of the ADEA and help ensure that all older workers, regardless of whether they are looking for a job or already have one, are equally protected against age discrimination under the law in every part of the country. I want to again thank Ms. Garcia for her leadership. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2119, the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act. As policymakers, we have an obligation to do all we can to address the domestic violence epidemic and to support survivors. In 2021, the annual Domestic Violence Counts Report from the National Network to End Domestic Violence, found that more than 76,000 adults and children nationwide received potentially lifesaving services from emergency shelters and hotlines in one 24-hour period. Tragically, during that same day, more than 11,000 survivors' requests could not be fulfilled because of a lack of resources. That is unacceptable. We must better fulfill our responsibility to the millions of survivors who carry the trauma of experiencing domestic violence, and whose safety and well-being depends on access to these services. There is a clear need to update and strengthen our Federal programs to prevent intimate partner violence and better serve survivors. This critical reauthorization includes a much-needed investment to increase funding for the Family Violence and Prevention Services Act, which will help close national resource gaps. Additionally, communities of color, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities face disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence while too often having limited access to services. Importantly, this bill will make sure that resources do reach culturally-specific programs and community-based organizations that are better equipped to serve the needs of survivors who face historic violence and systemic inequities. As chair of the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, I was honored to hold a hearing that examined evidence-based solutions to prevent and end domestic violence. Passing this legislation takes a critical step in fulfilling our obligation to eradicate intimate partner violence wherever and whenever it occurs. Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman McBath and Chairman Scott for their leadership in working to update this important legislation to keep individuals and families safe, and I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record letters in support of the bill from the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the National Network to End Domestic Violence. National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, Harrisburg, PA, September 20, 2021. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington,

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. Since 2010, the Affordable Care Act has required employers to provide nursing mothers with break time to express milk, as well as access to a private non-bathroom space for pumping. Although this was a significant improvement for working moms--one that I didn't have when I was breastfeeding my babies--the law still left 9 million workers uncovered, including teachers, agriculture workers, engineers, and others. This coverage gap is unacceptable, and it means that each year millions of parents who choose to breastfeed must decide between the health of their child and maintaining employment. The coverage gap has also disproportionately harmed Black and brown women, who represent 12 percent of the workforce but nearly 20 percent of women of childbearing age who are not covered by the existing break time provision. The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act will address this coverage gap by simply amending the Fair Labor Standards Act to provide protections to workers who are not currently covered. As Representative Herrara Beutler explained, this is current law. We are just closing a gap that is leaving too many nursing moms out. It will also clarify that if a worker is not relieved of their duties during the time spent pumping, then those hours must count as hours worked. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the rights of women in the workplace and to help their families by joining me in voting for the bipartisan PUMP Act. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a letter in support of the bill from the United States Breastfeeding Committee. Written Statement of Nikia Sankofa Executive Director of the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee Before the United States House of Representatives--September 24, 2021 Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McCarthy, and all members of the U.S. House of Representatives: The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) submits this letter to the U.S. House of Representatives in full support of the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act (H.R. 3110). The USBC is a coalition of more than 100 national nonprofits, breastfeeding coalitions, community-based organizations, and federal agency partners that support a shared mission to drive collaborative efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States. We are committed to ensuring that all families in the U.S. have the support, resources, and accommodations to achieve their breastfeeding goals in the communities where they live, learn, work, and play. We know that the vast majority of people become parents during their lifetime, and their needs and the needs of their infants are neither surprising nor difficult to meet if we plan appropriately. A simple and common-sense policy solution to address ongoing workplace barriers and inequities is within the reach of Congress through the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act (H.R. 3110), which strengthens the existing Break Time for Nursing Mothers law and has bipartisan and bicameral support. Human Milk: A Proven Prevention Strategy Breastfeeding is a primary prevention strategy that builds a foundation for life-long health and wellness, adapting overtime to meet the changing needs of the growing child. The evidence for the value of human milk feeding to overall health is scientific, robust, and continually being reaffirmed by new researcher. Human milk feeding is proven to reduce the risk of a range of illnesses and conditions for infants and mothers. Compared with commercial milk formula fed children, breastfed infants have a reduced risk of ear, skin, stomach, and respiratory infections; diarrhea; and sudden infant death syndrome. In the longer term, breastfed children have a reduced risk of obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, asthma, and childhood leukemia. Women who breastfed their children have a reduced long-term risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast and ovarian cancers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends infants be exclusively breastfed for about 6 months with continued breastfeeding while introducing complementary foods for at least 1 year. Barriers to Success The great majority of pregnant women and new parents want to breastfeed, but significant barriers in the community, health care, and employment settings can impede breastfeeding success. In 2017, the national breastfeeding initiation rate among infants was 84.1 percent, representing a 13.8 percent increase from 2001. However, by six months of age, only 25.6 percent of U.S. infants exclusively breastfeed. Despite overall increases in breastfeeding initiation and duration, deep racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities in breastfeeding rates persist. Compared to national averages, only 73.7 percent of Black infants and 80.7 percent of Native American infants are ever breastfed, contributing to inequalities in maternal and infant health outcomes. Furthermore, a distressing 60 percent of mothers report that they did not breastfeed for as long as they intended. Structural and environmental barriers can make it difficult or impossible for families to establish an adequate milk supply to sustain human milk feeding at medically recommended levels. For many families, rather than being a matter of personal choice, infant feeding practice is informed by circumstance. More than half of mothers enter or return to the labor force before their children turn one year old, with as many as one in four women returning within just two weeks of giving birth. When back at work or school, many discover that they are unable to pump breast milk as frequently as necessary or they have no choice but to pump in an unsanitary or unsafe location, such as a bathroom. Economically- marginalized women and non-white women are more likely to return to work earlier than their more affluent white counterparts. Without necessary accommodations, they are too often unable to produce enough milk for a caregiver to feed their child during separations and may not be able to maintain their milk supply. Breastfeeding families throughout the United States are facing barriers that make it difficult or impossible to start or continue breastfeeding--but it does not have to be this way. Public health initiatives, including legal and policy interventions and approaches designed to enable more infants to breastfeed, have the potential to markedly improve population health. Current Laws and Simple Accommodations Across Industries The Break Time for Nursing Mothers law (Break Time law), passed in 2010, provides critical protections to ensure that employees have reasonable break time and a safe, private place to pump breast milk. All the same strategies that businesses use for any other type of break time, such as rest breaks, meal breaks, or medical breaks can be utilized to support breastfeeding employees. Businesses of all sizes and in every industry have found simple, cost-effective ways to meet the needs of their breastfeeding employees as well as their business. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women's Health hosts the Supporting Nursing Moms at Work resource, which provides a critical link between the need for workplace support for breastfeeding families and the need for implementation guidance for their employers. The online resource provides a user-friendly tool that employers can use to identify and implement industry-specific solutions to providing time and space accommodations that work from farm fields to grocery stores, and restaurants to offices. These examples are already helping employers and employees identify practical solutions that work for their business. In many workspaces, compliance is as simple as placing butcher paper or a curtain over a window in a managers' office. In outdoor worksites, pop up tents or the cab of a construction vehicle are used to meet the needs of breastfeeding employees. To be functional, the pumping space simply needs to be furnished with seating and a flat surface such as a desk, small table, or shelf for the breast pump. As long as the space is available each time the breastfeeding employee needs it, the employer is meeting the requirements of the law. If there are no breastfeeding employees, the employer does not need to maintain a space. Gaps in Current Law and Impact on Families Unfortunately, the placement of the Break Time law within section 7(r) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) resulted in nearly 9 million women--nearly one in four women of childbearing age--being excluded from coverage. Those left unprotected include teachers, software engineers, and many nurses, among others. Without these protections, breastfeeding employees face serious health consequences, including risk of painful illness and infection, diminished milk supply, or in ability to continue breastfeeding. Over the past decade we have learned how to make breastfeeding and employment work, but the significant coverage gaps in the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law mean that workplace breastfeeding accommodation implementation is radically inconsistent. Employees of the same company and in the same building frequently do not have access to the same accommodations, and to figure out who must be accommodated can be complicated for businesses. In addition, little recourse is available for employees who are covered by the Break Time law to ensure they can use their rights. Section 7(r) of the FLSA does not specify any penalties if an employer is found to have violated the break time for nursing mothers requirements. This means that in most instances, an employee may only bring an action for unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation and an additional equal amount in liquidated damages. According to the Request for Information on the Break Time for Nursing Mothers provision, which includes the Department of Labor's preliminary interpretations of the law, ``Because employers are not required to compensate employees for break time to express breastmilk, in most circumstances there will not be any unpaid minimum wage or overtime compensation associated with the failure to provide such breaks. A Bipartisan Solution to Simplify Existing Law: the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act A policy solution with bipartisan support, the PUMP Act would support breastfeeding employees while clarifying implementation for employers across the nation. The bill would strengthen the 2010 Break Time law by closing the coverage gap and providing remedies for nursing mothers that are available for other violations of the FLSA. The Break Time for Nursing Mothers provision is written with language that provides immense flexibility and does not require the construction of a permanent, dedicated lactation space. The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act would maintain this flexibility. More than half of all states have enacted legislation that impacts breastfeeding employees. For many of these states, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act would have little to no impact on employer requirements. For over ten years, the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee has worked with organizations and government agencies on this issue. We have documented the experiences of workers and employers, seen the innovative solutions created by businesses of all sizes, and identified the legislative gaps that need to be addressed. After more than a decade of raising awareness and mobilizing action, one thing is clear: America needs the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. By aligning federal law with the needs of families and ensuring that employers have the comprehensive resources and support that they need, we can create a better tomorrow together. Thank you for your consideration. Nikia Sankofa, Executive Director, U.S. Breastfeeding Committee.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Women's Health Protection Act because the right to abortion, a right grounded in privacy, is under attack. When people have the freedom to make their own personal decisions about whether and when to become a parent, they are more likely to attain their educational goals, maintain job mobility, achieve economic security. But unfortunately, politicians in many States, and in this very body, want to invade privacy and deny autonomy. We cannot take the right to choose for granted. I urge passage of this vital legislation because we refuse to be dragged back to the dangerous days before Roe v. Wade. I urge everyone to support the Women's Health Protection Act.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, 1 year ago today, I joined my colleagues on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and we released our bold, comprehensive, science-based climate action plan. Our plan is a roadmap for solving the climate crisis, and I am thrilled that we are advancing many of its provisions this week as part of the INVEST in America Act. The transportation sector is the largest source of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the country, and the pollution disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color. We must take bold action to mitigate the climate crisis, and that includes advancing the INVEST in America Act. This bill would help decarbonize our transportation sector by investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, zero-emission buses, and transit. It will increase the resilience of our communities by strengthening predisaster mitigation efforts, supporting the use of natural infrastructure, and restoring fish passages. And importantly, this bill also invests in the people who will rebuild our Nation's infrastructure. By passing the INVEST in America Act, we can protect our planet, create good-paying jobs, and truly begin to build back better. I thank Chairs Castor, DeFazio, and Pallone for their leadership.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S.J. Res. 13, a resolution to repeal a harmful rule from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that threatens to delay or potentially deny justice for individuals who face workplace discrimination. As chair of the Education and Labor Committee's Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, I am pleased to co-lead the House companion to this resolution because far too many workers still experience workplace discrimination. The Civil Rights Act helps workers seek redress by directing the EEOC to engage in conciliation, which provides an opportunity for settlement before going to court. But the EEOC's new rule added burdensome requirements, and it gives employers unfair advantages in the conciliation process. Under the rule, the EEOC discloses confidential information, analysis, and even the identities of workers to employers, increasing the likelihood of retaliation. By passing this resolution, we can direct the EEOC to revert to its prior practices, which were upheld by the Supreme Court. Madam Speaker, I want to note that in the Mach Mining decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015, the Court held that ``Every aspect of the Title VII's conciliation provision smacks of flexibility. To begin with, the EEOC need only to `endeavor' to conciliate a claim, without having to devote a set amount of time or resources to that project.'' We can direct the EEOC to revert to those prior practices that were upheld and that better support the needs of workers. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott for his leadership, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Scott for yielding and for his leadership on this important legislation. I rise in strong support of the bipartisan Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act. My home State of Oregon has one of the most rapidly aging populations in the country, and I have heard from many workers, particularly those in the technology industry, who believe they have been dismissed or denied employment because of their age. In fact, 6 in 10 older workers say they have experienced age discrimination, and 90 percent say that it is common. My office has helped older workers who have filed age discrimination complaints before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, but the burden of proof is very high and often results in uncertain outcomes. Congress recognized the need to protect older workers from pervasive age discrimination when it enacted the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. But decades later, in 2009, the Supreme Court, in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, imposed a much higher burden of proof for workers to prove age discrimination under the ADEA. Because of the Court's holding in Gross, workers now must prove that age discrimination was the decisive cause for their employer's adverse action rather than just a motivating factor in their employer's adverse action. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I joined Chairman Scott in reintroducing the bipartisan Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act. This needed bill is a commonsense legislative fix that will simply restore the pre-2009 standard in age discrimination claims and, importantly, align the burden of proof with the same standards for proving discrimination in other areas, such as those based on sex, race, religion, and national origin. As we discussed during the joint Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee and Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing earlier this year, Americans are living longer and working longer. We must make sure they are protected from age discrimination. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations in support of the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act. Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, May 13, 2021. Dear Member of Congress: The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) is a coalition of 69 national nonprofit organizations concerned with the well-being of America's older population and committed to representing their interests in the policy-making arena. We are writing to urge you to vote for passage of the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA, H.R. 2062, S. 880). POWADA is bipartisan and bicameral legislation introduced in the House by Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL). In the Senate, the bill is sponsored by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME). Age discrimination is pervasive and stubbornly entrenched. It often starts in the hiring process when employers circumvent anti-age discrimination laws by using such tactics as setting a maximum number of years of experience that a prospective employer will consider. Whether it starts at the hiring process or not, six in 10 older workers say they have experienced age discrimination and 90 percent of them say it is common. It is even more pervasive among older women and African American workers--nearly two thirds of women and three-fourths of African Americans say they have seen or experienced workplace discrimination. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on employment for everyone, with older workers taking a harder hit. Older workers experienced a 1.1 percent higher unemployment rate from April through September of 2020 than their mid-career counterparts (9.7 percent were unemployed versus 8.6 percent). The rates were worse for older workers who were black, female, or who did not have a college degree. Courts have not taken age discrimination as seriously as other forms of discrimination and older workers have fewer protections as a result. Over ten years ago, the Supreme Court decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services Inc. (2009), set a higher standard of proof for age discrimination than previously applied, and much higher than for other forms of discrimination. Since Gross, court decisions have continued to chip away at protections. As a result plaintiffs now must prove that age was a determinative cause for their employers adverse treatment of them. Before the Gross cases it was enough for plaintiffs to prove that age was one of the motivating factors. POWADA would restore the standard of proof in age discrimination cases to the pre-2009 level and treat age discrimination as unjust as other forms of employment discrimination. Moreover, because courts have applied Gross' higher burden of proof to retaliation charges and to disability discrimination, POWADA would also amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VIT's provision on retaliation, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Please vote to restore fairness for older workers by passing the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (H.R. 2062, S. 880). Sincerely, AARP, AFL-CIO, Alliance for Retired Americans, AMDA--The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, American Postal Workers Union Retirees Department, American Society on Aging, Association for Gerontology and Human Development in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Association of Jewish Aging Services, Asociacion Nacional Pro Personas Mayores, Caring Across Generations, Center for Eldercare Improvement, Altarum, The Gerontological Society of America, Justice in Aging, LeadingAge, Medicare Rights Center, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, National Adult Day Services Association, National Alliance for Caregiving, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, National Association of Social Workers, National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, National Council on Aging, National Indian Council on Aging, National Senior Corps Association, Pension Rights Center, Social Security Works, Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement.

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to stand up for older workers and to support this bipartisan, bicameral bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Casten for yielding. And thank you to Chair Castor, chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, for her leadership throughout this process. It really has been science-based and meaningful. Mr. Speaker, as we work to build back better, we have not just the opportunity but the imperative to take bold climate action. By strengthening investments in climate-centric infrastructure, we can create good-paying jobs, reduce emissions, and support frontline communities. Last month, I had this great opportunity. I got to ride on a new electric bus at Meadow Park Middle School in Beaverton, Oregon. Thanks to the Portland General Electric's School Bus Electrification Project, the Beaverton School District is working to electrify its bus fleet. The electric buses are quieter; they are less expensive to maintain; and, importantly, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is good for the health of our children, our community, and our planet. We can and must help more school districts and transportation systems electrify not just in Oregon but across the country. With the American Jobs Plan, we can create millions of good-paying jobs, combat the climate crisis, revitalize American manufacturing, and make long-overdue investments in our Nation's infrastructure. As the House works to advance the American Jobs Plan, we can use as a roadmap the climate action plan from the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Our bold, comprehensive science-based plan includes investments in zero-emissions buses, transit, electric vehicle charging stations, and pedestrian and bike infrastructure, all to decarbonize our transportation sector. Mr. Speaker, I want to give credit to Chairman DeFazio, my wonderful colleague from Oregon, for his leadership. He has included many of these provisions in his surface transportation reauthorization, the Investment in America Act. I look forward to supporting it when it comes to the floor in the coming weeks. Mr. Speaker, I tell my colleagues that climate-resilient infrastructure is about much more than just roads and bridges. June is National Ocean Month, and as co-chair of the House Ocean Caucus and the Congressional Estuary Caucus, I want to highlight how the power of our ocean can and must be part of the solution, which is recognized in our plan for solving the climate crisis. I recently led a bipartisan group of colleagues in calling for a $10 billion investment in coastal restoration and resilience projects in the American Jobs Plan, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to deliver these needed investments to coastal communities. Addressing the climate crisis presents an economic opportunity, a tremendous economic opportunity. We can create millions of good-paying, high-quality union jobs that will help working families and displaced workers recover from the economic collapse caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Speaker, the American Jobs Plan meets the moment to not only build back but to build back better. By advancing the American Jobs Plan, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild a resilient clean energy economy, create good-paying jobs to boost our economic recovery, and begin to repair the legacy of environmental racism and pollution that has disproportionately burdened low-income communities and communities of color for decades. As we build the infrastructure of the future, we cannot repeat the injustices of the past. Instead, we must pass and implement comprehensive climate policies, such as those set out in the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis' climate action plan.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act. On January 6, 2021, our democratic republic came under direct attack in an attempt to block the certification of Joseph R. Biden as the duly elected President of the United States of America. Donald Trump and others sought to subvert the will of voters when they incited violent rioters to invade the U.S. Capitol with the hope of overturning a legitimate election. Criminals and domestic terrorists, many espousing racist and hateful ideologies, desecrated the sacred center of the people's government. This was terrifying and infuriating for those whose lives were in danger and for the millions of Americans who watched in horror. I am grateful for the actions of the U.S. Capitol Police and DC Metropolitan Police officers who put their lives on the line to protect this institution and the people who work here. I also mourn for the lives that were lost. Many questions remain about the actions of those involved and the security response that day, as well as in the days prior to and following the violent attack on the Capitol. The country deserves answers. This independent, bipartisan commission will investigate and report the facts surrounding the events of January 6. It will provide a full and fair accounting of the mistakes made and lessons learned. And, importantly, the commission will recommend steps that Congress and the federal government can take to prevent future violence and strengthen our democratic institutions. Our Nation is resilient, and the Constitution will endure because of the commitment of those who have sworn to support and defend it. In keeping with my oath, I look forward to acting on the findings of the National Commission so the country emerges stronger from this dark chapter of its history.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill to address the urgent need for research on ocean and coastal acidification in estuaries. I appreciate the partnership and leadership from Chairwoman Johnson, Ranking Member Lucas, and Congressman Posey to protect the health of our oceans and estuaries. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.