Anthony Brown

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Speaker, if I had been present in the House of Representatives on July 20, 2020 for consideration of H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, I would have voted YEA on roll call no. 141, Escobar of Texas Amendment No. 3; YEA on roll call no. 142, McAdams of Utah Amendment No. 4; and YEA on roll call no. 143, Smith of Washington Amendment En Bloc No. 1.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith and my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee for their bipartisan work on this year's National Defense Authorization Act. We advanced progressive ideals to support our military families; improve readiness; sharpen our technological edge; and foster American leadership, our alliances, and a culture that is in line with the values of our Nation. This bill is truly transformational when it comes to advancing diversity and inclusion, as well as fairness and justice, in our military. We are at an inflection point when it comes to race in this country, demonstrated by peaceful protests across the country and at a time when a pandemic has widened disparities in healthcare, education, economic opportunity, and housing along racial lines. Our armed services are not immune to these currents. The military has historically prided itself as leading in opportunity and advancement for men and women of color, but we have fallen far short of our expectations. Today we are still grappling with a military that doesn't fully reflect our country's diversity. Forty-three percent of the Active-Duty servicemembers are people of color, yet only two of the 41 most senior generals and admirals in the military are Black, and only one woman. As recent events have brought a reckoning in our society, we are still debating symbols of oppression. White supremacy, racism, and other toxic beliefs exist within our ranks, impacting how Black soldiers advance, their assignments in career fields, and how they are treated and assessed. African Americans comprise just a single-digit percentage of fighter pilots and navigators, only 5 percent of Army Green Berets, 2 percent of Navy SEALs; and only 0.6 percent of the Air Force's power rescue jumpers are Black. Structural racism still exists in our military formations. Fifty- three percent of minority servicemembers report they have seen examples of white nationalism or racism within the ranks. These issues didn't happen suddenly, but festered unchecked by a culture of indifference or intolerance. This culture extends to gender disparities we still see in our Armed Forces. We have made progress and, this year, witnessed historic barrier-breaking firsts: Chief Master Sergeant JoAnne Bass was selected as the first woman to serve as the highest ranking noncommissioned officer in a service component; Lieutenant Junior Grade Madeline Swegle became the Navy's first Black female tactical jet pilot; The U.S. Army just welcomed its first female Green Beret. However, there is more work to be done: Women have never exceeded 27 percent of nominations made by Members of Congress to the prestigious service academies; In 2009, more than 6,000 cases of sexual assault in the military were reported. The Pentagon estimates these reports amount to just 30 percent of assaults, primarily against women. Women and men, whose trust in their fellow soldiers has been shaken, need our support and for this Congress to step up. This year's NDAA takes important steps to create a more diverse and inclusive military. It builds on the work in 2008 of Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, Representative Hank Johnson, and former Members of this Chamber Elijah Cummings and Kendrick Meek. As members of the Congressional Black Caucus, they recognized years ago that the military was not living up to the potential unlocked in 1948 when President Truman signed the executive order removing racial segregation in the Armed Forces. Together, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Cummings, and Mr. Meek led the effort to create the Military Leadership Diversity Commission, whose recommendations in 2011 are the basis for many of the diversity and inclusion provisions found in this year's NDAA, which are some of the most significant steps towards diversity and inclusion that Congress itself has taken since the desegregation of the Armed Forces in 1948. It seeks to foster opportunities for women and minorities. We bring new visibility to congressional nominations to our service academies to train a more diverse next generation of leaders. We create a special investigator to review and investigate racial disparities in the military justice system and personnel practices. We create a special prosecutor for sexual assault committed at our military academies. We foster and train a greater number of minorities within the special forces and aviation communities. We tap into the talent at our historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. We hold the Secretary of Defense and service component leadership accountable for progress and give them the tools to make it happen. This package updates workplace and climate surveys to include experiences with supremacist and extremist activity, anti-Semitism, and racism, allowing leadership to understand the full extent of these beliefs and better tailor responses and disciplinary action. Finally, after decades of inaction, we reckon with one of the darkest periods of our history, the institution of slavery. This NDAA bans the display of the Confederate flag on Department of Defense property and directs the removal of the names from military installations of those men who betrayed their country--our country--and who fought a war to defend the institution of slavery. The culture we create in our armed services matters. Diversity and inclusion in our armed services matters. It enhances unit cohesion and it improves military effectiveness. We have known this since 1950. Our work is far from finished, but this year's NDAA represents an important step toward this pivotal moment.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Speaker, I rise to say a few words in support of the DBE program. This program helps firms owned by women and minorities are included as partners in helping build and maintain our nation's transportation infrastructure. The chairman and many of my colleagues have presented the devastating statistics that demonstrate how far we must go before we abolish business discrimination based on race and gender. I would like to highlight some of the voices behind those statistics. In a recent study in my home state of Maryland, the authors conducted in depth interviews with business owners from across the state on this very issue. When asked about the persistence of discrimination, one business owner said: ``My business card had my picture on it, and so someone said to me, `Oh, whatever you do, don't put your picture on your card.' And I said, `Why?' . . . They said, `Because you'll never get hired because you're Black.' '' Likewise, a woman business owner explained: I have gone on interviews where I am in . . . the running, three people, final cut. And I have spoken to this person about the job and they were questioning me about my skill, my everything, why I bid the job. I'm looking at this person as, `What do you mean why, I bid this job? . . . I'm in the business of making money' . . . and he said to me, `Well, you know, women just simply shouldn't be here.' '' Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Disparity Study, Volumes 1-3, Prepared for the State of Maryland, NERA Economic Consulting, June 25, 2018, at 276-277. This is what women and minority entrepreneurs are up against. We must do better. We can do better. And the DBE program is one of the most important tools in our arsenal.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I first thank my chairs, Mr. DeFazio and Ms. Norton, for their leadership. I rise today in support of the Moving Forward Act, an investment in America's infrastructure now that will secure America's future today, an infrastructure that supports America's growing communities and invests in America's local economies. This is an investment that will create millions of jobs, an investment in a smart system of infrastructure equal to the needs of the 21st century. Today, we make a $6.2 billion investment in Maryland's roads and transits. We increase investments in safety and reliability on Washington's Metro transit system. We reauthorize the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program to ensure greater opportunities for women- and minority-owned small businesses that want to compete for Federal transportation contract dollars. Mr. Speaker, rebuilding America shouldn't be a partisan issue. The Moving Forward Act is an equal opportunity investment in America.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I am a Black man living in America, and that puts me at greater risk while living in America. The fact that I served 30 years in the United States Army, an institution that prides itself on being colorblind, doesn't change the fact that I am Black and at greater risk. The fact that I graduated from a good school with honors doesn't change the color of my skin and the risk of living in America. That I attended Harvard Law School and practiced law at a blue-chip firm in Washington, D.C., doesn't change the fact that my family is from Africa and that we are at greater risk, even today, in America. Even being a Member of this august institution, the United States Congress, doesn't shield me from the risks of being Black in America. Mr. Speaker, 401 years after we arrived in bondage, a Black man in America is more likely to be stopped by the police than a White man. Mr. Speaker, 155 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, a Black man is more likely to be arrested than a White man. Mr. Speaker, within my own lifetime of witnessing the first Black man appointed to the Supreme Court; the first Black woman elected to the United States Senate; the first Black man appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and, yes, the Black first man elected President of the United States, a Black man is still much more likely than a White man to die at the hands of police. Every day for the past 10 years, Mr. Speaker, I, like every parent of a Black child, remind my Black boys, my sons, to be careful: Put your hands in plain sight if approached by an officer. Don't move suddenly when being questioned by the police. Be sure to ask permission before reaching for your wallet. And always respond to police rudeness with respect. I do that because I don't want my children, anyone's Black child, to be harmed by the use of excessive force. I don't want them to be the victim of a police-involved shooting. They are good boys, and too many good boys, too many good men, Black men living in America, have died at the hands of police in America. So today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to say: Enough. We have endured too much, and the Congress has done too little. Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Justice in Policing Act. I thank my colleagues on the Congressional Black Caucus, former and present, who have worked on these issues for far too long. I thank House leadership for bringing the bill to the floor so that we can once and for all bring an end to the injustice that is inflicted by those who we look to as the first line of justice. Mr. Speaker, systemic racism pervades our society, and the criminal system, from police encounters to punishment, is racially biased. This requires structural and transformational change in policing in America: reducing militarization; removing bad officers; holding them accountable for illegal behavior and gross misconduct; improving training so officers are guardians and protectors of our communities, not warriors acting aggressively toward our communities; increasing transparency and the ability to investigate and prosecute, where necessary; banning the chokehold; and outlawing racial profiling. But that is not enough. As we work in these days, weeks, and months ahead, we have to acknowledge that, for far too long, we have neglected policies and programs that meet the needs of our communities, and we need to address the structural disparities heard in Black and Brown families. Instead of criminalizing homelessness, addiction, poverty, and, yes, being Black, we need to make the investments that will keep us safe and address the inequities that exist in our country. Today, Mr. Speaker, we will pass the Justice in Policing Act. But tomorrow, we must take on other challenges: economic opportunity, mental health, housing, pre-K, health disparities. In this moment, we have a chance to not just transform policing but make our entire country more just and safer for Black Americans and every American.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I want to recognize the hard work of Chairman Bennie Thompson on the underlying bill, and the entire Homeland Security Committee. My district, Maryland's Fourth Congressional District, has the fifth largest number of Federal employees in the country. These public servants go to work every day to make the country safer and a better place to live for our families. For years, transportation security officers have not had basic workplace protections, such as collective bargaining rights, whistleblower protections, and paid leave. Since 2011, transportation security officers, who make up 70 percent of TSA's workforce, have had labor union representation but, because of limitations imposed by TSA, have been denied full collective bargaining rights. TSOs were most severely impacted during the last government shutdown. During the shutdown, more than 50,000 TSA officers were deemed essential Federal employees, meaning they had to work without pay. Due to financial strain, officers called out in record numbers, which led to low morale and high turnover among its workforce. Staffing shortages prompted officials to consolidate checkpoints, creating long lines at some of the country's busiest airports, including Miami, Atlanta, and in my backyard at BWI Thurgood Marshall and Reagan National Airport, where my constituents felt the most strain. Federal workers who protect our country should not have to work in such strenuous conditions. Transportation security officers are vital safeguards for our Nation's transportation system. They should be afforded the same rights and benefits as other Federal employees. My amendment reaffirms the importance of TSA's workforce and recognizes that TSOs should be provided the same protections and benefits as other Federal employees under title V. In addition to collective bargaining rights, the transition to title V would increase salaries for most TSA employees and provide opportunities for regular pay raises for those meeting performance standards. TSA employees and TSOs are essential to our national security and safety. It is time we treat them with the respect they deserve. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), my friend and chairman of the committee.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank Chairman Grijalva and Congresswoman DeGette for their hard work on this bill. Our public lands are iconic features of the American landscape. It is our duty to preserve and protect these treasured lands, and to be responsible stewards so that future generations can enjoy them as much as we do today. The Protecting America's Wilderness Act recognizes the irreplaceable value of public lands in our lives by safeguarding public lands and waters across Colorado, California, and Washington. But the value of these lands goes far beyond their vast ecological diversity. They offer our veterans a unique opportunity to heal after they return home from the frontlines. My amendment strengthens this bill by promoting the health and wellness of our veterans and servicemembers through access to lands protected within this bill, outdoor recreation, and participation in volunteer programs. The great American outdoors is uniquely positioned to provide therapeutic benefits to our veterans and brave men and women in service. As they transition from service, or a uniform, to civilian life, public lands have been shown to help them reconnect, recover, and heal. We make a sacred promise to every veteran, and it is our duty to serve them as they have served us and ensure that they can actively benefit from all that our landscapes have to offer. By doing so, we honor not only the importance of these lands, but also those who continue to serve this country today. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying bill.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher), the minority manager.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say thank you to the gentleman and all the Members of Congress who, not only during the course of this bill and the amendments and the debate but as a tradition, in a bipartisan manner are supporting our men and women in uniform, those who have worn the uniform, and our veterans and their families. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Congressman Khanna for his hard work on this amendment. All we have heard from our friends across the aisle this morning is a parade of horribles unsubstantiated in fact or law. In fact, we brought together a bipartisan coalition to reassert in this body our constitutional duty in matters of war and peace. After nearly two decades in the Middle East, Americans have tired of endless wars. We have lost far too many lives and spent far too much money with little progress. President Trump's reckless escalations with Iran and his abandonment of our allies have made America and the world less safe. He has no strategy to counter Iran's nuclear ambitions or deter Iranian aggression and malign influence. His rhetoric has put our troops in harm's way and isolated the United States on the world stage. With this amendment, we assert on behalf of the American people that war with Iran is not in the best interests of our country; we assert that the President does not have a blank check to commit more American lives to yet another war in the Middle East; and we recommit ourselves to robust diplomacy and the need for an open dialogue with even our fiercest adversaries.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Speaker, I was deployed to Iraq in 2004 and served with the most patriotic Americans and committed Iraqi partners in Baghdad, Fallujah, Kirkuk, and Mosul. While the justification for that war was fundamentally flawed, our authorized mission was to defend the national security of the United States from the continuing threat posed by the Government of Iraq. Yes, we continue to counter ISIS in Iraq, but the Government of Iraq no longer poses a threat to our national security, and that is why I advocate for the repeal of the 2002 AUMF. We have a responsibility to the men and women who wear the uniform to ensure that the authorized missions they execute are targeted, defined, and achievable. We cannot accomplish that goal with a nearly two- decade-old authorization that doesn't recognize the current landscape. With this amendment, we officially end America's 2002 mission in Iraq.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to first recognize the hard work of the Financial Services Committee, under the leadership of Chairwoman Waters, and also the work and the commitment of Congresswoman Pressley on the underlying bill. This legislative package reforms the credit reporting industry and improves consumer protections. Credit scores play a critical role in the lives and financial futures of American consumers. The information relied upon by the industry is personal to us, things like when we were born, where we live, and where we work. This data is some of the most valuable information that we have in today's digital economy. It often is how we prove our very identity, if not existence. It is key to every aspect of our lives, from applying to college, purchasing a car, obtaining housing, investing in our futures, and, eventually, to collecting retirement. Credit agencies have not adequately secured this data and have violated our trust. The most egregious example of this is the Equifax breach of 2017. This theft was not a high-tech cyberattack. The weaknesses in the Equifax systems were known, as were the fixes, yet Equifax failed to take action. The credit agencies have demonstrated that they are not able to secure their systems by themselves. It is time for Congress to protect Americans from threats against their credit history and the misuse of their personal information. My amendment, Mr. Chairman, addresses this issue in two ways: First, it requires credit agencies to ensure they are meeting minimum training requirements for cybersecurity. Every major corporation and most Federal, State, and local government entities understand that cybersecurity training is crucial and have established training requirements and standards. Credit agencies should do the same. Second, it gives the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau the authority to examine the cybersecurity protocols and training of credit agencies, to ensure these agencies are taking appropriate steps to secure our critical personal information. This oversight will ensure that credit agencies are proactively adapting to the change in threats more institutions face in cyberspace. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I don't share the gentleman from New Jersey's pessimism this early in the game, so I will reserve judgment and a response for the appropriate time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Speaker, during rollcall Vote number 32 on S. 3201, I mistakenly recorded my vote as Yes when I should have voted Nay.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I would like first to recognize the leadership of Chairman Bobby Scott, my Potomac partner from Virginia, chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and the hard work and the bipartisan work done in that committee to bring this important bill to the floor. Mr. Chair, older workers are critical to our economy and workplaces. However, 6 in 10 older Americans report seeing or experiencing age discrimination on the job. More than half of older workers are fired from their jobs before they retire. If they find a new job, 9 in 10 never match their prior earnings. A 2009 Supreme Court decision created a higher burden of proof for workers claiming age discrimination than any other form of discrimination. Enforcement statistics from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission show the number of age discrimination complaints has been rising. In the year 2000, the EEOC received roughly 16,000 age discrimination complaints. That number climbed to over 20,000 complaints in 2017, or 23 percent of all discrimination claims filed. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would require the EEOC to submit an annual report to Congress on the number of age discrimination claims under this act. It is important that Congress receives this information in a timely and transparent way to ensure our older workers are being properly protected and heard. Discrimination is discrimination, whether it is age, race, gender, faith, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and all should be treated fairly under the law. My amendment and the underlying bill are commonsense pieces of legislation that would restore fairness for all workers. Mr. Chair, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support my amendment and the underlying proposed legislation. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I want to first thank Chairman Pallone, Chairman Tonko, and Congresswoman Dingell for this comprehensive package. We know PFAS-related substances remain in our bodies and environment for years, if not decades. Coupled with widespread consumer use and pollution, PFAS toxins could result in long-lasting public health problems. This legislation confronts PFAS contamination, spurs cleanup efforts, and sets a drinking water limit. It is critical for government agencies to inform the public of the risk posed by PFAS-related substances. My amendment would require the EPA to develop a national risk communication strategy to share the best available science about PFAS and its hazards, notify the public about risks and mitigation measures, and consult with States with effective statewide risk communication strategies of their own. In my home State of Maryland, PFAS has been identified in the water at eight DOD installations, tainting neighboring communities' local wells and seeping into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. I am proud that Maryland is committed to PFAS transparency and research and is taking this issue seriously. Mr. Chair, there are some communities that are especially vulnerable to PFAS exposure, among them, firefighters at military installations. To stop the spread of fire at training sites, fire departments use a type of firefighting foam that contains PFAS-related substances. Over the course of their careers, these firefighters put themselves in harm's way, unaware of the toxicity of these chemicals and the health issues they can cause down the road. We owe these servicemen and -women an unrecoverable debt, and it is our duty to communicate to them the hazards that they were exposed to while risking their lives protecting the public. Whether it is former firefighters, military families living on bases, or the American people at large, the exchange of information between communities, risk assessors, and scientists is critical. As we continue to learn more about the full range of health problems linked to PFAS, we must also communicate that risk to the public. Sharing this risk, the knowledge of the risk, is an important step to give the public the resources they need to defend against PFAS contamination and the adverse health impacts it can cause. Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment and the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).