Anthony Brown

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my vehement opposition to banning service in the Armed Forces by openly transgender individuals because the Trump administration considers transgender identity to be some medically disqualifying condition. Gender identity is not a medical condition; it is who we are as individuals. Since President Truman desegregated the military, we have torn down barriers to the equal treatment and opportunity of every American to serve. Women now serve in combat roles defending our Nation as Rangers, infantrymen and submariners. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans serve our country openly and with distinction. In 2016, the Pentagon lifted the ban on transgender Americans, allowing them to serve without having to hide their true identity. The fact that thousands of transgender servicemembers are currently serving, meeting, and exceeding standards and are deployed worldwide speaks volumes about their dedication and contributions to our Nation. We need their skills, their experience, their courage, and their patriotism. In 1948, many Americans agreed that racial segregation in the Armed Forces was right, but history shows all of us today that they were wrong. Former Defense Secretary Gates said: ``No aspect of Black Americans' quest for justice and equality under the law has been nobler than what has been called the `fight for the right to fight.''' My 30 years in the Army leads me to believe that all Americans who want to serve and who can meet our standards should be given the right to fight. My deep belief is shared by General Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who reiterated that very belief to me just 2 days ago. We have an obligation to allow transgender Americans the right to fight for our Nation. We cannot, Mr. Speaker, settle for this discriminatory policy.

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. Let me start by saying it is a privilege to be able to stand on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in this year, in this term, and in this session of Congress to participate in the debate and the discussion and to offer an amendment on this historic bill, the Paycheck Fairness Act. I would like to first thank my friend and colleague, the chairman of the committee, Bobby Scott from Virginia, for his leadership on this issue and this bill. I want to recognize the decades' long work of my colleague from Connecticut, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, on the underlying bill and her efforts, along with many other women, including Maryland's former Senator Barbara Mikulski to finally ensure that women are paid and treated fairly in the workplace. My amendment would enhance pay transparency protections in this bill. This amendment would make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee for simply discussing or inquiring why they are being paid a certain wage or salary. Mr. Chairman, if you found out that you were being paid less than your colleagues for the same work, you would probably demand to be paid more. But for too long, it has been considered taboo to discuss your salary with your coworkers let alone confront your boss if you were being paid unfairly. When pay is transparent, organizations must be able to justify each employee's salary, thus reducing or eliminating any type of bias. That is why the Paycheck Fairness Act puts transparency front and center and why my amendment goes a little further and gives every employee the right to negotiate the higher pay. Since Congress has not been able to act over the past several years, States have led the way in promoting pay transparency, including California, Illinois, Louisiana, and my State of Maryland. In Maryland we added very broad pay transparency protections to ensure employees the ability to discover and discuss disparities in pay, and we even expanded prohibitions against discriminatory pay practices to include gender identity, an item that I would hope that this Congress may take up later this session. But my amendment today reiterates the importance of transparency in the workplace. Every employee should be able to advocate and negotiate for themselves without fear of reprisal. According to the Carnegie Mellon study, men are four times more likely than women to ask for a raise, and when women do ask, they typically request 30 percent less than men do. We should be encouraging employees, regardless of their gender, to inquire and discuss disparities in pay with their employers and advocate for themselves if they aren't being paid fairly or if it is simply time they received a well-deserved raise. Mr. Chairman, at a time when wages are not rising fast enough, Congress must ensure every working American is paid equally and fairly and is empowered throughout their salary negotiation process. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Chair, unfortunately, historically, the cloak of confidentiality has often been the shield used by employers to discriminate against women when it comes to paycheck fairness. I encourage all my colleagues to support my amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Speaker, let me begin by wishing you a very happy birthday on behalf of the 435 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to introduce Reverend Tony Lee. He is the founder and senior pastor of the Community of Hope AME Church. Reverend Lee is a pillar of our community in Prince George's County and the entire region, not just as a faith leader, but as an advocate for those in need. I have had a longstanding relationship with him, partnering on a wide variety of issues, including domestic violence, building trust between the community and law enforcement, tackling poverty, and moving forward on social justice issues. And, during the month of January and February, we worked together during the government shutdown, serving working families who were struggling to make ends meet. I have had the privilege of worshipping at Community of Hope many times over the years. The name of the church reflects its character: a community where we live and raise our families, where we pray and teach hope as a critical ingredient necessary for faith and our daily lives. He is a preacher who speaks to people in a language they understand. He draws people into church who would not otherwise do so, going into every neighborhood and going down every street. Reverend Tony Lee is the son of proud parents, Orlando Lee and Reverend Nancy T. Lee, who are joining us in the Capitol today.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland

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

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me first start by thanking Mr. Crist of Florida for cosponsoring this amendment. I also want to recognize the work of my good friend from Maryland, John Sarbanes, on the underlying bill and his efforts to make our democracy work for the people. My amendment would guarantee access to early voting during every day of the week, including Sundays, to every American. Early voting makes voting more convenient by providing Americans with greater flexibility and opportunity to cast a ballot. More and more Americans are taking advantage of early voting, with more than 40 million citizens casting ballots before election day last year. But guaranteeing fair and flexible early voting on Sundays is not just a matter of convenience. It is critical for minority voters who disproportionately take advantage of Sunday early voting and often face higher barriers and disparate burdens when deciding to cast a ballot: lost pay, childcare expenses, transit costs. In my State and in States across the country, churches promote ``take your souls to the polls'' programs that take church parishioners from Sunday services to the voting booth. So cuts to Sunday early voting, as we have witnessed across this country, have had a negative impact, especially on communities of color. Six States have cut back on early voting, and even more have tried but were blocked by the courts. In North Carolina, lawmakers deliberately cut Sunday voting, saying 6 days of voting in one week is enough. But this action was struck down because, as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals noted, it targeted African Americans with almost surgical precision. Our democracy doesn't work if we don't give people the fullest opportunity to make their voices heard. We should make it easier for people to vote, not harder, and this amendment does exactly that. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, in an ideal world, perhaps, we don't mandate from the Federal Government, but when the Fourth Circuit determines that the North Carolina Legislature did it to target African Americans with almost surgical precision in eliminating Sunday voting, it is time for action at the Federal level so we can ensure every American has the right to vote. Madam Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crist), my friend and a cosponsor of this amendment.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), the chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration.

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

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

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent that my amendment be modified with the form I have placed at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, my amendment would require States to notify voters of polling location changes no later than 7 days prior to the first day of early voting, providing every voter as much time as possible to plan how and when they will vote, and avoiding last minute polling place changes that, more often than not, discourage people from exercising their right to vote. Research shows that the most important factor that impacts whether someone votes or not is the location of the polling place and the effort it takes to get there. A 2011 study in the American Political Science Review said changing a location of a polling place can significantly lower voter turnout. Unfortunately, since 2008, and further accelerated in 2013, when the Supreme Court struck down key parts of the Voting Rights Act, nearly 15,000 polling places have been closed across the country; many of them are located in southern Black communities. Polling places have been used as political tools to shape the outcome of elections for generations, and it continues to happen today. Before the 2018 elections, States and local election boards closed polling places at colleges and universities, consolidated polling places in predominantly-minority neighborhoods to save money, and moved polling locations away from public transportation. These changes discourage participation in our democracy, and make our system of government weaker. That is why Congress must take action to protect the rights of the people, to have a government by the people, for the people. By providing sufficient notice, every voter can decide whether to cast a vote on Election Day or, as this bill provides, take advantage of early voting or no-excuse absentee voting. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Sadly, Madam Chair, in this country there are far too many States and/or local election officials that are not committed to fair and open elections. And as we have seen by decisions in courts at every level, rolling back actions by State legislatures to change polling sites, to take away early voting opportunities, there are some times in the history of this Nation, and this is one of them, when it comes to protecting voting rights, where it is a Federal responsibility to do so. In an optimal world, in an optimal situation, where we had truly free and fair and open elections, perhaps this amendment and perhaps even this legislation wouldn't be required. That is not the world we live in today, although it is an aspirational place to be. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), the chair of the House Administration Committee.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I will close by just encouraging all my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This amendment would require a portion of early voting hours to occur outside of normal business hours. This simple, yet effective amendment would ensure that every working individual has the opportunity to cast their ballot without taking time off from work, having to find child care, or risking being reprimanded by their employer. While early voting has become increasingly commonplace, States and localities continue to change and restrict hours every election, sometimes closing as early as 4 p.m., making it problematic for those whose workdays may have irregular schedules or are unable to take time away from work. Despite State laws guaranteeing many workers time off to go vote, too many Americans have neither the luxury of an employer that will give them time off to vote nor the financial freedom to risk losing a few hours' wages in order to participate in our democracy. That is why early voting is so important. But holding early voting during business hours is just another way citizens have been impeded from exercising their right to vote, particularly middle-class working Americans in the service, manufacturing, and other blue-collar industries. These Americans often rely on a 9 to 5 schedule and don't have the same opportunity to vote. To ensure everyone's voice can be heard and early voting is convenient for every American, locations should remain open well after the traditional close of business. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, keeping the same terminology of ``bottom-up'' and ``top-down,'' I think the Founders contemplated both, that when it comes to Federal elections, it would be both a bottom-up and a top-down. As my friend from Illinois was reminded during the last debate, Article I, Section 4 says, and I will read it in its entirety: ``The times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the legislature thereof''--that sounds like bottom-up to me--``but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing Senators.'' I think that is what you would refer to as a top-down, contemplated by the Founders, implemented and embraced here in H.R. 1. Why? So that we can protect, expand, promote, and defend the right for every single American to vote and to make sure it is as convenient and accessible to every American regardless of race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. This amendment will require States to include in their biannual report to Congress on the voter information hotline statistics to include a description of any actions taken in response to reports of voter intimidation or suppression. Discouraging voter participation through intimidation or suppression tactics runs against the very foundation of our democracy, but these tactics continue to play an unfortunate role in our elections today. When I ran for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland in 2010, my opponent hired a consultant who advised my opponent that ``. . . the first and most desired outcome is voter suppression'' by having ``African American voters stay home.'' To that end, my opponent made thousands of election day robocalls to Democrat voters telling them that Democrats had won; although, in fact, the polls were still open for 2 more hours. The call told voters: Relax. Everything is fine. The only thing left is to watch it on TV tonight. It reached 112,000 voters in majority African American areas. This is just one example of the despicable tactics that have become commonplace in our elections. We have the responsibility to confront these attempts to target individuals and influence whether or not they vote. In 2019, too many Americans are still being harassed, threatened, and barred from exercising their right to vote. My amendment will ensure election officials do their job by helping voters who don't know where to vote, why their polling place is closed, or why they are being turned away. This is an essential element to make our elections more free, more fair, and will help safeguard the integrity of our elections by holding election officials accountable for protecting every citizen's right to vote. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, turning back to the amendment, what the amendment does is it simply holds local election officials accountable and to be responsive to the claims, the calls, the concerns that are raised to them regarding voter intimidation, voter suppression, ensuring that when they are collecting that information, that they also report on what the response is to the claims that are made. Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), chair of the House Administration Committee.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.

Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Madam Chair, the issue raised by the gentleman from Illinois is neither helped nor harmed by this amendment. He raises an issue that we can take up perhaps another day. But what this bill simply does is it requires that local elected officials be responsive and report on the responses they take to claims of intimidation and suppression. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.