Gerald Connolly

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material about the measure before us.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act would require each Federal agency to publish online a plan to reopen the Federal office building at least 30 days prior to the return of their workforce. The legislation also requires agency inspectors general to report on whether their agencies have, in fact, complied with the provisions in this bill and provided adequate personal protective equipment for their employees returning to office spaces. This bill is named after my constituent who tragically lost his life to coronavirus on May 26, 2020. Chai's picture is behind me. Chai was a real human being. He wasn't a statistic. He left behind a family. He is survived by four sons, his wife, and four grandchildren. He succumbed on May 26, 2020. Chai immigrated to the United States from Thailand when he was 17. Throughout his life he was known for helping others. When he first came to our country, he landed in the restaurant industry at a famous jazz club in Greenwich Village in New York City, where he made it among the first restaurants to offer health insurance to its employees. After retiring from that industry, Chai moved to the National Capitol Region and returned to work as a Federal employee in the Marine Corps Community Services Child Development Center in Quantico, Virginia. Chai wanted to continue giving back to his adopted country. He was a proud American citizen. Chai was also a beloved employee working in the development center's kitchen, preparing meals for the children of our Marine families. He developed a unique handshake for each kid in the daycare, making each child feel special and included. At the beginning of this terrible pandemic, Chai's workplace was not enforcing or taking proper precautions to protect its workers. On April 27, Chai worked his last full shift at the daycare kitchen as one of his coworkers coughed repeatedly and looked very ill. There was no protective equipment for the other employees, including Chai. Sadly, soon after that, Chai was informed that the coworker had, indeed, tested positive for coronavirus. Almost exactly 1 month later, after 13 days on a ventilator, Chai died on May 26. Let me be clear: This was an avoidable death. Had there been protocols in place, had there been PPE in place and available to employees like Chai, Chai would still be alive today, in my view. Chai's widow, Christina, has worked with my office to make sure this never happens to anybody else again. I named the bill after Chai because, although the provisions in this bill can no longer help him, they can help the millions of Federal and contract workers who will reenter the Federal work spaces across the United States. This legislation is designed to save lives and protect those who serve the American people. We, as Members of Congress, have an absolute obligation to protect the Federal workforce that keeps our country running, keeps our country safe. We must ensure that Federal employees have the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding agencies' reopening plans. Currently, Federal agencies are failing to communicate with employees across the board and other stakeholders about their coronavirus practices and policies. As some agencies begin calling employees back to Federal office buildings, many civil servants are receiving incomplete or unclear instructions, leading to fear and uncertainty about health. I represent the third largest number of Federal employees of any congressional district in America, but there are Federal employees in every Federal congressional district. This bill matters and ought to matter to every one of us and our constituents. I refuse to sit idly by and risk more and more of our Federal workforce being forced back to office buildings under superficial plans with zero accountability. This bill simply includes the commonsense provisions taken directly from the best practices recommendations of the Government Accountability Office to communicate effectively with the workforce and to ensure they have adequate PPE. The Trump Office of Management and Budget had no concerns with this bill. The least we can do for our Federal employees is to ensure the Federal agencies they work for are being transparent with their plans so that there is a level of reassurance and security before they are called back physically to the workplace. I wholeheartedly support this bill dedicated to my constituent Chai, and I encourage every one of my colleagues to join me in doing the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mrs. Miller, for her kind remarks, and I certainly know they will be appreciated by his widow, Christina. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers on this side, and I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Brad Schneider and John Katko for their strong bipartisan work on this good-government bill. Reflecting back on the outbreak of the pandemic, I think we can all agree that our Nation and the Federal Government were not prepared for what lay ahead. Conflicting safety and work-from-home guidelines caused confusion across the Federal workforce. We didn't have a clear understanding of how the virus spread or how best to respond to it, so agencies managing offices and priorities across the country were left to make their own best decisions as they saw it. Many agencies were not telework-ready, and we did not grasp the sheer length of time that this pandemic would last, let alone plan for it. Now with the winter months approaching, the projections are grim. In June, the University of Washington School of Medicine predicted 200,000 U.S. deaths by October, a number we had already passed by September 22. Their model now predicts, sadly, the death rate will more than double by the end of this year. In all likelihood, the worst is still to come. But this time we can and must be prepared. To make sure the Federal Government is ready for the challenges ahead, the COVID PREPARE Act would require each Federal agency submit to Congress an initial action plan for addressing and managing any resurgence of coronavirus cases. The plans would use the important lessons learned since the onset of the coronavirus crisis to develop data-driven blueprints for anticipating and addressing any resurgence. The bill also would require agencies to provide quarterly progress reports to Congress. Agencies should already be engaging in the strategic evidence-based planning required by this bill, so compliance ought not to be difficult. Adding this important step would maximize the impact of these plans by ensuring transparency and accountability through oversight. It is more urgent than ever that Federal agencies ensure the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars while protecting their workforces and the most effective pandemic response possible by committing to a sound and transparent planning and preparedness process. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this thoughtful bill as a complement to the bill we just passed, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7496) to require Federal agencies to submit plans for responding to any resurgence of COVID-19, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Information Technology Modernization Centers of Excellence Program Act is the product of great bipartisan work between Representative Ro Khanna and the ranking member of our committee, Mr. Comer. Since 2017, the Centers of Excellence have provided state-of-the-art technical expertise to assist Federal agencies with their IT modernization so that they can serve the American people more effectively. The program aims to leverage private-sector innovation and centralized expertise to help the Federal Government improve its services to the public, deploy cutting-edge technology, attract top talent to its workforce, enhance its cybersecurity, and optimize the data resources available to it. Today, six Centers of Excellence support agencies in the strategic competency areas of artificial intelligence, cloud adoption, contact centers, customer experience, data and analytics, and infrastructure optimization. This bill would codify that program and to support agencies in efficiently improving customer service, implementing cloud computing systems and data management, optimizing IT infrastructure, and sharing best practices and expertise. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations with responsibility for Federal IT modernization, I have kept a close eye on this program since its inception, and I intend to keep a close eye as it continues to put its mission and goals into practice. I applaud the improvements made to the bill to ensure that assistance is provided to agencies by request on a reimbursable and transparent basis. I support the commonsense bill before us to modernize and improve the functioning of the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas (Mr. Castro) and my other good friend from Texas (Mr. McCaul) for their leadership and generosity in allowing us to bring this bipartisan bill before the floor. Madam Speaker, I rise, of course, in support of H.R. 2166, the Global Health Security Act, which reaffirms the United States' commitment in promoting global health security. I first introduced this bill in partnership with my colleague, Steve Chabot of Ohio, 2 years ago, before the pandemic, when we identified a dearth of leadership and strategy around U.S. planning for a global health security emergency. Tragically, the global COVID-19 pandemic has underscored not only the need for a robust Federal response to such a crisis, but also the importance of investing in global health security around the world because viruses and diseases do not respect national borders. We are truly in this together. Amid concerns about the response to COVID-19, I welcome the fact that the House Foreign Affairs Committee coalesced around a bipartisan solution that addresses deficiencies in the current response as well as to demonstrate a commitment to a comprehensive and sustainable approach to global health security. One of the critical lessons learned during the U.S. response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the need for a permanent designated official responsible for coordinating the interagency response to a global health security emergency in the event of a pandemic. In fact, the primary recommendation of the recent CSIS report on Strengthening America's Health Security is to restore the health security leadership at the White House National Security Council by naming a senior level leader in charge of coordinating U.S. efforts to anticipate, to prevent, and to respond to biological crises. Despite bipartisan support, sadly, the administration eliminated the previous NSC position responsible for just such a crisis 2 years ago. At a time when decisive leadership and robust Federal coordination is sorely needed to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic, our Global Health Security Act would reestablish the government-wide lead for pandemic response by creating a U.S. coordinator. This legislation also establishes an interagency review council, as Mr. McCaul indicated, charged with implementing U.S. commitments around a Global Health Security Agenda and sets important metrics for global health security planning. And the bill requires a global health security strategy that helps other countries, as well as our own, to strengthen their healthcare systems in order to detect, prevent and mitigate outbreaks early. Republican and Democratic Presidents have recognized the critical importance of global health security, from President Obama's role in launching the Global Health Security Agenda to President Trump's National Security Strategy and National Biodefense Strategy. Whether it is the current COVID-19 pandemic or the next crisis, it is clear these threats are going to be ongoing and perhaps increasing. Saving lives from the next global pandemic starts with investing in preparedness before it strikes. As we have seen time and again, diseases don't respect borders, and global health crises have immense security, economic, and humanitarian consequences, as we are seeing now. Our Global Health Security Act recognizes the critical role of U.S. leadership in international health security and enshrines U.S. global health security policy in statute. I am proud that this bill passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously and was included in both the House-passed HEROES Act and the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act. The Global Health Security Act is endorsed by ChildFund International, Global Health Council, International Medical Corps, IntraHealth International, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Nuclear Threat Initiative, the ONE Campaign, PATH, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Management Sciences for Health, Sabin Vaccine Institute, The Borgen Project, and the American Society for Microbiology, among others. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on a bipartisan basis, my friend from Ohio, Steve Chabot, Rick Larsen from Washington, Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, Ami Bera from California, and Ann Wagner from Missouri, for serving as original cosponsors on this bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to adopt it as a prudent measure in response to this pandemic.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the recipients of the 2020 Fairfax County Student Peace Awards. The Fairfax County Student Peace Awards began with one high school in 2006 and was created to encourage high school aged students to think about peace as both a means and an end, and to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. By 2013, the program was being offered in every public high school in Fairfax County, as well as in three private schools. Participating high schools choose one Junior or Senior, or one student group active in promoting peace and/or removing the causes of conflict. Examples of outreach include: committing to peace by engaging in activities that strive to end conflict, either locally or globally, seeking to discuss or otherwise resolve potentially controversial issues within the school or community, promoting the understanding of divisive issues and situations to bridge language, ethnic, racial, religious, gender, sexual orientation, or class differences, and working to resolve conflicts among students or members of the community who feel isolated or alienated. I am pleased to include in the Record the following names of the 2020 Student Peace Award recipients: Manoucher (Manny) Precht, Annandale High School; Samantha (Sage) Quick, Cedar Lane High School; William (Will) LaWalt, Cedar Lane High School; Sophia Lee, Centreville High School; Anand Colaco, Chantilly High School; Kheira Bekkadja, Edison High School; Renee Richey, Fairfax High School; Patrick Cloud, Hayfield Secondary School; Nabaa Abdel Okhowa, Herndon High School. GirlUp Club--Fariha Tasneem, Evie Garces-Foley, Patricia Rue, Diana Chavez, Sloane Bailey, Zulma Solis, Katherine Fernandez, Justice High School. Jena Musmar, King Abdullah Academy; Emily Smith, Lake Braddock Secondary School; Daniel Mousavi, Langley High School; Catherine Soto, Lee High School; Daphne May, Madison High School; Hannah Gyekye, Mount Vernon High School; Zamir Ticknor, Marshall High School; Sarah Gu, McLean High School; Betsabe Pardo, Mountain View High School; Roudah Chaker, Oakton High School; Andrew Keiffer, Quander Road School; Michael McCabe, Robinson Secondary School; Siedeen Ahmed, South County High School; Lindsey Hirshfeld, South Lakes High School; Amaani Mohamed, West Potomac High School; Salwa Zahid, West Springfield High School. Bulldog Buddies--James Johnson, Carly Liesegang, Rachel Liesegang, Charlotte Tiss, and Maddie Woodward, Westfield High School. Madam Speaker, the efforts of these young people are the building blocks of a more peaceful and tolerant world. I commend them on their efforts and dedication and ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating each award recipient as well as all the student and student groups who participated in this program. I thank each of them as well as Fairfax County Public School System and sponsor organizations for all they have done for our community.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Camelot Neighborhood Watch Program (CNWP) of Fairfax County, Virginia, and to congratulate it on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. Neighborhood Watch Programs (NWP's) are one of the oldest and best- known crime prevention efforts in North America. In the late 1960s, an increase in crime heightened the need for a prevention initiative focused on residential areas and involving local citizens. The National Sheriffs' Association responded by creating the National Neighborhood Watch Program in 1972 to assist citizens and law enforcement. Since that time, the mission of NWPs has expanded to include helping neighborhoods focus on disaster preparedness and emergency response. While there are thousands of Neighborhood Watch Programs in the country all of which deserve our recognition and appreciation, the Camelot Neighborhood Watch Program stands out as one of the best in the Nation. The CNWP is the oldest, continuously active Neighborhood Watch in the United States. In the 40 years since its inception, the CNWP has achieved great success, helping lower the general crime rate in its community. In fact, the Fairfax County Mason District Police Department has recognized the CNWP as one of the most effective crime reduction units in the county and Camelot is one of the most crime-free communities in Fairfax County. The Virginia Crime Prevention Association has recognized the CNWP as the Best Neighborhood Watch in Virginia and it has also been commended by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Over the last four decades, more than 70 volunteers have contributed 27,000 hours conducting 20,500 patrols and logging 220,000 miles. This dedication is a tribute to the residents of Camelot and to the leadership exhibited by the program coordinators, past and present. Northern Virginia, particularly Fairfax County, is known as one of the best places in the nation in which to live, work and raise a family. One of the main reasons for this designation is the community spirit that is on display in every corner of our region and exemplified by the Camelot Neighborhood Watch Program. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the Camelot Neighborhood Watch Program for 40 years of dedicated service to its neighbors. Programs like the CNWP are vital in our efforts to combat crime. I call upon my colleagues to join me in applauding the CNWP's past accomplishments and in wishing the program continued success.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Mount Zion Baptist Church on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of its sanctuary. Mount Zion moved into their new building in March of 2010 and have called this sanctuary their home ever since. The church was originally organized in Stafford, Virginia in 1876 shortly after the end of the Civil War by Reverend Charles Gibson. In 1918 the church moved to Prince William County to better accommodate its growing membership. In 1922, Mount Zion built their first Prince William County sanctuary in Triangle, Virginia, creating a spiritual home for people in and around the county. Since being founded in Prince William County, Mount Zion has played a fundamental role in building the community. Under the leadership of their Pastor, Reverend Dr. Alfred Jones, Jr. the Church has embodied its of ``Living By Faith.'' Since his installation, Rev. Dr. Jones has served an instrumental role in the growth of membership to over 2000 members and the development of five fundamental ministries: Evangelism, Inspired Arts, Christian Education, Discipleship Building and Family Life Principles. From these ministries, 37 subordinate ministries were established reaching into the lives of those beyond the church walls to provide financial support, clothing assistance, and food assistance to the global community. Because of this continued growth and expansion of its mission throughout the community, Mount Zion opened a new sanctuary in 2010. The positive impacts on our region have continued to flourish this past decade through this new sanctuary. We in Prince William are lucky to have Mount Zion in our community. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Mount Zion Baptist Church for its efforts to better the Northern Virginia region and in congratulating them on the occasion of this anniversary. It is a privilege to work alongside this great congregation in the community, and I wish them continued success through faith, family, and service.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Burke Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department on the occasion of its 72nd Annual Installation of Officers Banquet, and to thank its volunteers for filling an essential role in keeping our community safe. The Burke Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department was founded in January 1948, and for more than six decades it has provided lifesaving fire suppression, fire prevention, and emergency medical and rescue services to the residents of Burke and the surrounding communities. It also provides, houses, and maintains firefighting and emergency medical equipment, provides opportunities for professional growth and development for the membership, and maintains and fosters a strong viable organization. As one of the county's most active volunteer fire and rescue departments, the Burke Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department works in cooperation with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department to serve the community. I am honored to recognize the dedicated men and women of the Burke Volunteer Fire Department who have volunteered for extra duty as Officers or as members of the Board of Directors and include in the Record their names: Board of Directors: President--Ian Dickinson; Vice President--John Powers; Secretary--Kaitlin Lohrmann; Treasurer--Susan Weeks; Board Member--Kathleen Beer; Board Member--Larry Bocknek; Board Member-- Kenneth Senn. Officers: Chief--Thomas Warnock; Deputy Chief--Tina Godfrey; Deputy Chief--John Hudak; Captain II--Melissa Ashby; Captain II--Larry Bocknek; Captain II--Keith O'Connor; Lieutenant--Kevin Grottle; Sergeant--Peter Hamilton; Sergeant--Caitlin Curran; Chaplain--Harry Chelpon. In addition to the men and women who have generously assumed the responsibilities of serving as an Officer or a member of the Board of Directors, the Burke Volunteer Fire Department is also presenting awards to the following individuals in recognition of their exemplary service during the last year: Rookie of the Year--Tricia Counihan; Rookie of the Year--Christopher Hauge; Rookie of the Year--Caroline Hennings; Rookie of the Year--Mark Heyungs; Operational Member of the Year--Paul Stracke; Operational Member of the Year--Kevin Grottle; Career Member of the Year--Carlos Carrillo; (Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Dept.); Administrative Member of the Year--Nancy Stone; Chiefs Award--Justin Parrack (Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Dept.); President's Award--Susan Weeks; Founder's Award--Chuck Fry. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the department for 72 years of service and in thanking all of the brave volunteers who do not hesitate to drop everything when the community calls in need of help. To all of these men and women who put themselves in harm's way to protect our residents I say: ``Stay safe.''

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7327 in Springfield, Virginia and the winners of its 2020 Americanism Awards. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) traces its beginnings to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish American War established local organizations to bring awareness to their service and to advocate for veteran's retirement benefits and improved medical care. Annually, the nearly 2 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliaries contribute more than 8.6 million hours of volunteerism in the community, including participation in Make A Difference Day and National Volunteer Week. With approximately 600 Comrades and 150 Ladies Auxiliary members, the Springfield VFW Post 7327 stands out for the depth of its commitment to our community. Often called ``The Friendliest VFW Post in Virginia,'' Post 7327 has one of the most aggressive ADOPT-A-UNIT programs in the entire VFW organization to support our service members stationed overseas. VFW Post 7327 visits the VA hospital at least quarterly, bringing along goodie bags for our Wounded Warriors. Each Thanksgiving and Christmas, VFW Post 7327 adopts military families in need through the USO and provides them with meal baskets for each holiday, gifts for children, commissary cards for the parents, and a Christmas party where the children can meet Santa and receive a gift-filled stocking. The Ladies Auxiliary members collect, sort, and distribute more than 2,000 pieces of clothing each month to various charitable organizations. VFW Post 7327 is a strong supporter of local youth organizations including the Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Little League Baseball that contribute greatly to the education and well-being of our children. Each year, VFW Post 7327 bestows awards to local students who have submitted outstanding essays on a specific theme and to local teachers and public safety officers in recognition of their extraordinary actions and dedication to the community. I am honored to include in the Record the names of this year's award recipients. Patriot's Pen: 1st Place--Aleksandra S. Foss, 2nd Place--Manas A Puri, 3rd Place--Angelica M. Shea. Voice of Democracy: 1st Place--Prescott D. Farris. Elementary School (K-6): Janet Basselgia, Kristin Tull. Middle School (7-8): Cindy A. Downing, Lisa Reaves, Andrea Stanton. High School (9-12): LTC Thomas ``Tim'' Lambert. EMT Awards: Firefighter Medic Erin T. Eusanio. Law Enforcement Awards: PFC Mark Tenally. Firefighter Award: Firefighter Medic Timothy Gensimore. Community Americanism Award: SevaTruck Foundation. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking VFW Post 7327 for its continued efforts on behalf of our community and in congratulating the honorees of the 2020 Americanism Awards.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Northern Virginia Football Hall of Fame (NVFHOF) and to congratulate the 2020 inductees and scholarship award recipients. Participation in organized sports instills many values that will serve our youth well throughout life, including sportsmanship, teamwork, honesty, and the work ethic developed by striving for success and working to achieve a common goal. Celebrating its 30th year, the NVFHOF is recognizing the efforts of players, coaches, officials, and cheerleaders from local youth and scholastic football programs, and has inducted a few exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to the game. In addition, the NVFHOF presents several student-athletes with scholarships to help defray the cost of college. I commend the NVFHOF and congratulate the following students, coaches, and community leaders who are being recognized during the 30th Annual NVFHOF Awards Banquet: $2,000 Scholarship Award Recipients: Daniel C. Flynn, Ryan W. Moses and Derick B. Sarpong. Fairfax County Football Hall of Fame 2020 Inductees: Mark Cox, Robert ``Bob'' Fitzpatrick, and Ernest ``Boomer'' Deconti. Football Officials of the Year: Keith Null and Donnie Henlsey. Karl Davey Community Achievement Award: Dave Facinoli. Tom Davis Meritorious Service Award: Ilryong Moon. Gene Nelson Commissioner of the Year Award: Matthew Patterson. High School Players of the Year: Matt Dzierski, Haris Khan, Matt Hibner, Noah Kim, Robert Longerbeam and John Pius. High School Coaches of the Year: Monty Fritts and Gerry Pannoni. Youth Coaches of the Year: Rob Hunt, Brian Conway, James Ingram and Matt Click. Youth Players of the Year: Zaveon Coleman, Mark Griggs, Jr., Darius Burton, Coby Casalengo, Micah Neese, Jayden Harris, Christian Homsuwan, David Cage, Matt Gashi-Brito, Mekhi Lynn, Luke Hodgkinson, Trenton Fehrman, Robert Raines, Jordan Alexander Romero, Jason Woods, Jonah Howells, Oscar Moscoso, Jacob Kyger, Tyon Veney, Keyon Somers-Porter, Tyler D. Ohlmeyer and Ryan Duenkel. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Mark Meana and the Northern Virginia Hall of Fame, as well as those students, coaches, and community leaders who are being honored at the 2020 Football Hall of Fame celebration.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the 2020 Northern Virginia District PTA Annual Award recipients. Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs) in Northern Virginia serve a critical role in helping to provide the best possible educational environment for our students. The Northern Virginia District PTA represents a region with 225 schools which includes 5 regions. Maintaining a healthy and strong organization is an important part of allowing these groups to have the greatest possible impact on the students they serve. To encourage such strength, it is important to note the individual PTAs that excel in this mission, as well as the volunteers and educators who support them. It is my honor to include in the Record their names. 2020 NOVA District PTA Elementary Volunteers of the Year Honorees: Kim Grant, Little Run ES PTA; Kia Haynes, Arlington Montessori ES PTA; and Molly Hunter, Olde Creek ES PTA. 2020 NOVA District PTA Secondary Volunteers of the Year Honorees: Andrea Hellier and Julie Shedd, LBSS PTSA. 2020 NOVA District PTA Outstanding PTA Award: Laurel Ridge ES PTA. 2020 NOVA District PTA Outstanding Educator of the Year Award: Stephanie Lin, Arlington Science Focus School PTA. 2020 NOVA District PTA Outstanding PTA iSTEAM Award: Arlington County Special Education PTA; and Fairfax County Special Education PTA. I congratulate the following NOVA District PTA students who have earned the 2020 National PTA Reflections ``Look Within'' Awards: Charles Nguyen, Photography, Award of Merit, Lake Braddock SS PTSA; Riley Zwiselsberger, Photography, Award of Merit, Charles Barrett ES PTA; and Theo Whiteman, Film Production, Award of Merit, McKinley ES PTA. I also congratulate the following VA PTA Scholarship Award Recipients: Brynna Boyd, Thomas A. Edison HS PTSA; Areeba Hamid, Mount Vernon HS PTSA; Ashley Pearson, Hayfield Secondary School PTSA. A special note of appreciation for dedicated service is extended to Debbie Kilpatrick, NOVA District Director, Tony Shivers, District Assistant Director, Denise Bolton, District Secretary/Treasurer, Julie Shepard, Advocacy Chair, Mike Woltz, Diversity & Outreach Chair, Toby Latham, Policy Chair, Cathy Petrini, Reflections Chair, Martha Coleman, Events Coordinator, Patricia Franck, Special Projects Chair, Jane Miscavage, Fairfax County Council PTA President, Maura McMahon, Arlington County Council PTA President, Katy Matthews, Alexandria City Council PTA President, Dr. Scott Brabrand, FCPS Superintendent, Donna Colombo, Virginia PTA President, and Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn, Virginia Delegate, 41st District. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the outstanding achievements of the individuals, PTAs and PTSAs that are being honored tonight. Dedicated involvement from so many parents reflects a strong commitment to public education and community service that students in our schools are fortunate to experience. I offer my strong support for these organizations and their dedicated members and volunteers.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Coach Gerry Pannoni and to congratulate him and the South County High School football team, the Stallions, on their 6A State Championship. The South County football team was undefeated during their 2019 State Championship run. This was the first time in school history the Stallions won a state title. Their 15-0 record demonstrates the team's dedication and hard work. The Stallions were led by head coach, Gerry Pannoni, who has been head coach at South County High School since 2011. Coach Pannoni has been committed to the sport of football for several decades, both as a player and a coach. After playing at Frostburg State, Coach Pannoni became an assistant Varsity Football Coach there in 1979. He then went on to build an extensive and successful career in numerous positions. He was a head football coach in Fairfax County and the surrounding area for more than 20-years before accepting the position of head coach at South County in 2011. Coach Pannoni has received numerous awards and honors throughout his many accomplished seasons. In his eight years at South County Coach Pannoni and the South County Stallions won the District Championship 6 times and he was named District coach of the year all 6 of those years. The Stallions won the Regional Championship 2 times under Coach Pannoni and he was named Region Coach of the year both years. Coach Pannoni was the first inductee into the South County High School Football Ring of Honor, which has been named after him. He was named Northern Virginia Football Hall of Fame Coach of the Year three times, in 2011, 2016, and most recently in 2019. During his tenure at South County, Coach Pannoni and the Varsity Football team have never had a losing record. Coach Pannoni has displayed strong leadership, professionalism, and dedication throughout his time at South County, and has been a true role model for all of the students on his team. I congratulate Coach Pannoni and the Stallion football program on winning the VHSL 6A State Championship. Although Coach Pannoni has relocated to another state, I wish him and the Stallions continued success. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues please join me in honoring Coach Pannoni and the South County Stallions in recognition of their undefeated 6A State Championship season.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, we just heard more of the same on the other side of the aisle, denial and disinformation. And I find it particularly ironic that my friend from North Carolina would cite the unanimous decision of the Board of Governors. Well, guess what? That same Board of Governors unanimously recommended the $25 billion you are declining that is in this bill today. It is interesting how we cherry-pick facts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Delivering for America Act. There is an ongoing and concerted effort to disrupt the timeliness of mail delivery and to erode public confidence in the Postal Service, all leading, if successful, to the largest voter suppression in American history since Jim Crow. The effort is being directed by the new Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, a crony and major donor of the President. A President who opposes mail-in voting for everyone apparently but himself and his wife. A President who has called the Postal Service a joke and a scam, and who threatened to veto the CARES Act with $2 trillion for desperately needed assistance all over this country simply to block this funding. On August 18, the Postmaster General announced, finally, he put a hold on some of the sweeping operational changes that were not only misguided amid a pandemic, but actually eroded public confidence in America's favorite government agency, the Postal Service. All in a day's work for someone unqualified and unfit to begin with for the office he now occupies. By now we should all know better than to take the administration at its word. And despite the Postmaster's reported retreat, the sabotage continues. The Postmaster is still not advocating for additional funding for the Postal Service, despite the recommendation by his own Board of Governors. He is still not committed to using overtime as a tool during the pandemic to compensate for 40,000 postal workers who have had to quarantine or gotten sick. The Postmaster's announcement didn't commit to reversing the cuts to service and capacity, especially restoring sorting machines that absolutely are critical tools in moving large volumes of mail, especially on the eve of a consequential national election. That is why this bill would restore the service delivery standards and operations in place before Mr. DeJoy took office. The Postmaster's announcement didn't include an agenda to support election mail that demonstrates a commitment to helping the Postal Service fulfill its historic role in this upcoming election in a pandemic. That is why this bill will ensure that election mail is prioritized for expedited delivery, as has been the practice in previous years. The Postmaster's announcement did not explain to the public, whom he serves, how an executive could fail so spectacularly and still keep his job. So we still have work to do because the sabotage continues. We must restore public confidence in the Postal Service and its ability to support voting by mail during the worst pandemic in 100 years. American democracy demands no less. That is our history. That is the history Mr. DeJoy ignored, and that is the awesome responsibility he betrayed.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 7183.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer an amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act which would reaffirm the United States' commitment to promoting global health security. This amendment is nearly identical to the text of the bipartisan Global Health Security Act (H.R. 2166), which passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously and was included in the House-passed HEROES Act (H.R. 6800). At a time when decisive leadership and robust federal coordination is sorely needed to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic, this amendment would reestablish the government-wide lead for pandemic response by creating a U.S. Coordinator for Global Health Security that should be located at the National Security Council. The amendment establishes an Interagency Review Council charged with implementing U.S. commitments under the Global Health Security Agenda and sets important metrics for global health security planning. The amendment also requires a global health security strategy that helps other countries strengthen their health care systems and detect and mitigate outbreaks early. I want to thank my colleagues: Steve Chabot, Rick Larsen, Brian Fitzpatrick, Ami Bera, and Ann Wagner for cosponsoring this amendment with me.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer an amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act that would permanently authorize the teleworking program of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Since its launch, the program has significantly expanded the agency's teleworking capacity, while saving millions of taxpayer dollars. In fiscal 2019 alone, the telework program generated over $123 million in savings, including avoided real estate costs and increased productivity, which generated $52 million and $49 million in savings, respectively. The current coronavirus pandemic has solidified the need to invest in and support telework opportunities for federal agencies. This amendment would enable thousands of federal employees to continue using this program and USPTO to continue saving millions of taxpayer dollars. I thank my colleague Mr. Hice who was a co-sponsor with me on this provision.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer an amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act which would ensure that no U.S. servicemember with a felony-level domestic violence conviction is able to legally purchase firearms. This simple, bipartisan amendment would codify existing Department of Defense policy which requires DOD to report to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) servicemembers who are prohibited from purchasing firearms. The DOD Inspector General found that DOD has failed consistently to report domestic violence convictions--4 in 5 domestic violence cases examined (86 percent) were not properly reported to the FBI or NICS. One of the domestic abusers the DOD failed to report to the FBI was Devin Kelley, who entered a house of worship in Sutherland Springs, TX in November 2017, and killed 27 people with the guns he should have been prohibited from purchasing under current law. Codifying this reporting requirement gives it more teeth and will help Congress in its oversight of these important public safety measures that DOD is failing to implement. I want to thank my colleagues, Peter King, Mike Turner, and Jennifer Wexton, for cosponsoring this amendment with me.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer an amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act which would reform and codify the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). This amendment mirrors the bipartisan, House-passed, FedRAMP Authorization Act (H.R. 3941), which I coauthored with current White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. FedRAMP standardizes security requirements for the authorization and ongoing cybersecurity assessments of cloud services for information systems across the federal government to help agencies more quickly adopt cloud technologies. The FedRAMP Authorization Act helps reduce duplication of security assessments and other obstacles to agency adoption of cloud products by establishing a ``presumption of adequacy'' for cloud technologies that have received FedRAMP certification. This presumption of adequacy means that the cloud service offering has met baseline security standards established by the program and should be considered approved for use across the federal government. The bill would also facilitate agency reuse of cloud technologies that have already received an authorization-to-operate by requiring agencies to check a centralized and secure repository and, to the extent practicable, reuse any existing security assessment before conducting their own. The bill requires that GSA work toward automating their processes, which will lead to more standard security assessments and continuous monitoring of cloud offerings, and increase the efficiency for providers and agencies. The bill establishes a Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee to ensure dialogue among GSA, agency cybersecurity and procurement officials, and industry for effective and ongoing coordination in acquisition and adoption of cloud products by the federal government. Finally, the bill authorizes the program at $20 million annually, providing sufficient resources to increase the number of secure cloud technologies available for agency adoption. We have worked with the Office of Management and Budget, GSA, industry stakeholders, and our minority counterparts to ensure that the bill makes needed improvements in the FedRAMP program and gives the program flexibility to grow and adopt to future changes in cloud technologies . In 2019, 13 agencies reported to GAO that they achieved at least $291 billion in savings from increasing their investments in cloud technologies. I hope we can continue to advance the bipartisan Fed RAMP Authorization Act to reform and codify a vital program many agencies rely upon to provide secure cloud computing solutions, a fundamental component of many IT modernization efforts.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer an amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act that would clarify that both subcontractors and subgrantees who provide protected disclosures of federal waste, fraud, and abuse are protected from retaliation. This provision closes a loophole in federal whistleblower protection laws. The amendment is particularly important for agencies that engage in significant grant activities, like the Department of Education, which provides grants to state-level agencies who then provide subgrants to local governments. Sometimes it's teachers and school administrators who are in the best position to tell federal leaders where and how federal dollars are misspent. This language ensures that those with information on the waste, fraud, or abuse of federal funding report it--and that those who are brave enough to report such wrongdoing are protected from retaliation. I thank my colleague Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick for cosponsoring this amendment.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Eleanor Holmes Norton, who is managing today's bill to right a wrong, but unfortunately, because D.C. does not have a vote here in the Congress, she won't be able to cast a vote on final passage of her own bill. Today, we are being asked to right a wrong. And you hear the contortions on the other side of the aisle to continue to justify a fundamental right being denied 700,000 fellow Americans who pay taxes, who fight in our wars and serve in government, who have families, who are Americans, but have no votes in the United States Congress. They are bigger than five States. They hide behind the Constitution. The Constitution was written before they even knew where the capital of the United States would be, before a blade of grass was touched to construct Washington, D.C. No one at that time could have envisioned the metropolis of 700,000 Americans, let alone that they would be denied their fundamental American right. Let's cede it to Maryland. Two problems: Maryland doesn't want D.C. and D.C. doesn't want to be in Maryland. The consent of the governed is a fundamental part of the American architecture, which you conveniently overlook. And then there is the right to be represented, another fundamental right denied D.C. Mr. Speaker, it is partisan politics, yes. It is theirs. They want to deny 700,000 people their right to representation in this body and in the other body because of their politics, or likely politics. When have we ever done that as America? We haven't looked at how people would vote before we decide to incorporate them into the Union as a State. We understood the right of people to petition to become a State, and Congress has that power. Let's right a wrong, especially in the post-George Floyd world, and give people their rightful representation in the people's body and in the Senate.