Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill cuts funding for critical programs relied on by America's farmers, rural communities, and working families. This bill slashes loans and it weakens support for rural communities. This bill inserts government into the personal healthcare decisions by limiting women's access to abortion. Shamefully, it cuts assistance for the most vulnerable children and families. That we are debating this bill on September 26, 4 days before the end of the fiscal year, when House Republicans have provided no path forward to keep our government open, is as absurd as it is reprehensible. The House Republican plan demonstrates an inability and an unwillingness to govern. Rather than working to keep the lights on and ensuring Federal workers and servicemembers get paid, Republicans are pursuing a path explicitly designed to shut down the government. Republicans will claim to support farmers, but this bill makes it harder for small farmers to make ends meet. This bill will inflict increasing energy costs in rural communities, making it harder or impossible for farmers to get a loan, and making our food less safe. This bill takes away billions of dollars in investments from rural communities by gutting funding provided to rural electric co-ops used to help support the long-term resiliency, reliability, and affordability of rural electric systems. These co-ops serve 92 percent of persistent poverty counties and power to over 21 million businesses, homes, schools, and farms in 48 States. This bill cuts the Rural Energy for America Program, the REAP program, by over $500 million. It raises energy costs on 15,000 rural small businesses, and cuts farmers out of the green energy economy. It eliminates payments intended to serve as a financial lifeline for distressed farmers, which have already helped more than 20,000 producers avoid going into foreclosure. This bill abandons the most vulnerable by slashing the Women, Infants, and Children, the WIC program, by $800 million. Some 4.6 million women and children would also get severely reduced fruit and vegetable vouchers. I do not believe we should practice this so-called fiscal responsibility by taking food out of the mouths of moms and children. Republicans seek to sell their spending cuts to the American people by taking food from the most vulnerable. Finally, the majority has included shameful political riders in each of these appropriations bills that attack women and minorities and pander to various extreme rightwing issues, all while protecting billionaires and the biggest corporations. Republicans are determined to make abortion illegal nationally. An attachment to this bill would reverse the FDA decision to allow mifepristone to be dispensed in certified pharmacies to patients with a prescription from a certified prescriber, instead of only in hospitals, clinics, and medical offices. Mifepristone has been safely and legally used in the United States by over 5 million women since the FDA approved its use more than 20 years ago. This policy would overrule the established scientific process for FDA approval in order to restrict women's access to healthcare. My amendment to remove this rider was blocked. This bill is not serious, but it will, like the majority's shutdown, have serious consequences that will be borne by the American people. This bill is shameful, this bill is dangerous, and this bill leaves rural Americans, farmers, seniors, children, and hungry families behind. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 390.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to the military construction and veterans affairs appropriations bill, which falls short of our commitments and backtracks on our promises to our veterans, our servicemembers, and their families. This bill cuts funding for critical military construction by over $1.5 billion compared to its current level. It is built on a house of cards that will crumble as this body and the American people come to realize the full scope of cuts the majority is pursuing. This is not the only bill that supports programs and services that our veterans rely on. Republicans cannot credibly claim to fully fund veterans programs. The American people can clearly see how veterans are being treated when they look at the rest of the majority's domestic funding bills. Make no mistake. If it were not for the Democrats, this bill would have decreased funding for veterans' medical care by $2 billion. In addition to that, the funding for the Honoring our PACT Act would not have been there. In 2024, they were going to underfund it. For 2025, they completely eliminate it. We should not be in this position, and the global economy should never have been used as a bargaining chip to extract cuts to domestic spending. However, to prevent a catastrophic default, the President reached a deal with the Republican Speaker to lift the debt ceiling and to set spending levels. We have a path to fund the United States Government on time, a path that this Congress agreed to on a bipartisan basis, and we ought to take that path. Instead, this bill offers cuts to vital programs our veterans, servicemembers, and their families depend on. It cuts $200 million in dedicated funding for PFAS remediation and cleanup. These chemicals do not easily break down in the environment. They are a source of groundwater contamination on military bases, which can lead to serious health problems. Failure to quickly clean up contaminated areas puts the surrounding communities, including military families and civilians, at risk. This bill ignores the national security risk that will directly affect all of our bases at home and abroad--climate change. Additional dedicated funding for resilience projects is leaving America's servicemembers and veterans completely exposed in the line of fire. Instead of responsibly funding our veterans in a bill palatable to both sides of the aisle, this bill is loaded up with hateful riders that have no business in appropriations language. Prohibitions on equity and inclusion programs and flags demonstrate grossly misplaced priorities, fighting culture wars, leaving our veterans, hardworking families, and the economy out to dry. The bill places the Federal Government in the room with women and their doctors. By making it harder for veterans to access healthcare, we take a step closer toward a national abortion ban. Our veterans did not volunteer to serve this country and defend our freedom to have their freedom and their autonomy stripped by this Congress. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for generations, the Wooster Square neighborhood of the City of New Haven has been the cornerstone of its Italian American community, and Wooster Street has been its heart. Along this street you will find many icons of the community--Sally's Apizza, Libby's Italian Pastry Shop, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, and the Society of Santa Maria Maddalena. Often referred to as simply ``the club'', the Society remains a gathering place where members can meet, share a meal, discuss community issues, and build lifelong friendships. This year the Santa Maria Maddalena Society celebrates its 125th Anniversary--a remarkable milestone for this very special organization. Founded on May 1, 1898, the Society of Santa Maria Maddalena is the oldest Italian American fraternal organization in Connecticut--whose purpose is all about the community. Named for the patron saint of Atrani, the Society of Maria Maddalena was originally established to assist fellow Atrani immigrants with housing, employment, English translating, and legal matters. In a time when such government assistance did not yet exist, the Society acted as the original social safety net for the community. The Society of Santa Maria Maddalena has preserved the traditions, heritage, and culture of our members' ancestors--while also maintaining the ties from the town of Atrani--in the Salerno Province of Italy--who settled in Wooster Square. During the week of July 22, a replica of the original statue of the saint, which was brought to the United States in 1914, is carried through the streets of Wooster Square. The saint is adorned with jewelry provided by the original members of the society. The feast procession culminates at St. Michael's Catholic Church where a high mass is celebrated. The feast celebration extends for 4 days with Italian music and food, and on Saturday evening, Neapolitan music is featured. The holiday is a time for reuniting with friends and providing younger generations with opportunities to learn about their culture. Year after year, for 125 years, Society members have ensured that the special tradition of the procession and celebration of Saint Maria Maddalena continues--that we continue to gather to celebrate our rich history and strengthen the bonds of our community. Since its founding, the Society has been a place where families faced with the many challenges of starting a new life in a new country could turn for support, comfort, and friendship. Over the years, the Society's purpose has become even more community oriented, helping any worthwhile cause or individual regardless of ethnic background. It has donated tens of thousands of dollars to numerous charities and organizations in New Haven and across the State. St. Michaels's Church in New Haven, the Salvation Army, Columbus House, Connecticut Hospice, and Iwo Jima Survivors are just a few of those organizations who have benefitted from their generosity. The Society provides scholarships to inner city youths--as well as assistance to the church in Italy. People across the country struggle to create a sense of community--a sense of belonging. Over the course of its 125 years, the Society of Maria Maddalena has helped the families of Wooster Square do just that. The bonds of community that the Society has helped to shape will continue to impact generations to come. The Society over the years, have aided multiple generations--and have become more integrated and more mobile in our community. I applaud the Society's role in the Italian American community, particularly those from Atrani, for pursuing a simple mission to make sure that this new generation is aware of their past as well as their responsibility to the future. For their many invaluable contributions as well as their continued support and friendship, I am proud to stand today to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the members, past and present, of the Society of Maria Maddalena. As we say in Italian--C'ent Anni!

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 339.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations and deepest thanks to Sister Richelle Friedman, PBVM, as the Coalition on Human Needs honors her as their 2023 Human Needs Hero, for her years of extraordinary advocacy, analysis, coalition building, and leadership on a wide range of issues at the federal level. Since arriving in Washington, DC in 1980, Sister Richelle has been a passionate champion and a tireless advocate for all Americans most in need. For more than 30 years Sister Richelle has focused her energies and commitment to expanding opportunities for people experiencing poverty and other vulnerable populations. She fought for justice through her years of work at NETWORK, a Catholic Social Justice Lobby, the McAuley Institute, the Children's Defense Fund, and the Coalition on Human Needs. As the founder and leader of the SAVE for All Campaign (Strengthening America's Values and Economy for All), Sister Richelle has been a driving force for better public policy and an essential educator for Members on human needs programs, which is key in promoting and enacting good public policy. Over the years, I have been proud to work with Sister Richelle Friedman on programs of mutual interest and concern. She has been a tireless champion of meeting human needs through investments in housing and programs to reduce poverty and hunger. She has been a strong voice of conscience, urging Congress towards equity, demanding that the rich and corporate interests pay their fair share of taxes and do not profit unfairly from government contracts. Sister Richelle has unfailingly conveyed reliable evidence that increasing tax credits for low- and moderate-income families, expanding access to food assistance and health insurance, ensuring justice for immigrants, and building economic opportunity for all are investments that help our nation move forward, leaving no one behind. Through her decades of advocacy, she has helped members of Congress understand that increased wages, family supports such as childcare and paid leave, adequate retirement benefits and civil rights protections are the goals we must reach, no matter how long it takes. As a stalwart defender of the needs of those experiencing poverty, Sister Richelle has earned the praise of fellow advocacy organizations, the respect of ideological opponents, and the friendship of many of us on Capitol Hill. I am honored to have this opportunity to stand today and pay tribute to Sister Richelle Friedman for her hard work and thank her for her commitment to social justice. She has left an indelible mark and set a standard of compassion, service, and advocacy to which we should all strive.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I was participating in a State, Foreign Relations, and Related Agencies Appropriations subcommittee markup of the proposed fiscal year 2024 spending bill. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 288. Stated against:

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, today's Los Angeles Times column: ``When Kevin McCarthy's spending cuts get spelled out, even Republicans balk.'' My friends, the Republicans do not have the votes to pass their shameful cuts. What House Republicans have done is they have manufactured a crisis and a false choice. Inflict pain and harm on hardworking American people, on children, families, seniors, veterans, or we will crash the economy. Why? Because they believe it will help them politically. In my State of Connecticut, cuts would lead to 2,800 kids losing access to preschool and childcare and 12,000 mothers blocked from food assistance. This is my plea to the American people: Get on the phone. Call Republican Members of this Congress. Tell them to raise that debt ceiling and to stop hurting American families. Let us make sure that they do not have the votes to pass these shameful cuts.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, this really is a bittersweet moment. I am so honored to have the opportunity to be here tonight with colleagues, with the Speaker Emerita, to say a few words to honor our colleague, a dear, dear friend, Congressman David Cicilline. He embarks on a new challenge, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, one of the largest and oldest community foundations in the Nation. Mr. Speaker, it is more than pizza which separates Congressman Cicilline and myself, there really are more Italians in Connecticut than there are in Rhode Island. I know about San Francisco, but it is Connecticut and Rhode Island, and we go back and forth here. Our numbers in Connecticut are larger than your numbers any day of the year. Congress is a really wonderful, wonderful institution and a place to be. It really has to do with the people that you serve with. You make a lot of acquaintances in the House of Representatives, but you can count your friends probably on one hand, maybe two. David Cicilline has been my friend. That is a friendship that occurs in the good times and in the bad times, in those up moments and the down moments when you know that someone always has your back and is there for you, no matter what. David Cicilline has always been there for me no matter what. We had a bond from the moment he arrived in Congress. I kept saying ``Chichilline,'' and he said, Cicilline. It was the Italian simpatico, a brother and a sister. It was my privilege to serve with David since he joined more than a decade ago, 12 years ago. He has distinguished himself as a fighter for Rhode Island, a champion for working, middle-class families everywhere. He doesn't shy away from a fight, and he knows how to get things done. He is a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ rights. The first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city. In Congress, he has been a leading voice on human rights, civil rights, marriage equality, gun safety, antitrust, bringing back manufacturing jobs, and so much more--taking on the tech industry. His passion and his commitment to these causes has made him one of the most effective legislators in the House. He spoke himself about his fight to prevent gun violence, which is at his core. David was a founding member of the bipartisan coalition, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, led the sit-in on the House floor in 2016 with the iconic John Lewis, Democratic whip Katherine Clark, my colleague from Connecticut John Larson, and we did sit in the well here. The Speaker Emerita was right. We didn't tell the leadership because they would have said no, but we were convinced that we had to do it and to be here. That was to protest inaction on gun violence. David, like John Lewis, is not afraid to get into good trouble when fighting for what is right. He responded to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in this country by authoring the assault weapons ban when I was there when people told him not to do it. They said, don't do it. He said, I am going to do it. And that passed in the House last July. Not an easy vote for some, but he knew that it was the right thing to do and he fought like hell to make it happen. Tireless champion in the fight for justice and equality. He fought to enact the Equality Act, the conscious of the House on this issue. He led the bipartisan passage for the Respect For Marriage Act, federally recognizing same sex and interracial marriage, which President Biden signed into law last August, a monumental achievement in advancing civil rights. He has been there next to me when we have fought together on so many issues for women and families--protecting the right to choose, push for pay equity, passing the Paycheck Fairness Act, passing the child tax credit, a passionate and eloquent voice standing up for middle-class and working families across the board, and a dedicated ally to do the work and be there with you in the trenches. David Cicilline is not afraid to be in the trenches. David Cicilline may be leaving the House of Representatives, but his work continues, his legacy continues. I am so sad really to see him go. I am proud that he will now have an opportunity to build, to expand on so many of the issues and work that he did here in the Congress and further improve the lives of all Rhode Islanders. I know he will continue to be a fearless advocate for the people of Rhode Island and for the causes he believes in and the causes he believes are right. David Cicilline knows why he became a Member of the Congress. He understands the power of this institution; its ability to transform people's lives. He didn't come like some these days to dismantle the institution, but to push the edge of that envelope which could help to make a difference for the people in this country. Mr. Speaker, we will miss him. What an honor it has been for me to serve with him and, more importantly, what a pleasure it has been for me to call him my friend and my brother. Next time I am in Providence, and I hope that will be soon, we can get a drink at Clementine Cocktail Bar and plan some good trouble together. May God bless him, my dear and wonderful friend. Without a doubt, I will miss him.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, preventing default is an obligation that Congress has. My Republican colleagues are holding our economy hostage, linking it to the annual process of funding the critical programs that serve American families and veterans. The price of averting a catastrophic default is drastic cuts to these programs now and severe caps for the next 10 years. Republicans claim that veterans' healthcare would be protected. That is not the case. For 6 hours during the Rules Committee meeting last night, I told House Republicans that veterans had no protections whatsoever in their debt default bill. Given the look on their faces, I believe I was the one to inform them of the immediate $2 billion rescission that robs veterans of timely access to healthcare services. I do not think they know what it is in their own bill. You know what they did after 6 hours of debate? Nothing for veterans. You know what they did after hearing from dozens of veteran and military service organizations about the lack of protections in the bill? Nothing for veterans. In the middle of the night, they made last-minute changes to win over Republican holdouts. You know what they did after going back to the drawing board? Nothing for veterans. Nothing to fix the $2 billion rescission. Nothing to protect veterans from a 22 percent cut. Nothing to maintain our commitment to veterans who have been exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. This is shameful. This default and cuts bill should not even come to this floor for a vote. Our veterans sacrificed for us. We owe them the benefits that they have already earned. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill and vote ``yes'' for veterans. By voting ``no,'' you say ``yes'' to veterans.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I was participating in a Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations subcommittee hearing with the Secretary of Transportation, discussing the fiscal year 2024 budget. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 190.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee, and on behalf of the Members of the Committee, and its staff, to pay tribute to Robin Juliano as she departs the House of Representatives following 17 years of service in the House, Senate, and White House. Robin is a first-generation college student and Pell Grant recipient who graduated from Brown University with a bachelor's degree in U.S. history and from the University of Maryland with a master's degree in education policy. She brings with her a sense of service and commitment to advocating and fighting for those most in need that has made her a unique asset to every team she has served with. Originally from Oxford, Maryland, Robin's distinguished career in federal service began as Legislative Assistant for her state's Senator, Barbara Mikulski. She later served as an Education Policy Adviser on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee under Chairmen Edward M. Kennedy and Tom Harkin and as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee also under Chairman Tom Harkin. Following her years in the Senate, Robin's Extensive knowledge of America's economic policy earned her a position on the White House National Economic Council under President Barack Obama as a Senior Policy Adviser. Equipped with unmatched experience and knowledge, Robin then came home to the House Appropriations Committee where we are so grateful, she has served ever since. She was first a Professional Staff Member and then Clerk of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee leading the Committee's education and labor work. As Clerk, she provided me expert counsel and skillfully managed and negotiated many vital aspects of the Subcommittee's jurisdiction. In the 116th Congress alone, she played a central role in the Committee's successful passage of two omnibus appropriations packages and five supplemental appropriations bills to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Robin's wealth of knowledge of the issues under the Committee's jurisdiction, exceptional leadership skills, and work ethic made it clear that there was no one better to step into the role of Staff Director of the full Committee once I became Chair in the 117th Congress. Over the past two years as Staff Director, Robin has led with unparalleled grace and integrity. Her counsel, wisdom, experience, and knowledge of both legislative issues and political dynamics were integral to the Committee's success last Congress. With her leadership, we brought back the widely successful Community Project Funding for the first time in more than 10 years, passed two omnibus appropriations packages in nine months, hosted over 200 hearings in two years, and passed several supplemental appropriations bills to respond to pressing issues as our Nation recovered from the pandemic, the January 6th insurrection, and numerous other disasters, and as we fought to protect global democracy and support the Ukrainian people against Russia's aggression. Our Nation is safer, healthier, and more equitable because of Robin's leadership over the past 17 years. She leaves an invaluable mark on government programs that children, their parents, the middle class, and working families rely on. I have no doubt that our Nation's families are better off because of Robin's sacrifice and her tireless efforts to help communities across the country. While we will miss Robin dearly and will feel her absence deeply, she is forever part of the Appropriations family--a family you can never leave. We are excited for her as she embarks on a new journey and look forward to seeing what new and exciting challenges she takes on. I extend my deepest gratitude on behalf of our Members and staff to Robin's whole family for sharing her with us for so long and wish Robin, her husband Ben, and their children Oliver and Elise all the best.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the City of Middletown and the State of Connecticut lost one of its brightest lights earlier this month with the tragic passing of State Representative Quentin ``Q'' Soldier Williams just hours after being sworn in for what would have been his third term as a State Representative representing Middletown in Connecticut's General Assembly. At only thirty-nine years old, Q was taken from us much too soon, and his loss reverberates throughout his community and our state. When running for President, Barack Obama said, ``Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.'' I cannot think of anyone who embodied that spirit more than Q. Born and raised in Middletown, Connecticut Q loved his hometown. When he first returned after graduating from Bryant University, he worked in finance where he developed a sense of how that industry could positively impact communities as well as how important it was for young people to better understand how a strong financial footing would help them succeed. He left the finance industry to become the Executive Director of the Middletown's Downtown Business District where he focused his time and energies on advocating for local business owners and finding innovative ways to encourage increased activity and tourism downtown. In tandem with these first professional steps, Q also began his journey into politics when he returned home from Bryant. Always seeking ways to make a difference and knowing influencing local government was key, Q joined the Middletown Young Democrats and the Middletown Democratic Town Committee. He was soon recruited to run for local office--first as an alternate to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which he eventually chaired, then as City Treasurer, a position in which he served for two terms. One of Q's proudest moments was on the evening of his election to his first term as State Representative for the 100th District, where he would represent his beloved hometown. Q was a proud product of the Middletown public school system, where as an adult he could often be found reading with elementary school students and mentoring those in middle and high school, but he also understood the challenges of urban classrooms and minority students. He found true professional fulfilment when he joined Excellence Community Schools as their Director for Advocacy and Policy where he played an instrumental role in the launch of Stamford Charier School for Excellence. His passion for equality in education also led Q to co- found and serve as the co-director of EquityCT, a nonprofit dedicated to creating learning opportunities, building actionable understanding of equity. and dismantling systemic inequity through action and civic engagement. In addition to his professional and political work, Q was also deeply involved in the community itself. He sat on the Board of Directors for numerous community organizations, like the Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater, the Middletown Substance Abuse Action Council, the Middlesex United Way, and the Middletown Racial Justice Coalition to name just a few. He also volunteered his time and energies to local charitable efforts like the Community Foundation of Middlesex County Live Local Give Local 365 Fund, the Middlesex Chamber of Congress Young Professional Alliance, and the Columbus House Chocolate to the Rescue event. He was an active member of the Cross Street AME Zion Church and, most recently, Q proudly crossed the line, becoming a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.--Beta Sigma Lambda Chapter. Former First Lady Michele Obama once said, ``People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together.'' By those definitions, Q Williams was one of the strongest, most powerful people I have ever had the honor to know. Whether it was a student, local business owner, constituent, family member, friend, or new acquaintance, he sought to open doors of opportunity, to help in any way he could. He would always ask, ``how can I help you?'' He saw the potential in everyone and in everything, developing networks and connections that enabled him to connect the right people with each other so that potential could be realized. With every smile, every laugh, every action, and every word, he raised others up and brought people together. It was extraordinary to witness. Q had the widest smile and the most gregarious laugh for which he will always be remembered. Though still so young, he touched countless lives and hearts through his commitment and love for his community. As someone recently so eloquently put, the Honorable Quentin ``Q'' Soldier Williams will forever be Middletown's favorite son. As we continue to grieve his loss, I extend my deepest condolences and heart-felt sympathies to his wife, Carrissa, and his mother, Queen. There are no words to ease their sorrow, but I hope they find some comfort in knowing just how deeply he will be missed and how greatly all those fortunate enough to have known him will strive to honor his memory.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against the so-called Strategic Production Response Act, which would significantly weaken our critical energy security. This bill before us would result in more oil supply shortages, higher gas prices for hardworking, middle-class families, and jeopardize our energy security, just so those on the other side of the aisle can do the bidding of their friends at Big Oil. Big Oil has already received billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies. They enjoyed record-shattering profits, and it is all at the expense of hardworking families. Today, families live paycheck to paycheck; that is the reality. There is no thought for what this will do to the prices at the pump for families. Big Oil has more than 26 million acres under lease, and over 50 percent are nonproducing. It is not because they are not allowed to drill. More than 9,500 permits to extract oil were approved in 2021 alone. While the administration has paused wasteful lease sales, the permitting process for already leased lands continues. The greed of Big Oil just never ends. It inflicts pain, and it inflicts financial instability on working families. It is a daily assault. There is an old saying: ``Know where you stand, and stand there.'' Well, it is clear where some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle stand, and that is protecting Big Oil, which has a monopoly, and they can do what they want in terms of raising prices or lowering prices--and they never lower prices. I will continue to stand with the American people. I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 21.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the dangerous measures that House Republicans are bringing to a vote in this Chamber as part of their ongoing efforts to end a woman's right to choose and inserting politics unnecessarily and wrongly into the doctor-patient relationship, denying abortion care to women, stigmatizing women who get abortions, and putting at risk the doctors who simply are doing their jobs by caring for them. All while ignoring the threats that abortion providers and patients face daily. The American people sent a clear message during the midterms: Politicians have no place in our personal medical decisions. House Republicans refuse to listen. Instead of protecting and expanding reproductive healthcare and women's rights, they are making it their first order of business to use their power to control women's bodies and their future. I condemn violence in all of its forms. This resolution condemns only some violence and very intentionally omits violence like the murder of health professionals, against abortion providers, patients and their families. Maybe they don't regard murder as violence. This comes at the same time as women's rights are under attack. This nonbinding resolution is meant to only divide and distract and will do nothing to actually reduce violence. I urge my colleagues to oppose these biased bills and continue to stand up and speak out for what is right.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the latest attempt by House Republicans to control women's reproductive freedom, a ruse to ban safe and legal abortions in this country. This legislation purports to address something that does not happen. The hypotheticals some of my colleagues described are not based in fact. Their arguments are untrue and do not represent how medicine actually works. Their suggestions are not only false, but they are callous. The truth is abortions that occur after 3 months of pregnancy account for only 1 percent of all abortions, and they occur almost exclusively because a woman's life is at risk or her pregnancy is not viable. We should not be in the business of enacting laws that make these difficult and painful situations worse. What is not hypothetical is the real pain and suffering that politicians across this country are imposing as they continue to chip away at what should be an essential right. A woman must have the right to make health decisions that are in the best of interest of themselves, their family, and their circumstances. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this sham piece of legislation.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to commit at the desk.

Ms. DeLAURO. (During the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to dispense with the reading.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, when we conclude this rules debate, I will offer a motion to commit to add the expanded child tax credit. In the face of the Republican majority's draconian agenda, we want to provide a tax cut, yes, to children and families to make ends meet. The child tax credit is the most effective tool we have in the fight against rising costs, an antidote to inflation. It is about financial stability for families. Nothing in this rules package helps American families. Make no mistake, a vote against a motion to commit means Republicans are willing to raise taxes on working families. The expanded child tax credit was the largest tax cut for working families in generations, a lifeline to the middle class. It drove the largest decrease in child poverty in history. People could pay their electric bills, fill their gas tanks, pay for childcare. It reached more than 61 million children, lifted 4 million out of poverty, and led to a 26 percent decline in hunger in families with children. There has never been a Federal program that has had such a profound impact in such a short amount of time. Do the right thing. Vote ``yes'' on the motion to commit.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1531, I call up the bill (H.R. 2617) to amend section 1115 of title 31, United States Code, to amend the description of how performance goals are achieved, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Ms. DeLAURO. 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 on the Senate amendment to H.R. 2617.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the fiscal year 2023 government funding legislation before us, which passed the Senate yesterday on a 68-29 vote, with the support of all Democrats and 18 Republicans. It is a package of 12 appropriations bills that makes critical investments in the programs that our communities need. The bill also includes legislation to continue to support the Ukrainian people and their fight against Russia's ruthless aggression and to help areas of our Nation devastated by recent natural disasters. For the second year in a row, we included community projects--over 7,200--to meet urgent needs in districts all over the Nation. These bills tackle our Nation's toughest crises, they help lower the cost of living for hardworking families in the middle class, create better- paying jobs, and protects our communities and our national security. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken at length about this strong bill. I am proud of it. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.