Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. While we have just passed government funding legislation, we need to ensure there is sufficient time for the Senate to process the legislation and for it to be enrolled for the President's signature without a lapse in appropriations. This legislation extends government funding to provide that necessary time, and I urge support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

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

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent, that in the engrossment of H.R. 2471, the Clerk be authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, spelling, and cross-references, and to make such other technical corrections and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the actions of the House.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with a deep sadness and immense gratitude that I stand to join the many family, friends, and colleagues who have gathered to remember Mrs. Lillie E. Perkins, a New Haven institution in our education community. I have often spoke of our nation's need for talented, creative educators ready to help our children learn and grow. Lillie was not only that kind of educator, but she was also that kind of community leader. She inspired your students and colleagues alike and will be deeply missed by all of those fortunate enough to have known her. At the tender age of 7 Lillie knew that she was ``born to teach.'' In pursuit of this dream, she earned her bachelor's degree at Fayetteville State University before moving to Connecticut with her husband, James, and earning her master's degree from the University of Connecticut and an Administrative Sixth Year Certificate from Southern Connecticut State University. She and James raised their daughters, Tiara and Sharon, and Lillie began her thirty-six-year career with the New Haven Public School system. Lillie was an extraordinarily gifted teacher with a passion and compassion that was felt by the students in her classroom as well as kids across the community. In addition to her work in the classroom, Lillie's invaluable contributions to young people and the community have left an indelible mark. Early in her career she recognized the need for young people to have the opportunity to express themselves in a positive way after school hours. Whether with the Dr. Martin Luther King Choir, the Helene Grant School Choir, or the remarkable Unity Boys Choir, she found ways for these young people from across Greater New Haven to come together and achieve extraordinary accomplishments for which they can be very proud. I have had the opportunity to hear the angelic voices of the Unity Boys Choir and have seen first-hand the light in their eyes that comes with the excitement and adoration of the crowds they are entertaining, Lillie touched their lives in a very special way--not only allowing them to share their musical talents with others but teaching them the importance of and satisfaction in giving back to the community. Lillie's engagement in the community also extended beyond her service to the school system. She volunteered her time and energies to a number of other programs community initiatives including the Mayor's Youth Service Program, the Toys/Teas/Toys Closets program at Yale Children's Hospital, the 1995 Special Olympic World Garnes in Connecticut, the Kids Protection Network Program, Christian Community Action's Food program, and the New Haven Board of Young Adult Police Commissioners. Lillie was also an active member of Bible Gospel Church as well as the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and served as a community assistant for senior citizens. The myriad of awards and commendations she received over the lifetime are a testament to the difference she made in the community and the lives of others. With her passing, New Haven has lost a much cherished and invaluable member of our community. Lillie E. Perkins left an indelible mark, not only on the community she called home but on the hearts of the thousands whose lives she touched. It is my honor to rise today to pay tribute to the life of Lillie E. Perkins and extend my deepest condolences to her daughters, Tiara and Sharon, as well as her extended network of family, friends, and colleagues. As much as she will be missed, it is heartening to know that the legacy of service and compassion she leaves will continue to inspire generations to come.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 912, I call up the bill (H.R. 6617) making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act, which continues funding for Federal programs and services through March 11. I would have preferred to come before the House to pass a fiscal 2022 omnibus, but I believe we are very close to an agreement and I am eager to move this process forward. I have every expectation that we can finalize a framework in short order and then work together to fill in the details and enact an omnibus. The American people deserve the certainty that comes with full-year funding bills. The transformative investments an omnibus provides will help create good-paying jobs and grow opportunity for the middle class. An omnibus will expand access to childcare, strengthen our public schools, make college more affordable, bolster job training, and help small businesses access the capital they need to thrive. And it will rebuild our public healthcare systems after the devastation of the pandemic. An omnibus bill will confront the climate crisis by supporting environmental protection, land conservation, and clean energy development. It will protect our national security and restore America's place in the world. An omnibus is the only way to unlock the full potential of the transformative funding in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, accelerating the rebuilding of our Nation's crumbling roads, bridges, water systems, and other critical transportation infrastructure. Of great importance to the people we represent, an omnibus would enact Community Project Funding that both Republicans and Democrats requested for their districts, with strong community support. From rebuilding local health and transportation infrastructure, helping veterans to find jobs, supporting small businesses, and expanding educational opportunities, these investments will revitalize our communities and strengthen them for years to come. Once we have a framework, I am confident that appropriators will work with great intensity to fill in the details so that we can enact an agreement that is worthy of the American people. To provide the time to get that done, the Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act continues government funding at current levels through March 11. This legislation is straightforward and includes minimal anomalies, the most notable of which is $350 million in direly needed new funding to address water contamination from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii. No one wins from additional continuing resolutions, which is why, after we pass this extension, we will finalize an omnibus that will deliver for our Nation. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), who is the chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), who is a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, first let me join Ranking Member Granger in expressing my condolences at the unexpected passing of Appropriations Committee staff member Dave Raser over the weekend. Not an hour ago--to my colleague and ranking member--I spoke with his father and expressed our condolences and our thoughts and prayers being with him and assured them that they are not alone and that they have a family here that mourns with them for the loss of Dave. The gentlewoman from Texas so aptly described him and the promise for his future. Our thoughts and our prayers are with him, with his family, with his sister, Emily, with whom, as my friend mentioned, he was very, very close, and his friends and his co-workers. Again, I join Ranking Member Granger's sadness at this great loss for our committee. Mr. Speaker, regarding the legislation before us, the American people need a government funding agreement to support working families, expand access to childcare, education, and job training. We need to be supporting small businesses. We need to rebuild our public health and transportation infrastructure, confront the climate crisis, provide care and benefits for our veterans, and protect our national security. That is what we need to be about. Let us pass this continuing resolution. Let us complete an omnibus and let us get the job done for the good people whom we represent. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act is bipartisan. It is legislation that provides survivors with the resources they need to seek the justice that they deserve and empower them by giving them a choice to go to court instead of being forced into arbitration. Survivors like Susan Fowler who, in 2015, was working with Uber when her manager started sexually harassing her. She immediately reported this to human resources, but when she did, her manager threatened to fire her. And since Uber employees are forced to sign arbitration agreements when they are hired, preventing them from bringing sexual harassment claims to court, Susan was forced into a confidential dispute forum without the right to appeal. Three years later, Susan had had enough and she spoke out, writing in an op-ed for the New York Times: ``From the systemic culture of harassment and discrimination at Uber . . . to the ubiquitous stories of women taken advantage of in industries ranging from professional football to restaurants, we have seen one company after another publicly outed and shamed for illegal treatment of employees.'' And Susan rightly asks, ``The question is no longer whether mistreatment actually occurs . . . but what can we do to ensure that it never happens again.'' The answer is simple. We can pass this bipartisan legislation, end the practice of forced arbitration, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I, along with Representative Granger and Representative Cole, rise today to recognize and congratulate Joanna ``Jodi'' Capps, who retired from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on January 21, 2022, after more than 33 years of exemplary service to the Congress. During her career, Jodi came to be highly respected by Congressional staff on both sides of the aisle for her deep institutional knowledge and expertise regarding the annual appropriations process. In 1994, four years after beginning her Congressional career as a professional staff member for the Senate Appropriations Committee, Jodi moved to the Scorekeeping unit within the Budget Analysis Division of the Congressional Budget Office. For the next 28 years, she provided timely, informative, and reliable analysis for hundreds of iterations of appropriation bills while also supporting the agency's other core budgetary analysis functions. During her tenure Jodi developed a breadth of substantive expertise across many of the annual appropriation bills. In carrying out her duties, Jodi has earned a reputation for being a dependable and trustworthy colleague, and her efforts to foster strong, collaborative working relationships within CBO and with Congressional staff have strengthened both entities from an institutional perspective. We are particularly grateful to her for the last 17 years she spent doing crucial work to support the legislative efforts of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees' Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Jodi's tireless contributions to the Subcommittees--including countless nights and weekends--have been indispensable to drafting annual appropriations bills and emergency supplementals that benefit millions of American families. The Subcommittees' work spans a vast array of incredibly important topics, and the legislation from those subcommittees that has been enacted by this institution are better for the efforts Jodi has made to keep the Congress informed. Outside of her work responsibilities, Jodi is known for her creative talents, generous civic attitude, and famous love of animals. She is a bighearted volunteer who makes it a priority to contribute her time and resources to support a wide variety of community groups that benefit people of all walks of life--and animals, too. She and her husband of many years, Alan, share a particular passion for four-footed friends, several of which are in their care at any given time. In the years ahead, we know that Jodi's community will benefit tremendously from her newfound time to devote to pursuing her passions. We are grateful for Jodi's distinguished service to the Congress and know she will be missed throughout Capitol Hill. We celebrate her tremendous contributions to this institution, and wish her the best in her retirement.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, the America COMPETES Act is a historic package. It makes strategic investments to strengthen supply chains, protect our national security, and bolster our economic competitiveness. It gives us the tools to fight for jobs here at home, protect our critical supply chains, while addressing key trade challenges that we face. It recognizes the need to bring back American manufacturing and fights for good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced. It appropriates billions for critically needed semiconductors and billions to address broken supply chains; doubling down on our commitment for American-made innovation to prevent future shortages and disruptions. We need to be a nation once again that builds and not a nation that just consumes. We need to create our own supply chains and not be dependent on others. It protects American workers from foreign countries with unfair practices by including a robust renewal of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program that supports American workers who have lost their jobs because of trade practices by other countries. Madam Speaker, it puts an end to China's export of goods to us valued below $800 to avoid paying import duties and often to avoid screening to determine whether those goods are made with forced labor. It includes the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act that I introduced last year. That establishes a screening process that protects critical supply chains and our manufacturing capacity. It is a process that reviews our overseas investments to make sure that we are not giving up or offshoring critical capabilities, safeguarding our workers, detecting supply chain vulnerabilities, and ensuring that they stay here in America. It includes provisions I have championed for years, language from my bipartisan Civics Secures Democracy Act that will foster our next generation of leaders. The bill gives the FDA the mandatory recall authority it needs to protect families from the risks posed by unsafe drugs. It includes a bipartisan amendment that I have to end the factory farming of mink that threatens public health as we continue fighting against COVID-19. Madam Speaker, I look forward to voting in favor of this bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same. It is time that America takes that leadership again, produces what it needs, and protects our workers, our society, and all the industry that is attuned to that as well.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, nestled along the shore in Branford, Connecticut lies Connecticut Hospice, an organization founded in 1974 by Florence Wald, then an Associate Professor and Dean of the Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing Program at Yale University, and dedicated to delivering coordinated, comprehensive and compassionate care to people with terminal illnesses and their families. Connecticut Hospice was the first such organization of its kind in our nation and over the years, has cared for thousands of patients and provided comfort to them and their loved ones in their final days, becoming a national model of care and inspiring thousands of similar programs in other communities. Indeed, it was at Connecticut Hospice that I spent the last weeks with my mother, Luisa. Just a few years ago, Connecticut Hospice was facing some difficult challenges and found itself in need of an organizational shake-up. That is when Barbara Pearce and Joe Mooney stepped up and became an integral part of Connecticut Hospice reaching a new bar of care and standard of service. Barbara took on the role of Chief Executive Officer and Joe the dual responsibilities of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Barbara Pearce, an active community leader and philanthropist, has dedicated countless years of service to a number of organizations as a board member or advisor. When she learned of the troubles at Connecticut Hospice, she decided to take on an enormous task. In her own words, Connecticut Hospice ``is the mothership. We are the one that people look to and visit from around the country and around the world to see how cutting-edge, end-of-life care is delivered.'' For that reason, ``it is not enough to give good care.'' As staff and volunteers will attest, Barbara was straightforward about the tough decisions that needed to be made. And anyone who knows Barbara will tell you, once she is focused on a goal, she is a force of nature. Recently retired from state service as a Deputy Commissioner at the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services and with over forty years of experience as a financial executive in both the government and private sector, Joe Mooney was just the person Connecticut Hospice needed to step in as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. With his background, Joe was in a unique position to utilize his talents and expertise to not only right the ship but ensure its solid foundation for the future. Since its inception, Connecticut Hospice has always been a leader in caring for the terminally ill and their families. Under the careful direction of Barbara and Joe, the organization has navigated many challenges and obstacles, including the Covid-19 pandemic. Though they both originally planned for their intervention to be brief, they have chosen to stay on. It is their vision and leadership that will ensure Connecticut Hospice can continue in its mission to provide the very best of comfort and care to the terminally ill and their loves ones in the most vulnerable of times. It is a gift we are all beyond grateful to them to have preserved. It is my honor to join the staff, volunteers and families of Connecticut Hospice in extending my deepest thanks and appreciation to Barbara Pearce and Joe Mooney for their outstanding efforts on behalf of this very special organization. I look forward to continuing our work together.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, ensuring all Americans can freely participate in the electoral process is a bedrock of our democratic society. Today in this country we are witnessing an attack on that sacred right to vote, restricting voting access. We must act to restore Federal oversight. What we do will determine the course of our democracy for generations to come. Our late colleague, John Lewis, shed blood for the right of all Americans to vote. Let us honor the legacy of those who fought to protect voting rights and pass this critical legislation. President Biden made our choice today clear: ``Will we choose democracy over autocracy, light over shadows, justice over injustice?'' Like the President, I know where I stand. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise as Chair of the Appropriations Committee, and on behalf of the Members of the Committee, and its staff, to pay tribute to Steve Edward Marchese as he retires after 29 years of Federal service. Steve began his career with Senator Alan Dixon before eventually serving my former colleague Representative Sidney Yates as his Appropriations Associate. Steve left Congress moving over to the State Department before coming home to the Appropriations Committee, where he has spent the last 15 years. During his service to the Committee, he spent four years as professional staff on the State and Foreign Operations (SFOPs) Subcommittee. He eventually became the SFOPs Clerk and remained in that role for 10 years. During this time, Steve provided vital counsel to Members, which led to responsible investments through the SFOPs bill that made the world better, safer, and healthier while improving the security of generations throughout the world. He also spent considerable time and effort in compiling an anthology of the SFOPs bill that is an invaluable resource to the SFOPs subcommittee members. When I became Chair of the Appropriations Committee a year ago, Steve moved over from SFOPs to serve as the Legislative Branch Clerk. Steve undoubtedly thought this would be a break from world conflicts, but instead found himself at the subcommittee's helm, deeply involved in the aftermath of the January 6th attack. Madam Speaker, Steve did not disappoint and brought his trademark dedication to a suddenly critical position. Steve was instrumental in crafting the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act. As the Legislative Branch Clerk, Steve's hard work and dedication was very much appreciated and a great service to Congress and democracy. I speak for myself, and I am sure other Members and his colleagues, when I say we will miss Steve after he retires from Federal service this week. I am excited for what the future holds for Steve and wish him, his wife Cathy, and daughters Audrey and Julia all the best. Congratulations on an outstanding career. His country thanks him for his hard work.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Lester Cash on his exemplary 37 years of service to the Federal Government, including 24 years at the Department of Health and Human Services. After growing up in North Carolina, Lester Cash began his federal career as a statistician planning for the 1990 Census, which was followed by a decade as a senior examiner at the Office of Management and Budget. In 1997, Mr. Cash moved to HHS and spent eight years overseeing budgets for some of the Federal Government's most important agencies, including the NIH, CDC, and FDA. In 2005, he was appointed to the Senior Executive Service. Since 2007, Mr. Cash has served as HHS's Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, often managing the most difficult budgetary issues across a Department whose programs and services reach virtually every American at some point in their lives--from Head Start for early childhood education to Medicare for seniors. Throughout his 24 years of service at HHS's Office of Budget, Mr. Cash frequently served as the Department's liaison to the Committees on Appropriations. During that time, he became an indispensable resource to the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Mr. Cash's budgetary and programmatic expertise has helped the subcommittee to draft annual appropriations bills and emergency supplementals--for which I am deeply grateful. Most recently, Mr. Cash provided important technical assistance on emergency supplemental appropriations to respond to the COVID pandemic. He has been instrumental in HHS's procurement of life-saving vaccines, therapeutics, and antivirals, as well as the distribution of emergency relief funding to healthcare providers affected by the pandemic. In 2018, Mr. Cash earned the Presidential Rank Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the Federal career civil service, which recognizes members of the Senior Executive Service for ``sustained extraordinary accomplishment.'' It was aptly awarded and richly deserved. In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Cash has earned three master's degrees, including a master's degree in public policy from Duke University, a master's degree in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a master's degree in theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I thank Mr. Cash for his tireless public service--which often included long days, evenings, and weekends--as he worked to ensure that critical health and human services programs had the necessary resources to serve millions of American families who relied on them. His talents and contributions will be sorely missed. I congratulate him on a distinguished career and wish him the best in his upcoming retirement.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership, alongside Chairman Schiff, on this very important legislation. Madam Speaker, the previous administration played fast and loose with the American people's hard-earned tax dollars. And just as seriously, it exposed dangerous faults in our democratic institutions that, if left unaddressed, will erode the American people's trust in our democracy. That is why I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which restrains Presidents from abusing the public trust. Of particular importance to me as chair of the Appropriations Committee, this bill will ensure that every President, regardless of party, will be subject to the Congress' constitutional power of the purse. It will strengthen congressional control and review over funding to ensure that Federal dollars are being used as directed by the Congress. It will require the Office of Management and Budget to publish how it apportions the appropriations provided by the Congress to executive agencies. Finally, the Protecting Our Democracy Act will increase reporting to Congress on the executive branch's compliance with the Impoundment Control Act and the Antideficiency Act, two bedrock laws that were enacted to protect Congress' appropriations power. The American people deserve a voice in how their money is spent. Through their duly elected Representatives in the Congress, the Protecting Our Democracy Act gives the American people that voice. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge support for this important piece of legislation.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I just want to remind the gentleman that antiscience fearmongering about vaccines is wrong. Science is on our side, and history is on our side. Vaccines work. I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government.