Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I respectfully say to the gentlewoman from Washington State that the situation we face is dire. The Capitol Police do not have the equipment they need to secure the Capitol, and other security vulnerabilities have not been resolved. Also, the Capitol Police force is reeling as January 6, the deaths of Officers Liebengood and Evans, overtime, and other issues continue to take a toll on officers' mental health. We cannot wait until the report of a commission. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), the chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I am happy to respond to the gentlewoman from Washington State, but, quite frankly, that is an issue that falls within the jurisdiction of the House Administration Committee. The chair is Zoe Lofgren. It is my understanding that Chairman Lofgren is, in fact, addressing that issue. I concur that we have to deal with the issue of the Capitol board, but it does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Appropriations Committee.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), the chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, the point is, we are reimbursing the costs that were incurred that day. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 409, I call up the bill (H.R. 3237) making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam 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 measure under consideration.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act. Like many of us in the Capitol community, I am still shaken by the violence and terror of that day and the tragedies in its aftermath: the death of Officer Brian Sicknick, the Good Friday attack that killed Officer Billy Evans, and the emotional trauma that has led to the deaths of Officer Howie Liebengood and Metropolitan Police Department Officer Jeffrey Smith by suicide. Congress owes it to every single person who works in or visits the United States Capitol to provide funding to recover, rebuild, and keep all who serve in the legislative branch safe, healthy, and secure. The Appropriations Committee has acted very carefully to construct this package. We conducted a bipartisan briefing in January, discussed the issue at 12 subcommittee hearings, and closely reviewed the recommendations of Task Force 1-6 Capitol Security Review, led by Lieutenant General Russel Honore and comprised of senior, retired law enforcement officials and military leaders. We have also heard from inspectors general and consulted security experts in and out of government. This bill is narrowly tailored to respond to January 6 and to protect the Capitol going forward. It contains $1.9 billion in emergency funding to reimburse the National Guard and District of Columbia for their response; provide the Capitol Police with overtime pay, retention bonuses, equipment replacement, and wellness and trauma support; ensures the Department of Justice can prosecute every person who attacked law enforcement and ransacked this building; provides bonuses and help to custodial staff; and it renames the Capitol Police Wellness Center in the memory of Officer Howie Liebengood. As recommended by the Capitol Security Review, this legislation protects the Capitol by providing resources to harden windows and doors; construct security screening vestibules; install new cameras; and provide specialized training, riot control equipment, and body cameras for the Capitol Police. To augment the Capitol Police, the legislation establishes and funds a dedicated quick reaction force of National Guard personnel, another recommendation of the Capitol Security Review. This legislation also bolsters security for Members of Congress, with dedicated funding for enhanced security and threat assessments, coordinated Member travel security, and upgrades to security in district offices. It has, most importantly, won the endorsement of the Capitol Police, to meet its evolving mission, and Lieutenant General Honore urged Congress to pass this funding. We all sit in this Chamber, and we lived with the violent assault on our democracy and our lives. We must act now to fulfill our obligations and also our oath of office. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard), the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just want to remind the gentleman that the last time a supplemental bill was brought before the Appropriations Committee was in 2009, under the direction of Chairman David Obey. I also want to make a point that it did take an inordinate amount of time for reinforcements to come and assist the overrun Capitol Police. To have that not happen again, the Capitol security review, General Honore recommended a dedicated force ready to respond to any incident, just as we have the D.C. Air National Guard, which has a mission to protect the region's airspace. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree), the chair of the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), the chairperson of the Committee on House Administration.

Ms. DeLAURO. I yield the gentlewoman from California an additional 30 seconds.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I would hope the gentlewoman from Washington State would put her frustration aside--we all get frustrated in this body by so many things--and vote to support the folks who took care of us that day to deal with their backpay and a variety of other issues that were important.

Ms. DeLAURO. I yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me just try to address a couple of issues that have been raised here during this debate. Madam Speaker, I want to recount the Committee on Appropriations has worked for months to gather information to inform this bill. There were 12 subcommittee hearings. Actually, legislative branch, as the gentlewoman from Washington State knows, had at least eight hearings, and every subcommittee held more than one committee hearing. In addition to that, other committees, House Administration, Committee on Oversight Reform, all had hearings with regard to this issue and the path forward. Beginning in April, Committee on Appropriations engaged in intense good-faith negotiations with our Republican counterparts. And unfortunately, it appears, I believe, that the leadership has prevented them from reaching an agreement in a timely manner. Madam Speaker, I would just mention that the minority leader, he looked to sufficient time included in an end-of-the-year funding bill to strengthen the security of the Capitol complex. So in truth, the view was not to do it, not to continue in negotiation, but in fact, to delay a decision on this until the end of the year. We cannot wait in order to be able to effectuate security of this Capitol for all who work here and all who visit here. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Wexton), a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

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 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I am disappointed that the gentlewoman from Washington State will not find her way to vote for the bill. We have worked on many issues together on the Appropriations Committee, yes, in fact, in meetings about the Capitol Police Board and other efforts. As it has been stated, we worked for months on the Appropriations Committee with numerous hearings in order to be able to engage on a bipartisan basis. Unfortunately, the leadership of the minority leader, I believe, saw that the direction that this bill should go in is in the end of the year. In that case, we cannot begin to fix the problems that occurred. Madam Speaker, I remember January 6, as we all do. I sat in the Gallery. I sat right up there as we counted the electoral votes, which was our constitutional duty, in order to certify the election of the President of the United States. I was here, at the podium, when the Capitol policeman said, The rioters have breached the Capitol. They are in the rotunda. They are on their way to the House Chamber, to those doors right there, those doors that were shattered and smashed that day, and where there were barricades that were put up against it. We were told to grab a gas mask. I didn't know we had gas masks here. We did that, and no sooner than that, we were told we have to evacuate, you make your way. I can still trace my steps around the perimeter of this gallery, all the way around, going underneath these barriers here. All of us, Democrats, Republicans, and members of the press who were there that day, and young people who came here to work, we were together. We were holding on to one another because we knew there was imminent danger. I won't ever forget us getting around to that side of the gallery when the Capitol Police said to hit the floor because of gunshots-- gunshots. We all hit the floor, Democrats and Republicans, at the order of the Capitol Police, to protect us from what was going on that day. As I lay on the floor with very little juice in my cell phone, I called my husband. I didn't want to say to him, ``I love you,'' because it brought back to me the remembrance of 9/11 and those last words that people uttered. I just said: ``I am fine. I am going to be evacuated. Call the kids and let them know it is okay.'' This bill is not about politics. It is not about settling scores. It is about ensuring that every person who comes onto the Capitol Grounds is safe and is protected. The funding is not optional. This vote is not a show vote. It is about protecting the seat of democracy and the men, the women, and the young people who work here. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and pass this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, I inadventently missed Roll Call vote number 151 on ordering the Previous Question, regarding H. Res. 409. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Allred (Wexton) Beatty (Lawrence) Buchanan (Dunn) Cardenas (Gallego) Carter (TX) (Calvert) Courtney (Hayes) Crenshaw (Pfluger) Deutch (Rice (NY)) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lieu (Beyer) Lowenthal (Beyer) McEachin (Wexton) McHenry (Banks) Mullin (Lucas) Napolitano (Correa) Ocasio-Cortez (Bush) Payne (Pallone) Ruppersberger (Raskin) Rush (Underwood) Sewell (DelBene) Slotkin (Axne) Waters (Barragan) Wilson (FL) (Hayes) Wilson (SC) (Timmons) Young (Joyce (OH))

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, this week was designated as the Child Tax Credit Week of Action. The outpouring of stories and news articles coming from across the country describing just how transformational this assistance will be for families is heartwarming. I am so proud that in the American Rescue Plan we fought for and won the expansion and improvement of the child tax credit. Its inclusion was historic but just a first step. We must make this expansion permanent. The child tax credit is a lifeline to the middle class, cuts child poverty by 55 percent this year, and provides children and their families with additional payments throughout the year that help them with the costs of food, childcare, diapers, healthcare, clothing, and taxes. Poor, working, and middle-class families--90 percent of our children--will receive the same monthly benefits. We must spread the word about the benefits of the child tax credit, how families can start to receive that monthly check starting in July. If people have filed a tax return, they are all set. If they have not filed their tax return, and their family is eligible for the tax credit, they must file by May 17. Even if they typically do not file, this ensures that they will receive a monthly benefit. Let's get the word out. Let's get people signed up.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to join the Saint Sebastian Church, its membership and the community of Middletown, Connecticut as they celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Feast of Saint Sebastian--a celebration of ethnic pride and culture that has grown to become a treasured community tradition. The first immigrants from Melilli, Sicily arrived in the City of Middletown in 1895. Over the course of the next several decades, the number of Melillesi who came to call Middletown home grew exponentially, forming a tight-knit community in the City's North End. As the Melillesi families grew so did their desire to celebrate their rich history and tradition. Like in so many other Italian-American communities, they did so through the annual religious celebrations of the patron saint of their hometown, Saint Sebastian. This small neighborhood celebration has since grown into one of the City's most well-known and popular annual traditions. By 1921, the annual Feast of Saint Sebastian had become a major event in the Sicilian community, attracting participants not only from Middletown but surrounding towns as well. It was in 1921 that the first official feast committee was formed and when the first statue of Saint Sebastian, a gift designed and sculpted by local laborer Sebastiano Marchese, was presented to the community. It was also from this first major Feast and its collection of funds, that the first steps toward the creation of the Saint Sebastian Church and Parish were taken. Just over a decade later, after approval from the diocese and the purchase of properties for the church and rectory, the cornerstone was placed and construction of Saint Sebastian Church was completed within a year. Today, Saint Sebastian Church, which almost mirrors its companion of the same name in Melilli, continues to be the heartbeat of Middletown's Italian-American community, and the Feast remains an annual tradition that the whole City looks forward to celebrating. The Feast of Saint Sebastian, whose festivities now span three days, is a celebration of the Melillesi culture. Booths provide food and drink, games and carnival rides entertain adults and children, and the main stage provides musical entertainment where many gather to sing and dance. Special masses are held and upon entering the Church one can view the statue of Saint Sebastian, often hearing chants of ``Santo Sebastiano'' as those gathered pray to the patron saint. And on the Sunday of the Feast, hundreds dressed all in white with red sashes attend the ``I Nuri'' running--the procession of Saint Sebastian. It is a remarkable sight to behold. People across the country struggle to create a sense of community--a sense of belonging. Over the course of its one-hundred-year history, the Feast of Saint Sebastian has helped the families of Middletown's Melillesi immigrants and their descendants do just that. This year, as they mark its centennial anniversary, I am proud to stand and extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to all of those, past and present, who have made the Feast of Saint Sebastian such a special celebration. The bonds of community that the Feast has helped to shape will continue to impact generations to come.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to join the members of Connecticut's Omicron Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary--a remarkable milestone for this very special organization. The Delta Kappa Gamma International Society is a unique organization whose membership includes tens of thousands of women educators from across the globe. Members focus on promoting their professional and personal growth--striving for excellence in education and dedicating themselves to making a difference in their students' lives, in their communities, and in the world. Over the course of the last fifty years, the members of Connecticut's Omicron Chapter have done just that. One of sixteen chapters of Delta Kappa Gamma in the state, members of the Omicron Chapter live or work throughout the Naugatuck Valley. They have made it their mission to provide unique programs to the communities of the Valley that blend education and service. The have distributed books to newborns, young children, children of prisoners, and adult education students. Many of their members have knitted afghans and hats for both babies and cancer patients. They have helped to raise funds for UN-sponsored charities, the Ronald McDonald House, and the Umbrella, a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. Perhaps most inspiring are Omicron's efforts on behalf of the next generations of educators. They understand the importance of nurturing those that will follow them in their professional pursuits. The Omicron chapter has sponsored the tuition for more than one-hundred fifty young women to attend Laurel Girls State, a one-week program rooted in civic education where they learn about how state and local government functions through a hands-on approach with state and local officials guiding the way. In addition, they also sponsor annual college scholarships to high school students planning to pursue careers in education. From dedicating their professional careers to providing our young people with the strongest of foundations on which to build their future success to developing, implementing, and supporting programs that enrich the education of children outside the classroom, the Omicron chapter and its members have left an indelible mark on countless lives. I am proud to stand today to extend my heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation to Connecticut's Omicron Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary. As we say in Italian--C'ent Anni--to another one hundred years.