Antonio Delgado

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, as I rise today for the last time as a Member of the 117th Congress, I must begin by thanking the people of New York's 19th Congressional District. I thank them for trusting me to represent them in Washington. I thank them for every phone call they have placed to my office. I thank them for the hundreds of thousands of letters and emails they have sent to me. I thank them for coming to my town halls, and for scheduling meetings with me and my staff. Democracy is a two-way street, and their passionate engagement has helped me to be a more effective Representative. I would also like to thank Lacey, my wife, and the love of my life, who has sacrificed so much since I decided to run for Congress more than four years ago. I want to thank Maxwell and Coltrane, my two sons, who drive my desire for positive change day in and day out. I first addressed this Chamber in January of 2019. The longest government shutdown in our Nation's history had just ended, and I spoke about the need for Congress to live up to its charter as outlined in Article I. I said that Democrats and Republicans must work together to shoulder the sacred responsibilities entrusted to us by voters--and that we all must pledge to cast partisanship aside and be good stewards of the republic that we inherited from the generations that came before us. Congress has done important work in the years since I gave that speech. We passed a once-in-a-generation investment in our Nation's infrastructure; we outlawed surprise medical billing; we delivered pandemic relief that helped America recover better economically than any of its peer nations. All in all, 18 of my bills were signed into law under two presidents--bills to provide emergency pandemic funding to municipalities of all sizes, to support underserved veterans, to provide loan forgiveness to small businesses and to protect family farms. I am proud of this record. Over the past few years, I have tried to build a brand of politics that puts people before partisanship. I have made decisions based not on whether an idea comes from the right or left, but whether that idea is right or wrong. I fought tirelessly for those I represent; I listened to others before speaking; and I treated all people with love and respect. Building a political movement based on love, respect, and humility will be the work I carry on in the years to come. The Capitol--this Chamber--is hallowed ground. I hope and pray that Congress will once again become a place where Representatives from every corner of this great country gather together not to emphasize their differences and use them for political gain, but to hash those differences out for the good of the people. Representing New York's 19th District in Congress has been the greatest honor. But I have not done it alone and I want to acknowledge the incredible team that has made it all possible. Several members of my team have been with me since day one. My Chief of Staff, Jessie Andrews, is at the heart of my legislative success and has served our team as a sound and trusted leader. Amanda DeSantis, my District Director, has logged tens of thousands of miles traversing NY-19 with me and on my behalf and shares my love of New York State and every corner of the district. My Legislative Assistant, Matthew Gerson, with his intellectual curiosity and commitment to the veterans and small businesses in NY-19. Vicky Perry has spearheaded my in-district programming--from Military Service Academy nominations to the Congressional Art Competition to our ``Antonio's Summer Superstars'' reading program. Many others have joined along the way and brought immense value to the work. My incredibly talented Legislative Director, Robert Dougherty. Christine Bienes, the best Scheduler in Congress. Jacob Salzmann, who accompanied me to countless events across the district. And the rest of my team in Washington and in-district for all their tireless work on behalf of my NY-19 constituents: Gabriela Foster, Sarah Bibeau, Max Prime, Chris Hanse, Daniel Wrenn, Natalie Lincoln, and Marques Grimes. Madam Speaker, it is with a hopeful heart that I close out my time in Congress. I thank the residents of upstate New York for their love and support and to all who have been on this journey with me.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, we all know that the past couple of years have been difficult on small businesses. COVID-19 upended life as we knew it. While America is turning a corner from the perspective of public health, the pandemic's aftershocks are still raising costs, scrambling supply chains, and disrupting labor markets. That is what I heard from folks in Cooperstown last month when I invited the SBA administrator to tour Main Street with me. That is what I heard a few days ago when I visited small businesses in Tannersville in Greene County. That is what I regularly hear from small businessowners at my townhall meetings across the district. That is why Congress should be doing everything it can to reduce burdens on small business owners. That is what my bipartisan bill, the One Stop Shop for Small Business Compliance Act, would do. In 1996, Congress passed a law requiring Federal agencies to publish easy-to-use regulation compliance guides for small businesses; a good idea that was poorly implemented. The problem is, these guides are housed on different agency websites, making it difficult for small businesses to find and utilize them. If you want to find something for OSHA, you have to go to the OSHA website. If you want to find FTC's compliance guide, you go look around at FTC.gov. These guides are scattered across countless government websites. My bill is simple, it would require the Small Business Administrator's Office of the National Ombudsman to create a centralized website that houses all Federal agency compliance guides in one place. By creating a one-stop-shop online, we make these guides more accessible for small business owners who often lack the resources to hire staff to focus on compliance issues. The platform would also list contact information for the appropriate agency staff who could provide regulatory assistance to small businesses. Small businesses are essential elements of the economic and social fabric of upstate New York. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation which will make it easier, not harder, for folks back home to run their businesses and access resources from the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne for her partnership on this bipartisan, commonsense legislation. I thank Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Luetkemeyer for their support, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). On this day 60 years ago, when concurrent compact legislation ratified by Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Congress became law, the DRBC was born. It was a seminal moment in water resource management: it marked the first time that the federal government and a consortium of states formed a regional body to establish a coordinated approach to manage a river system. The DRBC--made up of the four governors and a senior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official--work collectively to protect the basin's water quality and supply allocation, address droughts and flooding, and ensure that future generations can enjoy all that the river has to offer. The Delaware River is the longest un-dammed river in the U.S. east of the Mississippi. It provides drinking water for more than 17 million Americans. Its watershed generates $25 billion in annual economic activity and contributes $21 billion worth of ecosystem goods and services each year. It's critically important that we protect this precious resource. That's why I started the first-ever Congressional Delaware River Watershed Caucus with my colleague, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. Our caucus supports conservation efforts for the basin and raises the profile of this ecological gem and economic driver. I look forward to continuing to work with the DRBC on our shared goals, and I congratulate the Commission on 60 years of outstanding work.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, throughout the appropriations process, I have worked to secure investments for upstate families, farmers, small businesses, and veterans. I would like to highlight a few projects included in this year's funding package that will improve and empower communities all across my district. In Columbia County, more than 300 homes and businesses in the towns of Ghent, Canaan, New Lebanon, and Austerlitz will be connected to high-speed broadband. The village of Philmont Fire Department will be able to purchase 12 new air packs and replace an 81-year-old fire siren. In Delaware County folks will soon have access to quality, safe, and affordable childcare. Northern Dutchess Hospital will add 18 beds to its family birth center. These are just a few of the projects that we were able to secure. These are invaluable investments in New York-19.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, Mr. Takano, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7105. This legislation incorporates two bills I was proud to introduce. The first bill is my bipartisan Fairness for Local Veteran Cemeteries Act, an easy bipartisan fix to allow localities to honor our Nation's veterans. As the law is currently written, only State-run veteran cemeteries are eligible for the National Cemetery Administration's Veterans Cemetery Grants. This cripples counties and States that don't have State-operated veteran cemeteries, including New York, Florida, Alaska, and Oregon, where veteran cemeteries are operated by counties or county-equivalents. Our bill will ensure counties and localities can use Federal funds to help run veteran cemeteries. H.R. 7105 also incorporates my Improving Benefits for Underserved Veterans Act, which would require the VA to publish a report on veterans' benefits, disaggregating by sex or minority group member status. This is an important step in leveling the playing field for women and minority veterans. The men and women of the armed services dedicate their lives to defending our Nation and its values. I am proud to support this legislation that helps our Nation provide better care for our veterans and protect their final resting place.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today because our communities need peace of mind when drinking water from their personal wells. This is felt acutely in rural communities, where a lack of water infrastructure leads people to use wells as their main water supply. That is why I joined colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce H.R. 6053, which will give folks an easy-to-use tool through the EPA which would enable them to test their own well water. This tool will empower our communities and assure them that they are drinking water that is clean of toxic chemicals. I will keep championing work at the Federal level to hold the EPA accountable to set a safe drinking water standard, make sure PFAS is regulated under the Clean Water Act, and more. At the same time, we can make sure our communities have the tools they need to feel safe when using well water.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Chatham Police Chief Peter Volkmann, my guest for the State of the Union Address. Chief Volkmann has been a pioneer in addressing the opioid epidemic in upstate New York and founded the highly successful Chatham Cares 4 U program. Chatham Cares 4 U encourages residents struggling with the disease that is addiction to walk into the police station, turn over their drugs, and ask for help. Instead of being charged, individuals are placed into a treatment program, regardless of financial means or their insurance coverage. This highly-successful initiative has been modeled throughout our region, and I was proud to have Chief Volkmann share his success with our community at my opioid epidemic panel last year. Our work to address this urgent priority is ongoing and will require both the attention and continued cooperation of all levels of government, law enforcement, and our first responders. In that vein, I hope to hear from the President on Tuesday that he is committed to bipartisan, comprehensive solutions to address the opioid crisis in upstate New York and all across this country.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born on this day, 91 years ago. Next Monday, the Nation will pay tribute to this incredible man and his life, as well as his enduring legacy, a legacy rooted in unconditional love. In these difficult and divided times plagued by the rise of hate, I can't think of a better legacy to reflect upon as we embark upon this year. The road ahead will be difficult for our Nation, but I am encouraged by and find great hope in the following words once spoke by Dr. King: ``We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. The oceans of history are made turbulent by the ever-rising tides of hate. History is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued the self-defeating path of hate. . . . `Love is the ultimate force that makes for the saving choice of life and good against the damming choice of death and evil. Therefore, the first hope in our inventory must be the hope that love is going to have the last word.' ''

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chairwoman, I am prepared to close, and I want to use this opportunity to strengthen our defenses against these dangerous ``forever chemicals'' and protect our drinking water for generations to come. Madam Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this important bipartisan amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, today, I am pleased to offer this bipartisan amendment to strengthen this legislation aimed at addressing PFAS contamination in our communities. Right now, communities in upstate New York continue to struggle with the impacts of PFAS contamination in drinking water. Residents of Hoosick Falls and Petersburg in Rensselaer County are living every day with the impacts of PFAS contamination, which we know include thyroid disease, birth defects, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. Last year, Emily Marpe, who now lives with her family in Hoosick Falls, testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee about her experiences with contaminated water in her home in Petersburg, New York. Emily spoke about her experiences of being unable to drink the water from her faucet and having to sell her home and then test her blood as well as the blood of her children for PFOA. What Emily described is all too common in my district, and it is representative of the experiences of communities across the country. This is why PFAS has been a priority of mine and so many in this Chamber on both sides of the aisle. The PFAS Action Act is a critically important bill. My bipartisan amendment will strengthen this legislation and address another element of this crisis: indirect discharge. My amendment, which pulls from the PFAS Transparency Act, would make it illegal for an industrial facility to introduce PFAS into a sewage treatment system without first disclosing information about that substance. Right now, companies can tap into a public wastewater infrastructure and introduce PFAS into our sewage systems, regardless of the local treatment plant's ability to effectively treat the contamination. Most municipal water treatment plants are not equipped to effectively treat for PFAS contamination, which makes indirect discharges extremely hazardous, particularly when not disclosed. The PFAS Transparency Act establishes a commonsense requirement that industrial facilities disclose this information to treatment systems beforehand, meaning more transparency and accountability for our communities. I would like to take this moment to recognize my coleads on this measure, Representatives Chris Pappas and Harley Rouda. We introduced this PFAS Transparency Act alongside the bipartisan Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act of 2020, which would require the EPA to review PFAS discharges under the Clean Water Act and issue regulations to address harmful discharges of PFAS into our Nation's waterways. These bills together take important steps to increase our understanding of PFAS in wastewater and address harmful discharges in our water system, both direct and indirect. I urge this House to stand with our communities facing unthinkable consequences of PFAS contamination. Madam Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. My district, New York's 19th Congressional District, is home to nearly 5,000 farms. These are not large or corporate operations. They are small family farms passed down from one generation to the next. These family farmers across my district--dairy, organic, vegetable, and diversified farmers--are being squeezed by market consolidation, lower prices, and unfavorable conditions during this downturn in the farm economy. Today, the House has an opportunity to provide a long-overdue tool for their success--in a word, stability. The USMCA will maintain and, in some cases, increase, for our farmers, access to critical markets in Canada and Mexico. I will cast my vote to ratify this important agreement with strength and protections for American workers and organized labor, as well as facility-specific enforcement mechanisms for these new terms. I will close with a reminder. This is not a panacea. Our small farmers are facing significant headwinds, and it is our duty, as a body, to support this time-honored tradition in upstate New York and across our country.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today because tomorrow I will be holding my 33rd townhall since being sworn in, with three in each of the 11 counties making up my district. I promised my constituents that I would be transparent, accountable, and accessible. New York Congressional District 19 is nearly 8,000 square miles, larger than Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. In the past year, we spent hours in the car, driving in the rain, snow, and sleet to meet folks where they are. We have held townhalls in fire departments, schools, small businesses, and theaters, and even had crowds spilling into the hallway. When the broadband signal was strong enough, the entire conversation was streamed on Facebook Live. These open forums are essential to my work to represent our district. That is how democracy is supposed to work: civil conversations with my constituents, finding common ground, and concluding with legislation reflecting the needs of the community. Townhalls are a true highlight of my first year in office, and we are just getting started. I look forward to meeting more folks tomorrow at the Highland Middle School in Ulster.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, in September, I was named to the National Defense Authorization Act conference committee, which is tasked with reconciling differences between the House and Senate-passed defense authorization bills. In this role, I believe I would have the chance to advocate for provisions for PFAS contamination and its devastating effects, which include thyroid disease, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. The contaminant has wreaked havoc in my district, from Hoosick Falls to Petersburgh. Unfortunately, leaders in both parties ultimately opted to hijack negotiations at the eleventh hour behind closed doors and in a disturbingly undemocratic fashion. In the end, nearly every PFAS provision was stripped from the agreement. While I am pleased that my bipartisan legislation requiring PFAS chemicals to be listed on the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory was ultimately included, I am, nonetheless, deeply frustrated by an incredibly flawed process completely void of transparency. For this reason, I decided not to sign the final conference report. I expected more from this process, and I am quite certain the American people expect more from this body.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention to an urgent issue in upstate New York. Lyme and tick-borne diseases are deeply prevalent in my district, New York 19, and across the country. From 2007 to 2017, Lyme disease cases rose by 78 percent in my district. Approximately half of adult deer ticks in the State carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. We should be doing all we can to address this and invest in more effective ways to both diagnose and treat this disease. That is why this week, I, along with fellow members of the bipartisan Lyme Disease Caucus, introduced legislation to supplement congressionally appropriated funding for research with the Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act. Our bill would create a postage stamp to raise awareness about the disease and directly support medical research to treat and cure tick-borne illnesses. I urge the House to take up this legislation and move us closer to a cure.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I just want to piggyback on that, if I may, and say, with over 27,000 small businesses in my district, it is a priority of mine. As somebody who is a part of the Small Business Committee, I take very seriously the ways in which our government is able to aid and not frustrate the workings of our local economy. I would like to, once again, thank Congressman Courtney for introducing this critical legislation, and I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to support my amendment. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to first thank my colleague, Congressman Courtney, for his leadership on this bill, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. This is long overdue legislation to protect our Nation's caregivers, including nurses and physicians and many others who dedicate their lives to healing. Workplace violence is far too common in facilities that are supposed to be places of rehabilitation, treatment, and therapy. Last year the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that healthcare and social service workers were over four times as likely to suffer a serious injury from workplace violence than workers in other sectors. The legislation we are considering today would make an important improvement in workplace safety by defining workplace violence as any act or threat of force against an employee that could result in physical injury, psychological trauma, or stress and ensure that OSHA and employers develop and implement comprehensive and workplace- specific plans to prevent such violence. These plans will not only protect employees but also keep patients, visitors, and those in medical facilities out of harm's way. We all deserve to feel protected in hospitals and social service settings, and this bill would accomplish that. However, to facilitate these plans, we need to work in partnership with employers and businesses to ensure that they have the proper resources and information to comply with these protection plans. My amendment seeks to strengthen this legislation by prioritizing technical assistance for employers during the first year of the bill's implementation being enacted. This business-friendly amendment will work to ensure our employers are equipped with the tools to better protect their employees and prevent workplace violence. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our healthcare and social service facilities across the country and include my amendment to strengthen the underlying bill. Let's stand with our Nation's employees and employers to make our workplaces safer for everyone. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the nearly 5,000 farmers in my district, 96 percent of which are family-owned farms. Every time I am home, I meet with farmers about the major challenges they face today. The need to modernize and make more effective our H2A visa program is consistently flagged. That is why I am proud to support the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a historic bill that both simplifies and broadens the scope of the H2A application process. In addition to ensuring critical protections for work, the bill will finally allow dairy and other farm operations to access the H2A farm worker program, a critical priority for farmers in New York-19. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of upstate produce and vegetable growers, dairy operators, and all farmers in my district, I applaud the bipartisan work of my colleagues in negotiating this important agreement. Now let's come together and get this done.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague Representative Schneider from Illinois for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the first bill I introduced as a Member of Congress, the bipartisan Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act. This legislation which I introduced with Members from both sides of the aisle, Ranking Member Chabot, Congressman Jack Bergman, and Representative Correa, responds to the critical need to ensure that spouses of service-disabled veterans can start or continue operating a small business after the veteran's passing. The spouses, families, and loved ones of our servicemembers carry enormous burdens. Not only do they make sacrifices to support their loved ones in the military, they are integral to the transition back to civilian life. The Service-Disabled Veterans Small Business Continuation Act seeks to address one of the many burdens carried by the spouses of our military veterans. Rightfully so, both the Small Business Administration, and the VA give contracting preferences to small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. However, currently, when the veteran dies, only a small handful of spouses can retain that contracting preference. That is because this contracting preference is only given to the spouses of veterans with a 100 percent disability. Spouses of service-disabled veterans should be able to retain this preference regardless of the veteran's disability rating. This bill makes an important correction ensuring that all spouses of service-disabled veterans retain Federal contracting preference as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business no matter the severity of that veteran's injury. This will give surviving spouses the opportunity to remain competitive in the Federal contracting market and help ensure that businesses are not upended after the death of their veteran spouse. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their cooperation on this issue and commitment to the families and spouses of our veterans. Caring for our Nation's heroes should never be a partisan issue. I urge the House to support this legislation.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to put a spotlight on rural America and urge Congress to pass my bill, the Rebuild Rural America Act. Rural America is being left behind. In my district, the eighth most rural in the country, we are still fighting for broadband access and consistent cell service. With so much of the private market focusing on population density in order to achieve high returns on capital investment, many of our less populated communities are left to their own devices. Here, at the Federal level, where the public good is contemplated, we must ensure that no community is boxed out of the future. That is why I introduced the Rebuild Rural America Act, which creates the rural future partnership fund and provides $50 billion for noncompetitive, 5- year, renewable block grants to certified rural regions to implement locally developed revitalization plans. This bill helps communities that don't have the resources to navigate the complex Federal grants process to secure Federal funding for important projects, and it would move the Federal Government away from being complicated, siloed, and top-down into a more responsive and effective partner for our rural communities. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass the Rebuild Rural America Act.