Antonio Delgado

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 2331, the SBA Cyber Awareness Act of 2019, which strengthens the Small Business Administration's cybersecurity infrastructure to handle and report cyber threats that affect small businesses. The Small Business Administration processes a significant amount of small business data, and protecting these businesses is essential to its mission. That is why they must protect its precious digital networks from cyberattacks. But after the massive data breach at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 75 percent of Americans are doubtful that the government can protect their personal information. With 28 million small business owners in the U.S. that provide 64 percent of new private-sector jobs, America cannot afford for small businesses to lose faith in the SBA. Today, we take an important step to restore American confidence in the SBA's cybersecurity protections and prevent the harmful results of cyberattacks. H.R. 2331 ensures that the SBA has an effective cyber strategy and requires timely reporting of cyber incidents to Congress and affected individuals. Through these measures, the SBA will better serve the American small businesses that support the U.S. economy. I thank Congressman Crow and Congressman Balderson for working so diligently to strengthen the agency we oversee and protect the Nation's small business community that utilizes its services. I ask my fellow Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, the Small Business Administration fuels the U.S. economy, and through its lending and contracting programs, helps Americans start, build, and grow small businesses, but in doing so, the agency is tasked with handling vital information. As we all know, cyberattacks are very real, and nobody, not even the Federal Government, is immune. That is why this piece of legislation, H.R. 2331, is fundamental to the health of our national cyber infrastructure as it relates to small firms. The SBA must protect its digital networks from cyberattacks and collaborate more with Congress. Modernizing the agency's IT infrastructure and implementing an effective cyber strategy is the key component of this bill. Doing so guarantees the SBA can adequately and effectively defend its digital network. This bill also requires timely reporting of cyber incidents to Congress and affected individuals in the unfortunate event of a breach. The sharing of this information allows us to collaborate with the SBA to better address vulnerabilities in the system. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2331 has bipartisan support, so I once again want to urge my colleagues to support the measure. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1649) to amend the Small Business Act to require cyber certification for small business development center counselors, and for other purposes.

Mr. DELGADO. 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 measure under consideration.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1649, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2019, which helps Small Business Development Centers, or SBDCs, become better equipped to assist small entities with their cybersecurity needs. Small businesses have increasingly become the targets of cyberattacks, and because of the complexity and cost associated with identifying, monitoring, and sharing information with appropriate agencies, only 31 percent of small firms have cybersecurity plans in place. Besides access to capital, cybersecurity is one of the main impediments to entrepreneurial success. Our committee has heard many heartbreaking stories about how it took just one attack to shutter a business. We have also heard time and time again the frustration business owners feel as they attempt to protect against ever-changing threats and navigate cyber regulations to win government contracts. This legislation ensures that our Nation's most vulnerable businesses are prepared to combat the imminent threat from cyberattacks. Leveraging the vast network of SBDCs and their expertise in assisting entrepreneurs from all over the country is a step in the right direction to provide education and training to business owners seeking to implement safeguards to their networks. Mr. Speaker, I commend Ranking Member Chabot and Congressman Evans for working together on this important issue, and I ask my fellow Members to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans).

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, cybercrime is one of the greatest risks to every business in the world. Cybercriminals have realized small entities are more exposed than larger businesses that have dedicated in-house IT personnel overseeing their systems and networks. Unfortunately, just 14 percent of small businesses have a plan in place for keeping their company secure. This is why Congress and the SBA must continue to make cybersecurity training and resources a top priority for our Nation's small firms. Through H.R. 1649, U.S. small businesses will be more prepared and better protected against cyber threats. This bill has bipartisan support and is essential to enhancing America's cyber infrastructure, by starting with the most vulnerable businesses. Our committee remains dedicated to advancing more policies to address the cyber challenges of small employers. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2345) to amend the Small Business Act to clarify the intention of Congress that the Administrator of the Small Business Administration is subject to certain requirements with respect to establishing size standards for small business concerns, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DELGADO. 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 measure under consideration.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2345, the Clarifying the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2019. The Federal Government recognizes two categories of businesses: small and other-than small. Since there is no Federal definition for ``other- than small,'' this category can encompass firms that barely exceed the SBA's small business size standards, up to the multibillion-dollar household names. To ease the transition from ``small'' to ``other-than small'' to give growing businesses a real chance at competing against some of the biggest companies in the world, we enacted the Small Business Runway Extension Act last year. By increasing the average-receipts-based calculation for SBA size standards, transitioning firms will have more time to grow and develop their competitiveness and infrastructure. However, since the Runway Extension Act became law, its interpretation and implementation have been thwarted by the agency responsible for its implementation. This conflict between law and regulation has created much confusion in the Federal contracting community. The bill before us today clearly and unequivocally states Congress' intention regarding the Runway Extension Act of 2018. It sets forth a specific date by which SBA must complete their rulemaking process while also creating a transition plan for small firms caught up in this tug of war. Mr. Speaker, I commend Representatives Stauber and Golden for collaborating to find a resolution to this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Golden).

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Stauber and Representative Golden for working together on this important bill to ensure that congressional intent is not thwarted when it comes to the adequate and prompt implementation of the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018. That law was intended to make it easier for small Federal contractors to transition into the open marketplace. The SBA has interpreted that the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018 applies to every other agency adopting its own size standard but not the SBA itself. Many small businesses and legal experts disagreed with the SBA's position, as did our committee. This bipartisan bill reiterates that the law has been effective since its enactment and requires the SBA to issue a final rule for its implementation before the end of this year. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for voting to include my amendment to the NDAA that will allow our armed services to aid small farmers across the country. Two weeks ago, the USDA released its congressional district-specific data for the ``Census of Agriculture'' and reported that in my district, New York's 19th Congressional District, 96 percent of the farms there are small family farms. During our most recent in-district work period, I visited small farms back home in Rensselaer and Montgomery Counties and learned more about their work with organizations to help veterans gain the skills needed to transition to jobs in agriculture. Today, the House passed my amendment that requires a report from certain Defense agencies on programs, policies, and practices relating to small farms, farms owned by new and beginning farmers, veteran farmers, and minority farmers in order to better understand how much the Armed Forces are working with small farms to supply commissaries and feed servicemembers. With this data, Congress and Defense agencies can work together to expand opportunity for our small family farmers. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for standing with me on this very important issue.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the end of Dairy Month, which is recognized throughout June. I also rise to highlight the USDA's new Dairy Margin Coverage program, which is enrolling farmers right now. My district in upstate New York is home to hundreds of dairy farmers, and way too many are struggling to survive with years of plummeting milk prices. Now at the mercy of not just a complex pricing system, but also trade wars, our farmers need real support. I encourage all dairy farmers in New York's 19th Congressional District to begin making coverage decisions. The Dairy Margin Coverage program is retroactive until the beginning of the year, with applicable payments following soon after enrollment. As dairy farmers continue to face low prices and increased market consolidation, I hope this program will provide much-needed support during this challenging farm economy. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I am deeply committed to supporting our dairy farmers, and I will be closely following implementation of the Dairy Margin Coverage program. I will continue fighting to give our farmers the support and the certainty they need.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Mr. Speaker, as we work through this year's appropriations package, I want to thank my colleagues for passing my amendment to fix our broken broadband mapping system. Access to broadband is a timely and urgent need in my district, and if we don't address how we map and evaluate who has high-speed Internet, small business owners, students, and farmers will be left behind. The FCC's recent Broadband Deployment Report states that more than 21 million Americans lack access to high-speed internet, but everyone in this body and back home knows there are many more out there. The issue is that we evaluate broadband coverage based on census- block mapping. In other words, if one house on one block can purchase coverage, the whole block is deemed ``served.'' We will never close the digital divide relying on bad data. My amendment prevents the National Telecommunications and Information Administration from relying solely on census-block data for broadband availability maps. Bad data yields bad maps, and this critical amendment will put an end to it. I thank my colleagues for joining me in support of this crucial amendment.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. At its core, Juneteenth is a bittersweet celebration of deferred liberation. While the Civil War ended at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, it took more than two months for word of General Robert E. Lee's surrender to reach Texas. When General Gordon Granger, stationed in Galveston, heard the news on June 19th, he issued a proclamation that announced the freedom of 250,000 slaves in the state. By that time, more than two and a half years had passed since the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863. Speaking at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln had prophesized that the Civil War would bring a new birth of freedom to America. However, for the quarter of a million slaves in Texas that freedom would come much later. And for millions of black Americans, the end of slavery meant new forms of oppressive labor practices, racial violence, police brutality, and the Jim Crow era. While there have been tremendous strides for racial equality in the last 70 years including Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act, affirmative action, and the election of our first black president, we know that we have a long way to go. We must continue to uphold our enduring commitment to equality and strive for a more just society for people of all creeds and colors. On Juneteenth, we remember the untold millions who suffered the horrors of slavery and celebrate the liberation of a people. We do so while keeping our eyes toward tomorrow, knowing that our best days as a nation are still ahead of us.

Mr. DELGADO

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

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, upstate New York and communities across the country are experiencing an unprecedented increase in Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases. At all 14 of the townhalls that I have held in my district this term, folks asked me what Congress is doing about Lyme disease. Today, I am offering an amendment to better understand and prevent this disease. The amendment adds $1 million in critical CDC funding for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease. This package of appropriations bills makes critical investments in our priorities. But as temperatures rise and families spend more time outside, we must invest more in treating and preventing Lyme. Lyme disease is a devastating disease that can often go undetected as it travels through ticks, tiny bugs that reside in dense forests and rural areas, areas found all across my district in upstate New York. While most Lyme disease patients who are diagnosed and treated early can fully recover, 10 to 20 percent of patients suffer from persistent symptoms, which, for some, are chronic and disabling. These numbers are even more startling as we consider that, over the last 25 years, Lyme disease has increased by over 300 percent in the northeastern States. In 2017, there were 3,502 confirmed cases of tick- borne Lyme in New York State alone. Madam Chair, I have 5-year-old twin boys. Whenever I do bath time, I have to check for ticks. There have been a few scary moments where I have actually had to pull ticks off my little boys. It is a frightening experience. Parents, myself included, are sending their children into their backyard or local park with fears that they can return with a chronic lifelong and potentially disabling disease. But this is just not a medical or moral issue. Lyme disease is costing our economy. How much money are the American people spending on this disease as we still know so little about it? Studies indicate that Lyme disease costs approximately $1.3 billion each year in direct medical costs alone in the United States. The American people are spending $1.3 billion on the symptoms of a disease rather than investing in medical research to treat and prevent it. This figure doesn't even address the opportunity cost of failing to act to address Lyme disease in our communities. How will our local economy attract tourists when people can get sick? What is the cost of keeping children cooped up inside rather than enjoying the outdoors for fear of tick-borne illnesses? Upstate New Yorkers and communities struggling with tick populations need medical solutions now to stop this disease in its tracks. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases are crucial to prevent long-term complications. Today, available diagnostic tests can be inaccurate and complex to interpret, especially during the earliest stage of infection when treatment is most effective. My amendment offers trying to better understand the disease and allowing for research to develop a more effective treatment of the disease. Unlike in other infectious disease settings, tests to directly measure the presence of the infecting organism are not available for Lyme disease. This leaves physicians without the tools needed to diagnose; and without an accurate diagnosis, it is challenging for physicians to provide early treatment. The disease requires specialized treatments, which requires real investments in research to better manage and prevent the disease. Madam Chair, the time to invest is now. Indeed, the National Science Foundation has declared that Lyme disease is an emerging global pandemic due to climate change. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DELGADO

Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, I rise today because we must listen to our children. Our children are calling out for us to take action to address the epidemic of gun violence, which has spread to traditionally safe places like schools, concert halls, movie theaters, and places of worship. Our children are growing up under the constant paranoia of gun violence. Try, if you can, to imagine the depth of their fear and anxiety. Nowhere is safe. Last week, I visited seven schools in my district and spoke with students who fear for their safety and stress over our inability to take action on gun violence. We are not even halfway through 2019, and there have already been 13 school shootings. Is there any mystery behind the student walkouts we experienced last year in response to gun violence? I was proud to support H.R. 8, back in March, in order to achieve long-overdue universal background checks, a baseline measure to address gun violence. Now the Senate must act. I implore my colleagues in the Senate to hear the young people of our country calling for change and to pass H.R. 8. The time is now.