Madeleine Dean

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairwoman Waters and Representative Heck for this important legislation. I am excited to stand here in support of the Export-Import Bank. It is critically important to my home State of Pennsylvania and, in particular, my home district of Montgomery County and Berks County. With over 200 total exporters in Pennsylvania, which have contributed over $4 billion in total export value from 2014 to 2019, the Export- Import Bank has helped businesses across the Commonwealth gain access to new markets, create jobs, and compete globally. That is why I am pleased to be among the original cosponsors and supporters of H.R. 4863, the United States Export Finance Agency Act, which reauthorizes the Bank for 10 years and makes critical reforms to help businesses across our Nation. In particular, this reauthorization bill increases the Bank's lending authority to $175 billion, includes a quorum fix, and enhances the Bank's environmental practices. Importantly, it also establishes an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion and an Office of Territorial Exporting, two important provisions that will help diversify the Bank's activities and our global activities. Finally, the bill has key endorsements, as the chairwoman has so eloquently listed, from various industry stakeholders, including labor and the business community. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairwoman Waters and Representative Heck for introducing this reauthorization bill, and I urge adoption of the bill.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, by abandoning our Kurdish allies in Syria, President Trump has allowed ISIS fighters to escape prison, strengthen Russia, Iran and Syria, and damaged our reputation around the world. He has also betrayed an ally that fought valiantly alongside American forces against ISIS and who lost 11,000 soldiers doing so. The Washington Post reports that American soldiers are sickened by this betrayal. One retired four-star general described the President's decision as, ``unsound, morally indefensible, and a disgrace.'' Our allies around the world are also disturbed. They watched America leave its friends vulnerable to attack. They took note as a predictable humanitarian crisis ensued. As The New York Times reports, many now see the United States as an unreliable, untrustworthy partner. The President's decision cost many lives, including the lives of children, and it will have painful consequences for generations to come. As our dear colleague, Representative Elijah Cummings, so often said to us, we are better than this, America is better than this.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, I was absent on the Floor for the vote on ordering the previous question on the Amendment and House Resolution 577. I was unavoidably detained as I was offering testimony at a Judiciary Hearing. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted in favor of the order.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule, and I thank our floor manager, my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania, Representative Scanlon, for so ably guiding this argument. Mr. Speaker, as the Speaker so eloquently stated yesterday, this is a dangerous time for our democracy. Our Founding Fathers understood the importance of whistleblowers as an integral part of the fabric of our democracy and ensuring the rule of law is upheld. The first United States whistleblower law which unanimously passed on July 30, 1778, by the Continental Congress states: ``That it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States, as well as all other the inhabitants thereof, to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge.'' The Founding Fathers understood this simple principle--that it is the duty of all patriotic Americans to not only come forward with allegations of wrongdoing but to ensure that there is a path that these allegations be brought to Congress. Mr. Speaker, what have we learned? That these principles that our Founding Fathers fought so hard to enshrine in our democracy are in jeopardy. It is our responsibility, and it is our duty to restore the faith of the public in our elections and oversight of all elected officials including and especially our President. We know that the memorandum that was released today is only a memorandum of the conversation between the President and the President of Ukraine, and it undermines the integrity of his office. The President has betrayed his oath of office and his fidelity to that oath by putting himself and his personal and political gain over national security and the rule of law. He must provide full details of the whistleblower information to Congress. He must provide a full transcript or tape of that conversation with the Ukrainian President. The public deserves it, our election security relies upon it, and the integrity of the office demands it.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, I, too, rise on the issue of suicide. Every day in America, 129 people die by suicide. Over a single year, that is more than 47,000 souls, each an irreplaceable loss. Even more troubling, suicide is on the rise among teens, vets, and law enforcement. Between 2001 and 2017, the suicide rate increased by 31 percent. That year, 2017, saw 1.4 million suicide attempts in this country. These trends have many causes, and we must get to the bottom of them, but we can start saving lives today. Congress recently passed the STOIC Act, and the President signed it into law. This bipartisan bill will fund suicide prevention programs for law enforcement, where deaths by suicide now outstrip line-of-duty deaths. Gun safety legislation will also make a difference. Firearms kill 40,000 people each year, including 60 percent to suicide. Background checks and red flag laws save lives, but the Senate and the President have refused to act. We must call out their absence of action. Our country needs them to stand up. Our own colleague, Representative Susan Wild, recently lost her partner to suicide and has bravely described its devastating effects and now lifts her strong voice so that others will not suffer the same. Madam Speaker, it is time for us to act.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1941, H.R. 1146, and H.R. 205, three bills which will prevent oil and gas leasing on our Outer Continental Shelf, in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and near Florida's Gulf Coast. In 1969, America suffered a disastrous oil spill off Santa Barbara. Two decades later, Exxon Valdez devastated Prince William Sound. In 2010, Deepwater Horizon ravaged the Gulf of Mexico. When will we learn? How much more of our coastline will have to be ruined? How many more local economies will be shattered? How many more lives will be lost? Republican and Democratic officials oppose the administration's expanded drilling plans. They know the health, environmental, and economic costs of oil spills and that those accidents occur thousands of times each year. There is no reason to take such risks, especially when we have cleaner, safer ways of producing the energy we need. I applaud Representatives Cunningham, Huffman, and Rooney for offering this legislation to protect our planet and in the spirit of Pennsylvania's Constitution, which guarantees the people the right to clean air, clean water, and the preservation of our natural aesthetic. I urge Members to support these bills. And I, too, say God bless America this day and all days.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman, Representative Maloney, for all her dedication, and I thank her for naming me to share a few remarks. I am a new Representative from Pennsylvania, neighbor to New Jersey, but I spend an awful lot of time in New Jersey, and our whole area was affected. Eighteen years ago, planes crashed into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field near Shanksville. September 11 slammed into our national consciousness and has reverberated ever since. We lost family, friends, neighbors, coworkers--losses that are immeasurable. We might have lost more, but on that day, our first responders rushed toward danger, rescued survivors, and then spent months cleaning up the wreckage. That blend of sorrow and courage was on display again in June, when first responders encouraged Congress to reauthorize the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. Detective Luis Alvarez told me: ``I'm doing okay, but there are others out there who aren't doing okay.'' Before Detective Alvarez died a few weeks later, he said: ``The government has to act like first responders . . . put politics aside and let's get this bill done.'' Ultimately, we did so--through the might and strength of Carolyn Maloney, I might add--naming our bill for him, Luis Alvarez, and other heroes. In the spirit of Detective Alvarez, let us continue to do so, working together with decency and respect. That is how we will honor those we lost; that is how we will honor those we continue to lose; and that is how we will honor all of those who continue to grieve.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, words matter. Decency matters. Recently, President Trump told four Congresswomen of color to ``go back'' to their home countries. Mr. President, they are home. Three of these Congresswomen, my colleagues, were born in the United States. The fourth, also my colleague, is a naturalized U.S. citizen. They are as American as I am, as the President is, as the First Lady is or anyone else, period. Telling people who look different to go back to where they came from is a refrain laced with hate. This rhetoric is neither new nor a surprise, but that doesn't mean we can allow it to stand. And it belies a fundamental misunderstanding of our Nation's promise, that we are all created equal and that everyone has a role to play in building a more perfect Union--not just White Americans, every American. We hereby recognize these words for what they are: offensive, hateful. And the people we represent deserve better. As a cosponsor, I believe we must call out hate wherever we see it, whether in our own houses or in the White House. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the resolution. Words matter.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, we saw heroism and selflessness, especially the first responders who rushed toward danger, rescued survivors, and then spent months cleaning up the wreckage. Their selflessness was on display again last month when first responders encouraged us, Congress, to reauthorize the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. This Congress and I were particularly touched by Detective Luis Alvarez, who traveled to Washington during the final days of his life. He said: ``I'm doing okay, but there are others out there who aren't doing okay.'' Detective Alvarez embodied the selflessness of so many. On June 29, Detective Alvarez passed away, but he will be remembered and counted among those who gave their life for us. Before he died, he said: ``The government has to act like first responders, you know, put politics aside and let's get this bill done.'' Detective Alvarez is right, and today we vote to permanently reauthorize VCF. First responders and their families must never again face uncertainty about whether their country will be there for them.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman of the committee and I also thank the designee for yielding me this time. I am pleased to introduce two amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act that deal with PFAS contamination issues. The first amendment, amendment 125, provides an additional $5 million for the nationwide Centers for Disease Control and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry PFAS health study, authorizing a total of $15 million for this critical research. We know that PFAS chemicals are linked to devastating health consequences and are present in 99 percent of Americans, but many questions remain unanswered. This study will help get the answers our constituents deserve and the solutions we need. I thank Representatives Kildee, Fitzpatrick, Upton, Pappas, Boyle, Rouda, and others for cosponsoring this amendment. The second amendment, Amendment No. 126, phases out the Department of Defense's use of AFFF firefighting foam by 2025, reducing PFAS contamination and protecting our communities. The amendment also substantially limits the Department of Defense's ability to use waivers from 6 years to 1 year. Currently, the Department of Defense can use waivers that allow the use of AFFF firefighting foam up to 2035, almost a decade longer than this phaseout provision would allow. I thank, again, Representatives Kildee and Pappas for supporting this amendment. I also thank Chairman Smith and his extraordinary staff for working with me on these critically important issues.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Nadler, Chairwoman Bass, and my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania for their efforts in moving this important legislation forward. Every day our law enforcement professionals don their uniforms, show up for work, and take on the extraordinary responsibility of keeping us safe. It is work that, too often, goes unnoticed or underappreciated, a kind of quiet heroism. But that work can also exact a very heavy toll. The Supporting and Treating Officers in Crisis, STOIC, Act responds to the growing emergency in the law enforcement community. Studies show that law enforcement officers face a wide range of stressors, including responding to violent crime, managing crisis situations, and, as 77 percent of officers report, dealing with insufficient departmental support for their mission. This stress has serious consequences. Studies indicate that 1 in 4 officers report stress-based physical health problems, and 1 in 14 meet the criteria for PTSD. Think of that: just showing up for this important work places our law enforcement professionals at increased risk for a wide range of health problems. Suicide among our law enforcement community is rising at a troubling rate, as well. The CDC reported in 2016 that the suicide rate in this community is 50 percent higher than the national average. In recent years, the number of law enforcement who have died by suicide has even surpassed the number of officers killed in the line of duty. According to Blue H.E.L.P., we lost 142 officers to suicide in 2016. Last year, that number jumped to 167 compared to 144 who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty. Officers in crisis need our support. The STOIC Act, both the Senate and the House version, will reform and expand existing grant programs to better address mental health, establish suicide prevention programs, and offer aid to officers' families. Our law enforcement officers are true public servants, and honoring their service means providing them with the support they deserve. I thank my colleague, fellow Pennsylvanian, Congressman Reschenthaler, for speaking in one voice across the aisle and across chambers. I thank him for his passion and his leadership on this bipartisan bill. It has been a pleasure to work with him and his team on an issue we both care deeply about. I look forward to our continued efforts, and I urge all Members to support the STOIC Act.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, there is a Gospel reading I like: Matthew 25: ``For I was hungry and You gave me food, I was thirsty and You gave me drink, a stranger and You welcomed me, naked and You clothed me, ill and You cared for me, in prison and You visited me.'' That spirit of welcoming and compassion is a part of what defines us as Americans. In fact, we have enshrined it in our legal code, including laws requiring safe and sanitary conditions for migrant children. Yet right now, children are imprisoned in appalling and unconscionable conditions. These children have not been welcomed in the spirit of Matthew. Instead, they are in cages, in prison without adequate food, clean clothing, clean diapers, toothbrushes, access to showers, and a comfortable place to lay their head. ``Whatever you did unto the least of these, you did unto me.'' Madam Speaker, we will be judged as a nation, as a government, and a people for our failure to look out for the least of these. May this imprisonment end.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This amendment would increase the amount of funds dedicated to financial and technical assistance for the people with disabilities through community development financial institutions, or CDFIs. People with disabilities and their families face a range of financial challenges that often go unappreciated. In particular, they encounter barriers, accessing traditional financial services, accumulating wealth, and obtaining financing to buy a home, pay for an education, start a business, or buy an accessible vehicle. Just this morning, I met with my friend and constituent Peter and his family. Peter has a disability and has all kinds of important aspirations for himself. People with disabilities also face obstacles participating in the workforce. On average, they earn less than those without disabilities. At the same time, people with disabilities face higher debt-to-income ratios and greater expenses, and they are more likely to be unbanked or underbanked. The institutions that serve people with disabilities face similar challenges, including barriers to the capital they need to build and renovate affordable housing, community facilities, and work spaces. The consequences are direct and dire. According to the National Disability Institute, roughly one in three Americans with a disability lives in poverty, more than twice the average rate. And because many people with disabilities depend on government benefits, they are often unable to save or accumulate assets. This situation should trouble us all. Thankfully, we have institutions that are well positioned to address these challenges. CDFIs serve low-income populations, including people with disabilities by providing access to affordable financial products and services. CDFIs are certified by the Department of the Treasury, and they have an impressive record of success. Increasing the amount of funds dedicated to financial and technical assistance for people with disabilities that CDFIs can be awarded would enable them to more effectively address housing, transportation, education, and the rest. Crucially, that includes low-interest loans that enable individuals with disabilities to meet their own specific needs. To be specific, the need for this funding is great. According to the National Disability Coalition, 33 CDFIs requested more than $15 million in the inaugural round of applications, that is for fiscal years 2017 and 2018. In that 2-year round, more than $5 million was awarded. My amendment would increase the total funds dedicated to these awards to $6 million, annually, up from the current $3 million. We know these programs work. In my home State of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation has helped 310 Pennsylvanians with disabilities purchase assistive technology, including hearing aids, tablets, vehicles, roll-in showers, and much more. Through access to capital, individuals with disabilities are able to make purchases that concretely change their lives. For many, CDFIs are the only way to obtain a loan, a loan that will allow them to live their life the way they choose. That is why we should be striving for a more inclusive financial system that helps everyone flourish, one that works for the benefit of all. In closing, I ask for this important, small increase that will make big differences in the lives of not only people in my State, but across the country. Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago, 49 innocent souls were gunned down at Orlando's Pulse nightclub. In my brief moment here with you, I lift up their first names and their lives. Edward, Stanley, Ramon, Christopher, Eric, Peter, Luis, Amanda, Jason, Cory, Shane, Kimberly, Eddie, Darryl, Deonka, Anthony, Jean, Luis, Oscar, Enrique, Javier, Jerald, Luis, Tevin, Alejandro, Franky, Martin, Mercedes, Xavier, Gilberto, Simon, Miguel, Joel, Juan, Luis, Juan, Jonathan, Jean, Rodolfo, Brenda, Yilmary, Angel, Frank, Paul, Leroy, Antonio, Christopher, Akyra, and Geraldo. To Senator McConnell and the other leaders, take up legislation that will save lives.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, public service is a high calling, and we should do everything we can to encourage our best and our brightest, really all, to pursue it. For me, the opportunity to serve in Congress is a privilege and the honor of a lifetime, and I know my fellow Members feel the same. Unfortunately, for too many young people, public service isn't always a realistic option. Nowhere is that surer than our broken criminal justice system. There is no question that if we are going to fix the problems that trouble our criminal justice system, we need prosecutors and public defenders of the highest caliber. Right now, students graduate law school with between $84,000 and $122,000 in debt, while jobs in prosecutor's or defender's offices pay just $56- to $58,000 a year. As a result, students who are eager to contribute their talents to work for justice to defend the rights of the vulnerable simply can't afford to. Well, we can't afford to lose them. The John R. Justice Act was designed to fix this problem by providing student loan repayment of $10,000 a year for law students who make a minimum 3-year commitment to public service. In theory, students can earn up to $60,000 in total loan repayments, making public service a far more realistic option. In reality, however, Congress has failed to properly fund the program. While the program is authorized up to $25 million a year, actual appropriations have fallen dramatically short and now sit at just under $2 million. Here are the consequences: In my home State of Pennsylvania, the Commission on Crime and Delinquency was able to fund only 38 of the 167 applicants received since 2015. That is less than 25 percent. For those individuals who were fortunate enough to receive any funding at all, the grant amounts totaled only $4,100. That is better than nothing, but for most students it is not enough to help them pay down their debt and devote themselves to public service. It is time to act. This amendment doubles the funds provided under the John R. Justice Act, thereby delivering an immediate, substantial impact. This will mean concrete help for many more students who are eager to work on behalf of the public and build a better, smarter, more compassionate criminal justice system. It also sends a signal that we in Congress aren't satisfied with mere rhetoric and that we will do what it takes to give every student a chance to serve their communities and their country. Mr. Chair, in closing, I am very pleased to put this forward in hopes that we draw more talent not just in my home State but across this country to public service in prosecutor's and public defender's offices around the Nation. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to welcome to this Chamber my close friend, Rabbi Larry Sernovitz, whom we have just heard offer us a beautiful, wise prayer. I first met Rabbi Sernovitz in Abington, in my home district, where he served Temple-Beth Am. When I was first elected to public office as a township commissioner, it was Larry, it was the rabbi, who offered a powerful benediction that evening on the importance of education, social justice, humility, and courage. Larry has been a close friend and counselor ever since. Through Larry's rabbinical work, he has lifted his devotion to community, faith, and family. Larry lives the creed, ``Love the stranger.'' As a founder of Nafshenu in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, he seeks to create a community that places people and their hopes and their dreams first. Most importantly, Larry is a dedicated husband to Rebecca and a loving, steady dad to Sam, Daniella, and Eden, who join him today. It brings me great joy to welcome my good friend Rabbi Larry Sernovitz and thank him for his wise prayer.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, Mr. LaQuita Brown, Ryan Keith Cox, Tara Welch Gallagher, Mary Louise Gayle, Alexander Mikhail Gusev, Joshua O. Hardy, Michelle ``Missy'' Langer, Richard H. Nettleton, Katherine A. Nixon, Christopher Kelly Rapp, Robert Williams, Herbert Snelling--these are the victims of Friday's mass shooting in Virginia Beach. That phrase, ``Friday's mass shooting,'' should sound bizarre, but it doesn't. This year is averaging more than one mass shooting per day in our country. How long would it take to read all of the victim's names? How long would it take to process the grief, to wrap our hearts around the scale of this tragedy? And how long will it take for our leaders to act? This year, the House passed legislation to require universal background checks and to close the Charleston loophole, but these measures have gone to the graveyard of bills that the Senate has created. Each of these reforms will save lives; none of them threatens our Second Amendment rights. I will close with the words of John Donne: Do not ask ``for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.''

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of House Resolution 354, and I ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, there are hard votes and there are easy votes. The hard votes involve competing values and difficult tradeoffs; the easy ones give us a chance to express our core American values loudly and clearly. H.R. 5 is the right vote, and I thank Representative Cicilline for his hard work and his heart in bringing this piece of justice to us. In most States, same-sex couples can be denied service in restaurants, fired from jobs, and evicted from homes with no legal recourse. In other words, they can be mistreated or discriminated against, and their government won't stand up for them. H.R. 5 will end that. This bipartisan legislation will ban discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing, employment, credit, public accommodations, and so much more. It says that we don't care who you love, but we do care that you are treated with decency and respect. This legislation takes us the next step in a long American tradition of expanding civil rights and protections. It affirms that, in this country, there is no ``us'' and ``them,'' it is just us. This is a historic day. I am proud to be a part of it. Let's cast aside old prejudices and cast a vote for justice and equality.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, one rainy afternoon during my campaign last year, I was out knocking on doors. I met a man and asked what he cared about. He paused as the rain poured down around us, and he uttered a single word, ``Decency.'' Mr. Speaker, over the last several years, we have watched as our democracy sinks to new and disturbing lows. We have seen national leaders dispense with civility and compassion and replace them with cruelty. We have witnessed a debasement of our traditions and a devaluation of goodwill. But decency, that quiet virtue, has not disappeared. If anything, we have mourned its absence because we know that decency is essential for any democracy worth wanting. Decency is that basic commitment to treat each other charitably, to try understanding each other, and to value our common humanity more than our differences. This is National Decency Day. Let us reaffirm that commitment to one another. Decency should be a starting point of all of our conversations. It should carry us through disagreements, even when things get contentious. It should guide us through the shoals of our biggest challenges, today and every day.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, this week, the Congressional PFAS Task Force, including Representatives Kildee, Tonko, and Fitzpatrick, joined me in my district to address clean water and to address PFAS water contamination. I thank them for joining me. We visited Naval Air Station Joint Base Willow Grove. Like hundreds of other military installations across the country, Willow Grove used firefighting foam with PFAS chemicals for decades. Today, polluted water continues to flow off this base and into our region's water table. PFAS is associated with serious health risks, including cancer and impaired immune system performance. The manufacturers, EPA, and DOD have known about some of the dangers for a long time. By the early 2000s, it was clear that PFAS was contaminating drinking water, yet PFAS remains in use, and EPA still has not established a maximum contaminant level. This week, I introduced H.R. 2600, the Toxic PFAS Control Act. This bill phases out PFAS by banning the manufacturing and processing of these chemicals and will require EPA to regulate its disposal. I thank Chairman Tonko for his commitment to this issue to live up to our obligation to provide clean drinking water to our families and communities.

Ms. DEAN

Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, climate change is already exacting a dramatic toll: extreme weather, unprecedented migration, and untold suffering. Meanwhile, the administration denies basic science, and President Trump wants to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement. But the American people--and the world--reject this approach. As Pope Francis has written: ``We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.'' When everyone from the Pope to the Pentagon warns us that we are in a crisis, it is clearly time to act. This week we consider H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act. This legislation will keep us in the Paris Agreement, along with more than 180 other countries; require the President to develop real emissions plans; and recommit the United States to global climate leadership. My eldest son and daughter are expecting a child, and I have a 7- year-old granddaughter. I want them to know clean air and pure water. I also want them to understand that we did everything we could to protect this wondrous planet for them and for generations to come. I thank Representative Castor for her leadership, and I urge Members to support the bill.