Anna Eshoo

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Claire Cullen Earley, a San Carlos, California resident, who died on March 28, 2021, Palm Sunday, at the age of 85. Claire Cullen was born on May 29, 1935, in Larchmont, New York, to Colonel William Joseph Cullen and Alice Cunningham Cullen. She was raised in Larchmont and Manhattan and earned a degree in Mathematics from Rosemont College. She worked as a computer programmer at Union Carbide in New York City where she met and later married Martin Vincent Earley. In 1971 they moved to San Carlos, where she began her lifelong commitment to her community. Claire Earley was the former President of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors, Director of the California Association of Realtors, a member of St. Charles Church in San Carlos and the San Carlos Rotary Club. She was predeceased by her husband Martin and her parents. She leaves her four beloved sons and their wives, and 11 adored grandchildren. She will be sorely missed by each of them as well as the many people who were blessed by her loyalty and generosity. I was blessed with her friendship for almost five decades. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in expressing our condolences to the family and friends of Claire Earley. She was a woman of great faith, a force of nature and always a force for good. We are a better community because of her and a stronger country.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, March 23, 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of Congressional passage of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, which extended the right to vote to 18-20-year-olds. This bipartisan amendment was the culmination of young activists of all political parties and backgrounds coming together to fight for their democratic right. It was reported that some in Washington called the effort a ``children's crusade.'' But those naysayers quickly learned one of Washington's most important lessons: never doubt America's youth. With the proud support of California's former Members of Congress Don Edwards, Jerry Waldie, Pete McCloskey, Ab Mikva and others, the Amendment passed the House 401-19, after Senate approval by a 94-0 vote, and gave more than 10 million 18-to-20-year-olds the right to vote. Since then, youth activism has remained a driving force to address our nation's biggest issues. The global climate crisis, gun violence and police brutality have sparked worldwide movements for change led by young organizers. Half a century after Congress passed the 26th Amendment, young voters face many roadblocks to registering to vote and actually being able to cast their ballots. Many young Americans aren't educated on how to vote or register to vote, face challenges to voting absentee while studying away from home, and face the burden of having to go to class or work on Election Day. For young people of color, the challenges are even greater, as the overcriminalization of youth leads to adult felony convictions that bar them from voting in many states, fees that must be paid before voting, and arrests for low-level offenses that deter potential voters from showing up to the voting booth. H.R. 1, the For The People Act, which the House passed this month, would strengthen the 26th Amendment by requiring online voter registration, making absentee ballots more accessible, sending federal funds for colleges and universities to appoint a ``campus vote coordinator'' to educate students on how they can vote and improve voter participation on campus, and ensure formerly incarcerated individuals have their right to vote restored when they reenter society. The bill also allows 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote, engaging future voters at a young age to encourage higher participation in the future. America's youth are ambassadors to our future. March 23rd is an anniversary to celebrate extraordinary progress made by visionaries whose shoulders we stand on today.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, Women's History Month is a time to appreciate the achievements of women and the many strides we've made to create a more equal society and an inclusive world for our children. Women's History Month began as a designated week in California in 1978. It soon became a week nationwide, and a decade later it was expanded to include the entire month of March. Women have had to fight for voting rights, equal treatment, equal pay, and much more, often at great costs, but we have achieved so much. In the 1970s, women were not allowed to get credit or loans in their own name. Today, women make up the majority of the college-educated workforce. Because of the actions and sacrifices of those who came before us, the new Congress has 144 women serving in it, the highest number in American history and we have the first female Vice President in our history. While much has been accomplished, there's so much more to be done. We must reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, secure equal pay, tackle maternal mortality rates, stop the relentless attacks on reproductive health, and guarantee paid family leave. The pandemic has had a devastating and disproportionate impact on women. In September of 2020, more than a million Americans left the workforce, with 80 percent being women. Three months later, 140,000 jobs of women were lost. To all the women who are struggling during this pandemic, I see them. I stand with them and I will fight for them always.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I voted with great pride for the Violence Against Women Act when it originally passed the House in 1994. Since then we have made great strides to end gendered violence, but our work is not done. This reauthorization supports critical efforts to end the scourge of violent acts committed against women by bolstering resources for survivors, strengthening healthcare for survivors, improving conditions for women in custody, closing the law enforcement consent loophole, and much more. We are debating this bill during a particularly difficult time for women because the pandemic has forced victims to be home with their abusers. This reality underscores the urgency with which Congress must act by fully funding and reauthorizing VAWA.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 134, Condemning the military coup that took place on February 1, 2021, in Burma and the Burmese military detention of civilian leaders, calling for the release of all those detained and for those elected to serve in Parliament to resume their duties, and for other purposes. I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of this important resolution. On February 1st the Burmese military shocked the world when it launched a coup against the democratically elected government of State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi, declared a national state of emergency, and arrested civilian members of the government. Since the coup, chaos has gripped the country. The military shut down the internet and imposed martial law. The Burmese people, insistent that their country continue down the path toward democracy, have taken to the streets to protest the military's actions, and the military has responded by killing at least 200 civilians, including more than 60 on Sunday, March 14th, and arresting thousands. As the oldest democracy in the world, the United States must clearly and unequivocally condemn the Burmese military's brutal and authoritarian crackdown and violence against its own people. Burma has made significant progress in transitioning toward democracy in recent years, and it is heartbreaking to see this progress squandered in the blink of an eye. I echo President Biden's call for the Burmese military to immediately relinquish power, release detained officials, and refrain from using violence against peaceful protesters. I also support President Biden's decision to impose sanctions on military leaders in Burma and freeze $1 billion of their assets that are held in the U.S., denying them access to these funds. This resolution not only condemns the Burmese military, it sends a powerful message that the House of Representatives, the people's house in the United States Congress, stands firmly behind the courageous people of Burma as they struggle to wrest democracy and freedom from the hands of their authoritarian and corrupt military. I'm proud to support this resolution and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I'm proud to support H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act to ensure that millions of young Americans can remain in the only country they've ever known and loved. The bill provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, young people who came to the U.S. as children without legal status. It provides conditional legal status for ten years to those with a high school diploma or equivalent credential, and they must pay a fee and pass a background check. They can also earn permanent legal status if they attend college, work lawfully, or serve in the military. I supported President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which provided temporary legal status and work permits to over 650,000 young people, but only Congress can provide permanent legal status and a pathway to citizenship through statute. After putting their faith in the government when they registered for DACA and enduring the Trump Administration's three-year legal battle to end this program, these young people deserve the certainty of a permanent solution. The American Dream and Promise Act also provides permanent legal status to recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), programs that provide temporary legal status to immigrants from countries experiencing war, natural disasters, or other ongoing crises. Many of the individuals I've described are longtime U.S. residents who contribute to their communities and our economy and are Americans in all but name. Our legislation provides them with an earned pathway to citizenship so they can be legally recognized as full members of society and no longer live in fear of deportation. They deserve this, and I urge all Members to support the American Dream and Promise Act.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the very well-lived life of Malcolm Hardy Dudley who died on February 10, 2021 at home in Atherton, California, with his wife of 67 years, Cosette. He was born in Santa Cruz, California, to Allen Mason Dudley and Gladys Alda Hardy Dudley. Malcolm Dudley was a graduate of the University of California, Davis, and studied at the London School of Economics. He served his country in the U.S. Navy for three years on active duty and for another three years as a communications officer for the U.S. Naval Command Europe. He retired from the Naval Reserves as a captain in 1982. Malcolm Dudley's life was full and varied and he has been described as affable, cheerful, and relaxed, traits he combined with tremendous energy and efficiency. He began his career as a financial advisor in 1962 and retired in 2017, two weeks before his 85th birthday. He had a great interest in the environment and traffic congestion which led to his interest in local government. He served on the Atherton City Council for 24 years, six of them as Mayor. He was a champion of public transportation and he was known as the resident guru on regional transportation issues. Malcolm had a passion for boating and water-skiied on Lake Tahoe, often sailing his 70-foot motor cruiser up the Pacific coast to Washington and Canada. He loved music and played jazz saxophone, and had a popular dance band in the 50's, and played with the Unicorns swing band until this year. Malcolm leaves his wife Cosette and his daughters, Lynette Stebin and Virginia Rock, two grandchildren and countless friends, all of whom benefitted from his generosity and kindness. I consider myself privileged to have been among his wide group of friends. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life of Malcolm Dudley, a great and good man who was a true patriot, and in extending our condolences to his wife and his entire family. His was a life well-lived, one filled with generosity, public service and care for others. He bettered our community and strengthened our country.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present during rollcall vote No. 76. On rollcall vote No. 76, I would have voted no.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a comprehensive bill to address systemic racism in law enforcement. Today's legislation is named for George Floyd, whose senseless death at the hands of a police officer shocked the conscience of millions of Americans and sparked a long-overdue reckoning on race in America and a movement demanding racial justice. Congress has heard this call for justice, and in response, Congresswoman Karen Bass and the Congressional Black Caucus have written this critical legislation to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement, and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act takes these challenges head on by banning chokeholds, mandating racial bias training, ending qualified immunity, restricting the sale of military-grade weapons to local police departments, and establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry. While the inequities in our criminal justice system are immense, this legislation is a bold step to address systemic racism in law enforcement, and the time has come to make these reforms the law of the land.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. H.R. 1, For the People Act, is one of the most important bills Congress can consider because it strengthens and reforms our democracy at a time in history when it is especially fragile. This sweeping legislation is divided into three sections: voting, campaign finance, and ethics. Its numerous provisions expand voting rights, diminish the corrosive influence of money in politics, and bolster ethics and transparency to ensure government works for the people. Voting is a fundamental right in a democracy, and H.R. 1 will expand voter rolls by requiring every state to adopt automatic and same-day voter registration, just as California has. The bill ends partisan gerrymandering by requiring states to adopt independent redistricting commissions and makes it easier to vote by expanding early voting and allowing every American to vote by mail, just as millions did last November during the pandemic. H.R. 1 reforms our campaign finance system to address the disastrous Citizens United decision that opened the floodgates to unlimited contributions from anonymous donors. The legislation establishes a public Fair Elections Fund to match small dollar donations, strengthens Federal Election Commission (FEC) oversight of Super PACs, and requires ``dark money'' independent expenditure groups to disclose their donors just as candidates and Super PACs must do. Lastly, the bill holds public officials accountable by closing lobbyist registration loopholes, strengthens conflict of interest rules, and empowers the Office of Government Ethics to better enforce ethics laws. I'm very proud that H.R. 1 includes two major provisions I authored. The bill includes my Presidential Tax Transparency Act which requires the president and vice president to publicly release their tax returns annually. It also requires major party candidates for both offices to release ten prior years of tax returns within 15 days of accepting their party's nomination. Tax returns contain vital information such as whether a candidate has paid any taxes; what assets they own; if they've borrowed money and from whom; whether they've taken advantage of tax loopholes and offshore tax shelters; and whether they have foreign bank accounts. The disclosure of a presidential candidate 's tax returns is particularly important because the American people should be able to vet their finances before the election. For decades, presidents and presidential candidates voluntarily released their tax returns. I introduced the Presidential Tax Transparency Act in 2016 when this bipartisan tradition was abandoned and it became clear that we could no longer rely on voluntary disclosure. Presidential candidates must be held to the highest standards of transparency to ensure confidence that they will work solely for the interests of the American people, not their own financial gain. I'm also pleased that H.R. 1 establishes Election Day as a federal holiday. I've introduced similar legislation with Rep. Donald McEachin in the past three Congresses to give Americans the time off they need to vote and participate in our democracy. U.S. voter turnout in 2020 was the highest in over a century, but it consistently lags behind turnout in other established democracies, many of which vote on a weekend or holiday. While there are many factors that influence voter turnout, making Election Day a federal holiday will make voting easier and give Americans an opportunity to celebrate the importance of civic engagement and participation in the proud American tradition of self- governance. H.R. 1 includes all of these important reforms and many others, and I'm proud to vote in favor of this critical legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Santa Cruz County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) which recently celebrated sixteen years of service to our community since its founding in 2005. After the terrible events of 9/11 and the anthrax attacks that followed soon after, MRC units were formed to organize, train, and equip local volunteers to assist public health agencies and the medical community in emergency preparedness and response to all-hazards incidents. Santa Cruz County MRC volunteers have responded with vigor and effectiveness to numerous incidents, including disease outbreaks, catastrophic wildfires, floods, power outages, and today's COVID-19 pandemic. MRC volunteers have assisted with case investigations, contact tracing, infection prevention, sheltering of the homeless, the CZU fire evacuation and sheltering of those needing a place to live. As vaccine has become available, MRC volunteers have been on the frontlines of vaccinating disabled homebound elders and supporting mass vaccination clinics. The contributions of medical volunteers have helped public health build the community's resilience and its ability to respond to future disasters. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the Santa Cruz County Medical Reserve Corps. They have strengthened our community and set an example for other volunteer organizations to emulate. I thank them and I ask my colleagues to do so also. Their work is exemplary and they are bright stars in the firmament of the 18th Congressional District.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today on my own behalf and on behalf of Representative Tim Walberg to honor the nine retired Adrian Dominican Sisters who lived together at the Motherhouse in Adrian, Michigan, and lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2021. Those who dedicated their lives to serving others were Sister Dorothea Gamlich, O.P.; Sister Helen Laier, O.P.; Sister Jeannine Therese McGorray, O.P.; Sister Esther Ortega, O.P.; Sister Mary Lisa Rieman, O.P.; Sister Ann Rena Shinkey, O.P.; Sister Margaret Ann Swallow, O.P.; and Sister Mary Irene Wischmeyer, O.P. They strongly adhered to masking and social distancing, yet the devastating disease found them at their serene compound 75 miles from Detroit. Three Adrian Dominicans work at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, California, which provides vital health services to many residents of my Congressional District. They are Sister Rita Eileen Dean, O.P.; Sister Adrienne Piennette, O.P.; and Sister Judy Silva, O.P., all extraordinary contributors to the hospital and considered great blessings by hospital administrators. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to honor the memory of these holy women, Dominican Sisters, who lost their lives to the pandemic, and honor and thank those who continue to serve at Dominican Hospital. These good and great women of faith make our country stronger and better.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a giant among journalists, Dr. Michael Krasny. For nearly three decades he has hosted the highly acclaimed Forum (KQED) and is retiring on February 12, 2021, to pursue other interests, including writing and grandparenting. Michael Krasny earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Ohio University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. Since 1983 he has worked in broadcast journalism, first with ABC, and in 1993 began his career in public broadcasting. Michael Krasny has shared his vast knowledge as a teacher at San Francisco State, Stanford University, the University of California and the Fulbright International Institutes. He conducts interviews for City Arts and Lectures, and has written many books, including Off Mike: A Memoir of Talk Radio and Literary Life; Spiritual Envy; Sound Ideas, and Let There Be Laughter. Dr. Krasny has been honored for his outstanding work and is the recipient of the Y.Y. Agnon Medal for Intellectual Achievement; the Eugene Block Award for Human Rights Journalism; the James Madison Freedom of Information Award; the Excellence in Journalism Award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Society; the Career Achievement Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and an award from the Radio and Television News Directors Association. Michael Krasny is described by Holly Kernan, KQED's Chief Content Officer, as a Bay Area jewel. She said: ``His is a model public service career and he has brought depth, compassion and the expertise of a literature professor to the airwaves on a daily basis.'' Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring this stellar broadcaster, author and academic, Michael Krasny, Ph.D. who has enhanced the lives of countless people by informing, examining and educating us. We are a stronger community and a better country because of his extraordinary work.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my dear friend and colleague in public service, Katherine Strehl. Katherine was born in Oakland, California on October 4, 1944, to Elizabeth Williams Strehl Kerley while her father was serving overseas during World War II. Her stepfather, Bob Kerley, UC Berkeley Vice Chancellor for Administration and Student Affairs, was an important part of her life and a mentor to her. Katherine died at her home in Menlo Park, California on January 24, 2021. She was 76 years old. Katherine was a graduate of Skyline High School and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UC Berkeley. She earned a master's degree from Stanford University and completed the coursework for a Ph.D. in communications research. She was a 1979 graduate of the Coro Women's Program in leadership development. Katherine had a successful 40-year career in public affairs, and received Santa Clara County's 1994 Women of Achievement Award. She was known for her commitment to collaboration between business, government and community. She served as the Manager of Community Affairs and Public Policy at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, and was Executive Manager of External Affairs at BART, then managed public outreach for the California Transportation Commission. She served on the Commonwealth Club's Silicon Valley Advisory Board, and on many Menlo Park commissions, most recently the Planning Commission. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in expressing our deepest condolences to Katherine's beloved husband of 22 years, Bill Dempsey, and to her family and wide circle of friends. She was a warm, loving, smart and accomplished woman, and we will miss her dearly.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, the Budget Resolution before the House is the first step toward providing urgently needed relief for the American people, as our Nation struggles to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our economy. The need for Congress to act is both great and urgent. We're in a race against death, with over 450,000 fellow Americans lost to COVID- 19. Our failure to defeat the virus has dragged our economy down, with more than 18 million Americans currently unemployed and scheduled to lose their unemployment insurance in six weeks if Congress does not act. House Concurrent Resolution 11 allows Congress to quickly pass a bold $1.9 trillion relief bill to defeat the virus, support workers and small businesses, and help families until the economy can reopen. President Biden's American Rescue Plan includes $20 billion for a national vaccination strategy to increase supply and vaccination sites; $50 billion to scale up testing through the purchasing of rapid tests and expanded lab capacity; and $3 billion in innovative COVID-19 treatments. While we have effective vaccines to prevent people from getting COVID-19, we do not yet have accessible medicines to treat people who are sick with the disease. This plan funds research and large-scale clinical trials needed to develop therapeutics such as antivirals and antibodies to help people recover from COVID-19. The American Rescue Plan will also extend increased unemployment insurance for laid-off workers and provide resources for state and local governments to preserve the jobs of essential public workers fighting on the frontlines against this pandemic. These are the right policies at the right time. House Concurrent Resolution 11, the Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2021, allows Congress to provide pandemic relief through reconciliation, a procedure that allows the Senate to bypass the filibuster and pass this legislation with a simple majority vote. The American people simply want Congress to help them survive this pandemic and defeat the virus. This resolution is a major step in making good on our promise to provide bold, urgent, and necessary support to those who have been hit the hardest by the pandemic and to address our cascading economy, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring Wikipedia on the 20th anniversary of its founding on January 15, 2001. The organization has developed a flourishing, free, and accessible home for the world's knowledge and has become an indispensable part of our lives. While encyclopedias have long relied on a small number of academics and experts to write and update information, Wikipedia leverages a voluntary, community-based approach that has allowed the product to expand to cover an extraordinary array of topics that has worldwide scale, well beyond what all previous encyclopedias could cover, combined. To date, Wikipedians have created an astonishing 175 million pages that are visited by two billion unique devices per month. The world-class team of people . . . employees and volunteers that administer Wikipedia, are a major reason why the project has been such a success, and I'm proud that many of my constituents are part of this group. Wikipedia's success is also due to the fact that it is managed by a values-driven nonprofit organization, the Wikimedia Foundation. Wikipedia is a large part of the reason we all have the world's information at our fingertips and it's a privilege to congratulate Wikipedia on celebrating 20 years of informing the world.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of a distinguished American and a brother-friend, Adolph Floyd Gonella, Ph.D., who was born on November 1, 1933 in San Mateo County, California, and passed away on January 4, 2021, at the age of 87. Floyd Gonella was the son of Amedeo and Margherita Gonella who were immigrants from Italy. His father was a farmer who raised cabbage and artichokes. Floyd's family lived humbly and he learned from them the value of hard work and service to others. He experienced anti-Italian discrimination during World War II when they were declared enemy aliens and placed under curfew as residents of a coastal county. This contributed to his empathy and passion for helping the disadvantaged among us. Dr. Gonella earned his degree in education and several teaching certificates from San Francisco State where he was a star football player, and he earned a doctorate in education at the University of California, Berkeley. His distinguished career included service as an adjunct professor at Santa Clara University, and as Superintendent of the Jefferson Union High School District. He went on to be elected to three 4-year terms as the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools and was considered `Mr. Education' by everyone. Dr. Gonella retired as County Superintendent of Schools in 2003 and stepped up to become Superintendent of East Palo Alto's bankrupt Ravenswood City School District. Working with city, school and community leaders he revitalized the district and brought it to fiscal and educational health. He then went on to the dysfunctional Vallejo City Unified School District where he and Superintendent Rick Damelio were successful in rescuing the district. In addition to assisting poorly performing school districts, Dr. Gonella and his wife, Margaret, created the Daly City Youth Health Center which has been providing services to low-income teens for thirty years. Dr. Gonella earned many awards, including Coach of the Year in 1962 and the Fred Kiesel Distinguished Service Award. He served on the California Advisory Council on School Restructuring and was named Outstanding Alumnus by the San Francisco State Education Department. For three decades he served as Team Chair of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, frequently traveling to various Asian countries to accredit schools. He also led the Daly City Chamber of Commerce in an extensive membership drive. Dr. Gonella gave generously of his time and considerable talents to the San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council, the Criminal Justice Council, the San Mateo County AIDS Program Community Advisory Committee, the Junior Statesmen Foundation, the First 5 Commission, and the American Heart Association. In 2003, the County Office of Education honored him by naming its offices the Floyd Gonella Education Center. Floyd Gonella was a decades-long friend and trusted advisor to me and beloved by my entire family. His compassion and care for those less privileged were a source of inspiration to all who had the good fortune to know him, and his expertise as an educator was unparalleled. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him, worked with him, and called him friend. He leaves his wife, Margaret Taylor; his daughter, Michelle Gonella; his son, Michael Gonella (Chelsea) and grandsons, Nick and Alex; and his son, Stephen. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in expressing our condolences to Margaret Taylor and the entire Gonella family. Floyd Gonella lived a purposeful life, transforming the lives of countless students who he had great faith in. He made our community a better place to live in and learn, and he strengthened our country with his countless contributions.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, future generations are not going to know the names of each Member in the Chamber today and voting, but they will know what we did and why. We must impeach the President because he incited the mob that attacked the Capitol of the United States, the tabernacle of our democracy. He is incapable of honoring his oath and our Constitution, and he has proven to be unfit and dangerous. I will vote to impeach this traitor to our country.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 8, which establishes House rules for the 117th Congress. This package contains many strong reforms I support, including ones that prioritize ethics and accountability, promote diversity and inclusion, and embrace technology, including a provision I requested that expands machine- readability of House documents. On October 1, 2020, I testified at the Rules Committee about the need for the House to continue the progress we've made in expanding what legislative materials and House documents are available in machine- readable formats. Today, bills and resolutions are posted to congress.gov in a machine-readable format, however, materials for markups are posted online as PDFs, and sometimes they are not even searchable PDFs. Why does this matter? If we receive amendments in the nature of a substitute 24 hours before marking up lengthy bills, we cannot compare amendments to original bills without manually reading documents line- by-line or investing in expensive software. This is also prohibitive to public interest groups, stakeholders, and members of the public that wish to follow the legislative process. With machine-readable formats, Members, staff, and any interested party can easily analyze amendments and any other House document. I'm pleased to see that Section 3(j) directs the Committee on House Administration, the Clerk, and relevant House offices to take further steps to publish House documents in machine-readable formats and enabling staff to create comparative prints. This is critical for Members wishing to analyze legislation before us, but the move is just as important for the sake of public transparency. Public interest groups that advocate for government transparency have long called for all government documents to be available in machine readable formats because it enables informed analysis and engagement. I thank Chairman McGovern for including my suggestion in the proposed House rules package for the 117th Congress that we are considering today, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today on my own behalf and on behalf of Representatives Zoe Lofgren, Jackie Speier, Jimmy Panetta, Eric Swalwell, Ro Khanna, Jerry McNerney and Jared Huffman to honor the extraordinary leadership of Thomas ``Tony'' Fitzgerald, III, as he retires from his position as the Director of the Veteran Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (PAVAHCS), an office that he assumed on June 25, 2017. He ably filled the enormous shoes left by former Director Lisa Freeman, and oversaw the delivery of health care to more than 93,000 veterans at the VA's Palo Alto facility. The PAVAHCS serves eleven Congressional Districts and ten counties, and has three inpatient facilities in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Livermore, and outpatient facilities in seven other cities. Mr. Fitzgerald earned his Bachelor's degree from American InterContinental University, and is a graduate of the Leadership VA program, and a member of the American Hospital Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Mr. Fitzgerald served his country throughout his long and productive career. He was a medical non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army for 16 years, and began his career with the VA in 1988 as a psychiatric nursing assistant in Chicago. Throughout his career he has been an ardent advocate for Veterans, their families and staff. He earned increasingly responsible positions with the VA and he moved to California and began his service with VA Northern California in 2000. Tony Fitzgerald's accomplishments while at PAVAHCS make a very long list. Among some of the highlights are increased Veteran trust scores; high patient satisfaction scores; approval for an additional Fisher House; robust union partnerships; the hiring of 1,080 new employees in fiscal year 2020; and oversight of the largest construction portfolio in VHA's history ($2.6B). Mr. Fitzgerald has earned many honors including the Top Environmental Excellence Award and the Secretary of VA Alternative Dispute Resolution Award. Madam Speaker, we ask the entire House of Representatives to join us in thanking Tony Fitzgerald for his extraordinary service to our country, and in wishing him every blessing in his well-earned retirement.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 that funds our government and provides desperately needed relief to American families. I'm proud to support many of the provisions in this legislation, understanding that no compromise is perfect. Frontline workers, including public health workers, firefighters, and other essential workers employed by state and local governments continue to need our support. The bill before us today provides a lifeline to those who are struggling from the COVID-19 pandemic and the recession it has caused. It extends critical programs first authorized by the CARES Act including $300 per week in additional unemployment benefits, a second round of direct payments of up to $600, $284 billion for additional small business loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, and $13 billion in nutrition assistance for Americans facing hunger. It also provides $25 billion to help renters pay their rent and stay in their homes. I'm deeply disappointed that the Administration and the Senate Majority Leader would not allow restaurants and their workers to receive our help. With over 300 bipartisan cosponsors on the RESTAURANT Act, these businesses and their workers should have been in this legislation. In addition to pandemic relief, the bill funds the government through the remainder of the fiscal year, avoiding a costly government shutdown before the holidays, and invests in critical priorities, including clean energy, affordable housing, public schools, and broadband. I'm proud to have secured $100 million for the electrification of Caltrain, $8.9 million for environmental conservation of the San Francisco Bay, $33 million for construction of the Linac Coherent Light Source upgrade (LCLS-II) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and $85.2 million for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) at NASA Ames. Our country is in the midst of the worst public health crisis in a century, and I'm proud to say that the Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, which I have had the privilege to lead, have stepped up to the challenge by securing provisions that include the following: Provide billions to ensure the free, timely, and equitable distribution of safe, effective vaccines and more resources for a national testing strategy: End surprise medical billing. No patient will face an unexpected, expensive bill just because they are caught in a web of providers. Assist doctors and public and rural hospitals survive the pandemic by stopping planned Medicare and Medicaid cuts. Provide three years of funding for critical public health programs including Community Health Centers, Teaching Health Centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the special diabetes programs. Restore Medicaid coverage for the citizens of the freely associated states living in the U.S., to whom America has for too long abandoned its commitments to. Improve Medicare coverage for beneficiaries across the country by simplifying Part B enrollment; permanently authorizing the use of telehealth for mental health care; eliminating cost-sharing for colorectal cancer screenings; and extending coverage for immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients. I'm especially proud to have co-led and championed the immunosuppressive drug coverage legislation to correct a short-sighted coverage policy which will save 375 kidney transplants each year. This provision appears in Section 402 of Division CC and is based on H.R. 5534, the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2019. Improve the Medicaid program by expanding access to certified community behavioral health clinics; eliminate spousal impoverishment for partners of Medicaid beneficiaries receiving home and community- based services; and continuing the Money Follows the Person rebalancing demonstration which makes it possible for people on Medicaid to transition to a safer home or community-based environment and still maintain Medicaid funding. Lower health care costs by strengthening parity in mental health and substance use disorder benefits; removing gag clauses on health price and quality information; ending a loophole that allowed drugs for opioid use disorder to benefit from the orphan drug designation; and making it easier for biosimilar products to come to market by increasing patent and exclusivity transparency. This final provision appears in Section 325 of Division BB, and it is a bill I'm proud to have sponsored, H.R. 1520, the Purple Book Continuity Act. It requires patent information for biologics to be submitted to the FDA and published in the publicly-available ``Purple Book.'' By creating a single, searchable list of licensed biologics, manufacturers will be able to plan a pipeline of lower-cost biosimilar products for years to come. I'm also proud to have several health appropriations which I requested included in today's agreement. These items represent the critical advancement of life-saving research and care, including: $15 million for the Pancreatic Cancer Research Program at the DOD, which I've long championed and which comes as the world continues to mourn the deaths this year of several iconic Americans from this very aggressive cancer, including Congressman John Lewis and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; $42.9 billion for the NIH for forward thinking investments in medical research; $597 million for critical biodefense and public health emergency preparedness at BARDA, which my legislation created. Another $19.7 billion is in the COVID-19 relief agreement for BARDA to manufacture and procure vaccines; $350 million for the Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Program to support pediatric medical residents' training; and $5.4 million for research on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at the CDC to better understand this terrible disease. There's still so much more the American people need. We must increase federal funding for the Medicaid program during this health and economic crisis, including home-and-community-based services, improve infection control and quality in our nation's nursing homes, and address the public health crises that continue during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as America's unacceptable rates of maternal mortality, suicides, and overdoses. I'm proud of what we've accomplished in the Health Subcommittee this year and energized to continue the fight in 2021. Today's agreement includes important clean energy provisions, including my legislation, H.R. 1420, the Energy Efficient Government Technology Act, which appears as Sections 1003 and 1004 of Division Z. The bill requires government agencies to develop plans to implement best practices for energy management, purchase more energy efficient information and communications technologies, and submit to periodic evaluation of their data centers for energy efficiency. Data centers are a critical part of our national infrastructure and are found in nearly every sector of our economy. The federal government alone has more than 2,000 data centers which store everything from Social Security and tax records, toe-books at the Library of Congress. Despite their importance to our government and our economy, many are extremely inefficient when it comes to energy use. The good news is many data centers can significantly reduce their energy use using existing technology and best practices. This will reduce not only the government's carbon footprint but also its energy bills. My bipartisan legislation has the potential to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in reduced energy costs in the future, while setting an example for the private sector to reduce energy usage at data centers. We must ensure students in need can continue their studies during the pandemic as colleges begin another semester of remote learning, and I'm proud that our agreement includes funding for these students. Section 902 of Division N is modeled on H.R. 6814, the Supporting Connectivity for Higher Education Students in Need Act, bicameral legislation I introduced on May 13, 2020. The provision provides $285 million to expand connectivity for historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and other minority-serving institutions, their students, and minority-owned businesses near those colleges. The funding can be used to purchase routers, modems, wi-fi hotspots, tablets, and laptops. Funding recipients must prioritize low- income students. The legislation also establishes the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives within the NTIA to carry out programs expand access to broadband at and in communities around HBCUs, TCUs, HSis and other MSis. Between 2012 and 2018, over $1.2 billion in 9-1-1 fees were diverted to uses other than 9-1-1. While most states curtailed this horrific practice, four states continue diverting 9-1-1 fees: New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Nevada. I first co-led the bipartisan 9-1-1 Fee Integrity Act to require by statute that 9-1-1 fees can only be used for 9-1-1 purposes on September 14, 2018. I'm pleased that the legislation appears in Section 902 of Division FF. I'm pleased that today's agreement includes funding for AI R&D. The Joint Explanatory Statement for Division B includes direction for AI R&D to expand at NSF and NIST, including with a focus on increasing AI workforce diversity and developing a framework for ethical and safe AI. I've twice written to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies requesting robust AI R&D funding, and I thank them for their leadership in taking an important step to increase AI funding. I'm pleased that this legislation includes funding for several technology and telecommunications matters that are priorities for me and for our country, including $3.2 billion for a $50 per month emergency broadband benefit for low income families, Pell Grant recipients, students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and recently unemployed individuals; $1.9 billion to `rip and replace' telecommunications equipment made by insecure supplies, like Huawei and ZTE, which I first asked the FCC to investigate in 2010; $250 million for the FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program; and $65 million to develop reliable broadband maps which are critical for the federal government and all states to know where broadband support funding would be most effective.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 578, the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation that enjoys overwhelming bipartisan support in the Congress. This bill ends the five-month waiting period for people with ALS to access Social Security Disability. For some in the country, a five- month wait would not be a great burden, but for those with ALS, which is fatal, many die waiting, never receiving the benefits they earned by paying into Social Security. ALS is an aggressive neurodegenerative disease that robs people of their muscle movement, their employment, and their lives in a brief time following diagnosis. By ending the harmful waiting period, this bill will allow Americans who face an ALS diagnosis to immediately receive the Social Security benefits they've earned and deserve. I salute my friend and colleague, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for authoring this important legislation and I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill and for the President to immediately sign it into law.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2477, BENES Act of 2020, which has been amended to include H.R. 5534, the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act. I advanced both bipartisan bills through my Health Subcommittee and I'm proud to support them on the Floor today. The BENES Act introduced updates the Part B enrollment process for the first time in 50 years. It requires Medicare to notify people nearing eligibility about their rights and responsibilities, protecting beneficiaries from a lifetime of financial penalties for failure to enroll promptly. While most beneficiaries are still automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B at age 65 because they're receiving Social Security benefits, a growing number of Americans are not. In 2016, only 60 percent of Medicare-eligible 65-year-olds were taking Social Security, compared to 92 percent in 2002. The federal government provides virtually no notification to people who are nearing Medicare eligibility about their responsibilities, including if they must actively enroll. If you do not enroll in Part B at age 65, then you are required to pay a Part B Late Enrollment Penalty that accrues at 10 percent of the current Part B premium for every year a person should have been--but was not--enrolled in Part B. The BENES Act requires the federal government to notify people nearing Medicare eligibility about their rights and responsibilities. The BENES Act also allows coverage to begin more quickly post- enrollment, with Medicare coverage beginning on the first of the month or the first of the following month when a person enrolls. The BENES Act has been championed by the Medicare Rights Center and over 70 other organizations dedicated to helping Medicare beneficiaries. I'm proud that the House is finally taking this much needed vote and I look forward to this important bill being passed by the Senate and signed into law. As part of this bill, the House will also pass the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act, championed by Representatives Kind and Burgess for many years. I'm proud to be an original sponsor of this commonsense policy that will save money and, more importantly, lives. Today, while Medicare covers a lifetime of dialysis, but kidney transplant recipients currently lose their Medicare coverage 36 months after transplant. Without Medicare coverage for needed immunosuppressive drugs, transplant patients risk losing their new kidney. This legislation closes that gap by continuing coverage for kidney transplant recipients which a nonpartisan HHS analysis found would save 375 kidney transplants each year. Like the BENES Act, advocates have been fighting for this immunosuppressive coverage for years. I thank the members of the Honor the Gift coalition for their dedication to helping kidney transplant recipients stay healthy and well, and I urge my colleagues to support these commonsense bills to improve the Medicare program for seniors and kidney patients.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3797, the Medical Marijuana Research Act. I advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm proud to support it on the Floor today. According to the Department of Health and Human Services National Survey on Drug Use, 44 million Americans reported using cannabis in the past year. Thirty-three states now allow the medicinal use of cannabis and 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for adult use. But state laws and federal policy are a thousand miles apart. As more states allow cannabis, the federal government still strictly controls and prohibits it, even restricting legitimate medical research. The Medical Marijuana Research Act addresses these restrictions on research and alleviates a burdensome, out-of-date process for scientific researchers. First, it creates a new, less cumbersome registration process specifically for marijuana, reducing approval wait times and costly security measures. Second, this bill makes it easier for researchers to obtain the cannabis they need for their studies through reforms in production and distribution regulations. Under this bill, scientists will no longer be forced to wait more than a year to become federally-approved to conduct cannabis research. They will also not be forced to use the cannabis grown by a government- authorized farm at the University of Mississippi. This cannabis lacks the properties and potency of commercially-available cannabis and leads to inadequate research. This is a commonsense bill that will update federal policy to advance research on cannabis and its compounds. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1570, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act. I advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm proud to support it on the Floor today. This legislation was introduced by Representatives Payne, Davis, McEachin, and McKinley to remove financial barriers to life-saving colorectal cancer screenings and treatment for Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, Medicare covers a colonoscopy without out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries, but if the colonoscopy results in a polyp removal, patients are stuck with an unexpected copayment. This small distinction could mean hundreds of dollars of out-of-pocket expenses for seniors on Medicare who are often living on a fixed income. This bill would waive that cost-sharing and give millions of Medicare beneficiaries the peace of mind that they can receive the preventive care they need without being stuck with unexpected costs. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.