Anna Eshoo

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1966, the Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act. I urge my colleagues to support this bill in honor of two Baltimoreans who changed the world--Henrietta Lacks and Representative Elijah Cummings. Representative Cummings introduced this legislation to help address the barriers facing minority, low-income, and underrepresented groups when it comes to enrolling in federally-funded clinical cancer trials. He named it after Henrietta Lacks to honor the role she and her tumor samples played in breakthroughs for cancer, HIV/AIDS, leukemia, polio, and Parkinson's disease. Henrietta Lacks' tumor samples were used without her or her family's knowledge or consent and her contribution has been overlooked for decades. This legislation will begin to correct that wrong, while also improving access to medical research for African Americans and other underrepresented groups. Representative Cummings dedicated his Congressional career to ensuring underrepresented groups had access to health care. He championed policies to improve health equity by lowering drug prices and improving maternal care for African American women. I'm pleased that this bill will be added to his legacy and I thank Representative Mfume for ensuring the advancement of this bill. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Conference Report associated with H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), which supports our troops and includes critical provisions to remove Confederate symbols from our military. The legislation also ensures our country retains its leadership in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and semiconductor manufacturing. I'm proud that the conferenced NDAA includes several provisions I authored or cosponsored. The Global AI Index quantifies the AI arms race among nations, and it has found that the U.S. is ahead of China today but ``experts predict China will overtake the U.S. in just five to 10 years.'' This is why it's so critical we continue to invest in AI, especially as it relates to national security. The conferenced NDAA includes my bipartisan and bicameral legislation, H.R. 7096, the National AI Research Resource Task Force Act, which establishes a task force of experts from government, academia, and companies (large and small) to develop a roadmap for a national AI research cloud to make available high-powered computing, large data sets, and educational resources necessary for AI research. The national AI research cloud expands access so that American universities and companies can participate in AI R&D. My bill appears as Section 5106 of the conferenced NDAA. My legislation is supported by Chairman Eric Schmidt and Vice Chairman Bob Work of the National Security Commission on AI; 12 leading public and private research universities, including Stanford, UC Berkeley, Princeton, UCLA, and Ohio State; research and tech nonprofits Mozilla, Open AI, and the Allen Institute for AI; standards body IEEE- USA; leading technology companies, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM; and startups, including Calypso AI and Scale AI. I thank Representatives Anthony Gonzalez and Mikie Sherrill, and Senators Portman and Heinrich, for their partnership in advancing this highly important legislation. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 6216, the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act, comprehensive and bipartisan legislation which establishes an initiative to accelerate and coordinate investments and partnerships in AI research, standards, and education. This legislation appears as Division E of the conferenced NDAA, and it is a major investment in our country's future that will pay dividends for decades to come. The conferenced NDAA also includes language based on two AI-related amendments I offered and the House adopted on July 20th. House NDAA floor Amendment No. 131 requires the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) of the DOD to report on its contribution to the development of Al standards in multistakeholder bodies. House NDAA floor Amendment No. 132 requires the JAIC to report on the assignments servicemembers receive after they complete their duty with the JAIC. Both were adopted as part of H. Amdt. 841 to H.R. 6395 and appear in Section 231 of the conferenced NDAA. I also cosponsored key technology provisions of the conferenced NDAA. The CHIPS for America Act, introduced by Reps. Matsui and McCaul, restores American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and appears as Title XCIX of the conferenced NDAA. I thank conferees for retaining a provision I authored to ensure that small businesses are given preference for grants authorized by the legislation (Section 9902(a)(2)(C)(ii)(IV)). A provision establishing the role of the National Cyber Director within the Executive Office of the President, based on the National Cyber Director Act, which I cosponsored, appears as Section 1752 of the conferenced NDAA. This legislation is critical to help coordinate cybersecurity at the highest levels of government. I urge my colleagues to vote `YES' on the Conference Report for H.R. 6395.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a highly distinguished American, Dr. Philip Randolph Lee, who was born in Palo Alto, California, and died in New York City on October 27, 2020, at the age of 96. Dr. Philip Lee was the son of Dorothy Womack Lee and Peter Van Arsdale Lee, a physician who founded what is today, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Dr. Lee, his three brothers and sister followed in their father's footsteps, all becoming highly regarded physicians. His nephew Peter Lee, serves as the distinguished and highly effective Executive Director of California's health benefit exchange, Covered California. Medicine, healthcare and public service run deep in the Lee family. Dr. Lee received his undergraduate and medical degrees at Stanford University. He earned fellowships at the Mayo Clinic and New York University; and a Masters of Science degree from the University of Minnesota. He was a professor at both Stanford and UCSF, and he served our country on active duty and as a member of the United States Naval Reserve from 1943 to 1951, including during the Inchon Invasion in Korea. Dr. Lee served our nation as Director of Health Services in the Office of Technical Cooperation and Research, part of the Department of State's Agency for International Development, from 1963 to 1965. He was a strong advocate for Medicare, and for this he was vilified by the AMA and others as a socialist. He served as Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare from 1965 to 1969. During this time, he worked directly with President Johnson and helped implement the newly passed Medicare program, integrating many of the hospitals in our country as mandated by the Medicare legislation. From 1969 to 1972, Dr. Lee was UCSF's third Chancellor, and founded what became the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. He worked closely with UCSF's Black Caucus to end unequal pay and other discriminatory practices. Dr. Lee was Chairman of the Physician Payment Review Commission in Congress from 1986 to 1993 and then served in the Clinton administration as Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services, from 1993 to 1997. Dr. Lee had a profound impact on our country and its healthcare system. He was a friend and beloved mentor to me and hundreds of others, and a wise and compassionate man. He had a sharp wit, a great laugh, and always a twinkle in his bright blue eyes. He will be missed by everyone who had the good fortune to know him, and he will be honored for generations to come for the enormous influence he had on the delivery of medicine in the United States. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life and work of Philip Randolph Lee, and in extending our condolences to his wife, Dr. Roz Diane Lasker, and his entire family. He was as humble as he was extraordinary. He made us a better and stronger nation and his life and work will sustain us and inspire us for generations to come.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5668, the MODERN Labeling Act. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm proud to support it on the Floor today. The MODERN Labeling Act was introduced by Representatives Doris Matsui and Bret Guthrie, and allows generic drug companies to update outdated labeling Drug labeling can become outdated when new scientific evidence is discovered after a drug is on the market, yet drug manufacturers are not required by law to update their products' labeling with new uses. Because of this system, the labeling of many cancer drugs, especially older generic products, are out of date. Outdated labeling can affect insurance and Medicare coverage of the drugs, creating potentially high out-of-pocket costs for consumers. H.R. 5668 addresses this problem by giving the FDA the authority to require labels to reflect new information relevant to the drug and its use. This is a commonsense bill that will help more cancer patients have access to the treatments they need and I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4712, the Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm proud to support it on the Floor today. The Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act was introduced by Reps. Madeline Dean (D-PA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Buddy Carter (R-GA), and David McKinley (R-WV). The bill will close a loophole so that orphan drug exclusivity cannot be used to deny access to certain drugs, especially drugs for opioid use disorder. This is a narrowly drawn bill to fix a technical problem without hurting the original intention of the Orphan Drug Act. It requires drug companies to show that they will not recoup costs each year in order to achieve the orphan drug designation. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2466, the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act of 2020 and H.R. 2281, the Easy MAT for Opioid Addiction Act. I'm proud to have advanced these bipartisan bills through my Health Subcommittee and I'm pleased to support them on the Floor today. According to the most recent CDC data, in 2018, 67,000 Americans died of a drug overdose. Overdoses in 2018 alone killed more Americans than the Vietnam War. This is a national crisis. In 2016 Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act and CARA, and in 2018 the SUPPORT Act was signed into law to stem the tide of addiction and devastation that the opioid crisis has created. Yet, despite our legislative efforts to increase access to medication-assisted treatment or MAT, according to a 2019 National Academies of Science report, more than 80 percent of the 2 million people with opioid use disorder are not receiving MAT and families and children affected by the opioids crisis also are not receiving the care they need. That's why it is so important to pass the Easy MAT for Opioid Addiction Act. The Easy MAT for Opioid Addiction Act requires the Drug Enforcement Agency to revise regulations to allow a practitioner to administer up to a three-day supply of narcotic drugs to an individual at one time for purposes of relieving acute withdrawal symptoms while the individual awaits arrangements for narcotic treatment. This will reduce unnecessary medical visits and increase access to a safe and important treatment. H.R. 2466, the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act authorizes $1.5 billion per year through grants to help states and tribal organizations build out their responses to the opioid crisis through provision of additional treatment beds, hiring the workforce necessary to expand treatment and recovery options, bridging gaps identified in systems of care, and supporting robust prevention campaigns. These are common sense bills that will save lives and I urge all my colleagues to support these bills.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2117, the FASTER Act. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm proud to support it on the Floor today. The FASTER Act was introduced by Representative Doris Matsui. It adds sesame as a major allergen for food labeling and allows the FDA, through regulation, to add other food ingredients as major allergens based on the prevalence and severity of allergic reactions to the food ingredient. The FASTER Act will have an enormous impact on the 32 million Americans living with food allergies and their families. Hospitalizations for allergic reactions have risen 400 percent over the past decade with 1 in 13 children having a life-threatening food allergy, and many of them are allergic to sesame. Sesame remains the most common allergen that is NOT required to be written on food labels and is often hidden on labels as ``Spices'' or ``Natural Flavors.'' Parents and children cannot easily avoid sesame if it's not clearly labeled. Anyone who's ever known a child with a serious food allergy knows how dire a reaction can be. Over a year ago, the FDA issued a request for information about requiring the sesame allergen label and since then has only taken limited action to address this issue through draft guidance that would allow manufacturers to voluntarily list sesame as an ingredient. The FDA needs to do more to help curb the risks these children face and the FASTER Act will help the FDA do just that. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6624, the USA Telecommunications Act. It has been a decade since I first raised how the vulnerabilities in our telecommunications infrastructure directly impact our national security. I first wrote to the FCC on November 2, 2010, expressing very grave concerns about Huawei and ZTE, companies that have opaque entanglements with the Chinese government. In the intervening decade, Huawei and ZTE equipment has proliferated across our country because it's cheap, due to the Chinese government subsidizing them. As we build out 5G networks, we must protect our national security, especially from entities like Huawei and ZTE, and it's why I'm proud to cosponsor H.R. 6624, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that invests $750 million in Open Radio Access Networks, or Open RAN, and promotes the deployment of open network 5G equipment. We hear a great deal and talk about 5G, but I don't think most people can tell you what 5G actually is. It's a set of protocols and standards agreed to in various multistakeholder forums. Unlike previous generations of wireless standards, 5G is primarily based on software independent of the physical telecommunications equipment which increases security. Open RAN is a movement to create secure and open software standards for 5G that ensures that our communications are secure, no matter whose equipment the communications travel through. This is critical because even after we remove Huawei and ZTE-made cell sites from our country, we may still have their parts in our telecom ecosystem because they make parts used by most providers. We can never be 100 percent secure if we rely on insecure equipment. This is precisely why we need the software used by wireless equipment to be secure by design, and Open RAN does just that. For these reasons, I urge colleagues to support H.R. 6624.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8266, the FEMA Assistance Relief Act which will provide additional funding to state and local governments to help victims of disasters rebuild and will make an important difference in the lives of my constituents who are victims of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. 2020 has been a difficult year for so many Americans. As our nation grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, California endured a record- breaking wildfire season. In my Congressional District, the CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned for 37 straight days this summer, destroying nearly a thousand homes and forcing 77,000 of my constituents to evacuate. The fires could not have come at a worse time for local governments who are facing major budget cuts due to the pandemic. Santa Cruz County projected a $23 million decrease in revenue, and the cost of the fires has placed further strain on its ability to help residents affected by the fires. The President declared the fires to be a major disaster, providing much-needed federal funding, but FEMA only covers 75 percent of the cost of disaster relief, with state and local governments having to pick up the rest of the costs. The FEMA Assistance Relief Act increases the federal government's share of the costs to 90 percent, alleviating the financial burden on local governments and allowing them to focus on rebuilding their communities. I am deeply grateful for the extraordinary work of thousands of first responders who helped fight these terrible fires. Thanks to them and their work, the fires have long since been contained, but much work remains to be done to provide relief to my constituents. I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of the FEMA Assistance Relief Act to provide critical resources to communities around the country affected by natural disasters this year, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Lisa Su, President and Chief Executive Officer at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) who is being presented with the Spirit of Silicon Valley Lifetime of Achievement Award by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG). This annual Award honors an individual who has had a transformative impact on Silicon Valley. Lisa Su was born in Taiwan and came to the United States with her family at the age of three. She graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and earned her Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. degrees at MIT. Dr. Su is being honored by SVLG for her extraordinary leadership of AMD and her commitment to our community and to Silicon Valley. She has served as Co-Chair of San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo's Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable. In October 2014, Dr. Su was named President and Chief Executive Officer of AMD, and is a member of the company's Board of Directors. Dr. Su joined AMD in January 2012 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of global business units. Prior to joining AMO, she was Senior Vice President at Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. where she was responsible for global strategy, marketing and engineering for the company's embedded communications and applications processor business. Prior to Freescale she spent 13 years at IBM in various engineering and business leadership positions, including serving as Vice President of IBM's Semiconductor Research and Development Center, responsible for the strategic direction of the company's silicon technologies, joint development alliances and semiconductor R&D operations. Prior to IBM, she was a member of the technical staff at Texas Instruments from 1994-1995. Dr. Su has published more than 40 technical articles and was named a Fellow of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers in 2009. In 2018, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, was named ``Businessperson of the Year'' by Fortune Magazine and received the prestigious Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award. In 2019, Dr. Su was named one of the World's 50 Best CEOs by Barron's, one of the ``Most Powerful Women in Business'' by Fortune Magazine and was included in The Bloomberg 50 list of people who defined the year. In 2020, Dr. Su was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Science. Dr. Su serves on the Boards of Cisco Inc. and the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association and is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA). Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring Dr. Lisa Su as she is presented with the Spirit of Silicon Valley Lifetime of Achievement Award. She has earned and richly deserves this great honor.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I'm proud to introduce the Preventing Unwarranted Communications Shutdowns Act, a bipartisan bill to limit presidential powers to control or shut down communications networks, including the internet. The American people rely on the internet for nearly every aspect of their personal and professional lives and this dependence has only increased during the pandemic. As such, internet shutdowns are an extraordinary infringement of individual rights. Sadly, authoritarians in many countries have used internet shutdowns as a tool to squash rights. The public interest group Access Now reports that in 2019, the internet was shutdown at least 213 times. Section 706 of the Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 606) currently authorizes the President to take control of communications facilities or equipment in certain circumstances. While the internet is, by design, decentralized and cannot be `shut down,' this provision leaves open the possibility for a presidential order that leads to Americans not being able to access the internet. While this provision is codified as part of the Communications Act of 1934, and it was amended in 1942 and 1951, the provision directly traces back to Section 2 of the Radio Act of 1912. President Woodrow Wilson used the authorities granted by the Radio Act during World War I in 1914 and 1918 with respect to telephone systems, radio stations, and marine cables. Earlier still, in February 1862, Congress gave President Abraham Lincoln the authority to take over telegraph lines during the Civil War. While historians can debate about whether these actions were warranted, they serve as an important basis for my rationale that the appropriate public policy measure to reform Section 706 is not to cut the power completely, but to add strict checks to it. The Preventing Unwarranted Communications Shutdowns Act limits the President's authorities and adds checks to any actions taken under section 706. In particular, my legislation limits the reasons the President may take action under Section 706 to ones necessary to protect against an imminent and specific threat to human life or national security, if such action is narrowly tailored and is the least restrictive means for the purpose; requires that the President notify congressional leaders (i.e., Speaker, House Minority Leader, and Senate Majority and Minority Leaders), senior executive branch officials (i.e., Vice President, department heads, intelligence community heads, Joint Chiefs of Staff), and the FCC before or not later than 12 hours after taking any action authorized under Section 706; nullifies Section 706 orders 12 hours after issuance of the order if the President does not provide notification in the specified time and form; nullifies Section 706 orders 48 hours after the President provides notice unless three-fifths of each of the House and the Senate vote to pass an approval resolution, with an affirmative vote of at least one-quarter of the minority party in each chamber; requires a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) after every Section 706 order, and requires a one-time GAO report estimating the impact of a communication shutdown; and requires that the U.S. government compensate providers and customers of providers for any communications shutdown under Section 706. Unchecked executive powers and the emergency authorities of the President under Section 7-6 of the Communications Act need to be revisited. May there never be in a situation where these authorities are needed, but if there is, the representatives of the people should decide the scope and extent of any shutdown, not any single individual. I thank my colleague Congressman Morgan Griffith for partnering with me to introduce this important, bipartisan legislation, and I ask my colleagues to support it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring two of my distinguished constituents who are this year's recipients of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Stanford University Professors Paul R. Milgrom and Robert B. Wilson. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, more commonly known as the Nobel Prize in Economics, is given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm and was established in 1968, joining the five original prizes established by Alfred Nobel in his 1895 will. Professors Milgrom and Wilson are being honored for their extraordinary contributions to the field of economics in game theory, specifically for ``improvements to auction theory and inventions of new auction formats.'' They are best known for developing the simultaneous ascending auction in 1994 for the Federal Communications Commission to better allocate licenses for the public's airwaves (also known as spectrum). Since then, spectrum auctions have generated over $100 billion for the U.S. Treasury and expanded connectivity for millions of Americans. Their contributions to auction theory have implications in a broad range of subjects beyond spectrum allocation, including real-time bidding for internet ad delivery, fishing quotas, and the renewable energy market. Both professors have had distinguished careers. Professor Milgrom is the Shirley and Leonard Ely Professor of Humanities and Sciences in the Department of Economics at Stanford University, and he is a Professor, by courtesy, at both the Department of Management Science and Engineering and the Graduate School of Business. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. Professor Milgrom holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, and earned a Master's and Doctorate degree from Stanford. Professor Wilson is the Adams Distinguished Professor of Management, Emeritus, at the Stanford Business School. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow and Council Member of the Econometric Society. He earned a Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees from Harvard, and he has received honorary degrees from the University of Chicago and the Norwegian School of Economics. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House to join me in congratulating Paul R. Milgrom and Robert B. Wilson on receiving this most prestigious award, recognizing their contribution to the design of pioneering auctions that have impacted economic practices around the world. It's my privilege to represent them, pay tribute to their brilliance, and thank them for making every American exceedingly proud of their accomplishments.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of Lewis W. Butler. Lewis was born in San Francisco, California, on March 27, 1957, the son of Lewis H. and Sheana Butler, and died on September 17, 2020 at the age of 63 at his home in San Francisco. Lewis grew up in San Francisco with the exception of the two years spent in Malaysia while his father served as the Director of the Peace Corps there, and time in Washington, D.C. while his father served in what was then the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Lewis earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Stanford and a Master's in architecture from Harvard University. After their Harvard graduations in 1985, he and his wife Catherine Armsden formed Butler Armsden, a successful architecture firm in San Francisco. Lewis is described as an inventive modernist residential architect with a prominent clientele. He is also described as a teacher, a mentor, and a confident man with a can-do attitude. He possessed a great sense of humor and a humble demeanor. He was a true gentleman, a winner of countless merit awards who took no particular pride in showing them off. He was a surfer and a vintage British motorcycle afficionado and he built sand castles as part of a non-profit fundraiser. He was devoted to his community and served on the boards of the Hamlin School, University High School and the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Lewis W. Butler leaves his wife of 37 years, Catherine Armsden, his son, Tobias, his daughter Elena, his father Lewis H. Butler, and his sisters Serra and Lucy. He also leaves four nephews and three nieces. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the life and work of this good and great man. He has left an indelible imprint on the architecture of the San Francisco Peninsula and beyond, and his friendship has left an imprint on the lives of so many who had the good fortune to know him. Lew Butler was a national treasure. He strengthened our community, bettered our nation, and was a true blessing in every way imaginable.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, over four months ago, the House passed the Heroes Act to support our nation's heroes and everyday Americans to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the Senate has refused to take up this vital legislation, and many senators seem to believe that Congress has already done enough. The truth is that the needs of our country have only increased. Today 13.6 million Americans are unemployed and 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, with cases rising again around the country. The House is serious about providing relief to Americans and reaching a compromise with the Senate and the White House which is why today's Heroes Act is $1.2 trillion less than the original bill we passed in March. Although smaller, today's bill still meets the needs of the American people by putting money in their pockets to strengthen our economy and providing the resources we need to crush the virus. Specifically, the updated Heroes Act includes the following: An additional $600 per week in Unemployment Insurance through January 2021; A second round of $1,200 checks to most taxpayers and $500 for their dependents; $75 billion for testing, tracing, and treatment to get COVID-19 under control; $436 billion to state and local governments who employ heroes like first responders and health care workers who are at risk of losing their jobs; $225 billion for K to 12 school, colleges, and universities to address the challenges of distance learning in the new school year; $71 billion for renters and homeowners to ensure they don't lose their housing during the pandemic; Over $15 billion for connectivity, including $12 billion to close the homework gap, $3 billion to keep low-income Americans connected, and $200 million for telehealth. The new Heroes Act is proof that the House is willing to compromise in order to deliver desperately needed relief to the American people. It's time for the Senate and the White House to meet us halfway so we can protect American lives and livelihoods.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5572, the ``Family Support Services for Addiction Act of 2020.'' I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm pleased to support it on the Floor today. H.R. 5572, the ``Family Support Services for Addiction Act of 2020'' was introduced by Reps. David Trone (D-MD) and Daniel Meuser (R-PA) and provides grants to community organizations that provide support services for families and family members living with substance use disorders or addiction. When family members are empowered and supported to help their loved one struggling with substance use disorder, patients and families achieve better outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that more than 70,000 people died in the U.S. from an opioid overdose in 2019. These numbers are projected to be higher in 2020, in part because of the COVID pandemic. We have to do everything we can to address the substance use disorder crisis by helping patients and their families. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I'm proud to introduce H.R. 8379, the Improving Cybersecurity of Small Organizations Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill to help small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments implement strong protections against cyberattacks. Many small businesses, small nonprofits, and small local governments can't afford to hire cybersecurity professionals, yet they are still vulnerable to highly damaging cyberattacks. Ransomware attacks have caused critical government functions to become inoperable. Data breaches have harmed employees and customers of businesses. Devices managed by organizations have been turned into botnets used to attack other organizations. H.R. 8379, the Improving Cybersecurity of Small Organizations Act simply requires federal agencies to recommend easy-to-understand and evidence-based guidance that small organizations can adopt to improve their cybersecurity and protect everyone they serve. Specifically, H.R. 8379 directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to issue guidance that documents and promotes evidence-based cybersecurity policies and controls for small organizations (i.e., small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments); requires CISA, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Minority Business Development Agency to promote the cybersecurity guidance; requires the Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report describing methods to incent small organizations to improve their cybersecurity; and requires the SBA to report on the state of small business cybersecurity every two years. I thank Congressman John Katko, Senator Jacky Rosen, and Senator John Cornyn for partnering with me to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral bill, and I urge the House to take up this legislation in a timely fashion and ask my colleagues to support it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1289, the PHONE Act, a simple but powerful bill to ensure that Americans who lose their homes in natural disasters don't also lose their home phone numbers. The CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned 86,509 acres in my Congressional District, making it the 11th most destructive fire in California history. Seventy-seven thousand of my constituents were evacuated. After weeks of tireless efforts from over 2,000 local, state, and federal firefighters, the fire is now contained. While most of the evacuees have returned home, nearly 1,000 families in my district won't be returning home because their houses were destroyed. It's these families the PHONE Act helps. Because climate change is causing increased and more intense wildfires, California is experiencing a horrific wildfire season. Already, over 3.6 million acres have burned from nearly 8,000 wildfires. Four of the five largest fires in state history happened this year. The PHONE Act ensures that the thousands of families who lose their homes don't also lose their phone numbers. The PHONE Act has three parts. First, if the President issues a major disaster declaration, and a governor designates a disaster area, phone numbers in that designated area cannot be reassigned for one year. Second, if someone in the disaster area needs more than a year, they can get a one-year extension because rebuilding can take years. Third, the bill allows consumers to cancel phone service without a cancellation fee if their home is inaccessible or uninhabitable. The bill also prohibits resubscription fees if consumers get phone service somewhere else in the area. Some may ask why we need all of this for a simple phone number. One of the first things parents teach their kids is their phone number. I bet many of us still remember our parents' home phone numbers. While many are opting to live with just cellphones, it's important to consider who depends on landlines: older Americans and retirees, who often have multiple doctors, caregivers, and loved ones using long-held phone numbers. Congressman Mike Thompson authored the bill to help the survivors of the Atlas and Tubbs fires that ravished his Congressional District in 2017. Thousands lost their homes and were further frustrated to learn they also lost their phone numbers, because phone companies had given the numbers away. The bill was marked up on March 10, 2020, by the Subcommittee and on September 9, 2020, by the full Energy & Commerce Committee. At both markups, I offered amendments to ensure the bill would have broad, bipartisan support and would be as effective as possible. The bill is carefully drafted to plug a small gap in the law, but this gap means the world to our constituents the bill is written to protect. The legislation before us is necessary and powerful, and I urge my collagues to support it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4996, the Helping MOMS Act of 2019. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm pleased to support it on the Floor today. My thanks to Reps. Kelly, Burgess, Underwood, Rodgers, Pressley, and Carter for introducing the Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act, a bipartisan bill to make it easier for states to expand Medicaid or CHIP coverage for one year postpartum. While the uninsured rate among postpartum women has decreased thanks to the Affordable Care Act, many women still lose Medicaid coverage two months after having a baby. In Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma, 20 percent of new mothers are uninsured. Lack of coverage keeps women from receiving needed care, including mental health services to detect and treat postpartum depression. This bill makes it easier for states to expand coverage by removing administrative red tape and by offering a small financial incentive to states to expand postpartum care. I think we should go further and make postpartum coverage a mandatory benefit in the Medicaid program, but I'm pleased we're taking this step today to make it an easy option for states. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for this bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4439, the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm pleased to support it on the Floor today. The Creating Hope Reauthorization Act sponsored by Representative G.K. Butterfield helps children access pediatric cancer drugs. Pediatric cancer is the number one disease killer of American children, but pharmaceutical companies often avoid developing pediatric cancer drugs because of the small market and the high risks associated with studying and testing drugs for children. The Creating Hope Reauthorization Act provides incentives for the research and development of pediatric cancer drugs by providing the developers with the valuable Priority Review Vouchers which allow the recipient to speed up the FDA review of any one of its new drug products. Since its passage the GAO studied the pediatric priority review vouchers and found that pharmaceutical developers said Priority Review Vouchers were a factor in drug development decisions. Dr. Crystal Mackall of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy said that, ``The voucher program has been remarkedly impactful for childhood cancers. Before the program, I used to go with my hat in hand to beg investors to consider a potential drug. Now people take a second look and are interested in developing drugs. We're just getting started on this new way of thinking about children's drugs. The voucher program required a culture change around how to think of the pediatric drug business model, which in the drug development world could take a while.'' As Dr. Mackall said, this program seeks to shift decision-making early in the lengthy drug development cycle. A lengthy reauthorization of 4 years as offered in the AINS will be beneficial for this decision- making and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor this morning on behalf of the people of California's 18th Congressional District to pay tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Inscribed on the front of the building of the Supreme Court are the words: ``Equal justice under the law.'' And that is what Justice Ginsburg did. She brought equality relative to voting rights, to gender equity, to civil rights. That was her work. She took it seriously using her extraordinary intelligence, her faith, her belief in a more perfect union. We pay tribute to her in a unique way. In history, there are very few individuals that are known by their initials: FDR, LBJ, JFK, and now RBG. As the poet wrote: And so she passed and all the trumpets sounded on the other side. Thank you, Justice Ginsburg, may you rest in peace.

Ms ESHOO

Ms ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5663, the Safeguarding Therapeutics Act. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm pleased to support it on the Floor. The Safeguarding Therapeutics Act was introduced by Representatives Brett Guthrie and Eliot Engel. Today, the FDA has the authority to destroy confiscated counterfeit or adulterated drugs. This bill extends that authority to medical devices. Illicit trade and counterfeit products present growing risks to patients and consumers. We have the opportunity to ensure that FDA has the authority needed to destroy counterfeit drugs, devices and combination products. This bill closes a gap and protects patients from the growing threat of counterfeit products, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3935, the Protecting Patients Transportation to Care Act. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill out of my Health Subcommittee and I'm pleased to support it on the Floor. The Protecting Patients Transportation to Care Act introduced by Representatives Buddy Carter and Tony Cardenas requires states to offer a non-emergency medical transportation benefit. Our Committee also heard from Representative Sanford Bishop about this legislation during our Members' Day panel. Medicaid's coverage of transportation to health services is a lifeline for patients, especially those who live in rural or underserved areas. Over half of Medicaid transportation services are used by patients with the highest burden of chronic diseases, including those diagnosed with cancer, HIV, mental illness, substance abuse, and end-stage renal disease. Without this help, patients cannot access the chemotherapy, dialysis, and other services that allow them to remain at home and out of the hospital. Medicaid transportation has been a mandatory Medicaid benefit by regulation since the Medicaid program's inception in 1966. This bill codifies and protects the benefit. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee for his leadership and for what is being brought to the floor today. I am very pleased to be here in support of the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. I think this is exactly what our country needs. It is looking into the future and saying this is the way we are going to shape it, that America will become a leader innovatively relative to clean air and clean jobs, good-paying jobs. So this is something that is needed for our country: to promote clean energy and energy efficiency; to protect our planet, which is really facing an existential threat from the warming of the climate. I remember many years ago, Madam Speaker, as there was a debate going on at the Energy and Commerce Committee, I listened to both sides. They were going back and forth. There were clear differences. So, when it was my turn to speak, I said, ``Remember this: I will see you on the floor,'' meaning that something was going to happen in someone's district where there was accelerated flooding, accelerated fires, more powerful hurricanes and tornadoes, and then we have to come to the floor to clean up and try to repair and rehabilitate communities. So this is about our collective future. Those who question the existence of climate change need only look to California, where 10 of the 20 largest wildfires on record occurred in the last decade, including 5 this year alone. Our planet is sounding the alarm, and Congress needs to lead, respond to this, take it seriously, and be willing to change. Now, without action, we know what is going to happen.

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding me the additional time. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that today's package includes my legislation, the Smoke Planning and Research Act. I talked about the fires, but what everyone needs to understand is what is so deadly about the wildfire smoke. The poisonous particulates are very dangerous for children because their lungs are still developing, very dangerous for seniors, very dangerous for anyone to breathe, because it is a form of poison. We know that the smoke travels not only hundreds of miles, but thousands of miles. So this legislation funds the EPA and leading universities to study the public health effects of wildfire smoke, and I am so pleased that it is in the bill. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for including it. I also want to thank Speaker Pelosi, who saw the merits of addressing this particular issue, and that it is, today, part of this critically needed clean energy package.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7574, the Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2020. I'm proud to have advanced this bipartisan bill through my Health Subcommittee and I'm pleased to support it on the Floor. I'm also proud that this legislation includes my bill with Representative Susan Brooks to allow the SNS to sell and transfer soon- to-be expired supplies to other government agencies, stretching taxpayer dollars so we can respond to the current pandemic and be prepared for the next. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare many sad and startling realities in our country. One of the most surprising is that the Strategic National Stockpile, established in 2003 to respond to public health emergencies like the one we're currently experiencing, was completely unprepared for the current outbreak. When we opened the door of the SNS, the cupboard was bare, and American lives were lost. Today we're considering the Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act to address some of these shortcomings. This legislation requires that the contents of the SNS be in good working order and mandates that the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and CDC implement a transparent process for the use and distribution of such supplies. The bill increases reporting on how supplies are procured for the SNS, as well as requires reporting on states' requests for supplies during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While we cannot erase the failures of the SNS during the current pandemic, we can ensure that the stockpile is adequately supplied and maintained so we can be better prepared for the next public health emergency. I'm proud to be an original sponsor of H.R. 7574 and I urge my colleagues to support it.