Elizabeth Esty

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. ``. . . to controversies to which the United States shall be a party;--to controversies between two or more States,--between citizens of different States,--between citizens of the same State claiming lands under grants of different States, and between a State, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects.''

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Connecticut State Representative Betty Boukus, a beloved public servant who worked tirelessly on behalf of Connecticut families. Betty passed away on Friday at the age of 73. She leaves behind her husband, Gary, of more than 50 years, one son, four grandchildren, and countless friends who cherished her as an incomparable community leader and exemplary human being. I am proud to count myself among them. Betty was elected to the General Assembly in 1994, immediately distinguishing herself as a fierce champion for the people of her beloved Plainville and New Britain. She enthusiastically immersed herself in her role on the Bonding Subcommittee, working diligently to ensure taxpayer dollars were directed to those projects that would do the most public good. Betty's efforts helped turn important initiatives to expand our state's flagship university and create new local open spaces from idea into reality. She was truly a ground-up legislator, bringing kids and families who felt left out of the political system back into the process of governing. Betty gave them a voice, helped them advocate for their needs, and restored their faith in democracy. In her spare time, Betty organized an annual Secret Santa program to collect gifts for local veterans. That's just who Betty was. She always put people--and never politics--first. She didn't lob insults or take cheap shots. Whether you were a Democrat or Republican, you could count on her to greet you with a warm laugh and a big hug. A teacher by training and by nature, Betty went out of her way to serve as a mentor to her colleagues in the General Assembly. She was extraordinarily generous with her time and counsel. In giving advice, she mastered the difficult art of being both truthful and kind. Her wisdom and her example made me a better public servant and a better person. Even as her health declined, Betty was determined to serve her neighbors to the very end, guided by the principles that had made her a leader in her community for decades: integrity, optimism, and a commitment to helping as many people as she could. Betty's loss leaves a hole in our hearts, but we take solace in the knowledge that the lasting good she fought for throughout her career will always be with us.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H. Res. 933, legislation that would waste an additional 800,000 taxpayer dollars on the partisan witch hunt against Planned Parenthood. I learned from a young age the value of making quality reproductive health care available to everyone. In the rural town I grew up in, too many young women didn't have access to family planning services. Too many got pregnant, dropped out of school, and never pursued their dreams. That is why, in college, I volunteered with Planned Parenthood to ensure legal access to the full range of safe family planning services for all women. So instead of funding a sham investigation, $800,000 could fund lifesaving breast exams, pregnancy tests, Pap smears, and ovarian cancer screenings. Today I stand with women and men across this country to speak out against a baseless investigation, which has shamefully wasted tax dollars to attack the very people who most need our help.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of National Apprenticeship Week. In conversations with employers in my district at companies like Ward Leonard in Thomaston and Forum Plastics in Waterbury, I hear about how our businesses struggle to find employees with the right skills. Apprenticeship programs give workers the hands-on training they need to close that skills gap. In Connecticut, our community colleges are helping workers get the skills they need to land high-paying, in-demand jobs. But there is more we must do to help both workers and small- business owners. That is why I introduced the TECH Careers Act. This bill will open the door for more Americans to have successful careers in 21st-century fields and help small businesses access a qualified pool of talented and skilled workers. If we close the skills gap and raise folks up into the middle class, everyone benefits.

Ms. ESTY

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

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Water Resources Development Act, which would require the Secretary of the Army Corps to implement a corrosion prevention strategy for our Nation's water infrastructure. Preventing corrosion is a bipartisan issue and affects every State, district, and local community. In Connecticut and across the country, corrosion shortens the lifespan of our critical water systems, harms the environment, and endangers public health and safety. Many of our Nation's water systems are over 100 years old. What's more, according to a study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration in 2002, the corrosion of water and sewer systems across the United States costs the American taxpayers nearly $36 billion a year, a number that has only increased in the ensuing 14 years. By implementing strategies to prevent corrosion, we can extend the lifespan of these water projects, save money, and ensure that we have continued access to safe drinking water for years to come. Surely, we can all agree that by preventing corrosion we are being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, as well as protecting citizens' health and safety. So let's be clear. This is not a substitute for the serious conversation that this country needs to be having on updating and bringing into the 21st century our roads, bridges, highways, sewer systems, and water systems; but we do need to work toward extending the lifespan of current Federal infrastructure, and we need to work hard on that today. Today, we have the opportunity to engage in a bipartisan effort on corrosion prevention, something that will be an important first step to extend the lifespan and the safety of these systems. It is the and it is the sensible thing to do. When corrosion control technologies are properly installed and maintained, corrosion is largely preventable. It is inexpensive and it saves lives. So again, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my friend and colleague and the co-chair of the Corrosion Prevention Caucus. I am a Navy daughter and the daughter and granddaughter of civil engineers, so believe me, I have learned a lot about corrosion and corrosion prevention in my life. Again, this is the sort of bipartisan fix we need to be engaged in in this body. I want to thank my good friend, Mr. Olson, my good friend, the chairman, Mr. Shuster. I urge all our colleagues to support this commonsense amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment, which makes an important change to the North Atlantic Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Study. My amendment expands the scope of the study from a mere feasibility study to a comprehensive assessment and management plan. First established in the 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act, the North Atlantic Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Study is a state- of-the-art approach for bringing together the latest science on restoring coastal ecosystems at scale. The proposal in my amendment is an important change because it will allow the United States Army Corps of Engineers to undertake critical habitat restoration projects of tidal marshes, beaches, dunes, and fish spawning areas across a region spanning from Maine to Virginia. Due to the varying habitats and ecosystems along the entire North Atlantic Coast, individual States currently are struggling to adequately address environmental and ecological issues that span the entire region. Challenges arising from, for example, algal bloom, fish depletion, and water quality issues know no boundaries and, frankly, defy the efforts of States to coordinate activities. Beyond that, we simply lack the expertise in each and every State to address these shared problems. What has resulted is a fragmented, State-by-State approach to solving interconnected environmental problems that need holistic solutions. My amendment addresses this problem by creating a comprehensive, cooperative, and regional approach to environmental restoration and management. By fostering collaboration on coastal restoration projects between the Army Corps, State, and local partners, we can more effectively tackle environmental issues and restoration of coastal ecosystems. My change will help States along the entire North Atlantic United States solve major water quality issues like eutrophication, algal bloom, fish depletion, and threats to shellfish like the ones we are currently facing in Long Island Sound. Again, I urge my colleagues to adopt this commonsense amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Fredrick Richardson of Bridgeport, Connecticut, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of action on the House floor.

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the expanded background checks legislation, in honor of Anna Bui, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of action on the House floor.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, we need a vote. What will it take for this House, the people's House, to finally vote on commonsense, bipartisan legislation to save American lives? Since the murder of 20 schoolchildren and 6 educators in one of my communities in Newtown, Connecticut, 3 years and 9 months ago, we have not had one single debate and not one vote.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve and the American people demand a vote on commonsense, bipartisan gun safety legislation. During the 7 weeks that Congress was in recess, thousands of Americans were killed by guns. Each one of those Americans was precious. They had family, loved ones, coworkers, and neighbors. In the 3 years and 9 months since 26 people were killed in my district--20 first-graders, six teachers and educators--we have had not one debate, not one vote on this legislation. The time has come. The time is now. We demand a vote.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4511, Gold Star Families Voices Act. I would like to thank my friend, Congressman Chris Smith, for his leadership on many veterans' issues and in support of military families, and my friend, Congressman Harper, for his help today in ensuring that we pass this important bill to recognize Gold Star families. Not long after I was sworn into office, I went to a Memorial Day breakfast in Waterbury, Connecticut, home of many veterans. Every year, they have a Gold Star Families breakfast. At that breakfast, I met a number of families, some who lost loved ones 50 years ago and still carry in their hearts every day the pain of that loss. One of the people I met was Joe Nolan. Joe served proudly in Vietnam. His son, a gifted linguist--in 1999, a college graduate--snuck off to a recruiting station in Philadelphia and signed up to serve. Remember, this is prior to 9/11. He felt that call, like his father had. He served. Tragically, bravely, he lost his life in the Battle of Fallujah in 2004 defending this country. Joe came to me and said: ``You know, Elizabeth, we have this wonderful program for Gold Star Mothers, but I am a dad. And I miss my son every day.'' That is why I joined with colleagues in this Chamber and we reintroduced the Gold Star Fathers Act, which the President signed into law, to recognize that fathers and mothers of sons and daughters bleed and cry when their children are lost. So today we have an opportunity to recognize some of those families. One of them is Mary Kight. Mary Kight, also from Waterbury, Connecticut, is the proud head of the Gold Star Mothers organization in Connecticut. Her son, Michael, was a helicopter pilot. He flew a Huey in Vietnam. She was devastated when he died, and particularly hurt because it was such a difficult time in the war. She said she felt like her son's sacrifice meant nothing. Our Nation's commitment--what we are doing today to recognize her son and give her the opportunity to tell her story--is so important. She has come to embrace the Gold Star Families organization. It has helped her and others to celebrate the lives of their loved ones. Actually, last year she went up in a Huey. She went up in a Huey, much as she does not like to fly, but she thought about her son Michael, and she was quoted as saying, ``I felt closer to him.'' He died while trying to evacuate wounded soldiers on the battlefield in Vietnam. Stephen Reich, also another proud son of my district--another helicopter pilot--lost his life in 2005. He was attempting to extract a SEAL team and died in Afghanistan. These are only three families of the tens of thousands in this country. Their sacrifice, as much or more than anyone else, deserves to be recorded in the Library of Congress to remind us of the price of freedom, to remind us that we owe them a debt of gratitude. I am sure my friend, Congressman Harper, like myself, have conducted some of these Veterans History Project interviews. They are really meaningful and they are really important. The history of this country is not only about Presidents and generals and admirals. It is written in the blood of the men and women who served this country, and especially those who never returned. So I am delighted today to join with colleagues and urge all my colleagues to join in not only supporting this legislation, but to make a commitment to go out and find those Gold Star families in your district and make sure they have the opportunity to tell their loved one's story as part of this country's great history. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I ask my colleagues--urge them--to pass this bill. It is important that we understand the realities of war. This past weekend, many of us participated in parades, earlier this year in the Memorial Day parade, later this year in the Veterans Day parade. But war is not just about parades. War is also about sacrifice, and the Gold Star families know that better than anyone else. This bill gives us the opportunity to let Joe Nolan speak for his son, Joe; to let Mary Kight speak for her son, Michael; to let Ray and Sue Reich speak for their son, Stephen; and for tens of thousands of Americans to speak for their sons and daughters, to do what everyone in combat asks us when they come home, or if they do not: Don't forget us; please, remember. This bill is a way of honoring that request of everyone who wears the uniform. Make sure that we remember them and that we honor them. I am proud to cosponsor this bill, and I am very grateful to my colleagues for their support. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate one of Waterbury's finest, Samuel K. Beamon, Sr. On Saturday, July 30, 2016, Sam Beamon will become the first Waterburian and African-American to receive UNICO National's John Basilone Freedom Award. Even though UNICO was founded in Waterbury, CT in 1922, it had yet to bestow this prestigious award on one of its native sons. A graduate of W.F. Kaynor Technical High School in Waterbury, Sam enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1965 and was deployed to South Vietnam. He became a helicopter mechanic, crew chief, and aerial gunner, and he flew more than 320 combat missions. Sam earned numerous awards while in the Marine Corps including 16 Air Medals and Combat Air Crew Wings, the Combat Action Ribbon, Navy and Presidential Unit Citations, and the Good Conduct Medal. After returning home, Sam worked at Pratt & Whitney before answering the call to service again--but this time, as a police officer. In 1970, he joined the Waterbury Police Department. There, Sam continued to be an effective leader and break down racial barriers. He was the first Black Accident Investigator, radar operator and instructor, and member of the SWAT Team. He retired from the Police Department in 1998 with the rank of Lieutenant. He wrote about his time in the Marine Corps in his book, Flying Death: The Vietnam Experience. He became active in Waterbury's veterans' network. His decades of work made him a natural choice to replace Colonel John Chiarella as chairman of the Waterbury Veteran's Memorial Committee in 2014. I have worked closely with Sam on a number of veterans' issues, and his tenacity, hard work, and winning smile are instrumental in his ability to advocate for his fellow veterans. Sam's commitment to improving the lives and welfare of others extends well-beyond his involvement in veterans' organizations. A man who has lived through some of the most divisive times in our country's history, Sam seeks to inspire and unite today's youth. He understands the adversity some of our youth face in overcoming social, political, and economic barriers, but knows it can be done with hard work, a positive attitude, and a sharp moral compass. He has mentored countless students about the value of education, and what it means to believe in one's country, and answer the call to service. For Sam, his call to service and leadership capabilities extended beyond his military career. It meant giving back to Waterbury, the city that gave him so much. A leader in every sense of the word, I had the distinct honor of recognizing him at our Black History Month ceremony in Waterbury this past February. His remarks were touching; a perfect blend of self- reflection, humility, and his ironic sense of humor. While Sam may be the first non-Italian to receive the John Basilone Freedom Award, I wonder if UNICO heard the story about how he found a way to visit his good Italian friend Colonel Chiarella in the hospital. When hospital staff told Sam that only immediate family was allowed to visit the Colonel, Sam didn't miss a beat. He told them that he was the Colonel's brother. But this story perfectly encapsulates just who Sam is: he is the man who will stand by your side, offering his unwavering support when you need him. To veterans across the State of Connecticut and his family and friends in the City of Waterbury, Sam is a man of conviction, honor, and leadership. Sam is more than the countless accolades that serve as a testament to his selfless spirit. His infectious positive energy brings joy to the people around him. He is a friend and a confidante for whom I have the utmost respect. I could not be any prouder of my dear and longtime friend. There is no one more deserving of such a prestigious award. I know Sam will tease me for giving him so much praise, but I will not let his humble attitude prevent me from properly honoring and recognizing him. Congratulations on your award, Sam.

Mr. ESTY

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

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Madam Chair, my amendment would increase funding by $10 million to match the President's budget request for the State and Tribal Assistance Grants to clean up and revitalize brownfields. Too many cities and towns across America with proud manufacturing legacies are now struggling with vacant brownfield properties. As our country transitioned away from manufacturing, plants and mills began to close, leaving too many communities to deal with these industrial sites on their own. These former industrial sites have come to be known as brownfields, land where the presence or potential presence of contamination prevents expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of the land. Brownfield sites aren't limited to abandoned factories or buildings. They can also be former dry cleaning establishments or gas stations that are no longer in use. Every single congressional district in our Nation has at least one brownfield site, and some, in fact, have hundreds. In April, I was in Torrington, Connecticut, a former mill town in my district where, like many communities in the Naugatuck River Valley, there are brownfields scattered throughout the city. I met with Mayor Carbone and other city and local officials to learn about plans to clean up and repurpose two industrial sites, which would create jobs and revitalize the downtown area. The plan to revitalize downtown Torrington was made possible by funding provided through the EPA's brownfields grant program. However, to implement Torrington's transformative plan, we need additional funding in the brownfields program. I think it is important to note that addressing brownfields is not simply an issue for our cities. Expanding funding for brownfields helps not only our cities, but also our suburbs and agricultural communities. Cleaning up and putting brownfields back into economic use in our cities helps preserve open space and surrounding communities by taking pressure off of demand for virgin or undeveloped land. Additionally, taxpayer dollars go a long way in the brownfields program. For every dollar expended by the EPA's brownfields program, it leverages, on average, approximately $18 in additional public and private investment and, in many cases, property values have more than doubled when communities were given the resources necessary to repurpose brownfield sites. According to a 2007 study, approximately 10 jobs are created for every acre of brownfields redevelopment, and with over 400,000 brownfields sites across the country, the work needed to clean up these sites is far from complete. So let's do our job as elected officials by empowering our constituents with additional funding to clean up contaminated properties, attract new businesses, create jobs, safeguard public health, and revitalize our downtowns. I encourage all of my colleagues to support the Esty amendment. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ESTY. Madam Chair, again, with all due respect, I think, as my colleague has noted, these dollars make an enormous impact, and I would respectfully request and urge my colleagues to support the Esty amendment. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, today marks 1 month since the horrific attack on Pulse nightclub that took 49 lives. Many of us have come here to this floor raising our voices to demand that this House take action to prevent the loss of life from guns in this country. But one critical, tragic aspect of this crime that sometimes has gotten lost is exactly who was targeted in the shooting. Pulse was a mainstay of Orlando's LGBT community, and of the Latino community in particular. Now, more than ever, we need to unite against hatred, discrimination, and bigotry. We need to stand together in calling for justice, peace, and equality. I am, frankly, appalled to see that today, today on the 1-month anniversary of the shootings at the Pulse nightclub, instead of standing with the LGBT community, instead of passing background checks, today the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will be advancing legislation to undermine the existing and insufficient protections that the law provides for LGBT Americans. I am proud that my home State of Connecticut is one of several States to pass legislation protecting the LGBT community from discrimination, whether folks are at work, at school, at the doctor's office or, yes, using a public bathroom. Our residents support these laws. We support these protections. LGBT folks are our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our neighbors. They are our kids' teachers, coaches, and their friends. They give back to our community. They volunteer at church. They serve in public office. In Congress we should be focusing on legislation to prevent discrimination and prevent hatred. Our goal should be a country in which all Americans, in every State, can live their lives free from bigotry and harassment and free of the fear of being targeted with guns because of who people are. Quite simply, I can't imagine a worse way for Congress to respond to the massacre in Orlando than with legislation attacking LGBT Americans. The American people overwhelmingly believe that discrimination targeting the LGBT community has no place in our society, and yet a bill to support that discrimination is getting a full hearing today. Meanwhile, legislation to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists that has broad, bipartisan support among the public cannot get so much as a vote in this House. In the 3\1/2\ years since the Sandy Hook massacre in my State, in my district in Connecticut, this House has failed to take any action, any action whatsoever to prevent the deaths of Americans by guns. In that time, 100,000 Americans have died from guns, 49 of them in the largest mass shooting in American history 1 month ago, targeted because they are LGBT at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Mr. Speaker, it is time to get our priorities straight. It is time for us to do what the American people sent us here to do. Let us send a very clear message: We stand up against hatred and discrimination; we stand with our LGBT brothers and sisters; and we stand with the American people who are demanding that this House take action to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, to keep guns away from terrorists, to keep guns away from criminals, to keep guns away from domestic abusers, and to keep guns away from the dangerously mentally ill. We need a vote on no fly, no buy. We need a vote on comprehensive background checks on every commercial sale of a gun. The time to act is now, Mr. Speaker, and action is not increasing voting to increase discrimination against our LGBT brothers and sisters and to make them more vulnerable to the gun violence that wracks this country. We need to act. The time is now.

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, On Tuesday, July 12, I unfortunately missed a rollcall vote on a motion to adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on Rep. Grayson's motion to adjourn (Rollcall No. 404).

Ms. ESTY

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation in honor of Elizabeth Janie Woods, a victim of gun violence who never received a single moment of silence on the House floor.

Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, in honor of Gary Rhoden, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.