Lois Frankel

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which is aimed at ensuring that a voter is not confused or misled by a bad ballot design that could lead to that voter overlooking a race--that is called an undervote--or even voting for the wrong candidate. I want to explain the problem, Madam Chair, and then what I suggest is the remedy because, unfortunately, I have seen a bad ballot design basically cause chaos in my home State of Florida in two recent past elections. First, I want to go back to the 2000 Presidential race, Gore v. Bush, where a very--unfortunately, a famous--poorly designed butterfly ballot confused voters in Palm Beach County. Many elderly citizens who thought they were voting for Al Gore actually voted for Pat Buchanan. Why was this significant? Because we had a Presidential race where 6 million voters voted and it was decided by 500-plus votes, and Pat Buchanan got an unexpected 3,400 votes in a very liberal Palm Beach County. Then, again, just recently in the 2018 midterms, again, in a very close Senate race, this time a race that was about a 12,000-vote margin, more than 30,000 voters in Broward County did not make a choice in a U.S. Senate race. It is arguable that this is because the Senate candidates' names were under a set of long instructions, and according to experts, people don't read long instructions, and then they overlooked this Senate race. So this amendment makes a good attempt to remedy this situation. It would allow States to use the election assistance grants that are now being authorized by H.R. 1 to improve ballot designs. Although our Election Assistance Commission publishes best practices and guidelines how to design a good ballot, these guidelines are voluntary, and local election administrators often face difficulties in trying to translate the best practices into the real world. So with the funds provided by this amendment, States will be allowed to use their election assistance grants to create programs to train workers, research, model, and implement ballots designed by the best practices. This promises Americans the chance to cast their vote for their intended candidate. We have seen problems with bad ballots. They are not just theoretical hiccups. They can and will, literally, swing elections. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Chair, I just want to say that this amendment is very simple. You do not want elections with asterisks. Voters should be able to vote for the candidate they intend to vote for. There should be no confusion because of the ballot. Madam Chair, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Chair, I thank the chairwoman for her comments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call vote 100, 101, 102, and 103 I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea,'' ``yea,'' ``nay,'' and ``yea.''

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call votes 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA,'' ``YEA,'' ``YEA,'' ``YEA,'' ``YEA,'' and ``YEA'' respectively.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call vote 96, 97, 98, and 99, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY,'' ``YEA,'' ``NAY,'' and ``YEA.''

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call votes 88 and 89, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' and ``yea.''

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madman Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Gwenn Kuskin Feldman, a beloved constituent of Florida's 21st Congressional District. Gwenn will be remembered as a loving mother and sister, generous friend, and the grandmother who never said no to her grandkids--Ellie, Ben, and Ruby. I was introduced to Gwenn through her son, my colleague from New Jersey--Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Gwenn was a woman who stood strong in her convictions. She wasn't afraid to give me a report on how I was doing as her Congresswoman or speak her mind about issues of the day. Above all, she truly cared about the future of our country. Gwenn's contribution to our community came from her immeasurable amount of love. Before moving to Florida, she spent years working with preschool children at Congregation Beth El in South Orange, New Jersey. Her dedication to the growth of our youths continued in Florida. Countless loved ones honored her memory through donations to Jewish Adoption & Family Care Options' (JAFCO) Gwenn Feldman Fund for Fun. In facing this loss, I am reminded of a Hannah Senesh poem, ``There are Stars'' or Yesh Kochavim in the original Hebrew. The first few lines embody Gwenn: There are stars whose radiance is visible on earth though they have long been extinct. There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world even though they are not longer among the living. Gwenn's star continues to shine bright through her children and the lives of the many she impacted. I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering this incredible American and celebrating the inspiring life she lived.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Perry for yielding. I have to say it was quite difficult to listen to you, not because you are not articulate, but these stories are horrific. I just thank you on a bipartisan basis that we can address this horrible, horrible situation. I am rising here today and I am joining, of course, Representative Perry on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. I say that every girl, no matter where she is born, has a right to live free of violence. When women and girls are empowered, when they are provided access to quality healthcare and education, communities thrive. In fact, the best predictor of a country's peacefulness is how well its women are treated. Uplifting the value of women around the world is an American value that must continue. And still, there are horrific norms and cultural practices, like female genital mutilation, or we call it FGM for short, and it is holding back women from reaching their full potential. Representative Perry, I actually met a victim of this very, very cruel act last year. She came to a panel discussion. Her name was Jaha, a young woman from Gambia. She told us that when she was actually born, when she was 1 week old, she was mutilated, and that at age 15, she was married off. She told us this is very common. It is happening to something like 200 million women today. Now, Jaha, she is a champion, because she broke away from her marriage and she became a champion advocate for her daughter. She became an advocate. Through her advocacy, FGM is now banned in Gambia. So she has shown us that it can be done. 200 million girls and women today have been cut, leaving them with irreversible emotional and physical damage which can lead to infection, severe bleeding, complication in childbirth and increased risk of newborn death. It is horrific, it is inhumane, and it is a gross violation of human rights. And it is not just tied to one religion or culture; it could happen anywhere. It is unbelievable to say that it still happens in the United States of America, as you so aptly pointed out. I am very happy to be here with you. In fact, I am very proud to be here with you to just send a clear message that FGM is unacceptable. It must stop. And I am so pleased to join you in all your efforts, our joint efforts to stop this practice. And I will add something: In the United States, there is more that we can do in terms of resources. At least $15 million is needed, annually, to continue our efforts. I would like to see us put into law the U.S. strategies to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, globally, and to empower adolescent girls, recognizing that FGM is a gender-based violence. As importantly, we must restore our funding to the U.N. Population Fund, which is providing care to 2 million survivors around the world. It is time we recommit to ensuring the safety and empowerment of women and girls. Mr. Speaker, I know Representative Perry would join me in saying, when women succeed, so does the world.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call vote 55, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY.''

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call votes 52, 53, and 54, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA,'' ``YEA,'' and ``YEA'' respectively.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, this week I met with south Floridians to talk about the impact of the cruel Trump shutdown, so many sad stories. I learned about a TSA agent who just came back from maternity leave who had to send her baby to her mother in Massachusetts because she didn't have the money for daycare or Pampers. The air traffic controllers told me that their stress level is so high now, it is a danger to all of us. And I heard from the service providers of victims of domestic violence who are worried that their shelters are about to close. Now, Democrats, we support smart border security, not an ineffective, wasteful wall. But, listen, we can debate that at another time. Right now, we have to open our government so that we can get back to the business for the people.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, I stand with millions of Americans who say it is time to end this irresponsible and cruel Trump shutdown. In Florida, where our borders are surrounded by water, we rely on men and women like Coast Guard Petty Officer Seth to keep us safe. Now, like 800,000 other government workers, our Coast Guard is not getting paid, and that leaves Officer Seth and his wife, Beth, and their two sons at home worried about money for food, for diapers, for paying their mortgage, for getting their gas. Now, lawmakers, we can debate about what is needed for a secure border, but innocent people who show up to work every day to serve the public should not be held hostage by the political whim of a President.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call vote 16, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 17, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 18, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 19, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 20, had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY.'' On roll call vote 21, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 22, had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY.'' On roll call vote 23, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 24, had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY.'' On roll call vote 25, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 26, had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY.'' On roll call vote 27, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 28, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.'' On roll call vote 29, had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA.''

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, on roll call votes 13, 14 and 15, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA'' on all three.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today we recognize the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a campaign to raise awareness and spur action to end violence against women and girls. Over the past year, with the explosion of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements, women around the world have come forward with their own harrowing stories of sexual violence--an abuse of power that often causes emotional and physical distress and harms their ability to care for their family. One in three women worldwide will experience gender- based violence in their lifetimes, ranging from sexual violence and human trafficking to harmful practices like child marriage. The statistics are staggering--nearly 39,000 girls under 18 are married each day and over 200 million women and girls have been subjected to female genital mutilation. Gender-based violence continues to hold women back from reaching their full potential. In 2012, the United States government released the Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally, marking ending violence against women and girls as top diplomatic and foreign assistance priorities. On the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, let's reinforce our commitment to ensuring the safety of women and girls and recommit to women's empowerment worldwide. Remember this: when women and girls succeed, their nations succeed.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish all people celebrating Taiwan's National Day, a Happy Double Ten Day. The United States and Taiwan are united in common interests and commitment to freedom and democracy. The Taiwanese people share our values of human rights, adherence to the rule of law, and freedom of speech. Taiwan is a shining example of democracy, exemplified by multiple peaceful transfers of power following free elections. In addition to our close cultural and political partnership, the United States and Taiwan also share a booming economic partnership. Bilateral trade between our countries surpassed $86 billion in 2017, making Taiwan the United States' 11th largest trading partner. Taiwan is also a partner with the United States in our resolute efforts to combat global terrorism. For example, its contribution to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS will assist refugees as they return to their homes and begin rebuilding their communities. I ask my colleagues to join me in recommitting ourselves to the U.S.- Taiwan relationship, and in wishing Taiwan a Happy Double Ten Day.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to work with Mr. Engel, Mr. Royce, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. And Mr. Poe, it has been a great pleasure and honor to work with you in a bipartisan manner on our Foreign Affairs Committee. I am very proudly standing here, of course, in support of this United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act, which recognizes Israel's right to defend itself and writes into law the continued cooperation between our two countries. Defending Israel is in our national security interest, as is ensuring our great friend and ally is safe. It is more important than ever, as mentioned by my colleagues here today. When you look at the region, there is reason to be worried: Hamas in Gaza, rebuilding its rocket arsenal and calling for Israel's destruction; Iran now threatening to dramatically increase its enrichment of uranium while constructing military bases in Syria; ISIS wreaking havoc in Sinai; and Hezbollah pointing 150,000 missiles at Israel. So we must continue strengthening Israel's defenses, and this important bill codifies the memorandum of understanding with Israel signed by the Obama administration, the largest U.S. military assistance package ever. The measure also expands U.S.-Israel cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including authorizing USAID to partner with Israel to aid low-income countries; by leveraging Israeli innovations in the water, food, security, energy, and global health sectors. In an increasingly polarized Washington, Israel can never be a partisan issue. That is why I am so glad this is not a partisan issue. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. I am opposed in its current form.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Mr. Speaker, my motion will make this bill much better. It is going to delay this legislation from going into effect until we clean up one of the messes caused by the Republican tax scam, the big giveaway to the richest few in this country at the expense of most Americans. Now, listen to this. The 2018 Medicare trustee report predicts that the Medicare trust fund will be depleted in 2026--3 years earlier than predicted in last year's report. Now, Mr. Speaker, why is this? Not a big surprise. The $2.3 trillion Republican tax cut for the benefit of corporations and billionaires has shortchanged the longevity of the fund that pays for the healthcare of 58 million seniors. It is called Medicare, a program that celebrates its 53rd year anniversary this month, a system that seniors have spent a lifetime paying into. Just ask Eve in my hometown of West Palm Beach who relies on skilled nursing care, like the 1.8 million Eves in this country; or Irving in Delray, who had his prostate removed. Like Irving, 6.6 Americans rely on Medicare to pay for their hospital visits every year. Medicare helps to keep our grandmothers and grandfathers healthy and repair them when they are sick. It allows men and women who raised families and built their country to retire in dignity without paying every last dollar for their needed well-care visit, their blood pressure medicine, or their hip replacement. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to do the right thing for the folks whom we love and who love us, take the time to fix this legislation, and put the money back into the Medicare trust fund, that was cruelly-- I say cruelly--stolen by the Republican tax scam, the giveaway to the richest 1 percent and the big corporate interests. Let's keep Medicaid alive and well. Please support this motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Justin Hersh and Anushka Scudder, Palm Beach County's Do the Write Thing Ambassadors for 2018. The Do the Write Thing challenge invites middle school students to submit essays and stories about their personal experiences with violence, bullying, and racism in school or throughout their community. These brave students share their stories to educate others about the need for more compassion and understanding in the world. Justin and Anushka visited my office in Washington, D.C. last week and I heard their compelling stories. I commend them for their passion for making Palm Beach County a safer place for all students and hope that more will follow their stellar examples.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, keeping peace in the world, reducing terrorism, creating safe environments where countries can be self-reliant and people can be prosperous is not just about more guns and bombs. Addressing the root causes of global upheaval is an important task. It is an important task of USAID that calls itself the world's premier development agency, which leads me to thank Mr. Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their bipartisan leadership and for the other cosponsors of this legislation for this very important bill that we call the Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act, which recognizes that when girls and women of the world are free from violence, educated, and have access to tools for economic success, their communities are more safe, more economically vibrant, and more peaceful. This is, of course, when women exert greater influence over household finances, economic outcomes for their families improve. The childhood survival rates go up, food security, and educational attainment increases for their children. Women actually place a greater emphasis on household savings, which improves a family's financial resiliency. Mr. Speaker, it is hard to comprehend the hardships and obstacles that women face globally. I think of a girl like Fatim, born in Mali. At just 8 months old, she was subjected to genital mutilation. By age 12, her father sold her for marriage to a man she had never met. She is among the one in three girls worldwide who will suffer gender-based violence. I think of Nasha, a young Nigerian, desperate for an education, who walks miles, fearful of sexual violence or kidnapping just to get to class. She doesn't want to become one of the 130 million girls worldwide who are out of school; or Kamila, a woman in Pakistan who dreams of starting her own business and being able to care for her family, but discriminatory laws prevent her from owning property or accessing credit. She is among the 1 billion women in the world excluded from the formal financial system. Given all of the roadblocks, it is not surprising that women and girls are the majority of the world's poor. Here is the thing: Many of these cruel and unfair practices make the world poorer, too, as we have heard from my colleagues. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, a leading international private sector think tank, if we change this equation and we advance women's equality, we could add trillions to the global GDP in just years. We are recognizing today that there is an undeniable link between women's economic success and global prosperity and peacefulness and security. Now, this bill has several components. It makes it USAID policy to do the following: to reduce gender gaps in economic opportunity; to strive to eliminate gender-based violence; to support women's property rights; and to increase the capability of women and girls to determine their own future. Next, the bill requires that 50 percent of USAID's resources for small- and medium-sized enterprises be targeted to reach enterprises owned, managed, and controlled by women. It codifies USAID's practice of shaping policy and activities through a gender analysis. As important, to ensure that our development assistance is reaching women, this legislation mandates that USAID track and measure improvements in women's economic empowerment, including employment, access to financial services, enterprise development, earnings and control over income, and property and land rights. Finally, this legislation also expands the scope of development assistance from microenterprises to small-and medium-sized enterprises to reflect changes in the field.