Lois Frankel

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, today, I rise in support of the resolution to remove the arbitrary deadline for ratification of the equal rights amendment, which is designed to end the legal distinctions between men and women. Madam Speaker, signed in 1776, the Declaration of Independence states: ``All men are created equal.'' Really? Following the birth of our Nation, it took women 144 years to secure the right to vote and even longer for women of color. It took 187 years to be promised equal pay, 197 years to get reproductive rights, and 198 years to get a credit card or buy a home. Yet, Madam Speaker, the women in this country are still fighting for equality. Madam Speaker, we are tired of waiting.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Chair, because of the force of labor unions, American workers have higher wages and workplaces that are fairer and safer. And we can thank labor unions for things like employee health coverage, the end of child labor, and a 40-hour work week. To counter the power of collective bargaining, some in corporate America have struck back by harassing union organizers, denying information to employees, and using independent contractors. That is why I am voting for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019, to defend and secure our labor unions, the champions of the American workers. I urge support of this amendment and the bill.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Engel for yielding. We can agree Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism and must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, but let's also agree that diplomacy is preferred, instead of armed conflict. But the question today is not whether to go to war but who has the power to make that decision. Mr. Speaker, our family was blessed when my son, a United States marine war veteran, came home safely from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but too many loved ones were not that lucky. So when I came to Congress, I made a promise never to send someone else's child to a war that could be avoided. The constitutional law gives Congress, not the President, the sole power to declare and authorize war, and it is time that Congress owns up to that grave responsibility. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to have the courage to repeal the war authorization against Iraq and tell the President no war against Iran without our consent.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Minnesota for yielding. Madam Speaker, I want to start by thanking my very good friend, Susan Brooks. Over the past 7 years together we have been involved in many efforts to advance women and girls. It is an honor to work with the gentlewoman. I thank my other colleagues for the support to bring this bill to the floor. It is a bipartisan, bicameral bill. It is sponsored by Senators Murkowski and Shaheen in the Senate. It is called the Keeping Girls in School Act. Madam Speaker, I am going to start with a question: Why should Americans even care that there are 130 million girls around the world who are kept out of school? That a young girl in a Malawi village is too frightened to walk miles to a secondary school for fear of sexual assault? Or that a 12-year-old girl in Mozambique is forced to marry and denied schooling? Or that hundreds of girls are kidnapped from school by Boko Haram terrorists who believe women should be cooks or sex slaves? Or care about the 14-year-old in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai, shot in the head by the Taliban because she wanted girls to be educated? So why should Americans care that there are 130 million girls around the world who are kept out of school? Madam Speaker, there are 130 million reasons to care. According to the Malala Fund, the international nonprofit organization that fights for girl's education, cofounded by Malala, girls' education strengthens economies and creates jobs. Millions of girls being educated means there are more working women with the potential to add up to trillions of dollars in global growth. When girls are educated, communities are more stable and can recover faster from conflict. Extremism grows alongside inequality. When a country gives all its children secondary education they cut their risk of war in half. Educated girls are healthier citizens who raise healthier families. They are less likely to marry young or to contract HIV, and they are more likely to have healthy, educated children. Each additional year of school a girl completes cuts both infant mortality and child marriage rates. Madam Speaker, when the Keeping Girls in School Act is put into full force, it will mean that countries where girls are educated will be more peaceful, making violent conflicts less likely and countries more prosperous, allowing them to be more self-reliant and participate in international trade. This means a safer and more economically vibrant world. The Keeping Girls in School Act recognizes the progress made in closing the gender gap for primary education in developing countries like Vietnam, Tunisia, and Nepal, and recognizes that we must do more to advance our young girls around the world. This legislation focuses on the unique obstacles keeping adolescent girls from accessing quality education at the secondary level. It will give USAID innovative tools and new funding mechanisms to address and reduce barriers that keep girls out of school--barriers like female genital mutilation, sexual violence, HIV infection, family obligations, and lack of safety. This legislation would also codify and require updates to the U.S. Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls, bringing together civil society organizations, the private sector, and governments around the world to prepare girls to become the leaders of tomorrow. I am going to end today, Madam Speaker, by paraphrasing a poem about a young girl's plea to her father in Kenya. It goes something like this: Father says to her: You are grown up, and I am going to marry you off. I say: I don't want a husband. Our fathers say: A daughter is good because we marry her off and we get a crate of beer. Our mothers say: A daughter is good; the bridegroom will surely buy us presents. And I, the daughter, say: Mother, father, give me an education because a husband without an education is nothing. Father, look at other communities that have educated their daughters and reap good fruit. Father says: I will take my beloved sons to school and my beloved daughters will look after the cattle. I say: O, father, let the daughter go to school. Educating a girl is educating a nation. Misery will surely be a thing of the past. And goodness will spread like a good aroma. Let's surely then educate the daughter. Madam Speaker, when our daughters are educated, the world will change for the better. I urge support of this very good bill, the Keeping Girls in School Act.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Virginia and my colleagues for their work on this bill. Mr. Chair, Ben Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence at age 70. Grandma Moses started painting at age 76. We should never, ever put an age limit on our dreams or the ability to make a living. But here is the thing, Mr. Chair: You can be a dedicated employee, having spent decades building a career that you are proud of, taking care of your family, putting your kids through college, saving for your future. You need and want to work and, one day, when you are ready, retire with dignity. But then, out of nowhere, your life is shattered. Your bosses say: ``You are fired.'' They list their reasons. However, you know the truth. You have been let go to make way for a younger employee. Now you are without a salary, without your health insurance. You know your odds of getting a new job are slim when you are competing with 20-year-olds and 30-year- olds who are willing to work for lower wages and fewer benefits. For too many seniors, Mr. Chair, this is a reality. Nearly three in five workers have experienced age-based discrimination, not only unfairly depriving the worker of a paycheck but taking valuable workers out of the workforce. Now, a Supreme Court decision has made it even harder to prove age discrimination. Mr. Chair, the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act would give senior workers the protection they deserve and society the workers that we need. The poet Robert Browning said: ``Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.'' Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this very, very good bill.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, I am holding in my hand a pill cutter. Pharmacists tell me that it is one of the most popular gadgets in the drugstore. Why? Because many prescription drugs are so unaffordable that, at the expense of their health, Americans are cutting their pills in half. Even some folks who have insurance go to the counter with a prescription and leave empty-handed because they can't afford the copay. That is why Democrats passed H.R. 3 that will give Medicare the power to negotiate with drug companies, lowering the cost of the most expensive drugs for all Americans and stopping pharmaceutical companies from charging more for drugs that are cheaper in other countries. The new law would also set limits on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries while delivering them vision, dental, and hearing care. Madam Speaker, I urge the Senate to take up and pass this lifesaving bill.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Mr. Speaker, as the mother of a United States Marine war veteran, I came to Congress with the promise of never sending someone else's child to a war that could be avoided. This War Powers Resolution says no war with Iran without congressional approval, while still ensuring defense if there is an imminent threat. While we do not mourn the death of Iran's commander of terror, Americans and our allies worry about the ramifications that will make us less safe: the fight against ISIS has been diverted; regional protests against the Iranian regime are now against America; Iranian proxies have been further incited; and Iran is closer to having a nuclear weapon. America is not a monarchy. The decision to go to war requires debate, deliberation, and collective judgment. That is why the law gives the responsibility to Congress. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this resolution.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to Human Trafficking Awareness Month, which serves as an opportunity to reaffirm our country's commitment to preventing trafficking and supporting victims. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches for their tireless efforts to educate community members, build trust, and restore hope for survivors. Over 40 million people worldwide are impacted by human trafficking. Unfortunately, my home state of Florida ranks third in the nation for reported cases. While many victims face challenges finding appropriate services, early intervention empowers victims and provides a pathway to recovery. Human Trafficking Awareness Month is a time to ensure that victims of this horrific crime are offered accessible and appropriate services in the aftermath of being trafficked. I would like to thank all the advocates, victim service providers, and criminal justice professionals committed to improving our response to all human trafficking victims and helping them find the support, justice, and peace they need.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, in 1787, at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked: Do we have a republic or a monarchy? He responded: ``A republic, if you can keep it.'' Madam Speaker, a republic is a form of government in which the country is considered a public matter, not the private concern or property of the rulers. In a republic, no person is above the law. In a republic, the President may not abuse his power by withholding critical foreign assistance for his own personal political gain nor may he stop witnesses from talking. I did not come to Congress to impeach a President, but I did take an oath to keep the Republic. For our children and our grandchildren, we should do nothing less. One day, I will tell my grandson that I stood up for our democracy. I will vote ``yes'' to impeach the President.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, I thank our illustrious chair for her great work. Madam Speaker, later today, the Energy and Water bill will include significant funding for a critical bipartisan environmental issue in my home State of Florida. Known as the River of Grass, the Everglades is a 100-mile-long natural region of tropical wetlands that is the main source of water for millions of Floridians and visitors. It contains one of Florida's and America's most popular national parks. It is home to hundreds of animal species. The State of Florida and the Federal Government are engaged in a long-term undertaking to restore its natural flow and improve water quality. This bill, Madam Speaker, includes $200 million for Everglades restoration, the largest allocation ever by the Federal Government for this project. It will help protect south Florida's magnificent ecosystem, keep our water safe, and drive our economy.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Mr. Speaker, voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. It has been a hard-fought right. We must ensure that every American that is eligible to vote can make their voice heard. This right has been trampled on after the Shelby County v. Holder Court decision, which has unleashed a flood of State and local voter suppression laws, silencing targeted voters, particularly communities of color. In my home State of Florida, laws and policies have cut back early voting, established English-only ballots, and are now trying to thwart efforts to restore voting rights to ex-felons, hurting access to the ballot box for Floridians. H.R. 4 will push back against suppressive voting laws, restoring the great equalizer for democracy and for our people.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of our Syrian Kurdish allies who have lost thousands of men and women in the fight against ISIS at the behest of the United States of America. And I join my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to call on Turkey to end its invasion of northern Syria. Giving Turkey the green light to go into this area will go down in history as a moral and strategic disaster. There so many consequences, Mr. Speaker. Our Kurdish friends were betrayed and slaughtered and are now forced to align with Syrian forces backed by Iran creating an even bigger threat to our friend Israel. ISIS is now unleashed, Russian troops filling our vacuum, and our other allies wondering if we can ever be trusted again. The Trump administration's weak sanctions are like an arsonist calling in the fire department. Mr. Speaker, we must protect United States soldiers, secure our nuclear weapons in Turkey, provide humanitarian support to the Kurds, and impose crippling sanctions on Turkey until they end their Syrian campaign, and most importantly, pursue a diplomatic solution to end the conflict. I want to end by thanking Mr. Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for their bipartisan leadership. I urge adoption of this resolution.

Ms. FRANKEL

Ms. FRANKEL. Madam Speaker, it is great to be with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier). I thought maybe we could have some sort of a colloquy. The gentlewoman looks like she is up to it.

Ms. FRANKEL. First all, I want to thank the gentlewoman for her leadership. And I also know that Representative Hank Johnson has also been involved with the FAIR Act. First, I want to just make a statement. Forced arbitration deprives men and women--not just the women, but men--of fundamental legal protections and also prevents--this is important--the public from knowing about the harm that corporations often create or the secrecy of arbitration. So I am very pleased to join you in supporting the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act, or FAIR Act. So, you know, I want to talk to you about a woman named Lilly, but I want to read this to you. This is an advertisement from a massage spa that Lilly went to. And this is what it says, ``The world is out to get you. Thankfully, we got you. Stress can take a toll on your body, and even though your body works hard to keep it up, it needs help. Keeping your body running efficiently should be high on your to-do list, and regular massage is a key to operating at peak efficiency. Keeping your body in optimal working condition with routine massage along with rapid tension relief and total body stretch is easy at any Massage Envy franchise location.'' Now, I would assume you would agree it is pretty appealing.

Ms. FRANKEL. Anyway, this is the advertisement. We got your back. And the fact of the matter is, as I said, The world is out to get you. Thankfully, we got you. And they did get Lilly, who I am here to talk about today, because on her visit to the Massage Envy Spa she was sexually assaulted. First, she tried to get--it is one of these things where you sign up and get a series. So, first, she tried to get out, and she had to get the app, and she tried to cancel her membership, which she wasn't even allowed to do because in the little fine line it said, you have to go to arbitration.

Ms. FRANKEL. I yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Ms. FRANKEL. Right.

Ms. FRANKEL. Right. And she didn't want to go back because she was sexually assaulted. And so, we are not talking about, obviously, she can make a criminal claim, but she wanted to actually get out of having to continue to pay Massage Envy. She is just an example of, literally, the many women this has happened to. There was an investigation. There are about 1,200 of these franchises across the country, and BuzzFeed did an investigation, and they found that there were about more than 180 women who had been sexually assaulted at these spas. Now think about this, aside from the criminal consequences, which obviously there must be, the company does not want to let you out of your contract unless they force you to arbitration. Maybe you can explain again why forced arbitration is really so contrary to our system of justice?

Ms. FRANKEL. Is it true that in many of these arbitration cases that the company actually gets to choose the arbitrator and then the arbitrator--it is the same arbitrator, and then what are the implications of that?

Ms. FRANKEL. And, obviously, the arbitrator wants to be rehired. And so the power is with the employer. And I think it is important to know, and I think we can help. We have been talking today about instances of sexual abuse and sexual harassment, but what people should know is that these arbitration agreements touch almost every part of our life. For example, when you go into a doctor's office or a hospital.

Ms. FRANKEL. So what this means in practical terms, we always think if we are harmed or we are wronged that we should have our day in court where a judge or a jury can hear evidence publicly and decide the case. But really what we have now is this system, I call it the system of injustice with this forced arbitration that is secret that is really weighted towards the corporation.

Ms. FRANKEL. And, again, just to emphasize this, maybe you can give some examples of how this results in a coverup of wrongdoing that really keeps other people, whether they are employees or consumers, from being protected?

Ms. FRANKEL. And one more point, if you can emphasize again, when you go into arbitration, does it cost the consumer or the employee money?

Ms. FRANKEL. So before I let you go on with your next story, can you just reemphasize again exactly what this legislation will do?

Ms. FRANKEL. Well, I think you will bring a lot of justice to people all over the country, and I want to thank you for your leadership.