Josh Gottheimer

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to the bipartisan Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act. Before I begin, I thank all the veterans back in my home district in northern New Jersey and nationwide from the bottom of my heart for putting your lives on the line to defend our freedom, our families, and the greatest democracy the world has ever known. Please know this: After sacrificing so much, no veteran should ever struggle to get the care or recognition he or she has earned. We should always get their backs. My amendment to the legislation we are considering today will do just that. It will add critical support for our brave veterans, particularly homeless veterans, to the list of allowable purposes on which State governments, including my State of New Jersey, may deploy Federal community services block grant program investments. The bipartisan community services block grant program helps to reduce poverty, revitalize communities, and empower families and individuals to become fully self-sufficient. It helps individuals, like veterans, to get and keep a good job, a good education, housing, healthcare, and emergency assistance and, above all, to participate more actively in their communities. In New Jersey, the program annually serves more than 200,000 individuals and 130,000 families through the work of 25 community action agencies. These agencies are typically private nonprofit organizations, public agencies, or local government entities, like Greater Bergen County Community Action, which provides education and training, financial counseling, and more; or Bergen County's government, where our county executive and commissioners have focused like a laser beam on successfully helping combat veteran homelessness. The bipartisan legislation on the floor today will make important updates to the community services block grant program. My amendment will add support for veterans and, in particular, as I said, homeless veterans to the list of investments States like New Jersey can make through the program. With this amendment, community action agencies will work alongside State and local agencies to raise awareness among veterans of housing programs and help those who bravely served our country to secure the housing they need. Once stable housing is secured, community action agencies will work with veterans and other eligible individuals to ensure the full range of community resources, including workforce training, health resources, and opportunities for peer support, are available to those veterans who need it most. Supporting our Nation's veterans with the community services block grant program is the least we can do. After serving our country and putting their lives on the line to defend our freedom and democracy, our Nation's veterans should not struggle to get the resources they have earned. But far too often, our veterans face issues finding housing and employment. It is unacceptable. On any given night, the Federal Government estimates that more than 40,000 veterans are homeless. On top of that, data shows that the unemployment rate of veterans ages 18 to 65 is higher than the unemployment rate of nonveterans. Today's amendment builds on the work I helped lead, working with both sides of the aisle in recent months and since I was elected, to support our servicemembers, veterans, and veteran families. The first piece of legislation I passed in Congress was to expand hiring of post-9/11 veterans. Just weeks ago, I was proud to join my colleagues in passing a 2.7 percent pay raise for members of the military to ensure we are getting the backs of those who bravely have ours. Late last year, the House passed the bipartisan Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act, which will expand access to mental health services for veterans utilizing their GI benefits at colleges and universities through established vet centers. In March, we passed the bipartisan Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act to help expand access to GI benefits for members of our military who serve in the National Guard and Reserves, as they don't receive the same access to vital GI benefits that they deserve as well. Also in March, working with the members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, we passed the Honoring our PACT Act here in the House to help veterans exposed to burn pits, covering veterans dating back to 1991 and Operation Desert Storm and through our more recent post-9/11 conflicts. This included my key provisions to address the mental health impacts for toxic exposure for veterans and to ensure VA information on toxic exposure illnesses is published in multiple languages, like Korean and Spanish, to help even more of our veterans. Back home in New Jersey, I have been fighting for expanded access to healthcare services, and I helped establish the mental health services at the VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Newton in Sussex County, New Jersey. I am working to cut through red tape with the VA Community Care Network to ensure eligible north Jersey veterans are able to receive referrals for community care at ImageCare Centers across the Fifth District. We have made critical progress on that front. Now, more veterans in my district have greater access to healthcare that they deserve. Let me just say, these are not Democratic or Republican issues. They are red, white, and blue issues. They are issues core to protecting our great democracy, the ones our veterans have always fought for. There is nothing more important in this job than our responsibility to have the backs of those who have served our great Nation, whether that is at the VA, a mental health issue, or helping veterans find housing or get jobs when they come back home. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of my amendment to add support for veterans to the list of eligible community services block grant investments. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 10 of House Resolution 1097, I rise to offer an amendment.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for her comments and for the support of veterans. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record remarks I gave before the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America. It's an honor to speak with you today. I'm Josh Gottheimer, representing New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, and I'm also the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. Throughout my time in Congress, I've always been proud to fight for our great Armenian American community in North Jersey--one of the largest in the country. Tonight, I want to thank my friends with the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America, and also acknowledge any clergy and faith leaders joining us. We are gathered here today to remember April 24th, 1915: the painful day when hundreds of Armenian intellectuals were rounded up and ultimately murdered at the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. May their memory be a blessing to us all. By coming together to commemorate this atrocity, we not only mourn the lives lost, but we continue to rededicate ourselves to recognizing and speaking out against genocide around the globe and ensuring that we stand united in condemning hatred and violence. I believe that it is our duty to speak out honestly about historical facts and recognize the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians, as well as Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians by the Ottoman Empire. As the husband of someone who lost entire parts of her family during the Nazis' attempt to exterminate European Jewry, the need to recognize genocide is a deeply personal one. I know that it is never the wrong time to bear witness and tell the truth, and that the United States should never be complicit in denying genocide. For too long, this genocide has been denied, and the victims and their families denied full justice. In October 2019--nearly three years ago--thanks to the tireless efforts of activists and community leaders like all of you, as was said, we were able to achieve the historic passage in Congress of H. Res. 296--a resolution I was proud to cosponsor and vote for--affirming the United States' recognition of the Armenian genocide. I was also proud to work with my colleagues in the bipartisan Congressional Armenian Caucus to write to President Biden urging him to recognize the Armenian Genocide. And last year, as was talked about, for the first time, the sitting President of the United States formally declared the truth. As we continue to see a rise in acts of hate and targeted violence against ethnic and religious minorities around the world, it is vital that we not conceal or be bystanders to evil. By recognizing the Armenian Genocide, we pay tribute to the perseverance of the survivors and the dedication and contributions of the Armenian Americans who do so much to strengthen our communities and our nation. I will continue to stand strong with our ally Armenia, in the face of threats and continued attacks from its neighbors, as we unfortunately have continued to see, even just in the last couple months. That includes continuing our call for the release of Armenian prisoners of war detained by Azerbaijan, as well as continued support for critical humanitarian assistance to Artsakh. Know that you have an ally in Congress, and that my door is always open to you. Today, we solemnly commemorate the genocide committed against the Armenian people. It is only by raising our voices to acknowledge and remember these horrific crimes against humanity, that we can look clearly into the future committed to pursue justice and eradicate hate. Thank you, and God bless America.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the crucial investment my bipartisan amendment to the MORE Act will make to support local law enforcement and to protect our children, families, and communities. My provision, which passed with a strong bipartisan majority, will invest $10 million for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to study technologies and methods that law enforcement may use to determine whether a driver is impaired by marijuana in their system. We know that marijuana significantly impairs judgment, motor coordination, and reaction time. Studies have found a direct relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving ability. In fact, drivers under the influence of marijuana regularly cause traffic collisions. We must give our law enforcement officers the tools to detect impaired drivers and get them off the road--and to always have their backs. Safety is always my top priority, and I am proud to lead efforts that invest in our law enforcement and protect our families. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass my critically important provision, to ensure that law enforcement has the tools necessary to keep roads safe for our families. This investment is crucial to protecting our families from the dangers of impaired driving.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I want to reinforce what Ms. Jackson Lee said, the importance of making sure we invest in safety, which is always my top priority, and making sure that law enforcement has the tools they need. We invest in law enforcement and ensure we have their backs. They take care of us every single day. I stand by law enforcement, and we will make sure they have the resources they need. This legislation helps in that effort to protect our families and our roads. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today about an amendment that I think is critically important to this legislation. It addresses a topic that I am concerned about, and I know many are as well, to make sure that law enforcement has the tools they need to ensure that our roads are safe and that when they pull someone over for whatever purpose, they are able to actually have the tools they need to assess the situation. My amendment would make sure the Secretary of Transportation can conduct a study on technology and methods that law enforcement can use to determine whether a driver is impaired by marijuana. The study will give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the resources they need to conduct this study. I think it is important and will make this legislation even stronger. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 86. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Bilirakis (Fleischmann) Bowman (Meng) Buchanan (Waltz) Cawthorn (Fallon) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) DeGette (Blunt Rochester) Evans (Mfume) Gosar (Gaetz) Harder (CA) (Gomez) Jackson (Fallon) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Joyce (OH) (Garbarino) Kahele (Mrvan) Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz) Luetkemeyer (Meuser) Roybal-Allard (Wasserman Schultz) Rush (Jeffries) Salazar (Owens) Sanchez (Gomez) Sires (Pallone) Suozzi (Beyer) Taylor (Carter (TX)) Trahan (Blunt Rochester) Valadao (Garbarino) Wilson (FL) (Jeffries)

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, on H.R. 2116, the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2021, I am not currently recorded as a cosponsor. It was my intention to serve as a cosponsor of this legislation, but because the bill has now been reported by the appropriate Committees and placed on the Union Calendar, I am not able to do so.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Pete DuPre. Pete, better known as Harmonica Pete around the world, was a true American hero, an advocate for veterans and a constant inspiration to all those who were touched by his music. Spending time with him was a true honor that I will never forget, nor will my 12-year-old daughter, Ellie. She met him for the first time 4 years ago. They became pen pals and good friends. Pete recently passed at the age of 98. Pete served for 3 years overseas as a U.S. Army medic in some of the most important battles of World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge, a true turning point in the war for Allied Forces. Pete returned home and continued to represent our Nation, traveling the globe, performing as an ambassador for the Greatest Generations Foundation. He earned his nickname by playing our national anthem on his harmonica at the United States Women's National Soccer Team game against Mexico in my home State of New Jersey, at the Vikings stadium in front of tens of thousands of people, on the USS Arizona Memorial to commemorate the 74th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and nursing homes nationwide and so many more. Pete touched so many Americans. As we mourn the loss of Harmonica Pete, we pray for his five children; Michael, James, Robert, Pierre, and Mary Ann; his late wife, Jane; and his grandchildren; and all the friends and family he touched. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Pete DuPre.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 350, on motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 350.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Richard Trumka, one of the most dedicated champions of labor and working families in our Nation's history. Like so many others--I don't have a photo like Andy has--but I will tell you, my moments in time where I got to speak to and visit with a legend were ones that are seared in my memory because he just brought out the best in everyone around him. The lives he impacted and the people he moved will never be forgotten. We all know that he started his career as a union man in the mines in Pennsylvania, like his father and grandfather before him, working his way through college and law school as a miner. After law school, instead of leaving the world he knew behind, Rich decided to use his skills to fight on behalf of it and dedicated the rest of his career to the labor movement, to the hardworking men and women of labor, eventually becoming the president of the largest labor union in the United States of America. He had an unrivaled sense of grit and determination that was paired with a deeply-held belief in the dignity of all work, and the rights of all workers. It was this combination that led him to spend his whole life fighting to ensure that every American worker has access to the wages, safety, healthcare, and finances that they deserve. Rich spent every day pushing to ensure that the American worker could build a good and honorable middle class life through their own hard work. You could feel it when you spent time with him. He was just somebody who cared deeply about the people around him, and then making sure everyone's best days were ahead of them. He was innovative and forward-thinking, constantly working to build an AFL-CIO for the 21st century. In fact, I argue that the AFL-CIO and the modern labor movement are what they are because of Mr. Trumka. The hardworking women and men of labor are better off, and our country is better off because of the legacy that he leaves behind. He, in many ways, is irreplaceable and will be deeply missed by so many men and women across our country for so many years to come. We will never forget him. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a great leader, Richard Trumka.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4089, the Darren Drake Act, bipartisan legislation I introduced in the Committee on Homeland Security with my Republican colleague and co- chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), to help prevent terrorist vehicle attacks and to protect Americans nationwide. This legislation is named in memory of a constituent from my district, Darren Drake from New Milford, New Jersey, who was one of those tragically killed in the terrorist attack in Lower Manhattan on October 31, 2017, when an ISIS-inspired terrorist drove a rented pickup truck into cyclists and runners for one mile along the West Side Highway, killing eight. The bill takes critical steps to stop these weapons of terror and help prevent terrorist truck attacks by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to develop and disseminate best practices for vehicle rental companies and dealers to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement. These best practices will be developed and updated in consultation with State and local law enforcement as well as industry experts. This crucial legislation will provide rental companies and car dealers with the vital information they need to flag and stop potential terrorist threats in their tracks. We can take no chances when it comes to terrorism, which is why this bill will help ensure all rental companies report suspicious behavior at every point of sale. No excuses. We simply cannot afford any excuses when it comes to a question of life or death. The bill will also require the Secretary of Homeland Security to report to Congress regarding the implementation of these best practices and other ways they are helping improve coordination between the Department and rental vehicle providers. This commonsense, bipartisan bill is aimed at stopping ISIS-inspired, lone wolf, and domestic terrorists from easily trucks and other vehicles to wreak havoc and cause mass destruction and health. It is an important addition to our arsenal as we work to eradicate threats of terror across our Nation. I want to thank Darren's parents, Jimmy and Barbara Drake, who have become dear friends, for working with me on this effort. I thank them for their leadership. We will continue working to ensure this measure becomes law, in Darren's memory and honor, to help prevent future attacks and save lives. It is the least we can do. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge all my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to help our Nation fully combat terror wherever it rears its ugly head.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 282 On Agreeing to the Amendment, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 282.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of passing the historic bipartisan infrastructure bill on Thursday. In August, all 220 House Democrats came here on the floor and voted to support opening debate and to vote on this once-in-a-century bipartisan infrastructure bill this week. Why? Because America simply can't afford to wait any longer. In New Jersey, our roads are the third worst in the Nation. One-third of our bridges are considered unsafe. Our transit has the worst on-time record in the country. Our train tunnel, which is critical between New York and New Jersey, 20 percent of the GDP runs through that corridor, yet the tunnel is 113 years old and literally crumbling. Moms and dads wait hours in delays to get home every night. It is affecting our businesses and our productivity. Hurricane Ida and climate change destroyed so many family homes in my community just weeks ago. The unfortunate reality is this: We just haven't made the investments we need in this country in infrastructure. China last year spent $3.7 trillion outside of China on infrastructure, and yet here we are year in and year out calling for infrastructure week and to get it done, and nothing happens. Now is our opportunity to get something done for our country. This historic bill, $1.2 trillion, will turn that around and put two million hardworking men and women of labor to work every year for the next decade. It will invest in electric vehicle infrastructure and the Gateway Tunnel, in rebuilding that. The tunnel I talked about that is crumbling, this is going to help fix it. It invests in roads and bridges and transit. Clean water to make sure that we get lead water out and forever chemicals out. It invests in broadband. After the Problem Solvers Caucus, which I proudly co-chair, worked for months with our Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle--and so many of us worked on it here in this House--50 Democrats and 19 Republicans in the Senate voted for this bill. Everyone from Bernie Sanders to Joe Manchin to Mitch McConnell all voted for it and sent it to us early last month. It is critical to the rest of the country and to New Jersey that we get it done. Not only because it makes these historic investments but because it is about the country coming together, Democrats and Republicans, to show that we can govern. We need to get everyone on board this week, Democrats and Republicans, because this bill is simply too important for our country and our future. There is nothing partisan about fixing our roads and our bridges and tunnels. There is nothing partisan about investing in fighting climate change, which this bill does. There is nothing partisan about making sure that we have the resources we need for our economy to run and for people to get to work every day. I urge my colleagues, every one of them, to come to this Chamber Thursday and to vote for this critical legislation. I know that working together, our best days as a country will always be ahead of us here in the greatest country in the world. And infrastructure is the best place to start; for our President, for our country, and for all of us.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 282 On Agreeing to the Amendment, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 282.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of critical legislation to support our key ally Israel on the Iron Dome technology we worked with them to develop. For 73 years, the United States and Israel have fostered and strengthened a remarkable relationship rooted in our shared values of freedom and democracy. We continue to see those values attacked today. Israel's national security is key to America's national security and to our fight against terror. Earlier this year, terrorists in Gaza including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic jihad fired more than 4,500 rockets at innocent civilians in Israel in just 11 days. We thank God each day for the Iron Dome, which intercepted 90 percent of the incoming rockets, saving countless lives. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues recently used support for this defense system as a political football. They threatened to shut down the Federal Government, putting at risk hurricane disaster relief and help for Afghan refugees, all over support for Iron Dome. It was outrageous, but now we have a chance to act. Let's pass this bill, support Iron Dome, and continue our historic, bipartisan support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. The Senate should then immediately take up this standalone measure and not let it get bogged down in the ongoing debt ceiling and continuing resolution debate. Mr. Speaker, we must protect our ally, the only democracy in the Middle East. Our national security is on the line.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 235 On Motion to Adjourn, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 235. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Aderholt (Moolenaar) Carson (Butterfield) DeSaulnier (Thompson (CA)) Fulcher (Meuser) Grijalva (Stanton) Horsford (Jeffries) Katko (Joyce (OH)) Kelly (PA) (Keller) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lowenthal (Beyer) Maloney, Carolyn (Velazquez) McEachin (Wexton) Meng (Jeffries) Napolitano (Correa) O'Halleran (Stanton) Payne (Pallone) Porter (Wexton) Rush (Underwood) Sires (Pallone) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wild (Axne) Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the en bloc packages. My first amendment adjusts Federal investments for the Federal Highway Administration to defund an expensive, unsightly, and unnecessary 60-foot-high artificial rock wall on I-80 in Warren County in my district. I encourage, instead, a safer, smarter option. The community which sits next to the beautiful Delaware Water Gap, one of Jersey's greatest natural treasures, believes this rock wall will be ineffective and that it will wreak havoc on the area's ecotourism. I couldn't agree more. This amendment makes clear that congressional intent is for no Federal funds to be used for the construction of an artificial wall between mileposts 1.04 and 1.45 along I-80 in Knowlton and Hardwick Townships, New Jersey. There are safer, better options. My second amendment makes it clear that Federal investments for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must help address the COVID-19-linked substance abuse and mental health issues affecting far too many children and young adults in our country. The pandemic has caused a historic rate of mental health issues, especially with our students, and we must help them get the support they need. It is just heart-wrenching. My final amendment prioritizes clean drinking water because every child should have access to water at school that is free of lead that can cause great harm to them. This amendment adjusts the Federal CDC environmental health investment, creating congressional intent to help ensure that school drinking water is free of lead and dangerous chemicals. We must protect children in north Jersey and nationwide from dangerous chemicals and lead in their drinking water. Madam Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan en bloc set of amendments.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 226. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Aderholt (Moolenaar) DeSaulnier (Thompson (CA)) Fulcher (Meuser) Gonzalez (OH) (Timmons) Graves (MO) (Wagner) Green (TX) (Perlmutter) Grijalva (Stanton) Horsford (Jeffries) Katko (Herrera Beutler) Kelly (PA) (Keller) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Lawrence (Beatty) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lowenthal (Beyer) Maloney, Carolyn (Velazquez) McEachin (Wexton) Meng (Jeffries) Napolitano (Correa) Payne (Pallone) Porter (Wexton) Ruppersberger (Brown) Rush (Underwood) Sires (Pallone) Torres (NY) (Jeffries) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wild (Axne) Wilson (FL) (Hayes) Amendments En Bloc No. 2 Offered by Ms. DeLauro of Connecticut

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, we are here today representing tens of thousands of middle-class families, like those back in my home district in northern New Jersey, who got whacked with the 2017 tax hike bill, which gutted our State and local tax deduction with the disastrous $10,000 cap. It is high time that Congress and the rest of the country heard just how badly these hardworking families have been hurt by the SALT cap. It is something I know we heard about a lot tonight, and I really want to thank my dear friend Tom Suozzi for his excellent leadership on this issue. The usual naysayers continue to try to undermine our efforts to reinstate the State and local tax deduction, or SALT, by claiming it is just a giveaway to the wealthiest Americans. But anyone who actually lives in my district in northern New Jersey knows that the $10,000 cap has hit middle-class families hard, many of whom are already struggling with high costs. It has also caused residents and jobs to leave our State. And now, with a declining tax base, it's threatening our best-in-class schools, teachers, law enforcement, firefighters, and our State's services for hard-pressed families. The cap on the State and local tax deduction does not solely impact the highest earners. It has also increased taxes on scores of middle- class families, as I said. It is a very important point to understand. In Bergen County, which is the largest county I represent, for instance, before the cap was put in place, the average SALT deduction was above $24,000 a year. Put another way, a married couple in Bergen County, a teacher and a law enforcement officer making a typical salary, could have had a SALT deduction of more than $17,000. According to reporting from New Jersey's Star-Ledger, if we reinstated the State and local tax deduction, nearly one-third of New Jersey residents, almost 3 million people, would get tax relief. Yes, they would get a tax cut they so desperately need. As many as 80 percent of them had incomes of $216,000 or less. Again, that is a firefighter and a teacher. That is hardly the 1 percent, especially in a high-cost-of-living area like New Jersey. I know the same thing is true of California, like we heard about from Katie Porter, or Tom Suozzi's district in New York. We know that when taxes goes up, it leads to an exodus of middle class and higher earners in State likes ours. In fact, according to United Van Lines, ever since the SALT cap, New Jersey has been the number one out-migration State in the entire country. New Jersey is losing its highest earners, and the disproportionate taxes they pay, to States like Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. That has only been exacerbated during the pandemic. The SALT cap is literally draining the tax base out of States like New Jersey that offer far better schools and government-supported services to middle- and lower-income families than our counterparts in other parts of the Nation. For instance, I mentioned $15,000 is the median property tax in Bergen County, New Jersey. If you go to Mississippi, their median property tax is $550 a year. The New York Times editorial board even once reiterated this point that I am trying to make, where we have good services for hard-pressed families in States like mine and other State I mentioned, like Mississippi or Alabama, don't have the resources to offer those kinds of services. So The New York Times editorial board made this point when they said that States like New Jersey and New York ``generally do a better job of providing for the health and welfare of their citizens, and are more willing to pay for institutions that are good for society as a whole.'' This is the difference between States like ours and moocher States like Mississippi and Alabama that tend not to give back to the people they represent. Thankfully, there is real bipartisan work taking place here in Congress to reinstate the SALT deduction, to get more money back in the pockets of Jersey middle-class families, and to help stop residents from moving out and eroding our State's tax base. Along with Congressman Suozzi, I have helped introduce the SALT Deductibility Act, a bipartisan bill to fully restore the deduction. In the SALT Caucus, with Congressman Bill Pascrell, who spoke earlier, we are working in a bipartisan way with more than 30 Members to find a way to get this done in Congress and to actually get tax relief for the middle-class families we represent. I am very proud to co-chair that bipartisan caucus. This tax cut of reinstating SALT can be a win-win for everyone. Let's get the SALT deduction fully reinstated so that millions of Americans and families nationwide can finally get some relief. Working together in a bipartisan way, I believe we really can get this done so that our best days are always ahead of us.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I would be happy to. One of the biggest challenges people don't realize for States like New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and California is how much our taxpayers pay into the Federal Government and, historically, how we get back less in return than some of the other States in the country do. For instance, for every dollar that Mississippi sends to the Federal Government, they get $4.38 back. Alabama, I believe, receives $4.32 back. The State of Louisiana starts its budget every year with half coming from the Federal Government. States like Jersey, we get back 67 cents, historically, on the dollar. What does that mean? It means that we pay lots of money to Washington. People like me are fighting to claw more back to Jersey, but we know that other States benefit more. When the tax hike bill passed in 2017, and the red States gutted the State and local tax deduction, capping it at $10,000, what they did was shift actually even more of the tax burden over to blue States like ours, and the red States benefited even more. It just reiterates, even more, the importance of actually reinstating the State and local tax deduction, not only because, as Katie Porter said, it is double taxation and not only because it has been around since 1913 or even before for exactly this purpose. It is because we recognize that some States pay more than others, and we have to find ways to balance that out. Otherwise, we are going to keep losing people from States like ours to States like Florida and other red States. Frankly, that is why it is so important that we fight back to get tax relief for the people that we represent, to make sure they can afford to live in our States and that we have a good tax base to be able to have great schools and stand by law enforcement, firefighters, and others.