Josh Gottheimer

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 36 and YEA on Roll Call No. 37. Personal Explanation

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 28 and YEA on Roll Call No. 29.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted: NAY on Roll Call No. 20 and NAY on Roll Call No. 21.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 18 and YEA on Roll Call No. 19. [personal explanation]

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 13, YEA on Roll Call No. 14, and YEA on Roll Call No. 15. personal explanation

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, Audrey Meyers has dedicated her career to advancing health care excellence for over four decades at the helm of Valley Health System and Valley Hospital, culminating in twenty-five years as CEO of Valley Health System. Audrey has spearheaded the development of a groundbreaking, cutting- edge hospital campus in Paramus, New Jersey, enhancing health care innovation throughout the region. Audrey has provided leadership at Valley Hospital, ranked one of the Top Three hospitals in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report, named one of the World's Best Hospitals by Newsweek, and placed in the top two percent of hospitals nationwide by Healthgrades. Audrey Meyers received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Jersey Hospital Association in recognition of her forty-four years of service.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 6.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 512, YEA on Roll Call No. 513, YEA on Roll Call No. 514, and YEA on Roll Call No. 515.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 479; YEA on Roll Call No. 480; YEA on Roll Call No. 481; NO on Roll Call No. 482; NO on Roll Call No. 483; and YES on Roll Call No. 492.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 474; YEA on Roll Call No. 475; and YEA on Roll Call No. 476.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted NO on Roll Call No. 468, NO on Roll Call No. 469, AYE on Roll Call No. 470, AYE on Roll Call No. 471, AYE on Roll Call No. 472, and NO on Roll Call No. 473. personal explanation

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 466 and YEA on Roll Call No. 467. personal explanation

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I missed the following vote, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 465.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 461, YEA on Roll Call No. 462, YEA on Roll Call No. 463, and NO on Roll Call No. 464.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Gooden for the support of these two amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which would require the Department of Justice report, as mandated under this bill, to examine the Chinese Communist Party's financial intelligence capabilities and, more broadly, the role of China's intelligence agencies and economic espionage. Let me start by outlining the scope of the problem. China is the main source of economic espionage against the United States. About 80 percent of the economic espionage cases that the Department of Justice prosecutes involve China and its affiliates. Anything that we can do to monitor the Chinese intelligence ecosystem will help in our fight to stop economic espionage here at home. As a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I am keenly aware of the public-private sector fusion in China. Because of its 2017 intelligence law, the CCP and Chinese intelligence agencies have disproportionate power over the country's industry. As we have seen with TikTok, industry and government are working in concert, at the direction and funding of the CCP, to undermine our country. Chinese intelligence agencies are the linchpin to understand the coordinated campaign to steal and profit from American trade secrets. That is precisely why I have offered my amendment. We need the United States Federal Government to monitor these agencies' role in economic espionage. Maintaining America's economic competitiveness is something that we can all agree on. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment so that we can get a fuller picture of Chinese intelligence agencies' role in economic espionage and actually stop them in the process. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which would require the Department of Justice's report, as mandated under this bill, to examine public-private sector coordination regarding economic espionage threats. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, there have been 224 documented cases of Chinese espionage directed at the United States since 2000, and that doesn't even count the more than 1,200 cases of intellectual property theft lawsuits brought by American companies against Chinese stakeholders. These tactics cost Americans billions, yes, billions with a b, each year. Individuals tied to the Chinese Government have been caught spying on companies that are producing our Nation's critical infrastructure. In 2022, a Chinese national was convicted of spying while working as an engineer at General Electric. Back in 2024, the Department of Justice charged five Chinese military hackers for spying on U.S. Steel, Westinghouse Electric, and more. From energy to consumer electronics to advanced technologies, CCP- backed individuals aim to steal secrets that give Chinese industry a leg up over American industry and undermine our country and economy. This espionage is as much a national security threat as it is an economic issue. As a member of both the Intelligence and Financial Services Committees, I believe it is critical that the public and private sectors work together to detect, coordinate, and develop responses to espionage. Private-sector companies are the hardest hit by this espionage, and they have been on the front lines of responding to breaches and hackers. We in the Federal Government have much to gain by coordinating with the private sector. With this amendment, we are making it clear that protecting American innovation is a team effort. We need everyone, business leaders, the intelligence community, lawmakers, and researchers, working together to stop economic espionage, maintain America's economic leadership, and guarantee our national security. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which would designate Chinese universities that purposely undermine the United States' relationship with Taiwan as entities of concern under H.R. 1516. We cannot condone partnerships with academic institutions that undercut the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I understand just how vital the U.S.-Taiwan relationship is for both America's and Taiwan's national security. Taiwan is a democratic firewall, a valued economic partner, and a global leader on semiconductors, one of the most critical technologies to American industry and competitiveness. The United States Congress must stand firmly with Taiwan and resolutely against the Chinese Communist Party, which aims to delegitimize our longstanding, bipartisan relationship. Chinese universities have played an instrumental role in the Chinese Communist Party's strategy to intimidate Taiwan and interfere in its governing. Let me just offer one example of many examples. Earlier this year, the Center for Strategic and International Studies reported that researchers at Xiamen University suggested that Beijing develop plans for a ``shadow government'' that could take over Taipei in case of a ``reunification,'' the code word for invasion. They are essentially writing the day-after invasion plan for the CCP. That is disgraceful and deeply disconcerting. The United States supports a free, democratic Taiwan. American universities and research affiliates should never support or legitimize this propaganda masked behind the guise of research. We would never ever condone an American researcher working with Moscow to develop battle plans for Kyiv. Why should Taiwan be any different? My amendment would hold American universities accountable for their collaboration with Chinese universities that delegitimize the U.S.- Taiwan relationship. We will not stand for the schoolyard bullying tactics of the CCP, which are a threat to Taiwan's sovereignty and a challenge to America's global leadership. I was glad to see such an overwhelming bipartisan majority of the House come together to support the Indo-Pacific security aid package in April. That bill made critical investments in our hard power and military assets. The Confucius Institutes are soft powers for China. By passing this amendment, we will help shore up the U.S.-Taiwan relationship on both fronts. As I said earlier, Taiwan is not and should not ever be a partisan issue. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to prioritize our national security and support this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Chair, I missed the following vote, but had I been present, I would have voted NO on Roll Call No. 327.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Happy Pride to all. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight in support of LGBTQ+ equality, a domain in which we have made so much progress. I am so grateful for that, but we have a long way to go. I thank Congressman Takano for his phenomenal leadership, his friendship, what he does on the Equality Caucus as co-chair, and what he does in the Halls of Congress every day, standing up to hatred, fighting for doing right and for, of course, coordinating tonight's Pride Month Special. I thank the gentleman so much. Yesterday was Equality Day, the anniversary of three Supreme Court decisions that transformed LGBTQ+ rights here in our great country: Lawrence v. Texas, U.S. v. Windsor, and Obergefell v. Hodges. In just over two decades, we made a century's worth of progress, unbelievable progress in a short period of time, decriminalizing homosexuality and guaranteeing marriage equality nationally. Yet, in the midst of this monumental progress, there are forces here in the Halls of Congress and in State legislatures across our country that want to pull us backward and go after Americans for who they love. So far this year, the ACLU is tracking 515 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in our State legislatures, embedding hate and cruelty into the letter of their laws. LGBTQ+ rights are personal for me, as they are for many people in Congress and for Americans across our country. For the sake of our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and friends, we can't, and we won't let extremists roll back the clock on the great progress we have made. The monumental progress I highlighted just a minute ago originated in the courts, but it really came from the country, in homes, in communities, and people realizing that it is the right thing to do to make sure people can love who they want and live their lives. I am deeply grateful the courts made the decisions on marriage equality, but we can't rely on the whims of Supreme Court Justices. We need to make these victories permanent through Congress. That is why, in 2022, I helped pass the bipartisan, bicameral Respect for Marriage Act, which enshrines marriage equality into Federal law. We can and must do the same when it comes to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. I am incredibly proud to be a member of the Equality Caucus and a cosponsor of the Equality Act, which will ban this discrimination outright. We have now passed the Equality Act twice through the House. I urge House leadership to bring it up for a vote once again. Equal treatment isn't a partisan issue. We can send a message of acceptance to our country by sending this bill to the President's desk. This is a place where we can work together and come together. Finally, we must stop the mistreatment of our LGBTQ+ community. That is why I am introducing the Elder Pride Protection Act with Congresswoman Angie Craig of Minnesota, an Equality Caucus co-chair, which will combat the runaway abuse facing LGBTQ+ seniors across our country. It is a real issue. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical legislation. Let's never forget the words of the heart of our country found in the Declaration of Independence: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.'' The best way that we can move forward and live up to the Founders' vision is by standing for LGBTQ+ equality and happiness. I mean equality for everybody here in the greatest country in the world. I know that, if we do that and stand together and work together, our best days will always be ahead of us. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman once again for yielding.

Mr. GOTTHEIMER

Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the bipartisan amendment to increase the budget of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program by $30 million. I thank my dear friend and colleague and great leader from New Jersey, the great Congressman Bill Pascrell, and the gentleman from Texas, Chairman McCaul, for his leadership in spearheading this effort. I also thank my great friend, Chairman Amodei, for his phenomenal leadership and all he does for his State to support all those who benefit from this important legislation. Mr. Chair, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program is all about protecting religious freedom and our houses of worship, schools, and community centers, including temples, churches, and mosques, the very places everyone should feel safe. We especially need to protect religious freedom now more than ever. Nonprofit Security Grants fund physical barriers like ballasts and bulletproof glass, technology to help with monitoring threats like cameras, and the hiring of onsite security officers. On top of that, these critical grants equip our nonprofits with the training and education they need to stay secure. This program is vital and majorly oversubscribed, especially given this moment we are living in. Applicants requested $679 million in funding this year for a program that only has about $300 million available. As a result, just 42 percent of applicants, fewer than half, receive funding despite their need for these resources to protect the families and our communities more than ever. Here in America, the greatest country in the world, we must ensure that religious freedom endures. We must do everything we can to protect our children, our families, and communities from hate and discrimination. Unfortunately, New Jersey is a hub for anti-Semitic hate. Nearly 1 in 10 of the incidents reported to the ADL occurred in our State. Bergen County, where I live, led the State in shameful anti- Semitic attacks. There were almost quadruple the number of insults, assaults, and death threats reported right here in our country in 2023 as compared to the prior year. According to the Anti-Defamation League, which is a leading vital provider of facts and resources for this kind of information, nonpartisan, 2023 was the worst year for anti-Semitism since they began collecting data in 1979. There were more than 8,000 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2023, including more than 5,000 anti-Semitic incidents reported after October 7. Anti-Semitism is just part of the story. We must reject hate and bigotry in all forms wherever it is. We are seeing disturbing incidents of Islamophobia and anti-Asian racism in northern New Jersey and in the tristate area. In New Jersey, during Eid al-Fitr, Rutgers' Center for Islamic Life was vandalized as the suspect smashed artwork and plaques. It is shameful. Our Asian-American, Pacific-Islander community is also under attack. A March survey from The Asian American Foundation found that one in five Asian-American New Yorkers had been physically assaulted. It is disgusting and completely unacceptable. We must ensure that all people are safe on college campuses, in our neighborhoods, at our schools, at our churches, at our mosques, and at our synagogues. That is what the Nonprofit Security Grants are all about and why this program is so important. As the only Jewish Member of New Jersey's congressional delegation, and as the only Jewish Member of the House Intelligence Committee, this is very personal for me. I believe strongly in our American values, one of which is freedom: freedom from fear, freedom from hate, and freedom to worship, live, and learn however you choose. To safeguard these freedoms that we hold so dear, we must invest in our security to combat hate. Since I was sworn in, I have been focused on clawing millions of Federal dollars from Washington back to north Jersey through this very program to protect our religious institutions, $4.8 million in these vital grants for my district this year alone to protect them. They come to me every day and ask for help. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.