Chrissy Houlahan

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, which would reauthorize FISA 702. We live in a dangerous world, and section 702 is crucial to keeping Americans safe. This is a tool that our intelligence agencies rely upon all day to counter all kinds of threats to our homeland from U.S. nonpersons. Again, U.S. nonpersons. Whether uncovering Chinese spies or foiling terrorist plots or intercepting cyberattacks, this authority is essential to our national security. This tool can even allow our intelligence community to counter drug cartels as they attempt to bring deadly fentanyl to our shores, but it would be enhanced by an amendment that Mr. Crenshaw and I are proposing, the Enhancing Intelligence Collection on Foreign Drug Traffickers Act. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment when we vote later this morning. However, not all of the amendments today would strengthen this bill. In fact, I am strongly opposed to the amendment offered by Mr. Biggs, and I am obligated to point out the dangers of passing this extreme amendment. Intelligence professionals who rely on this tool, 702, keep us safe and have been crystal clear. This amendment would make it nearly impossible to access information essential to protect our homeland security. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the overall bill to reauthorize FISA, and a ``no'' vote on the Biggs amendment.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, today, I also rise in support of this important amendment that will help our intelligence community, strengthen our southern border, and save American lives. This amendment will fully enlist our country's intelligence agencies in the fight against foreign drug traffickers. Foreign-made fentanyl is killing tens of thousands of Americans every year. It is critical that we start treating this danger as the very serious national threat that it is. My legislation, which is called the Enhancing Intelligence Collection on Foreign Drug Traffickers Act, is now the bipartisan amendment that is led by myself and Mr. Crenshaw. This would allow our intelligence community to counter drug cartels as they attempt to bring deadly fentanyl to our shores. Today, the intelligence community can only leverage section 702 against counternarcotics targets under one of the existing certifications, none of which are focused currently on drug trafficking. This amendment would close that gap, without expanding domestic law enforcement's abilities to police drug dealers, in order to keep fentanyl from ever reaching the United States. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation, to pass the counternarcotics amendment led by myself and Mr. Crenshaw, and to reject any amendment that would put our national security at risk.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Speaker, I am really proud to say, in large part, thanks to the leadership of President Joe Biden, that when the U.S. has been called upon to help our allies, we have answered that call. When I was standing with President Zelenskyy years ago, we warned him of the pending attack that was coming his way. We shared intelligence with him. Frankly, it was intelligence that he didn't believe. We shared that intelligence with the world as well, and we clearly demonstrated the clear and present threat that was coming his way. When Ukraine then called us for help in the immediate aftermath of Russia's illegal attack on Ukraine, we, the United States, answered. When the Ukrainian people held off Putin's advance and called, again, for additional resources to sustain their defenses, we, the United States, again, answered. When Ukraine's military offensive took back the Black Sea and asked, again, for more advanced weaponry for their battle-tested troops, we, the United States, answered. Yet now, when the Russian military is retreating in some regions and on the brink of doing so in many more areas as well, we are not answering Ukraine's repeated attempts and calls for help again. When Ukraine is now literally running out of bullets, we are not answering their call for help. This is why my pride in our leadership and in the United States has become overcome with anger because, yet again, this Chamber is about to recess without having provided aid to Ukraine. Yesterday, in the House Armed Services Committee, I heard one of my Republican colleagues say not once, not twice, but three times that Putin is, indeed, a war criminal. I am quoting him here: As we see the attacks from war criminal Putin on the democracy of Ukraine, we are so concerned by the efforts of war criminal Putin and their allies of Iran and China. The question was: What is your assessment of China and Iran helping war criminal Putin? Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague. Putin is a war criminal, which is exactly why we must be providing aid to Ukraine. The inaction of Congress, and specifically this House, this body, and specifically Speaker of the House, Mr. Johnson, to support Ukraine is putting the United States and the world in peril. My dad was born in Lviv, which was then Poland and now Ukraine. He was born in 1942. His father, my grandfather, was murdered during the Holocaust along with nearly every member of his immediate family. We know what happens when the United States does not lead but rather turns a blind eye and turns inward. My family tree is bare and hollowed out and is a stark reminder of what happens when we allow tyrants to invade other nations and to wage merciless and illegal wars. My family is not alone. Millions of lives were lost because of the United States' reticence to engage in 1939. I would also like to remind my colleagues that this is not a handout. First, many of these munitions are developed by Americans, supporting U.S. businesses. Second, we are giving Ukraine our aging weaponry and purchasing new and more advanced technologies for our troops. Finally, we are supporting Ukraine and supporting our American way of life without a single loss of Americans. Not a single American servicemember has been deployed to Ukraine, but there are American servicemembers in nearby NATO countries who will be in harm's way should Putin continue his illegal and expressed desire to put NATO on the warpath. Americans should not need a history lesson about what happens to our way of life when Europe falls to the chaos of war, but, clearly, some of my colleagues do. So what on Earth are we doing here? We are called to D.C. for vote after vote on bill after bill that stand no chance of passing in the Senate when we should be using this valuable time doing our job and passing Ukraine aid. If Ukraine aid were brought up today for a vote, it would pass. It would pass the House, supported by scores and scores of Republicans and Democrats alike, like the ones who have called Putin a war criminal. It also has already passed the Senate, and President Biden would sign it into law tomorrow. I love this country. I have served this country in uniform. It is the greatest honor of my lifetime to serve my country and my community in Congress. It is because of this love for the same country that took my father and my grandmother as Holocaust refugees that I stand here today and express my deep and profound anger at the positively undemocratic way in which Speaker Johnson is withholding our vote on Ukraine. The deja vu of giving these remarks is literally nauseating. I am apoplectic. It is 1939 again, and this is not an exaggeration. It is about our standing as a nation. It is about a lasting peace in a democratic world order. In 24 hours this House will adjourn yet again, and if Democrats held the gavel, there would be no further delay. I will say that again: If Democrats held the gavel, then Ukraine would have the support they needed. I do not want to be right. I really don't want Ukraine to fall. I just want to be able to vote on Ukraine and defeat Putin. I demand a vote.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan and straightforward amendment to help pass the backlog of permits that have slowed down the development of infrastructure and energy projects across this country. As the co-chair of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, I am very excited to be able to offer this amendment alongside my Republican co- chair, Andrew Garbarino, and caucus members David Valadao and Mike Lawler. Our caucus has heard from businesses, experts, and agency officials that have all expressed the very same message: Permitting in our country takes too long, and our Nation's climate and infrastructure goals are being diminished as a result. Ensuring timely review processes is also critical as our Nation hopes to maximize the potential of recent historic legislation, including the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In other words, slow permitting means slower progress for our economy. In issuing permits, the Federal Government does their due diligence to ensure that these projects will not cause undue harm to our communities, waters, and environment. That said, under no circumstances should issues with agency staffing hamstring the permitting of projects, costing us good-paying jobs, time, and money for our businesses. Unfortunately, the EPA faces a significant backlog. At the end of fiscal year 2023, the Agency's backlog of general permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System impacted 600 facilities nationwide. Further, in 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cited that the average time to complete a standard individual permit is 329 days. Every day that a permit is not issued, time, jobs, and the potential vitality of an entire project may be lost. The EPA and the Army Corps have a responsibility to meet their regulatory permitting deadlines so that we can get shovels in the ground and projects online and on time. That is why I offered this very straightforward and bipartisan amendment that will help us to better understand how staffing shortfalls are impacting permitting timelines. This amendment does two major things. It requires the EPA and the Army Corps to issue a report on the staffing needs that they have to process and issue permits under the Clean Water Act based on data over the last 5 years. The amendment also requires the agencies to cite the impact that funding for additional full-time employees might have on processing timelines. This will allow Congress to be able to take any requisite action to be able to support the hardworking public servants who process these applications and who help reduce that backlog moving forward. Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans alike, to support my bipartisan amendment. I thank those who have already supported this amendment, and I especially thank Ranking Member Larsen for his leadership and support. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I very much appreciate the bipartisan nature with which this amendment has been accepted and received. I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HOULAHAN

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

Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Chair, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support my very straightforward amendment to protect small businesses and community banks in the wake of financial crisis, and I thank Ranking Member Waters for the opportunity to lead on this issue. I want to take this Chamber back 1 year ago to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank that sent our financial system into disarray. In 48 hours' time, one of the largest U.S. banks failed, impacting customers, investors, businesses, and stockholders across our Nation. Silicon Valley Bank's failure subsequently led to the collapse of Signature and Silvergate Banks in rapid succession as well, making this crisis one of the most significant banking failures in United States history. After moments like these, it is important that Congress and key agencies like the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fully understand the scope and impacts to our economy. Transparency and accountability are essential to instill confidence in our capital markets and to prevent another crisis from tanking our economy in the same way. In conducting the analysis, we must not only examine and understand the impact of the broader macroeconomy, but we must also make a concerted effort to understand the effects on small businesses and community banks that drive our Main Streets. According to Federal Reserve data, deposits at smaller community banks dropped by $120 billion in the week following the collapse. This is especially troubling when we consider that smaller banks hold approximately 36 percent of our business loans, according to the FDIC. In other words, community banks took a hit in the immediate aftermath of the failure, which is especially concerning considering the high number of Main Street businessowners that utilize them. Our Federal Government has a responsibility to gather data on exactly how this crisis impacted our mom-and-pop shops and the community banks that they depend on for crucial lines of capital. We must ensure that we learn from and take action to prevent the missteps and events of the past as well. That is why I am offering this very straightforward and very commonsense amendment to ensure that the SEC's Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation study the effects of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank on community banks and small business lending alike. The Advocate, whose job it is to advance the interests of small businesses and their investors, would then be required, under this amendment, to provide Congress and the SEC with a report of its findings and recommendations. One month after the Silicon Valley Bank's collapse, I had a chance to meet with a group of local Pennsylvania bank leaders, including Customers Bank, Presence Bank, and First Resource Bank, located in my district. Each one of these banks was deeply concerned about their ability to serve the small businesses that drive the economy, create and sustain jobs, and fund the American Dream. I specifically recall the CEO of Customers Bank, located in the Sixth Congressional District, sharing the account of the fear that small businesses had when this happened. They were concerned that they would not be able to meet payroll and other obligations. This conversation, and outreach from many other concerned businesses in my community, is why I am putting forward this amendment. At the end of the day, these are jobs and livelihoods that are at stake. I want to also be clear and address a falsehood. This amendment does not attempt to imply that the SEC regulates banks. This amendment clearly speaks to the responsibilities of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to advance the interests of small businesses and their investors. It will allow Congress to take the requisite action to protect small businesses and community banks ahead of future financial crises and help them be more secure and more resilient. Once again, I urge my colleagues, both Democrat and Republican, to support my straightforward and very commonsense amendment to protect our Main Streets and to ensure accountability and transparency in our financial system. Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), and I thank her for her continued leadership.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Chair, I thank Representative Tlaib for yielding to me. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2799, the Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023, because it would remove critical safeguards against fraud and abuse in our financial markets at the expense of everyday Americans. This bill represents a set of policies that would deregulate Wall Street and further enrich the wealthiest of our communities, all while reducing investor confidence and protections for retirees and for mom- and-pop investors. We already see the practices of private equity funds making single family homes unaffordable and an increasing number of rural hospitals inaccessible. The last thing we need to do is to make the situation worse. It is for this reason, at the appropriate time, that I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. Instead of enabling bad actors, my amendment would protect the privacy of women utilizing in vitro fertilization by prohibiting the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring a business that provides IVF treatments from disclosing any personal identity information on the individual who is receiving the treatment, the medical or support personnel who are providing that treatment, or the clients of such businesses. In the Dobbs decision, we saw the Supreme Court tear away our constitutional right to privacy. All Americans, regardless of where they live, should be able to access the assisted reproductive technologies that they need to start or grow their families, including IVF, without the fear that their personal information will be shared. Our medical providers deserve to be able to do their jobs and to help patients make their best decisions for their circumstances without fear of retribution. Madam Chair, I include the text of my amendment in the Record. I hope that my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit. Ms. Houlahan moves to recommit the bill H.R. 2799 to the Committee on Financial Services with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendment: After section 1, insert the following:

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a resident of my community, Clifford DeBaptiste, who will be celebrating his 100th birthday this May. Clifford has served our community for over 70 years, first in the Army, where he reached the rank of sergeant major, and then as a business and civic leader in our community. After serving in uniform, Clifford moved to West Chester with his wife, Inez, and his daughters, Lillian, Inez, and Celeste, where he attended our West Chester University and the first degree-granting HBCU, our Lincoln University. He and Inez opened several funeral homes, becoming active members of the local business community. During this time, he also served 13 terms as the chairman of the Pennsylvania State Board of Funeral Directors. In 1994, he made history as the very first Black mayor of our West Chester. His work revitalized West Chester's downtown and led to incredible growth for local businesses, with the number of restaurants in the borough rising from 15 to 57 during his term. Since his retirement, he has remained very active in our local community. We are so grateful for his contributions and for those of his daughter, Lillian, who followed in his footsteps and is now the current mayor of West Chester. I wish a happy early birthday to Clifford.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Escobar for not only yielding her time but also for welcoming me and many others to her community just a few days ago. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit our southern border by way of El Paso. This was my second time to the border. Very similar to the op-ed that I published in Newsweek earlier today, I share a little bit of my reaction to this very important and eye-opening congressional delegation that I was able to participate in. If you are a Pennsylvanian like I am, you know that we just observed Groundhog Day, and Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, so we can all expect an early spring. At our country's southwest border, it feels like every day is Groundhog Day. Like so many Americans, I am a combination of angry and frustrated and heartbroken by what continues to happen there day after day and year after year and decade after decade. We know that our immigration policies have to align with the shared values of our country. We are a country that was built primarily by immigrants, and we must welcome new arrivals compassionately while also protecting and securing our safety and our economy. My community is, indeed, thousands of miles away from the southern border, in the suburbs of Philadelphia. We face unique challenges every day regarding immigration, but what is not unique about my community, indeed about every community, is that we have felt the impact in some way of our fractured and broken immigration system. My visit to the southern border last week was not my first. Previously, I had the opportunity to go to Brownsville, Texas, and these trips have taught me that our system is broken but, indeed, can be repaired. I have seen the efforts firsthand of important changes that Congress here has made and implemented since my first visit. Gone are the dehumanizing cages and the literal smell of humanity. In their place is a clean and dignified environment, centered on the health and the well- being of the migrants and of the incredibly dedicated Americans who work on behalf of our country. There is still clearly an enormous amount of work that needs to be done to secure our border, with enhanced processes, more staffing, and better systems, but the difference is palpable. Most significantly, though, what has not been improved is the volume of migrants and the fact that there is still no other path than this desperate one for people who seek a better life in this vibrant and healthy economy. We don't need more of the same expensive Band-Aids but, rather, we need real reform, with more legal pathways to come here and to participate in our Nation's next 250 years. I am committed to bipartisanship and to securing our border, and I am asking the very same of Congress. Specifically, I am asking the very same of our Speaker. The message that I share today is this: Our Republican leadership in Congress needs to commit to bringing bipartisan immigration reform bills like Veronica Escobar's bipartisan Dignity Act to the floor for a vote and now. As an example, here is what the Dignity Act would do: Number one, it would provide more money for CBP and border infrastructure to prevent illegal immigration. Number two, it would require employers to verify the immigration status of workers and to ensure that they are here lawfully. Number three, it would provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, who are the children of immigrants who came here when they were very young. Number four, it would establish a path to permanent residency status for eligible individuals without lawful immigration status who meet various requirements, including paying into a fund to provide training for U.S. workers. Let us pause and think about what I have just shared--policies that the vast, vast majority of Americans agree on. If we, as a Congress, are not passing legislation that the vast, vast majority of Americans agree on, I truly believe, as my colleague Representative Elissa Slotkin mentioned, we are derelict in our duties. Efforts like the Senate bipartisan bill that was just introduced yesterday must also be considered and be voted on. While I am still reading through the details of the 370-page bill, I am encouraged by the very summary that I have seen. While the path forward on immigration reform will likely not be straightforward, this much is true: We must reach a compromise with real solutions to this complex conversation and issue right now. Again, I am calling on Speaker Johnson to change his deeply cynical position that ``now is not the time'' for immigration reform. I couldn't disagree more. Most people in most communities across America couldn't disagree more. No solution will be perfect, but we cannot let that keep us from making progress for both the American people and for those who seek refuge here. Not too long ago it was, indeed, my own family seeking shelter. My father and my grandmother survived the Holocaust. They left war-torn Poland after World War II and sought a better way of life here in the United States. I saw my young dad and grandmother in the eyes of frightened, desperate, and hopeful migrants that I was able to meet last week. One small family unit in particular struck me. He was a young man of probably no more than 20 years old with his beautiful, curly-headed toddler, who reminded me of my youngest child. He told me about traffickers taking pictures of his son to intimidate and extort the father into conformance with their threats and demands. We can do better. A lot has changed since my own father and grandmother took a ship across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City, and our immigration laws must also change as well. I honor the souls, both migrant and American, whose lives collide with each other every day at our borders, and I again urge Republican leadership to bring a bipartisan border bill to the House floor. We must seek the hope of fresh opportunities. The shadows that burden us must all be lifted. That is possible, but only if we here in Congress understand that this Nation depends on us to act and to act now. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support the bipartisan immigration reform.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Senior Master Sergeant Jess Roper, who has served as my Department of Defense fellow this past year. Jess has served in the Air Force for 18 years, primarily as a Korean linguist, and has been stationed across the country and around the world, from California to South Korea, from Hawaii to Iraq. Jess' contributions to my office are countless. She staffed me through my work on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, she has overseen the introduction of legislation on cybersecurity and mental health, and she has delivered on priorities for the Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus, as well. Jess' dedication to public service is something we should all aspire to, but she is also so much more than that. To date, she has completed 72 marathons, including one in Antarctica. She holds two master's degrees and is also recently a first-time homeowner. She is an amazing woman. While my team and I are very sad to see her go, we are so thrilled that she was assigned to us, and she will always be ours. I wish her nothing but the absolute best as she moves forward in her career. Jess, aim high, and God speed.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote for my bipartisan and very much commonsense legislation, the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act, that will help level the playing field for underrepresented entrepreneurs across the country. I thank my Republican colleague, Representative Pete Stauber, for his partnership on this legislation. Furthermore, I thank Chairman Williams and Ranking Member Velazquez for their leadership in advancing this legislation through the Small Business Committee on a unanimous basis. I thank them for me being able to stand on their shoulders on this. As a former entrepreneur myself, I understand the many challenges that come with running and scaling a business. Every day brings a unique challenge. I regularly hear from businessowners in my own community, in Pennsylvania's Sixth District, who are navigating inflation, supply chain challenges, workforce needs, and so much more. One way that our Federal Government can help protect entrepreneurs is to address these issues and ultimately succeed. One way they can do that is by providing contracting opportunities for small business owners. For entrepreneurs who are seeking to do business with our Federal Government, I know that every single contract secured or lost can be the difference in keeping Americans on their payroll or losing them, expanding or scaling back their operations, or beating or missing their projections. That is why the Federal small business contracting programs are so very important. Through these programs, the Federal Government maintains its various statutory goals that ensure equitable participation by small businesses, and importantly, by underrepresented small businesses in Federal contracting. Across various agencies, the Federal Government aims to provide 5 percent of Federal prime contracts to women-owned small businesses, 3 percent to service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and 3 percent to the Historically Underutilized Business Zone, otherwise known as HUBZone, small businesses, as well. While figures like 5 percent or 3 percent may not sound a whole lot like large targets, our Federal Government, unfortunately, struggles regularly to meet them. Indeed, in fiscal year 2022, the Federal Government failed to reach its target goals for both women-owned businesses and HUBZone small businesses, as well. Even more troubling, the Federal Government has only met the statutory goal of awarding 5 percent of contracts to women-owned businesses twice in the last 23 years. In addition, the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, has cited deficiencies in the Small Business Administration's oversight of the program. It is clear that disadvantaged entrepreneurs continue to be underrepresented when it comes to Federal contract funding, and that is hurting the economy, both at a micro level and at a macro or national level. It is well past time that Congress is able to act to ensure that these programs are working as they were designed and intended to do. That is why I introduced my bill, H.R. 4670, the bipartisan Small Business Contracting Transparency Act. My legislation will increase transparency, oversight, and will increase accountability of the Small Business Administration's Women-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and HUBZone Small Business Contracting programs. Notably, this bill requires the SBA to submit to Congress annual reports that benchmark critical data, including: the number of small businesses that are certified, the total dollar amount of contracts awarded to qualifying businesses, and the number of contracts that are incorrectly awarded to ineligible recipients, among other figures, as well. Simply put, my bill, the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act, will allow Congress and the SBA to improve these Federal contracting programs to ensure that these programs run efficiently and to ultimately benefit disadvantaged entrepreneurs in their pursuit of securing government contracts. In turn, we will strengthen our economy, we will support Main Streets all over in every ZIP Code, and we will grow the middle class. The time to act is now, especially as the Federal Government works to award additional contracts through this historic implementation of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, as well. Mr. Speaker, I thank my Republican colleague, Representative Pete Stauber, for his partnership in this really important legislation. Once again, I thank Chairman Williams and Ranking Member Velazquez for their leadership in this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this Small Business Contracting Transparency Act that will help level the playing field for entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania, and indeed, across the Nation, as well.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Speaker, as we consider the T-HUD appropriations bill, I stand here to remind this legislative body of the 3 of nearly 3,000 community funding projects that were rejected from this bill in July, including the LGBTQ Center of Reading in my home community. The very sad reality can be boiled down to this: These organizations were rejected by the GOP-led House simply because they had LGBTQ in their names. Let's be clear, these services provide lifesaving services like food and shelter for those who have been rejected from their homes because of whom they love. They equip our vulnerable populations with the tools they need for future success--financial literacy, professional resumes, and life skills, among many other things. Unfortunately, the Republicans who pulled this funding are likely hopeful that the American people will not see this bigoted and targeted approach for what it is, but what we do here today does send a very clear message to our LGBTQ community. It is a message that says that too many of my colleagues in Congress don't want to support these vital community investments simply because of who they serve. We owe it to the American people to do better and to serve everyone. Madam Speaker, for my daughter Molly, I ask those who are affected by this to not accept this bigotry and discrimination any longer.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, we cannot rely on words alone to repel Russian aggression in Ukraine nor to extinguish terrorism in the Middle East. Rather, we must also provide material support to our democratic partners, as well. We must not cleave Israel and Israeli funding and Ukraine and Ukrainian funding into two separate spending votes because their fight for freedom is actually one and the same. The stories of Ukraine and Israel are inherently intertwined, and I am the daughter of their woven histories and struggles. With forged papers, my Jewish father evaded the Nazi threat in Lviv. The vast majority of his family was murdered in the Holocaust, but the few who survived emigrated to the United States, Australia, and Israel. It is an absolute dereliction of our duty to democracy to condition and politicize our support for Israel or Ukraine. To do so would signal to our adversaries abroad that we don't have the willpower, that we don't have the courage, to stand up to authoritarianism or extremism wherever it rears its ugly head. We cannot send that message. We cannot appease evil. We cannot afford to backslide in defense of democracy.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise for the indefatigable, musical, mystical, magical Mr. Murray Savar. Murray, you have been the pied piper for more than 40 years--two generations--for our community's young women and girls. Students have been entranced by you and have literally found their voice and their agency under your spell. You are priceless. Your life is an exemplar of the impact that one person, one teacher, can have on hundreds and thousands of lives, an impact that you have had by joyfully meeting the mundane world where we are with a song every single day. Southeastern Pennsylvania is so lucky that you have called it home for so many years. I am here--just one person--standing in on behalf of more than four decades of parents and students in our community. To quote a song that you taught generations to love, I say, ``Thank you for the music, for giving it to me.'' Murray, your community loves you and wishes you Godspeed.

Ms. HOULAHAN

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member, in support of my amendment.

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

Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.