Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as we have heard, the idea of human trafficking is not going away. This legislation, I believe, will provide us with the important instruction to give to those victims where they may find some relief. Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to nearly 25 million people around the world. It is an ever-present threat to the health and safety of victims, many of whom are children, but also poses grave danger to public health and safety and national security. Although the statistics we recite daily are breathtaking, they represent a mere fraction of the instances of trafficking that occur, as human trafficking is a highly underreported crime. H.R. 7181, the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022, would help identify, protect, and provide essential services to victims of human trafficking, who are often unseen, by requiring the posting of the contact information for the National Human Trafficking Hotline so that victims and anyone who sees someone who appears to be a victim know who to call or text for help. This is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that I urge all of my colleagues to support, and I am seeking the support of my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7181, the ``Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022,'' would provide for the posting of the contact information of the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the restrooms of our country's transportation centers--where we know many trafficking victims pass through--as well as all federal buildings and ports of entry--to inform victims and those who witness suspected trafficking situations that help is available. As I have said many times before, smuggling people across international borders is an equally troubling crime, but distinct from human trafficking. Smugglers must be prosecuted, and the exploitation of their victims must not go unpunished. And while many believe human trafficking happens only in other countries, the victimization of adults, youth, and children for the purposes of performing labor, commercial sex acts and other services happens on an enormous scale in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the United States. H.R. 7181 would: require posting of the National Human Trafficking Hotline's contact information in all federal buildings; require the Department of Transportation and the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate with owners and operators of transportation hubs, such as airports, bus stations, and train stations to post the contact information for the hotline in their restrooms; and require the Department of Homeland Security--in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services and other appropriate federal agencies--to post the hotline's contact information at every port of entry. In 2020, more than 11,193 instances of potential human trafficking were reported to the United States National Human Trafficking Hotline. And in Texas, there are reportedly 313,000 victims of human trafficking at any given time, including 79,000 children and youth who are victims of sex trafficking and 234,000 adults who are victims of labor trafficking. Victims of human trafficking tend to be concealed, living in fear, and isolated--in some cases physically and in other cases emotionally. They might remain under the control of their traffickers for a variety of reasons, including a lack of the basic necessities to escape--like transportation or a safe place to go. Some may be afraid for their safety. While others may not recognize that they are under the control of their trafficker. And even after they are rescued or escape, there is always the possibility that victims will be revictimized. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is an essential component of the fight to end human trafficking. Offering toll-free phone lines and SMS text lines, that are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, the hotline provides help, safety, and hope to victims and survivors by connecting them to the support and services they need. Victims in crisis can receive assistance with safety planning, emotional support, and immediate connections to emergency services while survivors can get help with rebuilding their lives. The hotline also plays a vital role in combatting human trafficking by helping law enforcement identify and rescue victims; by receiving tips about potential situations of human trafficking; and by providing reports of tips to the appropriate authorities. We must make every effort to identify victims and ensure victims and survivors of human trafficking are connected to services that can lead them to safety and help them begin to restore their lives. That begins with reaching them where they are and letting them know who they can call for help without risking their safety. Traffickers rely on our nation's transportation infrastructure to transport their victims from city to city and state to state. In the brief moments that allow victims to have a moment alone in the restroom of a bus station or airport, they may be able to call--or even text-- for help. Victims, survivors, and concerned citizens need to know that help is just a phone call away because one call could mean the difference between life and death. Despite the clandestine nature of human trafficking, we have learned from survivors that opportunities do exist to reach victims, and we should make the most of them. H.R. 7181, the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022, does exactly that. I thank Representatives Jeffries, Bass, Issa, and Mace for introducing this strategic and practical measure. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill. Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to nearly 25 million people around the world. It as an ever-present threat to the health and safety of victims, many of whom are children, but also poses grave danger to public health and safety and national security. Although the statistics we recite daily are breathtaking, they represent a mere fraction of the instances of trafficking that occur, as human trafficking is a highly underreported crime. H.R. 7181, the ``Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022,'' would help identify, protect, and provide essential services to victims of human trafficking, who are often unseen, by requiring the posting of the contact information for the National Human Trafficking Hotline so that victims--and anyone who sees someone who appears to be a victim-- know who to call, or text, for help. This is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that I urge all of my colleagues to support. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 169.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 169, the Artistic Recognition for Talented Students Act, or the ARTS Act, would help introduce promising young students who have won either the Congressional Art Competition or the Congressional App Challenge to the intellectual property system by waiving the fee for these students to apply for a copyright for their winning work. I applaud the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries) for introducing the House version of this bipartisan, bicameral legislation with the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Ms. Mace), along with several of my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, including Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Subcommittee Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Issa, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), and the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz). The bill was passed under suspension last year. We are pleased today to take up passage of the Senate version of the bill, championed by Senators Leahy and Tillis, so the bill will pass both Chambers and become law. We in this Chamber know just how important intellectual property rights are to our country and our economy, yet studies show that awareness of intellectual property is lacking among the country's students, even if they pursue fields that are IP intensive. The ARTS Act helps close this awareness gap early on and allows these students to participate in the intellectual property system without a financial burden. What it also does is help build the farm team for all of those who will be protecting intellectual property in the future. It gives them a sense of ownership, and it ties them to the Constitution because intellectual property certainly is part of their constitutional privilege, constitutional rights, and constitutional protection. Property rights are very important, and that is what intellectual property is. It builds on Congress' work to encourage the creativity of our Nation's youth with the establishment of the Congressional Art Competition and the Congressional App Challenge. Year after year, in both of these competitions, the talent of students displayed is remarkable. I know it well in the candidates that I have seen and the choices that our arts committee in Houston in the 18th Congressional District has made. They are brilliant, and the apps are equally so. Year after year, in both of these competitions, we see outstanding work. Through both, we continue to see our youth encouraged to develop their artistic and technical talents as Congress intended. The ARTS Act makes these competitions even more impactful. Under the bill, the students may apply to register a copyright for their winning work or winning app for free. This introduces these students to the intellectual property system and the benefits of copyright protection-- again, a constitutional right. Under current law, the Register of Copyrights cannot waive these fees on her own. The ARTS Act amends the Copyright Act to allow such a fee waiver for these specific circumstances. Building the farm team, again, is so very important. Once again, I applaud the sponsors of the bill for bringing forward this important legislation, which will aid the next generation of creators and innovators. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support passage, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, again, S. 169 is a short but important bill that promotes education and awareness of intellectual property to the next generation of creators. What an outstanding way to build the farm team, to create a buy-in by the young geniuses of our time, both in terms of the apps and arts and many other aspects. Again, we recognize the constitutional connection to the idea of property, copyright, intellectual property, and it is important for young people to learn early on and to be protective of the genius of America. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, S. 169, the ``Artistic Recognition for Talented Students Act'' or the ``ARTS Act,'' would help introduce promising young students who have won either the Congressional Art Competition or the Congressional App Challenge to the intellectual property system by waiving the fee for those students to apply for a copyright registration for their winning work. I applaud my colleague, Mr. Jeffries, for introducing the House version of this bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Ms. Mace, along with several of my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, including Intellectual Property Subcommittee Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Issa, Mr. Cicilline, and Ms. Spartz. This bill was passed under suspension last year. We are pleased today to take up passage of the Senate version of the bill, championed by Senators Leahy and Tillis, so that the bill will pass both chambers and become law. We in this Chamber know just how important intellectual property rights are to our country and our economy. Yet studies show that awareness of intellectual property is lacking among the country's students, even if they pursue fields that are IP-intensive. The ARTS Act helps close this awareness gap early on and allows these students to participate in the intellectual property system without a financial burden. It builds on Congress's work to encourage the creativity of our nation's youth with the establishment of the Congressional Art Competition and the Congressional App Challenge more. Year after year, in both of these competitions, the talent our students display is remarkable. Through both, we continue to see our youth encouraged to develop their artistic and technical talents, as Congress intended. The ARTS Act makes these competitions even more impactful. Under the bill, students may apply to register a copyright for their winning artwork or winning app for free. This introduces these students to the intellectual property system and the benefits of copyright protection. Under current law, the Register of Copyrights cannot waive these fees on her own. The ARTS Act amends the Copyright Act to allow such a fee waiver for these specific circumstances. Once again, I applaud the sponsors of the bill for bringing this important legislation forward, which will aid the next generation of creators and innovators. I urge my colleagues to support its passage. Mr. Speaker, S. 169 is a short but important bill that will promote education and awareness of intellectual property to the next generation of creators. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3034 which would amend title 28 of the U.S. Code to provide an additional place for holding court in the Western District of Washington. This one-sentence bill would allow the residents of that district which is comprised of half of Washington State from the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Ocean to attend Federal Court in Mount Vernon, Washington, halfway between Seattle and the Canadian border. Currently, residents of the surrounding counties, including the third most populous county in the State, have to travel significant distances to access the Federal justice system leading to increased travel time and administrative costs. Adding Mount Vernon as an additional court location would alleviate those burdens. It would also be a cost-free change because there is an existing facility available for the court to use, and no court personnel would be permanently stationed there. Making use of this existing facility would ensure that litigants, attorneys, witnesses, and other court users would have greater access to the justice that our Federal courts provide. Mr. Speaker, the Judiciary Committee is the holder, protector, and nurturer of the Constitution. There is probably nothing as important among other elements but for the right to a trial by jury or right to be heard as a litigant in a court. This important legislation is suggesting that those who may have difficulty or are even deprived because of distance or other issues dealing with the far reaches of where this court is away from them can now have unfettered access to court in their region, in their area. This move will benefit the many individuals who live, work, and do business in northwest Washington which is very far from the present site of the Federal Court. This legislation is broadly supported by the judges, attorneys, prosecutors, public defenders, and law enforcement in the Western District of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen for calling attention to this issue and for introducing this legislation to improve the lives of the residents of Washington State. Chairman Nadler and all of the members of the Judiciary Committee were very pleased to work with this legislation, and Congresswoman DelBene and Congressman Larsen to be able to make this fix to provide an additional pathway of justice and the protection of the constitutional rights of individuals to have their access to courts and to trials by jury. At this point, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3034) to amend title 28, United States Code, to provide an additional place for holding court for the Western District of Washington, and for other purposes.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3034.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4330.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), the author of the PRESS Act, who has been persistent in his commitment to civil liberties as an important member of the Judiciary Committee.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me just comment, as I determine whether we have any further speakers, that this protection of the First Amendment rights of our journalists are so crucial, and this legislation enjoys bipartisan support. We have already made the point that we have found some offense of this in bipartisan officeholders, government, so I think it is important, in the spirit of harmony today, that we choose no President to suggest one was more so than the others, and I can't think of any comparison to the previous administration. But, today, we are standing here and wanting to bring people together around the importance of ensuring that the press is protected and shielded, that the truth is cleansing, and that the truth is heard. Clearly, in the Trump administration, the truth was challenged, and we are grateful that the press stood tall. I believe this legislation is extremely important to cleanse all persons in public life so that public officials can serve in the spirit of transparency and that journalists can provide the facts to all the people of America. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, H.R. 4330 is a bipartisan effort similar to legislation worked on by Vice President Pence. The Judiciary Committee reported the bill on a bipartisan basis by voice vote. In addition, H.R. 4330 is supported by numerous civil liberties and journalist organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Demand Progress, the Society of Professional Journalists, the News Media Alliance, the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Press Photographers Association, the Radio Television Digital News Association, the News Leaders Association, MPA--the Association of Magazine Media, the Project for Privacy and Surveillance Accountability, and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4330, the ``Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act'' or the ``PRESS Act.'' The PRESS Act would create a strong, but qualified, federal statutory privilege that protects journalists from being compelled by the federal government to reveal confidential sources and information. Additionally, the bill prohibits the federal government from compelling an electronic service provider that stores a journalist's information to disclose that information, as well as information relating to the journalist's personal account or technology device, to the government, unless a court determines that there is a reasonable threat of imminent violence absent the information's disclosure, and subject to other requirements and certain specified exceptions. H.R. 4330 is necessary and long overdue legislation. Over the past several decades, presidential administrations of both parties have attempted to crack down on leaks of classified information to media outlets, and these investigations have included efforts to obtain journalists' records. For example, just last year, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and CNN reported that the Department of Justice under the Trump Administration sought the information and records of their reporters. In addition, during the Obama Administration, the Department reportedly searched Fox News reporter James Rosen's e-mails and even listed him as a co-conspirator in an Espionage Act case that it brought against the source of the leaked information. These and other recent episodes illustrate the need for stronger federal protections for journalists and their sources. Indeed, forty states and the District of Columbia have enacted press shield laws, while other states afford similar privileges through their state constitutions and common law. Moreover, there has been longstanding and bipartisan support in Congress for federal protections. In 2005, Former Vice President Mike Pence, when he was a member of this body, first introduced the ``Free Flow of Information Act,'' which was very similar in concept to H.R. 4330. That legislation subsequently passed the House twice, in the 110th and 111th Congresses, the first time by a 398 to 21 vote, and the second time by voice vote. Unfortunately, the Senate never took action on those bills, but I am pleased that efforts to advance a federal reporters' shield bill continue in the House today. It is my hope that the Senate will finally take up this important issue. I want to thank Congressmen Jamie Raskin, Ted Lieu, and John Yarmuth for their work on the PRESS Act. I also thank Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan for his support. The need for this legislation is as great, if not greater, than when it was first introduced in its earlier form many years ago. I urge all my colleagues to vote YES on this important bipartisan legislation. As I noted earlier, H.R. 4330 and similar federal press shield legislation has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support. The Judiciary Committee reported the bill on a bipartisan basis by voice vote. In addition, H.R. 4330 is supported by numerous civil liberties and journalists' organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Demand Progress, the Society of Professional Journalists, the News Media Alliance, the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Press Photographers Association, the Radio Television Digital News Association, the News Leaders Association, MPA--The Association of Magazine Media, the Project for Privacy and Surveillance Accountability, Protect The 1st, and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Given the broad support for the bill and the pressing need for federal protections for journalists and their sources, I urge the House to pass H.R. 4330. Mr. Speaker, given the broad support of the bill and the pressing need for Federal protections for journalists and their sources, I urge the House to pass H.R. 4330, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise to begin the discussion that I think we will continue in days to come and even into the new year, and that is to discuss the Congressional Black Caucus' accomplishments in this Congress, the 117th. By its very nature, the tenure and the breadth and depth of members of the Congressional Black Caucus, I believe that we can be talking for a very long time, and so this will probably be a continuum to tell the American people how we have been helping to ensure that they have a better quality of life. I am very proud to join with the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Joyce Beatty, who has led us, in the 117th Congress, to be instrumental in the lives of intergenerations, across generational lines, and to ensure that those who are at the beginning of life, and those at the end of life, and those in between raising their families, know that the Congressional Black Caucus is standing with them. One particularly unique example of that is, of course, the HBCU conference that is going on this week, where HBCUs are coming from all over the country. And it is interesting to be able to associate, not only our colleague, Alma Adams, as the chair of the HBCU Caucus, of which I am a member and many of our colleagues are members, including I see on the floor, Chairman Scott. Under his leadership, the HBCUs have gotten more money--than I believe in the history of many of our tenure here in the United States Congress--working with President Biden. This is the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus. So let me quickly begin my comments, and I will look forward to yielding to my friends who are here, including my colleague and friend from Louisiana, Mr. Troy Carter, Congressman Carter, who is the new vice chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus. And I know that we are looking forward to many days of action on behalf of the children of America and on behalf of children of color and African-American children. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus strongly support the President's goal of passing legislation that will significantly reduce healthcare costs for all Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act will significantly reduce, and has significantly reduced, prescription drug costs and expanded healthcare coverage for millions of Black Americans, relieving financial strains on individuals and families. What I think is most important is the work that many of us on the Congressional Black Caucus did, including the work that I advocated with our whip, Jim Clyburn, and Senator Warnock. We were on it for the $35 cap on insulin, along with our colleagues. It was driven and inspired by members of the Congressional Black Caucus to ensure that insulin, which now is one of the driving forces of creating a better quality of life for our seniors--you can say that the Congressional Black Caucus was intimately involved in that. We were intimately involved in ensuring that it has a fair response to climate change around the issue of bringing down the cost of energy for our families in America. And of course, that impacts Black families. This new law will help bring down energy costs for millions of Black Americans, and it includes very strong protections and programs to promote environmental justice. Of course, we worked extensively on the bipartisan infrastructure law. That was, of course, a very pivotal role for those of us in the Congressional Black Caucus. Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Americans, especially those who reside in urban communities, are more likely to be negatively impacted by pollution. Black people are almost three times more likely to die from asthma- related causes than their White counterparts. And, of course, the Congressional Black Caucus led in negotiations to assure that this was a balanced bill. In particular, my constituents have already seen the magnificent results of the once-in-a-generation piece of legislation. Houston METRO was granted a $21 million grant to buy battery-powered electric buses, and it has helped it move to the next level, next generation of rapid transit, and plans to go to the airports, both Hobby and Bush Intercontinental, in my district, with bipartisan infrastructure dollars. And as a hurricane-prone community, as many of the Gulf States are, from Louisiana to Texas and Mississippi, the bipartisan infrastructure bill will help us work on those flood- prone areas and ensure the safety and life of so many. I am excited about how the Congressional Black Caucus gravitated around the Juneteenth legislation, the first bill in almost 40 years that created a Federal holiday which was signed on June 17, 2021. I am very pleased to be the first Member to introduce legislation to ensure that there was a holiday after 10 years of introducing the resolutions, and the culmination of all of these years, and particularly, the culmination of Opal Lee, who came on a hot day in 2019, and brought us a million petitions--she was in her nineties--to ensure that Juneteenth could become a Federal holiday. Her work in getting all those petitions, the introduction of the legislation that I was proud to introduce, and ultimately presiding over the floor--all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus were strong proponents of this, and we could not have done it without their leadership and urgency. Many of you know that Juneteenth represents two more years of slavery for those west of the Mississippi, until General Granger came with Order Number 15 to announce that the slaves were free, because the South had not adhered to the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. So he came to Galveston, Texas, General Granger, announcing the end of the Civil War and the freedom of the last Americans enslaved in the Confederate States. Since the 1800s, Juneteenth has been an important commemoration to African Americans. Even as Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Du Bois reminded us that--Frederick Douglass, in particular--there is no power with struggle. And, of course, W.E.B. Du Bois talked to us about ``The Talented Tenth.'' That means that the work of the Congressional Black Caucus is keen, and we are keen to make sure that the work that is done continues to emphasize what is best for them. Let me also take note of the support of African Americans in helping to assure--and the Congressional Black Caucus, with the leadership of Chairwoman Beatty, and working with the Judiciary Committee, the chairman of the full committee, Nadler, subcommittee, Cohen and myself, and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus on the Judiciary Committee, we were able to mark up for the first time in history, H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act. What a powerful experience, first, with two hearings, bringing people from all over, including the author and proponent of the 1619 Project, and leaders and scholars who understood that this is simply restoration and repair, and this must be created as a commission by law, by vote, or executive order. In addition, glad to have the help of the Congressional Black Caucus on the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, a reauthorization act that I introduced. And in it were many aspects of work or language for people of color for the first time; training for young men and boys on how to deal with the issue of violence, and also the question of rape and how we should be working on that. We followed with massive work on education, as I indicated, doing more for primary and secondary education than could ever be imagined, under the leadership of Chairman Bobby Scott. I will conclude my remarks in order to yield to my friends. I want to be able to say that during the midst of the pandemic, there were several things that the Congressional Black Caucus led on. One, to push testing into our community where there was none; to push vaccines and vaccinations into our community where there were none; and to ensure that we focused on lost learning and our children who did not have access to broadband. It was our voices that made it loud and clear. Ultimately, broadband access has been put more and more into the bipartisan infrastructure bill. But during the pandemic, it was the voices of the Congressional Black Caucus that insisted that we do better with respect to these children who had no access. The stories were large and looming. They were frightening, and I am glad that our voices continue. There are many other litanies of issues dealing with climate change, dealing with criminal justice reform. It was because of us that ultimately we introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, one of two bills named after George Floyd. Because of all the work we did, with Karen Bass and all the members of the CBC, all the work that we did ultimately resulted in an executive order that we do know, as indicated by executive order, that you will have no more choke holds, no more no-knocks, and more that we hope to put into statutory law. We are excited that the bill did include large aspects of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. With that in mind, I am delighted to be able to yield to--as I talk further about some of these important elements of the work of the Congressional Black Caucus, but I am pleased now to yield to the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee so that he can evidence the Congressional Black Caucus' 117th Congress accomplishments through the works that he has done on his committee, the Education and Labor Committee. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), chairman of the Education and Labor Committee.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks. It is clear that there is a new day on the Committee on Education and Labor. That committee, led by Chairman Scott, has shown itself to be the people's committee, and I am delighted that his longstanding membership with the Congressional Black Caucus has shown that his work is for all of America. But through the Congressional Black Caucus he has helped and elevated families who have suffered because of racial discrimination and because of economic inequities. He has been focused. Certainly, I credit him again with the work that has been done on HBCUs. I can assure you, with HBCUs in Texas, everywhere I go, they are taking note of the increased funding that has allowed them to do issues or handle matters with physical infrastructure, scholarship, the new Pell grant executive order, student loan executive order that is allowing for those with Pell grant loans making $120,000 to get $20,000 in relief. The Congressional Black Caucus worked extensively to ensure that those people with student loans were not forgotten. Let me say it again. We work without ceasing to ensure that individuals who were overburdened with student loans, couldn't get down payments for housing and other matters for their quality of life--we were ensuring that we were in the front, if you will, to continue to advocate for student loan reduction. Let me just say this, as I prepare to yield to my dear friend on the floor here. As poet Langston Hughes reminds us, in his famous poem ``Mother to Son,'' life in America for African Americans ``ain't been no crystal stair.'' The goodness of this message is that in spite of it all, African Americans have put on uniforms and fought their battles on behalf of this Nation. African Americans are great lovers of this country, and they are great patriots. African Americans have worked in every level of government. They have, of course, been individuals who have worked, as some will say, at the bottom of the totem pole, meaning every manner of work they have done. There have been African Americans who were enslaved who helped build the White House and the very building that we are in, never to hold the anger of their station in life but continue to work to insist on a better quality of life for their families. It is very much important to take note of the bills that we have been able to do as individual Members of Congress. I am just going to cite H.R. 7566, stops human trafficking in schools, that I introduced; working with an amendment to the Workforce Innovation bill; ensuring HBCU's full access to job skills training; amendment to H.R. 8294, the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations bill to ensure that HBCUs had specific work--it supports the work of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture by increasing the funding by $2 million. Then I will finish more deeply on H.R. 40. That bill is much exhibited, as I have been on the floor before, with this slave and his back and the welts on his back from a whip. This was the life of slavery in America. I just read recently of Germany's response to aging holocaust victims, which I applaud, providing millions of dollars to respond to their pain, just recently. In the course of the commission to study slavery and develop reparation proposals, it would give America a moment of healing. We have been hearing this discussion across the Nation and across the world, most recently, of course, in the halls or the places in Great Britain. But for America to take that stand that the discussion is worthy, that the study is worthy, that the idea of what kind of proposals would come about, what inclusive ways would we deal with the recognition of over two centuries of slavery--unpaid, no insurance, no workers' comp, no days off, from sunup to darkness, beat by the whip, as the slave narratives in 1939 told us. The stories are powerful. Ripped away from our families. Made families, husband and wife and children. Then you would hear the pleas in the slave narratives when they say, ``Come home, husband. They are about to sell me and the children in different ways and different places.'' It happened to slaves all the time. I was honored and humbled to meet the survivors of the Wall Street massacre. It happened in 1921. Those people were, in actuality, some even former slaves, but mostly descendants of the most recent people who were slaves, the most recent, their ancestors or their mother might have been a slave. But they built a Wall Street, but yet it could not survive because of racism and discrimination. So to heal our land, the Congressional Black Caucus has worked in many ways to heal our land, and I am grateful for their advocacy for just a fair and simple study and assessment of what we should do to repair what occurred two centuries and continues even today. The story is long about the inequities of the GI Bill, redlining, discrimination in voting, in the criminal justice system, the basis of wealth, so distinctive between other populations in this country. So I thank the Congressional Black Caucus for the extensive legislative history that it has had over the 117th Congress. It really is my privilege, Madam Speaker, to yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter) to speak about the accomplishments of the Congressional Black Caucus, my dear colleague and friend who has shown himself a leader.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, this is a devastating time for the people of Pakistan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share this with my colleagues and to ensure that their story is in the public eye because it is a story that addresses devastation like you have never seen before. I guess the story that is so devastating is the 600,000 women who are on the verge of giving birth in conditions that are so devastating. The week of September 2, members of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus made their way as quickly as they could to the rain-torn, flood-torn region of Pakistan. We arrived on Sunday morning and immediately were able to secure a transport into the flooded areas. As the government indicated, this is not overflowing rivers, this is sheer rain that generated into flooding. In the Sindh region, Balochistan, the southwestern region--sheer rain turned into floods that were unspeakable. The water was unspeakable, it was of biblical proportion. The size and the width and the depth was unspeakable. It was a monstrosity. We took an aerial survey. You could not see land. It was only water as far as the eye could see. In fact, tragically and unfortunately, we could imagine that whole communities were covered with water, that bodies are yet unfound. Even though the death toll is upwards of 1200 to 1300, with one-third or more of those being children. Can you imagine seeing the video of the currents rushing and tearing children away from desperate parents' hands or families being caught in the current and children being pulled away by the rushing waters? We saw, as was displayed by the government, whole buildings and hotels coming down to the ground. There were 200 bridges destroyed and water going through those bridges. We could, of course, see that it was irreparable harm. Even as we were surveying we saw a bridge that was breached, which divided people that were on that one little line of bridge as their safety net because they were surrounded by water, and then they were separated because the bridge broke in half because the water was so powerful. In the midst of that, we got a report that military forces had to flood towns of 250,000 people. They had to flood towns so that a city of 1.1 million people could survive. We landed in the city of Dadu, and there are now 400,000 homeless people in Dadu. Overwhelmed. There are 600,000-plus homeless people in Pakistan. I know that America is a Nation that has always extended its generous arm. If there is ever a moment--as we have done around the world in earthquakes--Pakistan's earthquake of 2005 and floods of 2010--as we have done around the world when the nations around the world have fallen upon disastrous times. As a Member of Congress, I went into that horrific tsunami that impacted Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, you could not recognize those nations. The tsunami had come and taken out all of the coastal land. People were drawn into the sea, and you never saw them again. Houses were destroyed. The United States joined with the United Nations and was there to help. The United States has helped when there have been issues of national health crisis, we have been there. We became the leading guardians of fighting HIV/AIDS, particularly on the continent of Africa. I do want to applaud the Biden administration on being the first donor of the United Nation's call for help for Pakistan, $30 million. Just as we were leaving--after we had petitioned the Federal Government--they came with an extra $20 million. More importantly, as I left to go to Pakistan, writing President Biden about the issue of shelter and tents, the United States military dropped or delivered 300,000 tents on Wednesday or Thursday of last week to be delivered to homeless and helpless persons. The Pakistani-American community have been outstanding, working with consul generals across America and the Ambassador. They are now raising funds, upwards of millions of dollars. But it is not enough. First, Pakistan probably has $10 billion in damages and destruction, but that number has been characterized as low because the water has not been able to drain because there is no drainage. That means that that water not being able to drain that damage will be caused and go on and on and on. I am afraid of dengue fever, waterborne diseases, hepatitis, malaria, with no medications. While we were there we met a family that had just been plucked out of the waters. Their dad had a kidney transplant, who had not yet received his medicine--everything lost. We were able to press upon the military's generosity and good heart to get him his medicine and get it to where he is--out in an area where I saw no medical facilities. I want the Record to know that even though this country is many miles away, we are connected by its democratic beginnings. This is the 75th anniversary of its independence. It has by and large had peaceful transfers of government, a frequent government, but a democratic government. The founding father, Dr. Jinnah, established this country-- as India was established by Gandhi in its independence--that it should have as its form of government democracy. I am fearful of the loss of life and children and disease will set this country back for many, many, many years. Let me share with you this story. The hospital has nothing. Pakistani floods put pregnant women in danger. Just 2 days ago this article from the Guardian came out. A third of the country is under water, and a U.N. fund says almost 650,000 women in affected areas need maternity services. That should give you an amazing level of fear--650,000. I visit hospitals because I am an advocate for hospitals, particularly in rural areas. And they tell me, well, we have delivered 3,000 births in a month, and I applaud that. That is a high number here in the United States. But I want to say this again. The U.N. says almost 650,000 women in affected areas need maternity services to have healthy babies. Crying, vomiting, and 8 months pregnant--I know that wives and Members of Congress, women Members of Congress, women across America, can understand the fragility of a woman during her pregnancy. The young woman walked in labor pains for an hour in search of an ambulance. She wasn't driven. She wasn't on a bicycle. She wasn't on a cart. She wasn't on any form of scooter, any form of transportation. When Naseeba, 23, eventually found one, she had to beg the driver to take her. Pakistan floods had left the roads damaged and gridlocked, making what is usually a 2-hour journey to the provincial capital of Quetta a punishing 12-hour drive; 2 hours to 12 hours. She left her flood-ravaged home in Nasirabad district in Balochistan province in the morning and reached Quetta at night. During this time, I didn't know what has happening around me; struggling to speak. When I finally reached the hospital, the doctors said I would not survive if they didn't operate immediately. Complications with labor, including severe high blood pressure, meant doctors had to rush to deliver the baby. I would venture to say that this was a circumstance of life and death. Complications with the labor continued. And Naseeba said she gave birth to a baby boy 2 days ago, but the doctors told her that the baby requires to be incubated, but there were no incubators available, so we had to take her baby to my mother's place, she said. I haven't seen my baby yet. We can only hope that that baby survived, and that the help at home might have helped that baby breathe. Naseeba is one of the thousands of pregnant women, according to the United Nations Population Fund, who will bear the brunt of the worst floods in Pakistan and are in desperate need of maternal health services. And so I will be asking USAID and the head of that agency, who I am very gratified, was visiting Pakistan as we were visiting--as we were leaving, USAID was coming on the ground. As we were there, we received a briefing from USAID, and the very schools that USAID, our humanitarian arm of the State Department, built in that region, became the shelters for people. But that means the children are not in school. More than a dozen women who were interviewed in this story, were pregnant, or had already given birth in the worst flood-affected provinces of Balochistan and Sindh, women who said they have been abandoned without healthcare, food, and clean drinking water to meet their nutritional needs. We should be very clear. A third of Pakistan is under water, with 1,400 dead, most children, and 33 million people affected, as the country has been ravaged by monsoon-triggered floods, coming at a totally unique time. In our briefings, they said, we have dealt with monsoons. These are like we have never seen. The impact on climate change should not be lost. This is clear evidence of how stark it is. UNFPA said 73,000 women were expected to give birth this month--that is this month of September--who need skilled birth attendants, newborn care, and support. It estimates, as I said, that 650,000 pregnant women in flood-affected areas require maternal health. Again, people living in plastic tents or camps on roadsides, near flood waters, and the homes of millions of people have been swept away. It is well-known that the health facilities across Pakistan are affected; 432 are fully damaged; 1,228 are partially damaged. Another woman, Rubina, who is 8 months pregnant, in this Guardian story, and currently lives in a tent on a roadside, said she had pregnancy-related complications that included body aches and anemia. She said medications prescribed by doctors were not available, and she could not afford to buy them from a private hospital. They did whatever they could for her, her husband and brother. They have lost their source of earnings and cannot provide us with anything else; and the government hospital has nothing. This is the story of thousands. This is not a story that is going to end. It is a story that is going to continue. Another woman had delivered on her way as she was walking to the hospital, and the infant was brought into the hospital via ambulance, but the woman couldn't come because of the high level of water. Many women could not even come to the hospital, and midwives had to be called. We are doing all that we can. And this is a call out to our American humanitarian agencies, as I indicated. Healthcare is the most crucial, along with food, and it is clearly an urgent emergency condition. One young woman left her home after it was submerged in flood water in the Sindh province. And as I said, many people are living in schools built by the United States. This young woman gave birth to a baby girl named Shamma, which means light. We get food sometimes, but not at other times. I am unable to feed my infant because I am so weak. And so, baby formula is needed because women are not able to breastfeed. Roshan, another displaced woman who had given birth a month ago: Everyone is falling sick here. I feel faint. I have constant headaches. Our children do not have clothes. There is only one piece of cloth for my newborn that I wash every day to use again. And UNFPA has warned that many women and girls are at increased risk of gender-based violence as almost one million houses were damaged in the catastrophic floods. I am convinced that that is another crisis. As Samina, who took refuge, along with thousands of other pregnant women, in Larkana said, there can be no greater pain than having to leave your home. I cannot tell you how difficult it was to leave. I am expecting a baby soon, but in a state of homelessness. The government is working very hard to try and reach these persons but, in the midst, they face a financial crisis which they are working very hard to try to cure with work with the World Bank and, of course, with the International Monetary Fund. But it is not going to be enough. And so, our visit, we are grateful, highlighted the crisis which is being faced. It was a visit covered with a desire to be as quick on humanitarian aid as we could, and to bring the story forward as to what is transpiring. In addition, we wanted to make sure that those who could not get back to their province and are here in the United States could secure a temporary protected status because of the devastation of their country. We hope, joined with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, that our request will be given reasonable consideration. As I indicated, as I started, we are dealing with an extreme climate change, horrible exhibition of the devastation that could come about. It is extreme. The reasons for the flooding are linked to climate change and the resulting extreme weather. It is important to note that Pakistan produces only about 1 percent of the pollution, the carbon footprint linked to global warming; while we, in the United States, produce 11 percent; China, 27 percent; India produces 6.6 percent, and the EU, 6.4 percent. But researchers say the catastrophe probably started with unprecedented heat waves because, in April and May, temperatures reached above 104 degrees in Pakistan for sustained periods in many places in the region. In fact, when we were briefed by the head of the climate agency, they said that temperatures went up as high as 127 degrees Fahrenheit. Those are killing temperatures. On one sweltering day in May, the city, Jacobabad, topped 123.8 degrees. This is not normal. This area is not accustomed to heat like this. And recorded as the hottest place on Earth was in Pakistan. The intense heat also melted glaciers in the northern mountainous regions. And now many would wonder, glaciers? Yes. One of the other places in the world where glaciers are are the mountains in Pakistan. And so when those glaciers, those northern mountainous regions, increasing the amount of water flowing into tributaries that eventually made their way into the Indus River, compounded by the rain--the Indus is Pakistan's largest river and runs the country's length, from north to south, feeding towns, cities, and large swatches of agricultural land along the way. But let me add something else because Pakistan is an agricultural country, and the largest percentage of work in Pakistan is agriculture. The region where the flooding took place was where they grew one of their most bountiful products, and that is wheat. The farmers managed to gather their wheat and to store them in their homes, preparing for the market, or preparing for next year. But the floods came and wiped away their homes and their food source and the moneys that they would get from selling. But even more devastating, this may go on for years because they lost their seeds. So imagine that: Mighty waters flowing down from the glaciers, melting because of this unusual heat, this out-of-the-world heat; then rivers overflow, but then add to the monsoon or monsoons, and then, of course, the flooding that has taken away millions of homes, impacted 33 million people, and taken away their food. We, as Americans, have faced our levels of disaster. Our heart goes out to the people in Eastern Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Eastern Kentucky; Central Mississippi; Dallas, Texas; Death Valley, California; and this does not include the thousand-year flood events that impacted, in recent years, New York and New Jersey. We should be well-aware of the impact of climate change. And I am very gratified that I have seen my constituents in the energy industry face up to this and realize that the carbon footprint must come down, down, down. I want to continue to work with them as they recognize that it will be a disaster if we do not work, both nationally and internationally, on stopping the carbon footprint and addressing the question internationally and nationally of the question of climate change. The rains in Pakistan have resulted in unimaginable changes in the landscape. Reports are backed up by new images taken by NASA's MODIS. Satellite sensors show the result of heavy rain and an overflowing Indus River that has formed a 62-mile lake in the Sindh province where there was farmland. In this region, the monsoon rainfall has been 500 percent over average. Let me try to lay this out for you. I indicated the Indus River is the natural river. But the leaders of government explained, it was not the Indus River that overflowed its banks and caused the damage miles away from its banks; though there are many Pakistanis who live on the bank because it is the source of their food, source of their income, source of their livelihood. But what the NASA's MODIS showed us is that an unnatural lake was created by the huge monsoons, the glaciers melting, and created an unnatural lake that formed a 62-mile lake in the Sindh province where there was farmland, so where there had not been any water before. They also told us that the area that we were in, the Sindh province, did not receive a lot of rain, which speaks to the reason why they had no drainage. They did not have a lot of rain. The issues of the day caused the Indus River to be an ocean. You could see no start and stop. Then, it caused a man-made lake to occur that would, in fact, be there enough of a time to, in fact, continue to be devastating. Let me give you some facts that have not been gone over. This began in mid-June 2022, at the beginning of the monsoon season, which, as I said, there have been monsoons, but these were a monstrosity, unbelievable proportions. Heavy rains began flooding areas of Pakistan. Estimates range from double to several times the normal monsoon rain. They were just sitting and waiting. Is it going to end? Is it going to end? Mr. Speaker, 6.4 million estimated people requiring humanitarian assistance--again, 33 million people affected: 44 percent Sindh province, 28 percent Balochistan, 13 percent in Khyber, 50 percent in Punjab. As of September 13, just shortly after we came and left, 1,396 people have been killed, and, of course, 12,278 people have been injured as a result of the flooding. We don't know if people will die of their injuries. More than 900,000 livestock have been killed, and there are people today, right as we stand here, who are refusing to leave because they have their livestock, and there is no place for them to go. Mr. Speaker, 3.1 million people have been displaced. I have already indicated that there are hundreds of thousands that are homeless-- 650,000 people, women needing maternal services, on the verge of giving birth, but 70,000 are giving birth this month. This is, without question, a challenge that far surpasses the capacity of the Pakistan Government, although willing, to be able to do this on their own. The climate minister told a public radio interview that an area the size of Colorado is now submerged, that 66 districts, equivalent to a county, are underwater. According to satellite imagery, the flooding has created, as I indicated already, this huge lake. Pakistan is equipped with water pumps to respond to monsoons and helicopters for rescue purposes, but there is no place to send the resources. Again, I do want to note that the Pakistani Government has been working with the resources they have--147 camps for populations displaced by the floods. Cash assistance was being organized to give to the families. The Pakistani Government has allocated $173 million to aid flood- affected people. On August 30, the United Nations and the Government of Pakistan launched a joint flood response plan, and the United States, as I said, was the first to give the funding from all other countries. They gathered $160 million for food security assistance, agriculture, livestock, shelter, nonfood items, non-nutrition programs, primary health services, water and sanitation, and shelter for displaced persons. It is not enough, and there are people that cannot be reached. Money is also coming from the various elected officials, like the Prime Minister, the Central Emergency Response Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Commission's department for European Civil Protection, and UNICEF. Governments from around the world have made an effort to help, but I believe it is going to be important for the United States to raise its voice again. As I said, the United States has always been there, and I am very glad to say that 1.4 million pounds of USAID relief commodities were airlifted to Pakistan by CENTCOM, $4 million in dedicated aid from the U.S. Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. As I indicated, 300,000 tents--30 million had already been given on the very day, August 30, that the United Nations asked for. CENTCOM has operated nine flights transporting USAID items, including approximately 30,000 kitchen sets, 10,000 plastic tarps, 1,400 rolls of plastic sheeting from USAID's warehouse. Again, 300,000 tents after the Pakistan Caucus had engaged and worked with the administration that I am very glad to say came forward. Then an additional $20 million in humanitarian assistance in response to the flooding was announced on September 9. I do thank, again, USAID Administrator Samantha Power, who announced this effort, and we hope that this will continue. As noted in The Washington Post, the ``U.S. ramps up aid for Pakistan floods with military airlift.'' Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Washington Post article of September 9, 2022, and the article from the Guardian dealing with the plight of a pregnant woman. [From the Washington Post, Sept. 9, 2022] U.S. Ramps Up Aid for Pakistan Floods With Military Airlift Dadu, Pakistan.--The United States is ramping up support for Pakistan and beginning a days-long military airlift into the country as it struggles to battle devastating floods that are expected to take years to recover from. The military began airlifting supplies into Pakistan this week as part of the additional $20 million the Biden administration is providing for humanitarian aid here, Samantha Power, the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, announced on Friday. The announcement comes as it is increasingly clear that Pakistan is incapable of providing even the most basic relief to the more than 33 million people affected by the crisis. The majority of those who have fled their homes are living in makeshift shelters, and many report they are not receiving food, clean drinking water or medical attention. The airlift will establish a ``beachhead'' inside Pakistan's flood zone, Power said during a visit to affected areas Thursday. She said the plan is to begin staging operations closer to those in need so humanitarian supplies can be distributed more efficiently. ``It may go beyond this, but for now we are looking at shelter supplies to accommodate 300,000 people,'' she said. She admitted the number is a small fraction of those affected, but hoped other countries would follow suit and move operations inside Sindh province, one of the worst hit areas. The airlift is expected to last just over a week with two to three U.S. C-17s--massive cargo planes--landing daily in Sukkur, a town in Sindh province nearly encircled by floodwaters. The planes will bring tens of thousands of pounds of tents, field rations and kitchen sets into the country. While a number of countries have pledged millions of dollars in humanitarian aid money to Pakistan, aid groups on the ground are struggling to source the materials they need and reach the worst-affected parts of the country. Floodwaters moving south are cutting off key roads and highways, turning towns into islands and blocking the delivery of aid. Power said she hopes the assistance will also help reset perceptions of the United States in Pakistan. ``I think during the war in Afghanistan, there was an impression among some Pakistanis that the U.S. saw Pakistan only through the prism of Afghanistan,'' she said. ``Hopefully this is a chance through this cooperation [with the Pakistani government] to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.'' U.S.-Pakistan relations have gone through periods of intense strain, despite decades-long humanitarian and military ties that predate the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. The enmity that many Pakistanis feel toward the United States was clearly visible earlier this year when former Pakistani leader Imran Khan began to strengthen his base of support by claiming his ouster was part of a U.S.-backed conspiracy. Although anti-Americanism remains a popular rallying cry in Pakistan, the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who replaced Khan, has moved to improve relations with the United States. The U.S. military's top commander, Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, visited Pakistan in August and acknowledged the country's ``commendable efforts in fight against terrorism'' and its ``efforts [to promote] regional peace and stability,'' according to a Pakistani military statement. The visit came shortly after the killing of Ayman al- Zawahiri, the leader of alQaeda, in a U.S. drone attack on his Kabul residence. The Taliban condemned the attack and accused Pakistan of allowing the United States to use its airspace to fly drones over Afghanistan. Pakistani authorities refuted the Taliban's allegations. ``The partnership that we continue to deepen builds on years of cooperation between our two peoples and between our two countries,'' Power said at a news conference in Islamabad Friday. During Power's visit to the heart of Pakistan's flood zone, she asked local officials and families affected by the floods to estimate the disaster's long-term economic effects, in particular those linked to the loss of crops, livestock and infrastructure. It is clear that recovery from these historic floods will require a concerted effort by the donor community and international financial institutions for the coming years,'' Power said. The support announced Friday, she continued, ``is another mark of our long-standing commitment to the Pakistani people.''

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Let me show you what people are facing and how people are struggling, and this is, as someone would say, with your own eyes. These little, small pieces here, those are human beings. This was their refuge. This is water. This is water as far as the eye can see. They were making a life, barely, on a bridge. That was the only dry land. I can see they were on both sides, but they were able to get notice to run on this side so that they could be together, but they are stranded as this water breaks the bridge. It breaks the bridge. Water as far as the eye can see. This is what we saw. These are not little bushes in a lake. These are the tops of trees, the green that you see. Most of the land is covered. Some people are stranded on these little patches of land. It looks like a beautiful, blue ocean, no land, and the fear of what is under this massive ocean. As I said earlier, there are pumps in normal times because there is no normal draining, but there is absolutely no ability to deal with something as massive as this. It is speculated that it will not come down for another 6 months--stagnant water, disease, raging across Pakistan. This is just to let us look at a little bit of dry land in Dadu, working with the military, giving out food items to an elderly woman without food resources and a little child looking up, babies in hands who are obviously in need of resources. It was an emotional time for the Pakistan Caucus and the Members who were there showing our love and affection because we want people to see the leadership that has worked to establish dry land and to try and work without resources for their community. The face of this little one tells it all. There are no schools. There is not much food, and there is not much housing. You could not have a dry eye in watching the conditions of our fellow human beings. We gave out food, but we gave out little lollipops to the children. I will tell you, they were clamoring for that more than anything else. But that is what I think is our biggest concern, between mothers having provisions for giving birth and feeding these little ones. I asked one little boy, does he want to go to school. There are no schools in that region. The schools that, as I said, were built by USAID were, in fact, used to ensure that there is shelter. We need more tents. We need more healthcare. It was interesting. The heat was extensive and intensive while we were there. In my conversations, it was so good to be able to maybe not speak with language that we both understood but with the gesture of welcoming and appreciating their plight as we were giving out food gifts to people who had nothing. It is a moment in history that I did not want our colleagues to miss, and it is a recognition that we have work to do. I wanted our colleagues to help me and to help us find a way to be constructive, so I used a number of $10 billion. We have gone way beyond that, as I indicated. The economic impact of the floods is now estimated to be at least $30 billion as of September 13, 2022--just the difference from when we went at the beginning of September of $10 billion and even as we were in meetings, all the government officials were surmising that it had to be more. You can't displace 33 million and it is only $10 billion. An estimated 2 billion of crops and livestock could be lost due to flooding. Remember what I said. The region is a lifeline for Pakistan and for their product that they might be able to provide to other destinations. They lost 30 percent of their rice crop and 70 percent of their cotton crop, the country's third largest export, making up 11.8 percent of the country's total export. That is income; that is opportunity. Ten percent of the sugarcane, lost. Estimates show that 800 million in textile exports would be lost, 3.6 million acres of crops have been affected, according to Pakistan authorities, and 735,000 livestock have perished. These are numbers coming from Pakistan. Food is still needed. This is going to be a long, long journey. It is difficult to see this, but let me try and bring this to the attention of my colleagues. The red area says 4 million children are under 5 years old, and this red that you can see shows that these are severely impacted areas. This takes up a very large part of the country. Seven hundred thousand people 65 and older are impacted. Five hundred thousand women are currently pregnant. Those numbers have gone up, I know. Mr. Speaker, I also include in the Record the Pakistan Floods Report from September 2022. [From SKT Welfare, Sept. 2022] Pakistan Floods Report According to the government of Pakistan, a third of the country--equivalent to an area the size of the UK--is under water, in what the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called a ``climate catastrophe''. Whole villages have been cut off, with rescuers struggling to reach them. At least 1,300 people have been killed and 12,703 injured. The people of Pakistan are in dire need of food, clean water, makeshift shelter and non-food items such as hygiene kits. SKT Welfare is on the ground, trying its best to reach those affected by the floods. More than half a million more houses in Pakistan were reported damaged or destroyed in the past week, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reporting more than 1.17 million damaged houses and nearly 566,000 destroyed houses as of 8 September. By nearly all available metrics, Sindh has been most affected by the heavy rains and flooding that have swept the country this monsoon season--particularly notable given that Sindh and Balochistan are historically drought prone areas. Nearly 88 per cent of all damaged or destroyed houses--over 1.52 million houses--are in Sindh, and the province has also recorded the highest number of human casualties: 577 people killed and 8,321 people injured, out of a total of nearly 1,400 deaths and more than 12,700 injuries, including at least 496 children killed and nearly 4,000 children injured across Pakistan. Gender-based violence (GBV) as well as child protection and other protection concerns have reportedly more than doubled since the pre- monsoon period, according to the Protection Sector.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me draw upon these final efforts and words so that you can know that now, after we have come back, the clarion call of crisis is out. ``U.N. chief calls for massive help as Pakistan puts flood losses at $30 billion.'' The U.N. Secretary General called for massive help as he visited the country last Friday. Record monsoon rains and glacier melt created this catastrophe. He is now calling on the international community, and we do need it. The country is enormously dependent on our help. It has been, in many instances, helpful during the Afghan evacuation of recent time, and most people are unaware of the military lives lost of the Pakistani military in fighting terrorism. The very fact that this dam has been seen by NASA, this lake, shows that this damage is going to be far reaching. Pakistan must reach out to the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, to be able to address this tragedy. My friends, this is not normal. If I can leave you with anything here, it is that we are, in fact, our brothers' and sisters' keeper and that as we see the clear evidence of a climate catastrophe, a mountain of horror, unspeakable devastation, it brings your mind back to the floods of the Biblical times. As we stand here today, children are not rescued, and 33 million people are in the eye of the disaster. Again, we are waiting, tragically, for the potential of massive disease that will shut Pakistan down. I cannot conclude without acknowledging my great appreciation to the Pakistani-American community diaspora, some of whom traveled to Pakistan. The doctors, businesspersons, and people preparing now to take huge amounts of goods or dollars to be able to help. But as I speak about that, let me tell you what UNICEF has said. With 1.1 million houses washed away and vital infrastructure destroyed, such as schools, UNICEF's representative in Pakistan, Mr. Fadil, explained that 18,000 schools have been destroyed and thousands of schools are now fully shuttered. That means children who have lost education for 2 years are also losing learning opportunities. These are the things that cannot be fixed immediately, nor can they be fixed with only emergency help. That is why I ask for the following: One, a major focus and research on dissecting the climate catastrophe that occurred that would generate the kinds of monsoons that caused 33 million people to be displaced. The State of Texas is about 29 million. That would mean the wiping out of an entire State, 33 million displaced. There are towns that are not as large as 650,000. Equal that to the women that are pregnant without medical care. We can all imagine and know what 1,300 dead are and more possibly being found. And we can also understand when the Army Chief of Staff reminds us in his story of the mother who came holding the infant that was hungry and said: ``Here, I cannot feed my baby.'' The government is fearful of a food security crisis. I have already said to you that cotton is gone, wheat is gone, income is gone, and therefore what is next. This is what we need. International funding that will be complemented by Pakistani funding from the Pakistani diaspora. I believe we need a massive infusion of tents, the quality of which the United States has begun to bring and drop into Karachi. More need to come. I also believe that food goods are going to have to be airlifted into hard-to-reach areas and into the camps that have been established. Then, of course, I am begging for the international medical community, the World Health Organization, to airlift medical facilities into the region. They have got to set them up on levels of dry land, with the ability to treat waterborne diseases and the separate abilities to help deliver babies and take care of the elderly. My friends, I have tried to provide a reason for us to come together. Pakistan is still in danger. Flooding may take up to 6 months, and we were even told that there may be more rains coming. We know what happened to the people of Kentucky. We watched the devastation of their story. We don't take lightly what can happen in difficult times. We realize that people have suffered all over the world. With my own eyes and those of my colleagues, I documented that Pakistan is suffering. Oh, it is a country far away, but I know the capacity and the heart of the American people. I know the effectiveness of the United States military and the effectiveness of our own humanitarian aid and the State Department, USAID, and I know the compassion of President Biden and the administration. Let us work together with the United States Congress. I thank the chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the chair of the Committee on Homeland Security for their contributing efforts, and, of course, the Committee on Foreign Affairs as we look at collaborative ways to be of help. I thank my colleagues, the bipartisan Pakistan Caucus and the Members of the Senate who likewise have been advocates for the region. This is Southeast Asia, a very important region. Pakistan has to be able to be stood up. The death toll cannot increase, and the agony of the people just cannot continue. Join me in my efforts to provide more resources, healthcare, food, housing, tents, and the care of yet-born babies and the restoration of the land. That is being a good neighbor, a good Samaritan. As a Nation, the United States has always been a problem-solver. I thank my colleagues for listening, and I thank the Pakistani diaspora for their heart. Yes, we went because our hearts were torn with grief. With everything we gave to the people, we also wanted to give them hope that America was there to be a friend. As I spoke and my words were interpreted, I said: We are here from the United States Congress, but we are Americans. When the word ``America'' was said, the people applauded and smiled. Maybe the only words that they grasped was: America was here to help. Again, I thank my colleagues for listening, and I know and feel that we will gather together and provide the comfort and resources needed by the people of Pakistan.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I first want to indicate my appreciation to President Biden and Secretary Walsh, for, yes, diving in and stopping a union worker/freight industry collision and understanding the importance of providing benefits to our hard workers. Yesterday, at the Teamsters, I indicated how important it is that workers have benefits, and the ability to go to the doctor. That is the fight that we must continue. I am glad it has been derailed, but we need to continue to fight to get a permanent solution for our workers. I rise today as well, Mr. Speaker, to introduce and acknowledge the SHIELD Act, to shield doctors and nurses and other reproductive healthcare providers from harassment, litigation, and draconian laws. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation that would protect pregnant people and the medical personnel who provide reproductive healthcare services to them and will prevent interference, restriction, and retaliation against doctors, nurses, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and others who evaluate, diagnose, advise, treat, or provide other services in order to protect them, to give healthcare, and to stop women from standing outside the door of doctors' offices and not getting care. I ask my colleagues to support the SHIELD Act.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Crying, vomiting, and 8 months pregnant, the young woman walked for an hour in labor pains in search of an ambulance. She was 23 years old. Her journey did not end with that. She finally got to a place where she found a taxi. She had to convince this taxi driver in the midst of confusion, desperation, lack of food, to take her--12 hours in labor-- to a place where she could deliver her baby. That is the plight of almost 650,000 women in Pakistan, where the flood waters are monstrosities that you would not imagine. In visiting Pakistan over the last 10 days with the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, I could see water as far as the eye could see. The devastation is overwhelming: 33 million people displaced, more than 600,000 homeless, but more than that, hungry. I continue to thank the Biden administration for its initial support of the U.N. fund of $30 million and the additional funding of $20 million. After our briefing in Islamabad and working with the administration, the United States military joined in in delivering 300,000 tents. To my colleagues, more is needed. I will be introducing legislation that reflects the delegation's work and, as well, their efforts; and that is, we need additional funding for these devastating conditions. We have to realize, as I visited the people in Dadu, children are without schools, pregnant women are without medical care, and as I indicated, more and more women will be giving birth over the next 6 weeks. This can turn into a medical crisis. The water is not moving, primarily because this water is without a place to drain. There are no drainage facilities, if you will, in that area. So we will also have water-borne diseases, like hepatitis, dengue fever, malaria. The people of Pakistan need our help. The Pakistani Americans have risen to their call. So many in my Congressional district are providing and offering to help send medical care, if you will. Doctors are leaving various places in America to head in that direction. But it is very important for the United States Congress to go on record in recognizing the devastation that the people are facing every single day. Would you imagine, even in the trials and tribulations that we have in the United States, that you have populations of people who are isolated by dirty water and that there are people who are living in the outlying areas with no shelter whatsoever. The people are hungry, the lack of food is rising. The pregnant women are fearful for the unbelievable challenges they have in giving birth. Madam Speaker, I am calling upon Congress, as I introduce this legislation dealing with the devastation of the floods in Pakistan, to join me in supporting the legislation and, as well, recognizing the dire conditions that our friends in Pakistan are having. Our final point is to be reminded that Pakistan has been a friend and has helped us in the evacuation of Afghan refugees; helped us in the war on terror, where they lost Pakistani military in the war on terror. And, of course, the huge and very engaging Pakistani diaspora, Pakistani Americans who are both respected and, of course, energized to be collaborative with their government here in the United States to try to save the lives of babies and children, women and men, people who are sick, who need kidney transplants, who can't get their medicine, it is imperative that we rise up to this occasion. Let me thank the members of the Pakistan Caucus who joined us, Mr. Suozzi and Mr. Green. We are grateful for all of our members who have been so energetic in advocating for strong Pakistan-U.S. relations. I also recognize the USAID, the embassy staff, and of course, the President and Prime Minister, and other leaders of government who opened their doors in the midst of this crisis for us to be briefed and to see the ongoing devastation that is going on there. Madam Speaker, I will come back to the floor again because I am in fear of the devastation of pregnant women being stranded in places around that region who cannot be reached. This 23-year-old traveled 12 hours, out of her mind, if you will, to get to a place. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I thank the distinguished gentlewoman for her work as chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. Again, I give her my deepest appreciation for the enormous legacy of leadership that she has given to issues of empowerment, civil rights, civil liberties, and the rights of women. I thank Chairwoman Maloney. I rise today to support the underlying bill, H.R. 2988, and address my amendment, of which I am very grateful has been included in the en bloc. It does make a difference. Whistleblowers can help change governments for the best. They are part of the constitutional infrastructure of ensuring due process and the rights of the vulnerable. My amendment reinforces the spirit of confidentiality by providing another way to communicate whistleblower information to an OIG that poses less risk of confidentiality being lost or being breached while not affecting existing mechanisms, especially in some cases when there is a concern about the threat of retaliation. A potential whistleblower might be unwilling to provide information for fear of consequences if their identity is disclosed. I am very glad to say that the Government Accountability Project is supporting my amendment. They wrote in their letter of support for my amendment: ``This is solid, commonsense legislation to restore what works if we let it. For many whistleblowers, the decisive factor whether they bear witness or remain silent observers is whether they will remain anonymous.'' ``It will increase the flow of evidence and prevent retaliation.'' Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the Government Accountability Project letter dated September 13, 2022. Government Accountability Project, Washington, DC, September 13, 2022. Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Lee: This letter is to express support and appreciation for your amendment to the Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act that would upgrade the safety of channels for anonymous whistleblowing disclosures to Offices of Inspector General. The amendment would require OIG's to restore traditional, effective channels to share evidence that had been canceled for more convenient but unreliable high tech options such as the internet or telephones. In addition to those channels, agencies would have to restore services such as secure drop boxes and accept anonymous disclosures by mail. This is solid, common-sense legislation to restore what works if we let it. For many whistleblowers, the decisive factor whether they bear witness or remain silent observers is whether they will remain anonymous. Unfortunately, many understandably do not trust OIG confidentiality safeguards, because OIG's routinely breach them with impunity. While nearly all lG's have anonymous hotlines or phone channels, those engaging in surveillance often are one step ahead with tactics that expose the witness. This is an instance where the old-fashioned way is the safest. But at too many agencies it no longer is available, as risky high-tech options now monopolize the disclosure channel. The bottom line is that sometimes tried and true approaches can work best, even if less convenient. Your amendment would apply that truth where it counts most--shielding the identify of endangered whistleblowers. It will increase the flow of evidence and prevent retaliation. Appreciatively, Tom Devine, Legal Director.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the en bloc, the underlying legislation, and the Jackson Lee amendment. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2988, the Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act, and thank you for bringing this important legislation to the floor today. I applaud the Committee on Oversight and Reform for this timely and purposeful bill. By strengthening whistleblower protections, H.R. 2988 would enhance the capabilities of the Offices of Inspector General at each government agency to improve government accountability and transparency. Whistleblowers are uniquely positioned to know of actions that derogate from laws, regulations, stated government objectives, and the best interests of the American people. As a matter of public policy, potential whistleblowers should be encouraged to come forth with information that improves our government's operations, efficiency, and effectiveness. To incentivize such noble conduct, whistleblowers must be assured of protection and insulated from retaliation for the accountability they facilitate when an OIG pursues their leads. Indeed, being a whistleblower is an act of patriotism--helping our government serve Americans more responsibly--and those who provide this service should be honored, not vilified. I would also like to thank the Rules Committee for making my amendment in order, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform for including it in the En Bloc amendment. My amendment adds a key mechanism to amplify the operational impact of the bill, and it is supported by the Government Accountability Project. H.R. 2988 addresses very important aspects of the handling of whistleblower complaints, whistleblower rights against any retaliatory action, and vital protections to avoid disclosures of identity, breaches of confidentiality, and retaliation. My amendment reinforces the spirit of confidentiality by providing another way to communicate whistleblower information to an OIG that poses less risk of confidentiality being breached, while not affecting existing mechanisms. In some cases--especially when there is concern about a threat of retaliation--a potential whistleblower might be unwilling to provide information for fear of consequences if their identity is disclosed. To encourage whistleblowers to share information in these situations, my amendment directs the Office of Inspector General in each agency to establish a mechanism to receive whistleblower information that is completely anonymous and assured of remaining anonymous. By being able to submit information in a way that anonymity is assured, some potential whistleblowers who might otherwise not be willing to share information with the OIG may be willing to do so. As the Government Accountability Project wrote in their letter of support for my amendment, ``This is solid, common-sense legislation to restore what works if we let it. For many whistleblowers, the decisive factor whether they bear witness or remain silent observers is whether they will remain anonymous. . . . It will increase the flow of evidence and prevent retaliation.'' The anonymous method could be by sending a letter through the mail, dropping a paper note into a receptacle, or some other mechanism devised by the OIGs that cannot be traced back to the whistleblower. These approaches assure anonymity, unlike submission through a website or phone call, which could be traced back to the person submitting the information. By submitting facts with full anonymity, a whistleblower does not run the risk of their identity being disclosed either accidentally, by court order, or by other means. Ideally, an OIG may prefer to know the identity of the person providing insights so they can contact them for more details. Yet, since some people with vital information may refuse to submit it due to the risk of exposure, the public interest in receiving useful insights from an anonymous source outweighs an OIG's interest in contacting them. With the information that it receives, the OIG could pursue facts and elevate its investigation through other channels. My amendment would create a channel for this to occur.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8326, the Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act, and thank you for bringing this vital legislation to the floor today. I applaud the Committee on Oversight and Reform for this necessary and thoughtful bill. By establishing structural and functional standards, H.R. 8326 would insulate the Census Bureau from the type of tactics and abuse it encountered in the few years preceding the 2020 decennial census count. Among its key provisions are the statutory codification of the Director's and Deputy Director's roles. Doing so would improve the Census Bureau's operational effectiveness, accountability, and transparency. Specifying their duties also provides the opportunity to establish responsibilities that will enhance the work product of the Census by improving the fair and accurate counting of all Americans. In that context, I offered an amendment to H.R. 8326, and I would like to thank the Rules Committee for making my amendment in order, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform for including it in the En Bloc amendment. By reforming the operations of the Census Bureau, this bill enables us to ensure that racial and ethnic equity in the decennial count will be a priority in future decennial counts. My amendment would enhance the bill's operational impact. It would specify that the deputy director appoint an official with responsibility to optimize racial and ethnic equity in the Census count. To ensure that equity be a priority, this official would report directly to the director and deputy director. My amendment directs the equity official to engage and collaborate with organizations that have influence with racial and ethnic groups, develop strategies and tactics to maximize participation of these populations, and rectify the undercount that has been typical of recent Census counts, especially among immigrants and homeless people. The status of the efforts to optimize racial and ethnic equity will also be included in the Census Bureau's biannual reports to Congress, to ensure accountability and bolster the likelihood of progress. Optimization of racial and ethnic equity in the Census count requires designation of a high-ranking official with direct responsibility for achieving this goal and reports directly to the Census leadership. My amendment establishes that function, makes racial and ethnic equity in the decennial count a priority, specifies key strategies that must be undertaken, and ensures that Congress receives regular reports about the progress toward the goal. H.R. 8326 is an excellent bill with vital reforms that are aptly augmented by my amendment's use of this opportunity to, at the same time, advance equity in the Census count. In light of the decennial count's extremely consequential impact in terms of funding allocation formulas, political district apportionment, and other uses, it is imperative that the Census Bureau elevate racial and ethnic equity to a top priority in its counting strategies and procedures. My amendment would create a framework for achieving this objective.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3103, the ``Eliminating Limits to Justice for Child Sex Abuse Victims Act of 2022,'' bipartisan legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitations for victims of federal child sexual abuse offenses to file civil claims against their abusers in federal court. This legislation would allow survivors of more than a dozen federal child sex abuse offenses to have their day in court no matter the time it takes them to disclose their abuse. Oftentimes victims of offenses, such as aggravated sexual abuse, sex trafficking, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and child pornography require years of treatment to process and disclose their victimization. This is particularly true for young victims of these despicable crimes, who continue to process trauma inflicted upon them well into adulthood--only to be barred by statutes of limitations that prevent them from holding their abusers accountable when they are able to name them. We have come to understand the effects of fear, depression, and shame that result from the trauma of sexual abuse, and the power dynamics between child victims and adult abusers, that explain why victims may not immediately report abuse--or delay disclosure for decades. Although we extended the statute of limitations in 2018 for federal civil child sex abuse claims for damages until the victim reaches age 28 or until 10 years after discovery of the offense, that extension does not reflect current findings on the delayed disclosure of child sex abuse. A study by the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas found that, in my home state of Texas, there are almost 79,000 minors and youth victims of sex trafficking, while data from CHILD USA suggests that almost 90 percent of child sexual abuse goes unreported. Countless examples of delayed disclosure--by adults victimized as children--fill the headlines of newspapers, televised news reports, and social media posts from every corner of the country. One study of more than 1,000 survivors found that the average age of survivors at the time of disclosure was roughly 52 years old. Historically, statutes of limitations have silenced victims and favored their abusers--allowing them to escape accountability. However, since 2002, 49 states and 2 territories have amended their laws to extend, eliminate, or revive civil statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse. Congress must take note of the available research, data, and trends before us, making certain that federal law does not deny survivors the ability to have their day in court or force victims into court before they are psychologically ready to do so, causing further victimization and trauma. Instead, we are duty bound to ensure survivors of child sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking can seek justice against their abusers regardless of the timing and, through successful litigation, have the means to access life-sustaining treatment and other services necessary to make them whole. Justice should never be denied to any person in this country, especially victims who have been robbed of their innocence and childhoods. S. 3103 is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will provide a pathway to justice and healing for many victims and survivors while holding abusers accountable for the harms they cause. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.