Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my sponsors, but I particularly thank Dr. Burgess, who I will mention again, who joined me more than a year ago to move forward on a bill that we hope will give fairness to all the wonderful young athletes around the world. H.R. 835, the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019, would strengthen the integrity of international sports competitions by imposing criminal sanctions on certain persons involved in international doping fraud conspiracies. It would also provide restitution for victims of such conspiracies and would require coordination and sharing of information with the United States Anti-Doping Agency to assist its fight against doping. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article from The New York Times regarding manipulated drug tests. Russian Doping Chief Says Thousands of Drug Tests Were Manipulated [From the New York Times, Oct. 14, 2019] (By Tariq Panja) Colorado Springs.--Russia made thousands of changes to the drug-test results of an unspecified number of its athletes, the head of the country's own antidoping agency said this week, confirming the suspicions of global officials who are considering severe penalties against Russian sports programs. The official, Yuri Ganus, the director general of the Russian antidoping agency, suggested in an interview at a conference in Colorado that the data had been concealed or altered to protect the reputations and positions of former star athletes who now have roles in government or who function as senior sports administrators in Russia. His comments went farther than his previous remarks about possible Russian manipulation of doping results, and they could complicate the country's efforts to avoid new punishments from global antidoping officials. Russian was already barred from international sporting events, including the 2018 Winter Olympics, after the discovery of a broad, state-sponsored doping program in 2015. In less than two weeks, a committee at the World Anti- Doping Agency will decide whether to press for more serious bans against Russian sports federations. Russia faces possible expulsion from international sports--a return to the pariah status that followed the 2015 discovery--if its authorities cannot provide an explanation for missing or manipulated test results in a database that Russia turned over to WADA. Russia's promise to deliver that database of thousands of athlete records was a key factor in WADA's decision to lift a suspension of the country's antidoping agency in late 2018. That determination, criticized by athletes and other antidoping officials at the time, ended a three-year suspension that had been imposed after the discovery of one of the most audacious and sophisticated cheating schemes in history, a conspiracy that corrupted a number of major international sporting events, including several Olympics. Ganus, 55, said Sunday that he believed only individuals with access to some of Russia's most powerful institutions could have been able to manipulate the data, which WADA investigators crosschecked against a separate set provided by a whistle-blower in 2017. ``In this case, you have to understand what has to be the power which will receive access,'' Ganus said. Ganus said he had spoken out to ensure that current and future generations of Russian athletes do not suffer because of the actions of others. But his outspokenness has come as a surprise to some, given the risks whistle-blowers with information related to the case appear to face. Two other Russian antidoping officials with ties to the scandal--including one of Ganus's predecessors--have died under suspicious circumstances in recent years, and Ganus said he believed the Russian authorities were monitoring his electronic communications and his phone calls, as well as conducting surveillance near his home. ``It's really dangerous for me,'' he said. But Ganus said he was driven to complete what he described as ``the mission'' to assure that a new generation of Russian athletes could return, untainted, to international sports. ``Russia is a high level sports country, but those people who are responsible to solve this situation for many years chose the wrong way, the wrong approach,'' he said. There is a suspicion in sporting circles that Russia has allowed Ganus to speak out publicly so that he can separate the work of his agency, which has drawn praise from WADA for changes it has made, from that of the state authorities that control the Moscow laboratory where the athletes' data was stored. The government still considers that lab a crime scene under the control of state officials, not of domestic antidoping regulators. ``Certainly if he's speaking truth to power, maybe he's going to defect sometime soon or it's a strategic move,'' Travis Tygart, the head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, said of Ganus. ``I think the real issue is: Can the WADA system hold the national antidoping system responsible for something that the minister's office is ultimately responsible for?'' By lifting its ban on Russia last year before the country had complied with two remaining provisions of its so-called road map to reinstatement--namely, providing the athletes' data to WADA and acknowledging that Russia's doping program was state-controlled--WADA effectively freed the authorities who control the lab from the need to follow the terms of that agreement. Those officials might not fall under WADA's jurisdiction, as the Russian antidoping agency, known as Rusada, does. ``When they let them out of that road map, it put a lot of pressure on their ability under the new rules to hold Russia's state minister's office and sport community responsible through their authority over the national antidoping organization,'' Tygart said. ``That's what's going to come to a head. And let's hope it does:' Last month, the English lawyer Jonathan Taylor, who leads the WADA committee overseeing Russian compliance, said the country would need to ``pull a rabbit out of the hat'' to provide a credible explanation for anomalies in the data extracted from the Moscow lab. Taylor's committee will convene, probably by phone, on Oct. 23 to decide whether to recommend to WADA's executive board that Russia be designated ``noncompliant:'' If the board agrees, a case most likely will be fast-tracked to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport for a final ruling. In the past, individual sports had the power to decide whether to punish countries for doping offenses. But rules adopted in April 2018 mean a negative ruling for Russia at the arbitration court could trigger an automatic suspension for the country across a wide range of sports and federations bound by the WADA code. Under such a ban, Russian teams and athletes would be ineligible to compete in international sporting events, and the country would be barred from hosting them, until the WADA suspension was lifted. That could lead to Russia's missing out on next summer's Olympics in Tokyo, and even put at risk its national soccer team's participation in qualification matches for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I introduced this bill, as I said, with Mr. Burgess of Texas because the widespread use of performance- enhancing substances had come to light in recent years, harming athletes and fans alike. Clean U.S. athletes and sports organizations that participate in these competitions, as well as their U.S. sponsors, are denied their due recognition and economic rewards. Young people who have worked all of their lives for this miraculous and important time in their lives and their fans lose when the legitimacy and integrity of the competition they enjoy are debased. In recent years, there have been numerous allegations and instances of doping by professional and amateur athletes. The Summer and Winter Olympic Games, in particular, have been plagued with doping scandals, which has left an indelible stain on the reputation of those major international sports events. The infamous Russian doping scandal during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics is one notable example of the corruption and fraud that has damaged the integrity of sports competitions. After the Sochi games, whistleblowers Yuliya Stepanova, a former Russian track star, and her husband, Vitaly Stepanov, a former employee at the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, exposed the Russian Government's vast state-sponsored doping system, which subsequently led to further revelations by Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the chemist who ran the Russian anti-doping laboratory. Mr. Speaker, they simply could not take it anymore. Mr. Rodchenkov became a whistleblower and exposed the dozens of Russian athletes participating in the Sochi games, including 15 medal winners, who were part of a state-run doping program. In addition, Dr. Rodchenkov revealed that with the help of Russian intelligence--I want our Members to hear that again--Russian intelligence--the laboratory switched steroid-tainted urine of the Russian national team with clean samples, evading positive detection. It was an intelligence catastrophe, using that community to undermine the healthy work and the healthy commitment and participation of athletes all around the world. The ineffective response from international organizations with oversight responsibilities, such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the International Olympic Committee has only emboldened the Russian Government. Although Russia has denied its involvement, evidence shows that it operated a systematic state-sponsored doping program and cover-up scheme. Russia has cheated and defrauded all Olympic athletes, including its own and the general public, and has degraded the meaning and purpose of the games. Unfortunately, because the orchestrators of the Russian doping scandal operated with the blessing of the Russian Government, and because there is no legal mechanism in the United States to bring them to justice, they all escaped punishment for their actions. But imagine the hurt of all of these young athletes, in all of the countries, who worked so hard all of their life. Currently, there is no Federal statute that provides explicit, comprehensive protection against doping conspiracies in international sports competitions, and the actions are crying out for relief. The Federal statutory protections that currently exist are limited, and criminalize activities, such as conspiracies to commit wire and mail fraud, bribery, kickbacks, and money laundering. This legislation that we have introduced would fill that gap by establishing appropriate criminal penalties and civil penalties for international doping fraud. In addition to imposing criminal penalties on the conspirators, the bill would authorize private civil actions for doping fraud, which would give athletes and corporate sponsors the right to sue in Federal court to recover damages from individuals who may have defrauded competitions. We thought it was extremely important to cover our corporate sponsors. They willingly and enthusiastically help these young athletes, particularly these amateur athletes who have no other sources of income. They provide our international competition the support to have these athletes travel and provide other necessities so that they can compete without worry. This bill will provide justice to clean U.S. athletes, such as Olympic runner Alysia Montano, skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender, bobsledder Steve Holcomb, and many other champions who pursue excellence over glory. They have been denied medals that were rightfully theirs and cheated out of lucrative opportunities such as sponsorships. Most importantly, they have been deprived of the pride of seeing their country's flag being raised on the Olympic podium, an emotional moment that was stolen from them. In the case of Mr. Holcomb, his bobsled team's bronze medal was upgraded to silver in the spring of 2019 after the Russian teams were disqualified for doping offenses during the 2014 Sochi games. Tragically, Mr. Holcomb was not here to see it, having died in 2017. This bill also would provide much-needed protection and support for brave whistleblowers, such as Dr. Rodchenkov, who appeared here in the United States before the Helsinki Commission, and the Stepanovs, who have exposed major international doping fraud conspiracies, all at considerable personal risk and sacrifice. They should be honored. The exposure of this criminal activity would not have occurred without the courage and strength of these individuals, and this legislation would not have the very strong basis upon which it is written. Accordingly, I support H.R. 835, and I ask my colleagues to do so. Mr. Speaker, the proliferation of legal performance-enhancing drugs (``PEDs'') in sports damages the integrity of competition and defrauds individuals and corporate entities who participate in sporting competitions, including clean U.S. athletes and U.S. corporate sponsors. However, due to the efforts of gallant whistleblowers, the complex inner workings of large-scale doping schemes are public knowledge. In 2016, Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov exposed the Russian state-sponsored doping scandal during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, which teams were disqualified for doping offenses during the 2014 Sochi Games. Tragically, Mr. Holcomb was not here to see it, having died in 2017. The Rodchenkov Act comes at a crucial time for the international fight against doping in sports and is supported by the U.S. Helsinki Commission. On October 14, 2019, the New York Times reported that, as suspected, Russia made thousands of changes to the drug-test results of an unspecified number of its athletes, the head of the country's own antidoping agency said this week, confirming the suspicions of global officials who are considering severe penalties against Russian sports programs. The Russian doping fraud scandal shook the very foundations of the global anti-doping system and the problem shows no signs of stopping. The ultimate victims of doping fraud are clean athletes, who want nothing more than to compete on a level playing field. There are countless examples of U.S. athletes who have been defrauded by international doping fraud conspiracies. These athletes are deprived of Olympic glory and denied their rightful prize money and sponsorships. The Rodchenkov Act is fully compatible with the UNESCO Convention Against Doping in Sport and the World Anti-Doping Code, greatly enhances the fight against doping by creating additional legal tools to help guard against the type of behavior discovered in the Russian doping scandal. By criminalizing international doping conspiracies, the Rodchenkov Act provides law enforcement with a greater ability to investigate and pursue, and ultimately hold accountable, doping fraud perpetrators. In addition, this act will provide doping whistleblowers the same protections that are given to whistleblowers of other serious crimes, and are all acutely aware of the current importance of protecting whistleblowers. This legislation is not only vital, but it is fully consistent with international law. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, we all have an interest in ensuring that our country and our athletes are not defrauded in international sports competitions. This bipartisan bill would fill an unfortunate gap with regard to the U.S. law enforcement to hold accountable those who engage in such fraud. It would also serve as a deterrent to those considering engaging in doping fraud conspiracies, and would provide a mechanism to gain visibility into a wider net of international corrupt practices that are connected to doping fraud. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense measure. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 835, the ``Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019,'' would strengthen the integrity of international sports competitions by imposing criminal sanctions on certain persons involved in international doping fraud conspiracies. It would also provide restitution for victims of such conspiracies, and would require coordination and sharing of information with the United States Anti- Doping Agency to assist its fight against doping. I introduced this bill along with Mr. Burgess of Texas, because the widespread use of performance enhancing substances has come to light in recent years, harming athletes and fans alike. Clean U.S. athletes and sports organizations who participate in these competitions, as well as their U.S. sponsors, are denied their due recognition and economic rewards. And their fans lose when the legitimacy and integrity of the competitions they enjoy are debased. In recent years, there have been numerous allegations and instances of doping by professional and amateur athletes. The summer and winter Olympic Games, in particular, have been plagued with doping scandals, which has left an indelible stain on the reputation of these major international sports events. The infamous Russian doping scandal during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics is one notable example of the corruption and fraud that has damaged the integrity of sports competitions. After the Sochi Games, whistleblowers Yuliya Stepanova, a former Russian track star, and her husband Vitaly Stepanov, a former employee at the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, exposed the Russian Government's vast state-sponsored doping system, which subsequently led to further revelations by Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the chemist who ran the Russian anti-doping laboratory. Dr. Rodchenkov became a whistleblower and exposed the dozens of Russian athletes participating in the Sochi Games, including 15 medal winners, who were part of a state-run doping program. In addition, Dr. Rodchenkov revealed that with the help of Russian intelligence, the laboratory switched steroid-tainted urine of the Russian national team with clean samples, evading positive detection. The ineffective response from international organizations with oversight responsibilities, such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the International Olympic Committee, has only emboldened the Russian Government. Although Russia has denied its involvement, evidence shows that it operated a systematic, state-sponsored doping program and cover-up scheme. Russia has cheated and defrauded all the Olympic athletes, including its own, and the general public, and has degraded the meaning and purpose of the Games. Unfortunately, because the orchestrators of the Russian doping scandal operated with the blessing of the Russian government, and because there is no legal mechanism in the United States to bring them to justice, they all escaped punishment for their actions. Currently, there is no federal statute that provides explicit comprehensive protection against doping conspiracies in international sports competitions. The federal statutory protections that currently exist are limited, and criminalize activities such as conspiracies to commit wire and mail fraud, bribery, kickbacks, and money laundering. This legislation would fill that gap by establishing appropriate criminal penalties and civil remedies for international doping fraud. In addition to imposing criminal penalties on the conspirators, the bill would authorize private civil actions for doping fraud, which would give athletes and corporate sponsors the right to sue in federal court to recover damages from individuals who may have defrauded competitions. This bill would provide justice to clean U.S. athletes, such as Olympic runner Alysia Montario, skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender, bobsledder Steve Holcomb, and many other champions who pursue excellence over glory. They have been denied medals that were rightfully theirs and cheated out of lucrative opportunities, such as sponsorships. Most importantly, they have been deprived of the pride of seeing their country's flag being raised on the Olympic podium an emotional moment that was stolen from them. In the case of Mr. Holcomb, his bobsled team's bronze medals were upgraded to silver in the spring of 2019, after the Russian teams were disqualified for doping offenses during the 2014 Sochi Games. Tragically, Mr. Holcomb was not here to see it, having died in 2017. This bill also would also provide much-needed protection and support for brave whistleblowers, such as Dr. Rodchenkov and the Stepanovas, who have exposed major international doping fraud conspiracies at considerable personal risk and sacrifice. The exposure of this criminal activity would not have occurred without the courage and strength of these individuals. Accordingly, I support H.R. 835. Mr. Speaker, we all have an interest in ensuring that our country and our athletes are not defrauded in international sports competitions. This bipartisan bill would fill an unfortunate gap with regard to the U.S. law enforcement to hold accountable those who engage in such fraud. It would also serve as a deterrent to those considering engaging in doping fraud conspiracies, and would provide a mechanism to gain visibility into a wider net of international corrupt practices that are connected to doping fraud. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, October 18, 2019. Hon. Frank Pallone, Jr., Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Pallone: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 835, the ``Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019.'' I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I acknowledge that your Committee will not formally consider H.R. 835 and agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in H.R. 835 which fall within your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Jerrold Nadler, Chairman.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for his kind remarks and support. And I thank Dr. Burgess, as well, for his involvement and commitment to this legislation. I also thank the chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee for really helping us move this bill very quickly. I thank the staffs of both the majority and the minority who have worked so very hard on moving this bill forward. And I acknowledge, in particular, the staff on the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security for their particular help and leadership on this. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that we are talking about healthy sports and the recognition and the acceptance, if you will, of those who worked so long and so hard, many from their earlier years, to be Olympians, to play baseball, basketball, football, track, and the many sports that come under the Olympic mandate. This bill, in particular, I wish to remind our colleagues, again, provides relief, but we really hope it is a deterrent and works to move other nations, the European Union, to be able to establish these kinds of responses to doping. This act establishes criminal penalties for participating in a scheme in commerce to influence a major international sports competition through prohibitive substances or methods. It also provides restitution to victims of such conspiracy, athletes in particular, many of whom have suffered great losses because of this fraud. It protects whistleblowers from retaliation by criminalizing participation in international doping fraud conspiracies. Whistleblowers will be included under existing witness protection laws. It establishes coordination and sharing information with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to establish a matrix, if you will, a format. I want to say that we all have an interest in ensuring our country and our athletes are not defrauded in international sports competitions. This bipartisan bill would fill an unfortunate gap with regard to U.S. law enforcement to hold accountable those who engage in such fraud. It would also serve as a deterrent to those considering engaging in doping-fraud conspiracies and would provide a mechanism to gain visibility in a wider net of international corrupt practices that are connected to doping fraud. I leave my colleagues with the very visual that so many of us, if we were not able to be at the Olympics, watched as our athletes were able to stand under our flag, the emotion of that moment, the emotion of the athletes, the emotion of those watching, the excitement of standing in honor of your Nation and representing your Nation. Anyone who has talked to an Olympian knows that that is one of their greatest honors. Let's give them that honor fair and square, if you will. Since we believe in fairness and squareness in all of our athletic endeavors here in the United States, I certainly will end, as my friend commented here on the floor, I will end with the healthiness and the upstanding of the World Series and those who will play in it. I will take the opportunity at this time to say: Go Astros. I urge my colleagues to support the underlying, commonsense measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, to Elijah's wonderful wife and my friend, and to his children and family, we have said over and over again how much we will miss him, but we realize how much you will miss him. Elijah Cummings was my classmate. He came in during a special election, but we always viewed each other as classmates coming in the mid-1990s. His spirit was so strong that he was able to provide his own internal strength and also to provide strength for others. I think we knew about Elijah's parents more than anyone else. He talked about Robert and Ruth Cummings not only as sharecroppers but as preachers, and he talked about how they poured into his life. Elijah was a successful man though he started with a designation that he was slow in school. He was a Phi Beta Kappa, becoming Maryland's first African American speaker pro temp. But what I know most about him is that Elijah would not want us to talk about all of those successes. He probably wouldn't even want us to talk about his being the powerful chairman of the Oversight and Reform Committee or talk about his work in criminal justice and ban the box that we worked together on, or even when he took a whole group of Members over to Baltimore when he first got elected because of the scourge of HIV/AIDS. He wanted us to see it; he wanted us to stand with him; and he wanted to show his community that he was going to fight on their behalf. What I love most about Elijah was that he mentored people anywhere he could find them on the floor of the House. We joined each other in wanting to mentor to young interns, and every time the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation called him to speak to the interns--I remember a time when John, Elijah, and I spoke to the class, and Elijah lifted them beyond anyone's expression or belief. Elijah Cummings gave his maiden speech, and I want to give his words when he first came to the United States Congress. When I saw these, I said how powerful and potent. Elijah Cummings said: I only have a minute, 60 seconds in it. Forced upon me, I did not choose it, But I know that I must use it. Give account if I abuse it, Suffer, if I lose it. Only a tiny little minute, But eternity is in it. So, as I close my remarks, being reminded that Elijah would not want us to give his whole litany of success, I began to think of the speech of Dr. Martin Luther King on the night before his death, when he reminded people that he wanted to be known as someone who tried to help someone. He said he feared no man. When Elijah spoke and worked, and when he worked with Republicans, he did not fear them, but he brought them to him. He made peace, while he also fought for justice. In the words of Dr. King in that last speech, he said: ``When people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.'' I believe in this life our dear friend secured real victory for his people and his constituents, a victory for those who believe in justice and equality, and a victory for the people of the United States of America. So, Elijah, the minute you had, the minute that was given to you, you did not waste it, and you have gained eternity. As Dr. King said, you were the orchestrator of letting justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. You were part of that justice and part of that victory. You didn't stop short. You only had a minute, but boy what you did do with that. May God bless your soul, may you be in peace, may you R.I.P., and may we love you until we meet again. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Horsford of Nevada for anchoring this Special Order in remembrance of Chairman Elijah Cummings, the indefatigable champion of justice and equality, the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight, the Member of Congress from the Seventh Congressional District of Maryland since April 16, 1996, and above all, the devoted and beloved son of Baltimore. Chairman Elijah Cummings died Thursday, October 17, 2019 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland; he was 68 years old. On behalf of my family and the constituents of the 18th Congressional District of Texas, I offer my deepest sympathy and prayers to his family and friends. Mr. Speaker, our friend Elijah Cummings was in every sense of the word a statesman and a gentleman who believed in bipartisanship and treated everyone equally and respectfully. Born January 18, 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland, to Robert and Ruth Cummings, South Carolina, sharecroppers who followed the Great Migration north to factory jobs in Baltimore, Elijah Eugene Cummings was the third of seven children. After graduating from Baltimore City College High School in 1969, Elijah Cummings attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he was elected President of the student government and graduated in 1973 with a degree in political science, earning honors as Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Speaker, you may be interested to know that Elijah Cummings went on to earn a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. Elijah Cummings' matriculation and graduation from the University of Maryland School of Law was poetic justice because a generation before it had denied admission to another son of Baltimore, the legendary Thurgood Marshall, who then went to the Howard University School of Law and later became the greatest social engineer and the architect and instrument of the strategy that defeated Jim Crow and toppled de jure segregation at the University of Maryland School of Law. Elijah Cummings practiced law for 14 years in Baltimore and in 1982 he was elected to the House of Delegates of the Maryland General Assembly where he served for 14 years. In the Maryland General Assembly, he served as Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and was the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tempore, the second highest position in the House of Delegates, earning a reputation as a champion of progressive and liberal causes and constituencies and as a skilled census-builder. Mr. Speaker, in 1996 when Congressman Kweisi Mfume resigned to assume the presidency of the United Negro College Fund, Elijah Cummings ran in and easily won the special election created by the vacancy with 80 percent of the popular vote. Elijah Cummings was re-elected to the 105th Congress and each of the succeeding Congresses until his untimely death, never winning with less than 70 percent of the vote. In Elijah Cummings' maiden address as a member of Congress he vowed that he would make use of his limited time in Congress: I only have a minute. Sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, I did not choose it, But I know that I must use it. Give account if I abuse it. Suffer, if I lose it. Only a tiny little minute, But eternity is in it. Mr. Speaker, Elijah Cummings made good on that prophetic promise from the start. As a Member of Congress, Elijah Cummings served on the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and on Oversight and Government Reform. As a freshman member, Elijah Cummings championed and supported health care and labor legislation. In 2003, Elijah Cummings was elected as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. In the 112th Congress, Elijah Cummings was elected by his colleagues to be Ranking Member of what is now known as the Committee on Oversight and Reform and in the 115th Congress was appointed by the Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to the Benghazi Committee. One of my proudest moments was working with Elijah Cummings to secure passage of H.R. 1076, the Fair Chance Act, which would ``ban the box'' in federal hiring by restricting federal employers and contractors from asking about the criminal histories of applicants until the conditional offer stage. The Fair Chance Act would give formerly incarcerated people a fair chance at a job and a piece of the American dream. I was proud to have been able to work with Chairman Elijah Cummings in support of this legislation and other legislative goals of mutual interest and concern like reducing gun violence and eliminating unfair policing in communities of color. Mr. Speaker, Elijah Cummings dedicated his life to serving and uplifting others and empowering the people he was sworn to represent; he was a man for and of the people, going to the streets and ensuring that their voices were heard. Elijah Cummings received national attention in 2015 when he walked the streets of Baltimore, his notable bullhorn in hand, and pleaded for calm after riots erupted in his neighborhood after the funeral of Freddie Gray, a young black man who died in police custody. Elijah Cummings took the issues of his constituents to heart; many of us recall how he fought for meaning in the death of young Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old Maryland boy who died from an untreated tooth infection. Elijah Cummings often said that ``our children are the living messages that we send to a future we will never see'' and was committed to ensuring that the next generation had access to quality healthcare and education, clean air and water, and a strong economy defined by fiscal responsibility. Elijah Cummings had a servant's heart and was imbued with an ethic of service and inspired countless numbers of persons fight for their beliefs. Unsurpassed was this native of Baltimore's love for his hometown. That could also be seen by his response to the current President's belittling Baltimore and his congressional district as a ``disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess'' to which Elijah Cummings invited the President to join him in the important work of ensuring that all Americans had accessible, affordable, high quality health care. Elijah Cummings' passion was not reserved for his district and the city of Baltimore; he also deeply loved his country. As Ranking Member and the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Elijah Cummings brought his intellect to what he called ``the fight for the soul of our democracy.'' Elijah Cummings deeply believed in our democratic system and values and worked tirelessly to preserve them and exhorted everyone to the same: ``When we're dancing with the angels, the question will be asked, in 2019, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact? Did we stand on the sidelines and say nothing?'' In the words of his widow, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Elijah Cummings ``worked until his last breath because he believed our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation's diversity was our promise, not our problem.'' Mr. Speaker, the life of Elijah Cummings is a testament to what a person of goodwill can accomplish with a servant's heart and the understanding that in the passion play of life you only have a minute, but all eternity is in it. Elijah Cummings did not waste his minute of eternity. Elijah Cummings will live forever in the hearts of the people of his hometown Baltimore, his state of Maryland, and the United States. To his widow Maya, his children, and family and friends he loved and who loved him so dearly, my deepest sympathies go out to and I hope you find consolation in the certain knowledge that our beloved Elijah is now dancing with the angels.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, there are many things that we come to this floor to do. In the midst of our duties, we stand in this well as armor and advocates for democracy. There are moments of joy, and there are moments of high debate, but I come this morning partly for a moment of sadness. I am looking at my iPhone at a picture of myself and the late Congressman Elijah Cummings so many years ago. It tells the story of the breadth and depth of his life, when he invited Members of Congress to come to his district to challenge the scourge of HIV and to stand against the proliferation of addiction. He was always standing in the gap for his constituents, his beloved Baltimore, and his beloved family. He always considered himself as someone who would find a cure for the ailments of society. That is why, this morning, we have heard some of his words: ``Come on, people, we are better than this.'' The wonderment of his words that really came from his strong spiritual connection--I want everybody to know that he was able to say all of this and remain that steady figure in the eye of the storm because he was a man of faith who had no shame in his love of God and the teachings of his parents, who he reminded us all the time, as they rest in peace themselves, that they were sharecroppers. Look at him now. He ascended to greatness. As chairman of the Oversight and Reform Committee, his focus was not only on this recent impeachment inquiry. He looked at all aspects of wrongness that afflicted the American people, certainly one being the overuse of prescription drugs causing people to either lose their lives or not be able to take care of themselves. He was also a man of justice who wanted criminal justice reform and wanted to work to ensure that our police persons and law enforcement could have the kind of training and understanding of culturally diverse communities. He served us in many ways. He certainly was an icon amongst the Congressional Black Caucus, but he was not ours alone. He belonged to this Congress--Republicans and Democrats--and he belonged to the Nation. But, Baltimore, I cannot leave you out. He belonged to his beloved Baltimore and also the heritage of his parents. I stand here today to give comfort to those who are mourning, to try to ease the pain that I am experiencing, and to be able to call upon a Nation that has the beauty of allowing us to pray to any God that we worship in any faith that we may have, that we call upon that faith today to be reminded of a giant like Elijah Cummings. I conclude with just a moment to say that I pray for the families in Syria, the fleeing Kurds. I pray that this unmistakable disaster that has occurred, that we can put it right-side up with the Congress working to secure a no-fly zone and to have a cease-fire in northern Syria to be able to stop the bloodletting of women and children and the fleeing that is going on. As my good friend would want, we want to fix government. In fixing government, we want to protect the American people. This threat to national security that has now been unleashed with the escaping of ISIS supporters and family members along with ISIS persons, we must come together to find a way to bring about peace. In his name, I am grateful to have this opportunity to honor him and to also speak to peace. That is what I believe his life legacy will be, that he always wanted the best for America. He would always say to all of us, no matter what walk of life we were in, what background we came from, and what diverse part of America we represented, he would always say, ``We are better than this.'' His faith in a higher power was without question, and that will be the strength that I have today, faith in a higher power. May God bless him. May he rest and have a soul that is rested. May God bless his family, may God bless all those who loved him and his constituents, and may God bless the United States of America.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, the headline of The New York Times yesterday said: ``Syrian Forces Rush Into U.S. Void. Battle Lines Shifting to the Benefit of Iran, Russia and ISIS,'' to the negative impact of the national security of the United States of America, because of one simple phone call of this President to President Erdogan, and within minutes, the release of vital U.S. troops to the slaughter of the heroic Kurdish troops who lost their lives and those remaining, and the release of ISIS family members and ISIS. We are in a national security crisis. I believe we should be asking for a no-fly zone of Turkey over northern Syria, and we need to find a way to rebuild Humpty Dumpty's house. Let me also indicate that there is no indication that anything is awry in the investigation that is proceeding. It is proceeding in a manner where Democrats and Republicans are able to ask questions of witnesses, along with their staff. This is not an independent counsel, and so our committees are doing the investigation. All parties are able to be part of that investigation. And as well, there is no preclusion to what ultimately may be open hearings. Let us be patient. Let us be sober and somber for this important responsibility under the Constitution of the United States of America. That is the way this Congress should behave.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the chairman and ranking member for coming together. I was on the floor earlier, and I held up The New York Times that says: ``Syrian Forces Rush Into U.S. Void,'' and, ``Battle Lines Shifting to the Benefit of Iran, Russia and ISIS.'' We worked very hard to get Turkey into NATO and to respect it for its secular position and its embracing of the ideals of democracy, but to now be the cause of thousands fleeing out of violence and bombing, now being the cause of ISIS supporters and families escaping, now being the cause of ISIS fighters escaping, and not listening to any form of reconciliation to put Russia as the mainstay is absolutely unacceptable. I believe that these sanctions and this rebuke and this resolution that has indicated it was wrong to green-light the Turkish military incursion into Syria's Kurdish territory, expressing strong support for Syrian Kurdish forces who were our allies, and calling on Turkey to immediately cease military action in northeast Syria is a question of our national security. I add that there should be a no-fly zone. I know how challenging that would be for Turkey not to be flying over northern Syria. It is important that we do what we need to do to save the precious lives of those children, some of whom have already died, and those who are fleeing the violence. Mr. Speaker, let us pass this resolution, H.J. Res. 77, but let us find a way to bring some peace and stand down in that region, and also to thank the United States military, which should not have been moved. I ask my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 77.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 543, a resolution ``Recognizing Hong Kong's bilateral relationship with the United States, condemning the interference of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong's affairs, and supporting the people of Hong Kong's right to protest.'' As a senior member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, I support H. Res. 543 because it calls on the Hong Kong government to address the protesters' five demands, condemns police brutality against peaceful protesters, and condemns efforts to falsely accuse U.S. diplomats of fueling unrest. On June 30, 1997, China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, ending more than 150 years of British colonial rule. Hong Kong is a customs territory and economic entity separate from the rest of China and is able to enter into international agreements on its own behalf in commercial, economic, and certain legal matters. U.S. policy toward Hong Kong is stated in the U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 and grounded in the determination to promote Hong Kong's prosperity, autonomy, and way of life. The United States maintains substantial economic and political interests in Hong Kong. The U.S. supports Hong Kong's autonomy under the ``One Country, Two Systems'' framework by concluding and implementing bilateral agreements; promoting trade and investment; broadening law enforcement cooperation; bolstering educational, academic, and cultural links; supporting high-level visits of U.S. officials; and serving the large community of U.S. citizens and visitors. After 22 years, protests erupted over Carrie Lam's proposal to amend extradition laws to allow suspects to be transferred to mainland China for trial. A few days after proposing the amendment to the extradition laws, Carrie Lam suspended the proposal, but the protests in Hong Kong continue as the people of Hong Kong demand the high degree of autonomy promised by the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984. It is critical for the United States Congress to stand with the women and men advocating and speaking up for the autonomy and dignity of people of Hong Kong. I applaud the efforts and sacrifices pro-democracy activists have made and they should know that the United States fully supports their desire for freedom and peace, and strongly condemns the violent and oppressive tactics of the Hong Kong police. As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I support the bilateral relationship between Hong Kong and the United States and the promotion of international peace. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 543 to condemn the brutality faced by the people of Hong Kong and which poses a strong threat to the democratic values we work to protect.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4270, the ``PROTECT Hong Kong Act.'' H.R. 4270 calls for the President to prohibit the issuance of export licenses for nonlethal crowd control items and defense articles to the Hong Kong police. This prohibition will be terminated once the Hong Kong police have stopped engaging in a pattern of gross human rights abuses, and there has been an independent investigation conducted on policy brutality. During the 2019 anti-extradition bill and pro-democracy protests, the Hong Kong Police Force used non-lethal crowd control articles such as water cannon trucks, tear gas, rubber bullets, sponge grenades, beanbag rounds, batons, pepper spray, pepper balls, and projectile launchers. Hong Kong citizens and the international community have called for changes to the Hong Kong Police's crowd control tactics and these requests have gone unheeded by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government. I applaud the efforts and sacrifices pro-democracy activists have made and they ought to know that the United States fully supports their desire for freedom and peace, and we strongly condemn the violent and oppressive tactics of the Hong Kong police. When enacted, H.R. 4270 will prohibit the issuance of licenses to export covered defense articles and services and covered munitions items to the Hong Kong Disciplined Services. As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security I find it important to increase bilateral relations with allies and abroad to help eliminate the injustices of the world. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4270 to confront the pattern of gross human rights abuses which pose a strong threat to the democratic values we work to protect.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1199, the ``Directing of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study regarding the accessibility of websites of the Department of Veterans Affairs to individuals with disabilities.'' H.R. 1199 permits the Secretary of VA to use grants rather than federal contracts to fund cemetery research programs and produce educational materials as part of the Veterans Legacy Program. This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to Congress regarding the accessibility of VA websites (including attatched files and web based applications) to individuals with disabilities. According to the United States Census Bureau 31,390 residents in Harris County, Texas are disabled veterans and this study would greatly benefit them. The report shall indentify websites, files, and applications that are not accessible to such individuals and include the VA's plan to make each of them accessible. There are 21.8 million veterans of the U.S. armed forces as of 2014, according the Census Bureau, approximately 10 percent of whom are women. The states with the highest number of veteran residents are California with 2 million, Texas with 1.6 million and Florida also with 1.6 million. Each of these states have major military bases including Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Irwin in California and Naval Air Station Pensacola. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers health and welfare services to veterans but has fallen short in its task of serving the mental and physical needs of generations of former troops. The study required by this bill must be enacted no later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this bill. Once this study has been conducted we will be better able to assist veterans with disabilities in accessing the website for resources. It is critical for the United States Congress to ensure that veterans have access to the resources they need. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1199 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study regarding the accessibility of websites of the Department of Veterans Affairs to individuals with disabilities.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 95, the ``Homeless Veteran Families Act.'' H.R. 95 updates the Department of Veterans Affairs per diem payment calculation for entities furnishing services to homeless veterans to include funding for a minor dependent. The rate for per diem payments is the daily cost of care as estimated by the grant recipient or eligible entity. This bill would expand the per diem payment amount for a homeless veteran who has care of a minor dependent to the daily cost of care, plus, for each minor dependent, an amount that equals 50 percent of such daily cost of care. This bill is an intrinsic part of a much greater national movement to recognize the transitional needs of all Veterans and their families nationwide. Our Veterans are America's indispensable asset; their dedication to the United States Military and protecting the lives of the American people is to be commended. Lack of access to childcare presents a unique safety hazard to homeless veterans' families, and puts a unique pressure on the shelters and facilities in Houston. Less than 3 percent of Veterans experiencing homelessness (2.9 percent) were in families with children. Veteran women experiencing homelessness are more likely to be a part of a family with children, compared to Veteran men. Because of a lack of affordable health treatment and job prospects, veterans represent about 12 percent of America's homeless population, and approximately 50,000 veterans are homeless each night. This bill will allow homeless veterans with children to receive enhanced child care services. When enacted, H.R. 95 will alleviate the financial burdens homeless veterans experience with child care and assist them to transition into the workforce. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 95 to expand resources for homeless veterans with children.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, a week ago Sunday, the Commander in Chief of this Nation made a call to the head of the Government of Turkey. No one knows the basis of that call, but we do know that it was made without the consultation of the national security apparatus of the United States of America and, to our knowledge, not with any consultation of the Joint Chiefs. Within minutes, within a period of time, a tweet directive was given to take vital, important military personnel away from the Syrian- Turkish border. No one knows what promises may have been made. We do know that if any were made that this would be handled with care, they were broken. Right before our eyes, massive havoc. What strikes me the most, as the chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, is the video that shows the bloodletting of our children, children in shock with limbs bloodied, mothers fleeing. We do not need a backdoor peace treaty that is too late. We need a no-fly zone, Madam Speaker. We need real action, and we need the Commander in Chief not to lead foreign policy by tweets. I am begging them to save the children.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Jamal Khashoggi, an American national and resilient journalist who was murdered by members of the Saudi Arabian government on October 2, 2018. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution grants freedom of speech and freedom of the press. I would like to note that the press is the only commercial enterprise enshrined in the Constitution, giving Americans an independent press. This is something that is often taken for granted, freedom of the press is not given to citizens in many parts of the world. Jamal Khashoggi was born on October 13, 1958, in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Jamal Khashoggi attended Indiana State University and received his BA in business administration in 1983. Jamal Khashoggi did not dream of becoming a Saudi Arabian dissident, he did not want to be forced into a self-imposed exile; however, it was what he had to do to continue to live. As a journalist, Jamal Khashoggi wanted to report on the facts and truths, not to dismiss the injustice that occurred, especially in his home nation. Jamal Khashoggi wrote for and edited newspapers in Saudi Arabia and served as an aide in Saudi embassies in Washington and London. After leaving Saudi Arabia, Jamal Khashoggi published his first op-ed in the Washington Post in September 2017, explaining why he and others had gone into self-imposed exile out of fear of being arrested in Saudi Arabia. For the next year, Jamal Khashoggi continued writing articles criticizing Saudi Arabian involvement in the war in Yemen, the imprisonment of women who campaigned for women's rights, and revealed the strict control of the Saudi Arabian government on news and social media. On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi was enticed into entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for an appointment to obtain a document he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee. Knowing Jamal Khashoggi was scheduled to arrive at the consulate, 15 Saudi agents who had flown in hours earlier met him, killed, dismembered, and disposed of his body which has yet to be found. Journalists must be protected, the right to a free press must be protected. However, Trump and his allies have blocked attempts in Congress to hold the Saudi Arabian regime accountable for their actions. The United States House of Representatives passed H. Res. 2037 for which I voted, condemning the Saudi Arabian government for the murder and execution, but the current administration continues to steer clear of assigning blame and bringing the killers to justice. The impotent reaction from our Administration signals to strongmen everywhere that they can terrorize their people--and mock the United States--with impunity. The citizens of the world have not forgotten what happened to Jamal Khashoggi, and they will never forget. Jamal Khashoggi was a loving father of four to Salah, Abdullah, Noha, and Razan Jamal, and a fiancee to Hatice Cengiz, the woman who waited outside of the consulate that fateful day. We will forever be deprived of the stories Jamal Khashoggi would have written, and so there will inevitably be a delay in learning about the corruption he might have exposed, heroism he might have praised, and insights he might have offered. America stands in support of American nationals. I encourage all journalists to be fearless and persistent; democracy depends on it.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a hero, a Deputy with the Harris County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal. Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal was a Houston resident and public servant who died while in the line of duty on September 27, 2019, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 42. Sandeep Dhaliwal was a trailblazer for the Sheriff's Department of which he served in for a decade. Sandeep Dhaliwal was the first member of the Sikh community to become a Harris County Sheriff's deputy. In the Sikh religion, men and women do not cut their hair; they cover their head with turbans. Out of piety, the men refrain from shaving their beards. Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal garnered national attention in 2015, after the sheriff's office allowed him to wear his traditional articles of faith, including a turban and a beard, while on patrol. Sandeep educated us as a city and county and taught us all about the humility and beauty of the Sikh faith. Through his example and grace, Sandeep Dhaliwal taught of the virtues and symbolic power of the turban and stood as a bulwark against the nasty racism that has been visited on Sikhs. Even more notable, the Harris County Sheriff's Office was the largest in the country to have a full-time Sikh American officer with his articles of faith intact due to a religious accommodation exception to their dress code policy. On the afternoon of September 27, 2019, Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal pulled over a silver Nissan Altima for a routine traffic stop on Willancy Court near Cypress. After speaking with the driver, Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal turned to walk back to his patrol car, the driver got out of the vehicle and ran at the Deputy shooting him twice from behind in the head. The shooter, then returned to his car, driving away. Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal died after being airlifted to a hospital. The assailant had a violent past and was convicted of two felonies in 2002 for an episode in which he shot a man and then barricaded himself in his home with his 4-year-old son, with an intent to use him as a shield. The assailant was sentenced to 20 years in jail but served only 12 years before getting out on parole in 2014. In January of 2017, a warrant was issued for parole violations of assault and possession of a prohibited weapon, the warrant was still active Friday when Sandeep Dhaliwal pulled him over. Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal was a hero to many through his actions, organizing a tractor-trailer of supplies to be delivered from California after Hurricane Harvey, and had traveled to Puerto Rico to help a colleague with hurricane relief efforts there. Prior to serving as a law enforcement officer, Sandeep Dhaliwal owned a successful trucking business. Sandeep believed that the Harris County Sheriff's Office needed someone to build bridges with the Sikh community, so he sold his business and took a lower paying job. Sandeep Dhaliwal represented the community's diversity and inclusiveness well, as a practicing Sikh he embodied the articles of faith, equality, service, and justice while serving in his position. I attended the candlelight vigil held in his honor the day after his tragic death. The vigil was not just a moment to remember the bravery of Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal, it was also a moment for our community to remember the impact he had on our civic life and the decency he had for his fellow man. This is because the site of the vigil was named after another fallen officer, Deputy Darren Goforth, based, in part, on Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal's advocacy. The impact made by Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal, during his short time with us, has been profound, and it compelled me to come to offer condolences to the Sikh National Center, the Gurudwara where Sandeep Dhaliwal's family worships and where I was honored to recognize him for his kindness, strength, service, and involvement in the community. It was important for Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal's family to know that America mourns with the Dhaliwal Family. America is a place of justice and she will not rest until justice comes to the Sikhs of America. Sandeep Dhaliwal was more than a public servant, he was an outstanding member of the community, a hero to many, a loving husband, and a father to three. Sandeep Dhaliwal will forever be in the hearts and memory of so many he touched. My heart breaks for his family and loved ones. I offer my deepest condolences as they mourn his loss.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oregon for the time. It may have been 200 times that the President said that Mexico would pay for the wall, but here we are today. I rise to support S.J. Res. 54. I want the American people to know, $3.6 billion is coming out of your United States military, the men and women, your children, your husbands and wives that you send to faraway places and to the bases where families live. That is what is happening. Now, as a Texan and a Member of the Homeland Security Committee, since the heinous act of 9/11, I probably have been to the border more times than I can count. I have walked across. I have ridden in speed boats. I have watched the officers deal with the issues at the border, and I have asked and watched as they have interdicted drugs. Drugs don't come in large numbers across the border. They come through legal points of entry. And our men and women have been very successful in doing that. But let me tell you what we are facing: A 1957 structure on the Portsmouth, Virginia, shipyard known as Building 510 has been cited for numerous life safety violations. That is where your young Navy personnel are--life safety violations. It has threatened the well-being of hundreds of workers if not heavily renovated. The Navy warned in its budget request to Congress: The building has been labeled a high-risk environment, largely due to fire safety concerns. So do you know what they have done? To compensate for the risk of fire, the Navy has been reassigning workers to staff roving fire watches around the clock, 7 days a week. They have been cut out for getting their money. Childcare centers have been cut out for the men and women in the United States military, for getting their money, when we know that border crossings of desperate people are down. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a September 7, 2019, article from The Washington Post. [From the Washington Post, Sept. 7, 2019] Projects Defunded for Trump's Border Wall Include Military Buildings With `Life Safety Violations' and Hazmat Concerns (By Aaron Gregg and Paul Sonne) The U.S. Navy has been forced to stand down on construction projects meant to fix ``life safety violations'' and fire risks at dilapidated ship maintenance buildings and hazardous materials warehouses in Virginia after funds were diverted to pay for President Trump's border wall. The pending construction projects at Norfolk Navy Shipyard are among 127 that the Pentagon has defunded to free up $3.6 billion in funding for fences and barriers on the southern border with Mexico using emergency powers. One of the military facilities--a 1957 structure on the Portsmouth, Va., shipyard known as ``Building #510''--had been cited for numerous ``life safety violations'' that threatened the well-being of hundreds of workers if not heavily renovated, the Navy warned in its budget request to Congress last year. The building has been labeled a ``high risk environment,'' largely due to fire safety concerns. As of last year it had no sprinkler protection, inadequate fire alarm systems and not enough exits. Excessive heat and humidity inside have caused equipment problems despite a 60-ton portable HVAC system brought in to clear the air, according to Navy budget documents. To compensate for the risk of fire, the Navy had been reassigning workers to staff ``roving fire watches'' around the clock, seven days a week. The budget request sought to revamp the building, including relocating personnel overseeing nuclear containment and repairing Navy life rafts from an even more dangerous building. If the building isn't replaced, the Navy wrote in its 2018 request, ``approximately 330 personnel, working more than 256,000 manhours annually will remain in a high risk environment, with continuing significant rework, high stress, and additional operating costs due to inadequate working environment.'' The Navy received $26 million from Congress for a construction project that would have upgraded the building, only to see that funding taken away to pay for Trump's border wall project. The project is one of eight military construction projects in Maryland and Virginia that will lose $155 million in funding being diverted to construct fencing and barriers along the southern border. The episode highlights how long-neglected military facilities that suffered under the sequestration-induced budget restrictions are now being buffeted by a different political head wind. The defunded projects include a Maryland child-care facility for soldiers' children, Virginia warehouses designed to hold hazardous materials and a secure facility for classified cyberwarfare operations. They are among 127 military construction projects across 23 states, three U.S. territories and 20 countries that have been sidelined to pay for fencing and barriers on the border with Mexico. Shooting ranges, airfields, drone facilities, schools, a missile field and a treatment center for working dogs are among the projects that have seen their funding rescinded. Members of Congress representing Maryland and Virginia said the diversion of funds will hurt U.S. national security. ``I'm deeply concerned about President Trump's plan to pull funding from critical national security projects--including millions of dollars from important projects in Virginia--so he can build his border wall,'' Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said in a statement. His state will lose an estimated $89 million in funded projects to pay for the wall effort, making it one of the most affected. Trump declared a national emergency in mid-February after Congress refused to give him the sum he wanted for border barrier construction. An obscure U.S. Code section governing the military allows the defense secretary, in the event of a national emergency requiring the use of the armed forces, to carry out construction projects in support of those troops without approval from Congress. The statute permits the defense secretary to take money that Congress has given the Pentagon for other military projects that have yet to start contracting. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper on Tuesday determined that 11 border barrier projects proposed by the Department of Homeland Security would support troops deployed to the border, and authorized the Pentagon to divert $3.6 billion from 127 military projects to finance them. On the campaign trail, Trump regularly said Mexico would pay for his planned wall along the southern border. For the defunded projects to proceed, Congress must once again appropriate funds for them. Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill broadly support ``backfilling'' the $3.6 billion worth of projects, and the Republican-led Senate has included a provision to do so in its version of the annual defense policy bill. Democrats, however, have balked at the suggestion, saying Trump's action flies in the face of Congress's constitutionally mandated power of the purse. Democratic lawmakers, including Kaine, have argued that ``backfilling'' the projects would set a precedent allowing any future president to do an end run around Congress when confronted with funding he or she deems insufficient. Top Pentagon officials say they are committed to making sure the defunded projects are still completed, and say they will work with Congress to ensure that the funding for the projects is replenished. Still, they have admitted there is no guarantee the funding will be forthcoming. The Portsmouth ship repair facility is part of the Norfolk Navy Shipyard, the U.S. Navy's oldest shipyard, where workers repair and build naval vessels ranging from submarines to aircraft carriers. Among other activities, federal workers and contractors there are responsible for maintaining nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, as well as disposing of the radioactive waste they generate. The shipyard processed approximately 8,000 cubic feet of radioactive solid waste from nuclear submarines between 2013 and 2017, according to a recent report from the Energy Department. But the infrastructure supporting the U.S. military's nuclear waste disposal efforts has crumbled in recent decades under successive waves of budget restrictions. In some cases, that work has been carried out using antiquated 40-year-old pipes, valves and tanks, according to a 2011 budget document. Other projects that have been sidelined in favor of the border wall include $41 million for a pair of ``noncombustible hazardous materials warehouses'' at the Norfolk shipyard. One of the warehouses was to include a new storage shed for gas cylinders; according to Navy budget documents, the existing one is too small and doesn't have the necessary fire safety systems. The Norfolk warehouses currently being used to store hazardous materials ``are World War II-era structures that are inefficient and not designed for HAZMAT warehouse operations,'' Navy officials wrote. ``If this project is not provided, [the Defense Department] will continue storing hazardous materials in nonconforming storage facilities that do not meet current life safety /fire safety code requirements,'' Defense officials told members of Congress in 2018.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, we recognize that this border wall, over and over again, has been said to be designated as an action of the sovereign nation of Mexico. Why, then, are the people of the United States, the taxpayers, voting for something that was promised by someone else? Vote for this resolution and help the men and women in the United States military. Stand with them. Stand with them. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of our Constitution and in defense of our republic and urge all members to join me in voting for S.J. Res. 54, which terminates the phony declaration of emergency issued by the President on February 15, 2019. The reason this resolution is before us today is because of the petulant intransigence of a single person, the current President of the United States. As a senior member of the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland Security, I visited the southern border on numerous occasions several times and can state confidently that there is no national emergency or national security crisis that justified the President's reckless and unconstitutional decision or compels the Congress to abdicate its responsibilities under Article I to check and balance the Executive Branch. The President only pursued this tactic of declaring a national emergency after realizing that Speaker Nancy Pelosi was absolutely correct when she informed him that he did not have the support in Congress to require the taxpayers to pay for his broken promise that ``Mexico would pay for the wall, 100 percent!'' In fact, according to public opinion polling, Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of the President's national emergency declaration by a 61%-36% margin. The President's decision is opposed by both men and women in every region of the country, by every income group and education category; it is opposed by veterans organizations, education associations like the NEA and AFT, and organized labor. National security experts across the political spectrum are unanimous in their assessment that the situation on the southern border does not constitute a national emergency, an assessment echoed by leading former Republican senators and Members of Congress. They understand that after failing to convince the American people or Congress to pay for his ineffective, wasteful, and immoral multibillion dollar concrete wall, the President now embarked on a course of conduct that is deeply corrosive of the constitutional system of checks and balances wisely established by the Framers and which has served this Nation and the world so well for nearly 250 years. Having failed miserably to achieve his objective in the constitutional legislative process, the President resorted to a desperate 11th hour end-run around Congress with an unlawful emergency declaration that contravenes the will of the American people and negates the awesome power of the purse vested exclusively in the Congress of the United States. The Congress will not tolerate this. Despite being repeatedly admonished and in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the President continues to propagate false information regarding the state of our southern border. Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. NET UNAUTHORIZED MIGRATION FROM MEXICO HAS FALLEN To ZERO Net migration from Mexico is now zero or slightly below (more people leaving than coming) because of a growing Mexican economy, an aging population and dropping fertility rates that have led to a dramatic decrease in unauthorized migration from Mexico. TOTAL APPREHENSIONS ARE Low AND MANAGEABLE Migrant apprehensions continue to be near an all-time low with only a slight increase from 2017. The combined 521,090 apprehensions for Border Patrol and Customs agents in fiscal year 2018 were 32,288 apprehensions fewer than the 553,378 apprehensions in 2016. To put this in perspective, on average, each of the 19,437 Border Patrol agents nationwide apprehended a total of only 19 migrants in 2018, which amounts to fewer than 2 apprehensions per month. In the last few years, an increased proportion of apprehensions are parents seeking to protect their children from the violence and extreme poverty in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. But even with more Central Americans arriving to our southern border seeking protection, total apprehension rates are still at their lowest since the 1970s. The absence of a massive wall on the southern border will not solve the drug smuggling problem because, as all law enforcement experts agree, the major source of drugs coming into the United States are smuggled through legal ports of entry.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3710) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for the remediation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and for other purposes.

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

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3710, the Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act, and I thank Chairman Bennie Thompson for his work in securing the Nation against terrorist threats, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities that target critical infrastructure, civilian agency networks, and private-sector cyber resources. I also thank subcommittee Chairman Richmond and the Committee on Homeland Security staff for working with my staff and me on H.R. 3710. I thank the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Rogers from Alabama, and the ranking member of the subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, we saw technology in the form of drones be utilized to attack, with explosives, refineries in Saudi Arabia. I think the basis of my legislation speaks to the point that it is crucial that this Congress and this Nation prepare itself for new forms of technology. We have not had that incident here in the United States, but if we recall, in 9/11, no one could fathom using loaded airplanes, fully filled with the material, fuel, that could be utilized as a weapon to attack the World Trade Center, to kill the brave at the Pentagon and the brave in Pennsylvania. H.R. 3710 is to speak to those vulnerabilities, in particular, cybersecurity vulnerability remediation, which directs the DHS to prioritize efforts to help network operators address known vulnerabilities. It requires DHS' Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to widely share mitigation protocols that counter cybersecurity vulnerabilities, authorizing the DHS Science and Technology Directorate to establish an incentive-based program to allow industry, individuals, agencies, and academia to compete in providing remediation solutions for the highest priority cybersecurity vulnerabilities. We must be ever vigilant and diligent as we look to these new levels and subsets of technology. It requires the CISA to report to Congress on its efforts to share mitigation protocols and coordinate vulnerability disclosure with its partners. H.R. 3710 authorizes, for the first time, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to develop and distribute playbooks, in consultation with private-sector experts, to provide procedures and mitigation strategies for the most critical known vulnerabilities, especially those affecting software or hardware that is no longer supported by a vendor. One of the statistics that we really know is that 80 percent--maybe even higher now--to 85 percent of the Nation's vulnerabilities-- technology, infrastructure--is in the private sector. Those are the sites that our enemies would look eagerly to attack. The World Trade Center; in Saudi, the refineries; maybe some of our beautiful national monuments, outstanding sites here in Washington, D.C.; our national parks, these are the examples and the exhibits of the freedom of this Nation. Those are some government, some private sector. Many know the terror that New York collectively faced, but there are other sites along the West Coast, in the Midwest, and in the Deep South that would also exhibit what the freedom of America is all about. The playbooks that we would make available to Federal agencies, industry, and other stakeholders would help them prepare a network defense in the event of a cyberattack based upon vulnerability. I would like to think that we could prevent that attack. A zero-day vulnerability is a software bug or exploit that has not been patched. Hackers can use these bugs and exploits based upon the vulnerability to steal data or damage networks before a patch can be developed to prevent a breach. There are some vulnerabilities that cannot be patched. These require the resources provided by the playbook that will be provided in my bill. H.R. 3710 authorizes the DHS Science and Technology Directorate, in consultation with CISA, to establish a competition program for industry, individuals, academia, and others to provide remediation solutions for cybersecurity vulnerabilities that are no longer supported. The good news is that it seeks to have the consultation of Americans who have expertise and to be able to work with them to provide the remediation but also the playbook for prevention. The vulnerabilities that will receive an entry in the playbook are serious and, if used by an adversary, can lead to significant costs and disruption of vital goods and services to the public. Just think of your water system, run mostly by local entities, or the electric grid, run mostly by the private sector. In the 115th Congress, I introduced H.R. 3202, Cyber Vulnerability Disclosure Reporting Act, which addresses the Federal Government's sharing of cyber vulnerability disclosures to critical infrastructure owners and operators. H.R. 3710 goes further to address the remediation of identified cybersecurity threats by incentivizing work to patch or find solutions for cyber threats inherent in legacy systems. Proactive and coordinated efforts are necessary to strengthen, maintain, and secure critical infrastructure, including assets that are vital to public confidence in the cyber nation's safety. I hope that we will see our way forward in getting proactive and preventative as we move toward new levels of technology. Mr. Speaker I rise today to speak in favor of H.R. 3710, the ``Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act.'' I thank Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for his work in securing the nation against terrorist threats, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities that target critical infrastructure, civilian agency networks, and private sector cyber resources. I thank Subcommittee Chairman Richmond and the Homeland Security Committee staff for working with me and my staff on H.R. 3710. H.R. 3710, the ``Cybersecurity Vulnerability Remediation Act'' directs DHS to prioritize efforts to help network operators address known vulnerabilities by: 1. Requiring DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to widely share mitigation protocols to counter cybersecurity vulnerabilities; 2. Authorizing the DHS Science and Technology Directorate to establish an incentive-based program to allow industry, individuals, agencies, and academia to compete in providing remediation solutions for the highest priority cybersecurity vulnerabilities; and 3. Requiring CISA to report to Congress on its efforts to share mitigation protocols and coordinate vulnerability disclosures with its partners. H.R. 3710, authorizes for the first time the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) to develop and distribute ``playbooks,'' in consultation with private sector experts, to provide procedures and mitigation strategies for the most critical, known vulnerabilities, especially those affecting software or hardware that is no longer supported by a vendor. The playbooks would be available to Federal agencies, industry, and other stakeholders to help them prepare network defense in the event of a cyber-attack based upon a vulnerability. A zero-day vulnerability is a software bug or exploit that has not been patched. Hackers can use these bugs and exploits based upon the vulnerability to steal data or damage networks before a patch can be developed to prevent a breach. There are some vulnerabilities that cannot be patched and these require the resources provided by the Playbook that will be provided by this bill. H.R. 3710 authorizes DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), in consultation with CISA, to establish a competition program for industry, individuals, academia, and others to provide remediation solutions for cybersecurity vulnerabilities that are no longer supported. The vulnerabilities that will receive entry into the Playbook are serious and if used by an advisory, can lead to significant cost and disruption of vital goods and services to the public. In the 115th Congress, I introduced H.R. 3202, Cyber Vulnerability Disclosure Reporting Act, which addresses the federal government's sharing of cyber vulnerability disclosures to critical infrastructure owners and operators. H.R. 3710 goes further to address the remediation of identified cybersecurity threats by incentivizing work to patch or find solutions for cyber threats inherent in legacy systems. Proactive and coordinated efforts are necessary to strengthen and maintain secure critical infrastructure, including assets that are vital to public confidence in the cyber nation's safety. This bill supports the ongoing work of the Department of Homeland Security in security civilian agency and coordinating with private sector computing network owners and operators. Most people do not know how long the federal government has used computing to carry out vital functions in service of the public. The Federal government's first use of computing technology occurred in 1890 when an automated tabulation method was used to organize that year's census data encoded on punch cards. Since that modest beginning in 1890, the Federal government has blazed a path for adoption of computing technology throughout the federal government, which established an unprecedented pace for innovation in the private sector that transformed our world from analogue to digital in 129 years. One of the consequences of federal government's use of computing technology over the last 129 years are the challenges of operating legacy systems that use outdated software, which cannot be quickly upgraded to eliminate known cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Federal government offices are vulnerable to cyberattacks, with the number of cyber incidents reported by federal agencies increasing more than 1,300 percent between 2006 and 2015. In 2015, a hacker exploited access provided by a government agency contractor to break into government databases to gain access to 22 million security clearance files from the Office of Personnel Management. In 2017, Federal agencies reported more than 35,000 cyber incidents, some of which targeted old operating systems that were no longer supported by a vendor. According to the National Security Agency, it has not responded to a zero-day attack on government systems in the last four years, largely because hackers have found better success through basic attack methods. H.R. 3710 will provide much needed structure around a federal government wide effort to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities in federal civilian agency networks. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 3710. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me further explain what this bill does. This bill supports the ongoing work of the Department of Homeland Security and security civilian agency and coordinating with private- sector computing network owners and operators. Most people do not know how long the Federal Government has used computing to carry out vital functions in service of the public. The Federal Government's first use of computing technology occurred as long ago as 1890, when an automated tabulation method was used to organize that year's Census data encoded on punch cards. Let me remind our colleagues that we are about to venture on to Census now. Imagine a cyberattack on that process. Since a modest beginning in 1890, the Federal Government has blazed a path for adoption of computing technology throughout the Federal Government, which established an unprecedented pace for innovation in the private sector that transformed our world from analog to digital in 129 years. One of the consequences of the Federal Government's use of computing technology over the last 129 years is the challenges of operating legacy systems that use outdated software, which cannot be quickly upgraded to eliminate known cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Federal Government offices are vulnerable to cyberattacks, with the number of cyber incidents reported by Federal agencies increasing more than 1,300 percent between 2006 and 2015. In 2015, a hacker exploited access by a government agency contractor to break into the government databases to gain access to 22 million security clearance files from the Office of Personnel Management. In 2017, Federal agencies reported more than 35,000 cyber incidents, some of which targeted old operating systems that were no longer supported by a vendor. According to the National Security Agency, it has not responded to a zero-day attack on government systems in the last 4 years because hackers have found better success through basic attack methods. I would hope my colleagues would consider recognizing that we must be in front of these potential attacks and not behind them. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the minority for its support of this legislation and ask my colleagues to support it. As I do so, Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article, ``DHS Flags Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Philips Patient Monitors: The Department of Homeland Security has issued an advisory about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the wireless local area network modules of Philips IntelliVue portable patient monitors.'' [Sept. 13, 2019] DHS Flags Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Philips Patient Monitors The Department of Homeland Security has Issued an Advisory About Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in the Wireless Local Area Network Modules of Philips IntelliVue Portable Patient Monitors (By Fred Donovan) The Department of Homeland Security has issued (https:// www.us-cert.gov/ics/advisories/icsma-19-255-01) an advisory about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the wireless local area network (WLAN) modules of certain Philips IntelliVue portable patient monitors. DHS's Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) warned that an attacker could corrupt the IntelliVue WLAN firmware and alter the data flow over to the patient monitor, causing an inoperative condition alert at the device and central station. The vulnerable patient monitors are IntelliVue MP monitors MP20-MP90, MP5/5SC, MP2/X2, and MX800/700/600. The vulnerabilities include use of hard-coded password and download of code without integrity check. The use of a hard-coded password makes it easier for an attacker to guess the password and login via FTP and upload malicious firmware. In addition, the ``product downloads source code or an executable from a remote location and executes the code without sufficiently verifying the origin and integrity of the code,'' warned the advisory. Shawn Loveric of Finite State reported the vulnerabilities to Philips. In a product security advisory (https:// www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/about/customer-support/ product-security), Philips recommended that users of the affected IntelliVue patient monitors update to the WLAN Module Version C wireless module with current firmware. Philips said it will also issue a software patch for WLAN Version A that will be available by the end of 2019, while WLAN Version B is obsolete. ``Wireless network access should be controlled by authentication and authorization (e.g. WPA2), which are supported by Philips. Additional mitigations include implementing a firewall rule on the customer wireless network, and further controls on physical access to the system,'' Philips advised. Philips said it had received no reports of patient harm. Its analysis judged that it is unlikely that the cybersecurity vulnerability would impact clinical use, due to mitigating controls in place. To date, Philips has received no complaints involving clinical use that it has been able to associate with the vulnerability or evidence of patient identifiers compromised. DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recommended users of the vulnerable Philips devices take defensive measures to minimize the risk of exploitation of these vulnerabilities. Users should restrict system access to authorized personnel and follow a least privilege approach, apply defense-in-depth strategies, and disable unnecessary accounts and services.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. With that in mind, this is a real-life example of what can happen if we are not first in front. Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will join me in voting for H.R. 3710, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2589) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a homeland intelligence doctrine for the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended.