Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from California. As I indicated, I think that creating the additional legislative history of the importance of this particular program is what I hope will strengthen it. May I ask, Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have?

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member, to discuss the urban reforestation program, and I thank her for her leadership.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, let me conclude my remarks by saying I have certainly seen neighborhoods in Houston benefit from urban reforestation. In addition, havens of green in the middle of a city can have beneficial effects on a community's health, both physical and psychological, as well as increased property values of surrounding real estate. But when you have had a drought, you know how important this program is. Reforestation of cities is an innovative way of combating urban sprawl and deterioration. Finally, let me say, photosynthesis, how many of us remember that in our classrooms? I love that process. That happens in plants, generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll, and generates oxygen as a byproduct, cleaning the air. That is what these programs do in urban America. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time

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

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member and the chairman of this committee for considering my amendment. My amendment is prohibiting the use of appropriated funds to limit museum outreach programs administered by the Smithsonian Institution. Again, for programs like this, this is to advocate and create the legislative history of the importance of these programs, and I am glad to have this amendment presented to the Congress at this time. Mr. Chair, in order to fulfill the Smithsonian's mission--the increase and diffusion of knowledge--the Smithsonian seeks to serve an even greater audience, and this has come about over the years by bringing the Smithsonian to enclaves of communities who otherwise would be deprived of the vast amount of cultural history offered by the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian's outreach program serves millions of Americans, thousands of communities, and hundreds of institutions in all 50 States through loans of objects, traveling exhibitions, and sharing of educational resources via publications, lectures, presentations, training programs, and websites. Let me say from personal experience, one of my predecessors, the Honorable Mickey Leland, that many people know died in an airplane going into an Ethiopian mountain trying to bring food to starving people in Eritrea and Ethiopia, had introduced the first bill for a museum dealing with slave history. He did not live to see that legislation go forward, but later, John Lewis introduced the legislation to create the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. We have it today, and it is a museum that has seen more people attend it, and the outreach is crucial: the board members, who are so proud to be a part of it, and the Congressional Black Caucus, that was the anchor of passing this legislation. Now we have an outstanding exhibit on Oprah Winfrey, and all are there to see this historic figure and many others. It is important that the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and many others have the opportunity to reach out to Americans and let them know of these very special resources, these assets that are here. So this is a very important emphasis to have, and I would like to make sure that we continue to do it robustly so that more Americans can know their history. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. Thank you for this opportunity to speak in support of my amendment to Division A of H.R. 6147, the ``Interior and Environment Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2019.'' Let me also thank Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum for their leadership in shepherding this bill to the floor. Among other agencies, this legislation funds the Smithsonian Institution, which operates our national museums, including the Air and Space Museum; the Museum of African Art; the Museum of the American Indian; and the National Portrait Gallery. The Smithsonian also operates another national treasure: the National Zoo. Mr. Chair, my amendment is simple but it sends a very important message from the Congress of the United States. The Jackson Lee amendment simply provides that: Sec. __. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to limit outreach programs administered by the Smithsonian Institution. This amendment is identical to amendments I offered to the Interior and Environment Appropriations Acts for FY2017 (H.R. 3354) and FY2016 (H.R. 2822) that were approved by voice vote. Mr. Chair, the Smithsonian's outreach programs bring Smithsonian scholars in art, history and science out of ``the nation's attic'' and into their own backyard. Each year, millions of Americans visit the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. But in order to fulfill the Smithsonian's mission, ``the increase and diffusion of knowledge,'' the Smithsonian seeks to serve an even greater audience by bringing the Smithsonian to enclaves of communities who otherwise would be deprived of the vast amount of cultural history offered by the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian's outreach programs serve millions of Americans, thousands of communities, and hundreds of institutions in all 50 states, through loans of objects, traveling exhibitions, and sharing of educational resources via publications, lectures and presentations, training programs, and websites. Smithsonian outreach programs work in close cooperation with Smithsonian museums and research centers, as well as with 144 affiliate institutions and others across the nation. The Smithsonian's outreach activities support community-based cultural and educational organizations around the country. They ensure a vital, recurring, and high-impact Smithsonian presence in all 50 states through the provision of traveling exhibitions and a network of affiliations. Smithsonian outreach programs increase connections between the Institution and targeted audiences (African American, Asian American, Latino, Native American, and new American) and provide kindergarten through college-age museum education and outreach opportunities. These outreach programs enhance K-12 science education programs, facilitate the Smithsonian's scholarly interactions with students and scholars at universities, museums, and other research institutions; and disseminate results related to the research and collections strengths of the Institution. The programs that provide the critical mass of Smithsonian outreach activity are: 1. the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES); 2. the Smithsonian Affiliations, the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS); 3. National Science Resources Center (NSRC); 4. the Smithsonian Institution Press (SIP); 5. the Office of Fellowships (OF); and 6. the Smithsonian Associates (TSA), which receives no federal funding. To achieve the goal of increasing public engagement, SITES directs some of its federal resources to develop Smithsonian Across America: A Celebration of National Pride. This ``mobile museum,'' which will feature Smithsonian artifacts from the most iconic (presidential portraits, historic American flags, Civil War records, astronaut uniforms, etc.) to the simplest items of everyday life (family quilts, prairie schoolhouse furnishings, historic lunch boxes, multilingual store front and street signs, etc.), has been a long-standing organizational priority of the Smithsonian. SITES ``mobile museum'' is the only traveling exhibit format able to guarantee audience growth and expanded geographic distribution during sustained periods of economic retrenchment, but also because it is imperative for the many exhibitors nationwide who are struggling financially yet eager to participate in Smithsonian outreach. For communities still struggling to fully recover from the economic downturn, the ability of museums to present temporary exhibitions, the ``mobile museum'' promises to answer an ever-growing demand for Smithsonian shows in the field. A single, conventional SITES exhibit can reach a maximum of 12 locations over a two- to three-year period. In contrast, a ``mobile museum'' exhibit can visit up to three venues per week in the course of only one year, at no cost to the host institution or community. The net result is an increase by 150 in the number of outreach locations to which SITES shows can travel annually. And in addition to its flexibility in making short-term stops in cities and towns from coast-to-coast, a ``mobile museum'' has the advantage of being able to frequent the very locations where people live, work, and take part in leisure time activities. By establishing an exhibit presence in settings like these, SITES will not only increase its annual visitor participation by 1 million, but also advance a key Smithsonian performance objective: to develop exhibit approaches that address diverse audiences, including population groups not always affiliated with mainstream cultural institutions. SITES also will be the public exhibitions' face of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, as that new Museum comes online. Providing national access to projects that will introduce the American public to the Museum's mission, SITES in FY 2008 will tour such stirring exhibitions as NASA ART: 50 Years of Exploration; 381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story; Beyond: Visions of Planetary Landscapes; The Way We Worked: Photographs from the National Archives; and More Than Words: Illustrated Letters from the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art. To meet the growing demand among smaller community and ethnic museums for an exhibition celebrating the Latino experience, SITES provided a scaled-down version of the National Museum of American History's 4,000- square-foot exhibition about legendary entertainer Celia Cruz. Two 1,500-square-foot exhibitions, one about Crow Indian history and the other on basket traditions, will give Smithsonian visitors beyond Washington a taste of the Institution's critically acclaimed National Museum of the American Indian. Two more exhibits, ``In Plane View'' and ``Earth from Space,'' provided visitors an opportunity to experience the Smithsonian's recently opened, expansive National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center. For almost 30 years, The Smithsonian Associates--the highly regarded educational arm of the Smithsonian Institution--has arranged Scholars in the Schools programs. Through this tremendously successful and well-received educational outreach program, the Smithsonian shares its staff--hundreds of experts in art, history and science--with the national community at a local level. The mission of Smithsonian Affiliations is to build a strong national network of museums and educational organizations in order to establish active and engaging relationships with communities throughout the country. There are currently 138 affiliates located in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Panama. By working with museums of diverse subject areas and scholarly disciplines, both emerging and well-established, Smithsonian Affiliations is building partnerships through which audiences and visitors everywhere will be able to share in the great wealth of the Smithsonian while building capacity and expertise in local communities. The National Science Resources Center (NSRC) strives to increase the number of ethnically diverse students participating in effective science programs based on NSRC products and services. The Center develops and implements a national outreach strategy that will increase the number of school districts (currently more than 800) that are implementing NSRC K-8 programs. The NSRC is striving to further enhance its program activity with a newly developed scientific outreach program introducing communities and school districts to science through literacy initiatives. In addition, through the building of the multicultural Alliance Initiative, the Smithsonian's outreach programs seek to develop new approaches to enable the public to gain access to Smithsonian collections, research, education, and public programs that reflect the diversity of the American people, including underserved audiences of ethnic populations and persons with disabilities. For all these reasons, Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of the Jackson Lee Amendment and thank Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum for their courtesies, consideration, and very fine work in putting together this excellent legislation. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member, and thank her again for her leadership.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, let me thank the gentlewoman for really letting us know what a joy the Smithsonian is, even in front of the Appropriations Committee. Mr. Chair, I want to emphasize that the Smithsonian outreach programs increase connections between the Institution and targeted audiences: African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and new Americans, and provide kindergarten through college age music education and outreach opportunities. Mr. Chairman, I failed to say that when we were putting this together, once the African American museum was established, the museum personnel leadership, Dr. Lonnie Bunch, went on the road across America collecting artifacts from African Americans and historic families to put in this museum, real items of slave history and the history from through the years, through the centuries, and it made the museum a living example of the history of our time here in the United States. That has been done by the Smithsonian in many different groups. And so I would offer this article that says: ``New National Data Reveals the Economic Impact of Museums Is More Than Double Previous Estimates.'' The American Alliance of Museums released two groundbreaking reports revealing indisputable evidence that museums contribute more to the United States economy than previously thought and have widespread support. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. I would like to include in the Record this American Alliance of Museums report dated February 13, 2018. [From the American Alliance of Museums, Feb. 13, 2018] New National Data Reveals the Economic Impact of Museums Is More Than Double Previous Estimates (By Laura Lott) Arlington, VA.--The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum community, today released two groundbreaking reports revealing indisputable evidence that museums contribute more to the United States economy than previously thought and have widespread public support that transcends political affiliations and geographic locations. Armed with the two new reports and a wealth of data, on February 27 hundreds of museum professionals will visit with members of Congress and their staff to ask them to support funding for vital federal agencies and tax incentives for charitable donations. The Fiscal Year 2019 budget proposal announced by President Trump yesterday calls for the elimination of multiple agencies that support the arts and humanities. ``Never before in the 112-year history of the Alliance have we possessed such comprehensive and statistically robust studies to support what we've always known,'' said Alliance President and CEO Laura Lott. ``Our legislators, policymakers, funders, and trustees can be confident in the fact that museums are important economic engines that support jobs and bring revenue to their local communities. In addition, our studies show that the American public is overwhelmingly supportive of museums in general, and specifically supports maintaining or increasing their federal funding.'' Two Reports Reinforce the Value of Museums The first study, Museums as Economic Engines, reveals that museums support 726,000 jobs in the United States, and directly employ 372,100 people, more than double that of the professional sports industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The study, conducted by Oxford Economics with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, shows that for every $100 of economic activity created by museums, an additional $220 is created in other sectors of the US economy as a result of supply chain and employee expenditure impacts. These impacts mean that museums contribute approximately $50 billion to the US economy each year, a number that's more than twice previous estimates. The report is also the first to show that US museums generate more than $12 billion per year in tax revenue to federal, state, and local governments. The museum field's largest economic impact is on the leisure and hospitality industry (approximately $17 billion), but it also generates approximately $12 billion in the financial activities sector and approximately $3 billion each in the education/health services and manufacturing sectors. Museums provide important economic impacts to every part of the nation. The top 10 states driving this impact are geographically diverse and account for 57 percent of the gross value added to the national economy. States with the highest economic impact from the museum sector included California ($6.6 billion), New York ($5.4 billion), and Texas ($3.9 billion). However, those that rely most heavily on museums due to their relatively higher concentration include the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Wyoming, and Alaska. The second report, Museums & Public Opinion, examines the opinions of Americans concerning museums, their educational and economic value, as well as their thoughts about federal funding and support for museums in their community. Conducted jointly by AAM and Wilkening Consulting, the study was fielded by the market research experts at Ipsos and polled more than 2,000 Americans. The survey results overwhelmingly demonstrate the high degree to which Americans believe in and support their museums, regardless of political affiliation, geographic location, and whether they visit museums or not: 97 percent believe that museums provide valuable educational experiences to their communities 89 percent recognize the important economic contributions and jobs that museums bring 96 percent would approve of elected officials who act to support museums including acting to maintain or increase federal funding. ``The data speaks clearly: whether urban or rural, conservative or liberal, or a museum-goer or not, Americans treasure the museums in their communities and want elected officials to support them,'' Lott said. Findings from the two reports will be discussed by leaders from the Alliance and its research partners February 26 at Museums Advocacy Day in Washington, DC and May 7 at the Alliance's Annual Meeting & Museum Expo in Phoenix. Congressional Honorees During Museums Advocacy Day, the Alliance will present awards to legislators who have demonstrated exemplary support for the nation's museums: Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) used her position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to advocate for funding for key federal agencies. She is also an original cosponsor of legislation that would reauthorize the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) is a co-founder of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, and a leader in seeking funding that will help school districts provide a well- rounded education.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman very much and I am glad that she emphasized the work that the Environmental Justice grants have done in Puerto Rico, and the fact that they are citizens of the United States. But I have seen what the Environmental Justice grants have done because they are small. As Mr. Calvert indicated, the administration recommended $2 million. These grants are small, and they help communities clean up. They help communities deal with violators of environmental rules, both in the State and Federal, mostly State, and gives them the ability to clean and deal with neighborhood issues. That is how small these grants are. It also has provided assistance to Environmental Justice clinics that can work with community organizations on how to petition for something that is both an eyesore and environmental damage, to rid it of it, or to get the entity, the corporation, the small business, whatever it is, to clean it up. It makes it better for all concerned. Mr. Chair, I would just ask and recognize that this is part of civic participation, and these grants should be allowed.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, last school year was a deadly year for so many of our children going to school in America. School shootings shocked the very core of Americans and communities across the country. As we approach the beginning of school, this Congress has passed no gun safety legislation, no universal background check, no banning of assault weapons, no holding parents responsible for children getting guns. Although I understand that there are many discussions about school security, the proliferation of guns is one of the issues that contributes to the dangers that our children face. We know that the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, but there is nothing in the Second Amendment that does not allow us to have sensible gun safety legislation. It is time for us to recognize that a Nation that has more guns than citizens can stand down in order to provide a safe educational climate for our children. Are they not our most precious resource? It is time to act now.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, there are moments in history that require the deliberate and thoughtful response of the most powerful body in the world, the United States Congress, this House and the other House. While Americans are preparing for recreation and fellowship with family members during this period of summer, when schoolchildren are out, as others are dealing with the excruciating heat, others dealing with the impact of climate change, gun violence, the need for putting back in the terrible cuts of the Republican budget on Medicare and Medicaid, and a number of other issues dealing with their communities and neighborhoods, and, I would say, frankly, keeping their children safe and recognizing the values of this Nation that include not snatching children away from family members, I get that and I understand the responsibility of this Congress to pass laws, to work together to ensure that the beauty of what America stands for, her values and her opportunities for so many others, is heard. But I also think it is important because, as I have traveled in the last 24 hours, I saw Americans concerned about their Nation and wanting to be able to understand what transpired in Helsinki yesterday, Monday, July 16. As many have said, Republicans and Democrats, it was a disgraceful display of unpatriotic behavior. The tragedy of it is that it came from the Commander in Chief of this Nation. As I read the Constitution, it says that executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States, and he shall hold his office for a period of time. His powers under section 2 include that the President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of several States, when called into actual service. And, as well, it indicates that he shall appoint ambassadors. That is translated into the President's responsibilities over the intelligence communities and many aspects of our defense. Also, the power of the President articulates the foreign policy of this Nation. Yesterday, the display that was shown was that the foreign policy, and the patriotism, and the stature, and the leadership, and the Constitution of the United States became a footstool to a despot by the name of President Putin. No one is against engagement, diplomacy, or resolving conflict, but President Putin stands very proudly as ex-KGB to have poisoned his own citizens, to have shot journalists, to have shot down an airplane over Ukraine with 300 innocent family members, children, and others, and, as well, has taken over a land of another country. So here we stand with this picture to the world. As well, when posed a question of, who do you believe, the Commander in Chief, to the absolute dismay of those of us who have lived through 9/11 here in Congress, and who saw the loss of life in conflicts like Iraq and Afghanistan, were amazed that the sacred aspect of our work, and that is voting, was determined by the intelligence community of this Nation, that Russia invaded in our 2016 election and literally stole the election, and will continue to do so today, as emphasized by the Director of National Intelligence, Director Coats, and the intelligence community. A report given by the Mueller investigation indicted 12 intelligence agents of Russia--not of any other country, not civilians, but intelligence agents, military--who had direct orders from President Putin. You would think that the President of the United States would forcefully say to the President: Stop it and stop it now. That is a patriot. That is one who has the powers of the Presidency under Article II, section 2. Yet this is what came about. President Trump was asked by a reporter: ``You first. Just now, President Putin denied having anything to do with the election interference in 2016.'' It is amazing how my time goes because I am talking about the President. But, in any event, let me conclude by saying that this document reports that the President said that he stands with Putin over the United States of America. Congress must demand the transcripts. We must have congressional hearings, Mr. Speaker. This is a serious matter.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4989, Protecting Diplomats from Surveillance Through Consumer Devices Act. H.R. 4989 directs the Department of State to: (1) establish a policy on the use of location-tracking consumer devices, including GPS-enabled devices, at U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities by U.S. government employees, contractors, locally employed staff, and members of other agencies deployed to or stationed at such facilities; and (2) submit a related report to Congress. This bill states that existing and new employees at such facilities shall, as a part of their security briefings, be informed of such policy and given instructions on the use of location-tracking consumer devices on and off facility premises. The State Department may coordinate policy formulation with other agencies whose employees are deployed to or stationed at U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities. The public release earlier this year of GPS tracking data from the American fitness company Strava revealed highly sensitive information on U.S. activities abroad, such as military base locations, jogging paths of personnel located at these bases and, in many cases, also identified paths with individual accounts. This data was collected from wearable electronic devices such as Fitbits and other technologies and presents a glaring security vulnerability that our adversaries may exploit to undermine our interests, thereby putting our personnel serving abroad at extreme risk. While the issue has most seriously affected U.S. military installations, in lieu of a policy on the use of these devices, State Department personnel remain at risk as well. As such, H.R. 4989 requires the Department of State to establish and disseminate a policy on the use of location-tracking consumer devices by diplomats and other employees at U.S. embassies and consular facilities outside the United States. This is a commonsense step to ensure we are doing all we can to protect our diplomatic personnel serving our nation abroad. Our enemies and adversaries work around the clock to undermine our interests. We should not make it any easier for them. I thank my colleague and good friend, Congressman Joaquin Castro, for introducing this important legislation. By passing H.R. 4989, we can help ensure the safety of our nation's dutiful diplomats. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 4989.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Chair, I thank the chairman and ranking member, Mr. Calvert and Ms. McCollum, for their leadership on these issues of preservation. The Jackson Lee amendment increases grant funding by $500,000 so that organizations interested in historical preservation, especially in underrepresented communities, have the ability to study, survey, and nominate properties to the National Register of Historic Places. Due to lack of resources, certain communities are underrepresented in this process, so this amendment ensures that they have a greater opportunity. The Jackson Lee amendment ensures that sites important to our American history are no longer overlooked due to mere lack of resources. It accomplishes this goal by promoting research that uncovers information to assist in telling the full American story. Historical places create connections to our heritage that help understand our past, appreciate our triumphs, and learn from our mistakes. And they cover all of the cultural backgrounds, from African Americans, to Anglos, to Hispanics, and to Asians, all in this wonderful, diverse country who have had a story to tell, as well as Native Americans and many others. Such stories might otherwise be lost because urban renewal and out- migration of Blacks destroyed or led to the abandonment of many African American communities. Preservation helps recognize, save, revitalize, and protect Americans' historic places, build communities, and foster education and pride. I am reminded of Freedmen's Town in my home city and Emancipation Park, which was the first park bought in the entire State of Texas by freed slaves. Madam Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of Jackson Lee Amendment No. 8 to Division A of H.R. 6147, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019. This Jackson Lee Amendment increases grant funding by $500 thousand so that organizations interested in historical preservation, especially in underrepresented communities, have the ability to study, survey, and nominate properties to the National Register of Historic Places. Due to lack of resources, certain communities are underrepresented in this process so this amendment ensures that is no longer the case. This Jackson Lee Amendment ensures that sites important to our American history are no longer overlooked due to mere lack of resources, it accomplishes this goal by promoting research that uncovers information to assist in telling the full American story. Historical places create connections to our heritage that help us understand our past, appreciate our triumphs, and learn from our mistakes. Madam Chair, by understanding and designating landmarks we stimulate local revitalization and foster interest in places that otherwise may go unnoticed, despite cultural and historic significance. By preserving historic sites that tell the story of Americans in this country, we draw attention to the contributions of both ordinary and extraordinary people. Such stories might otherwise be lost because urban renewal and the out-migration of blacks destroyed or led to the abandonment of many African American communities. Preservation helps to recognize, save, revitalize and protect America's historic places, build communities, and foster education and pride. The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) provides matching grants to State and Tribal historic preservation offices. These HPF grants are used to pay for research and surveys of historic sites, training for staff, and the work involved in nominating these sites to the National Register of Historic Places. In short, it makes preservation possible to communities that otherwise would not have the means to engage in the nominating process. The Jackson Lee amendment is essential because it provides funds to preserve sites that are directly connected to the Civil Rights Movement. For example, earlier this year I introduced H.R. 4745, the Emancipation National Historic Trail Act that seeks a federal designation of the Emancipation National Historic Trail. The Emancipation National Historic Trail extends approximately 51 miles and marks the migration of newly freed slaves, who, upon learning of the Emancipation Proclamation two years after the President had signed it into law, departed from what is now the Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston, and charted a course along Texas State Highway 3 and Interstate Highway 45 North to Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park in Houston. Increasing grant funding for this program would make projects like the Emancipation Trail possible. Madam Chair, it is imperative that we preserve and codify the historical record and memorialize significant events of our past. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for Jackson Lee Amendment No. 8 to Division A of H.R. 6147 as it is vital that we support the preservation of important sites. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for that, and I want to give an example that earlier this year I introduced H.R. 4745, the Emancipation National Historic Trail Act, that seeks Federal designation of the Emancipation National Historic Trail, that it would extend 51 miles and mark the migration of newly freed slaves. But, more importantly, it takes us from Captain Granger in Galveston, who brought the slaves in Texas who were freed in 1865, 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and it tracks the historic markers all the way to Freedmen's Town and Emancipation Park. This is an opportunity not only for the communities to be joined together but, again, to reemphasize history that is intertwined. A study shows the connection between culture, heritage, and tourism, and that 37 percent of global tourism has a cultural motivation, and 57 percent of travelers are strongly influenced by history and culture in their choice of holiday destination. This will help underserved communities. Madam Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Chair, I thank the chairman and the ranking member of this committee for their commitment to historic preservation. Since 1837, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have served the needs of higher education for the African American community. The first HBCUs were established in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, and Tennessee. After the Civil War, there was an influx of HBCU establishments throughout the Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest. The Jackson Lee amendment provides an additional $1 million for the Historic Preservation Fund, and within that fund to be allocated to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, institutions that are uniquely American, fundamentally historical, and distinctly beneficial to the American culture and history. In my State of Texas, it joins with any number of States throughout the United States in the North, the South, the East, and the West. Interestingly, these schools are not relegated to the South. They are actually all over the United States, and they are older structures. For those of us who visited these schools, we recognize the importance of continuing to preserve their historic structure. I mentioned earlier that there are great results in funding and profits for those who can provide historic opportunities for travelers to visit. In 2017, Congress appropriated $4 million for the Historic Preservation Fund to rehabilitate historic structures on campuses of HBCUs that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places either individually or as contributing to the National Register of Historic Places. I can assure you that these are great assets to America. The projects must meet major program selection criteria, and all work must meet the Secretary of the Interior's standards and guidelines for archeology and historic preservation. Simply, what we are doing is allowing our history to be preserved. The network of more than 100 historic institutions, established as early as 1837 for former slaves and by former slaves and freedmen, contain repositories of important books, papers, and memorabilia of Black history. Black history, as other history, is American history, and the opportunity to preserve it and to continue to expand the opportunity to improve buildings that will now educate this generation of students is an important role for us to play. Madam Chair, I rise in support of Jackson Lee Amendment No. 10 to Division A of H.R. 6147, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Financial Services Appropriations Act of 2019. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 10 provides an additional $1,000,000 for the Historic Preservation Fund to be allocated to Historically Black Colleges and Universities--institutions that are uniquely American, fundamentally historical, and distinctly beneficial to American culture and history. Since 1837, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have served the needs of higher education for the African American community. The first HBCUs were established in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, and Tennessee. After the Civil War there was an influx of HBCU establishment throughout the Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest. Since the 1990s, the National Park Service has awarded over $60 million in grants to over 80 of the remaining active HBCUs. These grants work to preserve the historic structures on HBCU campuses, many of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2017, Congress appropriated $4 million from the Historic Preservation Fund to rehabilitate historic structures on campuses of HBCUs that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places either individually or as contributing to a National Register historic district. Projects must meet major program selection criteria and all work must meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. HBCUs represent a significant place in American history. This network of more than 100 historic institutions established as early as 1837 for former slaves and freedmen contain repositories of important books, papers and memorabilia of Black history. In addition, HBCUs served as meeting places during the civil rights struggles of the 1900s. Against substantial odds, HBCUs have played a unique role in transforming the landscape of higher education in the United States, and continue to prepare the African American professional and civic leaders needed by communities, employers and the nation. In 2013, HBCUs comprised 3 percent of all four- and two-year colleges and universities, but enrolled 10 percent of African American undergraduates, produced 18 percent of the nation's African American college graduates, and generated 25 percent of African Americans with bachelor degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Created to educate black students at a time when society had yet to integrate, historically black colleges and universities (HBCU's) have had an outsize impact on the success of the black community and therefore the American community as a whole. HBCUs do not only educate--HBCUs have and will continue to fill an important role in education opportunity and engagement for millions of young people from diverse backgrounds. Ensuring HBCUs receive the funds necessary to succeed enriches our culture as a nation and promotes a more complete history of our country to be preserved. Emphasizing the importance of diversity is the best way to tell the complete story of the American experience, and when the American story is told by all of those who helped shape its success as a nation, we perpetuate American exceptionalism. Madam Chair, our HBCUs are not just academic institutions, rather, incubators that stimulate black excellence that, more importantly, preserve the rich and true history of those of African descent--again, contributing to the fabric of American culture as a whole. Texas Southern University, an outstanding HBCU, is a major contribution and asset to the 18th District, serving as a distinct example of the benefits that these institutions offer to the community. HBCUs not only enjoy historical campuses, but they are also repositories of expertise on American History. In a 1998 study, more than 100 HBCUs identified 712 historic properties that were owned by the schools in responses to a survey from the U.S. Government Office of Accountability. Nearly half of those buildings, 323, are on the National Register of Historic Places indicating significance in American history, and the others were eligible for the national register based on surveys by state historic preservation officers or considered historic by the colleges and universities. According to the surveys at that time, 103 HBCUs estimated $755 million in costs to restore and preserve the properties, such as improving accessibility to people with disabilities, roof replacement and removing lead-based paint or asbestos, both known for containing cancer-causing material. Routine maintenance costs were not part of the estimates. We, as a nation, have a responsibility to foster education, culture, knowledge, diversity and leadership; and with that, Mr. Chairman, we have a responsibility to ensure that HBCUs continue to serve as repositories of American History and thrive as academic institutions and continue to benefit society as a whole. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for Jackson Lee Amendment No. 10. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Chair, I thank Mr. Calvert, and, again, I thank the ranking member who has been so gracious. I believe Texas Southern University--not as old as 1837--Prairie View A&M, and others throughout the Nation will benefit from preserving these historic buildings, and, as well, providing them as a source of learning for everyone around the Nation. Madam Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congressional Black Caucus and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke for anchoring this important Special Order. On the 150th Anniversary of the ratification of the 14th Amendment, a landmark moment for progress and equality, the President announced his nominee to fill a seat on the highest court in the land. Unfortunately, however, the search for the next jurist to take a seat on the United States Supreme Court resembled a circus and I am concerned that the person selected, Brett Kavanaugh, will be antagonistic and hostile to the progress that the 14th Amendment has helped achieve. As a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I am appalled by the manner in which the President is pursuing this solemn obligation and concerned by the choice this process may yield. The President has used the levers of his office to divide, rather than unite. The Supreme Court is not just any court. In our great Republic, it is the tribunal of last resort and routinely resolves constitutional questions of first impression. The American people rely on it to interpret some of society's most difficult policy concerns, and to correct the excesses of the popularly-elected branches. The nature of the Court requires justices, not ideologues, and individuals who have integrity and empathy. This is why this task requires seriousness and solemnity, and not spectacle. Instead, this process resembled a circus: contenders were selected based on their ability to pass a litmus test of a narrow perspective of conservativism which limits justice; a group of judges, similar in background, training and experience, curated by the hyper-conservative Federalist Society; and, a heavily-promoted, prime time television announcement, replete with different frontrunner candidates on different days. Given this reality, Americans are rightly concerned that the President's jurist selection to one of this country's three coequal branches of government is being outsourced to the whims of a narrow ideological and partisan organization when, in actuality, a seat on the Supreme Court should be reserved for only the most profound jurists in the nation. By great numbers, the American people support reform in any number of areas. In a time of mass incarceration and overcrowded prisons, a poll conducted earlier this year by a Republican-leaning organization indicates that over three-quarters of the American people support significant criminal justice reform. Americans are also skeptical of comments made by this President, advocating for the deprivation of due process rights for a variety of individuals, from refugees seeking safety within our borders, to those already here, charged with crimes. Indeed, a poll commissioned by the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy within the last year reveals broad and deep support for due process rights. In a time when our political parties appear polarized, 67 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of Republicans and 67 percent of Independents support due process for individuals who face serious criminal charges. Last, the Supreme Court is also the tribunal that resolves major questions about the form and contours of our federal government, including sensitive questions like ``can a sitting president pardon himself?'' or ``can a sitting president be indicted?'' In fact, for over the past year of this President's administration, the country has been forced to consider these questions as it learned that the Russians interfered with the 2016 presidentia election and associates of the president may have abetted that endeavor. Recent polls indicate that, by clear margins, the American people do not believe the President is above the law or that a president can pardon himself. It is vital that this extremely influential position is filled by someone who subscribes to these core principles. Brett Kavanaugh, however, has demonstrated a long-standing record of troubling opinions, including the beliefs that: the president is above the law and should never be criminally indicted; the Affordable Care Act should be dismantled; religious expression trumps individuals' right to health coverage for birth control; access to abortion should be diminished; and Obama-era environmental regulations should be rolled back. The Supreme Court is also required to examine contemporary policies through the prism of our nation's long history. In that regard, the ongoing struggle for civil rights cannot be subjugated as a priority of a nation seeking to bind the wounds of the slavery, the Civil War and its vestiges. The next jurist will replace a Supreme Court justice who recognized the importance of affirmative action as a necessary means to help heal the scars of segregation and Jim Crow. The next jurist will likely be required to further calibrate the balance of power between labor unions and their employing entities. Given the importance of these and other issues, like voting rights, reproductive rights, the rights of the LGBTQ community, and countless others, scholars of the Supreme Court and others who believe the Court is the arbiter of fair justice are looking to this nomination and are looking for a jurist who will dispense justice which is not one-sided or tilts to the right, but rather fair justice. As I stated before the nomination, I call upon the United States Senate to reject any nominee that is a well-documented ideologue and to nonetheless probatively, seriously, and deeply question whether and how this jurist could damage rights of minorities, women, children, and society's most vulnerable. When confronted with a replacement to the Supreme Court's swing vote, this President has chosen an ideologue and a foot soldier of the Republican Party and the conservative movement. Among other swing decisions, Justice Kennedy acted as the deciding vote in almost every reproductive health case since his confirmation, including casting the deciding vote to ensure abortion remained legal in Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992. The President has stated numerous times that he will appoint someone who will reverse Roe v. Wade, and many anti-choice groups have rallied behind Judge Kavanaugh's nomination. In addition to women's rights and health care, other paramount issues are on the line, such as voting rights and affirmative action. Bedrock civil rights principles such as Brown v. Board of Education could be at stake. To be sure, Brett Kavanaugh has very good credentials but an undistinguished record as a jurist on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. But it is not his credentials or his pedigree that is worrisome. Rather, throughout his entire career--as a deputy in the right-wing crusade against President Bill Clinton during the 1990s, as a political operative fighting against the statewide recount in Florida in 2000, paving the way for the Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore, and as a conservative stalwart on the country's most important federal appellate court--Brett Kavanaugh has used his talents in the service of decidedly and uncompromisingly reactionary causes. I urge the United States Senate to reject this nomination and send this President a message: select a nominee that will not politicize the Court and one who will protect the rights of minorities, women, children, and society's most vulnerable.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I come from the fourth largest city in the Nation, soon, I hope, to be the third. We take great pride in the number of consular offices that we have and the languages that we speak. I particularly sought to engage in international affairs by participating with international organizations that engage the European Union as well as the OSCE. There are individuals in Houston from France, from England, from Italy, from Bulgaria, and many places in and around Europe, Western and Eastern. So the behavior that I watched over the last couple of days with the assault on NATO by our Commander in Chief is, frankly, embarrassing. America stands as a bastion of democracy and freedom, and the world looks to us. Insults are not becoming of the American people. Insults to heads of state are not becoming to the American people. Frankly, I am against Brexit. I think it is the wrong thing to do. I think Europe should be a unified group of individuals supporting democracy and standing tall. But it is outrageous that our representative engaged in NATO, as well as interacting with our foreign leaders, would, one, have a dastardly and rude commentary in the Sun- Times insulting our news media, such as CNN. And then, frankly, going on to one of our worst adversaries, a person who has poisoned people on foreign land, who has jailed journalists, who has shot down airplanes, and now Vladimir Putin will be giving our President a performance review. That is not the American way. Shape up. Shape up, Mr. President.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise to speak on House consideration of H.R. 6237, the ``Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 and 2019.'' I thank Chairman Nunes, Ranking Member Schiff for their work to bring this bill before the full House of consideration. Our nation's national security professionals require our support in words as well as deeds in the form of legislation like the authorization measure we are debating and sufficient funding to carry out the work of protecting our great nation from our enemies. I offered several Jackson Lee Amendments for consideration under this bill. I thank the Rules Committee for making in order Jackson Lee Amendment No. 3, designated as No. 33 on the Rules Committee roster for consideration for this bill. This Jackson Lee Amendment, amends the Sense of Congress already in the bill on the importance of re-review of security clearances held by individuals by adding consideration of whether the security clearance holder's association or sympathy with persons or organizations that advocate, threaten, or use force or violence, or any other illegal or unconstitutional means, in an effort to prevent others from exercising their rights under the Constitution or laws of the United States or of any state, on account of race, religion, national origin, disability, or other impermissible factors. In addition to this amendment, I offered three other Jackson Lee Amendments to H.R. 6237: The first Jackson Lee Amendment is designated as No. 32 on the Rules Committee roster, and would have amended the Sense of Congress already in the bill that addresses the importance of conducting background checks for retention of security clearances or the issuance of new clearances to also consider an applicant's membership in a hate group and their participation in activities espoused by hate groups that involve violence or incitement of violence which disrupts civic life. The second Jackson Lee Amendment is designated as No. 34, on the Rules Committee rosters, and would have amended the Sense of Congress already in the bill on the importance of review of a security clearance by adding that a security clearance should not be held by an individual who actively engages in violent acts in the United States or its territories that target persons based upon their race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity for the purpose of inflicting physical harm or emotional distress with the objective of normalizing anti-social behavior towards vulnerable groups. The third Jackson Lee Amendment is designated as No. 38 on the Rules Committee rosters, and would have required that the Director of National Intelligence conduct an assessment and report to Congress on the reliance of intelligence activities on civilian contractors to support Government activities, including intelligence analysis. Each of these Jackson Lee Amendments sought to strengthen and improve the process of security clearance awards and oversight of contractors engaged in national security work. The rights and dignity of all Americans must be held dear and protected from assaults that challenge the very freedom we value most. It is our diversity and our capacity for tolerance of others who are different that is the essence of American exceptionalism. As a nation we have come through many struggles and challenges to reach a point where we accept the diversity of our nation as a strength and not a weakness. A period in our history that challenges the very foundation of our nation was framed by a speech given by Abraham Lincoln on the occasion of his nomination to become the Senator from the State of Illinois. He said: ``A house divided against itself, cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved--I do not expect the house to fall--but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new--North as well as South.'' He was speaking of the pernicious national shame of slavery that led ultimately to the Civil War that cost more than 600,00 lives over the very question of human rights and human dignity for all persons. Although the question of equality and justice for all has been asked and answered during pivotal moments in our nation's history today we are facing another challenge to our core beliefs. I offered these Jackson Lee Amendments to establish that this Congress is not wavering in its commitment to protect the lives, liberties or freedom of Americans from those who seek to do them harm. Specifically, four of the Jackson Lee Amendments were prompted by the actions of Mr. Miselis who has a security clearance and worked for Northrup Grumman, a major defense contractor, at the time he engaged in physical violence against persons protesting racism and white supremacy in Charlottesville, Virginia. In May 2018, Northrup Grumman was informed of Mr. Miselis' membership in RAM and the violent assaults he initiated while he was in Charlottesville participating in activities in support of white supremacy, which were captured on video and in photos. Mr. Miselis worked for a government contractor and held a security clearance authorizing him to work on projects that were of vital interest to our nation and its defense. Northrup Grumman did not dismiss him until the story broke earlier this month with media reports on the violence Mr. Miselis engaged in at the white supremacists' rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia. The violence of RAM members has been a hallmark of the group and its members. The Anti-Defamation League describes RAM as a white supremacist group whose members believe they are fighting against a ``modern world'' corrupted by the ``destructive cultural influences'' of liberals, Jews, Muslims and non-white immigrants. They refer to themselves as the ``premier MMA (mixed martial arts) club of the Alt-Right.'' RAM is characterized as operating like a street-fighting club. Members actively train to do physical battle with their ideological foes, and have been involved in violent clashes during political rallies and demonstrations. RAM members consider themselves to be part of the ``Alt Right.'' RAM's membership has deep roots in California's racist skinhead movement, and includes individuals who have faced serious criminal charges, including assault, robbery and weapon offenses. RAM consists of several dozen loosely affiliated neo-Nazis and racist skinheads who were formerly known as the DIY Division, but rebranded themselves as the Rise Above Movement in the spring of 2017. The FBI has opened an informal investigation into this group because of the violence associated with its members. The United States is a nation of laws, which gives us the freedom to agree and most importantly disagree with not only each other but with our government. But the limitations to the right to disagree can be best described by the ancient wisdom: ``Your right to swing your arms ends just where the other person's nose begins.'' There is a limit to the expression of free speech and the freedom to assemble and that limit is violence. I know that the work of our intelligence community is difficult and often goes without notice by the American public. I firmly believe that the actions of those who hold security clearances as they go about their lives should reflect the higher goals and values of nation. To engage in violent acts against persons engaged in constitutionally protected activity on account of race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, language of original, immigration status, or creed is an affront to the framers of the Constitution for this great nation. The actions of Mr. Miselis put at risk not only his career, but also the reputation of people who hold national security clearances. The awarding of security clearances to contractors must be better managed and the consequences for involvement in activities that would be cause for dismissal from the armed services or any federal agency should not go unnoticed. I am committed to the task of building the capacity and resources of the intelligence community to ensure that our nation's national security and national defense are all that they need to be. I ask that my colleagues support the Jackson Lee Amendment made in order for consideration of H.R. 6237, and support the underlying bill.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I thank the ranking member and the chairman for bringing this bill to the floor and working on some very important items, including diversity, outreach, HBCUs, issues of which I have worked on as well. So I thank them very much, because bringing the expertise of diversity to the national security and intelligence community can only make us stronger. Mr. Chairman, I have just left the Judiciary Committee where we have been spending a period of time dealing with questions that wrap themselves around the intelligence community and the importance of preserving confidential sources and as well the importance of the intelligence community as it relates to the ongoing Russian investigation. Equally important, of course, is to ensure that we have a community that is well-recognized to have security clearances that are not impacted by actions or views that would do harm to the American people. My amendment adds to the sense of Congress in the bill that a re- review of a security clearance holder's credentials can be triggered by his or her association or empathy with persons or organizations that advocate, threaten, or use force or violence or any other illegal or unconstitutional means in an effort to prevent others from exercising their rights under the Constitution or laws of the United States or of any State, on account of race, religion, national origin, disability, or other impermissible factors, which maybe include LGBTQ, and whether one is, in essence, considered different. That is the basis of I think a very positive addition to this legislation. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record an article published on July 6, 2018, by PBS FRONTLINE about Michael Miselis, an active member of the California-based Rise Above Movement, RAM, as a well-known violent white supremacist group. He Is a Member of a Violent White Supremacist Group; So Why Is He Working for a Defense Contractor With a Security Clearance? This story is part of an ongoing collaboration between ProPublica and FRONTLINE that includes documentaries scheduled to begin on PBS in August 2018. If you've witnessed or experienced hate crimes, harassment or incidents of bias, you can use this form to send information to FRONTLINE, ProPublica and other partners in the Documenting Hate project. Update, July 6, 2018: One day after being exposed as a member of a violent white supremacist group, Michael Miselis has lost his job as an aerospace engineer. In an email, company spokesman Tim Paynter told ProPublica and FRONTLINE that Miselis ``is no longer an employee of Northrop Grumman.'' Paynter did not say whether Miselis was fired or resigned from his position. There likely isn't such a thing as a ``typical'' violent white extremist in America in 2018. Still, Michael Miselis--a University of California, Los Angeles doctoral student with a U.S. government security clearance to work on sensitive research for a prominent defense contractor--makes for a pretty unusual case. For months, ProPublica and FRONTLINE have been working to identify the white supremacists at the center of violent demonstrations across the country, including the infamous Unite the Right rally last August in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Rise Above Movement, a Southern California group that expresses contempt for Muslims, Jews, and immigrants, became a focus of that effort. ProPublica and FRONTLINE were able to quickly identify a number of the group's leaders, and find evidence that put them in the middle of violence in Charlottesville and Berkeley, California, among other places. But one seeming member of RAM was harder to nail down. In video shot in Charlottesville, a bearded, husky man is seen in a red Make America Great Again hat with his hands wrapped in tape that came in handy for the brawling that occurred that day. During one encounter, the unidentified man in the red hat pushed an African-American protester to the ground and began pounding on him, video of the episode shows; moments later, a known RAM member choked and bloodied a pair of female counter-protesters. The possible RAM member also had turned up in video shot during hours of combat at a Trump rally in Berkeley, as well. Wearing protective goggles to ward off pepper spray, the man fought alongside RAM members, wrestling one protester to the ground and punching others. Ultimately, ProPublica and FRONTLINE determined the man in the violent footage was Miselis, a 29-year-old pursuing a Ph.D. in UCLA's aerospace engineering program. Miselis was identified using video footage and social media posts, and reporters confirmed his identity in an encounter with him outside his home. In interviews, a number of California law enforcement officials said Miselis was a member of RAM. In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Miselis works as a systems engineer for Northrop Grumman, the giant defense contractor with a plant in Redondo Beach, California. When approached by ProPublica and FRONTLINE in front of his home in Lawndale, a small city south of Los Angeles, Miselis said he ``didn't know anything'' about what happened in Charlottesville. ``I think you got the wrong guy,'' he said before driving off in his car. Miselis did not respond to questions about his involvement with RAM. He did not answer additional questions sent by email. Several current and former employees at Northrop Grumman told ProPublica and FRONTLINE that Miselis has received a security clearance to work in a computer modeling and simulation group within Northrop's aerospace division. Such security clearances are typically issued in a two-step process. The federal Office of Personnel Management conducts an investigation into the individual. The agency's findings are then forwarded to a special unit within the Department of Defense, which makes the final determination on whether the person should receive a clearance, a status that often allows the person access to classified or otherwise sensitive information concerning national security. Public affairs officers at the Defense Department declined to comment about Miselis and his security clearance. The federal personnel management office referred questions regarding Miselis to Northrop Grumman. Northrop Grumman did not respond to several requests for comment. However, interviews with current and former Northrop employees, as well as an internal email, make clear the company knows of Miselis' actions in Charlottesville and involvement with RAM. Miselis informed his superiors about his contact with reporters from ProPublica and FRONTLINE, as is required by any individual who holds a higher-level security clearance, the people said. So far, it seems, the company has taken no action against Miselis, who remains employed. Keegan Hankes, an analyst with the Southern Poverty Law Center who follows RAM closely, said he was surprised that nothing has been done about Miselis' employment and security clearance. ``It's ridiculous,'' Hankes said. ``They're openly motivated by racism,'' he added of RAM. As ProPublica has previously reported, RAM first surfaced publicly last spring and has quickly established itself as one of the violent groups in the resurgent white supremacist scene; members, who regularly train in boxing and martial arts, have been documented engaging in a string of melees. Founded in early 2017 by Robert Rundo, a Queens, New York, native who served an 18-month prison sentence for stabbing a rival gang member six times during a 2009 street fight, the group's core membership is small--15 to 20 young men--but capable of real menace, ProPublica's reporting has shown. Rundo has recruited followers from the Orange County and San Diego chapters of the Hammerskin Nation, the country's largest Nazi skinhead gang, and one the authorities say has been behind at least nine murders. One of the Hammerskins who joined up with RAM, Matthew Branstetter, went to prison in California in 2011 on hate crime charges for robbing and assaulting a Jewish man in an Orange County park. The attack left the victim with ``a concussion, broken jaw, eye socket fracture, broken nose, cracked ribs, severe facial bruising, and cuts and bruises to his body and face,'' according to a news release issued by county prosecutors at the time. Other RAM members have spent time in prison and Los Angeles County jail on charges for robbery, firearms possession and other offenses. The FBI has taken notice. Several law enforcement officials familiar with the bureau's work said agents have opened a formal investigation into RAM. In a statement, the FBI said: ``While the FBI neither confirms nor denies the existence of an investigation, our agents investigate activity which may constitute a federal crime or pose a threat to national security. Our focus is not on membership in particular groups but on criminal activity. The FBI cannot initiate an investigation based solely on an individual's race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or the exercise of their First Amendment rights, and we remain committed to protecting those rights for all Americans.'' Since last August, local prosecutors have brought charges against a handful of participants in the Charlottesville rally, successfully convicting several men so far, including activists on both sides of the clashes. Now federal authorities are targeting neo-Nazi James Alex Fields, the man accused of killing counter-protester Heather Heyer and injuring more than two dozen others. Federal prosecutors recently filed 30 charges against Fields, including 28 hate crime charges. A native of Stockton, California, Miselis earned a bachelor's of science degree in mechanical engineering from UCLA in 2011. UCLA's website today lists Miselis as a Ph.D. candidate in the engineering department's hypersonics and computational aero-dynamics group. After FRONTLINE and ProPublica began making inquiries about Miselis, the school issued a brief statement saying only that he is technically on leave from the doctoral program. Miselis was clearly prepared for the unrest in Berkeley in the spring of 2017. At the Trump rally he wore protective goggles to ward off pepper spray or tear gas, taped his hands up like a boxer, and wore a gray active-wear uniform, as did several other RAM members that day. In video footage reviewed by ProPublica and FRONTLINE, Miselis can be seen fighting alongside other RAM members. The event turned into a multi-hour street battle pitting Trump supporters, including fascists and extreme-right activists, against counter-protesters, some of them militant anti-fascists. Police made 20 arrests, confiscating knives, pepper spray, a stun gun, an axe-handle and many wooden dowel rods, which were used as clubs by participants. At least seven people were transported to the hospital for their injuries. Rundo, RAM's founder, was arrested and detained for assault on a police officer, but Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley declined to file charges. ``We determined we didn't have enough evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt,'' said Teresa Drenick, an Alameda County deputy district attorney. After the Berkeley rally, Miselis traveled across the country to take part in the massive white supremacist convergence in Charlottesville, where his activities were photographed and recorded on video, both by professional journalists and other people equipped with smart phones. At the rally on Aug. 12, pictures taken by photojournalist Jason Andrew show Miselis walking alongside two other RAM members previously identified by ProPublica, Tom Gillen and Ben Daley. At roughly 10 a.m., Miselis and the other RAM members confronted counter-protesters a few steps away from Emancipation Park, where white supremacists had gathered beneath a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Daley attacked two female counter-protesters, kicking and punching them, a scene captured in video obtained by ProPublica and FRONTLINE. He wrapped both hands around the throat of one woman, throttling her until she fell to the ground, blood seeping from a gash on her temple. The other woman emerged from the incident with a laceration across her forehead. On video, she screams as blood drips across her face. Miselis jumped into the fracas. In addition to FRONTLINE and ProPublica, National Geographic produced video documenting the brawl. A sequence of pictures shot by photojournalist Edu Bayer, who was on assignment for The New York Times, show Miselis hurling what appears to be a can of soda at counter- protesters. In one photo he flexes his biceps muscles in celebration. It's this sort of street combat that worries the SPLC's Hankes. In his view, such brazen criminal activity should be a red flag for both Northrop Grumman and the Pentagon. ``I can't believe that participation in an organized white supremacist group focused on street-level violence wouldn't jeopardize your security clearance,'' Hankes said.