Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, this gentleman was at Charlottesville speaking loudly, intimidating my fellow alumni and students, having gone to the University of Virginia School of Law. I spoke to the president and officers there, and the students were patently and conspicuously intimidated and frightened. But more importantly, this individual had a security clearance, and he worked for a defense contractor. My amendment would ensure that the American people have strong national security, a strong intelligence community, but individuals who receive a clearance can receive it appropriately and that they themselves will not be a jeopardy to the citizens of the United States. Mr. Chair, the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 3, designated as No. 33 on the Rules Committee rosters, 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. Mr. Miselis 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 supremancy, 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 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. 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. This Jackson Lee Amendment is an opportunity to make a clear statement to government contractors that the awarding of contracts that involve the security of our nation should not be taken lightly and that Congress will not tolerate the allocation of federal funds to contractors who employ persons who advocate or participate in acts against persons on account of their race, creed, religious beliefs, or gender who engage in constitutionally protected activities. I ask that my colleagues support this Jackson Lee Amendment to H.R. 6237. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff), the ranking member of the Intelligence Committee.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, RAM, the group that I have indicated in the letter I submitted for the Record, of which the gentleman in the article was a member of, 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 a part of the alt-right. RAM's membership has deep roots in California, with the Skinheads and other individuals who face serious criminal charges. But more importantly, RAM consists of several dozen loosely affiliated neo-Nazi racist Skinheads. It is not an emphasis on that group. This amendment is broadly structured to deal with protecting the security clearance process and the American people. I join with my colleagues in hoping and helping the intelligence community to be able to have the resources for the backlog of thousands and thousands of those seeking security clearance, so that they can be particular and astute to ensure that for the people who receive it, it is a benefit. It is, in essence, a gift. It is an honor to receive a security clearance. The clearance that I and Members of Congress have, we hold with the highest respect and dignity. Therefore, if it is given to anyone, it should be given in that manner. Mr. Chairman, 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 will be returning to the House Judiciary Committee. We have been there for more than 8 hours, maybe 11 hours, with Peter Strzok, an FBI agent who has been vindicated by the inspector general regarding the Hillary Clinton emails, which were found to have no effect on any violation or any criminal violation, but yet Republicans have continued over and over again to hold these hearings without addressing the question of jailed children snatched from their families. Today, we understand that Health and Human Services is holding back the reunification of some of these babies under 5 to their moms and their dads on the basis of unrelatable or unnecessary predicaments of these parents, where they have been incarcerated for misdemeanors regarding immigration. This is the administration that really has no caring and no love for people. Finally, Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization had the delegation from this Nation, not representing me, fight a country that was trying to support breastfeeding, and they wanted to condemn Ecuador for a resolution supporting breastfeeding for mothers around the world. What are we coming to? Where is the heart in this administration?

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is important for my colleagues and as well the American people to know that NATO is not just section 5, when one is attacked all are attacked. NATO is thought. It is purpose. It is a sense of collaborative viewpoints on the value of democracy. It is important that any Commander in Chief, no matter what party affiliation, passes the standard of decorum to recognize our allies and to strengthen the relationships and to give criticism where necessary and to seek improvement, but not to be an embarrassment. I think it is important, as meetings are proceeding, that we recognize that our allies are far more important than an individual who continues to provide nerve gas to kill people on foreign soil, to be behind attacks on airplanes taking over Crimea and other places. It is important to recognize that, yes, you engage with your enemy, but you recognize that they are your enemy. I would also suggest that it is hardly the American way for the U.S. delegation to oppose a breastfeeding resolution at the World Health Organization and to punish a little country like Ecuador. I want us to be better internationally, Mr. Speaker, and stand for the values of America.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Correa is a valued member of this body and one of the outstanding members of the Homeland Security Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency. We are here today to call upon the President, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Congress of the United States to act without delay to ensure separated immigrant children are reunited with their parents in an expeditious manner. On June 26, 2018, a federal judge ruled that unless reunification is not in the best interest of the child, a child under 5 years old must be reunited within 14 days of its order. Yesterday was the deadline that this administration failed to meet. To President Trump, I say ``Time's Up!'' This act committed was not only mortifying, but an illegal act. This individual has proven he lacks depth and experience, has violated the ethics that this country prides itself on, and he should be ashamed. This is a senseless act that must not go unnoticed. We must hold him accountable for these not clearly formulated decisions. Yesterday, I met with faith and community leaders to bring attention to yesterdays' deadline, imposed by a federal judge, to reunite the youngest separated children with their parents due to the President's egregious ``zero-tolerance'' policy. In our country, the rule of law and its implementation is an essential component of our democracy. Twenty years ago, Flores v. Reno, also known as the Flores Agreement, established that migrants or immigrants could not be separated from their children for long periods of time. Earlier this year, President Trump and his administration implemented a ``zero-tolerance policy'' of separating immigrant children from their parents upon arrival into the United States. To be certain, the administration's plan was half-baked. As the Founder and Chair of the Children's Caucus and as a parent and grandparent, I am outraged that the administration represented what they did not know and could not do. They did not know the true number of the children separated, they could not reunite these children, and there is no plan for their reunification. When Americans and the international community from all walks of life began to challenge this cruel and inhumane policy, the courts got involved. It appears as if a fortnight was more than enough time for this administration to make a complete mess of this process, and in the process damage families--perhaps irreparably. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, fewer than half of the migrant children who are under five years-old will be reunited with their parents. Studies have documented that when young children are forcibly removed from their parents, the traumatic experience engenders long-term negative effects on their physical and mental health and well-being suffers. Stressful situations that would usually prompt physiological responses in other people--increased heart rate, sweaty palms--would provoke nothing in the children forcibly removed from their parents because their fight-or-flight response system appeared permanently broken. This is outrageous and unacceptable in a nation which has a long and noble tradition of providing sanctuary to the persecuted and oppressed. Last Friday afternoon, July 6, 2018, the administration asked for more time to reunite these young children with their parents, which again was nothing more than a tacit admission that its plan for separating children was implemented without a way to eventually reunite them with their parents. After it was ordered to reunite these children, and in asking for more time to comply with the federal court, the President's lawyers asked ``can I keep these children away from their parents for a longer time?'' My response is ``these children have been away from their parents long enough.'' When I visited the border and the federal detention facilities that housed parents and children quarantined from one another, what I witnessed was horrific and was echoed in heartbreaking audio recordings released by the press revealing children crying, aching for their parents, as all face a fate uncertain, and inconsistent with the American ideal. I will never forget the little children I met during my visit to the border. One baby, 9-month-old Roger, had been taken from his 19-year-old sister after she was prosecuted for crossing the border illegally. Their mother is dead, and they were coming here to find family. Little Leah, was just one year-old and was taken from a grandmother and a sister. The pain was no less visceral when speaking with mothers wondering where their children have gone. In South Texas I met Gabby, from Honduras, who had a 45 day-old baby taken from her, and while housed at the facility had not yet been treated or given medical attention. Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that the administration's argument in favor of child separation was ``tortured.'' Put another way, the Administration has no leg to stand on. Trump knows that he is advancing a cruel and inhumane policy, but he refuses to accept responsibility for this matter blaming, alternatively: Congress, the courts and prior presidents. This is no surprise, of course: all who have watched this president know his proclivity to shirk responsibility for any of his actions. In a bizarre turn of events, the President actually tried to blame the courts for his own cruel child separation policy. A federal judge appropriately chastised the President and cast as ``cynical'' any attempt to blame the courts for his mess, which is entirely of this Administration's own doing. Tellingly, the judge went one profound step further and indicated that the President and his administration knew--at least for over a year--that there was no facility which would house parents and children together. Thus, when it proceeded with this new immigration policy, the President knew that the segregation of children from their parents was inevitable and chose to implement this policy anyway. The last time this nation had policies that promoted the forcible separation of children from newly arrived persons was slavery: a dark and shameful chapter in this nation's history that we cannot revisit. Earlier this year, President, in proclaiming April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, stated, ``we must always remember that all children are blessings from our Creator'' and endowed with value, purpose and human dignity.'' It is time for this President and the administration he leads, to act with reason, foresight and compassion and immediately and completely rectify this crisis.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition and celebration of the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. On July 9, 1868, 150 years ago, two great defects in the original Constitution were corrected. First, Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment repealed the ``three- fifths'' provision in the original Constitution and declared that ``any and all persons born or naturalized in the United States would be guaranteed all the rights and privileges of citizenship.'' Second, the Fourteenth Amendment provided and guaranteed to all persons in the United States due process and the equal protection of the law. I ask that we reflect upon the progress this nation has made in fulfilling its founding promise that ``we hold these truths to be self- evident that all men are created equal.'' This promise of liberty and equality has been withheld from far too many for far too long. While life and liberty is enshrined in our documents, this was not true for all. Contrary to the spirit of the American Revolution, the Southern slave population at the time increased to 1.1 million in 1810 and then to nearly 4 million in 1860; by 1860 in my state of Texas, over 30 percent of the population was comprised of slaves. Our democratic institutions--instruments of modern, civil government founded to ensure that barbaric tyrannies against humanity would be consigned to history--repeatedly upheld such blatant oppression in the form of legislation and judicial decisions that justified the horrific practices. Even after the Thirteenth Amendment and the defeat of the Confederacy, ``Black Codes,'' passed in numerous Southern States, continued to deny African Americans basic rights and privileges enjoyed by white citizens, such as the right to free travel, to own certain property, or to bring suit in court. Therefore 150 years ago, the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified as an endeavor to reshape the fundamental fabric of race relations in America. Let us remember, however, that the amendment is but a single mile marker in the arduous march of courageous Americans who sought to hold our nation accountable to its founding principles. We must also remember that the Fourteenth Amendment, and the struggle and sacrifice that came thereafter, ultimately allowed this government to become a more diverse, dynamic body to better uphold the promise of America. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this chamber on this occasion to reaffirm that I will not squander my hard-earned opportunity to fight for the rights of all Americans regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. And on the sesquicentennial of this very important moment for progress and equality, the current president plans to select a nominee to fill a seat on the highest court in the land. I remind this body that the next jurist will replace a justice who recognized the importance of affirmative action as a necessary means to help heal the scars of segregation and Jim Crowe; the next jurist will further likely be required to 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, those who believe the Court is the arbiter of fair justice, are looking for a jurist who will dispense fair justice for all Americans as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. I call upon my colleagues in the Senate to put aside partisanship to ensure that the blood and sweat of patriots who gave their lives to safeguard our civil liberties shall not be in vain. Mr. Speaker, the America that the Fourteenth Amendment saw is a nation with infinite potential for progress: that despite our history, we must continue to look toward finally achieving that shining city upon a hill. I urge my colleagues in Congress, our faithful public servants in the myriad of federal institutions across the nation, as well as our friends in the Supreme Court to join me in celebrating that vision in this critical time of our republic by bravely choosing to step into the future by expanding civil liberties in our nation, not fumble in the past for a purportedly greater bygone era.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 644, which strongly condemns ongoing slave auctions in Libya of migrants and refugees. Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we swiftly and unequivocally condemn these acts of unspeakable cruelty that have no place in the civilized world. According to reports, an estimated 150,000 people--refugees fleeing conflict and economic migrants in search of better opportunities in Europe--cross Libya's borders each year. But a clampdown by the Libyan Coast Guard meant fewer boats made it out to sea, leaving the smugglers with a backlog of would-be passengers on their hands. With estimates of 400,000 to almost one million people now stranded in Libya, smugglers have become masters and the migrants and refugees have become slaves who are sold for as little as $400 each. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with this chamber the story of a young man named Victory, a 21-year-old Nigerian who fled his village and spent a year and four months--and his life savings--trying to reach Europe. Victory made it as far as Libya, where he says he and other refugees were held in grim living conditions, deprived of food, abused, and mistreated by their captors. When his funds ran out, Victory was sold as a day laborer by his smugglers; after weeks of being forced to work, Victory was told the money he had been bought for was not enough. He was returned to his smugglers, only to be re-sold several more times--the smugglers also demanded ransom payments from Victory's family before eventually releasing him. We know of at least 9 sites in which these horrors reportedly are commonplace. The open sale of humans into slavery exposed in Libya in 2017 shocked the world. United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley denounced the practice, saying ``there are few greater violations of human rights and human dignity than this.'' However, without a capable government in the country, the practice has continued unabated while media interest ebbed. Mr. Speaker, it is contrary to the values of this nation to stand by and watch these atrocities continue. H. Res. 644 denounces the trafficking of--and violence against-- innocent migrants in Libya, and proposes several concrete measures to a lasting infrastructure that upholds basic human rights for migrants in Libya. First, the resolution calls on the Libyan government to investigate and end the slave auctions, as well as provide for humane management of migration flows. Second, the resolution calls upon the United Nations to investigate the allegations of forced labor and demands that Libyan authorities to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to regularly monitor and publicly report on the situation of refugees and migrants in Libya, and impose sanctions against Libya if the nation fails to end forced labor. Third, the resolution calls upon the African Union to conduct an independent investigation of forced labor in Libya, to assist migrants who wish to return to their homelands, and to impose sanctions against Libya should the forced labor continue. Fourth, the resolution highlights the importance of adequately staffing, funding, and supporting the United States State Department and the Agency for International Development to provide humanitarian assistance for migrants and to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the political and security situation in Libya including issues related to migrants and refugees in detention centers. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H. Res. 644 and standing true to our nation's commitment to advancing human rights in Libya, and around the world.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1700, the SCORE for Small Business Act of 2017. H.R. 1700 amends the Small Business Act to reauthorize the SCORE program (Service Corps of Retired Executives) for FY2018-FY2019. The program is renamed as simply the SCORE program. The Small Business Administration (SBA) shall award a grant to the SCORE Association (or any successor group) in order to strengthen resources for entrepreneurs. By passing this bill, we are ensuring that the program and each of its chapters develop and implement plans and goals to provide services more effectively and efficiently to individuals in rural areas, economically disadvantaged communities, and other traditionally underserved communities. Such requirements includes plans for electronic initiatives, web- based initiatives, chapter expansion, partnerships, and the development of new skills by participating volunteers. The SBA's SCORE program embodies the power of public-private partnerships and is dedicated to educating and assisting entrepreneurs and small business owners in the formation, growth and expansion of their small businesses. I want to thank all the trained volunteers that serve as counselor's advisors and mentors to aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners. Further, there are approximately 13,000 volunteer business counselors with 348 chapters across the country. Established in 1965, the Houston chapter has more than 130+ volunteers covering the 9-county Greater Houston Area. These services are offered at no fee, as a community service. According to the SCORE Association, in FY13, SCORE estimates that it served over 400,000 clients, and helped to create more than 40,500 new businesses and more than 67,098 new jobs. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 1700 as it is vital that we support.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, headlines of the New York Times: ``Conservatives Close in on Three-Decade Dream: Tipping Court to the Right.'' Mr. Speaker, no court should be to the right or to the left. It should be for the American people. I ask the Senate, and I commit to my constituents, to fight for a thorough and long review of the nominee's record, and to determine whether we are now appointing to the court a political biased aficionado; a person who has worked in politics and as well has shown his bias by way of his extensive and detailed and over-the-top report in the Starr report. It will be interesting to find whether Mr. Kavanaugh has concern about all of America, because the Supreme Court holds in his hands that responsibility. The USA Today says, ``Family Separation Combines Cruelty and Incompetence.'' I ask for the Secretary of Homeland Security to immediately come to the House of Representatives, and I ask the Speaker to provide that opportunity for him to be able to speak to us about why he has lost children and why they are separated from their families. We need to stop the shooting of babies by those who leave guns for 2- year-olds to shoot themselves.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my best wishes, prayers, and hopes for a speedy and complete victory to Michael McHugh in his battle against cancer. Michael McHugh previously worked in my Houston Office as an intern where he made significant contributions to our efforts to serve the residents of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. Raised in Friendswood, Texas and educated at the University of Houston, Michael McHugh earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and played an active role in several civic organizations and volunteer groups in the Houston area. Those of us who know Michael well know his dedication to democratic ideals and his commitment to fighting injustice. That dedication and commitment will serve Michael well during this most challenging and difficult chapter in his life. Michael McHugh lives the quote of Margaret Mead: ``Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.'' As a breast cancer survivor, I know how shocking, overwhelming, and unexpected a cancer diagnosis can be. I know how easy it is for anxiety, anger, and depression to creep in as you adjust to life after the diagnosis. However, as Lance Armstrong said ``we have two options, medically and emotionally: give up or fight like hell.'' Michael is a fighter. As a Congresswoman who is also a survivor, I have and will continue to support funding medical research designed to cure cancer. It is my hope that Michael McHugh will win his fight against cancer and will enjoy many more years with his loving family and friends and continue his history of service to our community and nation. It is my prayer that Michael's battle against cancer will one day be a footnote in the book of his life, just another battle that he fought and won. As the later ESPN broadcaster, Stuart Scott, stated, ``you beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.''

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4684, the Ensuring Access to Quality Sober Living Act of 2018. Opioid abuse has become a public health crisis with devastating consequences, including; overdoses, rising incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome, homelessness, and unemployment. H.R. 4684 ensures that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration has the resources to provide the best practices for operating recovery houses and to distribute the information to states, and to provide technical assistance to states seeking to adopt such practices. It is undeniable that, to ensure their path to recovery, victims of substance abuse are in need of proper recovery housing that is free from alcohol and drug use. People suffering from addiction are in dire need of healthy living environments to ensure a successful transition. Recovering addicts coming from an environment that does not provide the proper assistance, face many challenges and problems when they later reenter society. Every day, over 115 Americans die after overdosing on opioids, with more than 64,000 deaths reported in the year 2016. In 2015, 2588 opioid overdose related deaths were reported in my home state of Texas with Harris County accounting for 318 of those deaths. It has been reported that 91 percent of victims in recovery will experience a relapse, 59 percent of those will experience a relapse within the first two weeks of sobriety, and 80 percent within a month after discharging from a detox facility. H.R. 4684 will not only provide addicts with qualified recovery homes but healthy family oriented settings. Medical research suggests that recovery residencies should be structured like family home, a community living environment which is centered on peer support and connection to services. These provisions of the bill will provide victims of opioid addiction with much needed guidance. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4684 to show their support in this extremely critical moment in time and ensure that those who have fallen victim to the opioid epidemic are provided with qualified recovery housing.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5228, the Stop Counterfeit Drugs by Regulating and Enhancing Enforcement Now Act, or the SCREEN Act. Mr. Speaker, one way the nation can express its concern for our citizens' health is by addressing the issue regarding counterfeit drugs and synthetic opioids. Among other things, H.R. 5228 will strengthen the ability of the Food and Drug Administration to combat counterfeit drugs, illegal and synthetic opioids, and opioid-like substances. Because the capabilities of counterfeit drugs and opioids are rapidly and continuously evolving, there is no single technology that provides long-term assurance of drug security. H.R. 5228 will implement new, holistic technology to better protect our drug supply. Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin. All opioids are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain. According to a recent study, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report there were 63,632 drug overdose deaths in 2016 in America, 42,249 of which were related to opioid overdoses. This issue directly affects my state of Texas, because in 2016, there were 1,375 opioid-related overdose deaths, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In the city of Houston alone, there were 364 drug-related overdose deaths. Another issue that H.R. 5228 will address is the prevalence of counterfeits, or fake medicines which are produced and sold with the intent to deceptively represent its authenticity or effectiveness. Fake medicine may contain harmful or inactive ingredients that harm users, or might have the right active ingredient but at the wrong dosage. Counterfeit drugs are illegal and can be harmful to your health. Mr. Speaker, critics of the FDA say the entire screening system is underutilized and filled with incomplete and late information. By enacting H.R. 5228, the FDA will have the authority to combat the scourge of opioids and counterfeit drugs. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5228.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5002, the ACE Research Act. It is undeniable that more money, resources, and research needs to go into solving the many addictions, diseases, and disorders that face our society today. H.R. 5002 amends the Public Health Service Act by augmenting the National Institutes of Health's research initiatives, by introducing more critical research that will strengthen the understanding and yield cures to the myriad of health problems that are facing Americans today. The ACE Research Act will provide the National Institutes of Health with the necessary authority, resources and support it needs to further research and increase the fundamental biological understanding of the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and disorders. Additionally, the research initiatives undertaken by the National Institutes of Health may be supported through transactions other than contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements under the ACE Research Act. The ACE Research Act will provide the National Institutes of Health with the measures to implement high impact, cutting-edge research necessary to combat public health threats. Further, the National Institutes of Health will be able to partner with companies that have the technology and resources to administer this cutting-edge research. The National Institutes of Health conducts tremendous, groundbreaking research that investigates the causes and remedies of diseases, addictions, ailments, and other public health areas for all people. Moreover, the National Institutes of Health is the leading government agency that is responsible for essential public health and biomedical research, which helps Americans combat the health concerns that arise daily. The ACE Research Act will support the National Institutes of Health's research initiatives in finding cures to the growing opioid addiction in America today. Opioid addiction, which includes the overuse of illicit and prescription drugs, is taking the lives of Americans across our nation each day. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report cited 63,632 drug overdose deaths in 2016 in America, 42,249 of which were related to opioid overdoses. In 2016, there were 1,375 opioid-related overdose deaths in Texas, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In the city of Houston, there were 364 drug-related overdose deaths alone that happened in 2016 according to the Treatment Center, a highly respected drug and alcohol addiction treatment service center. Therefore, it is vital that research is done concerning drug abuse and addictions, as it has been a long-term problem in our society. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is ``a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry.'' Addiction is not a choice, a moral feeling, or a lack of will-power; it is a disease of the brain that requires proper treatment. Addiction is a longstanding mental and physical illness that many Americans are facing today, leading to their lives being compromised, and in some cases even leading to their death. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is overseeing important research to respond to this epidemic, and this bill responds favorably to its request for more flexibility in conducting research on treatments for opioid addiction and other disease areas. This research may lead to scientific advances that may find solutions to the opioid crisis, as well as solutions to other addictions and public health threats. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5002, which will expand the National Institutes of Health's research initiatives to include valuable research that will address the multitude of health concerns facing Americans today.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5587, the Peer Support Communities of Recovery. H.R. 5587 provides for the establishment of regional assistance centers to implement addiction recovery support services throughout an individual's treatment. Everyday, over 100 people in the United States die from opioid related drug overdoses, while over 11.5 million people misuse prescription opioids. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report cited 63,632 drug overdose deaths in the U.S., with a linearly increasing trend. In Texas, there were 1,375 opioid-related overdose deaths and within Houston alone, there were 364 drug-related overdose deaths that happened in 2016 according to the Treatment Center. The U.S. is going through a serious drug abuse epidemic and the resources available for recovering addicts are currently limited in variability. Peer support services are unique in that they allow for individuals with common experiences to share their stories of recovery with the people who might be seeking help. Through self-help and shared support, people are able to offer strength and hope to their peers, which allows for personal growth, promotes wellness, and encourages recovery. Examples of peer support include: peer mentoring or coaching; peer recovery resource connecting; recovery group facilitation; and community building. In Houston, we have peer support programs that exist for both adults and youth through the Houston Health Department and Houston Recovery Center. H.R. 5587 authorizes programs, similar to the ones that are having a positive impact in Houston, to be established across the country to serve other communities. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5587 to ensure that we are addressing substance abuse in the United States as efficiently as possible.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5197, the Alternatives to Opioids in the Emergency Department Act, or the ALTO Act. Mr. Speaker, our nation faces an opioid crisis. H.R. 5197, the ALTO Act, directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a demonstration program to test alternative pain management protocols to limit the use of opioids in hospitals and emergency departments. Opioids contributed to the deaths of more than 42,000 people in 2016, more than any year on official record. Forty percent of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. The economic burden of prescription opioid misuse in the United States is estimated to be $78.5 billion dollars per year. This figure includes costs stemming from health care, including addiction treatment, lost productivity, and criminal justice involvement. Over 200 million opioid prescriptions are written in the United States each year, and 2 million Americans have the symptoms of substance use disorder. Approximately 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them. In Texas, 4 percent of the population reports using pain relievers for non-medical purposes. Harris County, which contains my home district, has a pain medication misuse rate of 3.91 percent. The time for action is now. H.R. 5197, the ALTO Act, directs Health and Human Services to carry out a 3-year demonstration program which awards grants to hospitals and emergency departments to develop, implement, enhance, or study alternative pain management protocols and treatments that promote the appropriate limited use of opioids. Emergency departments in several States, including in New Jersey and Colorado, have developed innovative programs to more widely utilize non-opioid pain treatments to reduce the use of opioids. We must learn from these attempts and initiate a national program to limit the overuse of opioids in emergency settings. However, it is important to realize that some groups, such as African Americans, are under-prescribed pain management medications. We must balance these new programs that work to reduce over- prescription with our continued efforts to ensure that medically necessary treatment be provided to people in need. H.R. 5197, the ALTO Act, is especially important for my district and the greater Houston area. Houston is home to many world-renowned trauma centers including Ben Taub and Memorial Hermann. These centers have extensive emergency medical services and they, along with hospitals around the state and the nation, will benefit greatly from the support this bill provides. Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to intervene before opioids claim the lives of more Americans. The Alternatives to Opioids in the Emergency Department Act, or the ALTO Act is a necessary step towards stopping this opioid crisis. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5197, the ALTO Act, to prevent opioid addiction at the source and ensure that this crisis is stopped.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5102, the Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018. H.R. 5102 would establish a loan repayment program for mental health professionals practicing in areas with few mental health providers or with high death rates from overdose. Mr. Speaker, this bill will amend the Public Health Service Act to create a loan repayment program for individuals who complete a period of service in a substance use disorder treatment job in a mental health professional shortage area and counties where the drug overdose death rate is higher than the national average. This bill authorizes $25 million per year over fiscal years 2019- 2028. H.R. 5102 will strengthen America's substance abuse treatment workforce and provide for greater access to care for patients who need it the most. Mr. Speaker, the current trends of substance abuse in the U.S. are startling. A Columbia University study found that over 40 million Americans age 12 and over meet the clinical criteria for drug addiction and abuse. As substance abuse rates and death from overdose rates increase, studies project a shortage of 85,000 physicians in 2020--the impact of which will be the most devastating in rural communities. In my home state of Texas, 10.1 people die per 100,000 in the population from drug overdoses. In 2016, in Houston there were 364 drug overdose related deaths reported. H.R. 5102 addresses these critical issues by providing an additional path for health care providers to practice in rural and underserved communities, ultimately giving greater access to care for those suffering from substance use disorder. This piece of legislation will strengthen rural health care systems and will improve access to care for patients in these rural communities. Mr. Speaker, the Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018 will help build a well-equipped workforce to combat the current rise in substance use disorders.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 449, the Synthetic Drug Awareness Act of 2017, which requires the Surgeon General to report to Congress on the public health effects of the increased use since January 2010 by individuals who are 12 to 18 years old of drugs developed and manufactured to avoid control under the Controlled Substances Act. The term synthetic drug means a drug which is developed and manufactured to avoid control under the Controlled Substances Act. There are more than 200 identified synthetic drug compounds and more than 90 different synthetic drug marijuana compounds. Many of these synthetic drugs are made in foreign countries and then smuggled into the United States. These clandestinely-made drugs have no manufacturing safety standards that are normally required by the Food and Drug Administration. Synthetic opioids have surpassed prescription opioids as the most common drug class involved in overdose deaths in the United States. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl-related deaths nationwide are up from previous years by 73 percent. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid created using man-made chemical components rather than naturally occurring ingredients, is 50-100 times more potent than morphine. Overall, drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl-type drugs in the United States rose from about 3,000 in 2010 to more than 19,400 in 2016. The rate of teen drug overdose deaths in the United States climbed 19 percent from 2014 to 2015, from 3.1 deaths per 100,000 teens to 3.7 per 100,000. The number of American teens to die of a drug overdose leapt by almost a fifth in 2015 after seven years of decline. The opioid epidemic claimed more than 52,000 lives in 2015. In Texas, Synthetic opioids account for almost one-fifth of drug related overdoses. In 2016, there were 1,375 opioid-related overdose deaths in Texas specifically, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Last year, 364 drug-related overdose deaths happened in Houston. Synthetic marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin top the list of drug-related problems in the Houston area. Geographically, death rates from overdoses involving synthetic opioids increased in 21 states, with 10 states doubling their rates from 2016 to 2017. No area of the United States is exempt from this epidemic--we all know a friend, family member or loved one devastated by opioids. H.R. 449 is a positive step in the right direction, I urge my colleagues to vote Yes on H.R. 449, the Synthetic Drug Awareness Act of 2017.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5583, a bill to Amend Title XI of the Social Security Act to Require States to Annually Report on Certain Adult Health Quality Measures. The United States must affirm its role as a leader in domestic care by guaranteeing access to plentiful and accurate information regarding the health of its most vulnerable citizens. Mr. Speaker, over 67.4 million individuals are enrolled in Medicaid as of March of 2018. In Texas, Medicaid covers 1 in 14 adults under the age of 65, 1 in 3 low-income individuals, 2 in 5 children, 3 in 5 nursing home residents, and 1 in 3 people with disabilities. There are currently over 717 thousand open Medicaid cases in Harris County alone. In addition, to doctor and hospital visits, Medicaid covers long-term services like nursing homes and community-based services that allow people with chronic conditions and disabilities to live independently. Medicaid covers more than half of all nursing home residents. H.R. 5583 requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to expand its core set of adult health quality measures for Medicaid- eligible adults to include measures specific to behavioral health. A state Medicaid program must report annually on such measures. This bill requires States to use all behavioral health measures included in the core set of adult health quality metrics, and any changes to such measures, to be reported regarding the quality of health care for Medicaid-eligible adults. By passing this bill and instituting these reporting requirements, we can ensure equitable attention to healthcare for Medicaid-eligible men and women. Americans, no matter their financial circumstances, deserve access to healthcare, and this bill will ensure that discrepancies in care among low-income Americans can be identified and addressed. Safeguarding the health and healthcare of our citizens is the best way to concretely demonstrate our dedication to their safety and well- being. It is not only the right thing to do for our citizens; it is the smart thing to do for our nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 5583, a bill that will ensure the healthcare of all Americans can be addressed and improved by requiring annual reports on the health quality of Medicaid- eligible Americans.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman for yielding, and certainly, let me thank my good friend from North Carolina. I think the Nation should understand that we have these stark political differences. We have these stark legal differences. But there is nothing that can undermine the rule of law and the truth. My good friend who just spoke earlier wants to go to the extreme of holding the Nation's professional law enforcement officers in contempt for doing their job. What I hold in my hand is from the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice, issued in June 2018. Besides these pages, Mr. Speaker, there are eons and eons of documents. Right now, in the Judiciary Committee, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein is there voluntarily. We have Director Wray there. Even if there was a subpoena, they have come. Both of them indicated that they canceled important trips to be here before the United States Congress. I asked in that hearing: What was the reason for the emergency hearing? What was the good cause? And I don't know if my colleagues heard it. I could not decipher any good cause of why we are now thrown into this hearing room. The reason I say that, which speaks to this particular resolution, is the fact that we have had now, under the Presidency of Mr. Trump, almost 2 years, and the Judiciary Committee has not answered one single inquiry offered by the Democrats. We have not had one legitimate hearing on the Russian collusion to have violated and made vile the 2016 election. I do not speak to the results. I speak to the impact on the integrity of the election by the American people. We have not had one hearing. Now we are in a rush to continue to reinvestigate and reinvestigate the findings of the inspector general and the investigators who indicated that they investigated this and, in essence, found no criminal behavior; that this is Secretary Clinton's email. I think it is public knowledge that the item that she was being looked at for was the misuse of classified data. Minimal, at best. We don't want that to happen. She did not want it to happen. But she was cleared of any criminal intent or criminal actions by people that we would normally trust. I believe in oversight. I don't want scandals at the Department of Justice. I want the Civil Rights Division to work well. Maybe somebody should ask the question why the Civil Rights Division is understaffed and barely working. Maybe somebody should ask the question why the Trump administration switched from being supportive of anti-voter ID laws that were discriminatory but did not. So this resolution is redundant. It goes in the face of those who are already performing.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it goes in the face of those who are already performing. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice has already produced about 850,000 documents at the request of this group of folk from Oversight and Judiciary. They are complying. Why are we on the floor taking a hammer to a flea? That is unnecessary. Why are we not in the Judiciary Committee, probing the individuals who are now appearing? I want the American people to understand this is a resolution that has nothing to do with the crux of protecting the November 18, 2018, elections, and it has nothing to do with reality. We have finished our work, and we need to go on to protecting the United States of America against bogus elections. I feel like Yogi Berra--I have deja vu all over again. In just the last week or so, we have had three hearings related to the actions of the Department of Justice and the FBI in the run-up to the 2016 election. Over the course of that last week or so, the country has watched as thousands of children have been separated from their parents. The Supreme Court has seen the resignation of the Court's swing vote. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court thought it wise to uphold a travel ban on nationals from Muslim majority countries. And yesterday, the Supreme court gutted the labor rights of public sector employees. With all of these pressing issues for this august body to determine, what are we talking about? We're talking about Hillary Clinton's Emails. Why are we talking about Hillary Clinton's emails? We're here because one week after the Intelligence community briefed then president-elect Trump, that the Russians had interfered with the election to hurt Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump. At best, the timing of the announcement was done to draw a false equivalence between the actions of career law enforcement in investigating the Clinton email server and what would later become the Special Counsel's investigation; at worst, it suggests using the levers of law enforcement for political ends. We are here well after the fact that the Special Counsel investigating Russia's attempts to meddle in the 2016 election and the extent to which associates of the Trump Campaign were complicit in this endeavor. The Special Counsel has already secured 23 indictments against companies and individuals, some of whom are Americans. This includes the President's campaign manager, who is currently sitting in jail awaiting charges in two judicial districts. This is after the Special Counsel has secured guilty pleas, including from: The President's National Security Advisor; A lawyer with ties to the President's former campaign manager; The President's former Foreign Policy Advisor; and The President's former deputy campaign manager. All the while, while the Special Counsel was doing this report, the House GOP was salivating for this report to be released. And then the OIG promulgated the report. And after the OIG promulgated that report, the House GOP was disappointed, because they did not like what the independent investigation found: that the decisions by the DOJ and the FBI in the days and preceding the 2016 were not tainted by political bias. Because the OIG's report does not conform with the House's GOP narrative, the House GOP has to muddy the waters, even if that means interfering with an active counterintelligence investigation. But, before this tea party resolution, let's just recall what has the House Freedom Caucus so upset. And now, they want information that is at the heart of an active counterintelligence criminal investigation. And in an effort to aid their allies in the White House, the House GOP has gone to extraordinary effort to alchemize its oversight responsibilities into a line of information to the White House. While this has happened over the year, the OIG has been preparing its report--and it was released earlier this month. The OIG Report concludes that while former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey was insubordinate in the manner and content of his decision not to prosecute Hillary Clinton in her use of a private server, the decision was not done with political bias. This conclusion definitely reignited strong emotions, but a clear eye focused on all operative facts supports the inference that the actions taken by federal law enforcement, out of an abundance of caution, had the effect of conferring significant advantage on the Trump Campaign. I am a strong supporter of law enforcement. They do a tough job under difficult circumstances. This was no less true in the weeks and months preceding the 2016 election. The confluence of facts and the public statements of then-candidate Trump likely complicated law enforcement's difficult job. ``From the outset, nothing in this report calls into question or undermines the Special Counsel's investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election and whether and to what extent this endeavor was aided by associates of the Trump Campaign. Next, while the OIG report released today concludes that former FBI Director Comey was insubordinate in the breadth and depth of his July 2016 press conference declining prosecution of Secretary Clinton, the decision was not done for political purposes or colored with political bias. ``Third, any suggestion that the actions of law enforcement in the second half of 2016 were done to support the Hillary Clinton Campaign to the detriment of the Trump Campaign is belied by the fact that both the decision to editorialize the declination of prosecution in July 2016 and the decision to reopen the Clinton email investigation in October 2016, eleven days before the election, revealed a double standard favorable to Trump and prejudicial to Clinton. This is because that while the country was debating Secretary Clinton's judgment in setting up a private server for her emails, associates of the Trump Campaign were engaging in questionable--and possibly criminal--behavior with agents of the Russian government. This disjunction undoubtedly benefitted Trump, however unquantifiably. ``Fourth, while the president may tout this report as supportive of his decision to terminate Comey from his position as FBI Director, nothing in this report changes two facts: first, after the FBI reopened the investigation into the Clinton email issue in the waning days of the 2016 campaign, then-candidate Trump applauded Comey's announcement. Given his tact at the time, and his change of heart now and his reasons for doing so, only one conclusion is supportable: that Trump's concern after the election for Comey's decision is more disingenuous than not. Moreover, to the extent that the president tries to claim that his reasons for firing Comey were consistent with the findings of the OIG report, the president revealed his true motives for firing Comey in an interview with Lester Holt: that it was done because of the Russia investigation.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition of H.R. 6136, the ``Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018.'' This so-called compromise is anything but a compromise. There was not even a markup in the Judiciary Committee; only secret meetings with Administration officials known to author the worst immigration policy this nation has witnessed. Perhaps H.R. 6136 was an attempt at compromising amongst the various factions that currently divide the majority and prevent Congress from accomplishing meaningful immigration reform. But this ``compromise'' is a sham. H.R. 6136: fails to cover Dreamers; fails to provide a certain path to citizenship; claims to ``end'' Trump's family separation policy by requiring long- term detention; revokes critical protections for detained children and families; makes deep cuts to legal family immigration; revokes the approvals of over 3 million family members who have been waiting for years to legally reunify with U.S. citizens; eliminates important asylum protections; ends the Diversity Visa program, makes immigrant communities less safe by forcing cooperation with immigration detainers. At every step, this bill attacks family unity, immigrant communities, and common decency. The United States of America is and will always be the land of opportunity, refuge, and safe haven for all. The current Administration's policies of closing our doors and borders, by forcibly tearing apart families and eliminating lawful means of entering the United States, are simply inhumane. H.R. 6136 would act as an overall deterrent to immigrants and people around the world finding refuge and opportunity here in the United States. The bill would prevent many asylum seekers from even applying for asylum, and would eliminate the Diversity Visa Program, which has traditionally sent a diverse pool of educated immigrants who have contributed to America's success. Moreover, the bill would needlessly attack sanctuary cities and immigrant communities, and would invest billions of dollars in President Trump's unnecessary border wall and military technology along the border. Overall, the bill would simply dismantle families, detain innocent immigrants and children for prolonged, indefinite amounts of time, and closes our border and walls to people around the world who are ready to contribute to the American dream. This is not what America is or has ever been. Our diverse nation was built by immigrants coming here to build for themselves and their families, along with other communities. By adopting this bill, America would be acting inconsistent with its core values, and contrary to its reputation as the world's most generous and welcoming nation. And for those reasons, I urge my colleagues to stand in opposition to H.R. 6136, the ``Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018.''

Ms. JACKSON LEE

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

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, my amendment indicates that no funding in this act shall be used or otherwise made available by this act to end Reserve Officers' Training Corps, ROTC, programs at HBCUs, Hispanic- Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities. I want to emphasize this program because so many of us have these colleges in our congressional districts. Those ROTC programs provide training to college students to prepare them for future service in the branches in the U.S. military, the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Coming from the State of Texas, I can assure you, Mr. Chairman, with my interaction with so many in the United States military, those who have said that it is a pathway to leadership and success, I know how important these programs are. The Army ROTC alone provides $274 million in scholarship money to more than 13,000 students. It is interesting to take note of the fact, as it relates to African Americans and Hispanics, the leadership that has come from these programs: Andrew P. Chambers, lieutenant general, retired; George A. Alexander; Colonel Claude A. Burnett; Colonel Derrick W. Flowers; Colonel Senodja Sundiata-Walker, currently serving as the chief of program support branch. These are all individuals who have been the beneficiaries of ROTC programs at HBCUs, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.