Marcy Kaptur

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the passage of the Affordable Insulin Now Act and urge the other body to swiftly take up the bill. Millions of Americans depend upon insulin every single day, but too many are forced to ration or cut back on their other essential needs just to pay for the medication that keeps them alive. In Ohio, the cost of insulin can cost hundreds of dollars a month, and the pens that are used can cost between $45 and $600. It is simply unaffordable. Capping the price of insulin at $35 a month means no longer will families have to choose between grocery and rent or their own lives. No longer should a diabetic be forced to ration out their injections just to ensure they have enough until next month. Congress must act to pass the Affordable Insulin Now Act. Let's save people real money, improve their lives, and afford them the dignity that they deserve.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, during this Women's History Month, let us celebrate the women who truly make our Nation and world run. This month, we honor remarkable women who build families and communities; who lead governments; who serve and protect their fellow citizens; and who break new ground in industry, science, technology, literature, medicine, and so much more. Their work often goes unrecognized, but their work anchors, guides, and uplifts our society and the world. Let me pay special tribute to historic women from the five counties of Ohio's Ninth District that I am privileged to represent: Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Ohio, and poetess Toni Morrison from Lorain County, Ohio. In Erie County, it is probably important for us to remember that the first all-female jury was seated on August 26, 1920. Can you imagine that? From Erie County, we remember the able and totally dedicated United Way director, Christine Galvin. From Lucas County, we remember two public servants, Eleanor Kahle, who was elected to city council after she went on Social Security, and Senator Edna Brown, who sadly just passed and was a comet--as was Shirley Chisholm at the national level--in Ohio as an African-American woman senator seated in Columbus but from northwest Ohio. The lives of these women inspire us all, and the legacies they leave are an inspiration to those who follow in their footsteps. During this Women's History Month, we give thanks to them for the barriers that each of them broke and also for their solid accomplishments that they left behind. We all look forward with anticipation to the accomplishments of the next generations of American women to come because, indeed, they lead the world.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Neal and Congressman Lloyd Doggett for allowing me this time tonight to rise in strong support of liberty by suspending energy imports from Russia to help crush Putin for his crimes against humanity. Putin is murdering innocent men, pregnant women, children, and the elderly. He is bombing them into pieces. The brutal savagery unleashed by Putin and allowed by his treacherous oligarchs requires crushing and unflinching retribution. The time has come to terminate the flow of Russia's blood-soaked oil into our land. We must also suspend Russia from the World Trade Organization. And let us sanction Putin and his enablers as far into the pits of hell as we possibly can. As the gold standard for freedom and democracy, the world is watching America right now. This is not the time for holdouts or cowards. Every Member of this body must rise up without delay and lead by example. Pass this legislation. Hit Putin and his enablers where it hurts. The just cause of liberty demands nothing less.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, please let me thank Chair DeLauro for her persevering leadership on this critical bill, and I would like to thank Ranking Member Simpson for his productive partnership, as well as the Energy and Water Subcommittee staff and majority clerk, Jaime Shimek, for their work. The Energy and Water division of this bill is a historic investment in American jobs, innovation, and competitiveness. It engages and advances all energy technologies to assure America's energy independence in perpetuity and for our security while sustaining life on Earth. Our bill delivers for the American people by investing $8.3 billion in the Army Corps of Engineers to rebuild America's water infrastructure and prepare for increasing rainfall, rising sea levels, and desertification; $1.92 billion in the Bureau of Reclamation for the West's water management; $44.9 billion in the Department of Energy, including $3.2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to spur good-paying jobs and lower costs for the middle class. Importantly, our bill responsibly funds our nuclear deterrent and enhances nonproliferation efforts. In sum, the energy and water division builds forward for America's critical goals. Our bill invests in the hardworking men and women who make, build, and grow America. Now more than ever, our bill is needed to unleash American progress in this new century. Finally, as chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, I want to highlight the Congress' swift and essential support for Ukraine. On a bipartisan basis, it is this House, as Article 1 of the Constitution, that has always led on providing aid to Ukraine. The $13.6 billion in emergency funding includes vital resources for Ukraine and her brave people to meet their urgent economic and humanitarian needs. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure unanimously.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of ending Russian oil imports into our land. Liberty is the shining jewel in America's crown. As Vladimir Putin unleashes his murderous fury on the people of Ukraine, we have a responsibility to stand up for liberty's defense, to inflict further pain on Putin and his war-related price hikes. Now is the time to recommit ourselves to ensuring America's energy independence for the 21st century. We must take a stand and invest in our workers and our companies as U.S. oil and gas production is approaching all-time highs. To Wall Street and the big corporate CEOs, now is the time to prioritize liberty and the well-being of hardworking Americans and their families, not just corporate profits and shareholder dividends. Let's use this moment to develop a robust energy future to unleash across our land, across all energy technologies, our competitive edge. Russian oil is the past. American energy innovation, ingenuity, and U.S. energy independence are within our grasp.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California for her leadership on so many issues, including women. Not just women but for people everywhere, in our country, those who have been abused, those who serve in our military, and those who serve in our intelligence services. I thank her for her great contributions to our country, how she has lived her life and has served so nobly. The people of California have really sent a jewel here, and they know it. I shall miss her greatly when she makes her decision to leave us at the end of this session of Congress. She is truly a friend and a friend to the American people. I am very honored this evening to join her and rise on this International Women's Day to call out the damaged and really bestial soul of Vladimir Putin. His torturous treatment of the women, children, and elderly of Ukraine is a war crime. He is about genocide in a country that 30 years ago voted to be independent. When the Soviet Union fell, 90 percent of the people of Ukraine, about 42 million people, voted that they wanted to be free. It was an extraordinary moment in world history. But yet, we hear from this--what do I call him--Russia's tyrant--last year on International Women's Day, he issued a statement. Here is what he said: Congratulations to women--calling the day a ``holiday filled with joy, warmth and goodness.'' And he talked about mothers, granddaughters, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, saying how they represented love and tenderness and how good this was. Yet, if we look at the pictures that are here, he is killing them. There are pictures of the people. Look at this woman. He says tenderness and love and that women are taking care of countries and they are raising children. He is killing them. The elderly and the disabled--I received a letter today, and two individuals were killed in a car because a Russian bomb came down in a civilian area. The woman who was driving was elderly, and the person she had in the car with her was disabled. He is massacring civilians. He says he loves women. Really? They are dead. They didn't have a chance. They are civilians. In terms of the disruption of life in Ukraine, God bless them. Over 2 million have now fled from their tiny, little homes. It is one of the poorest Nations in Europe, but it wants its freedom. Here is a picture of the numbers of people fleeing. You can see, if you look at the number of headscarves, these are women with their children. Many at the Ukraine-Poland border are kissing their husbands goodbye, they fear for the last time. The children are crying. In the westernmost city of Ukraine, Lviv, there is a sea of displaced people. Europe has not seen this since the Second World War, nothing like it. Free people everywhere have to pay attention. These are good people. Seventy-five percent of the food raised in that country that is eaten by the people there is raised by those women in their family plots, in their gardens. Putin is killing them. He is killing the mothers and grandmothers of Ukraine. What do his statements matter in the Kremlin, when he comes out of his cave, wherever that is. We see the butchery on the news every night. We see it on our iPhones. Our visceral feelings of horror pale in comparison to the lived reality of those who now know deep fear, anxiety, and loss. The reality is that Putin is sending his troops in those tanks and those jets up in the air to shoot and bomb hospitals and maternity wards and kindergartens and schools. He has already killed, from 2014 to the present, when he first invaded Ukraine, 14,000 people who aren't known to the world, and now more. He has no heart. In his statement last year, on International Women's Day, he said: Thank you to the women doctors, the paramedics, the medical nurses, and all of those who are saving lives and nursing patients back to health. What a lie. These women in Ukraine today, without proper bandages, without medical equipment, are caring for women who are pregnant and delivering in the subway systems of the capital city, in Kyiv. If they need a C- section and they are cut, there is no thread to sew them up. How about that, Putin? How about that? How many children have you killed since your invasion of Ukraine? The misery among these people. This abominable creature is now spilling the blood of those he once heralded. Ukraine's medical professionals and their patients are being murdered. The people trying to help are being murdered. On a day Putin recently proclaimed as the triumph of love and admiration and gratitude. This two-faced liar is committing war crimes against an innocent people. Can Putin be human? A human could not celebrate women on one day and then annihilate them and their families on the next. He simply couldn't be human. He is a killer of Lucifer proportion. He considers human life not sacred. So on this International Women's Day, a day dedicated to honoring women around the globe, let us recognize the brave, courageous women of Ukraine. From every walk of life, they have endured centuries of oppression. Now, with this window on liberty, this moment in history, they have a chance to take their young democracy forward, and they are fighting for it. They are sewing camouflage material to try to prevent the planes from seeing where they live. They are defending their homeland with every ounce left in them. There is not enough food, and there is not enough water. As co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus and as someone who has visited Ukraine since the 1970s countless times, I know these women and their bravery. There is nothing you can teach a grandma in Ukraine that she hasn't been through. We call them babusyas. They are the world's strongest women. They have endured so much. Ukraine's women are truly engaged in a battle to slay Goliath. Ukraine's passionate, generous, and courageous women are on the front lines. There are some who are serving in the military itself, on the home front, in their neighborhoods. I don't know if anybody saw the babusya, a grandma, who had a pan, and she hit an armed drone out of the air. How about that? They are learning how to use guns, to do anything to help their people in beating the savage attacks of Kremlin's Putin. The entire world sees the bold spirit of these women. Here in America, we see that spirit in Ukraine's remarkable Ambassador Oksana Markarova, who has such dignity, dignity under pressure, real courage, rallying our Nation and our leaders for the aid of her country. We must hear her. We must hear the pleas of the people of Ukraine. In the midst of unceasing atrocity, Ukraine's women are pouring their hearts and souls into the righteous cause of defending the bright shining light of liberty. They can see it. I will tell you one experience I had when I first went to Ukraine, and I watched how the people walked with their heads down, and they didn't want to be noticed. They tried to be almost disappeared while they were walking down the sidewalk. They didn't want to make eye contact with anybody. Today, when you go to Ukraine, the new generation, they look at you, they have hope in their eyes, there is possibility. They want to access West. There is no more noble duty than defending liberty and letting others enjoy its bounty. When envisioning the vanguards of democracy, don't think of some mythical beings. Instead, think of the flesh and blood of Ukrainian women who are protecting and defending the precious blessings of the bit of democracy and liberty that they have been able to taste. These women are the real heroines among us. Today, America and the world rise up in solidarity with Ukraine's women. Let us salute their valiant fight against the darkness and the murderous behavior of Vladimir Putin. We stand with them, and we stand with Ukraine. No country in the world has done more for Ukraine than the people of our great country. Today, on International Women's Day in the year of 2022, America exclaims to Ukraine's women: Slava Ukraini. Thank you, we love you, we know you are going to be victorious. It is going to take a bit more time, but know that we in the free world stand with you and are doing everything possible to save you, to save your beloved families, to save your communities, to save your country. You so deserve the liberty that you have earned. I say in many of my speeches back home, there is no more sacred soil than the soil of Ukraine because of what its people intergenerationally have endured through no fault of their own. They deserve to be free. They have earned it.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to call attention to the continuing horror being unleashed in Ukraine by the treacherous tyrant Vladimir Putin, a pitiful creature of darkness. Forty-four million freedom-loving Ukrainians deserve to live in peace and freedom. They voted for liberty, 90 percent of them. They have done nothing to Putin. They pose no threat to Russia. Putin invaded a sovereign nation and is committing war crimes against civilians. He is creating a humanitarian crisis flooding across Europe. The trains aren't big enough to haul all of the people seeking peace. In the 11 days since he invaded, and since 2014, he has murdered hundreds of Ukrainians, in addition to the 14,000 Russians killed in Ukraine, and over 1.5 million have fled across the border into neighboring countries. The American people are opening their hearts with humanitarian aid, but the free world must help provide more fighter jets, Javelins, Stingers, small arms, ammunition, body armor, and air defense. Ukraine is the scrimmage line for liberty in Europe. Here, at the beginning of the 21st century, liberty requires vigilance for Ukraine.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Meeks for his unyielding leadership on this important bill and Ranking Member McCaul for setting a tone for this entire Congress that we succeed when we work together, particularly in a cause as great as this, liberty for a country that voted for independence. Thirty years ago, 90 percent of the people voted to be independent of tyrannical Russia, and today now they are fighting again. The bipartisan nature of this bill today would warm the hearts of great American leaders, like President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower or General George Marshall or President John Kennedy or President Ronald Reagan, because across Europe they fully understood how many American lives were given to the cause of liberty so that we, their descendants, would pass it on to our descendants. We are here today in that fight because Ukraine is the scrimmage line for liberty in Europe today. The valor of the people of Ukraine against the Russian state is extraordinary. Our young people are learning what the price of liberty is, sadly, and the people of Ukraine are inspiring the world. We think so much of their valor, their fight, and their desire to join the world of free nations. May God bless them and may God bless America, and thank you for understanding a united America always wins for liberty.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the PACT Act that Chairman Takano and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs brought before us today. I was very pleased to vote for it. When those who go to serve our country abroad or even here at home come back to civilian life, they often carry with them the injuries of toxic exposure, such as burn pits, and we have a moral obligation for their care. Madam Speaker, to shift to a different subject, as we watch the slaughter in Ukraine, I would urge the Government of the United States and the President of the United States to mobilize our National Guard Partnership for Peace programs across the various States. Ohio is linked to Serbia and Hungary, and Illinois to Poland. There are ways for us as a country to use idle aircraft, like C-130 sitting on the ground in this country, where the American people want to donate blankets and bandages in ways of caring for those who are being killed and injured, who are hungry in the Nation of Ukraine. That is an unrealized asset we have. We could do that overnight if we had the will to do it, the Partnership for Peace, the State Partnership for Peace, which is part of the U.S. Department of Defense under the National Guard Bureau. Madam Speaker, I ask the President to help us help Ukraine.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in solidarity with the people of Ukraine who are under horrific siege. Ukraine's valorous President Volodymyr Zelensky and the courageous Ukrainian forces and its people are defending their homeland in what truly is a battle of David versus Goliath. Putin is unleashing hell on Earth through cluster bombs and vacuum bombs on innocent civilians targeting women, children, and the elderly, and striking hospitals and orphanages in a murderous rampage. This is the work of war criminals. But more war is not the answer. The top leaders of every nation in our world--not just their ambassadors but every leader of every nation--this week must create an historic surge of diplomacy to engage with Vladimir Putin to end this massacre. Work it out. Work it out. Please stop the killing. Stop the fear. Stop the massacre. Build forward. Invite Vladimir Putin toward a new world of peace and opportunity for all in that damaged and struggling part of our beleaguered world.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Toledo Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Its members will gather in a special celebration in Toledo, Ohio on Saturday February 12, 2022 to celebrate this milestone occasion. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is an organization of college educated women dedicated to public service and the development of women, with a focus on the Black community. Its world-wide services offer support through the organization's ``Five-Point Programmatic Thrust: Economic Development; Educational Development; International Awareness and Involvement; Physical and Mental Health; and Political Awareness and Involvement.'' Since its founding, more than 350,000 women have been part of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The sorority currently has over 1,000 collegiate and alumnae chapters located in the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, the Republic of Korea, the Arabian Gulf, Southern Africa, and Western Africa. Among the chapters is one in Toledo, Ohio. The Toledo chapter notes in its history: ``In 1937, the first chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in Toledo, Ohio was formed by seven young women. They were Louise Burgette, Mamie Duffy, Lillian Duffy, Constance Heslip, Mayola Senior, Ella P. Stewart, and Frances Wade. Beta Lambda Mixed Chapter consisted of undergraduates at The University Toledo, Mary Manse College and graduates residing in the city.'' ``On February 12, 1972, Lillian P. Benbow, the National President of Delta Sigma Theta, came to Toledo to establish the Alumnae Chapter. The graduate members formed the Toledo Alumnae Chapter and Beta Lambda became the city-wide undergraduate collegiate chapter.'' ``Delta has been involved in numerous activities that emphasize scholarship, public service, and international involvement. Breakfast for M'Lady has been its annual fundraiser for years at which graduating high school seniors are awarded scholarships. The chapter has also sponsored a Habitat for Humanity house in Africa. Voter registration activities, mentoring and tutoring children through its Delta Academy programs, sponsoring and participating in mental and physical health awareness events are just some of the ways the chapter has given back to our community.'' Civil rights and social justice icon Angela Davis encouraged ``We must always attempt to lift as we climb.'' For fifty years, the members of the Toledo Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta have done just that. Always in pursuit of higher goals through the generations, the women of the chapter have grown and nurtured future leaders. As they look back on a half-century of progress, I know they are inspired toward the next.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as co-chair of the 50-member bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus to voice our strong support for Ukraine and her people. Ukraine is the scrimmage line for liberty on the European continent-- our very closest allies. Right now, the world is watching with growing alarm as Russia again beats the Kremlin's drums of war. Vladimir Putin, with his thirst for force over reason and the rule of law, is severely isolated from the norms of human decency and the global community. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014. Fourteen thousand people have been killed. While Ukraine is Putin's most immediate target, it certainly is not the only one he has his eyes on. As we have watched, Russia has taken pieces of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and the message is clear. Thirty years ago, the people of Ukraine voted by more than 90 percent to establish their independence. Ukraine was a signatory to the Budapest Memorandum in which the West guaranteed Ukraine's security in return for all nuclear weapons staged on its territory be removed. Will the West keep its promise? For decades, the Soviet Union held Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, and so many others under its iron fist suppressing any notion of freedom. We have a map here that clearly shows how small Ukraine is compared to the vast Russian Empire. We are not talking about equal partners here. In 1991 the world rejoiced when, at long last, the Communist Iron Curtain fell--a moment the free world did not expect to see in modern time. Upon its fall, liberty and opportunity, which once had only been dreams, now became new possibilities in Ukraine. Over these last 30 years, Ukraine has struggled to cast off Russian interference and grow into a strong, proud, and vibrant nation. It has been a struggle every day of every year. Having visited Ukraine more than any other Member of Congress, I know her people, her communities, her culture, and her struggle. In 2014 I joined then-Vice President Joe Biden and Senator John McCain to attend the inauguration of a new President of Ukraine. As our delegation walked down the streets of the capital city, I can guarantee you, Mr. Speaker, the applause and cheers that rang forth from the crowd as America walked down the street was absolutely unforgettable and astounding. Ukraine's freedom-loving people were exclaiming their love and friendship with the United States, but, most of all, with the idea of liberty. Liberty. It is a memory that I cherish and will never forget. The people of Ukraine, yes, they have hopes and dreams, and they want to live with safety, stability, and enduring prosperity, but, most of all, with liberty. Those hopes and dreams face constant threat by Russia. It seems to never stop. Ukraine has no desire to have its back broken under Russia's repressive command. In 2014 Russia illegally invaded, as I mentioned, and now over 14,000 of her people have been killed in Ukraine. Over 1 million more have been displaced, and the country probably has under 40 million people now. Russia's physical territory represents Goliath in his battle against David. The maps clearly show how vast Russia is--over 13 time zones compared to Ukraine. We see the Russian military amassing at all the borders of Ukraine. If Russia again invades Ukraine, the internal opposition would be fierce and bloody, and that country suffered more than any other people in the world during World War II, that infamous period of time when so many Americans died on the European continent for the very idea of liberty in Europe. The response that is needed from global leaders is clear. When freedom and liberty fall under attack, the free world has an obligation to rise up in its defense. The United States is doing its part. I support President Biden and his administration having committed to end the Nord Stream 2 project if Russia invades Ukraine further. We must continue to stiffen sanctions and work to establish European energy independence and forge a global defensive shield for the protection of Ukraine. The United Nations, NATO, and the Organization for Security and Co- Operation in Europe have the ability to rally a global coalition to ward off Putin and his thirst for domination over countries that do not welcome him. Russia cannot be allowed to operate as the outlaw on the European Continent. So let us seek to build, not destroy. The time has come for the free world to soundly reject Putin's ugly schemes and work together to safeguard Ukraine now and forever. There are several Members who are joining us here today on the floor to participate in this Special Order. I would like to especially recognize Brian Fitzpatrick, the co-chair of Ukraine Caucus from Pennsylvania. We also have, I believe, Congressman Kweisi Mfume of Maryland, Congressman Andy Levin of Michigan, and Congresswoman Victoria Spartz of Indiana, thus far. I thank them all for being here. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick).

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Fitzpatrick for his strong support of Ukraine and for the substance he has given from his own life prior to his service here in the Congress of putting that life at risk many times on behalf of liberty around the world. I thank him so very, very much. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), who is a very fervent supporter of Ukraine, and thank him for adjusting his schedule to be here with us this evening.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Levin for his leadership on this, and we will work with him on the vigil at the Holodomor Memorial here in Washington, D.C. I thank the gentleman for taking the time to delay his flight back home, I am sure, to be with us. The gentleman reminds me when we look at the map of Russia in red and Ukraine in yellow, we think about David and Goliath--at least I do--and David deserves attention and respect. We thank you for your time this evening. And also I wanted to say to Congresswoman Victoria Spartz from the State of Indiana who is joining us this evening, sometimes the heavens produce someone in the Congress at a moment in history that becomes pivotal. As I introduce her, I thank her extremely for her excellent participation in the Ukrainian Caucus, her leadership, and her ability to change her schedule at any point in order to be a strong voice for liberty. No one knows better than she what it is like to live under a tyrannical, repressive regime. I yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz).

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Spartz very much for being here and for being such a strong voice for liberty, having known the other side of that. I thank her for her time today, for her heartfelt remarks. We continue to be benefited by her extraordinary leadership. Mr. Speaker, our final speaker today is the very distinguished gentleman from the State of Maryland who knows a whole lot about the rule of law and human rights. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mfume), who we are fortunate has returned to Congress after serving in so many national positions. We are so grateful for his life and his presence here today.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Mfume for his sterling remarks. His presence here adds enormous value to what we are attempting to do, to stop war, to promote diplomacy and peace, and to help protect a David against a Goliath. This is a very noble calling. As we close today, I want to say for the record, for teachers who may be listening, for scholars, for other Members of Congress, there is a book by Dr. Timothy Snyder of Yale University titled ``Bloodlands.'' If you want to understand the struggle for liberty, that is a book that is a must-read. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the call of the Private Calendar be dispensed with on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, energy security for the free world is an imperative. I rise today to strongly endorse President Biden's vow yesterday that if Russia further invades Ukraine, there will, ``no longer be a Nord Stream 2 pipeline across Europe. We will put an end to it.'' During the Trump administration, this Russian energy pipeline was allowed to creep ever closer into the heart of Europe to make our closest NATO allies dependent on Russian gas. What a strategic failure. Reliance on a tyrannical regime is dangerous. To our dear allies in Europe, if Putin were to succeed in clawing Ukraine back under Russia's command, he would not stop there. The free world must place stronger sanctions on Nord Stream 2. It must ratchet up diplomat engagement to this strongest test of the rule of law since World War II. As Russian troops amass at Ukraine's border, the free world must deploy the defensive shield to protect her liberty and assure her territorial sovereignty through a coalition of the willing.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bipartisan United States Postal Service and Postal Service Reform bill. By eliminating the unnecessary and harmful mandate to prefund retiree benefits, and preserving 6-day delivery, we are investing in our hardworking postal workers and safeguarding this vital American service. For more than 200 years, the United States Postal Service has delivered to households and businesses in every community on every block in every State of our great Nation. What an American enterprise. Through rain, sleet, and snow, hundreds of thousands of postal workers serve America every single day, making sure we all remain connected. I was a carrier; I know, too. The United States Postal Service is foundational to our American way of life. It is incumbent upon Congress to support this cherished and essential institution for all the generations to come. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the Postal Service Reform bill and vote for the United States Postal Service. I thank all those who labored for so many years to bring this to the floor. Congratulations to you and to America.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I express sincere appreciation to our extremely able chair, Rosa DeLauro, for working so hard, along with our able ranking member, Kay Granger, on the bipartisan effort, the latest short-term continuing resolution before us. Congress holds a bipartisan responsibility to pass a full-year appropriations package, and I guarantee you if the people on this floor were the ones totally in charge, we would have done it. These appropriations bills deliver the services the American people need and deserve, everything from the defense of our Nation to funding vital health services and tending to our national parks. As chair of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, our fiscal year 2022 bill will continue the progress of the bipartisan jobs and infrastructure bill. The bill will invest in clean energy technology. It will bolster the Army Corps of Engineers' ability to protect our majestic rivers, lakes, and coastlines, and improve our dams and shipping lanes. What America makes, builds, and grows makes, builds, and grows America. These energy and water investments will create good-paying jobs for hardworking men and women across our land. Too many of these projects are languishing on the sidelines, waiting for these two bodies to do their job. We cannot meet America's objectives if we don't pass these appropriations bills. As we make progress on passing these bills, we have before us now a continuing resolution that will allow our Federal Government to continue operating until a final agreement is achieved. This is a must- pass bill. I respectfully ask all of my colleagues to join us in supporting this necessary legislation and let us continue the work to build our country forward by investing in the American people who sent us here to do their work.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of the United Auto Workers as well as America's auto manufacturers. Every day, nearly a million hardworking Americans go to work on factory floors across our country building the finest vehicles in the world, but our workers and manufacturers cannot compete on the global stage without a robust inventory of the semiconductor chips that help power the auto industry. The CHIPS Act will invest $2 billion to turbocharge domestic production of legacy auto chips and unleash America's 21st century innovation. The CHIPS Act will support good-paying jobs for the American middle class, including tens of thousands of auto workers across Ohio at Jeep, Ford, and GM. Intel just announced a $20 billion investment in semiconductor factories in Ohio, but that is just the beginning. Let's revitalize America's manufacturing might, re-shore production here in the United States, and create thousands of new living-wage jobs for our workers and families. Madam Speaker, it is time to pass the CHIPS Act and move America forward by freeing us from foreign chip domination.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thank the Chairwoman for yielding and thank her for her dutiful service to our country. What a legacy to leave for the American people. Congratulations. I rise today to highlight two amendments I have offered to the America COMPETES Act. The first will ensure that innovative startups in our Great Lakes region, our freshwater industrial heartland, are prioritized when Federal support is awarded to accelerate the commercialization of clean energy technology. The second will allow economically distressed communities throughout the industrial heartland to receive fair consideration for new investments in domestic solar facilities. This is vitally important when our Nation is competing against China, which constantly hacks our technology and takes outsourced jobs paying penny wages to their workers. The America COMPETES Act offers a remarkable opportunity to stimulate 21st century growth in America. We must make sure these investments reach down to the communities that have been outsourced of jobs and not always received their fair share in compensation. My amendments will allow Great Lakes communities to receive the resources they deserve as they labor to make, build, and grow that which makes, builds, and grows America. I ask for support of these amendments.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank President Joe Biden and the majority here with some of our Republican friends who passed the bipartisan infrastructure legislation not long ago. The Biden administration just announced this morning three-quarters of a billion dollars of investment in the Great Lakes region--an awesome amount--to take care of projects that had been sitting on the shelf for over a quarter century, for the modernization of the Soo Locks. We could not conduct war without those locks being operational. And they have sat around with no investment. God bless Joe Biden for his patriotism to this country, and also for what is going to happen at Brandon Road Lock, south of Chicago, with the barrier that will be built so the Asian carp don't get into the entire Great Lakes and eat up all of our native species. Three-quarters of a billion dollars in the Great Lakes today; what a phenomenal intergenerational announcement. Madam Speaker, I thank all the Members who supported that important legislation, and I thank Joe Biden, the President of the United States.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute to distinguished Ohio Senator Edna Brown, a trailblazer who recently passed away. Edna Brown was a remarkable public servant from Toledo, Ohio, who dedicated her life and her three decades of service to improving the well-being and future of our community. As the first and only African American to represent Lucas County in the Ohio Senate, she blazed a trail for many to follow at the highest level of elected office in Ohio. She was a warm, inviting, and immensely kind person whose focus was always on public service and bettering the lives of the people she served, the people she truly loved. Northwest Ohio lost a great champion. Her family lost a great mother and grandmother. America needs more people like Edna Brown in public service. Her memory will live with us, and I know her legacy will inspire the next generation of Ohio's leaders, including women leaders. I include in the Record her life story and obituary as a tribute to her persevering accomplishments for our Nation's betterment. Godspeed, Edna Brown. May the angels carry her very high, and may she rest in her peace. . Senator Edna Brown Biography Edna Brown was elected to serve Ohio's 11th Senate District in November, 2010. She came from the Ohio House of Representatives, where she served Ohio's 48th House District. The Toledo native was a public school graduate who attended the University of Toledo and Mary Manse College. Her dedication to public service led to a 32-year career as an employee with the city of Toledo, followed by a six-year tenure on Toledo City Council. She moved to the Statehouse in January 2002 to fill the House seat of then newly-elected Toledo mayor Jack Ford. Since her arrival, she worked tirelessly on issues of voting rights, health, violence against women and economic development. Her idea to bring ``no excuse'' absentee voting to Ohio was incorporated into a bill that became state law in January 2006. For her efforts, the Ohio Association of Election Officials and the Ohio Secretary of State honored her with the Jack Wolfe Memorial Award as one of two ``Legislators of the Year.'' In 2007, Brown introduced a bill to immunize young women from the human papilloma virus, and a bill addressing violence in teen dating relationships. Senator Brown served as a member of the House Finance & Appropriations Committee and as Chair of the Human Services Subcommittee. She also served on the House Commerce and Labor Committee, the Elections and Ethics Committee, and the Commerce and Labor Committee. Senator Brown sat on the Ohio Commission on Minority Health Board and served as Chair of the Ohio Children's Trust Fund. She was a member of the House Cancer Caucus. Senator Brown was the First Vice President of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, and served on the Executive Committee the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. She also worked as state director for WILL/WAND, a non-partisan national organization for women legislators. Senator Brown was very active in her hometown. She was instrumental in founding the Greater Toledo Urban League and sat on the Board of Directors. She was a past chair of the Administration Board for Braden United Methodist Church, and was a charter member of the Executive Women's Golf Association. All of her efforts garnered Senator Brown numerous awards. She won an inaugural ``ROSA'' Award from the Toledo Board of Community Relations for living a life parallel to the example set by civil rights leader Rosa Parks. The Toledo YWCA also honored Brown as a 2007 Milestone Award recipient for her contributions and achievements and WILL/WAND honored her with a Pacesetter Award the same year.