Marcy Kaptur

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. 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 will include her life story and her obituary in the Congressional Record as a tribute to her persevering accomplishments for our Nation's betterment. Godspeed, Edna Brown. May the angels carry you very high, and may you rest in peace.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1836, the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act. I thank Chairman Takano and Representative Levin for their important work on this legislation that finally acknowledges the undervalued service of our guard and reservists. The sponsors' sentiments ring true: Every day in uniform counts. At least it should count. It should count more. In Ohio, there are over 11,400 National Guard members performing strategic and operational duties to whom we owe enormous gratitude. Our National Guard protects our homeland and supports the mission of our troops abroad. It provides critical support to people in times of urgent need, from natural disasters to the public health COVID emergency we are in right now. The National Guard and Reserves have been an invaluable readiness resource throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and are continuing to fill critical roles in response to the pandemic. In my home State of Ohio, the Ohio National Guard has helped Ohio food banks distribute over 56 million pounds of food at 14 food banks and warehouses, including the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank. They have provided food banks the support they needed to keep children, seniors, veterans, and families fed during these very trying times. They set up COVID-19 testing clinics and traveled the State to keep our communities safe. They are currently stationed at 12 testing locations across Ohio. Thanks to President Biden's executive actions, 2,300 Guard members have been activated across Ohio to help hospitals and public health experts care for those most in need so all the omicron variant patients that are flooding our hospitals have some hope of survival. The service and dedication of our National Guard and Reserves require that we appropriately recognize and appreciate their sacrifices. While the debt we owe them cannot be fully repaid, the legislation before us ensures that these honorable men and women will receive the proper access to the educational benefits they so rightly deserve. Providing these important GI Bill benefits will undoubtedly aid the recruitment and retention of National Guard units at home and abroad while further investing in our servicemembers' futures. With six National Guard sites in my own congressional district and several Reserve units nearby, I know that this legislation will have a deep and lasting impact on our State's residents and those who answer the call to serve. It is certainly my privilege to represent these guard and reservists in Congress, and I am proud to support enhancing the benefits that they can have access to and deserve for their service. May God be with all our men and women in uniform.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the economic comeback we are seeing in Ohio and across our Nation. In April of 2020, before the Biden administration took office, America's unemployment rate was nearly 15 percent. With Democrats in charge, that rate is down to 3.9 percent, millions of jobs across our country. Under President Biden's and our Democratic Congress, we passed the American Rescue Plan to prevent communities, universities, hospitals from going bankrupt, to keep police officers and firefighters on the job, and put our people back to work. And indeed, last year, 2021, 6.4 million new jobs were created across our country--an unprecedented number. That is a wow by any measure. And 100 percent of Republicans voted ``no'' on the rescue bill. Now, thanks to the Jobs and Infrastructure Act, Democrats just passed billions of dollars, and good construction jobs are going out across this country to rebuild roads, bridges, airports, renewable energy, next generation manufacturing, and keep the progress moving. And guess what, 94 percent of Republicans voted ``no.'' I say thank you to the Biden administration. Thank you to the Democratic party for picking this country up during the worst pandemic in a century.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today regarding the ongoing threat posed by COVID-19. After 22 months of this pandemic, we cannot be complacent. In order to prevent further spread of the virus, either someone has to die, which I don't consider a very good alternative, or everybody else who isn't vaccinated ought to get their vaccines. By doing so, you prevent more suffering and death. In Ohio, COVID-19 is ripping across the State. Our emergency rooms are full of patients, and our ICU staffs are overworked. Ninety-five percent of COVID hospitalizations are among unvaccinated individuals-- 95 percent. This is costing our healthcare system billions of dollars and wear and tear on all of our medical professionals. However, only 61 percent of Ohio residents have received their first dose. That means the majority aren't pulling with the crew. I urge all of us to think about the safety of our family, our friends, and our neighbors and do what we must to assist the well-being of those who are working overtime now for almost 2 years in our healthcare facilities. They are serving on the front lines. We all have a duty to be patriotic, and that means saving lives, not taking them, and making sure that you get your vaccine.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to recognize a great American, a man whose accomplishments during the 20th and 21st centuries are legend already. Senator Robert Dole was a war hero who fought against Nazi forces in the horrific battles on the Italian front and was gravely wounded. Following the 20th century's Allied victory against tyranny, he went on to serve as one of America's finest statesmen. He was strong, faithful, honest, and indefatigable. My friendship with Senator Dole was forged during the 17-year quest to secure a fitting World War II memorial here in our Nation's Capitol that honors the 16 million Americans who put it all on the line when the world needed them most. Our Nation needs leaders like Bob Dole today. He understood that extreme partisanship could not bring about the common good. Instead, we must work together to deliver the promises of the American Dream. He left us with this wise advice: ``America needs unity to rediscover its greatness.'' Godspeed, Senator Dole. You will be greatly missed and remembered always.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise to address this latest short-term budget fix before us. We have a bipartisan responsibility to pass a full-year appropriations package. Democrats have worked in good faith to find common ground that will allow us to meet our national obligations to the American people and deliver essential services that they expect. Unfortunately, Republicans have decided that engaging in partisan politics and throwing up needless speed bumps in delays and roadblocks is more important than doing their job. The people harmed most by this obstruction are the hardworking families, seniors, and veterans I represent. In fact, our Great Lakes region deserves so much better, and Americans deserve better. Let's govern our Nation. No more stalls. Our bipartisan Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee worked diligently to craft a forward-thinking bill. It invests new resources to meet America's needs and create good jobs in clean energy and water technologies allowing us to secure our Nation's energy independence, create good-paying jobs, and confront the climate crisis that is impacting every coast in every region and, frankly, continent. A full-year bill will ensure our water resource agencies are able to meet the needs of the American people and solidify our waterway and port infrastructure driving our economy forward, meeting the backlogs that are there, and creating good jobs from coast to coast. The people's business must be conducted, and for the sake of our Nation, Republicans should work in a constructive manner, not destructive. We look forward to passing these bills and investing in the American people. For now, I urge my colleagues to support this bridge to the future and move our Nation forward again.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight how the Build Back Better Act will improve the lives of people all across our country. For far too long, pharmaceutical giants have charged outrageous prices for lifesaving medication. The Build Back Better Act will finally allow Medicare to negotiate prices and cap the price of insulin at $35 a month. For years, hardworking people who fell ill or cared for an aging loved one were forced to choose between their livelihood and their health or that of their loved ones. Finally, the Build Back Better Act will ensure more people have decent healthcare and that their coverage is more affordable. Importantly, all of this will be paid for without raising taxes on middle-class families because when billionaires pay their fair share, we can invest in those who make and build what makes and builds America.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, today President Biden hosted Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Mexican President Lopez Obrador for the North American Leaders' Summit. I urge them to address the continental challenges unleashed by NAFTA job losses in the U.S. and the rising illicit drug trade. An often overlooked impact of NAFTA trade is the evisceration of Mexico's white corn market. As Mexican farmers lost their livelihoods, many turned to planting poppy crops for income, which is now blended with Chinese fentanyl. We know too NAFTA devastated our Industrial Heartland leading to massive job loss and a continuing surge of narcotics into the U.S.-- killing nearly a million people. I urge the President and continental leaders to not ignore the harms of NAFTA on American workers, Mexican farmers, and communities ravaged by job losses and the opioid epidemic. Let us chart a new path forward for continental trade--but not based on penny wage labor. The Americas need fair trade.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Marblehead Lighthouse in Marblehead, Ohio. On Sunday, November 20, 2021, I joined with residents and congregants of First United Church of Christ-Congregational in Marblehead to kick off the celebration through 2022. I am honored to include in the Record the history as stated during the celebration. The history was written by Lorrie Halblaub. Welcome. Today we will rededicate the Marblehead Lighthouse which was built in 1821 and commissioned in 1822. It was originally called the Sandusky Bay Light Station but the name changed to Marblehead in 1870. Starting today, this peninsula will be honoring the light with a year-long celebration featuring many events. There is something about a lighthouse that makes us compare it to God. Its leading light, its steadfastness, its help to those who are in trouble, so a church is a fitting place to begin this journey. The Story of the Marblehead Lighthouse in Words and Music After the War of 1812, the United States turned its attention to shipping on the Great Lakes and lighthouses were necessary to aid in navigation. In 1819 Congress budgeted $5,000 for a light between the Grand River in Ohio and the Detroit River in Michigan. Another $5000 was budgeted in 1820. Because Sandusky Bay was the safest harbor in that stretch of Lake Erie, it was decided that a light would be erected at the entrance. So, the United States purchased 3 acres of land for $277.45 on what was known then as Rocky Point, a small peninsula on the east end of the larger Marblehead peninsula. Instructions on the size and shape of the lighthouse were given to the builder, William Kelly, from Sandusky. His workers quarried the native limestone and built the 50-foot tower that was to become the light. They started on September 14 and finished on November 10, 1821 at a cost of $7,282. Two of Kelly's grandsons, John Jr. and Joab were founders of this church. Over the rest of the winter and spring of 1822, the top of the light tower was fitted with the light source; 13 Argand whale oil lamps with reflectors and a set of windows, called a lantern, that the light shone through. The lighthouse was the first permanent structure built on the peninsula. The second structure was a stone keeper's house next to the light. Then William Kelly also built a third stone dwelling for the man who would become the first keeper of the light, Benajah Wolcott, the first permanent settler of Danbury Township. By June 22, 1822, the light was officially lit and Wolcott began 10 years of service at $350 per year. What was it like to be a lightkeeper back then? In a word ``difficult''. First, you had to stay up all night long to keep the light going. You had to haul heavy containers of oil up a series of wooden ladders to fuel the flame. The wicks needed trimming, the lamps and window glass needed polishing, the tower needed maintenance and painting, the grounds and the keeper's house had to be cleaned and kept in repair. Remember, back then, the Marblehead Peninsula was a prairie. Settlers lived in log cabins with no towns, roads, stores, schools, churches or local government Travel on land was by horse or on foot so you couldn't run to a store if you needed something. Shopping required a rowboat trip across Sandusky Bay to the nearest town where you turned in your monthly lighthouse reports and picked up your pay. All the early keepers grew their own food and kept livestock. All keepers kept a log where they wrote down the weather and what ships passed. For the first 55 years of the light, the keepers were also required to aid any ship in distress. If they couldn't mount a rescue of volunteers, they had to do the rescuing themselves. There were 15 lightkeepers over the years, including two women. After Benajah Wolcott died of Cholera, his wife, Rachel, became the first female lightkeeper on the Great Lakes. Then, in 1875, something happened that changed the keeper's duty of mounting rescues. In May of that year, a gale swept over the lake. The schooner Consuelo began to sink about 3 miles from the Lighthouse. Lucien Clemons, whose father started the first quarry business on the peninsula, saw their plight and along with his brothers Hubbard and Ai mounted a rescue. They rowed a 12-foot boat for nearly an hour in a raging storm, risking their own lives. They saved two of the crew, who were clinging to the ship. The captain, three seamen and a female cook were lost. For their heroic effort, the three were given the first Congressional gold lifesaving medals ever awarded. Then, because of the number of shipwrecks in the area, the government built a lifesaving station here and it took over the rescues from the lightkeepers. The Point Marblehead Lifesaving Station opened June 24, 1876 with Lucien Clemons as the first keeper. He served for 21 years. His brothers, Hubbard and Ai were members of this church, which was built in 1900. The brothers served on the building committee. Because the lifesaving station was small, they made a deal with the church that people who were rescued could shelter here if needed. The sign of that covenant is on the top of our church steeple. Instead of a cross, we have a symbolic Astrolabe, a device that helped early sailors navigate. The Lifesaving station became part of the Coast Guard and the station was rebuilt and enlarged twice. Today the Marblehead Coast Guard station is the one of the busiest on the Great Lakes. A replica of the first lifesaving station is on display on the grounds of our lighthouse. Because the Coast Guard was part of the Navy during World War II, they have their own verse in the next song, also known as the Navy Hymn. We will now sing Eternal Father Strong to Save with the Coast Guard verse. As the years went by, the lighthouse changed, always for the better, and always to make the light beam farther and brighter. Around the turn of the 20th century, two additions to height, a bigger lantern and a bigger lens were added. The light fuel went from oil to kerosene to electricity and from a lantern with simple reflectors to a magnificent Fresnel lens, to several big LED bulbs. In 1903 the Light gained a clockwork mechanism that only needed to be wound every few hours. Today it is automated. The color of the light has been white, red and now is green so as to distinguish it from other air beacons. Two keepers oversaw most of these changes. Joanna McGee, our second' female keeper, and Charles Hunter, who were both members of this church. The McGee's came to the lighthouse as a newly-weds when George was hired as the 12th keeper. They gave birth to 10 children while living there. Joanna became the keeper after her husband George passed away, Together, George and Johanna McGee served 30 years. By 1881, the keeper's original stone house was in such poor condition that George built them a shed to live in. When the light house inspector saw that, it wasn't long before the old keepers house was torn down and a new two-story wooden home was built that serves as the lighthouse museum today. Charles Hunter came as a single man but married at age 55. He served from 1903-1933, and was quite a character. He was a storyteller, taught a woodworking class at the local school. He built a boat that was too heavy to float and a house made of wood that had washed up on shore. Before 1920, he owned a car, a Hupmobile, but didn't drive it. His wife drove while he sat in the back smoking his pipe! He also created pictures out of crewel embroidery like the one on display. And without knowing how to play the piano, he wrote a song about the lighthouse called The Lighthouse by the Bay that will be sung by soloist Bill Bird. 200 years after the lighthouse was built it is still beaming light every night. It has the honor of being the oldest continuously operating Lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Four other Great Lakes lighthouses were built prior to 1821, but all of them have been decommissioned. Over the years, many old lighthouses have been torn down or rebuilt a few times, but the original Marblehead Light still stands because of several factors; it was built on solid bedrock, built of the finest limestone, a stone that is nearly waterproof, built by an excellent mason who mixed the right mortar consistency and let the building cure properly, and because it has been lovingly maintained over the years. It has withstood many Nor'Easter storms with waves that splash the windows 65 feet up. It has withstood the wrath of Lake Erie, known as the toughest, meanest and most unpredictable of the Great Lakes. As playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote: `I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse. They were built to serve. They weren't built for any other purpose.' We will now sing the hymn Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, the Build Back Better Act is one of the most consequential pieces of legislation that has ever made its way through the halls of Congress. Over the last several decades, the rich have gotten richer, only for the Middle Class to pay the price as America's working families and our physical and social infrastructure have suffered the death of a thousand cuts. The Build Back Better Act sets our Nation on a new course--lowering the cost of health care, family care, and senior care, improving infrastructure, combating climate change, and creating good-paying jobs in every sector and community in our nation. Seniors will benefit from new federal negotiating powers to lower the price of prescription drugs, a $2,000 cap on their out-of-pocket drug expenses on Medicare Part D, and the inclusion of hearing care in Medicare for the first time. Americans with diabetes will no longer pay more than $35 per month for insulin. The vast majority of families will pay no more than 7 percent of their income for childcare. There will be new universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds, and the Child Tax Credit will cut taxes for hardworking families. Our farmers will benefit from new investments in regenerative agriculture, soil conservation, and urban agriculture. The Civilian Climate Corps will help preserve and protect our environment while combating climate change. We will develop new emission-reduction technologies for our critical infrastructure like ports, and build the electric and hydrogen vehicles of the future for consumers and the public sector--including hundreds of thousands of vehicles of the United States Postal Service, and the heavy trucks and service equipment of city and county fleets--all while ensuring our workers receive the training they need for these new technologies. The Build Back Better Act will ensure our workers are not left behind in the transition to the new economy. We will modernize our electric grid, and upgrade our homes and neighborhoods through new weatherization initiatives. Under-resourced neighborhoods will finally have the resources for new, quality, affordable housing. Small business owners will see new opportunities for growth as our communities recover from years of underinvestment. And our veterans will receive higher quality care at new VA facilities across the Nation. The American people will do all this by finally requiring the wealthiest, the biggest corporations, and the tax cheats to pay their fair share. Multimillionaires and those who store their wealth offshore will pay the taxes they owe to support America's resurgence. And no one making less than $400,000 a year will pay one red cent in higher taxes. We know that what America makes and grows makes and grows America. The Build Back Better Act will invest in and support those who do the making and growing. Every child, worker, family, senior will benefit. The Build Back Better Act will guide America to a better future, and restore the Middle Class that has long labored to build up this Nation--the greatest Democratic Republic in the world. Today is a good day for America. Now, let's get this bill to President Biden's desk.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of President Biden's call for the FTC to investigate the world's largest oil companies that appear to be engaging in egregious price manipulation of oil and gasoline prices. In August, Big Oil started substantially reducing production--a bizarre move as our economy was surging forward after the pandemic downturn. At a time when oil production costs are going down, and unprocessed gasoline awaits distilling, Big Oil is driving prices up--and reaping the benefits. The two biggest companies are on pace to double their income since 2019. This is outrageous. It appears corporate fat cats are padding their own wallets at the expense of our national wellbeing. Enough is enough. The FTC should take a deep dive into Big Oil--and put a stop to any nefarious behavior that is harming hardworking Americans. I applaud President Biden's call for action--and hope to see enforcement soon.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud President Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This historic legislation is an enormous win for the American people. Finally, from coast to coast, in every State, district, and territory of our Nation, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver significant new resources. Together, America will restore our Nation's crumbling infrastructure. Together, we will create millions of good- paying jobs over the next decade. The Great Lakes region will be empowered with billions of dollars to rebuild our roads, bridges, rail lines, revitalize our water infrastructure and airports. We will deploy modern broadband connectivity and new carbon-free energy systems. By properly rewarding those who make and build what makes and builds America, we will create a fairer, more just, and more prosperous future for our middle-class workers, families, and communities. For years there has been talk about infrastructure. President Biden is delivering and building back better for Americans from coast to coast.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, as cochair of the Congressional Ukraine and Polish Caucus and member of the Belarus Caucus, I rise with deep concern about Russia's expansionary combativeness in Europe. Russia is amassing tens of thousands more troops and equipment near Ukraine's border, which it has already invaded and killed over 13,000 individuals, threatening global security. Now Belarus, with the support of Russia, is working to undermine the European Union by spearheading a migration crisis at the border with Poland, patrolled by--guess what?-- Russian troops. The free world must strongly condemn Belarus' cruel weaponization of immigration and the loss of life it is causing. As well, we must work to protect our Polish allies and the lives of desperate migrants at the border. If that is not enough, Europe is facing an energy crisis forced upon it by the Kremlin. Russia is seeking to weaponize energy to weaken the Transatlantic resolve. To combat this, I am working with my colleagues to deliver $300 million in investments to support the Three Seas Initiative to help Europe diversify its energy sources and restore energy independence. America must stand in strong solidarity with our European allies who love liberty.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Toledo Chapter of Zonta International. The members of the chapter are gathering on Saturday November 6, 2021 to celebrate this milestone event. Two years after the formation of Zonta International, on November 25, 1921, Toledo women joined forces to form the Zonta Club of Toledo. Those early founders, leading professional women of the day, carried forth the organization's vision as a women's service organization that would advocate for policies ensuring gender equality, protect the rights of women and girls, reduce the incidents of violence against them, and empower women and girls to reach their full potential. To that end, in its century of service the women of Zonta Club of Toledo have led the way in efforts to promote the development of women while providing planning, financial and volunteer support to numerous initiatives. Zonta has assisted the Area Office on Aging Kinship Navigator program, Bethany House shelter, YMCA Storer Camps and YWCA battered women's shelter, purchased HIV/AIDS test kits for Plan Parenthood, raised awareness regarding human trafficking and domestic violence, provided scholarship opportunities and offered volunteer support to a variety of services in our community and globally. Through one hundred years, the members of the Zonta Club of Toledo have continued to build the organization into one of excellence and inspiration. Zonta's mission is to improve ``the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women through service and advocacy'' while ``working for the advancement of understanding, goodwill and peace through a global fellowship of Zonta members.'' As one of the oldest chapters, the Zonta Club of Toledo serves this mission well and its members truly reflect Zonta's efforts to promote ``justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.'' Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel prize laureate and Pakistani activist, said ``When the whole world is silent even one voice becomes powerful.'' Throughout a century of service, the women of the Zonta Club of Toledo have united many and varied voices into one powerful voice and in the process are changing the world. Onward Zonta, for the next hundred years.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this historic legislation and the related Rule to propel American progress. The infrastructure bill along with the Build Back Better Act will usher in a transformational 21st century for the American people. Rebuilding our nation's infrastructure will create millions of living wage jobs for the American people coast to coast. It will add value through work in every state, hamlet, district and territory of our nation. This measure rewards work in every sector--in both hardware and software. The motor vehicle industry, new carbon free energy systems, modern highways, airports, bridges, ports, rail grade separations, broadband, and so much more. These bills strengthen America's families and communities by relieving economic burdens that have held them back. It allows millions of Americans to access affordable health insurance and medications, child and elder care, and robust education and workforce training to meet new horizons in this new era. Major investments in education and health care for our children and seniors have been long overdue. And, the environmental provisions to heal our earth in an era of climate change will restore clean water, clean air, healthy forests, and regenerative soils. Please let me thank all the Committees and Members who have worked so very hard on this measure. The cost of the related bills is paid for and, as more jobs are created, and the overall wealth of our nation increases, not only the annual deficit but also the accumulated national debt will begin to be repaid. By passing these bills, this Chamber meets its obligations to the American people of today and tomorrow. Let us pass this transformative legislation as a critical step in advancing its content to the other body. We acknowledge more changes will likely occur as the bill moves forward. But tonight, this House embraces the future.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 356. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Axne (Spanberger) Babin (Nehls) Bilirakis (Fleischmann) Boebert (Van Drew) Bowman (Tlaib) Cardenas (Gomez) Cawthorn (Nehls) Doggett (Raskin) Frankel, Lois (Clark (MA)) Gaetz (Greene (GA)) Gonzalez, Vicente (Gomez) Gosar (Greene (GA)) Jayapal (Pocan) Khanna (Auchincloss) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Meeks (Kelly (IL)) Meng (Jeffries) Payne (Pallone) Pingree (Kuster) Rush (Underwood) Sires (Pallone) Steube (Franklin, C. Scott) Strickland (Jeffries) Swalwell (Gomez) Waltz (Salazar) Wilson (FL) (Hayes) Young (Joyce (OH)) Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Keller

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentlewoman from Ohio, the Honorable Shontel Brown, and the gentleman from Ohio, the Honorable Mike Carey, be permitted to take the oath of office today. Their certificates of election have not arrived, but there is no contest, and no question has been raised with regard to their election.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, today we welcome Representative Shontel Brown of Ohio's 11th Congressional District to the Halls of Congress, America's temple of democracy. Representative Brown's Great Lakes, northern Ohio, Cleveland region has weathered enormous challenges over the years. Now more than ever her intelligent, innovative, personable, and collaborative leadership are needed. Representative Brown has a remarkable record of such accomplishments. She follows in the footsteps of former Congresswoman and now HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Representative Louis Stokes. Representative Brown will now become the 58th member of the Black Caucus, an historic high for our Nation. First, as a Warrensville Heights City Council member, and then as a Cuyahoga County Council member, Representative Brown has driven progress through investments in infrastructure, health and human services, and education at every juncture to help incentivize good- paying jobs. Shontel knows well how important it is for Federal and local governments working with the private sector to partner together to improve quality of life and increase opportunity, equity, and justice for all. Her relationships across northeast Ohio are very deep. Her commitment to serving greater Cleveland and Akron is dynamic and purposeful. Ohio's Buckeye State congressional delegation is honored to welcome sparkling Representative Shontel Brown. We stand ready to work with her to deliver results for Ohio and for the American people. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, today, we have the additional distinct pleasure of welcoming Representative Mike Carey of Sabina, Ohio, to the 117th Congress and to Ohio's Buckeye State congressional delegation. Ohio is truly the industrial heartland of America, and the 15th Congressional District embodies our region's aspirations and struggles. The hardworking men and women of south central Ohio hold high hopes. They have sent Representative Mike Carey to advance progress for Ohio and America. We know he will champion the cause of workers and families so all can succeed. We all can imagine how very proud his family and friends are at this unforgettable moment. From assuring America's energy independence and deploying broadband internet, to rebuilding our roads, bridges, and power grid, Representative Mike Carey will bring his experience to bear with the energy industry to move Ohio and America forward and secure good-paying jobs for the middle class. All of us here today are excited to welcome determined, dogged Representative Mike Carey and to get to work delivering new prosperity across our great State and Nation. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Section 232 steel and aluminum agreement that President Biden's administration has reached with the European Union. This agreement is critical as a safeguard for national security, to restore and improve our transatlantic alliances, and bolster the American steel and aluminum industries that serve as the backbone of this country. Establishing a level playing field through robust enforcement mechanisms will ensure that American companies are able to compete in the marketplace, not forced to contend with the cheaper and shoddier metals dumped around the globe by China and others. President Biden is delivering for domestic manufacturers and our union brothers and sisters who build up America. Together, we will continue our work to create the good-paying middle class jobs our families deserve. Let us rebuild our communities with the innovation and ingenuity that only American industries can produce.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thought I would like to place on the record this afternoon the fact that very important negotiations are going on on both sides of the Capitol relative to the infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better bill, and I just wanted to point out to all those who hear my voice that there is no one from the Great Lakes a party to those dialogues with a major position in either Chamber. I think it is really important to sensitize those who are in the room that whatever they do, don't forget the industrial heartland of America. Our fine leaders in both parties come from both coasts and they come from other regions of the country, but the industrial heartland is notable by its absence in those in the rooms who are doing the negotiation. I know if we alert them to the fact that we exist and that we have huge needs ranging from rail freight to seaborne commerce to industrial revitalization--the list is very long--but I just wanted to point that fact out. I know if my voice is heard by the administration and by those in the respective committees they will respond accordingly. Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to place these words on the record.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Levin so very much, my Great Lakes buddy, for sponsoring this very deserved tribute this evening to Richard Trumka. It truly is an honor to be here today in fellowship with my colleagues and those who are unyielding in their commitment to creating a better world for the hardworking men and women who build our Nation and world forward. No one embodied that devotion more deeply than the man whose life we celebrate here today: Richard Trumka. For nearly 50 years, President Trumka was steadfast in his dedication to advancing the dignity and worth of American and guest workers who clock into work every day to earn a living to provide for themselves and their families and do the work before them. Each bring about their own version of the American Dream. I knew Rich from his earliest days leading the United Mine Workers of America from 1983 to 1995 as its president, and I was blessed to call him a friend. I well recall when the mine workers conducted a national strike against Peabody Coal in 1993 to achieve better wages and working conditions in this dangerous industry. I always respected Rich as an ally in the battles against job- outsourcing trade agreements like NAFTA, which opened up the chutes for corporations to ship jobs overseas, unleashing a devastation of America's middle class and industrial America, the likes of which we had never seen before. Having stood alongside him for many of these fights over the years, I witnessed firsthand how global his reach truly was. I recall one convening in particular that he organized with workers from across the world. There I saw how acutely he understood the need for working people to band together across national boundaries in common cause to better working conditions for all. He saw the future. From the coal mines to Congress, workers had no fiercer advocate than when they were attacked by special interests or antiworker lawmakers. We shall all miss him and his passion immensely. I take heart in the knowledge that he left behind a coalition that is well prepared to take on the challenges that lie ahead. America's unions are strong as the cause they pursue is just. And in his memory, let us push forward on the path to building back better for the American people. The working men and women of labor are poised and will distinguish themselves in retooling our Nation for the century ahead. And there will be many pylons that will be installed that will be done in the memory of Richard Trumka. May God carry him high and give him deserved rest.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, Chair Himes, for yielding, and I thank him for bringing the committee to Lorain, Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to offer my strong support for pending new investments in our workers, our families, and our communities. As was highlighted during the hearing in Lorain, our region has been battered by an economy that rewards the 1 percent and billionaire investors at the expense of workers of the middle class. Thankfully, right now in northern Ohio we are seeing the possibility of restoring new hope and new opportunity not just for billionaires but for workers. The parents and grandparents of nearly 150,000 children from working families and struggling households in our district are seeing their taxes cut through the child tax credit. Unlike the trillion-dollar giveaway aimed at the wealthiest and transnational corporations that outsource jobs to penny-wage nations, our hardworking families are seeing their tax dollars returned directly to them. Looking at how working mothers struggle, a recent study from the United Way of Greater Toledo shows that more than one-third workers are not eligible for paid maternity leave. In the richest nation on Earth, our workers should have access to paid family leave that is available elsewhere on the globe. This is what we are working to deliver. Further, significant new investments in physical infrastructure will create living wage jobs and help level the playing field as America creates new wealth beginning right where we live by rebuilding our roads, bridges, ports, and investing in renewable energies like hydrogen and electric vehicles to spur a real revival of our industrial heartland. It is time to deal in workers and their families by rewarding hard work, not just capital. It is time to deliver for the families in Toledo, Sandusky, Lorain, and Cleveland. Investments in our workers, families, and communities will help restore faith that hard work matters. It will rebuild the middle class and provide a path to fully realize the American Dream.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the significant mail backlogs we are experiencing in northern Ohio, across the whole region, Cleveland to Toledo, impacting the timely and reliable delivery of mail. Postal employees do remarkable work every day to execute their mission. To the tens of thousands of military veterans who work for the Postal Service, we owe you an enormous debt of gratitude for your continued loyal service to our Nation. However, the decision by the U.S. Postal Service Board of Directors and management to implement disastrous policies to consolidate processing centers and ship local mail hundreds of miles away to be sorted elsewhere is truly illogical. While we are finally seeing incremental progress being made, our region is still in desperate need for constructive solutions to the backups and slow processing people are enduring on the ground. I will continue working with my colleagues from across our country and across the aisle until we bring about new Postal Service leadership and fully restore the service our people and communities richly deserve and expect.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American soldier, Staff Sergeant John Eade, a native son of Toledo, Ohio, of whom our citizenry is very proud and eternally grateful. As our Nation approaches Veterans Day 2021, I enter into the Congressional Record the poignant story to honor John and his treasured colleagues for their superhuman valor. They are all heroes. John, as a highly wounded Vietnam veteran, persevered and led a distinguished life as an architect and chief of the city of Boston's inspection division. Our Nation must revere his lifelong valor in the face of overwhelming odds, terrible slaughter, and wounds endured from the deadliest single- day battle in the Vietnam war. Sergeant Eade is held in the highest esteem by everyone who knows him. He is a trusted confidant, a faithful friend, a true patriot, and a very humble Purple Heart recipient. He would not seek that recognition for himself but would be thinking only of his comrades. In November 1965, John was deployed to Vietnam as a fire team leader in the ill-fated 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 14, he and his team were sent as reinforcements to the Battle at Landing Zone X-Ray in the la Drang Valley made famous by the movie ``We Were Soldiers.'' On the morning of November 17, Sergeant Eade and his small team were marching to Landing Zone Albany. Only minutes after arriving, two much larger North Vietnamese regiments ambushed his unit. As the North Vietnamese swarmed them through the trees, John's platoon was pinned down in ferocious hand-to-hand combat. Sergeant Eade quickly rallied three of the only remaining soldiers able to fight: Wilbert Johnson, Barry Burnite, and Oscar Barker, Jr. Together, they fought valiantly to hold their position against the attacking Vietnamese. Their plight was unfortunately short-lived. Burnite was struck in the chest by shrapnel, and Johnson pulled him to a position of cover to save him. The two men fought until Burnite died and Johnson was killed. As the fighting continued, John was shot multiple times and sprayed with shrapnel. Barker tended to John's wounds. The rest of the platoon had already been killed. John urged Barker to leave him and retreat, but Barker refused. Moments later, Barker was killed. Soon after, a napalm strike was dropped on John's position, leaving him severely burned. Weak, but still alive, John managed to roll in the dirt and extinguish the flames that had engulfed him, yet he continued his efforts to hold his position. That afternoon, John was surprised by enemy soldiers, shot in the face, and knocked unconscious. Despite the overwhelming odds and the horrific life-threatening wounds he had received, John refused to withdraw and continued exposing himself to the onslaught through the night, including throwing grenades with his remaining good arm. When dawn came, he was grievously wounded but remained alive. Three days later, he was discovered by a recovery unit and awarded the Purple Heart for his massive sacrifice for our Nation. I believe to my core John and several of the men in his platoon have not been appropriately recognized for their valor. It is for this reason I and my colleagues have nominated him for the Distinguished Service Cross. John is now 78. He has lived with severe injuries sustained in battle that impacted him throughout his life and are impacting him now. His reflections on life as a soldier and an American hero remain largely personal, but his valor endures. He is a soldier still, as he is now scaling another battle related to his wartime service. He is handling this with such dignity, resolve, and even good humor. One can observe the raw courage that those of us who know him have witnessed through his life. John, what a truly great soldier you are in the military and in life. America salutes you for your unyielding valor and for your deep patriotism. No matter the challenge, you and your life are the very definition of courage. May God bless you and your fallen comrades, for surely you have blessed America.