Marcy Kaptur

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), who is the Speaker Emerita of the United States House of Representatives.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman and I thank every Member, on both sides of the aisle, that have spent this much time today in furtherance of this very noble objective so Ukraine wins and wins soon. Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, a very hardworking member of our caucus.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California, Congressman John Garamendi, a leader on so many fronts here in the Congress, including Ukraine.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Cincinnati, Ohio, Congressman Greg Landsman, a distinguished Member of our Congress.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Steve Cohen, who is such a phenomenal leader in the law and on almost every subject we deal with here.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson Lee, who has been at almost every meeting we have held on Ukraine and then we will yield to Congressman Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, a leader on both sides of the aisle.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I make a plea to Speaker Johnson and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, please give Vladimir Putin no succor. Stand up for liberty. This is the moment for Ukraine. Let us seize it. Let us seize it.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, we commemorate the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 2023. We solemnly remember and honor the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who were thrust into World War II by the tragic events of that fateful day in 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a moment of profound loss and national awakening. It marked the beginning of a war that would test the very essence of our nation. However, it was also a catalyst that united Americans in a common cause, giving rise to the ``Greatest Generation.'' In the face of adversity, they displayed unparalleled courage and determination, rising above the challenges of their time to defend Liberty and justice. We remember those who perished at Pearl Harbor and the countless others who would go on to fight and sacrifice in the years that followed. That is why I fought to create the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall, a 17-year effort, and recently passed the Greatest Generation Commemorative Coin, whose federal sales will begin in 2024. The legacy of Pearl Harbor Day reminds us of the strength that unity and resilience can bring to a nation. It is a reminder that even in the darkest hours, the American spirit shines bright, and we stand strong together. Let us pay tribute to the sacrifices that paved the way for a better future. Their memory continues to inspire us to uphold the values of freedom and democracy.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following remarks by the Honorable Ventris C. Gibson. Good Afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here to introduce the designs for the 2024 Greatest Generation Commemorative Coin Program. Every day, across the Nation, the Mint connects Americans through coins. Next year, it will be our great privilege to connect America to the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during the Second World War. The National World War II Memorial stands as an important symbol of America's national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and power that flows when free people are at once united and bonded together in a common and just cause for liberty. This is the first national memorial dedicated to all who served during World War II and acknowledges the commitment and achievement of the entire Nation. It honors the more than 16 million who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, the more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. Their legacy is part of our American story. Since the Mint's establishment in 1792, the women and men of our workforce have taken great pride in rendering the story of our nation through enduring examples of numismatic art. As the largest mint in the world, the United States Mint produces the coinage required by our Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. In addition, Congress authorizes a maximum of two commemorative coin programs annually to celebrate and honor American people, places, events, and institutions. I would like to thank Senator Browne, Representative McHenry and Representative Waters for their work to get the Greatest Generation out of their respective committees and working with the sponsors, leadership and Mint to ensure the language was correct and passed in time for 2024. Since the beginning of the modern commemorative coin program in 1982, the United States Mint has raised more than $522 million in surcharges authorized to help build or enhance new museums, preserve historical sites, and support important national programs. In accordance with legislation, the Mint includes a surcharge as part of the price of each commemorative coin. These surcharges are authorized to be turned over to the sponsoring organizations for projects that benefit the community. In this case, surcharges are authorized to be awarded to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the memorial, and for educational and commemorative programs. I'd like to tell you a little about the designs. The gold obverse, designed by Artistic Infusion Program Designer Heidi Wastweet and sculpted by United States Mint Medallic Artist Eric Custer, depicts the Wall of Stars at the World War II Memorial with an olive branch. The inscriptions are ``LIBERTY,'' ``IN GOD WE TRUST,'' ``2024,'' and ``WORLD WAR

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the Biden administration to launch the Great Lakes Authority as passed by Congress last year. Don't leave our region out. For decades, the Great Lakes watershed, the largest body of freshwater on Earth, has endured atypical economic stress, job loss due to disastrous trade policies, underinvestment, and major deindustrialization. Now, with Democratic economic recovery initiatives that passed in the last 3 years, our region is beginning to see major reinvestment, starting with the long-delayed Soo Locks modernization so vital to our ports and maritime trade. For decades and decades, the Great Lakes region lacked authorization for a regional development instrumentality that might begin to emulate the success of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Now, coupling the Great Lakes authority with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, our region stands poised for new investment in good-paying jobs and economic opportunity to turbocharge revitalization. Our need is no different than the TVA, which for nearly 100 years has uplifted that formerly neglected region. All our Great Lakes region asks the Biden administration for is equal footing. Don't leave us out.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the Federal Railroad Administration's selection of the Cleveland-Sandusky-Toledo-Detroit corridor for a critical passenger rail grant. What a congested corridor it is. This Federal funding is but the first step toward expanding passenger rail in northern Ohio, which has long suffered from underinvestment in rail infrastructure. To this day, our region continues to lag daytime passenger service due to congested rail service on the same tracks. Improving the connection to Detroit will also bolster our region's already strong ties with our Michigan and Canadian neighbors on the other side of the Great Lake we share, Lake Erie. Still, there is so much more to be done. We must find ways to advance passenger rail improvements in the Cleveland-Toledo to Chicago corridor, which despite the tireless efforts of Grace Gallucci and others at the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, was not awarded Federal planning funds. For our neglected region to be excellent at this planning opportunity for efficient passenger rail in view of freight congestion, Federal funding is needed to establish a transportation planning center of expertise in northwest Ohio. Let's not have any more East Palestine or Sandusky accidents. We need real rail planning in our region.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, the production of nuclear power in our country is an awesome responsibility. Put in the hands of the wrong people, it can be deadly. Those who operate nuclear facilities must be highly trained and honorable. Recall Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima? They all teach us nuclear power in the hands of careless and, indeed, corrupt people can be deadly to thousands of innocent people. This morning, let us turn to Ohio's two financially strapped nuclear plants, both located in northern Ohio, adjacent to our people's freshwater kingdom, Lake Erie. In Ohio, the largest corruption crimes in America's commercial plant nuclear history are being litigated. These crimes are also the largest public corruption trials in Ohio's history. Last week, a Federal grand jury in Cincinnati indicted former chair of Ohio's Public Utilities Commission, Sam Randazzo, on bribery and embezzlement for his role in receiving $4.3 million in kickbacks for what has been labeled the biggest political bribery scandal in Ohio's history. The nuclear power company, FirstEnergy, ultimately paid more than $60 million in 2018 and 2019 to bribe public officials like the Speaker of the Ohio House, who has now been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article entitled ``Sam Randazzo, Ohio's former top utilities regulator, charged with bribery, embezzlement crimes.'' [From the Plain Dealer Cleveland, Dec. 5, 2023] Sam Randazzo, Ohio's Former Top Utilities Regulator, Charged With Bribery, Embezzlement Crimes (By Jeremy Pelzer, Andrew J. Tobias, and Jake Zuckerman, Zuckerman) Columbus, OH.--A federal grand jury has indicted Sam Randazzo, the former chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, on 11 counts related to bribery and embezzlement, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker's office announced Monday. The indictment states that Randazzo accepted a $4.3 million bribe in exchange for helping FirstEnergy, an Akron-based electric utility, secure its policy priorities, including helping with House Bill 6, the 2019 energy law at the center of a federal bribery probe. FirstEnergy admitted to bribing Randazzo in 2021, but he wasn't charged until now. If convicted, Randazzo could face up to 20 years in prison. The 74-year-old Columbus resident self-surrendered on Monday morning at U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, according to a release. He appeared in federal court that afternoon, cuffed at the wrists and ankles, before Chief Magistrate Judge Karen Litkovitz at Cincinnati's federal courthouse. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a bond of his own recognizance. The 11 counts against Randazzo include: one count of conspiring to commit travel act bribery and honest services wire fraud, two counts of travel act bribery, two counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of wire fraud and five counts of making illegal monetary transactions, according to the release. As chairman of the PUCO from April 2019 until he resigned in November 2020, Randazzo reviewed requests from gas and electric companies seeking to levy new costs on customers. He accepted $4.3 million soon after meeting with then- FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling in December 2018, as Randazzo was applying to become PUCO chair. In November 2019, Randazzo pushed to cancel a 2024 rate review case that the company believed would hurt its bottom line by forcing it to reduce the rates it charged customers, as well as open its books to regulators, which they saw as problematic. Randazzo also played a key role in getting lawmakers, including Ohio Senate Finance Committee Chair Matt Dolan, to include language in the 2019 state budget that loosened state limits on FirstEnergy, and other utilities' ability to make ``significantly excessive'' profits, according to the indictment. Dolan, a Chagrin Falls Republican now running for the U.S. Senate, previously acknowledged speaking to Dowling, who convinced him of the need to place the amendment in the state budget. The Plain Dealer/cleveland.com reached out to Dolan on Monday for comment. The indictment states that Randazzo routed the bribe money through his consulting business, Sustainability Funding Alliance of Ohio. He also used that business to funnel to himself at least $1 million meant for Industrial Energy Users-Ohio, a consortium of large-scale energy buyers who he represented in PUCO cases as an attorney. ``Public officials--whether elected or appointed--are tasked with upholding the highest level of integrity in their duties and responsibilities. Such service to the public must be selfless, not selfish,'' the U.S. Attorney said in a statement. ``Through the indictment unsealed today, we seek to hold Randazzo accountable for his alleged illegal activities.'' Roger Sugarman, an attorney representing Randazzo in criminal and civil lawsuits, declined to comment Monday. Randazzo did not respond to questions posed by reporters. Randazzo's arraignment on Monday advanced a stunning fall from grace from a once respected utility lawyer and lobbyist with notorious influence at the Statehouse. He is often credited with pushing for what would become state laws constricting the growth of wind, solar, and energy efficiency programs in Ohio. State lobbying records reflect years of lobbying work on behalf of the Ohio Gas Company, Vectren Energy and IEU. Now-state Sen. Shane Wilkin once told Randazzo in an email that ``we already know you run the energy world.'' He was a mainstay at IEU's regular ``Ohio Energy Management Conference.'' Gov. Mike DeWine, who appointed Randazzo, had dinner with Jones and Dowling the same night as the latter pair's meeting with Randazzo. DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said Monday that while the governor's office wasn't privy to the indictment and was still reviewing it, ``the indictment alleges very serious acts. Our office has full faith in the criminal justice system to adjudicate these serious allegations in an appropriate manner.'' Many of the emails and text messages referenced in the indictment to and from the former FirstEnergy executives and Randazzo have previously been made public. However, the indictment's details about his embezzlement charge are new, according to Dave DeVillers, Parker's predecessor as U.S. attorney. Randazzo resigned as PUCO chair in November 2020, days after the FBI raided his Columbus townhouse. In the years that followed, prosecutors were silent about Randazzo, leading to questions about why they were taking so long to decide whether to file charges. Ashley Brown, a former PUCO commissioner, said the delay has cost the state's electricity customers, given that the PUCO has paused its own investigations into the HB6 scandal at Parker's request to wait for the federal corruption investigation to wrap up. In the meantime, electricity customers have continued to pay a fee contained in HB6 that subsidizes a pair of coal plants owned by FirstEnergy and several other utilities. ``It's hard to imagine why he wasn't indicted earlier,'' said Brown, who also questioned why no current or former FirstEnergy officials have been charged so far. Asked about the length of time it took for charges to be brought, DeVillers said, ``They could have been negotiating with the defense attorney, they could have been talking to him and it fell apart. And then it could be they dug into this count [the embezzlement charge], which seems to be completely different, and needed to ferret that out to find out what that was all about.'' Randazzo is already a defendant in a civil lawsuit filed in 2021 by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. As part of that case, a Franklin County judge ordered the seizure of up to $8 million worth of Randazzo's assets, though that decision is still being appealed. Randazzo's indictment comes several months after ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading a $60 million bribery scheme using FirstEnergy money to help pass House Bill 6, which included a $1 billion-plus ratepayer bailout for two nuclear power plants then owned by a FirstEnergy subsidiary. Former Ohio Republican Party Chair Matt Borges received 5 years in prison for his role in the scandal; two others connected to the bribery scheme have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. FirstEnergy officials previously admitted that Randazzo helped them to develop strategy and legal language for HB6. After HB6 passed, emails made public last year showed Randazzo, as PUCO chair, worked behind the scenes to hinder attempts to fully repeal the law, and he only grudgingly called for state regulators to take limited action--asking FirstEnergy to investigate itself over whether it misspent any customer money--in response to negative press. To date, no current or former FirstEnergy officials, have been charged in connection with the HB6 scandal or any of Randazzo's alleged crimes.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, FirstEnergy's plot was to foist its billion- dollar-plus corporate losses on the consumers of Ohio due to its pitiful management of its two nuclear power plants in northern Ohio. These are crimes. While Randazzo was being indicted, the Federal Government moved to claim an additional $6.5 million from FirstEnergy for this crime. We should all be deeply disturbed that inherently dangerous nuclear assets have been in the hands of criminals. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an editorial titled: ``Finally, 11 counts against ex-PUCO chief Sam Randazzo but why still none against then-FirstEnergy officials whose fingerprints are all over the case?'' [From The Plain Dealer Cleveland, Dec. 6, 2023] Finally, 11 Counts Against Ex-PUCO Chief Sam Randazzo But Why Still None Against Then-FirstEnergy Officials Whose Fingerprints Are All Over the Case? (By Editorial Board) Monday's unsealing of an 11-count federal conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud and embezzlement indictment against former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chief Samuel Randazzo was a welcome sign of prosecutorial progress in the FirstEnergy/House Bill 6 corruption case--but it's like the first footfall in a long-delayed reckoning with some of the key officials at the heart of the asserted conspiracy. Our editorial board had repeatedly urged the U.S. Attorney for Southern Ohio, Ken Parker, to explain publicly why such a long delay in a case whose first arrests--of five Statehouse figures, including now-convicted former House Speaker Larry Householder and former Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges--came more than three years ago. And where is the second footfall--charges against any of the FirstEnergy Corp. executives whose roles in paying out the bribes and soliciting the corrupt actions by Randazzo and others have been detailed in this and prior indictments? The Randazzo indictment refers to now-departed Executives 1 and 2 at Akron-based FirstEnergy--former CEO Chuck Jones and former Senior Vice President for External Affairs Michael Dowling--as those with the primary contacts with Randazzo over the $4,333,333 bribe FirstEnergy Corp. previously admitted paying Randazzo in a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement. But they're clearly not the only FirstEnergy officials privy to the laundry list of regulatory and legislative favors Randazzo was helping the company secure, including a lucrative decoupling accounting provision that PUCO staff opposed, modifications to the state's ``significantly excessive earnings test'' (SEET) that were added to the two- year state budget, and ``burning'' of a critical PUCO audit about FirstEnergy's distribution modernization rider (DMR). According to the Randazzo indictment, ``On or about March 4, 2020, Executive 1 messaged another Company A executive: ``He [Randazzo] will get it done for us but cannot just jettison all process. Says the combination of over ruling Staff and other Commissioners on decoupling, getting rid of SEET and burning the DMR final report has a lot of talk going on in the halls of PUCO about does he work there or for us? He'll move it as fast as he can. Better come up with a short term work around.'' An indictment to shed light on the full scope of corruption entailed in FirstEnergy's actions is needed. It's possible Parker's delay in indicting Randazzo over bribes long since acknowledged by FirstEnergy and favors that have come into clearer light in civil cases was because he hoped to turn others into cooperating witnesses--or Randazzo into one himself. Then there's the unexpected embezzlement charge against Randazzo in the indictment, accusing him of defrauding another client, the Industrial Energy Users-Ohio, a group of big energy customers, of $1,104,598. David DeVillers, the former U.S. Attorney for Southern Ohio under whose leadership the corruption case was first investigated and prosecuted, told cleveland.com's Jeremy Pelzer, Andrew J. Tobias and Jake Zuckerman that the embezzlement charge might have been the whammy in the mix, taking time to sort out. ``It could be they dug into this count, which seems to be completely different, and needed to ferret that out to find out what that was all about,'' DeVillers told the reporters. Either way, it is to be hoped that the indictment of Randazzo will finally cause Parker to lift his effective hold on important PUCO and other state-level investigations into how both the PUCO and its processes, and the legislative process separately, were so distorted and corrupted, so reforms can be made. That's especially urgent given that unrepealed parts of fatally tainted House Bill 6 right now require electricity customers in Ohio to subsidize--to the tune of more than $200 million so far, according to the Ohio Office of Consumers' Counsel--two money-losing coal plants, one in Indiana. Shining the full disinfectant of transparent investigations on how all this came to be is a critical first step to reform.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, since the Davis-Besse plant came online in 1977, its corporate leadership has never understood nuclear power or its dangers. It is only the unionized workers that have saved our lives. The plant shares an old Babcock-and-Wilcox design with the Three Mile Island reactor that partially melted down in 1979. Another plant with the design, the Rancho Seco plant in Sacramento, California, permanently closed in 1989. Davis-Besse itself is now nearly 50 years old and has a dismal reputation within the industry and a history of too many close calls. In 1985, the plant suffered a loss of the main and backup supplies of cooling water because of a series of system failures, and this should have been a wake-up call, but it went unheeded. In 2002, we faced the worst nuclear safety incident since Three Mile Island when a major hole was discovered in Davis-Besse's reactor head, endangering the lives of millions of Ohioans and the purity of Lake Erie. The plant's unionized workers again saved us all. The Davis-Besse nuclear power plant, with its history of safety violations and close calls, is a clear example of how corporate culture can influence safety culture for the worst, and the industry around our country never held them accountable. The fines and penalties imposed on FirstEnergy have done little to deter misconduct. It is time for us to take bold action and provide our region with safe, advanced, modern power in a platform akin to the Tennessee Valley Authority. So much more needs to be done to make our communities safe and whole from FirstEnergy's fraud, starting with making sure that the Benton- Carroll-Salem school system where Davis-Besse is located can be made whole. The value of property in the region has gone down 90 percent, which means the school system is going to be nearly $6 million short on what it needs to teach the next generation. I urge judges in the case to take the grid under FirstEnergy's ownership under safe public conservatorship until a reliable operator can be stood up. May we find the wisdom and courage to confront these nuclear challenges head-on to usher in a new era of clean and responsible energy for the consumers and people of northern Ohio who have been bilked so royally over the last nearly half century.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the first female Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor, who passed away last Friday. Frequently referred to as the most powerful woman in America, Justice O'Connor, who was highly gifted and dignified, paved the way for women on the highest court in our land. Justice O'Connor knew the value of being the first. She felt a special responsibility as the first woman. When she was appointed to the Court by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, no women in the Court's nearly 200-year history had ever graced the bench with their intellect. Her diligence and legal mastery moved America forward, and she always knew how to find the big middle in her opinions. Since her retirement in 2006, four female Supreme Court Justices have been appointed and confirmed to the bench of the highest court in our land. That is only five women in 234 years. In our Nation's history, our great State of Ohio has never elected a female Senator. Including myself, Ohio has only ever elected 13 female Representatives. Our Nation has not seen a female President yet. Women in our Nation have many glass ceilings to shatter and many more firsts to go. Mr. Speaker, I honor Justice O'Connor, her character, and her legacy, and I honor and encourage the new firsts yet to come from among America's young women.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the former and soon-to-be again chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Mr. Bishop. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter of Plains, Georgia. Born Eleanor Rosalynn Smith, she began dating a young Naval cadet named James Earl Carter, Jr., in 1945. The two were inseparable for nearly 8 years. Rosalynn Carter, beloved spouse of President Jimmy Carter and mother to their family and our Nation, has blessed our Republic for over three-quarters of a century. Her perpetual kindness, wisdom, and faithfulness to family, community, and country is legendary. Her patriotism had no bounds. As First Lady of Georgia and then our Nation, she perserveringly and with her matter-of-fact manner elevated the plight of the mentally ill to national attention. I can recall as a farm wife, after her husband was elected President, the footage of her carrying her sewing machine into the White House, which stirred surprise and even criticism in some privileged quarters by people who had never worked with their hands as she tried to show struggling families at home and abroad how to be more self-sufficient. As a White House urban policy staffer after the President was elected, I had the privilege of working with her, a fierce, caring ally in neighborhood revitalization across our Nation in some of the most forgotten corners of America. She was a lady in every sense of the word, but, boy, was she determined. She was gracious, erudite, persuasive, faith filled, indefatigable, committed, and a true credit to our great Nation. As others have mentioned, upon leaving the White House, she would go on to be involved in many worthy endeavors both abroad and at home. From hurricane relief to global aid for Africa to Habitat for Humanity, building homes for those in need, and to founding The Carter Center, we all know the lasting legacy that Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter left for those who came after them and to future generations. History will treat them well because they helped build a better America and one with a kinder heart. Their lives of public service will be unmatched by any First Family in our lifetimes and among the most consequential in our Nation's history. May Rosalynn's spirit and memory comfort her husband, her family, staff that served them ably, and all the millions of people the Carter family touched with healing and inspiration. May the angels of mercy carry her to a peaceful rest. I am so honored to be able to pay tribute to her beautiful life here today.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop intercity passenger rail corridors across our Great Lakes region from Chicago to Cleveland. We in the Great Lakes noticed the attention that the Department of Transportation pays to the East Coast and the West Coast, but please don't forget our Great Lakes northern region. Take a look at the I-80/-90 corridor and think about that already being carved into the landscape. Use it. In 2021, I joined other Great Lakes Members of Congress to urge Amtrak to retool its connect on U.S. 2035 Plan, which then excluded improvements to the Cleveland to Chicago corridor. To this day, we continue to lack daytime passenger rail service across this highly congested rail corridor and, of course, constricted Chicago. Boy, does it need help. Our constituents deserve better. Leaders from the U.S. Department of Transportation; State, local, and regional Departments of Transportation; planning agencies; advocacy organizations; labor unions; and the private sector have joined together to address this longstanding constriction to economic growth. Mr. Speaker, I ask DOT: Please see us, hear us, help us.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Lourdes University of Sylvania, Ohio, and its new president, William Bisset, who held a vital convening last week as part of the university's Courage Conversations Town Hall series. It focused on the Israel-Palestine conflict, with dozens of students, staff, and faculty taking part. University President Bisset and Professor Mary Robinson, who chairs the history, geography, and political science departments at Lourdes, said their goal was to offer a historical perspective to develop an understanding of the past history of Israel and Palestine to help people grasp the full scope of what is taking place in that war-torn region. They hope the conversations will help provide a better understanding of a longstanding conflict in which world leaders have long sought a true path toward a lasting peace and a two-state solution. Thoughtful discussions in which history is examined, as was done at Lourdes University last week, is the way a breakthrough for peace and reconciliation will come about. May other organizations follow the lead of Lourdes University. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a copy of an editorial from the Toledo Blade that recognizes this event and its important contribution to human understanding. [From The Blade, Nov. 25, 2023] Editorial: Lourdes Leads (By The Blade Editorial Board) Kudos to Lourdes University for showing us the way forward on the future of Palestine and Israel. Not afraid to tackle probably the most emotionally fraught topic of our day, the university last week offered a ``town hall'' on the topic of the Israeli-Hamas War. Would that others who have taken to the streets shouting chants and waving signs and issuing orders to U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) would show some of the same awareness of how complicated this problem is. The university in Sylvania devoted its Courageous Conversations Town Hall to the topic. Conscious of the ethnic and religious tensions, there was security stationed at the door, but it wasn't needed. About 40, including administration staff, faculty members, and students, attended. ``My goal was to offer this from a historical perspective because I think the more people understand the past and the history, the better understanding they will have of the subject and be able to better understand both sides of the story,'' said Mary Robinson, associate professor of history and department chairman of history, geography, and political science at Lourdes. President William Bisset said, ``We needed to start with a conversation that explained that this has been a very, very complicated part of the world for many, many years, that leaders throughout the world have tried to figure out. ``We felt that it was important, especially for our students, but also for our community members to start the conversation [about Israel and Palestine] with a historical perspective,'' Mr. Bisset said. Israel and the Palestinian people, and the armed guerilla groups, Hamas and Hezbollah, who nurture the bitterness of the Palestinians over their displacement from the land that officially became Israel in 1948, are at an impasse, with both sides claiming ownership of the land between Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. But yet, there have been instances under at least two U.S. presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, that the Palestinian people came close to securing a Palestinian state. Among the Arab states of the Middle East, there appears to be a willingness to once again take up the possibility of a so-called two-state solution. It's not going to happen, though, if Hamas remains in power in the Gaza Strip. Whether by Israel's current invasion of Gaza or through the diplomatic intervention of Arab leaders in the neighboring Islamic countries, Hamas and Hezbollah have to be neutralized. Calm discussion in which the history is examined, as was done in Lourdes University's Courageous Conversations Town Hall last week, is the way a breakthrough will come about.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, what America makes and grows, makes and grows America and grows our middle class. Thus, let me applaud the Biden administration's decision to utilize the Defense Production Act to reshore the domestic manufacturing of essential medicines critical for our national security. This move is a strategic response to the challenges America faces, particularly keeping inflation in check and healing the vulnerabilities in our pharmaceutical supply chain. The book, ``China Rx,'' highlights the growing number of our country's reliance on foreign-made medicines, particularly from China. They pose a significant national security risk to both our military and civilian sectors. The Defense Production Act offers a vital tool to onshore and increased domestic production of essential medicines. In a world where the availability of essential medicines can be a matter of life and death, our Nation must take strong measures to resecure our domestic pharmaceutical supply chain. The Defense Production Act is a significant step toward achieving this goal. What America makes and grows, makes and grows a stronger and more secure America.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage the big middle of this House to come together to support immediate passage of fiscal year 2024 funding for U.S. Government operations, including the interests of national security. Without fiscal year 2014 funding in place, which should have begun on October 1 of this year, our military faces uncertainty in its funding and resource allocation. Funding delays waste time, leading to impaired military operations, decreased training, delayed procurement, and reduced vehicle maintenance, yielding lower readiness. These unnecessary delays undermine our military's ability to respond to threats effectively at home and abroad. I hope the American people are noticing which extremist Members of this House are responsible for this long-delayed funding compromise. Vladimir Putin is applauding them. They, and we, take an oath to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Let's do it.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, more than 1 month after the October 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas, the number of people killed during this horrible conflagration tragically exceeds well over 11,000 lives: Over 1,400 Israeli civilians, including women and children; over 10,000 Palestinian civilians, nearly half women and children, with at least 20 U.S. citizens still being held by Hamas among 240 hostages. The latest war follows wars between Israel and Hamas in 2008, 2008- 09, 2014, and all these ended in cease-fires with no resolution. The question is what will be the plan for stabilizing this chronic standoff. How will Gaza be governed going forward? The diplomatic path forward being forged by several Arab nations, Fatah, some European states, the Arab League, and the United Nations is constructive. Let us promote it and elevate it. Earlier this week, President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Both acknowledged the value of a multi-day pause in fighting to secure the release of hostages and ensure that humanitarian relief can reach those in need. Let us echo the call for such a pause and let the violence and retribution once and for all end through diplomatic initiatives.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, as a grateful and proud daughter of the United Auto Workers, I am heartened to see General Motors, Ford, and Jeep Stellantis reach tentative agreements with the hardworking brothers and sisters of the UAW. This historic strike is deeply personal to me. I know firsthand from my parents and constituents the difficult jobs they do day in and day out, sometimes 10 hours a day 6 days a week. While too many manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas to penny wage havens, I salute companies inside our borders, the largest consumer market in the world, for agreeing to pay fair wages with good benefits that our hardworking American autoworkers have earned. Firms in other nations should follow suit. Our trade negotiators should focus on reciprocal contracts for market access to achieve fair trade globally to stop the exploitation of workers in the automotive industry in the Third World. Let's recall after the United Auto Workers conceded major benefits during the 2008 Great Recession to literally save the Big Three from bankruptcy. These agreements represent a monumental step toward finally making these workers whole again. They say that when unions fight, all workers win. Last week we saw Toyota raise wages for their workers knowing they must now compete. Record profits should mean record contracts. Americans must honor people who work hard hour by hour building the economic prosperity of our great Nation. From Toledo to Wayne to Wentzville to Belvedere, their vigilance, fortitude, and guts have made this new progress possible. I salute those in our unions who have fought so hard and have dedicated their lives to building our middle class from the middle out and the bottom up. Onward.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of military assistance for Israel and Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, all regions in which our Nation has forged critical strategic alliances. Make no mistake, in a dangerous world, these precious alliances help secure liberty forward against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The largest land war since the Second World War is raging on Europe's continent at the eastern edge in Ukraine following Russia's initial brutal invasion in 2014. The question before us is: What is liberty's worth for our generation? We are not being asked to fight, but only to aid Ukraine's valiant soldiers to drive Russia, the third largest military in the world, out of their homeland. It is day 617 of that brutal war. Few believed Ukraine could shoulder this wretched war beyond a few weeks, but Ukraine's will to win inspires us and subjugated people everywhere. Over centuries, Ukrainians survived the absolute butchery of Lenin, Stalin, and now Putin, all tyrannical mass murderers. No place on Earth lost more lives to mass murder and forced starvation than did Ukraine during the 20th century, 10 million to 14 million people, only God knows. Now is the time to turn a page for liberty in the annals of history. This GOP's leadership's willful ignorance of the history of Russian oppression and murder is mind-bending. The necessity for America, the leader of the free world, to defend liberty, will prevent the blood of Putin's tyranny running across not just more of Ukraine, but of Europe and likely other places, including the Middle East. Putin has refused to condemn Hamas and has gone as far as comparing Israel's defensive actions to Nazi Germany's seize of Leningrad. In return, Hamas has called Russia its friend. They understand these conflicts are connected. Why don't we? Vote ``no,'' the imperative vote for liberty.