Marcy Kaptur

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise with great concern regarding the recently announced contract between the United States Post Office and Oshkosh Defense for the construction of 165,000 postal vehicles over the next decade, all new. There is no doubt our postal fleet is aging. The Grumman LLV, in service since 1994, is gas powered and lacks basic safety equipment like airbags or air conditioning. Unfortunately, this contract lacks any commitment to make these vehicles new age, either electric, hybrid, or advanced biofuels. While new vehicles are said to be capable of incorporating an electric drivetrain, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has been a disaster for the Postal Service, recently indicated only 10 percent of the new fleet will be electric. Ten percent? That makes no sense and flies in the face of the Biden administration's recent order to electrify the Federal fleet. DeJoy's failed tenure calls into question the awarding of this contract. As such, the administration and the Postal Service must delay the contract until a review is conducted to determine that there was not inappropriate political influence in the process and that the proposed contract is consistent with Biden's Executive Order on tackling the climate crisis. This contract is a multi-billion-dollar opportunity to reimagine the Federal fleet and develop this critical domestic supply chain. We can't fumble this opportunity.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to support and ask my colleagues to support the COVID-19 Hospital Loan Conversion Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that I have introduced along with my good friend from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs). Madam Speaker, our Nation's hospitals have invested heavily to prepare for and care for us during the coronavirus pandemic. They canceled tens of thousands of elective surgeries and nonemergency patient tests, at the government's request, to help ensure adequate hospital capacity, preserve gear and equipment, and reduce the risk of unnecessary patient spread. Madam Speaker, this major shift has put some of America's hospitals on the brink of financial disaster. While a provider grant program that costs $175 billion and is designed to provide support to all providers is helpful, more support is needed, especially in regions that fall well below the median household income at the national average. Madam Speaker, this legislation will convert Medicare accelerated and advance payment loans to grants to ensure the additional financial support hospitals and other providers direly need. Hospitals across my district have shared that in the absence of more financial support, including this assistance, it is possible they will be forced to close their significantly scaled back operations. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the bill, the Gibbs- Kaptur, Kaptur-Gibbs bill, to help these hospitals out.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to re-introduce the COVID-19 Hospital Loan Conversion Act to provide additional, vitally needed relief to hospitals and health care providers who are under water as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our nation's hospitals have invested heavily to prepare for and care for us during the coronavirus pandemic. They canceled tens-of-thousands of elective surgeries and non-emergent patient tests at the government's request to help ensure adequate hospital capacity, preserve gear and equipment, and reduce the risk of unnecessary patient spread. This major shift has put some of America's hospitals on the brink of financial disaster. While the $175 billion provider grant program, designed to provide support to all providers, is helpful, more support is needed. This legislation will convert Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments loans to grants to ensure the additional financial support hospitals and other providers direly need. Loan conversion would be for health care related expenses or lost revenues that are directly attributable to coronavirus. And, just like the requirement in the provider grant program, providers electing to have their advance payment loans converted would be obligated to abstain from balance or surprise billing any patient for COVID-related treatment. The bill also outlines criteria for transparency and accountability of the loan conversion, including no executive compensation. Hospitals across my district have shared that in the absence of more financial support, including this assistance, it is possible some hospitals will be forced to close or significantly scale back operations. This would be a tragic consequence, especially if the country is hit with another round of the viral epidemic in the near future. I thank my colleague, Representative Bob Gibbs, for his bipartisan work on this. We look to leadership and the Senate for further action on hospital loan conversion.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to include in the Record the following article that appeared in the New York Times regarding China and the electric car industry. [From the New York Times, Feb. 25, 2021] In China, an Electric Car Maker Loses Money but Thinks Big (By Keith Bradsher) Nio can tap an extensive supply chain that Beijing has built to achieve its dream of dominating the manufacture of electric cars Hefei, China--Walk around the sprawling auto factory in central China, and the wealth pouring into the country's electric car industry quickly becomes clear. Rows of bright orange, 15-foot-tall robots--307 of them, mainly from Sweden--whir with activity. They glue lightweight aluminum panels to vehicle frames using aerospace-grade adhesives. In an industry in which speed can mean cost efficiency, the assembly line plods along at half the pace of many lines elsewhere. Even by the standards of the $1.6 trillion global car industry, an operation like this doesn't come cheap. In fact, the Chinese operator of the factory, a company called Nio, loses thousands of dollars on every car it makes. State-run companies last year mustered a combined $2.7 billion to bail it out. But Nio, or Chinese companies like it, could be the future of the global car industry. General Motors and other major names are increasingly betting that the next generation of rides will be powered by batteries alone, without a drop of gasoline or diesel. If so, China has invested so much money in the industry that it could hit the accelerator with ease. An era of high-quality family electric cars that cost $25,000 or less is about to dawn, said William Li, Nio's chairman and chief executive, and Chinese automakers can provide them. ``I don't think it's difficult,'' Mr. Li said. ``It's not a big deal.'' Investors see promise in Nio, even though it has one factory, sold only about 7,200 cars last month and has never made a profit. Its $82 billion market capitalization exceeds G.M.'s and Ford's. Its New York-traded shares have soared as high as nearly 30-fold in the last year. It is far from becoming China's top electric car maker. In fact, the two best-selling electric car brands in China have American ties: Tesla, the maker of rides with price tags that can easily spill into six figures, and a joint venture among G.M. and two Chinese state companies that makes $5,000 microcars. But Nio has the advantage of being able to tap into China's vast and well-funded supply chain for electric vehicles. As President Biden mulls how much the United States should invest in electric cars, China already has 14 years of sustained government investment in the sector. China has also used regulations for more than a decade to force multinational companies to transfer their best electric technologies to joint ventures with Chinese manufacturers as a condition of entry into its vast market. China makes 70 to 80 percent of the world's battery chemicals, battery anodes and battery cells. China similarly controls most of the world's output of high-strength magnets for electric motors, as well as the assembly of those magnets into motors. ``China controls the cards in the battery supply chain,'' said Vivas Kumar, a former Tesla manager of battery materials. Nio manufactures practically nothing for its cars by itself. While companies like Tesla make their own batteries and other crucial systems, Nio is able to order parts inexpensively from China's diverse array of electronics manufacturers and auto parts suppliers. Nio has just 120 engineers to manage its assembly plant in Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province in central China. Nio then pays JAC, a state-controlled automaker also based in Hefei, to send 2,300 experienced assembly line workers to run the factory. The approach has drawbacks. When demand surged last summer after China brought the coronavirus largely under control, Nio found some suppliers unprepared to increase output quickly. Buyers faced monthslong delays in getting cars delivered. ``We have very small, close to zero, inventory,'' said Victor Gu, general manager of the Nio factory. ``It is a big challenge for the factory, because you need a quick turnaround.'' Nio also offers costly customer inducements under its brand, like its Nio Houses. Essentially clubhouses for owners of its cars, they provide coffee shops, libraries and even free day care centers. They take up expensive real estate in 19 Chinese cities, including one at the base of East Asia's tallest building, the 128-story Shanghai Tower. For a while, Nio also offered an extravagant perk: free recharging of any Nio car throughout a customer's life, as long as the customer keeps buying Nio cars and taking them to one of the company's 183 battery-swapping stations. While a customer sips a coffee, a technician swaps a depleted battery for a fully charged one. ``It only takes about five minutes and costs nothing,'' said Neo Fan, a 38-year-old Shanghai commercial banker who paid $83,000 for his Nio ES8 minivan and is entitled to free recharges for the rest of his life. Extravagance and the pandemic slammed Nio's finances. The company lost $11,000 for each car sold in the July-through- September quarter. Government firms stepped up to help. State-owned entities in Hefei joined a national state-owned investment fund last spring in paying $1 billion in cash to acquire a 24 percent stake in the company. Then, on July 10, the state-owned China Construction Bank led a consortium of banks in extending $1.6 billion in credit to Nio. Nio's chairman, Mr. Li, defended his company, portraying it as a start-up and noting that Tesla required many years before it managed last summer to post a fourth consecutive quarter of profits. ``We're very happy for Tesla, but this only happened after 17 years,'' he said in an interview last autumn. While Mr. Li envisions electric cars at $25,000 each sometime soon, Nio's cars are now almost as expensive as Tesla's. Nio's entry-level sedan, the ET7, has a starting price of $58,500 with a 70 kilowatt-hour battery, which can take the car 310 miles. Nio plans a new ET7 model late next year with a much better battery that will double that range. The company emphasizes making its cars light, for better driving range. Nio estimates that replacing steel with costly aluminum saves 700 pounds for each car. Nio uses part of the weight savings to add other gear, like two electric motors in each car instead of one. That provides better vehicle handling, but it also adds complexity and cost. Nio allows buyers to customize their cars, including six types of wheels, 11 colors and so many other options that the factory can go a month without building two identical cars. That forces workers to vary their routines constantly. Mr. Gu, the factory's general manager, said his operation was designed to run at just 20 cars an hour. Many auto assembly lines run twice as fast. Nio has had little problem finding money lately. It sold more shares in December in New York, raising $2.6 billion. That is enough money to build a whole row of factories--and Nio already plans to expand production considerably. Government support for electric cars remains crucial, and Nio appears to be in good official graces. One recent indication came in September, when a former top Communist Party official, Li Yuanchao, paid an unexpected visit to Nio's display at the Beijing auto show. Mr. Li was replaced as China's vice president in 2018 but remains prominent. ``It was my first time to talk with him,'' Mr. Li, Nio's chairman, said afterward. ``He actually offered many suggestions about battery technology, for how to swap batteries.''

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to thank President Joe Biden, the first President I have ever noted that asked for a review of America's supply chain for manufactured goods. It grew out of his interest in the pandemic and the fact we couldn't supply our ventilators, our face masks, our gloves, all the protective equipment for our healthcare workers. He is on the right track because all of that has been outsourced. I think one of the reasons we can't get vaccines at the level we need is because the ingredients have been outsourced. America needs to bring back industry here. Today's New York Times has a story, ``In China, an Electric Car Maker Loses Money but Thinks Big,'' and I commend this story to the Biden administration and everyone who is listening. We have to have a fair playing field globally in order to maintain manufacturing in this country because places like China play under the table. They have vehicles that lose money in the marketplace, but it is a state-run economy, and they will subsidize what they have to in order to win that market share. Congratulations, President Biden, you are on the right track.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, the dedication of the World War II Memorial on our National Mall culminated a 17-year effort in Congress to construct the first national memorial dedicated to the 16 million Americans who served in the Armed Forces during World War II and the more than 400,000 who died. As the Representative who introduced the legislation to construct the WWII Memorial, I rise today in support of the National World War II Commemorative Coin Act. This bipartisan piece of legislation, which I am honored to introduce alongside my friend and colleague Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. The coin will serve as an important token to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the brave Americans who fought to defend our great Nation and advance peace and freedom throughout the world. Most importantly, this legislation will help ensure the Memorial will be properly maintained for years to come, and that the commemorative and educational programming remains robust and substantial. I would like to thank our partners at the Friends of the World War II Memorial for their service and help in getting this bill to where it is today. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record support for this bill from the National Electrical Contractors Association. [From NECA, February 1, 2021] Media Contact: Matt Kraus, Director, Communications National Electrical Contractors Association. The National Electrical Contractors Association issued the following statement in support of the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021: ``The National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 is a direct investment in our workforce, the trades, and the entire electrical construction industry. It will invest more than $3.5 billion toward expanding opportunities and access to apprenticeships in the United States in the next five years, totaling nearly 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities. NECA supports the National Apprenticeship Act and encourages Congress to push this legislation forward to help grow America's skilled workforce.''

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. In the middle of this global pandemic and economic crisis, Americans need hope and they need work. Today's legislation is a meaningful step to increase access to registered apprenticeships. Apprenticeships remain one of the most successful workforce development programs for new entrants and those seeking a new career. According to the Department of Labor, 94 percent of people who complete apprenticeships are employed upon completion and earn an average salary of over $70,000. As a Representative for the cities of Toledo, Lorain, Sandusky, Cleveland, and Parma, all of which boast a strong automotive heritage, it is difficult to overemphasize the value of these apprenticeships for young people and adults starting careers in the automotive trades. So whether it is the expertise to rebuild an engine, replace a battery in a hybrid vehicle, perfect biofuels, or TIG weld the rear quarter panel of an old Wagoneer, there will always be a market for skilled craftspeople who can repair or restore modern and classic vehicles, and invent the vehicles of the future, as happened with my own brother, Steve, who did it for many years as a race car driver and a patent holder. I strongly support this legislation for over a million apprenticeship opportunities over the next 5 years to strengthen this economy and bring people the skills that are needed to operate successful enterprises.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Restoring Communities Left Behind Act. This legislation establishes a $5 billion neighborhood infrastructure stimulus program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help communities face down the dire COVID-19 economic crisis. I am grateful for the cooperation and leadership of Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for leading this bill with me, and also for Chairwoman Maxine Waters for encouraging our efforts. In addition to COVID-19, Americans in rural and urban areas are still suffering from the effects of the 2008 Great Recession, decades of job washout, and redlining. Wall Street's malfeasance resulted in African Americans alone losing nearly half of their accumulated wealth since the founding of the Republic. Nothing is more important for wealth creation than owning a home. This bill will provide a lifeline for families to restore financial security through homeownership. The bill is a critical job-creation program. By investing in neighborhood infrastructure, we are investing in skills training and creating good paying jobs. Congress must act now to provide stimulus for neighborhoods to recover so they emerge more resilient. I look forward to working to include this bill in a larger COVID relief and recovery package. I urge my colleagues to support this important housing recovery legislation.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a House Resolution calling for the establishment of a new unit of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to be known as The National Institute of Viral Diseases, to increase federal research in the field of viral diseases. As viral diseases are unique to infectious diseases, we must strengthen our scientific understanding and the government's role in discovering viral diseases causes, prevention and treatments. I am introducing this resolution to build upon our federal governments' investment in scientific research and to consider expanding the scope of NIH's excellent work. Through my Appropriations Committee work across various subcommittees, I have become increasingly concerned that federal funding in the field of biomedical sciences in particular, has lagged behind the clinical work of NIH and the physical sciences of the National Science Foundation. Research methodology takes a unique approach, and as our nation continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, there is a need for more investment in biomedical research related to viral diseases. The benefits of federal funding for biomedical sciences can be seen beyond just the patients whose lives are saved. In 2012, Dr. Francis Collins the Director of the NIH cited data that shows for every $1 of NIH health research funding, it returns $2.21 in goods and services in a single year. Additionally, according to analysis by Families USA, every NIH grant generates an average of seven high-quality jobs. Investing in science pushes the boundaries of taxpayer dollars and delivers positive outcomes for consumers.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of the waiver for General Lloyd Austin, to grant President Biden his historic nomination for Secretary of Defense. The concern of civilian control of the military and Department of Defense should not be lost in this waiver. There are valid concerns in granting second waivers so soon. The missed opportunity for the House-- the Chamber closest to the American citizens to hear from General Austin directly--is disappointing, but these are not normal times. The layers of security currently protecting the Capitol is a stark reminder that President Biden, our servicemembers, and our Nation need top defense leadership in place expeditiously. There is no question General Austin is a devoutly patriotic man. He has served our country with utter distinction and honor. His qualifications, experience, and perspective are what our Nation needs today. His service to our country extends over 4 decades. His talent and dedication to America's security shines in roles few Americans can fully comprehend. Yet again and again he stands before us, hat in hand, willing to serve the Stars and Stripes today. The question is: Can he disconnect a potentially unconscious bias toward a military mindset? As he assured the Senate and the American people throughout his confirmation hearing, there is no doubt he will. He has been honed in decisionmaking in the most difficult situations. In a matter of weeks, both the House Armed Services Committee and our Defense Appropriations Subcommittee will welcome a newly minted Secretary of Defense Austin. Members can hear even more from him directly as to how he will lead as a civilian. Over my years as a defense appropriator, I have come to realize our military personnel are phenomenal at filling the roles they are assigned.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, our military personnel are continuously placed in nontraditional positions and time and again perform flawlessly. There is no doubt General Austin understands being a member of the President's Cabinet requires a different perspective. He will fill this role and perform admirably. For these reasons, I encourage all my colleagues to support this waiver.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, the decision to impeach a President is a grave one--it is a vote that no Member wishes to cast in their lifetime. In my nearly four decades of service in the House of Representatives, I have voted to impeach a President only twice--both times during President Trump's term in office. The criminal invasion of the U.S. Capitol last week created this unprecedented moment in U.S. history when liberty lovers must respond in the strongest legal manner. Members of Congress take an oath to defend our Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. During my service, U.S. Presidents of both parties understood their duty to our Constitution, until now. I frequently reflect on the incalculable bravery and sacrifice of those Americans who came before us, who, from the battlefields of Antietam to the beaches of Normandy, fought and died to ensure that not only would freedom and liberty live on in these lands, but so too would our Union itself. During these last four years, our beloved country has become divided to an extent not seen since Reconstruction--a division so powerful that the daily business of our Congress has ground to a near halt, at severe expense to the People's work. This is occurring because of the severe breakdown, political divisions, and incitement exacerbated by lies and conspiracy theories recited at length by the President himself. He has belligerently refused to accept the results of this past election. With a clenched fist, he and his allies continue to spew divisive vitriol claiming no institution in this country, from the free press to independent election officials, can be trusted--that the only person worthy of the American people's confidence is Donald Trump himself. A week ago today, that division boiled over, culminating in a vicious attack by a mob on the U.S. Capitol, a place that holds national and international significance as the temple of liberty and representational democracy. Members, staff, and the Vice President, who were working to certify the election results of the 2020 Presidential Election, were forced to flee for their lives as a mob of violent insurrectionists broke through the doors and windows of the Capitol, desecrated the halls, and violently attacked Capitol Police, killing one and injuring over 50. The invaders, many in paramilitary attire, called for the execution of the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and other Members. Some carried law-enforcement style handcuffs, bear spray, and firearms, while others erected gallows outside and placed pipe-bombs nearby. All the while, President Trump failed to take any meaningful steps to call off the attack, despite calls imploring him to do so as the events played out on live television. The attack was explicitly incited by Donald Trump as he dispatched marchers to the Capitol `to fight.' His incitement of the attack represents quite possibly the most significant example of complete moral failing by any President in American history. To impeach a President is a weighty decision. Today, the decision was clear. President Trump is guilty of inciting a violent insurrection against the United States in its most sacred home of liberty. He should thus be immediately removed from office and prevented from ever holding federal office again.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, we achieve real impact, as our bill increases the Department's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program, ARPA-E, Advanced Energy Research, and the Office of Science. In sum, the Energy and Water division of this bill invests in innovative programs to yield future opportunities for new-age jobs. I don't support the cuts in the ATVM program related to advanced technology for vehicles, but I will say that I support the legislation overall and believe that our bill is needed more than ever to heal our Nation and advance our leadership globally.

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, America is grateful for Mrs. Lowey's years of honorable, dedicated, and enlightened service. We will so miss her leadership, bright smile, and affable nature. I would also like to thank Ranking Member Simpson, who has been a constant and truly valued partner, as well as our wonderful subcommittee staff: Jaime Shimek, Scott McKee, Mark Arnone, Farouk Ophaso, and Mike Brain, who have labored tirelessly to produce this bill. The Energy and Water division of this bill captures the American spirit of ingenuity and national energy independence. It provides the foundation of critical investments to meet the challenge of climate change, to which $12 billion, or 24 percent of our overall bill, is dedicated. Without question, our Energy and Water bill is this year's most important climate change legislation, with our overall bill dedicated to sustaining life on Earth. Instead of the President's shortsighted and devastating cuts, our bill invests in the future to meet serious national priorities: real jobs, as we achieve building back better by providing $7.8 billion for the tremendous Army Corps of Engineers, $145 million above 2020; real innovation to invest into the future in partnership with our universities and private-sector innovators; providing $39.6 billion for the Department of Energy, $1 billion above 2020; real security within the Department of Energy, as we responsibly fund a nuclear deterrent while boosting nonproliferation.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, Americans should wonder why Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey--a Harvard educated, former Wall Street foreign currency swap trader--held up this relief bill so necessary to help people in our pandemic-plagued nation. He was wrong to hold up the bill, but he is right on putting a spotlight on the Federal Reserve. Bottom line: How will our nation pay the $2 trillion bill for this necessary relief to the American people, and our escalating debt? First, let me begin with this basic lesson President Franklin Roosevelt's generation taught mine: There is a difference between ``money'' and ``wealth.'' Senator Toomey appears to be concerned about America's deteriorating financial position. So am I. Wealth = tangible assets that produce real products (agricultural land, a factory, a donut shop, a forest, etc. . . . real products. Money is but an ephemeral accounting transaction. As Congress debates this $2 trillion-dollar vital bill, of one thing we can be certain: it is not paid for. The U.S. has gone from the world's largest creditor (+$360 billion) in 1980, to its largest debtor (-$97 trillion) in 2019. The percent of household debt equals 68 percent of the GDP, an astounding figure--($14.35 trillion of a GDP of $21.16 trillion). The Federal Reserve soon will gather its member banks to figure out how to finance this debt. The money to pay for it will be borrowed as onerous taxation at this time would harm the recovery. But the American people will have to pay back lenders for years to come, including increasing payments to foreign creditors that are financing America--China, Japan, and Brazil, among others. Senator Toomey is shining a laser beam on the Fed as it will be the supreme negotiator in these ``money'' transactions that will impact our nation's future ``wealth''. Our nation has been accumulating more and more debt and not been paying down principal for a very long time due to wars, huge tax cuts to the wealthy, and a haughty attitude among some that the U.S. is invulnerable to the selling off of productive assets. During the 1990's, to ease the interest payments on our accumulating U.S. debt, the U.S. financial system was turned inside out to inflate and leverage globally Americans' wealth in the housing sector. Wall Street, with the Fed looking on, ushered in the horrific 2008 housing crisis with millions of transactions that failed. Individual American families are still recovering from that hard body blow to their real wealth achieved through home ownership, their primary source of savings. Yes, Wall Street feverishly booked paper money losses while big securities firms ate one another, leaving about 4 giant firms that now transact the majority of money trades in our country. Incidentally, their CEO's took away more money and bonuses than before the crash. They transferred their losses to homeowners in every hamlet in our nation as well as booked losses to many lenders that had less money power. Senator Pat Toomey is a former Wall Street refugee as the bank at which he worked was gobbled up by Germany's Deutche Bank. He holds a rigid fealty to free markets as a Club for Growth endorsed Senator. He and I hold vastly differing views about many issues, but we come from manufacturing states deeply harmed by the current Wall Street-Fed economic model, where every real asset is disposable. We both share a deep concern about rising U.S. debt levels and the role of the Federal Reserve as an agent of national decline. He has focused on America's terrible ``money vs. wealth'' predicament whether one chooses to listen to him or not. Our nation's capital markets are now dependent on foreign investment to prop them up. Our nation is not financially independent. The question is which sector of our economy will next fall victim to Wall Street's financial roulette with the Federal Reserve's acquiescence--will the wealth of our states and municipalities be compromised or emptied out as was our housing sector? That is a deep concern in view of what Wall Street orchestrated as the housing bubble burst. For foreign investors buying U.S. debt, U.S. taxpayers annually now shell out over $130 billion annually in interest payments to China, Japan, and Brazil to name three. Since the 1980's the share of foreign ownership of US debt has risen from less than 4 percent to well over 40 percent. This is an astounding indictment on our unfortunate inability to live within our means. Frankly, to be a strong and independent nation, with wealth creation here at home, these are bills we should aim to pay ourselves. That requires real leadership. The Fed's Chair, an unelected position, is now the second most important office in Washington, DC. 99 percent of the public doesn't think much about the Fed. But it becomes the key lynchpin in the ability of our nation to float economically. Its growing, subterranean financial control over daily life can come at a terrible price. The Fed's money and debt penchant for our nation is like consuming a tad of arsenic at a time. Rather, to reverse the cycle of middle-class downward mobility, America needs real wealth creation at home, not just money supply manipulation again. For example, why shouldn't seniors be able to earn fair interest again on their accumulated savings? They loan their precious dollars to banks and are paid nothing in return. The aspiring generation should not have to be pawned through heavy education debt loads from which the financial sector benefits. If Congress fails to pay attention, real assets of local municipalities and states could well be leveraged by the Fed to pay more American interest to foreign bond holders. Heedless borrowing continues to fund America's inability to grow the real economy here at home. The significant diminishment of manufacturing as a robust sector of our economy that creates broad economic uplift of the middle class cannot be matched by the ``financial services'' sector nor the new ``tech industry'' which produce very lopsided economies, with a few very rich but many more poor. Record credit card debt and the indebting of the aspiring generation--all are signs of a creeping financialization of our society that takes power and control away from ordinary citizens. Is it any wonder Americans are in backlash mode? The amount of interest taxpayers are paying foreign creditors has been on an ascending curve since the l980s. It cannot continue if our nation is to remain free. With this ``debt bomb'' hanging over our heads, in the future any bill Congress passes must protect the real value of our municipal and state assets-- water and sewage systems, bus systems, parks, hospitals and universities, roads, equipment, etc. They should not be leveraged through international borrowing that requires growing interest payments over time that in tum indebts our communities in perpetuity as has occurred already with student debt loans and the housing melt down. A truly strong America requires we look ourselves in the mirror and design a ``Build Back Better Recovery'' that is not financialized but is truly ``made in America'', not borrowed. The American people deserve no less for what they have been enduring during this Pandemic and with the accelerating economic washout of the middle class since the 1980's. There is a huge difference between money and wealth.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Pasquale DiTerlizzi. Mr. DiTerlizzi succumbed to the coronavirus on December 8, 2020 after fighting as hard as he could for two weeks. As he slipped into twilight his family was able to surround him. He passed from this life on the holy day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, fitting for a Catholic man who humbly revered the Virgin Mary. The only son in an Italian immigrant family, Pasquale DiTerlizzi became a fixture and a legend in his shoe shop's neighborhood of West Toledo, his St. Anthony's Church family and the farm community of Temperance, Michigan. Born the third child of Mauro and Lucy Saccucci DiTerlizzi, Pasquale attended St. Charles grade school and Libbey High School in Toledo, Ohio. Immediately after graduation, Pasquale entered into U.S. military service, on active duty 1941 to 1944, working as a welder on ships. When he returned to Toledo after the war, his brother-in-law took him into his own shoe shop where he learned the art of shoemaking. In 1947, Pasquale opened up his own shoe shop on Upton Avenue in West Toledo, where it remains to this day. In addition to shoe repair, he took college courses to learn how to make orthopedic shoes and became adept at any leather repair of any kind including saddles, riding gear, belts, coats and purses. Even, his shop was the place to go for tap shoes. Family vacations were spent at shoe conventions, and the shop grew through its 73 years as he worked with his children Anita, Patsy, Mario, Tina, Dino and Mari and his wife Juanita. Leading up to this last illness, Pasquale, age 97, still worked at the shop. Not driving the last few years, he made sure someone in the family took him to the shop every day. In 1948, Pasquale DiTerlizzi married Juanita Gackstetter and together they raised six children, first in West Toledo and then on their family farm a short distance in Michigan. The farm was a hive of activity with many special family events and a busy, active family. Deeply faithful, the DiTerlizzi family became synonymous with St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Temperance soon after the move to the farm. For decades, Pasquale was a leading parishioner at St. Anthony's, where his family initiated its famous spaghetti dinner fundraisers. As the family grew, many weddings, Catholic rites and family gatherings were celebrated at St. Anthony's. Pasquale DiTerlizzi leaves a legacy of life, love and faith to his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family. Everyone he knew received a strong handshake, a warm look in the eye and a smile. His Catholic faith held him strong through adversity, joy and sorrow and it holds his family firmly now as they move forward. As Pasquale DiTerlizzi journeyed home he was surely met by his wife Juanita and second wife Romelda, his daughter Anita, his sisters Virginia, Antoinette and Lena, his parents, cousins, aunts and uncles who preceded him in death. He lakes his leave as the Patriarch of his family, but his spirit imbues them all. We wish them comfort in memories as they forge ahead and honor the life of this remarkable man.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Bishop Rance Lee Allen. Bishop Allen passed unexpectedly from this life on October 31, 2020 leaving a widespread legacy. Rance Lee Allen was born in Monroe, Michigan on November 19, 1948, the middle brother between Tom and Steve. His was born one of twelve children to Thomas and Emma Pearl. At an early age, he showed a passion for both music and preaching. By age nine he was travelling as a preacher in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. After graduating from Monroe High School, he attended Monroe County Community College. On December 1, 1970, Rance Allen married Ellen Marie Groves. In 1978, Rance Allen was ordained as an Elder of the Church of God in Christ, taking on a position as associate pastor at Monroe's Holiness Temple. In 1985 Toledo's New Bethel Church was founded and Bishop Allen was appointed its pastor, a position he held until his death. In 1995, Bishop Allen received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Urban Bible Institute of Detroit, Michigan. In 2011, Bishop Allen was consecrated as Jurisdictional Prelate of the Michigan Northwest Harvest Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction by the Church of God in Christ. In 2020, Bishop Allen earned a Doctorate of Theology Degree from Kingdom University International of Orlando, Florida. An anointed gospel singer and musician, he founded the Rance Allen Group in 1967 with his brothers Tom and Steve, with Rance as the featured singer and also playing guitar and keyboard. Together for over 50 years, only the coronavirus pandemic temporarily stopped the group's performances. The Rance Allen Group released 21 albums, won six Stellar Awards, 3 Grammy Nominations, and have several other awards to the group's credit. Well known in the music world, Rance Allen also performed with other music artists including CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, Snoop Dogg and Aretha Franklin. In 2015, Bishop Allen received the highest honor of his musical career by being invited and performing at the White House in a tribute to the gospel music tradition hosted by President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama. In 1998, The Rance Allen Group was inducted into the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum. In 2005, Rance Allen was awarded BMI's Trailblazer of Gospel Music Award. In 2009 the Black Academy of Arts and Letters named him as one of the Great Men of Gospel. Bishop Allen wove his ministry and his music into a tapestry which shone for the glory of God. His was a life well lived, and when he completed his time on earth at age 71, his Lord called him home with the words in Matthew 25:21, ``Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.'' To Bishop Allen's wife Ellen, his brothers Thomas and Steve, his congregants and countless friends, we hope the memory of this great man brings comfort as his joyous life is celebrated.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Oscar Bunch. A Virginian, strong and humble working man of uncommon grace, Mr. Bunch passed from this life at age 90 on Friday, December 11, 2020 surrounded by his family in his home. Delivered by a midwife, Oscar Bunch was born to Myrtle and Edward Bunch on March 12, 1930 in Portsmouth, Virginia. Born in the depths of the Great Depression, Oscar knew hard times and hard work early on. As a child he was already working long ten-hour days alongside his family as sharecroppers picking cotton, peanuts and corn and earning less than one dollar a day. This experience, along with values earned from a devoutly Christian mother who believed in unconditional love and hard work, taught him that all people have value and worth, that hard working people deserve to live decently, and that compassion matters. When he was thirteen years old, Oscar went to work in the Norfolk Navy Yard when World War II created a shortage of workers. At age fifteen, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and saw tours of Germany, France and Belgium during the war. After the war ended and Oscar returned home to Virginia, the GI Bill gave him the opportunity to go the school. He earned his Journeyman's card as a pipefitter, finishing his apprenticeship in 1952. Along the way Oscar met and married his wife Ruby, and together they raised their children Michael, Brian, Wesley and Donna. The young family moved to Toledo, Ohio, and in 1956 Oscar began his career at the Chevrolet Transmission plant on Alexis Road where he promptly became involved in the UAW. In 1972 he was elected as the Skilled Trades Bargaining Representative of UAW Local 14. He was elected the Local 14 President in 1978 and was re-elected to ten consecutive terms. To date, Oscar Bunch is the longest serving union local President in UAW history. An outstanding negotiator as labor leader, Oscar always looked out for the rank-and-file, ensuring their voice was heard and their needs met. Among his lasting legacies is Oscar Bunch park, a lovely greenspace between the plant and the union hall he worked to establish and dedicated in his name upon his 2006 retirement, where the families of GM workers could gather. Oscar spent his career as a labor leader putting into practice the lessons he learned in his youth. Humble and unassuming, nonetheless his words and actions carried great weight. He was well respected by labor, management and community. After retirement, Oscar dedicated his efforts to growing the Toledo Public Schools' Toledo Technology Academy to educate students in the skilled premier institution it has become. He remained an active participant in many community ventures. Throughout his life both in public and private, Oscar Bunch sought to ensure a better life for the common man. He never forgot where he came from and carried with him his modest roots. He instilled those values in his own family. We wish for his wife, Ruby, his son and daughter Wes and Donna, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his many friends, that they find some comfort in the memories they share and the gift of Oscar Bunch's life to them all, and for our entire community.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2472, the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility Act. Congresswoman Horn, you have been a trusted and valued colleague and have ably served our Nation and your constituents. I want to express my deep appreciation for your assistance on today's legislation and for your friendship as you served so honorably in this Congress. In the busy days before the end of the session, Ohio is truly grateful for your assistance in getting this bill to the finish line. We can't thank you enough. Mr. Speaker, the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility Act renames the NASA Plum Brook Station after a true American hero, who happened to be a Buckeye, an Ohioan. Our State is known for aviation, for its flight milestones, for its courageous heroes and inventors. The Plum Brook Station, located in Sandusky, Ohio, is a true asset to American excellence in space exploration. The facilities at the site are second to none. They contain the Space Environments Complex, with the world's largest space test chamber. In its In-Space Propulsion building, it has a space chamber where you can fire an upper stage rocket. There is also a world-class clean-air hypersonic wind tunnel that even the Department of Defense didn't know about, and a space chamber to test equipment to simulate planetary surface conditions. Imagine what someone like Neil Armstrong had to learn in order to be successful in that history-making flight. These capabilities enable our scientists to prepare for the rigors of space exploration. The Plum Brook Station and test facility is a national asset. Today, it is being renamed after an American pioneer in human history. This year, Plum Brook Station finished testing the Orion spacecraft that will fly the Artemis I mission. This mission will eventually return a person to the Moon. Fifty-one years after Neil Armstrong captivated the world with his famous words that united humankind and allowed us to dream for a common purpose, the Nation turns our attention back to this test facility. How humble it was when he said, ``One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'' Mr. Speaker, I also want to express my deep appreciation to Representative Anthony Gonzalez's partnership on this bill. I am pleased to see him managing the Republican time today. I couldn't be happier. He and his staff have been able to be collegial partners in securing a floor vote, and I thank him for that. I also thank our colleagues in the other body who have helped as well. I, along with the people of Ohio, are also extremely grateful to Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson; Ranking Member Lucas; our Senate colleagues, Senators Brown and Portman, for their bicameral partnership on today's legislation. This is the way Congress should work. In these days of uncertainty for our society and planet, renaming the NASA test facility at Sandusky, Ohio, for Neil Armstrong offers a reminder to the world of our common purpose that can give us the giant leaps that lie ahead for humankind. Indeed, America must continue reaching for the stars and beyond. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2472, the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility Act.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Takano for his dedication and leadership to move these import veterans provisions through Congress. Included in this package is my bill, the Veterans-Specific Education for Tomorrow's Health Professionals Act. The VET HP Act will create a 1-year pilot program to allow pre-med students to gain clinical observation experience at VA medical centers. I thank the chairman for his leadership in helping include this. This legislation will not only increase opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to gain the clinical observation time they need for medical school, but it will also allow them the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of veterans' specific health needs and experiences, which we just heard about, while connecting them with the VA medical system. In identifying and training future physicians interested in serving veterans, this legislation will, hopefully, help fill some of the estimated 30,000 medical vacancies at the Department of Veterans Affairs by creating a viable pipeline of future physicians. Mr. Speaker, one of our highest responsibilities as a Congress is to ensure our veterans receive the timely, highest quality care they deserve from trained professionals. I am pleased that this bill, the VET HP Act, with the leadership of Chairman Takano and with my sponsorship as well, will directly support these priorities.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise this December in reflective remembrance and commemoration of the valiant lives of the famed four American churchwomen, who were brutally raped and murdered by the El Salvadoran military 40 years ago on December 2, 1980. Their names were Sisters Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and Jean Donovan. Their mission, and ultimately their lives, were sacrificed to the service of the forgotten and the impoverished in El Salvador. These courageous women of faith were hallmarks of their community and their mission of accompaniment in the nation amidst turmoil. Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago, in the midst of a civil war, the U.S. Government funded and supported the El Salvadoran military that on December 2, 1980, murdered these evangelical saints. In their protection and companionship of refugee families, they were targeted as enemies of national interest in the country. These four women were nothing less than lionhearts of political and social righteousness that respected all people. Mr. Speaker, in recognizing their legacy, I ask for a moment of silence as we recall, each time we mourn their names, the loss of these four saints.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduct the bipartisan Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act. I am grateful to my colleague Adam Kinzinger of Illinois for his partnership in co-leading this critically needed piece of legislation. The United States and our allies face down increased threats from global actors like a rising China and belligerent Russia that seek to export their malign influence and undermine democratic institutions. China seeks to compromise allied critical telecommunications infrastructure by using statelinked companies like Huawei and ZTE to unfairly induce our allies to procure insecure fifth generation telecommunications equipment and services. Bipartisan current and former U.S. officials and civil society members have recognized the threat of malign influence over critical telecommunications networks. 50 networks will serve as the backbone of artificial intelligence platforms with immense national security and domestic economic implications. Secure telecommunications are also critical for military interoperability with our European allies at a time when NATO coordination is needed now more than ever. Given these critical national security needs, the United States must provide our allies alternatives to Chinese financing and provide increased diplomatic support to our allies to ensure secure telecommunications lines. This legislation would authorize the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to provide financing for cross-border 5G telecommunications infrastructure development to our allies. This financing is key to remove risky and threatening equipment and replace it with secure equipment. The legislation seeks to increase resilience in countries in the region whose infrastructure deficit from the Soviet-era makes them especially vulnerable to malign Chinese influence, including among nations in the Three Seas Initiative. Additionally, this bill directs the Secretary of State and other relevant agency heads to prioritize diplomacy and project support with European allies and partners to develop 5G markets that are inclusive, transparent, economically viable, socially sustainable, and compliant with international law. Finally, this legislation ensures the United States is leading with our European allies to develop international 5G standards that favor democratic institutions, not further authoritarianism spread by China and Russia. Following unanimous House passage of H. Res. 672 supporting the Three Seas Initiative and the enactment of the bipartisan European Energy Security and Diversification Act, this bill is the next critically needed step for Congress to secure our transatlantic allies and partners from malign influence. I urge all my colleagues to support this critical legislation

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call for the immediate passage of coronavirus relief for the American people. Members of Congress must not return home to their districts before a coronavirus package has been agreed upon and passed. The House passed the Heroes Act in the Spring, over six months ago, extending additional relief to American families struggling to put food on the table, pay their rent, keep their businesses afloat, and pay their student loans. The do nothing Republicans in the Senate have not only refused to vote on the Heroes Act, but they have refused to even put up a viable alternative that their members can accept. It's shameful the Republican Majority in the Senate would rather confirm President Trump's lame-duck political appointees and judges than offer even a modest measure of coronavirus support to American workers and struggling families. Meanwhile, President Trump has provided zero leadership. Madam Speaker, the coronavirus is infecting more people now than at any other time in the last year. We stand on the face of a precipice that will leave tens of thousands more Americans dead. We must pass coronavirus aid before the end of this week.

Ms. KAPTUR

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I thank Chair DeFazio. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Water Resources Development Act. There is no question that Chairman DeFazio and Chairwoman Napolitano have worked tirelessly over the last year--and probably longer--to get this bill to the finish line. This bill delivers for our Nation's crumbling water infrastructure. Madam Speaker, S. 1811 enjoys broad bipartisan support because it pays attention to the unique and particular needs of the different regions of our diverse Nation. The package includes provisions to protect 90 percent of North America's surface fresh water on our Great Lakes. This includes a specific authorization of the invasive species control system at Brandon Road Lock and Dam. The project serves a unique national role, and once completed, will serve as a bulwark for preventing Asian carp and other invasive species from threatening the fragile ecosystem of our Great Lakes and its $7 billion fishery. Madam Speaker, today's authorization marks an important milestone for protecting the Great Lakes recreational fishing industry. Our region has advocated to include this authorization for nearly a decade. And since 2010, when Congress authorized the Great Lakes Interbasin Study, our delegation searched for a long-term and basin-wide solution to the predatory Asian carp. I commend the committee for embedding resiliency into the Corps planning processes and for investing to rebuild and advance the Nation's water infrastructure for the 21st century. Finally, the bill adds the words ``Great Lakes'' to the name of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to shine a light on the Seaway's unique role in unleashing the economic potential of the region and the Nation. President Dwight David Eisenhower understood that this seaway is the shortest distance to Europe, and we must remember that today. Madam Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan bill.