Teresa Leger Fernandez

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Larry Foster of the Navajo Nation for his induction into the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame. This honor demonstrates the outstanding leadership and athletic achievement of Mr. Foster. It is a hallmark of his commitment and dedication. Foster was a student at Window Rock High School in Arizona where he earned All State and All Conference Honors in baseball, football, and basketball from 1966 to 1969. Upon graduating high school, he continued to play baseball at Bacone Juniors College in Muskogee, Oklahoma and later Adam State College in Alamosa, Colorado. He was named as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Batting Champion in 1971 with a batting average of .442. After college, Foster played semi-pro baseball and was a nine-time All Tournament outfield and batting champion and continued to play in All Indian baseball tournaments from 1964 to 1976. Foster now resides in Gallup, New Mexico with his wife Mattie Foster. He continues to be an active member of his community, including being a local sportswriter. Na b// hozh0 to Mr. Foster. We are grateful for his contribution to sports in New Mexico.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for pointing out the importance of the moment we are in and the fact that there are people dying. There are children dying of hunger. How is it that we do not cry for that, and that we do not cry for solutions? Mr. Speaker, I, like all of my colleagues here today, strongly condemn Iran's heinous and unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel over the weekend. We should all be proud of how President Biden, the United States military, and our allies struck down hundreds of drones to minimize the casualties and the damage from the attack. This is the mark of a strong President, bringing our allies together to combat the threat to democracies around the world. The United States should lead because we are the strongest when we lead coalitions of democratic nations. When the Republican majority scrapped this week's meaningless agenda of protecting the freedom of refrigerators, we thought this would be the moment when the Republican House leadership would finally rise to the challenge of funding the fight against tyranny. This rule, however, is a disappointment. It is incremental bills with titles condemning Iran, but the bills themselves, where it counts, the text of the legislation, does little. Lots of talk in the title but no real solutions in the bills. It is especially sad because we have a bipartisan bill that would provide the bullets that Ukraine needs to defeat Russia, that would provide the humanitarian assistance that the starving children in Gaza need to stay alive, that would provide more assistance to Israel, and that would combat China's increased aggression in the Indo-Pacific. I know the vast majority of my Republican colleagues want to do the right thing for Ukraine, but when extreme Putin-protecting Republicans fail to curb Russia's aggression, they support Iran. We cannot see these global threats in isolation. Iran's attack on Israel is tied to the efforts of Russia, Iran, and China to reassert themselves against the West, against America, and against democracy. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the March 2024 Breaking Defense article titled: ``'Extremely Concerned': American generals raise alarm over Iran's tightening ties with Russia, China.''

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, in the article, the U.S. Central Command head, General Michael Kurilla, says: ``I am very concerned about this renewed relationship between Russia, China, and Iran. What we are seeing is Iran is reliant on China and Russia is reliant on Iran.'' We cannot waste another day of precious floor time instead of getting directly to passing the bipartisan security bill that would actually hurt Iran. The Senate sent us the security bill 63 days ago. Twenty-two Senate Republicans voted for that bill. That is as bipartisan as you will ever get in the Senate. Instead, we are in a holding pattern, waiting for Republicans to publicly share the text of bills they promise will provide humanitarian assistance and support Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and Israel. Why should we be waiting? The Senate bill has been available for review by every office for 63 days. Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to put real solutions up for a vote, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the inspiring life of Tonya Sanchez. Tonya was the director of the Presbyterian Health Services Community Clinic in Cuba, New Mexico, who passed away in February. She implemented programs and activities to connect with her community. From toy drives to Halloween carnivals and art competitions, Tonya strived to make everyone feel welcome. She encouraged them to take pride in their home as rural Latino Americanos and as Nuevomexicanos. Tonya had recently launched her campaign for village council. Even after her passing, she won more votes than others who ran. She was eager to listen and to build with her community. Through her immense care and compassion, Tonya created an unrivaled impact on everyone she met. Tonya spearheaded one of my congressionally supported community projects for rural workforce housing for the Presbyterian Medical Center in Cuba. I will cherish the photos of the event celebrating the project with Tonya. I am heartbroken that such an amazing person was taken before her life could shine even brighter. I am proud to have met her, and I hope to carry on the work that she started in our home State and in her beautiful village. Her legacy will live on through her children, the countless lives that she touched, and the beautiful workforce housing that she made possible in Cuba, New Mexico.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Rules and a mentor.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for his words. I think they are very inspiring as to the wonderful leadership that we have had with Chairman Cole, and also, we are going to miss Eric. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy) for the customary 30 minutes. I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, we just returned from 2 marvelous weeks in our beautiful districts. I was invited to visit a food bank to highlight food insecurity and the need to provide families with nutritious and available meals. I talked with Tribal leaders and law enforcement about how we must work together to solve the many issues facing Native American communities from the missing and murdered indigenous women crisis to the need for greater economic development to the need for protection of sacred sites from desecration. We gathered healthcare providers from across New Mexico for a Congressional Hispanic Caucus on the road event to talk about Latino access to rural healthcare. That event was standing room only because our constituents want us to address healthcare access and continue Democrats' work to bring down the cost of prescription drugs and healthcare costs, the work we began last year with the Inflation Reduction Act. These are really important things. Our constituents want us to work on really important things that make a difference in their lives every day. So what are we doing today? Three of these bills don't really address anything. We have more resolutions that just express things but don't have any solutions. We are spending another valuable week on nonbinding resolutions and bills that Republicans have already failed to pass. This is the third time we will vote on a resolution complaining about an immigration system that has been broken for years, and it is Congress' fault that we have not fixed it. Republicans want to just talk about blame, but do they offer any solutions? That is not how governing works. It is not about coming down here and passing press releases on the floor of the House. If you want to engage in a problem and offer solutions, you engage in bipartisan negotiations to pass a law that fixes the problem. Instead, Republicans do the opposite. They block bipartisan immigration deals and complain that nothing is happening. Well, something is happening. Republicans are making the problem worse. Six months ago, the President sent Congress a supplemental border security request. That request would have bolstered border security and slowed the flow of refugees by addressing the root cause of migration. For 6 months, Republicans, who control this House, have refused to take up the President's supplemental border security funding request. In the Senate, a bipartisan group led by a Republican Senator and Democrats worked for 4 months. They worked hard on a bipartisan border security deal. Before we could even discuss the merits of it in this House to say what we liked or didn't like, Trump told them to kill the bill. Following Trump's orders, as always, House Republican leadership declared it dead on arrival in the House. Why? They want to preserve immigration as a political weapon, not something that Americans are asking us to fix. Americans would like to see comprehensive immigration reform. How about if we do something like taking up the bipartisan Dream and Promise Act or the bipartisan Farm Work Modernization Act, which passed with bipartisan support out of this Congress because we need more agrarian workers to help pick the food we need to place on our tables. What is especially shameful is that instead of offering solutions, Republicans are creating a dangerous environment in America. Rhetoric from the twice impeached and four times-indicted former President Trump that suggest immigrants are poisoning the blood of America is dangerous and disgraceful. Trump's language echoes, almost verbatim, the propaganda and hate used by Hitler and other Nazi leaders. America is not Nazi Germany. We will push back against such a scary road to tyranny and bigotry. Trump forgets but America remembers that immigrants are vitally important to the economic vibrancy and future of our Nation. While securing the border is an important policy objective, there is no reason to demonize our parents, grandparents, coworkers, friends, and neighbors in the process. This rule also makes in order H. Res. 1117, yet another nonbinding resolution, a press release. It has been just 1 week since seven World Central Kitchen volunteers were killed in Gaza, killed while trying to bring food to starving Gazans, who are on the brink of famine. More than 200 aid workers have been killed in Gaza over the last 6 months. Over 13,000 children and 9,000 women have died in the war. So far, 27 kids have died of malnutrition. Do you know how horrible it is to die of starvation? Twenty-seven children. Famine is imminent for 1.1 million Gazans. There are still over 130 Israeli hostages who, without a cease-fire, cannot go home to their grieving families, their worried families. Tens of thousands of Israelis are marching in the streets to bring the hostages home. This resolution that we are hearing today fails to acknowledge the sad reality I have just discussed. It also fails to support President Biden's efforts to bring lasting peace to this region, which should be our goal. President Biden is right: A cease-fire is needed to bring over 130 Israeli hostages home and to prevent the deaths of innocent Gazans. Too many people have died already. President Biden's calls to Netanyahu for a cease-fire, to bring the hostages home, and to reverse the humanitarian crisis should be welcomed by everyone with a caring heart. If you care for the hostages and their worried families, a cease-fire is needed. If you care for the women and children who are dying and starving, a cease-fire is needed. If you care for a future where peace can come to this region, a cease- fire is needed. Next, the House will consider H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. The bill reauthorizes FISA for 5 years and implements minor changes to the program. The Republicans have waited until the last minute to bring this reauthorization to the floor. I will say, they tried once before back in February. We had a hearing in the Rules Committee on Valentine's Day. It was great. We saw amazing bipartisan agreement from the Judiciary Committee, but we never did get to hear from the Intelligence Committee. Instead, Republicans waited until the last minute. It expires in 9 days. That is not a way to govern. This is an important bill that needs conversation and debate. Members need to hear from the two committees with jurisdiction over FISA to determine how they will vote and the important balance between protecting constitutional rights of citizens and protecting our national security. Next, this rule makes in order H.R. 529, the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act. While this bill is a bipartisan bill, which I will point out received unanimous support in committee and will probably receive almost near-unanimous support on this floor, this is the kind of bill that usually doesn't go through Rules. It is the type of bill that would normally pass under suspension. Why wasn't it put under suspension? Is it because House Republicans needed something that could finally pass the Rules Committee, come to the floor, and maybe make it into law? The last bill to pass the Rules Committee and become law was almost a year ago. It is almost a year ago since we did the people's business on this floor where we actually got a bill, sent it out of Rules, sent it to the Senate, and it made it onto the President's desk. Republicans have presided over the most ineffective sessions of Congress in history. Despite the pressing challenges facing our Nation, they have repeatedly chosen to prioritize silly censures, sham impeachments, and do-nothing messaging bills. That is no way to run the House. That is no way to run the people's House and address the people's business. Meanwhile, Democrats have kept our focus on delivering for the American people and implementing the incredible laws we passed last Congress when Democrats controlled this House, which was, by the way, the most successful and most productive in recent memory. We have carried the vote to make sure the U.S. didn't default on its debt last year. Democrats carried bills to fund the government, keep it running, and protect against draconian spending cuts. Democrats always stand ready to work across the aisle to tackle important issues. This includes coming together to work on a bipartisan solution, a comprehensive solution to fix the border, to secure the border, to lower costs. We hope that our colleagues will work with us. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I appreciate that the rule makes in order several amendments for the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. These are amendments that we heard about that both the members of the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees have proposed, but we also heard last night in the Rules Committee that there are many important amendments the Committee blocked and that the full House won't get to consider. The process on this could indeed have been better. What I wonder now is do we even have the votes to pass this rule? We need to be able to get to a point where we are taking up on the floor of the House rules that are going to get the votes. As we know, they have already defeated six of their own rules. These are important matters, and I think it is important that we get to do the work. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. D'Esposito). The gentlewoman has 13\1/4\ minutes remaining.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, as we can see, there is strong consideration on some of the issues with regard to FISA, but we have also seen that we are so close to its expiration, and I really wonder whether the rule will pass. I haven't heard them talk about whether they think this rule will pass. As I noted, six rules have been killed on the Republican side. There was also a tweet that was recently issued by the presumptive Presidential nominee in all caps. It says--and I am quoting this; I am not making any observations. It says in all caps--and I can't yell that loud--but it says: ``Kill FISA, it was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign.'' I wonder whether this House will continue to move forward on the business that must be done or whether tweets will indeed lead to what action we are taking here today. Hopefully, we will take action that leads us to move forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I, too, like many more, take sacred the oath that we have taken to preserve the Constitution. I hope that as elections come up and as we think about how we make sure that we preserve our democracy, that those words continue to ring throughout all of my colleagues' memories of what has happened on the floor of this House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is really important that the American people know that we are debating a rule today, and that rule has the FISA bill, which we have heard much, but it also has other bills. Mr. Speaker, half the bills, half the legislation that are on the floor today do nothing. They do absolutely nothing. In fact, it is not surprising that Republicans, my colleagues, worry about the do-nothing Congress. Mr. Speaker, I request ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an article from NBC NEWS titled: `` `It is embarrassing': Republicans worry they have no achievements to run on in 2024.''

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, to discuss our proposal, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Schrier).

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would say that some of the quotes--and I am saying quotes--say: ``I hope there is enough adults in the room that are willing to focus on progress rather than purity.'' Mr. Speaker, that means when you don't have bipartisan legislation to work on some of the issues my constituents have talked about, the resolutions that nobody on the other side wants to talk about, because they do nothing. I would also point to another quote: `` `I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing--one--that I can go campaign on and say we did. One.' '' Roy yelled. ``Anybody sitting in the complex, if you want to come down to the floor and come explain to me one material, meaningful, significant thing the Republican majority has done besides: Well, I guess it is not as bad as Democrats.'' I think that is a really important thing that Americans need to know. Mr. Speaker, when we were in charge of this House, we looked on making sure that we brought down the cost of prescription drugs. We made sure that we addressed the needs of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, which I hope we will, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 12, a bill that would protect access to reproductive and abortion healthcare for the millions of Americans who need it. Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, the far-right and MAGA Republicans will stop at nothing short of a full abortion ban. As of this month, over a dozen States have restricted access to that critical healthcare with some extreme States eliminating access entirely. Just yesterday, an Arizona Supreme Court upheld a 160-year-old law, making it a felony to perform or induce an abortion at almost any time. This is inhumane. Mr. Speaker, do you think Republicans will stop at 15 States, 20 States? On the contrary, they won't stop until every single woman in this country is deprived of her right to make her own healthcare decisions in conversation with her faith, her family, and her doctors without government interference. Mr. Speaker, that is why House Democrats are fighting to protect women, protect doctors, and protect patients who simply want access to needed care. H.R. 12, the Women's Health Protection Act, will prevent States from trampling on Americans' constitutional rights and keep fundamental healthcare services available across the country. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing. I want to give everyone at home a behind-the-scenes look at what we just did here today. Republicans needed filler this week because they have no real agenda to work on. Of the four bills, three of them are do-nothing bills that attack the President, a customs bill that has broad support and didn't need a rule, and a FISA reauthorization which we don't even know will pass. I think Americans want to know what we are not doing here. They want to know that we are not taking up the important legislation that Americans are worried about, like security assistance for Ukraine, which the Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass. The crucial aid to Ukraine would be critical to fight for democracy, but we are not even taking it up. We are not taking up the need to pass a farm bill. Everywhere I go in my district, my rural area, I am asked: What is happening with the farm bill? We are not taking it up. We are not taking up legislation to protect a woman's access to healthcare, so that if she has a miscarriage she is welcomed with assistance from her doctors and not handcuffs. We have pointed out that the last bill to pass the Rules Committee and become law was almost a year ago, because Republicans in this Congress have been trying but failing over and over to govern. Democrats, in contrast, are willing to work across the aisle on bipartisan issues, to attack the important issues our constituents know we need to get done. We cannot continue to have the kind of infighting that stops legislative action for us to get the work done we need to get done. Mr. Speaker, because of all the important issues that were raised and we need to take up, for women and people who love the women, who want to make sure they have the healthcare they deserve, vote ``no'' on the previous question. Let's take up the Women's Health Protection Act. Let's move on things that in every State, election after election, we know we need to get done. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the previous question and the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6011, the Right-of-Way Application Transparency and Accountability Act. There is a rapidly growing demand for renewable energy across the country, and our Federal public lands have significant potential to support that growth. In fact, we are well on our way to developing 25 gigawatts of clean energy on public lands by 2025, the goal set in the Energy Act of 2020. Right now, the Bureau of Land Management is processing 74 utility- scale onshore clean energy projects, including solar, wind, geothermal, and transmission lines, all of which are vital to the clean energy transition. In order for solar, wind, and transmission to use our public lands, however, these renewable projects are required to secure a right-of-way any time a project will use or disturb public lands. Also, the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act have tremendous amount of potential on our public lands, as well as on Tribal lands. However, for example, when a Tribe, such as the Navajo Nation in my district, needs to repair a bridge, they must also secure a right-of-way. This can be an incredibly cumbersome process, especially when dealing with the checkerboard pattern of many Tribal areas that intersect with BLM land, Forest Service land, private land, allottee land, and land held in trust. This legislation would, however, require that the Secretary of the Interior, with regard to Bureau lands, and the Secretary of Agriculture, with regard to National Forest System lands, to notify a right-of-way applicant within 90 days of applying as to whether the application is complete, or if it is not, to specify what information is missing. I am grateful to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with committee Democrats on compromise language to create these timelines while ensuring that they are workable for applicants and for our Federal agencies. These clear requirements set out in this legislation will support the efficient and responsible deployment of clean energy on public lands. They will allow us to build those bridges, highways, and so much more that we authorized in the bipartisan infrastructure law. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on commonsense reforms to enhance clean energy deployment on public lands. Madam Speaker, I urge support for this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. I do recognize the important work that Representative Valadao has done working on this bill, and I appreciate the fact that he pointed out this bill would help with job creation. As I noted earlier, the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act, these bills that we passed in the 117th Congress, brought resources into our communities to build what we need for America's future. Repairing those roads that cross our rural areas are so essential for districts and States like Montana and New Mexico and across the West. I am very appreciative of this bill, and I urge support of this legislation. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today also in support of H.R. 4389, the Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act, which would help ensure the long-term protection of neotropical migratory birds. More than half of our Nation's birds travel thousands of miles to spend winters south of the tropics, but habitat destruction has led to the loss of more than one in four of these birds since 1970. Imagine, a quarter of these birds have been lost. This bipartisan bill will protect habitats along these migratory routes by reauthorizing the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation program. This program has already benefited 5 million acres of migratory bird habitat in over 40 countries, and this bill will provide additional Federal support for these efforts. This funding will facilitate multinational partnerships, conservation projects in habitat conservation, research, monitoring, and community outreach and education. The bill will also address stakeholders' concerns and program inequities by easing matching requirements and enabling more high- quality projects to compete for grants. These efforts will provide long-term protection for our beloved bird species and the habitats they rely on. Our world is facing a biodiversity crisis with impacts that we are only just beginning to understand. I am pleased that we are working together across the aisle in a bipartisan manner today to address at least a part, but a very important part, of that serious challenge. We all want to be able to continue to listen to the birdsong, to look up and marvel at the fact that these birds have traveled so far and are so essential to our entire habitat. I am very grateful for this bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I really do commend the sponsor of the bill. As she noted, this bill is supported on a bipartisan basis by some of our most illustrious colleagues. I remember this bill when it was introduced last session as well, and the work that Representative Salazar and Ranking Member Larsen have done on this bill is commendable. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen).