Zoe Lofgren

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act. This November, the American people will cast their votes to elect a new government. Americans have voted during times of great strife in the past--during the Civil War, in the midst of the Great Depression, in the shadow of World Wars, and in the wake of terrorist attacks. Americans will stand united to vote this November, as well. This year, however, we are faced with the unique challenges of a deadly, global viral pandemic which to date has killed more than 80,000 Americans and infected more than one million people in the United States. This emergency has already ground our daily lives and our economy to a halt. While drastic measures put in place have appeared to blunt some of the effects of this pandemic, we nevertheless face the prospect of a resurgence of the coronavirus in the Fall. Public health experts agree that we must take steps to mitigate risk of the spread of COVID-19. This includes limiting public exposure to the virus by employing strict social distancing measures. These measures must also apply to the administration of our elections. To answer this challenge, the Heroes Act includes important provisions which I have authored to ensure safe and orderly elections in 2020. It appropriates $3.6 billion to assist state and local election officials to put into place much-needed protections for voters and poll workers. This includes expanding no-excuse absentee vote by mail for every voter who wishes it, and providing 15 consecutive days of early in- person voting to ensure all who prefer or require to vote in person can do so without being forced to contend with overcrowded and potentially dangerous polling locations on election day. In the event of an emergency declaration, and including the COVID-19 pandemic, the bill provides that every registered voter will be mailed an absentee ballot with prepaid return postage so that they may vote from the safety of their homes. The bill also sets important federal standards to ensure the American people know how, when, and where to vote, how to track their ballot, and it provides an opportunity to cure issues that may arise before their ballot is rejected. We don't yet know how conditions related to the coronavirus will impact our elections in November, but we do know that we cannot risk imperiling the lives of countless Americans by being unprepared on election day. The right to vote is an essential element of our democracy and Americans should not have to weigh their rights of citizenship against their own health and safety. The Heroes Act, if enacted, will put into place the necessary measures to allow every eligible voter to participate in our elections in a safe and orderly manner. The stakes are too high to fail to act, and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I support the bipartisan agreement reached on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. Many California small businesses were unable to access the first round of loans made through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established under the CARES Act (H.R. 748) because the initial round of funds was insufficient to meet the dire needs of our community during this time. Even more concerning, the Administration's bungled rollout of PPP has sown frustration and confusion at every point of the application process, denying many Santa Clara County small businesses a lifeline. I outlined my concerns regarding these flaws in my testimony to the House Small Business Committee on Thursday, April 23, 2020. This bill will provide $310 billion in additional funding for PPP. More importantly, it will reserve $60 billion for small- and medium- sized banks, credit unions, and community-based lenders to ensure our relief efforts are reaching all communities. It also adds $10 billion to Emergency Economic Injury Disaster Grants and $50 billion to the Disaster Loans Program for our small businesses. Our hospitals, health centers, and county health officials need the additional $75 billion in assistance to maintain necessary resources and procure more protective personal equipment for our healthcare workers who continue to give and risk so much. Additionally, the nation needs the $25 billion for testing to guarantee a science-based transition for when communities are ready to reopen. A nationwide strategy with a focus on increasing domestic testing capacity will be critical for reopening the economy and for preventing a second outbreak. Four bills and $2 trillion in emergency relief later, more is still needed. Specifically, we must provide additional direct funding for state and local governments and perform robust oversight on the allocation of funds for pandemic relief to prevent fraud and abuse. State and local governments need and deserve federal assistance. In CARES 2, we must make whole the state and local governments on the frontlines of this crisis and ensure our state, county, and city officials are equipped to preserve the health and safety of our community. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to address specific community needs in any future legislation.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bipartisan agreement reached on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This bill will provide immediate relief to my constituents in California's 19th District by providing direct cash payments to families, expanding unemployment, infusing $150 billion investment in our healthcare system, and supporting small businesses with hundreds of billions that will also ensure continued employment for America's workers. As one of the hardest hit communities in the country, we know that Santa Clara County cannot afford to wait any longer. Our hospitals, health centers, and county health officials specifically need the healthcare investment immediately to add capacity, work toward universal testing, and procure more masks, gloves, and gowns to guarantee our healthcare workers have the appropriate protections to do their jobs safely and effectively. Families in our community and around the country need immediate assistance in the form of direct cash payments and expanded unemployment insurance (UI). This week a record number of Americans filed unemployment claims. They need this substantial expansion and reform of UI benefits, which includes a $600 increase in the weekly maximum benefit and coverage for self-employed and gig economy workers, like the thousands of tech industry workers in Silicon Valley. California small businesses need the $350 billion lifeline to help cover rent, mortgage, and utility payments and keep workers employed so that they can pick up where they left off when this crisis is over. In addition, the $10 billion for small business emergency grants will provide entrepreneurs and family-sustaining employers in Santa Clara County with more immediate assistance. The CARES Act also includes $25 billion for public transit agencies, like the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, to keep service running while keeping employees and passengers safe. An additional $3 billion dollars in grants will keep contracted workers employed at our nation's airports, including at San Jose Mineta International Airport. This bill will provide much needed and awaited relief for American workers, families, small businesses, and healthcare systems, but it is apparent that more will need to be done. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to address specific community needs in future legislation.

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, Americans have voted during times of great strife in the past. They voted during the Civil War, and in the shadow of World War II. Americans stand united to vote this year, as well. Coronavirus must not impede our elections. Some states are postponing primaries and planning for a large increase in absentee voting this November. State and local officials need time and adequate resources to ensure an orderly election. The Senate Amendment to H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provides $400 million to the Election Assistance Commission to make grants that prevent, prepare for, and respond to the pandemic and the 2020 elections. The money will be provided as ``Election Security Grants.'' Although this is an important down payment and a first step, I am concerned that it falls short of what is necessary. By contrast, the House's Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act (H.R. 6379), which I coauthored, would have provided $4 billion in funding to states to carry out this year's elections. It would require officials to mail an absentee ballot to all registered voters during an emergency, including COVID-19. The ballot would be provided with prepaid return postage and a self-sealing envelope. It would set a minimum nationwide standard of 15 consecutive days of early voting and no-excuse absentee voting. The House bill would also require online voter registration and same-day registration--important solutions to cover voters who may have been wrongfully purged or otherwise unregistered. There is more to do to protect our democracy and bolster its resilience. The House's package provides those milestones. I will continue to work with my House and Senate colleagues to address election preparedness in future legislation to respond to this pandemic.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following exchange of letters on H. Res. 756: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, March 3, 2020. Hon. Zoe Lofgren, Chairperson, Committee on House Administration, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairperson Lofgren: I write concerning H. Res. 756, the Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution. There are certain provisions in this legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In order to expedite floor consideration of H. Res. 756, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure agrees to forgo action on the bill. However, this is conditional on our mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill would not prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. I also request that you urge the Speaker to name members of this Committee to any conference committee which is named to consider such provisions. Please place a copy of this letter and your response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into the committee report on H. Res. 756 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Sincerely, Peter A. DeFazio, Chair.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I am especially thankful to Chairman Schiff for yielding me this time since I have reached a different conclusion on the bill than he has. I would like to quote from the American Civil Liberties Union letter received today. The American Civil Liberties Union strongly urges us to vote ``no'' on this bill. They say: ``Over the last several years, it has been abundantly clear that many of our surveillance laws are broken.'' But that, ``disappointingly, the reforms contained in H.R. 6172 are minimal--in many cases merely representing a codification of the status quo. In addition,'' the ACLU says, ``the bill contains provisions that would be a step back from even our flawed current law.'' The ACLU goes on to say that ``the bill fails to require that individuals receive appropriate notice and access to information when FISA information is used against them,'' that ``the bill fails to fully address deficiencies with the FISA court that have led to illegal surveillance,'' that ``the bill fails to appropriately limit the types of information that can be collected under section 215,'' that ``the bill fails to appropriately raise the standard for collecting information under section 215,'' and that ``the bill fails to appropriately limit the retention of information collected under section 215.'' I agree with the chairman that the roving wiretap provision in the act is important and should be renewed. But I cannot support the bill that is before us today, and I say that with tremendous respect for Chairman Schiff. We have had very candid and useful discussions. I appreciate the effort that he has put into this. I have put in a lot of effort, too. But in the end, we have a bill that I think should not be supported. I intend to vote ``no,'' with tremendous respect for the chairman and the effort that he has put into this.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 756) implementing recommendations adopted by the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, as amended.

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer) who chairs the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress was created by Speaker Nancy Pelosi on January 4, 2019, when the House adopted title II of H. Res. 6, the House Rules package. The House voted an overwhelming 418-12 to create the committee. The Speaker was insistent that the committee's membership contains a diverse set of views, which is why its membership is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats and is required to have two first- term Members among its ranks. I am proud to serve on the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, a committee whose guiding principle, in the words of Chairman Derek Kilmer, is to ``make Congress work better so that the institution and its Members can better serve the American people.'' During its first year of work, the committee has heard from former Members, discussed making legislative information more transparent, and focused on cultivating diversity and improving retention among congressional staff. The committee has also worked to promote civility and collaboration and listened carefully to Members about the congressional schedule. The committee is already having an effect. Shortly after a hearing on congressional mailing standards, the Franking Commission moved quickly to modernize their rules so Members could communicate with their constituents more directly. The committee's success is the very reason that the Speaker decided to extend the life of the committee. Originally scheduled to conclude its work after the first session, the House agreed to extend its work for the balance of the 116th Congress. I was pleased to work with the ranking member of the House Administration Committee to make sure that the select committee has the resources it needs to do its work. H. Res. 756 incorporates the first two sets of recommendations made by the select committee. These recommendations focus on increasing transparency, improving human resources practices on the Hill, improving the onboarding process for new Members, addressing needed IT improvements, and making the proceedings and functions of the House more accessible to all Americans. It has been a pleasure to work with Chairman Kilmer, Vice Chairman Graves, and the ranking member on the Committee on House Administration as we have worked to translate recommendations into legislation. Successful reform efforts in Congress are rare. For the most part, these efforts fade away and are forgotten. I am glad that this reform effort, spearheaded by the bipartisan work of the select committee, is moving forward and that we will all see tangible results in how the Congress operates as a result of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 756.

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to again acknowledge the bipartisan work of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. As a body, we haven't focused on the need for internal reforms to improve our work for the American people, and the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress has enabled us to focus on reforms and improvements that are necessary to better serve our constituents. It may be true, if you read the reports, some of this is boring. Boring is good. To get these things done in a very thoughtful, collaborative way so the system works better, so we can serve our constituents better, it has been a pleasure to work here, both as a member of the Select Committee and certainly as chair of the House Administration Committee charged with implementing many of these recommendations. Mr. Speaker, I urge that all of us support H. Res. 756, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to note that Father Kevin O'Brien of the Society of Jesus was our guest this morning to deliver this morning's opening prayer for this House. Father O'Brien joined our Silicon Valley community 4 years ago, and just last year he was named president of Santa Clara University. As an alum of Santa Clara University Law School myself, I am glad to see Father O'Brien focusing his presidency on college affordability and access, as well as fostering a culture of respect on campus. Now a religious leader in Silicon Valley, Father O'Brien speaks of how disruption can lift people up instead of dividing people. Father O'Brien is dedicated to serving something larger than himself, which is a trait we deeply admire and value as Americans. I am personally grateful to him for the leadership he has shown to standing up for Dreamers and those who are vulnerable in our community and across America. It is my pleasure to welcome Father O'Brien to our Nation's Capital today and to thank him for his service to our community, our country, and to the University of Santa Clara.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 91, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 87, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1980) to establish in the Smithsonian Institution a comprehensive women's history museum, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, our speakers have all been detained at markup so I would invite the gentleman to close, and then I will also close.

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will just say a few words here in closing. First, I again thank Carolyn Maloney, who, for the last 22 years, has worked to be here on this day. I think it took Carolyn 22 years, a female Speaker of the House, 101 women in the House, and a female chair of the Committee on House Administration to come together and get to this day where I believe we are going to finally approve this bill and send it over to the Senate. Hopefully, it will be such a large vote that the Senate will feel a degree of pressure to do the right thing. Madam Speaker, just a word of caution on how long it takes after we vote to approve this and the Senate, hopefully, and the President, hopefully, will sign it, if we pass it. Secretary Lonnie Bunch is the secretary for the Smithsonian Museum. He has done a fabulous job. But one of his claims to fame is that he brought the National Museum of African American History from an idea to reality. He knows how to do this. And he cautioned us that from the moment you say go to the moment you open the doors to the museum, it is about 10 years. You have to raise the money. You have to get the scholars to do the scholarship and the exhibition. So unless you take that first step, you don't get there. That is the advice he gave us last September: If you don't take the first step, you never get there. So this is the first step, and it is an important one. Madam Speaker, I want to say that along with the fabulously important and famous women who this museum will honor, it is also going to go to the heart of America, the women who maybe weren't famous but built the country, the women like my mother, who walked out of their homes and built airplanes so the United States could win World War II; the women who raised their children, who worked many jobs, who ran the PTA, who helped form the next generation; the women who are the beating heart of this country will be honored by this museum. Madam Speaker, you really don't know where you are going unless you have some sense of where you came from. That is why this museum will help all American women and men to have a brighter American future. I will just say this: We do not fool ourselves that having this wonderful museum will solve all the problems that American women face. We still have no family leave policy in this country, so women are squeezed between taking care of their children, taking care of aging parents, not having an opportunity to get time off from work to do the things that life calls them to do. We still have pay disparity in this country. We still lack constitutional protections under the equal rights amendment until we resolve the issue on the latest wonderful vote in Virginia. All of those things remain. But this museum will be a point of pride. It will be a touchstone. It will be something that every boy and girl in America will be able to know about because it is not going to be just a building. It is going to be a virtual reality, Secretary Bunch has told us, a virtual reality throughout the United States. Madam Speaker, this is a proud day for this institution. We can support this bill. We can send it to the Senate and look forward to the day when we join Congresswoman Maloney in walking through the doors of the women's history museum. Madam Speaker, I urge that we support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence), who is a leader for women in Congress and in the country.

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1980, the Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act. H.R. 1980 will establish a comprehensive women's history museum within the Smithsonian Institution. We cannot tell the story of America without telling the story of women in America. From the days leading up to our founding through today, the United States has benefited from the contributions, accomplishments, and sacrifices of women. In the 1760s, the Daughters of Liberty came together to protest unjust laws like the Townshend Acts, helping to spark the American Revolution. Soon after the Revolution, Abigail Adams urged her husband, John, and other Members of the First Continental Congress to: ``Remember the ladies.'' She would later become one of President Adams' most influential advisers and confidants. In the years leading up to the Civil War, Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery and guided dozens of slaves to freedom throughout the Underground Railroad, and she didn't stop there. She went on to raise money for newly freed slaves and joined other women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony in their fight for women's suffrage. During World War II, 6.5 million women entered the labor force to support the war effort, including my own late mother, who helped build airplanes in south San Francisco to fight the Nazis. They were exercising new power with jobs outside the home, and this power has continued to grow over time, albeit more slowly than many of us would like. Later in the 20th century, Rosa Parks sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, and Sandra Day O'Connor took the bench as the first woman ever appointed to the Supreme Court. More recently, Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the first and second female Speaker of the House. In 2018, a record 102 women were elected to the House of Representatives. However, these and countless other accomplishments by women notwithstanding, historical accounts, monuments, and museums disproportionately represent the achievements of men while neglecting those of women. Furthermore, studies have shown that history textbooks discuss the accomplishments of men exponentially more often than those of women. This should change. The contributions and experiences of American women deserve celebration and recognition, and I can think of few better ways to celebrate and recognize American women than by establishing a women's history museum at the Smithsonian, our country's preeminent museum and research institution. The Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act mirrors the highly successful National Museum of African American History and Culture Act. Like that bill, this bill calls for a 50-50 split between Federal and non-Federal funding, a model that worked very well for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The House Administration Committee considered this legislation at a hearing with Secretary Lonnie Bunch in September. During our markup in November, we agreed to an amendment offered by the minority to ensure diversity of political viewpoints in exhibits and programs. Women have come a long way since the Daughters of Liberty began boycotting British goods and organizing protests in the 1760s. But despite how far we have come, we still have a long way to go. I am hopeful that today, a century after women were granted the right to vote, we will take a critical step in creating a museum to recognize these achievements and inspire our daughters and our daughters' daughters to follow in the footsteps of the incredible women who came before them as we continue our unending work to form a more perfect Union. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, we are fortunate that the author of this bill, the gentlewoman from New York, is here with us today. She is someone who has been pursuing this idea for our country for so many years, and she would never give up until we got to this day. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney), who has been tireless and persistent. We would not be here today without the effort of Chairwoman Maloney.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, on February 7, I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 52, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 53, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 54.

Ms. LOFGREN

Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate and offer gratitude to Ms. Terry Rowe who dedicated over 40 years of outstanding service to the House of Representatives. Terry started her career at the House as the Junior Secretary for the Member Services Division of House Information Systems; and her final years of service included her time as the Director of House Graphics Studio and the Art Director of House Creative Services. For many years, Terry led House Graphics and served the entire House community by providing excellent consultation and design services. Terry's colleagues at the CAO and the countless Congressional offices she worked with over the course of her four-decade career not only praised her insight and talents, but also commended her for her hard work, dedication, professionalism, and contributions, day-in and day- out, to strengthen and protect the institution of the U.S. House of Representatives. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001 and the subsequent anthrax attack on Capitol Hill, Terry was a steady voice of institutional knowledge, and a ``can do'' spirit for an impromptu communications team that supported the CAO operations. She served as the liaison with the Government Printing Office and took care of the preparation and printing of all materials needed to support the House community through this very difficult time. Her ability to create partnerships and solutions enabled others on the team to effectively complete their tasks without un-do stress. All required materials would be ready for the House Executive Committee the following morning. During her service to the House, she provided the highest quality graphic design and artistic work to Members, Committees, Leadership, and support offices. Her work directly contributed to the House of Representatives carrying out the people's work by enabling Members to use high-quality visual aides to support their communications. Many counted on this service for effective, quality products that help to brand and market their services. Terry never said ``no'' to a service request and always delivered on time and with her famous smile. For those who have known Terry throughout her career on the Hill, it has been an honor to serve with her. After 40 years of service, Ms. Rowe will leave the House better than when she joined it, and her helping hand will be missed by many.