Nita Lowey

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I yield myself an additional 1 minute. However, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill which would waste $1.6 billion on Trump's border wall, use fraudulent defense numbers, gut critical investments in clean energy, include poison-pill riders, and leave the remaining spending bills with no path forward. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 6 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard) who is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), the distinguished ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Democratic leader.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Defense. (Mr. VISCLOSKY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Labor, HHS.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer), the distinguished vice ranking member of the committee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I want to reiterate that this bill is a departure from regular order, wastes $1.6 billion on Trump's border wall, uses fraudulent defense numbers, guts critical investments in clean energy, includes poison-pill riders, leaves the remaining spending bills with no path forward. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I think I closed prematurely without thanking you for your leadership. It has been really a pleasure working with you. I do hope that as we move the process forward, we will be able to have a final product that we can all be very proud of. Thank you again. You have been a very delightful person to work with. And I thank the chairman, all my staff that has been so hardworking and so cooperative. We couldn't do this without them on both sides of the aisle. I thank the chairman.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Women's Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) based in Westchester County, New York, which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary on June 15th. Since its establishment in White Plains, NY, in 1997, the Women's Enterprise Development Center has helped hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs start and grow their own businesses by providing them with training, advisory services, and access to capital. The more than 1600 graduates of WEDC's 60-hour Entrepreneurship Program have achieved business success in many fields ranging from accounting to moving organic food products to construction and landscaping to senior services. WEDC's clients include women who lack access to traditional business and financial resources. In 2015 alone, WEDC provided 1,666 motivated clients with the tools they needed to succeed. The accomplishments of WEDC have not gone unnoticed, and over the years it has gained support from the federal, state and local governments as well as major corporations such as IBM, M&T Bank, MasterCard, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Verizon, and Wells Fargo. WEDC was recently designated as the New York Empire State Development Entrepreneurial Assistance Program (EAP) Center for the Mid-Hudson Valley, and its work has been recognized by the County governments of Westchester and Rockland as well as the U.S. Small Business Administration, which named it a Women's Business Center in 2003. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have worked for the last two decades with Anne Janiak, a founder and the CEO of WEDC, and her team to support entrepreneurial women in New York's Hudson Valley. I urge my colleagues to join me in applauding their 20 years of service to the Lower Hudson Valley and congratulate them as they celebrate this important anniversary.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Reverend Dr. Louis E. Sanders, who is retiring this month from his position as Pastor of the St. Charles A.M.E. Zion Church in Sparkill, Rockland County, NY, in my District. Throughout his life, Reverend Sanders has been deeply involved in the church and the philosophical questions surrounding religion. As a young student in North Carolina, he was active in the Mt. Hebron A.M.E. Zion Church before earning a BS degree in Social Science from North Carolina A&T, and MA and MS degrees from the City University of New York. He also received a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Humane Letters from St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, NY. For the past 49 years, Reverend Sanders has served the people of New York's Lower Hudson Valley. In 1968, he was hired by the Tuckahoe Board of Education in Eastchester, New York, where he taught Social Studies for 30 years. He began his church ministry in 1970 and preached at Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church in Mount Vernon, NY. He would go on to serve various roles at churches throughout the Hudson Valley before being appointed Pastor of the St. Charles A.M.E. Zion Church in 1981. As Pastor, Reverend Sanders has increased church membership tenfold and extended its impact far into the community. He began a program to aid homeless children from Harlem in developing positive life attitudes, an SAT tutorial program for minority students, and an HIV/AIDS awareness program that provided on-site testing and educational programs. He has been a major proponent of civil rights and hosted discussions on apartheid in South Africa and human rights in the former Soviet Union. As a result of these efforts, he was inducted into the Rockland County Civil and Human Rights Hall of Fame in 2009, one of many well-deserved awards he has received. Mr. Speaker, Reverend Sanders has improved the lives of countless people in his community and across the Lower Hudson Valley. I urge my colleagues to join me in applauding his years of inspired leadership and dedicated service to the residents of Rockland County, the Lower Hudson Valley, and New York State.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friends, Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel, and all those involved in advancing this important legislation. I rise in support of H.R. 672, the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act, which was introduced by the co-chairs of the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism. With the rising threat of anti-Semitism in Europe, this bill would require enhanced reporting to Congress on anti-Semitic incidents in Europe, the safety and security of European Jewish communities, and the efforts of the United States to partner with European entities to combat anti-Semitism. This bill also urges the Department of State to continue encouraging European governments and multilateral institutions to adopt a clear and comprehensive working definition of anti-Semitism. I find it hard to believe that in the 21st century European Jews worry about whether or not there is a future for their communities in Europe. But with increased anti-Semitic sentiments throughout Europe and many Jews becoming the targets of verbal, physical, and even deadly terrorist attacks, the security and quality of life for European Jewish communities has deteriorated. This is simply unacceptable. Anti-Semitism is not simply a Jewish problem. Xenophobia and other forms of racism are never far behind when this pernicious threat rears its ugly head. The United States must remain a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism wherever it occurs to ensure that our commitment to ``never again'' remains a reality. Finally, I want to express my appreciation to my fellow co-chairs of the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, Representatives Smith, Engel, Granger, Deutch, Ros-Lehtinen, Veasey, and Roskam. The task force remains committed to working across regions, religions, and party lines to condemn all anti-Semitism and fight for the right of Jews to live freely without fear at home and abroad.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. Sid Lapidus, who is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from United Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation of New York. Mr. Lapidus retired in 2007 after a long, distinguished career as a partner of Warburg Pincus LLC, a private equity firm in New York City. He previously worked at the Securities and Exchange Commission and today sits on the board of two publicly traded companies, Lennar Corporation and Knoll, Inc. Outside of work, Sid has dedicated his time to charitable organizations. He has held numerous roles within UJA Federation, including serving as a board member, chair of the Network, Commission, and member of the Finance and Executive Committees. In addition, Mr. Lapidus is passionate about cultural artifacts and heritage, serving as a trustee and chair of both the Finance Committee of the Center for Jewish History and the Library Committee of the New York Historical Society. Mr. Speaker, Sid Lapidus has had an exceptional career and has dedicated himself to improving the lives of others. I urge my colleagues to join me in commending him for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from UJA Federation of New York.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Stephen Friedman, who is retiring after a decade as President of Pace University with campuses in New York City and Pleasantville, New York. Mr. Friedman has dedicated more than 13 years of service to Pace University, where he first served as dean of Pace University School of Law for three years before being named president in 2007. Under his leadership, Pace has significantly increased its enrollment numbers while maintaining its commitment to providing education access and opportunities to students from all backgrounds. During his tenure, President Friedman has revitalized the Pleasantville campus in my district and led efforts to expand the university's academic program offerings, including study abroad and other international opportunities for students. Pace's international enrollment is at its highest level in 15 years, with students coming from more than 100 countries. Another initiative which he spearheaded to advance the university's motto of ``Opportunitas,'' has been the development of iPace, an online degree completion program for adult learners. Before joining the Pace community, Mr. Friedman served as Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Capital Markets Policy at the United States Treasury Department, and a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. He has also lent his leadership to organizations such as the American Ballet Theatre, the National Museum of the American Indian in New York, and the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Friedman's numerous accomplishments have left a lasting impact on the communities he has served. I urge my colleagues to join me in applauding his years of leadership and service.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mary and David Boies, who will be honored by United Way of Westchester and Putnam with the Spirit of Caring Award for their leadership, commitment to community, and willingness to help others. Mary Boies has had a successful career in law and currently serves as Counsel to Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, where she specializes in antitrust and corporate commercial litigation. Her prior positions include General Counsel of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board, Assistant Director of the Domestic Policy Staff at the White House, and Counsel to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee. Ms. Boies was also a member of a non-partisan, professional Committee that reviewed federal judicial nominees. In each of these roles, she has always sought to do what is right and best for others. Outside of her work in law, she has also worked to support children's educational software. She was the founder of MaryBoies Software Inc., which developed Top of the Key and Slam Dunk Typing. Both programs were recognized as some of the top pieces of children's educational software and have been translated into numerous languages for international distribution. Additionally, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Board of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for International Studies, as well as the Board of Visitors that oversees the U.S. Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, the Air Force Research Institute, the Air War College, the National Security Space Institute, and the Air Force Institute of Technology. Mr. Boies has also had a distinguished legal career with recognition from many including as one of the ``100 Most Influential People in the World'' by Time Magazine. Currently Chairman of Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, he previously served as Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the United States Senate Antitrust Subcommittee and held similar roles on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was Special Trial Counsel for the United States Department of Justice in its antitrust suit against Microsoft and lead counsel for Vice President Al Gore in litigation following the 2000 Presidential Election. Mr. Boies served as co-lead counsel for plaintiffs in Perry v. Brown, which established for the first time the federal constitutional right for gay and lesbian citizens to marry. Mr. Boies is a member of Phi Beta Kappa; a Fellow of the American College Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers; and a Trustee of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York University Law School Foundation, and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. Mr. Speaker, in addition to their truly remarkable careers in law, Mary and David Boies have also contributed their time, talents, and financially in service of others. I commend their outstanding work, and I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating them on the Spirit of Caring Award.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to be here with Chairman Frelinghuysen to complete the fiscal year 2017 appropriations process. Bipartisan negotiations resulted in a bill. The product of compromise makes important investments such as: increasing biomedical research at the NIH by $2 billion; increasing investments in early childhood and education programs such as Head Start, Title I, IDEA, and afterschool programs; making college more affordable by increasing Pell grants and making them available year round; providing robust funding for public broadcasting and community service; and investing in transportation, housing, first responders, and providing our military with the tools to deter and defeat threats abroad. It would also: ensure American citizens in Puerto Rico continue to have access to health care; permanently extend health insurance benefits for retired mine workers; increase funding to combat the opioid epidemic; preserve Planned Parenthood's eligibility for Federal funds; provide $1.1 billion in disaster assistance for regions affected by storms and flooding, including North Carolina, California, Louisiana, West Virginia, and more. It is imperative to note what this bill does not contain: not one cent for President Trump's border wall or additional fencing; no poison-pill riders that would have prevented so-called sanctuary cities from receiving Federal grants, undermined the Affordable Care Act, or harmed the FDA's ability to regulate tobacco products. While I am pleased we reached this agreement, we should not celebrate coming to a full-year agreement in May for a fiscal year that began 7 months ago. Last year, our committee was negotiating in good faith until the Trump transition team interfered, insisting on a CR until late April. This unnecessary and costly delay, combined with the President's proposed cuts for the FY17 and FY18 spending bills, do not bode well for our work in the coming months. So, while I support this bill, I am under no illusions and expect this President will again insist on draconian cuts that will harm hardworking families and interfere with our ability to negotiate. Just yesterday, the President irresponsibly tweeted: ``Our country needs a good `shutdown' in September. . . . `' Perhaps the President needs a history lesson. The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse. I hope the President is watching and that he will learn that good things happen when we work together for the American people. Of course, our good bipartisan work on this bill would not have been possible without our excellent staff, and I want to personally thank all the minority and majority Appropriations Committee staffers, especially our Democratic Staff Director Shalanda Young; and Deputy Staff Director Chris Bigelow; and their majority counterparts, Nancy Fox and Jim Kulikowski. Again, I appreciate the opportunity to work with Chairman Frelinghuysen, and I appreciate the work of all our committee members, all our ranking members, and their personal staffs as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the distinguished ranking member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), who is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. (Mr. SERRANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I just want to clarify that Democrats support a strong military and defense of our country, but we are very proud of the work that we are doing together in a bipartisan way to support the National Institutes of Health, afterschool programs, Head Start, and a full year of Pell grant that will help our young people get a college education. So I am proud of that work. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), who is the ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture.