Nita Lowey

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished minority whip.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), my friend with whom I have served on the Committee on Appropriations forever, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), a distinguished member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Meng), an outstanding new member of our Committee on Appropriations.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez).

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the minority leader.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for his efforts to bring an omnibus to the floor. He came into the chairmanship having to finish FY17 and must quickly pivot to FY18. This is a package that Members of both parties can support. It came through bipartisan and bicameral negotiations and offers compromises for both parties. This kind of cooperation best serves the American people. I thank the chairs and ranking members of the subcommittees who did most of the heavy lifting to produce this bill, and I again thank the committee and personal staff on both sides of the aisle for their hard work. It shows we can do our basic job keeping the government open without the threat of a shutdown. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the distinguished chairman.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dr. Cliff L. Wood, who will retire from his position as President of Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York, this June. Dr. Wood has dedicated more than 50 years of service to community college education, having served in senior management positions at five institutions. In his 13 years as President of Rockland Community College, Dr. Wood has spearheaded several important initiatives including a subsidized childcare center for students and teachers and a new technology center, and has overseen growth in the College's enrollment, community involvement and workforce development. His tireless efforts at the College have helped improve the lives of thousands of students. In addition to his work at Rockland Community College, Dr. Wood has volunteered his leadership to many organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Rockland Holocaust Museum & Study Center, Rockland Business Association, and Rockland Economic Development Corporation. He served as President of the New York Community College Association of Presidents, and is a member of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Wood's many accomplishments in higher education, economic development and civic involvement have had an undeniably positive impact on the communities he has served. I commend him for his outstanding work, and I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating him for his five decades of dedicated service.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. At the outset, I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen. It has been a pleasure for me to work with him. I am cautiously optimistic that we will complete this process. Although overdue, we will get our work done. This is the third continuing resolution during fiscal year 2017. We should be voting today on a bipartisan omnibus appropriations act, not another stopgap bill to keep the government running. After all, we are 7 months into the fiscal year. Federal departments and agencies have been operating on outdated funding levels and policies for more than half of the year. This is unacceptable, and it cannot continue. Assuming we get to a solution that lasts the remainder of the fiscal year, I do hope Chairman Frelinghuysen will help avoid this outcome in the future. The continuing resolution we are considering today is a simple date change to continue government funding through next Friday and to extend health insurance for miners through the same day. The backdrop of this continuing resolution is ongoing negotiations on an omnibus appropriations act. Democrats continue to work in good faith to develop a bipartisan omnibus that provides sufficient funding for critical priorities and rejects divisive poison pill riders. For many months, Democrats have been clear that we will not help pass an omnibus that fails to meet these basic standards, and that remains the case. As if this process weren't difficult enough, it occurs as the majority is seeking to strip health insurance from 20 million Americans and repeal protections against insurance company discrimination for millions more. Meanwhile, President Trump continues to tweet false and damaging comments about the omnibus negotiations. It is my hope that these games will end so that we can come together to support investments that create jobs, improve infrastructure, provide a quality education for every student, and invest in technology and biomedical research that will benefit hardworking Americans. To achieve this, we must make progress on eliminating poison pill riders and advancing shared priorities in an omnibus appropriations act. Next week, we must not consider a fourth continuing resolution, but instead have a positive, bipartisan bill after this unnecessarily lengthy process. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to David Pomerantz, the retiring Democratic Staff Director of the House Appropriations Committee, who reflects the best of public service and the institution of Congress. The Appropriations Committee has historically been a body more interested in substance and policy than politics. Democrats and Republicans fight strongly for what we believe in, and at the end of the day, we try to work together to produce good legislation that funds important services and investments, helps Members of Congress address local challenges, and provides sound guidance to federal agencies as they administer federal law, But Members of the Appropriations Committee could not accomplish any of these goals if not for the hard work and support of dedicated staff, like David. His retirement is bittersweet. Since 2011, David has led our House Democratic staff and supported the Members of our Committee with wisdom, calm, and occasionally boisterous laughter. David and I have had more emergency meetings, late night conference calls, and strategy sessions than either of us care to remember. His steady hand has been an asset during some of the most contentious funding debates with which the federal government has ever had to grapple. While we already miss his depth of knowledge, expertise, and good humor, we are delighted for him to begin this new chapter in his life. Having grown up on the West Coast, the son of a successful professional in the entertainment industry, David's return to his family's roots on the East Coast and his pursuit of a long career in federal service may have seemed counterintuitive. Prior to his distinguished career on Capitol Hill, Dr. Pomerantz was an Assistant Professor of Political Philosophy at SUNY Stony Brook. He began his service to the U.S. House of Representatives with the Democratic staff of the Rules Committee in 1983. He joined the Appropriations Committee in 2001, where he served as Professional Staff, Clerk of the Commerce, Justice, State Subcommittee, and Director of the nonpartisan Surveys & Investigations staff under Chairman and Ranking Member David Obey and finally as Democratic Staff Director for Ranking Member Norm Dicks and myself. David reflects the best of this institution. He served the Appropriations Committee, the Rules Committee, and the U.S. Congress with integrity and skill. His time and talents were essential in solving some of the greatest challenges before the Congress, particularly in recent years when we faced government shutdowns and gridlock over appropriations and budget matters. In addition to his expertise of agency and program budgets, his knowledge of parliamentary process is unparalleled. His vast institutional knowledge of the House is second to none, and he will be sorely missed. Members of the Committee, staff, and the full Democratic caucus are deeply indebted for his tireless service and dedication. It is a testament to David's leadership that our Committee remains so well prepared to address the great challenges we face, and his lasting imprint will be an unyielding commitment to fighting for Democratic ideals and an excellent staff who will carry forward his legacy. I wish David the best as he begins this new and exciting chapter in his life.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, today House Republicans and President Trump will try to keep a political promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, despite the plainly obvious and harmful impact this bill would have on hardworking Americans. It is really sad that, after 7 years, my friends on the other side of the aisle still don't have a bill that they are publicizing, that we can read, that we can carefully analyze. It is sad that we can't work together on this. This Republican bill would raise premiums while increasing out-of- pocket costs, forcing Americans to pay more for less coverage, attack women's health, threaten retirement savings, force those over age 50 to pay thousands more because of the age tax, and cause 14 million Americans to lose health insurance next year.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, In my district alone, 76,700 would lose coverage, including nearly more than 5,000 children and nearly 18,000 adults with employer-sponsored coverage. This isn't health reform. It is a political game. Lives are at stake. I hope we vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen, Chairwoman Granger, and Ranking Member Visclosky for their hard work and cooperation. Today's bill is the product of good faith bipartisan and bicameral negotiation. Each Member of this body will need to determine whether positive aspects of this bill outweigh uncertainty about the prospects of 10 other critical funding bills languishing without a clear path forward. Unlike the Defense Appropriations bill passed by the House last June, this bill keeps faith with existing caps on discretionary spending. It does not use a budget gimmick to create a mid-year shortfall in funding, which would have affected salaries and mission support for men and women serving bravely in harm's way. I thank the chairman for increasing cybersecurity operations by nearly $1 billion; fully funding the European Reassurance Initiative in response to Russian aggression; investing in the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance resources combatant commanders clamor for; and assisting men and women in uniform by increasing pay by 2.1 percent, adding $25 million for sexual assault prevention and response, and providing $33.8 billion for the Defense Health Program. Despite these positive attributes, I would be remiss not to remind this body that the 2017 appropriations process can be described as nothing but a failure that continues to this day, more than 5 months into the fiscal year. The Defense bill that we consider today could have and should have been finished in September 2016. The majority chose to punt the deadline for this and 10 other appropriations bills until April for entirely political reasons. All Americans know we must ensure our Armed Forces are staffed, trained, and equipped to meet the challenges they face. We must fulfill that responsibility without neglecting the critical services and investments funded through the 10 other unfinished appropriations bills. I am very concerned that the House Republican leadership is proposing to move one bill forward without any indication that the other 10 will see the light of day.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I hope the women of America are watching. Let there be no doubt about the actions of congressional Republicans and the Trump administration. They will oppose your right to make your own health decision and limit access to your reproductive health care at every available juncture. Rather than work to create jobs, House Republicans are helping State officials block women from getting contraception and other reproductive health services. Today's bill would particularly harm the neediest Americans, as it could deny them the opportunity to visit the health provider of their choice, which in many instances may be the only provider available within hours of their home. Sadly, this will be just one of the many assaults on women's rights in the 115th Congress.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of bipartisan legislation that would increase transparency and congressional oversight of U.S. basic education programs around the world. H.R. 601, the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development-- READ--Act, which I introduced with my colleague, Representative David Reichert, would elevate the importance of education while improving USAID's efforts and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are well spent. The challenge is clear. Nearly 60 million primary school-age children and 65 million adolescents are out of school around the world. Millions more are expected to never enroll. Women and girls are disproportionately out of school. The United States has a clear moral, economic, and security interest in promoting universal basic education as a fundamental human right. The bill before us today enhances Congress' oversight of USAID's work with foreign governments, NGOs, and multilateral organizations to help nations develop and implement quality programs, address key barriers to school attendance, and increase completion rates for the poorest and most vulnerable children worldwide. It calls on USAID to develop a comprehensive strategy and appoint a senior coordinator tasked with ensuring that our programs expand access to millions of children who are not in school and improve the quality of education for millions who are. These efforts will not only help students read and write, they will ultimately help protect vulnerable children from poverty, disease, hunger, and even extremism. There is no greater force multiplier than education. An education is the fundamental tool with which girls and boys are empowered to increase their economic potential, improve their health outcomes, provide for their families, address cultural biases, participate in their communities, and contribute to democratic societies. First introduced in 2004 and passed by the House last year, the bill before us today represents many years of hard work to elevate the importance of global education, bipartisan compromise, and the support of over 30 nonprofit and advocacy organizations, including RESULTS, the ONE Campaign, the Basic Education Coalition, the Global Campaign for Education, Global Citizen, the Malala Fund, and many other vital partners. In closing, I thank Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, their hardworking staff--Joan, Jessica, Janice, and Mark, and, of course, Marin Stein, who has been working around the clock on this bill.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank them all. We have been working on this bill a very long time. I, again, thank Chairman Royce for his leadership and Ranking Member Engel. Their diligent efforts to bring the READ Act before the House today is so vital, and I urge immediate passage. In closing, thanks again to Marin Stein.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of today's bipartisan measure. There are no shortcuts to peace. Only the Israelis and the Palestinians can resolve their complicated differences through direct negotiation. That is why it has been longstanding policy to defend our ally Israel against one-sided U.N. Security Council resolutions seeking to impose solutions. Last year, Congresswoman Granger and I led a letter to President Obama signed by 394 Members of this body cautioning against one-sided U.N. initiatives that dangerously hinder the prospects for resuming direct negotiations. I believe the administration's abstention is a stain on our country's long and consistent record.

Mrs. LOWEY

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

Mrs. LOWEY. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today we consider the second continuing resolution to keep most of the government open. To say that I am disappointed in this Band-aid approach to operating the government would be an understatement. The legislation before us is an abdication of responsibility for the entire Congress. It is a disgrace that more than 2 months into the new fiscal year, Congress will kick the can down the road nearly another 5 months for purely partisan reasons. Having already failed this year to adopt a budget, pass appropriation bills, and restore regular order, the majority's failure to enact full- year funding is not surprising, but nonetheless shameful. Several administration requests were either not included or were drastically discounted. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission would be frozen under this CR, likely causing staff furloughs and making it impossible to adequately protect market participants. I am extremely concerned about the majority including just $7 million--one-fifth of the amount requested by the administration and by New York City--to reimburse New York for the cost of helping New York and other State and local governments protect the President-elect until his inauguration. Local and State taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for the Federal responsibility of protecting the President-elect. I view the amount in the CR as a down payment, and I am putting the majority on notice that a future funding bill must fully cover these costs. At a time when economic hardship is common among those who have worked in unsafe and unhealthy coal mines, this Congress should be united in ensuring these men and women have both the health and pension benefits they have earned. These hardworking individuals need more than empty promises. I am pleased the CR provides additional funding to respond to natural disasters, to assist Flint, Michigan, in recovering from a lead crisis, to respond to threats abroad, to prevent opioid addiction, and to support biomedical research; however, we should have made these investments along with a full-year bill that would have dealt with every government program. Finally, this bill should not include the provision that would limit debate on providing a waiver to allow the next Secretary of Defense to have been retired from Active Duty for less than the current requirement of 7 years. Civilian leadership of the military is a bedrock principle of our democracy, and any new standard deserves full debate by the Congress. I know Chairman Rogers worked to have the Appropriations Committee return to regular order. I tried to be a partner with him because I think the American people want us to do our job of keeping the government operating. Notwithstanding the constraints facing the chairman, the bill we consider today should be a bipartisan, full-year spending measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.