Stephen Lynch

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Donna Kelly- Williams in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the American Labor Movement, the Massachusetts Nurses Association and for nearly fifty years of dedicated service to her community. The daughter of Louise and John Kelly of Somerville, MA, Donna was born on September 19, 1954. Her family lived on Marion Street in Somerville until they moved to Arlington, MA. Donna and her husband Bill bought a house just a few doors down from her parents where they reside today. Donna attended St. Joseph's High School in Somerville. Subsequently, she enrolled at LaSalle College where she earned her nursing degree. She then enrolled at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, earning her undergraduate degree, and then earning a Masters' Degree at Cambridge College. In 2007, she attended the Harvard Trade Union Labor Program. Madam Speaker, Donna took a job at Cambridge Hospital and observed a strike by a union at the hospital. She called her father and he instructed her to come home immediately and not cross the picket line. This incident sparked her fire for collective bargaining, workers' rights and fair representation. Donna accepted a nursing position at Cambridge Hospital, becoming the President of the Cambridge Hospital MNA Bargaining Committee. Not surprisingly, she rose to the position of Vice-President of the MNA, and for the past twelve years has been President of the MNA. During her tenure as MNA President, Donna has worked ferociously to represent the nurses and health care professionals in this state. She has accomplished much: legislation banning mandatory overtime was passed as well as legislation limiting the number of patients assigned to ICU nurses across the Commonwealth. Throughout this COVID 19 pandemic, Donna has fought for PPE for healthcare professionals, for legislation to limit occupational exposure to COVID 19, and to eliminate the re-use of n95 masks which endangers the safety of those who use them. She has worked to secure housing for nurses who are fearful of carrying the virus home, and for counseling for those who are in need. Madam Speaker, Donna is known for her kind smile, quick sense of humor, her relentless energy when fighting for her nurses and her affection for Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee. She has had the good fortune to be married to Bill for 42 years. They are the proud parents of four children and three grandchildren. It is my distinct honor to join with Donna Kelly-Williams' family, friends, and contemporaries to thank her for her service to the American Labor Movement, and for her dedication to nurses and patients across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, I want to rise in strong support of H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act. This urgent legislation would reverse the ill-advised changes to mail delivery that the new Postmaster General has implemented to the injury of every American's right to vote, and at a serious peril to our democracy. In my own district, in the city of Boston and city of Brockton, the Postal Service has removed at least six high-capacity mail sorting machines in the mail facility in South Boston, and two more from the postal processing and distribution center in the city of Brockton, causing a 4- to 5-day delay right now in the city of Brockton. Why would someone do that 10 days before a congressional primary in Massachusetts in the midst of a pandemic when people are being asked to vote by mail in order to keep themselves safe? Mr. Speaker, I was elected on 9/11, the day of the terrorist attacks on our country. As horrific as that day was, I feel proud that our Nation came together, as Americans do in difficult times. We mourned our fallen heroes. We tried to comfort their families. And we turned to face our adversary together, Democrat and Republican. Looking back, I believe our democracy was less in danger then than it is today. I say that for two reasons. First, because we were united then, and we are divided today. And we know who divides us. Secondly, back then, the threat was external. But today, at this moment, the greatest threat to our democracy is the current administration. I call on my colleagues: Stand together. Stand together and defend democracy. Defend your own constituents' right to vote. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 8015. Defend democracy. You will miss it when it is gone.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Marianne Peak, to commend her for 60 years of outstanding contributions to the Adams National Historical Park, the National Park Service, and the City of Quincy, Massachusetts. Throughout her career, Marianne has emphasized education, inclusivity, and possibility, and has influenced the lives of many that have crossed her path. She has been a dedicated steward of history and preservation and has quietly and humbly become a true leader in her field, while promoting and encouraging the success of others. Marianne entered the National Park Service in 1960 as a Clerk- Stenographer for what was then the Adams National Historic Site. While working for the Site, Marianne raised a family, studied at both Quincy College and Emmanuel College, and earned a master's degree from Eastern Nazarene College. Marianne became the Superintendent of Adams National Historic Site in 1986. Under Marianne's direction, the Site evolved into a National Historical Park, expanding its physical boundaries and presence in the Quincy community, acquiring a downtown visitor center, and incorporating a trolley system to improve access and enhance the visitor experience. During her tenure, Marianne has extended her leadership into the local community and has engaged and mentored young interns to foster their success in the world of public service. Further, Marianne has been the liaison between the Adams family and the National Park Service for over 35 years. She served on Quincy's Chamber of Commerce and on Quincy's Tourism Board. She built fruitful partnerships with Quincy Public Schools, the Quincy Historical Society, and many local businesses. As a founding member of the Quincy Partnership, Marianne ensured that the National Park Service was engaged in efforts to expand community events and invest in Quincy's historic resources, ensuring that local historical societies and other historic house museums were represented in program planning. She has cultivated and maintained key partnerships with the Boston Public Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Abigail Adams Historical Society. For decades, Marianne has devoted herself to elevating the Adams National Historical Park. Thanks to her work, the Park is now a widely recognized museum where visitors can experience firsthand the homes, original furnishings, and decorative arts that tell the stories of two United States presidents, John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams from birth to death. Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to take the floor of the House today to thank Marianne for her long, impactful career with the Adams National Historical Park and the National Park Service, and for her dedicated efforts to preserving our Nation's history.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of en bloc Amendment No. 2 which includes my amendment No. 35 to the Department of Defense Division to provide an additional $5 Million for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Mr. Speaker, we ask much of our men and women in uniform, especially when they are deployed into battle. They risk injury and indeed their lives to carry out the missions that keep America safe and protect our values around the world. In return, we make a promise to them that if the worst were to happen, we would ensure that they will be brought home to their families. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's mission is to do just that for the over 82,000 American Prisoners of War and Missing in Action servicemembers since World War II still waiting to be returned. The DPAA works through diplomatic partnerships with 46 host nations and collaborates with veterans service organizations, non-profit institutions. and other private sector entities in order to maximize scarce resources to find our missing servicemembers. They bring a steadfast dedication to this mission, and we must ensure they have the resources they need. Since the 2015 reorganization of its predecessor organization, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, the DPAA has taken meaningful steps towards refining its mission, unifying agency functions and personnel, and augmenting its accounting and recovery operations. Through my position as Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee I have continued to exercise Congressional oversight to ensure that these reforms are being optimally implemented, including leading several bipartisan Congressional Delegations to the DPPA headquarters and skeletal identification laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, as well as to their recovery missions in Vietnam, the Korean Peninsula and the Philippines. and most recently, holding an oversight hearing in the National Security Subcommittee last November. The additional $5 Million that this amendment provides will help the DPAA continue to build upon its reforms. as well as continue its ongoing and vital work. I would like to thank Representative Jody Hice for cosponsoring this amendment and for his leadership in supporting POW/MIA identification and recovery efforts. I would also like to thank Representative Mark Green, with whom I have the pleasure of collaborating on helping veterans who were deployed to the former K2 Forward Operating Base, for cosponsoring this amendment as well. I would like to thank Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger for including this amendment in the en bloc.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of en bloc Amendment No. 1 which includes my amendments number 16 to the State and Foreign Operations division and number 123 to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs division of the bill. The first of these would provide an additional $1.5 million for counterterrorisrn financing. Our nation is facing unprecedented international challenges including an out-of-control pandemic, a global economic slowdown due to the coronavirus, and stepped up efforts by authoritarian governments to undermine democratic institutions both here and around the world. Unfortunately, these new trials do not diminish the importance of other critical longstanding challenges we have been tackling, including the threat of extremist groups and their terrorist tactics. Indeed, some groups have been trying to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to bolster their agendas and attract more recruits. As Chairman of the Oversight National Security Subcommittee and Co- Chair of the Task Force on Terrorism and Proliferation Financing, I have seen how money is a lifeline for these groups. Cutting off financing is key to thwarting their efforts, and the best way to do that is by working with our allies. This additional funding will allow us to work even more closely with even more nations to starve these extremists of the capital they need to disseminate their agenda and carry out terror attacks. My second amendment, number 123, would provide an additional $1.5 million for veterans' suicide prevention through the PREVENTS initiative. We are still seeing a suicide rate among our veterans that is unacceptably and tragically high at one-and-a-half times that of civilians. with women veterans twice as likely to die by suicide as their civilian counterparts. I chaired a National Security Subcommittee hearing last May examining veteran and active-duty military suicides, as well as efforts by the Department of Defense ( DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to combat this problem. The testimony highlighted the need for comprehensive solutions that span the DOD and the VA, with a focus on high quality healthcare, provider training and education, and access to services and resources. Both the DOD and VA have made significant efforts to provide more services and outreach to prevent suicides among our servicemembers and veterans, but there is always much more that can be done. This additional funding will support public-private partnerships designed to provide greater access to the vital help that can save the lives of our brave men and women after they leave the military. I would like to thank Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking member Granger for including these amendments in this en bloc.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of en bloc Amendment No. 2 which includes my amendment number 17 to the State and Foreign Operations division to provide an additional $5 million for U.S. demining activities. Mr. Speaker, antipersonnel landmines continue to injure and kill thousands of men. women. and children every year. These devices arc indiscriminate and can explode years or even decades after wars are ended and peace agreements are signed. All it takes is for a car to pass or a person to walk over the wrong place at the wrong time to devastate a life and a family. Thankfully, there are a number of humanitarian organizations that arc working tirelessly to find and safely remove these explosives. Unfortunately, despite their valiant efforts, there still remain many more antipersonnel landmines to be found and neutralized. I have had the opportunity to examine the impact of landmines in places like Lebanon, Somalia and Egypt, and believe that the United States has a moral obligation to do all it can to support demining efforts, and that is why I sought this increase. I was proud to work with the Appropriations Committee in 2006 to get an increase of $10 million to the State Department's Humanitarian Demining account and am grateful that it has accepted my amendment for an increase of $5 million to this year's appropriations bill. This additional funding will save countless more lives and spare thousands from having to live with devastating injuries. I would like to thank Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking member Granger for including this amendment in the en bloc.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of en bloc Amendment No. 2 which includes three of my amendments, all of which are based on bills I have introduced in the House of Representatives. The first of these, Amendment No. 237, reauthorizes the Commission on Wartime Contracting. This Commission has a proven track record of helping us reduce waste and fraud in our overseas operations contracting. We are continuing to spend billions of taxpayer dollars in reconstruction and other support contracts overseas and we must do all we can to ensure that those funds are being spent wisely. This en bloc also includes amendment No. 238 which will require the declassification of previously public information on the performance and readiness of Afghan forces, as well as maps of Afghan Government- held areas. This data is vital to ensuring mission success and it is a disgrace that the Administration is withholding this information from the American people. My final amendment No. 239, would authorize the Department of the Treasury to establish a Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Rewards Program to pay rewards that help identify and recover stolen assets linked to foreign government corruption. Inclusion of these three amendments will strengthen Congressional oversight and government transparency, as well as provide vital tools with which to combat fraud, waste, and corruption. I would like to thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry for including these amendments in this en bloc amendment.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman DeFazio for yielding. I also thank the committee's amazing staff for the great work they have done in putting together really a remarkable and powerful surface transportation bill. Mr. Speaker, I also thank Chairman DeFazio for including several pieces of legislation that I had put forward. One is to provide $1.7 billion for zero-emission buses. My legislation earmarks 10 percent of that amount, 10 percent of those zero-emission buses, for low-income communities, oftentimes, majority-minority communities that have major health disparities within their communities, such as lung disease, asthma, and other respiratory diseases. These zero-emission buses will make a big difference in cities like Brockton, Massachusetts, that I represent. We have gotten a fair number of zero-emission buses for them in the past, and this will really help us rebuild our fleet. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the chairman for including a measure that I had put in to protect bicyclists and pedestrians in urban areas and other suburban areas where we have had repeated accidents. It requires the Department of Transportation to do a survey on those areas that have had high numbers of accidents. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for including my bill on establishing an aviation task force to make it safer for the public to fly during this pandemic period.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Anthony (Tony) Philip Andreotti, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to his hometown of Canton, Massachusetts, and to commend him for over 50 years of dedicated service to his community and our country. The son of Angelina and Carmine Andreotti, immigrants from Naples, Italy, Tony was born on May 22, 1933, on Staten Island in New York. The family moved to Canton in 1935 where Tony attended St. John's Elementary School and graduated from Canton High School in 1951. In 1953, Tony was drafted into the United States Army, serving in both Korea and Japan before he was honorably discharged in 1955. Upon completion of his military service, Tony attended Burdett College in Boston and earned an associate degree in accounting in 1957. Subsequently, he worked at Norfolk County Trust until 1960 and Crosby Valve from 1960 until 1983. In 1981, Tony was elected to the Board of Selectmen in Canton and also served as Town Treasurer. In addition to his elective service, Tony served on the Board of Directors at Norwood Hospital, serving as Chairman from 1996 until 1998. Madam Speaker, Tony has made his biggest impact by advocating for veterans. He was appointed Veterans' Agent in Canton in 1999, a position he held for over 20 years. His relentless pursuit of benefits for veterans is legendary and his accomplishments are many. Tony created the Veterans' Memorial Park at Canton Corner Cemetery, consolidating veterans' monuments dispersed throughout Canton into one location. Tony also organized a Legion Walk of Honor in Canton, complete with bricks engraved with the names of the 77 Canton residents who died while serving our country during the Civil War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Iraq War. Tony also founded the Fallen Heroes Street Sign Program, a local initiative honoring the same 77 residents who made the ultimate sacrifice. Furthermore, Tony established a Funeral Honor Guard which presides at veterans' funerals throughout Massachusetts, and worked tirelessly to ensure that Canton residents who left high school early to serve in the armed forces, received their diplomas upon returning. Quite simply, Tony is perhaps the most effective and most dedicated Veterans' Agent in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, if not the entire United States of America. Tony has had the good fortune to have been married to Patricia for 35 years. They are the proud parents of two sons, David and James. On October 26, 2019, the Town of Canton dedicated the roadway in front of Veterans' Memorial Park to Tony, naming it Andreotti Way. Generations to come will know of Tony's contributions to the Town of Canton. Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to join with Tony Andreotti's family, friends and contemporaries to thank him for his remarkable service to his town of Canton and to the United States of America.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, and I want to associate myself with the remarks of the gentlewoman from Wyoming. Although, in recounting the heroes of 9/11, she forgot the United States Postal Service workers, and we have forgotten them in this bill. During 9/11, the United States Postal Service workers continued to deliver the mail despite the anthrax attacks. And they continue to deliver medical supplies and medicines to every home and business in America today, 6 days a week, yet they received no benefits in this bill. We need them also to execute a delivery-by-mail system, a vote-by- mail system, in this crisis to preserve our democracy as this crisis continues. So we need to fix that in the next bill that we consider for this type of relief. We have to remember the United States Postal Service workers and the great job they have done on behalf of our country.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2474, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. As a former--well, I am still an ironworker. I still pay my dues every single month. I strapped on a pair of work boots for about 20 years as an ironworker and eventually worked my way up to become president of Ironworkers Local 7 in Boston. So I guess that makes me a union boss, as I have been referred to previously. I am organized labor, I guess. I have seen firsthand how employers have used intimidation and threats to punish and deter workers from the right to join a union, to seek safe conditions at work and fair wages, and to have a voice in the workplace. This bill before us takes direct aim at the abusive employer practices by closing loopholes in existing law, establishing civil penalties for retaliation, and ensuring new unions get their first contract. Mr. Chairman, I urge all Members to vote in favor of this act.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her kindness and the courtesy afforded to me. I do want to say that, like some other Members in this Chamber, I think at one count, I had 17 of my relatives, including my mom, several of her sisters, two of my sisters, my brother-in-law, all my cousins, who worked for the United States Postal Service, sort of the family business. And I do thank the gentleman from North Carolina. We spent, you know, days, if not weeks, if not months, arguing over the contours of this legislation. I want to thank Mr. DeFazio. And I rise in strong support of his bill. I also thank my colleague from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) for his work on this as well. And our dear colleague, Elijah Cummings, who worked on this, put his heart and soul into finding a solution. Look, I do agree with the gentleman from North Carolina's comments, that this does not solve everything. It does not. But it is an important element of a bill that we, Republicans and Democrats, passed out of committee unanimously, without any dissent in a previous session. So it is a very important element of what we are trying to do. There is no dispute with the gentleman from Oregon's earlier remarks that we don't ask any other group within government to fund their retiree health benefits this way. This was an idea that, I think, came out of a time when, before email and before the use of social media, the volume of mail within the Postal Service being delivered every single day, could sustain the current configuration of retiree health benefits. Those days are long gone, and we have to figure out a way that will keep the Postal Service viable going forward. This does not solve everything but, boy, I will tell you, this solves a lot. It buys us time to craft those other pieces that need to come together as well. So I would argue that we should not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good. This is a solid change here. This is something that I think people need to understand that what we are requiring of the Postal Service right now is that, when a new employee comes into the Postal Service, we have to set aside the money, on day one, for their eventual retirement; while every other collective bargaining agreement and pension system periodically reassesses what the demands are as that person gets closer to retirement. That is the critical time to know whether or not there are sufficient resources and a guarantee that certain resources are there for that person to enjoy the retirement and the benefits and the health benefits that they have earned. So I just ask my colleagues to vote in support of this bill. I support Mr. DeFazio's bill wholeheartedly, and I thank the Speaker for his courtesy.

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2382, the U.S.P.S. Fairness Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon. I'd like to commend Mr. DeFazio and the other bipartisan sponsors of this bill--Mr. Reed of New York, Ms. Torres-Small of New Mexico, and Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania--for their leadership in addressing the serious fiscal challenges facing the United States Postal Service. I'd also like to recognize the relentless and united effort on the part of our postal employee unions, management associations, and other stakeholders to advance this commonsense legislation. With the support of over 300 bipartisan cosponsors, the U.S.P.S. Fairness Act would repeal a misguided provision in current law requiring the postal service to fully fund its health care costs for future postal retirees decades before it is necessary--that's an annual average cost of over $5.5 billion dollars. This is a requirement that federal law does not impose on any other government agency--especially one that receives zero tax dollars and instead relies on the revenue generated by its own stamps, products, and services to fund its operations. It is no surprise that the postal service has not been able to make these exorbitant annual payments since 2011. The elimination of the so-called ``pre-funding mandate'' is a sensible first step towards improving the financial viability of the postal service. This bipartisan bill should also guide our approach to developing comprehensive postal reform legislation going forward. In stark contrast to the more partisan and sweeping reform proposals that have been presented to our committee in recent years, H.R. 2382 will immediately place the postal service on more sound financial footing while preserving its core public service mission to ``provide postal services to bind the nation together through the correspondence of the people.'' And contrary to the degradation of postal delivery services, or the wholesale privatization of the postal service itself, H.R. 2382 is the end product of bipartisan cooperation and the subject of broad consensus among our diverse postal stakeholders. As we develop additional postal reform legislation, it is imperative that we continue to identify fundamental and practical areas of agreement. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from California for her longtime leadership on this issue. I also thank my colleague, Ms. Pressley from Massachusetts, for her work as well. I am extremely grateful that the text of my bill, H.R. 3629, the Clarity in Credit Score Formation Act, which would require the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to periodically evaluate the models and underlying algorithms used to measure consumer creditworthiness, has been made part of this measure. I also appreciate the opportunity to speak in favor of my colleague's work, which is embodied in H.R. 3621, the Comprehensive CREDIT Act, which is before us today. Mr. Chair, as we have heard throughout debate, credit reports and credit scores are an important part of American consumers' financial lives. Yet, despite that importance, we continue to see serious problems with the way creditworthiness is measured and with the credit models that the credit agencies use. We know that consumers have consistently faced errors in their credit reports and that, oftentimes, those errors are serious enough to impact important opportunities in obtaining housing and other major financial decisions. These errors can lead directly to consumers being denied credit or paying substantially more for the credit that they do receive. Despite complaints from my Republican colleagues, by expanding the pool of information used to make credit decisions, applicants and lenders actually won't have to rely solely on often-flawed data in credit reports, and consumers can get the credit they deserve for regularly paying their rent on time and their bills on time and more, without raising the cost to the system of doing so. While these new uses of data can allow expanded access to credit, sometimes that same data can be misconstrued and result in unfair discrimination. We have seen this most clearly in the credit scores of our sons and daughters in uniform and military personnel in the Armed Forces. It is customary that service to our Nation requires military families to move around fairly frequently as deployments and unit assignments change. Taken by itself and out of context, frequently moving your residence year to year can give the false impression to a credit agency that an applicant is not in a stable situation and can adversely impact their ability to access credit. Other uses of data can be closely related to factors such as race or gender, or become a proxy for a protected class. We have already seen examples of this. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has sued Facebook over its use of data-targeting, which violates the Fair Housing Act by adversely stereotyping families who live in public housing projects. Even Housing Secretary Carson has openly stated: ``Facebook is discriminating against people based upon who they are and where they live.''

Mr. LYNCH. These charges followed on the heels of charges that Facebook entered into a financial settlement after accusations that landlords, lenders, and employers improperly used that platform to unfairly discriminate against families seeking housing opportunities. That is why we need clarity in credit score formation. That is why we need this bill. Importantly, with the expansion of mobile banking, it requires a study on the impact of using nontraditional data on consumer reports and the use of alternative data in credit scoring models. Much to Chairwoman Waters' and Ms. Pressley's credit, this is a very good bill that will help us harness the power of mobile technology and alternative data to improve outcomes for consumers. Mr. Chair, in closing, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mrs. Beatty of Ohio, Ms. Pressley of Massachusetts, Ms. Tlaib of Michigan, and Ms. Adams of North Carolina for their great contribution, along with Chairwoman Waters, in making this successful legislation. Mr. Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Norfolk County Commissioner Francis W. O'Brien, in recognition of his over sixty-five years of dedicated public service, on behalf of the Town of Dedham and Norfolk County. The son of Annie and John O'Brien, Fran is the youngest of seven children. A true son of East Dedham, Fran was born in 1929 and spent his entire childhood and young adult life at 236 Bussey Street in East Dedham. Fran attended the Avery Elementary School and graduated from Dedham High School in 1949. While in high school, Fran excelled in football, baseball and was the captain of the hockey team. He went on to play semi-pro football for the Canton Town Club and St. Mary's of Brookline. In 1951, Fran enlisted in the United States Navy during the Korean War era and served honorably until he was discharged in 1953. On January 20, 1951, Fran had the tremendous good fortune to marry his longtime high school sweetheart and classmate, Nancy Kennedy, at St. Mary's Church in Dedham. They were blessed with four children, Francis M., Marlene, Jacqueline, and Cynthia as well as seven grandchildren: David, William, Jeffrey, Gregory, Amanda, and twins Patrick and Sean. He is also the proud greatgrandfather to Annabelle, Sophia, Evan and Aiden. Fran began his career in public service at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds in Dedham as a photostat operator, soon after being discharged from the Navy. From 1953 to 1958, he was employed by Whiting's Milk Company as a milkman. Fran served his community as a Dedham firefighter, joining the department in 1958. During this time, Fran also owned and operated O'Bie's Variety store in East Dedham. Always one to help those in need, there were countless times Fran allowed customers to purchase necessary items such as bread or milk on credit, knowing full well they would be unable to pay him back. Madam Speaker, Fran ran for public office becoming the first firefighter in the Town of Dedham to serve on its Board of Selectman. Fran proudly served as a Selectman from 1962 to 1976; he also served the Town of Dedham as a Town Meeting member, a member of the Board of Recreation and a member of the Board of Assessors. He instantly connected with the citizens of Dedham and continued to serve as Selectman for more than twelve years. Subsequently, he was hired at the M.B.T.A. as Liaison of Governmental Affairs. His compassion and understanding have earned him the deep and abiding respect of the residents in the cities and towns all over the state. Fran continued with the M.B.T.A. until his retirement in 1993. In 2002, he was appointed, then elected, as a Norfolk County Commissioner, serving on a threeperson board. In subsequent years, he has been elected to serve as Chairman by his fellow commissioners. Through his friendship and professional relationships with judges, clerk magistrates and clerks of court throughout Norfolk County, Fran helped institute physical changes and improvements to Norfolk County court houses. On February 16, 2017, Fran lost the love of his life, Nancy, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease and the onset of Alzheimer's. Tragically, 19 months later, he lost his beloved daughter, Marlene, suddenly on September 15, 2018, after her longtime fight with multiple infectious diseases. As Fran reaches the proud age of 90 years old, he remains living independently in Dedham, with his son, daughters and grandchildren close by his side for support. Not surprisingly, you'll find him still helping people, still caring for the town he loves, and still devoted and loyal to his family and friends. Madam Speaker, Francis W. O'Brien epitomizes the definition of a truly dedicated public servant. His life-long vocation of service to his community is on constant display as he continues to honorably serve the Town of Dedham. I urge my colleagues, and all who know Fran, to wish him the best on his 90th birthday.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all, I thank Ms. Lofgren for her leadership and her courage and hard work in bringing this important bill to the floor. My amendment to H.R. 4617, the SHIELD Act, would generally prohibit the use of so-called deepfakes within 60 days of a Federal election. These digital photo, audio, and video forgeries are generated using artificial intelligence. They appear realistic and are intended to manipulate or deceive their audience. This amendment also establishes criminal and civil penalties for the malicious use of deepfakes in Federal elections while providing necessary exemptions for broadcasting or publication of deepfake content by news media organizations in satire or parity and other appropriate cases. As chairman of the National Security Subcommittee of the Oversight and Reform Committee, I can attest to the escalating warnings that we have received from U.S. intelligence community officials and national security experts regarding the use of these deepfake technologies as an emerging tool of foreign election interference. During our recent hearing to examine election security, government and private-sector panelists testified about the capacity of deepfake technologies to ``weaponize'' false information on a massive scale. That is because it is already widely accessible, easy to use, low cost, and rapidly evolving. In reference to the security of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, FBI Director Christopher Wray has stated that deepfake content is a ``topic of great concern,'' as Federal intelligence agencies combat the threat of election meddling by foreign adversaries that are intent on developing new ways to perpetuate malign influence operations. According to the nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations, deepfakes present ``disinformation on steroids'' and could easily be deployed to influence an election, spark violence, exacerbate societal divisions, and undermine other democratic institutions. The Congressional Research Service similarly warns that hostile state actors could release digitally altered videos of government officials or candidates making incendiary comments or engaged in inappropriate behavior to erode public trust, degrade our public discourse, defame particular candidates, and sway elections. The proliferation of deepfake technologies presents a serious threat to the integrity of U.S. elections, considering that our Nation's 17 intelligence agencies already determined that our most fundamental democratic process has come under attack by foreign adversaries. With high confidence, the U.S. intelligence community found that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign aimed at the 2016 election that included clandestine intelligence operations and blatant meddling by state-owned agencies, state-funded media outlets, third-party intermediaries, and paid social media trolls. The final report issued by Special Counsel Robert Mueller augmented this assessment. According to the ``2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community,'' our adversaries will continue refining their interference capabilities and add new tactics to dramatically alter the threat landscape for 2020 and future elections. In the interest of enhancing election security, campaign law must adapt to these evolving technologies. A prohibition on the use of deepfakes in Federal elections is a great first step in the right direction. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Chair, I do appreciate the gentleman from Illinois' thoughtful support for this amendment. I thank Chair Lofgren for her leadership again in bringing the SHIELD Act to the floor and working with me on this amendment. I again urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Leo J. Fahey, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the American labor movement, and to his home union, Pipefitters, Local 537 in Massachusetts. The son of Leo Fahey and Audrey York Fahey from South Boston, Massachusetts, Leo was born on August 2, 1960, in South Boston. He is the youngest brother to sisters Catherine Fahey-Fennessey and MaryBeth Fahey Moore, and a brother, Sean Fahey. Leo attended grammar school at St. Mary's in Randolph, Massachusetts and graduated from Randolph High School in 1978. He furthered his education earning an associate degree from Blue Hills Technical Institute, becoming an expert in HVAC technology and its applications. Madam Speaker, Leo entered Pipefitters Local 537 in 1983 as an apprentice. He has served his union well serving as Superintendent at Kinetic Systems, and P.J. Riley in Weymouth. He was elected president of Local 537 in 2002 and served in that capacity until 2004. Subsequently he was elected as Business Agent (2004 to 2010), Trustee (2007 to 2016), and Business Manager (2010 to 2016). Leo also played a key in the enactment of important state legislation which allowed municipalities to save energy costs by replacing archaic systems with state of the art facilities. Additionally, Leo played a key role in the Helmets to Hardhats initiative where returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan could receive training in the construction and building trades as a means to gaining a secure career and enjoying the solidarity of fellow Union Members. Leo's most enduring work on behalf of Local 537 was yet to come. He improved the Union Hall and outfitted it with modern technology. He established a scholarship fund for union members and their spouses, children and grandchildren, awarding over $700,000 to date. He along with union brothers William Gallagher, John Messina, Robert Mullin, and James Walsh created a Memorial Wall where each member of Local 537 will be remembered for his and her contribution and dedication to the Pipefitters Union, Local 537. Leo is known for his quick sense of humor and his loyalty to his friends. He is a proud son of his South Boston roots and a fierce advocate for working families. He is the life partner and fiance of Diane McArthur, the proud father of four sons: Justin, Ryan, Patrick, and Brendan, and the grandfather of Aiden, Mary, and Joshua. Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to join with Leo J. Fahey's family, friends, and contemporaries to thank him for his remarkable service to the American labor movement and to the Pipefitters, Local 537.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of William E. ``Bill'' McGonagle, in recognition of his wonderful service, for over forty years, on behalf of the City of Boston and the thousands of families who reside in public housing in our City. The son of Jeannette and Daniel McGonagle, Bill is the third of six children. A true son of South Boston, Bill spent his early childhood on Lennon Court in South Boston and the remainder of his childhood in the Mary Ellen McCormack housing development in South Boston (named after Speaker John McCormack's mother). Bill attended the Gate of Heaven Grammar School and High School prior to his graduation from South Boston High School. While Bill is a veteran, having enlisted in the Naval Reserves and attended University of Massachusetts at Boston, Bill has had the tremendous good fortune to be married to his wife Ellen for 47 years. They have been blessed with three children, Matthew, Mark and Alyson. Bill started his career at the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) in 1981 as a member of BHA's Department of Public Safety, where he worked to combat violence and drug abuse in public housing. His compassion and work ethic were quickly recognized by BHA Receiver Harry Spence and Bill was chosen to participate in a BHA-sponsored management training program, which included graduate-level management classes at the Boston University School of Social Work. Bill was quickly promoted from a public housing development manager to area director overseeing the management of BHA's thirty-seven elderly and disabled public housing developments throughout Boston addressing the needs of thousands of seniors and disabled citizens. Bill later served as executive assistant to then BHA Administrator Doris Bunte where he served as the liaison between the BHA and residents in the public housing developments in South Boston and Charlestown. Many resident leaders have noted that Bill had tremendous credibility and connected with many of the tenants because of his own upbringing in public housing. His compassion and understanding have earned him the deep and abiding respect of the residents of public housing as well as the many political leaders who shared the responsibility for meeting the needs of residents. While there were some rough patches in the history of the public housing developments across Boston, Bill McGonagle has been the bridge from those troubled times to today, when the revitalization of major housing developments is taking place all across Boston. Bill was appointed Deputy Administrator on April 1, 1992. He served in that role for 17 years for three administrators: David Cortiella, Joseph Feaster, and Sandra Henriquez. And on June 11, 2009, Mayor Thomas M. Menino made one of the best decisions in his long career and appointed Bill as Administrator for the Boston Housing Authority. And later, in his infinite wisdom, Mayor Martin J. Walsh asked Bill to continue in that capacity as part of his administration, much to the joy of public housing residents across the City. Since becoming Administrator, Bill has been the driving force in the revitalization of many of the housing developments throughout the city of Boston, including the Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony and the transformation of the Mary Ellen McCormack Development. Over the years, Bill has been recognized for his commitment, loyalty and dedication to the city of Boston and its public housing residents, receiving the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (ULEM) President's Award, the J. Lincoln Durand Award from the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants and the John W. McCormack Public Service Award. Madam Speaker, while Bill is not a person of many hobbies, he is a rabid Celtics fan in the greatest Boston tradition. He prides himself on being a history buff and amazes all with his knowledge of American history. Over the last decade, Bill and Ellen have reveled in their favorite passion, spoiling their five grandchildren Maggie, Andrew, Lucy, Evelyn and Calvin. Alas, not one to go quietly into retirement, Bill, not only intends to spend time with his family, he recently earned a certificate in substance abuse counseling from UMass-Boston and he plans to work in substance recovery, continuing his dedication and commitment to serving others. Just take a moment and think about that one. Talk about a good guy. Madam Speaker, Bill leaves a legacy of tirelessly working for tenants and breaking down barriers. It is my distinct honor to take to the floor of the House today to join with the family and many friends and the thousands of families in public housing and advocates for affordable housing all across our Country who want to say thank you to William E. ``Bill'' McGonagle for his forty years of remarkable service to his community of South Boston and the public housing residents of Boston.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 748, the Middle-Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act. This important, bi- partisan legislation will finally repeal, once and for all, the excise tax on employer and labor union sponsored health plans, also known as the ``Cadillac Plan Tax.'' This fix is long overdue. This egregious tax, if allowed to take effect, would have hit the health insurance that 181 million working Americans and many union members and their families rely on. It would have likely resulted in increased costs, and ultimately lesser access to health care, thereby defeating the purpose for passing the A.C.A. in the first place. This was one of the reasons why I voted against the final compromise version of the A.C.A. in 2010: because while the Cadillac Tax was not in the House-passed bill, the Senate added it into the legislation that came back to the House. I believed then, and still do now, that imposing a 40 percent tax on health insurance for union workers would hurt hard-working American families--the very people who sent us here to make their lives better. Madam Speaker, before coming to Congress and before becoming a labor rights lawyer, I was an ironworker for 18 years. I worked side-by-side with men and women in the building trades who wanted nothing more than to work hard and be able to take care of their families. When I was President of my local union, I was acutely aware of the importance of the benefits, such as health care, that we would negotiate on behalf of our members. It is important to remember that generations of union workers have stood on the picket line or taken less pay in their paycheck in order to get better health care coverage. The Cadillac Tax included in the A.C.A. actually sought to punish those workers for standing up for their families. Imposing this tax would have broken the good-faith promises made to these hard-working Americans. I am not alone in recognizing the serious harms of the proposed excise tax, because members of Congress from both sides of the aisle came together to delay this tax again and again, moving its effective date from 2018 to 2022. In addition, today's legislation, H.R. 748, has an astounding 369 cosponsors. I think that must be some kind of record. That kind of bipartisanship has sadly become rarer these days, but this level of agreement only goes to show that passing this bill is the right thing to do. Madam Speaker, this fix for the A.C.A. has been long-needed and I am pleased that we are finally taking this important step to protecting health care for hundreds of thousands of hard working, middle-class Americans. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense bill.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the en bloc amendment that includes my amendment to reestablish the Commission on Wartime Contracting. As the chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, I can say with great confidence that the Commission on Wartime Contracting has been a solid and a reliable partner in congressional oversight of military spending. From 2008 to 2011, the Commission on Wartime Contracting held 25 hearings and issued 8 reports on critical oversight on issues including contingency contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan and embassy security in those countries. The bottom line is that the Commission on Wartime Contracting found tens of billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse, and recommended ways to improve our overseas contingency contracting process. Despite the Commission's mandate having ended in 2011, today we continue to expend billions of reconstruction dollars overseas with little assurance that taxpayers or our sons and daughters in uniform are getting the full benefit of those expenditures. In fact, in many cases, we know that they are not. As the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction recently noted, many of our projects there are of questionable value or are at serious risk of failure and require continued, sustained oversight. Reauthorization of the Commission on Wartime Contracting will provide additional oversight to help us avoid the wasteful mistakes of the past. In closing, I thank Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Thornberry, and the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Ms. Kendra S. Horn) for supporting my amendment.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Chair, I rise in support of the en bloc which includes my amendment providing an additional $1 million to the medical services account, to be directed towards public-private partnerships to help address veteran suicide prevention; PTSD and TBI treatment; and substance use disorders. Madam Chair, taking care of our veterans means taking care of both their physical and mental well-being. Tragically, we are losing veterans at a rate of around 20 a day to suicide, many of whom are also dealing with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and/or substance use disorder. While the VA is doing tremendous work to reach out to our veterans, the need is still great so we must use every tool available to help them. Through this public-private partnership program the VA will work with research universities, teaching hospitals and other community entities to reach more of our veterans so they can get the help and care they need. I thank the committee for including my amendment in the en bloc and would urge my colleagues to support it and the underlying bill.

Mr. LYNCH

Mr. LYNCH. Madam Chair, I want to thank Chairwoman Waters for her great work on this bill. She has been a true champion on behalf of consumers during her time in Congress. This chart shows the decrease in enforcement actions which have plummeted by 75 percent under the Office of Management and Budget Director Mulvaney. Bear in mind that corruption and abuse of consumers has not gone away. This is a time period when Wells Fargo--a perfect example--robbed their customers, opened up fake accounts to basically take the proceeds, used their--this is when customers went to Wells Fargo, gave them all their information, Wells Fargo used their Social Security numbers and data to open up fake accounts, so they could charge their own customers--flat-out theft--and they had to fire 5,300 employees. That doesn't happen by accident. That is a business model that is built on abusing the consumer. That is why the CFPB is necessary, and that is why we need to pass this bill today. I support the chairwoman's efforts in this regard. A dramatic decline is evident, from 54 cases in the Obama administration to 11 this year. The sheriff has basically left the street. There is no more cop on the beat now with respect to protecting the consumer. Madam Chair, I thank the chairwoman for giving me this time to point out the need for the Consumers First Act, a great bill.