Susie Lee

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 5441 would reauthorize the Long Island Sound programs at the current funding level of $40 million annually through fiscal year 2028. These vital programs include the Long Island Sound Grants and the Long Island Sound Stewardship Grants. The Long Island Sound is a tidal estuary and marine sound, and it is a unique and irreplaceable natural resource. It stretches approximately 110 miles across the north shore of Long Island and the coast of Connecticut. Its extensive watershed reaches into Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Quebec. The sound was formed around 15,000 years ago when a terminal moraine dam failed, allowing freshwater from glacial Lake Connecticut to mix with the Atlantic Ocean. This newly formed estuary supported indigenous communities for over 11,000 years before European colonization. Today, the areas surrounding Long Island Sound are heavily developed, leading to significant degradation of its water quality and ecosystems due to pollution from industry, agriculture, sewage, and runoff. Despite this, the sound's unique hydrology and geology support diverse coastal ecosystems, including marshes, tidal pools, dunes, and eelgrass meadows. These habitats are home to abundant wildlife, including the endangered shortnose sturgeon. Protecting these ecosystems and species remains an ongoing and critical challenge that requires continuous support. The management of Long Island Sound falls to the States, not the Federal Government. In 1985, Congress established the Management Conference of the Long Island Sound Study to address significant environmental issues affecting the sound. This conference brings together the EPA, New York State, Connecticut, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions to restore and protect the sound and its watershed. The conference oversees numerous initiatives, including monitoring and pollution control programs, grant coordination, public education, outreach, and policy development. Reauthorizing these programs through H.R. 5441 is essential for the sound's continued recovery and conservation. These efforts will help restore water quality, protect vital ecosystems, and ensure the sound remains a vibrant and healthy resource for future generations. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Representative Neguse's H.R. 5770, the WATER Data Improvement Act. The WATER Data Improvement Act represents a bipartisan approach to ensuring that water resource managers have the data they need to provide communities and the environment with access to safe, clean water. The legislation will promote successful drought resiliency strategies, strengthen essential programs, and increase water quality by reauthorizing the U.S. Geological Survey's national groundwater resources monitoring network, its Federal priority streamgage network, and improved water estimation, measurement, and monitoring grant funding through 2028. The impacts of these programs and grants have been transformative. The national groundwater resources monitoring network brings together Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies' groundwater monitoring efforts while the Federal priority streamgage network measures streamflow information to promote access to crucial groundwater and streamflow data for water resource managers. The legislation would also provide grants to develop, improve, and implement new methodologies and technologies for collecting, analyzing, and delivering water resource data. With 2024 on track to be the hottest year on record and many communities throughout the West facing a historic drought crisis, it is imperative that we provide water resource managers with the tools that they need to collect and provide accurate data to develop and implement innovative water management and conservation plans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the WATER Data Improve Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), the sponsor of the bill.

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6062, which is sponsored by our colleague from American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen). This bill would eliminate the requirement for Congress to approve changes to the American Samoan Constitution in addition to the Secretary of the Interior. When American Samoa drafted and ratified its constitution in the 1960s, only the Secretary of the Interior was empowered to ratify amendments to it. However, in 1983, legislation was enacted to add Congress, in addition to the Secretary of the Interior, to the approval process for making changes to the American Samoan Constitution. American Samoan leaders at the time objected to this additional step and urged returning to the prior process of needing only the Secretary to approve changes to their constitution. In particular, American Samoan leaders feared that congressional involvement could threaten their current political status, which incorporates their traditional ``matai,'' ``chief'' and communal land ownership system. This legislation removes the duplicative, unnecessary step of requiring congressional approval for American Samoa to amend its own constitution. It is a commonsense bill that promotes democracy and self-determination. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I, too, have no further requests for time, and I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Madam Speaker, this week marked the 95th anniversary of President Hoover signing the law that created the historic Hoover Dam in southern Nevada, marking nearly a century of generating clean hydroelectric power for millions of Americans. Sadly, not even a structural achievement as grand as the Hoover Dam is immune from aging, and its maintenance needs are mounting. That is why I have introduced the bipartisan Help Hoover Dam Act, a simple solution that would unlock over $45 million in existing and much-needed resources for this American icon, all at no additional cost to taxpayers. Much of the work that I do here in Congress focuses on cutting red tape to make government work better for Americans. This is a dictionary definition of that. I look forward to advancing this bill so we can make sure that the Hoover Dam continues to stand as tall and proud in the 21st century as it did in the 20th.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor retiring Dr. Federico Zaragoza, who has proudly served as President of the College of Southern Nevada for half a decade. Dr. Zaragoza has been an education leader for more than 20 years, playing a critical role in driving student success. Before relocating to southern Nevada, Dr. Zaragoza served as Vice Chancellor for Economic and Workforce Development at a network of community colleges in San Antonio, Texas. For the past six years, Dr. Zaragoza has led the College of Southern Nevada, including three main campuses, seven learning centers, and locations that span 8,000 miles. Under his administration, graduation rates at the College of Southern Nevada nearly doubled between 2018 and 2021, and the College was designated as a national Leader College of Distinction in 2019. In addition to his role at the College of Southern Nevada, Dr. Zaragoza has held several leadership roles and memberships on state and national committees and commissions. As a Member of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), he advocates for nearly 1,200 community colleges and more than 12 million students nationwide. He also serves as the U.S. representative on the Board of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE). He has previously served on the National Skills Coalition's Think Tank, and as State Director for the Wisconsin--Job Training Partnership Act Programs, Dean of Continuing Education for the Milwaukee Area Technical College, and Vice President for the St. Philip's College Southwest Campus. Throughout his career in education, which included delivering lectures and keynote addresses in the U.S. and across South America, as well as co-authoring workforce education materials, Dr. Zaragoza has received several awards for his work. These include the Education Brillante Award from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) and the Texas Association of Community Colleges Carl Nelson Leadership Award. Dr. Zaragoza has had a significant impact on higher education institutions and students in Nevada and across the country. Mr. Speaker, please join me today in honoring Dr. Federico Zaragoza on his career of service and student advocacy, and in congratulating him on his retirement.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded today. Had it been recorded, I would have voted NO on Roll Call No. 276, AYE on Roll Call No. 277, YEA on Roll Call No. 278, and NO on Roll Call No. 279.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Chair, my vote was not recorded today. Had it been recorded, I would have voted NO on Roll Call No. 261, NO on Roll Call No. 262, NO on Roll Call No. 263, NO on Roll Call No. 264, NO on Roll Call No. 265, NO on Roll Call No. 266, NO on Roll Call No. 267, NO on Roll Call No. 268, NO on Roll Call No. 269, NO on Roll Call No. 270, NO on Roll Call No. 271, NO on Roll Call No. 272, NO on Roll Call No. 273, NO on Roll Call No. 274, and NO on Roll Call No. 275.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Chair, my vote was not recorded today. Had it been recorded, I would have voted No on Roll Call No. 228.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, my votes were not recorded today. Had they been recorded, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 219 and YEA on Roll Call No. 220.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend my personal congratulations to all the local entrepreneurs, the communities they support, and the Nevada Small Business Administration at their annual awards luncheon celebrating National Small Business Week. From restaurants to wrestling gyms, these small businesses are the life of our local economy. As our community grows beyond the reputation as the entertainment capital of the world, one thing will always remain true: We are a people-driven economy. Investing in our economy to make it more resilient and diverse requires investing in the people who keep it running. I thank all the small business owners, their employees, and hardworking families who make our community strong. Happy Small Business Week.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded today. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 142.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded today. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 141.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, my votes were not recorded today. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 135, NAY on Roll Call No. 136, YEA on Roll Call No. 137, YEA on Roll Call No. 138, YEA on Roll Call No. 139, and YEA on Roll Call No. 140.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from one vote today. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 129.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate our team of very bright students from West Career and Technical Academy in southern Nevada who will be competing this weekend in the national finals of the ``We the People'' civics competition. These students have been learning all they can about our Constitution in preparation to be tested by seasoned lawyers and politicians from all around the country, but these kids aren't all future lawyers themselves. Many of them aspire to have diverse careers across medicine, science, and the arts. What ties them together is a commitment to being educated citizens, dedicated to developing their own opinions and exemplifying the best of our democracy. I think we can all learn a thing or two about their passion for respecting diverse perspectives and finding common ground. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate them.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the week of March 25th to March 29th as National Area Health Education Centers Week, or AHEC week. Southern Nevadans are facing a dire shortage of health care providers, meaning longer wait times, fewer choices, and less access to quality care. To solve this crisis, underserved communities like ours need to expand the resources we offer so that medical providers can learn and grow their careers in southern Nevada. AHECs are a part of that solution. These centers connect students to local populations, which helps facilitate future engagement and boosts care in our communities. That has been and will continue to be key as we fight to ensure every Nevadan has access to the health care they need. In just the past five years, the AHEC program has already trained two million health care professionals. Across our state, from Elko to Reno to Las Vegas, the AHEC program is strengthening the future of our health care workforce which will help the collective health of all Nevadans. That's why I'm proud to support this program and why, year after year, I've fought to secure essential federal investments in the national AHEC program. On behalf of my constituents at the Nevada AHEC program, their national counterparts, and the thousands of Americans who benefit from the care fostered by AHECs, I am proud to recognize this National Area Health Education Centers Week. I thank all of them for their dedication to keeping our communities healthy.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent from votes on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted: Yea on Roll Call No. 87 and YEA on Roll Call No. 88.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Madam Speaker, today, in honor of Black History Month, I rise to recognize Claytee White, director of the Oral History Research Center at the University of Las Vegas. Claytee has spent the last 20 years developing an extensive knowledge of the city's history and its people, with an expertise on African Americans. She studied and documented the role of Black performers in desegregating Las Vegas, expanding worker rights, and the continued fight for equality. Madam Speaker, her positive impact on our community doesn't end there. She is the founder of the Las Vegas Black Historical Society, a hub for those to learn more about the valley's Black community. She has held numerous leadership roles at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and she is past president of the Southwest Oral History Association. I thank Claytee for all she has done to lift up and preserve the rich history of African Americans in Las Vegas.

Ms. LEE of Nevada

Ms. LEE of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, during the rollcall vote on H.R. 533, my vote was not successfully recorded. Had my vote been recorded, it would have been a ``yea'' on rollcall No. 53.