Elaine Luria

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3147, the Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act, introduced by Senator Manchin and Senator Capito of West Virginia. Representative McKinley introduced a companion measure, H.R. 5616, here in the House. This bipartisan bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress two critical reports relating to patient safety and quality of care at its medical facilities. This bill was introduced in the wake of a disturbingly tragic series of patient deaths that occurred in 2017 and 2018 at the Clarksburg, West Virginia, VA Medical Center. This past July, a nursing assistant who worked at the Clarksburg VA Medical Center pleaded guilty to seven counts of second-degree murder and one count of assault to commit murder after unnecessarily injecting several veteran patients with insulin with the intent to cause death. There are no words to adequately express the sorrow we feel for the families of veterans whose lives were tragically cut short in Clarksburg. There are countless questions about how this could have happened and what the Department of Veterans Affairs is doing to better protect veteran patients in the future, not only in Clarksburg, but in other VA facilities nationwide. The first report outlined in this bill and mandated by S. 3147, which is due within 30 days of enactment, requires the VA to outline the Department's policies and procedures related to monitoring patient safety and suspicious deaths, ensuring proper storage and access controls for high-risk substances, trafficking employees' contact with veteran patients, and removing from patient care employees who are implicated in suspicious deaths. The Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act also requires the VA to submit to Congress an after-action report on the events that occurred in Clarksburg. Among other things, the report will detail the timeline of events at Clarksburg and the actions taken at the facility level and throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs in response to these tragic and suspicious deaths. We can only hope that S. 3147, the Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act, will serve as a first step toward better understanding what gaps in VA management existed and what actions the Department still needs to take to protect our veterans. We also hope that this measure will serve as a foundation for helping to restore veterans' confidence in the safety, security, and quality of the care delivered at VA medical facilities. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 3147. I want to thank Mr. McKinley for introducing this bill in the House and Senator Manchin for working very diligently in the Senate to bring this legislation before us today because, as Mr. McKinley said, we do need to provide assurance to our veterans about their safety in our VA health centers, both in Clarksburg and across the country. I also want to thank Mr. Bilirakis, my colleague on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, for his work on this and all the bills that we have reviewed today. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing S. 3147, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of America's Conservation Enhancement Act and the inclusion of my bill, the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act. As my colleague, Mrs. Dingell, said, this is truly an example of a bipartisan bill where we have been able to work across the aisle and across the bay, and I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Wittman from Virginia, as well for his strong cooperation on this program. The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and its health is critical to the environmental and economic well-being of coastal Virginia and beyond. The Chesapeake Bay generates $33 billion in economic value annually and is home to spectacular natural beauty and ecological diversity. The EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program coordinates regional conservation efforts and supports the work of States in meeting their restoration commitments under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Funding for the bay program goes directly to localities to improve conservation efforts. However, Congress has not reauthorized this program since 2005. By passing the ACE Act and, simultaneously, my bill, Congress will reaffirm that all States in the watershed and the EPA must work together to achieve these restoration goals. This includes ensuring that all States have plans in place enabling them to achieve these goals. I want to thank my colleagues in the House and the Senate who worked hard to secure the passage of this bill. Again, I would like to thank Mr. Wittman, my colleague, Congressman Bobby Scott from Virginia, as well as Mr. Sarbanes from Maryland for being initial cosponsors on this bill. I urge all Members to support America's Conservation Enhancement Act.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize John Reinhart upon his retirement from the Port of Virginia. For nearly seven years, John has led the Port of Virginia as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. John assembled and cultivated a skilled and highly knowledgeable team, then provided impressive leadership and vision, to transform the Port of Virginia into a twenty-first century facility. With a mantra of ``Wider, Deeper & Safer,'' John steered the approval, funding and commencement of dredging the Norfolk Harbor and Channels to fifty-five feet depth. This will allow Hampton Roads to accommodate fully loaded Ultra-Large Container Vessels now and in the future. As Hampton Roads is also home to the world's largest naval base with six aircraft carriers, this widening will also enable safe, two- way traffic to prevent delays to commercial and military vessels. Under John's supervision, the Port of Virginia constructed the new Virginia International Gateway. Hosting the largest ship-to-shore cranes in the Western Hemisphere, this state-of-the-art facility has some of the best cargo flow rates and vehicle turn-times in the nation. While expanding the Port's capacity, John also successfully reduced emissions by transitioning away from diesel-driven container movement to an electric, safer and more space-conscious method of container handling and stacking. These electric gantry cranes dramatically reduce emissions, fuel consumption and noise. With a vision for the future, John has planned and begun building the first infrastructure dedicated to our region's nascent offshore wind industry. Recognizing the Port of Virginia's natural benefits with a deep channel and no overhead obstructions, he has helped posture Hampton Roads to become a nucleus for our nation's growing carbon-free power generation industry. The improvements John has made at the Port have benefited not only all Virginians but most Americans. The Port of Virginia's reach covers all commerce east of the Mississippi River and even extends to Kansas City, MO. Through the partnerships John helped build, the Port of Virginia achieved record-setting cargo volume for six consecutive years. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven American businesses and workers need efficient and reliable supply chains, and the Port has proven vital to this endeavor. John's dedication to strengthening and improving Virginia's infrastructure and economy is truly inspiring. I am proud to honor and recognize his leadership and the role he plays in making our community a better place. Hampton Roads has significantly benefited from his efforts.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill, H.R. 4447, and applaud the inclusion of nuclear power as a critical element of our energy future and our national security. As an engineer who operated nuclear reactors in the Navy, I saw firsthand that nuclear power, when deployed safely and responsibly, can play a key role in our future as a zero-carbon energy source. Advanced nuclear designs carry potential for our economy, our national security, and electrical grid, as they can provide a steady source of clean energy and reduce carbon emissions. The Nuclear Energy Leadership Act section of this bill would jump- start innovation and advanced nuclear energy by authorizing $55 million per year through 2025 for an advanced reactor technologies program and establish the University Nuclear Leadership Program to develop our future nuclear workforce. The inclusion of my bipartisan legislation, the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act, in this bill will facilitate the path to market for advanced reactors and help the U.S. maintain international leadership in nuclear technology and safety. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Johnson and Representative Lamb, and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee for working with me on this important legislation, and for including the important element of nuclear power in this energy package.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today in support and as a co-lead of the Veterans Benefits Fairness and Transparency Act. I want to start by thanking my colleague, Mr. Barr from Kentucky, for taking the lead on this. And as you know, we have heard from countless veterans and countless veterans' advocates that this is a problem; that these forms are not available to our veterans and their providers to be able to provide the best information in the most timely manner in order to process these claims. The simple fact is that we must act to make it easier, not harder, for our veterans to receive the benefits that they deserve. As mentioned, this bill will ensure that benefit questionnaires will be public-facing again on a website. Mr. Barr and I learned from many veterans' advocates that these forms were removed and that veterans that needed to provide this vital information in order to process their claim couldn't simply have the forms that they needed in order to do that. This bill also includes the use of older versions of the form, because how many times have we heard in our offices and from our constituents that a veteran has submitted their claim only to have it sent back again requesting a different version of the form, thus, delaying the process for our veterans who desperately need these claims to be adjudicated, and need the care from the VA. This will also allow the VA to make prompt decisions on the disability claims and reduce their unfinished exam backlog, which is currently nearing 60 percent. These questionnaires played a huge role in 2011 in reducing the massive claims backlog that we experienced at that time. And during our current public health crisis, while access to care at VA facilities is limited, what could make more sense than allowing veterans, in company with their civilian providers, to also be able to provide the information necessary to process their claims? In my district in coastal Virginia, I am honored to represent more than 92,000 veterans in our district. And this is among my top priorities to ensure that we make this process easier, more transparent, and more timely for our veterans. Mr. Speaker, I want to close by thanking Mr. Barr for introducing this legislation, and for allowing me to cosponsor it. And I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill in order to help our Nation's many deserving veterans.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the 75th anniversary of the first launch at NASA Wallops Flight Facility. As the only Member of Congress to represent two NASA facilities, I am honored to share with Congress this historic achievement. The Wallops Flight Facility, established in 1945 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, NASA's predecessor, has supported government and commercial scientific discovery and exploration missions, contributed significantly to the Eastern Shore community, and expedited our nation's technological advancements. Wallops employs over 1,000 individuals and is home to NASA's only owned rocket launch range for suborbital and orbital rockets. During its creation, Wallops Island was sought out by the scientific agency for multiple reasons, including its proximity to another NASA facility and a military base. Wallops was established initially for guided missile flight research, but since then has expanded to a diverse and multifaceted mission. On June 27, 1945, the original team launched its first test for the radar systems on their small rockets. While the first launch at Wallops consisted of very few resources and technology, this kickstarted an enduring and critical NASA facility. From that day, NASA Wallops continued to grow, and now the facility is worth over $1 billion. Wallops has undertaken a multitude of missions, such as supporting aircraft research, launching rockets and scientific balloons, and enabling critical research aboard the International Space Station, which have improved our nation's understanding of space and beyond. NASA Wallops has led our country and the world in providing flight and launch range services and more generally meeting the needs in the science, aerospace, defense, and commercial industries. I am honored to recognize the hard-working men and women at NASA Wallops and to commemorate this important day in history.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of my bipartisan bill, H.R. 6168, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2020. During these trying times, I continue to keep our Nation's veterans at the top of my mind as they face unprecedented challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. This bill will provide the economic relief and pay raise that our veterans have earned. It is an honor to represent more than 102,000 veterans, the highest total of any district in Virginia, and one of the highest in the country. Our veterans put their lives on the line and deployed far from home to keep America safe. As a 20-year Navy veteran myself, I am proud to bring a bill to the floor that protects the benefits our veterans have earned from their service to our country. H.R. 6168 provides cost-of-living increases for wartime disability compensation, compensation for dependents, clothing allowance, dependency and indemnities compensation for spouses, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving children. Congress must honor our commitment to those American heroes who served in harm's way so that we could live in peace at home. As we continue to fight this pandemic, I ask that we all keep in mind those who have kept us safe at home and abroad. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6168, and join me and Ranking Member Mike Bost in protecting the earned benefits for our Nation's veterans.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record, at the request of a Virginia Beach constituent, Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman, of Temple Lev Tikvah and is a reflection of his views: ``At the heart of the Passover Seder is the haunting probing of `Ma Nishtana . . . How different is this night from all other nights?' This historical Rabbinic quest is designed to grasp Passover's meaning throughout the generational chain in the context of changing and always challenging times. It is traditionally sung by the youngest attending child, to mitigate the seriousness of the inquiry surrounding the complex poles of enslavement and freedom in the Jewish consciousness as well as human experience. Surely at this beclouded Passover Festival, the plague of the Coronavirus is casting ominous darkness not only on one people as with the punitive Ten Plagues upon Pharaoh's Egypt for freedom's sake and slavery's denouncement. Pharaoh was forewarned time and again to let Moses' people go. Now we face a global attack by a stealthy adversary exposing the entire interdependent human family to the Angel of Death's whims. All that in the midst of a complacent post-modern high technology society. We are tempted by the hubris of false invincibility, plunging us to a debilitating sense of primeval vulnerability, threatening our accustomed and enviable American way of life and its underlying essential democracy. Ultimately the Passover celebration is a poignant reminder that enslavement in its destructive variety--physically, spiritually and psychologically--is bound to be overcome by the light of deliverance, replacing virus with virtue, pain with promise and violence with vision. At this season's Seder table, those who are fortunate to safely conduct it, should diminish from the cup of joyful salvation in addition to the ten drops for the ten plagues upon ancient Egypt for the sin of Hebrew enslavement, one drop for the current heavy human loses and intense suffering. The inspiring Exodus journey from servitude to an oppressor to service of The Most High, became a model of liberation for the human family, culminating in the Messianic vision of a world transformed. We have chosen to convert the bitter herbs of our exile into the sweet charoset of homecoming for all. It is the symbolic hovering presence at the Seder table of the prophet Elijah for whom we open the door and set aside a special cup of wine, which provides for the eternal flame of universal shalom's healing, hope and harmony. It is the peace we have kept alive as a flickering light in history's darkness. Passover's promise by a compassionate heritage is ultimately rooted in its revolutionary view of the infinite worth of each of the Creator's children, recalling that God silenced the heavenly angels when jubilant at the drowning of Pharaoh's troops. Passover's soaring spirit of renewal of a people as well as an individual, also applies to the natural order of springtime's reassuring return with the beauty of the Earth's budding and recovery that we are pledged to forever secure.''

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. This is a necessary step in providing relief to families and small businesses throughout coastal Virginia and across America. This bill provides critical funding in helping our communities thrive again when this crisis passes. As we prepare to provide relief for the American people amid this national emergency, I am reminded of the words that President Kennedy would have spoken were it not for his untimely loss on November 22, 1963. `` . . . this a time for courage and a time for challenge. Neither conformity nor complacency will do. Neither the fanatics nor the faint- hearted are needed . . . So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our Nation's future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our cause-- united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future--and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance.''

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a great American hero, Katherine Johnson. Katherine was a skilled mathematician, a loyal NASA employee, a mother, a daughter, but, most importantly, a trailblazer. In 1953, she began working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics West Area Computing unit, where she provided equations and computations that were essential to the success of the early space program. At NASA Langley, she played an important role in NASA's Mercury program of manned space flights from 1961 to 1963. Without her expertise, the space travel of Alan Shepard and John Glenn would not have been possible. At the apex of her career, Johnson was part of the team that calculated the trajectory of the Apollo 11 mission of 1969, which sent the first three men to the Moon. And now, her work will ensure that the first woman and the next man will take steps on the Moon by 2024. This is the legacy of Katherine Johnson. I am proud to recognize her today.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on my colleagues to join me in addressing the need for preventive healthcare for our military's aviators. As a 20-year Navy veteran, I am concerned by the alarming anecdotal evidence by former Air Force and Navy pilots of increased incidence of cancer at a young age due to cockpit exposure. We have a duty to ensure that our servicemembers receive the best care possible. That is why I am introducing the Military Pilot Cancer Incidence Study Act. This bipartisan bill will help the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs understand the causes of cancer among our military pilots so that we can ensure that our aviators receive the preventive cancer screenings they have earned through their service to our country. By analyzing the correlation between cockpit radiation exposure and cancer, health professionals at DOD and the VA can determine the appropriate age to screen pilots for cancer so they can live longer and healthier lives.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan bill will reauthorize $455 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program over the next 5 years. The Chesapeake Bay is one of our Nation's greatest national treasures. It helps generate $33 billion in economic value annually and is home to spectacular natural beauty and ecological diversity. The EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program coordinates regional conservation efforts, but Congress has not reauthorized this critical program since 2005. Thanks to innovative partnerships between local, State, and Federal agencies and NGOs, the health of the Bay has improved in recent years. But this progress is fragile, and unless Congress acts, we risk losing these gains. In 2014, all States within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the District of Columbia signed the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. This partnership committed these States to work together and with the EPA to put in place all the necessary conservation practices by 2025. Part of this agreement includes setting a limit, called the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, on pollution from chemicals like nitrogen and phosphorus. The EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program supports the work of States in meeting their commitments under this agreement. Funding for the Bay program goes directly to localities to improve local conservation efforts. By passing the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act, Congress will reaffirm that all States in the watershed and the EPA must work together to achieve these restoration goals. This includes ensuring that all States have plans in place to comply with the TMDL and all other necessary conservation goals. I want to thank my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Congressman Bobby Scott, Congressman Rob Wittman, and Congressman John Sarbanes for working with me to achieve this bipartisan victory for the Bay. I also thank Chairwoman Napolitano and Ranking Member Westerman for their support in bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical bill.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, on January 30, 2020, I was absent from the House chamber due to my presence at my mother-in-law's funeral. Had I been present and voting, I would have opposed both amendments to H.R. 550. As a 20-year Navy veteran who served in the Middle East and is currently serving a district in Hampton Roads, where one in five residents is active duty, a veteran, or an immediate family member, I took this decision very seriously and personally. From our district, the Harry S. Truman Canier Shike Group, the Bataan Amphibious Readiness group, and approximately ten thousand sailors and marines are deployed to the Middle East defending our national security interests. The use of military force must be a last resort after all other options are exhausted. However, a strong presence in the Middle East is necessary to send the message that America is committed to ending Iran's malicious activities and to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities. Under the Constitution, only Congress has the authority and power to declare war. Unfortunately, the pieces of legislation that we are debating do not address the underlying problem: that we are operating under a nearly two decade-old Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). Issues of life and death or war and peace should not be made on party lines using a procedural rule to silence the other side. We owe it to our troops to define their mission and take on the hard task of uniting as a governing body to replace the outdated AUMFs. Today, I would like to submit my opposition into the Congressional Record because if we must send more Americans to war, Congress has the responsibility to debate a new AUMF that will shape war and peace for decades to come.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I was unable to attend votes on January 29, 2020 due to the death of a family member. Had I been present, on roll no. 28, On Agreeing to the Clay Amendment, I would have voted ``aye;'' on roll no. 29, On Agreeing to the Brown Amendment, I would have voted ``aye;'' on roll no. 30, On Motion to Recommit with Instructions, I would have voted ``aye;'' on roll no. 31, On Passage of H.R. 3621, I would have voted ``aye;'' and on roll no. 32, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass S. 3201, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Anita Blanton on receiving the 2020 Outstanding Women in the Community Service Award for the Tidewater Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. This award was developed to honor women who are making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents, and dedication. This is an amazing accomplishment. This award recognizes Anita Blanton's lifetime of service and commitment to the promotion of respect among people of diverse backgrounds. Ms. Blanton generously serves the community as an award- winning co-anchor for WAVY-TV 10, Hampton Roads' NBC affiliate. Ms. Blanton thrives on reporting the big story for her viewers. Some of the most memorable reporting of her career has involved severe weather, frequently covering President George W. Bush, visiting world leaders, and the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech. Ms. Blanton also field anchored annual coverage from the site of the Oklahoma City Bombing on the tragic event's three-year anniversary. Ms. Blanton was named to the inaugural Virginian Pilot Inside Business Top 40 Under 40. She has won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press for her work as an anchor and reporter. She has also received several community service awards including a Silver Star Legacy Award from the Urban League of Hampton Roads. And in 2019, she received the American Heart Association's Social Impact Media Award. Her service to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the National Association of Black Journalists demonstrates her heart for service. She fervently fights to strengthen ties to the local community through media awareness. Ms. Blanton's dedication as a leader within our community is truly inspiring. I am proud to honor and recognize Ms. Blanton's leadership and the role she plays in making our community a better place. Coastal Virginia has significantly benefited from her presence.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Kimberly Jenkins on receiving the 2020 Outstanding Woman in the Community Service Award for the Tidewater Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. This award was developed to honor women who are making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents and dedication. This is an amazing accomplishment. This award recognizes Kimberly Jenkins' lifetime of service and commitment to the promotion of respect among people of diverse backgrounds. Ms. Jenkins' generously serves the community as a CEO and President at Attie Mac Resource Group, LLC, Radio Personality of WHOV 88.1 FM and iHeart radio, Motivational Speaker, Author, and Adjunct Instructor for the University of the Virgin Island. Her service to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and her church, Favor Nation in Chesapeake, demonstrates her heart for service. Ms. Jenkins' dedication to educating and strengthening bonds among people of different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds is truly inspiring. I am proud to honor and recognize Ms. Jenkins' leadership and the role she plays in making our community a better place. Coastal Virginia has significantly benefited from her presence.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Ms. Veronica McMillian on receiving the 2020 Outstanding Woman in the Community Service Award for the Tidewater Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. This award was developed to honor women who are making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents and dedication. This is an amazing accomplishment. This award recognizes Ms. McMillian's lifetime of service and commitment to the uplifting and inspiring presentations on empowerment and love. She generously serves the community with civility and justice. Ms. McMillian grew up understanding the importance of being an entrepreneur and serving her community. She is a Non-Profit Consultant & Trainer, renown for her inspiring presentation. She is the Founder/ President of The Micro-Nonprofit Network Inc. founded to help small organizations grow and to provide impactful and effective programs in the communities they serve. She also serves on the board of The World- Wide Women's Group Inc. and Beacon of Hope Inc. Ms. McMillian devoted 25 years to education, training, community outreach, program development and counseling. Using her knowledge as an educator and trainer, she has helped empower individuals and transform organizations. In 2019, she was awarded the Community Impact Award from Christian Women Alliance. In 2018, she was awarded the MLK Nonprofit award from Global Ministries. In 2011, she a received The Career Engineer's Non-Profit award. And in October 2009, Mrs. McMillian received the FBI's Community Director's Award for the Boys to Men program she created in 2008. Ms. McMillian's dedication to educating and strengthening bonds among people is truly inspiring. I am proud to honor and recognize Ms. McMillian's leadership and the role she plays in making our community a better place. Coastal Virginia has significantly benefited from her presence.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Ms. Francine Humphrey on receiving the 2020 Outstanding Woman in the Community Service Award for the Tidewater Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. This award was developed to honor women who are making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents and dedication. This is an amazing accomplishment. This award recognizes Ms. Humphrey's lifetime of service and commitment to the promotion of respect among people of diverse backgrounds. She generously serves the community as a CEO of Issues Concerning Women and the former CEO/Co-Founder of Focuss Group, LLC a business Development and career Services company. Ms. Humphrey is a Bank One Master Financial Trainer and Financial Coach and loves working with the Financial Empowerment Team and the community. She hosts and teaches a monthly small business workshop at her office. In 2007, Ms. Humphrey established Issues Concerning Women (ICW) Inc., which focuses on women reaching their long-term and short-term goals by assisting women in housing, financial, and life skills. ICW provides advocacy and services to stabilize households and foster a sense of community involvement, self-worth, and determination among women. In 2013 she was presented the ``Beacon of Hope Award'' from the Urban League Guild of Hampton Road. Additionally, she was named Small Business Guru in 2016 by G. Paris Media Group and received the Presidential Drum Major Award from President Obama in 2017. Ms. Humphrey's dedication as an inspirational speaker, spiritual coach, and author is incredibly inspiring. I am proud to honor and recognize Ms. Humphrey's leadership and the role she plays in making our community a better place. Coastal Virginia has significantly benefited from her presence.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Lisa Lucas-Burke on receiving the 2020 Outstanding Woman in the Service Award for the Tidewater Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. This award was developed to honor persons who are making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents and dedication. This is an amazing accomplishment. This award recognizes Lisa Lucas-Burke's lifetime of public service and commitment to the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, as she generously serves as the City of Portsmouth Vice-Mayor. Mrs. Lucas-Burke has been employed with the City of Portsmouth for over thirty years and has broken barriers in becoming the only African American female since 1988 to obtain the position of Computer Programmer Analyst in the City of Portsmouth's Information Technology Department. Mrs. Lucas-Burke continues to serve her community with her family business as Program Director and currently serves as Executive Director and partner with Lucas Lodge entities operating at Lucas Professional Center in Portsmouth. Her service to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Steering Committee, and the Portsmouth Democratic Committee demonstrates her heart for service. She put enormous efforts in strengthening ties to the local community with her civic involvement with various organizations. Mrs. Lucas-Burke's dedication as a leader within our community is truly inspiring. I am proud to honor and recognize Mrs. Lucas-Burke's leadership and the role she plays in making our community a better place. The Tidewater Region has significantly benefited from her presence.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Ms. Natalie Purdie on receiving the 2020 Outstanding Woman in the Community Service Award for the Tidewater Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. This award was developed to honor women who are making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents and dedication. This is an amazing accomplishment. This award recognizes Ms. Purdie's lifetime of service and commitment to Domestic Violence Advocacy. As a domestic violence survivor, Natalie has broken her silence to do, ``Speak Up and Speak Out''! Ms. Purdie is a board member and volunteer with My Help My Hope, Inc. She is also a member of the Samaritan House Women Against Violence (WAV) group. She was the keynote speaker for their annual event Unmask Domestic Violence. She was also the guest speaker at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach for their KNOW More Domestic Violence Assembly which was organized by the students. Ms. Purdie now volunteers with Promise Place teaching the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program to middle and high school students. She was the keynote speaker for Promise Place 1st & 2nd Annual Teen Dating Violence Summit at Georgia State University. She was also the panel discussion moderator for 2019. Ms. Purdie's dedication to helping victims to become survivors and to raise awareness about bills such as the E.R.A. and Marsy's Law in the state of Georgia. I am proud to honor and recognize Ms. Purdie's leadership and the role she plays in making our community a better place. Coastal Virginia has significantly benefited from her presence.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Dr. C. Elaine M. Smith on receiving the 2020 Outstanding Woman in the Community Service Award for the Tidewater Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. This award was developed to honor women who are making significant contributions to their community through their time, actions, talents, and dedication. This is an amazing accomplishment. This award recognizes Dr. Smith's lifetime of service and commitment to the promotion of respect among people of diverse backgrounds. Dr. Smith generously serves the community with civility and justice. As a second grader, Dr. Smith was one of the first to integrate the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, then known as Princess Anne County. At the age of 6, her parents supported her on a journey of learning experiences that were both negative and positive yet vital to her development. Dr. Smith has been an agent for change and an advocate for students with disabilities (SWD) as she sought Specials Education as her vocation. She retired from Norfolk Public Schools after more than 30 years, where she served in numerous leadership capacities. Her professional experiences are vast as she has taught students with emotional disabilities, autism, and learning disabilities. As a Teacher Specialist at the district central office level for secondary students with disabilities and as an Educational Diagnostician, her duties were to assess both general and special education students who experienced academic and behavioral challenges in school. In these positions, she made recommendations to improve academic and behavioral deficits and to keep students in the least restrictive environment based on their individualized needs. Her service to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Alliance for Black School Educators, National Allies for Parents in Special Education, has allowed her to put enormous efforts in strengthening ties to the local community with her civic involvement with various organizations. Dr. Smith's dedication as a leader within our community is truly inspiring. I am proud to honor and recognize Dr. Smith's leadership and the role she plays in making our community a better place. Coastal Virginia has significantly benefited from her presence.

Mrs. LURIA

Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of our Constitution, in support of the military members in harm's way who defend our Constitution, in support of Gold Star families who keep faith that their loved one's sacrifice was justified. I rise today in support of the oath I first took at 17 upon entering the Naval Academy and took five more times in my 20-year Navy career; an oath that comforted me in the years I spent away from my family, deployed around the globe; an oath that encouraged me to remain vigilant on the bridge of the ship at night; an oath that strengthened me when in command, as I sent my fellow sailors into harm's way; and today, an oath that gives me resolve to do what is right and not what is politically expedient, resolve to stand with the President at the White House last week, and resolve to stand up to the President in this House today. I ask my colleagues to have the same strength and the same resolve.

Ms. LURIA

Ms. LURIA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.