Andy Levin

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3190) to authorize humanitarian assistance and impose sanctions with respect to human rights abuses in Burma, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include in the Record extraneous materials on H.R. 3190.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank Chairman Engel and Mr. Chabot for authoring this legislation. Since August 2017, we have seen some of the most horrific ethnic violence in the world at the hands of the Burmese military in Burma's Rakhine State. The world has been shocked by the brutality of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Burmese military and security forces. Thousands of Rohingya civilians have been killed. Many hundreds of thousands more have been forced to flee their homes and livelihoods. The U.N. and independent investigators have documented terrible sexual violence against women and girls. Despite all this bloodshed, there has been no meaningful accountability for those responsible. Let's be clear: The military that carried out genocide against the Rohingya is the same military that has oppressed and abused minority groups in Burma for decades. It is the same military that carries out abuse against Burmese citizens to this day. This institution is rotten to the core, and it is time for change. This bill would impose financial, trade, and visa sanctions on those responsible for these crimes, including the commander in chief and those who have failed to investigate and prosecute these abuses. It authorizes $220 million for humanitarian assistance to affected communities, including communities in Bangladesh. It pushes economic reforms designed to get the military out of the mining industry in Burma. This legislation passed the House before with an overwhelming vote of support. I urge my colleagues to join me today in doing the same, once again. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, September 20, 2019. Hon. Maxine Waters, Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairwoman Waters: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 3190, the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability (BURMA) Act of 2019. I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Financial Services under House Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R. 3190 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in the bill that fall within your jurisdiction. I also acknowledge that your Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar legislation moves forward and will support the appointment of Committee on Financial Services conferees during any House-Senate conference convened on this legislation. Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, it has been 2 years since the massacres in Rakhine State, and the suffering continues across the border in Bangladesh. The House has passed this legislation before with an overwhelming and bipartisan vote, sending a strong message to perpetrators and victims alike. I urge my colleagues to join me today in doing the same once again. This legislation is a necessary response to one of the most pressing human rights and humanitarian concerns in the entire world today. I am glad the House is considering it. I salute the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), my chairman, and I encourage all Members to vote for its passage. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 127) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the importance and vitality of the United States alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea, and our trilateral cooperation in the pursuit of shared interests, as amended.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 127.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure, and I want to start by thanking Chairman Engel for his leadership in bringing this measure forward today and Mr. McCaul, Mr. Sherman, and Mr. Yoho for their partnership in demonstrating this is a bipartisan effort aimed at strengthening the trilateral ties among the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. For many years now, our three countries have worked hard to lay the foundation for enduring regional security in Northeast Asia. We have found common ground in many areas: promoting a rules-based economic order in Asia, defending against aggression from North Korea, and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, to name a few. Recently, however, there has been an alarming deterioration of relations between Seoul and Tokyo. Of particular concern to U.S. interests has been the decision to end the 2015 agreement, an agreement the U.S. worked closely with Seoul and Tokyo to reach, as well as the politicization of bilateral trade disputes. There is no question that we need to get this relationship back on track. The United States, Japan, and Korea have nothing to gain from the current trajectory, but we all have a lot to lose. American businesses lose out when tense trade relations create uncertainty about markets and supply chains. American security is undermined when one of our greatest assets, our alliances, are weakened. And, of course, those who want to see the rules-based order in Asia topple benefit from all of this. This resolution calls on the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea to strengthen our trilateral cooperation in areas critical to all of us and to safeguard and strengthen our longstanding diplomatic, economic, security, and people-to-people ties. This is a good measure that I am pleased to support, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, this resolution offers a positive vision for our trilateral relationship. Its passage today reaffirms the importance of our countries' cooperation on critical economic and security issues and calls on Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington, collectively, to develop a strategy to reverse the current trajectory and to work together to build stronger ties. It is a good resolution, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 444) reaffirming the importance of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons, as amended.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H. Res. 444.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to start by thanking the gentleman from California (Mr. Ted Lieu) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) for introducing this resolution, which affirms the importance of U.S. leadership to assist the unprecedented number of refugees and displaced persons around the world. Our country has a rich history of accepting refugees from all walks of life. It is the cornerstone of what makes America so special and why so many of us are actually standing here today. For decades, the United States admitted more refugees than any other country. As a nation of immigrants, Americans have always felt a special obligation to take in people fleeing violence and danger. But now, precisely when we are facing a worldwide refugee crisis, with the numbers of displaced people at a record high, the Trump administration has drastically cut admissions. They are rejecting our traditions of openness and willingness to help people facing great peril by slamming the door on these innocent men, women, and children. There are 70.8 million people who are displaced around the globe, and the Trump administration has cut the number we are allowing into our country to 30,000. It is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, and it is a moral stain on this country. This resolution emphasizes the need for the U.S. to lead on the global refugee crisis and calls on the Secretary of State and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to continue supporting refugees and displaced persons. It is a good measure that I urge my colleagues to support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee of Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, September 12, 2019. Hon Jerrold Nadler, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Nadler: I am writing to you concerning H. Res. 444, Reaffirming the importance of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons. I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary under House Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H. Res. 444 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in the bill that fall within your jurisdiction. I will also support the appointment of Committee on the Judiciary conferees during any House-Senate conference convened on this legislation. Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Eliot L. Engel, Chairman.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, 80 years ago, at the beginning of World War II, a ship called the St. Louis neared America's shores. 937 passengers, almost all Jewish refugees of the Nazis, asked for the United States to allow them entry. We easily could have absorbed all these people and more, but instead we turned them away. Many were taken in by Western European countries, but 254, more than a quarter of them, died in the Holocaust. We could have prevented these deaths, but we didn't. So as we consider this resolution, let's remember the lessons of the St. Louis. I remain committed to undoing the devastation done to America's tradition of admitting refugees. Our country's ceiling for refugee admissions is already at a historic low. We must do more to provide safe haven for the 70.8 million innocent people who are displaced all around this world. This administration's crackdown on refugees is irresponsible. It leaves a moral stain on our Nation and will contribute to national security threats stemming from global instability. I urge my colleagues to support the good, bipartisan measure offered by Mr. Lieu and Mr. Diaz-Balart. I echo my colleague from Texas Mr. McCaul's remarks. It is a deep honor to be here debating this measure with Mr. McCaul, and I look forward to working with him in a bipartisan manner that is really a unique and a proud tradition of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from California, for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to rise in strong support of this bill as someone who has had the privilege of spending 2 weeks in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 15 years ago. It was a life-changing trip. ANWR's beauty and majesty are almost beyond description. Paddling down the Kongakut River and along the shore of the Beaufort Sea, my companions and I experienced an astounding wealth of plants and animals in a mix unique to the region, a truly iconic corner of our Earth. Anyone who says it is an empty place or that there is nothing there is committing a sacrilege as far as I am concerned. It is a sacred place to me, and it is no wonder that it is a sacred place to the Gwich'in people. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the United States. Drilling in ANWR would exacerbate that regional effect as well as hastening catastrophic warming, generally. In short, we must prevent this administration's reckless effort to open up ANWR to oil and gas development to prevent dangerous biological, cultural, and climate impacts. We simply cannot allow this to happen on our watch. I would point out that, when I paddled down the Kongakut River, I visited these places that are planned for drilling. We were literally hiking along the plain and we came upon these drill pads. It would be outrageous to drill in these places where there are nesting grounds for birds and homes to other animals that just don't exist anywhere else. I invite any of my colleagues who have the ability to travel on their own power paddling and hiking to join me in going back to ANWR. I don't think they would want to drill there if they did. Mr. Chairman, I thank Congressman Huffman for his leadership on this, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, my bipartisan amendment establishes a moratorium on seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean. I would like to begin by thanking my friends, Chairman Lowenthal, Chairman Grijalva, and Congressman Cunningham, for leading this bill and for working with me on this provision. I also thank my cosponsors, Congressmen Smith, Beyer, and Van Drew, for their partnership and for their longstanding commitments to leading on this issue. During seismic testing, ships pull giant airguns through the ocean that release loud, pressurized blasts of air into the seafloor in search of oil and gas. The best evidence from scientists tells us that noise from these airguns can disturb, injure, or kill marine animals from zooplankton, the base of the food web, all the way up to large whales. In addition, airgun noise can reduce catch rates for fish and disrupt essential behaviors in marine mammals, including dolphins and whales. I believe we need to be building a clean energy future, but seismic airgun blasts lay the groundwork for more dangerous fossil fuel extraction that is bad for our economy and for the environment. I am proud to support H.R. 1941, the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, because I share the concerns of so many of my own constituents who have reached out to me urging Congress to reject proposals that open our waters and coastlines to expanded offshore drilling. In the 7 years following the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, the U.S. oil and gas industry experienced more than 4,000 explosions, collisions, and related incidents, including 34 oil spills of more than 2,000 gallons each. This bill will help us end these disasters once and for all, and I thank my friend Congressman Cunningham for his leadership here. My bipartisan amendment takes an extra step to make this legislation stronger yet. Even if we ban offshore drilling, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, BOEM, could still issue permits for seismic testing in the Atlantic. We know, for example, that BOEM is currently reviewing applications from seismic testing companies looking for oil and gas beneath the Atlantic Ocean floor. A legal prohibition on seismic testing, which my amendment includes, is the surest way to prevent such testing in the Atlantic, protecting our environment, marine life, and the health, safety, and livelihoods of millions of people involved in tourism, recreation, fishing, and associated sectors. My bipartisan amendment is about saving the whales for sure, but it is also about saving people, saving our economy, and saving our planet. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for his comments. I would only point out that the seismic testing involved in preparing for possible offshore wind is orders of magnitude less disruptive. It is not at all comparable to the seismic testing done for oil and gas exploration, and it doesn't have an anywhere similar level of harm, and that is why it is a different matter. I appreciate the gentleman's comments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer), my esteemed colleague.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for his tremendous leadership on this issue. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mike Langford on his retirement. Mike had served as the president of the Utility Workers Union of America since 2006 and has been a major leader of that union for many decades. During his time at the UWUA, Mike has worked hard to bring about overdue reform that delivers safe, reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly utility services across this whole country. I share his commitment to a cleaner environment and more affordable services for working families. And, as a former union organizer, I thank Mike for his outstanding dedication to American workers. Indeed, I can personally attest to Mike's stalwart leadership of all American workers as a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council. And I also want to point out that America's veterans have had no better friend than Mike Langford, who helped set up programs to train hundreds and thousands of them for careers in the utility industry. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mike on his retirement and on wishing him the very best for the next chapter of his life.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu) for yielding. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in strong support of the Promoting Respect for Individuals' Dignity and Equality, or PRIDE, Act, which I have been privileged to colead with Congresswoman Chu. This bill is about moving our country closer to true equality and equity for the LGBTQ community. We have an opportunity today to send a message to LGBTQ married couples across America that their unions are recognized, valued, and dignified by the U.S. Government. I am especially proud that this bill includes the text of my bill, H.R. 1244, the Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act, which addresses the glaring problem that the Tax Code is replete with out-of-date references to marriage that no longer reflect the institution of legal marriage in this country. Our Tax Code, like all of our laws, should accurately represent and include all the people to whom it applies. Gendered language in the Tax Code represents a time when LGBTQ couples could not get married. Fortunately, those days are over, and marriage equality is the law of the land. We need to ensure that our laws reflect the vibrant diversity of our democracy, and this legislation will remove another vestige of discrimination from our country's code of laws. Including language that is inclusive of LGBTQ couples and families is a small change that will have a huge impact, affirming loud and clear to all of our brothers and sisters and siblings in spirit in the LGBTQ community that we love them, that they are part of our Nation. We also have an opportunity with the PRIDE Act to correct an injustice experienced by LGBTQ couples who married in States before marriage equality was finally recognized nationwide in the Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision. For years, LGBTQ couples in States that recognized legal marriage were wrongfully denied Federal tax refunds. The PRIDE Act will allow those couples to amend their past tax returns and receive the corresponding benefits. Protecting LGBTQ families is not just about the LGBTQ community. It is about our never-ending pursuit to move America closer to freedom and justice for all. Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Chu for her tremendous leadership and for her partnership, and I thank Chairman Neal for prioritizing this effort. Madam Speaker, I also thank my predecessor and my dad, Congressman Sandy Levin, who first introduced the Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act in 2015. Madam Speaker, I urge strong support for this legislation across the aisle, both sides, and I look forward to the day when it becomes law.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Judge Avern Cohn, who turns 95 years young today and marks 40 years of service in the Eastern District of Michigan. Although he has technically been on senior status for two decades, Judge Cohn maintains a remarkably active docket, and his Chambers are a landmark for anyone interested in an astounding range of history, legal doctrine, and public policy. I count myself among the many Michiganders, from all communities and stations of life, who know room 218 is the place to go when you have a particularly thorny problem to solve or need advice on a sensitive matter. You just have to be ready because the judge dispenses his wisdom unvarnished. Judge Cohn's work ethic is legendary. In any room, he is generally both the most well-read person on history, philosophy, culture, and also, somehow, the most up to date on current affairs, as he devours numerous newspapers and websites every day. It is hard to overstate Judge Cohn's impact on the law and the people who have passed through his courtroom, whether they be defendants, attorneys, or staff. He has left an indelible imprint on so many lives. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Judge Cohn on 40 years of service and in wishing him continued success.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter to all Members of the House from the AFL-CIO.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Bobby Scott for his incredible leadership on this bill, and I rise in strong support of the Raise the Wage Act. Mr. Speaker, I would remind the previous speaker and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen) that we are proposing precisely zero more regulation than exists. In fact, the Federal Government has set a minimum wage in this country since 1938, all the great growth years of this economy. We are just saying that the rate should be sensible. I came to Washington to raise the standard of living for working people in Michigan's Ninth District and all across this country, and that is exactly what this bill does. Working a full-time job should guarantee that you can provide for your family, and a $7.25-an-hour minimum wage doesn't cut it, especially while worker productivity has increased exponentially, and executive salaries have skyrocketed. The gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) said the CBO score said a minimum of 1.3 million jobs would be lost. I want to correct the record. They said a minimum of zero would be. The median projection is that 1.3 million might be. Mr. Speaker, I want to remind all of my colleagues that in 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said that 7,769,000 American workers were working multiple jobs because one job didn't cut it, it didn't pay enough for them. And that is almost certainly an undercount, according to all experts. If just one in five of those people being forced to work multiple jobs could quit their second and third job because one job paid enough, that would take care of 1.6 million jobs we wouldn't need, because workers were being paid a living wage. We have waited more than 10 years to give American families a raise. And I can tell you that the people of Michigan's Ninth District, where about 104,800 people would get a raise under this bill, have waited long enough. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this historic legislation.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate my constituent in St. Clair Shores, City Manager Mike Smith, on his upcoming retirement after nearly two decades of service to the community. Mike Smith has been a true hands-on leader. I ran into him at St. Clair Shores Memorial Day parade, which is one of the biggest in the country, where he was rushing around on a golf cart, as ever, personally managing this huge event. Mike has also been a leader on an issue extremely important to me and my fellow Michiganders: water quality. He has fought for improvements to the Chapaton Retention Basin, a project I have made it my mission to help fund in order to protect water quality in Lake St. Clair and the Great Lakes system. While I will miss Mike's partnership, I wish him the very best in his retirement, and I thank him for his tremendous service.