Andy Levin

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, my amendment seeks to recognize the role that workers everywhere play in supporting American exports and to ensure that this vital constituency has a voice in projects that impact them directly. While the Export-Import Bank works to help grow American jobs, we must not forget the impact American export projects have on workers and their communities abroad. International trade is crucial to a strong American economy, but it must go beyond benefiting corporations only. It must raise the standard of living for workers in all countries involved. Trade should not come at the cost of foreign workers any more than it should come at the cost of the American middle class. In fact, only when we help raise the standard of living in other countries will we end the hemorrhage of American jobs to countries with rock-bottom wages and inadequate protections for workers' safety and the environment. This bill already requires consultation with communities potentially impacted by the projects it finances, and my amendment simply makes clear that the workers in these communities must be consulted as well. This way workers will have a voice in the projects that directly affect them. My amendment also works to ensure that Congress has the best information possible in determining how these policies are implemented. The bedrock of good policy is good information, and the only way for us to truly judge the quality of our actions today is to ensure that we know how our ideas are carried out. The law already includes robust reporting requirements, and my amendment includes a simple addition to require an explanation of the ways in which these potentially impacted communities, including workers, are consulted. Back in my district, I am consistently heartened to see the solidarity among teachers, autoworkers, and so many others in Macomb County and Oakland County, Michigan. By passing my amendment, we can make clear that we, too, stand in solidarity with workers all around the world. I urge my colleagues to support this simple, yet necessary, amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's words, and I look forward to continuing to work with him in the spirit of bipartisanship. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the Michigan Rehabilitation Association, which celebrates 70 years of exemplary service on November 1, 2019. What began as a professional association for rehabilitation practitioners is now among our state's leading voices working on behalf of people with disabilities. But they have not just been passionate advocates: they have given rehabilitation professionals new opportunities to grow and develop their skills, in turn allowing them to better serve the people of Michigan. I want to thank the Michigan Rehabilitation Association for its hard work over the past 70 years. I wish them many more years of success.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, last week, I experienced one of the true honors of my time in Congress. I participated in the burial of Marine Corps Reserve Private First Class Kenneth W. Likens of Mount Clemens, Michigan. Private Likens died fighting to protect the freedoms of all of us on the third day of the Battle of Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific theater during World War II. Incredibly, his remains, which have been missing for 75 years, were identified in May, thanks to the tireless and underappreciated efforts of Hero Flight, which refuses to give up the fight to bring democracy's heroes home. I was so moved to attend this dignified and solemn ceremony at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan, and to meet PFC Likens' nearest surviving relative, Kenneth Dolan, who was named for his uncle, the lost soldier. PFC Likens is lost no more. He now rests in peace where he belongs, in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Dignity in Aging Act. As vice chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, I am honored to be a part of this bipartisan effort to respond to the challenges facing a generation of aging Americans. I'm also proud that this package includes my bill, the Supporting Family Caregivers Act, which will facilitate the assessment of in-home caregivers' needs to determine what resources would help them provide care. I want to thank Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for partnering on this bipartisan legislation to support in-home caregivers. Americans across the country rely on family caregivers, whose contributions range from bathing and dressing their loved ones, to coordinating care across multiple health care providers, to managing the payment of household and medical bills, and more. Each year, this adds up to roughly $470 billion in unpaid care provided by 40 million family caregivers. I believe one of the best ways to improve home health care is to protect the health and wellbeing of the caregivers who provide it. The Supporting Family Caregivers Act encourages the use of assessments to identify caregivers' individual needs and challenges, thereby allowing services to be targeted to each person more effectively and efficiently. Although resources are currently available to family caregivers, direct feedback through assessments would improve the quality of the support they receive. I am so pleased to see this body take a needed step towards more person- and family-centered care. Again, I am grateful to my partner on this bill, Congresswoman Stefanik, as well as Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Foxx and Dignity in Aging Act sponsor Bonamici for their support. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting America's seniors, and to vote for the Dignity in Aging Act.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Robert Beato, Principal of South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores, who was named the 2019 Michigan Principal of the Year by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP). Mr. Beato has spent his entire career at South Lake High School, beginning in 1999 when he started teaching history, world history, and government. Currently in his third year as Principal, Mr. Beato served as Dean of Students and as Assistant Principal at South Lake. The MASSP requires nominees for Principal of the Year to demonstrate collaborative leadership; involvement in curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and personal involvement with students, their families, and staff. After being selected as Principal of the Year, Mr. Beato summed up his philosophy to the St. Clair Shores Sentinel, saying ``I pretty much want to do everything I can for my staff. Therefore, they can do everything they can for the students . . . at the end of the day, if it works for kids, let's try it; let's do it.'' Students at South Lake High School certainly believe that he lives up to his words, as several of them told the Sentinel that he inspires them to learn, to achieve their goals, and to make their voices heard about issues important to them. His South Lake colleagues also agree, including Assistant Principal Rebecca Scholl-Riedel, who nominated Beato and who said, ``He's my sixth principal that I've worked for, and it's what he was meant to do.'' As Vice Chair of the Education and Labor Committee, I strongly believe that students can achieve their goals with the support of people like Mr. Beato in leadership positions: leaders who focus on the academic and personal well-being of their students, leaders who promote collaboration among the education professionals in their schools, and leaders who inspire excellence and celebrate the achievements of everyone in their schools--even in unconventional ways. Mr. Beato has been known to tell high school juniors that if their class earns a higher SAT score than the previous year's juniors, he will shave his head or spend the night on the roof of the high school, and he honors those commitments, noting to the Sentinel, ``I've done it before.'' Madam Speaker, this Friday, October 25, 2019, the South Lake High School community will come together at an assembly to show their pride that Robert Beato was named this year's Michigan Principal of the Year. I encourage my colleagues to join me in congratulating him for this richly deserved recognition, and in wishing him, his students, and his colleagues continued success.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

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

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Chair, my bipartisan amendment cracks down on foreign influence in our elections. I would like to begin by thanking my friend and coauthor of this amendment, Ranking Member McCaul, with whom I have the great privilege of serving on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as my colleagues cosponsoring this amendment, especially Representatives Rouda, Slotkin, and Speier. I also thank Chairwoman Lofgren for her inspiring leadership and for working with me on this provision. I came to Congress to strengthen our democracy, and that is the fundamental purpose of this truly bipartisan amendment that I am proposing today. Current campaign finance laws prohibit foreign nationals from making campaign contributions or conducting political activity. But because of a loophole, there is no law specifically preventing foreign nationals from setting up a shell corporation or company to hide illegal political activity. Our bipartisan amendment will nail that loophole shut by prohibiting foreign nationals from funneling money through shell companies to engage in political activity in America. We must keep our democratic process safe from all bad actors, including foreign actors, and strengthen the integrity of our elections. That is what this amendment does. Specifically, this amendment will make it a felony for an owner, officer, attorney, or incorporated agent of a corporation, company, or other entity to establish or use the corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal the political activities of foreign actors. Put simply, passing our amendment will ensure serious consequences for anyone who starts or operates a shell company, or anyone who helps start or operate a shell company, for the purpose of concealing political activities of bad foreign actors. I am proud to partner with the gentleman from Texas in proposing this bipartisan amendment to defend our elections against foreign interference. Our elections are a sacred cornerstone of our democracy, and we must do everything in our power to protect them. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I am particularly pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rouda), my good friend.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Chair, I will close by thanking the gentleman from Illinois for his kinds words on this. We really have worked hard as a team. It is a truly bipartisan effort. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month and to celebrate the enormous contributions people with disabilities have made and will continue to make throughout the American workforce. I especially want to highlight the work being done in Michigan's Ninth District by the Commission on Disabilities to promote inclusion in Warren, Michigan. On October 23 the commission is cohosting a Disability Awareness Fair to commemorate this month and connect workers with disabilities to important resources. America is strongest when we harness the talents and creativity of all of our people. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the indisputable contributions of America's workers with disabilities.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2229) to waive the passport fees for first responders proceeding abroad to aid a foreign country suffering from a natural disaster, 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 in the Record extraneous material on H.R. 2229.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) for his hard work on this legislation. This is a good bill that passed the House in the 114th Congress, and I am glad we are considering an updated version of it now. USAID-supported search and rescue teams have played an essential role in the aftermath of many overseas natural disasters, including earthquakes in Nepal, Haiti, Japan, and New Zealand. Just this past month, search and rescue units from Virginia were deployed to the Bahamas to assist the victims of Hurricane Dorian. These first responders provide specialized capabilities and demonstrate our commitment to international partners during their times of need. They put their lives on the line to help people around the world who are in need, and by doing so, they demonstrate the compassion of the American people. This bill would authorize the Secretary of State, at their discretion, to waive passport fees for the brave Americans who mobilize quickly as part of a U.S. Government-supported team to help other countries when a natural disaster strikes. This is a commonsense fix to help ensure the rapid deployment of Americans who risk life and limb to help other countries in their times of need. It is a good bill that I am proud to support. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in doing so, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. 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 purposes of closing. Mr. Speaker, the First Responders Passport Act is a good measure that passed the House in the 114th Congress. I am glad we are considering it again today. This is a straightforward and commonsense measure to make sure we can rapidly deploy American search and rescue teams to other countries when disaster strikes. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this measure, and 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 pass the bill (H.R. 1632) to require a strategy for engagement with Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), 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 in the Record extraneous material on H.R. 1632.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro), and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho) for introducing this legislation. Southeast Asian states and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, have been central to American policy in Asia for decades. They are key partners in advancing our interests in the Indo- Pacific. But at this point, the Trump administration still hasn't put together a comprehensive strategy on how to strengthen our engagement with these countries. This legislation would require such a strategy. It calls on the Secretary of State, working with the Secretaries of Defense and Commerce, to come up with a plan that will make sure the United States and our partners are working together on some of the most critical issues we are facing, from climate change and human rights to security cooperation, energy, and a growing global economy. A multiyear strategy for our engagement with ASEAN and its member states will help us build partnerships in the region focused on short- term challenges, as well as longer term opportunities. Many Southeast Asian countries face the same global challenges that we do, like terrorism and human trafficking. The United States can and should be their preferred partner to address these issues. This bill will help us take stock of our ongoing and planned efforts in these areas and determine what strategic personnel and funding resources are necessary to make these efforts successful. Mr. Speaker, this is a good, straightforward piece of legislation. I am glad the House is considering it today, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. 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, let me first thank my colleagues who have taken part in this debate. I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) and the ranking member, Mr. McCaul, for their leadership in this area. I want to just close by being clear with ourselves as a Congress, as the United States of America. If we are not engaged in the Indo-Pacific region, if we are not building bridges of friendship and cooperation, if we are not bringing American leadership and American values to this critical part of the world, who is going to fill the void? The answer is easy. It is China. We can't be muddling our way through when it comes to our policy. We need a smart, proactive approach that meets current challenges and builds the framework for successful, long-term engagement. Mr. Speaker, this bill will help us meet those goals. I am pleased to support it. I urge all Members to do the same, and 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 pass the bill (H.R. 2327) to direct the Secretary of State to provide assistance to civil society organizations in Burma that work to secure the release of prisoners of conscience and political prisoners in Burma, and assistance to current and former prisoners of conscience and political prisoners 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 material on H.R. 2327.

Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, the Burma Political Prisoners Assistance Act. Next week, I will travel to Bangladesh, where I am going to spend time in Cox's Bazar, the site of the world's largest refugee settlement. Since August of 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees have fled to Cox's Bazar from Burma, where villages were burned to the ground, women and girls were raped, and many were massacred at the hands of Burmese security forces as part of a campaign that can only be described as genocide. When I come home to the United States, I plan to speak openly and honestly about what I saw and share the stories of Rohingya refugees I talk to. And, while I don't expect everyone to like what I have to say, I know that, here in America, I won't be persecuted for exercising my right to free speech and sharing an honest account of the atrocities so many have experienced in Burma. But, if Burma was my home country, I would not be able to rest so easy, no matter my ethnic group or religion. That is because colonial- era laws are used to stifle dissent and imprison people who dare to speak out or work to protect human rights. Take the example of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, Reuters journalists who were arrested while investigating a massacre of Rohingya men and boys and spent more than 500 days in prison before being released after massive international pressure earlier this year; or, Aung Ko Htwe, a former child soldier who gave an interview talking about his experience being abducted and forcibly recruited by the Burmese military when he was just 13 years old. For that offense, he was imprisoned for 2 years and just released earlier this month. Were it not for incredibly brave people like Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo, and Aung Ko Htwe, the world might not know about the horrors that have occurred in Burma. Journalists, activists, and anyone who is willing to use their voice to call out wrongdoing must be protected. That is why Congresswoman Ann Wagner and I introduced the Burma Political Prisoners Assistance Act. This bill calls for the release of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Burma and directs our State Department to bolster its work to achieve these ends. We need to support efforts to amend or repeal the unjust laws that are being used to stifle free expression and honest reporting. We should support the creation of an independent prisoner review mechanism to examine cases like the ones I just mentioned and offer recommendations as to how the law might better protect free expression. And we must aid the organizations that are working to secure the release of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill, and 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, I am so happy that, between the day we introduced this legislation and today, Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo, and Aung Ko Htwe were released, but there are so many other people like them whose names we do not know but to whom we owe tremendous gratitude for their bravery. For the courageous people of Burma who have raised their voices to insist on accountability, to demand reform and bring justice to light, I hope this legislation helps to bring about the change they so richly deserve. I want to thank Congresswoman Ann Wagner for her partnership on this bill and for all her work to protect human rights in Southeast Asia. I hope this bill is the first of many we work on together. And I thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for prioritizing this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.