Carolyn Maloney

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, several amendments offered would increase transparency of White House operations and personnel. The amendment offered by Congressman Mike Quigley would require the President to publicly release White House visitor logs with certain exceptions. The amendment offered by Congressman David Cicilline would require the White House to publicly release salary information and financial disclosure statements for White House employees. The amendment offered by Congressman Bill Pascrell would further strengthen the Hatch Act by increasing penalties for employees who knowingly break the law and use their position for partisan political activity. This amendment would also allow the Office of Special Counsel to continue investigations into former political employees after they leave Federal office. The amendment offered by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would direct the Office of Government Ethics to establish ethics requirements on the establishment or use of legal expense funds for the President, Vice President, or any political appointee. The amendment offered by Congressman Gerry Connolly would protect the civil service by preventing any position in the Federal competitive service from being reclassified outside of merit system principles. Employment in the Federal workforce should be based on an individual's knowledge, skills, and abilities, not political connections. This package of amendments will bring accountability and transparency to our government. These reforms are critical for preserving and strengthening our democratic institutions. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this package of amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great State of California (Mr. Correa), who is the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 838, I offer amendments en bloc.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), who is the distinguished chair of the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the great State of North Carolina (Ms. Adams). Dr. Alma Adams is the distinguished chairwoman of the Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), the distinguished vice chair of the Committee on House Administration.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the great State of California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished and effective Speaker of the House.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, the amendments contained in this package will help ensure that the executive branch is accountable to the American people. This package includes amendments that were offered by both Democrats and Republicans. These amendments bolster the many reforms in the Protecting Our Democracy Act that will protect against future abuses by the executive branch. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this package of amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to these amendments. Together, these amendments would gut the bill and strike everything in this important package of reforms. The Protecting Our Democracy Act would make the government more transparent and accountable to the American people. Provisions in this bill have been supported by both Democrats and Republicans. For example, my Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act in Title VII is a bipartisan bill. Many of the reforms in this bill stem from efforts by prior administrations of both parties to enhance executive power. Democrats and Republicans in Congress should unite in reasserting congressional authority. Representative Burgess' amendment would strike important reforms in the bill which would ensure that Presidents and Vice Presidents can be held accountable for criminal conduct just like every other American. Representative Comer's amendment would strike every section of the bill, including reforms to strengthen whistleblower laws that encourage Federal employees to report government waste, fraud, and abuse. The amendment would strike protections against Federal agencies' misuse of government funds. The amendment would strike the provision in the bill that would require the President and Vice President to disclose their tax returns. The sponsor of this amendment, Representative Comer, said at the Rules Committee recently, just 2 days ago, that he supports that very reform. Yet, his amendment would remove it from the bill. These amendments are not a serious attempt at addressing the protections in this bill. They are simply a messaging tool that will gut the Protecting Our Democracy Act. My colleagues from across the aisle continue to claim that this bill is about punishing former President Trump. But Joe Biden is our President now, and these bold, good-government reforms will impact his administration as well as future Presidents of both parties. It is not about the past. It is about the future and the strengthening of our democracy. I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on this package of amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), the distinguished chair of the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for closing. The underlying bill is about the future, the future of our democracy. It is about strengthening our democracy. These amendments would gut the underlying bill, the Protecting Our Democracy Act. I support the bill, because it includes reforms, such as curbing the abuse of the pardon power, increasing penalties for political appointees who violate the Hatch Act, strengthening whistleblower protections and IG protections, and it would require the President and Vice President to reveal their taxes, among other reforms. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this package of amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this amendment and thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio- Cortez) for her leadership in offering it. This amendment would clarify the Government Accountability Office's authority to investigate the intelligence community. As Congress' watchdog, GAO helps to improve Federal Government performance and ensure accountability for the American people. GAO has the tools and expertise to ensure that classified information is treated with appropriate care and confidentiality. They have been doing that for decades. For example, as part of its audit work, GAO is authorized to examine highly sensitive tax return information. Strict protocols are followed to protect that information while still enabling GAO to carry out its important legislative and oversight responsibilities. This amendment includes important safeguards to balance the protection of sensitive information with the need for oversight of the intelligence community. Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong ``yes'' vote on this amendment.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this important bill, and also the dean of the House, Mr. Young, for his passionate support, who expressed so clearly the need of this important bill. I thank Mr. Comer. It was good to work together in a bipartisan way. And I want to also thank the Democratic leadership for bringing this bill to the floor. I urge passage of H.R. 5119, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5119) to amend title VI of the Social Security Act to extend the coverage of Coronavirus Relief Fund payments to Tribal Governments, as amended.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, the gentleman raised some important points, and it is under consideration. But this bill is before us right now, and it is an important bill. Madam Speaker, if the gentleman from Kansas has no further speakers, then I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5119, a bill to extend the availability of Coronavirus Relief Fund payments allocated to Tribal Governments under the CARES Act of 2020 for 1 additional year. This bipartisan bill was introduced by Mr. O'Halleran of Arizona and Mr. Young of Alaska with companion legislation sponsored by Mr. Sullivan and Ms. Murkowski in the Senate. The historic CARES Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020, and included critical aid for States, territories, Tribes, and large localities to combat the coronavirus pandemic. However, the Treasury Department did not have a preexisting allocation process for disbursing the $8 billion set aside for Tribes. According to a GAO review, it took extra time to set up these processes. Treasury also established some allocation methodologies without consulting with Tribes first, which led to legal challenges and even further delays of emergency relief. Taken together, these delays have resulted in a compressed timeframe for Tribal Governments to put their CARES Act funds to work, which is unacceptable in light of the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on the Tribal community. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 infections were 3.5 times higher for American Indians and Alaska Natives compared to White Americans during the first 7 months of the pandemic. Other reports revealed that 1 in 475 Native Americans in the U.S. died from COVID-19 compared to 1 in 825 White Americans. The ravages of the pandemic have been compounded for our Tribal neighbors due to longstanding health disparities and social inequities. The deaths of Tribal elders from COVID-19 caused an incalculable and irreplaceable loss of cultural knowledge and language. Tribes must be given a fair opportunity to put Federal aid dollars to work tackling these serious issues. H.R. 5119 is a commonsense step to ensure that Tribes have parity with recipients who have not faced similar delays in gaining access to CARES Act funding. Finally, I want to assure my colleagues that CBO has confirmed that this bill does not increase Federal spending. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the dean of the House, the outstanding leader from the great State of Alaska, for his insightful comments and for fighting so hard for the residents of Alaska, the Alaska Native residents, and the American Indians. This bill will take care of the Tribes in many of our States across the country. I also want to thank my colleague, Mr. O'Halleran, who could not be with us. He has a conflict with another committee meeting. I want to thank the Democratic leadership here in the House, Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic team, for bringing this to the floor and also Mr. Comer, Mr. LaTurner, and others for being part of this bipartisan effort. This is truly a bipartisan effort. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and if the gentleman from Kansas is ready, then I am prepared to close.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her outstanding work on the Rules Committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule for H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act. This sweeping package of reforms, many of which have been supported by Democrats and Republicans in the past, will protect our government from future abuses, restore the government's system of checks and balances, and strengthen our accountability and transparency. The Committee on Oversight and Reform has jurisdiction over several titles in this landmark legislation, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill. The Protecting Our Democracy Act includes the Inspector General Independence Act, which I introduced last year with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and several other members of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. The bill would strengthen protections for inspectors general by only allowing an IG to be removed for specific, documented causes and not for political retaliation, for doing their jobs and conducting oversight. The bill also includes my Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill the Committee on Oversight and Reform approved earlier this year. These provisions would strengthen protections for whistleblowers by protecting their anonymity and prohibiting retaliation when they come forward with abuses in government. The Protecting Our Democracy Act would strengthen the Hatch Act, which is intended to protect the government from political interference with our workforce. Last month, the independent Office of Special Counsel found that senior officials in the last administration repeatedly broke the law by using their government positions to campaign for the former President. The bill also includes Representative Katie Porter's bill, the Accountability for Acting Officials Act, which would limit who can be named an acting official and for how long. These reforms would close loopholes that are ripe for abuse. Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote for this important bill.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I just left the Supreme Court where people were chanting: liberate abortion everywhere. Earlier today and right now the Supreme Court is hearing a case challenging Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban. During oral arguments, the State of Mississippi repeatedly asked the Court to overturn its own long-held precedent for 58 years in Roe v. Wade. Should that happen, more than 36 million people in 26 States would immediately be deprived of the right to abortion overnight. These restrictions mostly harm people of color, young people, and people of low-income. Earlier this year, in anticipation of this Court case, the House passed the Women's Health Protection Act which would establish a statutory right to abortion care across our country. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues and the Senate to pass this legislation immediately so that all people are free to make their own decisions about their bodies. There is no democracy in this country if women cannot make decisions about their own healthcare and their bodies.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in celebration of the Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop's 4th anniversary of operation in my District. At the entrance, you will find yourself frozen with intrigue at the pink exterior of the shop, enticing customers in from a scorching summer day. Once you enter, you will be greeted by the sweet smells of waffle cones, the soft hum of freezers preserving their precious creamy contents, and of course the modern decor that characterizes many of New York's most famous establishments. The Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop is also home to a special hidden treasure--a small speakeasy in the back of the shop. Where the front of the store is modern-day in its design and decor, the back is a tasteful mishmash of 20th century style and dining booths. It truly has everything for all ages and all tastes. The Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop represents perhaps one of the most enduring and important characteristics of New York City: that even the smallest players can play a big role in an even bigger city. The COVID- 19 pandemic has frozen out many businesses in New York City, with many neighborhood favorites still slowly thawing thanks to President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan. I am pleased that the Upper East Side Ice Cream Shop is one of the small businesses that survived the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to thrive even as the weather turns cold. I wish them all the best and I look forward to visiting them at their establishment for many more years to come.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Build Back Better Act. The Oversight Committee, which I chair, authored several key sections of this bill, which together will allocate nearly $14 billion. My committee's sections are more than just numbers on a page--they represent a substantial and genuine investment in our future. We have no future if we don't get serious about combatting climate change, and my committee's title would make the federal government a leader on combatting climate change by electrifying the federal government's vehicle fleet, and building the fleet of the future. Our title includes nearly $3 billion for GSA to purchase tens of thousands of electric vehicles and build the infrastructure necessary to support them. It also includes nearly $6 billion for the Postal Service to purchase electric vehicles for its new fleet, and to build the infrastructure necessary to charge these vehicles. EVs are a sensible and cost-effective investment that will reduce emissions and keep the federal government competitive. The title also includes $4 billion for GSA to expand the use of emerging green technologies and ensure that federal buildings are modernized with greener construction materials and modern environmental systems. I'm especially pleased that we've included dedicated funding for OMB to support implementation of the Act and track labor, equity, and environmental standards and performance. Our title also includes funding to ensure proper oversight of these programs. It is critical that the House pass the Build Back Better Act as quickly as possible so that we can get this to the President's desk without delay. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his strong and important leadership on this historic bill. I rise in strong support of the Build Back Better Act and thank the Democratic leadership for their historic investment into the American lives and the lives of their families. We have no future if we don't get serious about combating climate change, and this bill is transformative in this area and so many other areas. The Oversight Committee's title would make the Federal Government a leader on combating climate change by electrifying the Federal Government's vehicle fleet. Our title includes nearly $3 billion for GSA and $6 billion for the Postal Service to purchase tens of thousands of electric vehicles and build the infrastructure necessary to support them. Electric vehicles are a sensible and cost-effective investment that will reduce emissions and help save our planet. The title also includes $4 billion for GSA to expand the use of emerging green technologies and to green Federal buildings. I am especially pleased that we have included dedicated funding for OMB to track labor equity and environmental standards and performance. It is critical that the House pass this bill as quickly as possible. Congratulations to everyone who is supporting this critically important bill.