Jim McGovern

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, once again, I do not believe that any of what my Republican friends are talking about on the floor today is in line with what the American people voted for. They voted for cheaper groceries, not whatever the hell this stuff is. They are asking us to vote for a bill, my Republicans friends, that would give the incoming administration the ability to revoke the nonprofit status of any advocacy group they want just by labeling them as a terrorist sympathizer, a bill that would give President-elect Trump a new power to just unilaterally accuse an American group of terrorism and then shut them down. Again, there are no guardrails for an administration that says it will go after the enemy within, just a bill that gives them power to do that on day one. Meanwhile, every decision that has been made by this incoming administration so far has not been about the American people. It has been about them. I am reading in the newspaper again this morning that they want to issue blanket pardons to those who committed crimes on January 6. Republicans call them political prisoners. These are people who were arrested, indicted, tried, and convicted by juries and judges in courtrooms across this country for violently attacking our brave law enforcement officers, people who smashed cops in the head with metal barricades, who jammed them in doors until blood was coming out of their mouths, and the incoming administration is thinking about pardoning them? Let that sink in. Let that sink in. Before I am accused of harping on January 6, I am not the one bringing it up. The incoming President-elect is. He won't shut up about it. When I am talking about my concerns over the bill we are considering here today, understand that these are not unfounded fears. The new administration is leaking plans to court martial military officers who are not sufficiently loyal. Isn't that usually how things go in authoritarian dictatorships? They purge the military of anybody who might have a spine and refuse to obey an unlawful order. What the hell is going on here? Their Cabinet picks so far, these are like beyond insane: someone who is credibly accused of having sex with an underage girl; someone who sucks up to foreign dictators and has attracted major concern that they can't be trusted to protect America's secrets from our adversaries; someone who paid hush money to cover up a sexual assault accusation to lead our military--he is picked because Donald Trump likes him on FOX News; and someone who says that tap water turns kids gay? This is the dream team? Really? Seriously, it would be funny if it weren't so sad. Hopefully, the United States Senate has a backbone and insists on a thorough confirmation process. The truth is that this is not what people voted for. They voted for their pocketbooks, and, frankly, I don't blame them. You know who I do blame? I blame the billionaires who have rigged our country against working people and spent the last four decades squeezing every penny they could out of people. I blame the politicians, including the incoming administration, who have abandoned workers and who have done nothing while the rich get richer and everyone else gets screwed. My friends on the other side want to blame trans people. Guess what, Mr. Speaker? Trans people aren't the ones raising people's grocery prices. Big corporations are. They want to blame immigrants, and here is the deal: Immigrants aren't the ones denying health insurance claims, Mr. Speaker. It is the billion-dollar insurance companies that do that on a daily basis. They want to blame woke this and woke that. What is woke about thinking special interests should not be able to buy tax breaks? What is woke about telling Chevron and Exxon that they can't dump toxic chemicals into our air and water? What is woke about thinking it is wrong to give tax breaks to billionaires while the rest of us get screwed? It is time for us to get serious about fixing this country and making sure it works for everyone. Instead, we have BS bills that allow the new administration to go after any group that disagrees with the government and shut them down. My friends on the other side can keep doing whatever the hell this is. Good luck with that. Democrats will be talking about the economy. We are going to talk about how we will make housing more affordable and lower your grocery bills. We are going to talk about taking on corporate greed and standing up to the donor class that buys off tax breaks for the rich and powerful. We are going to talk about the fact that billionaires pay less in taxes than teachers and police officers. There is something deeply wrong with that, and it needs to change. We are hearing from the Republicans already that they are planning a tax package that will what? Not help the middle class, not help those struggling to get into the middle class, but, again, more tax breaks for the well off and the well-connected. Really? Mr. Speaker, do you think that is what the American people voted for? We Democrats are going to talk about the inequality that has risen in this country under Democratic and Republican Presidents, quite frankly, and the wages that have stagnated for decades and decades as prices go up and people get left behind. Democrats will be the party of working people in this country, and we are not going to go down every absurd rabbit hole that this majority digs in order to divide and distract us from our mission. As I have said before, and I am going to say it again today: We will show up, and we will fight for the American people. Our allegiance is to the American people, not to Elon Musk, not to the billionaires and big donors, not to the oil tycoons and the insurance company CEOs who rip people off on a daily basis. Our allegiance is to the American people. Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, we will show up, and we will fight tooth and nail every one of these policies that is designed to advantage those who are rich and powerful at the expense of those who work hard for a living, regular people: teachers, police officers, firefighters, and people who work in factories. Those are the people whom we will champion, and we are going to do everything we can to make sure that their voices are heard as my Republican friends move forward their agenda that really is about rewarding those who are well-off and well-connected. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge a ``no'' vote on this rule, and I urge a ``no'' vote on this lousy legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to focus on one of the most serious issues of our time: the increasing threat of nuclear weapons. Over decades of negotiations, a multilayered architecture of nuclear arms control agreements resulted in significant reductions in the total number of nuclear weapons and nuclear warheads in the arsenals of the United States and Russia. It also promoted and built an international consensus to shun nuclear testing and embrace nonproliferation. Today, we face the challenge that the only remaining arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia, New START, expires in February 2026, just a little over a year from now. The world stands at the brink of a nuclear arms race with no guardrails or no limits. The U.S. has committed itself to modernize its nuclear arsenal over 30 years at a cost estimated to exceed $1.5 trillion. Russia repeatedly has threatened to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine and even against NATO nations for any reason he perceives as the West making threatening moves against Russia. North Korea continues to threaten South Korea, Japan, and the United States with a nuclear strike while forming a new alliance with Russia. China is engaged in a buildup of its own nuclear arsenal. The Pentagon estimates China will likely have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if the pace of its buildup continues. Iran may decide to build nuclear weapons following tit-for-tat missile strikes with Israel and the U.S.' failure to revive negotiations on restoring curbs on Iran's nuclear program. Adding to this uncertain and tense global nuclear security landscape, the American people voted to return Donald Trump to the Presidency for a second term. Now, during his first term as President, he withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal and allowed other arms control agreements to expire or for the U.S. to withdraw. It will be on his shoulders to help the world back away from the brink of the first use or exchange of nuclear weapons since the end of World War II, and to avoid a new nuclear arms race with all of its financial and geopolitical costs. If he chooses to take on these challenges, he will not find himself alone. In 2017, most of the nations of the world came together to adopt the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, TPNW. The treaty is an international agreement that prohibits the development, testing, production, and use of nuclear weapons. It entered into force in 2021. The TPNW's goals are to eliminate nuclear weapons and reduce global nuclear arsenals to zero. Currently, 93 nations have signed the treaty and 74 have ratified it. Along with my colleague Earl Blumenauer, I am the proud author of H. Res. 77, a bill that calls on the President to embrace the goals and provisions of the TPNW and make nuclear disarmament the centerpiece of U.S. national security policy. It also calls on the United States to lead a global effort to move the world back from the nuclear brink and to prevent nuclear war by returning to negotiations that advance nuclear arms reduction. I am grateful that 43 of my House colleagues have joined this resolution as cosponsors. I am also the sponsor of H.R. 3154, the HALT Act, which would freeze current nuclear arsenals and press for a return to the negotiating table. Further, on November 1, in the First Committee on International Peace and Security of the U.N. General Assembly, delegates voted to study the impacts of nuclear war for the first time since 1989. While there is already a wealth of robust research on the effects of nuclear weapons, this has not been comprehensively brought together in 35 years. During these decades, there has been major progress on climate and scientific modeling tools, and this new study will allow scientists to review the improvements in our understanding of the effects of nuclear war. Mr. Speaker, 144 nations voted in favor of the resolution, including nuclear powers like Germany and nations who suffered from atomic testing in decades past. Only three nations opposed: Russia, France, and the U.K., with the latter saying this matter has been studied enough. Thirty nations abstained, including the United States. Finally, Mr. Speaker, in October, the Nobel Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 to the Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo. This grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki received the Peace Prize for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never ever be used again. The award reminds us most vividly of the cost of nuclear war. As many of my House colleagues know, for over a decade I have championed the cause of the atomic veterans to be recognized for their sacrifice, suffering, and patriotism in working on U.S. atomic testing and production sites, often with little or no protection from radiation. After years of bipartisan work by Congress, in September 2023, in a moving ceremony, the Pentagon awarded the Atomic Veterans Commemorative Service Medal in-person and online to those still-surviving atomic veterans and posthumously to their families. However, members of the military were not the only ones who suffered. Civilians, especially in the State of Nevada, were also victims of atomic testing. Known as the down-winders, these civilians and their lands suffered from the impact of nuclear radiation and drift carried by wind and water. They, too, deserve to be recognized and honored. Mr. Speaker, what my colleagues and I are talking about here today is a big deal. This issue needs more attention. The relevant committees here in Congress ought to be doing hearings. We ought to be discussing this more and more on the House floor because, really, the ultimate question here is the salvation or the destruction of our planet. Certainly, we all can come together to protect not only the people of the country but the people of the world from nuclear weapons. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his thoughtful comments and for urging both Democrats and Republicans to learn more about this issue. Democrats and Republicans ought to have a mutual interest in survival, because that is really what is at stake here. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) for his powerful remarks. I thank the gentleman also for being the co-chair of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer), the other co- chair of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks and, again, for reminding us how costly the nuclear arms race is. The American people want us to spend money on them and not on weapons that, if ever used, could destroy this entire planet. Mr. Speaker, I am now proud to yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier) for his words. Again, I think what my colleagues are hearing today are concerns that many of our constituents share, that we are spending this excessive amount of money on stockpiling nuclear weapons and the concern that we are not talking about the impact if these weapons were ever used. It would be devastating. Mr. Speaker, I am now happy to yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Ramirez).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her inspiring remarks and for always speaking truth to power. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield now to the gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her powerful remarks. Mr. Speaker, I am now happy to yield to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus), who can tell us firsthand about the impacts of nuclear testing on people in nearby areas--not just nearby, but hundreds of miles away--how it not only pollutes the air, but the water and the soil and everything else.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for being such an advocate on behalf of people who have been victimized by nuclear testing. We appreciate all the work that she does. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who has been a champion on arms control issues for many years.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership on this and so many other issues. During his first term, President Trump was right to initiate talks and to try to negotiate a nuclear agreement with North Korea. Perhaps he can be successful at this initiative over the next 4 years. I hope it is something he decides to prioritize. There are other important nuclear security issues that I hope he will take to heart and, like his Republican predecessors, Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower, help lead the world away from the brink of a nuclear arms race and a nuclear war. These include taking a critical look at nuclear modernization to ensure it will provide cost-effective deterrence, hold the Pentagon accountable for unnecessary and costly weapons programs, adhere to the nuclear weapons limits set forth in the New START agreement, extend and expand upon existing arms control engagement, uphold the global taboo on explosive nuclear weapons testing, and stop funding missile defense programs that do not work. Mr. Speaker, I believe we should aspire to be a world free of nuclear weapons. That is what you have heard over and over from the Members who have spoken here today. I want to close with one final thought. Mr. Speaker, when I was in college, I worked my way through college, working in the office of Senator George McGovern of South Dakota, no relation but one of my heroes and a champion on nuclear arms control. I accompanied him to a debate with William Buckley at Yale University, and the debate was on: Resolve that the SALT talks are in the interests of U.S. national security. Governor McGovern closed that debate by saying, in 1963, we were debating the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. ``Senator Everett Dirksen [of Illinois] took to the floor to close the debate. He said that he had just reread John Hersey's `Hiroshima,' the description of what happened to that great city, the morning after, the scene of one family sitting charred around the breakfast table; out in the yard, bits and pieces of children's clothing; the broken arm of a doll; toys and debris scattered over the landscape. And he said: `I thought about that scene, and I said that someday Everett Dirksen will be buried in Illinois, and when that happens, I don't want to put on my gravestone: ``He knew about this, and he didn't care.'' ' '' Mr. Speaker, the choice is whether we are going to reduce and eventually reverse this nuclear madness. That means not victory for anyone if it is ever used but the death of all and perhaps the death of our planet. Many years ago, in ancient wisdom, it was said: I have set before thee two choices, life or death. Therefore, choose life that thee and thy seed may live. That is the choice he wanted the United States to make in 1978. That is how he concluded that debate. That is the choice I want the United States to make in the year 2024. Mr. Speaker, the stuff that we are talking about here today is not theoretical. It is not just some abstract debate. This is real. It is shocking that we are not focused more on this issue. Again, Democrats and Republicans ought to have a mutual interest in survival because if these weapons are ever used, it could mean the end of our planet. As Mr. Foster from Illinois said earlier, we don't want to look into the sky, see one terrible flash, and that is the end of it, and we wonder how we got there. We have it within our power right now to do something to reverse this trend toward nuclear destruction. We just have to have the courage to stand up to the defense contractors and all of their big money and to people who, quite frankly, think that the only way we can be strong is to build more and more nuclear weapons. That is not the measure of our strength. The measure of our strength, quite frankly, is the quality of life of the people in our country. We live in the richest country in the history of the world. We have 47 million people who do not know where their next meal is going to come from. We should all be ashamed of that. It is a national scandal. When we try to raise that issue on the floor, we are told we don't have the money. Yet, we have over a trillion dollars to build more nuclear weapons? That is insane. That is mad. Mr. Speaker, the plea of all of us here today, to Democrats and Republicans alike, we want the issue of a nuclear-free world on the table. We want that to be one of our goals. We want to aspire to that goal. We want Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to come together and to make that a reality. I hope that people across this country get more engaged on this issue and demand more of their government on this issue. The trend right now and the way we are headed is in the wrong direction. Let's strive for a world free from nuclear weapons. Let's urge the next President to do this. Again, I have great concerns, deep concerns, about the next President and his priorities. Do you know what? We can't give up hope. We ought to do everything we can to press him and this Congress to move in a different direction. Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues for participating in this Special Order, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. Madam Speaker, before we begin, I want to address the results of last week's election. I congratulate the gentleman from Texas and my Republican colleagues on the results of the Presidential election. For them, this election was a reason to celebrate. For half the country, it was awful. Like so many people, I am deeply concerned-- concerned about our democracy, concerned that the man who was elected does not care about helping regular people, concerned that people are going to be hurt by his bad policies, concerned that vulnerable populations will become targets, concerned by the President-elect's fascination with Vladimir Putin, concerned that in the face of such a tough reality, many in this country will become disillusioned and disengaged from politics altogether. Like many people, I am worried, but let me tell you what I am not going to do. I am not going to complain and whine like Republicans. I am not going to deny facts or reality and pretend that the election was rigged against us. I am not going to create fake stories about poll workers stuffing ballot boxes that result in people getting death threats and having to leave their homes. Democrats aren't going to violently storm the Capitol Building. We are not going to go on TV and spread lies about voter fraud. We are not going to elevate conspiracy theories that point the finger to blame others for the outcome. We sure as hell would have no interest in pardoning people who attacked cops, desecrated this building, and treated our country like garbage. The truth is that the election this year was free and fair, just like the election in 2020 was free and fair. Republicans were already getting ready to sow the seeds of another big lie until they won. Then, their claims of voter fraud evaporated into thin air. What you will not see is Democrats try to overturn the election like sore losers. We are not going to act like babies. We are going to take responsibility, and we are going to move forward. I think the most important thing we can do right now is listen to our friends, our neighbors, and our fellow Americans because obviously things need to change, but I also want to say this loud and clear to everyone listening who is upset by the outcome of this election: Please don't give in to despair. We cannot change the past. All we can do is to help shape the future, and the hard work of protecting this country from the potentially devastating effects of a second Donald Trump Presidency starts today. We can take heart in our small victories. We have new voices joining our ranks in the Senate and in the House, many of them historic and ready to push for change. As our party recalibrates--and let me be clear, we must recalibrate--we will need every one of these new voices on our side. While we still await the final determination on who will be in charge of the House of Representatives, let me just say that if Republicans hold onto control, we will show up. We will show up for every single fight and every single vote. We will minimize the damage where we can, and while we may not always win, we will slow down the destructive forces that could arise from total Republican control in Washington. Madam Speaker, if the Republicans keep the majority and the next 2 years are like the last 2, maybe we will have little to worry about. This Republican majority has been the most ineffective body in history. They have accomplished nothing. They don't know how to govern. It really has been a disgrace, a national disgrace, but rest assured, we will raise our voices, the voices of the people who sent us here to speak for them, the people who do not agree with Republican policies and who voted for us to make sure someone would fight back. Democrats may have lost some races, but we are not defeated. Our values are strong. We know what to fight for because we know what we stand for: an economy that works for working people, a government that serves everyone regardless of their background, and a vision for a brighter future that addresses the urgent challenges that people care about, like the cost of living, hunger, and climate change. Let me just say, Madam Speaker, this is the beauty of democracy. No defeat is final, and where we can find common ground with our colleagues across the aisle and with the President-elect, we will work together to make progress because our side is interested in helping improve the quality of life for the people of this country. Where we cannot find common ground, we will stand firm in defense of our values. The work goes on, and we will fight for all those who placed their hopes and dreams in our hands. Now, if we are talking about the bills that this rule would bring to the floor, H.R. 8446 politically interferes in a science-driven process and potentially siphons needed resources away from at-risk supply chains. H.R. 7409 undermines our environmental laws and blocks public input in the permitting process, which could lead to irreparable damage to our lands. While H.R. 8932 offers a pragmatic solution to ensure student aid reaches those who need it, let us pray that, despite Trump's promise to dismantle the Department of Education, the agency that oversees FASFA survives the next 4 years so that this measure can actually benefit American families. Madam Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 12, a bill that would ensure that every American has full access to essential reproductive healthcare, including abortion care. Since the Dobbs decision, every State in the Union has taken action on abortion in some way. Many enacted laws to either ban some or all abortion. Republicans have reiterated time and time again that this is their goal. They want to take away women's reproductive freedoms. The abortion access landscape is more fractured since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. We continue to face the devastating consequences of abortion bans and restrictions on both patients' health and the greater healthcare ecosystem. We have heard in recent weeks the heartbreaking stories of women who have died because of these abortion bans. H.R. 12 ensures every American has full access to vital reproductive healthcare and will stop the devastating health consequences for women when abortion access is banned or limited. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Pettersen) to discuss that proposal.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Colorado.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, there is no way to sugarcoat this. We have 2 long years ahead of us. For Republicans, that likely means facing the challenges of governing. I wish them luck. I hope they can figure out how to govern. They haven't been able to demonstrate that up to this point. For Democrats, it will mean we will have time to reflect, learn, and grow stronger from this election. We know we need to become better listeners and better communicators, and we know we need to engage more with people on the issues that matter most to them. We will do that. It also means finding common ground with those we disagree with when it comes to helping regular people. I hope that there will be occasions when there can be common ground achieved and reached so we can actually move things forward. If, in fact, the Republicans win the House and they control this Chamber, I hope that they will move away from the practice of constantly leaning on the most extreme Members in their Conference for guidance on what should be discussed on the House floor. When it comes to when our values don't align, it will mean us calling out poor policy for what it is and pushing back with every single tool at our disposal to slow the damage. We will show up. We will show up. We will use our voices. We will stand up for the people and against anything that would do them harm. It will be a long 2 years, but we are in this fight. I have never felt a greater sense of purpose than I do at this moment because so much is at stake. Things that matter to the people I represent are under threat by the President-elect and his policies. We will stand up for our values. We will stand up for the people in this country who now feel threatened because of the election results. We will stand up, as Ms. Pettersen just talked about in her remarks, for women's reproductive freedoms. Women should decide what is best for them, not Members of this Chamber, and not the President of the United States. Again, we have a lot of challenges ahead, but I will tell my friends on the other side of the aisle, we are ready. We are ready to come together when we can find common ground. This is just a promise, but we will fight you with every ounce of energy we have if you bring up policies that we have strong disagreements with. We will not rally or roll over in the face of policies that we deplore. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, under the leadership of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Food and Nutrition Executive Director Anneliese Tanner, Boston Public Schools are proving to all of us that school meals can be improved by implementing scratch cooking and sourcing local produce. In September, I joined Mayor Wu and her team and State and local officials at Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, Massachusetts, a wonderful farming community in my Congressional District, to learn more about this incredible partnership that is improving access to local produce for students in the Boston Public Schools. With the support of Federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Boston is purchasing delicious butternut squash, zucchinis, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and more from family farmer, Joe Czajkowski. This partnership is not only good for the farm but it is also good for families. I am told that the kids loved the scratch-cooked, locally sourced meals that are made from ingredients grown 90 miles down the road. This partnership should serve as inspiration for all of us to continue our work to improve local food systems and end hunger now.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor my constituent, Dr. Victor Ambros of the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, on being awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on microRNA. He shares this tremendous distinction with Gary Ruvkun of Harvard Medical School. I am proud to be from Massachusetts today. Mr. Speaker, decades ago, scientists discovered that our genes, the tiny strands of DNA that make us who we are, are translated into another compound called RNA, which helps make sure our cells function. Thanks to the laureates' work, we now know that tiny pieces of RNA called microRNA can actually do things all by themselves, speeding up or slowing down important cellular functions. Their work has opened up unprecedented new research opportunities when it comes to all kinds of things, including cancer treatment. Thanks to this work, we have learned more about how we become who we are. I speak for Worcester, for Massachusetts, for the United States, and the world when I say thank you to Dr. Ambros for his contributions to our understanding of how we become who we are.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John Weinfurter and his two decades of service to the House, as well as his continued commitment to this body in his longtime service as president of the House Chiefs of Staff Alumni Association. John came to D.C. just over 50 years ago from Wisconsin, where he grew up in a suburb of Milwaukee, the oldest of nine kids. Shortly after earning his undergraduate degree at Marquette University, he moved to Washington and started work at the Democratic National Committee and graduate school at Georgetown University. In January of 1977, he joined then-Congressman Joe Moakley's office as press secretary, but very shortly, at the age of 28, he became Mr. Moakley's chief of staff in what was his third term in the House. John went on to dedicate 20 years of his career to working for Congressman Moakley and the people of Massachusetts. Over the course of those two decades, John guided Mr. Moakley's office as Moakley took on growing responsibility, serving as a whip for Speaker Tip O'Neill, as chair of the Democratic Personnel Committee, as a member of the Steering and Policy Committee, and eventually, Chairman of the House Rules Committee. Through all these experiences, John got an inside view of the close bonds that Rep. Moakley built with his fellow House members, on both sides of the aisle, and the way that the House worked in a different era. Later, John served as the President and CEO of the Congressional Economic Leadership Institute (CELI). CELI was a bipartisan educational foundation designed to acquaint Members of Congress, their staff, and corporate executives with emerging economic issues. During his tenure at CELI, John coordinated more than 200 sessions in the U.S. Senate and House, and brought CEOs, foreign heads of state, parliamentary delegations, authors, economists, cabinet secretaries, and regulatory agency leadership together in forums on economic growth and productivity. He later worked in government relations, joining Capstone National Partners in 2016, a government affairs and public policy firm with offices in Milwaukee and Washington, D.C.--a move that has now allowed him to take his journey full circle, home to Wisconsin to live near his sisters in Milwaukee. Working in this body for decades, one comes to understand the importance of building strong relationships with those who have the privilege of serving in it alongside you--and that goes for staff as well as Members. We all serve for the good of the American people, but also for the good of this institution. John understood that during his time here. I know that is why when he left, he chose to continue that effort through his work with the House Chiefs of Staff Alumni Association--an Alumni-driven educational and professional organization that brings together former and current House Chiefs of Staff for mentorship, networking events and presentations on current events and an annual reception in honor of the current House Chiefs who serve our offices. It is no surprise that John provided dynamic leadership for the group. As president, he took the lead in securing speakers for joint lunches held with members of the current House Chiefs of Staff Association. These included Supreme Court justices such as Elena Kagan, Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer, leading media figures, journalists, and former Members of Congress. In addition, he specialized in making receptions and dinners come together for current and former House chiefs at embassies across D.C., including the Canadian, German, French, Irish, Belgian, Finnish and Thai embassies, among others. Last year, the House Chiefs of Staff Alumni Association celebrated its 35th anniversary, and acknowledged John for being the longest- serving president of the organization--having served for nearly half of those 35 years. In doing so, John took on the title ``president emeritus,'' having carried the organization through COVID shutdowns, and handing it over to the next leaders to keep its long tradition alive. Mr. Speaker, John is a great man, but he is also a fundamentally good guy who I and so many others are privileged to call a friend and mentor. I want to thank him for his incredible service to this institution, for his work to strengthen our country and strengthen our community here on the Hill, and for his years of friendship and leadership through the House Chiefs of Staff Alumni Association.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Edith Morgan, to recognize her 94th birthday, and to celebrate her remarkable life and legacy of service. Edith's story is one of resilience, courage, and dedication. Fleeing Nazi persecution during one of the darkest periods of our world's history, she eventually found a home in the U.S. Midwest. After earning her bachelor of arts from Macalester College, she set out to make a lasting impact in the world. Edith later made Worcester, Massachusetts, her permanent home, where she earned her masters in education from Worcester State University. She went on to dedicate over 40 years of her life to teaching elementary school students. Her exceptional contributions to education were recognized by the late Senator Ted Kennedy when she was awarded the ``Master Educator in Massachusetts'' award. Edith's commitment to serving others extended beyond the classroom. She played a key role in refugee resettlement, fostering three children from Vietnam, all of whom remain close to her and still reside in Worcester today. This speaks to her deep compassion and the bonds she has formed with those she has helped. In addition to her work as an educator, Edith has been a tireless advocate for the Worcester community. She helped revitalize Green Hill Park, served as an active member of the Worcester School Committee, and has long been involved in local politics as a committed member of the Worcester Democrats and a dedicated neighborhood activist. Edith's contributions to our community are immeasurable, and her lifetime of achievement, service, and leadership continues to inspire all of us. She has been a steadfast advocate for immigrant youth, for our local education system, and for those in need. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Edith a very happy 94th birthday and to extend our deepest gratitude for her many years of service to our community and our country. We honor Edith today for the countless lives she has touched and the lasting legacy she has created. I thank her for her dedication and for continuing to inspire future generations.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, antihunger advocates across the country have been sounding the alarm that hunger is increasing at a disturbing rate. In my district, I am seeing longer lines at food banks, empty shelves at pantries, and people skipping meals because they can't afford food. A new report from the Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms that about 3 million more people live in households struggling with food insecurity in 2023 than in 2022. In total, 18 million households, 47 million people, are struggling to feed themselves and their families. It is shameful. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more investments in our antihunger and antipoverty safety net helped feed people, and we saw hunger decrease. Sadly, Republicans blocked extensions of these programs, and now, we have seen hunger increase. We have the roadmap. We know what to do. What we need is the political will to follow it. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in demanding a bipartisan farm bill that improves our Federal nutrition programs, a tax bill that reinstates the expanded EITC and child tax credit, and legislation to implement the Biden-Harris administration's National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Together, we can end hunger now.