Jim McGovern

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments, I will put him down as undecided on this package. I am sure we will hear more about the motion to recommit throughout this debate, but I do just want to point out for the record, to be historically accurate, that the motion to recommit has had many different forms since its first inception. In fact, it was very, very different when I first ran for Congress. But having said all that, I would tell the gentleman that if those who initiated the motion to recommit way back when saw how it was being used today, I think they would object very strongly to it. They didn't see it as a tool to play political gotcha games to undermine legislation. Madam Speaker, I would also remind the gentleman that, you know, quite frankly, most of the motions to recommit that passed, all the Republicans voted against final passage of whatever bill it was. So the issue is not one of being a constructive legislator. It has turned into a political gotcha game. I think that we all talk about reading the bill. The problem with the motion to recommit is you don't get to see what it is you are proposing until a few minutes beforehand. I just want the Record to reflect that. On the issue of paygo, I would just remind the gentleman that when the Republicans were in charge, they had this thing called CutGo, and they exempted all kinds of things from CutGo. They exempted efforts to gut the Affordable Care Act. They exempted tax cuts for billionaires and corporations. So I think what we are talking about is a modest exemption for two international emergencies, the COVID pandemic and the climate crisis. Most people, except for a few in Washington, actually believe that it is not only a national emergency, but an international emergency. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crist).

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, if the gentleman is interested in honest debate, I hope he will inform us where in the rules package it says that you can't refer to yourself as a father, a son, a grandfather, a wife, I mean, whatever. There is nothing in the rules package that says that. This is not reality. I would also remind the gentleman that when he was in charge, this was the most closed Congress in the history of the United States Congress. And if we are worried about protecting our democracy, I hope the gentleman and others will join with us in protecting the will of the American people, the millions and millions of voters who cast their votes for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, and vote to make sure we have a smooth transition to the next administration. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor).

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Florida.

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

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I appreciate the admonition here, and I wish the distinguished minority leader would have remained because he talked a lot about debate, and then he gave a speech and ran off the floor. But I would be careful, I would say to my friends on the other side of the aisle, about using words like ``hypocrisy'' because I was here when you were in the majority. You presided over the most closed Congress in the history of our country, more closed rules than any other Congress. The motion to recommit, arguably, is a procedural motion, but when you closed rule after rule after rule after rule, any substantive amendment, you blocked. But my friends had no problem with that at the time, and now, all of a sudden, they do. Again, I would just say to the distinguished minority leader, who keeps talking about mind control and people banning him from being able to say that he is a father or a son, I don't know what he is talking about. Please show me in the rules package where he can't say all of those things. There is nothing--nothing--in the rules package. I would just urge my colleagues--as I said at the beginning, I get it. The White House is a fact-free zone, but we have to aspire to be different. We can have our policy disagreements, but we shouldn't be making things up. I mean, I would like to think we are better than that, no matter how much we disagree on substantive issues.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is the majority leader.

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

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

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, let me just refer the gentleman to the Office of the Attending Physician to get the most up-to-date medical guidance. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I offer a privileged concurrent resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. Madam Speaker, across America, people are dealing with a loss of a job, a business, or even a loved one. People are hurting, and they are hurting badly not only from this pandemic, but also from the incompetence, the callousness, and the negligence of the current occupant of the White House. When I talk about people hurting, I don't mean big corporations or Fortune 500 companies. I am talking about our workers, our middle class, those on the edge of the middle class, and those struggling in poverty. That is where our focus should be. And thanks to the bipartisan efforts of Members on both sides of the Capitol, we are acting right now--not next year or during the next administration, as some have suggested--but right now. This deal is not everything I want--not by a long shot--but the choice before us is simple. It is about whether we help families or not. It is about whether we help small businesses and restaurants or not. It is about whether we boost SNAP benefits and strengthen antihunger programs or not. And it is about whether we help those dealing with a job loss or not. To me, this is not a tough call. We need to pass this, and then we need to prepare to build on it in the next Congress, hopefully, in a bipartisan fashion and with an administration that actually gives a damn about the American people. Madam Speaker, before I conclude, I also join the gentleman from Oklahoma in recognizing the service of Congresswoman Shalala. Over the years, she has had many titles: Doctor, treasurer, college president, chancellor, assistant secretary, secretary, congresswoman--and I could go on. Often, Donna has done it first: She was among the very first Peace Corps volunteers. She was the first woman to lead a Big 10 Conference college. She was only the second woman to lead a major research university. And Donna was the first Lebanese American to serve in a President's Cabinet. Madam Speaker, there is a saying in Arabic, which in English is: ``Do good and throw it into the sea.'' It means this: The reward is doing good. Not the praise or recognition. Just simply an act of doing good. And Donna Shalala does good, period. I know she will continue to do good.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, as the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, as chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, as someone who cares deeply about human rights and democratic principles, and as a proud Member of this House, I rise to express my deep concern about the damage being done to America's moral authority by those who refuse to accept the legitimate outcome of November's election and who continue to deliberately spread lies and manufacture conspiracy theories that have no basis of fact in an attempt to overturn the will of the American people. As Americans, we see ourselves as a beacon to the world, as that shining city upon the hill. We believe our political experiment, to create a country united by ideals, rather than blood and soil, is unique and exceptional. We promote democracy as a pillar of our foreign policy, confident in our own example. We say we are a nation of laws, not men. Yet, since November 3, a widespread effort to overturn the results of the presidential election have been openly endorsed by some high- ranking leaders and facilitated by the silence of many more. For the record, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won by more than 7 million votes. They received 81 million votes, 51.3 percent of the total cast. On Monday, President-elect Biden won 306 electoral college votes, two more than President Trump in 2016. There is no question that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the election resoundingly. Those who believe otherwise first alleged massive fraud, then claimed election procedures were unfair. But when granted the opportunity in courts of law to present evidence of fraud, they couldn't do it. There simply is no proof of fraud at any significant scale. The attacks against voting by mail, signature matching, and the like, notably selective to begin with, had mostly already been litigated. Mr. Speaker, it is critically important that Americans trust our elections. That is why credible claims of fraud or irregularities must be investigated and corrective action taken. That has happened. There have been multiple recounts. Three in Georgia alone. Those seeking to overturn the election results have lost 59 times in courts across seven States and twice before this Supreme Court. At least 86 judges, many appointed by Republicans, have rejected at least one post-election lawsuit. All three Supreme Court Justices nominated by President Trump ruled against him. Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the November elections were free and fair. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said that the election ``was the most secure in American history'' and ``there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.'' Attorney General Barr, of all people, said that the Justice Department has uncovered no voting fraud ``on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election.'' I am using his words. The election is over, yet President Trump still refuses to concede and his allies continue to look for ways to throw out the votes of millions of Americans. Mr. Speaker, this is crazy. It is un-democratic and un-American, and it degrades democracy in every corner of the world. If this were happening in another country, our government would rightfully demand that the results of free and fair elections be respected. Mr. Speaker, some may criticize my remarks today because I objected to certifying the electoral college results in 2017. So let me be clear. I do not oppose using established constitutional procedures. I object when those procedures are not used to further the truth or to undermine it. In 2017, eight U.S. intelligence agencies--eight--said that Russia had engaged in an unprecedented attempt to interfere in our elections in favor of Donald Trump. I sought the kind of assurance about the security of the 2016 election that has already been provided for 2020. It was not forthcoming. Mr. Speaker, America's institutions will survive the test of the last few weeks. Due to the quiet courage and commitment of thousands of volunteer election workers, local and State election officials--some facing threats and intimidation--and the integrity of our courts, the clear choice of the people will be respected. But I worry that we are becoming what we condemn elsewhere. Democracy is not guaranteed. Each of us has to choose democracy every day in the way we conduct our politics. Either we choose to enforce democratic rules of the game or we don't. Either we choose to accept the losses alongside the wins or we don't. Either we choose to tell the truth or we don't. Mr. Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to proceed with caution. If our politics belie our values, we will be lost at home and ignored abroad. I believe we are an exceptional country. Let's act like it.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, today, December 10th, International Human Rights Day, at 7:00 AM Eastern Time, the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in Oslo, Norway to the World Food Program (WFP) for its outstanding humanitarian work to feed the world's hungriest and most vulnerable people. The World Food Program is the largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security internationally, providing aid to nearly 100 million people in 88 countries last year alone. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began wreaking havoc on people's lives, livelihoods and economic security, WFP has redoubled its efforts to address global hunger and failing food systems. Last month, WFP executive director David Beasley warned of the potential for famine of Biblical proportions if the world failed to provide support now to the those currently made most vulnerable by the pandemic and its associated economic shocks, climate change, natural disaster, war and conflict. I have had the privilege of seeing WFP operations up close and personal in various regions of the world. I was in eastern Chad on the border of Sudan visiting Sudanese refugee camps in 2007 when Janjaweed militias crossed the border and attacked two villages. WFP and many humanitarian aid groups swung into immediate action, providing safety, food, water and emergency medical care to hundreds of villagers made homeless in hours. In Colombia, I've seen WFP provide nourishing meals in schools for the children of families internally displaced by violence. And in Ethiopia I visited health centers serving individuals and families ravaged by HIV/AIDS that could provide food for their patients thanks to WFP and its local partners. In the wars in Syria, Yemen, Sudan and South Sudan, the deliveries of food and related services provided by WFP are often the only source of nourishment for civilian populations trapped in conflict zones, forcibly displaced inside their countries, or forced to flee to neighboring nations for safety. I am very proud that the United States is the largest donor to WFP operations world-wide, and that USDA, USAID and our own Food for Peace Program are among WFP's most reliable and effective partners. The U.S. provides food grown by America's own farmers, ready-to-eat meals, cash assistance, support for school feeding programs, and nutritious food products tailored for the very young and especially for infants and young children suffering from malnutrition and undernutrition. Many of us cannot imagine the range and scale of WFP's global mission. It includes 17,000 staff worldwide, works in some 80 countries, and has more than 20 ships, 90 planes, and 5,600 trucks on the move on any given day. It certainly has some of the most generous and dedicated local staff that I have ever met and works with a broad range of local, national and international NGOs and partners to combat global hunger and food insecurity. I will never forget those days when I have been with WFP in the field. I give my warmest congratulations to David Beasley, and the extraordinary local and international WFP staff, for being awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. May they carry on their noble mission until the day comes when no child, no man or woman goes to bed hungry and every household in the world is secure in the knowledge that there will always be food on the table.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, it is a great honor to rise today in recognition of Ellen Dunlap of West Boylston, Massachusetts, who is stepping down as President of the American Antiquarian Society after 28 extraordinary years in that position. America's history, Madam Speaker, is our greatest natural resource. It speaks to us across the years and serves as a source of great inspiration and hope for people across this country. It is an acknowledgement of America's triumphs and our imperfections; a reminder of who we are and who we're called to be. Ellen is the President of the American Antiquarian Society--a remarkable institution in Worcester, Massachusetts founded by Revolutionary War patriot and printer Isaiah Thomas in 1812 and dedicated to preserving our treasured history. The Society serves as an incomparable resource for scholars and historians and a preeminent and comprehensive depository of American history and culture that is unparalleled in size and scope. As President--the first woman to hold that post, by the way--Ellen has spent her career not only preserving our past, but bringing it to life in a way that truly excites others. Ellen's work and leadership are extraordinary, she has the incredible talent and vision to clarify and animate history so that all of us can better understand and learn from our collective past. She has worked tirelessly to open up the Society's extraordinary archives to a wider audience, including teachers, scholars, artists, and writers. Under her leadership, the Society undertook a massive effort to digitizing their collections. Ellen also spearheaded the construction of a major expansion and renovation of the Society's home at Antiquarian Hall, and has sought to engage the Worcester community in new and exciting ways like free public programs and partnerships with cultural groups. Ellen has chaired the board of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, and she has advised many prestigious institutions such as the Library of Congress and George Washington's Mount Vernon. Ellen's vision and leadership earned the American Antiquarian Society a National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama in 2013. Madam Speaker, there is so much more I could say about how grateful I am that Ellen has devoted her life to preserving our American story and how lucky we are that the American Antiquarian Society calls Worcester home. But let me end on a personal note to say that Ellen is a treasured friend and a wonderful person, I'm grateful that I've had the privilege of getting to know and work with her, and I know she will continue to give back to our community in the years ahead. On behalf of the United States Congress, the people of Massachusetts' Second Congressional District, and all the people who will benefit from her incredible work for generations to come, it is my great honor and privilege to recognize Ellen Dunlap and to thank her for her remarkable service to our community, our commonwealth, and our country.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, on Human Rights Day, we mark the adoption of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mr. Speaker, 72 years ago, China was among the countries committing itself to the principle that ``all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.'' In this spirit, I call on the Chinese Government to release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama. In May of 1995, only days after Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was chosen to serve as the 11th Panchen Lama, the Chinese Government kidnapped him and his family. The outside world has neither seen nor heard from them since. Chinese authorities tell the world that the Panchen Lama and his family are safe, and they say that they are well, but they refuse to allow anyone to visit and verify his well-being. Mr. Speaker, the Universal Declaration enshrines the rights to liberty and religious freedom and precludes arbitrary detention. China should honor its international obligations by freeing the true Panchen Lama.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, December 10 is recognized around the world as Human Rights Day. This year marks the 72nd anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In that spirit, I am here today to call on the Government of Saudi Arabia to release blogger and human rights activist Raif Badawi. In 2014, Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for operating a website that encouraged debate on religious and political issues in his country. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is claiming to be a reformer intent on modernizing Saudi Arabia. Raif Badawi's case plainly disproves that claim. Raif Badawi will soon celebrate his 37th birthday in prison, the ninth birthday he will have spent away from his wife and children. Mr. Speaker, the Saudi Government must immediately and unconditionally release Raif Badawi and all other Saudi prisoners of conscience.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank Mr. Engel for his incredible service, not only to this Nation, but to the world. Mr. Engel has been a champion for human rights, for diplomacy, and for all things good. This institution is a better place because he has served here. There are countless people around the world who are safe because of his advocacy on their behalf when they have been unjustly imprisoned or targeted unjustly. I want him to know how much I admire him and how much I appreciate his service. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 189, introduced by my good friend and colleague, Congressman Roger Marshall, and me, in support of U.S. leadership and USAID's commitment to advancing global maternal and child nutrition. I am very proud that this bill has 154 cosponsors, which is a strong statement of support for continuing U.S. leadership. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Congressman Marshall on moving on to the Senate next year. I hope we will continue our bipartisan partnership to ending hunger here at home and around the world. He has been a valuable member of the House Hunger Caucus. In case he doesn't already know it, there is a similar caucus over in the Senate. Mr. Speaker, the world has made impressive progress on improving nutrition in the past decade, thanks in part to strong U.S. leadership and a bipartisan commitment here in Congress to address these issues. The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse all of the world's hard-won nutrition gains and leave an entire generation in danger of being seriously mentally, emotionally, and physically impaired. In a world where we produce enough food to feed everyone, 821 million people, 1 in 9, still go to bed on an empty stomach each night. Even more, one in three, suffer from some form of malnutrition. Based on current trends, this number is set to rise to one in every two by 2025. Eradicating hunger and malnutrition is surely one of the great challenges of our time. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world risks backsliding even more on nutrition. In July, The Lancet published an article with estimates showing that wasting among malnourished children could rise by 14.3 percent if we do not act now. This would translate to an estimated additional 6.7 million wasted children during the first 12 months of the pandemic and more than 10,000 additional child deaths per month during this same period. According to the World Health Organization, 52 percent of the world's nations have reported disruptions in health and nutrition services for sick and malnourished children. But there is always hope, Mr. Speaker, to change the course of these trends. We are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and the U.N. Decade of Action on Nutrition, 2016 to 2025. This gives us a historic opportunity to adapt, reimagine, and invest more in the fight against child and maternal malnutrition. H. Res. 189 recognizes the importance of these challenges and the need for continued U.S. leadership. The resolution urges USAID to fully implement the multi-sectoral nutrition strategy to improve global nutrition. I am sure that I speak for all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that we all support strengthening U.S. efforts to protect women and children from malnutrition and related deaths. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 189 on global nutrition.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, it is a great honor to rise today in recognition of Ellen Dunlap of West Boylston, Massachusetts, who is stepping down as President of the American Antiquarian Society after 28 extraordinary years in that position. America's history, Madam Speaker, is our greatest natural resource. It speaks to us across the years and serves as a source of great inspiration and hope for people across this country. It is an acknowledgement of America's triumphs and our imperfections; a reminder of who we are and who we're called to be. Ellen is the President of the American Antiquarian Society--a remarkable institution in Worcester, Massachusetts founded by Revolutionary War patriot and printer Isaiah Thomas in 1812 and dedicated to preserving our treasured history. The Society serves as an incomparable resource for scholars and historians and a preeminent and comprehensive depository of American history and culture that is unparalleled in size and scope. As President--the first woman to hold that post, by the way--Ellen has spent her career not only preserving our past but bringing it to life in a way that truly excites others. Ellen's work and leadership are extraordinary, she has the incredible talent and vision to clarify and animate history so that all of us can better understand and learn from our collective past. She has worked tirelessly to open up the Society's extraordinary archives to a wider audience, including teachers, scholars, artists, and writers. Under her leadership, the Society undertook a massive effort to digitizing their collections. Ellen also spearheaded the construction of a major expansion and renovation of the Society's home at Antiquarian Hall and has sought to engage the Worcester community in new and exciting ways like free public programs and partnerships with cultural groups. Ellen has chaired the board of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, and she has advised many prestigious institutions such as the Library of Congress and George Washington's Mount Vernon. Ellen's vision and leadership earned the American Antiquarian Society a National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama in 2013. Madam Speaker, there is so much more I could say about how grateful I am that Ellen has devoted her life to preserving our American story and how lucky we are that the American Antiquarian Society calls Worcester home. But let me end on a personal note to say that Ellen is a treasured friend and a wonderful person, I'm grateful that I've had the privilege of getting to know and work with her, and I know she will continue to give back to our community in the years ahead. On behalf of the United States Congress, the people of Massachusetts' Second Congressional District, and all the people who will benefit from her incredible work for generations to come, it is my great honor and privilege to recognize Ellen Dunlap and to thank her for her remarkable service to our community, our commonwealth, and our country.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order at any time to consider a conference report to accompany H.R. 6395; that all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration be waived; that the conference report be considered as read; and that the previous question be considered as ordered on the conference report to its adoption without intervening motion except: one, 1 hour of debate; and, two, one motion to recommit if applicable.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1244 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Woodall), my good friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave