Gregory Meeks

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Wilson for his statement because this is truly a bipartisan effort trying to make sure that we preserve American ingenuity and American leadership on intellectual property and not have it stolen. Madam Speaker, I was moved last night in this very Chamber by the statements of President Zelenskyy, which were really inspiring and important to me. I got tied up, I wanted to talk about this bill. This bill is important. I also thought it was important that right before, this we had a conversation about S. 4240, the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act. No, it is not completely relevant, but on this it has some connection. On February 24 of this year, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With each passing day since, the world has witnessed in horror as Putin's forces brutalize the Ukrainian people. We have seen Russian forces commit mass murder, target civilian areas like schools and hospitals, forcibly transferring hundreds of thousands, including young children to Russia. We have heard so many testimonials about the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian people during Russia's occupation. What has happened in Ukraine shocks the conscience of humanity, and the images of these atrocities are seared into our collective memory. Yet, as of right now, if someone guilty of these war crimes were to come to the United States, we would not have the jurisdiction to bring them to justice. That important legislation, S. 4240, is saying that we have got to bring them to justice because, as Dr. King said, ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' So the United States has to make sure that no one escapes justice simply by coming through our borders and that anyone guilty of war crimes, regardless of where they were committed, are held accountable. Similarly, those that violate our intellectual property rights, they can't just walk free and think that they can take our ingenuity, our leadership, our advancement with reference to intellectual property, and just take it and use it for anything. It is the same kind of thing with the transfer of weapons or anything of that nature. We have got to stand and show that we are serious. We are serious about those victims of war crimes and we are just as serious about those individuals who violate our intellectual property rights. We have got to make sure that they are all held accountable and that they understand that there will be consequences if, in fact, there are violations. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1294, the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act of 2021. The United States of America has the most innovative people, researchers, and companies in the world. In the depths of the pandemic, American government research institutes partnered with private sector companies to create the world's best vaccines. These miracles of modern medicine have saved millions of lives here at home and tens of millions of people around the world. From weapons systems to enterprise software and semiconductor design to smart phones, America is at the leading edge of the technological frontier. Innovation is crucial to our health, our wealth, and our security. But many of the benefits we reap from research and development go out the window if thieves can literally steal our intellectual property without cost or consequence. While trade remedies and criminal statutes can be applied to intellectual property theft, they have proven incapable of stemming the flow of digital hacks and in-person espionage against our Nation. We need a true systemic deterrent, and this legislation is a crucial part of the solution. By creating an authorized and codified sanctions regime for intellectual property violators, we are letting the world know that would-be hackers, digital pickpockets, and copycats of the world know that their actions will draw a forceful response from the United States Government. The sanctions regime laid out in this bill are modeled off of several sections of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The bill is very clear: sanctions against IP violators are mandatory and will be imposed. The bill also provides appropriate flexibility to the executive branch and allows the President to choose from an array of travel, procurement, and financial sanctions to impose upon IP- violating foreign businesses. In other words, the President will have the flexibility to impose more targeted or even tougher sanctions depending upon the scale and significance of the IP theft in question. Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and I strongly ask all of my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1294) to authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to foreign persons that have engaged in significant theft of trade secrets of United States persons, and for other purposes.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Kenneth Katzman and his more than twenty years of contribution to the Congressional Research Service and his work on behalf of the American people. Dr. Katzman's reputation as a foremost Middle East analyst is widely recognized, and this body has relied on his knowledge and expertise at pivotal points in recent history. Having served CRS since 1991, Dr. Katzman will retire on November 19, 2022. Dr. Katzman is one of the most prolific authors and contributors for the Congressional Research Service, having written hundreds of memoranda, reports, and other products in the service of Congress and the advancement of the understanding of the Middle East for its members and staff. His work for Congress has covered such critical foreign policy issues as the wars in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq; U.S. sanctions policies; and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the ``Iran Deal''. His writings have been read tens of thousands of times by congressional clients and have served as foundational analysis for legislation, hearings, and oversight. Over the course of his career, Dr. Katzman routinely testified before subcommittees and committees of Congress on issues facing Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. In 1996 and again in 2001, he was assigned to the staff of the then House International Relations Committee where his deep knowledge of Middle East issues proved instrumental. Dr. Katzman personified the mission of the Congressional Research Service, helping members and staff to understand unfolding events, their historical context, and the potential implications of congressional decisions. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Kenneth Katzman for an exemplary career at the Congressional Research Service. I join with Dr. Katzman's family, friends, and colleagues in extending my gratitude to him for his tireless commitment to our community and to thank him for his role in keeping this body informed for over two decades. Though we will miss his insight and seeing Dr. Katzman's familiar face in the halls of Congress, we wish him the very best in retirement.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1842, Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act, which I introduced with Congressman Katko. This legislation honors Harriet Tubman by requiring the Department of Treasury to mint and issue coins bearing her likeness. We can all agree she is an icon for the constant push for more freedom and equality in this country. Tubman was born into slavery and escaped after surviving many years of brutality under the institution of chattel slavery. She dedicated her life to fighting against the oppression of white supremacy, for the freedom and rights of African Americans and women's suffrage. In today's world where we are continuing to fight for justice and equality for all, we should all learn from Tubman's historic contributions and sacrifices. I want to thank the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, New York which was founded by Tubman herself, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Ohio, for working with me and Congressman Katko on this bill. I urge all Members to vote for this bill and help these organizations who are doing incredible work to promote Harriet Tubman's core values and inspire Americans with her story.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I am prayerful today, and finally today, that I can come on the floor of the House and say to the victims of gun violence and say to those who lost their lives, and to their families, that I can be on the floor of the House today, not just saying, I give you my thoughts and my prayers; not just saying, I want to send to you my sympathies. I can't tell you how tired I have been coming to the floor, feeling hurt in my heart, and all I could say is thoughts and prayers. Today I can vote on something that is going to make a meaningful difference to each and every one of them.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Green for yielding, and, of course, I thank Chairwoman Waters for bringing this important piece of legislation to the floor. I heard Ranking Member McHenry talk today, and I think that the American people understand that inflation is all over the world. It is not a United States problem; it is a global problem predicated by Putin's aggression in Ukraine and coming out of the greatest pandemic that we have had in over 100 years. Democrats are focused on working with the globe to make a difference. I want to focus on this bill and talk about the Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity Act and the Ensuring Diversity in Community Banking Act portions of this bill. On that, I thank Ranking Member McHenry and other Republicans for the bipartisan support both bills received when they unanimously passed out of the Financial Services Committee. We need to continue all efforts to promote racial and economic justice in our communities, and this package of legislation does exactly that. Investors want to know whether the C-suites and the boardrooms in corporate America are actually working in their interests and reflecting their ideals. I, along with Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney and Ritchie Torres, worked to enhance the SEC's disclosure regime by requiring public companies to disclose race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and veteran status of these companies. We want these spaces to truly reflect the diversity of this Nation. Also included in this package is my bill that emphasizes the importance of minority banks and credit unions in serving our communities. The Ensuring Diversity in Community Banking section will address the issue of banking deserts and strengthen programs that provide capital to these critical and crucial institutions. It also creates an impact bank designation in order to promote banks that predominantly serve low-income communities.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, first, let me thank Representative Spartz. She traveled with me when we visited Poland, and I know she was recently over there. She has relatives, and I think we saw her with--I think it was her grandparent, who is in her nineties, on Easter Sunday, celebrating and standing with the Ukrainian people. I thank the gentlewoman for her support even though she isn't a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, particularly for standing up for justice. I thank her personally for that. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), my friend and leader.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the great State of Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), a dynamic Member of Congress.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the very distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan).

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Madam Speaker, I think it is important to note that S. 3522 is a smart and critical step to give another piece of artillery to the administration so that it has flexibility as it needs to provide Ukraine the support that it needs so that it has the ability to win. It is also important to show, and that is why it is important for us to be on the floor today, as Mr. Wilson has indicated, the unity that we have here in the United States House of Representatives. Madam Speaker, I will tell you that working with Mr. McCaul and Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Spartz on the other side of the aisle, as well as with all of my colleagues on the committee on the Democratic side of the aisle, and working with the Speaker and the majority leader, it is that unity that is going to win this war. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished majority leader of this body.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. MEEKS. 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 S. 3522.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, today, I rise in support of S. 3522, the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022. When Russia launched its renewed war against Ukraine, it thought Ukraine would fall in a matter of days. Putin and Russia thought the West would be divided, unable to offer Ukraine the support that it needed. They thought the world would believe their Russian lies. They thought that we would never stay together. Well, Madam Speaker, on all accounts, Putin has been proven wrong. Two months ago, the people of Ukraine united in defense of their home. I visited Ukraine at that time, before the invasion, and they said: We will fight; we will defend our democracy and our country. Then what happened? President Biden kept all 30 nations of NATO together, joining with and bringing along other allies and other democracies from around the world, all united like never before. We have jointly imposed devastating sanctions on Russia and provided Ukraine with billions of dollars of security, humanitarian, and economic assistance. And we have demonstrated to Putin and to the Russian Government that their actions have left them isolated. At the time, our goal was clear: Help Ukraine do what we heard the people ask us to do, defend themselves. But it is now abundantly clear that we must adjust our assumptions and our strategies and that we must help Ukraine, as Secretary Austin said, win. I strongly support the efforts of the administration, in coordination and in close cooperation with Congress, to provide as much assistance as we can to help Ukraine protect itself. We must look forward to what Ukraine needs to fend off the renewed Russian offensive in the east and, ultimately, win this war, to retake territory, to liberate the towns and cities from Russian occupation and ongoing Russian war crimes, and to maintain and regain their sovereignty and territorial integrity. This bill is a further step in that direction of thinking toward the long term. It can and must be part of a strategy to not only continue providing Ukraine with the weapons systems its soldiers are well trained to use, including Russian tanks and planes, the U.S.- and NATO- origin antiair and antitank missile systems and drones, but also to step up our training efforts. Through additional training, we will be able to provide more and more advanced equipment. The administration already has the authority to lend and lease equipment to allies and partners to support the United States' national security interests, and it has already been using all the funds that Congress has given it previously. This bill will allow the administration to cut through the red tape in existing lend-lease authorities to facilitate another channel by which all this vital support can be provided. Specifically, this bill streamlines the processes to facilitate the administration's provisioning of lent or leased defense articles to Ukraine or Eastern European countries impacted by Russia's invasion for fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023. It does so by exempting the administration from provisions of law that limit the duration of loaned equipment to 5 years only, as well as exempting such loaned and leased equipment from repayment of costs incurred by doing so. In short, it does not create a new program, as lend-lease authority is already enshrined in law, but it gives the administration added flexibility in using an existing program to get vital support to Ukraine. I strongly support this bill, and I urge all of my colleagues to show the same unity that our allies have shown as we fight off this vicious invasion by Putin and Russia in Ukraine. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time at this time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Madam Speaker, as we stand here right now, in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Secretary Antony Blinken is testifying and talking about his recent visit to Kyiv, asking--well, replying to questions that Members on both sides are asking. And the sense of unity that has been talked about here today, about us being united against Putin's aggression, about us standing together and trying to make sure that we do all that we can to help the Ukrainian people, and that unity, that unity, is what is going to make sure that we preserve democracies around the world. It is the unity that we have seen with the United States in the lead, keeping 30 NATO countries together, which no one thought would happen before this incursion. It is the unity of bringing our Asian allies together. It is the unity bringing our Western Hemisphere allies together. It is the unity bringing our African allies together. It is that unity right here in the United States Congress. Working together is what is going to prevail. There was a question asked before I left the hearing. One Member said he was at a townhall meeting, and someone asked the question: Well, what does this mean to me? That was the question. Secretary Blinken said, with which I agree: What does it mean? Well, when you look at what is at stake, number one, the world is asking: What happens? Are there any consequences for a country that decides just to go invade someone else's sovereign property? If we allow that to happen, if it could happen there, it could happen anywhere. The questions of what we do, what we stand for, who we are, and what our values are, are on the line right now, not only in Ukraine but for all of us who believe in democracy. When you look at the consequences and the lack of care of the rest of the world by this invasion by Mr. Putin--we are going to have to do hearings now to talk about starvation. People around the world will starve because of the lack of wheat. We are looking at what he tried to utilize with reference to energy resources. It has a reverberation back here in the United States as we are looking at what is taking place with rising oil costs, with rising food costs. This is about us around the world, some, yes, making sacrifices so that we can show the world that unity. And together, we will prevent evil from occurring. We have seen it once in the 1940s. I never thought I would have to see and fight it again in 2022. This is a trying time for the camera of history, which is rolling. I, again, thank Mr. McCaul because I have been working very closely with my ranking member to make sure that we have one voice on this. We have talked often and made sure that we are working in a bipartisan manner. I thank Mr. Wilson for managing this bill on the floor and working collectively together in that regard. I thank the leadership on both sides of the aisle because with that, Ukraine will win. When Ukraine wins, the American people win; the world wins; democracy wins. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the great Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1065, I call up the bill (S. 3522) to provide enhanced authority for the President to enter into agreements with the Government of Ukraine to lend or lease defense articles to that Government to protect civilian populations in Ukraine from Russian military invasion, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. MEEKS

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

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