Betty McCollum

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise in tribute to the Honorable Walter F. Mondale, former Vice President of the United States of America, upon his death this week at age 93. Vice President Mondale was a global statesman, a national political leader, a remarkable legislator, a proud Minnesotan, a devoted husband, a wonderful father and grandfather, and a person people from all walks of life admired. Growing up in Elmore, Minnesota, Mondale never forgot his small-town roots. Generations of Minnesotans hold him in deep affection, because of his unique ability to connect through his humor, humility and humanity--which was nurtured by his beloved wife Joan. Together from their marriage in 1955 until her death in 2014, Walter and Joan were a team who represented Minnesota and our country with grace, class and dignity. Inspired and reinforced by Joan, Walter Mondale's life in public service was extraordinary. He served in the United States Army, was the Minnesota Attorney General, and represented Minnesota in the United States Senate. One of his most important roles was redefining the Vice Presidency of the United States as a partnership with the President. He also earned the 1984 Democratic nomination for President and broke a barrier by naming Geraldine Ferraro to be the first woman Vice Presidential candidate on a major party ticket. And while serving as Ambassador to Japan, Walter and Joan demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the power of American diplomacy. Vice President Mondale's deep and abiding dedication to civil rights, children, health care and the environment have left a profound legacy for current and future generations of Americans. His pioneering leadership in protecting our air, land and water reflected his understanding that our precious lands and waters are the heart of who we are as Minnesotans and Americans, and that requires us to be responsible stewards of our planet. His authorship of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968 was a watershed moment in the environmental movement, bringing much-needed attention to these beautiful but threatened rivers across the country, including the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He was also among the first and most steadfast champions for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, because he understood that our biodiversity and clean water require permanent protection. I am deeply grateful for Vice President Mondale's kind and wise counsel to me in Congress as I have worked to build on the success of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, to ensure we are protecting our air, land and water for our children and grandchildren. Madam Speaker, please join me in rising to honor the life of this extraordinary leader, and in extending sincerest condolences to the Mondale family. Minnesota and the United States was blessed to have Walter F. Mondale provide us with a lifetime of service.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 7). I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation which seeks to end the wage gap once and for all. Women in America, especially women of color, make far less than their male counterparts. While we have made progress closing this gap in recent years, this past year has the potential to set this movement back by decades. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women. Unstable childcare and disruptions to school schedules have forced millions of mothers to leave the workforce. Additionally, women disproportionately work lower wage hourly jobs that have been slashed across the country due to store closings and other pandemic-related restrictions. This has resulted in women suffering the majority of pandemic-related job losses. Women also hold a greater share of frontline essential jobs that have faced greater risks of exposure such as nurses, teachers, home health care providers, flight attendants, transportation workers, grocery store clerks, childcare providers, and countless other positions. Simply put, we are getting through this pandemic and are on the brink of beating COVID-19 because of the tireless work of American women--and they deserve tangible support. On Equal Pay Day earlier this year, I led a joint statement with Congresswoman Grace Meng, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, and 32 other Democratic women in Congress highlighting the disproportionate effect COVID-19 has had on women and calling for structured relief. Therefore, I would like to include in the Record that statement. Again, I rise in strong support of the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 7) and I urge my colleagues to pass this important legislation. March 24, 2021. Today is Equal Pay Day, the day in 2021 where women's earnings finally caught up to what men earned in 2020. While strides had been made to close this earnings gap, this past year has the potential of erasing years of progress because of the disproportionate impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on women. The pandemic has dealt an unprecedented blow to every aspect of American society, taking more than half a million lives and costing our economy trillions of dollars. Our nation is facing multiple crises: the COVID-19 virus, economic uncertainty, and a caregiving shortage. As such, while the pandemic has caused virtually every American to struggle in some fashion, the brunt of this disaster has been felt by women--especially women of color. Due to unstable child care and disruptions to school schedules, millions of mothers have been forced to leave the workforce to care for a child. Roughly 10 million working mothers have a child age 6 or younger, and many of these women have been forced to leave their jobs to care for their children. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 865,000 women left the labor force in September 2020 alone-- more than four times the number of men who left the labor force that month. Women are being forced out of the workforce for other reasons as well. Women disproportionately work lower wage hourly jobs that have been slashed across the country due to store closings and other pandemic-related restrictions. This has resulted in women suffering the majority of pandemic- related job losses, totaling more than 5.4 million net jobs, or 55 percent of the overall net job loss since the start of the crisis. This is especially true for Black, Latina, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Native American women who are significantly more likely to work hourly jobs that have either been eliminated or have had their hours greatly reduced over the last year. Even women who have maintained their job during this crisis have disproportionately been affected. Women hold a greater share of frontline essential jobs that have faced greater risks of exposure, such as nurses, teachers, home health care providers, flight attendants, transportation workers, grocery store clerks, child care providers, and countless other positions. Simply put, we are getting through this pandemic and are on the brink of beating COVID-19 because of the tireless work of American women--and they deserve tangible support. While we are encouraged by the passage of the American Rescue Plan and strongly support the provisions that help protect working women, we also encourage our colleagues to consider this package as a down payment. We need transformational structural change to fight against the economic, financial, gender, and racial injustices. We need massive investments in our child care infrastructure, including universal child care and early learning, $15 minimum wage, and paid leave programs; without these, women will be set back a generation by this pandemic. For decades, women have unionized and joined forces to fight for fair hiring practices, workplace protections, and our ongoing fight for equal pay. We simply cannot turn this clock back and we must continue to protect our right to organize and in doing so, fight to narrow the income gap. It will take all of us to dedicate the needed energy and resources to ensure that our daughters and granddaughters do not need to acknowledge Equal Pay Day in future years to come. Sincerely, Betty McCollum, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Grace Meng, Brenda Lawrence, Barbara Lee, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chrissy Houlahan, Angie Craig, Sara Jacobs, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Marcy Kaptur, Nikema Williams, Gwen Moore, Carolyn Bourdeaux, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Grace F. Napolitano, Dina Titus, Robin L. Kelly, Katie Porter, Jackie Speier, Nanette Diaz Barragan, Rosa L. DeLaura, Marie Newman, Debbie Dingell, Judy Chu, Rosa L. DeLauro, Doris Matsui, Cori Bush, Nydia M. Velazquez, Pramila Jayapal, Jahana Hayes, Ilhan Omar, Linda T. Sanchez, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Jan Schakowsky, Lauren Underwood, Members of Congress.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Minnesota delegation, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, on March 2, 2021 I missed a vote on the Bush Amendment No. 14 to H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2021 due to a classified national security briefing I was receiving. Had I been present, I would have voted in support of Amendment No. 14. Stated against:

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the contributions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet for establishing St. Joseph's Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota. History has shown us that communities are only able to flourish and succeed when they have health care providers that can help address the needs of the people. Nowhere is this more evident than the pivotal role the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet played in helping develop Saint Paul and the entire state of Minnesota. Located in downtown Saint Paul, St. Joseph's Hospital was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet as the first hospital in Minnesota. As the Sisters of St. Joseph saw the tragic effects of a cholera epidemic in 1853, they identified the urgent need for a health clinic and lobbied the community to help build what would become St. Joseph's Hospital. The ground-breaking facility on Exchange Street was completed in 1854. Since then, St. Joseph's Hospital has served the Saint Paul and East Metro community for nearly 170 years, providing quality and compassionate care for those who need it most. This core mission of serving those most in need is what caused the Sisters of St. Joseph to focus on providing exceptional child and maternal health care. Whether at St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Joseph's Academy in Saint Paul, or one of the other institutions founded by these Sisters, orphans have always been welcomed with open arms. Moreover, St. Joseph's Hospital has served as a regional hub for providing women the care they need when delivering their child. On a personal level, St. Joseph's will always have a special place in my heart because it is where I delivered both of my children. Like countless other women before and after me, I was provided the maternal care I needed by the best health professionals. I will always be grateful for the tremendous staff that cared for me in my time of need at St. Joseph's. This past year has largely mirrored the events which led to the creation of St. Joseph's Hospital--but rather than grappling with cholera, we face the challenges of COVID-19. During our current pandemic, St. Joseph's Hospital has acted as an essential hub of health care for my district, delivering urgent care to many, including those dealing with COVID-19. The doctors, nurses, and support staff of St. Joseph's have been serving on the front lines of this national emergency and continue to do so with tremendous selflessness. Whether addressing a cholera epidemic, the 1918 flu pandemic, or the current COVID-19 pandemic, St. Joseph's mission of delivering care to those who need it most has not strayed from the principles set forth by the founding Sisters of St. Joseph. As Saint Paul and its surrounding area has changed over the years, so has St. Joseph's Hospital, which has now become part of the M Health Fairview network. While I was saddened with the closure of the St. Joseph's labor and delivery center in 2017 and the recent closure of its emergency department, I understand the rapidly changing realities facing the health care industry. I am confident that while the method of delivering care to those who need it may continue to evolve, the commitment to service maintained by the Sisters will prevail for years to come. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in honor of their amazing contributions, and for their legacy of improving the health and well-being of Minnesotans.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, last week's violent attack on Congress was an act of domestic terrorism. The U.S. Capitol building was desecrated and vandalized. Members of Congress, their staff members, and those who work in this temple of American democracy were terrorized. The women and men of the Capitol Police who work every day to protect us were beaten. Two officers lost their lives as a result of this tragedy. Make no mistake, this was a terrorist plot to disrupt Congress; to prevent Congress from performing its duty under the Constitution to certify the results of the Electoral College that Joseph R. Biden and Kamala D. Harris will be sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2021. This domestic terrorist attack was an attempted coup against the United States of America by attacking the U.S. Congress and the Vice President of the United States Michael R. Pence. And this coup was inspired, encouraged, and supported by Donald J. Trump--the deranged and dangerous man who currently occupies the White House. Today, I will vote to impeach Mr. Trump--for the second time--for high crimes and misdemeanors. If his actions in inciting the insurrection of January 6, 2021 do not warrant impeachment and removal by the Congress, then truly nothing is worthy of impeachment. Congress must protect this nation from Mr. Trump and from future Presidents who may seek to follow in his dangerous footsteps. We must impeach. When Mr. Trump leaves the White House and is again a private citizen, I strongly urge the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute Mr. Trump for crimes committed against our democracy and the people of the United States.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of an extraordinary woman, Carol Connolly, Poet Laureate of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Carol passed away on November 23rd at the age of 85. Carol lived her entire life to the fullest in her beloved hometown of Saint Paul, and there was no greater joy than her family, raising 7 children and nurturing 15 grandchildren and great grandchildren. In addition to being the heart of a large, loving family, she was active as a catalyst, connector and collaborator for her dynamic community. One of her dear friends aptly observed that ``all roads to and from Saint Paul lead through Carol Connolly.'' Inspired by the peace and civil rights movements, she was busy throughout her life volunteering for countless organizations, causes and candidates, not to mention running for political office herself. She truly became the change for good that she wanted to see in the world. Her artistic side shined just as bright, writing and publishing countless poems, plays and columns--and mentoring new writers along the way. At the 2006 ceremony where she was named Poet Laureate, she read one of her poems that captures the essence of this great American city where ``neighborhoods are the foundation of our freedom, `` a place where, regardless of background, neighbors care for neighbors and the greatest strength is found in coming together: ``A storm thunders along the river as it roams through the city, home to some of us for 2,000 years. Home to others of us who left our native lands to escape famine, or war, or worse, and we are all immigrants. `` Carol's boundless generosity and care for others touched the lives of so many--from her family and friends to strangers. Through her poetry, humor, advocacy and contagious enthusiasm and support for the arts and art makers in our community, she was determined to make the world a better place, and she did. Above all, she was a devoted and beloved mother and grandmother, sister and aunt. It was always clear how deeply she valued the lives of people around her. It was an honor to call Carol a friend and a neighbor for many years. Her selfless encouragement of others, especially of writers and women running for office, continues to inspire me and so many others throughout our community. Madam Speaker, please join me in celebrating the outstanding life of Carol Connolly, Poet Laureate of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, when military force and violence are used to oppress, dehumanize, and deny fundamental human rights to an entire civilian population--women, men, and children--it is an injustice that is antithetical to America's values and our self- proclaimed belief in promoting dignity, equality, and justice for all. The Israeli military occupation of Palestine is such an injustice. Settlement expansion, home demolitions, the military detention of children and state sponsored violence are the weapons used as Israel seeks to annex Palestinian land and destroy any prospects for Palestinian self-determination. The violence used by Israel against Palestinians, especially children, is shocking and abhorrent. Late last week a particularly grotesque act of state sponsored violence took place when a 13 year-old Palestinian boy living under military occupation in the West Bank was shot in the abdomen by an Israeli soldier. The child, Ali Abu Aalya, later died. According to a statement from the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, issued on December 4, 2020, ``A 13 year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed today in the West Bank in the State of Palestine. In the past two weeks. four other Palestinian children were shot and severely injured in the West Bank . . .'' The UNICEF statement continues, ``From January to September this year, according to UN data to date, 232 incidents involving the injury of Palestinian children, some of whom sustained long-term damage. UNICEF urges Israeli authorities to fully respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of all children and refrain from using violence against children, in accordance with international law.'' Such a rebuke from UNICEF, calling on Israel, a U.S. ally that receives $3.8 billion in U.S. taxpayer funded military assistance, to ``refrain from using violence against children'' should make every Member of Congress and American citizen question whether U.S. military assistance is being used to injure and kill Palestinian children. I strongly urge the incoming administration of President-Elect Biden to investigate Israel's killing of Ali Abu Aalya, as well as Israel's on-going pattern of using state sponsored military violence against Palestinian children. Members of Congress and the American people deserve to know whether U.S. taxpayer funding to Israel's Ministry of Defense is being used directly or indirectly to facilitate or enable violence against Palestinian children. Committing human rights abuses with impunity and with U.S. taxpayer aid is intolerable and there must be accountability on the part of the U.S. Government. Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 2407, Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. The bill deems the military detention of children a gross human rights violation and prohibits U.S. aid to support, enable, or facilitate such abuse of children. The military detention of children is a systemic practice of the Government of Israel used against Palestinian children as a tactic that violates international humanitarian law in order to maintain a permanent military occupation of Palestinian lands. There are twenty-four courageous colleagues who have joined me as co-sponsors of H.R. 2407 and I am deeply appreciative of their commitment to defending human rights and the rights of children. ``Israel's War on Palestinian Children'' was published on December 5th in the Israeli newspaper HAARTEZ. In a column by Gideon Levy, the systemic brutality and violence inflicted on Palestinian children by the Government of Israel is described. Mr. Levy writes about his own country, Israel, this way: ``What would you think of a regime that allows the shooting of children, that abducts them in their sleep and razes their schools? That's exactly what you must think of the regime here in our country.'' Madam Speaker, I include in the Record Mr. Levy's powerfully honest column. I would like Members to read this column and answer Mr. Levy's question: What would you think of a government that allows the shooting of children? [HAARETZ.com, Dec. 5, 2020] Israel's War on Palestinian Children (By Gideon Levy) Last week, we were in the Al-Arroub refugee camp, searching for an open area in which to sit, for fear of the coronavirus. There wasn't one. In a camp in which house touches house, whose alleys are the width of a man and strewn with garbage, there's nowhere to sit outside. One can only dream of a garden or a bench; there isn't even a sidewalk. This is where Basel al-Badawi lives. A year ago, soldiers shot his brother dead, before his eyes, for no reason. Two weeks ago, Basel was snatched from his bed on a cold night and taken, barefoot, for questioning. We sat in his family's cramped home and realized there was no ``out'' to go to. While we were there, Israeli soldiers blocked the entrance to the camp, as they occasionally do, arbitrarily, and the sense of suffocation only grew. This is Basel's world and this is his reality. He is 16, a bereaved brother, who was abducted from his bed in the dark of night by soldiers. He has nowhere to go to except for school, which is closed for part of the week due to COVID-19. Basel is free now, more fortunate than certain other children and teenagers. Around 170 of them are currently detained in Israel. Other children are shot by soldiers, wounded and sometimes killed, with no distinction made between children and adults--a Palestinian is a Palestinian--or between a life-threatening situation and a ``public disturbance.'' On Friday they killed Ali Abu Alia, a 13-year-old boy. It was a lethal shot to the abdomen. No one could remain indifferent to the sight of his innocent face in photographs, and his last picture--in a shroud, his face exposed, his eyes closed, as he was carried to burial in his village. Ali, as he did every week, went with his friends to demonstrate against the wild and violent outposts that sprouted out of the settlement of Kokhav Hashahar, taking over the remaining land of his village, al-Mughayir. There is nothing more just than the struggle of this village, there is nothing more heinous than the use of lethal force against protesters and there is no possibility that shooting Ali in the abdomen could have been justifiable. In Israel, of course, no one showed any interest over the weekend in the death of a child, one more child. Up until the current school year, around 50 children from the shepherding community of Ras a-Tin studied at the school in al-Mughayir, the village of the deceased boy. They had to walk about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) each day, round trip, to attend. This year their parents, with the help of a European Commission aid organization based in Italy, built them a modest, charming school in the village. Israel's Civil Administration is threatening to demolish it, and in the meantime it is harassing the pupils and teachers with surprise visits to check whether the toilets had been, God forbid, connected to a water pipe--in a village that was never connected to the power grid or the water supply. The children of Ras a-Tin must have known Ali, their former classmate, now dead. The children did not know Malek Issa, of Isawiyah, in East Jerusalem. The 9-year-old boy lost an eye after it was hit by a sponge-tipped bullet fired by an Israeli police officer. On Thursday the Justice Ministry department that examines allegations of police misconduct announced that no one would be charged in the shooting, after 10 months of intensive investigation. It was enough for the policemen involved to claim that stones had been thrown at them, perhaps one of them hit the boy. But no video shows stones being thrown, nor is there any other evidence of this. Ali's killers can also sleep in peace: No one will prosecute them. All they did was to kill a Palestinian child. These and many other incidents are taking place during a period that is among the quietest in the West Bank. This is the terror taking place, committed by the state. When we hear of such incidents in vicious dictatorships--children who are snatched from their beds in the middle of the night, one boy who was shot in the eye, another who was shot and killed--it sends shivers down our spine. Shooting at demonstrators? At children? Where do such things happen? Not in some faraway land, but rather just an hour's drive from your home; not in some dark regime, but in the only democracy. What would you think of a regime that allows the shooting of children, that abducts them in their sleep and razes their schools? That's exactly what you must think of the regime here in our country.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I thank my classmate from Hawaii, who is overseeing this legislation on the floor today. I thank the chairman of the full committee as well as the subcommittee chair and the members of the Natural Resources Committee for their unanimous support of H.R. 733, the House companion to S. 199, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act. I want to thank Leech Lake's Tribal leaders personally for entrusting me with the responsibility of advancing this bill as the sponsor in the House and introducing the bill in the way they wanted it to be introduced so that they could have negotiations to move this language forward. I am proud of the ability that we all had in working together to make today a reality and that we will be voting on this final version of the bill. As I said, it has passed through the Senate, and it passed through the Senate unanimously. I look forward to seeing this legislation signed into law. Join me in voting today to restore the land that was illegally taken from Tribal nations by the Federal Government during the allotment era. Today we, collectively--the U.S. Congress--have an opportunity to correct a past injustice by returning the land to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe that the Federal Government sold without the consent of the rightful owners, to have it returned to them. Between 1948 and 1955, approximately 17,000 acres were illegally transferred by the Department of the Interior. The bill we are considering today would return more than 11,000 of those acres to the Tribe. The return of this land from the Forest Service is vitally important to the Leech Lake Band. They currently own less than 5 percent of the land--5 percent of the land--within the boundaries of their reservation. This is the smallest percentage of any Minnesota Tribal nations. The Chippewa National Forest holds over 75 percent of the land within their reservation. Tribal leaders at Leech Lake have worked diligently for many years in partnership with the Chippewa National Forest in Cass County to identify the illegally transferred parcels of land and to build local support for this legislation. They have addressed concerns with the transfer through open dialogue and have created a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Ms. McCOLLUM. The chairman of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe has sent a letter that describes the injustices that were done when the land was illegally taken from Tribal members and the efforts that have gone into this bill that we will vote on today to create that injustice. Mr. Speaker, I include this letter in the Record.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, restoring this land to the Leech Lake reservation will support Tribal communities while also preserving the area for public recreation. It will allow the Tribe to consistently apply their forest management plan across a greater portion of the reservation. It will also respect all the rights of ways of the utility permits. It will be good for Leech Lake Band, good for the forest, and good for local communities. And it will be good to correct a historical injustice. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for S. 199.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the over 200,000 Americans who have lost their lives to COVID-19 and the over 7 million people who have been infected. The pandemic has put great stress on our communities and wreaked havoc on our economy. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and, with it, their health insurance. During the pandemic, common sense would say we should strengthen our national healthcare system. President Trump and the congressional Republicans continue their assault on the Affordable Care Act, urging the courts to strike the law down. The House has passed 340 bipartisan health bills. The Senate refuses to take them up. The President signs executive orders that do nothing. They do not protect people with preexisting conditions or cover preventative medicine. The ACA does. The President claims to have a healthcare plan to replace the ACA, but he only intends to release it after the election. This is no way to govern. It is time to end the political stunts, to work across the aisle, and to get serious about the health of the American people.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, yesterday, with the announcement of the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize diplomatic relations, Speaker Pelosi issued a statement regarding the news. An important sentence in the statement was powerful, necessary, and correct: ``The House continues to object to steps including unilateral annexation that will undermine future efforts to advance a just, stable, and lasting peace in the Middle East.'' I agree. For years, the centerpiece of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political agenda has been his explicit desire and intent to unilaterally annex as much as 30 percent of Palestinian territory in the West Bank. He calls it a ``historic opportunity.'' Even though annexation is a clear violation of international law and the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, the Trump administration, along with right-wing Jewish groups and extremists in the evangelical Christian community in the U.S., allies of Netanyahu, have championed annexation. Millions of Palestinians have lived for decades under Israel's military occupation. Now the Palestinian people fear that any hope for self-determination or the opportunity to live with dignity, equality, and justice will be extinguished through the annexation of their land by Israel with the support of an American president. Today, I am introducing legislation in the U.S. House--the Israeli Annexation Non-Recognition Act--to prohibit appropriated U.S. funds from being directed to any area in the occupied West Bank annexed by Israel. I want Palestinians and Israelis to have their human rights respected, their right to self-determination realized, and a future with peace, security, equality, and justice. Annexation is antithetical to these goals and will fuel conflict, injustice, and an abhorrent system of apartheid. This is an intolerable outcome for Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans. I reject annexation. I condemn annexation. And, I will work to ensure the U.S. does not support, defend, or legitimize any plan or action by Israel to illegally annex Palestinian lands. Yesterday's diplomatic agreement between Israel and the UAE changes nothing. Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump have taken nothing off the table. Their promises and commitments are worthless. They have both proven time and time again that they cannot be trusted. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz ran a headline today citing comments from the U.S. Ambassador to Israel that makes it clear annexation is still being contemplated by Israeli and U.S. officials at the highest levels. Referring to annexation, the headline read, ``Pro-settler Ambassador Friedman argues `it's not off the table permanently' after historic agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the UAE.'' The same Haaretz article, included for the Record, cited Prime Minister Netanyahu saying annexation is ``still on the table'' and that ``extending sovereignty will be done only alongside the United States.'' A senior Israeli political source is quoted as saying, ``Applying sovereignty (to the West Bank) is on the table and we're committed to it.'' Again, nothing has changed. The annexation of Palestinian lands must be stopped and must never be aided or abetted by any U.S. administration. The Palestinian people should be fully engaged diplomatically by the next U.S. president as partners and constructive peacemakers empowered to negotiate and determine their own political and economic future. Never again should the people of Palestine be ignored, isolated, and boycotted as the Trump administration has done. Democrats in Congress, led by the courageous and righteous co- sponsors of this bill, must act to send an unambiguous message that annexation is contrary to U.S. interests and would devastate the U.S.- lsrael bilateral relationship. The Palestinian people deserve the support of Congress and the American people in this dark moment. If our nation is truly a beacon of democracy, then let us use our power for good to protect the Palestinian people from Mr. Netanyahu's illegal annexation. [From Reuters, Aug. 14, 2020] After Netanyahu Commits to Future Annexation, Trump Says it's `now Off the Table' (By Noa Landau) Pro-settler Ambassador Friedman argues `it's not off the table permanently' after historic agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the UAE U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday night that Israel made a `great concession' by agreeing to suspend West Bank annexation as part of its agreement to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, adding that for now `it's off the table.' Earlier on Thursday, Israel and the UAE reached a historic peace deal on that would lead to a full normalization of diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern nations in an agreement that Trump helped broker. ``Israel agreed not to annex parts of the West Bank. It is more than taking it off the table--they agreed not to do it. This is a very smart concession by Israel. It is off the table now,'' Trump said during a White House briefing. This comes in contrast to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's earlier remarks that annexation is ``still on the table,'' and that it is a pledge the prime minister said he is ``committed to.'' In addition, an Israeli senior political source said that ``Applying sovereignty [to the West Bank] is on the table and we're committed to it. The Trump administration requested to temporarily suspend the announcement [of annexation] to first implement the historic peace agreement with the UAE.'' Asked about Netanyahu's statement that he considers this a `temporary suspension,' and that the option of annexation will still exist in the future, Trump responded that ``Right now it's off the table, I can't talk about sometime in the future, that's a big statement, but right now it's off the table.'' U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, however, said that ``it's off the table now but it's not off the table permanently. You can't have peace and annexation at the same time.'' Speaking in a televised speech earlier on Thursday, Netanyahu said that ``Today marks a new era in Israel's relations with the Arab world'' and that the two countries agreed on ``a full, formal peace.'' ``For years, Israel has been portrayed as an enemy . . . now more countries will join us in this circle of peace,'' the prime minister said. He added that annexation is ``still on the table,'' and that it is a promise Netanyahu said he is ``committed to.''. ``Extending sovereignty will be done only alongside the United States,'' Netanyahu said. ``Without coordination, in the best case, will do nothing, and in the worst case, will harm relations between us. The United States asked that Israel temporarily postpone annexation.''

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I will always remember my last conversation with a dear friend and colleague, the Honorable John Lewis of Georgia. John had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and he was undergoing treatment. Yet it didn't affect his kindness, his warm smile, or the gentle touch of his hand. John greeted me and we chatted. It was memorable because it was so natural, normal, and it turned out to also be good-bye. For nearly twenty years I have served in the Congress with John Lewis, a civil rights champion and legend. His personal journey extended from sharecropper fields in Alabama to civil rights leader, Member of Congress to national treasure. John's voice had the moral authority of a man who had been tested by injustice and tormented by the defenders of injustice. John marched on the frontline of America's struggle for civil rights, voting rights, equal rights and he still had the profound goodness to listen to adversaries, seek goodness in all people, and forgive those who hurt him. John Lewis marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on behalf of Black Americans who were treated as second class citizens by Jim Crow laws, but his lifetime of service and sacrifice, his lifetime of love, was for all mankind. John was a powerful force for good, for righteousness, and for justice. There are many books written about John's civil rights legacy and many more will be written. His life should be a lesson to all of us and especially to future generations of Americans who will continue to work to overcome inequality as our country strives to be a more perfect union. The courage, commitment and compassion of John's life is well documented and rightly honored. There was another John Lewis that I will remember and cherish. On numerous occasions over the years John and I had the opportunity to sit on the House floor during votes and just chat. We chatted about everyday matters. John loved gardening. He talked with great expertise about flowers. It was a special joy in his life that I loved hearing him talk about. And sometimes a conversation on flowers would lead to one on climate change. Once, we discussed another matter of seeming significance to John-- fishing. He told me he liked to go fishing but obligations and official commitments made finding the time difficult. I invited him to visit me in Minnesota during the winter and told him I would share a special experience with him--ice fishing. Well, John smiled and laughed and very graciously informed me that such a thing made no sense to him and he would pass on the invitation. John Lewis lived by the ``Golden Rule''--Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. He worked so hard to live by that rule that he made it look easy for those of us who are not as strong, disciplined, or courageous. I know John had his struggles, but he was a shining example for all who knew him and my life is richer, more full because of his generosity, kindness, and determination. The passing of Rep. John Lewis is a sad and painful loss for his family, friends, and his congressional staff who loved him very much. It is also a difficult loss for his Georgia constituents, his congressional colleagues, and our entire nation. May God bless the soul of John Lewis and all who loved him. I am eternally grateful to have known John and called him my friend and colleague.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, for 4 years in a row, President Trump has set up a truly--well, he sent us a budget that is just not workable when it comes to his budget request. On a bipartisan amendment, especially when it comes to the EPA, we have passed budgets at the end and sent them over to the EPA with more money than the President has requested. And why? Because we know we have to fight to have clean air, clean water. We need to have good scientists. We need to have researchers. We need to have people out doing inspections. We need to have our Environmental Protection Agency working. As I pointed out, the Congress has overwhelmingly rejected these requests for the President's cuts to the EPA. I predict we are going to see that happen again, for a fourth year in a row. That is because the EPA's environmental programs and management account does vital work, really important work protecting our air and drinking water, restoring our waterways, and safeguarding us from toxic chemicals. It has been reported worldwide, because of COVID, we all know people are driving less. We know that our factories, unfortunately, aren't running the way they should be, and a lot of people are out of work. So, yes, the air quality has improved because of the President's mishandling of the COVID emergency that we are facing. But we don't want to go back to those pollution levels. We want to work together in a bipartisan way. Another thing that the gentleman cuts are the geographic programs hugely popular in this Congress, and here, they are overwhelmingly supported bipartisanly--program work like the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound, Long Island Sound, and the Florida estuaries. These programs would be devastated if we adopted the President's budget. Members on both sides of the aisle asked for robust funding in these accounts. Rural communities that rely upon technical assistance grants in this account, we help them to make sure that they can afford safe drinking water for their constituents and that they can safely manage their sewer and wastewater systems. We worked together to help rural communities. Consumers rely on the EPA's ENERGY STAR program to help them choose energy-efficient appliances, which save them money and help the environment. Madam Speaker, I can speak from personal experience, having sold appliances for many years, how important that ENERGY STAR was to someone when they were making a decision because they wanted to save money on their electric bill. Well, the Trump budget, the way it was presented to our subcommittee, would have slashed all these programs and much more, and the impacts to public health would be devastating. The American people overwhelmingly agree that we should be investing more to protect our families from pollution, not less. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I will read from the National Geographic, published April 8, 2020: ``As the novel coronavirus tears around the world, it's exploiting our biggest weaknesses, from creaking health care systems to extreme social inequality. Its relationship with one pervasive and neglected problem, however, has been more tangled: Air pollution has intensified the pandemic. . . .'' So we need to do studies on that, and the EPA works on that, but at the same time, the coronavirus has temporarily cleaned the skies. As I said earlier, for 50 years, the EPA has been responsible for protecting public health and the environment. We need to do research to understand how to protect public health and the environment; and more importantly than ever, we need to understand how to protect public health and the environment for people who have long been neglected, the people who are suffering the most right now, and that is the inequality, the injustice we are seeing between Black and Brown people in the United States. We need to do better with the EPA for addressing social injustices that have affected those populations most by living in polluted areas and being subjected to pollution. I want to work on that in Congress. The administration's cuts would cripple the EPA's ability to achieve that mission. Madam Speaker, if I understand correctly, the gentleman has yielded his time. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, this amendment indiscriminately cuts programs in this bill, not giving one bit of thought to the merit of the program within the bill that it would cut. For instance, it would cut--well, it would cut the Indian Health Service, and that would mean fewer patients seen, especially during the COVID pandemic, which we know has affected the Native American population in a very dramatic, painful, and hurtful way. It would mean fewer safety inspectors, ensuring that accidents and oil spills do not occur, which means endangering the lives of oil rig workers and our environment. It would worsen our Nation's drinking water and sanitation infrastructure deferred maintenance problem, which means more children would be exposed to lead in their drinking water. More generally, investments in our environmental infrastructure and our public lands would be halted, and the associated jobs would be lost, jobs Americans desperately need. More importantly, this amendment, as I said, would contribute to lives being lost in Indian Country. And I do not say that lightly, Madam Speaker. Tribes are being particularly hard-hit by the coronavirus, and this amendment would only compound the problem. And let me tell you a little more about what critical programs would be cut in Indian Country. It would mean cuts to basic healthcare and diabetes programs. It would mean cuts to child and maternal health. As we know, our Native brothers and sisters--my Native sisters in particular, suffer high infant mortality rates. It would mean cuts to mental health service at a time when this population in our country, the indigenous people, who were here first, would be suffering even more than they are today with the mental health crisis, as they cannot go to their customs and traditions when mourning the loss of lives because of not being able to gather. It has been a nonpartisan goal of the Committee on Appropriations--a nonpartisan goal of this entire body--to work to improve the health status of our Native American brothers and sisters. This amendment guts those efforts. It will set Indiana Country back. I dare say, it could set Indian Country back by decades, because we have so much more work to do to address the health disparity. This amendment would not encourage agencies to do more with less. It would simply force agencies, and especially those serving our Native American Nations, to do less for their Tribal members, less healthcare. So I urge Members to strongly oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I am glad the gentleman brought up the $15 billion in the EPA's emergency spending budget. It is for wastewater treatment. That is for clean drinking water. That is for infrastructure. That is for jobs. That is so the next generation inherits clean water and a sewage waste disposal system that they don't find crumbling all around them because of neglect and because we have not lived up to our obligation to take care of those infrastructure investments. For 50 years, the EPA has been responsible for protecting health and the environment, and they have been doing a job in cleaning up the environment, as I mentioned with the restoration programs. The Chesapeake Bay, it is amazing what has happened, the Great Lakes. Congressman Joyce and I are constantly working with other Great Lakes representatives, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, who ask us to do even more in investing. These Trump administration budget cuts that the gentleman would have us return to would cripple the EPA's ability to accomplish those missions. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, as I said on the other amendment, for 4 years in a row, President Trump has sent us truly appalling budget request numbers for the EPA, and the Congress has overwhelmingly rejected these requests on a bipartisan basis. As I said, I predict we will do that again for the fourth year in a row. The EPA's science and technology account does vital research on health effects of toxic chemicals and pollutants. Now, the Trump administration, by not doing this research and by not moving forward, protects corporate polluters' profits, not the health and safety of the American people. That is why, in my opinion, the administration's budget proposes to cut hundreds of millions of dollars for funding research on things like PFAS. Now, in my constituency, I have several major municipalities that can no longer just take the water out of the ground the way that they had before, send it to the homeowners, and they could turn on their tap and safely drink it. No, it has to be filtered for PFAS. We need research. We need standards on it. Lead. How many discussions have we had on this House floor? How many parents have we heard from? How many children have we heard from about the effects of lead in water? Mercury. I am from Minnesota. We have fish advisories because of mercury. Pregnant women have to be careful how much fish they consume. We have postings when we go to our lakes about how much fish we can consume. Mercury is a concern to many of us. And climate change. I am not afraid to talk about climate change. I was just on the phone with the Secretary of the Air Force, and we were talking about what we are going to have to spend in Alaska. You know, the permafrost is causing issues with radar installations not being stable--climate change. The permafrost, which is disappearing, is affecting the ability for runways and safe landings. Climate change. So, do we need to do the research on climate change? It is a national security issue. I am glad the EPA is out there looking at it, working with other agencies within the United States. People across this country overwhelmingly agree we should be investing more research in PFAS. We should be getting the lead out of our water. We should be understanding what is going on with mercury. We should also be addressing the effects of climate change and, most of all, protecting our families from pollution. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, the Interior and Environment division of this bill makes many critical investments in protecting our natural resources and contains several provisions designated to stop the Trump administration from moving forward on disastrous environmental policies. This bill puts a halt on the use of funds in the next fiscal year to review approved mine plans within the watershed in the Nation's most visited wilderness, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This provision does not--does not--impact the operations of current mines that already have their plans approved and are operating. There is no iron ore mine plan under review within the watershed or anywhere in the Superior National Forest. Sulfide-ore mines are toxic. They produce acid mine drainage, which includes heavy metals like lead and cadmium. This poses a significant risk to surface waters and ground waters. The Trump administration cannot be trusted to conduct an environmental review of sulfide-ore mining that could devastate this wilderness. They have already shown a lack of transparency and a willingness not to be guided by science. Multiple Cabinet members have pledged to members of the Appropriations Committee in congressional hearings that they would complete a mineral withdrawal study within this very watershed. Instead, they abandoned this review 20 months into a 24-month plan, and they have refused to release any of the information. Mr. Speaker, I would submit the report that they did finally show me, but I have no idea how the good people who work at this front desk could put in 60 pages of redacted material, 60 blank pages of a taxpayer-funded report. This is a 1-year halt on a mine plan in a wilderness area from an administration that has shown a total lack of transparency and respect for science.

Ms. McCOLLUM

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I was on my way out and I saw the beautiful white flowers that are sitting on my side of the aisle celebrating the life of John Lewis. Last night, I had the radio on and I was listening to C-SPAN, and I heard the wonderful, wonderful stories on both sides of the aisle of people celebrating John's life and what he meant to them. As I was preparing for this bill and working on this bill, working on the inequalities of years of systemic racism and how it has infected the environment made me even want to champion this bill that was before us today even more, as a remembrance of all the work that needs to be done. As people were sharing their stories of John, what came to mind for me was talking about gardening. He loved to garden and he had a few plants, and we would talk about them. He loved to fish, and the one thing I would always tease him about, Mr. Speaker, is going to Minnesota and going ice fishing. Well, John, that is going to have to wait, but I look forward to seeing you again in the heavens, and we will go ice fishing.