Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, Unfortunately, I missed a vote yesterday, June 30th. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 133.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this issue before us today. I rise in strong opposition to the rule and the underlying bill. Unfortunately, this is another example of the Democratic majority putting politics over people. It is a missed opportunity to reach an agreement on many solutions that have bipartisan support. The Energy and Commerce Committee on which I serve is historically the most bipartisan committee in Congress. Our record of results with both Chairman Walden and Chairman Upton proves it. No other committee sent more bills to the President's desk than Energy and Commerce during their tenure. This record of bipartisan results for the people has unfortunately faltered under this current majority. And the process and the politics of H.R. 2 are a perfect example of why. It is hard, it is actually impossible, for this historic results- oriented committee to reach an agreement when there is no regular order and we, the minority, are left out of the process. It is easy to pass a partisan wish list for my friends across the aisle to campaign on when you don't expect that they are going to become law. Instead of using the committee process to advance solutions like rural broadband deployment, vehicle safety improvements, and American leadership in clean energy, the majority is continuing to take the easy way out and is more interested in scoring political points. We see the continued consolidation of power and decisionmaking within the Speaker's office. Last Congress, this House unanimously passed the SELF DRIVE Act-- unanimous--which would have ensured the most important vehicle safety technology of our lifetime is deployed here in America. Autonomous vehicles have the potential to save tens of thousands of lives, restore independence to our seniors and people with disabilities, and create a cleaner environment with less road congestion. Autonomous vehicles are our future. America could lead, America should lead in this new era, but sadly, the majority is content to let other countries lead. In fact, the U.S. has fallen behind since our work on the SELF DRIVE Act. We will continue to fall behind because we lack a national strategy and a viable path to deployment. Other countries, like China, are not waiting for us. They are moving full speed ahead with testing, and it is happening in our own backyard. Last Congress, every single Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee agreed that we needed to modernize the SAFETEA Act, to lead on this transformative technology. What has changed? If the majority was serious about addressing the nearly 40,000 deaths on our roads each year, they would tell the well-funded trial bar enough is enough and pursue meaningful legislation to unleash American innovation in our auto sector, a part of a new era of American innovation. But, no. They are more concerned with the trial bar and their special interest groups. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to abandon this partisan messaging exercise and work with us for a new era of innovation that will help save lives.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, due to a family commitment I unfortunately missed votes yesterday. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 123; NAY on Roll Call No. 124; YEA on Roll Call No. 125; NAY on Roll Call No. 126; YEA on Roll Call No. 127; NAY on Roll Call No. 128; and NAY on Roll Call No. 129.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Stephen Stanley Konz for a life of service to his country, his family, and his community. Steve was born in Poland on September 6th, 1926 to Lillian Kwiatkowski and Michael Rosinski. As a three-month-old baby he came to America through Ellis Island in the arms of a teenage mother. He joined the Navy at age 17 where he served until the war ended in August 1945. After the war, Steve moved to Republic, Washington to teach fifth grade. During this time, he raised five children, built a log home, and grew a cattle herd. While the log home burned in 1978, it was rebuilt with the help of friends and neighbors. Steve was passionate about politics, advocating for the Constitution, individual freedom, property rights, limited government, and the right to bear arms. Steve was deeply involved in the community as a member of the Kiwanis Club, Grange, PTA, local school board, Cattlemen's Association, and Washington Farm Forestry Association. He also served as the manager of the Ferry County Fair, the President of the Republic Chamber of Commerce, and a district court judge for 14 years. A captivating storyteller, Steve often had listeners laughing and crying. In 1994, at age 75, Steve drew up plans to convert his ranch into a guest lodge. The foundation was completed in 2000, and for the next 17 years Steve could be seen with a smile on his face, working every day from dawn to dusk to complete his dream lodge. Steve Konz passed away at age 90 in the lodge he built, on the ranch he loved, with family at his side. Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful nation and Washington's Fifth Congressional District may we rise to remember Steve and his legacy. His service and passion will inspire generations to come.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I appreciate his leadership. I rise in opposition to this select committee. Energy and Commerce has a long tradition of bipartisan oversight in its broad jurisdiction and has the tools to prevent any fraud, waste, or abuse. In the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, we are working right now, Republicans and Democrats, to make sure the FTC is protecting Americans from bad actors who are using the coronavirus to commit fraud. Our Oversight and Investigation team is working around the clock to stop bad actors and to track the spread of the virus itself, as well as the stockpiles of PPE, ventilators, and test kits sent to the States. Our Health Subcommittee is working with HHS, FDA, CDC, and NIH to ensure resources reach hospitals and frontline healthcare workers who need it most. The same can be said for the Small Business and Financial Services Committees' efforts to ensure that PPP loans are implemented effectively. There is also the Ways and Means Committee oversight of the economic impact payments or any of a number of other committees involved in Congress' unprecedented bipartisan response to this crisis. This select committee duplicates the existing jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee and others. It will erode the trust and effectiveness in our work that is underway during the greatest healthcare and economic crisis we have seen in our lifetime. We shouldn't create a new committee that will divide us, make this response partisan, create more bureaucracy in Congress, and undermine the hard, bipartisan work of my colleagues and staff who are doing their jobs on their committees already. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to let our committees continue to do their jobs and reject this resolution.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday I was delayed on my way to votes and unfortunately I missed the first vote. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 95.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, last Thursday, I missed the vote series in order to travel back to WA with the state delegation and VP Pence to visit the WA State Emergency Operations Center for the coronavirus response. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 87; YEA on Roll Call No. 88; YEA on Roll Call No. 89; and NAY on Roll Call No. 90.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and our leader for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I stand in opposition to H. Res. 826. It really is a partisan resolution. It has zero reforms. It is being rushed through to attack the administration's Healthy Adult Opportunity program to modernize Medicaid. The majority is ignoring that Medicaid's status quo is leaving people like pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities behind today. Instead of working in a bipartisan fashion to actually improve Medicaid, they are more interested in scoring political points. There are currently over 700,000 individuals across this country on waiting lists, people with disabilities on waiting lists, to get care within Medicaid. I would urge you to check your States, Mr. Speaker. Two-thirds of the 700,000 who are waiting for care and services that they need currently today on Medicaid are living with a disability. I listened to one family's story. Their daughter had a rare neurological condition. She was put on a Medicaid waiting list for 10 years to be approved for services--10 years. This is happening in my home State of Washington, too. There are almost 14,000 individuals with disabilities today waiting for care and services. The most appalling figure is that at least 21,900 people across the country have died waiting for Medicaid services that they need. The status quo is unacceptable. It needs to be fixed. We need a solution, not a partisan resolution that maintains the status quo. It is time to modernize Medicaid. Let's work together. Let's get solutions. The Healthy Adult Opportunity program will improve the Medicaid program's integrity by giving States the option to innovate and provide coverage by enrolling in the program. This will give States the flexibility to control costs and share the program's savings within Medicaid. States like Washington could put those savings directly back into the Medicaid program so that they can shorten their waiting list and save lives. Let's have a hearing. Let's get this done. Let's work in a bipartisan way.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. I rise in support of the PUGET SOS Act, Save Our Sound Act, important legislation to clean up the Puget Sound. I join as someone who represents a district in eastern Washington. My district actually borders Idaho, but I believe that we need to be locking arms. We need to be working together to clean up Puget Sound. For decades, we have invested billions of dollars, billions of dollars in research and technology, to recover salmon in the Pacific Northwest and save our orcas, and we need to continue that work to look for the best science to recover salmon and to save our orcas. I am proud of the work that we have done. We see salmon returns improving. When you look at where we started to where we are today, we are at record levels. Now, in Washington State, some are suggesting that we need to tear out our dams in order to save salmon and to save our orcas. It is a solution that is not backed by science. The reason that I am in such support of helping save the Sound and cleaning up Puget Sound is because it is the number one watershed, right now, for salmon and for saving our orcas. And if we really want to focus on getting results, we need to come together and figure out how we clean up Puget Sound, how we get the salmon returns improved, and, ultimately, how we all save the salmon. So, for those of us in eastern Washington, we often feel like some in the State are looking to us. We want to lock arms and figure out how we actually make a difference, and one of those is going to be cleaning up the Puget Sound. So, in eastern Washington, we have been on the forefront of policy to ensure strong salmon runs and clean up our rivers and lakes. I represent the city of Spokane, the second largest city in Washington State. The people of the city of Spokane have committed to over $300 million to clean up Spokane River so that we will no longer be dumping raw sewage. The mayor, David Condon, brought people together for an innovative water storage system, and President Barack Obama brought him to the White House to celebrate and honor this innovative approach. Inland Empire Paper Company has spent nearly a billion dollars on technology to clean up and ensure that the water that goes into the Spokane River is clean. We are spending millions and millions of dollars to clean up Lake Roosevelt behind Grand Coulee Dam. We are on track to have Lake Roosevelt meet clean drinking water standards so that we can enjoy Lake Roosevelt, we can fish, and we can enjoy the beaches. It breaks my heart, though, when I hear what is going on in Puget Sound and the impact that Puget Sound is having on recovering salmon and orcas: In 2009, 10 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into Puget Sound; in 2017, 250 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into Puget Sound; in 2019, 4.5 million gallons. We have been warned that stormwater is killing coho salmon before they even spawn. As the Seattle Times said during the 2017 failure that spilled 250 million gallons of sewage into the Sound: ``Not a single person from an environmental group or the public turned out to testify or demand action on the crippled West Point Treatment Plant, or even take notice of one of the largest local public infrastructure failures in decades.'' Mr. Speaker, we are failing. We are failing to meet our obligation and the high standards that we expect for every body of water; yet, nearly every week, we have to defend our dams from the same environmental groups that have refused to look at the facts. So I am stepping forward today, as a Representative from eastern Washington, with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to say let's focus on what is actually going to get the results, what is going to recover salmon, and what is going to save our orcas.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I appreciate his extraordinary leadership for us on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Across America, drug abuse and addiction are leading to broken lives, broken families, and broken systems. It is leaving our communities trapped in a cycle of hopelessness and deaths of despair. People need help. People need hope. I have heard these stories myself in eastern Washington. Last year, the SUPPORT Act marked the most comprehensive action we have taken on a single drug crisis, but the fight is not over. In 2017, there were tens of thousands of drug overdose deaths. The sharpest increase occurred because of fentanyl from China. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin. Just a few milligrams that can fit on Lincoln's ear on a penny, are lethal. Chinese chemical companies are the largest, single source of this. To crack down on China, the Drug Enforcement Administration created a temporary scheduling system for fentanyl. Previously, drug traffickers could slightly change the molecules in the drug so the formula was not considered prohibited. With this scheduling tool, the DEA changed the scheduling temporarily in order to combat all fentanyl-related substances. This legislation would extend this emergency declaration through May 2021, and it will give law enforcement the tools they need to keep us safe. We must keep fentanyl off our streets to save lives and to win the future. That means cracking down on Chinese fentanyl and stopping these deaths of despair which are not only threatening families, they are threatening America's leadership and prosperity. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. I am in its current form.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, this motion is the last opportunity to amend the bill, and it does so without delay in passage. We all agree that PFAS chemicals that present health risks to the public should be cleaned up as quickly as possible, but it should be done according to the best available science. The majority often likes to claim that they are the party of science. Unfortunately, this bill ignores science and facts for scoring political talking points by grouping together an entire class of PFAS chemicals. Some of these chemicals are essential to lifesaving medical devices; others provide for cutting-edge technologies in aerospace that are critical to our national security. By ignoring scientific evidence, this bill would kill innovations that could help further lift people's standard of living and save lives. I understand and share frustrations for slow cleanup of the dangerous PFAS chemicals. In my own district, Fairchild Air Force Base and Airway Heights, Washington, are dealing with PFAS. However, we just passed bipartisan legislation based on science through the NDAA that will ensure that affected communities are cleaned up quickly. This bill would ignore those efforts. It is unprecedented that Congress would unilaterally classify chemicals under CERCLA. By doing so, Congress will designate communities like Airway Heights a Superfund site, significantly harming their ability to attract new investments and hurting property values. Instead of trying to score political points, we should be proud of the bipartisan achievement of the NDAA and continue to work to clean up our communities and get results. This amendment is a good faith effort to improve this legislation in a way that enhances its efforts to protect all Americans from harmful chemicals. Section 5 of H.R. 535 seeks to guarantee protection of vulnerable populations from potential PFAS dangers in their drinking waters. It states that the new rules ``shall be protective of the health of subpopulations at greater risk.'' The Safe Drinking Water Act already identifies pregnant women as an at-risk group. However, there is not just one. When it comes to pregnant women who are at risk, there are two people at risk: the pregnant woman and the unborn child. The science is clear. Technology today allows us to look inside the womb. We see the baby's development day by day, week by week. That person is the most vulnerable population that should be protected. This motion to recommit is simple; it is clear; it is direct. It clarifies that the protection of vulnerable populations must include any unborn child. Yesterday, Chairman Pallone recognized the potential harm these chemicals can have on child development. Today, Speaker Pelosi reiterated the importance of protecting expectant mothers. By rejecting this amendment, you would be further denying the science of the development of a child in the womb. This motion is consistent with policy that EPA itself has employed: considering the impact of chemical exposures to babies in the womb. For example, in 2011, the EPA, under President Obama, decided to regulate certain chemicals in drinking water based in part on the impacts to the in utero person. Congress also passed bipartisan legislation, a law in 2004, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, recognizing the personhood of an unborn child. This motion makes a small but vital improvement to this bill. It is an improvement that is necessary to preserve the central goal of the bill's sponsors: protecting vulnerable populations. If that is the majority's goal, then this amendment should be accepted. It does not strike or delay anything in the bill. It only clarifies what is considered a vulnerable population based on the same language in the bipartisan 2004 act. Most importantly, it protects the unborn child, something that I hope everyone in this room can agree should be one of our greatest priorities: to protect people before they are born and at every stage of their life. I urge my colleagues to support science by supporting my motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank Mayor David Condon, who will go down as Spokane's most significant mayor since Expo '74. Mayor Condon is a friend, my former district director and deputy chief of staff, a former U.S. Army Captain, and a visionary and compassionate leader who during his eight years of service to the City of Spokane showed that a good government doesn't have to be an expensive one. When David earned the trust of Spokane's citizens and was elected as mayor, the crime in the city was high, development had slowed, and the river that runs through the heart of the city was becoming more polluted every day. David set out with a tremendous vision to reverse these trends, and lead a revitalization of the city that will continue to be realized and appreciated for decades to come. During his time as the Mayor of Spokane--the largest city in my district--David was known for his focus on solutions to help the city grow and modernize for the future. He was instrumental in championing the revival of Spokane's Riverfront Park, cleaning up our river and restoring the lifeblood of Spokane. His efforts were recognized nationally, including by President Obama. During his thoughtful tenure, Spokane thrived because David always worked to bring new and exciting businesses to our area and provide even more opportunities for people to build a better life. The city's median household income has increased by 37 percent since 2014, job growth is up 3.9 percent since 2015, and the crime rate is down. The future of Spokane's libraries is secured through David's leadership in passing a bond to remodel four existing libraries and build three more. David also championed rebuilding the city's aging infrastructure through smart investment and encouraging private partnerships. He hired more police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders and improved our emergency service response time to better protect and serve the city. Spokane, and all of Eastern Washington, is stronger today because of Mayor Condon's remarkable and visionary leadership. He put Spokane on the map. We are no longer a medium-sized town in search of our identity, we are a national model and a shining example for other cities to follow. That is because of David's time, talent, sweat, and tears. I'm proud to call David a friend and colleague. As he embarks on the next chapter, we will miss the leadership that he brought. On behalf of Washington's Fifth Congressional District, I thank Mayor Condon for his eight years of service and commitment to the City of Spokane. He left the city better off than he found it and truly made Spokane the ``City of Choice.''

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Georgia, Representative Buddy Carter, very much for bringing us all together. Many of us are members of the Energy and Commerce Committee. We are on the forefront, and we are committed to making sure that lifesaving drugs and treatments are more affordable. It is a top priority, and I appreciate the gentleman's leadership as a pharmacist on the front lines of so many of these lifesaving and life-changing treatments. We hear it every day from seniors, people with disabilities, and patients that they are anxious for results. The good news is that we are leading. The Trump administration has led on this front to deliver. The FDA is breaking records for the amount of generic drugs that are being approved right now. That is the key to bringing down the costs of prescription drugs. I am also so proud of the bipartisan work that we did in the Energy and Commerce Committee 3 years ago to get the 21st Century Cures legislation signed into law. Thanks to 21st Century Cures, we are continuing to lead. America has led for 70 to 80 years. Because of this legislation, we will continue to lead. However, that is all threatened with H.R. 3. It means fewer cures. I think about my dad. He has diabetes. My mom struggles with heart issues. My grandma had dementia, and my son was born with an extra 21st chromosome, Down syndrome. Because research has given my son an opportunity to live and to reach his full potential, his life expectancy is today longer than ever. Let's keep moving forward. H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, helps us move forward. It includes bipartisan solutions that President Trump can sign into law this year. We should be building upon the work that we did with 21st Century Cures. We want to see more generic drugs come to the market faster and finally make insulin more affordable for our seniors, lower out-of- pocket spending, cap the doughnut hole, access new medicines and cures, and require price transparency. Every single provision is bipartisan. Unfortunately, the Speaker and the Democrats are moving forward in a partisan exercise directing the Federal Government to set drug prices, and it will stop innovation. America will fall behind as the global leader, and we can see what impact that has all over the world: hundreds and hundreds of fewer drugs entering the market. I want to stand on the side of innovation and more breakthroughs helping millions of people with the ravages of disease that they encounter every day. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his tremendous leadership on this issue.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate our leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee yielding, and I stand in strong support of the TRACED Act to crack down on robocalls. I have heard from hundreds of people in eastern Washington about this. For example, an office manager in Colfax logged more than 318 robocalls at her small business, and she told me, ``That is 318 times I have picked up the phone to hear a robot talking to me. I dropped what I was doing to run to the phone for one of these obnoxious calls, or I put a real client on hold to answer an empty call. Anything Congress can do to stop this shameful practice would be a relief.'' So, Mr. Speaker, I agree. People need relief, and they have asked Congress to take action. So I look forward to supporting this bill and sending it to President Trump's desk with strong bipartisan support.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I want to say thank you to the gentleman from Colorado for bringing us all together tonight for National Bible Week. Over the weekend, I finished reading through the Bible in a year, and I can testify that it has been the best year of my life in giving me perspective and quiet confidence for every day, reminding me to lead with love. The Bible says to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. The Word of God is the source of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control. Everything that we long for in life is found in the Word of God, the Bible. So why haven't I been more faithful to read the Bible every day earlier in my life? Because, like a lot of people, I didn't always feel like I had enough time, or I struggled to relate to the language. Why read the Bible? Why wake up 15 minutes early each day? Why go to all that trouble? That was my struggle for many, many years. The Bible says in Psalm 90:12: ``Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.'' Psalm 103 says that ``our days are few and brief, like grass, like flowers, blown by the wind and gone forever,'' yet the Word of God endures forever. It is the Bible that provides us answers to our questions about life more than any other book, seminar, or self-help program. The Bible also offers words of encouragement and hope at a time when despair has come over our country. We have record suicides. A million people in America attempted suicide last year, and 47,000 committed suicide. I grieve this loss. The deaths of despair are skyrocketing: suicide, drug overdoses, opioids, alcohol, and drug abuse. People are giving up on life. The Bible says in Matthew that not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are numbered, so don't be afraid, you are more valuable to God. We need the truth and the wisdom of the Bible. As Proverbs 12:18 says: ``Careless words stab like a sword, but wise words bring healing.'' As I begin a second year of taking 15 minutes a day to read the Bible and then pray, I would invite each one of you to join me. Let's do it together. Let's agree that it cannot be business as usual. Let's see what God could do on Capitol Hill through Members and staff who daily walk the Halls of Congress--Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate, men and women--if we all read through the Bible in 2020. I am convinced the Democrats can't fix it. The Republicans can't fix it. Only God can fix it. My daily prayer is 2 Chronicles 7:14: ``If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.'' Lord God, heal our land. May You bring order out of chaos. Lift the heaviness of misery and despair and busyness. Remind us that You are with us in everything we do.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove Representatives Welch, Kirkpatrick, Torres Small of New Mexico, and Westerman from H.R. 2505.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of Dick Boysen and his contributions to many children and families. Dick retired in June, after serving 41 years at the helm of the Spokane Guild School, now known as Joya Child and Family Development. This organization provides valuable early intervention services to children from birth to age three who have developmental delays and disabilities. Dick's commitment to the families in the Spokane region is not limited to the 41 years spent at Joya. Prior to starting in his role, he was the education director for the Spokane County Head Start Program. In 1977, a friend encouraged him to apply for the Executive Director position. From there Dick went on to spend his career making a daily difference in the lives of children and their families. His dedication to these families speaks for itself. In the last year, 51 percent of the kids attending Joya met developmental milestones on or before their third birthday and graduated from the program. Dick said ``early intervention is key because it is before age three when children's brains are better able to recover from injuries or learn to rewire themselves.'' My son Cole graduated from the Guild school. It helped him tremendously and set him on a strong path. We will always be grateful for the start they gave him. Dick is an inspiration to many, and we will seek to continue on his legacy for many years to come. We are all grateful for his example and commitment to meeting the needs of some of the most vulnerable in our community. I want to thank you to Dick for your years of service to the Spokane community, our children, and our families. His leadership will be missed by those who had the opportunity to work with him. His dedication is inspiring. I wish him all of the best in his retirement.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. That was great to hear. I often tell people, everyone should go to Israel. There really is no other place like it in all of the world. And it is at the center of history from a Biblical perspective, the history, but today, so much of what is happening in the world is centered on what is going on in Israel. So it was great to be able to return to Israel for me. I have traveled with the U.S. Israel Education Association before, and I am grateful for them leading these trips, especially behind the Green Line into Judea and Samaria, and taking Members of Congress, House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, to be able to see it for themselves. It really is important. We spent a couple of days beyond the Green Line, so that is in the West Bank, and we were witnessing amazing cooperation between the Palestinians and the Israelis. I feel like, for me, it is the untold story, and it is a story about opportunity. It doesn't always make the headlines or the news, the cable news. It is a story of hope at a time when too many despair. So I think the gentlewoman mentioned we went to the city of Ariel. Ariel is the capital of Samaria. It is a city right now that is booming with housing, shopping centers, more jobs. We went to Ariel University. It is the newest university in Israel. It is a leader in science and technology. I was especially impressed with the program that they had for those with autism, giving those with autism an opportunity to earn a degree. They are also building a new medical school. Ariel University is a leading model, where Jews, Arabs, and diverse students from across Israel come to study and to learn together, to build that opportunity for a better life. Down the road from Ariel University, we toured the business park. There was a large business park. We toured one factory that is processing 50 tons of tahini a day, and they want to double that very soon. In that town is where we saw the Israelis and the Palestinians working together. We saw neighborhoods where they are living together with equal opportunities, equal pay, equal benefits. The waiting list to get a job is over 1,000 people long. And why is that? Because they are going to make three to four times what they could make anywhere else that is controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Now, everything that comes out of that business park is considered BDS. So why would Palestinians want to risk working at a place that everything is going to be stamped ``BDS''--and that is actually against the law. It is because they want to be able to provide for their families and live a full life. So one Palestinian employee in Ariel said this: ``All the people I know in the factory or outside it, they believe that the commercial progress will bring stability, a comfortable life. ``Why not work together in peace? You can see good examples of friendship and peace here. ``In the territories that are under the control of the Palestinian Authorities in the West Bank, we don't have factories like this factory. If you want to work in a factory over there, you will not get the salary we get here. It's not enough for the necessity of life. ``Here, we get a comfortable and respectable salary.'' That is the reality on the ground in the West Bank. Jews and Arabs from Israel and Palestine are working and living together today in peace. I was reminded again that it is the opportunity: It is the opportunity for a good-paying job. It is the chance for your children to get a good education. It is the desire for hope, peace, and security that drives all of us. It really is foundational for every person, no matter their background or their walk of life. I was also reminded of this in Hebron. And in Hebron, we did make history. That picture was the first time that a group of Members of Congress had traveled to a Palestinian business leader's home, Ashraf Jabari, and he warmly invited us into his home. He told us that he wants to be a partner for peace with America in the Middle East.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman. This picture is a picture of the leaders of the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce. There are 150 Israeli business leaders and 150 Palestinian business leaders coming together. They formed the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce 2 years ago, and, yes, we want to invite them to come to Capitol Hill, to visit with Members of Congress, to tell their story, because it is an untold story, and it needs to be told. They believe that this has to be part of the peace solution. It is the bottom-up grassroots movement where people are living together, working together, and they are doing it. And that is the way that we are going to build peace. So it was really encouraging to see that economic activity. One of the things that I remember Ashraf saying was: Our truth and our reality is that the Palestinians and the Israelis work together. We want to show the world that reality. So that is why we are excited about them coming and being able to host them here in Congress and being able to introduce them and have them tell their story.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, another aspect of this does deal with the BDS movement, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that we see right now. It has a goal of delegitimizing Israel. We heard from the factory workers, the business leaders like Ashraf, and the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce. We saw a different story where they are really working together in peace, and that economic relationship must be foundational to peace. For the Palestinians and the Israelis, though, BDS is going to threaten it. Both the Palestinian business leaders as well as the Palestinian workers told us that BDS actually hurts them more than the Israelis because, for the first time, they have an opportunity for a really good-paying job, to be able to provide for their families, to be able to make sure that their kids are getting a good education. That is their dream. That is what gives them hope. So it hurts them. It hurts their ability to work, to provide for their families. They want economic freedom, not boycotts. And this desire is overwhelming. That is why I am proud of the leadership of my colleague, the gentlewoman from Missouri, Ann Wagner, in leading the resolution that passed here on the House floor, overwhelmingly, a statement that we do not stand for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, BDS, that this is actually going to work against peace. What we saw, what we witnessed, that is the foundation for peace and must be a part of any of the peace plan moving forward. So I believe that, as America continues to influence and encourage this kind of grassroots movement, we are going to see growing economic opportunity that is foundational, that is vital for Israel's future, but also for the Palestinian people. Israel is our greatest ally, our greatest friend in the Middle East. They are also vital for America. So I am going to be encouraging, and I know my fellow colleagues who traveled with me, we are going to be talking to the administration and Jared Kushner about the peace plan that is being developed right now and urging them to include, in any kind of a peace plan, this economic cooperation and America standing in support of this bottom-up grassroots approach that really makes a difference in people's lives.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Well said. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.