Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which originated after a veteran from Spokane asked for my help. She had recently retired from service and was days away from her first VA appointment when she had a heart attack. She was rushed to the ER where she made a full recovery, but the VA refused to pay for her care. Why? Because she hadn't seen a VA doctor in the last 24 months. It didn't matter that she had just enrolled or that many VA facilities have 30- to 60-day delays. They denied her the coverage she needed, and her bills were piling up. That is why I introduced the RELIEVE Act to waive the 24-month rule for 60 days following a veteran's enrollment in the VA healthcare system. My amendment today highlights the importance of helping veterans establish care to ensure they qualify for outside emergency coverage. It is time for Congress to eliminate the emergency coverage gap, and I urge my colleagues to join me in making sure every veteran has access to the treatment they have earned. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to address the troubling state of housing for servicemembers and their families at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane. According to the Air Force, roughly 85 percent of the 650 privatized homes at Fairchild were constructed in the 1950s. They are aging rapidly and approaching a point where they will not be fit for families living on base. Reports of mold, cracks in the foundation, siding falling off, chipping paint, and roofs in need of repair are just a few of the many issues with the housing on base. Needless to say, this is unacceptable. Our servicemembers and their families sacrifice so much for our country. They deserve a comfortable, dependable home that isn't falling apart around them, and it is our job to make sure they have one. This amendment is critical for ensuring Congress has the ability to conduct the oversight of the conditions of Air Force housing as we work together to make the necessary and long-overdue renovations and repairs. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and join me in making quality housing for servicemembers and their families a top priority. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Can the gentleman clarify the intent when it comes to exclusive jurisdiction of the CFTC and how this would impact the current protections for Americans against fraud and market manipulation?

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4763. Blockchains are a new foundational technology that will reshape our daily lives. Through innovative design approaches, blockchains can be used in all kinds of applications, like tracking products through supply chains or facilitating the tokenization of financial assets. Unfortunately, many American innovators are being pushed abroad by overzealous regulators. According to a report by Electric Capital, the U.S. share of blockchain developers has declined from 40 percent in 2017 to 29 percent in 2022. I am excited about this legislation providing clear rules of the road. This is a clear complement to some of the work that we have been doing in the Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure American leadership in blockchain technology. I will clarify some of the nonfinancial applications and uses that may be unintentionally captured by the bill.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Based on conversations I have had, it is my understanding that the intent of this bill is to ensure that the current authority over certain restricted digital asset transactions remains with the SEC and that the CFTC would only be authorized to regulate certain intermediaries in spot digital commodity markets. Is this correct?

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Thompson, Chairman McHenry, and Representative Hill for the clarification and for all of their work.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, my heart is full today as I rise to recognize my good friend and former colleague, Washington State Senator Mike Padden, who will retire at the end of the year after serving the people of Spokane Valley and the Fourth Legislative District for 28 years. I'd like to be the first of many to congratulate him on a distinguished career of service and wish him all the best in his retirement. Senator Padden, a graduate of Spokane's very own Gonzaga Law School, was first elected to the State House in 1980. He quickly earned the trust and confidence of his peers who elected him as their Majority Floor Leader in 1995. Shortly after, Senator Padden stepped away from the State House to accept an appointment as a judge on the Spokane County District Court, a position he would be re-elected to three more times before retiring--the first time--in 2007 If there's one thing my colleagues should know about Mike, it's that he is a devout public servant who committed himself to putting people before politics. That's why, in 2011, Mike answered the call to serve once again, this time in the State Senate; a position he will hold until the year's end. For nearly three decades, Senator Padden cultivated a reputation built on principled conservatism. He is a staunch defender of life, a steadfast advocate for stronger public safety, and a fierce promoter of everything Eastern Washington has to offer. While serving in various leadership roles on both the House and Senate Law and Justice Committees, Mike made it a top priority to build relationships with his colleagues across the aisle to pass meaningful legislation and improve lives. Thanks to his dogged determination and commitment to delivering results, he successfully strengthened laws around DUI convictions, expanded access to housing by reducing barriers to condominium construction, and provided critical support to businesses trying to help their employees invest in the company's future. These are just a few of his most recent legislative achievements from a long career of service that will be remembered for years to come. In addition to serving in the State Senate, Mike has spent the past six years on his parish council, volunteers for Spokane Valley Meals on Wheels, is a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus, and acts as a state commissioner--and one time Spokane chapter president--for American Legion Baseball. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for Mike's committed service to his community and our great state. He has been a tremendous advocate for those he has represented, and as he looks ahead to his well-deserved retirement, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking him for his almost three decades of devotion and public service. The best is yet to come.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 6192. Mr. Chair, I will start off by thanking the sponsor, Mrs. Debbie Lesko of Arizona, and the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for advancing this bill through regular order. The United States is blessed with tremendous natural resources. We have the cleanest oil and gas in the world, emissions-free nuclear, hydropower, and renewables. We also have the world's best workforce and an innovative spirit that has contributed to technological breakthroughs that have changed the world. For centuries, American innovation has led to new technologies that have improved people's lives from the lightbulb and the home refrigerator to air-conditioning, the washing machine, and the dishwasher. These inventions are engrained in modern life, and they were not the result of some aggressive government regulation or mandate, but of American ingenuity. Sadly, the Biden administration's war on American energy is now reaching inside American's homes. Through sue and settle agreements with radical environmental activists, the Department of Energy has reached backroom deals to impose new regulations on dozens of appliances that Americans rely on every single day. Last year, the Biden administration attempted to ban gas stoves. Thankfully, DOE changed course after bipartisan opposition and an overwhelming vote by Congress to reverse the ban. These new mandates are forcing people to spend more on less reliable options. This comes at a time when Americans are already being crushed by rising costs thanks to Bidenflation. By continuing to double down on policies like this, the Biden administration is showing just how out of touch they are with the financial struggle the vast majority of Americans are feeling. Americans simply cannot afford President Biden's rush-to-green agenda. The bill led by Mrs. Lesko seeks to protect Americans from Federal mandates that result in minimal energy savings while significantly driving up costs for consumers.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. It ensures that DOE is only allowed to adopt efficiency regulations on home appliances that are cost effective, technologically feasible, and save a significant amount of energy. This is going to benefit Americans across the country. It should be a bipartisan issue, and that is why I urge colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in sending a strong message to the Biden administration. In closing, I will, again, thank Mrs. Lesko for her hard work on the bill.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I was absent during the recorded vote to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call No. 143. Stated against:

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1023, the Cutting Green Corruption and Taxes Act. I thank the bill's sponsor, Congressman Gary Palmer of Alabama, and the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for advancing this bill through regular order. The U.S. has been blessed with tremendous natural resources which we have been able to harness as a result of free market principles and an entrepreneurial spirit that is uniquely American. We have harnessed the power of nuclear energy, electrified millions of rural Americans' homes with clean hydropower, and ushered in the shale revolution which continues to create millions of new jobs, bring manufacturing back to the U.S., and revitalize communities across our Nation. As a result, America is more energy secure today than ever before. This legacy is under threat. Since day one, President Biden has been taking steps to shut down American energy. On his first day in office, he ended the Keystone XL pipeline. He has actively taken steps to ban gas stoves and liquefied natural gas exports, tear down hydropower dams, force electric vehicle mandates on Americans, and impose a tax on natural gas. His so-called Inflation Reduction Act provided the EPA with tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to launder to extreme, liberal special interest allies who will ultimately make us more reliant on China by forcing Americans to rely on cheap Chinese batteries and solar panels manufactured with slave labor and the worst environmental standards on the planet. H.R. 1023 is an important step toward ending the President's radical rush-to-green agenda. It repeals the EPA's $27 billion green bank slush fund and its recently proposed natural gas tax. The EPA doesn't want Congress or the American public to know how they are spending hard-earned taxpayer dollars and the way that they want to give tens of billions of dollars to radical environmentalists in secret. This legislation will also repeal the EPA's recently proposed natural gas tax. This tax drives up the costs on everything from our grocery bills to our energy bills. It will force good-paying American jobs overseas and make us more dependent on foreign energy sources. I strongly support H.R. 1023, the Cutting Green Corruption and Taxes Act, which promotes American energy leadership and security, which is something that is vital to building on our legacy of improving lives, helping to lift people out of poverty, and raising the standard of living across the country and the world. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on this important bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie).

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, one serious contender for a share of this $14 billion is Power Forward Communities. This new entity, which has been formed to secure a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund award, is a coalition of several organizations, including Rewiring America. Rewiring America's leadership includes a former Obama White House appointee, a former employee of liberal political action committees, and a Democratic politician, Stacey Abrams. Rewiring America is a project of the Windward Fund, which is controlled by Arabella Advisors. Arabella Advisors funnels donations to various leftwing nonprofits. To give another example, the board of another applicant, the Coalition for Green Capital, includes former Biden administration officials and a former senior staffer of the Democratic National Committee. This includes David Hayes, a former senior official of President Biden's White House Climate Policy Office who was central to advancing President Biden's climate agenda. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan), chairman of our Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7520) to prohibit data brokers from transferring sensitive data of United States individuals to foreign adversaries, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 7520, the Protecting Americans' Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024. Data brokers are harvesting people's sensitive data and selling or sharing it without people's knowledge or consent. To make matters worse, they often do this without any safeguards against this sensitive information going to foreign adversaries who could easily exploit it for nefarious purposes. This sensitive information includes everything from a person's physical and mental health to their geolocation data. Oftentimes, it is sold to the highest bidder, including to foreign adversaries like China and the companies they control. H.R. 7520 will limit how data brokers are able to share Americans' personally identifiable and sensitive information abroad. I commend my Energy and Commerce Committee colleague Ranking Member Pallone for his leadership on this legislation. It is an important complement to our ongoing efforts to establish a comprehensive data privacy standard, one that cracks down on abuses of Americans' personal information by narrowing the information that is collected in the first place and putting people back in control of their personal information. Today is an opportunity to send a very clear message that the U.S. will not tolerate the continued targeting, surveilling, and exploitation of Americans' data. This bill advanced out of our committee with a unanimous, bipartisan 50-0 vote. I look forward to it passing the House this week, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), who is the chairman of the subcommittee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce).

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill that would prohibit data brokers from profiting off the sale or the transfer of sensitive data of U.S. individuals and specifically that of U.S. military servicemembers to a foreign adversary country or any entity that is controlled by such country. The term ``controlled by a foreign adversary'' parallels the definition of H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, that we passed last week out of the House 352-65. I believe that this is very important legislation also to complement that effort and our continued work to enact legislation that would bring a national privacy and data security law into place. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7521) to protect the national security of the United States from the threat posed by foreign adversary controlled applications, such as TikTok and any successor application or service and any other application or service developed or provided by ByteDance Ltd. or an entity under the control of ByteDance Ltd., as amended.