Gwen Moore

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Kevin Shafer, the long serving Executive Director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and a recent recipient of the Milwaukee Water Council's third annual ``Water Warrior of the Year Award,'' which is given to acknowledge those in the water industry who advance the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math (STEAM) education. MMSD provides wastewater treatment reclamation and flood management, among other services, for about 1.1 million customers in 28 communities in the Greater Milwaukee Area The award acknowledges Kevin's dedication to growing MMSD's internship program which provides students with hands-on learning experience to inspire and educate students about future water-related careers in areas such as water quality protection, laboratory services, engineering, construction and sustainability. According to the CEO of the Water Council, ``When it comes to supporting and nurturing our next generation of water professionals we always know that Kevin will say an emphatic yes when we ask him to do more.'' For over 25 years, MMSD has grown its internship program which now hires 25 students every summer. For example, during the summer of 2018, MMSD worked with the Water Council to place two African-American junior engineering students from Tuskegee University to work as interns with a goal of increasing the number of African-Americans pursuing water as a career. This is just one of several efforts by MMSD to invest in and develop a diverse water workforce in the Milwaukee area. Kevin Shafer has served as executive director of MMSD since 2002. Throughout his career at MMSD, Kevin has helped to make the utility a leader when it comes to the adoption and use of green infrastructure, has been instrumental in efforts to transform MMSD 's stormwater management system, and continues to foster innovative means of protecting the District's water supply. Prior to this position, Kevin worked in the private sector at an international engineering firm and spent six years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Currently, Kevin is a Chair on both the United States' Water Alliance Board of Directors and the Water Council Board of Directors. Kevin was formerly President of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. It is an honor to recognize Kevin Shafer for his dedication to the residents served by MMSD and in being an innovative water industry leader who is constantly trying to find new ways to deal with the challenges facing MMSD. I applaud the high level of professionalism and service that he has brought to MMSD and have no doubt he will continue to serve our community in the same distinguished manner as he has done throughout his career.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, the right to participate in boycotts, whether we agree with them or not, is protected by our constitution, including political expression aimed at Israeli policy. Americans have long used such tactics to influence and pressure our government and other governments. The only difference here is we appear to be striving to carve out and treat differently, even silence, those who disagree with the policies undertaken by our ally Israel. How can you support the right under the Constitution to political speech including boycotts and then bring this resolution to the floor? Let me be clear, I oppose anyone (Palestinian, Israeli, American, etc..) who are taking actions inimical to peace. And after nearly three decades, it is fair to say all sides, including the U.S., have done so in some shape or form. Any effort that has at its heart delegitimizing the State of Israel is doomed to fail. And the BDS movement, just like unilateral actions undertaken by either side, is not going to bring two states living in peace side by side. It was born out of frustration, that we all share, with a moribund peace process that harms both Israelis and Palestinians. At this time when Congress can be doing so much more to help advance the peace process or even to just revive it, why is the only action we are taking is to bring to the floor a nonbinding resolution that doesn't address where most of the blame for the failures lay: the continuing intransigence and refusal by Israeli and Palestinian political leaders to make the tough decisions and compromises that need to be made for peace. That refusal continues to feed the status quo. But rather than call out those responsible, including several actions taken by this Administration, for setting back the cause of peace, we have decided that this moment is ripe solely to attack the First Amendment rights of Americans? Again, rather than pressing the parties to make the tough decision and concessions that will be necessary for peace, Congress has decided that the top focus at the moment is the voluntary decisions by some Americans to exercise political expression? The First Amendment does not threaten Israel's right to exist. Nor does any American exercising that right. I agree with the editorial by the New York Times which warned that attempting to ``silence one side of the debate'' is not ``in the interests of Israel, the United States, or their shared democratic values.'' Rather than attacking the First Amendment right of Americans to criticize the policies of our own government or our allies, how about pushing our own administration to actually say the words ``two-state solution'' which it refuses to do or to actually act as if its interested in pursuing that longstanding goal that this Congress and past administrations has reaffirmed is the best option for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. I am concerned that resolutions such as this one serves no real purpose, certainly not to those of us interested in working as honest brokers to bring this decades long history of simmering tensions, outright war, and hostility to an end, permanently. I fear that this resolution is just another in a long line of nonbinding resolutions considered by this House that fails to actually advance peace between the two sides, ignores the various and complex factors that have made the prospects for peace in this conflict the worse in a generation including actions by this administration that have been roundly rejected by many. Again, in looking at this resolution, I understand that it is easier to blame a host of outside actors, including those who we disagree with, for the current damaging status quo. The reality however remains that it is the consistent and repeated failure of political leaders in Ramallah, Jerusalem, and at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to make the tough decisions and concessions that peace requires and which has left us in this damaging status quo. The folly of the current situation was encapsulated by the Trump administration's recent Bahrain conference which neither the Palestinians or Israelis attended. Finally, I am concerned that this resolution is a slippery slope to actually taking up binding legislation affecting cherished First Amendment rights such as the bill that passed the Senate earlier this year which was derided in media reports as a ``political stunt.'' Israeli's and Palestinians alike have had enough of political stunts. Opportunities for progress and for peace are growing fewer and farther apart as the damaging status quo and divides only harden, waiting for the next explosion of violence. And are we surprised that without prospects for peace, extremists seem to be gaining ground? I would be far more constructive if this Congress would focus on finding viable solutions to the Israel-Palestinian conflict rather that promoting legislation that raises free speech concerns. For example, H.Res. 326 which was marked up in committee at the same time as this resolution but is curiously absent from this week's calendar. I firmly believe it is our responsibility as a Congress to keep working towards peace despite pessimism and pessimists. Clearly right now, what the Middle East needs is more solutions, not more meaningless resolutions. I said this a few years ago and I will repeat it again now: both peoples would gladly trade empty resolutions from the U.S. Congress for real progress on the ground and a sincere path forward.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to vote for the Raise the Minimum Wage Act. In my district of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukeeans are stuck at the Federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour set over a decade ago. These workers struggle to support themselves and their families with their meager wages. However hard they try, at $7.25 an hour, they are working themselves into poverty, since $15,000 a year is below the Federal poverty level. What do these workers do? They are forced to juggle multiple jobs and contend with long and unpredictable hours. Meanwhile, congressional inaction on minimum wage workers' paychecks continues to erode this basic labor standard. This inaction has contributed to out-of-control economic inequality and the decline of the middle class. Hardworking Americans working at the minimum wage are, indeed, working below the poverty level. Not only are they working below the poverty level, but they are supplying cheap labor to wealthy corporations that have benefited from our tax policy. It also requires you, hardworking taxpayers, to subsidize those corporations. Why? Because these workers working 40 hours a week still qualify for public benefits like food stamps and Medicaid because those employers don't provide those benefits. I personally know the hardships of surviving on less than a living wage. That is why I have fought throughout my entire career in public service to lift America's vulnerable workers, not just to help them make ends meet but to empower them and to help them reach their ambitions. I am so proud that I protested for fair wages alongside fellow Milwaukeeans in 2014 as part of the national Fight for $15 campaign. I was arrested for participating in the fight for $15 an hour in that protest, and I am grateful for the courage demonstrated by the protesters nationwide who joined the Fight for $15. I thank you for the personal risks you have taken. We are voting on the Raise the Minimum Wage Act because of the momentum that you have created. Raising the minimum wage will have countless benefits. To name a few, it will lift 40 million workers out of poverty, boost the economy, and spread the benefits of economic growth that President Trump has hoarded for the wealthy few. Raising the national minimum wage is well overdue, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Raise the Wage Act.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM). State Statute and then Common Council Resolution established the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, on May 1, 1944, to address the need for affordable housing in Milwaukee. Entering its 75th year, the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee provides affordable housing to almost 11,000 households in the City of Milwaukee through its public and affordable housing programs and Housing Choice Voucher program. Its mission is to foster strong, resilient, and inclusive communities by providing a continuum of high-quality housing options that support self-sufficiency, good quality of life, and the opportunity to thrive. During the past 75 years, the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee has provided stable affordable housing to thousands of families, seniors, persons with disabilities, and veterans. They first accomplished this by acquiring a city-built, WPA-assisted development, and subsequently by creating almost a thousand units of housing for veterans and building other innovative developments; including the first high-rise designated specifically for the elderly and one of the first housing authorities to develop public housing single-family homes. The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee works with its residents to provide them a pathway to self-sufficiency through its many initiatives and collaborations in areas such as public safety, accessibility, job training and workforce development, educational support, energy efficiency, financial literacy, environmental stewardship, household savings and homeownership. It has done this as a national leader in creating healthy, safe, vibrant, transit-oriented, sustainable, mixed-income communities of choice. They have transformed neighborhoods and continue to be innovative in their methods and services, as well as flexible in responding to the affordable housing needs in Milwaukee. The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee is a strong supporter of Emerging Business Enterprises, with over $20 million dollars annually in contracts supporting minority and women-owned enterprises The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee has partnered with multiple federal agencies to bring housing and services to its residents and has been awarded multiple federal competitive grants, resulting in new and revitalized developments, including the very first completion of a HOPE VI grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee has been recognized locally, nationally, and even internationally with dozens of awards for both its buildings and its services from organizations such as the American Planning Association, U.S. Green Building Council, Governor's Council on Financial Literacy, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University, Congress for New Urbanism, the State & Local Energy Report, The Environmental Protection Agency's Sustainable Communities Program, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, National League of Cities and the Sierra Club. Madam Speaker, for these reasons I am pleased to honor the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. This agency continues to be an innovative leader in affordable housing and makes the 4th Congressional District a better place to live and work.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendments to H.R. 2500 which are included in this En Bloc package. My first amendment is fairly simple and direct. It would remind those in charge of the DoD's National Capital Consortium Psychiatry Residency Program--or PRP--of their responsibility to maintain an environment that is free of harassment and discrimination. This critical program helps train professionals who are on the frontlines of addressing critical mental health needs. The Chairman and Ranking Member are both aware of the tremendous need for such providers, both in and outside, of the military. It's those concerns that are behind the inclusion of Section 717 in this bill which calls for the Defense Department to provide a strategy to recruit and retain mental health providers. It is important that this workforce be culturally competent and diverse which is why ensuring that this program's leadership actively work to ensure that residents are trained in an atmosphere where discrimination or harassment of any sort is not tolerated. Period. What I do know is that tolerating a work environment that is toxic or being turned toxic because of racial or sexually derogatory statements or actions makes it harder to recruit and retain these in-demand providers and also hurt efforts to ensure a diverse mental health workforce. Unfortunately, in 2016, a report by the program's ombudsman noted an ``undercurrent'' of discrimination in the PRP program and a recent report to my office, while noting improvements, still reported that offensive statements continue to be made. Just one report of harmful statements or actions is one too many. That's the standard that we should have and that should be enforced. This amendment simply makes clear that racial and gender-based discrimination or harassment have no place in the PRP (or elsewhere in the military for that matter) and reaffirms the need for leaders to proactively work to provide an environment where such conduct is not tolerated. The military and the taxpayer will invest much to recruit and train these individuals. Therefore, it is important that those who participate in this demanding residency program should be able to do so in a safe and harassment free environment. Additionally, I am pleased about the inclusion in En Bloc 11 of another amendment I offered requesting certain information from the Air Force. Fuel is a lifeline for many of the missions that we ask our men and women in uniform to carry out. Therefore, it is critical that the Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency consider the best options for ensuring that Air Force facilities, including Air Guard and Air Reserve facilities, have a reliable and secure fuel supply. One effective but under-utilized option are projects that help Air Guard and Air Reserve facilities tap nearby national fuel pipelines that could provide uninterrupted access to millions of gallons for jet fuel. These projects can be an effective and efficient way to help these units carry out their missions, help them to easily meet Department and Defense Logistics Agency requirements for a reliable secondary fuel supply, and help them meet current and emerging air refueling requirements, among other benefits, while also reducing the threat to fuel supplies. Any delay or disruption to fuel supplies directly translates into a degradation of mission readiness. And in many cases, these projects make mission and economic sense, like in my district, where we are going to build a new fuel facility less than 1 mile away from an existing fuel pipeline that would provide millions of gallons of fuel storage and reduce the need for the 400 plus trucks that currently supply the base. According to one estimate, such a pipeline would provide access to more fuel and cost less than what it will cost to pay to truck in significantly less fuel over the next three years. The amendment I have offered would request the Air Force provide information on how it prioritizes and considers requests to undertake such projects at Air Guard and Air Reserve facilities, especially for units where such projects would help improve mission readiness, among other benefits. This would include information about the Air Guard and Air Reserve facilities where such projects could be of benefit, with an emphasis on facilities located near fuel pipelines that they currently do not access, and information about the criteria used to consider these projects and barriers such as funding that may impede such projects. This amendment builds on an amendment I successfully offered to the FY 2020 Defense Appropriations bill when it came before the House last month to encourage the Air Force to pursue such projects. I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their support.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 420. Amendment No. 35 Offered by Mr. Kim

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about making our communities healthier and safer for all Americans. Let me start out by urging my colleagues to join me and my colleague, Jim Sensenbrenner, in supporting the Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorder Research Enhancement Act, legislation that we are introducing today. There are millions of Americans who suffer from gastrointestinal and motility disorders. These are very common gastrointestinal disorders in the general population, but they affect tens of millions of Americans. Symptoms of these disorders include pain in the inner organs, lack of motility, altered immune function, and altered central nervous system function. Although these symptoms can be life-threatening, effective therapies exist. Treatment, generally, focuses on management of the symptoms. For nearly 30 years, patient advocacy organizations, like the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in my district, have been working to support affected individuals and their families. Mr. Speaker, we are asking all of our colleagues to join us in cosponsoring this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, while I am here addressing healthier and safer communities, I would be remiss if I did not mention the need to aggressively attack a crisis, a health crisis, a public safety crisis that is affecting all of our communities, and that is gun violence. Mr. Speaker, it is often said that it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a village to protect children, too. That is why I am so inspired by my own hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to see what our community is doing collectively to address gun violence. That is why I am inspired to see that Milwaukee hospitals are working to combat accidental shootings by offering free gunlocks as a tool to protect children from guns in homes. The city is also working to put violence interrupters in our community to teach people how to deescalate violence. Communities like Milwaukee have always stepped up when Congress falls short, but now, Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to act to pass commonsense gun violence prevention measures that have widespread support. It has been over 100 days, Mr. Speaker, since the House has passed H.R. 8, strengthening background checks; H.R. 1585, the VAWA reauthorization that includes new provisions to prevent abusers from accessing guns; and H.R. 1112, closing the Charleston loophole that allows individuals to get a gun if their background checks haven't been completed within 3 days, all legislation that would prevent the gun violence that is hurting all our communities. Yet, the Senate has failed to act, as key Senators have opposed taking any action. That is irresponsible. We are not the only country that experiences gun violence, but it seems that we are the only ones not to do anything about it except to offer thoughts and prayers and moments of silence. Well, I will tell you, no more silence over gun violence, from Sandy Hook where 26 were killed to the Pulse nightclub shooting where 49 were killed, to the third anniversary of the Oak Creek Sikh temple shooting where 6 were killed, to Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida where 17 were killed, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where, last fall, a 13-year- old girl was killed by a stray bullet. Bullets don't have eyes. This spring, an 11-year-old was wounded by a stray bullet. Enough is enough. Mr. Speaker, it is time for the Senate to take up H.R. 8 and to promote health and safety in our communities.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the career and ongoing legacy of McArthur ``Mac'' Weddle, of Northcott Neighborhood House, where he has served for over 42 years and 19 as the Executive Director. McArthur graduated from Milwaukee's North Division High School which is also my alma mater. Further, he earned a degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As a young boy growing up in Milwaukee, Mac was pulled under water by a strong undercurrent in the Milwaukee River. He was rescued from this life-threatening disaster by a kid in the neighborhood with the reputation as a troublemaker. Mac believe he was saved because God had a special purpose for him. Mac pursued a career in youth recreation, to assist kids who were sometimes misguided but had the potential to do good. This was his passion, mission and special purpose. This would lead him to Northcott Neighborhood House a community organization where he would assist in providing recreational activities for youth, educational and employment training opportunities for adults and ex- offenders, and necessities for families and senior citizens. Mac would stay at Northcott and would eventually serve as Executive Director and in other many roles in our community. Throughout the years, our community could always count on him to invest and make programs such as Juneteenth Day, Black Expo, African World Festival, and other events available to the community to celebrate our collective history. Under his guidance, he helped transform Milwaukee's Juneteenth celebration to one of the largest in the nation, and Northcott Neighborhood House to one of the leading organizations in Milwaukee's African American Community and the Greater Milwaukee Community. He is the recipient of the Black Excellence Award, served as Chairman of the Lee Elementary School Council, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation, board member of Wisconsin State Board of Psychology Regulations and Licensing, Treasurer of the Board of Harambee Ombudsman Program, and as a 33-degree Prince Hall Free and Accepted Mason. It is without question that he has become one of the most beloved community leaders, mentors, and advocates in our city. This is due in no small part because of his investment in the children and the many lives he has impacted. Mac's leadership, enthusiasm and generosity is unparalleled, and he is held in high-esteem throughout the community. I have known Mac for over 50 years and I am proud to say that Mac is my friend. We have so many shared memories of Milwaukee and life. As he transitions into a new direction in his life, I wish him the very best. While his retirement will undoubtedly leave a void in our community, I take comfort in the fact that his role in the development of our youth has created new emerging leaders. Madam Speaker, for these reasons I am pleased to honor McArthur ``Mac'' Weddle, a man, who has helped to make the 4th Congressional District a better place.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I thank the chairman for yielding. I want to continue to work with the gentleman and the Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies to fight the administration's reprehensible attempts to increase hunger in our country, including through USDA's proposed and harmful able-bodied adults without dependents rule. As the gentleman well knows, SNAP is a critical antihunger program that helps many families struggling with food insecurity. What I find so counterintuitive about this rule is that the most common reason for seeking SNAP is because someone is losing a job, which is even more critical for those who have barriers to employment or who are already at the margins of the workforce. As many experts have testified to Congress, the labor market experience of SNAP participants, as it is for so many low-paid workers, is highly unstable, and participants tend to cycle in and out of full- time employment. This rule would cut food aid for between 755,000 and 821,000 individuals from red States, blue States, and purple States, and from rural, urban, and suburban communities, without any regard to the barriers they may face or the fact that they may live in areas or ZIP Codes or Census tracts that lack jobs, or that companies are moving, or other unanticipated egresses from the workforce. No matter what people say, there are still pockets of high unemployment rates well above the national average. This body must make crystal clear that we support the vulnerable population of able-bodied adults who are being targeted here and that increasing hunger does not increase employability. It does not create new jobs in rural or other areas with high unemployment. It doesn't remove barriers to employment. It just simply increases hunger. While there are so many good things in this package that will help to attack hunger and food insecurity, I am deeply disappointed that we are missing the opportunity to use Congress' title I power to block this rule. Let's not go down as the did-nothing Congress when it comes to something so common sense as providing food for the most vulnerable. I am so concerned about this rule's impact on truly vulnerable individuals. Let's not be fooled because we are calling them ``able- bodied.'' These folks have challenges that make finding work difficult. This includes veterans, homeless people, children who have aged out of foster care, and college students. The vast majority of SNAP participants affected by this proposal live in deep poverty, with 88 percent of households at or below 50 percent of the poverty level. Madam Chair, 1 in 10 are working, although less than an average of 20 hours a week. One study found that 75 percent participate in the workforce. Of those who do work but sometimes do not, the majority don't work due to their having lost a job or they couldn't get enough hours. This rule would do nothing to address those issues. Of those who are not in the labor force, 80 percent of them said that it was due to health and disability. This rule would do nothing to address those issues. I am also concerned about the impact on States. Despite all the wonderful claims of a strong economy, we continue to hear that all boats are not lifted, which is why the existing flexibility to protect people from hunger when jobs are simply not available in some areas is so critical. Almost every State has used this flexibility under the existing waiver at some point, including some of the most conservative States. If someone claims to support States' rights, that Governors and local elected officials know best about what is going on in their States, especially where we know economic conditions can vary from county to county, city to city, even ZIP Code to ZIP Code, then you should be opposed to this rule. Punishing poor people will not help them get jobs.

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, I rise to thank the chairwoman and committee for including my amendment to increase funding by $1 million for an Indian Health Service program combatting domestic violence in Native communities. I know the chairwoman understands this issue very well. Protecting women in Native communities was a big focus on the VAWA reauthorization that passed this chamber earlier this year. I want to make sure we provide the strong funding that will be needed to make those changes reality and protect Native women. This is one program that does that. The Indian Health Services Domestic Violence Prevention Program is a small program but it's having a big impact. The DVPP was established in 2015 as a nationally-coordinated program that provides culturally appropriate domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and intervention resources to American Indian and Alaskan Native communities with a focus on trauma informed services. The vast majority of DVPP grants focus on domestic and sexual violence prevention, advocacy, and coordinated community responses, with some supporting forensic healthcare services to victims of domestic and sexual violence. I appreciate the effort made by the subcommittee in the bill to add funding to bring funding for this program back to the FY 2017 funding level. Thank you for recognizing the need and prioritizing a response. But I think we must do better especially when you consider the staggering need here. The statistics (as incomplete as they may be) are frightening: American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.5 times more likely to experience violent crimes and at least 2 times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault crimes than people who are not American Indians or Alaska Natives. More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women, or 84.3 percent, have experienced violence in their lifetime. There are currently some 83 tribes, tribal organizations, Urban Indian Organizations, and IHS federal facilities that receive funds totaling nearly $12 million from this program. These include projects in my city of Milwaukee as well as in Alaska, Nebraska, and Oregon, among others. I understand the constraints that the subcommittee faces. The needs always outnumber the resources. But this is a pressing priority. This additional funding will hopefully allow for more grantees serving more tribal communities that can help begin to turn the tide. I know the chairwoman has been a champion for Native American communities and I thank her for her support of my amendment.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, my amendment would add an additional $5 million for DOJ grants to Tribal Governments to support the exercise special jurisdiction over those who commit domestic violence related offenses on tribal lands. Tribal sovereignty is absolute and non-negotiable. This amendment fulfills our trust obligation to our First Peoples. That is why in 2013, when I led VA WA reauthorization, I fought to grant tribes the ability to prosecute those who commit acts of domestic violence on tribal lands. This ability is essential to protecting American Indian and Alaskan Native women who currently experience the highest rates of domestic and sexual violence. Relying solely on federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute these cases has been wholly inadequate, allowing many to escape justice despite committing despicable crimes against Native women. With this year's VA WA reauthorization, we built on previous changes to allow tribes to act swiftly against those non-Native perpetrators who assault law enforcement, commit sexual violence, engage in sex trafficking, and engage in stalking. We need to give them funding to robustly carry out existing and new responsibilities. My amendment helps to that. I thank my cosponsors, Rep. Deb Haaland, and Rep. Sharice Davids, for their support and for working on this issue and I urge the House to support my amendment.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to increase funding for the Air National Guard's Facility Modernization and Sustainment account. I appreciate the support of the chairman for its inclusion in en bloc No. 2 to the Defense Appropriations bill. I am so proud of the work of the men and women in the National Guard, including in my home state of Wisconsin. Unfortunately, decrepit, outdated, and decaying Air National Guard facilities are a disservice to the men and women who put on the uniform. They deserve facilities that are up-to-date and which will help improve their ability to carry out their missions in defense of our nation and their communities. Yet, we know that such aging and inefficient facilities exist nationwide including in my district where the 128th Air Refueling Wing is operating out of a building which was built in 1970, has aging and hard to maintain critical building systems and where much of the current square footage is unusable. That's according to the Defense Department. This is not an isolated story which is why I think an increase here is necessary. I appreciate the chairman, in his mark, for boosting funding for this critical account. I applaud his recognition of the situation facing many Air Guard units across the country and his commitment to putting funding into this account. But the needs simply continue to outpace available resources. I am aware that there are National Guard units across our country that have worthwhile projects directly related to military readiness that they would like to pursue. This additional funding should be prioritized for projects that can help increase mission readiness at minimal additional costs to the taxpayers. For example, projects that would give help Air Guard units take advantage of and utilize available local assets such as national jet fuel pipelines to provide instant access to additional fuel reserves and provide a critical second, reliable, secure and convenient fuel delivery method that would help ensure that strategic missions such as refueling could continue uninterrupted should the primary method of receiving fuel be disrupted. Now that the House has approved my amendment, I would urge the Defense Department to utilize these additional funds for needed projects that directly sustain mission readiness and contribute to our national defense. The reality is that there are plenty out there. Again, I support the Chairman's mark and I am grateful for the inclusion of my amendment to help enable more projects that can build greater resiliency for execution of critical State and Federal Air National Guard missions.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, my amendment relates to the Centers for Disease Control, establishing a national standard for investigating childhood deaths from sudden infant death syndrome. The death of a child, Madam Chair, is always a tragedy, but the unexplained nature of some of these deaths only makes it harder for grieving families, as well as public health officials and policymakers who are working to prevent them. I have had the heartrending experience of walking into the home of parents who are grieving. That grief doesn't just begin when their infant dies, but goes on for a lifetime, wondering: Was it my fault? Could I have done something? Am I a bad parent? My amendment would help us better understand why thousands of infants between the age of birth and 1, and hundreds of children between the ages of 1 and 4, are still dying unexpectedly in our country. These deaths include those from sudden infant death syndrome. Scarlett Lillian Pauley was one of those children, Madam Chair. Scarlett loved her pets, including her dog, Stitch, who she called ``Sitch,'' and her cat, Colby, who she called ``Max'' or ``Maps.'' Scarlett loved to smile. She loved books. Her favorite book was ``Barnyard Dance'' by Sandra Boynton, which her mom read to her right before she put her to sleep on January 7, 2017. A few hours later, her mama went to check on her and Scarlett was not breathing in her crib. After being taken to the hospital, this beautiful 16-month-old baby was declared dead on January 8, 2017. That is just one story. In 2017, there were 3,600 infants who died suddenly and unexpectedly, according to CDC data, including 1,400 from SIDS. Right now, without a national standard for how to investigate these deaths, different States and different municipalities collect inconsistent and often incomplete data on these unexplained sudden deaths. That hinders the ability to find answers. I am so pleased that Chairwoman DeLauro has included funding in the base bill for the CDC to increase efforts to better train those who carry out stronger death investigations and improve data collection. Madam Chair, how much time do I have remaining?

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I thank the ranking member, Mr. Cole, who is a leading cosponsor of my stand-alone legislation to help families that see their children and infants die suddenly get some resolution. This is an example of smart investments in our healthcare sprinkled throughout this bill. Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, this amendment would provide $4.5 million in additional funding for the CDC's Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances, also known as DELTA, program to reach the level that the domestic violence advocates have made clear that they need to adequately support this effort. The DELTA program is dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence. While most Federal programs provide victim services, or hold perpetrators accountable, and train healthcare providers and others to spot or respond to domestic violence, the DELTA program works directly with over 50 communities nationwide to prevent first-time victims and to prevent first-time perpetrators of domestic violence. With one in three women and one in four men experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetimes, we need this funding now more than ever. This program works with stakeholders, activists, and mentors to teach youth about sexual assault and teen dating violence while promoting healthy relationships. This investment was important in my home State of Wisconsin, where the DELTA program created meaningful initiatives among our Tribal communities, like the Oneida's Wise Women Gathering Place and Milwaukee's own Diverse & Resilient organization that worked with LGBTQ youth on safe relationships. Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), chairwoman of the subcommittee.

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I rise to offer an amendment to add funding to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, this amendment to add funding to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration would support the distribution of fentanyl test strips by our State and local public health partners. Unintentional drug overdose deaths have climbed to record high levels, claiming around 70,000 lives in the United States in 2017. One of the drivers is fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is significantly more potent than heroin. Because fentanyl is so cheap and strong, dealers have an incentive to use it to cut drugs such as heroin and cocaine. In New York City in 2017--just to name one locality, but the story is the same in many other places--fentanyl was involved in 57 percent of all the drug overdose deaths. Between 2000 and 2012, that rate was only 2 percent, but in 2017 it was much higher. This crisis, a public health epidemic and emergency, means that we need to bring more tools to the fight. While some agencies, like the NIH, have noted the need to consider all evidence-based programs that can help address the damage being caused in our communities by opioids, others, like SAMHSA, have clearly not, which is troubling. In April, the NIH awarded a grant to the University of Kentucky that aimed at reducing opioid overdose deaths by 40 percent in 16 counties using evidence-based solutions. One of the evidence-based solutions that could be pursued would be using these funds in overdose prevention efforts, such as naloxone distribution and fentanyl test strip distribution. Unfortunately, it appears that SAMHSA has taken the opposite stance and has warned its grantees against funding such efforts. This is perplexing, Madam Chair, since it receives hundreds of millions of dollars from this Congress to address the opioid crisis, including overdoses. What is a fentanyl strip? Fentanyl strips are used to detect the presence of fentanyl in drugs. While there are other ways to detect the presence of fentanyl in drugs, testing strips are more sensitive and significantly less expensive than other methods. Madam Chair, studies have found this approach works to positively influence behavior. Recent studies have found that using these strips can be helpful to reduce fentanyl overdose risks, including leading some individuals to discard their drug supply or taking some other action to reduce harm to themselves. In one study, those who saw the positive results were five times more likely to change the way they used the drug in an effort to avoid overdosing, and so people want to make moral judgments about it. Sure, we need to provide rehabilitation services to people, Madam Chair, but it is impossible to rehab someone who is dead. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time, and I withdraw my amendment.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the career and ongoing legacy of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson, the first woman and longest serving justice on our state's highest court. Born and raised in New York City, Justice Abrahamson often says, ``At first I intended to be a teacher, but somewhere around 5 or 6 years old, I decided to be a lawyer, and when I really looked back to before wanting to be a teacher, I was going to be President of the United States, and don't count me out yet.'' Her path to the potential presidency led her to the Indiana Law School in 1953 after graduating magna cum laude from New York University. Justice Abrahamson was one of the only two women enrolled during a time when there were not a lot of women in the law practice. While attending, her fellow classmates stood in awe of her performance and ability to recite cases and make arguments. According to her it was often the gossip amongst the students that whoever finished top in the class would automatically get an offer from large leading Indianapolis law firms, but the Dean thought that they wouldn't hire a woman. Despite that belief, she persisted, graduating with high distinction from the Indiana School of Law, she was then hired and quickly promoted to partner at a law firm in Madison, Wisconsin. As she continued her private practice, Justice Abrahamson served as a professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Her career would be redirected in 1976 when she was appointed to be an Associate Justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Justice Abrahamson would be repeatedly elected to 10- year terms on the bench with clear majorities each time and would be later sworn in as Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1996. When she joined the court, she was given a voice--a voice that she was never reluctant to use. At times when our state and court's fundamental values were continuously challenged, she expressed her views off the bench when necessary. She is an unshakable defender of progressive values, a protector of victims and a voice who fought against the special interests, and corporate wrong-doing. She is a judicial heavyweight, one of the most respected justices in United States history, and a trailblazer for women everywhere. Justice Abrahamson often says that her accomplishments are due to the generations of women who blazed that trail so that she can walk on it. However, Madam Speaker, in a time when very few women were in the law practice, she took that risk, picked up the mantle and continued to pave the way so women like myself, in this Congress and across the nation could walk on it. As Justice Abrahamson heads to retirement, her absence will leave a void in our state, but the legacy she leaves behind will inspire generations to come. Madam Speaker, Justice Shirley Abrahamson has helped change the course of American History for the better, and I applaud her for everything she has contributed to the state of Wisconsin and our nation.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, here we are, yet again, to extend block grants to States for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Act through September 30, 2019, this time in the form of H.R. 2940. I support that initiative. However, with the reform of ``welfare as we knew it'' pre-1996, instead of helping people out of poverty, as the narrative goes, we have created a permanent underclass of primarily women workers who have been denied education, denied training, and denied childcare while being required to work at below-subsistence levels or, worse, forced to engage in work activities with absolutely no compensation, which is violative of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery and uncompensated work. Mr. Speaker, our so-called welfare reform can more accurately be described as ``welfare deform,'' given the flagrant flaws that amount to government-sanctioned child abuse--for example, the requirement to work without guaranteed, safe, and affordable childcare, and the imposition of time limits during countercyclical episodes, like the one we saw during the Great Recession. Mr. Speaker, I have drafted a bill called the RISE Out of Poverty Act that would do more than just extend TANF. It would reform it by stipulating that reducing child poverty and securing childcare while the parent is at work would be the primary purpose of TANF. We would lift people out of poverty. The block grants would be spent on programs that would alleviate poverty, not on projects like filling the holes in a government's budget. While I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2940, I also encourage us, Mr. Speaker, to roll up our sleeves and get to work and craft an overhaul of this program that would fix the shortcomings that exist in the TANF program we now have.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership and for moving this bipartisan legislation forward. This is really a necessary step to ensuring that more Americans can save for retirement. I also commend the chairman for his swift action to redress the harsh tax rate and unintended consequences caused by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 on Gold Star families, low-income children, and young adults who receive payments from Tribal governments. Our special tax rules on unearned income of children and young adults to prevent wealthy families from engaging in tax planning to artificially lower their tax burden, of course, is not relevant to these payments made to Gold Star families, survivor benefits, and Tribal children. The 2017 rate repeal only partially addressed an underlying problem where additional legislation is required relative to Tribal youth. Mr. Estes and I introduced bipartisan legislation, H.R. 2018, to fix the underlying problem of the kiddie tax on taxable disbursements made by Tribal governments. So, Madam Speaker, I ask the chairman to tell Members of this Chamber and the Tribes who are watching closely throughout the country what his intentions are relative to the underlying problem with the kiddie tax.

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, this is a first step toward meeting our trust obligations to the sovereign first peoples of this country. I thank the chairman for yielding.