Gwen Moore

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, I just want to thank the gentleman, again, for his support of this amendment. I think that America's motto, E Pluribus Unum--out of many, one--will really be honored by this reporting requirement which I believe will provide information that will move us closer to an election process that is truly inclusive and accessible for all Americans. That is what makes democracy work. Madam Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my deepest condolences to Mrs. Rochella Scales and her family on the loss of Milwaukee's ``Godfather of Soul'', Harvey Scales. Harvey was born in Osceola, Arkansas, on September 27, 1941, and passed away on February 11, 2019. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, relative and friend to many here in Milwaukee and around the world. Harvey's family moved to Milwaukee when he was a young child where his father found work at American Motors. He attended both Roosevelt Junior High and North Division High Schools. For over 60 years, Harvey Scales has entertained us all beginning as a teen with doo wop bands in the 50's with such renowned Milwaukee contemporaries as the late Al Jarreau until he ultimately formed the band, Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds in 1961. Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds' first gig was at the Wisconsin State Fair. Harvey was able to perform in places in Milwaukee and Wisconsin where African Americans were not allowed and sought to break barriers through his music by playing at venues that drew an integrated crowd. He was signed at various record labels over the years including the legendary soul labels of Chess and Stax. Harvey was signed by Casablanca Records after co-writing the platinum-selling song ``Disco Lady'' in 1976 for Johnny Taylor. In fact, it would be the biggest hit of Taylor's career, and the first song certified as platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Casablanca Records released Harvey's albums ``Confidential Affair'' in 1978 and ``Hot Foot: A Funque Dizco Opera'' in 1979. Harvey proved himself to be more than an entertainer; he was also a person who endeavored to unite everyone through the love of music. He was both a social and a fun person to be around; he had friends throughout the industry including MC Hammer and the late Aretha Franklin to name but a few. Harvey continued to perform well into his 70s; in fact, one of his last shows was at Summerfest in 2017. The songs he wrote would be later sampled and recorded by a new generation of musicians including the Beastie Boys and Pete Rock. Harvey leaves family and friends to cherish his memory including his wife Rochella Scales; Children: Tonya Stoudermire, David Vela, Daniel Vela, Dorothea Felder, Theresa Sheppard, Rodney Sheppard, Cornell Scales, Eric Scales, Harvey Scales, Jr., Jewel Henry, Kim Brown, Michael Brown, Rochelle Brown, Michelle Brown, and Bobby Brown; 40 grandchildren and a host of other relatives. Harvey Scales, my friend and fellow Blue Devil will be greatly missed because of the positive impact he left on the lives of so many. While his death leaves a huge void, he will be remembered for his lifetime as a music artist who continues to inspire future generations. The legacy of his music continues with his son, Harvey Scales, Jr., rapper JR Scalez who collaborated with his father, as well as, the many musicians who continue to both perform and record his music. Madam Speaker, Harvey Scales has positively impacted the 4th Congressional District, the State of Wisconsin and the world. As family and friends gather to remember and celebrate the life of this loving and remarkable man; I applaud him and his legacy.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Chair, let me thank the gentlewoman for offering this amendment, along with our other colleagues, to H.R. 1112 that would simply require the Department of Justice to release a report analyzing the effect of this bill's provisions on the safety of the victims of domestic violence, domestic abuse, dating partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Madam Chairwoman, I am here on the floor today with the hopes that my colleagues will listen to the 10 million men, women, and children who experience domestic violence each year. Domestic violence is a horrible scourge, and the presence or possession of a gun only worsens these tragedies. You heard my colleague, Representative Porter, say that women are five times more likely to die or be killed in a domestic violence situation if a gun is owned, which is one of the reasons, Madam Chair, I have introduced legislation to help incentivize States to adopt laws that ensure that we do everything to take guns from those with a court restraining order or other protective order. I hope, Madam Chair, that my colleagues will listen to the one in three women and one in four men who have been victims of intimate partner violence. I sure hope that my colleagues will listen to me as one of the 4.5 million women who have experienced gun violence firsthand. There is much discussion in these Chambers about a national emergency. Gun violence and domestic violence are a national emergency, and that is why we have offered this amendment so that our laws actually reflect the realities. The data collected will be critical to inform Congress about ways to prevent needless tragedies in our country, and to help us evolve in a way that will more accurately protect our constituents.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, this week, I introduced the Corey Adams Searchlight Act and I rise to urge my colleagues to support this legislation which would establish a national Green Alert system at the Department of Justice to provide assistance and support to regional, state, and local officials as they work to help locate missing veterans. This legislation is a practical step toward bringing missing veterans home safely. This issue was brought to my attention by my constituent Corey Adams. When Corey went missing, his family knew that something was wrong-- Corey left his eyeglasses, phone, money, and medications at his parent's home, where he was last seen. Despite his family filing a missing person report within hours of his disappearance, it took eight days before the police determined he met the critical missing persons' criteria. On April 7, 18 days after his initial disappearance, Corey Adams' body was recovered from a pond in a local park just one mile from his mother's home. After this tragedy, my state of Wisconsin became the first state to create a green alert system modeled after the ``Amber'' alert system which has proven effective at galvanizing public attention around abducted children. And the system has already been used to help locate missing veterans. Delaware quickly followed and more and more states may follow yet. I would like to thank the bipartisan cosponsors that have joined in this effort so far, Representative Filemon Vela, Raul Grijalva, Derek Kilmer, Frederica S. Wilson, Hank Johnson, John R. Moolenaar, Donald M. Payne, Jr., Dan Kildee, Mark Pocan, Ron Kind, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Steve Cohen, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Debbie Dingell. The bill has also garnered the endorsement of Rolling Thunder National, Inc. Madam Speaker, members of the military do not leave their fallen behind in battle and we should not do so when they come home. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation and to work with me to see that it is enacted in the 116th Congress.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man of faith, Henry Lee Jones. He was a husband, father, grandfather and entrepreneur from the Fourth Congressional District of Wisconsin. Henry Lee Jones was born on July 19, 1943 in Aberdeen, Mississippi to the union of Elloyd and Rohdana Jones and passed away on February 18, 2019. Mr. Jones moved to Milwaukee in his late teens and was employed by A. O. Smith as a welder for 12 years. In 1975, Henry and Bobbie's Bungalow was established on the corners of 14th Street and Keefe Avenue in Milwaukee. The restaurant featured specialties such as a variety of soul food, BBQ seafood and scrumptious desserts. The Bungalow's signature dessert is peach cobbler. The Bungalow Restaurant provided catering services to many individuals in the community, as well as businesses and organizations. One of the most famous organizations he catered to was the Green Bay Packer franchise. In fact, as quoted in the Shepherd Express Newspaper, ``The authenticity of Bungalow's Southern-styled menu heavy on pork, chicken, beef and fish has even captured the attention of the Green Bay Packers. Members of the Green & Gold have had Bungalow employees truck their soulful grub to Green Bay for many years now. Whether ordered from Lambeau Field or the Bungalow's cozy brick building, options abound. You'll find relatively rare dishes such as oxtails and smoked ham hocks in addition to more common fare like fried chicken, steak and catfish. And though the Bungalow staff takes pride in making healthy meat and sides, including yams, turnip greens and okra, one can still order ``gravy, gravy and more gravy.'' Even if you don't spot a Packer on a day you visit this establishment, you can still enjoy the many autographed photos on the walls. As a successful entrepreneur, he was inspired to expand his business to other locations across the city of Milwaukee and Kenosha. He was never a complainer but rather a doer. Mr. Jones' children share his passion and continue to carry on his legacy and business. He married Bobbie Jones on July 29, 1967 and their union was blessed with 5 sons: Henry, Jr., Milton, Rodney, Demetrius and Lavial. Henry was preceded in death by his parents. He leaves many family and friends to cherish his memory including his wife Bobbie Jones and Children: Mitch Malone, Richard Jones, Henry Jones Jr., Milton Jones. Demetrius (Nichole) Jones and Lavial Jones; Siblings: Dorothy (John) Williams, Delores Tools, Elloyd (Parline) Jones, Yvonne Jones; Grandchildren: Latoya (Emmanuel) Amoah, Deaquann Forrest, Vegas Jones, Naytosha Jones, Xavier Jones, Corey Malone, Britany Malone, Marcus Malone and Cortez Malone; 6 great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives. Henry had a significant impact on the community who not only enjoyed his cooking but his loving and joking spirit as well. He was a pillar of the community, the patriarch of his family. I have known Mr. Jones for over 30 years, well before I began my legislative career and he was my friend. He has made a positive impact on Milwaukee and it is truly an honor for me to pay homage to someone who has contributed so much to Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, for these reasons I rise to pay tribute to a man whose legacy will continue to benefit the Fourth Congressional District.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I missed Roll Call vote number 72 on February 8, 2019. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chairman, I will be brief. The lack of childcare is a serious barrier to workforce participation. But the lack of childcare is also a significant barrier to obtaining good healthcare, which is why I am so grateful that we are taking this step today to make it less so for our Nation's veterans who are in dire need of critical services at their VA. My amendment is simple, Mr. Chairman. First, it requires the VA to report on the use of this new benefit broken down by region. We need to have hard data about usage to gauge the effectiveness of this program. Secondly, it requires a biannual report from VA on other childcare barriers besides the financial assistance we are providing today that may be hindering veterans' access to care. Now, while this bill may get us down the road on improving care, there may be other barriers to childcare that remain: the lack of transportation, as an example; availability; or access to providers. While this bill is progress, we can't rest until all of the barriers to quality and affordable childcare for veterans seeking services has been addressed. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, how much time do I have remaining?

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano), the distinguished chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, I do want to thank the chairman for his support, and I want to thank Members of the minority for their support. This is so very important. I look forward to working with the chairman in this Congress to continue to ensure that the Veterans Administration has the capacity and the resources to do right by our veterans, to respect the rights of its union employees, to provide the needed services, and as you mentioned earlier, to make sure that they get critical healthcare. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I oppose U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. I am a cosponsor of legislation that would make that crystal clear to this Administration. At the same time, I strongly and unequivocally condemn reported acts of violence that have been carried out by security forces against Venezuelans peacefully exercising their fundamental civil rights, including to protest. We must find other ways to continue to express our nation's legitimate concerns, as well as that of the rest of the international community, about the attacks on human rights and democracy underway in that nation. I am aware of the demonstrations that Venezuelans, opposed to Nicolas Madura and his cronies, have held amid a deep and ongoing political and economic crisis. While continuing to condemn violence against protestors and attacks on basic democratic rights and institutions, the U.S. must also press for multilateral diplomatic actions to help create the conditions for a peaceful return to democratic order in Venezuela. Additionally, any sanctions (either bilaterally or multilaterally) imposed against Venezuela must be targeted at government officials and coordinated to avoid worsening the country's dire humanitarian emergency. And let's be clear, sanctions are not an end to themselves and do not substitute for smart and disciplined diplomacy. The U.S. should support international efforts to achieve a negotiated resolution. Rather than trying to repeat all the mistakes of our failed foreign policy of the past in this region, I urge this Administration to engage with other partners in order to best facilitate a return to democracy. Lastly, I share concerns about the individual, Elliott Abrams, appointed by this Administration to serve as a ``special envoy'' to Venezuela. His history, particularly with regards to his views on U.S. policy in this region, disqualify him to serve as an impartial implementer of a strong diplomatic effort to reach a peaceful resolution. Among other concerns, this individual was twice convicted of lying to Congress and has long held troubling views on how the U.S. should engage with governments in the region with which it disagrees.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleague from Missouri in asking my colleagues to support H.R. 430 and to vote ``yes'' on this legislation. Now, this is just a short-term, 6-month extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program because we could not sign off on the negotiated 2-year extension from the omnibus. Therefore, the program has lapsed, and it is imperative that we move this legislation quickly, get it cleared through the House, sent over to the Senate, and signed into law. Needy Americans are relying on us to do this. There are several States that have absolutely no TANF dollars, zero carryover funds to insulate against the prospect that this reckless shutdown will persist and impact our most vulnerable citizens. While my State is not one of the 23 States that have less than one quarter of Federal TANF funding in reserve, our reserve is not gigantic. At the current spend-down rate of funds in Wisconsin, we are projecting that these funds will only last until early May, so this is of some urgency. Just let me remind you, Mr. Speaker, about the importance of extending this program. This bill will allow HHS to send States, Tribes, and territories overdue funds that they depend upon to help level the playing field for struggling parents trying to work and to support their families, tools like childcare assistance, transportation, job training, money for basic needs, and services like food and diapers. I want to remind you, Mr. Speaker, that three-fourths of current TANF recipients are children, usually living in poverty with their parents or grandparents. Mr. Speaker, as a former welfare recipient who rose out of poverty with the help of cash assistance, SNAP, and higher education, I understand how critically necessary it is for Americans to have access to our Nation's safety net known as TANF. Mr. Speaker, I will never forget the spring of 1996, when Wisconsin Governor Tommy G. Thompson decided to end welfare as we knew it. I was a State senator at the time. I stood on the floor and filibustered until the wee hours of the morning with 100 amendments. Then in the fall of 1996--it was a gigantic error of judgment, in my estimation--Congress, on a bipartisan basis, followed Governor Thompson's lead and replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children with TANF, a program that turned into a block grant, having absolutely no connection with people's ability to get work. It imposed work requirements, whether there was any viable work there or not. It limited educational opportunity for women, thus creating a permanent underclass of workers. It does not provide promised childcare and training, the very things that are most helpful for helping people get employed. While this proposal has been adopted by Congress and signed into law, I have known, since 1996, that I would spend the rest of my career trying to right-size this program and make sure that the program not only met people's basic survival-level needs but actually worked toward helping people lift out of poverty. I am looking forward to this 116th Congress, when we can reenvision welfare reform, because this imperfect program needs to continue to assist struggling families to meet those basic needs. Forty-three million Americans currently live in poverty and some in extreme poverty. I remind the Speaker that our Nation is only as strong as its most vulnerable population. Instead of criminalizing welfare recipients and creating more barriers for the poor, we must help lift them up so that they, too, can escape poverty, join the economy, and add to our tax base. Let's pass this bill, and let's use the next 6 months provided by this legislation to work together to enact long-overdue changes to TANF that will restore childcare, incentivize education, and move away from punitive time limits. I ask my colleagues to vote for H.R. 430, and then I urge them to join me in reenvisioning the program.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in supporting House passage today of the long overdue FY 2019 Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill which will help bring an end to the reckless shutdown for the agencies, programs, and federal employees that are covered by this measure. We need to pass this bill today, and the Senate needs to follow suit, to help stave off some of the worst consequences that face some of the most vulnerable as a result of the President's reckless decision. If the partial government shutdown, which the President is so proud to have caused, continues there may not be sufficient appropriations for food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to provide full benefits or any benefits. USDA recently announced it was making moves to try and delay the inevitable for these programs. But that is just a stall--one of the many desperate actions by an Administration apparently just now starting to realize the damage it is inflicting across America. To make his case, the President held a national press conference earlier this week to sell his made up ``crisis'' along the Southern border. A ``crisis'' that experts say is not happening. Border apprehensions are at lows not seen in nearly two decades. The ``crisis,'' if any exists, is his policy of denying asylum seekers their legal right to make their claims. President Trump inflicted this chaotic shutdown on the American people to try and bully the nation into building his vanity wall. Well, let me tell you about the real crisis that he is creating in millions of households across the country from the dedicated federal employees who have been sent home without pay or those working without pay who are wondering how they will pay rent or their mortgage and their bills now that the federal government has broken faith with them. Or the real crisis this Administration is creating for the millions of families and individuals who depend on SNAP and WIC to help keep food on the table. In my home state, that includes hundreds of thousands of women, children, seniors, low-income military veterans, and the disabled who are already struggling. These harms aren't hypothetical, folks. Hunger is real in our country and millions of Americans are struggling to put food on the table. And the Trump Shutdown is only making it harder to do. One estimate is that if USDA does not have enough funding on hand to pay full benefits and provide partial funding spread evenly across all SNAP households, it would result in an average benefit cut per household of at least $90 or close to 40 percent. Similarly, benefits available through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are at risk. WIC is such an important program that helps provide targeted nutrition and other services to at-risk women. This program has helped improve breastfeeding rates among its target population and saves lives and money for the taxpayer. Over 7 million mothers, pregnant women, and children rely on WIC. WIC clinics are currently open and operating normally but that funding will run out if the shutdown continues. If the shutdown continues as long as the President wants it to, WIC agencies may be forced to start waiting lists for benefits, freeze new applications, furlough staff, or close clinics in the face of declining or no funding. And even with doors open, the uncertainty created by the shutdown may be discouraging eligible individuals from reaching out to WIC for support, undermining the program's purpose. And we will all pay in the end if taxpayers have to bear health care expenses and other costs for individuals that could have been avoided. The bill before us, that the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved last year, will ensure that these critical benefits continue to be paid and that families can continue to put food on the table. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, being sort of last in this debate gives you an opportunity to hear all of the arguments. The question has been asked: Why should we allow Speaker Pelosi to intervene? Well, she authored the bill. We need her to defend this bill, and we believe that she has standing. Another question that was raised was about an initiative that was offered last week and that this is just a theater here today. Well, I was here the 60-plus times that we tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act. That is the true theater. And let me tell you something, Madam Speaker. Why do we think that there was such a strident effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act? Because our colleagues have told us it cost a lot of money, and we have tried to prevent insurers from maximizing their profits. And how do they maximize their profits? By denying the sickest people with preexisting conditions--like the people I met today, the kids with neurofibromatosis, a serious illness that causes tumors all through your body and causes you to wake up in pain every single day--if you can get rid of them, then you won't have to pay much money; to impose lifetime limits on coverage not just for people under the ACA, but for everybody, including those folks who get employer-based insurance. Why have they tried to deny health coverage to consumers, to provide essential health benefits? Because they want to provide these skeletal benefits, this fig leaf of provisions for folks. So I think that we need someone like Speaker Pelosi to intervene, and I think that she should have standing, and this body ought to authorize it.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, on December 12, 2018, I missed Roll Call Vote 434. As I argued on the floor during debate on the rule for the bill, had I been present, I would have voted YES on the farm bill conference report

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding, and I commend my colleagues of the farm bill conference committee in both the House and the Senate for strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and rejecting harmful cuts and onerous hurdles that would have made efforts of struggling families working to escape poverty more difficult. This conference agreement very specifically protects SNAP's categorical eligibility. What a victory we have won by not throwing 235,000 children, including 23,000 in my home State of Wisconsin, off school lunch, as the House bill proposed. It rejected language to impose a lifetime ban on SNAP assistance for individuals reentering the community from incarceration. It rejected harsh work requirements and extremely limited time restrictions proposed in the House bill, which would have left millions of Americans hungry and vulnerable. And as a true compromise, Mr. Speaker, nobody got everything they wanted. For example, we still must work to strengthen access for seniors and people with disabilities who face difficulties participating in SNAP. That is a fight that we are going to continue to fight in the next Congress. But for the meantime, let's not have the perfect be the enemy of the good, and let's celebrate that we won't be taking food off the table for millions this holiday season.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 434.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Trudy Lee Caldwell. She was a veteran, social justice activist, devoted daughter and sister. Trudy was born on September 19, 1967, and passed away at the age of 51 on November 7, 2018. She was born in Madden, Mississippi, raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from James Madison High School. She enlisted in the United States Army in 1985 after graduating from high school. At the end of her initial enlistment, Trudy attended and graduated from Fayetteville State University (FSU) cum laude. While in attendance at FSU she served as both Student Government Association Present and student representative on the University's Board of Trustees, became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Program and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. Trudy Caldwell's assignments during her military service spanned the globe and only accentuated her worldwide perspective in approaching issues. She was selected for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Office of the Secretary of Defense Internship Program. This internship Program led to assignments with the Joint Staff and the Army's Congressional Liaison Office. It was my pleasure to first meet Trudy while she was assigned to the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Army's Congressional Liaison Office in 2004. Under the auspices of the JCS, Office of the Secretary of Defense Internship Program, Trudy completed her Master's Degree from Georgetown University's highly venerated McCourt School of Public Policy. She also served a work placement in my congressional office as part of her graduate studies concentrating on Veteran's Issues; Trudy was a valuable asset bringing her knowledge and years of military service to assist the staff and constituents of the 4th Congressional District. Major Caldwell lived life to the fullest and I was pleased to celebrate her 50th birthday with her and other friends two years ago in Milwaukee. Trudy achieved one of her goals to establish the Myrick Woodley Leadership Institute. The Institute mission is to inspire and empower youth in the greater Milwaukee area to develop to pursue STEM careers in nontraditional sectors. Youth would be exposed to opportunities at home in Washington, DC. The youth would become informed and engaged world citizens and leaders while carrying out her vision greater exposure and growth for youth. Major Caldwell retired from active duty in 2009 after an accumulated service of 20 years. After retirement, she continued her public service as a Department the Army Civilians and worked for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army in procurement where she worked until her transition. She leaves behind many friends, admirers and family members to mourn her passing including: her mother Eliza B. Myrick; sisters Hope Myrick and Charlotte Woodley, a niece and nephew. Major Trudy Lee Caldwell made a positive impact on Milwaukee Wisconsin and the world. I am proud to call Trudy my friend. Mr. Speaker, for these reasons I rise to pay tribute to a woman whose legacy will continue to benefit the Fourth Congressional District for years.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the House's action last Friday to pass legislation (H.R. 6014) to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, FVPSA, a bill that was introduced with bipartisan support by Rep. Glenn Thompson, myself, and Reps. Elise Stefanik and Lisa Blunt Rochester. I am pleased that the House, on a bipartisan basis, was able to reach agreement and expedite passage of this key law. I again want to thank Rep. Thompson, Rep. Stefanik, and Rep. Blunt Rochester for joining with me and their hard work in getting us to this moment. FVPSA, originally enacted in 1984, is at the heart of our nation's response to domestic violence, ensuring that local domestic violence shelters and programs are able to keep their lights on and doors open to serve more than 1.3 million victims and their children every year. FVPSA funds nearly hundreds of community-based programs. These programs provide emergency shelter, counseling, legal assistance, crisis intervention, and domestic and dating violence prevention education. FVPSA also provides funding for tribal governments to deliver essential services to survivors and supports the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which is often the first call made by survivors. H.R. 6014 would simply extend the current programs at current funding levels through FY 2023. It's critical to remember that the most dangerous moment for women experiencing intimate partner violence is that point in time when they decide to do something about their situation, and that is the point in which there has just got to be a resource there. That is what the programs and funding through FVPSA helps to provide. Mr. Speaker, recent high-profile cases have brought a national focus on domestic violence, but such violence isn't limited to Hollywood. The #MeToo movement has given all survivors a renewed courage to come forward for help. I cannot underscore enough that it is critical that Congress act to ensure that the resources and supports are in place to help them when they do. Passing FVPSA is a good step forward. In that vein, I hope my colleagues will take the next step and bring VAWA reauthorization legislation (H.R. 6545), introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and myself and over 170 of our colleagues, that would strengthen and improve those critical programs, to the floor as quickly as possible. No more needless delay. I applaud colleagues on both sides for their work to help move this commonsense and noncontroversial bill out of the House last Friday. While we can't end every single act of violence, we must help create the space and the opportunity for these victims to be able to come forward and to leave these situations. I hope that the Senate will act expeditiously to send this bill to the President's desk for signature into law.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, hallelujah. Let the Republican majority tell it. The American people are just going to be so thrilled with tax scam 2.0 where we permanently lock in obscene tax advantages for corporations and the wealthy, where we lock in inequality, where we directly threaten Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Now, Mr. Speaker, the American people are just going to be bereft of this economic security and retirement security, but they are going to spontaneously break out in a Depression-era George Gershwin opera, like I did on the stage of North Division High School: I got plenty o' nuttin', And nuttin's plenty for me. I got no car, got no misery. Meanwhile, the folks with plenty of plenty are getting 80 percent of this tax cut, increasing the debt by another $3 trillion in just 3 years' time. Mr. Speaker, no singing, no dancing, no tax scam. My constituents want our country's wealth back.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the renowned Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum. On November 3, 2018, the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Much of the success of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum can be attributed to its founder and Director, Clayborn Benson III. He worked as a photojournalist for 39 years at WTMJ-TV News. When Benson was an adult student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1987, he produced a documentary, ``Black Communities,'' for a film class. The three-part film follows a grandfather as he shares stories with a young girl about black history in the United States, Wisconsin and Milwaukee. The project reignited Benson's love of history. In producing the documentary Benson discovered that the records and documents concerning the history and roots of African American people in Wisconsin were widely scattered and poorly preserved. Benson felt the stories had to be told. The Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum, located on the corners of North 27 and West Center Streets, opened its doors and its heart to the community, city and state in 1987 and remains at this location. In 1988, the Museum became an affiliated member of The State Historical Society. The building, constructed in 1898, was the Engine No. 2 Fire Station. It was converted into the Center Street Library in 1928. Mr. Benson founded the Society/Museum to instill cultural pride and self-worth based on the premise that a people who know their history will grow to love and appreciate themselves more. The mission of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum is to document and preserve the historical heritage of African descent in Wisconsin. The Museum exhibits, collects and disseminates materials depicting this heritage. The Society/Museum serves as a resource center for all people interested in Wisconsin's rich African American heritage and encourages and promotes family, community and cultural activities. He not only teaches at the museum, but also at schools. Further, he encourages people to write down their own stories, so they can be passed down for generations. Mr. Benson really loves history and states that history fits his spirit and understands this is what he was supposed to do in this lifetime. The Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum is a true Wisconsin treasure. The Society/Museum through its many exhibits has shown despite the limitations often placed upon them, African Americans were pioneers, leaders and great contributors to the growth of this nation and to the settlement of Wisconsin. They were men and women who made enormous impacts, strived for freedom, and were leaders in our community. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum hails from the 4th Congressional District and I am pleased to give praise to Clayborn Benson III on their 30th anniversary. I wish them many more years of success.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to join me on a bipartisan basis as cosponsors of the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act. This bill is intended to help us to better understand why infants die between birth and age 4 so that we can take preventive action that is effective. Mr. Speaker, I have had the unfortunate experience of walking into the home of parents who are grieving, and 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? They never get the answers. Do you realize, Mr. Speaker, that currently we have absolutely no national guidelines for death scene investigations to follow when responding to an infant death? This means that different States and different municipalities all over the country collect inconsistent and, often, incomplete data on these unexplained sudden deaths. If we can't even collect good and consistent data, how can we expect to reverse this trend or even to prevent it? I am ashamed to say, Mr. Speaker, that the infant mortality rate in the United States is 5.8 deaths per 1,000 live births. This is really unacceptable. When you disaggregate these numbers for Native American babies and Black and White babies, we find that Black babies die at a rate three times the national average. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that really means that over 23,000 infants have died of sudden infant death syndrome. In 2015, about 3,700 infants died suddenly and unexpectedly. Think about that: 23,000 deaths and parents who spend a lifetime in grief wondering why. This is a public health crisis when you consider that, in developed countries, we are number 19 for preventing these kinds of deaths. My bill not only provides resources to invest in the CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration to train first responders to improve death scene investigations, to do child death reviews, and to promote safe sleep practices, but it also provides educational opportunities for parents as well. Mr. Speaker, these deaths are preventable, and we need to do everything in our power to give parents the knowledge and tools they need to achieve healthy outcomes and educate them on safe methods for handling their children. I encourage my colleagues to imagine how many babies' lives we can save by simply investing in the right programs to prevent their deaths. Please join me in cosponsoring this bill and supporting its swift enactment into law.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Brigadier General (Ret.) Robert Andrew Cocroft, U.S. Army veteran who passed away on September 12, 2018. He was born to Willie Tilmon Cocroft and Louise Cocroft (Gee) on November 16, 1946, in Conway, Mississippi. The Cocroft family settled in Milwaukee in 1947. Robert received his formal education in the Milwaukee Public School system and was a fellow graduate of North Division High School in 1965. In 1966, while attending the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on a football scholarship he was drafted into the U.S. Army but opted to attend Officer Candidate School to become an infantry officer. He was a Vietnam-era veteran who served overseas duty in the Republic of Korea. He joined the 84th Division of the Army Reserve in Wisconsin and climbed the chain of command until earning the rank of Brigadier General. At the conclusion of his military career, he was the Assistant Division Commander of Operations for the 98th Division having commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels over his 40 years of active and reserve military service. He officially retired in 2006. At the time of his passing, he had served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit Center for Veterans Issues, Ltd. (CVI) for over 14 years. In addition to advocating for the needs of veterans, CVI services include housing for low-income, homeless, minority and women veterans including their families. CVI is distinguished as the largest private provider of transitional housing and permanent supportive housing for veterans in Wisconsin. Robert served as Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs from 1994 to 2002. He had the overall responsibility for the Department's day-to-day operations, which included administration and management of 900 full-time employees, departmental administrative services, as well as, coordination and direction of strategic planning and program development. Robert was the immediate past National Commander of the National Association of Black Veterans (NABVETS) which was established in 1973, through the combined efforts of Robert Cocroft, Willie Sims, and Thomas Wynn (deceased) to advocate on behalf of its members. NABVETS currently has chapters in 80 cities throughout the United States and is certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a claims representative for veterans. He was a life-long learner and continued his training/education while working and going to school full-time to earn a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business Management, Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Officer Candidate School, U.S. Army Paratrooper Airborne School, and the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, P A. Robert leaves behind his beloved wife of 49 years, Jacqueline D. Cocroft to mourn his passing. Additionally he leaves a strong legacy of leadership for his children, Dianna Killins (Cocroft), Robert H. Cocroft and his adopted daughter Annette (Michael) Miller, Grandsons-- Devin Tyree Cocroft, Isiah H. Cocroft, Robert T. Cocroft, Jonavan M. Cocroft, Michael A. Killins, Malik A. Killins, Mekhi A. Killins. Granddaughters--Arianna I. Cocroft, First Lieutenant Michelle A. Killins, USAR. Great-grandchildren--McKayla A. Killins and Morgan A. Killins and a host of other family and friends. Brigadier General (Ret.) Robert Andrew Cocroft was a true servant leader, as demonstrated by his commitment to veteran affairs, as well as, serving on numerous boards and committees both locally and nationally. Robert was my friend and a Milwaukee and Wisconsin treasure. I valued his service to the 4th Congressional District, including his service as Co-Chair of the 4th Congressional District Academy Advisory Committee, his commitment to building safe transitional housing for veterans in the district, and his advocacy on behalf of low-income minority and female veterans. I urge my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in a salute to late Brigadier General (Ret.) Robert Andrew Cocroft.

Ms. MOORE

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Phil Neuenfeldt who is retiring as President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO after 8 years of service in the role. Phil began his career on the shop floor in the manufacturing sector, as an active member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. He held various positions of leadership in his local union, including Chair of the bargaining committee where he fought for fair contracts and improved health and safety conditions for fellow workers. Prior to his election as President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, Phil served as both the Secretary-Treasurer and Legislative Director there. As Legislative Director, Phil Neuenfeldt worked tirelessly to strengthen the Wisconsin labor movement. He advanced a working family agenda which included: expanded ability for workers to organize, protected prevailing wage, defended the Family and Medical Leave Act, promoted teaching labor education in schools, pushed for fair tax codes and closing of corporate loopholes, fought against the privatization of public service jobs and promoted the creation and retention of manufacturing jobs. Phil as President was a central member in the broad coalition that was created to fight back against egregious attacks on labor in 2011 and 2012, and served as a spark that reignited our labor movement in Wisconsin, the nation and around the world. Phil has been a proponent of developing strategies to upgrade worker skills and address changes in technology and the economy including initiatives such as the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership and Worker Centered Learning initiatives that are now national models for training and job creation. He knew the labor movement must continuously evolve in order to stay relevant in today's fast-changing workforce environment. Further, Phil's vision for the labor movement extends beyond current union members and he continually took on projects that not only expanded the sphere of solidarity but improved the lives of all working families. He knows that a key to long-term prosperity and a viable middle-class is a dynamic public and manufacturing sector which is why Phil sought to bridge gaps between labor and the community by advancing economic development projects that benefited both union workers, as well as, the community at large. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call Phil Neuenfeldt my friend, he is a veteran and a father with deep roots in this community. I am pleased to recognize his strong fidelity to both the labor movement and its mission. I have known Phil for over two decades beginning while he served as Legislative Director and was always a welcomed visitor to my State Senate office. He willingly shared with me and my staff, both then and now, his knowledge and valuable insights about labor and many other issues. The citizens of the Fourth Congressional District, the State of Wisconsin and the nation have benefited tremendously from his service because he has fought for the AFL-CIO mission: to raise wages, improve workplace safety, protect worker freedom to collectively bargain and for strong contracts that build strong communities to mobilize union members and community partners to advocate for social and economic justice and strive daily to vanquish oppression and make our communities better for all people--regardless of race, color, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, or ethnic or national origin. I am honored for these reasons to pay tribute to Mr. Phil Neuenfeldt.