Grace Meng

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Korea's March First Movement Day. On March 1, 1919, the Korean Declaration of Independence, inspired by President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points and the first of a people to self- determination was read aloud in Seoul for the first time. Korea's hard-fought independence would not have been possible without brave and committed activists like 16-year-old Yu Gwan-sun, who gave her life in the name of independence and died from the injuries she sustained while she was imprisoned. Yu became the face of the Korean independence movement, giving speeches at rallies that drew thousands of participants. Korea's March First Movement inspired other non-violence and independence movements around the world, including the important work of Mahatma Gandhi. Madam Speaker, I am proud to have introduced a resolution last week that celebrates this history with my new colleague--Congressman Andy Kim of New Jersey. This resolution recognizes the impact of all youth human rights activists; the indelible contributions of Korean Americans to the vibrancy of United States society, politics, culture, and the economy; and reaffirms the U.S.-ROK alliance as the lynchpin of U.S. engagement in Northeast Asia. Thank you for joining me in honoring this important and historic day.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 4,000 veterans who participated in the nuclear cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, the site of 43 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands. The servicemembers who participated in its nuclear cleanup between 1977 and 1980 suffer from high rates of cancers due to their exposure to radiation and nuclear waste. That is why, on February 26th, I introduced the ``Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act''. This bill would permit veterans who participated in the nuclear cleanup of Enewetak Atoll to be treated as ``radiation-exposed veterans.'' This change in law will allow servicemembers who performed the largest nuclear cleanup ever undertaken to receive the medical care they now need for service- connected cancers and diseases. Current law only covers servicemembers who participated in active nuclear tests, not those who participated in the cleanup. These veterans served our nation with honor and distinction, but are currently unable to receive the same treatments and service-related disability presumptions that other ``radiation-exposed veterans'' receive. Madam Speaker, of the 4,000 veterans who risked their lives on the radiological cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, only about ten percent are alive today. These survivors, who are now in their late 50s and 60s, have cancer and are fighting for their lives. This legislation is named after the late Rep. Mark Takai--a veteran of the U.S. Army and Hawaii Army National Guard who passed away in 2016--and who originally introduced the bill in the 114th Congress. Madam Speaker, my hope is that Congress will finally right this wrong, and help the men and women who sacrificed their youth and health in service of this great nation.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Don Capalbi, my longtime staff member who also served as a civic leader in my district in Queens, New York. Don passed away at local hospice facility in the early morning hours of December 2, 2018. He had been hospitalized at Northwell Health after sustaining a head injury from a fall. Don was my Community Liaison from 2013 to 2018 and he served in the same capacity when I was a member of the New York State Assembly from 2009 to 2012. My staff and I are devastated by his loss. Don worked tirelessly for the people of our Congressional district. He was an integral part of my team, providing me with information and advice about community issues, and representing me at civic meetings and local events. These included everything from community board and civic group meetings to press conferences and public ceremonies. One of the most recent issues he helped resolve was for the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3427 where he helped save costly fines. Don was a longtime resident of the Queensboro Hill neighborhood, a residential community in Flushing, Queens. In 2009, he became president of the area's civic group, the Queensboro Hill Flushing Civic Association. Don reinvigorated the organization and fought tremendously for the community. He dedicated countless hours to preserving and improving the quality of life in the neighborhood and tackled numerous causes. He fought against excessive airplane noise, advocated for traffic and transportation improvements, pushed for beautification enhancements and partnered with local schools and libraries on a variety of projects. He also worked to combat the increase of overdevelopment and many newspapers, from the Flushing Times to the New York Times, highlighted his efforts on the issue. In addition, Don was a member of many other community organizations in the Flushing area including the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, New York Hospital Queens Community Advisory Council, 109th Precinct Community Council, Kissena Corridor Park Conservancy, Lions Club, Knights of Columbus and the NAACP. But Don was much more than a terrific civic activist and staff member. He was also a great human being; a wonderful and special person who was selfless and full of life, and one of the kindest, friendliest and gentlest people I've known. He touched and impacted so many lives and was loved, admired and respected by all with whom he worked. Rarely did I see him without a smile on his face. Born on March 2, 1945, Don was raised in Astoria, Queens. His mother Gaetana was an immigrant from Italy, and his father Frank hailed from Indiana. Don graduated from La Salle Academy High School and went on to attend Long Island University where he earned a degree in Business Administration. An only child, Don was primarily raised by his mother; his father passed away when he was just 10 years old. Don loved his mother dearly and he cared for her as she grew older. With his help, she lived to the ripe old age of 103. At the 1964-1965 World's Fair at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Don worked at the restaurant that was part of the famed Rheingold exhibit, and the job planted a seed for a career he had in the restaurant and food service business. While working at the World's Fair, Don saw firsthand the popularity of the Belgian waffles that the Fair helped introduce to the nation. Showing what a visionary entrepreneur he was, Don purchased two mobile food trucks and used the vehicles to sell the famous waffles to the public, a venture that lasted several years. Later on, Don supervised restaurant groups for Restaurant Associates Industries in Manhattan, and Inhilco division of Hilton International, where his responsibilities included the operation of six restaurants in the World Trade Center. Don then opened the Border Cafe on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and later the College Green pub on Kissena Boulevard near Queens College. In addition, inspired by his love of travel, Don launched Away U Go Travel, a travel agency for people with disabilities. Despite Queens being the home of the New York Mets, Don was a diehard Yankees fan, and often discussed his fondness for the Bronx Bombers and the game of baseball. He loved all types of food from soup dumplings to pasta, enjoyed traveling--particularly on cruises--and was proud of his Italian heritage. He was also a fan of Caribbean music. But above all, he loved Queens. He had a deep affection for the borough he called home and always embraced its diversity, history and culture. I thank Don for his many years of dedication, and I will always remember his unwavering commitment to our constituents, and his many efforts to make our Congressional district a better place for all who live and work in west, central and northeast Queens. His contributions will have a lasting impact for many years to come. There are so many wonderful words that can be used to describe Don. Simply put, he was a class act; a decent and honorable person and a man of great integrity who served his community and our district with tremendous distinction. Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in praising the work and dedication of Don Capalbi. He will be sorely missed but the legacy of his service, and the contributions he made to help others, will never be forgotten. He will remain in our hearts forever.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in honor of Women's Entrepreneurship Day which is celebrated around the world each year on November 19th. Women are majority owners of 9.9 million American businesses which generate $1.4 trillion in annual sales and employ more than 8.4 million workers. Ninety-nine percent of women-owned businesses are small businesses, and 47 percent of all American minority-owned businesses are also women-owned. I applaud these women entrepreneurs and their economically-vital businesses. I applaud Wendy Diamond, who has personally spearheaded the Women's Entrepreneurship Day movement. Since her campaign launched in 2013, her Women's Entrepreneurship Day organization has funded 500 Syrian refugee girls in Jordan so they could attend high school, launched an initiative in Oman to empower women and girls to vote against arranged marriage, and partnered with a Uruguayan university to offer scholarships to young women. Women's Entrepreneurship Day is now celebrated in 144 countries and 65 universities and colleges internationally, with numerous global ambassadors. The Women's Entrepreneurship Day mission is to empower the four billion women worldwide to be catalysts of change, and uplift the over 250 million girls living in poverty around the world. This week, Ms. Diamond is hosting a Women's Entrepreneurship Day event in New York City at the United Nations in order to empower, celebrate, and support women and girls globally to alleviate poverty. During this event, Ms. Diamond and her organization will be honoring the following individuals with the following awards: Anna Sui--fashion designer and founder, Anna Sui brand--Fashion Pioneer Award. Eileen Murray--Co-CEO, Bridgewater Associates--Financial Pioneer Award. Shannon Dellimore--Co-Founder, GLAMGLOW--Beauty Pioneer Award. Shanu Hinduja--Chair, Hinduja Bank in Switzerland; Chair, Hinduja Foundation US; and Co-Chair and Director of Hinduja Global Solutions Inc.--Philanthropy Pioneer Award. Princess Martha Louise of Norway--Chair, Princess Martha Louise's Fund--Political Pioneer Award. Kathleen King--Founder, Tate's Bake Shop--Culinary Pioneer Award. Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk--President and Co-Founder, Memnosyne Institute, and President and Co-Founder, The John Philp Thompson Foundation--Civic Pioneer Award. Shelley Zalis--Founder and CEO, Online Testing Exchange, and Founder and CEO, The Female Quotient--Technology Pioneer Award. Mr. Speaker, I urge the entire House to recognize these remarkable role models, and to celebrate Women's Entrepreneurship Day this year and every year moving forward.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, Adelaide Margaret Connaughton, of Forest Hills, New York passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 12th, 2018. Adelaide was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 24, 1958 to Veronica (Ronnie) and Kenneth Connaughton. Adelaide Connaughton was a long-time community activist who participated in New York City politics and civic activities since she was 15 years old. In high school, Adelaide worked as an intern for then Assistant Queens District Attorney, Geraldine Ferraro, and went on to work for several elected officials, including the first Lesbian Latina member of the New York City Council, Margarita Lopez. Prior to joining the staff of Council Member Lopez, Adelaide served as a Lieutenant for the New York City Emergency Medical Service of the Fire Department of New York and retired after 20 years of service. She also briefly sold real-estate, and achieved ``million dollar'' agent status at a local real estate firm. Her last position before she passed away in May 2018 was as a Senior Entitlement Specialist for the Fortune Society, a non-profit organization with a 50-year track record of providing those in the criminal-justice system with the supportive, wrap-around services needed to thrive as positive, contributing members of society. At Fortune, Adelaide provided assistance to formerly incarcerated men and women, and supported them as they re-entered society. In her spare time, Adelaide loved to be with family and friends and held many volunteer political and civic positions in New York City. Adelaide has always demonstrated a passion for helping the most vulnerable among us, particularly homeless LGBT youth. At Safe Space, a non-profit organization dedicated to families and youth, Adelaide worked in the LGBT Division where she helped link homeless LGBT youth to supportive care. Using political action to fight for progressive causes important to the LGBT community and all New Yorkers, Adelaide has served on the Board of Governors of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC and the Executive Board of AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC). Adelaide was also a founding Vice-President of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club. From 2012 to 2018, Adelaide and her West Highland Terrier, Elvis, participated in a therapy dog program sponsored through the Auxiliary of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi. Adelaide and Elvis visited patients once a week at Jacobi to help with their healing process. In addition, they visited patients in the psychiatry department once a month at NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx. For all of this effort, Elvis and Adelaide were the first dog/human team to receive an Auxiliary Award from NYC Health + Hospitals. Adelaide lived with her life-partner, Lynn Schulman, and their dog Elvis in Forest Hills, Queens, NY.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month to honor my constituent and ovarian cancer survivor, Janet Baglieri. For as long as Janet can remember, she's had a sour stomach. That's why in 2010, when she experienced prolonged periods of abdominal bloating and cramping, she initially didn't think much of it and simply chalked it up to her long history of stomach sensitivity. Eventually, after months of discomfort, she went to the doctor who referred her to a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. It was during this routine colonoscopy that doctors discovered Janet's ovarian cancer, and in August of that year she was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer. After undergoing surgery, doctors removed two large masses from her ovaries and performed a full hysterectomy. During Janet's battle with ovarian cancer, she received genetic counseling and testing and discovered that she carries a BRCA2 genetic mutation. In contrast to other cancers, there is a much stronger hereditary component in ovarian cancer. Inherited genetic mutations cause roughly 20-25 percent of ovarian cancer cases compared to 5-10 percent of cancer cases overall, and BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the commonly inherited genetic mutations that cause ovarian cancer. While genetic information is ideally applied in the context of cancer risk management and prevention, it increasingly plays a role post- diagnosis in guiding treatment options. Such is the case with Janet, who recently began taking PARP inhibitors after being diagnosed with a recurrence. PARP inhibitors are an emergent class of targeted therapies that work by blocking the growth of cancer cells and are typically taken long-term. For BRCA positive women with ovarian cancer like Janet, PARPs have proven to be a lifeline. Today, Janet is an 8-year survivor. She has experienced the ups of remission and the downs of recurrence, all the while showcasing bravery and strength throughout her journey and never missing a beat in taking care of her family. Sharing stories like Janet's is an important way to spread awareness not only this month, but every month. Awareness is particularly impactful when it comes to ovarian cancer because there is no effective screening tool. It is notoriously hard to diagnose and progresses quickly and aggressively, often with vague or altogether absent symptoms. As a result, most ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in the late stages, when treatment options are limited and chances for survival are diminished. Less than 50 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer live five years beyond their diagnosis. Janet is beating the odds and serves as an inspiration to all of us. In honor of Janet and every other woman who has faced an ovarian cancer diagnosis, I support designating September as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Queens Jewish Community Council (QJCC), an organization that serves as a non-political, non-partisan body for communication and action for the residents and organizations of Queens. Since it opened its doors in January of 1968, the QJCC has been a tireless advocate, and dedicated in its service to, the Greater Jewish community in the borough of Queens. Mr. Speaker, I believe that thanks in part to the tremendous efforts and commitment of the board members' staff and volunteers led by Executive Director Cynthia Zalisky and President Michael Nussbaum, the QJCC has truly established itself as a beacon of chesed in our local Queens community. Unwavering in its advocacy, the QJCC continues to fight for those in need, especially the many families who are battling hunger and poverty. Each year more than one-thousand of the Jewish poor, elderly and homeless turn to the QJCC for its limitless compassion and support services. The Queens Jewish Community Council has not only cultivated a reputation for investing in its community, but also for being able to provide social services to those in need to improve their quality of life regardless of race, creed, age, religion, color, disability, national origin, sex or marital status. Responding to the needs of its community, QJCC provides immigrant services, kosher meals-on-wheels, a food pantry, medical insurance facilitation, domestic violence counseling, and much more. Through this multitude of top-notch programming focusing on the economic, social and cultural well-being of the Jewish Community, the QJCC has established itself as a leading voice for its local constituency. I am proud to stand to commemorate the Queens Jewish Community Council's 50th anniversary. I look forward to seeing what the future will bring for this trailblazing organization

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Ryan Scott Graham as the commander of the Queens County Council of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Ryan graduated from John Adams High School in Ozone Park, New York in 2001. He then enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served from 2002 to 2008. While in the Air Force, Ryan was deployed to Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His honorable service included working as a stock control technician at Hurlburt Field to provide support for 257 special operations forces, and as a computer systems analyst at Langley Air Force Base to provide support for 136 combat air force units across the globe. For the last four years, Ryan has tirelessly advocated on behalf of the veterans of Queens County as commander of the Queens County Council VFW. During his time as commander, he diligently worked with local, state, and federal government officials to promote legislation benefiting veterans and improving VA services. Ryan is committed to helping his fellow veterans and will continue in his role as a legislative advocate for the VFW and the veterans of Queens County. Ryan is extremely well-respected in the Queens County community and is very attentive to the needs of his local veterans, providing them with the resources and support they need. When WWII veteran Leonard Miller's flagpole was destroyed twice by two major storms, Ryan and the Queens County Council VFW came to his aid and replaced the flagpole allowing Mr. Miller to again proudly display the American flag. For his service to the veterans of Queens County and to our country, I ask all of my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Mr. Ryan Graham.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Susan Wu Rathbone also known as ``Auntie Wu,'' for her tireless efforts supporting the Chinese American community. Susan is widely recognized for her long record of helping Chinese immigrants transition to life in the United States. In our community, she has been hailed as a ``very special lady'' and ``one of the unsung heroes'' of Queens. She comes from Anhui Province in China. She met and married her husband in China, and immigrated to the United States in 1946. In 1947, Susan established ``Auntie Wu's Hotline'' which aided many Chinese immigrants as they settled in America. Susan embodied the spirit of empathy and worked to make sure Chinese immigrants had the tools to succeed. After creating Auntie Wu's Hotline, she went on to establish Chinese Immigrant Services which offers education programs for Chinese immigrants. Susan has also been a strong supporter of women's rights. She founded the Queens Chinese Women's Association which has helped the careers of many Asian American women leaders. She also became the first Chinese woman to receive the Susan B. Anthony award from the National Organization for Women--New York City in 1987, the Emigrant Award from the Emigrant Savings Bank in 2001, and was honored by the Queen's Borough President for her service to Queens in 2003. Her work made Queens, New York a better place. I urge all of my colleagues to rise with me as we celebrate the amazing life of Susan Wu Rathbone.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is a simple one. The entire text reads as follows: The FAA Administrator shall develop global-scale probabilistic convection guidance capability. In plain English, this means that the FAA would be required to develop the capability to predict where convection occurs so that aircraft can avoid it, if possible. Atmospheric convection is thought to induce a significant proportion of turbulence experienced by commercial aircraft, and that turbulence, even if only moderate, can lead to passenger and crew injuries and can result in high insurance costs for airlines. The FAA has been doing a commendable job of developing the capability to produce probabilistic forecasts of domestic oceanic convection over a 36-hour timeframe, but work remains to be done to improve this capability globally. The FAA would like to pursue further work in this area and has the hope of possibly achieving this capability by the end of 2020. In order to support this effort, I believe Congress should fully authorize the development of this important capability, and after doing so, it should adequately appropriate funds to accomplish the mission. Should this amendment pass today, I am committed to fully supporting the FAA's work in this arena through my seat on the Appropriations Committee. I know we would all like a smooth flight in and out of D.C. each week. Let's extend that possibility as often as possible to the American public seeking to cross an ocean or other continents on their travels. If you want your constituents to have smoother flights, I urge you to vote in favor of this amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment that I think every Member of this body can support, no matter how they intend to vote on final passage of H.R. 1638. This amendment simply seeks to insert a single new requirement into the report required by H.R. 1638, and that new requirement is as follows: ``an assessment of the impact and effectiveness of U.S. economic sanctions programs against Iran.'' Whether you voted for the Iran deal or against it, or whether you think economic sanctions are an effective diplomatic tool or something that sounds better than it is, I hope Members will support this amendment. We should make evidence-based policy decisions in this body, whenever possible, and, toward that end, we should know whether or not the sanctions that we pass here work. If we are going to require a new report from the Treasury in this bill, and that report must include ``a description of how Treasury assesses the impact and effectiveness of U.S. economic sanctions programs against Iran,'' I think it is only appropriate to ask for the assessment itself; and that is what this amendment does. Let me put it another way. Understanding how we count votes in America is important, but at the end of an election, I want to know the final tally. Who won? Who lost? What did we learn? Similarly, I think it is important that if the Treasury is going to have to produce a new report on sanctions against Iran pursuant to H.R. 1638, that we understand exactly how the Treasury intends to assess the impact and effectiveness of those sanctions. Even more importantly, though, I think this report should include the results of that assessment, particularly when it comes to sanctions we have authorized. That is all this amendment seeks to require, and I hope everyone in this body will support it. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in honor of Women's Entrepreneurship Day which is celebrated around the world each year on November 19th. In honor of this day, I am introducing a resolution to recognize November 19, 2017 as ``A Day in Honor of Women Entrepreneurs''. Women are majority owners of 9.9 million American businesses which generate $1.4 trillion in annual sales and employ more than 8.4 million workers. Ninety-nine percent of women-owned businesses are small businesses, and 47 percent of all American minority-owned businesses are also women-owned. I applaud these women entrepreneurs and their economically-vital businesses. Today, I also applaud Wendy Diamond who has personally spearheaded the Women's Entrepreneurship Day movement. Since her campaign launched in 2013, her Women's Entrepreneurship Day organization has funded 500 Syrian refugee girls in Jordan so they could attend high school, launched an initiative in Oman to empower women and girls to vote against arranged marriage, and partnered with a Uruguayan university to offer scholarships to young women. Women's Entrepreneurship Day is now celebrated in 144 countries and 65 universities and colleges internationally, with numerous global ambassadors. The Women's Entrepreneurship Day mission is to empower the four billion women worldwide to be catalysts of change, and uplift the over 250 million girls living in poverty around the world. Tomorrow, Wendy will be hosting a Women's Entrepreneurship Day event in New York City at the United Nations in order to empower, celebrate, and support women and girls globally to alleviate poverty. Joining her for this amazing event will be: Mikaila Ulmer--12-year-old founder of Me & The Bees Lemonade and successful Shark Tank contestant on ABC; Jesse Draper--founding partner of Halogen Ventures; Dia Simms--CEO of Combs Enterprises and Board Member of the Harlem Boys and Girls Club; and Baroness Sandip Verma--European Union External Affairs Subcommittee Chair and Member of the House of Lords. In addition to bringing these incredible women together, Wendy and her organization will be honoring the following individuals with the following awards: Dottie Herman--Founder, President, and CEO of Douglas Elliman-- Business Pioneer Award. Lucy Jarvis--First woman television producer, Peabody Award winner-- Media Pioneer Award. Suzanne Lerner--President and Co-Founder of Michael Stars, Board Member of Women Thrive Alliance--Fashion Pioneer Award. Sonia Gardner--President, Managing Partner, and Co-Founder of Avenue Capital Group and Global Chair of the Board of 100 Women in Finance-- Financial Pioneer Award. Bobbi Brown--CEO of Beauty Evolution and former CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics--Beauty Pioneer Award. Muna Rihana Al-Nasser--Chairwoman of the UN Women for Peace Association--Philanthropy Pioneer Award. Judith Ripka--Luxury jewelry designer and founder of Judith Ripka-- Accessories Pioneer Award. Angie Bastian--Founder and Board Member of Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP-- Culinary Pioneer Award. Sara Bareilles--Singer, songwriter, six-time Grammy nominee, Broadway musical writer and composer--Music Pioneer Award. Andrea Kerzner--Founder and CEO of Lalela Project. Co-Creator of themoreweshare.com, and Director of the Board of Kerzner International Holdings--Artist Pioneer Award. Mr. Speaker, I urge the entire House to recognize these remarkable role models, and to celebrate Women's Entrepreneurship Day this year and every year moving forward.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 623.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague, The Honorable Joseph Crowley, to recognize the 80th anniversary of Queens College, an institution of higher education in Queens that provides an exemplary education to nearly 20,000 students annually. Queens College opened its doors on October 11, 1937, and ushered in the first class of students to the first public college in Queens. On the first day of classes, Queens College President Paul Klapper remarked, ``We are the pioneers of a new institution. We have no history to look back to, but we can look forward to progress.'' Mr. Speaker, I believe that President Klapper would be proud to see the remarkable progress that Queens College has made. The Princeton Review has continuously commended the college for offering a world- class education by an illustrious faculty for an affordable price. It is no wonder that it places in the top 1 percent of colleges that successfully move its students from the bottom-fifth income distribution percentile to the top-fifth income distribution percentile. In its eighty years, 160,000 students have become alumni. Some have earned Pulitzer Prizes, Emmy Awards, becoming CEOs, or achieved scientific breakthroughs. As an alumnus himself, I know that Congressman Crowley is proud to join me in commending Queens College for its steadfast commitment in ensuring that students reach their potential. Queens College has not only cultivated a reputation for investing in student success, but also for being one of the most diverse colleges in the country. Students who are currently enrolled are from 170 countries and speak over 110 languages. Queens College offers 69 undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences. In its eighty years of operations, the college has become a cultural hub for students to pursue and achieve academic success in Queens. I am proud to stand with Congressman Crowley to commemorate Queens College's 80th anniversary. I look forward to seeing what the future will bring for this trailblazing beacon of higher education.

Ms. MENG

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chairman, I rise as the designee of the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham), and I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chair, this amendment seeks to increase funding for the Women's Bureau within the Department of Labor by slightly more than $1 million and would decrease funding for the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Prices and Cost of Living Division by the same amount. This increase would restore the proposed cut the underlying bill would make to DOL's Women's Bureau while still allowing the BLS Prices and Cost of Living Division to be funded at almost $3.5 million above the current enacted funding level and more than half a million dollars over the President's request for the coming fiscal year. For those who might be unaware, the Women's Bureau within the Department of Labor conducts research to help departmental agencies develop policies that advance the interests of working women. It plans and executes research and advises other agencies on the structure and implementation of a wide range of worker programs. Unfortunately, the President's budget request for next fiscal year sought to cut more than three-quarters of the existing staff within the Bureau as well as almost $9 million. Thankfully, this bill does better than the request. My simple hope is that we can go one small step further and fund this program next year at the level it is currently funded at. That is all my amendment seeks to do. I urge my colleagues to support funding for the Women's Bureau within the Department of Labor at existing funding levels while offsetting this change with funds in a manner that still permits the BLS Prices and Cost of Living Division to be funded almost $3.5 million above the current enacted level and almost half a million above the President's request. Mr. Chairman, I urge support for this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate the importance of the Department of Labor Women's Bureau. I believe that our government, especially, should have whatever advice, suggestions, and research that is needed to help all departmental agencies develop policies that further advance the interests of working women. Women currently in our country make, on average, 77 cents to every dollar that a man makes, and that amount is even lower for women of color. This Bureau would work on issues surrounding equal pay, employment rights of pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding in the workplace, paid family leave, and apprenticeships for women and women of color. These are important issues, and our government needs to do better, and I believe Members of both parties should care about this issue. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey).

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chairman, again, I urge support for this amendment. My amendment simply seeks to fund this program next year at the level it is currently funded at. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. MENG. Mr. Chairman, I rise to encourage my colleagues to support my amendment, which simply increases funding for the Behavioral Health Workforce and Training program by $5 million. This is a reasonable show of support for this important program, which saw its funding cut in half in this bill. The Behavioral Health Workforce and Training program supports education and training for careers in behavioral health at institutions of higher education and through professional and paraprofessional training programs, with a focus on rural and medically underserved communities. This program was created as part of the 21st Century Cures Act in response to the significant nationwide shortage of behavioral health providers. According to SAMHSA, 55 percent of U.S. counties do not have a practicing behavioral health provider, and 77 percent of counties reported unmet behavioral health needs. These statistics would be alarming at any time, but they are particularly concerning in the midst of a national opioid epidemic. A 2016 Surgeon General's Report found that only 10 percent of people with a substance abuse disorder receive any type of specialty treatment. Additionally, 60 percent of adults with a mental illness didn't receive mental health services in the previous year. This lack of access to services has severe consequences for the individuals seeking treatment, their families, and our communities. When they don't have access to treatment, individuals with behavioral health needs receive a whole different set of services. Jails and sometimes emergency rooms become the de facto behavioral health system. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to make this important investment in the behavioral health workforce, and I yield back the balance of my time.