Joseph Morelle

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I think the bill which the gentleman references was just introduced. We haven't had a markup or discussion, but I do note he should read his own bill. It says ``up to $5,000,'' which can be anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000, so I think he misunderstood the bill that he has introduced. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I suggest to the gentlewoman that she support this bill, which provides training and resources to assist State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies in understanding, detecting, deterring, and investigating acts of domestic terrorism, as we saw demonstrated just this past weekend in our State, a State that she and I both live in, in Buffalo, New York, where members of the Buffalo Police Department faced great danger. These are the kind of resources we want to give, the kind of resources embodied in this bill, the kind of resources that the bill envisioned 2 years ago when Members of this House by voice vote approved this bill. We want and welcome their support for this bill. Let's get at it, and let's make sure that we are really helping law enforcement at the local level, at the State level, and at the Federal level deal with the emerging threats of domestic violence and domestic terrorism. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I don't want to belabor what I have said repeatedly. What we saw last week and what we continue to see around the country as it relates to domestic terrorism deserves and demands our attention, and the seriousness with which the American people have trusted us, the responsibility of finding solutions to these problems. I appreciate my colleagues may not support that. They may not want to stand with us as we try to fight domestic terrorism and the rise of white supremacy. They may not want to address members of the Black community in Buffalo being targeted, and members of the Black community in Rochester being targeted, and people around the country being targeted. But to continue to avoid the question and create misdirection, I think people tuning in would have a hard time understanding what it is we are doing. Let's be clear. We are trying to address, in the most serious way we possibly can, the rise of domestic terrorism. We are asking for support for our Federal agencies to get them better coordinated. We are asking for more resources for State and local law enforcement agencies to confront these challenges. If you don't want to stand with us; that is okay. If you want to go back and tell people back home why you don't think domestic terrorism-- which rises--demands the attention of the Congress; that is okay. But continuing to come and try to create misdirection, and to continue to try to confuse people about what is going on is a disservice to the millions of Americans who give us the awesome responsibility of watching out for their communities and their families. Let's just be clear about what we are doing today and what the choices are and what the vote is and what the bill is before the House. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I find it incredibly insulting that anyone would suggest that I would smirk about the rape of a 10-year-old girl. I find it disgusting. I find the gentleman should offer an apology. This is a serious matter. That is why we are here. We have solemn obligations. We should take them seriously. No ranting is necessary. No accusations. And certainly not insults being thrown about on the floor of the House of Representatives. I am incredibly dismayed that the gentleman would say anything even remotely like that. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues for their words in support of the rule before us today. As I mentioned earlier, we have before us relatively simple measures that take action to both support working families and protect our communities from domestic terrorism and violent extremism. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle can attempt to misdirect and confuse and make accusations and hurl insults all they want, but the reality is we are presenting concrete proposals to address issues facing our Nation that should be noncontroversial. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act will allow law enforcement to better deter acts of domestic terrorism. The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act will ensure that Big Oil cannot record historic profits at the expense of everyday Americans. The Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act will help provide much needed relief for parents struggling to find formula for their children. I look forward to supporting all three bills on the floor. I appreciate my colleagues. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question. Amendment to House Resolution 1124 At the end of the resolution, add the following: Sec. 6. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the bill (H.R. 7809) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for law enforcement officer bonuses. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary; and (2) one motion to recommit. Sec. 7. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 7809.

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the extraordinary and impactful life of Gloria Langston, community advocate, and cofounder of Rochester's first Black-owned radio station, who sadly passed away last week. Founded in 1974, WDKX was one of the first Black-owned stations in New York State. Their call sign is a tribute to Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X, demonstrating their commitment to uplifting the Black community. Together with her husband, Andrew Langston, Gloria established WDKX as a fixture in the Rochester radio space, bringing people together and keeping our community engaged. My heart goes out to her beloved son, Andre, and the entire Langston family during this difficult time. May you find peace in knowing her legacy will live on through the good works of those she has inspired.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1033 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), my colleague and friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, this morning the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1033, providing for consideration of H.R. 3807, the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022 under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Small Business, self-executes a manager's amendment from Chairwoman Velazquez, and provides one motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to adopt the rule and support critical funding for restaurants and other small businesses across our Nation. As we all know, small businesses--especially restaurants--are the backbone of our local economy. Not only for the revenue they bring in, but for the many local workers they employ; families that need their paycheck now more than ever. But sadly, restaurants have been some of the hardest-hit businesses throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and many have struggled to keep their doors open. Many of us have made a promise to support workers, families, and businesses in their time of need, and that is why we established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund in the American Rescue Plan, which provided $28.6 billion in emergency assistance to eligible restaurants, bars, and qualifying businesses impacted by the COVID crisis. This program was clearly a success, providing relief to more than 100,000 restaurants and food and beverage businesses across the Nation. Some recent estimates show the program saved over 900,000 jobs, and 96 percent of recipients said the grant made it more likely they would stay in business. However, there is no question that our initial investment was not enough. The program ran out of funds in just 3 weeks, as the total funding requested exceeded $72 billion, far more than the $28.6 billion provided for in the American Rescue Plan. This funding gap resulted in 178,000 restaurants who are unable to secure funding in this program, even though they applied to the program and met all of the eligibility requirements. Let me say that again, 178,000 restaurants, many of which are in danger of permanent closure if Congress does not provide them with the relief they need. The underlying legislation, the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Businesses Act, would provide for $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, giving the Small Business Administration the funding necessary to close this funding gap and process the applications of those entities who are deemed eligible in the initial application period, providing a lifeline for the restaurant industry that has faced so many challenges over the past 2 years. In addition to this critical funding, the underlying legislation also provides $13 billion for a new Hard Hit Industries Award Program, which will grant much-needed relief to other small businesses across industries and sectors that were the hardest hit by the pandemic but were not eligible for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund or Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. This new program would prioritize those eligible small businesses that experience the heaviest pandemic-related losses, beginning with those that lost 80 percent of their revenue. To pay for both the establishment of the new program and the replenishment of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, this bill would use funds reclaimed, seized, or returned to the Federal Government from bad actors attempting to defraud previous recovery programs. Back in October 2020, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General had already identified $78 billion in potentially fraudulent loans and grants to ineligible entities, and more than 300 individuals have been brought to justice. This legislation also increases oversight and audit requirements, ensuring that this additional support goes to the businesses originally intended to receive assistance. Mr. Speaker, I have always been an advocate of additional support for the restaurant and hospitality industry, and many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have demonstrated support for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, as well. I hope we continue to see bipartisan support for this effort on the House floor. I urge all of my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation to deliver critical funding for restaurants and small businesses in communities across the country. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I always appreciate hearing from my colleagues and a distinguished member of the Rules Committee, Mrs. Fischbach. I do note, however, a couple of things before I yield some time. The first is that as it relates to how the bill is funded, as I indicated, the inspector general himself, that office, indicated there is $78 billion in fraudulent claims that are being recouped by the Federal Government. This bill will cost $42 billion for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund replenishment, another $13 billion, $55 billion. There is plenty of money in those reclaimed dollars to be able to pay for this without having to appropriate new dollars. So this actually should be in line with the principles of some of our more conservative Members to have claimed dollars that are owed to the United States and to its taxpayers. Secondly, as it relates to workforce shortages, and I think we all know in every industry, and the businesses I talk to back home, are struggling to find workers. Yet, I note yesterday in the Education and Labor Committee, of which I am a member, that we didn't get a single Republican vote for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA's reauthorization, which will do great things to continue to move people into the workplace as quickly as possible. Yet, we received no support for that. So we are going to continue to work on these issues here in this Congress. We are going to continue to lead. This majority is going to continue to look out for small businesses, it is going to continue to look out for people looking for work, and it is going to continue to look out for employers who face worker shortages. So we will continue to support this, and I believe this bill will be a great victory for the 178,000 restaurants who desperately need our support. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier), a fellow member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to just reiterate, this is really a simple issue. And there may be attempts to distract from what is a simple issue, but the Office of Inspector General indicated that we had $78 billion in fraudulent claims. That is an estimate. Some estimates range as high as $200 billion. It seems silly to me that we wouldn't take advantage of those dollars which are being reclaimed to continue to try to get relief for the many, many tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of restaurants and their employees across the country. And I dare say that when I talk to--I have sat down with many, many restaurant owners in the last several months who had made application, and, simply, didn't have the resources in the fund that we had allocated to get relief, continue to talk to me about this. So this is really a very, very simple question. I know there are a lot of complicated, nuanced questions around here in Congress that we are always dealing with. This is a simple one: Do we want to help these small businesses, or do we choose not to help them? And I think we would argue here that they very much deserve and merit this support. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross), another distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, frankly, I am a little perplexed. I think when I get home and talk to my restaurant owners, they are going to say: Why were you having a conversation about something not related to the restaurant revitalization act? I will explain to them that as much as I would like to get into a conversation about how Putin's aggressive actions in Ukraine have affected gas prices around the world, as much as I would like to have the conversation about oil companies that have decided to continue to reap record profits and not increase supply to meet the demand around the world, as much as we can talk about all those things, that is not why we are here today. We should have that conversation in an appropriate venue. This conversation and the venue right now that we are in is to talk about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. It is to talk about the 178,000 restaurants owned by Republicans, Democrats, and Independents all across America in every single district that we have the privilege of representing. Every single district has restaurants, and that is what we are here to talk about: how to get relief into the hands of those individuals who, for 2 years, have struggled under the most difficult economic circumstances any of us could ever imagine. Let's make sure we keep our eye on the ball. Let's continue to focus on the question in front of the House. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), my friend and distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I do want to just correct the record as it relates to the Energy and Commerce Committee. I think, just this morning, the committee held a hearing with the heads of oil companies, multinational oil companies, to bring them in to talk about why they refuse to increase supply, which would bring down the costs. I didn't do exceptionally well in economics when I was in the State University of New York, but I do remember the old supply and demand issue. When demand is high and supply is low, prices rise. We are going to continue to work and push and urge those companies to increase supply to meet demand and bring the costs down. There is not much we can do about what is going on in Ukraine, although we are desperately trying to help our brothers and sisters there defend their democracy, which has had an incredible impact on gas prices. Let me also remind everyone who is tuning in, who is watching what is going on, that the issue before the House of Representatives today, the rule that is being considered, is dealing with the difficulties that have been faced by restaurants across this country during the pandemic, which has now lasted for nearly 2 years: the displacement of workers and the impact that it has had on communities all across this country. We are striving to achieve a solution here that will be good for everyone across all 50 States and these small businesses that continue to be the backbone of our local economies. Mr. Speaker, I have been very grateful for the leadership of Mr. Blumenauer, who has led the charge on this issue for some time now. I think I have probably bothered him dozens of times to ask what we can continue to do to advance his efforts, and he has continued to provide leadership. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from the State of Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I will say this, that I suspect when, hopefully, this bill becomes law and we have helped save the 178,000 restaurants around this country that a number of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will be taking credit for it. I hope many of them vote for it despite their unwillingness to really have a conversation about it today and to talk about extraneous issues. Before I reserve the balance of my time, I include in the Record a January 24, 2022, article from CNBC entitled ``National Restaurant Association asks Congress for more grant money as omicron hits industry.'' [From CNBC, Jan. 24, 2022] National Restaurant Association Asks Congress for More Grant Money as Omicron Hits Industry (By Amelia Lucas) The National Restaurant Association is asking Congress to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund as the Covid omicron variant hits operators' businesses. Last year, lawmakers created the $28.6 billion fund to aid bars and restaurants struggling in the wake of the pandemic. The grants were designed to make up for a restaurant's full pandemic losses of up to $5 million for a single location or $10 million for a business with fewer than 20 locations. Publicly traded companies were ineligible, but their franchisees could still apply. Since the fund was depleted, restaurants have been pushing for Congress to replenish it. Several lawmakers have introduced legislation to do so, but the bills haven't gained traction, and the Biden administration hasn't appeared interested in supporting the measures. But the latest surge in Covid-19 cases and its impact on restaurants could change minds. The National Restaurant Association's latest survey of operators found that 88% of restaurants saw indoor dining demand wane because of the omicron variant. More than three- quarters of respondents told the trade group that business conditions are worse now than three months ago. And the majority of operators said their restaurant is less profitable now than it was before the pandemic. ``Alarmingly, the industry still hasn't recreated the more than 650,000 jobs lost early in the pandemic, a loss 45 percent more than the next closest industry,'' the trade group's top lobbyist, Sean Kennedy, wrote in a letter to congressional leadership for both parties. Kennedy also touted the benefits of the first round of RRF grants. The trade group estimates that more than 900,000 restaurants jobs were saved by the initial round of funding, and 96 percent of recipients said the grant made it more likely they could stay in business. A full replenishment of the fund would save more than 1.6 million jobs, according to the trade group's estimates.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank my colleague and friend, Mrs. Fischbach. We spend a lot of time together in the Rules Committee, and I always appreciate our conversations. While we may not agree on issues from time to time, I always appreciate her earnestness, and I appreciate her good work. I want to thank all of my colleagues for their words in support of the rule before us today. As I mentioned earlier, Congress acted last year to provide much- needed relief for restaurants and other small businesses, but we must do much more. Our economy simply cannot survive without small businesses, and it is paramount that we redouble our commitment to ensuring their continued success. I pledge to always be an ally in that fight, and I know my colleagues join me in that. I look forward to voting in favor of this effort to bring much-needed relief to local restaurants and the small business community.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Ana J. Kordovich Galovski, who passed away earlier this year following a battle with Alzheimer's disease. Ana was born in Bukov, Macedonia and immigrated to the United States in 1951, where she was able to meet her father for the first time at the age of 12. She attended West High School here in Rochester and graduated as a member of the Class of 1957. Ana was deeply involved in the local community--especially in the local Macedonian community. She was a founding member of St. Dimitria Macedonian Orthodox Church in Henrietta, NY and remained active in the church community throughout her life. She was often seen attending services and board meetings, singing in the choir, or calling bingo numbers. Ana went above and beyond to help those in the Macedonian community acclimate to living in the United States. Ana loved to travel with friends and family, especially with her grandkids later in life. She was loved by all who knew her, and she will be deeply missed. My heart goes out to her entire family during this difficult time.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Madam Speaker, I want to pay tribute to one of Monroe County's finest residents, Mr. Robert Dardano, Sr., who died at the age of 93 in February of this year. Mr. Dardano was well-known in the Rochester community for his life- long commitment to working on behalf of our nation's veterans. He was a veteran himself, having served our country in the U.S. Navy Seabees as well as the 58th CB Battalion in Okinawa, Japan during WWII. He also served as a Naval reservist during the Korean War. At the conclusion of his active service, he devoted himself to serving the veterans of his community at the local, state, and national levels as a member of a plethora of veterans organizations including the Italian-American War Veterans, the Veterans Memorial, and Executive Council for the City of Rochester, the Veterans Advisory Committee of Monroe County, and among many others. Mr. Dardano also organized the annual placement of American flags on the graves of veterans in cemeteries throughout our community, and he logged over 6,250 hours of community service at events for the local Canandaigua VA Medical Center. He and his wife Virginia also donated much of his paperwork and photographs from his service with veterans' organizations to the University of Rochester. I extend my deepest condolences to the Dardano family during this time. We here in Monroe County will never forget Robert's selflessness and compassion, and I hope we as a community can do well to continue Robert's devotion to selflessness and helping others.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to an American patriot and a prominent fixture in my community, retired Major General Norbert Rappl, who passed away earlier this month. General Rappl was a courageous veteran who dedicated his life to serving our great Nation in the United States Army. A Korean war veteran, he rose through the ranks, retiring as Commander of the 98th Training Division of the United States Army Reserves. We are deeply grateful for his service. Upon returning home, General Rappl turned his dedication to his community, and my hometown of Irondequoit, becoming a charter member and past president of the Irondequoit Rotary Club chapter. His never-ending devotion to serving others was his life's calling and is a key piece of his legacy that will never be forgotten. May he rest in peace.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished and, by his own admission, highly caffeinated gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter), my Rules Committee colleague and great friend, for yielding me time. I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. In particular, I would like to say a few words about the Affordable Insulin Now Act. Over the past two decades, the costs of prescription diabetes drugs like insulin have artificially skyrocketed by more than tenfold. A few years ago, I was proud to commission a report by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to determine the extent of this price gouging and how it is affecting communities across the country, including my own in Rochester, New York, and the impact it is having on patients, especially older adults, and our uninsured population. The results of that review were staggering. In communities across the country, out-of-pocket costs have risen by 400 percent for the Medicare program and beneficiaries over the last decade. The average price for a standard unit of insulin in the United States was more than 10 times the average price in a sampling of 32 other countries. These excessively inflated prices have real consequences on how patients manage this chronic disease. I have talked with many patients and families in my own district that have had to ration their dose or stop taking this lifesaving and life-sustaining medication altogether. For the richest and most powerful nation in the world to allow this to continue is nothing less than shameful. In passing this bill, we are taking the first step of many to rein in these inflated costs and protecting patients to ensure the best possible health outcomes. I am so proud to deliver for my constituents back home, and I look forward to voting for this rule and getting one step closer toward seeing the bill passed into law.