Jerrold Nadler

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2333) to amend chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code, to ensure equal treatment of athletes, and for other purposes.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2333.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 2333, the Equal Pay for Team USA Act of 2022, is bipartisan legislation that would help ensure that all amateur athletes representing the United States in global athletic competitions, including the Olympics and Paralympics, are treated equally. Specifically, the bill requires all such athletes, regardless of gender, to receive equal compensation, medical care, travel arrangements, expense reimbursements, and other benefits. The bill also requires the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, as well as national sports governing bodies, to report annually to Congress on compliance and, in collaboration with affected athletes, to advocate before international sports federations to ensure equal prizes and other support for male and female athletes. While helping to ensure gender equality, the bill also carefully preserves the ability of athletes to accept outside sponsorships and endorsement deals and prizes such as Olympic or Paralympic medals. It also clarifies that certain team members, such as team captains, may earn more than their teammates, and it allows the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and national sports governing bodies to provide more beneficial terms, to the extent necessary, to account for existing gender-based disparities. Female athletes competing on the world stage have suffered unequal treatment for far too long. Despite training and working just as tirelessly as their male counterparts, they often receive unequal benefits and compensation. This is unacceptable. Congress must not only be on record stating clearly that we, as a Nation, value all members of Team USA, both women and men alike, but we must also take action to ensure just and equal treatment for all of our athletes who repeatedly do our Nation proud before the eyes of the world. I thank our colleagues, Senators Maria Cantwell, Shelley Moore Capito, Amy Klobuchar, and Cynthia Lummis, for shepherding this long- overdue bill through the Senate, where it passed by voice vote. I appreciate the leadership of Representatives Mikie Sherrill and Nancy Mace for bringing this measure forward in the House. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The Equal Pay for Team USA Act of 2022 is a targeted approach to addressing the disparities in treatment among women and men who represent the United States in global amateur athletic competitions. For this reason, the bill has the support of many organizations, including the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, U.S. Soccer, U.S. Squash, USA Curling, USA Volleyball, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, the Women's Sports Foundation, the National Interscholastic Athletic Association, the National Women's Law Center, and the National Organization for Women. The way we treat our amateur women athletes is a reflection of our Nation's values. Through their talents and hard work, these athletes showcase all that is best about America to the world. All too often, they receive unequal pay or less favorable terms of employment merely because of their gender. It is time to correct this mistake and ensure that all American athletes competing on the world stage are treated fairly. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass the Equal Pay for Team USA Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 5168) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to include aliens passing in transit through the United States to board a vessel on which the alien will perform ship-to-ship liquid cargo transfer operations within a class of nonimmigrant aliens, and for other purposes.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 5168.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 5168, the Energy Security and Lightering Independence Act of 2022, will make a small but important technical fix to our immigration laws to ensure that the visas for certain crewmembers engaged in a process known as lightering are functional. Lightering is the ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil or liquid natural gas from a smaller vessel onto a larger vessel, or vice versa, for import and export. Approximately 74 percent of all U.S. exports and 44 percent of U.S. imports are conducted by lightering. Lightering vessel crewmembers are issued combination C-1/D visas by the U.S. State Department. A crewmember or D visa is a nonimmigrant visa for persons working aboard vessels at sea or airplanes on international flights, providing services required for the normal operation of those vessels, and intending to depart the United States on the same vessel or any other vessel within 29 days. A transit or C-1 visa allows the crewmember to travel or transit through the United States as a passenger to join a ship or aircraft on which that crewmember will work. Because the work aboard lightering vessels typically lasts 3 to 6 months, the 29-day limit on the combination C-1/D visa by itself is not adequate. Therefore, for decades, Customs and Border Protection has granted parole to lightering vessel crewmembers upon arrival in the United States, allowing them to remain on board the vessel and then to depart after their services aboard the vessel are completed up to 6 months later. This legislation simply modifies the maximum period of stay for lightering crewmembers under the C-1/D visa from 29 days to 180 days. The simple change makes the C-1/D visa functional for lightering crewmembers, thus eliminating the need for CBP to continue granting parole on a case-by-case basis. The legislation makes clear that this is a narrow change that only applies to lightering crewmembers who are transiting through or landing temporarily in the United States and that these crewmembers are explicitly not eligible to work in the United States on the C-1/D visa. This technical fix is also expected to save CBP $250,000 and 6,000 man-hours per year. I thank Representative Sylvia Garcia for her leadership and for introducing this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4926) to amend chapter 33 of title 28, United States Code, to require appropriate use of multidisciplinary teams for investigations of child sexual exploitation or abuse, the production of child sexual abuse material, or child trafficking conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my longtime constituent Robert Simko, a true renaissance man and a beloved member of the Lower Manhattan community. Mr. Simko, co-founder of Lower Manhattan's long-running local news outlet The Broadsheet, passed away on November 10, 2022 at the age of 68 after a years-long battle with a cancer that has been linked to exposure to toxic dust that hung over Manhattan in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. An accomplished photographer, publisher, musician, mechanic and watchmaker, Mr. Simko was an admired figure in the Battery Park City Community and a beloved husband, father, brother and uncle. Born in 1954 in Bayonne, New Jersey, to John, a bus driver, and Florence, a nurse, Robert was the middle child of 5 siblings. He took up the accordion at a young age and later the piano. In college, he developed 2 other passions that lasted the rest of his life--photography and working on cars. After transferring from Rutgers University to the Rhode Island School of Design, he studied photography under Aaron Siskind and other leading photographers. Following his graduation, Mr. Simko moved to New York City, settling 1st in Tribeca and then in Battery Park City at the brand-new Gateway Plaza, when it was surrounded by empty fields and Brookfield Place was under construction. Mr. Simko started working in New York as an assistant to photographers Arnold Newman and Burt Glinn, cataloging and printing their portraits of world leaders and celebrities. In the 1980s, Mr. Simko was recruited by Clay Felker to work as a photographer at Adweek magazine, where he began both his career in journalism and a lifelong partnership with a reporter named Alison. He and Alison married in 1987. Their daughter Lucy was born in 1989 and their son Theo was born in 1997. That same year, Mr. and Mrs. Simko launched The Broadsheet, initially titled The Battery Park City Broadsheet. Since 1997, the Broadsheet has continued to cover Lower Manhattan in print, on its website, and as the 5-day-a-week Broadsheet Daily. A success from its 1st issue, the Broadsheet quickly became a fixture of the community and build a voice for the budding neighborhood. Mr. Simko's commitment to his beloved neighborhood and Lower Manhattan was legible in every edition. When the terrorist attacks on September 11th shook the world, our city, and his neighborhood, Mr. Simko stayed until late afternoon to capture the second plane's fireball, the burning towers, and the ash- covered neighborhood following the towers' collapse. He, his wife Alison, and his team felt a sense of mission to quickly resume publication and write about conditions in the aftermath and the future of the community. When delivery workers were unable to enter Battery Park City, Mr. and Mrs. Simko personally delivered the Broadsheet to neighborhood lobbies. Residents cried when they saw the 1st issue after September 11th and, to this day, remember the Broadsheet as confirmation that the neighborhood would be okay. Tragically, Mr. Simko's cancer was linked to his exposure to environmental toxins during and after the attacks. The toll of the toxins and the subsequent illnesses they wrought to not only those who worked on the pile but also residents in my district like Mr. Simko who returned to their homes, cleaned up and revitalized this neighborhood laid bare the need for the Federal Government to provide survivors with quality health care and financial support. I was proud that after over a decade of fighting we passed the James Zadruga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 and its reauthorization in 2015, and we created and fully funded the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund for survivors and responders. Mr. Simko is survived by his wife Alison, and their children Lucy and Theo, who continue to further his legacy through their continued dedication to the community, its culture and the Broadsheet. Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor Robert Simko and his significant contributions to Lower Manhattan. Even in our darkest days, Mr. Simko was a beacon of light, who captured countless moments and helped weave our community together. He touched the lives of thousands of his readers and neighbors, and his legacy will be felt for years to come.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 5230) to increase accessibility to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, to facilitate data sharing between such system and the National Crime Information Center database of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and for other purposes.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1518, I call up the bill (S. 4003) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for training on alternatives to use of force, de-escalation, and mental and behavioral health and suicidal crises, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 7) to make a technical amendment to the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and for other purposes.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 7.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 7, which would amend the Violence Against Women Act to ensure that Native Hawaiian women can access the benefits and support included in the critical Violence Against Women Act. According to the National Institute of Justice, more than 1.5 million American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, while women in these communities experience significantly higher levels of sexual violence and stalking. Since its introduction in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act has provided billions of dollars of grant funding to address the needs of those who have survived domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, dating violence, and other crimes against women. One of VAWA's major grant programs, the Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors grants, commonly known as STOP grants, provides funding for eligible Native organizations to help combat sexual violence and support victims and survivors. However, due to an error in drafting language, which was first made known to Congress and the Department of Justice in 2016, Native Hawaiian organizations have been unable to access this funding to serve Native Hawaiian victims and survivors. Specifically, Native Hawaiian organizations are able to apply for STOP grant funding, but they cannot use those funds to actually serve the Native Hawaiian community. As a result of this drafting oversight, Native Hawaiian women are denied access to these critical resources, which are meant to encourage the development and improvement of effective victim advocacy and services in cases involving violent crimes against women and to strengthen services to victims. S. 7 would amend the act to include specific references to Native Hawaiians and Native Hawaiian communities and organizations. This simple fix would make certain that all victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including Native Hawaiian women, are able to access the services and support they need to rebuild their lives. I thank Senator Mazie Hirono for introducing this modest but important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, for nearly three decades, the Violence Against Women Act has provided critical funding to organizations that support victims and survivors of gender-based violence. However, Native Hawaiian women, who experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence, have been excluded from accessing these much-needed resources. S. 7 would allow Native Hawaiian victims and survivors to receive the support they need and would allow Native Hawaiian organizations to increase their efforts to combat sexual violence. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2991) to establish a Department of Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking, and for other purposes.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2991.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2991, which would codify the Center for Countering Human Trafficking within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency of the Department of Homeland Security; require the center to develop a strategy to improve the effectiveness of its programs; and transfer the Department's national trafficking awareness Blue Campaign to the center. Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar criminal industry that exists in cities, suburbs, and rural towns and denies freedom to nearly 25 million people around the world. Although some populations are more vulnerable than others, trafficking is a constant threat to the health and safety of victims of all ages, genders, nationalities, and backgrounds, while posing a grave danger to public health and safety, as well as national and global security. In 2020, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified more than 16,000 victims of human trafficking, who likely represent only a fraction of the total number of victims. In that same year, the Department of Homeland Security launched the Center for Countering Human Trafficking, or the CCHT, a centralized location for subject matter experts to coordinate and expand efforts to combat human trafficking. The CCHT integrates the efforts of 16 DHS offices and agencies that combat human sex trafficking and forced labor, which encompasses criminal investigations, victim assistance, identifying and reporting human trafficking, and external outreach, intelligence, and training. Since its establishment, the CCHT has made great strides, providing critical support and analysis to criminal investigators in the field; delivering comprehensive training to domestic and international audiences; and focusing on promoting an integrated, victim-centered approach to the investigation of human trafficking. However, because the center is not formally codified, it lacks permanence and long-term funding necessary to further strengthen its efforts. S. 2991 would make the CCHT permanent within ICE, ensuring that the progress made in recent years can be maintained and improved upon, while also increasing coordination among other components within DHS to fight human trafficking and prevent the importation of products made using forced labor. This legislation would allow the CCHT to fortify its permanent staffing with at least 45 employees that are special agents, criminal analysts, victim-support specialists, and other subject-matter experts dedicated to disrupting and dismantling human trafficking organizations and providing support and protection to their victims. To promote modernization of the CCHT's information systems and operations, which support global investigations of human trafficking and forced labor in supply chains, S. 2991 would require the development of a strategy and proposal to modify systems and processes related to its mission. Lastly, this bill would transfer to the CCHT the Blue Campaign, the national public awareness campaign designed to educate the public, law enforcement, and industry partners to recognize and respond to human trafficking, and authorize DHS to transfer any additional functions to the CCHT that combat human trafficking and the production of goods using forced labor. Because we know that traffickers are constantly looking for new ways to exploit new victims, we must do more to fight this grave crime. That includes being responsive to change and making necessary improvements to the agencies, offices, and components put in place to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle trafficking organizations and to give aid and support to victims. This bipartisan legislation would allow the Center for Countering Human Trafficking to continue guiding counter-human trafficking operations, protecting victims, and enhancing prevention efforts to combat human trafficking around the world. I thank Senator Gary Peters for introducing this important legislation, as well as Representative John Katko, and the bipartisan coalition of colleagues who have worked on the House companion. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC, December 9, 2022. Hon. Jerrold Nadler, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Nadler: I am writing to you concerning S. 2991, the ``Countering Human Trafficking Act of 2021.'' There are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security. In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, I am willing to waive this committee's formal consideration of the provisions that fall within its jurisdiction. I do so with the understanding that, by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Homeland Security does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its rule X jurisdiction. Please place this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of S. 2991 on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerely, Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, S. 2991 would not only provide permanency, increased coordination, and modernization to the Center for Countering Human Trafficking and the Department of Homeland Security, this bill would also promote growth within the center and bolster victim-centered counter human trafficking efforts. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), a member of the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. NADLER

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2899) to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to address deficiencies and make necessary upgrades to the security camera and radio systems of the Bureau of Prisons to ensure the health and safety of employees and inmates.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2899.

Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 2899, the Prison Camera Reform Act of 2021, is bipartisan legislation that would require the Bureau of Prisons to evaluate the security camera, land-mobile radio, and public address systems in use at the BOP institutions, submit to Congress a report on any deficiencies, and implement a plan for needed improvements. In 2016, the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General issued a report on deficiencies within BOP camera systems. The report found that camera deficiencies affected the ability to secure prosecutions of staff and incarcerated individuals in cases involving introduction of contraband in BOP facilities and adversely affected the availability of critical evidence to support administrative or disciplinary action against staff and incarcerated individuals. Following that report, BOP took some action to improve the camera systems. However, their efforts have proved insufficient. A follow-up OIG memo in 2021 found that of the over 24,000 cameras across all BOP institutions, 86 percent, more than 20,000, are still analog or utilize old technology. Analog cameras produce poor-quality video, have limited coverage, and contribute to dangerous or unsafe areas within BOP institutions. A fully digital camera system would produce improved video quality and coverage, enhanced search capabilities, and expand video storage periods of between 60 and 120 days. These capabilities would improve the BOP's threat assessments, monitoring, and contraband interdictions. Improving BOP camera systems will create safer institutions for both correctional staff and incarcerated individuals. Tragic cases of officer assaults against individuals while incarcerated often rely on camera footage as evidence, but outdated technology makes holding these officers accountable even more difficult. This bill would require the BOP to investigate and address deficiencies in the camera and radio systems across all institutions. The BOP would also be required to implement all needed improvements within 3 years and to submit annual progress reports. The significant oversight mechanisms within this legislation will enable Congress to hold the BOP accountable and ensure that all deficiencies are addressed within the specified time period. Security camera systems within prisons are critical for protecting the safety, well-being, and civil rights of both incarcerated people and prison employees. This bipartisan measure would require the BOP to investigate and address these critical safety concerns and ensure that the improvements will, in fact, be made by including significant congressional oversight. I thank Representatives Keller, McBath, and Trone, as well as Senator Ossoff, for introducing this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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