Richard Neal

Mr. NEAL

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

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, our trade policy is a powerful tool, and this evening we will have an opportunity not only to condemn Putin's aggression, but just as importantly, to act upon it. This legislation to ban the import of Russian energy products and evaluate Russia's access to the WTO will help to hold this brutal dictator accountable. We can and will do more. I will continue to explore, as Mr. Brady noted, how we can utilize the full jurisdiction of the committee to stand up to Putin and to protect the Ukrainian people. Let me, however, take a moment to congratulate Joe Biden for the manner in which he has assembled a multilateral alliance across the globe to condemn and to combat this dictator. When you consider that not only have our traditional allies in NATO--which was condemned at one time--we now can understand why it has been so enduring. Just as importantly, beyond Western Europe and NATO, the Swiss, the Finns, the Swedes, the Japanese, the Kenyans, like most of the rest of the civilized world, have stood with us in this moment of challenge. Tonight, let us all stand with the Ukrainian people and support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my condolences to the family and friends of Karen Ferguson, the President of the Pension Rights Center, and recognize her as a true champion for the rights of pensioners. Karen was a leader on an issue that is of particular importance to me; namely, the retirement security of workers, retirees, and their families. For over 45 years, Karen was significantly involved in protecting pensioners rights through the development of pension legislation in Congress, and recently I witnessed her tireless advocacy first-hand as we worked to enact the Butch Lewis Act. An alum of Harvard Law School and Bryn Mawr College, Karen founded the Pension Rights Center. The Pension Rights Center, with Karen as president and leader, has been instrumental in advocating for and drafting new regulations and laws, including the Retirement Equity Act of 1984, the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and the Butch Lewis Act of 2021. Karen was widely known and respected on Capitol Hill and testified at many congressional and regulatory hearings. She will be remembered for her passion and depth of knowledge. I join the millions of pensioners around the country in expressing gratitude for Karen's tenacity. She will be deeply missed. I send my deepest sympathies to all who loved her, the Ferguson family, her friends, and her colleagues.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Act. This legislation will transport our Nation into the future, it will strengthen supply chains, advance manufacturing, and create millions of jobs. Ways and Means members assertively made their contributions to this package, including a strong provision for Trade Adjustment Assistance. To the previous speaker, I know he was sincere in what he said. There will be a final package, it will be bicameral in nature, bipartisan in nature, it is just too important to get done. The rhythms of legislative life will dictate that outcome. This is a full effort of the House, and to say that there are no provisions in here that Republicans will favor is simply untrue. The Trade Subcommittee chairman, Earl Blumenauer, has been a very important leader in developing this legislation, along with our colleague, Tim Ryan, who has not stopped telling me of just how important this is to Ohio to fund the Nation's newest semiconductor factory. This is a good, bold proposal. I am going to remain standing Madam Speaker, so that I might yield the balance of my time to the Trade Subcommittee chair, Mr. Blumenauer.

Mr. NEAL. I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor Holly Jarek, a leader in the field of providing compassionate care to children and young adults who are severely developmentally delayed and with complex medical needs. Holly recently retired, and I would like to take a moment to highlight just a few of her accomplishments. After graduating from Cathedral High School in Springfield, Massachusetts, Holly went on to attend Boston University's School of Nursing, where she received a B.S. and M.S. in Child Health Nursing. From there, she received her Doctorate from the University of Alabama in Health Services Administration. Her doctoral work explored the administrative challenges facing pediatric long-term care administrators. Holly's experience includes a decade working with the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in a variety of leadership and educational roles. She was also a full-time faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Nursing School during this time, specializing in pediatrics and technology-based care. After leaving UMass Medical, she spent ten years in the private sector, where she established home care programs for medically fragile children throughout the United States and Canada in her capacity as a National Program Manager with Olsten Health Services. From there, she returned to the non-profit sector with the Franciscan Children's Hospital. She served as Vice President of Seven Hills Foundation and Administrator at Seven Hills Pediatric Centers in Groton and Hopedale, Massachusetts. I had the pleasure of meeting Holly on several occasions in Washington during her time as Chair of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Committee of the American Health Care Association. She was a strong advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society, and her leadership will be truly missed. Madam Speaker, in light of Holly's many accomplishments in her field, I would like to thank her for her steadfast service, and offer my personal best wishes for a long, happy, and healthy retirement.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations to Tom Bernard, a devoted public servant, for all that he has accomplished during his tenure as Mayor of the City of North Adams, Massachusetts. Mayor Bernard has invigorated the City of North Adams by expanding economic opportunities and fostering modern, future-oriented growth. His administration has focused on increasing green initiatives, with the integration of electric vehicles in the city's fleet, strategic action to decrease North Adams' carbon footprint, and launching the North Adams Tree Initiative. In addition, Mayor Bernard has been a staunch advocate for the marginalized in his community, working actively to increase diversity and inclusion initiatives within the city's government. Recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day in North Adams came largely as a product of Mayor Bernard's advocacy on these matters. Mayor Bernard has put significant effort in updating critical infrastructure in the city of North Adams despite the many challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Bernard successfully replaced all the non-functioning and malfunctioning hydrants, while simultaneously overseeing a full reevaluation of the city's 60-year-old zoning laws, creating an avenue for much needed commerce in the city. Madam Speaker, in light of Mayor Tom Bernard's many achievements and remarkable contributions to the City of North Adams and the western Massachusetts community, I wish to congratulate him once again on his successful tenure as Mayor of North Adams. He has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in shaping the development of North Adams for years to come, and I am delighted to join with his family, friends, and the entire North Adams community in thanking him for his dedicated service.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, our Ways and Means family mourns the passing of Joseph K. Dowley. Joe was the Committee's Chief Counsel during the 1980s, who left us an important legacy in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, for which he did so much to enact into law. Joe became Ways and Means Chief Counsel in 1984 after earning undergraduate and law degrees from Georgetown University, Army service in Vietnam, and employment as administrative assistant to my friend, former Chairman Dan Rostenkowski. He was a deft tax technician who not only knew what was broken, but also how to fix it. He never forgot that lawmaking is the art of the possible, and was ready when Chairman Rostenkowski accepted President Ronald Reagan's challenge to undertake comprehensive tax reform. His patient but relentless pursuit of that lofty goal helped create the political alchemy that made an initially improbable goal inevitable. Success didn't come quickly or easily. As with any major piece of legislation, the process was a combination of the tense and the tedious. My colleagues writing the act recall it as a challenging time when long hours sometimes resulted in short tempers. But Joe's calm combination of competence and confidence kept the legislative train moving toward the inevitable compromises that signal success. As the current Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, I now more deeply appreciate the role he played as an exemplary staffer, enabling those of us elected to enact legislation to do so by drawing the map that translated an idea into a legislative proposal that could become a workable law. After leaving Capitol Hill, Joe continued to be an active member of Washington's tax community. His service to Congress wasn't easy, and there are few who have done it as well. He remains a role model for doing serious business in a humane way, and we will miss him. We join his wife Carol and his entire family in mourning his passing.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, is the gentleman prepared to close? I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 45 seconds. Madam Speaker, this debate has gone on now for 3 months in the Committee on Ways and Means. Sixty amendments from the opposition were offered. This was fully vetted over 4 days of public scrutiny, and all maintained in daylight. I made sure of that, on purpose. And this, as I indicated last night, as I quoted a son of Massachusetts, Mr. Webster, I said rhetorically he asked, ``Did we do something worthwhile in our time?'' Today, we are going to answer that question. I am sorry that last evening when I quoted Webster it triggered an outburst from the Republican leader because we quoted an individual who was devoted to the Constitution of the United States and the premise that everybody in America gets a chance. Now, it is an honor for me to yield to the Speaker of the House, secure in her caucus, secure in her beliefs, and secure knowing what we are doing today in but a few minutes. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in strong support of the Build Back Better Act and its implications. I am proud of the substantive contributions that the Ways and Means Committee, once again, has made to this monumental initiative. With these provisions we will make transformational investments in families, workers, and the fight against climate change. Getting to this point certainly has not been fast, nor has it been easy. Some might say it has been quite challenging. But that is what democracy looks like, and it frequently is noisy. We have examined these issues; we have had thoughtful, spirited debate in the committee; and we have refined our proposals. Since 2019, the Ways and Means Committee has held over 40 hearings related to topics addressed by these provisions, and we have heard out the stakeholders from virtually every perspective. Over the course of 40 hours of committee markup, we thoroughly debated this package and considered 60 amendments from the Republican members. And in the 3 months since we passed our historic package out of the committee, we have refined our policies further and made hard compromises in the interest of accomplishing fine things for the American people. That is how legislation is developed, and it is not based on whim. There is not enough time to detail every policy in this legislation, but let me highlight just a few that are going to be particularly well received by the American people, and I am proud of these proposals. First and foremost, we fought hard to include a universal paid family and medical leave provision to finally put an end to workers' impossible choice between providing for their family and caring for them. We also invest in making healthcare more affordable by extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies that we approved in the American Rescue Plan earlier this year. We close the Medicaid coverage gap, which will allow four million uninsured Americans to gain access to coverage. Let me say something, as well, Mr. Speaker. Everybody in Massachusetts has health insurance. Every child is covered, and 98 percent of adults are covered in the State, and it polls really well. I am proud of these investments we make here in supporting this development and deployment of green energy, and I want to acknowledge two Members in particular, Mr. Thompson and Mr. Blumenauer, for the role that they played. Our green tax policies put us on the path to a sustainable future, they help cut carbon emissions, and create good, well-paying jobs across the country. This an ambitious package, but it makes major investments--emphasis on the word ``investments''--in our economy, workers, and families, but it also responsibly meets the time in which we live. The Ways and Means Committee, of which I am enormously proud, we fully commit the funds that are necessary to pay for these priorities by asking the most powerful amongst us to pay just a modest amount more. The various wealthy individuals will be asked to contribute, again, just a bit more to our Nation that has provided them with the opportunities to have such substantial success. I urge our colleagues to support this legislation. We will allow for a stronger and better Nation to build back better and stronger, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson), who had a profound impact on the renewable energy tax credits.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), who had a substantive impact on the writing of this legislation.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gomez), whose negotiating skill on USMCA really impressed me.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), a fellow Bay Stater, good friend, terrific leader.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. DelBene), a terrific member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), neighbor, friend, and an effective member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins), author, scholar, and effective member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore), the passionate advocate for the people of Milwaukee.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader and a real champion of this institution.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations to my good friend Janis Santos on her retirement following 40 years of dedicated public service to the children and families of western Massachusetts. A pioneer in the field of early education and childhood development, Janis most recently served as CEO of Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start. Through her efforts to expand Head Start's programs across the Commonwealth, Janis has played a prominent role in improving the lives of more than 1,000 young children. Her diligence in directing the only migrant, seasonal Head Start program in Massachusetts only further demonstrates her exceptional commitment to helping the most vulnerable families in our communities. In 1973, Janis began her lifelong advocacy and action on behalf of children and families by launching one of the first early-childhood centers in Ludlow, Massachusetts. Just six years later, in recognition of her cutting-edge approach to the field, Janis was taken on as Executive Director of Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start, During her expansive and impressive career, Janis has served as Chair of the Massachusetts Head Start Directors Association, the New England Head Start Association, as well as a member of the National Advisory Panel for the Head Start 2010 Project here in our nation's capital. While her myriad of leadership roles is most impressive, what I most admire about Janis is the tireless dedication she has demonstrated throughout her 40-year career to providing our youth the resources they need to succeed in the future. Madam Speaker, in light of Janis Santos' many achievements and remarkable contributions to the early education of the children of western Massachusetts, as well as her role in shaping conversations on early education throughout the nation, I would like to thank Janis for her steadfast service, and offer my personal best wishes for a long, happy, and healthy retirement.