Richard Neal

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi).

Mr. NEAL. Madam 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 the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I have asked the members of the Ways and Means family to assemble on the floor tonight so that we might offer appropriate praise to the life of one of the iconic figures of not just the civil rights movement, but of the Ways and Means Committee. I sat next to John Lewis for 25 years on the Ways and Means Committee, and I must tell you, Madam Speaker, he was the bravest and most gentle person I ever met. He nearly lost his life in pursuit of justice and confronted some of the darkest facets of our society at the Edmund Pettus Bridge as a very young man, but he never lost faith in what America could become. During those many conversations--and he offered a tutorial to me about the life and the legend that he had offered to America--his unyielding optimism and hope lifted the spirits of his fellow Members of Congress and the American people in our Nation's most trying moments. With quiet strength, grace, and love, he shouldered unthinkable burdens and changed this world for the better. Through it all, he was unfailingly humble, selfless, and kind. I must say--and I was commenting a moment ago to some colleagues on the committee--if he was in the room, Madam Speaker, you would have to get him to come to the microphone. That was that reluctance that he had. And we all had known about the great achievements that he had offered to this Nation, but it was never, ``Let me get to the microphone.'' It was always a much more humble arrangement. He came to my constituency in 2015. He was invited by the Sisters of St. Joseph, who staffed a small Catholic college in Chicopee, Massachusetts. They invited him to commemorate the fact that on Bloody Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge they were the only ones, with members of the Edmundite priesthood, who would care for them when others closed their doors. When John greeted Sister Maxyne Schneider upon introduction for the commencement address, the two of them broke out in tears, and 5,000 people in the Springfield Civic Center broke out in tears with them. He remembered that moment, and they remembered him--another great story in the legacy of John Lewis. It is rare that a person has an opportunity in this institution to work alongside a real hero. We had that here, and we sometimes forget that in the din of incendiary debate. But for three decades, I, along with other members of the Ways and Means Committee, had that honor. To be in his presence, his wisdom, and his joyful spirit day in and day out was a blessing beyond words. John served in this Congress until his last day, in part because his work was not done. Despite all the advancements he achieved, glaring inequities remain in our Nation that demand reform. But lucky for us, John Lewis inspired generations of young people to follow in his steps, to stand up to injustice, and to fight for what is right. Now he can clearly rest, and our prayers are with him as we carry on his vital and unfinished business. It is up to all of us to pick up where John left off and to be part of his legacy in action. For those of us who will join his funeral service tomorrow in Atlanta, what a great journey this has been to have served with him in this Congress. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. Madam Speaker, the Nation had a chance tonight to hear about the affection and regard that we held for a very important member of the Ways and Means family, John Lewis. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Kelly for yielding me the time. He did urge at a moment last week: I hope that we will be able to do a bipartisan tribute to John. I said we planned one, and we want to make sure both sides are involved. I just want to close on this note, as we travel to Atlanta tomorrow to say good-bye to John. At a Committee on Ways and Means Democratic retreat in New York about 2 years ago, with a very distinguished alumnus of the Democratic Party as well, Charlie Rangel came over to the dinner. John, myself, and former Chairman Rangel, we were sitting and just talking at the end of the night. After the conversation, when John got up and left, Charlie Rangel said to me: You know, Rich, there were many of us who did the right thing along the way. Many of us participated fully in the civil rights movement. But John Lewis would have died for the cause. Pretty remarkable: John Lewis would have died for the cause. Tonight, Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Members of the House, both political parties, and the Ways and Means family for a nice tribute to our friend, John Lewis.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, America's infrastructure is in woeful disrepair. Our roads and bridges are crumbling; many areas still lack reliable internet service; and there are even places in the United States where the tap water is unsafe to drink. We need these major investments. With more than 40 million Americans out of work, the pandemic crisis has had a devastating impact, and the consequences for our Nation are apparent. The Democrats' Moving Forward Act will create jobs, reinvigorate our economy, and also modernize our infrastructure. All corners of the Nation will benefit from this package, including my home State in western and central Massachusetts. Bold investments in broadband and the rail system are particularly good news for our region's economy, workers, and students. Rail, $19 billion--perhaps we will see our long-held vision of rail transportation from Boston to Worcester to Springfield on to Pittsfield occur as well. This is smart and responsible. The Ways and Means Committee contributed the largest tax investment in combating climate change that Congress has ever made, and it is in legislative form and in legislative language. This legislation promotes investments in clean energy technologies, incentivizes the greening of the fleet, rewards renewable energy projects, and engages in responsible labor practices with priorities on workers' rights and well-being. We are going to keep working to make sure that we can have more green jobs that are good jobs, not only in the space of renewable energy production but in the production of zero emission vehicles as well. Prioritizing green jobs will also mean prioritizing manufacturers whose raw materials will power the green economy. This is a unique opportunity for all of us, for our investments in our communities, our businesses, and in our workers to come out on the other side of this crisis stronger than ever. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Chicago (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Murphy).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gomez).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington State (Ms. DelBene).

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

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am really pleased today to join with the Speaker and other committee chairs to have successfully introduced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act and welcome the measure's consideration in this House today. Hearing the former chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee a few minutes ago, a decent guy, he said that there was room for bipartisanship in the healthcare debate. I mean, I have been here for a long time. Where was the bipartisanship--and I am going to submit something. Republicans, in all the years I have been in this House, they have not agreed amongst themselves on healthcare, never mind agreeing with Democrats on healthcare. So, for years, we have worked to expand access. That is what this argument is about today. We want to make sure that affordable healthcare exists for the American family and to build upon the coverage gains of the Affordable Care Act. The COVID-19 crisis only adds urgency to an already pressing problem for millions of American families, a problem that has been consistently exacerbated by the Trump administration's relentless crusade to dismantle the American healthcare system. Recall on the campaign trail when President Trump was asked by reporters what he intended to replace ObamaCare with, and he said: Don't worry, pal, you are going to love it. That was the answer. Just last week, under the cover of night and while many Americans were likely sleeping, the Trump administration took another step toward invalidating our healthcare laws. They filed a brief with the Supreme Court in support of undoing the ACA and ending protections for nearly 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions. I helped to write this law. I am really proud of it. They staked out this position during a pandemic, when millions of Americans need healthcare more than ever. Our new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act is utilized to expand tax credits for lower premium costs for the American consumer. For the first time in the history of the ACA, no one will pay more than 8.5 percent of their income on a silver plan through the marketplace. I will quickly share the other scenarios that people will witness savings through: A family of four earning $40,000 would save nearly $1,600 in premiums each year. An adult earning about $19,000 would see premiums cut to zero, saving $800 a year. And a 64-year-old earning $57,000 a year would save more than $8,700 in premiums each year. These are significant savings that would make a big difference for Americans particularly during the current health and economic crisis that we find ourselves in. I want to thank Representative Underwood for her tireless work on these provisions and advocating for the millions of Americans who will see their premium costs go down, recalling that when the ACA was offered and embraced 20 million Americans received health insurance. I want to thank Representative Wild for leading the effort to remove a longstanding barrier for families with an offer of affordable family coverage, as well as Representative Neguse for his work on behalf of Social Security beneficiaries who were at risk of losing premium tax credits for the time they were covered by the ACA marketplace. These tax credits aren't the only benefits consumers can expect under this very important legislation. We also slashed prescription drug costs, we reduced consumers' deductibles, encouraged more States to expand Medicaid and establish their own ACA marketplace, and to put an end to the expansion of junk insurance plans. Notably, this legislation reduces the number of uninsured Americans by more than 4 million people. These are issues that matter to everyday Americans perhaps now in this COVID crisis more than ever. Ensuring all Americans can access quality healthcare without risking their family's financial security really shouldn't be a partisan issue. After almost 70 votes on Republican bills to repeal or undermine the ACA, I am really happy to stand on this floor today in support of this legislation that will continue to build on the gains of the ACA, for legislation that increases access to affordable, quality healthcare, and for legislation that is for the American people. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this timely legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, this is very sensible legislation. It builds upon the Affordable Care Act. It keeps the protections of preexisting conditions. It makes the children's healthcare initiative permanent. But most importantly, it expands the opportunity. I am going to reiterate something I said earlier about the experience we have had in Massachusetts with the Affordable Care Act. 100 percent of the children in Massachusetts have health insurance. Ninety-seven percent of the adults in Massachusetts have health insurance, and it polls in the high seventies in terms of consumer satisfaction. It was the experiment that worked. We should be expanding healthcare opportunities for members of the American family, not trying to deny them. We shouldn't be filing a lawsuit in front of the Supreme Court suggesting that we should do away with the Affordable Care Act. Last point, and I mean this very sincerely, as long as I have been in this House, Republicans have never agreed amongst themselves on health insurance, never mind trying to find an agreement with us. They have always disagreed sharply about the role of government in health insurance. So before they give us a lecture on how this ought to proceed, perhaps they could offer a competing plan that has never happened in my time in Congress. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I would point out that 100 percent of the children in Massachusetts have healthcare today and 97 percent of the adults. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her kind comments. I am delighted to stand in support of H.R. 6800, the HEROES Act. It also could be called the confidence in the American people act. This legislation responds to the reality that 85,000 Americans have lost their lives, 36 million Americans are now without a job, and our thoughts are with those families today. I am delighted with the role that Ways and Means once again played in stepping up to deliver solutions in this latest legislation. The HEROES Act includes a second round of economic impact payments to keep Americans afloat and infuse money back into the economy; liquidity, every economist has suggested that. This round is more substantial for families and fixes shortcomings in the first round of payments, like those of college students and others who are dependent on parents. We enhanced the employee retention tax credit. This expanded version will come to the aid of 60 million Americans. The majority of those are employees of small and midsized businesses. April brought about the worst plunge in unemployment since the Great Depression. We have extended the weekly Federal unemployment compensation payments through January of next year. Frontline workers who haven't stopped since this crisis began we now know are under great pressure. We provide flexible funding to support childcare and adult daycare for essential workers to ease this burden. The Ways and Means Committee also had a role in providing provisions to address the persistent public health emergency that is gripping the Nation. We led the charge to make investments in nursing home safety, as these facilities have been ravaged by the virus. This bill was a team effort. Thank you to my Ways and Means Committee members for their contributions, who have been working around the clock with the staff to get this legislation before us today. I sought out Jay Powell's advice on this from day one, in the early beginning. He said just a couple of days ago, ``additional fiscal support could be costly but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery.'' This is about balance right now. This is about relief and stability, which will hasten recovery. What we are doing here today will be, in fact, a fact-based approach to save the lives and livelihoods of the American people.