Eleanor Norton

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4205) to require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a working group relating to best practices and Federal guidance for animals in emergencies and disasters, and for other purposes.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 884) to direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a national aviation preparedness plan for communicable disease outbreaks, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the National Aviation Preparedness Plan Act of 2022, legislation sponsored by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen). If there is one lesson of the coronavirus pandemic, it is that we were not prepared for a pandemic and must be prepared for the next one. While a number of mitigation efforts were eventually implemented in aviation, they should not have taken almost a year to put in place. In fact, in 2015, the Government Accountability Office issued a recommendation to develop a national aviation preparedness plan for communicable disease outbreaks. The Government Accountability Office has since found that had the Department of Transportation implemented such a plan, it ``could have improved coordination between public health and aviation sectors during COVID-19 to address issues like passenger screening.'' H.R. 884 seeks to resolve this oversight by requiring the Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security, to develop a national aviation preparedness plan. That plan, at a minimum, would lay out the responsibilities of airports, airlines, and government entities in responding to future pandemics, improve coordination among stakeholders, and identify appropriate equipment to protect frontline aviation employees, among other things. This means we could establish the necessary procedures and methodologies to combat pandemics prior to their onset and eliminate the confusion surrounding who should take action. Fortunately, we have come a long way since the start of the pandemic. Vaccines are widely available, daily COVID hospitalizations and death rates have decreased, and air travel is returning to prepandemic levels. But we could have done better. This bill, which received overwhelming bipartisan support in committee, will ensure the lessons learned from the current pandemic are not forgotten during the next one. For these reasons, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5952) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123 East Main Street, in Vergas, Minnesota, as the ``Jon Glawe Post Office''.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5865) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4110 Bluebonnet Drive in Stafford, Texas, as the ``Leonard Scarcella Post Office Building''.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 442) to amend title 40, United States Code, to require the Administrator of General Services to procure the most lifecycle cost effective and energy efficient lighting products and to issue guidance on the efficiency, effectiveness, and economy of those products, and for other purposes.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the No Fencing at the United States Supreme Court Act, which would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the U.S. Supreme Court. Last year, I introduced a bill that would prohibit the installation of permanent fencing at the U.S. Capitol complex. After the Supreme Court's draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health was leaked in May, the Supreme Court installed temporary anti- climb fencing around its grounds, which remained in place until late August. While the Supreme Court has not announced plans to install permanent fencing, temporary security measures often become permanent. While I understand the importance of protecting the Supreme Court building, the Justices and Supreme Court employees, we can and must maintain our commitment to security without sacrificing public access by using the least restrictive means necessary to address security. Permanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world, by transforming our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens. The Supreme Court has long welcomed First Amendment protests and demonstrations without becoming a fortress. Public property should be open to the public. The distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government, including the Supreme Court, low. We should not entrench that distance further by placing intimidating barriers between ourselves as public servants and the people we serve. There are more effective, less obtrusive security solutions than archaic fencing. Moreover, the Supreme Court is in a residential neighborhood in the District of Columbia. The Supreme Court grounds are widely used by both D.C. residents and visitors. Permanent fencing would block that use. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I rise to express concern about the welfare of Emad Shargi, a longtime resident of the District of Columbia who has been unjustly and inhumanely detained in Iran since 2018. While visiting his wife's family in Iran, Mr. Shargi was arrested in the middle of the night by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and forcefully taken to the notorious Evin Prison, where he was held in solitary confinement and intensely interrogated for eight months. He was then released and cleared of the fabricated charges but was denied the return of his travel documents and banned from leaving the country. In November 2020, he was sentenced, without a trial, to 10 years in prison on fabricated charges. He is in Evin Prison. His family and I are concerned about his well-being. I call upon the State Department to prioritize the immediate release of Emad Shargi and to do everything possible to bring him home safely.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5315, the Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant Act, legislation sponsored by Mr. Stanton of Arizona and Mr. Graves from Louisiana. In recent years, small unmanned systems, also known as drones, have been valuable assets in the inspection, maintenance, and repair of the Nation's critical infrastructure. Drones have many uses, from surveying transmission lines and inspecting bridges, to assessing damage from natural disasters. As this aviation technology continues to evolve, State and local governments should have the opportunity to leverage these systems to help identify and address the growing infrastructure needs across the country. H.R. 5315 establishes a drone infrastructure inspection grant program and a drone education and workforce training grant program at the U.S. Department of Transportation to help increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve worker safety, and reduce carbon emissions related to critical infrastructure projects. Specifically, the bill authorizes competitive Department of Transportation grants for State, Tribal, and local governments to purchase, lease, contract for services, or support the operational management of small drones to perform certain infrastructure projects. H.R. 5315 ensures that these Federal funds can only be used for small drone technology manufactured or assembled by a U.S. company, includes safeguards for related labor agreements, and prioritizes projects conducted in historically disadvantaged communities. In order to help equip the future U.S. transportation workforce with the skills necessary to capitalize on drone technology and compete globally, H.R. 5315 also invests Federal funding in drone workforce training and education programs at universities and community colleges. This program will be particularly beneficial as the U.S. aviation sector works to achieve a workforce that better reflects the diversity of the country as a whole. H.R. 5315 has the support of cosponsors from both sides of the aisle and the endorsement of several key organizations representing the U.S. aviation and aerospace sector, and State, Tribal, and local governments. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support from these organizations. September 8, 2022. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Steny Hoyer, Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Steve Scalise, Minority Whip, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Minority Leader McCarthy and Minority Whip Scalise: We write in strong support of H.R. 5315, the bipartisan Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant (DIIG) Act, and respectfully request that the bill be added to the House floor schedule. The DIIG Act addresses the urgent critical infrastructure inspection backlog our nation faces today, while also investing in the drone workforce of tomorrow. The bill's purpose is twofold. First, it would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to provide competitive grants to state, tribal, and local governments to use secure small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to perform critical infrastructure inspections. Drones provide states with a safe and cost effective way to identify and repair critical infrastructure problems in early stages, saving money, time, and preventing needless consumer and worker injuries and death. Second, the bill would invest in our nation's future workforce by authorizing USDOT competitive grants for workforce training and education at institutions of higher education, including community colleges. This would position current and future workers to capitalize on the fast-growing drone economy, and help to cultivate a diverse workforce. To date, over 90 institutions have been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration as VAS-Collegiate Training Initiative Schools. This bill would nurture a dynamic workforce--ready to adapt to the technological advancements of the future. The DIIG Act passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a bipartisan vote of 54-4 on April 28th. We hope you join us in supporting the DIIG Act by adding it to the House floor schedule as soon as possible. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, National League of Cities (NLC), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National Association of Counties (NACo), National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Association of Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA). NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance, Inc (NUAIR), Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Kansas UAS Joint Task Force, Texas Association of Counties, San Bernardino County.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5315) to direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish in the Department of Transportation a drone infrastructure inspection grant program and a drone education and training grant program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5315, as amended.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. 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 H.R. 5774, as amended.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5774, the Expediting Disaster Recovery Act, legislation introduced by Mr. Graves of Louisiana. This legislation is designed to expedite the delivery of Federal disaster assistance and address the unpaid, unmet needs of disaster survivors. The authorizations in this bill allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to estimate the total cost of disaster recovery and provide States up to 10 percent of this estimate when a major disaster is declared. States would be able to use these funds to administer a broad range of recovery solutions not covered by FEMA's individual assistance program. Such activities could include home repair and support for business activities. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1468) to amend title 40, United States Code, to eliminate the leasing authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. NORTON. 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 H.R. 1468, as amended.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Securities and Exchange Commission Real Estate Leasing Authority Revocation Act, which I introduced, will revoke the independent real estate leasing authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission and direct the Government Accountability Office to update its 2016 report on independent real estate leasing authority in the Federal Government. While a number of Federal agencies have independent leasing authority, the SEC has a history of egregious real estate practices. In 2005, the SEC disclosed that it had unbudgeted costs of approximately $48 million for the construction of its headquarters near Union Station. In 2007, after moving into the headquarters, the SEC shuffled its employees to different office space at a cost of over $3 million without any cost-benefit analysis or justifiable explanation. In 2010, the SEC conducted a deeply flawed analysis to justify the need to lease 900,000 square feet and to commit over $500 million over 10 years, overestimating its space needs by over 300 percent. In addition, the SEC failed to provide complete and accurate information and prepared a faulty and backdated justification and approval after it had already signed the lease. In August 2016, the General Services Administration and the SEC entered into an occupancy agreement to authorize the GSA to secure a new 15-year lease. In December 2016, the GSA, with the approval of the SEC, submitted a prospectus to Congress for approximately 1.3 million square feet, which Congress approved in 2018. By July 2019, the GSA had received final bids, resolved all protests, and even selected a final bidder. A month later, the SEC canceled the occupancy agreement, citing concerns about the value of the purchase option, which the SEC refused to document to Congress. The SEC effectively vetoed the entire 3-year procurement process, despite not having the authority or funding to exercise the purchase option without the GSA's involvement. Finally, after much back and forth between the two agencies, the GSA entered into a lease for a new SEC headquarters in September 2021. The SEC says it will continue to have the GSA do its leasing in the future, but the SEC's history of egregious leasing conduct, having squandered hundreds of millions of dollars, makes this bill necessary. These public blunders also risk undermining the reputation of the GSA and the Federal Government among the developers and building owners that participate in Federal lease procurements and ultimately driving up the costs of all GSA real estate procurement due to the threat of uncertainty. It is time for Congress to return the SEC's leasing authority to the GSA, the Federal Government's civilian real estate arm. As the SEC has demonstrated over three decades, it is incredibly inefficient, wasteful, and redundant to have the SEC involved in real estate procurements when the GSA exists for that very reason. Like other Federal agencies, the SEC would continue to have input and involvement in the real estate decision-making process, but the GSA will have the ultimate authority. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1066) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide flexibility with the cost share for fire management assistance, and for other purposes, as amended.