Eleanor Norton

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr., who this week is celebrating 50 years of pastoral ministry in the District of Columbia at Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church, where he has provided outstanding service to not only residents of the District, but throughout the country. As pastor of one the largest churches in the District, for five decades, Bishop Owens has been among the nation's most prominent pastors. His reputation for serving his community, humor, and messages of hope has allowed him to grow from a membership of only seven members in 1966 to more than 7,000 today. Bishop Owens, a native Washingtonian, has a heart for the community, establishing, among other social service programs an alcohol and drug abuse program and free mental and emotional counseling through certified professionals, and becoming one of the first church HIV/AIDS healthcare programs in the nation. In addition, he is passionate about helping our returning citizens and making them productive community members. He lives by his mantra, ``It's just nice to be nice.'' But, he understands the responsibility he has as a pastor to ensure his ministry goes beyond the four walls of the church and serves those most in need. Among Bishop Owen's many accomplishments are serving as the Dean of the Joint College of African American Pentecostal Bishops since 2000. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Howard University School of Divinity. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues know of the ministry of Bishop Owens and many congressional staff attend his church. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr., for 50 years of extraordinary contributions to the national capital region and the nation and to wish him many more years of service.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the No Lead in the Air Act. The bill prohibits the use of lead in aircraft fuel by 2021. Lead exposure can have harmful effects on children as well as adults. Since 1980, the amount of lead in the air has decreased 89 percent, but while lead gas for automobiles has been banned since 1995, the piston-engine aircraft industry and airports that supply their fuel continue to use leaded aircraft fuel. Without a federal ban, they will continue to do so and put our communities and children at risk. Lead particles from airplane exhaust can fall widely during flight and there may be high concentrations of lead near airports. It is estimated that 16 million people live and three million children go to school within a half-mile of airports that sell leaded aircraft fuel, called avgas. The health effects of lead in children include behavioral and learning problems, lower IQ, hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems, and anemia. Lead exposure can cause premature births and spontaneous abortions in pregnant women, and adults can suffer from increased blood pressure, decreased kidney function, and reproductive problems. Seventy-five percent of piston-engined aircraft already operate safely with fuel that does not use lead. However, small airports continue to only sell leaded avgas for these piston-engine aircraft. But small airports will have to comply if the federal government bans the use of leaded fuel. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which implements the Clean Air Act, announced plans in 2010 to phase out leaded aviation fuel, but in the intervening six years we still have not seen a proposed rule. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has created a task force of government and aviation industry stakeholders to study alternative fuels for piston-engine aircraft that do not use lead, and the agency has indicated it may certify lead-free aviation fuel sometime in 2018. With so much evidence of the harmful impacts of lead exposure, we can no longer put our communities at risk. My bill would give enough time for a full phase-out of lead in aircraft fuel--five years--by directing the FAA Administrator, in consultation with the EPA Administrator, to issue regulations prohibiting the use of leaded fuel in aircraft in U.S. airspace beginning January 1, 2021. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Reducing Long-Term Unemployment Act, to address one of the lingering workforce tragedies in today's economy--our long-term unemployed--and to keep the economy growing. Although the overall unemployment rate has fallen below 5 percent, Americans who have remained unemployed for longer than 27 weeks have not enjoyed a similar recovery. In January 2016, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was 2.1 million, which accounted for 26.9 percent of the total unemployed population. To make matters even worse, the long-term unemployed now face employment discrimination as employers show reluctance to hire job- seekers because of the length of their unemployment. Therefore, my bill provides a necessary incentive to hire the long-term unemployed--a $5,000 tax credit for employers against their payroll tax liability for each (net) new long-term unemployed person they hire. The tax credit is large enough to give employers an incentive to increase the hiring and wages of those who have been unjustifiably left behind, while ensuring that the economy benefits from their participation. The credit would be available to the broadest base of employers because every employer-- government, non-profit, and for-profit--pays payroll taxes, and employers could claim the credit on a quarterly rather than annual basis. According to the independent, non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the proposal would ``increase both output and employment,'' through four mechanisms: (1) with lower employment costs, employers would reduce the costs of their products and services, which, in turn, would first boost sales and then hiring and hours worked; (2) employers would pass on some of the tax savings to employees in the form of higher wages or other compensation, which, in turn, would increase employees' purchasing power; (3) higher profits would lead to higher stock prices for public companies, increasing shareholders' wealth and therefore their willingness to spend; and (4) with lower employment costs, employers would increase hiring. The bill has safeguards to prevent employers from gaming the system, including denying a credit to an employer that fires one employee and hires a replacement in order to take advantage of the incentive. For some time, it has been clear that targeted policies are necessary to address today's stubborn long-term unemployment rates. Without significant targeting, the long-term unemployed are in danger of becoming permanently unemployed. This group of competent and experienced Americans deserves better. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the birthday of Frederick Douglass, I introduce a bill that would establish a bicentennial commission to study ways that the federal government might honor and celebrate the life of Douglass during the bicentennial anniversary of his birth, in 2018. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He learned basic reading skills from his mistress and continued to teach himself and other slaves to read and write despite the risks he faced, including death. After two attempts, Douglass successfully escaped to New York and became an abolitionist and anti- slavery lecturer. He went on to serve in several administrations, including as a close advisor to President Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Marshal of the District of Columbia under President Rutherford B. Hayes, and District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds under President James Garfield. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison appointed Frederick Douglass to be the U.S. minister to Haiti. He was later appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant to serve as secretary of the commission of Santo Domingo. Douglass dedicated his life to achieving justice for all Americans. He lived in the District of Columbia for 23 of his 57 years as a free man and was deeply committed to obtaining equal congressional voting and self-government rights for District residents. His home at Cedar Hill was established as a National Historic Site in Southeast Washington, D.C., and his statue in the United States Capitol is a gift from the 650,000 American citizens of the District of Columbia. My bill would establish a commission to examine ways the federal government can honor Douglass during the bicentennial anniversary of his birth, including the issuance of a Frederick Douglass bicentennial postage stamp, the convening of a joint meeting or joint session of Congress for ceremonies and activities relating to Frederick Douglass, a rededication of the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, and the acquisition and preservation of artifacts associated with Frederick Douglass. The Commission would report its findings and recommendations to Congress. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing a treasured historical landmark in our midst, The National League of American Pen Women, Inc. (NLAPW). The League's headquarters is located in the heart of the nation's capital between Dupont Circle and Scott Circle, just blocks away from the White House. With affiliates all across the United States, the League is a key nonprofit neighbor, whose headquarters building is a magnificent architectural gem. The League is dedicated to the recognition and advancement of women in the arts and letters in the District of Columbia and nationwide. Its mission is to represent and foster women's outstanding cultural and educational contributions to the nation. The League's membership, comprising some 82 branches throughout the country, encompasses a cross section of American women--all ages, races, religions, and cultures. For generations, the League has highlighted the great contributions and careers of creative American Women. Since its founding in 1897, luminaries such as Nobel Laureate Pearl Buck, Margaret Mitchell and Eudora Welty were illustrious members, among many others. Eleanor Roosevelt was a very active Pen Woman, as was Vinnie Ream, who sculpted the Lincoln statue that stands in the Capitol's Rotunda, as well as the statue of Admiral Farragut at Farragut Square. It should also be noted that the League's beautiful, mansion-class headquarters at 1300 17th Street NW is steeped in history. Its interior has been lovingly maintained. To walk through it, as so many did during the recent Dupont Circle House Tour sponsored by the Dupont Circle Citizens Association, is to experience the elegance and inspiration of a bygone era. It is also to realize that the Pen Arts Building was once the home of Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's oldest son. That is an especially noteworthy historical perspective in this 150th anniversary year of the death of Abraham Lincoln. Regrettably, the League has become financially stressed, a situation hindering the preservation efforts of many nonprofits today. Losing the League, which has been in the District for 64 years, would be a terrible blow to the city, to the Dupont Circle neighborhood, to preservation, and to history itself. I also ask the House to recognize the League's unfortunate current financial plight, and the efforts of TENAC, the D.C. Tenants' Advocacy Coalition, to help preserve this beautiful landmark. Under the leadership of its chairman, Jim McGrath, TENAC has long been the District's unrivaled champion of tenants' rights, helping the homeless, and historic preservation. Helping the League remain in the District and maintain its magnificent headquarters building here is a very worthy cause, enthusiastically supported by a broad variety of others in the city, including D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans, the Dupont Circle Citizens Association, and the historic Tabard Inn, among many others. I ask the House to recognize these efforts, and join in supporting this cause. At a time when women seem to be under attack in this country and all over the globe, assisting the National League of American Pen Women would be a worthy step in trying to redress that balance. For all of these reasons, I ask the House to join me in expressing support for the League and its successful mission, and to recognize the importance of saving it. I know the League would be profoundly grateful for that support.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act of 2016, a bill that would require buildings that are either federally owned or leased to provide designated private and hygienic lactation spaces for nursing mothers. For years, federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have encouraged breastfeeding--the benefits are so great that the Affordable Care Act amended federal law to require employers to provide a designated, non-bathroom space for returning employees to pump breastmilk for their newborns, ensuring that new mothers would be able to continue this essential practice even after returning to work. My bill would extend this requirement to include not just employees, but visitors and guests to federal facilities across the nation. In Washington, D.C. alone, there are millions of tourists who visit federal sites, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian Institution. Increasingly, families understand the unique benefits of breastfeeding, and visitors to these buildings who have newborns and babies should have a private space to breastfeed or pump. The benefits of breastfeeding are well documented--breastmilk contains antibodies and hormones that boost babies' immune systems, and studies have shown lower risks of asthma, diabetes, respiratory infections, and other diseases among breastfed babies. Moreover, breastfeeding also has benefits for nursing mothers, who, research has shown, have lower risks of diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Given the significant public health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby, already recognized in federal policy, my bill is a logical next step to ensure visitors to federal sites have access to clean, hygienic, and private spaces to nurse or pump. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, which would provide access to designated lactation rooms for guests to federally owned or leased buildings.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, as hundreds of thousands of our federal workers face uncertainty in wages and work, I rise along with my House colleague Robert J. Wittman to introduce a bill to clarify certain due process rights of federal employees serving in sensitive positions. Our bill would overturn an unprecedented federal court decision, Kaplan v. Conyers and MSPB, which stripped many federal employees of the right to independent review of an agency decision removing them from a job on grounds of ineligibility. The case was brought by two Department of Defense (DOD) employees, Rhonda Conyers, an accounting technician, and Devon Northover, a commissary management specialist, who were permanently demoted and suspended from their jobs after they were found to no longer be eligible to serve in noncritical sensitive positions. In 2014, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, which allowed the appeals court decision to stand. Specifically, the decision prevents federal workers who are designated as ``noncritical sensitive'' from appealing to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) if they are removed from their jobs. Noncritical sensitive jobs include those that do not have access to classified information. The decision would affect at least 200,000 DOD employees who are designated as noncritical sensitive. Even more seriously, most federal employees could potentially lose the same right to an independent review of an agency's decision because of a rule by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), which went into effect in July 2015, that permits agency heads to designate most jobs in the federal government as noncritical sensitive. The Kaplan decision undercuts Title 5, section 7701 of the Civil Service Act, which ensures due process rights for federal workers required by the U.S. Constitution. Stripping employees whose work does not involve classified matters of the right of review of an agency decision that removes them from their jobs opens entirely new avenues for unreviewable, arbitrary action or retaliation by an agency head and, in addition, makes a mockery of whistleblower protections enacted in the 112th Congress. My bill would stop the use of ``national security'' to repeal a vital component of civil service protection and of due process. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia Judicial Financial Transparency Act of 2016, a bill that would enhance financial disclosure requirements for D.C. Court judges, making them similar to the disclosure requirements already in place for Article III federal judges. Although current federal law does require D.C. Superior Court and D.C. Court of Appeals judges to file annual financial reports, much of the information included in those reports remains confidential. For example, while judges are required to submit information about their income, investments, liabilities, and gifts, current law only makes public judges' connections to charities, private organizations, and businesses, and honorariums that are more than $300. My bill would bring some much-needed transparency to the D.C. Courts by making all of this information--except for a judge's personally identifiable information--available for public inspection. This legislation is particularly necessary because open government advocates have found the D.C. Courts to be seriously lacking in transparency. In fact, a 2014 survey by the Center for Public Integrity that took a comprehensive look at each state's judicial financial disclosure rules, gave the District a failing grade. D.C. Court judges already submit enough financial information to improve the District's standing--my bill would make it public. Only Congress can make these necessary changes. I urge my colleagues to support this good government bill, to improve transparency for judges in the District of Columbia.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Jacqueline Ann Berrien, chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from 2010 to 2014, who passed away on November 9, 2015, at the age of 53. I was privileged to know Jacqueline Berrien and to work with her here in the Congress. A native Washingtonian, Jacqueline graduated from Oberlin College and Harvard Law School prior to beginning her career as a distinguished civil rights lawyer. Jacqueline cut her teeth while working with the Voting Rights Project of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in the District of Columbia and with the National Legal Department and Women's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union in New York. After several successful years, Jaqueline became an assistant counsel to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Legal Defense and Education Fund, where she focused on voting rights and school desegregation. She left the NAACP to become a program officer for the Ford Foundation's Peace and Social Justice Program, before returning as associate director-counsel of the NAACP's Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Jacqueline Berrien as Chair of the EEOC, where she continued the work of combating discrimination, excelling as a public official in combating workplace discrimination. During her tenure, Jacqueline took on the new frontiers in employment discrimination, and despite budget shortfalls and a surge in cases, she helped the EEOC to significantly reduce its case backlog. As a civil rights lawyer and former chair of the EEOC myself, I worked with Jacqueline Berrien here in the Congress and greatly admired her many contributions to the work of the EEOC. Jacqueline Berrien, in a life cut short by cancer, nevertheless managed to leave a rich civil rights legacy, consummated by a presidential appointment to do that work for the entire nation. Our country is fortunate that this champion for civil rights, rich in talent, short in time, managed to accomplish so much. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to join me in honoring Jacqueline Ann Berrien for her exceptional civil rights career, for her service to the United States of America, and for a life well lived.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I support this bill, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank Representative Duncan and Ranking Member Cummings for sponsoring this legislation. Representative Duncan first sponsored a bill to improve Presidential libraries 16 years ago. What has happened that we can't get this bill through the Congress? I hope this bill this year will prove different. This Congress, I hope we can finally get this important reform on the President's desk where I am sure it will be signed. The Presidential Library Donation Reform Act would provide transparency to the process for building Presidential libraries. The practice of creating a Presidential library began decades ago with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The tradition has carried on through every President since that time, and it is going to continue. Presidential libraries have become increasingly more expensive as they have evolved into multipurpose centers that do more than simply house Presidential records. For example, the William J. Clinton Library cost an estimated $165 million, while the George W. Bush Presidential Center cost an estimated $250 million to build, with President Bush having raised approximately half a billion dollars for his library, museum, and institute. We can expect that with each new President, these libraries are going to cost more. That is just natural. Under current law, there is no requirement to disclose the identities of those who donate to a Presidential library, and a President is able to secure an unlimited amount of private donations while still in office. The bill before us would make a simple but very important change in existing law. Under this bill, organizations that raise money to build Presidential libraries would be required to disclose the identity of any individual who donates more than $200. It seems reasonable to me, Mr. Speaker. The National Archives and Records Administration would then be required to post the donation information in a manner that is free to access and downloadable. Additionally, this legislation would create criminal penalties for individuals who report false information on donations and for fundraising organizations that omit donation information. A group of 15 good government organizations, including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the Sunlight Foundation, sent a letter urging the House to support this bill. Here is what they wrote: ``Under the current opaque system, Presidents raise funds privately to establish their Presidential libraries. These efforts, which often begin long before they leave office, are unregulated and undisclosed, creating opportunities for, or the appearance of, influence-peddling. Improved transparency would help reduce the appearance of impropriety and help deter inappropriate behavior.'' The appearance is just as important as the behavior itself, I emphasize, Mr. Speaker. This bill was approved without opposition by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in March and has passed the House several times before. As I noted, companion legislation sponsored by Senators Corker and Johnson was approved by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee earlier this year. It looks like this bill may become law after all, Mr. Duncan. I urge every Member of this body to support transparency by voting for this important legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1777, the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act. I want to thank my good friends, Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings of the Oversight Committee, for their work on this important update of Presidential legislation. This is what this bill would do: It would update what has become an arcane law and reduce unnecessary costs to the taxpayer. The bill would amend the Former Presidents Act of 1958 to provide a $200,000 annual pension for each former President and a $100,000 annual survivor benefit to each surviving spouse. The pensions are indexed to inflation and would increase with the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. Currently, surviving spouses receive $20,000--an interesting disparity between the spouse and the former President--and former Presidents receive a pension equal to the pay for Cabinet Secretaries, which for 2015 is $203,700. The bill would also provide an annual allowance of $200,000 for costs associated with post-Presidential life. The annual allowance would replace amounts currently provided for travel, staff, and office expenses, which totaled $3.25 million in fiscal year 2015 for the four living former Presidents. The allowance would be reduced dollar for dollar for every dollar a former President earns in outside income in excess of $400,000. So, you see, there might be no Presidential pension if the President does what most Presidents have done, which is to almost not be able to help earning outside income. Updating the allowance ends an unnecessary government handout to former Presidents making millions of dollars after leaving office. There is little reason why American taxpayers should be subsidizing these former Presidents when they are making a comfortable living on their own work. This legislation would not affect the funding for the security and protection of former Presidents and their spouses, and that is an important provision, considering the world in which we live today. Last, Mr. Speaker, I want to particularly thank my good friend, Chairman Chaffetz, for the amendment, my amendment to the bill in committee to eliminate the prohibition on preventing a former President or surviving spouse from receiving a pension during the period of time he or she holds office in the District of Columbia. Imagine that. When this bill was written, it was a double-dipping bill, and they thought that some President would leave office and want to, somehow, seek work in the District of Columbia. Hardly, but I can understand that provision, and I thank the chairman that this double- dipping provision, he and I both find, is no longer necessary. While this language may have made sense in 1958, that was before the District even had home rule. The District had no mayor or city council. It was under the total dominance of the Federal Government. Since then, of course, there have been changes that I am pleased to applaud, and the government of the District of Columbia pays for the pensions of its own employees, so the Federal Government isn't in it at all. There is no reason the concern that a former President would receive both a pension and a salary from the Federal Government should still be a part of our law. This is a good-government bill that makes fiscal sense by reducing taxpayer-funded costs. I certainly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 1777. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I want to thank the chairman. We are off to a good start in this second session of this Congress. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, I need to thank Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson and Ranking Member Tom Carper for sponsoring the District of Columbia Courts, Public Defender Service, and Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Act, and for all their hard work in getting it passed in the Senate. Thanks also are due to my good friend, the chairman of the Oversight Committee, Jason Chaffetz, and its Ranking Member, Elijah Cummings, for bringing this bill to the floor and working so closely with us in the District of Columbia. This bill may seem small, but its technical changes will improve the operations and effectiveness of three District of Columbia criminal justice agencies that are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, and they are under that jurisdiction because of the Revitalization Act, which took over the funding of certain District of Columbia agencies because they are State agencies, to improve the financial condition of the District of Columbia, which was the only city that carried State functions. This bill gives these agencies some modest new authorities that are already available to comparable Federal agencies. The bill would authorize CSOSA to use incentives-based programs for offenders, instead of only sanctions to get compliance. This is in keeping with modern penology. It would allow the Public Defender Service to accept and use public grants, voluntary and uncompensated services, such as unpaid law clerks and interns of the kind, for example, that we use here every day, and private contributions made to advance the Public Defender Service's work. It would allow the courts to collect debts owed to it by its employees. These changes are small and they are noncontroversial, but they mean a great deal to the District of Columbia because they will modernize and improve the daily operations of the District's criminal justice system. If I may say so while the chairman is on the floor, these small changes, somehow I hope our committee will find a way to allow the courts, themselves, to do so that we do not have to bring such small changes before this body, which has such important work. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the bill before us, the Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act, or GONE Act--and I like that name, it is a very catchy name, and you will see why in a moment--it seeks to improve the grant management process by requiring Federal agencies to report on expired grants. The Government Accountability Office has found that expired grants are not always closed out properly. In fact, GAO found that nearly $1 billion in undisbursed balances remained in expired and dormant grant accounts; therefore, the GONE Act's name. But, Mr. Speaker, I would call this found money, not gone money. It is still there. Improving the grant closeout process will help protect taxpayer dollars and ensure that those dollars can be redirected to better uses. This act may also incline agencies and localities to use funds they have asked for. This legislation would require agencies to report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and to Congress on the number of expired grants and those with undisbursed balances. For the oldest expired grants, agencies will need to explain why those grants have not been closed. The bill would also require agencies to report a year after the initial report on progress made on grant closure. Hopefully, this increased accountability will bring improvement to grant management. I commend Representatives Walberg and Lawrence for their work on this bipartisan, commonsense legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act builds upon two existing laws that came through our committee: the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 and the DATA Act, which was signed into law in 2014. The Obama administration launched the performance.gov Web site to implement the GPRA Modernization Act, and this bill would enhance the information available through that Web site. The bill would require the Office of Management and Budget to make available on a central Web site an inventory of all Federal agency programs that have a budget authority of more than $1 million. The bill also would require OMB to include on this Web site links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by an agency, an inspector general, or the Government Accountability Office released during the preceding 5 years. The Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act would require agencies to disclose how much agency staff are administering each covered program, as well as other individuals whose salary is paid by the government through a contract, grant, or other agreement. The Office of Management and Budget raised serious concerns about its ability to implement the requirements of the bill as it was reported by the committee. I want to thank the chairman for making changes to help address those concerns in the amended version of the bill before us today. It is important that we continue to work together to ensure the bill will work as intended. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia Home Rule Clemency Act of 2016, a bill that would give the District of Columbia exclusive authority, like states, to grant clemency to offenders prosecuted under its local laws. While D.C. law appears to give the mayor authority to grant clemency (D.C. Code 1-301.76), it is currently the opinion of the Department of Justice that the President, and not the Mayor, has the authority to issue clemency for most local offenses prosecuted under D.C. law, particularly felonies prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney in the D.C. Superior Court. Under current practice, clemency petitions for D.C. convictions, like federal convictions, are submitted to the DOJ for the President's consideration. Whether or not the DOJ's view is correct, my bill would remove all doubt that the District, and not the President, has the authority to issue executive clemency. The District, like states, should have full control of its local criminal justice system, the most basic responsibility of local government. Since the D.C. Council has the authority to enact local laws, District officials are in the best position to grant clemency for local law convictions. My bill would provide all clemency authority not currently reserved to the Mayor under D.C. Code 1-301.76 to the District government and would give D.C. the discretion to establish its own clemency system. This bill is an important step in establishing further autonomy for the District in its own local affairs. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, it's ironic that during our first sessions of the new year today, the House gets down to business with fake business--defunding Planned Parenthood and the 62nd vote to repeal Obamacare. Never mind the inevitable veto by a Democratic President-- the Republican Governor of Kentucky, Matt Beven has already vetoed his own campaign promise to repeal the Medicaid expansion. A Washington Post editorial commended Bevin for ``good sense.'' It's also sound policy and good politics to claim federal funds that your constituents have paid for to improve the health care of half a million low-income Kentuckians. Defunding Planned Parenthood, or federally funded health care for the 60 percent of their Medicaid patients who depend on Planned Parenthood, would have the same effect as defunding the Medicaid expansion in Kentucky. Both would take away from the neediest living in underserved communities for spiteful political reasons. Republicans began 2016 with more of the same, by targeting medical care for the poor. Americans deserve better than the same old foolishness in the new year.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce a bill to permit commercial filming and photography on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, east of Union Square, the only area where such filming is currently authorized. This bill would permit commercial photography and filming outside of the Capitol and congressional office buildings by permit, so long as both the House and Senate are not in session. In today's world, where many societies are facing upheavals, our country should be the first to encourage commercial photography and filming of the Capitol, which symbolizes U.S. democracy at work. Hollywood and other commercial filmmakers should not have to go to other or fake capitol buildings for movies and films about the U.S. Capitol. The current policy permitting filming near the United States Botanic Garden shows that the Capitol police can handle filmmaking on Capitol grounds, especially when Congress is not in session. However, filming from that vantage point captures the least familiar view of the Capitol. At a time when the reputation of Congress is particularly low, filming of the Capitol, a building that represents American democracy, could bolster its image. Keeping filmmakers from standing in front of the Capitol is neither business-friendly nor true to the nation's democratic traditions. Encouraging commercial photography and filming at the Capitol would help spread the story of our national legislature around the world. The time is overdue to allow to commercial filming and photography of the exterior of the historic 19th century Capitol building. There is no good reason why commercial filming and photography should be confined to Union Square. Specifically, my bill gives the Capitol Police the discretion, depending on the circumstances in and around the Capitol, to issue a permit authorizing commercial filming and photography under the same conditions as those in Union Square. Such areas might include, for example, Independence Avenue on the House side and Constitution Avenue on the Senate side. No policy or security reason exists to justify limiting commercial filming and photography of the Capitol complex to only one location, Union Square, particularly considering that permits are necessary. People are regularly seen on East Capitol Street (east of 2nd Street) taking pictures, where they get a full view of the Capitol building, demonstrating how arbitrary it is to limit commercial filming to Union Square. Capitol Police would also have authority to charge a fee to cover any costs incurred by the Architect of the Capitol as a result of the issuance of the permit, to be deposited into the Capitol Trust Account. The Capitol Trust Account was established to accept proceeds from any fees collected for commercial filming permits for Union Square. Amounts in the Capitol Trust Account would be available without fiscal year limitation for such maintenance, improvements, and projects with respect to the Capitol grounds as the Architect of the Capitol considers appropriate, subject to the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate. Views of the U.S. Capitol are among America's most iconic. Limiting commercial filming and photography of the Capitol, an important vehicle for telling the nation's story, does not serve the American people. Indeed, most of the world knows our country and reveres our system of government largely through commercial photography and films of the Capitol, which symbolizes our democracy at work. Commercial films and photographs of the Capitol, the seat of our democracy, are perhaps the best modern vehicles for telling the nation's story and showcasing its democratic system of government. My bill would enable appropriate, permitted commercial filming and photography of the Capitol, and would create economic benefits for the nation, the city, and private business. I urge support of this bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the FEMA Help and Education for Local Partners Act (FEMA HELP Act). The bill addresses concerns raised by states and local governments about the lack of comprehensive information about the various federal assistance programs available during and in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster. The bill creates a federal multi-agency team, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to provide coordinated assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders in implementing a comprehensive approach to recovery and utilizing the full range of federal resources across agencies and programs. The number and costs of federally declared disasters has been on the rise over the last 30 years. For example, total damages from 1972's Hurricane Agnes were $2.1 billion, 1999's Hurricane Floyd caused $6 billion in damage, while Hurricane Sandy resulted in $65 billion in total damage. With the multiple disaster assistance programs offered by federal agencies in the aftermath of a disaster, the federal government needs to work together with state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders to provide the right types of aid on time to meet critical needs. At a recent Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management roundtable, a state representative suggested that the federal government provide a ``menu of resources'' so that state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders and their residents can look for government resources in one place. To address the current lack of coordination, the FEMA HELP Act is designed to require federal agencies to work together in a collaborative manner with state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders and provide them with guidance on federal assistance programs. To accomplish this aim, the bill directs FEMA to convene and manage multi- agency federal teams to work with and provide coordinated assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders in implementing a comprehensive approach to recovery and utilizing the full range of federal funding resources across agencies and programs. The bill also requires FEMA's coordinating officers be trained in the range of applicable funding programs. The multi-agency federal team would include FEMA, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Army Corps of Engineers. The bill also directs FEMA to create a clear and consistent set of guidelines and criteria for making and communicating decisions on funding eligibility and requirements. To retain institutional knowledge, the bill requires federal teams to minimize staff transitions and ensure there is adequate information transfer when staff transitions occur. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to the remarkable impact of art on the educational performance of the students at Savoy Elementary, a public school in my district. Savoy Elementary Anacostia, located here in the nation's capital, is one of eight pilot schools of Turnaround Arts, a signature program of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Turnaround Arts has had clear, life-changing impacts on the students of Savoy-- attendance is up, discipline referrals are down, and the school has made double-digit gains in math and reading scores. The Savoy Players are a performing group at Savoy Elementary. Led by Carol Foster, a legendary arts leader in the national capital region, this group has been hugely successful. To be part of this group, students must exhibit maturity, grit, excellent attendance, and good grades. The professionalism, spirit, and magnetism of this group has catapulted them into the limelight. In addition to countless performances for their school community, they have had four performances at the White House, performed with Brian McKnight at the Warner Theater, and brought down the house at the Kennedy Center. But, most importantly, singing, dancing and performing has brought them the joy, meaning, and purpose that every child should experience. Mr. Speaker, in this holiday season, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the clear benefit exposure to the arts has made for the children of Savoy Elementary, and hope that the new education legislation will bring similar opportunities to kids across the country.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce a bill to require the Library of Congress to install the District of Columbia seal in the Main Reading Room of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. The Library is one of the few buildings in the District that remains open to the public on most holidays. It provides not only D.C. residents but visitors and researchers from across the nation with access to incomparable resources. The bill requires the Library to depict the District's seal on the stained-glass windows in the Main Reading Room, where the seals of all the states and territories that existed when the building was constructed, except for the District, are depicted. D.C.'s seal was readily available at that time and should have been included. The seals of Hawaii and Alaska are not included in the display because they were not states or territories when the building was constructed. The fact that these two states were not part of the Union at the time of the creation of the stained-glass windows argues for the inclusion of the District, which, after all, was in fact the nation's capital at the time. We are asking that omission of D.C. be corrected immediately. This omission was brought to my attention by a District resident, Luis Landau, a former docent at the Library. The residents of the District have always had all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes and serving in all the nation's wars, including the War of 1812, during which the Capitol building, which then housed the Library of Congress, was burned, prompting construction of the current Library of Congress building with the state and territory seals. It is, therefore, without question that the District and its residents should receive equal treatment among the stained-glass windows that portray the history of the United States. D.C. residents deserve to have their history and American citizenship recognized. There is existing evidence that the seal of the District should have been depicted. The Members of Congress room in the Jefferson Building, which is not open to the public, has a painted depiction of the D.C. seal, along with state seals, on its ceiling. This precedent reinforces our request to be represented among the stained-glass windows in the Main Reading Room, which is open to the public. There is no reason why the D.C. seal cannot be added with the planned restoration of the stained-glass. The right time to add the seal of the District would be during the planned restoration. Congress already includes the District of Columbia, or has corrected the omission of the District, when honoring the states. For example, the District of Columbia War Memorial honors District residents who served in World War I, the World War II Memorial includes a column representing the District, the flag of the District is displayed among the flags of the fifty states in the tunnel connecting the House office buildings to the Capitol, and D.C.'s Frederick Douglass statue now sits in the Capitol alongside statues from the 50 states. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 requires the armed services to display the District flag whenever the flags of the states are displayed. Legislation was also enacted to give D.C. a coin after it was omitted from legislation creating coins for the 50 states. We also successfully worked with the U.S. Postal Service to create a D.C. stamp, like the stamps for the 50 states, and worked with the National Park Service to add the D.C. flag alongside the state flags across from Union Station. It is long overdue to display the D.C. seal, along with the seals of the states, in the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress. I urge support of this legislation.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Aisha Karimah, who is retiring from NBC4 Washington after 46 years of outstanding service to the District of Columbia and the national capital region. Residents have seen Aisha at many of our charitable events in the city and region, but far more often, they have seen only her good works in many community campaigns. We could not count the people or the dollars Aisha's efforts have helped bring to our most successful community campaigns, among them: Beautiful Babies Right from the Start, Drug Free Zones, It Takes a Whole Village, Make the Right Call, Camp 4 Kids, Get Healthy 4 Life, Backpacks 4 Kids, Food 4 Families, and the NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo. In addition, Aisha produces two weekly news programs: Reporters Notebook and Viewpoint. A veteran television producer, Aisha also has generously lent her gifts to Howard University Television, including the Urban Health Report, Washington's Leaders and the Randall Robinson Program. Ms. Karimah is a particularly positive and dedicated role model for African Americans and for women entering journalism, and serves as a mentor to hundreds of young people. Aisha herself is a graduate of Howard University and Wesley Theological Seminary. She has been an extraordinary friend and guidepost to the District and to me ever since I have been a Member of Congress. While Aisha has been engaged in a successful career in television and journalism, she also has been a devoted mother of two sons: Donnell, a graduate of American and George Washington universities, and Jay, a Howard University graduate. Aisha Karimah's success, of course, has come from her tireless efforts, her love for her community and her drive to excel in her profession. However, Aisha gives all the credit to God. Aisha, a native Washingtonian who grew up on welfare in the District's Lincoln Heights public housing complex and started work at the age of 10, says her faith has helped her to rise to the top of her profession and serve her hometown at the same time. Aisha kept going at NBC4 despite illness. Now, after 46 years, often behind the scenes, bringing countless campaigns to our city and region, the time has come for Aisha herself to take a much deserved bow. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking and congratulating Aisha Karimah for excellence well beyond the call of duty for NBC4 Washington, the District of Columbia, and the national capital region for 46 remarkable years.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, the reputation of our committee is that we are the most bipartisan committee in the Congress, and I think we have shown it with this bill. I can't thank my partners enough--Mr. Graves you just heard from; Chairman Shuster; Mr. DeFazio, who is the ranking member; both good friends and, of course, the staff--for their countless hours, including missing Thanksgiving. I particularly thank the conference committee Members because this bill needed compromises on both sides if we were going to get it done this year, and that is what we have done. This bill was improved in conference in many ways. If you are in the States, you will probably say the most important way is that you are getting more funding than anticipated. There was a tradeoff, of course, because it is now a 5-year rather than a 6-year bill, and we needed the longest term bill we could get; but it does mean almost $13 billion more annually in funding for the States, and they were so starved for funds that, I believe, this 5-year tradeoff was most important for us and for them. The reason I have come to the floor with this chart is not to show you something about my own district, but because this chart is emblematic of what this bill will do for your district and for districts all over the United States. I chose it because one of my major projects is the H Street Bridge. I didn't just choose a bridge; I chose a bridge with intermodality at its vortex. This is the bridge that runs over Union Station. All you have to do is look at it, and you will see the trains; and there is freight beneath this bridge, and major freight is in this bill. You will see Amtrak. Across the H Street bridge itself runs inner-city buses, local buses, and streetcars. You see how transit is the key to development itself. So, if you don't get the transit done, if you don't get the infrastructure done for our bill, then other infrastructure which depends on it will not occur. We are trying to expand Union Station here. This bridge has to be done if they are to accomplish this. They are going to expand the Union Station concourse. This bill will allow the improvements in the Northeast corridor, which is so important to so many Members. In a real sense, this bridge and this poster tell the story of this bill. There were so many of my major priorities in this bill that I would just like to say something about a couple of them. One is the way we are now trying to get a hold of the highway trust fund which is a trust fund in name only--the $15 million to $20 million--that will allow for the States to experiment with new ideas. States are the only ones that are doing it, which is going to be absolutely necessary before the next long-term bill. We didn't have anything of the kind in MAP-21. Look what we had to do instead. We took money to pay for this bill, for example, from the Federal Reserve and from the strategic oil reserves, for the first time in history--that is the cutest one-- because oil is worth less than when it was used as an offset. We had to face down this highway trust fund, and that is why my major priority was new trust fund ideas.

Ms. NORTON. Finally, I want to say that I am very pleased that we worked together to get the Disadvantaged Business Enterprises provision done, and there is funding in this bill for a very important issue in our country for grants to address racial profiling.