Joe Neguse

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, even though I am not necessarily opposed.

Mr. NEGUSE. I would simply say, Madam Chair, in the spirit of bipartisanship--which I think has been reflective of so many of the bills that are included within this important and critical package that has been brought to the floor today--that I appreciate the arguments that were made with respect to this particular amendment. I imagine that Members are going to consider it thoughtfully and make a judgment that is in the best interests of their constituents and their respective States on this particular amendment. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1808. As the Chair, my fellow Coloradan, knows, just last year, we mourned the loss of 10 individuals who were shot, murdered, at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, in my district. Last week, we honored the 10-year anniversary of the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooting. The people in our communities fear whether they are even safe to walk into their local grocery store and buy food for their families without the threat of gun violence. Since the Federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004, the scourge of gun violence has only grown more pervasive across our country. We have come together in the past to protect our communities. In 1994, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle joined together to pass a similar piece of legislation to that that we are voting on today. I humbly ask my colleagues that we do the same this evening. Let's pass this bill for our children and for safer communities.

Mr. NEGUSE

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

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1254 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1254, which provides for consideration of H.R. 3771, the South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act, under a structured rule. It provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, making in order one amendment, and provides one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 5118, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, under a structured rule. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment from Chairman Grijalva, makes in order three amendments, provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources, and provides one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 6929, the Susan Muffley Act, under a structured rule. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment from Chairman Neal, makes in order one amendment, provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and provides one motion to recommit. Finally, the rule provides the majority leader or his designee the ability to en bloc requested roll call votes on suspension bills considered on July 26 through July 29. That authority lasts through July 29. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have the opportunity to argue the rule today on three important bills. The first, as I mentioned, is H.R. 3771, which has been brought forward by our colleague from Washington (Ms. Jayapal). We are grateful to her for her leadership on this particular bill, the South Asian Heart Awareness and Research Act. As you may know, Mr. Speaker, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. South Asian Americans are four times more likely to be at risk of developing heart disease than the general population. Congress must invest in strategies to reverse that deadly trend. This legislation establishes a grant program to provide for community groups involved in South Asian heart health promotion. The bill also supports health research by authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct research related to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other heart-related diseases among various populations. Again, I thank Representatives Jayapal and Wilson for not only raising awareness about the risk factors for heart disease but also ensuring that those living with heart disease receive the care, the treatment, and the support that they need. The rule also provides for consideration of a second bill, H.R. 6929, the Susan Muffley Act of 2022, brought forward by our distinguished colleague from Michigan (Mr. Kildee). We are very grateful to Mr. Kildee for his leadership on this particular bill and the clarion call that he has offered year after year in fighting for relief for those in the manufacturing sector. As the Speaker may know, the economic downturn that started in December 2007 significantly impacted the manufacturing sector throughout the United States, including Michigan. During this time, the auto industry underwent a major restructuring with the assistance of the Obama administration through the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry. General Motors and Chrysler required financial assistance from the Federal Government at that time. The Delphi Corporation, which Mr. Kildee will explain in greater detail, formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, was a major supplier of auto parts and components in the industry. In 2005, Delphi declared bankruptcy due to a downturn in sales. During their reorganization, General Motors agreed to assist Delphi by assuming some of the company's pension liabilities. General Motors backed out of that deal in July 2009, and the pension plans were terminated by the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, a government corporation that insures the pension benefits of workers in the private sector. The Federal Government cut retirement benefits by as much as 70 percent, Mr. Speaker, for more than 20,000 salaried retirees. The Susan Muffley Act, brought forward by Mr. Kildee, will right this wrong. The bill is named after Susan Muffley, whose husband was one of the 20,000 retirees who saw their benefits reduced when the plan was terminated. She joined the Delphi Salaried Retirees Association, and she became part of the core leadership of that group, which fought to restore their pension benefits. Mr. Speaker, fundamentally, this is a pretty simple bill. If you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to retire with dignity in America. These hardworking retirees have waited too long to receive the benefits that they earned, but thanks to Representatives Kildee and Turner, and with the support of this Chamber, they won't have to wait much longer. The rule provides for consideration of one final bill, my bill, H.R. 5118, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act. Catastrophic wildfires and drought, exacerbated by the climate crisis, are wreaking havoc on much of the Western United States and across many regions of our country, impacting millions of Americans, including in my State, the great State of Colorado. This crisis is harming ecosystems, impacting water supplies and food production, and risking the well-being and the livelihood of countless families. The Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act represents a major step by House Democrats to address the dual crises of wildfire and drought plaguing communities across the country, communities like those in my district, Colorado's Second Congressional District. The legislation makes specific strategic and targeted investments to protect communities from catastrophic wildfires, reduce risks of future fires, and help our firefighters currently fighting these flames. Similarly, the bill improves drought resiliency by investing in water projects with rapid timelines, modernizing data and technology, and providing near-term drought response. The package builds on the investments that were made as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law that this Chamber passed last year and supports a whole-of-government commitment to addressing the climate threats that are already impacting millions of Americans. This bill is a critically important bill, and if I might, I will offer one final story to explain why. On December 30 of last year, the Marshall fire swept through the city of Louisville, the town of Superior, and unincorporated areas of Boulder County, all incredible communities that I have the privilege of representing here in the United States Congress. That fire destroyed and damaged more than 1,000 homes in a single night. It became the most destructive wildfire that our State has ever known. Over the last several months, I have heard countless concerns from Coloradans across our great State, including in my district, about future wildfires, about our ability to recover, about our ability to build resiliency and tackle the drought that we are experiencing. This bill meets those needs. It meets the needs of the American West, and that is why I am proud to support the bill and to present this evening on the rule for consideration of the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to Mr. Kildee, let me just respond a bit to my distinguished colleague from the State of Texas to say, first, I know he made reference to priorities vis-a-vis the appropriations legislation. I think that most Americans who are watching these proceedings tonight would agree that our work to help Americans stay healthy is an important priority, that our work to increase firefighter pay for those brave firefighters that are sacrificing so much to keep our communities safe, that that is an important priority; that righting a wrong that unjustly impacted tens of thousands of hardworking American families, workers in Michigan and Ohio, that that is an important priority. I will say with respect to the wildfire bill and the gentleman's comments regarding forest management, I agree with regard to his praise for the Forest Service's 10-year national wildfire plan. That plan was funded through the bipartisan infrastructure bill which, unfortunately, so many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle opposed. But for House Democrats getting that bill done, the wildfire plan that my friend praises, would not have been enacted by the Forest Service. The good news, Mr. Speaker, is that my colleague has another opportunity to vote on a bill that would authorize additional projects that he and so many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle apparently support. That bill is the bill that we are debating this week. That bill is the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act because it includes an authorization for funding of additional projects so the Forest Service can continue doing the important work that it is doing in Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and across the Western United States. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will yield to my distinguished colleague from Colorado in just a moment, but before I do, I would be remiss if I didn't say that I heard the comment that my distinguished colleague from Texas made earlier with great interest regarding the supposed partisanship of the three bills that we are considering today under this rule. I think it is important for both the Speaker and the American people, those who are watching, to perhaps clarify what it is precisely that we are debating this evening and what we will be debating this week. Just as a reminder, again, a bill to help Americans stay healthy; a bill to right a wrong that was generated through the bankruptcy of General Motors that impacted hundreds of thousands of Americans, hardworking families in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and across our country; and addressing the scourge of wildfires across the United States, including by increasing the pay for our Federal wildland firefighters. That is what these three bills that we are going to be considering this week and that are part of this structured rule are all about. I have to say to the gentleman from New York, whom I have great respect for, that I say thank you to him for supporting one of these bills, H.R. 6929, the bill brought forward by Mr. Kildee. I was a bit surprised when the gentleman from Texas said that these proposals were not bipartisan, when, in fact, H.R. 6929 is supported by many of my colleagues from the other side of the aisle and led by Mr. Turner of Ohio. I was just as surprised when he described the bills in that fashion, since H.R. 3771 is also co-led by a Republican member, Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. I was just as surprised when he characterized our wildfire bill in that fashion, given that Mr. LaMalfa and Mr. Moore have two bills included within that omnibus package. These are bipartisan solutions in my view and in the view of many of my colleagues, and it is important that we proceed to debating them on the merits, which is precisely why I encourage my colleagues to vote for the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, today's rule is a testament to the hard work of so many of my colleagues and the House Democratic Caucus. These underlying bills will make our communities more resilient. They count for the impacts of climate change, invest in our Nation's public health infrastructure, and fix a decades-old mistake by restoring terminated pensions for hardworking Americans across our country. Contrary to what my Republican colleague would have you believe about these bills, two of these bills are bipartisan. They are co-led by Republican Members of the House. The other bill incorporates multiple bills and legislative proposals that have been introduced by Republican Members of the House. Mr. Speaker, Americans are worth investing in. Our families, our students, our firefighters, our manufacturers, our communities are worth investing in. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this rule. The text of the material previously referred to by Mr. Burgess is as follows: Amendment to House Resolution 1254 At the end of the resolution, add the following: Sec. 6. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the resolution (H. Res. 1255) expressing continued support for all U.S. Border Patrol agents who carry out the important mission of securing our borders. The resolution shall be considered as read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the resolution and preamble to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Homeland Security. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the consideration of House Resolution 1255.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in support of this amendment offered by myself and Chairman Grijalva. The amendment would amend H.R. 7900 to add the text of two bills, H.R. 577, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, otherwise known as the CORE Act, and H.R. 1052, the Grand Canyon Protection Act. Both of these bills have already passed the House multiple times with bipartisan support. In fact, each of the bills has passed this Chamber four times, including last year in the NDAA and the year before that. They would protect public lands, natural resources, Tribal cultural sites, and help preserve our access to clean water, clean air, and a livable environment. My bill, the CORE Act, in particular, would conserve over 400,000 acres of public lands and consists of four titles that Coloradans have been asking Congress to pass for literally over a decade. One provision in particular that I would note is the Camp Hale and 10th Mountain Division legacy. This includes establishing the first- ever national historic landscape at Camp Hale in my district in Eagle County, Colorado, in honor of the storied legacy of the Army's 10th Mountain Division in Colorado and around the world. The mountains of Colorado are where American soldiers received the training that allowed them to defeat the Germans in the northern Italian Alps and lead our Nation to victory during World War II. Today, Camp Hale is home to a network of 34 backcountry huts connected by 350 miles of trails. Hut visitors share the special spirit of the 10th Mountain Division in their pursuit of excellence, self- reliance, and love of the outdoors. We believe this national historic designation will certainly ensure that future generations can learn about the incredible contributions to our country by the patriots in the 10th Mountain Division. We believe that this bill would do much to preserve our public lands in Colorado and beyond. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, a couple quick points. One, I certainly have a lot of respect for my colleague, and he and I work together on a number of different issues. I think we can have a debate about uranium mining. I would hope that he would rethink or reevaluate his comment regarding the dead of night because he knows, just as well as I do, that these amendments come as no surprise to anyone in this Chamber. They have passed repeatedly in the NDAA. They were debated and obviously considered as part of the Rules Committee--I serve on the Rules Committee--it is not our choice that this debate, in particular, is happening at 1:30 in the morning--certainly not mine. I would hope my distinguished colleague on the other side would reconsider that comment. With respect to uranium mining, let me just simply say that I am glad to hear that my colleague believes that there should be no mining in the Grand Canyon. If that is the case, I would certainly encourage him to vote for this bill because it is precisely what Chairman Grijalva is attempting to do by virtue of proposing this bill. As the ranking member of the full Natural Resources Committee knows, the withdrawal in this particular bill covers less than 1 percent of known U.S. uranium reserves. I certainly believe we can meet our uranium needs more cheaply and easily elsewhere in the United States without mining the Grand Canyon--it is obviously a national monument that we all treasure as Americans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time the respective sides have remaining?

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I would just simply say this with respect to wildfires: My district has been the epicenter for wildfires in Colorado over the course of the last 3 years. Two of the largest wildfires in the history of Colorado happened in the Second Congressional District, and the most destructive fire in the history of our State happened just 6 months ago in my community. I have worked tirelessly with my colleagues. I am the co-chair of the bipartisan Wildfire Caucus with Representative John Curtis out of Utah. We have worked closely together on this issue. We passed a bipartisan infrastructure law out of this Chamber as well as the Senate, and the President signed it. It allocated literally billions of dollars to forest management, to doing that critical mitigation work, which is already happening in Colorado, in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, thanks to that bill. It is unfortunate that only 13 of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle chose to join us in that effort. With respect to support for the underlying legislation, we can disagree about the contours of this particular bill. What we can't disagree about, in my view, are the facts: Gunnison County, Pitkin County, San Juan County, Ouray County, San Miguel County, Eagle County, the city of Aspen, the town of Avon, Basalt, Carbondale, Gunnison, Mountain Village, Ridgway, Telluride, Glenwood Springs--city after city, town after town, county after county, across the great State of Colorado, support the CORE Act, and it is because the vast majority of the people in my wonderful State support it, too. Mr. Speaker, that is exactly why I ask my colleagues to support it tonight, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of a proud Coloradan, a champion for equality and a beacon of hope in our community, Clela Rorex, who passed away on June 19, 2022. Clela served her state honorably as the Clerk & Recorder for Boulder County from 1975 to 1977. Early in her tenure, in 1975, she became the first county clerk in the nation to issue a marriage license to a same- sex couple. And in so doing, she changed the lives of countless families across the country. Clela firmly believed in equality under the law, and was a proud champion for justice and inclusion, believing that every American's freedom to live without fear of discrimination must be protected. Clela was truly a pillar in our community and a symbol of hope for families across our country. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and all those who knew and loved her. As we mourn her passing, we will remember her life and be inspired by her devotion to making this world a better place.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today not to offer my words but the words of a brave Coloradan, Tom Mauser. Tom's son, Daniel, was murdered at Columbine High School 23 years ago in 1999. He was 15 years old, the same age as me. Tom shared with me that in the weeks before his death, Daniel asked him, ``Dad, did you know there are loopholes in the Brady Bill?'' At 15 years old, Daniel was able to see the gaping holes in our Nation's gun laws. Tragically, so were the two 18-year-old killers, teenagers that, in Tom's words, ``saw loopholes big enough to drive a truck through.'' As Tom said to me today, what has Congress really done to protect our precious children from gun violence in those 23 years? Shamefully, nothing. It is time for Congress to do its job. It is time to act and to demonstrate that you give a damn about our children. Tom is right. I beg my colleagues, support this commonsense bill.

Mr. NEGUSE

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank Senator Durbin and Senator Grassley for their work on this bill. I also thank my colleague on the other side of the aisle, Representative Cline, for being the Republican lead on the bill. The Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act shows that we can still come together in a bipartisan and bicameral way and make commonsense changes to the law that help small businesses on Main Street and everyday Americans. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Speaker, many sole proprietors and middle-class families who live in high cost-of-living areas were ineligible to receive chapter 13 bankruptcy protections because the debt limits were far too low. For families forced into bankruptcy who wanted to keep their homes, vehicles, or any essential property, and were willing to pay off their debts under court supervision, chapter 13 is their only lifeline. The alternative for these families can be devastating. Many have lost everything, including their homes. The story is similar for small businesses. In 2019, the American Bankruptcy Institute's Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy found that the artificially low chapter 13 limits were driving people away from the relief that they needed, and they called on this Congress to act. Sole proprietors who could otherwise save their businesses and protect their families have been forced to liquidate everything because they exceeded the debt limits of chapter 13. The Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019, the SBRA, as the Speaker pro tempore knows, created subchapter V in chapter 11 bankruptcy, a voluntary option for small businesses in need of expedited bankruptcy relief. But that low debt limit meant that many small businesses simply could not take advantage of the program. The travesty of the pandemic really brought the need to increase these debt limits into stark relief. The CARES Act raised the debt limit threshold under the SBRA. That was done on a bipartisan basis by this House. It provided important protections to families and homeowners, but those provisions were temporary. My office has been contacted by countless professionals from all over the bankruptcy community expressing the need for this legislation. The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, an association of the bankruptcy judges of the United States, has said that the SBRA was one of the best modifications to the Bankruptcy Code in recent years. It assisted nearly 3,000 small businesses across the country that were in need of expedited relief through the pandemic. The Office of the United States Trustee Program also reported that more than half of these small business debtors received successful outcomes through a confirmed reorganization plan in 6 months or less. Despite the success of this program, the debt limit increase under the SBRA expired earlier this year, just a few months ago, on March 27, 2022, which created an environment of uncertainty and unpredictability within the bankruptcy arena. Today's legislation retroactively restores that higher debt limit and extends it for another 2 years, allowing more businesses to take advantage of these protections under court supervision. This bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and I certainly hope that we can get a similar level of bipartisan support here in the House. This bill will make a big difference by allowing families to keep their homes, vehicles, and livelihoods intact while they repay their debt. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).