Nancy Pelosi

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise to recognize the outstanding service of an esteemed member of my staff known and respected by all here: our deputy floor director, Latrice Powell. In her 13 years on Capitol Hill, Latrice's name has become synonymous with cool-headed leadership and institutional expertise. We all know her as a maestro of the floor, masterfully directing legislative procedures and voting schedules, all while anticipating and managing the diverse needs of our Caucus. Indeed, her skills as a coalition-builder and communicator help our Democratic Caucus honor this proud truth: Our diversity is our strength, but our unity is our power. Members are particularly grateful for Latrice's calm and trusted presence this past year as she helped our Caucus and the Congress navigate this time of pandemic, and she has done so with equanimity and excellence. Throughout her tenure on our floor team, Latrice has helped guide the passage and then the enactment of hundreds of bills for the people. While she has helped advance this great progress, she has made history as the first African-American assistant manager of the Democratic Cloakroom and then again at the start of the 116th Congress when it was my honor to appoint her to be the first African-American deputy floor director. A Jackson, Mississippi, native, Latrice first came to the Hill to work under the leadership of our chairman--that is you, Mr. Speaker-- Bennie Thompson. She then joined the staff of the Congressional Black Caucus under Chairs Emanuel Cleaver and Marcia Fudge before serving as assistant Cloakroom manager. In each of these positions, she acquired a sterling reputation for her ability, and I know that each of these Members take great pride in her success. While Latrice's trusted presence on this House floor will be missed, we are grateful for her service and for her work to forge a path for others to follow. On behalf of the House of Representatives, I thank Latrice Powell and wish her the best in the next stages of her journey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for his wonderful remarks, and I want to join him in acknowledging the leadership of Shuwanza when she served here for all that time, and now we are very proud of the fact that she is in the administration. But every chance we get, we should acknowledge the great service that she provided here as we acknowledge and say thank you to Latrice Powell and wish her well as she goes forward. She made us all so very, very proud and continues to do so. Thank you so much, Latrice.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is wonderful to see Members of Congress wearing white today to observe the fact that we are making history by passing legislation about equality in our country. I thank Congresswoman Jackie Speier for her relentless championing of this equal rights amendment in terms of the date that the distinguished chair of the Judiciary Committee referenced. I also thank Carolyn Maloney for her long-term advocacy of the equal rights amendment. I thank Chairman Nadler for enabling us to have this legislation on the floor today and for his leadership on this issue over time. Madam Speaker, 100 years ago, in 1921, a solemn promise was made to the women of our country, one honoring our most fundamental truth as a nation, as the equal rights amendment was first introduced. When it was first introduced, it said: ``Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction.'' Simple, clear, fair, and just. Yet, a century later, that promise remains unfulfilled. The equal rights amendment still has not been enshrined in the Constitution, and American women still face inequality under the law and, therefore, in their lives. In recent years, American women have renewed the legal fight for the equal rights amendment. Women of all backgrounds--students, mothers, seniors, communities of color, indigenous women, et cetera--have taken up the mantle of the suffragists before them, standing on suffragists' shoulders as they marched, mobilized, protested, and picketed for their rights. Because of their courage and commitment, 38 States have now ratified the equal rights amendment. But one final barrier remains: removing the artificial, arbitrary time limit for ratification. As the distinguished chairman pointed out, that deadline timetable is not in the Constitution. Until we remove that arbitrary time limit, the ERA cannot become part of our Constitution. Last year, the House passed legislation to remove this arbitrary time limit, but unfortunately, the Senate failed to do so. So, today, the House will, once again, pass this legislation and send it to the Senate for a vote. We are proud to be doing it in Women's History Month. We salute again Congresswoman Jackie Speier, our champion on the legislation on the floor today, and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who has been our lead sponsor of the ERA for 25 years now. Madam Speaker, I thank Members from both sides of the aisle, including cosponsor Representative Tom Reed from New York, for their bipartisan support in the Congress, which reflects the overwhelming bipartisan support in the country. A full 94 percent of the public supports the equal rights amendment, including 99 percent, nearly unanimous support, among millennials and Generation Z. Let us not forget that, in 1972, the equal rights amendment was passed with bipartisan supermajorities in both Chambers of Congress, and it enjoyed the strong support of President Nixon, who wrote in 1968 that ``the task of achieving constitutional equality between the sexes is still not completed'' and pointed out that all Republican National Conventions since 1940 have supported the longtime movement for equality. There is no reason why today, after 80 years of Republican support, the ERA should not have full bipartisan support in the Congress. The resolution on the floor today will pave the way to passage of the equal rights amendment, which is one of the most important steps that we can take to affirm and ensure women's equality in America. The text of the equal rights amendment states: ``Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.'' ``On account of sex'' recalls to mind the beautiful documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Passing the equal rights amendment will create essential avenues for legal recourse for people who face discrimination under the laws on the basis of sex. It will ensure that the Supreme Court applies the same standard of review for sex discrimination cases as it applies to cases of discrimination based on race and national origin. It will help Congress pass laws for better legal protections against injustice, including those related to sexual assault, domestic violence, and paycheck unfairness. It will confirm the rightful place of gender equality in all aspects of life. There are some who say that the equal rights amendment is not needed. To them, I quote the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who said: ``Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It does not.'' These are not just words. This is the daily reality for America's women who face inequality and injustice in so many arenas of life, from a massive wage gap, to pregnancy discrimination, to sexual harassment in the workplace, to economic disparities that have worsened during coronavirus. Passing this resolution, and then the ERA, will not only help women, but by unleashing the full economic potential of women, it will help families and boost our economy, all while advancing justice and equality in America for everyone. Madam Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote on this strong step toward equality for women, progress for families, and a stronger America--affirming the truth, Madam Speaker, that you have espoused that when women succeed, America succeeds. I commend the leadership on this issue, the distinguished chairman, and the sponsors of the resolution, Jackie Speier and Carolyn Maloney.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and, again, for his extraordinary leadership. Madam Speaker, this is quite a day for the chairman, with the Violence Against Women Act and the ERA, among other pieces of legislation that he is bringing to the floor. I thank him for the very prolific and excellent work of the Committee on the Judiciary. Madam Speaker, here we are dressed in white because it is Women's History Month, and we are wearing the color of suffragists as we come to the floor on these two important pieces of legislation--earlier today, the equal rights amendment, and now the Violence Against Women Act. It is a historic day as the House passes two landmark, potentially lifesaving pieces of legislation on behalf of America's women. We do so, again, during Women's History Month. I sing the praises of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who has been a relentless, persistent advocate for this legislation over time; Karen Bass, one more, and our distinguished chair of the committee. Madam Speaker, we are particularly proud to be passing this legislation under the leadership of one of its strongest champions, President Joe Biden. In the Senate, he was the guardian of this law, as he was the author of it. As a new-ish Member of Congress at the time, I was proud to follow his lead and the lead in the House, then, of Leader Schumer, now the distinguished majority leader in the Senate. So this is an opportunity that we have for legislation, whose provenance goes way back into the 1990s. At that time, I was an appropriator. And after we passed the bill that had the Violence Against Women Act, it was our responsibility to make sure that it was funded properly, and that has been part of the continuing advocacy. Madam Speaker, in 2013, the legislation was last reauthorized under the Presidency of Barack Obama and the Vice Presidency of Joe Biden, who, again, was taking the lead for the reauthorization of the legislation. It was a tough time. The bill passed first in the United States Senate. Bipartisan in the United States Senate, the bill was passed. They sent it to the House. The House refused to take it up-- Republican-controlled House refused to take it up. And then they had their own bill, which said: We are against violence against women, unless you happen to be a Native American or an LGBTQ woman or an immigrant woman. Well, these are the most vulnerable in terms of using violence against women. So what happened was we persuaded the then-Speaker, Mr. Boehner, to bring both bills to the floor. Of course, the Senate-passed bipartisan bill prevailed. We had a big ceremony, participated in by the Native American community, our law enforcement community, Vice President Joe Biden, and signed by the President. So here we are, unable to get it reauthorized 5 years later, in 2018 under the then-majority and President, and here we are today, finally able to bring bipartisan legislation to the floor. And as I mentioned, for nearly three decades, the Violence Against Women Act has been a transformative force for safety and security of American women. Since its passage, domestic violence rates have declined by nearly two-thirds in America. Millions of women have gained access to protections from violence and abuse, and millions of survivors, to essential services and justice. But we cannot be complacent: One in three women today face domestic abuse. Isn't that a stunning figure? You wonder, how could it be? And partner violence is on the rise during the coronavirus pandemic, as many women are forced to quarantine in homes that are not safe. Every time the Congress has reauthorized VAWA, we have strengthened its protections for women, based on extensive consultation with survivors, victim service providers, Indian country, law enforcement, and other experts. The authorization on the floor today continues that progress. And as has been said by Mr. Doggett, we have to recognize the danger of the, shall we say, provisions in the bill that protect women from gun violence specifically. Among its many life-saving provisions, this reauthorization makes vital new investments in prevention, improves services for victims of domestic violence, makes improvements in the criminal justice system's response to gender-based violence and to the healthcare system's response, prevents intimate partner homicide, and expands protections for victims and survivors, whether they are men or women. This is not just about women, it is the Violence Against Women Act, but it does protect anyone. Democrats are particularly proud that this reauthorization improves the essential protections that I referenced that were objected to on the Republican bill in 2013, including women immigrants, LGBTQ, and Native American women, and it specifically supports communities of color in a culturally sensitive way. This reauthorization is bipartisan, happily, and it is supported by more than 200 organizations representing women, women's groups, faith- based organizations, law enforcement, the public health and medical communities, civil rights groups; the list goes on. While it is unfortunate that we don't know what will happen in the Senate, we are optimistic that the reauthorization can be successful on the other side of the Capitol, and on the other side of the aisle. Madam Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote for this reauthorization, so that we can advance justice, safety, and dignity in America. Madam Speaker, the term VAWA has become synonymous with justice, Violence Against Women Act. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for her leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor where we can recognize the patriotism and heroism of members of the Capitol Police force, and I thank her for facilitating this honor. This usually takes a much longer period of time, but because of the gentlewoman from California, the chair of the Financial Services Committee, this is on a faster track, and it needs to be. As you know, Mr. Speaker, January 6 was one of the darkest and deadliest days in American history. The waging of the violent insurrection against the United States Capitol and our very democracy on that day was a profound horror that nearly defies comprehension. That day, the country witnessed the gleeful desecration of our temple of democracy. We observed Members of Congress flee for their lives, as staff and support workers barricaded behind doors and hid under furniture. We saw how over 140 members of law enforcement were physically harmed while defending our democracy and how several lost their lives. January 6 was a day of horror and heartbreak. But because of these courageous men and women, it was also a moment of extraordinary heroism. That day, the United States Capitol Police force put themselves between us and the violence. They risked their safety and their lives for others with the utmost selflessness, and they did so because they were patriots, the type of Americans who heard the call to serve and answered it, putting country above self: Heroes like Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, described by his brother as someone who ``spent his life trying to help other people.'' Our sympathies go out to his family. Heroes like Capitol Police Officer Howie Liebengood, honored as ``an example of selfless service'' and beloved by Senators for being ``one of the most kindest and thoughtful people'' they had ever met. Our sympathies as well. Heroes like Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith, a 12-year veteran of the force, known by all as the type of officer who would never hesitate to help those in need. He made that sacrifice. Heroes like Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, whom I had the privilege of meeting and thanking, who was beaten and crushed nearly to death, who said about protecting our democracy on January 6: ``If it wasn't my job, I would have done it for free.'' Heroes like Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman. We all saw his heroism as he drew the mob away from Senators, saving lives, again, in an act of profound heroism. May the courage of these heroes always remain an inspiration to us, and may we always remember the valor of the fallen, which made them martyrs for our democracy. I feel very honored to be sponsoring this legislation. The Speaker rarely sponsors legislation, certainly cosponsors hardly ever. Today, united in grief and gratitude, the House is honoring these heroes as we pass legislation to bestow upon them the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor this Congress can give. The service of our men and women in uniform of the Capitol Police force and other services that day brings honor to our democracy, and their accepting this medal will bring luster to this award. Over 300 Members of Congress have already cosponsored this legislation in a bipartisan fashion, including Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Scalise, the Republican leadership, and that is a tribute to the great respect that we all have for the Capitol Police force. We also saw that respect reflected in the presence of so many distinguished leaders who came to the Capitol when Officer Brian Sicknick was honored with a lying-in-state ceremony in the rotunda. Among those leaders was the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and Dr. Biden as well. Let me end by returning to January 6. That day was also the Feast of the Epiphany, a holy day of revelation in the church. It remains my hope that that day of violence will provide a revelation of healing for our Nation. In a spirit of healing, that evening, as the House returned to the Chamber to complete our duty to the Constitution and to the American people to validate the election, I invoked the Song of St. Francis, the patron saint of the city I am proud to represent, San Francisco. The Song of St. Francis is the anthem of our city. Lord, make me a channel of Thy peace. Where there is darkness, let me bring light; Where there is hatred, let me bring love; Where there is despair, let me bring hope. We were blessed by the heroism of our law enforcement officers that day when they brought light, hope, love, and peace to our grieving Nation. The Congress promises the families that we will always remember, as we have remembered Gibson and Chestnut. Every year, we honor them for the sacrifice they made to protect this Capitol and our democracy. As we always remember and honor their service, with this legislation we will ensure that their heroism will be forever etched in the history of our country. I urge a huge bipartisan vote on this legislation. I thank the distinguished chairwoman for enabling us to bring this to the floor, affording us that honor to associate ourselves with the heroism of the U.S. Capitol Police.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his extraordinary leadership in putting nearly a trillion dollars into the pockets of the American people. I thank him and Mr. Yarmuth, the chair of the Budget Committee, for their leadership on this legislation and, of course, on this debate this afternoon. It was dazzling to see them and the Democratic chairs and Members speak up about this important legislation. I thank the chairman for pointing out the inconsistency on the part of our colleagues across the aisle in complaining about money helping the poorest of poor children in our country while they didn't hesitate to give large amounts of money to the richest people in America in their Republican tax scam. The chairman's charts were very eloquent. Mr. Speaker, to hear our Members speak about the terms of this bill, the values that are in it, the plan that it has, why they were voting ``yes'' on the bill, and to hear Republicans talk about why they would vote ``no,'' it is typical that they vote ``no'' and take the dough. This bill has bipartisan support across the country, not only among the general public, but in mayors, selectmen, city councilpersons, and county executives--who are Republican--eagerly awaiting the passage of this bill because they know at their level what a difference it will make in the lives of their constituents, the American people. Mr. Speaker, this is a critical moment in our country's history. Tomorrow, the world will mark 1 year since COVID-19 was officially declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. At that time, just over 1,000 Americans had contracted the disease, and 38 had died. Since that day 1 year ago from tomorrow, nearly 30 million Americans have become infected. Over half a million Americans have died, more lives than were lost in combat in all of America's wars against foreign enemies combined. Each of those lives is precious to us. We feel each loss profoundly and pray for their families and for the families of those who have contracted the virus and are still affected by it. And through it all, a historic economic crisis has raged. A full year later, 18 million Americans are still out of work, according to the statistics at the end of last week, and nearly 10 million jobs may have been lost. We hope to stop that. The most vulnerable among us have been disproportionately affected: moms pushed out of the labor market, women and minority-owned businesses forced to shudder, communities of color facing rising disparities. Mr. Speaker, today, we have a real opportunity for change. As we serve in Congress with each other, we learn about each other's districts, each other's priorities, and the rest. And we learn about each other's why. Why did you come to Congress? Why are you here? Each of us has come to Congress with a purpose. My purpose, my why, are the children. As a mother of five raising my kids, seeing all the attention and all that they needed, I was horrified by the fact that one in five children in America lives in poverty and goes to sleep hungry in America at night. That is my why. That is why I went from homemaker to the House of Representatives. That is why when people ask me, ``What do you think the three most important issues are facing the Congress?'' I always say the same thing: Our children, our children, our children--their health; their education; the economic security of their families; a safe, healthy environment in which they can thrive; and a nation at peace in which they can reach their fulfillment. Several of those priorities are addressed in this legislation. Again, this legislation, which has bipartisan support throughout the country, the Biden--and let me sing praises on President Biden for the values, for the vision, the strategic thinking, for the knowledge that he has brought to what, as you said earlier, we had in the works for a while, but we freshened up by current events, the vaccine, and what those possibilities are. The Biden American Rescue Plan is about the children, their health, their education, the economic security of their families, again. Our children's health is greatly protected by crushing the virus and by expanding access to healthcare through the Affordable Care Act expansions in here, Medicaid through FMAP, and in other ways as well. Our children's education is advanced with a $170 billion to open schools safely, including $130 billion for K-12. This funding will help address the social and emotional challenges that children face, as well as learning loss, as well as opening the schools safely. We know what that requires. It requires ventilation, space, more teachers, more space, to name a few things. In terms of the economic security of children's families, this legislation, as I said earlier to Mr. Neal, puts nearly $1 trillion in the pockets of the American people. Republicans did not seem to object when they put that much money in the pockets of 83 percent of their tax scam into the top 1 percent, but they seem to have a discomfort level when it reaches the poorest of the poor and those in the middle class who are struggling. So this legislation does that. It includes the refundable tax credit, which will lift 50 percent of children out of poverty. How do you say ``no'' to lifting 50 percent of impoverished children in America out of poverty? Children also benefit from the earned income tax credit, direct payments, and enhanced unemployment insurance benefits for their families. And the economic security of children is also enhanced by pension security of their grandparents, which is historically secured in this bill. Sometimes I have young people come to my office--it is all about the children, it is all about the future--high school students, college students--and they talk about the security of their grandparents as important because, to the extent that their parents can focus on them rather than worry about the financial security of their grandparents, it is very important to the family across the board. For the children, the American Rescue Plan also includes $12 billion in nutrition assistance to help the estimated 11 million children still going hungry. When I talk about this with my family, I say to my kids: You know, the millions of children who are food insecure in our country, that is horrible. They will say: Mom, just say it another way. They are hungry. They are hungry. Some of them get their food at school. They go to sleep hungry. If you call that food insecurity, okay, but understand this, these little children are hungry. Again, $12 billion in nutrition assistance. $43 billion in rental, homeowner, and other housing assistance so that children of families who are on the verge of eviction can have the comfort of knowing that that won't happen. They will have the comfort of home. $45 billion of childcare to keep children learning and parents earning. That is always necessary, but even more so with the 2.3 million women losing their jobs, many of them moms. Now, everything that I mentioned here is related to the coronavirus. We have hunger issues in our country bigger than even this. We have housing issues. We have childcare issues, and the rest. It is very important in our country. But this is coronavirus-centered. Childcare, and I will say it again, $45 billion. Most of it is for childcare and a little bit of it is for Head Start. Children learning, parents earning. This is important and central to how families get through this coronavirus crisis. All of these provisions in the bill are enhanced by strengthening the support for our heroes at the State and local level. Hence, our bill was called the Heroes Act. Much of that is contained in this legislation. Heroes, because our workers at the State, county, and local level, our healthcare workers, our first responders, police and fire, our sanitation, transportation, our food workers, our teachers-- our teachers, our teachers--make our lives possible, and make the existence of our children better. Whatever we spend on education in this bill is a small percentage of what State and local government spend on education. More than 90 percent of it comes from the State and local. So in this legislation we are ensuring that State and local government keep them in their jobs as heroes, as we talked about, and will help fight the fiscal pressure that they have because of the cost of addressing the coronavirus crisis, as well as revenue lost because of shutdowns and the rest. I was raised in a mayor's household as a daughter and sister of the mayor of Baltimore. The recognition of the role that local government plays is very important to me, local and State. But the local government is the first line of defense, and we are determined to fight any attempts to weaken what was in this legislation for local government. One of the values respected in this legislation is our commitment to communities of color, including Native Americans, especially, who continue to face serious health and economic disparities. This legislation will, among other steps, address 8 in 10 minority- owned businesses on the brink of closure--8 in 10 minority-owned businesses. The American Rescue Plan, Mr. Speaker, is a force for fairness and justice in America. This legislation is one of the most transformative and historic bills any of us will ever have the opportunity to support. It is one of the most transformative that I have seen in my over 30 years in the Congress. It is as consequential as the Affordable Care Act, which expanded healthcare to more than 20 million people and made benefits much better for over 150 million families. Today, we have a decision to make of tremendous consequence, a decision that will make a difference for millions of Americans, saving lives and livelihoods. And as with all decisions, it is a decision that we will have to answer for. We will give the American Rescue Plan a resounding and, hopefully, bipartisan vote to reflect the bipartisan support that it has in the country. And we will get to work immediately to deliver lifesaving resources springing from this bill as soon as it is passed and signed, as we join President Biden in his promise that help is on the way. For the people, for the children, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his great leadership of the Judiciary Committee. Thank you for bringing this important legislation to the floor, Mr. Nadler. And, again, as an authority on the Constitution, you and I know that we do respect the right of the gentleman to have a gun. We just want to make sure that we are keeping people safe. Mr. Speaker, the gun violence crisis in America is a challenge to the conscience of our country, one that demands that we act. We know what must be done. The solutions are clear. They have overwhelming bipartisan support across the country. These solutions will save lives. That is why I am so pleased to rise on the floor to support Mr. Clyburn's legislation, H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act to ensure that universal background checks do save lives. He explained so clearly the purpose of his legislation. I associate myself with his remarks. I know how painful it is because he had friends in that church whom we have met families of since then. I also rise to support H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of Mr. Mike Thompson. Mr. Thompson is a gun owner. He is a veteran. He respects the Second Amendment, and he is the chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. I thank him for his decades of leadership on background checks and for the perspective he brings, again, as a gun owner and a veteran and a hunter. We all salute the extraordinary work of Mr. Clyburn, the leader of the Enhanced Background Checks Act, to close the Charleston loophole, and we respect him for the work he has done in his community to turn their agony into action, their pain into saving other people's lives. I thank all the Members who have helped raise a drumbeat on these priorities, including our colleague, Representative Lucy McBath, who has been such an inspiration to all of us, bringing her great generosity of spirit in telling her story, sharing that story of Jordan with us. Now, we also have a debt of gratitude to our former colleague, Gabby Giffords, who when she was having a neighborhood meeting, there was an attempt on her life. Her courage is an inspiration to the country. Her leadership to end gun violence is something that is so remarkable. Under her leadership and that of the Bradys, we were able to meet with survivors over time to try to pass legislation to make gun laws clear and better and really adjusting to the realities of technology. Another colleague, Bobby Rush, lost his son to gun violence as well. So, again, we hear about the big events that take place, and they are horrible, but every day people lose their lives. In fact, let me just see what the statistics are. Since 1994, when background checks were first created, I had the privilege of being here at that time and actually serving as a whip for the legislation. Our leader on the bill was Senator Schumer. Well, right then he was a Member of Congress, Chuck Schumer, on this legislation. Since 1994, when background checks were first created, the system has stopped more than 3 million dangerous people from getting firearms. Every day, when background checks are used, they stop an estimated 170 felons, 50 domestic abusers, and nearly 20 fugitives from buying a gun. Every day, Mr. Speaker. Yet, over the years, people have exploited and circumvented the system. Today, someone with a violent criminal record or a history of abuse can go to a gun show or go online or even to a stranger in person to purchase a firearm. No background check, no questions asked, all perfectly legal. It might be legal, but it is not perfect. Even when a background check has been initiated, it is not always completed. That is what this legislation before us, Mr. Clyburn's bill, is about; the horrific case that enabled a hate crime at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston in which nine innocent people were murdered while peacefully worshipping. Eighty percent of firearms--because of gun shows, online sales and the rest--80 percent of firearms are sold or transferred without completed background checks. So it is in that spirit that I come to the floor, but when I come to the floor, I bring with me the thoughts of the survivors who we meet with regularly. We have said to them, We are not stopping until the job is done. We respect our Constitution, but we also say that the Constitution talks about well-regulated. Again, these bills that we are talking about have bipartisan support by a vast majority of the American people; over 90 percent of the public, including more than 90 percent of gun-owning households. Most of these folks who own guns have passed background checks, they support background checks, and they are supported by dozens of leading law enforcement, veterans, local government, public health, and other groups. For example, Mr. Speaker, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, representing the Nation's largest metropolitan law enforcement agencies writes: ``The lack of a background check for private sales and gun shows completely contradicts the purpose for which NICS was established--to keep guns out of the hands of those who do harm.'' For the benefit of those who don't know what NICS is, it is an important program. Mr. Thompson has been a champion in the funding of NICS. NICS is the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Next, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys states: ``H.R. 8 will help the background check system catch up with changes in technology and ensure that individuals who are prohibited from purchasing or possessing a gun cannot easily buy guns online.'' And the U.S. Conference of Mayors writes that H.R. 8 will ``make our cities safer and in no way compromise gun owners' rights.'' H.R. 8 is very important to us, and it is legislation that has broad support. It is called the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. That is Mr. Thompson's bill. And this bill, H.R. 1446, Mr. Clyburn's bill is the Enhanced Background Checks Act. So everything I say about one bill applies to the other in terms of its purpose, in terms of its urgency, and in terms of its honoring our promise to the survivors and the families who have lost their loved ones to gun violence, that we are not going away until this legislation passes and that we will meet the challenge of the conscience of the country when it comes to the gun violence crisis in our country. And I say that with gratitude to Representative Mike Thompson and our distinguished whip Mr. Clyburn for their leadership, their determination, their persistence, and soon, hopefully, their success in turning their legislation into law, so that we can keep our promises to the survivors, and also, that we can make the world safer for all children and all people in our country and throughout the world, as we are an example to the world. I urge an ``aye'' vote on both of these bills.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, as we gather here today to pass the PRO Act, we are engaged in a great act of patriotism for our country. The middle class is the backbone of our democracy. The middle class in America has a union label on it. So as we move to strengthen collective bargaining and the rest, we are strengthening our middle class and our democracy. For that reason, I rise with great pride as the House takes this historic patriotic step forward for our workers and for justice and fairness in America. I thank Chairman Bobby Scott, the chair of the Education and Labor Committee, for his leadership in the PRO Act, among other things, and his lifelong dedication to fighting for working families. That is what unifies us as Democrats. With all of our differences, our unity springs from our commitment to making progress for America's working families. This progress is possible, because just over 4 months ago, Americans went to the polls and elected President Biden, a champion of workers, whose commitment to families' health and financial security is in his DNA. The elected Democratic majorities in Congress know that unions are the backbone of our Nation. And as I have said for many years, the middle class has a union label on it. It bears repeating. Now, House Democrats are honoring that truth by, tomorrow, passing the American Rescue Plan, which honors our heroes, healthcare workers, first responders, transportation, sanitation, food workers, and our teachers, many of them members of unions. Today, we are passing the crown jewel of our pro-worker agenda, the PRO Act. Again, under the American Rescue Plan, we have a very significant provision for pensions. The PRO Act restores and strengthens the powers of unions to fight for better wages and working conditions, which is both a moral and economic imperative for building back better--building back our economy better. Unions pave the way for bigger paychecks for all, over the last 80 years, consistently providing workers with 10 to 20 percent higher wages, benefits so strong that even nonunion workers receive better wages. Unions deliver greater access to affordable healthcare and a secure retirement. Workers represented by a union are significantly more likely to have access to health insurance through work and five times as likely to have a defined benefit pension--and that, with Mr. Scott's leadership, is a significant part of the American Rescue Plan, which we will pass either later today, depending on how long it takes in the Rules Committee, or tomorrow at the latest. Vitally, unions are a force for justice. Union members of color have almost five times the median wealth of their nonunion counterparts, and unions are one of the most effective tools for closing the gender pay gap. That is something I am so proud of and so grateful to organized labor for, because they have done more to close the gender pay gap than any organization you can name, except possibly, pretty soon, this Congress may vote to have equal pay for equal work. That is something we have passed in the House; hopefully, we can pass it in the Senate. Yet today, unions face a brutal and existential assault waged from courthouses, State houses, and even this House: from the disastrous Supreme Court ruling in Janus, which trampled over the freedoms of more than 17 million public workers; to so-called right-to-work laws, which give employers the right to gut unions; to the GOP tax scam, giving 83 percent of the benefits to corporations and the wealthy and raising taxes on 86 million middle-class families. Let me just say that that GOP tax scam, which cost about $1.9 trillion--I will talk about this later, but I want to mention it here every chance I get. Their tax scam cost about $1.9 trillion, exactly what this bill invests in, and this bill takes half the kids in America who are poor, out of poverty, a third of the people in poverty out of poverty, invests in working-class families, puts vaccines in people's arms, children back in school safely, money in people's pockets, and, again, people back to work. It is something that will grow the economy, as opposed to their tax scam, which just heaped mountains of debt onto future generations. They didn't complain when it cost $1.9 trillion to give a tax break to the rich. They are just complaining when we are trying to lift the American people up in the time of a pandemic, as well as the economic crisis that accompanies it. At the same time of all this, workers seeking to organize a union face a surge of intimidation and retaliation from the employers and special interests. In fact, employers are charged with violating Federal law in the majority of all union election campaigns involving more than 60 employees. In one out of five union election campaigns, employers are charged with illegally firing a worker participating in a union activity. Year in and year out, big corporate employers get away with their crimes. No accountability, no consequence; just full impunity. We must strengthen the power of unions to negotiate for what they need and deserve, which is why, today, we are passing the PRO Act, because what they need and deserve is what America's workers need and deserve. The most comprehensive, consequential pro-worker legislation in over 80 years, the PRO Act empowers workers to exercise their basic right to organize, including by giving workers the power to override right-to- work laws and streamlining access to justice for workers who are retaliated against. It holds employers accountable, reversing an unacceptable status quo in which there are no monetary penalties for companies that violate workers' rights, no matter how repeated or egregious the violation. And it strengthens workers' access to fair and free union elections, fixing a process that is fundamentally rigged against workers so that they, not employers, can decide for themselves whether to join a union. This legislation will make a tremendous difference in workers' lives, helping combat the acceleration of economic inequality that undermines the middle class, which has only grown worse over the past year. In this past year, the rich have gotten so much richer. Let me tell you how much. During the first 4 months of the pandemic, while workers suffered record high unemployment, Mr. Speaker, American billionaires' wealth grew by $931 billion. Extraction of money to the top. The PRO Act is part of the Democrats' mission not only to recover from this time of crisis, but to Build Back Better, advancing an economy that works for every American in every ZIP Code. As the AFL-CIO, representing over 12 million workers, writes, ``In the midst of a global pandemic, which has killed tens of thousands of frontline workers, it is more important than ever that working people have the right to rely on the protection of a union contract. The PRO Act will level the playing field to give workers a fair shot when fighting for improvements on the job . . . The PRO Act is the first step to restoring our middle class.'' As we pass the PRO Act, Democrats will continue our work to pass a $15 minimum wage, secure paycheck fairness for women--that is coming up in a couple of weeks--protect pensions--tomorrow--and lower healthcare costs and increase paychecks for all. I have a sweater that one of my friends gave me, and it says ``We don't agonize, we organize.'' So I want to also embroider on there, ``We don't agonize, we organize, we unionize,'' because that is the way that we are going to level the playing field for America's workers. For America's workers and middle class and for the financial security of all Americans, I urge a strong bipartisan vote on the PRO Act. I thank the gentleman again, our distinguished chair, Mr. Scott, for his leadership.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, today is International Women's Day, a day to recognize the great accomplishments of women and the great possibilities that lie ahead. During the course of the day we will be having some recognitions. But one very important one is that: As we speak here now, on the Senate side, they are finishing up the engrossment of the American Rescue Plan. This plan, as my distinguished colleague from the Virgin Islands pointed out, does so many great things for America's children, America's families, and America's women. If you are a caregiver, whether for a child or a senior or whatever, childcare is substantially supported in this legislation. If you are a teacher, schools will be able to be open more safely with increased funding to do so with ventilation, separation, and the rest to have our children and teachers return safely as well. The child tax credit and the refundable child tax credit, the earned income tax credit--as was mentioned by the distinguished chairwoman on the Ways and Means Committee, which was largely responsible, along with Rosa DeLauro, Richie Neal and Mike Thompson in getting all this done-- the point is, we will be having a further discussion about this bill as we move forward to its passage in the next 24, 48 hours. It is important to acknowledge on International Women's Day the connection between the advancement of women, the recognition of the contributions of women, and the needs that are met in the American Rescue Plan. As President Biden said, help is on the way. That promise is kept in this legislation to all Americans. I wanted to acknowledge specifically the women of America.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I will take a few seconds to say thank you to the Congressional Black Caucus, to Congresswoman Jackson Lee; Congresswoman Terri Sewell; the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Joyce Beatty; and so many members. Mr. Speaker, I have been watching the presentation. It is so heartwarming, but I did not want to miss the chance to say thank you to all of you for this commemoration of this 56th anniversary. For so many of us who have gone there many times over, it is a hole in our heart not to be able to be there for our precious John Lewis, who gave us so much. In the next couple of days, we are going to be talking about justice, jobs, healthcare, and all the things that he stood for. And we are going to pass H.R. 1 and H.R. 4 and have the John Lewis language become law. Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank the Congressional Black Caucus.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the outstanding service of the Reading Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, Joe Novotny, as he prepares for his retirement. As Reading Clerk, Joe Novotny has served as the `Voice of the House,' and his trusted leadership and valued presence on the House Floor will be missed by Members and staff on both sides of the aisle. Joe Novotny has dedicated his entire career to the People's House. A Chicago native, Novotny came to Washington to serve as a Congressional page at age 16. After studying Political Communication at George Washington University, he returned to the House, where he worked as a staffer for the House Education and Labor Committee for fifteen years, rising to become Chief Clerk for this essential committee. His service was greatly respected by all, including by Education and Labor Chair George Miller, who lauded Novotny as `an incredibly valuable asset to my staff [whose] unparalleled integrity and dedication helped our committee advance major policies that are making a difference in the lives of working families.' In 2010, it was my great and proud honor as Speaker of the House to name Joe Novotny Reading Clerk: the first openly gay man to hold this important position. His historic service has made our Congress more inclusive, diverse and representative of the people whom we serve. As Novotny stated upon his appointment, `When you think about the diversity in this House now--and the fact that we have the first woman Speaker and we have the first African-American Clerk of the House--this is a Congress of firsts, so to be a part of that is a tremendous honor.' As the child of immigrants, Novotny's ascendance to service in the halls of the United States Capitol is, as he has proudly said, the story of the American Dream. As Reading Clerk, Novotny has been vital in engaging and connecting our country with their Democracy, as he ensures that legislative measures debated in the House are clearly articulated not only to Members of Congress but to the American people and to communities around the world. He has consistently brought his steady, calming presence and great professionalism and institutional expertise to the House Floor, and in doing so, has helped advance the ability of the People's House to do the people's work. His commitment to making the Congress more open, accessible and efficient has been particularly important to the functioning of the House and the health of our Democracy during the challenging time of the coronavirus pandemic, as our institution has adjusted to remote and virtual operations. While Joe Novotny's service will be missed, his great love for the House and his dedication to our Democracy stand as an inspiration for all who will follow in the path that he has blazed. On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I thank Joe Novotny for his patriotic service, which has strengthened the Congress and Country.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York, the distinguished chair of the Judiciary Committee, for yielding and for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I commend Congresswoman Karen Bass for her great leadership in this important legislation. Madam Speaker, nearly 1 year ago, George Floyd gasped his last words, ``I can't breathe,'' and ignited a nationwide reckoning on the racial injustice and police brutality in America. Americans from every corner of the country took to the streets to peacefully protest violence against Black Americans: waving Black Lives Matter flags, chanting the names of the murdered, repeating George Floyd's dying words, ``I can't breathe.'' They turned their agony into action. But, tragically, despite these mass protests, the injustice, the killing, continues. Those protests were global. They were all over the world. Here, as Members of Congress, and as Americans, we cannot accept this epidemic of injustice. We cannot stay silent when our most vulnerable and historically marginalized communities--people of color, those living in poverty, Americans with disabilities--are being targeted and sometimes killed. That is why today the House will again pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and send it to the Senate and the President's desk, so that it can finally become the law of the land. I salute Congresswoman Karen Bass, who has been relentless, persistent, and absolutely courageous in her leadership on this legislation. I thank the Congressional Black Caucus and its chairperson, Joyce Beatty; and Judiciary chair, Jerry Nadler. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act fundamentally transforms the culture of policing with strong, unprecedented reform. This legislation will not erase centuries of systemic racism and excessive policing in America. It will not bring back George Floyd, Breonna Taylor--say her name, Breonna Taylor--Ahmaud Arbery, or the countless other men and women who died or were senselessly injured. But it will take a tremendous step forward to stop the violence, stem the suffering, and start to build a healthier and better relationship between law enforcement and communities that they protect. All of us here salute and are profoundly grateful for our law enforcement heroes. I grew up in a public service family. My father, my whole life at home, was the mayor of Baltimore. My brother was mayor later, Thomas D'Alesandro, in Baltimore. They had a motto about the police: Be true to the men in blue. Of course, this was a long time ago. Be true to the men in blue. I was raised with that respect. But then, prayerfully, these people, our men and women--now men and women--in uniform, whether they are police or fire, but addressing police here, our first responders left home when they left to go to work, not knowing, and their families not knowing, if they would return home because they were risking their lives to save lives and to protect all of us. So it was with great prayerful gratitude to most of the men and women in blue that we, sadly, have to say that our appreciation for them cannot lapse into apathy or acceptance of actions that are fundamentally incompatible with the purpose of policing. Of course, there is not anyone on our side of the aisle who has advocated any policy in this body to defund the police, contrary to misrepresentations that are coming forth. All of us here, again, salute and are profoundly grateful for our law enforcement heroes. As the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives writes: The passage of this act is paramount in achieving the fundamental principle of a police force that ``protects and serves'' every citizen of their community with fairness, accountability, and transparency in their actions. The Democratic Congress, together with the Biden-Harris administration, is committed to not only ensuring that this legislation becomes law, but to take further action to end violence and advance justice in America. Let us ensure that the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is the first of many steps in this direction. The family of George Floyd, who came here when the bill was being reviewed by Chairman Nadler's committee, asked me: Madam Speaker, will you name this bill for our brother? His brother asked that question. The gentleman remembers that day. We couldn't be in the committee room because of COVID. I said: Only if you think it is worthy of your brother. I think of George Floyd at least once a day and sometimes more. Do you know why? Not just because of the sadness of it all, but I think of him because they tell us that, in order to be safe from COVID, we must wash our hands for 20 seconds. So as I'm washing my hands for 20 seconds, after about 8 or 9 seconds, I am thinking that this is taking forever; I can't do this for 20 seconds; it takes too long. Then I think of George Floyd--8 minutes and 46 seconds. It is a long time. It is a long time, as Congresswoman Dean said, calling out for his mother and extending love to his family. Let us ensure that George's brother, Philonise, when he said that George's name means something; and that as his daughter, Gianna, said, ``Daddy changed the world,'' with this legislation, let us take an important step in changing the world for George's family, for all communities of color, for all Americans, and for the whole world. Madam Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and I thank Karen Bass, again, for her leadership. Madam Speaker, nearly one year ago, George Floyd gasped his last words--``I can't breathe''--and ignited a nationwide reckoning on the racial injustice and police brutality in America. Americans from every corner of the country took to the streets to peacefully protest violence against Black Americans: waving Black Lives Matter flags, chanting the names of the murdered, repeating George Floyd's dying words. They turned their agony into action, but tragically, despite these mass protests, the injustice--the killing--continues. Last year, 1,127 people were killed by police, far more than in the year before. In the months following George Floyd's murder, 645 people were killed--and hundreds more were attacked and assaulted, including Jacob Blake: shot seven times in the back in front of his three children. As George Floyd's brother Philonise recently said, ``As a Black man in the United States, I want to be able to go outside and protest, because at this time, I don't know who is going to survive or not.'' As Members of Congress and as Americans, we cannot accept this epidemic of injustice. We cannot stay silent, when our most vulnerable and historically marginalized communities--people of color, those living in poverty, Americans with disabilities--are being targeted and killed. That is why, today, the House will again pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act--and send it to the Senate and the President's desk, so that it can finally become law. I salute Congresswoman Karen Bass, who has been relentless, persistent and absolutely courageous in her leadership on this legislation. Thank you to the CBC and Chair Joyce Beatty, and Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act fundamentally transforms the culture of policing with strong, unprecedented reforms, including: banning chokeholds; stopping no-knock warrants; ending the court- created qualified immunity doctrine; combating racial profiling; and establishing strong new standards and protections to prevent and combat police misconduct. This legislation will not erase centuries of systemic racism and excessive policing in America. It will not bring back George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery or the countless other men and women who died or were senselessly injured. But it will take a tremendous step forward to stop the violence, stem the suffering and start to build a healthier, better relationship between law enforcement and the communities that they protect. All of us here salute and are profoundly grateful for our law enforcement heroes. But our appreciation cannot lapse into apathy or acceptance of actions that are fundamentally incompatible with the purpose of policing. As the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives writes, ``The passage of this act is paramount in achieving the fundamental principle of a police force that `protects and serves' every citizen of their community, with fairness, accountability and transparency in their actions.'' The Democratic Congress, together with the Biden-Harris Administration, is committed to not only ensuring that this legislation becomes law--but to taking further action to end violence and advance justice in America. Let us ensure that the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is the first of many steps in this mission. And let us ensure that, as George's brother said, ``George's name means something''; and that, as his daughter Gianna said, ``Daddy changed the world.'' With this legislation, let us take a small step to ``changing the world''--for George's family, for all communities of color, and for all Americans. With that, I urge a strong, bipartisan vote for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I join the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) in her beautiful acknowledgment of the passing of Vernon Jordan. Madam Speaker, I also commend her for her great leadership in honoring our Constitution with this For the People legislation. I am fond of saying of Chairwoman Lofgren that she has so much experience, so much knowledge, such deep values about our Constitution and about our electoral system and how they are connected. I thank her for her tremendous leadership. Madam Speaker, I also thank John Sarbanes for his long-term dedication to this For the People legislation so that we can have elections that enable people to participate more fully. That is what this is all about. Mr. Sarbanes chaired the Democracy Reform Task Force. He is the godfather of this bill. His determination, his deliberation, and his dedication to democracy have brought us to this important moment for the American people. Madam Speaker, I am especially pleased that this moment is happening in March when it is Women's History Month because I am very fond of saying that if we reduce the role of money in politics and increase the level of decency and civility, we will be able to elect many more women, many more people of color, many more young people into elective office. I am absolutely certain of that in terms of women, and this legislation does just that. Madam Speaker, ``We the people,'' the first words of the Preamble to the Constitution, how appropriate that that is what this legislation is called. I come to this conversation, not just as Speaker of the House, but as a person who, for years, was a leader in the California Democratic Party. Our purpose was to remove obstacles of participation for Democrats or Republicans. That is what the law requires. That was the right thing to do. Whether it was in registration or getting out the vote, we had to be nonpartisan. That is what this legislation does. Madam Speaker, it is very interesting in the rules of the House that we can have people misrepresent the facts, but if we call them on it, our words are taken down for mistrusting the integrity of Members. But let's be very clear: There is no public funding use of taxpayer money for congressional races in this legislation, no matter what you hear someone else say. There will be an amendment on the floor. Madam Speaker, speaking of amendments, there are 56 amendments. The list takes pages and pages and pages, so this will take a couple of days to deal with. This idea that we don't have a full discussion and full amendment process, let's not talk about process. Let's talk about the policy and what we hope to achieve. The first 300 pages of this bill were written by John Lewis to eliminate voter suppression, which has become rampant in our country. How do we say to our Founders, ``We salute you for what you have done, and we are going to do everything in our power to make sure we suppress the vote''? It is so inconsistent. We see even just in recent days a torrent of pieces of legislation to reduce voter participation. So, that is what we are going to do. Madam Speaker, another aspect of this that distorts our democracy is the partisan gerrymandering. That is why I salute the distinguished chairwoman for her leadership for a long time now in putting forth redistricting by way of commission. The people should choose their politicians. Politicians should not be choosing their voters by this political gerrymandering. This legislation does that. Part of voter suppression that people don't always recognize is the suffocation of the airways of big, dark, special interest money. And one aspect of this bill that has such popular appeal is the fact that people will realize if we reduce the role of big, dark money in politics, we increase the voices of the people. We will have a better chance to preserve our planet if big, dark money, special interest money is not weighing in. We have a better chance of protecting our children from gun violence with background check legislation if big, dark money, in terms of our gun lobbies, is not weighing in. We have a chance to reduce the cost of healthcare. We have the chance to increase paychecks. The list goes on and on. Big, dark money has been an obstacle to progress for America's working families, suppressing the ability of people to bargain collectively, suppressing the rights of workers in our country. So, again, this is, as Mr. Sarbanes says, this caffeinates all the other issues because it gives people confidence that it really can happen, that we really can pass legislation that is not dominated, and the debate of it is not suffocated. The airways suffocated big, dark money. Of course, we have to look at what is happening in terms of misinformation in the social media and the rest. And what we want to do is to clear the air; clear the air of that big, dark money; clear the air of political gerrymandering; and clear the air of the voter suppression that is out there. Just last night, the Georgia House passed a draconian new voter restriction bill, which would end weekend voting, slash the number of mail ballot drop boxes, impose restrictive voter ID for mail ballots, among other actions. They know that their issues are losers with the America people when they oppose some of the issues that are very popular in the public domain. They know that big money and voter suppression is their path to victory, and that is why they are engaged in this. These voter suppression tactics are fundamentally discriminatory. In 2018, 70 percent of the Georgia voters purged from the rolls were African American. And nationwide, counties with larger minority populations had fewer polling places and poll workers per voter. In fact, 1 in 13 Black Americans cannot vote due to disenfranchisement laws nationwide. We must ensure that all voters have a voice in their democracy, particularly in light of many grave challenges that our Nation faces today. Strong, clean, ethical leadership for the people is needed to tackle today's crisis, ranging from the pandemic and economic crisis to the national reckoning on racial equality and justice, and, as I mentioned earlier, the surging climate crisis. The For The People Act will meet this moment. Again, the moment: restoring the public's trust in government, and re-empowering our leaders to fight in the people's interest, not the special interest. It will combat big, dark money in politics, taking on the power of special interests, forcing disclosure, reining in the lobbyist influence and empowering small donors. I do believe that one of the most undemocratic acts of the Supreme Court of the United States in its history was the so-called Citizens United decision. How could the Justices of the Supreme Court ever have made such a decision? I don't know if they examined their conscience in light of what has happened since then with big, dark money weighing in. And they gave very little opportunity--usually when the Court makes a decision, Congress can act, change the law, change the perspective, make it more constitutional, whatever the question is; but not with Citizens United. They went all out, closed every window to any opportunity to make change in the House of Representatives, except one: Disclosure. Disclosure. They said, okay, you can pass a law that says you must disclose. When this decision was made, we tried to have a disclosure act. We had 59 votes in the Senate, not 60. So we couldn't pass it because the Republicans in the Senate said, No, we cannot insist on disclosure. When that happened, the Chamber of Commerce, it was reported that they said, oh, if we had to disclose, our members would not be giving of their chamber, would not be giving in the big amounts because they didn't want the public, their employees, their customers, their clients to know how much big money they were spending to suppress the vote and the discussion in our country. So the Republicans supported low disclosure. The money flowed and continues to flow. It must be stopped. Now, it would take a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, and I think we should strive for that. However, in the meantime, it would take an act of Congress to say: You are proud of who you are supporting in a big, dark money way? Disclose it. Let's have disclosure. The public has a right to know, your employees have a right to know, your customers and your community has a right to know how you are weighing in against their interests, against clean air for their children, clean safety in terms of water safety in their neighborhoods in terms of gun violence protection, safety in terms of preserving the planet, safety in terms of issues that relate to the health. The list goes on and on. There is a direct connection between the suppression of the vote; the suffocation of the airways with big, dark money; and the health and well-being of the American people. So this bill will combat big, dark money in politics. As I said, it will expand voting rights, ensuring secure and accurate elections, guarding elections from foreign interference. Let me say that again. Why would the Republicans oppose guarding the elections from foreign interference? This is one of the most popular aspects of this legislation in the public. Again, the For the People Act would hold elected officials accountable, establishing tougher ethics, establishing conflict of interest rules for all government officials to ensure that public officials are working for the public good. The For the People Act is unifying, supported by a majority of the American people across the country, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, more than 170 civil rights groups, environmental, faith- based, consumer protection, and gun safety groups, all of whom know this legislation is urgently needed. Two examples. Stacey Abrams of Fair Fight wrote yesterday: ``The For the People Act understands the facets of free and fair elections: mitigating voter suppression, advancing a fair redistricting process, and empowering small dollar donors to have a more prominent rule in our elections. Together, this comprehensive bill signals a restoration of our Nation's commitment to the most durable democratic Republic.'' I will say it again: Together, this comprehensive bill signals a restoration of our Nation's commitment to the world's most durable democratic Republic, the United States of America. Passing and enacting H.R. 1 will put the American people back in charge of the Republic, paving the way for transformative progress in terms of policy for our country, for the future, for our children. With this legislation, we can build back better for the people, advancing justice, opportunity, and progress for families in every ZIP Code. Madam Speaker, to restore our democracy and to advance progress for the people, I urge a strong vote for H.R. 1, the For the People Act. Again, I express my appreciation to Madam Chair Zoe Lofgren, John Sarbanes, and so many others; Mondaire Jones, speaking for the freshman class and what it means to young people to come into the process, not to be blocked by big, dark money and foreign influence in our elections. Vote against foreign influence in elections. Vote for H.R. 1.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, I thank him for his leadership as chair of the Budget Committee, to him and all of the members of his committee and the staff who worked so hard to bring this to the floor. Thank you to Mr. Neal and the members of the Ways and Means Committee and their staff. Thank you also for bringing your piece of this legislation to the floor. And Mr. McGovern and the Rules Committee and his members, and the staff members of all the committees. All of the chairs of the committees have worked so hard. All of their members, all of the staff to bring this to this very important moment for our country. As the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky acknowledged in his opening sentence, this week, on Monday, our Nation marked the loss of over 500,000 Americans to the coronavirus, a horrific human toll of staggering proportions, an incomprehensible sadness. Every life lost is a profound tragedy that we mourn, and that breaks America's heart, and we pray for their families. Each day this pandemic reaches into our communities, devastating families' health, financial security, and well-being. The numbers speak volumes: 18 million Americans are on unemployment; 24 million people are going hungry; 12 million, Mr. Speaker; 12 million children living in households with food insecurity--and that is a conservative number-- up to 40 million people cannot pay their rent and fear eviction. The writer, George Bernard Shaw, said, ``It is the mark of a truly intelligent person to be moved by statistics.'' And indeed, we are moved emotionally and intellectually because these statistics are not just numbers, they are the lives and livelihoods of our neighbors, family members, friends, and loved ones. We moved to act swiftly to put an end to this pandemic and to stem the suffering felt by so many. The time for decisive action is long overdue. President Biden's American Rescue Plan is that decisive action. Tonight, Congress is taking action to crush the virus with a national vaccination program, robust testing, tracing and treatment, more PPE, and combating health disparities affecting communities of color disproportionately. We are putting money in workers' pockets: 18 million Americans will receive unemployment insurance; 40 million Americans will receive nutrition assistance; 27 million children will receive help through an expanded child tax credit; 15 million low-wage workers will receive an earned income tax credit; and millions and millions of other people, in addition, will receive the direct payments. We are putting children safely back in schools with $130 billion investment in reopening schools and making up for lost learning, and to do so safely. And we are putting people back into jobs by supporting our most vulnerable small businesses, particularly those owned by minorities and women, and protecting the jobs of our heroes, healthcare workers, transit, sanitation, food workers, police and fire, our first responders, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers, and more. Economists overwhelmingly support this targeted action. Earlier this month, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reported that the real unemployment rate is 10 percent, matching the depths of the worst point of the Great Recession. As he said: We are still very far from a strong labor market whose benefits are broadly shared. Therefore, if we do not enact this package, the results could be catastrophic: depriving workers and the economy of 4 million fewer jobs to come back; taking a year longer to return to full employment, and 4 years longer until real GDP recovers to a pre-pandemic status; confronting the entire cohort of young people with lower lifetime earnings; reducing the wages and job prospects of parents forced to stay at home. This legislation is transformative: lifting 12 million Americans out of poverty and generating $1.25 for every dollar spent. And--a great source of pride for us all--this legislation will cut child poverty in half. As we advance this legislation, we will continue our fight for 15, which will give 27 million Americans a raise. When I was Speaker in 2007, congressional Democrats raised the minimum wage in the first 100 hours of our new majority. It took a little longer for the Senate to get it done in the spring. That was 14 years ago. An increase in the minimum wage is a financial necessity for our families, a great stimulus for our economy, and a moral imperative for our country. With that view, it is therefore inevitable to all of us that the $15 minimum wage will be achieved. Even if it is inconceivable to some, it is inevitable to us, and we will work diligently to shorten the distance between the inevitable and the inconceivable. The $7.25 minimum wage that exists now is, in many instances, an exploitation of American workers. It is a cost to taxpayers because minimum wage workers need food and housing assistance, and many are on Medicaid. This is corporate welfare. This is a subsidy for business to pay a low wage. We want work to be respected, and we respect the dignity of work. We will seek a solution consistent with the Senate rules, and we will do so soon. The American people are demanding the bold action contained in the American Rescue Plan. Over 75 percent of Americans support this package and want it passed and enacted, including 60 percent of Republicans in the country. Families, workers, business leaders, mayors and local leaders, and health and faith-based organizations are all calling for immediate action. More than 1 year ago into this pandemic and economic crisis, the American people need to know that their government is there for them and that, as President Biden has said, help is on the way. With that, I thank again the chairs and members of the committee, the staff, and all of our Members for their attention to the issue of morality to our country. Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong and bipartisan vote for the American Rescue Plan so we can continue our work to save lives and the livelihoods of the American people. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership on this important issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join our entire caucus in saluting Congressman David Cicilline, our longtime champion of the Equality Act, who has been courageous, relentless, and persistent in his leadership for this legislation. We are proud to bring this important legislation to the House floor under the leadership of the most diverse House Democratic majority-- nearly 70 percent women, people of color, and LGBTQ, with 224 cosponsors on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, as many of us were gathered together nearly 5 years ago to first introduce the Equality Act, that day in the LBJ room, on the Senate side, named after the President who fought for and signed the Civil Rights Act, we stood with an icon of the civil rights struggle, our colleague John Lewis, the conscience of Congress. The Civil Rights Act is a sacred pillar of freedom in our country. It is not amended lightly. So how proud were we to be with our beloved John Lewis and the Congressional Black Caucus--many of whom are here now, Maxine Waters, Mr. Green, and others, thank you--as they gave their imprimatur to the opening of the Civil Rights Act to end discrimination against LGBTQ Americans. And we remember John Lewis' life, we remember his words spoken at the Pride parade in Atlanta. Shortly before being diagnosed with cancer, he said, ``We are one people and one family. We all live in the same House . . . `' Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to pass this landmark legislation, we must salute the countless advocates, activists, outside organizers and mobilizers, who have for decades demanded full rights for all Americans. Personally, my thoughts are with my friends, the late Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, who shared their lives together for decades. I have spoken of them with their photo here on the floor year in and year out. They were members, as so many of us in San Francisco, who for decades were engaged in civic engagement on many issues, including those issues related to LGBTQ rights. They were an inspiration, teaching us to take ``pride.'' And I say that with pride. When people say to me, ``It is easy for you to support LGBTQ equality because you are from San Francisco where people are so tolerant.'' Tolerant? To me, that is a condescending word. This is not about tolerance. This is about respect. This is about taking pride for Phyllis and Del and the older LGBTQ couples, for them, for LGBTQ workers striving to provide for their families, and for LGBTQ youth struggling to find their place, this is an historic, transformative moment of pride. Here in the House, this pride goes back for many years. When we first got the majority in 2006 and 2007, House Democrats had four goals relating to equality. Passing a comprehensive hate crimes bill--and when I say comprehensive, I mean, LGBTQ--``TQ''. ``T''. People said to us at the time, Take out the ``T'' and you can pass this bill in a minute. I said, If we take out the ``T,'' we are not going to pass this bill in 100 years because we are not bringing it up without the word ``transgender'' in the bill. We passed the bill with the help of Barney Frank, our former colleague, and the family of Matthew Shepard who came here, touched our hearts, and got the votes to help us pass the legislation. Then we had ``Don't ask, don't tell.'' And under the leadership of President Obama and the courage of so many Members--Patrick Murphy, our former colleague and an Iraq combat vet leading the way here--we repealed ``Don't ask, don't tell.'' Thank you, President Obama. Mr. Speaker, securing marriage equality was done for us by the courts. I took great pride in attending the oral arguments when that was argued in the courts, and what a victory it was for liberty and justice in our country when that decision came down. Our next item on the agenda was something called ENDA, ending discrimination in the workplace. Well, it is really called Employment Nondiscrimination Act, hence the ENDA. But then with the successes that we had, it was, Why are we just talking about the workplace? Why aren't we talking about every place in our society? And, hence, came forth ENDA which became the Equality Act, finally, fully, ending anti-LGBTQ discrimination on employment, education, housing, credit, jury service, and public accommodation. It removes all doubt that sexual orientation and gender identity warrants civil rights protection in every arena of American life. Codifying the recent decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Bostock case, it takes a momentous step towards full equality that brings our Nation closer to the founding promise of liberty and justice for all enshrined in the preamble of our Constitution by our Founders in their great wisdom--also, in our pledge to the flag. And it is sadly necessary, I wish that it weren't. Sometimes I just wonder why it is. But it is sadly necessary because many members of the national LGBTQ community live in States where, though they have the right to marry, they have no State-level nondiscrimination protections in other areas of life. Mr. Speaker, in more than 20 States, LGBTQ Americans do not have specific protections against being denied housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and over 30 States lack protections regarding access to education. Nearly 40 States lack protections regarding jury service. Mr. Speaker, passing the Equality Act in the last Congress was historic, a day of hope and happiness for millions. Now, with the Democratic Senate majority and President Biden in the White House and Vice President Harris there as well, we will pass it once more and we will never stop fighting until it becomes law. We will never stop fighting until the Equality Act becomes law. Let me conclude by returning to John Lewis and recalling his words spoken on this House floor on the passage of the Equality Act the first time. John Lewis said: We have a decision to end discrimination and set all of our people free. And set all of our people free. Today, with this legislation, we have an opportunity to set all of our people free and to advance the future of justice, equality, and dignity for all. Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote for the Equality Act, salute Mr. Cicilline and Senate Merkley on the Senate side for their leadership, and commend the distinguished chair of the Judiciary Committee for once again bringing this to the floor. Thank you, Congresswoman, for your leadership on this issue as well. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Morelle, the gentleman from New York and distinguished member of the Committee on Rules, among other committees of the House, for bringing this important rule to the floor. Madam Speaker, we just left a meeting with President Biden where we had a discussion about how this legislation meets the needs of the American people. As our colleagues may be aware, early this morning, before 6 a.m., the Senate passed a budget bill, which is identical in instruction to the bill that we sent there. We had the debate on that bill on Wednesday. It passed with a strong vote in the House, and then went to the Senate. It comes back to us now and we are addressing it. So that is what brings us to the floor now. What brings us to the floor now is the opportunity to crush the virus, to put vaccines in the arms of the American people, money in the pockets of the American people, children safely in school, people back in their jobs. We can do that following science and good governance to make it happen. We must do that in a way that addresses the disparities. It is almost sinful to see the disparity in access to some of the vaccines and everything that happened up until now. As I mentioned the other day in the debate on the budget bill, the GAO has put out a report that at least 90 percent of their recommendations to the Trump administration on how to address the COVID crisis were ignored. Twenty-seven out of 31 were ignored. This legislation, again, based on science and knowledge, and respect for all the people in our society and in our country, addresses many of those concerns in a more current way as now we have more access to vaccines and people more willing to participate because they have hope. That is what this legislation does. It gives us hope. It is a reconciliation bill, which means we can just pass it with 51 votes in the Senate. It would be my hope that we don't have to use it as a reconciliation bill, that we will be able to have bipartisanship with the facing of the facts of what is needed to meet the needs of the American people, both in this body and in the United States Senate. But in order to have a guarantee that the people's needs will be met, we are passing this legislation today. I hope that we will have a very strong vote in favor of crushing the virus, money in the pockets, people back to work, and children, children, children safely in schools.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him for his great leadership of the Joint Economic Committee, a place where we can really think in a way that is entrepreneurial and successful for the American people. His private sector experience, as well as respect for the public sector and the nonprofit sector, equips him well to lead that important committee and to take us to the floor on this bill, following the Budget Committee, under the leadership of John Yarmuth, a tireless worker for the budget and this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I believe that a budget should be a statement of our national values. What is important to us as a nation should be reflected when we put a budget together. It is curious to me to hear the distinguished gentleman on the other side of the aisle. It would be ludicrous if it weren't so deadly serious. Mr. Speaker, $1.9 trillion, the President of the United States has determined is necessary to meet the needs of the American people at a time of a pandemic, at a time of consequences to our economy that are drastic--and I will go on to that in a moment. $1.9 trillion, which is almost exactly the cost of the Republican tax break that they gave to the richest people in America; 83 percent of the benefits went to the top 1 percent. This legislation, which helps meet the needs of the American people, to be considered a tax break bill for the rich, it is pathetic. It is pathetic. The fact of this Congress is that somebody can say things that aren't true on the floor, but if you say that they said something that was untrue, you would be called out of order. But I would just say, the facts are these. $1.9 trillion, when you add in the interest--Mr. Green from Texas referenced this--if you add in the interest, $1.9 trillion, $2 trillion, added to the national debt, with no stimulus for our economy, only debt for our children. Instead, here today, we have a bill that meets the needs of the American people. In the election, the American people cast their ballot for big, bold action and decisive leadership to turn the coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis around. Since then, the need has accelerated drastically. The time for decisive action is now. Mr. Speaker, that is why, today, we will pass a budget resolution to pave the way for a landmark coronavirus rescue, a rescue plan, which will do what is needed to save lives and livelihoods. We hope that Republicans in Congress would support a legislative package that will bring real relief to people and to our communities. Passing this budget does not preclude reaching a bipartisan agreement. I would rather not work under reconciliation, but if that is the way we have to work in order to get results for the American people, we must use every option at our disposal. But I am hopeful that we can have bipartisanship. That does not ensure that Congress can move forward and meet the country's needs. The need for this action could not be more urgent, and Americans cannot afford to wait. They cannot afford any further delay. Tens of millions of Americans have been infected. Nearly half a million have died, with one-fifth of those deaths occurring over the past month. Meanwhile, tens of millions of workers are jobless; food and housing insecurity is skyrocketing; and school closings threaten our children's education. And our most vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of these crises, as the underlying health and economic disparities continue to grow. President Biden's American Rescue Plan will take a comprehensive, strategic, and science-based approach to tackling the public health and economic crises. Here is what it will do. It will put money in the pockets of the American people. It will put vaccines in the arms of the American people. It will put children back in school and workers back to work. It will crush the virus and help us safely reopen schools, mounting a national vaccination campaign that includes community vaccination sites, ramping and scaling up testing and tracing, addressing shortages of PPE, investing in high-quality treatments, and addressing healthcare disparities. It is sinful, Mr. Speaker, to see how few people in our communities of color have had access to vaccines up until now, but that will change under President Biden and with this legislation. It will deliver immediate relief to working families bearing the brunt of the crisis, providing $1,400 checks per person to households across America and providing housing and nutrition assistance. Tens of thousands of people are food insecure in our country. Maybe 17 million children are food insecure in our country. Access to safe and reliable childcare--let me say it again, safe and reliable childcare--and affordable healthcare, expanded unemployment insurance, and enhanced tax credits for families, low-income working families. Finally, the plan will support communities struggling with the economic fallout, providing a lifeline for the hardest hit small businesses, especially those owned by minorities, and honoring our heroes. Yes, $350 billion to honor our heroes, about one-fourth of what you were giving to the top 1 percent in our country in your tax bill. Why is that important? Because these are the entities, State and local county governments, townships, and the rest, that provide the services that the people need: healthcare workers, first responders, police and fire, transportation, sanitation, food workers, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers. They need the State and local governments to be funded. That is very important. In a bipartisan way across the country, it has bipartisan support. So, yes, it is $350 billion. Again, it is to meet the needs. These people risk their lives to save lives, and now they may lose their jobs because of the cost of the coronavirus and the lost revenue from the pandemic. Finally, the plan would support communities struggling with the fallout, again, providing a lifeline--that is this point I am making now--for hardest hit small businesses, as I mentioned, that are owned by minorities, frontline health workers, teachers, transit workers, and other essential workers risking their lives to save ours. It bears repetition. The cost of inaction is growing by the day. If we don't enact this package now, we could end up with 4 million fewer jobs this year, and it could take a year longer to return to full employment. An entire cohort of young people may have lower lifetime earnings because they were deprived of another semester of school. Millions of parents, particularly moms, can be forced to stay at home, reducing their wages and future job prospects. I believe the figure is 100 percent. But just about 100 percent of the jobs lost in December were women. But if this package is passed and enacted in full by March, economic growth is projected to jump by nearly 8 percent this year and then by an additional 4 percent next year. At that pace, we will create 7\1/2\ million jobs this year alone and a total of 10 million jobs by the fall of 2022, reaching full employment. But don't take it from me. Experts agree that this bold action is needed, especially as interest rates are at historic lows and the return on small investments has never been higher. As Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, of whom we are very proud, stated: Without further action, we risk a longer, more painful recession now and long-term scarring of the economy later. Right now, with interest rates at historic lows, the smartest thing we can do now is act big. In the long run, the benefits will far outweigh the costs. Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics, said just last week: It is better to err on the side of too much rather than too little. Interest rates are at practically zero, inflation is low, unemployment is high. You don't need a textbook to know that this is when you push on the fiscal accelerator. Also last week, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, stated: I am much more worried about falling short of a complete recovery and losing people's careers and lives that they built because they don't get back to work in time. I am more concerned about that and the damage that will do. Reconciliation bills have passed on a bipartisan basis 17 times in recent years, including one that I participated in to pass the Children's Health Insurance Program, CHIP, which delivered lifesaving healthcare to nearly 10 million children. As I said, the need for action could not be more urgent. Americans cannot afford further delay. Listen, listen, listen to your constituents. We should all be listening to our constituents. They are our bosses. We must meet their needs. Listening to our constituents, respecting President Biden's proposal to meet their needs, we must work together to save their lives and their livelihoods. I wish we could have a strong bipartisan vote on this budget bill because, as I said, this budget is a statement of our values, and our values are that we are here to meet the needs of America's working families. It is about our children, their health, their education, the economic security of their families, a safe world for them to thrive, a world at peace in which they can reach their fulfillment. It is always about the children. It is not about heaping mountains of debt on them, as they did in their tax scam that they passed, and then to have the nerve to call this a tax break for the wealthy when it has low-income tax credits, childcare tax credits, refundability, billions of dollars for the working poor in our country. Economists and the Treasury Secretaries of both parties have said, if you really want to turn the economy around, help the neediest the most, help the neediest first. We do this in this legislation as we bolster the middle class and crush the virus. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I submit the following memorandum regarding authorization of the Department of Homeland Security: We, the chairs of the committees with jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security or its components, are hereby recording our agreement on the following principles for the 117th Congress: 1. The Department of Homeland Security (``the Department'') and its components should be authorized on a regular basis to ensure robust oversight and improve its operation. 2. Committees with jurisdiction over the Department and its components will prioritize any expired or expiring authorizations within the Department and its components in that committee's jurisdiction. 3. To the maximum extent practicable, the committees with jurisdiction over components of the Department will coordinate with the Committee on Homeland Security to produce comprehensive authorization legislation for the Department and consult with the Committee on Homeland Security prior to consideration of component authorization legislation in a committee markup. Prior to consideration of component authorization legislation in a committee markup, the Committee on Homeland Security will consult with any other committee that is a party to this agreement that is a committee with jurisdiction over that component. 4. The Committee on Homeland Security will coordinate with the committees with jurisdiction over components of the Department in the development of any comprehensive authorization bill for the Department. 5. The committees will work in good faith to expeditiously consider any bill to comprehensively authorize the Department, including timely resolution of any matters subject to a sequential or additional referral. 6. To the extent that there are policy differences between the committees regarding a provision of a bill or comprehensive authorization bill for the Department, the committees will make best efforts to resolve any such dispute and where the Committee on Homeland Security has policy differences regarding a measure to be advanced by another committee that is a party to this agreement, the Committee on Homeland Security will make best efforts to achieve a timely resolution of such dispute. 7. Consistent with existing rules and precedents of the House, the Committee on Homeland Security Committee shall not include any provision in a bill that the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means has determined to be a revenue provision or a provision affecting revenue. Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to preclude the Committee on Ways and Means from exercising an additional or sequential referral over any measure or to waive clause 5(a) of Rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives . 8. Nothing in this agreement shall be construed as altering or expanding any committee's jurisdiction under rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives or the referral of any measure thereunder and will not be construed as support for any claim for sequential referral on legislation pertaining to the Department generally, including policies, programs, and general management of component agencies. 9. Further, nothing in this agreement shall be construed to affect the provision of information by the Executive Branch to committees of jurisdiction pursuant to law or otherwise. 10. Further, nothing in this agreement shall be construed as altering any responsibilities or authority of any committee under Rule XI of the House of Representatives. 11. Further, nothing in this agreement precludes a further agreement between the committees with regard to the implementation of a process to collaborate on comprehensive authorization legislation and component-specific measures. 12. Consistent with past practice, committees that are party to this agreement will consult with the Committee on Oversight and Reform when statutes under its Rule X jurisdiction are implicated by comprehensive reauthorization legislation. Signed, David Scott, Chair, Committee on Agriculture. Frank Pallone, Jr., Chair, Committee on Energy and Commerce. Maxine Waters, Chair, Committee on Financial Services. Bennie G. Thompson, Chair Committee on Homeland Security. Adam Schiff, Chair, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Jerrold Nadler, Chair, Committee on the Judiciary. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chair, Committee on Oversight and Reform. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chair, Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Peter A. DeFazio, Chair, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Richard Neal, Chair, Committee on Ways and Means.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership as chair of the Armed Services Committee. He brings us to the floor today for a very special privilege. We in the House really most of the time do not have too much say as to who will be a member of the Cabinet. That is, advise and consent responsibility lies with the Senate. But today, because of the special nature of the appointee, we are here to talk about a waiver. As a Member of Congress, again, there is no more serious responsibility. It is the oath we take to protect and defend. Our responsibility is to protect the American people. That responsibility is why we must waste no time ensuring that President Joe Biden's national defense and national security team is confirmed, ready and able to keep our country and our people safe. President Biden selected a highly qualified and widely respected leader in nominating General Lloyd Austin for Secretary of Defense. General Austin has led with honor and served with dignity. With over 40 years of decorated Army service, Secretary-designate Austin brings a great understanding of the challenges facing our Nation's defense and a deep appreciation for the sacrifice of our military and their families. The historical circumstances of this nomination, in light of the deadly insurrection assault on the Capitol, the coronavirus pandemic, the undermining of the Pentagon by the previous President, and more, necessitate the expeditious confirmation of this extremely qualified leader. I do want to say as a constitutional officer--the Speaker of the House is a constitutional officer, written into the Constitution--and as a former leader of the Intelligence Committee, a Democratic leader of the Intelligence Committee, my commitment to a strong civilian control of our military, as required by the Constitution, is strong. It is not an issue with us, Mr. Speaker. It is a value, civilian control of the military. The Congress' power to grant or withhold an exemption for recent Active Duty military servicemembers to be the Secretary of Defense must be treated with gravity and extreme diligence. That is why I am so glad that President Biden and General Austin insisted and met our request to come to speak to Armed Services Committee members. That did not happen under General Mattis. I am a big fan of General Mattis, but President Trump said he could not come speak to the Congress, and that is a big difference. That is a big difference. Again, with gratitude to President Biden in recognizing the important role that the House of Representatives plays in this, I had the privilege, as have other Members, of hearing from General Austin as well as the committee today. By the way, in case you didn't notice, when we are talking about timetables relating to committee ratios, 2 weeks ago, there was an insurrection in this Chamber. It was disruptive of the normal pattern unfolding. We all had to adjust our schedules and address the needs of our caucuses and this Congress accordingly, in case you didn't notice. Again, my conversations with the Secretary-designate have assured me that he understands, respects, and will uphold the critical priority of civilian control of the military. He has spoken several times to the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and members of the committee and has given similar assurances. The Secretary-designate has further demonstrated his commitment to transparency with the Congress, respecting the weight of the decision that we now make by, as I mentioned, meeting with members of the Armed Services Committee to discuss this issue earlier today. In the face of the many threats, both foreign and domestic, confronting our Nation, it is essential that Secretary-designate Austin be immediately confirmed. Blocking this waiver would be a mistake that, among other dangers, would delay the urgent work to be done to restore the independence and capabilities of the Defense Department, which we must do as soon as possible. Mr. Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote to grant this waiver for Secretary-designate Lloyd Austin to serve as Secretary of Defense. I salute him for his patriotism, thank him for his heroism, and look forward to calling him Mr. Secretary.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership. Madam Speaker, in his annual address to our predecessors in Congress in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln spoke of the duty of the patriot in an hour of decisive crisis for the American people. ``Fellow citizens,'' he said, ``we cannot escape history. We . . . will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. . . . We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility.'' In the Bible, St. Paul wrote, ``Think on these things.'' We must think on what Lincoln told us. We, even here, even us here, hold the power and bear the responsibility. We, you and I, hold in trust the power that derives most directly from the people of the United States, and we bear the responsibility to fulfill the oath that we all swear before God and before one another: the oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God. We know that we face enemies to that Constitution. We know. We experienced the insurrection that violated the sanctity of the people's Capitol and attempted to overturn the duly recorded will of the American people. And we know that the President of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country. He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the Nation that we all love. Since the Presidential election in November, an election the President lost, he has repeatedly lied about the outcome, sowed self- serving doubt about democracy, and unconstitutionally sought to influence State officials to repeal reality. And then came that day of fire we all experienced. The President must be impeached, and I believe the President must be convicted by the Senate, a constitutional remedy that will ensure that the Republic will be safe from this man who is so resolutely determined to tear down the things that we hold dear and that hold us together. It gives me no pleasure to say this. It breaks my heart. It should break your heart. It should break all of our hearts, for your presence in this hallowed Chamber is testament to your love for our country, for America, and to your faith in the work of our Founders to create a more perfect Union. Those insurrectionists were not patriots. They were not part of a political base to be catered to and managed. They were domestic terrorists, and justice must prevail. But they did not appear out of a vacuum. They were sent here, sent here by the President with words such as a cry to ``fight like hell.'' Words matter. Truth matters. Accountability matters. In his public exhortations to them, the President saw the insurrectionists not as the foes of freedom, as they are, but as the means to a terrible goal: the goal of his personally clinging to power, the goal of thwarting the will of the people, the goal of ending in a fiery and bloody clash nearly two and a half centuries of our democracy. This is not theoretical, and this is not motivated by partisanship. I stand before you today as an officer of the Constitution as Speaker of the House of Representatives. I stand before you as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a daughter, a daughter whose father proudly served in this Congress, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., from Maryland, one of the first Italian Americans to serve in the Congress. And I stand here before you today as that noblest of things: a citizen of the United States of America. With my voice and my vote, with a plea to all of you, Democrats and Republicans, I ask you to search your souls and answer these questions: Is the President's war on democracy in keeping with the Constitution? Were his words and insurrectionary mob a high crime and misdemeanor? Do we not have the duty to our oath to do all we constitutionally can to protect our Nation and our democracy from the appetites and ambitions of a man who has self-evidently demonstrated that he is a vital threat to liberty, to self-government, and to the rule of law? Our country is divided. We all know that. There are lies abroad in the land, spread by a desperate President who feels his power slipping away. We know that, too. But I know this as well: that we here in this House have a sacred obligation to stand for truth, to stand up for the Constitution, to stand as guardians of the Republic. In a speech he was prepared to give in Dallas on Friday, November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was to say, ``We in this country, in this generation, are--by destiny rather than choice--the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility.'' That we may be worthy. President Kennedy was assassinated before he could deliver those words to the Nation, but they resonate more even now, in our time and in this place. Let us be worthy of our power and responsibility, that what Lincoln thought of the world's last best hope, the United States of America, may long survive. My fellow Members, my fellow Americans, we cannot escape history. Let us embrace our duty, fulfill our oath, and honor the trust of our Nation. We pray that God will continue to bless America.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and applaud him and salute him as a constitutional scholar, an intellectual resource, and the force of justice that he has been as he has crafted and advanced this resolution. I thank the entire House Democratic Caucus for their love of country, determination to protect our democracy, and the loyalty to our oath that had been so beautifully manifested in this dark past week. Mr. Speaker, a dark week it has been indeed. On Wednesday, the President of the United States incited a deadly insurrection against America that targeted the very heart of our democracy, this temple of democracy, the United States Capitol, defiling the genius of the Constitution--separate but equal--attacking the first branch of government, trying to prevent us from carrying out our constitutional duty to ascertain that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be President and Vice President of the United States. The gleeful desecration of the Capitol and the violence against Congress, our staff, and our workers are horrors that will forever stain our Nation's history. Five Americans have died following the violent attack. More than 50 police officers were seriously injured, including 15 officers who were hospitalized. On behalf of the House, I salute and express deepest gratitude to the U.S. Capitol Police for the valor that they showed in protecting the lives of Members, especially protecting our staff and those who make Congress function. Mr. Speaker, this is a sad day for our country, that we have to come to the floor in a way to defend the Constitution of the United States at this time. The facts are very clear: The President called for this seditious attack. For days, he urged supporters to come to Washington for the insurrection. Wednesday morning, he participated in a rally to encourage the rioters to march on the Capitol and fight. Not only did he urge people to march on the Capitol and fight, he further fanned the flames, and he and his family cheered and celebrated the desecration of the Capitol. Later that day, as the dangers escalated, he ignored and then flat- out rejected the pleas of Congress, including those of his own party, to call off his supporters--the rioters, the terrorists--as they engaged in vandalism and violence. Now, the President is saying that he is not responsible and that his incitement to violence was totally appropriate. The President's actions demonstrate his absolute inability to discharge the most basic and fundamental powers and duties of his office. Therefore, the President must be removed from office immediately. This is a decision we make with the utmost solemnity and prayerfulness which this crisis requires. Removal of the President is an unprecedented action, but it is required because it is an unprecedented moment in history because of the danger that he poses. I heard the previous speaker say that we are objecting to the President because we don't like the way he executes his duties. No, we don't like it at all: acts of sedition, incitement to insurrection, treasonous activity. If you are associating yourself with that as the proper execution of the President's duties, then you are associating yourself with sedition and treason. Yesterday, in a pro forma session, we introduced a unanimous consent request to take up Congressman Raskin's legislation, which calls on the Vice President to mobilize the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment to remove the President from office, again, to prevent him from causing more damage to our country. Who knows what he might do next? But House Republicans rejected this legislation. So the President's unhinged, unstable, deranged acts of sedition may continue, endangering America and undermining our democracy. Now we are taking up this legislation in regular session. After passage, we are calling on the Vice President to respond within 24 hours of passage. This resolution gives House Republicans the clear choice to honor the oath of office, to defend our democracy, and to uphold the sacred trust given to us by the Constitution and by those whom we represent. Mr. Speaker, during the Trump Presidency, these 4 years, and especially during this sad time, I recall the words of the great Israeli poet Ehud Manor when he said: I can't keep silent in light of How my country's changed her face Won't quit trying to remind her In her ears, I'll sing my cries Until she opens her eyes. ``I can't keep silent in light of how my country's changed her face.'' I urge my Republican colleagues to open their eyes and to finally hold this President accountable. The security of our country and the future of our very democracy are at stake. When we pray for God to bless America, let us hope that that blessing comes down strongly on us in the next few days. Again, Mr. Speaker, I applaud the great leadership of Mr. Raskin.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. And I thank him for his masterful work in not only bringing this legislation to the floor but working in a bipartisan way to have so many important initiatives in the COVID and the omnibus bill that the President happily, for us, signed last evening. I thank him for his initiatives that are job-creating, that stimulate the economy and help meet the needs of the American people. Madam Speaker, I am interested in the comments made by Mr. Brady because he said we could be putting more money into small business, and we do indeed in the COVID package, around $300 billion. I think it is important to note, Madam Speaker, that that brings it to almost about a trillion dollars since March 27 or 28, when the President signed the CARES Act, about $950 billion for small business, nearly a trillion dollars. Very important. Small business is the heart of our economy. What could be more optimistic for anyone to do but to follow their dreams, start a small business, create jobs, create wealth, create capital. It is so important. We see the importance of that to the tune of about a trillion dollars, just under a trillion dollars, in these past several months. Madam Speaker, if you want to talk about job creation, I hope the gentleman will join us when we go forward to do State and local, our healthcare workers, honoring our heroes. They are at risk of losing their jobs. While they risk their lives to save lives, they may lose their jobs, and over a million of them have. We are talking about healthcare workers. We are talking about police and fire, our first responders. We are talking about transportation, sanitation, food workers. We are talking about our teachers, our teachers, our teachers, the custodians of our children for a large part of their day. They are at risk of losing their jobs because of the failure of the Republican side of the aisle to support funds for State and local government to honor our heroes. We want to honor them. While we cheer them, we applaud them, let's give them pay, and let's let them have job security. Let's give them PPE, the equipment that they need to do their job. If we want to talk about saving jobs or growing jobs for the purpose that the distinguished gentleman from Texas mentioned, how are we going to focus on the distribution and the administration of the vaccine? Where do you think that happens but in city, county, and State hospitals, in large measure, by healthcare workers in those places, wherever it is distributed on an individual basis? They are the heart of the matter. That is why we need to go forward with another bill that invests in our State and local governments, not to talk about government, but to talk about services, healthcare services, education, transportation, making our lives possible, making our very existence possible by what they do. Without them, how do we function? Again, let's create jobs, let's save jobs, let's grow jobs by administering this vaccine as fairly and as equitably as possible, and free to everyone in our country, because unless all of us are protected, none of us are protected. This $2,000, which I thank you for bringing it to the floor on Christmas Eve, was roundly rejected by Republicans. We asked for unanimous consent. This could already exist as a law if that had happened, but it didn't. So, now, today, we have another chance. Some of the Republicans said: Oh, if they really wanted that, they would have called for a vote that day. That wasn't true. It is important to note that was a pro forma session, and you had to have the consent of the Republicans to bring the bill to the floor. They withheld their consent. So, here we are today, in a legislative day where we just act with the majority to bring the legislation to the floor. Madam Speaker, I hope it will enjoy strong bipartisan support. The President of the United States has put this forth as something that he wants to see, in part of his signing the legislation yesterday. I hope that that view will be shared by the Republicans in the Senate because we will pass this bill today, either under suspension or under a rule, where it just requires a majority vote. Under suspension, a two-thirds vote requires a large number of Republican votes, which I hope we will have because I do think that the American people would love to see that unity on their behalf. We are a consumer economy. Putting money into the hands of the American people is a boost to our economy. This isn't a big stimulus package. The COVID bill is an emergency supplemental. But this piece will make it something very important to growing and sustaining our economy. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for the work that your committee did, Brandon and the others, for putting in the dependent clause. Otherwise, 16 years and under would get the direct payment. But, I mean, as a mother of five and grandmother of nine, I know that children are dependent after 16 years of age, especially if they are still in school. There are others who are dependent because of one thing or another, some physical challenges that they may have in life. Who knows what goes on in a family? Nonetheless, if they are dependent, they will be receiving a direct payment, another important boost for American working families, another important boost for our economy as we go forward. So I, again, thank the chairman for his work. It is a simple vote. Our goals have been to crush the virus, honor our heroes who help us crush the virus, and put money in the pockets of the American people. Today, we will be doing that right now. Legislation will be a lifeline for millions of Americans. It improves on the previously passed relief bill by including dependents, ensuring that families with children in college, adults living with disabilities, or elderly family members can also receive relief. The Republicans have a choice. The Republicans have a choice: vote for this legislation or vote to deny the American people the bigger paychecks they need. To reject this would be a denial of the economic challenges that people are facing, and it would deny them, again, the relief they need. Madam Speaker, I urge a strong bipartisan vote for the aptly named CASH Act.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I associate myself with your comments and those of our Chaplain, Father Conroy, that it is appropriate to start today with a prayer, and every day, but especially a day when we are seeing over 300,000--and the number getting higher--Americans who are dying from the coronavirus. We have hope because there is a vaccine. We have hope because we have a President who recognizes science and, again, the need for us to distribute the vaccine in the most equitable, fair, and free way. By that President, I mean one who will take office 1 month from now, Joe Biden. I do want to speak to the bill that will be on the floor shortly. It is a good, bipartisan bill. As different from bills that had been proposed on the Senate side by the Republican leader, it does things that his bill never did, and that is that it addresses the food needs of the American people. Maybe 15 million children are food insecure in our country, and adults as well. Millions of families are on the verge of eviction, and this legislation addresses the rental needs and the short-term moratorium. We can accept a short-term because we will have a new President during the length of that moratorium to extend it further if necessary. We also have in the legislation direct payments, which were not in the Republican bill, to America's working families. I would like them to have been bigger, but they are significant, and they will be going out soon. The President may insist on having his name on the check, but make no mistake, those checks are from the American people. The American people's name should be on that check, no individual, because that is the source of the resources for those checks--taxpaying Americans. In addition to that, the list goes on of some of the very positive things that are on the bill--quite frankly, some of them did not come to agreement until yesterday--whether we are talking about WRDA, the Water Resources Development Act; a big jobs bill had bipartisan support but some disagreement over language, but by the time that was resolved, it pushed the bill from coming to the floor later. We didn't have, at the start of the day, sick leave. That is in the bill, almost $2 billion for sick leave. It didn't have the EITC, the earned income tax credit, for working poor people to have that boost, as well as the child tax credit. It did not have the employment retention tax credit--bipartisan support on WRDA and on that. Then we came to agreement not only on the language, but where that initiative would be placed in that. So many of these things need to be precisely written and assembled in order for a bill to come to the floor, which we anticipate will be pretty soon this morning. One of the things, though, that is disappointing because, for a long time now, House Democrats and the Senate have been saying we want to crush the virus and put money in the pockets of the American people. The title of our bill before was about honoring our heroes, our State and local workers who are on the front line. We talk about those on the front lines who are our heroes. They are necessary in meeting and crushing this virus. We are talking about healthcare workers in cities, counties, and States. We are talking about first responders, police and fire, some who are the first on the scene to help someone with the coronavirus. We are talking about our teachers, our teachers, our teachers, who are the custodians of our children for a large part of the day. We are talking about our transportation, sanitation, and food workers and those who make our lives possible. I think it would be interesting to point out that, as enthusiastic as we are about the PPP provisions in this bill, and we all support them in a bipartisan way, it is important to note that small businesses--I always say there is nothing more optimistic than starting a small business, maybe getting married--but the optimism, the hope, and the dream that people have is completely, shall we say, darkened by the assault of this virus, and that is why we had to start by crushing the virus. We couldn't pass legislation until now because the administration simply did not believe in testing, tracing, treatment, wearing masks, sanitation, separation, and the rest--the scientific approach. It has become clear to us now that they believed in herd immunity, a quackery springing right from the Oval Office and not denied sufficiently by some in the CDC and the rest. Now we have a vaccine, and that gives us hope, a vaccine that springs from science. People say around here sometimes: I am faith oriented, so I don't believe in science. I say: Well, you can do both. Science is an answer to our prayers, and our prayers have been answered with a vaccine. In this legislation, we have a provision for it to be developed, purchased, and distributed in a way, again, that is fair, equitable, and free. What we couldn't get ever--even with the previous legislation just on top, testing, et cetera--was the adequate language to recognize that this coronavirus has taken a horrible toll on our whole country, more so among people of color. People of color have died from the coronavirus. A child who was Hispanic had eight times more of a chance of going to the hospital with the coronavirus than a White child. If you are African American, there is five times more of a chance of going to the hospital because of the coronavirus. So now we have a vaccine we hope will reach everyone as soon as possible. One item that I am heartbroken about in this bill, though, is that, while we make an attempt to crush the virus, we don't do it adequately enough in terms of recognizing the toll on people of color; but we will have to do that in the public sentiment of it, in the demand that we make on Governors and others who are in charge of the distribution. We put money in the pockets of the American people. We want to do more, but, nonetheless, we are meeting the deadline of December 26 for unemployment insurance, which was vital. But the third thing, honoring our heroes, as I said earlier, healthcare workers, our first responders, police and fire, sanitation, transportation, food workers, teachers, teachers, teachers, we just decided that, while they are on the front line, while they are risking their lives to save lives--many of the healthcare workers, the police and fire, et cetera, many of them have lost their jobs. Many of them have already lost their lives. Many have lost their jobs. So why is it that this Congress and this White House refuses to recognize the value, the contribution, and the sacrifice of our, again, heroes, our people on the front line? It is interesting, I think, to note that, when we passed a number of bills in a bipartisan way--and we will pass this one today--in the course of that, with the CARES Act and the followup on the PPP bill and this bill now, we are approaching $1 trillion that we are putting out for PPP. If that is what is needed and is spent effectively, that is a worthy expenditure. Almost $1 trillion--well over $750,000. This bill alone, over $300 billion. So we have PPP. Now, in order for the private sector to function, in order for us to live our lives, we need to have the public sector: public transportation, public schools, public health, the list goes on. So it is not about public/private. It is about people, people who are doing their jobs, again, risking their lives to save lives and lose their life and may lose their jobs. Many have lost their lives. Many more, of course, have lost their jobs. Madam Speaker, we have approaching $1 trillion for the PPP; small business, which I support all the way; and $150 billion or $160 billion for State and local government, which enables the private sector to function, which enables us to crush the virus, which enables us to meet the needs of people. Madam Speaker, $150 billion to $160 billion versus well over $800 billion already. How could that be right? Except the Republicans insist on saying: We don't want to give money to blue States where the coronavirus is. It is in red States, too. It knows no borders and it knows no party, this vicious virus. But somehow, other Republicans have said to our heroes, our healthcare workers, our teachers, our transportation, our police and fire, and the rest--sanitation workers, so important; food, food, food--you are not worthy of support because perhaps you are in a blue State, predominantly, and, therefore, we undervalue your contribution to our society, to our economy, and especially now, as we try to minister to the needs of people in this coronavirus crisis. How do you think these vaccines come into a State? They go from a lab to your arm magically? No. They have to be received, distributed, administered, and done so fairly, equitably, and free. Who do you think is going to do those jobs if you don't respect the role of State and local government in all of this? But don't think of it as government. Think of it as people. Think of it as yourself needing all of that. So I would hope that, as we see the need for what we have done in this nearly $900 billion legislation that we will vote on today, that everyone understands it is a first step. It is the first step, as President-elect Biden has said. It is the first step. And we will need to do more to get more virus assistance to crush the virus, but also more money to buy more vaccines. We need to have the Defense Production Act in play to hasten the manufacture of these vaccines, and we need to be able, as I said, to get the job done, and that takes people. People need to be respected. Their worth needs to be valued, and the entities under whose auspices they work, public hospitals, all the rest, and education, so important. And yet, many of our teachers have lost their jobs. We need more teachers because we need more space to separate, to, again, protect our children. We have always said, if we want the economy to open up and we want our schools to open up, you must crush the virus, at least take the precautions so that people are not in jeopardy if they go to work or when they go to school. Schools should be the safest places in America for our children, and they can be if science is respected and the mask-wearing, distancing, and the rest. But you need more space; you need better ventilation, as Bobby Scott tells us over and over; and we need more teachers. This is a big mistake. The Republicans said you can get a small amount, not even approaching in any way, the PPP--again, no resentment there; we support that. But the recognition that that is important should also recognize that the sector of our economy that supports the private sector be recognized. So, on that score, you come to a situation where, how could it be that we only have $160 billion for State and local, where we have approaching $1 trillion dollars for PPP, not recognizing that the private sector is connected to the public sector? Now, one more point on that. They said: You can have some money for State and local--we will decide how it will be distributed--if you do surrender the rights of workers. In other words, just in case anybody doesn't know, there are essential workers who are required to go to work. If they don't because they are concerned about danger to their health and the health of their families because the workplace is not safe, they cannot go on unemployment insurance. And if they go to work and contract the virus, they have no recourse, because that is the way the Republicans want it. That is the way the Republicans want it: antiworker. Madam Speaker, just for good measure, they have thrown in certain aspects of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, OSHA--the list goes on--in section 42 of their heinous liability bill of all of the actions that cannot be taken. And I asked one of the Republican Senators: What does preventing the ADA, American with Disabilities Act, to honor its responsibility? They said: Why not have the Chamber of Commerce call you and tell you. I said: Why don't you not waste my time or the Chambers' time about why the ADA should not be enforced because of the virus? This is coronavirus-centric. We said that we can find a compromise on liability for the time of the virus and in a way that is fair to those employers who want to protect their workers and to the workers. They decided they would turn it into some massive, long-term, ever- encompassing liability--just so wrong to work with. That is not what our system is about. But, nonetheless, I still thought we could try to find a compromise. We couldn't. They were absolute: Just call the Chamber of Commerce. They will tell you why they can't meet the needs of their workers. Madam Speaker, heading back to the money, nearly $1 trillion PPP. $160 billion--and not even giving the States and localities the flexibility to use the funds for both addressing the COVID needs, the health needs, but also the revenue lost. Even the Republican Governors wanted that flexibility, but they wouldn't give it to us then, and they wouldn't give it to us now for fear that some blue State Governor or city or mayor or county executive might take advantage of that. We have never done enough for localities. That is a pitch we have made. That is what we have in the Heroes Act. But there was no market for that on the Republican side of the aisle. So when we say it is a first step, that is basic. Let us thank God Chuck Schumer was able to dismantle, in part, the Toomey resolution that would tie the hands of a President to meet the needs of the American people and our economy by exercising section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Board. Madam Speaker, we got past that, which took a long time. I felt Wednesday night we were finished. This monstrosity reared his head the next morning. Leader Schumer effectively was able to fix it--it still should not even have been initiated, but, nonetheless, fix it--in a way that enabled us to go forward. And that is why it has taken this long to get here in these last few days. Madam Speaker, again, I look forward to Nita Lowey bringing the legislation to the floor. As the chair of the Committee on Appropriations, this will be her last bill on the floor. In fact, it is the last bill for many of us here, but hers as chair of the Committee on Appropriations. She and her staff--Shalanda and Chris and so many others--and all of our chairs did such a remarkable job, and their staffs deserve so much credit for all of this. Again, we will do some good with this legislation, but we must recognize that more needs to be done to crush the virus, to put more money in the pockets of the American people--from the American people to the American people--and, again, to fill in the gap that has been purposefully left to honor our heroes with all that. As we review policy and legislation and negotiation and all that, just always have in our hearts every single one of the people who have died from the coronavirus. It can be stopped. It can be crushed. But that is a decision, it is a decision, and a decision to recognize where it is hurting people the most. Madam Speaker, I look forward to a strong bipartisan vote today on this legislation, respecting it for what it does, not judging it for what it does not, but recognizing that more needs to be done. Again, with high praise for all of our chairs, and, again, special recognition of Madam Chair Nita Lowey for her last bill on the floor, again, I say congratulations to all the staff who worked so hard. But it all comes back to families who lost their loved ones, those millions and millions of people who were infected, some more seriously than others. We don't know the after-effects it may have, but we do know that we have hope. We have a vaccine, and we have a President coming into office who believes in science and cares about people and values the work that our first responders and our healthcare workers, et cetera, do for us. Madam Chair, prayerfully, as you and our chaplain began, prayerfully, I close my remarks, assuring, for whatever it is worth, that many of us who serve in this body and represent the American people have had a death in the family, because so many people have lost their loved ones, whom we have all lost.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for bringing this important legislation to the floor. I thank her and Ranking Member Kay Granger for bringing this in a very strong bipartisan way. I spoke this morning at some length, so it is on the record as to my attitude here. I salute the legislation that is here and urge passage, but I do want to take a minute to thank the Madam Chair. She has served in the Congress for a long time. We have sat side by side over the years with Rosa DeLauro, Steny Hoyer, and Mr. Clyburn as appropriators. I have seen her writings-based astute political knowledge, her strategic thinking, her encyclopedic knowledge of the legislation produce the results, understanding what the process will bear and what the country needs first and foremost. So, Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Lowey. I don't know how many more times we will thank her, but hopefully, when the coronavirus goes away, we can all join in embracing her great leadership and expressing gratitude. Mr. Speaker, I want to just again take a moment in recognition of the other chairs who worked to make this legislation so, so effective with direct payments through the employee retention tax credit, the unemployment insurance, to name a few. Congresswoman Velazquez with Small Business, under her leadership and working in a bipartisan way, small businesses, which are the heart of our economy, have received almost $1 trillion in these coronavirus bills, almost $1 trillion. We support that, but I also would hope there would be some commensurate recognition of the jobs of small business, the jobs of State and local government. They have received only $160 billion in all of these bills, $160 billion. Does that sound familiar? That is exactly the amount of money that the Republicans put in the CARES bill to give to the wealthiest in our country, yet for all the States and localities, and it was retroactive, having nothing to do with coronavirus, $160 billion. They thought that was commensurate with the responsibilities of our healthcare workers, our State and local police and fire, first responders, transportation, sanitation, food workers, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers. So, yes, there is more work to do, and it will cost some money, but it will protect jobs. Most importantly, it will meet the needs of the American people to crush the virus and to do so in a way that brings us all into the future in a very safe way. I thank Congresswoman Velazquez for her extraordinary leadership in that regard. Mr. Speaker, I thank Maxine Waters for coming to the need of people, renters, landlords, et cetera, with her important legislation--of course, we want more, but for now, this will see us through--her Community Development Financial Institutions legislation, her MDIs, making all that available in the small business piece, available to so many more people. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Scott from Virginia. Student loans, childcare, I thank him for making it right. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone for his leadership again and again. Vaccines, the vaccine issue is so important, how it is delivered, how it is produced, distributed. Going from vaccine to vaccination, from lab to arm, so much is required, and much of it is in this bill. Testing and tracing are still needed. We still need to provide a relief fund that goes along with that. I thank him for the personal interest he took in broadband. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. DeFazio on transportation and WRDA. Yesterday morning, we didn't even have WRDA in the bill. That is why this all has taken longer to do. So, I thank him for the important role that he played. We all know about the airlines and the rest, but there is so much more. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Peterson for his work on nutrition. People are hungry in our country, and we had to fight for nutrition money, but I thank him for his persistence. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McGovern for his advocacy in the Congress for children and hunger, as well as Rosa DeLauro. But Mr. McGovern has gone on hunger strikes and the rest. He really values what is in this bill on nutrition to feed the hungry in our country. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Maloney for saving our Postal Service. Just a brief reference to say thank you. This has been a long, difficult negotiation. These chairs, their members of the committees, and their staffs have been invaluable. Shalanda and Chris, I thank them so much for making all this happen. Mr. Speaker, I reference the statement I made this morning about one thing and another, about the attitude we have to this and the need for us to recognize this as a first step and the need for us to address the important contribution of our health workers, police and fire first responders, sanitation, transportation, food workers, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers. If we are going to safely reenter the economy and our schools, we must crush the virus. I have hope to crush the virus. That is why we could support this bill. It doesn't go all the way, but it takes us down the path, a first step. I have hope of crushing the virus, and I have hope because of the election of Joe Biden as President of the United States, a President who will follow science. He will follow science, and he will recognize that we have to meet the needs of all the American people wherever they live in our country, especially addressing Barbara Lee's concerns about the communities of color that have been underserved in so much of what we have done. Mr. Speaker, I have great appreciation for Madam Chair Nita Lowey.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his great leadership. He makes us so proud as the chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I proudly rise in support of H.R. 7105, a strong bipartisan package of legislation that strives to meet our responsibilities to honor the service and sacrifice of those who don the uniform. The strength of this package and its support across the aisle is a testament to the outstanding leadership of Chairman Mark Takano. We are very proud of him as a Californian and as a Member of this House. The bill has been an all-hands-on-deck effort, and I salute the many Members whose provisions and perspectives have strengthened it: Congresswoman Julia Brownley, the chair of the Health Subcommittee and the Women's Veterans Task Force, who has worked tirelessly to achieve gender equity at VA, including, now, through the landmark Deborah Sampson Act included in this omnibus; Congressman Mike Levin, the pride of our freshman class, who introduced this omnibus as chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, who has been a champion for the financial security of our veterans on everything from the GI Bill to antihomelessness initiatives. And to you, Mr. Ranking Member Roe, thank you for your leadership and your friendship and prioritizing our veterans. I am so proud that this bill is named for you. Congratulations to you, and thank you. I also recognize former Senator Johnny Isakson. What a great person he is. What a great Member of the Senate he has been. I enjoyed being with him when we were saluting our veterans at Normandy, when he made that visit there and made us all so proud. Johnny was always bipartisan, reaching across the aisle for our veterans, and it was a joy to serve in this House as he served as a Senator. But I want him to know that he is very missed and, again, recognized for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, last year, many Members were blessed to be able to travel to Europe to mark 75 years of the Normandy landing and the Battle of the Bulge on another visit. At the commemoration of the Battle of the Bulge, almost 1 year ago this day, I met a veteran in his nineties who urged us to pray for peace. He spoke for the veterans who were gathered there in a program with the King of Belgium and the President of Germany. It was very interesting. The Secretary of Defense spoke, but the veteran spoke for the veterans, and he talked about the camaraderie and the band of brothers and all that, but at the end, he said: Pray for peace. In that same spirit of peace, hope, and respect, this Congress has honored our veterans and their families and caregivers with transformative action: from the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act to expand protections for those devastated by exposure to Agent Orange, to ending the cruelly unfair widows tax and kiddie tax--remember that?--to passing the COMPACT Act to combat veteran suicide, to investing nearly $20 billion in VA readiness in pandemic research. Now the House is building on this bipartisan momentum with this omnibus, which includes provisions from nearly 60 House-passed bills. This bill strengthens veterans' education, investing nearly $350 million in improving GI benefits for surviving family members, increasing work study options and fellowship opportunities for veterans, securing benefits for those who cannot complete courses due to the pandemic, and more. It safeguards veterans' benefits, including by modernizing the benefit system with commonsense reforms, investing in benefits for surviving spouses, and improving eligibility for housing and home loan assistance for National Guard and Reserve members. This bill protects veterans' health, improving care for those exposed to the coronavirus and burn pits, improving VA's scheduling process, and increasing reporting from State veterans' homes in light of COVID outbreaks. This bill is focused on justice, equality, and opportunity, and we are particularly proud of the steps taken to help servicemembers transition to the civilian workforce and to improve services and VA access for Native American veterans, including eliminating their copays. House Members can take pride in the inclusion of Congresswoman Brownley's Deborah Sampson Act, a crown jewel in this package and the most comprehensive women veterans bill in over a decade. This bill improves the health, benefits, education, and VA support system for women veterans, including by requiring VA to create the antiharassment and antiassault policy, improving women-specific primary healthcare, expanding access to childcare, and strengthening mental health initiatives. This bill could not be more timely. Last week, the VA inspector general's report revealed the appalling coverup and discrediting of a woman veteran who works on the task force that created this legislation at the hands of Secretary Wilkie and top VA officials. It is a profound injustice for any patriot with the courage to serve to have to experience having his or her voice silenced and integrity questioned. Congress will not relent until every servicemember, every veteran, every woman can live free from the fear of assault or abuse. This package was drafted--this is what I am so proud of, because, on a regular basis, we meet with the veteran service organizations, and it is their opportunity to tell us what their priorities are. There are so many issues that needed to be addressed. Some of them I have already mentioned here that have been addressed over time and right now. But their wisdom and their experience and their patriotism really helps shape our agenda. Thank you, Mr. Takano, for listening and for acting upon the knowledge and values they give us. This package was drafted in consultation with leading veterans groups, and we are proud to have the support of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Military Officers Association of America, Student Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, the National Military Family Association, Iraq and Afghan Veterans of America, the Association of the U.S. Navy, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans Education Success, just to name a few. The list goes on. As we send this package to the President's desk, House Democrats are ready to take further action to honor our veterans in the next Congress, working alongside the Biden-Harris administration. Just as the military pledges to leave no one behind on the battlefield, we solemnly promise to leave no veteran behind. That is particularly personal to me, having four brothers who served in the armed services, an uncle who died in World War II, but also a daughter who is so committed to our veterans that practically every day she will say to me: What did you do for our veterans today? And not just on Veterans Day. As we send this package, recognize that our work on behalf of veterans, their families, and their caregivers must be bipartisan and of the highest priority. I urge the passage of this bill. And as I say to those VSOs when they come in: Understand this; for you and to honor you, we pledge to always work as much as possible in a bipartisan way. That is the way they would want us to do so. That is why I am particularly proud, Congressman Roe, to recognize your leadership, and I am so happy that this bill is named for you and for Johnny Isakson, as well. Mr. Speaker, I once again voice my appreciation for Mr. Takano for his great leadership. I thank him.