Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, our communities look to our first responders to keep us safe. They are our hometown heroes, and it is a local and national tragedy whenever a first responder loses their life in the line of duty. Earlier this month, two brave Newark firefighters, Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks, Jr., lost their lives fighting a shipboard fire in the Port of Newark. That blaze also injured five of their courageous colleagues. I believe it is critical for first responders to be prepared by having the tools and equipment necessary to execute their mission safely and efficiently. Congress supports first responders through DHS homeland security grant programs. However, communities cannot use such funding to purchase novel, state-of-the-art equipment because it is not on FEMA's authorized equipment list. This equipment is rendered ineligible not because it is inferior. It is ineligible because it is so innovative that it does not meet or exceed the consensus standards that FEMA relies upon. I first introduced this bill in the 114th Congress to require FEMA to establish an accessible and transparent process for such equipment to be evaluated. The House approved this legislation three times already. Each time it stalled in the Senate. Nevertheless, today I feel very confident that the fourth time is the charm. With the support of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, I am hopeful that this bill will get action in the Senate. With that, Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in sending a strong message to the Senate with a decisive ``yea'' vote on this bill. Our first responders are always there to help us. Now it is time to help them with the most modern equipment available to do their jobs. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3254, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, in closing, we owe it to our hometown heroes to give them access to the necessary tools to carry out their missions safely and effectively. H.R. 3254 would allow communities to use DHS grant funding to purchase advanced lifesaving technology such as systems to track firefighters in burning buildings or wildland fires. It was cosponsored by the gentleman from Alabama, Representative Strong, and endorsed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The House approved the First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act in the 114th, 115th, and 116th Congresses. It is time for us to come together to get this bill enacted. Madam Speaker, this is very timely legislation. I am sure that people saw the tragedy that we had in Newark, New Jersey, in my district where we lost two firefighters fighting a fire on a ship in the Port of Newark. They needed this type of equipment. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Trevor Baptiste, an all-star, two-time world champion lacrosse player. Trevor is a professional lacrosse player for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League and the Atlas Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League. He was born and grew up in Newark, New Jersey, before becoming a lacrosse star at the University of Denver. In his 4 years there, Trevor was a four-time, first-team all-American and a national champion. After college, Trevor won two world championships with the United States men's national team, and he has been an all-star every year as a professional. His specialty is winning face-offs. In college, he owns the national record for face-offs won and the highest winning percentage. For Team USA, he has the highest face-off winning percentage in team history. Trevor Baptiste is an exceptional lacrosse player, and I am proud to highlight him on the House floor today.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for the opportunity to speak tonight on an issue that paralyzes this Nation. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss and address our country's gun violence epidemic and promote the commonsense solutions from House Democrats that would save lives nationwide. This year, our country has suffered more than 400 mass shootings and mass murders--400--and gun violence has killed or injured more than 40,000 Americans. This number includes more than 3,500 children or teens. In America, gun violence happens in grocery stores, elementary schools, college campuses, and private homes. That is a national tragedy that demands immediate action. My bill, the Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act, would use Federal grants to get guns out of the hands of criminals. It would reduce gun violence and make communities safer, and it is one solution of many in Congress that we have offered to date. House Democrats have introduced or will introduce at least 54 bills to reduce gun violence across the country. If passed, they would make gun owners and dealers accountable for their weapons. They would keep weapons out of the hands of criminals, and they would help law enforcement officials catch criminals who use guns to commit crimes. For example, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2023 would require that every sale of a firearm include a background check. It is supported by 90 percent of Democrats and Republicans in Congress. The Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2023 would provide the time necessary to conduct an effective background check on gun owners. The Assault Weapons Ban of 2023 would stop the sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of assault weapons. These are weapons of war and need to be removed from our streets. The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023 would ban bump stocks in the same manner as assault weapons. Bump stocks are designed to increase the firing rate of guns. It makes dangerous guns more lethal. They have no place in a civil society, Madam Speaker. Ethan's Law is a bill that would set Federal standards for safe gun storage. It would decrease the chance of a family member dying from the use of an unsecured firearm. The Pause for Gun Safety Act would require a 7-day waiting period before gun purchasers can possess their weapons. The Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2023 would require photo identification before the purchase of gun ammunition online. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2023 would establish an Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Policy. This bill would allow the country to finally create a national gun violence prevention strategy. The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act would remove the dubious legal protections for gun manufacturers and possibly make them liable for the harms and damage they inflict on communities across this country. The Ammunition Identification Act would require ammunition to have serial numbers. Then law enforcement officials could use those numbers to catch possible criminals based on gun ownership. The Untraceable Firearms Act of 2023 would regulate the production and sale of ghost guns. These guns are made in secret and cannot be traced, and they are a threat to every community in America. These bills represent commonsense solutions that Americans want to protect their families and loved ones from gun violence. We need to act on my bill and the others like it to create a safer country. The longer we wait, the more lives we lose, and one day it could come to your door.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote for the following 22 amendments/bills on July 19, 2023 due to an unforeseen circumstance. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``YEA'' on Roll Call No. 339 (On Motion to Recommit--H.R. 3941); ``NAY'' on Roll Call No. 340 (On Passage--H.R. 3941); ``AYE'' on Roll Call No. 341 (Langworthy of New York Amendment No. 10); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 342 (Feenstra of Iowa Amendment No. 27); ``AYE'' on Roll Call No. 343 (Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania Amendment No. 29); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 344 (Gosar of Arizona Amendment No. 33); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 345 (Miller of lllinois Amendment No. 35); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 346 (Miller of Illinois Amendment No. 36); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 347 (Huizenga of Michigan Amendment No. 44); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 348 (Issa of California Amendment No. 47); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 349 (Jackson of Texas Amendment No. 48); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 350 (Kean of New Jersey Amendment No. 50); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 351 (McClintock of California Amendment No. 62); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 352 (Miller of Illinois Amendment No. 64); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 353 (Miller of Illinois Amendment No. 65); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 354 (Obernolte of California Amendment No. 68); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 355 (Ogles of Tennessee Amendment No. 69); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 356 (Ogles of Tennessee Amendment No. 70); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 357 (Owens of Utah Amendment No. 71); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 358 (Perry of Pennsylvania Amendment No. 73); ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 359 (Perry of Pennsylvania Amendment No. 74); and ``NO'' on Roll Call No. 360 (Perry of Pennsylvania Amendment No. 75).

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote for the following 6 resolutions on July 18, 2023 due to an unforeseen circumstance. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``NAY'' on Roll Call No. 333 (on passage of H.J. Res. 68); ''NAY'' on Roll Call No. 334 (on passage of H.J. Res. 70); ``NAY'' on Roll Call No. 335 (on passage of H.J. Res. 74); ``NAY'' on Roll Call No. 336 (on passage of H.J. Res. 71); ``NAY'' on Roll Call No. 337 (on passage of H.J. Res. 79); and ``YEA'' on Roll Call No. 338 (on passage of H. Con. Res. 57).

Mrs. PAYNE

Mrs. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast my votes today due to an unforeseen circumstance. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 361, ``no'' on rollcall No. 362, ``no'' on rollcall No. 363, and ``aye'' on rollcall No. 364. personal explanation

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss how Democrats are putting people over politics and working to support all Americans. We are lowering the everyday cost of living for working families. We have brought inflation down significantly from the pandemic-related highs. We have capped the price of insulin for America's 37 million diabetics, and we continue to fight to lower prices for other lifesaving medications. We have created more than 13 million jobs since President Biden took office, and we are fixing the roads and bridges that Americans use to travel on throughout the country. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle were against this proposition, and many voted against it. Now I see them at home taking pictures in front of bridges and roads being fixed. Pretty interesting. In addition, we are making communities safer. We have passed legislation to protect America's children and expand background checks to keep dangerous weapons off the streets. I have said it before and I will say it again: I am extremely proud that my party works for the American people and not special interests.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Illinois for the opportunity to discuss this term that was used in this very Chamber just last week: colored people. It is a term used to describe African Americans during a debate that was negative. Colored people is a term that we hadn't heard in quite some time. Colored people are what the signs above water fountains outside of bathrooms in train stations and in bus stations said. It was a part of life that African Americans had to deal with to show the separation, the inequality, and the second-class citizenship that we were relegated to for so long. Was it a mistake? I am sure the gentleman from Arizona feels it was now, but sometimes the truth comes out. It was during a discussion on diversity in the military and how we don't want to spend--or the loyal opposition doesn't want to spend--military dollars on diversity and inclusion. Let's separate the Armed Forces again: Whites over there, colored people over there. Let's go back and let's Make America Great Again. That is what that is all about. It is going back to someone's good old days when they were comfortable, when they felt they were supreme, and when they thought that they had the upper hand. We don't want equality, we want to go back to the good old days. Let's Make America Great Again. We don't want diversity in the military. That is not for the military to decide. Let's go back. It is an insult. I was here, Mr. Speaker. I was on the floor when the gentleman was discussing this. I rise today to discuss the derogatory term colored people. I support the need for diversity in programs nationwide. Last week, a MAGA House Republican from Arizona used the term colored people to describe African Americans and other minorities. He used the term very comfortably, although I think it slipped out. He used it when he discussed his amendment to reject diversity initiatives in the military. He said that this amendment would prohibit discrimination in the Armed Forces. Clearly, he needs to enroll in one of the diversity courses that he wants to ban. Discrimination has a long history in our country, including hiring in the Armed Forces. His amendment rejects the success of diversity hiring initiatives in the military, and it could return our country to a time when race was the only factor in who got hired and who got promoted in the military. Let me return to his use of the term colored people. Historically, the term colored has always been used to separate the races into two classes and justified the discrimination that would follow such a separation. It made it legal to have that discussion. It made people comfortable because someone has to be on the top, and someone has to be on the bottom in this country. We have been used against each other for years. The ruling class, the rich, have always pointed to people on the bottom at each other so they fight for the crumbs while they stay aloof and get the riches. Colored was also a way to describe African Americans, and it has its roots in slavery. Laws and official documents defined slaves as negroes, mulattos, and other colored people. After slavery, Southern States enacted the Jim Crow-era segregation to deny African Americans their rights. Stores and institutions used the term colored to identify bathrooms, water fountains, and other facilities, as I stated, and these facilities were always inferior and usually unsafe. However, the Arizona Republican and his colleagues did not want to talk about the past--this past. They want to live in a fantasy where such discrimination never happened, and it didn't exist. However, it did happen, and discrimination like this is still happening to me, my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, and millions of African Americans nationwide. Even the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives is not safe from it. This is why diversity programs are so vital to our national interests. Mr. Speaker, I could continue on. I could go on forever, but I know there are other Members who would like to express their outrage on this issue. We cannot go back. We are not going back. To people who live in that space, just know that you need to be very careful because that is a slippery slope.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the importance of preventive cancer care, especially colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, but it has one of the highest survival rates if detected and treated early. Too many Americans put off routine screenings and colonoscopies because they worry about coverage. Now, UnitedHealthcare has made the disastrous decision to require patients to get prior authorization before they get colonoscopies. Their new policy comes at a time when colorectal cancer rates are rising nationwide, particularly in young Americans. This policy encourages more Americans not to get screenings and colonoscopies, and it will cause curable cancer issues to become life- threatening ones. I lost my father, Congressman Donald Payne, Sr., to colorectal cancer in 2012. I do not want other families to lose their fathers and loved ones from a lack of preventive cancer care.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address our country's gun violence epidemic. This year, our country has suffered more than 400 mass shootings and mass murders, and they have killed or injured more than 40,000 Americans. This number includes more than 3,500 children or teens. Gun violence has claimed the lives of Americans in grocery stores, elementary schools, college campuses, and private homes. Literally, there is no place in this country that is safe. This is a national tragedy that demands immediate action. My bill, the Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act, would use Federal grants to get guns out of the hands of criminals. It would reduce gun violence and make communities safer, and it is one solution of many in Congress right now. We need to act on this bill and others like it to protect Americans. The longer we wait, the more lives we lose.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate July as Transit Bus Month for the Federal Transit Administration. Every day, Americans use buses to travel around their communities. Thanks to the Biden administration, now they will be cleaner and more efficient. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $1.7 billion to improve bus transit across the country, and it will fund 1,800 zero-emission buses to increase efficiency and decrease pollution. In July, the FTA is highlighting examples of how this law is helping Americans. One example is the $47 million grant I helped secure for New Jersey Transit. This grant will install charging equipment for electric buses and modernize the Hilton Bus Garage in Maplewood, New Jersey. It will help New Jersey Transit use 100 new electric buses more efficiently throughout my district. This is part of my commitment to help New Jersey achieve a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040 and reduce pollution for safer communities across the State.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Team USA's recent World Lacrosse Championship. On July 1, the U.S. defeated Canada 10-7 to claim the title. It was the second straight championship for the U.S. Men's team, and the 11th time in 14 tournaments that the U.S. has won it all. This year, the team was a perfect seven wins and zero losses through the tournament, and it scored an incredible 86 goals in seven games. The team was led by tournament Most Valuable Player Brennan O'Neill. As the youngest player on the U.S. national team, O'Neill scored 5 goals in the final and scored 15 goals throughout the tournament. But it was O'Neill's goal with close to 2 minutes left that sealed the victory for the Americans. Again, I congratulate the U.S. team for its World Lacrosse Championship and hope we celebrate them again after next year's tournament.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for giving me the opportunity to speak on this issue tonight, and I also thank my colleague, the gentleman from Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the U.S. Supreme Court's horrible decision to reject affirmative action in college admissions. Last month, the Court ruled that affirmative action programs and college admissions violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but that ruling opposes decades of Supreme Court decisions that said just the opposite. They said that the use of race as an admissions factor was consistent with the 14th Amendment. In 1978, the Court said that institutions of higher learning had the right to pursue a diverse student body to advance academic freedom, and they could consider race as a factor to evaluate college applications if it was one of many factors. In 2003, the Court reaffirmed this ruling because student diversity is a compelling interest in education. In addition, these policies helped counter the historical racism that denied educational opportunities to African Americans and other minorities, and it was working. In public universities nationwide, minority enrollment increased when race was one factor of admissions. These minority students equaled or exceeded the successes of their White peers in a variety of academic fields when they graduated. Today, these policies help foster a rich and diverse environment for all Americans in higher education, and they help minority students secure higher paying jobs in STEM fields such as engineering and science. However, the Supreme Court has decided that this type of equality is bad for America. It wants to reject the fact that race has been a factor in college admissions for decades. Unfortunately, it was used as the only factor to reject candidates and not one of many factors to consider when accepting them. I am outraged that the Supreme Court has rejected a successful policy that has helped millions of Black and other minority students receive the quality education they deserve. At one time, they weren't allowed to enter these schools. What was the reason? Was it because of many factors that they could not attend these schools? No. It was one factor--their race. It is yet another indication of how our country is slowly returning to a time when equal opportunities were not afforded to all Americans. The Court said that race-related admission standards violated the Equal Protection Clause, but where was that Equal Protection Clause during slavery and Jim Crow? Where is that equal protection today in housing, workforce hiring, and voting rights? Conservative Justices and politicians want to pretend that our country has no racial issues. They are not connected to reality in that thinking. This decision is yet another roadblock to success for Black Americans in this country, but we have overcome them before, and we will overcome them again. I will continue to fight to help us overcome these roadblocks wherever we find them, and I will not stop until we have racial justice and equality for all Americans in this country.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss my bill, the Amputation Reduction and Compassion Act, or ARC, and how it will protect Americans from Peripheral Artery Disease, or PAD, from unnecessary amputations. PAD is a disease of the arteries that can cause blockages in arms and legs and lead to unnecessary amputations. There are 200,000 PAD patients at risk of an amputation every year, and African Americans are three times more likely to need one from PAD than any other American. My ARC Act would change that. It requires Medicare and Medicaid to cover screenings for Americans with a high risk for getting PAD. It establishes a PAD education program at the Department of Health and Human Services to create more awareness of PAD symptoms. It requires HHS to reduce the number of unnecessary amputations from PAD. My bill will protect the limbs and lives of Americans nationwide, and I am proud to introduce it this week. I ask my colleagues to please join the PAD Caucus along with me.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss how the Republicans are helping the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans and how they are not helping the rest of America. They continue to focus on tax cuts for the richest Americans. They continue to push for tax breaks for multi-billion dollar corporations, and they want the rest of us to pay for them. They want to slash investments in childcare, education, healthcare, and public safety; and now, they want to attack Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. Democrats are putting people over politics. We are strengthening the middle class and we are working for American families. With President Biden's leadership, we are creating millions of jobs and lowering the price of common consumer goods. Americans are driving on new roads and bridges thanks to our work. These successes are examples of why I am proud to be a Democrat.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, the gentleman from Illinois and the gentlewoman from Florida, for their leadership in the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour this First Session of the 118th Congress. They have demonstrated, even as freshmen, their leadership and breadth of knowledge of the issues that are important to the members of the Congressional Black Caucus. I thank both of them for their outstanding leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss June as National Reunification Month. It is a time to recognize the people who work daily to help families stay together. I know this issue personally. Last Wednesday, I had the honor of hosting a young constituent from my district during Foster Youth Shadow Day. We spent the day discussing legislative process and I showed her around Congress. I was impressed with her questions and intelligence. She deserves to grow up in a loving and supportive household. She is one reason we must do more to help families stay together in healthy environments. There are anywhere from 300,000 to 400,000 children in foster care nationwide. Yet too many children are removed from households before parents receive the services necessary to avoid such an action. This situation is worse in Black communities. Black families are more likely to be investigated by child protective services and lose children than White families. Black children spend more time in foster care, and they are less likely to be reunified with their families. Family reunification is better for these children overall. The youth that shadowed me the other day talked about where her siblings were and that they weren't together. Even though she is not with them, she tries to keep track of them, being the eldest, and has worked to make sure that she stays in their lives. Research shows that children have better outcomes in life when they grow up in families that nurture and care for them. There is hope for children in traumatic households before they even enter foster care. This year marks the 5th anniversary of the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act. This law made funding available for resources and activities to make families healthier and safer for children. These resources include programs to address mental health and substance abuse issues in the home. Also, these programs help fathers and mothers become better parents. We need to identify families at risk sooner so we can implement these programs before child removal becomes necessary. We need to increase funding for more preventative services, such as home visits. Studies show that home visits lower the rate of child maltreatment, the leading cause of child removal. In addition, there are kin placements. Right now there are 2.5 million children who are being raised by relatives or close family friends. Research has found that children staying with a relative or a friend have better behavior, mental health, and physical health than children in foster care. They are allowed to grow up in their culture and stay connected to their families. Children do best with their own families. That is why we must provide more resources to families to prevent children from being removed at all. Healthy families are better for children, and they are better for America. As I stated, my colleague prior to me, the Honorable Gwen Moore, has picked up the mantle from one of our great colleagues that has moved on to lead the metropolis of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, who did an outstanding job with this program, the Foster Shadow Youth Day on Capitol Hill. She was an outstanding leader in that, and Ms. Moore has picked it up and not lost a beat. Mr. Speaker, it is an opportunity for us to do the best that we can to make sure that families stay unified and have a healthy outlook on life.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise Mr. George Marable of Montclair, New Jersey, and his DLV Lounge. For more than 50 years, Mr. Marable's DLV Lounge was an iconic jazz club in Montclair, New Jersey, and it showcased some of the most talented jazz musicians in the country. However, the DLV Lounge was more than an entertainment venue. As one musician said, it was central to the local Black community. It was the home of the Montclair Blues and Jazz Festival, and students from Jazz House Kids would perform there. It was a place where local artists could jam with nationally recognized artists. Every night, Mr. Marable would greet his patrons and musicians alike from his swivel barstool. It was not only a home for jazz, it was a home for Black culture. Unfortunately, the DLV Lounge closed last year, but Mr. Marable and the DLV Lounge will not soon be forgotten. It was a place we could all go and feel a great community. Mr. Marable is a great man, and we appreciate all that he has done for our community.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Good morning. Barbara, thank you very much. It is always a great honor and a real pleasure to be back here in the House Chamber and especially being here with friends and so many colleagues. Thank you all for being here. Let me begin by thanking Speaker McCarthy for inviting our association into the House Chamber for this annual report. You may recall that it wasn't that long ago in December when we were here to do the 2022 report. You may wonder why are we back so soon. Well, the reason for that is that we are returning to normal. We had changes during COVID, and now we are back to what we have done for a very long time. I am so pleased that we are here and so pleased that you all have joined us. I want to welcome a very special group of guests who are with us today. We are very pleased to have more than a dozen of the Irish Association of Former Parliamentarians and their guests who traveled to Washington to join our annual meeting. They are led by their association's president, Mary Flaherty, and they will be with us today for the activities of the day. They will experience the Gettysburg battlefield tomorrow and Congressional Baseball Game tonight, which is a wonderful bipartisan tradition where the Democrats and Republicans play each other at the Nationals Ballpark. We thank you all so much for coming a long way to join us, and we are very honored by your presence here. Like most of you here, I consider my service in Congress to be the most important and impactful chapter of my professional life, and the memories that are evoked standing here in this Chamber are ones that are really very, very special. I cherish these relationships, and I cherish the relationships I had with my colleagues and the congressional staff when I was a Member of Congress. I am proud of the legislation that I was involved in. There is a great sense of satisfaction, as you all know, that comes with public service. That is what I remember most, and that is what I try to highlight when I speak about our Congress, our Article I branch of the Constitution. That is why I am so committed to this organization, the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress, because it empowers those of us who have served to be able to continue to give back. We do so by both involving Senators and House Members, and more importantly--and this is really important today, more than a lot of other times--we are doing this in a completely bipartisan manner. Today, you will hear members of the Democratic Party and members of the Republican Party speaking about our organization, the U.S. Former Members of Congress. We will focus today, my colleagues and I, on two of the main programs that achieve our mission. First is the Congress to Campus program, which aims to engage the next generation in representative democracy. Second are the Congressional Study Groups, which have become an unparalleled resource to current Members, and they serve to strengthen our important international relationships with our allied countries, including Korea, Japan, Germany, the EU, all while fostering bipartisanship in Congress. Let me just briefly highlight some of our accomplishments, our organization's accomplishments, during the first half of this year before we get to those two main programs. We had a record year this year for recruiting, with an unprecedented number of new former Members joining us both as annual members and sustaining members. Of the Members who left in the last election, more than half have already joined our organization, and the recruiting process is still going on. This new class of former Members has yielded our biggest number yet of new sustaining members, which is a special category of membership. These folks make financial commitments to ensure the longevity of FMC, our organization, the Former Members of Congress. I want to thank all of the former Members who have made this commitment. I am inserting into the Congressional Record their names to help express our appreciation and our gratitude. Sustaining Members of FMC The Hon. Les AuCoin (Oregon) The Hon. Brian Baird (Washington) The Hon. Joe Barton (Texas) The Hon. Mike Bishop (Michigan) The Hon. Rick Boucher (Virginia) The Hon. Susan Brooks (Indiana) The Hon. Cheri Bustos (Illinois) The Hon. Dave Camp (Michigan) The Hon. Ben Chandler (Kentucky) The Hon. Mike Conaway (Texas) The Hon. Paul Cook (California) The Hon. Ryan Costello (Pennsylvania) The Hon. Rodney Davis (Illinois) The Hon. Peter DeFazio (Oregon) The Hon. Val Demings (Florida) The Hon. Jeff Denham (California) The Hon. Charles W. Dent (Pennsylvania) The Hon. Sean Duffy (Wisconsin) The Hon. Donna Edwards (Maryland) The Hon. Elizabeth Esty (Connecticut) The Hon. Sam Farr (California) The Hon. John Faso (New York) The Hon. Bill Flores (Texas) The Hon. Martin Frost (Texas) The Hon. Tom Garrett (Virginia) The Hon. Bob Gibbs (OH) The Hon. Phil Gingrey (Georgia) The Hon. Dan Glickman (Kansas) The Hon. Bob Goodlatte (Virginia) The Hon. Bart Gordon (Tennessee) The Hon. Tom Graves (Georgia) The Hon. Gene Green (Texas) The Hon. John Hall (New York) The Hon. George Holding (North Carolina) The Hon. Asa Hutchinson (Arkansas) The Hon. Lynn Jenkins (Kansas) The Hon. Doug Jones (Alabama) The Hon. Kaiali'i Kahele (Hawaii) The Hon. John Katko (NY) The Hon. Ron Kind (Wisconsin) The Hon. Adam Kinzinger (Illinois) The Hon. John Kline (Minnesota) The Hon. Scott Klug (Wisconsin) The Hon. Brenda Lawrence (Michigan) The Hon. Andy Levin (Michigan) The Hon. Alan Lowenthal (California) The Hon. Elaine Luria (Virginia) The Hon. Jim Matheson (Utah) The Hon. Ben Michael McAdams (Utah) The Hon. Jim McDermott (Washington) The Hon. Mike McIntyre (North Carolina) The Hon. Pat Meehan (Pennsylvania) The Hon. Jeff Miller (Florida) The Hon. Jim Moran (Virginia) The Hon. Stephanie Murphy (Florida) The Hon. Randy Neugebauer (Texas) The Hon. Erik Paulsen (Minnesota) The Hon. Tim Petri (Wisconsin) The Hon. Ted Poe (Texas) The Hon. Kathleen M. Rice (New York) The Hon. Tom Rice (South Carolina) The Hon. Martha Roby (Alabama) The Hon. Peter Roskam (Illinois) The Hon. Dennis Ross (Florida) The Hon. Loretta Sanchez (California) The Hon. Kurt Schrader (Oregon) The Hon. James Sensenbrenner (Wisconsin) The Hon. Donna Shalala (Florida) The Hon. John Shimkus (Illinois) The Hon. Bill Shuster (Pennsylvania) The Hon. Lamar Smith (Texas) The Hon. Jackie Speier (California) The Hon. Cliff Stearns (Florida) The Hon. Steve Stivers (Ohio) The Hon. John Tanner (Tennessee) The Hon. Mac Thornberry (Texas) The Hon. Pat Tiberi (Ohio) The Hon. David A. Trott (Michigan) The Hon. Fred Upton (Michigan) The Hon. Greg Walden (Oregon) The Hon. Henry Waxman (California) The Hon. Rob Woodall (Georgia) The Hon. John Yarmuth (Kentucky) The Hon. Ted Yoho (Florida)

Mr. PAYNE. I now ask if you all might stand for a moment of silence for these people and the service that they provided. Thank you very much. This concludes our report. Let me remind you that, today, we have a full and exciting program, including tours of the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress, followed by a luncheon with the Ambassador and the people of Ukraine. Tonight, we have the Congressional Baseball Game, and tomorrow is our excursion to Gettysburg. I want to highlight, too, that all Members and former Members by now should have received a survey. I would really appreciate it if you would take the time to complete this. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes, but it is going to give us a lot of information, not only about your insights into today's politics, but as we are embarking on a strategic planning process, this will be very helpful information about what you think is important for us to be doing over the next 5 years. With that, I conclude my remarks, and I thank the Speaker for giving our association the opportunity to return to this place, which we cherish very much. Thank you all.

Mr. PAYNE. In addition, we have supported the work of the House Democratic Partnership, so ably led by two of our good friends and colleagues, David Price and Peter Roskam, both of whom will be with us today. The HDP aims to support the legislative branches of emerging democracies and when invited to do so, we involved former Members in overseas legislative strengthening projects. This year, for instance, former Members have traveled to places like Kenya, North Macedonia, or Guyana to support the important work of the HDP. These are some of the 2023 highlights of two of our three objectives: teaching about Congress and supporting Congress as an institution. The third is FMC's original mission: to serve as an alumni group for former Senators and Representatives. We are aware that this is an important aspect of our work, and today's annual meeting clearly is a good example of that work. In addition, we have hosted author presentations. We have tapped into our membership's institutional knowledge. For example, during the recent debt ceiling negotiations, our members held seminars that others learned from. When the new rules package was adopted by the Congress in January, we explained to the public what that meant, and we have sent former Member delegations overseas to places like Iceland and Korea. At this point, I want to give my colleagues an opportunity to talk more about our two main programming staples that the Former Members of Congress are rightfully very proud of. They are the Congress to Campus program, as well as our Congressional Study Groups. I invite my colleague, Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, to make some remarks. He will be followed by Loretta Sanchez of California. We will then hear from Dennis Ross of Florida and Bart Gordon of Tennessee who will each talk about the Congressional Study Groups.

Mr. PAYNE. Bob, Loretta, Dennis, and Bart, thank you very much for those informative remarks, and thank you very much for all you do for FMC. Bart has told you about the important work done by the Congressional Study Group on Korea. I want to note that the study group is a program that is exclusively offered to current Members of Congress and current staff. However, there is a very active former Member program with Korea, which we call Korea ExDel, that runs in parallel with the study group. While wholly separate, both programs strengthen the U.S.-Korean relationship, and it would not be possible without the tireless work of two very dear friends of ours, former Member of Congress Jay Kim, who was the first Korean American elected to Congress, and his wife, Jennifer Ahn. Both of them are committed to the active and high-level dialogue involving the U.S. and Korea. Through Jay and Jennifer, we have sent several delegations to Korea. I thank them both very much for all that they have made possible and for their incredible support of FMC as an organization. I will take this opportunity to include in the Congressional Record a statement of appreciation for all of their very good work. Wednesday, June 14, 2023 Hon. L.F. Payne, FMC President of Virginia House of Representatives, Honoring the Impact of Mr. and Mrs. Jay Kim to U.S.-ROK Relations Madame Speaker, I rise today to thank our former colleague, the Honorable Jay Chang Joan Kim (R-CA, 1993-1999) and his spouse, Mrs. Jennifer Ahn Kim, for their incredibly positive impact on United States-Republic of Korea bilateral relations. A survivor of the Korean War and witness to the birth of the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance, Mr. Jay Kim was born 1939 in what is now Seoul, South Korea, and notably became the first Korean American Member of Congress. After immigrating to the United States, Jay Kim completed public schools in California and earned his undergraduate degree in engineering in 1967 and subsequently, his master's degree in environmental engineering in 1969, both from the University of Southern California. A shining example of the American Dream, Mr. Kim founded his own engineering business with a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Later, he tried his hand at local government and completed a PhD in Political Science at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea. In 1992, Mr. Kim handily won the race for the newly drawn 41st Congressional District in California. In the 103rd Congress, Mr. Kim was assigned to the House Public Works and Transportation and Small Business Committees. He served on the panel for both the 104th and 105th Congresses, where he spoke out against the North Korean regime. His tenure in the House helped pave the way for more Korean American Member of Congress to follow. After departing Congress in 1999, Mr. Kim continued to advance U.S.-ROK relations as Chair of the Washington Korean-American Forum, later founding his own organizations to promote the advancement of U.S.-ROK relations, including the Jay Kim Foundation. His wife, Mrs. Jennifer Ahn Kim, serves as Vice President of the Jay Kim Foundation, and has worked diligently for many years to strengthen U.S.- ROK relations by developing delegations for Former Members of Congress to South Korea, among numerous other programs. She most recently has collaborated with the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress to help connect Korean government officials, corporations, and civil society groups with our membership. I wish to honor Former Member and Mrs. Jay Kim, for their years of dedication and hard work to continue fortifying the relationship between the U.S. and one of our key allies, as well as for being a great partner to the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress. They have had a tremendously positive impact on the two countries they both love so much: Korea and the United States, and they are highly deserving of our recognition and appreciation for all they have accomplished.

Mr. PAYNE. I also thank all of the many volunteers, the former Members of Congress who make FMC's success possible. All the work that you have heard about today is done by volunteers who are former Members of Congress. It is estimated that more than 7,000 hours a year of volunteer time is donated to FMC, enabling us to carry on what we consider to be this very important work. In addition to volunteering their time, there are five members of the Executive Committee, and I thank Barbara Comstock, Donna Edwards, Dennis Ross, and Charles Boustany for that work. I thank our Board of Directors, a number of whom are here today. There are 30 of us on the board, and we certainly appreciate all that you do. You are really a great board, and you do great work. Thank you all. In that vein, we are asking now the membership of FMC to elect the 2023 class of board members to a 3-year term. In the interest of expediency, I will read their names, four Democrats, four Republicans, and ask for a vote. The candidates are: Russ Carnahan of Missouri, Val Demings of Florida, Elizabeth Esty of Connecticut, Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, Brenda Lawrence of Michigan, Peter Roskam of Illinois, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, and Fred Upton of Michigan. Do I hear a motion and a second? All in favor, say ``aye.'' Opposed, ``no.'' The ayes have it. Congratulations, and I thank all eight of you for your willingness to serve. You will be a great class. One last thank-you goes, importantly, to the staff of FMC: Pete Weichlein, who is here with us today; Sabine Schleidt, who is not with us at the moment; and all the folks who are here who are part of our FMC staff. When Pete first came 20 years ago, he was sort of all there was at FMC. Today, we have 13 very capable staff members, and I would like them, if they would, to stand. Let's give them a round of applause for all the good work they do. Finally, as many of you know, every fall, the FMC organizes a quite moving memorial service to pay tribute to the current and former Members who we lost in the previous year. We will do so again in September, and we hope you will be able to attend that. We are coordinating with Speaker McCarthy the best date for that to be held, usually in September in Statuary Hall. Unfortunately, we have lost a number of our friends and colleagues since we last gave our report to the Chamber in December. I include in the Congressional Record the names of these public servants. Members Who Have Passed Away Since Sept. 2022 FMC Memorial Service Standish ``Fletcher'' Thompson of Georgia James ``Jim'' Florio of New Jersey Mark Souder of Indiana Bill Brewster of Oklahoma William Conover II of Pennsylvania Gary A. Lee of New York Romano ``Ron'' Mazzoli of Kentucky Norman D. Shumway of California Carroll Hubbard of Kentucky A. Donald McEachin of Virginia James ``Jim'' Kolbe of Arizona William P. Curlin Jr. of Kentucky Elliott H. Levitas of Georgia Elwood ``Bud'' Hillis of Indiana Arthur Ravenel Jr. of South Carolina David Durenberger of Minnesota James ``Jim'' Broyhill of North Carolina John Olver of Massachusetts James Abourezk of South Dakota Brian Donnelly of Massachusetts Louis Arthur ``Skip'' Bafalis of Florida Patricia ``Pat'' Schroeder of Colorado John Jenrette of South Carolina Ronald ``Ron'' Sarasin of Connecticut Nick Galifianakis of North Carolina Elmer ``Bud'' Shuster of Pennsylvania Charles ``Charlie'' Stenholm of Texas Robert ``Marion'' Berry of Arkansas Thomas ``Tom'' Sawyer of Ohio Donald ``Don'' Bonker of Washington

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. It is a great time to celebrate the contributions of Caribbean Americans to this country. It is a culture known for delicious food and drinks, such as Jamaican jerk chicken and the Cuban mojito, which is a drink that is wonderfully tasty. Caribbean artists brought influential music to America, such as reggae and calypso. Some of our greatest Americans have Caribbean roots. Alexander Hamilton, America's first Treasury Secretary, was born in the Caribbean. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell was the son of Jamaican immigrants. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to Congress and run for President, was the daughter of an immigrant from Barbados. Today, Caribbean Americans are making a difference across the country, and we celebrate all of them this month.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. Last week, we passed that bill to raise America's debt ceiling and to avoid an economic catastrophe. The failure to pay our bills would have led to millions of lost jobs and possibly another Great Depression. The bill protects the healthcare of millions of Americans, including veterans. It invests in education and childcare for American families. It protects student debt relief and supports our country's move to a clean energy economy. I praise President Biden for his work to raise the debt ceiling, and I thank the Members of Congress from both parties who voted for this bill. We have a responsibility to protect Americans, and we succeeded in doing so with this bill.