Dean Phillips

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi), my friend.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The United States has a longstanding record of bipartisan support for the Tibetan people. Religious tolerance is an American principle, an American value, and one that we must express around the entire world. I am pleased that we are moving forward with a measure today that updates United States policy so that we are not just continuing, but we are strengthening this support. I hope all Members will join me today in supporting this important measure that shows our commitment to preserving Tibet's unique culture, lands, language, and religion. I am also proud of the bipartisan work that this Chamber has passed on China human rights. This is the third bill this Chamber has passed in recent months, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, and now this bill on Tibet. I urge support for this bill and passage in the Senate of each of these terribly important measures. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McCaul for his important words. Madam Speaker, I am honored to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our distinguished Speaker of the House.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2153) to support empowerment, economic security, and educational opportunities for adolescent girls around the world, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2153.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Keeping Girls in School Act, and I want to thank my dear friend and colleague, Representative Lois Frankel, for her hard work on this bill. Access to education should not depend on whether a child is a boy or a girl. Yet around the world, 130 million girls are kept out of school. Fifteen million girls of primary school age will never enter a classroom. Think of what that means for their futures and for their ability to lead prosperous lives. We know what a difference just a few years of school makes. On average, when a girl in the developing world receives 7 years of education, she marries 4 years later and has fewer children. Better educated women tend to be healthier and live longer, and women with secondary school education earn almost twice as much as those with no education at all. When women and girls have access to education, they lift up their entire communities. In societies that make strides in education equality, we see better health outcomes, improved economic well-being, and greater security for everyone. That is why getting more girls in classrooms should be a foreign policy priority of the United States of America. It is the right thing to do. It also helps drive stability and prosperity in the long run. But today, too many still face barriers like harassment, early marriage, disabilities, and lack of access to hygiene. These barriers conspire against girls succeeding, particularly adolescent girls. This bill highlights those barriers to keeping girls in school all around the world and requires USAID to support activities addressing them throughout their existing work and into the future. I am very proud to support H.R. 2153, and I am grateful to Members on both sides of the aisle for helping push it forward. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel), who is the author of this important bill and my dear friend.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan), my friend and colleague on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Madam Speaker, I want to thank you, Congresswoman Frankel, for your hard work on this measure. You have been a tireless advocate for women and girls here at home and all around the world. I also want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), my colleague, who had brought his daughter here to the floor moments ago in a heartwarming gesture. I, too, am a father of two extraordinary daughters, Daniela and Pia. They have received the blessings of education and know how lucky they are. They, like me and like so many of us here in the U.S. House of Representatives, know how important it is to extend that same blessing to every girl around the world. That is why this is one of those areas in which American leadership is vitally important. The benefits of supporting education for women and girls are as clear as can be. But more than that, helping more people live up to their potential and to pursue their dreams is a great reflection of our values, the values that should be at the very center of American foreign policy. Girls' education must be made a strategic development priority. This is a good measure, which I am pleased to support, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for yielding and for her leadership of the House Financial Services Committee and my friend and colleague from Ohio (Mr. Gonzalez) for his kind words about this bill. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 4841, the bipartisan Prudential Regulator Oversight Act. In the United States, we have thousands of institutions where millions of people go every day to do their daily banking, take out a loan for a new car, or start saving for their children's future. It does not matter if you live in Bloomington, Minnesota, or Brooklyn, New York, the process is the same. Virtually all of these institutions are federally insured and, thus, subject to at least one primary Federal regulator. Yet few of these regulators are actually required to provide testimony on their supervisory responsibilities in Congress. When the Dodd-Frank Act was passed in 2010 in response to the financial crisis, it became a requirement and an expectation that Congress would hear from the leaders of the Federal Reserve at regular intervals regarding its efforts, activities, and plans with respect to their supervisory conduct. Today, there is no such requirement for regulators at the FDIC, the National Credit Union Administration, or the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. These agencies are responsible for monitoring the safety and soundness of our financial system as well as compliance with Federal banking laws approved by this body. They play a large role in protecting taxpayers by promoting bank solvency and intercepting and preventing bank failures. These are the very institutions charged with helping prevent market crashes before they begin. H.R. 4841 would require senior officials of the prudential banking regulators to report to and testify before the House and Senate on their regulatory responsibilities. These reports would cover issues like the stability of our financial system, anti-money laundering examinations, diversity and inclusion programs, cybersecurity, and efforts to protect consumer data. The reports and testimony required by this bill will increase Congress' oversight ability, allowing this institution to more responsibly exercise our legislative powers by knowing with clarity how programs are administered and whether officials are obeying and complying with the law.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Congress has an important role to play in ensuring that Americans know their government is doing everything it can to protect their savings and their retirement, and this bill will help us get there. I want to thank my colleagues who have cosponsored this bill and given their support, including my friend from Georgia (Mr. Loudermilk), who has been a great partner in helping this legislation get to the floor. There is a saying that sunlight is the very best disinfectant. Every American knows that banking is complicated, and no institution is too big for oversight. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 4841, increase transparency, and solidify Congress' role in achieving financial stability throughout the country.

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5377, the bipartisan Restoring Tax Fairness to States and Localities Act, legislation that will provide immediate relief to American families. Elimination of the State and local tax deduction in the 2017 tax law was a bad deal for the State of Minnesota, the people of my district, and millions across the country. In fact, the SALT cap is a punishment for States that invest in schools, roads, and people, and it is punishment to hardworking families in those States who deserve our appreciation and gratitude--not a tax increase. Matthew and Karen are two educators in my district who bought a home for their young family just 3 years ago. Now, with the increased tax burden, they face the real prospect of losing their home and having to move farther away from their kids' school and community. I am fighting hard for this bill, and I am on a mission to make the tax code more equitable for the people of my State--one that already shares much more of its hard-earned money with Washington than it gets back in return--and particularly for people like Matthew and Karen. So, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together to end the SALT cap and repeal such a punitive mistake.

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, last week, my State and our country lost three young and remarkable servicemembers in a tragic helicopter crash outside of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Sergeant Kort Plantenberg; Chief Warrant Officer 2 James Rogers, Jr.; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles Nord each served our country with valor and leave behind grieving families and friends and heartbroken communities. I recently flew with a crew from St. Cloud, and I lost my own father in a helicopter crash in the Vietnam war back in 1969, so my heart is particularly heavy today for Kaley Nord, 2-year-old Lydia, and her soon-to-be-born sibling, who will grow up without a father. But we will never forget, and we will carry their legacies forward in the spirit of service, duty, and above all else, sacrifice. May their memories be for a blessing.

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4842) to authorize the Secretary of State to provide funds for a United States pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4842.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the Expositions Provide Opportunities Act, or the EXPO Act of 2019. When I took the oath of office on January 3 of this year, my extraordinary team and I set an ambitious goal: To visit every city and town in Minnesota's Third Congressional District within the first 6 months of my service; and to listen and learn from the local leaders who know our communities best, and bring their voices to Washington, because representation begins with listening. In Bloomington, Minnesota, we heard something unexpected, and I knew we had to help. The city of Bloomington is determined to bring the eyes of the world to Minnesota by bidding for host city of the 2027 World Expo. For generations, the United States has showcased our leadership, innovation, and industrial advancement through brilliant displays called pavilions at world expos around the world. But for the past 3 decades, the U.S. has fallen short of its historic leadership role and fundraising for 7 of the last 10 American pavilions has been paltry. In fact, the United States is the only G7 country that relies on private donations to guarantee its presence at world expos, and the only country that relies entirely on private funding for the creation of its pavilion. Madam Speaker, that has left a vacuum, which our strategic competitors, like Russia and China, have been all too happy to fill. As a result, American cities like Bloomington, Minnesota, and Houston, Texas, have been overlooked for hosting rights; missing important opportunities to build strong international relationships, showcase the strength of American ingenuity, and boost local economies. A critical component in competing for host city status is a country's pavilion at the current world expo. In this case, the next opportunity to make the case for an American host city is the Dubai 2020 World Expo, happening next October. That is why I am honored to stand with the city of Bloomington, Global Minnesota, the entire Minnesota House delegation, and a group of like-minded colleagues from both sides of the aisle, like Ranking Member McCaul, and Representatives Pete Olson, Lizzie Fletcher, and my colleague, Ted Yoho to change all of that with the Expositions Provide Opportunities Act, the EXPO Act of 2019. Our bill does three things. First, it provides authorization for the State Department to use funds to build a pavilion for the 2020 Dubai World Expo, so that cities in the U.S., like Bloomington and Houston, can compete to be the host city at the 2027 World Expo. Next, it requires the State Department to seek out matching funds from the private sector in order to alleviate the cost burden. Finally, it requires a series of reports from the State Department which shall contain the following items: One, an estimate of the investment a pavilion could bring to the United States; Two, a report on the human rights record of the United Arab Emirates; and Three, ensures that all applicable labor laws in the UAE are followed during construction of our pavilion. Madam Speaker, we could not have brought this bill to the floor without help. I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, Leader Hoyer, and Leader McCarthy for their support and their staffs' work on this important bill. I would also like to thank Ranking Member McCaul for his support and his staff's expertise in crafting the bill. And thanks also to Chairman Engel and his staff, especially Janice Kaguyutan, who was instrumental in helping us get to the finish line. The root of this effort started in Minnesota with former Minnesota Secretary of State and now Global Minnesota President, Mark Ritchie. He was and will always be steadfast in his advocacy on behalf of Minnesota. Most of all, I am grateful to the city of Bloomington, Minnesota, especially Mayor Gene Winstead and City Manager Jamie Verbrugge, for their counsel and advocacy on behalf of all Minnesotans. Madam Speaker, this is how democracy should work; Democrats and Republicans in Congress, working with stakeholders, constituents, and a government agency to craft legislation which will benefit both localities and the Nation as a whole. So I urge my colleagues to support this important, bipartisan measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho), my good friend, for his remarks as well. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this very important and bipartisan bill which allows America to compete on the world stage. As I said before, representation starts with listening and if we pass this bill, we will have shown the American people that Democrats and Republicans can put their differences aside, listen to their constituents, and get something done. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, people in small towns and cities in my home State of Minnesota and in neighborhoods all across the Nation are being targeted for manipulation. Foreign governments have found a weakness in our national security. They are exploiting it by using social media platforms to influence Americans, with the hope that they will vote for foreign interests, not American interests. Democrats and Republicans need to come together now--today--to do something about it. It is what our Founders--Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and others--would have demanded. That is why I am proud to support the SHIELD Act, an important legislative package that includes my bill, the Firewall Act, that simply prevents foreign nationals from paying for online political advertisements, something to which my distinguished colleague from Illinois referred to just moments ago. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this historic and necessary package and help us build a wall, a digital wall, to protect Americans from foreign interference in our elections.

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the decades-long service of Mr. Josh Syrjamaki and to congratulate him upon his retirement from Congressional service. A native of the Iron Range of Minnesota, Josh dedicated himself to bettering his neighbors' lives, both in his home state and across the country. His tenure in government began over 25 years ago, as a Committee Clerk in the Minnesota State Senate, and continued through prominent roles in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. A public servant of the highest order, Josh was a listener whose finger always rested firmly on the pulse of his office's constituents. As a senior aide to the late Senator Paul Wellstone, Mr. Syrjamaki visited every corner of Minnesota, hearing the stories, dreams, and concerns of everyday citizens. His collaborative approach to government continued in his work as Representative Tim Walz's Chief of Staff, where he met with farmers, businesspeople, and local leaders across Minnesota's first district, determined to affect meaningful change and to build a stronger community. This, Madam Speaker, is what representational government is all about. Mr. Syrjamaki selflessly advocated on behalf of the American people, forcefully supporting needed improvements for our nation's brave veterans. As a National Coordinator for the United Steelworkers Union, Josh organized grassroots campaigns to ensure that laborers received fair wages and job security. In his last months as a Congressional staffer, Josh joined me in structuring my office and developing key strategies to best serve the people of Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District. Above all, Mr. Syrjamaki always believed, ``We all do better, when we all do better.'' That collectively, people can unite to cultivate a brighter tomorrow. His ability to strategically motivate and inspire fellow citizens produced decades of leadership that improved schools, bettered working conditions, improved the lives of our nation's veterans, and expanded access to health care. While his tenure in the federal government ended this past March, Josh's unwavering commitment to his fellow citizens continues today in Minnesota. As the Chief of Staff in the State's Bureau of Prisons, Mr. Syrjamaki wields his belief in every person's potential to establish a reformed correctional system that focuses on education, sharply reducing the likelihood that an inmate will reoffend, and producing a more vibrant society. I am joined by my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives, countless former staff members, and citizens across the great State of Minnesota in expressing my sincere appreciation for Josh's tireless service to this country. I look forward to witnessing his continued success and wish him well on his Congressional retirement.

Mr. PHILLIPS

Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I'm honored today to recognize two of America's best, Lieutenant Colonel Juddson Floris, United States Army, and his wife, Rebecca, for their extraordinary selfless service to our Nation. Lieutenant Colonel Floris will soon retire from the Army after a long and distinguished career. A native of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Judd has distinguished himself as a true leader of character both at work and at home. Lieutenant Colonel Floris began his Army career as a plebe at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1995, and, upon graduation from West Point, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry Branch in 1999. Upon graduating from the Infantry Officers Basic Course, Lieutenant Colonel Floris was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he served as an Airborne Rifle Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Battalion Air Operations Officer. However, Judd always dreamed of something different, and he decided to apply for and attend Special Forces Assessment and Selection to begin the long journey of becoming a Green Beret. After completing the Special Forces Qualification Course and earning his ``long tab,'' Lieutenant Colonel Floris was assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) Commander's In-Extremis Force in Okinawa, Japan as a Special Forces Operational Detachment--Alpha Commander, Assault Force Commander, Company Executive Officer, and Company Commander. Lieutenant Colonel Floris was then assigned to the Pentagon as an Operations Officer in the joint Staff J-3 and the Army G-3 Special Operations Division. He then returned to 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he commanded a Special Forces Company and Task Force, and subsequently served as an Operations Officer at the Battalion, joint Special Operations Task Force, and Group levels. Lieutenant Colonel Floris most recently served as a Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict in the Pentagon. Lieutenant Colonel Floris has deployed fifteen times in support of named operations and Theater Campaign Plan events in the Middle East and Pacific areas of operations. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat and Expert Infantryman's Badges, the Special Forces and Ranger Tabs, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Free Fall Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Staff Identification Badges from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and the Army Staff. Lieutenant Colonel Floris also holds parachutist's badges from seven countries. Judd earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Systems Engineering (Distinguished Graduate) from West Point and a Master of Arts Degree in Policy Management from Georgetown University. But the accolades, awards, degrees, and badges don't tell the full story. They don't tell you how superiors, peers, and subordinates alike respect and revere Judd, not just for his military prowess, but for the care, compassion and empathy which he brought to every situation. They don't give insight into the selflessness shown by Judd and Rebecca to the soldiers and families under Judd's command. And they certainly don't tell the full story of twenty years of sacrifice, which the Floris family has endured as a result of fifteen deployments away from home. So, on this day and on behalf of a grateful Nation, it is my honor to recognize the selfless service and sacrifice of Lieutenant Colonel Juddson Floris, his wife, Rebecca, and sons, Callum and Max. I wish them the very best as they begin this new chapter of their lives.