Katie Porter

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on Roll Call Nos. 506 through 511 today. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 506, NAY on Roll Call No. 507, YEA on Roll Call No. 508, NAY on Roll Call No. 509, YEA on Roll Call No. 510, and YEA on Roll Call No. 511.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on Roll Call Nos. 502, 503, 504, and 505 today. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call Nos. 502, 503, 504, and 505.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote because of a traffic blockage to the Capitol. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 499.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on Roll Call No. 492. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my votes on Roll Call Nos. 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490 and 491. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 484, YEA on Roll Call No. 485, YEA on Roll Call No. 486, YEA on Roll Call No. 487, YEA on Roll Call No. 488, NAY on Roll Call No. 489, NAY on Roll Call No. 490, and NAY on Roll Call No. 491.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on Roll Call Nos. 480, 481, 482, and 483 today. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 480, YEA on Roll Call No. 481, NAY on Roll Call No. 482, and NO on Roll Call No. 483.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on Roll Call No. 479 on December 3, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my votes on Roll Call No. 474, Roll Call No. 475, and Roll Call No. 476 on November 20, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 474, YEA on Roll Call No. 475, and YEA on Roll Call No. 476.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my votes on Roll Call No. 461, No. 462, No. 463, and No. 464 on November 14, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 461, NAY on Roll Call No. 462, YEA on Roll Call No. 463, and NAY on Roll Call No. 464.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 477 and YEA on Roll Call No. 478.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on Roll Call No. 465 on November 15, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted AYE on Roll Call No. 470. Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Grijalva

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the BOLIVAR Act would temporarily prohibit executive agencies from entering into contracts for the procurement of goods or services with any person or business that they determine, with the concurrence of the Department of State, knowingly engages in significant business operations with the Maduro regime in Venezuela. The bill goes on to list certain exceptions, including contracts vital to U.S. national security or necessary for the purposes of providing humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and other urgent lifesaving measures, or to carry out noncombatant evacuations. I certainly understand the motivation behind this bill. The Maduro regime's blatant disregard of the recent election results in Venezuela is a violation of international law and has left the regime more isolated than ever. I know that the administration has some concerns about this bill. However, the Department of Defense, which conducts almost two-thirds of Federal procurement, has had a policy in place like the BOLIVAR Act for 2 years now. I thank the majority for working with us to address some of those concerns in the bill before us today. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 5536 and applaud Representatives Russell Fry and Jasmine Crockett for their bipartisan leadership on this bill. H.R. 5536 aims to increase transparency in the Federal grantmaking review and award process. It does so by strengthening agency compliance with title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which describes the contents that notices of funding opportunities must include. It requires that each notice of funding opportunity for a competitive Federal grant to include specific information about how applications will be assessed, providing all applicants with greater access to the information they need to submit competitive applications. The Biden-Harris administration has taken important steps to strengthen transparency in and improve accessibility to the Federal grantmaking process. For example, in April 2024, the Office of Management and Budget announced significant updates to the Uniform Grants Guidance, which governs how agencies make grants and provide other forms of financial assistance. The updates focused on reducing compliance costs, removing barriers to entry and accessibility, and making Federal funds easier to track. H.R. 5536 is aligned with these goals, and I urge my colleagues to support it today. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, regardless of party affiliation, every voting American wants to be confident that their ballot will get processed. No matter who we vote for, we all want our ballots to get smoothly to their final destination on time to be counted. After all, this desire applies to anything important that we want processed. When was the last time anyone here sent a family heirloom through the mail to their relative without getting a tracking number? Who hasn't tracked an order of clothing or medicine at least once? I don't know about you, but for me, it is comforting to know what city my new shoes are in when they are being shipped so I know they are truly on the way. Ballots are so much more important than shoes. When something is important to us, we all want to know it is in good hands, and our ballots are no exception. Fortunately, the United States Postal Service created a tracking barcode for mail-in ballots, but unfortunately, right now, not everyone gets to use ballot envelopes that meet the Postal Service design requirements. That is why I joined Republican Representatives Byron Donalds and Nancy Mace in introducing the Vote by Mail Tracking Act, to fix that problem. Under this nonpartisan bill, every ballot envelope will meet Postal Service standards and get a tracking barcode. Voters of all political stripes can have confidence that their ballot is accounted for along the journey to our election officials. This commonsense modernization can improve transparency and trust in our elections for Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike. That is exactly why this bill is led by 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats who represent every major ideological caucus in the House. That includes both Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Raskin, two people named Jamie who couldn't be more different but both cosponsor this bill. Madam Speaker, it just doesn't get more bipartisan than this bill. These days, it can be hard enough just to get Democrats to agree with Democrats and Republicans to agree with Republicans in this Congress, let alone to have conservatives, moderates, progressives, and Members somewhere in between all teaming up to back legislation. The Vote by Mail Tracking Act has support from every corner of the House because it is not partisan. It is just good policy. If the shipment carrying Christmas presents that I order online is trackable, then we should certainly all expect something as valuable and as sacred as our ballots to be trackable, too. This bill doesn't just make things more streamlined for the American people; it also makes processing easier and more efficient for the Postal Service, reducing its burden and making efficient use of taxpayer dollars. I thank all of my colleagues who cosponsored this legislation and unanimously voted to advance it out of the Oversight Committee. I give a special thank-you to Chairman Comer, Ranking Member Raskin, and their staff for their work on this bill. The Vote by Mail Tracking Act is truly a reflection that it is still possible, even in this political moment, to find consensus in Washington and come together on real solutions. I urge every single Member of this body to support it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge the passage of H.R. 5658, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the remarkable career of Jon Dunn, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, who will be retiring in June 2025 after 31 years of dedicated service to our community. Under his leadership, Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties has expanded its services to provide comprehensive health care to more than 250,000 patients annually. Jon has guided the organization through times of great progress and immense challenges, always aiming to increase access to essential reproductive care regardless of one's income, background, or insurance status. Jon's commitment to reproductive health has transformed health care in our communities. During his tenure, Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties has expanded its reach by opening new health care facilities, increasing center operating hours, and launching innovative programs to address the needs of those who the organization serves. His bold vision for reproductive justice has significantly increased access to essential health care services for the people of Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Jon has also been a key figure in the national conversation about reproductive rights, contributing his voice and expertise to major policy discussions. He has played a crucial role in supporting patients who are forced to travel to California for abortion services after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. His dedication to patient-centered care, advocacy for women's health, and fierce defense of reproductive rights has left a lasting legacy not just in Orange and San Bernardino Counties but across the United States. I extend my deepest gratitude to Jon for his 31 years of service and leadership. His contributions have shaped the future of reproductive health in our community and strengthened the values of compassion, equity, and justice. I wish Jon all the best in his next chapter and thank him for his tireless work.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, we all benefit when the government works the way it is supposed to. A 21st century nation deserves a 21st century government. The problem is too many Federal agencies still rely on outdated systems not designed for the people they serve. This leaves people looking for help stuck in a tangled web of confusing application processes, clunky government websites, and poor customer support. Long delays and processing times often follow, adding to the frustration our constituents feel. It is why so many of them turn to us, their Member of Congress, for help. Our casework teams work hard every day to cut through the red tape, but it shouldn't have to come to that. When we fail to modernize our way of government, we are wasting tax dollars on inefficiency, but there is something we can do today with this bill to make government applications easier to find and simpler to submit and process. Congress can pass the Electronic Permitting Modernization Act, which I lead with my good friend across the aisle, Representative Doug LaMalfa. This commonsense bill encourages the Department of the Interior to offer an online option for as many of its permits as possible. It creates a web page where our constituents can find links to the Department's online permits. Then, it would task the Department of the Interior to report back to Congress periodically on its progress toward electronic permitting. These simple steps are no-brainers, but they are necessary to keep our government on track and to make the permitting process work for all users. Creating an online option for more permits will make permitting easier for everyone, not just the applicant. It will reduce the amount of paperwork mailed to the agency, speed up processing times, and finally help bring our government into the 21st century. At the same time, this bill would help Congress hold the Department of the Interior accountable for its work. With this bill, we could more easily see which bureaus are getting things done here with us in the 21st century and which bureaus are still having workers sitting in windowless rooms, opening envelopes with paper checks and forms in triplicate. What matters the most about this bill is that it improves the daily lives of the people we serve. Look, I am a single mom with three kids. When your life is anything like mine, you just want things that you expect to be easy to actually be easy. Let's be clear: It should be easy to find and apply for a permit to comply with the law. Let's simplify people's lives just a little bit. Let's show them that this part of government using their public lands works efficiently. Mr. Speaker, I thank, again, my co-lead, Representative LaMalfa, as well as Chairman Westerman, Ranking Member Grijalva, and their staff for their work on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the Electronic Permitting Modernization Act.

Ms. PORTER

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chair, I am going to close out my comments on all of these amendments by reiterating what I have been saying. I strongly oppose the underlying bill. It is full of poison pills that harm the environment and will spread our Forest Service even thinner right when we need them most. If Republicans had listened to the administration's concerns about how this bill is poorly drafted, and if they hadn't excluded committee Democrats from the drafting process then maybe we could have a consensus set of solutions in front of us. Instead, we have a bill full of environmental rollbacks, new unfunded programs that will spread our Forest Service thin, and no pay fix for our firefighters. It is a supposed wildfire response bill, but it doesn't have firefighter pay in it. It is a bill that is being offered by Republicans who style themselves as fiscally conservative. Yet, as we approach a final vote on this legislation in a matter of minutes, we do not know the costs of the bill because Republicans through a rushed process made sure that the Congressional Budget Office did not have a chance to score the bill. Nothing in this amendment addresses any of these extensive and serious concerns. I strongly oppose the bill, as does Ranking Member Grijalva, as does the White House. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, although I am not opposed to it.

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

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chair, as a Christian, I am offended that my colleague on the other side of the aisle would suggest that I hate Christmas. This bill is not about and has nothing to do with inhibiting people from celebrating their religious holidays, including through having a Christmas tree. This bill is about this amendment, and this debate is about the fact that this amendment does not do what the gentlewoman from Colorado claims that it does. This bill does not require regional foresters to do anything. I support the Forest Service using its existing authority to permit the harvesting of Christmas trees and trees for firewood, but that is not what this amendment actually does. I close by observing to my colleague that many of us make happy family memories with trees that are living. We have ways to enjoy trees without cutting them down or burning them. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chairman, similar to Ms. Boebert's last amendment, this amendment was summarized by Republicans as requiring that regional foresters develop plans, in this case the plans for the sale of Christmas trees and firewood. Once again, I would like to clarify that this amendment does not do that. It does not require anything of regional foresters. Instead, it requires special consideration for project proposals under the collaborative forest landscape restoration program that seek to facilitate the sale of Christmas trees and firewood on lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior. The landscape restoration program was not created for the sole purpose of revenue building by removing trees from public lands. The program is meant to do what it says in its program title: promote collaboration among Federal land management agencies and the public for the purposes of restoring forest landscapes. Tree harvesting for anything other than the purpose of landscape restoration is not in the spirit of the program. By placing a preference on projects that are related to Christmas tree harvest, this amendment would limit the landscape restoration program by prioritizing a marketable product over landscape restoration. To be extra clear, the Forest Service already has broad authority to conduct the sale of firewood and Christmas trees. They don't need it under this restoration program. Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.