Mike Quigley

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Gary T. Johnson on concluding a lengthy and illustrious career as President and CEO of the Chicago History Museum. After nearly three decades of legal practice in Chicago, Gary made his arrival at the Chicago History Museum in 2005, beginning his tenure as President by transitioning the Chicago Historical Society into the Chicago History Museum as we know it today. For more than 15 years, Gary spent his time as President focusing on community outreach and strengthening the institution's financial capacity. Along the way, he also headed Museums in the Park, a group of 11 museums on land owned by the Chicago Park District. During his time as President, Gary brought significant improvements to the museum. He completed a $27 million campaign and implemented the Museum's 2006 ``reinvention,'' which included renovating 75 percent of its space, announcing a name change, and installing the highly praised Exelon Crossroads exhibition, the Museum's foundational overview of Chicago history. Additionally, he increased the museum's annual attendance by 89 percent over a 10-year period and extended school visits to 60,000 students annually. One of Gary's most important and more recent accomplishments was the completion of the landmark five-year, $50 million This Is Chicago campaign, an effort which involved raising $11 million for the museum's endowment, acquiring millions of artifacts, increasing education program offerings, and more. Educated at Yale College, Oxford University, and Harvard Law School, Gary never lost his commitment to supporting the educational aspirations of students in Chicago and beyond. For over ten years, he led the Rhodes Scholarship selection process for the district that includes Illinois, while also dedicating his time to visiting over 300 of Chicago's grade schools--bringing with him artifacts from the Museum's collection to ensure that all Chicagoans had access to the city's greatest treasures. Madam Speaker, please join me and all of our colleagues in the House of Representatives in recognizing Mr. Gary T. Johnson's years of service to the City of Chicago and congratulating him on his retirement.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, the January 6 attack obviously revealed the flaws in security of the Capitol. Subsequent attacks on the Capitol complex have provided further stark evidence of the need to improve the physical security of the complex and other Federal buildings. This supplemental provides the vital, urgently needed funding for security within the jurisdiction of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee. In this Chamber, I remember one of my colleagues asking when the cavalry would arrive. The closest thing to the cavalry arriving was the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. The courage and dedication of the MPD in defending the Members, the Capitol, and our democracy, saved lives and helped this Congress return to business more quickly. This bill includes funding to reimburse MPD for the costs associated with the events of the 6th, as well as other costs they have incurred due to the Federal presence in the District because we cannot allow the District of Columbia to shoulder the burden of defending Congress on their own. In the aftermath of the events of the 6th, all Federal buildings and employees face additional increased security threats. This bill provides funding for additional security expenses for Federal judges and Federal court facilities, including security upgrades to exterior perimeter security camera systems at priority Federal courthouses. This bill also includes General Services Administration buildings. We must provide funding to conduct security assessments of Federal buildings, including blast mitigation and collapse studies, taking the first steps in being able to address security vulnerabilities. No one should have to go to work afraid for their safety, none more so than our public servants. We must protect our democratic institutions, Congress, the courts, and all Federal agencies, so no elected official or public servant ever goes to work scared to execute their duty. These threats are real, they are happening now, and lives are at stake. We cannot wait and must move quickly to pass this bill. For those who would vote against the commission, or did, for those who would deny there was an insurrection, for those who would vote against this bill to protect us, you embody the new twisted world. We grew up believing the phrase, ``I will believe it when I see it.'' You embody the phrase, ``I will see it when I believe it.'' God help us.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss what we must do to prevent the next pandemic and why it is not only a global health issue, but also an environmental one. The origins of the pandemic we are battling now are clear: unsanitary, unsafe wildlife markets. These markets, which are prevalent in some areas of Asia and Africa, but are present everywhere, including in the United States, are fed by trade in wildlife; some of it legal; some of it illegal; all of it very dangerous. They are breeding grounds for a strain of viruses known as zoonotics, which are diseases born from the unnatural intermingling of the bodily fluids of different species in an unsafe and unsanitary market that sold wildlife, living and dead, for human consumption. Other zoonotics include SARS, MERS, Zika, Ebola, swine flu, bird flu, HIV/AIDS, and now COVID. COVID-19 has truly opened the world's eyes to the danger of these markets and the global impact, and it should open our eyes to just how urgent the need for legislation around this is in order to prevent the loss of millions of lives. That is why over the course of the last year I wrote the Preventing Future Pandemics Act along with my friend, Mr. Fred Upton, and Senators Cory Booker and John Cornyn in the Senate. We may not agree on much, but we agree on this: We have the power to prevent the next pandemic, and to do nothing would be an act of negligence. A vital lesson that we need to learn from COVID is that we must fundamentally change the way that we interact with wildlife globally if we want to stop this from happening again. This means stopping deforestation and other habitat destruction, slowing and ending global climate change, and global shutdown of live wildlife markets. Already we have seen how changes in temperature and weather patterns and encroaching human development have brought people and wildlife into more frequent and more intimate contact. Human consumption of wildlife is simply the most dangerous form of that contact. To get at the root of this problem, the Preventing Future Pandemics Act would establish the official foreign policy of the U.S. to be that we would work with other countries to shut down these markets, end the trade in terrestrial wildlife for human consumption, and build international coalitions to reduce the demand for wildlife as food. The bill would authorize funding for USAID to work on reducing demand for consumption of wildlife from wildlife markets, and support shifts to alternate sources of food and protein in communities that rely upon this consumption for food security. Moreover, to truly lead by example, this bill would end the import and export of wildlife for human consumption in and out of the United States. While wildlife is not a major source of protein in our country, these markets do exist here, and they still pose a danger. If we are to establish and maintain a position of international leadership on this issue, we must practice what we preach. This bill will help us take significant steps to break down the silos between global health and conservation, because we know unequivocally that if we try to treat these as separate problems, we fail to solve either problem. After the economic and social devastation of the past year, and the way that COVID-19 has upended all of our lives, it is my view that the Preventing Future Pandemics Act is a national security bill, a conservation bill, an animal wildlife bill, a small business bill, a travel industry bill, a manufacturing bill, a retail bill, a mental health bill, a housing bill, and a public transit bill. It is a bill to protect our lives and livelihoods from the threat of human consumption of wildlife and the associated wildlife trade. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to rally around this in order to potentially save the world from suffering the consequences of inaction and standing by hopelessly as we watch another pandemic ravage our world. The next pandemic can be stopped, and the Preventing Future Pandemics Act is a vital first step. Let's do it together.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I get it now. This is all about protecting women. This intolerance is the Republicans' effort to show us how much they want to protect the rights of women. They want us to believe that protecting LGBTQ Americans somehow hurts women and girls. But they know better, and history will accurately reflect what it really is. It is an ugly, twisted use of feminism. It is what it is. It is homophobia. It is transphobia. It is intolerance, and it is hatred. There is no constitutional right to hate. There is no constitutional right to exclude, and there is no right of conscience to hate. Trans rights are human rights. LGBTQ rights are human rights. We must pass the Equality Act now.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, by rejoining the Paris Agreement, President Biden has promised the world that America will retake its position as a global leader in the fight against climate change and be true to its word to meet our commitments to reduce greenhouse gases. It now falls to us--it falls to Congress--to prove the President right. Despite all the confused, disingenuous, and flatly false rhetoric around the Paris Agreement, in reality, it is simply a framework for catalyzing, measuring, and improving action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate impacts. The agreement, signed by 195 countries in Paris and not simply for the benefit of that city, is made up of commitments from each nation, determined by that nation, and which they are each responsible for meeting. President Biden's commitment, necessary as it was, will not itself reduce America's emissions enough to meet our 2015 promise to the world or to stem the climate crisis. For that, we must act urgently. We must reject the bad-faith talking points about a false dichotomy between environmental stewardship and economic growth and openly embrace the idea that a sustainable economy is dependent upon a sustainable environment. Far from climate action costing us jobs, the truth is that our entire economy is at stake if we do act on climate. By contrast, climate action means clean air and better public health. It means more miles between fill-ups and more money in Americans' pockets. It means reliable, robust harvests and innovative and productive ways to make money farming sustainably. It means passing America's beautiful natural heritage on to future generations and protecting the places and creatures that make our country the envy of the world. It means safe, livable coastlines that don't wash away our roads and our homes. And it means high-paying jobs that can't be outsourced--up to 24 million globally, according to the United Nations. We have a lot of work to do: building out electric vehicle infrastructure and a modern electric grid; cleaning up our rivers and lakes; deploying clean, renewable power generation; and inventing the next leap in battery storage technology. No one is better suited than American workers. Low-carbon, long-term, and resilient economic growth and ecological stability are within our grasp, but only if we have the courage to go after them. This Congress must send legislation to the President's desk meeting this challenge and seizing this opportunity. Executive action cannot do it alone. I am proud to serve as vice chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. This group has worked for years to advance commonsense legislation to create green jobs and seize low-carbon opportunities, exactly the type of legislation we will need to meet our Paris Agreement commitments. Mr. Speaker, preliminary data indicates that 2020 will tie 2016 and go down in history as the hottest year on record. This means that the 7 hottest years have now occurred in the 7 last years. The call for action from those whose homes have been destroyed by natural disasters and from those suffering through record heat waves and droughts is loud and clear. And we hear that same call from our constituents who see through the pandering misdirection of outdated thinking, understand the imperative to act, and increasingly vote only for those willing to take action. President Biden corrected an egregious mistake when he moved to reenter the U.S. into the Paris Agreement. We must move with him and usher in the low-carbon economy of the future now.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, now we hear talk of the President's notion of a peaceful transfer of power. Which apparently means what? Minimal casualties? Now we hear talk of healing after the criminal acts are completed. Never, as a criminal defense attorney, did I say: Judge, yeah, my guy completed the armed robbery, but let's heal now. No. There was accountability. There was accountability then, there should be accountability now, and there should be impeachment now.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise in support of my Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act, H.R. 22.

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, it is a bipartisan bill that addresses the lack of transparency around the documents that explain why executive agencies are requesting funds from Congress. These justifications shed light on the work and priorities of the Federal Government far more effectively than high-level spending figures. Mr. Speaker, in 2018 and 2019, Congress encouraged OMB to publish all executive branch congressional budget justification materials on a centralized web portal. However, there is no legal requirement for congressional budget justifications to be posted on a centralized portal or on agency websites. For these reasons, agencies are inconsistent in posting congressional budget justifications online, making them difficult to access because they are either not publicly available or are scattered across the internet. Mr. Speaker, my bill will strengthen Federal Government transparency by requiring Federal agencies to publish their annual budget justifications online in a central location. This will better allow oversight of our government and allow the American people to verify that their taxpayer dollars are being used wisely to invest in their communities. All Illinoisans and Americans should get the transparency they deserve on government spending, and the bill does just that. Mr. Speaker, I recognize Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer for their unwavering support for this bill and for prioritizing this legislation early on in the 117th Congress. I thank them again for their leadership. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am sure not everyone on the other side would agree with that, or on this side either. I rise today in strong support of this bill, and I want to thank Chairman Neal and Members Moulton and King for a bill that will surely bring hope and dignity to ALS patients and caregivers. The 5-month waiting period is simply unacceptable for a disease like ALS, and I am glad that Congress is finally righting this wrong. Over the past 2 years, it has been an honor for me to partner with the ALS community. For too long, ALS has flown under the radar. It has gone underfunded, underresearched, and unnoticed. But that is rapidly changing, thanks to the efforts of patient advocates fighting for their own lives and the lives of those not yet diagnosed. I would like to give a special shout-out to my friends and Chicagoans, Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, the husband and wife cofounders of I AM ALS, and to Dan Tate, Jr. They are tireless, selfless patient advocates. Without them, we simply wouldn't be here today. I want to thank you all for bringing this bill to the floor. I am proud to be an original cosponsor and welcome its bipartisan support.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1380, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, and I am grateful for the bipartisan support it has received. I also want to thank my staffer, Max, who worked so hard on this measure. The Big Cat Public Safety Act has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, and numerous other State and local law enforcement agencies because 500-pound carnivores pose a serious and very real threat to first responders, law enforcement officers, and entire communities around the country. The photo behind me is not staged. This bill is also endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States and countless other animal welfare organizations because lions and tigers do not belong in urban apartments or in cages in suburban backyards and because private citizens simply do not have the resources to care for dangerous animals that are meant to roam over hundreds of square miles. As was stated, this bill is supported by the AGA and is not opposed by the Zoological Association of America, the trade association for small roadside-type zoos, because ripping newborn cubs from their mothers moments after their birth to use them as props in photos is already cruel enough, but once they are too big to be safely held, brutally killing them is just wrong. Nearly 65,000 Americans have signed a Change.org petition calling for the immediate passage of this bill because the Netflix series ``Tiger King'' showed the world in stark relief how exploitive, dangerous, and inhumane this tiny so-called industry is. This bill should be served by every American because right now taxpayers shoulder the cost of monitoring and regulating private owners, and when big cats are rescued from horrific conditions or simply abandoned by overwhelmed owners, they pay for the care and feeding of these cats. Madam Speaker, I thank the many Republican Members of Congress who support this bill, which is cosponsored by more than half the House. I urge every Member to stand with the law enforcement community and stand up for those that need our help but cannot ask for that. Please vote for this bill.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, in sports there are many ways to honor great players. Most sports have all-stars, MVP honors, and halls of fame. In some cases, teams choose to retire the number of their biggest stars to recognize their careers and legacies. But in a few rare cases, a league can choose to retire a player's number for every team. That is how Major League Baseball chose to honor the monumental achievements and impact of Jackie Robinson's iconic No. 42. And that is why the NHL should retire Willie O'Ree's No. 22. Willie is recognized as both an ambassador and a pioneer of the sport. O'Ree broke the NHL's color barrier and helped end segregation in professional hockey. He changed the game for the better, and he deserves this distinguished honor. He made his debut in the NHL in 1958. His groundbreaking journey through the NHL inspired hundreds of other players, both men and women, and laid the groundwork for Hispanic, indigenous, and Asian players in the NHL, as well as the growth of the women's game. But what makes Willie O'Ree's impact more impressive is the global impact he has made in the sport of ice hockey. There is no better way to say this: If Willie O'Ree had not broken the color barrier when he did, thousands of young hockey players would not be exposed to this sport. Hundreds of organizations that provide inner-city youth opportunities to develop and expand social skills would not be here today. Athletic skills and professional skills through the sport of ice hockey would be drastically reduced, and the hockey community in the United States would remain far too homogenous. In short, without Willie O'Ree, there is no American hockey culture that embodies and reflects the diverse makeup of our country. That is why I was proud to introduce the Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act in this Congress to celebrate this man of profound strength who pushed the sport to embrace diversity and promote inclusion for all. I hope you will join me in cosponsoring this resolution that highlights Willie's incredible moral character, impeccable hockey skills, and contributions to American history and culture. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing Willie's jersey retired in the near future, and for Willie to celebrate this special moment with his family.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago (UNM), a cultural landmark in the heart of my district, on the occasion of its annual banquet. The UNM prides itself, for good reason, on its museum artifacts, library, and archives, which highlight Ukraine's history, its ongoing fight for freedom and democracy, and the rich culture and contributions made by Ukrainian Americans and Americans of Ukrainian heritage, both to Chicago's cultural tapestry and to that of the United States. Each one of the four waves of immigration from Ukraine, as well as the generations of American Ukrainians who have followed, have brought with it a wealth of literary, music, artistic, and cultural artifacts, historical testimonials, relics, scientific patents, personal keepsakes and reminders, all of which speak to the importance of Ukrainian heritage and the personal and professional accomplishments of American Ukrainians across our country. Themselves a part of the third wave of Ukrainian immigrants to the United States, Olexa Hankewych, Julian Kamenetsky and Orest Horodysky, founded the Ukrainian Library and Archival Center in 1952 in order to preserve books and other documents at risk of destruction in Ukraine. Shortly after the establishment of the Library and Archival Center, a call went out to the Ukrainian community, which enthusiastically responded. Several years later the Library and Archival Center grew into the Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, fully funded by community donations. While some artifacts in the Museum's burgeoning collection were purchased in Ukraine, others were donated by Ukrainian American collectors and artists, as well as from personal libraries and individuals throughout the community, in Chicago and beyond. Over 100,000 Ukrainian Americans live in Chicago, and I am proud that the Museum has its roots in our great city. The Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago too has much to be proud of, due to the hard work of its staff, board of directors, and officers. Unfortunately, only two of its past presidents remain with us--Dr. George Hrycelak and Jaroslaw Hankewych, son of the Museum's founder, Olexa Hankewych. Today, under the leadership of Lydia Tkaczuk, the Museum's first female president, the UNM continues its work in one of Chicago's most historic neighborhoods, Ukrainian Village. More than just engaging visitors and adding to their understanding of Chicago's rich and diverse communities, it also serves as a window to Ukraine, its history, and its people. The Museum's diverse collection of folk-art, fine art, tapestry, traditional dress and artifacts help to illuminate the societal impact American Ukrainians have had on Chicago and across the United States. Its permanent exhibitions educate visitors on the history, heritage, politics, culture and religions of Ukraine and the broader Ukrainian American community, including exhibits on the Kozak period, Ukraine's role in the World Wars and importantly, the Holodomor, the forced famine-genocide of 10 million Ukrainians by Stalin across 1932 and 1933. Madam Speaker, the Ukrainian National Museum is a place where visitors feel welcomed and engaged. It serves as a pillar of knowledge and culture for the Ukrainian community, for individuals of every background who call our city home, and for all the universities and students, artists, and authors throughout the world who have benefited from work in its archives. The City of Chicago is lucky to house such an institution, and it is my privilege today to recognize the Ukrainian National Museum here in Congress.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago (UNM), a cultural landmark in the heart of my district, on the occasion of its annual banquet. The UNM prides itself, for good reason, on its museum artifacts, library, and archives, which highlight Ukraine's history, its ongoing fight for freedom and democracy, and the rich culture and contributions made by Ukrainian Americans and Americans of Ukrainian heritage, both to Chicago's cultural tapestry and to that of the United States. Each one of the four waves of immigration from Ukraine, as well as the generations of American Ukrainians who have followed, have brought with it a wealth of literary, music, artistic, and cultural artifacts, historical testimonials, relics, scientific patents, personal keepsakes and reminders, all of which speak to the importance of Ukrainian heritage and the personal and professional accomplishments of American Ukrainians across our country. Themselves a part of the third wave of Ukrainian immigrants to the United States, Olexa Hankewych, Julian Kamenetsky and Orest Horodysky, founded the Ukrainian Library and Archival Center in 1952 in order to preserve books and other documents at risk of destruction in Ukraine. Shortly after the establishment of the Library and Archival Center, a call went out to the Ukrainian community, which enthusiastically responded. Several years later the Library and Archival Center grew into the Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, fully funded by community donations. While some artifacts in the Museum's burgeoning collection were purchased in Ukraine, others were donated by Ukrainian American collectors and artists, as well as from personal libraries and individuals throughout the community, in Chicago and beyond. Over 100,000 Ukrainian Americans live in Chicago, and I am proud that the Museum has its roots in our great city. The Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago too has much to be proud of, due to the hard work of its staff, board of directors, and officers. Unfortunately, only two of its past presidents remain with us--Dr. George Hrycelak and Jaroslaw Hankewych, son of the Museum's founder, Olexa Hankewych. Today, under the leadership of Lydia Tkaczuk, the Museum's first female president, the UNM continues its work in one of Chicago's most historic neighborhoods, Ukrainian Village. More than just engaging visitors and adding to their understanding of Chicago's rich and diverse communities, it also serves as a window to Ukraine, its history, and its people. The Museum's diverse collection of folk-art, fine art, tapestry, traditional dress and artifacts help to illuminate the societal impact American Ukrainians have had on Chicago and across the United States. Its permanent exhibitions educate visitors on the history, heritage, politics, culture and religions of Ukraine and the broader Ukrainian American community, including exhibits on the Kozak period, Ukraine's role in the World Wars and importantly, the Holodomor, the forced famine-genocide of nearly 4 million Ukrainians by Stalin across 1932 and 1933. Madam Speaker, the Ukrainian National Museum is a place where visitors feel welcomed and engaged. It serves as a pillar of knowledge and culture for the Ukrainian community, for individuals of every background who call our city home, and for all the universities and students, artists, and authors throughout the world who have benefited from work in its archives. The City of Chicago is lucky to house such an institution, and it is my privilege today to recognize the Ukrainian National Museum here in Congress.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the inequalities that persist in COVID-19 assistance distribution. Back in March, House Democrats recognized the global health crisis was causing an economic crisis. As Americans struggled, we provided them with stimulus checks to help them make ends meet during these uncertain times. However, not everyone who was entitled to these checks received them. The Senate wrongfully included a provision in the CARES Act that prevented families with only one American citizen parent and another who is a tax-paying immigrant with an ITIN from receiving this financial assistance. Let me repeat this. Citizens of the United States are being prevented from receiving stimulus checks because of whom they love. This blatant discrimination must be corrected. We need to help people like Lacey, an amazing, hardworking citizen who works for the State government and isn't able to receive a stimulus check. Lacey and her spouse have been together for 14 years and were married in 2010. They have raised six beautiful children, all of whom are U.S. citizens. For the past 7 years, Lacey has worked at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, Illinois. She works long hours to make sure her veteran residents are safe, healthy, and happy, and in March, this job made her an essential, frontline worker. Lacey loves her job and loves her residents like they are her own family. Since the onset of COVID, she has continued her hard work and dedication to her job. Lacey has picked up overtime shifts to cover for coworkers who are sick and has worked hard to ensure the standards of care at the facility remain high. She is a United States citizen who works every day to care for our Nation's veterans. Despite her service to our country and the fact that she and her children are American citizens, her family did not receive a check, all because her spouse is an immigrant using an ITIN and they file their taxes jointly. She has done everything in her power to speak out and advocate for herself and has connected with others like her in the Facebook group Mixed-Status Families United. She told me: ``I am being punished for who I married. My husband and I work and we pay our taxes. Why are we being treated like second-class citizens?'' Her words resonate, because she is right. She is being treated like a second-class citizen. I ask you, during a period of unprecedented challenges, when Americans are facing more than one crisis, when we are depending on essential workers more than ever, is it right for our country to treat people differently based on the immigration status of their loved ones? As a country, I believe we can and should do better. There is no scenario in which citizens should be denied the help they are entitled to. Likewise, tax-paying immigrants who are paying their fair share should not be denied assistance, left out on their own. I am pleased that the HEROES Act, which the House passed more than 100 days ago, rectifies this issue and makes all tax-paying individuals eligible for a check. While I believe all taxpayers should receive a stimulus check regardless of their citizenship status, at the very least, we need to ensure that all U.S. citizens receive a check regardless of who their spouses are, and underscore the necessity of including a fix that corrects this provision retroactively and for any additional stimulus checks provided moving forward. We must stand with mixed-status families and continue to fight for them and their rights. Now, more than ever, we need to provide for people who are suffering due to this pandemic. I urge my colleagues to join me in taking swift action to resolve this issue.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I was unable to attend the full schedule of votes on September 15, 2020, due to a medical procedure a family member underwent in Chicago. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 185, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 186, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 187, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 188.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I was unable to attend votes on September 14, 2020 due to a medical procedure a family member underwent in Chicago. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 183 and YEA on Roll Call No. 184.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank Chairwoman Lowey for her service and for allowing me to speak today. I also want to thank my friend, Ranking Member Tom Graves, who I now have had the privilege of working with for a fourth year managing this bill. He was previously chairman. He was always helpful, cooperative, and gracious. I thank him for his partnership throughout this process, and we will miss him next year. I would also like to thank the staff on both sides for the hard work that goes on behind the scenes in developing this legislation. From my personal office, that includes Juan and Bridget; and from our committee staff on the majority side, Laura, Marybeth, Elliott, Aalok, Parker, and Matt; and from our minority staff, John Martens. For the committee staff particularly, I know it has not been easy, as you have been working remotely. The bill before us today provides $24.64 billion in total discretionary funding. This is an increase of $808 million above 2020. We also include $67 billion in emergency funding for broadband, Federal buildings, and land ports of entry across the Nation. The FSGG bill encompasses a wide range of programs, everything from the IRS to the Federal courts to the District of Columbia to the General Services Administration. A longstanding priority of mine has been to help States and local governments meet the challenge of restoring the security and integrity of our elections. To this end, the bill includes $500 million for election security grants to help States acquire resources and equipment to conduct safe and secure and on-time elections. This issue is especially relevant now, as States are currently facing the need to adjust their processes to accommodate conducting an election in the middle of a pandemic. Also of importance, the FSGG bill includes $12.1 billion for the IRS, an increase of more than $606 million above fiscal year 2020. This is a good first step toward restoring the draconian cuts this agency has suffered for almost a decade. The IRS has played a critical role in the disbursement of stimulus checks during the height of the tax filing season. While its rollout has not been without its challenges, it has highlighted how important it is for the IRS to have proper funding. Notably, the bill makes significant investments in taxpayer services, helping to provide better resources for taxpayers, especially for low- income individuals and the elderly, and investment to support more efficient and effective enforcement activities to address all taxpayers, including those in the higher tax brackets, as well as an investment in business systems modernization and to help improve their outdated IT and operating systems. The bill also ensures capital and other assistance gets to small businesses and those who are underbanked in low-income communities. For instance, we rejected the President's proposal to essentially eliminate the Community Development Financial Institution Fund and included $273.5 million for CDFIs. The bill also provides $277 million for the Small Business Administration's entrepreneurial development programs to help small businesses expand and grow. We also reject the administration's efforts to sideline funds to combat the opioid epidemic. We include $290 million for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas and $102 million for the Drug-Free Communities program. The bill includes $7.8 billion in discretionary appropriations for the judicial branch, an increase of $287 million, to fund protective services and physical security needs in courthouses and to ensure the continued operations of the Federal judiciary. We also increase funding for agencies to protect everyday consumers and retail investors: the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Finally, the bill takes steps toward reducing undue congressional interference in local D.C. affairs and eliminates restrictions on the District that do not apply to other parts of the Nation. Importantly, it ends the uniquely restrictive prohibition on the use of locally raised funds for abortions. In closing, I would like to reiterate how grateful I am to all the staff that helped put this product together. It is a bill we can all be proud of, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act, a Senate companion to bipartisan legislation that I authored and introduced to address the mental health needs of law enforcement officers across the country. Every day, our officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities. They work long shifts and respond to dangerous calls in order to keep crime off our streets and keep our citizens safe. This critical work does not come without a cost. Law enforcement officers often experience post-traumatic stress from their work environment. According to multiple studies, officers are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than in line-of-duty-related homicides or accidents. Suicide has become the number one cause of deaths for Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers around the country. In fact, in my hometown of Chicago, the officer suicide rate is 60 percent higher than the national average. Despite these sobering statistics, there is no Federal Government program to track the number of officers who attempt suicide or lose their lives to suicide every year. My legislation creates a data collection program within the FBI to track law enforcement suicides at the local, State, and Federal levels. By providing accurate and detailed information, this bill would help police departments implement more effective suicide prevention and post-prevention programs. These intervention programs will save lives. It is our turn to bring the brave men and women who fight for us the care they need and deserve. Madam Speaker, I am grateful to Chairman Nadler for his support of this important mission and for prioritizing this piece of legislation and bringing it to the House floor. I thank the committee staff and Hannah from my own staff for her extraordinary work on this measure. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection bill today.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a bold, bipartisan deal to address the ongoing health care crisis, protect workers, and assist small businesses. This is first and foremost a health care crisis. Until we address this pandemic, our economy will not recover. I was proud to lead a bipartisan letter with Dave Joyce in support of the $130 billion direct hospital funding included in this bill. The most important thing Congress can do after addressing the health care crisis is to provide direct assistance to the American people. Thanks to the tireless work of leadership from both parties, many individuals with working class salaries will receive a one-time direct payment of around $1200. And we have provided unemployment assistance that goes well beyond the initial proposal by ensuring that every worker--including gig workers--are protected. We cannot ask taxpayers to foot the bill for rescuing our economy without the promise of accountability. This bill prevents any secret bailouts and ensures no member of this administration can benefit from this crisis. Each legislative measure we pass is just a single step. There will be more need and Congress will need to act to address those needs as they arise. I will be keeping in close contact with my constituents, so I know exactly what their needs are on the ground and bring that back to Congress so no one is forgotten or left behind.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020. This bill strikes just the right balance between protecting our national security and strengthening civil liberties. It preserves critical tools used by authorities to investigate international terrorism and foreign intelligence matters, but also makes significant reforms to enhance privacy and transparency. I would like to quickly highlight some of the important privacy protections included in the bill. For example, the FBI may no longer be able to keep business records collected under FISA indefinitely. Those records would have to be destroyed after 5 years, except in very narrow circumstances. The government will also have to provide notice to individuals whose business records are used in a criminal case or other proceeding unless the proceeding's adjudicator finds that disclosure would harm national security. Individuals who receive notice would then be able to challenge the legality of the government's collection, a right that should be maintained when intrusive national security authorities are used to gather evidence. In addition to these privacy enhancements, the bill also requires greater transparency about how the government uses FISA. The bill imposes a 180-day clock on declassification of significant opinions issued by the FISA court and requires the government to look further in its historical records than it has done before. Moreover, the bill enhances transparency in the intelligence community's annual public reports so we get a better sense of when the government conducts U.S. person queries into FISA data. These are but some examples of the important transparency and private reforms contained in this bill. These reforms are all accomplished without negatively impacting our national security. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for it.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, the CDC has given the American public some simple suggestions for protecting themselves and their communities during the coronavirus outbreak: Wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home if you feel sick. But for millions of hardworking Americans, staying home from work when they are ill is literally not a luxury they can afford. The difference between staying home for 2 weeks to self-isolate and going to work for 2 weeks no matter how you feel is the difference between putting food on your table and watching your children go hungry. It is the difference between buying lifesaving medications and going without. Here in Congress, Members are fortunate enough to be able to write their own doctor's notes. They can stay home and still collect their paychecks. Shouldn't all Americans have that same option?

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, during his testimony before the Intel Committee, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman had a message for his father: ``Do not worry. I will be fine for telling the truth.'' Lieutenant Colonel Vindman is a war hero who has earned far better than the treatment he received from the administration last week. But this behavior should not surprise us. It is part of a pattern. Let us remember the campaign waged against Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch last year. Ambassador Yovanovitch is an exemplary public servant who deserved our gratitude. Instead, the administration shamelessly attacked her and fired her to further the President's personal agenda. But I agree with the Ambassador when she wrote: I remain optimistic about the future. The events of the past year, while deeply disturbing, show that even though our institutions and our fellow citizens are being challenged in ways that few of us ever expected, we will endure and we will persist. Indeed.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of National Gun Violence Survivors Week, a time when we remember the tragic and life- altering impact of the gun violence epidemic that continues to affect thousands of families across the country. Every year, 36,000 Americans are killed by gun violence and 100,000 Americans are injured. In my city alone, an average of 765 people die of gun violence every year. Too many families have been touched by this violence. Too many young people go to school afraid. Too many Americans live in fear. Last night, the President's State of the Union only mentioned firearms once. And instead of presenting a plan, it defended the NRA. We owe it to every survivor and to everyone who has been touched by gun violence to do more than hold a moment of science or post a hashtag on Twitter. We owe the American people real action.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, indeed, we are here today because the President of the United States abused his power and betrayed his oath of office. He laid siege to the foundation of our democracy: the electoral process. These actions have posed a direct threat to the freedom and fairness of the upcoming 2020 election. The very day after Robert Mueller testified that Russia had systematically and relentlessly attacked the 2016 election, the President picked up the phone and made his now infamous July 25 call to Ukrainian President Zelensky, asking President Zelensky on that call to ``do us a favor though,'' and announced investigations into his political rival, Joe Biden. We have since learned from numerous National Security Council and State Department officials that the President did not even expect Ukraine to open these investigations; rather, he just wanted them announced so he could smear his rival. Rather than trusting the voters to decide who should hold the White House, he sought the aid of a foreign country to tip the scales in his favor--again. After Russia's unprecedented interference, a dark cloud hung over the 2016 election; and instead of leading the American people out from under the cloud, the President, instead, emboldened by perceived lack of consequence, attempted to pressure Zelensky to interfere in the 2020 election. After a courageous whistleblower came forward and warned Congress and the public about the President's scheme, the President stood on the White House lawn in front of TV cameras broadcasting around the world and called for China to interfere, too. Some of my colleagues have asked: Why not wait? Why are we proceeding? That is very simple. Because nothing could be more urgent. We are on the precipice of the 2020 election, and Congress has ultimate responsibility to protect the sacred equalizer: our right to vote. To defend the integrity of our elections and to fulfill our duty to the Constitution, I will be voting in favor of impeachment today.

Mr. QUIGLEY

Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee portion of the appropriations package before us. Before I begin, I would like to thank Chairwoman Lowey, Ranking Member Granger, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Tom Graves for their hard work and commitment throughout this process. I would also like to thank staff on both sides for all their hard work behind the scenes, particularly my own staff and the staff of Financial Services and General Government who don't put their names in these things, but we know and thank Lisa and others. Our amazing subcommittee staff, in particular, put in long hours to make this bill come together. The FSGG bill provides $23.8 billion in total discretionary resources for a broad array of agencies and programs ranging from the Department of the Treasury to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is a bill that I am not only proud of, but one that we can collectively all be proud of. My top priority as chairman this year has been to help States and local governments secure and protect the integrity of American elections. That is why I am proud to have successfully included $425 million in funding for the Election Assistance Commission to issue a new round of election security grants to States. This is the first investment for this purpose since 2018. Let us be clear, this is not a partisan matter. We know the Russians interfered in our 2016 elections, and they are going to be back. It is critical we provide these funds so election officials can replace outdated voting equipment and implement protections to ensure our election system can withstand future attempts of foreign interference. I am also proud that the bill makes targeted investments to ensure that capital and other assistance gets to small businesses and low- income communities. The bill boosts funding for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund by $12 million, which helps support affordable housing, small businesses, and infrastructure in underserved and rural communities, in addition to supplying credit to disadvantaged communities. The bill also increases entrepreneurial development programs at the SBA by $13 million. We boost funding for the Securities and Exchange Commission, provide an increase for the Federal Trade Commission, and include a long overdue investment in the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Another important focus this year is bolstering assistance to taxpayers, including increases for the taxpayer advocate and tax counseling and assistance programs. For our hardworking Federal workers, I am thrilled that our bill includes a 3.1 percent pay increase. In closing, Madam Speaker, this Financial Services appropriations bill is a result of bipartisan collaboration among members and hard work from our staff, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.