Deborah Ross

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Chairman, the bill we are considering today does not protect U.S. consumers, and, instead, it is a giveaway to Big Oil. The fossil fuel industry already controls large swaths of our public lands and our waters. Offshore, the industry already has over 2,000 active leases covering 12 million acres of Federal waters--75 percent of which are not even being used to produce oil and gas. North Carolinians cherish our pristine coastline and rely upon a clean and healthy marine ecosystem to support robust tourism, recreation, and fishing which are vital to our economy. They are the economic lifelines of many of our coastal communities. Elected officials of both parties in North Carolina, up and down the Atlantic Coast as well, ranging from county commissioners to Governors, have expressed staunch opposition to opening our waters to offshore drilling. Putting our coastal economy and environment at risk is the last thing that North Carolinians need, and our neighbors to the north and south agree. Congresswoman Mace, my neighbor to the south, made this same point today. My amendment would take the simple step of preventing the plan required by this bill from including oil and gas leasing in the mid- Atlantic, including my home State of North Carolina. This protects our constituents, our economy, and our environment. I hope that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, just like people from both sides of the aisle in my State, will listen to their constituents and support this commonsense amendment rather than putting both our environment and our economy at risk. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Virginia?

Mr. ROSS. The Chair again wishes to thank the former and retiring Members of Congress of the House for their presence here today. Before ending these proceedings, the Chair would like to invite those former and retiring Members who did not respond when the roll call was called to give their names to the Reading Clerk for inclusion in the roll. On behalf of FMC, my sincere thanks to all congressional staff who were such a terrific resource and support to make today's presentation possible. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the reception. We are adjourned.

Mr. ROSS. The Chair recognizes the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House.

Mr. ROSS. I now ask the clerk to call the roll of all former and retiring Members. The Clerk called the roll and the following Members were ``present'': Mr. Altmire of Pennsylvania Mr. Bartlett of Maryland Ms. Bourdeaux of Georgia Mr. Capuano of Massachusetts Mr. Chabot of Ohio Mr. Clay of Missouri Mr. Cook of California Mr. Davis of Tennessee Mr. Davis of Virginia Ms. Edwards of Maryland Mr. Faso of New York Mr. Graves of Georgia Ms. Harman of California Mr. Holt of New Jersey Mr. Hutchinson of Arkansas Mr. McEwen of Ohio Ms. Morella of Maryland Mr. Rick Nolan of Virginia Mr. Paulsen of Minnesota

Mr. ROSS. The Chair announces that 32 former and retiring Members of Congress have responded to their names. The Chair now recognizes the Honorable L.F. Payne, president of the Association of the Former Members of Congress to address the Members.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two giants in North Carolina history: My dear friends and colleagues, Congressman G. K. Butterfield and Congressman David Price. With a combined four decades of experience fighting for North Carolinians in Congress, G. K. and David have left a lasting legacy on this Chamber and in their communities. G. K. has been a powerful voice for voting rights and accessible healthcare. David has worked tirelessly for efficient 21st century transportation as well as affordable housing in North Carolina and beyond. It is not possible to describe the breadth of their distinguished careers and profound impact on our State and our Nation. I am incredibly grateful for their friendship and mentorship and know they will be sorely missed by colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I wish them the best in the next chapters of their lives.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable life and legacy of Betty Ray McCain, who sadly passed away last week. She was a force of nature. She spent decades fighting for North Carolinians, from working for former Governor Jim Hunt to serving on UNC's Board of Governors. Much of the social progress we have made in North Carolina can be credited to Betty Ray McCain's work with the North Carolina Democratic Party, where she served as the first chairwoman. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was one of the most important voices in the fight to ratify the ERA. As a long-time resident of Wilson, North Carolina, Betty Ray McCain always gave back to the community she called home. She paved the way for women like me, and her legacy will inspire future generations. Betty Ray McCain left her mark on North Carolina history, and we are better because of her.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Veterans and Military Families Month. Last week, I joined communities across Wake County to celebrate Veterans Day, a time when we honor the courageous men and women of our Armed Forces who put their lives on the line to defend our democracy. As the proud daughter of an Air Force veteran, I know that behind every servicemember is a family making sacrifices every day. But thanking our veterans and their families is simply not enough. We must recommit ourselves to providing them with the care and benefits they have earned. We, in North Carolina, support our veterans. Just last week, Raleigh, in my district, was named the best place in the country for veterans to live. Mr. Speaker, let's strive to make every community an incredible place for our veterans to call home.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight Raleigh's own Ali Ingersoll, who won the title of Ms. Wheelchair America last month. Ms. Wheelchair America is not your typical beauty pageant. Contestants are evaluated on their community advocacy and achievements, and the winner carries the responsibility of being a champion for the 61 million Americans living with disabilities. Ali Ingersoll has embodied that mission since an incident left her paralyzed 12 years ago. She has dedicated much of her adult life to advocating for affordable healthcare for individuals with disabilities. As Ali personally experienced in 2020, insurance companies often deny coverage of important equipment to help these Americans lead fulfilling lives. Now, Ali is fighting for full coverage of medically necessary equipment. I am honored to represent Ms. Wheelchair America and look forward to everything she will accomplish in the future.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair of the Judiciary Committee for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am heartened that today we will vote to send this bill to the President's desk to guarantee justice for victims of child sex abuse. Experts estimate that more than 85 percent of child sex abuse goes unreported. Kids experiencing abuse face a variety of the barriers to reporting. Often they don't know how to recognize abuse, they don't know how to talk about their experiences, or they don't have a trusted adult they can contact. Even when survivors do report their abuse, their experiences often fail to reach the people in the justice system who can stop the predator. For all of these reasons, the process of disclosure of abuse can take decades. The average age of reporting child sex abuse is 52 years old. Tragically, statutes of limitations often prevent survivors who disclose their abuse as adults from getting their day in court. But justice systems are slowly beginning to understand how delayed disclosure impacts access to justice. In the past two decades, 48 States and Washington D.C., have amended child sex abuse laws to expand or eliminate statutes of limitations. Congress previously eliminated the Federal criminal statute of limitations for child sex abuse and sex trafficking and slightly lengthened the Federal civil statute of limitations. However, this short extension of the civil statute of limitations does not reflect current data on just how long most survivors delay disclosure of their abuse. All survivors deserve access to justice no matter how long it takes them to talk about the trauma they have suffered. Today, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience sex abuse before their 18th birthday. I have heard about far too many cases of child sex abuse in my home State of North Carolina. A case currently before the North Carolina Supreme Court involves the wrestling team at a Gaston County high school where teenage athletes were sexually abused by their coach. While the coach was convicted and sentenced to decades in prison, the athletes were initially unable to sue in civil court because of the statute of limitations. This case is currently before the North Carolina Supreme Court because a three-judge panel ruled that the State law opening a window for adult survivors of sexual abuse was unconstitutional. We cannot provide effective remedies to survivors while the Federal civil statute of limitations remains in place. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Representative Swalwell, Representative Salazar, and Representative Reschenthaler for leading this effort with me in the House, as well as Senator Durbin and Senator Blackburn for leading this bill in the Senate. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Inflation Reduction Act. This bill is a monumental achievement that will move America forward, making important advances in everything from healthcare costs to energy prices to tax fairness. Coming from North Carolina, a State battered with increasing regularity by catastrophic storms, I am especially proud that this act represents the most significant investment to combat climate change in U.S. history. I am also pleased that this bill includes a measure that I have championed, which will end the prior moratorium on offshore wind. The Trump administration basically banned North Carolina from taking advantage of industrial-scale offshore wind. Our utilities support it, it is good for our economy, and it is good for our environment. This is an important, game-changing bill.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I represent a southern State. Many of my constituents are responsible, law-abiding gun owners, and I support their ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights. Contrary to what opponents of this legislation continue to claim, this bill will allow current, law-abiding gun owners to keep all of their guns. It simply prevents future sales of assault rifles. Let's be clear: Assault weapons are designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible. They are not designed for recreation. They are designed for combat. It is incredibly irresponsible to allow people without specialized training to possess these weapons. Madam Speaker, when assault weapons are used in mass shootings, on average, six times as many people are shot as in other mass shootings. In 2022, there have already been 24 school shootings. The deadliest, in Uvalde, Texas, involved an assault weapon. But if my friends across the aisle are not convinced of the need to protect our children, perhaps they will be convinced of the need to protect the police. According to Violence Policy Center, one quarter of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2016 were killed by an assault weapon. After the assault weapons ban expired, the proportion of large- capacity-magazine-equipped guns used in murders of police increased by 30 percent. These weapons belong with our military, not on our streets or in our schools. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the bill.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary achievements of the women athletes at North Carolina State University. In addition to the women's basketball team winning their third straight ACC championship, the women's cross-country team won their first NCAA championship. And we also have the accomplishments of many more. Last spring, seniors on the women's tennis team won the NCAA doubles championship. Katharine Berkoff also claimed the 100-yard backstroke national title for the second year in a row, while Katelyn Tuohy stormed to victory on the track in the 5,000 meters. Last month, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the foundation of gender equity at educational institutions. This milestone serves as an important reminder that too often women athletes don't get the recognition they deserve. Congratulations to the Wolfpack women on these amazing accomplishments.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the CHIPS and Science Act. Our Nation has long been a global leader in science and technology, but we cannot afford to take that position for granted. Our global standing rests not just on the ingenuity of our people but also on our government's bipartisan commitment to supporting innovation. At this moment of unprecedented international competition, we urgently need an unprecedented investment in the groundbreaking research that powers America's economic growth. That is why the CHIPS and Science Act is so timely and so important. In addition to bolstering domestic production of semiconductors, this landmark legislation will authorize more than $81 billion for the National Science Foundation. Crucially, the bill also funds research that will yield the cutting- edge clean energy technologies of tomorrow, cutting carbon emissions and helping combat global climate change. Madam Speaker, my district includes much of the Research Triangle, our Nation's largest research park, which is home to hundreds of companies breaking new ground in medicine, energy, telecommunications, and more. We are also proud of our leading research universities like N.C. State University, HBCUs like Shaw and Saint Augustine's, and our State's largest community college, Wake Tech, and we have a women's college specializing in STEM, Meredith College. Our investments in public-private partnerships afforded by the CHIPS and Science Act will provide these North Carolina-based companies and educational institutions with unprecedented funding and research support. Companies in my district, particularly startups, have struggled to cope with the consequences of the global semiconductor shortage. To meet that need, this bill includes more than $50 billion in chips funding, which will mitigate current semiconductor supply chain concerns, incentivize domestic production, and prevent another chips crisis in the future. I am also pleased that this package includes several bipartisan bills I led with members of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, including the Energizing Technology Transfer Act, a version of the NSF Technology Research Institutes Act, and the National Science and Technology Strategy Act. These bills will help facilitate the commercial application of clean energy technologies by universities and private companies, the development of a national science and technology strategy, and investment in research and traineeship programs for graduate students. The CHIPS and Science Act embodies the investment needed to empower innovation in North Carolina's Second District and across the United States. I support the rule and the underlying bill.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7569, the Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act. As all Members know, the United States has witnessed an alarming rise in cybersecurity threats and attacks against our energy infrastructure. My home State of North Carolina is no exception. Just over a year ago, a disastrous cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline caused the company to halt all pipeline operations, leading to panic-buying of gasoline and diesel fuels across my home State. Roughly two-thirds of North Carolina's gas stations ran out of fuel, including over 70 percent of gas stations in Raleigh, the largest city in my district. Our constituents rely on dependable energy sources for their lives and their livelihoods, and we cannot afford continued exposures to these types of attacks. The Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act, a bipartisan bill I co-led with Congressman Carey, will help address this vulnerability. Our bill will confront growing cyber threats against our country's critical energy infrastructure by making real investments in a strong and diverse workforce that is ready to meet the challenges we face. It will provide financial assistance to support graduate students studying the convergence of cybersecurity and energy infrastructure, in addition to providing hands-on training and experience at our national laboratories and utilities. It will also expand the Department of Energy's outreach to HBCUs, minority-serving institutions, and Tribal colleges. I represent much of the Research Triangle, home to institutions and universities that are propelling our Nation's innovation in cybersecurity, as well as clean energy. From NC State to Shaw, to Saint Augustine's, and Wake Tech, this legislation will better equip our brilliant students and researchers in North Carolina and beyond to tackle the changing cybersecurity landscape. I thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for their leadership in bringing forth this bill and the other Science Committee bills we are considering today. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the urgent need to protect access to contraception. Just a few weeks ago, the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization stripped millions of women of the right to abortion care. After this decision, draconian abortion bans in States across the country immediately went into effect. In my own State of North Carolina, Republican leaders have made it abundantly clear that they will take any opportunity to restrict our rights. Perhaps even more sinister than this decision are the opinions that accompanied it. Justice Clarence Thomas' concurring opinion laid the groundwork for even greater government interference in the personal and family decisions of our people, including the right to use contraception. Make no mistake, the American people will not go backward on contraception. We must codify Griswold v. Connecticut, which has protected women's right to make decisions about their own contraceptive healthcare for decades. This week, we are considering the Right to Contraception Act. This critical legislation will safeguard contraception and its access in the face of these extreme attacks. Americans overwhelmingly support the right to contraception. Madam Speaker, I hope to hear from my colleagues across the aisle about how they could do anything other than support expanding contraception in the wake of the Dobbs decision. If my colleagues want to prevent abortions, why would they restrict resources to women who want to avoid unintended pregnancies? Madam Speaker, I fought to expand access to contraception in North Carolina with support from legislators on both sides of the aisle. Twenty years later it is extremely disappointing that we could be going backward.

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, women across the country are more determined than ever to combat these relentless attacks on our freedom. I support the rule and the underlying bills.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, PFAS chemicals affect our drinking water, our crops, the air we breathe, and the products we bring into our homes. As Members know, PFAS are a large class of chemicals that are highly persistent and mobile in the environment. They are commonly referred to as forever chemicals. PFAS have contaminated more than 2,300 sites across 49 States, polluting the drinking water of an estimated 200 million Americans, including thousands of households in my home State of North Carolina and at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Forever chemicals have been associated with a wide range of serious health effects, including a probable link with cancer, thyroid disease, lower fertility, and more. Over 500 PFAS are included on the Federal inventory of chemicals that can be used in commerce, but we know very little about what these chemicals are, where they are manufactured and used, and how the American people and our troops are being exposed. Thankfully, after years of indecision, Congress took bipartisan action in the fiscal year 2020 NDAA, directing EPA to complete a PFAS reporting rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The rule requires EPA to use its existing authority to obtain information about all PFAS manufactured since 2011, including their identity, where they are manufactured, total amounts produced, general categories of how they are used, and existing information on environmental and health effects. We lack this information for virtually all of the PFAS that have been manufactured and released into the environment in our country, a critical blind spot that hinders our ability to understand the full scope of the challenge we face and how to protect the public and our troops. Unfortunately, EPA's proposed rule contains a significant flaw. It defines ``PFAS'' far too narrowly, excluding hundreds of these forever chemicals, including some that have already been found in drinking water or that have been incinerated as waste around the country. During the comment period, numerous stakeholders, including drinking water utilities, State environmental protection agencies, PFAS scientists, 17 State attorneys general, all urged EPA to use a broader definition in the final rule, with many advocating for the consensus definition recently adopted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. A reporting rule that fails to capture the full universe of PFAS will deprive EPA, Congress, the States, and the public of information necessary to address the effects of PFAS effectively and efficiently. My bipartisan amendment with Representative Mace directs EPA to use a simple definition of PFAS--one fully fluorinated carbon atom--that is consistent with the international definition. A final PFAS reporting rule using the definition in our amendment will ensure that we have the full picture of the nature and extent of the PFAS effects, enabling Congress and the administration to formulate an effective plan of action to address these problems. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make it clear that this is a reporting rule, it is not a regulation. It is more like a law requiring labeling on food and packaging, and it gives the public information about chemicals that affect their health. Our water resource agencies are asking for this. We are trying to clean up some of the effects. In North Carolina, we are seeing this in the Cape Fear River. Again, it is affecting the health of our people and our troops. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the public, in the comment period, has said that we need more information and a more robust definition. It also belongs in the NDAA because it originated in the 2020 NDAA, and it has affected troops in North Carolina, particularly adjacent to the Cape Fear River. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, we rely on all kinds of data to inform our policymaking. Right now, LGBTQI+ Americans aren't represented in Federal statistics, like for unemployment, poverty, health, and discrimination. This gap severely impacts our ability to make smart decisions that may affect their community, let alone decisions that will help those in their community. It is imperative that we begin to let these individuals count in our Federal data system just as we do race, ethnicity, gender, and age. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.