Deborah Ross

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from 16 attorneys general expressing their support for H.R. 3755, the Women's Health Protection Act. State of New York, Office of the Attorney General, June 16, 2021. Hon. Dick Durbin, Chair, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC. Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Chair, Senate Committee on the Constitution, Washington, DC. Hon. Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC. Hon. Ted Cruz, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Washington, DC. Dear Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committee and Subcommittee: As the Supreme Court has consistently recognized, ``[t]he ability of women to participate equally in the economic and social life of the Nation has been facilitated by their ability to control their reproductive lives.'' Accordingly, laws that impose an undue burden on a woman's right to choose to terminate a pregnancy are unconstitutional. Nonetheless, many states across the country have enacted laws in the name of promoting women's health that do not, in fact, advance women's health or safety but are instead designed to restrict access to abortion services. These include laws requiring physicians have admitting privileges at hospitals and setting arbitrary requirements at women's health clinics for the size of procedure rooms and corridors. As the Attorneys General of our respective states, we write in support of the Women's Health Protection Act, which would protect the constitutional right to abortion by prohibiting medically unnecessary restrictions that specifically target abortion providers and undermine the availability of abortion services. The Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) targets onerous state laws that have been adopted in a concerted strategy to restrict access to abortion. In Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, 136 S. Ct. 2292 (2016), the Supreme Court ruled that a Texas law that required abortion providers to maintain admitting privileges at a local hospital failed to advance women's health and posed an undue burden on women seeking an abortion. Last year, a coalition of 22 attorneys general helped to win another victory in June Medical Services v. Gee, 140 S. Ct. 2103 (2020), in which the Supreme Court held that a similar law in Louisiana was unconstitutional. Rather than waiting for medically unnecessary restrictions to continue to be challenged in the courts--a process that can often take years--Congress should pass the WHPA to ensure that such restrictions are not imposed in the first place. Medically unnecessary restrictions targeting abortion providers actually disserve women's health and safety and pose challenges for states that aim to provide a full range of reproductive health services, including abortion services. Often, strict requirements imposed on abortion providers are presented as measures to protect and advance women's health. Yet evidence shows that these restrictions instead lead to worse health outcomes for women. One recent study in Texas found that the maternal mortality rate in the state doubled between 2010 and 2012, a period in which access to women's health care services, including abortion services, had become more difficult to obtain. Women who find themselves too far from an abortion provider may have to delay obtaining an abortion, which can. lead to health risks and add to the cost of the procedure. Alternatively, some women may resort to ``black market'' or self-induced abortions, which can be extremely dangerous and lead to serious injury or even death. And women who are forced to carry a pregnancy to term after being denied abortion services are four times more likely to develop potentially life-threatening health conditions and are substantially more likely to experience physical violence from abusive partners or family members. These statistics illustrate the very real cost to women throughout the United States from burdensome laws that restrict the availability of safe and legal abortion care. The widely known negative effects of laws targeting abortion providers undermines any argument that such laws are intended to promote women's health. At the same time, the consequences of these laws are already evident across the country. Research from 2017 found that thirty-eight percent of women between the ages of 15 to 44 live in counties without an abortion clinic. Between 2014 and 2017, twenty-five abortion clinics shuttered in the South and the Midwest. As of June 2019, six states have only a single abortion clinic remaining. As providers close due to the impact of medically unnecessary restrictions, women are likely to be forced to travel farther and make greater sacrifices to get access to services. Unfortunately, these burdens often fall disproportionately on lower-income women who cannot afford to travel, take time off work, or find childcare in order to get to the nearest provider. As Attorneys General, we are committed to ensuring that each state satisfies its constitutional obligation to protect the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy within its borders. Among other things, we are deeply concerned about protecting the constitutional rights of our residents who may need medical care while present as students, workers, or visitors in states with drastically restricted abortion access. In addition, a substantial reduction in the availability of abortion services in some states can cause women to seek medical care in other states, thereby straining their health care systems. Indeed, history shows that many women will cross state lines, if they have the means to do so, when abortions are unavailable in the states where they live. For example, in the nearly three years between New York State's liberalization of its abortion laws in 1970 and 1973 when the United States Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade ruled that the right to choose was constitutionally protected, close to 350,000 women came to New York from other states where abortions were entirely or largely unavailable.In the wake of recent abortion restrictions, some states, including several of our own, have experienced a substantial influx of out-of-state patients seeking abortions as a result of reduced access in their home states. Our states stand ready and willing to provide reproductive care services to those who need them. However, a significant and sudden increase in patients seeking abortions, especially as a consequence of laws that do not advance women's health and decrease available services, runs the risk of straining the health care systems of less restrictive states. This in turn can impair the availability of care and affect the reproductive choices of both residents and non-residents alike in those states. Our states aim to continue providing a wide range of reproductive health care services, including abortion services, but our ability to do so could be substantially burdened by the responsibility of ensuring that all women in need of abortions are able to safely obtain one. The WHPA would address this problem by safeguarding access to abortion services in all states. We support the passage of the WHPA given how it will help to restore and facilitate access to abortion services throughout the United States, upholding this critical constitutional right. We look forward to working with you and your committees as you consider this legislation. Please let us know how we may be of assistance during this process. Sincerely, Letitia James, New York Attorney General; Rob Bonta, California Attorney General; Philip Weiser, Colorado Attorney General; William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General; Kathleen Jennings, Delaware Attorney General; Karl A. Racine, District of Columbia Attorney General; Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General; Aaron Frey, Maine Attorney General; Brian E. Frosh, Maryland Attorney General; Maura Healey, Massachusetts Attorney General; Aaron Ford, Nevada Attorney General; Hector Balderas, New Mexico Attorney General; Ellen F. Rosenblum, Oregon Attorney General; Thomas J. Donovan, Jr., Vermont Attorney General; Mark R. Herring, Virginia Attorney General; Bob Ferguson, Washington State Attorney General.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, we have a solemn duty to provide for our servicemembers and to keep our promise to our Afghan allies. The fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act will do both. This NDAA will also invest in our Nation's defense by promoting cutting-edge research and development, much of which happens at our institutions of higher education, such as those in North Carolina's Research Triangle. We also must pass the continuing resolution in order to support our Afghan allies, provide relief to regions recovering from Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters, suspend the debt limit, and keep our government funded. Finally, we must pass the Women's Health Protection Act to enable women across the country to access reproductive healthcare, including abortion care. I want to highlight a discrepancy between the rhetoric and policies of opponents of reproductive freedom, particularly those from States like mine, including Texas. These opponents claim to be pro-life, to be working to protect families and babies, but almost always, these are the same people who oppose Medicaid expansion, universal childcare, and the expansion of the child tax credit. In the United States today, babies that do not get prenatal care are five times more likely to die than babies that do get prenatal care. Prenatal care is one of the many critical forms of healthcare that Medicaid covers. Medicaid also provides postpartum care coverage to new mothers, and the American Rescue Plan gave States the option to extend that coverage from 60 days to 12 months. Postpartum care is key to protecting new mothers from a variety of serious conditions that can develop after birth. Similarly, universal childcare and the child tax credit are investments in babies and in families. Today, in America, supporting children and families means supporting Medicaid expansion, affordable childcare, tax benefits for families-- all of which are included in the Build Back Better Act. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, the rule before us provides for consideration of three landmark pieces of legislation. First and foremost, we are here to assume our duty to protect our American democracy. Just this year alone, 18 States have enacted 30 voter suppression laws. In response, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act would reinvigorate section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, restore geographic preclearance requirements eliminated in the Shelby decision, and take other steps to block discriminatory voting measures before they are implemented. The history of the fight for voting rights in America is long and painful. But at crucial forks on that difficult path, Members of this body from both parties have set politics aside and done the right thing. We are meeting here today at another pivotal juncture in the struggle for voting rights, and it is up to us to meet the urgency of the moment, live up to our constitutional responsibilities, and pass this critical legislation. Madam Speaker, I also rise in support of our $3.5 trillion Build Back Better budget resolution. By taking real action on climate change, expanding the child tax credit, and supporting universal pre-K and free community college, this budget represents an investment in all of our people, especially our children and grandchildren. For the sake of our constituents and our country, let's approve this vital funding. Madam Speaker, lastly, the rule before us provides for future consideration of the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure package. From expanding broadband to rebuilding roads, bridges, airports, rail, and water systems, this historic bill will help bring America's aging infrastructure into the 21st century and create jobs. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and this legislation.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise in favor of the rule and to highlight two amendments that I am offering to the minibus. In my home State of North Carolina, we lead the East Coast in offshore wind energy generation potential, and our manufacturing workforce stands ready to support offshore wind projects up and down the Atlantic coastline. Unfortunately, former President Trump issued a 10-year moratorium on offshore wind leasing off our coast that is set to take effect in 2022. This ill-conceived moratorium puts our State's ability to develop this resource and capture its economic and environmental benefits at risk. I am proud to offer an amendment to this bill, which would prohibit the use of funds to implement the offshore wind component of this moratorium while leaving the moratorium on offshore oil and gas leasing in place. This amendment, and a similar bill I introduced with Congressman Tonko, are essential in order to meet our State and national climate goals. My second amendment highlights the obstacles faced by pregnant and parenting students. Today, nearly 22 percent of undergraduate students are parents. Pregnant and parenting students face significant barriers in education, from difficulty accessing college, to insufficient childcare, to lack of holistic supports. As a result, pregnant and parenting students experience disproportionately low graduation rates as well as a median debt that is nearly 2\1/2\ times higher than that of students without children. Pregnant and parenting high school students too frequently find themselves pushed out of school entirely. My amendment instructs the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct a study on the obstacles pregnant and parenting students face in the pursuit of education and provides recommendations for improving educational outcomes, including graduation rates for these students.

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule, my amendments, and the underlying bill.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 535 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. 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. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 535, providing for considering of three measures. First, H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act, under a structured rule. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment from Chairman Pallone, provides for 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their designees, makes in order 10 amendments, provides en bloc authority, and provides one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 2668, the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act, under a closed rule. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate on the bill equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their designees and provides one motion to recommit. The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 3985, the ALLIES Act of 2021, under a closed rule. The rule self-executes a manager's amendment from Chairman Nadler, provides for 1 hour of general debate on the bill equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their designees, and provides one motion to recommit. Finally, the rule provides the majority leader or his designee the ability to en bloc requested roll call votes on suspension bills considered on July 19 and July 20, 2021. This authority lasts through July 22. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the three bills in this rule: H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act of 2021; H.R. 2668, the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act; and H.R. 3985, the ALLIES Act of 2021. H.R. 2467 will require comprehensive regulation of PFAS under our Nation's landmark environmental laws. PFAS compounds--dangerous, manmade chemicals which do not break down easily and are known as forever chemicals--have contaminated our water, soil, and air for decades. The CDC estimates that nearly every American has been exposed to them, especially our brave firefighters, servicemembers, and their families. In my home State of North Carolina, we know this issue too well. Chemical companies have polluted the Cape Fear River with PFAS for years. Tests of drinking water systems in my district, including in Raleigh and Cary, have detected PFAS. This bill would accomplish multiple goals, including directing the EPA to establish standards to protect our drinking water from contamination and authorizing grants to drinking water utilities treating PFAS contamination. Some utilities are already investing millions of dollars to upgrade their water treatment technology. I was proud to offer a bipartisan amendment with Congressman Rouzer to clarify the requirements for this grant program, helping to ensure that communities that are already investing money to address this problem can still benefit from the funding included in this bill. H.R. 2467 is a strong step forward to protect the health of our water, air, soil, and our people. I am thrilled that we are bringing this bipartisan legislation to the House floor. I also rise in support of H.R. 2668. For over 100 years, the FTC has been tasked with protecting consumers from fraud and deception in the marketplace. Until the Supreme Court's recent ruling, the FTC used a provision of the FTC Act to recover and return billions of dollars to victims of fraud. Senior citizens, military families, and immigrants are particularly vulnerable to scammers and deceptive business practices. H.R. 2668 will ensure that the FTC has the tools it needs to protect hardworking families and small businesses and to make victims of fraud whole. Lastly, I rise in support of H.R. 3985. I come from a military State, and I am proud to advocate on behalf of all those who have risked their lives to protect our country. As we draw down our forces in Afghanistan, the very least we can do for our Afghan allies--including interpreters, contractors, and security personnel--is to protect them from the Taliban and provide them with the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety here in the United States. North Carolina is fortunate to be home to many courageous Afghans who relocated to the United States through the Afghan Special Immigration Visa program, and I know that my community will benefit from allowing more of these heroes to take refuge in our State. By increasing the Afghan Special Immigration Visa cap and easing requirements for applicants, this bill will ensure that our Nation keeps its promises to those allies who stood shoulder to shoulder with American forces on the battlefield. Mr. Speaker, it is time to pass all three of these bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle), another distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is long overdue for Congress to take comprehensive action to address the PFAS contamination of our environment and its health impacts on Americans. I have seen this in North Carolina. Industry has known of the danger of PFAS contamination for decades, yet we still lack significant Federal protections. We cannot continue to let these manmade chemicals endanger the health of our people and our planet. H.R. 2467 will protect Americans and our environment by setting standards for our drinking water, instituting comprehensive PFAS testing requirements, providing grants to utilities that are treating contamination, and so much more. I also support H.R. 2668 to solidify the FTC's ability to retrieve money for victims of frauds and scams. We cannot allow American consumers and businesses to fall victim to fraud without holding scammers and bad actors financially accountable. This emergency legislation will help make Americans who have fallen victim to fraud whole. Lastly, I support H.R. 3985 to keep our Nation's promises to our Afghan allies and protect those who helped protect us. We owe it to those who put their lives on the line for our Armed Forces. We also owe it to our servicemembers, who will continue to rely in the future on allied interpreters, contractors, and security personnel in foreign lands. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I rise today in support of the Inspector General Independence Act. Inspectors general are vital to the integrity, efficiency, and efficacy of our Government. It is crucial that they operate free from political influence. This critical legislation includes a bipartisan bill I introduced, the Inspector General Access Act, which grants the inspector general of the Department of Justice the authority to investigate misconduct by DOJ attorneys. The DOJ inspector general is currently the only Federal inspector general without this authority. This is simply unacceptable. DOJ attorneys wield a tremendous amount of power, including the ability to make life and death decisions. It is crucial that these attorneys are held to the highest level of professionalism, and that their actions and conduct are subject to independent oversight. For this reason, I wholeheartedly support the Inspector General Independence Act, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the NSF for the Future Act, a critical piece of legislation that would bolster our Nation's research enterprise and enhance our status as a world leader in science and research. It is so wonderful that it has been done in a completely bipartisan way. Included in this legislation is a bipartisan bill I introduced, the NSF Technology Research Institutes Act. This important bill would create a grant program at NSF that will fund technology research activities at institutes of higher education. This will further our national innovation enterprise and ensure our technology workforce has the requisite skill set to work on cutting-edge research as the key to success in the 21st century. This program will enable our academic institutions, including those I represent in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, to further provide their students with critical research experience to build the robust technology workforce our country urgently needs. I look forward to working with the Senate to ensure this critical bill is signed into law.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today also to highlight this critical bill that will help North Carolinians. This commonsense legislation will revise North Carolina's judicial district lines to place Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the world, entirely within the eastern district. Currently, the district lines bisect the base, resulting in unnecessary administrative and logistical problems for the people of our State. This legislation will ease the burden of traveling miles to Durham, Greensboro, or Winston-Salem and, instead, let servicemembers resolve court matters in nearby Fayetteville or Raleigh. A similar redistricting occurred several years ago when Congress moved Butner into the eastern district. This bipartisan piece of legislation will benefit our servicemembers and their families. I am honored to work with my North Carolina colleagues, Congressman Hudson, Senator Tillis, and Senator Burr, my colleague from law school class, and the entire delegation to get this bill across the finish line. I am pleased it passed out of the Senate, and I look forward to passing it in the House and having it signed into law by the President.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a pioneering institution in the field of early childhood education located in my district, Project Enlightenment. Project Enlightenment provides extraordinary services to families and children, and I was privileged to visit with them last week. In the late 1960s, insightful staff from the Raleigh city schools, Wake County Mental Health and Dorothea Dix Child Psychiatry recognized that strengthening a child's social and emotional development in the early years would have long-term benefits. They were right, and the American Families Plan recognizes this fact. Project Enlightenment has offered prevention and early intervention services to young children by providing services to the primary caregivers in their lives. Over the years, they have helped people all over the State of North Carolina and all over the country. I am grateful for the attentive staff that includes a variety of professionals. Because of their commitment to our children, they truly make our county and State a better place.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary public school in my district, less than 1 mile from my house, Wiley Elementary School. For the second time in 5 years, Wiley has been named a top magnet elementary school in the Nation for its dedication to excellence. It is both an international magnet and a true neighborhood school. A diverse and welcoming community, Wiley's teachers, faculty, parents, and staff go above and beyond to ensure that every student receives the best education possible. Wiley offers the International Studies Magnet Program, which allows students to take as many as eight electives, including five foreign languages, in elementary school. Through this program, students are able to learn about cultures other than their own and experience diverse perspectives. I believe the foundation to a quality education begins in elementary school, and I know that Wiley is setting students up for success. I am honored to represent Wiley Elementary School in Congress, and I am awed by all that their children achieve.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, debt collectors often operate with impunity, threatening servicepeople, denying small business owners due process, and harassing customers and homeowners with repeated calls, texts, and emails. Harassment by debt collectors negatively affects students' career decisions, small business growth, homeownership, and families' financial stability. It hurts the economy and amplifies racial, gender, and socioeconomic inequities across the Nation. For example, rates of student loan distress are especially concentrated among low-income borrowers, borrowers in rural areas, and borrowers of color. Debt collectors incessantly contacting borrowers without consent adds another layer of loan distress, particularly during this pandemic. This is why I introduced an amendment to this bill that requires a GAO investigation of communications by debt collectors, including specific recommendations for Congress to reduce the harassment and abuse of individuals with debt. The Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act is critical to protecting students, servicemembers, small business owners, and consumers with debt from predatory practices. I urge my colleagues to support this entire legislation. It is important for the dignity of the average borrower in this country.

Ms. ROSS

Ms. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I attended a Press Conference on pay equity. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 105.