Bobby Rush

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, I would like to include in the Record, an article by Trip Gabriel that was published in the New York Times on January 15, 2019 detailing racist remarks and divisive actions made by Rep. Steve King. [From the New York Times, Jan. 15, 2019] A Timeline of Steve King's Racist Remarks and Divisive Actions (By Trip Gabriel) While some Republicans suggested the Iowa congressman's views were new to them, Mr. King has a long and documented history of denigrating racial minorities. Representative Steve King of Iowa, who was stripped of his House committee seats on Monday night after making remarks defending white supremacy, has a long history of racist comments and insults about immigrants. Republicans rarely rebuked him until recently, with some suggesting that Mr. King's language and views were new to them. ``This just popped up on Friday,'' Representative Steve Scalise, the second-ranking House Republican, said on Sunday, when asked if the party would penalize Mr. King for saying, in an interview with The Times, ``White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization--how did that language become offensive?'' National Republicans courted his political support in Iowa: He was a national co-chairman of Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential effort and of Gov. Kim Reynolds' 2018 election. House leadership appointed him chairman of the subcommittee on the Constitution and civil justice. And President Trump boasted in the Oval Office that he raised more money for Mr. King than for anyone else. Yet Mr. King, who won a ninth term in November, has publicly promoted white nationalists and neo- Nazis on Twitter and disparaged nonwhite groups for years. 2002 Mr. King, in the Iowa State Senate, files a bill requiring schools teach that the United States ``is the unchallenged greatest nation in the world and that it has derived its strength from . . . Christianity, free enterprise capitalism and Western civilization.'' Mr. King is the chief sponsor of a law making English the official language of Iowa. 2005 Now in Congress, Mr. King introduces the English Language Unity Act, a bill to make English the official language of the United States. Mr. King sues the Iowa Secretary of State for posting voting information on an official website in Spanish, Laotian, Bosnian and Vietnamese. 2006 At a rally in Las Vegas, Mr. King calls the deaths of Americans at the hands of undocumented immigrants ``a slow- motion Holocaust.'' He claims that 25 Americans die daily because of undocumented immigrants, an unsupported and illogical leap from government statistics, which years later influences talking points by President Trump. On the House floor, Mr. King demonstrates a model of a 12- foot concrete border wall topped with electrified wire that he designed: ``We need to do a few other things on top of that wall, and one of them being to put a little bit of wire on top here to provide a disincentive for people to climb over the top or put a ladder there. We could also electrify this wire . . . We do that with livestock all the time.'' 2010 Mr. King on the House floor, speaking of how law enforcement officers can spot undocumented immigrants: What kind of clothes people wear . . . what kind of shoes people wear, what kind of accent they have . . . sometimes it's just a sixth sense they can't put their finger on. 2011 Mr. King in a speech opposing the Affordable Care Act's mandate to cover contraception: Preventing babies being born is not medicine. That's not constructive to our culture and our civilization. If we let our birthrate get down below the replacement rate, we're a dying civilization. 2012 On a panel at the Conservative Political Action Conference with Peter Brimelow, an open white nationalist, Mr. King referred to multiculturalism as: A tool for the Left to subdivide a culture and civilization into our own little ethnic enclaves and pit us against each other. 2013 Mr. King on why he opposes legal status for Dreamers, who were brought into the country as children: For everyone who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. Those people would be legalized with the same act. 2015 Mr. King invites the far-right, anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders to Washington and appears with him at the Capitol. Mr. Wilders has called Islam ``not a religion,'' said the Quran was ``worse than Mein Kampf,'' and called for the closing of mosques. Mr. King tweets a selfie with Mr. Wilders in front of a portrait of Winston Churchill. Mr. Wilders praises Mr. King for having ``the guts to speak out.'' 2016 At the Republican National Convention in July, Mr. King claims that nonwhite groups haven't contributed as much as whites to civilization: ``This whole business does get a little tired. I would ask you to go back through history and figure out where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people you are talking about. Where did any other subgroup of people contribute more to civilization?'' Mr. King to The Washington Post days later: ``The idea of multiculturalism, that every culture is equal--that's not objectively true . . . We've been fed that information for the past 25 years, and we're not going to become a greater nation if we continue to do that.'' In a tweet during a meeting in Amsterdam with Mr. Wilders and Frauke Petry, the leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party, Mr. King says, ``Cultural suicide by demographic transformation must end.'' In October, Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right party, tweets a picture of her meeting with Mr. King, the first elected American official to meet her. Also in October, Mr. King meets in Austria with leaders of the far-right Freedom Party, including Heinz-Christian Strache and Norbert Hofer. The party was founded in the 1950s by former Nazis. 2017 ``Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies,'' Mr. King tweets in his endorsement of Mr. Wilders in Dutch elections. On March 14, Mr. King defends the tweet on Breitbart radio: ``We're watching as Western civilization is shrinking in the face of the massive, epic migration that is pouring into Europe. That's the core of that tweet. They're importing a different culture, a different civilization--and that culture and civilization, the imported one, rejects the host culture. And so they are supplanting Western civilization with Middle Eastern civilization and I say, and Geert Wilders says, Western civilization is a superior civilization--it is the first world.'' On Iowa talk radio, Mr. King recommends ``The Camp of the Saints,'' a racist 1973 novel about an invasion of Europe by nonwhite immigrants. Mr. King tweets agreement with Viktor Orban, Hungary's authoritarian leader: ``Mixing cultures will not lead to a higher quality of life but a lower one.'' 2018 Mr. King says he does not want Somali Muslims working in meatpacking plants in Iowa: ``I don't want people doing my pork that won't eat it, let alone hope I go to hell for eating pork chops.'' Asked by a reporter for HuffPost if he is a white nationalist or white supremacist, Mr. King responds: ``I don't answer those questions. I say to people that use those kind of allegations: Use those words a million times, because you're reducing the value of them every time, and many of the people that use those words and make those allegations and ask those questions can't even define the words they're using.'' In an interview with a web publication in Austria, unzensuriert.at, which is linked to the far-right Freedom Party, Mr. King again praises the novel ``Camp of the Saints'': ``This narrative should be imprinted into everyone's brain. When you are importing people, even importing one single person, you are importing their culture.'' In the same interview, Mr. King demonstrates familiarity with the ``Great Replacement'' conspiracy theory, also known as ``white genocide,'' which posits that an international elite, including prominent Jews like George Soros, are plotting to make white populations minorities in Europe and North America. ``Great replacement, yes,'' Mr. King says. ``These people walking into Europe by ethnic migration, 80 percent are young men. They are somebody else's babies.'' Mr. King endorses a Toronto mayoral candidate, Faith Goldy, who had recited the ``14 words'' used by neo-Nazis and gave an interview to a podcast for the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer. The Anti-Defamation League writes to Speaker Paul D. Ryan calling for the censure of Mr. King for endorsing Ms. Goldy. The group also notes that the Austrian Freedom Party is ``riddled with anti-Semitism and Holocaust trivialization.'' Representative Steve Stivers, chairman of the Republican House election committee, condemns Mr. King in a tweet: ``We must stand up against white supremacy and hate in all forms, and I strongly condemn this behavior.'' Asked on Oct. 21 on WHO-TV in Iowa, ``What is a white nationalist?'' Mr. King answers: ``First of all, I think you have to be white, but then we've got Rachel Dolezal who didn't have to be black to be black. It is a derogatory term today. I wouldn't have thought so maybe a year or two or three ago. But today they use it as a derogatory term and they imply you are a racist. That's the bottom line for that.'' 2019 ``White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization--how did that language become offensive? Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?'' Mr. King said in an interview with The New York Times published last week.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, I rise to a question of the privileges of the House and offer a resolution previously noticed.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, while I strongly condemn white supremacy and white nationalism, my position remains unchanged. Anything short of censure is shallow. Steve King has made a career of making racist statements. That is the only thing he is known for and this pattern of rabid racism must be confronted head on by the House of Representatives. This resolution just restates the obvious. It does not address Steve King's violent, vitriolic, and rabid racism. This Democratic resolution is an insult to the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. as we recognize his birthday. We must proceed with a vote to censure him with the same zeal that the House used when censuring Charlie Rangel. Yesterday, the notice I provided of my privileged resolution to formally censure the Member from Iowa, started the clock for a floor vote to punish him for his bigotry and racism. We need to be clear to the American people that we use condemnation to express our disapproval of those not in the House. We use censure for those in the House, Steve King is a sitting member.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 2 of rule IX, I hereby give notice of my intention to offer a question of privileges of the House. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the form of a resolution appear in the Record at this point.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3191, the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018. I was delighted when Senator Jones introduced companion legislation to my bill, H.R. 1272, and I am even more excited to see that his bill has passed the Senate by unanimous consent and is now before the House. Mr. Speaker, with the passage of this legislation, families and communities that have waited too long for answers about the loss of loved ones during the tumultuous Civil Rights Era may finally have the chance for closure. Mr. Speaker, this bill came to fruition because of the hard work of a group of students from Hightstown High School in New Jersey and their teacher, Mr. Stuart Wexler. These dedicated students learned firsthand the legislative process, from drafting to markup, to where we stand today, floor passage. I thank them for their dedication to this cause and applaud them for their diligence.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 404.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act. Madam Chair, this bill is unnecessary, as the Department of Energy has already finalized a rule that would approve any application to import or export as much as 0.14 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day if no environmental reviews are required. Additionally, Madam Chair, I offered an amendment to this bill that would have protected the property rights of landowners, but that amendment was refused by the Rules Committee. Madam Chair, my amendment would simply have ensured that eminent domain would not be exploited for the construction of any pipeline used to import or export any of the gas through this expedited process. Madam Chair, Members from both sides of the aisle have been bombarded with complaints from their constituents who have been forced to defend their own property rights due to aggressive tactics employed by companies seeking to appropriate their land in order to make a profit. Congress should stand on the side of these constituents, as my amendment would have ensured, instead of making it easier for private companies to seize land from American citizens. This is especially true in cases where applications are expedited, with little or no opportunity for public input or public debate through the process, as the underlying bill mandates. Madam Chair, although my constituents are strongly opposed to this bill, and although my amendment was not made in order, I would urge my colleagues to support both of the amendments offered by my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Ranking Member Pallone's amendment would require public hearings so that the American people will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in this process. Additionally, Congresswoman DeGette's amendment would require LNG export applications to demonstrate that the natural gas was produced in a manner that minimizes dangerous methane emissions. A June 2018 report by Science magazine found that 13 million metric tons of methane are emitted yearly by the oil and gas industry, despite the fact that there is already existing cost-effective technology available to reduce these emissions. So, Madam Chair, I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support both the Pallone and the DeGette amendments. If those two amendments are defeated, then I would urge all of my colleagues to oppose the underlying bill, H.R. 4606.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with excitement and a sense of pride in my heart. Today, Mr. Speaker, I am here to share some great news coming out of my hometown of Chicago, Illinois, because next week, on Monday, a group of smart, dedicated, and hardworking young African American men from Dunbar High School located in my district will start new jobs in the skills-based industry. These jobs, Mr. Speaker, and the young men's employment are a result of a robust partnership and a sincere commitment to diversity that brought the city of Chicago, the Chicago public schools, and the IBEW Local 134 together to form an innovative construction trades program. Mr. Speaker, I am extremely encouraged by these motivated and diligent young men who never gave up and who saw the opportunity and hope that was available to them that extended beyond their environment. This program, the partnership it represents, and the hopes that it inspires is spot on. It is exactly the type of investment our most vulnerable communities need because it has the potential to yield life- altering results. Programs like this one not only provide hope by decreasing joblessness, but they have the ability to play a major role in reducing the pervasive violence that plagues our Nation and our communities. This particular program, Mr. Speaker, is an important endeavor that offers more opportunities to underserved communities across the Nation by providing students in their junior and senior years of high school the chance to learn skills in fields including general construction, carpentry, heating, air conditioning, plumbing, welding, and electrical work, among many, many others. After graduation, students have multiple options available to them. They can enter a pre-apprenticeship program; they can pursue a postsecondary education; or they can obtain professional certification that will lead to immediate employment, as it has for these young men. Mr. Speaker, I just want to take a moment and recognize Mayor Rahm Emanuel's commitment to seeing this program's initiation and inauguration to get off the ground. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, this would not have been possible without the hard work and devotion of some dedicated individuals and organizations. So I want to thank the IBEW Local 134 and Don Finn, its president, and the city of Chicago, the Chicago public schools, and, most importantly, the instructors and the mentors of these young men for their persistence in seeing that this vision emerged and ensuring that the next generation that builds America represents the diversity of America. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely wish these young men the best as they embark on this new chapter in their lives. I want them to know that, with their perseverance, they have made it easier for those individuals, those young men and young women, who will follow in their footsteps. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer my amendment that finally addresses a longstanding and discriminatory gap in coverage and expands treatment options for those suffering from addiction. This House, Mr. Chairman, should be commended for its work on opioid addiction, but let us not forget that we have insidiously ignored another pervasive and catastrophically destructive addiction that is known as crack cocaine. To remedy this, Mr. Chairman, my amendment would expand the bill to include those individuals suffering from cocaine use disorder and explicitly clarifies the inclusion of cocaine base, more commonly known as crack cocaine, which, along with opiates, is a double-barrel cause of drug-related deaths in communities like mine all across this Nation. Too often, Mr. Chairman, this House seems to only have focused on issues when they have affected the majority, the White population. This leaves vulnerable, non-White, minority Americans without any chance to escape from their illness and their resulting suffering. Too often, Mr. Chairman, the government's response to minority Americans has been mass incarceration instead of treatment. Too often, Mr. Chairman, crises that impact the African American communities are seen as a criminal justice problem, while those that affect the White community are seen as a public health problem. That phenomenon changes today. I know opponents of this amendment will say that we should be expanding coverage to all those suffering from addiction. I wholeheartedly agree, Mr. Chairman, with that statement. However, while more remains to be done, today's action is a step in the right direction. This is an important moment for those who have been addicted to crack and have been denied such access to treatment. Today they will finally get relief as we make historic progress in the fight against addiction and the injustice that continues to tear communities apart. For this reason, I urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this worthwhile and meaningful amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, before I close, I want to, in a most sincere and humble way, thank Chairman Walden for his outstanding leadership on this matter, and for his breadth of understanding of the difficulties that my constituents have as a result of the omission from treatments for crack cocaine and other similar addictions. I do understand the ranking member on the full committee's problems and concerns. I do understand, and I accept it. But, Mr. Chairman, we have to go forward on this particular amendment and on final passage. Mr. Chairman, I thank Congressman Walden, and all of the staffs, for working with my staff on this critically important issue. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today out of anger and frustration at a deplorable situation in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. I was shocked to read in yesterday's Chicago Tribune about the callous disregard demonstrated for our poor and vulnerable citizens by Alden Management Services, who operate Wentworth Rehabilitation & Health Care Center in my district, and I am here today to call on Alden to shut it down. This so-called skilled nursing facility allowed a patient to remain on fire while an employee enjoyed a beverage. To add insult to injury, many residents have to endure bug bites, bruises, and other forms of neglect. This is the epitome of negligence and should not happen. This is America. It is not a coincidence, Mr. Speaker, that most of these residents are poor seniors and African Americans. Where were CMS and the other regulatory and oversight authorities? Mr. Speaker, this is reprehensible. Once again, I call for this hellhole to be shut down immediately.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent in the House Chamber for rollcall vote 178. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.'' Additionally, on rollcall No. 179, I was inadvertently recorded as voting ``nay.'' I support H.R. 3053, the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2017, and my vote should be recorded as ``yea.''

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and honor the memory of Dr. Rosemary Jackson. Dr. Jackson was an educator in Chicago. Dr. Jackson was an entrepreneur. Dr. Jackson was an exceptional community leader who passed away last week and leaves behind a stellar legacy that will endure throughout the years. Dr. Jackson was a lifelong Chicago resident who had a passion for education, a passion that began when she was a young girl. She received her Ph.D. from Loyola University and her master's degree from both National College of Education and DePaul University. Beginning her career as an English teacher at her alma mater, John Marshall High School--my alma mater--she went on to teach at local institutions such as Hyde Park High School on the South Side in my district, Kennedy-King College in my district, and her beloved DePaul University. In all of these places, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Jackson deeply touched countless lives and inspired so many young people. Dr. Jackson, Mr. Speaker, was a pillar of the community and a person deeply committed to public service. She was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, for which she chaired several committees during her 50-year tenure as an active member. Beyond her love for education and her love for community service, Dr. Jackson was a beloved wife and mother. She was the vice chairman and the chief administrative officer at Chicago-based Central City Productions, the business that she helped develop with her lifelong partner, her devoted husband, my longtime friend, Mr. Donald Jackson. Central City Productions, Mr. Speaker, is best known for producing the Stellar Awards, the first and the oldest televised awards show in our Nation that honored gospel music artists for over 33 years. Dr. Jackson achieved so much in her life through hard work and determination. She never gave up, always fought for what was right, and made it her life's mission to help students in Chicago explore their potential and their educational possibility. Dr. Jackson was a truly remarkable, smart, and phenomenal woman who enjoyed the arts, sports, and loved line dancing. She had a smile that would light up a room. Dr. Jackson will be missed by her family, her friends, our city, our State and, indeed, our Nation and all those who fondly remember her beautiful and loving spirit. I was blessed to know her, and Chicago was better because of her. My heart goes out to her entire family. The last time I saw Dr. Jackson was last year. My late wife, Carolyn, and I were going into one of our favorite restaurants in the Hyde Park community and Rose and Don Jackson, her husband, were leaving, and we stopped for a moment and had a conversation. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of the First Congressional District of Illinois, thank you, Rose. Thank you. God bless you. Enjoy your rest. You have earned it.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2872, the Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague from the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Bucshon from Indiana, for sponsoring this bipartisan piece of legislation. I would also like to acknowledge the committee staffs from both the majority and minority sides for working together in good faith to develop a bill that resolved the differences between the two sides as we proceeded through the committee process in order to get the bill onto the floor here today. Mr. Speaker, I am a huge proponent of hydropower as a safe, reliable, carbon-free way of providing energy to millions of Americans, especially when the licensing process is conducted in a reasonable and transparent manner that takes into account environmental safeguards as well as the rights and interests of the affected local communities. Mr. Speaker, I believe that H.R. 2872 encompasses all of these objections. H.R. 2872 would allow FERC, in consultation with Federal and State resource agencies, as well as Native American Tribes, to establish an expedited licensing process for installing hydropower generation at existing dams that don't produce electricity by exempting these projects from regulation under the Federal Power Act. Mr. Speaker, under this bill, FERC would be required to provide a final decision on license applications within 2 years of receiving a completed application for new generation projects at nonpowered dams that are completely constructed as of the date of the bill's enactment and which aren't generating electricity through hydropower. Eligible projects, Mr. Speaker, must not result in any material change to the storage, release, or flow operations of the dam. H.R. 2872 would also require FERC to establish an interagency task force, consisting of relevant Federal and State agencies, as well as Native American Tribes, that would all coordinate the authorizations necessary to license the facility. FERC would also be required to gauge the safety of non-Federal dams under consideration and to require the facility to meet the Commission's dam safety requirements throughout the term of the license. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, FERC would work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the Interior and Agriculture Departments, to develop a list of existing nonpowered federally owned dams with the greatest potential for non-Federal hydropower development. Finally, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2872 would exempt hydropower applicants from having to pay annual fees associated with the licenses until construction actually commences on the project. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2872 represents a major step in the right direction for increasing our ability to issue hydropower permits in a fair, transparent, and expedited way, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this notable bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack), an outstanding member of the subcommittee.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1733, which would update a 2006 Department of Energy report on the energy and environmental benefits of re-refining used lubricating oil. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1733 represents a commonsense bill aimed at saving energy and protecting the environment by finding additional ways to reuse lubricating oil. Mr. Speaker, these measures may include increasing the collection of used oil, distributing public information on sustainable reuse, and encouraging the recycling of used oils. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. is responsible for almost one-quarter of the global lubricating oil market; however, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, we are currently behind our European counterparts in our ability to recycle this product. Mr. Speaker, this bill will help conserve energy and protect the environment by providing a Federal strategy to re-refine lubricating oil that can be used in all different types of gas and diesel engines. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mrs. Brooks from Indiana, for sponsoring this bipartisan bill, and I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2880, the Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act. Mr. Speaker, as I have stated many times before, I am a strong supporter of hydropower, which provides clean, renewable, carbon-free, reliable energy for millions of American businesses and households. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I must commend my Energy and Commerce Committee colleague Mr. Griffin from Virginia for sponsoring this important, bipartisan piece of legislation. I must also applaud the work of the committee staff from both sides of the aisle for their tireless work in negotiating a bill that I believe all Members can fully support. Mr. Speaker, closed-loop pump hydroelectric storage facilities operate in a capacity similar to batteries in that when there is a surplus of energy, water is pumped to an upper reservoir, and when more energy is needed, that water can then be released to produce electricity through the use of turbines. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2880 would require FERC to create an expedited licensing process for closed-loop pumped storage projects within 2 years of receiving a completed application. FERC would also be required to issue a rule establishing the new process within 180 days of this bill's enactment. Mr. Speaker, in order to ensure local stakeholder input and collaboration, FERC will establish an interagency task force representing Federal and State agencies, as well as Native American Tribes, that would coordinate the authorizations needed to license the facility. H.R. 2880, Mr. Speaker, would also direct FERC to evaluate the safety of any dam or other existing structure that would be associated with a project and specify that potential projects could not cause significant changes to surface and groundwater uses or adversely impact threatened or endangered species. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2880 would, for the first time, allow additional entities, including private partners, to join as co-licensees with municipalities in order to take advantage of the municipal preference. That preference would continue for such a private-public partnership even at the point that the municipality does not retain a majority interest in the project. H.R. 2880, Mr. Speaker, also mandates FERC to hold a workshop and issue guidance within 6 months of enactment to assist license applicants for closed-loop pumped storage projects at abandoned mine sites. Mr. Speaker, this provision would allow for these abandoned mines, many of which may already have the infrastructure in place to accommodate these projects, to be repurposed, potentially putting unemployed mining communities back to work. So, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2880 is a much-needed, bipartisan, critical piece of legislation that would help to increase the number of low- carbon hydropower projects, while also taking into account the needs and interests of impacted local stakeholders. I strongly support this bill, Mr. Speaker, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters), another notable outstanding member of the subcommittee.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on this side, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, November 18th is National Adoption Day, intended to raise awareness of adoption. Since the beginning of National Adoption Day, over 65,000 children have been placed in a home. On any given day 428,000 children are in foster care in the United States. Currently, in Illinois, there are 2,806 foster children waiting to be adopted. Mr. Speaker, to recognize this important day, I am participating in a wonderful project that highlights the importance of finding adoptive families for foster children waiting a permanent home. For the month of November, I will be honoring the Olsson family from Evergreen Park, Illinois, which is in my district. Scott and Heather Olsson adopted a 12-year-old boy named Nathan. On his 11th birthday, Nathan received the best gift when the Olsson's decided to open their heart and their home as foster parents. Nathan remembers the laughter and warmth of the first night he spent with his adoptive family. They were all having a great time as his father Scott, told ``corny Dad jokes.'' Then his parents set a birthday cake on the table that read ``Welcome Home.'' Nathan remembers that moment as he thought, ``Home! I feel home for real.'' Since then the Olsson family has created wonderful memories, and I know they have many more to create. Many more birthdays, holidays, and special occasions. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Heather and Scott Olsson for breaking the cycle for a young boy. Because of you, he no longer goes from foster home to foster home and instead, has a stable home. Because of you, there is one less child in the system. At the age of 12, Nathan understands the simplicity and efficiency of adopting an infant, but he urges those considering adoption to consider an older child who may have made poor choices because of instability. And Mr. Speaker, in the words of Heather Olsson, it's always scary to add a new family member, whether adopted or biological, but don't allow that fear to hold you back. Adoption is a rewarding experience.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, in this season of trying and tough times made even tougher by the skullduggery of the Republican Members of this body, I rise today to pay tribute to my personal hero and longtime friend, Ms. Jewel Barker, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday. Mama Jewel, as she is affectionately known to so many, was born November 3, 1927, in Solgohachia, Arkansas. She grew up in Wardell, Missouri, and attended Central High School in Hayti, Missouri, and later she attended the Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, Mama Jewel always felt a strong drive to improve her life which led to her residing and working in Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, before settling in our hometown of Chicago, Illinois, in 1956. Though she worked several jobs, her aspiration was to return to school to earn her teaching credentials. She attained this goal by receiving a master's degree in education from the Chicago Teachers College and, in later years, a master's degree from DePaul University in Chicago. Her love of justice for all people did not stop there. Her support for civil rights and equality culminated in her serving as ``Mama'' to the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party. During Mama Jewel's 38 years as an educator, she served as a teacher, mentor, counselor, role model, and as a mother figure to many. She worked tirelessly, Mr. Speaker, with students and family members in programs that met before school, after school, and even on weekends. She provided housing and financial support for several young people so they could further their education. Mama Jewel's passion has always been focused on helping others and encouraging people to realize their full potential. This led her to playing an active part in the civil rights movement, a role that she first accepted when she organized a boycott in Wardell, Missouri, in the 1950s, after its board of education failed to use money allocated there for indoor toilets in the African-American school. Mr. Speaker, her passion for this cause was so great that Mama Jewel went door to door asking parents not to send their children to school, a decision that ultimately led to an installation of those very same toilets. Even after retiring in 1994, she volunteered her time and her talents at her former school and at other schools where her former students taught. In addition to her love for family and her love for service, Mama Jewel has always been a well-rounded enthusiast, displaying many of her talents and interests, which include sports, theatrical performances, cooking, and baking. To this day, Mr. Speaker, she remains very active in her church and in her community. I know I am so blessed to know Mama Jewel. I am so blessed that Mama Jewel poured her all into my late son Huey's life. I am so blessed that she still is the matriarch of the family and of the movement. So on behalf of the citizens of the First Congressional District of Illinois, I would like to congratulate my friend, Mama Jewel Barker, on this milestone and wish her many, many, many more birthdays. May the Lord continue to bless Mama Jewel. May the Lord continue to shine His Shekinah glory upon Mama Jewel's countenance and upon her family.