Harley Rouda

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I stand today as a cosponsor of this important amendment offered by my colleague and fellow Californian, Representative Torres. Our State and many others across the country are showing the world how to take meaningful steps to meet our Paris climate agreement commitments. While the current administration continues to do everything in its power to prioritize industry conflicts of interest over the sustainability and future of our planet, I am proud of the forward- thinking work being done in our cities, like the ones in my district, in Orange County, and States like the one I call home, California. These important efforts must not be prohibited. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, this amendment recognizes that American cities, States, and businesses are stepping up and pledging to meet the Paris Agreement goals in the wake of absent and uncertain United States Federal leadership. While the current administration takes steps to actively undermine the position of the United States on the global stage with regard to climate change, an unprecedented coalition of American States, cities, and businesses are taking action and working to lead the United States to a low-carbon future, as affirmed by the Paris Agreement. Cities across the country and in my home State of California are taking on the challenge of combating climate change. These cities are implementing new sustainability initiatives by targeting 100 percent renewable energy, recycling 100 percent of wastewater, and working toward net zero carbon emission goals. As California continues to be an international leader in forward- thinking policy and environmental stewardship, we are not alone. When describing the ongoing work and the action still needed, California Governor Jerry Brown said, ``We're at the base camp of Mount Everest, and we're looking up at the long way we still have to go.'' That is why, without Federal leadership, States are left taking the lead. The United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of Governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement, just added its 24th State this week. I reiterate: This bipartisan coalition of Governors is committed to taking real, on-the-ground action to urgently address climate change by implementing policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2025, tracking and reporting progress to the global community, and accelerating new and existing policies to reduce carbon pollution and promote clean energy deployment. Businesses, large and small, are stepping up across a wide range of industries. Large corporations and small businesses alike have already taken steps to develop and deploy high-impact climate action strategies. They see opportunities in working toward a low-carbon future and support the aims of the Paris Agreement. However, for this transition to succeed, federal governments must also lead. That is why I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of my amendment and the underlying bill. We must remain in the Paris climate agreement and work to meet our commitment for future generations. The time for action is now. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider), my colleague.

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA

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

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, transgender and gender nonconforming people face extraordinary levels of physical and sexual violence. According to the U.S. Transgender Survey, which surveyed nearly 28,000 transgender Americans across all 50 States, nearly half of transgender individuals have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and nearly 1 in 10 respondents in the survey reported that they were physically attacked in the past year because of being transgender. Transgender people face disproportionate harassment and violence. More than one in four transgender people have faced bias-driven assault, and this rate is higher for trans women and trans people of color. The fear caused by these acts sends people underground and away from community services and support. This violence has deadly consequences. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has found that transgender and gender nonconforming people have an elevated prevalence of suicide attempts, especially when they have suffered physical or sexual assault. As always, listening to and believing survivors is critical, and I stand committed to rejecting the prejudice and hate facing transgender and gender nonconforming people in our Nation. Far too often, the experiences of transgender and gender nonconforming people are ignored and overlooked. My amendment, which is supported by the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality, adds language to the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act that recognizes the ongoing epidemic of violence against these members of the LGBTQ community. Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment that seeks to include the experiences of transgender and gender nonconforming people in this important piece of legislation. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the Member's comments and agree that suicide, nationally, is an issue, regardless of the situation, and I appreciate his comments that anybody in that situation should be encouraged to reach out. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, as we seek to reauthorize this landmark piece of bipartisan legislation, it is important that we recognize we have a long way to go to end rape, sexual violence, and sexual harassment on college campuses. Nearly one-quarter of American college women experience sexual violence. Let me repeat. Nearly one-quarter of college women experience sexual violence while attending school. We have failed the young people of our Nation who are tirelessly pursuing higher education and chasing the American Dream. The Violence Against Women Act supports hundreds of thousands of sexual assault survivors across the United States; however, we must do more to prevent these acts of sexual violence from occurring in the first place. My amendment would give colleges and universities the opportunity to use grant funding to offer or improve the delivery of primary prevention training. Primary prevention training is exactly what it sounds like. It seeks to educate and change the culture on college campuses. It promotes healthy relationships and addresses community and societal challenges. It teaches students consent and stops sexual assaults from occurring. Organizations like End Rape on Campus know that primary prevention training works, and they are in full support of this amendment. As I mentioned earlier, one-quarter of college women experience sexual violence while on campus. Today, we can begin to change that unacceptable statistic by adopting this amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, as I mentioned, 25 percent of female students on campus have experienced sexual assault, yet less than 10 percent of college students who experience sexual violence report their assaults. For many survivors, reporting a sexual assault is an incredibly traumatic process that forces them to repeatedly relive the worst days or nights of their lives. More than just traumatic, reporting can be dangerous or detrimental to one's social status, academic pursuits, or career prospects. Knowing that 90 percent of students feel uncomfortable with the current reporting process, my amendment would give colleges and universities the opportunity to use grant funding to offer alternative justice response programs. These programs allow for a nonpunitive response to objectionable conduct, seek accountability from the accused, provide alternative pathways for justice and healing for survivors, and give an opportunity for education and behavioral change. Research has shown that alternative justice programs, which return autonomy and control to survivors, can lessen PTSD symptoms. Working toward justice and healing are not always linear processes, and this amendment would allow for the complex experiences of survivors to be respected and supported. Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's comments. As I mentioned early, when you look at 25 percent of the female student body experiencing sexual assault on campus, and only 10 percent feeling comfortable to come forward and report, that 90 percent of them that do not feel that they have an avenue that they are comfortable with to share their story and seek justice, this is an opportunity to do just that. There is no evidence that suggests those universities that have already provided restorative justice have seen a decline in actual reports. As such, I think this is a program that provides exactly what was laid out in the amendment and should have bipartisan support. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chairman, I will point out that lots of times victims do not come forward to the police department and the court system because they recognize that they often will not get justice. That could be because of a lack of evidence, or that could be for other reasons. This provides another recourse for them. As the father of a daughter and three sons, I would want to see this available for those kids in that type of a situation, that if the victim felt this was the right course of action for them to address that issue, then I believe this amendment helps them do just that. And while I respect my colleague's comment, again, I would hold the amendment up as is, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chairman, my final amendment addresses training for all participants involved in the complaint resolution process. Campus disciplinary processes, governed by Title IX, vary by school, and involve many participants before the complaint even reaches the hearing phase where a campus disciplinary or judicial board would be involved. Many survivors never even reach the hearing phase. At the same time, throughout the disclosure process, survivors are required to relive and discuss their sexual assaults with administrators, faculty, and staff. As previously mentioned, only 10 percent of college student survivors officially report their assault. When and if they decide to report, survivors deserve to be met with trauma-informed care, and campus faculty and staff deserve training on the best practices to meet this critical need. My amendment would give colleges and universities the opportunity to use grant funding for training of all participants involved with the resolution process in training which identifies or responds to crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Resolution process members include the Title IX coordinator's office, as well as the office of student conduct. This training will ensure that survivors are treated with more respect, professionalism, and compassion by every school official, campus security guard, administrator, and professor. I urge Members to adopt this amendment which promotes effective and positive responses to survivors on college campuses. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, last week, the President put a five-alarm fire on American families by putting the government's weight behind a lawsuit designed to cripple many healthcare protections. The ordinary people whose lives will be upended by this decision have been offered a raw deal to blow up healthcare and fix it later, but even that is a false promise. There is no plan to help the 316,000 people with preexisting conditions in coastal Orange County or the millions of Americans across our country. There has been no plan for 10 years. We have to recognize that the inability to pay healthcare expenses is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States and a leading cause of homelessness. I hope my Republican colleagues will have the chance to show the American people that Congress isn't completely without common sense and decency by voting for our resolution Tuesday condemning this ideological crusade to take away healthcare from millions of needy American families.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of this bipartisan amendment, which would codify disclosure requirements for paid Congressional fellowships sponsored by nongovernment sources. It has been a privilege to work with Congresswoman Foxx and her office on this amendment to enhance transparency in Congress, and I thank her for her attention to this matter. I look forward to continuing to work with Congresswoman Foxx and my other colleagues across the aisle to advance bipartisan initiatives. I am eager to work with Democrats and Republicans to find common ground and deliver practical, commonsense solutions for the American people. By passing this bipartisan amendment, we can show our constituents that we are serious about improving transparency and accountability in the people's House. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment.

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

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, the people of Orange County sent me to Congress because they were disillusioned with the nature of our politics, whether it is the toxic partnership or the vice grip of special interest money on our political system. I offer these amendments today to improve this landmark bill by regulating political ads and restore voters' confidence in our elections. Our government has, for too long, preferred to shield special interests instead of our constituents; and that ends by getting out of politics and passing the For the People Act. In an age of advanced cybersecurity threats, more States are looking to one of the oldest technologies in existence, paper. Currently, the majority of States utilize some form of paper ballot for elections, with more taking steps to adopt paper-only systems. My amendment would require the use of recycled paper for Federal elections, a critical step to increasing the sustainability of our elections. Recycled paper production emits 40 percent fewer greenhouse gases, uses 26 percent less energy, and creates 43 percent less water waste than non-recycled paper. The impact of requiring the use of recycled paper for ballots is significant when you consider the amount of paper used in the United States. In fact, Americans use approximately 85 million tons of paper a year, about 680 pounds per person per year. Recycling just 1 ton of paper can save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space, and 4,000 kilowatts of energy, reducing greenhouse gases by 1 metric ton of carbon. As security concerns continue to inspire moves to replace electronic voting methods with paper ballots, we must be mindful of the environmental impact. Using recycled paper for our ballots would improve not just our right to vote, but also save the environment. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for his comments, but with all due respect, I don't believe the facts support those statements. It is quite clear that many States are already using recycled paper in their ballots, and recycled paper often can be cheaper than the paper chosen by certain States. This is a small request that goes a long way in supporting environmental health across our great country and continuing to fight climate change. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, while I appreciate the comments and concerns about the potential increase in cost to local and State institutions in administering the vote, I would point out that my Republican brethren were quick to pass a tax bill that added $2 trillion to our deficit, while simultaneously not addressing requests by local municipalities and States for additional funding to make sure that we had proper voting taking place for all voters across the U.S. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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