Jan Schakowsky

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. ``The President engaged in a second phase of conduct, involving public attacks of the investigation, nonpublic efforts to control it, and efforts in both public and private to encourage witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation.'' Volume II, page 7. ``The President's position as the head of the executive branch provided him with unique and powerful means of influencing official proceedings, subordinate officers, and potential witnesses.'' Volume II, page 7. ``Substantial evidence indicates that the President's effort to have Sessions limit the scope of the special counsel's investigation to future election interference was intended to prevent further investigative scrutiny of the President's and his campaign's conduct.'' Volume II, page 97. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. We have talked about how shocking it is for our country, the United States of America, which is, despite any effort to change, a country of immigrants. I know the gentlewoman, herself, is an immigrant to the United States of America. My parents, neither were born in the United States of America. But this is a place where my family was able to find refuge from the pogroms in Eastern Europe and make a good life here. And yet, today, we are seeing such horror that, if it were another country, I think we would want sanctions. We would go to the United Nations. How could a country separate families? And it is not just at the border, as Members know. Inside our country, in my city of Chicago, we are finding families that are scared all the time, mixed families where the children might be citizens and the parents undocumented. The kids are afraid to go to school, wondering if their parents will be there when they get home. But that trip to the border that the Congresswoman helped organize is something that I will never, ever forget. Seeing people in cages, seeing that grandmother--remember?--who was inconsolable because she came with her 7-year-old granddaughter who was taken from her because our country did not recognize a grandmother as family. That child was redesignated as an unaccompanied minor, and she thought she may never see her granddaughter again, and maybe that is true. There are thousands, we think, of children and families that are separated. We don't know. Nobody knows. The Department of Homeland Security doesn't know how many children have been separated from their parents. We saw some moms who were being reunited with their children, and one of them was furious, and I was curious as to why. This mother said her 8-year-old daughter was told, ``Your mother abandoned you.'' Someone representing our country said that to a child. Who does that? ``Your mother abandoned you, and you will be in a shelter until you are 18 years old.'' That reunion, mother and daughter, did not go smoothly at first, as you can imagine. I mean, we saw a whole room full of people pleading guilty to crossing the border because it wasn't at a designated border crossing. It was so painful to see that. And that was the beginning of the zero- tolerance policy. And we are still seeing families separated, families suffering 1 year later. And, Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for calling attention to this and for organizing that visit to the border, which is forever in my mind.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the underlying bill. Climate change is the greatest, the greatest, and most urgent challenge of our time and this government should never put corporate profits and those kinds of concerns ahead of the health and safety of our children and our future. Climate change isn't just a Democratic or a Republican issue. It is an existential issue for our species on this planet. I am hearing so many mischaracterizations of what the Paris accord is. These standards that are applied to the United States are not from the outside, not coming from across the pond. We agree to reduce carbon emissions on our own terms. Every country develops its own plan and its own program. This issue about jobs is just ridiculous. Everyone understands that our future is not in the fossil fuel industry. The future is in the green technologies that are being developed by entrepreneurs. Young people get it. The 21st century jobs of the future are clean technologies that make sure our planet is good and that entrepreneurs can actually succeed. The costs of not doing this right now are so enormous. We are seeing, practically every year, what are called 500-year floods. They are only supposed to happen once every 500 years, and now we are seeing State after State, in my own Midwest, under water, and it happens all the time.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. What is the cost that we are bearing in all of our States and at the Federal level to mitigate the problems that are caused by climate change? And I want to just say to my colleagues: These words are on the Record. You might want to consider not embarrassing your children and your grandchildren and future generations of yours with making the kinds of statements you are.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, clearly, we have hit a nerve with the Republicans on the Affordable Care Act, which they opposed before it began, have been opposing it for 9 years, promising to come up with some sort of a repeal and replace, never being able to do it, and now standing up here and saying life was better before the Affordable Care Act. Amazing. People with preexisting conditions love the Affordable Care Act. Why are we here in the majority today? Because the American people came to understand that before the Affordable Care Act, children born with preexisting conditions from the day of birth were not able to be covered by healthcare, that there were limits in how much insurance companies would pay per year or per lifetime caps, and making families live in fear of disaster and financial chaos. So, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the Trump administration and their decision to support the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, not in the Congress, but now in the courts. They couldn't defeat it here. They tried when they had the majority in both Houses and could not repeal it. When I came here, being a woman was essentially a preexisting condition. Women paid more for healthcare, sometimes 40 percent more, just because we are women. Pregnancy was very rarely covered by insurance, and now women are covered for those things like preventive services, mammograms, pregnancy. The Affordable Care Act has let people 26 years old stay on their parents' policies. No wonder the American people have completely turned around and understood the sham that the Republicans were offering and support the Affordable Care Act.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, as we near the end of March, which is Lymphedema Awareness Month, I rise to mark my reintroduction of the Lymphedema Treatment Act. When a cancer patient has her lymph nodes removed and experiences swelling and discomfort, it is a jarring experience. She is then often hit with another surprise: many insurers, including Medicare, do not cover a critical treatment for lymphedema-- compression garments. This is one more challenge on top of the monumental battle of fighting cancer. Including medically-necessary compression garments in Medicare coverage is a common-sense solution to increase access for the 10 million people who suffer from lymphedema. That is what my bill would do. Coverage under Medicare sets a precedent and is an important step in increasing access to compression garments for all Americans. 384 of my colleagues cosponsored this bill last Congress, and almost 100 have joined me and Representatives Buddy Carter, Earl Blumenauer, and Mike Kelly as original cosponsors today. It is critical that we pass this bill into law. Finally, I want to thank the Lymphedema Advocacy Group in particular for their tireless work in championing the Lymphedema Treatment Act. Today, my heart is with Elaine Eigeman, board chair of the Lymphedema Advocacy Group, who recently entered hospice care. She has been a champion for lymphedema patients for years, and she is the primary reason this bill was first introduced four years ago. I am proud to reintroduce this bill in her honor.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished career of Michael Mikulka, who is retiring after 43 years of distinguished service at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and after serving as President of AFGE Local 704. Mike was recently awarded ``Man of the Year'' honors by AFGE District 7 for his fight to save the EPA Region 5 office and the jobs of the scientists and engineers who protect the Midwest. He helped protect our environment and fought for the rights of EPA workers over his more than four decades of work at the EPA, and I honor and thank him for his important work. Michael Mikulka started his career at the Environmental Protection Agency in November 1976 in the Water Division at EPA's Region 5 Chicago, Illinois Office, where he first helped municipalities receive grants under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to install wastewater treatment plant systems. He then enforced the Clean Water Act, taking charge of the Region's CWA enforcement, bringing cases in civil court for injunctive relief and penalties against polluters who dumped toxins into our lakes and streams. Mike then moved to the EPA Region 5 Land and Chemicals Division, where he was charged with cleaning up complicated hazardous waste sites in communities throughout the Midwest. As part of his career at EPA, Mike received numerous commendations, awards and medals attesting to his superior service to the region. Mike has been a Professional Engineer for over 35 years and was recently elected a life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, where he has been a member for over 40 years. Some of the significant projects Mike worked on at EPA include: Participating on an inter-agency task force which developed the plan to clean up the Combined Sewer Overflows in the Twin Cities; Helping develop the Region 5 Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) control strategy, much of which was later incorporated into the national CSO control strategy; Leading an interagency task force to develop a strategy to clean up the Grand Calumet River, the most polluted river in the Great Lakes region; Bringing and resolving cases against those polluting the Grand Calumet River, as Chief of Clean Water Act (CWA) enforcement officer for Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota; While he was the EPA Region 5 head of CWA enforcement, the region consistently led the nation in environmental enforcement with respect to numbers of cases, penalties collected, and environmental benefit; Helping EPA Region 5's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Branch became the regional enforcement contact on the RCRA hazardous waste air emissions standards and conducted training nationwide for EPA, states and industry; Providing technical assistance to regional staff to develop and prosecute cases against fuel blenders and other treatment, storage and disposal facilities who were not meeting the RCRA air emissions standards; Working on significant hazardous waste cleanup projects across the Region, including active and closed steel mills in northwest Indiana and Ohio; Cleaning up arsenic and other contamination from the Menominee River, resulting in an ability to de-list the river as a Great Lakes Area of Concern. As a Member of Congress, I have personally worked with Mike and have observed his endless dedication to the environment and to the hard- working employees of the EPA. Mike will be remembered for his important work protecting the environment in the region, for his leadership in AFGE Local 704, and for his support of the EPA and its wonderful staff. He will be missed.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I want to recognize the following letter submitted to the Daily Herald newspaper by my constituent Frank G. Splitt of Mount Prospect, Illinois. Mr. Splitt rightly acknowledges the contributions to our nation made by General Andrew J. Goodpaster, who amongst other things, served as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and superintendent of West Point. I encourage all my colleagues to learn about the contributions made by this legendary general from Illinois. [From the Daily Herald, Mar. 9, 2019] An Illinoisan Too Important To Ignore (Letter to the Editor, Opinion) In a recent Wall Street Journal column, ``Five Best Books on American Generals'' Winston Groom recommended works about military leaders. C. Richard Nelson's book, ``The Life and Work of General Andrew J. Goodpaster,'' was conspicuous by virtue of its absence from Groom's list--so too was the absence of General Goodpaster from the Herald's March 3, 2019 supplement, ``Illinois' Rich History, People Places & Things that Make Illinois Stand Out.'' Readers of Nelson's biography will find that Goodpaster (1915-2005), born in Granite City, Illinois, graduated from West Point in 1939. He was a soldier, engineer, and scholar who led and fought with uncommon valor in World War II, advised several presidents, most notably President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (1969-1974). He has been called the finest officer of our era. Goodpaster was brought out of retirement in 1977 to serve as the superintendent of West Point as it was reeling from a cheating scandal. In his four-year tenure at the academy, he sought to substitute ``positive leadership'' for hazing and personal abuse. Subsequent to Goodpaster's government service, among other things, he served as the Chairman of the George C. Marshall Foundation and as a senior fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He was the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President Reagan in 1984, for ``lifetime accomplishments that changed the face and soul of our country.'' Goodpaster's approach to analysis and decision making provides valuable lessons for current and aspiring leaders. His life story should serve as an inspiration to others who are challenged with the task of resolving complex domestic and foreign policy issues. It has been said that General Goodpaster remains ``too important to ignore.'' Frank G. Splitt, Mount Prospect.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand here today as we work to pass gun violence prevention legislation. I would like to share a letter from a fifth grader constituent of mine, Alex, from Northfield, Illinois, that perfectly explains why we must pass H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112. Alex writes: ``I don't want to see innocent people dying for no reason. I want all children to feel safe at school. I want all adults to feel safe at work. I want all people to feel safe in their city. I think stronger gun laws will help and also make sure that everyone that buys a gun has to have a thorough background check.'' Well, Alex, you are absolutely right, and we are about to finally ensure that everyone who purchases a gun undergoes a comprehensive background check. The next step is banning assault weapons. This fifth grader and students around the country are telling us to do something real to make them safer, and finally, at long last, the House of Representatives will take action today.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, a week ago, we had a roundtable in my district, and we invited, including Madam Speaker today, to come and listen to the workers. Tamara, who works for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, said that she is trying to figure out how to tell her son that he is not going to be able to have his birthday party. She is a young widow, single mother. Veronica said that she has to take care of her parents and has to pay for their medicines and their copays, and it is really hard. Lori said that workers at the IRS are trying to figure out how to pay for gas to get to work, parking, and childcare. And the taxpayer assistance office is closed, even though we have a new tax bill. Kevin said the morale at the Bureau of Prisons is really tough. He lives 50 miles from work and is just about out of gas money. Crystal said: We are public servants. We are not public slaves. And Florence, who helps people get food stamps, is applying for them herself and waited 3 hours at a food pantry. Madam Speaker, we need to get rid of the shutdown and pay the workers now.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I really appreciate the opportunity to come down and talk. Our colleague from Alabama was talking about Martin Luther King, who also talked about the urgency of now. If there is a time for urgency, it is now to end the shutdown and pay the workers. He also talked about and warned about that, if you wait too long, it can be too late. So this is the time to spare what is a growing disaster for all Americans from happening. Wilbur Ross, our Commerce Secretary, said that he doesn't quite understand why these furloughed and unpaid workers might have to go to a food bank. He doesn't understand. That is exemplary of the level at which this administration is completely tone-deaf and out of touch, that they don't understand how people--the beginning salary for a TSA worker at the airport is $28,000, and sometimes it goes up to maybe $43,000. Tomorrow will be the second paycheck that they don't get. So a number of us in Chicago had a roundtable that included eight Members of the House of Representatives, Democrats, and Senator Durbin. Madam Speaker right now in the chair was at that roundtable. We heard from 18 different workers from different agencies talking. Wilbur Ross ought to talk to Florence, who is helping people get food stamps and found herself having to apply for food stamps, for the SNAP program. She waited 3 hours at a food bank. Why? Because the lines are growing and growing and growing of people who, yes, need to get food on their tables and can't afford to do it. Shame on Secretary Ross for not understanding what is going on out there. We are hearing of people giving blood and plasma in order to have a few dollars to put food on the table. We are hearing about people running out of gas money, and that means that they can't get to work. This is money that comes out of their pocket while they are not getting paychecks. Madam Speaker, to Mitch McConnell, who doesn't want to call bills that would actually get the government going, I say: Shame on you. Shame on you, Wilbur Ross. Shame on this administration. This is a crisis. This is a disaster that you are creating. You can end it. So the demand is clear: End the shutdown; pay the workers.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record a letter from Antonio, a constituent of mine affected by this showdown: ``I am an air traffic controller at O'Hare. This is already a stressful job, but a job that I love. This shutdown is adding an extra layer of stress to all of the controllers across the country. Our day off are the time that we have to decompress from work and focus on mitigating stress. With the shutdown going past a month, we are stressing about bills, how to put food on the table, how to pay for childcare, etc. We don't have the luxury of escaping from the stress of the job, because we come to the stress of worrying. Finding out that our vision and dental benefits would be billed to us, with the expectation that we pay out of pocket, despite not having a paycheck for over a month, has only added to that stress. This shutdown is going to be a massive safety risk for the flying public if it doesn't end soon. Controllers will retire or quit to find another source of income. It would be heartbreaking to have to leave this job, that I love so much, because I had to find a way to feed my family. It would mean a lot to me if there was any way this could be distributed to the other members of Congress. I feel it is a very important message for them all to see.'' Everyday this week, I will be coming to the House floor to tell stories of everyday people who are affected by this Trump I Shutdown. It is time for President Trump to re-open the government and pay the hard-working Americans serving their country through public service.

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, on January 22, 2019, I missed recorded votes No. 44 and No. 45 due to travel delays. Had I been present, on Roll Call No. 44, I would have voted YEA (Passage of H.R. 328); and on Roll Call No. 45, I would have voted YEA (Passage of H.R. 676).

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with you a letter from Antonio, a constituent of mine affected by this shutdown. He says: I am an air traffic controller at O'Hare Airport. This is already a stressful job, but a job that I love. This shutdown is adding an extra layer of stress to all of the controllers working around the country. With the shutdown going past a month, we are all stressing about bills, how to put food on the table, how to pay for childcare, et cetera. We don't have the luxury of escaping from the stress of this job because, when we go home, the stress just continues as worrying. Finding out that our vision and dental benefits would be billed to us with the expectation that we pay those bills out of our own pockets, despite having no paycheck for over a month, has only added to that stress. This shutdown is going to be a massive safety risk for the flying public if it doesn't end soon. I have more from Antonio, which I will include in the Record later.