Albio Sires

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend Luis Quintana, the Councilman at Large in the City of Newark, New Jersey. Councilman Quintana is being honored as the Grand Marshall of this year's Puerto Rican Day Parade on September 18, 2022. Luis is a dedicated public servant and inspiring role model for the Puerto Rican community and the people of Newark who has served on the City Council for 28 years. Born in Anasco, Puerto Rico, Luis moved to Newark, NJ when he was seven years old. He faced challenges as he found himself in a new city where his classmates spoke a different language, but he overcame them and went on to graduate from Barringer High School before attending Seton Hall University. Luis became an advocate for Newark's youth, believing that all students deserved access to the same quality education regardless of background. At the same time, he was actively involved in the community, becoming a member of the Democratic County Committee in 1981 before serving as Deputy Mayor from 1986 to 1994. In 2013, Luis broke boundaries when he became the first Hispanic Mayor of Newark, NJ. I could continue to list his many accomplishments, but I think the most important one is a goal he set himself during his time as Mayor. Luis said in an interview that his ``only mission is to make Newark a better place'' and he has undoubtedly done just that. His work has benefitted the many New Jerseyans who call Newark home, and he is a role model for the Puerto Rican community. I am proud to call Councilman Luis Quintana a colleague and friend.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address S. 1064, the Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021, or the RENACER Act. I introduced the House version of the RENACER Act in April with Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Mark Green, and Reps. Deutch, Wasserman Schultz, Murphy, and other bipartisan colleagues. This bill builds on the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018, or the NICA Act, and expands the United States' toolbox to address the challenges to democracy faced in Nicaragua. Congress passed the NICA Act in 2018 in the aftermath of Ortega's brutal crackdown of protesters that year. Since 2018, the Ortega regime's criminalization of dissent has only continued; and since I introduced RENACER in April, the regime arrested almost 40 opposition figures, including eight possible presidential candidates.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor and co-author of House Resolution 760, which demonstrates the United States' firm commitment to standing with the Cuban people. On July eleventh, we witnessed an awakening in Cuba. It began in San Antonio de los Banos, just ten miles from Bejucal, the town where I was born, and then spread to over sixty towns and cities throughout Cuba. The Cuban people rose up and spoke with one voice to call for freedom. Cubans risked their lives by demonstrating against this repressive regime. As members of the United States Congress, we must make clear that we stand with them. Many Cubans have paid a steep price for their courage. More than seven hundred people were detained or forcibly disappeared in the wake of the protests. This regime showed its true colors, firing live ammunition into crowds and using beatings, arbitrary arrests, and torture to try to stop people from protesting. It blocked internet access to prevent Cubans from communicating with each other and with the world. But I believe that the Cuban people can and will prevail. These protests, while historic, did not emerge from thin air. For more than sixty years, the Cuban people have endured unspeakable suffering. But as the regime has expanded its repression to go after not just dissidents but also artists and academics and bloggers, a new generation of Cubans has shown its creativity and bravery. The San Isidro movement, which came together in response to a decree aimed at censoring artistic expression, has unlocked something very powerful. By bringing together artists, academics, and Cubans from all walks of life, the leaders of the San Isidro movement have shown the power of collective action to strip away the veneer that the regime tries to present to the world. Underneath the propaganda and the myths, we see a fragile and failed dictatorship that can only hold onto power through repression, corruption, and cronyism. The brutal treatment of the Associated Press journalist Ramon Espinosa showed just how desperate this regime is to hide the reality in Cuba from the rest of the world. That desperation is the reason why the regime is now prohibiting planned protests for November 15th. The regime is threatening those who plan to demonstrate that they will face severe repercussions, even though they are merely asking to express themselves peacefully, as is their fundamental right. The question before the U.S. Congress is whether we will answer the call of the Cuban people. Will we acknowledge them and say ``we see you, we hear you, and we are with you''? I hope the answer is yes. As many of my colleagues know, I left Cuba at the age of eleven. Ever since then, I have never given up hope that one day Cuba would become a democracy. I will never stop fighting to help the Cuban people become free. I thank my good friends, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and Congressman Diaz-Balart, for their leadership. And I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, today, I recognize and congratulate Lamont Repollet's installation as the 18th leader of Kean University. He has been a dear friend for many years, and I believe he is an excellent choice to take on the role of President of Kean University. Lamont Repollet has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to educating students in New Jersey. He started as a teacher and coach in an urban area, an experience we share and one that has informed his entire career. As a principal and then superintendent, he implemented many initiatives including those focused on closing the opportunity gap, increasing graduation rates, and creating new leadership and literacy programs. He brought his dedication to equity and opportunity to the state level as Commissioner of Education and applied everything he learned in his prior roles toward improving our education system. He did this while tackling the immense challenge of restructuring student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lamont Repollet has broken barriers as the first Black principal of Carteret High School, the first Black Commissioner of Education of the State of New Jersey, and now, the first Black president of Kean University, where he has deep ties. As an alumnus and former member of the Board of Trustees, he has knowledge of, and a commitment to, the students, faculty, and community. Madam Speaker, I know that he will work hard to create new opportunities for students while creating an environment in which everyone can flourish. It is my great honor to recognize this milestone for Lamont Repollet and Kean University and I know that there are great things ahead.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, it is nice to see our colleague back, ready for the fight. It is nice to have him back. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak in favor of the INVEST in America Act today. This type of investment in our country's surface transportation is long overdue. The American Society of Civil Engineers has rated our infrastructure a C-minus and said that we will need additional $2.6 trillion over the next decade to make the needed upgrades and repairs. In New Jersey, drivers lose an average of $713 per year from driving on our roads, and 7.8 percent of our bridges are structurally deficient. The INVEST in America Act will deliver $343 billion for roads, bridges, and safety; $109 billion for transit; and $95 billion for freight and passenger rail. Beyond improving our surface transportation networks, this bill will make crucial investments to reduce carbon pollution and increase climate resiliency. I also want to thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for including funding for Member Designated Projects in the INVEST in America Act, which will deliver necessary resources to communities in a transparent and accountable fashion. My district will receive critical funding for projects to connect pedestrians with transit, improve roadway safety, construct a ferry terminal, and improve drainage systems and traffic signals. This bill is a win for New Jersey and a win for our country. We have costly needs, and the INVEST in America Act meets them.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the West New York School Nutrition Service Department and Nu-Way Concessionaires for serving the West New York, New Jersey, community throughout the pandemic. Nu-Way Concessionaires was founded in 1958 by a longtime West New York resident, Joseph Pantaleo, who sadly passed away in December at the age of 90. Joe understood the importance of giving back to his community and fully embodied the spirit of service. It is in this light that I wish to recognize the West New York School Nutrition Service Department, managed by Nu-Way, which has provided over three million free meals to the West New York community since the beginning of the pandemic and will continue providing meals throughout this summer. Free breakfast and free lunch have been provided every day, including weekends, and have provided a lifeline during a turbulent and uncertain year. I would also like to commend Sal Valenza and Jose Sabater and their 21 employees who have worked tirelessly every day for their community to ensure students have access to healthy and locally sourced meals.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, our country is reeling from a pandemic that has left over half a million people dead, caused millions to lose their jobs, and forced millions more to stay home. Throughout the past year of strife, one group of people has carried the burden of the pandemic in order to protect our communities. Our nation's first responders have continued to put themselves in harm's way to care for others. I applaud all the brave first responders in New Jersey's 8th District; our brave policemen, firefighters, and healthcare workers, but I would like to give special mention to the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps. This all volunteer ambulance corps marks their 50th anniversary on Sunday, February 28, 2021. For 50 years the volunteers of this unit have served as a volunteer Emergency Management Services (EMS) unit and have covered most of Hoboken's calls for ambulance and EMS services. There are 150 volunteers in this corps, with 10 ambulances and emergency vehicles fielding over 5,000 emergency calls each year, and over 400,000 total since their founding. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, volunteers from the corps have been working tirelessly to continue providing emergency services and transportation to the residents of Hoboken even in the face of a severe health crisis. This exemplifies the commitment that these volunteers have to their community, striving to help others even when presented with grave challenges. The Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps has maintained their commitment to excellence prior to COVID-19 as well. In 2012, when the deadly superstorm Sandy ravaged most of New Jersey and the Northeast, the Corps jumped into action despite sustaining damage to their headquarters and multiple vehicles. They helped evacuate patients from Hoboken University Medical Center, which was damaged by flooding, and establish a field hospital in the gym of Stevens Institute of Technology. These are two notable examples of the heroism displayed by the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps, but there are countless other stories outlining their positive impact on our community. As the corps celebrates 50 years of service, I commend them for the important work they do in our community. Hoboken, Hudson County, myself, and countless others across the 8th District thank them for their service and dedication, and look forward to the next 50 years of service they will provide to our grateful community.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of this much-needed relief package. The American Rescue Plan will help millions of people who are struggling in every community in our Nation as a result of the pandemic. It sends direct aid to those who need it most, boosts vaccination efforts, provides a lifeline for small businesses, helps kids get back to school safely, and much more. As many of my colleagues have mentioned, the American people-- Democrats and Republicans alike--support this critical aid. I hope that my colleagues will join me in passing this important bill and sending relief to those who need it.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a critical tool that we can use to provide relief to millions of Americans by passing President Biden's American Rescue Plan. COVID-19 has impacted every corner of our Nation, taken loved ones from us, sickened millions more, shuttered small businesses, and pushed hardworking families into dire straits. As we look at the toll this pandemic has taken, we must pass an aggressive, large-scale response. We cannot continue in piecemeal relief that falls short of addressing the needs of communities in every congressional district. By setting a reconciliation framework across numerous House committees, we can craft a plan that will expand testing and vaccination efforts; extend critical lifelines for those who have lost their job; support schools, local small businesses, and first responders; and send direct aid to those who are struggling. The burdens that our Nation has endured over the last year are far too high for continued inaction, and I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this resolution.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman DeFazio for including a provision in this bill that is a triumph in national transportation financing. Our States are riddled with bridges that are too old, roads that are in disrepair, and passenger rail that is falling apart. Regionally and nationally significant projects, projects that everyone can agree are important and need to be built, have languished for years because of no Federal help. This bill changes that. I am proud to say that this bill's provision on projects of national and regional significance is a victory for the Gateway Project. New Jersey knows how important it is to get the project done. The whole region knows how important the project is to its economy. This bill puts $9 billion into the pot. The bill provides money for clean energy investments to keep our air clean, money for resiliency projects to protect us from stronger storms, and more money for public transit to keep cars off the road. There is no reason why we can't have a modern, efficient, clean national infrastructure. This bill puts us on our way, and I am proud to have been involved in the development since the beginning. I am proud to cosponsor, and I ask everyone to support this bill.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 754) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should continue to support the people of Nicaragua in their peaceful efforts to promote democracy and human rights, and use the tools under United States law to increase political and financial pressure on the government of Daniel Ortega, as amended.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 754.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for their continued focus on the human rights situation in Nicaragua. I would also like to thank my colleague, Ranking Member Francis Rooney from Florida, for working with me to introduce this resolution. This resolution highlights the severe human rights abuses that have taken place in Nicaragua and conveys bipartisan support for the Nicaraguan people as they seek to reclaim their fundamental rights. In 2018, repression by Nicaraguan security forces resulted in over 325 deaths. According to international human rights groups, Nicaraguan security forces used a deliberate strategy of shooting to kill, committing abuses that rose to the level of crimes against humanity. While President Ortega has since released hundreds of political prisoners, seemingly in an effort to reduce international pressure, there remain at least 56 political prisoners in Nicaragua. Moreover, many of those who were released are still routinely harassed by the authorities. Political prisoners in Nicaragua are subjected to sexual abuse, suffocation with plastic bags, and electric shocks. Over 80,000 Nicaraguans have fled the country since April 2018, many of them to escape persecution. I urge the administration not to turn its back to Nicaraguans who come to the United States fleeing violence and persecution. This resolution makes clear that the United States Congress stands with the Nicaraguan people, who are demanding accountability in the face of such brutal repression. It calls for tangible steps from the Nicaraguan Government, including immediate release of all political prisoners and the implementation of electoral reforms that Nicaraguan civil society organizations have long called for. I hope that my colleagues will join me in sending this strong bipartisan message in support of the Nicaraguan people. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Consideration of this resolution comes at an important moment for Nicaragua. As the 2021 elections approach, it will be key for the international community to speak with one voice in demanding that specific conditions be met in order for those elections to be deemed credible. As a first step, President Ortega must take immediate action to allow for the creation of a newly comprised and independent electoral council, the development of a reliable voter registry, and the granting of full access to international election observers for the 2021 elections. Absent immediate and tangible steps to implement these electoral reforms, the United States should increase its pressure on Ortega and his inner circle. I hope our allies in Europe will also step up their efforts and work with the United States toward a coordinated sanctions strategy. I thank my colleagues for sending this bipartisan message that we will continue to stand with the Nicaraguan people in their efforts to restore democracy in their country. Mr. Speaker, I hope all Members will join me in supporting the passage of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 410) encouraging reunions of divided Korean- American families, as amended.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 410.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Bass for sponsoring this resolution, which draws attention to a pressing humanitarian issue affecting the Korean-American community. This June will mark 70 years since the beginning of the Korean war, which separated 10 million Koreans from their immediate family members. Since 1985, family reunions carried out between the North and the South briefly reunited more than 20,000 family members, but there are still thousands more who have brothers, sisters, or parents who have been separated for decades. It must be a humanitarian priority for the United States to facilitate reunions for these separated families. Considering the many years that have passed, many of these families are older, and if we don't act soon, they may never see their loved ones again. The measure before us underscores the long history of U.S. support for family reunification between Korean Americans and their relatives still in North Korea. It outlines different ways that North Korea and the United States can respectively take action, including a pilot program for family reunions, a family registry supported by the Red Cross and other organizations, and the use of technology to allow reunions for those who might not be physically able to travel for in- person reunions. This is a good, commonsense resolution reiterating our country's commitment to reuniting families split by the Korean war. I support it, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass), the author of this important resolution and the chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, most of us can't imagine the pain of going decades without knowing if your relatives are alive or dead. That is the daily struggle for thousands of families torn apart by the Korean war. Mr. Speaker, this measure underscores our support for reuniting these families, bringing solace and closure to this deep wound left by the war. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2444) to authorize the Secretary of State to make direct loans under section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2444.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2444, the Eastern European Security Act. I want to thank Ranking Member McCaul for working on this excellent measure that mirrors Chairman Eliot Engel's bill, the NATO Defense Financing Act, in pursuit of a stronger transatlantic partnership. Mr. Speaker, the United States and its European allies have, together, built the most successful alliance in the history of the world. The NATO alliance is strengthened by our shared values, mutual trust, ability to work together, and, if necessary, to fight together. It is crucial that NATO is ready and able to defend against external threats and engage in combat. For that to happen, all of our allies must be able to work together seamlessly. But right now, some of our Eastern European allies still rely on Russian or old Soviet era equipment. Modernizing these military forces is a national security imperative. The Eastern European Security Act puts in place direct loans to our security partners so they can update their military equipment to better address their shifting and complex security needs. As adversaries like Russia continue to test our alliance's defenses and cohesion, these loans would be a meaningful step towards ensuring that we are ready and able to face evolving threats on the horizon. These loans will complement, not replace, our ongoing U.S. security assistance effort to Europe and will be conditioned upon our allies upholding their own constitutions and the democratic values of the alliance. The United States must not only support the militaries of our NATO allies, but also safeguard the continued strength of the democratic values upon which the alliance is built. I hope all Members will join me in approving this measure that better supports our European allies and advances the United States' national security interests. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank Congressman McCaul for his hard work on this measure. He has been a tireless advocate on behalf of this issue. NATO security is U.S. security, and the continued protection of every American is dependent upon a strong NATO alliance. Our allies selflessly demonstrated this commitment when they came to America's aid after the terrorist attack of 9/11, and it is important that the United States remain committed to our allies and our shared democratic values as well. This is a good measure, and I am pleased to support it. I urge all Members to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1771) to require consultations on reuniting Korean Americans with family members in North Korea, as amended.