Albio Sires

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H. Res. 273, reaffirming the United States commitment to Taiwan and to the implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act. Signed into law four decades ago, the Taiwan Relations Act marked the first and most significant act of support for Taiwan by Congress. It unequivocally demonstrates our support to Taiwan. Along with the Six Assurances, this act remains the bedrock of our deep partnership with Taiwan. With the support of this landmark piece of legislation and in the 40 years since, the United States has deepened security, economic, and people-to-people ties with Taiwan. Our two nations have worked together to maintain peace, security, and stability in the Pacific through our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Unfortunately, China seeks to diminish Taiwan's presence on the world stage. We must fully use the tools at our disposal to fight back against these efforts. It is important that Congress must do what we can to honor our commitment to Taiwan. That is why I have long been a proud co-chair of the Taiwan Caucus and why I support this measure. H. Res. 273 reaffirms our commitment to the people of Taiwan, encourages high-level engagement as called for in the Taiwan Travel Act, promotes Taiwan's meaningful engagement in international organizations, and calls to deepen cultural ties. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and would inquire through the Speaker if my colleague has any remaining speakers on his side.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution, H. Res. 273, reaffirming our commitments made to Taiwan 40 years ago and strengthens our ability to fulfill them. Mr. Speaker, 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. 1704) to foster commercial relations with foreign countries and support United States economic and business interests abroad in the conduct of foreign policy, and for other purposes.

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. 1704, the Championing American Business Through Diplomacy Act of 2019.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank first Mr. McCaul for his hard work on this legislation. I am proud to be supporting this legislation, this bipartisan measure, which makes better use of State Department resources to increase exports of American-made goods and American-provided services and, in turn, creates more jobs for American workers. This important bill supports the 277,000 small and medium-sized businesses that are trying to sell U.S.-origin goods and services across the globe. They need help understanding the overseas market, locating customers for U.S.-origin products, dealing with local imports and customs rules, and arranging financing for their export sales. All these efforts support U.S. jobs. Economic officers in our embassies and at the State Department in Washington can help exporters deal with these challenges. This piece of legislation improves the State Department's training program for economic officers, affirms a long-standing directive to U.S. Ambassadors to include commercial and economic issues in their portfolios, and strengthens coordination between the State Department and the Commerce Department by consolidating data on overseas markets. These efforts fortify the key role of our State Department, provides critical confirmation to U.S. exporters, and makes more efficient use of public funds. H.R. 1704 is a critical bill that will not only spur exports and job growth but will ultimately improve the lives of the American people. Our sponsors and I would also like to clarify the requirements under section 9 of H.R. 1704 to ``initiate and pursue negotiations with countries to establish international standards for government-supported quality infrastructure investment overseas'' are intended to be fulfilled within the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. This bill does not direct or authorize the Secretary of State to initiate or pursue negotiations in the World Trade Organization or amend any multilateral or plurilateral WTO agreements. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important measure, H.R. 1704, to fully and efficiently use the resources we already have to increase exports and create jobs and, in turn, improve the lives of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a university in my district that has demonstrated leadership and innovation in STEM education. Stevens Institute of Technology, located in Hoboken, New Jersey, has been leading the way with a rigorous technical curriculum that attracts the attention of some of the Nation's most sought-after companies and industries. The university continues to develop new ways in which to augment the success of their students, and I was pleased to hear recently about inventive initiatives that support the success of underserved and underrepresented students. It is telling that the applications have increased 191 percent, and undergraduate enrollment has seen a 41 percent growth. Moreover, the graduation rate has impressively risen to 87 percent with Pell grant recipients graduating at a rate of 91 percent. This is well above the national averages, which are 59 percent and 51 percent, respectively. There is a reason. Forbes magazine recently called Stevens ``one of the most desirable STEM colleges in the Nation.'' Upon graduation, 96 percent of Stevens graduates either get a job in their field, with an average starting salary of over $70,000, or enter graduate school within 6 months. Not only is Stevens producing students who are highly skilled and prepared for the professional world, but Stevens is also at the forefront of cutting-edge research in areas of national importance, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. In a recent National Science Foundation competition for quantum engineering, Stevens won two out of eight grants awarded. There are over 40,000 Stevens alumni who are essential to the economic progress of New Jersey and the Nation. I am proud to represent the university that acts as a trailblazer in scientific innovation. I would like to recognize President Farvardin for his leadership, and I look forward to the continued success of Stevens and its students.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the hard work and dedication of immigrant communities across New Jersey and across this country. Earlier this month, the New Jersey Policy Perspective issued a report confirming something we have known for a long time in my district and in New Jersey: immigrants continue to serve as the backbone of Main Street. Immigrants make up 22 percent of the total State population, and immigrants own 47 percent of Main Street businesses. Immigrant communities own 81 percent of household maintenance services, 79 percent of laundry businesses, and nearly 50 percent of child care centers and clothing stores. According to the study, immigrants contribute $4.4 billion a year to just the New Jersey economy, employing thousands and driving economic growth. This study is just another reminder that toxic rhetoric against immigration is a misguided attack against our neighbors, our teachers, our firefighters, and local shop owners. As a first generation American, I can attest firsthand to the grit and determination needed to succeed in this country. These brave families sacrifice everything to work hard in America and provide opportunities for their loved ones. Supporting immigrant communities is the right thing to do to advance American values and boost job growth across the country. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say thank you to the immigrants working hard across the State of New Jersey and across this country.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 920) to restrict the transfer of defense articles, defense services, and crime control articles to any element of the security forces of Venezuela that is under the authority of a government of Venezuela that is not recognized as the legitimate government of Venezuela by the Government of the United States, 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. 920, the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act, as amended, currently under consideration.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 920. I would like to begin by thanking Ms. Shalala for her leadership in authoring this important piece of legislation. She has been a leading voice in supporting the Venezuelan people. Sadly, human rights violations in Venezuela are nothing new. In recent months, Nicolas Maduro and his cronies have intensified their brutal crackdown on those who have bravely and peacefully pushed for change. With an increasing wave of demonstrations protesting the Maduro regime, Congress must do all it can to support efforts by the Venezuelan people to restore its democracy. This means making sure that weapons from the United States aren't being used to commit these horrific acts of violence against civilians. U.S. companies and individuals should not be able to profit from the repression of the Venezuelan people. H.R. 920 codifies existing restrictions on arms exports to Venezuela's security forces and adds new restrictions on items like tear gas and riot gear that have been used to suppress peaceful protestors. As the protests continue, you can be sure that the Maduro regime will do everything it can to silence the Venezuelan people; so Congress must do everything in its power to keep these dangerous items out of the hands of the Venezuelan security forces. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Shalala), the author of this bill.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, I again thank Ms. Shalala for her strong and timely leadership on this legislation. It shows a strong commitment to the Venezuelan people and to our constituents who care so deeply about this issue. The human rights situation in Venezuela is absolutely deplorable, and it is important that we take the commonsense steps in this legislation to help end the ongoing repression. Passing this measure will send an important message that Congress stands with the Venezuelan people. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and 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. 854) to provide humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people, including Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the Americas 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. 854, the Humanitarian Assistance to the Venezuelan People Act of 2019, as amended.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, and I thank Ms. Mucarsel-Powell for her leadership on this important issue. From her first day as a Member of Congress, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell made it clear that supporting the Venezuelan people and making sure they receive the humanitarian assistance they need would be at the top of her agenda. I am proud to partner with her on this bill. Over the last few years, we have watched in horror as the Venezuelan economy collapsed and rule of law in that country evaporated. Today, the man-made crisis created by the Chavez-Maduro regime in Venezuela has reached unthinkable levels. Ninety percent of the Venezuelan population lives in poverty. Earlier this month, the country suffered another massive blow when its electric grid collapsed. This made it impossible to refrigerate food, and some Venezuelans could no longer receive necessary medical treatments. These tremendous hardships have generated a mass exodus from Venezuela. Almost 10 percent of the population has fled the country over the last 3 years. The United Nations projects that by the end of this year, Venezuelans would make up the largest refugee population in the world. As suffering is only expected to worsen, Congress must do everything it can to help the people of Venezuela. Ms. Mucarsel-Powell's legislation addresses the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela head-on by authorizing new funding and requiring that USAID and the State Department develop a humanitarian assistance strategy for the Venezuelan people in Venezuela and throughout the region. Other countries in the region and particularly our close allies, Colombia, have done so much to open up their hearts and their borders to the Venezuelan refugees. It is important that the United States help ease the burdens on our regional partners, and this bill is an important step forward. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the author of this bill, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Mucarsel-Powell).

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. I would like to once again thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Mucarsel-Powell) for her remarkable leadership on this issue, which demonstrates her strong commitment to the Venezuelan people and to her constituents who care so deeply about this issue. It is crucial that we stand with our partners and allies in the region to provide desperately needed assistance to the Venezuelan people and help relieve the burden that Colombians and Venezuela's other neighbors have taken on over the last few years. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and 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. 1616) to prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United States agencies to encourage countries in Central and Eastern Europe to diversify their energy sources and supply routes, increase Europe's energy security, and help the United States reach its global energy security goals, 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. 1616, the European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019, as amended.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019. I would like to thank my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Kinzinger and Mr. Keating, for introducing this bipartisan legislation. When we look at the full scope of Vladimir Putin's nefarious behavior throughout the world, we see it take many shapes: insidious attempts to influence democratic elections, incursions into the sovereign territory of other nations, and military exercises designed to intimidate its neighbors. But this legislation addresses yet another tool in Putin's arsenal: the manipulation of natural resources. More and more, we see Russia using energy as a weapon to blackmail countries depending on Russian energy sources. The European Union and many of our allies and partners in Europe recognize this threat and have begun to take steps to reduce their vulnerability to Russian pressure. This bill will ramp up American support for Europe's energy security and reduce dependence on Russia, including financial support for projects that better connect European energy networks and improve energy efficiency. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating).