Albio Sires

Mr. SIRES

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 materials on H.R. 1771.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking Ms. Meng for sponsoring this good bill to provide much-needed relief to Korean Americans who have been separated from their family members, many of them for decades now. The Korean war tore families apart almost 70 years ago, and it is a humanitarian tragedy that many of them have been separated ever since. It is long past time for these families to be able to reunite. People who lost their parents when they were only toddlers are now senior citizens with children and grandchildren of their own. The Divided Families Reunification Act requires the Department of State to consult with our South Korean allies, and the Korean-American community to make more of these reunions happen as soon as possible. Anyone who has seen footage of these reunions can attest to their profound significance--they demonstrate that the bonds of family cannot be severed by wars, by decades, by distance, or by government repression. This bill also requires the Department of State to report to Congress on opportunities to facilitate more reunions by video connection, which is especially important to allow all Korean Americans, including those who might have difficulty with traveling long distances, a real opportunity to reconnect with their family members. An important role in executing this humanitarian policy is the Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights issues. It is deeply concerning that the Trump administration has left this position vacant for over 2 years, since January 2017. Human rights in North Korea remains a bipartisan priority for this Congress, but if we are going to effectively advance these policies, we need to make sure that we have the people in place to execute them. Mr. Speaker, the Divided Families Reunification Act is an excellent, bipartisan bill to continue United States' efforts to reunite families torn apart by the Korean war. I hope all Members will join me in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill to support the thousands of Korean Americans whose families were torn apart by the Korean war. One of the most important tasks carried out by the State Department is the reunion of Americans with their family members, and this act would focus that good work on a group of people who have waited decades for that chance. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the passage of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, today, I recognize and congratulate Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey on its 150th anniversary. Stevens Institute of Technology was founded as the United States' first college of mechanical engineering on February 15, 1870 with a bequest from Edwin A. Stevens, a member of one of America's great families of inventors. Over the past 150 years, the university has expanded to include all engineering and science disciplines, an accredited School of Business, and a College of Arts and Letters. From its earliest days, Stevens has honored its mission to inspire, nurture, and educate leaders in tomorrow's technology driven environment while contributing to the solutions for the most challenging problems of our time. Today, Stevens is among the fastest- growing universities in the nation, attracting top students and faculty from New Jersey, the nation, and across the world. Stevens is one of the largest producers of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degree recipients in New Jersey and ranks first in New Jersey and fifteenth in the nation in the production of engineering graduate degrees. Students at Stevens' benefit from the university's technology-centric education, which provides a unique, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial approach to learning and is a passport to success. Stevens has an outstanding 96 percent placement rate for its graduates and its alumni have launched and led numerous companies and organizations. Stevens faculty, students, and alumni have pioneered research and innovations in many diverse fields, including transportation, telecommunications, resiliency, sustainability, artificial intelligence, machine learning, health care, biomedicine, cybersecurity, maritime security, and systems engineering. It is not an exaggeration to say that Stevens has changed and improved the way we live, work, and communicate. Stevens has also contributed significantly to the community as well as the local, state, and national economy. It is my great honor to recognize Stevens for this significant milestone in the history of the university and to thank its leadership, faculty, students, and alumni for their contributions to Hoboken, Hudson County, the State of New Jersey, and the United States.

Mr. SIRES

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 517) supporting the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and its Sixth Replenishment, 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. 517.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, there is no better example of American interests and values intersecting in our foreign policy than global health issues. On the one hand, global health challenges are strategic challenges. Countries and communities with poor access to healthcare are less productive, less stable, less able to act as strong partners. Unchecked, pandemics can blow across borders and make their way to our own shores, threatening the American people, so we have a real interest in working to tackle global health problems. At the same time, we, as Americans, want to see people everywhere lead healthy, happy lives, and access to healthcare allows more people to pursue greater opportunity. That is why, over the last two decades, the Global Fund has been such a remarkable foreign policy initiative. It has helped reduce by half the number of AIDS-related deaths worldwide since 2005. From 2000 to 2016, it contributed to a 37 percent decline in tuberculosis deaths. Since the year 2000, the Global Fund has helped reduce the number of deaths from malaria by 60 percent. America's contributions to the Global Fund have helped to fund these vital programs, and our leadership has helped drive billions in additional investments from other donors and recipient states. In October, the Global Fund received pledges of more than $14 billion for the next 3 years from 75 donors. Sixteen million people will benefit from this lifesaving assistance. This is work that we should all be proud of. It has helped advance core American interests around the world. It has shown the character of our country, our spirit of generosity and compassion. It is essential that the Global Fund's work continues. That is why I am proud to support this measure from Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul. This resolution puts the House on the record reaffirming our support for the Global Fund, reiterating how important its work is. It says that the funding the House already approved for next year shall go forward because the Global Fund's future success depends on American involvement. The Global Fund has built a tremendous record of success. We need to keep that record going so that we can continue to help people around the world withstand life-threatening but preventable diseases. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, a lot of factors have come together over nearly 20 years to account for the success of the Global Fund, but in my view, the most crucial piece of the puzzle has been American leadership. I worry about what has happened to American leadership in recent years. I worry when an American administration sends budget after budget to Capitol Hill asking us to slash our investments in diplomacy and development by a third. I worry about the message that sends to the rest of the world, about the lives which could be lost if we reduce our commitment to the fund, and about what it could mean for all the success that efforts like the Global Fund have achieved. Mr. Speaker, it is important today that the House send this message, that we express our clear support for the Global Fund and our support for bringing American leadership to bear on global health challenges. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this measure, 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. 3460) to facilitate effective research on and treatment of neglected tropical diseases through coordinated international efforts.

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. 3460.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking Mr. Smith from New Jersey, a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, for his hard work on this bill, which seeks to make progress on this pressing global health challenge. There is a category of diseases--what we call neglected tropical diseases--that pack a particularly nasty punch on populations living in poverty without adequate sanitation. These are precisely the kinds of diseases that hold entire communities back. They drive up health costs, lead to lost wages, undercut productivity, and deprive children of the shot at a better future. What is especially wrenching about these diseases is that they cause all this harm, despite the fact that we have the tools to combat them. Very elementary public health efforts can stop these diseases in their tracks: research, drug distribution, and basic public health intervention. Yet these diseases affect more than 1 billion people around the world, according to the World Health Organization. To its credit, USAID is already focusing on these diseases. The Agency's Neglected Tropical Disease Program has worked to distribute nearly $16 billion worth of donated medicines in more than 30 countries. It is a good start, but these efforts aren't yet equal to the challenge. This legislation underscores the serious challenge posed by neglected tropical diseases and encourages USAID to expand its work to grapple with this problem. It also sets up a stronger diplomatic approach for dealing with these diseases by requiring the State Department to push for broader action through the U.N., the Global Fund, and the G-20. In short, this measure pushes for a smart, broad-based effort for getting at these preventable diseases. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I continue to 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, let me again thank Mr. Smith for all his hard work on this bill. This legislation shows so clearly how we can use development and diplomacy in tandem to help meet serious global challenges. It is why diplomacy and development are so important in our foreign policy. There is no doubt that neglected tropical diseases have a major roadblock for impoverished communities around the world. There is also no doubt that we have the tools to combat them if we can garner the resources and the political will to get the job done. That is what this bill aims to do. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on this measure, 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. 546) disapproving the Russian Federation's inclusion in future Group of Seven summits until it respects the territorial integrity of its neighbors and adheres to the standards of democratic societies.

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. 546.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Engel, Ranking Member McCaul, and members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee for their unanimous support for H. Res. 546 during its markup, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. In 2014, Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight as a direct result of its aggressive actions in Ukraine, including the invasion of the Crimea region. The remaining seven nations agreed that Russia's future inclusion would be conditioned on its respect of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Later in 2014, this international agreement was codified into U.S. law when the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Within this legislation, introduced by my colleague from Kentucky, Congressman Hal Rogers, is a clause stating that continued Russian participation in the Group of Eight shall be conditioned on Russia respecting the territorial integrity of its neighbors and accepting and adhering to the norms and standards of free, democratic societies as generally practiced by every other member nation of the G-8. In the time since this legislation was signed into law, Russia has not changed course. Instead, it has increased its aggression in Ukraine and has undermined democracy in numerous nations. In response to Russia's continued flouting of international democratic standards, I introduced H. Res. 546 to reiterate longstanding bipartisan congressional sentiment that Russia's actions should have consequences on the international stage. If we allow Russia to participate in future G-7 summits without meeting the previously set conditions, we are signaling that Russia can continue to act with impunity and that the United States will not stand firm in the face of Russian aggression. It is my hope that the House of Representatives can, once again, come together as we did in 2014 to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine, reaffirm support for Russia's expulsion from the G-8, and stress that future participation must hinge on respecting the territorial integrity of other nations. 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, this is a good, bipartisan measure. I thank my colleague, Mr. Shimkus, for supporting it and my good friend from New Jersey, Congressman Smith. Time and time again, Russia ignores the standards and norms of democratic societies and actively operates counter to American interests. If we do not stand firm against Russian aggression and allow them to participate in future G-7 summits, we will be rewarding Putin for his attacks on our country and our allies and that will damage our partnerships and alliances around the world. With this measure, Congress makes it clear that we do not support Russia's inclusion in the G-7 as he continues to attack us, our partners, and democratic institutions around the world. Mr. Speaker, I hope all Members would join me in supporting its passage, 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 agree to the resolution (H. Res. 585) reaffirming support for the Good Friday Agreement and other agreements to ensure a lasting peace in Northern Ireland.

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. 585.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to start by thanking my colleagues, Mr. Suozzi and Mr. King, for authoring this excellent bipartisan measure that reaffirms Congress' support for lasting peace in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement and the fulfillment of every obligation under it is the only way to ensure that those times of violence and division never return. That is why I am alarmed by the current situation with Brexit, which could reintroduce a hard border between the north and the Republic. This is a dangerous prospect not only for the peace process but for the economic stability of the island and for the rights of the border communities. With this bipartisan resolution we send a clear signal to the United Kingdom and the European Union. It is a priority for Congress that any Brexit deal must protect the Good Friday Agreement and all of its components. We must ensure that nothing compromises the peace, security, and economic prosperity across Ireland. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this measure, and I urge all Members to join me in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC, December 2, 2019. Hon. Eliot L. Engel, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Engel: In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of H. Res. 585, ``Reaffirming Support for the Good Friday Agreement and other agreements to ensure a lasting peace in Northern Ireland,'' the Committee on Ways and Means agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. The Committee on Ways and Means takes this action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues within our jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation. Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letter on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H. Res. 585. Sincerely, Richard E. Neal, Chairman.

Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi), the author of this resolution.