Jackie Speier

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rachel Meyer, Executive Director Emeritus of CuriOdyssey, a science playground and zoo for children ages 1 to 100. Rachel was executive director for 13 years, 2007 to 2020. She recently departed to find new challenges, but she leaves a legacy of love and educational achievement. CuriOdyssey is nestled under the eucalyptus trees at Coyote Point in San Mateo. It's a spectacular setting for a science facility because the natural splendor of Coyote Point is itself something to behold. During her tenure, Rachel really put CuriOdyssey on the map. It went from being the Coyote Point Science Museum to being the place on the Peninsula to bring small children, and those a bit older, to learn about physics, math, animals and much, much more. CuriOdyssey is all about experience. Rachel Meyer brought exhibits to CuriOdyssey that challenged children to immerse themselves in science. Under Rachel, exhibits reflected how children learn--through touching, listening, drawing, reading, jumping, grabbing. Many museums are static with thick glass separating patrons and the exhibits. At CuriOdyssey, it was sometimes necessary to put a warning sign discretely on the exhibit so that smaller children wouldn't overwhelm the display by trying to physically engage with whatever was moving, popping, clanging, flashing, howling or flying. Rachel was a great fundraiser and under her leadership both attendance and donations soared. She invited the community to donate to an expanded CuriOdyssey and they responded with gusto. Her team of co- workers were talented and dedicated. They raised enough money that a new facility will open this decade, dedicated to the belief that you can't shut down curiosity even during a pandemic. Science education is embedded in the DNA of the San Francisco Peninsula, home to some of Silicon Valley's greatest companies and to the faculty of many great universities, such as Stanford, the University of California, Berkeley or the University of California, San Francisco. These parents know quality science when they see it, and they came by the tens of thousands to witness the displays, and to teach their children, because of Rachel Meyer's energy and imagination. Rachel did not arise from a vacuum. She was the Executive Director of the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo for 11 years before her 13 years at CuriOdyssey. She learned about science education through studying under a master, Dr. Frank Oppenheimer of the Exploratorium in San Francisco. CuriOdyssey is a zoo as well as museum. The facility is home to animals injured and unable to return safely to the wild as well as those born in captivity. Rachel was an outstanding mother to them all even though, if asked, the porcupine might not concede the point. It takes a special kind of educator to lead an all-hands-on-deck institution like a children's experiential museum. Rachel was an outstanding choice. She never let a good deed by staff or board go unmentioned, never left a fundraising dime hidden beneath the cushions on the couch, and always used her love of learning through fun to guide CuriOdyssey. She is now on a new path in life but it's really the same path: Education and science. She will consult and stay close to CuriOdyssey. Indeed, the burrowing owls might otherwise wonder where their mentor has gone. So good was she at burrowing into the fabric of our lives that we can scarcely believe she left her station at Coyote Point. Good news for us all: The bald eagle will keep us apprised of the sightings, and comings and goings, of Rachel. Undoubtedly this noble bird will report that Rachel is up to great good in the years ahead.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Linda Lanier, a mother to children, bobcats, eagles and many other wild creatures. After 39 years as the premiere volunteer at San Mateo County's science playground and zoo, CuriOdyssey, Linda is passing the reigns to a new generation of leaders. If you listen carefully, you may hear the Barn Owls screech as they learn that their most ardent friend and promoter will be leaving. The homes of these creatures and dozens more were constructed in the 1980's because Linda, working with other members of the Board of Directors, led an exceptionally successful fundraising effort. This began the pattern: Linda would set a fundraising objective and relentlessly pursue it. Simply put, it wasn't easy to tell Linda ``no.'' Having raised funds, she then supervised construction of the animal habitats. Today, in a peaceful setting amidst the eucalyptus trees, children from throughout the region view falcons, hawks, frogs, snakes, guinea pigs, otters, tortoises, tarantulas, and dozens of other creatures which are at home at CuriOdyssey typically because they were saved after being injured or abandoned. All are attended to by a loving staff who communicate that love to the legions of young people wide- eyed at the chance to see Mother Nature up close. CuriOdyssey exists in a community dedicated to science and the environment. Linda's credibility is so highly respected that she was able to rescue CuriOdyssey from a near-death experience. In 2006 the museum fell on hard times and was in danger of closing. Linda and a small team secured $600,000 in six weeks and a matching contribution that rescued the museum. In more recent years, Linda and her co-chair raised $27 million for an inspiring building that will be a landmark on the San Francisco Peninsula. All of this passion arises from her 20+ hours of volunteer work performed at CuriOdyssey since 1981. Linda has more roles than simply that of fundraiser, because CuriOdyssey also provides science education to hundreds of students, annually, and offers summer camps and special events to educate the public. Linda is an important influence on the offerings of this amazing facility. Linda Lanier didn't start at CuriOdyssey. She was President of the Junior League of San Francisco in 1984/5 and did community volunteer work from 1974 to 1985. She is President of the Atkinson Foundation which invests $1 million a year into thriving nonprofits in San Mateo County. As you can see, she has an eagle eye for philanthropic opportunities. Linda has done all of this and also been a remarkable wife, mother and grandmother. Her husband is Sterling Sidney Lanier IV, and they have two married children, both of whom live in Menlo Park. They are Leslie Lanier Trigg, [Mike] and sons Cole and Chase, as well as Sterling Sidney Lanier V, [Jessica] and their son Dylan and daughter Bailey. I suspect that all have donated a fair number of hours to CuriOdyssey as volunteers. Madam Speaker and members, I regularly took my small children to CuriOdyssey and remember the wonder they experienced when they saw the beehive, ran along the hallways towards an exhibit or just listened to the sound of airplanes landing at the nearby airport. Sparking wonder in the mind of a child is sparking our nation's future. CuriOdyssey has had many staff, board members and other volunteers over the decades, but I think it's fair to say that it is also a house that Linda built. She would say otherwise, and you can't blame her for her modesty. After all, some may wonder, what about the role of the gray fox or the raccoon or the blue-tongued skink? Doesn't their charm also count in the success of this science center? Particularly that skink. After all, how much cuter does it get than a reptile with a blue tongue? Indeed, it all counts, but the key point is that Linda Lanier counts as a visionary, a fundraiser, and a mother to all bright minds within her gaze. Linda's house is a house of joyful squeals, gasps of amazement, and the occasional squeak of a creature no doubt responding, ``Thanks for coming little human. Be well, my friend.'' So now from us all in the House of Representatives, let us rise and say, farewell Linda. I thank Linda for her leadership and vision. Be well, our friend.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I want to compliment her on a profound, articulate, and accurate statement of what is wrong with what is going on in this country and what is going on wrong in this body. As one of the co-chairs of the Democratic Women's Caucus, I stand here as the author of the letter, along with my colleagues, calling on Mr. Yoho to apologize, demanding an apology from him to Ms. Ocasio- Cortez. He didn't give an apology yesterday, as Ms. Ocasio-Cortez indicated. We really are at a watershed moment in this body. We have mourned the loss of two great leaders of this body. John Lewis, we sat on this floor last night for hours on both sides of the aisle talking about his greatness. And what did he call us? He called us a family. A family does not talk to each other as Mr. Yoho had talked to Ms. Ocasio- Cortez. We mourn the loss of Congressman Elijah Cummings, who said, ``We are better than this.'' We are better than this. We are the most diverse Congress ever in the history of this country. Twenty-four percent of us are women; 8 percent of us are women of color. Now, where does this all come from? It comes from the top. It comes from the White House, who calls women ``crazy Nancy'' or ``such a nasty woman'' or ``a low-IQ person'' of a colleague of ours who serves as the chair of a committee, a ``crazed, crying lowlife.'' Our colleague, Mr. Yoho, conducted himself like a hit-and-run driver, and he does not want to take responsibility for his conduct. I believe he must take responsibility for his conduct. We are not, as women in this House, going anywhere. We are here to stay. We belong here, and we will demand respect for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and every other woman in this House who has been demeaned by a colleague, whether a Democrat or a Republican. It is not right, and we can do better.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of a man I loved, our colleague, John Robert Lewis. To John-Miles, his son, to Michael Collins, his remarkable and devoted chief of staff, to his entire staff, we grieve with you. When I think about John Lewis, and to describe him: A commitment to God? Immovable. A commitment to believe that we are all equal before God? Immutable. Belief that the law must support the biblical belief in the equality of all mankind? Unyielding. Because his great-grandfather was the victim of grave injustice, he didn't have to watch a movie to hear the call of a slave master's voice in the wind. He rebelled against that voice to deliver justice during his life. In the 1960s, he was deemed a radical, a radical with a passionate belief in peaceful civil disobedience, so much so that he was arrested 40 times and beaten multiple times. John knew that the televised images of police beatings and cracked skulls animated the just souls of 1965 to build a chariot of liberty in the Civil Rights Act of that era. John wept at the sight of George Floyd being murdered, but also saw that another moment to create a more just and perfect Union was upon us. In the coming days, when the streets are filled with those who mourn John, we will see people in fine suits and people in rags. We will see laborers and professionals. We will see faces pained by disease or poverty. But all of them will rejoice that John Lewis lived. There will never be another John Lewis. In fact, I believe no Member of Congress is greater than the John Lewis that has walked across the threshold of this Chamber. God rest, good man. You changed our country. You were a purveyor of good trouble. You taught us what was non- negotiable. You changed this country forever more. I will end with his quote, and he said: ``I say to people today, you must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end.'' Well, my dear friend, you may not see the end, but before this year is over, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2020 will be delivered; and I hope someday a statue of you will be in Statuary Hall so we can all pass by it and touch your shoes and have your spirit fill our hearts. God rest your soul. Rest in power.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for yielding and for his outstanding leadership and to Ranking Member Thornberry for an outstanding job over his 25 years. I am proud to speak in support of this bipartisan bill that was passed unanimously out of committee. The subcommittee accepted 111 total amendments: 37 from the Republicans and 74 from the Democrats. I would like to thank Ranking Member Kelly, whom I enjoyed working with, and the other members of the committee and the herculean work from our staff: Craig, Dave, Hannah, Glenn, Danielle, and from my personal staff, Josh, Yanna, Brian, and Luke. This bill continues the committee's tradition of improving the lives of servicemembers and their families by authorizing a 3 percent pay raise, requiring standardization and significant improvements to the Exceptional Family Member Program, expanding 24-hour childcare availability and addressing provider shortages, improving sexual assault and intimate-partner violence prevention and response, and delaying the Department's plan to cut the military health system to ensure they are able to respond to future pandemics. Americans are finally confronting the injustice of systemic racism, and this bill initiates monumental changes in the military by creating a DOD chief diversity officer; establishing a diversity and inclusion council; and requiring the services to establish goals for increasing representation of servicemembers who are women and persons of color up the ranks, stripping personally identifiable information at promotion boards to improve fairness, creating a special inspector general for racial and ethnic disparities to review discrepancies in the military justice and personnel systems, and to investigate white supremacist activities and adding a violent extremism article to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It also better protects our servicemembers from sexual and domestic violence by creating a sexual assault prosecution pilot program at the service academies, a system of military court protective orders, and a military-civilian task force on domestic violence. Mr. Speaker, as I have visited bases throughout the country, I have told our servicemembers and their families what our credo is on the committee: When the servicemember serves, so does his or her family. We have made good on that promise in this bill. We owe it to our brave servicemembers.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Justice in Policing Act and to applaud Congresswoman Bass and the Congressional Black Caucus, because Black lives matter. All lives can't matter until Black lives matter. I am grateful that my bill, which makes it a crime for law enforcement officers to engage in a sexual act with anyone in their custody or while exercising their authority, has been included in this bill. Why is this important? Because sexual violence is the second-most frequently reported form of police misconduct after excessive force, yet in many States, officers can claim consent when accused of assaulting someone in their custody. Yesterday I held a town hall with Dr. John Gates, who shared his experience as being a Black man in America, how a piece of his soul dies every time a Black man or woman dies at the hands of police, how he fears his deep love of America is unrequited. Four hundred years ago, Black men and women were brought to these shores in shackles, deprived of their humanity. Even at the beginning of our country, African Americans were only considered to be three-fifths of a person. Where was our humanity then and where is it now? Racism in America did not end with the abolition of slavery, America's original sin. It did not end with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 or 1871 or 1957 or 1964 or 1968 or even 1991. Some inevitably touted their passage as the final chapter in this long struggle to cure ourselves of the poison of racism. Our history of pursuing civil rights in this Chamber is comprised of starts and stops, successes and failures. Of course, passing this bill today will not end racism, but it will further the righteous cause of not just equality, but equity in this country. Most Americans are not racists, but not enough of us are antiracist, and that is where we need to be.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor every teacher, administrator, employee and contractor in all San Mateo County school districts who together prepare our children to grow into educated and contributing members of our society. May is National Teacher Appreciation Month, but they deserve our gratitude and admiration every day. They rise to the occasion even under the most challenging and unprecedented conditions they are facing in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Working in education is more than a job, it's a passion. The dedication to guide and nurture our future generations is based on selflessness and wanting to create a better world. The impact an educator has on children is profound. The philosopher Plato once said: ``The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life''--wise and true words. Who doesn't have memories of a teacher whose words and actions will stay with them for the rest of their lives? My middle school teacher at South San Francisco's Parkway, Mr. Jex, called me ``chief'' when he appointed me editor in chief of the school newspaper. Mr. Jex gave me confidence and a purpose. He helped determine the direction of my life . . . like all teachers do. Educators spend countless hours and their own money to prepare students for the future. They buy pencils, crayons, paper, snacks, toothbrushes, whatever it is the child is lacking. In the United States, we don't pay them anywhere near their value. They deserve more compensation and more recognition for the tireless and essential work they do, but it's not in the nature of teachers to give up and walk away, not even in the face of COVID-19. The outbreak of the contagious novel coronavirus forced school and health officers to close schools on March 16th to prevent the spread of the disease. It did not shutter education, though. San Mateo County teachers, administrators, kitchen workers and custodians rose to the occasion. They created distance learning, providing students with Chromebooks and hotspots to connect in virtual classrooms. They designed innovative curricula to ensure engaging learning opportunities. Understanding the dependence of many students on breakfast and lunch, they continued to prepare and distribute meals. Striving to prevent the achievement gap from deepening, they provided additional support, tutoring and counseling for students and their families. Facing unprecedented challenges, everyone from superintendents to principals to teachers to administrators to custodians came together and contributed. Now, everyone continues to adjust to the new reality. Schools will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year. Madam Speaker, let us rise to acknowledge the remarkable resilience of our educators and to redouble our efforts as Members of Congress and as members of society to support them. They have our children's backs, so we must have theirs. To invoke Plato again, he said: ``No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end of their nature and education.''

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 80th anniversary of a San Carlos school fundraiser known as the Chicken's Ball. The name is taken from a tradition of San Francisco's Barbary Coast when local music halls would hold an annual charity fundraiser. Chorus performers wore costumes with a lot of feathers, hence the name Chicken's Ball. The first ball in San Carlos was held in 1940 and it was organized by Howard J. Demeke, a teacher at Central School. The money benefited the PTA milk fund. Its stated purpose was to build the ``unification of a lasting community fellowship.'' Every two years since, shows have been produced, including this one in March of 2020. Approximately 250 volunteers and business sponsors produce the ball every two years. It is an ``all-consuming effort,'' to quote a local historian, Linda Garvey, and may be the longest running PTA fundraiser in the country. The show features three melodramas and three variety skits based on people and events of the Barbary Coast era of 1890 to 1918. Since the 1940's, more than 60 PTA and civic groups have contributed original skit ideas. Music is provided by the Poultry (Paltry) Philharmonic. Humor and the unexpected are a big part of the charm of the Chicken's Ball. While skit writers often produce shows with great laughs, some of the best moments come when the lines are forgotten and actors ad lib to get over an awkward moment. Watching community members in novel parts is also fun. Children in the audience love seeing siblings and friends on stage, particularly if the part calls for a child to boss around an adult. A lot of the fun comes from the imaginative sets, all locally produced by skilled residents. Performers range in age from 14-94. Singers, dancers, choreographers, designers, writers and stage crew are all volunteers and accepted regardless of talent. The theme of the 2020 Chicken's Ball is ``The Night They Invented Champagne.'' The year's show opens on March 13th and runs through March 22nd. This is a chance for San Carlos, a small town with a great deal of talent and charm, to come together for several months of skit development, costume design, set construction, rehearsals, and finally theatrical production. I want to extend my congratulations to all who make this event possible. San Carlos is a special place where humor, a love of education, and copious amounts of talent combine to produce a beloved community tradition. Every two years San Carlos lights up the stage to support its schools. Learning to celebrate as a community of Americans is also a profound act of education. I wish this year's Chicken's Ball a spectacular season.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise to speak about a book, a book much like ``I Am Jazz'' that I have had the privilege of reading before on the House floor for a number of years. It is an opportunity for children to explore their gender identity without being criticized. This book is titled ``They, She, He easy as ABC.'' They! they! They! they! New friends are everywhere waiting to play! Out on the dance floor we love to sing they. They is a way to let everyone be. No one left out and everyone free. Then when we're friends, we sing they, she, he, ze. Making it easy as a-b-c-d. Let's dance! A. Ari loves to arabesque. They hold their pose with ease. B. Brody is a break dancer. Brody loves to freeze. C. Cory leaps high like a cat. She springs and leaps and bounds. D. Diego drums and dances. Tree has all the sounds. E. Ebony flies everywhere. They spread their arms like wings. F. Fawn is free as a flower. Fawn can bring the spring. G. Gia's going fast and strong. She's dancing on the go. H. Harvey's heart beats happily. Hip hop makes her flow. I. Indigo's into insects. Ze loves the buzzing vibe. J. Jorge jams to jazzy tunes. He or they can jive. K. Kelly can kick super high. His heart lives in the sky. L. Lourdes sings of lofty heights. Their songs let them fly. M. Marley is a star mermaid. He or she flows with the sea. N. Nathan is a nesting bird. He just wants to be. O. Ocean's arms are open wide. Tree swings and sways about. P. Paul pretends to be a plant. Paul grows up and OUT. Q. Quetzal is so, so quiet. He rests just like a queen. R. Rene is into rainbows. He creates the scene. S. Sky is like a star so bright. All the pronouns are right. T. Tai is tiger in the night. He claims his own might. U. Una is a unicorn. They prance to their own sound. V. Viola's a volcano. Her power's in her ground. W. Wren whistles when she dances. She knows just what to do. X. Xander exaggerates moves. They're extremely cool. Y. Yoli yells YES! joyously. Their voice becomes the song. Z. Zahara zooms in and out. Ze knows that ze belongs. Now's your chance. We need your moves. Join the dance. There's always room. Maya makes the art and words. She sings the song to life. Matthew dreams and tinkers. He makes the work tight. Together they make books for the kids they used to be. And for their own two kids so all kids can grow free!

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the 100th Anniversary of the League of Women Voters, an organization that was founded to prepare the implementation of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution giving women the right to vote. The League of Women Voters of North and Central San Mateo County join more than 700 local and state chapters to celebrate the historic centennial of the 19th Amendment. When LWV was born on February 14, 1920, six months before the 19th Amendment was ratified, founder Carrie Chapman Catt believed the organization could give millions of women voters a crash course in civic engagement and the American political system. Formed by the suffragists of the National American Women Suffrage Association, the league started out as a political experiment designed to help 20 million women carry out their newly won right to vote. The right to vote is at the very core of our Republic. Our Founding Fathers wisely enshrined that right of every citizen to make changes in our political system in the first three words of our Constitution: ``We The People.'' Sadly, our Founding Fathers did not include women, and it took another 131 years to get the 19th Amendment ratified. It was an ugly battle. After it passed the House and Senate, anti- suffrage groups mobilized to continue their pressure campaign in the states. I have two framed documents in my Washington, D.C., office that I like to show visitors to illustrate that tension. One is an original copy of the 1871 petition from suffragist Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton urging Congress to give women the right to vote. The other is a 1917 letter from the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage arguing that the 19th Amendment would be an ``official endorsement of nagging as a national policy;'' that it would ``give every radical woman the right to believe that she could get any law she wanted by `pestering.' '' The same year, 1917, the National Women's Party picketed the White House to pressure President Woodrow Wilson. No one had ever picketed the White House before and the women were met with hostility from angry mobs. They were yelled at, spat on, peppered with rotten eggs and even beaten and sexually assaulted. On November 14, 1917, after being arrested, a group of women were met at the prison by guards with clubs, and 33 women were choked, kicked, and one was stabbed between the eyes. They were fed rotten food and denied medical treatment. When some women went on a hunger strike, they were force fed with tubes through their noses. This ``Night of Terror'' has been forgotten by most Americans today, but it illustrates the hard-fought battles for women to finally gain the right to vote on August 26th, Women's Equality Day. To this day the League of Women Voters, of which I am a proud member, continues to register, educate, and mobilize voters reaffirming its commitment to ``Making Democracy Work.'' While its mission hasn't, changed, the league is taking advantage of new tools, such as VOTE411.org, a cutting-edge website utilized by millions of voters, to make it even more effective. Madam Speaker, for a century, the League of Women Voters has empowered voters and defended democracy. It has evolved from a political experiment designed to help 20 million newly-enfranchised women to vote in 1920 to a nonpartisan organization shaping public policy, molding political leaders, and promoting citizen engagement. May it not take another 100 years until every citizen eligible to vote will cast her or his ballot to protect and be part of our democracy.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for his extraordinary leadership on this issue. This is very simple, Members. Women want to be equal, and we want it in the Constitution. I am equal on this House floor with all of my male colleagues, but when I walk out, I have fewer rights and protections than them. I rise today because the women of America are done being second-class citizens. We are done being paid less for our work, done being violated with impunity, done being discriminated against for our pregnancies, done being discriminated against simply because we are women. The ERA is about equality. The ERA is about sisterhood, motherhood, survival, dignity, and respect. The world recognizes this. Of the 193 countries in the United Nations, 165 have put this kind of language in their constitutions, but not the United States of America. From the Women's March to the #MeToo movement to the pink wave, the outrage we have seen among women is because we have been disrespected, devalued, and diminished in our society. And we are fed up. It is no wonder recent votes to ratify the ERA came in 2017, 2018, and 2020, because we want the ERA now. We have waited for almost a century for the ERA. I want to thank my Republican cosponsors of this resolution, including Congressmen Reed, Fitzpatrick, and Van Drew. I know most of you recognize that this is the right thing to do for your wives, daughters, and granddaughters. Ninety-four percent of Americans already support the ERA. In fact, they are surprised it is not already in the Constitution. Now, some of you will say just restart the process, but you are the same people who admit you won't vote for it. Some will say, ``Well, women already have equality,'' while they vote against VAWA reauthorization, vote against paycheck fairness, chip away at title IX. For too long, women have relied on the patchwork quilt of laws and precedents. We have put our lives on the line. We have been forced to take our cases all the way to the Supreme Court, and often, there, we lose. For my colleagues who think we already have women's equality, talk to Christy Brzonkala, who was raped by two football players at Virginia Tech. She sought justice under the Violence Against Women Act, but the Supreme Court struck down the civil suit provisions, claiming Congress lacked the authority to pass it. Talk to Lilly Ledbetter, who had to rely on an anonymous note to learn she was paid less than her male colleagues at Goodyear. Talk to Betty Duke, who was passed over for promotions and paid $10,000 less for her work at Walmart. Talk to Peggy Young, who was placed on unpaid leave, losing her health insurance, while pregnant, at UPS, all the while men were granted the exact same accommodation that she was denied. The ERA is about building the America we want. It is about forming a more perfect Union because, simply put, there can be no expiration date on equality. I urge my colleagues to affirm their support for women's equality and vote for this resolution.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the Baku pogroms, which took place in January 1990, some 30 years ago. The Baku pogroms represented the culmination of years of atrocities by the Azeris against ethnic Armenians living in Azerbaijani communities, such as Sumgait and Kirovobad. Time and time again, Armenians fell victim to their neighbors, as gangs of Azeris roamed the streets, smashed windows, burned cars, and attacked any Armenians they found. The gangs murdered and mutilated some women and repeatedly raped others. In Baku, the pattern held, as looters destroyed property and tortured the murdered victims. Thousands of Armenians fled the systemic violence, world chess champion Gary Kasparov's family counted among them. Mr. Speaker, Azerbaijan was engaged in a systemic effort to erase this history and silence those who repeat it. I rise today so that they cannot succeed. The history of this violence is one of the many reasons I believe that residents of Nagorno-Karabakh or Artsakh should be allowed to live in peace, freedom, and security. The United States has a crucial role to play in promoting this outcome. For decades, U.S. aid has helped clear mines in Artsakh, saving lives, promoting development, and giving communities a sense of normalcy. Today, even though the work is not done, that aid is threatened. Today, even though Armenia and Artsakh have embraced the Royce-Engel peace proposal, while Azerbaijan has rejected it, Artsakh could lose the mining assistance. And today, even though Armenia has transformed itself into a growing democracy, it is autocratic Azerbaijan that has received a massive, disproportion increase in military aid from the United States. If the administration won't help those who stand for peace and democracy, Congress must. The legacy of Baku, Sumgait, and Kirovobad remind me why. We must fight for the memories of those we lost, for their dreams of safety and security, and for the promise of a free Artsakh.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, today, we are taking up the San Francisco Bay Restoration Act. This is legislation I have introduced every year since 2010. Since then, the environmental conditions of the bay have only grown worse. The bay is the heart of the region, with a vibrant ecosystem that is home to the largest estuary on the West Coast. It generates more than $370 billion in goods and services annually and is home to more than 3\1/2\ million jobs. Forty percent of the land in California drains to the estuary, as my colleagues have mentioned. It also is home to more than 100 endangered and threatened species. The region's tidal and seasonal wetlands comprise a significant portion of America's coastal resources, yet over the past 200 years, 90 percent of the bay's wetlands have been destroyed by human activity. Increased pollution from cars, homes, and communities in San Francisco have absorbed into various creeks, rivers, and streams that flow into the bay and the Pacific Ocean. By 2030, the expected sea- level rise in the bay area will exceed the rate at which the marshes can elevate and move, effectively drowning them. Despite the impending threats, Federal efforts for bay restoration and pollution mitigation systems have failed to meet the enormous need. Between 2008 and 2016, EPA's geographic programs invested only $45 million into the San Francisco Bay, while Puget Sound received over $260 million and Chesapeake Bay $490 million. That is 10 times as much, and the disparity becomes even more pronounced when you consider the populations served. A mere $6 was spent on the bay for each resident of the bay area, while almost $30 was spent for each resident living near Chesapeake Bay and almost $60 per resident near Puget Sound. In the most recent round of appropriations in early 2018, the San Francisco Bay's appropriations remained at $4.8 million while smaller geographic programs received substantially more, including Lake Champlain with $8.3 million and Long Island Sound with $12 million. The San Francisco Bay Restoration Act will authorize $25 million annually for 5 years to fund water quality improvement efforts, wetland and estuary restoration, endangered species recovery, and adaption to climate change. We are just asking for our fair share of the dollars set aside for estuary restoration.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the toll that gun violence takes on survivors left to struggle in the wake of unspeakable tragedy. When we talk about gun violence, we usually focus on lives lost, but the full cost of gun violence is measured in the lives irreparably changed by physical and mental wounds. Survivors are the students who hid under desks and in closets at their schools, domestic violence victims who tried to hold front doors shut and shield their children, and families left with holes where loved ones used to be. I know because I am a gun violence survivor. According to Everytown, 58 percent of Americans have witnessed or been threatened with gun violence or know someone who has. This is National Gun Violence Survivors Week. Let's honor survivors by refusing to let their experiences become the new normal.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for granting me the time. To my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), let me say that this will be the most significant piece of legislation that you can take great pride in having authored, as your career continues in this august body. I can't begin to say how grateful I am to be working with you, not just on this bill but on our Childhood Cancer Caucus and the great work that you have done. This particular bill, the Global Hope Act, will have a profound impact on children around the world who have been diagnosed with cancer, 80 percent of whom die because of that diagnosis, while here in the United States, 80 percent of those children now live. This is a remarkable effort that we must embrace wholeheartedly on both sides of the aisle. The Chinese effort, the Belt and Road Initiative, where they are investing in concrete around the world, says something about their values. This shows that we, in this country, are investing in people, particularly in children around the world, to save their lives. I join my colleague, again, in saying how important this legislation is, how enthusiastically I support it, and how, as we move forward, we can recognize that this is the kind of leadership that will bring peace around the world.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, in honor of the 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22, I rise for the 1-in-4 women in America who have had an abortion, and the 1-in-3 women living in a State where abortion would be banned if Roe was overturned. On March 4, the Supreme Court will hear June Medical Services v. Gee. The Louisiana law requiring admitting privileges would leave just one clinic open and one physician to provide all the abortions in Louisiana. Although Roe is the law of the land, 27 States impose waiting periods, 12 ban private insurance coverage, 18 mandate counseling, and 43 have abortion-ban laws ready to go. Mr. Speaker, to those waging war on the rights of women, next week is the anniversary of the Women's March. We have seen the power women wield when they march to the ballot box. Get ready for 2020 because we are not going back.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, my father fled Nazi Germany for America because he saw what happened when a despot became untethered. He fled because he believed in democracy, the rule of law, and the right to vote. Before he died, he asked to be buried in a simple pine box with an American flag to symbolize his love of this country. Today, we are called upon to do our duty out of love of country. The President stands accused. We must judge him as we judge any of our fellow citizens: on the facts and on the law. The facts show that the President's North Star is Russia, not the Constitution. There is no question that President Trump delayed military aid to Ukraine, our ally, as they were under attack by Russia, our adversary. There is no question the President withheld a meeting with President Zelensky at the White House, giving Russia the upper hand in peace negotiations with Ukraine. There is no question that President Trump promoted the Russian hoax that Ukraine attacked our election in 2016, a canard that has been proven to be a lie, a Russian lie. The only question is his motive. The fact is, his conduct and crimes are reprehensible and unquestionably impeachable. When I vote today, my father's legacy is deep, very deep, within me. My father loved America, and I love America. That is why I will vote to impeach the President of the United States.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, let me also say to my colleague, the chair of the committee, what an outstanding job he has done. I want to thank my ranking member, Mr. Kelly, for his good leadership as well. Since coming to Congress, I have voted against more NDAAs than I have voted for. This year, I will be voting for the NDAA, not because it is perfect, not because it achieves every Democratic priority, and not because I am satisfied. I am voting for this bill because it achieves monumental progressive victories; and the day after the President signs this bill, many of our servicemembers and their families will recognize that we have been listening to them. Let me highlight a few provisions that make me proud to vote for this bill. After 70 years, we have tackled the Feres doctrine, setting aside $400 million over 10 years to provide justice and compensation for medical malpractice performed at noncombat settings. The process of providing compensation for malpractice during nonmission healthcare should be governed by the Administrative Procedure Act, guaranteeing a public comment process for creating the program plus judicial review. We required the Marine Corps to join the rest of the services and finally provide gender-integrated basic training to platoons, recognizing that women marines are marines just like men. We have ended the unjust widow's tax, provided 12 weeks of paid parental leave to Federal workers, increased resources to ease the childcare backlog at military bases, provided legal counsel to domestic violence survivors, and prevented the military from forcing new mothers to deploy within a year of their child's birth. Finally, we have renewed the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Act, which has been generating $85 million for breast cancer research. The NDAA is not perfect, but it is a giant step forward for our servicemembers and their families. I want to thank Craig Greene, Dave Giachetti, Glen Diehl, and Jamie Jackson for the outstanding services they have provided to the Military Personnel Subcommittee, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this measure.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, Irene O'Connell is leaving the San Bruno City Council after a remarkable 24 years of service to the community. Her departure marks the end of an era but the beginning of a new path in the life of this amazing woman and civic leader. During all these years I have deeply appreciated Irene's friendship and enjoyed working with her to promote San Bruno's bright future. In 1995, Irene O'Connell was elected to the San Bruno City Council, serving her community with enthusiasm, vigor and effectiveness. She helped initiate a Youth Committee and helped create an after-school program at Allen Elementary that has since expanded to five other schools. She identified $600,000 in flood control district funds that became available to help residents of the Belle Air community. She initiated the creation of the City's Culture and Arts Commission with funding through a surcharge on building permits. The Commission has installed a number of pieces of public art including the Centennial Mosaic at the San Bruno Caltrain station and the mural painting at Centennial Park in San Bruno's downtown. A park on Florida Avenue is authorized in large measure because Irene's love of civic beauty is matched with a love of open space in San Bruno's urban environment. For 22+ years, 200 volunteers have joined Councilwoman O'Connell annually to sweep up, recycle, plant flowers and trees, paint garbage bins, and to otherwise beautify the city. As a representative on transportation and water agencies, she's helped the city to obtain transportation grants and ensured that the water supply remained reliable and affordable. If your heart stops in San Bruno, a paramedic on a fire truck is present in large part because Irene O'Connell insisted that the service be standard on fire trucks throughout the county. She evaluated and advocated for ambitious plans for full rehabilitation and replacement of the City's utility systems over a 20- year period and the necessary funding to complete the improvements. During some of the most difficult years in the history of her hometown, Irene O'Connell and her colleagues first consoled and then fought for the citizens of San Bruno after a natural gas pipeline exploded and killed 8 residents and destroyed 38 homes. She and her colleagues were warriors for justice holding PG&E accountable for its gross negligence. No mention of Irene's love of her community would be complete without mention of her founding of the San Bruno Library Foundation. Irene's commitment to the library is heartfelt and enduring. Irene is a first-generation Italian American and as such reflects the industriousness and civic involvement characteristic of those whose parents struggle to come to this country. She was born in San Bruno and has lived there ever since. She and her family were continually involved in community service and other activities. They volunteered for the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and when that wasn't exhausting enough, Irene and her father collected paperback books for the veterans hospital. Also as volunteers, the family managed the San Bruno Girl Scout House, sewing curtains, painting and helping it to operate. During her time on the City Council, she helped develop and manage a Rebuilding Together project to refurbish the house to enhance community programs held there. When St. Bruno's needed baptismal robes for less fortunate parishioners, Irene and her mother sewed them. This family exuded community pride with every undertaking. As she grew into adulthood, Irene realized that her first love was teaching. She obtained a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a Master's in Elementary Education with a Lifelong Teaching Credential. She taught sixth grade at St. Veronica's in South San Francisco and then left to raise her three children. However, she didn't leave community service. As a board member of Art-Rise, a local non-profit, she promoted local artists by finding space for them to display their works. The Boy Scouts and 4-H benefitted greatly because Irene was ever-present. Irene is the proud mother of son Joe and daughters Katie and Jennifer. Her husband, Bill, keeps her young, her mother Marina Kaiser keeps her hopping, and her community keeps her strong. Madam Speaker, for decades Irene's presence in San Bruno has been as exciting to watch as a home run at a Little League game at San Bruno City Park. Now, San Bruno's Mighty Casey is laying down her bat. It's time to give her an enormous cheer for her contributions to the team. San Bruno will long cherish the swing-for-the-fence public service of Irene O'Connell.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, at the end of this year, John Healy will officially step down as the Fire Chief of the Consolidated Fire Department of San Mateo. He leaves big shoes to fill, and they've grown larger over the course of his 36 year career in the fire service. John started as a volunteer firefighter at age 19 in 1986 with the Foster City Fire Department. He quickly turned professional as he joined the Hillsborough Fire Department the following year. Ten years later he was a Captain. In 2000, he crossed the bay to serve Union City, and in 2003 he returned to his hometown of San Mateo where he remained for the next sixteen and a half years. Between the days of his teens in the 1980's until the end of his career, his hometown of San Mateo grew from a quiet suburb of about 77,000 to over 105,000. Growth like this presents any fire department with numerous challenges. An entirely new neighborhood at Bay Meadows emerged. On the east side, a shopping center and office developments demanded resources. Complex traffic patterns and tens of thousands of additional vehicle trips on freeways lacing the city prompted increased numbers of serious medical calls every year. The list goes on. Importantly, over the decades the financing of public services became more difficult as salaries and pensions escalated steeply. When he returned to San Mateo as a Captain in 2003, John Healy faced a community different in many ways from the one in which he grew up. However, San Mateo remained a town that valued its public safety services. This was vividly illustrated in 2008 when the economy went into a steep recession and newly-elevated Deputy Fire Chief Healy assumed responsibility to enter into a shared services agreement. By 2015, Belmont, San Mateo and Foster City were ready to enter into an agreement to formally create a new and combined department. It wasn't easy. Now Fire Chief Healy negotiated new labor MOUSs with three cities, jumped through flaming hoops of pension contracts, axed through byzantine State governance laws, and delivered the equivalent of a new baby in the form of a charter amendment authorizing the new agency. By January of this year, the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department was up and running with a new governing board, an improved cost structure, and superior service. Chief Healy deserves the thanks of 168,000 residents in the communities that he serves. During his career, Chief Healy served with the San Mateo County Operations Group and Communications Committee and built strong relationships with the county public safety dispatchers and management. He noted in a recent news article that, ``Wearing the uniform and the badge was the greatest honor and it's difficult for words to fully express what that means to me.'' John Healy holds a Bachelor's in Fire Administration and Fire Prevention Technology from Cogswell Polytechnical College and earned certification as Chief Officer, CICCS Strike Team Leader, Fire Investigator I, Safety Officer and Division Group Supervisor. Chief Healy was aided greatly in his career by his family, notably his wife, Stacey. The couple have three sons. Two attend Sera High School. One is in college. John Healy grew up in San Mateo with seven siblings and knows his hometown's history like he knows his own. Ask him whatever happened to the Borel estate and he'll probably tell you about the development of Borel Square and offices in its vicinity. That new library on 3rd Avenue? He'll describe its predecessor, and perhaps he even visited once or twice in his youth. Old St. Matthew's Church in downtown San Mateo? A beautiful brick building, but probably not the place a firefighter would want you to be in an earthquake. How many Fire Chiefs can claim to have responded to their first fire call in town by riding a bicycle? I don't know for sure if John Healy is one of them, but it's likely. Today, let's give thanks for the humor and good nature of a San Mateo favorite son. With honor and great distinction, John Healy is leaving. We look forward to seeing him in Central Park during the Christmas holidays, perhaps skating at the annual ice rink, and hopefully avoiding a fire service call for a medical emergency.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, local law enforcement often establishes a link with children through use of a costumed character known as ``McGruff the Crime Dog.'' Universally trusted, McGruff makes police and their awesome duties accessible. However, in the City of San Mateo, McGruff is outmatched in popularity by Police Chief Susan Manheimer. Once you know Chief Manheimer, it's easy to see why many in a room give her a hug and ignore the dog. She is a Chief who is tough but kind, patient with the just but impatient with the dishonorable, quick to draw a line in the sand when public safety necessitates it but equally quick to reach out to troubled youths or adults when the security of the community and human dignity require it. Many parents with troubled teens have come to know Susan under difficult circumstances. Most would tell you her influence was akin to a heavenly blessing wrapped in a dark blue uniform with a badge. Chief Manheimer is now retiring. From all who know her, it is likely that one tear will be shed in joy because she earned family and recreation time and they are happy about her future. Another will be shed because the wisdom she exhibited must now be found amongst the rest of us. We wonder if we are equal to the task. Her mantra is ``community policing.'' The gift of her service is that she stressed both words equally. She first exhibited this talent as an officer in one of San Francisco's most challenging neighborhoods, the Tenderloin. She spearheaded a Safety Ambassador Program, a community improvement district, homeless outreach teams, and juvenile diversion and referral practices. Her resume notes that she served with the SFPD decoy unit, as well as in violent-crime suppression and gang suppression. As her star rose within the department, it was obvious that the community trusted Susan Manheimer. In 2000, she was welcomed as the first woman to serve as the San Mateo Police Chief. Under her leadership, and with the strong support of the outstanding men and women of the San Mateo Police Department, the community, city management, and her city council, the department received awards for the improved quality of life in San Mateo. She built her department's practices based upon evidence about sustainable solutions that strike at the root of neighborhood safety and quality of life. Her department emphasizes building legitimacy, trust and engagement between the police and the community. This is best exhibited by remarks of one of the past officers who managed the Police Activities League. When that officer would see a group of boisterous teens on a street corner, she could often recognize each of them and would wave. They were her team members, not a youth gang. Chief Manheimer, joined by an outstanding staff, built that close relationship with the community. In addition to youth sports, she also started homeless outreach teams and sought increased resources for the homeless. Crime was suppressed by working with neighborhood leaders. Youth crime plummeted in part because sports substituted for mischief. Chief Manheimer's regional, state, national, and international professional accomplishments are too numerous to mention in full. These include serving on the Juvenile Justice Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, serving as the first woman President of the California Police Chief's Association and the San Mateo County Chief's and Sheriff's Association, and serving on the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center. She holds a Bachelor's in Business Management from Saint Mary's College in Moraga and a Master's in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University. It's been a privilege to call Susan Manheimer a friend. She can be riotously funny and is always the spark in the room of any gathering. When she shows up in uniform, her shoes are polished to Marine Corps standards. Her son, Jesse, is a Captain in the Corps. Ever competitive, Mom won't be outdone. Her daughter, Sarah, is an accomplished attorney. Susan is also the grandmother of Jackson, Lucas and Karina. Madam Speaker, we were fortunate Police Chief Susan Manheimer has led the City of San Mateo with us. McGruff will someday come back in his uniform. Susan will walk amongst us in civilian attire. That's ok. In our childhood imaginations we adored McGruff. In the adult world, we will always love our favorite top cop. Happy retirement Police Chief Susan Manheimer.

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following letter I sent to the U.S. Attorney General concerning H.R. 4729, the Courtney Wild Crime Victims' Rights Act. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, November 21, 2019. Hon. William Barr, U.S. Attorney General, Washington, DC. Dear Attorney General Barr: I write to raise concerns about a court filing recently made by prosecutors in the Department, who cited my recent legislative efforts to support Jeffrey Epstein's victims as being in opposition to their currently pending petition before the Eleventh Circuit. I hope that you will direct your prosecutors to correct the misimpression that their inaccurate representation has created. I introduced H.R. 4729, the Courtney Wild Crime Victims' Rights Reform Act (the ``CVRA Reform Act''), in the House of Representatives on October 17, 2019. The bill was inspired by the challenges faced by the victims of serial sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein in Florida, who were left in the dark as prosecutors hashed out a secretive and shockingly lenient plea deal. Among other things, my bill would clarify the scope of rights guaranteed by the Crime Victims' Rights Act (``CVRA''), 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3771(a), by stating what the law already provides in more explicit terms and conforming the text to the original intent of Congress. In an attempt to deny the rights of Epstein's victims in Florida, attorneys in the Department latched onto my bill and misrepresented its intent in a brief recently submitted to the Eleventh Circuit. Brief of the United States, In re Courtney Wild, No. 19-13843 (11th Cir. Oct. 31, 2019). In particular, the Department stated that my CVRA Reform Act would ``amend the CVRA to state that its rights are extended to cover non-prosecution agreements.'' Id. at 43. That is not what my bill would do. It would not ``extend[]'' the CVRA's rights to non-prosecution agreements, since the CVRA already covers non-prosecution agreements. Rather, the bill would merely clarify that the CVRA covers non-prosecution agreements. This is exactly what was said in the press release the Department's attorneys cited: The Crime Victims' Rights Reform Act will: Clarify that victims of federal crimes have the right to confer with the Government and be informed about key pre- charging developments in a case, such as . . . non- prosecution agreements. Press Release, Rep. Speier Introduces Bipartisan Courtney Wild Crime Victims' Rights Reform Act of 2019 to Rectify Injustices Faced by Epstein's Victims (Oct. 17, 2019) (emphasis added), available at https://speier.house.gov/ media-center/press-releases/rep-speier-introducesbipartisan- courtney-wild-crime-victims-rights. Your prosecutors are obviously attempting to suggest that it is my view, and the view of my legislative co-sponsors, that existing law does not provide protection to Courtney Wild and other victims. But, as the press release states, the legislation is designed to ``clarify'' what we understood to already be existing law and Congressional intent under the

Ms. SPEIER

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I commend the chairwoman of the Financial Services Committee and the committee's efforts to support exports in renewable energy and energy-efficiency technology. My amendment makes clear that when it comes to supporting domestic businesses exporting green energy technology, electric vehicles need to be near the top of that list. It quite simply states that ``energy efficiency'' includes electric vehicles as well as the batteries and the charging infrastructure needed to make them move. Electric vehicles are good for the environment; they are good for the economy; and they are good for our national security. Zero-emission electric vehicles will help combat the climate crisis. Since transportation accounts for 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, electric vehicles are critical for the future of clean energy. Electric vehicles also present a huge opportunity for the U.S. economy. We now know that 4 million jobs in the auto industry are reliant on us continuing to build new innovation. We will lose hundreds of thousands of jobs if we don't recognize the importance of building more electric vehicles. The global market will be a strong growth sector, and letting the rest of the world beat us out will cost us mightily in economic prosperity and domestic manufacturing. Though the United States was home to the first highway-ready all- electric car, the Tesla Roadster, Chinese competitors have outpaced us and are poised to dominate the market. China sells half of all electric vehicles in the world, while the United States sells a mere 10 percent. The figures for domestic battery production are even more stark. China controls a whopping 75 percent of global battery capacity, 15 times more than our 5 percent. Because batteries will be the backbone of the 21st century economy, they are essential to our national security. For a future of clean energy and a thriving automotive industry, I ask you to support this amendment. And I am proud to be soon introducing comprehensive legislation to incentivize electric vehicle use and production and stimulate American jobs. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.