Brad Schneider

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the more than 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions who are under attack from the Trump administration. Some of these people have chronic health conditions such as asthma and diabetes. Some are waging courageous fights against cancer. Some are tackling challenges with mental health or substance abuse. These are our family and friends. They are our neighbors, our coworkers, our caregivers. They are us. Sadly, if the administration has its way, they will once more be subjected to discrimination that could deprive them of coverage, condemn them to a lifetime's worth of staggering medical bills, and push their families into devastating bankruptcy. One of my constituents in Highland Park who found coverage through the ACA wrote me: My preexisting condition is not a result of my lifestyle choices, as some like to believe. I don't deserve to be demonized and financially thrashed just because of something I cannot control. I agree. Seventy percent of the public also support making sure people with preexisting conditions have protections. I urge the Trump administration to abandon its legal effort to undermine the ACA. Enough with the sabotage. We owe it to these 130 million people to do better. Instead of building barriers to healthcare, let's work together and improve our healthcare system.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, the Trump administration's abhorrent immigration policy that is tearing families apart and separating children from their parents is a shameful betrayal of our values. It needs to end immediately. Americans of all political stripes are contacting our office, heartbroken and outraged by the images and stories of the treatment of these vulnerable young people by our Nation. The President and his Attorney General have created this crisis. The President has the power to immediately stop this cruelty, but so far, Mr. Speaker, he refuses to do so. That is why today I am proud to join more than 190 colleagues introducing legislation to stop this inhumane treatment of children at our border. The Keep Families Together Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from separating children from their parents, except in extraordinary circumstances. The bill also limits criminal prosecution of asylum seekers fleeing persecution, increases child welfare training, and creates a policy preference for family reunification. I urge my fellow Members of Congress to join us on this bill. Let's fix this stain on the character of our Nation and swiftly end this policy.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding the time. Mr. Chairman, synthetic opioids are a dangerous new frontline in our efforts to end the opioid epidemic ravaging our communities. A recent analysis found that synthetic opioids, particularly illicit fentanyl, caused more overdose deaths in the United States in 2016 than prescription opioids. Synthetics are many times more potent and fatal than heroin, sometimes requiring two, four, six, or even more doses of antidotes like Naloxone to revive an overdose victim. The Federal Controlled Substances Act was signed into law more than 40 years ago, and it is not equipped to handle this dangerous new development. Put simply, illegal manufacturers, especially those operating overseas, are creating deadly new synthetic opioid analogues faster than our laws or research can keep up. That is why I rise today in support of the Stop the Importation and Trafficking of Synthetic Analogues Act of 2017 to equip our law enforcement officials with the tools they need to keep our communities safe. This bill creates a schedule A in addition to the five existing schedules in the Controlled Substances Act. This is a mechanism to temporarily schedule and set regulations around new synthetic drugs while our scientific and research communities develop a better understanding of the associated risks. This bill also adds 13 existing synthetic fentanyls to this new schedule. Importantly, this crackdown is targeted at the manufacturers, importers, and distributors of these deadly substances, not the individual users. Simple possession is expressly omitted from the scope of this bill. Individuals suffering from addiction need medical help, not prison time. To start to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic, we must address synthetic opioids. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me and my fellow members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in support of this needed legislation.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, every day, day in and day out, more than 115 Americans die from overdosing on opioids. We are in the midst of a devastating national epidemic that does not discriminate by geography, age, income, education, or race. I have heard from families who have lost loved ones to this epidemic. I have talked to the first responders who are on the front lines. I have talked to the doctors who treat the patients and the victims of this disease. I have talked to community leaders about the impact this epidemic is having in their communities, in our States, and across our Nation. So today, I rise encouraged that this House, this week, is finally poised to take action to address the addiction and abuse hurting so many of our communities. This week, we will vote on several bills that, among other things, seek to provide communities with needed resources to fight the epidemic, crack down on dangerous synthetics coming into our Nation, and improve care available to our veterans. Among these, I am pleased that the House is voting on two specific measures I have cosponsored. The Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act would create centers pairing treatment and recovery services together with community engagement. The Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms, or the POWER Act, would increase the coordinated care options available for patients who have survived an overdose. These people, in particular, need more than just naloxone. They need extended treatment and support to overcome their addiction. This epidemic is a crisis. We, as a country, as a body, need to act. I urge my colleagues to support these measures as we work to turn the tide, and I hope that we can continue to build on the bipartisan progress we are making in the days ahead.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

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

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Trump administration's shameful new policy separating parents and children at our southern border. This policy is even being applied to those legally seeking asylum here while fleeing violence in their home countries. The current system of prioritizing criminal prosecution of those seeking protection rather than assessing legitimate asylum claims has to stop. These are not our Nation's values. Our country is better than this, our people are better than this. But we have a chance to get something right. We are currently within just a handful of signatures of forcing a vote on a series of immigration proposals, including the bipartisan USA Act, which pairs a resolution for our Dreamers with smart investments in our border security. June, this month, is Immigrant Heritage Month, a time to reflect on the history of immigration that so many Americans share. We must live up to our heritage by ending this cruel policy of family separation, securing Dreamers a permanent future here in the United States, and finally formally reforming our broken immigration system.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to proudly recognize Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Illinois on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. Congregation Beth Shalom is the spiritual home to more than one thousand families and is, without a doubt, an integral part of the Northbrook community. For the past half century, from generation to generation, the synagogue has pursued a mission of enriching lives through inclusion in the ever-evolving ideals of Jewish observance, life-long learning, and acts of kindness. Across the years, Beth Shalom has built an extraordinary community of Jewish faith, family and tradition. Every day, through the annual cycle of the seasons, and across the long arc of life's events, multiple generations join together to pray, learn, teach, and work together in service to the community, the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Through Limud (study), Tefillah (prayer), and Tzedakah (acts of justice and loving kindness), Beth Shalom is a living example of Jewish values and vibrant Jewish life. The Congregation prides itself on warmth and friendliness to members, celebrating that ``Shalom'' is the Hebrew word meaning welcome. I can think of no better example of this warmth than the special holiday services customized to embrace people with special needs. Beth Shalom is also a force for positive social action in the Tenth District. Their activities include delivering groceries to families in need, feeding the homeless, supporting our military troops overseas, hosting blood drives, and mentoring youth attending school in inner city Chicago. As well, Beth Shalom is proud home to countless community leaders, young and old, who work tirelessly to improve lives in the Chicago area, our nation and the world. I congratulate my dear friends, Rabbi Aaron Melman, Assistant Rabbi Ari Averbach, Cantor Steven Stoehr, and Rabbi Emeritus Carl Wolkin, and the entire Beth Shalom Congregation on this anniversary. I wish Congregation Beth Shalom many more years of success as they write the next fifty years of their history.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to increase flexibility within the Small Business Innovative Research and Technology Transfer Programs. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for including it in this en bloc package. Federal research programs invest in the future and ensure we stay at the global forefront of innovation and advancement. But this investment is only the first step of the process. We must ensure that innovators and entrepreneurs have the tools necessary to bring their ideas to market. Currently, SBIR and STTR recipients are restricted in how much funding they can use towards commercialization. My amendment would increase the amount of funding recipients in phase 1 and phase 2 can use to pay for assistance protecting intellectual property, conducting market research, mapping out manufacturing plans, and other steps that would help them successfully commercialize their ideas. My amendment would help empower successful innovators with more resources to turn federally funded research into viable commercial products, creating quality jobs and securing our Nation's creative leadership. Modification to Amendments En Bloc No. 1 offered by Mr. Thornberry of Texas

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague, Mr. Smith, for yielding. I rise today in support of my amendment to formally codify the Boots to Business program, and I want to thank my friend from Iowa, Congressman Rod Blum, for his work on this amendment and on our bill, the Veterans Entrepreneurship Training Act. As transitioning servicemembers enter civilian life, they bring adaptability and experience to excel as entrepreneurs. However, they often lack business-specific skills or experience that can help bring their ideas to reality. The Boots to Business program seeks to fill these gaps and helps prepare transitioning servicemembers, their spouses, and also veterans for challenges starting their own small business. Participants take a 2-day, in-person course on business ownership, followed by an in-depth, 8-week online course that teaches them day-to- day skills they will need to run a successful small business, such as the fundamentals in developing a business plan and how to acquire financing. I am grateful my amendment is included in the NDAA, and I am hopeful we can continue to expand Boots to Business so that more servicemembers and veterans can start and grow their own small business.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, joining the families and friends in Santa Fe, Texas, grieving for another 10 lives tragically cut short by senseless gun violence. Yesterday, this body held the now routine moment of silence in respect for the victims, just as we did after the Waffle House shooting in Nashville; Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas; and the list goes on and on and on. Forty-six times this Chamber has stood to remember the victims, and every single time congressional obstructionists stood in the way of doing anything concrete to change this deadly pattern. We haven't considered background checks or bans on the sale of assault weapons or gun violence restraining orders to keep firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill or even, for goodness' sake, bump stocks. I sit on the Judiciary Committee. We haven't held a single hearing about reducing gun violence or working to keep our children safe. We can't prevent every tragedy, but there are actions we can take right now, today, to save lives. We have the power. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to find the courage to act. Our kids are counting on us.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chair, Iran's destabilizing activities in the Middle East are not a new phenomenon. However, of late, their malign influence has dramatically expanded and intensified in Yemen, in Iraq, in Lebanon, and, perhaps of greatest immediate concern, the establishment of a potentially permanent foothold in Syria. Such a presence enables Iran's increasing support for Hezbollah, including not only weapons transfers, but also assistance in building an indigenous rocket-producing capacity. I therefore appreciate the work of the House Armed Services Committee in including a provision authorizing the Secretaries of Defense and State to develop and implement a strategy with foreign partners to counter Iran's destabilizing activities. My first amendment would ensure the strategy includes specific countries in which Iran is operating, an assessment of their destabilizing activities, and the implications thereof. My second amendment would require a report on Iran's support for proxy forces in Syria and Lebanon and an assessment of the threat posed to Israel, other regional allies, and U.S. interests. It is important to know where Iran is operating, what exactly they are doing, who they are backing, and how this impacts the United States and our allies. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman and ranking member for their support for my bipartisan amendments.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chair, we are still uncovering more troubling evidence of the breadth, depth, and reach of Russia's interference in our most recent election, so I am pleased that the NDAA includes a provision requiring a National Intelligence Estimate of interference by Russia and China in democracies around the world, including our own. While understanding this threat is an important first step, we also need to take action to ensure we are doing everything possible to secure our own elections and defend the integrity of our democracy. My amendment would add a requirement that, following the submission of the NIE, the Secretary of Defense shall report to Congress on the specific efforts by the Department of Defense to deter such interference both at home and abroad. Protecting our elections, the foundation of our democracy, and those of our allies from outside influence by malign foreign actors is of paramount importance. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for including my amendment in this en bloc passage.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today regarding votes I missed on May 18, 2018 to attend my son's college graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted Yes on Roll Call vote number 202, the Roskam/ Blumeneaur Amendment, and No on Roll Call vote numbers 200 Russell Amendment, 201 Massie Amendment, and 203 Banks Amendment. I also missed Roll Call vote number 205 on final passage of H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act. Had I been present, I would have voted No on final passage. Last year, more than 1.8 million Illinois residents relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during a time of need--from families and children to seniors and individuals with disabilities. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities projects that more than two million people would have their benefits reduced or lost entirely as a result of this Farm Bill, an outcome that is both immoral and unacceptable. SNAP leads to better health outcomes by reducing the impact of food insecurity, and leads to better education outcomes for children because kids learn better when they are not hungry. Furthermore, this bill's proposal to eliminate Broad Based Categorical Eligibility means as many as 265,000 more hungry children in classrooms, worrying about their next meal rather than focusing on their lessons. The proposals in this bill--from its eligibility requirements that do not reflect the nature of work in today's economy, to the massive untested oversight bureaucracy it would establish--leave working families with fewer benefits that are more difficult to use. I cannot, and do not support these proposals. In addition to the nutrition title, I strongly oppose this Farm Bill because it recklessly shortchanges conservation programs that protect our natural treasures, such as the Great Lakes. Eliminating successful programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program risks increasing agricultural runoff and backsliding on progress we have made. This bill is also a missed opportunity, failing to make robust investments in rural communities facing the opioid crisis and aging infrastructure. As well, the bill fails to bolster federal funding and resources for one of the fastest growing sectors of American agriculture, organics, which represents nearly $50 billion in annual sales. By eliminating the National Organic Cost-Share Program, this bill makes it unnecessarily harder and more expensive for farmers to transition to organic crops. Finally, this bill makes extreme changes to laws protecting animal welfare, including a provision that could nullify state laws ensuring animal welfare in agricultural production. States must be able to enact animal welfare laws that reflect their values. Historically, the Farm Bill has been a bipartisan cause--offering assistance and security to farmers and families in need in a way that both Democrats and Republicans can support. I am deeply disappointed that the Majority has discarded that approach this year in the pursuit of ideological cuts to our nation's social safety net. In its current extreme form, this bill is dead-on-arrival in the Senate. In the days ahead, I urge my colleagues to work across the aisle to find a way forward in the constructive, bipartisan manner we have in the past. I am opposed to H.R. 2, which hurts working families in my district and undermines successful federal programs that promote conservation, research, and help for rural communities and would have voted against this harmful bill had I been present.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of my friend and a pillar in our community, Rabbi Stephen Hart. Rabbi Hart is retiring from his position as senior Rabbi after 25 years of dedicated and distinguished service to Temple Chai in Long Grove, Illinois. Stephen Hart was born and raised in Chicago where he attended Sinai Congregation in Hyde Park. He spent his young summers as at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute camp, building on the Jewish identity establish by his family. After completing his undergraduate degree at Spertus College, he pursued his Rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College. He initially served as a rabbi at North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe for six years before joining Temple Chai. Over the course of his quarter century with Temple Chai, Rabbi Hart has nurtured an inclusive community that celebrates the full cycle of Jewish life and inspires lifelong learning, community service and a love of Israel. He has served his congregation, and indeed our broader local community with distinction, leading by example through his keen understanding of Jewish values and dedication to active outreach and youth engagement. Rabbi Hart has long been dedicated to community outreach. Early in his career, while at North Shore Congregation Israel, he helped develop the nationally-recognized ``Stepping Stones to a Jewish Me'' program, intended to help children of interfaith marriages understand the faith of their Jewish parent. Rabbi Hart has also been a leader in the national Jewish community, serving on the National Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Union for Reform Judaism. Rabbi Hart also serves on the Executive Committee of the Chicago Association of Reform Rabbis. A resident of Buffalo Grove, Rabbi Hart is married to his wife, Mendy and together are the proud parents of two daughters, Lani and Dena. I want to thank Rabbi Hart for 25 years of committed service, dedicated leadership, vision and passion. On behalf of Illinois' Tenth Congressional District, I wish Rabbi Hart the very best in his well- deserved retirement with family and friends.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, every week, we seem to learn more about the sophisticated network of social media bots and online ads used by Russia to spread disinformation during the 2016 election. But, as we approach our next election, the Trump administration refuses to see the very real threats or take the very necessary actions. Earlier this year, we learned the office tasked with countering foreign propaganda, the Global Engagement Center, the GEC, at the State Department had not deployed any of the $120 million it had been allocated to counter Russian information warfare, nor had it recruited a single analyst who speaks Russian. Mr. Speaker, the administration needs to take this threat seriously and act with appropriate urgency. That is why I have introduced legislation with my colleague, Ted Lieu, to clarify responsibilities for the GEC, expand its hiring authorities, and establish stronger congressional oversight. The GEC has a crucial role to play, understanding, exposing, and countering foreign propaganda and disinformation efforts. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join us on this legislation to ensure we are better prepared to counter all efforts to interfere in our electoral process.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the cruel and partisan safety net cuts masquerading as the farm bill. The farm bill has long been a partisan cause, offering assistance and security to farmers and needy families alike in a way that both Democrats and Republicans can support. But this extreme bill cuts more than $23 billion from nutrition assistance programs through eligibility restrictions, kicking a projected 1 million households off the SNAP program and reducing benefits for millions more. Let me be clear: these are vital, lifesaving benefits to help Americans put food on the table during moments of need. The average family spends just 10 months on SNAP, receiving assistance just long enough to get back on their feet. At the same time, the program helps set our kids up for success. Hungry children perform worse in school, and studies have shown that children on SNAP achieve higher test scores and are more likely to graduate from high school. Children on SNAP achieve higher test scores and succeed, and they have the opportunity to do well later in life. Mr. Speaker, the partisan approach was the wrong way on tax reform, it was the wrong way on healthcare, and it is the wrong way now. I urge my Republican colleagues to abandon this party-line legislation and instead approach the farm bill in the fair, bipartisan manner we have in the past.

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment which would help those communities saddled with housing our Nation's stranded nuclear waste while the Federal Government has failed to meet its legal obligation to find a permanent repository. This is something my constituents understand all too well. The former Zion Nuclear Power Station, located on valuable lakefront property in Zion, Illinois, has housed more than 2 million pounds of spent nuclear fuel since the plant's closure in 1998. This waste, situated on the very shores of Lake Michigan, is both an extreme environmental hazard and a severe burden to the quality of life of the residents of Zion--deterring economic investment, depressing home values, and driving up property taxes to fill the void of local revenue. Zion is not alone. Across the country, there are 17 nuclear power plants at various stages of decommissioning with even more announced closures slated for years ahead. In these communities, plants are typically the largest employer in the area; and when they close and waste is stored on site, it is devastating to the local communities. My amendment seeks to help these communities access desperately needed Federal resources until waste is moved--waste that is, quite literally, stranded in these communities due to the Federal Government's inaction. Specifically, my amendment would require the Secretary of Energy to assemble a task force to work across all Federal agencies to identify existing resources and funding opportunities that could assist communities with decommissioning plants where waste is being stored. In addition, the task force would work with communities in the decommissioning process to develop a transition plan to mitigate the economic damage when a plant closes. Communities like Zion, Illinois, have been forced to shoulder the burdens of storage with no compensation in return. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and help our communities get the Federal help they are owed. Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), my friend.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chair, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), my friend and a cosponsor of this amendment.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from Illinois for his hard work on this and his support. I yield 30 seconds to my colleague from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chair, I appreciate all of the support. I appreciate the work of my colleagues. I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. SCHNEIDER

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, in 2016, more than 63,000 people died from drug overdose, more than 30,000 of these from opioids. We also know that 80 percent of heroin users started with prescription opioids. Reducing opioid-related deaths will take a broad, multifaceted effort, and everyone has a role to play, including physicians. In congressional hearings and community conversations, I constantly hear that enhancing continuing education for prescribers on the risks associated with opioid medication and indications and treatment of addictive behaviors can help reduce dependence and abuse of these drugs. This week, I was proud to partner with Congresswoman Susan Brooks of Indiana to introduce the bipartisan ADAPT Act. Our bill would help ensure prescribers have continuing medical education on safe prescribing, opioid risks, pain management alternatives, early detection of drug abuse, and treatment options for patients suffering from addiction. We know more about opioid addiction today than we did 20 years ago. With ongoing research, we will continue to gain new insights and understanding. We need our doctors to be equipped with the latest tools and best practices when treating patients. I urge my colleagues to join us in support of this effort to equip those on the front lines of the opioid crisis with the latest and best training to help our communities.