Mary Scanlon

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I wanted to mention that Senator Elizabeth Warren, a native of Oklahoma, carries the Senate version of H. Res. 398 recognizing the Tulsa centennial. When I go home and meet with constituents, they want to know what we are doing here to make their lives better, not whether we have succeeded in obstructing the passage of necessary or popular legislation or in shutting down Congress. I suspect that is true for most Members, and I value those with whom I can work in good faith. This Congress has already seen its fair share of parliamentary tricks to disrupt the legislative process, and I applaud the leadership's efforts to keep Members and staff safe, to advance legislation that will end the pandemic, and to serve the American people. Let's be honest about why we are taking up floor time to debate and pass the orphan drug bill today, a bill with broad bipartisan support that passed without a single objection last term. Last week's ``no'' vote by some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle was incredibly disrespectful to the Americans we are all here to represent. Those Members voting ``no'' effectively told their constituents that they care more about whose name goes on a bill than they care about actually passing legislation. Like my colleagues, I am frustrated that this bill did not pass on suspension last week. The opioid epidemic is a serious issue. Families in my district and across the country know firsthand the hardships caused by opioid abuse and addiction, and this issue deserves to be taken seriously and addressed by Congress, which is why we are bringing this bill back to the floor a week after one of its former sponsors blocked its passage because his feelings were hurt when he wasn't asked to lead the bill this term. Our colleagues extol, when convenient, the virtues of unity and bipartisanship, but it is important for them to realize that bipartisanship relies upon trust. And in the wake of January 6, despite having witnessed the carnage created by falsehoods about the election results, the majority of our Republican colleagues voted with no evidence to cancel the electoral votes of several States. For those of us who represent Pennsylvania, which was ground zero for those falsehoods and the efforts to undermine and overturn our electoral process, it is particularly tough to trust Members who have shown more interest in silencing those who would challenge the lies than in defending the Constitution. It is a shame that a bipartisan bill to combat opioid abuse needs to be reconsidered under a rule, and I hope this time around my colleagues do what is right and pass the bill to improve access to low-cost medications to combat opioid addiction. We are here to pass legislation for the American people, not to put our names on things. Stunts like what we saw last week are disrespectful to the House, to its Members, and most of all to the people we are here to represent. I thank all of our colleagues who helped craft the bills we are considering today. I look forward to supporting this rule, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Ms. SCANLON. I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 403 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, like many, I am so excited to see our country begin to unwind many of the COVID-19 precautions of the last year, but we are not in the clear yet. It is no secret that many Members of this body have refused to be vaccinated, and many of the same Members have also shown repeated disregard for the dangers posed by the pandemic. We need to extend certain measures in the House to provide the House with flexibility to ensure that Congress can expeditiously respond to the future needs created by the pandemic and the economy and to keep all of those who serve here safe. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), a former member of the Rules Committee.

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the majority whip.

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Yeadon Police Department, which recently started the first police-community garden in the country as part of an ongoing program to develop positive relationships between police and community members. The garden gives officers and residents an opportunity to meet in a cooperative environment, to open lines of communication and foster understanding. Officers and residents work together in the garden throughout the growing season, and the food grown there is shared with those who work the soil, as well as area food banks. They hope to start six or seven more gardens through the community. The mayor of Yeadon, Rohan Hepkins, says that his community has seen a decrease in crime during the pandemic. He credits police outreach efforts, including the department's reliance on community-oriented policing and outreach to the school district and younger folks so that they look at the police not as enemies but as allies. I commend Police Chief Anthony ``Chachi'' Paparo and Mayor Hepkins for their efforts to improve community policing and to ensure that everyone in the community feels safe.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the exciting new child tax credit that is part of the American Rescue Plan. I know the words ``exciting'' and ``tax credit'' don't usually belong in the same sentence, but this is different. With the child tax credit, families with children under the age of 17 will receive $250 per child per month and $300 per month for kids under 6. These monthly payments can help cover everyday child-rearing expenses--things like food, diapers, or shoes for the teenager who outgrows his every 6 weeks. More than 119,000 children in my district will benefit from the new child tax credit, including thousands of children who will be lifted out of deep poverty. Let's be clear: The child tax credit is a special refundable tax credit, so even families who don't earn enough to pay taxes will get the automatic payment. But it is important to file a tax return before the May 17 deadline so you can begin receiving payments as soon as possible. I look forward to making the child tax credit permanent.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible staff of the Delaware County COVID-19 task force, led by Rosemarie Halt, for their amazing work, along with the thousands of volunteers from the DelCo Medical Reserve Corps and the DelCo Citizen Corps who have created and implemented new systems to test, feed, and vaccinate tens of thousands of people in our community. These folks have been working day and night to help guide the residents of Delaware County through the challenges of a once-in-a- century pandemic. In an ever-changing landscape, they have distributed supplies, coordinated communication, and are now helping to ensure that everyone gets vaccinated. I am proud to honor them today during National Volunteer Week to celebrate those working behind the scenes to get us back to normal. Rosemarie, her staff, and the DelCo volunteers have been critical to the response and relief efforts in our district. For over a year, it has been all hands on deck, and we cannot thank them enough for their service.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule providing for consideration of the NO BAN Act, the Access to Counsel Act of 2021, and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. All three bills advance important policies that I am proud to support. I will never forgot the night in January 2017 that the Trump administration's ban on travel from Muslim countries went into effect. I was not yet in Congress, and my job involved coordinating free legal services across the U.S., including representation for immigrants. As foreign citizens landed in the U.S., they were told that their travel papers were revoked while they were in the air, and some were taken into custody and some were immediately deported. Families were separated, and friends and relatives arriving to pick up loved ones at U.S. airports frantically tried to get information about them. Many were denied the right to counsel, who were trying to reach them. Attorneys and immigration agencies across the country immediately mobilized to help those impacted by the illegal and ill-conceived ban. I spent the next few weeks working around the clock, dispatching volunteers to airports, mobilizing translators, and organizing legal efforts. Having seen the chaos and cruelty caused by the Trump administration's ill-fated ban, I am particularly pleased by the opportunity to pass the NO BAN Act and the Access to Counsel Act. First, the NO BAN Act would ensure that no future administration would have the authority to discriminate against people based on their religious background or national origin when choosing to restrict the entry of immigrants into our country. Having witnessed the chaos and cruelty of the Muslim ban, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, which would prevent future administrations from similarly abusing their executive authority. I am also proud to support the Access to Counsel Act, which would ensure that individuals at ports of entry can seek legal advice, whether from volunteers or at their own expense, during the screening process. Access to counsel is critical for ensuring the fair and equitable enforcement of our laws, but especially in immigration matters where the law is so complicated and the consequences so grave. Madam Speaker, I support these three bills, which would make our immigration laws more fair and protect due process.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 422) to allow Senators, Senators-elect, committees of the Senate, leadership offices, and other offices of the Senate to share employees, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I send to the desk a resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Cardinal O'Hara Lady Lions basketball team, which recently won the PIAA class 5A girls championship, securing their first-ever State basketball title. On March 27, the team defeated the defending champion, Chartiers Valley, 51-27, led by junior Sydni Scott's game-high 16 points. The victory made history on several fronts. Not only was this the school's first State basketball championship, but it also marked just the third time a mother-daughter duo has won a PIAA state title, with Coach Chrissie Doogan at the helm and her daughter Maggie playing forward. O'Hara's win also gave the Philadelphia Catholic League the distinction of becoming the first league to win three straight girls' titles in the same year. The young women of Cardinal O'Hara are an inspiration to our Delaware Valley community. Congratulations to the entire Lady Lions basketball team. Keep making HERstory.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, this week, I was so proud to welcome President Joe Biden to our district to see firsthand the impact the American Rescue Plan will have on our community and small businesses in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and to see the enthusiasm with which his visit was welcomed. Together, we visited Smith Flooring, a successful, minority-owned small business in Chester that provides good union jobs and is an economic driver in an area that has struggled. The President and I spoke with founders Kristin and James Smith about how the COVID pandemic has impacted their business. The struggling economy has meant leaner times, but they are trying to do right by their employees until things get moving again. The American Rescue Plan has over $50 billion in aid for small businesses, including over $7 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program. These funds will help small businesses, like Smith Flooring, keep up their payroll, protect jobs, and keep going until the economy is fully open again. I wanted President Biden to see up close one of the Delco businesses that is the backbone of our economy. Thank you to Smith Flooring for talking with President Biden and me. And equally important, I wanted to thank Congress and President Biden for bringing renewed help and hope to our community with the American Rescue Plan.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Lawrence for bringing us together for this Special Order hour. In honor of Women's History Month, I rise to celebrate the League of Women Voters nonpartisan work to encourage active and informed participation in our democracy since 1920. Founded shortly before the ratification of the 19th amendment, the League has always believed in women's power to help create a more perfect democracy. In recent years, the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania has worked to combat 21st century voter suppression tactics, including strict voter ID laws and extreme gerrymandering. In 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a decision in the League of Women Voters v. Pennsylvania that declared our congressional districts had been so extremely gerrymandered that they violated our State constitution. In doing so, that decision created districts, including mine, that are more compact, contiguous, and constitutional. The League of Women Voters' decision paved the way for the election of four women, myself included, to serve in our State's congressional delegation at a time when there were none. From the first suffragists through the present day, I want to applaud the League of Women Voters for its ongoing work to empower voters and defend our democracy.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, before coming to Congress, I organized volunteer lawyers to represent survivors of domestic abuse, so I have seen firsthand both the need for the Violence Against Women Act and the remarkable impact of legal representation in moments of crisis. That is why I am proud to support reauthorization of VAWA, which would, among other things, expand access to legal counsel for those who need it most. Too often, survivors are left to navigate alone the overwhelming aftereffects of violence and abuse. Whether that means finding housing, medical, or other care in the aftermath of trauma, the process can be complicated and hard to manage. Legal representation in these critical moments can make a life- changing difference. That is why I am proud to offer two amendments to VAWA today. The first would expand efforts to provide legal representation in postconviction relief proceedings. The second would increase access to legal aid for veterans who have unmet legal needs. Everyone deserves access to quality legal representation for fundamental needs, and this bill gets us one step closer to that goal. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support my amendments and the underlying legislation.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, for too many communities in southeastern Pennsylvania, the steady toll of gun violence day in and day out is a horrifying reality. Right now, my region is at the epicenter of a staggering uptick in gun violence taking place in the background of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first 3 months of this year, over 300 people in the city of Philadelphia have been shot. Over 50 have been killed, and 5 of those were children. Mr. Speaker, the gun violence measures we are voting on this week close major loopholes in our gun laws that have allowed people, who we all agree should not have guns, to purchase guns without completed background checks. While our colleagues across the aisle claim these laws won't prevent gun violence, that is not true. Even with the loopholes, Federal background checks have prevented over 3 million sales to people we all agree should not have guns. When required and enforced, background checks work, and they have the power to keep guns out of dangerous hands and off our streets. Congressional complacency in addressing this issue has made our country less safe and put children and our most marginalized communities at risk. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support these bills.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and underlying act, the American Rescue Plan Act. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of over 525,000 Americans. Our communities are struggling and our constituents are desperate for relief. Millions remain out of work, and as many as 12 million children are living in households where they don't get enough to eat. We are grateful to have new leadership in the White House and in the Senate. I look forward to passing legislation that will end the pandemic and open our economy and let America get back to work. The American Rescue Plan puts money directly in the hands of American people. The direct cash infusion will help millions of Americans pay their rent and keep the lights on at home. In addition to $1,400 worth of direct stimulus payments for a large chunk of Americans, support for small businesses and restaurants, and an extension of unemployment insurance benefits, the American Rescue Plan Act expands the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit to give families the support they so desperately need. The child tax credit expansion alone will cut childhood poverty in half. Madam Speaker, I look forward to passage of this act because, unlike the political charade that our colleagues just treated us to and wasting the time of the House and the American people, the American Rescue Plan Act will, number one, crush the virus; number two, get Americans back to work; and number three, actually help children get out from behind their screens and back in the classroom. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and this rule.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, over the last 30 years I have been a poll worker, an election judge, an election protection lawyer, and a civics educator working to protect the right to vote. I have seen firsthand the flaws in our system that prevent Americans from participating in our democracy. Voter suppression tactics, the influence of dark money, gerrymandering, and other anti-democratic practices have all disenfranchised voters. In my home State of Pennsylvania, voters have been victim of such tactics for years. But many Americans have made clear that we want a government for the people and by the people, and House Democrats are answering that call. I am particularly proud that my bills to increase access for voters with disabilities, bring transparency to inaugural funds, and increase the availability of ballot drop boxes have all been included in this legislation. I am also hopeful that my amendment to increase access to early voting for college students will also be included. H.R. 1 will strengthen our democracy and ensure that the power in our government rests with the people.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago, I began volunteering to provide election protection services to voters after I saw political operatives try to block Swarthmore College students from voting by posting signs around their campus saying that they could not legally vote where they attended college. That was a lie. But we had to get a court order to take the signs down. Fast forward almost 20 years, and Haverford College students and their neighbors had to wage a multiyear campaign to get local officials to put a polling place on campus. The existing polling place was 1\1/2\ miles away, in another district entirely, and was inconvenient for students--most of whom had no cars--and the majority of residents alike. The college offered to provide free space and parking for the polling place, but students and neighbors were met with excuse after excuse. These excuses were textbook voter suppression tactics used to box out young voters from making their voices heard. If we have learned anything from this past election, it is that when we make it more convenient for eligible voters to vote, they do. That is why I am offering an amendment to H.R. 1 that requires States which offer early voting to make it available to polling places serving college campuses. It is high time we make our democracy, our elections, accessible to the generations who will inherit the world that we are legislating about. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule, to support my amendment, and to support final passage of H.R. 1.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, with respect to the gentlewoman's question, with respect to the language in question, it has long been held by our courts that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act does not apply to civil rights laws. The Equality Act looks to treat discrimination against LGBTQ individuals the same way as other forms of discrimination, including racial discrimination. So, these arguments just don't hold water. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee.