Mary Scanlon

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my young constituents, Anthony Alexander, a student at Academy Park High School, for his recent bravery in a moment of crisis. Last week, on an unseasonably warm winter day, Anthony was riding his bike with friends in Collingdale Park when he heard cries for help. A frozen pond had given way and three younger children had fallen through the ice. As the children panicked, 16-year-old Anthony sprang into action. He dialed 911 and then ran to the water's edge and used a stick to help pull the children to safety. He then jumped into the freezing pond to reach the third child. Police Sergeant Pat Kilroy arrived on the scene and helped both of them out. So many of us wonder what we would do when faced with an emergency. Anthony's quick thinking and selfless action at Collingdale Park prevented a tragedy. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join members of our community in recognizing Anthony Alexander as a local hero.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of today's rule. As we work with President Biden to build a better America, we must honor our debt to our veterans for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our country. There are obvious risks and sacrifices in military service: the physical and mental challenges, time away from loved ones, and the possibility that one may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice for one's country. But there are hidden risks and sacrifices as well, and our failure to address them means that, for too long, we have not met the needs of veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances during the course of their military service, as they have suffered from chronic respiratory illness, cancer, and a variety of other maladies later in life. The most well-known example of this is Agent Orange. It took years of veterans' advocacy for the government to acknowledge and provide services and treatment for injuries caused by Agent Orange. Even as the connections between illness and exposure to Agent Orange have multiplied, new links have been established between exposure to other toxic substances during military service and chronic and life- threatening diseases. The burn pits used at military installations across the globe are a more recent example. The Honoring our PACT bill enacts long-overdue support for over 3 million veterans suffering from illnesses due to exposure to toxins and radiation during military service. This comprehensive bill will cut red tape to getting veterans benefits, allowing veterans exposed to chemical, airborne, and radioactive hazards to receive full health benefits to treat illnesses related to that exposure. We owe it to our vets to pass this bill and provide them with the benefits they deserve. Mr. Speaker, I also want to highlight my amendment to the Honoring our PACT Act, which will provide additional funding to ensure that the VA can implement the new benefits that this bill will authorize. I strongly encourage all of my colleagues to support the rule, the PACT Act, and my amendment when they are considered on the House floor.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the Rules Committee for yielding. Mr. Speaker, for as long as our country has existed, the United States Postal Service has played a critical role in the function of our country. Whether delivering news or bills, medicine or ballots, income tax refunds or in a few days maybe Valentines, Americans--our small businesses and our State, national, and local governments--rely on the post office and the essential daily services it provides. The famous motto of the Postal Service is: ``Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.'' How glad we have been to see them completing those rounds during a pandemic which limited our ability to get goods and services from other places and which limited our ability in some cases to get to the polling places. While the U.S. Postal Service has always been essential, in the last 2 years it has been even more so, as it has helped us all to navigate a highly transmissible virus. Unfortunately, during that same time, we have seen the Postal Service struggle to navigate a series of highly disruptive policy changes that slowed service and financial constraints that have threatened its long- term health. Over the past 2 years I have heard from hundreds of constituents about problems with the Postal Service, all asking: What is Congress going to do about it? This week, I am proud to support the Postal Service Reform Act, a bipartisan bill that will improve the performance of the U.S. Postal Service and guarantee its long-term financial health. This bill will guarantee the Postal Service's 6-day delivery standard, improve customer support, and provide customers with increased transparency about their local service performance. Most notably, the Postal Service Reform Act will finally end the--unique to the Postal Service--statutory requirement that it prefund retiree health benefits, relieving the Postal Service of this onerous and unnecessary burden that has jeopardized the service's finances since it was enacted 15 years ago. These reforms which have been endorsed by the postal unions are estimated to save the Postal Service nearly $50 billion over the next 10 years. The U.S. Postal Service is one of the oldest, core responsibilities of the Federal Government, and so I look forward to enthusiastically voting for this bill to ensure its continued success in the 21st century. In addition, Mr. Speaker, today's rule also provides for consideration of another continuing resolution to fund the government. The House did its job. We passed our funding bills on time, and Chairwoman DeLauro has pushed her Senate counterparts to begin negotiations early so that a funding deal could be passed on time. However, Senate Republicans have hemmed and hawed and stalled to avoid negotiations because they prefer a CR to finding bipartisan compromise. We are nearly halfway through the current fiscal year. I regret the necessity of another CR, but I look forward to a quick resolution and a vote on an omnibus funding bill.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a Philadelphia hero, Octavius V. Catto. If you come to Philadelphia, you will see a statue of Octavius Catto on the south side of City Hall. It is the city's first public statue honoring an individual African American. Throughout his life, Catto was an outspoken activist for the abolition of slavery and for equal rights for Black Americans. During the Civil War, he joined Frederick Douglass and other Black leaders to recruit African Americans to join the fight for emancipation. After the war, Catto continued his advocacy and successfully fought to desegregate Philadelphia's streetcars. Catto was a man of many accomplishments. He graduated from the Institute for Colored Youth, which is now Pennsylvania-05's own Cheyney University, the first HBCU in the country. He also ran the undefeated Pythian Baseball Club of Philadelphia, a Negro League baseball team that played the first Black versus White game. However, the most enduring part of Catto's legacy is his efforts to secure the right to vote for Black Americans. He was a champion for suffrage and fought to ensure that no one would be denied access to the ballot box. Ultimately, his life's work brought about Catto's untimely death. On October 10, 1871, the first election day that Black men were allowed to vote in Philadelphia, 32-year-old Catto was shot and killed by a White mob trying to stop the Black vote. Octavius Catto's life and sacrifice are an important reminder of the importance of continuing his work and honoring his legacy today to ensure that all Americans have the freedom to vote free from mob rule, gerrymandering, and other efforts to silence their voices.

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a local hero from the borough of Swarthmore, Dr. Harold Wilkinson. Last month, at the age of 95, Dr. Wilkinson passed away peacefully in his sleep after a long life of exploration, inquiry, and service. Hal enlisted in the Army Air Corps at the age of 18 and served stateside through the end of World War II. After meeting his wife, Rosie, in medical school, the pair settled in Swarthmore, where he opened a family medical practice and she worked as a pediatrician for children with developmental disabilities. For 42 years, Hal maintained his practice, serving generations of Swarthmore residents. He was known for making house calls long after it went out of fashion, continuing his service into his seventies. After his wife, Rosie, passed away, Hal was lucky enough to marry another local legend, Sandy Sparrow, a beloved former elementary school principal with whom he continued to travel the world. Dr. Wilkinson was a pillar of our community, an iconic figure who could be seen strolling with his friends or his rescue dog, Dugan, until late last year. A beloved friend to many, Hal was always interested in hearing the latest updates from friends and neighbors and exploring the world around him. As the borough of Swarthmore mourns his passing, our hearts are with Hal's family. We were all so lucky to have known him. Celebrating the Life of Octavius V. Catto

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Madam Speaker, sexual harassment and violence in the workplace are a corrosive and pervasive threat to the success and dignity of all workers, but particularly women. And forced or mandatory arbitration clauses in employment contracts have played an important role in thwarting efforts to hold accountable the predators who engage in such conduct and the companies that allow it to continue. The widespread use of these clauses in employment contracts forces many Americans to agree to a form of dispute resolution that silences victims of sexual harassment and assault and allows the harassers and employers to escape accountability. These arbitration proceedings overwhelmingly benefit the employer, which drafts the nonnegotiable clauses dictating the venue, the terms of mediation, even the arbitrators themselves, as well as creating a perverse incentive for the allegedly neutral arbiters to rule in favor of employers, lest they not be hired again. In addition to denying survivors a public forum to expose sexual abuse, which can deter future misconduct, these arbitration clauses also preclude class actions, which is often the only way that employees can afford to bring successful claims. H.R. 4445 would ban the use of forced arbitration in employment contracts in cases of sexual assault and harassment. In addition to protecting survivors of such harassment, that is just good public policy.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an unprecedented rise in gun violence across the entire country. While most conversations about gun violence are quickly overwhelmed by extremist rhetoric, one of the strategies to reduce gun violence that has widespread support is to make sure that law enforcement has the resources needed to investigate and clear cases that get criminals and guns off of the streets. That is why I am proud to support an important piece of legislation introduced by former police chief and our colleague in Congress, Representative Val Demings. The VICTIM Act targets resources to the things we know can help reduce gun violence. Grants would support the hiring, training, and retention of detectives and victim services personnel. These grants will also fund training, equipment, and personnel needed to process and analyze evidence in gun crimes. In Philadelphia, our Police Department would like to use such funding to support a new unit dedicated to investigating non-fatal shootings. One of the reasons I came to Congress was to fight for an end to gun violence, to protect our children, our families, and our communities. In our country today, gun violence is hitting ever closer to home. Several of my employees have lost relatives to gun violence. In November, a constituent was killed in a carjacking near his college campus. A month later, I became the victim of carjacking, though I am extremely lucky that no one was injured in my case. Then, just last week, I found myself embracing a mother devastated by the death of her daughter after she was struck by gunfire at a playground. This has to stop. There is no one solution. But as a legislator, I want to pass laws to tackle the underlying issues driving this epidemic of violence, as well as providing the means to end it. That means commonsense gun safety reform, resources for law enforcement, support for mental health services, and investments in education and employment opportunities for all Americans. The VICTIM Act can be an important part of this effort, and I hope we will soon be able to bring it to the floor for a vote.

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, since coming to Congress, my office has focused on forging closer connections between the jobs that we are developing in our region and the people who live here. I have been proud to support a number of workforce training programs that bridge that gap, particularly for the jobs that are revitalizing the Philadelphia Shipyard, thanks to a contract we helped secure for the building of five national security multi-mission vessels. Another sector of our local economy that is going to benefit immensely from investments in workforce training and public-private partnerships is biotech and life sciences. Last week, the U.S. Economic Development Administration announced that the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia is receiving a STEM Talent Challenge Grant, one of only eight such grants awarded in the entire Nation. The Wistar Institute will use this grant to support workforce training to address the demand for skilled workers from the life sciences industry which has been growing by leaps and bounds in our region. For over 20 years, the Wistar Institute has been pioneering workforce training for young people attending high schools and community colleges in our region to enter this exciting field. And I am delighted that this new program is training students from Cheyney University, the oldest HBCU in the country, which is also located in my district. The Quality Science Pathway Apprenticeship offers an earn-and-learn, hands-on training curriculum, taught by experts to uniquely address the critical need for a highly skilled, quality science labor force based in the Philadelphia region. For the last decade, our regional economy has been driven by dynamic eds, meds, and tech sectors. Life sciences is a key part of that economy, so I am grateful that the EDA chose to invest in this model program at the Wistar Institute to help people from our region win these critical jobs and the opportunity to have careers in an expanding, in-demand industry. Fighting Gun Violence in Our Country

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate an outstanding female athlete and native of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, for her service to our community. Margo Carlin currently plays field hockey at Boston College, where she has won multiple awards and played in the NCAA Final Four. But her accomplishments go far beyond the field hockey turf. Last year, after a new rule allowed college athletes to raise money from the use of their names and likenesses, Margo saw an opportunity to make a difference in our community. She used her platform as a college athlete to partner with Covenant House and raised nearly $30,000 to help that charity house and feed young people who are experiencing homelessness in our area. That successful partnership allowed Covenant House to seek out similar partnerships with athletes in other parts of the country. Margo's approach to community service is an example of how each of us has the power, with a little creativity, to use our unique talents to make a difference. I am so proud to recognize Margo Carlin today, and I look forward to all she will accomplish in the future. Support Workforce Training Programs

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from the Rules Committee for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of today's rule. The America COMPETES Act is a bold and important bill that would help make our economy more competitive, more dynamic, and more prosperous as we confront the challenges of the 21st century. This bill provides a long-overdue investment in our Nation's leading research and development institutions, which will deliver huge benefits to the region I represent. It will fund innovations and breakthroughs to ensure that the United States leads the world in advancements in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, computing, and biomedical research. The America COMPETES Act also provides a targeted program of policies to address our short- and long-term supply chain challenges. These policies will help to lower inflation, promote domestic manufacturing, encourage businesses to reshore jobs, and insulate our economy from the supply chain disruptions we are seeing right now. Internationally, the America COMPETES Act will improve our relationships with our allies and partners in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, fostering closer political and economic ties and countering China's growing influence abroad. All in all, the America COMPETES Act is a sound investment in our Nation's future, and I hope that the House and Senate can quickly work out their differences so that we can send a final bill to President Biden's desk soon. Madam Speaker, I also want to highlight two amendments that I have offered to help shape the America COMPETES Act. One of those amendments would provide grants to institutions of higher education to create innovative, research-focused education centers for STEM students. These centers would provide students with course-based research experiences across STEM disciplines and education levels, and they would work to reduce the barriers that minority and low-income students face in participating in STEM education in order to reduce attrition rates and increase diversity in the STEM workforce. My other amendment deals with the regional technology and innovation hub program created by the America COMPETES Act, which would provide cities and towns with funding to increase jobs and training opportunities in R&D, tech, and manufacturing. My amendment would clarify the program's designation process so that cities like Philadelphia can compete fairly for these vital Federal resources. I am proud to contribute these amendments to the bill, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the rule and the underlying legislation.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, January is School Board Director Recognition Month, and I want to take a moment, as a former school board member and school board president, to recognize the contributions of these unpaid but essential community servants. In the best of times, being a school board member is challenging, requiring community members to step up and address issues ranging from child development to HR, and from transportation and construction to nutrition and natural disasters. There is never enough money to do everything we would like to for our children, and the number of regulations, mandates, and laws that must be met seems to be never- ending. It often seems like every choice is between two bad alternatives. As school directors are facing these outsized challenges compounded by a pandemic and political polarization, and the mental health challenges both have brought, I want to acknowledge their Herculean efforts to keep our children, our teachers, and our staff safe and give them every opportunity to succeed. I want them to know how much their efforts on behalf of our children, our schools, and our communities are appreciated.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, one of the highlights of congressional action last year was the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and we are already seeing the impact in my district, Pennsylvania's 5th, and the greater Philadelphia region. Just before the holidays, EPA Administrator Regan joined me at the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund Site to announce that the agency had committed millions in funding from that infrastructure bill to this project, moving its anticipated completion date up to 2023. At this former landfill, chemicals had leached into the soil and groundwater for decades in the largely minority community of Eastwick. Thanks to funding from the new infrastructure package, many sites like Lower Darby Creek will see their cleanup accelerated, and nearly 50 additional Superfund sites will get the green light to be cleaned up. Less pollution, safer communities, and more jobs. I am proud to deliver these benefits to PA-05 through the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, last Friday was a big day for infrastructure in the Philadelphia region. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in Philly to announce the first tranche of funding for bridges under the new law, including $1.6 billion for Pennsylvania bridges. That afternoon, I got to highlight how funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will improve our regional public transit system, known as SEPTA. Over the next 5 years, SEPTA will receive more than $500 million more than expected. That money will help SEPTA accelerate repair efforts, including rehabilitation projects, vehicle replacement, and improving accessibility of rail and trolley stations. While all of these upgrades are needed, the forthcoming work on accessibility is especially important. In fact, it is essential. People across our region rely on SEPTA every day to get to work, take their kids to school, buy groceries, go to the doctor, and more. Our neighbors should be able to complete these daily tasks without having to plan around which station has an elevator to accommodate a wheelchair or which stop is easier to get a baby stroller in and out of. I am glad the infrastructure funding that Congress and President Biden delivered will help get this much-needed work done more quickly. Our Delaware Valley residents deserve it. Election Workers are Essential

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise because we have seen a continuous assault on voting rights and election integrity in recent years, pushed by partisan operatives, foreign governments and, most disturbingly, some of our own elected officials. Over the weekend, the former President pressed members of his party in Pennsylvania to plant more Republican operatives in our election system in order to influence the counting of votes. The former President said, ``We have to be a lot sharper the next time when it comes to counting the vote. Sometimes the vote counter is more important than the candidate.'' That is just wrong. I will be the first to agree that our election workers are essential, but not because they are supposed to change the results in our elections for one political party or another. That is not how American elections work. Here, the people decide. This kind of mindset is exactly why it is so important to have people of good character trained and ready to execute the duties of poll workers faithfully. Poll workers are the first line of defense for ensuring the right to vote. They help voters overcome challenges, both bureaucratic and physical, at the polls. They also help educate the public about how safe and effective our election system really is. We need more engaged citizens who want to contribute to our democracy to get involved and sign up to be poll workers in our communities. I encourage my constituents to reach out to their county election officials today to learn more about this unique opportunity to uphold our democratic system and help ensure that all eligible voters are able to exercise their most essential freedom, the right to vote. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Delivers Benefits

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, January 14 marks the first time in 6 months that families will not receive an expanded child tax credit payment, a program to support children and families that Congress passed last spring with the American Rescue Plan. For the last 6 months, working and low-income families have had the relief of knowing that every month they would receive $250 per child, and $300 for kids under six. These payments have been a lifeline for families, helping them put food on the table and provide for children as the pandemic rages. As a result, child poverty and hunger then dropped in this country by almost half. More than 76,000 families in my district received these monthly payments, and they are worried about what will happen now that the payments have ended. Just last weekend, two constituents, a dad and a grandmother, approached me to say how important the CTC program had been. We cannot go backwards. The Senate must move quickly to pass the Build Back Better Act and extend the child tax credit. America's children are counting on us.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to help bring this bill to the floor and to push for its consideration in the Senate. Pennsylvania--and Philadelphia, which I represent--is the birthplace of our democratic Republic, but it is now ground zero in the battle for the soul of our Nation. A decade ago, when the last redistricting occurred, the Pennsylvania legislature launched an attack on election rights, which has only escalated over the years. Voters have had to battle in court to get fair districts and to overturn discriminatory voter ID laws that threaten to disenfranchise more than half a million eligible Pennsylvania voters. And in the last 2 years we have seen these threats multiply as the former President and his far-right allies have tried over and over again to make it harder to vote and to throw out the legal votes of Pennsylvania's eligible voters. This bill is not a takeover of State elections, it is a response to attempts by State legislatures, like Pennsylvania's, to make it harder for Americans to express their most essential freedom--voting--by exercising our duty under Article I Section 4 of the Constitution to protect that right. I urge all of my colleagues, no matter what party, to support this legislation.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, as chair of the Congressional Youth Mentoring Caucus, I rise to recognize National Mentoring Month, a time to celebrate the impact of mentoring and raise awareness about the critical need for caring adults to become mentors, as our youth face the often-overwhelming challenges of our time. One-third of young people in the United States don't have a meaningful connection with adults outside their homes, and the pandemic has only made it harder for them to call on caring adults for support. Mentoring has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my adult life, allowing me to participate in the personal and professional growth of scores of young people. I am fortunate to be able to continue that mentoring with some of the best and brightest young people in my district through our Congressional Youth Cabinet, where high school juniors and seniors in my district, on a monthly basis, explore the policy and government issues facing our community and our country. I urge all adults to think about how they can serve their communities and the next generation by becoming a mentor, whether through sports, career exploration, school, or faith-based programs.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the House Communications Standards Commission Summary of Final Decisions: May 24, 2021. The House Communications Standards Commission conducted Poll 117-1: 1. Based on the Complaint submitted to the Commission on April 22, 2021, by Representative Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter against Representative Zoe Lofgren and Representative Lofgren's Answer to the Complaint, submitted to the Commission on May 6, 2021, this Commission was asked to decide if a violation of the House of Representatives Communications Standards Manual occurred. The vote was as follows: Ms. Scanlon, ``No.'' Mr. Sherman, ``No.'' Mr. Bowman, ``No.'' Mrs. Cammack, did not vote. Mr. Latta, did not vote. Mr. Steil, did not vote. No violation was found.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, if the last few years have taught us anything, it is that we cannot take our democratic institutions for granted. And to protect them in the future, we must codify many of the rules of the road for good government which have been trampled in recent years by those more interested in personal power than the public good. That is why I rise in support of the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which would limit future abuses of Presidential powers, strengthen our system of checks and balances, and protect against foreign interference in our elections. I am proud to offer my amendment to this important piece of legislation which would increase the frequency with which the inspector general of the Department of Justice must report to Congress any improper communications between the Department of Justice and the White House. We all should be concerned about the threat it poses to our country when the occupant of the White House, whether it is Nixon, whether it is Trump, or whether it is anyone else, when they treat the Department of Justice as their own personal law firm, using taxpayer dollars to advance personal or political ambitions, or to block the investigation of corruption. We are learning more every day about the heroic public servants in the Department of Justice and elsewhere who raised their voices to push back against misconduct in the White House. My amendment would make it easier for these individuals to alert Congress to misconduct and allow us to better protect our democracy. I urge my colleagues to do their patriotic duty to protect our Constitution, and to support both my amendment and the underlying bill.

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the distinguished chair of the Committee on Rules.

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 838 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, today, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 838, providing for consideration of H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act, under a structured rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. It self-executes a manager's amendment from Chairwoman Maloney and makes in order 34 amendments. It also provides en bloc authority to Chairwoman Maloney and one motion to recommit. The rule also provides for consideration of S. 1605, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services. It provides authority for the chair of the Armed Services Committee to insert into the Record explanatory materials through December 10 and provides for one motion to commit. The rule also provides for consideration of S. 610, the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act, under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means and provides for one motion to commit. Finally, the rule provides the majority leader the ability to en bloc requested roll call votes on certain suspension bills through December 9, 2021. Mr. Speaker, ever since the founding of our great Nation, we have debated how to appropriately check and balance the various branches of our government with a primary concern, dating back to the 1700s, being how to prevent abuses of executive power and how to address such abuses when they occur. In the 1970s, Congress passed a variety of reforms in response to abuses of the Nixon administration to address the imbalance between Congress and the President--laws like the War Powers Act, the Inspector General Act, the National Emergencies Act, and the Impoundment Control Act. Now, just like then, Congress must pass additional reforms to protect against Presidential impunity and reset the dysfunctional relationship between the branches of government. Many Americans did not realize that we didn't already have laws to prevent the kinds of abuses we saw during the Trump administration. They thought that our laws required the disclosure of tax returns by Presidential candidates and the avoidance of financial conflicts, particularly from foreign nations, and that our laws prevented the use of pardons to protect political allies from criminal liability. In a country founded by men for whom public service to promote the common good was the highest calling, we have long expected our elected leaders to adhere to ethical standards that far exceed minimal legality, and for the most part, they have. People didn't realize that a wayward President might have a dangerously wide berth to avoid legal and ethical guardrails, subvert the other branches of government, and escape accountability for doing so. They were surprised that the former President and his administration would offer pardons in return for political favors, illegally repurpose taxpayer dollars, violate the Hatch Act, or remove inspectors general when they investigated executive misconduct. They were surprised that the former President would politically interfere in Federal law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, order Federal agents to violently disperse peaceful protesters, or use his office to direct business to properties that he owned and profited from. This is no way for a democracy to function. When a President, any President, abuses the power of their office, we all suffer, and our democracy is weakened. We often hear that the United States is a nation of laws, not men, but so long as those laws are enforced by men, we need a functional system of oversight and accountability to prevent lawlessness, graft, nepotism, crony dealings, and abuses of Presidential power. The Protecting Our Democracy Act focuses on three major areas of reform: limiting abuses of Presidential power; improving accountability, transparency, and the system of checks and balances; and protecting against foreign interference in our Nation's elections. Former President Trump and his administration made it abundantly clear that the functioning of our democratic institutions had become too dependent on the good behavior of good people and that our government was vulnerable to the dangers posed by people in positions of power who might value their own political or financial interests more than public service or the common good. These are not esoteric concerns. Just last week at a townhall, several of my constituents asked sharp questions about the failure to hold anyone accountable--so far--for inciting the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the misuse of government funds intended for COVID relief, and the measures necessary to hold people in contempt when they defy congressional subpoenas. While the Trump administration may have ended, our democratic institutions are still vulnerable to future Presidents who try to commit the same crimes, abuses of power, and other improper actions. The Protecting Our Democracy Act is the culmination of years of work by dozens of bipartisan Members and nine congressional committees to institute reforms to protect our democracy and rebalance the relationship between Congress and the President. For decades, Congress has ceded many administrative and oversight responsibilities to the executive branch. Congress is granted broad powers in Article I of the Constitution, but over time, many of these powers have been weakened or absorbed by the Presidency. This has been a long and slow process with Presidents of both parties over the past 50 years taking advantage of the broken system of checks and balances to expand Presidential power. But it has become increasingly clear, particularly so over the last administration, that this problem has dangerous consequences. To protect against abuses of Presidential power, the Protect Our Democracy Act prevents Presidents from pardoning themselves and updates Federal bribery laws to prevent quid pro quo pardons. The Protect Our Democracy Act suspends the statute of limitations so that Presidents cannot escape accountability for crimes committed before or during their terms in office. And this act would allow Congress to enforce the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, preventing future Presidents from accepting money or gifts from foreign governments or others who seek to influence Presidential actions. To improve transparency and accountability, this act makes a series of necessary reforms to bolster the enforcement of congressional subpoenas. Presidents have increasingly used a variety of legal methods to stall or obstruct congressional investigations, and these issues came to a head during the Trump administration where the executive branch refused to turn over information to Congress for so long that the administration ended before Congress could obtain that information. Congress needs to be able to promptly and effectively conduct oversight in order to fulfill its constitutional role as a check and balance to a rogue administration. The Protecting Our Democracy Act's reforms will give Congress important legal remedies to ensure that the recipients of congressional subpoenas actually comply with them in a timely manner. It will place important limits on presidentially declared emergencies so that Presidents cannot indefinitely maintain emergency powers. The Protecting Our Democracy Act will additionally prevent the President from illegally diverting or spending taxpayer dollars. It will prevent Presidents from dismissing inspectors general when they conduct investigations that disclose misconduct by an administration. Importantly, the Protecting Our Democracy Act will reinforce measures to prevent the White House from trying to interfere in Federal law enforcement for political reasons. Lastly, the Protecting Our Democracy Act includes policies to protect our Federal elections from foreign interference. Since 2016, numerous foreign governments have gone to great lengths to interfere in our elections and manipulate American public opinion. Building on the reforms passed by the House as part of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, the Protecting Our Democracy Act would require campaigns to affirmatively report any contact with a foreign government or its agents, expressly prohibit those contacts, and strengthen criminal penalties for knowing and willful violations of the prohibitions. All in all, the reforms in the Protecting Our Democracy Act will establish essential guardrails to protect our democratic institutions from illegal and unethical behavior by a President or his or her administration. These reforms are long overdue, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this bill when it is considered on the floor. However, I do want to note to my colleagues that while the Protecting Our Democracy Act can address many of the abuses of the recent administration, and prevent them in the future, ultimately, the responsibility for holding the executive accountable falls to Congress. Under our Constitution, Congress plays an equal role in the functioning of our government. Through our powers to authorize and appropriate funds, conduct oversight, pass laws, structure government agencies, and grant executive authority, under Article I, the first article of the Constitution, Congress has the ability to limit Presidential power and punish Presidents who break the law, violate norms, or act in ways to undermine our constitutional order. And we all must have the courage to exercise that power. So while it is true that Congress has ceded many of its Article I powers, the responsibility to get them back falls entirely on us. We cannot count on an executive, of any party, to relinquish powers that we have given away. Whether it is war powers, emergency powers, or the enforcement of subpoenas, ethical norms, and criminal penalties, it falls on Congress to pass legislation to resolve these issues. Mr. Speaker, today's rule also provides for consideration of the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. I applaud the work of my House colleagues to consider and pass the NDAA in a timely fashion, and I regret that the Senate has once again held up congressional business. This year's NDAA makes important and necessary improvements to our national security policies, ensuring that the United States is able to appropriately respond to ongoing and emerging threats. The NDAA will provide the resources to combat aggression and malign activity by Russia and China; it will strengthen our security relations with important allies in Europe and Asia; and it will continue vital modernization and acquisition programs. The NDAA includes important policies for my district, including funding for five Block II Chinook helicopters and nine more V-22 Ospreys, all of which are manufactured in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. The 4,500 men and women who build these incredible aircraft are immensely proud that their hard work directly supports our national security and disaster relief efforts around the world, and the fiscal year 2022 NDAA is an investment in these amazing workers. The NDAA also includes funding for the fifth of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels which are being built at the Philadelphia shipyard, the birthplace of the United States Navy. These are training ships for our nation's maritime academies which are needed to train the next generation of mariners as we experience growing shortages to that workforce. This program has already created hundreds of jobs in my district and throughout our region, and it will create hundreds more as work continues. These training vessels are critical to our national commerce, our national defense, and our regional economy. This Friday, I am looking forward to attending the keel laying ceremony for the first of these vessels at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. I want to highlight, as well, the important reforms that the NDAA finally makes to the way the military handles cases of sexual assault. Thanks to years of work by advocates and members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, the NDAA will remove special victims crimes from the chain of command and create an Office of the Special Victim Prosecutor within each service that is independent from the military justice system. These reforms will ensure that allegations of sexual assault get an independent investigation with experienced criminal justice attorneys, allowing our servicemembers to seek justice without the pressures and obfuscation that keep these crimes in the shadows. While I believe that a lot more can and should be done to address sexual assault in the Armed Forces, the FY 2022 NDAA makes much-needed progress. Finally, Mr. Speaker, today's rule will provide a process for expedited consideration in the Senate of legislation to raise the Nation's debt limit. Congressional Republicans have held the country hostage for nearly 4 months, threatening to derail our economy, and the world's economy, as part of a fiscally irresponsible political stunt. Again, it is incredibly irresponsible for Members of Congress to support fiscal policies that require the Treasury to borrow and then to prevent the Treasury from doing so. We must raise the debt limit, and we must be responsible stewards of the full faith and credit of the United States. It has been said multiple times but bears repeating: Raising the debt limit is necessary to allow the Treasury to pay the bills our country has already incurred. It has nothing to do with the national debt. The United States cannot default on its bills without creating a global financial crisis and inflicting serious financial harm on our country and its inhabitants. It is grossly irresponsible for any Member of this Congress to deliberately court financial disaster by nonpayment of our debts, and particularly to do so for partisan political purposes. I look forward to legislative action in the future to permanently lift the debt limit and to permanently remove this political football from the Halls of Congress. I am glad that both Chambers of Congress have come to an agreement on the path forward to raising the debt limit for the present so that we can end the economic anxiety caused by this arbitrary and functionally useless budget provision. In addition to the debt limit provision, the rule includes important budgetary provisions to protect funding from Medicare and other important Federal programs as our Nation continues our robust recovery from last year's recession, and to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. SCANLON

Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The Protecting Our Democracy Act is a necessary package of policies to address abuses of our constitutional processes that have developed over time but accelerated under the most recent administration. It has become clear that our government will not survive solely on the good behavior of good people. We need statutory guardrails to ensure compliance with norms of good behavior. The Protecting Our Democracy Act will impose reasonable and constitutionally sound limits on Presidential power and then create enforceable penalties for Presidents who abuse the powers of their office. I am proud of my colleagues who contributed legislation to the final bill, especially Representative Adam Schiff, who spearheaded this important effort. The Protecting Our Democracy Act is an important continuation of the House's work for the people to protect our democratic institutions at this critical moment in time. It builds off bills like H.R. 1, H.R. 4, and the Inspector General Independence and Empowerment Act to protect our elections and make good government reforms to ensure that our government works for everyone and that the rule of law applies to everyone. As with many of these bills and others passed by the House, I strongly urge my Senate colleagues to join us and do some legislating. Our country is facing multiple problems, and we frankly cannot afford continued inaction from the Senate on voting rights, the NDAA, the debt limit, or any of the hundreds of bills passed by the House over the past year. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the rule today and to support the underlying legislation.

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