Donna Shalala

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Golden).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies chairwoman.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Golden).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1060 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), 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. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1060, providing for consideration of H.R. 7608, the State, Foreign Operations, Agriculture, Rural Development, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2021, under a structured rule. The rule makes in order 132 amendments. The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule provides that the chair of the Committee on Appropriations or her designee may offer amendments en bloc, which will be debatable for 30 minutes. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the bill in this rule. This appropriations package provides urgent and essential resources not only for the American people, but particularly for my fellow Floridians. Among its provisions, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill provides emergency funding for coronavirus preparedness, response, and relief. There is much we do not know about this virus. The one thing we do know is that it respects no border. South Florida, which is now the epicenter of this pandemic, and as the capital of the Americas, knows all too well how diseases can spread. This emergency funding will save lives both at home and abroad. The SFOPS bill provides robust funding to advance our global priorities and strengthens the international partnerships that are critical to supporting American influence and effectiveness across the globe. This includes specifically restoring funding for the World Health Organization, which this administration has threatened and is trying to cut off. Nearly 150,000 Americans have, tragically, died from COVID-19. It is more important than ever that we are able to share information, best practices, and our skill and deep knowledge with our international partners. Many of those international partners were trained at the Centers for Disease Control over the years, and we simply can't afford to play politics with WHO funding. Madam Speaker, I led the American delegation to WHO for 8 years. I am well aware of its limitations and its strengths. We need WHO more than ever. And, as I said, this virus knows no borders. Madam Speaker, this bill also supports the people of Venezuela in their fight to restore democracy to their country. It includes an amendment I filed with Representative Murphy that increases the funding made available for programs to promote democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela. I am also very proud that this legislation provides security assistance to our friends and ally Israel, fully funding our commitment to Israel's security. Madam Speaker, also in this package is the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill. In this country, no one should ever be hungry, especially children, as this pandemic has made it only harder for hardworking families in my district and across the country to put food on the table. This bill provides robust funding for food and nutrition programs, which have never been more important. The bill provides for more than $25 billion in mandatory funding for the child nutrition programs. This is an increase above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level, and the bill provides for $68 billion in required mandatory spending for SNAP. This includes $3 billion for the SNAP reserve fund. As my friend Marian Wright Edelman once said: ``If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much.'' Madam Speaker, also in this package is the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, which provides funding for meaningful action on climate change and protects our environment. I am particularly proud of the provisions that provide robust funding for the Department of the Interior bureaus working together to restore the Everglades, including the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the South Geographic Program. Lastly, among its most important provisions, this package upholds our commitment to our troops, investing in housing, in medical care, in programs to reduce veteran homelessness. Simply put, with this legislation, we are fulfilling our obligations to our planet, to our American values, to our veterans, and to our children. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, founded on April 1, 2020, Meals for Heroes Miami has become foundational to South Florida's efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This organization was founded by Miami natives Will Osborne and Karen Bechtel, and Will's son Mac, a New York- based restauranteur. This non-profit, donation-based organization emerged to address two issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic: feeding the stressed and exhausted frontline workers risking their lives daily and protecting jobs at Miami restaurants. Meals for Heroes Miami, powered by community donations, serves both these needs by purchasing and delivering meals from local restaurants to frontline workers. By mid-May, Meals for Heroes Miami had purchased and delivered 10,000 meals to workers; fed teams at 24 hospitals, testing centers, first responder departments, prisons, and other locations; and preserved approximately 50 jobs at 22 partner restaurants. The organization has only continued to grow in the time since. This kind of innovation is precisely what we need in communities across the country to conquer this pandemic and help families support themselves. I commend Will, Karen, Mac, and all those who have donated to this fantastic cause for their service to our shared community.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1425, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act. Our country is facing multiple interwoven catastrophes: a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and a reckoning over the denial of racial justice. Our job as Congresspeople is to help the American people through these trying times. This bill does just that, and the time to pass it is long overdue. Madam Speaker, my district has the highest enrollment in the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces, with more than 100,000 people getting their health insurance from the ACA. My constituents are likely to have never had health insurance before the Affordable Care Act became law, but there still are at least another 120,000 people in Miami-Dade County who do not have access to health insurance because my State, the State of Florida, has refused to expand Medicaid. This bill will take critical steps to improve and expand the ACA and lower drug costs. It requires the Secretary of HHS to negotiate with drug manufacturers for affordable drugs for all Americans, a power I would have loved to have had when I was Secretary. It does exactly what the President asked for during his campaign. This provision alone will save Medicare $448 billion. Other critical provisions include expanding tax credits deeper into the middle class so that everyone can get affordable, comprehensive health coverage. My constituents are worried about their jobs, their loved ones, their healthcare, and their country. Let's help them not worry about how they will pay for critical healthcare if they get sick.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park was established on August 1, 1945 as the ``Colored only Beach'' in Miami, Florida. Today, the civic, social, and environmental characteristics of the park hold national, state, regional, and local significance in the history of civil rights, highlighting the achievements of local African American communities and providing an opportunity for the public to explore various environmental phenomena unique to the park. The Historic Virginia Key Beach Park was added to the national register of historic places in 2002, added to the State of Florida Heritage Trail in 2006, included as a major stakeholder to the Virginia Key master plan in 2010, and added to the City of Miami's Historic and Environmental Preservation List in 2013. In 2006, the Miami City Commission approved the Virginia Key Beach Park master plan, which included the restoration of the park and the creation of a museum. The museum will showcase the history and contributions of the communities the park has served, the natural environment of the park, and the creation of a Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. The history of the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park highlights the contributions of civil rights leaders from our communities. Today, the park is a model of social engagement opportunities through the incorporation of the public shoreline, green space, and the various amenities on Virginia Key.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying bills. Madam Speaker, my office in Miami is not getting calls; we are getting cries for help. My neighbors are scared of both a virus that could kill them or their loved ones and worried about how they will make their next rent or mortgage payment or buy groceries or when their children will go back to school. Today we vote on two bills. The first will allow Members of Congress to do our jobs, as described by our chair, Mr. McGovern. The second will provide desperately needed relief. We have already passed four pieces of legislation to respond to the pandemic which has killed more than 83,000 Americans. My friends and neighbors in south Florida are suffering. The HEROES Act gives money to my State, cities, and county that are shouldering both the economic and health burdens of COVID-19. Unless we do this, my county and cities and school board will not be able to pay teachers or firefighters or police officers or transit workers or even hire contact tracers to help get this virus under control. This bill provides that and includes more money for SNAP and additional economic impact payments of up to $6,000 per family. The HEROES Act also provides needed funds for the Postal Service. The Postal Service was founded in 1792. It is more critical than ever in helping people safely access medications and food and cleaning supplies and vote-by-mail ballots and more. While the Senate may be here in D.C. whistling past the graveyard as they confirm judicial nominees, we are working to get the American people the help they desperately need. I urge all of my colleagues to support these bills.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of Frederick Langston Hunt, who passed away peacefully on April 8, 2020. My thoughts are with his family. Frederick Langston Hunt, the only child of Frederick F. Hunt and Bernice S. Hunt, grew up in the close-knit community of Coconut Grove, FL. He graduated with honors from G.W. Carver High School and was a member of the Thorians Class of '64. After completing his undergraduate education at Howard University and earning his master's degree from Montclair University, he moved to Albany, Georgia where he met Cellestine Hill, whom he married in 1972. He and Cellestine shared a dedication to the civil rights movement and a gift for making each other laugh. In the early seventies, the Hunts moved to Greensboro, NC, where Frederick was a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Over the years, he served as Director of African American Studies at Guilford College and as a professor at Shaw University. Fred was also instrumental in establishing the Head Start program in the Triad area. It was during this time that Maia Nataki Cellestine Hunt, their only child, was born. Fred took such pride in his only child, who favored him so much, that some joked she should have been named ``Fredericka''. Frederick was an educator with the mind of an entrepreneur, a heart for his people, and the spirit of a musician. The common thread in everything he pursued was his commitment to racial, social, and economic justice. His passion for education and learning dominated his early professional life, and he always made time to be a trusted counselor and guide for young people. Frederick started a mentoring group for young men, frequently hosted Kwanzaa celebrations at his home or community centers, and dedicated himself to serving Dudley High School through the Parent Teacher Association. He always remained active in local politics and service organizations like the N.A.A.C.P. Even when Fred focused his professional efforts on real estate, first as an agent and later establishing his own real estate firm, he continued to find ways to serve. He hosted workshops to prepare people for home ownership and frequently assisted customers with their first home purchases. He was regularly recognized by his peers and the High Point Regional Association of Realtors for excelling in the field, and he continued his real estate business when he returned to Miami to be closer to his mother. Once he settled in Coconut Grove, he joined Greater St. Paul, A.M.E., where his mother was a lifelong member. He was also a member of the Greater St. Paul Male Chorus and the Sons of Allen, a group dedicated to fellowship and mentoring in the community. In 2012, as his health challenges mounted, he moved to Maryland to be closer to his daughter. Frederick is survived by his daughter, Maia Hunt Estes; his son-in- law, Elliott; his chosen siblings, Dr. Thomas Garvin and June Garvin; his niece Loren Statia (Jeff); and nephew Khari Garvin (Leslie); his in-laws, Estell Scott Estes and Eric and Jacinta Estes; his grandnephew Ethan Estes; and a host of friends and loved ones who became his family.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, today, we send the CARES Act to the President to provide the people in my community with needed relief from the devastation of this pandemic. I am here for the first responders, the healthcare workers, and all of those who are risking their lives. They are our heroes. Mr. Speaker, we need to support this bill now because we must. The virus has left us with no choice. But my hope is that after we have starved this virus, we will make a national commitment to permanently rebuild our public health infrastructure.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, which celebrated its second soccer state championship win this last week. With this victory, Lourdes Academy reaffirms its reputation for excellence in every field. Lourdes is well known as an academic powerhouse, and this victory is proof of the school's incredible athletics program. The championship game was a test of the Lourdes soccer team's resilience. Although Lourdes scored an early lead in the first quarter, the game once again became tied just 2:06 before halftime. Despite the close game, the Bobcat defense was stellar, and the they retook lead in the second half. With 500 fans cheering from the stands in Spec Martin Stadium, incredible teamwork, and endless determination, Lourdes captured the Class 6A state championship with a 2-1 victory against Venice, marking the Bobcats' second state title in the past three years. Congratulations to the Lourdes' girls' soccer team on a well-earned victory. It's an honor to represent this team in Congress, and I hope to see many of these young women take their talents on to collegiate and professional soccer.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the League of Women Voters and the 60th anniversary of the Miami-Dade County chapter. Founded by Carrie Chapman Catt in 1920, the League of Women Voters has never wavered in its fundamental belief that all citizens should make their voices heard not only at the ballot box but also through continuous participation in every aspect of civic life. This organization is comprised of more than 700 state and local chapters dedicated to protecting voting rights and empowering voters to advocate for themselves and their communities. The League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County has helped shape our community for six decades. This chapter supports a variety of issues, from ensuring adequate funding for our county library system, to fostering environmental resilience, to expanding early voting sites to the campuses of our public universities and colleges. Miami-Dade County is richer and fuller thanks to the efforts of the League of Women Voters, and I am grateful for their advocacy and commitment to our shared community.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record a letter from the leading voice of African American physicians, Dr. Louis Sullivan, in support of the legislation. Dr. Sullivan was my predecessor at HHS. He served as Secretary from 1989 to 1993 under President Bush and is the president emeritus of Morehouse School of Medicine. Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Atlanta, GA, February 26, 2020. Hon. Frank Pallone, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Pallone: I write to you today to express my strong support for H.R. 2339, Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic, and I urge its passage by the House of Representatives. There is an urgent need for action to protect the health of Americans--including the health of our young minority citizens--from the adverse health consequences of tobacco, including menthol-flavored cigarettes. For too many years, the tobacco industry has used menthol cigarettes--and now flavored cigars--to prey on minority youth and addict them to deadly tobacco products. In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee found that removing menthol cigarettes from the marketplace ``would benefit public health in the United States.'' It concluded that menthol cigarettes have been disproportionately targeted at African Americans and have been disproportionately smoked by African Americans. Yet, the Food and Drug Administration failed to act to remove these products from the marketplace. A number of localities prohibit the sale of all flavored products, including menthol cigarettes. Local action is important but local policies will not protect millions of African Americans: Congress must remove all flavored products from store shelves in order to protect minority populations. A nationwide policy will also help end inconsistent enforcement. Removing all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes will save lives--especially the lives of our minority citizens. I urge you and the House to move forward with removing all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Sincerely yours, Louis W. Sullivan, MD, President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 1989-1993. Madam Speaker, as our Nation anticipates the probability of a pandemic, here today in this House, the people's House, we have the opportunity to save millions of young lives that would be cut short by nicotine if we fail to act. I am not exaggerating. The CDC predicted that, if the children of our country continue to use tobacco products at the current rate, 5.6 million will have premature deaths. This is a test of our courage. Let's look at the facts. In 1997, 24.6 percent of all 12th graders reported daily use of cigarettes. Thanks to smart, tough policies and a national commitment to reducing cigarette use, those numbers dropped to 3.6 percent by 2018. Nearly 90 percent of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 18. If you don't start smoking as a child, it is very unlikely you will smoke as an adult. This isn't a secret. Public health officials know this, and tobacco companies know this, too. They also know nicotine is a highly addictive substance. This dramatic reduction in cigarette use by children put tobacco companies in a bind. If children and teenagers have stopped using cigarettes and 90 percent of all adult smokers began smoking as children, how can they maintain a pipeline of customers? Their answer arrived in the form of a new technology: e-cigarettes and vaping products. Companies knew that the pipeline of lifetime smokers was dwindling, so they started to market new vaping products to young people.

Ms. SHALALA. They started marketing new vaping products to young people through Instagram ads and influencers and other social media platforms. They handed out free vaping products. They clearly targeted our children, and the strategy worked. It is time to ensure that our children do not face a lifetime of nicotine addiction. It is time to finally pass a bill that protects their health, and that is what this bill does. I strongly support it.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 866 and ask for its immediate consideration.