Donna Shalala

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank my colleague, Mr. Cole, for his generous remarks. I agree with him, this is a bipartisan bill that is not perfect. I don't think anyone in this Chamber believes that it is perfect. Madam Speaker, the time to pass this bill was yesterday. It was 6 months ago. We pray that most Americans will be able to get a vaccine to stop this killer. But it is not just Americans. To be safe, people around the world must get the vaccine. There will be a lot of darkness before enough Americans and people around the world have the vaccine to bring our lives back to normal. Before that time, the government must help. By the way, it is not our money. It is the people in our communities who have been paying taxes for years. We are taking the resources back to them. We have to help the unemployed, the shuttered small businesses, the strained hospitals, and, most importantly, the hungry child. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I don't disagree with my colleague, but it was bipartisan, and I think that is the important thing about those investments over the years. My point was it was those investments that made it possible for Operation Warp Speed. I never suggested that it was one party versus another that made that bipartisan investment. It has been decades of bipartisan investments that have made a difference. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, let me remind my distinguished colleague from Oklahoma that we sent the Heroes Act in May. And while I agree that the administration should get some credit for Operation Warp Speed, as I have pointed out, it has been decades of investment in the science that led to Operation Warp Speed. Many of us would have appreciated, and we would have saved lives, if we had made the same kind of investments in testing so that we had an instant test, and we would have ended up saving lives. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).

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

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, thank you for your kind words. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow).

Ms. SHALALA. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, first, let me thank Chairman McGovern for his very kind words. I have enjoyed serving under his leadership. Let me say to my colleague, Mrs. Lesko, years of bipartisan investments in NIH have, in fact, led to Operation Warp Speed. Decades of investments in training the world's best scientists have led to a very fast-paced development of a vaccine. So, it is not just the present President; it is Presidents before that who believed that we should have world-class science in this country. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague for his very kind words. I will say that I have enjoyed working with him. I have deep respect for his leadership in this Congress. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, today the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1271, providing for a motion to concur with the Senate amendment to H.R. 133 with a House amendment. The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. It provides that the question on adoption of the motion shall be divided for a separate vote on the matter proposed to be inserted as divisions B, C, E, and F. The rule provides that upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall be considered to have concurred in the Senate amendment to H.R. 1520 with a House amendment. The rule also provides that the chairs of the Committee on Appropriations and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence may insert explanatory materials in the Congressional Record not later than December 28 and authorizes the Clerk to make technical corrections to the bill. Finally, the rule allows for consideration of a possible veto message on the conference report to H.R. 6395 on December 28, 2020. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bill in this rule. This COVID bill has taken far too long. We started these negotiations before the first day of summer in June, the longest day of the year, and here we are now headed into the darkest day of the year, the first day of winter. I also want to acknowledge the hard work of our Appropriations chair, Nita Lowey, and Ranking Member Granger. But this didn't have to happen. The pain that has been inflicted on the American people did not come just from the novel virus that has spread like wildfire across this Nation, but also from the elected leaders sent to Washington to help people and to help this great Nation. Our failure to reach an agreement until today only added fuel to this wildfire. It meant that not only did people get the coronavirus, but when they did, their families often went hungry, their bills went unpaid, and they faced possible eviction or foreclosure. Madam Speaker, for 8 years, I worked in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building not very far from here. Inscribed in the lobby of that building is a quote from Hubert Humphrey: ``The moral test of government is how the government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.'' Madam Speaker, we have failed that moral test. We have no right to make children go hungry in this country. While this bill will certainly bring us closer to passing that moral test, it is too late for too many people, and it will be too little for others. Nonetheless, we should pass this bill immediately. There are a number of things that I am pleased to see included in this bill: a long-fought and negotiated bipartisan and bicameral compromise to protect patients by ending surprise billing; multiple- year funding for community health centers, the backbone of our Nation's primary care system for the most vulnerable; and an added boost in weekly unemployment benefits and relief checks for people who have been waiting for months for help. There will be more than $300 billion for small businesses and money to help schools, for hospitals, and for vaccine distribution. It will also provide food assistance to hungry children and their families. This package will be bigger than the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is the biggest package we have passed since the CARES Act in March. But there is still more to do. I hope when the 117th Congress convenes in January, that they will not forget the American people who will still be suffering and will need more. I hope that they will remember the people in my district, a district heavily dependent on travel, on tourism, and the service economy. Madam Speaker, I hope that the families in my community in Miami, which have been devastated by the last 9 months--and so much more must be done to help them. But, today, we must pass this bill. It is time to be done with this, and we can wait not a moment longer. Simply put, with this bill, we are attempting to right our moral compass and fulfill our obligation to those suffering across our country and to help guide us out of this dark winter. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), 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, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1271 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. The Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church has reached a historic milestone this year, celebrating its 125th year of service. As the oldest African American church in Miami-Dade County and the first Church in South Florida to be organized by African Americans, Macedonia Missionary Baptist is an essential historic landmark in Miami. First established in 1895, Macedonia Missionary Baptist has been a spiritual home for people of faith from the greater Miami area for over a century. The church has provided summer camps and afterschool programs for children, worked to feed the homeless, and assisted families facing hardships. Rooted in the values of Ministry, Mission, and Service, the church is a valued and integral piece of our community and history. I am deeply grateful to Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church for its dedication to serving the Miami area. May the church continue this excellent work for many years to come.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2639 and congratulate my fellow Clevelander, Representative Fudge, and Chairman Scott for their leadership, and all the members of the committee on Education and Labor who have worked tirelessly to get us here today. We know that modern school segregation is largely related to housing and income segregation, with the worst cases concentrated in urban and suburban areas. Research shows that schools with a large proportion of middle-class White students tend to have access to more resources. They benefit from challenging, college-level courses, teachers and guidance counselors who can help plan for college, and from wide-ranging extracurricular activities in sports, the arts, and music, all of which greatly contribute to a student's academic achievement. The impact, however, goes well beyond academic opportunities. Children who aren't regularly exposed to people from other backgrounds are less likely to see racial and economic disparities as a problem. Diversity, almost everyone agrees, is good; inclusion is good; exposure to different cultures and ideas is good. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent Miami, a city that values diversity and multiculturalism as the backbone of our society. Miami is the second largest minority-majority school district in the Nation, where more than 92 percent of the students are Black or Hispanic, students whose families often escaped political persecution and extreme poverty. Yet the typical Black or Hispanic student attends an underresourced school where more than 60 percent of other students come from low-income families. Similarly, schools with large Black enrollment don't excel in State ratings, and Black students are woefully underrepresented in the district's stellar magnet program. The grants in H.R. 2639 would fund efforts to explore different approaches to integration, recruit or train staff to better serve minority students, and engage local communities on specialized academic programs. If we as policymakers say we have an interest in increasing the academic success rate for Black and Hispanic youth, then we support H.R. 2639.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce for its 100th anniversary. The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce has reached a monumental milestone this year, helping local businesses flourish for an entire century. The Chamber is a valued organization in our South Florida community, boasting a membership network upwards of 1,000 businesses. Between providing industry-specific advice, hosting monthly networking events, and offering informational seminars and council meetings, the Chamber helps businesses gain exposure and promote their services. In addition to its contributions to the South Florida business community, the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce has made a lasting impact on countless children in Miami Beach. Through the Miami Beach Chamber Education Foundation, the organization has provided a number of kids with educational opportunities and access to medical care through scholarships and grants to students and teachers in Miami Beach. I am pleased to extend my congratulations to the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce as it marks its 100th year of service. I am grateful for all this organization has done for our South Florida community and I look forward to its work in the coming years.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the Miami City Ballet on the occasion of its 35th anniversary. The Miami City Ballet was founded in 1985. A majority of the company's performances are made up of the work of George Balanchine, one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th Century. Today, the Miami City Ballet is widely considered the chief interpreter of Balanchine's choreography. The foundation of the company's repertoire-- consisting of more than 100 ballets, including 12 world premieres--was built on Balanchine's style and technique but has now expanded to include notable classical works and new groundbreaking, contemporary artists. The Miami City Ballet has performed in more than 100 cities in the United States, and internationally throughout Canada, Europe, Israel, South and Central America. This year, the Miami City Ballet is returning to its original home on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach to celebrate its 35th anniversary season with ``A Love Letter to South Florida''. I am proud this organization is representative of our Miami community with its diverse international ensemble of over 50 dancers. It is an honor to join the South Florida community in celebrating the Miami City Ballet's vibrant history. Through engagement programs aimed at diminishing barriers to access to the arts, the Miami City Ballet continues to give back to our community, serving over 19,000 youth, seniors, and historically underserved populations at home. As the Miami City Ballet honors South Florida with their love letter to the community, I am grateful for all this organization has done to contribute to the rich culture of the Magic City.

Ms. SHALALA

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

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

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. With this appropriations bill we are responding to the crisis of today while preparing for tomorrow. Americans are out of work, struggling to make ends meet as this virus wreaks havoc on our health, on our healthcare system, and on our economy. The American people deserve a funding bill that makes smart investments, and this bill does just that. It addresses the hunger that is plaguing working families. It increases broadband access. It strengthens our international alliances. It combats climate change. It increases funding to provide healthcare for veterans. This bill invests in America and our collective future. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question. The text of the material previously referred to by Mr. Burgess is as follows: Amendment to House Resolution 1060 At the end of the resolution, add the following: Sec. 6. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall resolve into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7733) to authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to the deliberate concealment or distortion of information about public health emergencies of international concern, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. When the committee rises and reports the bill back to the House with a recommendation that the bill do pass, the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or without instructions. If the Committee of the Whole rises and reports that it has come to no resolution on the bill, then on the next legislative day the House shall, immediately after the third daily order of business under clause 1 of rule XIV, resolve into the Committee of the Whole for further consideration of the bill. Sec. 7. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 7733.