Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood), my good friend and author of this bill, and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 958) to codify maternity care coordination programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 958.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the United States is the only industrialized nation where the maternal mortality rate is on the rise, and we have one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the developed world. Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native moms die from complications from pregnancy at approximately three times the rate of White, Latina, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander women, regardless of income or education levels. Today, women veterans are the fastest-growing cohort in the veteran population, and more than 40 percent of women veterans using VA for their healthcare are of reproductive age. Black women serve in high numbers and represent nearly one-third of women using VA for their healthcare. The Protecting Moms Who Served Act, introduced by Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, would codify maternity care coordination in law and provide additional resources to the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that veterans receive the best prenatal and postpartum care possible. Madam Speaker, we do not yet know if pregnant veterans have better, worse, or equal rates of maternal mortality compared to nonveterans. This bill would address this knowledge gap by requiring the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive study on maternal mortality and morbidity among veterans. This study would not only examine racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity but also would seek to capture data from Federal programs besides VA, including TRICARE and Medicaid as well as the Indian Health Service, private insurance, and the uninsured. While there is not yet enough data to make an authoritative conclusion, there is some evidence that veterans who use VA have lower maternal mortality rates than nonveterans. The study mandated by this bill would identify what best practices VA has implemented that result in better maternal health outcomes. Madam Speaker, last year, approximately 6,000 veterans using VA became new moms. Moms who have served our Nation exemplify strength and resilience. Supporting moms means ensuring gender equity, and that begins with health equity. I, therefore, ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the Protecting Moms Who Served Act. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Brownley), my good friend and chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Health, and also the cosponsor of this important piece of legislation.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I am delighted that we are taking this significant step in addressing the terrible mortality rates that we are facing among our Nation's moms, especially our moms of color. And to the extent that we can shed light on this issue through this very important legislation being brought forward by Ms. Underwood and Ms. Brownley, I think that this is truly, truly a tremendous step forward. Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I also thank my colleague, the ranking member, Congressman Bost from Illinois, for his bipartisanship. I do believe that H.R. 1448 is now in a form that would be acceptable to the Senate, and I am hopeful that it will pass. I wish our colleague from the State of Ohio (Mr. Stivers) the best of luck on this new chapter in his life. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 1448, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1448, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I am delighted that the Veterans' Affairs Committee can, once again, unite America, including Michiganders and the Buckeye State. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice), my good friend and former member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and lead Democratic cosponsor.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2523, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2523) to amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to improve the COVID-19 Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance program, to make certain technical corrections to the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2523, as amended, the Training in High-Demand Roles to Improve Veteran Employment Act, or THRIVE Act. H.R. 2523, as amended, builds off the work of the American Rescue Plan to deliver employment training quicker and more effectively to veterans who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. The American Rescue Plan was one of the most important pieces of legislation many of us will ever have the chance to vote on, making generational investments into veteran healthcare, homelessness, and job training programs. Following the passage of that legislation into law, the Department of Veterans Affairs highlighted some improvements to the law to deliver job training benefits quicker and more equitably to all Americans, regardless of where they live. The legislation before us will get those benefits out quicker to veterans and will improve the recordkeeping of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor to ensure veterans are aware of options available to them to find quality employment. The THRIVE Act will also see the VA partner with local business groups to facilitate job placement. Madam Speaker, in addition, the Department shared with our committee ways to improve the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, to improve the experience for student veterans who are still being impacted by classroom experiences due to COVID-19. This is why this legislation, offered by Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Chairman Mike Levin and Ranking Member Mike Bost, is so timely and important. This legislation is endorsed by many VSOs, including the Student Veterans of America, the National Association of State Approving Agencies, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Disabled American Veterans. I wish to thank Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer for bringing H.R. 2523, as amended, to the floor so quickly. I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this legislation to ensure VA can deliver assistance to our veterans as quickly as possible. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, the author of the bill, and also my good friend and fellow Californian.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the bipartisan way in which we moved forward on this bill. I want to thank all my colleagues, and I urge all of them to join me in passing H.R. 2523, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has cast a dark cloud over the world. Many have lost family members, friends, and other loved ones to the virus. And after many dark months, hope is here. With the help of public health experts and science, we have vaccines to protect us and save lives. Democrats fought hard for a robust $20 billion national vaccination program in the American Rescue Plan. With these funds, we can ensure that everyone has access to a vaccine. In my district, everyone 16 and older is eligible to get vaccinated. And as of this week, Riverside County reported that at least 1.3 million doses have been administered and over 400,000 residents are fully vaccinated, but to reach herd immunity, everyone must get vaccinated. We are all in this together and we can beat this virus together.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1276) to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish COVID-19 vaccines to certain individuals, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote on passage of H.J. Res. 17--Removing the Deadline for the Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 82.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 1276) to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish COVID-19 vaccines to certain individuals, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Over the years, Republicans and wealthy corporate interests have chipped away at labor rights, stripping workers of their power and worsening economic inequality in the process. Since March 2020, as the pandemic has ravaged our communities, billionaires' wealth has grown by $1.3 trillion. Meanwhile, millions of Americans are still unemployed, and working families are struggling to pay for food, rent, medical bills, and other basic necessities. It is time to put an end to antiunion activities. They are illegal power grabs by antilabor special interests that put profits over the needs of working people. On our path to economic recovery, unions will offer us a way to build back our middle class stronger than ever before. Let's pass this bill to give more power to American workers, reduce economic inequality, and support working families. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the letter from The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in support of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Washington, DC, March 8, 2021. Vote Yes on H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021. Dear Representative, On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all person in the United States, we urge you to vote YES on H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2021. Protecting the right to collectively bargain is a top priority for the civil and human rights community, and The Leadership Conference will include your vote on H.R. 842 in our Voting Record for the 117th Congress. Economic security is inextricably linked to civil and human rights, and enabling working people to exercise the right to form unions and engage in meaningful collective bargaining is one of the most effective, efficient, and comprehensive ways to promote economic security for individuals and their families. Unions allow working people to have a stronger voice to advocate for fair wages, safer working conditions, and better workplace standards. A working person covered by a union contract earns, on average, 11.2 percent more in wages than a nonunionized worker in the same sector with similar education and experience, and the gains are even more pronounced for workers of color. Black workers, for example, earn 14 percent more than their non-union counterparts, and Latino workers earn 20 percent more. Unions also help close race and gender wage gaps, and unionized workers enjoy safer workplaces, stronger health care benefits, more predictable work schedules, greater access to paid sick days, and better retirement benefits. The benefits of unions have become even more pronounced during the COVID crisis. Too many essential workers during this pandemic have lacked basic protections on the job, leading to thousands of working people becoming infected with the coronavirus, some dying as a result. Many sites of coronavirus outbreaks during the pandemic were at workplaces that offered low-pay and limited, if any, benefits to workforces with large concentrations of people of color, women, and immigrants--communities, who because of decades of systemic discrimination, have fewer resources to withstand a health emergency. Working people with a union, however, were better able to negotiate enhanced health and safety measures, premium pay, and paid sick leave during this crisis. Research also shows that unionized workers have felt less fearful speaking out about health and safety hazards on the job. Despite the right to form unions and collectively bargain, attacks on unions have led to a decline in the share of working people covered by collective bargaining agreements over the past 40 years, a trend that has mirrored the rise in income inequality in America. It is clear, however, that working people want to join unions. There is a 400 percent gap between the percentage of working people who say they want a union--48 percent--and the percentage of unionized workers, around 12 percent. Workers want unions because they have seen how having a collective voice allows them to win better pay and benefits, stronger health and safety protections, and more fairness on the job. The PRO Act would streamline the process for forming a union, ensure that new unions are able to negotiate a first collective bargaining agreement, and hold employers accountable when they violate workers' rights. Though the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) was meant to encourage collective bargaining, in the 80 years since its passage, nearly every amendment to the law has made it harder for working people to form unions. This allows employers to take advantage of weaknesses in the law to undermine the rights of working people, including firing pro-union workers, holding mandatory meetings to bash unions, and refusing to bargain a first contract after a union is formed. These hostile behaviors, which occur at the expense of the employee, are often without consequence for the employer. The PRO Act seeks to remedy this imbalance by bolstering workers' rights and creating accountability for employers that engage in anti-union behavior. The PRO Act would reform existing labor laws and protect the right to join a union by: Imposing stronger remedies when employers interfere with workers' rights. The PRO Act would institute civil penalties for violations of the NLRA and would also require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to go to court for an injunction to immediately reinstate terminated workers if the NLRB believes an employer has illegally retaliated against workers for union activity. The PRO Act would also give workers the right to go to court on their own to seek relief, bringing labor law in line with other workplace laws that allow for a private right of action. Strengthening workers' right to join a union and collectively bargain over working conditions. The PRO Act would prohibit employers from holding mandatory anti-union meetings and engaging in other coercive anti-union tactics. The law would establish a process for reaching a first agreement when workers organize, employing mediation, and then, if necessary, binding arbitration. The PRO Act would also allow employers and unions to agree upon a ``fair share'' clause requiring all workers who are covered by the collective bargaining agreement to contribute a fair share fee towards the cost of bargaining and administering the agreement, even in so-called ``right-to-work'' states. The PRO Act will also help level the playing field for workers by repealing the prohibition on secondary boycotts and prohibiting employers from firing workers during lawful strikes. Unrigging the rules that are tilted against workers. The PRO Act tightens the definitions of independent contractor and supervisor to help prevent misclassification and make sure that all eligible workers can unionize if they choose to do so. The PRO Act also makes clear that workers can have more than one employer, and that both employers need to engage in collective bargaining over the terms and conditions of employment that they control or influence. To create transparency in labor-management relations, the PRO Act would require employers to post notices that inform workers of their NRLA rights and to disclose contracts with consultants hired to persuade workers on how to exercise their rights. Through organizing, bargaining, litigation, legislative, and political advocacy, unions and the labor movement have played a significant role in advancing the rights and interests of people of color and women in the workplace and in our society overall. Unions can best play this role when the right of workers to organize and bargain is fully protected and can be freely exercised. Working people in America need--and have a right to enjoy-- the benefits that result from collective bargaining and union membership. We urge you to vote yes on H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021, to help ensure that working people are paid fairly, treated with dignity, and have a voice on the job. Sincerely, Wade Henderson, Interim President and CEO. LaShawn Warren, Executive Vice President for Government Affairs.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman McGovern for yielding. Madam Speaker, as of this week, over 10,000 veterans and 130 VHA employees have lost their lives to COVID-19. Over 226,000 veterans and 18,000 VA employees have tested positive. It is clear: We must act now. This bill would provide funding to increase VA's claims and appeals processing to reduce the backlog caused by COVID-19. It would deliver critical funding for the Veterans Health Administration, bolster VA's supply chain modernization, and support State veterans homes to upgrade and enhance their safety operations. It would also fund stronger oversight through the VA's Office of Inspector General, secure assistance for unemployed veterans, and prohibit copayments for veterans during the pandemic. This bill is critical to ensure the health system that veterans rely on can continue to meet their needs and serve as a backup to America's overwhelmed healthcare systems. While a return to handshakes, hugs, and visible smiles is on the horizon, the path to get there requires this Congress to do quick and thorough work to ensure we all get there together.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker: (English translation of the statement made in Spanish by Mr. Takano is as follows:) The American people need our help. That's why Democrats have been fighting for more economic relief. President Biden's stimulus package will help the people who need it the most and it will make investments to improve vaccine distribution, to open our schools, and to support small businesses. Thousands of families in my district are worried because they don't know how they will pay their rent and the Latino community has been the most affected by this virus. We have to help everyone during these difficult times and ensure that the communities that have been most affected have access to the vaccine. Congress must approve this legislative package immediately. There is not time to waste. El pueblo americano necesita ayuda. Es por eso que los Democratas estamos luchando por mas ayuda economica. El paquete de estimulo economico del presidente Biden ayudara a las personas que mas lo necesitan y hara inversiones para mejorar la distribucion de las vacunas, para abrir nuestras escuelas, y para apoyar a los pequenos negocios. Miles de familias en mi distrito tienen angustia porque no saben como van a pagar su renta. Y la comunidad latina ha sido la mas afectada por este virus. Tenemos que ayudar a todos durante estos tiempos dificiles y asegurarnos que las comunidades mas afectadas tengan acceso a la vacuna. El Congreso debe aprobar este paquete legislativo inmediatamente. No hay tiempo que perder.