Lori Trahan

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind Members of this Chamber what happened just 2 weeks ago in Allen, Texas. Eight people were senselessly murdered by an extremist armed with an assault rifle--a 3-year-old boy and his mom and dad, who left behind a 6-year-old orphan who survived the mass shooting. Two young sisters, one in the fourth grade and the other in the second grade, who were described as rays of sunshine, and three young adults each had their entire life ahead of them. All of them were simply minding their own business at the outlets on a Saturday, not knowing it would be their last day. The news cycle may have changed--something many in this Chamber were waiting for--but each of these victims leaves behind loved ones who are still mourning an unimaginable loss. Each of these victims, like every victim of a mass shooting before them, deserved better. They deserved real action that could have prevented a person deemed unfit to serve in the United States Army from accessing an assault weapon that he used to kill them. They deserve better than their Member of Congress going on national television that same day and saying that thoughts and prayers are enough to stop gun violence and that if you disagree, then you don't believe in an Almighty God. They certainly deserve better than platitudes from a Governor more concerned about his grade on the NRA scorecard than the number of victims of mass shootings in his State. Mr. Speaker, I stood here at this podium 3 weeks ago after three 9- year-old children and two teachers were murdered in their classrooms in Nashville. I pleaded with the Republican majority to bring legislation to the floor to prevent another mass shooting. I listed bills we could have considered: the assault weapons ban to get weapons of war, the gun of choice for mass shooters, off our streets; the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to make sure guns aren't falling into the hands of individuals who shouldn't have them; and the Enhanced Background Checks Act to ensure that a full background check is actually completed before the firearm sale is processed. Yet, here we are, 17 days since Allen, Texas, 57 days since The Covenant School, and 1 day before the first anniversary of the massacre in Uvalde, and what are we being forced to vote on this week? A piece of legislation that will make it harder to stop air pollution. Are they serious? This is a colossal disconnect. There is a witness from a shooting just 2 weeks ago who talked about how he went to help a little girl whom he thought was hiding, and when he went to check on her, she didn't have a face after being shot with an AR-15-style assault weapon. We can't even get a vote on whether these guns should be available. It is no wonder people think Congress is out of touch. The United States is the only developed nation in the world where this kind of thing keeps happening again and again. We are the only country where mass shootings are so common that we have PSAs so people know what to do and where my girls' school day is interrupted on a regular basis to practice an active shooter drill. It is shameful, infuriating, and embarrassing. This Chamber should be embarrassed that another mass shooting has disappeared from the news without a shred of action.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Chair, Republicans' polluters over people act is a disaster of a bill. Not only does this legislation prioritize massive giveaways to Big Oil, gas corporations, and mining companies, but it sells out hardworking families who want nothing more than to breathe clean air and drink clean water. If Republicans are successful in making this legislation law, those corporate polluters will deplete our natural resources and destroy millions of acres of wildlife, and they will do it for pennies on the dollar. New pipelines will be constructed without the input of critical Federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency. These massive corporations could be exempt from lawsuits when they spill toxic chemicals or contaminate our drinking water supplies. This bill has the fingerprints of Big Oil lobbyists all over it. Perhaps the most embarrassing part of this bill is how good of a return on investment it is for fossil fuel companies. Last year, a Big Oil CEO admitted during an Energy and Commerce hearing to cashing in on stock he owned in his own company at a time when people were feeling maximum pain at the pump. He told me he did it at a 9 percent markup. That predatory behavior clearly hasn't swayed the authors of H.R. 1. I would imagine that is because the same Big Oil corporations that stand to benefit most from this bill have donated millions to Republican politicians over the years. They will make that money back in a matter of minutes if this legislation becomes law. Mr. Chair, Congress' job is to serve the hardworking folks that we represent, not pad the profits of oil barons who run ExxonMobil or Shell. Mr. Chair, our constituents deserve better, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart and a level of anger shared by millions of Americans, millions of parents. On Monday, three 9-year-old children and three adults were gunned down at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. The shooter, armed with not one but two assault weapons, broke into the school and stole the lives of innocent people simply going about their day. For my colleagues across the aisle not keeping track, the massacre was the 130th mass shooting of the year. It was the 13th school shooting of 2023, and that is only if you count the time someone was injured or killed when a gun went off on school grounds. Thirteen times over the past 3 months, parents have dropped their children at the bus stop or at school. They told them they loved them, to have a great day, and that they would see them when they got home. Then, they got the call that every parent fears, the one that wakes us up in the middle of the night. Thirteen times this year, parents in a city or town hung up that phone or turned off their TV and raced to their children's school. Thirteen times parents waited behind police tape, hoping to hear something about their son or daughter. Madam Speaker, how many more times are we going to let this happen? How many more times can my colleagues across the aisle tweet their thoughts and prayers but say that their hands are tied on gun safety legislation? How many more Christmas cards of Members of Congress holding AR-15s do we need to see while students in their classrooms practice active shooter drills? School shooting after school shooting, Congress has had the opportunity to act. We have the legislation to ban assault weapons, like the rifles used in Nashville on Monday. We have legislation to require background checks on every gun purchase so firearms aren't falling into the hands of people who shouldn't have them. We have legislation to prevent someone convicted of a hate crime from being able to purchase a gun. What this Chamber doesn't have enough of is willpower. It doesn't have enough courage to act. This inaction is shameful, and as a parent, it is disgusting. Apparently, the Republican leadership in the House thinks that the biggest issue facing our children today is the books in their library because while we have yet to take up a bill to stop school shootings, the number one killer of our children in America, this Chamber passed a bill last week to politicize our kids' education--a bill, by the way, that they didn't even have unanimous Republican support for. I mean, what are we doing here? I have to go home tomorrow and look my 8-year-old daughter in her eyes, 1 week before she turns 9, and tell her that three more kids were shot and killed in their classroom, but mama can't get half of her colleagues in the Congress to care enough to do anything about it. How can anyone in this Chamber be okay with telling their kids or their grandkids that? How can you see the kids who are taking pictures right outside on the Capitol steps and do nothing to prevent their school from being next? How can we call ourselves the greatest country in the world when its elected leaders sit on their hands while children are murdered hiding beneath their desks? We can't, and to those of you deflecting or giving up, you should be ashamed. Madam Speaker, I implore you to go back to your party's leadership, go back to Speaker McCarthy and tell him that we need to end the gun violence epidemic that is plaguing our children. Do it before it is too late for another school, for another family.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, in every State where abortion rights were on the ballot last year, Americans voted to protect lifesaving reproductive care. In Republican strongholds like Kentucky and Montana, voters rejected attempts to restrict or ban abortion. In Vermont, Michigan, and California, voters codified abortion rights into their State constitutions. After such a resounding defeat for anti-abortion politicians, you would think that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have gotten the message. But rather than listening to voters and bringing forward legislation to codify the reproductive rights our mothers and grandmothers fought so hard for, the new Republican majority is catering to demands of extreme Members in their conference who have called for a national abortion ban. The partisan bills on the floor today will do nothing to protect women. Instead, they will undermine access to reproductive care that millions of women rely on. Madam Speaker, the women we represent deserve better. Our daughters deserve better. I urge my colleagues to oppose these pieces of legislation.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, we find ourselves in a monopoly moment as a country. Multibillion-dollar corporations have grown into behemoths, eliminating any real competition in their industries and using their dominance to hurt small businesses and consumers. Meta's monopoly power has enabled it to harm women, children, and people of all ages without recourse. Amazon has used its dominance to copy competitors' products and run small businesses into the ground. This slide has happened under the watch of Democratic and Republican governments alike, and it is on us to stop it. That starts with giving the FTC the resources necessary to enforce our antitrust laws. It starts with the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is simple. It requires that a billion-dollar corporation looking to acquire or merge with a competitor pay a fee for the FTC to review the deal. That is it: a one- time fee to help ensure we don't slide further back to the times of the railroad and steel monopolies that abused workers, hurt consumers, and killed competition. Families are hurting enough right now. They deserve competition, not capitulation to corporate interests. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this long-overdue bipartisan package.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, 81 days. That is how long it took for Republicans to change their position from abortion as a State issue to supporting a nationwide abortion ban; 81 days to put their hypocrisy on full display for every American--every woman--to see. Mr. Speaker, this is what it looks like when lawmakers show their true intention. Their intention is to go beyond the Supreme Court's disastrous decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Their intention is to go beyond the horrific State laws that have already stripped millions of women and young girls of their reproductive rights. Republicans backing this new proposal want to ban every woman in America from seeking abortion care--no exceptions. Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker. If Republicans get their way, women's lives will be at risk, and many will die from delayed or denied care. For our daughters, we cannot--we will not--let them win.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, standing here today, 4 weeks after the Supreme Court's disastrous decision to overturn Roe, I fear for the future of my children. I fear for a future where Republican leaders agree with Clarence Thomas that the right for same-sex marriage should be revisited, that the right to birth control should be reexamined. Let me be clear: Neither of those rights should be up for debate. We voted this week to protect marriage equality. We will vote today to protect contraception. For those who believe this issue isn't on the minds of millions of Americans, open your eyes. Republicans in Idaho and Louisiana are pushing to ban forms of birth control. The Governor of Mississippi refused to rule out a contraception ban. Even the Republican Study Committee, which represents most House Republicans, has proposed eliminating contraception access programs for low-income Americans. That is not pro-life. It is antiwoman. Wake up already and join us in passing this critical legislation.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today on her 92nd birthday to honor the tremendous contributions and legacy of Nancy Donahue, a passionate community leader who has led by example as an activist, arts enthusiast, humanitarian and philanthropist. She has dedicated her life to her family, to the tremendous success of the Whistler House Museum of Art, and to the prosperity of communities across the Merrimack Valley. Nancy was born in New Britain, Connecticut in 1930 to parents who instilled in her the importance of giving back to her community. When World War II broke out, Nancy was in junior high school. Seeing her parents volunteer to help families who needed support, she decided to join the Victory Farmettes where, alongside other young girls, she harvested crops on farms around her town. During high school, she was a Candy Striper at the hospital in her community. After graduating from Lasell University in 1950, Nancy accepted a job at IBM, where she was one of five women salespeople in the entire company. Although she had a full time job, Nancy found a way to continue serving her community and country during the time of the Korean War. She volunteered to work nights as an Air Patrol where she watched for enemy planes on top of Hancock Tower. While living in Boston, Nancy met the love of her life, Richard Donahue, and the pair were married in 1952. They would go on to have eleven children whom they raised to always remember where they came from and to give back to their community whenever possible. Over the span of her lifetime, Nancy can be credited with spearheading the cultural revitalization of the City of Lowell. One of the most notable contributions she has made to our community was being a founding member of the Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Throughout forty years, the Theatre has operated as a world class venue that has attracted famous artists from around the world. Due to her grit and determination, working class families in the community were introduced to the wonderful world of arts and humanities. To this day, the Merrimack Repertory Theatre continues to be a cornerstone for the performing arts throughout the Merrimack Valley. Nancy has lived an extraordinary life dedicated to service. Over the years, Nancy has given to countless local organizations and served on numerous boards that have positively impacted the Greater Lowell community. She was a longtime president of the Merrimack Repertory Theatre and chair of the Whistler House Museum of Art, and she has served and continues to serve on the boards of the New England Quilt Museum, the former Revolving and American Textile and History Museums, Lasell University, UMass Lowell, Enterprise Bank and so many more. She also played an integral role in the United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley, and the International Institute. Throughout her life, Nancy has remained steadfast in her dedication to giving back to our community. She has worked tirelessly to make Lowell a better place to live and work. Nancy's contributions to the arts and humanities in Lowell has made a lasting impact on the City and will continue to be felt for generations to come. Tonight, Nancy will be honored by the Whistler House for her lifetime of service, and celebrated as the model for all who are seeking to live a life dedicated to making the world a better place. Most importantly, Madam Speaker, Nancy is known for her love of her family and friends, the kindness she shows to those around her, her unbelievable humanitarianism and philanthropic work, and her immense pride in the Greater Lowell community. Her legacy is one that will prove unforgettable and everlasting in our City.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of two pieces of bipartisan legislation the House will consider later today. I introduced these bills alongside Republican colleagues because there is simply no question that they will save lives and protect our children. The first piece of legislation is critical in the fight against the opioid crisis plaguing every single community across our country. Known as the MATE Act, this legislation is simple. It will require that doctors who prescribe highly addictive pain medications are trained to spot signs of addiction and intervene accordingly. Healthcare professionals often interact with and have opportunities to provide effective treatments for individuals suffering from addiction, critical opportunities to save lives. But far too often, those chances to help are missed. In fact, research has shown that most clinicians could not confidently diagnose and treat patients with substance use disorder. Stigma, discrimination, and lack of understanding about addiction have prevented far too many Americans from accessing evidence-based care for addiction. The MATE Act will change that. I drafted this legislation after meeting with a physician in my home State of Massachusetts, Dr. Jim Baker, who shared the tragic story of his son, Max. Dr. Baker was visiting his primary care physician one day when his PCP asked him if there was anything he could do to help. Dr. Baker pleaded with his PCP for help with Max's opioid addiction. To Dr. Baker's surprise, his PCP did not have adequate education or understanding of addiction to point Dr. Baker in the direction of appropriate treatment for Max. Max Baker died from an overdose at just 23 years old. Every person in this Chamber knows that the Bakers' story, a parent's worst nightmare, is not unique. Each of us has heard similar stories from families who were willing to do anything and everything to save the life of a loved one battling addiction. We can get these families another path for help by passing the MATE Act. I am grateful to Dr. Baker for his advocacy for this legislation, as well as my colleagues, Representatives Trone, Carter, Kuster, and McKinley, who were instrumental in securing today's vote. Madam Speaker, the second piece of legislation is just as essential. My bipartisan bill, with Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers, Congresswoman Axne, and Congresswoman Kim, doesn't need a fancy name. It just needs to become law. That is because it will extend and strengthen key youth and young adult suicide prevention efforts. Many of us have talked about the youth mental health crisis extensively, and the past 2 years have only increased the urgent need for solutions that protect our children. That starts by reauthorizing the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act and the key programs it supports to provide mental health resources, bolster suicide prevention efforts, and end the stigma associated with getting help. Make no mistake, these programs have a long track record of success. Study after study has proven that these initiatives have significantly reduced youth suicide rates for young people and saved tens of thousands of lives. We must ensure that these programs continue, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislative package so we can do just that. ibew 1505 celebrates 50 years at raytheon

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the hardworking men and women of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1505 for their 75 years working at Raytheon in Massachusetts. The members of IBEW 1505 are some of the most skilled in the manufacturing industry in the entire world. They are unsung American heroes, rarely receiving publicity or recognition for their devoted service and ingenuity but continuing to provide well-made defense systems to American Armed Forces. The Patriot missile is built by the members of IBEW 1505, along with other advanced defense systems. These systems are active around the world, including right now in Poland, where they are helping to protect our NATO allies. IBEW 1505 has provided many generations of families in Massachusetts with family-sustaining wages and benefits. I am proud to call so many members of IBEW 1505 my constituents and to bring recognition of their 75 years of service to our country here on the House floor of the United States Congress.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, many of us in this Chamber have young children. For us, today's vote comes down to simple questions: Can you as a mom or dad imagine getting a call that your child's school was locked down because of an active shooter? Can you imagine standing helplessly behind a police line as gunshots are fired near your daughter's classroom? Can you imagine having to identify the unrecognizable body of your missing baby boy by his favorite shoes? Can you imagine standing in line for a DNA test praying to God that it does not come back a match? I ask those questions because that is what 19 families in Uvalde just had to do. That is their reality and it has been the reality for 14 families in Parkland, 20 families in Sandy Hook, 12 families in Columbine, and the list goes on. If you imagine that reality, then do today what should have been done 25 years ago. Pass the legislation so no parent in America ever experiences this horrific reality again. Our children are counting on us and they are watching.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, yesterday, our colleagues in the Senate held a key vote on legislation to codify women's reproductive rights that have been guaranteed under Roe v. Wade for the past 50 years. Senators had the opportunity to go on the record to show their support for protecting the health and safety of every woman in America. That vote failed. Madam Speaker, 51 Senators voted against the Women's Health Protection Act, joining the 211 House Members who, in the wake of the Supreme Court's draft opinion overturning Roe, support rolling back women's rights. Madam Speaker, as a woman, I am horrified by what has taken place in the past week. As a mom, I am terrified for what the future holds for my two young girls. As a Member of this body, I am infuriated by those who will stand here on this floor in the people's House and tell women that the rights we have cherished for the past 50 years were a mistake, that they should be undone with the stroke of a pen. Make no mistake: This decision from the Supreme Court, or anything remotely close to it, is extremely dangerous. For tens of millions of women, it will mean losing access to lifesaving reproductive health services, and it will happen overnight. In States like Texas and Alabama, it will mean that the victims of rape or incest will be forced to carry their traumatic, unwanted pregnancies to term. To my colleagues who support that kind of future, I ask you if you can face your mother and explain to her why, if you can look at your daughter or your granddaughter in the eyes and say that she doesn't deserve the same rights as her brothers or her male classmates. Over the past week, I have heard those who support Judge Alito's draft opinion in my home State say that we live in Massachusetts, so we don't have anything to worry about. However, that stance is flawed. Yes, women in Massachusetts and other States that have done the right thing by codifying Roe will be safe, but for how long? Anti-choice activists and elected officials across the country, including many in this Chamber, have made it clear that they want to ban every woman in America from accessing abortion care. They don't care about States' rights. They want to override State laws that protect our reproductive rights because they want to eliminate our ability to control our own bodies. Well, I have news for those folks. History has shown us, with brutal clarity, that you will never ban abortions. You will just ban the safe ones. Women, particularly women of color and those from low-income backgrounds, will be forced into the alleys for their abortion care. Many women will die from unsafe procedures. While families mourn an empty seat at the dinner table, the wealthiest in America, including many who cheered on Judge Alito, will find ways to access that same care. But they will do it in secret to avoid the prosecution they want for others and the display of their own hypocrisy. That is not the America I want my girls to grow up in. It is not the country I want for any of our daughters to grow up in. So I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to stop thinking about the political ramifications of supporting women and to start thinking about what could happen to the women in your own life if you succeed. There is still time to do the right thing. So join us, or at the very least, get out of our way. Our daughters are depending on us.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, every Member of this Chamber has had the privilege of meeting with hardworking small business owners in their districts who overcame incredible challenges to stay open during the pandemic. The stories that stick with me the most are the ones from family- owned establishments--community staples like Simply Khmer in Lowell and Terra Luna in Lawrence. These businesses accessed relief through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and it helped them keep their doors open and their employees on staff. But for every Simply Khmer and Terra Luna, there are three or four other restaurants who applied but didn't get the relief they needed because the fund ran out of money. And that has left many businesses hanging on by a thread pleading for help. Passing the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act will answer those calls for aid. Madam Speaker, we owe these restaurants and small businesses this legislation. There is simply no reason anyone in Congress should oppose it. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join us in passing this bill.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of something every single Member of this body should be able to get behind, capping the price of insulin at $35 a month. In my home State of Massachusetts, over half a million people rely on their lifesaving insulin prescription. But being forced to pay anywhere from $100 to $1,600 a month for it simply isn't doable for so many families. Far too many diabetics are being forced to ration their doses, and some are even skipping them altogether because they can't afford the medicine they need. Let's be clear about what that means. Hardworking folks are risking their lives each day because big pharmaceutical companies are putting profits first. We have the ability to change that with the legislation before us today, Mr. Speaker. And shame on us if we stand by and do nothing while people we have the honor to represent die waiting for Congress to act. I plead with my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation. Our constituents are depending on us.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5551, the Improving the Lives of Children Act. I sponsored this bipartisan legislation alongside Representatives Buddy Carter, G. K. Butterfield, and Henry Cuellar, because the work being done at the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities is tremendously important to many millions of families across our Nation. Approximately 1 in 6 children in the United States are affected by some form of developmental disability. They include a diverse range of conditions, including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, fragile X syndrome, and Tourette syndrome, just to name a few. Some of these conditions have the ability to seriously impact children's lives by limiting motor ability, cognitive development, verbal communication, and behavioral development, and they often last throughout a person's lifetime For some developmental disabilities, we know the causes and the risk factors, but for so many others, we don't. That is why the research and advancements at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities continue to be so crucial. Since its creation in 2000, the center's dedicated staff have created a roadmap to a world where babies are born healthy, children are empowered to reach their full potential, and families are able to thrive. But there is still so much work to be done. That is why my legislation reauthorizes the center for the first time in 15 years and provides it with the funding and resources necessary to support more than a dozen essential programs. This bipartisan bill is key to identifying developmental disabilities early and bolstering doctors' capacity to intervene, both of which experts agree are critical in improving children's ability to learn new skills and reducing the financial burden on families. Mr. Speaker, when children and adults with disabilities receive the care and services they need, their quality of life improves dramatically. The goal of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities is to ensure that every person with a disability has access to the support they need from a young age, and our legislation helps achieve it. That is why it is supported by so many individuals and families across America who want nothing more than for Congress to advance policies that give people living with disabilities the dignity, respect, and opportunities they need to succeed. I look forward to casting my vote in favor of this legislation, and I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in doing the same.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Build Back Better Act. Together with the historic infrastructure investments signed into law by President Biden earlier this week, working families like the one I grew up in will be able to get back on their feet and succeed in an economy that finally works for them. Now, I have talked about my childhood on the floor of the people's House before. My dad was a union ironworker, and like his union brothers and sisters have done for decades, he worked long, hard hours to provide for my three sisters and me. When there wasn't work for him at home in Massachusetts, he would travel out of State erecting bridges and buildings in New York, Maine, and other places, sometimes for months at a time. As a first generation American, a union job with benefits was better than most had, and it is certainly the reason I am standing here today. But the demands of my dad's job placed limitations on what my mom could do for work. Despite the wages and benefits secured by his union, my parents couldn't afford childcare for four girls. So my mom picked up jobs where she could to help make ends meet. Whether it was clerical work, cleaning homes, hostessing, or caring for kids, she did anything and everything possible to pay the bills while also making sure she was home to care for us when my dad was away. Here is the thing: My family's story is not unique, not in the slightest. In fact, it is a story shared by millions of working families across our country who show up to work each day but don't have the support they need to get ahead. My mom's story is one that is shared by millions of working moms who want nothing more than to return to work and support their families but can't because the math doesn't work, giving them no choice but to stay at home and care for their families instead. Mr. Speaker, under President Biden's leadership we are going to flip that script. The infrastructure package he signed into law earlier this week will create millions of jobs with family sustaining wages and benefits by repairing our roads, our bridges, our water systems, and more. But creating millions of jobs only works if workers are ready to fill them. That is why we are also working to pass the Build Back Better Act which will make unprecedented investments in working families. Families that continue to be the backbone of our country that we all have the honor of representing. By expanding access to quality childcare, providing paid family and medical leave, establishing universal pre-K, and making home care affordable for our seniors, this legislation will propel parents-- especially our working moms--back into the workforce and full participation in our economy. By lowering healthcare costs and driving down prescription drug prices, the Build Back Better Act will ensure that families no longer have to choose between their health and their ability to put food on the table. By cutting taxes for low-income and middle-class Americans and extending the child tax credit payment that has served as a lifeline for so many, this package will keep money in families' pockets. Passage of the Build Back Better Act will ensure that no one is left behind as we defeat COVID and rebuild our economy. That is why these provisions are supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans-- Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike. Like President Biden, they recognize that when we invest in working families, America wins. Now, if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle need to hear more about why they should support this bill, please let me know. My mom, Linda Loureiro, is happy to call you and tell you what the Build Back Better Act would have done for her and moms like yours 40 years ago and why we need to get it done for her children and her grandchildren today.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the tremendous contributions and legacy of Gilbert Campbell, a successful businessman and community leader who dedicated his life to the prosperity of the Greater Lowell community. He passed away peacefully on September 16, 2021. Gilbert was born in the Centralville neighborhood in the City of Lowell in 1930. After graduating from Lowell High School in 1948, Gilbert would embark on a seven decade-long professional career, first as a distinguished home builder, real estate developer, and entrepreneur; and later as a hotelier, restaurateur, professional sports owner who was renowned for his passion for thoroughbred horses. Over the span of his home building career, Gilbert built 1,500 houses, 3,000 apartments, and many commercial buildings. He was extremely involved in the home building community, so much so that he was a founding member and one-time president of the Lowell Home Builders Association, a past President of Massachusetts Home Builder Association, and a previous Vice President and Lifetime Director of the National Home Builders Association. In addition to his impressive professional career, Gilbert never forgot where he came from. He worked tirelessly to make his hometown of Lowell a better place. His expertise and vision for the future of the City made him a trusted confidant to many business and political leaders over the years, myself included. He was a founding member of the Lowell Plan, the former St. John's Hospital/Saints Medical Center, the past President of Vesper Country Club, a previous Chairman of the Northern Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, and a co-owner of Lowell's first professional sports team, The Lowell Lock Monsters. Gilbert's contributions to the economic development of Lowell has had a lasting impact on the city and will continue to be felt when walking the streets downtown for generations to come. Throughout his life, Gilbert was the recipient of numerous recognitions from distinguished organizations for his work in our community. He was selected in the 1960s as the New England Builder of the Year and in 2016 as the Florida Breeder of the Year Award, alongside his beloved wife, Marilyn. He was also inducted into the Lowell High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame, the Northeast Builders Hall of Fame, and the New England Turf Writers Hall of Fame. In the face of so many well-deserved accolades, Gilbert remained humble, accessible and down to earth. Through his years of leadership, Gilbert has made the City of Lowell a better place to call home. Gilbert will be remembered for his love for his family and friends, his kindness to those around him, his distinguished professional career, and his immense pride in the City of Lowell. My heart goes out to Marilyn, his children Susan and Gary, and the entire Campbell family during this difficult time. Gilbert's legacy will live on through his loving family and all of us who had the honor of knowing him.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, my generation and every generation of women after us has grown up with the freedom and the security under Roe v. Wade. Today those protections are under attack from lawmakers and activists, many of whom have never had to make the tough personal decisions about family planning or about the health of a pregnancy. Those attacks have been successful, and it is chilling as a mom of two young daughters. Roe is on the verge of elimination, and millions of women are rightly terrified of what that means for their bodily autonomy and the future of reproductive care even beyond abortion. Today, we are going to pass the Women's Health Protection Act because we know that no one can be more trusted to make the best health decisions for themselves than women. The government should not have a role in that choice, and I reject the hypocrisy on the other side of the aisle that suggests otherwise. Please, join us in passing this critical legislation and protecting reproductive rights, protecting the freedom of women to decide. If not for the people you represent, then for the women in your lives.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Marine Sergeant Johanny Rosario Pichardo, a daughter of Lawrence, Massachusetts. She and twelve other brave American servicemembers tragically lost their lives on Thursday, August 26th at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Sergeant Rosario Pichardo will be remembered as a hero for her valiant service and commitment to protecting the freedoms and values that all Americans hold dear. This tragic loss serves as a reminder that when our troops bravely volunteer to serve, both they and their loved ones sacrifice more than we can ever imagine. My heart goes out to Sergeant Rosario Pichardo's family and friends during this difficult time. Sergeant Rosario Pichardo's legacy lives on through the many people who carry her memory forward. In particular, the residents of Lawrence, especially those who knew her well, will remember her passion for service and her commitment to family. I am grateful for heroes like Sergeant Johanny Rosario Pichardo who volunteer to risk everything to make the United States and the world a better place and are prepared to give what President Lincoln called the ``last full measure of their devotion.'' We are incredibly fortunate that such brave men and women are among us. Sergeant Johanny Rosario Pichardo and her fellow servicemembers represented the very best our country has to offer. They will never be forgotten.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I was in a meeting. Had I been present, I would have noted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 286. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Babin (Nehls) Boyle, Brendan F. (Jeffries) Carter (TX) (Calvert) DeFazio (Brown) DeSaulnier (Thompson (CA)) Escobar (Garcia (TX)) Frankel, Lois (Clark (MA)) Fulcher (Johnson (OH)) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Higgins (NY) (Tonko) Issa (Calvert) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kim (NJ) (Underwood) Kirkpatrick (Levin (CA)) Latta (Walberg) Lawson (FL) (Evans) McEachin (Wexton) McHenry (Banks) Meng (Jeffries) Morelle (Tonko) Napolitano (Correa) Norman (Timmons) Payne (Wasserman Schultz) Porter (Wexton) Reschenthaler (Meuser) Rice (SC) (Timmons) Rush (Underwood) Ryan (Kildee) Sewell (Cicilline) Stanton (Levin (CA)) Stefanik (Miller-Meeks) Strickland (Torres (NY)) Swalwell (Veasey) Vela (Correa) Wagner (Walorski) Wilson (FL) (Hayes) Amendment No. 105 Offered by Mr. Bowman

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the PFAS Action Act of 2021 because this overdue legislation will save lives. We know that PFAS chemicals, otherwise known as forever chemicals, have been linked to harmful health effects, including increased rates of cancer. Yet, for far too long, they have been unchecked and unregulated. Now, these same chemicals are being discovered at toxic levels in drinking water supplies in communities that I represent and across our country. In fact, as many as 200 million Americans are currently drinking PFAS-contaminated water, often without even knowing it. While my home State of Massachusetts has led the way in responding to PFAS contaminations in recent years, including the groundbreaking of a new 10,000-square foot treatment plant in my district in Littleton, most States are falling further and further behind, leaving their residents at risk. Madam Speaker, we have the ability to change that today. Passage of the PFAS Action Act will bolster State and local initiatives like those already under way in Massachusetts. This legislation will provide the resources and policies necessary to clean up contaminated drinking water sites, support families who have been exposed to PFAS chemicals, and take critical steps to prevent future exposures. I am grateful to Representatives Dingell and Upton, as well as our chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Pallone, for their bipartisan work on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, not because it will hurt corporations who want to continue the unregulated use of these dangerous chemicals, but because the health and well-being of the hardworking families they represent are at stake if they don't.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in full support of the equal rights amendment and to debunk some of the nonsense being spouted by my colleagues across the aisle. This legislation is not about special rights, it is not about preferential treatment, and it is not about erasing sex differences. It is about finally guaranteeing equal rights, plain and simple. Critics of the ERA know that, or at least they would if they actually read the legislation. It is right there for all of us to see. ``Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex,'' period. Everyone in this Capitol has a mother, and some of us are blessed to have daughters. This amendment is about them. It is about completing the work of generations of women before us who marched for full equality, and it is about finishing that journey so that the next generation will experience nothing other than full and fair rights under the law. I urge my colleagues to give our daughters that chance. Join us and pass this resolution.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the leadership and legacy of a mentor and a friend, Maria Cunha, who will retire as Associate Dean and Director of the Out of School Youth Development Program at Middlesex Community College. Her most recent years at MCC have had an immense impact on students and faculty alike, advising and supporting them in their educational and vocational pursuits. Maria was born in the Azores and moved with her family to the United States in 1967, eventually settling in Lowell among a vibrant, proud Portuguese community. After graduating from Lowell High School in 1974, she went to Regis College and became the first in her family to graduate from college four years later. Public service has always guided Maria's career. She worked as a teacher, interpreter, and mentor serving on countless non-profit boards and dedicated her life to advocating fiercely for families, children, and immigrants in our community. For twelve years at the International Institute, Maria helped families navigate government agencies on their path to becoming citizens and creating a new life in the Greater Lowell region. She carried that passion for advocacy to her next role as Constituent Services Director in former Representative Marty Meehan's District Office. There, she continued her mission to provide the highest quality services to our community and exemplified the nobility of service-- picking up the phone and listening to someone in crisis and delivering assistance; not giving up on someone in need of a hand; and advocating for resources and laws that fix our broken, inequitable systems. Over the years, Maria has served as a role model and mentor to so many, myself included. She is what we all should aspire to be as public servants--a shining and tangible example of how government, education, and community are supposed to work. Even in retirement, Maria will continue to champion those who don't have a voice, her rich Portuguese heritage, and immigrants in search of a better life here in our community. Through her many years of service, Maria has made the City of Lowell a better place to call home. Thanks to her efforts, the City's future is bright, and I join Lowell residents and so many throughout our region in thanking her for her dedication to this incredible community.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, there is a rampaging public health emergency that has been with us for far too long. And there have been countless chilling examples of what happens when we fail to act, or only take half measures, anodyne placebos. Each time, more lives are lost. Moreover, we have seen a particular community unjustly suffer scorn for this emergency. They have been scapegoated rather than recognized as the fellow victims of this crisis. But there is no question that the harms of this crisis haven't fallen evenly, and the disparate harm offers all the more reason for actual solutions, not mere talk. By now, my colleagues know that I am not talking about COVID. I am referring to gun violence. Today, the most commonsense, broadly popular, and impactful thing that we can do is pass H.R. 8, and bolster our pitifully weak background check system in the United States. Keeping deadly weapons out of the hands of those fueled by hate is as common sense as it gets. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 8.

Mrs. TRAHAN

Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, the aggressive concentration of wealth in corporate boardrooms, the unending attacks on unions and their attempts to organize, and the passage of so-called right-to-work laws, which we now know are really the right-to-deprivation laws, have left America's workers begging for scraps, rather than receiving the fair compensation and full benefits they deserve. My father was a proud member of the Ironworkers Union. He showed up every day and worked hard, erecting buildings and bridges across New England. And while he was at work, he knew that his union was fighting to defend him and his brothers and sisters and their families by looking out for our interests at the negotiating table. It is thanks to the strong benefits and wages secured by his union that my parents were able to provide for my sisters and me. The PRO Act is about making sure that other families have that same chance. It is about restoring dignity and power to where it belongs: with our workers. After all, it is our workers who kept us afloat, fed, housed, and safe this last year. For that I urge this bill's passage. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in support of this bill.