Lauren Underwood

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, today is a historic day for patients in this country because today we will be voting for a piece of legislation that my community in northern Illinois wants urgently. It cannot wait. I hear about unfortunate and unaffordably high drug prices every time I am home. Recently, a 15-year-old boy in my district who relies on insulin wrote to me: ``I am concerned with what my future holds. I need this medicine to live, and if the costs continue to rise . . . I am afraid that, one day, I won't be able to get the medicine and I will die.'' No one should be thinking about the possibility of death because they can't afford a common, live-saving medication, and the Lower Drug Costs Now Act delivers the reforms we critically need because the bill reduces out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs; it creates a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit for seniors; and it allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate a fair price for the highest cost drugs, which will reduce private insurances premiums and out-of- pocket costs. This legislation also incorporates my bill to prevent drug companies from making outrageous, unfair price hikes. And with the savings from lower drug costs, we reinvest in Medicare, expanding much needed hearing, dental, and vision services to seniors. I am proud of this bill. It is a product of countless hours of research and negotiation. I would like to thank the committee chairs, leadership members, and staff who made it possible.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I missed rollcall No. 617, on agreeing to the Torres (CA) amendment to H.R. 4863. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 617. Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Flores

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, the shooting in Santa Clarita yesterday marks the 365th mass shooting this year. At least one of those shootings rocked my own community. Today is exactly 9 months since the senseless workplace shooting in Aurora, Illinois, that took the lives of Trevor Wehner, Clayton Parks, Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, and Josh Pinkard. Some of the heroic police officers who responded to that shooting just returned to full duty this week. This does not have to be the norm. This year, the House passed bipartisan legislation that would save lives by implementing universal background checks for every gun purchased. The Senate needs to pass it and to send it to the President. And we should do more still. I support legislation that would prevent gun violence by: one, committing Federal funds to study it for the public health crisis that it is; two, keeping guns out of the hands of known domestic abusers; and, three, just this week, I cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019, because weapons of war do not belong in our neighborhoods. These are commonsense policies that would save countless lives: children's lives, first responders' lives, our own neighbors' lives.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Leith Daghistani for his service in my office in Washington, DC. Leith joined our office as a legislative fellow and served as an advisor for my work on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, in addition to handling a policy portfolio that included defense, foreign affairs, agriculture, and trade. Among other accomplishments, he developed multiple pieces of legislation to improve health care delivery at the VA and helped our agricultural community navigate a challenging year of tough weather and unprecedented trade tensions. Leith was also instrumental in ensuring House passage of the Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act and the Caring For Our Women Veterans Act. Leith's diligence, intelligence, and compassion were invaluable assets as we worked to establish our legislative operation from scratch during my first year in office. I commend his drive to advance mental health and suicide prevention services for veterans and to improve outcomes for women veterans and younger veterans. Although Leith may be leaving our office, our veterans in northern Illinois and our community that supports and honors them will continue to benefit from the results of his hard work and expertise. Prior to joining my staff, Leith earned a Bachelor of Science from the United States Naval Academy and served our country as an officer in the United States Navy. I am grateful he chose to continue his career in public service by joining my office. Our office will miss his kindness, diligence, sense of humor, and expertly-brewed coffee. Madam Speaker, I would like to formally thank Leith Daghistani for his service to my office, to Illinois's 14th Congressional District, and to our country.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3224, the Deborah Sampson Act. This past Sunday, our office honored over 200 Vietnam war period veterans in my district in northern Illinois at a pinning ceremony to show our appreciation for their service to our country. Today, the day after Veterans Day, I am so proud to be on the House floor to continue our work on behalf of veterans. I would first like to thank Representative Brownley and my other colleagues who have worked so hard to compile this important bill in the House. In addition to providing better access to resources and benefits offered by the VA, the Deborah Sampson Act contains several provisions to ensure that women veterans have equitable access to high-quality, gender-specific healthcare. I am proud that my bill, the Caring for Our Women Veterans Act, is included in the Deborah Sampson Act. We know that the VA is committed to providing care to all veterans, but many VA facilities are not sufficiently equipped to provide comprehensive care to women veterans. The Caring for Our Women Veterans Act, now sections 305 to 307 of the Deborah Sampson Act, will empower the VA to fulfill its mission to honor all veterans. The legislation requires VA to report locations where gender-specific services are used, how facilities can be improved, and where specialty staff is most needed to effectively care for women veterans. This legislation will provide VA with the data it needs to effectively upgrade clinics and hospitals; to hire, train, and retain staff; and, most importantly, to provide earned healthcare to women veterans. These changes are long overdue, and it is now even more pressing that this legislation is passed. Women have served honorably in the Armed Forces since the founding of these United States, and women veterans are the fastest growing group within the veteran population. We have a collective responsibility to care for our veterans when they return home, and the Deborah Sampson Act helps achieve that by removing barriers that women veterans face on a daily basis. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support my bill, the Caring for Our Women Veterans Act, and the underlying Deborah Sampson Act.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4334, the Dignity in Aging Act of 2019. This is a strong bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, which provides vital services and support to seniors and their families in our community. Reauthorization has been an important local priority in my community in northern Illinois. During the August work period, I held a roundtable on the issue at the Fox Valley Older Adult Services with local stakeholders. Their priorities for reauthorization included increased funding, transportation, legal services, and support for seniors who age in place, and their caregivers. That is why I am so proud that the bill that we are discussing today, among other improvements: Increases overall transportation program funding by 35 percent; improves access to that funding; increases availability and accessibility of meals for seniors; and strengthens support for family caregivers, including those caring for individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. I am so proud that this bill includes my bipartisan amendment to ensure that programs that serve seniors are ready to respond to outbreaks or other public health emergencies. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the Dignity in Aging Act so that our seniors have the services and support they need.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I stand today to recognize the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)--the national voice for academic nursing--as this organization celebrates 50 years of advancing excellence in baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, promoting nursing research, and improving the health of our nation. Since 1969, AACN has set the standards for educating the nation's largest healthcare profession, nursing. AACN has consistently illustrated a steadfast commitment to nursing schools, deans, faculty, and students who are essential to ensuring a strong nursing workforce able to support the health and well-being of citizens in all communities throughout the country. The rich history of AACN began with a modest but significant meeting of 44 deans of nursing who met in Detroit, Michigan in 1969 and formed the Conference of Deans of Colleges and University Schools of Nursing. At its inception, the organization--soon to be renamed the American Association of Colleges of Nursing--represented 121 member institutions. This organization had a number of visionary leaders, not only for higher education, but also for the nursing profession. AACN has provided guidance through changing social, political, and economic context and as our country weathered many changes and advancements in health care and higher education. Over the last 50 years, AACN's dedication to sustaining the nation's nursing workforce has expanded and evolved with the organization now comprised of more than 825 schools of nursing representing more than 45,000 faculty members and 543,000 students. AACN's commitment to preparing nurses with the skills needed to transform health care and improve the public's health has had a profound impact in every state and has helped to support the nation's healthcare infrastructure. As the American Association of Colleges of Nursing celebrates its 50th Anniversary, I commend AACN for its leadership in educating the nursing workforce; its commitment to advancing innovation, diversity, inclusion, and research in the nursing profession; and for its dedication to driving excellence in academic nursing.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Captain Vincent Tiseo, a resident of my hometown of Naperville, Illinois, on his retirement from the United States Navy and for a lifetime of service to our nation. Upon receiving his ROTC commission from the University of Michigan in 1988, Captain Tiseo served as a surface warfare officer and completed tours aboard USS Meyerkord, where he earned his Surface Warfare Officer designation, and at Fleet Deception Group Atlantic in Norfolk, VA. He transitioned from active duty in 1993, but his service did not end. Capt. Tiseo remained in the U.S. Navy Reserve for 26 years, serving seven further tours of duty including four command tours. In these roles, he continued to deploy with units around the world in support of U.S. and allied operations in Europe, the Pacific theatre and Afghanistan, making significant contributions to our national defense and the training and development of the next generation of active and reserve sailors. Throughout his time in the Navy, Capt. Tiseo has been supported by his wife, Elizabeth, and his three children, Charlie, LuLu and Maggie. I express my heartfelt gratitude for his service, and wish him the very best of luck and continued success in his retirement from the Navy.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3526, the Counter Terrorist Network Act. I introduced the bipartisan Counter Terrorist Network Act with my colleague from New York, Representative Katko, to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security has the tools it needs to work effectively with international partners to prevent foreign terrorist organizations from carrying out attacks on U.S. soil. As we work to address growing threats posed by domestic terrorism, we must also remain vigilant against the threats posed by al-Qaida and its affiliates, the Islamic State, and other foreign terrorist organizations that aspire to do our Nation harm. With the Counter Terrorist Network Act, law enforcement will have enhanced resources to help thwart threats to our country. The Counter Terrorist Network Act authorizes the National Targeting Center, which is housed within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to collaborate with international security agencies to disrupt and dismantle terrorist networks. Importantly, it authorizes CBP to assign National Targeting Center personnel to overseas posts to improve information sharing about terrorist networks and help prevent entry to the U.S. by travelers who are known or suspected of being associated with a terrorist network. NTC--that is the National Targeting Center--personnel play an important role in the safety of our country, including my community in northern Illinois. We know that in fiscal year 2015, CBP was able to prevent 22,000 high-risk travelers from traveling to the U.S. through the collaboration between the NTC and other predeparture screening programs. This number represents previously unknown high-risk travelers who were found to pose a national security or terrorist threat. The successful partnerships and programs that CBP has built with other law enforcement partners in furtherance of their antiterrorism and homeland security mission warrant congressional support. As we work to address growing threats posed by domestic terrorism, we must also remain vigilant against the threats posed by al-Qaida and its affiliates, the Islamic State, and other foreign terrorist organizations that continue to aspire to do our Nation harm. I would note that similar language overwhelmingly passed the House in 2018, and I urge my colleagues to again support the Counter Terrorist Network Act. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Thompson and his staff on the House Committee on Homeland Security for all of their invaluable work on this legislation.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I introduced the U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act in response to the conditions I witnessed firsthand on our border this year: first in April, then in July, and then again in August. The humanitarian crisis at our border is a problem that we should be working together to solve with an evidence-based approach. This legislation is evidence-based, and I am incredibly proud that it was able to be forwarded by the Committee on Homeland Security with a voice vote. I also appreciated Ranking Member Rogers' willingness to engage with us on this bill, and I am committed to continuing to look for ways to work together on these issues going forward. As introduced, my bill had three sections, two of which are included in the legislation we are debating today. First, my bill ensures implementation of an integrated electronic health records system, or EHR, to be used by those caring for migrants at the border. This is a direct ask from medical officers at the Department of Homeland Security who have identified it as a high- priority barrier to providing care. We know that migrants may be transferred between different sites and components multiple times while in custody, and an interoperable EHR is essential to their health records remaining accessible. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has an EHR. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has an EHR. But Customs and Border Protection, which includes the U.S. Border Patrol, doesn't. When I was at the border, I saw busy, overworked Border Patrol officials having to keep health records on paper. I also saw how these records don't always follow migrants between facilities and transfers of custody. As DHS works to improve its medical screening of children and migrants at the border to ensure there is a minimum standard of care, the need for proper recordkeeping on those screenings will only increase. Furthermore, children can spend days or weeks in CBP custody before being transferred to another component. There must be a transferrable record of the medical care those kids receive and the medical conditions that they report. That is why DHS has already begun independently taking steps toward an electronic health records system, hiring staff, and soliciting individual component requirements. This legislation formalizes and directs that process, setting an aggressive but achievable timeline that reflects the urgency of the humanitarian situation at our southern border. Second, this bill directs DHS to research innovative approaches to address any capability gaps in providing medical screening, particularly for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations. As a nurse, I believe in data-driven, evidence-based policymaking. Data shows that, in recent years, the migrant population arriving at our southern border has shifted from primarily adult, economic migrants to a large number of families and unaccompanied children seeking asylum. DHS must be better prepared to respond to these shifts, and barriers to providing basic medical care to migrants in U.S. custody will persist as our country continues its national conversation around immigration policy. The research required by this litigation will ensure that we have robust data on DHS' capabilities in order to inform our response. My bill also ensures that, in conducting this research, DHS collaborates with medical professionals who have expertise in pediatric care so that DHS is addressing both the physical and the mental health needs of migrant children at the border. By proactively focusing on children, this research is intended to prevent the care gaps we have seen in other Federal facilities caring for migrant children. Lastly, I am proud that the third section of this bill, as introduced, was incorporated into my colleague Dr. Ruiz' legislation that was passed by the House in July. This section set consistent minimum standards for medical screening of migrants at the border. Proactive, consistent, and timely medical screening is essential to a public health response to the humanitarian crisis on our border, but effective medical protocols are not in practice right now. By training border personnel in medical screening, the legislation provides law enforcement and staff at the border the support that they need so that they aren't being forced to deal with medical situations that we haven't equipped them for. That is why I am pleased that this screening language passed the House in July. In addition to these medical screening standards, we need to ensure DHS has an electronic health record and close those research gaps. That is what this legislation on the floor right now would do: build on the legislation we passed in July and implement the remaining two components of the U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act. Anyone who has been to the border, including many of my colleagues on the Committee on Homeland Security, has seen how overwhelming the humanitarian situation there is. This committee and this Congress have consistently been willing to provide the Department of Homeland Security with the resources it needs, but with those resources comes accountability and oversight. This legislation is an important and a sensible step forward to make sure that both migrants and border officials are not placed in situations that are unsafe. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to recognize and thank Chairman Thompson and his staff on the Committee on Homeland Security--including Rosaline Cohen, Alexandra Carnes, Wendy Clerinx, Ethan McClelland, and Brittany Lynch--for their months of hard work on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues in this body, medical experts, and our neighbors and constituents all agree the humanitarian and medical situation at our southern border has reached crisis levels. During my conversations with health officials at the border, including with the Department of Homeland Security, they told me that one of the most urgent solutions they need is an electronic health record that can be used by everyone providing medical care at the border. DHS recognizes this, too, and has already taken steps toward implementation, but it is not moving fast enough. So this legislation directs that process, setting an aggressive but achievable timeline that reflects the urgency of the humanitarian situation. The children and families in our care can't afford any further delays. Now, let me be clear: As a nurse, and a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, providing world-class care to our veterans is a top priority. I have introduced a number of proposals to improve healthcare delivery to our veterans, and I am working on a slate of others. I welcome the input of my colleagues from across the aisle who want to work with me on modernizing the VA to better serve women veterans, improving mental healthcare access and quality, ending the veteran suicide epidemic, or any other way to serve our country's heroic veterans. But where I am from, in northern Illinois, we can walk and chew gum at the same time because we also have a moral duty to ensure that children in our government's custody receive the basic medical screenings and services needed to ensure lives are not lost on our watch. It is simple, and we can do both. That is what we are debating here today. Children are dying of preventable causes in our care for the first time in a decade. We all agree that the humanitarian situation at our southern border presents a complex set of challenges. Congress has a duty to address those challenges by providing, as appropriate, both resources and oversight. Oversight is ongoing through the excellent work of our committees, in addition to inspectors general. We have repeatedly met requests for additional humanitarian funding as needed, most recently with the approval of almost $5 billion in supplemental funding this summer. But this Congress is choosing, rightly, to provide that funding along with additional guardrails and directions for how to spend it in a way that is consistent with American values because the status quo is unacceptable. Children are dying of preventable causes in our care for the first time in a decade. My bill, along with Congressman Ruiz's and Congresswoman Escobar's, provides the guardrails and direction to reverse course. Let's be clear: This is not some gold-plated package. What these policies do is establish minimum, consistent standards that ensure that we can effectively provide the most basic medical screenings and care. What we are doing is making sure that children and families in our care are asked questions like, ``Do you have a fever? Do you have your inhaler? Could you be pregnant?'' and that their answers are recorded and used to make sure that they are provided basic care. These changes are urgently needed. Children are dying of preventable causes in our care for the first time in a decade, children like Darlyn, Jakelin, Felipe, Juan, Wilmer, and Carlos. Medical care for these children has huge, unacceptable gaps. We have a responsibility to implement commonsense, effective policies that we know will fix that because children should never die from a preventable cause in our care. We have a responsibility to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is better prepared for future challenges to ensure the failures that contributed to these deaths are never repeated. Children in our care have been separated from their families. They have been denied toothbrushes and blankets. They have been saddled with trauma that can affect them for their entire lives. We must make sure that these children and their families have access to basic medical care and screening while in custody. That is why we have to reject this procedural gimmick, which could delay essential tools and resources from getting to officials at the border who need them. I urge all my colleagues, vote ``no'' on the motion to recommit and vote ``yes'' to pass this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished majority leader.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, 64. That is the number of robocalls that the average Illinoisan has received in 2019 alone, over 1 billion total. Nationwide, half of all calls to cellphones are robocalls. Yesterday, in my staff meeting, our discussion of floor consideration of the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act was literally interrupted by two different robocalls. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member on behalf of myself and my community in Illinois' 14th Congressional District for their hard work to bring this commonsense, bipartisan, and incredibly important bill to the floor. Robocalls aren't just annoying; they can be dangerous. They are used by fraudsters and unscrupulous debt collectors to scare hardworking Americans to fall for their scams. I am so proud to cosponsor the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act. This bill ensures that consumers can block calls they don't want, with no extra charge. It ensures that every call Illinoisans receive is verified by caller ID, and it strengthens enforcement against scammers and robocall operators. I am especially glad the bill includes a provision to require the FCC to establish a Hospital Robocall Working Group to ensure that robocalls don't threaten hospitals' ability to provide timely, lifesaving care. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, in my district in northern Illinois, many farmers are struggling with the challenges that come from a delayed planting season and an uncertain market. But, recently, Kaylee Heap invited me to her family's farm to share her story about yet another challenge: healthcare costs. Kaylee and her husband, Kevin, own a pumpkin farm in Minooka, Illinois, and Kaylee dreams of being able to work on the farm to grow their business. Unfortunately, that is not an option because health insurance is too expensive for them to purchase on their own--easily over $20,000 per year in my district--so Kaylee works for an outside employer in order to afford health insurance for their growing family. Having to make the choice between entrepreneurship and healthcare is unacceptable, and that is why I introduced the Health Care Affordability Act, H.R. 1868, to reduce insurance premiums. My bill would reduce premiums by hundreds of thousands of dollars for approximately 20 million Americans, 39,000 of whom reside in my district. A typical Illinois family like Kaylee's would see their premiums cut in half, saving over $750 per month--and that is real money. Mr. Chair, Americans shouldn't have to wait for lower healthcare costs. We need to pass the Health Care Affordability Act now.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, currently, 20 Republican-led States are suing to overturn the Affordable Care Act and the protections that it provides. Rather than defend the law, the Trump administration is siding with these States and arguing the entire law should be overturned. This is an attack on every single American with a preexisting condition, including 300,000 people in Illinois' 14th Congressional District. If the ACA is overturned, insurers will, once again, have the power to refuse coverage to people with preexisting conditions, like cancer, asthma, heart conditions, and diabetes. This is a fear for many of my constituents, including Mike DeBow of Shorewood, Illinois, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age. Mike wrote to me because he is ``deathly afraid''--his words--of losing his insurance. Under the ACA, Mike doesn't have to worry about being denied coverage for his preexisting condition. He can even stay on his parents' plan until he turns 26. But if the Republicans' lawsuit succeeds, 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions, including Mike, won't have that peace of mind. I am proud that my first vote in Congress was to protect the ACA by defending it in court so that Americans like Mike can focus on leading fulfilling lives, not whether their healthcare needs are covered.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, as a nurse and cofounder of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, I am fully committed to advancing policies that reduce maternal health disparities. Black women are nearly four times more likely than White women and more than twice as likely as women of other races to die from preventable pregnancy-related complications. This is a national crisis. Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and Ranking Member Tom Cole for their dedication to addressing maternal health in the fiscal year 2020 Labor- HHS appropriations bill, including through the following investments: $1.58 billion for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which supports research that investigates the causes and interventions for maternal health disparities among Black women; $50 million to initiate research on maternal mortality and disparities in maternal mortality rates; and a $12 million increase in funding for the CDC Safe Motherhood and Infant Health program's Maternal Mortality Review Committees, supporting research to comprehensively assess maternal deaths and identify opportunities for prevention. This funding is an important step forward toward achieving optimal birth outcomes for all families. Madam Speaker, I thank the Appropriations Committee, and hope my colleagues will continue to support funding for programs that will improve the outcomes for women and families.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment, which will prevent Federal funds from being used by the Department of Justice to undermine the Affordable Care Act. The people of the Illinois 14th elected me to protect coverage for preexisting conditions and to make healthcare and prescription drugs more affordable. Under this administration, the Department of Justice is refusing to defend the law of the land, risking access to affordable care for 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions, including 5.4 million Illinoisans. If this administration succeeds in overturning the Affordable Care Act through the courts, it would destroy protections for people with preexisting conditions, the ban on lifetime and annual limits on health coverage, the Medicaid expansion covering 15 million Americans, health insurance affordability tax credits assisting 9 million Americans, bans on discriminatory insurance practices that force women to pay more for coverage, young adults' ability to remain on their parents' insurance until 26, and more. This is unacceptable, and to do it on the dime of the taxpayer is unconscionable. 130 million Americans depend on it, and one of those Americans is Mike DeBow, of Shorewood, Illinois. Mike has type 1 diabetes and wrote to me because he is ``deathly afraid'' of losing his insurance. He is thankful for the protections of the Affordable Care Act that allow him to stay on his parents' plan and ensure insurance companies can't discriminate against him because of his preexisting condition. We cannot go back, back to the days before the Affordable Care Act when insurers were in the driver's seat, allowed to sell substandard plans that didn't cover the care people needed, and left patients holding the bag. We cannot go back to the days when 50 million people in this country were uninsured, locked out because of preexisting conditions. The American people sent a resounding message last November: They want their healthcare protected. They want their healthcare to be affordable. We should be working toward that aim, not using taxpayer dollars to try to sabotage it for political gain. For example, we passed legislation in this House that would protect people with preexisting conditions, H.R. 1010, and another bill, the Health Care Affordability Act, that I proposed, which would reduce premium costs for approximately 20 million Americans and offer at least 9 million people who are currently uninsured lower cost coverage. That is what we should be doing for the American people: using our offices to make their lives better, healthier, safer, and more affordable. For some, like Mike DeBow, this is literally life and death. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano).

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I ask all my colleagues to support this amendment, and I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Allred) for his leadership in introducing legislation at the beginning of this Congress that allowed this body, the U.S. House of Representatives, to defend the Affordable Care Act in the existing litigation. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment, which will prevent Federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture from removing existing public information about long-term weather variation in our climate. This information gives farmers the tools they need to succeed, and it is important that we don't subject it to politics. I am proud to represent a community rich in agriculture in the Illinois 14th District. We have the best farmers in the world, but right now they are facing real challenges to their businesses and their way of life caused by long-term patterns in weather variation, leading to worse seasonal extremes. The science is clear: Extreme weather has links to human-induced climate change. Climate change has broad impacts on virtually all aspects of the agriculture industry. Ignoring the link between climate change and extreme weather is a direct threat to our national security, to food security, and to the livelihoods of farmers in northern Illinois and throughout America. This year, catastrophic flooding and rain in Illinois have prevented many farmers from planting their crops. As of this week, only 88 percent of farmers in Illinois were able to plant their corn, compared with a 4-year average of 100 percent between 2014 and 2018. Meanwhile, only 70 percent of soybeans are planted, compared to a 4-year average of 95 percent. Nationwide, farmers are expected to harvest the smallest corn crop in 4 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And I have spoken to farmers who are concerned that an early frost could threaten entire farm operations this year because of late planting and more unpredictable weather patterns. This is an immediate threat. We are already suffering the consequences, and it will only get worse with time. The very existence of multigenerational farms and an entire way of life for some families in our community are at risk. And once these farms are gone, they aren't coming back. Make no mistake. Due to drought, severe storms, an early spring, and flooding, our farmers are on the front line when it comes to climate change. Unfortunately, over the past 2 years, references to climate change, long-term weather variation, and the effect of human activity on our climate has been scrubbed from many Federal websites and publications. Farmers are veterinarians, entrepreneurs, accountants, meteorologists, and scientists--all in one day. By deleting information and references to climate change in official communication, we hamstring their ability to rely on accurate and precise information to make important business decisions and adapt their farming practices to face future challenges. Information on climate change and its impact on agriculture is also valuable to researchers and innovators working on technology to support farming communities throughout the country and to policymakers as we work to make informed choices that address these issues. We have the capacity and a responsibility to address the challenges of climate change head-on as a country. American farmers are some of the most hardworking, resilient, and optimistic people in the country. Their hard work nourishes our families and literally feeds the world. We can and must ensure that they are equipped to be successful, because their success not only affects our community's economy, but a secure food supply depends on it. This amendment will ensure that USDA and other Federal agencies will continue to make important information available to farmers at a time when they need it most. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop).