Lauren Underwood

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I oppose this amendment not because I support the remain in Texas concept but because we are debating nonsense. This policy never happened. Why are we wasting time debating amendments to prohibit the implementation of nonexistent policies? We heard a rumor about this becoming a policy over a year ago. Despite all of the executive actions we have seen since, the administration has done nothing to suggest they are planning to move forward with this one. We can all invent amendments that prevent rumored policies from going into effect, and our bills would be loaded with nonsensical references to nonexistent policies. Digging up old, rumored policies that never went into effect and are no longer being discussed is a waste of our time. If I didn't know better, I would say my majority colleagues are running out of ideas on how to find failure with what the Biden administration is doing to secure our border. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, this amendment ignores the horrors for those who are exploited into forced labor trafficking and dangerous working conditions, many of whom are subject to strenuous work while making substandard wages. The DHS memo referenced in this amendment was a reasonable and much- needed step toward combating worker exploitation and the problems that follow. We still have so much work to do. Even the Department has noted that: `` . . . the most pernicious aspect of our country's unauthorized employment challenge: exploitative employers.'' Yet, I don't see my colleagues on the other side of the aisle bringing forward amendments that would comprehensively address that issue. There is no denying that mass worksite operations furthermore threaten those who are most vulnerable to speak out about labor violations which has downstream impacts such as driving down wages and working conditions. Adoption of this amendment only empowers bad employers and undermines the enforcement of our country's core labor standards to the detriment of all workers. I oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, first, let me clarify what the policy being attacked by this amendment actually does. This policy does not confer a new path to permanent status, let alone a new path to citizenship. The people who will benefit from the policy are already eligible for a green card, but the policy removes a barrier that would require almost all families to be separated for 10 years before the undocumented immigrant could be eligible for a green card. On average, these immigrants have been in the United States for 23 years, are married to U.S. citizens, and still must go through a lengthy green card process. However, with this policy in place, people get to go through the legal steps of getting a green card without being separated for a decade or longer from their families. Any advocate for family values and unity should support this new process, which only applies to a limited subset of immigrants. Instead of being attacked, we should all applaud the Biden administration for advancing this policy. It demonstrates that the United States prioritizes family unity over archaic and harmful bureaucratic processes that serve no value and certainly provide no deterrence effect. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this new policy and vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, this is yet another attempt by my colleagues across the aisle to attack any effort by the Biden administration to tackle the climate crisis and help our communities become more climate resilient. It is obviously misguided, antiscience, and will put all of us at greater risk of harm as a result of climate disasters. Only flawed and shortsighted thinking would presume that the climate crisis does not intersect with so many of the issues relevant to the Department's mission, including migration, national security, and disaster relief. Mr. Chair, I will vote ``no,'' and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the temptation to take congressional action against government individuals when we hear they have done something that we find offensive, but as lawmakers, it is important that we defend the core principles upon which our country is founded, and that includes a system of checks and balances. We know from the Secretary's testimony earlier this year that there is an active investigation related to Nejwa Ali, a Trump-era hire, and that she has been placed on leave and is not performing the duties and responsibilities for which she was hired. We must allow this process to work. Ironically, the bill we are considering today would cut important departmental resources that are meant to strengthen its personnel security vetting policies and procedures, such as a cut of nearly $14 million to the Office of the Chief Security Officer. It is a shame that, throughout this process, my majority colleagues continue to criticize the Department for not doing its job while at the same time they propose cutting the resources the Department needs to address the very concerns that they continue to raise. In addition, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that this amendment also raises constitutional issues. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, the Department of Veterans Affairs' Financial Services Center provides a purely administrative function for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to process third-party medical claims for those in CBP's and ICE's custody. Regardless of your stance on immigration, those seeking medical attention should not be denied access to care. The third-party medical providers who provide any medical care that can't be provided within ICE and CBP facilities deserve to be paid in a timely and accurate manner. The VA's Financial Services Center has that capability, and we are fortunate that it does. This is not unlike how the Department of Agriculture's National Finance Center is the finance center that is used to process the payment of paychecks for thousands of employees across the Federal Government. Further, this amendment does not prevent ICE from providing medical care to those in its custody. It will simply make it more expensive and more cumbersome not only for DHS but also for the local medical service providers seeking reimbursement for the services that they provided. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, throughout the debate today, it is not clear if our colleagues saw today's announcement, so I just want to make sure that we all know that the Presidential proclamation issued by President Biden to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens across the southern border and the complementary joint interim final rule issued by DHS and DOJ have now been in effect for 3 weeks, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of encounters at our southwest border. Under that interim final rule, asylum eligibility is generally limited for those who cross the southern border unlawfully or without authorization during times of high encounters. While it is still early, the Border Patrol's 7-day encounter average has decreased more than 40 percent to under 2,400 encounters per day. The Immigration and Nationality Act outlines the conditions under which a country may be designated for temporary protected status, and it requires periodic reviews to determine whether the conditions for this status continue to be met. Based on USCIS' latest review, the Secretary extended El Salvador's TPS designation through March 9, 2025. Since the earthquakes of 2001, El Salvador has continued to suffer from hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, making it difficult for the country to fully recover and allow for the safe return of individuals currently receiving TPS benefits. El Salvador also continues to struggle with gang violence, crime, and general insecurity and economic instability, which pose risks to the safety and well-being of any potential returnee. I encourage my colleagues to take these concerns to the appropriate authorizing committee if the gentleman feels that the INA should be amended in any way, but singling out a country through this amendment process is an inappropriate way to handle this matter. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Chair, the Immigration and Nationality Act outlines the conditions under which a country may be designated for temporary protected status, and it requires periodic reviews to determine whether the conditions for the status continue to be met. Based on USCIS' latest review, the Secretary extended Honduras' TPS designation through July 5, 2025. Since the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, Honduras has continued to suffer from hurricanes, floods, tropical storms, and other natural disasters, making it difficult for the country to fully recover and allow for the safe return of individuals currently receiving TPS benefits. Honduras also continues to struggle with gang violence, drug trafficking, crime, and economic instability, which pose risks to the safety and well-being of any potential returnee. I encourage my colleagues to take their concerns to the appropriate authorizing committee if the gentleman feels that the INA should be amended in any way, but singling out a country through this amendment process is an inappropriate way to handle this matter. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, during Roll Call Vote No. 142 on H. Res. 1160, I recorded my vote as Nay when I intended to vote YEA. Stated against:

Ms. UNDERWOOD

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I stand in strong opposition to H.R. 6914, the reproductive misinformation in higher education act. Just days before the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, this legislation is the latest in extreme MAGA Republicans' assault on comprehensive reproductive healthcare services in America, including abortion. Abortion is healthcare, and we must ensure that everyone who needs it has access to the full range of reproductive healthcare services they deserve. Let me say that again for the people in the back: Abortion is healthcare, and Americans have been clear that they want reproductive freedom for all. Yet, the Republican majority continues to spend week after week in the House pushing their extreme anti-choice and antifreedom agenda. Let's not forget, as Republicans ignore calls for reproductive freedom, they are ignoring the tragic realities that moms and expectant moms face every day. American families are being torn apart by our country's maternal mortality crisis and with the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country. Instead of addressing the urgency of this crisis and providing moms with the healthcare and resources they need to thrive, my colleagues are advancing legislation that would do the exact opposite. Despite its misleading name, this bill makes access to reproductive care even more difficult for women who need it. It is a new year, but the extreme MAGA agenda has stayed the same: erode our freedoms and restrict abortion rights despite the suffering that is happening all over our country in a post-Dobbs world. Instead of passing legislation that will fund the government throughout 2024, they are using these precious hours before a government shutdown to advance anti-choice legislation. I am proud that Democrats are committed to safeguarding these same freedoms, and we will not be silent on this issue. This bill is not an effort to protect pregnant students. It does not address the barriers these students face in our education system. If it did, it would include provisions that also inform students about Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC. Instead, this legislation is an obvious attempt to limit students' access to reproductive healthcare decisions and influence pregnancy outcomes. When we act on legislation like H.R. 6914, we are sending a clear message to women in our country that we do not prioritize their health and well-being, and we do not value their ability to make their own choices. We must do better. On this anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must pass legislation that provides women with the freedom to make decisions aligned with their health and reinstates our Federal right to abortion. Furthermore, we must support women and mothers along the way. As you may be aware, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC, is set to face a $1 billion shortfall, leaving millions of American families vulnerable. There are nearly 7 million low-income pregnant and postpartum participants, infants, and young children who rely on this program. For more than 25 years, there has been a bipartisan commitment to provide adequate funding for WIC. It is these priorities that should be front and center today, not creating more barriers and further restricting reproductive rights.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, for this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. The amendment would provide students with information on access to Medicaid, SNAP, and WIC. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to add the text of this amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.