Nydia Velázquez

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the NO BAN Act. I remember when the Muslim ban was first implemented in January 2017, I went to JFK Airport with Chairman Nadler to demand the release of travelers being detained there. One of them was an Iraqi translator who had risked his life working for the U.S. Army in Iraq. His reward was being caught up in this hateful Trump administration policy. At the airport that day, I saw two Americas: Inside the airport was an America characterized by prejudice, weakness, and fear; but outside, where thousands gathered to oppose this hateful policy, I saw the America I know, an America of strength and compassion. Madam Speaker, today, as we vote on this bill, we are being asked to choose between these two visions. We can choose a weak, bigoted America that says there is no place for our Muslim brothers and sisters or for Black people, or we can choose an America that lives up to its highest ideals, that welcomes those from around the world seeking a better life.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, July 21, 2020, I regret not being present for one vote session. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, H.R. 6395, rollcall No. 152. Personal Explanation

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7301. This important bill extends and expands critical tenant protections and authorizes key housing assistance that is vital to keeping our neighbors safely housed during this ongoing pandemic. Mr. Speaker, I especially want to thank Chair Waters for including language I wrote that will authorize additional funding for the Public Housing Operating Fund and the Section 8 program. The money we are providing today would allow public housing authorities to continue taking necessary steps to protect residents from the coronavirus. Importantly, this bill also extends the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums we created in the CARES Act for 1 year. Further, it expands those protections to all renters and homeowners. The bill helps subsidize monthly housing costs by creating a $100 billion rental assistance fund and a $75 billion homeownership fund, crucial resources for those struggling with their monthly housing costs. Creation of these funds will also ensure that individuals and families will not face lump-sum obligations and payments when the moratoriums end. The urgency of the moment is upon us. We need this bill more than ever. The eviction moratorium provided for in the CARES Act is set to expire in late July. In New York City, tenants' fear of eviction by unscrupulous landlords is ever-present. It has been predicted we could see a wave of 50,000 evictions in the city if we do not act fast. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor the bill. I urge its speedy adoption.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, in nearly every city and town across this country, the American people are raising their collective voice for change. Our Nation is having a long overdue conversation about race and policing, and we are finally acknowledging Black lives matter. But it takes more than words and hashtags. The American people want true reform. This bill takes tangible steps in that direction. It ends qualified immunity. The bill bans chokeholds. No-knock warrants will become a thing of the past. We are all outraged by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, Eric Garner, and so many others. However, anger is not enough. The American people are demanding action. This bill offers meaningful, transformative change, not lip service or half measures being floated by the President and Senate Republicans. The time is now. History will judge us on how we respond to this moment. Vote ``yes.''

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill before us today, H.R. 6782, the Small Business Transparency and Reporting for the Underbanked and Taxpayers at Home Act, or the TRUTH Act. The CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act provided over $725 billion in relief to nonprofits, small businesses, and the independently employed who are struggling to cope with the economic downturn brought about by the spread of COVID- 19. By utilizing the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and creating the Paycheck Protection Program, Congress took swift action to provide a necessary lifeline. And while both programs have saved countless livelihoods, jobs, and businesses, millions more remain left out. Unfortunately, it won't matter how much money Congress spends to address these problems if Congress cannot track where the money is going to verify that it is reaching the families and businesses that need it most. To that end, my colleagues and I have sent multiple oversight letters to SBA requesting detailed data and information on the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. To date, we have not received anything more than what SBA has published on their website. This is simply unacceptable. It is vital that the administration be transparent and good stewards of taxpayers' dollars. I am proud to support the bipartisan effort before us today, led by my esteemed colleagues Mr. Phillips of Minnesota and Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. The bill requires SBA to publish an online database of the recipients of PPP and EIDL loans over $2 million. It would also list the number of employees at each business benefiting from this assistance and the amount of funds provided to underserved businesses. This is precisely the kind of data Congress needs to ensure that the programs are being administered as intended and, more importantly, to ensure the scarce funds are reaching those communities and businesses that need it most. Furthermore, the bill includes language that will decouple the 7(a) loan program and Paycheck Protection Program accounts. Currently, both programs share the same appropriations account, meaning that once the Paycheck Protection Program appropriation lapses, the 7(a) loan program will shut down along with it. It was never congressional intent to tie the future of both programs together, so in order to preserve the sustainability of the 7(a) loan program, it is necessary to decouple the two accounts. At a time when the future of the small business economy is so uncertain, it is of top importance to ensure the long-term sustainability of the 7(a) loan program. This language achieves that goal. I applaud the bipartisanship and, more importantly, the commitment to being good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, to join me in voting for stronger transparency and oversight of the CARES Act programs. Our hardworking small business owners and the American people deserve no less. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips), the sponsor of the bill.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6782) to require the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to submit a report on recipients of assistance under the paycheck protection program and the economic injury disaster loan program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, when this body spent trillions of dollars to address the economic downturn brought about by COVID-19, we included a special inspector general to provide oversight over the expenditure of these dollars. Unfortunately, President Trump said the special IG could not issue reports to Congress without Presidential supervision and subsequently removed the acting IG at the Pentagon and chairman of the panel. So with the erosion of accountability, transparency is needed more than ever. Congress needs to ensure that there is no waste, fraud, or abuse of taxpayers' dollars. This data collection and transparency bill is a positive step in that direction, providing much-needed transparency and accountability. Knowledge is power and, with this bill, the public will finally have the knowledge on how these programs have been implemented, where the money has gone, who has gotten it and who hasn't. Not only will this empower the people, it will empower Congress as we continue working to optimize the CARES Act programs. The bill also clarifies the program accounts for the Paycheck Protection Program and the 7(a) Loan Program are wholly distinct, ensuring that the SBA's flagship lending program will not shut down when the Paycheck Protection Program appropriation lapses. As the small business economy begins to recover in the coming weeks and months, small businesses need to be able to access affordable capital to rehire workers, restock their shelves, and resume operations. This language ensures the 7(a) program will be an option for them in the next phase of recovery. I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7010) to amend the Small Business Act and the CARES Act to modify certain provisions related to the forgiveness of loans under the paycheck protection program, to allow recipients of loan forgiveness under the paycheck protection program to defer payroll taxes, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the bipartisan bill before us today, H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020. We all knew the rollout of the Paycheck Protection Program was going to be rocky, given the size of the program and the speed with which it was stood up. We are thankful for the staff at SBA for their hard work assisting small businesses during this dire time. This is, undoubtedly, the most enormous undertaking the agency has ever performed. They have done so under difficult circumstances and remarkably quickly. With that said, my colleagues and I have been hearing from Main Street small businesses that they need changes to make the program work for them. I think we can all agree the economic crisis brought on by COVID-19 has proven more severe and drawn out than many anticipated. In some cases, State and local governments have extended shutdowns and stay-at- home orders. Many localities are only now allowing small businesses to reopen, very gradually, in phases. In other instances, small business owners have reported concerns that the economy will not fully recover until there is an affordable, widely accessible COVID-19 vaccine. Regardless, the extended nature of the economic downturn has made it necessary to enact certain legislative reforms to the program. First, we need to give borrowers more than 8 weeks to use the funds in order to qualify for loan forgiveness. Borrowers who took out PPP loans early in the program are about to reach the end of their 8-week period governing forgiveness. However, millions of small businesses across the Nation are still facing forced closures. Those that are reopening are required to do so in an extremely limited manner, with only outdoor dining or curbside-only pickup at retail stores. Those restrictions mean small businesses continue to have a tough road ahead, and they need flexibility in how they use this emergency capital. This provision will give them that. The bill triples the current 8-week period in which businesses must use funds to be eligible for forgiveness to 24 weeks. That will help ensure businesses have more room to breathe, even in places where reopening of the economy happens more slowly. Second, we must extend the program through the end of the year. The unpredictable spread of the virus, shortage of widespread testing, and lack of a vaccine mean that we do not know exactly when the small business sector will fully reopen and, when it does, how the ``new normal'' will look. The bill addresses a challenge that was created when the first set of guidelines were issued. We have heard you loud and clear. Today's legislation strikes a balance between protecting workers by guaranteeing loans are used for payroll, with the need to recognize that many independent restaurants face difficulty paying rent and utilities. The new 60/40 ratio makes certain a business can remain open, weather the crisis, continue employing workers, and keep serving their local communities. Congress must revamp this program to make it more accessible for small employers to weather the uncertainty ahead. We simply do not know if there will be another wave of infections or additional lockdowns. This bill provides certainty to employers afraid to use their loan proceeds or reluctant to apply to the program by providing much-needed flexibility. I applaud my colleagues, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Roy, for working together in a bipartisan manner to craft commonsense solutions for America's small businesses. I thank Ranking Member Chabot for his assistance in crafting this bipartisan measure. I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I continuously hear from small businesses across the country about the uncertainty they are facing and when they will be able to fully reopen. In the face of that uncertainty, small businesses need flexibility with these loans. This bill takes an important step in providing that flexibility and making the Paycheck Protection Program work better for the millions of small businesses across the country that are trying to weather this storm. And since we do not know how long this storm will last, we must ensure small businesses are able to take advantage of the program through the end of the calendar year and to use the loan over the course of 24 weeks. This program is now a stronger onramp to full employment for small employers to weather this unprecedented economic and public health crisis. I commend the Committee on Small Business staff on both sides of the aisle for their dedication and hard work over these last few months. I thank them for their commitment to our Nation's small employers and their workers. And I thank the ranking member, because we have always, throughout the history of the committee, worked in a bipartisan manner. I always say, when we deal with small business issues, there is no Democratic or Republican approach. Those are American issues, particularly as they relate to our economy. Mr. Speaker, in that vein, I also thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) for the great work that they did and for the bipartisan spirit in which they brought this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge a vote in support of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire of the Chair how much time is remaining on each side.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the HEROES Act, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the chairwoman from the Appropriations Committee for yielding. This bill contains important provisions to help stop the economy's free fall. For small businesses, it authorizes an additional $10 billion in disaster grants. It improves the PPP initiative, allowing businesses under stay-at- home orders to extend the loan coverage period until the end of the calendar year. Also, we are eliminating the 75-25 rule, to make it easier for small businesses to apply for PPP loans. It also sets aside 25 percent, or $30 billion, of the remaining funds for firms with fewer than 10 employees. Equally important, this legislation assists struggling families. In this bill, we increase funding for SNAP by 15 percent to address the record increase in hunger that we are seeing in this country. The bill extends unemployment benefits, including $600 per week in pandemic unemployment insurance. For New Yorkers and hardworking people in this country struggling with rent, this measure provides $100 billion in rental assistance. Many essential workers will receive hazard pay under this bill and better access to personal protective equipment, like nurses, door persons, transit workers, and those cleaning buildings so that the rest of us stay safe. Those are the real heroes of this crisis, and the HEROES Act compensates them more appropriately. The HEROES Act will also help States and localities with enormous fiscal challenges. Finally, this bill puts forth a strategic plan to test, trace, and treat the virus. Until we have widespread testing, consumer confidence will remain weak. I urge everyone to support this bill.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, by providing $310 billion for PPP, this bill will allow the program to reopen and more small businesses to secure capital and keep employees on payroll--$310 billion. When the Senate passed their bill, they passed $250 billion for small businesses. So it is not enough to pour funding into a program if loans are not reaching the intended businesses. All of us have been concerned by reports of big banks prioritizing large firms for this assistance. Over 80 publicly traded companies have received loans through the PPP. Examples like this come to mind: Ruth's Chris Steak House restaurant got two loans for $20 million. And we have all this, 80 publicly traded companies. This underscores the need for oversight. If the administration's implementation means giant companies secure loans while small businesses are left waiting, that problem must be corrected promptly. That is not what Congress intended, and the American people expect better. By the way, today, this morning, as the chair of the House Small Business Committee, I held a hearing entitled, Member Day Hearing on COVID-19 Response and Recovery. Fifty-six Members of this Chamber, Republicans and Democrats, all of them, came before the committee today, and every one, Republican and Democrat, expressed the fact that we needed more transparency, that we needed data, and that we needed to fight to make sure that this program serves every small business in every part of the country. That is why my colleagues and I fought in this package to secure $60 billion in PPP funds set aside specifically for mission-based, community-oriented lenders. With this set-aside, more underserved small businesses will get loans. In addition, this bill provides $60 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, the EIDL program. Again, when they sent the bill from the Senate to the House, it didn't have any money for the EIDL program, for the disaster loan program. Everyone who testified today before my committee was asking how we are going to make sure that their businesses, their constituents, will get disaster loans. Well, we have good news for them. The Democrats fought and secured not only $50 billion, but $10 billion in grants. And I heard complaints about the fact that the grants program ran out of money and that people really like that program, the grants program. Well, I wanted $100 billion; we secured $10 billion. Again, we are putting in $10 billion in this bill that was not part of what Senator Mitch McConnell sent to us. I thank Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader Schumer, and Chairwoman Waters for their efforts to include all these provisions, particularly the $60 billion carved out for minority businesses, for women-owned businesses, for veterans' businesses, for farmers to have a chance to secure a loan. While this legislation is a building block, more must be done. In future legislation, we must help businesses shuttered for longer than 8 weeks. This bill also does not address problems that let big companies snatch up loans meant for small businesses. To those large publicly traded companies who have already benefitted, I would suggest now would be a time to exhibit some good corporate citizenship by returning those funds. To the small businesses out there who have not yet received help, whom my office hears from daily, I say this: We are not finished. Getting these programs restarted and loans out the door is critical. Because of the improvements that we made to this bill, I will say that help is on the way and that we will hold the agencies accountable, that we must adhere to transparency, and that we must provide the data that we need in order to assess if this program is working as it was intended. As chair of the Small Business Committee, I will fight tooth and nail for small businesses that have not yet received any assistance. Mr. Speaker, let me remind the Senate majority leader that there are two Chambers. You can be sure that in this Chamber, I will be fighting nonstop for hard-hit States like New York.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the majority leader for yielding. Mr. Speaker, our Nation faces an unprecedented crisis. With one in three Americans being told to stay home to flatten the curve, the American economy has essentially been shut off. Restaurants, hotels, bars, retail stores, barbershops, dance and yoga studios, and gyms-- practically every segment of the small business sector is suffering immeasurably. Whether it is Brooklyn, New York, or Brooklyn, Wisconsin, small businesses are the heart of America's Main Streets. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs are now facing impossible decisions about their future. This bill is about assisting these Main Street small businesses and their workers, not Wall Street banks or big corporations. We have taken a Republican-written bill that was unfairly weighted toward big companies and reshaped it to prioritize small businesses, their workers, and their families. This emergency package channels relief to small enterprises now. It provides more than $377 billion in relief for struggling small firms to help them pay workers and keep their doors open. First, this bill allocates $350 billion for forgivable, low-cost loans for businesses to continue paying their employees. Let me be clear: These loans are fully forgivable if firms keep their workforce on the payroll during this crisis. Since the crisis began, I have been advocating for debt-free ways to get capital to small firms. This provision accomplishes that goal. The new Paycheck Protection Program is designed to help businesses and workers weather the public health crisis, remain open, and, when we finally defeat this awful virus, resume growth quickly. Beyond these fully forgivable loans, Democrats fought for emergency grants. I am proud to say, working with my counterparts in the Senate, we have secured $10 billion for SBA to provide grants to small businesses for the first time in its history. Additionally, we must assist current SBA borrowers that have loan payments due soon. That is why we are providing every current 7(a) and 504 loan and Microloan borrower with payment relief for 6 months. This deferment will also be open to new borrowers to help them stay afloat. This bill provides SBA with $675 million in funding to not only hire new staff and equipment, but also to ensure SBA services are being delivered in languages other than English. Last but not least, entrepreneurial development programs will get $265 million for counseling and training related to COVID-19. I should note, this bill is not perfect. It is the result of painstaking compromise. As with any compromise, no one side got everything they wanted. For now, however, small firms need to stop the bleeding, and this bill provides an economic tourniquet. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the work we accomplished in this package. I thank Senators Cardin, Shaheen, Coons, and Rubio and all the members of the House Committee on Small Business that worked so hard on this bill, as well as the ranking member, Steve Chabot, and the amazing staff that worked long hours to get us here. Mr. Speaker, I ask for everyone to support this bill.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. Aside from the public health impact, this outbreak also threatens grave economic damage. Already, economists have lowered global forecasts with the dimmest outlooks predicting a fall from nearly 3 percent to just 1 percent growth due to the uncertainty and disruptions inflicted by the virus. Small firms, in particular, can expect hardship from this public health crisis. From the local barber shop or neighborhood cafe to the innovative technology startup, a pandemic can mean fewer customers, supply chain disruption, and workforce reductions. As the coronavirus spreads, so, too does misinformation and alarm. Because of stigma and xenophobia, many Chinatown restaurants and stores in my city of New York were already feeling economic pain before even one person in the city tested positive for the virus. Merchants in Chinatown have reported sales drops as high as 80 percent. Provisions in this bill would mean all small businesses harmed by the virus could apply for emergency loans, with low interest rates, to help them meet financial obligations. Just as the SBA helps small firms get back on their feet after a hurricane, wildfire or earthquake, the agency can be critical to helping local economies recover from this public health crisis. I want to thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairwoman Lowey for working to include these provisions, which are modeled on legislation I introduced late last week. I encourage a yes vote.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 225th anniversary of Mariner's Temple Baptist Church located at 3 Henry Street * 12 Oliver Street (Mariners' Temple Lane) in New York City. The Church's history is deeply rooted with the history of the Nation and this year celebrates a momentous milestone. According to history, in 1795, Henry Rutgers, a descendent of Dutch immigrants, donated land on the corner of Oliver and Henry Streets designated for Baptist worship. Located a few blocks from the first White House occupied by George Washington and his wife on Cherry Lane, the first Church at Oliver and Henry Streets was called the Oliver Street Meeting House. The early Church began as a Mission for seamen who docked at the nearby East River and the church became famous. Mariner's Church was established as a food and shelter mission for the seamen whose hard work helped New York City develop into a HUB of commerce and culture. The church is one of the oldest sites for Baptist worship in Manhattan offering innovative ministry in response to the great influx of immigration. Mariners' Temple gained the reputation as ``The Mother of Churches,'' launching the First Swedish Baptist Church, the First Italian Church, the First Norwegian-Danish Baptist Church, The first Lettish (Latvian) Church, the First Russian Church and the First Chinese Church as each new arrival of immigrants moved through the Lower East Side. From the 1940s to the 1970s, Mariners' Temple continued to be a spiritual center welcoming all ethnic groups in the neighborhood and establishing supportive missions and classes for Chinese, Latinx and African Americans. Today, the church continues to be a beacon of hope for parishioners from all backgrounds. It takes the call to community engagement seriously. Mariner's Temple community is incredibly active, participating in a variety of ministries and programs. Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Henrietta Carter, Mariners' Temple remains committed to its missions and outreach initiatives. There is a ministry for everyone as Mariners' focuses on the ministries of Prayer, Church School/Christian Education, Evangelism, New Discipleship, Community Outreach, Communications, Sacred Arts Drama & Dance, Health, Wellness and Soul Care. Mariners' Temple is a multicultural Church utilizing small-group-driven ministry to build and strengthen the community. Madam Speaker, as Mariner's Temple celebrates this historic milestone, its congregation can take pride in an inspiring 225 years of fellowship, worship, and service. I would like to congratulate Rev. Dr. Henrietta Carter and past and current members of the church's congregation on this joyous occasion. Mariner Temple Baptist Church embodies the values of charity, inclusion, and integrity embraced by all New Yorkers. I wish them many more years full of growth and prosperity.