Ann Wagner

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. A good friend in Congress for years, we are so glad to have the gentleman back. I also thank Chairman Nadler for leading this legislation, along with so many others. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1652, the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act. I am proud to co-lead this critical legislation, which will ensure that victims of serious crimes can continue to access the services that they need to heal and rebuild their lives. The Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA, grants are the primary source of support for programs dedicated to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, trafficking, child abuse, and other very traumatic crimes. These grants are funded by Federal criminal monetary penalties, not by taxpayers. However, with the Department of Justice increasingly seeking nonprosecution and deferred-prosecution agreements instead of prosecuting Federal crimes, VOCA grants are facing catastrophic cuts. In my own home State of Missouri, we are expecting a 25 percent cut to VOCA funds in the upcoming year if this bill is not signed into law. Missouri law enforcement and victim service providers, along with prosecutors, need Congress to enact this legislation so they can protect and care for their communities. If we do not act swiftly to stabilize the VOCA funding, thousands of Americans will be unable to access lifesaving services. These programs have never been more important. The pandemic has put women and children, in particular, at an increased risk of abuse and domestic violence. We cannot leave victims without support during frightening and vulnerable times. This bipartisan and bicameral legislation will help those victims recover as our justice system prosecutes the criminals responsible, which is why I am also hopeful that when the Senate passes this, we will have the opportunity to actually make this law. I am grateful that the House is taking swift action to secure services for victims. Again, I urge my colleagues to support the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I rise in stark opposition to H.J. Res. 17, which would retroactively and unconstitutionally remove the deadline to ratify the equal rights amendment. Ratification of the equal rights amendment will expand taxpayer- funded abortions and imperil basic pro-life protections that States have enacted based on the will of their people through their State legislatures. I am a committed defender of rights for women and girls, and I have led efforts in Congress to end sex trafficking, address the rape kit backlog, and help women balance staying in the workforce and caring for their children. As a mother and as a proud grandma, I want my sweet granddaughter to feel secure in the knowledge that she is entitled to the same rights and opportunities as men. However, I cannot support this attempt to circumvent the amendment process and enshrine access to taxpayer-funded abortion in the Constitution by a simple majority vote rather than with the required support of two-thirds of Congress or the States. Congress has twice given States time to ratify the equal rights amendment, but the deadline has long since passed. While some States ratified the ERA after the deadline, others--up to five--have withdrawn their ratification. I strongly agree and associate myself with the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's words when she made the point: ``If you count a latecomer on the plus side, how can you disregard States that said, `We have changed our minds'?'' If Democrats want to test the longstanding bipartisan agreement on limiting taxpayer-funded abortions, they should follow Justice Ginsburg's guidance and start the process over, just as our Founders intended. I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation. Madam Speaker, I would also like to set the record straight when it comes to the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA. My amendment was removed, in a partisan fashion, from VAWA this Congress, stripping vital sex trafficking funding for victims, for children. This has always been included, and it was stripped out and not allowed in the amendment process. Also not allowed was my PRENDA amendment that would have stopped sex selection in the womb taking the lives of young girls. Madam Speaker, I urge opposition to this legislation.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the partisan $1.9 trillion spending bill before us today. It is shameful that Democrats have disregarded their obligation to provide real COVID relief to the American people and are instead attempting to use this process to jam through partisan agenda items. This bill is not targeted, timely, nor tied to COVID relief. We need to focus on solving the critical issues at hand: getting vaccines to Americans; providing relief for our local businesses, restaurants, and entertainment venues; and supporting those who have been seriously impacted by this pandemic. Only 9 percent of this massive $1.9 trillion package goes to fighting COVID-19, and outside of stimulus payments, nearly half won't even be spent this year. It is simply unfathomable that Democrats want to spend money years down the road when we have so many pressing needs to address today. We have worked in a bipartisan manner to pass five--five--relief measures, and I am disappointed that the Democrats have decided to be so egregiously partisan in a time of crisis. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1. Free, fair, and transparent elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. Americans must be able to trust in the integrity of our election processes. This bill, however, federalizes elections and takes control of elections from State and local governments. It will grant the Federal Government unprecedented power over voting processes and pave the way for rampant fraud, abuse, and litigation. This legislation nullifies voter I.D. laws, allows convicted felons to vote, legalizes ballot harvesting, and expands mail-in voting. It even allows, for the first time ever, taxpayer funding of Federal campaigns, with a 6-to-1 government, taxpayer-funded match in most cases. H.R. 1 is a cynical and partisan measure that will erode faith in our democracy and not restore it. Every citizen should be confident that every legal vote counts. Congress has a duty to deliver election reform that honors the will of the people and the Constitution. We need meaningful, bipartisan election reform, and I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 1.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I regret that I was not present for roll call votes on December 4, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 233; YEA on Roll Call No. 234; and NAY on Roll Call No. 235.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I regret that I was not present for roll call votes on December 2, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 228.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I regret that I was not present for roll call votes on December 3, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 230; NAY on Roll Call No. 231; and NAY on Roll Call No. 232.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the tremendous service of a leader in Missouri agriculture, Mr. Blake Hurst. Starting out as a young farmer in northwest Missouri, Blake rose through the ranks of the Missouri Farm Bureau to become a statewide board member, vice president, and, finally, president in 2010. Over his tenure, Blake brought the organization to new heights and developed a national reputation for his expertise in agriculture policy. After decades of service, Blake plans to retire this year and spend more time on his farm with his loving wife, Julie, and their beautiful family. Madam Speaker, I thank Blake for his unwavering support for Missouri farmers and wish him the very best as he begins this new chapter in his life.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2166, the bipartisan Global Health Security Act. This very important bill will greatly bolster the United States' ability to prevent and respond to global health threats like the coronavirus pandemic. As we have seen during this tragedy, infectious diseases can spread across borders and oceans with deadly speed. Improving nations' abilities to address public health threats before they spin out of control is, in fact, a matter of national security. The United States must lead the way in strengthening international health security measures. Investing in multilateral initiatives that reduce the threat of global health catastrophes is a bipartisan priority, and I am proud to colead this landmark bill with Representatives Connolly, Chabot, Bera, Fitzpatrick, and Larsen. The Global Health Security Act establishes a special adviser for global health security at the National Security Council, ensuring that U.S. efforts to respond to public health emergencies are efficient and well-coordinated. It also requires the United States to proactively strategize for future crises and strengthens our ability to help our partners fight and contain outbreaks within their own borders. The Global Health Security Act will save lives by helping us prepare for or prevent the next pandemic. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for very graciously allowing me to speak and for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Police Officer Tamarris L. Bohannon, who gave his life and service to his city on August 30 of 2020. His untimely and tragic killing is a profound loss to the people of St. Louis. Mr. Speaker, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, there have been nine--nine--St. Louis police officers shot since June 1 of 2020. We grieve Officer Bohannon's sacrifice, and we honor him for his sense of duty, his dedication, his generosity, and his heroism. Known as ``T'' by his family and ``Bo'' by his squad, Officer Bohannon was a loyal St. Louisan and a hard worker who inspired admiration for his diligent service. With his wife, Alexis, he lived and raised his three wonderful children--Tamara, Ayden, and Tylor--in the city that he protected as a police officer of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. He was a veteran of the force, serving with distinction for more than 3 years. Officer Bohannon's heroic actions to keep the citizens of St. Louis safe are the truest example of selfless service. I extend my deepest condolences to his fellow officers, his many friends, his loving wife and parents, and the rest of his family. We cannot repay him for his sacrifice, but we will always remember his love for our city and the people who live there.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, a ranking member of the Rules Committee, for his support and his friendship for so very many years and for his fight for this cause in this Chamber and for his constituents in Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on my colleagues to defeat the previous question and bring up my legislation, H.R. 8251, which would ensure that all Americans can access hospitals and urgent medical care without fear of life-threatening delays due to violence and extremism. My legislation would prohibit intentionally blocking hospital entries or exits by force, threat of force, or physical obstruction in order to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person who is trying to obtain and provide lifesaving medical procedures or treatment. Mr. Speaker, I am outraged that the irrational and unconscionable hatred directed at the brave men and women of our Nation's law enforcement resulted in the attempted assassination of two innocent deputies and the reckless endangerment of those in need of urgent medical care. On September 12, a gunman attempted to execute two Los Angeles Sheriff's deputies, Claudia Apolinar, a 31-year-old single mother, and her 24-year-old partner, simply because they wore the uniform, simply because they were called to serve and to protect American neighborhoods. This was a chilling and senseless act of brutality that we are seeing all over our country. Instead of turning to healing, protestors chose to endanger the lives of those in need of immediate medical care by actually blocking the entrance to the hospital where the deputies were receiving critical care and chanting, ``We hope they die,'' and, ``Death to police.'' ``We hope they die,'' and, ``Death to police.'' The courageous men and women of our law enforcement are selfless public servants, Mr. Speaker. Every day, they choose to risk their lives to protect us. It is unconscionable that their sacrifices are being repaid with targeted violence and hatred. It is equally unconscionable that protestors would prevent innocent Americans from receiving lifesaving care by blocking hospital entrances. I call on my colleagues--I implore my colleagues--for us to come together to defeat the previous question. Stand with our men and women in blue. Stand for what is right and just in our country. Stand for humanity and support my legislation.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, while I unfortunately was unable to attend the vote series on July 27, 2020 due to events in my district, I would have strongly supported S. 2163, the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act. I was proud to have previously voted for this legislation on June 25, 2020, as part of the JUSTICE Act. I believe we must continue to address inequality, expand opportunity and prosperity for Black men and boys in our country, and make the American dream accessible to all.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I am unable to attend today's vote series due to events in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 167.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of two amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act which will improve the United States' ability to prevent human rights violations connected to the pandemic and improve its response to future public health catastrophes. As countries around the world have struggled to contain the virus and protect their citizens, some bad actors are using coronavirus response efforts as a pretext to chip away at the rights of their citizens, stifle protests, and limit the freedom of speech and the press. We must hold accountable the authoritarians who see COVID-19 as an opportunity to suppress dissent. I am pleased that my colleagues supported and passed Congressman McGovern's and my amendment, which will ensure the United States uses a robust tool kit, including reporting, foreign assistance, and guidance, to protect basic human rights during this time of uncertainty. I am proud to colead, in a bipartisan effort, this important amendment, and I am grateful for its adoption. I also thank my colleagues for their support and adoption of Congressman Connolly's and my amendment, which will greatly improve the United States' ability to prevent and respond to global health threats like the coronavirus pandemic. This amendment will establish a Federal official tasked with coordinating interagency responses to global health emergencies and requires the United States to proactively strategize for future crises. It also strengthens U.S. efforts to help our partners fight and contain outbreaks within their own borders. As we have seen during this tragedy, viruses can spread across borders and oceans with deadly speed. Improving nations' abilities to address public health threats before they spin out of control is a matter of national security. I am glad to have worked again in a bipartisan effort to see that the House both approved and adopted these amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which would deepen U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia by requiring the United States to develop a coherent regional strategy that addresses all aspects of the relationship, from trade and humanitarian goals to diplomatic and security arrangements. Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, are vital to the prosperity the U.S. economy, generating hundreds of thousands of American jobs and investing more in our economy than China and India combined. ASEAN is the counterweight to Chinese aggression in the region and world. The People's Republic of China is working aggressively to expand its influence in this strategically important region, using a combination of predatory investment, threatening new military installments, and outright bullying to achieve its goals. Southeast Asian countries seek assurance that the United States is a steadfast partner as they try to maintain economic independence from China and defend their territorial claims in the South China Sea. We must support our partners and allies as they stand up to China's erratic and aggressive behavior. I have had many opportunities to meet with ASEAN officials and foreign ministers, and one message I hear repeatedly is that the United States must demonstrate strength and leadership in the region. Congress should listen closely to our partners who are demanding stronger leadership and not just because China, which would be sure to fill a vacuum of power, is a bully. ASEAN is clearly a powerhouse and a critical region in which to engage in and of itself. The U.S. should be proactively crafting and implementing its Southeast Asia strategy; this amendment would require the administration to do just that. I thank Congressman Castro, with whom I co-chair and cofounded the ASEAN Caucus, for his support of ASEAN and this very amendment. I am gratified that my colleagues support and, in fact, passed my amendment. Preventing Human Rights Violations

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I am here today to call on colleagues to support the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, legislation that is poised to be a lifeline to my constituents in Missouri's Second Congressional District during this pandemic. This bill includes $310 billion in increased funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, a program that has helped keep open thousands of Missouri businesses, including Martha's Hands, a St. Louis-based home healthcare provider with over 200 employees. My office worked with Martha's Hands to secure these vital PPP funds so that they will be able to pay their employees and keep their doors open to help the most fragile in our community. There are small businesses and workers just like them all over that are dependent. They are the backbone of our economy. Madam Speaker, we fought to also include $75 billion for hospitals and healthcare providers so the frontline healthcare heroes are taken care of and $25 billion for critical COVID-19 testing so we can better understand the spread of this virus, to save lives, and to have the confidence to reopen our communities. Madam Speaker, I urgently ask everyone to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I care deeply about the health of our citizens and our economy. We are in the midst of a National Emergency that has taken lives, disrupted the economy, and threatened the health and economic security of our nation. Americans have called on Congress to pass legislation that provides relief, and we cannot let another day go by without answering that call. While this bill is not perfect, and I disagree with a number of specific provisions within, unprecedented crises demand unprecedented solutions, and I am confident the CARES Act as a whole will assist Missourians and Americans around the country in our time of need. COVID-19 has prevented too many Americans from working to support their families, and could overwhelm our heroic health care workers and other first responders. I have worked day and night with my colleagues in Congress and our state and local officials to find a way to get people back on their feet. Just days ago partisanship threatened to destroy all of that work, abandoning the people who need this assistance most. But I am grateful that Leader McConnell was able to get a historic and unanimous vote in support through the Senate, and that Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer finally realized they needed to put politics aside and join us in placing our countrymen and women above petty political fights. Americans are resilient and, although these are difficult times, I have faith we will emerge stronger as a nation, a people, and an economy. The CARES Act will help Missourians get back to work, keep businesses open, and allow our economy to rebound. This legislation gives financial support directly to families and workers who need it most and provides assistance to struggling small businesses so they can keep their doors open and pay their employees. If you have lost your job, unemployment insurance has been expanded so you can feed your family and keep a roof over your heads during this uncertain time, and this was done in a temporary fashion so we do not disincentivize people from working. Our health care workers and first responders who have worked long hours on the front lines of this crisis will receive vital personal protective equipment and other resources to keep up the fight. This is an extraordinary piece of legislation, but the work doesn't stop here. Congress will keep working to improve upon this legislation, mitigate the effects of this pandemic, and ensure the safety of the American people. I am disappointed that Democrats insisted on adding many extraneous provisions that are not relevant to the crisis at hand. Millions of dollars for forest research and other items do not belong in urgent coronavirus relief legislation. I am also extremely concerned they insisted on including over $1 billion for Amtrak and $10 billion for the Postal Service. We can have a reasoned debate on these items, but in another forum. The issue at hand is relieving our distressed families and small businesses, not trying to tack on political pet projects when so many people across America need our help. We are in a National Emergency and it is shameful Democrats tried to force through partisan issues, including aggressive union mandates and taxpayer funded abortion. I fought these provisions and am grateful they were ultimately left out of the final bill.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this motion to recommit to protect newborn babies who survive abortions. Congress has an opportunity to ensure that no baby is denied lifesaving care simply because he or she is allegedly unwanted. We can and we must act. But Democratic leadership has refused to put my lifesaving legislation, the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act, on the floor 80 times this Congress. I am grateful that the U.S. Senate voted on the born-alive bill this week and the House must follow suit. Our constituents must know where we stand. Over 70 percent of Americans who identify as Democrats support this legislation, but their Representatives ignore their voices. We have learned from medical professionals, including former abortion providers, just how essential born-alive protections are. It breaks my heart to find that we must defend lifesaving care for newborn babies. This is an incredibly urgent moment for our Nation, Madam Speaker. Over the course of the past year, radical legislators from New York to Illinois to Virginia have moved to strip protections for babies who survive abortions. I am appalled and saddened that there are prominent American politicians who want to deny babies lifesaving medical care. Thankfully, a similar born-alive bill in Missouri recently advanced just last week, a sign there is broad support for this measure. Denying lifesaving medical care to America's infants is a violation of our Constitution and an egregious offense against basic human dignity. Supporting this motion to recommit--which, I will say, the National Right to Life, Susan B. Anthony List, March for Life, Family Research Council, and Concerned Women for America, all are key voting--is the simplest choice any Member of Congress can make. Do you support babies receiving lifesaving care after they are born, or would you deny these innocent children that care and allow them to be discarded and left to die? The tragedy of infanticide across our country requires serious and effective legal safeguards, and I thank those who fight on behalf of the most vulnerable who cannot protect themselves. I implore my colleagues to support this motion to recommit and ensure that no baby is denied lifesaving care.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from across the river in Illinois. I have the great privilege of representing Missouri's Second Congressional District, and he is a leader in this Congress, but most of all, he is a wonderful friend and colleague. Madam Speaker, I also commend my good friend, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney from New York. We have worked in a bipartisan fashion on so many issues, especially when it comes to the scourge of human trafficking, violence against women, taking care of the most vulnerable in our society. I thank her for her commitment. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1980, the Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act. This important bill will honor the immense contributions that women have made to our country by establishing the first national women's history museum. Women from my hometown of St. Louis have a proud history of service and heroism. During the First World War, a brave group of St. Louis women volunteered to go to war-torn France to start a hospital for injured Allied soldiers. They were among the first Americans to deploy to Europe and some of the very last to leave. When they departed for France in May 1917, the United States had not even entered the war, and many remained in France for a year after the armistice. They treated more than 60,000 patients before they returned home to St. Louis. Through their courage, ingenuity, determination, and integrity, American women have been instrumental in the growth of the United States as a global force for good. I am so proud that their stories will be remembered for the next generation of women leaders. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan piece of legislation.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, if the Democrat majority wants to test that bipartisan agreement and upend decades of precedent, they are welcome to use the simple, clear process laid out in Article V of the Constitution to propose and adopt a new and legal ERA amendment. Let me be clear, Madam Speaker. I support equal rights for women, as does the U.S. Constitution, but skirting that process for partisan gain sets a dangerous and un-American precedent. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to protect our democracy and to vote ``no.''

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to oppose H.J. Res. 79. This resolution seeks to unconstitutionally remove the deadline for ratification of the equal rights amendment. In 1972, Madam Speaker, when I was 10 years old, Congress originally set the deadline for ratification at 7 years by two-thirds vote. Before the original time period expired, Congress then passed a 3-year extension, which also passed before the necessary number of States ratified the amendment. Today, 37 years after the constitutional time has expired, it is quite clear that, because of a new focus on a so-called right to taxpayer-funded abortion, the equal rights amendment does not have support from a two-thirds majority of Congress or, likely, from two- thirds of the States, certainly, as we have seen at least five States have already rescinded. Instead of following the guidance of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and starting the amendment process over again as the Founders intended--and this is, let me just say, Madam Speaker, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg's legal view as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court. It is her legal view. It is her constitutional view. Instead, Democrats are attempting, today, to retroactively and unconstitutionally remove this deadline by a simple majority vote. For decades, Congress has expressed the will of the American people and not used taxpayer dollars for abortion. Whether they were Democrat or Republican Presidents, split Chambers of Congress or one party in control of both branches of government, there has been bipartisan agreement on appropriations language to limit taxpayer-funded abortions and support basic pro-life protections across our country.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I rise deeply saddened by the loss of a wonderful friend and mentor and integral member of the St. Louis community. Today, in Missouri's Second Congressional District, Mrs. Edith Cunnane is being laid to rest following an incredible and selfless life of service. Along with her beloved husband, Jim Cunnane, Edith made St. Louis her home and worked to improve the lives of the most vulnerable. She was a fixture of the St. Louis philanthropic community for decades as a community volunteer and activist, civic leader, and supporter of social services. She had an endless desire, willingness, and ability to help others. With this boundless passion, Edith founded the St. Patrick Center in 1982. The first of its kind in the region, the St. Patrick Center is a multifaceted social service agency that serves the homeless and at-risk individuals. Over her nearly forty-year tenure at the Center, Edith sought to expand its services to unprecedented heights. Under her leadership, the St. Patrick Center opened the Shamrock Club, the first day treatment program for individuals suffering from behavioral health issues in the entire nation. Additionally, Edith spearheaded the St. Patrick Center's Casserole Program, an initiative where groups of volunteers bake, freeze, and deliver casseroles to the needy. Since its inception thirty-five years ago, this program has served over five and a half million hot meals across the Greater St. Louis area. Edith's efforts have been an inspiration to countless individuals. During her tenure, Edith mobilized over three thousand volunteers to help their fellow citizens, turning the St. Patrick Center into a beacon for homeless assistance and social services providers. Last year alone, the Center provided nearly sixty thousand services to over three thousand people and served close to one hundred and fifty thousand hot meals. Edith's drive to help others involved many forms of public service. A former staff member for Congressman Jim Talent, Edith went on to become a member of the St. Louis County Council in 1998. She used this experience to work with institutions and organizations throughout the region to continue improving the lives of others. She served on the board of directors for the St. Louis County Library as well as the Today and Tomorrow Education Foundation, which strives to provide educational opportunities for children in need. For her years of generosity and hard work, Edith has been recognized locally, nationally, and globally. At the local level, she received numerous awards, most notably the St. Louis Women of Achievement Award and the St. Louis Community Leader Award. Nationally, President George H.W. Bush bestowed upon Edith the Thousand Points of Light Award in 1991. At the international level, she was awarded the United Nations Human Rights Award. I believe it is not only appropriate, but necessary, to honor Edith's incredible life before the U.S. House of Representatives. Edith is survived by her husband, Jim, their two children, Jim Jr. and Cori, and six beautiful grandchildren, along with many family members and friends. I extend my sincerest condolences and prayers to the Cunnane family as they mourn this immeasurable loss and celebrate Edith's life and all the love she gave to those around her. Edith and her faith, work, and unwavering generosity will never be forgotten. We thank God for blessing us with her life.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Democrats' dangerous resolution to undermine our national defense and allow unchecked Iranian aggression against the United States and our allies. This resolution intends to cripple our ability to protect American soldiers serving in the Middle East and attempts to forbid the use of force against Iran, even if they are attacking Americans. I am shocked and saddened by the partisanship of this Chamber. I was proud when former President Obama succeeded in his decision to kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. I am proud that President Trump ended Qasem Soleimani's brutal reign of terror that killed and maimed countless Americans and coalition forces and threatened many more to come. But, instead of uniting behind the President's defensive position to strike one of the world's most powerful terrorists who was organizing attacks against Americans in Iraq, instead, many Democrats are arguing that the American President himself is guilty of aggression and escalation. This, Madam Speaker, is unconscionable. These are pictures from the Military Times showing the assault and the burning of our Embassy in Baghdad. I agree with the President that attacking Americans is never acceptable and Iran should be held to account. When American lives hang in the balance, Article II of the Constitution empowers the President to use force to protect and defend our country. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this egregious, partisan farce.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding. I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the USMCA trade agreement. For months, partisan politics and the Democrats' impeachment charade have prevented us from finalizing this agreement, but it is clear to Members on both sides of the aisle that the President has negotiated a deal that will strengthen our economy and benefit all Missourians and Americans. One of every three rows of crops is grown for export in the great State of Missouri, and this deal expands market access in Canada and Mexico for our farmers. It is the first time that a U.S. trade agreement is specifically addressing biotech, and the St. Louis region is the Silicon Valley for ag-tech. USMCA also includes the Wagner language on human trafficking. I worked with Ambassador Lighthizer to guarantee that the USMCA holds my Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, FOSTA, to help stop online sex trafficking here at home and now throughout North America. A ``yes'' on the USMCA is a yes for victims, a yes for jobs, a yes for farmers, and a yes for the prosperity of all Americans. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote YES on the USMCA trade agreement. For months, partisan politics and the Democrats' impeachment charade have prevented us from finalizing this agreement. But it is clear to members on both sides of the aisle that the President has negotiated a deal that will strengthen our economy and benefit all Missourians. One of every three rows of crops is grown for exports in the great state of Missouri, and this deal expands market access in Canada and Mexico for our farmers. The USMCA also includes the ``Wagner Language'' on human trafficking. I worked with Ambassador Lighthizer to guarantee that the USMCA upholds my Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) to help stop online sex trafficking here at home and now throughout North America. A YES on the USMCA is a yes for victims, a yes for jobs, a yes for farmers, and a yes for the prosperity of all Americans. Thank you. I yield back. This agreement also benefits Missouri's thriving ag tech community by addressing agricultural biotechnology, including new technologies such as gene editing. This is the first time U.S. trade agreement is specifically addressing biotech, and the St. Louis region is the Silicon Valley for ag tech. The USMCA will help protect our intellectual property, and I hope it will be a standard for future trade agreements as well. The Wagner Language allows our trading partners to enact domestic laws that enable victims to sue the websites that facilitate the sex trade and empower law enforcement to enforce criminal laws against the websites that sell women and children.

Mrs. WAGNER

Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).