Jennifer Wexton

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, I claim time in opposition to this motion to recommit.

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Waters for working with me on this important legislation and for her unwavering commitment to defending human rights and demanding accountability, two things that H.R. 6270 would do. I also wish to thank Representatives Jim McGovern and Chris Smith for their leadership and commend them on their hard work on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which passed the House overwhelmingly last week. Both of them have worked tirelessly to shine a light on the atrocities taking place in Xinjiang. Speaker Pelosi pointed out that it was Congressman Smith and Congressman Frank Wolf who, years ago, visited a forced labor camp and reported back to the U.S. Congress and to the world about what was happening there. Frank Wolf held my seat in Virginia's 10th Congressional District for 34 years, so I am proud to continue his important work defending religious freedom and human rights. For that reason, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6270, the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act. This legislation is a critical and long-overdue human rights disclosure bill that will inform investors and the markets of publicly traded companies' passive complicity or active exploitation of one of the most pressing and ongoing human rights violations of our lifetime. For years, the Government of the People's Republic of China has been engaged in the mass internment of religious minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Because of the well-documented and massive scale of abuses committed in the region, Xinjiang has become globally notorious for human rights violations, including the extensive use of forced labor. Chinese authorities have used the pretext of terrorism to suspend civil and political rights, including the internment of more than 1 million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in reeducation centers across Xinjiang, where they are subjected to harsh abuse and forbidden from practicing their religious or cultural beliefs. These reeducation centers also function as forced labor camps where various goods, especially those made from cotton, the region's top export, are manufactured with forced Uyghur labor and sent to producers and consumers around the world. Chinese manufacturers are provided development assistance to build factories in or near the camps to take advantage of detainee labor. Through government-sponsored endeavors like the mutual pairing assistance program, former detainees are transferred from Xinjiang to other parts of China for factory labor, where they are separated from their families, live in segregated dormitories, and are assigned minders who monitor their every move. It is important to point out that a lot of these workers were accomplished people in Uyghur society. We are talking about professors, doctors, and journalists, educated, successful people who had their livelihoods taken from them. Their only crime was being Uyghur. Shockingly, reports show that many of these factories supply manufactured materials for some of the largest companies in the world, and some of these products are finding their way to U.S. consumers. The U.S. has banned imports made with forced labor since 1930, and U.S. companies are required to exercise due diligence in order to better understand their supply chains and potential links to forced labor. But traditional human rights due diligence efforts are falling short in Xinjiang, where forced labor is widespread and systemic in the regional economy. Xinjiang is also tightly controlled. Travel to the region is restricted, making efforts to audit supply chains nearly impossible. Auditors have reportedly been detained, threatened, and stopped at airports. Workers are intimidated not to talk. Just last week, five supply chain auditing organizations pulled out of Xinjiang, citing restricted access and increased difficulty in meeting auditing standards. Despite all of this, international companies continue to source from Xinjiang or allow products from labor from the region to come into their supply chains. My legislation, the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act, would require the SEC to issue rules requiring publicly traded companies to annually disclose imports of manufactured goods and materials that originate in or are sourced from Xinjiang. Because of the strong likelihood that products from Xinjiang were created using forced labor from concentration camp prisoners, companies that import products and materials from the region face greater legal reputational and financial risks that may impact their short- and long- term value. Just as important, shareholders and consumers have the right to know whether their hard-earned dollars are being invested in companies whose supply chains benefit from forced labor. It is critical that publicly traded companies disclose this so that investors have the information that they need to make the best investment decisions possible and to ensure that no parts of our market or economy utilize forced labor or are complicit in further violations of human rights. The gentleman from Michigan believes that sanctions would be a better option. Sanctions need to be part of the solution, and I, along with others, pushed the Trump administration to sanction the Chinese Government officials and entities. When they finally did, I finally supported that. I firmly agree with what they did. But sanctions alone aren't effective. We need a multipronged approach that deals with the supply side and the demand side. It was mentioned that it is not possible to exercise the kind of due diligence necessary. What price a human life? There are lots of opportunities for publicly traded companies to pressure their suppliers not to take advantage of this forced labor, and it could cause reputational and financial risks and burdens to the company if they are found out that they are profiting from this forced labor. My bill, along with Chairman McGovern's, H.R. 6270, which passed overwhelmingly last week, sends a strong message that the United States economy and the financial system will not tolerate human rights abuse. I urge my colleagues to support the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act.

Ms. WEXTON. The gentlewoman will not yield, no. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Michigan raises a couple of points in his argument saying that H.R. 6270 is redundant because of the McGovern bill. None of the disclosures that are required by this bill are required under H.R. 6210, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. There is no overlap. In fact, we worked very hard to make sure that the two bills were complementary. H.R. 6210 imposes a disclosure obligation for certain activities the issuer is knowingly engaged in, which is appropriate in certain circumstances. Import-related activities are covered under H.R. 6270. The issuer would have an affirmative obligation to know their suppliers, so they would have to engage in due diligence to determine whether they were engaging in supporting these forced labor practices. Companies that continue to import from the region despite the overwhelming evidence of forced labor practices should, at the very least, be required to actively audit their supply chains, and that is what this legislation would require. Another issue that was brought up by the gentleman from Michigan is that this is like a supply chain disclosure requirement under Dodd- Frank. Rule 1502 had required publicly traded companies to disclose whether their products contained certain minerals that have been known to finance violent conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa, but that comparison misses the point. The implication is that businesses will find these disclosure requirements so burdensome that they will have to divest from the region and local jobs will be lost. The business environment is not the same in the DRC as it is in Xinjiang, where free enterprise does not exist and people are being put into concentration camps and work camps against their will. We should be pushing companies to reassess their supply chains in Xinjiang and find alternatives, preferably here in America, where they are not exploiting forced labor. Unlike legitimate mining jobs in the DRC, we want these forced labor jobs to go away.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment No. 340 in En Bloc 4 to provide $9 million to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to continue its work developing the remote tower pilot program. The remote tower pilot program is a simple and cost-effective way to provide air traffic control services to an airport from any location. Remote towers use a network of high-definition cameras and sensors to feed real-time information to air traffic controllers, who can be located at the airport or at a separate remote tower center. Remote tower infrastructure is cheaper, more flexible, and requires less extensive maintenance and upkeep than manned air traffic control towers, allowing the FAA and airports to address their air traffic control needs more cheaply. Remote towers also provide controllers with additional capabilities, including night vision with infrared cameras, enhanced visibility in poor weather or low light conditions, views of high-traffic areas or blind spots, moving object tracking, and real- time data overlays. I am very pleased that the first remote tower in the U.S. is currently being tested at Leesburg Executive Airport in Virginia's 10th Congressional District. Launched in 2014, remote tower technology has provided Leesburg with air traffic control capabilities without having to construct a manned air traffic control tower. These capabilities support Leesburg's more than 100,000 annual operations in highly complex airspace due to the airport's proximity to Dulles International Airport. The remote tower pilot program at Leesburg has been a great success, and my amendment will ensure that the FAA can continue this work at Leesburg and at new pilot sites around the country to further develop these important technologies. I thank the Committee for the inclusion of this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support today for the Child Care Is Essential Act. As a working mom, I know that finding quality, affordable childcare is not easy even under the best of circumstances, but the strain of COVID-19 has pushed the childcare industry to the brink of collapse. Nearly half of all childcare providers have closed at some point during this pandemic, and those that have reopened are facing increased costs to implement new safety measures, including reduced capacity, intense and frequent disinfecting and cleaning, and the purchase of PPE for providers. Without immediate financial support, many are at risk of closing permanently. Congress and this administration must recognize there cannot be a strong and full economic recovery without access to quality, affordable childcare for working families. This important bill will create a $50 billion childcare stabilization fund and invest in childcare across our country to ensure that providers have the resources they need to safely reopen. The Child Care Is Essential Act would bring an estimated $985 million to my home State of Virginia to keep childcare providers open and their employees on payroll. Parents simply cannot return to work if they can't find childcare. We are facing a crisis, and Congress must take decisive action on behalf of the working families and parents in America. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the Child Care Is Essential Act.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of en bloc No. 2 and my amendment in support of the Uyghur people. Millions of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been arbitrarily detained and forced by the Chinese government into ``re-education'' and forced labor camps in Xinjiang. Under the label of ``poverty alleviation,'' Uyghurs are being assigned to factories in and outside of Xinjiang. These factories feed global supply chains that produce electronics, textiles, shoes, food products, and even PPE. According to a report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, some of the best-known brands in the world, including a number of U.S. companies, are unwittingly profiting from this scheme. U.S. law prohibits goods made using forced labor from entering our markets. However, Xinjiang accounts for 84 percent of the cotton produced in China, and is responsible for 1 in every 5 bales of cotton produced globally. Unless proactive measures are taken to prohibit sourcing from Xinjiang, U.S. companies risk being complicit in human rights abuses. My amendment would require DoD to create a process by which companies that sell goods in the commissary and exchange systems, that are partially or wholly manufactured from Xinjiang or with Xinjiang labor, to certify those goods were not manufactured using forced labor. Given the overwhelming evidence of wide-spread and systemic forced labor in China, as confirmed by testimony from camp survivors, satellite imagery, and leaked official documents, U.S. companies that import from the region should have already taken proactive measures to audit suppliers. For companies that haven't, under my amendment, they will be required to do so if they want to continue selling their products on our military bases. I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, the horrifying murder of George Floyd awoke the conscience of America to a generations-old system of racial injustice. Since then, Americans--led mostly by young people--in all 50 States and in every part of my district have taken to the streets to demand action, and that gives me hope. The Justice in Policing Act is an important step towards real change. This bill will implement meaningful reforms to increase transparency and accountability in policing: banning chokeholds, stopping no-knock warrants, establishing new standards for policing, combating racial profiling, reforming qualified immunity, and much more. As a former prosecutor and defense attorney, I have witnessed firsthand the unequal application of justice toward Black Americans, and I know more needs to be done. But the Justice in Policing Act provides concrete legislative solutions that will help reform a deeply unequal system of policing right now. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill today. What we are witnessing is a once-in-a-generation call to action. Let's not fail to answer the call.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0, a bipartisan bill that I introduced on Friday, April 17th. If enacted, this bill would make great strides to fund the fight against childhood cancer, birth defects, and other rare pediatric diseases. Cancer is the single leading cause of death among American children of any disease. The U.S. is rapidly approaching 16,000 children diagnosed with cancer annually, and the incidence of childhood cancer has been steadily increasing over time. Additionally, one in 33 babies born in the U.S. are affected by a birth defect, and birth defects are the leading cause of death among infants. These pediatric diseases are still poorly understood, and additional funding is greatly needed to augment existing research to promote new discoveries for children affected by them. In an effort to uncover new insights into the biology of pediatric disease, Congress passed the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act in 2014, which established a Ten-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund within the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Common Fund. The law authorized $12.6 million in funds annually for pediatric disease research through the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program, commonly known as Kids First. Since the original law was enacted, Kids First has sequenced more than 20,000 samples from childhood cancer and structural birth defect cohorts. Most recently the program initiated the Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Resource Center--a comprehensive integrated data resource for research and patient communities meant to advance discoveries. The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0 builds off the important progress made by the 2014 Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act by providing a new source of funding for the Kids First Research Fund. Specifically, the bill would redirect civil monetary sanctions levied against pharmaceutical manufacturers by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. By diverting penalties from pharmaceutical companies that break the law, the bill would sustain Kids First's critical childhood disease research for generations to come. The 2014 law and the bill I introduced Friday is named to honor 10- year-old Gabriella Miller who passed away from an inoperable brain tumor. She was a fierce advocate for childhood cancer research, and her efforts to boost awareness of pediatric cancer helped raise funds for children's cancer charities. I would like to thank Gabriella's mother and my constituent, Ellyn Miller, for her tireless advocacy on behalf of children with cancer through Smashing Walnuts. I am honored to have worked closely with Ellyn on the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0. I introduced this bill to find treatments and cures so that our nation's children will have a fighting chance to survive cancer and other rare disease. The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0 will reaffirm our strong commitment to finding cures for pediatric diseases.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank Congresswoman Speier for introducing this important resolution. In 1923 Alice Paul introduced the equal rights amendment to include women in our Nation's founding documents. Nearly 100 years later, during my time in the Virginia State Senate, I sponsored the resolution for Virginia to ratify the ERA. But it wouldn't be until January 27, 2020, with the historic number of women lawmakers serving in the State legislature that the great Commonwealth of Virginia became the 38th and final State to ratify the equal rights amendment. This was not simply a symbolic vote. Specifically affirming equality on the basis of sex in the Constitution will strengthen State and Federal laws that protect women. We need the equal rights amendment to ensure that equal justice under law is a constitutional right for women and not just an inscription over the entrance to the Supreme Court. Finally, these words will ring true: ``Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.'' Today, I am proud to cast my vote in support of the ERA and in recognition of the tireless work of so many trailblazers and activists over the years, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, before coming to Congress, I served for 5 years in the Virginia General Assembly, and the proudest vote I ever took in Richmond was to pass Medicaid expansion in Virginia. Today, as a result of that expansion, more than 375,000 Virginians now have coverage under Medicaid. It has been a win-win for everyone involved--for those who would otherwise go uncovered and for the hospitals and healthcare providers who often provide service to the uninsured without compensation. A recent study has even suggested that Medicaid expansion has saved thousands from opioid overdoses. Medicaid expansion saves lives, and the success we have seen in Virginia is thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Americans need to know that while my colleagues and I are fighting to protect and strengthen the ACA, Donald Trump and the congressional Republicans are in court right now working to strike down the ACA with no plan or replacement. Without the ACA, Medicaid expansion, which covers 17 million Americans, is in jeopardy, and so is coverage for more than 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions. With so much at stake, I urge my Republican colleagues to end their attacks. In the meantime I will continue to fight back.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5377, the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act. The SALT deduction has protected Virginia taxpayers from double taxation for over 100 years, but that changed when Donald Trump and congressional Republicans imposed an unprecedented $10,000 tax cap punishing taxpayers in districts like mine. In 2017 my district had the highest average SALT deduction in Virginia at almost $18,000 and the greatest number of households claiming SALT at 213,500--more than half of my district. The SALT cap is unfair and punitive, hurting Virginians and over 11 million Americans. Hardworking taxpayers deserve better. Today we have an opportunity to do better, to restore this tax relief and put money back in the pockets of 150,000 households in my district and many, many more across the country. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, when the American people sent us to Congress, they sent us here with policies they wished us to act upon--a wish list, if you will. And now, in the holiday season, let's reflect on what we have delivered for the American people from that wish list. Federal workers will receive a 3.1 percent pay increase and, for the first time ever, 12 weeks of paid parental leave--two important priorities that I have fought for since I was sworn into office. Just last week, we passed sweeping legislation that would help lower the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. We also voted for universal background checks, equal pay for equal work, a living wage for hardworking Americans, equal protections for LGBTQ Americans, action on climate change, protection for Dreamers and TPS recipients, reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, and hundreds of other bipartisan bills. But, Mr. Speaker, the House can't fulfill its wish list all on our own. We need the Senate to vote on the bills that we passed in this Chamber. And just like the Grinch whose heart grew three sizes just in time to save Christmas, Senator McConnell can still deliver on the American family's holiday wish list.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record my remarks supporting the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of both articles of impeachment. I did not come to Congress to impeach the President, but his actions have left us no choice. The facts are uncontested and the truth is inescapable. The President leveraged the highest office in the land for personal political gain. In doing so, he jeopardized our national security, undermined the integrity of our elections, and betrayed the public trust. The Framers gave Congress the power of impeachment precisely to protect our democracy from this kind of abuse of power. The President's pattern of misconduct outlined in the articles of impeachment, and his unrepentant contempt for the rule of law, make it clear that he poses a clear and present danger to the very foundations of our democracy. Voting to impeach the President is not an easy decision, nor is it one I take any pleasure in. I will cast my vote tonight with a heavy heart and a solemn sense of duty to protect our Constitution.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, a constituent of mine named Josh aged out of his parent's health insurance when he turned 26. Josh was a Type 1 diabetic and by then, his insulin cost was nearly $1,200 per month. So he switched to over-the-counter insulin because, like so many others, he couldn't afford the prescription brand recommended by his doctors. Already on a tight budget, Josh was engaged and wanted to save up some money for his wedding and building a new life with his fiancee. His mother knew that he had changed his medication and when she would check on him, his blood sugar would be high, but he assured her that he was all right and the insulin was working. He was alone at work in June of this year when he suffered a series of strokes that would prove fatal, and it was his fiancee who found him. We have miracle drugs that can save lives, but they don't do any good when the American people can't afford them. In April, I hosted a roundtable with constituents and healthcare providers about the skyrocketing price of diabetes medication. Nurses and pharmacists shared stories about patients who had no option but to ration their insulin, putting their lives and their health in serious jeopardy. One, who ran a free clinic, spoke about how refugees were absolutely stunned at how much more Americans were paying for their prescription drugs than they had in the countries that they were fleeing from. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 3, the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act because the inability to afford necessary drugs should not be a death sentence in the United States of America. We are going to give HHS the power to negotiate lower drug prices for the American people. And those lower prices will be available not only to Medicare beneficiaries, but also to Americans with private health insurance. With the projected savings from this bill, nearly half a trillion dollars, we will provide vision, dental, and hearing benefits for all Medicare beneficiaries and invest in new medical research. American families and seniors should not pay more for their medications than what the drug companies charge people in other countries. This bill is a win for the American people. It represents a historic investment in Medicare and historic savings on the cost of prescription drugs. Without this legislation, the rising price of prescription drugs will continue to take a toll on the finances of American families, and in worst cases, cost lives. What happened to Josh should never happen to anyone in this country. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this lifesaving legislation.

Ms. WEXTON

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

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for introducing this important bipartisan legislation. My amendment to H.R. 1309 is a clarifying amendment to ensure that nothing in this act shall be construed to limit or diminish any existing protections in relevant Federal, State, or local law related to domestic violence, stalking, dating violence, or sexual assault. According to a 2016 OSHA report, approximately 75 percent of the nearly 25,000 workplace assaults reported each year occur in healthcare and social service settings, and workers in healthcare settings are four times more likely to be assaulted at work than workers in other sectors. These cases have led to psychological trauma, not only for the victim, but also for those who have witnessed these attacks, as well as serious injury and even death. With workplace violence on the rise, it is vital that Congress address this issue to ensure the safety of workers, and that is why this bill is so important. While most incidents of workplace violence fit the definition of simple assault, a study by the Joint Commission showed that sexual assault, rape, and stalking are not uncommon. Approximately 38 States include rape, sexual assault, and stalking in their definition of domestic violence. My amendment makes it clear that nothing in the underlying legislation preempts or diminishes these protections in any way. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, less than 30 percent of U.S. workplaces have a formal program or policy that addresses workplace violence, and 7 out of 10 workplaces do not have formal domestic violence programs or policy. That means that more than 70 percent of U.S. workplaces have inadequate protections against workplace violence. Innova Health Systems, one of the major healthcare providers in Northern Virginia, recently conducted a survey at their hospital in my district on the incidence and cost of nurse workplace violence perpetrated by hospital patients or patient visitors. The results showed that 75 percent of nurses experienced violence within the past year, with emergency nurses experiencing significantly greater number of incidents. Nurses reported many barriers to reporting these incidents, including unclear reporting policies, fear of retaliation, and the disheartening perception that violence just comes with the job. These statistics show that the current voluntary efforts to prevent workplace violence are not working. The results of the Innova survey highlight a real need for effective training and clear, convenient reporting programs and environments that support workers who are experiencing violence. This bill seeks to address this need. As a former domestic violence prosecutor, I have seen firsthand how laws protect and provide valuable resources to the more than 12 million individuals who are survivors of violent crime. I offer this amendment to ensure that it is abundantly clear that workplace violence prevention plans developed under this bill complement existing legal protections against domestic violence and sexual assault and in no way diminishes or limit those protections. It is crucial that our laws at the State, Federal, and local levels continue to help and support victims of domestic violence, stalking, dating violence, and sexual assault, which is precisely what my amendment does. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Chair, I simply request that my colleagues support this underlying amendment and the underlying bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I was on the floor but missed the vote on H.R. 535, the Department of Veteran Affairs Expiring Authorities Act (Roll Call 536). Had I voted, I would have voted YEA.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2290, the Shutdown Guidance for Financial Institutions Act. This legislation would help protect Federal employees, government contractors, and small business owners from some of the financial hardships that arise from a government shutdown. The shutdown that lasted from late December 2018 through January of this year, the longest in our Nation's history, stretched 35 days and cost the economy billions of dollars. For more than a month, paychecks were put on hold for 800,000 Federal employees and work-stop orders went on to Federal contractors, resulting in tens of thousands of layoffs. Unlike Federal workers, contractors did not receive backpay. Thousands of families saw their lives upended. Missing one paycheck is a hardship for many, but missing two can be devastating. Not only were people struggling to make their rent or mortgage payments, some had to rely on food pantries to feed their families or ration their insulin because they could not afford the copay. This was through no fault of their own. During this time, a lot of companies stepped up with offers of assistance for people impacted by the shutdowns, including banks and credit unions that offered flexible payment options and no-interest loans. This was especially important for employees in the national security community because financial difficulties can damage their credit scores and put their security clearances and, therefore, their livelihoods at risk. While it is positive to see so many lenders taking proactive steps to mitigate harm, there were still issues and confusion at some financial institutions, and regulator guidance from the Federal Government was slow to come. It was not until the 20th day of the shutdown that financial regulators provided guidance, encouraging banks to work with borrowers and account holders affected by the shutdown, and letting banks know that such efforts would not be subject to examiner criticism. During the shutdown in 2013, it wasn't until the ninth day that similar guidance was released. Let me give you an example of why this matters. I want to read part of a letter that I received from a desperate constituent in the middle of the last shutdown. She wrote: ``My husband and I recently sold our home and put an offer on another home in the area. . . . The mortgage financing for our new home was all set before the government shutdown. Our closing date is set for January 28, 2019, on the new house. Today, we learned that the mortgage company is denying our mortgage application because I am furloughed. They consider me unemployed and too much of a risk to finance.'' Thankfully, my constituent and her lender were able to work through this problem. The mortgage was eventually approved, but this never should have happened in the first place. My legislation would essentially automate the process of issuing guidance by requiring Federal financial regulators to release guidance within 24 hours of the start of a shutdown. It also includes reporting requirements on the effectiveness of the guidance and requires regulators to fix any shortcomings that are identified. Madam Speaker, despite the uncertainty and the hardship of the last few years, Federal workers have shown a steadfast commitment to service. They serve in every congressional district in every State, carrying out countless vital responsibilities on behalf of the American people. They deserve way better than the way they have been treated. I thank Chairwoman Waters and Ranking Member McHenry for ushering this bill to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Mr. Steven S. Smith, who is retiring from the Drug Enforcement Administration, after 24 years of law enforcement service, culminating as Supervisory Special Agent assigned to the Pharmaceutical Investigations Section as the Group Supervisor for Mobile Diversion Team One (MDT-1) based in Springfield, Virginia. Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Steven Smith entered on duty with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on March 15, 1995 in Miami, Florida. SSA Smith was first assigned to the Los Angeles Field Division. During his fifteen-year tenure in Los Angeles, then Special Agent (SA) Smith worked in enforcement groups targeting methamphetamine production and trafficking, and Asian heroin distribution. Working in a multi-agency environment at the Southern California Drug Task Force and LAX Group Three, SA Smith coordinated surveillance operations with over a dozen different law enforcement agencies while supporting Title III investigations. While investigating narcotics and money couriers passing through LAX airport, SA Smith's intelligence background in both law enforcement and the military enabled him to rapidly link detained suspects to active federal, state, and local criminal investigations around the country and build partnerships which enhanced the quality of the LAX-G3 cases. In August 2010, SA Smith transferred to the Las Vegas District Office as a member of the Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS). While assigned to the Las Vegas TDS, SA Smith led an investigation targeting a doctor and an international organized crime ring responsible for the distribution of tens of thousands of prescription tablets. This investigation resulted in the seizure of over 8000 d.u. of oxycodone, $58,000 U.S. currency, and evidence identifying a local pharmacy as a significant oxycodone and hydrocodone source of supply. During his tenure at the Las Vegas TDS, SA Smith's investigations brought money laundering charges, substantial monetary civil penalties, and regulatory sanctions to bear along with Title 21 violations against DEA registrants and diversion drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). In November 2012, SA Smith was promoted to Group Supervisor (GS) of the Oakland Resident Office TDS with an area of responsibility which included over 50,000 DEA registrants in 15 counties of northern coastal California. GS Smith enhanced the mission effectiveness of the group by directing major enforcement initiatives at high value targets within the TDS Area of Responsibility (AoR). Asset seizures from his group increased nearly four-fold from $510,180 to $1,989,741, which enabled GS Smith to persuade local agencies to double the number of investigators assigned as Task Force Officers to the TDS. Under SA Smith's leadership, Oakland TDS investigations charged eight doctors and three physician's assistants with criminal offenses and put them out of business for good. Prior to employment with the DEA, Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Smith served on Active Duty as an Army Reserve Military Intelligence Officer at the South Florida Investigative Support Center (now the South Florida HIDTA Intelligence Center). SSA Smith served in Iraq under the U.S. Army V.Corps during the 2003 invasion. SSA Smith maintained staff oversight of all tactical human intelligence operations in theatre while serving as the CJTF-7 Task Force Counterintelligence Coordination Authority charged with the de- confliction of all counterintelligence operations in the Iraqi Theatre of Operations. SSA Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Florida International University and currently resides in Loudoun County with his wife and two children. I am proud to represent Mr. Smith in Congress and I thank him and his family for their honorable service to our nation with the United States Army. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Smith as he concludes a distinguished career in public service.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Ms. BJ White-Olson, who is retiring from the Department of the Navy after more than 46 years of faithful civilian service to our nation, culminating as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Management and Budget (DASN (M&B)) for the past 10 years. As a senior advisor, she reported to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research Development and Acquisition) (ASN (RD&A)), whose significant responsibilities include development and acquisition of Navy & Marine Corps platforms and weapon systems. ASN (RD&A) is the Service Acquisition Executive for Navy and Marine Corps, which includes responsibility of procuring all Ships, Submarines, Aircraft and Weapon Systems, exceeding $100B in contracts annually and necessitating testimony before our Defense Authorization and Appropriation Oversight Committees, and maintaining close relationships with fellow Members of Congress and Professional Staff Members. Ms. White-Olson's broad and diverse portfolio included policy and oversight responsibilities for matters pertaining to the Planning Programming Budgeting and Execution System, Strategic Acquisition Planning, Acquisition Governance, Analysis of Contractor Performance, and a responsive Congressional Liaison Division. She covered dynamic issues across all organizational domains and additionally was the Navy Secretariat representative for the Federally Funded Research Development Centers oversight. Prior to her current assignment, Ms. White-Olson served in the Department of the Air Force. From January 2006 to December 2009, she was the Director for Budget Management and Execution, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Budget. During her assignment, she was responsible for the management, budget formulation, and execution of $130B in Air Force appropriations, establishing and enforcing budget policy Air Force wide, as well as formulation, justification and execution of the Air Force Working Capital Funds and for Air Force Security Assistance budgets. From July 2002 to January 2006, Ms. White-Olson was the Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cost and Economics, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, where she assisted the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Cost and Economics in supervising Air Force cost, economic and business case analysis. Prior to becoming a member of the Senior Executive Service, her assignments included Special Assistant for Financial Management Transformation, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller; Technical Director, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cost and Economics, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller; and assignments at major command and base levels. Ms. White-Olson is a Certified Defense Financial Manager, Level III Acquisition Professional in Financial Management and a recognized innovative leader. I am proud to represent Ms. White-Olson in Congress, and I thank her and her family for her honorable service to our nation within both the United States Navy and Air Force. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Ms. BJ White-Olson `fair winds and following seas' as she concludes a distinguished career of public service.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for yielding and for her leadership on the very fine bills we have before the House here this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 3153, the bipartisan EFFORT Act, which would expand Federal research on opioid addiction. Since 2011, more than 200 people in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia have lost their lives due to an opioid overdose. Some of the highest numbers of children being born in Virginia with neonatal abstinence syndrome have been from my district. But these numbers don't tell the heartbreaking devastation the opioid crisis has wrought for families who have lost their mother, their father, their brother, their sister, or their child. Meanwhile, our law enforcement officers and first responders are struggling with the trauma and burnout that comes from being on the front lines of so many tragic and needless deaths of their friends and neighbors. Tens of thousands of Americans and more than 1,000 Virginians are dying every year from overdoses. Addiction is an illness, and fighting the crisis effectively requires adequate research and funding. The EFFORT Act will help to do this by directing the National Science Foundation to support research on the science of opioid addiction. The NSF has done an exceptional job in establishing some of the foundational understanding on opioid addiction, including research regarding the use of technology to address the crisis, the secondary effects on families, and options for alternative therapeutics for pain. And while this research has significantly increased our understanding of addiction, research gaps remain in a wide range of disciplines, including, for example, social and behavioral issues such as stigma, socioeconomic status, or treatment accessibility. The NSF has a unique ability to help us close some of these gaps and, in turn, to help us develop solutions. By expanding the NSF's research on opioid addiction both within the agency, as well as jointly with the National Institutes of Health when needed, we can more effectively integrate clinical and basic research, obtain a broader understanding of the science of opioid addiction and its impact, and have a more comprehensive approach to tackling the crisis. As a founding member of the bipartisan Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, I have worked to be a strong advocate for addiction prevention and recovery efforts, and I am pleased to have introduced this legislation with my fellow freshman colleague from Indiana, Dr. Baird. I thank him for his leadership on this issue, as well. I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan legislation.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. My amendment, No. 401, would examine the feasibility of piloting a workforce transition program for Active-Duty servicemen and -women who are currently in counterintelligence roles to give them the opportunity to obtain additional security clearance credentials upon their separation from service. A problem that many servicemembers in counterintelligence face upon separation from the military is that they are unable to transition their security clearances to be eligible to start work immediately for, or in support of, a Federal intelligence agency. The wait time to transition a security clearance can take over a year, and many of these individuals are forced to consider taking a lower paying job while they wait for the process to move forward, or we lose these individuals entirely when they take jobs in the private sector outside the intelligence community. These are members serving in roles that are in critical needs areas for our intelligence areas, such as cyberspace operations, cyber electronic warfare, and military intelligence. Because of these difficulties, our intelligence agencies are losing out on a highly qualified and diverse talent pool whose skills and training have already been paid for by the Federal Government. Madam Chair, my amendment would help ensure that those veterans who have service in our military's intelligence fields, can continue to use their abilities to protect our Nation well beyond their military service.

Ms. WEXTON

Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Sadie Pike Nelson from Virginia's 10th Congressional District for her 70th birthday on June 24, 2019. Ms. Nelson is an active member within the 10th Congressional District which includes her accomplishments within the Frederick County School system, United Methodist Women, and Winchester Lioness Lions Club. I commend Ms. Nelson on her lifetime pursuit of community activism. After moving to Winchester, VA in 1980, Ms. Nelson became a teacher with the special education program at the Robert E. Aylor Middle School, where she taught for 25 years. She then became the Assistant Principal for Admiral Richard E. Byrd Middle School for seven years before retiring with 32 years in education all together. Ms. Nelson was the first African American Administrator in the history of Frederick County Public Schools. Ms. Nelson joined the John Mann United Methodist Church in 1985. She is presently the Administrative Chairman of the church council, President of the United Methodist Women, and President of the Usher Board. She has also served as the Spiritual Growth Coordinator for the Winchester District of United Methodist Women for a total of five years. Outside of the church, Ms. Nelson was the first African American to be invited to join the Winchester Lioness Club where she served as president in 2005, 2006, 2011, 2018, and 2019. Through this organization she strives to make a difference in women's lives with philanthropies that include ownership of a two-year woman's college and five programs that provide higher educational assistance through scholarships and loans for women to continue their education. Ms. Nelson is also the proud mother of one daughter, proud grandmother of four granddaughters, and proud great-grandmother of a set of twin great-granddaughters and four great-grandsons. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing and applauding Ms. Sadie Pike Nelson on her accomplishments and wish her the best for her 70th birthday celebration.