Susan Wild

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Chairman, my amendment is about fairness. Patients should not face increased premiums at the whim of appointed government officials, especially for essential health benefits like emergency services, maternity, newborn, pediatric care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, prescription drugs, laboratory services, and preventive and wellness services for chronic disease management. From malicious lawsuits aimed at striking down the ACA in its entirety and, along with it, the protections for preexisting conditions to ending the practice of public advertisement of enrollment period and educating the people about the complexities of health insurance, it has become clear that Congress must reclaim its legislative authority and ensure that this administration faithfully executes the spirit of this law. The ACA is the law. The Constitution gives Congress the power to make laws and requires the executive branch to faithfully execute the laws that Congress passes. We all heard Republicans on the campaign trail last year say that they would protect coverage for preexisting conditions and help drive down our premiums. This is their chance to fulfill those campaign promises with concrete action. Action, not words, is what the American people demand, and it is what they deserve. Let's make that commitment a reality by adopting this amendment, passing this bill, and pushing the Senate to take it up so that we can get it signed into law. In closing, Madam Chair, this is about standing up for the dignity of working families in the most basic and fundamental sense. It is about saying that every child, woman, man, and family in this country deserves the same certainty of being able to afford high-quality healthcare. Our people deserve better. We need to stop the political gamesmanship, and we need to focus on people across our country who need good, affordable healthcare right now. This is also our chance to remind this administration and future administrations that Congress makes the laws, and the executive branch doesn't get to fool around with the implementation just to see it fail for political reasons. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for constituents with whom I recently met whose family is one among millions of Uighurs, the ethnic Muslim community from Xinjiang in northwest China being persecuted by the Chinese Government. My constituents' parents are among the estimated 1 million Uighurs and other Muslims who are currently being held in camps because of their faith and ethnicity. The reports of what is happening to this community--mass targeting, detention, and torture based on faith and origin--echo the darkest chapters in human history. I am heartened to see that there is bipartisan support for doing something about it. That is why I say to leadership: Move the bipartisan UIGHUR Act and the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act through committee and to the floor so that we can pass these bills in the House, push the Senate to take them up, and get them signed into law. Only by acting in moments like this can we truly live up to the pledge ``never again.'' Let's stand together and say no to ethnic cleansing on our watch.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, I am so proud to rise today as part of this wonderful, diverse, strong, and vibrant freshman class. As we mark the 100 first days of the 116th Congress, it has been a busy time, to say the least. In our first days of this 116th Congress, I have met with more than 150 constituents. I have held five townhalls and question-and-answer events and visited 17 local businesses and 10 local schools. I have met with educators and labor leaders, health workers, business leaders, manufacturers, students, and senior citizens. I have heard the same messages from constituents of all backgrounds throughout Pennsylvania's Seventh District: Build an economy that delivers for working and middle-class people; Protect benefits like Medicare and Social Security that we have earned; Defend the rights and dignity of all people; Work across the aisle on urgent priorities, like protecting our communities from gun violence, combating the opioid epidemic, and protecting the environment; and Fight to ensure that the next generation doesn't have a lower standard of living than its parents. These messages have driven and shaped my work, particularly as a Member of the Education and Labor Committee, where we have been working on legislation to raise the minimum wage, make workplaces safer for working Pennsylvanians and all Americans, help students saddled with student loan debt, and make higher education more inclusive and affordable. I am so proud of everything we are doing in the Education and Labor Committee to build an economy and education system that lifts all workers, all students, all Pennsylvanians, and all Americans. I am also proud that I am keeping my promises to my constituents. My promise to work to improve our healthcare system, lower healthcare costs, and protect people with preexisting conditions led me to introduce my own bill as part of a larger effort to improve the Affordable Care Act--the Family Healthcare Affordability Act--to fix the ACA family glitch, an issue that has prevented some workers from being able to extend their employer-provided insurance to their families. My bill is a small fix to a big problem for many working families. I also committed to my constituents that I would work to reform our government, reduce the influence of money in politics, and ensure that every American has a voice in our democracy. We kept that commitment when we passed H.R. 1, a landmark government reform package that included my bill to enact early voting across the country. In Pennsylvania, we don't have early voting, and that hurts working and lower income people who often have far less time and flexibility to get to the polls. This has been a productive 100 days, but people in my community and across the country are counting on us to do so much more. They are also counting on the Senate and the White House to do their part so that the legislation we are passing gets signed into law. In these next 100 days, I will continue working to bring about a more just, more equal future across our community, and I will continue doing everything I can to make the people of the Seventh District proud.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Matthew Vital, an eighth grader from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and his entire family. Yesterday, Matthew became a national golf champion, winning the Drive, Chip & Putt national title for the boys 12 to 13 age group. He holed a difficult chip and drained a 30-foot putt at Augusta's 18th green, the same course where PGA professionals will compete at the Masters in a few days. The Morning Call, our hometown newspaper, features a great photo of Matthew that captures the focus and determination that he demonstrated in this tournament and has demonstrated throughout his already impressive golfing career. Mr. Speaker, I say to Matthew that the qualities that led him to this victory--a powerful work ethic and a commitment to setting goals and seeing them through--will serve him well not just on the course, but also in school and in every aspect of life: Keep working hard. Your family, your community, and your Congresswoman are proud of you. Congratulations.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania for yielding. I rise in support of this amendment, which is being sponsored by my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, VAWA, responds to our Nation's crisis of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. VAWA expired in September of last year, and it is long past time for Congress to reauthorize this legislation. Representative Dean's amendment will increase interagency cooperation efforts to prevent violence and provide critical services to survivors. No one solution can stop every act of violence, but this amendment recognizes that more coordination among agencies over best practices, resources, and technology will lead to better results for those in need of urgent assistance. As survivors transition out of crisis, they need access to housing, healthcare, and other vital resources to rebuild their lives. In my home district, organizations like Turning Point of Lehigh Valley assist survivors of abuse and their families. This amendment and VAWA overall will enable shelters like Turning Point to better serve people in need. Madam Chair, I am proud to stand with survivors.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to advocate for an appropriation request I have put forward to provide adequate funding to the Social Security Administration. Social Security enables millions of Americans to make ends meet, including retired and disabled workers, and the families of deceased workers. It is a program that working folks have been paying into their entire working lives. Despite the agency's effectiveness, funding cuts have created a massive, and in some cases life-threatening, backlog. The national average wait time for a Social Security Disability Insurance benefits hearing is 535 days. And last year, Philadelphia, in my State, had the longest average wait time in the country: 26 months. One West Philadelphia woman with multiple sclerosis waited 878 days before getting a favorable ruling. Given this reality, I am truly alarmed that, rather than fully funding Social Security, the President's budget is consistently hundreds of millions of dollars less than what Congress enacted the previous year. This sums up why people are fed up with Washington: powerful politicians keeping everyday Americans from the benefits they have earned. The injustice needs to stop. We must stand with working families and help them obtain their benefits.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the Byrne amendment.

Ms. WILD. Madam Chair, don't be mistaken. This amendment is a clear attempt to undermine the fundamental objectives of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which are to engender pay disparity by, in part, further clarifying congressional intent so that courts can no longer dismiss meritorious claims. The Paycheck Fairness Act fixes current employment discrimination and pay discrimination laws, laws that have proven insufficient, given that women still earn 80 cents on the dollar compared to similarly situated White men. And, of course, the disparity for women of color is even greater. Under the current Equal Pay Act, an employer is not liable for gender pay disparity if the disparity is due to merit, seniority, quality of production or ``a factor other than sex.'' Some courts have interpreted the ``factor other than sex'' criteria so broadly that it frustrates the codified intent of the Equal Pay Act. For instance, some courts have found that the ``factor other than sex'' need not be business related or even related to the particular job in question. Some courts have interpreted the ``factor other than sex'' defense to include ``market forces,'' or worse, accepted the argument that pay disparity can be explained by an employer's ``random decision.'' Those interpretations are nothing more than a lifesaver for pretextual discrimination. This amendment does the same thing. My Republican colleagues' suggestion that the Paycheck Fairness Act eliminates the ``factor other than sex'' defense is contradicted by the text of this bill. An employer may still raise a ``factor other than sex'' defense provided that the ``factor other than sex'' be bona fide, job related, and required by business necessity. This amendment's attempt to strike section (3)(a)(3), which explains what constitutes a bona fide factor, is an attempt to create ambiguity so that courts continue to interpret the act's protection in a narrow way. This bill provides necessary clarity that this bona fide factor defense is only available when there is a real business necessity. This bill ensures that there is a connection between the pay disparity and the specific job in question. This amendment is contrary to the congressional intent of the underlying bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILD. Mr. Chairman, this bill clarifies that the ``factor other than sex'' is only available on a bona fide job-related and business necessary reason. It clarifies that this defense is not available where the employee demonstrates that a reasonable alternative employment practice would serve the same business purpose without producing a pay disparity and that the employer refused to adopt such an alternative practice. Carefully consider those words. This is a burden-shifting provision that would simply allow an employee to show a reasonable alternative. It adds nothing to an employer's existing burden. It only allows an employee to rebut that defense with evidence. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILD. Mr. Chairman, I think it is important, given that we are having a discussion here over who understands the text of the bill, to read it directly into the Record. ``The bona fide factor defense, described in subparagraph (A)(iv) shall apply only if the employer demonstrates that such factor (i) is not based upon or derived from a sex-based differential in compensation; (ii) is job related with respect to the position in question; (iii) is consistent with business necessity; and, (iv) accounts for the entire differential in compensation at issue.'' It is very clearly set forth in the text. Mr. Chairman, I, therefore, continue to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Byrne amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILD. Mr. Chairman, I think it is my colleague from Alabama who is confused about the wording of this text. His amendment would specifically eliminate the wording that I just read into the Record. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILD. Mr. Chairman, this amendment eliminates clarity. It simply replaces it with the words ``bona fide,'' with no additional definition or guidance, thereby ensuring that this defense will continue to be misunderstood, misused, and incorrectly applied by the courts. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, I am opposed to all caps on attorney's fees in this type of case. The only criteria for the amount of attorney's fees charged should be reasonableness in the context of the case itself. I have spent more than 30 years in courtrooms, most of that time representing the defense in civil matters, almost always for companies; in other words, against the very trial lawyers we speak of. So I have no bias in favor of those lawyers, but let me tell you this: representing plaintiffs in employment cases is a very hard job. These lawyers work for every penny they earn. They take cases that put their own livelihood at risk. Many employment cases take years to resolve. Often they have to go to court over and over to litigate discovery and pretrial matters, and all the while, they are not collecting a paycheck from that case, because they have taken it on a contingent fee basis. Without an award at the end of the case, they receive nothing, and they advance out-of-pocket expenses. But even more important, without these lawyers, low-income female employees with legitimate grievances would have no recourse. Only with a competent lawyer's help can they proceed. This motion, if passed, would discourage lawyers from taking these cases. And if they don't take these cases, employees, workers, families lose out. The only test for attorney's fees should be reasonableness. Courts and judges are well equipped to determine whether a fee is reasonable, far better equipped than Congress is. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill).

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the DiFebo family, constituents of mine from Upper Mount Bethel Township, Pennsylvania, who run Harvest Home Farms. They were recently honored with Pennsylvania's first-ever Leopold Conservation Award, named after the conservationist Aldo Leopold, for demonstrating excellence in environmentally sustainable farming practices. Richard DiFebo; his wife, Lynn; and their sons, Dohl and Dane, work hard 7 days a week. Their days are long and, as Richard says, it is a ``family effort'' that only works because everyone pitches in. In Richard's words: ``It all starts with the health of the soil. Less runoff means cleaner creeks and rivers, which leads to cleaner air. It benefits the whole community. You need to protect those resources or there is not going to be anything left for the next generation.'' Congratulations to the DiFebo family not just for this award, but for their dedication to being responsible stewards of the Earth and for the powerful example they are setting.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, constituents, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike, have told me that they feel that our political system is rigged against working, middle-class, and low-income Americans. And in many ways, they are right. It is rigged by politicians who make it harder to vote, and it is rigged by massive corporations that fund candidates who will give them tax breaks and access to Washington. H.R. 1 will move our country forward. It will ensure every American can cast a ballot, end partisan gerrymandering, and reduce the influence of the ultrawealthy, corporations, and special interests. And it will allow us to finally get to work on the issues that matter most to my constituents: creating an economy that works for all, providing healthcare to all, and combating climate change. As part of this effort, I am proud to introduce a bill that will help working Americans make it to the voting booth. By requiring every State to hold at least 15 days of early voting, this measure will raise turnout and make our elections fairer and more representative of our people. Let's return government to the people. Let's pass H.R. 1 right away.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, across my district, the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania, and across our country, this shutdown is hurting small businesses. One of my constituents is an entrepreneur from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He recently emailed me to let me know that he can't get his mandatory employer ID number for the new business he is trying to start because the IRS is shut down. Until he gets that number, he can't set up payroll for his employees or open a company bank account. Another constituent from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, processes Small Business Administration-backed loans to entrepreneurs trying to start or expand businesses. But, as he explains, since the SBA has been shut down, no small business loans have been going out. For many, that means no access to capital at reasonable interest rates and having to turn to loan sharks to keep businesses afloat. And let us never forget that our Coast Guard is still working without pay. We were sent here to make people's lives better, not make them harder and more stressful than they already are. Members of both parties need to come together to support our military and the small businesses that power our economy, and that means ending this shutdown.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, as a freshman Member of this body, I take deep offense at the suggestion a little while ago here on the House floor by our colleagues on the other side of the aisle that House Democrats are responsible for this government shutdown. To the contrary, their leader in the Senate has failed his responsibility to the American people to bring a vote to the Senate floor on any of the nine appropriations bills passed by the House that would reopen this government. A few days ago, I visited Turning Point of Lehigh Valley in my district, a shelter that assists survivors of abuse and their families and that has stopped receiving Federal funding as a result of this shutdown. When I return to my district tomorrow, I will be visiting with more organizations that have been similarly affected. The shelter has a long waiting list. So while it does extraordinary work, it already struggles to maintain the funding it needs to take in all those who are suffering in the community, and that is the case in many communities across our country. So, if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle wish to do something constructive, they should go see their leader in the Senate and urge him to bring a vote to the floor.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, last week, I spoke on this floor about the first bill I introduced, a bill to fund our Coast Guard through this government shutdown. Incredibly, our Coast Guard is still not being paid. Yesterday was payday, but they got nothing. Just an hour ago, I spoke with Admiral Charles Ray, Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard, who emphasized to me just how hard this is for young members of the Coast Guard who have not yet accumulated savings. As he said to me, these men and women do everything we ask of them. All they ask is that we stand by them. This is no way to treat those who put their lives on the line in our defense. Members of every branch of our military, and the families who serve alongside them, need to know that our government's commitment to them is unbreakable. Our government has betrayed the values of service and camaraderie embodied by our military families. We need to remember and honor those values. That means funding our Coast Guard and ending this crisis right now.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, this shutdown is tearing at the fabric of our society, and one of the clearest examples is the lack of funding for the Justice Department. As a practicing attorney for the past 30+ years, I know that many people, when facing some of the most challenging times of their lives, often depend on Justice Department services. When we fail to provide those resources, our fellow citizens are forced to suffer in silence. This lack of funding has led the Violence Against Women Act to expire, jeopardizing protections for domestic abuse and sexual assault victims. Constituents in my district, who provide assistance to these survivors through such fine organizations as Turning Point of Lehigh Valley, and the Crime Victims Council, have said that their programs could soon be at risk. And because of Washington's failure to fund programs like the Victims of Crime Act Assistance Grant Program, organizations that look out for children suffering abuse aren't getting the resources they need either. As promised, when this shutdown began, I will be making regular charitable contributions to individuals and agencies in my district who are adversely affected by the shutdown, but that will, by no means, offset loss of Federal funding. Our constituents are suffering, and they need us to act.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to reintroduce my first bill, which was introduced at the end of the 115th Congress, the Continuing Appropriations for the Coast Guard Act. I am doing this on behalf of Janeen and her family, constituents from Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Janeen is the mother of two children, ages 10 and 12. Her husband of 15 years is a Coast Guard member. Until recently, they were focused on what most families across our country focus on: family time, work, balancing their checkbook to pay their mortgage and bills, enjoying the holidays together, and hoping to celebrate a new year. All of that changed this past December when a partisan fight in Washington, over which they had no control, suddenly threw their family's entire existence into question. Because the Coast Guard falls within the Department of Homeland Security, one of the agencies that has not been funded, Janeen's family and 42,000 others, including 320 Pennsylvanians, have been left to fend for themselves. They received a one-time payment from the Coast Guard's emergency fund, equivalent to half a paycheck. But the Coast Guard doesn't have any additional funds on hand, so they have been advised to hold garage sales and take up dog walking for extra income. My bill would fund the Coast Guard until an agreement is reached to fully fund the government, ensuring that Coast Guard members receive their paychecks during the entire shutdown. I am proud to have the support of some of my Republican colleagues, including Mr. Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, and I hope that a bipartisan coalition of Members in both Chambers can urgently pass this bill. It is important to take a step back and remind ourselves of what is at stake for Janeen's family and thousands like them. As long as the government is shut down, and until this bill is passed by the House and Senate and signed into law, Janeen's husband won't get a paycheck on the 15th of this month. Already, their family has been forced to dip into their savings and emergency funds just to buy groceries and keep the lights on. It is about a 70-mile drive from home to the base each way, so Janeen's husband is not only not getting paid, he is actually losing money to go to work every day. As the daughter of a man who spent his entire career in the Air Force, I must say, this is a shameful way to treat men and women who have devoted their lives to serving our country and the families who serve and sacrifice among them. For their sake and for the sake of the security of our country, we cannot let toxic hyperpartisanship keep an entire branch of the United States military from receiving pay. We should be talking about funding more effective technology and infrastructure to protect our country, not about a border wall that will do nothing to stop the incursion of illegal drugs into our country. The Coast Guard is our most effective method of stopping drug runners. In Janeen's words: ``If my husband doesn't show up for work, he is AWOL.'' That is the reality for our men and women in uniform. The very least they should be able to expect from their elected representatives is that we have their backs and that they will get the support they need no matter what the politics are. This is not about party or ideology. It is not about scoring points in Washington or on cable news shows. Ultimately, Janeen and her family, and everyone like them, just want to see their government live up to its most basic responsibilities, because as Janeen tells her kids: ``When you say you are going to do something, you make a promise.'' Servicemembers like Janeen's husband made a promise to defend our Nation when they took their oath. They have never let us down. Every single day, through every challenge and hardship, they have kept their promise and done everything expected of them and more. But during this shutdown, their government has failed to keep its promise to them. Janeen's family and other Coast Guard families need us right now. Through our actions by getting this bill through the House of Representatives, the Senate, and to the President's desk, we can show them that we take care of our own and that we honor selfless service in this country more than partisanship.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Madam Speaker, right now, 12,643 Pennsylvanians are being denied a paycheck because of a partisan fight they have no control over. It is time to end this shutdown and restore our government's ability to protect our country and deliver vital services to our people. The longer this shutdown goes on, the worse the impact will be, not just on Federal workers, but on the communities that depend on them. Unless we act, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will be at risk. Over 94,000 families in my district depend on SNAP, and national data shows that over 40 percent of beneficiaries are children. I have heard from food banks in my community that they expect a twelvefold increase in people who need assistance if SNAP recipients don't receive their benefits. That is unacceptable. We must reaffirm our most fundamental duty: to stand with and support our most vulnerable constituents. Let's act to protect people across this country from hunger and malnutrition by protecting SNAP and reopening the government.

Ms. WILD

Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, volunteers across the country honored fallen servicemembers on National Wreaths Across America Day. While the focal point of this national day of remembrance is the laying of wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery, ceremonies also took place at local cemeteries across the country. I had the honor of participating in a wreath-laying ceremony in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, a tiny borough no more than a mile square, in Delaware County. On a raw and rainy Saturday, 2 weeks before Christmas, nearly 50 community members turned out to lay wreaths upon veterans' graves at an historic cemetery atop Prospect Hill. Among those honored was George Wood, a soldier who lost his life at Gettysburg on July 7, 1863. As we stood in the drizzle, listening to ``Taps,'' I thought about the many ways in which people served their communities. Obviously, those who serve in our Armed Forces commit to providing the ultimate service. But on that hilltop last weekend, there were so many others willing to spend the time to step up with their neighbors, honor the sacrifice of others, and bring a community together. I want to recognize Joyce Foresman-Capuzzi, the nurse who learned about the Wreaths Across America program and brought her neighbors together to have it in Prospect Park. I want to recognize Reverend Chris Hensley Terrell, the pastor of Prospect Hill Baptist Church, which hosted the event. But the event wouldn't have been the success that it was without the participation of other volunteers, the members of the Prospect Park Borough Council, the Prospect Park Volunteer Fire Department, and local veterans and their families. There was also great support from the local elementary school principal and students at Prospect Park Elementary, many of whom helped lay wreaths. I want to thank all these community members for allowing me to participate in their ceremony, and I thank them for their service.