Cspan has a 40 year commitment to publishing gaveltogavel coverage of the house. S. House of representatives. ] the speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. The chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. The clerk the speakers room, d. C. , november 20, 2019. Honorable point the Henry Cuellar to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. Nancy pelosi, speaker of the house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the order of the house of january 3, 2019, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. The chair will alternate recognition between the parties. All time shall be equally allocated between the parties and in no event shall debate continue beyond 11 50 a. M. Each member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip shall be limited to five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from montana, mr. Gianforte, for five minutes. Mr. Gianforte mr. Speaker, time. Time. Ly, its past its past time for the Congress United the statesmexciocanada agreement. Today, im pleased to join with my colleague and friend, senator daines, to draw attention usmca s importance to montana. Usmca will secure open access to mexico and canada, markets critical to montana ranchers, manufacturers, and businesses. Bring over 68 billion in new economic growth. Will create 176,000 new jobs. An usmca helps family farmers and is why 1,000 ag groups from across the country it. Endorsed usmca increases agricultural billion a year. Usmca supports American Workers. Mr. Speaker, usmca is a win for america. Nd almoste we are 355 days, a full year, since president usmca. Igned and the deal has gone nowhere in the house. Holdup . S the the speaker has stalled since the deal was announced. She objected to it. Objections were addressed, and, yet, here we are. On a pathr says shes on usmca. Path to yes, however, isnt enough. Farmers, ranchers, Business Owners deserve certainty. A path to yes and more delays. Yesterday, y, just politico reported usmca faces of house lay because leadership. Another delay. 13 days left this deal 13 days to get this done. Its up to congress to act. The needless delays must end. The Trump Administration has its job and negotiated an agreement that works for montana country. Its time for congress to do its job. House leaders to give farmers, ranchers, anufacturers, and Business Owners the certainty they need. I urge house leaders to move with usmca to create jobs, increase paychecks, and economy. Lets consider usmca. On usmca. Usmca. Ratify thank you, mr. Speaker, and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman california, mr. Costa, for five minutes. I ask unanimous consent to address the house for five minutes and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Costa mr. Speaker, i rise talk about the United Statesmexciocanada trade the need for commonsense change to see that our trade policies with mexico canada da better reflect canada better reflect the current Economic Conditions and that occurred since the initial act was put together over 25 years ago. The administrations trade though, currently, with these tariff wars, i believe, are not only hurting but theyre hurting our farmers, ranchers, dairy men and women. It. S be clear about these are hidden taxes that pay and that well. Lture pays as the United Statesmexciocanada agreement, i think, would address these concerns if we get right. As chairman of the subcommittee on livestock and foreign agriculture, opening new trade for agriculture is one of my top priorities. My home state of california is number one agricultural nearly the nation and half of our ag products are exported abroad. Year. 20 billion a im a farmer, third generation. I understand the importance of ability to trade and have a field. Vel playing mexico and canada combined are our largest destination for these products. Maintaining these markets is ensure that prosperity for our farmers and the viability of our ag economy. Had 25 years of mostly a successful trading relationship mexico since d signing the north American Free rade agreement in 1994, but a lot has changed and its resulted, lets be frank, with jobs thats hurt American Families here and we need to address that. This is an opportunity to deal the flaws that have existed years. A for over 25 since 2002, canada has been the agriculture top export product. Mexico has either been second or third. In 2018, we exported 143 illion worth of agriculture products to the two countries combined. The amount equalled over a of the total u. S. Ag export. That is significant. Leaves in place, i think, the key wins for agriculture established under nafta. Key provisions containing to important issues like labor, technology, and the environment. It also provides some new access to canadas protected dairy which i think is important. The conversations between House Democrats and the administration hammer out the remaining differences, i think, have been constructive. Of the ee with some narratives that this has been a delay. We want to get it right. You must agreements, get right. Our negotiators are making good to ress, including efforts ensure that enforcement, enforcement to the agreement is done. Enforcement of labor standards continues to remain a concern. Important. Labor in america doesnt want to have the same impacts that took nafta, and so the enforcements in the provisions are critical. Usmcas labor chapter does include a strengthening of labor standards including the right to organize in mexico. Weve had numerous delegations with our counterparts in mexico. Spring, mexico passed landmark labor legislation, aying the Legal Framework for compliance with the United Statesmexciocanada labor chapter. Ensure that those labor standards are enforced. The critical area today. House democrats are working in good faith with the dministration to put in place assurances that these standards are enforced over the long term. For enforcement of nvironmental and biomedical standards. Commitments to the needs have to be enforceable to make this a successful agreement. These issues are addressed. The usmca would stabilize some policies that are otherwise unpredictable with this administration. Concerns that us President Trump may, as he said, a deal if and reject we dont pass this. We want to get it done asap for to make sure eed its done right. Sound trade policies should not be a partisan issue. Work to make e to sure we can vote on usmca as soon as possible. Though, we have to eninsurances. Ensuranses. Turn our trade to other trade matters. Important china is and with the european union. Let me finally say, good trade i think, mean goodpaying jobs. That. Repeat good trade agreements mean goodpaying jobs for all and that is obviously what we want to do for our entire economy. Yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Thompson, minutes. Thompson thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i rise to recognize American Education week. Under eek this underscores the importance of access to quality education and and nors the teachers instructors and educational mentors who make a difference in nations of our learnearns. Learners. O en orking to ensure we have the highest Education System is of importance. From Rural America and urban merica and everyone where in between. That includes students who choose to pursue a traditional as wellr College Degree as those who choose to attend a trade school or apprenticeship program. Cochair of the career and technical caucus i have been to introduce a number of career and technical bills along cochair, congressman langevin, which restores the ladders. The that includes the counseling in career choice act. They will have quality counseling resources that can more informed decisions about their educational futures and professional career choices. Equipping these choices with the skills to succeed, were one step closer skills ng our nations gap. The skills gap is the result of lack of qualified students in stem, disciplines like nursing, nergy, information technology, cybersecurity, and more. Career and technical is working students by equipping them with employable skills, to workforce dress the shortage in cybersecurity, i was roud to cosponsor h. R. 1592, the cybersecurity skills integration act. This bill would create a pilot the department of education to award grants to postsecondary d c. T. E. Programs in cybersecurity competencenses. T has support outs the education and Labor Committee as well. I cosponsored the skills 2019. Tment act of h. R. 898 enhances the covered accounts whichgs are tax advantage savings accounts for educational so American Workers can use counts to pay for skillsbased learning, career workforce nd development. In addition, both workers and mployers receive tax credits for contributions to these accounts. Mr. Speaker, in addition to addressing the shortage of our workforce, we need to continue increasing educational who are r students living with disabilities. The individuals with isabilities education act ensures nearly seven million infants, toddlers, youth with have access to quality educati. Unfortunately, congress has allen short on our commitment to these individuals and support for students with disabilities has remained uerfunded. Why i was proud to support h. R. 1878, the idea full act, which would mandate gradual increases in idea unding to reach the full funding as promised by congress thatidea was passed and do by fiscal year 2029. Lastly, there are many bipartisan bills that support for american ion learners. I always believe we produce the best results for students when across the aisle. However, the partisan college would bility act, which reauthorize the Higher Education act, actually crippling College Costs and widens our nations skills gap. We can offer Real Solutions like the highquality opportunities and postsecondary the hope act, or which provides institutions with he tools they need to help students prepare for successful careers and successful lives. American Education Week this is American Education week. Students mber that deserve better than a onesizefitsall educational plan. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman california, mr. Rouda, for five minutes. Mr. Rouda thank you, mr. Speaker. Unanimous consent to address the house and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of resolving the outstanding issues needed to pass the United Statesmexciocanada agreement, usmca, before the end of the year. More than 12 million american 1. 8 million jobs in california depend on trade and mexico. We cant afford to keep the in place if we are to secure our Economic Future and create better paying american jobs. Contentious issues in a trade deal are always difficult, but im optimistic we come to a productive resolution if the Administration House es to engage with democrats in good faith. Usmca represents an opportunity fundamental flaws in our trade policy, reverse the establish nafta, strong enforceable labor tandards across america and promost promote growth in new sectors of our economy. Lets get it right this time. I thank speaker pelosi, chairman neal, and House Democratic leadership for their commitment families and for ensuring usmca reflects our core for a vote on usmca as soon as possible. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from georgia, mr. Carter, for five minutes. Mr. Carter mr. Speaker, i rise today to recognize mrs. Jennifer t. Graham for being honored by the club of savannah for her work helping single mothers throughout the savannah air. Ms. Graham galvanized a citywide effort that has significantly aided hundreds of mothers in our community. She founded shelter from the rain, which assists lowincome mothers by providing food, job search assistance, baby supplies, mentorship, and more. Since ms. Graham founded the organization in 2010, shelter from the rain has helped over 300 single mothers. Her background in marketing and outreach which includes earning a graduate degree in marketing and doing communications for a number of local Health Care Companies has helped her maximize her number of mothers her organization reaches. Thank you, ms. Graham, for your work making our community a better place to live. And thank you to the zanta club for recognizes the important work she is doing. Keep up the great work. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to recognize the month of november as National Healthy skin month. Your skin is your bodys largest organ so its critical to take care of it. Unfortunately skin cancer affects around 20 of the population. This month i encourage everyone to think about ways to keep your skin healthy during your daily activities. For example, wearing sunscreen, moisturizing, washing your farkse and protecting against blisters are all measures one can take to stay healthy. Additionally, i hope everyone will consider visiting a dermatologist this month for a skin evaluation. Thank you to the American Academy of dermatology, as well as termle to gis around the country for your work dermatologies to work and protect this vital part of our health. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to recognize mrs. Meg heap, recently honored by the zanta club of savannah for her work to reduce Domestic Violence against women. She has spearheaded a number of programs in coastal georgia to create greater equality for women. She created an early notification prosecutor position for Domestic Violence and an early notification process for the victim witness program. Additionally, she created a one stop Chatham County family justice center. In 2019, the District Attorney association of georgia selected her as the District Attorney of the year. From savannah originally, she can be an inspiration to all of us about giving back to your community. Thank you, for all of your work to make savannah a better place to live and thank you to the zanta club of savannah for recognizing her achievements. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to recognize mr. Howard young who turns 95 years young on november 25. He has lived in the savannah area for over 30 years and during this time he has spent countless hours helping others around the community. After retiring in his 50s, he began to spend each day with a Different Organization volunteering. On monday, he works with the Veterans Administration clinic. On tuesdays he works with senior citizens. And the list doesnt stop at friday. A World War Ii Navy veteran, he works with veterans to help them get medical benefits on saturdays and serves at the Methodist Church on sundays. I am proud to have a constituent like mr. Young in the first Congressional District of georgia. It is easy to be inspired by his work making the world a better place to live. As he says, each passing day is gone forever. So i want to spend as much of each day as possible helping someone who cant help themselves. Happy birthday, mr. Young. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from louisiana, mr. Richmond, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, today i rise with a heavy heart to acknowledge the life and leg kwlacy of legacy of coach marvin keelan. He coached in louisiana and i met him when i was about 13 years old. He started me out as a bookkeeper at the playground, keeping score, and then one minute on to be an umpire and then i went on to be a coach. Coach marvin passed away this weekend, but over his 34 years of coaching at the playground hes touched the lives of so many young men. We have a Capital Police officer here that coach marvin coached. We have myself and count lst others that his countless others that his direction, his mentorship provided a real pathway for a lot of our young men. The other thing i would say about coach marvin is his family followed in his footsteps. Just two weekends ago, his youngest son, nick, won his first city championship. His other son, marvin, won a couple city championships, and coach marvin won about seven. It wasnt about just competing. It was taking our young kids and making sure they understood their potential to be whatever they wanted to be. That they could be champions if they wanted to be. That they could actually be u. S. Congressmen. I just wanted to extend my condolences to his life, jennifer, his daughter, nicki, his son, nick, and other son, marvin, to let them know that their father has heard those words, welldone, my good and faithful servant. Mr. Speaker, i rise to celebrate the life and legacy of judge ant leak angie reed that passed in the city of new orleans. Judge reed was the quintessential judge. She was fair but firm. She expected the best out of the lawyers in front of her and she demanded nothing less. She was a proud member of Alpha Kappa AlphaSorority Incorporated and in honor of her i am wearing my pink tie today. She was also a faithful member of jack and jill, that provides mentorship to the children and communities all across the country. And she was a faithful member of the new orleans chapter of the links. Let me just say that her membership and all these other organizations really highlighted her love for new orleans. And on a national level, she was a member of the judicial counsel of the national bar association, even cochairing the event in new orleans. I first met her when she was just a young lawyer in the city attorneys office, and i was a law clerk trying to find my way around. She took me under her wing and taught me life lessons that i would never forget about the practice of law. That it was not about trying to make money, it was not about you, it was about your client. It was about making a difference. It was about righting a wrong. Dr. Martin luther king in his speech, give us the ballot, he proclaimed that if you give us the ballot in the south, we will elect judges and put judges on the bench that will love mercy and do justice. Judge Angelique Reed did just that and she did it better than anyone else. She leaves behind her daughter and i would just say that the new Orleans Community is better off because angie reed passed our way and she will be sorely missed. She also will hear those words, judge reed, welldone my good and faithful servant. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. Wright, for five minutes. Mr. Wright thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, im proud to introduce the k nine hero act last week. Military and Law Enforcement k nines work in tan den with the great men and women who serve our great nation. Once they retire from service, the medical treatment they need is often significant enough to create a Financial Hardship for the individuals who care for them. The canine hero act creates a Grant Program to assist nonprofits that take in retired working dogs or provide Financial Assistance to the owners of retired working dogs. These grants will cover medical cost such as veterinarian visits, medical procedures, diagnostic tests, and medications which tend to average around 3,000 per year, per dog. As most know, just a few weeks ago a k9 played a rue shall role in the capture and ultimately the killing of isis leader abu albaghdadi. This k9 took off, racing down an underground tunnel before cornering baghdadi, leaving him nowhere to run. Its stories like these that inspired me to introduce the k9 hero act. These dogs assist our federal government in ways that no man or machine could. And its unacceptable to me for them to live with inadequate medical care or even be euthanized in some cases after sacrificing so much for our country. This bill helps ensure these heroes are well taken care of during retirement and that their for these dical care k9s and their loving colleagues on both sides of the aisle, i believe, should support his legislation. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to express my outrage over the practice of telebortion. This practice which gets its name from practitioners performing abortions over the phone or computer occurs when chemical abortions are induced with no Health Care Provider present. This practice sounds simple except the woman taking the drugs isnt in a medical facility, no certified medical personnel are present, and if the drugs dont work as planned, and the baby is not stillborn, it may still end up in a dumpster and the mother may end up in an emergency room. The obvious danger is why i telebortion935, the prevention act. This protects Womens Health by making it a federal offense for Health Care Providers to perform a chemical abortion without first physically examining the patient, being present during the chemical abortion, and scheduling a followup visit for the patient. Chemical abortions are induced using a twostep Abortion Pill regimen that can be taken up during the ninth week of pregnancy. Given the serious risks, the f. D. A. Has put regulations in place, but proabortion groups are looking for ways to get around the law. If these f. D. A. Regulations were ever lifted, chemical abortion drugs could become available by prescription, enabling a single Health Care Provider to mail chemical Abortion Pills to women and young girls across the country regardless of state prolife protections. And whether they have seen a doctor and had an ultrasound performed. This legislation ensures these much needed f. D. A. Regulations will not be lifted. No doctor should feel comfortable prescribing a life ending pharmaceutical drug without physically being there to administer it to the patient. If the Womans Health argument is really more than subterfuge that puts dressing on a tragedy, i urge my colleagues to join me in passing h. R. 4935, the telebortion prevention act. Mr. Speaker, i rise because yesterday i had the privilege of introducing the National Medal of honor monument act with my fellow texan, congressman martin veasey. Over the course of our history, over 3,500 United States service men and women have within honored been honored with our nations highest military decoration, the medal of honor. It is awarded to u. S. Service members who have distinguished themselves with extraordinary acts of valor. These men and women im referring to went above and beyond the call of duty on the battlefield in order to preserve our values and way of life. This legislation ensures that their contribution and patriotism are never forgotten. These heroic individuals deserve to be memorialized with a monument in our Nations Capital among the other great americans that have helped shape our nation. In texas, we celebrate patriotism. American ideals, and our nations heroes. Earlier this fall the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation chose my hometown of arlington, arlington, texas, as the location for the new National Medal of honor museum. This legislation makes it official. Congratulations to mayor williams and the rest of arlingtons leadership for bringing it to the dallasfort worth residents and over 14 million visitors arlington welcomes each year. Most importantly the 1. 8 million veterans and active duty military that call texas home. With that i yield back. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 12a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until