Transcripts For CSPAN House Appropriations Debates 2021 Energy Water Labor Education HHS... 20240712

Good afternoon. I call this meeting of the committee on appropriations to order. Before we begin, house rules now we have set up any mileage us to which members can send anything they wish to submit they wish to submit in writing in any of her hearings or markups. Our hearings or markups. Has been provided to staff. The first order of business is consideration of the energy and Water Development appropriations bill. For fiscal year 2021. Captornow recognize this ms. Captor to present the bill. Please let me also add my you for your honorable and dedicated service to our community and nation and for your recognition of the full potential of this bill. You will truly be missed. I am pleased to consider the energy and water bill today. It is a good bill. A bill that captures the spirit of ingenuity and independence of the American People. Are actually able to provide the most important Climate Change bill congress will pass this year. This bill provides the foundation of critical investments that combat Climate Change, to upgrade infrastructure, and responsibly fund our Nations Nuclear deterrence. It rejects this administrations dangerous plan to restart Nuclear Explosive testing. In addition to regular appropriations, this bill qs of additional Infrastructure Investment to help our nation recover from the economic recession haste and by the hastenedus pandemic by the coronavirus pandemic. Modernize is our water and energy infrastructure. It rejects the president s proposed cuts. Instead, it invests an important programs that keep our nation at the forefront of innovation. It enables the efficient shipment of goods and provides water, irrigation, and electricity to millions of our fellow citizens. These programs are their lifeblood and propel real economic growth. Let me briefly walk through the build. The army corps of engineers received 7. 6 billion, the second year of record funding, to address the significant backlog and increase of 1. 7 billion above the budget request. We all must salute the whoessionals at the corps assisted with the Coronavirus Response across the nation. The Bureau Reclamation receives 1. 64 billion. The department of Energy Receives 41 billion. Within the department of energy, the bill contains historic funding levels for key Energy Innovation programs. Energy efficiency and renewable Energy Receives 2. 85 billion. 2. 1 billion above the request. Our advanced Energy Portfolio receives 435 million. The record amount for a program the president proposed to eliminate. It represents the future. And the office of science received 7. 05 alien dollars. 2 billion seven 7. 05 billion. 1. 2 billion more than additionally requested more than initially requested. The bill also provides an increase to one sure lowincome households have and live morency Sustainable Futures in those communities. The National Nuclear Security Administration receives 18 billion. Fundsll responsibly American Nuclear deterrence. This bill prohibits funds to be used for a border wall. It does not allow the president to divert essential army corps funding from previously approved appropriation. A rich,tly, to ensure robust economy, the bill includes additional investments including 17ure, billion for the army corps of engineers to accelerate pending projects with a huge backlog. Including 10 billion in construction and 5 billion in operation and maintenance. The bill includes 3 billion to accelerate work on authorized reclamation projects and 23. 5 billion for the department of energy to modernize infrastructure and deploy technologies for our nations clean energy future. It actuallyset is amazing to me to look at our maps around the world as people shelterinplace at the dramatic change and positive change in the environment. We simply have to do better. This bill makes desperately needed investments and Water Infrastructure. In invest in clear energy technologies. It invests in clear energy technologies. It promotes a Credible Nuclear Deterrence while supporting robust, nonproliferation programs. To thank our subcommittee members for their direct engagement during the in usual process this year. I also want to thank our Ranking Member, mr. Simpson. A giant in the congress. Miss granger for their full partnership. I would also like to thank our enduring staff for their hard work. Marcel c. , etc. The majority side in the minority side. Thank you very much. I would now like to recognize the subcommittee Ranking Member, mr. Simpson. Thank you. Before i start my comments, had like to take a moment to of knowledge this is your final energy and water mark of. It took a long time acknowledge this is your final energy and water markup. It took a long time and you have set a great example. You have always been honest and respectful interactions with me in my side of the aisle, even when disagreeing on policy issues. Thank you for your service to this committee and the nation. I wish you the great happiness and whatever you wish to do after your turn meant congress your retirement from congress. It is clear the majority worked hard to address individual members of priorities from both sides of the aisle. Of great importance to me is the department of energys Nuclear Energy program. I appreciate the effort to address many of my priorities within that account. Overall funding for the program is not reflected of the importance to the global and National Energy future. The report expresses the intent to address Climate Change. You heard much of that during the opening remarks. Those words seem a bit hollow slowedcarbon free they base load suffers one of the largest cuts in the entire bill. I am hopeful we can Work Together towards stronger funding for this program, including specific projects like the versatile test reactor. It includes an astonishing amount of emergency, mandatory, and other spending that undermine the defense and nondefense spending levels agreed to win last years bipartisan budget deal. All without discretion, let alone buy in from republicans. The bill shortchanges funding for the Nuclear Weapons program by almost 2 billion. I acknowledge the increase above last year. We must also of knowledge the threats we face today are not the same threats we faced in the years immediately following the end of the cold war. D asust adequately fun necessary to maintain an effective stockpile. Build the infrastructure that is necessary. Many buildings and facilities being used today are 50 or 60 years old. Places that you probably would not want to go into or let alone working. Those need to be replaced. That was much of the increase from nnsa this year. But we are not but we have not met the. But we have not met that. Three provisions as drafted good the short our ability to maintain an an Effective Nuclear deterrence. Advise, isis, develop, or execute the budget for the national Security Administration or nnsa. I believe the intent of the provision is to reaffirm that the secretary of energy has sibility and authority for appropriately balancing the department, including the Nuclear Weapons program. I support what they are intending to do with this language. I support the current structure is an important as an important aspect of civilian control. As drafted, section 309 likely would append current laws upend current laws. They are doing short communication and coordination between the department of energy and the fence. They are to ensure communication and coordination between the department of energy and the department of defense. We are directed to advise both departments on their respective budgetary needs. I dont believe it was a majoritys goal to do so. Plain reading would prevent much of this work from happening. As we move forward, i am hopeful that we can Work Together to address these unintended consequences. To the intented of what they are trying to do with this. I agree with it. The language causes me some concern. The bill provides no funding for Yucca Mountain. For the application process. I would remind members the aw of theis still the l land. The bill puts in money for interim storage, not construction, but to advance interim storage. Communities that once were looking at being places for interim storage are now starting to reject that, because we are not working on a permanent repository. They are concerned that they would become the de facto permanent repository. I would also like to know what exactly they mean by consentbased. Consent by who . Just the people in the local community . In that case, Yucca Mountain has consent. People supported. It. Eople support why do you mean by consentbased . Who has to consent . [no audio] i would now like to recognize myself for opening remarks. I congratulate the chairwoman, the Ranking Member for this bill before us. I also think the subCommittee Staff for their great work. Billtrong funding in this is critical for our nations ability to recover from the and soirus pandemic and economic crises. It revitalizes Americas Energy and Water Infrastructure and fosters Energy Innovation while supporting a balance and responsible approach to national andrity balanced responsible approach to national security. We invest in modernizing our aging infrastructure, maintaining our economically important rivers and waterways, and protect communities from flooding made worse by Climate Change. Bill advances new studies in construction efforts and provides the resources needed to continue projects across every state and territory. In the billnds actually help the American People, it bars the use of funds for President Trumps wasteful border well. The threats of Climate Change are real. This bill takes proactive steps to support renewable and Sustainable Energy resources by providing 2. 85 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy activities. The bill rejects. The administrations proposal to andinate invest in cuttingedge research to radically improve economic prosperity. The health of our environment and our national security. Thelly, the bill supports Nuclear Responsibility of the department of energy, maintains the safety, security, and effectiveness of the Nations Nuclear deterrence, while addressing the challenges that nuclear of proliferation and terrorism. The bill provides interim storage of Nuclear Waste and would prohibit funding for an unnecessary restart of Nuclear Weapons testing. Measuredthese investments and this prohibition strengthen our national security. The bill represents a serious commitment to ensure a clean energy future, reduce risk to our infrastructure, and secure our safety and prosperity. Againstvestments hedge the need for even greater resources in the event of the infrastructure failures. National disasters, severe ttacks onvents, or a our security. With this bill, we can get americans back to work. Rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. And embrace a clean energy future. I urge support. I would now like to recognize my friend, Ranking Member granger, for her opening remarks. Thank you, madam chair. I want to begin by thanking the chairwoman and the Ranking Member further and Ranking Member simpson. Almost every Congressional District across the country benefits in some way from the important work of the corps of engineer and the bureau of reclamation. These agencies are responsible for projects that protect the public and property. Itproven they are made is proven that they generate millions of jobs. These projects were significant sources of drinking and Irrigation Water for our communities and farmers. Fortunately, the bill does not sufficiently prioritize funding for other critical priorities. I am disappointed the bill includes controversial policy writers and significant new emergency spending. Funding for Nuclear Weapons activities, although increased above last year, is well below the budget request, even though the infrastructure is in serious need of repair. For example, there is a building 200ennessee where a pound slab of concrete literally fell from the ceiling. We must provide the funding necessary to ensure our ability to deter nuclear attacks. Policy writers include language stopping funds from being used for the border wall, and prohibits the funds for a critical water storage project in california. In previous years, we can expect administration to oppose controversial policy writers. As in previous years, we can expect the administration to oppose controversial policy writers. The bill includes 43. 5 billion in new emergency spending. I cant support the additional spending until there is serious discussion with members on our side of the aisle. Would like to recognize the members of the subcommittee in closing and the staff for their work on this bill. I thank you madam chair, i yield back. Thank you, madam chair, i yield back. I am pleased to call on mr. Rogers. Moment to thank the chairman and Ranking Member forson and the Committee Funding the appellation Regional Commission. Arc. Throughout my time in congress, the appellation Regional Commission has been a bastion of hope for our region. 1965, it has led efforts to innovate and invest in the region. To strengthen economic growth. The chairke to thank for providing 175 million for arc in this bill. 10 million more than the president s request and last years level. And continuing to include 65 million to help those in apalatia who have been hurt. This funding will enable arc to continue its strong record of creating thousands of new jobs, improving local water ran local water systems, increasing access to health care , investing in critical broadband and infrastructure, and more. I was pleased to see strong funding for the critical program, the bills overall funding level gives me great concern. Especially when considering the additional 17 billion in emergency spending. The cause of that spending in partisan policy writers because of that spending in the partisan because of that spending and the partisan policy writers, i cannot support this bill. I yield back. Ms. Frankel is recognized. Thank you, madam chair. It is an honor to serve with you on this committee. I just want to make a few points that are crucial to not only stuff, but a country. We have funded the everglades at a high level and added necessary for projectsge moving forward. It is not only a national park, it serves as the main water source for 8 million south floridians and visitors. It is also the home to 180 plants and animal species that are threatened or endangered. Florida, the state of the federal government, the army corps of engineers play a major role in making sure that [indiscernible] as nature intended, protecting this environment, and our water for future and current generations. Second, i want to add my thanks to increasing the Renewable Energy program over to pointed billion dollars program, over 2. 8 billion. I want to talk a little bit about the beach, the waterways, andh are economic engines south florida and around our nation. Beaches bring billions of dollars around the country, 70 billion here in florida. 690,000 jobs in the United States. Commercial ports in the usa, trillions of dollars added to our economy. Everll be more vital than before we get control of our covid pandemic. , once just add that it is again, the language in this bill. Tates to use best science i look forward to working with you as we work with the senate. I yield back. Hello, madam chair, members of the committee. I deeply missed being here today. We have limited bandwidth. Thanks for accommodating. 94 million is included in this bill. Completing the long expansion. You worked closely with me and mr. Bishop and our entire georgia delegation over the years to address the port of savannah. And so many other projects during my time on this committee. We all know that we could not do this without the incredible help of the. Teams that surround us. Help of the team that some help of the teams that surround us. There is one special person i wanted to thank. Someone has been with me for over 10 years on the hill. That is jason murphy. Hes done a great job for us over the last decade. Hes been a great asset to my office and our entire is delegation in the state of georgia. Thank you for all your great work. Thank you again, madam chair. I look forward to being in person with you. I yield back. Thank you very much. Mr. Kilmer. Thank you, madam chair. I want to start by thanking chairwoman captor and Ranking Member simpson. And also the incredibly hardworking staff for ensuring this bill reflects a priorities of the focus i represent. The region i represent is already feeling the impacts of Climate Change. We have four tribal communities working to move to Higher Ground due to sea level rise. Whoseish growers livelihoods are threatened by ocean acidification. And communities like ocean shores, experiencing more frequent and damaging coastal hazards. These communities are counting on us to provide the dedicated federal resources to both mitigate those impacts and to path ton a decarbonating our sector and reaching emissions goals. Of the provisions in this builder just that. I am grateful that includes provisions to bolster the the army corps of engineers, provide financial fortechnical assistance communities working to address and coastal resilience measures. While the support will go a long way to help the communities are represent, take the necessary steps to keep focusing, i also know mitigation is just one piece of the equation. If we are going to make a manyfold difference, we have to reduce our nations reliance on fossil fuels. I am proud that the funding in this bill reflects these priorities and rejects the president s proposal to cut Clean Energy Programs and double down on our nations reliance on fossil fuels. In addition to providing more than 3 billion for key national that increase Energy Efficiency and or nation dish in our nations most in our nations most intensive sector. Concept testing for these technologies is happening at the Pacific Northwest national lab in washington writing my district. T write in my district righ in my district. I am glad the funding levels provided in this bill reflect the valleys of the folks i represent and the majority of americans across the country who are counting on the federal government to make the necessary investments to position our andon to be a leader advance Clean Energy Technologies that will allow was to combat the Climate Crisis. I am proud to support this bill. I urge my colleagues to do the same. Thank you again for your leadership. I yield back. Mr. Newhouse is recognized. You, madam chair. Captor ando chair Ranking Member simpson. Every year, we have the opportunity to bring forward this Important Energy and water appropriations legislation for consideration. Each year, i appreciate the chance to highlight how wideranging the impact of this bill is. This year, i am glad to say it is no different. Water storage and conservation projects in the yakima and columbia basins, to the army corps of engineers treaty, to themany important roles administration plays in the dish a vision of clean, Reliable Energy that we receive from the system. He plays a pivotal role in crafting the identity and truly the backbone of our way of life in washingtons fourth district. One area of interest particularly in the tricities community is that of the department of energys work to support further advancements in the commercial nuclear space. As noted in the committees too, i, there is a great amount of interest in my district in the cross the state of washington in this and this important program. See more robust support as this bill moves forward in the process. Under the leadership of Ranking Member simpson and the groundbreaking work that has been conducted at the idaho the great state of idaho, i am confident our nation can further lead on nuclear and a vision. I know that my community of the tricity, with her strong workforce and expertise in nuclear issues, is ready and willing to assist in that work. I am also grateful to my colleagues in the subcommittee for the strong support this legislation includes for the cleanup at the Hanford Nuclear site. Thank you for continuing to recognize how important this work is to our nations environmental cleanup responsibility. I would also like to commend the strong support this bill includes for the office of electricity. The increased support for Overall Energy Storage Research and development is crucial for the work of this office. Particularly, that of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in my district. Work,eep allure of this the departments launchpad that is anchored will be crucial for developing technologies to address our climate and energy challenges. While the funding in this bill does not quite get us to where we need to be in the upcoming fiscal year, i am grateful for the committees work and hope to continue supporting the stronger levels. Manager, there are numerous other provisions in this bill. I could continue to highlight or discuss them. For now, i will say thank you. Thank you to my colleagues for their hard work. Thank you to the staff for their hard work on this important bill. Thank you. With that, i yield back. Thank you, madam chairwoman. Thank you, Ranking Member. Thank you, chairwoman captor and Ranking Member simpson for the and the staffill are all the hard work on this. In particular, i would let the thing chairwoman captor for including significant investments in scientific like to thank chairwoman captor for including significant investments in Scientific Research. We use these dollars for scientific innovations in green energy. We are fortunate to house one of the countrys Bioenergy Research centers funded by this bill. Y produce nontoxic products. The department of energy is perhaps the most important climateo combat the crisis. Am pleased to see investments in Renewable Energy. I am pleased to see investments in Renewable Energy. I am grateful for the funding for the army corps of engineers projects along the Mississippi River and the great lakes region, critical for shipping Agricultural Products from wisconsin, and to stop the dangerous part of asian ca asian carp into the great lakes. I yield back. Mr. Herrera butler is recognized ms. Herrera butler is recognized. I would let to say thank you to the chairwoman and Ranking Member for working with me to include a couple of important provisions in this bill and the report. First, the bill includes a regional an additional 5 million for the army corps of engineers Regulatory Program with the directive that the core shall use these funds to ensure the timely processing of shellfish permitting activities. We have already talked about shellfish in the great state of washington. Shellfish farmers are in dire need of a new permit from the army corps of engineers to continue to raise shellfish and earn their living like so many generations before them. The revocation of the permit and any delay in action would further devastate an industry that has been greatly affected by the pandemic, as so many of our communities have been. I also would like to highlight report language in the bill regarding sentiment monitoring and the Mount Saint Helens region. Yearly monitoring of sediment levels is vital to maintain the safety of the residence. Residents. Without yearly monitoring, officials will not have a clear idea of the flood risk from the sediment left over or whether the sediment retention structure currently in place adequately protects the communities that i serve. I appreciate the chairwoman and Ranking Member working with me to include language in the report to encourage the Army Corps Headquarters to include Adequate Funding for sediment monitoring activities and in future budget submissions. I yield back. Ms. Wasserman schultz is recognized. Thank you, madam chair. I am proud to be a member of the energy and water subcommittee, which has a wonderful record of bipartisanship in getting things e through our Community Communities across the nation. Thank you for working with the entire subcommittee to incorporate our input in this terrific bill. This bill makes strong and sensible investments in environment, water, clean energy, nonproliferation. This bill sufficiently funds the army corps of engineers and rejects the funds proposed by the administration. It will allow critical projects to move forward. I am particularly thrilled to see that the bow fully funds the everglades restoration project, a bipartisan achievement that everyone in the delegation will celebrate. I was pleased to see the bill makes a fixed report which that prevents congressionally out the rest congressionally authorized everglades restoration programs from moving forward. We have worked for a while on this. I think you and your subcommittee and staff for your patience in the accommodation. I thank you and your subcommittee and your staff for your patience in the accommodation. Critically important we protect our federal and state investments in the south florida ecosystem restoration, which may be a largest Environmental Restoration project in the world. The billd to see includes linguistic block oil drilling and conservation areas in florida. I am encouraged to see this bill includes funding increases for the office of Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy and for advanced Research Projects. These are vital investments in stopping the Climate Crisis and helping us transition into a clean energy economy. 13. 7 billion a reasonable level that rejects the ministrations unreasonable request for a smaller increase. Thank you for working with us to put together an important bill that will go a long way towards making a real difference for our constituents. A yield back the balance of my time. Thank you. I want to also thank the for the work she has done in this bill in the Ranking Member for and the Ranking Member for the work he has done, and the staff on both sides. Thank for coming up with a balanced build. Thank you for adding some of my provisions. Let me go over a couple of them. The first one deals with an area that covers arizona, california, new mexico, and texas. Im talking about the southwest border Regional Commission. You will putoney in, the 250,000, is only just the first time any money has been given since this commission will started in 2008. If reason this is important, the bordert give you counties in texas, if you would take the 43 counties that make border area of texas, they would be the 51st state, that area would rank number one in poverty and unemployment, Spanish Speaking in the home, it would be the thirdlargest with foreign populations, female heads of households, civilian population mill population in military duty. So the south was border regional so this 250,000 for the southwest border Regional Commission, i want to say thank you. I want to make sure you have a perspective. I just want to make sure that we all understand that this is an area that not only do we we should not be talking about the wall, but we ought to be investing in social infrastructure. I also want to thank you for including no border wall funding. Thank you so much for that. Theso want to talk about area in my area that we represent, there is a lot of energy down there. We need to understand youre going to have energy and still work on protecting the internment. I want to thank you for adding protecting the environment. I want to thank you for adding the national gas infrastructure, the methane gas emissions, and on 32ry good work billion for combating Climate Change. Some of that is my provision, but your leadership in this is so well taken. I want to thank you so much for the provisions that you added. For thecular, the first southwest Regional Commission. Texas border if counties were a 51st state, we would be number one in every symbol category. Thank you for taking this for step. I yield back the balance of my time. I am pleased to yield for mr. Tim ryans for his remarks tim ryan for his remarks. I also want to support this ill and thank my fellow iowans, chair and wrecking member simpson, think you for being partners on this Building Work with. I was pleased to see the committee included 5 million for the advanced Technology Vehicles manufacturing loan Program President trump has repeatedly tried to eliminate. The Program Helps companies retool facilities and build advanced electric vehicles. This particularly important in my Congressional District, home to a brandnew stateoftheart electric vehicle manufacturing facility. Lordstown motors. The atvm loan program has an critical to getting the steps of plants up and running in bringing new, high paying jobs to communities such as mine in northeast ohio. I am proud to see our committee committing resources to invest in building americas dominance and electric vehicles. When you look at what communities like ours and the industrial midwest and in the ofth, who have lost lots manufacturing and jobs over the last 3040 years, this bill is really critical to getting these communities up off their feet. I want to say thank you. The funding around advancement of fracturing is key. Agencyd Research Project is critical. I mentioned the vehicle manufacturing loan program, battery and fracturing research, vehicle technologies, Research Electrification technologies. This bill, madam chair, is on atial to throw gasoline lot of the little fires that are burning around the country. To help give these companies and communities an opportunity to do the kind of Public Private partnerships its going to take to get this country dominating technologies like electric vehicles. Precovid, the chinese had 50 theent 50 60 in electric vehicle market. These could be high wage, high paying union jobs. Leadership. R your not many people in this congress recognize the delicate balance private these Public Partnerships and the importance of the government not to run these type of companies or programs, but to be a catalyst and stimulate the kind of growth that we need. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you. I yield back. Seeing no other member wishing to make opening remarks, i would like to recognize ms. Captor to offer a managers amendment. I have an amendment at the desk. The clerk will read the amendment. I ask the clerk i ask the clerk do the reading. Are calling submitted over our colleague submitted over 1000 requests and we were able to satisfy 97 of those requests. Over the past two days, i worked with Ranking Member simpson to agree on noncontroversial changes to the bill and report to further the interest of members of this committee on a bipartisan basis. I yield back. Ranking member simpson is recognized. Thank you. I support the amendment. I yield back. Are there any other members who wish to be heard on the amendment . Harris seeks recognition. I want to thank the manager for including language that to be top prioritize resemble it was in close proximate to other replenishment projects. These are very important Chesapeake Bay projects. We have a beneficial use for the materials and we create important islands in the bay. I think the manager and i yield back. Yield oneeased to minute to ms. Captor to close. I support the amendment, madam chair. All those in favor, say aye no. Ose opposed, say clearly have it. The amendment is adopted. Are there any further amendments . At an chairwoman madam chairwoman . Over here. For what purpose does the member from california rise . And give for recognizing me. Deske an amendment at the thank you for recognizing me. I have an amendment at the desk. I asked the amendment be considered as read. Or two . Is amendment one this is amendment one. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is suspende permitted. The gentleman from california a pleasure working with you and we will miss you and i wish you good fortune in the future. Appreciate the opportunity to offer this amendment, which would release funding for an important water storage project in california, prohibiting funds being used for this project. Over the last two years, that shasta dam project has been recognized for funding by the secretary of the interior. For the second year in a row, it has been singled out for exclusion in the energy and water bill. The shasta dam is the most effective way to increase water supply in the nearterm. The project will provide increased flexibility throughout the state Water Project and the Central Valley project. When Congress Passed the act in 2016, it was a bipartisan commitment to invest in future water resources. We recognize that members across the aisle supported a variety of water supply technologies and foundational to that act is a commitment to all of the above water policy. Until recently, congress removed politics from these decisions and approved project recommendations wholesale. It is our response ability to look to the future to provide the federal resources necessary, to protect our nations water supply security after years of strong precipitation, now california is expanding a dry year. We know in california when that threat of a longterm drought is always just right around the corner, we cannot waste opportunities to plan for tomorrow and we must continue investing in high yield, costeffective projects like shasta. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and help deliver on all the above solution for the drought prone west. I yield back the balance of my time. You. Woman lowey to thank you for the amendment. You know the respect i have for you, but i would have to oppose your and them at this time urging all members to oppose it as well. It will lift a controversial california Water Project in the underlying bill, making the project eligible to receive federal appropriations under the wynn act. Additionally, it was strike section 209 from the borough title of the bill, a provision included to ensure that provided in our bill cannot be used for this controversial project. I opposed the amendment that would attempt to find this project in our bill. This project is unlawful under state law. California courts have twice ruled against the project. Furthermore, the project does not have a federal partner, which is required to move forward. Additionally, the gentlemans amendment would strike section 209 from our bill. This provision importantly six to seeks to ensure that the ministration does not circumvent congressional direction in an attempt to fund this project with other funding provided by our bill. In my view, there is no reason to allow our limited funds to be used to further a project that ultimately cannot ever be built. For these reasons i opposed the amendment and i urge my colleagues to oppose it as well. Chairwoman lowey mr. Simpson is recognized. Thank you. I support the calvert amendment, which would undo the underlying bills unfair, i repeat unfair targeting of an important Water Project in his estate. When it comes to western water, the energy and water subcommittee has typically taken an all of the above approach to improving water supply and reliability. When it comes to water supply, it is inappropriate to throw away opportunities to enhance water security in the drought prone west. That is why last year i was disappointed to see a project of great importance to my california colleagues left out of the energy and water bill. The shasta dam and reservoir enlargement project will provide significant benefits to the entire california system. Unfortunately, this year the majority has doubled down on partisanship by not only leaving the shasta project off the list of recommended projects, but also including language prohibiting any funds, any funds from being used for this project. I cannot think of another time when the committee has targeted a specific project this way. It sets a horrible precedent to prohibit funds for a project simply because somebody does not like it. I did not do that when i was chairman of the energy and water subcommittee, and we should not be doing it now. I encourage colleagues to continue the tradition of keeping politics out of funding decisions and to support this amendment. I yield back. Chairwoman lowey i am pleased to recognize ms. Kastur. That would be calvert. [indiscernible] chairwoman lowey miss granger. Thank you. I apologize. I knew that we were good friends. I knew you were not forget me. Thank you, madam chair. I strongly support the amendment. This amendment ensures all projects recommended by the experts at the department of the interior are included in the bill. It also allows all authorized projects to be eligible to compete for additional funding. The shasta dam and reservoir enlargement project was recommended for funding by the ministries and last year and again this year. Unfortunately, my colleagues on the others have chosen to unfairly target the shasta project by prohibiting funds for it. Water supply projects are critical to the west where droughts are all too frequent. This and then that will allow the recommended project to advance, and i urge adoption of the mmn. Of the amendment. Chairwoman lowey if there is no further debate, the member from california is recognized and the amendment for one minute to close. Thank you. That alloint out to Water Projects in california are controversial, and they have been for some time. A lot of work has taken place on iis, for the entire 28 years have been here we have been working on shasta. I want to encourage my colleagues to avoid picking political favorites. We have an opportunity to avoid the worst impacts of the worst nd this will significantly increase the flex ability of the entire california system. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and i yield back the balance of my time. Chairwoman lowey the question is on the amendment offered by the member from california. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair, nos have it in the amendment is not adopted. And the amendment is not adopted. For what purpose does the member from california rise . I have it amendment at the desk. Chairwoman lowey the clerk will read the amendment. I as could be considered as read. Chairwoman lowey without objection, the reading is suspended. I would like to thank they miss simpson for agreeing to increase funding in the bill, as part of todays amendment. I recognize that with these funding levels you must balance every members priorities and i appreciate your willingness to work with me on these vital programs. My amendment would remove bill language prohibiting the interior department from obligating funds to the water storage projects named in this bill until the secretary recommends water recycling and desalinization products for approval. Ii and concerned that this language unnecessarily restricts these projects moving forward, and would put water recycling and desalinization ahead of water storage. The interior department has already spent all funds appropriated through fy 2018 recycling and desalinization, but water storage lags behind, largely because we do not receive robust storage recommendations through the first several years of the program. As a Water Storage Program matures, more projects are included in the program and many projects move from study phases toward construction. Funding needs to increase. 20202021y the fy demonstrates, the storage hasnt fallen behind and is now ready to catch up with the other two programs. The language in the underlying bill would inadvertently push recycling and desalinization ahead of water storage. As you all heard, the wynn enacted all of the above water policy and it is important that congress strives to maintain parity between three programs. Approving interior recommendations today without research and will reaffirm that commitment. I urge my colleagues to support my mama and i yield to the remainder of my time. I rise in opposition to this amendment. The provision that the gentleman wants to strike from the bill is a commonsense provision. This may shock some of my colleagues, but it appears that this administration is playing politics with funding that has previously been appropriated by this committee, which should be allocated to worthwhile Water Projects. We agree with allocating toward worthwhile Water Projects. Last month, the department of interior provided recommendations to congress that would seek to find only one of three categories of Water Projects. They only want to find water storage. Unfortunately fund water storage. Unfortunately, their admission was missing recommendations for desalinization and for reuse projects, which are a priority for many on this committee. While i have no problem with a specific category of projects, i take issue with this administrations apparent attempt to hold hostage these project recommendations until it gets its way on water storage. The provision the gentleman wishes to strike from the bill only ensures that the Administration Must follow the act in good faith and make recommendations for desalinization and water reclamation and reuse projects before it can use or before it can move money out of their storage projects. They are playing the piano on only one key. We point know what they will do on the other two keys. We must take a stand against this administration playing politics with congressionally appropriated funding. I urge my colleagues devote no on the amendment to vote no on the mmn. Chairwoman lowey mr. Simpson. I rise in strong support for the calvert amendment. The act establishes a process by which the department of the interior recommends projects under three programs for funding, and the bill must name those projects before funds can be allocated. This process was intended to balance oversight with the ban on congressional earmarks. Republicans in the majority treated these recommendations similar to a budget request, and we named the projects as recommended or recommendations received. My colleagues on the other side have instead resorted to partisan games. At the language in the bill names nine of 10 recently recommended Water Projects, storage projects, but it does not allow the funds to be used until unrelated projects are recommended. The argument seems to be that the research and is necessary to bring parity to these three programs, but that is a false argument for two reasons. First, these projects must be named to bring water storage up to the same level as the other two. Currently, we have allocated a smaller portion of the water storage funding than funding for the other programs. So naming these projects does not move water storage ahead, it is playing catch up. Second, the House Democrats are the ones breaking the connection between the programs by picking and choosing which recommended projects they are willing to name. The previous amendment on shasta dam makes that quite clear. Thethese reasons i support calvert amendment to allow the recommended water storage projects to proceed without delay and i urge my colleagues to support this amendment as well. Chairwoman lowey ms. Granger . Thank you. I support the amendment. This amendment ensures that critical water storage projects are able to receive, in contrast, the underlying bill will hold them hostage, potentially for a year or more until other unrelated projects are ready to move forward. The water storage projects recommended by the department of the interior will help provide access to stable Water Supplies for many communities, farmers and ranchers in multiple western states. We should allow these Infrastructure Improvements to proceed without delay. I urge adoption of the amendment. Chairwoman lowey if there is no further debate, the member from california is recognized on the amendment for one minute to close. Thank you. In closing, i believe the language in the energy and water bill unnecessarily restricts funding for important projects throughout the west. Theres a bipartisan support for congress for storage, recycling and desalinization and security for the west, and we must make sure all these programs move forward together. Areeve it or not, there some folks opposed to storage. I certainly hope that is not the members of this committee. 1 actving the fy 202 without research and keeps us on the right path. I urge support for my mama and i yield back. And i yieldendment back. Chairwoman lowey mr. Newhouse . Are you ready to speak . I would like to be recognized to strike the last word. You want to vote . Chairwoman lowey we are not ready yet. The question is on the amendment offered by the member from california. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair, the nos have it and of the amendment is not adopted. Mr. Newhouse, you are not recognized. Thank you. I appreciate that. One year ago i stood before this committee when we used to stand before the committee, and i employed or implored my colleagues to take seriously, despite whatever difficulty there may be on a political level, the important issue of forring a National Strategy a permanent repository for highlevel defense Nuclear Waste and commercial spent nuclear fuel. Today, we are no closer to developing such a strategy. The question today that comes to frame the issue in my mind is, where is the leadership . I have already voiced my disappointment in the administrations decision to not include funding for the mountain in the budget request. I went to the white house after they made this, my opinion, ill advised decision to to forgo funding in the upcoming year and told him that this issue was too important to play politics with. They said that their focus was going to give it to a strategy of interim storage. But as this Committee Report where is thetes, planet interim storage . Where is the strategy . Again, where is the leadership . This matter is not just in the hands of the white house and the department of energy, madam chair, it is in our hands as well. The bill before us today fails to do its job. We then are failing to do our jobs. 800yers are assessed over million annually. Thats 2. 2 million per day, because of the federal governments failure to meet its obligation to dispose of used fuel across the country. This committee is not doing its job. This committee is not leading, but we should and we must. The fact of the matter is that Yucca Mountain is the law of the land. There is no skirting that fact. The federal government spent decades and billions of taxpayer dollars studying the right place for the repository. It has been the subject of one of the most thorough and extensive reviews of a major government project that has ever been conducted in history. The conclusion, Yucca Mountain. So for the u. S. Congress to continue sweeping this under the rug, literally, ignoring the aoblem, skirting the issue is fundamental failure of this body. Whereectfully must ask, are the advocates for Good Government . Where are the taxpayer advocacy organizations . Where are the Nuclear Industry associations . Everyone of these organizations should be knocking on the door of each and every Single Member of this committee, demanding that we do our jobs. Unfortunately, they are not. Again, where is the leadership . There is one person i can point to for his steadfast leadership, and i am sad to say, and disappointed that the peoples house will be losing his voice at the end of this congress upon his retirement. Representative john shimkus has been an advocate on the committee, and in the u. S. House of representatives, for solving this problem once and for all. Taxpayers across this nation should think him thank him for his efforts. The best way to do so would to behold would be to hold everybody accountable and commit to getting this job done. There are those on both sides of the aisle that know the difference between right and wrong on this issue. Many of you in this room. On the other side of the aisle, you in fact supported the legislation on the house floor last congress to address this matter. I continue to implore you to stay consistent. In the meantime, i would extend a genuine invitation to my colleagues, all of my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to join me in this important conversation. My door is open and i hope we can move forward toward progress on this matter. Its just too important for us not to. With that i yield back. Chairwoman lowey miss captor is recognized. I thank the german for bringing up this crucial subject matter. And i agree that our communities are counting on us to do something on Nuclear Waste. I think that this committee has actually moved the ball. Im proud of our work. In fact, for the first time this bill provides 20 million for interim storage activities added to 25 million in research accounts that have been occurring over the years, to try to help us envision how to find alternatives that would actually work. And we have directed the department of energy to begin siding work for a federal interim Storage Facility using a consent based approach. We all know major change takes time. And we know that it is difficult to turn this ship, but we are doing it in our time. And we can and must do better than retiring on Yucca Mountain, and i thank my colleagues for not offering an amendment today. Interim storage is a path forward for removing fuel from reactor sites. And it can get waste out of our districts sooner. I come from a region that is directly impacted by two Nuclear Power plants, one of which has had severe problems. And they have onsite storage. And i personally am committed to finding a pathway for Nuclear Waste storage, past members have not been able to do that. I think we have the leadership on this committee to do that on behalf of our communities. And i believe that this bill is a start. You do not have bells and whistles going off, but i think that the gentleman should look to the bill and take credit for bipartisanof a effort to try to really solve this problem. I want to thank you for bringing it up. I want to thank mr. Simpson for being a consistent voice. I think that the testimony before our subcommittee meeting huge difference. And america expects us to do this job and we are committed to doing that. I wish i could say science has provided us all the answers, but we are still looking to the department of energy for that leadership. But i think that this bill really is a change in the proper direction. I yield back. Chairwoman lowey mr. Simpson is recognized. Thank you. Unfortunately, we are not doing our job. That is the big problem. I want to thank mr. Newhouse for bringing this issue up in support for continued support for Yucca Mountain licensing application. Since the National Academy of sciences, energy and water since the National Academy of sciences issued its first report on Nuclear Waste disposal theons in 1957, International Scientific community has consistently concluded that permanent disposal in a deep underground repository is the best approach to dispose of Nuclear Waste. I then u. S. Come after decades and billions of dollars studying options, it is clear that Yucca Mountain is the most promising location to meet safety and environmental requirements. I think there has been like 53 onional academy studies done Yucca Mountain. I know there are still parties with objections, but through the process opponents of the Yucca Mountain site would have the opportunity to be heard and make their case before a panel of administrative judges, who are also trained engineers and scientists, continuing and completing that licensing process is how we will figure out if any concerns raised are scientifically valid. M nine side of the ais my side of the aisle is often accused of ignoring science, yet here is a clear example of the democrats saying science has no place in Public Policy. We we need we need an authoritative science decision on the safety of Yucca Mountain. It is time to stop the needlessly stop delaying the process. Many of us have Nuclear Waste in our state. Electricity customers, constituents interstates, have tod more than 21 billion the Nuclear Waste fund for a permanent repository. Paidnally, ratepayers have 43 billion with incurred interest. There is a political decision to halt advancements of the depository and it is taxpayers, not ratepayers, taxpayers of all Congressional Districts who are paying approximately 2. 2 million a day. 2. 2 million a day. To cover the cost of temporary onsite storage. I recognized majority has included funding in the bill to pursue federal consent based interim Storage Facilities under the current law. I mentioned earlier that i do not know what that means exactly, or how that is defined. Under the right circumstances, i could support interim storage options, but that would include moving forward on a permanent process worry. Without a permanent repository, interim sites will become the permanent sites and nobody will want to agree to that. I im not speculating. The governor of new mexico has articulated this point as a concern about the application for a private interim storage site in her state. It is beyond time that we complete the Yucca Mountain licensing application process, ratepayers, taxpayers and residents, everybody deserves the chance to complete the debate and work toward a final decision. Forank the chairwoman healing. Chairwoman lowey any further amendment or discussion . I recognize the gentleman from indiana for a motion, and i ask for your support for this bill. I moved to favorably report the energy and Water Development appropriations act 2021 to the house. Chairwoman lowey the question is on the motion. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. A recordedvote vote has been requested. All those in favor of a recorded vote raise your hand. A significant number being in support, a recorded vote is ordered into the clerk will call the roll. No. No. Aday . M amaday . Aye. Mr. Calvert, no. Mr. Carter [indiscernible] no. Mr. Cartwright . Aye. Mr. Case . Aye. Ms. Clark . Aye. Mr. Cole. No. Mr. Collier. Aye. Mr. Lauro. Aye. Mr. Diazbalart. No. Mr. Fleischman . No. Mr. Fortenberry, no. Mr. Frankel. Aye. Ms. Granger, no. Mr. Graves. No. Dr. Harris . No. Miss butler . No. Mr. Heard, no. Mr. Joyce. Mr. Joyce, no. Ms. Captor . Aye. Ms. Kirkpatrick. Aye. Ms. Lawrence . Aye. Mostly . Miss lee . Aye. Miss mccallum . Aye. Miss ming. Aye. Mr. Molnar, no. Mr. Newhouse, no. Mr. Palazzo, no. Ms. Pingree, aye. Mr. Poe can, aye. Mr. Price, aye. Mr. Quigley, aye. Misses ruby mr. Rogers, no. Mr. Rufus berger, aye. Mr. Rutherford, no. Mr. Ryan, aye. Mr. Serrano, aye. Mr. Simpson . No. Mr. Stewart. No. Misses torres. Aye. Mr. Viscosity. Aye. Ms. Wasserman schultz. Aye. Aye. Claus mike ullman, mr. Womack. Mr. Womack, no. [indiscernible] chairwoman lowey as the clerk tallies, i want to advise that we have six amendments to labor hhs education. We can finish before needing to break for dinner, if we are mindful of the lengths of our remarks. I see applause. Shall i repeated again for everybody . [laughter] chairwoman lowey thank you very, very much. Mr. Bishop . Am i recorded . No. I would like to be recorded, aye. Mr. Bishop, aye. Chairwoman lowey bipartisan, he agrees. [laughter] chairwoman lowey on this boat, the ayes have 30 and then nos, 21. The motion is agreed to. I ask that the staff be permitted to make technical and conforming changes to the bill. So ordered. Jection, i ask for three days for the minority to file views. [indistinct conversations] we just have one other one . [indistinct conversations] announcer the House Appropriations committee has been worked not winning levels for energy, labor, education and health and Human Services. We were watching live coverage on cspan. [indistinct conversations] [indistinct conversations] [gavel pounds] ladies andlowey gentlemen, our second order of Business Today is consideration human labor, health, services and education Appropriations Bills for fiscal year 2021. I when i recognize miss delauro to present the bill. I thank the chair. Todays markup of the labor health and human Services Education related Services Bill is a combination of hard work, from members and his staff on both sides of the aisle. I want to thank my colleagues, including my partner the Ranking Member tom cole. We have collaborated these last six yearsand have produced bills that have allowed the congress to advance americas needs. Let me also recognize the full committee Ranking Member, congresswoman kay granger for her work on behalf of the nation in this perilous time. And my dear friend and committee chair, congresswoman lowey. I am honored and it saddened that this is the last time i can markup this bill under the auspicious leadership of a path breaker and a changemaker. When i think about what you have achieved during your time in congress, what we have been able to achieve together, it gives me hope and hard for this nation and institution. Ass lowey has made the world far better place because of her commitment to this committee and to the labor hhs Education Bill. I will miss seeing her in the halls of congress and on the appropriations committee, but our friendship carries on. Include 196. 5 billion in overall funding. That includes an increase of 2. 4 billion above the 2020 level, and 20. 8 billion above the president s 2021 budget request. The programs are at the center of the countrys Health Crisis and economic crisis, both of which have exposed serious disparities. The virus continues to spike. More than 3. 2 million cases, tens of thousands of new cases are reported each day, and more than 135,000 people in the United States have died. In the absence of leadership from the white house, congress has stepped in. Since march 6, congress has pass four emergency packages and the labor subcommittee is at the center of responded to covid19. We have appropriated on a bipartisan basis 280 billion for education, health and for working people. And with the chairs mark, we build on those bipartisan emergency into supplemental packages. We are working together to defeat this virus, not surrender to it. And to deliver to the people in this country, to the dawn of a recovery, not to abandon them to an economic collapse. This bill supports some of our most could go programs, from Early Head Start to social security. It touches on individuals and families throughout their lives. Our members recognize that. The subcommittee received more than 15,000 requests for todays bill. We were able to fulfill in in total either in total or in part most of them from both sides of the aisle. Each office should have already received electronically a document that outlines your priorities included in the bill before us. So, working together and building on the efforts we have made together, we advance todays bill, making investments for the nation, for health, education and for good paying, safe and secure jobs. And to address disparities in these areas that have been exposed by this virus. That is the mission of the bill. Now, let me overview. Health, for health we provided approximately 96 billion for programs at the u. S. Department of health and Human Services. An increase of 1. 5 billion above the enacted level for 2020. We seek to do more to help our constituents to access new cures, treatments, research, new protections, to help them and their families live healthier lives. To fight alzheimers, cancer, opioid addiction and resistant infections, and gun violence, to support safety, dress Maternal Health and eliminate hivaids. Our nation faces Health Disparities and we seek to address them. For Early Childhood programs, we have included an increase of 150 million for headstart, an increase of 100 million for child care, an increase of 25 million for preschool development. The first few years are essential for longterm outcomes for kids, but for our children to thrive we have to support them at this vulnerable time of crucial development, especially when the health and economic crisis we are facing has disrupted their lives, or has possibly exposed to them to hardship, to poverty, to hunger or to trauma. On the topic of caring for vulnerable children, i want to mention the uac program, the unaccompanied childrens program. It falls under this bill and within our jurisdiction. This bill includes a 10 general provisions related to the unaccompanied children program, to and ensure that it operates as a Human Services program and not as an Immigration Enforcement program. And so this bill designates funding for Legal Services and placement services, and the bill includes provisions we enacted last year, plus additional conditions related to the departments memorandum of agreement and of the department of Homeland Security. Language prohibiting all funding for influx facilities and related to prohibiting the sharing of notes from childrens counseling sessions with the department of Homeland Security or the department of justice. We cannot neglect our Public Health infrastructure, which has collapsed and failed. That is why we provide 24. 4 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to respond to the covid19 pandemic. To the cdc, the National Institutes of health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and development authority. These moneys as support state and local Public Health departments, Public Health laboratories, and global Public Health activities, as well as further resources to accelerate the developing in production of vaccines and and therapeutics, which will be necessary to end list pandemic and allow the country to return to economic and social activities. This also includes funding the Public Health Emergency Fund that would allow the secretary of hhs to draw down from those dollars immediately, and not have to wait for congress to pass a supplemental. In this Emergency Funding, we are going to be ensuring oversight and accountability, so that the scientists and the Public Health officials are in charge, not the politicians. In education, which is approaching its own emergency if we do not act swiftly, fully and intelligently. We are witnessing the discussion of reopening schools. We all want schools to open, but we need a safe space for our children, with a trauma informed practices and resources to make up for the lost learning time, especially for youngsters who are the most vulnerable to slipping through the cracks. We want teachers and students to be facetoface as much as possible, safely. In some states around the nation where the virus is out of control, we cannot simply open schools based on the statements of the secretary of education. Secretary betsy devos has no National Plan and is unwilling to answer the question of whether schools are sure follow the cdc guidelines. The cdc, the centers for Disease Control and prevention has released thoughtful guidelines on these issues that must be taken seriously and acted on. They cautioned that the reopening of schools in person for five days is the highest risk scenario. We need to provide the resources to support the evidencebased recommendations of our medical experts and educators. In the bill, we include 716 billion increase from 2020, to 73. 5 billion, that is 6. 9 billion above the president s request. In k12, that includes an increase for title i grants, 254 million above 2020 to 16. 6 billion. The president s budget proposes to eliminate this program. This is the cornerstone of all programs to address resources across School Districts. I special education, we providen an increase to 14. 1 billion total, 108 million above the president s budget request. We only wish we couldve have done more, considering the unbelievable challenges that children with disabilities are facing in this pandemic. With theilies as well, disruption to their education. It is our duty to be lifting them up. And we eliminate a 46yearold provision preventing federal funds to be used to overcome racial imbalance in our public schools. In Higher Education, we provide a 45 million increase over the 2020 enacted levels, for federal student aid programs, to 24. 6 billion, 1. 6 billion above the president s budget request. And we provided 81 million increase over 2020 to support institutions of Higher Education. 2. 6 billion total. And that includes 1. 1 billion for the federal trio programs, 370 million for gear up. These programs are lifelines to low income students who are often the first in their families to go to college, and i know that there is deep support on both sides of the aisle for these initiatives. We also include language allowing incarcerated individuals to be eligible for pell grant and pursue Higher Education. A prohibition has been on the books since 1994, but this bill takes steps to reduce recidivism and provide opportunity. And in career and adult education, we provide 25 million increase above the 2020 level. And we must meet our obligations to working americans. Unemployment remains higher than any previous period since world war ii, so this bill provides an increase for the department of labor, 254 million above 2020. In 12. 7 billion discretionary appropriations. These investments help working people find good paying jobs. 187 Million Dollars increase for the employment and training administration, 10. 2 billion and 1. 5 billion above the president s request, including 50 million increase for workforce innovation and opportunity state grants, and to Million Dollar increase of her registered apprenticeships. And we block the ministration from rigging those funds to support lowquality programs with no evidencebased, also known as industry recognized apprenticeships. And our investments help to keep working people safe on the job. These are the forgotten americans, the Migrant Workers at farms come at Meat Processing plants, the men and women in factories, in retail, at restaurants, clocking in and clocking out to feed their families and to support this nation. In the bill, we added that, investing 1. 4 7 billion per Worker Protection agencies, including a 12 million increase for a total for osha, for enforcement efforts, more inspectors, and to expand the work your Safety Training grants. We provide funding to help states meet the Unprecedented Demand for unemployment insurance. Ininclude 925 million emergency contingency funding to help states deal with the massive spike in claims. Hyd amendmente a discriminatory policy, a longstanding issue of Racial Injustice and one that is routinely considered every year as a legislative writer. But we are in a moment to reckon with the norm. With tradition. And view it through the lens of racial justice. So, although the bill includes the Hyde Amendment this year, let me be clear that we will win the fight to remove it, to ensure that women of color and thewomen have access to Reproductive Health and that they deserve. Im proud to be a member of this institution, because of what we do in moments like these. In moments of crisis, where federal leadership is vital, yet missing, government must act. With thisso now funding bill for 2021. We are building on our Emergency Response to provide emergency investments and longterm investments. We can and we must defeat the virus and the Racial Disparities exposed in health, education and the economy. Let us do that together by advancing this bill. I can take one more moment to the thank you to the staff, majority staff, brad allen, jared bass, robin juliano, jackie killjoy, stephen said liner, and philip to xenia. Staff, susanity ross and catherine salmon. And unwanted think my personal staff, leticia medeiros, elizabeth albertine, and caitlin perugia. With that i yield back the balance of my time. Thank you. Chairwoman lowey i would now like to recognize the subcommittee Ranking Member mr. Cole. Rep. Cole i want to begin by repeating some of the remarks i made last week respect to the important work that agencies we are about to discuss actually performed. Before i do, i want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee for all of her hard work, and frankly for the very professional way in which she operates are subcommittee. Nobody knows the accounts here better than my good friend, distinguished chairman. While we do not agree on every issue, she has been a wonderful partner to work with and i always find her to be fair, i find her to be inclusive, and i find her to be professional. It is a delight to work with her. I would be remiss if i did not thank my Ranking Member and of the Ranking Member of the full committee for her terrific work. She always gives me good advice and she has always been supportive and has provided me excellent staff with which to work, and i appreciate my good friend from texas for doing that. Finally, i want to join everybody else who has spoken and thank you for 30 wonderful years, where you have made a difference in congress each and every day. Now, we know that you have spent many years on the state and foreign operations committee, an d we know what Wonderful Partnership you had first with our full Ranking Member, now with our chairman emeritus. Alsohose of us on labor h. Know that we are your favorite children. There is no question about it. I think other than the chair and myself, you make more of those subcommittee meetings than anybody else on the committee, and you have throughout my time, and i have been privileged to be on that subcommittee. When we say we are going to miss you, we mean it because you have made a difference to our subcommittee. It is not lost on me. You seem to do better in the allocations when you are full chairman. And i am sure that is because of the merits and persuasiveness of our chairman, but i also suspect there is favoritism toward us too. We will miss you personally a great deal, and professionally this entire congress will miss you for this ability, decency and professionalism you brought to it throughout your tnure in washington tenure in washington, d. C. I will get back to my remarks. I have said over the years americans are more likely to die in a pandemic than a terrorist attack. Much to all of our horror, the current pandemic has proven that axiom to be correct. But i do not lose hope, because i know the investments this subcommittee and committee has made in our bio defense in Public Health infrastructure over the years is paying off and will continue to pay off in the days and weeks and months to come. Congress has been ahead of the administrations of both parties in the past several years, in terms of funding bio defense and Biomedical Research. This committee and the congress as a whole funded these agencies at levels higher than either administration requested. The truth is in a Global Pandemic like this one, you can never be prepared enough. I believe the actions of this committee and funding the Infectious Disease Rapid Response reserve fund the last few years, saved lives by enabling the centers for Disease Control to move expeditiously early on in the spring. The same is true of our investments in the nih, cdc more broadly, and their strategic stockpile. These missteps were made early. We cannot ignore that fact and we must learn from. We are ahead of many other countries in the world when we on people. Impact it is true that some countries like new zealand, south korea, and japan have done better, but many countries similar to ours like italy, england, france, belgium, have done worse. We are not at the end of the pandemic yet. I believe the United States will continue to lead the world in developing treatment, standard of care, and successful vaccines for the virus. All of that takes resources. My chair of the subcommittee faced a tight allocation due to the 2019 budget. Most of us believe cap should be lifted on select account so we can continue to build a Public Health infrastructure. Been taken upnot by the administration or leaders of the chamber. We must live within the budget parameters we have. I want to recognize the balanced approach that our subcommittee chairman took in the bill, taking priorities of members on both sides of the island to account. In its current form, the bill contains many provisions unrelated to the appropriations and i am unable to support it at this time. I was pleased the bill continues funding for the important Public Health programs and infrastructure, including the Infectious Disease Rapid Response i mentioned. And theunny Funding Administration respond coronavirus immediately. As the country continues to fight against the coronavirus, it is critical we continue to support Public Health entities as well as continue sustained investment in Biomedical Research. I am pleased the bill provides increases in a number of important programs i support including trio. Special education for disabled students, program for native American Children as well as head start. I was disappointed to see funding for Charter Schools cut by so much. Especially when we are increasing educational funding elsewhere. I hope this can be reversed as we move forward. Extremely disappointed to see almost the entire increase for the National Institute of health is provided in the form of emergency spending. Growth building on what is now the fifth year bipartisan investments in our nation, biomedical infrastructure, is making a difference. This investment will lead researchers to find treatments for the afflictions and maladies such as cancer, alzheimers, and pandemic flu that plague our people. The increases provided over the last six years positioned the mi age to begin rapid Clinical Trials for vaccine for the current coronavirus pandemic. It is vitally important this funding continues to prepare the nation for the next challenge. Designationrgency that has not been agreed upon by the other body and the administration, is creating a false sense of a compliment and when the Emergency Funds do not materialize, the nih would be left with a an increase of 275 million and going to conference with the other body. That is about 1 10 of the levels we have been working with in the past. Given funding restraints we are operating under, this will make it a really difficult to continue the inflation plus trajectory for funding the important agency. I think that is incredibly unfortunate and shortsighted. I am pleased the bill continues longstanding provisions that protect human life and other constitutional life rights. Such important protections is vital for securing the conference agreement approved by both bodies and signed into law by president. Bill, to preserve the possibility of a bipartisan compromise. I was disappointed to see language inserted throughout the bill that ties the hands of the administration in many ways. The bill forces the return to the obama era policies and Family Planning program. Hands of an administration by not allowing them to inform waivers that protect deeply held religious police of institutions and religious organizations and provide Vital Services funded in the bill. The bill forces the reinstatetion to grants rewarded during the Obama Administration such as planned parenthood and requires grantees to provide information on abortion, regardless of religious police. Beliefs. Policy, thatabor can improve jobTraining Programs and clarify the meaning of the joint employer relationship. The bill restricts the funding and micromanages the way in which hhs administers the unaccompanied program. These limitations need to be addressed in a bipartisan manner as the process moves forward to avoid a president ial veto. While the bill funds many good things, i remain concerned at the extensive use of Emergency Funds and other budget gimmicks will make it very difficult to negotiate a final bill with the other body. I believe additional emergency spending for coronavirus needs part of atiated as freestanding supplemental and not part of hhs 2021 fiscal year package. On emergencyliance funds to shore up spending at the nh and the cdc is setting us up for a yearlong continuing resolution. We have avoided that for each of the last five years. Our goal should be to avoid it again and build on the progress we made working together. The gentlelady from connecticut and her theyworking staff for all accomplished. I pledge to work with my good friend in connecticut in good faith as we proceed through the legislative process. You and i have passed the bill through congress and avoided a continuing resolution time and again. My sincere hope is that we can do that yet again. I yield back the balance of my time. I would like to recognize myself for opening remarks and i would like to thank the chair, Ranking Member cole, and the subCommittee Staff for hard work scoping scoping the hard work before us. We have been colleagues and friends for a long time. Said, iod friend has love this subcommittee. I love it because it really of life andy part every constituent in our community and it has been an honor to watch you both masterfully conduct the work at this committee and be a part of. He effort i thank you. Injoined this subcommittee 1993. Mentioned, it was in hearings, when we would have two a day, several times a week, we would be sitting between nancy and rosa delauro, that we became so so close, and we as wenown collectively would march into the hearing, speak at the hearing, walked communicate, and sometimes figure out how we would get things done, not all supported, but this has been a great honor for me to be part of the important work we have done. Labor hh bill does more to ofrove the quality of life americans than any of the thousands of bills introduced every congress. In my 28 years in the subcommittee, some of the most precious legislators have let it. Ralph, tom, and of course, rosa. We accomplished a lot from saving funding from public broadcasting, probably more press than i ever got from anything else i did because bert and bernie came to the committee managed, withe many good, to do so things, especially mandating gender equity and medical nih use by ensuring the both males and female patients in Clinical Trials. Rats for and female preClinical Trials. Finally, after a 20 year break, restoring federal federal research into gun violence prevention, many proudest members of congress are at work in this subcommittee. It was clear to me that when we Work Together, we can solve problems and improve the lives of each american. Follows that tradition, touching on so many critical facets of life. Bill rejectshs president s proposed budget cuts and increases investments in important priorities that support working families, aproved health security, future from all americans. Critically, the bill was strengthen the response to coronavirus and the accompanying for state ands local Public Health departments and public laboratories and for the accelerating development of vaccines and therapeutics. Bill, we empower families and communities making investments to keep up Americans Health care, education, and workforce needs. Has a better chance at a better life. Recoveryl area for our and the health of Financial Security of working families is access to childcare. Quality childcare makes all of the difference. It means children step into kindergarten ready to learn. Jobing families have better security knowing families are healthy and safe and communities thrive because Quality Childcare promotes strong economic development. This bill continues a longstanding effort for access to affordable Quality Childcare by providing significant investments in head start, preschool development plans, childcare, and before covid19 at afterschool programs provided a safe and reliable place for students. Outside of learning regular school hours. Afterschool programs have risen to the moment bringing meals to the families, remaining open for virtual programming. I am proud to establish the first ever federal Funding Source for afterschool programming years ago. Expand that commitment again today for an increase of 13 million, i think you both. Bill would provide an increase of 500 million for nh, as well as 5 billion in in research,nding including corrupted by the covid19 pandemic. 232 million to support the Public Health professionals, including an increase of 10 million for the office on smoking and health, to combat the ecigarette epidemic. 9 billion in emergency spending to support cdcs Public Health and Emergency Response activities, 50 many dollars for cdc and the nih to fund lifesaving research on gun violence prevention, increases for public broadcasting, vital funding for education, including title i, as well as an increase in the maximum pell award. So more students can have access to a personal Higher Education. The bill would reverse the domestic gag rule and ensure that grantees are selected on the merits, not political providersand prevent from discriminating against patients. Familyplanning and teen pregnancy prevention has become a part of saying partisan issue over the years. Republicans would join in support of these important causes. Friends, thank my good the chair and Ranking Member, and outstanding subcommittee robin, asby stephen, well as dana, of my personal office, for their hard work and contributions. I urge support of the bill. I would be very pleased to forgnize the Ranking Member her opening remarks. Thank you. Thank them for the Education Bill for today. The bill continues to Fund Programs that improve Public Health and sustains research into diseases such as cancer and alzheimers disease. Also to defend the nation against a biological threat. Investments in education are central to remain competitive for the rest of the world. I appreciate the funding the bill provides for the purchase. Including longstanding language that protects life. There are several provisions that raise concern. These will make it impossible for you to support the bill in its current form. The house passed 3 trillion emergency package to address the coronavirus a little over a month ago, yet an additional 24 billion in new emergency spending is tacked on the bill. This was done without any consultation with house republicans. Haveieve we must bipartisan conversations if we will address this pandemic in a serious way. Although the bill maintains important provisions that prevent dollars used for abortions, it contains other provisions i cannot support. The bill forces a return to policy for the previous administration, the title x Family Planning program. It requires that grantees provide information about abortion to every woman they serve when they find out they are pregnant. Ties the hands of the administration by stopping regulations that protect deeply held religious beliefs. Blocking implementation, regulations, and ruling. I sincerely believe we have to Work Together on an approach . Appropriations bill that made agreedupon spinning level spending levels and avoid language. It is the only way to get the bill through the house and the senate and signed into law and that is what you want. Thank you, madam chair. I yield back. Thank you, madam chair. I strongly support the bill. I think the chairwoman for her passion and leadership for crafting a strong bill for fy 21. I think the Ranking Member cole for his provisions on the bill and the people it serves. To serve toleged such dedicated Public Servants two such dedicated Public Service. I commend the subCommittee Staff, majority and minority, who have done an extraordinary job drafting the bill during the most unusual and challenging appropriations cycle in modern history. The world has changed over the last four months. One need only look around the room, walk into a grocery store, or watch the evening news to see them anyways congress, families, and communities are modifying behaviors and adjusting to the new and different practices to keep everyone safe. The bill has adapted its format to address the many urgent needs exacerbated by the pandemic and the nationwide movement to achieve racial equality. The last four months have highlighted systemic problems in our health care system, including decades of chronic underinvestment in Public Health. As cochair of the public caucus, i thank you for your continued commitment to strengthening the Public Health care system. The unprecedented, multiyear investment for cdc will help ensure we can overcome the current covid crisis and have infrastructure and resources needed to address future Public Health challenges. Robustnd you for the investment to address Health Disparities, including the strong rich allocation, the creation of a Health Disparity Education Program within the office of minority health, and the commissioning of the National Academies of science study on the most promising programs and policies to advanced health equity. As cochair of the Maternity Care chop caucus, i have been very concerned by the detrimental impacts covid hospital practices andhaving on childbirth breastfeeding, especially in our most vulnerable communities. I greatly appreciate this bills robust funding to support mothers and babies, including increasing to the healthy start program. The strong investment in rest feeding support, and the Maternal Mental Health hotline, and the carveout to increase the diversity of the workforce. Thank you for directing funding toward the emerging threats to moms and babies surveillance programs, and including language in the amendment to direct pediatric covid research. Providingyou for critical investments to ensure our children receive a highquality education as we fight the pandemic, and that our teachers are trained and equipped to use the technological tools available to them. During a time when so many have lost jobs due to Economic Impacts of the pandemic, i thank you for strong investments and registered apprenticeships to help American Workers gain the skills needed to get wellpaying jobs. You have crafted a bill that upholds the promise to americans, especially during the pandemic, by investing workers needs, supporting the education of our children, and ensuring all families and communitys have access to Quality Health programs. 21m proud to support the fy labor hhs appropriations bill and i yield back. I am happy to yield. Thank you, madam chair. Let me note the importance of our effort today, health and education and good opportunities are essential to americas complexand the bill is and multilayered, captures the best of mutual considerations and highlights some philosophical differences, as we have heard. I wanted to first thank chairwoman delauro and Ranking Member cole from the bottom of my heart for their support of als research and expanded access for innovative treatment. Is als is a degenerative disease for which there is no cure. It is sometimes known as lou gehrigs disease. When i was about eight years old, i read a book about the great yankee first basement and it stayed with me. You fastforward decades later and here we are in a cruel and the cruel disease has swept upon me and affected my own family. We quickly learned about the profound trauma it has caused so many other americans. I hope ms. Tomorrow doesnt mind me sharing this, but a year ago, i talked to her on a personal basis about some of the sentiments and we know sometimes she can be intense and she got in my face and said, you better fight for this. I want to thank her for the encouragement. Perhaps we should point out this solves a problem for patients not eligible for Clinical Trials. This is brandnew. It has never been done before. We have come together to make progress and i am proud of that. It did not magically happen. It has been a lot of work, months and months of dialogue between us, including conversations with the National Institutes of health to develop a proper understanding of how to proceed. Parallel to the effort, i want to point out, is a new bill, formally known as accelerating access to criminal clinical therapies. Congressman, the lead sponsor of the measure, and i were on a zoom call with several hundred people who suffer from als, their caregivers and families. They powerfully pleaded with us for action and expressed thisund gratitude that committee and many members of congress are starting to take new initiatives in this regard. Another member agreed to sponsor the bill and other members have already agreed to do so. Again, i am proud of the effort here. Support is growing across the nation. School, the medical doctor wrote to me and said i am fully in support of government approach to make this affordable and much more broadly available to patients with als who are not trial eligible. Dr. Richard also wrote and said he is with dukes Health Department of neurology and he said, more than 90 of my patients were never able to find a Clinical Trial in which they could participate. Do. Ave got a lot to i would also like to thank the committee for adding language to support medicaid data to help guide the states on what treatments in prevention really do work. I want to point out a point that is emerging in the health care world. Children at risk of disability can present a jolting challenge for families in the medical community about how to care and respond. I will help clarify the role to helps and providers the most vulnerable newborns. I hope we can find Common Ground and support families looking for compassionate guidance to protect the dignity of those small lives. I yield back. Before i calley on the next speaker, i want to make a few comments. I am sure we do not have a great audience out here throughout the listening to members debate and discuss the friendship between democrat and republican, the commitment on the part of republicans and democrats, but as i heard you again it made me realize how much passion there is on behalf of all of us, democrat and republican. We are not here just to pass bill by rope. Whether some of the compassion comes from personal experience or a neighbor who experiences a personal experience, really such great members in this room. I do hope there is an audience out there understanding not only how important the work is, but how important the members are. They are not just eloquent because they want to give a great speech. You fill it in your heart. I cannot help but comment and i thank you. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you so much for your friendship and your leadership. Let me thank you for your incredible leadership. You certainly recognize this in writing the bill. Your writing it for the people. Thank you. Supporting many provisions on the bill, i appreciate it so much. So thank you. I am proud to support the bill which does make critical investments in Public Health and labor, education, programs, to train and educate students and the workforce of the future. Missed comes at the in the midst of a global plandemic pandemic and it disproportionally affects black and brown committee. Demanding not only that we End Police Brutality but we confront the broader injustices within our culture and many institutions. This bill contains important policy investments and policy provisions and Funding Priorities that contribute to dismantling systemic racism in our society. To be eligible by pell grants to rake barriers to start a new chapter of their lives. The bill includes 344 million for hpc use and minority serving institutions, an increase of 19 million. It is so important that these young people have access to good and minoritytion Service Institutions provide. I cochair a caucus which is bipartisan. We want to thank you for the program and 57 maine dollars for minority eight initiative. Ofo includes investments 3. 1 billion for further hiv research through nih. Clinical social worker by profession and i am delighted to see increase in funding to other important programs which provide opportunities for people of color to enter the Mental Health profession with the Minority Fellowship Program and would allow critical investments and resources for children and use prevention as treatment. We want to thank you for that. A huge priority. In light of covid19 investments in Mental Health care, it is needed more than ever. It is unfortunate that the amendment which disproportionately impacts black, brown, and low impact low income women, are included in the bill. Recognizing that it is adjusting and highlights once again how Structural Racism plays out in the policies and funding for the committee and that it must end. Say that we have to make sure low income women and women of color have equal access to the full range of Reproductive Health care. We cannot any longer discriminate against them. You for thehank request to eliminate absence only abstinence only incation and we invest 190 teen crisis prevention program. Complete and ageappropriate programs that should be in permitted. It is extremely important that our young people have access to the bill ison stop very important to the bipartisan cannabis caucus, which i cochair. We are pleased we see language to protect the Scientific Research on marijuana and prohibiting the department from penalizing institutions of Higher Education that conduct Scientific Research on cannabis. It is a good first step to ensuring our universities are not penalized for their scientific innovations and Critical Research in the field. Meally, madam chair, let thank you and Ranking Members for recognizing the fact that in 2017, the National Academies roundtable on black men and study to theed a black caucus regarding the lack of medicine. I asked the physical 19 hhs bill to include a study from nih looking at the question of how we encourage more black men to take up careers in medicine. The lack of lack men in medicine is a huge problem, the black americans constitute 13 of the population, they make up less medical of institutions. There are far fewer black men than women going to medical school. Went to black men medical school in 2014, compared 540 two in 1978. In 2017, only 273 africanamerican men enrolled in american medical schools out of a total enrollment of 21,000. This meant that 1. 2 of medical students were africanamerican 5. 8 not even close to the percent of u. S. Population of africanamerican men. This is simply wrong. Something is seriously wrong, which reflects Structural Racism, intended or not, which the committee has the opportunity to correct. Said the have has Workforce Research suggests a Diverse Workforce would advance cultural competency and increase access to highQuality Health care, especially for underserved populations. The lack of diversity in Health Workforce threatens quality and contributes to Health Disparities. The growing influence of black men and women is extremely troubling. This may have adverse consequent is for Health Care Access quality outcomes and americans overall. Every day in our africanamericans are turned away when exhibiting symptoms for covid19. This report language direct mening for program on black in medicine. I want to thank the Ranking Member for this. It is a critical huge health debt a huge Health Access that contributes to unfortunate continuing Health Disparities among africanamericans and also the unfortunate and deadly impacts of covid19. Thank you again. Thank you, madam chair. I rise today to highlight an issue on which i am hoping to work with the chair and Ranking Member full. While laudable in its goals, this bill does not quite get to where i believe it ought to be. Families across the country with energy costs, essential for many of our most vulnerable citizens, particularly as we enter hot summer months. It benefits families that need to stay warm in the winter and those that need to stay cool in the summer. The program is one that helps all of our states and boasts bipartisan support. It is for that reason that i am worried about disparities and undid unintended effects, and modifications included in the bill. Vulnerable,at those whether they need help with heating and cooling, arson ered to the extent the most timely and accurate data as it allocates critical resources. As a top priority in the bill and a program that remains critical in my home of arkansas, i am asking chair member delauro and Ranking Member cole work with to find ground previous funding bills. We can strike a balanced solution to aid all states, those that are hot and those that are cold, and support americans throughout the nation. Yield toe pleased to the distinguished chairman of the rankingttee, or member for anything they might add. Yield to the distinguished chairwoman. Thank you. Critical program and i will say i look forward to the opportunity to work with unc that we can work it so there is a Common Ground because it is really important to deal with what happens in colder climates and what happens in warmer climates and how we can ensure people are being taken care of. I am happy to work with the gentleman in this area. I would enjoy my good friend, this was o is a party. This is money well spent. But as my friend suggests, it is a tricky one. We had regional disputes when i was chairman. I am sure the chairwoman has to herselfh those things these days. To approach we took was freeze the formula where it already was at. I did not want to give it to another state and take it from one state. A different formula began to address the problems. Always sensitivity and rightfully so. Programan important which keeps people with limited means, warm in the winter, and cooler in the summer. We ought to try and find the right balance on that. We can do that as we move forward. Yield back my time. A point of personal privilege, because i cannot overlook this, when i worked at the state level state level, we had a Great Program whether rising the homes for the poor. I would like to work with you for the next couple of months but i appreciate your bringing the issue to our attention. Many of us have talked about look forward to seeing even more attention given to the program. So thank you for bringing this up. I would like to thank the for commenting this afternoon. We have tried very hard to link to the Weatherization Program and the department of energy because there are odd things for programs and weatherize the home through the department of energy, money that flows through the state, but the home will not easily get a roof on it. A leaky roof with a new furnace, but we have to have a way of linking the programs and providing training for many individuals because there is not a Training Program for the department of Public Health and ratherervices, but it is disaggregated. To do something much greater than we have in the past, particularly in view of Climate Change. Resist but i want to colleague, we trained the unemployed to weatherize homes. There is a lot we can work on together in the next couple of months, but i am sure you will carry on. I think i should move on. Chairwoman, thank you for having a commitment to labor education, health and priority, we are increasing funding to cdc and other programs to ensure communities have the resources they need to reduce the spread of covid19. A few highlights to thank the ,airwoman for her inclusion and Development Program which will ensure the residency Training Program will continue assist keeping doctors who train Rural Communities, and we appreciate that. This includes a 15 million increase for Worker Protection agencies to ensure the workers increase the wages they are owed. The these experts were sidelined. I would like to thank experts for including language to ensure the board can effectively do the work. This bill invests in approving proven model that he will need to recover from the pandemic. It is important those jobs are protected. Within covid 17 in thea tremendous spike overdose overdose from opiates. It gets very little notice because it is so far overshadowed by big brother, covid 17 pandemic. I am pleased to see, and i want subcommitteete the for including lots of money for the opioid approve abuse problem. Portion of the bill, there is 536 billion for the nih opioid initiative. And there is a lot of money in the block grants. 17 million above the current Substance Use disorder loan repayment program, which represented of and i sponsored last year, the socalled support act, there is 110 million for royal oak Opioid Community grants, and i could go on. These amounts were agreed to before the latest spike in opioid deaths has taken place. That is killing americans as we so i want to thank you for adding these funds and congratulate you on recognizing the depth of the problem we face. Investmentsmakes responding to the current pandemic, and longterm consequences. The most hardest hit states in the pandemic. I am proud of the 18 billion emergency a supplement of funding that includes funds for development and employment. Se and other investments my constituents as well as the other country, and the pandemic, which had resurgence in recent weeks. This bill includes critical investments that support the childing program, 5. 9 in for block grants, more important than ever, 47 million to nih with increases to the national increases Mental Health and minority Health Disparities, and 8 billion to the cdc, including increases to the racial ethnic communities. The only federal program to address chronic disparities. This bill opened its eyes to the tremendous country to the tremendous and systemic hurdles. Covid19 in the uprising response to the death of george floyd, breonna taylor, and to so many others. The ways systemic racism destroys communities of color. As a Founding Member of congressional caucus on black went women and girls, i want to thank the chairwoman for working our bill isnsure another step to dismantling systemic racism and inequities across the board. I am deeply disappointed my republican colleagues continue to fight against this bill. Coverage of safe and legal abortions for patients who rely in Public Program for their health care. When we talk about systemic racism, this is what we mean. The larger population. Health care and its removal is crucial to dismantling systemic oppression. I will continue to work to end for example, i want to thank the chair for working with me to ensure our bills support greater investments to address mental Health Disparities that nih. I think the chair for improving language to better understand are in the funding process. I want to thank the chair for prenatal care is extremely important. Complications are expensive. It is important to understand the implications of this. I am proud to share that our bill is another step toward addressing systemic racism in our education system. For the First Time Since passage of the 1994 crime bill, our bill makes incarcerated individuals eligible for pell grants. Knowing must stop the pipeline before students are put on the wrong track, i think the chair for working with me to include language to examine how dress ares and disturbance laws formulate it and strategies for School Districts to examine policies. Ofs is important in light incidences last year were andssive use of force punishments were levied against students. I would like to say thank you for the Ranking Member for working with me. To working on the bill. I yield back. Thank you. I want to take a brief second to is veryt something that important, and we would really Work Together as part of this bill. It has been fantastic to work with. Are tight trying to address critical shortages we face as a nation. Unless action is taken, the gap wasnt projected to have 1. 8 million Unfilled Positions in the field by 2022. That is about 18 months away. Start at the solutions our schools and the change could be the subcommittee. It has been a joy to be a part of this committee. The education is just the same. Much like french, german, and so on. Language that may be spoken between the machines, while it may be in between the sheet influenced by us. It is a great skill and i do not discourage that in any way. I appreciate the chair in the Ranking Member for including that. Thespecial thanks to majority Minority Committee staffs working closely with my team. We have worked so hard for my office on this issue as well as many other issues you included in the bill. Lastly, before i yield back, i want to thank my friend from georgia as well. A great friend and a great mentor and great counsel over the years. Chair. Again, madam i yield back. Recognize. There we go. Thank you. Havent spoken at any other markups, i want to recognize the chairwoman and her yield years of service and the remarkable and groundbreaking work she has brought to this congress. It has been an honor to share with you. I want to thank the committee for theing accelerator act. Inthe district i represent, winnebago county, africanamericans make up 13 of the population. 26 of the covid19 cases. Africanamericans make up 18 of the population, 24 of the covid19 cases. 13 of theake up population and 20 of the covid19 cases. They just our communitys of color and Rural Communities across the country. Public Health Issues such as few local health care providers, no nearby fresh food, and other factors. As well as a 10 Million Grant Program to combat societal factors that lead to negative outcomes. They can take the next step in combating Public Health problems like higher rates of covid19 among communities of color and careord, and Health Provider shortages like henderson and warren counties. Thank you for your support of these important provisions and thank you for your leadership. Ms. Franklin is recognize. [indiscernible] you for yourank allocation. This propels in our families, and childcare care, medical advancement, and the cheerleaders chair ladies and others have done an excellent job responding. I want to highlight three issues. First, millions of americans are currently out of work in the highest Unemployment Rate since the great depression. Family members unable to pay their bills. And many state unemployment systems are antiquated and unable to respond. In my home state of four, hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers have yet to receive a check, and many hundreds of thousands more have only been partially paid. It is a good thing that this year, our bill provides Emergency Funding support. Public Health Crisis, higher hospitalization, mortality rates , encouraged to isolate themselves. Becauseld hostage, young people are not social distancing. Extreme isolation, even more. The pandemic has made more difficult for many seniors for further prescriptions, and it has made it harder to receive full time care from caretakers. The bill provides funding to the centers for disease to promote the health of older adults and coordinate services. Thank representative barbara for talking about women [indiscernible] [indiscernible] millions of men and women continue to seek health care. [indiscernible] i am proud to support this excellent bill. And i yield back. Chair lowey thank you. Dr. Harris is the next speaker. But before we turn to him, i think it would be helpful to read the list of members who are waiting. Ms. Bishop, ms. Mccollum, Wasserman Schultz, mr. Kilmer, ms. Capter. , and dr. Harris, you are recognized next. Thank you very much. I will try to be brief. I share the concern and there are a lot of great things in this bill, but i share concern of the Ranking Member from oklahoma about the decreased funding of Charter Schools in this bill. Racist,agues call it call it systemic suppression, but they are strangely silent about a cut the Charter School funding. So i looked up the statistics in my state of maryland. 76 of the students who attend Charter Schools in american in maryland were africanamerican. Nationally, 33 are hispanic. Tofact, more children going Charter Schools qualify for the free and reduced Lunch Program than children who attend regular public schools. Make claimsgoing to of racism or systemic suppression, but i will say that this cut in Charter School funding disproportionately discriminates against minorities, including by state of maryland. I yield back. Chair lowey mr. Bishop is recognized. Think the chair lady, ms. Lowey, for the recognition. Say that chairwoman dolor and Ranking Member cole have done an extraordinary job of putting this bill together, along with the leadership of our full chair, chairwoman lowey and Ranking Member granger. Puts in placey will create a path of opportunity to share in the greatness of america for out and have been left lost. And of course i believe this will give an opportunity for those people who have been overlooked to be able to participate. I would like to associate myself with remarks of all the members who have talked about and lifted up the various aspects of this bill, which is so important to whichr the people agenda, this congress and this house stands for. I would like to lift up just a couple points. One in particular, i would like to thank the chair of the subcommittee and the Ranking Member for including bill language in this appropriations bill that would prevent the administration from rescinding the longstanding rule that requires state Medicaid Programs to provide nonemergency medical transportation for patients with no means of transportation for vital health services. Nonemergency medical transportation is a vital part of our health care system, and its particularly needed and useful in rural areas. The nonemergency medical transportation benefit is essential to so many of our constituents, particularly those covid19er, those with symptoms, and that was struggling with Substance Abuse. Depend on ituents for access to chemotherapy, to dialysis, to covid19 testing, and to other medical treatments that allow them to state stay at their homes, out of the hospitals, and stay alive. It is used by roughly 7 of medicaid enrollees and accounts for just 1 of medicaid spending, but it has a huge impact for the life and health of these patients. The forthcoming regulation from cms will allow states to eliminate it, including for medicaid patients with disabilities, or pregnant women and the elderly. This spring, scores of members of congress signed a letter opposing this proposed medicaid rule and urging that language be included in this bill to prevent its implementation. And so again, i would like to think the chair for granting that request, and i would like to thank my friend and colleague from georgia for joining me in this effort to preserve the nonemergency medical transportation benefit. This revision will ensure states continue to offer transportation to all medicaid patients that have no other means to Access Health services. Let me add that i also would chairwomannk the and the Ranking Member as cochair of the job corps caucus andits robust support language in support of the Job Corps Program which is so essential. Again, this is a great bill, i support the bill. I think it is for the people, and i think it will go a long way towards improving the quality of life for the people of this great country. I yield back. Chair lowey ms. Mccollum is recognized. I strongly support this bill youi would like to thank and Ranking Member cole for your hard work. Theres a lot i can say about this bill but as i was sitting here and heard from the full committee chair, i cut my remarks. But there are a couple things i would like to point out. I would like to thank the chairwoman for the inclusion of language encouraging the nih to save the harmful effects of unregulated cosmetics containing michaels such as mercury. I would also like to thank the chairwoman and raking member for their strong support of our native brothers and sisters in many parts of this bill. But as you know, we are facing the pandemic here, and that is covid19. See theo pleased to dramatic changes the bill recommends to the National City to stockpile. The covid19 pandemic has taught us our National Stockpile, especially when it comes to ppe, was woefully underprepared for a public Health Crisis like this one. Much of the ppe we had at the start of the pandemic was expired because it had not rotated old supplies out. So i am encouraged to see that this bill includes my request that the stockpile, the examination of rotational phaseout material, such as the department of defense does for ammunition, body armor, and other provisions. With this change in other alterations in this bill, i believe we will ensure our National Stockpile will be able to deal with covid19 as well as future Public Health emergencies. Builds on the incredible work that this committee has done, not only in this bill here, but both and he cares and other acts. It will help to keep our community safe, and safer into the future. You made critical investments in our nation by addressing the seriousness of this pandemic. With that, i urge members to support the bill and i yield back. Misses Wasserman Schultz is recognized. I would like to think a moment, like all the other members have, to think chairwoman for the hard work on the bill. As our nation confronts the covid19 public Health Crisis, this bill invests resources that are vital not just to the recovery, but the economic success of our nation. As a Breast Cancer survivor, i am thrilled this bill helps ensure young woman will continue to have access to coverage for Breast Cancer screenings. It includes vital funding for activities to promote Breast Cancer awareness. The bill also supports cancer survivorship through the inclusion of funds for survivorship programs and the cdc that invest in our quality of life longterm. Through this bill we are empowering women i providing access to critical title x family priming planning programming. Everyone has basic access to health care regardless of where she lives, how much money she makes, or whether she has health insurance. The bill includes crucial support for holocaust survivors, many of whom face countless obstacles as they age, including historical trauma. And further with covid19 overwhelming our hospitals, Preventative Health care is more urgent than ever. When it comes to protecting our youth, we continue to prioritize their health, safety and wellbeing throughout this bill. I was also very pleased to see increased funding to help combat the ecigarette epidemic among youth at the cdc. With more children at home this summer, i am proud to say we prioritize the education for drowning prevention, a silent crisis. While some children are at home, other vulnerable unaccompanied minor children remain in detention facilities. This reaffirms our Constitutional Rights as members of congress to perform oversight by ensuring we have access to these facilities without having to give prior notice. I am also proud that language from my act was included to help unaccompanied migrant youth more quickly connect with sponsors and prevent needless deportation. The bill also includes a provision similar to the one i pushed on the Homeland Security subcommittee that would prohibit enforcement activities based on therapy sessions with detainees. I cannot believe that is even an issue, but here we are. The bill also addresses an issue that we faced for years at the homestead child detention facility in south florida. The bill would block orr from housing unaccompanied minors in influx centers that are not state licensed, which means the administration would not be able to get away with not adhering to humane standards or being subject for proper oversight when it comes to detaining children. With the next school year quickly approaching, we honor our commitment to the social, emotional, and physical safety to our youth with more Robust Services to foster positive School Climates across the country. I have to say i was disappointed to see the bill maintains the shameful restriction of federal funding for abortion through medicaid, even though the Supreme Court has affirmed a womans right to do what she wants with her own bardi. Victims are women by it disproportionately hurts women of color. I believe it is imperative that Congress Examine and dismantle the systems of racism and oppression that still exist in our nations legal framework. I understand that trying to repeal the slang which would bring on a fight with the senate and white house, controlled by antichoice republicans. But this is why voters gave us control the house. I know the chairwoman agrees and supports that decision, but moving forward, i would like to work with our colleagues on this committee and in the rest of the house to get rid of this misogynistic, unacceptable provision. Despite this serious issue, i believe the bill includes strong funding for many good programs, and i applaud the inclusion of several good provisions which would block many of this ministrations sexist, transphobic, and bigoted policies. I look forward to supporting the bill when it comes. Chair lowey mr. Cuellar is recognized. Thank you. I want to thank you and raking member granger for setting the tone on civility. As you mentioned, this bill can get a little spirited at times, but the work you have done, and in particular chairwoman delauro if she walks and i will say her name again, and my good friend tom cole for setting the tone of civility. Even though we have some distance differences, overall, we Work Together to get to a consensus. Let me just go over a couple things. We are all shaped either by our own personal experiences or by our constituents and the needs that they have. I can tell you that the added you money you added up for the Migrant Workers is very important. I want to say the money you added for job corps, that money is going to be very useful to kids that need a secondhand. Health centers, we know the work they do and i certainly want to say thank you for that. The language that you included for new medical resident Training Programs in areas like the value that need that assistance, i want to say thank you so much for that. The language that you added on nonopioid Pain Management is key, because we know, as mr. Harris mentioned the other day, what sort of problems we have with that. Unaccompanied kids, something we have been working on for many years, i want to thank you for the leadership that you have provided. Said, we want to say thank you. The 1. 3 billion for unaccompanied children. Thank you so much. Prohibition on use of influx shelters that are not state licensed, thank you for that also. Monthly reported requirements to monitor family separation, thank you again for that. And accepting any kind of donations at uac shelters is so important because there are communities that want to provide to that. Thank you so much. Let me finish with education. Thank you. What we did some years ago in that program was a game changer. And again, this committee was able to do that. The Public Service loan forgiveness language that you added, i want to say thank you so much for that. So familiar with gear up, federal trade program, those programs are so key. And for the education and for the health care, for our children, and how we shape our own personal experiences and how we shape our own constituents, this committee has made a difference. With that, i say thank you. I appreciate all the help that you have done, chairwoman and Ranking Member, and the committee as a whole. Thank you so much. Chair lowey mr. Kilmer is recognized. Thank you. Thank you to the terrific Committee Staff for the work on this bill. The coronavirus pandemic unfortunately they are a number of challenges our communities have been facing even before this virus struck. Weve seen tremendous strain in Rural Health Care even before anyone heard of covid. I am grateful this committee and its leaders have stepped up and im particularly grateful this committee has not forgotten the unique needs of Rural Communities. I would like to think the chair for including a provision that may be a bit under the radar for some, but is a really big deal for my district. I want to take a second on this. This bill includes leg which direct the center for medicaid and Medicare Services to comply with a court ruling ordering them to reverse payment cuts related to rulemaking they put forward a couple years ago. I do not say this in a partisan way, is just a fact. This administration advanced a rule change a couple years ago that would hurt rural medical providers like Olympic Medical Center import angeles, washington. Cuthem alone it would be a of 47 million over 10 years. Makingal hospital sued, clear that this proposed cut violated congressional intent, and it violated the law, and they won. Yet cms has dragged its feet, appealed, done everything but help these rural providers. This bill includes a provision that says, simply put, knock it off. Listen to the courts. Reverse these cuts and provide theyay to our hospitals so are not getting stretched thin at a time they are already getting hammered. That is a really big deal to Olympic Medical Center and providers like it, and a big deal for rural jobs and Rural Health Care, and i would like to think of chair for including it. In addition, this bill urges the admin attrition to exquisitely consider the impact that any future rulemaking would have on rural hospitals and critical access hospitals to make sure they are not unfairly burdened which could risk their ability to provide Critical Care to the folks who need it. Im also grateful to mr. Rogerss point that this bill contains funds for Rural Communities, opioid response our counties, we need that help to fight the Opioid Epidemic which is taking a huge toll on families every day. Finally, this bill takes an important step towards improving Mental Health care in Rural Communities to look at the role that critical access hospitals play in providing emergency Mental Health services and opioid use disorder treatment. Importantly, the study will ask whether it will be more costeffective to help these hospitals provide Preventative Care rather than waiting until emergencies happen. Weve got to continue to find ways to keep our communities physically and mentally healthy, not just treating folks when they get sick. Our Rural Health Care providers are on the front lines of this pandemic. I am proud that this bill provides them the support they need, the help they need, for communities to be healthy, and i urge my colleagues to support it. Lawrence,y misses you are recognized. Thank you. The voice of many who have thanked our chairperson for all the great work she has done. Focused to just briefly on some of the significant achievements in this bill. First of all, fun and continuation of cdcs flint, registry. Ea exposured as many in this country no, flint became the poster child of government poisoning, and we have stepped up in congress to make sure there is a registry. Increasing funding for the Certified Community behavior of clinics. Ladies and gentlemen, my colleagues, we cannot no longer stick our heads in the sand when we see so many of our mentally ill being imprisoned when we need to step up. Behavior and Mental Health is health care. Thank you so much for that. The language will call attention to the alarming rise of opioid overdose among africanamerican communities. Funding for the Health Providers and Community Health centers, which has been like the lifeline an hour community, as we continue to fight against covid19. As the cochair of the congressional womens caucus and the democratic womens caucus, this report includes several initiatives important to achieving and advancing Womens Health. Prioritizing research and collaboration to efforts to combat Maternal Mortality rates in our country. Develop five Womens Health centers of excellence in rural and urban settings. Bill hason, this funding for our educational program. Our debate oninue racial justice, nothing is more important as we seek to bridge the equality gaps for black and brown students, than to invest in education. That is in the federal student lows, career and technical 344 million for historically black colleges and universities. Throughout the years, michigan has been considered one of the hardest working and bluecollar areas in the country, home to the big three automotive workers, ford, gm, and fiat chrysler. 1900s, labory has been a driving force in the state of michigan, our united auto workers. And with new advances in technology, i am sure that that legacy will continue. I am proud to say i sit here with our chairwoman and her vision and hard work, that investing money in women and apprenticeship in nontraditional occupation is critical. The only way we are going to move this economy forward, we need all hands on deck, and that includes investing in women in these nontraditional roles. 101istered apprenticeship, million for youth bill programs, and 50 million to continue to expand the strengthening Community College training grant. I want to again thank my leadership thank the in this, and for the Ranking Members investment in this bill as well. I yield back. Thank you. Chair lowey this character is recognized. Ms. Cacter is recognized. Thank you. I would like to think the chairwoman and Ranking Member call for their work on this critical bill. Chairman lowey and Ranking Member granger, thank you so very much for your continuing leadership. I wanted to publicly express my appreciation for including many myselfies important to and for those i represent. Certainly all of the work in this bill relating to strengthening Worker Protections, Quality Health care and education being made more attainable for each and every american. The bill also provides necessary additional funding for Substance Abuse and Mental Health services and the administration of that. Requesting 238 million above the president s budget, and for the National Institute of health which the committee allocated an additional 8. 6 billion above the Trump Administration request. Our communities affected by the Opioid Crisis and now the coronavirus rely on us to do more and requires our immediate funding to address Mental Health services, as others have mentioned, some citizens abuse prevention. I know we share concerns about the high cost of restrictions on prescription drugs and our relation its successfulon work in addition Public Health vulnerabilities to engage in u. S. Based partnership for advanced manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients and their chemical precursors for the strategic National Stockpile. As our concern for offshore drug production is heightened, i think the chairwoman for including consideration of the Program Expansion to include at risk drug ingredients. In addition, the bill directs o continue expanding relationships with the department of energy to Work Together to more closely and more strategically to leverage the department of energys vast Research Capabilities to further push the boundaries of Health Research related to higher resolution imaging, including for deep brain function, related drug discovery, and other Biomedical Research areas where the sciences are blending. Again, i appreciate the chairwoman, Ranking Member, and Committee Staff for diligently working to incorporate these priorities and many others, and i yield back. Chair lowey seeing no other member wishing to make opening remarks, i would like to recognize to offer a managers amendment. Thank you very much. I have an amendment at the desk. Chair lowey the clerk will read the mmn. In the bill read the amendment. I mentioned earlier, members submitted more than 15,000 request to this bill, and we were able to accommodate the vast majority of those requests. I have last few daysr, worked with congressman call and have had a managers amendment making a number of noncontroversial changes to the bill and a report for programs that are of interest to many of the bipartisan members of this subcommittee. I appreciate the close collaboration i had with congressman call and his staff in putting this amendment together. And we are in agreement. I urge adoption of the amendment and i yield back. Chair lowey Ranking Member call is recognized. I want to thank my good friend the chairwoman of the subcommittee. We certainly support the managers amendment. I want to thank her for all the inclusions she made on our side of the aisle. Very generous. I want to tell the committee i have no doubt that our chair read every one of those 15,000 requests and gave them a more than fair hearing. We support the managers amendment. Chair lowey ms. Herrera butler is recognized. Thank you. Let me say thank you for including in this amendment language directing the nih to create a precovid research agenda. I want to recognize my partner in the caucus. We partnered on this request. To identify how the virus is impacting children. Includednsure they are in Clinical Trials and understand the potential longterm impacts on americas youth. Second, thank you to my colleague derek kilmer for joining me as we requested and you obliged us an additional two bill 2 million for Poison Control Center spirit with calls continuing to rise including in washington, this funding will provide much support to make sure our constituents have access. Thank you to the chairwoman for including this. Urges adoption. Chair lowey are there any other members who wish to be heard on the amendment . I recognize mr. Laurel for one minute to close. I just yield back and am grateful for the comments. Grateful for the request that the members have made, and our ability to be able to address them. Chair lowey the question is on the amendment. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair, the amendmentit, and the is adopted. Are there any other further amendments . The membere does from yokohama rise . From oklahoma rise . I have an amendment. I ask unanimous consent that the reading be finished with. Chair lowey please proceed. The member from oklahoma is recognized for five minutes on the amendment. Thank you. Chair lowey excuse me. Is this amendment one or two . Number one. Chair lowey thank you. Areout objection, you recognized for five minutes. My amendment removes several poison bill writers and language will prevent it from ever becoming law. Hospital language in this bill will block free exercise of civil rights and religious faith and force taxpayers to Fund Planned Parenthood clinics and provide information on abortion. Every pregnant woman who seeks familyplanning services. My amendment strikes these provisions allowing current policy in these matters to continue. My amendment also deletes funding for the controversial teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, which has been modified in disability prevent funds from going to groups that emphasize abstinence. Instead, it shifts funds to the National Institutes of health, upset and is woefully underfunded and the base bill. Congress has long supported vigorous protection for rights of conscience and the right to file the dictates of ones faith in the marketplace and the workplace. Recent ruling by the Trump Administration has strengthened to clarify those rights. This bill seeks to block those effectively allowing americans to be forced to violate their conscience or religious beliefs. One of the rules put forward by the department of health and Human Services protects physicians, pharmacists, nurses, teachers, students, and faithbased charities who do not wish to provide, participate in, pay for, provide coverage for andices such as abortion assisted suicide. The bill would prevent hhs from using any funds and force this to enforce this protection. It also forces all grantees receiving funds under Title X Family Program to provide information about Abortion Services to every pregnant woman they serve, regardless of the religious beliefs of the woman with the grantee. Grantees believe abortion is the murder of innocent life. The government should never force them to tell someone how to get an abortion as a condition of receiving taxpayer dollars. The right to follow ones conscience on deeply held religious and moral beliefs is one of the foundations of our country. These writers are nothing more than partisan poison pills inserted during a president ial election year, something my friends on the other side of the aisle decry year after year as not belonging in an appropriations bill. Why do they belong now . The labor hhs bill will never become law. Urge the passage of the amendment and i yield back the passage of my time. Chair lowey any other members wishing to be heard on the amendment . Thank you. So many issues at which the Ranking Member and i agree, and he knows as well as i do that i rise in opposition to this amendment, which would strike multiple privations from the bill that are included specifically to overturn harmful policies instituted by the Trump Administration. The amendment would strike the bills provision blocking implementation of the harmful and damaging rule affecting the title x Family Planning program, often referred to as a domestic gag rule. Blocking it is critical to ensure that women have access to the full range of evidencebased inventive preventive and reproductive. Services. We included that because he title x gag rule is unethical, it is dangerous, and it is illegal. Over two thirds of the patients who seek care at title x clinics rna household that is at or that are in a household is at or below poverty level. Many of these patients are uninsured or underinsured. And the provision in the bill is necessary to stop the Trump Administration from controlling what information people can and cannot get from their health care provider. The amendment will also strike sections 244 from the bill. It blocks the administrations refusal rule, which would allow discrimination in virtually all facets of health care by allowing hospitals, doctors, nurses and other individuals and patientions to deny a standard medical care based on their own personal beliefs, not on what is best for the patient. Thencluded section 244 in bill because the refusals rule is not only dangerous, it is unlawful. Every federal court to consider the issue has ruled that it is unlawful. The amendment would strike two provisions from the bill that protect families, including lgbtq families, fro discriminationm. The Trump Administration is attempting to rollback protections for transgender people. We specifically included these two provisions in the bill to protect some of our most vulnerable communities. Discrimination has no place in health care. The amendment would eliminate funding for the teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. The Current Administration has program,d the teen taking funding away from grantees who provide highquality, evidencebased Sexual Health Education Programs, and redirecting those funds to abstinence only programs, which we know do not work. Nextok forward to the administration which will administer this program faithfully so it can return to its mission of successfully reducing the number of teen pregnancies. And finally, the amendment would strike section 114 from the bill. That provision blocks the administrations rule that would give taxpayerfunded contractors the extraordinary power to hire and fire employees based on religion, and on the employees understanding of religious penance and beliefs. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. Chair lowey ms. Granger. I strongly support the gentlemans amendment. I cant agree to reverse the important policies put forth by this administration to protect life and religious beliefs. Let me explain some of the troubling language contained in the underlying bill, which this amendment would reverse. All familyplanning grantees would be required to provide information about abortions to all pregnant women they serve, even if the grantee has religious objection to abortion. The bill also blocks the administration from protecting americans from following their own religious beliefs in their daytoday work. This is wrong, and this amendment strikes these provisions from the bill. Our government should not require doctors, nurses, and faithbased organizations to disregard their deeply held views. We must have policies in place to ensure life and religious freedoms are protected. The gentlemans amendment will allow these important protections to continue as they exist today, and i urge a yes vote on the amendment. Clark. Owey ms. Thank you. The rule in question from the administration allows Healthcare Providers to claim religious or moral beliefs as a reason to refuse an individuals health care. This is protected this has protected patients from discrimination and health care and is the first broad protection from sex discrimination in health care from federal law. If allowed to move forward, this amendment and the rule contained in it would allow a practitioners personal belief, not medicine, to dictate a patients care. Hhs has no justification for this harmful rule, and its clear that once again they are trying to create more challenges are people seeking Reproductive Health care and lgbtq plus patients. It would rule out any entity involved in a patients acre, from care, from a board of directors to a receptionist, to put their personal beliefs ahead of a patients health. Explicitly states that hospital room schedulers and those that clean surgical instruments can refuse to do their jobs if they believe it is reasonably connected to an objected health service. Amendment endorses discrimination based on sex, and should not be allowed to move forward. I urge a no vote on the amendment. Chair lowey mr. Aderholt is recognized. Thank you. I want to rise in strong support of my colleague from oklahoma. Number one. Isseems the majority putting politics ahead of trying to get our job done, and that is getting the bill signed into law. We know that President Trump has issued a veto threat against any legislation that weakens current federal policies and laws or that encourages destruction of innocent human life at any stage. And this bert this bill certainly does that. Additionally, i understand the bipartisan budget agreement for states that poison pills will not be included. But again, this bill would violate that agreement. Bill is bading policy. It violates the bipartisan agreement and i would urge my leseagues to support mr. Co amendment, and i yield back. Chair lowey ms. Lawrence is recognized. Here we areare once again, some of my colleagues continue unwanted attacks on a program that provides Critical Health care for millions of americans across this country. I said last week, but apparently i need to say it again. Womens Reproductive Health is health care. Health care is health care. And health care is a basic human need. Result of this amendment were to pass is simple women across the country would lose access to health services, including millions of women who would lose access to their only provider for health care. This administrations cruel have x gag rule would devastating effects on women in michigan and across the country. Were18, 40 of patients title xd, meaning these supported sites may have been there only access for an affordable source of health care. I stand here again perplexed why my colleagues completely disregard the health care, or womens access to health care. As we sit here, we must again talk about why politicizing Womens Health care is something that none of us should be doing. Every woman should have the right to decide what to do with their bodies, just like men. We are celebrating the 100th for decades and centuries said women could not vote, and we are now having the discussion about what women should do with their body. Nothing gives anyone the right to make a decision that is right for patients. To opposecolleagues this dangerous amendment, and i yield back. Ms. Watson coleman. Thank you. I rise in opposition to this amendment, because i believe we cannot go backwards. We will not allow the administration to allow religious beliefs perversely involved in care to determine a patients access to health care. This a memo would also allow discrimination against lgbtq families and health Education Programs. Most disconcerting is this amendment would reinstate the administrations dangerous domestic gag rule, and continue to restrict women of colors access to Reproductive Health care. Thatst vote no to ensure no american is refused the treatment and care that they need. We must vote no to protect lgbtq patients who could be denied certain procedures because of their gender identity, or sexual orientation. And we must vote no to protect Health Care Access for people of color. This amendment would create completely unnecessary confusion and health care apparat potentially putting patients in danger. And no ones a safety should be in anyones hands beyond their doctors. This is a dangerous rule for women, the lgbt community, and so many more people. Nos is why i strongly urge a vote, and i yield back. Isir lowey ms. Frankel recognized. Thank you so much. In opposition to this amendment. First, let me say i find it remarkable that in the midst of the covid pandemic, that anyone would think it is a good idea to take access to Health Care Away from people. Themoving right along, when world witnessed a Police Officer putting his knee on George Floyds neck, causing his death, we were rightfully horrified. And of course millions of americans called out against Racial Injustice. Heres the thing. As many of my colleagues before me have said, Racial Injustice comes in many forms. The beneficiaries of title x funding are mostly people of low income who could not otherwise afford health care on their own. The majority are people of color. Issuing a gag rule that Health Providers who provide care to the title x program, such as planned parenthood before they got excluded, discussing all Health Options with their patients including abortion, blocking access to affordable Birth Control, std screenings women access to full Reproductive Services and other issues in the amendment is just one of the many examples of the systemic effort, discriminatory effort on the part of the Trump Pence Administration which, since day one, has aggressively targeted the health and the rights of women, especially people of color, people of low incomes, and lgbtq individuals. It is a pattern and a practice. Week. Ked about that last policies that allow healthcare workers to a rule that allows one boss to decide whether or not your Birth Control is covered by insurance. Peoplemated 126,000 could lose access to contraception. Attempting to repeal the Affordable Care act, taking away mandatory Health Benefits including maternity coverage. Directing the Pregnancy Prevention Program to a useless program. Nominating more than 200 antiabortion judges for lifetime appointments. Appointing two Supreme Court nominees who according to trump, would vote to overturn roe v. Wade. To allow healthcare discrimination against lgbt individuals and people who had an abortion. Dignitaries pushing dignitaries at the u. N. Eliminating protections to survivors of Sexual Assault on college campuses. Implementing a rule that blocked people from citizenship or permanent residency in the u. S. Simply because they received any one of a range of Public Benefits including nutrition assistance. And the ultimate discriminatory action, the continued support behind amendment. I am not even going to get into the statistics at the border. Do you get the picture . I will say it again. From day one, the Trump Pence Administration has had their knee on equal access to health care. And i will conclude with this. And i know i speak for many. Women have fought for the right to view, for quality education, to get credit in our own name, to get access for contraception, and we will not go back. Please, defeat this very bad amendment. I yield back. Theres no if further debate, the member from oklahoma is recognized on the mm and for one minute to close. Amendment for one minute to close. I would not try to change anyones opinion on this issue and i recognize everyone holds those opinions sincerely and profoundly. Thater, i would point out this bill will not become law with this language in it. It will not pass the senate, it will not be signed by the president. Bet means this bill will not enacted this year and frankly, probably not next year no matter what happens in november, unless the senate also gets rid of the filibuster rule. This is recognizing a political reality. I do feel strongly about it but i recognize others feel strongly the other way. With that i would urge passes of the amendment and i yield back the balance of my time. Chair lowey the question is on the amendment. Offered by the member from oklahoma. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair, the nos have it. The amendment is not i would ask for a recorded vote. Chair lowey a recorded vote has been requested. All those in favor, raise your hand. A sufficient number being in support, a recorded vote is ordered. Call] ther lowey on the vote, ayes are 22, the nays are 30. The amendment is not adopted. What purpose does the member from wisconsin rise . I have an amendment at the desk. Chair lowey clerk will read the amendment. I ask unanimous consent we can dispense of the reading. Chair lowey would the member from wisconsin hes recognized for five minutes. Thank you. This amendment insert report language to improve oversight of insurance companys compliance with the Mental Health parity and Addiction Treatment act signed into law almost 12 years ago. The law requires insurers to cover care for Mental Health, Substance Use disorders, at the same level of other medical and Surgical Care services. Yet over a decade later as we have seen the prevalence of Mental Health issues and Substance Use disorders rapidly increase, there are still insurers who are noncompliant with federal law. According to data from the National Association of medical illness, only 43 of u. S. Adults have Mental Illness with Mental Illness have received treatment in 2018, and only 50 of youth ages six to 17 with Mental Illness disorders received treatment. Currently, the primary method of Holding Insurers Accountable is an auditing approach conducted by the department of labor. In fiscal year 2017 the department of labor conducted 187 investigations, and found that almost 50 of plans were noncompliant with the law. Last december, they opened a report that said the department of labor and health and Human Services commonly found violations to parity requirements. The report recommended evaluating whether or not targeting auditing of insurers is an effective way for oversight of mental and Behavioral Health coverage parity. So about 2. 2 million plans overseen by the dol alone. Clearly the auditing process has not succeeded at improving compliance. This moment directs the department to create guidelines for compliance with the law and require all employersponsored health plans to submit an annual Compliance Report to hold insurers responsible for parity violations. It is time we started adhering to a decadesold a decadeold federal law to promote access to mental and Behavioral Health care. I urge the committee to support this amendment. Chair delauro seeks recognition. I write in support of the amendment that directs the secretary of hhs and coordination when treasury to create guidelines within 90 days for employersponsored health plans to submit annual public Compliance Reports related to coverage of mental and Behavioral Health services. The actonted to support when it was signed into law almost 12 years ago. And supported by members of both sides of the diocese here today. Despite this law and others to ensure on par with physical health care, Mental Health parity remains out of reach for far too many. Last year, a court found Unitedhealth Group denied necessary care for Mental Illness and Substance Use disorders, withholding coverage for serious chronic conditions. Their lack of compliance is detrimental and harmful to patients, and we cannot allow them to discriminate any longer. We need to change the way we enforce Mental Health parity, and finally hold health plans accountable and ensure they are complying with federal law. This amendment will help us achieve just that by requiring insurers to submit public parity reports, reports they should already have available. I thank you for working with congressman kennedy, who has been a champion leading the fight for Mental Health parity. This important amendment will ensure that every person gets the Mental Health care that they need. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. If there is no further debate, the member of wisconsin is recognized for one minute to close. This is a simple amendment to insert language to ensure compliance with federal lien guarantee equal coverage of mental and Behavioral Health care. I want to thank the chairwoman for her support and congressman kennedy, who has been a strong advocate for this issue. This is a commonsense amendment. I urge my colleagues to support it. I yield back. The question is on the amendment. Aye. Se in favor, say. Ose opposed, say no it, the amendment is adopted. For what purpose does the member from florida rise . Thank you very much, madam chairwoman. Decades,ently, for employees engaged in driving trucks, taking crops around to different parts of the field wait a minute. The clerk will read the amendment. I apologize. Funds madethe available by this act without objection, the reading of the amendment is suspended. Madamas on such a roll, chairwoman. [laughter] as i was saying, when farm Labor Contractors come other employees are engaged in driving trucks [laughter] i recognize five minutes on the amendment. [laughter] start again. Im not going to start again. I will keep going. I should just shut up right now. Again, when they are moving crops to different parts of the field, or even to packing facilities, that has always meant agricultural labor. When we are dealing with this. In 2019, the department of labor , this is interesting, changed their interpretation of agriculture agricultural labor. Didnt change the law, didnt change the rule, just changed the interpretation of it not giving anybody anytime, no input from anybody. It is creating a major, major issue. Farmers are experiencing severe Financial Hardship due to this new interpretation. I have spoken to highlevel folks in the department of labor. I have not talked to anybody who supports this new interpretation or understands why it happened. Is ite amendment does says no funds can be used for this new interpretation until the government of our culture submit the impact of the physicians and interpretations. These decisions and interpretations. Nobody understands who made the decision. An answer. Its creating a lot of hardship for farmers in my area. I should have spoken to the chairwoman. You have always been accessible. I apologize, i hate the social distancing. Again, my bed. I should have spoken my bad. I should have spoken to you before. I urge your support. [indiscernible] is recognized. Thank you. No need for apologies. I rise in opposition to this amendment. It would effectively allow Labor Contractors to report truck programthrough the h2a until the Department Submit a label impact study labor impact study on such use of the h2a program. Labor contractors are now prevented from bringing in Truck Drivers through the h2a program, but they are free to use the h2b program for this purpose. This amendment seeks to reverse an h2arelated limitation on Labor Contractors who are not farmers that prevents them from using the h2a program for Truck Drivers. By reversing the limitation, Labor Contractors would be able to bring in such workers through the h2a program rather than program. He h2b by effectively recategorizing to h2aupations from h2b then Labor Contractors can use the requirements in the program, which requires Legal Protections that h2a workers are excluded from, as well as the cap on h2b workers employees can being can bring into the u. S. A Labor Contractor can bring in as many Truck Drivers as it wants. This amendment hurts, ultimately, u. S. Truck drivers. In april alone, 88,000 Truck Drivers lost their job. The single largest trucking job loss on record in a month. Employers are trying to circumvent the law during a pandemic and import cheaper labor. At the same time, we have truckers looking for work. The Agricultural Industry is the only industry with access to an uncapped program. It is particularly striking given that agriculture workforces are still excluded from the basic labor protections, such as overtime pay and the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining rights. The amendment undercuts the bipartisan Farm Workforce modernization act that this body past in december passed in december. Reformsislation makes and improves the h2a program as a whole. This amendment takes a piecemeal from an approach. The Immediate Impact would allow Labor Contractors to bring in an unlimited number of h2a foreign sorkers as Truck Drivers, and a i pointed out, this is the wrong move, since we are dealing with Truck Drivers that are without work. Even theght add that u. S. Department of labor has expressed strong concern about the amendment. And given the exponential growth the2a programs, discrimination against from , our nations history has abused the programs of workers from abroad. I urge my colleagues in not supportingn this amendment. I want to thank my friend from florida for bringing this critically important amendment to the floor. I want to rise and strong strong support. Agriculture is the second biggest economic driver in florida. Areseasonal Truck Drivers important to the economy. And each year, our seasonal , staffingface hurdles hurdles, during harvesting season. In addition to staffing challenges, they also face challenges agricultural communities dealing with pests, diseases, hurricanes, and other natural disasters that can wipe out entire crops. Having this additional Seasonal Challenge of staffing just excessive its the entire system exacerbater bates s the entire system. It is not just florida, either, this is nationwide. Members ofny of the the districts in this room are impacted by this. To make matters worse, last year, with all of this other , last19 problem, now year, when the department of labor began denying h2a applications in seasonable jobs for Truck Drivers, they had been performing for 20 years. They had been in this business. The department of labor unilaterally decided to change the interpretation of the law. Impact is going to be, has been, significant already. Transporting crops is an essential part of getting the harvest out of the field, to the processors, and that is how we move these crops from the American Firm to the american table farm to the american table. Covid19 has highlighted the critical need for a robust agricultural workforce and steady food supply within our own borders. It would be unwise for the dll to maintain this, especially while the Agricultural Community continues to try and cope with this virus. For these reasons, i want to encourage members to support that simplynt requires that they go back and ahow the impact to the h2 program. That was mentioned by the secretary of labor and secretary of ag, to make a joint study. With that, madam chair, i yield back. If there is no further debate, the member from florida is recognized on the amendment to close. Inute let me make a couple of points clear. This is not a radical change. The radical change to place when the department of labor, without notifying anybody before him, changed the interpretation. What i am trying to do is keep it the way it was. Talking due respect, about that this is going to open the door no, no, this is going to keep it as it is. The status quo. It does not open any door. At all. Dangerous we have all seen how dangerous it is to rely on other countries for medical devices. How, frankly, Government Policies have incentivized folks to leave the country. And we saw the huge crisis we had to import from china basic things like masks. Imagine if a new change of interpretation caused further difficulty to our farmers and made us have two important food have to import our food. We want to stop the change, not create change. H2bs were not available anymore. Farmers in florida were not allowed to get anymore, because those were kept. Were capped. They did not have any more. We want to maintain the way it was for the last 20 years to help the farmers. I would respectfully ask your consideration. I yield back, madam chairwoman. I want to remind all members, wear your masks for the safety of your colleagues. Most people are wearing them, but there may be some or not. Please, where your there may be some who are not. Please, wear your mask. The question is on the amendment. All those in favor, say aye. Those opposed, say no. The nos have it in the amendment is not adopted. For what purpose does the member from maryland rise . Amendment. N the clerk will read the amendment. Strike sections 113 and 407 relating to joint employer. The member from maryland is recognized for five minutes on the amendment. Thank you very much, madam chair. This is not a new subject for the committee. This deals with striking the two sections in the bill, 113 and 407, that relate to the january , finalruary 2020 deal rules issued on joint employer. With the bill in its current structure, the rules would revert to the rules that were from 2015 and 2016 that caused franchiseern in the industry, especially. We would be reverting to the the hiringhindered and the performance of that franchise industry. All the members of the committee should have gotten a letter from the Asian American hotel owners association, the franchise business services, the International Franchise association, the National Restaurant association pointing out the problems with reverting to the prior language. Says prior tolem the finalization of these rules, the new rules from january and february of this year, the ifa commissioned an Economic Analysis showing the unpredictable joint employer policy in recent years had caused franchise businesses over 33 billion per year in economic output. 376,000 french has Job Opportunities were american jobs. As 376,000 jobs were lost. Those were american jobs. Jobs would be lost by the lack of adoption in this amendment with the lynnwood in the bill. If you read the letter, it shows the desperate impact dis parate impact this has on minorities. In many areas of the country, this is the way that minorities establish a Small Business and achieve the American Dream. That is compared to 18 of nonfranchise businesses. This is an example of discriminating against minorities, the language of the bill, which miami mint seeks to change. Which mye adoption amendment seeks to change. I urge the adoption of the amendment. I yield back. I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. Department of labor and the trumpcontrolled National Labor Relations Board joint employer rules were written to shield corporations from liability for labor law violations by allowing them to hide behind their contractors and subcontractors and hurt those very workers that my college is referenced. Actfair labor standards requires minimum wage and employers the daytime and a half for all hours worked above 40 hours per week. The National Labor relations act ensures the freedom of workers to represent themselves in the workplace and the congress defected. The board these laws have provided workers with basic rest for generations s for generations, but corporations are seeking to exploit a changing economy to get out of these obligations. Is modern economy increasingly outsourced and contracted out. Ping agencies these firms will often turn to toir own subcontractors provide workers at specific locations or perform other supporting functions. With theirs, along friends at the department of labor and the nlrb, are seizing to curve themics responsibility to provide their workers with a basic wage and collective rights. By denying these rules, we are ensuring franchisees are covered by the federal labor standards act and the nlra. These rules interfere with these protections. What we are doing is were toing protections back workers. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. Mr. Cole is recognized. The provisions added to this bill would prohibit the department of labor and the National Labor Relations Board from implementing new joint employer regulations. Are afterlations years of back and forth litigation for the purposes of labor law enforcement. Reading nationwide uncertainty a time when businesses are struggling to creating nationwide uncertainty during a time when businesses are struggling to reopen. These rules impact franchise businesses in particular. The franchise Business Model has been successful for decades and led to the creation of thousands of Small Businesses and millions of jobs. Andeed to reduce red tape support this models of people can get back to work safely and quickly. I thank the gentleman for the amendment and i urge the adoption. Ms. Wasserman schultz is recognized. Thank you, madam chair. Opposition to this antiworker and antiunion amendment that will deepen economic inequality. The Trump Administrations ruling will incentivize corporate outsourcing. It will undermine compliance of laws designed to protect workers. The bill before us today would greatly limit all funding to further this dangerous policy. With companies outsourcing portions of their workforce, they still retain control of many of the terms of employment, but they should not avoid the bargaining table. You joint employer task the new joint employer task would apply to almost no subcontractor workplaces. It is especially militias, because we know in icious, because we know lower Wage Industries are using subcontractors. Forontracted workers, disproportionately people of color, are often unable to set the terms of their employment. This legal ambiguity drives wages down by eroding workers rights to organize. This is just another naked attempt to boost the power of corporations while eroding the power of the average american worker. I recommend a no vote on this amendment. The workers deserve a joint employment standard that guarantees the rights and will create more economic security. Stranger is recognized. Ms. Granger is recognized. Support the amendment that would allow regulations to remain. There will be a negative impact on businesses in our communities if the standard is changed. Right now, businesses need our support more than ever. We should not be putting up for them reopening, which is exactly what this bill would do. This bill blocks the administration from enforcing rules that govern which employers can be held liable for labor law violations in franchise businesses. My colleagues seem to think shutting down franchises is a way to reignite the economy. I dont agree with that. The franchise Business Model has been successful for the creationed to of thousands of Small Businesses and millions of jobs. I support local businesses for that reason. I support the gentlemans amendment to continue to enforce common sense, existing law, urging a yes vote on this amendment. I yield back. If there is no further debate, the member from maryland is recognized on the amendment for one minute to close. Thank you very much, madam chair. With the covid19 pandemic and ensuing business closures harming franchise businesses in every district in the u. S. , according to a recent survey, three out of every four at onese businesses were point fully closed due to the downturn of the government directives. These are not large corporations. Familyownedll, businesses that give every american the ability to achieve the American Dream by having their own business and becoming successful. These are not the big guys. These are the little guys who are in every Congressional District. The january and february rules are clear cut, which is what businesses need to succeed and to operate. I urge during this pandemic, please, please take these Small Business unfriendly sections out of the bill. I yield back. The question is on the amendment. From the member of maryland. All those in favor, say aye. Those opposed, say no. In the opinion of the chair, the nos have it and the amendment is not adopted. Now, my friends, mr. Cole has our last amendment. Lets give him all of our attention. [laughter] so that we can finish for the evening and start again tomorrow at 10 00 a. M. For defense. For what purpose does the member from oklahoma rise . I have an amendment at the desk. The clerk will read the amendment. I asked the reading be dismissed. Without objection, the reading of the amendment is dismissed. Generalng my chairmans admonition in mind, i will actually offer and withdraw this amendment so that we can be spared a vote and move ahead. , this amendment seeks to restore 40 million that was cut from the Charter School program. Frankly, i was surprised to see a cut of this magnitude, considering the increases provided to almost every other Education Program. I was also disappointed, because Charter Schools enjoyed bipartisan support and have done so much to help close the achievement gap and provide alternatives for the most vulnerable and is advantaged students across our country studentsvantaged across our country. Charter schools are public schools. They are not religious in nature. They do not charge tuition. They are chartered and authorized by each state and are accountable to local authorities and most importantly, the parents of the children they serve. Charter schools provide a successful alternative model for highquality, specialized instructional alternatives to children who simply would have no other choice without them. The schools represent the sole costeffective alternative for thousands of students in our tracked solely by their zip code. Program doeschool yield dividends for students, families, and communities most in need. This program should not be singled out for cuts while other programs enjoy increases. I understand that the chair had to make very difficult decisions. I intend to withdraw this amendment. However, i would like to continue to work to ensure we can maintain support for Charter Schools. We were able to do that last year. I hope we are able to do it again this year. I yield back my time. I recognize the chair. I want to say thank you to for withing member join the amendment. I believe he knows i am in a thetion for withdrawing amendment. I believe he knows i am in opposition to it. For the Charter School program, let me make this comment. It provides the up new Charter Schools around the country. We should be in agreement on one point, this program has far more money than the department of education knows what to do with. Devosear, after secretary pleaded with this committee for a 60 million increase, the department of education approached us with the warning that demand for funding was low. Sure enough, before the end of the year, the department was csple to use the full appropriation. They transferred 12 million to other accounts. Almost 3 of the programs appropriations. It appears the need to start up new Charter Schools has not picked up in this fiscal year. The department of education has been using waiver authority, provided in the cares act, to allow florida to spend its 10 unrelated to the authorized activities by the csp. New york and colorado have made similar requests. We have to show the American People we can exercise good judgment when a program clearly has more money than it knows what to do with. Has risen issues, including mismanaged Charter School closures and failing to provide adequate guidance or oversight on the issue by the department. We need to continue oversight of the Charter School program with respect to account ability and the transparency. Accountability and transparency. I also know the offset for this amendment, which i find to be unacceptable, was from the National Labor Relations Board, which needs more resources in order to protect workers collective bargaining rights. As a Ranking Member knows, we had a hearing especially devoted to the issue of Charter Schools and the need for the accountability with regard to the schools. I think the Ranking Member for withdrawing. He knows that i look forward to our continuing conversations about the issue. Thank you so much. I yield back. Are there any other members wishing to be heard on the amendment before mr. Cole withdraws the amendment . No. If there is no further debate, the amendment is withdrawn. Is there any further amendment or discussion . Wishes to sayair something. So i will not say seeing none. Do you want to be acknowledged . I think my colleagues on both side of the aisle i think my colleagues i colleagues on both side of the aisle. Both sides of the aisle. We know this bill touches the lives of every individual, every child, every family throughout this country. While we will debate, we will with passion, with the whole nine yards, because it comes out of deep convictions at of the issues we care so much about. I just want to say thank you to all of you for being engaged in this bill and participating in way. An instense i think my Ranking Member for his participation. Recognized. You are i was getting ready for the vote. Since he recognized me, i will quickly say, i want to thank my chairman. She is wonderful to work with in every way. This is a great bill. I hope it gets better during the course of the process. Not quite good enough to vote for yet, but i think we can get it there. With that, i yield back. Is there any further amendments or discussion . Before i recognize the gentlewoman from ohio for a motion, i want to thank everyone here. This has really been, in my judgment, and outstanding session an outstanding session. Everyone was involved and we finished on time. Seeing none, i recognize the gentlewoman from ohio for a motion. I ask for your support for this bill. That an, i moved to favorably that act to the house. To favorablyove report that act to the house. All those in favor, say aye. Those opposed, say no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. Madam chair . On that, i would ask for a recorded vote. All those in favor of a recorded folk, raise your hand. A sufficient number being in support, the clerk will call the roll. No. Aye. No. Aye. Aye. No. No. Aye. Aye. Aye. No. Aye. Aye. Aye. No. No. No. Aye. No. No. No. No. No. No. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. No. No. No. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. No. Aye. Aye. No. Aye. Aye. No. No. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. No. [indistinct chatter] [no audio] on this vote, the ayes are 30, the nos are 22. I ask the staff be permitted to make technical changes. Seeing no objections, so ordered. Without objection, the committee stands adjourned. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2020] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] announcer cspan has unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the Supreme Court, and Public Policy events. You can watch all of the Public Affairs programming on television, online, or visit our free radio app and be part of the National Conversation through cspans daily Washington Journal Program or through our social media feeds. 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