amendment. also today creating a national women's history new mue seem as part of the smithsonian. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by rev. dr. haplain, cheryl coleman hall, nineteenth street baptist church,, ashington d.c. the chaplain: let us pray. god of infin it wisdom, of faithfulness of mercy of justice and love, we gather in this place at this by grace and we are grateful. we pray for clarity of blind for the work of service that must be accomplished by each one here. we pray that they will use today wisely, for today will become yesterday and today is creating tomorrow. we pray that broken places are made straight and the bridges we are building are strong and mighty for we must all work upon them. we pray for the persons who support them, the family members as they carry out the awesome responsibilities that bring brothers, sisters, communities and countries. as we gather charged with the awesome responsibilities for which we have been called, we are reminded of all that is divine, all that is good, all that is merciful in each of us and we pray each of us are able to declare at the end of the day with sincere heart, may the works be done speak for me. for the one who is the light that is showing in the darkness that cannot be extinguished, we offer this prayer, amen. the speaker pro tempore: chair and announces to the house her approval thereof. journal. the pledge of the allegiance will be led by the gentleman from arkansas, mr. crawford. mr. crawford: i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible with liberty and ustice for all.. the speaker pro tempore: the chair will entertain up to 15 requests for one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. hillingins: this week marks the 119 anniversary of the tragic creash of continental flight 437. on february 12, 2009, the flight crashed in new york killing all passengers and crew members onboard and one person on the ground. national transportation safety board determined the crash was due to pilot error and inexperience. thanks to tireless advocacy of the families of flight 4307 who lost loved ones in the crash reforms like 15 hours of flight training for first officers have been enacted. however, more than a decade later we still anxiously await implementation of the pilot records database to allow airlines to access records of pilots applying for jobs. western new york will never forget light 3407 and neither should congress. i urge my colleagues to continue to strive for one level of safety and remain didgevidgeleant about aviation safety standards. thank you -- vigilant about aviation safety standards. thank you, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from arkansas? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: thank you, without objection the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. i rise today to commemorate the life of my close friend, billy sue, who passed away on sunday evening. she was a lifelong public servant, political pioneer, and devout follower of jesus. she was a nationally board certified teacher. across five decades and four schools were blessed to find themselves in the classroom. mr. crawford: her passion for teaching cannot be extinguished coming out of a well deserved retirement a few years ago to go back in the classroom. her service to the community extended to public office as well. she was appointed by the governor as justice of the peace on the court and commissioner for the angack educational television network. under her leadership, the county flipped all legislative seats and well over half of county wide officers. in 2017, she was awarded the highest discontinuing given by the arkansas g.o.p. she's survived by her four children and seven grandchildren. i ask congress to join me in offering condolences to her family. god bless her memory. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. last week donald trump came on to this house floor, looked the american people in the eye, and he stated, we will always protect your medicare and we will always protect your social security. mr. lieu: that statement is false. we know that statement is false laws donald trump released his budget. and the donald trump budget cuts over $1.5 trillion there medicare, medicaid, and social security. let me say that again. the donald trump budget cuts over $1.5 trillion from medicare, medicaid, and social security. the donald trump budget cuts over $1.5 trillion from medicare, medicaid, and social security. the donald trump budget cuts over $1.5 trillion from medicare, medicaid, and social ecurity. the donald trump budget cuts over $1.5 trillion from medicare, medicaid, and social security. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina seek recognition? mr. wilson: i move unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. wilson: thank you, madam speaker. congratulations to charles mccade, a freshman at a.c. florida high school in columbia and next sunday charles will receive the extraordinary award of eagle scout from troop 10 at east minister presbyterian church. he's preceded by his brother, as well as usins, his uncle. in earning this prestigious honor with the boy scouts of america. charles has also been elected the senior patrol leader in troop 10 serving with scout master buoy as well as being elected to the order of palmetto. as the father of four sons who are eagle scouts, i'm grateful to teand scores of honors such as for charles. this weekend it was inspiring to be with andrew at st. sigh on and st. jude episcopal church. in conclusion, god bless our troops and we will never forget september 11 and the global war on terrorism led by donald trump. congratulations to so much dawn staley on your continuing victories for the gamecock women's basketball. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: thank you. without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. 60 years ago this month four african-american students from north carolina at&t performed a simple yet profound act. they sat at woolworth's lunch counter in front of a dedessable whites own sign. they were called rabble rousers, troublemakers, and worse. they did not yield. in the days that followed, more students joined them, including my friend, clarence henderson. by continuing to sit they were standing up for their god-given constitutional rights as americans. mr. budd: they may not have known it at the time, but their act of courage lit a fire of freedom that spread across our country, all wait to the steps of the lincoln memorial where martin luther king jr. spoke to us about his dream of a more just tomorrow. this black history month we remember the brave sacrifices that were made by so many. so that each and every american would never again be judged as dr. king said, by the color of our skin but instead by the content of their carketemplet i yield back. -- character. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from it pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: madam speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. thompson: thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, i rise today to congratulate the butler county community college on the recent achievement. the college was recognized as the number one community college in pennsylvania. it was quite an achievement, but the community college is no stranger to success. for the fifth time since 2015, bccc has been recognized as the best of the best in the commonwealth. this annual accolade presented by the best colleges.com assesses academic quality, affordability, and online competency to determine who provides the best overall experience for students. butler county community college of all for arners a 21st century work force. thanks to this model, bcc students are graduating with more students and less debt. i'm proud of the educational excellence at butler county community college has offered its students in the surrounding area. and they are certainly well deserving of this recognition. thank you, madam speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. lamalfa: last month the health and human services issued a notice of violation to my home state of california that is in direct violation of the weldon amendments by requiring all health insurers to cover abortions in their plans. governor newsom has 11 days left to comply with federal law by repealing the abortion mandate or risk losing important federal funds. in the shadow of the 47th anniversary of roe vs. wade it is important we buck the status quo that increasingly takes human life for granted. while governor newsom continues to blatantly disregard people's personal and religious views, i will continue to stand here as part of the fight to make sure americans are never forced to pay for other people's abortions. i urge goff gf newsome to quickly repeal california's abortion mandate and get back in line with the rule of law. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what reason does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. harris: madam speaker, great news on the economy this week. the economy added 225,000 jobs in january. and unemployment for americans is at a 50-year low. but the booming economy has resulted in worker shortages throughout the economy. whether it's for aubrey vincent of lindy seafood or allen jones at manner view farms. right now there are simply more seasonal jobs open than americans available to fill them. and tens of thousands of full-time american jobs rely on the availability of sufficient temporary visa workers to meet temporary labor needs. today i rise to thank the trump administration for its past decisions to release extra temporary advise yeas. i realize that congress should determine the numbers needed and included that in legislation, but congress failed. and that's why, madam speaker, i rise to ask the administration to continue to support these seasonal businesses and release an adequate number of h-2-b visas. yield back. t the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from pennsylvania seek recognition in ms. scanlon: by direction of the committee on rules i ask for immediate consideration. the clerk: house resolution 844, resolved thatresolved, that at any time after adoption of this resolution the speaker may, pursuant to clause 2-b of rule 18, declare the house resolved into the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for consideration of the bill, h.r. 2546, to designate certain lands in the state of colorado as components of the national wilderness preservation system, and for other purposes. the first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. all points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. general debate shall be confined to the bill and amendments specified in this section and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on natural resources. after general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. in lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on natural resources now printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of rules committee print 11650 shall be considered as adopted in the house and in the committee of the whole. the bill, as amended, shall be considered as the original bill for the purpose of further amendment under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. all points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. no further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in the report of the committee on rules accompanying this resolution. each such further amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the house or in the committee of the whole. all points of order against such further amendments are waived. at the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the committee shall rise and report the bill, as amended, to the house with such further amendments as may have been adopted. the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or without instructions. section 2, upon the adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the house the joint resolution, h.j. res. 79, removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment. all points of order against consideration of the joint resolution are waived. the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on the judiciary now printed in the joint resolution shall be considered as adopted. the joint resolution, as amended, shall be considered as read. all points of order against provisions in the joint resolution, as amended, are waived. the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint resolution, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on the judiciary; and (2) one motion to recommit with or without instructions. section 3, house resolution 842 is hereby adopted. section 4, on any legislative day during the period from february 14, 2020, through february 24, 2020, a, the journal of the proceedings of the previous day shall be considered as approved, and, b, the chair may at any time declare the house adjourned to meet at a date and time, within the limits of clause 4, section 5, article i of the constitution, to be announced by the chair in declaring the adjournment. section 5, the speaker may appoint members to perform the duties of the chair for the duration of the period addressed by section 4 of this resolution as though under clause 8-a of ule i. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from pennsylvania will be recognized for one hour. ms. scanlon: for the purposes of debate only i yield 30 minutes to the the gentlewoman from arizona pending which i yield myself time i may consume. all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. i ask unanimous consent that all members be given five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. on mopped, the rules committee meant and recorded a rule house resolution 844 providing for consideration of two measures, h.r. 2546, protecting america's wilderness act and removing the deadline of ratification of the equal rights amendment. the rule provides for h.r. 2546 under a structured rule with one hour debate equally divided controlled by the chair and ranking member of the committee on natural resources and makes in order 12 amendments and provides one motion to recommit. e rule provides for h.j.res. 79 with one hour of debate by the committee on the judiciary and provides one motion to recommit. the rule deems as passed 842 a simple majority is needed for passage of h.j.res. 79. and provides the district work period instructions from february 14 through february 24. it has been almost 100 years since the equal rights amendment was first introduced into congress. it has been 45 years since it was passed by congress. and this year as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, it defies logic that we are still in a holding pattern when it comes to recognizing the equal rights of women under the united states constitution. i'm proud to overis see the rule sufficient nd the pioneers set out to pass the equal rights amendment they had a long and fierce battle ahead of them sm the first version of the e.r.a. was introduced in 19 23. when the amendment was finally approved in 1972, the preamble to the amendment contained a seven-year deadline for ratification. 35 of the 38 states ratified the e.r.a. in the state legislatures during that initial seven-year time line and had broad bipartisan supports in congress and presidents nixon carter and forward. a the e.r.a. did not be constitutional amendment is up to debate but it was due to nti-femnists who sought to trample on the rights of all women to control their reproductive health and participate as equal members of our society in protecting the traditional values of a privileged few. in the years that followed, courts have recognized and protected the various aspects of women's aqult through interpretation of the 14th amendment equal protection clause. as justice scalia recognized, nothing in our constitution as currently written forbids discrimination on the basis of sex. therefore final passage and ratification of the e.r.a. is critical to guaranteeing rights to me, to you and to my daughter and women and girls across this country. we will not go back. this would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. laws changed as do the people interpreting them but we are governed by our constitution. the rights given to us through the constitution or unalienable. we hear that discrimination against women is already illegal. it might be more persuasive it was presented by a party if anything less diverse than it was in the 1970's. when it is a white male and conservative base, that party might not understand the needs for basic additional constitutional protections. women continue to face obstacles to full equality including unequal pay, pregnancy and sexual and domestic violence. one in three he women experience sexual violence. one in five women are sexually assaulted on college campuses nd 56% of girls in grades 7-12 are harassed in any given school year. women have faced sexual harassment with black and brown women diss proportionately impacted. women are paid less for equal work. women are treated differently in job interviews and can be determined a burden to a company if they are pregnant and this is compounded when we look at women of color and women with disabilities. men make 0 cents to a man's dollar. nd black women make about 63 cents on a white man's dollar. native women make 57 cents and hispanic women make 54 cents and the transwomen fall to one-third. a woman who works full-time $430 typically lose 480. this woman would have to work 11 years longer to make up this lifetime wage gap and has serious impacts on retirement. the averageocial security benefits is about $13 tourks per year compared to 18,000 for men of the same age. perhaps my colleagues on the other side aisle if paying women less is illegal and treating women in the workplace that is prohibited by existing law, why does it still happen? the answer is simple. because it is relatively easy to navigate around existing laws to protect women and easy to treat women differently that is in line with the law. that is unacceptable and that is why we need the equal rights amendment. when women earn less for equal work families earn less. if you deliberately to short change the american family and deny them financial security then we have different values. the e.r.a. was passed with bipartisan support, we saw in the rules committee last night and in debate about this rule and bill that the spirit of the late phyllis shaffly has taken party.e republican passing the equal rights amendment is long overdue. i'm excited to be part of the democratic majority that will remove this deadline for ratification and allow states to exercise their constitutional authority to pass this critical and fundamentally american amendment. this rule willles provide for consideration h.r. 2546 the protecting america's willed deerness act. this is a package of public lands bill that will designate 1.3 million acres as wilderness areas preserving those public lands for generations to come. few things in the united states are as cherished by americans as public lands. our country is home to more than 111 million acres of designated wilderness and they oim pakistan us to climate change and offer recreational activities to americans young and old. as we continue to endure devastating and worsening effects of climate change, providing for millions of additional wilderness allow these areas to serve as critical carbon nks to capture dioxide in our atmosphere. wilderness areas are most resilient landscapes and endure periodic wildfires and floods with relatively human impact intervention. it sabes the government money. and this legislation not only helps to combat climate change but supports access to clean water, protects pristine wildlife habitat and bolsters the wildlife recreational colorado, california, washington and more. the act was craft nd direct with the stakeholders and local voices. i thank the chairman and congresswoman degette and members of the natural resources committee to the length they went to make this bill a success and will preserve and protect pristine wildlife habitat, clean water and access to recreational activities. i reserves my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from arizona recognized. . . miss lesky: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank representative scanlon for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. iam. first before i get to the points, i know that we differ on policy, but i have to tell you that i was offended, i thought it was racist and sexist comments made by my democratic colleague about the republican pay makeup. i totally disagree with her. madaspeaker, to begin, i would like to clarify that h.j.res. -- what it is, it is not the equal rights amendment. it's a date change. the legislation is a joint resolution removing the deadlinfor ratification of the equal rights amendment in states that the amendment shall be valid and adoed as part of the constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three quarters of the states. democrats say this is about equal right for a woman. well, i'm a woman, so i obviously support equal rights for women. but i oppose h.j.res. 79 for the following reasons. first, the bill is totally unconstitutional. when the e.r.a. originally passed on march 22, 1972, congress explicitly set a deadline for ratification stating that the amendment shall be valid when ratified by 3-4 of the ors of several states within seven years from theate of its submission by congress. that meant that the final deadline was march 22, 1979, almost 41 years ago. by the end of the initial deadline, only 35 of the 38 states needed had ratified it. so congress with a simple majority vote, qui is questionable, extended the deadline once, to 1982, but no other states joined in ratification. thus the equal rights amendment was dead. it is also imperative to note that five of the 35 states rescinded their ratifications. so then the count was down to only 30 states. in fact, the u.s. department of justice issued a legal opinion just last month reiterating that the e.r.a. ratification timeline is expired. ultimately, when the 1972 e.r.a.'s deadline passed without ratification by 3/4 of the states, the proposed amendment expired and is therefore no longer lend pending. the 1972 e.r.a. therefore can no longer be ratified. because it no longer exists. in one of its works, the nonpartisan congressional research service, which we all turn to, states that the e.r.a. ormally died on june 30, 1982. the u.s. supreme court also dismissed all cases related to the e.r.a. because it held the cases to be moot, saying that the e.r.a. had expired. ratification date had expired. so regardless of one's view on whether or not the equal rights amendment should be adopted, the fact remains that the equal rights amendment was not ratified by the necessary 38 states by the deadline set forth in the text of the amendment itself. just last night supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg, certainly not known as a conservative, said virginia's recent adoption of a e.r.a. resolution was long after the deadline passed. she went on to say, i would like to see a new beginning. i'd like it to start over. there's too much controversy about latecomers virginia. long after the deadline passed. plus a number of the states that have withdrawn their ratification. remember the five i talked about. so if you count latecomer on the plus side, how can you disregard states that said we have changed our mind is and deratified? in addition the democrats' seeky act to slip into resolution language that would deem a mere majority vote instead of the 2/3 vote needed on the constitutional amendment, has significant constitutional and legal ramifications. should my democratic colleagues wish to proceed with seeking to add the e.r.a. to the constitution, the appropriate method would be to follow the procedure outlined in the constitution, passage by a 2/3 in both houses of congress, followed by ratification by 3/4 of the state. it seems as recently as last night supreme court justice ginsburg agrees. secondly, the e.r.a. amendment is not necessary. women's equality of -- quality of rights under the law is already recognized in our constitution in the fifth and 14th amendment. women do deserve fairness and equality under the law. to establish laws such as title 9, the equality opportunity act of 1963, equal opportunity commission, pregnancy discrimination act, eke wral pay -- equal pay act, state and local laws, women have made huge strides against institutional discrimination against women in education, employment, sports, politics, and many other aspects of society. the u.s. supreme court has consistently ruled that both the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment and the due process clause of the 5th amendment guarantee men equal protection under the law. that is why the aclu, women's rights director wrote in sponse to what ms. scanlon brought up about justice scalia, it has been clearly undertood that the 14th amendment prohibits discrimination based on sex. in decision after decision, many authored by conservative supreme court justices, this principle has been reaffirmed. third, if ratified the e.r.a. would be used by pro-abortion groups to undo pro-life legislation and lead to more abortions and taxpayer funding of abortions. don't take my word for it, let's look at what pro-abortion groups have done and what they are saying now. abortion activists have already utilized state level e.r.a.s to require taxpayer funded abortion. in 1998, the new mexico supreme court rul unanimously that the state e.r.a. required the state to fund abortions since procedures sought by men like prostate surgery are funded. a lawit in connecticut used similar arguments and achieved the same objective, full taxpayer fundeabortion. in 2019, planned parenthood and women's law center filed a lawsuit in pennsylvania arguing that the pennsylvania's e.r.a. means abortion must be cluded in dical coverage for women because men aren't denied coverage for anything. in another example, pro-choice america, a pro-abortion group, in a march 13,019 national alert, asserted the e.r.a. reinforce the constitution right of abortion t would require judgeto strike down anti-abortion laws. further in a 2019 letter to the house judiciary committee, the aclu stated, the equal rights amendment could provide an ditional layer of protection against restrictions on abrtions. contraceptives and other forms of reproductive health care. and the pro-e.r.a. websie tself, equal rights amendment.org explicitly states that ratifying the e.r.a. into the u.s. constitution would rovide a strong legal defense against a rollback of women's rights, including but not limited to roe vs. wade. in conclusion, h.j.res. 79 is unconstitutional. the e.a. is unnecessary. since constitutional, federal, state, and local laws already guarantee equal protections and the e.r.a., ifatifi, would be useby pro-aortion groups to undo pro-life laws. also included in this rule is h.r. 2546 te protecting america's willed ners act. my republican colleagues on the natural resources committee have express concern that each of the bills in ts package will remove large swaths of land in rural areas from development, threaten the economic base of these regions and duce the effectiveness of fire prevention plans. my democratic colleagues on the natural resources committees he continued the disappointing trend of moving ills that are not supported by the members who represent the impacted lands. in fact, all the wilderness desnations in h.r. 2546 are located outside the bill's sponsor's district. instead, most are located in representative scott tipton from colorado's district, who opposes the bill. ne of the greatest concerns about this piecof legistion is that significant oppition from local counties, communities, and stakeholder groups seem to go ignored. the consensus is thathese bils will negatively impact individual homeowners, gricultural, entities, water providers, first responders, and the recreation tourist -- touri industry. today it seems that we simply have before us exaples of legislating in oth members' districts without theiruppor or any attempt to collaborate, increased risks of wildfires du to t lack of manament and inability to use mechanical means fight or prevent fire with an all newly designated wilderness areas, lackf support fromocal leaders and akeholders across each of the bills in this legislation, concerns about threats to private property rights when the vast majority of land proposed added tohe santa monica mountains national recreation area is nonfederal. with that i urge opposition to the rule and i reserve the balce of time. the speakerro tempore: thank ou. theentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from pennsylvia is recognized. ms. scanlon: thk you, madam speak. certainly weeeaundry list of reasons for opposition to this bill. we hear it's unconstutional, althou in fact nothing in the constitution speakso deadlines. that congress may set. we unusually hear our colleagues from acrosshe while ivoking justice ginsburg to argue that for some reason we should start over this century long process. justice ginsburg has obviously been a champion on these issues. and to the extent that remarks that she has made ar being quoted, i underand they were exessing a personal view of the ideal circumstances which the e.r.a. could pass not a legal view abouwhat is required. probably better to remember that justice ginsberg has been champion for the e.r.a. since it was approved by both houses of congrs in a bipartisan way in the 1970's. and as she reiterated just yesterday, and iquote, the union will be more perfect when tt simple statement that men and women are persons of eql citizenship stature ipart of our fundamental instrument of government. and that would end that quote. please note this isa tactic of distracting and dividing. la night i asked our colleague if he would be willing to vote for the e.r.a. if, in fact, we were to start over, which he said he would not. and we certainly do not see members of the republican party saying that theyould vote for the e.r. if it would be introduced. what we are seeing here is mply an efforto quash the e.r.a. to end it. to put it to rest. to not have it be made part of our constition. with that iould yield a minute to t gentlewoman from washington, miss dell ben -- delbene. ms. delbene: thank you, madam speak. i rise today in order to form a ore perfec union and do i th by supporting today's rule annderlying resolution which ll finly all for the 28th amendment to the constution. the eql rights amendment. the equal rightamendment will ensha rhine the fundamental principle that every american be affoedqual rights under the law. including women. in 1971 and 1972 congress overwhelmingly passed the equal rights amendmand just a few weeks ago viinia became the 38 state to ratify it. and last state needed to amend our constitution. h.j.res. 79 would remove the deadline for stat to ratify the equal rights amendment, cleari the pa for full equality of rights for women. because men are still bject significant pay disparates, sexual harassment, our work is far from over. i urge all of my colleagues to support today's rul and the underlying resolution and join me in votg for more perfe union. i yield back. . e speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from arizona is recoiz. ms. lesko: i yield 2 1/2 minutes to representative wagner. the speaker pro tempore: the ntlewoma is recognized. mrs. wagner: thank you. i rise today to urge my colleague to oppose joint resolution 79. this resolution sks to deadline for ratification of the equal rights amendment. in 197 madam speaker, when i w 10 years old,ongress orinally set t deadlfor raticaon at seven years. via 2/3 vote. before th original time period exped congress passed a three-year extension which passed fore t number of necessary states to ratify the amendment. day, 37 yes after the constitutional time has expired, it is quite cleathat because of a newocus on a so-caed right to taxpayer funded abortns, thequal rhts amenent does not have support froa 2/3 majoty of congress or likely from 2/3 othe states. we have seen at least five states have already rescied. instead oollowing the guidance of supremcourt stice ruth bader gnsburg and stting the amenent process over again as thfounders inteed anthis is, let me just say, justice ginsburg's legal view as a member of the u.s. supre court, its he legal view, it is her constitutional view. instead, democrats ae attemptingay to troacvely and unconstitutionally remove this deadline by a simple mjority vote. for decades cong has expressed the will of e american people and not used taxpayer dollars for abortion. whether they were aemocratr republican preside, sit chambers of congress or one party in controof bh branes of governme, there has been a bipartisan agreement on appropriatios' language to limit txpayer-funded aboions and support basic pro-life protectionsgainst our country. ifa mocrat majority wants to test that bipartisan agrment and upe decades of recede, they are wome tose a simple clr process laid out in rtie 5, new and legal e.r.a amendments tsuppo equal ghts for women -- scan ms.esko: i give 30 re seconds. mrs. wagner: they c dthe process laid out in artle 5 to adopt a new an lega e.r.a. amdment. and lt me b clear,upport equalights for women as ds the u.sconstution. irting that process for partisan gains sets a dangerous unmericapredent. i urge my colleagues to proct ou democcynd vote no. yield back. the speaker pro tempore the entlewn from arizona reserves the gentlewomanrom pennsylvnia is recognized. ms. scanlon:i contue to resve. the eaker o tempe: the gelewoman from pennsylvania eserves. the woman from arizona. ms. lesko: i reserve my te. waiting for a additnal speaker. the speaker proempore: the gentloman om arizona reserve the ntlewoman om ms. scanlon: i ask unanimous consent to insert into the record a janua 15 "new yo times" articlentitl w the equal rights amendment is back. for nearly a centu, advoces have -- he speaker p tpore: without objection. ms. scanl: vocates have tried tdd a prisiono the nstituon guaranting equal ris to men and women. 80% of americs mistenly believe thamen and women are guaranteed equal rights by ou constitution but does so only with t gho vote. the equal rights amendment wi redy that ission it's necsary that congress consider this amendme to the constiono help women achve pay eality ahelp states intvenes in casesf domti viole contrary to e arguments we are hearing today, thiis n an abortion andment, this is equal rights for women. and with that, i would reser. the speaker pro temporethe gentlewoman reserves. thgentlewoman from arina is recognized. ms.esko: thank you, m speaker, i reserve balance of mtime. speaker pro tempore:he gentlewoman frrizona reser the gtlewoman fro ennlvania is recognized. ms. canlon: is the gentlewoma from azona ppared tolose? ms. esko: 'm still waitig for anotr speaker. the speaker pro tempo: the gentlelady will suspen the gelewom from pennsylvania reserve? ms. scanlon: do. e ker pro tempore:he gentlewoman from arizona is recognized. lesko: thank you, madam speake you know, there e a couplef things tha my colleue from theules committee,s. scanl said that nothinin the constitution sets a deadline. well, i have to disagree with at. actually, it's n just me,t's the supreme cour in a 19 supreme court ecision, afffied that ngress has thporfix the definite time limit for racation of a proposed constituonal andment under s authory to determine the mode of rat knicks i said before,his expiredion. back in 1979. that w 41 years ago. anback then, congress came forward a my undanding is they just did ma vote instead of th2/3 that i theonstitional amendme buth no other ates had ratified. e 1979 deadline, five states had withdwn the ratification. ms. lesko: do we have a other speakers? let me move on. we were expecting someone else, but they did not come so i have i have to move on. madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume, if we defeat the previous question, i will offer an amendment to the rule to make in order a resolution to prevent i any more torium on the use of hydraulic fracking on federal lands unless authorized by congress. i ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the record along with extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. lesko: this amendment would affirm that states should maintain the regulation of hydraulic fracking and prevent any president by imposing a ban on hydraulic fracking. many of the democratic candidates for president have pledged to ban hydraulic facking in the united states, a campaign promise straight out of the keep in the ground playbook. this practice is villified by proponents of the green new deal. hydraulic fracturing is heavily regulated by the states and driven by stringent standards throughout the country. .s. gas bills have fallen by $13 billion collectively every year from 2007 to 2013. the u.s. is leading the way in emissions reductions through innovation in the energy sector. in you 2017, carbon emissions has reached the lowest level since 1992 and reached the lowest level since 1950 and very importantly, the u.s. has become an energy exporter. and we no longer have to rely on opec oil like we did in the 1970's. fracking and u.s. energy independence strengthens our national security. with that, madam speaker, i yield two minutes the representative from north dakota, mr. armstrong. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. armstrong: i join the the gentlewoman from arizona in urging my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can h.res. 869. energy security and national security and economic growth and reduced carbon emissions. the oil patch stretching across western north dakota produces 1.5 million barrel barrels of oil a day. in the united states is uniquely situated in the world economy. we are the very few if not only the country that is food and energy secure and north dakota is a big part of that energy security. let us not frget 10 years ago, if iran would have shot down a u.s. drone and seized a british hip and conducted a attack oil would have skyrocketed to over $115 a barrel and stayed there. you know what happened the day after those attacks, oil went down $1.29. fracking employs two million americans and 35,000 people in my home state. in 2020, the u.s. expected to become a net energy supporter. n 2019 we doubled and fracking offsets other carbon energy sources which the intergovernmental panel on climate change as noted was an important reason for greenhouse gas emissions. with continued technological like carbon capture storage and utilization we can continue to develop these american energy reserves. simply put, america is stronger and our enemies are weaker because of fracking. any attempt to ban makes us less safe and fracking ban will do nothing to reduce carbon emissions. it will destroy my state's economy and send us back to the days where we we lie on opec to fuel our economy. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from arizona reserves. the gentlewoman from pennsylvania is recognized. ms. scanlon: is the gentlewoman rom arizona prepared to close? ms. lesko: thank you, madam speaker. i have one more speaker that has arrived. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentlewoman from arizona is recognized. ms. lesko: i yield three minutes to my good friend, mr. burgess. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. burgess: part of one of the underlying bills the protecting america's wilderness act includes language to expand the santa monica mountains national recreation area by 191,000 acres, an area known as the rim of the valley corridor. in 2008, congress directed the secretary of the interior to study whether to designate all or a portion of the rim of the valley corridor as part of the santa monica mountains national recreation area. in 2016, the national park service recommended an expansion of 173,000 acres. the bill today expands the area by more than that to 191,000 acres including new areas that were not listed in the study and they are completely disconnected from the rim of the valley corridor. and yet, they are included in the exclusion. in addition, the national parks service testified in june of 2019 against the proposed expansion of the santa monica mountains national recreation area focused on the maintenance backlog. the proposed land expansion would include a canyon, a mineral rich area where the bureau of land management has issued contracts. our strong economy has led to an increase in manufacturing and construction. the problem is the supply of construction materials like those that can be found in this area is declining. this legislation, the underlying legislation would make it onerous for contracted companies to move forward with agreed-upon projects. democrats often talk about the importance of a large infrastructure bill, yet the passage of this bill would increase the cost of essential materials as such projects do require. the bottom line is that the land under consideration is currently in dispute and decisions will change the landscape and the activity of an area and it should not occur without consensus. last night the rules committee reported a rule that included consideration of two amendments that may help address the concerns, representative mcclintock offered an aamendment to exclude wilderness the any areas that do not meet the definition. representative westerman offered an amendment to strike designations of potential wilderness under the bill. these are commonsense amendments and when the appropriate time comes i urge members to support the amendments but the underlying bill is flawed. . . ms. scanlon: madam speaker, i'm prepared to close. from k if the gentlewoman arizona is prepared to close. mrs. lesko: yes, madam speaker. close.epared to the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from pennsylvania is recognized. reserves. yes.canlon: the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from arizona is recognized. mrs. lesko: thank you, madam speaker. my losing, i want to urge democratic colleagues to halt their attempts to change the expired bring back an amendment that would rewrite our constitution. not only is this unprecedented, t's wrong, and it's unconstitutional. i believe congress should oppose pointless legislation to remove the deadline and focus instead upholding women's rights, dignity, and opportunity. reject y colleagues to this resolution and work together to promote truly legislation for women. madam speaker, i urge no on the revious question, no on the underlying message, and i yield back the balance of my time. tempore: the o gentlewoman yields. the gentlewoman from pennsylvania is recognized. ms. scanlon: thank you, madam speaker. h.j. resolution 79 is a long civil rights k effo effort. while the protecting america's put together a broad coalition of stakeholders that wouldith a bill further our national interests in preventing climate change. congress, we have a duty to uphold and protect the constitution, and the charge of founders continue to form a more perfect union. rights the equal amendment is truly representative of that oath to ensure that all americans are equally and afforded equal rights under the law. some of to recognize the women and organizations that have gotten us to this point. from paul who graduated college in my district and crystal. katie stanton. and one who issued the first women's call at seneca falls in 1948. women voters who organized and activated so many in icans of both parties support of this movement. and so many of the other ountless advocates who have fought tirelessly for women's equality. this resolution is for all of of the women ll and girls seeking to advance and equality, fighting for a more just america. this resolution is a bold step in the ongoing fight for equal rights. i recognize that i would not be here without the sacrifices made the women who came before me. their passion and strength paved for so many e and of my colleagues to get to where we are today. is not yet won. let's pass this rule, pass this our ution, and show children that all americans deserve equal rights and rotection under the constitution. madam speaker, i urge a yes vote on the rule and the previous yield back the balance of my time and i move the previous question on the resolution. the peaker pro tempore: question is on ordering the previous question on the resolution. aye. in favor say those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the have it. mrs. lesko: madam speaker, i ask nays.e yeas and the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered or on which the vote incurs objection under .lause 6 of rule 20 house will resume proceedings on the postponed a later time. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and h.r. 1980, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of bill. the clerk: h.r. 1980, a bill to in the smithsonian institution a comprehensive museum, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from california, ms. the gentleman from illinois, mr. davis, each will minutes.0 the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california. ms. lofgren: thank you, madam speaker. unanimous er, i ask consent that all members may have five legislative days to evise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. in strong support of h.r. 1980. the smithsonian women's history museum act, will establish a comprehensive museum within the smithsonian institution. of annot tell the story america without telling the story of women in america. to our days leading up founding through today, the united states has benefited from contributions and accomplishments and sacrifices women. in the 1760's, the daughters of came together to protest unjust laws like the townsend act, helping to spark the american revolution. soon after the revolution, adams urged her husband, john, and other members of the congress to, tal first, remember the ladies. she would later become one of adams' most nfluential advisors and confidents. in the years leading up to the guidedar, harriet tubman dozens of slaves to freedom through the underground railroad and she didn't stop there. newly freedoney for slaves. she joined elizabeth katie and others during women's suffrage. 6 1/2 world war ii, million american joined the war effort. including my own mother who helped build airplanes in south san francisco to fight the nazis. they were exercising new power ith jobs outside the home and this power has continued to grow more slowly beit than many of us would like. ater in the 20th century, rosa parks sparked the montgomery bus o'connor d sandra day took the bench as first woman of the supreme court. recently, nancy pelosi became the first and second female speaker of the house. 2018, a record 102 women house of ed to the representatives. however, these and countless women ccomplishments by notwithstanding historical accounts, monuments, and disproportionately represent the achievements of en while neglecting those of women. furthermore, studies have shown that history textbooks discuss accomplishments of men exponentially more often than those of women. change.uld the contributions and xperiences of american women deserve celebration and recognition, and i can think of celebrate ands to recognize american women by women's history museum at the smithsonian, our preeminent museum and research institution. he smithsonian women's history museum act mirrors the highly successful national museum of and an-american history culture act. like that bill, this bill calls 50/50 split between federal and nonfederal funding, well l that worked very for the african-american history and cultural museum. administration committee considered this legislation at a hearing with lonnie bunch in september, and during our markup in november, we agreed to an the ment offered by minority to ensure diversity of political viewpoints in exhibits and programs. women have come a long way since began ghters of liberty boycotting british goods and organizing protests in the but despite how far we've come, we still have a long way to go. hopeful that today, a century after women were granted he right to vote, we'll take a critical step in creating a museum to recognize these inspire our and daughters and our daughters' to follow in the footsteps of the incredible women who came before them as we unending work to form a more perfect union. nd i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: thank you. the gentlewoman from california reserves. the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. davis: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise in support of h.r. 1980, would establish a national women's history museum within smithsonian institution. throughout history, women have ade enduring contributions to our nation's cultural, artistic, civic life. it's critical to preserve and stories because women's history is america's history. n an is why, like the 293 bipartisan co-sponsors of this bill, i support a museum in our dedicated to al showcasing these contributions. this bill is the result of much a bipartisan commission extensively studied the complex issues surrounded a museum.ishment of their final report issued in 2016 recommended the creation of comprehensive national women's history museum and that it be part of the smithsonian institution. 1980 embodies this recommendation. the eventuall that ew museum reflect the full spectrum of views among american women, including conservative voices and opinions. during committee markup of this bill, my colleague, mark walker's amendment to ensure the of political viewpoints in the museum's exhibits and programming, was adopted.ly the smithsonian faces a ahead.ging task create a -- creating a new museum takes resources with cost $650 ates approaching million. further, the smithsonian has an ngoing major capital improvement projects program, a $1 billion deferred maintenance backlog, and storage capacity issues. it'sstated before, i think imperative we as policymakers all the lly look at multicomponents and how they fit strategic ong-term plan of the smithsonian. these are challenges but should ot be obstacles to moving forward. with strong leadership at the smithsonian and the partnership f congress, a smithsonian women's history museum can become a reality. i look forward to one day sharing that d experience with my own daughter. efore i yield, i'd like to commend my colleague across the aisle, representative maloney, standing to my right, the lead republican sponsor, mr. fitzpatrick, on dedication to pushing this bill through the legislative process. and thank both of them their staff for their hard work to get here. madam speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: thank you. the gentleman from illinois reserves. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. madam speaker, we're fortunate that the author the gentlelady from new york, is here with us today. been someone who has pursuing this idea for our years, and so many she would never give up until we got to this day. so i would like to yield to the gentlelady from new york, who's and persistent. we would not be here today chairwoman effort of maloney. minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. maloney: thank you, zoe in ren, for your leadership so many ways and for you being part of this success today. it would not have happened you.ut i'm deeply grateful. there is a saying that women up half the sky. well, i would say that's an understatement. have made an incredible, lasting contribution to our founding.nce its yet, there is not one museum nsive women's dedicated to women's achievements and their our great ns to country anyplace in america. museums like an arts museum or first lady's museum or museum or women of the west, but not a comprehelpsive -- comprehensive which is the smithsonian is planning with research, the have exhibits across the country to tell the story of american women. leadership of speaker nancy pelosi and majority leader hoyer, we will be changing that today by voting on h.r. the smithsonian women's history museum act. effort. a bipartisan we have an overwhelming number of co-sponsors. 293. thanks to my efforts of all of y colleagues, including congressman brian fitzpatrick, who is the lead on the other side of the aisle. susan brooks. congresswoman brenda lawrence. congresswoman eleanor holmes norton, who is chairing a committee meeting now. and the problem solvers caucus, by josh gottheimer and tom reed, bipartisan. brooks.woman susan and many, many others. am particularly grateful to congressman fitzpatrick for reaching out to me even before this congress to tell me he leader as his brother was on this bill and get it across the finish i express my appreciation to brian's brother who supported this bill as a leader for many years and he is greatly missed and he was a great statesman and part of the success with us today. the journey of this moment was a walk around the national mall. i was looking at all the museums and i saw them dedicated to air, space, spies, law enforcement, textiles, the postal service, art enriching institutions but i found myself where are the women? where is half the population of this country? with the passage of h.r. 1980, the house is taking a step towards changing that. unfortunately women have been left out of the telling of our nation's history. sadly, if you walk around this capital and you count the over 100 statues, only nine are of women. you look at our 2,500 national historical landmarks across our nation, only 5% of our national landmarks honor women. and studies have shown that women are underrepresented in the textbooks that we use in our public schools. getting to this point has been a very long road. it took from 1998 to 2014 for congress to finally pass my bill that i worked with for years with representative marsha blackburn to create a congressional commission to study the establishment of a women's museum. this bipartisan commission was appointed by republican and democratic leadership and chaired by jane abraham, a republican, who has become an incredible partner. 18 months later, the commission submitted a unanimous report that the u.s. needs and deserves and long past due a smithsonian women's history museum and set out a vision of how to build it. we took those recommendations and put them into a bill with the smithsonian's input that is before us today. ms. lofgren: i yield an additional minute. mrs. maloney: today we will pass this important bill and i hope the senate does the same. i'm griteful for the leadership of senator feinstein. my response to those of people who ask why this museum is so important, if we do not recognize women, if we don't recognize women, how can we empower them? and we need the effort and the ability to excel from all of our residents male and female to win in a competitive world. this bill should be supported by every member of this house and hopefully the senate. this is not about politics. it is not about partisanship, it is not a democrat or republican issue, it is an american issue recognizing the contributions of our mothers, sisters and daughters. this is about giving women, all women, rightful place in history. i urge a strong, strong vote in support of this bill. thank you so much and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentlewoman from california reserves. the gentleman from till know is recognized. mr. davis: again, thank you to my colleague, mrs. maloney for making this bill a reality in partnership with my good friend as i mentioned in my opening statement. mr. fitzpatrick. is is the he pit me of bipartisanship on the floort -- ship.me of bipartisan the man from pennsylvania, mr. brian fitzpatrick. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. fitzpatrick: i thank the ranking member for yielding and thank chairwoman maloney for your leadership and partnership, friendship and passion that you have shown to get us here today. the e today to support smithsonian women can women history museum. i support it on the floor. women's contributions to the development of our nation are immense, only 5% of the 2,400 nationalmon youments honor women. as the first museum in the united states dedicated to the full story of women's history, this museum will tell the diverse story of the women who helped shape united states of america. it will establish a comprehensive history museum and will honor and document women's contributions through united states history and diverse perspectives across our history. for too long the contributions of women and the contributions that they had made to our nation had been overlooked and unappreciated. this is unacceptable. women have been making contributions to our country since its founding. this bipartisan bill sends a message loud and clear that women deserve an entire museum in helping to build the greatest nation and time for congress to authorize authorization of this museum and i stand with my colleagues to support this legislation. if you can see it, you can be it. let's show women across america the contributions that they and their predecessors have made that the united states of america can be there as well. thank you for engaging our problem solvers caucus. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from illinois reserves. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. lofgren: i am pleased to yield two minutes to a leader, the gentlelady from michigan, mrs. lawrence. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. lawrence: it is with great excitement that i stand in strong support of the bill to establish the women's museum and the smithsonian chain of museums in our country. i want to share a story with you. when i walked through the doors of the african-american museum, the smithsonian, someone asked me how do you feel? i said i feel like this country has recognized the contribution and who i am in this country. we have not been able to make that commitment to women. when we all walk into museums in this great country, it is a reflection for the generations to come of the struggles and the accomplishments that different cultures and populations have had on this great country. i stand here today because of the women before me, the women who struggled and fought. i stand on their shoulders and i want to be a woman that the girls behind me will be able to ay because of her, i can be. this is a vote for our children, the girls coming after and the little boys that need to learn and respect the history of women in this great country. i stand in support and i ask all my colleagues to please support this. this is a step that we as women must not let go of. and i want to recognize my colleague, chairwoman maloney, who has never given up on this. and women we know, we have to work twice as hard but we get the job done. vote on this museum. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman he yields. the gentlewoman from california reserves. the gentleman from illinois. mr. davis: i yield two minutes . r a fighter of her territory the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. miss gonzalez-colon: i'm here today standing in support of h.r. 1980 because i firmly believe in honoring women who have shaped the history and story of our country will demonstrate leading by example. and what brenda lawrence was saying. we need to demonstrate how we can achieve that empowerment tool. and i think this museum is going to be just that. women like our first female supreme court justice from sotomayor justice and sandra day connor, rosa parks, sali ride, former representative and first latina to be elected, representative os-lehtinen, and they are good examples and each of them are you will us straighttive of these trends and the commitment that women when they set a goal. making it possible for me to be here today as the first female representative from puerto rico. and now the vice chair of the congressional women caucus. according to the census, women are 50% of the population in women. yet, there is not one comprehensive museum dedicated to the history of women in the united states and 2,400 nationalmon youments, only 120 honors women. the role of women in building this nation was not properly recognized while it was happening. we must create a space where that history that was not told in their own time can be studied and given the right relief it deserves. i support this bill because it's who helped women shape america. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california reserves. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. davis: madam speaker, speaking of women leaders in this institution, it's bittersweet she is not coming back next year but stand here and yield two minutes to my good riend and classmate from the 2012-2013 cycle, it gives me great pleasure and an honor to give two minutes to ms. brooks from indiana. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. brooks: i rise today to express my strong support for h.r. 1980, smithsonian p museum history act. i thank representative maloney for championing this legislation. her determination to honor american women which started back in 1998 and the fact that she has brought this type of legislation forward ever since then is a true testament to her grit. i thank the chairwoman of the house administration committee and thank the ranking member of the house administration committee. i welcome their leadership and they have seen the importance of this legislation. the smithsonian institution was established in 1846 to increase the diffusion of knowledge and i can think of no better subject on which to increase and diffuse knowledge than educating americans and those who visit our country about the amazing american women. a museum dedicated to american women's history will ensure my daughter and my son, future generations understand the impact that our women have had. and with a greater understanding of our country past, we can better navigate the future. establishing this museum to collect, study and establish programs will inspire generations of women to come. women like jeanette rankin, first woman to ever come to this body, u.s. house, from montana in 1916 before women even had the right to vote. women like lucille ball, first woman to run a television studio d capture the attention ofer audiences around the globe. and women like these and there are thousands more who deserve to have their stories shared with folks around the world and people here at home. i encourage my colleagues to support this strong piece of legislation to create this national museum dedicated to american women's history and celebrate the achievement of american women and here in the 116th congress. mr. davis: i yield 30 seconds. mrs. brooks: it is important to note in this 116th congress we had a record-breaking number of women come to this body, 101 women more than ever before and hopefully more will be coming in future congresses. i urge passage of this important legislation and i yield back. . mr. davis: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. lofgren: i'll reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california reserves. the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. davis: madam speaker, i am excited to yield two minutes to y good friend, another classmate and somebody i knew before we both got elected to the leader on n, women's issues from the great state of missouri, mrs. wagner. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. wagner: thank you, madam speaker. i thank my friend and colleague across the river in illinois. i have the great privilege of missouri's second congressional district, and he's a leader in this congress. all, he's a wonderful friend and colleague. good want to commend my friend, congresswoman carolyn we ney from new york, who have worked in a bipartisan fashion, madam speaker, on so issues, especially when it comes to the scourge of human trafficking, violence against women, taking care of the most vulnerable in our society. commitment.for her madam speaker, i rise today in the rt of h.r. 1980, smithsonian women's history museum act. his important bill will honor the immense contributions that women have made to our country establishing the first national women's history museum. women from my hometown of st. ouis have a proud history of service and heroism. during the first world war, a st. louis women volunteered to go to war-torn hospital for t a injured allied soldiers. they were among the first to deploy to europe, nd some of the very last to leave. when they departed for france in united states e had not even entered the war, france for ained in a year after the armistice. 60,000 ated more than patients before they returned home to st. louis. through their courage, ingenuity, determination and american women have been instrumental in the growth as a globald states force for good. storiesproud that their will be remembered for the next generation of women leaders. urge my colleagues to support his bipartisan piece of legislation, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: thank you. the gentlelady yields back. illinois.man from mr. davis: madam speaker, i have no further speakers. i'm ready to close. speakers have ur all been detained at markup. i would invite the gentleman to we will. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized. davis: again, i support this wonderful piece of legislation. it's talking about leadership, you can't get much better than chairwoman is an issue his she's been tenacious on. one i wanted to work with the majority on. hope today is one of the instances where they can turn on c-span, maybe get reported in 24-hour news cycle, but we'll come together to do something that's great, not just but for america's history. i have some time left, we're talking about women, partg women that have been of this institution. she doesn't know i'm doing this because she's sitting right next we're going to see the retirement of an institution here in this house. april 1, my house administration, minority staff, is going to lose our institution, our institutional knowledge, ms. mary sue england. mary sue has worked for government for 31 years. 27 years here in the house. the likes of bill thomas, which makes me look think. i don't know all the rest of here, but the ot committee s of the before -- when i got here, i mary sue, when -- no she worked for candace miller, gregg harper. work with stay on and us in the minority, i'm honored. ut it's people like mary sue that make this institution great. it's people like mary sue that missed.g to be it's people like mary sue that i enjoy embarrassing today because going totell her i was do this. if i can ask the folks in the hall, in the institution, the gallery to rise today and let's give mary sue a sendoff that she deserves. left, if time do i have i may inquire? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has seven minutes remaining. i won't use early it all, but you talk about joined heremen, i'm in this house today by three who are the daughters of somebody i used to staffer. when i was a ray fitzgerald died too soon in 1999. taken, former staffer, ent back home to naperville, illinois, and when his youngest 1, he er, lucy, was succumbed to a deadly stomach cancer. hose three girls, along with their mom, kristen, are fighting stomach to eradicate cancer and working with us each and every day. i'm proud to see we are going to ave a museum that will recognize the people like mary chris, the fitzgeralds, nora, and lucy. sure that ot to make we continue this fight even bipartisanship has shown, we have to make sure that we stand together in a if we san way because don't, then we don't have the ability to get a brighter future nora, maggie, and lawsy and -- lucy fitzgerald, along with their mother. vote for this bill, please. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the back.man yields the gentlewoman from california is recognized. you, madam thank speaker. i'll just say a few words here closing. irst, i want to thank, again, carolyn maloney, who, for the has worked to be here on this day. took carolyn 22 of the female speaker house, 101 women in the house, a female speaker -- chair of the house administration committee together and get to this day where i believe we are going finally approve this bill and and it over to the senate hopefully it will be such a large vote that the senate will of pressure to do the right thing. word of caution on how long it takes for -- after approve this and the senate hopefully and the president would hopefully sign pass it. secretary lonnie bunch is the smithsonian the hew seem. he's -- museum. fabulous jobs. one of his claims to fame is he brought the african-american from an idea to reality. this.ws how to do and he cautioned us from the the moment ay go to you open the doors to the museum, it's about 10 years. to raise the money. you have to get the scholars to and the holarships exhibitions. so unless you take that first there.ou don't get that's the advice he gave us last september. if you don't take the first get there.ever so this is the first step and one.an important i just want to say that along important bulously and famous women who this museum also going to s go to the heart of america, the maybe weren't famous but built the country. like my mother, who walked out of their homes and airplanes so the united states could win world war ii. who raised their children, who worked many jobs, ran the p.t.a., who helped form the next generation, the beating heart he of this country will be honored by this museum. don't know where you're going unless you have ome sense of where you came from. and that's why this museum will men all american women and to have a brighter american future. just say this, we do not fool ourselves that having this will solve all the problems that american women face. leave l have no family policy in this country. squeezed between taking care of their children, parents, re of ageing not having an -- aging parents, not having an opportunity to off from work. we still have pay disparity in country. we still lack constitutional protections under the equal until we ndment esolve the issue on the latest wonderful vote in virginia. all of those things remain. will be a point of pride. it will be a touchstone. it will be something that every girl in america will be able to know about because it's a building,ng to be it's going to be a virtual reality, secretary bunch has us, a virtual reality throughout the united states. for this proud day institution. we can support this bill. senate and it to the look forward to the day when we join congresswoman maloney in through the doors of the women's history museum. that i urge that we support this bill, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the question will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1980, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. chair, 2/3ion of the having responded in the affirmative -- for what purpose oes the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? ms. lofgren: i ask for a vote.ed the speaker pro tempore: does the gentlewoman request the yeas and nays? ms. lofgren: i do. the peaker pro tempore: yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. proceedings will resume on questions previously postponed. ote will be taken in the following order. ordering the previous question 844, se resolution adoption of house resolution and the motion to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1980. electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote. pursuant to clause 9 of rule 20, remaining electronic votes will be conducted as five-minute votes. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on ordering the previous resolution 844se on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house calendar number 73. resolution 844, resolution providing for consideration of h.r. 2547, to designate certain lands in the state of as components of the national wilderness preservation ystem and for other purposes, providing for consideration of the joint resolution, house joint resolution 79, removing for the ine ratification of the equal rights amendment, and for other purposes. he speaker pro tempore: the question is on ordering the previous question. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 222. the nays are 186. the previous question is ordered. the question is on adoption of the resolution. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. for what purpose does the rise?woman from arizona mrs. lesko: madam speaker, i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: members, please. the yeas and nays are requested. a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having yeas and nays are ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 222. the nays are 185. the resolution is adopted. without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the the gentlewoman from california, ms. lofgren, to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1980, as amend, on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title. the clerk: h.r. 1980, a bill to establish a smithsonian institution a comprehensive women's history museum and for what purpose does. . -- for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: yet is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] expressly itedy the hou of entaves. the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 374. 37 -- s are 32 -- correction. 2/3 having responded in the ffirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the speaker pro tempore: the order.ill be in order.se will be in the chair will now entertain one-minute speeches. does the urpose entleman from new york seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without the gentleman is recognized for one minute. today m speaker, i rise in recognition of the 30th nniversary of the former south african president nelson chal.a's release from mr. espaillat: he worked to fellow citizens and help disenfranchised people of south africa. not only to his 7-year imprisonment and subsequent part of the residency, it transformed a generation and precipitated a ore acute focus on human rights. i hope we know his words, may your choices reflect your hopes your fears. here in the chambers and around the world, we should all feel for his service and committed -- commitment to justice. and i peaker, thank you, yield back the remaining part of my time. for peaker pro tempore: what purpose does the gentleman recognition?k mr. mcadams: to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. cadams: thank you, madam chair. i'm honored to recognize the 40th anniversary of the national council.nce this is an amazing organization that has provided invaluable security ofs to the the united states. n december 3, 1979, the n.i.c. was created to serve as expertise on intelligence issues. collaboration, conduct outreach to other experts beyond government, and o connect intelligence and policy communities through a wide variety of intelligence products. is work the n.i.c. does important. it really does matter. these products include the estimate, ntelligence the annual threat assessment and the form of statements, records, unclassified global report and including oral remarks for the director of national to us as ce gives members of congress. there are 18 intelligence fficers that serve as primary advisor to these intelligence leaders. their expertise and advice is appreciated and greatly respected. as a member of the house intelligence committee, i'm their l for them and for 40 years of dedicated service in protecting the american people. yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, today i rise to commemorate the 120th lift every of the voice and sang. this hymn was the first week 120 years ago. 500 lawson: by schoolchildren at the segregated igh school in jacksonville, florida. this song is sung widely and known as the black national nthem and is performed by churches, schools, sporting vents, and members around the nation. and john ames weldon this song, johnson, wrote this song in the community of in the fifth congressional district, the district i represent. there -- it was there that weldon penned the words that inspired hope, strength, and faith. us to never ded forget the obstacles of the past. to represent the song lace of this great that will live on for generations to come. i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman recognition?seek mr. carter: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. carter: madam speaker, i today to remember the life of mrs. ann cox chambers who away on january 31 at the age of 100. er friends and family remember ms. chambers as a wonderful, kind, and elegant lady whose the globe.pan an influential business woman, philanthropist, and dedicated public servants, she family media company, cox enterprises, for 33 years, and serving as united ambassador to belgium. ms. chambers was atlanta's first bank director as well as the first woman to serve as director of the atlanta chamber commerce. she was also a director of the coca-cola company. many ambers supported causes anonymously but was artsially dedicated to the with her contributions to the high museum of art. force to be reckoned with who made atlanta and the world a better place, mrs. chambers will be dearly missed. family and friends are in my thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time. hank you, madam chair, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the texas seek from recognition? ms. jackson lee: i ask to house, madam speaker, and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is minute.ed for one ms. jackson lee: madam speaker, there are always special moments and particularly when something draws the support of members from both sides of i have been supporting this legislation for a long time and that is h.r. 1980, the smithsonian women's history museum act, carried by colleague, representative carolyn maloney, and so many evidenced the importance of the history of women in this nation. 1 lundth -- 100th year of the right to vote. reminded by the sufficient ridgists to fight against the women's right to vote. arly in the 1800's, we know that the woman of color stood up said, ojourner truth that ain't i a woman to demand the right to vote? and ing for freedom justice. now this particular museum will pen our eyes to the extensive history of women starting from the revolutionary war that fought for this country, stood this country, and helped build this country. i'm excited about being part of support and history of the smithsonian women's history museum act. to its doors opening for women to be acknowledged and recognized in country.ness of this i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman rom pennsylvania seek recognition? >> to ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. recently had the pleasure of touring the susquehanna career located in l center the heart of pennsylvania's atural gas boom, susquehanna's c.t.e. is helping to provide low-cost opportunities for jobs.and e heard stories of students graduating in weeks or months with little or no student debt six-figure ficant annual salaries. mr. keller: the careers in position natural gas and others are highly in demand in pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. it was also great to see capital and gas, one of the largest natural gas producers in the country, investing in the school's commercial driver's license program to create a pathway from learning directly into a career. is another tremendous example of how the natural gas industry being terrific while paving ners the way for america's energy independence. with february being career and month, if is important to remember that we should not e forcing our students into one-size-fits-all system, especially in programs like those at susquehanna career and are providing a low-cost option for in-demand opportunities. yield back.d i the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman recognition? seek mr. rush: madam speaker, i seek unanimous consent to address the to e for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. rush: madam speaker, i rise today to commemorate an in our t milestone nation's fight for environmental justice. on february 11, 1994, president issued executive order making the federal government's first major action issue. today, i have introduced a esolution to honor chicago native ms. hazel m. johnson, contributions were the order.ry keys to this adam speaker, ms. johnson worked as the mother of the environmental justice movement address racial injustices and mprove environmental protections were fundamental to this action. herefore, i take pride in introducing legislation to as brate the month of april hazel m. johnson environmental justice month. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman florida seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to my remarks.xtend the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is minute.zed for one >> thank you, madam speaker. i rise today to honor u.s. army ring.n james after graduating high school, james enlisted in the army and and d in both iraq afghanistan. he later joined the reserve forces and at the same time a 13-year career as the city of lakeland police officer. to spano: now, in addition serving as c.e.o. for his own small business, james is active the lakeland chamber, promoting issues important to the small business community. and very soon, james will be to active duty and deploying again. that's commitment. like james make me proud not only to be an american but proud of my district. the spirit and drive that propel him to serve our community as a owner and nation as a service member are unique and invaluable. heart, e bottom of my thank you, james, and thank you, ring family, for your service and sacrifice. behalf of the on entire district to say we are so very proud of you. i yield back. . the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> permission to speak on the floor for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you very much, madam speaker. i'm here in the house of representatives, i have had the honor to be elected to this incredible body for now four terms, but i just want to report to you, madam speaker, that we have, in fact, passed 275 bipartisan bills in the last 12 months in these chambers. and i thank my republican colleagues, my democrat colleagues, and, yes, the one independent colleague who is part of every single one of those votes. i just wanted to say that is the business of the house of representatives, and i just want to remind you, madam speaker, that we are serious here, of all parties, to make sure we adhere to the needs of the entire american people and in some cases to the world. we have addressed issues such as reducing drug pricing to all americans. we have addressed issues when it comes to making sure that children have a safe place to go to school. mr. cardenas: i'm proud to say that although the media says we just can't get along, yes, we disagree at times. but at the same time we are, in fact, getting the work of the people done in the house of representatives. i pray that we see the same go on in the house of the senate and in addition to that see many of those bills get signed by the president of the united states. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> i would like to recognize cannon lodge 104, who on february 26 will be celebrating 150 years as a chartered masonic lodge. mr. van drew: cannon lodge had its first outreach on october 27, 1869, from henry cannon, whom the lodge is named after. on february 261870, a masonic charter was granted and cannon lodge 104 came into existence. in january, 1960 through the generosity of brother elmer smith, the present location of the lodge was donated and dedicated to his father, captain charles s. smith. in 1995, city lodge number 280 as merged with cannon and in 19999, lodge number 170 did the same thing. i'm a proud member of cannon lodge 104 and we live by the motto of making good men better. these men around me there have made me a better man. we are dedicated to the betterment of ourselves, our community, and giving to charity. i look forward to the continued work we will do in the community and thank you-all for the work my fellow brothers do. you are truly heroes in south jersey. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: under the speaker's announced policy of january 7, 2020, -- january 3, 2019, the gentleman from montana, mr. gianforte, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. gianforte: thank you, madam speaker. i appreciate the opportunity to hold this special order on the republican study committee gear task force. i want to thank chairman mike johnson of the republican study committee, chairman of the republican study committee for his leadership to make this task force possible. we started gear which stands for government efficientcy, accountability, and reform, to develop a playbook of commonsense, nonpartisan solutions for improving our government. we came up with more than 100 improvements. they are all recorded in our report which is now available and i'm excited to yield to my colleagues to talk about them here today. we'll start with my good friend from north dakota, representative kelly armstrong, who was a member of the task force and really led our efforts to find these areas where we could reform. with that i yield to the gentleman from north dakota. thank you, madam chair. a special thank you to congressman johnson and congressman gianforte for their efforts to make our federal government more efficient and accountable with these commonsense reforms. the republican study committee's gear task force report is a solutions-based plan to reduce the government size and inefishency. anyone who has dealt with the federal government knows the frustration that the bureaucratic process can bring. unnecessary government delays to infrastructure projects have a particularly damaging effect on economic growth and job creation. i thank the republican study committee for including my bill, h.r. 3671, the federal permitting reform and jobs act, in the report. this bipartisan bill will streamline and modernize the federal infrastructure permitting process. the federal permitting reform and jobs act will build on the reforms that included -- that were included in the fixing america's surface transportation act of 2015, otherwise known as fast 41. my bill would make permanent the fast 41 provisions and enact additional reforms such as a two-year deadline for the permitting process. fast 41 ensures coordination amongst several federal agencies to streamline the permitting process for the largest infrastructure projects. the federal permitting reform and jobs act would expand these types of projects that would qualify for this process. simply put, more projects completed in a shorter period of time at a reduced cost. this is a win for jobs. this is a win for infrastructure improvements. this is a win for reforming the federal bureaucracy and providing americans with a more efficient and effective government. with that i yield back. mr. gianforte: thank you, mr. armstrong, for your work. permit something an area where we can really make advances to make the process more deterministic so we can get projects on the ground going. thank you for your leadership there. i now would like to yield to the gentleman from michigan's seventh district representative tim walberg, and i want to recognize him for his work on the taxpayer right to know effort. thank you for your leadership. i yield. mr. walberg: i thank the gentleman. madam speaker, i'd like to thank chairman johnson, task force chairman gianforte, and my colleagues at r.s.c. for their leadership on this task force and putting together a document that has answers if we are willing to accept them and move them forward. moving them forward will make an impact for the better of this country and its taxpayers. making government more efficient and accountable to the people is something we all should be able to rally behind. it shouldn't be a partisan issue. after all, we are a government of, by, and for the people. we are here today to talk about a series of commonsense solutions that will return power to the folks back home. i'm proud that one of them is my bill, h.r. 3830, the taxpayer right to know act, which unanimously passed the house last week and now is over in the senate. it's a pretty simple bill. american taxpayers deserve to know where, , when why, and how the government is spending their hard-earned dollars. and they deserve to have those dollars spent in efficient, smart manner. my bipartisan legislation requires federal agencies to supply online accounting of their program activities in an easily searchable inventory so that americans can keep tabs on where and how their tax dollars are being spent. all of the information provided for the inventory will be updated regularly to provide for a more real time accounting of federal programs and dollars. the taxpayer right to know act will help cut down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government by allowing policymakers to better identify areas where any program's -- program's dupe kate and put a stop to it. congress need to do more to lighten the load for the next generation. we need to increase effectiveness, institute more transparency, and provide better accounting across federal government. i applaud the gear task force for highlighting these proposals and working to make our government better serve the people we represent. i thank you. i yield back. mr. gianforte: i thank the gentleman for his leadership on this. taxpayers do have a right to know and hopefully as that move to the president's desk it will actually happen. thank you. at this time i would like to recognize the gentleman from texas 27th congressional district, representative michael cloud. he was a member of the gear task force and really brought a number of ideas to the table. he's here today to reflect on a number of those. i yield to the gentleman. mr. cloud: i thank the gentleman for yielding. thank you for your work and leadership on this. it's been a worthwhile project to say the least. madam speaker, with over $23 trillion in national debt and annual deficits at $1 trillion, it's obvious that washington has a spending problem. we must do something to rein in this problem we are leaving for our children to do sorks and we must do it soon. every day taxpayer dollars are wasted on unnecessary expenses. for example, as part of the use it or lose it last-minute spending sprees of 2018, federal agencies spent over $4 million on lobster tails and crabs. $673,000 on golf carts. $308,000 on scol. and $53,000 on china table wear. -- tableware. another example is despite the efforts to address the issue, the federal government makes over $800 million in payments to people who are no longer on this earth. finally, right now, there are duplicative programs including 91 federal programs that train health care workers and more than 40 work force development programs. some of these may be good, but consolidating them might be a great idea. we owe it to the american people to do better with their hard-earned tax dollars and owe it to future generations not to brother against their future. on the government efficiency accountability and reform task force, our aim is to make washington take real steps toward returning the government to its proper constitutional boundaries. the recommendations compiled today, they are not flashy, they won't lead in the nightly news, they won't dominate your social media feeds, but they are important. and it's incumbent upon us to look past the 15-second sound bites and get serious about the business of gofpbling. here's -- governing. here's a handful of solutions. we could sell unused federal office space. we can consolidate duplicative programs at agencies. we can identify programs that are not working and eliminate them. the president's budget has an entire chapter on highlighting our government's wasteful spend and some of the its his administration is making to eliminate it. all of america understands that we need to balance our budget. but no administration, republican or democrat, can do it without that commitment from congress. we are elected and given very specific authority under the constitution to control how taxpayer dollars are spent. we must roll up our sleeves and do everything we can to rein in this washington spending machine. thank you. i yield back. mr. gianforte: i thank the gentleman for his leadership here in highlighting some of these wasteful programs. clearly we can do better. i thank you for bringing them forward. at this time i'd like to recognize the gentlelady from arizona, eighth congressional district, representative debbie lesko. she was brought to us some of the reforms related to improving our immigration system. i would yield to her to share that with us. mrs. lesko: thank you so much to my friend, gianforte, for giving me the opportunity to speak about this bill. i'm from arizona. border security has been for years and still is the number one issue that people in arizona care about. they welcome legal immigrants, but they also want to make sure are arizona and our nation secure and that illegal drug trafficking is mitigated. we used to see mostly single male adults crossing our border . and they evade the border patrol officers. but recently, however, thousands and thousands of illegal migrants are coming from central america and they are being coached by the cartels who charge them $5,000 to $8,000 a person. and they are saying, let's go up there and turn yourself in to the border patrol officers because there is a loophole. just claim asylum and they know that once they are in, then they are in the united states and they can stay. so instead of running away from border patrol, they turn themselves in claiming asylum. so our immigration courts are overloaded and legitimate asylum claims languish amidst frivolous claims. this backlog is severe. it's nonpartisan challenge facing our immigration courts. a recent report stated that backlog cases in immigration courts exceeded $1 million claims. this backlog has rapidly increased over the last decade. as the backlog increases, so do wait times. it takes years, sometimes, for these cases to proceed through the courts. we currently have approximately 400 immigration judges. . that's about 2,500 cases per judge. housing log strains facilities and prevents judges from granting asylum to asylum seekers and from swiftly removing those who frivolous claims and are abusing our loopholes and our laws. big national security and humanitarian crisis. efficiency in the federal government, especially when it comes to immigration. why i introduced h.r. 859, to help reduce the immigration court backlog and seekers timate asylum from getting help. additionalrovides an 100 immigration judges to reduce asylum backlog. adding more judges will allow adjudicated o be faster and help reduce the backlog. the task force chairman, greg gianforte, and the epublican study committee, chairman mike johnson, for their hard work to increase efficiency our ccountability in government, especially when it comes to immigration. back.yield >> i thank the gentlewoman, attention toinging the issue of immigration. having the judges necessary to cases and the final outcome is so important. i now recognize the gentleman georgia's 12th congressional district, representative allen. mr. gianforte: helped bring forward the ideas in the ollection of commonsense, government efficiency ideas, just published recently, with that i yield to the gentleman. mr. allen: i thank our friend from montana, the chairman of this committee, and it was a privilege to serve on this committee. ver the years, the size of the federal government has ballooned. while it excels in some ways, our nation safe, oftentimes it does not serve the well.an people my constituents' ervice office busy back in the district. i know how important it is to run effective and efficient operations. your don't serve customers well, you won't stay in business. the federal government is largely unaccountable, the only people ho suffer from government inefficiency, are the very eople it is intended to serve, american people. far too long, we have let the branch seize authority and unelected bureaucrats. i'm proud to serve on the study committee's government efficiency, reform task y and force, whose goal is to develop eforms to improve the federal government in order to better serve american families. my service here in congress, i served as the fix theco-chair for the debt committee, which was a effort, bipartisan ways that we tify can balance our budget. in the gear t here task force highlights strategies o streamline government practices and remove waste, much ike the fix the debt committee identified. for example, we all know that spending has a problem. if something isn't working, many of my colleagues would prefer to more money at the problem, but when has that worked? need serious government reform. in my business, we emphasized importance of streamlining processes so we can maximize dollar. we have a five-year lookback procedure where we look at every dollar we spend to make sure every dollar in efficient and -- manner in who invest -- in this case, the american taxpayers -- get the most bang buck.eir also, in our business, we have a income sheet, an statement where we can actually that we can compare and see how we're doing against our peers. that to someone on the budget committee and they said, i don't think we've seen the federal government. o i come from the business community. i came to washington because we to got to get down business, and i have identified, this task ing on force, so many areas, and on the we can muchc., that more efficient at spending every dollar. et me tell you, every taxpayer dollar should be treated like a shareholder. they should know exactly where how their money is being spent. that's why i have a big problem process appropriations here in congress. yes, we kind of go through the motions here on the house floor, you know, we bog down and four-corner deal where leadership on both sides decides, ok, these are the caps how we're going to spend the money. and the appropriators number.iate to that and then we're given some 1,200-page spending bill 24 hours before we have to vote on it. ridiculous and i have emphasized to my leadership that vote like that again -- or i will not vote on a again, that we should stand right here through the appropriations process and the american people every place we're spending a dollar. gear report lays the groundwork for this type of reform. report highlights specific ways we can make government more efficient and accountable to the eople, including improving metrics to better informed leveraging ing, duplicative government contracts nd consolidating data centers, reducing security clearance processing delays and much, much more. these solutions are common sense, and they should garner bipartisan support. encourage my colleagues who have not yet read the report to do so. over 100 ghlighted ways we can improve government nd better serve the american people. we must change the status quo. that's why i came to washington. yield back.d i mr. gianforte: i thank the gentleman from georgia. his ticularly appreciate business experience here in the house and your participation on this task force. you, sir. 'd now like to recognize the representative from south carolina's fourth congressional district, william timmons. task force en a member and had his fingerprints on this report. give us an now to update on his initiatives. mr. timmons: i'd like to thank my friend from montana. decade ago congress passed the law directing the executive branch to inform them of two programs many federal existed within the federal government. we are still waiting for that today. since 2010, i think we can all agree that the size of the federal government has grown and has ally overreached in places it should not. this unchecked scope of power inefficient bureaucracy affects every aspect of our life. task force of the republican study committee has worked over the last year on in wasteful and unnecessary government overreach and spending, make the and nment more transparent accountable, and get back to the basics of the legislative branch. o be a government that works for the american people. today, i'd like to speak to the aspect of the task force. in order to promote and advance fficiency within the federal government, government practices must be reformed. all americans want a government efficient and that delivers results. one of the ways we can reform he federal government is to address our cybersecurity shortcomings. very day, hackers, criminals, be terrorists, and foreign countries seek to exploit our systems.rity earlier this year, a group of ranian affiliated hackers infiltrated a website, wrote and wrote messages about iranian cyber capabilities. the threat landscape is changing and the security needs are evolving along with it. continue to st reform and update its cyber practices to best defend against adversaries. g.a.o.'s made over 3,000 recommendations since 2010 the u.s. government's cybersecurity policies. survey a.o.'s last full of these concerns in 2017, only 48 recommendations have been implemented. this is unacceptable and it puts unnecessary risk. i am pleased that the trump administration's made ybersecurity a priority, recognizing that protecting cyberspace is key to our ational security and economic ability. congress should utilize its oversight authority to support initiatives, including requiring that the outstanding g.a.o. implemented.ns be while i touched briefly on one of the many important ways the ederal government can work towards reform, there are many crucial steps that congress can it is continuing to work for the people and not the other way around. the work of the gear task force is important, and i hope that every member will take some time to read through the report. we all made a promise to our constituents to come to and work for them and prioritize their needs. is not meant to be republican or democrat. this report is something that congress, of regardless of party, should be able to get behind. it is a blueprint for good government, the kind of governing that was intended by fathers.ing so let's work together to make congress and the federal government as a whole work for people, and we can start by enacting necessary reforms to make the government more accountable.d and with that i yield back to the representative from montana. thank you. mr. gianforte: i thank the gentleman from south carolina and for his leadership on the force.sk i'd now like to recognize the gentleman from california's district, ressional mr. doug lamalfa, for his thoughts on government reform.cy and i thank my colleague from montana, mr. gianforte, for your leadership on this. it's really a commonsense issue, isn't it? efficiency, nt accountability and reform, the gear act, is something that all behind s can get because, you know, let's remember for just a moment who ays for all of this, who pays to keep the lights on here all these buildings in washington, in , all the people working them, all of them out in the districts, all of them out in forresses, what have you -- forests, what have you, it's the american taxpayer. taxpayer e american faced with? trying to take care of their own business at their home with with their , mortgage, car payments, saving or college, whatever it is their priorities are. you know, maybe going on a vacation once in a while, saving a week or can have two off. so what is it we're doing with their money in washington, d.c. california tate of in sacramento? they e we respecting what earn? how are we respecting that with putting on es we're spending what they earn, what hey are -- and it isn't a contribution like sometimes is talked about. i love to hear the talk around contributions you make and the investments we're going make. no. tax dollars are not voluntary. from you.ken per a formula. so how are we treating them? that's an important charge to me this is a big place and a re are a lot of members, lot of layers. getting back to a little more think, tells those hardworking folks there is like thisn their side gear committee, like we're trying to work towards balancing someday.t it's with the president's budget of hits ll take a lot for right now. at least he's putting the concept out there that's trying instead owards balance of deficit spending, which we by the consumed one day service on the debt if interest rates go wild. it will eclipse our spending. so let me just break it down in couple minutes on a couple things i think are important more this more locally, for the western states that myself, mr. gianforte, and share. the r.s.c. plan lays out more gear 00 solutions for reform, including modernizing endangered species act, especially important in my state as well as the west. nepa has been manipulated into something that's a monster that it should never have been as far protecting the environment. it's often the largest hindrance on forest management, water justice, water storage, and -- management, water storage, and clearing that are so desperately needed in my district, like the own of paradise burned more ago, and needs to be rebuilt. communities.more crowding of forest. the nepa review could take six years on rs, average to get a nepa report. we talk about forestry, how long take to study replacing simple culvert in a forest road? if you built the thing to begin with, just replace it. no. death. to study it to we have to study and get permits powerlinesees around that might be hazardous, a dead tree. bipartisan legislation, myself and mr. schrader from oregon to help peed that process up and we'll work on another bill to speed it up even more so we can have a asic, commonsense thing like that. californians don't have a lot of time for the government to do forest management on their lands the infrastructure overhauls needed to protect them from wildfires and droughts. when pacific gas and electric company says that they be up ng to -- it might to 10 years before we can get out of this power shutoff facing because of other issues that they're battling through with the green and getting s permission to do the lines, 10 years of power shutoffs for my constituents? kidding me? we need to narrow that down to almost nothing because we can't that.nother year like so i applaud the trump administration for recently nepa.ing reforms to we should not have to wait 40 ears for the executive branch to yakt. -- to act. this executive branch is doing so. congress should be in the business of oversight, including ending the cumulative effects and indirect impact statements required by nepa. the endangered species act also proposes a unique set of problems for california, specifically with critical habitat designations. take the valley ellerberry long-horned beetle. fish and wildlife recommended, i think, about 15 years ago, to finally delist that. here we still are waiting to delist that. and all the habitat issues with elderberry plants that inhibit the ability to fix flood control projects, to fix levees because you have to plant back 50 to one elderberry bush you might disturb because it's possible critical habitat, even if you've never seen an elderberry beetle land there. the shafta dam project which would raise the dam 18 feet and supply 650,000 more acre feet of water for californians, whether it's for ag or people r habitat or whatever, 18 more feet. a lot of water. to an existing dam. it's been halted due to the shafta sal manneder. lake. s its homes on the when there's a lot of rain coming into the lake, the fastest the lake can rise is about a quarter inch per hour during heavy rain. so all the sal manneder has to do is -- salamander has to do is move a quarter inch an hour to stay ahead of the lake level. wreals the sense here? 18 feet above an already existing late which the salamander already thinks it's ool to live next to. their designation standards need to be reformed for whatever habitat is. the report has done an excellent job at addressing these necessary changes, including reforms to nepa and the e.s.a. i sincerely hope congress, both sides of the aisle, will take these suggestions and hold the bureaucracy more accountable to the american people who pay for all this. thank you. i -- thank you for the time. >> i thank the gentleman from california. i agree. we've seen the impacts of an overlengthy nepa process that just ties projects in knots and the weaponization of the endangered species act and a lot of the driftaway from its original intent to protect these species. i appreciate your leadership on this. mr. gianforte: i'd now like to recognize mr. chip roy for his thoughts on government efficiency and reform, also his leadership on the national emergency reform. so thank you and i yield. mr. roy: i thank the gentleman from montana. i thank you for your leadership on this. and my colleagues who have been working together on this important effort. something like government efficiency, accountability and reform, something you'd think we'd all be able to get behind. i'm certainly of the belief that the american people watching, who, even if it's just a handful in their living rooms, are a lot more than are watching here in this chamber. i'm always interested when you look at the c-span cameras, if you pan back, nobody's here. nobody's here to talk about what i'm about to talk about. yet we saw last week a senate chamber with 100 senators sitting there debating, what? debating failed articles of impeachment. here we're trying to figure out how to make our government accountable. make it efficient, make it effective. and look. reclaiming powers from elected bureaucrats, reforming government practices to curb inefficiency and waste. but i'd like to talk about something that i think is critically important, which is restoring article 1. restoring the primesy of this body and the senate in governing our nation. we shouldn't be looking to the executive branch. no matter who's in power. to be making decisions that should be reserved to the members of this body and the senate. congress ceded some of our power in 1976 with the pass and of the national emergencies act, which pulled together a number of different powers contained in 130 different statutes at the time. giving the president unilateral authority to declare emergencies. listen to this. there are currently 33 emergencies in effect dating back to the carter administration, some of them. think about that. it's an emergency, it's an emergency and it dates back to the carter administration. this is no way to govern. and i learned this how? well, last spring we were having a robust debate about securing the border of the united states, which by the way shouldn't be much of a debate, the need of a sovereign nation to ensure our border is secure, when you have 900,000 individuals being apprehended on our southern border last fiscal year alone. 00,000. 600,000 of whom were caught and released into our country. the president of the united states is working to secure our border. to put up physical barriers, to build a wall, to build a fence, which is desperately needed and is working where it's being implemented. the president is right to do so and he's right that there's an emergency at our southern border. and he is right that the members of this body, led by democrats, refused to acknowledge, refused to acknowledge the crisis at our southern border. he was right to defend our southern border. but the question that popped into my head srk all right, we've got an emergency, now what? this body, article 1, should do its job. it is incumbent upon congress to act. we shouldn't allow an emergency to be declared and then operate our policies under it, even if i agree with the policy. and i do. i do agree with the policy of what the president is doing. so i implore my democrat colleagues who are not in the chamber to come have a debate about restoring article 1. about all of the different issues that may occur. i introduced h.r. 1755, which is the companion legislation to that which was offered by my friend, senator mike lee of utah, in the u.s. senate. and that bill would take a president's emergency declaration and terminate after 30 days, unless congress affirmatively authorizes an extension. and the bill would also terminate the emergency declarations after one year unless a new resolution of approval is enacted. it requires the president to report to congress on how the president is exercising emergency powers, senator lee's bill has been passed out of committee. but we've had nary a debate here on this body about restoring article 1. a lot of speeches. a lot of complaints about the president of the united states. a lot of complaints about what's happening at our border. but not one serious debate about restoring article 1. let's do it. let's come together right now and let's stand up as a body of congress and say, you know what, if there's an emergency, great, mr. president. go act on the emergency. but 30 days later we can agree, it's time for congress to decide how money's going to be appropriated, how we're going to enforce and implement the laws that we think are important for this body. this is critical to government reform. this is critical to making sure that we're making government more efficient and more accountable. this body is the body. this house is the people's house. and most responsive to the american people. i would beg, literally, my democratic colleagues to engage in debate as we sit here in an empty chamber about the kinds of things that i know the american people would lover for -- would love for us to debate. i thank the gentleman from montana for his time and for rganizing this activity. mr. gianforte: i thank the gentleman from texas particularly for reminding us of the need to rebalance and reclaim our article 1 authority from the runaway bureaucracy we have here in washington. madam speaker, we started the government efficiency, accountability and reform task force for one simple reason. only 17% of americans today say they can trust the government in washington. we have to get the government working for the people again. i had a recent story, i was in billings, montana, and a gentleman who has been drilling natural gas wells for 30 years told me a story. he said, 30 years ago, when he wanted a permit to drill a well, he would go into the field with a clipboard and a single piece of paper and a ball point pen. he'd fill out that application. the government official would review it in the field and say, that will be all right. today, madam speaker, that same form is 48 pages long, requires an engineer and a lawyer to fill it out. tens of thousands of dollars and months to process. clearly we can do better. our three branches of government have drifted from their original purpose. cultivating a culture of waste. that's why we've produced this playbook of 100 commonsense, nonpartisan solutions for efficiency, accountability and reform of our federal government. over this last year, the republican study committee gear task force has been meeting with outside expert, the administration and internally to produce playbook of commonsense solutions for efficiency, accountability and reform of our federal government. i want to thank the task force members, chairman of the r.s.c., mike johnson, barry loudermilk, doug collins, bruce westerman, rick allen, john curtis, michael cloud, kelly armstrong, william timmons, and denver riggleman, for their engagement and leadership in pulling together this playbook that we hope to run these commonsense ideas. the report is broken into three sections. the first section refers to the comments made by my colleague who just finished on the power, the article 1 power in the constitution to restore the people's control over an unchecked bureaucracy by returning the constitutional balance between the branches of government. our founding fathers never anticipated the size of the bureaucracy we have today. that's why we need provisions like the reins act so that the statute passed in this house get reflected in rules consistent with our intent. the second section of the report has to do with government practices. to streamline federal programs and operations to promote efficiency and eliminate waste. madam speaker, in 2015 the social security administration told us we had sent benefits checks to over six million americans who were over the age of 112. now, either they're drinking some special elixir of life, or they're not with us anymore. that's why i've introduced a piece of legislation entitled, stop paying dead people. and i think that would be a good reform. it would save american taxpayers and make sure the benefits are there for those that do need social security. the third section of the report is on personnel, to transition government personnel, accountability and compensation toward more of a merit-based system. i operated the business -- a number of businesses in the private sector and there are many h.r. practices in the federal government which are very different than they are in the private sector. things like merit-based pay. and the way we do performance reviews. and making sure we have market-based pay for our good, dedicated federal workers. those are contained in a third section. in total, there's over 100 commonsense ideas in this report that we will run as plays here in the house to make the government start working for the people again. i appreciate the opportunity for the members of the task force and others that have engaged on this issue to come today and share their commonsense ideas, and i look forward to partnering, to put these ideas into practice to get government working for the people again. with that, madam speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. pursuant to the adoption of house resolution 844 earlier today, house resolution 842 is considered as adopted. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman from montana have a motion? gianforte: i motion to adjourn. the speaker pro tempore: the is on the motion to adjourn. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. ayes have it. the motion is adopted. accordingly, the house stands djourned until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning for morning hour debate. that now goes to the senate. join us again live for coverage from the house floor here on c-span. president trump sent his federal budget plan for 2021 to congress. house leaders held news conferences to talk about the request. we begin with speaker nancy pelosi who is joined by senate democratic leader charles schumer. that's followed by house epublican leaders. mr. schumer: ok. good afternoon. i'm proud to be joined by my dear friend and great colleague, the wonderful, excellent and superb speaker of the house rblingts nancy pelosi. --, nancy pelosi. and thank you all for coming. now, if president trump's state of the union was a manifesto of mistruths, as speaker pelosi so aptly put it, president trump's latest budget proposal

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