House Debate on H. Res. 833 Rule for H.R. 2474 and H.R. 5687, February 6, 2020 — Congressional Record
Summary
Pages H859 and H860 of the Congressional Record — House for February 6, 2020. Mr. DESAULNIER, by direction of the Committee on Rules, calls up House Resolution 833, which provides for consideration of H. Res. 826 (expressing disapproval of the Trump administration's harmful actions towards Medicaid), H.R. 2474 (Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019) and H.R. 5687 (Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act, 2020). Before it, the one-minute speeches include remarks by Mr. VARGAS on gun violence and by Mr. COHEN on the administration's lack of diversity. The text closes with a list tied to Roll No. 38.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
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“House Debate on H. Res. 833 Rule for H.R. 2474 and H.R. 5687, February 6, 2020 — Congressional Record.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-02-06-crec-2020-02-06-pt1-pgh859-5-6f5b1108a6/
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February 6, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H859
checks. They know this policy will help Firearms are the second leading years. Only one living African Amer-
keep guns out of the hands of crimi- cause of death for children and teens ican has gotten a commutation, and
nals. and the first leading cause of death for that was when Kim Kardashian cham-
The current system has already African American children and teens in pioned her case, as Sylvester Stallone
stopped 3 million gun sales to con- the U.S. championed that of Jack Johnson.
victed felons and others who are pro- Gun violence overly affects people of During his speech, he talked about
hibited by law from owning a firearm, color. African Americans represent the Tuskegee Airman, the woman who
but we can and must do more. most gun homicide victims and are 10 he said would get a scholarship, the
The good news is that, a year ago times more likely than White Ameri- young girl. The fact is he just ap-
this month, the new majority in the cans to die from gun violence. pointed a TVA Board, Tennessee Valley
Congress took up two bills to establish Gun violence continues to bring Board, nine members—no African
universal background checks, includ- agony every day to communities and Americans, one woman.
ing H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background families around the country. While we The lack of diversity is chilling.
Checks Act. Sadly, the Senate refuses cannot bring back the many loved ones America is diverse. It is our strength.
to take up these bills, and with every lost to gun violence, we must act to We need to embrace it and not have an
day that passes, 96 Americans are prevent more casualties. It is past time all White world.
killed by guns. for the Senate to act to save American f
Today, we remember the over 100,000 lives.
survivors who have been injured by PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION
f OF H.RES. 826, EXPRESSING DIS-
guns and are every day, those that we
have lost, and the countless other b 1230 APPROVAL OF THE TRUMP AD-
Americans who are affected by gun vio- MINISTRATION’S HARMFUL AC-
RECOGNIZING GUN VIOLENCE TIONS TOWARDS MEDICAID; PRO-
lence in our country. We should never SURVIVORS WEEK
rest until Congress takes every action VIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF
to address this. (Mr. MOULTON asked and was given H.R. 2474, PROTECTING THE
permission to address the House for 1 RIGHT TO ORGANIZE ACT OF
f
minute and to revise and extend his re- 2019; AND PROVIDING FOR CON-
DON’T BE FOOLED marks.) SIDERATION OF H.R. 5687, EMER-
(Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN asked and Mr. MOULTON. Madam Speaker, 2 GENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPRO-
was given permission to address the years ago, I was standing at a rally PRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RE-
House for 1 minute and to revise and where the father of a gunshot victim, a LIEF AND PUERTO RICO DIS-
extend her remarks.) father who lost his son to gun violence, ASTER TAX RELIEF ACT, 2020
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam spoke of all the things that he and oth- Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker,
Speaker, the new Medicaid proposal ers are doing to stop this senseless by direction of the Committee on
from the White House is a reverse scourge, things that they are already Rules, I call up House Resolution 833
Robin Hood on steroids, a coordinated doing. and ask for its immediate consider-
effort to steal from the poor and give But then he turned to the crowd, and ation.
to the rich campaign donors at Mar-a- he said, ‘‘But what is Congress doing?’’ The Clerk read the resolution, as fol-
Lago and other places. And tens of thousands of people, as if lows:
This White House has put Medicaid they had rehearsed it a hundred times,
H. RES. 833
on the chopping block, Medicaid, the all said, together, ‘‘Nothing.’’
Resolved, That upon adoption of this reso-
program specifically put in place to ‘‘But what is Congress doing?’’
lution it shall be in order without interven-
provide healthcare to our most vulner- ‘‘Nothing.’’ tion of any point of order to consider in the
able citizens, our seniors, our veterans, Madam Speaker, for too long, Con- House the resolution (H. Res. 826) expressing
the working poor, and their children. gress has done nothing. We have passed disapproval of the Trump administration’s
My Republican colleagues will tell bills here in the House that take the harmful actions towards Medicaid. The reso-
you, no, this is merely about giving right steps, but this alone is not lution shall be considered as read. The pre-
enough. The Senate needs to do their vious question shall be considered as ordered
States greater flexibility. That is non-
job, and we need to make them law. on the resolution and preamble to adoption
sense. Federal law already gives States without intervening motion or demand for
flexibility. This is about taking away Thoughts and prayers won’t cut it,
division of the question except one hour of
healthcare to pay for their tax cuts. only action saves lives. debate equally divided and controlled by the
This is the latest in the GOP’s long f chair and ranking minority member of the
war on the working people and the poor Committee on Energy and Commerce.
ADMINISTRATION’S LACK OF SEC. 2. At any time after adoption of this
people of this country. They have cut
DIVERSITY IN ITS ACTIONS resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to
the Children’s Health Insurance Pro-
(Mr. COHEN asked and was given per- clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House
gram. They have cut food stamps. And
mission to address the House for 1 resolved into the Committee of the Whole
now they are cutting Medicaid. House on the state of the Union for consider-
Don’t be fooled. This has long been in minute and to revise and extend his re-
ation of the bill (H.R. 2474) to amend the Na-
their plan. marks.) tional Labor Relations Act, the Labor Man-
f Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I am agement Relations Act, 1947, and the Labor-
concerned about the lack of diversity, Management Reporting and Disclosure Act
GUN VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO the lack of care about diversity that of 1959, and for other purposes. The first
BRING AGONY TO COMMUNITIES this administration shows in its ap- reading of the bill shall be dispensed with.
AND FAMILIES pointments and its actions. All points of order against consideration of
(Mr. VARGAS asked and was given In the Federal judiciary, the Presi- the bill are waived. General debate shall be
confined to the bill and shall not exceed one
permission to address the House for 1 dent has appointed approximately 250
hour equally divided and controlled by the
minute and to revise and extend his re- judges, 6 of whom are African Amer- chair and ranking minority member of the
marks.) ican. That is a disturbing and chilling Committee on Education and Labor. After
Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, like number. general debate the bill shall be considered
many of my colleagues, I rise today in In a Super Bowl ad, he showed Alice for amendment under the five-minute rule.
support of National Gun Violence Sur- Marie Johnson, whom he gave execu- The amendment in the nature of a substitute
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vivors Week. tive clemency to, a commutation, and recommended by the Committee on Edu-
Every year, over 36,000 Americans are said he was trying to help people who cation and Labor now printed in the bill,
modified by the amendment printed in part
killed in acts of gun violence, and al- looked like her, an African American
A of the report of the Committee on Rules
most 100,000 more are shot and injured. woman. accompanying this resolution, shall be con-
This includes nearly 3,000 children and He has given two executive clem- sidered as adopted in the House and in the
teens who are shot and killed and near- encies to African Americans. One was Committee of the Whole. The bill, as amend-
ly 15,600 who are shot and injured. Jack Johnson, posthumous, dead for 80 ed, shall be considered as the original bill for
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H860 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 6, 2020
the purpose of further amendment under the GENERAL LEAVE have countervailing institutions, as
five-minute rule and shall be considered as Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I John Galbraith said, between labor and
read. All points of order against provisions ask unanimous consent that all Mem- capital. This is in the best interests of
in the bill, as amended, are waived. No fur- bers be given 5 legislative days to re- everyone, including those who are
ther amendment to the bill, as amended,
shall be in order except those printed in part
vise and extend their remarks. making and reaping exorbitant benefits
B of the report of the Committee on Rules. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there from the current inequality.
Each such further amendment may be of- objection to the request of the gen- But most importantly—most impor-
fered only in the order printed in the report, tleman from California? tantly—as Brandeis said, you cannot
may be offered only by a Member designated There was no objection. have democracy with the current situa-
in the report, shall be considered as read, Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, tion of inequality.
shall be debatable for the time specified in on Wednesday, the Rules Committee Not only is this inequality wrong,
the report equally divided and controlled by met and reported a rule, House Resolu- but its consequences in our everyday
the proponent and an opponent, shall not be tion 833, providing for consideration of lives, like worse health outcomes, dis-
subject to amendment, and shall not be sub- eases of depression, behavioral health
three measures: H. Res. 826, Expressing
ject to a demand for division of the question
in the House or in the Committee of the Disapproval of the Trump Administra- impacts, and economic insecurity,
Whole. All points of order against such fur- tion’s Harmful Actions Towards Med- these public health instances are di-
ther amendments are waived. At the conclu- icaid; H.R. 5687, the Emergency Supple- rectly correlated to income inequality
sion of consideration of the bill for amend- mental Appropriations for Disaster Re- as demonstrated by the landmark
ment the Committee shall rise and report lief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Re- work, ‘‘The Spirit Level,’’ 10 years ago.
the bill, as amended, to the House with such lief Act; and, finally, H.R. 2474, the The first resolution that is part of
further amendments as may have been Protecting the Right to Organize Act. this rule expresses strong disapproval
adopted. The previous question shall be con- of the Trump administration’s recent
The rule provides for H. Res. 826 to be
sidered as ordered on the bill, as amended, attempt to turn Medicaid into a block
and on any further amendment thereto to considered under a closed rule, with 1
hour of debate equally divided and con- grant.
final passage without intervening motion ex-
cept one motion to recommit with or with- trolled by the chair and ranking minor- Medicaid is our Nation’s promise to a
out instructions. ity member of the Committee on En- group left behind by rampant inequal-
SEC. 3. At any time after adoption of this ergy and Commerce. ity that will help provide basic services
resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to The rule further provides for consid- to protect their health and well-being—
clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House eration of H.R. 2474 under a structured basic services. The Trump administra-
resolved into the Committee of the Whole rule, with 1 hour of debate equally di- tion proposal doubles down on its cruel
House on the state of the Union for consider- vided and controlled by the chair and policies that put cost savings over life
ation of the bill (H.R. 5687) making emer- the ranking minority member of the savings.
gency supplemental appropriations for the The second bill provides disaster re-
fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for
Committee on Education and Labor.
The rule self-executes the manager’s lief to Puerto Rico. This is a commu-
other purposes. The first reading of the bill
amendment from Chairman SCOTT nity that has been devastated repeat-
shall be dispensed with. All points of order
against consideration of the bill are waived. making in order 16 amendments and edly by disasters, exposing the inequal-
General debate shall be confined to the bill provides one motion to recommit. ity not only in Puerto Rico, but be-
and shall not exceed one hour equally di- Finally, the rule provides for consid- tween this administration’s treatment
vided and controlled by the chair and rank- eration of H.R. 5687 under a structured of a territory versus a State. Puerto
ing minority member of the Committee on rule, with 1 hour of debate equally di- Rico needs our help. Without it, roads
Appropriations. After general debate the bill will remain unpassable, schools will re-
shall be considered for amendment under the
vided and controlled by the chair and
ranking minority member of the Com- main closed, and the poor will become
five-minute rule. The bill shall be considered
mittee on Appropriations. The rule poorer.
as read. All points of order against provi-
makes in order six amendments and And, finally, we have the Protecting
sions in the bill are waived. Clause 2(e) of
rule XXI shall not apply during consider- provides one motion to recommit. the Right to Organize, the PRO Act.
ation of the bill. No amendment to the bill Madam Speaker, before us today, we President Eisenhower once said that
shall be in order except those printed in part have three measures that all speak to only a fool would attempt to block a
C of the report of the Committee on Rules one very, very important topic in working man or woman, an American
accompanying this resolution. Each such worker, from joining a labor union.
America today. That topic is inequal-
amendment may be offered only in the order President Eisenhower said this, a Re-
printed in the report, may be offered only by ity.
Madam Speaker, Justice Louis Bran- publican President, much admired.
a Member designated in the report, shall be This was at a time where America
considered as read, shall be debatable for the deis once famously said: In this coun-
time specified in the report equally divided try, we can either have democracy or had the largest expansion in our his-
and controlled by the proponent and an op- we can have the concentration of tory, and the world’s expansion, grow-
ponent, shall not be subject to amendment, wealth in the hands of very few, but we ing at over 6 percent of GDP a year
and shall not be subject to a demand for divi- can’t have both. that everybody benefited from. One
sion of the question in the House or in the Unfortunately, right now in this year was 13 percent. At that time, one
Committee of the Whole. All points of order in three American workers were in a
country, we are at historic levels of in-
against such amendments are waived. At the labor union.
conclusion of consideration of the bill for equality. A handful of families control
more wealth than the bottom 50 per- By the time Ronald Reagan became
amendment the Committee shall rise and re- President, one in four Americans was
port the bill to the House with such amend- cent of Americans—160 million Ameri-
ments as may have been adopted. The pre- cans. Forty percent of lower income in a labor union. By the time President
vious question shall be considered as ordered Americans make $30,000 a year. The top Reagan left office, 1 in 10 American
on the bill and amendments thereto to final 1 percent in income—not wealth, but in workers were in a labor union.
passage without intervening motion except The balance between labor and cap-
income—earn over $7 million a year,
one motion to recommit with or without in- ital is the essence of American democ-
while the other 99 percent earn on an
structions. racy. It is unbalanced and risks our de-
average of $54,000 a year.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- mocracy at this moment.
We cannot have this level of inequal-
tleman from California is recognized The ability for American workers to
ity.
for 1 hour. organize and have a voice in the out-
President Abraham Lincoln famously
comes, not just of their work, but of
Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, said that labor and capital must al-
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their retirement and the benefit to
for the purpose of debate only, I yield ways be balanced in America to have
their families and communities, has
the customary 30 minutes to the gen- democracy. And he said:
been attacked since President Reagan
tleman from Texas (Mr. BURGESS), If capital ever had the control over labor,
was in office.
pending which I yield myself such time democracy would cease to exist.
as I may consume. During consider- From the pearls of wisdom of people b 1245
ation of this resolution, all time yield- like Lincoln and Brandeis, we are Evidence is clear that the rise in in-
ed is for the purpose of debate only. warned again today that we have to equality has coincided with the decline
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February 6, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H861
in union membership. By most esti- for disaster recovery from recent In effect, employees are not pro-
mates, declining unionization ac- earthquakes in Puerto Rico, but actu- tected from potential political intimi-
counted for about a third of the in- ally can be distributed to meet unmet dation and not protected from coercive
crease in inequality of which I speak in needs in other States. behavior by organizers in an effort to
the 1980s and 1990s. Let’s talk first about the resolution obtain the required number of cards.
To address inequality, you have to expressing disapproval for the Trump That is not free and voluntary
include working people. You have to administration’s Healthy Adult Oppor- choice.
include the right to organize. Labor tunity demonstration project that was Against a recent National Labor Re-
unions are universally recognized as just announced on January 30. lations Board decision, the bill rein-
providing major boosts to employees’ A letter provided by the Centers for states what are called micro unions, al-
wages and benefits. Sadly, the best evi- Medicare and Medicaid Services to lowing bargaining units smaller than a
dence we have on this trend is by com- State Medicaid directors detailed an workplace if there is a community of
paring union States like the one I am option for States to apply for increased interest.
proud to represent, California, to right- flexibility under the section 1115 for The joint employer standard is ex-
to-work States. Medicaid waivers. panded, creating liability for franchise
In 1979, States with historically high The Healthy Adult Opportunity dem- owners, franchise owners who may
levels of union membership, like in the onstration provides States with a have no direct relationship with the
Northeast and the Rust Belt, saw rel- choice as to how they would like to re- franchisee employee. This is not only
atively low rates of income inequality. ceive their funding for adults under the unreasonable, it is impractical, and
Just the opposite held true for right- age of 65 who are covered by a Medicaid certainly will weaken or damage the
to-work States. If you watched data expansion population. franchise model of business.
This does not include children. This In addition, the bill preempts State
over the years since the 1970s as States
does not include pregnant women. It right-to-work laws. My State is a
move as a group toward less union cov-
does not include individuals with dis- right-to-work State. Does the Federal
erage, those same States have much
abilities, or the elderly. Government know Texas citizens bet-
worse inequality and poor performing
This only applies to healthy adults ter than the State of Texas? This dis-
GDP.
who are not covered as part of the tra- regards the rights of 27 States by over-
Unions not only raise wages for
ditional Affordable Care Act popu- turning their right-to-work laws.
workers they represent, but they also Even more concerning, employers
have been shown to moderate com- lation, and if, and only if, the States
will be required to provide union orga-
pensation for executives. On top of all decide to pursue the Healthy Adult Op-
nizers with an employee’s personal in-
the obvious benefits you think of that portunity.
formation without the employee’s con-
are associated with labor unions like H. Res. 862 is a political statement
sent.
higher wages and safer workplaces, made to diminish the efforts of the In the Energy and Commerce Com-
some of the others that come along Trump administration. It is unreason- mittee we are in the middle of negoti-
with union membership also help ad- able and unrealistic for Democrats to ating both sides: What are the param-
dress the inequities in our society. declare this demonstration an attack eters, or what should be the param-
Union workers are more likely to re- on Medicaid after only a few days since eters of a Federal privacy law? This
ceive paid leave, are up to 28 percent the release of the plan. provision in this bill flies in the face of
more likely to have employer-spon- Do we have a full understanding of protecting individuals’ privacy, and it
sored health insurance and are up to 54 the opportunity grants? So I strongly is odd because in the committee, the
percent more likely to be enrolled in suggest Members on both sides of the other side seemed so eager to defend
employer-sponsored pensions. aisle speak with their Governors and privacy in any other forum.
Not only do workers have better ac- their counterparts in State legislatures Along with these partisan measures,
cess to pensions, but their employers to ask about this option. we are also considering emergency dis-
contribute an average of 28 percent My office did indeed speak with our aster funding for Puerto Rico. The sup-
more toward those pensions than non- Texas Governor this week. The State is plemental appropriation provides over
union employers. still unpacking everything that the $4 billion for cyber and energy secu-
The PRO Act simply updates labor Centers for Medicare and Medicaid rity, electricity restoration, education
laws, labor laws that have been at- Services may provide, and this may not assistance, the Federal Highway Ad-
tacked for 30 years, to ensure that be an option Texas will take, but it is ministration, and the Community De-
workers in today’s economy are able to up to them. They are currently run- velopment Block Grant.
create and join labor unions to receive ning internal analyses to come to a In recent years, Puerto Rico has
the same kinds of protections they see conclusion, a process that does take faced multiple natural disasters, in-
in other sectors. Nothing more. some time. cluding Hurricanes Irma and Maria in
Madam Speaker, I suspect we will Recognizing this, there is little 2017, and a series of earthquakes in
hear a lot of misinformation—espe- chance that the Senate will agree to January of this year. There is no doubt
cially about the PRO Act—from our this messaging resolution. A far better that Puerto Rico is facing a long road
colleagues on the other side of the approach would have been for us to to recovery, but compounding the na-
aisle. Make no mistake about it, have, perhaps, a hearing and a markup tional disasters is a mismanagement of
Madam Speaker, these three bills will in our committee of jurisdiction. aid.
help restore power to the people, which Unfortunately, not everyone agreed Just a couple of weeks ago, a ware-
the administration repeatedly has tried with that. house was discovered full of emergency
to strip power from. H.R. 2474, the PRO Act, has a simi- supplies. Some of them had been there
Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- larly low chance of being considered by since 2017. Citizens were outraged.
ance of my time. the Senate. The bill is nothing more They broke into the warehouse and
Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I than a requirement that workers be- took it upon themselves to distribute
thank the gentleman from California come members of labor unions. Repub- the aid.
for yielding me the customary 30 min- licans support the right of employees President Trump released nearly $16
utes, and I yield myself such time as I to form a labor union, but it should be billion in aid funding in January but
may consume. a choice for every individual worker. did place restrictions on usage to help
Madam Speaker, today’s rule pro- There is a card-check system in- prevent any squandering of Federal re-
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vides for consideration of three unre- cluded in this bill. Employees will no sources. This bill provides additional
lated measure, each of which have lit- longer enjoy the privacy of a secret billions in aid without any account-
tle chance of passing the Senate or be- ballot election. Organizers will be able ability measures. Existing disaster aid
coming law. The one is a nonbinding to collect authorization cards covering should be expended before appro-
messaging resolution, another one a 50 percent of the bargaining unit and priating billions of taxpayer dollars.
partisan labor bill, and the third pro- form a union without holding a secret And then here is the kicker: It may not
vides billions of dollars in Federal aid election. go towards its intended recipients.
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H862 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 6, 2020
Only a small portion of these funds but are looking for ways scale it back, or in We have to remember that the right
are specifically directed to Puerto those 14 states that have not yet expanded to organize is rooted in the First
Rico. The rest may be applied to unmet but still want to do so in a limited way. An Amendment of the Constitution which
example of the latter category is Oklahoma,
needs of disasters in recent years. Yes, which is having a referendum on Medicaid
protects the right of the people to
including Puerto Rico, but including expansion in November. That state’s Repub- speak, to assemble, and to petition for
many other States. lican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who opposes the ref- a redress of grievances.
FEMA has yet to complete its dam- erendum, jumped at the administration’s All of these rights have been under
age assessment, and initial assess- offer. The proposal invokes—probably incor- severe attack over the last several dec-
ments indicate $40 million in Federal rectly—HHS’s statutory authority to adjust ades of union busting and interference
costs, a much smaller amount than ap- Medicaid’s core requirements, so its ulti- with the right of the people to organize
mate fate may depend on the courts. A fed- into unions.
propriated in this bill. eral judge in Washington blocked previous
No one wants to deny any Americans attempts by the agency to let New Hamp-
There are three specific provisions I
support when they are in need, but this shire, Kentucky and Arkansas set work re- want to mention that will restore the
appropriation is premature. We could quirements for Medicaid, which cost 18,000 constitutional rights of the people to
and should take the time to evaluate people in the latter state their coverage, organize.
the best path for recovery for Puerto though the administration has appealed. The first treats the violation of the
Rico, and we have the ability because (Kentucky has withdrawn its work require- right to organize like a violation of
ments, which never took effect.) any other civil right in America. If
there is existing disaster aid that has Whatever its short-term practical impact,
been released to meet those immediate your civil rights are violated based on
the administration’s latest block-grant pro-
needs. posal could be significant in the long run. race or based on gender, you have a
Madam Speaker, I urge opposition to The ultimate goal is to legitimize block- right to go to court to sue for enforce-
the rule, and I reserve the balance of granting and the coverage reductions the ap- ment of your rights and for compensa-
my time. proach almost certainly entails. Reduced tion for violation of those rights.
Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I coverage, it should be mentioned, was partly This PRO Act will give the same
why Congress previously, and repeatedly, re- right to workers to go to court to en-
yield myself such time as I may con- jected Republican plans to block-grant Med-
sume. force their labor organizing rights.
icaid. The United States badly needs a sys-
Madam Speaker, just a couple of Right now, they have got to go through
tem of universal coverage that delivers serv-
points to my friend from Texas’ com- ices more efficiently than the existing the National Labor Relations Board
ments. hodgepodge. In its determination to chip which has been stifled with bureauc-
I include in the RECORD a February 2 away at Obamacare’s compromise solution— racy and red tape. And right now,
Washington Post article entitled: Medicaid expansion—the Trump administra- under the PRO Act, if it passes, you
‘‘You’d think Trump would stop tion has revealed that it has other priorities. will have the right to go to court as
threatening insurance coverage by Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, well as to go to the NLRB in order to
now. Think again.’’ on the Medicaid block grants, I would enforce your right to organize.
[From the Washington Post, Feb. 2, 2020]
just say, from my experience, as some- b 1300
one who was very involved in the adop-
YOU’D THINK TRUMP WOULD STOP THREAT- Secondly, the PRO Act will end so-
ENING INSURANCE COVERAGE BY NOW. THINK
tion of the ACA in the California State
Senate, both chairing the committee of called captive audience speeches. Those
AGAIN.
jurisdiction and being involved in what are already illegal right now. Employ-
(By the Washington Post Editorial Board) ers cannot herd all the workers into a
Notwithstanding the progress under we look back on as a very successful
rollout, doing the block grants sets the big room and tell them why they have
Obamacare, the United States still does not
provide health insurance to all of its popu- threshold lower than is necessary. Re- to vote for Donald Trump for President
lation. About 27.5 million people, or 8.5 per- member that the Federal thresholds at the risk of perhaps earning the dis-
cent of the population, lacked coverage are only a base level. States can put favor of the employer, being fired or
throughout 2018, according to the most re- more contributions from the State and demoted or whatever. But they can
cent Census Bureau report published in Sep- local level in, which we have done in herd you into the room to tell you why
tember. The country has moved in the wrong California. It has been successful at unions are bad and why unions are a
direction since President Trump took office: bad choice and predicting that the
The 2018 uninsured numbers were up over
getting millions of Californians into
insurance, as opposed to being in indi- company will have to leave or lay off
2017.
You might think, given this history, that gent care. people if a union is voted in by the
the Trump administration would cease pro- On the organizing aspect, this has workers.
posing policy that threatens coverage; well, come up in the Rules Committee, the This ends captive audience speeches.
think again. secret ballot and privacy. A reminder, The union doesn’t have the right to
Mr. Trump’s Department of Health and as Chairman SCOTT said last night: Se- herd all the workers into a room to
Human Services has unveiled a proposal that cret ballot is still sacrosanct. It only propagandize them for the union; the
would allow states to receive federal Med- employers should not have the right to
comes up that it will not be if the Na-
icaid funding as a block grant, annually ad-
tional Labor Relations Board sanctions herd all of them into a conference
justable for inflation, while implementing
cost-cutting measures such as work require- the employer for violating organizing room to propagandize them against a
ments, asset tests, co-payments and pre- rules. union.
scription drug limitations. (As a sweetener, Our research shows that 45 percent of Finally, the PRO Act will restore the
states would be allowed to pocket some of employers threaten workers in meet- First Amendment rights of workers or-
the budgetary savings.) Existing rules essen- ings, threaten them if they are trying ganizing a union or in a union to sup-
tially require states to provide a set of serv- to organize. Seventy-five percent of port boycotts, strikes, and other labor
ices to all those who meet federally estab- employers hire consultants to run actions by workers in other places.
lished criteria, and fund them on an open- antiunion campaigns, and one in five Amazingly, under the Taft-Hartley
ended basis. provisions and the way the labor law
To be sure, the administration’s proposal employees who try to organize their
would not affect traditional Medicaid popu- fellow workers get fired or threatened has grown up now, it is against the law
lations such as low-income pregnant women with termination. for workers in a union to engage in sec-
and people with disabilities. It targets only Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to ondary support and secondary boycotts
the so-called expansion population—the 17 the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. and so on. This is a naked violation of
million low-income adults who got Medicaid RASKIN), a distinguished member of the the First Amendment rights of work-
through Obamacare. And even then, it’s un-
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Rules Committee. ers. Unionized workers should have
likely it will be adopted in blue states with Mr. RASKIN. Madam Speaker, I want every same right to support boycotts
large Medicaid populations, such as Cali- to thank Mr. DESAULNIER for his lead- and strikes of their fellow workers as
fornia, or in red states that never expanded
ership. I rise in very strong support of anyone else.
Medicaid in the first place and probably
won’t no matter how federal aid is struc- the PRO Act because it will restore the Madam Speaker, I do strongly sup-
tured, such as Texas. constitutional and civil rights of Amer- port the PRO Act.
Where it might make a difference is in red ican citizens seeking to organize a Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I
states that reluctantly expanded Medicaid union. yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
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February 6, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H863
Kentucky (Mr. COMER), who is a valued I am a former small business owner The PRO Act is about leveling the
member of the Education and Labor who met a payroll for hundreds of peo- playing field for working people. It pe-
Committee. ple in the restaurant business in Cali- nalizes predatory corporations that
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I fornia. Our economy is the fifth largest violate workers’ rights and streamlines
thank the gentleman for yielding. economy in the world. There is lots of procedures at the National Labor Rela-
Madam Speaker, I have heard from evidence showing that helping the em- tions Board to more effectively deal
business owners throughout my dis- ployer and helping the consumer so with violations. It protects workers
trict about the investments they are they have more disposable income ac- from being misclassified as inde-
making in their businesses and hard- tually helps everyone. pendent contractors. It helps working
working employees thanks to the As far as the dual employer rule, all people secure a winning agreement as
strong economy ushered in by Presi- we are doing is trying to protect what part of a union. It protects union elec-
dent Trump. We have seen companies has been in effect for decades and not tions against interference. And it em-
establish education programs, provide have it diminished, so there should be powers unions and employers to nego-
bonuses to their employees, and rein- no impact on franchisees. tiate agreements that collect fair share
vest in their communities as a result of Lastly, the distinction I think that fees.
our booming economic climate. Unfor- needs to be reiterated over and over The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
tunately, the bill we are considering again in light of the administration’s time of the gentlewoman has expired.
today would quickly erode this assertions about the economy is, yes, Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I
progress. the GDP is growing, not as large as the yield the gentlewoman from Con-
As was made clear during the Com- President had promised, but it is not necticut an additional 30 seconds.
mittee on Education and Labor hearing being spread out. Ms. DELAURO. It establishes a medi-
and subsequent markup, the PRO Act As I mentioned in my opening com- ation and arbitration process to help
would not serve the interests of indi- ments, 50 percent—150 million, 160 mil- ensure corporations and newly formed
vidual workers. By overriding States’ lion people—live on $30,000 a year. They unions reach a first contract.
choices to enact right-to-work laws don’t see the big benefit in what Wall As Nobel-winning economist Joseph
meant to curtail forced unionization, Street gets. The average income is for Stiglitz has said: Inequality is not in-
codifying harmful rulemakings from the bottom 90 percent of Americans. It evitable. It is about the public policy
the previous administration regarding has increased just 1 percent from 1980 choices we make.
the definition and classification of em- to 2017, while all their other costs have Madam Speaker, it is not
ployees, and increasing the prevalence gone up, most notably healthcare and globalization, and it is not technology.
of worker intimidation and privacy in- education. Average incomes, on the We have the opportunity today to
fringement, the PRO Act is a maze of other hand, for the wealthiest 1 percent choose a public policy that, in fact,
misguided and costly antiworker poli- have increased by 184 percent. will defend and protect working people
cies. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to in this country.
To correct one of the countless issues the gentlewoman from Connecticut Madam Speaker, pass the PRO Act.
with this legislation, I submitted an (Ms. DELAURO). Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I
amendment to strike the provisions Ms. DELAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may con-
that would legalize secondary boycotts. rise to speak in support of the Pro- sume.
Unions should not be empowered to tecting the Right to Organize Act, or Madam Speaker, if we defeat the pre-
target and economically harm sup- the PRO Act. vious question, I will offer an amend-
pliers or business partners of a work- I am the daughter of a garment ment to the rule to immediately con-
place they are seeking to organize. worker, so the fight for workers’ rights sider a resolution reinforcing policies
Unfortunately, this and many other has always had a special place in my that are part of the ‘‘best is yet to
commonsense amendments were re- heart. My mother toiled every day in come’’ blueprint, which was outlined
jected by my colleagues on the other the sweatshops in New Haven, Con- by President Trump in this very Cham-
side of the aisle during markup and necticut, sewing shirt collars and ber on Tuesday night in his historic
again at the Rules Committee yester- dresses. And she was a pieceworker, and optimistic State of the Union Ad-
day. which meant she got pennies on the dress.
Notably, the PRO Act federalizes dollar. As chair of the Appropriations His address highlighted the increase
California’s ABC test limiting flexi- Committee’s Labor, Health and Human in wages for American workers, the de-
bility and opportunity for entre- Services, Education, and Related Agen- crease in unemployment, the reduction
preneurs in our modern economy and cies Subcommittee, I work every day in the number of those receiving nutri-
codifies the previous administration’s to ensure that her early struggles were tion assistance, and the strength of our
joint employer standard that would not in vain. Armed Forces. He went on to detail the
disrupt and fatally damage the fran- I am proud to be an original cospon- ongoing efforts to decrease healthcare
chise model, harming thousands of sor of the PRO Act introduced by the costs and to improve access to
small business owners across the Na- chair of the committee, Congressman broadband and the continuing defense
tion. BOBBY SCOTT. It strengthens the rights of our borders, among other priorities.
I recognize a business’s greatest asset of working people to come together in Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous
is its workers. For this reason, I am union to secure better wages and better consent to insert the text of the
solidly proworker and probusiness and working conditions. amendment in the RECORD, along with
want to continue our strong economic The single biggest economic chal- extraneous material, immediately
growth while also protecting the free- lenge of our times is that people’s pay prior to the vote on the previous ques-
doms of hardworking Americans. doesn’t keep up with their rising costs tion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The of healthcare, education, and childcare. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there
time of the gentleman has expired. From 1980 to 2017, average incomes for objection to the request of the gen-
Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I the bottom 90 percent of households tleman from Texas?
yield the gentleman from Kentucky an stagnated to a 1.1 percent increase There was no objection.
additional 1 minute. while skyrocketing more than 180 per- Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I
Mr. COMER. Thankfully, this Demo- cent for the wealthiest 1 percent in this yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
cratic dream will meet a rude awak- country. It is no coincidence that, at Virginia (Mr. RIGGLEMAN) to speak on
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ening in the Senate, where it will not the same time, union membership fell his amendment.
see the light of day, and President to a record low of 10 percent. Mr. RIGGLEMAN. Madam Speaker, I
Trump has signaled he would veto. Economists at Princeton found that thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I the alarming rise of income inequality Madam Speaker, I rise today in an
yield myself such time as I may con- since the 1970s can be at least partially America with a booming economy,
sume before I introduce our next attributed to the decline in union strong military, and optimistic future.
speaker. membership. On Tuesday, President Trump outlined
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H864 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 6, 2020
the ‘‘best is yet to come’’ blueprint Unions have been the backbone of a Should a State choose to apply for
during the State of the Union Address. just and equitable economy. Their hard this Healthy Adult Opportunity dem-
This agenda is an optimistic plan to work gave us the 5-day workweek. onstration, it will only be allowed to
continue the record-setting economic Their hard work gave us safer working address the adults that are under 65
growth we are seeing and provide solu- conditions. Their hard work helps de- that fall into the expansion population.
tions to problems that ail American liver fair wages and better access to This optional demonstration changes
citizens. It is imperative that Congress healthcare. But this isn’t just an eco- nothing for children. It changes noth-
step forward and support this agenda nomic issue. It is also a question of ing for seniors, changes nothing for in-
as I do. civil rights. Society itself is freer when dividuals with disabilities. All essen-
It is an agenda that dramatically workers are empowered to band to- tial health benefit requirements re-
lowers prescription drug prices and gether and negotiate for better pay, main in place.
raises wages for hardworking Ameri- benefits, and working conditions. Most importantly, States do not have
cans, an agenda that will build an in- I might say, even in those States to take this option because it is an op-
clusive society and make sure every that are not right-to-work States, it is tion. States can maintain the status
young American has the opportunity hard to organize, but when you impose quo and continue to operate their Med-
to achieve the American Dream, and an a right-to-work law, then you have icaid programs as they were before this
agenda that will ensure every citizen really stacked the odds in the ability of opportunity was presented to them.
can have access to high-speed internet, working men and women to organize Some States may find this demonstra-
including in rural areas. themselves. tion provides the necessary increased
With a national unemployment rate This is Black History Month, and I flexibility for them to handle the lim-
of 3.5 percent and a Virginia unemploy- am reminded of these words from Dr. ited healthy adult population that is
ment rate of 2.6 percent, it is clear the Martin Luther King: ‘‘In our glorious now covered under Medicaid expansion.
economic policies the President has fight for civil rights, we must guard In fact, under one of the financing
implemented are working. The ‘‘best is against being fooled by false slogans, mechanisms, if a State does not spend
yet to come’’ blueprint will continue such as ‘right-to-work.’ . . . Wherever all of its Federal allotment under the
this growth and build upon it. these laws have been passed, wages are Healthy Adult Opportunity demonstra-
The American economy is stronger lower, job opportunities are fewer, and tion, it can keep 25 to 50 percent of the
than ever, and we should work to con- there are no civil rights. We do not in- savings not to transfer over to the road
tinue this growth. tend to let them do this to us. We de- and bridge fund, but to reinvest in
I have a district that is 10,000 square mand this fraud be stopped. Our weap- Medicaid. In the States that might be
miles large, bigger than the State of on is our vote.’’ ravished by an opioid epidemic, that
New Jersey. Seeing the optimism and Dr. King was right. Our weapon is our could mean getting more individuals
excitement in Virginia and Virginia’s vote, and today, we are going to exer- with opioid use disorder into treat-
Fifth District is something to behold. cise that weapon and strike a blow for ment.
We have built an inclusive economy working men and women and for re- It could allow States additional flexi-
where the least well-off are making storing the constitutional right of bility to help their most vulnerable
some of the fastest gains and unem- working men and women to organize populations. And we heard very com-
ployment is at an all-time low. freely and benefit this economy and pelling testimony in the Rules Com-
There is no doubt that we are in the benefit the quality of lives for people mittee last night from the gentle-
midst of a blue-collar boom in this in communities all across this great woman from Washington (Mrs. ROD-
country. Those who support the pre- land. GERS) about the unconscionably long
vious question are opposing the eco- Madam Speaker, I thank my friend waiting list for individuals with dis-
nomic boom. That is why I will be vot- from California for giving me the time. abilities to get coverage under Med-
ing against the previous question. I urge passage of the bill, and I support icaid.
A vote against the previous question the rule underlying it. Madam Speaker, 700,000 people across
is a vote for lowering the number of the country are on that waiting list.
impoverished Americans on food b 1315
These shared savings could go in to re-
stamps. A vote against the previous Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, may ducing that case backlog for those indi-
question is a vote to continue the I inquire as to how much time I have viduals.
booming economic growth we have ex- remaining? Look, this may not be an opportunity
perienced. A vote against the previous The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- that every State wants to take. That is
question is a vote for enacting all these tleman from Texas has 16 minutes re- why it is optional. That is what op-
policies into law and furthering Presi- maining. The gentleman from Cali- tional means. My State, the State of
dent Trump’s agenda. fornia has 101⁄2 minutes remaining. Texas, is working through whether or
Madam Speaker, I urge defeat of the Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I not this would be beneficial, a bene-
previous question so that we can con- yield myself such time as I may con- ficial demonstration opportunity for
sider my resolution and support the sume. them. There is a lot to look at in the
policies outlined in the ‘‘best is yet to Madam Speaker, one of the under- rule that was produced by the Depart-
come’’ policy blueprint. lying bills here, H. Res. 826, is really ment of Health and Human Services.
Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I nothing more than a political exercise, After all, it was just a week ago that
yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from and I really am disappointed at how we this was received, and people are look-
Virginia (Mr. CONNOLLY). have come to discuss the healthier ing into whether or not it makes sense
Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I adult opportunity demonstration, in for them.
thank my good friend from California the manner that it is. But we, in this body, should take the
for his leadership, especially in bring- If we were to have a legitimate de- time to understand this, rather than
ing before us the Protecting the Right bate on an optional policy, we should simply jump to a conclusion with an
to Organize Act of 2019. do so in a hearing in the committee of action that is ultimately going to be
Right now, in my home State, the jurisdiction. That is why the Com- meaningless because it goes nowhere.
Virginia General Assembly is engaged mittee on Energy and Commerce, Re- Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal-
in a big debate about whether to repeal publican leader WALDEN and me sent a ance of my time.
the right-to-work laws that have domi- letter to Chairman PALLONE to request Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I
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nated our State for so many years, a such a hearing. yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
repeal I have long supported. We should be asking questions of Texas (Mr. GREEN).
That is why, today, I am proud to agencies and States that are deciding Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speak-
stand with my good friend and fellow whether or not they would like to uti- er, I thank the gentleman from Califor-
Virginian, Chairman BOBBY SCOTT, in lize this option to deploy the new sec- nia’s Eleventh District. I also thank, if
supporting this bill, the Protecting the tion 1115 waiver for this very specific I may, the persons who are associated
Right to Organize Act. population. with the Rules Committee who worked
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February 6, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H865
tirelessly to get these bills to the floor. the more effective that decision is and $15,000 left after the major basic costs, but
And I also thank the House leadership the more effective the resources of our this is still hardly enough to cover the addi-
for allowing the bills to come to the taxpayers are. That is the attempt and tional everyday costs for the children and
parents. On top of that, these families have
floor. the endeavor on the part of President
little money, if any, to save for things like
Madam Speaker, I am honored today Trump, and I regret that so much poli- retirement or college for their children, not
to say that I traveled to Puerto Rico tics have been churned into this, we to mention any emergency costs that may
after one of the hurricanes hit, Hurri- have a hard time focusing on the pol- spring up. Nearly 40% of families in Dela-
cane Maria. I was there with the Hon- icy. ware County make this much or less.
orable BENNIE THOMPSON. This was a When I see what happened at the The parents in these struggling families
Homeland Security codel. And while I prayer breakfast, and when I listened bank on the hope that their children can
was there, I had the opportunity to to the statement that has been made move up the economic ladder, becoming
more prosperous as adults than they, the
meet with various and sundry NGOs, by the Speaker publicly in a conference parents, were. The surest way for children to
met with some of the emergency re- a little earlier today, it spills forth achieve that upward mobility is to get a
sponders, the Corps of Engineers, the upon this. Some of her words essen- good education. Unfortunately, many Dela-
National Guard. tially show up in this document. ware County schools are in a similar boat as
I had a firsthand opportunity to see Madam Speaker, it is time for us to many families, struggling to find the re-
the devastation that Puerto Rico suf- take a deep breath. Impeachment is sources to provide students with the skills
fered from. And this was prior to the over. Let’s focus on policy. they need to be upwardly mobile.
6.7 earthquake that hit on January 7. Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I The mandated costs of pensions, special
education and charter school payments are
Madam Speaker, I believe that it is yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman skyrocketing, growing by $223 million in
time for us to act. I believe this legis- from Pennsylvania (Ms. SCANLON), dis- Delaware County school districts since 2010.
lation provides the means by which we tinguished member of the Rules Com- Meanwhile State funding for these districts
can act appropriately and effica- mittee. has grown by just $107 million, forcing dis-
ciously. I believe that this bill, with Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I am tricts to make up the difference through
what it contains from my bill, H.R. proud to rise in support of the PRO local property tax increases. Even with these
3702, which was the CDBG-DR, disaster Act. This much-needed legislation re- tax increases, most districts are unable to
recovery bill, this legislation contains balances the economic playing field to get more money in the classroom.
The funding challenges translate to aca-
language from that, my bill, and I give workers a fair shake, and it is long demic struggle. The majority of students in
would like to just share some of the overdue. the county—58%—fail the math PSSA, and
things that are important. Two nights ago, the President stood 39% fail in reading. These figures are even
The bill includes the rigorous here and talked about how great the worse in the districts with high shares of low
timelines for allocation action plan ap- economy is doing, how the stock mar- income students, where 75% of students fail
proval and grant agreement execution ket is soaring, and unemployment is the math exam and 52% fail in reading.
that was contained in the bill. It con- falling. But the truth on the ground is The bleak situation facing Delaware Coun-
tains language that HUD will be re- ty families will only change with large-scale
that people in the middle class and
action. History teaches us that bold policies
quired to allocate funds no later than below are not being lifted by this tide. can overcome massive problems facing soci-
60 days after enactment of the supple- The cost of housing, childcare, edu- ety and lead to huge gains in the quality of
mental. HUD would be required to re- cation, and other basic essentials are life for all. As Nobel Prize-winning econo-
view and approve or disapprove an ac- rising at rates not matched by stag- mist Paul Romer notes in discussing these
tion plan within 60 days of its submis- nant wages. types of policy changes, ‘‘[If we have a] sense
sion to the Department, and HUD will Madam Speaker, I include in the of ‘we’ve got to do the right thing’ . . . ev-
be required to allocate funds no later RECORD a report by the Foundation for erything can turn out better for everybody.
than 60 days after the date of approval Delaware County and Philadelphia But if you just are complacent, say ‘it’ll
work itself out,’ you are not going to be
of a grantee’s plan. Citizens For Children and Youth. happy with the outcome.’’ Delaware County
Madam Speaker, I think we have UNDERWATER: WHAT’S SINKING FAMILIES IN families cannot afford complacency. The fol-
reached a point now where an emer- DELAWARE COUNTY lowing policies must be implemented, or the
gency has become something that we [From PCCY, Public Citizens for Children cycle of financial stress will never end. The
must act upon immediately, if not and Youth, Mar. 2019] children in these struggling families will be-
sooner. The sooner would be today, but The American Dream is eroding in Dela-
come the next generation of struggling fami-
unfortunately, we will have the rule lies. The American Dream will become the
ware County. Incomes that used to provide a
today. Immediately will be the vote to- American Drain.
comfortable middle class life are no longer
To boost families’ incomes:
morrow. I beg that all would support enough to even cover the basics. Four in ten Create a workforce development strategy
the bill. families are likely to be underwater if to help people move into higher paying jobs.
Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I they’re raising children. Their financial out- Increase the State government’s payments
yield 1 minute to the gentleman from look is bleak—a far cry from the prosperity to agencies that employ low-wage, govern-
Iowa (Mr. KING). that their parents enjoyed. And if things ment-funded professionals, such as Direct
continue down this road, their children face Support Professionals and child care work-
Mr. KING of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I
a future of continued decline. ers, so that wages are at least $15 an hour
appreciate the gentleman from Texas Hard-working families earning $50,000, for
yielding to me. and ideally $18 an hour, to increase the abil-
instance, are likely to be more than $3,000 in ity of these professionals to stay above water
I rise in opposition to this rule. And debt between child care, health care, hous- while supporting a family.
I have a whole stack of things that I ing, utilities, transportation, food, and To reduce the child care and early edu-
will raise, but in the time that is avail- taxes. And that’s with the help of crucial cation cost burden:
able, I will say this: We watched as the child care and health insurance benefits. Increase funding for Child Care Works,
Medicaid program was opened up more Even if these families have no child care Pre-K Counts and Head Start.
needs, they will have less than $7,000 left Expand eligibility for Child Care Works.
and more under President Obama. And
over after paying for the other essentials. Implement full day kindergarten in all
when that happened, it caused a sig- That’s under $7,000 for things like clothes, school districts.
nificant amount of turmoil in my State sports teams, birthday presents, summer To reduce the health care cost burden:
and many States across the country. camps, class trips—just to name a few. Near- Expand eligibility for free and subsidized
And so President Trump has stepped ly a quarter of families earn this much or Children’s Health Insurance Program.
in and decided that he is going to offer less in Delaware County. Preserve the Affordable Care Act.
an opportunity to have the equivalent Even families who are near the median in- To reduce the cost burden of other living
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of block grants going back to the come—an income that should solidify their expenses:
States and let them make the decision, middle class status—are drowning. Families Create more affordable transportation
making $75,000 a year, for example, are likely through mobility planning at the County
let them write the regulations because to be saddled with over $2,000 in debt after level.
the States know best. paying for the basics, since they do not re- Create affordable housing strategies at the
This great experiment in Federalism ceive subsidies for child care and health County level.
that we have, where the closer to the care. If these families are free from the bur- To reduce the tax burden on financially
people that the decision can be made, den of child care, they would have around struggling families:
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H866 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 6, 2020
Expand Pennsylvania’s Tax Forgiveness Madam Speaker, I just want to high- ing, but Republicans will have none of
program to incomes of at least $75,000. light a few things. that. This landmark legislation tried
Offset property taxes by increasing State The gentleman from Virginia came to patch the holes in the safety net,
funding for public schools.
To improve the financial outlook of public and spoke about an amendment that but even when Texas was offered 100
schools: will be offered if we defeat the previous cents on the dollar from the Federal
Increase State K–12 basic education and question. Government to extend Medicaid to
special education funding. As a consequence of that defeat of some of its citizens, Texas refused to
Restore the State’s charter school reim- the previous question is the consider- do that, and has continued to do so.
bursement to school districts. ation of the amendment offered by Mr. Now this Trump block-headed ap-
Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, ac- RIGGLEMAN. And some of the things proach would widen the coverage gap
cording to that report released in Octo- that people need to understand is that, for 5 million people with disabilities
ber, families in my district in Pennsyl- well, they will be voting against these and millions of children who suffer
vania are being left underwater due to things if they vote to approve the pre- when their parents cannot get care.
the high cost of living and debt they vious question: The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
are forced to incur in order to make The acknowledgment that jobs and time of the gentleman has expired.
ends meet in this economy. A family investment are coming into this coun- Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I
making the median income of $75,000 is try at a rate that has previously not yield another 30 seconds to the gen-
likely to be $2,000 under water at year’s been known. America is now energy- tleman from Texas.
end. independent and energy jobs, like so Mr. DOGGETT. One of the advan-
The middle class is shrinking, and it many elements of our country, are at a tages of the Medicaid program is if
is clear to see why. The economic di- record high.
vide in the United States has reached more people require coverage during an
We are building an inclusive society
unprecedented levels, wealth is con- economic downturn, or if costs go up
that is making sure that every young
centrated at the very top, and it is not because of a public health emergency,
American gets a great education and
trickling down. Workers have seen like coronavirus or an opioid epidemic,
the opportunity to achieve the Amer-
their rights stripped, their wages cut, the Federal funding automatically in-
ican Dream. That Congress wants to
and their dignity taken away. support our students and back the plan creases. If you have a stingy State Re-
Over the past three decades the aver- to offer vocational and technical edu- publican government that caps it, that
age income for the bottom 90 percent of cation to every single high school in coverage will go down instead of up.
families, increased by 1.1 percent. Dur- America. What is out of control in America
ing this same period, the average in- In addition, the commitment to ac- today is not Medicaid spending, but
come for the wealthiest 1 percent near- cess to high speed internet, including this unhinged President’s attempts to
ly doubled. rural America, and the defense of reli- undermine healthcare access for as
Put simply, workers responsible for gious liberty. many Americans as he can do.
wealth creation in this country are not Many of us worked the prayer break- Madam Speaker, let’s oppose it.
seeing their fair share. Over that same fast this morning and heard this an ad- b 1330
30-year period, we have seen the per- ditional time, but including the con-
centage of American workers in unions Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I
stitutional right to pray in public
steadily decline, not because people yield myself such time as I may con-
schools. I just want people to be aware
don’t want to join unions and take part sume.
that if they defeat the previous ques-
in the higher average salaries and bet- As I have stated many times over,
tion, this is where we will be engaging.
ter benefit structure they are likely to Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- the rule proposed by the Centers for
receive. No, it is a direct result of re- ance of my time. Medicare and Medicaid Services is an
lentless coordinating and well-funded Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I option for States. It does in no way af-
antiunion attacks from corporations yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from fect or impact the mandatory safety
and special interests. Texas (Mr. DOGGETT). net populations that are required to be
Cynically misnamed right-to-work Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, as covered under Medicaid.
laws have harmed workers and their usual, Trump says one thing here and The population that was included in
families. No one in this country is does another. He continues his assault Medicaid expansion, in States that un-
forced to join a union, but the fact is, on healthcare—no protection for pre- derwent expansion, this is where the
states with higher numbers of union existing conditions, nothing done to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
membership also have higher average lower prescription price-gouging, and Services would provide those State
salaries for all workers. even considering potential cuts to what Governors, those State legislatures, an
This bill would weaken antilabor they call ‘‘entitlements’’ and we call option to consider a block grant if they
State laws and close other loopholes Medicare. desired. It is also written in the pro-
that corporations use to exploit work- Trump supports only junk insurance posed rule that they could opt for a
ers. The PRO Act will restore some and junk ideas, like this crazy idea to per-beneficiary allotment, which might
fairness to the American economy and block-grant Medicaid, which is a truly even impart additional flexibility.
give workers a seat at the bargaining block-headed approach that will jeop- But one of the provisions of the rule,
table they rightly deserve. It will in- ardize insurance coverage for 1 in 5 as has been proposed, is that, if there is
troduce meaningful and forceable pen- Americans. a significant change—the State under-
alties for companies that violate work- In Texas, Medicaid is a safety net goes a natural disaster or emergency—
ers’ rights. No longer will companies be with more holes than net through the block grant number can be ad-
able to exploit employees’ labor, bet- which many needy Texans regularly justed. It is not something that is im-
ting that a toothless NLRB will only fall. Much of the available assistance is mobile.
give them a slap on the wrist. critical to our seniors. Already slashed I reserve the balance of my time.
This bill would ensure that employ- to the bone, Texas Medicaid does not Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I
ees have the right to collectively bar- have any more room for the kind of have no more speakers. So, if the gen-
gain with companies that control the cuts that Trump is urging. Hospitals tleman from Texas would like to close,
terms and conditions of their employ- are struggling to stay afloat in many I am prepared to close.
ment. One of the misleading arguments parts of the State. Healthcare pro- I reserve the balance of my time.
viders, some of them go out of busi- Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with HOUSE
being made against this bill is that it
will affect privacy. That is not true. ness. And to the disgrace of the Lone yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I proudly support Star State, we have almost 1 million Madam Speaker, I do want to share
this rule and the underlying bill, and I children, more than in any other State and introduce into the RECORD an arti-
urge my colleagues to join me in sup- in the Union, who lack any insurance cle published by the Brookings Institu-
port. access. tion—Brookings, of all places—pub-
Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I Indeed, it is the Affordable Care Act lished in September of 2018 that ana-
yield myself 2 minutes. that actually slowed Medicaid spend- lyzes global poverty levels, finding that
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February 6, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H867
over 50 percent of the world’s popu- emergence of the global middle class. This ensure fair wages and fair working con-
lation can now be considered middle middle class story is probably bigger in ditions for employees. Today, Ameri-
class or above. That means, for the terms of the number of people affected. In cans are more prosperous than ever.
the world today, about one person escapes
first time, a majority of the world’s While I support the freedom of an in-
extreme poverty every second; but five peo-
population is above the poverty line. ple a second are entering the middle class. dividual to join a labor union, the ne-
According to this article from Brook- The rich are growing too, but at a far small- cessity that required labor unions is
ings, worldwide, one person escapes ex- er rate (1 person every 2 seconds). waning as wages increase and, subse-
treme poverty every second, and five Why does it matter that a middle-class tip- quently, union membership decreases.
people are entering the middle class ping point has been reached and that the Why would we now pass a bill that is
per second. middle class is the most rapidly growing seg- diametrically in opposition to the ben-
In the United States, the strength of ment of the global income distribution? Be-
cause the middle class drive demand in the
efits that have been enjoyed by this
our economy is partly based on pro- global economy and because the middle class country?
growth and pro-business policies, in- are far more demanding of their govern- And, again, I would like to emphasize
cluding those policies included in the ments. that State participation in the Healthy
2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Consider the structure of global economic Adult Opportunity demonstration is
Madam Speaker, I include the Brook- demand. Private household consumption ac- optional. If this demonstration project
ings article in the RECORD. counts for about half of global demand (the does not fit the needs or the goals of a
[From Brookings, Sept. 27, 2018] other half is evenly split between investment
and government consumption). Two-thirds of
State Medicaid program, they do not
A GLOBAL TIPPING POINT: HALF THE WORLD IS household consumption comes from the mid- have to participate.
NOW MIDDLE CLASS OR WEALTHIER dle class. The rich spend more per person, As the Republican leader of the En-
(By Homi Kharas and Kristofer Hamel) but are too few in number to drive the global ergy and Commerce Health Sub-
Something of enormous global significance economy. The poor and vulnerable are nu- committee, I believe conversations like
is happening almost without notice. For the merous, but have too little income to spend. this are best to occur at the committee
first time since agriculture-based civiliza- For most businesses, the sweet spot to target level first, where Members can call wit-
tion began 10,000 years ago, the majority of is the middle class. This has long been true
nesses and have a serious discussion.
humankind is no longer poor or vulnerable in individual advanced economies; it is now
to falling into poverty. By our calculations, true on a global scale. Do you know what? Regular order
as of this month, just over 50 percent of the Targeting the global middle class is not can be your friend. It doesn’t appear
world’s population, or some 3.8 billion peo- easy. The middle class like differentiated that Democrats are taking this seri-
ple, live in households with enough discre- products, and their tastes will vary from ously.
tionary expenditure to be considered ‘‘mid- country to country. The new middle class is Finally, Republicans remain com-
dle class’’ or ‘‘rich.’’ About the same number predominantly Asian—almost nine in 10 of mitted to helping all Americans in
of people are living in households that are the next billion middle-class consumers will
need, including those in Puerto Rico,
poor or vulnerable to poverty. So September be Asian—but they are spread out in China,
India, and South and South East Asia. It’s no but a thorough evaluation of best and
2018 marks a global tipping point. After this,
accident that the latest Hollywood hit is most accountable allocation of re-
for the first time ever, the poor and vulner-
able will no longer be a majority in the Crazy Rich Asians or that Asian multi- sources is needed. We support our fel-
world. Barring some unfortunate global eco- nationals are emerging that have built a do- low Americans in Puerto Rico and will
nomic setback, this marks the start of a new mestic brand and now look to compete continue to find ways to ensure their
era of a middle-class majority. abroad. recovery.
We make these claims based on a classi- The middle class is already the largest seg-
Madam Speaker, I urge a ‘‘no’’ vote
fication of households into those in extreme ment of demand in the global economy. What
makes it interesting for business is that it is on the previous question, ‘‘no’’ on the
poverty (households spending below $1.90 per rule, ‘‘no’’ on the underlying measures,
person per day) and those in the middle class also the most rapidly growing segment, pro-
(households spending $11–110 per day per per- jected to reach some 4 billion people by end and I yield back the balance of my
son in 2011 purchasing power parity, or PPP). 2020 and 5.3 billion people by 2030. Compared time.
Two other groups round out our classifica- to today, the middle class in 2030 will have 1. Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I
tion: vulnerable households fall between 7 billion more people, while the vulnerable yield myself the balance of my time.
those in poverty and the middle class; and group will have 900 million fewer people. I just want to thank everyone who
those who are at the top of the distribution Trends for the poor and the rich and more came down and spoke on this impor-
who are classified as ‘‘rich.’’ modest, at ¥150 million people and +100 mil-
tant issue. In my view, there is nothing
Our ‘‘middle class’’ classification was first lion, respectively.
By our calculations, the middle-class mar- more important.
developed in 2010 and has been used by many
kets in China and India in 2030 will account You don’t have to read the 600 pages
researchers. While acknowledging that the
middle class does not have a precise defini- for $14.1 trillion and $12.3 trillion, respec- in Thomas Piketty to know that the
tion that can be globally applied, the thresh- tively, comparable in size to a U.S. middle- level of inequality in this country right
old we use in this work has the following class market at that time of $15.9 trillion. now. And I acknowledge some of the
In most countries, there is a clear relation- improvements that globalism has given
characteristics: those in the middle class
ship between the fate of the middle class and
have some discretionary income that can be
the happiness of the population. According
to people who earn $1 a day and are
used to buy consumer durables like motor- now up to the astronomical level of $2
to the Gallup World Poll, new entrants into
cycles, refrigerators, or washing machines. a day, but that has not benefited the
the middle class are noticeably happier than
They can afford to go to movies or indulge in
those stuck in poverty or in vulnerable American worker.
other forms of entertainment. They may
take vacations. And they are reasonably con-
households. Conversely, individuals in coun- As I said in my opening comments, 40
tries where the middle class is shrinking re- percent of American households live on
fident that they and their family can weath-
port greater degrees of personal stress. The $30,000 a year. That is not helping ev-
er an economic shock—like illness or a spell
middle class also puts pressure on govern- erybody. Most of the benefits of the
of unemployment—without falling back into
ments to perform better. They look to their
extreme poverty. last 50 years went to the top 1 percent,
By classifying all households in the world governments to provide affordable housing,
education, and universal health care. They people, as I said before, who earn—not
into one of these four groups, using income own, earn—$7 million a year as opposed
and expenditure surveys from 188 countries, rely on public safety nets to help them in
sickness, unemployment or old age. But they to the 99 percent below them who earn
we are able to derive measures of the global
distribution of income. Our social enterprise resist efforts of governments to impose taxes $54,000 a year.
World Data Lab—the maker of World Pov- to pay the bills. This complicates the poli- We have to fix this. This is not de-
erty Clock—has refined these estimates and tics of middle-class societies, so they range mocracy, as Brandeis and Lincoln said.
created a new interactive data model to esti- from autocratic to liberal democracies. As Eisenhower said, when the economy
Many advanced and middle-income countries
mate all income brackets for almost every was growing at historic records, as I
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with HOUSE
country for every point in time until 2030 by today are struggling to find a set of politics
that can satisfy a broad middle-class major- mentioned in my opening statements.
combining demographic and economic data. And this is how times have changed,
A lot has been written about the world’s ity.
The tipping point in the world today offers particularly as a former Republican,
progress in reducing the number of people
living in extreme poverty, as highlighted in opportunities for business but complications former small business owner, former
the recent Goalkeepers report put out by the for policymakers. teamster, and former hotel and res-
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. We be- Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, taurant union member. Those jobs,
lieve that another story relates to the rapid labor unions were initially created to that protection, gave me the money to
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H868 CORRECTION CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 6, 2020
save enough money to go into business The Clerk read as follows: Doyle, Michael Levin (CA) Roybal-Allard
F. Levin (MI) Ruiz
for myself and treat my employees as I H. RES. 832 Engel Lieu, Ted Ruppersberger
would want to be treated, which helped Whereas, on December 20, 2019, Speaker Escobar Lipinski Rush
my customers. Pelosi extended an invitation for President Eshoo Loebsack Ryan
Eisenhower said: Trump to address a joint session of Congress Espaillat Lofgren Sánchez
Only a handful of reactionaries harbor the on February 4, 2020; Evans Lowenthal Sarbanes
ugly thought of breaking unions and depriv- Whereas, on February 4, 2020, President Finkenauer Lowey
ing working men and women of the right to Trump delivered his State of the Union ad- Scanlon
Fletcher Luján Schakowsky
join the union of their choice. dress, in which he honored the sacrifice of Frankel
the following American heroes and their Luria Schiff
President Eisenhower said: Fudge Lynch Schneider
I have no use for those, regardless of their families:
Gallego Malinowski Schrader
political party, who hold some vain and fool- General Charles McGee, one of the last sur- Garamendi
viving Tuskegee Airmen, who served in Maloney, Schrier
ish dream of spinning the clock back to days Garcı́a (IL) Carolyn B.
when organized labor was a huddled, almost World War II, the Korean War, and the Viet- Scott (VA)
nam War; Garcia (TX) Maloney, Sean Scott, David
helpless mass. Golden Matsui
Eisenhower said: Kayla Mueller, a humanitarian aid worker Serrano
who was caring for suffering civilians in Gomez McAdams
Shalala
Only a fool would try to deprive working Syria when she was kidnapped, tortured and Gonzalez (TX) McBath
men and women of the right to join the Sherman
enslaved by ISIS for over 500 days before Gottheimer McCollum
union of their choice. Sherrill
being murdered by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al- Green, Al (TX) McEachin
Sires
Lincoln said: Baghdadi; Grijalva McGovern
Slotkin
All that harms labor is treason to Amer- Army Staff Sergeant Christopher Hake, Haaland McNerney
Harder (CA) Meeks Smith (WA)
ica. who was killed while serving his second tour Soto
Madam Speaker, for decades, tax of duty in Iraq by a roadside bomb supplied Hastings Meng
by Iranian terrorist leader Qasem Soleimani; Hayes Moore Spanberger
breaks, rollbacks on regulations that Heck Moulton Speier
benefited the ultrawealthy and power- Sergeant First Class Townsend Williams,
who is currently serving his fourth deploy- Higgins (NY) Mucarsel-Powell Stanton
ful corporations, unfair labor laws and ment in the Middle East and his wife Amy, Himes Murphy (FL) Stevens
the enactment and enforcement of who works full time for the Army and de- Horn, Kendra S. Nadler Suozzi
those laws, and the rise of monopolies votes hundreds of hours helping military Horsford Napolitano Swalwell (CA)
have fueled inequality to the point families; Houlahan Neal Takano
where we are at Great Depression lev- Whereas immediately following the ad- Hoyer Neguse Thompson (CA)
els, and we will suffer the consequences dress, while still presiding over the joint ses- Huffman Norcross Thompson (MS)
sion, Speaker Pelosi ripped up an official Jackson Lee O’Halleran Titus
if we don’t address that in this room. It copy of the President’s remarks, which con- Tlaib
Jayapal Ocasio-Cortez
will be addressed outside of this room. tained the names and stories of these patri- Jeffries Omar Tonko
We have an opportunity today to ots who sacrificed so much for our country; Johnson (GA) Pallone Torres (CA)
move this country in the right direc- and Johnson (TX) Panetta Torres Small
tion with these three measures. I urge Whereas the conduct of Speaker Pelosi was Kaptur Pappas (NM)
a ‘‘yes’’ vote on the rule and the pre- a breach of decorum and degraded the pro- Keating Pascrell Trahan
vious question. ceedings of the joint session, to the discredit Kelly (IL) Payne Trone
And I have two last quotes. Plutarch of the House: Now, therefore, be it Underwood
Kennedy Perlmutter
said, 2,000 years ago, that the oldest Resolved, That the House of Representa- Khanna Peters Vargas
tives disapproves of the behavior of Speaker
and fatal flaw to republics has always Pelosi during the joint session of Congress Kildee Peterson Veasey
been the imbalance between the rich held on February 4, 2020. Kilmer Phillips Vela
and the poor. Kim Pingree Velázquez
Samuel Gompers, great union leader, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The res- Kind Pocan Visclosky
when he was fighting to organize olution qualifies. Krishnamoorthi Porter Wasserman
Kuster (NH) Pressley Schultz
Americans during the Depression, said: MOTION TO TABLE
Lamb Price (NC) Waters
Unions and equality, and until we get Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I have Langevin Quigley Watson Coleman
it, no surrender. a motion at the desk. Larsen (WA) Raskin Welch
The text of the material previously The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Larson (CT) Rice (NY) Wexton
referred to by Mr. BURGESS is as fol- Clerk will report the motion. Lawrence Richmond Wild
lows: The Clerk read as follows: Lawson (FL) Rose (NY) Wilson (FL)
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE RESOLUTION 833 Lee (NV) Rouda Yarmuth
Mr. HOYER moves that the resolution be
At the end of the resolution, add the fol- laid on the table. NAYS—193
lowing:
SEC. 4. Immediately upon adoption of this The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Abraham Duncan Keller
resolution, the House shall proceed to the question is on the motion to lay the Aderholt Dunn Kelly (MS)
consideration in the House of the resolution resolution on the table. Allen Emmer Kelly (PA)
(H. Res. 834) supporting policies that are a The question was taken; and the Amodei Estes King (IA)
part of the ‘‘Best is Yet to Come’’ blueprint, Armstrong Ferguson King (NY)
outlined by President Trump during his his- Speaker pro tempore announced that Arrington Fitzpatrick Kinzinger
toric, optimistic State of the Union Address. the noes appeared to have it. Babin Fleischmann Kustoff (TN)
The resolution shall be considered as read. Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, on that Bacon Flores LaHood
The previous question shall be considered as I demand the yeas and nays. Baird Fortenberry LaMalfa
ordered on the resolution and preamble to Balderson Foxx (NC) Lamborn
adoption without intervening motion or de- The yeas and nays were ordered. Banks Fulcher Latta
mand for division of the question except one The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Barr Gallagher Lesko
hour of debate equally divided and controlled ant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 15- Bergman Gianforte Long
by the Majority and Minority Leaders or minute vote on the motion to table Biggs Gibbs Loudermilk
their designees. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall
not apply to the consideration of House Res- will be followed by 5-minute votes on: Bilirakis Gohmert Lucas
Ordering the previous question on Bishop (NC) Gonzalez (OH) Luetkemeyer
olution 834.
Bishop (UT) Gooden Marchant
Mr. DESAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I House Resolution 833; and Bost Gosar Marshall
yield back the balance of my time, and Adoption of House Resolution 833, if Brady Granger Massie
I move the previous question on the ordered. Brooks (AL) Graves (GA) Mast
resolution. The vote was taken by electronic de- Brooks (IN) Graves (LA) McCarthy
vice, and there were—yeas 224, nays Buchanan Graves (MO) McCaul
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Buck Green (TN) McClintock
question is on ordering the previous 193, not voting 12, as follows: Bucshon Griffith McHenry
question. [Roll No. 38] Budd Grothman McKinley
The question was taken; and the YEAS—224 Burchett Guest Meadows
Speaker pro tempore announced that Adams Carbajal Cox (CA) Burgess Guthrie Meuser
the ayes appeared to have it. Aguilar Cárdenas Craig Byrne Hagedorn Miller
Calvert Harris Mitchell
Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, on Allred Carson (IN) Crist
Carter (GA) Hartzler Moolenaar
that I demand the yeas and nays. Amash Cartwright Crow
Axne Case Carter (TX) Hern, Kevin Mooney (WV)
The yeas and nays were ordered. Cuellar Chabot Herrera Beutler Mullin
sradovich on DSKJLST7X2PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE
Barragán Casten (IL) Cunningham
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Bass Castor (FL) Davids (KS)
Cheney Hice (GA) Murphy (NC)
ant to clause 8 of rule XX, further pro- Beatty Castro (TX) Cline Higgins (LA) Newhouse
Davis (CA) Cloud Hill (AR) Norman
ceedings on this question will be post- Bera Chu, Judy
Davis, Danny K. Cole Holding Nunes
poned. Beyer Cicilline
Dean Collins (GA) Hollingsworth Olson
f Bishop (GA) Cisneros
DeFazio Comer Hudson Palazzo
Blumenauer Clark (MA)
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE Clarke (NY) DeGette Conaway Huizenga Palmer
Blunt Rochester
PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE Clay DeLauro Cook Hurd (TX) Pence
Bonamici
Clyburn DelBene Crawford Johnson (LA) Perry
Ms. GRANGER. Madam Speaker, I Boyle, Brendan
Delgado Crenshaw Johnson (OH) Posey
rise to offer a question of the privileges F. Cohen
Brindisi Connolly Demings Curtis Johnson (SD) Ratcliffe
of the House previously noticed. Brown (MD) Cooper DeSaulnier Davidson (OH) Jordan Reed
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Brownley (CA) Correa Deutch Davis, Rodney Joyce (OH) Reschenthaler
DEGETTE). The Clerk will report the Bustos Costa Dingell DesJarlais Joyce (PA) Rice (SC)
resolution. Butterfield Courtney Doggett Diaz-Balart Katko Riggleman
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