Washington Review: October 22, 2021
This week, I joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives in a vote to hold Stephen Bannon in contempt of Congress for failing to answer a subpoena from the January 6th Select Committee. I also joined my colleagues in passing several pieces of legislation to improve cyber security and telecom competitiveness, empower working mothers, increase the efficiency of pharmaceutical production, address substance abuse, and support veterans’ ability to visit war memorials. In addition, I cosponsored legislation to sanction those responsible for the coup and human rights violations in Burma, support reliable postal service, recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month, protect consumers from discrimination, and invest in clean energy jobs.
On Friday, the House passed H.R. 3110, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in a 276-149 vote. This bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to require that an employer provide reasonable break time and a place, other than a bathroom, for an individual to express breast milk in businesses with more than 25 employees. By providing ample time and space for this purpose, this legislation helps mothers who wish to breastfeed to return to work.
On Thursday, I joined my colleagues in passing a resolution to find Stephen Bannon in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the January 6th Select Committee. After 10 months, the instigators of the January 6th attack on the Capitol still have not been held accountable. As the January 6th Select Committee continues to investigate, they must be able to receive testimony from key witnesses, such as Stephen Bannon. Failing to answer to this subpoena was an obvious effort to hinder the committee’s ability to investigate events leading up to January 6th and hold those responsible accountable.
On Wednesday, I voted in support of H.R. 3635 the Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act, which passed the House in a 397-22 vote. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) introduced this bill to authorize the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to transfer supplies from the strategic stockpile to other federal departments and agencies, requires HHS to develop a more transparent process for distributing supplies and prioritizing requests, and temporarily authorizes HHS to award grants to support states’ abilities to stockpile equipment necessary to address public health emergencies. In addition, the act would require HHS to report monthly on requests for supplies from states, tribes, and other jurisdictions for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I also supported two pieces of legislation to address substance use and support drug-free community programs. H.R. 654, the Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act, was introduced by Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) to support the Drug-Free Communities coalitions during the ongoing pandemic. Drug-Free Communities Program mobilizes communities to prevent youth substance abuse. This bill would continue to support their work by allowing the Office of National Drug Control Policy to temporarily waive local matching requirements if the coalition is unable to meet them during the pandemic. H.R. 654 passed in a 395-30 vote. Also,
H.R. 2379, the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act, introduced by Rep. David Trone (D-MD) passed the House in a 380-46 vote. This bill reauthorizes and expands the 21st Century Cures Act to allow it to grant funds to specifically address opioid substance abuse. An increase in opioid-related deaths during the pandemic proves the need to expand efforts to support programs which support community members struggling with substance abuse.
Also on Wednesday, I joined my colleagues in passing several bills to strengthen cybersecurity and the competitiveness of US information and communications technology vendors. The House passed H.R. 4028, the Information and Communication Technology Strategy Act, introduced by Rep. Billy Long (R-MO), by a large majority in a 413-14 vote. This legislation would require the Secretary of Commerce to submit a report on the competitiveness of information and communications technology vendors and assess the dependence of those vendors on foreign actors. In addition, the act would require the Department of Commerce to develop a strategy to bolster the competitiveness of U.S. information and communications vendors to give them an edge over foreign competitors.
I also joined my colleagues in H.R. 4067, the Communications, Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act, introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), in a 397-29 vote. This legislation would direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create a council which would recommend ways to increase the security and reliability of communications networks. H.R. 4032, the Open RAN Outreach Act, introduced by Rep. Allred Collin (D-TX) would direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to conduct outreach and assist small communication network providers in using open radio access network (RAN) technology. H.R. 4032 passed the House by a large majority in a 410-17 vote and will be considered by the Senate.
In addition, H.R. 3919, the Secure Equipment Act, introduced by Rep. Steve Scalise, passed the House nearly unanimously in a 420-4 vote. This legislation would prohibit the FCC from approving any authorization for wireless equipment from a provider that the FCC determines to pose a risk to national security of the safety of U.S. person. Lastly, I joined a large majority of my colleagues in passing H.R. 4611, the DHS Software Supply Chain Risk Management Act, in a 412-2 vote. This bill, introduced by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue guidance to contractors relating to the procurement of information and communications technology and services, and require that contractors certify that all materials are free of security vulnerabilities, with the goal of improving cyber security within DHS and its contractors. These cybersecurity bills will now be considered by the Senate.
On Tuesday, I joined my colleagues in supporting H.R. 4369, the National Centers of Excellence in Advanced and Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Act, introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ). This bill would direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide grants to qualified universities designated as National Centers of Excellence in Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. These centers would use FDA grant funds to conduct research on continuous manufacturing technologies with the goal of replacing the less efficient method of batch production of pharmaceuticals. This partnership between universities and the FDA would reduce prescription drug shortages and make pharmaceutical production more efficient. H.R. 4369 passed the House in a 368-56 vote and will be considered by the Senate.
I also voted in support of H.R. 4089, the Darren Drake Act, introduced by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), which would direct the Department of Homeland Security to provide information of best practices for vehicle rental companies and dealers to report suspicious behavior. The bill passed the House in a 379-51 vote to advance to Senate.
Lastly, on Tuesday, the House passed H.R. 1029, the Free Veterans from Fees Act, introduced by Rep. Gregory Steube (R-FL) by a large bipartisan majority in a 421-3 vote. This legislation would waive application fees for special use permits for veterans’ special events at war memorials in the District of Columbia, giving veterans the ability to visit the nation’s capital to honor their heroic service without unnecessary fees and paperwork.
This week, I cosponsored H.R. 5497, the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability (BURMA) Act, introduced by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY). This bill would authorize humanitarian assistance for the people of Burma, support civil society members, and impose targeted sanctions against human rights abusers. Specifically, this legislation would sanction individuals responsible for the February coup which displaced the democratically elected government and the repression of fundamental freedoms which followed. In addition, the bill would create a Special Coordinator for Burmese Democracy position at the State Department and call for the State Department to designate the persecution of the Rohingya as a genocide.
I also cosponsored H.R. 2230, the Delivering Envelopes Judiciously On-time Year-round (DEJOY) Act, introduced by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL). In response to Postmaster General DeJoy’s 10-year plan that went into effect October, 2021, and has led to slower mail delivery standards, this bill would require that the service standards for first-class mail revert to the standards which were in effect on January 1, 2020. This legislation recognizes the need for more reliable and faster postal service to communities across the country.
I joined onto a resolution recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, introduced by Rep. Al Green (D-TX). Domestic violence continues to be a prevalent issue across the country. If you or a loved ones have been facing abuse or relationship violence, there are resources available to make a safety plan and get confidential, 24/7 support via phone or text at www.thehotline.org.
To support consumers, I cosponsored the Customer Non-Discrimination Act, introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ). This legislation would provide new federal protections to include places that offer services to the public from discriminating based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. In addition, this bill would also expand these protections to more types of businesses covered to retail businesses, and transportation providers.
Lastly, I cosponsored H.R. 2060, the Federal Building Clean Jobs Act, introduced by Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), which would make energy efficiency reforms and invest $4.7 billion to upgrade federal facilities with resilient and efficient buildings and technology. The bill would also set targets for greenhouse gas reductions, net-zero energy requirements, and ensure EV-readiness at federal facilities.
Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean Conference
This week, I gave remarks for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean’s “Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean” conference. As Chair of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, I was glad to have an opportunity to speak about the importance of U.S. economic and foreign policy engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Current Washington D.C. Office Status
In response to the pandemic, my staff continue to work in a hybrid model during this time. Please know we continue to monitor our phone system, so while we are unable to speak directly with you, we manage all voice messages left. If you reached out to us through phone or e-mail, please expect an e-mail response. Be sure to check your spam or junk folders for a response from our office. We appreciate your understanding as we all navigate working through the pandemic.
Vaccination Efforts
Vaccines are available to all individuals 12 and older who live, work, or study in New Jersey. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine, as a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19. Talk to your health care provider about your vaccine related questions. To find your nearest vaccine location and make an appointment, please visit Vaccines.gov.
In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommend booster shots of all three vaccine types and allow for individuals to choose which vaccine they may use as a booster. Those ages 18 and older who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are recommended to get a booster 2 months after initial vaccination. Those who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are recommended to get a booster shot after 6 months, if they are: 65 years and older, or 18 and older who live in long-term care settings, live or work in a high-risk setting, or have an underlying medical condition. See updated CDC guidelines here.
Please know that I will continue working to get the 8th District the resources it needs. If you have questions or need assistance please call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-7919 and follow instructions to be connected to my staff or send an email to NJ8inquiries@mail.house.gov.
Open Enrollment
This year, instead of using the federal marketplace, New Jersey will switch to their own state-run marketplace. In order to browse health care plans you can visit: www.nj.gov/getcoverednj. Here you will be able to compare available plans, review financial assistance options, and select a plan that is best for you. This new marketplace is easy to use and helps to clearly identify plans that will be most beneficial to you. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial we leave no one behind and that everyone has access to affordable health care. If you need a health care plan, be sure to visit the site.
Congressional App Challenge
The Congressional App Challenge is now open for submissions and all middle school and high school students are encouraged to participate. To fosters students’ interest in STEM and consumer science, this annual coding challenge tasks students with developing an original app, covering any theme and using any platform or coding language they choose. Winners of the challenge may be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building. Students can submit their app design until November 1, 2021. Please see CongressionalAppChallenge.us for more information and to register.