- MARKUP OF: H.R. 5424, THE MAIN STREET COMPETES ACT (TO AMEND THE SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC POLICY ACT OF 1980 TO EXAMINE HOW THE COMPETITIVENESS OF SMALL BUSINESSES IS AFFECTED BY THE ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL ANTITRUST LAWS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES); H.R. 5265, THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION RURAL PERFORMANCE ACT; H.R. 5425, TO AMEND THE SMALL BUSINESS ACT TO ENHANCE THE OFFICE OF RURAL AFFAIRS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; H.R. 5426, TO REQUIRE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE A LINK TO RESOURCES FOR SUBMITTING REPORTS ON SUSPECTED FRAUD RELATING TO CERTAIN COVID-19 LOANS; H.R. 5427, TO PROHIBIT INDIVIDUALS CONVICTED OF DEFRAUDING THE GOVERNMENT FROM RECEIVING ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

    [House Hearing, 118 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                        H.R. 5424, THE MAIN STREET COMPETES ACT;
                        H.R. 5265, THE SBA RURAL PERFORMANCE
                        ACT; H.R. 5425, TO AMEND THE SMALL BUS-
                        INESS ACT; H.R. 5426,TO REQUIRE THE ADMIN-
                        ISTRATOR OF THE SBA TO PROVIDE A LINK
                        TO RESOURCES FOR SUBMITTING REPORTS
                        ON SUSPECTED FRAUD RELATING TO CERTAIN
                        COVID-19 LOANS; H.R. 5427, TO PROHIBIT
                        INDIVIDUALS CONVICTED OF DEFRAUDING THE
                         GOVERNMENT FROM RECEIVING ANY ASSIST-
                         ANCE FROM THE SBA

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                          COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
                                 UNITED STATES
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                        ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                                  HEARING HELD
                               SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

                                   __________

      [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT].#13

                Small Business Committee Document Number 118-025
                 Available via the GPO Website: www.govinfo.gov

                                  __________

                       U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    54-534                   WASHINGTON : 2024

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS

                        ROGER WILLIAMS, Texas, Chairman
                          BLAINE LUETKEMEYER, Missouri
                            PETE STAUBER, Minnesota
                            DAN MEUSER, Pennsylvania
                             BETH VAN DUYNE, Texas
                             MARIA SALAZAR, Florida
                              TRACEY MANN, Kansas
                               JAKE ELLZEY, Texas
                            MARC MOLINARO, New York
                             MARK ALFORD, Missouri
                               ELI CRANE, Arizona
                              AARON BEAN, Florida
                               WESLEY HUNT, Texas
                             NICK LALOTA, New York
                   NYDIA VELAZQUEZ, New York, Ranking Member
                              JARED GOLDEN, Maine
                             KWEISI MFUME, Maryland
                            DEAN PHILLIPS, Minnesota
                              GREG LANDSMAN, Ohio
                           MORGAN MCGARVEY, Kentucky
                      MARIE GLUESENKAMP PEREZ, Washington
                           HILLARY SCHOLTEN, Michigan
                            SHRI THANEDAR, Michigan
                              JUDY CHU, California
                             SHARICE DAVIDS, Kansas
                          CHRIS PAPPAS, New Hampshire

                      Ben Johnson, Majority Staff Director
                     Melissa Jung, Minority Staff Director

                                C O N T E N T S

                               OPENING STATEMENTS

                                                                       Page
    Hon. Roger Williams..............................................     1
    Nydia Velazquez..................................................     2

                                    APPENDIX

    Additional Material for the Record:
        H.R. 5424, The Main Street Competes Act (To Amend the Small
          Business Economic Policy Act of 1980 to Examine how the
          Competitiveness of Small Businesses is Affected by the
          Enforcement of Federal Antitrust Laws, and for other
          purposes)..................................................    22
        H.R. 5265, The Small Business Administration Rural
          Performance Act............................................    28
        H.R. 5425, To Amend the Small Business Act to Enhance the
          Office of Rural Affairs, and for other purposes............    33
        H.R. 5426, To Require the Administrator of the Small Business
          Administration to Provide a Link to Resources for
          Submitting Reports on Suspected Fraud Relating to Certain
          COVID-19 Loans.............................................    39
        H.R. 5427, To Prohibit Individuals Convicted of Defrauding
          the Government from Receiving any Assistance from the Small
          Business Administration, and for other purposes............    41
        Minority Views - H.R. 5424, The Main Street Competes Act.....    45
        Minority Views - H.R. 5265, Small Business Administration
          Rural Performance Report Act...............................    46
        Minority Views - H.R. 5425, To amend the Small Business Act
          to enhance the Office of Rural Affairs.....................    47
        Minority Views - H.R. 5426, Require SBA to Provide an Online
          Method for Submitting Report on Suspected Fraud Relating to
          Certain COVID-19 Loans.....................................    48
        Minority Views - H.R. 5427, A bill to prohibit individuals
          convicted of defrauding the Government from receiving non-
          disaster financial assistance from the Small Business
          Administration.............................................    50
        The Main Street Competition Coalition........................    52

    MARKUP OF: H.R. 5424, THE MAIN STREET COMPETES ACT (TO AMEND THE SMALL
    BUSINESS ECONOMIC POLICY ACT OF 1980 TO EXAMINE HOW THE COMPETITIVENESS
    OF SMALL BUSINESSES IS AFFECTED BY THE ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL ANTITRUST
         LAWS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES); H.R. 5265, THE SMALL BUSINESS
      ADMINISTRATION RURAL PERFORMANCE ACT; H.R. 5425, TO AMEND THE SMALL
      BUSINESS ACT TO ENHANCE THE OFFICE OF RURAL AFFAIRS, AND FOR OTHER
    PURPOSES; H.R. 5426, TO REQUIRE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS
    ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE A LINK TO RESOURCES FOR SUBMITTING REPORTS ON
       SUSPECTED FRAUD RELATING TO CERTAIN COVID-19 LOANS; H.R. 5427, TO
       PROHIBIT INDIVIDUALS CONVICTED OF DEFRAUDING THE GOVERNMENT FROM
     RECEIVING ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND
                               FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                  ----------

                          THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

                      House of Representatives,
                   Committee on Small Business,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 9:45 a.m., in Room
    2360, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Roger Williams
    [chairman of the Committee] presiding.
        Present: Representatives Williams, Luetkemeyer, Stauber,
    Meuser, Van Duyne, Salazar, Mann, Ellzey, Molinaro, Alford,
    Crane, Bean, LaLota, Velazquez, Golden, Phillips, Landsman,
    McGarvey, Gluesenkamp Perez, Scholten, Thanedar, Chu, Davids,
    and Pappas.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. The Committee will now come to order,
    and a quorum is present.
        Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a
    recess of the Committee at any time.
        As required by House rules, a copy of the legislative
    measures have been made available to Members and the public at
    least 24 hours in advance. And pursuant to Committee Rule 13
    and House Rule 11, all votes will be rolled to the end of the
    meeting.
        I now recognize myself for opening remarks.
        To put it lightly, small business across the country have
    faced underserved hardship for quite some time now thanks to
    the Biden administration's misguided economic policies. It is
    the responsibility of this Committee to be main street's voice
    in Congress, and that is exactly what we are here to do today.
        Small businesses are the engines of our economy, and we
    need to produce policies that will help them, not regulate them
    into oblivion like this administration is doing.
        All the bills before us today have been a result of our
    past hearings and oversight efforts from this Committee. I am
    proud that we are finding solutions to hold the criminals
    accountable who took advantage of small business lending
    programs during the pandemic and making it easier for any
    American to report COVID fraud. While our work is far from
    over, it is good to see us bringing new ideas to the table that
    can help Main Street America.
        Additionally, I am grateful for my colleagues who have
    brought forward bills that address the unique challenges faced
    by rural entrepreneurs. Many of us here on the Committee
    continually hear from the constituents that they did not even
    know resources were available to them in rural areas.
        While I am glad to see these bills being marked up today, I
    was hoping we would be marking up a bill to put guardrails back
    on the SBA's flagship 7(a) lending program. Staff from both
    sides have been working diligently through this complicated
    issue, and I am hopeful that we will be able to come to an
    agreement soon that guarantees the longevity of the 7(a)
    program, safeguards the taxpayer from being exposed to
    unnecessary risk, and ensures the SBA remains the lender of
    last resort so it will not compete with the private sector.
        In closing, I want to thank our Members for bringing these
    bills up. They represent the work we do as a Committee on
    behalf of our nation's entrepreneurs and innovators. I would
    also like to thank the Ranking Member and her staff for working
    with us to produce bipartisan solutions for main street.
        With that, I look forward to today's markup. I yield to the
    distinguished Ranking Member from New York, Ms. Velazquez, for
    her opening statement.
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you for
    holding this markup today. As always, I am committed to working
    in a bipartisan manner to enact legislation that assists small
    businesses, as well as conduct rigorous oversight of SBA
    programs. I appreciate Chairman Williams and his staff for
    their willingness to work with us to bridge our differences on
    these bills.
        Two of the bills we are considering today will review and
    enhance the Office of Rural Affairs. Two other bills will put
    protocols in place to combat pandemic fraud, and one will
    reaffirm Congress's commitment to fostering competition in the
    marketplace to help small businesses grow and prosper.
        I am very pleased that we are considering legislation to
    enhance the Office of Rural Affairs, and I commend Mr. Golden
    for identifying the shortcomings of the office which had laid
    dormant for years. Mr. Golden worked tirelessly with both
    administrations to make sure the office is actively helping
    rural small businesses deal with the challenges facing them
    today. And I thank Mr. Alford for his effort to strengthen
    services for rural businesses as well.
        Over the past 3 years, this Committee has played an
    integral role in examining the pandemic relief programs which
    helped millions of small businesses stay afloat in
    unprecedented times. However, we have learned through our
    oversight hearings that organized criminal syndicates and
    transnational gangs targeted these programs and stole billions
    of dollars. Two of the bills under consideration today will
    take steps to combat this fraud. We must acknowledge though
    that they are not silver bullets and more will need to be done.
    The single most important action we can take to aid the SBA
    inspector general in their investigative work is to support
    their requests for additional funding. Anything less would
    cripple the office and hinder the IG's effort to go after these
    bad actors.
        I look forward to working with the Chairman in our
    oversight role and hope we can work together to provide them
    with the resources they need in the next fiscal year.
        Thank you, and I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Does any other Member seek recognition
    for the purpose of making an opening statement?
        Okay. Seeing none, we will now move to the consideration of
    the first bill.
        H.R. 5424
        The first bill we will mark up is H.R. 5424, the Main
    Street Competes Act introduced by Representative Scholten and
    Vice Chairman Luetkemeyer.
        Before recognizing other Members for statements, I ask
    unanimous consent for a statement from the bill's cosponsor
    Vice Chairman Luetkemeyer to be entered into the record.
        Without objection, so ordered.
        I now recognize the bill's sponsor, Ms. Scholten, for an
    opening statement.
        Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you so much. I am really excited to
    introduce this bill today. When I wanted to serve on the House
    Small Business Committee it was in large part to champion the
    thriving main streets that once existed across towns like Grand
    Rapids, Michigan; Muskegon; and that are still up and coming
    like in Muskegon Heights in West Michigan in my state.
        This bill will provide much needed oversight to ensure that
    small businesses that make our main streets thriving centers of
    community cohesion have what they need to succeed and compete.
    I am looking forward to the markup today and ask all of my
    colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill.
        With that, I yield back the remainder of my time.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who wish to
    be recognized for a statement on this bill?
        Okay. I now recognize Ranking Member Velazquez for remarks.
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        A competitive business environment is the lifeblood of a
    thriving free enterprise economy, spurring innovation, driving
    productivity, and fostering consumer choice at fair prices.
    Unfortunately, competition has been eroded for decades due to
    increasing concentration across many industries. Our nation's
    antitrust laws were crafted over the past century to safeguard
    the competitive landscape for small businesses. But the limited
    usage since the late 1970s has allowed many companies to
    acquire an ever-increasing market share and exploit small
    businesses along the way. Whether it is small farms and
    ranchers contending with seed fertilizer, or meat processing
    monopolies, or local retailers facing price discrimination
    because of big box stores, we have seen the way increasing
    concentration of power impacts the American dream for many
    small business owners.
        I applaud Representative Scholten and Representative
    Luetkemeyer for working together on the Main Street Competes
    Act which will work to realign the interests of small
    businesses and antitrust informing agencies. It requires the
    Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to
    report data to the SBA's Office of Advocacy, which can be used
    to generate the report to Congress on the state of competition
    in our economy. This will help us have a better understanding
    of the anticompetitive issues that small firms face and help us
    reaffirm our commitment to a competitive economy.
        Again, I thank both colleagues for their leadership on this
    issue and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
        I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you.
        And I now recognize myself to speak in support of this
    legislation.
        The Main Street Competes Act will ensure small businesses
    are able to compete in the marketplace against larger
    businesses. Competition is a key tenet of capitalism. It allows
    consumers to choose with their dollars between businesses that
    will offer the best product, the best price or service. Without
    appropriate competition, innovation and the U.S. economy will
    suffer. This bill will ensure the economic mission of the SBA
    aligns with the reality by explicitly stating that the benefits
    to the country when small businesses are able to compete and
    not forced out of business by large monopolies.
        Additionally, this bill requires the Department of Justice
    and the Federal Trade Commission to issue annual reports to the
    SBA on how antitrust enforcement promoted competition and aided
    small business in the previous fiscal year. This is a simple
    bill that requires a report to Congress so we can conduct
    proper oversight on the impact that the FTC and the DOJ actions
    have on small businesses.
        I urge all my colleagues to support this bill. If there is
    no further discussion the Committee now moves to consideration
    of H.R. 5424.
        The clerk will report.
        The CLERK. H.R. 5424----
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Without objection, the first reading of
    the bill is dispensed with. And without objection, the bill is
    considered as read and open for amendment.
        Do any Members seek recognition for the purpose of offering
    an amendment?
        Okay. Seeing none the question is now on adoption of H.R.
    5424 and favorably reporting it to the House.
        All those in favor say aye.
        All those opposed say no.
        In the opinion of the Chair the ayes have it, and H.R. 5424
    is agreed to and ordered favorably to the house.
        Okay. For what purpose do you seek recognition? Do you want
    to record a vote? Okay.
        A recorded vote has been requested, and a roll call vote is
    ordered.
        Pursuant to Committee Rule 13 and House Rule 11, further
    proceedings on the bill are postponed.
        H.R. 5425
        Next, consideration of H.R. 5425, a bill to amend the Small
    Business Act to enhance the Office of Rural Affairs, and for
    other purposes. The next bill we will mark up is a bill to
    amend the Small Business and Rural Affairs and for other
    purposes introduced by Representatives Golden and Mann.
        I now recognize the bill's sponsor, Mr. Golden, for an
    opening statement.
        Mr. GOLDEN. Thank you, Chairman Williams.
        Maine' 2nd District is the second most rural House District
    in America. Statewide, Maine is home to more than 151,000 small
    businesses accounting for 99.2 percent of all businesses in the
    state. It is clear that there is a need in Maine and in every
    state for tailored support for rural small businesses.
        There is an existing office in the SBA that is well suited
    to address those needs, the Office of Rural Affairs.
        The Office of Rural Affairs was created as a subsection of
    the SBA in 1990 to act as a go-between for rural small
    businesses in the federal government. Throughout its existence,
    however, the office has had inconsistent leadership and
    remained effectively dormant. In 2019, the Trump
    administration, at the recommendation of this Committee,
    appointed a deputy administrator for this office. This bill
    would revitalize the office so it can fulfill its obligation to
    rural small business owners in three main ways.
        First, it would elevate the position of director of Rural
    Affairs to an assistant administrator to run the office.
        Second, it would require the hosting of webinars and
    outreach events to increase awareness of the office's existence
    and of resources available to rural small businesses owners.
        And third, it would create transparency by mandating an
    annual report on the activities of the agency to ensure that
    the office works effectively to achieve its goals.
        It has been over 30 years since Congress established the
    Office of Rural Affairs, which was intended to give small
    businesses in rural America a seat at the table. This bill is a
    step in the right direction to put SBA in alignment with
    congressional intent.
        I would like to thank Congresswoman Tenney, Congressman
    Mann, Congressman Pappas, the Chairman, the Ranking Member, and
    their staff for working with me to support the Office of Rural
    Affairs. And I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. I now recognize Mr. Pappas for an
    opening statement.
        Mr. PAPPAS. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
        I want to thank Congressman Golden for his leadership on
    this bipartisan legislation which will ensure that our rural
    small businesses know about the tools that are available to
    them. The legislation will help rural entrepreneurs by
    expanding the reach and stature of the Office of Rural Affairs
    at SBA so they can receive the support that they need from
    Washington.
        I am also glad to support another bill on the agenda today
    by Congressman Alford of Missouri, a bill that he introduced to
    encourage effective cooperation among agencies that support our
    rural small businesses.
        So these bills, along with other efforts that this
    Committee should continue to focus on, like expanding access to
    capital for rural job creators will better ensure that the
    concerns of this sector are heard and more closely considered
    by SBA.
        One in five Americans, including almost half of the
    residents of my state of New Hampshire live in rural areas, and
    we know that the small businesses here have unique challenges
    that they face and are just so crucial to our local economy. So
    I am glad that the Committee is focused on these efforts about
    how to help SBA help our rural small businesses and put a focus
    on their needs and hope that all my colleagues will join us in
    supporting these bipartisan bills today.
        I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who wish to
    be recognized for a statement on this bill?
        All right. Seeing none, I would like to recognize the
    Ranking Member to speak on the bill.
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I am really
    pleased to support this legislation to enhance the Office of
    Rural Affairs. And I commend Mr. Goldman for his commitment and
    dedication to making this office operate more effectively for
    rural small businesses.
        I remember one of our earliest meetings when Mr. Golden
    joined this Committee where he raised this as one of his top
    priorities for the Committee because the office has been
    largely vacant for 15 years. He worked with a group of Members
    to raise the importance of outreach to rural small all
    businesses with the previous administration, and they devoted
    resources to the office. But he did not stop there. Knowing
    that the office can play an important role in connecting rural
    Americans to programs and services that can aid their
    businesses and communities, Mr. Golden has made it his mission
    to ensure that the office remains active. And today, we are
    seeing the fruit of his labor.
        So Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Mr. Golden and the
    cosponsor for this bill, and I support the bill. And I yield
    back my time.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. I now recognize Congressman Stauber from
    Minnesota.
        Mr. STAUBER. Thank you, Chairman Williams. I will be real
    brief.
        I support Representative Golden's legislation. I think it
    is needed. It has been needed for a while. I want to commend my
    colleague for bringing this forward.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. All right. Thank you.
        And I now recognize myself to speak in support of this
    legislation.
        This bill seeks to enhance the SBA's Office of Rural
    Affairs. While this office was created under President Bush, it
    remained largely vacant until the Trump administration. This
    bill turns the existing appointed position into an assistant
    administrator subjected to a competitive hiring process. It
    also expands the office duties to include performing outreach
    and webinars to rural entrepreneurs. Finally, it requires the
    office to report on its activities in the SBA's annual budget
    justification.
        One thing that is abundantly clear; more needs to be done
    to utilize existing SBA resources to better serve rural
    entrepreneurs. The Trump administration's partnership between
    the SBA and the Department of Agriculture was a necessary step.
    This bill also requires the assistant administrator be to hired
    through the competitive process to depoliticize this office and
    have the consistency needed to assist rural America.
        I urge my colleagues to vote yes.
        If there is no further discussion, the Committee now moves
    to consideration of H.R. 5425, and the clerk will report.
        The CLERK. H.R.5425----
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Without objection, the first reading of
    the bill is dispensed with. And without objection, the bill is
    considered as read and open for amendment.
        Do any Members seek recognition for the purpose of offering
    an amendment?
        Seeing none, the question is now on adoption of H.R. 5425
    and favorably reporting it to the house.
        All those in favor say aye.
        Mr. GOLDEN. Mr. Chair?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Yes?
        Mr. GOLDEN. I would like to request a recorded vote.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. Thank you.
        The CLERK. Let's do the voice vote first, sir, and then we
    can do the recorded vote. Thank you.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. All right.
        So all those in favor say aye.
        All those opposed say no.
        Okay. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it.
        Mr. GOLDEN. Mr. Chair, request a recorded vote. Thank you.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. A recorded vote has been
    requested, and a roll call vote is ordered.
        Pursuant to Committee Rule 13 and House Rule 11, further
    proceedings on the bill are postponed.
        H.R. 5265
        The next bill we will mark up is H.R. 5265, the Small
    Business Administration's Rural Performance Report Act
    introduced by Representatives Alford, Pappas, Luetkemeyer,
    Ellzey, and Bean.
        I now recognize the bill's sponsor, Mr. Alford, for an
    opening statement.
        Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Chairman, thank you so much. Happy belated
    birthday to you. Ranking Member, thank you so much.
        I am proud to rise today in support of my Bill H.R. 5265,
    the SBA Rural Performance Report Act. I again want to thank our
    cosponsors on this, Mr. Luetkemeyer, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Ellzey,
    Mr. Bean, and Mr. Pappas.
        Look, small business owners face many, many challenges as
    we all know, and that is especially true in rural areas. I was
    proud to have Jennifer Cassaday from our district come testify
    right there at that very desk right there back in July at our
    Small Business Committee hearing on rural entrepreneurship. And
    she really shared with us some of the challenges that other
    small business owners face in these tough times. When we asked
    the witnesses if they knew about the SBA's Office of Rural of
    Rural Affairs they all told us, `` We have never heard of it.''
    What the office is doing to elevate our rural small businesses
    is unclear to most Americans. I think maybe it is unclear to
    most of us on this Committee. However, the Trump administration
    took action to improve resources for rural businesses, rural
    entrepreneurs, rural Americans.
        Through a memorandum of understanding, the SBA and U.S.
    Department of AG collaborated to tailor existing resources to
    these very communities. But not much is still known about the
    outcomes of this partnership. Ag often goes hand-in-hand with
    rural small businesses, so it is very important to see what has
    come of the collaboration between the SBA and USDA. This bill
    will shed light on SBA's Office of Rural Affairs and MOU so we
    can better serve our rural small businesses.
        I look forward to seeing how impactful this memorandum of
    understanding was and how we could better utilize these
    resources to reach our rural entrepreneurs.
        We cannot forget about our rural small businesses, Mr.
    Chairman, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this
    important bill. Thank you, and I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you very much.
        I now recognize Congressman Stauber from the great state of
    Minnesota.
        Mr. STAUBER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I rise today to speak in favor of H.R. 5265, the Small
    Business Administration Rural Performance Report.
        This administration has a blatant disregard for rural
    America. For an example, in the Infrastructure bill, this
    president so proudly touts rural America is defined as a
    population of 200,000 or less. This is so out of touch.
        Of 855 cities in Minnesota, only 59 cities even have a
    population of over 20,000. Under the Infrastructure bill's
    definition, there are only two cities in the great state of
    Minnesota that could not apply for these rural grants and that
    is Minneapolis and St. Paul. And this does not highlight the
    townships that make up the rural fabric of our state.
        My friend and colleague on this Committee, Jared Golden, as
    well as off-Committee Members Brad Finstad and Derrick Van
    Orden and myself are looking to right this wrong.
        As for the legislation at hand, the Office of Rural Affairs
    is supposed to play a vital role supporting small businesses I
    rural America; however, as we heard in this very Committee back
    in July, the SBA and the ORA have been falling short of their
    responsibilities as many of our rural small business owners
    that participated in the hearing were unaware of the services
    SBA provides.
        But truth be told, rural American once again not taking
    priority does not come as a shock. It is very unfortunate. This
    legislation would help ensure that the ORA is effectively
    carrying out its mission and would provide Congress with an
    ability to evaluate ORA's performance and direct necessary
    improvements.
        I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation
    as it will help ensure that the SBA is doing everything it can
    to support small businesses in rural America.
        Mr. Chair, I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who wish to
    be recognized for a statement on the bill?
        All right. Seeing none I would like to recognize the
    Ranking Member to speak on the bill.
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I am pleased to support this legislation offered by Mr.
    Alford and the other Members who are cosponsors for the bill.
        But I would also like to say that we cannot rewrite history
    here. I was the Chair of this Committee when I spoke with the
    previous Administrator Carranza with Mr. Golden and asked her
    to put more resources into the office, which she did. Actually,
    today, Administrator Guzman has appointed a director for the
    office. Let me remind you; when it comes to small businesses,
    there is not a republican or a democratic approach to it. We
    work in a bipartisan way in this Committee.
        So I support the bill and I yield back my time.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you. And I now recognize myself to
    speak in support of this legislation.
        The SBA Rural Performance Report Act will create more
    transparency between rural small business owners and the SBA's
    Office of Rural Affairs. Rural entrepreneurs are incredibly
    important to the communities they serve. Their unique
    challenges require the entrepreneurial spirit that makes
    America great. That is why this Committee held a hearing in
    July to hear directly from rural small business owners.
        One thing became particularly clear in the hearing that the
    SBA's resources are not reaching rural entrepreneurs. The Trump
    administration recognized this and in 2018, the SBA and the
    Department of Agriculture entered a partnership to better
    promote existing resources to rural communities. Unfortunately,
    this agreement was left to expire earlier this year. While
    there is anecdotal evidence that this partnership was
    successful, more detailed information is needed to assess how
    Congress can improve these agencies' connection with the rural
    entrepreneurs. This bill will reveal the actual outcomes of the
    partnership to determine steps moving forward.
        Additionally, H.R. 5265 will address the activities of the
    SBA's Office of Rural Affairs. This office was created under
    the Bush administration but was largely left vacant until the
    Trump administration appointed a head. The SBA has dedicated
    outreach efforts through its districts' offices and resource
    partners and other stakeholders and the Office of Rural Affairs
    should help guide those resources to rural entrepreneurs. This
    bill will finally get to the bottom of this office's
    effectiveness through annual reporting and the SBA's budget
    justification.
        I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 5265.
        If there is no further discussion, the Committee now moves
    to consider H.R. 5265.
        The clerk will report.
        The CLERK. H.R. 5265----
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Without objection, the first reading of
    the bill is dispensed with. And without objection, the bill is
    considered as read and open for amendment.
        Do any Members seek recognition for the purpose of offering
    an amendment?
        Seeing none, the question is now on the adoption of H.R.
    5265 and favorably reporting it to the House.
        All those in favor say aye.
        All those opposed say no.
        In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it, and H.R.
    5265 is agreed to and ordered favorably to the House.
        Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Chair?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. For what purpose are you to be
    recognized?
        Mr. ALFORD. I call for a roll call vote.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. A recorded vote has been requested, and
    a roll call vote is ordered.
        Pursuant to Committee Rule 13 and House Rule 11, further
    proceedings on the bill are postponed.
        H.R. 5426
        The next bill we will mark up is H.R. 5426, a bill to
    require the administrator of the SBA to provide a link to
    resources for submitting reports on suspected fraud relating to
    certain COVID-19 loans introduced by Representatives Van Duyne
    and Landsman.
        I now recognize the bill's sponsor, Ms. Van Duyne, for an
    opening statement.
        Ms. VAN DUYNE. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
        Just 2 months ago, this Committee heard testimony from the
    SBA Inspector General where he shared that based on their
    estimates, nearly $200 billion in potential fraudulent COVID-19
    and EIDL loans were disbursed by the SBA during the COVID-19
    pandemic. That is money that was stolen from small businesses
    that were actually in need of help. So I am glad that we are
    continuing to take steps forward in combatting fraud and
    legislation such as the bill in front of us that will continue
    that fight.
        This bill would require SBA to provide a direct route to
    report COVID-19 fraud straight to the OIG rather than having to
    go through multiple links and websites.
        I would also like to thank my friend, Mr. Landsman from
    Ohio, for joining me on this important issue in helping the SBA
    IG Office locate these stolen funds and recoup as much of these
    funds as possible.
        I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation,
    and I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who wish to
    be recognized for a statement on the bill?
        All right. Seeing none, I would like to recognize the
    Ranking Member to speak on the bill.
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I want to thank the sponsors for their bipartisanship and
    efforts on this legislation. I support the bill and I yield
    back my time.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you.
        I now recognize myself to speak in support of this
    legislation.
        I am proud to support H.R. 5426, which will require the SBA
    to place a visible link on their website to the Office of the
    Inspector General page where individuals can easily report
    potentially fraudulent EIDL and PPP loans.
        In July, Inspector General Ware testified to this Committee
    that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA distributed more
    than $200 billion in potentially fraudulent loans. The
    inspector general also estimates that it is more than 100
    years' worth of work for the SBA to investigate all flags of
    potential fraud. Some have argued that this bill is redundant
    but it is necessary to ensure that individuals outside of
    Washington can easily find where to report suspected fraudulent
    activity.
        In fact, yesterday, our Committee staff tried to go through
    the SBA's website to see how to report fraud and ran into
    complications. The `` report fraud'' link currently on the
    SBA's website, which is found all the way on the bottom of the
    webpage takes you to a site that is in Spanish. Further, the
    link is actually `` report fraud'' in SBA programs is a
    paragraph long with multiple links to other sites to report
    fraud. This bill will ensure that reporting fraud is simply one
    click away. We have a direct link now upon our Committee
    website and the SBA should do the same. Reporting fraud to the
    SBA should be easy for everyday Americans to do. It is a
    priority of this Committee to recoup as many of these taxpayer
    dollars as possible in the most timely and efficient manner.
    H.R. 5426 is a common sense bill that will help individuals
    easily report suspected fraudulent activity and help the SBA
    and the OIG to prioritize potentially fraudulent loans to
    investigate.
        To close, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
        If there is no further discussion, the Committee now moves
        to consideration of H.R. 5426.
        The clerk will report.
        The CLERK. H.R. 5426----
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Without objection, the first reading of
    the bill is dispensed with. And without objection, the bill is
    considered as read and open for amendment.
        Do any Members seek recognition for the purpose of offering
    an amendment?
        Okay. Seeing none the question is now on adoption of H.R.
    5426 and favorably reporting it to the House.
        All those in favor say aye.
        All those opposed say no.
        Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chairman, I request a recorded vote.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. A recorded vote has been
    requested, and a roll call vote is ordered.
        So pursuant to Committee Rule 13 and House Rule 11, further
    proceedings on the bill are postponed.
        H.R. 5427
        Now, consideration of H.R. 5427, a bill to prohibit
    individuals convicted of defrauding the government from
    receiving any assistance from the Small Business Administration
    and for other purposes.
        This bill was introduced by myself and Mr. Mfume. And I now
    recognize myself as the bill's sponsor for an opening
    statement.
        When the COVID-19 pandemic hit America, the SBA took on an
    outside role in helping save our small businesses. Providing
    our job creators with loans was incredibly important in saving
    many businesses, but there were a few guardrails which led to
    some amounts of fraud. One of the main goals of this Committee
    during this Congress has been to hold fraudsters accountable.
    This bill provides common sense accountability by ensuring that
    people who abused SBA's loan programs are no longer eligible
    for financial assistance from the SBA. This Committee has held
    several hearings in investigating the $200 billion in fraud
    through the pandemic relief programs, and this important
    legislation will hold those responsible and accountable for
    their actions. There is no doubt there is more work to be done
    but this bill is a great step in the right direction to get
    where we need to be.
        Are there any other Members who wish to be recognized for a
    statement on this bill?
        All right. Seeing none, I would like to recognize the
    Ranking Member to speak on the bill.
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Thank you. And I want to thank you, Mr.
    Chairman, and Mr. Mfume for this bipartisan effort, very
    important legislation. I support the bill, and I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you.
        I now recognize Mr. Stauber from Minnesota.
        Mr. STAUBER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise today to speak
    in favor of H.R. 5427, legislation that would ensure that
    criminals are prevented from taking advantage of the taxpayers.
        In Minnesota, 60 people have been charged in a massive $250
    million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded
    nutrition program during the COVID-19 shutdowns. These
    criminals sought to enrich themselves buying luxury cars and
    homes while families struggled to feed their children.
        H.R. 5427 is common sense. It is simply wrong that
    criminals who are convicted of defrauding the government can
    then turn around and receive once again taxpayer funded
    assistance from the SBA. Our government should not be in the
    business of rewarding criminals.
        I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. It is the
    right thing to do to protect the integrity of the Small
    Business Administration and to ensure that taxpayer dollars are
    used wisely. And I yield back.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you, Mr. Stauber.
        I once again urge my colleagues to support this bill.
        If there is no further discussion, the Committee now moves
    to consideration of H.R. 5427.
        The Clerk will report.
        The CLERK. H.R. 5427, to----
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Without objection, the first reading of
    the bill is dispensed with. And without objection, the bill is
    considered as read and open for amendment.
        Do any Members seek recognition for the purpose of offering
    an amendment?
        Seeing none, the question is now on adoption of H.R. 5427
    and favorably reporting it to the House.
        All those in favor say aye.
        All those opposed say no.
        In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it.
        And H.R. 5427 is agreed to and ordered favorably to the
    House.
        Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Chair?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. What do you seek recognition for?
        Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Chair, I request a recorded vote.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. A recorded vote has been requested
    and a roll call vote is ordered.
        So pursuant to Committee Rule 13 and House Rule 11, further
    proceedings on the bill are postponed.
        The Committee now stands in recess subsequent to the call
    of the Chair. We will resume later today at 11:30.
        [Recess]
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. The Committee will come to order.
        The Committee will now resume consideration of the bills on
    which roll call votes were requested and postponed.
        We will start with H.R. 5424. The question now is on
    adopting H.R. 5424 and ordering it favorably to the House.
        The clerk will call the roll.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer?
        Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer votes aye.
        Mr. Stauber?
        Mr. STAUBER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Stauber votes aye.
        Mr. Meuser?
        Mr. MEUSER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Meuser votes aye.
        Ms. Van Duyne?
        Ms. VAN DUYNE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Van Duyne votes aye.
        Ms. Salazar?
        Ms. SALAZAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Salazar votes aye.
        Mr. Mann?
        Mr. MANN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Mann votes aye.
        Mr. Ellzey?
        Mr. Molinaro?
        Mr. MOLINARO. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Molinaro votes aye.
        Mr. Alford?
        Mr. ALFORD. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Alford votes aye.
        Mr. Crane?
        Mr. CRANE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Crane votes aye.
        Mr. Bean?
        Mr. BEAN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Bean votes aye.
        Mr. Hunt?
        Mr. LaLota?
        Mr. Golden?
        Mr. GOLDEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Golden votes aye.
        Mr. Mfume?
        Mr. Phillips?
        Mr. PHILLIPS. Phillips votes aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Phillips votes aye.
        Mr. Landsman?
        Mr. LANDSMAN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Landsman votes aye.
        Mr. McGarvey?
        Mr. MCGARVEY. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. McGarvey votes aye.
        Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez?
        Ms. GLUESENKAMP PEREZ. Yes.
        The CLERK. Gluesenkamp Perez votes aye.
        Ms. Scholten?
        Ms. SCHOLTEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Ms. Scholten votes aye.
        Mr. Thanadar?
        Mr. THANADAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Thanadar votes aye.
        Ms. Chu?
        Ms. CHU. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Chu votes aye.
        Ms. Davids?
        Ms. DAVIDS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Davids votes aye.
        Mr. Pappas?
        Mr. PAPPAS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Pappas votes aye.
        Ranking Member Velazquez?
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ranking Member Velazquez votes aye.
        Chairman Williams?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Chairman Williams votes aye.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who have not
    voted or wish to change their vote?
        All right. Seeing none, the clerk will report.
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman, on that vote 22 ayes, 0 nays, and
    0 present.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. The motion is agreed to and H.R.
    5424 is adopted and will be reported favorably to the House.
        The question now is on adopting H.R. 5425 and ordering it
    favorably to be reported to the House.
        The clerk will call the roll.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer?
        Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer votes aye.
        Mr. Stauber?
        Mr. STAUBER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Stauber votes aye.
        Mr. Meuser?
        Mr. MEUSER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Meuser votes aye.
        Ms. Van Duyne?
        Ms. VAN DUYNE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Van Duyne votes aye.
        Ms. Salazar?
        Ms. SALAZAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Salazar votes aye.
        Mr. Mann?
        Mr. MANN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Mann votes aye.
        Mr. Ellzey?
        Mr. Molinaro?
        Mr. MOLINARO. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Molinaro votes aye.
        Mr. Alford?
        Mr. ALFORD. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Alford votes aye.
        Mr. Crane?
        Mr. CRANE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Crane votes aye.
        Mr. Bean?
        Mr. BEAN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Bean votes aye.
        Mr. Hunt?
        Mr. LaLota?
        Mr. Golden?
        Mr. GOLDEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Golden votes aye.
        Mr. Mfume?
        Mr. Phillips?
        Mr. PHILLIPS. Phillips votes aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Phillips votes aye.
        Mr. Landsman?
        Mr. LANDSMAN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Landsman votes aye.
        Mr. McGarvey?
        Mr. MCGARVEY. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. McGarvey votes aye.
        Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez?
        Ms. GLUESENKAMP PEREZ. Yes.
        The CLERK. Gluesenkamp Perez votes aye.
        Ms. Scholten?
        Ms. SCHOLTEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Ms. Scholten votes aye.
        Mr. Thanadar?
        Mr. THANADAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Thanadar votes aye.
        Ms. Chu?
        Ms. CHU. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Chu votes aye.
        Ms. Davids?
        Ms. DAVIDS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Davids votes aye.
        Mr. Pappas?
        Mr. PAPPAS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Pappas votes aye.
        Ranking Member Velazquez?
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ranking Member Velazquez votes aye.
        Chairman Williams?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Chairman Williams votes aye.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who have not
    voted or wish to change their vote?
        All right. Seeing none, the clerk will report.
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman, on that vote 22 ayes, 0 nays, and
    0 present.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. The motion is agreed to and H.R.
    5425 is adopted and will be reported favorably to the House.
        The question now is on adopting H.R. 5265 and ordering it
    favorably to be reported to the House.
        The clerk will call the roll.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer?
        Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer votes aye.
        Mr. Stauber?
        Mr. STAUBER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Stauber votes aye.
        Mr. Meuser?
        Ms. Van Duyne?
        Ms. VAN DUYNE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Van Duyne votes aye.
        Ms. Salazar?
        Ms. SALAZAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Salazar votes aye.
        Mr. Mann?
        Mr. MANN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Mann votes aye.
        Mr. Ellzey?
        Mr. Molinaro?
        Mr. Alford?
        Mr. ALFORD. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Alford votes aye.
        Mr. Crane?
        Mr. CRANE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Crane votes aye.
        Mr. Bean?
        Mr. BEAN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Bean votes aye.
        Mr. Hunt?
        Mr. LaLota?
        Mr. Golden?
        Mr. GOLDEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Golden votes aye.
        Mr. Mfume?
        Mr. Phillips?
        Mr. PHILLIPS. Phillips votes aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Phillips votes aye.
        Mr. Landsman?
        Mr. LANDSMAN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Landsman votes aye.
        Mr. McGarvey?
        Mr. MCGARVEY. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. McGarvey votes aye.
        Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez?
        Ms. GLUESENKAMP PEREZ. Yes.
        The CLERK. Gluesenkamp Perez votes aye.
        Ms. Scholten?
        Ms. SCHOLTEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Ms. Scholten votes aye.
        Mr. Thanadar?
        Mr. THANADAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Thanadar votes aye.
        Ms. Chu?
        Ms. CHU. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Chu votes aye.
        Ms. Davids?
        Ms. DAVIDS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Davids votes aye.
        Mr. Pappas?
        Mr. PAPPAS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Pappas votes aye.
        Ranking Member Velazquez?
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ranking Member Velazquez votes aye.
        Chairman Williams?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Chairman Williams votes aye.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who have not
    voted or wish to change their vote?
        Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Chairman?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Recognition?
        Mr. MEUSER. How was my vote recorded?
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman, on that vote Mr. Meuser is not
    recorded as a vote.
        Mr. MEUSER. I vote aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Meuser votes aye.
        Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Chairman?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Mr. Molinaro?
        Mr. MOLINARO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        How was my vote recorded?
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Molinaro is not recorded for a
    vote.
        Mr. MOLINARO. I vote aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Molinaro votes aye.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. Are there any others that want to
    change?
        All right. Seeing none, hearing none, the motion is agreed
    to and--the clerk will report. I am sorry.
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman, on that vote 22 ayes, 0 nays, and
    0 present.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. The motion is agreed to and H.R.
    5265 is adopted and will be reported favorably to the House.
        The question now is on adopting H.R. 5426 and ordering it
    favorably to be reported to the House.
        The clerk will call the roll.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer?
        Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer votes aye.
        Mr. Stauber?
        Mr. STAUBER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Stauber votes aye.
        Mr. Meuser?
        Mr. MEUSER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Meuser votes aye.
        Ms. Van Duyne?
        Ms. VAN DUYNE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Van Duyne votes aye.
        Ms. Salazar?
        Ms. SALAZAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Salazar votes aye.
        Mr. Mann?
        Mr. MANN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Mann votes aye.
        Mr. Ellzey?
        Mr. Molinaro?
        Mr. MOLINARO. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Molinaro votes aye.
        Mr. Alford?
        Mr. ALFORD. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Alford votes aye.
        Mr. Crane?
        Mr. CRANE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Crane votes aye.
        Mr. Bean?
        Mr. BEAN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Bean votes aye.
        Mr. Hunt?
        Mr. LaLota?
        Mr. Golden?
        Mr. GOLDEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Golden votes aye.
        Mr. Mfume?
        Mr. Phillips?
        Mr. PHILLIPS. Phillips votes aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Phillips votes aye.
        Mr. Landsman?
        Mr. LANDSMAN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Landsman votes aye.
        Mr. McGarvey?
        Mr. MCGARVEY. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. McGarvey votes aye.
        Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez?
        Ms. GLUESENKAMP PEREZ. Aye.
        The CLERK. Gluesenkamp Perez votes aye.
        Ms. Scholten?
        Ms. SCHOLTEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Ms. Scholten votes aye.
        Mr. Thanadar?
        Mr. THANADAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Thanadar votes aye.
        Ms. Chu?
        Ms. CHU. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Chu votes aye.
        Ms. Davids?
        Ms. DAVIDS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Davids votes aye.
        Mr. Pappas?
        Mr. PAPPAS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Pappas votes aye.
        Ranking Member Velazquez?
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ranking Member Velazquez votes aye.
        Mr. Chairman?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman votes aye.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. If there any other Members who have not
    voted or wish to change their vote?
        Okay. Seeing none, the clerk will report.
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman, on that vote 22 ayes, 0 nays, and
    0 present.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. And H.R. 5426 is adopted and will be
    reported favorably to the House.
        So on our last one today, the question now is on adopting
    H.R. 5427 and ordering it favorably to the House.
        The clerk will call the roll.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer?
        Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Luetkemeyer votes aye.
        Mr. Stauber?
        Mr. STAUBER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Stauber votes aye.
        Mr. Meuser?
        Mr. MEUSER. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Meuser votes aye.
        Ms. Van Duyne?
        Ms. VAN DUYNE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Van Duyne votes aye.
        Ms. Salazar?
        Ms. SALAZAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Salazar votes aye.
        Mr. Mann?
        Mr. MANN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Mann votes aye.
        Mr. Ellzey?
        Mr. Molinaro?
        Mr. MOLINARO. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Molinaro votes aye.
        Mr. Alford?
        Mr. ALFORD. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Alford votes aye.
        Mr. Crane?
        Mr. CRANE. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Crane votes aye.
        Mr. Bean?
        Mr. BEAN. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Bean votes aye.
        Mr. Hunt?
        Mr. LaLota?
        Mr. Golden?
        Mr. GOLDEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Golden votes aye.
        Mr. Mfume?
        Mr. Phillips?
        Mr. PHILLIPS. Phillips votes aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Phillips votes aye.
        Mr. Landsman?
        Mr. LANDSMAN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Mr. Landsman votes aye.
        Mr. McGarvey?
        Mr. MCGARVEY. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. McGarvey votes aye.
        Ms. Gluesenkamp Perez?
        Ms. GLUESENKAMP PEREZ. Yes.
        The CLERK. Gluesenkamp Perez votes aye.
        Ms. Scholten?
        Ms. SCHOLTEN. Yes.
        The CLERK. Ms. Scholten votes aye.
        Mr. Thanadar?
        Mr. THANADAR. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Thanadar votes aye.
        Ms. Chu?
        Ms. CHU. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Chu votes aye.
        Ms. Davids?
        Ms. DAVIDS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Ms. Davids votes aye.
        Mr. Pappas?
        Mr. PAPPAS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Mr. Pappas votes aye.
        Ranking Member Velazquez?
        Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Velazquez votes aye.
        The CLERK. Ranking Member Velazquez votes aye.
        Chairman Williams?
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Aye.
        The CLERK. Chairman Williams votes aye.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Are there any other Members who wish to
    change their vote or who have not voted?
        All right. Seeing none, the clerk will report.
        The CLERK. Mr. Chairman, on that vote 22 ayes, 0 nays, and
    0 present.
        Chairman WILLIAMS. Okay. The motion is agreed to and H.R.
    5427 is adopted and will be reported favorably to the House.
        Without objection, the Committee staff is authorized to
    make technical and conforming changes and Members have 2
    business days to file additional supplemental dissenting and
    minority views.
        I want to thank all of you for being here today. I just
    want to say again this Committee continues to show that we can
    get things done in a bipartisan fashion when others are not
    able to do that. And I think that is a good thing. So I want to
    thank all of you for being here today.
        If there is no further business, this concludes today's
    markup.
        Without objection, the Committee stands adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 11:52 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]

                                A P P E N D I X

    [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                                     [all]