[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5073-H5075]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CHAI SUTHAMMANONT REMEMBRANCE ACT OF 2020

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7340) to ensure that personal protective equipment and other 
equipment and supplies needed to fight coronavirus are provided to 
employees required to return to Federal offices, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7340

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Chai Suthammanont 
     Remembrance Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. TELEWORK, LEAVE, AND RETURNING TO WORK FOR FEDERAL 
                   EMPLOYEES.

       (a) Issuance of Policies and Procedures by Agencies.--Not 
     later than 30 days before

[[Page H5074]]

     the date on which an agency plans to reopen a facility and 
     after consultation with the Chief Human Capital Officer and 
     director of administration or the equivalent, the head of an 
     agency shall publish on the website of that agency a 
     reopening plan that details the procedures and policies 
     related to sending employees back to workstations during the 
     covered period that includes the following:
       (1) The personal protective equipment that will be provided 
     by the agency, the additional cleaning protocols to be 
     implemented, and efforts to ensure social distancing at 
     worksites.
       (2) The actions the agency will take to protect employees 
     who are required to work in locations outside of Federal 
     office buildings for activities such as audits and 
     inspections.
       (3) The requirements that members of the public must meet 
     in order to enter Federal office spaces.
       (4) A description of the proper contingencies for employees 
     who have a high risk of contracting coronavirus.
       (5) Ensures the continuity of operations, including plans 
     to reverse reopening measures if there is a resurgence in 
     coronavirus cases in certain geographic areas.
       (b) Inspectors General Review.--Not later than 6 months 
     after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
     inspector general for each agency shall submit to the 
     Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate a review on whether that 
     agency has provided adequate personal protective equipment 
     for the employees who are returning to a Federal office 
     location for the agency and published the policies and 
     procedures required pursuant to subsection (a).
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
       (2) Covered period.--The term ``covered period'' means a 
     period during which a nationwide declaration of a public 
     health emergency by the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 247d) is in effect.

     SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) and the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material about the measure before us.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act would require each 
Federal agency to publish online a plan to reopen the Federal office 
building at least 30 days prior to the return of their workforce. The 
legislation also requires agency inspectors general to report on 
whether their agencies have, in fact, complied with the provisions in 
this bill and provided adequate personal protective equipment for their 
employees returning to office spaces.
  This bill is named after my constituent who tragically lost his life 
to coronavirus on May 26, 2020. Chai's picture is behind me. Chai was a 
real human being. He wasn't a statistic. He left behind a family. He is 
survived by four sons, his wife, and four grandchildren. He succumbed 
on May 26, 2020.
  Chai immigrated to the United States from Thailand when he was 17. 
Throughout his life he was known for helping others.
  When he first came to our country, he landed in the restaurant 
industry at a famous jazz club in Greenwich Village in New York City, 
where he made it among the first restaurants to offer health insurance 
to its employees.
  After retiring from that industry, Chai moved to the National Capitol 
Region and returned to work as a Federal employee in the Marine Corps 
Community Services Child Development Center in Quantico, Virginia. Chai 
wanted to continue giving back to his adopted country. He was a proud 
American citizen.
  Chai was also a beloved employee working in the development center's 
kitchen, preparing meals for the children of our Marine families. He 
developed a unique handshake for each kid in the daycare, making each 
child feel special and included.
  At the beginning of this terrible pandemic, Chai's workplace was not 
enforcing or taking proper precautions to protect its workers. On April 
27, Chai worked his last full shift at the daycare kitchen as one of 
his coworkers coughed repeatedly and looked very ill. There was no 
protective equipment for the other employees, including Chai.
  Sadly, soon after that, Chai was informed that the coworker had, 
indeed, tested positive for coronavirus. Almost exactly 1 month later, 
after 13 days on a ventilator, Chai died on May 26.
  Let me be clear: This was an avoidable death. Had there been 
protocols in place, had there been PPE in place and available to 
employees like Chai, Chai would still be alive today, in my view.
  Chai's widow, Christina, has worked with my office to make sure this 
never happens to anybody else again.
  I named the bill after Chai because, although the provisions in this 
bill can no longer help him, they can help the millions of Federal and 
contract workers who will reenter the Federal work spaces across the 
United States.
  This legislation is designed to save lives and protect those who 
serve the American people.
  We, as Members of Congress, have an absolute obligation to protect 
the Federal workforce that keeps our country running, keeps our country 
safe. We must ensure that Federal employees have the most accurate and 
up-to-date information regarding agencies' reopening plans.
  Currently, Federal agencies are failing to communicate with employees 
across the board and other stakeholders about their coronavirus 
practices and policies. As some agencies begin calling employees back 
to Federal office buildings, many civil servants are receiving 
incomplete or unclear instructions, leading to fear and uncertainty 
about health.
  I represent the third largest number of Federal employees of any 
congressional district in America, but there are Federal employees in 
every Federal congressional district. This bill matters and ought to 
matter to every one of us and our constituents.
  I refuse to sit idly by and risk more and more of our Federal 
workforce being forced back to office buildings under superficial plans 
with zero accountability. This bill simply includes the commonsense 
provisions taken directly from the best practices recommendations of 
the Government Accountability Office to communicate effectively with 
the workforce and to ensure they have adequate PPE. The Trump Office of 
Management and Budget had no concerns with this bill.
  The least we can do for our Federal employees is to ensure the 
Federal agencies they work for are being transparent with their plans 
so that there is a level of reassurance and security before they are 
called back physically to the workplace.
  I wholeheartedly support this bill dedicated to my constituent Chai, 
and I encourage every one of my colleagues to join me in doing the 
same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act is well-
intentioned legislation.
  First, let me send my deepest condolences to Chai's family. He sounds 
like such a beloved person. I am sure Chai is greatly missed.
  Each and every COVID-19-related tragedy is a stark reminder of the 
preciousness of life. America has faced astonishing challenges over the 
last 6 months with this global struggle.
  As the Nation's largest employer, the Federal Government has offices 
and employees across the Nation in every State and territory. There are 
unprecedented challenges facing our Federal workforce and the 
management of our government's many facilities. Every single State and 
territory is working overtime to operate under a disruptive emergency 
declaration.
  The work of our Federal agencies' diverse workforce is more critical 
than ever, and they are working around the

[[Page H5075]]

clock. It is critical that the Federal agencies have stepped up to the 
plate to answer the calls for help.
  President Trump and his team at the Office of Management and Budget 
and the Office of Personnel Management should be commended for issuing 
timely directives that gave agencies the necessary guidance and 
flexibility to accomplish their missions.
  The requirements of this bill may duplicate planned administration 
and agency actions. Therefore, the bill could have benefited from 
further committee work to avoid potential duplication. However, H.R. 
7340 is well intentioned, and I support governmentwide transparency.
  I have heard my colleague, Mr. Connolly, speak passionately about Mr. 
Chai, about his character and his passion for working with children, 
and my thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and 
colleagues that knew him so well.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mrs. Miller, for her 
kind remarks, and I certainly know they will be appreciated by his 
widow, Christina.
  Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers on this side, and I am 
prepared to close.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further comments on this bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I urge my friends in the House, on a 
bipartisan basis, to join with me in honoring Chai and preventing 
further deaths and further infections from COVID-19 within the Federal 
workforce and the Federal contract workforce. This is a prudent 
measure, and, as I said, President Trump's OMB does not oppose this 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7340, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________