[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 9, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7062-H7066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021, AND OTHER EXTENSIONS ACT

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 8900) making further continuing appropriations for fiscal 
year 2021, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 8900

       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 ``Further Continuing 
     Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other Extensions Act''.

     SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       The table of contents of this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. References.

        DIVISION A--FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021

                      DIVISION B--HEALTH EXTENDERS

Title I--Medicare and Medicaid Extenders
Title II--Public Health Extenders and Food and Drug Administration 
              Provisions
Title III--Offsets
Title IV--Budgetary Effects

     SEC. 3. REFERENCES.

       Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to 
     ``this Act'' contained in any division of this Act shall be 
     treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.

        DIVISION A--FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021

       Sec. 101.  The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 
     (division A of Public Law 116-159) is amended by striking the 
     date specified in section 106(3) and inserting ``December 18, 
     2020''.
        This division may be cited as the ``Further Continuing 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''.

                      DIVISION B--HEALTH EXTENDERS

                TITLE I--MEDICARE AND MEDICAID EXTENDERS

     SEC. 1101. EXTENSION OF THE WORK GEOGRAPHIC INDEX FLOOR UNDER 
                   THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.

       Section 1848(e)(1)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395w-4(e)(1)(E)), as amended by section 3801 of the CARES 
     Act (Public Law 116-136) and section 2201 of the Continuing 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (Public Law 
     116-159), is amended by striking ``December 12, 2020'' and 
     inserting ``December 19, 2020''.

     SEC. 1102. EXTENSION OF FUNDING OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE FOR 
                   LOW-INCOME PROGRAMS.

       (a) State Health Insurance Programs.--Subsection 
     (a)(1)(B)(xi) of section 119 of the Medicare Improvements for 
     Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 1395b-3 note), 
     as amended by section 3306 of the Patient

[[Page H7063]]

     Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), 
     section 610 of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 
     (Public Law 112-240), section 1110 of the Pathway for SGR 
     Reform Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-67), section 110 of the 
     Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-
     93), section 208 of the Medicare Access and CHIP 
     Reauthorization Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-10), section 
     50207 of division E of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 
     (Public Law 115-123), section 1402 of division B of the 
     Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Health Extenders Act 
     of 2019 (Public Law 116-59), section 1402 of division B of 
     the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Further 
     Health Extenders Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-69), section 103 
     of division N of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
     2020 (Public Law 116-94), section 3803 of the CARES Act 
     (Public Law 116-136), and section 2203 of the Continuing 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (Public Law 
     116-159), is amended by striking ``December 11'' and 
     inserting ``December 18''.
       (b) Area Agencies on Aging.--Subsection (b)(1)(B)(xi) of 
     such section 119, as so amended, is amended by striking 
     ``December 11'' and inserting ``December 18''.
       (c) Aging and Disability Resource Centers.--Subsection 
     (c)(1)(B)(xi) of such section 119, as so amended, is amended 
     by striking ``December 11'' and inserting ``December 18''.
       (d) Contract With the National Center for Benefits and 
     Outreach Enrollment.--Subsection (d)(2)(xi) of such section 
     119, as so amended, is amended by striking ``December 11'' 
     and inserting ``December 18''.

     SEC. 1103. EXTENSION OF FUNDING FOR QUALITY MEASURE 
                   ENDORSEMENT, INPUT, AND SELECTION.

       Section 1890(d)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395aaa(d)(2)) is amended by striking ``December 11'' each 
     place such phrase appears and inserting ``December 18'' in 
     each such place.

     SEC. 1104. EXTENSION OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
                   DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

       Section 223(d)(3) of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act 
     of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note), as amended by Public Law 116-
     159, is amended by striking ``December 11'' and inserting 
     ``December 18''.

     SEC. 1105. EXTENSION OF SPOUSAL IMPOVERISHMENT PROTECTIONS.

       (a) In General.--Section 2404 of the Patient Protection and 
     Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-5 note), as amended by 
     Public Law 116-159, is amended by striking ``December 11'' 
     and inserting ``December 18''.
       (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in section 2404 of 
     Public Law 111-148 (42 U.S.C. 1396r-5 note) or section 
     1902(a)(17) or 1924 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1396a(a)(17), 1396r-5) shall be construed as prohibiting a 
     State from--
       (1) applying an income or resource disregard under a 
     methodology authorized under section 1902(r)(2) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1396a(r)(2))--
       (A) to the income or resources of an individual described 
     in section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(VI) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii)(VI)) (including a disregard of the income 
     or resources of such individual's spouse); or
       (B) on the basis of an individual's need for home and 
     community-based services authorized under subsection (c), 
     (d), (i), or (k) of section 1915 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1396n) or under section 1115 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1315); or
       (2) disregarding an individual's spousal income and assets 
     under a plan amendment to provide medical assistance for home 
     and community-based services for individuals by reason of 
     being determined eligible under section 1902(a)(10)(C) of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(C)) or by reason of section 
     1902(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(f)) or otherwise on the 
     basis of a reduction of income based on costs incurred for 
     medical or other remedial care under which the State 
     disregarded the income and assets of the individual's spouse 
     in determining the initial and ongoing financial eligibility 
     of an individual for such services in place of the spousal 
     impoverishment provisions applied under section 1924 of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-5).

     SEC. 1106. EXTENSION OF DELAY OF DSH REDUCTIONS.

       Section 1923(f)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1396r-4(f)(7)(A)) is amended by striking ``December 12'' each 
     place such phrase appears and inserting ``December 19'' in 
     each such place.

     SEC. 1107. EXTENSION OF MONEY FOLLOWS THE PERSON.

       Section 6071(h)(1)(H) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 
     (42 U.S.C. 1396a note) is amended by striking ``December 11'' 
     and inserting ``December 18''.

  TITLE II--PUBLIC HEALTH EXTENDERS AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION 
                               PROVISIONS

                  Subtitle A--Public Health Extenders

     SEC. 1201. EXTENDING FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, 
                   NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS, AND TEACHING 
                   HEALTH CENTER GME.

       (a) Community Health Centers.--Section 10503(b)(1)(F) of 
     the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254b-2(b)(1)(F)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$789,041,096'' and inserting 
     ``$865,753,425''; and
       (2) by striking ``December 11, 2020'' and inserting 
     ``December 18, 2020''.
       (b) National Health Service Corps.--Section 10503(b)(2)(H) 
     of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254b-2(b)(2)(H)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$61,150,685'' and inserting 
     ``$67,095,890''; and
       (2) by striking ``December 11, 2020'' and inserting 
     ``December 18, 2020''.
       (c) Teaching Health Centers That Operate Graduate Medical 
     Education Programs.--Section 340H(g)(1) of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 256h(g)(1)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$24,953,425'' and inserting 
     ``$27,379,452''; and
       (2) by striking ``December 11, 2020'' and inserting 
     ``December 18, 2020''.
       (d) Application of Provisions.--Amounts appropriated 
     pursuant to the amendments made by this section for the 
     period beginning on December 11, 2020, and ending on December 
     18, 2020, shall be subject to the requirements contained in 
     Public Law 116-94 for funds for programs authorized under 
     sections 330 through 340 of the Public Health Service Act.
       (e) Conforming Amendments.--Paragraph (4) of section 
     3014(h) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by 
     section 3831(e) of the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136), is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``Social Services Act,,'' and inserting 
     ``Social Services Act,''; and
       (2) by striking ``and section 2101 of the Continuing 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act'' and 
     inserting ``section 2101 of the Continuing Appropriations 
     Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act, and section 1201(d) of 
     the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other 
     Extensions Act''.

     SEC. 1202. DIABETES PROGRAMS.

       (a) Special Diabetes Programs for Type I Diabetes.--Section 
     330B(b)(2)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254c-2(b)(2)(D)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$29,589,042'' and inserting 
     ``$32,465,753''; and
       (2) by striking ``December 11, 2020'' and inserting 
     ``December 18, 2020''.
       (b) Special Diabetes Programs for Indians.--Section 
     330C(c)(2)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     254c-3(c)(2)(D)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``$29,589,042'' and inserting 
     ``$32,465,753''; and
       (2) by striking ``December 11, 2020'' and inserting 
     ``December 18, 2020''.

     SEC. 1203. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY EDUCATION; SEXUAL RISK 
                   AVOIDANCE EDUCATION.

       (a) Sexual Risk Avoidance Education.--Section 510 of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 710) is amended by striking 
     ``December 11, 2020'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``December 18, 2020''.
       (b) Personal Responsibility Education.--Section 513 of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 713) is amended by striking 
     ``December 11, 2020'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``December 18, 2020''.

          Subtitle B--Food and Drug Administration Provisions

     SEC. 1211. RARE PEDIATRIC DISEASE PRIORITY REVIEW VOUCHER 
                   EXTENSION.

       Section 529(b)(5) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
     Act (21 U.S.C. 360ff(b)(5)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``December 11, 2020'' each place it appears 
     and inserting ``December 18, 2020''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``December 11, 2022'' 
     and inserting ``December 18, 2022''.

                           TITLE III--OFFSETS

     SEC. 1301. TRANSPARENCY OF MEDICARE SECONDARY PAYER REPORTING 
                   INFORMATION.

       Section 1862(b)(8)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     395y(b)(8)(G)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``information.--The Secretary'' and 
     inserting ``information.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Secretary''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new clause:
       ``(ii) Specified information.--In responding to any query 
     made on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this clause from an applicable plan related 
     to a determination described in subparagraph (A)(i), the 
     Secretary, notwithstanding any other provision of law, shall 
     provide to such applicable plan--

       ``(I) whether a claimant subject to the query is, or during 
     the preceding 3-year period has been, entitled to benefits 
     under the program under this title on any basis; and
       ``(II) to the extent applicable, the plan name and address 
     of any Medicare Advantage plan under part C and any 
     prescription drug plan under part D in which the claimant is 
     enrolled or has been enrolled during such period.''.

     SEC. 1302. DISPENSATION OF NARCOTIC DRUGS FOR THE PURPOSE OF 
                   RELIEVING ACUTE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS FROM OPIOID 
                   USE DISORDER.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Attorney General shall revise section 1306.07(b) of 
     title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, so that practitioners, 
     in accordance with applicable State, Federal, or local laws 
     relating to controlled substances, are allowed to dispense 
     not more than a three-day supply of narcotic drugs to one 
     person or for one person's use at one time for the purpose of 
     initiating maintenance treatment or detoxification treatment 
     (or both).

     SEC. 1303. MEDICAID IMPROVEMENT FUND.

       Section 1941(b)(3)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C 
     1396w-1(b)(3)(A)) is amended by striking ``$3,446,000,000'' 
     and inserting ``$3,464,000,000''.

[[Page H7064]]

  


                      TITLE IV--BUDGETARY EFFECTS

     SEC. 1401. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       (a) Statutory PAYGO Scorecards.--The budgetary effects of 
     this division shall not be entered on either PAYGO scorecard 
     maintained pursuant to section 4(d) of the Statutory Pay-As-
     You-Go Act of 2010.
       (b) Senate PAYGO Scorecards.--The budgetary effects of this 
     division shall not be entered on any PAYGO scorecard 
     maintained for purposes of section 4106 of H. Con. Res. 71 
     (115th Congress).
       (c) Classification of Budgetary Effects.--Notwithstanding 
     Rule 3 of the Budget Scorekeeping Guidelines set forth in the 
     joint explanatory statement of the committee of conference 
     accompanying Conference Report 105-217 and section 250(c)(8) 
     of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 
     1985, the budgetary effects of this division shall not be 
     estimated--
       (1) for purposes of section 251 of such Act; and
       (2) for purposes of paragraph (4)(C) of section 3 of the 
     Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 as being included in an 
     appropriation Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Connecticut.


                             General Leave

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 8900, currently under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as we speak, the Appropriations Committees are hard at 
work negotiating fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills. There are many 
serious issues facing our Nation, and Federal funding plays a critical 
role in supporting families and communities as they go about their day-
to-day lives as they try to survive during this health and economic 
crisis.
  Mr. Speaker, Americans deserve the certainty of a full-year funding, 
and the Congress has a responsibility to the Nation to do its job and 
pass all 12 funding bills before we adjourn.
  The continuing resolution we consider today will keep the government 
up and running to bring spending talks to a successful conclusion. 
These are serious issues that touch every aspect of people's lives, 
like their education, transportation systems, national security, public 
health infrastructure, and our environment.

                              {time}  1230

  In addition to an omnibus appropriations bill, it is my hope that 
this additional week will allow negotiators the time to assemble an 
emergency coronavirus relief package.
  To take advantage of this window of opportunity, Leader McConnell 
must finally sit down with Democrats to find a bipartisan solution.
  Coupled with a full year of government funding, an interim 
coronavirus relief package is critical. It is a lifeline for working 
families. If we do not act, 12 million Americans could lose 
unemployment aid just after Christmas, and millions could lose access 
to paid sick leave and protections against evictions. This will put 
working families over the edge and our economy closer to the financial 
cliff.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in adopting this continuing 
resolution. Let us support the ongoing negotiations.
  People are desperate. They are counting on us. We need to provide 
relief to working families, to our schools, to our children, to small 
businesses, and to communities across the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8900, a 
continuing resolution that will fund the government through December 
18.
  Members of the Appropriations Committee have been negotiating night 
and day for weeks to reach agreement on a full-year appropriations 
bill. At the same time, House and Senate leaders continue to discuss a 
coronavirus relief package with the administration. It is my hope that 
we can complete both of these important pieces of legislation as soon 
as possible.
  There is so much at stake: our national security, the health and 
welfare of millions of Americans, and our economic recovery. Passing 
this 1-week CR is simply a stopgap measure. I expect we will be back on 
the floor next week to complete the year's work.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this continuing 
resolution so that the Senate can pass it and send it to the President 
for signature. Then, we must immediately get back to the important work 
the American people expect us to finish.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Ms. DeLauro. She and I 
have served on the Appropriations Committee together and in the 
Congress for a very long time. She is one of our most able, energetic, 
and knowledgeable Members.
  As someone who is very proud of my relationship to the Appropriations 
Committee, I know that she will do an excellent job working with the 
minority and the ranking member, with whom I also served, to make sure 
that the Appropriations Committee works in a way that benefits the 
American people and does so in a timely fashion.
  Normally, I would not speak--well, though I do speak most of the time 
on the CR, because the CR is a recognition of failure. It is not any 
one individual's failure. It is not a bad thing. It is just that we 
have had trouble getting together and coming to an agreement.
  I want to observe, and maybe it has already been observed, we passed 
10 of our 12 appropriations bills by July 26. That was 2 months before 
the end of the fiscal year. The Senate, unfortunately, didn't pass any 
of its appropriations bills. It still has not passed any of its 
appropriations bills. It has a document that they did not pass through 
committee and has not passed the Senate that is the basis for our 
negotiations.
  That has delayed us substantially, not because the House didn't do 
its work on time, but, because for whatever reasons, the Senate did not 
address the appropriations process in a timely fashion.
  Mr. Speaker, I have served on the Appropriations Committee for a long 
time. I went on in January 1983. I was on the subcommittee that Ms. 
DeLauro now chairs as well. When we would pass a bill, the Senate would 
pass a bill, and we would go to conferences. Some of our Members don't 
know what a conference is.
  The Members of the House committee and the Members of the Senate 
committee came together in a room and talked about how we were going to 
resolve the differences between the two bills. That hardly ever happens 
now, and we are losing something of the legislative process because it 
doesn't happen.
  With all due respect to the four people who now are called the four 
corners, whether it is the chairs of the committees, or the Speaker and 
the minority leader in the House, and the minority leader and the 
majority leader in the Senate, those four people have a lot of work to 
do.
  I am the majority leader over here. I know I have a lot of things to 
watch out for, and I cannot focus the way the members of the 
subcommittees focus on the substance of the issues. Therefore, we lose 
something by not having all of the Members included.
  Now, because that hasn't happened, and they haven't come up with a 
product, we are here with what we call a continuing resolution. But 
that really is an admission of failure.
  We passed one before September 30 so the government didn't shut down. 
It was the right thing to do. We are going to pass one now. It is the 
right thing to do. This is something that we have to do to keep the 
government working.
  But we ought not believe or pretend or represent this is the way we 
ought to do business. It is not. It is a function of procrastination, a 
function of failing to come together and making compromises.
  That is what this body is about, all of these chairs here. We have to 
come to an agreement. The Constitution says if we don't come to an 
agreement and the Senate doesn't come to an agreement and the President 
doesn't come to an agreement with exactly the same thing, nothing 
happens.

[[Page H7065]]

  I make this observation every time we do this. But I will tell you 
this, Mr. Speaker. I have talked to the new chair--and I know the 
ranking member, and I have worked with her and have great respect for 
her, as she knows. Why? Because she wants to get a job done.

  She was a mayor. She was a mayor of a great city in the State of 
Texas. She knows that you have to get things done.
  Ms. DeLauro is a person who gets things done.
  I am going to work with both of them, Mr. Speaker, in this coming 
Congress. We are going to pass every one of the appropriations bills, 
every one.
  We haven't dealt with homeland security because of the wall, not 
because of the other items, but the wall. We had a disagreement. We 
couldn't forge agreement on that and compromise on that.
  I am going to work with both the chair and the ranking member, and, 
frankly, all the Members on both sides of the aisle to get our work 
done by June 30 of this coming year. That will give us 90 days to reach 
agreement with the Senate, pass the bills, and do it by September 30.
  We have rarely done that. I think in my 40 years of service in this 
House, I think we have done it twice. I would have to check. Maybe it 
was only once. Maybe you could tell me that, and we could find out. But 
I am hopeful that we will do it.
  There aren't many Members on this floor. This CR has to pass. All we 
did was change the date because of practically recognizing we have not 
gotten our work done on time.
  And whoever is listening, whether the public or other Members are 
listening, Mr. Speaker, as I speak, I hope they will take to heart our 
responsibility to the American people, and to this institution, to make 
it work on time.
  I told the majority leader of the United States Senate just about 2 
days ago, 3 days ago, I said: Mitch, there is no agreement we can make 
on December 18 that we can't make on December 11. There is no magic in 
these next 7 days--now, I guess, 9 days. There is no magic in it. It is 
just, psychologically, we have until December 18, so we won't make the 
agreement today.
  That is why I set December 11, because I was hopeful that we could do 
it by December 11. I urged the Members to do December 11, very frankly, 
for two reasons. Number one, it is the right thing to do. And number 
two, our Members are at risk when they travel. They are at risk here. 
They need to be in their homes quarantined with people who do not pose 
them any risk.
  It is not that we want to shirk our duty. We can do our duty, but we 
don't need to be here for 2 more weeks or 1 more week to do it. We just 
have to have the thought in mind we are going to get it done today.
  This will give us 8 more days, 9 more days to do it. I know the staff 
is going to be working round the clock over the weekend to get us a 
bill done.
  We need to pass three bills. We passed the NDAA last night. That bill 
should be passed in June as well, or late May. I told Mr. Smith and the 
new ranking member that I am going to do everything I can to have that 
bill on the floor this coming May. We traditionally did that. I am not 
inventing something. Ms. DeLauro knows we did that; the ranking member 
knows we did that.
  We all say it is a very important bill. Well, if it is a very 
important bill, let's deal with it in a timely fashion and not have 
this last-minute veto; we are going to do this.
  We need to pass it, and 335 of us yesterday said we need to pass this 
bill.
  So, I will end this tirade by simply saying congratulations to Ms. 
DeLauro and to the ranking member, who is a good friend and a very 
responsible Member of this House.
  I will work closely with them and with all of our Members, Mr. 
Speaker, to make sure that the American people can be proud of the fact 
that the House of Representatives knows its responsibilities, meets its 
responsibilities, and passes legislation in a timely fashion and does 
not say to the Federal employees and the people who are operating 
government: Maybe you will be funded tomorrow and maybe you won't.
  We have wasted billions of dollars over the years I have been here 
with the government trying to figure out how they are going to prepare 
for a shutdown. Any business that operated that way in America would go 
bankrupt pretty soon. The CEO would be fired, and the board of 
directors, which we are, might be fired as well.
  Let's learn the lesson that we learn too often, and let's do our work 
on time and do it well.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I certainly associate with the concerns 
of the majority leader, Mr. Hoyer. I associate myself with his concerns 
and my appreciation for the Appropriations Committee.
  Let me thank Ms. DeLauro and my fellow Texan, Ms. Granger, and 
certainly make mention of her ascending to continue as ranking member 
in the next Congress.

  I rise to support this underlying legislation for the extension of 
the CR to December 18. And I rise to, as well, reemphasize the 
desperate conditions Americans are in. There are 14 million COVID-19 
cases, almost 300,000 dead. It is predicted to have Americans, 
tragically, that will possibly lose their life in 2021, of upward of 
500,000 Americans.
  This is a funding bill. When we say keep the government open, what we 
really mean is to serve the American people, to make sure that they 
have healthcare, that they have education dollars, that they are able 
to fund their local police and fire, that they have childcare dollars, 
that they have research dollars.
  At the same time, if I went on any local street in America today, 
they would be asking me to give them a lifeline so their restaurants 
can stay open. The small businesses, they would be asking about their 
unemployment extension and the cash payments.
  That is what we need to get into the negotiation, and we are hoping 
to do the funding bill and COVID-19 as well.
  I want to rise on the floor today to make a number of points in 
particular: the necessity of the unemployment extension and increase--
we had $600 in the past--and the necessity of the cash payment as well.
  But I also want to make mention of the fact that our local 
jurisdictions, our cities and counties and Tribal jurisdictions, they 
need the money for public funding to go directly to them, no strings 
attached by the State. They are losing out. Their firefighters are 
losing out; their health clinics are losing out; and their municipal 
workers are losing out because it is getting entangled with the State.
  Finally, the Department of Transportation needs funding for its 
environmental assessment for projects like I-45.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

                              {time}  1245

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, there are so many projects, like I-45 
in Texas, that recklessly tears into minority neighborhoods without any 
response to those voters, those constituents, wiping out their houses 
and churches and schools. So the Department of Transportation funding 
will be in here that we will have the opportunity to assess environment 
impact statements.
  Finally, let me offer my greatest appreciation for Chairwoman Nita 
Lowey; yes, an angel on this floor for so many years, guiding us, 
leading us in a way that brought back the kind of success that America 
needs.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. DeLauro for her hard work and I wish her 
success as well.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, before I close, I want to take a minute to congratulate 
Congresswoman DeLauro for being named chairwoman of the full committee 
next Congress. I look forward to working with her in the coming years.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill before 
us today, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I know the majority leader has left the floor, but I 
thank

[[Page H7066]]

him for his congratulations and his warm words. I look forward to 
working in conjunction with him as we move to pass 12 bills by June.
  I want to particularly say how pleased I am to be able to work with 
the ranking member, my colleague from Texas. We have worked on issues 
in the past, never at this level, but I am looking forward to a really 
close and wonderful relationship as we try to do the Nation's business. 
Thank you so very much.
  Mr. Speaker, with an additional week to negotiate, I am optimistic 
that we can fund the government for this year and we can deliver 
coronavirus relief for the American people who are desperate and 
looking to us for hope.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this 
extension of funding so we can complete our work. It is not about us. 
We have the responsibility, but it is about the people outside of this 
Chamber who are relying on us.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 8900.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution 
965, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
will be postponed.

                          ____________________