[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 225 (Sunday, January 3, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1222-E1224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   REFLECTIONS ON THE 116TH CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GRACE MENG

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Sunday, January 3, 2021

  Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the 116th 
Congress, which was as historic as it was harrowing. These last two 
years stretched and struck us at our core. At the same time, they 
inspired us like nothing before. No matter what, every single day, I 
was proud and grateful for the chance to represent the families of New 
York's Sixth Congressional District.
  Against the backdrop of the most diverse Congress ever, and with a 
record number of elected women, the 116th Congress commenced in midst 
of the longest shutdown in the history of our country. The humanitarian 
crisis at the border crushed our souls. The House of Representatives 
impeached President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of 
justice. The dehumanizing death of George Floyd absolutely shocked our 
nation. But millions of people--from all walks of life--came together 
to protest the ongoing systemic racial injustice and police brutality.
  And of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended every facet of our 
lives. As of today, there are over 20 million cases in the U.S., and 
over 350,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19. Earlier in 2020, 
when New York was at the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis, my 
congressional district was the nexus of that epicenter. In fact, my 
district was the harbinger of what the rest of our nation is fighting 
right now. Elmhurst Hospital, which is in my district, was hit 
particularly hard with a surge of patients. It was operating with 
limited Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ventilators.
  I heard from frontline health care workers, and cried with them, as 
they feared for their lives and begged our federal government to 
provide the necessary PPE. I called on President Trump to activate the 
Defense Production Act, and the FEMA Administrator to help and 
prioritize critical resources to our local hospitals and nursing homes. 
And I secured, delivered. and facilitated PPE donations to union 
workers and other non-health care workers.
  I met with small business owners. especially those in predominantly 
Asian American neighborhoods, who had been severely impacted by 
xenophobia--even before the first known COVID-19 cases in New York. I 
also heard from constituents who are essential workers, many of whom 
come from our immigrant communities--the janitors, grocers, and transit 
workers. Even as the pandemic ravaged our city, I was heartened by the 
strength and perseverance of these constituents who showed up--and 
continue to show up--every single day to keep New York City safe and 
running.
  Madam Speaker, no matter what, I never lost sight of my sworn duty to 
uphold and defend the Constitution, and to fight for my constituents.
  During the 116th Congress, I was proud to help pass a number of 
robust legislation on behalf of my constituents and the American 
people. From lowering health care costs and prescription drug prices to 
ensuring women receive equal pay for equal work; from curbing the gun 
violence epidemic by strengthening background checks for gun sales to 
providing a pathway to citizenship for those who have only known this 
country, such as the Dreamers or TPS and DED holders--I am proud to 
have helped pass life-saving and life-enhancing bills. Unfortunately, 
too many of these bills languished in the Senate; because of Senate 
Majority Leader McConnell's and Senate Republican's shameful inaction 
and disregard, these bills never saw the light of day.
  This year has been especially challenging as people all over my 
district and across the country face the excruciating pain, loss, and 
fear over the health and economic fallout of COVID-19. Furthermore, be 
it economic, educational, or health, this pandemic has exposed and 
exacerbated existing disparities, wherein communities of color are the 
hardest hit.
  For Asian Americans, however, they are fighting an additional 
battle--one against xenophobia. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 
Asian Americans in my district and across the nation endured demeaning 
and dangerous acts of hate and bigotry. That is why I introduced H. 
Res. 908--a resolution condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as 
related to COVID-19. The resolution garnered 157 cosponsors and was 
endorsed by over 500 organizations from across the country. The Senate 
companion of my resolution was introduced by now-Vice President-elect 
Kamala Harris, and Senators Duckworth and Hirono. I am grateful this 
legislation passed the House of Representatives, and thankful to my 
colleagues who bravely voted for this legislation. Passage of this 
resolution sends a clear signal to the American people that we reject 
racism, xenophobia, and violence. It also honors the more than 2 
million Asian Americans who are fighting on the frontlines of this 
pandemic.
  With regards to COVID-19, I am grateful to have helped deliver three 
critical and life-saving corona virus relief packages this year. 
Shamefully, because of Senate Republicans, the third and most recent 
relief package passed nearly nine months since American families 
received any relief from the federal government. It's beyond 
infuriating that the Senate Republicans kept any relief at bay--even 
though House Democrats passed COVID-19 relief packages in May and 
October, both of which would have been more meaningful and impactful. 
But with cases and deaths surging, millions unemployed, families on the 
cusp of eviction, and an untold number of families struggling to put 
food on the table, I had to vote for this package.
  As we look to the 117th Congress, we must pass a stronger relief 
bill--one that truly reflects our values and acknowledges the 
unprecedented hardships that millions of Americans are facing. We 
cannot let those who have passed--to have died in vain. The only way we 
will rise above this crisis is to meet it head on with a comprehensive 
package that puts American families and workers first.
  Madam Speaker, at the start of the 116th Congress, I joined the 
Homeland Security Subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee. 
It has been my honor to serve on this subcommittee, as well as the 
Commerce, Justice. and Science, and State, Foreign Operations 
Subcommittees--on behalf of my congressional district and State of New 
York.
  During the 116th Congress, my good friend Representative Nita Lowey 
made `herstory' as she took up the gavel and became the first female 
chair of the House Appropriations Committee. I will greatly miss 
Chairwoman Lowey, as well as my esteemed colleague and chair of our 
Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee. Chairman Serrano. I wish 
them both strength and blessings in their retirement at the end of this 
116th Congress.
  I am proud that our committee passed all 12 of the spending bills for 
the Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021. Spending bill packages for each fiscal 
year amounted to $1.4 trillion--totaling $2.8 trillion during this 
116th Congress. Among the many provisions I was proud to have helped 
secure, I am especially pleased the two spending packages included $50 
million for federal research at the CDC and NIH into our nation's gun 
violence epidemic--the first time in over 20 years such funding was 
allowed. I am also glad the recent Fiscal Year 2021 spending bill 
includes $114 billion for SNAP; $6 billion for WIC; a new $5 million to 
develop databases to track excessive use of force and 
officer misconduct; $9.24 billion to ensure clean air and water, and 
hold polluters accountable; $3.8 billion for opioid prevention and 
treatment; $5.9 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant; 
$952 million for Senior Nutrition programs; $789 million for minority 
serving institutions; $90 billion for VA medical care, including 
suicide prevention and outreach, homelessness, and gender-specific 
care; and $3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants, which 
the President proposed eliminating.

  I would also like to take this opportunity to include in the Record 
the following work that became law this Congress on behalf of the 
people of the Sixth Congressional District of New York:

       H.R. 4567, the ``FAFSA Translation Act'', which requires 
     the Department of Education to translate FAFSA into no few 
     than 11 foreign languages, and to make these translated forms 
     available in paper and electronic formats, which appears on 
     Page 2779 in Sec. 483 of Title VII, Division FF of the 
     ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021''

[[Page E1223]]

       Sec. 2(a)(2) of H.R. 1922, ``Restoring Access to Medication 
     Act'', which permits the purchase of menstrual hygiene 
     products using health flexible spending accounts, as Sec. 
     3702 of Public Law 116-136, the ``Coronavirus Aid, Relief, 
     and Economic Security Act''--or the ``CARES Act''. This 
     provision stems from my comprehensive menstrual equity 
     legislation H.R. 1882, the ``Menstrual Equity for All Act''.
       H.R. 6040, the ``Small Business Relief From Communicable 
     Disease Induced Economic Hardship Act of 2020'' (introduced 
     with Representatives Velazquez and Chu), which appears as 
     Title II of the ``Families First Coronavirus Response Act'' 
     (Public Law 116-116-127). Included in the first COVID-19 
     relief package, this measure allowed the Small Business Act 
     Administration (SBA) to provide an estimated $7 billion in 
     loans to help small businesses impacted by financial losses 
     as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
       Sec. 316 of the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021'', 
     which makes housing cooperatives eligible for forgivable 
     loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, which appears on 
     Page 171 of Title III, Division N.
       Sec. 2877 of Public Law 116-92, the ``National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020'', which requires the 
     Defense Department to submit a report on the number of 
     military installations that may have lead service lines; what 
     steps DOD has taken to replace such lines; and whether DOD 
     has established an awareness campaign to inform military 
     service members and their families of these service lines 
     (via amendment no. 12 to H.R. 2500).
       Sec. 1596 of the ``William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021'', which 
     permanently authorizes the National Guard Suicide Prevention 
     program (via amendment no. 202 to H.R. 6395). This program 
     includes suicide prevention and resilience programming for 
     member of the National Guard and Reserves and their families. 
     I have worked to extend this program over the last several 
     years.
       Sec. 557 of the ``William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021'', which adds 
     an assessment of barriers to English language learners into 
     evaluation of barriers to minority participation in the Armed 
     Forces (via amendment no. 200 to H.R. 6395).
       7.56 billion in new discretionary funding for the U.S. 
     Census Bureau in order to fully fund a fair and accurate 2020 
     Decennial Census. which appeared in H.R. 1158, ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act. 2020'', Division B. Public Law 116-93. 
     This is S3.7 billion above what was provided in Fiscal Year 
     2019.
       $270 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. the 
     federal initiative that provides houses of worship and 
     nonprofit entities with funding to protect their properties 
     against threats and attacks, in combined federal spending 
     packages for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021, including a record 
     breaking $180 million for FY21 funding.
       $271 million for the Small Business Development Centers, a 
     federal initiative that helps small businesses grow and 
     thrive, in combined federal spending packages for Fiscal 
     Years 2020 and 2021. In fact, in May 2019, I helped launched 
     the SBDC at Queens College after securing funding to 
     establish the Center.
       45.5 million for Women's Business Centers in the combined 
     federal spending packages for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021.
       $192 million for YouthBuild--a community-based pre-
     apprenticeship program that provides job training and 
     educational opportunities for at-risk youth--in the combined 
     federal spending packages for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021.
       As Co-Chair of the Congressional Hepatitis Caucus, I 
     secured $78.5 million for the Division of Viral Hepatitis in 
     the combined federal spending packages for Fiscal Years 2020 
     and 2021.
       $2 million for first-time grants for ``Family Friendly 
     Visitation Spaces in Correctional Facilities'', which appears 
     on Page 178 of Title II, Division B of the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''. States and localities may use 
     this grant funding to provide child-friendly visitation 
     spaces. The aim of this funding is to preserve positive 
     family connections in order to reduce recidivism and 
     intergenerational criminal justice system involvement, plus 
     to promote healthy child development.
       ``Religious freedom in prisons''--directing DOJ to ensure 
     the Constitutional religious rights and needs of incarcerated 
     individuals by: accommodating prayer services, devotional 
     items, religious holiday observances, and dietary 
     restrictions; training of Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees; 
     and conducting compliance reviews of no fewer than 25 BOP 
     facilities every three years, which appears on Page 84 of 
     House Report 116-455 (accompanying the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021'').
       $3.5 million for first-time grants for ``Family-Based 
     Alternative Sentencing Pilot Programs'', which appears on 
     Page 178 of Title II, Division B of the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''. These programs will allow parents 
     to remain with their dependent children while receiving 
     wraparound services, rather than being incarcerated.
       ``Menstrual hygiene products'' which appears on Page 62 of 
     House Report 116-101 (accompanying Public Law 116-93, the 
     ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020,'' Division B). 
     Related to my bill, the ``Menstrual Equity for All Act'' 
     (H.R. 1882), this provision ensures prisoners are provided 
     menstrual hygiene products at no cost and at a quantity the 
     prisoner deems sufficient, directs the Director of BOP to 
     provide a guidance on the distribution and accessibility of 
     these products to all prisoners in BOP custody, and ensures 
     no visitor is prohibited from visiting an incarcerated 
     Individuals due to the visitor's usage of menstrual hygiene 
     products.
       ``Mail Fishing'', which appears on Page 106 of House Report 
     116-456 (accompanying the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
     2021)''. Related to my bill, the ``Keep Mail Safe Act'' (H.R. 
     3579), this provision ensures oversight of USPS's efforts to 
     retrofit mail collection boxes.
       ``Safe transportation of waste and debris'', which appears 
     on Page 53 of House Report 116-106 (accompanying Public Law 
     116-94, the ``Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
     2020''). Related to my bill, the ``Train Coverings for 
     Community Safety Act'', this provision calls on FRA to ensure 
     the safe transportation of waste and debris by rail.
       Provision regarding recall reform, which appears on Page 56 
     of House Report 116-456 (accompanying the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''). Related to my bill the ``Total 
     Recall Act'' (H.R. 5097), this provision addresses low 
     participation rates for products recalled by the Consumer 
     Product Safety Commission.
       ``Women Entrepreneurs and Women-owned Businesses'', which 
     appears on Page 100 of House Report 116-456 (accompanying the 
     ``Consolidated Appropriations Act. 2021''). Related to my 
     bill the ``Interagency Committee on Women's Business 
     Enterprise Act'' (H.R. 4569), this provision calls on the SBA 
     to increase outreach and direct support to women 
     entrepreneurs.
       ``Menstrual Product Labeling'', which appears on Page 89 of 
     House Report 116-446 (accompanying the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''). Related to my bill, the 
     ``Menstrual Products Right To Know Act'' (H.R. 2268), this 
     provision aims to make menstrual hygiene products safer by 
     ensuring that women know what they are putting in their 
     bodies.
       ``Title IX'', which appears on Page 286 of House Report 
     116-450 (accompanying the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
     2021''). Related to my bill, the ``Supporting Survivors of 
     Sexual Harassment in Schools Act of 2020'' (H.R. 8193), this 
     provision directs the Department of Education's Office for 
     Civil Rights to report on the status of Title IX 
     coordinators, prevalence of rape in schools, and to submit 
     recommendations to prevent, mitigate, and address sexual 
     harassment, assault, and rape in schools.
       ``Youth Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy'', which 
     appears on Page 258 of House Report 116-450 (accompanying the 
     ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021''). Related to my 
     bill, the ``21st Century Youth Entrepreneurship Act'' (H.R. 
     5253), this provision directs the Department of Education to 
     support entrepreneurship and financial literacy programs for 
     students.
       ``Food Additives'', which appears on Page 86 of House 
     Report 116-446 (accompanying the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''). Related to my bill, the ``Get 
     Additives Out Act'' (H.R. 2269), this provision requires a 
     report to Congress on the effects of direct and indirect food 
     additives to determine if they pose physical and behavioral 
     health risks to children.
       Commissioned a first-time study by the Office on Women's 
     Health to report on affordability and accessibility of 
     menstrual hygiene products by race, socioeconomic status, 
     age, and within institutions, including public schools, 
     colleges, and universities, which appears on House Reports 
     116-62 and 116-450. Related to my bill, the ``Menstrual 
     Equity for All Act'' (H.R. 1882), this provision seeks to 
     address the underlying issues of period poverty.
       ``Gender-Based Violence'', which directs the State 
     Department and USAID to assess the implementation and 
     delivery of humanitarian assistance to prevent, mitigate, and 
     address sexual and gender-based violence in humanitarian 
     crises. Related to my bill, the ``Safe from the Start Act'' 
     (H.R. 4092), this provision appears on Page 89 of Title VII, 
     Division K of the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021''.
       Urged the support for reunification of Korean Americans and 
     their families in North Korea, which appears on House Reports 
     116-444 and 116-78. This provision is related to my bill, the 
     ``Divided Families Reunification Act'' (H.R. 1771).
       ``Hygiene Products'', which appears on Page 28 of House 
     Report 116-447 (accompanying the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''). Related to my bill, the 
     ``Menstrual Hygiene Products in Federal Buildings Act'' (H.R. 
     2403), this provision directs the Committee on House 
     Administration to report on the feasibility of making 
     menstrual products available at no cost in House office 
     buildings.
       Directed the Department of Education to report on higher 
     education institutional support and outreach for students who 
     are parents, which appears on Page 273 of House Report 116-
     450 (accompanying the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
     2021'').
       ``Gender-Neutral Facilities'', which appears on Page 28 of 
     House Report 116-447 (accompanying the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''). This provision directs the 
     Architect of the Capitol to incorporate gender-neutral 
     bathrooms in future construction and remodeling projects for 
     House office buildings--thus ensuring that the People's House 
     is indeed, for all people.

  Furthermore, as the only Asian American Appropriator in Congress. I

[[Page E1224]]

was also re-elected as the Appropriations Task Force Chair of the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, where I fight to ensure 
our federal dollars prioritize the health, livelihood, food security, 
housing needs, education, and civil liberties of Asian Americans and 
Pacific Islanders (AAPI). For the most recent Fiscal Year 2021 federal 
spending. I led and coordinated Caucus appropriations requests that 
resulted in securing nearly $160 billion in federal funding for AAPI 
community priorities.

       $124 million for racial and ethnic approaches to community 
     health. for the combined spending packages for Fiscal Years 
     2020 and 2021.
       $532 million for Community Development Financial 
     Institutions Fund in the combined spending packages for 
     Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021.
       $90 million for the Minority Business Development 
     Administration in combined federal spending packages for 
     Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021 to support minority businesses 
     around the country.
       Over $9.5 million for AANAPISIs in the combined federal 
     spending packages for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021.
       $1.2 million for the Asian Pacific American Center at the 
     Smithsonian in the combined federal spending packages for 
     Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021.
       ``Incarcerated AAPI Data'', which appears on Page 95 of 
     House Report 116-455 (accompanying the ``Consolidated 
     Appropriations Act, 2021''). This provision directs the 
     Bureau of Justice Statistics to collect and report data on 
     incarcerated AAPIs.
       Directed the SBA to increase outreach and direct support to 
     small businesses in underserved communities, including the 
     Asian American community, and to increase engagement with 
     minority serving institutions in its programming and grant 
     making, per House Report 116-456 (accompanying the 
     ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021'').
       Directed the Department of Education to collect and report 
     disaggregated AAPI data of student bullying per House Report 
     116-450 (accompanying the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
     2021''). Improving data in this area will help combat 
     increased rates of bullying of AAPI students, particularly 
     light of COVID-19-related increase in anti-Asian sentiment.
       Supported the collaboration of the National Museum of 
     American History, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, 
     and the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, 
     which appears on Page 139 of House Report 116-448 
     (accompanying the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021'').

  As a member of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, I am 
proud to have led the charge in Congress against President Trump's 
unconstitutional attack against our immigrant communities. I secured an 
amendment in the House-passed Fiscal Year 2020 CJS Appropriations Bill 
to prohibit the citizenship question on the 2020 Decennial Census. 
Furthermore, my bill ``No Funds for Apportionment Exclusion Act'' (H.R. 
7724) was included as an amendment in the House-passed Fiscal Year 2021 
CJS spending package, in order to stop President Trump's attempt to 
exclude undocumented immigrants from being counted in congressional 
apportionment.
  Additionally, I am also proud to have secured passage of the 
following legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives during 
the 116th Congress, and will continue to fight to secure passage of 
these measures into law in the 117th Congress:

       H.R. 615, the ``Refugee Sanitation Facility Safety Act of 
     2019'', which would keep women and girls safe in refugee 
     camps.
       H.R. 1771, the ``Divided Families Reunification Act'', 
     seeks to reunite Korean Americans with their family in North 
     Korea.
       H.R. 3949, the Safe Drinking Water in Playgrounds and Parks 
     Act, which would create a new $5 million grant program to 
     replace water fountains at public playgrounds and parks, as 
     Sec. 33106 of the ``Moving Forward Act'', (via amendment no. 
     47 to H.R. 2).
       Sec. 6011 of the ``Moving Forward Act'', which would 
     require covers on all rail cars to protect communities near 
     rails from debris and odors. This section stems from my bill 
     the Train Coverings for Community Safety Act (submitted via 
     amendment no. 198 to H.R. 2).
       Sec.40011 of the ``Moving Forward Act'', which would ensure 
     safe public transportation for pregnant women (via amendment 
     no. 42 to H.R. 2).
       Sec., 3005 of H.R. 2. the ``Moving Forward Act'', which 
     would require the race and ethnicity of officers who stop 
     motor vehicles on highways, as well as the race/ethnicity of 
     the driver (via amendment no. 45 to H.R. 2).
       Sec. 60022 of the ``Moving Forward Act'', which would 
     require a GAO study of housing needs of populations at higher 
     risk of homelessness, and recommend policy and practice 
     changes by federal agencies to ensure housing infrastructure 
     needs of those populations are better met (via Jayapal, Meng 
     amendment no. 129 to H.R. 2).
       Sec. 2601 of the ``Moving Forward Act'', which would 
     require as part of the National Transit Frontline Workforce 
     Training Center training methods that would cater to the 
     needs of diverse participants (via amendment no. 43 to H.R. 
     2).
       Sec. 1801 of H.R. 1, the ``For the People Act of 2019,'' 
     which would require that poll workers receive training that 
     would enable them to provide access and delivery of services 
     in a culturally competent manner to all voters, including 
     those with limited English proficiency, diverse cultural 
     ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, and regardless of gender, 
     sexual orientation, or gender identity. These methods must 
     ensure that each voter will have access to poll worker 
     services that are delivered in a manner that meets the 
     unique needs of the voter (via amendment no. 42 to H.R. 
     1).
       Sec. 114 and Sec. 112 of the ``National Apprenticeship Act 
     of 2020'', to include user-friendly formats and languages 
     that are easily accessible in efforts to promote youth 
     apprenticeships and greater diversity in national 
     apprenticeship system; and, to include the FCC under the Ex 
     Officio nonvoting members section of the National Advisory 
     Committee on Apprenticeships (via amendment no. 149 to H.R. 
     8294).
       Sec. 1101 of the ``Violence Against Women Reauthorization 
     Act of 2019'', to ensure that parenting classes are made 
     available to prisoners with limited English proficiency (via 
     H.Amdt. 133 or amendment no. 17 to H.R. 1585).
       Sec. 1102 of the ``Violence Against Women Reauthorization 
     Act of 2019'', to direct the Director of BOP to develop tools 
     to communicate parenting program availability and eligibility 
     criteria to each BOP employee and each pregnant inmate to 
     ensure that each pregnant inmate understands the resources 
     available to them (via H.Amdt. 134 or amendment no. 18 to 
     H.R. 1585).
       Sec. 1101 of the ``Violence Against Women Reauthorization 
     Act of 2019'', to ensure that cultural competency training is 
     included in trauma screening trainings provided to 
     correctional officers, and each BOP employee, including 
     instructors and health care professionals (via H.Amdt. 135 or 
     amendment no. 19 to H.R. 1585).
       Sec. 2 of the ``Climate Action Now Act'', to recognize the 
     fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending 
     hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production 
     systems to the adverse impacts of climate change (via H.Amdt. 
     181 or amendment no. 14 to H.R. 9).
       Sec. 6 of the ``United States Export Finance Agency Act of 
     2019'', to include Asian American- and Native American 
     Pacific Islander-serving Institutions in recruitment efforts 
     to diversify the United States Export Finance Agency 
     workforce (via H.Amdt. 674 or amendment no. 10 to H.R. 4863).
       Sec. 6 of the ``United States Export Finance Agency Act of 
     2019'', which would include paid internships in recruitment 
     efforts (via H.Amdt. 675 or amendment no. 11 to H.R. 4863).
       Sec. 6 of the ``United States Export Finance Agency Act of 
     2019'', to include community colleges in recruitment efforts 
     to diversify the United States Export Finance Agency (via 
     H.Amdt. 676 or amendment no. 12 to H.R. 4863).
       Sec. 6 of the ``United States Export Finance Agency Act of 
     2019'', to amend 12 USC 635a(d) to add 2 additional advisory 
     committee members--one who represent higher education of 4-
     year institutions and one who represent community colleges 
     (via H.Amdt. 677 or amendment no. 13 to H.R. 4863).
       Sec. 572 of the House-passed ``National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020'', which would permit 
     any member of the armed services who gives birth to be exempt 
     from deployment for 12 months after such birth unless they 
     request deployment. Currently, only members who give birth 
     while on active duty are coverage lines (via amendment no. 13 
     to H.R. 2500).
       Sec. 1245 of the House-passed ``William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021'', 
     which would add into the sense of Congress on burden sharing 
     by partners and allies a provision to engage South Korea and 
     Japan in fair and equitable negotiations regarding their 
     respective special measures agreements (via amendment no. 198 
     to H.R. 6395).
       Sec. 724 of the House-passed ``William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021'', 
     which would require all materials prepared by the DOD for the 
     general public relating to COVID-19 be translated into other 
     language (via amendment no. 724).

  I am also grateful that the Committee on House Administration held a 
hearing on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 entitled ``Oversight of the 
Smithsonian Institution: Opportunities for Growth by Honoring Latino 
Americans and Asian Pacific Americans'', which included my bill H.R. 
4132--the ``Commission to Study the Potential Creation of National 
Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act''.
  Madam Speaker, there is no greater honor than serving the 
constituents of New York's Sixth Congressional District. As we look to 
the 117th Congress, I will continue to keep their safety, health, and 
well-being at the heart of my work in Congress.