[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 29, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3258-H3262]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS CERTAIN BILLS AND AGREE TO
RESOLUTIONS
Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 8 of House
Resolution 504, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bills: H.R.
1500, H.R. 2471, H.R. 3261, H.R. 3283, and H.R. 3385, and agree to H.
Res. 186 and H. Res. 402.
The Clerk read the title of the bills and the resolutions.
The text of the bills and the resolutions are as follows:
Global Learning Loss Assessment Act of 2021
H.R. 1500
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 ``Global Learning Loss
Assessment Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (commonly referred
to as ``COVID-19'') pandemic began, 258,000,000 children were
out of school globally, including 130,000,000 girls.
(2) Students already at a disadvantage before COVID-19 will
experience greater learning loss, thereby worsening inequity
and inequality.
(3) Approximately 90 percent of the world's student
population--over 1,600,000,000 children and youth--have had
their education disrupted by school closure due to COVID-19.
(4) School closures lead to interrupted learning, poor
nutrition, gaps in childcare, increased dropout rates,
exposure to violence, and social isolation.
(5) Up to 24,000,000 children are at risk of dropping out
of school permanently due to rising levels of child poverty
associated with the pandemic.
(6) School closure and remote learning is especially
burdensome on girls, who are frequently expected to shoulder
more household chores and responsibilities and are more
vulnerable to gender-based violence.
(7) During the Ebola epidemic, nationwide school closures
in Sierra Leone in 2014 led to increased instances of sexual-
and gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, school dropout,
and child labor for girls.
(8) More than 60 percent of national distance learning
alternatives rely exclusively on online platforms but two-
thirds of the world's school aged children, or 1,300,000,000
children aged 3 through 17, do not have internet connection
in their homes, and schools and local learning centers also
frequently have inadequate internet connectivity. Eighty
percent of students in sub-Saharan Africa lack such access,
with an even higher rate for girls.
(9) Children and youth with disabilities are particularly
vulnerable to the health, education, and socioeconomic
consequences of the pandemic. As a further challenge,
distance learning tools are not always accessible to learners
with disabilities or those with complex learning needs,
especially in poorer and rural households.
(10) Before the COVID-19 pandemic, refugee children were
twice as likely to be out of school as other youth, and
school closures and a lack of access to distance learning
tools threaten to make the education gap among refugee
children even more severe.
(11) The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
could lead to an education financing gap of $77,000,000,000
in low- and middle-income countries over the next 2 years.
(12) The economic cost of school closures could be up to
$1,337 per student, which on a global scale equates to
approximately $10,000,000,000,000 in lost economic output
over the coming generation.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States that United States-
funded basic education programs operating in low- and middle-
income countries should seek to--
(1) provide inclusive learning opportunities for students
and teachers, especially for the most marginalized, including
girls, children with disabilities, and previously out of
school children;
(2) build local capacity and help countries strengthen
their education systems, including opportunities for early
childhood development;
(3) improve the availability, delivery, and quality of
education services from early childhood through secondary
education;
(4) improve equity and safety in education services; and
(5) support the return of children to school who have
experienced interruptions in their education due to the
COVID-19 pandemic and work to enroll previously out-of-school
children and youth, particularly the most marginalized.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development, acting through
the Senior Coordinator for International Basic Education
Assistance and in consultation with the Senior Coordinator
for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report on the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on United States Agency for
International Development basic education programs.
(b) Matters to Be Included.--The report required under
subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following
elements:
(1) An assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on such basic
education programs, including the magnitude of learning loss
that will result from protracted school closures and the
specific effects of school and learning space closures on
marginalized children and youth, including girls, minority
populations, displaced children, and those with disabilities.
(2) An assessment comparing academic outcomes of
beneficiaries of United States Agency for International
Development basic education programs, as practical and
appropriate, between those that attend schools that remain
closed or continue to operate remotely since the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic and schools that have resumed in-person
instruction.
(3) A description of the effectiveness, cost,
accessibility, and reach of the most commonly used forms of
distance learning in low- and middle-income countries and
low-resource contexts.
(4) A description of efforts to pivot and adapt such basic
education programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including an
overview of existing data on funding and programmatic focus
disaggregated by gender, country, education level, and
disability.
(5) An identification and description of any gaps in, or
barriers to, reaching and educating marginalized populations,
such as girls, children with disabilities, displaced
children, or other children adversely affected by the COVID-
19 pandemic with distance learning interventions.
(6) A description of the United States Agency for
International Development's plan and needed authorities and
resources to prevent degradation of such basic education
programs and to support, as necessary and appropriate,
continued distance learning interventions, safe school
reopenings, assessments of student learning levels, remedial
and accelerated learning, re-enrollment campaigns for out-of-
school children and youth, and education system strengthening
and resilience-building efforts.
(7) An analysis of the coordination between the United
States Agency for International Development and other actors
in global basic education policy and programming to provide
education during the COVID-19 pandemic, including partner
organizations, faith based-organizations, donors, and
multilateral organizations.
(8) A description of opportunities to partner and support
efforts to expand access to digital infrastructure, internet
connectivity, and learning resources in areas that lack
access to digital and remote learning infrastructure and
resources, including rural and remote communities.
(c) Public Availability.--The report required by subsection
(a) shall be made available to the public.
(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this
section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate.
Haiti Development, Accountability, and Institutional Transparency
Initiative Act
H.R. 2471
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 ``Haiti Development,
Accountability, and Institutional Transparency Initiative
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck near
the Haitian capital city of Port-au-Prince, leaving at least
220,000 people dead, including 103 United States citizens,
101 United Nations personnel, and nearly 18 percent of
Haiti's civil service, as well as 300,000 injured, 115,000
homes destroyed, and 1,500,000 Haitians displaced.
(2) The international community, led by the United States
and the United Nations, mounted an unprecedented humanitarian
response to the earthquake in Haiti. Through 2018, more than
$8,000,000,000 has been disbursed by donors. Since the 2010
earthquake, the United States Government has disbursed more
than $4,000,000,000 in recovery and development funding.
(3) On October 4, 2016, Hurricane Matthew struck
southwestern Haiti on the Tiburon Peninsula, causing
widespread damage and flooding and leaving 1.4 million people
in need of immediate assistance. Recovery efforts continue
more than four years later.
(4) Prior to both the 2010 earthquake and 2016 hurricane,
Haiti registered among the
[[Page H3259]]
lowest in socioeconomic indicators and had the second highest
rate of income disparity in the world--conditions that have
further complicated disaster recovery and resilience efforts.
As of November 2020, 4,400,000 people were in need of
humanitarian assistance in Haiti.
(5) Since 2018, tens of thousands of Haitians have
participated in popular demonstrations demanding
accountability over government management of Petrocaribe
resources. In early 2019, the Haitian superior court of
auditors released a series of reports implicating high-level
government officials in the misappropriation of funds.
(6) The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High
Commissioner and the Human Rights Service jointly found a 333
percent increase in human rights violations and abuses
against the rights of life and security in Haiti from July
2018 through December 2019. There were 131 violations in 2018
and 567 violations in 2019, including the shooting of at
least five Haitian journalists covering the protests.
(7) Leading members of civil society have faced attacks,
including Monferrier Dorval, a constitutional law expert and
president of the Port-au-Prince bar who was killed on August
28, 2020.
(8) On November 13, 2018, according to the Haitian National
Human Rights Defense Network, at least 71 people were killed
and 18 people were raped in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood
of La Saline.
(9) On December 10, 2020, the Department of the Treasury's
Office of Foreign Assets Control designated former Haitian
National Police officer Jimmy Cherizier, former Director
General of the Ministry of the Interior Fednel Monchery, and
former Departmental Delegate Joseph Pierre Richard Duplan
pursuant to the Global Magnitsky Executive Order for being
foreign persons responsible for or complicit in, or having
directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse
for their connection to the La Saline massacre.
(10) Following the La Saline massacre, similar attacks have
occurred in Port-au-Prince neighborhoods, including the
November 2019 and August 2020 attacks on Bel Air, in which 24
people were killed and hundreds of families were displaced.
(11) Parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2019 did
not take place, and since January 13, 2020, President Jovenel
Moise has ruled by decree. The United States and
international community have urged President Moise to limit
the use of executive decrees during this period and have
expressed concern over several decrees issued, including
those creating the National Intelligence Agency and
appointing three new judges to the Supreme Court outside of
constitutional procedures. Haitian civil society
organizations have denounced the president's use of decrees
as an attempt to consolidate power.
(12) Due to institutional weakness and other challenges
exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Haiti's economy
contracted by an estimated 4 percent in 2020 and inflation
neared 20 percent. Although there has been no parliament in
place since January 2020, the Haitian Government approved a
budget on September 30, 2020. However, the delay prevented
the International Monetary Fund and other multilaterals from
disbursing millions in international assistance.
(13) In September 2020, President Moise bypassed the
Supreme Court to appoint a Provisional Electoral Council
(CEP) by executive decree Several civil society groups that
traditionally participate in Haiti's electoral councils
criticized the decision and have declined to be represented
in the CEP.
(14) The Moise administration lacks the credibility to
oversee a proposed constitutional referendum scheduled for
June 2021, which legal experts consider unconstitutional.
(15) There are concerns that, given the lack of democratic
checks and balances, the dispute over the credibility of the
electoral council, and the deteriorating security situation,
elections scheduled for September 2021 will not be free or
fair. Additionally, the security situation remains volatile
and on February 7, 2021, President Moise alleged that a coup
had been attempted against him leading to 23 arrests and the
forced retirement of three Supreme Court judges.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to support the
sustainable rebuilding and development of Haiti in a manner
that--
(1) recognizes Haitian independence, self-reliance,
sovereignty, democratic governance, and efficiency;
(2) promotes efforts that are led by and support the people
and Government of Haiti at all levels so that Haitians lead
the course of reconstruction and development of Haiti;
(3) builds the long-term capacity of the Government of
Haiti, civil society in Haiti, and the private sector to
foster economic opportunities in Haiti;
(4) fosters collaboration between the Haitian diaspora in
the United States, including dual citizens of Haiti and the
United States, with the Haitian Government and the business
community in Haiti;
(5) supports anti-corruption efforts, promotes press
freedom, and addresses human rights concerns, including
through the enforcement of sanctions imposed in accordance
with the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act on
individuals implicated in human rights violations;
(6) respects and helps restore Haiti's natural resources,
as well as strengthens community-level resilience to
environmental and weather-related impacts;
(7) promotes the holding of free, fair, and timely
elections in accordance with democratic principles and the
Haitian Constitution;
(8) provides timely and comprehensive reporting on Haiti
and the United States Government's goals and progress, as
well as transparent post program evaluations and contracting
data;
(9) promotes the participation of Haitian women and youth
in governmental and nongovernmental institutions and in
economic development and governance assistance programs
funded by the United States; and
(10) does not provide support to facilitate the proposed
June 2021 constitutional referendum, including through
multilateral organizations.
SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTICORRUPTION EFFORTS
IN HAITI AND HOLDING PERPETRATORS OF THE LA
SALINE MASSACRE ACCOUNTABLE.
(a) Secretary of State Prioritization.--The Secretary of
State shall prioritize the protection of human rights and
anticorruption efforts in Haiti by the following methods:
(1) Fostering strong relationships with independent civil
society groups focused on monitoring corruption and human
rights abuses and promoting democracy in Haiti.
(2) Supporting the efforts of the Haitian Government to
identify persons involved in human rights violations and
significant acts of corruption in Haiti, including public and
private sector actors, and hold them accountable for their
actions.
(3) Addressing concerns of impunity for the alleged
perpetrators, as well as the intellectual authors, of the La
Saline massacre.
(4) Urging authorities to continue to investigate attacks
in the La Saline and Bel Air neighborhoods from 2018 through
2021that left dozens dead in order to bring the perpetrators
to justice.
(b) Briefing.--
(1) Elements.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall brief
the appropriate congressional committees on the happenings on
November 13, 2018, in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood of La
Saline, and its aftermath. The briefing shall include--
(A) an examination of any links between the massacre in La
Saline and mass protests that occurred concurrently in the
country;
(B) an analysis of the reports on the La Saline massacre
authored by the United Nations, the European Union, and the
Government of Haiti;
(C) a detailed description of all known perpetrators, as
well as the intellectual authors, of the shootings;
(D) an overview of efforts taken by the Haitian Government
to bring the perpetrators, as well as the intellectual
authors, of the La Saline massacre to justice and to prevent
other similar attacks; and
(E) an assessment of the ensuing treatment and displacement
of the survivors of the La Saline massacre.
(2) Consultation.--In the briefing required under paragraph
(1), the Secretary of State shall consult with
nongovernmental organizations in Haiti and the United States.
SEC. 5. ACTIONS TO PROMOTE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND ASSEMBLY
IN HAITI.
The Secretary of State shall prioritize the promotion of
freedom of the press and freedom of assembly, as well as the
protection of journalists in Haiti by the following methods:
(1) Advocating to Haitian authorities for increased
protection for journalists and the press and for the freedom
to peacefully assemble or protest in Haiti.
(2) Collaborating with government officials and
representatives of civil society to develop and implement
legal protections for journalists in Haiti.
(3) Supporting efforts to strengthen transparency in
Haiti's public and private sectors, as well as access to
information in Haiti.
(4) Supporting efforts to strengthen the capacity of
independent journalists and increase access to resources for
investigative journalism.
SEC. 6. ACTIONS TO SUPPORT POST-EARTHQUAKE, POST-HURRICANE
AND POST-COVID-19 RECOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT IN
HAITI.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), shall prioritize post-earthquake and
post-hurricane recovery and development efforts in Haiti by
the following methods:
(1) Collaborating with the Haitian Government on a detailed
and transparent development plan that includes clear
objectives and benchmarks.
(2) Building the capacity of Haitian-led public, private,
and nongovernmental sector institutions in Haiti through
post-earthquake and post-hurricane recovery and development
planning.
(3) Assessing the impact of both the United States' and the
international community's recovery and development efforts in
Haiti since January 2010.
(4) Supporting disaster resilience and reconstruction
efforts.
(5) Addressing the underlying causes of poverty and
inequality, and improving access to health resources, clean
water, food, and shelter.
(6) Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on post-
disaster recovery efforts and evaluating United States
support to help
[[Page H3260]]
with pandemic response efforts in Haiti, including providing
technical assistance and preventing other infectious disease
outbreaks.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
(a) Report Content.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development, and other relevant
agencies and departments, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report that includes--
(1) a strategy for carrying out the initiatives described
in sections 4, 5, and 6, including established baselines,
benchmarks, and indicators to measure outcomes and impact;
(2) an assessment of major corruption committed among the
public and private sectors, and, as practical and
appropriate, an assessment of corruption prosecutions
investigated by the Haitian judiciary since January 2015;
(3) an overview of efforts taken by the Haitian Government
to address corruption, including the Petrocaribe scandal, and
corrective measures to strengthen and restore trust in
Haiti's public institutions;
(4) a description of United States Government efforts to
consult and engage with Haitian Government officials and
independent civil society groups focused on monitoring
corruption and human rights abuses and promoting democracy
and press freedom in Haiti since January 2015;
(5) a description of the Haitian Government's response to
civic protests that have taken place since July 2018 and any
allegations of human rights abuses, including attacks on
journalists;
(6) an assessment of United States security assistance to
Haiti, including the United States support to the Haitian
National Police and an assessment of compliance with section
620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2378d)
and section 362 of title 10, United States Code (commonly
referred to as the ``Leahy Laws'');
(7) a description of the Haitian Government's efforts to
support displaced survivors of urban and gang violence;
(8) an assessment of the impact of presidential decrees on
the health of Haiti's democratic institutions and
safeguarding of human rights, including reducing the
authority of the Superior Court of Accounts and
Administrative Litigation, promulgating an antiterrorism law,
and establishing the National Intelligence Agency, as well as
retiring and subsequently appointing judges to the Supreme
Court of Haiti;
(9) a plan in collaboration with the Haitian Government on
efforts to support development goals since January 2015,
including steps taken to--
(A) strengthen institutions at the national and local
levels; and
(B) strengthen democratic governance at the national and
local levels;
(10) an analysis of the effectiveness and sustainability of
United States-financed development projects, including the
Caracol Industrial Park and supporting infrastructure;
(11) a breakdown of procurement from Haitian small- and
medium-sized businesses and nongovernmental organizations by
the United States and Haitian governments for development and
humanitarian activities by year since 2015, and a description
of efforts to increase local procurement, including food aid;
(12) a description of United States efforts taken since
January 2010 to assist the Haitian people in their pursuits
for free, fair, and timely democratic elections;
(13) quantitative and qualitative indicators to assess
progress and benchmarks for United States initiatives focused
on sustainable development in Haiti, including democracy
assistance, economic revitalization, natural disaster
recovery, pandemic response, resilience, energy and
infrastructure, health, and food security; and
(14) a risk assessment of conflict, instability, and
violence in Haiti that includes information relating to--
(A) systemic patterns and causes of violence and subsequent
impunity relating to massacres, death threats, kidnappings,
armed attacks, and firearm-related violence, with analysis of
the roles of the various actors and beneficiaries who play a
part, including Haitian Government actors;
(B) gang activity and its role in the recent wave of
kidnappings and the capacities of the police force to address
the most serious manifestations of insecurity;
(C) the scope and role of criminal activity and its
linkages to political forces, particularly leading up to
elections; and
(D) implications of the lack of independence of Haiti's
judicial system.
(b) Consultation.--In preparing the report required under
subsection (a), the Secretary of State and the USAID
Administrator shall consult with nongovernmental
organizations and civil society groups in Haiti and the
United States, as well as the Government of Haiti where
appropriate.
(c) Public Availability.--The report required under
subsection (a) shall be made publicly available on the
website of the Department of State.
SEC. 8. SUNSET.
(a) Repeal.--The Assessing Progress in Haiti Act (22 U.S.C.
2151n; Public Law 113-162) is repealed.
(b) Termination.--This Act shall terminate on December 31,
2025.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act the term ``appropriate congressional
committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate.
Repeal of Authorization For Use of Military Force Against Iraq
Resolution
H.R. 3261
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REPEAL OF AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE
AGAINST IRAQ RESOLUTION.
The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq
Resolution (Public Law 102-1; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) is hereby
repealed.
Repeal of Joint Resolution to Promote Peace and Stability in the Middle
East
H.R. 3283
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REPEAL OF JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROMOTE PEACE AND
STABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
Effective on the date that is 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the joint resolution entitled ``A
joint resolution to promote peace and stability in the Middle
East'' (Public Law 85-7; 22 U.S.C. 1961 et seq.) is hereby
repealed.
Honoring Our Promises Through Expedition For Afghan SIVs Act of 2021
H.R. 3385
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 ``Honoring Our Promises
through Expedition for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021'' or the
``HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. WAIVER OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION FOR AFGHAN ALLIES.
(a) Authorization.--The Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly issue a blanket
waiver of the requirement that aliens described in section
602(b)(2) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 (8
U.S.C. 1101 note) undergo a medical examination under section
221(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1201(d)), or any other applicable provision of law, prior to
issuance of an immigrant visa or admission to the United
States.
(b) Duration.--A waiver issued under subsection (a) shall
remain in effect for a period not to exceed 1 year, and,
subject to subsection (g), may be extended by the Secretary
of State and Secretary of Homeland Security for additional
periods, each of which shall not exceed 1 year.
(c) Notification.--Upon exercising the waiver authority
under subsection (a), or the authority to extend a waiver
under subsection (b), the Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the appropriate
congressional committees.
(d) Requirement for Medical Examination After Admission.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
shall establish procedures to ensure, to the greatest extent
practicable, that any alien who receives a waiver of the
medical examination requirement under this section, completes
such an examination not later than 30 days after the date on
which such alien is admitted to the United States.
(2) Conditional basis for status.--
(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, an alien who receives a waiver of the medical
examination requirement under this section shall be
considered, at the time of admission to the United States, as
an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on a
conditional basis.
(B) Removal of conditions.--The Secretary of Homeland
Security shall remove the conditional basis of the alien's
status upon the Secretary's confirmation that such alien has
completed the medical examination and is not inadmissible
under section 212(a)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(1)(A)).
(3) Report.--Not later than one year after the date on
which waiver authority under subsection (a) is exercised or
such waiver is extended under subsection (b), as applicable,
the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the status
of medical examinations required under paragraph (1),
including--
(A) the number of pending and completed examinations; and
(B) the number of aliens who have failed to complete the
medical examination within the 30-day period after the date
of such aliens' admission.
(e) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committees on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives and of the Senate;
(2) the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives and of the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate; and
(4) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
[[Page H3261]]
(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act may be
construed to prevent the Secretary of State, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary
of Health and Human Services from adopting appropriate
measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases,
including COVID-19, to the United States.
(g) Sunset.--The authority under subsections (a) and (b)
expires on the date that is 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act.
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.
Calling For the Immediate Release of Trevor Reed
H. Res. 186
Whereas United States citizen Trevor Reed is a resident of
Granbury, Texas, and a United States Marine Corps veteran;
Whereas Trevor Reed traveled to Moscow to visit his
girlfriend in May 2019;
Whereas Moscow's Police Service detained Trevor Reed in
August 2019;
Whereas Trevor Reed was accused of grabbing the arm of the
police officer driving the vehicle and elbowing another
officer while en route to the police station, causing the
vehicle to swerve and therefore endangering the lives of the
police officers;
Whereas the United States Embassy in Moscow has filed
numerous diplomatic notes with the Russian Foreign Ministry
regarding Trevor Reed being denied consular access,
communications, medical treatment, family visitations, and
other violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular
Relations;
Whereas Trevor Reed was not given food or water until
approximately 72 hours after his initial arrest;
Whereas Trevor Reed was not given a medical evaluation of
his injuries until 10 days following his arrest;
Whereas Trevor Reed's defense team presented video evidence
to the courts that disproves the police officers' statements
of supposed endangerment and wrongdoing;
Whereas Trevor Reed's defense team was denied access to
additional video evidence from inside the police vehicle and
police station that had the potential to prove his innocence,
the requests for all video recordings are documented, and the
existence of the other videos was confirmed by police
officials and investigators;
Whereas the police officers claimed emotional and physical
damages, but did not sustain any visible injury, or claim any
time missed from work, and the law considers the police
officers victims;
Whereas the Constitutional Supreme Court of the Russian
Federation and the Second Court of Cassation of General
Jurisdiction concurred that Russian procedural law was
violated in the way that Trevor Reed's bail was revoked;
Whereas the United States Embassy in Moscow has filed
complaints with the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding denial
of communications with Trevor Reed;
Whereas during the trial, the defense counsel presented 59
minutes of traffic camera video from four traffic cameras,
and senior Russian Government officials analyzed the video
recordings and confirmed that the videos showed the police
car--
(1) did not change direction or leave its lane;
(2) did not swerve; and
(3) did not stop or slow down;
Whereas witnesses following directly behind the police car
in a private vehicle never witnessed any dangerous movement
of the police car;
Whereas the two police officers changed their testimonies
in writing, in their interviews, and at least three times
during defense questioning, with final answers to the judge
being ``I don't remember.'', causing court attendees and the
judge to laugh;
Whereas the Investigative Bureau and Golovinsky District
Court Judge Arnout denied Trevor Reed's requests to
investigate how his injuries occurred;
Whereas, on July 30, 2020, Golovinsky District Court Judge
Arnout read a verdict that dismissed all defense evidence,
witnesses, and government experts and only considered pieces
of the police officers' statements;
Whereas the judge sentenced Trevor Reed to 9 years in
prison camp and was ordered to pay 100,000 rubles to each
police officer for moral and physical injuries;
Whereas Trevor Reed had already been detained in Russia for
one year at the time of the judge's verdict;
Whereas a Consul representing the United States Embassy in
Moscow attended all of Trevor Reed's trial hearings;
Whereas the United States Ambassador to Russia, John
Sullivan, upon Trevor's sentencing, stated that the
prosecution's case and the evidence presented against Mr.
Reed were ``so preposterous that they provoked laughter in
the courtroom'', the conviction and sentence were
``ridiculous'', and ``justice was not even considered'';
Whereas, upon appeal to the Moscow City Court, the
Golovinsky District Court failed to provide Trevor Reed with
translated copies of the court's decision and trial
transcripts per law; and
Whereas the appeal court returned the case to the
Golovinsky District Court to review omissions and incorrect
statements in the trial transcripts, and the official court
audio recordings were reviewed by the defense and the
corrections were certified by a third-party notarization
firm, with the result being Judge Arnout refusing to include
any corrections to the corrupted transcripts: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to
immediately release Trevor Reed and all other prisoners
arrested for political motivations;
(2) condemns the practice of politically motivated
imprisonment in the Russian Federation, which violates the
commitments of the Russian Federation to international
obligations with respect to human rights and the rule of law;
(3) urges the United States Government, in all its
interactions with the Government of the Russian Federation,
to raise the case of Trevor Reed and to press for his
release;
(4) expresses support for Trevor Reed, Paul Whelan, and all
prisoners unjustly imprisoned in the Russian Federation;
(5) urges the Government of the Russian Federation to
provide unrestricted consular access to Trevor Reed while he
remains in detention;
(6) until Trevor Reed's release, calls on the Government of
the Russian Federation--
(A) to provide Trevor Reed any necessary medical treatment
and personal protective equipment;
(B) to notify the United States Ambassador to Russia of any
medical problems or complaints that arise during his
detention; and
(C) to provide the United States Embassy in Moscow with
full access to all of Trevor Reed's medical records;
(7) urges the Government of the Russian Federation to
respect Trevor Reed's universally recognized human rights;
and
(8) expresses support to the family of Trevor Reed and
commitment to bringing Trevor Reed home.
Urging the Administration to Facilitate Assistance in Response to the
Devastating Impact of Covid-19 in India
H. Res. 402
Whereas in March 2021, a second wave of Coronavirus Disease
2019 (commonly referred to as ``COVID-19'') infections began
to surge in India, overwhelming health care workers,
hospitals, and crematoriums throughout the country;
Whereas testing results indicate India is seeing more than
340,000 new daily infections and upward of 4,000 deaths a
day, though public health experts believe case rates are
higher;
Whereas cases have surged in neighboring countries such as
Nepal and other countries in the area remain highly
vulnerable to renewed spikes in cases;
Whereas the deadly COVID-19 outbreak in India is a global
problem that requires a coordinated global response;
Whereas in the spring of 2020, when the United States was
in the midst of a devastating spike in COVID-19 cases, India
lifted its export ban on certain therapeutics in response to
a request by the United States Government;
Whereas India's pharmaceutical industry is a vital part of
the global solution to the pandemic, especially for much of
Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and is the world's biggest
producer of COVID vaccines having exported 66.36 million
doses to 93 countries, including to United Nations personnel
and, accounting for over half of global vaccine
manufacturing;
Whereas due to India's critical importance in global
vaccine supply chains, an increase in domestic vaccine demand
as a result of the surge of COVID-19 cases within India is of
global concern;
Whereas in response to the crisis in India, the Biden
administration took quick action to deliver urgently needed
supplies to India, including oxygen support, oxygen
concentrators, personal protective equipment (PPE), raw
materials for vaccine, rapid diagnostic tests, and
therapeutics, and is a testament to the historic record of
United States-India health cooperation dating more than seven
decades;
Whereas the United States private sector has worked to
generously support relief efforts in India including by
working to deliver 1,000 ventilators and 25,000 oxygen
concentrators to health care facilities across India;
Whereas many countries around the world have also sent
medical assistance to India to help the country defeat this
devastating wave of the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas as the United States vaccine supply for the
American people is secured, it is important for the United
States to continue to ramp up its efforts, working with the
private sector and all possible partners, to expand vaccine
manufacturing and distribution worldwide; and
Whereas United States support for India to help beat back
this latest coronavirus wave is in the United States national
interest as the pandemic will not end anywhere until it ends
everywhere: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) urges the Administration to facilitate private, in-kind
medical supply donations to India and deliver additional,
urgently needed
[[Page H3262]]
medical supplies, including oxygen generator plants and a
cryogenic oxygen tanker and containers;
(2) urges the Administration to facilitate assistance as
needed to neighboring countries, including Nepal, that are
facing the spread of COVID-19 and working with partners
around the world to address the virus; and
(3) calls on the United States private sector and the
Indian-American community to continue their unprecedented and
generous efforts at procuring medical supplies for the Indian
response during this time of need, building upon
contributions to date, standing with the people of India as
they collectively work to stem the spread of COVID-19.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Beatty). Pursuant to House Resolution
504, the ordering of the yeas and nays on postponed motions to suspend
the rules with respect to such measures is vacated to the end that all
such motions are considered as withdrawn.
The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) that the House suspend the rules and pass
the bills and agree to the resolutions.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 366,
nays 46, not voting 18, as follows:
[Roll No. 191]
YEAS--366
Adams
Aderholt
Aguilar
Allred
Amodei
Armstrong
Arrington
Auchincloss
Axne
Bacon
Baird
Balderson
Barr
Barragan
Bass
Beatty
Bentz
Bera
Bergman
Beyer
Bice (OK)
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Bost
Bourdeaux
Bowman
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady
Brown
Brownley
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burgess
Bush
Bustos
Butterfield
Calvert
Cammack
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carl
Carson
Carter (LA)
Carter (TX)
Cartwright
Case
Casten
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Cawthorn
Chabot
Cheney
Chu
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Cleaver
Cline
Clyburn
Cohen
Cole
Comer
Connolly
Cooper
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Craig
Crenshaw
Crist
Crow
Cuellar
Davids (KS)
Davis, Rodney
Dean
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Delgado
Demings
DeSaulnier
DesJarlais
Deutch
Diaz-Balart
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle, Michael F.
Dunn
Emmer
Escobar
Eshoo
Espaillat
Evans
Feenstra
Ferguson
Fischbach
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fletcher
Fortenberry
Foster
Foxx
Frankel, Lois
Franklin, C. Scott
Gallagher
Gallego
Garamendi
Garbarino
Garcia (CA)
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Gibbs
Gimenez
Golden
Gomez
Gonzales, Tony
Gonzalez (OH)
Gonzalez, Vicente
Gottheimer
Granger
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Green (TN)
Green, Al (TX)
Griffith
Grijalva
Grothman
Guthrie
Hagedorn
Harder (CA)
Harshbarger
Hayes
Herrera Beutler
Higgins (NY)
Hill
Himes
Hinson
Hollingsworth
Horsford
Houlahan
Hoyer
Hudson
Huffman
Huizenga
Jackson Lee
Jacobs (CA)
Jacobs (NY)
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson (SD)
Johnson (TX)
Jones
Joyce (OH)
Joyce (PA)
Kahele
Kaptur
Katko
Keating
Keller
Kelly (IL)
Kelly (PA)
Khanna
Kildee
Kilmer
Kim (CA)
Kim (NJ)
Kind
Kinzinger
Kirkpatrick
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster
Kustoff
LaHood
LaMalfa
Lamb
Lamborn
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latta
LaTurner
Lawrence
Lawson (FL)
Lee (CA)
Lee (NV)
Leger Fernandez
Lesko
Letlow
Levin (CA)
Levin (MI)
Lieu
Lofgren
Long
Lowenthal
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Luria
Lynch
Mace
Malinowski
Malliotakis
Maloney, Carolyn B.
Maloney, Sean
Manning
Mast
Matsui
McBath
McCarthy
McCaul
McClain
McClintock
McCollum
McEachin
McGovern
McHenry
McKinley
McNerney
Meeks
Meijer
Meng
Meuser
Mfume
Miller (WV)
Moolenaar
Mooney
Moore (UT)
Moore (WI)
Morelle
Moulton
Mrvan
Mullin
Murphy (FL)
Murphy (NC)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Neguse
Newhouse
Newman
Norcross
Nunes
O'Halleran
Ocasio-Cortez
Omar
Owens
Pallone
Panetta
Pappas
Pascrell
Payne
Perlmutter
Peters
Pfluger
Phillips
Pingree
Pocan
Porter
Pressley
Price (NC)
Quigley
Raskin
Reed
Reschenthaler
Rice (NY)
Rodgers (WA)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Ross
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Rutherford
Ryan
Salazar
Sanchez
Sarbanes
Scalise
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Schrier
Schweikert
Scott (VA)
Scott, Austin
Scott, David
Sewell
Sherman
Sherrill
Simpson
Sires
Slotkin
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Smucker
Soto
Spanberger
Spartz
Speier
Stansbury
Stanton
Stauber
Steel
Stefanik
Steil
Steube
Stevens
Stewart
Strickland
Suozzi
Swalwell
Takano
Taylor
Tenney
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Timmons
Titus
Tlaib
Tonko
Torres (CA)
Torres (NY)
Trahan
Trone
Turner
Underwood
Upton
Valadao
Van Duyne
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Wagner
Walberg
Walorski
Waltz
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wenstrup
Westerman
Wexton
Wild
Williams (GA)
Wilson (FL)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Yarmuth
Young
Zeldin
NAYS--46
Allen
Babin
Biggs
Bishop (NC)
Boebert
Brooks
Budd
Burchett
Clyde
Crawford
Curtis
Davidson
Donalds
Duncan
Estes
Fallon
Fitzgerald
Gaetz
Gooden (TX)
Gosar
Greene (GA)
Harris
Hern
Herrell
Jackson
Jordan
Kelly (MS)
Loudermilk
Mann
Massie
Miller (IL)
Nehls
Palazzo
Palmer
Pence
Perry
Posey
Rice (SC)
Rosendale
Rouzer
Roy
Sessions
Tiffany
Van Drew
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
NOT VOTING--18
Banks
Carter (GA)
Cloud
Davis, Danny K.
Fulcher
Gohmert
Good (VA)
Guest
Hartzler
Hice (GA)
Higgins (LA)
Issa
Miller-Meeks
Moore (AL)
Norman
Obernolte
Rose
Williams (TX)
{time} 1434
Mr. RICE of South Carolina changed his vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Mr. CLINE changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and
the bills were passed and the resolutions were agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The title of H.R. 1500 was amended so as to read: ``A bill to direct
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development to submit to Congress a report on the impact of the COVID-
19 pandemic on United States Agency for International Development basic
education programs.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. DONALDS. Madam Speaker, I was recorded as no, but meant to vote
yes on rollcall No. 191.
Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress
Babin (Nehls)
Boebert (Gosar)
Bourdeaux (Kuster)
Cardenas (Gomez)
Carl (Joyce (PA))
Cawthorn (Nehls)
Clark (MA) (Kuster)
Cohen (Beyer)
DesJarlais (Fleischmann)
Fallon (Nehls)
Gallego (Gomez)
Garcia (IL) (Gomez)
Garcia (TX) (Jeffries)
Gonzalez, Vicente (Carbajal)
Grijalva (Stanton)
Horsford (Jeffries)
Hoyer (Trone)
Jackson Lee
(Butterfield)
Jacobs (NY) (Garbarino)
Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)
Kind (Connolly)
Kirkpatrick (Stanton)
Lawson (FL) (Evans)
Leger Fernandez (Jacobs (CA))
Lieu (Beyer)
Lowenthal (Beyer)
McClain (Bergman)
Meng (Jeffries)
Mfume (Evans)
Mullin (Lucas)
Napolitano (Correa)
Owens (Curtis)
Payne (Pallone)
Rice (NY) (Peters)
Ruiz (Aguilar)
Rush (Underwood)
Sewell (DelBene)
Steube (Franklin, C. Scott)
Strickland (DelBene)
Timmons (Wilson (SC))
Torres (NY) (Jeffries)
Wilson (FL) (Hayes)
Young (Joyce (OH))
____________________