[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 6, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E364-E365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          DHS TRADE AND ECONOMIC SECURITY COUNCIL ACT OF 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 5, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4476, 
the ``Department of Homeland Security Trade and Economic Security 
Council Act of 2021.''
  This bill establishes the DHS Trade and Economic Security Council, 
which shall provide trade and economic security advice and 
recommendations to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
  This includes identifying high priority risks and setting priorities 
for protecting the nation's trade and economic security.
  The bill also establishes the position of Assistant Secretary for 
Trade and Economic Security within DHS's Office of Strategy, Policy, 
and Plans.
  Mr. Speaker, the mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to 
secure the nation from the many threats we face.
  Those threats encompass not only threats abroad but also at home, and 
our economic security is integral to national security.

[[Page E365]]

  Securing our economy means we will have safeguards in place to help 
prevent another economic disaster like the one brought about by the 
COVID-19 pandemic, from which countless Americans suffered.
  The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout caused 
significant hardship. In the early months of the crisis, tens of 
millions of people lost their jobs.
  While employment began to rebound within a few months, unemployment 
remained high throughout 2020.
  Improving employment and substantial relief measures helped reduce 
the very high levels of hardship seen in the summer of 2020.
  Nonetheless, considerable unmet needs remained near the end of 2021, 
with 20 million households reporting having too little to eat in the 
past seven days and 10 million households behind on rent.
  In early 2022, some 3 million fewer people are employed than before 
the pandemic, though steady progress has been made, including in recent 
months.
  Hardship in 2020 and 2021 would have been far worse without the 
extraordinary steps taken by the federal government, states, and 
localities to respond to the pandemic and its economic fallout.
  Key hardship indicators showed strong improvement during early 2021, 
aided by job growth and government benefits.
  Hardship rates fell especially fast thanks to the American Rescue 
Plan enacted on March 11, 2021, which included $1,400 payments for most 
Americans as well as other assistance to struggling households.
  Food hardship among adults with children also fell after the federal 
government began issuing monthly payments of the enhanced and expanded 
Child Tax Credit, which was first distributed on July 15, 2021, along 
with improvements in food assistance.
  While those measures taken by the Biden Administration were swift 
and, I believe, lifesaving, much of the suffering the American people 
went through could have been mitigated through extensive planning.
  This bill provides those means, which drives my support. No more 
Americans should suffer because the federal government refused to plan 
in the case of a disaster.
  The DHS Trade and Economic Security Council Act of 2021 is a 
legislative embodiment of that understanding, so I am proud to support 
it. I urge my colleagues to as well.

                          ____________________