[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 101 (Tuesday, June 14, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H5491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         UNIVERSAL MEAL PROGRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Porter) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, when the pandemic closed schools and left 
millions of children without meals they needed, our government took 
action. Emergency waivers eliminated income caps and gave meal 
providers flexibility in delivering food.
  Even now, with schools reopened, these waivers are getting healthy 
meals to children without burying families under mountains of 
paperwork, but these provisions are set to expire on June 30.
  As 97 percent of meal providers like schools struggle to pay soaring 
food prices, these protections should be strengthened, not stopped.
  This year, California became the first State to provide free meals to 
any student. Offering no-cost meals to everyone, regardless of income, 
helps resources reach the kids who need them most.
  This will also help California's kids in schools perform better. Free 
meals contribute to better attendance, fewer nurse visits, and higher 
test scores. California's universal meal program will benefit schools 
and families. The Nation should follow our example.


                    Taking Action on Climate Change

  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, the greater our delay in taking action on 
climate change, the higher the price tag will be for families and our 
economy.
  Last week, Californians suffered through an intense heat wave. 
Temperatures went over 100 degrees in parts of our State. That is bad 
for public health and bad for our economy.
  A study by the Atlantic Council estimates that the total economic 
loss from excessive heat is at least $100 billion annually. They also 
estimate that this loss could double by 2030 and quintuple by 2050 if 
we don't take climate action.
  Simply put, the fiscally responsible thing to do is for Congress to 
act quickly to prevent further losses. Taking climate action will lower 
and stabilize costs for families.
  High temperatures aren't just bad for human health. They are bad for 
our economy. Heat waves push prices for electricity higher, costing us 
billions. We should not leave families in California and across the 
country to figure out their budgets while Washington figures out 
climate change.
  The need for climate change is urgent, not just for our planet, but 
also for our pocketbooks.


                          PTSD Awareness Month

  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is failing people with post-
traumatic stress disorder. During June, PTSD Awareness Month, we must 
commit to doing better.
  Mental health affects many across our Nation, but I rise today to 
shine light on the brave young people dealing with PTSD.
  Too many Americans, including many with PTSD, go without the mental 
healthcare they need because their insurance won't cover it. I wrote a 
bill, which is now Federal law, to crack down on insurance companies 
that break the rules and refuse to cover mental health the same way 
they cover physical health. I am proud the House is considering 
additional proposals I have worked on to strengthen the enforcement of 
protections for mental health coverage.
  When a child experiences a traumatic event, like emotional or sexual 
abuse, it harms their emotional, social, and cognitive development. 
These adverse childhood experiences are linked to substance use 
disorder, chronic health issues, and PTSD.
  We cannot let trauma or related challenges hold students back from 
getting high quality educations. The effect of these experiences 
doesn't end when children leave their homes for college. They bleed 
into their daily lives, including in the classroom.
  I am proud to introduce legislation, the Student Mental Health Rights 
Act, which would direct the Department of Education to study mental 
health, issue guidance to help schools level the playing field, and 
support students in overcoming their mental health challenges so they 
can complete their schooling. Our students need this help.
  For Americans with PTSD of all ages, awareness is not enough. They 
need action.

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