[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 195 (Thursday, December 15, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1302-E1303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PROVIDING RESEARCH AND ESTIMATES OF CHANGES IN PRECIPITATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 14, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committees on 
the Budget, Judiciary, and on Homeland Security, I rise in support of 
the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1437 ``Further Continuing Appropriations 
and Extensions Act, 2023'', a resolution that provides funding to 
continue the operations of the federal government through December 23, 
2022, and avoids a wasteful and irresponsible shutdown.
  Passage of this resolution will avoid an inexcusable and 
unjustifiable government shutdown that would disrupt the lives of 
millions of Americans who rely on the resources and support provided by 
the federal government.
  If this resolution does not pass:
  Millions of veterans will lose their healthcare benefits.
  People relying on Social Security will not receive their checks.
  Millions of government employees will lose their wages.
  Millions of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries would lose access to 
visits and other medical needs.
  Food Stamps will not be sent out, leaving millions of Americans who 
rely on them at risk of hunger.
  Health insurance coverage to millions of children through the CHIP 
program will stop.
  All projects created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
will pause, and national parks and Smithsonian museums will close.
  In addition to these programs, House Democrats have worked tirelessly 
throughout the 117th Congress to pass legislation that will better the 
lives of Americans, legislation that has established programs that 
would also be impacted by a government shutdown.
  Our legislative agenda this Congress focused on lowering the price of 
health care and prescription drug costs, creating better paying jobs, 
acting on the climate crisis and making communities safer.
  For example, in this Congress the House has passed and sent to the 
President the following legislation that has been signed into law:


               H.R. 5376--Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

  This historic piece of legislation lowered health care and 
prescription drug costs for millions. It forces Big Pharma to negotiate 
lower prices, caps the cost of drugs and insulin for seniors on 
Medicare, and locks in lower health insurance premiums that will save 
13 million Americans an average of $800 a year. And the Inflation 
Reduction Act's clean energy provisions will make clean, secure 
American energy more affordable.


              H.R. 1319--American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

  This law helped pull the economy out of the pandemic. It put vaccines 
in arms, money in pockets, and reopened the American economy.


           H.R. 3684--Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

  This law enacted a historic investment to rebuild our roads and 
bridges and bring clean water and high-speed internet to more 
communities and created millions of union jobs.


               S. 2938--Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

  The enactment of this bill expands background checks for the purchase 
of firearms, add increased protections for victims of domestic 
violence, and fund violence prevention in schools and stronger mental 
health services to stop tragedies like mass shootings before they 
happen.
  House Democrats have also made strides to bettering American life 
through legislation that has yet to see action in the Senate. These 
include:


                       H.R. 1, For The People Act

  This comprehensive legislation would promote government transparency, 
strengthen access to the ballot box and make it easier for Americans to 
exercise their right to vote, secure election infrastructure, and curb 
the influence of dark money in politics.


                     H.R. 6, Dream and Promise Act

  The Dream and Promise Act would protect Dreamers, Temporary Protected 
Status (TPS), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status holders from 
deportation and provide an opportunity to obtain permanent legal status 
that would enable these groups to work legally within the United States 
and continue to contribute to their local communities and economy.


                     H.R. 7, Paycheck Fairness Act

  This bill would strengthen labor protections around equal pay by 
prohibiting the use of salary history to set compensation, provide more 
transparent options for joining class-action lawsuits challenging 
systemic discrimination, and require employers to show that gender pay 
gaps are job-related and consistent with business need.


          H.R. 842, Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act

  This bill aims to strengthen labor protections for union workers 
through overriding Republican-led ``right to work'' laws, promoting 
free and fair union elections, and holding companies that attempt to 
restrict union activity accountable.
  Mr Speaker, with your leadership, House Democrats have passed 
historic pieces of legislation that will benefit Americans for years to 
come, but our work is not done.
  If we fail to pass this Resolution, the new programs that we have 
enacted into law during the 117th Congress, as well as all the other 
services and programs of the federal government will be shut down and 
American people in every corner of the country will suffer needlessly 
and severely.
  As Members of Congress, it is our responsibility to ensure that the 
government continues its operations so that Americans may continue to 
receive the resources services provided by the federal government 
passed December 16, 2022.

[[Page E1303]]

  I strongly support this legislation and urge all Members to join me 
in voting for the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1437 ``Further Continuing 
Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2023.''

                          ____________________