[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 11924-11925]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              ZIKA FUNDING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, there was such expectation, as Members 
returned from their work recess in August. Many times, the American 
people are quizzical, inquisitive about the structure of our work.
  We are constitutionally mandated; and, in fact, we have major 
responsibilities of oversight; but we also are the umbrella on a rainy 
day. The Congress must rise to the occasion in time of war. It is our 
authority to declare war. We must rush to the aid of those Americans in 
need by our oversight over executive agencies, such as Homeland 
Security and FEMA, as we watched the suffering of our fellow Americans 
in the terrible storms of Baton Rouge, of the hurricanes up and down 
the east coast, of what happened on 9/11 or Sandy or Katrina or Rita or 
Hurricane Ike and many others. Hurricanes and others, it is up to us to 
do our work.
  Well, we are not doing our work.
  We left this place having had the Senate pass a $1.1 billion Zika 
funding bill--not what the executive asked, but a reasoned response to 
the crisis and emergency that we are facing. It is devastating in 
Puerto Rico, which is part

[[Page 11925]]

of the United States. It is devastating to the people there. They are 
suffering greatly. Now we have found cases in parts of Florida, 
including areas that my colleague, Congresswoman Wilson, represents, 
and areas around Miami Beach. More importantly, there are 2,000 Zika 
cases in the United States, 600-plus are pregnant women, babies not yet 
born; and 35 cases have been found to have been transmitted here in the 
United States--and yet fiddling is going on. Unnecessary riders are 
being included in something that should simply pass because it is an 
emergency.
  Shame on those who would cloud legislation with preventing the health 
clinics that women need, run by Planned Parenthood, from getting money. 
Shame on those who would try to undermine the executive order about 
confederate flags in veterans cemeteries on official flagpoles. You 
have every right to put it at your personal grave, or the family does. 
How ridiculous, how undermining of our authority, our constitutional 
responsibility to govern this Nation.
  I am saddened because the image that is being perceived is that we 
cannot do our job. We can. We have to be Americans united together, 
facing the emergency.
  Many Americans are not focused on the Zika virus. I understand. It 
has been a time of summer and frolic and time with family. But most 
infectious disease doctors--the regional task force that I have 
organized: Dr. Hotez, an infectious disease doctor at Baylor who is 
well renowned; and Dr. Persse, a well renowned medical professional in 
public health; along with OB/GYN and State officials. I want to thank 
them for their work.
  They are asking me: Where are the resources for mosquito control, for 
the research, for the vaccine?
  Just so you know, the cost of a baby that has been impacted by this 
terrible disease is $10 million.


                            IRS Commissioner

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, and then on the question of our duties, 
why would there be any discussion to impeach or to suggest the 
impeachment of a public servant like the IRS commissioner, who I know 
has done nothing wrong, including the words of the inspector general 
who can find nothing wrong that this retired private citizen, who came 
to help turn the IRS around, who came way after the trouble was raised 
about targeting different groups--he had nothing to do with it. And yet 
someone is suggesting he should be impeached.
  What are you going to do with Americans who sacrifice and say, I want 
to serve, and then you abuse them and abuse the power of this Congress 
and suggest some kind of an impeachment?
  I have gone through impeachment proceedings. Read the Madison papers. 
There is no suggestion of misconduct or treason by this individual.
  We can't impeach people because the IRS is some entity that most of 
us would find not a welcomed guest at our dinner table. And then again, 
they do great work. They are a part of the structure of this 
government.
  So I would ask the question: Why?
  That is not oversight; that is abuse.


            Celebrating the Return of the Chibok Schoolgirls

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to celebrate the return of the 
Chibok schoolgirls. Many of you know that 200-plus girls were taken 
back in 2014, in Nigeria, snatched out of their beds, snatched out of a 
boarding school, abused, and taken by Boko Haram. Boko Haram, of 
course, is an ISIS cousin.
  I want to acknowledge that Frederica Wilson, Lois Frankel, and 
myself, we went to Nigeria when they were taken. Mr. Speaker, I am 
delighted to celebrate those girls are back. But we are going to fight 
Boko Haram in every way that we can possibly fight.
  Finally, congratulations to the University of Houston football team 
that beat Oklahoma.

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