was a machine operator for the u.s. government. i was making 732 in our. give me a number before i lose you. host: a number on, wage. it is cap to be 3.5 times what it is currently -- it has got to be 3.5 times what it is currently. host: we will be back here tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. eastern, 4 a.m. pacific. we now take your life to the floor of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker.

the clerk: the speaker's rooms, washington, d.c. february 1, 2023. i hereby appoint the honorable mike carey to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, kevin mccarthy, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house of january 9, 2023, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. the chair will alternate recognition between the parties with time equally allotted between the parties. each member other than the majority and minority leaders and minority whip limited to five minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. for five minutes. mr. thompson: thank you, mr.

speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today on the first day of february to recognize career and technical education month. during this month we highlight the impact of cte programs. programs can be referred to as learn to eastern. these -- learn to earn. these programs are for learners of all levels, as well as the role of the c.t.e. in supporting industries seeking to fill positions of high demand, high skill, and high-wage jobs in career fields. my appreciation for c.t.e. came at a very early age. my father coming out of the navy went through a c.t.e. program which led him to a job as a tool and dye maker. eventually he decided to start his own business which became quite successful. as co-chair of the bipartisan career and technical education caucus, and senior member of the committee on education and work force, i have always supported and will continue to support c.t.e. programs that provide

learners of all ages with career ready skills. from agriculture to the arts, from marketing to manufacturing c.t.e. programs work to develop america's most valuable resource, its people. while one size fits all post education not an effective way to prepare students for the work force, we are doing students a great disservice when we only promote what is considered a traditional college experience. c.t.e. has established itself as a path that many high achieving students choose a in pursuant of industry certification and hands on skills they can use right out of high school. skills-based education programs are in college. mr. speaker, c.t.e. month recognizes the benefits of a skills-based education and a valuable contribution c.t.e. students make to the american work force. congress recognized the importance of c.t.e. when we passed the strengthening career and technical education for the

21st century act, which helps to close the gaps -- skills gap by modernizing the federal investment in c.t.e. programs and connecting educators with industry stakeholders. this bill was later signed into law by president trump in 2018. while this is a major milestone, there is still much more work to be done. that is why i will continue to put forward commonsense pieces of legislation that update and promote work force development throughout our nation. these include the counseling for career choice act, which ensures that high school students are made fully aware of their career and education options prior to graduation. including nondegree certificate programs, internships, apprenticeships, and two year and four year degree programs. there is also the skills investment act which enhances tax advantaged savings accounts for educational expenses so american workers can use the accounts to pay for skills-based learning, career training, and work force development.

lastly, the cybersecurity skills integration act, which creates a $10 million pilot program within the department of education to award competitive grants to education-employer partnerships for the development, implementation, and-or expansion of post secondary c.t.e. programs that integrate cybersecurity education into a curricula preparing students for careers in critical infrastructure sectors. in closing, mr. speaker, i encourage my fellow colleagues to join my co-chair, mrs. bonamici of oregon, and me on the bipartisan house career and technical education caucus as we work to restore the rungs on the ladder of opportunity for all. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. adams, for five minutes. ms. adams: mr. speaker, today i

rise to celebrate the first day of black history month and to honor the greensboro four for exemplifying this year's black history month theme, black resistance. black history is american history. but it's important to remember that it is an ancient history. the greensboro four, also known the a and t four sparked the sit-in movement in 1960. think about that, only six decades ago during my lifetime black americans in the south were forced to use different water fountains, eat at separate lunch counters, go to different bathrooms, and most of all suffer the indignity of second class citizenship. that is why on february 1, 1960, four courageous black students from north carolina agricultural and technical college, my alma mater, david richmond, franklin,

and joseph sat down at a whites only lunch counter and asked to be served. in doing so, the greensboro four changed the united states forever. the sit-in movement spread to cities across the south where black resistance against segregation, discrimination, jim crow eventually led to the civil rights act of 1964, which outlawed segregation and public accommodations. it is with great pride today that i recognize the yacht yachd every american who joined the movement to protest the racism of the jim crow south and change public policy. these protests against injustice led to civil rights and voting rights for black americans, as well as equal protection under the law. whether it was at the woolworth's counter or bus in montgomery or jail cell in birmingham, or a bridge in selma, alabama, or on the steps of the lincoln memorial, or a

baptist church in atlanta, or in st. louis, missouri, courthouse before the civil war or at a slave rebellion in southampton county, virginia. in the antebellum south. black resistance has nourished and slowly worked to protect american democracy we as a nation have a responsibility to learn from our past and work diligently to carry on the legacy of these four men and all of our ancestors in the movement by ensuring equal rights for all people and by protecting the civil rights they fought so hard to win. black history is more important than ever. if it weren't so important they wouldn't try to stop us from teaching it. last month, florida schools announced they would not teach an advanced placement course in african-american history. the state of florida's letter to the college board claimed the course lacks educational value. i disagree. we can't afford to remove critical thinking from our curriculum. our students won't understand american history without

understanding african-american history and those who don't understand history, mr. speaker, are doomed to repeat it. that's why this february all americans must recommit to teaching black history in our homes, our schools, and our churches, on tv, on twitter, and, yes, even in the halls of congress. we must be unified and unafraid to say, black, and to teach our history and heritage. if we don't remember the greensboro four, rosa parks, martin luther and coretta scott kick, john lewis, frederick douglass, harriet and dred scott, harriet tubman, and countless others someday, somewhere, someone will have to endure what they endured to win yet again the rights and the respect they fought for. that's why for me every month, mr. speaker, is black history month. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman

from georgia, mr. carter, for five minutes. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize the tragic passing of devin willic and chandler mccoy of the university of georgia. following the georgia football national championship parade, they were in a tragic accident that claimed their lives. devin played offensive line for the bulldogs and a key part of their national championship run this past season. devin will be remembered by all as a kind soul that loved his family, the game of football, and its teammates. chandler graduated from the university of georgia in 2020. with a master's degree. then went on to work as a recruiting analyst for the bulldogs. members of the georgia football

staff spoke about her passion for georgia athletics and how she always went above and beyond in her work. her warm spirit and love for her beloved bulldogs will be remembered by all. i know that i speak for the entire first district, for the state of georgia, and for the bulldog nation when i say that we will miss devin and chandler. i know that their legacy will live on. mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize hinesville, georgia, for being a great place to live, work, and raise a family. recently they were erroneously named as one of the most miserable places to live in all of the state of georgia. nothing could be further from the truth. in fact, heinzville is not only one of the best cities in the first district of georgia, but it is arguably one of the best

cities in all of the state. heinzville is one of the fastest growing cities in all of southeast georgia. it's also home to fort stewart and third infantry division, largest army installation east of the mississippi river. across the city spanish moss gracefully drapes from the magnificent oak trees. there is a farmers market every thursday and countless festivals throughout the year. heinzville is a wonderful community, full of southern hospitality and relaxed way of life. the only thing miserable about this city are the attitudes of people who won't give it a fair shake. i'm proud of heinzville. it is a great city. mr. speaker, i rise today to honor the legendary college football coach, paul johnson, for his induction into the college football hall of fame. utilizing his patent spread offense, johnson compiled a career record of 189-99 in 22

seasons. in 11 seasons at georgia tech he had a record of 82-60. his 82 wins are fourth most in tech history. johnson is responsible for two 10-win seasons and one 11-win season at tech. he led the jackets to nine bowl appearances and three atlantic coast conference championship games. he received acc coach of the year honors three times in his career and national coach of the year honors twice. when he stepped down at tech at the end of the 2018 season, his 189 career victories ranked fourth among ncaa division i f.b.s. head coaches. while i maybe be a georgia bulldog, i want to congratulate coach johnson for his legendary career and his induction into the college football hall of fame. mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize olympia cafe, located

in savannah, georgia. the cafe has been ranked in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide by a popular online travel company. the owner started this restaurant over 30 years ago. before opening in the city, he had been told numerous times that savannah was not the best place to open a cafe. however, those people were wrong. pappas found the perfect location. they regularly host famous movie celebrities and worldwide travelers. he is proud of the restaurant's award because it relies on the customers reviews. i would like to congratulate him and everyone at the olympia cafe for winning this wonderful award. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york, mr. ryan, for five minutes. mr. ryan: mr. speaker, i rise

today to bring voice to my constituents who have been screwed over and ripped off by our utility company, central hudson. my colleagues here may never have heard of central hudson, but the peopled of hudson valley know them all too well. mr. speaker, i rise today for the farmer in new york who received such a massive utility bill, $16,585. 17 times her normal bill that she actually contemplated suicide. . i rise for the single mother in kingston who told me she's afraid to cook for her four kids because turning on the stove means facing a gigantic gas bill. for the mayor of our city who

received a bill of $708,000 for a single month of electricity at his three-bedroom family home. for senior citizens on a fixed income who had their entire checking accounts wiped out by an auto pay withdrawal. and i could tell you hundreds more of these stories and still not scratch the surface of this incredible corporate ineptitude. mr. speaker, we rely on our public utilities for necessary service. they exist for the public good. and they're built on a foundation of public trust. central hudson and its c.e.o., mr. charles friendy, have -- frenny, have irrevokably wit withdrew our trust. a new york state department of public service report revealed the billing system was riddled

with hundreds of programming errors leading to nearly 5,000 customers not receiving their bills, 8,000 customers overcharged, and more than 30,000 customers whose auto pay was billed incorrectably, costing -- incorrectly, costing them over $16 million. and to be clear, i do not fault the hardworking employees at central hudson. they begged for additional training. they suggested improvements to this system. they worked hours and hours of overtime. they wanted to do the right thing for the people of the hu hudson valley. but central hudson and its c.e.o. clearly did not. just two weeks ago, in response to this devastating public service commission report documenting their systemic failures, central hudson doubled down on their deflection, their denial, and their deception. rather than taking ownership of their failures, they claimed

that no customers were overcharged and that nobody lost any money. i mean, give me a break. central hudson's leadership deliberately chose to sweep these problems under the rug. why? because now owned by a multibillion-dollar multinational corporation, they chose to put profits over people. at the same time, as our customers, my constituents' bills were skyrocketing and bank accounts were literally being emptied out, their revenues were up over 30%. and their profits, surprise, surprise, they're up, too. central hudson has had opportunity after opportunity to own their mistakes and take accountability, but time and again they have failed to do so. mr. speaker, there's simply no excuse for this. at a time when our families are facing tremendous economic pressure, the last thing they need to worry about is that their bank account will be emptied out just because they

tried to power their home. because of these failures and because of central hudson's continued unwillingness to take accountability, today i'm calling on central hudson's c.e.o., mr. charles frenney, to do the right thing for our community and to resign. we need a new leader who will come in, who will improve service, who will finally fix these systemic problems and start the critical work to rebuild trust with our community. that is what the people of the hudson valley deserve. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from georgia, mr. mccormick, for five minutes. mr. mccormick: mr. speaker, i want to address the freedom for health care workers act that's been submitted and we will soon

vote on. as an e.r. physician who's treated thousands of patients, who's been exposed to covid thousands of times and watched nurses at mid-levels and health care workers of all kinds complain about government involvement in health care, i want to address this topic. i believe i'm the only congressman who's actually been an e.r. doctor in the pandemic. my last shift was december 28. i intew baited a patient -- intubated a patient. nobody wassed a vited -- was admitted for covid, though. back to the point, though, during this pandemic we started off with no vaccination. most of us were exposed regardless of what p.p.e. we had and it was limited at times to people who had fevers, who had symptoms even before we knew what covid was. and a lot of us got sick and developed immunity naturally. and then the government stepped

in. although well-meaning, a lot of times government officials think they had the answer to everything, including things they really don't know about. and what they will do is cherry-pick the experts that agree with them to say this is what experts believe and that's dwr all -- why all health care professionals should believe this, also. that's not how we make progress in medicine. as a matter of fact, it stifles innovation and progress. at one time we had a president garfield who was shot and was poor practice in medicine where doctors probed his wound and made him septic that caused him to die. there was a dissenting opinion, dr. lister, you may have heard of listerine, believed in anti-septic, was scoffed at. emergency where we would be if government stepped in and said our experts said you don't need to hand your -- wash your hands before you probe wounds, we would still be in the dark ages

of medicine. so i beg, i beg the government to stay out of the way of health care progress, to stay out of the debate of health care professionals because, quite frankly, very few people in congress understand medicine the way health care professionals do. they haven't been to medical school. and even those who have, haven't been in medicine for a long time. and quite frankly, the doctors caucus is seldom relied on for health care policy, which is a shame. if you haven't been to medical school, if you haven't taken your boards, if you haven't been to residency, if you haven't seen tens of thousands of patients, you shouldn't be telling doctors who have a dissenting opinion what to do. there is no standard of care based on government. it's based on physicians having a good decision, trying different things and finding out what works. that's how medicine has progressed. in america, far beyond any limitations we have it in

foreign countries, we are the leaders of innovation in health care. we should consider our health care professionals when we make decisions and not consider government first when it comes to standard of care. if you want to require health care professionals to have a vaccination, why do you think the government understands that requirement better than the very health care professional who not only treats this but was exposed to it, who has natural immunities and who understands the standard effects not only of the disease but also of the vaccination? once again, i submit to you that it's time to let health care professionals make their own decisions, especially when it comes to their own lives. they are the ones that put their lives on the line during this pandemic. they are the ones that treated the sick patients. and they are the ones that know best whether a vaccination will benefit them or harm them, not a

government, and i must also remind you that our constitution is based on individual rights, not on a collective governance by politicians telling people what to do in things they don't know about. so with that, i hope we support the freedom for health care workers act. and i yield. the speaker pro tempore: the chair now recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. bera, for five minutes. mr. bera: thank you, mr. speaker. today i rise to recognize the lifetime achievements of angela sicopolis. the story is of an american dream. angelo immigrated to the united states from greece at the age of 15. he worked hard. he didn't have a whole lot but went into the real estate business to help pay for his education at california state university-sacramento. he built a real estate company.

angelo helped shape sacramento over his life. you know, the sacramento bee has identified mr. sicopolis as the most influential sacramentoan since john. his contributions to the arts is outstanding. he also never forgot his roots in greece. this monday he'll receive lifetime recognition for his service to hellannism. he's established multiple foundations and organizations to celebrate the values and the culture of his homeland. he also, through his family, continues to do public service through his daughter, elani, who's our lieutenant governor in california. so on monday, february 6, all of us in sacramento, the united states, and all greek americans recognize the contributions of angelo sicopolis and his family

and the contributions to preserving greek culture. mr. speaker, i rise today on the first day of black history month to recognize the importance of studying african-american history and black history in the united states. it's incredibly important for us to recognize the history and teach it to our young students from elementary school to middle school to high school but to all americans. we have to understand the good and the bad. we have to understand the legacy of slavery, of jim crow, of mass incarceration. we need to understand, as i stand here on the floor of the house of representatives, in the united states capitol, a beacon of democracy and freedom, that this is a building that was built by enslaved people. it's important for us to understand that because we need to recognize that and get better and teach that to future generations of americans. we also need to recognize that accomplishments of individuals,

the moral character of our former colleague, john lewis, who really was the moral backbone of this institution. the first president that i served under, barack obama, the accomplishments not just as president but what a great human being, father, and husband. my close friend, the first female vice president, the first african-american vice president, the first asian vice president, vice president kamala harris, she's a role model for my daughter and future women across the spectrum in the united states. and our good friend, the minority leader of the democratic party, hakeem jeffries, someone that we're all proud about. so let's understand african-american history. let's teach it. let's not try to erase the parts that we don't want to teach because if we don't teach history, we will be condemned to repeat some of those mistakes. we need to learn from the past and we need to get better. let's teach it to all of our students.

mr. speaker, i rise today to honor assembly member ken coolly for his decades of service to sacramento county and the state of california. ken served in the california state assembly for 10 years representing the eighth assembly district, which covered the eastern half of sacramento county. assemblyman coolly started his public service career in sacramento as the chief of staff to the state assembly man and chief counsel to the state insurance committee. he was elected to the rancho cordova county. ken was a constant presence and continues to be a constant presence throughout our community. i had the privilege to go to many events with ken and he's a close friend. he's an eagle scout as well and really committed to the scouting, helping recognize youth achievement through the boy scouts of america. the city of rancho cordova and all of us in sacramento county

are better off thanks to his hard work and determination and i wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs miller, for five minutes. -- mrs. miller, for five minutes. mrs. miller: americans have the fundamental right to keep and bear arms that shall not be infringed. the unelected bureaucrats at the a.t.f. do not have the constitutional authority to ban guns and violate the second amendment rights of american citizens. i am proud to join my colleagues to fight the -- to block joe biden's pistol brace gun ban and also to fight against -- to fight to defund the a.t.f.

in illinois, governor pritzker signed an unconstitutional gun ban that violates the second amendment rights of my constituents. joe biden and pritzker's policies release dangerous criminals, defund the police, and then they want to take our second amendment right to defend ourselves. i'm a proud member of the house freedom caucus and the house second amendment caucus and we are united in our opposition to these unconstitutional attacks on the rights of the american people. i will always stand for our constitutional rights and protect our second amendment right in congress. thank you and i yield back. . the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from ohio, ms. kaptur, for five minutes. ms. kaptur: mr. speaker, social

security coverage is an earned benefit. in january, social security beneficiaries began to see an 8.7% cost of living increase. the largest since 1981. this cola covers retirees as well as workers who become disabled and surviving children under age 18 whose working parents died. for nearly a century, america has honored the sacred insurance promise intergenerationally. those who work throughout their lives will benefit from the fruits of their labor. yet this historic cost of living adjustment will help americans manage their cost of living to pay bills and put food on the table. in addition millions of medicare users will now only pay $35 per month for insulin. this cost savings will benefit hundreds of thousands of ohioans. hundreds of thousands. the social security cola along

with affordable insulin are being championed by congressional democrats. we know the foundation of financial stability for over 66 million retired americans is their earned social insurance benefits. respecting their lives and work, democrats will always honor social security. and vote to protect it and to strengthen medicare. mr. speaker, in addition, i rise today to also call upon president biden to fund the new great lakes authority in the administration's fiscal year 2024 budget request. with support from our great lakes colleagues, the great lakes authority was authorized in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriation bill and signed into law on january 2, 2023. across america regional development instrumentalities like this have existed for decades. but until now, the great lakes region was the one major region

left out of our nation's tool kit for regional cooperation, reinvestment, and revitalization. launched initially with federal resources to drive economic and environmental recovery, this authority now exists and aims to become self sufficient sooner rather than later. so this new year brings new opportunities for public-private partnerships across our great lakes region for investment and revitalization. the great lakes authority will harness the region's strengths, including stewardship of the largest body of fresh water on the continent, and on earth. our region is home to america's industrial and agricultural strength, and we have hardworking men and women who manufacture the majority of automobiles and trucks this nation manufactures as well as farmers in our agricultural heartland who feed us all. we have these massive production assets in this region, and

finally, the wealth of the region has allowed for an array of educational and corporate institutions as well who now can be mobilized together to reboot and repurpose the region's recovery from massive job outsourcing and frankly, outright neglect that has damaged its potential for far too long. investing to strengthen the great lakes heartland will usher in a new era for our communities. it's time to fund the great lakes authority, to be the key regional economic development engine that becomes self-supporting through public-private sector partnerships that make a lasting impact. on ward great lakes authority. there is no time like the present to launch the -- a stronger and more hopeful future for every community across our precious region. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from new york, ms. tenney, for five minutes. ms. tenney: thank you, mr.

speaker. sports and athletic competitions provide essential opportunities for women to thrive at every state of their life. as children in youth sports, as teens in high school, in college, and throughout a healthy and productive life. as a former competitive athlete, a basket player -- basketball player, golfer, and the teenage curling champion in 1975 in my hometown, i know the unparalleled opportunities that sports offer to women and girls. competitive sports give women a chance to learn new skills, develop lifelong friendships, and challenge themselves to compete at the highest levels. title ix and the banning of discrimination against women in sports made so much of this possible for me and countless other women. but today these opportunities are under threat. joe biden's department of education and state agencies

across the nation are allowing, even encouraging biological men to participate in women sports. this is fundamentally unfair. it deprives women and girls of what so many of us fought for decades to achieve. equal opportunity to train, to compete, to excel in athletics. we witnessed this past year during the ncaa women's swimming championship a phenomenal female athlete was robbed of her title by a bi-r biological male. this is not an isolated incident. the tragedy is playing out across other sports in athletic leagues across our nation. today we take a stand and with compassion for all in defense of women sports and to stop this dangerous precedent. i'm honored to be joined today by an amazing group of outstanding women athletes,

courageously standing up for women in all sports across our nation and all women athletes in our chamber today. this is why i'm so honored to co-sponsor representative greg steube's protection of women and girls in sports act and to announce its introduction today in honor of national women and girls in sports. i have here the legislation. this bill will make a violation of title ix for biological men to compete in sports designated for women or girls. further, it sensibly defines sex-based on one's biological designation at birth. this bill isn't just anti-woke. it's actually pro-science. this bill will protect opportunities for women and girls to compete fairly on the athletic field and in life. without interference from woke

agencies or politicians who are making up definitions of sex and gender as they go all to fit toxic political agendas and ideologies. women have fought hard over the years for equal opportunity and it is essential we protect these opportunities today for generations of women and girls to come. the republican majority has pledged to protect women's sports and today we are delivering on that promise with congressman steube's bill. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back and shall introduce mr. stawby's bill today -- mr. steube's bill today. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the virgin islands, ms. plaskett, for five minutes. ms. plaskett: thank you, mr. speaker. the work of congress, in particular the house of representatives, is to advance the well-being, security, and economic growth of the american

people. let me define for you who the american people are. for all of us as members of congress, that looks very different. for me in my district, it means the young entrepreneur who is eager and excited about starting a new business, a start-up company. it's the middle-aged couple who have government jobs, who have worked diligently, scrimped and saved to buy a home. and are now looking for financing and support to send their children to college. it's the veteran who has served this country and now has to navigate through the bureaucracy of federal government to get those rights and privileges that having served this country he or she deserves. it's the senior citizen, the retiree who is always watching their budget to make sure they have enough to meet all of their

bills and somehow get by. those are the people, those are the families that i fight for. and i know that on my side of the aisle those workers, parents, seniors, young people are who we as democrats are fighting for. while we may come from different families, with different standings, believes, and statuses, that's who we all should be working for in this chamber. presently, however, the house republican scheme, economic scheme will only hurt working americans' families whom we say we are here to support. as congress, as the house of representatives of the people, we must in partnership with a president continue to enact legislation to protect the financial security of american working families.

that's why i am directly calling on my colleagues, the conference, the republican conference members, to begin the work of legislating for the american people. the majority of americans, not the performative politics required by an extreme social media fringe. legislation to help work out the best possibilities to solve the growing challenges that our family, the american people face every day. the current republican-led plan to cut taxes in favor of the wealthy does not help lower and middle income families. instead it increases our national deficit and makes inflation worse. the dismantling of social security will be devastating to retirees who have paid into that system and believed that it is something that they are going to have to live out their best days

yet. likewise, allowing prescription drug prices and health insurance premiums to rise while simultaneously allowing for an increasing energy bills and student loan payments only make it harder for families to financially stay afloat and take care of their health. in the last congress, the 117th congress, president biden and house democrats forged extraordinary progress working in a bipartisan manner in the other chamber for american working families with many consequential new laws. the american rescue plan, which kick started the fastest, strongest jobs recovery in modern times. creating more than 10 million jobs in just two years. the infrastructure law, which put americans back to work while simultaneously rebuilding our roads, bridges, ports, and water systems. the safer communities act which deploys stronger tools to help guns out of dangerous hands.

the pact act which ensures that veterans who are exposed to toxic chemicals while protecting our nation can access the health care services they need. the chips and science act, which will power american preeminence in science, innovation, manufacturing, and strengthen our national security and bring jobs back to america for decades to come. and the inflation reduction act which slashed prescription drug costs, lowering health care premiums, delivering the most consequential climate action in history and reducing the federal deficit. all of this progress can continue if we continue to work to legislate not to perform for cameras, social media, but to work for the american people. it is incumbent on us all, democrats, republicans, all of us to work together to protect

the health and security and freedom of families, the american families. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from florida, ms. frankel, for five minutes. ms. frankel: mr. speaker, let me just first start and say this. that hatred and discrimination against any marginalized community is wrong, whether it be an ethnic minority, lgbt, person with disability, women and girls. today i want to focus on something that is very personal to me. my family was blessed. my grandfather came over to this country from poland just before the rise of hitler. and he saved his brothers and

sisters, bringing them over. too many people were not so blessed. mr. speaker, i rise today and start my comments by saying never again. as i address the growing concern of anti-semitism in my home state of florida and across this country. this rise in anti-semitism is deeply concerning. particularly the lessons of the holocaust where we saw or lost six million jews and millions of others who were murdered by the nazis. . precious lives who were tortured, gassed, shot, and treated less than human.

and it is terrifying that we find ourselves today having to defend the fact that it even happened. so we say never again to remind the world that we just didn't wake up one moment to gas chambers and genocide. it was a slow and deliberate effort, dehumanizing jews and others, fomenting fear, and normalizing extremism and prejudice. today, holocaust denial, anti-semitism is on the rise. the incidents of anti-semitism reported -- this is just reported to the anti-defamation league -- has risen significantly by 47% in their last report. that's over 2700 incidents -- 2,700 incidents reported in a year that are reported. vandalism, harassment, assaults, molotov cocktails thrown at

synagogues, defaced jewish cemeteries. i could go on and on. the point is the -- it is clear that anti-semitism is real. and in my own hometown county of palm beach county, which is home to tens of thousands of jews, just this month -- i should say in january, there were nazi symbols projected on buildings. there were hundreds and hundreds of anti-semitic flyers thrown into the yards of people. so mr. speaker, i say, what should we do? what must we do? combating anti-semitism is everyone's responsibility. there's something for all of us to do to promote a more inclusive and respectful society. so let me just give a to-do list. it's not necessarily inclusive,

but some things we should all take to heart. believe it or not, a significant number of our young people don't have any understanding of the holocaust. and so, of course, education and awareness about the holocaust and the history of anti-semitism and the harm it causes, that is something that's very important. education. and all of us must speak out and condemn anti-semitism wherever and whenever it calls, whether it's using your voice, your facebook page, your twitter, writing letters to the editor. if you see something, you must say something. and we should be working with our great partners who across different sectors and levels of government to combat anti-semitism and protect our jewish communities. partners like the a.d.l. and the american jewish committee and many others.

and we have to keep our house of worship safe. and not just synagogues but churches and mosques. people must be free in this country to go to a house of worship and feel safe. and we must support the laws and policies that protect people and communities from discrimination. that's all, as i said, discrimination, and that is improving hate crime reporting and prosecuting hate crimes. building a bridge, mr. speaker -- as i finish up, let me just refer to a magnificent hero in my community, been ferenz, the last -- ben ferenz, the last -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. ms. frankel: would be a long and arduous task. a task we must all take up in words and actions. and i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from florida. without objection. five minutes. >> i rise today to call on the biden administration to close the disposable e-cigarette loophole. i commend this administration's work to curtail youth e-cigarette use. the usage is at a historic low but the guidance issued by the prior administration that prohibits flavored e-cigarettes does not apply to those currently on the market. it is important to note that nondisposable products with car sin jens are already beened by -- banned by the f.d.a. but the loophole on disposable e-cigar

e-cigarettes is usage by youth. it is up by 2,000 percent since 2019. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick it is dangerous -- it is a dangerous oversight that can easily be fixed by closing the trump-era loophole. disposable cigarettes are a single use. they are not meant to be refilled or recharged. right now in smoke shops and corner stores and around the country, you might see dozens of disposable e-cigarette products in flavors like iced cherry mango, lemonade. these products seek -- these products are sleek, affordable, pocket size and highly accessible to our youth. the president can take immediate action by closing this trump-era loophole. the future and safety of the american youth depends on this. mr. speaker, last week, florida governor ron desantis' administration blocked a new

advanced placement african-american history course from being taught in florida high schools. arguing that the courts violates state law and is historically inaccurate. the desantis administration rejection of the a.p. course is unfathomable, unsound, and unacceptable. instead of improving and expanding on the quality of education for florida high school students, this administration's extreme agenda aims to roll back the clock by denying its students the right to explore the painful, complex, and rich history of african-americans in our country. the rejection of this course is an attempt to erase from our memory the truth about how hate, bigotry has destroyed our nation's moral fabric and ushered in one of the darkest moments of united states history. gov governor ron desantis' claim that he wants to protect people from the woke indoctrination but what he really wants to do is deny the truth by making bigoted

re relics more digestible for future generations. it's only when we learn from our past that we can embrace the present and confidently shape our future. the value of african-american history and culture fails to move our states and our country forward. if is these theatrics, schemes by the g.o.p. that cripple our nation and growth and doesn't show us who we are as a nation. america's diversity is in fact its greatest strength and every culture has to be respected and celebrated. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until noon today. >> the u.s. house today

considering several pandemic related measures. one of the bills would immediately end the covid-19 national emergency declared by president trump in march of 2020 much the white house has announced it plans to extend the emergency declaration until may 11 of this year. the other measure in the house requires federal employees to return to in-office work. also on the agenda this week, a resolution to remove democratic congresswoman ilhan omar from the house foreign affairs committee. watch live coverage when house members return at noon eastern today here on c-span. we take you live now to a house oversight committee hearing looking at covid-19 relief programs. we join this in progress. >> president trump tweeted and again reiterated that, quote, china's been working very hard to containt coronavirus. it will all work out. i want to thank president xi. then went on to say that