E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 166 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 No. 214 House of Representatives The House met at noon and was blazed a trail for me and other His- Defending the Affordable Care Act, called to order by the Speaker pro tem- panic Americans to serve our commu- which expanded health coverage to pore (Mr. CLAY). nities proudly in the people’s House. 270,000 New Mexicans; f I also owe my public service to he- Reaching across the aisle to pass roes a little closer to home: My moth- bills into law combating the opioid epi- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO er, Carmen, a retired public school em- demic that has ravished families and TEMPORE ployee; and my late father, Ben, a communities; The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- union iron worker who became Speaker Working with my Republican col- fore the House the following commu- of the New Mexico House of Represent- leagues to make robust investments in nication from the Speaker: atives. They taught me that no job is our world-class national labs; WASHINGTON, DC, too big or too small, and that we must Creating good-paying jobs for New December 17, 2020. be guided by our compassion for others. Mexicans by passing measures to bol- I hereby appoint the Honorable WM. LACY It was their passion for serving others ster our State’s growing outdoor econ- CLAY to act as Speaker pro tempore on this that propelled me to seek public office. omy and to improve broadband deploy- day. Thanks, Mom and Dad. ment in our rural communities; NANCY PELOSI, Passing legislation to preserve and Speaker of the House of Representatives. I also want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Speaker protect Native languages for future f PELOSI, Majority Leader HOYER, and generations; Ensuring New Mexico’s land grants MORNING-HOUR DEBATE Whip CLYBURN and countless other Members for their guidance and and acequias are treated with dignity The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- and respect, and can continue to ant to the order of the House of Janu- mentorship during my career in the House and during these last 2 years thrive; ary 7, 2020, the Chair will now recog- And assisting thousands of New nize Members from lists submitted by that I have served as Assistant Speak- er. Mexicans in navigating our Federal the majority and minority leaders for agencies, helping veterans and seniors I want to thank my colleagues on morning-hour debate. secure their hard-earned benefits, tax- both sides of the aisle for your friend- The Chair will alternate recognition payers navigate the IRS, and new citi- ship and support. between the parties, with time equally zens through the naturalization proc- allocated between the parties and each And thank you to the freshmen Mem- ess. Member other than the majority and bers, the new Members, who I had the Mr. Speaker, I will include in the honor of working with and mentoring minority leaders and the minority RECORD a list of 29 bills I led and 10 whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no during the 116th Congress. During a dif- that I co-led that became law while I event shall debate continue beyond 1:50 ficult time in our Nation’s history, served in the House. p.m. your commitment to our constituents Come January, the Third District and the Nation has inspired me every f will have a new representative in Te- day. resa Leger Fernandez. I know she will FAREWELL TO THE HOUSE OF Thank you to my staff, who work be a champion for working families and REPRESENTATIVES long hours and weekends to serve the for New Mexico. I look forward to con- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The people of New Mexico. Their support tinuing to work with her and the rest Chair recognizes the gentleman from has enabled me to make progress on of my friends in the New Mexico dele- New Mexico (Mr. LUJA´ N) for 5 minutes. the issues that matter most to New gation from the other side of the Cap- Mr. LUJA´ N. Mr. Speaker, I am hon- Mexicans. itol. ored to rise for the last time on the And, finally, thank you to the people I am truly humbled that the people floor of the House of Representatives. of New Mexico’s Third Congressional of New Mexico have sent me to be their Growing up on a small farm in New District. It has been such an honor to voice in the United States Senate. To Mexico, I never imagined that I would represent you. The House and I will be perfectly honest, it hasn’t sunk in walk these hallowed Halls and speak never stop working to make a positive yet. from this Chamber. Of course, I did not difference. But I will miss the people’s House. It get here alone. I stand on the shoulders I am proud of what we were able to has been the privilege of my lifetime to of giants like Dennis Cha´ vez and accomplish for New Mexico’s Third serve here alongside you. Let’s con- Manuel Luja´ n and many others who Congressional District: tinue to heed the call of the American b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H7231 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:26 Dec 18, 2020 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17DE7.000 H17DEPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE H7232 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 17, 2020 people and make a positive difference It took some time to put it back to- then my defeat 2 years later. It became every day that we can. gether and, of course, with Bill’s atten- apparent that political victories and f tion to detail, he made sure that every losses are as transient and vulnerable page was back in the right place. But as my son’s sandcastle on the beach. HONORING THE SERVICE OF BILL he never once ‘‘dropped’’ a bill for me. Especially in a district like ours, a HUGHES Bill is a consummate staffer and a Democrat in a ruby red and gerry- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The humble public servant. He works end- mandered district that President Chair recognizes the gentleman from less hours to ensure that I have the Trump carried by 13 points back in Louisiana (Mr. SCALISE) for 5 minutes. best information and the most impor- 2016, one that had not been served by a Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I also tant facts about key legislation. He Democrat in my lifetime. wish my friend from New Mexico well never made himself part of the story. But we made it here by promising in the next phase of his life. I thank He is that kind of person who deflects something different, by promising to him for his service to our country. attention and credit. work with one another, reach across Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make a In doing so, Bill Hughes has earned the aisle, listen to those we may not bittersweet announcement, and that is the confidence, not only of me, but of agree with, and get things done. to say thank you to a member of my all the leaders that he has worked Washington, D.C., was rife with par- staff who has given 31 years of his life with. Speaker Boehner, Speaker Ryan, tisanship and chaos. However, I didn’t to this great institution. I am talking Leader MCCARTHY all have sought arrive 2 years ago to simply complain; about Bill Hughes. Bill’s advice and counsel during his I came to roll up my sleeves and be Bill Hughes has decided to retire at tenure as my policy director in the part of the solution. Or, as the old the end of the 116th Congress. More whip office. adage goes, I did not come to curse the than one person has remarked over the I am sad to have to say good-bye to darkness, but to light a candle. years that Bill Hughes comes with the Bill. We will miss the House Repub- But it wasn’t just about talk; it was building. Bill has been my policy direc- licans’ ‘‘Senate whisperer,’’ as we refer about action. We said we would work tor since I became the Republican whip to him. But very few have earned the across the aisle, and I was ranked the in 2014. He was my very first hire in thanks and best wishes that Bill leaves fourth most bipartisan Member in Con- that office. But his career was already this institution with. gress. Bill stands out among his peers and legendary when I asked him to unretire I said I would work with anyone to colleagues. He came to Washington and to join the whip team. get things done, and President Trump nearly 40 years ago with a servant’s Bill’s career embodies the American signed two of my bills into law. heart. He came here for a career in Dream. He grew up in South Dakota. I promised to protect our beautiful public service, and he leaves the House He didn’t have connections in Wash- shorelines in South Carolina, and we with more than 33 years of legislative ington.