December 19, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7885 know of institutions and organizations nomic development bills, conservation gress and make their voices heard. that did that, and to learn they were bills, research bills, and nutrition bills. They have an incredible role model in disregarded causes me to have great She and I—and I am the first Senator MARCIA FUDGE. concerns. in half a century to be on the Ag Com- I am grateful, Congresswoman The Senator from Missouri, Mr. mittee for some of the same reasons FUDGE, to have you as my Congress- BLUNT, and I have probed Secretary Congressman FUDGE is on this com- woman. I am proud to call you a col- Azar, the Secretary of Health and mittee. We have worked together to league and a friend. Human Services, on this subject, and write two farm bills. f we are eagerly awaiting his justifica- This year, we both served on the ECONOMY tion for what appears to be a major sig- bill’s conference committee, and we nificant error. It appears that HRSA fought House Republican efforts to Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I noticed and OPTN making policy in such a erect more bureaucracy to gut nutri- today news reports from Bloomberg reckless fashion has become the nor- tion programs in Ohio that families that the year 2017 is shaping up to be or mal state of affairs. Additional over- rely on. These are programs for people likely was the most profitable year in sight may be necessary to ensure that making $8, $10, $12 an hour who don’t Wall Street history. So what is fairness in organ allocation policy is have quite enough income to feed their Congress’s reaction to that? What hap- protected and some common sense pre- families. We won that fight. pens in the majority leader’s office? vails in future policy. I know there is a Tomorrow the President is scheduled More special interest legislation, more group of Senators who are working on to sign the bipartisan farm bill we breaks for Wall Street, more tax cuts. legislation to do just that. passed with overwhelming bipartisan So this Congress—this Congress has de- I am very disappointed in the actions support in both Houses. Congress- cided that Wall Street never quite has of HRSA, OPTN, and UNOS. This proc- woman FUDGE and I worked to right a enough; that the richest people in this ess has been flawed from start to fin- century-old wrong and get Central country are never rich enough; that ish, guided not by what is best for the State University the 1890 land grant the most powerful people in this coun- country but how to sidestep a single status they deserve. That designation try are not powerful enough. lawsuit. isn’t just a rhetorical honor; it means So what happens down the hall in the Organ procurement and allocation more opportunities for funding and re- majority leader’s office? What happens policy is too important. It is about life search in partnerships with industry— way down the hall in the Speaker’s of- and death and is too important to be the sort of results that Marcia delivers fice, although voters this year decided simply decided by lawsuits and for her district. this year to eject him and his staff and countersuits, which I fear now will be- She is a leader among her colleagues. his cohorts and his fellow travelers—if come the way of addressing this issue. As head of the Congressional Black I can use a phrase like that—from that I will continue to work to protect our Caucus, she led the fight on so many office and elect a whole different group hospitals, our doctors, and particularly issues, including working to ensure of people. our patients—Americans—from this that all Americans have a voice in What they have done is meet behind policy that disregarded all input from their government. closed doors to help the oil companies, those in the transplant community. A few years ago, we held a field hear- the drug companies, the gun lobby, and This discussion cannot be seen as any- ing on barriers too many Ohioans face help especially Wall Street. In fact, not thing coming to a close. It is far from exercising their most fundamental only are there all kinds of Wall Street over. I remain committed to finding right—the right to vote. MARCIA was a lobbyists day in and day out—tobacco answers, changing the tide, and putting star in that hearing. It came in the lobbyists, gun lobbyists, and others, patients and providers first in these wake of a despicable Ohio law and, but the White House itself looks like a life-or-death scenarios. frankly, years of attempts at voter retreat for Wall Street executives. I thank you. suppression by Ohio Republicans—a We know that. That is why, I guess, I yield the floor. despicable Ohio law that cut the num- Wall Street had such a great year in The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ber of early voting days in half. 2017. ator from Ohio. We know exactly whom these laws f f are aimed at. MARCIA testified about how these suppression tactics hurt TRIBUTE TO PAT ROGALA TRIBUTE TO MARCIA FUDGE communities of color. Unfortunately, Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I want to Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, 10 years it has gotten worse—limiting absentee honor the career of Patricia Rogala, ago this summer, we lost a longtime balloting, restricting provisional bal- who has been with my office our entire friend of mine and colleague, a remark- loting—and the Supreme Court, a 12 years in the Senate and my 14 years able public servant, Congresswoman Court that puts its thumb on the scale in the House before that. Pat is the Stephanie Tubbs Jones. of justice in support of corporations model of a dedicated public servant. When MARCIA FUDGE, then the mayor over workers, a Court that puts its After more than 25 years serving the of Warrensville Heights, a Cleveland thumb on the scale of justice to sup- people of Ohio, Pat is retiring at the suburb, won the special election to port Wall Street over consumers, and a end of the year. Stephanie’s seat to represent the 11th Court that rubberstamps all these re- Her first day on the job in Cleveland, Congressional District, including strictions on voting. Congress was in the middle of a fight— Cleveland and the home where Connie I look forward to continuing our sounds familiar—over healthcare. and I live, she had big shoes to fill, but fight alongside MARCIA against these Some local activists sent an Elvis im- MARCIA rose to the occasion. For the tactics straight out of the Jim Crow personator to the office singing a past decade, she has been a fighter for era. I know MARCIA will continue to be healthcare song to the tune of ‘‘It’s my hometown of Cleveland and the a leader. There is no doubt, even before Now or Never.’’ Pat said at the time, east side suburbs into Akron and all her election to Congress, that MARCIA ‘‘What am I getting myself into?’’ the Ohioans she serves. was a force to be reckoned with: a Fortunately, she stayed. As our Ohio On the Education and Workforce former mayor, a former congressional scheduler, she has sent me all over my Committee, she has become a senior chief of staff, and former national State. She has helped me put more leader who knows how to get things president—as important as anything road miles on our made-in-Toledo Jeep done. She stands up for Ohio’s teach- she has done, I think in her mind—of Cherokee than any travel agent ever ers, students, and families. Delta Sigma Theta. She still helps lead could. MARCIA also joined the Agriculture efforts to bring Deltas from around the She has made sure I am able to serve Committee, perhaps not initially seen country to the Hill each year for Delta Ohioans through meetings and as a natural fit for someone with an Days. Hundreds of driven, ambitious, roundtables and plant visits. She urban district like hers, but she under- smart, committed, empathetic talented juggles a Senate schedule that stands that farm bills are not just Black women come to our Nation’s changes—as we see tonight—always at about crops. They are food bills, eco- Capitol to meet with Members of Con- the last minute. She ensures that this

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:31 Dec 20, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19DE6.085 S19DEPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE S7886 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 19, 2018 office serves every corner of Ohio. She deed transferred to my account yesterday. I sounding that alarm. He met with Beth works directly in concert and coordina- cannot thank your office enough. I cannot and told her how bad things were. A tion with Diana Baron in our Wash- even begin to explain what a Christmas gift crisis at the time, Ohio—a generally ington office. It is a tough job, but Pat this is. I truly was beginning to wonder and wealthy State, which could do so much worry about how I was going to make ends makes it look easy. meet for the next several months. better were it not for corrupt State One of our colleagues in our office government—had the third highest in- Again, it is par for the course for wrote this week that Pat has been a fant mortality rate in the country, and Margaret Molnar. true friend and wonderful coworker. ranked last for African-American ba- Another woman wrote after her What a loss we will feel come Monday bies. brother passed away, who Margaret when she is not sitting in her office Beth started this conversation before helped in the last years of his life: hard at work. It is a loss to all of us. many people were paying attention. We will miss you, Pat. You have had I will never forget how much you have She pushed every level of government helped enrich Robert’s life while he was with an incredible impact on your col- us. Forever, we will be grateful. You imme- to take this seriously. She talked with leagues. You made such a difference diately responded to my email and got the public health departments, with home serving Ohio for the people of Ohio, but ball rolling and never gave up on Robert. visiting programs, with hospitals, with after a quarter of a century, you have You are like family. nurses, with doctors. She started con- earned a long and happy retirement. Another woman wrote: versations with legislators and legisla- Your family needs you, and your fam- I did not know how to fight this type of tive staff about what we could do on ily loves you so. issue, it seemed bigger than life to me. You the Federal level, the State level, and Thank you, Pat. truly have done a wonderful job. I appreciate the local level. (Mr. RUBIO assumed the Chair.) you stepping in for me . . . your office truly It is because of her that we passed f cares about people. and President Obama signed the bipar- In a last note, another couple wrote: tisan Sudden Unexpected Death Data TRIBUTE TO MARGARET MOLNAR ‘‘I hope Senator Brown knows how for- Enhancement and Awareness Act. It is Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I rise to tunate he is to have you on his staff.’’ because of Beth that we wrote to the honor the career of Margaret Molnar, a I know that, and Ohio knows that. Consumer Product Safety Commission dedicated public servant who has made f and got them to add warnings to crib a difference in the lives of thousands of bumpers to promote safe sleep. Ohioans and who is retiring soon after TRIBUTE TO BETH THAMES It is because of Beth’s hard work that 12 years with my office. Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I rise to then-Secretary of HHS Sylvia Mathews She joined my Ohio staff the very honor the career of an indispensable Burwell visited my hometown of Mans- first year I came to the Senate after a member of my staff, Elizabeth Thames. field, OH, to see the great work that long career at Legal Aid. Her entire life Beth has been with my office for over the Doctors Redding—husband and has been dedicated to helping those 20 years—all 12 years in the Senate and wife, two doctors in Mansfield, OH, my people in need. In the past 12 years, about a decade in the House before hometown—were doing and to see the Margaret has worked on more than that. great work they and community health 10,000 cases. Those are 10,000 Ohioans Now, after serving the people of Ohio workers were doing to help moms have whose lives she has touched. Many of for these 20-plus years, Beth retires at healthy pregnancies and deliver these were seniors trying to navigate the end of the year. She joined our of- healthy babies. The change was dra- bureaucracy and get the Social Secu- fice after working as an editor at the matic in the number of healthy babies rity and Medicare benefits they have Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Far from who were born as a result of the work earned. Margaret went above and be- being the enemy of the people, Beth of all of them. yond the call of duty for them. knew what journalism was, knew how We have more to do, but all of Beth’s She worked on one case for 5 years. It important it is, and knew to tell sto- efforts have given our State important was a complicated one, helping an Ohi- ries to help people, to afflict the com- tools to pay attention to monitor this oan who was taken as a baby from fortable, and to comfort the afflicted. problem and to figure out how to solve Lithuania, brought to a displaced per- Beth brought that same spirit to our it. sons camp in Germany after World War office. She helped our office to connect For Beth, of course, it wasn’t just in- II, and then finally brought to Amer- with the community in Northeast Ohio fant mortality. Any time she heard ica. and around the State. She writes down about an issue in a meeting or round- They were having trouble finding the the name of every single Ohioan we table, any time she heard about how documents he needed to prove his eligi- meet together so we can better serve our office could look and search for and bility for Social Security and Medi- them. Her work has had an amazing find problems and find ways to be help- care, two Federal programs for which impact on the people of Ohio. ful, she was. She called agencies and of- he had paid in. The case at times At meetings, at roundtables, and at fices. She talked with legislative staff. seemed hopeless, but Margaret never community events, she listens and she She always tried to find a solution. gave up. This year she was finally able learns about problems. She under- She heard from veterans about the to track down the documents this Ohi- stands what Lincoln was talking about challenges using GI education benefits. oan needed to secure the benefits he when he said: Go out and get your pub- This year she spearheaded our first stu- earned. That was par for the course. lic opinion. She listens to people who dent veterans conference. We spread She worked on another case for a don’t often get listened to, and she is a around the State to help student vet- constituent who had been trying to get voice for people whose voices are often erans, soldiers, sailors, air men and someone to intervene regarding her not heard. women, and marines who come back mother’s Medicare coverage. The wom- In 2012 and 2013, she began hearing after serving to integrate into class- an’s daughter wrote that Margaret’s more and more about infant mor- rooms in a difficult situation, where ‘‘caring, expertise, and knowledge of tality—a huge problem in our State, they are around college students who the medical system and Federal pro- particularly for African-American ba- are usually younger than they and grams cut through all the gobbledy- bies. Frankly, State government didn’t didn’t have their life experience. She gook I was facing, and pointed us in seem to give a damn. Constituents connects those student veterans with the direction of help when not one would bring up this issue over and resources that allow them to the get other agency or politician would.’’ over, but no one was doing anything the most out of the benefits. Our office has received so many let- about it. She started calling around. For all of her efforts, Beth never ters of praise and thanks like that for She met with anyone who would talk sought recognition. She is generally Margaret. to her about what the State and Fed- quiet as a person. I can imagine her One Ohioan wrote to Margaret: eral Government could do. right now telling me to stop. She You and Senator Brown have accomplished She called Arthur James, a doctor on doesn’t need all this fuss. what I was beginning to believe was impos- the faculty at Ohio State and at the This fall, the Elyria NAACP gave her sible—the Social Security backpay was in- Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He was an award—something she probably

VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:31 Dec 20, 2018 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19DE6.087 S19DEPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE