October 1, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5439 to the cause of civil rights for African Ameri- Justice Ginsburg continued to advocate for the It is estimated that Pennsylvania has cans. marginalized and most vulnerable. more orphaned wells than any other As a young lawyer and Director of the In recent years, she may not have been State. Pennsylvania is the birthplace Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil able to control the outcome of the rulings, but of the modern petroleum industry, and Liberties Union, Ruth Bader Ginsburg litigated she grew bolder in her dissents, often stating the Commonwealth’s oil and gas indus- six landmark cases before the Supreme Court, what should have been the outcome. try has helped lead America to energy winning five out of the six cases. Throughout her tenure on the bench, Ruth independence. Like Justice Marshall, Ruth Bader Gins- Bader Ginsburg displayed her rigorous and in- We have both an economic and envi- burg’s uncanny strategic instincts and careful cisive legal mind and employed her formidable ronmental responsibility to ensure selection of cases were vital in her persuasion skills as a consensus builder, but she could be abandoned wells are plugged, and the of the all-male Supreme Court to start disman- tough and forceful when the moment de- POWER Act would ensure these legacy tling the legal institution of sex discrimination manded. sites are appropriately handled to pro- one case at a time. Nothing illustrates this better than her fa- tect the environment, while also stim- In 1975, Ruth Bader Ginsburg litigated and mous dissent in Shelby County v. Holder, in ulating jobs in the oil and gas sector. won Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld, which would which the 5-to-4 majority negated the Voting This will be a win-win for America and become a landmark case in antidiscrimination Rights Act of 1965 by invalidating section 4 of a win-win, certainly, for Pennsylvania. jurisprudence. the law, which neutralized section 5, the provi- I thank GUY RESCHENTHALER, my col- In this case, the widower had been denied sion of the act that required jurisdictions with league from Pennsylvania, for joining survivor benefits, which would allow him to a history of racial and ethnic discrimination in me on this legislation, and I urge my stay at home and raise his son, based on a voting to obtain preclearance from the federal colleagues to support oil and gas well Social Security provision that assumed only government before any changes in voting pro- remediation through the POWER Act. women were secondary providers with unim- cedures, from polling stations to voter photo f portant incomes. IDs could go into effect. DESIGNATION OF FUNDING FOR While some questioned Ginsburg’s choice to It was in her scathing dissent Justice Gins- OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPER- challenge instances of sex discrimination by burg stated, ‘‘Hubris is a fit word for today’s ATIONS/GLOBAL WAR ON TER- representing a male plaintiff, Ruth Bader Gins- demolition of the VRA’’ and that the majority’s RORISM—MESSAGE FROM THE burg saw it as an opportunity to show the logic was akin to ‘‘throwing away your um- PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED court that childcare was not a sex-determined brella in a rainstorm because you are not get- STATES (H. DOC. NO. 116–156) role to be performed only by women. ting wet.’’ The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. As with many of her cases, her goal was to Unlike the others, Justice Ginsburg was CASE) laid before the House the fol- free both sexes, men as well as women, from able to see the ramifications of the ruling and lowing message from the President of the roles that society had assigned them and its allowances for reinvigorated efforts of voter the United States; which was read and, to harness the Constitution to break down the suppression. together with the accompanying pa- structures by which the state maintained and Today, I join millions of individuals who are pers, referred to the Committee on Ap- enforced those separate spheres. mourning the loss of this legal giant, feminist, propriations and ordered to be printed: As Ruth Bader Ginsburg continued to chal- and trailblazer. lenge the stereotypical assumptions of what Justice Ginsburg loved this country, so To the Congress of the United States: was considered to be women’s work and much so that she served the nation while en- In accordance with section 114(b) of men’s work, she was able to persuade the during illnesses and undergoing treatments division A of the Continuing Appro- Court and the nation that discriminating on the that would have incapacitated lesser mortals. priations Act, 2021 and Other Exten- basis of sex was not only wrong but also a She inspired generations of women then sions Act (H.R. 8337; the ‘‘Act’’), I here- violation of the 14th Amendment of the Con- and now to shatter glass ceilings, and her leg- by designate for Overseas Contingency stitution, which guarantees equal protection to acy will inspire new generations of women in Operations/Global War on Terrorism all all citizens under the law. the years to come. funding (including the rescission of As the courts began to recognize the chang- As the news of her passing continues to re- funds) so designated by the Congress in ing roles of men and women, Ruth Bader verberate across the country and around the the Act pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) Ginsburg was able to advance gender equality world, it is important that we remember and of the Balanced Budget and Emergency with the understanding that women are capa- honor what she stood for and continue fighting Deficit Control Act of 1985, as outlined ble of being heads of households or sole pro- to realize the goal of equal justice under law. in the enclosed list of accounts. viders for their family. I am honored to be able to pay tribute to the The details of this action are set In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed memory of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader forth in the enclosed memorandum Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court, Ginsburg, the ‘Notorious RBG,’ one of the from the Director of the Office of Man- making her the second woman to fill this posi- greatest jurists in our nation’s history, a tire- agement and Budget. tion. less and unyielding champion for equal justice, DONALD J. TRUMP. This historic appointment further symbolized and a fierce defender of the Constitution. THE WHITE HOUSE, October 1, 2020. the principle that women were equal to men in f f every respect, that they could have successful careers and also could, if they chose, be de- ABANDONED WELLS MUST BE DESIGNATION OF FUNDING AS AN voted wives or mothers, thereby breaking bar- PLUGGED EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT— riers for generations of women to follow in her (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT footsteps. asked and was given permission to ad- OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. In fact, many of Ginsburg’s opinions helped dress the House for 1 minute and to re- NO. 116–157) solidify the constitutional protections she had vise and extend his remarks.) The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- fought so hard to establish decades earlier. Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. fore the House the following message While we commemorate Justice Ginsburg’s Mr. Speaker, last week, I introduced from the President of the United work for advancing the women’s movement H.R. 8332, the Plugging Orphan Wells States; which was read and, together both as a Justice and as a lawyer, all are in and Environmental Restoration Act, or with the accompanying papers, referred her debt who cherish the progress made in the POWER Act. This bill would au- to the Committee on Appropriations the areas of LGBTQ+ equality, immigration re- thorize the Federal orphan well reme- and ordered to be printed: form, environmental justice, voting rights, pro- diation program under the Energy Pol- To the Congress of the United States: tections for people with disabilities, and so icy of 2005 for 5 years at $50 million per In accordance with section 114(b) of much more. year. division A of the Continuing Appro- Throughout her life, Ruth Bader Ginsburg The POWER Act would also establish priations Act, 2021 and Other Exten- worked to make the law work so that America a grant program for environmental res- sions Act (H.R. 8337; the ‘‘Act’’), I here- would be more just, equitable, fairer, and bet- toration and reclamation of orphaned by designate as emergency require- ter for all. wells on State as well as private and ments all funding (including the rescis- Whether it be in her legendary dissenting Tribal lands, authorized at $400 million sion of funds) so designated by the Con- opinions or as leader when in the majority, per year for 5 years. gress in the Act pursuant to section VerDate Sep 11 2014 08:35 Oct 02, 2020 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00331 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01OC7.068 H01OCPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE H5440 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 1, 2020 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and partment of Homeland Security (DHS)—Citi- Provided further, not later than 30 calendar Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, zenship and Immigration Services currently days after the date on which a request from as outlined in the enclosed list of ac- located in two locations at 2200 Crystal Drive the Chair or Ranking Member of the Com- counts. in Arlington, VA, and 131 M Street NE in mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure Washington, DC a proposed total annual cost The details of this action are set of the House of Representatives is received of $12,350,000 in Washington, DC; at a pro- by the Administrator of General Services, forth in the enclosed memorandum posed total annual cost of $9,633,000 in North- the Administrator shall provide such Mem- from the Director of the Office of Man- ern Virginia; or at a proposed cost of ber a response in writing that provides any agement and Budget.