E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2019 No. 82 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was lies in 99 percent of America’s counties spond to unmet needs of low-income in- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- to help provide life-changing services dividuals, families, and communities pore (Ms. JACKSON LEE). that create pathways out of poverty. affected by the opioid or substance f Every year, these agencies help tens abuse crisis; of thousands of children and youth A provision requiring Federal ap- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO with before- and after-school programs; proval of State applications and plans, TEMPORE more than 165,000 unemployed people with provisions to allow direct Federal The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- get a job; almost 220,000 families find funding of local agencies if a State fore the House the following commu- safe and affordable housing; and about plan fails to meet Federal require- nication from the Speaker: 6.5 million people, including seniors, ments; and WASHINGTON, DC, make their homes more energy effi- A renewed commitment to stream- May 16, 2019. cient and lower their utility bills. lining the program’s stated purpose to I hereby appoint the Honorable SHEILA Earlier this spring, I was proud to in- reduce poverty through support for JACKSON LEE to act as Speaker pro tempore troduce H.R. 1695, the Community Community Action Agencies that im- on this day. Services Block Grant Reauthorization prove economic security for low-in- NANCY PELOSI, Act of 2019, with Congresswoman come individuals and families and cre- Speaker of the House of Representatives. BETTY MCCOLLUM. ate new opportunities in the commu- f This bill renews our Nation’s com- nities where they live. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE mitment to reducing poverty through This bill will help more than 15 mil- locally driven, comprehensive ap- lion low-income Americans and provide The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- proaches. resources necessary to help lift individ- ant to the order of the House of Janu- Madam Speaker, the Community uals and families out of poverty. ary 3, 2019, the Chair will now recog- Services Block Grant traces its roots Madam Speaker, it is time to reau- nize Members from lists submitted by back more than 50 years ago to the thorize the Community Services Block the majority and minority leaders for Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. This Grant, and I urge all my colleagues to morning-hour debate. act established local Community Ac- support this bill, especially during The Chair will alternate recognition tion Agencies to help identify why peo- Community Action Month. between the parties. All time shall be ple were in poverty and how to address f equally allocated between the parties, it using public and private resources, a and in no event shall debate continue great public-private partnership. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW beyond 11:50 a.m. Each Member, other These agencies act as a safety net for The SPEAKER pro tempore. The than the majority and minority leaders low-income individuals and families. Chair recognizes the gentleman from and the minority whip, shall be limited Even more importantly, they help cre- Texas (Mr. GREEN) for 5 minutes. to 5 minutes. ate opportunities for people to move Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speak- f from poverty to independence. That is er, it is my privilege to be recognized the true measure of success as we look by you for this 5 minutes. COMMUNITY ACTION MONTH at these Community Action Agencies. Madam Speaker, I rise, and still I The SPEAKER pro tempore. The The Community Services Block rise, because I love my country and be- Chair recognizes the gentleman from Grant is the only Federal program with cause I believe that no one is above the Pennsylvania (Mr. THOMPSON) for 5 the explicit goal of reducing poverty, law. minutes. regardless of the cause. Unfortunately, We say that quite religiously here in Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. this program has not been reauthorized this institution: No one is above the Madam Speaker, I rise today to recog- in more than 20 years. law. nize May as Community Action Month. Our bill makes important updates I have in my hand the ‘‘Report on the This year marks the 55th year since that will strengthen the Community Investigation into Russian Interference the Community Action Network was Services Block Grant and the network in the 2016 Presidential Election.’’ This established to help American families it supports, including: document, known as the Mueller re- and communities overcome obstacles A new federally administered Com- port, has been released to the public for to poverty. There are more than 1,000 munity Action Opioid Response Grant some 29 days now. Community Action Agencies across the that will enable Community Action Since its release, we have had many country that reach children and fami- Agencies to fill service gaps and re- persons, many of whom are Members of 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. H3845 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:39 May 17, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A16MY7.000 H16MYPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with HOUSE H3846 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 16, 2019 this august body, say that they have dent has gone above the law because if we didn’t have a Republican Presi- concluded that the President has com- until the President is impeached, those dent, and if we didn’t have Americans mitted impeachable acts. Some have who say that he should be impeached, with better sense. gone so far as to say that he should be those who say there is evidence enough Look, is the climate changing? Yes, impeached. I am one of them. to impeach, until this President is im- it is changing. What are the factors? We have also had hundreds of law- peached, we who say this must con- What are the variables? How serious? yers, many of whom are prosecutors clude that he is above the law. Which variables are contributing over and former prosecutors, say that if I love my country. I stand on the law. the others? anyone else committed the offenses I believe in the Constitution. As such, Let me tell you what is real. What is outlined in this document, the Mueller I believe that this House has a duty real is the responsibility we have to report, that person would be arrested and a responsibility to take up im- steward our environment. and prosecuted. That person would be peachment. I want clean air and water for my prosecuted. That person would not be The SPEAKER pro tempore. Mem- three children. I think, as leaders of above the law. bers are reminded to refrain from en- this great country, we ought to be re- Hence, since this document addresses gaging in personalities toward the sponsible for providing not only a land acts by the President, since the Presi- President. of opportunity for the future of our dent is not being prosecuted, and since f children but a clean land of oppor- the House of Representatives has not AMERICA LEADS THE WAY tunity. moved to impeach the President, one Let’s just get the facts straight for The SPEAKER pro tempore. The can conclude that the President is in- the American people. America has been Chair recognizes the gentleman from deed now, for some 29 days, above the leading the way in this regard. The Texas (Mr. ARRINGTON) for 5 minutes. law. Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I Clean Air Act is one example. No one is above the law, unless you appreciate the warnings to not men- We had six key pollutants that we are the President. tion the President, but you know what? identified, in a bipartisan way, that No one is above the law. The House of They are going to continue to come. had an impact on our health and well- Representatives has a duty to enforce They won’t be heeded. being in this country. We have reduced the law. People say they have respect for the those pollutants by 73 percent since The President of the United States of rule of law. Do they even have respect 1970. At the same time, we have grown America, it has been said by constitu- for the House rules and the dignity this economy 230 percent. tional scholars, by Members of this au- that we have as leaders of our country America is leading the way. In green- gust body, and by lawyers—hundreds— to follow those rules? house gases, from 2005 to 2017, U.S. en- that he is subject to the law and that How can we ask the American people ergy-related emissions fell by 14 per- he should be properly prosecuted. to follow rules we pass when we don’t cent when the rest of the world in- It is not happening. follow the rules even on the House creased their emissions by 20 percent. The prosecution of the President in floor? Folks, through American innovation, the House of Representatives will take Madam Speaker, I know you under- through reasonable regulations, we place once impeachment is initiated. stand this. My heart is heavy because I have been able to lead the world and Until impeachment is initiated, this sit here, prepared to speak about one provide for a cleaner environment and President is above the law.