議会記録—下院 H68872022/07/20

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H6887 - Congress.gov

 https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2022/07/20/168/120/CREC-2022-07-20-pt1-PgH6887.pdf

July 20, 2022

CO

been under a heat alert. A mega drought is gripping our West and Southwest, drying up critical sources of fresh water and addressing our de-mands for electrical power. And a deep drought has much of North Africa on the edge of famine.

This has happened in one week. Yet, these heat waves will become more fre-quent and intense for decades to come.

We will continue to see the intense heat waves that have been scorching Europe and the U.S. put immense pres-sure on our infrastructure and con-tinue to put lives at risk.

Madam Speaker, we need innovators and entrepreneurs in climate tech. 

We need young people to stand up and demand a world that will be safe for them. 

We need the Biden administra-tion, and we need this Congress.

My colleagues, we need to be bold. 

It is not about comfort. It is not about　staying cool. 

For people across the　globe right now, at this moment, it is　and continues to be about survival. 

It　is time for us to act on climate change.

The future of our planet depends on us.

RECOGNIZING JON DEWITTE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. 

The　Chair recognizes the gentleman from

Michigan (Mr. HUIZENGA) for 5 minutes.

Mr. HUIZENGA. Madam Speaker, I　rise today to say thank you. 

Thank　you to a chief of staff, a colleague, a

confidante, and a special friend.

Jon DeWitte has been my chief of　staff for 11 years. In fact, when I was　elected in 2010, Jon was the first call　that I made. He was my first hire, and　we have been on this journey together.

the entire time.

Now, Jon has had a great track　record here in Washington, D.C., as　well. He worked for the Education and　Workforce Committee. He then went on　to work with former Congressman　Dave Camp. Then when I left the posi-tion of district director from my prede-cessor, Peter Hoekstra, Jon came and　filled that role and filled that position　for 8 years until I got elected, when I　asked him to come back to Washington　and act as my chief of staff.

Well, Jon-two redistrictings, major-ity, minority, government shutdown,impeachments, war, peace-we have　seen just about all of it and have lived　that textbook of political science. 

I　couldn't have done it without him, and　I know he could not have done this　without his family.

I want to say a special thank you, as　well, to Jodi, Nathan, Katie, and Josh　for the sacrifices that they made-the　sacrifices that they have made-for　late nights and early mornings, for　travel, for all the different things that　go into being an excellent chief of　staff. 

He has been one.

Now, I know that there are great　paths ahead for Jon, and great paths　ahead for all of you, but I do know that　our friendship will not end. 

Team　Huizenga is always Team Huizenga,

and Jon is a vital part of that.

So once again, I thank Jon for his　service, not only to me, but more im-portantly, to the constituents of the　Second Congressional District back in　Michigan and service to his country.

A job well done and I thank him.

HOUSING MARKET NEEDS HELP

The SPEAKER pro tempore. 

The　Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

California (Mrs. TORRES) for 5 minutes.

Mrs. TORRES of California. 

Madam　Speaker, I rise today to express con-

cern about the building material sup-ply change bottlenecks and elevated　construction costs that continue to put　a damper on the single-family housing　market.

For the first time since June 2020,both single-family starts and permits　fell below a 1 million annual pace. 

Ad-ditionally, builder confidence in the　market for newly built single-family　homes declined for the seventh straight　month in July, falling 12 points to 55.

According to the National Associa-tion of Homebuilders and the Wells　Fargo Housing Market Index released.

just this week, this marks the lowest　HMI reading since May 2020 and the　largest single-month drop in the his-tory of the HMI, except during the pan-demic.

Building material prices during the　pandemic have hit record highs with　low stock, and prospective buyers are　faced with unaffordable home prices as　a result. Affordable housing is a crit-ical need in the Inland Empire, the dis-trict that I represent, and I urge the　administration to prioritize the ability　and the availability and price of lum-

ber to make more homes affordable.

IN SUPPORT OF NAVY

LIEUTENANT RIDGE ALKONIS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. 

The　Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

American Samoa (Mrs. RADEWAGEN) for　5 minutes.

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Madam Speaker,I rise today in support of U.S. 

Navy　Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis, a sailor cur-

rently stationed abroad in Japan.

While the U.S. and Japanese naval　forces have long maintained a strong　bond, the relationship is deteriorating　as a result of Japanese injustices　against U.S. 

military members.

The case of U.S. Navy Lieutenant　Ridge Alkonis, who is of American Sa-moan descent, exemplifies the dis-parate treatment American sailors re-ceive in Japan.

While driving his wife and three chil-dren to get ice cream during a family　outing, Lieutenant Alkonis suffered a　sudden and unforeseen medical emer-gency which resulted in a tragic car ac-cident causing the death of two Japa-nese citizens. While indeed a tragedy,this was an accident in every sense of　the word.

At the scene of the accident, Lieuten-ant Alkonis was immediately arrested　by Japanese authorities, without re-ceiving any medical care, and impris-oned. 

He was systematically deprived　of sleep, denied legal counsel, and pres-sured to sign false accusations.

The Tokyo High Court rejected the　majority of evidence submitted byLieutenant Alkonis, and last week, his　appeal was dismissed.

I am deeply troubled by Japan's mis-treatment of Lieutenant Alkonis.

These abuses are hurting the U.S.-Japan alliance exactly when it needs to　be strengthened.

I call on President Biden and Ambas-sador Rahm Emanuel to bring Lieuten-ant Alkonis home.

DEFENDING WOMEN'S

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. 

The　Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

the Virgin Islands (Ms. PLASKETT) for 5　minutes.

Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker,the United States Supreme Court deci-sion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health　Organization to uphold the Mississippi　Gestational Age Act and overrule the　Court's prior decision in Roe v. 

Wade　and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern　Pennsylvania v. Casey, declaring that　the constitutional right to abortion　upheld for nearly half a century no

longer exists, ripped away women's　right to make their own reproductive　healthcare decisions.

Nationwide, radical Republicans were　prepared to immediately charge ahead　with measures to take away the free-dom of choice. In Congress, Repub-licans are plotting a nationwide ban to　criminalize abortion, and State legisla-tures are advancing the extremist　agenda to criminalize reproductive

health decisions, including new laws to　arrest doctors and punish women and　those who provide aid. Far-right politi-cians are actively working to dis-mantle the legal protections afforded.

to women and invading their bodily au-tonomy rights.

For centuries, women have fought tenaciously for their fundamental human　rights and we will not stop. On July 18,1848, 174 years and 2 days ago, the first　women's rights convention in the　United States was held in Seneca Falls,New York. The Seneca Falls Conven-tion in 1848 was the first platform for

women to discuss their civil, social,and religious rights and challenge their　inferior status. Feminist leaders and　women across the country coura-geously voiced their collective strug-gles and petitioned for change.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an ardent　activist and leader, presented the　"Declaration of Sentiments," demand-ing the same rights and freedoms that　the Declaration of Independence grant-ed to men at that time. The Seneca　Falls Convention was a cornerstone of　the women's suffragette movement and　paved the path for women's rights　movements.