The speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. The chair lays before the house a commune cane from the speaker. Communication from the speaker. 2020, ik september 22, hereby appoint the honorable Henry Cuellar to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. Nancy pelosi, speaker of the house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the order of the house of january 7, 2020, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. The chair will alternate recognition between the parties. With time equally allocated between parties and each member other than the majority and minority leaders and minority whip limited to five minutes. But in no event shall debate continue beyond 10 50 a. M. Chair now recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. Quigley, for five minutes. Mr. Quigley thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to highlight the inequalities that covid19 assistance distribution. Back in march, House DemocratsGlobal Health crisis was causing an economic crisis. Americans struggled, we provided them with stimulus checks to help them make ends these uncertain times. However, not everyone who was to these checks received them. The senate wrongfully included a cares act that prevented families with only one merican citizen parent and another who is a taxpaying this ant from receiving financial assistance. Let me repeat this. Citizens of the United States prevented from receiving stimulus checks because of who they love. Discrimination must be corrected. E need to help people like lacy, an amazing, hardworking citizens who works for the state to rnment and isnt able receive a stimulus check. Lacy and her spouse have been years and were married in 2010. They have raised six beautiful are u. S. All of whom citizens. For the past seven years, lacy v. A. Home in the quincy, illinois. She works long hours to make veteran residents are safe, healthy, and happy, and in her an his job made essential frontline worker. Lacy loves her job and loves her residents like they are her home family. Onset of covid, shes continued her hard work and dedication to her job. Has picked up overtime shifts to cover for coworkers who are sick and has worked hard ensure the standards of care high. Facility remain she is a United States citizen who works every day to care for nations veterans. Despite her service to our country and the fact she and her are american citizens, her family did not receive a heck all because her spouse is an immigrant using an itin and taxes jointly. Shes done everything in her power to speak out and advocate and has connected with others like her in the facebo Facebook Group mixed Family Status united. I am being quote, punished for who i married. We both work. Our taxes. Why are we being treated like secondclass citizens . Resonate because she is right. She is being treated like a citizen. Ass i ask you during a period of unprecedented challenges, when mericans are facing more than one crisis, when we are depending on essential workers is it right for our country to treat people differently based on the immigration status of their ones . As a country, i believe we can and should do better. Is no scenario in which citizens should be denied the to. They are entitled likewise, taxpaying immigrants ho are paying their fair share should not be denied assistance, left out on their own. Act, eased the heroes which the house passed more than this ys ago, rectifies issue and makes everyone eligible for a check. I believe everyone should receive a stimulus check egardless of their citizenship status, at the very least, we need to ensure all u. S. Citizens receive a check regardless who are. Spouses and underscore the necessity of ncluding a fix that corrects this provision retroactively and for any additional stimulus forward. Ovided moving we must stand with mixed status families and continue to fight them and their rights. Now more than ever we need to provide for people that are due to this pandemic. I urge my colleagues to join me n taking swift action to resolve this issue. Thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Joyce, for five minutes. Speaker, after too long, americans are waking up to the dangers of the Chinese Communist party. As we combat the economic and Health Ramifications of the coronavirus, its never been take on rtant that we this hostile regime. Its been my honor to serve on force and help expose the threats that the Chinese Communist party poses to our National Security and to the American People. Just yesterday, congressman Michael Mccaul released the ouse Foreign Affairs committees report into the originalins of the origins of coronavirus pandemic. Their evidence clearly confirms that the Chinese Communist party overed up the coronavirus, enabling a local outbreak to become a pandemic. Communist party knew that the coronavirus could be humantohuman transmission. And yet, this regime hid global leaders, Public Health experts, and even organization. Th leaders in the Chinese Communist government knew that this virus be catastrophic. And yet, they deliberately chose missteps p their rather than sound an alarm and virus e world that this was being unleashed. Lies cost american livelihood. Cost american lives. This pandemics destruction prevented. Been this didnt have to happen. A , americans are facing choice. If we do not act now, who will partyhe Chinese Communist from simply repeating this coverup . Is not an option. America must prevent another reaching our shores. There. Work cannot stop sadly, the chinese governments far ious acts extends beyond the coronavirus pandemic. From cyberattacks on american blatant overreach into our Virtual Networks to our academic institutions and illicit on american kills streets, we cannot ignore the governments chinese governments pervasive threats to our nation. No speaker, this is distraction. This is reality. For the safety of the american our e, for the future of nation, the Chinese Communist accountable. Held for months, the China Task Force has focused on researching these exploring legislative solutions. We are currently working on a that will detail our findings and recommend a forward. Path while our work on this report is oming to a close, our commitment to the cause will continue. Uring these busy days, i recognize that many issues are competing for americas time. These threats require our action. Chinese governments coverup of the coronavirus action. Requires the chinese governments requires n of uyghurs actions. The chinese governments monopoly of the medical supply requires actions. The chinese governments attempts to control the worlds requires actions. Despite the challenges that we americang at home, the people must stand together gainst the Chinese Communist party. Our National Security should never be a partisan issue. Health of the American People should never be a issue. N by working together, we can strengthen our defenses, defend rights, spur innovation and equip americans to lead the innovation. L moving forward, it is imperative continues to strengthen our supply chain, pursue fair trade deals with and ultimately to hold the Chinese Communist party for its actions. Nce again, its been my privilege to serve the American People as a member of the China Task Force. For the eader mccarthy opportunity to serve, and i am grateful to chairman michael leadership. Is this is a long road. But its worth the fight. Believe, america will win that fight. Yield the and i remainder of tie tie my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentlewoman massachusetts, ms. Minutes. For five ms. Pressley mr. Speaker, i solidarity with alopecia. With today, nearly seven americans, i alopecia. An autoimmune disease that attacks the hair follicles. Highly mon condition is unpredictable. Hair can grow back in or fall and the at any time course is different for each person. Disproportionately affects children and black particularly black women. Some people may say its just hair. Living nd many people with alopecia, hair is linked to our identity and our cultural expression. Have our own unique tories with our alopecia diagnosis. Mine began nearly a year ago as patchider noticed a small of balancedness. Baldness. Waking up fter i was with sinks full of hair. Vividly. R the moment i was alone in my d. C. Separated intrated from my family. On the same day it would have 72nd birthday s and on the eve of an impeachment vote. Was standing in the bathroom staring at my reflection in the mirror and for the first time i completely bald. For months, i had dreaded the moment when it would be all gone. Looking at myself in the mirror that night, i felt relief. And acceptance. It was a moment of grace. God for that. In a matter of weeks, i would eyebrows, andhes, the rest of my hair and be diagnosed with alopecia, one of forms of alopecia. Im still coming to terms with alopecia reality and the impact of my traumatic hair loss. The supporthanks to of my family, my staff, and the broader Alopecia Community and others who have experienced hair loss, i am making progress. The making progress despite hateful comments, the cruel and constant Online Harassment about the intrusive and ignorant questions on the unsolicited the advice and stares, lots of stares. It, a bald woman entering the room, entering the house of he u. S. Representatives makes people uncomfortable. Challenges every antiquated, cultural norm about hat is professional, what a pretty, what is feminine. But in the loss, the hurt, and ache of it all, ive never lost sight of the following. I am sandy and martins daughter. I am conans wife. Am coras step mom. And i am the congresswoman for massachusetts seventh Congressional District. Mr. Speaker, i am now bald but i health and i am in incredible company. I have received an outpouring of love from people across the globe who are living with alopecia. Arly on i received a note from an elementary age schoolgirl who has alopecia. She told me about the first time she walked into school after her diagnosis. To your right up friends and tell them, im still me, she wrote. A reminder like that as they navigate the world . Those little acts of kindness solidarity have defined this experience too. Im proud to be in good company of those fighting for people with alopecia. Theres an entire community thats been working tirelessly their stories and to educate the public on the impact erada. Ecia for three decades, the National Alopecia foundation have been working to been garner congressional support for research and treatment development. Longtime friend and partner n good, congressman mcgovern, allowed medical wigs to be the Medicare Program so seniors can get wigs. The house passed my amendment to provide an additional 5 million worth in next years funding for of National Institutes health. Which will Fund Research to increase our understanding of causes, impacts, and ossible treatments of alopecia areata. I will continue to fight. My seat at the table. I will take up space. And i will create it, too. With this space, we will make change. Every Single Person deserves to world exactly as they are without fear or discrimination. Fellow alopecians, today i you may be, bring our stories to the floor of the peoples house to say we belong, our stories deserve to we are absolutely beautiful and worthy. Thank you. I yield. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. Foxx, for five minutes. Ms. Foxx thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, maligned policies from democrats seek to defund, destroy, and dismantle our country are dangerous. Quite frankly, these policies pose a threat to the liberties and freedoms that define the American Dream as we know it. Republicans understand this threat and we refuse to sit idly on the sidelines. Thats why we have developed our commitment to america. The message is simple. Restoring, renewing, and rebuilding america is a mandate that we must work every day to uphold. We are fighting for families, for generations of americans to come, and for a country that has always served as a beacon of hope to the world. In short, its a blueprint that gets our country back on track. The American People deserve leaders who fight for freedom. The values that we hold dear. And the promise of the American Dream. Mr. Speaker, its such a Pivotal Moment in the history of our country. We must work to advance policies that are progrowth, profamily, and proamerica. Anything less is unacceptable. Time and time again americans have turned their backs on the American People with a my way or the highway approach to legislating. This year alone the house of representatives has taken up a myriad of bipartisan messaging bills that do nothing to help our country. If anything, these bills send a concerning message about the democrat vision for america. Substantive legislation has been pushed to the back burner. The spirit of bipartisanship has been rendered virtually nonexistence and political posturing as replaced meaningful conversations on pressing issues. We have had ample opportunities to Work Together but democrats have taken it upon themselves to prolong a partisan blockade that stifles progress. Mr. Speaker, thats wrong and thats not leadership. Leadership is fighting for the American People at every turn. Leadership is defending the promises of American Dream. Leadership is advancing policies that raise america to new heights. Im proud to stand alongside leader mccarthy and my republican colleagues as we chart a meaningful pathway forward. The road ahead may seem uncertain or even arduous, but we are confident with steadfast leadership and commonsense policies, america will flourish. Yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. Bera, for five minutes. Mr. Bera mr. Speaker, i rise today to celebrate the passage of my bipartisan measure, h. R. 1646, the helping Emergency Responders overcome act. The hero act. The heroes act is the best of what we do in this peoples house. Which is accessible to our constituents and others. Thats why we love the house of representatives. Over 2 1 2 years ago, two of my fire chiefs visited my office here in washington, d. C. , to talk about some issues. In passing, they also talked about the number of firefighters and First Responders that succumb to suicide, and the stresses of the job. We talked about it and we started to do a little bit of research. We realized we didnt have good statistics on the actual incidents of firefighters or First Responders that were coming to suicide. We started to talk to others, the International Association of firefighters, we talked to Law Enforcement, we realized the stresses that these individuals, men and women who are out there protecting our communities every day face. Challenges that normal human beings dont see. We started talking about this. We looked for those statistics. Talked to the Firefighter Behavioral Alliance founder, and realized we ought to challenge the c. D. C. To collect these statistics. And we ought to do something about it. We ought to help relieve the suffering of these First Responders, firefighters, Law Enforcement individuals. So we went about writing a bill, working with our partners. That was before the covid19 pandemic hit. What we have seen since the pandemic is untold pressures on our Frontline Health care workers, our nurses, the folks in the hospitals. I want to applaud a fellow doctor, republican member, mike burgess, who is the Ranking Member on the energy and Commerce Health care subcommittee. He realized this fact and working together with our staff we amended the heroes act to include and recognize the unique stresses that these Frontline Health care workers are facing. We talked about how they dont need to suffer by themselves. We could put in place pier to pier peer to peer contacts, create space where some of these individuals who might be suffering alone to talk about whats going on. I also want to thank the Ranking Member on the energy and Commerce Committee, chairman pallone the chairman pallone, Ranking Member walden, as well as the chairwoman of the e. N. C. Health subcommittee, ms. Eshoo, for helping get this bill to the floor and getting it passed yesterday in the evening. Again, the heroes act demonstrates what we can do when we come together as democrats and republicans when we listen to our con