Personal Explanation

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to attend votes on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 because my flight from Oregon was delayed because of inclement weather. Had I been present, I would have supported passage of H.R. 5389, Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act, and H.R. 5388, Support for Rapid Innovation Act, and I would have opposed H.R. 5525, End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act.

The Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act and the Support for Rapid Innovation Act are commonsense bills that will make it easier for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify threats to cybersecurity and develop strategies to partner with industry to combat these cyber threats. Cybercrime is--and will continue to be--a serious threat to families, the United States economy, and our national security. I am proud to support two bills that will provide more tools for DHS to use when combating cybercrime.

I would have opposed the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phone Act, a shortsighted bill that seeks to eliminate access to affordable cell phones and broadband for low-income individuals and families. Currently the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Lifeline program provides subsidies for low-income families to obtain landline or wireless cell phones. This service is critical for people looking for jobs, children working on homework after school, and families scattered across the country who need to stay in touch. Under the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phone Act, the Lifeline subsidy would only be available for landline phones. In our increasingly mobile economy, it is neither practical nor fair to force people to rely only on a landline phone. This bill would do nothing to level the playing field for those who need it most, and it would impede families who are trying to make ends meet and struggling to get ahead.

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