Providing for Consideration of H.R. Pfas Action Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Consumer Protection and Recovery Act; and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Averting Loss of Life and Injury By Expediting Sivs Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule under consideration today.

Well before coming to Congress, I provided legal services for Iraqis and Afghans who had put their lives at risk as drivers, translators, and contractors to help our military abroad. They needed help to obtain the Special Immigrant Visas they were promised in return.

From that experience, I know firsthand that the process is rigorous and time-consuming. Even before the pandemic, it could take years for these critical allies to receive the special visas they were promised. During that time, they and their families faced continual threats of injury and death. Many died, had to go into hiding, or had their relatives killed because they had assisted U.S. forces.

As the U.S. leaves Afghanistan after almost two decades of unending war, we need to streamline the SIV process so that we can make good on America's promise to our Afghan allies who risked their lives to protect our troops.

The ALLIES Act would ensure that the U.S. keeps its promise to protect those allies who worked with U.S. troops in Afghanistan. We must pass this bill quickly so that no one is left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to state my support for the other two bills in today's rule.

My region knows just how pervasive and dangerous the PFAS chemicals are. Pennsylvania has multiple PFAS-contaminated sites, and my district is downstream from a couple of them.

Uncontaminated drinking water should not be a debatable topic. For the health and safety our families, friends, and neighborhoods, we need to properly regulate and remediate PFAS chemicals, and this bill would do just that.

Finally, we need to pass the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act to restore the ability of the FTC to protect consumers by forcing bad actors to return funds to consumers who have been defrauded, in the wake of a Supreme Court decision that took away that power from the FTC.

It is estimated that Pennsylvania seniors lose about $1.2 billion a year to scammers. Forcing reimbursements has been a key tool in the FTC toolbox for almost 40 years, and it is probably the most important tool for the individual consumer. This bill will make clear Congress' intent to restore that power to the FTC.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this rule and its underlying legislation, and I call on all my colleagues to do the same.

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