[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5073-H5075]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHAI SUTHAMMANONT REMEMBRANCE ACT OF 2020
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 7340) to ensure that personal protective equipment and other
equipment and supplies needed to fight coronavirus are provided to
employees required to return to Federal offices, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7340
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Chai Suthammanont
Remembrance Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. TELEWORK, LEAVE, AND RETURNING TO WORK FOR FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES.
(a) Issuance of Policies and Procedures by Agencies.--Not
later than 30 days before
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the date on which an agency plans to reopen a facility and
after consultation with the Chief Human Capital Officer and
director of administration or the equivalent, the head of an
agency shall publish on the website of that agency a
reopening plan that details the procedures and policies
related to sending employees back to workstations during the
covered period that includes the following:
(1) The personal protective equipment that will be provided
by the agency, the additional cleaning protocols to be
implemented, and efforts to ensure social distancing at
worksites.
(2) The actions the agency will take to protect employees
who are required to work in locations outside of Federal
office buildings for activities such as audits and
inspections.
(3) The requirements that members of the public must meet
in order to enter Federal office spaces.
(4) A description of the proper contingencies for employees
who have a high risk of contracting coronavirus.
(5) Ensures the continuity of operations, including plans
to reverse reopening measures if there is a resurgence in
coronavirus cases in certain geographic areas.
(b) Inspectors General Review.--Not later than 6 months
after the date of the enactment of this section, the
inspector general for each agency shall submit to the
Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a review on whether that
agency has provided adequate personal protective equipment
for the employees who are returning to a Federal office
location for the agency and published the policies and
procedures required pursuant to subsection (a).
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given that
term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
(2) Covered period.--The term ``covered period'' means a
period during which a nationwide declaration of a public
health emergency by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 247d) is in effect.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) and the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs.
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material about the measure before us.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
{time} 1245
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act would require each
Federal agency to publish online a plan to reopen the Federal office
building at least 30 days prior to the return of their workforce. The
legislation also requires agency inspectors general to report on
whether their agencies have, in fact, complied with the provisions in
this bill and provided adequate personal protective equipment for their
employees returning to office spaces.
This bill is named after my constituent who tragically lost his life
to coronavirus on May 26, 2020. Chai's picture is behind me. Chai was a
real human being. He wasn't a statistic. He left behind a family. He is
survived by four sons, his wife, and four grandchildren. He succumbed
on May 26, 2020.
Chai immigrated to the United States from Thailand when he was 17.
Throughout his life he was known for helping others.
When he first came to our country, he landed in the restaurant
industry at a famous jazz club in Greenwich Village in New York City,
where he made it among the first restaurants to offer health insurance
to its employees.
After retiring from that industry, Chai moved to the National Capitol
Region and returned to work as a Federal employee in the Marine Corps
Community Services Child Development Center in Quantico, Virginia. Chai
wanted to continue giving back to his adopted country. He was a proud
American citizen.
Chai was also a beloved employee working in the development center's
kitchen, preparing meals for the children of our Marine families. He
developed a unique handshake for each kid in the daycare, making each
child feel special and included.
At the beginning of this terrible pandemic, Chai's workplace was not
enforcing or taking proper precautions to protect its workers. On April
27, Chai worked his last full shift at the daycare kitchen as one of
his coworkers coughed repeatedly and looked very ill. There was no
protective equipment for the other employees, including Chai.
Sadly, soon after that, Chai was informed that the coworker had,
indeed, tested positive for coronavirus. Almost exactly 1 month later,
after 13 days on a ventilator, Chai died on May 26.
Let me be clear: This was an avoidable death. Had there been
protocols in place, had there been PPE in place and available to
employees like Chai, Chai would still be alive today, in my view.
Chai's widow, Christina, has worked with my office to make sure this
never happens to anybody else again.
I named the bill after Chai because, although the provisions in this
bill can no longer help him, they can help the millions of Federal and
contract workers who will reenter the Federal work spaces across the
United States.
This legislation is designed to save lives and protect those who
serve the American people.
We, as Members of Congress, have an absolute obligation to protect
the Federal workforce that keeps our country running, keeps our country
safe. We must ensure that Federal employees have the most accurate and
up-to-date information regarding agencies' reopening plans.
Currently, Federal agencies are failing to communicate with employees
across the board and other stakeholders about their coronavirus
practices and policies. As some agencies begin calling employees back
to Federal office buildings, many civil servants are receiving
incomplete or unclear instructions, leading to fear and uncertainty
about health.
I represent the third largest number of Federal employees of any
congressional district in America, but there are Federal employees in
every Federal congressional district. This bill matters and ought to
matter to every one of us and our constituents.
I refuse to sit idly by and risk more and more of our Federal
workforce being forced back to office buildings under superficial plans
with zero accountability. This bill simply includes the commonsense
provisions taken directly from the best practices recommendations of
the Government Accountability Office to communicate effectively with
the workforce and to ensure they have adequate PPE. The Trump Office of
Management and Budget had no concerns with this bill.
The least we can do for our Federal employees is to ensure the
Federal agencies they work for are being transparent with their plans
so that there is a level of reassurance and security before they are
called back physically to the workplace.
I wholeheartedly support this bill dedicated to my constituent Chai,
and I encourage every one of my colleagues to join me in doing the
same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MILLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act is well-
intentioned legislation.
First, let me send my deepest condolences to Chai's family. He sounds
like such a beloved person. I am sure Chai is greatly missed.
Each and every COVID-19-related tragedy is a stark reminder of the
preciousness of life. America has faced astonishing challenges over the
last 6 months with this global struggle.
As the Nation's largest employer, the Federal Government has offices
and employees across the Nation in every State and territory. There are
unprecedented challenges facing our Federal workforce and the
management of our government's many facilities. Every single State and
territory is working overtime to operate under a disruptive emergency
declaration.
The work of our Federal agencies' diverse workforce is more critical
than ever, and they are working around the
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clock. It is critical that the Federal agencies have stepped up to the
plate to answer the calls for help.
President Trump and his team at the Office of Management and Budget
and the Office of Personnel Management should be commended for issuing
timely directives that gave agencies the necessary guidance and
flexibility to accomplish their missions.
The requirements of this bill may duplicate planned administration
and agency actions. Therefore, the bill could have benefited from
further committee work to avoid potential duplication. However, H.R.
7340 is well intentioned, and I support governmentwide transparency.
I have heard my colleague, Mr. Connolly, speak passionately about Mr.
Chai, about his character and his passion for working with children,
and my thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and
colleagues that knew him so well.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mrs. Miller, for her
kind remarks, and I certainly know they will be appreciated by his
widow, Christina.
Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers on this side, and I am
prepared to close.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MILLER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further comments on this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I urge my friends in the House, on a
bipartisan basis, to join with me in honoring Chai and preventing
further deaths and further infections from COVID-19 within the Federal
workforce and the Federal contract workforce. This is a prudent
measure, and, as I said, President Trump's OMB does not oppose this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 7340, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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