Frank Pallone, Jr. · TranslatePolitics.com

House of Representatives

Liberty and Justice for All

2026-09-01

“I want to add to what Norma Torres said. I went to a government building where they keep immigrants. The building is too small. It can't hold enough people. The people in the building don't get the help they need. Some people even died because they didn't get help. This is wrong. We need answers. The government should tell us what happened. We need to make sure this doesn't happen again.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank Congresswoman Norma Torres for leading this important Special Order here tonight. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn a dangerous and unaccountable immigration enforcement system that is harming the very communities our government is supposed to protect. I want to focus particularly on the problems that we have and the failure of these facilities to provide basic medical services. I have seen the consequences firsthand during my visit to Delaney Hall, or my several visits, I should say, to Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey. The facility has inadequate medical facilities. The medical clinic is too small and lacks adequate staff. The times I visited, there were maybe 600 or 700 people. The capacity is 1,200. There was no way that clinic could take care of and do the proper thing for the people who were detained. Detainees there told me that often they waited 1 week or more to access the medical clinic. They were unable to get necessary care and medications. Some required surgery that was long delayed. In my opinion, detention should never be a death sentence, but that is what we are seeing at Delaney Hall and the other detention facilities around the country. Three people connected to Delaney Hall have now died in less than 1 year: Jean Wilson Brutus, Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, and Jose Chajon-Raxon. We have to remember their names. Their deaths demand answers about the conditions at Delaney Hall and whether ICE and its contractors protected people in their custody. Delaney Hall is a privately run detention facility. The operator profits from the denial of medical care. I led 87 House Democrats in demanding answers from DHS and ICE about these deaths and failures of medical care throughout the detention system in the United States. Mr. Speaker, these detention facilities are required by Federal law to provide certain medical services, and I assure you they are not doing so. DHS, ICE, and CBP must be subject to meaningful oversight and held accountable when people suffer or die under their care. The Trump administration in June canceled a rule that required reporting of deaths even after a detainee was released from a detention facility and an investigation within 30 days. There are probably a lot more deaths than those we have been talking about tonight that are not reported by ICE since this rule was eliminated. Enforcing our immigration laws is no excuse for violating constitutional rights, putting human lives at risk, or essentially killing people. Those who have died in government custody deserve more than silence. Their lives matter, and their families deserve answers and accountability.

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House of Representatives

Programs to Prevent, Detect, and Treat Traumatic Brain Injuries

2026-07-20

“I want you to vote yes on this bill. It is important. My friend worked on this. That is another reason you should vote yes.”

“I want this bill to pass. The government should spend money on brain injuries. We have spent money on this for a long time. A man from my state had a brain injury. That was very sad. My friend helped him. Many people have brain injuries. It is a big problem. We need to keep spending money on it. We need to study it more. This bill will help people with brain injuries. Everyone should vote yes.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1493, my bill to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996. This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes through fiscal year 2030 the critical Federal programs dedicated to the prevention, detection, treatment, and surveillance of traumatic brain injuries. It also renames the national TBI surveillance program to honor the legacy of my dear friend, the late Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr., of New Jersey, who founded and led the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force for more than two decades after meeting his constituent Dennis Benigno of Clifton, New Jersey, whose son suffered a life-changing traumatic brain injury in a car crash. The Traumatic Brain Injury Act was signed into law in 1996. At that time, our understanding of these injuries was so limited that public health experts called TBI the silent epidemic, and we did not know how many Americans were affected each year, who was most at risk, or how many people were left with a permanent, life-altering disability. That first law authorized Federal support and programs to research TBI research and conduct surveillance, both directly and through grants to public and nonprofit organizations. Mr. Speaker, this initial Federal investment has transformed what we know now and identified what we still need to do. Because Congress chose to invest, we now know that traumatic brain injury sends more than 214,000 Americans to the hospital in a single year and that it takes roughly 69,000 lives annually, nearly 190 deaths every single day. We know that more than 5.3 million Americans are living today with a lifelong disability caused by a brain injury, and we know who is most at risk: older adults who fall, servicemembers and veterans, athletes on playing fields across the country, victims of domestic violence, and far, far too many children. There is also the economic toll of treating, rehabilitating, and caring for these individuals throughout their lives. Mr. Speaker, Congress' investment gave us the tools to act on what the data revealed, from concussion guidelines to protect young athletes to targeted prevention for the older Americans who are most likely to be hospitalized. None of that existed before the Federal partnership and Representative Pascrell's leadership. All of that is at risk if we continue to allow this work to lapse. Since the program's inception in 1996, Congress has reauthorized this act on a bipartisan basis time and again. However, despite bipartisan efforts by our committee to continue reauthorizing these programs, the Federal authorization lapsed in 2024. Without reauthorization, research slows, surveillance weakens, and the support services that patients and families depend on are put in jeopardy. We cannot afford to lose momentum on an issue that touches veterans, athletes, survivors of violence, older adults, and countless other Americans in every one of our districts. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1493 renews three proven programs. First, it reauthorizes the CDC's TBI program, which drives our national research, surveillance, and prevention efforts. Second, it reauthorizes the Administration for Community Living's State partnership grant programs, which helps States, Tribal organizations, and their partners connect survivors to rehabilitation and community-based services. Third, it reauthorizes the State Protection and Advocacy program, which safeguards the rights of Americans living with brain injury. This is a modest Federal investment with an extraordinary reach. Since 1997, 48 States, 2 territories, and the District of Columbia have used these partnership grants to build the very systems that their residents now rely on. This bill does not simply extend those programs but strengthens them. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and report to Congress on traumatic brain injury, and it directs the CDC to publish information on the populations at highest risk and on the strategies to protect them so that Congress and our public health officials can respond to the growing needs of these communities with better data and clear priorities. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that benefits all Americans. It advanced out of committee without a single dissenting vote. This bill supports research. It strengthens care, and it helps ensure that Americans living with traumatic brain injuries are not left behind. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

Action for Dental Health Act

2026-07-20

“I'm yielding time to Ms. Kelly. She cares about healthcare for poor people.”

“I want my colleagues to support this bill. The government should spend money on dental health programs. More people should get dental care. Dental health is important.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2001, the Action for Dental Health Act, led by Representative Kelly. Access to oral healthcare is critical to ensuring a person's health and well-being. Too often, however, oral health is overlooked. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in both children and adults in the United States. In fact, more than one in four adults have untreated cavities, and nearly half of American adults show signs of gum disease. We need to expand access to oral healthcare, including strengthening the oral healthcare workforce. The Action for Dental Health Act reauthorizes State oral health workforce improvement programs. These programs seek to enhance dental workforce planning and development through the support of innovative programs that meet the individual needs of each funded State. I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort to strengthen and expand access to oral healthcare. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2001, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer's Provider Training Act

2026-07-20

“I support this bill. It will spend money on videoconferencing to train doctors in rural areas. That way, patients in rural areas can get care closer to home. I want everyone to vote yes on this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3747, the AADAPT Act. This bill reauthorizes Project ECHO, or the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes grant program at the Health Resources and Services Administration. This program uses videoconferencing technology to train, advise, and support clinicians to improve access to specialty treatment in rural and underserved areas. By connecting primary care providers in rural areas with specialists in academic medical centers or other specialized settings, these providers receive the support they need to manage complex patient conditions, and rural patients are more likely to receive the care that they need closer to home. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3747, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2025

2026-07-20

“I want the government to spend money on this program. It helps some sick people. I want my coworkers to support this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5160, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act. This bill reauthorizes the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory, two programs that serve as national registries to connect patients with lifesaving care. Each year, thousands of Americans are diagnosed with conditions that could require stem cell transplants, such as leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, and other immune system disorders. Some patients have a fully matched relative who can serve as a donor, but most patients require a search for an unrelated donor. This transplantation program helps identify, match, and facilitate the distribution of stem cells and cord blood from unrelated donors. The National Cord Blood Inventory program maintains a robust inventory of high-quality cord blood units that can be used for research or transplantation. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased we are considering this bill to extend these programs. I encourage all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5160, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

Reauthorizing the Kay Hagan Tick Act

2026-07-20

“I want this bill to pass. I support spending money to fight ticks and diseases they carry. I think more people get sick from ticks than before. The government should spend money to fight this. The bill will pay for research and coordination. I want everyone to vote for the bill. I name the important people who wrote the bill. Let's honor a Senator who died from a tick disease.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4348, the Kay Hagan Tick Act, sponsored by my colleagues Chris Smith of New Jersey and Lloyd Doggett of Texas. I understand that Mr. Kean from New Jersey is also a sponsor. This bill reauthorizes the national strategy and regional centers of excellence in vector-borne diseases. Tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, have rapidly increased over the last decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly a half million people may, in fact, be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease every year in the United States. That is a dramatic increase from 30,000 annual cases just two decades ago. H.R. 4348 would expand research, improve testing, and coordinate vector-borne disease efforts across the Federal Government. The bill would also reauthorize funding for Regional Centers of Excellence for surveillance, prevention, and response to vector-borne diseases and reauthorize grants to State health departments to support vector-borne disease infrastructure. Tick and vector-borne disease have rapidly increased, Mr. Speaker, particularly in the northeastern part of our country. I encourage all of my colleagues to honor the legacy of Senator Kay Hagan, who died of complications from a tick-borne disease, by voting ``yes'' on H.R. 4348. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

FDA Modernization Act 3.0

2026-07-20

“I like this bill. I want the government to say 'nonclinical' instead of 'animal' in its rules. This will match a law passed last year that lets researchers use other ways to test drugs. I want everyone to vote yes on this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2821, the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, led by Representative Barragan and Representative Carter of Georgia. The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 would require the Food and Drug Administration to update regulations to replace references to animal tests, data, studies, models, and research in specified sections of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations with references to nonclinical tests. This would bring FDA's regulations in line with a law passed in 2022 that allowed for alternatives to animal testing in drug development, including those that leverage recent scientific advancements, such as computer modeling and cell-based assays. I encourage all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2821, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act

2026-07-20

“I want this bill to pass. It will let the government destroy more imports. Some imports are bad. I want you to think this bill protects you. I want you to think the government needs more power to destroy things to keep you safe. I'm using strong words like dangerous and chemicals to scare you. That helps my bill. I want importers to pay for destroying their own products. That will help American businesses who don't want to compete with imports.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2715, the Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act, led by Representatives Carter and Higgins of Louisiana. This bill would provide the Food and Drug Administration with the authority to require importers to destroy products that pose a significant public health concern, preventing them from being shipped to another port of entry. These products have, in fact, included food contaminated with salmonella, listeria, and carcinogenic unapproved animal drugs, as well as misbranded medical devices. It also includes illegal e-cigarette products that are flooding the market from places like China. These are dangerous products, Mr. Speaker. Providing the FDA with the authority to compel destruction and requiring the importer to pay for such destruction will provide a strong disincentive to those seeking to prioritize profits over product safety. We need to make sure Americans are not unwittingly exposed to harmful products, and this authority is going to prevent that. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2715, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2026

2026-07-20

“I don't object to this bill. But it helps people who have money for fancy wheelchairs. That isn't fair. Medicare should give everyone the same wheelchair.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 1703, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act. Mr. Speaker, this bill will clarify Medicare payment rules for ultra lightweight manual wheelchairs and allow Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to wheelchairs with titanium or carbon fiber materials at their own cost. The bill would give beneficiaries the choice to select a wide range of wheelchairs. Under the bill, seniors would have the choice to acquire a wheelchair with titanium or carbon fiber materials through the Medicare program with additional out-of-pocket costs. I am glad that the bill would require suppliers to notify beneficiaries of the additional financial liability. Mr. Speaker, while I support this bill, I am concerned that the bill only helps higher income seniors who can afford to pay out of pocket for these additional upgrades beyond what is covered under the Medicare program. The universality of the Medicare program and the fact that all beneficiaries have access to the same benefits is an important principle in my opinion. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives

Sunshine Protection Act of 2025

2026-07-14

“I want to change how we set our clocks. Many people agree with me. Some people disagree. I think the way we set our clocks is very bad. I want to pass a bill to change it.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to really stress, again, why I think that the status quo is bad. I mean, obviously, some people here--I think a majority--would like to see a permanent daylight savings time and some who I think are in the minority would like to see a permanent standard time. However, the bottom line is we just can't continue the status quo, Mr. Speaker, because the science and research really is clear. It shows that springing forward and falling back twice a year is harmful to our health. It makes Americans less safe, and it is very unpopular. Studies have shown increases, as I mentioned before, in heart attacks and strokes, mood and sleep disturbances, and hospital admissions in the days after a time change. Studies have also shown that increases in stroke rates with the time change are even higher for some of our most vulnerable populations, and that includes seniors, for example. The bottom line is, Americans' safety is put at greater risk in the days after a time change, and disrupting our sleep has been shown to lead to higher rates of fatal motor vehicle crashes, crimes like robbery and workplace injuries. Whether or not you agree what should be permanent, the bottom line is that sticking to the status quo and continuing to change our clocks is really the worst option. I am going to stand with the 56 percent of Americans in a recent poll who prefer a shift to permanent daylight savings time to give families more sunlight in the evening hours. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

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“I want this bill to pass. Things are different now than in the 1970s. Many kids don't walk to school. People work from home. Schools and businesses will have time to plan for the change. The current system is bad. Changing the clock is the problem. I want my colleagues to support this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I just want to address the issue that was mentioned that in 1974 Congress voted to move to permanent daylight savings time and then reversed that decision. I think that 50 years later, things are different. First of all, in the 1970s, when that was the case, things have changed in the sense that schools have pushed start times later in many districts, including in my district and dramatically fewer kids walk to school. Also, remote and hybrid work has had significant impact on Americans' commuting patterns. Things are not the same today as they were in the 1970s in terms of what people did and how they worked and how they went to school. Passing this bill now also in the peak summer months gives everyone-- and that is schools, workplaces, transit systems--time to plan for this change well in advance of the darkest winter months, and I think that is important also. I am also confident that we are setting ourselves up to succeed this time around so Americans can reap the benefits of eliminating the time change. Again, it is the time change that really is the problem. Most of us, whether you are for permanent daylight savings time or permanent standard time, don't want to see the switching back and forth. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and, again, I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

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“I want this bill to pass so the government can claim it is helping families. Changing clocks is outdated. It disrupts sleep and health. This bill will make daylight saving time permanent. That will mean more sunlight in the evening. That is good for businesses and tourism. Tourism brings a lot of money to my state. The last administration scared away tourists. That hurt my state. An extra hour of daylight will help. It will boost tourism and prevent crime. Many states want to adopt permanent daylight saving time. This bill lets them do that. Some states have unique needs. They can keep permanent standard time. Let's end the twice-yearly time change.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Sunshine Protection Act. This act addresses an issue on which many Americans actually agree, and that is stopping the biannual process of changing our clocks. Only 12 percent of Americans prefer to switch their clocks twice a year. Far more Americans recognize that the practice is inconvenient and, frankly, disruptive. Stopping the twice-yearly time change benefits the health and well- being of all Americans. The time change inevitably disrupts sleep patterns and is especially disruptive to the sleep of young children and pets. Time change also is associated with an increase in the rate of heart attacks and strokes in the days immediately following the change. Disturbingly, studies have shown that the increase in stroke rates after the time change is even higher for some of our most vulnerable populations. For example, cancer patients' stroke rates increase by 25 percent, and people over the age of 65 are 20 percent more likely to have a stroke in the days following the time change. The Sunshine Protection Act would implement permanent daylight saving time and stop the twice-a-year change that disrupts our sleep and our health. Taking this action will increase the sunshine hours in the evening, allowing many Americans to leave work for more sunlight in the winter months, not darkness. The increased evening sunlight will also provide a needed boost to our tourism industry. Extra sunlight means more time at the beach, more time eating out at restaurants, and more time doing outdoor leisure activities. In my district along the Jersey Shore, tourists can enjoy beautiful coastal areas with serene beaches, embark on fishing ventures along the Atlantic Coast, enjoy a nice outdoor concert from iconic musicians in places like Asbury Park, and so much more. Last year alone, New Jersey welcomed more than 120 million visitors to our State, and they contributed more than $50 billion to our State's economy. Our tourism industry needs the boost today more than ever. The Trump administration's policies, including high visa fees and the detention and harassment of legal tourists, have discouraged travelers from visiting our country because they simply do not feel welcome. Meanwhile, Americans are facing an affordability crisis, forcing families to make difficult tradeoffs, including forgoing summer travel. For communities like mine that rely on tourism for our local economies, an extra hour of daylight can make all the difference. Extra daylight also helps to deter crime. Researchers at the Brookings Institution found that criminal incidents decreased during an hour of sunlight added to the evening following the springtime change. Making that extra sunlight permanent will help keep our communities safer. All of these benefits clearly explain why 19 States have already voted to adopt permanent daylight saving time if Federal law changed because, right now, it doesn't allow them to do that. These States recognize the benefits, and it is time that Congress allows them to reap those benefits. For States that have already chosen to follow permanent standard time due to the unique needs of their climate or location--and that includes Arizona and Hawaii--under this bill, they can continue to do so. Other States are allowed under the legislation to adopt permanent standard time prior to the bill's enactment. Ultimately, the benefits of stopping the biannual changing of the clocks are numerous and clear. Moving to permanent daylight saving time will bring much-needed evening sunlight to communities across the United States. It is time we finally end the process of springing forward and falling back. I urge my colleagues to support the Sunshine Protection Act, and I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

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