Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, ``Kill the bill, don't kill me''; ``Tax the rich, not the sick''; these are the chants of hundreds of protestors who have taken to the Halls of Congress. I have never seen anything like it.

The American people know this GOP tax scam is one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation to come before this body. This legislation adds trillions to the deficit, cuts Medicaid, and increases healthcare premiums. It is an unpopular bill pushed by an unpopular President and an unpopular Congress.

Mr. President, the American people don't want your bill. They want healthcare, Medicaid, and Medicare. They want CHIP and community health centers.

Trump, Ryan, and McConnell are bankrupting America's priorities to give tax cuts to the wealthy. Their bill is welfare for Wall Street.

In the past year, Republicans have attacked our healthcare, ignored our gun crisis, abandoned our DREAMers, failed to pass a long-term budget, and now this.

Enough is enough. It is time for Republicans to start working for their constituents, not their donors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the HBCU 9, the nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are celebrating 150 years of academic excellence.

These schools hail from six States and count great African-American leaders such as Eva Clayton, John Lewis, and Martin Luther King, Jr., as members of their illustrious alumni.

The nine include: Alabama State University, Barber-Scotia College, Fayetteville State University, Howard University, Johnson C. Smith University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, St. Augustine University, and Talladega College.

Their achievements for the past 150 years are remarkable. They have cultivated a long history as incubators of innovation and continue to produce the next generation of leaders.

Twenty-five percent of African-American STEM graduates, 40 percent of African-American lawyers, 50 percent of African-American teachers, and 21 current members of the Congressional Black Caucus are proud HBCU grads.

These schools were born out of necessity and have endured the test of time to spark a movement and create the African-American middle class, fundamentally changing this country for the better.

Please stand with me in recognizing the HBCU 9 for their years of leadership in African-American communities and their dedication to helping students realize their dreams.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise for the people of North Carolina's 12th Congressional District, to stand up for the opportunities our community needs, and to reject the ``billionaires first'' Republican tax plan.

This tax plan fails to hear the American people. It gives tax cuts to corporations on the backs of the middle class.

Last week, I sent a letter to the Ways and Means chair and to Speaker Ryan outlining the 12th District's tax priorities and urging the inclusion of education-related deductions.

Republicans refused to hear the call, so this week I announced my education tax package. This series of amendments includes reinstating the tax-exempt status of private-use bonds used to build infrastructure and affordable housing; reinstating the State and local tax deduction, protecting the funds used to pay for schools, community development, and public safety; reinstating the student loan interest tax deduction; repealing the tax on tuition waivers and student stipends; and incentivizing investments in STEM education.

Communities across the Nation need the increased access to upward mobility, and education, the great equalizer, is the place to start.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendments to make education accessible for all students.

Mr. Speaker, each November, communities across the country observe National Diabetes Awareness Month. We come together to educate our neighbors and to bring attention to the impact that diabetes has in the lives of millions of Americans.

As a diabetic, I know the challenges faced by people with this condition.

In 2015, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death for Americans, and diagnosis rates continue to grow each year.

To live a long and prosperous life with this disease, it is imperative that people with diabetes receive proper nutrition and access to healthcare. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, preexisting conditions such as diabetes are covered by health insurance. Thanks to SNAP, the poorest in our communities have access to nutrition.

ACA and SNAP are under attack, and as a member of the Diabetes Caucus and as your Representative in Congress, I will continue to vigorously protect the ACA and fight to increase SNAP benefits for those in need.

My life is a living testament to the opportunities that exist when diabetes is properly treated. We must ensure these opportunities are available for the next generation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 150th anniversary of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and join my colleagues, Congressman Butterfield and Congressman Price, in congratulating them on their achievements and the appointment of their 32nd president, Dr. Avery.

In North Carolina, the convention partners with Shaw University, the

oldest Historically Black University in the South and one of the oldest in the Nation.

As a retired professor, as you heard, of 40 years from Bennett College in Greensboro, founder of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus, and a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee here in the Congress, it gives me great pride to reflect on the general support that the convention gives to Shaw and its students.

I feel a special attachment to Shaw, since that is what became my alma mater. North Carolina A&T State University was located on Shaw's campus during its first year. Its history of leadership, activism, and service is well-documented. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, founded on Shaw's campus in 1960, and the Center for Alternative Programs in Education--CAPE--had its beginnings there in 1980.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Butterfield for yielding.

I just wanted to add that he was almost a Shaw Bear with his parents attending there. Just last year, I had the opportunity to address Founder's Day to all of the students there.

Many firsts Shaw boasts: the first college in the Nation to offer a 4-year medical program, the first Historically Black College in the Nation to open its doors to women, and the first Historically Black College in North Carolina to be granted an ``A'' rating by the State Department of Public Instruction.

Over the years, as Mr. Butterfield has said, many scholarships have been provided to those students. They have encouraged the students to not only attend their divinity school, but we find that many of them have become college presidents: the founder of North Carolina Central, the first President of Elizabeth City State, and North Carolina A&T State University were all Shaw Bears, and we are delighted. So the lives that the General Baptist State Convention has touched throughout its existence is beyond admirable and almost beyond comprehension.

I want to close by saying that W.E.B. Du Bois reminded us that of all the civil rights of which the world has fought for for 500 years, the right to learn is undoubtedly the most fundamental.

So I praise the General Baptist State Convention and its commitment to education, and Shaw University, as well, for their charitable giving and for their dedication to educating young people through these 150 years, a century and five decades.

Mr. Speaker, 585, the number of people murdered and injured in Las Vegas on Sunday during the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

477, the number of days since the previous deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history in Orlando.

521, the number of mass shootings since Orlando.

91, the average number of Americans killed by gun violence every day.

69, the number of homicides in Charlotte in 2017.

Zero, the number of actions taken by Congress to address the gun violence epidemic in our country.

When is enough enough? What is it going to take for Congress to end gun violence?

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stop wasting time and demand that a joint select committee be established to combat gun violence and the bipartisan King-Thompson bill be brought to the floor for a vote.

It is time that we had the moral courage to act. Our Nation can't wait, and they shouldn't.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the phenomenal Dr. Virginia K. Newell, a mathematician, author, civil rights activist, teacher, elected official, mentor, and my Alpha Kappa Alpha soror.

Dr. Newell is an asset to North Carolina. We celebrate her 100th birthday today and honor her legacy as a voice for the voiceless.

A native of the triad, Dr. Newell graduated from Atkins High School in Winston-Salem before attending Talladega College in Alabama. She earned her master's degree from NYU and her doctorate of education from the University of Sarasota.

As an educator, she touched the lives of countless students at Washington and Ligon High Schools in Raleigh, Yale Summer High School, Shaw University, and Winston-Salem State University. As chairwoman of the mathematics department at WSSU for 20 years and later as professor emeritus, Dr. Newell is credited with bringing computers to that campus.

In Winston-Salem, Dr. Newell sought to make the greatest difference she could. She was elected as city alderwoman, serving for 16 years and always placing her constituents' needs first. She led numerous voter registration drives and co-chaired the Shirley Chisholm for President campaign in North Carolina. Even after retirement, Dr. Newell served as mentor and tutor to hundreds of students who continue to thank her for her firm approach and for expecting nothing but the best from them.

Dr. Newell's hard work and dedication to her students, constituents, and North Carolina is admirable and noteworthy. Indeed, she is a phenomenal woman, and I wish her a very happy 100th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise for Dr. Danielle. Here's her story.

Dr. Danielle recently had three patients drive from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., to access abortion care. One patient from Winston was diagnosed with Edwards' syndrome just before 20 weeks. Edwards' syndrome has no treatment, and it is usually fatal before birth or within the first year of life.

Given the 72-hour waiting period in North Carolina, the patient would have passed State limits for when she could access abortion. She had to drive more than 6 hours to the Washington, D.C., area for her care.

North Carolina already has an awful 20-week ban. We don't need this ban nationwide.

On behalf of Dr. Danielle and the women she helped, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 36. Stop the bans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a topic very near and dear to my heart: sickle cell anemia.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells and rapidly destroys sickle cells in the body. During an attack, victims can experience acute chest pain, stroke, and damage to vital organs like the kidneys and liver.

This disease is personal to me because, growing up, I watched my sister suffer from it. She was always in and out of the hospital. Oftentimes, the only resources we had to treat her were our family's love and support. This was devastating. My sister lost her battle at age 26.

But this doesn't have to be the story of others. While medical treatment and research for sickle cell anemia has evolved, it is imperative to support Federal funding for additional research and treatment opportunities.

I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 2410, the Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing Sickle Cell Awareness Day by not only supporting community efforts to treat patients with this disease, but by cosponsoring legislation that provides Federal resources to advance medical treatments for this disease.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor James Andrews, president of the North Carolina AFL-CIO. After four decades of service, James will be retiring on September 15.

He has been a leader since a young age, and while serving our country in Vietnam, he earned a Purple Heart for his brave service.

Upon his return, James organized fellow workers at a plant in Henderson, North Carolina, before joining the AFL-CIO in 1974 as a director of Frontlash, an AFL-CIO youth group. Just a year later, the AFL-CIO recognized James' dedication to the fight for fair working conditions and promoted him to outreach director for the North Carolina federation, making him the first African American to hold a paid, full- time staff position with the State AFL-CIO federation.

After a brief stint working for his union in 1982, he began his position as the treasurer and secretary for North Carolina's AFL-CIO. A little over a decade later, James was elected as president and became the first African American to lead a State federation.

As his service draws to a close, we want to both congratulate and honor him for his unparalleled work on behalf of North Carolina's hardworking families.

James, congratulations, and thank you for your hard work.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the backbone of our economy. This is particularly true in my home State of North Carolina. According to a recent report, North Carolina is the number one State in the country for starting a small business. As such, I will support programs that allow them to flourish.

Today, as vice ranking member of the Small Business Committee, I rise to express my full support for H.R. 2364, the Investing in Main Street Act.

The number one concern raised by small businesses is the lack of access to capital; and because of this access problem, small businesses tend to rely more on personal credit cards, often with higher interest rates, than on more affordable small business loans.

The Investing in Main Street Act helps free up affordable capital, and this bill increases access to capital for small businesses by raising the percentage capital banks and savings associations may invest in small businesses up to 15 percent. With increased opportunity, entrepreneurs will be able to grow and expand their businesses as well as hire more employees, allowing them to reach their full potential.

The Investing in Main Street Act is good for business, it is good for small business, and it is good for our economy.

I want to thank Chairman Chabot and Ranking Member Velazquez and all of my colleagues for supporting this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill as we may continue to give small businesses opportunities to thrive and employ American workers.

Mr. Speaker, 118,000--the number of people in my district alone who will lose healthcare if TrumpCare passes.

250--the number of people who joined me for a healthcare townhall on Monday in Charlotte.

Zero--the number of public hearings the Senate has held on TrumpCare.

Despite the potential for 22 million people who will lose their healthcare if TrumpCare passes, Senator McConnell hasn't asked to hear from any of them.

On Monday, I held a townhall where my constituents shared their stories and asked that I share them with you.

Katie Mpelkas, a mother of a 3-year-old with autism, relies on Medicaid for her son's healthcare. She is terrified at the thought that without Medicaid coverage her son won't get the care he needs.

Adrienne Gonzalez's son, diagnosed with autism at age 2, has been receiving care paid for by Medicaid since he was 11 months old.

Sadly, their stories aren't unique. Thirty-nine percent of children are on Medicaid for the care they need, and TrumpCare cuts the program by 35 percent by 2036.

Our constituents are begging for help. It is our responsibility to fight for them.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the reauthorization of the HBCU Historic Preservation program. There are ten HBCUs in North Carolina. The Johnson C. Smith University is in my district.

I am pleased to see strong bipartisan support that recognizes how integral Historically Black Colleges and Universities are to our Nation.

I am a proud graduate twice of North Carolina A&T, a retired 40-year professor at Bennett College--both HBCUs in Greensboro.

Most of the structures that this program will help preserve date back to the founding of these schools, most founded in the 19th century. These structures teach us about the lengths that African Americans went through to be educated and to fight for their place in American society.

They also provide important lessons for today, reminding us of how far we have come as a society and how these structures were once built to cope with Jim Crow America but now are used to educate our future lawyers, doctors, and politicians.

They also remind us of how far we have to go, how we must continue to address the numerous inequities HBCUs face compared to other universities when it comes to educating the next generation.

Funding from this program finances repairs that schools with large endowments take for granted, repairs from water damage, asbestos, lead paint, improvements to heating and ventilation systems, and increased physical accessibility for the disabled.

The program helps modernize HBCU campuses, creating a suitable environment for learning and achievement, while allowing these institutions to attract prospective students who deserve an education.

W.E.B. DuBois reminded us: Of all of the civil rights for which the world has struggled and fought for for 500 years, but the right to learn is undoubtedly the most fundamental.

In short, Mr. Speaker, this program is necessary to update HBCU infrastructure and maintain their competitive edge as institutions of higher learning supporting that fundamental right.

The President has said these schools are a priority for his administration. They are absolutely a priority for me as well as for my colleagues of the CBC and the bipartisan HBCU Caucus. So passing it proves that Congress can come together to achieve something substantial for these schools and continue the conversation surrounding HBCUs.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Since coming to Congress, I have visited with business leaders across my district, such as Cindy, the plant manager at Train in Charlotte, and educators at local colleges like Central Piedmont Community College. Each stressed the importance of educating our workforce to fill existing available jobs and to train for jobs of the future.

We must close the skills gap through innovation and work-based learning opportunities such as those provided through the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

CTE improves collaboration between secondary and postsecondary schools, employers, industry, and community partners, giving students, regardless of their background, access to quality job training and the opportunity to earn well-paying jobs without having to complete a 4- year degree. This training is critical to closing the opportunity gap that exists in communities like mine in Mecklenburg County.

IBM, which employs more than 1,300 people in the 12th District, wrote to me just last week to remind us that jobs in growing technology fields demand candidates with high-tech skills that don't always require a traditional degree.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in reauthorizing CTE to continue modernizing today's workforce training and securing America's future.

Mr. Speaker, Walter Lippmann once said that ``The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will carry on.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great leader, the Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II. As the president of North Carolina's chapter of the NAACP, Reverend Barber has become a national icon and a champion of moral leadership. He is the founder of Moral Mondays. He has traveled to more than 20 States to train others on tactics in civil disobedience.

And under his leadership, the NAACP fiercely fought against discriminatory legislation such as North Carolina's HB2 and voter suppression tactics like voter ID laws.

After 12 years as president of the North Carolina NAACP, Reverend Barber is retiring to lead a new campaign--a national call for a moral revival. This new coalition of spiritual leaders will push beyond politics to guide our Nation toward a path of increased equality and social justice.

Reverend Barber's leadership of the NAACP will be sorely missed, but I look forward to witnessing the many ways in which he will continue to impact lives and make America a more just and fair place.

Thank you, Reverend Barber. Godspeed.