Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, yesterday was the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion.

This decision allowed millions of women to come out of the shadows and access lifesaving reproductive care, yet antiabortion laws and sustained attacks on women's access to the full range of reproductive healthcare continues to push abortion coverage out of the reach for too many people.

Since 2011, State lawmakers have passed more than 400 laws that restrict abortion, and policies like the Hyde amendment have pushed coverage out of reach for millions of women, especially low-income women and women of color. That is why I have been proud to be the lead cosponsor of the EACH Woman Act, along with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Congresswoman Diana DeGette.

This legislation will end the harmful Hyde amendment and make sure that all people, regardless of where they live or how much they make, have access to a full range of reproductive healthcare.

Madam Speaker, I remember the days of back-alley abortions, and we cannot allow this administration to turn back the clock on women's access to abortion. It is time to be bold and end Hyde and lift all the bans that deny a full range of reproductive healthcare to all women.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the FY 2019 Financial

Services Appropriations Bill, which provides more than $23 billion to partially re-open the government.

This important bill would reopen the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-- ensuring hardworking families receive their tax returns on time. It would also help to restart the taxpayer assistance centers, which serve approximately 2.5 million citizens monthly.

This shutdown is affecting real lives, Madam Speaker; real people.

According to the Washington Post, IRS furloughed employee Krystle Kirkpatrick, said she and her family of four can scrape along on her partner's machinist salary for a while, but she's already thinking about signing up to be a plasma donor to earn extra cash--that's only an extra $200.

Let me reiterate. A federal employee is considering becoming a plasma donor--because her paycheck, from her federal government job, won't be coming in the mail.

This is no way to run a country.

Madam Speaker, the Trump shutdown is hurting real families and it's hurting our economy. Let's pass this bill.

Let's get the government back open and get workers their paychecks.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Financial Services Bill

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 430, the TANF Extension Act of 2019. This bill would provide a much-needed short-term TANF extension through June 30, 2019.

TANF, unfortunately, expired in December and many states, including my home state of California, are unable to pick up the lack of federal funding for this program. So, this bill is not only necessary, it's incredibly timely.

Madam Speaker, more than 3.4 million struggling working moms and dads are on TANF, providing critical income, childcare, and employment support.

But, sadly TANF does not reach enough families, especially families of color. For every 100 families living in poverty, only 23 receive direct financial assistance from TANF--down from 68 families in 1996.

Let me be clear--funding for the TANF program has not kept pace with the growing need in our country. As a result, 4 out of 5 children living in poverty are not being reached.

And for those families with 50 percent below the poverty line their situation is even worse. In 2015, TANF only lifted 349,000 children out of deep poverty.

Because of this, many families are forced to choose between paying their rent, putting food on the table, or paying their medical bills.

This is outrageous. This program literally does not fulfill its mission--which is to reduce child poverty.

Madam Speaker, I was in the California legislature on the conference committee that negotiated California's TANF program--and let me tell you--I voted against my own conference committee's report because as a former welfare recipient myself, I didn't want to see more welfare recipients being penalized with onerous work requirements with no real incentive or job supports to actually help women--and men--obtain good- paying jobs.

And while I am pleased to support this vital short-term TANF extension, I hope that we can get to work with changing TANF to ensure that it is reaching more poor families and helping them meet their basic needs.

With that, I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill and let's ensure that we strengthen and improve TANF moving forward.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the FY 2019 Transportation and Housing Appropriations Bill, which provides more than $71 billion to partially re-open the government.

Families living in housing supported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deserve to know they will have a roof over their heads.

This bill will ensure that struggling families are not evicted from their homes because of the Trump Administration's incompetence and cruelty.

There was a report this week that thousands of families could be evicted because HUD officials forgot about Section 8 contracts that expired last month.

Let me reiterate: families could become homeless--in the depths of winter--because these Trump officials couldn't keep track of this program.

Madam Speaker, this is just downright unacceptable. And it's hurting people across the country. In my home district, renovations on an affordable housing project has been put on hold because of this shutdown.

There is an affordable housing crisis in this country, Madam Speaker. A delay in projects like this will mean fewer people have a place to rest their heads at night.

These families deserve better.

Madam Speaker, the Trump shutdown is hurting real families and it's hurting our economy.

Let's pass this bill to reopen the government, and make sure families can stay in their homes.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes

Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her tremendous leadership on so many issues.

I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 28, this continuing resolution bill to reopen the government through February 28. This legislation would end the Trump shutdown and ensure that our Federal employees get their paychecks, like, now.

This bill also sends a clear message that we will not let President Trump hold this government hostage for his irresponsible, mean-spirited wall.

Mr. Speaker, this is the longest government shutdown in history. The government has been closed now for 27 days--27 days, mind you. All the President has to do is say: Yes, I will open up the government.

Meanwhile, we Democrats continue to do our job and demand that the President do his. We have passed seven pieces of legislation to end the Trump shutdown--seven. But we can't reopen this government alone. Senator McConnell should do his job to end this crisis.

Now, let me be clear: By continuing this reckless shutdown, President Trump is leaving 800,000 Federal workers and 200,000 low-wage Federal contractors in the lurch. Not only is this an insult to their hard work, but it is a slap in the face for the families who have no other way to pay their bills.

I have spoken to many people in my district who can't afford to buy gas to

get to their jobs, jobs that they are working at day in and day out without pay.

That is no way to run a country, and House Democrats won't stand for it.

Let's pass this bill to reopen the government now. Let's get the American people the paychecks that they deserve for the important work they do to protect the public, our food, our parks, and our families who are suffering so much as a result of them being used as hostages and political pawns by this President.

Madam Chair, first of all, I thank our chair for yielding, for her tireless leadership, and for reminding us very clearly that we need to open up the government right away.

As a Representative from northern California, let me just say that I remember vividly the Oakland Hills fire in 1991 that killed 25 people and destroyed more than 3,000 homes, and the 1989 earthquake that killed many people and devastated many parts of my city. I represent Oakland and Berkeley, California. Just as many helped us then, we will help our neighbors now.

Disasters can impact any district. Just this morning, a small earthquake hit my district again. Thankfully, there are no reported injuries.

Let me also say that I am deeply grateful to our firefighters and first responders who work around the clock to help save lives in disasters that have ravaged our country, especially this past year.

Madam Chair, I am in strong support of this emergency supplemental, which provides $12.1 billion in disaster relief to people who have been impacted by wildfires, hurricanes, typhoons, and other natural disasters. Our neighbors in Paradise, California; Puerto Rico; Guam; Florida; southern California; the Virgin Islands; and the territories all need our help, and they need it now.

Northern California's most recent wildfire known as the Camp fire is the most destructive in California's history. Eighty-five people lost their lives, and 13,000 homes were destroyed. These families have lost everything, and they deserve our support now more than ever. Many of these communities in California ravaged by wildfires are only just beginning to recover, yet just last week, President Trump threatened to withhold disaster assistance to California.

Does this President have no shame, bullying scared families with no homes and communities to return to? Real leaders help families recover.

Real leaders help families recover and rebuild. They don't use suffering families as political pawns.

Madam Chair, that is why we need to pass this bill. With the $12 billion provided in this bill, our communities will be able to recover and rebuild, and families will finally get some peace of mind knowing that we are with them.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the bill and yes to helping our communities get back on their feet.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Nadler for yielding, and I also want to thank Majority Whip Clyburn for his leadership in putting this resolution together.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, which sends a clear message that we will not accept hate or bigotry within this House.

Let me be clear: While Congressman King's comments condoning white supremacy were abhorrent, they were not a surprise to many of us. In years past, Congressman King has implied that Dreamers are drug dealers; he has endorsed far right, authoritarian, and neo-Nazis sympathizers; and he has repeatedly reiterated the belief that multicultural communities are a threat to our society. These racist beliefs should not be espoused by anyone, let alone a United States Congressman.

I grew up in the Jim Crow South, Madam Speaker. I know that racism and discrimination don't just cause pain. When these beliefs become policies, which Congressman King votes on and writes, they institutionalize a vicious system that people of color have to deal with as it relates to being denied equal rights and equal respect. These are the consequences of white supremacy.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in both parties to vote today, on what would have been Dr. King's 90th birthday, to condemn white nationalism and white supremacy.

Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this resolution.

Madam Speaker, let me thank Chairwoman McCollum for her leadership on this issue as we try to get the government open.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the fiscal year 2019 Interior appropriations bill, which provides $35 billion to partially reopen the government.

Now, this bill would also reopen our beautiful national parks and the Smithsonian museums. The situation in our parks right now, it is just not acceptable. Sixteen thousand Park Service employees are not working. Let me repeat that: 16,000 employees. The National Park Service is losing $400,000 a day from this shutdown, while uncollected garbage is piling up.

Madam Speaker, this is horrible. It is ridiculous.

We need this bill to reopen our parks, our museums, and our visitors' centers right away, and we need to pass this bill to keep visitors safe and end the furlough of law enforcement personnel in our national parks.

Madam Speaker, these closings are impacting every district in our Nation. Near my own district, for example, in the beautiful bay area, Muir Woods had to close this week.

In addition to wreaking havoc on Federal workers' lives, their families, their children, and their livelihoods, this Trump shutdown is also having an effect on tourism and the economy.

So I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill and ``yes'' to reopening the government. The public deserves this. The Federal workers deserve this. Contractors deserve this. The parks and our museums should be open for visitors to visit, and we need to get this government working again.

Madam Speaker, I thank, again, Chairwoman Betty McCollum for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, let me thank Chairman Bishop for bringing forth this bill and for his tremendous leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the fiscal 2019 Agriculture appropriations bill, which provides more than $23 billion to partially reopen the government. This critical bill would ensure that struggling families do not go hungry.

Madam Speaker, there are 38 million families who rely on SNAP food stamps to help put food on the table. And while USDA has said they will pay for SNAP and WIC in February, there is no guarantee for families in March. Let's be clear. We are talking about 38 million Americans going hungry.

Already, SNAP benefits are woefully insufficient to feed a family. No one can make a meal off of $1.40 a meal, and now families may be left with nothing.

Madam Speaker, contrary to what President Trump says, food banks and charities cannot make up the difference. They are already struggling with the volume of need in our communities throughout the country. This is simply immoral.

I am reminded of a very difficult period when I was a young, single mother raising two little boys and had to rely on food stamps to get my family through some very difficult, tough times. It was a bridge over troubled water. That lifeline should be there for all families all of the time.

Our billionaire President may not know what it is like to choose between putting food on the table or gas in the car, but I tell you, I do.

And forcing the choice on families because of a manufactured showdown is unconscionable. So let's pass the bill to reopen the government. Let's get Federal employees back to work, and get them the paychecks they need.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and ``yes'' to reopen the government. The American people deserve no less.

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank Chairman Price for his leadership on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the FY 2019 Transportation and Housing Appropriations Bill, which provides more than $71 billion to partially re-open the government.

Families living in housing supported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deserve to know they will have a roof over their heads.

This bill will ensure that struggling families are not evicted from their homes because of the Trump Administration's incompetence and cruelty.

There was a report this week that thousands of families could be evicted because HUD officials forgot about Section 8 contracts that expired last month.

Let me reiterate: families could become homeless--in the middle of winter--because these Trump officials couldn't keep track of this program.

Mr. Speaker, this is just downright unacceptable. And it's hurting people across the country.

Im my home district, renovations on an affordable housing project have been put on hold because of this shutdown.

There is an affordable housing crisis in this country, Mr. Speaker. A delay in projects like this will mean fewer people have a place to rest their heads at night.

These families deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, the Trump shutdown is hurting real families and it's hurting our economy.

Let's pass this bill to reopen the government, and make sure families can stay in their homes.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank Chairman Quigley for his leadership in putting this bill together so that federal workers can get back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the FY 2019 Financial Services Appropriations Bill, which provides more than $23 billion to partially re-open the government.

This important bill would reopen the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-- ensuring hardworking families receive their tax returns on time. It would also help to restart the taxpayer assistance centers, which serve approximately 2.5 million citizens monthly.

This shutdown is affecting real lives, Mr. Speaker. Real people.

According to the Washington Post, IRS furloughed employee Krystle Kirkpatrick, said she and her family of four can scrape along on her partner's machinist salary for a while, but she's already thinking about signing up to be a plasma donor to earn extra cash. That's only an extra $200.

Let me reiterate. A federal employee is considering becoming a plasma donor--because her paycheck, from her federal government job, won't be coming in the mail.

This is no way to run a country.

Mr. Speaker, the Trump shutdown is hurting real families and it's hurting our economy. Let's pass this bill. Let's get the government back open and get workers their paychecks.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Financial Services Bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an elected representative, but also as a mother--a mother who is horrified and outraged by the actions taken by the Trump Administration to deliberately separate families.

Like any mother, I love my children and cannot imagine being separated from them. But because of the Trump Administration's policies, some mothers have no choice.

Just this week, I have been working to reunite two mothers in my community who were prevented from reuniting with their families.

The first story I want to share is of Maria Mendoza-Sanchez. Maria has lived with her family in the East Bay for more than two decades. She and her husband Eusebio raised four beautiful children, worked hard, and purchased a home in Oakland.

Maria went to school while raising small children and went on to become a nurse at Highland Hospital. She was beloved by her patients and her colleagues.

Maria and Eusebio tried to do the right thing. They paid their taxes and came forward to legalize their immigration status. And for years, they were on a path to citizenship.

But like many families, Maria and Eusebio's efforts did not matter to the Trump Administration.

Under President Trump's misguided enforcement priorities, Maria and Eusebio were targeted for deportation.

And last summer--after more than twenty years building a life in our community--Maria and Eusebio were torn from their children and deported to Mexico.

But over the last sixteen months, we didn't give up. We kept working to reunite Maria with her family--to bring her home.

Finally, after more than a year of work, we were able to secure an H1-B visa for Maria. And this past Sunday, I was honored and overjoyed to join Maria as she was reunited with her children.

But Maria isn't the only mother torn from her children by President Trump's immigration policies.

Also in the news this week was the story of Shaima, whose son Abdullah Hassan has been on life support at Children's Hospital Oakland, in my district.

Abdullah is two years old and suffers from a genetic brain condition. His mother Shaima, who was born in Yemen, has been barred from travelling to the United States to be with her son because of the Trump Administration's un-American Muslim ban.

Abdullah doesn't have much time left--and Shaima feared that she would not be able to say goodbye to her young son.

Mr. Speaker--is this really who we are? A country that denies mothers safe passage to be with their dying children?

No family should ever have to endure this.

And in the face of such unimaginable cruelty, I am proud to say that our community stepped up. I want to thank everyone who showed up, who protested and organized and petitioned for this outcome.

Because of your advocacy, the State Department granted a visa waiver to Shaima so she can be with her son. She will be able to be with her son, to hug him and to say goodbye.

But we know that there are many other people like Maria and Shaima who remain separated from their families.

When I went down to the border earlier this year, I saw the prison- like conditions that they were keeping children in.

There were kids sleeping on concrete floor--with only thin emergency blankets to keep them warm.

And to this very day, there are hundreds of children in HHS custody. And Secretary Nielson can't tell us when they will be reunited.

Let's be clear: this isn't an immigration policy. This is a family separation policy.

Children torn from their mothers, parents deported away from their kids. And it's up to Congress to stop it.

It's past time for us to restore--justice, dignity and common sense to this immigration system.

We need to ensure kids who have lived here their entire lives--like Maria's oldest daughter--can make a life in the only country they have ever known.

We need to get this disgraceful, discriminatory travel ban off the books, so no loved one has to experience what Shaima went through.

We need to pass comprehensive immigration reform so that people like Maria and Eusebio can come out of the shadows.

Mr. Speaker--for every case like Maria's or Shaima's there are dozens more left unresolved.

Countless families have been left in limbo, unsure if or when they will ever see their loved ones again.

Not only do we owe it to these families to fix our broken immigration system--we owe it to the country and the constitution to live up to American values.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership on so many issues.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in opposition to this bill. It really is a hateful and un-American demand for $5 billion to build President Trump's border wall.

Let's be clear: President Trump and congressional Republicans aren't negotiating. They are holding our government hostage and demanding this wasteful, expensive wall as their ransom.

Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. Mr. Speaker, you would think that they could at least keep the government open. Instead of passing the Senate-passed, clean continuing resolution to prevent a shutdown, Republicans want to vote on this unnecessary border wall.

Mr. Speaker, this is completely irresponsible. Federal workers rely on their paychecks, especially during the holidays. People have planned national park trips over the holidays.

Is President Trump really going to shut down the American government in the midst of this holiday season during their vacation, during their time with their families? How sinister and mean-spirited can the President and our Republican colleagues be?

But this wouldn't be the first time that the Republicans were manufacturing a crisis. The Republican-led shutdown in 2013 cost our economy $24 billion. If President Trump shuts down the government--for the third time this year, I might add--he will sabotage our economy.

Instead of pushing forward with this bill, House Republicans should allow a vote on the Senate-passed continuing resolution to keep the government open.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this disastrous bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight my new bill, the Ronald V. Dellums Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM and National Security Act.

I am thrilled to introduce this forward-looking bill which will create a pipeline for women of color working in the STEAM fields through new national security fellowships.

This bill is named after a great statesman and former chair of the

House Armed Services Committee, my mentor, my former boss, the late Congressman Ron Dellums. Congressman Dellums broke barriers as the first Black chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He was also an avid champion of diversity at all levels.

In the 1970s, he hired me to work on his staff as one of the only women of color in a senior role on Capitol Hill. He was a pioneer and a visionary who understood the need for elevating women of color in every field.

That is why my bill, which has the support of organizations like the Civic Engagement and Leadership Institute for Everyone is so important. It will help honor Ron's legacy, build greater diversity in national security, and create much more STEAM opportunities for women of color.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me by cosponsoring my bill, the Ronald Dellums Memorial Fellowship for Women of Color in STEAM and National Security Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his tremendous leadership on this bill and so many other issues. It is because of democratic leadership that this bill rejected all of the harmful changes to nutrition, so I thank him for that.

I rise today in support of the Farm Bill conference report (H.R. 2). This bill reauthorizes SNAP--our nation's first line of defense against hunger. This bill also rejects the dangerous and immoral work requirements, which would have pushed 2 million people further into hunger and poverty.

Mr. Speaker, nutrition assistance helps 40 million people put food on the table. And the vast majority of families who receive food stamps are working.

In fact, more than 80 percent of SNAP households work the year before or after receiving aid. This program helps the working poor, children, the disabled and seniors. It's a necessary lifeline to our fellow Americans who otherwise would go hungry.

And I know how important this program is, Mr. Speaker, when I was a young, single mom raising two little boys, I relied on food stamps to help my family during a very difficult time in my life. It was a bridge over troubled waters. And quite frankly I would not be where I am today without that assistance.

All families should have this bridge over troubled waters when they need it.

And Mr. Speaker, while this bill is a step in the right direction for our anti-poverty work, we must do more to ensure that all families have nutritious and regular meals every day. No one in the richest nation on earth should go hungry but unfortunately 40 million do. 40 million.

So, I urge my colleagues support this bill and to redouble our efforts to end poverty and hunger in our nation.