Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observation of World AIDS Day which is celebrated tomorrow, actually, in the United States and around the world. Thanks to bipartisan investments in programs like PEPFAR, we have made significant strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

In the 15 years since PEPFAR was passed, over 2.4 million babies have been born HIV free, and over 14.6 million people have been supported with antiretroviral treatment. But we cannot let these numbers lull us into complacency.

The theme of this year's World AIDS Day is ``Know Your Status.'' More than 9.4 million people living with HIV around the world do not know their status. In the United States, more than 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV; 14 percent, mind you, of whom do not know their status.

We know that tens of millions of people in the United States and around the world will require sustained access to treatment for decades to come. Without robust investments and a strong recommitment to programs like PEPFAR, Ryan White, and the Minority AIDS Initiative, we could see a backslide in the important gains that we have made in the fight against HIV.

We can't afford to let that happen, so I invite you to join me in commemorating World AIDS Day and recommitting to achieving an AIDS-free generation.

Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank our ranking member, Mr. Engel, for yielding me time but also for his hard and diligent work and for being a real champion for our global health programs. I thank the gentleman very much for his kind words.

Let me also thank House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Royce and the chair of the Africa Subcommittee, Chris Smith, for their dedication to strengthening PEPFAR. It has really been a pleasure working with them from day one on this lifesaving legislation.

I cannot forget the late Chairman Henry Hyde and our ranking member, Tom Lantos, who worked so hard--Chris, you remember this--in making sure that this legislation stayed on track and that it was bipartisan.

Also, to our current ranking member of the House Africa Subcommittee, Congresswoman Karen Bass, I have to acknowledge her and thank her for her tremendous leadership, as well as the Congressional Black Caucus because it was the Congressional Black Caucus that supported me in my work with President Bush and, thankfully, our leader, Nancy Pelosi, who helped with this transformational legislation. It was many years ago, so I just have to salute and thank them.

I also thank my colleague Congresswoman Betty McCollum, because she never let us forget that we insisted on must-have efforts in this legislation on behalf of vulnerable children and orphans.

As the coauthor of this critical legislation, I am very proud, as I said, to continue now with this legislation, which really is the legacy of bipartisan leadership and support for PEPFAR and the Global Fund.

Mr. Speaker, this PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018 is extremely important. It would reauthorize PEPFAR and the Global Fund for 5 years.

PEPFAR is, arguably, one of the most efficient and effective foreign assistance programs in history. At the time that PEPFAR was established in 2003, only 50,000 people were treated in sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to strong bipartisan support for PEPFAR over the last 15 years, PEPFAR now supports lifesaving HIV treatment for more than 13.3 million people in more than 50 countries.

Our investments in PEPFAR have also allowed 2.2 million babies to be born HIV-free, and more than 6.4 million orphans, vulnerable children, and their caregivers are provided with assistance under these programs.

Now, I remember the very first individual--I believe his name was John Roberts--whom I met in Uganda. He was alive. He was so happy. He was raising a family. I believe he was a teacher. He had tears in his eyes when I met him, and he told me to make sure I thanked the United States of America for these lifesaving drugs and for the program.

But we can't allow these successes to lull us into complacency. While we have made unprecedented strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS, the need for robust investments in these programs is more important.

Mr. Speaker, we have made unprecedented strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The need for robust investments, though, is more important than ever.

A report released by The Lancet in July found that the HIV pandemic is not on track to end and that little progress has been made in reducing new infections over the past decade. Tens of millions of people will require access to sustained antiretroviral treatment for decades to come.

According to PEPFAR, every week, 32,000 people are infected with HIV globally, including 6,900 young women and 3,000 children. Mr. Speaker, 19,000 people die of AIDS-related illnesses each week.

Without a renewed global effort to address HIV, we really do risk the epidemic rebounding. We cannot allow that to happen. That is why we must reject any attempts--any attempts--by the Trump administration to cut any funding for PEPFAR and the Global Fund, and fight against the imposition of the global gag rule, which is already affecting access to critical healthcare services around the world.

Support for PEPFAR and the Global Fund has never been a partisan issue. We cannot allow that to change now.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill, and I want to thank my colleagues so much for their support and for helping us work through these very tough negotiations this time. We will move forward and, hopefully, find solace in the fact that we can wipe AIDS from the face of this Earth by 2030.

Mr. Speaker, first, I thank our ranking member for yielding, but also for her tireless work, day and night, to really help shape this bill to be, in many ways, a bipartisan bill, but also, each and every day, looking out for the American people and making sure that the American Dream is real for everyone in this country. So I thank again Congresswoman Lowey.

Also, to all of our ranking members and to Leader Pelosi, I want to just say that the input they have received from all of us on our staff--and I want to thank our staff and the phenomenal work that they have done--it has been just amazing.

As a member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education funding subcommittee, I am pleased to see many good provisions in this bill. This bill eliminates hundreds of poison pill riders ranging from efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, eliminate teen pregnancy and title X to dismantling of critical labor and consumer protections.

The bill also includes $60 million for a competitive grant, which we have been working on for years, for computer science funding for young girls, young people living below the poverty line, and people of color. I thank Mr. Fleischmann and others for helping us work on this, because this truly is a bipartisan effort. We included robust increases in job training, education, and childcare, as well as for historically Black colleges and universities. Now, my State of California has the highest number of students coming to HBCUs, so I am very grateful for those increases.

Even with these increases, Mr. Speaker, this conference report still falls short of what we need to just return to the funding levels before the sequester 8 years ago. Adjusted for inflation, we are still way below the 2010 levels for domestic spending.

What is worse, while underfunding our needs here at home, the bill includes an increase in $19 billion in defense. This includes a $2 billion increase for the overseas contingency fund, which really I think should be part of our base budget for the Pentagon funding. We know that the Pentagon doesn't need this excessive increase in funding to ensure our national security.

A Washington Post report in 2016 exposed a report detailing $125 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse, yet we are increasing this by $19 billion, not to mention that much of this funding is dedicated to continuing the endless wars that we are waging around the world, wars that, I might add, Congress has still not debated or voted on.

Put simply, the defense spending will be the single largest increase for the Pentagon since the beginning of the Bush so-called war on terror. Enough is enough, Mr. Speaker. We need to really make sure that our defense spending ensures our troop readiness and our national security, but we also need to work on the American people and stop these outrageous increases to defense funding.

Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Ranking Member Lowey and all of the Ranking Members of these subcommittees for their leadership and negotiation skills. This bill is truly a testament to Democratic leadership.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I rise today to speak on H.R. 5895, the conference report that contains the Fiscal Year 2019 bills for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Energy and Water, and the Legislative Branch.

While this is not a perfect bill, I support this bill, which provides $8.8 million in new funding for Members to pay interns. As someone who started as an intern in the office of the late Congressman Ron Dellums, I know how important interns are to ensure that Capitol Hill runs smoothly.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Military-Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, I am proud that this bill provides a total of $97.1 billion in spending--which is $5.15 billion more than the fiscal year 2018--for our veterans.

The bill also includes important report language which ensures greater oversight of jointly managed projects between the VA and the Army Corps of Engineers, like the Alameda Point project in my district.

Finally, while this is a good bill, I worry that this bill is short- sighted and will not address future funding needs for the VA Mission Act. As the daughter of a veteran, I know that our servicemembers and their families make enormous sacrifices to serve our nation.

Their tireless service more than earns them our commitment to addressing this funding issue. So, I look forward to continuing to work on this and improve quality of life for our servicemembers and their families.

But I am deeply concerned, Mr. Speaker, about the $65 million included in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill for a new low- yield nuclear weapon. I tried in Committee and on the Floor to cut this funding, but Republicans rejected my amendment.

Mr. Speaker, the warhead funded in this bill would set a dangerous precedent--that of arming our submarines with a low-yield ballistic missile--something that has never been done in the many decades of our nuclear deterrence.

What's worse--funding this warhead lowers the threshold for nuclear weapons use and could put us on a dangerous path to war.

And frankly our nation shouldn't just rely on building more nuclear weapons. We must ensure that diplomacy is our nation's first pathway to address these global challenges.

Mr. Speaker, we are making Americans less safe with this nuclear weapon. I am deeply disturbed with this inclusion and I hope my colleagues will join me in opposition to this funding of a nuclear weapon.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the 17th year since Congress passed the 2001 AUMF, which has become a blank check for endless war. I would like to read part of the speech I delivered on September 14, 2001, because these words remain true and relevant today.

I said: ``Mr. Speaker, I rise really with a very heavy heart, one that is filled with sorrow for the families and the loved ones who were killed and injured this week.

``September 11 changed the world. Our deepest fears now haunt us. Yet I am convinced that military action will not prevent further acts of international terrorism against the United States.

``This resolution will pass, although we all know that the President can wage a war, even without it. However difficult this vote may be, some of us must urge the use of restraint. Some of us must say, let us step back for a moment. Let us just pause for a minute and think through the implications of our actions today, so that this does not spiral out of control.

``I have agonized over this vote, but I came to grips with it today. I came to grips with opposing this resolution during the very painful, yet very beautiful memorial service. As a member of the clergy so eloquently said, as we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore.''

Now, 17 years later, I am asking my colleagues to join me in repealing this overly-broad resolution by cosponsoring H.R. 1229.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the life and legacy of a great statesman and social justice warrior, Congressman Ron Dellums, who passed away on July 30.

Mr. Speaker, the contributions that Ron made to our community, the Nation, and the world are endless. As a former marine and the first African American to serve on the House Armed Services Committee and later to become its chair, he was a true patriot and a hero.

As cofounder of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Ron fought for the civil and human rights for everyone in America and around the world; also, he fought to end poverty.

As a social worker, Congressman Dellums made it his life mission to fight for the most vulnerable. That was evident in his fight against the brutal apartheid regime leading to the passage of his South Africa Sanctions Bill after introducing it 11 times. President Reagan vetoed the bill and Congress overrode the veto.

I am blessed to call Ron my dear friend, my predecessor, my mentor, and my former boss. I miss him tremendously, and I will hold him dear to my heart and the lessons that I learned from this great public servant.

My condolences are with the Dellums family, friends, and loved ones. His legacy and his spirit will be with us forever.

Now I ask my colleagues to join me, please, in a moment of silence for our great fallen hero.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of our Special Order tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to really celebrate the life and legacy of my mentor, my former boss, and my dear friend, Congressman Ronald V. Dellums.

I had the privilege to serve as an intern in Ron's Washington office during the Watergate hearings of 1974 and as a senior member of his staff for 11 years.

First, my deepest condolences to Ron's beloved family, friends, and our community, who he loved so deeply, as we continue to come to grips, quite frankly, with the grief in the passing of this tremendous voice, yet we honor and celebrate Ron's magnificent legacy.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank Congressman Jamie Raskin for being a part of this Special Order tonight and for co-leading it. Congressman Raskin's father, Marcus Raskin, was a close and cherished friend of Ron's. They deeply loved and respected each other.

Let me also thank all of my colleagues in the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus for holding this Special Order tonight to remember a truly historic figure, the late, great Congressman Ron Dellums.

Congressman Dellums was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and I know this celebration of his life would mean so much to him.

Ron will be remembered not only for his many accomplishments, but for his integrity and his brilliance. He was a courageous statesman, a warrior for world peace, a soldier for social justice, and a son of west Oakland. He served his country in both the Marines and in this Congress, with distinction, for 27 years and as mayor of Oakland for 4 years.

He was beloved by his east bay constituents, regarded by his colleagues from both sides of the aisle, and respected as a global leader.

Above all else, Congressman Dellums was a visionary, and his conscience guided him in the pursuit of peace and justice and equality in all forms.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), one of Ron's very close friends, a person whom he loved dearly, who is an icon in his own right, someone who led the fight for our voting rights.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lewis for that very beautiful tribute to Ron. It was a loving tribute, and I know personally how much Ron loved him and, in many ways, looked up to him and respected him as a human being and for his tremendous leadership. So I thank the gentleman on behalf of Ron's family, friends, and our community.

Now I would like to ask Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to come forward. Congresswoman Norton knew Ron very well, served with Ron, and Ron served as chair of the District of Columbia Committee when I was actually a staffer during that period. They had many, many struggles during that day. Ron and Eleanor remained friends, and he loved her dearly and always asked about her.

I yield to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

I thank Congressman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Let me say that Ron passed away in his home here in Washington, D.C., on July 30. She was his Representative.

Ron loved the District of Columbia, as Ms. Norton said. His children went to Alice Deal Junior High School and Woodrow Wilson High School. He worked with Ms. Norton, as well as Hilda Mason, who was on the city council and was a strong activist for statehood. So I thank Ms. Norton for reminding us of Ron's wonderful history in the District of Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson), my friend, a member of the Judiciary Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, but a prior member of

the House Armed Services Committee. I thank Congressman Johnson for being with us tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Johnson for that very beautiful tribute.

I know one of Ron's greatest gifts was mentoring those who came after him, and I know he certainly appreciated Mr. Johnson's leadership on that Armed Services Committee and talked a lot about the great work that he was engaged in.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our leader, who knew Ron very well, even before Ron and Nancy served together in Congress. I thank her so much for being here and for paying tribute.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Leader Pelosi for those remarks.

Let me just say one thing to Ms. Pelosi in terms of Ron's sensitivity and an example of his humanness. He was so happy she reached out to him during his last few days on this Earth. I was with him, and after he spoke with Ms. Pelosi, he had tears in his eyes. He talked about how much he missed her and how much he loved her. He was so grateful that she gave him that call, so I thank her very much.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay). Congressman Lacy Clay, of course, is the son of a great hero, Congressman Bill Clay, with whom Ron served. Also, he was so proud of Lacy, because he knew Congressman Clay as a teenager. He may want to share some of his stories about that period of time also.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Clay for some of the stories he shared that many of us as a former staffer remember.

Yes, I remember Ron playing the role of Frederick Douglass, and it was unbelievable because it didn't take much for the transformation. Sometimes we would say: Who is this, Ron or Frederick?

So I thank the gentleman for reminding us of that tonight.

Mr. Speaker, Ron's family hailed from Texas. Congresswoman Jackson Lee was a friend of Congressman Dellums. She currently serves on the Judiciary Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and the Budget Committee. Also, Ron was very proud of Sheila, and he loved hearing the gentlewoman speak and listening to her insights about criminal justice reform in our judiciary.

So I thank the gentlewoman again for being here tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee for reminding us what a visionary and a leader Ron was.

Mr. Speaker, I remember when we came to Houston, Texas, Ron was determined to put together a coalition between African Americans and Latinos to look at our common issues. He and Mickey Leland were very close, and he worked very closely with the Latino community to really put together the agenda that spoke to both of our communities. So I thank the gentlewoman very much for being here and reminding us of that.

He was a coalition builder. I called him the father of coalition politics, and the gentlewoman laid that out tonight.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, we have heard quite a bit tonight of the life and legacy of a great human being and a great warrior for peace and justice, Congressman Ron Dellums. Let me highlight a couple of stories that weren't highlighted tonight that I would like to share.

First of all, Ron really worked in a bipartisan fashion on many, many issues. I remember that Ron and former Speaker Newt Gingrich were talking about collaborating on a book together. This was really a time of true bipartisanship.

Also, Ron called himself a feminist, and he believed in equality for women. This just wasn't lip service. He followed his convictions in his hiring practices. Ron hired women and women of color in the early 1970s and took pride in employing a diverse staff.

When I worked for Ron in the seventies, I was one of a very few African Americans and only a couple African American women in key senior staff positions on Capitol Hill, but he made certain that I was treated fairly and empowered me to manage his office.

Ron had remarkable female role models, including his mother, Mrs. Willa Dellums. She was a major influence on Ron and taught him to be proud that he was an American of African descent. She taught him that his culture and his heritage was an important part of who he was as a human being and as an elected official.

Ron was really the big brother that I never had. He gave me personal advice and support as a single mom raising two boys here in Washington, D.C. He loved children.

When my son, Craig, graduated from Brent Elementary School around the corner from the Capitol, he asked Ron to be his graduation speaker. Mind you, this was, I believe, in the sixth grade.

Ron left the Hill, spoke at the graduation, took pictures, and talked to the children afterwards. Mind you, these were young children. They didn't have political clout and they couldn't vote, but Ron didn't mind. He did this out of the goodness of his heart because he loved children and cared about their future.

When Ron retired, I announced my candidacy for his seat. He introduced me at my campaign kickoff, and he literally passed a blue baton to me at that kickoff, which I will cherish forever. But that baton reminds me of his impact on the world both in the policies that he championed and in all of those he inspired to follow in his footsteps.

Ron didn't serve in public office for the glory. He served to make life better for other people. He used to tell his staff: ``Don't measure decisions by what is politically expedient. Just ask yourself: Is this the right thing to do? And if it is, then go ahead and do it. You don't need to ask me about that.''

In his final weeks on this Earth, I had the privilege to visit Ron several times. I spent my birthday, July 16, with him in the evening. He was in rare form, telling stories, toasting our friendship, and singing happy birthday to me. Yet he was frail, in pain, but all along he demonstrated a sense of hope and courage, even as he knew he would meet his Maker soon.

As Ron lived with dignity and respect, doing it all ``his way,'' he left this Earth exhibiting courage and a sense of peace, reminding me of the Scripture 2 Timothy 4:7, ``I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.''

There is no more fitting way to honor the memory of Congressman Dellums than for us to lift his legacy in the spirit of respect for different points of views, sticking to one's values and principles, and fighting to make this a better world for all.

It is an honor of a lifetime to carry the baton which Ron passed on to me in our shared fight for justice, peace,

and equality. But most importantly, as Ron said, we must secure the future for generations yet unborn. That is what this blue baton reminds me of.

I thank all of those who have been here tonight to share the memory and celebrate the life and mourn the loss of my friend, my former boss, the great Congressman Ronald Dellums.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to voice my opposition to President Trump's nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. The stakes could not be higher: Judge Kavanaugh is not the Justice that our nation needs, nor deserves. Voting rights, women's reproductive rights, and affirmative action are all under threat.

Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation could redefine the Supreme Court, and threatens to undermine some of our nation's most important rights for decades to come.

Judge Kavanaugh's nomination poses a threat to voting rights. When the state of South Carolina tried to enforce a draconian voter ID law, the Obama Administration blocked the law. When the case was referred to the US District Court, Judge Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, upheld the voter I.D. law saying, ``the South Carolina Law has neither a discriminatory effect nor a discriminatory purpose. Moreover, South Carolina did not act with a discriminatory purpose.'' The three-judge panel, led by Kavanaugh, upheld the law. The bill was signed by former Governor, and now UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Kavanaugh's nomination also poses a threat to reproductive rights. The landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision not only gave women access to basic health care rights, but it also strengthened a woman's right to choose. We've seen this playbook before, Mr. Speaker; Republicans will stop at nothing to end Roe as we know it. They will chip away it. They will undermine it. They will erode it.

And we know that women of color and women from low-income communities will be the most adversely impacted by restrictions on access to reproductive healthcare.

From Kavanagh's tacit approval of Justice Rehnquist's dissent in Roe vs. Wade, to his own dissent in the 2017 ``Jane Doe'' vs. HHS case saying, ``(we can't allow) a new right for unlawful immigrant minors in U.S. Government detention to obtain immediate abortion on demand,'' it is clear Judge Kavanaugh will be receptive to cases prohibiting women's right to choose.

Finally, while Judge Kavanaugh has never written a judicial opinion on affirmative action, he has written an amicus brief for the Center for Equal Opportunity, an organization opposed to the consideration of race in college admissions decisions.

If affirmative action were to be limited or ended, historically disenfranchised students would have fewer opportunities to access mainstream institutions of higher learning.

As a co-chair of the Congressional Pro-choice Caucus, and as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I will keep fighting to protect women's reproductive rights, voting rights, and affirmative action. We must urge the Senate to oppose Trump's dangerous nominee who represents a direct threat to our values as a nation. We can and must stop the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the conference report to H.R. 5515, which is the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.

This bill authorizes more than $708 billion in defense spending. Yet we know that there is at least $150 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse currently over at the Pentagon. Now we are giving them more money. Shame on us.

This is an already out-of-control, bloated Pentagon budget.

Mr. Speaker, it would also increase funding to $69 billion for wars that Congress has never debated or voted on. Once again, my Republican colleagues have used off-the-books spending gimmicks to further expand the bloated Pentagon budget.

Enough is enough, Mr. Speaker. Instead of writing blank checks to the Pentagon, Congress needs to live up to its constitutional obligation to debate matters of war and peace. I offered an amendment to sunset the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force after 8 months of enactment during the regular debate of this bill. Congress would have 8 months to debate and vote on a new AUMF before the repeal. Eight months is plenty of time.

Mr. Speaker, we passed the 2001 AUMF within 3 days, mind you.

Unfortunately, Republicans refused to allow my bipartisan amendment on the Floor.

When in the world will this body have the backbone to debate the costs and consequences of these wars? Our brave troops deserve better.

We need to do our job.

I am pleased, though, that some of my amendments--which are very important amendments--were included in the conference report. They include clarifying that nothing in this bill can be construed as authorizing force against North Korea--that is the use of military force.

Also, we included reporting requirements for auditing the Pentagon. We need the Pentagon audited so that taxpayers will really begin to know where their hard-earned tax dollars are going and what weapons systems they are contributing to in terms of the building of weapons systems which probably will never be used, a report and update on the United States-Kabul compact, and also overseas contingency operations reporting requirements.

Can you believe we are spending all this money on a slush fund through OCO, and we don't know what is going on with that account?

The underlying bill is still a disgrace.

In conclusion, I just want to reiterate that authorizing wars with no end, no debate, and no vote is unconstitutional, and it is wrong.

I call on Speaker Ryan to bring forth an authorization because every step of the way, we are trying in a bipartisan fashion to do this, and it is the Speaker's call. He should do that so that we can debate and vote up or down on these wars.

So, this final bill should not be passed just based on the amount of money that we are giving to the Pentagon to do more than ensure our national security and fight terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a no vote and reject this shameful bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 644, to condemn the slave auctions of migrants and refugees in Libya. The legislation, which calls for multilateral action and support, takes an important first step towards ending deplorable human rights grievances in the country.

In an era where most of us consider slavery to be a shame of the past, the photos, videos, and reports that have emerged out of Libya in the past year have rocked us to the very core of our humanity.

What is happening in Libya is an unspeakable atrocity.

Recent U.N. reports out of Libya detail sexual violence against the most vulnerable migrant populations--women and children--as well as the unlivable conditions in the detention centers where refugees are being held.

People--human beings--are being bought, sold, and traded like chattel, on auction blocks, for their labor.

This is nothing short of a humanitarian crisis.

As a leader on the international stage, and as fellow human beings, our nation has a responsibility to speak out against such flagrant disregard for human life and freedom.

I would like to thank my colleague, Karen Bass for offering H.R. 644 to condemn the slave auctions of migrants and refugees in Libya, and for calling the world to action.

I strongly encourage my colleagues in Congress to act, with a sense of urgency, to end these egregious human rights violations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H. Con. Res. 119, which is a shameful denial of the clear evidence of climate change and its impact on our planet.

Let me be clear. There is no greater threat to the future of this planet than climate change. But instead of offering solutions, Republicans are burying their heads in the sand once again.

Here are the facts. Climate change is real, it is manmade, and every day that Congress fails to act, we are making the problem worse. The cost of inaction is astronomical. If we do nothing it is our grandchildren who will be left with the price tag.

The truth is, Mr. Speaker, that we can pass policies that dramatically reduce greenhouse gases and build our economy. California, my home State, is 4 years ahead of schedule on our greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and green jobs have grown exponentially. We have over 300,000 people working in the green job industry, by far the most in the country.

So, no, Mr. Speaker, this carbon tax fear-mongering won't work because Americans understand that the true threat to our economy is from climate change, which is already wreaking havoc on our planet.

I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution and, instead, get to the real work of addressing climate change.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the late, great President Nelson Mandela, whose 100th birthday we celebrate today.

Like many of my colleagues, I was first inspired by Mr. Mandela in the early 1970s. I was arrested in Berkeley, California, protesting apartheid, when our brave brothers and sisters in the labor movement refused to unload ships from South Africa that arrived at Oakland's port.

I remember very vividly when the African National Congress was designated a terrorist organization by the United States Government. It was illegal to meet with the freedom fighters in the United States, but many of us did anyway in safe places around the world.

I was so happy when we finally passed legislation, which I led, to lift President Mandela and the ANC off the terrorist watch list on his 90 birthday 10 years ago.

As an election observer, I will never forget the lines of people waiting to vote for Nelson Mandela as the first Black President of South Africa.

Madiba's impact was not limited to South Africa. He sparked social justice movements that reached around the world and reminded us of the power of the vote. As President Obama noted yesterday, he said Madiba ``came to embody the universal aspirations of dispossessed people all around the world, their hopes for a better life.''

President Mandela taught us many lessons, lessons in reconciliation, perseverance, and public service. Above all, he taught us that the fight for justice was never finished. His legacy will live forever.

Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me the time and for his tireless advocacy.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4760. This is an anti-immigrant bill, plain and simple: It fails to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers; it dismantles family immigration; it ends the important diversity visa lottery program; it funds $30 billion for Trump's border wall; and it fails to address the horrible zero- tolerance policy.

Why are we moving forward with a bill that does not address the malicious detention of families seeking asylum, a bill that does nothing to reunite the 2,300 children separated from their parents?

These policies are really a disgrace and a stain on our country.

Just imagine the horrors of these families fleeing violence, domestic abuse, but we are not providing refuge. No. Our government--our government--has been ripping children out of the arms of parents. We are holding kids in cages. And now the Trump administration wants to leave whole families, including young children, in jail for extended periods of time.

Locking up kids is child abuse. It is a violation of their human rights. We must ensure that these children are reunited with their families.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill. And as my colleague Congresswoman Chu said, it is about making America White again.

Mr. Speaker, if I were present, I would have voted NO on roll call number 265 to H.R. 5788.

If I were present, I would have voted NO on roll call number 266 to

Mr. Speaker, if I were present, I would have voted NO on roll call number 234, ordering the previous question on H. RES. 918.

If I were present, I would have voted NO on roll call number 235 the rule for H. Res. 918.

If I were present, I would have voted no on roll call number 236.

If I were present, I would have voted yes on roll call number 237 the motion to recommit on H.R. 8.

If I were present, I would have voted yes on roll call number 238 to