Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, our Leader Pelosi, to congratulate the 2018 NBA champions, my home team, the Golden State Warriors.

Now, on Friday, the world watched as the Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers and claimed their third NBA title in 4 years. Led by two-time MVP Steph Curry and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant, the Warriors have cemented their dynasty in NBA history.

The team is an example for young people, showing that if you can work together, you can accomplish anything.

These finals against the talented Cleveland Cavaliers were a thrill to watch. We saw basketball at its best, incredible talent, and a real passion from both sides.

Thank you to the Warriors for making our dreams of another championship a reality. This remarkable team has made history as one of the best ever.

I want to extend my thanks to Coach Steve Kerr for his tremendous leadership, as well as the entire Warriors organization.

Today, the bay area is celebrating our remarkable team in my beautiful City of Oakland, as in Oaktown, and I know that my late mother, Mildred Massey, who was a loyal Warriors fan, is smiling down on us.

Go Warriors. Go Oakland. Go Dub Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Lowey for yielding and for her tireless leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this shameful bill--H.R. 3--that would cut vital life-saving programs and hurt the American people.

Just months after the ink is dry on our nation's largest tax scam in history--Republicans are balancing their $1.5 trillion deficit on the backs of struggling families.

This is a disgrace.

This shameful bill eliminates funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by $7 billion.

Mr. Speaker, this bill literally steals health care from the most vulnerable children in America.

H.R. 3 also deeply cuts funds for programs that create jobs, help the grow the economy, and lift more families out of poverty, like the Community Development Financial Institution.

And, this bill continues Republicans' assault on the climate change and green energy. By slashing billions of dollars from Energy Efficiency Programs, Republicans are not only hurting our environment, they're also hurting our economy.

I thought Republicans wanted to create jobs, Mr. Speaker? Then why are we voting on a bill that will take jobs away?

Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better. Instead of pulling the rug out from under from the most vulnerable, we should be creating jobs, boosting our economy and lifting more families out of poverty.

But this bill does just the opposite. So, I urge my colleagues to vote `no' on this cruel and mean-spirited bill.

Mr. Chair, I thank Ranking Member Lowey for yielding and for her tireless work.

Mr. Chair, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I rise in strong opposition to this bill--H.R. 5895--the Fiscal Year 2019 Energy and Water, Leg Branch, and MilconVA spending bills.

This Republican minibus fails to protect the health, security, and safety of the American people.

And really, this bill is an attempt to block critical funding for education, health, and the economic security.

Once again, Republicans are funding defense at the expense of priorities here at home.

This is shameful and short-sighted.

Mr. Chair, the Pentagon does not need more funding. A Washington Post report in 2016 exposed $125 billion in waste, fraud and abuse at the Pentagon. But rather than come clean, leaders at the Pentagon chose to bury the report and continue wasting taxpayer dollars.

Yet, Republicans want to increase Defense spending by $17 billion. Mr. Chair--instead of making defense contractors even richer, how about we start helping struggling families home at home?

At a time when we should invest robustly in the American people, Republicans are doing just the opposite.

The partisan bill before us cuts vital clean energy initiatives, attacks job-creating investments, and slashes funds for nuclear non- proliferation efforts.

All this bill does is make it harder to grow the economy and for hardworking Americans to succeed.

By flat funding four of our most important domestic spending bills-- including Labor, HHS, and Education, the funding subcommittee I sit on--there will be less money for job training, education, and public health.

This is a shame, Mr. Chair.

And I am sad to say that with the flat funding of many of our bills-- people will lose out.

Ameicans want good-paying jobs. They want to be able to see a doctor when they're sick. They want safe schools to send their kids to.

But instead, Republicans keep shortchanging families so that billionaires, polluters and defense contractors can pad their pockets.

This bill is a disgrace. I urge my colleagues to vote no.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk. It is Lee amendment No. 26.

Mr. Chairman, first, let me thank our Rules Committee chair, Mr. Sessions, also our ranking member, Mr. McGovern, as well as all of the members of the committee for making this amendment in order.

My amendment is very straightforward. It would cut the $65 million included in this bill for low-yield nuclear weapons and transfer it to the defense nuclear nonproliferation account. My amendment strikes one of the most harmful and controversial recommendations of the Trump Nuclear Posture Review.

Mr. Chairman, funding this warhead would set a dangerous precedent. The last thing we should do is arm our submarines with a low-yield ballistic missile. We have never done this before in the many decades of nuclear deterrence, and there is absolutely no reason to start now.

What is worse, this warhead lowers the threshold for nuclear weapons use and puts us on a dangerous path to war. At a time when we should be reducing the threat of nuclear war, we are doing just the opposite.

While the Trump administration claims that another low-yield warhead would help deter Russia from using these weapons first, that is far from the truth. In fact, funding this nuclear weapon could only provoke Russia and heighten the risk of nuclear war.

Let me be clear: This additional funding is both unnecessary, and it is dangerous. Our Nation already processes hundreds of low-yield warheads. In the coming decades, we will invest another $150 billion despite the fact that we already have the capacity really to destroy the world many times over.

This is a waste of money and a danger to our national security. Instead of provoking another nuclear arms race with Russia, we should be investing in diplomacy and disarmament. The $65 million would be better spent at the DOE's nuclear nonproliferation program which secures nuclear material both here at home and globally.

It is hard to think of a more vital national security issue than protecting and securing nuclear material, and yet Republicans have cut funding for that important program by $97 million from fiscal year 2018. This is dangerous and, again, does nothing for our national security.

Rather than fund another low-yield nuclear weapon that we don't need, we should use the $65 million to increase nuclear nonproliferation accounts and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. That is exactly why my amendment is so important, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Mr. Chairman, as the designee of Ranking Member Lowey, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi).

Mr. Chairman, let me just say a couple of things.

Our country should not expand the number of scenarios under which the United States might consider the use of nuclear weapons. We should never be in a position that the U.S. is using nuclear weapons first, which would lead us to a catastrophic war.

I think Members on both sides of the aisle can agree to this, and I urge my colleagues to support this critical amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our ranking member for yielding and for his tremendous leadership on defense issues and so many other issues that are critical to our national and domestic security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and to H.R. 5515, which is the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. This bill authorizes $717 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.

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. Yesterday I offered an amendment to sunset the 2001 and 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force after 8 months of enactment. 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.

Last week, of course, Speaker Ryan--and I say at the orders of Donald Trump--undemocratically stripped our bipartisan 2001 sunset amendment when the Defense Appropriations bill came before us.

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 and others passed last night--which are very important amendments. 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.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

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 rule and this 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'' on the rule and the underlying bill and reject this shameful bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to respond to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne) and say that I know exactly what is going on over at the Pentagon in terms of their auditing requirements and what they are doing. But I have to say the Pentagon--and the gentleman should know this--has never been audited, I know, for the last 50 years.

The public understands it needs to be audited because they see each and every day the wasteful spending of the Pentagon when you just look at, for example, CEO compensation of millions and millions and millions of dollars that are being paid to defense contractor executives on the taxpayers' dime.

So, yes, I know what is going on; and, yes, it has not been audited in 50 years.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, but also for his tremendous leadership on this bill and so many other issues.

I rise in strong opposition to this disastrous farm bill. This bill cuts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by $23 billion, taking food out of the mouths of 2 million Americans. Over 265,000 children will lose benefits.

Why in the world do congressional Republicans want more Americans to go hungry?

This is immoral and it is wrong.

These so-called work requirements won't help anyone work. They punish struggling families who are not getting enough hours at work or decent wages to help feed their families.

Nutrition assistance helps 40 million people put food on the table. More than 80 percent of SNAP households work the year before or after receiving aid. The majority of people receiving SNAP benefits are children, disabled, and seniors.

When I was young, I was a 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. I want families to have this bridge over troubled waters now.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of every family struggling to pay rent, every student facing homelessness, and every city that is seeing historic communities displaced.

We are facing an affordable housing crisis, and we cannot ignore this epidemic. Over 38 million families struggle to pay rent and put food on the table every day because they spend more than a third of their income on housing. Now, in my district, in the East Bay in northern California, the average renter in Oakland would be forced to spend a staggering--mind you, staggering--70 percent of their income on housing if they were to move today. That is 70 percent. Clearly, the affordable housing crisis is off the scale in my district.

In April, I sent an email to my constituents asking for their stories and suggestions on how to address this very important issue. Today I would like to share just a few of those stories which really touched my heart.

One woman shared how, being unable to afford a place to live, she had to put herself in harm's way to have shelter. She said: I stayed in an unsafe and shared housing situation much longer than I would have had I been able to find an affordable place to move. I have found a place now but no longer have any disposable income. I worry that an unexpected event could lead to being unhoused. I have many friends who are single mothers with children who are sleeping in cars or bouncing from couch to couch.

The housing crisis has also taken a devastating toll on seniors in my district. One woman wrote: Many of my longtime friends and acquaintances have been forced to move out of the State. My husband and I have lived in an old place for a long time, and the rent is relatively low; but the building may be sold, and I don't know what we would do. I am a cancer survivor and fear moving out of the State would make me lose my health insurance. I would also have a hard time finding a new job at 62. We have applied at numerous senior housing apartments, but all have long waiting lists.

These stories also highlighted the impact of the housing crisis on public sector workers and students in our community.

One gentleman wrote: As a teacher, I cannot afford to stay in Oakland. Home ownership is out of the question. Even as a dedicated public servant, I can't afford to work in urban schools in the Bay area.

A former student wrote me: I had to withdraw from classes at UC Berkeley so I could find stable housing and enough income to afford my monthly rent.

Mr. Speaker, our community, our country, cannot function without nurses, teachers, or young people living in decent affordable housing. We need to solve this crisis before it is too late. These stories represent just a small number of the responses I received. I heard from many constituents who are delaying having children and passing up opportunities to open a business or switch careers because they cannot afford to move or to live where they want to live.

I heard from some residents who live in cars, on couches, or on the streets because the cost of rent has soared. Now I see, sadly, homeless camps with sofas, chairs, and tables. So many people have been evicted with nowhere to go.

Believe you me, there are many more in my district and across America who are homeless right now: seniors, veterans, single moms raising children. They have nowhere to sleep at night. We must do better so that no one is forced to live on the streets. We must do better to ensure that no child is homeless. And we must do better to ensure that no senior has to choose between food and rent. We must do better because there is no option. The affordable housing crisis is tearing apart families and communities. This is not a partisan issue; it is a human one.

That is why I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will cosponsor my affordable housing resolution which I introduced yesterday, H. Con. Res. 120, and affirm that all people deserve access to basic living standards. We need to begin this debate, and it needs

to be bipartisan. People deserve to hear that from their representatives.

And I hope that these stories which I shared will inspire all of my colleagues to ask their constituents about this crisis and convince them to join me in bolstering Federal resources for affordable housing. We can't delay any longer.

Mr. Speaker, as a person of faith, there is no way that I can stand by and watch so many people living on the streets without shelter, without food. They deserve a chance at the American Dream, also.

Mr. Speaker, I want to comment very briefly on the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act, which provides long-term stability for our Nation's aviation community and critical investments in U.S. airports. I have many, many issues in my district that this bill, hopefully, will address.

Airplane noise is an issue that directly affects my constituents in the East Bay. I have convened meetings with Federal and local stakeholders to come up with a regional solution to airport noise in the bay area.

This bill will help us make progress to address noise pollution and ensure that my constituents can live under quiet skies. It would establish a pilot program for the Department of Transportation to give grants of up to $2.5 million to six airports for noise mitigation projects. That is so important.

Also, I am pleased to see that the bill includes language that would require the FAA to partner with higher education institutions to assess the health effects of white noise.

While these changes may not reduce airplane noise immediately, we are moving in the right direction. I look forward to working with the FAA to ensure my constituents affected by airplane noise are addressed in a timely fashion. This legislation is critical legislation to help support America's innovation in aviation technology and will ensure quieter skies for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Oakland Athletics baseball team.

While the team's history extends back all the way to 1901, when it was founded in Philadelphia as one of the charter baseball clubs of the new ``American League'', this year marks 50 years since the team recognized the potential of Oakland and the East Bay, and moved west in 1968.

That year on April 17th, the team played its first game in front of more than 50,000 fans at the Oakland Coliseum, and quickly put together a championship dynasty. Led by Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, and Rollie Fingers, the ``A's'' became World Series champions during three consecutive years: 1972, 1973, and 1974.

During the 1980's, beginning with manager Billy Martin's ``Billyball'' system, the A's found new success and developed stars such as hometown heroes Ricky Henderson and Dave Stewart, and Dennis Eckersley. In 1989, the A's won the ``Battle of the Bay'' World Series in a four-game sweep against the San Francisco Giants. Game 3 of that series was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake--which claimed the lives of 39 people in Oakland and caused the series to be delayed for 10 days while both cities recovered.

Breaking tradition, the A's decided against a victory parade out of respect for those impacted by the earthquake.

Following an ownership change in the 1990's and the team's decision to hire the legendary Billy Beane as General Manager, Beane instituted a system now known as ``Moneyball'' to find undervalued talent in order to field competitive teams. Beane's approach was revolutionary, and led to the A's outperforming expectations against better funded opponents.

During this period, the team won multiple American League West division titles, and set the then-American League record for the most consecutive victories in 2002 when the A's completed ``the Streak'' by winning 20 games in a row. This era was led by the ``Big Three'' pitchers: Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito, and hitters Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez.

The Oakland Athletics have an impressive history of outstanding players, including Hall of Fame inductees, such as: Rickey Henderson, the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history; Jim ``Catfish'' Hunter, an eight time all-star and five time World Series champion; Rollie Fingers, a seventime all-star and one of the first modern ``closers'', Dennis Eckersley, one of the most dominant relievers in history, and Reggie Jackson a six-time all-star selectee, World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP), and three-time World Series champion.

In addition to the team's on-field success, the Athletics have made an impact on the community they represent. Throughout the years, the Oakland A's Community fund has made it their mission to serve the East Bay community by promoting educational programs, health awareness, and crime and drug prevention. The team has also provided sorely needed athletic fields to Oakland's kids, and held the annual Community Fund Golf Classic for the past 35 years, the annual Root Beer Float Day, and the annual Breast Awareness Day to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Prevention Institute of California.

I commend the A's for being a valuable part of our Oakland community these past fifty years. I extend my congratulations on this important milestone to all managers, players, staff, and fans who have contributed to the team's rich legacy, and I wish the Oakland Athletics continued success on and off the field in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 150th Anniversary of the University of California, Berkeley. Considered one of the top public universities in the world, Cal provides a quality higher education to more than 40,000 students each year. In addition to providing a world-renowned education for students, UC Berkeley supports cutting-edge research programs facilitated by distinguished academic faculty.

The University of California, Berkeley was the first campus of the UC system and continues to set the standard for public universities nationwide. Established in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley formed as a merger between the private College of California and the state-run Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College. In 1873, UC Berkeley chose blue and gold as their school colors--blue for California's sky and ocean and gold to honor the ``Golden State.'' In 1895, Cal chose the golden bear as their mascot after a 12-student track team represented the school with banners depicting California's state emblem.

To date, UC Berkeley alumni, researchers and faculty have earned 94 Nobel Prizes, 45 MacArthur Fellowships, and 14 Pulitzer Prizes. UC Berkeley's notable alumni include Nobel Laureate and former Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Governor Jerry Brown, co-founder of Apple Steve Wozniak and yours truly. I am particularly proud that the university has sent more alumni to the Peace Corps than any other university in the nation.

In 1964, during the Free Speech Movement, UC Berkeley developed a strong reputation for student activism. Student leaders opposed the Vietnam War, fought for civil rights, and defended their right to participate in political activity on campus. Facing great odds, the students' actions promoted change and established a legacy of political activism that continues to this day.

I commend UC Berkeley for its integral role in developing generations of academic, business, cultural, and political leaders. Cal has been at the forefront of some of the most important scientific discoveries and defining social movements of the modern era.

As a proud alumna of UC Berkeley, I am honored to represent my alma mater in Congress, and work on the many issues that are critical to the students and faculty.

On behalf of the residents of California's 13th Congressional District, I extend my congratulations on this important milestone to the Regents of the University of California, the Chancellor and staff, the distinguished faculty past and present, and most importantly the students who embrace Cal's rich history, and continue to push the campus forward with their passion and talent. I look forward to a bright future for UC Berkeley and continued success in the years to come.

Go Bears.

Mr. Speaker, first let me thank Congressman Tonko for leading this important hour in memory of our beloved friend and colleague, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. Every time I walk on this floor, I still look for Louise. Actually, Paul, right there. The void that she has left is just unbearable.

Her passing was devastating news for all of us here, but I must once again send my thoughts and condolences to her beautiful daughters, her grandchildren, to her entire congressional district, the State of New York, and really, to our entire country.

Louise was a dear friend and mentor, and she was an unparalleled legislator. Of course, she loved her district and fought for them with passion, intellect, and dedication.

I also want to say to Louise's staff how much I know, like Anna said, that she loved you and she respected you. I have to say, around here poaching is a no-no. Well, Louise poached one of my staff members, and I told her. And when we talked about it, I said: I am so happy, Louise. You are the only Member that I would be happy about poaching.

And so thank you, all, because I know she loved you, and I was happy to allow Louise to poach my staff because she did an incredible job for Louise.

Louise invited me to her district several times. I tell you, the love and the respect all across her district, I witnessed. I said, if only my district saw this, how she brought people together, because I think we could learn a lot from Louise's ability to build coalitions.

I remember when I first came to Congress, yes, 20 years ago--April 21, it will be 20 years--Louise came up to me and she said: Honey.

She called everybody ``Honey,'' as you know.

She said: I want to be your friend, and I want to get to know you.

She said: I want to invite you to come up to Seneca Falls to mark the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Sentiments.

I tell you, that was quite a remarkable moment for me to be with Louise Slaughter, and we became close friends from that day forward.

She was a trailblazer, the only microbiologist in Congress. She had a Ph.D. She was brilliant. Also, watching Louise work late into the night, past midnight, but yet she stayed engaged and energized no matter how late the Rules Committee worked. She used her role, though, as chair to fight for children and for families, for women, for communities of color, for those living below the poverty line.

Another remarkable thing about Louise was her humor. Any Member of Congress, just ask anyone, Republican or Democrat, and they will tell you a story. They will share a story about her sense of humor. Yet Louise was very direct. She did not mince her words. She was a straight shooter, and you never had to guess where she was coming from.

I remember when her dear husband, Bob, passed.

I got to know Bob because we traveled together several times.

When Louise came back, she told me: Honey, I couldn't live if I didn't have this job. I love serving the people of my district. I love helping the people of western New York. I love serving this country.

This was her life's work.

Finally, let me just say I not only lost a colleague, but also a dear friend. My prayers are with her family and friends, her staff, her district. Louise will have a lasting place in history, though, and her spirit is with us tonight. She was a woman who exuded grace, dignity, intelligence, and she touched and enriched all our lives.

Louise, we will miss you so much. May you rest in peace. May God bless you.

And again, I thank Paul for this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me 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.

Also, I thank all of our ranking members. The input that they received from all of us and our staff and the phenomenal work that they have done has just been amazing in spite of the circumstances. So I just have to thank them and Leader Pelosi for all of their very diligent work.

Almost 6 months after the deadline, though, for the fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill, this 2,232-page omnibus was released late last night. Now, less than 24 hours later, we are about to vote on a bill that really no one has had the time to read. I don't know who in this body has read this bill. We would have had to read 100 pages per hour to get through this bill.

Does anybody here read that fast, 100 pages per hour?

What kind of informed decisions are we making with this last-minute rush for a vote?

This is no way, Mr. Speaker, to run a government.

However, yes, this omnibus has some really good provisions in it. It eliminates hundreds of poison pill riders ranging from efforts to defund Planned Parenthood to dismantling of critical labor and consumer protections. I am very grateful for that.

Many good provisions include a new competitive grant which we have been working on for years for computer science funding for young girls and people of color. We include increases in job training, education, and family relief, as well as for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. My State has the highest number of students coming to HBCUs; so I am very grateful for those increases.

Even with these increases, Mr. Speaker, the omnibus bill still falls so far 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, this bill includes an increase in $80 billion in defense. This includes the overseas contingency fund which really is a slush fund for the Pentagon to fund these wars off- budget.

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 $80 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, voted on, or authorized.

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.

What is worse, this bill also fails to protect our young Dreamers who are still stuck in limbo. DACA recipients are American in every way, except on paper.

When are we going to vote to protect our young people, Mr. Speaker?

It is time to put politics aside and pass a clean Dream Act immediately.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman for those kind remarks, and also let me thank Congresswoman Lawrence for her tremendous leadership and all she has done not only through this Special Order, but through all of their work with the Congressional Black Women and Girls Caucus. They have really lifted up Black women and shown the world that Black women lead, and I am very proud of both of them for doing that. You know, hidden figures, we are not hidden anymore thanks to them.

Mr. Speaker, I want to just take a minute and begin by saying what a huge void it is on the floor of this House tonight without the presence of our beloved warrior woman Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. She was a brilliant and beautiful woman: the first woman to chair the Rules Committee and the only microbiologist in the House. My heart is broken tonight.

Louise sat right there. She encouraged us; she supported our agenda, whatever we were doing; and she was a true mentor. I know, on behalf of all of us, we are praying for her family and her constituents tonight, and it feels different without Louise being on this floor.

I am glad to be with my sisters this evening and Congressional Black Caucus member Mr. Evans because this is a moment that we have to kind of pull together in her absence.

Each year, in March, we pause to honor the countless contributions that women have made to this Nation. As a Black woman, I am uniquely aware that our stories tend, really, to be lost in the mainstream celebration of Women's History Month. That is why I am glad to be here with my CBC colleagues to declare that, yes, 2018, this is the year of the Black woman.

For generations, Black women have blazed trails throughout this Nation: Madam C.J. Walker, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ruby Bridges, Audre Lorde, Mae Jemison, and Michelle Obama. This list of historical Black girl magic, it could go on. It could go on and on because, in every chapter of American history, Black women have stood up, spoken out, and pushed this Nation closer to freedom and justice and equality for all.

Last year, we saw the clearest indication of the influence that Black women have on our society through the emergence of the Me Too movement against sexual assault and misconduct.

Many don't know this, but the Me Too movement was started by a Black woman 12 years ago to support victims and survivors of sexual violence. Tarana Burke's work and the phrase ``me too'' have revolutionized the way we approach sexual assault in this country. But as has been the case throughout American history, Tarana's story, the story of Black women, is often lost in mainstream coverage of this movement, and what a shame it is.

But, once again, 2018, this is the year of Black women, and thank you for giving us a chance to highlight some of these hidden figures.

Courageous, bold, and brilliant women like Tarana have been fighting for the soul of this country for generations. And despite being locked out of opportunity and left behind in consideration, like our beloved, brilliant, the late Dr. Maya Angelou said so wisely: And still we rise.

We rise in the spirit of Black women like Ida B. Wells, who happens to have been born on July 16, which is my birthday--different year, though, but July 16. She was a revolutionary journalist and crusader for justice who spoke truth to power and exposed the atrocity of lynchings across the country.

We rise with the hope and determination of Black women like my mentor--and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke has so boldly taken up her agenda, and she is standing on her shoulders--Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first major party African-American candidate and the first woman candidate who ran for the United States Presidency.

Miss C., as we called her, broke many barriers while tirelessly advocating for the most vulnerable in our Nation and our world. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Clarke for laying her record out.

I have to say, I got to know her very well. I was honored to have coordinated her northern California campaign, and I saw the many obstacles that she overcame as a Black woman in politics.

I happen to have been honored to have been a Shirley Chisholm delegate in Miami at the convention, and I have to just say, you talk about mentors, Congresswoman Chisholm encouraged me, and she was a catalyst for change, and she was unbought and unbossed.

I think Black women today are unbought and unbossed, and we are the catalyst for change, and so I can't help but honor Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm tonight and thank her for her contributions to our country, but also for being so special in my life, because I shared many, many, many moments with her.

So thank you again, and we want to recognize her on this floor.

Mr. Speaker, we also rise with the courage of fearless Black women like Anita Hill, who held her head high and spoke out against sexual harassment despite being humiliated by a committee of White male Senators.

I was reminded by Andrea Mitchell last week, on her show, that Congresswoman Slaughter was one of those House Members who marched over there to that committee and held that hearing up for a couple of days.

When we rise, when we stand up together. When we refuse to be silenced, Black women and women can change history.

Because Anita Hill refused to let the abuse she was subjected to dissuade her from working to create a world where other young female professionals wouldn't be made to accept sexual harassment as simply part of the job, a movement was begun because of that.

The movement led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 that allowed employees to sue for damages related to sex discrimination and harassment, and Anita reminded us that it was a Black woman who filed the first sexual harassment lawsuit in the mid-eighties.

Now, this movement led to more women being elected to office, tripling the number of women Senators from two to six; and because of that movement, there are now 22 women Senators and 104 Members of the House.

Make no mistake, we still have a long way to go to achieve full and lasting equality for Black women in this country. Black women still make only 60 cents for every dollar that White females make. We still have to fight for access to healthcare, and structural sexism continues to stand in the way of Black women being able to fully achieve the American Dream. But still we rise.

I am confident that, no matter what obstacles we face, as long as we stand up, speak out, and fight for what is right, we will win--because we are winning.

And let me just say as a Black woman who has been fighting for social justice and equality my entire life, the fight is worth it.

So I am proud to stand here with you tonight in memory of my mother, who was a fearless warrior woman, who taught me never to back down if I thought what I said or what I did was right.

Had Black women, like Ida B. Wells, my mother, Mildred Parish Massey, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, and Anita Hill given up, I might not be standing here today. I am the 17th African-American woman in Congress, the 74th African American, and the 163rd woman to serve in the House of Representatives in the United States' history. I know I would not be here if it weren't for these phenomenal African-American warrior women.

Mr. Speaker, thank you again for giving us a chance tonight to talk about our great sheroes, and I hope we continue to educate the public and to lift up Black women so the entire country will really understand and value and know where we have been so they know where we are going, and that is to achieve liberty and justice for everyone in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week, which is March 11 through 17.

Each year, activists, physicians, and policymakers come together to spread awareness about this disease and to salute the healthcare professionals and researchers who are dedicated to finding treatments and a cure for this debilitating disease.

Since 2008, I have introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing the goals and ideals of MS Awareness Week. That is H. Res. 176.

MS is an unpredictable and incurable disease that my family and hundreds of thousands of families across our Nation experience every day.

My sister, Mildred, has lived with MS for more than 40 years. Her courage and the courage of 2 million people living with MS around the world inspire my efforts to bring more research for treatment and a cure.

As a member of the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, I promise to continue fighting for increased funding to find a cure, and I hope all of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, help us in this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of a strong voice in the progressive movement, and a great mentor and friend, Marcus Raskin. Marcus' exceptional work as a national security staffer, political theorist, and progressive thought leader has deeply shaped our nation's consciousness about war, economic inequality, and civil rights.

Born in 1934 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Marcus initially pursued a career as a pianist, before changing direction and studying law and policy at the University of Chicago. After attaining his law degree, Marcus moved to Washington D.C. and became a staffer for Representatives Robert W. Kastenmeier & James Roosevelt.

He quickly distinguished himself as a leading voice of liberal thought, and was hired as staff on the National Security Council by President Kennedy's National Security Advisor, McGeorge Bundy. He also later served in the Bureau of the Budget (now the Office of Management and Budget), and the Presidential Panel on Education.

Following his service in the Kennedy Administration, Raskin formed the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) along with Richard Barnet. As a progressive policy think-tank, IPS was the first of its kind. To this day, the institute remains committed to economic and racial justice, climate justice, peace and foreign policy, community engagement, and leadership development.

Marcus also played a pivotal role in the release of the Pentagon Papers during the Nixon Administration. His criticisms of the Vietnam War and American military policy led to Daniel Ellsberg noticing Marcus and relying on his help to get the leaked documents to reporters at the New York Times. This initiated a watershed moment in our country's history about the need for transparency and accountability in government.

I first met Marcus Raskin, during the mid-1970's, while I worked on Capitol Hill for Congressman Ron Dellums, and I am grateful to him for his wise counsel over the years. Marcus was one of the first to congratulate me on my election to Congress, and acted as a reassuring confidant as I considered my vote against the overly broad 2001 authorization to use military force.

Marcus Raskin passed on December 24, 2017, and is survived by his wife, Lynn, and his children Erika, Eden, Noah, and my colleague in Congress--Jamie.

Today, on behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, it is my honor to commend Marcus Raskin for his moral leadership and to thank him for his mentorship. I cherish my time serving alongside his son, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland's 8th Congressional District and wish my sincere condolences to the rest of his surviving family.