Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Tuan Le, an Oakland police officer who was fatally injured in the line of duty on December 29, 2023.

Tuan Quoc Le was born on June 1, 1987, in Saigon, Vietnam as the only son of mother Hanh Thi Hong Le and father Toan Le. He moved to Oakland in 1995 and spent much of his life in the Bay Area, graduating from Oakland High School in 2006 and San Francisco State University in 2013.

It was at Oakland High School that Tuan met the love of his life, Sarah Fung. They were engaged in December 2016, and married on their 12th dating anniversary on August 18, 2018. They had two ``fur babies'' together, Lola and Bixby.

Tuan Le entered the Oakland Police Academy in 2019, achieving his dream of following in his grandfather's footsteps. He was sworn in as an Oakland police officer in February of 2020. Tuan was known as a hero, who loved protecting his community above all else.

Tuan was also known among his family and friends as an adventurer. He loved camping, biking, fishing, and traveling. He also loved cars and motorcycles. Tuan Le will be remembered as a hero to the Oakland community, and a kind and welcoming presence to his family and friends.

Tuan Le was preceded in death by his father and grandfather, and is survived by his wife Sarah, mother Hanh, and fur babies Lola and Bixby.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my dear friend and incomparable moral and spiritual leader of the Bay Area, Reverend Cecil Williams, who passed away at the age of 94 on April 22, 2024.

Albert Cecil Williams was born September 22, 1929 in San Angelo, Texas. After graduating from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1955, he moved to the Bay Area and became the pastor of Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco.

Reverend Williams took over Glide Memorial Church when the congregation numbered only 35 people and transformed it into a world- renowned congregation and nonprofit. He challenged the status quo and sought to create a church that was inclusive of all, forming the Council on Religion and the Homosexual in 1964, bringing religious leaders and LGBTQ activists together. Reverend Williams began performing marriage ceremonies for gay couples decades before gay marriage was legal in California. He also hosted civil rights rallies and welcomed several activists to speak at Glide Memorial Church.

Reverend Williams used his position at the church to serve his community in many ways. Glide opened its own free health clinic, legal clinic, HIV prevention center, and women's health center. He created the Free Meals Program in 1980 and fed three hot meals a day to 2,000 community members in San Francisco.

Reverend Williams continued his work in the community his whole life. After retiring from his role as church pastor in 2000, he remained the Minister of Liberation and CEO of the GLIDE Foundation until just last year.

Cecil Williams is preceded in death by his wife Janice Mirikitani, who shared the title of founder and president of the GLIDE Foundation with Reverend Williams. He is survived by his son, Albert Williams Jr. and daughter, Kimberly Williams.

Reverend Williams has been a friend and mentor since I was in college. His decades-long leadership of Glide made an enormous impact on our community. I remember taking Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm to Glide and the excitement and love Reverend Williams displayed to her.

His presence in our community will be deeply missed. May he rest in eternal peace and power, reunited with his beloved wife, Janice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of long-time community activist, Alfreda Helen Abbott, who passed away at the age of 92 on March 2, 2024, in Oakland.

Alfreda was born on March 8, 1931, and raised in Oakland, graduating from Oakland High School in 1949 and with her Bachelor of Arts from UC Berkeley some years later.

After completing her degree, she married Robert P. Abbott on June 6, 1954. They were married for 56 years before Robert passed away in 2010.

Alfreda was an avid traveler, who had visited six continents. Along with traveling, she enjoyed caring for her plants, spending time with family, fine dining, and public service.

Her love for public service manifested in her professional life, where she served as a Deputy Public Officer for Alameda County and a Group Counselor for the Social Service Bureau. She was also an original member of the Oakland Black Caucus in the 1960s. Alfreda was one of the founding members of the Black Women Organized for Political Action and continued to serve on the state board for several years.

Alfreda had a long career in the government, serving as an Advisor and Field Representative for California State Senator Nicholas Petris for over 30 years. Upon her retirement from Senator Petris' office, she returned to local government to serve as Chief of Staff for Oakland City Council member Dezie Woods-Jones.

Alfreda always stayed active in her community, serving on the Oakland Unified School Board, the Oakland Planning Commission, the Bay Area Urban League, the NAACP, the Black Educators Association, the California Democratic Party, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and the Board of Directors of the Museum Association. I honor Alfreda Abbott's long- standing commitment to community activism in Oakland and beyond.

Alfreda Helen Abbott is survived by her two sons, Ross Abbott and Brian Abbott, one ``daughter-in-love'', Carolyn Abbott, two Goddaughters, Michelle Randle and Carla Kennedy, and a grandson, Kamal Kennedy, along with a host of cousins.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Lois A. Parish Murell, who passed away at the age of 103 on April 8, 2024.

Lois was born on November 20, 1920, in El Paso, Texas to parents William C. Parish and Willie C. Parish. She attended Douglass High School and graduated from Austin Tillitson College with a Bachelor's degree in Home Economics.

She met her husband, John Melvyn Murell while teaching, and moved with him from Texas to Oakland, California. They later settled in their dream home that they built in Windsor, California.

Lois and Melvyn were prominent businesspeople in the Bay Area. Lois opened a high-end gift shop called ``Hi Lite Decor'' on

Lakeshore Boulevard in Oakland and became the first Black businessowner in the Lakeshore shopping area. Together, Lois and Melvyn founded Oakland Federal Savings and Loan, the first Black-owned savings and loan company in Oakland. They also owned apartment buildings throughout the East Bay and a nightclub in Richmond, California.

``Auntie Lois'' was known for being a stylish dresser, great dancer, and the best cook. She loved to travel and spent many days taking trips with her friends in her senior travel group. She was known for being thrifty and instilled that quality in her nieces, encouraging us to save and invest our money to be independent women.

She delighted in meeting her cousins, the Parrishes, later in life after she turned 100. Her family stories were engaging, and her memory was keen and sharp.

Lois is preceded in death by her parents William C. Parish and Willie C. Parish and her sisters Juanita A. Franklin and Mildred P. Massey. She is survived by her loving nieces Mildred Whitfield, Beverly Hardy, and me, along with several great and great-great nephews and nieces, and a host of extended family and friends.

Auntie Lois was a phenomenal woman and a loving Auntie who, despite having no children, was like a second mother to all of us. She will be greatly missed by all who had the honor of knowing her, especially those who were part of her family. May she rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the achievements of Mr. Chris Iglesias as he celebrates his 10-year tenure as Chief Executive Officer of The Unity Council, a non-profit that supports social equity initiatives in Oakland, California. In this role, he has led a long-standing organization that is dedicated to improving Oakland's Fruitvale District and the lives of residents who live within it, including seniors, children, communities of color, small business owners, and immigrants. The work of The Unity Council has proved invaluable in bettering the lives of the residents of the largest Latino neighborhood in the Bay Area.

Mr. Iglesias has many accomplishments that prove his dedication bettering the community and building a more vibrant Fruitvale. One of his accomplishments includes securing $58 million to fund units of affordable housing in the Fruitvale neighborhood. Additionally, he has expanded Bay Area social equity programs, including creating Oakland's Latino Men & Boys program in partnership with Oakland Unified School District and the Oakland Mayor's office and supporting The Unity Council's early education programs in partnership with the city's Early/Head Start Program for early education.

Chris Iglesias has a long history of supporting the people of California and the larger Bay Area. He was previously a Senior Advisor to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, a Director of Regional Workforce Initiatives at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and an Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. He is also the founding director of CityBuild, a construction workforce program in San Francisco that provides workforce trainings for residents. Along with serving as CEO of The Unity Council, Iglesias also serves on the Oakland Thrives Leadership Council as well as the Job and Housing Coalition.

I am happy to congratulate Chris Iglesias on his decade of service, and to thank him for his dedication to underserved communities in the city of Oakland. His impact and legacy will resonate with The Unity Council and the entire community of Fruitvale for years to come. I look forward to seeing this organization's continued growth under Mr. Iglesias' strong leadership. Congratulations to Mr. Iglesias on this significant milestone, and here's to many more years of inspiring leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 80th anniversary of the USS Hornet CV-12, a ship served the US Navy during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

The predecessor aircraft carrier, USS Hornet CV-8 was known as ``Shangri-La'', the mysterious base from which Lt. Colonel James ``Jimmy'' Doolittle led the Doolittle Raiders, 21 B-25 bombers, on the Tokyo Raid on April 18, 1942.

In World War II, during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, on October 26,1942, the USS Hornet CV-8, was attacked and sunk by Japanese dive bomber and torpedo planes with the loss of 140 of her 2,200 sailors. 21 aircraft went down with the ship.

A new Essex-class carrier was commissioned the USS Hornet CV-12 on November 29; 1943, 80 years ago.

The USS Hornet CV-12 joined the Pacific Fleet in 1944. Her first battle was a strike on the Palau Islands on March 30th 1944. After this, the USS Hornet CV-12 participated in almost every major naval engagement in the Pacific for the rest of the war, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the invasion of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

In WWII, in 18 months of combat operations, the aircraft that served on the USS Hornet CV-12 destroyed more Japanese aircraft than any other aircraft carrier--668 Japanese planes shot down, 742 Japanese planes destroyed on the ground, 1,269,710 tons of enemy ships sunk or heavily damaged. 73 ships sunk, 37 probable, and 413 damaged.

The USS Hornet CVS-12 served 3 tours at Yankee Station during the Vietnam War in the 1960s.

On July 24th, 1969, the USS Hornet CV-12 was the recovery ship for the Apollo 11 astronauts, hosting President Nixon as he welcomed back the first men to ever walk on the Moon.

On November 24th, 1969, the USS Hornet CVS-12 recovered the Apollo 12 astronauts.

The USS Hornet CVS-12 was decommissioned on June 30, 1970.

On her way to the scrapyard, the USS Hornet CVS-12 was saved and turned into a floating museum. She opened her doors on October 17, 1998, 25 years ago as the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum at the former Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda, California.

The USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum now projects its power as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the largest museum, research, and educational facility in the world.

Please join me as I salute the sailors who served on the USS Hornet CVS-12. I also thank those who now use the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum and its collections, exhibitions, and educational programming to promote awareness and understanding of history, science, technology, and service as a Smithsonian Affiliate. This historic ship has the unique opportunity to live on, welcoming visitors from across the country to learn about its 80-year legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th anniversary of the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum in Alameda, California. The USS Hornet is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge.

The museum is housed in the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, CV-12 which was part of the U.S. Navy's offensive force in the Pacific theater during World War II. Along with the anniversary of the museum, we are also celebrating the 80th anniversary of the commissioning of this historic ship. The USS Hornet saw fierce action during World War II, as well as serving in the Korean and Vietnam wars. The ship was decommissioned in 1970 and turned into a museum, which first opened in 1998.

The ship is moored permanently at the former Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Visitors can see how the crew ate, lived, slept, and worked during their time aboard the ship.

Visitors can explore the flight deck, hangar deck, and first deck on self-guided tours. Docent-led tours take visitors to the ship's navigation and flight deck control areas, as well as into engineering spaces that hold two of the four ship's propulsion turbines.

In addition to the historic ship itself, there are vintage military aircraft on display, including exhibits from NASA's Apollo missions 11 and 12. The Hornet served as the primary recovery ship for Apollo 11, picking up astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins upon their return from the moon following their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The Apollo Block 1 Command Module is on a special loan from Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

The Hornet also has a STEM to Stern Program, where students can learn how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics apply to the operational functions of a World War II aircraft carrier. This program offers a perspective on modern technology by offering a comparison to the past.

On June 1, 2017, the Smithsonian Institution added the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum as an affiliate. This allowed the Hornet to share objects for display and work together to enhance the experience of museumgoers.

The USS Hornet Museum is now one of 216 organizations in 46 states, as well as Puerto Rico and Panama, that are part of the Smithsonian's affiliate program. The affiliate program will allow the Hornet to share objects for display, facilitate co-branding, and professional development of staff.

Please join me as I recognize the 25th anniversary of this beloved museum, as well as the staff and volunteers who serve on it. This Veteran's Day, the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum will open its doors to members of the community for free in honor of the occasion. Its collections, exhibitions, and educational programming will promote awareness and understanding of history, science, technology, and service as a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the achievements of Supervisor Keith Carson, who has represented the 5th District on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors since 1992. Supervisor Carson has been a fearless leader in Alameda County, fighting for access to health care, improving business retention, addressing the scarcity of jobs in our communities, and ending poverty and homelessness. He approaches his role as Supervisor with the goal of creating a more inclusive and accessible government for the people of Alameda County.

Supervisor Carson is a Bay Area native from Berkeley, California. He has a B.A. in Political Science and Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master of Public Administration from Cal State University, East Bay, and a Juris Doctor from the John F. Kennedy School of Law.

Keith Carson has a long history of supporting our community through involvement in local politics. His interest in politics began in the Youth in Government program, where he was able to join a student assembly in Sacramento and learn about the government and legislative processes. He then served as an intern for Berkeley's first Black mayor, Warren Widener, as a student, and later went on to work for former Congressman Ron Dellums after his graduation from UC Berkeley. After working for Congressman Dellums for fifteen years in both his district and D.C. offices, Carson ran for the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in 1992.

As Supervisor, Carson chairs many Alameda County committees, including the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, the Alameda County Budget Work Group Committee, the Alameda County Personnel, Administration, and Legislation Committee, and the Alameda County Health Committee. As chair of the Budget Committee, Carson championed a more inclusive and transparent budgeting process for the county.

In addition to chairing committees, Supervisor Carson represents the Board of Supervisors on the Board of Directors for many local organizations, including the Executive Committee of the California State Association of Counties, the National Association of Counties, and the National Organization of Black County Officials. He is also a member of the Alameda County Transportation Commission, the Alameda County Employees Retirement Association, and the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.

Carson's many accomplishments as Supervisor over the years include creating AC Impact, a program that aims to reduce homelessness in Alameda County by providing permanent and supportive housing to chronically homeless adults. He has also been a leader in bringing the county to a more sustainable future, adopting a Green Building Ordinance that requires county municipal projects to be built to a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver standard. Additionally, he has supported the funding of a Community Capacity Fund, which helps community organizations deliver re-entry services for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Carson's 30+ years of service have undoubtably made Alameda County a better, more inclusive place. Supervisor Keith Carson is a beloved leader in our community, and I honor and thank him for his dedication to supporting Alameda County over the years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mary Yvonne Myers, a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, and cherished Oakland community member. She was born on October 29, 1937, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi as the eldest child to parents James Calvin and Nancy Stewart Slaughter. Mary, later known as `Yvonne' moved from Mississippi to San Diego, California in 1953 with her family. Her family flourished in their business ventures and elite social circles in California. In San Diego, Yvonne was mentored by her Aunt Mae, who was part of a group of African American entrepreneurs and community leaders in the area.

After completing her high school education at San Diego High School, Yvonne and her family moved to Northern California in 1959. Yvonne began a fellowship with the Faith Chapel Church of God in Christ, where she met Minister Levi Young. They were married in August of 1961, and had three wonderful children together, along with Levi's son from a previous union. Through this marriage, Yvonne developed a love for ministry as she walked in the office of First Lady of the Revelation Church of God In Christ. Under the leadership of her husband and pastor she was licensed as a Missionary in the Church of God in Christ, and as the First Lady, Yvonne mentored many young women as they began their Christian journey. As the Executive Administrator of Charles Harrison Mason Bible College, Yvonne ensured that students were successful in their quest to get a deeper understanding of the Word of God. In the late 70s, Yvonne and Levi amicably took separate directions in life, dissolving their union.

Yvonne remained very involved in Christian churches and continued to mentor young women in the church. In the late 1980s, Yvonne met the love of her life Reverend Clayton Myers, Jr. In July of 1989 the two were united in holy matrimony, a match truly made in heaven. Together, they led the auxiliary ministry of Evergreen's senior living facility, The JL Richards Terrace.

Later, Yvonne returned to the Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church, and served in a variety of ministry positions: Usher, Missionary, Hospitality, Greeter, Sunday School Department, and more. She used her positions to help children in the community, leading the `Kids Closet', which aimed to ensure that all children had adequate clothing and basic supplies. Her passion and support for children continued outside of the church, as she used the office of PTA President to bring about many changes for students and families at Washington Elementary School.

She continued her involvement in the Oakland community, serving as Commissioner of the Parks and Recreation Commission, championing many efforts to preserve the historic Children's Fairyland. She also worked on the Oakland Parental Education Program (P.E.P.), where Yvonne and her team trained parents through extensive workshops and training courses. She later returned to schools as the on-site Parent Coordinator for Peralta Elementary School, where she created Black History programs and led holiday donation drives. Yvonne considered the programs she implemented for kids and parents over her life to be her greatest accomplishments.

Mary Yvonne Myers was thankful for her opportunity to hold leadership within her community. She was thankful for her family, and for the many roles God entrusted her with, including wife, mother, friend, and cousin. Yvonne Myers was the Matriarch of her family, and was proud of the accomplishments of her children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren, who she considered ``future world changers''. As the Matriarch, she was often fondly referred to as the ``Queen.'' She became popular on social media in her later years and ending her videos with ``Peace Out'' was her signature.

With family by her side, The Queen gave her final ``Peace Out'' on December 11, 2023, at 5:05 p.m. Her presence will be missed but her spirit and influence will live on for generations to come.

She is survived by sons Donald Scotty Young, Kenny (Kelly) Young, daughter Regina (Kelvin) Alexander, grandchildren Charles (Shane) Young, Andre Young, Brittney Young, Kelvin (Rochelle) Alexander, Keena Young, Rochad Young, Korey Alexander, Shaun Young, Demarcus (Shannon) Young, Dominik Young, one godson Antoine (Charisse) Jones. Fourteen great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren, first cousins Rev. Dr. Clyde Oden, Jr., Dr. Robert Stanley Oden, Douglas Oden, Esq, Barbara Ann Slaughter, Fredrika Slaughter-Newton and a host of other cousins and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for bringing us together tonight. It is hard to stand here and look over here. Where is Don? Every night, here he was speaking truth to power.

Tonight, I rise with my colleagues in remembrance of our beloved friend and colleague, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.

Now, I got to know and love Don before I actually met him. His proud father, our beloved Donald Payne, Sr., made sure of that. The entire Payne family was committed to service, extending to the next generation. Don Jr.'s son was an incredible intern in my office. He was brilliant. He was passionate. He was his father a few years younger. His son, I will tell you, made a major contribution to my office, and we were and became a better office because of Don Jr.

Don Jr. was passionate. He was kind, he was gentle, and a brilliant man who was determined to not let his health challenges stop him from his visionary and his bold work. I remember traveling abroad with him. He would always take time, yes, for his medical treatments and be right back in our meetings, providing his insight on global affairs. He showed us how to live a full life, regardless of his difficulties.

His loss will be immensely felt in New Jersey's 10th Congressional District, where he worked tirelessly to rebuild our Nation's infrastructure, provide clean drinking water for disadvantaged communities, invest in minority-owned businesses, and bring awareness to colorectal cancer in the Black community.

We talked a lot about a variety of treatments for diabetes. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, which funds NIH, he was very instrumental and insightful in helping me with my work with regard to diabetes and cancer.

My condolences go to his family and his loved ones, including his wife, Beatrice, and their three children. I hope that they find strength in their memories and love for this great man who fought the good fight, and he fought a good fight until the end.

May he rest in eternal peace and power.

I thank the gentlewoman again for giving us a chance to speak this evening on behalf of our beloved Congressman, Donald Payne, Jr.

Mr. Chair, I thank the distinguished ranking member for yielding and for her tremendous leadership on global peace and security issues in this House.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8035. This bill provides nearly $10 billion in economic assistance for Ukraine and surrounding countries, with nearly $8 billion in direct budget support.

When I visited Ukraine in 2019, I immediately recognized the love of the Ukrainian people for their country and for their democracy. Since the war broke out, I have met with Ukrainians in the region. Actually, I was with Speaker Pelosi during that visit. I heard firsthand the dire situation that they face amidst Russian aggression. I have talked with civil society organizations funded by the United States that, facing danger and violence, are supporting refugees, vulnerable people, women, and children. I was deeply moved by their stories and commitment.

The United States must support these brave Ukrainians in their efforts to protect their sovereignty because, let's be clear, Putin will not stop until Ukraine's democracy is dismantled, and we all know that he will not stop with Ukraine.

As ranking member of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, I am proud that we are also considering other significant investments in the United States' global leadership today, particularly the more than $9 billion in desperately needed humanitarian assistance. We are facing historic challenges of hunger, displacement, and conflict across the globe.

I was recently in Chad, one of the poorest countries in the world. Thousands of refugees are fleeing the horrific war in Sudan. They are in dire need of food and just the basics to survive. These resources will enable the United States to respond to not just the humanitarian needs that we read about on the front page but the quieter conflicts that are destroying people's lives, such as in Sudan and Haiti.

This is a defining moment in our history. I urge my colleagues to respond to the remarkable strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people and stand by them by supporting this supplemental bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise to address the ongoing challenges that too many families in America face coping with poverty and income inequality. I thank my dear friend, Congressman DeSaulnier, for hosing this Special Order hour, and for his tireless work on these issues.

In the richest country in the world, poverty is a policy choice. In early 2023, the poverty rate in California rose to 13.2 percent, and the child poverty rate to 13.8 percent.

You cannot disentangle poverty and inequality from systemic racism. Latinos remained disproportionately poor. Latinos comprise about half of poor Californians, but only around 40 percent of all Californians. Additionally, about 13.6 percent of African Americans and 11.5 percent of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders lived in poverty in California at the beginning of 2023 compared to 10.2 percent of white residents. That is why I reintroduced legislation calling for the establishment of the first U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. This Commission will examine the effects of slavery, institutional racism, and discrimination against people of color, and how our history impacts laws and policies today.

But while poverty has a disproportionate impact on people of color, poverty afflicts millions of people in America of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. That is why I have worked with the Poor People's Campaign to introduce a resolution calling for a Third Reconstruction to fully address poverty from the bottom up. A Third Reconstruction would prioritize the needs and demands of the 140 million people in America who are poor or one emergency away from economic desperation, with policies focused on healthcare, welfare, water, public education, and housing.

Across the country, rents and home prices continue to rise much faster than income, exacerbating housing instability during an affordable housing supply crisis. A staggering 78 percent of extremely low income renters in California are severely cost burdened. meaning they spend more than half of their income on housing and utilities. This is unacceptable when we have the power and tools to eliminate poverty entirely.

Access to safe and affordable housing, regardless of income, is a human right. I am proud to sponsor the DEPOSIT Act, which would provide security deposit assistance to low-income renters.

As Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Poverty Task Force. I won't stop fighting until we pass comprehensive legislation to eradicate poverty, economic inequality, and racial injustice. There is a strong correlation between U.S. poverty reduction initiatives and declining poverty rates. We must work to ensure that the Child Tax Credit is restored to American Rescue Plan levels, which cut child poverty in half.

We must ensure the House remains focused on combating poverty in all forms and creating economic opportunity for all Americans. Together, we can work to reduce disparities and secure justice for those struggling to put food on the table.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her strong, strong leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose H.R. 7217. The United States and the world are facing a very dangerous time, with the risk of being pulled deeper and deeper into conflicts across the globe. Meanwhile, millions of people around the world are facing violence, dislocation, and hunger. This bill really is not a serious effort.

As the ranking member of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, I cannot support a bill that fails to meet the challenges of this moment and abandons those most in need of humanitarian assistance. Yes, this bill undermines the United States' policy which supports a two-state solution. This bill is a blatant political stunt that is dead on arrival in the Senate, and so I urge my colleagues to oppose it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to honor the life and legacy of our dear friend and former colleague, the extraordinary and the honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson.

First, let me just send my deepest condolences to her loved ones. This Nation has lost a powerful force for good.

When I was first elected, I served on the Science and Technology Committee with Eddie Bernice Johnson, and one of my very first congressional delegations, of course, led by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson was to visit technology companies in her district.

She was adamant about making sure that I, as a new member, focused on the inclusion of women and people of color in all aspects of science and technology which led to my forming the Congressional Black Caucus' Tech 2020 and now Tech 2025 initiative.

Nevertheless, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice insisted. She told me, as you probably have heard tonight and as she had always said: You have got to do the work. You have got to do the work.

Now, the global HIV/AIDS initiative, PEPFAR, which has saved over 25 million lives, was actually talked about and begun when Congresswoman and then-Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson was chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. She organized the first meeting with President George Bush. I will never forget. She asked me what I wanted to talk about at the meeting. I said that I want to talk about all these people in Africa and throughout the world dying of AIDS.

She looked at me, she smiled, and she said: That is what you want to talk to President Bush about?

I said, Yes, ma'am.

She said: Okay, talk to him and tell him what you think we should do.

The rest is history. That was the beginning of our discussions about the global AIDS initiative, but had she not allowed me to raise that with President Bush, then who knows where we would be?

Again, the rest is history.

Her mark is on so much of what has been good, and that has been moved forward through this House of Representatives. She cared about all people. She cared about people of color, which was so important to her because she talked about our common humanity. That led her to forming the Tri-Caucus which consists of today the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The Tri-Caucus has been a powerful force for good not only for communities of color but for our entire country.

Congresswoman and Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson's life was remarkable. I have had the privilege to travel with her all over the world, and she was greeted as royalty in many countries. I will never forget her forming her organization, A World of Women for World Peace. She would invite all of us to meet with these phenomenal women from all around the world. She wanted to connect women because she knew that we would fight for peace and security together throughout the world. That was her idea. That was her idea.

I tell you, Mr. Speaker, we are going to miss her. Her legacy will endure in the lives of those she touched, but also her legacy will endure right here in Washington, D.C., throughout our country, and throughout the entire world.

As the Scriptures remind us, she fought the good fight, she finished the race, and, yes, she kept the faith. May her soul rest in peace and in power.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise with a heavy heart to honor the life of my friend, Ady Barkan, who passed away earlier this year due to complications of ALS.

Ady is fondly remembered by many as a brilliant strategist, communicator, and activist. He was an activist who brought our Nation closer to making healthcare in America a basic human right.

Beyond being one of the most powerful activists in America, Ady Barkan

was also a loving husband and a dedicated father. My condolences to Rachael, his partner of 18 years, and their two children.

My heart goes out to your family, Rachael, during this difficult time. While I can't imagine a world without Ady, I know that through Be A Hero, his work and legacy will live on. That is why I am so proud to partner with Be A Hero and work towards introducing the Ady Barkan Memorial Resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution when introduced.

Thank you, Ady, for advocating for a better tomorrow.