Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the Rules Committee has posted a Rules Committee print of the Defense appropriations bill and that this committee version does not include the language added during the Defense appropriations markup on a bipartisan basis in committee that would repeal the 2001 authorization to use force and give 8 months for Congress to do what our Constitution requires, and that is to debate and to come up with a new vote and to decide what we are going to do on behalf of our country.

Further inquiry. Members don't really quite understand this. I can't explain to Members how in the heck this body can prevent this amendment from being undemocratically stripped from this bill.

Can the Chair explain that, please.

I want to thank Congresswoman Plaskett for hosting this Special Order and for her kind words, but also for her commitment to providing healthcare for all Americans, for her leadership in the Caribbean Caucus, for her dedicated constituent representation of her constituents in her district, and also being the epitome of why Caribbean American Heritage Month is so important. There are so many Caribbean Americans throughout our country who have contributed so much to the fabric of our society, and so I am really proud to be with her tonight.

And thank you for signing H. Con. Res. 71 because that was during the days of the bipartisanship spirit. If a Barbara Lee and a George Bush could work together, then that says something.

What we can accomplish, but also about the brilliance and the importance of the Caribbean-American community.

Let me just mention Dr. Claire Nelson, who is the founder and president of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, because, for over a decade, just in terms of history, we worked closely together to recognize the many individual contributions of Caribbean Americans and to make Caribbean American Heritage Month a reality. So I must today salute her for her tremendous leadership.

Our Nation has been so fortunate to benefit from countless individuals of Caribbean descent, including my personal mentor and friend, the late Honorable Shirley Chisholm, whose district now is so ably represented by our colleague of Jamaican descent, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.

Now, Shirley Chisholm was a woman of Bajan and Guyanese descent who never forgot her roots in the Caribbean. She was the first African- American woman elected to Congress, the first woman and the first African American to run for President. She was truly a trailblazer, and she convinced me that I needed to actually register to vote.

Throughout her career, Shirley was an advocate and a fighter. She fought for working families, the poor, and our most vulnerable: children and seniors. She believed that everyone should have the basics: food, housing, a decent job, good wages, and healthcare--again, regardless of their background. And let me tell you, I know that she would have been appalled by this Senate health bill.

Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed, and, to be quite honest, I am terrified about the Republican's heartless bill to rip healthcare away from 22 million Americans. Now, next year, 15 million Americans will lose their healthcare, and believe you me, these are not just Democrats, these are not only African Americans, but these are also Republicans and people who voted for Trump.

The bill, currently--this bill--was hatched by 13 male Republicans in back rooms and basements. They hid it

for as long as they could because they knew if they held an honest debate, they would lose on the merits.

According to the Congressional Budget Office today, the Senate's bill would strip healthcare from 22 million Americans, devastate women's health, and weaken protections for those living with preexisting conditions, with disabilities. It will increase premiums and reduce benefits, and it would also make Americans pay more for less. It would end Medicaid as we know it, including long-term care for our seniors.

What is more, it will harm American families and really will present an environment now where it is a matter of life and death for so many who don't even need to worry about not having healthcare. They should have healthcare because, otherwise, many people who are going to be denied under this bill can lose their lives.

And for what? Why are we doing this, or why are they doing this? It is to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and for millionaires and for CEOs.

Mr. Speaker, over the last few months, like all of us, I received thousands of letters from constituents in the East Bay who are terrified of losing their healthcare. I have heard from people like Melissa, a mother in Oakland, whose son Sam was born premature with several preexisting conditions.

Her son received healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. Under the Senate healthcare bill, children like Sam will be locked out of the care that they desperately need. They are terrified. The bill would force American families like Melissa's to choose between groceries and healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is cruel and, yes, it is mean. It is a massive tax cut for billionaires at the expense of families and our most vulnerable.

Now, during the campaign, President Trump asked the question: What does the Black community have to lose? Well, for starters, Mr. President, I hope you hear us tonight, it is healthcare, given the number of African Americans, which Congressman Veasey laid out, who, for the first time, now have healthcare.

In all my years in Congress, I have never seen such a morally bankrupt bill. And make no mistake, it is a matter of life and death, and the American people deserve better.

Finally, let me just say this bill is not a healthcare bill. It is a tax cut bill for millionaires and billionaires and is known as TrumpCare. I don't know how it got that title because it is more like-- and what I call it--``Trump Don't Care'' legislation, and it must be rejected.

Mr. Speaker, last night the world watched my home team, the Golden State Warriors, end a historic season by bringing home their second national championship in 3 years.

The Warriors, led by unanimous Finals MVP Kevin Durant and legendary players Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, showed the power of teamwork both on and off the court.

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

Mr. Speaker, 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 team for making our dreams of another championship a reality.

This remarkable team has made history as one of the best ever, winning a record 15 straight games in the playoffs and clinching a 16- to-1 postseason record.

Thank you to Coaches Steve Kerr and Mike Brown, the entire Warriors staff, and all of the talented players on their well-deserved victory.

Throughout this journey, Warriors fans have stayed loyal and faithful, and they deserve this victory as well.

My dear late mother, Mildred Massey, was the Warriors' biggest fan, and I know she is smiling from above. I can't wait to celebrate with all the Warriors fans and players back in Oakland. Go Warriors, go Oakland, go Dub Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and for his most diligent work on behalf of the American people, and also to our ranking member, Congresswoman Maxine Waters. I just want to thank her for really educating this House and the public of the dangers to consumers of this horrible bill, of course, which I stand in opposition to.

It really is a wrong choice for American families. Shamefully, this bill gives Wall Street a handout while stealing from the pockets of everyday Americans. It would drag us back to the days where Wall Street and billionaires get richer, while struggling families are left out in the cold.

The bill significantly undermines both the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the rules it put in place to prevent predatory lending and subprime loans, particularly in communities of color. Families lost a generation of wealth prior to Dodd-Frank and have yet been able to recover.

But this bill also, I must say, puts Wall Street recklessness back in charge, and it will leave consumers out in the cold again. So it will take us back to where we were before, and we cannot go back.

That is why we are asking for a ``no'' vote. It destroys protections for seniors and jeopardizes their financial safety. So I hope that Members vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary men and women from Oakland who gave their lives serving our country in the Vietnam War. I recognize their invaluable sacrifice and offer my gratitude for their bravery during a contentious time in American history.

Unfortunately, Vietnam veterans have not received the proper recognition for their service. Prejudice overshadowed praise, as many of the stigmas associated with the war wrongfully biased the public against the soldiers. Veterans have endured decades of misplaced criticism, blame and ignorance--this must be corrected.

It is time that we, as Americans, give these brave veterans the commendation they deserve. We must honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom and that of our country. It is critical that we acknowledge the important servicemen and women, as they are fundamental to the preservation of our democracy.

Since 1979, the Vietnam Veterans of America has served to support and advocate on behalf of this generation of Veterans. The organization has worked tenaciously to promote greater public awareness of the issues surrounding Vietnam-era veterans in attempts to reform the public's general perceptions. The VVA has given veterans a voice in our government, advocating on behalf of the injured, ill, and all others in need. By holding government agencies accountable, the VVA ensures equitable and beneficial policies for this generation and those past.

As someone whose father served in the Army, organizations like the VVA are incredibly important to me. I personally understand the sacrifices that these men and women make on a daily basis and believe they deserve my utmost respect.

I commend the Vietnam Veterans of America for installing the Vietnam War memorial honoring the 100 men from Oakland who were killed in action. This monument will serve as an important reminder of the sacrifices made to assure our freedom and the freedom of others. The memorial will help properly commemorate not only Vietnam Veterans, but all who dedicate their lives to serve and protect us on a daily basis.

On behalf of the 13th District, I thank the Vietnam Veterans of America for its dedication to aiding and bettering the lives of well- deserving Veterans in America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a call of action to make sure that the country recognizes that we have got to focus on and talk about the more than 20 million people at risk of famine in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and northeast Nigeria.

This is a humanitarian crisis. Starving children and families are crying out for our help. Right now, 1.4 million children are acutely malnourished and at risk of death. Worldwide, an additional 50 million people are severely hungry, surviving day to day on only what they can find.

The United Nations is calling this the largest humanitarian crisis that has faced the world since the organization was founded in 1945. Mr. Speaker, we can end this crisis if we just find the political will. That is why I am joining my colleagues in Congress and humanitarian and faith leaders around the country to mark a Global Week of Action on Hunger and Famine.

Earlier this month, we were successful in securing an additional $990 million for famine relief in the fiscal year 2017 spending bill, thanks to a bipartisan coalition of Members and our passionate grassroots organizations. But this is not enough. The United Nations needs $4.4 billion by July to avert catastrophe. We need other countries to step up to the plate, and we must absolutely preserve our commitment to addressing famine.

We cannot allow the Trump administration's proposed budget, which would decimate food aid, to be enacted.

Let me thank Congresswoman Jayapal for yielding and for holding this important issue on this existential threat to our democracy. Also, I just have to say that she has just hit the ground running here on behalf of the American people, on behalf of working men and women, on behalf of peace and security in the world, on behalf of our democracy. So I thank her for her leadership.

The constant stream of allegations and scandals springing from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is really quite shocking. I have to admit that, after watching President Trump fire the FBI Director who was investigating him, I thought things could not get any worse. But just days later, President Trump blundered into sharing classified intelligence with Russian officials.

As the Nation and the world grappled with the aftermath of this revelation, yet more shocking news was breaking. The New York Times has alleged that, before he was fired, Director Comey was pressured by President Trump to shut down an ongoing investigation into General Michael Flynn's possible collusion with the Russians.

Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear with the American people. If The New York Times report is true, President Trump's attempts to influence a Federal probe can only be described in one way, and that is obstruction of justice. And, yes, we all know obstruction of justice is an impeachable offense.

Right now, one thing, though, is crystal clear: The President's abuse of power has plunged this Nation into a full-blown constitutional crisis. This crisis goes far beyond party interests. Every American, Democrat or Republican, should be concerned by these allegations.

President Trump's actions have threatened national security, the rule of law, and the independence of our Nation's justice system. His actions dishonor the Office of the Presidency and place this Nation and our allies in danger.

The reports of last week underscore the need to establish a bipartisan, independent commission to get to the bottom of Russian interference in our elections once and for all. It is vitally important that Director Mueller--and I am very pleased that the Department of Justice appointed him; this is one step in the right direction--be given the resources and the autonomy to conduct an investigation.

Unfortunately, President Trump said that this investigation is a witch hunt. Nothing could be further from the truth. The American people deserve to know the facts about possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. Our democracy must be defended at all costs.

I thank Congresswoman Jayapal for giving us a chance to speak tonight about this very dangerous moment that we are in, about Presidential abuse, and, really, about the preservation of our democracy. The Congressional Progressive Caucus continues to lead on so many issues that are important to this country and to the world.

Madam Speaker, first, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleagues, to talk about restoring Congress' constitutional oversight on matters of war and peace. I invite all of my colleagues to join me in demanding that this House immediately repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force.

Nearly 16 years ago, Congress passed an open-ended, blank check for endless war. This authorization gives any President the authority to wage limitless war at any time, anywhere, for any reason in perpetuity. The vote to relinquish our constitutional authority occurred just 3 days after the horrific terrorist attacks on 9/11. The American

people were angry and anxious to take action.

Madam Speaker, I was just as outraged and devastated as every other American, but I voted against this 2001 AUMF because I believed then-- as I believe now--that it was a blank check and set the stage for perpetual war.

This House rushed to pass the 60-word authorization with little debate. Sixty words, Madam Speaker, drastically altered history. In the almost 16 years since its passage, the 2001 AUMF--which was designed, mind you, to punish the perpetrators of the brutal and deadly attacks on September 11--has been used now by three Presidents to wage endless war around the globe. A recent report from the Congressional Research Service shows that this authorization has been used more than 37 times in 14 countries to justify military action.

These include operations at Guantanamo Bay, warrantless wiretapping, and recent military actions in Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and many more. This report only looks at unclassified military actions.

I would like to now yield to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), who has been such a leader on so many issues, especially around issues of our constitutional responsibility, issues around war and peace.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman) for that very powerful statement and also for reminding us that this should not be a partisan issue.

With that, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho), who has been very diligent in his effort to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Yoho for his clear and concise statement laying out how explicit the Constitution is as it relates to matters of war and peace and how we must debate both if we are going to continue to use force. We look forward to a bipartisan effort this year to get us where we need to be, and that is to repeal this authorization. I thank the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, I yield now to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), who is the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and whom I served with on the committee for many years, and who really has a very clear understanding of foreign and military policy and has been such a leader on so many issues and someone on whom we rely on so many fronts.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) for that very powerful statement and for really laying out the fact that Congress is missing in action and that this resolution, this AUMF, must be repealed so that we can move forward and make some determinations as to what Congress' role will be and what we think should happen in terms of our strategy as it relates to going to war.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) for being here tonight and I thank him for his leadership and his expertise.

Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), who has been a friend, a supporter, who constantly is talking about why we need to protect our troops, support our troops, keep them out of harm's way, support our veterans. He is a great American, and I have the pleasure of working with him on so many issues.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for his statement tonight and for his leadership. I think, listening to him, listening to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho), and working with our colleagues in a bipartisan way, you know, we have to keep hope alive on this because our young men and women, our Constitution, our country, deserves it. You have been here from the beginning in terms of trying to help put Congress back into action because we have been missing in action.

Madam Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Khanna), my colleague from the Silicon Valley, right next door to my district, who has come to Congress and has hit the ground running. He is a true advocate on so many issues as it relates to peace and justice and security.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Khanna) for those kind words, but also for his clarity and his vision and understanding that we must repeal this authorization to use force and put Congress back in the mix where we should have been from day one. I want to

thank him again very much for being here.

Madam Speaker, may I ask how much time I have left.

I will close now. Once again, I ask our Speaker a very simple question, and that is why he has not scheduled a debate on this vital issue that affects our national security.

We asked over and over again for a vote to repeal this authorization. We want a debate and we want to have a new vote based on the current realities of what is taking place as it relates to the use of force by our own government.

In February of 2015, Congressman Eliot Engel mentioned that President Obama sent to Congress an ISIS-specific AUMF, and it was never taken up. There were no actions, no hearings, no formal debate. Not one vote.

We have a new President that is continuing to use the outdated 2001 AUMF in expanded ways, including justifying sending more troops to fight ISIS in Syria and spending more taxpayer dollars on war and putting our young men and women in harm's way.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank all of the Members who were here last night. Let's hope that this discussion will help more Members come to the floor and talk about why we need the Speaker to bring up the bill to repeal the authorization to use force.

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

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 29 minutes p.m.), the House adjourned until tomorrow, Friday, May 19, 2017, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I rise once again in strong opposition to H.R. 1628, which is a bill to take away health care from 24 million Americans. Whether you believe it or not, health care is a basic right.

This shameful bill steals from the most vulnerable among us, including seniors, veterans, people living with HIV, children, and the disabled. And this new bill is even more dangerous and destructive than when they brought it to the Floor last time.

It would, yes, rip away health care from 24 million people. It would reduce benefits, make families pay more for less, and transfer $600 billion in tax cuts to the very wealthy.

This is outrageous. Access to women's health is denied by defunding Planned Parenthood. Medicaid, as we know it, will end. Healthcare costs for working families and seniors will skyrocket. It allows states to eliminate essential health benefits like maternity care, cancer screenings, and emergency care.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a health bill at all. This is a massive tax giveaway to the wealthy.

Let me tell you, as a woman of faith, I am appalled and I am saddened by the hypocrisy displayed in this bill by people who say they are religious. I want to remind you--in the Scriptures, the Book of Mark, chapter 12:31, we are reminded to love your neighbor as yourself.

I hope Republicans remember to love their neighbor as themselves today and vote ``no'' on this mean-spirited and evil bill. Let's defeat this harmful and morally bankrupt bill.

This is a matter of life and death, and the American people deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank my colleagues, Congressman Keith Ellison and Congressman Raul Grijalva, for their tireless leadership of the Progressive Caucus.

I would also like to thank to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congresswoman Jamie Raskin for hosting this Special Order Hour and for their work on this budget. It truly is a document we all can be proud of. Mr. Speaker, the federal budget is, at its heart, a moral document. It tells a story to the American people, and it tells the world who and what we care about.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump's outrageous budget that he released last month revealed what we've long suspected: President Trump's only concern is for himself and his rich friends.

His budget is both hateful and counterproductive.

Faced with such boldfaced cruelty, it's more important than ever that we present our own vision for the budget.

And what a vision the People's Budget is.

The People's Budget is the most progressive budget ever presented to Congress.

It invests in people and communities, instead of corporations, billionaires, and bombs.

It forces Wall Street executives to pay their fair share by closing the tax loopholes that corporations use to send jobs overseas and give CEO millions in untaxed bonuses. Instead, it invests in small business owners and Main Street to uplift those working in their communities.

Our budget invests in our communities by fixing infrastructure, including the leaded pipes in places like Flint, and bringing broadband to libraries and schools.

It invests over $1 trillion in the next generation--from universal pre-school to debt-free college--so that every child, no matter what family they're born into, can get a high quality education.

And it fully funds my Computer Science for All initiative, which would increase access to STEM programs for girls and students of color.

Mr. Speaker, as a single mother, I know from experience that no parent working full-time should have to raise their family in poverty.

The People's budget lays our plan to invest in and lift women, communities of color, and working families out of poverty.

Our budget takes serious steps to end the scourge of poverty in America, including raising the wage to $15 an hour, offering universal child care, and expanding paid sick leave to all families.

Finally, this budget lays out a plan to curb bloated Pentagon spending and reinvest in diplomacy and humanitarian aid.

It would take long overdue action to reign in waste, fraud, and abuse at the Pentagon, and give us an audit so we can see where our taxpayer dollars are going. And it would prohibit the expansion of US combat troops into President Trump's unauthorized and illegal war in Syria.

Mr. Speaker, this is a budget that we are proud to stand behind. This is a bold statement of our principles and our promise to fight for the American people.

This is our Roadmap for Resistance.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my opposition to this morally bankrupt bill, and I include in the Record a letter of opposition from the National Rural Health Association.

[From the National Rural Health Association]

Vote NO to the American Health Care Act

The National Rural Health Association urges a NO vote on

the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

Rural Americans are older, poorer and sicker than other

populations. In fact, a January 2017 CDC report pronounced

that life expectancies for rural Americans have declined and

the top five chronic diseases are worse in rural America. The

AHCA does nothing to improve the health care crisis in rural

America, and will lead to poorer rural health outcomes, more

uninsured and an increase in the rural hospital closure

crisis.

Though some provisions in the modified AHCA bill improve

the base bill, NRHA is concerned that the bill still falls

woefully short in making health care affordable and

accessible to rural Americans. For example, the modified bill

contains a decrease in the Medical Expense Deduction

threshold from 10% to 5.8% in an attempt to assist Americans

between the ages of 50 and 64 who would see their premiums

skyrocket under the current plan. However, this deduction is

not a credit and therefore would be of little use to low

income seniors that are in very low tax brackets or do not

pay income tax at all. Additionally, the new amendments to

freeze Medicaid expansion enrollment as of Jan. 1, 2018, and

reduce the Medicaid per-capita growth rate will

disproportionately harm rural Americans.

The AHCA will hurt vulnerable populations in rural

Americans, leaving millions of the sickest, most underserved

populations in our nation without coverage, and further

escalating the rural hospital closure crisis. According to

the Wall Street Journal, the ``GOP health plan would hit

rural areas hard.

. . . Poor, older Americans would see the largest increase in

insurance-coverage costs.'' The LA Times reports ``Americans

who swept President Trump to victory--lower-income, older

voters in conservative, rural parts of the country--stand to

lose the most in federal healthcare aid under a Republican

plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.'' Let's

be clear--many provisions in the ACA failed rural America.

The lack of plan competition in rural markets, exorbitant

premiums, deductibles and co-pays, the co-op collapses, lack

of Medicaid expansion, and devastating Medicare cuts to rural

providers--all collided to create a health care crisis in

rural America. However, it's beyond frustrating that an

opportunity to fix these problems is squandered, and instead,

a greater health care crisis will be created in rural

America.

Congress has long recognized the importance of the rural

health care safety net and has steadfastly worked to protect

it. And now, much of the protections created to maintain

access to care for the 62 million who live in rural America

are in jeopardy. We implore Congress to continue its fight to

protect rural patients' access to care. Three improvements

are critical for rural patients and providers:

1. Medicaid--Though most rural residents are in non-

expansion states, a higher proportion of rural residents are

covered by Medicaid (21% vs. 16%).

Congress and the states have long recognized that rural is

different and thus requires different programs to succeed.

Rural payment programs for hospitals and providers are not

`bonus' payments, but rather alternative, cost-effective and

targeted payment formulas that maintain access to care for

millions of rural patients and financial stability for

thousands of rural providers across the country. Any federal

health care reform must protect a state's ability to protect

its rural safety net providers. The federal government must

not abdicate its moral, legal, and financial responsibilities

to rural, Medicaid eligible populations by ensuring access to

care.

Any federal health care reform proposal must protect access

to care in Rural America, and must provide an option to a

state to receive an enhanced reimbursement included in a

matching rate or a per capita cap, specifically targeted to

create stability among rural providers to maintain access to

care for rural communities. Enhancements must be equivalent

to the cost of providing care for rural safety net providers,

a safeguard that ensures the enhanced reimbursement is

provided to the safety net provider to allow for continued

access to care. Rural safety net providers include, but not

limited to, Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Prospective

Payment Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Indian Health

Service providers, and individual rural providers.

2. Market Reform--Forty-one percent of rural marketplace

enrollees have only a single option of insurer, representing

70 percent of counties that have only one option. This lack

of competition in the marketplace means higher premiums.

Rural residents average per month cost exceeds urban ($569.34

for small town rural vs. $415.85 for metropolitan).

Rural Americans are more likely to have obesity, diabetes,

cancer, and traumatic injury; they are more likely to

participate in high risk health behaviors including smoking,

poor diet, physical inactivity, and substance abuse. Rural

Americans are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured and

less likely to receive employer sponsored health insurance.

Rural communities have fewer health care providers for

insurers to contract, with to provide an adequate network to

serve the community.

Any federal health care reform proposal must address the

fact that insurance providers are withdrawing from rural

markets. Despite record profit levels, insurance companies

are permitted to cherry pick profitable markets for

participation and are currently not obliged to provide

service to markets with less advantageous risk pools.

Demographic realities of the rural population make the market

less profitable, and thus less desirable for an insurance

company with no incentive to take on such exposure. In the

same way that financial service institutions are required to

provide services to underserved neighborhoods, profitable

insurance companies should be required to provide services in

underserved communities.

3. Stop Bad Debt Cuts to Rural Hospitals--Rural hospitals

serve more Medicare patients (46% rural vs. 40.9% urban),

thus across-the-board Medicare cuts do not have across the

board impacts. A goal of the ACA was to have hospital bad

debt decrease significantly.

However, because of unaffordable health plans in rural

areas, rural patients still cannot afford health care. Bad

debt among rural hospitals has actually increased 50% since

the ACA was passed. According to MedPAC ``Average Medicare

margins are negative, and under current law they are expected

to decline in 2016'' has led to 7% gains in median profit

margins for urban providers while rural providers have

experienced a median loss of 6%.

If Congress does not act, all the decades of efforts to

protect rural patients' access to care, could rapidly be

undone. The National Rural Health Association implores

Congress to act now to protect rural health care across the

nation.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Service Employees International Union's letter voicing strong opposition to the deadly American Health Care Act for their 2 million Members.

Mr. Speaker, I rise once again in strong opposition to H.R. 1628, which is a bill to take away health care from 24 million Americans.

Whether you believe it or not, health care is a basic right.

This shameful bill steals from the most vulnerable among us, including seniors, veterans, people living with HIV, children, and the disabled. And this new bill is even more dangerous and destructive than when they brought it to the Floor last time.

It would, yes, rip away health care from 24 million people. It would reduce benefits, make families pay more for less, and transfer $600 billion in tax cuts to the very wealthy.

This is outrageous.

Access to women's health is denied by defunding Planned Parenthood. Medicaid, as we know it, will end. Healthcare costs for working families and seniors will skyrocket.

It allows states to eliminate essential health benefits like maternity care, cancer screenings, and emergency care.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a health bill at all. This is a massive tax giveaway to the wealthy.

Let me tell you, as a woman of faith, I am appalled and I am saddened by the hypocrisy displayed in this bill by people who say they are religious.

I want to remind you--in the Scriptures, the Book of Mark, chapter 12:31, we are reminded to love your neighbor as yourself.

I hope Republicans remember to love their neighbor as themselves today and vote ``no'' on this mean-spirited, evil and morally bankrupt bill.

This is a matter of life and death, and the American people deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, thank you, Congressman Veasey, Congressman McEachin and Congresswoman Plaskett, for organizing tonight's special order hour on environmental justice and Trump's 100 days: ``What do we have to lose?'' I'd also like to thank Chair Richmond for his tireless leadership as the CBC continues to be the conscience of the Congress.

Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to lose under this administration--who at every turn--wants to roll back protections for our communities and for our environment. And make no mistake: communities of color are most impacted by these decisions and often bear the brunt of climate change and pollution.

In my home district, West Oakland residents are disproportionately exposed to dirty air pollution that is 90 times higher than the average Californian. 90 times. As a result, many West Oakland residents experience more asthma attacks, heart failures and strokes. On average, West Oakland residents have a higher death rate than other Californians just because of where they live. This is a shame and a disgrace. But these inequalities are not new.

In 2013, the American Academy of Allergy and Asthma found that one in six African American children and one in nine Latino children suffered from asthma compared to just 1 in 15 white children. These numbers are unacceptable and they should be a wake-up call to all of us to do more to fight for environmental justice. But with the current administration we must be ready for an uphill battle.

Last weekend marked President Trump's 100 days in office--which is really just 100 days of chaos, corruption, and dysfunction. In fact, the Trump administration has shown in the past 100 days that they are more committed to padding their pockets than protecting our planet. In three months, they have:

Approved the Keystone pipeline

Approved the Dakota Access Pipeline

Proposed devastating cuts to the EPA

And allowed dumping of coal mining waste into our streams.

And with every executive order rolling back President Obama's progress on climate change issues, the current administration lives up to its belief that saving our planet is ``a waste of [America's] money.'' But I stand here today to say ``Not on our watch.''

Our children's air, drinking water and futures depend on our ability to hold corporations accountable for their emissions and waste.

For some in our country, this is literally a matter of life and death, as communities of color are more likely to live near polluting facilities or be ignored when they notice high levels of lead in their water systems. We are all connected to our environment. It impacts everyone. It is time we recognize that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Mr. Speaker, the past 100 days have shown us that this will be a long and arduous battle. But we cannot afford to get tired--our very existence is at stake. We must continue to build a movement that can fight back against the constant attacks on our communities and on our planet. That's why we're here today as members of the Congressional Black Caucus: to show unified resistance by fighting for our communities, our environment, and especially our planet.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Congresswoman Bass, for bringing forth this critical resolution. I am proud to join my colleagues today in support of H. Res. 187, Relating to efforts to respond to the famine in South Sudan.

Mr. Speaker, as many of us know, the famine in South Sudan is one of the worst humanitarian crises since World War II. Fighting and violence has forced over 3 million people from their homes, driven the South Sudanese people into famine, and threatens the country's independence. As we approach South Sudan's winter season, communities facing famine will become inaccessible to humanitarian groups as roads become flooded, proving a dire need for our support and relief.

Our responsibilities as elected officials extend much farther than the boundaries of our districts. It is our congressional responsibility to support U.S. Agency for International Development in its efforts to provide aid for those facing this devastating crisis and collaborate with relief organizations to ensure that families are receiving essential resources.

If we do not act now, we jeopardize the millions of lives, put the long term security of South Sudan on the line, and threaten our goal for global peace.

While a resolution and aid alone cannot solve this problem, it can save lives. We must continue our bipartisan efforts, and move forward to allocate $1 billion in aid to ensure that all people have access to fundamental needs.