Floor Statements

Offered By: Ms. Lee of California

Amendment No. 84: Page 2, line 13, strike ``date of

enactment of this subsection'' and insert ``date this

paragraph takes effect described in paragraph (4)''.

Page 3, line 9, strike the closing quotation mark and the

final period.

Page 3, after line 9, insert the following:

``(4) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall take effect on

the date that the Secretary certifies that any increase in

the percentage of Federal lands leased for oil and gas

production pursuant to paragraph (1) would not perpetuate

environmental injustice.''.

Madam Speaker, as co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 3.

Of course, we condemn all political violence, whether it is aimed at those we agree with or disagree with.

These acts are all unacceptable, full stop. Hate speech quickly becomes hate violence. In a democracy, violence is particularly awful when it is designed to silence or intimidate.

Where were my colleagues every single time a doctor, a patient, a nurse, or a security officer was threatened, assaulted, or murdered just for providing, accessing, and safeguarding reproductive healthcare?

Congresswoman DeGette, Congresswoman Pressley, and I have drafted a resolution that condemns all attacks upon healthcare facilities, healthcare personnel, and patients.

Every act of hate-fueled violence is worthy of condemnation, including those against Planned Parenthood clinics, abortion providers and patients, and other care providers.

We stand with survivors of those attacks. We condemn all of them, and our GOP colleagues should do so, as well.

Mr. Speaker, after 4 days and 15 rounds of votes, the new Republican majority has finally chosen a Speaker. Their first order of business is to trample on the hopes of the people that elected them.

The rules package that we see before us contains no less than three bills that strip people in this country of their reproductive freedom. These bills are a slap in the face to voters who proved time and time again at the polls last year that they believe in reproductive freedom and abortion access.

From Kentucky to Kansas to my home State of California, our constituents believe that the right to make decisions about their life and their health, including about abortion, lies with them, not with you, not with me, not with any elected official.

This rules package is meant to help this body govern, not restrict the personal autonomy of millions. As one who has had an abortion, I know how horrific this rules package is. It is our bodies. It is our choices.

Mr. Speaker, this dysfunction and hypocrisy is shameful, and the people deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 23, which would gut the enforcement of our tax laws.

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats fought hard last year to help the IRS crack down on wealthy tax cheats like Donald Trump.

But House Republicans want to make sure the IRS remains underfunded, understaffed, and unable to catch the top one percent who hide over 20 percent of their income from the IRS each year.

Meanwhile, the working people who pay their taxes will wait longer for tax refunds and assistance because of these cuts.

Do not let Republican talking points about IRS funding mislead you. This bill will only help tax cheats avoid paying their fair share. House Republicans are only protecting their fat cat allies like Donald Trump.

Instead of catering to their billionaire friends, I urge my Republican colleagues to prove they actually care about working people by voting no on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I first thank Bishop Barber for that very powerful prayer for our Nation.

Today, the Poor People's Campaign's California Statewide Convening will uplift the launch of the California-led campaign for the Third Reconstruction resolution called Close the Wealth Gap, California.

Extreme poverty affects over 20 million people in California. This is a moral disgrace.

As written in House Resolution 438, the Third Reconstruction, we need the moral resolve to pass laws and policies that fully address interlocking injustices, which have only deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This country was founded on the moral commitment to ensure domestic tranquility, promote general welfare, and secure liberty and justice for all.

It is time we realize a Third Reconstruction to build an equitable, thriving, and resilient economy from the bottom up.

That is why I am calling on my colleagues to have the political will to make permanent the child tax credit. The most recent poverty data show that policy decisions like the temporary CTC, income support, and nutrition assistance cut the national child poverty rate nearly in half in 2021. This demonstrates that poverty is a policy choice and there is no excuse for poverty in America.

Madam Speaker, everyone deserves to live a life free from socioeconomic policies that are punitive and destructive to their families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank this body for full support of, of course, H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act. I was so proud to support this bill.

I thank my good friend and colleague Chairman Nadler for his leadership and David Cicilline and Speaker Pelosi for bringing this important bill to the floor.

Today, I voted to protect marriage equality across the country. Following the Supreme Court's shameful decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, rightwing extremists, who have been visibly organizing for decades to curtail hard-won rights, have set their sights on other freedoms.

We cannot let Justice Clarence Thomas even consider overturning the constitutional right to marriage equality. What is coming next?

Today, the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act will enshrine marriage equality into Federal law.

As one of the founding members of the Equality Caucus, along with my good friend Congressman Barney Frank, today, I am reminded of Martin Luther King's profound insight when he said that ``the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.''

I thank all those who voted for this. This is a historic day, and we did the right thing. Thank God we are moving forward in this country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary work of George Holland, Sr., and his indispensable contributions as an advocate in the fight for equal rights and racial justice, as the President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Oakland.

Mr. Holland was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and raised in California, where he resided in segregated housing projects until his early adulthood, experiencing the impacts of institutional racism firsthand. In South San Francisco, Mr. Holland's family resided in the Lindenville Housing Project. The Lindenville Housing Project had a ``Colored Section,'' where he, his family, and 71 other Black families lived. Mr. Holland's experience living in segregated housing continued in 1955, when his family relocated to the Sunnydale Housing Project, which had only desegregated earlier that year.

Mr. Holland was a trailblazer from a young age, he was the first member of his family to attend college, earning his Bachelor of Arts from San Francisco State College. He then earned his Juris Doctorate from the Golden Gate University School of Law. Mr. Holland went on to serve as a board member for several legal associations, including the Bar Association of San Francisco and the Bar Association of Alameda County.

Mr. Holland's legacy lies in his championship of civil rights throughout his academic and professional career. As a young community activist, Mr. Holland participated in civil rights demonstrations in the 1960s throughout San Francisco, Oakland, and the greater Bay Area to advocate for racial equity. As an attorney, he contributed to the founding of the California Association of Black Lawyers, California's first legal association dedicated to addressing the needs and struggles of Black lawyers and to eradicating racism imbedded in our legal system. Since 2005, Mr. Holland has continued his service to our community as the President of the NAACP chapter in Oakland.

Throughout his exemplary tenure as President, Mr. Holland's efforts have distinguished the Oakland NAACP chapter for its engagement with the local community and for its leadership on national issues. Under his guidance, the organization collaborated with the Oakland Mayor and School Superintendent's ``Oakland Promise'' program, a community-based non-profit that aims to triple the number of college graduates from Oakland within the next decade. Further, under Mr. Holland's leadership, the Oakland NAACP chapter partnered with the Chapel of Chimes to construct the Nelson Mandela Human Rights Memorial at Skylawn Memorial Park. Mr. Holland also oversaw the creation of a police commission in Oakland to improve police accountability and community trust in law enforcement.

George has been a dear friend and loyal supporter. Whenever I needed help, he was there for me and our community. If ever, I needed anyone to watch my back--there he was, generous and steady as always. For this, I am deeply grateful.

On behalf of the 13th Congressional district, I would like to congratulate Mr. Holland on his incredible achievements throughout his career. He has been a wonderful activist, attorney, and a fierce advocate for racial justice and equity for all people. I thank him for all his hard work, and congratulations again. I wish him the very best in his journey ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3372, the One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act of 2021. I am proud to support this bill and thank my good friend and fellow Californian Congresswoman Bass for her leadership, and Chairman Nadler and the Speaker for bringing this important bill to the floor.

There are currently about 2 million people living life behind bars in this country--and the devastating effects of mass incarceration go far beyond the length of a prison sentence.

The average national recidivism rate is a staggering 49.3 percent over 8 years, which is largely driven by individuals experiencing barriers to essential resources after having served their time.

This important legislation will help people get back on their feet as they reintegrate from incarceration into their communities--a step toward addressing the realities that drive mass incarceration, especially in communities of color.

We must end the vicious cycle of mass incarceration. I urge my colleagues to vote `yes' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6878, the Protecting the Health and Wellness of Babies and Pregnant Women in Custody Act of 2022. I am proud to support this bill and thank my good friend and colleague Congresswoman Bass for her leadership. I also thank the Speaker and Chairman Nadler for bringing this bill to the floor.

Our prison system was not designed with the medical needs of women and pregnant people in mind. This holds especially true for women and pregnant people of color, who are often subjected to harsher treatment at more frequent rates.

This bill moves us in the right direction by establishing safeguards for incarcerated pregnant and postpartum individuals and their children by guaranteeing access to essential prenatal and post-delivery support.

As a champion of reproductive and women's rights, I hope to continue joining my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to ensure incarcerated women and pregnant people have the right to access the quality health services they deserve.

I urge my colleagues to vote `yes' on this bill.

Madam Speaker, when the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, I was totally outraged. We knew that that day was coming, and as horrific as it was and is, we were ready. But I was not alone in that outrage.

Madam Speaker, over the past few weeks, the American people took their outrage, and they turned it into action. From Kentucky to California, red States to blue, our constituents made their voices heard, and their message is clear.

Americans trust people, not politicians, to make their own decisions about their health and their lives, including about abortion. Americans will use their vote to strike down attacks on reproductive rights time and time again and, yes, support reproductive freedom. Madam Speaker, it is time to turn our constituents' demands into congressional action.

To my Republican colleagues who try to claim their extremism as public opinion, we saw that the majority of American people are not buying it. I am determined to ensure that their voices are heard, to fight for all of our rights to make our own decisions over our bodies. I won't stop, and none of my colleagues here will stop, until the right to abortion is available and to keep politicians from interfering in our personal decisions about our bodies. We are going to keep fighting that this is available to everyone regardless of race, ZIP Code, or income. It is our bodies, and it is our choices.

Climate Change Fueling Wildfires

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the House amendment to S. 3902, the FIRE Act. I am proud to support this bill and thank my good friends and fellow Californians, Senator Padilla and Congresswoman Lofgren, for their leadership, and Chairman DeFazio and the Speaker for bringing it to the floor.

Communities across the world are feeling the impact of climate change, fueling wildfires and harming fragile ecosystems and communities.

I was privileged to be in Egypt last week for COP27, and it was very apparent and clear, and the voices were heard that we have got to address these

critical issues with regard to the climate crisis now.

I have directly witnessed the devastating effects of wildfires on homes and livelihoods in my community, which is why I am proud to support this bill and urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' with me.

Current wildfires are growing larger and hotter, requiring urgent and robust action from the Federal Government. The FIRE Act allows FEMA to predeploy assets during high-risk times, improves relocation assistance for public infrastructure affected by fires, and ensures equity of assistance for Tribal communities and governments.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amended bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 4524, the Speak Out Act. I am proud to support this bill and thank my good friends and colleagues Senator Gillibrand and Congresswoman Frankel for their leadership, and Chairman Nadler and the Speaker for bringing it to the floor.

This bill is a step toward ending a culture of silence and coercion that further deprives survivors of sexual assault from achieving justice.

We must put an end to the enablement of perpetrators in the workforce by eliminating the use of NDAs in sexual misconduct cases.

While this bill is progress toward eradicating institutional protections for perpetrators, we cannot stop here. As a champion of sexual and reproductive health and rights, I hope that we continue joining efforts to fix this toxic system and empower survivors of sexual assault to be the authors of their own stories.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7240 to reauthorize the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development Act, or the READ Act.

I thank my good friend, Chairwoman Karen Bass, for leading this bipartisan legislation and Chairman Meeks and the Speaker for moving it to the floor.

Our dear friend and a great leader, Chairwoman Nita Lowey, who preceded me as chair of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, led the charge to pass the READ Act in 2017. I saw her over this weekend, and she was so excited that this bill was coming to the floor.

The READ Act coordinates and amplifies U.S. efforts to support basic education abroad. Over 58 million children still cannot go to school around the world, more than half are girls, and COVID-19 disrupted learning for hundreds of millions of kids, creating huge challenges for meeting the sustainable development goal of providing a quality education for all kids by 2030.

I was proud to include in the fiscal year 2023 House SFOPS appropriations bill $985 million for international basic education, $35 million above last year's enacted level and $291.6 million above the President's budget request. The READ Act authorization will ensure that these resources will deliver the most value for kids around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. I thank the chairman for yielding his time and also for his leadership.

This historic bill puts people over politics by lowering the cost of living for necessities like healthcare, creating good-paying jobs, and ensuring that the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share of taxes.

Now, we know that lower-income communities and communities of color face the brunt of pollution and climate change. This bill makes the single largest investment in combating climate change and works to reduce carbon pollution by 40 percent by 2030. We still have a lot ahead, though, and much more work to do, like fighting for investments that have deep impacts on communities of color, such as housing, the child tax credit, investments in our care economy, universal childcare, and insulin caps beyond Medicare which disproportionately impacts people of color. But make no mistake, this bill will make an impact on families and our planet.

It is a shame and disgrace that Republicans won't vote for this bill. But this bill helps Republican constituents also.

So I am so proud today to vote for this bill for our Republican constituents.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8373, of which I am a proud original cosponsor. I thank Congresswoman Manning for her tremendous leadership and also Chairman Pallone and Speaker Pelosi for bringing this bill to the floor.

As co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, I know how important this bill is, especially after the Supreme Court's recent decision overturning abortion access.

Radical extremists have been clear that they will be going after rights like contraception next, and that is just downright outrageous.

It is hard to imagine so many freedoms are being taken away: abortion and contraception, no access to family planning, and, of course, no support at all from Republicans for comprehensive sex education.

Everyone should have the freedom to make decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their future. That includes the right to choose which FDA-approved method of contraception is best for them.

The Pro-Choice Caucus, and many of us, have urged the FDA to make birth control available over the counter. Safety and efficacy are extremely important, and I urge the FDA to move quickly but carefully. Birth control must be safe. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this amendment to permit American farmers to help alleviate hunger in Cuba. As one of the co-chairs of the Bipartisan Cuba Working Group, I thank Congresswoman Tlaib for offering it, and I thank the Speaker and my working group co-chair, Chairman Jim McGovern for making it in order.

After more than six decades, the U.S. embargo on Cuba has accomplished nothing except to cause suffering among the Cuban people. This policy is a complete failure. And yet it continues, a policy that divides families and hurts working people in Cuba.

This amendment would permit American farmers to help alleviate the current hunger crisis in Cuba that is made worse by COVID and our embargo. In one fell swoop, we could show that America puts humanitarian values first, and head off competition from countries like China who seek to make inroads in our hemisphere.

This amendment is good for American farmers, good for the Cuban people, and good for healing Cuban-American families divided by misguided U.S. policy. I urge my colleagues to vote yes.