Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for yielding.

I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 5525, a bill more designed to appease the extreme MAGA wing of the Republican Party than to stave off a government shutdown.

With just hours remaining before our Nation is thrust into an unnecessary shutdown, the House is being forced to waste time on a measure that would impose draconian cuts to vital Federal programs and compel the enactment of H.R. 2, the child deportation act.

When we considered H.R. 2 in May, I called it a cruel, extreme, unworkable immigration and border security measure.

Time has not been kind to the bill.

It still would wreck our economy, cripple our ports of entry, destroy the asylum system, criminalize visa overstays, force unaccompanied children into dangerous situations, jail families and children indefinitely, and on top of all that, worsen conditions at the border.

The child deportation act would upend CBP's ability to process migrants at ports of entry and bar funding to humanitarian organizations that provide shelter, transportation, and legal assistance to children and families fleeing horrific conditions.

Moreover, it does nothing to stem the deadly flow of fentanyl into the United States.

The Senate will not take up H.R. 5525, and it will never go to the President's desk. The House must come together today and stop coddling extreme MAGA members looking to get former President Trump's failed illegal and immoral policies enacted into law. I urge my colleagues to join me in defeating H.R. 5525 and call upon the Speaker to have the House consider the Senate's bipartisan continuing resolution.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong opposition to this extreme MAGA measure. The 260,000 dedicated men and women who served honorable on the frontlines protecting our Nation's borders, skies, waterways, and critical infrastructure are watching the House with great anxiety. They are just days away from being told that they will have to work indefinitely without pay or alternatively, will not be able to work at all and support their households. And when they turn their eyes to this chamber, what do they see? And what are House Republicans doing about it? Are they taking decisive action to forestall the devastating impact of the shutdown on DHS' ability to carry out its vital missions? Regrettably, no.

Instead, consumed by infighting, they have decided to rally around an extreme MAGA DHS funding bill that will most certainly never be transmitted to the Senate. Yes, you heard that right. With the passage of the rule, at the conclusion of consideration of H.R. 4367, the Speaker will set aside this bill until H.R. 2, the ``Child Deportation Act'' is enacted. H.R. 2 will never be law.

Forcing the House to engage in prolonged debate on dozens and dozens of extreme MAGA amendments instead of a continuing resolution to avert a catastrophic government shutdown is a terrible waste of the little time we have. The most extreme wing of the Republican party has hijacked what was supposed to be an orderly appropriations process.

House Republicans go on and on about wanting to save money but they pay little mind to the hundreds of millions of dollars in costs, lost revenue, and late fees associated with shutting down and restarting the government. The U.S. travel sector alone is projecting economic losses in excess of $140 million a day during this impending shutdown.

House Republicans say they care about the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol yet are asking them to work without knowing when their next paycheck will come. A government shutdown will negatively impact the Department of Homeland Security's ability to address everything from cybersecurity threats posed by China to supporting disaster preparedness at the local level.

Mr. Chair, we do not have enough time to get into all the damaging effects of the forthcoming shutdown on DHS. They are too numerable. I will, instead, use my remaining time to talk about House Republicans' proposed Homeland Security funding bill. It is so loaded with hyper- partisan culture war nonsense that l almost don't know where to begin.

H.R. 4367 includes policy riders to restrict inspections on immigration detention centers to ensure that facilities that they want to fill to the rafters are providing appropriate care. Catering to the fringe elements in their base, it prohibits gender-affirming care for immigrants held in detention and slashes funding from critically- important oversight offices intended to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of Americans.

Mr. Chair, my Republican colleagues assert that their extreme MAGA bill would give more money than ever, but they have little interest in ensuring that that oversight mechanism are actually funded to make sure the money is not wasted. l urge my colleagues to vote against this toxic, short-sighted, and needlessly cruel bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable hero, Walter L. Atkins, Jr.

Walter L. Atkins, Jr. was born November 10, 1972, to Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Atkins, Sr. in Clarksdale, MS. He was the first born of 4 children. In 1978, he moved to Darling, MS and resided there until 1990 with his parents and siblings.

Walter attended Falcon Elementary School and furthered his education by attending Quitman County High School and graduated in 1990. Walter joined the United States Army Reserve in 1989. Upon completion of his Basic and Advanced Individual Trainings, he furthered his education by attending Alcorn State University from 1991 to 1998. There he received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Secondary Education in Biological Sciences. During his freshman year of college, tragedy struck with the sudden death of his mother.

Walter began his educational profession in the South Delta School District, where he served as a science teacher for 5 years. He left the profession for 3 years to pursue a career in auto sales. Fortunately, he returned to the profession that he so loved 3 years later in the Leland School District. In 2011, he joined the Drew School District where he served as a high school science teacher. The following year, the district consolidated with the Sunflower County School District to form the newly formed Sunflower County Consolidated School District. Walter left the classroom in hopes of becoming an administrator.

In 2012, he served as an assistant principal and shortly after principal of R.H. Bearden Elementary School in the West Tallahatchie School District. In 2016, he returned to his home county, where he took the position as high school principal of (formerly known as Quitman County High School) Madison S. Palmer High. Upon returning, he was given the task of raising the graduation rate to 95 percent. In 2020, the district was recognized by MDE for its 95.7 percent graduation rate which placed the Quitman County School District in the top 10 of all school districts within the state of Mississippi.

In addition, he spearheaded and began a College Prep initiative that took the financial burden of paying for college courses from the parents. He served in that capacity for 6 years where the school made many educational strides and received recognition from MDE for its academic successes. He currently serves as the district's Director of Curriculum and Instructional Management. Walter is the proud father of 2 sons--D'Kedrianane and Jeremy, and has 2 grandchildren that he enjoys spending time with.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Walter L. Atkins, Jr., for he is a reflection of a hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and selfless leader, Mr. Louis Johnson. He has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to make a difference.

Mr. Louis Johnson, affectionally known as ``Bay Bay'', is the winner of the first annual Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Bill Hetrick Community Service Award. The Bill Hetrick Community Service Award is named after Bill Hetrick, who served as a long-time board member and Past President of the Mississippi Sports Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Johnson, the former Chief of Police in Edwards, Mississippi for 39 years, parlayed his love of sports into coaching youth baseball and softball. He was able to coach while also giving the children in his community a positive role model to follow. When the number of kids playing baseball started to dwindle, Mr. Johnson started coaching basketball, and, at one point he was coaching 6 different teams at the same time. He has been a great asset to his community, and his work never goes unnoticed.

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame will honor Louis Johnson for his lifetime commitment to his community with this award during its annual Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, set for Saturday, July 29, at the Jackson Convention Complex.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Louis Johnson for his dedication and hard work in caring for the constituents in the State of Mississippi.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable unsung hero, the late Evangelist Dorothy Howard.

Dorothy Howard was born on March 13, 1959, to the late Eugene and Marie Perry of Scott, MS. She departed this life on Monday, August 7, 2023, peacefully at her home.

Evangelist Howard confessed Christ at the age of eleven. She later became a member of Sweet Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, MS under the leadership of Pastor Willie Harris. She has served as an assistant pastor, choir member, and a prayer intercessor. She was an active member until she took her final rest.

She attended Greenville Public Schools and graduated from Greenville High prestigious class of 1978. Then, she matriculated at Mississippi Valley State University. She also was a graduate from Nina Taylor Biblical Schools Institute, where she was ordained as an Apostle and served on the board.

Evangelist Howard was known in the Christan community as a prolific vessel of God known for her charismatic preaching and singing that God gifted her with. She was a well-known Good News Sharer and Encourager of the Faith. She made history and broke glass ceilings in ministry. She was also a gifted educator serving in the education and childcare system for more than three decades. Students all over the world have her to thank for a great head start.

Evangelist Howard had an immense amount of love for God. Her hobbies include but are not limited to; spending time with her family/friends, singing, shopping, and reading. She also had a passion for assisting others and praying for them.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Evangelist Dorothy Howard, for her dedication and tenacity to serving her community and desire to be a light that shines even in her dark times.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late pastor, correctional officer and self-motivated community leader, Nathan Harris, Sr. Nathan enjoyed an extensive career of correctional officer, safety officer, teaching and serving.

Nathan's formal education was in the public-school systems in Quitman County. After graduating, he attended Northwest Community College, Charles Harrison Mason Bible College and earned a certificate in Theology from the Interdenominational Theological Seminary of Atlanta, GA. Nathan had a long successful career with the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) for 29 years. After retiring from MDOC, he went to work for the Arkansas Department of Corrections where he remained employed until his passing.

In December 2008, Elder Nathan Harris was appointed as Pastor of St. Peter Church in Shaw, MS along with his wife, Missionary Charlestine Scott Harris. Prior to becoming the Pastor, they worked hard and diligently for the Lord and the ministries of the church and community. He served as a faithful example and dedicated leader to St. Peter Church for over 15 years. Elder Harris believed in supporting the members, children, parents and the community. The ministries of teaching, saving, giving and counseling was truly in his heart.

Nathan married Charlestine Harris almost 36 years ago, and they have 5 children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Nathan Harris, Sr. for his dedication to advocacy in correctional rehabilitation, Biblical education, public service and his selfless service to Bolivar County, Coahoma County, the MS Delta Region, and Arkansas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kristen Washington: Jacksonian Baker On `The Great Chocolate Showdown' of Jackson, Mississippi.

If a dessert could describe Kristen Washington, she said it would be a cinnamon roll because that baked good is brown and round, just like her. The Jackson native grew up watching her grandmother, Maple Washington, throw down in the kitchen, and while those skills skipped a few of Kristen's siblings, Maple passed them down to Kristen.

Some of her favorite recipes she learned from her grandmother are her peach cobbler and tea cakes, which fed her a love for dessert in her youth. ``Dessert can be your breakfast, lunch and dinner,'' Washington told the Mississippi Free Press. ``You can have a cinnamon roll for breakfast, and it's still a dessert. And it's comfort food. Dessert is a comfort food.''

As an adult, Washington always baked in her free time for fun, using her grandmother's old recipe books or following Instagram reels for cake ideas and inspiration. She started selling funnel cakes in 2021, and later that year, she made a birthday cake for her sister-in-law. Washington was hesitant, but her sister-in-law encouraged her to step outside her comfort zone.

That affirming moment led Washington to launch PhatKake's, her at- home baking business, where she creates homemade cakes, funnel cakes, tarts, and other desserts. She named the business after her childhood nickname and runs it while balancing her day job as a personal-care aide.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Kristen Washington for her passion, dedication, and tenacity to serving her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and self-motivated leader, Jimmy Sweet. Jimmy Sweet has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve.

Jimmy Sweet was a standout football player and track athlete at Temple and North Vicksburg from 1970 to 1973. Sweet was part of the Temple team that won the 1970 Red Carpet Bowl and Black Big 8 championship, and then scored 18 touchdowns in three seasons at North Vicksburg.

After his playing career, Sweet spent 28 years working for the Vicksburg Police Department and was involved in several community organizations and programs.

Sweet was inducted into the 2022 Vicksburg Warren School District Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Jimmy Sweet for his passion and dedication to the Vicksburg Warren School District and City of Vicksburg.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and self-motivated leader, Fire Chief Willie G. Owens.

Chief Willie G. Owens is the leader of the Jackson Fire Department, and he has 32 years with the department. He is a native of Belzoni, Mississippi, where he attended McNair High School and enrolled in Jackson State University in 1970. He received a B.S. degree in Health & Physical Education from Jackson State in 1972. In 1974, he began a career with the Jackson Fire Department. In 1979, he went back to Jackson State University and received a degree in Fire Science Technology.

The City of Jackson entered a Consent Decree with the Federal Government for racial discrimination in 1973, and therefore, hired an all-black class the next year that produced two Fire Chiefs, with Chief Owens being one of them.

Chief Owens has made many accomplishments since becoming fire chief. He extended the promotional list from one to two years, decreased the age limit from 21 to 18 to become a firefighter, establish a fire science program in the Jackson Public School System, and increased the number of firefighters to its station.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Fire Chief Willie Owens for his dedication to the City of Jackson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and self-motivated leader, Chaquina Griffin Taylor. She has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve.

Chaquina Griffin Taylor, the youngest of four siblings, is the daughter of Willie Earl Griffin and Jacqueline Griffin. She spent her formative years growing up in Lambert, MS. Mrs. Taylor currently serves as the Collective Impact Coordinator at Delta State University, focusing on Quitman County.

Mrs. Taylor is a proud graduate of Madison Shannon Palmer High School. She furthered her education at the illustrious Tougaloo College, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Mrs. Taylor holds a Master of Science in Psychology with specializations in Child Adolescent Development and Applied Behavior Analysis. She is a certified Meditation Mindfulness Teacher, Trainer, and Positive Psychology Practitioner.

Mrs. Taylor began her career working in corrections at an all-male facility providing substance abuse services and cognitive behavior therapy to the inmate population (2008-2017). While working in corrections, Mrs. Taylor revamped the Alcohol Anonymous program, implemented a Victim's Impact program, taught orientation classes, and trained new managers on the substance abuse curriculum. Mrs. Taylor has also been working in higher education since 2017. At Coahoma Community College, she was appointed the MIBEST College and Career Navigator (2017-2021), providing wrap-around services to the non-traditional student population. She continues to serve as an adjunct Psychology Instructor.

Mrs. Taylor is an advocate for education. She is a life learner and a natural leader. Mrs. Taylor has served as the Quitman County

School District P-16 Council president. She is a Samberg Leadership Maximizer completer. In addition, she completed the Mississippi Community College Policy Fellows Program and the Mississippi Community College Leadership Academy. Mrs. Taylor obtained her Quality Matters Online Teaching Certification as well. Additionally, she is a dedicated member of esteemed professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Education Association (NEA), and the Mississippi Association of Educators (MAE).

Last and most important, Mrs. Taylor is Michael Taylor's wife and Scholar Taylor's mother. She has a bonus daughter named Mariah Taylor. She is an active member of Power House Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Robert Griffin, Jr., where she serves as the church treasurer. Mrs. Taylor is passionate about helping others. She aspires to inspire. Her motto is ``You are the pilot of your life, so take control.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Chaquina Griffin Taylor for her contributions and service to her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable unsung hero, Dr. Willie J. Reece, Jr.

Dr. Willie J. Reece, Jr. is a native of Grenada, MS and the youngest of six children. His parents Willie Reece, Sr. and the late Sharon Seals Reece are his biggest inspirations.

Dr. Reece enjoys singing and is actively involved as a member at Greater Faith MB Church under the leadership of Pastor Alvin D. Brown, Sr.

Dr. Reece graduated from Grenada High School in 2010 and received his Bachelor of Art degree in psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2014.

Later, he obtained two master's degrees from Belhaven University-- Master of Art in Teaching (2016) and Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (2018).

In 2019, Dr. Reece completed an educational leadership degree, and he completed the doctor of education program in educational leadership in 2023.

Dr. Reece has completed eight years of experience in education in the roles of teacher, lead teacher, MTSS coordinator, curriculum specialist, and principal.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Willie J. Reece, Jr. for his dedication and tenacity to serving his community and desire to be a light that shines even in his dark times.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and self-motivated leader, Pastor Larry Benford. He has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve.

Pastor Larry Benford surrendered his heart to God at a very young age and he has been declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ since then. A native of Leland, Pastor Benford graduated from Leland High School and Mississippi Valley State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in environmental health with a minor in Chemistry. He also has received training from The University of Illinois at Chicago as well as formal Biblical tutelage from Lifeway Christian and New Orleans Theological Seminary.

Pastor Benford is an anointed leader. With pastoral services expanding over two decades, through the help of the Holy Spirit, he has served as Deacon, Sunday School Director, Assistant Pastor, and Pastor at Greater Springfield, Victory Temple and Mount Carmel Churches, respectively.

As pastor of Living Word Fellowship Church since October 10, 1999, he has always taken the stance that the Word must be taught with passion and boldness--without compromise--in order that the lost will be saved, and the saved will be strengthened.

Growing together in the Word of God, Pastor Larry and First Lady Wanda Benford are consummate students of the Word and outspoken believers in its ability to change lives for the better. Pastor Larry and First Lady Wanda Benford's greatest desire is that others would develop an intimate, personal relationship with the Lord.

Pastor Larry and First Lady Wanda Benford have been married for 32 years. To this union, they have been blessed with 3 daughters, Keyna, Leslie and Ariel and 3 grandchildren, La'Kya, Kylar and Gervase.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Larry Benford for his passion and dedication to serving the Lord, his members, and his community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and self-motivated leader, Kelvin Reed. Kelvin Reed has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve.

Kelvin Reed was one of Warren Central's top boys' basketball players in the late 1980s. He led the Vikings in scoring as a sophomore, and steals and assists as a junior and senior, and was twice selected to The Vicksburg Post's All-County team. Reed averaged 15 points, 7 assists and 3 steals per game over three varsity seasons.

After high school, Reed moved on to Pensacola Junior College in Florida. He set the school's assists record and led the team to the 1993 NJCAA Division I national championship.

Reed was inducted into the 2022 Vicksburg Warren School District Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Kelvin Reed for his passion and dedication to the Vicksburg Warren School District.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the dedicated public service of Ms. Marie Mak, Director of Contracting and National Security Acquisitions at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), upon her retirement from Federal service. Ms. Mak has devoted over 36 years of service to the Federal Government, including at Naval Air Systems Command and the U.S. Coast Guard, before joining GAO in 2002.

Since entering the Senior Executive Service in 2014, Ms. Mak has skillfully led numerous GAO teams to conduct insightful analyses of acquisition programs and contracting processes within the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense, resulting in high quality reports for Congress. Her wide-ranging portfolio has also included assessing the Federal Government's response to hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout her GAO career, Ms. Mak has taken a balanced, fact-based approach to reviewing Federal programs--a fundamental cornerstone of what Congress and the American public value about GAO. Drawing on her experience at the Coast Guard, where she helped develop strategic plans and performance measures, and allocate resources, she was able to understand the challenges that agencies often confront in their day-to- day management efforts. She coupled that experience with a critical eye to recommended actions that agencies can take to improve their acquisition processes to deliver better, timelier, and more affordable systems used to execute their missions. She has testified before Congress several times on a variety of Coast Guard acquisition and disaster response contracting issues and delivered numerous briefings on key defense acquisition programs. As a result of Ms. Mak's work, Congress is able to hold agencies accountable to first responders, warfighters, and the American public.

Ms. Mak has received numerous GAO awards throughout her career, including the Customer Service Award and John Henry Luke Mentoring Award. While Ms. Mak's work has saved taxpayer dollars, she has also positively impacted the growth and development of the people with whom she works. Ms. Mak embodies GAO's people values of ensuring others are respected, valued, and treated fairly, and has served as a trusted mentor and advocate that invests her time in coaching and developing people. Her focus on staff development will benefit the next generation of GAO leaders to the advantage of Congress and taxpayers for years to come.

I congratulate Ms. Mak on her well-deserved retirement and thank her for her distinguished service to Congress and the American public.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William Dilday.

William Dilday was born on September 14, 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from the Boston Latin School and received his B.S. degree in Business Administration from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1964, Dilday started his career as an operations supervisor at IBM. In 1968, Dilday became the personnel administrator and public relations director at Edgerton, Germehausen, & Grier, Inc. He then began working at WHDH-TV in Boston as director of personnel in 1969. Dilday then entered the field of journalism in 1972 as general manager of WLBT-TV/WLBM-TV in Jackson, Mississippi, as the first African American general manager of a network affiliate station. He worked at WLBT-TV/WLBM-TV until 1984. As chief operation officer, he led the station to achieve number one in Nielson and Arbitron ratings from November 1973 to February 1984.

In 1990, Dilday joined WJTV-TV as general manager and executive vice president, where he implemented operation and programming plans that improved station ratings. After his departure from WJTV, Dilday joined NewsPress and Gazette as corporate vice president. Dilday was then hired as president and chief executive officer of Kerimax Communications, Inc. Dilday has also spent time as a guest columnist for the Jackson Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi.

Dilday has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Peabody Award, the National Mental Health Association Media Award, and two Iris Awards from the National Association of Television Program Executives.

In addition to his career in journalism, Dilday has been active in many organizations and companies. He has served as a board member for First American Bank. Dilday has also been a board member of the National Association of Television Broadcasters and the National Broadcasting Company Affiliate Board. He has served as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Communication Task Force, as well as a founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists and 100 Black Men. From 1978 until 1979, Dilday served as president of the Jackson Urban League.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life, legacy, and service of William Dilday.