Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I recently gave birth and am unable to travel to D.C. to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 89, and YEA on Roll Call No. 90.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(c) of rule XV, I rise to provide notice my intent to offer a motion to discharge the Committee on Rules from the further consideration of House Resolution 164.

I did, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule that will kill our bipartisan effort to allow parents who have welcomed a new child to vote remotely.

I thank Representative Luna for her unwavering commitment to giving moms and dads a voice in Congress. A large majority of the Members of the House support changing the way we do things here and making it more accessible to young families and more reflective of the American people.

Speaker Johnson pulled out all of the stops to prevent us from moving forward. We followed the rules and filed a discharge petition. We got the 218 signatures necessary to bring it to a vote

on the floor. Yet, he went to historic lengths to try to stifle our voices, including blocking our resolution today before we even had the opportunity to vote for it.

Even the President supports this and doesn't understand why it is so controversial, and neither does the rest of America.

Let's be clear that the changes agreed upon by the Speaker are not a win for us. They do not address the challenges that we have worked so hard to overcome. The Speaker turned his back on moms and dads in Congress and working families across the country.

Congress is stuck doing things the way that we did hundreds of years ago, and it is time that we move it into the 21st century.

For all of the people who have said that I should resign because I can't do my job, they are completely missing the point. I am absolutely capable of doing my job, but because I am a woman and because I chose to have a baby, I have been prevented from doing so.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of the people who have come forward on both sides of the aisle in support of this effort, and I know that our fight is far from over. We are not going to back down. We stand with the people from across the country who have reached out, inspired to see somebody like them who is struggling to manage having a new baby, balancing work, and having a work environment that does not support their needs.

Once again, I thank Representative Luna for being a champion, as well as Representatives Jacobs and Lawler for all of their work on this. We won't stop until we finally get this done.

Before I am done, I acknowledge Sam, who has now made four flights across the country to change hearts and minds and also highlight the need for reform here in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that my colleague, Representative Luna, has done everything she can to try to find a path forward, and this is ultimately the only option that existed at the end.

Yet, this does not address the real barriers that people continue to face. This would be the last week that I could have been home, still working in my district, working as a Member of Congress and representing my constituents but making sure that I was not traveling across the country with my son.

Do my colleagues think that there would be one Republican here today who would stand on my behalf and vote ``present'' on the bills coming forward this week?

I don't think so. This is why this is not a workable solution. This is not going to address when people are unable to be here for medical reasons and for the well-being of their kid after giving birth. While I appreciate trying to find whatever common ground we can, this is not a deal. This does not solve our problem, and the work continues.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Zoe Williams for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Zoe has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Zoe, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Zoe's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada West High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Zoe Williams on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Reagan Chessmore for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Reagan has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Reagan, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Reagan's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Drake Middle School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Reagan Chessmore on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Luke Setelin for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Luke has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Luke, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Luke's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada West High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Luke Setelin on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jayden DeGroot for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Jayden has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Jayden, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Jayden's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada West High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Jayden DeGroot on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Isaac Dewolf for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Isaac has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Isaac, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Isaac's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Drake Middle School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Isaac Dewolf on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Emma Drumm for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Emma has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Emma, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Emma's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Drake Middle School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Emma Drumm on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Alexandria Carpenter for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Alexandria has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Alexandria, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Alexandria's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada West High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Alexandria Carpenter on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Amelia Ferkuniak for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Amelia has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Amelia, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Amelia's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada West High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Amelia Ferkuniak on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arianna Roberts Garcia for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Arianna has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Arianna, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Arianna's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada West High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Arianna Roberts Garcia on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Danovin Barscocchini for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Danovin has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Danovin, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Danovin's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada West High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Danovin Barscocchini on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Omar Lautenbach for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Omar has overcome many challenges along their journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Omar, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Omar's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Omar Lautenbach on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Alicia Montoya for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Alicia has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Alicia, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Alicia's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Arvada High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future.

It is my honor to congratulate Alicia Montoya on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.