Christian D. Menefee

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Prairie View A&M University, on the occasion of its 150th anniversary celebration for its outstanding contributions to higher education.

Prairie View A&M began as an Agricultural and Mechanical College for the ``colored youth'' with just 8 students. Today, it stands as Texas' second oldest public institution and a leading Carnegie-classified R2 research university, enrolling more than 10,000 proud Productive Panthers.

As an exemplary Historically Black College and University, Prairie View A&M is home to numerous distinguished research centers and institutes, including the National Center for Infrastructure Technology and the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center. Throughout its history, the University has expanded access to higher education, particularly for underrepresented communities, by fostering an environment of growth, academic achievement, and innovation.

Under the visionary leadership of President Dr. Tomikia P. LeGrande, Prairie View A&M has launched its ``Journey to Eminence'' plan, an ambitious effort to elevate the institution as a premier public historically Black university and a national model for student success, with an emphasis on research excellence, increased graduation rates, and strong post-graduate outcomes.

Prairie View A&M's legacy stands as a testament to the power of access, opportunity, and academic excellence. Its impact will continue to shape generations of leaders for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Texas, I commend Prairie View A&M University on this remarkable milestone and extend my deepest gratitude for 150 years of service to students, to Texas, and to the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this constitutional amendment that would lock the number of Supreme Court Justices at nine.

The more I listen to this debate, the more it is abundantly clear to me that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have no desire to use the power that was given to us under the Constitution.

When President Trump starts a war in Iran, they refuse to pass a War Powers Resolution.

Now I am hearing an argument that we should lock the number at nine because that is what the Supreme Court wants, but that is not how the Constitution works.

The Constitution says that it is Congress that has the power to set the size of the Supreme Court. It is our call, and this has happened multiple times in the history of this country.

Ask yourself, why would my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to give that power away? Because they want to lock in this Supreme Court--this Supreme Court that has gutted voting rights, this Supreme Court that has taken away a woman's right to choose, and this Supreme Court where Justices take secret gifts and private jets and answer to absolutely nobody.

Americans are asking for something in the Supreme Court. They are asking for reform. They want to see ethics reform. They want to see term limits. They want to see a Supreme Court that reflects the American people and not just the few, a small group of elites.

Congress should be using its power, not giving it away.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Jackson for setting this up and for shining a light on such an important issue.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump has spent more than a year promising that he would make life more affordable for Americans, but when he took office, instead of lowering grocery bills, rent, and healthcare costs, he went straight after diversity, equity, and inclusion. He threatened private corporations that refused to give up their programs without legal action, while Vice President JD Vance even went so far as to describe these policies as discrimination against White men.

That sounds ridiculous because it is, and my constituents know that.

Last month, a Federal judge ruled that Houston's minority and women- owned business enterprise program is unconstitutional for considering race when awarding city contracts because of President Trump's anti-DEI policies.

That program was created under the President Reagan administration because Houston had clear evidence that Black, Brown, and women-owned businesses were being left behind in city contracting. That evidence still exists today in 2026.

Across industries, Black-owned businesses were consistently at a disadvantage. The goal of the program was simple: to address those barriers and give qualified businesses a fair opportunity to compete.

Instead of asking why those disparities exist, we are being told that addressing them is the issue. If you look at every single metric for families in this country, whether it be annual income, wealth accumulation, or education, Black folks are behind in just about every single metric.

Instead of us asking why those disparities exist and instead of us working as a government to solve those problems and address those disparities, we are now being told that it is reverse racism to address issues that come from a system that enslaved folks in this country and perpetuated inequalities and Jim Crow for much longer than that.

Houston knows better. Republicans call DEI policies handouts and reverse discrimination, but we know that is not true. This is how we correct injustices that disproportionately harm Black and Brown communities like the ones I serve. That is what these programs are about, and that is a promise that is worth defending.