Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Eugene Williams, a dear friend and colleague, who has passed away recently.

Eugene is the brother of my district director, Ms. Cherita Logan. Their family has been involved with our activities for more than 40 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank the family of Eugene for their engagement, involvement, and participation. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Chu for her leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that you can measure the greatness of a society by how well it treats its old, how well it treats its young, and how well it treats those who have difficulties caring for themselves, through no fault of their own, yet need help from other elements of society.

If this bill is an indication of how we value our most vulnerable citizens, then we are not in good shape. Instead of going after billionaire tax cheats or ultrawealthy tax evaders, my Republican colleagues are advancing a bill that purports to remove barriers to work for disabled Americans.

In all actuality, H.R. 8884 targets the earned benefits of workers who qualify for the Social Security Disability Insurance, SSDI.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose H.R. 8884 and urge my colleagues to do the same, rather than give the Trump administration unfettered authority to conduct a demonstration program that will ultimately result in a reduction of benefits for older, severely disabled, and low-income workers.

The bill under consideration today fails to remove employment barriers for some of the most financially vulnerable Americans. Past Social Security Administration demonstration programs have shown these reemployment initiatives to be unsuccessful in helping beneficiaries return to work.

Additionally, let us be reminded that the first Trump administration repeatedly proposed massive cuts to Social Security disability benefits. Its plans included stripping away benefits from older, severely disabled workers, making it harder to qualify for benefits and throwing disabled people off benefits by subjecting them to more frequent continuing disability reviews, just to name a few.

Alarmingly, President Trump's budgets proposed using SSA demonstration authority to slash disability benefits by approximately $50 billion over 10 years.

Let me say it again. The first Trump administration wanted disability demonstration authority to slash $50 billion of earned benefits.

Just last year, the Trump administration proposed a rule that would exact deep cuts to SSDI, particularly for older workers. These are workers who cannot support themselves due to severe and longstanding disabilities that impact their ability to work.

Mr. Speaker, with this bill, my Republican colleagues want to grant the Trump administration unchecked power and authority to conduct demonstration programs aimed at reducing SSDI benefits.

Just to further imagine, the Trump-created customer service crisis at SSA due to massive staffing reductions, this bill requires funding for these demonstrations to be supported out of SSA's operating fund.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, among others, H.R. 8884 is opposed by the AFL-CIO, Social Security Works, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

The Trump administration has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to harm the elderly, the disabled, and the poor, and so I urge my colleagues to reject this harmful bill in exchange for a more thoughtful approach to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that we ought to want and should help, not harm and not hurt those individuals who deserve and need disability benefits.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Emmett Louis Till. Emmett Louis Till was born July 25, 1941. I was born September 6, 1941--just forty-two days later. Had Emmett lived, he would be turning 85 years old today. I turn 85 in September. We are the same age. We came into this world together, and that truth has never left me.

In the summer of 1955, when Emmett was murdered in Mississippi, I was 14 years old--living in Parkdale, Arkansas, and visiting my grandfather in Mississippi every summer, just as Emmett visited his great-uncle. When that news reached us, it terrified every Black family in the South. The thought that formed in my mind at 14 years old has stayed with me every day of my life: that could have been me.

Emmett's mother, the incomparable Mrs. Mamie Till-Mobley, turned unimaginable grief into the most courageous act in American history. She opened that casket and said: ``Let the people see what I've seen.'' That decision ignited the Civil Rights Movement. Rosa Parks said she thought of Emmett Till before she refused to give up her seat. I was privileged to know Mrs. Till-Mobley personally, and I carry her courage with me in everything I do.

In her honor, I introduced legislation to establish the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Historic Site in Illinois--because their story must be protected, taught, and never forgotten.

Tonight we celebrate what would have been Emmett's 85th birthday. He should be here--

gray-haired, surrounded by grandchildren, full of stories. The distance between his fate and mine was not character or worth. It was chance. And that is why I will never stop working to ensure that no mother ever has to do what Mamie Till-Mobley did.

I wish Emmett a Happy Birthday. We carry him. We remember him. We will not rest until the justice he never received in life is fully honored in history.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on July 13, 2026. Had I been present for Roll Call votes, I would have voted: Aye on Roll Call No. 234, H.R. 3106, and Aye on Roll Call No. 235, H.R. 8897.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 61st anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed these essential programs into law, guaranteeing that seniors, children, and families would no longer have to face a health crisis alone.

Today, across the Nation, over 140 million Americans depend on Medicare and Medicaid for their fundamental health care needs. In our state, over 2.4 million Illinoisans--nearly 18 percent of our state-- rely on Medicare. Roughly 3 million--about one in four Illinoisans-- depend on Medicaid. Medicaid pays for approximately half of all births in Illinois and covers 68 percent of all nursing home

days in our state. These numbers are not theoretical abstractions. These numbers are Illinoisans who rely on Medicare and Medicaid to thrive. These numbers are the doctor's visits, nursing home beds, and prescriptions that keep our neighbors alive.

I am alarmed that, just 61 years later, the federal guarantee of health care for the elderly and needy is under greater threat than at any point since their establishment--especially for those who rely on Medicaid. Medicaid provides life-saving health insurance to low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. Yet last year, President Trump and Congressional Republicans passed the Big Ugly Bill, ripping over $1 trillion out of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. Nationally, 8 million Americans already have lost their health coverage, and 15 million more are projected to lose coverage by 2034. More than 1,000 hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes across the country are closing, cutting services, or at risk of doing so.

Illinoisans are suffering. An estimated 193,000 Illinoisans have already lost their coverage, including 176,000 whom the Administration kicked off Medicaid and CHIP outright. Up to 528,000 more are projected to lose their health care in the years ahead. Illinois faces a $57 billion cut in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade, and our hospitals alone are projected to lose nearly $31.3 billion over that same period. Twenty-three rural Illinois hospitals lost money on patient services this past year. Sixteen are at risk of closing. Eight are at immediate risk.

In my own Congressional District, 24 percent of families and 30 percent of children under 18 live below the poverty line. A resident of the Loop can expect to live to 85; a resident of Garfield Park, just seven stops away on the CTA Blue Line, can expect to live only to age 69. That 16-year gap is not an accident. It is what happens when disinvestment meets need, and it is why Medicaid and Medicare matter more in my district than in almost any other in this country. Forecasters project my own district will have 40,000 more uninsured residents by 2034 because of this Administration's cuts. I have more hospital beds in my district than any other Member of Congress, and I have spent my career working to make sure the people who fill those beds can afford and access quality health care.

When my colleagues and I fought to enact the Affordable Care Act, we did so to ensure that no American would ever be denied the care needed to live out their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. My dedication to healthcare started long before I ever came to Washington, rooted deeply in my years working on the frontlines of Chicago's community health center movement. I saw firsthand that when you give a neighborhood a reliable clinic, you give them a fighting chance at a healthy life. Yet, instead of building on that foundation, this Administration's reckless cuts are pushing our local institutions directly to the brink.

Health care is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it. Many philosophers and leaders have emphasized that we should judge a society by how it cares for its young, its elderly, and its vulnerable. I have spent my 30 years in Congress fighting to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, and I will not stop now--not while my constituents are losing their coverage, not while our hospitals are closing their doors, and not while this Administration chooses billionaires over the people who built this country.

As we mark 61 years of Medicare and Medicaid, I renew my commitment to defend these programs and to fight for the day when every American, regardless of zip code or income, can get the care they need.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Danny Crawford, who is recognized as being one of the most accomplished and respected basketball officials in the history of professional sports, having dedicated more than three decades to officiating the highest level of competition in the National Basketball Association.

Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Crawford has exemplified integrity, professionalism, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, earning the admiration of players, coaches, fellow officials, and basketball fans throughout the United States and around the world.

Beginning his NBA officiating career in 1985, Danny Crawford officiated over 2,000 regular season games, more than 300 playoff games, and 30 NBA Finals games, distinguishing himself as one of the league's most trusted and elite officials.

Danny's steady leadership and exceptional judgment on the court helped uphold the integrity of the most memorable moments in basketball history, contributing immeasurably to the success and global popularity of the National Basketball Association. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Crawford has served as a mentor and role model to generations of officials and young athletes, demonstrating that discipline, humility, and dedication are the hallmarks of true greatness.

As a proud native of Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Crawford has brought honor and distinction to his hometown and continues to inspire future generations through his enduring legacy of service, leadership and legacy. As the U.S. Representative of the 7th District of Illinois, I take this moment to acknowledge Mr. Danny Crawford as a living legend in recognition of his remarkable career as an NBA official, and thank him for his enduring contributions to the sport of basketball and lifelong commitment to excellence.

I believe in giving honor when and where honor is due.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an issue that transcends politics because it is about life itself--protecting mothers, protecting babies, and protecting the healthcare that millions of American families rely on through Medicaid.

Medicaid is not an abstract government program. It is the foundation of maternal and child health in America. It finances more than 42 percent of all births nationwide, half of the births in rural communities, and approximately 60 percent of births to women of color. In Illinois alone, Medicaid covers more than 50 percent of the births in the state and insures approximately 3.4 million people, including nearly 1.5 million children.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 5.7 million Americans will lose Medicaid coverage because of new policies that impose burdensome administrative requirements and unnecessary barriers to maintaining health insurance. These are not simply numbers; they represent pregnant mothers, newborn babies, working parents, seniors, and children who may lose access to essential medical care.

For Illinois, the consequences are especially severe. Our state is projected to lose approximately $57 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade, with estimates reaching approximately $48 billion in direct Medicaid reductions. These losses will force hospitals and health care providers across our state to make impossible decisions, leading to workforce reductions, cuts to obstetric and mental health services, and even hospital closures.

The impact on maternal health cannot be overstated.

Medicaid guarantees coverage for low-income women throughout pregnancy and currently supports prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. The damage of Medicaid cuts begins even before pregnancy. Women without health insurance are less likely to receive preventive care or treatment for chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, or substance use disorders before becoming pregnant, increasing the likelihood of pregnancy complications and poor birth outcomes.

Medicaid cuts will also devastate hospitals serving rural and underserved communities, thereby making labor and delivery more dangerous. More than 140 labor and delivery units are projected to close, forcing expectant mothers to travel farther for care and increasing the risk of pregnancy complications. Already, labor and delivery units, women's health clinics, emergency departments, and birth centers have closed nationwide, leaving thousands of families without nearby maternal care.

Today, 48 States and the District of Columbia have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to twelve months because policymakers on both sides of the aisle recognized a simple truth: childbirth does not end when a mother leaves the hospital. The first year after birth is one of the most medically-vulnerable periods in a woman's life. It is during this time that mothers receive treatment for postpartum depression, anxiety, hypertension, substance use disorder, and other potentially life-threatening complications. Research shows that Medicaid reimbursement for maternal health screenings significantly increases the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of postpartum mental health conditions. Weakening Medicaid threatens these life-saving services by shifting additional costs to states that may be forced to reduce postpartum coverage, eliminate doula services, home visiting programs, and integrated mental health care that have already demonstrated measurable success.

Perhaps nowhere are these dangers more apparent than in Black maternal health. Black women remain two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, while Black infants experience mortality rates twice as high as their white counterparts. These unacceptable disparities persist because structural inequities continue to limit access to quality care before, during, and after pregnancy. For communities like many of those I proudly represent in Chicago, these cuts will deepen existing disparities instead of addressing them. Policies that reduce access to care do not eliminate disparities, they widen them.

Congress should be strengthening maternal health, not dismantling it. Healthy mothers build healthy families, and healthy families build stronger communities. Every mother deserves a safe pregnancy, every baby deserves a healthy start, and every family deserves access to quality health care regardless of income or zip code.

I urge my colleagues to reject these harmful Medicaid cuts and to protect maternal health, expand postpartum care, reduce Black maternal health disparities, and ensure that every family has the opportunity to thrive. The health of our Nation begins with the health of our mothers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate two important efforts that connect current and former foster youth with federal policymakers--Foster Youth Shadow Day hosted by the National Foster Youth Institute in collaboration with the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, and the Foster Youth Internship Program hosted by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in collaboration with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Caucus. These groundbreaking programs provide foster youth the opportunity to bring their lived experiences to Capitol Hill by shadowing Members of Congress and advocating for federal child welfare policy. One of the greatest honors and the greatest challenges of my service in Congress has been listening to

youth who experienced foster care, learning from them, and trying to make sure we do better in the future.

Foster Youth Shadow Day is the culmination of a week-long program designed for young people with lived experience to advocate for federal child welfare policy. The youth receive training about how to share their experiences with policymakers to make child welfare laws better. The program concludes with the annual Foster Youth Shadow Day when the youth meet with and follow legislators. The 2026 program marked the 16th Foster Youth Shadow Day. I have appreciated the opportunity to listen to the ideas and concerns of the many young professionals connected with me during Foster Youth Shadow Day. This year, 41 delegates from across the Nation participated in this important initiative.

I am very proud to serve as one of the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Caucus--often known as the Adoption Caucus--that has consistently saved as the voice for the needs of children who require safe, nurturing, and permanent families both in the United States and around the world for 40 years. The Caucus collaborates with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute to host the Foster Youth Internship Program. This competitive and rigorous program places youth in Congressional offices, educates them on federal policy and advocacy, requires interns to produce a published Congressional policy report that includes their recommendations, and culminates in a Congressional briefing on their work. I have had the privilege of hosting many FYI interns in my office over the years. I know first-hand that their ideas have translated into important legislation and laws to make life better for youth. Now in its 23rd year, this internship continues to provide young people with lived experience meaningful opportunities to share their stories, engage in federal policy advocacy, and contribute substantive policy research.

According to federal Administration on Children and Families, there were 331,747 children in foster care in the U.S. during 2025. Although family reunification remains the primary goal of the child welfare system, many children spend years in care due to a range of complex circumstances. This issue is deeply important to me, and I have dedicated much of my work to advancing significant change. I have served as the senior Democrat on the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over child welfare within the Committee on Ways and Means for almost 10 years. Some of my proudest accomplishments during my 30-year tenure in Congress include helping children and families by strengthening them so that they do not enter care, helping them get the support and services needed to home safely or to join a new loving family, and to help older youth who age out of care obtain the resources need to transition successfully into independence.

I am proud to work alongside organizations such as the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, the National Youth Institute, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Caucus, and the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth to elevate lived experience voices and advance federal child welfare policy. As the youth say, ``Nothing about us without us.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate and pay tribute to the Original Providence Baptist Church on the occasion of its 163rd Anniversary.

One hundred and sixty-three years is a long time by any measurement of time; but to exist and remain functional through this period is exceptional and deserves special attention.

Original Providence is fondly known as the oldest Black Church on the Westside of Chicago and has been the primary place of worship for many of the communities, including citizens such as Aldermen, Democratic Committeeman and Church Trustee Issac (Ike) Carothers, his father Alderman and Democratic Committeeman William (Bill) Carothers, State Representatives, Church Choir Director and Soloist Sharon Marquette, former Pastor Dr. Edgar T. Thornton, the current Senior Pastor, Reverend Daniel E. Jones, and a host of others.

Original Providence is noted for being spirit filled, imbued with community service and unwavering faith; therefore, I extend to them my highest level of congratulations and thanks for the roles they continue to play in our community.

May the good Lord continue to bless their ministry and may it last forever.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life and legacy of Mr. Spencer Leak, Jr., who passed away a few days ago unexpectedly at the young age of 56.

Mr. Spencer Leak, Jr. was a member of one of Chicago's most prominent families, the Leak family. He was following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Reverend A.R. Leak, and his father, the iconic Spencer Leak.

Spencer, Jr. was Vice President of Leak and Sons Funeral Home and a respected business and civic leader whose life carried forward a family tradition that has endured for three generations, staying steadfast to the belief that every family is entitled to honor their loved ones with dignity, care, and respect regardless of financial circumstances. Through his dedication to the funeral services profession, he was defined by service compassion and unwavering commitment to the people of Chicago.

Mr. Spencer Leak, Jr. was rooted in family; he was a champion for Cook County's business community and a generous mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs. In many instances he would share his history as a working adolescent within the family business--answering phones, washing limousines and carrying out countless assignments that helped shape his character and prepare him to continue a proud family legacy.

Alongside his parents and siblings, Spencer offered comfort and guidance during some of life's challenging times, earning the trust and admiration of families and communities throughout Chicago and beyond. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Spencer worked actively on civic and community issues. He served selflessly on my 7th Congressional District Health Sciences Public Policy working group where he used his expertise and insights to help shape educational initiatives into public action for funeral service professionals, families, and the community as a whole. His voice was invaluable and his commitment to serving others never wavered. His contributions to our city, our district, and the funeral service profession will not be forgotten.

Spencer Leak, Jr. leaves behind a legacy of leadership, compassion, community, and stewardship that will continue to inspire generations. Our lives through Spencer, Jr., have been touched with compassionate greatness. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 8872. Democrats strongly oppose fraud, and that is why Representative Judy Chu and I introduced H.R. 2108, the TANF State Expenditure Integrity Act, which would give the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services specific authority to monitor sub-grantee expenditures, to ensure that they are consistent with TANF's purpose of helping poor children.

When they are not, as was the case in the egregious fraud perpetrated by Brett Favre and Governor Phil Bryant in Mississippi, H.R. 2108 would require the State to recover the funds and provide them directly to the poor families they were intended for.

Republicans refused to work with us to enact that bill, which the U.S. Government Accountability Office identified as a bill that addressed their concerns about TANF program integrity.

Instead, less than 48 hours before our markup, they introduced H.R. 8872. This GOP bill would not enable a single fraud investigation. It would not recover a penny for the poor families TANF is supposed to help. It would not have protected the children of Mississippi, when multimillionaire Brett Favre used millions of dollars in TANF funds to build a volleyball stadium and invest in health stocks, nor would it reinstate the fraud-related penalty against Mississippi that the Trump administration canceled.

What H.R. 8872 would do is give Health and Human Services new power to decide what to call fraud and how to measure it. This GOP bill would give the Trump administration new power to seize confidential beneficiary data, levy penalties, and cut off State funding to help poor children.

We know exactly what to expect if we give HHS more power, because this January, the Department of Health and Human Services abruptly froze $10 billion in critical social services funding for five States, including my home

State of Illinois, to exact revenge on Governors who stood up to President Trump.

The Trump administration intentionally chose to harm vulnerable families, children, small businesses, and communities in five States: namely, Illinois, California, Colorado, Minnesota, and New York, to settle a political score, and the Republicans in this House remained silent, not a word.

Fortunately, current law limits an administration's authority to weaponize support for low-income families. Consequently, the courts issued a restraining order that is essential to protecting tens of millions of children and families. If they had not, The Century Foundation estimates it would have cost struggling families $400 million in lost earnings and help alone, not to mention the radiating harm to businesses, communities, and economies.

Now, the Republican leadership advances this farce of a bill to erase those protections, all while failing to address the biggest source of TANF fraud.

If Republicans want to protect taxpayers, they should stop accusing hardworking parents and look to the graft and vanity projects they keep enabling.

Over the 17 months he has been back in office, President Trump increased his net worth by over $4 billion by selling cryptocurrency, insider trading, and leveraging his position. Most recently, the President spent $5 million of taxpayer money to coat bronze statues in gold leaf, enough money to buy a week's worth of groceries for 20,000 families.

If Republicans want to protect taxpayers, then, at the very least, Congress should not give HHS any new power to harm families the next time President Trump decides to lash out at a Governor who spoke up about the harm his policies and corruptions have done to American families.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I just want to remind my colleagues that despite the rhetoric we will hear this afternoon on the floor, there is nothing in this bill that actually addresses fraud in the TANF program. Nowhere in H.R. 8872, outside of its title, does the word ``fraud'' even appear in this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

President Trump's economy has zero job creation. Skyrocketing gas prices and costly childcare make it more difficult and more expensive to work, crushing workers and families. Wage growth is slowing.

Alarmingly, this bill we consider today in the people's House intentionally fails to address any of those problems, nor does this bill take action to punish wealthy and well-connected people, people who stole tens of millions of dollars Congress provided to help some of the poorest children in Mississippi and throughout the country.

Instead, this bill would give the Trump administration's Health and Human Services new power to cut off assistance to struggling families and poor children based on the new ``error rate,'' calculations that they define to advance their cruel designs under Project 2025.

When we help Americans who are struggling pay for food, utilities, or healthcare, Republicans are quick to label it welfare and accuse recipients of fraud.

But when the Department of Justice reaches into taxpayers' pockets and steals $1.8 billion for a slush fund to pay the President and his allies, including convicted criminals who beat police officers guarding the Capitol on January 6, they remain and have remained silent.

When taxpayers' pockets pay for the President's self-anointed immunity for tax fraud not only for himself but also for his businesses and his family, it is truly reprehensible that my colleagues would remain silent.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill and to speak out against the real fraud and corruption poisoning our country. Let's make sure that we continue to help those poor, needy families and poor, needy children who need the benefits coming from a just society.

Mr. Speaker, I will vote ``no'' on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7432, the Fostering the Future Act, which includes six separate pieces of legislation that were unanimously passed by the Ways and Means Committee.

Removing a child from their family and placing them in foster care is a last resort, something we should only do at times when there is no way to keep a child safe at home.

Youth who must enter foster care have already experienced significant trauma, and to our shame, many experience additional trauma while in our care.

One of the greatest honors and greatest challenges of my service in Congress has been listening to youth who experienced foster care, learning from them, and trying to make sure we do better in the future.

Over the years, older youth who experienced foster care have helped us enact historic legislation to improve foster care for those who come after them. Former foster youth informed and supported our work to help more children leave foster care to live with their grandparents and other family members, and with the supports they needed in the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act.

Older youth said it would help them if we helped their parents address substance use disorders and mental health challenges. So, first, we created regional partnerships grants to bring child welfare, substance abuse treatment providers, and law enforcement together.

Then, youth helped us enact the landmark Family First Prevention Services Act, which made Federal funding just as available to stabilize families as it is to separate them.

Older youth, especially those who are LGBTQ, continue to warn us that children are being harmed in group homes and inappropriate placements, so that we can improve our enforcement of laws that are supposed to protect them.

In all those efforts, older youth who were in foster care and young adults who recently left it helped make foster care better for others.

Today's bill would directly address the specific challenges older youth themselves experienced. Every year, about 20,000 young people age out of foster care, never having found a permanent family. Other older youth do exit to live safely with their parents or in loving kinship or adoptive homes, but the trauma and disruption they experienced still puts them at a significant disadvantage compared to their peers.

Older youth who experienced foster care are less likely to finish school or pursue higher education, more likely to struggle with untreated mental health issues and trauma, more likely to experience homelessness, more likely to become young parents, and more likely to face legal challenges.

The Chafee program, which was renamed to honor foster youth champion Senator John Chafee after his death, was created to help current and former foster youth transition to successful adulthood.

Unfortunately, its funding has never been significantly adjusted to keep up with inflation, and its purposes and rules for States have only been sporadically updated to keep pace with our understanding of adolescent brain development, fix policies that don't work well, and make sure that former foster youth navigate adulthood with the help of people who love them.

Despite the Chafee program's many successes, only about 35 percent of youth who are eligible for Chafee services receive any help, and many of the services youth need the most are not available, don't work well with other sources of help, or are hard to access.

Over the past 6 months, Chairman LaHood and I have worked with our colleagues on Ways and Means to find true common ground on policies affecting older youth who are, or were, in foster care.

I commend my friend, Mr. LaHood, for a bipartisan process that should be a model for all of our work, a sincere, thoughtful collaboration where we both talked and listened. This collaborative process yielded six separate pieces of legislation that reflect real agreement about steps that will help youth. Our work was further strengthened by support from First Lady Melania Trump, who has also been listening carefully to youth about what they need.

I will briefly recognize my colleagues that authored the bills that were passed by Ways and Means and then combined into one bill for consideration today. Their thoughtful proposals generated hundreds of endorsements by organizations representing foster youth, families, child welfare agencies, and experts like pediatricians and family law practitioners.

Chairman LaHood and Congresswoman Gwen Moore led the Foster Youth Housing Opportunity Act, which would improve foster youth access to section 8 housing vouchers and make it easier for Chafee programs to provide housing support to foster youth. Housing is a foundation of stable adult life, and our current policies are preventing the Chafee program from doing as much as it can and should.

Congresswoman Judy Chu and Congressman Nathaniel Moran led the Foster Youth Postsecondary Education Access and Success Act, which would increase the potential amount of Chafee education and training vouchers from $5,000 to $12,000, provide better opportunities for youth who are struggling to retain their vouchers, and provide more financing options for Chafee voucher outreach.

At our committee hearings, some youth told us they didn't even know that Chafee would help them pay for college until it was too late, and others told us that the way the vouchers were limited made them almost impossible to use.

Representatives Chu and Moran's bill lays the foundation for a bigger, more effective effort to help foster youth go to college and build careers in the future.

Representative Max Miller and Representative Dwight Evans led the Foster Youth Workforce Opportunity Act, which would ensure that foster youth could use Chafee education vouchers for high quality training programs and apprenticeships, as well as college, and would ensure that they have the skills and qualifications to be accepted into the colleges or training programs they choose.

I led the Fresh Start for Foster Youth Act, together with Chairman LaHood. It would help foster youth transition to adulthood by providing better access to resources to address legal challenges affecting housing, education, employment, and family conditions.

Since launching its virtual support services program for foster youth in 2021, Think of Us reports that 18 percent of all requests from transition-age youth are for help with legal services. A few of the issues include: housing stability and eviction defense; guardianship and custody, especially for youth informally caring for relatives; needs of expectant and parenting youth; reentry into extended care; legal issues; and education and disability advocacy.

I thank Nikolas Hughey, a former foster youth intern with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, for raising the issue of urgent legal issues.

I was also pleased to work with Congressman Rudy Yakym on the Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act, which requires States to refer expectant and parenting foster youth for Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting, or MIECHV, home visiting services and consider parenting status in case planning, building on the success Illinois and Indiana have had using targeted, intensive services to support young families.

Last, but definitely not least, in her dual role as a key member of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee and as co-chair of the Congressional Foster Youth Caucus, Congresswoman Gwen Moore worked with Congressman Mike Carey on the CONNECT Act. Their bill updates the purposes of the Chafee program to help youth form and preserve meaningful, supportive, long-term relationships, which both youth and experts have identified as the key to a successful transition to adulthood.

This change is something youth have been telling us for a long time, that all of the challenges they face are surmountable if they have a family, a loving and trustworthy network of adults and peers that advises them, believes in them, and catches them when they stumble.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7432 and also to make voting for this bill just the first step in their efforts to help older youth who experienced foster care.

Notably, there is a critical need for more investment. Aside from during the pandemic, Congress has only increased Chafee funding by $3 million since its creation in 1999. The amount

of money needed would be tiny and insignificant compared to the fiscal impact of many of the bills we have considered in the House this Congress or a day at the Defense Department; yet, such funding could be life-changing for foster youth.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of these six bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Neal, and all members of the subcommittee. I certainly want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), my dear friend, for his leadership. I also thank all of those witnesses who shared their stories with us, all of the youth who shared their lives and their lifetimes.

I thank our outstanding committee staff led by Morna Miller, Kimberley Meinert, Cheryl Freiman, Keval Sojitara, and my primary Ways and Means staffer, Dr. Jill Hunter-Williams.

Today is a good day for foster youth, but it is also a good day for America. It is a good day when we say to the young people of our country that we care about you, we love you, and we recognize your needs.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote to pass this legislation as quickly as we can get it enacted so that America will be the land of youth.

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

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on April 27, 2026. Had I been present for Roll Call votes, I would have voted aye on: Roll Call No. 138, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 7959, IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act, and Roll Call No. 139, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 227, Clergy Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Thomas Earl Clayton who passed away on April 8, 2026, just one month shy of his 89th birthday.

Mr. Clayton was born on May 9, 1937, in the town of Montrose, Mississippi. Tom spent his early years growing up on a farm between Montrose and Raleigh, under the guidance of his grandmother, Mattie Tatum, where he learned the value of hard work, discipline, and resilience. At around sixteen, Tom relocated to Joliet, Illinois, to live with his father, embarking upon a new chapter in his life. From there he enlisted into the United States Air Force where he proudly served for four years. He returned home, got himself a GED, enrolled in Kennedy King College, and earned a degree in nursing.

The rest is history. In 1991, he united in Holy Matrimony with Cerra Lang Taylor Smith, and, together, they built a strong partnership which has lasted for almost fifty-five years. He joined Metropolitan Baptist Church under the leadership of his father-in-law, Reverend Jessie Taylor, and, in 1986, was a Charter Member of the Greater Love Missionary Baptist Church where he has served faithfully in several leadership roles, Chairman of the Deacon Board and of the Joint Board.

It has been my personal joy to know of Mr. Clayton's great life, wonderful works, and just how much he, his family, and church connections have meant to our community. I thank Mr. Clayton and now may he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of April as Sarcoidosis Awareness Month.

Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas--tiny clumps of inflammatory cells--in one or more organs of the body. When the immune system goes into overdrive and too many of these clump's form, they can interfere with an organ's structure and function. When left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to fibrosis, which is the permanent scarring of organ tissue. This disorder affects the lungs in approximately 90 percent of cases, but it can affect almost any organ in the body.

Despite increasing advances in research, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and no known cure. Sarcoidosis is considered chronic in people whose disease remains active for more than 2 to 5 years; in this population sarcoidosis can be debilitating and life-threatening. It is estimated that the prevalence of sarcoidosis in the U.S. ranges between 150,000 and 200,000 with an estimated 1.2 million individuals with sarcoidosis worldwide.

I am proud to have the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) based in my district, in the city of Chicago. I have had the chance to meet wonderful patient advocates and hear their stories. FSR is committed to advancing pivotal research and improving the lives of all impacted by sarcoidosis and has funded over 10 million dollars to support academic research to better understand the cause, mechanisms of progression, and the effective and efficient path to better patient outcomes.

Over the past couple of years, I worked with FSR to address a lack of clarity from the Department of Labor regarding whether or not clinical trial participation was a permissible use of leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Like other chronic and rare disease patient populations, clinical trial access is critically important for patients with sarcoidosis, as there is no cure and there is a lack of treatment options. When requesting time off to participate in clinical trials, some patients have been denied as HR departments have not interpreted clinical trial participation as a permissible use of leave under FMLA. I, along with other Congress members and leading stakeholder organizations such as FSR, reached out to the DOL to get this clarification. Fortunately, the DOL responded confirming that they interpret clinical trial participation, when medically necessary, is a permissible use of leave under FMLA. It further clarified that both patients and caregivers are guaranteed job protection under FMLA, when meeting the necessary requirements and choosing to participate in clinical trials. This effort extends beyond sarcoidosis and extends to all those seeking to participate in clinical trials. I am now working to spread awareness of this finding, so employers, employees, HR departments, and patients are aware of proper use of leave under FMLA.

Last year, I was able to join in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research. In celebration of this accomplishment and years of innovation, empowerment and progress, I call on my colleagues to recognize the goals and ideals of Sarcoidosis Awareness Month by supporting federal activities that improve the lives of patients impacted by Sarcoidosis, and to raise awareness and shine a light on the 1.2 million people living with Sarcoidosis.