Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I wish to take the opportunity to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising on June 28, a key milestone in the march for equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex--or LGBTQI+--Americans. Fifty-five years ago, the courageous Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Storme DeLarverie of New York City resisted police brutality against lesbian, gay, and transgender minorities in what is known as the Stonewall Uprising. Their legacies continue today to inspire and energize many Americans to respect the differences we have and advocate for the expansion of equal rights for all people.

The fight for equality is an ongoing battle, especially with right- wing, extremist Republicans prioritizing hate and discrimination against the LGBTQI+ community people, in general, and transgender people, specifically, as a political bludgeon designed to divide our country. These extremist Republicans are determined to reverse any civil rights protections already won by the LGBTQI+ community, such as affirming medical care, the right to marriage, and housing access.

I know first-hand the cruelty and injustice of discrimination. These efforts contradict the democratic values we hold dearly in this country. As a result, I have prioritized, advocated, and supported civil rights and social justice throughout my public service career because everyone deserves to live free of discrimination and injustice. As a member of the Equality Caucus, I am a proud original co-sponsor of the Stonewall Day Resolution that would recognize June 28th as Stonewall Day and the strides made to support equal rights for all. Further, as an original cosponsor of the Equality Act, I have voted to pass out of the House this essential legislation that would modify the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to reduce discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. My home state of Illinois has laws that ensure robust nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQI+ individuals, and it is time that the federal government enact similar policies to protect Americans across the Nation.

As a leader in improving child welfare law, I also lead the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act that would protect foster youth and foster parents from discrimination based on religion, marital status, and who they love. We must ensure that each and every child in foster care finds a loving, affirming family.

I believe that, by recognizing the historic movements for LGBTQI+ people in American history, we celebrate how diverse our society is, a diversity that makes our nation richer and more vibrant. Let us celebrate those from Stonewall who risked their lives and all who work tirelessly to expand civil rights for all LGBTQI+ people.

Madam Speaker, let me commend the chairwoman and the Congressional Black Caucus for hosting this discussion this evening on what I consider to be one of the most important issues in our country and in our society, and that is taking a hard look at what is happening with our children, especially those who are in need of care.

I will focus on the adage that I have always believed in, that an ounce of prevention is worth much more than a pound of cure. It just reminds me of some of the many things that we have championed in trying to make sure that not only do our children receive the care and attention that they need once they are in care but also trying to prevent them from having to have that experience.

I was thinking of 2023 when Illinois and the Nation benefited from the reauthorization of the MIECHV program, which I was fortunate to lead. The MIECHV program funds evidence-based education and services proven to improve mother and child health, family safety, and child development. I helped create this program in 2010, and it has brought over $119 million to Illinois and $5.2 billion to the country to help make families stronger and try to help them to be able to retain their children.

I am also reminded that Illinois and the Nation benefited from the Family First Prevention Services Act, which I helped enact. It made historic improvements to child welfare, fundamentally shifting policy from separating families to strengthening them by addressing the key reasons that families struggle. Illinois has received over $66 million from the law in prevention funding to strengthen families since it was enacted almost 6 years ago.

National Family Reunification Month, what does that really mean? I think it means trying to keep families as connected as we possibly can.

I thank the Illinois Department of Corrections for allowing our fatherhood initiative every year to take children to correctional institutions to visit with their fathers. As a matter of fact, we have done that now for about 10 years. The results are startling in terms of how fathers and children and the children's mothers, significant others, or grandparents relate to this experience of, even though their fathers are away, letting the children know that their fathers still have meaning and a great deal of meaning to their lives.

As we meander our way through trying to figure out how we really make our world a better place in which to live and how we provide for those young people, I think of the laws that we have tried to enact and made some progress on, such as helping foster youth get driver's licenses so that they can have transportation services and get from one place to another.

The thing that I am very proud of is that we are close to providing opportunity for foster youth who have benefits due to them from Social Security. Rather than having these benefits go to their payees or go to States for operational expenses, we are getting close to having these benefits come to the foster youth themselves and put into a trust fund or something for them, so when they age out, it helps the older foster youth.

Think of how meaningful it would be for a young person who is aging out, reaching adulthood, who has never had any real access to resources of their own, having a few thousand dollars in a trust fund to help them transition to adulthood, so that they now can act like an adult, have their own resources to go to college, have their own resources to help get an apartment, have their own resources before they get a job and not struggle during that period.

I commend and thank my colleagues and the Congressional Black Caucus for raising this issue, providing direction, and giving us an opportunity to recognize that the needs are great and that we want to make society a better world.

I end by thinking of one of my favorite expressions that a poet and blues singer said. That is that:

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride

If we can do that, then I am confident that America, our Nation, will become a better place in which to live.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my friend, colleague, and former student, the gentleman Fred Davis. I have known Fred since he was a teenager at the school where both my wife and I taught and where Fred attended. Fred was a gentleman then and remained a gentleman until a few days ago when the Lord came and called him home to be at peace and at rest.

Coming into contact with Fred after many years, I was delighted to know he was a church-going businessman, a doting father, a loving son who visited with his mother almost every day, and one who was always advocating for something or trying to help somebody with a problem.

Fred, along with a group of retired individuals, adopted Wallace's Catfish Restaurant as their meeting place, and it became their social center where they ate lunch, talked politics, and gossiped. Harry Reese, who had worked with me forever, decided to quit, retire, or no longer work. He was certainly old enough. Fred approached me and stated that Reese was retiring, and Fred would like to have his job. I said OK, and Fred worked with me since.

Fred was as solid as a rock--never late, always ready to roll. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, Fred was already ready to go. Sometimes, Fred would get a telephone call as we pulled off. He would say, ``that's Momma. She wants to know how you're doing.'' I'd respond, ``Tell her that I am doing fine.'' Then we'd be on our way together.

Good day to Fred. We're still on our way.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House took decisive action today to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration--or FAA--by advancing H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. Upon enactment, this critically-important legislation will better protect the health and safety of air travelers, improve conditions for both the current and future aviation workforce, and make significant investments in our Nation's aviation infrastructure and air traffic control technologies.

I am proud to have cast my vote in favor of H.R. 3935. This long- overdue, bipartisan measure will modernize America's aviation system, advance consumer safety and protections, and prepare the next generation of highly qualified and diverse aviation professionals.

For years, I have advocated for enhanced federal funding to better recruit, retain, and advance underrepresented populations in the aviation industry. To that end, I applaud the bill's inclusion of $60 million in annual funding to the FAA to bolster the pool of pilots, aviation maintenance professionals, and manufacturing workers in the talent pipeline. Of the $60 million provided, H.R. 3935 requires that 20 percent of this annual funding be designated for the Willa Brown Aviation Program, which introduces and trains underserved communities in various aviation careers. I thank my colleague, Rep. Hank Johnson, for his leadership on this provision. I'm also pleased to see that the reauthorization bill directs the FAA to engage and partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions to advance awareness of aviation-related education programs and careers, a recommendation I made in my testimony before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The bill's historic investment in our country's airports with, $4 billion in annual funding for the Airport Improvement Program, will help modernize public-use airports, such as Midway and O'Hare airports in Chicago, while simultaneously spurring economic growth and employment opportunities for many Chicagoland residents and businesses. I praise the host of policy reforms and robust protections for air travelers and consumers, like the Section 503 requirement that airlines refund passengers on significantly delayed or cancelled flights and a new mandate that airlines permit passengers to sit next to their young child when practical and at no cost. Inclusion of these important and long-overdue consumer protections in the FAA reauthorization bill further explains why the measure enjoys such widespread bi-partisan support in Congress and beyond.

I commend House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen for their hard work to deliver this comprehensive and bicameral bill to reauthorize the FAA, helping ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in aviation safety and innovation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the numerous accomplishments and influences of the Xi Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity based in Chicago, Illinois.

As we all know, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity stands as the oldest and largest fraternity for African-American men in the United States. As one of the most renowned chapters of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Xi Lambda chapter proudly celebrates its centennial anniversary today, May 15, 2024. As a proud Alpha myself, I commend my brothers wholeheartedly on this monumental milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to take a moment to celebrate April as Second Chance Month--a time to recognize that interventions that help justice-involved individuals make our communities safer and healthier, grow our economy, and reduce recidivism.

I am deeply proud of my successes during my Congressional career that have given people a second chance. The impact of the criminal justice system is deep and harmful--breaking families, removing workers from their workplace, and weakening our families, communities, and economy. We know that providing opportunity for improvement strengthens lives, and it also saves taxpayer resources on re-incarceration that could support citizens in other ways, with the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council estimating that the average cost associated with one recidivism event is $151,662. Further, economists recognize that integrating individuals with records into the workforce boosts our economy by increasing earnings and tax revenue.

In April of 2008, Congress passed and President George Bush enacted my bill--the Second Chance Act. This law has provided over $600 million to state, local, and tribal governments as well as reentry-focused non- profit organizations to operate programs and services to ensure the success of people reentering their communities after incarceration. A study completed by Texas Southern University of the effectiveness of the Second Chance Act in Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia found that education, vocational and work release programs, substance abuse programs, and family support are integral activities in reducing recidivism. Just this week, I joined with colleagues from both sides of the aisle and in both chambers to reintroduce the Second Chance Reauthorization Act to keep these programs running.

Research demonstrates that postsecondary correctional education is greatly needed, has tremendous effectiveness, increases economic well- being, reduces recidivism, and saves taxpayers money. Two of my bills to improve educational opportunity for justice-involved individuals became law in 2019. The REAL (Restoring Education and Learning) Act restored Pell grant eligibility to the incarcerated. According to the Vera Institute study, states can save an average of $7.6 million in incarceration costs each year for which people in prison have access to Pell Grants. The FAFSA act removed the prohibition on federal student aid to people with felony drug convictions. This policy unfairly targeted poor and minority students and cost society more in terms of crime and lost economic productivity. These policy changes are smart, cost-effective investments of taxpayer dollars.

Unfortunately, more needs to be done to improve educational access for justice-involved individuals. My DEMO (Demonstrating that Empowerment Makes Opportunities) Act would help those with records obtain successful health careers. This bill is modeled on the successful work of Johns Hopkins and the Safer Foundation that created intensive training programs for workers in hospitals coupled with legal services, support services, technical assistance for businesses, and job placement services. The programs are wildly successful, giving people with records good jobs and giving the hospitals quality, loyal workers. My ED ACCESS Act would repeal the lifetime ban on the American Opportunity Tax Credit for those with felony drug convictions. The antiquated lifetime AOTC ban for people with felony drug convictions makes it harder for these individuals to afford college and get their lives on track. My REO (Reentry Employment Opportunities) Act would codify the successful REO program that improves job training for justice-impacted workers. I am pleased that the House passed a WIOA bill this month that included key provisions of my bill.

We also must do more to divert people from the criminal justice system. Each year about 20,000 youth enter foster care due to parental incarceration. I worked with Rep. Barbara Lee to secure money in FY22 to help parents whose children would be orphaned were they to enter prison. This trauma is avoidable, and quality diversion programs can strengthen families and protect millions of children from harm.

I support and applaud my home state of Illinois for enacting the SAFE-T Act to eliminate cash bail. Illinois was the first state to end cash bail. This ban was championed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. Justice should not target the poor. Individuals who pose a threat to the community will remain in jail, but those who simply can't pay for bail will not. According to a November report from Researchers at Loyola University of Chicago's Center for Criminal Justice, the Cook County jail population decreased by 12% in the month after implementation, with similar decreases in several other Illinois counties.

As we celebrate Second Chance Act month, I recognize our successes and commit myself to continue to do more to help those who made mistakes to get the opportunities to turn their lives around.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Cook County Clerk, Karen Yarbrough, who passed away on April 7, leaving decades of community family and political service. Karen was an active member of the Westside Black Elected Officials of Chicago, Illinois, a group for which I serve as Secretary and reflect their views.

Clerk Yarbrough was born on December 19, 1957, into a prominent family and from an early age began serving others, following in the footsteps of her father, Rev. Don Williams, a businessman, minister, and politician, at one time the Mayor of Maywood, Illinois.

Clerk Yarbrough's dedication to public service and her passion for advocating on behalf of people led her to be elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2001 where she represented her district with energy, integrity, insight, and tenacity--earning the respect and admiration of her constituents and colleagues alike.

Clerk Yarbrough had a long list of legislative accomplishments, including bans on the death penalty and indoor smoking and the first ever lottery ticket, the Quality of Life Ticket, named ``Red Ribbon Cash'' to support HIV/AIDS prevention and education.

Clerk Yarbrough's commitment to fairness, transparency, and efficiency in government inspired her to seek the office of Cook County Recorder of Deeds in 2012, where she became the first African American to hold this position and worked tirelessly to modernize operations, increase accessibility to public records, and ensure equitable access to homeownership for all residents of Cook County.

Clerk Yarbrough's exemplary leadership and dedication to public service were further recognized when she was elected as the Cook County Clerk in 2018, where she continued her legacy of advocating for transparency, accessibility, and accountability in government

while also overseeing critical functions, such as elections, vital records, and property tax administration.

Clerk Yarbrough's lifelong commitment to public service, her unwavering dedication to improving the lives of others, and her remarkable leadership have left an indelible mark on our community, inspiring countless individuals to pursue their dreams and work toward a more just and equitable society.

We, the Westside Black Elected Officials, express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Clerk Karen Yarbrough during this difficult time, and extend our heartfelt gratitude for sharing her with us.

Further, we honor the memory of Clerk Karen Yarbrough by reaffirming our commitment to carrying forward her legacy of service, compassion, and advocacy and by working tirelessly to build a more just, equitable, and inclusive society in which all people can thrive and be included as equal members.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on March 11, 12, 13, and 19. Had I been present, I would have voted Aye on the following Roll Call votes:

Roll Call No. 79, March 11, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended--H.R. 1752, E-BRIDGE Act; Roll Call No. 80, March 11, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended--H.R. 886, Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act; Roll Call No. 83, March 12, 2024: On Motion to Recommit, H.R. 6276--USE IT Act; Roll Call No. 87, March 19, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended--H.R. 4723, Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement through Sanctions Act; and Roll Call No. 88, March 19, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree-- H. Res. 149, Condemning the illegal abduction of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

I would have voted No on the following Roll Call votes:

Roll Call No. 81, March 12, 2024: On Ordering the Previous Question-- H. Res. 1071, Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6276) USE IT Act, and providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1065) denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies; Roll Call No. 82, March 12, 2024: On Agreeing to the Resolution--H. Res. 1071, Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6276) USE IT Act, and providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1065) denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies; Roll Call No. 84, March 12, 2024: On Passage--H.R. 6276, USE IT Act; Roll Call No. 85, March 12, 2024: On Agreeing to the Resolution--H. Res. 1065, Denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies; and Roll Call No. 86, March 13, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended H.R. 7521--Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this love letter to Big Oil.

The Republicans' myopic focus on extreme policies has undermined our ability to enact broader tax reforms to support Americans.

Rather than pushing this propaganda against green energy and climate change, Congress should be focused on advancing tax policies that support children, families, workers, and businesses.

Above all, Congress should be focused on restoring the 2021 child tax credit that halved child poverty in 1 year. The progress we made in 2021 shows that we can slash child poverty when we have the political will to do so.

Congress should restore the 2021 child and dependent care tax credit that gave up to $8,000 to working parents for childcare costs for two or more children, which was much better than the current maximum of 2,100.

Congress should restore the 2021 earned income tax credit that helped foster and homeless youth, as well as single workers from being taxed into poverty.

Congress should remove income as a barrier to adoption, restore the above-the-line charitable deduction to help nonitemizers and support the amazing charities that support our communities, enact critical improvements to the low-income housing tax credit, and help cost- burdened renters by implementing a refundable renter's tax credit.

Workers, families, and businesses need our help. Today's resolution represents hollow extremist talking points and lacks the political will to cut child poverty in half. Every day we delay action, poverty poisons the futures of millions of children.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I thank my colleague, Representative Frederica Wilson from the great State of Florida, for conceptualizing, dreaming up, thinking up, and putting into play not only the opportunity for a discussion, but the tremendous work and the great record she has achieved on behalf of African-American boys and men as she continues to represent her entire district.

I trust that those who are watching are in good health and good spirits because our country is facing one of its most difficult periods in the history of America. There is tremendous friction, anxieties, different approaches to doing things, and I think about that every day as I try and represent the 759,000 individuals who live in the very diverse area called the Seventh Congressional District of Illinois.

Some of the wealthiest people in America live along the Gold Coast, the Magnificent Mile. Some of the most disadvantaged individuals live on the south and west sides of Chicago, areas that were devastated during the period of movement action, especially after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As an elected official, I try to balance the concerns of all these different individuals, all of their hopes, their aspirations, recognizing their issues, their problems, and their concerns. While I represent every aspect of the district--Chinatown; what used to be called Jewtown; Little Italy, an Italian community; Ukrainian Village, a Ukrainian community; a large African-American community; suburban areas--lots of issues, lots of problems, tremendous needs, lots of hopes and aspirations.

African-American males are at the forefront of these issues and these problems for many various reasons that I won't even attempt to really characterize or go into. Oftentimes,

when you look at quality of life and those things that are indicators of quality of life, the most disproportionate number of individuals incarcerated, African-American males; the individuals who drop out of school without graduating, African-American males; the unemployed. We brag about less than 4 percent unemployment in our country, but the highest level of unemployment is African-American males.

Something has to be done beyond the average, beyond the norm. We need programs, but we really need to keep working on reducing poverty. Many of these individuals live in poverty-stricken areas, poverty-stricken homes, single-parent homes, areas where the schools are not as good as they might be in other areas.

Therefore, we need special consideration, special treatment. We need to make sure that low-income families can get a real child tax credit like we enacted for the year 2021 where individuals who earned $75,000 or less were able to achieve for their children under 6 $300 a month. That helped a great deal. Of course, if they were 6 and over, under 17, it was $250. That helped a great deal.

What can we do that relates to the needs of African-American men and boys? We can enact a serious child tax credit. We have institutions called PBIs as well as historically Black colleges and universities. I attended one. I credit it with saving my life, my being, or putting me in a position.

However, we can also do some things ourselves. Put more focus on reading. I think if a child, a young person learns to read and likes it, they then can fly as high as their understanding and imagination will take them. One of the reasons that I stand here tonight as a Member of the House of Representatives is because I learned to read when I was a little boy, and I loved it.

The more I read, the more I wanted to read.

The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn.

Of course, my father used to tell us, the more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.

Education is the cornerstone, the key, and that is one of the reasons that I just love Representative Frederica Wilson, because she has been an outstanding educator and has taken what she knew, brought it here to us in the House of Representatives, brought it from Florida to Washington, and now people all over the country are trying to emulate her 5000 Role Models of Excellence for African-American males; boys who were put into special programs and special activities. I commend her for that.

The last thing that I will say is in order to deal effectively with the problems associated with being an African-American male, I have been told that where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. Meaning, that if there is righteousness where we make decisions here in Washington, D.C., our activities will follow that righteousness. We will come up with the laws, appropriate the money, and make sure that every individual in our country has the opportunity to grow, develop, to become whatever their manhood/ womanhood, hardworking ambition combines to make them. That is the promise of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, during Black History Month, to reflect on the legacy builders that contributed to the rich entrepreneurial history and culture of the great city of Chicago and beyond. Manufacturing, banking, retail, grocery, and restaurant ownership are among the industries that the 6 Collins brothers dominated on the south and west sides of Chicago for more than 50 years.

The eldest Collins, Ernest T., founded Seaway National Bank in 1965 and was credited with pioneering the 24-hour supermarket concept at his four grocery store locations called The Food Basket, founded in 1952. Argia B. Collins, Sr., the youngest Collins brother, an accomplished restaurateur, created Chicago's original barbecue sauce brand--Argia B's Mumbo Sauce in 1950. Crafted as a signature sauce for his popular southside restaurants, the Mumbo Sauce brand debuted in a national advertising campaign in Life magazine. Collins not only tantalized the taste buds of Chicagoans but also became an integral part of the local community. A visionary entrepreneur and champion of small business, Argia B. was passionate about economic development and the growth of the African American business community. In fact, Collins was involved with Operation Breadbasket, a program initiated in 1966 by Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to address economic issues affecting African American communities. He assumed a key position in operation breadbasket's efforts in Chicago, working alongside Reverend Jesse Jackson and other business leaders in the Chicago chapter. Argia B. utilized his business acumen to help advance the organization's goals, particularly in promoting economic empowerment and financial opportunities for African American businesses. The association with Operation Breadbasket resulted in the Argia B's Mumbo Sauce brand being among the first products manufactured by an African American company to gain chain-wide distribution with major grocery retailers in 1967. Other Chicago brands that were part of this significant campaign included Joe Louis Milk Company, Parker House Sausage, Grove Fresh Orange Juice, and Conway Cleaning Products, all quality brands created and manufactured by African American producers.

I recognize and commend the contributions of the Collins brothers and the other African American business vanguards of the Operation Breadbasket movement which embody the spirit of resilience and ingenuity that defines the city and exemplifies the legacy of Black entrepreneurship. Indeed, the Collins family's Chicago roots run deep, anchoring them to the values of integrity, generosity, and solidarity that define the city's spirit.

Today, Allison Collins, the daughter of Argia B., carries the torch of her father's vision as CEO of Select Brands, preserving its important 74-year legacy and ensuring that the spirit of the Mumbo Sauce brand continues to

thrive. The company has expanded the distribution of Argia B's mumbo barbecue sauce beyond the confines of Chicago. Over the years, mumbo sauce's popularity has soared, and it is now prominently displayed on retail shelves across the country. This iconic sauce brings a taste of our city's culinary excellence to households nationwide, showcasing the enduring appeal of the company's 74-year commitment to quality and flavor. This accomplishment not only underscores the sauce's widespread appeal but also reflects select brands' dedication to sharing the flavors of Chicago worldwide.

Again, I thank the Collins family for their tireless efforts and unwavering devotion to the city of Chicago. Their legacy will continue to inspire and uplift generations to come.

We wish them continued success.

Mr. Speaker, today, I want to pay tribute to a remarkable civil rights leader and social justice icon, Thomas N. Todd. Although his name may not be familiar to everyone, his contributions to social justice and equality in this country are remarkable and have benefited millions of people in ways few others have accomplished. Tom Todd was one of the most electrifying speakers of our time. His impressive oratorical skills were so impactful that his initials ``T-N- T'' became synonymous with the powerful effect he had on his audiences.

Tom Todd was born in Demopolis, Alabama, in 1938. He later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he married Janice Roberts. They had two children together, Tamara Nicole and Tracey Newborn. Tom lived in Chicago until he passed away on February 8, 2024.

As a child in Demopolis, Tom's family was poor. His father passed away shortly after his birth. Tom was raised by his mother and stepfather. Unfortunately, his mother also passed away when he was only 20 years old. Due to his stepfather's illiteracy, Tom stayed in Mobile to help with the funeral and burial arrangements. He even considered dropping out of school to assist further. However, he eventually enrolled at Southern University in 1959, where he studied political science and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.

After graduation, Todd returned to Mobile and worked odd jobs for nearly a year until a friend suggested he apply to law school. Todd returned to Southern University for law school in 1960 and was admitted solely on the recommendation of a dean who met Todd as an undergraduate and recognized his potential. There, law professors and students represented other students who had been arrested for sitting at whites- only lunch counters at five-and-dime and drug stores--an act of civil disobedience aimed at protesting segregation in Baton Rouge. Todd actively participated in the first lawsuit regarding these protests to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, Garner v. Louisiana (1961). He graduated magna cum laude and passed the bar exam on his first attempt in 1963.

Todd then secured a position at the solicitor's office in the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., leaving that job in less than a year to train for the Judge Advocate General's Corps. He practiced law while serving in the United States Army from 1964 to 1967. That same year, he was appointed an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago. In 1968, he made history by filing the first federal criminal case against a Chicago police officer for violating an individual's civil rights.

According to United Press International, Todd's case was also the first indictment in the country against a law enforcement official under a new civil rights amendment to the federal criminal code. Chicago police officer Joseph Fine was accused of beating up Eldridge Gaston outside a South Side restaurant. Gaston died as a result of his injuries. Although the case ended in an acquittal, the indictment itself sent shockwaves through the Chicago Police Department and political establishment.

In 1969, Todd opened an office devoted to civil rights that became the country's first local U.S. attorney's civil rights office. His next police brutality case would originate from a fight between black and white students at Chicago's Tilden High School, where police officers had allegedly beaten black students. A newspaper photographer captured one incident, which showed Officer James J. Gorman standing over 16- year-old Roxanne Norfleet with his baton raised as she lay on the ground. Todd got that case to trial, but it ended in 1971 with a hung jury, though 11 panel members favored conviction.

Tom Todd was admitted to many bars and courts, including the Supreme Court of Louisiana, the United States Court of Military Appeals, the Supreme Court of Illinois, and the United States Supreme Court. He was a distinguished black lawyer in the U.S. attorney's office--standing tall, fighting for police brutality victims, challenging the status quo, and prosecuting police brutality cases at a time when the families of murdered Black Panther leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Clark had filed civil rights lawsuits against federal, state, and Chicago officials--a time when it was almost unheard of for a U.S. attorney's office to prosecute a police brutality case.

Todd received honorary doctorates from Grambling State University in 1987, Syracuse University in 1990, and Wilberforce University in 1993. Between 1970 and 1974, Todd taught at Northwestern University School of Law, becoming the school's first full-time black law professor. Genuinely interested in seeing young lawyers succeed, he was known to use a lot of anecdotes, legal stories, and significant cases in his teachings.

Todd was also known for helping to improve programs at historically black colleges in Louisiana, ensuring they were on par with other

schools in the state. Former Grambling State University President Joseph B. Johnson credits him for helping to secure $300 million in state funding that enhanced campus facilities and introduced graduate- level courses.

In the early 1980s, Todd became president of the local chapter of Operation Breadbasket and helped launch Operation PUSH, now known as the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He advocated for social change and economic empowerment.

When Harold Washington ran for mayor in 1983, Todd headed the campaign's speakers bureau and served as Washington's surrogate. Because of his magnetism with audiences, he was often called on to warm up the crowd before Washington took the stage.

Todd had a deep voice with a mesmerizing cadence that resembled the voice of James Earl Jones. His tone was powerful, fluctuating in waves and creating a fascinating rhythm. A Chicago journalist once described Todd's speaking style as ``a deep, rhythmic growl that carried a sense of the South's segregation history and the civil rights movement and conveyed a sense of urgency and anger about the present and the future.''

Todd's booming voice got the attention of the iconic hip-hop group Public Enemy, who incorporated Todd's voice as a powerful tool in their 1989 song ``Fight the Power'' for the first 16 seconds and also used his voice to sample ``Revolutionary Generation'' in 1990.

Todd is reputed to have delivered speeches at every historically black college in the country where he would encourage students to let verbs like give, serve, and help guide their actions but to lead their lives defined by nouns like courage, commitment, and compassion.

Tom Todd's journey was one of resilience, courage, and unwavering commitment to the principles of justice--challenging systemic injustices and uplifting marginalized communities. Through powerful oration and bold, courageous advocacy, he fought to dismantle barriers to equality, promote minority-owned businesses, and advocate for fair employment practices. Tom Todd transformed lives, empowered communities, and inspired a generation to stand up and fight for what is right. He leaves a profound and impactful legacy of lasting change that continues to shape our Nation's path forward.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the first sponsor of H.R. 5408, the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, a bill originally introduced by Representative Brian Higgins of New York, for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Speaker, I have been told that a half a loaf is better than none, but this isn't even a half a loaf, but I am going to vote for it because our families and businesses need

help. While it does help, it does not create a 50 percent reduction in child poverty as we did in 2021. It is more like a deal than a bill, but I am going to vote for it.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose H.R. 6918 because it is just another attempt by the Republican leadership to advance their extremist war on women.

As we again face another Republican-manufactured shutdown crisis, the Republican leadership advances this bill to divert money intended for poor children to anti-abortion propaganda and facilities that provide deceptive and inaccurate information.

The House should take immediate action to eliminate child poverty, not promote efforts to restrict women's reproductive choices.

Alarmingly, just one year after the Republican-led expiration of Democratic poverty-lowering investments in workers and families, the child poverty rate more than doubled, causing the biggest one-year increase in poverty we have ever seen.

If Republicans truly wanted to help pregnant and parenting families, they

would fully restore the child tax credit, dramatically increase childcare funding to address the childcare crisis, and make it easier to get critical services like Medicaid.