Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the remarkable life of David Samrick of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

David's faith and love for the Jewish community were evident in his support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. He served on the AIPAC national board since 2015, working closely with Members of the United States Congress to strengthen and promote a strong and unbreakable U.S.-Israel relationship.

Through his work with AIPAC, he led citizen activists in building relationships with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, a key to the success of the pro-Israel movement. We worked together to address a multitude of issues facing our community, from the scourge of anti-Semitism to ensuring we maintain our strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

I am proud to have considered him my very dear friend. I will miss his guidance and wisdom but mostly his friendship.

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife, Susan, and his entire family. David was one of a kind, a selfless, compassionate, and tireless advocate. May his memory be for a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a bipartisan proposal that will finally secure clear protection for pregnant workers.

Pregnant women should not have to risk their lives on the job. Yet, too often, instead of offering accommodations routinely given to other employees, a pregnant worker risks termination, meaning she loses her paycheck and health insurance right when she needs them the most.

We know that COVID-19 has exacerbated health inequalities for women, especially women of color.

Before the pandemic, moms in the U.S. already struggled and died from pregnancy-related causes at the highest rate in the developed world, with Black moms dying three to four times the rate of their White peers.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter on behalf of maternal health organizations who support putting a national pregnancy accommodation standard in place.

May 11, 2021.

Re Support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Dear Representative: The undersigned organizations

dedicated to assuring quality maternal, infant, and child

health and well-being, improving pregnancy and birth

outcomes, and closing racial disparities in maternal health

enthusiastically support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

(H.R. 1065). Modeled after the Americans with Disabilities

Act, the bill would require employers to provide reasonable,

temporary workplace accommodations to pregnant workers as

long as the accommodation does not impose an undue hardship

on the employer. This bill is critically important because no

one should have to choose between having a healthy pregnancy

and a paycheck.

Congress must do all it can to end the prejudice pregnant

workers, especially Black pregnant workers and workers of

color, continue to face in the workplace. This includes

making sure when pregnant workers voice a need for reasonable

accommodations that those needs are met rather than penalized

and that the workplace is an environment where pregnant

workers do not fear asking for the accommodations they need

to maintain their health.

Three-quarters of women will be pregnant and employed at

some point in their lives. Most pregnant workers can expect a

routine pregnancy and healthy birth. However, health care

professionals have consistently recommended that some

pregnant individuals make adjustments in their work

activities to sustain a healthy pregnancy and prevent adverse

pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth or miscarriage.

These medically necessary workplace accommodations can

include allowing additional bathroom breaks, opportunities to

stay hydrated, lifting restrictions, or access to a chair or

stool to decrease time spent standing.

Unfortunately, too many pregnant workers, particularly

pregnant people of color, face barriers to incorporating even

these small changes to their workdays. For example, Black

women experience maternal mortality rates three to four times

higher than white women, with Indigenous women similarly

experiencing disproportionately high rates. The circumstances

surrounding these alarming statistics can often be attributed

to a lack of access to care, including due to inflexible

workplaces, and deep biases in racial understanding. Various

social determinants such as health, education, and economic

status drastically influence the outcomes of pregnancy for

Black women leading to severe pregnancy-related

complications. As the Black Mamas Matter Alliance has pointed

out ``Health is determined in part by our access to social

and economic opportunities, the resources and supports that

are available in the places where we live, and the safety of

our Workplaces . . . however, disparities in these conditions

of daily life give some people better opportunities to be

healthy than others. Black pregnant workers along with Latinx

and immigrant women are disproportionately likely to work in

physically demanding jobs that may lead to workers needing

modest accommodations to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Too

often, however, those requests are refused or ignored,

forcing pregnant workers of color to disproportionately

contend with unsafe working conditions.

Furthermore, Black mothers have among the highest labor

force participation rates in the country and 80 percent of

Black mothers are their family's primary breadwinner. Yet,

historically, Black women have been exploited in the

workplace, and that exploitation continues to this day.

Though Black women only comprise 14.3 percent of the

population, nearly thirty percent of pregnancy discrimination

complaints are filed by Black women. This is because of the

multiple forms of discrimination Black workers and other

workers of color too often face in the workplace. As scholar

Nina Banks has noted, ``The legacy of black women's

employment in industries that lack worker protections has

continued today since black women are concentrated in low-

paying, inflexible service occupations . . .'' Black women in

low wage jobs working during pregnancy face little support

from employers when safeguards do not address pregnancy

related accommodations. Faced with the threat of termination,

loss of health insurance, or other benefits, Black pregnant

people are often

forced to keep working which can compromise their health and

the health of their pregnancy.

Workplace accommodations help safeguard a healthy pregnancy

or prevent harm to a higher-risk pregnancy. Across the

country, pregnant workers continue to be denied simple, no-

cost or lowcost, temporary adjustments in their work settings

or activities and instead risk being fired or forced to take

unpaid leave to preserve the health of their pregnancy.

This impossible choice forces many pregnant workers to

continue working without accommodations, putting women and

their pregnancies at risk of long-lasting and severe health

consequences. When pregnant workers must continue working

without accommodations, they risk miscarriage, excessive

bleeding, and other devastating health consequences. Black

women have the highest incidence of preterm birth and yet we

know that workplace accommodations such as reducing heavy

lifting, bending, or excessive standing can help prevent

preterm birth, the leading cause of infant mortality in this

country.

Black women also experience higher rates of preeclampsia,

which is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. We

are still learning about how to prevent this dangerous

medical condition, yet we know that simply allowing workers

to take bathroom breaks can prevent urinary tract infections

which are ``strongly associated with preeclampsia.''

Similarly, ensuring pregnant workers can drink a sufficient

amount of water can also help pregnant workers maintain their

blood pressure, which is critically important since

hypertensive disorders (high blood pressure) are also a

leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. By putting

a national pregnancy accommodation standard in place, the

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has the potential to improve

some of the most serious health consequences Black pregnant

people experience. Furthermore, the Pregnant Workers Fairness

Act will help remove one of the many barriers Black pregnant

people face at work by ensuring they are afforded immediate

relief under the law, and not thrown into financial dire

straits for needing pregnancy accommodations.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is a measured approach to

a serious problem. As organizations dedicated to maternal

health and closing racial disparities in pregnancy and birth

outcomes, we understand the importance of reasonable

workplace accommodations to ensure that pregnant persons can

continue to provide for their families and have safe and

healthy pregnancies. We collectively urge swift passage of

the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Sincerely,

Black Mamas Matter Alliance; March of Dimes; National WIC

Association; 1,000 Days; A Better Balance; Academy of

Nutrition and Dietetics; American Academy of Pediatrics;

American Civil Liberties Union; American College of

Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Agricultural Justice

Project; Ancient Song Doula Services; Association of Maternal

& Child Health Programs; Baobab Birth Collective.

Black Women's Health Imperative; Breastfeeding in Combat

Boots; California WIC Association; Centering Equity, Race &

Cultural Literacy in Family Planning (CERCL-FP); Earth

Action, Inc.; Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project;

Farmworker Association of Florida; Feminist Women's Health

Center; First Focus Campaign for Children; Healthy Mothers,

Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia; Healthy Women; Human

Rights Watch; Mom2Mom Global; NARAL Pro-Choice America.

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's

Health; National Birth Equity Collaborative; National

Partnership for Women & Families; National Women's Health

Network; National Women's Law Center; Nebraska WIC

Association; Nurse-Family Partnership; Physicians for

Reproductive Health; Planned Parenthood Federation of

America; Public Citizen; SisterReach; SisterSong National

Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective; U.S.

Breastfeeding Committee; Workplace Fairness; Wisconsin WIC

Association; ZERO TO THREE.

Mr. Speaker, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act can improve some of the most serious health consequences Black pregnant women experience in the workplace.

Federal protections for pregnant workers are stuck in the 1950s. In 2021, it is past time for workplaces to accommodate our families and protect all pregnant workers. It is women and families who keep our economy and communities running.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to declare unwavering and steadfast support for the State of Israel.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad are single-handedly responsible for the escalation that has led to the bloodshed of Israelis and Palestinians.

These terrorist organizations do not care about people or peace. They seek only to destroy the Jewish state. Israel has every right to defend herself. No nation should be subject to a barrage of rocket fire, like what we see on this easel on a civilian population.

Without the Iron Dome air defense system, the loss of life would be worse than the nightmare before us today. Congress must ensure the lifesaving missile defense systems continue to get the support and funding needed to keep civilians safe.

Israel has taken serious steps to deescalate the conflict while Hamas has only escalated its attacks. So it is especially irresponsible to demonize Israel's conduct while ignoring her right to self-defense.

America unequivocally stands by our key democratic ally, Israel. I pray for peace and security in the region, and I mourn the loss of all lives--Israeli and Palestinian. I urge the cessation of all intentional acts of violence and a return to working toward a viable two-state solution. Everyone deserves to live in peace from terrorism.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor one of the foremost fighters for justice Florida has ever known, Congressman Alcee Hastings.

Throughout my public service, I have been proud to be associated with and stand alongside this fierce but gentle and courageous statesman. The shadow he casts in my own political life is long. It started at the University of Florida, when I ran for Student Senate side by side with his son, Alcee ``Jody'' Hastings, II. Twenty years later, I had the honor and pleasure of serving alongside his father, a man who was my dear friend and mentor.

Alcee revered this institution, and he loved his 20th District, from Belle Glade to Broward, and the Sawgrass to Sistrunk. Anyone who knew him knew he was Florida through and through, and he brought that to these Halls of power. He valued every part of the cultural and ethnic mosaic that enriches our great State, and he contributed to that throughout his life.

With his passing, his constituents lost a brilliant, fearless, and giant-hearted advocate for the community he so dearly loved. Our folks back home will miss their ``on his mind, on his tongue,'' firebrand voice in these Halls of power.

The common refrain among anyone unfortunate enough to follow Alcee Hastings on a speaking program was: Well, this is the last place on a program you want to be.

He was a powerful, impactful orator. Here in Congress, as you all know too well, each of us lost a wise, patient, and humane statesman; and our delegation lost a seasoned, thoughtful, forceful leader.

Personally, I lost a treasured friend and trusted teacher. I can't count the times I leaned on him for his honest, perceptive counsel. Even when I didn't know I needed that advice, Alcee did, and he provided it generously. Afterwards, I was always grateful for his words of wisdom.

Alcee Hastings devoted his life to righting the world's wrong. He championed the most vulnerable, and he himself knew what it meant to overcome. He fought for human rights at home and abroad. Alcee was a champion of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and a steadfast friend to the Jewish community. He knew that Jews and African Americans were much more alike than we were different, and we often joked about the similarities.

Years ago, as police brutality stretched the fabric holding our community together, he and I joined together to ensure that law enforcement and our people would be able to pledge to protect one another and had a safe forum to communicate.

When it came to protecting the world's most unique tropical wetlands, Alcee always spearheaded our Everglades restoration efforts. In just the last month, he led the delegation in a letter to the President advocating for record-level funding. Even on battles dearer to me, he poured his own heart in it.

Alcee was one of my most fierce allies in battling breast cancer. These last 10 months, I spoke to him almost every day. It was an honor to cast his proxy vote. Good days or bad, he made sure he personally told me his vote preferences. Some days he might say in his Alcee kind of way: Why are we even voting on this?

And I left out some of the choicer words.

I cherished catching up with him every opportunity. Other days, he would just share his vote, and that call would end far too quickly. No matter how he felt, he always ended those calls by saying: ``Debbie, thank you for this.''

He was always gracious, always grateful. But it was I who was grateful for the gift of this man.

I was also so proud to swear him into this 117th Congress. He took what he must have known was his final oath with such pride, dignity, and authority.

In our last conversation, he told me he was at peace.

And why shouldn't he be?

He rose from a young man in the orange groves of the segregated South to become the first African-American Federal jurist in Florida and part of a historic 1992 class of the United States Congress. His political life took him as far off as the Parliamentary Assembly in Europe.

Congressman Hastings did it his way, and he leaves an immense personal and political legacy, both in these Halls and in our hearts. I know that I and this hallowed body are better off from having been in Alcee's midst. And that lasting impression he left behind, we will always carry with us. May his memory be for a blessing.

Madam Speaker, today, we confront one of America's lingering legacies of discrimination.

At America's founding, women were intentionally left out of the Constitution and, as second-class citizens, we did not have the right to vote or own property.

Today, we still receive less pay for the same work, and we face actual or imminent threats of violence and harassment daily.

But the equal rights amendment rejects that.

After over a century, the ERA is on the cusp of ratification, and we finally have a President who will make this long overdue provision of our Constitution a reality.

Women's rights should not depend on which party is in power. These basic fundamental rights must be guaranteed. We must secure equality for women under the law, in the Constitution, and in our daily lives.

If we want to hand a more perfect union over to our daughters--and I have two--this Women's History Month, let's seize the moment and end sex discrimination once and for all.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on this resolution to remove the arbitrary and outdated deadline for ratifying the ERA.

Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

VAWA established critical infrastructure that responds to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

For far too long, this vital update collected dust in the Senate graveyard. Thankfully, with a Democratic Senate majority and President Biden, we finally have real partners to secure justice, safety, and dignity for American women, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

The statistics remain deplorable: One in four American women are victims of domestic violence; one in six will be a sexual assault victim in their lifetime. The pandemic only exacerbated the need for services to comprehensively respond to these egregious crimes.

Now is no time to retreat from the vital work of improving the Federal response to gender-based violence. For Women's History Month, let's reaffirm our commitment to survivors everywhere, and make this world safer for all our mothers, sisters, and daughters.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this urgent legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I rise today to honor our foremothers who first demanded equity in and outside the home, along with the sheroes

of today who still battle for it amidst this deadly pandemic both on and behind its front lines.

The onset of COVID-19 pushed so many brave women into the deadly viral fires. It also foisted upon too many of them an inordinate share of unpaid caretaker and teacher roles once they were safe at home.

Throughout all of history, it is women, especially those of color, who bear the harshest health and economic burdens and fallout from such national crises.

The data is clear: Only a full recovery that prioritizes women can reverse this ``she-cession'' we are in.

That is why I proudly supported the American Rescue Plan, which provides much-needed help to women across this country. This relief package includes historic expansion of the child tax credit to help lift children and families out of poverty, and provides paid-leave tax credits to help more women stay in the workforce.

It also makes the investments needed to safely reopen schools and keep the childcare industry afloat so women and families can pay for care and get back to work.

And with the inclusion of $1,400 stimulus checks per family member and extended unemployment assistance, women can finally regain their footing as equal partners and breadwinners.

Yet, even among these many challenges women have faced over this last year, we cannot overlook that, for the first time in history, we have sworn in a Madam Vice President. The historic inauguration of Vice President Harris will inspire countless girls to higher ambitions, and it marks a milestone for all women of color whose work, leadership, and vision went unrecognized for far too long.

In the Jewish faith, one of our most important tenets is the concept of l'dor v'dor--from generation to generation. It is our responsibility to lift up the women of tomorrow and ensure that the world provides every opportunity for them to succeed.

This Women's History Month, while we honor and remember the women who have carried us through this and other past national calamities, we also celebrate that the shoulders we now stand on provide an even clearer vision of the equity and fairness for which we all strive.

Women are the changemakers, the visionaries, and the leaders of the future. Today, we celebrate a world in which my two daughters and all young girls everywhere have bold, limitless visions and dreams that are now truly possible.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, to honor the half million Americans who perished in this pandemic and rescue the millions still struggling in its fiscal chokehold, we must end this national viral nightmare.

The American Rescue Plan is our best hope and the most ambitious, progressive legislation in scope and impact since the Affordable Care Act. It delivers direct payments to families, helps our schools safely reopen, and ensures small businesses and Main Street stay open. It also ramps up testing and vaccine deployments, especially to underserved communities.

This plan's tax changes likely cut child poverty in half. If we want kids behind desks, shots in arms, and people in jobs, this American Rescue Plan delivers vital relief now and lays a solid foundation for the future.

Thankfully, the misers are no longer in charge, and help is on the way.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise as both a mom and a Member of Congress in strong support of H.R. 8.

Last month, my community marked the 3-year anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting that stole 17 innocent lives.

The anxiety and terror that came that day has never left us. Yet, too many communities witness horrific gun violence every day. Commonsense reform can end this agony and keep us safer mainly by requiring background checks for gun sales. Yet, loopholes allow up to 80 percent of firearms to be sold without background checks.

We must mandate universal background checks for firearm sales by passing H.R. 8 and then pass Jaime's Law, my legislation that expands that same mandate to ammunition purchases.

The pandemic made gun proliferation worse, and inaction is not an option. We must do all we can to ensure guns and bullets don't end up in the wrong hands.

Mr. Speaker, the outliers on this issue are Republicans whose fealty to the NRA results in more people dying from gun violence. Enough is enough.

Mr. Speaker, in Florida, we have strong redistricting standards that were passed by a large majority of Florida voters and placed in our State constitution.

I also recognize that strong standards and criteria are provided for in H.R. 1.

Would the chairperson agree to working together with the State- adopted redistricting criteria to ensure H.R. 1 does not dilute the Florida requirements?

Mr. Speaker, as a founding vice chair of the LGBTQ-plus Equality Caucus, I am proud, once again, to cast my vote for the Equality Act. It is my sincere hope that this is finally the year that it will be signed into law.

In dozens of States, including my own, LGBTQ Americans are still denied housing, discriminated against in education, or denied service at businesses. The Trump administration ruthlessly attacked the LGBTQ community's rights from the transgender military ban to allowing doctors to deny medical care to LGBTQ individuals.

States have continued to put forward so-called bathroom bills. Legislators in my own State have introduced bills to deny medical care to trans children and prevent trans youth from playing sports. Even worse, 44 trans Americans were murdered in 2020, the deadliest year on record.

We can't tolerate any more discrimination. It costs lives. The Equality Act is vital so that Americans everywhere can love whom they love and be their authentic selves without fear of persecution, eviction, or discrimination.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the lives of two fallen FBI agents, Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger.

While executing a federal warrant in a child exploitation investigation, Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger were shot and killed in the line of duty in Sunrise, Florida.

They died protecting our most vulnerable citizens and the community they loved.

This was sadly the FBI's deadliest day since the tragic events on 9/ 11. It has also been more than 30 years since two agents were gunned down together in the line of duty.

A 16-year veteran of the FBI, Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger's specialty was pursuing crimes against children.

Her work with the FBl's Miami Field Office's Innocent Images National Initiative led to the arrests of those involved in the exploitation of children and ``sextortion.'' She leaves behind a husband and two children.

Special Agent Daniel Alfin was a 12-year veteran of the FBI. He was a veteran agent who led the investigation into a dark web site called Playpen, one of the country's largest child pornography operations. He also leaves behind a wife and one child.

While I did not have the good fortune of knowing these two Special Agents, I know this--these were two brave individuals taken from us and we lost them way too soon.

These were incredible parents, ripped from their families before their time. They were extraordinary public servants trying to make our community a safer place to raise our families.

To their families and loved ones, I struggle to find words that can offer solace and comfort in their time of distress.

The great poet William Wordsworth once said, ``Not without hope we suffer and we mourn.''

Perhaps he meant that we find hope in the belief that our thoughts and prayers will in time heal their families, and in the hope and belief that the children of these fallen heroes will grow up knowing that their parents made this sacrifice to make their world and our world a better place.

Agents Alfin and Schwartzenberger put their lives on the line every day to make us safer.

We lost them to a senseless act of violence by someone with a total disregard for the lives of others.

We grieve their loss not only to the community they served, but to the families and loved ones they leave behind.

They made the ultimate sacrifice, and we will be forever grateful.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the lives of two fallen FBI agents, Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger.

On Tuesday morning, while executing a Federal warrant in a child exploitation investigation, Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger were shot and killed in the line of duty in Sunrise, Florida. They died protecting our most vulnerable citizens and the community they loved.

This was, sadly, the FBI's deadliest day since the tragic events on 9/11. It has also been more than 30 years since two agents were gunned down together in the line of duty.

A 16-year veteran of the FBI, Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger's specialty was pursuing crimes against children. Her work with the FBI Miami field office's Innocent Images national initiative led to the arrest of those involved in the exploitation of children and ``sextortion.'' She leaves behind a husband and two children.

Special Agent Daniel Alfin was a 12-year veteran of the FBI. He was a veteran agent who led the investigation into a dark website called Playpen, one of the country's largest child pornography operations. He also leaves behind a wife and one child.

While I did not have the good fortune of knowing these two special agents, I know this: These were two heroes taken from us, and we lost them way too soon. These were incredible parents torn from their families. They were extraordinary public servants trying to make our community a safer place to raise our families.

To their loved ones and colleagues, I struggle to find words that can offer solace and comfort in their time of distress. The great poet William Wordsworth once said: ``Not without hope we suffer and we mourn.''

Perhaps he meant that we find hope in the belief that our thoughts and prayers will, in time, heal their families and their colleagues, and in the hope and the belief that the children of these fallen heroes will grow up knowing that their parents made the sacrifice to make their world and our world a better place.

Agents Alfin and Schwartzenberger put their lives on the line every day to help us be safer. We lost them to a senseless act of violence by someone with a total disregard for the lives of others. We lost them to evil.

We grieve their loss, not only to the community they served, but to the families and loved ones that they leave behind. They made the ultimate sacrifice and, for that, Americans will be forever in their debt and forever grateful.

May their memories be a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise to support H. Res. 72, legislation I never hoped to author.

My resolution would remove Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments. We have already heard today a lot about precedents, so let me explain the precedents which brought us here.

Congresswoman Greene advocated for the execution of a leader of this House. She advocated for the execution of former President Obama. She encouraged violence against law enforcement and has a long record of racist, anti-Semitic, and Islamophobic comments.

She spread cruel conspiracy theories, even claiming the horrific mass school shootings in Sandy Hook and Parkland were staged, and even stalked a young survivor of one of those tragedies, calling him a ``coward.''

These are unprecedented comments and actions by a Member. No one else on this floor has called for violence against other Members and law enforcement. Only one Member has done that and refused to back down, and that is the real precedent we are dealing with today.

We have also heard about regrettable conduct before taking office, a so-called statute of limitations on bad behavior. Prior to her floor remarks this afternoon, Congresswoman Greene spent this entire week doubling down on her promotion of violence, bigotry, and conspiracy theories.

Her response to her critics just yesterday was: ``I won't back down. I'll never apologize.''

We have also heard today about revenge and whataboutism. Greene herself threatened that when Republicans wield the gavel, Democrats will face a similar fate.

And if a Democrat proposes violence against Members and peddles dangerous lies and conspiracy theories, then refuses to renounce them and our caucus refuses to police it, then punishment would be in order.

That is the reality of what we are dealing with today with Congresswoman Greene. We are dealing with conduct that brings shame on this House and a pointed refusal to denounce or internally police it by Republicans.

Congresswoman Greene's past support and present reaffirmation for violence, intimidation, lies, and racism is dangerous. It is exactly the kind of conduct that helps fuel domestic terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, I don't take this threat of violence lightly. Two years ago, a pipe bomb, one of 16 sent around the country in my name, sat in my district office for more than 24 hours with my staff handling and moving around it before anyone knew or told them it possibly contained an explosive device. None of my staff signed up for that kind of threat. No one should be terrorized at work.

But what delivered that bomb to my office was not just one disturbed man. It was the culmination of endless lies, conspiracy theories, and hate that drove someone to violently attack his political rivals.

We all saw that unfold again with deadly consequences here in the Capitol on January 6. We can't afford to have these kinds of violent threats continue and certainly not from someone in this very House. This is not about whether we find Marjorie Taylor Greene's speech offensive.

The point here is that she has promoted and advocated violence. Denying her a seat at committee tables where fact-based policies will be debated and crafted is an appropriate punishment and restraint of her influence.

Congresswoman Greene chose a dangerous and harmful path into this House, one filled with deliberate lies that fomented violence. Once elected and seated here as a sitting Member, she then also chose not only to stand by, but affirm those words and actions.

A deathbed, mild walk back of a couple of wild conspiracy theories just moments ago is not enough to prevent her future harm. Importantly, there was no apology for the hurt and harm caused, and she did not express regret for the stalking of a teenage mass-shooting victim; nor for life-threatening statements she made or promoted against the leader of this House, and so much more.

Now that she has made her choices, the House must limit the future harm and violence that she can invite on this body. The deceptive and inflammatory

conduct that fueled such violence cannot be tolerated anywhere, certainly not in this House.

We can take an important step toward restoring integrity, security, decorum, and truth in this House by removing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments.

While it is an action we do not take lightly, it is the necessary course of action in the face of her extraordinary behavior that is unbecoming of a Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot here today so, in closing, let me remind my colleagues that we were sent here, not only to uphold the Constitution, but to uphold the standard of conduct.

Let me share with you what should have happened. What should have happened is some remorse for the pain that the gentlewoman from Georgia has caused and to acknowledge that pain, the damage that she has caused, the violence she has advocated.

I would have hoped that she would have realized, like so many of us have, the awe and gravity of serving in this institution and that, despite all the harm that the words and actions she has taken have caused, that now that she is a Member of this body, she truly understands and is sorry she stalked the teenager who was a victim of a mass shooting; sorry that she actually suggested that our leader of the House of Representatives should meet a bullet as her end; sorry that she suggested that President Obama should have his life snuffed out.

But none of that happened, and that is why she has forfeited the right to serve on committees in this House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the lives of two fallen FBI agents, Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger.

On Tuesday morning, while executing a Federal warrant in a child exploitation investigation, Special Agents Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger were shot and killed in the line of duty in Sunrise, Florida.

This was, sadly, the FBI's deadliest day since the tragic events on 9/11. It has also been more than 30 years since two agents were gunned down together in the line of duty. They died protecting our most vulnerable citizens and the community they loved.

Laura Schwartzenberger's specialty was pursuing crimes against children. Her work with the FBI Miami Field Office's Innocent Images National Initiative led to the arrests of those involved in the exploitation of children and sextortion. She leaves behind a husband and two children.

Daniel Alfin was a veteran agent who led the investigation into a dark website called Playpen, one of the country's largest child pornography operations. He leaves behind a wife and one child.

These were two heroes taken from us way too soon while trying to make our community a safer place to raise our families. We grieve their loss not only to the community they served but to the families and loved ones they leave behind. They made the ultimate sacrifice, and we will be forever grateful.

Madam Speaker, I ask the House to please pause for a moment of silence in memory and honor of these heroes who gave their lives protecting our children.