Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in November, my home State of North Carolina watched in horror as Federal immigration agents descended on our State and terrorized our communities.

During these raids, my constituent Fatima Velasquez-Antonio, was detained. She has work authorization, no criminal record, and is allowed to legally remain in this country while her asylum case is pending.

Yet despite all of this, she was taken into custody and ripped away from her family for weeks. Thankfully, after an outpouring of public anger and criticism, the Trump administration finally released Fatima a few days before Christmas.

Fatima is one of countless hardworking immigrants who have been unlawfully or unjustly detained across the country. People like Fatima with deep ties to our community are being targeted instead of a focus on apprehending violent criminals.

We cannot allow the Trump administration to continue violating the rights that all individuals in this country are guaranteed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor former Governor Jim Hunt, a giant in North Carolina history who sadly passed last month. Governor Hunt leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as a fighter for education, economic development, equality, innovation, and so much more. He was the engine for positive progress in our State.

Hunt was known nationally as the Education Governor. He worked relentlessly to ensure that every North Carolinian had access to high- quality and public education and every teacher earned a decent salary.

Governor Hunt was a visionary who pushed the economy in North Carolina into the modern era, propelling us from economic stagnation to global leadership in technology and innovation.

Personally, he was a mentor to me. I will carry his legacy with me forever. North Carolina is a better place because of Jim Hunt.

Madam Speaker, this week I introduced the FEMA Administrative Reform Act to accelerate the delivery of Federal disaster recovery aid to western North Carolina.

All year, President Trump and his administration have continued to withhold aid and politicize disaster relief. In June, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem implemented a policy requiring her personal approval of any contract above $100,000, including FEMA disaster aid reimbursements. This result

has been delay after delay and local communities waiting endlessly for the aid they desperately need.

Madam Speaker, my bill would reverse this disastrous policy and speed up the flow of Federal dollars to western North Carolina and communities across the country. It is clear that Congress needs to take action. Our people need the relief that Congress approved over a year ago.

Mr. Speaker, we have reached the precipice of a full-blown healthcare crisis in North Carolina and this country. ACA tax credits are only weeks away from expiring. Unless Congress acts, an estimated 157,000 North Carolinians will lose their coverage.

This week, I led my North Carolina colleagues in demanding actions from Speaker Johnson. What is his strategy? Where is the plan?

I am the proud cosponsor of a bipartisan solution to this crisis, but Speaker Johnson refuses to put any bill on the floor for a vote. Next week is our last legislative week of the year and our last chance to preserve access to lifesaving care for our constituents.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of North Carolina, I am pleading with my Republican colleagues to join Democrats in saving healthcare for millions of Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate North Carolina State University's new chancellor, Kevin Howell, who was recently installed as the university's 15th chancellor.

I have known Chancellor Howell for 30 years. He has served North Carolina State, the UNC system, and a former Governor at the highest levels.

Originally from Shelby, North Carolina, Howell graduated from NC State and was the first Black student body president during his senior year. He went on to earn his law degree from UNC Chapel Hill and served as a law clerk for the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Howell was born and raised in North Carolina and spent many formative years at NC State, developing a deep appreciation and understanding of this thriving academic community.

In 2015, his NC State family even saved his life. Chancellor Howell's kidneys failed while he was working for

former Chancellor Randy Woodson. One of his NC State coworkers did a historic and honorable thing, donating a kidney and saving his life. This selfless deed demonstrates the strength and unity that have defined NC State since its founding in 1887.

Chancellor Randy Woodson was an extraordinary leader who left his mark on the university forever. I have no doubt that Chancellor Howell will excel and continue leading NC State and its students, staff, and faculty to even higher heights.

Congratulations to Chancellor Howell. I look forward to our continued working relationship on behalf of NC State.

Honoring Reverend Janet Watrous

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Reverend Janet Watrous, who sadly passed away in October.

Reverend Watrous was both a spiritual and social justice leader in our community for many years, and she was my neighbor.

She got her start in the ministry when she graduated from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1977. When the Episcopal Church officially allowed women into the priesthood, she became a priest, going on to serve as the first woman in parishes across the country, including New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and eventually North Carolina.

Janet was often called the Energizer Bunny by her colleagues because of her infectious attitude that made everyone around her want to work hard and do good. She led with love and light, whether it was through her diocesan work in North Carolina or serving as the president of Planned Parenthood.

Our community will always remember her spirit and the lives she changed for the better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the Trump administration's deployment of CBP to North Carolina.

Since last weekend, North Carolinians watched in horror as masked agents descended on our State, terrorizing communities, and abducting people off the streets based on the color of their skin.

These immigration raids only serve one purpose: sowing fear and intimidation.

If the Republicans cared about fixing our broken immigration system, this wouldn't be the way to do it. If they did, they would work with Democrats to ensure our border is secure, families stay together, and our farms and businesses can get the workers they need. Instead, they refuse to do anything to fix our immigration system for legal immigration.

Mr. Speaker, Wake County and our State are welcoming, vibrant places, made stronger by the hardworking immigrants who choose to call our communities home. It is time for Federal immigration officers to go home and stop attacking our people. They need to arrest real criminals.

Mr. Speaker, next week we will recognize the 1-year anniversary since Hurricane Helene plowed a path of destruction across western North Carolina.

In August, I had the chance to visit and hear directly from several affected communities. Time and time again, I heard the same thing. They need more Federal support, and they need it faster.

We are lucky to have the steady leadership of Governor Stein guiding the recovery effort, but the Federal Government needs to do its part, too.

Unfortunately, the Trump administration continues to slow down the Federal relief process. That is why I am calling on the President to slash the red tape that is holding back critical assistance that was appropriated last year for our State.

Mr. Speaker, Congress also has a critical role to play. We need to replenish the disaster relief fund and immediately pass Governor Stein's request for additional Helene recovery funding. We can't abandon western North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary life and legacy of Mary Perry, who sadly passed away in August.

She left a mark on our community that will live for generations to come, first through her role as the president of the Wendell-Wake NAACP for decades and later when she made history as the first African- American chair of the Wake County Democratic Party.

From the civil rights movement to today's struggles for fairness in education, healthcare, housing, and voting, she led our community through many fights for justice and equality.

She faced threats while standing up to Jim Crow, fought against restrictive

voting laws, and inspired the next generation of leaders.

Mary Perry's story is one of perseverance and courage. We will proudly carry her legacy with us in the challenges ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a North Carolina trailblazer, Juanita Bryant, who, sadly, passed away last month.

Juanita spent her career fighting for the women of North Carolina. She made history by becoming the first woman in North Carolina appointed by the Governor to chair a State board or commission.

When Governor Hunt appointed her as executive director of the North Carolina Council for Women in 1993, he said: ``Mrs. Bryant is one of North Carolina's most knowledgeable citizens in the area of women's issues.''

On the council, Juanita led critical programs for women, including initiatives to help survivors of domestic violence, women in the military, women businessowners, and so much more.

Juanita Bryant advanced equality for women in North Carolina, but her legacy lives on in all the women and girls who walk in her footsteps today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn Republicans' big, ugly law, which decimates food assistance for 42 million Americans, including millions of children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Erica from Wilson, North Carolina, had this to say about SNAP: ``As a grandmother who is having to raise my granddaughter, this program helps me. I survived three heart attacks, yet [I am] still able to make sure my granddaughter is taken care of.''

At a time when so many families are struggling to put food on the table, why would we take away a lifeline that millions of Americans rely on?

This past weekend, I visited Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary, North Carolina, where I saw firsthand indispensable work to combat food insecurity in our own community.

Republicans have abandoned vulnerable, hungry people to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. It is shameful and un-American.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with grave concerns about Donald Trump's proposal to eliminate FEMA.

In September 2024, western North Carolina was ravaged by Hurricane Helene, the most devastating storm in our State's history. We lost over 100 lives, and countless communities were changed forever.

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, FEMA provided indispensable support to save lives, clear debris, and house families who lost everything.

As hurricane season begins, it is a disgrace that Donald Trump and his administration are proposing the elimination of FEMA. This scheme is nothing less than a slap in the face to the western North Carolina communities that he pledged to support.

If Trump really cares about effectively managing disaster response, then he should submit a funding request to Congress to replenish the disaster fund. Eliminating FEMA is not the answer. It will put lives in jeopardy across the United States and severely hamper ongoing disaster efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor former Congresswoman Jane Pratt.

This week in 1946, she was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first woman to represent North Carolina in Congress.

Prior to her election, she served as a congressional secretary for 22 years.

As a Member of this body, she was an important voice, urging passage of legislation for major flood control in a reservoir in North Carolina. She also joined other women Members in supporting First Lady Bess Truman's food program to support struggling people in post-war Europe.

After her term in Congress, Congresswoman Pratt went on to serve the American people at various Federal agencies for more than a decade. She proved everyone wrong who questioned whether a woman was up to this job almost 80 years ago, and today, I proudly stand on her shoulders.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with grave concern about the threat that the Trump administration poses to Social Security.

In February, Elon Musk called the program the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time. Then a few weeks later, he referred to Social Security as the big one to eliminate

These are not empty comments. They are real threats. Under this administration, we are seeing mass firings at Social Security offices, hours-long wait times, delayed checks, websites crashing, and field offices closing.

My district office in Raleigh, North Carolina, has received panicked calls from seniors whose checks didn't arrive on time for the first time ever.

Seniors' benefits are under attack, and Donald Trump is to blame. We will not be silent while Trump and his cronies try to slash the benefits that our seniors have earned over a lifetime of hard work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Republican's budget plan that would gut funding for Medicaid. In 2023, my home State of North Carolina achieved a historic victory by finally implementing Medicaid expansion after a decade of political gridlock.

Medicaid expansion has helped new moms and their babies during a critical phase of life. It has supported older Americans living in nursing homes. It has ensured that individuals with disabilities get the care that they need.

Republicans want to roll back this progress to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Their current budget would immediately terminate Medicaid expansion, ripping away healthcare from more than 600,000 North Carolinians and shuttering rural hospitals that may never be able to open their doors again.

Mr. Speaker, don't be fooled. The Republican budget is cruel, and it will cost the lives of North Carolinians.