Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Albany Park Theater Project, a gem of Illinois' Third Congressional District, and to recognize their production of ``Port of Entry,'' which reminds us all of an important lesson.

The story of our Nation wouldn't be complete without the sweat, without the tears, without the joy, and without the dreams and hopes of so many immigrants and children of immigrants.

They are the same stories that brought so many of us here to Congress.

Located in the heart of Albany Park, one of the most diverse immigrant communities in the Nation, the Albany Park Theater Project has long been a beacon of creativity, resilience, and hope. Through the power of storytelling and theater, this organization prepares and propels young people in Illinois' Third Congressional District to lead civically engaged and choice-filled lives.

Together, their team ensemble members and adult artists make world- class, award-winning, original theater that amplifies and illuminates the voices of immigrants and refugees, showcasing their struggles, triumphs, pain, and enduring humanity.

My husband, Boris, and I were fortunate to experience the production of ``Port of Entry'' together, and it was more than a performance. It was a profound journey in the daily lives of immigrant families from all over the world living in Albany Park.

As a ``proud,'' ``orgulloso,'' daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, I know firsthand how important it is for immigrant stories to be told authentically and celebrated unapologetically.

``Port of Entry,'' a collaboration with Third Rail Projects, takes audiences into a theater production set in a typical Chicago apartment building.

Audience members of ``Port of Entry'' are part of an immersive experience of the intimate lives of neighbors from Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, and beyond. Audience members share in the lived experiences and stories of immigrant families, celebrating their resilience, amplifying their voices, and showcasing the invaluable contributions they make to our communities.

The cast is made up of talented young people from our community who brilliantly invite us to reflect on what it means to call a place home and what it means to find belonging and to build a future in the face of challenge.

It invites us to wonder what makes the United States of America. The production is a culmination of years of work involving over 300 collaborators, including youth performers, storytellers, and creators. It is a testament to the theater company's 27-year-old commitment to using the arts to empower young people in bringing our community together.

Albany Park and our Nation have always been a port of entry for many families seeking new beginnings, whether through the southern border, like my mom, or welcomed by the ``Mother of Exiles,'' the Statue of Liberty, like many of the ancestors of the Members of this very same body.

Today, at a time when Members of this Chamber and the incoming administration are threatening to tear our communities apart and would question who gets to be American and who doesn't, this play feels so timely and vital.

I thank the Albany Park Theater Project and Debbie Reznick, one of the founding directors, for reminding us of the power of storytelling to inspire empathy and connection. I thank them for showing us that theater is not just for entertainment, but it is a vehicle for change and a celebration of the human spirit.

I am so proud to represent this community. I am even prouder to be the daughter of immigrants. Their work reflects the very best of our district and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, as we get close to the end of the 118th Congress, my first term representing the greatly diverse Illinois Third Congressional District, I rise in full gratitude for all of those who have supported me and held me during these not-so-easy 2 years in what we call the people's House.

We have heard that it takes a village to represent, to fight, and to deliver for our communities. However, recently, 219 Members of this body opted to persecute the village, passing a bill that puts all of civil society at risk. They took that action at the precise moment we should be uplifting and celebrating civil society as the first and most resilient line of defense for many vulnerable communities.

Without a robust civil society, countries can descend into instability, their governments becoming more prone to authoritarianism, human rights abuses, and the erosion of democratic freedoms.

While some of my colleagues came to the floor to do harm to civil society, I have come to the floor to commend the countless nonprofit organizations, faith communities, schools and universities, advocacy groups, and cultural institutions that compose the powerful civil society of Illinois' Third Congressional District.

Since my time as the executive director of a nonprofit in Chicago, I have seen community organizations nurture and sustain a healthy democracy by providing lifesaving services, including housing and warm meals while holding those in power accountable.

It is clear that strengthening, repairing, and defending our democracy is not solely the work of government. It requires the fabric of our communities, it requires civil organizations who are weaving their work together on the front lines to protect, to defend, and to enrich our communities and our neighborhoods.

Today, I am grateful for faith communities like the member institutions of the Logan Square Ecumenical Alliance and DuPage United; for community organizations like Onward Neighborhood House, La Casa Norte, and Habitat for Humanity DuPage; for schools and universities like Northeastern University's El Centro and North Park University; for early childhood centers like Educare DuPage and Chicago Commons; for human rights advocates like Palenque LSNA and AFIRE; for cultural organizations like the National Veterans Art Museum and the Mexican Cultural Center of DuPage.

There are too many strong civil society organizations to name. To the many, many civil service organizations across Illinois Third, I want to say, ``thank you,'' ``gracias.'' I appreciate the opportunities and possibilities they create for our neighbors independent of their ZIP Code, independent of their citizenship status or past actions, and the way they keep me rooted in a community ready to fight like hell for our neighbors.

As I celebrate the work of civil society, I also want to uplift the team that puts in the long hours, that makes so many sacrifices for the people of Illinois Third, and who are seldom mentioned and seldom seen in public. That team is my staff.

My staff, who despite the challenges of this Congress and despite a Congress that oftentimes negates the humanity of their own family, has used their professional and lived experiences to introduce and champion transformative and progressive legislation, has pushed the government to work for our constituents and deliver resources back to Illinois Third, and has ensured our neighbors receive the lifesaving services that they deserve.

To my entire team: Ellen, Luis, Claudia, Karsen, Deepa, Noemi, Jowen, Marina, Daniela, Valeria, Kat, Jennifer, Nataly, Vianey, Micaela, Magda, Levi, and Rogelio, as well as the countless interns, fellows, and past staffers who have supported our work, I say thank you. They are seen, they are appreciated, and I am so proud to have worked with them in this first term and as we prepare ourselves for the next.

Through gratitude I find hope. Both the community at home and the team I have here in Congress have reminded me that in uncertain times one thing is certain: Our communities are prepared to organize, to protect each other, and to unite no matter what the next 4 years brings us. I am forever grateful and I am ready.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Deluzio for convening this Special Order hour, and I am grateful it is on a topic that I believe is so critical to so many of the conversations that we are having right now.

You are talking about babies still impacted. You brought me back to thinking about what it was like for me growing up. I grew up in Humboldt Park in the city of Chicago. I saw my immigrant parents work pretty long hours in minimum wage jobs. My dad worked two jobs, my mom worked two jobs, and somehow she also managed to give a lot of time to her local church.

What they couldn't afford was childcare. My mother worked first shift so my dad could work third shift, and they could figure out how to make sure that their kids always had someone at home. That meant that my parents could barely ever see each other.

My parents' experience is not very different from the reality of so many others right now. I witnessed the struggles of my community to secure stable housing, to ensure quality education for their children, and to raise a family with the rising cost of living.

Let me be very clear: Working people are still struggling. The cost of living in America is too damn high. Too often I hear my constituents, my neighbors talk about having to make a decision: Can I go to the grocery store and buy the eggs and the milk, try to get some spinach, try to get the bread, pay the $2,200 a month for a two-bedroom apartment in Chicago, and then afford my inhaler?

Mr. Speaker, oftentimes what ends up happening is that people have to choose between being able to feed their children and their healthcare, feeding their children and an inhaler in one of the richest countries in the whole world. Why is it so hard for us to move a working people's agenda in Congress? You would think there is more of us that come from working class than ever before. Some of us actually understand what it is like to have to help our parents who are probably making $100 too much for Medicaid so they need help covering their healthcare.

There are more of us here who are working class, but somehow a working people's agenda in this place doesn't seem to be a priority.

We ask ourselves: Why don't the American people trust that we are working for them?

Well, let me answer that question. When unchecked corporate power and greed in the marketplace meets unchecked corporate money in politics, well, we have a problem. It is the families in Illinois' Third, Fourth, Fifth, in your own districts, who end up suffering because of it.

We know that price gouging, price-fixing, predatory algorithms, and corporate monopolies put profits and production over people. It is why I joined my colleagues in sending a letter, that Congresswoman Jayapal was just talking about, opposing the Kroger-Albertsons merger, because we have to resist the consolidation of corporate power if we are going to protect working people.

I am also a proud cosponsor of Congresswoman Omar's Shrinkflation Reduction Act which would enhance price transparency for consumers and combat the deceptive practice of shrinkflation.

I go to my local grocery store. I can literally see the difference between what people in my community are paying and what someone else in a community that has four grocery stores pays. They usually pay 25 percent more. We need the kind of accountability that bills like this will bring.

Shrinkflation practices hide behind the language of inflation, but we know that actually consumer exploitation is intended to defraud us so corporations can continue to profit, while providing less product.

We know how corporations are able to get away with these practices. It is because they use their profits to buy the same exact people who are responsible for holding them accountable. Yes, I said it. Big money in politics, whether poured into elections or directly in the pockets of corrupt public servants, give special interests and corporations outsized influence in our democracy.

So when a good bill comes before us, when a good bill comes to the committee, somehow we can't actually debate the bill because it is a good bill. It should pass. These corporations have the power to buy elections and buy elected officials.

Our democracy is weaker and our communities suffer when the voices of working families are buried under the influence that millions can buy. We see it too often. It is why we need bills like H.R. 1118, the DISCLOSE Act, to end the scourge of dark money buying our democracy.

I am a cosponsor of the act that Representative Pappas introduced because it does a couple of things. It requires super-PACs and dark money groups to disclose donors who have given $10,000 or more during an election cycle. It requires those spending money on ads to disclose their donors. It cracks down on the use of shell corporations to hide the identity of a donor.

If you are donating to an elected official or candidate, the public should know who you are. The DISCLOSE Act bill does just that. If our democracy is not for sale, which it shouldn't be for sale, then mega- donors should not be

attempting to buy our democracy. It means we have to bring the full power of the Federal Government through regulations, through accountability, and through transparency to fight for working people, for our constituents.

It is also why I think it is so important that we are cosponsoring legislation like Congresswoman Jayapal's bill, which is the Stop Corporate Capture Act, H.R. 1507. This bill institutes reforms to rightsize the influence of corporate interests over regulatory process, it increases transparency of government rulemaking decisions, and it establishes a mechanism for the public to hold agencies accountable.

We have to do everything possible so that the American people trust that those of us that are in the people's House are actually here for them because the reality is that they don't.

They do see us as people who are here to enrich ourselves, people who are here to hear ourselves speak. Working families demand accountability, and they have given us a mandate. They are asking us for bold solutions to economic justice, and it means taking on corporate greed.

As we get closer to an administration that has promised to weaken the pillars of our democracy more than ever, I think it is going to be critical that Progressives and every Democrat, frankly, every elected official that is here for working families, get together to unite and address corporate greed. If we don't, we will continue to see what we see now, which is corporations becoming wealthier than wealthy can possibly be, while poor people continue to have to choose between healthcare and feeding their children.

I thank Congressman Deluzio for the opportunity to speak today. I thank him for bringing up such an important, critical issue. I look forward to working with him in the next Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Dr. Sania Choudhury Irwin, a trailblazing civic leader from Glen Ellyn devoted to engaging and strengthening her community and our democracy. A respected leader, she works to address the important issues in our country, such as healthcare, education, immigration, press freedom, the impact of money in politics, and so much more.

As the vice president of the League of Women Voters of the United States, Sania works to inform constituents, empower voters, and defend our democracy across the country and in Illinois' Third Congressional District. She also leads nonpartisan initiatives to increase voter participation, ensuring that our local communities make their voices heard.

As the cofounder of One Community, Dr. Irwin works to advance social justice initiatives in DuPage County, focusing on programs and actions that build community. Her efforts and advocacy have resulted in the formation of a community relations commission in which she serves as the chair, spearheading policies, initiatives, and resources that create a more equitable and more inclusive society for all.

On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I commend Dr. Irwin for her inspiring leadership, commitment to justice, and unwavering service to our community and our Nation. I thank Dr. Irwin.

Honoring Sister Marta Cichon

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sister Marta Cichon, a woman who has profoundly transformed the lives of Polish immigrant families and uplifted single mothers in Illinois.

Born in Zabkowice, Poland, Sister Marta's duty to humanity has led her across the globe, serving in Australia before arriving in the United States in 2000. Here, she recognized a pressing need to support mothers and their children who are vulnerable to homelessness, hunger, and the lack of assistance.

Ultimately, Sister Marta established a single mothers home in 2008. The single mothers home offers essential services, from legal assistance to mental health support, empowering women to rebuild their lives.

For nearly 15 years, Sister Marta has provided refuge, hope, and a path to independence for over 140 mothers and 180 children, including those who have experienced domestic violence. To this day, these families maintain a close bond with Sister Marta, who considers them family.

I commend on this day Sister Marta for her compassion, resilience, unwavering community service, and commitment to ensure that all of us are seen.

May we be inspired by her. May we be encouraged by her and be reminded that it is our responsibility to serve others.

``Dziekuje'' ``thank you,'' Sister Marta.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for all Members to have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order hour.

Madam Speaker, today, I want to take a moment to remind us why we are here.

On my first day of Congress, which feels like so, so many years ago but was about 23 months ago, I made a commitment to represent, advocate, defend, and fight for the people. I made a promise to legislate with a vision for a better future for the constituents of my district. That includes veterans.

As a proud member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, my goal continues to be the same: Advance policies that improve the lives of veterans and ensure that they have access to every benefit they have earned and that has been promised to them.

However, I continue to be disappointed with so much extreme rhetoric from many of my colleagues to the right of me who choose to put politics over the lives of veterans, effectively watering down the protections and stonewalling progress on bills that would assist them.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus and I remain determined to do what is right for our veterans. That means advocating for better access to healthcare, fighting for our veterans experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and advocating for our women veterans and their unique needs. Above all, when our veterans come home, we ensure they can lead a happy, fulfilling life after service.

Madam Speaker, we have delivered. I am proud to say that since Representative Takano's Honoring our PACT Act was signed into law, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA, has delivered more than $6.8 billion in PACT Act benefits to veterans. Over 5.7 million veterans have received new toxic exposure screenings. Over 740,000 new veterans have enrolled in VA healthcare. This means that more veterans are getting the care and benefits they rightfully earned.

The success of the PACT Act demonstrates what is possible when Congress prioritizes people over partisan politics, and it shows what can be done for veterans when Congress and agencies work together to deliver for our constituents.

Where the Department of Veterans Affairs succeeds also provides us with a broader vision and useful roadmap for what we can achieve for all Americans. The VA provides a basic housing allowance, population- specific healthcare, job assistance and training, and targeted interventions to prevent and address homelessness.

I believe that Congress can and should replicate the most promising parts of the VA to ensure the same base level of material and social support for our everyday working families. I believe we can eradicate poverty, prevent and end homelessness, and ensure that no person goes hungry or lives without essential healthcare.

It is actually possible for all Americans to lead a happy, fulfilling life and to retire with dignity. It starts with legislating with compassion and a commitment to the flourishing of our neighbors.

Despite Republican efforts to stop progress and turn the clock back 100 or more years, let me just say the Congressional Progressive Caucus and I will hold the line. We will defend our veterans. We will ensure they have every single benefit that veterans deserve, and we will honor their service with action.

I want to talk about the last 23 months and the work that I have done here in Congress. When I became an elected official, first as a State representative and now in Congress, I made a commitment. That commitment was to remain rooted in the community that I was elected to serve. Since joining the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I have seen how critical it is for veterans and the families of veterans to receive the full benefits of our Nation's promise to them and what they have earned.

I am proud to say that during my freshman year--no longer a freshman in a couple of months--I have advocated for and introduced pieces of legislation that expand veteran access to education, healthcare, and housing.

Last year, I introduced the Student Veteran Benefits Restoration Act, which would reinstate GI benefits for students who pursued a degree at a college or university that defrauded them. I am proud to say this bill was voted on and passed by the House in April.

While the final negotiated bill is more limited in scope than I would have wanted, I do think it represents an ongoing commitment to work to ensure that veterans receive full access to the educational benefits that they have earned. I am committed to building on this momentum and continuing this fight into the 119th Congress.

This year, I am proud to have introduced the Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act, with Senator Durbin leading this effort in the Senate. What this bill would do is amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to limit the interest rate on student loans incurred by servicemembers before they go into military service. It will consolidate and refinance it during military service.

I was in my district on Veterans Day with veterans and veteran- serving organizations, and I heard how much they need for us to invest in them and address the issues of homelessness. As a matter of fact, I heard that, in the last year, we have seen another increase in homelessness among the veteran community.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to announce that I am introducing a new bill to create permanent housing opportunities for our veterans. The bill would expand the services that the grant per diem providers give to include prevention services and also allow for capital grants to be used to convert units into permanent housing.

I am eager to work with the committee around the bill introduction, and I am excited to be able to share more details on the bill very soon.

I voted to advance critical legislation that will bring solutions to the policy failures that leave our veterans and their families desperate and frustrated. During every hearing and every markup, I remain intentional in my efforts to ensure that we fulfill the promises our Nation has made to our veterans.

That work has to continue next Congress. In my opinion, that is how we honor service through action.

I want to talk a little bit about healthcare. One of the most pressing issues our veterans face is access to quality healthcare. Healthcare is a basic need that we must deliver for our veterans. Accessible healthcare for veterans shouldn't be considered a privilege but a right for those who have served their country.

Expanded health services will allow veterans to receive timely treatments for various medical conditions without having to worry about financial burdens or lengthy waits for appointments. Improved access to mental health services is also critical to address issues such as PTSD and other psychological conditions caused by military service.

Expanding healthcare for veterans will also help reduce the long-term costs associated with providing care for aging veterans, ensuring they receive the care they need in later life.

Veterans should be provided access to high-quality medical treatment, regardless of economic status or geographic location, so that they can all benefit from high-quality healthcare services without undue financial burden or delays in treatment.

To show appreciation and respect for their sacrifice and service to their country, our Nation is responsible for

providing vital care for veterans. It is why, during the October recess, I convened veterans. What they have said to me is that the gaps that they continue to experience are unacceptable, gaps like dental care and dental coverage, wait times for physical and mental health appointments, challenges to healthcare enrollment, and a greater need for outreach to underserved veterans.

It is why I co-led the Expanding Health Care Providers for Veterans Act with Representative Tlaib, to make it easier for the VA and State veterans homes to hire employees on H-1B visas when they cannot find a suitable applicant in the United States. Specifically, the bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs and State veterans homes as cap-exempt institutions for the purposes of the H-1B visa program.

I am also proud to cosponsor numerous bills around veterans healthcare, including the 9-8-8 Implementation Act. Madam Speaker, 988 is the new nationwide suicide prevention line, and the 9-8-8 Implementation Act would offer more Federal support to the crisis line, including resources to veteran-specific departments of the crisis line.

Providing quality, accessible healthcare is how we honor our veterans with action.

To hear a little bit more about this work that many of us are doing to ensure that our veterans are getting the services they deserve, we will hear from some of my colleagues very soon.

Madam Speaker, while we do that, I want to talk to you a little bit more about some of our veterans who currently continue to see so many challenges.

I want to make sure that I am clear. I am here to represent all veterans, especially the veterans who are most vulnerable. That means first-generation veterans. That means women veterans. That means veterans of color. That also means veterans who, we don't want to admit, have been deported after having served this country, after nearly dying for this country and experiencing PTSD. They have lost their green cards and, today, are separated from their families.

As the evidence has shown, veterans of color have served this country honorably for decades. Due to intentional segregation and racism, they were unable to use the benefits promised to them. That is why I commend my colleague, Congressman Clyburn, for putting forward the VA Housing Loan Forever Act, to do the right thing and restore equity to veterans of color.

Similarly, women veterans were locked out of receiving the benefits they earned due to their service not being properly recognized. That is why, when I go back to my district and when I sit in those hearings, I always center the voices of our veterans, particularly those most impacted. As a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, ensuring that our women in uniform are recognized for their contributions and sacrifices. Having full access to their benefits must be a priority.

It is why I was proud to offer and have passed an amendment to the Jax Act out of subcommittee. What does this amendment do? It directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a report regarding gender disparities and covered claims for traumatic brain injuries and post- traumatic stress disorder, particularly among those who have engaged in combat since 1990.

I also want to shed light on an issue that I hold close to my heart, and that is our veterans who are seeking legal pathways to citizenship. You heard me a few moments ago talk about those who have been deported and are now separated from their families after having served their country. To me, it is unimaginable that they are at risk of deportation or have been deported because, despite their service and sacrifice, too many undocumented veterans have faced deportation due to a failed immigration system that does not honor who we say we are as a nation.

Now, you ask, how are they serving if they are not a U.S. citizen? You don't have to be a U.S. citizen to die for this Nation. You will get a green card, and you will be able to do that. If you come back to the country you love, the country you call home, and something happens, if there is a fight at a bar, if you are dealing with PTSD and there is something that happens to you, you can immediately lose your green card and be deported.

Let me say this to you: As we celebrate our veterans, we must remember those who today find themselves living in exile, separated from their families and often struggling to access the benefits and support they earn through their service.

Madam Speaker, it is time to return these veterans home and deliver justice and support. It is why I am proud to cosponsor Representative Takano's Veteran Service Recognition Act, which would allow noncitizen servicemembers to apply for naturalization during basic training, establishing a review process for those who are in removal proceedings, and provide an opportunity for a noncitizen veteran who has been removed or ordered removed and who has not been convicted of a serious crime to obtain legal permanent resident status.

Today, I call my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, who say that they care about our veterans to stand with us and to cosponsor this incredibly important piece of legislation because that is how we honor every veterans' service with action for: Sergio Andrade, Jiji Thomas Kurian, Elsworth Alexander Smith, Mark Osmond Isaacs, Gerardo Emiterio Lopez Flores. The time to act is today.

In a moment, I will yield to one of my colleagues who every day fights like hell for our veterans, so you can hear directly from them on the work that they are doing.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Chris Deluzio.

Madam Speaker, as we talk about the faces of our veterans and the impact and challenges that they are going through at this moment, I am also reminded of so many of them who come back home and continue to provide public service, who continue to show up for their community and for their neighbors and families.

As we recommit to fighting for every single veteran, I will take the time to recognize a servicemember in my district, someone who is using her platform to advocate for the care and benefits of those who came before her.

Madam Speaker, today, I will honor my constituent, U.S. Army Major Karen Hernandez, who serves our country and our community with dedication and courage.

The daughter of Mexican immigrants and a proud first-generation college graduate, Major Hernandez embodies, like the daughters and sons of immigrants, the values of resilience, of integrity, and an enduring commitment to community and to service.

Since enlisting in 2008 as a medical service officer for the 108th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, Karen has commanded field hospitals and played a vital role in Illinois' COVID-19 response.

In our communities, as the executive director of Chicago Veterans, she helps servicemembers transition back to civilian life. She advocates for them to receive the promised benefits that they earned.

Whether it is supporting humanitarian efforts or empowering veterans, Hernandez leads with selflessness and Hernandez leads with courage.

On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I commend Karen Hernandez for her remarkable service and for her leadership, both in and beyond the military. ``Thank you, Karen.'' ``Gracias, Karen.''

As I wrap up, I thank all of my colleagues who are continuously working and looking past the partisan politics. I especially thank the Progressive Caucus and the Special Order hour because what the American people continue to ask of us is to stop talking at them. What the American people continue to say is, stop promising things. What the American people are saying is, we are tired of your darn fights online because you want to go viral. What the American people are saying is, we need you to move from words to action.

Madam Speaker, I will end with this: The future that we seek is possible. Accessible, affordable healthcare is possible. Every person having a safe, clean home is possible. A country where no one goes hungry can be possible. Quality education and jobs that provide living wages, a humane, assured, legal pathway to citizenship, all of this is what our veterans deserve and all of it is what our veterans have earned.

It is also what every person who has contributed to this country deserves, and that includes my friends, our neighbors, who for years have served our communities and our economies with the reassurance of permanent protections. I am talking about our Dreamers.

Right now, there are 530,000 DACA recipients, approximately 500,000 people eligible for DACA barred from applying, and 80,000 unprocessed applicants who, for years, have lived in a legal limbo, many of them here since the age of 2.

These Dreamers are not children anymore. Wesdin Hernandez, my brother-in-law, is not a child. He is actually 40 years old. They work, they provide for their families, and they invest in our economies, contributing at least $2.1 billion to Social Security and Medicare every single year.

Today, we must be courageous and exhaust every avenue possible to keep the 11.3 million Americans in DACA-impacted families together and provide a pathway to citizenship and security for Dreamers. Whether through passing the American Dream and Promise Act or through bold executive action, we must honor with action all who have put their lives in service to our Nation and our communities, and those are Dreamers and those are veterans, full stop.

As we near the end of the year, I am reminded why I stand on the House floor today. I stand here to amplify the voices of the people in my community who sent me here, to be the only Latina in the room representing veterans who look like they could be my family members, to be the person who lifts as she climbs, to be the person who never forgets where she comes from, to be the person who says proudly, it doesn't matter if one person is impacted or a million, it is the one that I am here fighting for.

Our veterans deserve better, and they demand urgency. Our country deserves better, and I refuse to stand down in the face of injustice and hate because I, ``the Congresswoman,'' ``la congresista'' of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I choose to fight for the future we deserve. I choose to fight for a future that is possible. I choose to fight so that our veterans are honored through service and action.

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

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 3 o'clock and 24 minutes p.m.), the House adjourned until tomorrow, Friday, November 15, 2024, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Hip Hop History Month, I rise to honor Grammy award-winning music producer, director, and composer, Peter Wilkins, or better known as, Peter Cottontale.

Peter's visionary artistry has profoundly shaped the music scene of our city, Chi-town, and beyond. As a close collaborator of Chance the Rapper and a founding member of The Social Experiment, Peter's talents have contributed to Grammy-winning projects that honor and elevate Chicago's people, our shared struggle, our sense of community, and our unique creative opportunity to serve others.

His fingerprints can also be found in the music of SZA, Lil Wayne, and J. Cole, as well as hometown heroes like Jamila Woods, Noname, and Vic Mensa. As the owner of RCM Studios in Avondale in the Illinois Third District, Peter is cultivating inclusive, joyful spaces for local talent.

Cottontale's work is not just music; it is a movement toward innovation and a movement toward unity. On behalf of Illinois' Third District, I commend Peter Cottontale for his contributions to hip-hop and music history and for reminding us of the power of music to unite communities.

Mr. Speaker, I offer congratulations to Peter.

Honoring Nelly Lema for Preserving the Culture and History of the

Native Kichwa People

Mr. Speaker:

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish by Mrs. Ramirez is as follows:)

In commemoration of Native American Heritage Month, I rise to honor my constituent, Nelly Lema, a community leader committed to preserving the culture and history of the native Kichwa people of Ecuador.

As the President of the Kichwa Community of Chicago, Nelly has built community and strengthened the cultural identity for the Kichwa people who today call Chicago home.

Through cultural performances, workshops, culturally competent classes, civic dialogue, and policymaking, she has emboldened the Kichwa people to preserve the language, traditions, and identity of their people.

Sharing space with Kichwa musicians, artists, and elders who contribute their talents and knowledge, she fosters a welcoming space for her community to feel recognized, seen, and valued.

Nelly's efforts remind us of the importance of uplifting diasporic Indigenous Latine communities, both in the United States and globally.

Mr. Speaker, I commend and thank Nelly for her incredibly necessary work as a cultural steward and community leader.

Mr. Speaker, En conmemoracion del Mes de la Herencia Nativa Americana, deseo honrar a mi constituyente, Nelly Lema, una lider comunitaria comprometida con la preservacion de la cultura y la historia del pueblo nativo Kichwa de Ecuador.

Como presidenta de la Comunidad Kichwa de Chicago, Nelly ha construido una comunidad y fortalecido la identidad cultural de una comunidad Kichwa que hoy considera a Chicago su hogar.

A traves de espectaculos culturales, talleres, clases culturalmente competentes, dialogo civico y advocacia por politicas publicas, ha alentado a Kichwas en Chicago a preservar su idioma, sus tradiciones y su identidad como pueblo.

Al compartir espacio con musicos, artistas y personas de la tercera edad kichwa que brindan sus talentos y conocimientos, fomenta un espacio acogedor para que su comunidad se sienta reconocida, vista y valorada.

Los esfuerzos de Nelly nos recuerdan la importancia de elevar a las comunidades latinas indigenas de la diaspora tanto en los Estados Unidos como a nivel mundial. La felicito por su trabajo increiblemente necesario como administradora cultural y lider comunitaria.

Gracias, Nelly.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Metra and all of its employees on their 40th anniversary of delivering public transportation services for communities in Illinois' Third Congressional District.

Metra is essential to our work in Illinois to build a strong, vibrant regional economy. Public transportation connects residents of Illinois' Third Congressional District to high-quality jobs, public amenities, and local businesses from DuPage County to downtown Chicago and beyond.

When public transportation provides reliable, affordable, and accessible service, the benefits go beyond economic development and opportunity. We can achieve cleaner environments, better family health outcomes, and safer communities.

It is why I am proud to have secured $8 million in Federal funds for the Illinois Department of Transportation's Rail Crossing Elimination program to support the separation of train traffic from pedestrians and cars in the Franklin Park community in my district, a project that will improve safety and mobility for local residents in my district.

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Metra and its commuter rail service, I will continue advocating for policies and investments that support public transit environments, strengthen green, resilient infrastructure, and expand choice and equity in our transportation systems.

Mr. Speaker, I thank everyone at Metra for their service and for connecting our communities. Let's continue rolling together toward a brighter future.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman McGovern for holding this Special Order hour to discuss the very real threat nuclear weapons represent to our shared safety and our peace.

Mr. Speaker, it has been almost 80 years since the beginning of the nuclear age. Given where we are at this precise moment, the risks posed by nuclear weapons feels real, it feels present, and it feels tangible.

Despite warnings from advocates and the United Nations, the threat of nuclear escalation is on the rise. In fact, our Nation's leadership has played an important role in either mitigating or escalating this dangerous reality. What we do and how we lead and what we say to the world will continue to be a crucial factor in the nuclear arms race and war in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I am tired of saying it, but words matter, and I quote: ``Let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all.'' That was the incoming President's answer to the question of a possible nuclear war back in 2016.

We know that, as our Nation and other States agreed in a 2022 declaration, nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. Despite the claims of warmongers, including our President-elect and the military industrial complex, nuclear weapons are not defensive or an effective strategy for deterrence.

The bottom line is nuclear weapons are tools of war, death, and mass destruction. They can't be used without catastrophic humanitarian consequences that violate every single principle of international law and our shared humanity. We are headed in the wrong direction with a trigger-happy President about to take office.

Will he renew the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty?

Will he ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons?

Will he decrease spending on nuclear weapons or decommission our already massive nuclear arsenal?

Of course not.

When we invest in nuclear proliferation, I want us to remember that we could be providing assistance in our communities. We could be supporting the education of our children. We could be transforming our infrastructure and delivering nutritious meals to families. We could be assisting first-time home buyers. We could be building a quality healthcare system.

Mr. Speaker, I can go on and on, and Congressman McGovern would need another five Special Order hours, but what I am saying is that these are life-giving investments in people. Nuclear weapons only bring total annihilation. We must pursue another path forward. We have to pursue a path toward peace, and we can do that together.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Metra and all its employees on their 40th anniversary of delivering public transportation services for the communities in Illinois' 3rd Congressional District and beyond.

Metra is essential to our work in Illinois to build a strong, vibrant regional economy. Public transportation connects residents of Illinois' 3rd Congressional District to high-quality jobs, public amenities, and local businesses, from DuPage County to downtown Chicago and beyond.

When public transportation provides reliable, affordable, and accessible service, the benefits go beyond economic development and opportunity. We can achieve cleaner environments, better family health outcomes, and safer communities.

This is why I am proud to have secured $8 million in federal funds from the Department of Transportation's Rail Crossing Elimination program to support the separation of train traffic from pedestrians and cars in the Franklin Park community in my district--a project that will improve safety and mobility for local residents in my district.

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Metra and its commuter rail service, I will continue advocating for policies and investments that support public transit improvements, strengthen green, resilient infrastructure, and expand choice and equity in our transportation systems.

I thank Metra, for their service to connecting our communities. Let's continue rolling together towards a bright future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the hypocrisy of the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act.

My Republican colleagues seem to have missed the irony of proposing this bill. Right now, this month, we honor the contributions of the Latin community to this Nation, knowing that immigrants contribute nearly $100 billion in Federal taxes every year.

Immigrants bail out Federal programs with their labor and taxes, but it is the Federal Government that has to stop the bailouts?

Mr. Speaker, you miss me with that.

Chicago and Illinois know immigrants contribute to the economic and social vibrancy of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, you have to ask yourself: Why else might Republicans propose a policy that would strip billions in Federal funds from States like New York, California, and Illinois?

Can you think of a reason, Mr. Speaker?

I can. It is a political stunt to take money away from diverse communities and Democratic cities.

Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, I will be voting ``no'' on H.R. 5717, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of our Latino communities' rich contributions to our Nation, I rise to recognize my constituent, Cristina Villareal, for her dedication and advocacy to champion Latinas in our Nation.

Cristina's career, from her roles in the city of Chicago to Cook County, reflects a deep commitment to social justice and equity. As chief officer of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Cristina has tirelessly worked to ensure that Illinois remains an abortion haven for the Midwest, defending the right of every woman to bodily autonomy and to access the reproductive care they need and deserve when they need it.

Cristina has also served as the president of the Chicago chapter of the National Organization for Women, amplifying the voices of Latinas and ensuring they exercise their right to vote.

Her work is inspired by the world she wants to build for her two daughters, Catalina, who is watching now, and Camila.

On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I commend Cristina Villareal for her unwavering dedication to justice, to equity for Latinas and all women, and her invaluable service to her community and to our State as a ``powerful Latina,'' ``poderosa Latina.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank and congratulate Cristina.

In Recognition of Rogelio ``Roy'' Soria

Mr. Speaker, in honor of our Latino communities' rich contributions to this Nation, I am proud today to recognize Rogelio ``Roy'' Soria of the Transportation Workers Union of America Local 556 for his tireless advocacy for worker rights.

As a shop steward, executive board member for his local, and recording secretary of the Chicago metro chapter of the Labor Council for Latin-American Advancement, Roy has dedicated himself to building a multiracial unity as we fight for fair wages, for dignity, and for justice.

Because of Roy's leadership, we passed the 2022 Illinois Workers' Rights Amendment, enshrining the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively in Illinois, and expanded the Illinois Sick Leave Act to 30,000 aviation workers in Illinois.

On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I commend Rogelio ``Roy'' Soria for his unwavering commitment to worker solidarity and the power of collective action.

Mr. Speaker, ``congratulations,'' ``felicidades'' to Roy, and I thank him for his incredible leadership.

Honoring Hugo Manzo

Mr. Speaker, in honor of our Latino communities' rich contributions to our Nation, I rise to honor Hugo Manzo, a champion for Latino representation in the trades, for his unwavering commitment to organized labor and Latino empowerment.

Initiated into the Painters Local Union 33 in 1993 as a drywall finisher, Hugo was the very first Mexican American hired by Painters District Council 14.

In 2014, Hugo became the first Mexican elected business representative for Painters District Council 14, overseeing the work of Will and Grundy Counties.

He later served as the director of organizing, driving efforts to unionize nonunion sites and industries, providing workers with the option to, for the very first time, collectively negotiate wages, hours, working conditions, and their own welfare.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I commend Hugo Manzo and join workers throughout Illinois to thank him for his leadership.

Honoring Stephanie Chavez

Mr. Speaker, in honor of our Latino communities' rich contributions to this entire Nation, I rise to honor my constituent, Stephanie Chavez, a proud first-generation Mexican American from Glendale Heights, Illinois.

The daughter of Maria and Tomas Chavez, Stephanie has spent her life pursuing a career as a secondary social studies teacher. She believes that education is a tool for collective liberation and has committed to teaching the next generation about the history and policies of our Nation and to teach our young people to be proud of our roots, many of those immigrant roots, and

how to engage and shape a brighter, more equitable future.

Her dedication and hard work have led to her being awarded the 2024 Outstanding Graduate by the College of DuPage Foundation.

I had the pleasure of seeing firsthand the incredible leadership and positive example that Stephanie sets for her children at Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center in my district.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I commend and thank Stephanie for her passion and dedication. She is an inspiration to all of us, especially young Latinas dreaming of a future of liberation like I do.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, today is 9/11, and I start our Special Order hour by paying tribute to the 2,977 people who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and the thousands of people who were injured that day.

I ask that we observe a minute of silence as we remember the families torn apart, futures stolen and irrevocably changed, and the lives that we lost that day.

As Progressives, we are committed to making our democracy work, repairing the places it is fractured, strengthening the places it is vulnerable, and defending the places it is effective.

In April, the Congressional Progressive Caucus released our platform for 2025. In it, we outlined the work we are committed to, ensuring our democracy is strong.

Today, I have the honor to stand with a number of my colleagues who have been the movers and shakers in protecting our democracy and working toward strengthening our democracy and helping expand our democracy. I am pleased, as we get started with our Special Order hour, to yield to my colleagues who will share the progress that they have made and what Congress must still accomplish to further deliver on the work their communities sent them here to do.

Mr. Speaker, I will start by yielding to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin).

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Raskin is absolutely right. We are committed to progress. We are committed to moving forward. We are committed to strengthening our voting rights. We are committed to improving representation. We are committed to campaign finance reform. We are committed to fully funded Federal agencies. We are committed to ethics, courts, and filibuster reform.

There is someone who has been doing this work for a very long time and has developed the leadership among other Members to continue this work even after he leaves this Chamber.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to another gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes), a friend, someone that I am inspired by. I am committed to make sure that we carry on this legacy of progress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Sarbanes for his remarks. He couldn't have said it more perfectly as we are wrapping up here.

I often ask myself what it would look like if money didn't determine elections, if qualifications did, if competency would. What would it look like if we got big money out of politics, which is exactly what we should all be prioritizing?

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bowman). I don't think anyone can speak better about that issue than him.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Bowman for his remarks, and I am committed to working with him here and out of here to ensure that happens.

When we talk about the issues that matter most, as Congressman Bowman mentioned, everything from housing to healthcare to education, we understand that when democracy is weakened, our ability to move reforms because of these issues is also impacted.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Vermont (Ms. Balint), someone I have had the opportunity to serve with for the last 21 months, a fierce advocate for our communities, not just in Vermont but all over, making sure that justice, equity, and strengthening democracy is at the forefront.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Balint. Her words could not have been more powerful.

We are at a crossroads right now, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus is committed to strengthening voting rights because our caucus wants to make sure that we protect the right to vote by passing broad and comprehensive voting rights bills that eliminate barriers to voting for U.S. citizens.

We want same-day, automatic, and online voter registration. We are committed to improving representation because we are the party that wants to abolish the electoral college, grant statehood to the District of Columbia, and establish a democratic process for the people of Puerto Rico to determine the island's future political status.

We are committed to bold campaign finance reform. We are the party that wants to end corruption and get big money and corporations out of politics by finally eliminating dark money in elections.

We are committed to fully funding Federal agencies that invest in Americans' health, education, and well-being. We are the party that wants to ensure that Congress funds vital Federal agencies and prevents the privatization of government services.

We are committed to eliminating or reforming the filibuster, and we are the party that wants to allow for the democratic consideration and passage of essential legislation.

We are committed to ethics reform. We are the caucus that wants to ban stock trading and ownership for Members of Congress and the Federal judiciary and impose an enforceable code of conduct on the Supreme Court, including instituting accountability measures and restrictions on gifts and requiring judicial disclosures and recusal.

We are committed to reforming the Court. We are the party that wants to expand the number of Justices on the bench, implement term limits, and create new judgeships across the Federal system.

Folks, as you heard from my colleagues here, we are committed because it is important to remember that this week extreme Republicans are attempting to hold the government hostage so they can advance a bill that creates barriers to voting for U.S. citizens.

Bottom line: It is already illegal under current law for noncitizens to register to vote or to vote in Federal elections. Despite numerous recounts, challenges in court, and the deep dives by Conservative think tanks, there has been zero evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Folks, it is a scare tactic, and extreme Republicans are trying to scare Americans--the fear-mongering--into giving up their right to exercise their vote in an accessible and unburdensome election process.

The SAVE Act is voter suppression, plain and simple. Requiring citizens to show documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote places an extreme burden on countless Americans, including military voters, Native voters, people who have changed their names, including tens of millions of American women, the elderly, the young, the poor, and naturalized citizens.

The SAVE Act's burdens on rightful voters are extreme because most Americans would be unable to register to vote using their driver's license or other State-provided identification alone. Even Real IDs do not meet the SAVE Act's requirements.

Millions of Americans, including tens of thousands in each congressional district, would be prevented from registering to vote easily, if at all. Americans would not be able to use military IDs or Tribal IDs alone when registering to vote. U.S. citizens who are putting their life on the line would have to go get a passport and other documents to prove their citizenship.

People who have changed their names, including millions of married women, would not be allowed to use their birth certificates when proving their citizenship.

Registration applications would need to be presented in person, essentially ending mail-in voting and creating barriers for same-day voter registration.

The SAVE Act makes it clear exactly who extreme Republicans believe should have an easy time accessing the right to vote and, more importantly, who they believe should have a difficult time.

It is in this moment, in this context that my colleagues and I come to this Chamber to convene this Special Order hour, to make it crystal clear exactly who is committed to doing the work of repairing and strengthening democracy.

Repairing, strengthening, and protecting our democracy is one of my greatest priorities in Congress. I have the honor of co-chairing the House Task Force on Strengthening Democracy, where I meet with my colleagues to discuss legislative solutions to act on Americans' desire to fortify the basic building blocks of healthy democracy.

During the August recess, I launched my democracy working groups in Chicago and DuPage County. I convened constituents, grassroots leaders, and organizations to share what they have seen, what they have learned, and what they have felt as they do the work on the ground of building a democracy that works for everyone.

I hosted a teletownhall focused on making government work for Illinois-3 and a Wheaton townhall focused on the topic of defending democracy. Listening to the voices of our communities and ensuring those voices are heard and valued is part of our democracy, and it is what is most important.

What we learned and affirmed is that democracy is a work in progress. It is not perfect, by any means. We have heard that we cannot simply strengthen democracy, simply preserve democracy. We must repair it and expand it where it is not living up to its potential.

We need democracy that truly works for the people, where government is responsive to the needs of its citizens, where we keep big money out of politics, where there is ethics reform both in our Supreme Court and Presidency, where we protect our election workers and our right to vote, where we defend public institutions from privatization and elimination.

That is why I am so proud to cosponsor numerous substantial pieces of legislation across the broad aspects of democracy and good governance, including bills like the Freedom to Vote Act by Congressman Sarbanes and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act by Congresswoman Sewell, which must be among the first bills we take on in the 119th Congress.

As I wrap up our Special Order hour in a few minutes, I do want to talk about some of the movers and shakers that are helping do this work to repair, strengthen, and protect our democracy.

To do so, I want to start by recognizing an organization that serves the State of Illinois led by one of my constituents, Mary Ellen Daneels. She is improving access to information, amplifying the voices of young people, and breaking down barriers to their participation.

Illinois Democracy Schools Network is a vital initiative committed to educating the next generation about the civic process. The growing network of middle and high schools is dedicated to expanding civic learning opportunities across Illinois, particularly in schools

serving students of color to ensure all students are prepared to meaningfully participate in public life.

By creating high-quality learning experiences, the Democracy Schools Network helps foster informed, active, and equitable civic engagement among young people. On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I do want to thank the Illinois Democracy Schools Network for nurturing the foundations of our democracy.

Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. It is why I cosponsored and am cosponsoring several pieces of legislation that protect and expand ballot access, as we just talked about.

I do want to go into H.R. 11 a little deeper. Expanding voter registration and voting access prohibits voting roll removal, establishes election day as a Federal holiday, and enacts other voting rights and election reforms.

H.R. 14, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, strengthens voting rights by expanding and strengthening government's ability to respond to voting discrimination.

Defending the right to vote is defending our communities. Let me say that again. Defending the right to vote is defending our communities. Therefore, I will continue resisting and challenging any attempt from extremists in our government to undermine our democracy and erode our rights.

We all have a role to play. I encourage us all to get engaged: register people to vote, serve as election judges, combat misinformation. We have to fight for the democracy that we deserve.

There is an organization that has been doing this work around the clock, defending democracy, and that is Midwest Voting Rights Program of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.

This vital initiative focuses on ensuring fair access to the vote and upholding election laws. Through their Election Protection program and litigation, they provide critical resources on election day. They partner with incarcerated and returning community members to expand voting rights. They ensure racial equity in redistricting. They defend civil rights and advocate for equitable election laws in Illinois and Indiana.

A notable leader in this work is Clifford Helm, senior counsel for the program and a proud constituent of Illinois' Third Congressional District. I thank Clifford and Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights for their dedication to eliminating barriers to voting and enhancing civic participation, especially in marginalized communities.

We also need organizations that create and provide citizens tools to hold our officials accountable, and that is why I am proud to recognize Indivisible, a grassroots movement dedicated to strengthening our democracy through education and civic engagement.

Through Indivisible Civics, they provide invaluable resources, training, and tools to empower local groups and activists, including to engage with their local elected officials and hold them accountable.

Since the beginning of 2019, Indivisible members have made 73,625 calls to Congress and have organized over 2,000 grassroots events in all 50 States. Their focus on building civic knowledge and skills helps individuals become effective advocates and informed citizens.

In Illinois' Third Congressional District, active Indivisible chapters in Illinois and civic leaders like Dianne McGuire, Deborah McCoy, Kathy Tholin, Geri Kahn, Patricia Graham, and Denise Poloyac are working tirelessly to engage their neighbors in the civic process. I thank Indivisible for their commitment to fostering a well-informed electorate and a stronger democracy.

While extreme Republicans demonstrate which Americans they believe should have access to vote and who they believe shouldn't, I am honored to recognize the nonprofit Chicago Votes for their efforts in fostering civic engagement among the next generation of leaders in our city.

Their Unlock Civics program works to increase democratic participation from justice-impacted adults, from registering over 5,000 voters in Cook County jail to advocating for legislation to make the jail the first in the Nation to serve as a primary election voting location.

Chicago Votes also works to engage young people in local civic processes, from their regular parade to the polls to creating nonpartisan voting guides to support educators around civic curriculum.

Their fellowships and leadership development opportunities for youth and justice-impacted individuals, including their Democracy Corps, build stronger leaders for a stronger, more informed democracy. I thank Chicago Votes.

I also want to acknowledge the work of organizations like the Latino Policy Forum. The Latino Policy Forum is doing the work to protect our multicultural, our multiracial democracy from attempts to scapegoat, silence, criminalize, and persecute our Latino and our immigrant communities.

Through their efforts in coalition, the forum has engaged Comunidades Latinas in the civic process of our democracy.

Whether by expanding participation in the Census or access to multilingual and culturally competent educational voter material, the organization is fighting to ensure equitable representation and fair investment in our communities.

The work has been possible thanks to the efforts of its staff and its president and CEO of the Latino Policy Forum, Sylvia Puente, who after 16 years of service, announced her well-earned retirement.

Her unwavering leadership has been instrumental in driving positive, meaningful change for our communities.

In the face of the cruel policies that are looking to hurt our communities, I thank Sylvia for inspiring us with her leadership. ``Gracias por luchar por nuestra comunidad contra viento y marea.'' ``Thank you for your fight for our community against all odds.''

As I wrap up here, I want to thank all my colleagues who join tonight's Progressive Caucus Special Order hour. I want to end with this: I am the product of community organizing. I am the product of a movement that continues to fight for what is right even when the attacks just keep coming and coming and even in the face of fear, even in the face of loss and hardship.

We are and have been a nation at a crossroads. We say we are facing an existential crisis, but the truth is that we have been facing this crisis for a very long time. This country has consistently faced a crossroad to choose fear or to choose hope, to choose love or to choose hate, to choose bigotry or to choose equity, to choose oppression or to choose justice.

We face those all-too-familiar crossroads again. Will we choose democracy or will we submit to dictatorship?

Democracy is a grand experiment of collective experience, and it cannot be taken for granted. It is precious and fragile, and it requires that we strive to be the best of ourselves.

I am encouraged that each time this country faced a crossroads, organizers were there bending the arc of history towards justice; fighting like hell.

We fight like hell for our communities. Our communities have always been the target of injustice. We also know that we fight like hell for our children and the future. We fight like hell against Trump and MAGA Republicans and Project 2025, as they are a fundamental threat to our children.

The people want big money out of politics. The people want us to reform the Supreme Court. The people want us to protect the integrity of our elections. Our democracy will be repaired, strengthened, and preserved when we fight for democracy.

I believe that the people united will never be defeated because we have something to fight for. I fight for my husband, a Dreamer. I fight for my nieces and nephews. I fight for every Latino who aspires to public office. I fight for the movement. The fight ahead is worth it.

There is no greater honor to fight alongside you, to protect, preserve, and expand democracy.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I walked in here, all I heard was what I hear in my committee, constant criminalizing of immigrant communities.

Let me tell you, I rise in strong opposition to H. Res. 1371.

What this is, is more lies, more misrepresentations, and more inaccuracies.

When the majority cannot pass bills, what do they do? They introduce blatantly political resolutions that consistently target powerful women of color.

Mr. Speaker, you can always tell when we are getting closer to an election because these extreme members of the Republican Party literally turn up the volume on their xenophobia, and they are doing it again with H.R. 1371.

They lie about immigration and public safety. When you look at studies, it shows that immigration is actually associated with lower crime rates.

They fearmonger, they dehumanize, while they are also quoting Scripture, which is kind of hypocritical, and they scapegoat asylum seekers, people who, just like my parents, want to seek a life of dignity and hope and who have faithfully contributed to their community and to our collective economy.

They are willing to vilify and misrepresent the sitting Vice President of the United States for her diplomatic work to address the root cause of migration from Central America.

If my Republican colleagues actually cared about immigration or border security, they would address the conditions that drive people to the southern border. They would pass spending bills and invest in foreign humanitarian assistance and international development programs and would participate in cooperative efforts to realize a world where people can build the life they want back at home. They have done none of that.

Just this week, I didn't see any of my Republican colleagues at my Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. Instead, they want us to waste our time on legislative gimmicks and sham resolutions to score cheap political points. It is enough. Seriously, enough.

We have been here. We have done this. It is deja vu. It is so tired.

Mr. Speaker, they should shelve their mass deportation BS; I am so tired of it.

Let's get to solutions. We should be talking about appropriations. We should be talking about how we make sure that things are working for the American people, instead of criminalizing people that are helping us with our economy.

Mr. Speaker, let's vote ``no'' on H. Res. 1371 and let's be done with this waste of time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor my constituent, Felicia Miceli, a dedicated champion seeking to address opioid abuse among our youth.

Her beloved son, Louie Theodore Miceli, loved the outdoors, he was an exceptional friend, he made people laugh, and he was an athlete. He began taking opioids to treat a sports injury. At the age of 24, he died from a heroin overdose.

Since then, Felicia has worked to reduce the epidemic and ensure that other peoples' stories end differently. As the founder and president of LTM Heroin Awareness and Support Foundation, her efforts, including the passing of Louie's Law, protected the youth of DuPage County and beyond. Her commitment has honored her son's memory and has saved lives.

On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I commend Felicia Miceli for her dedication to mental health awareness and her relentless pursuit of justice and support for our community.

I congratulate and thank Felicia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend two of my incredible constituents for Disability Pride Month: Karen Tamley and Michelle Garcia.

Karen and Michelle are both leaders in the disability community and serve Chicago through their work at Access Living.

Karen serves as the CEO of Access Living and prior to that served three Chicago mayors as commissioner of the mayor's office for people with disabilities. She has served on a wide variety of government and nonprofit boards and has made a lifetime of contributions to disability advocacy locally and nationally. I commend Karen.

As their Latine community organizer, through her exceptional leadership, relationship building, and advocacy, Michelle has increased the number of Latine people with disabilities, leading the work and organizing on issues like immigration and healthcare.

On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, it is my great honor to commend Karen Tamley and Michelle Garcia for making Chicago a more inclusive and accessible city for all of its residents. I congratulate them.