Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the great State of Texas, Congressman Veasey, for his leadership under Congressman Richmond, and for what he and Delegate Stacey Plaskett have been providing over the last couple of weeks.

Right now, as Members of Congress, we are in what I call an Article I, section 1 moment. Article I, section 1 in the Constitution grants us this power. We need to harness the power of the process to ensure that accountability and transparency for Philadelphians, Pennsylvanians, and all the American people.

We know that voting is a fundamental right, and we know that the Federal Government should not be in the business of dealing with personal information of voters nationwide. Philadelphians, Pennsylvanians, and Americans have a right to privacy. Myself and my colleagues before you today intend to do everything we can to ensure privacy is guaranteed and protected

The Trump administration has yet to instill confidence and garner respect from the American people. Voting is a right that cannot and will not be taken away. The right to vote is a core American value and guiding principle that must be protected and not tampered with in any way.

Believe me when I tell you, President Trump, we know what you are trying to do here. We see the actions of your administration for what they are. Our neighborhoods are at risk of voter suppression, and we cannot and will not stand for it.

Last week, I was proud to join my colleagues, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chairman Richmond, and the United States Senator from New Jersey, when they stood up last week and introduced a piece of legislation to revoke President Trump's executive order.

I am proud to stand with the Governor of my State and my friend, Governor Tom Wolf, who has been very outspoken in speaking out for Pennsylvanians all across the Commonwealth and clearly told the President he will not disclose personal PA voter information.

I want to leave you with a quote from Dr. King: ``We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now.''

I have lived my entire life in the City of Philadelphia and know that it is a sanctuary city. We are so much stronger when we celebrate our differences and use them as strengths to uplift us.

We will not accept this voter suppression. Together, we will ensure the choir of our voices are heard loud and clear. We have an obligation to build a stronger tomorrow for all of our neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus to send a message, a message and a voice that we will not just sit here idly by. We will not allow this process to just run roughshod.

As I said from the beginning, this is an Article I, section 1 moment where we all recognize that we, in Congress, Democrat and Republican alike, recognize that we have an obligation and responsibility to the American public. And this is not about partisanship. This is about a fundamental right, and we don't take it lightly.

So I applaud the leadership, again, of my colleague from the great State of Texas, for what he is providing here, and all the members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans have said they want a healthcare system that cuts costs and covers more Americans, yet their bill does no such thing.

Last week, Republican leadership in the Senate unveiled their draft healthcare bill. Their bill makes extreme cuts to the Federal Medicaid program and doubles down on the President's vow to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The nonpartisan CBO came out and said that 22 million Americans stand to lose health coverage. Their bill does nothing but further harms the communities and threatens the livelihood of neighborhoods nationwide.

The healthcare debate in our country should be about increasing funding, promoting prevention, protecting and enhancing the quality of life for each and every person in Philadelphia, the Commonwealth, and our Nation.

What do we have to lose? We have a lot to lose. We are talking about the lives of 22 million Americans who stand to lose their healthcare. The numbers do not lie. These are our veterans, our seniors, our students, and our children.

We cannot turn a blind eye. The livelihood of our neighborhoods depends on our commitment to stop this disastrous bill from becoming law. There is a lot at stake, and our neighbors have too much to lose if we turn a blind eye.

We have heard from all of our colleagues tonight that clearly this is going in the wrong direction. And we, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, stand together to fight this horrible bill.

One last thing I want to say to my colleague on Caribbean Americans. June is Caribbean American Heritage Month, and I think the most of my colleague. I have learned a lot from watching her in action. She has that spirit and that drive as a Caribbean American. She has helped shape and strengthen the fabric of our communities.

I thank the congresswoman publicly for all that she has done as a great Caribbean American in this body.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a brave young man from West Philadelphia, Brent ``Rudy'' Edwards, a sophomore at Overbrook High School.

On Saturday, May 27, 2017, at approximately l0:30 am, a fire started inside of a toaster at a row home on the 1000 block of Flanders Road in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia. Eight family members were inside of the home at the time.

As the family escaped, they realized their 1-year-old relative, Bryce, was still inside as flames and smoke engulfed the home. That is when Edwards ran into the house, without hesitation, to rescue his 1- year-old nephew.

The house was overcome with smoke as Edwards ran in. He couldn't see anything but the flames as he searched frantically for his nephew. He called out for Bryce twice and received no answer. Suddenly, he heard a sound--the baby's cough. Edwards reached out, grabbed a tiny arm, and scooped up his nephew. Holding him close to his chest, Edwards staggered back outside, where he gave the baby to his mother and collapsed on the landing.

Edwards was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and was treated for smoke inhalation. He was released the following day. As Edwards recovers, he is grateful that his baby nephew is alive and well.

The 2nd Congressional District of Pennsylvania extends best wishes to Edwards for his actions in the midst of a tragic event.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a noted centenarian of Philadelphia, Ms. Eleanore deVadetzsky.

Eleanore deVadetzsky was born in Pennsylvania Hospital on June 11, 1917, to Minna (nee Wolfsohn) and Tevye Rosenstein of Olney and Wynnefield. It was just months after the entry of the U.S. into WW I. Tevye had a trained voice, a choir leader, opera enthusiast, taught music and song and was a strong supporter of the founding of Israel.

Minna fled an unhappy family situation in Latvia, when a very young woman, making her way alone to the New World, with little more than a suitcase crammed with philosophy books, Spinoza and Maimonides. She was a homemaker, suffragette, and struggling businesswoman, who prized education and always had a book in her hands. She studied science, and upon graduating, became a chemist, first at Tastycake Bakery and later, at Whitman's Chocolates.

Along the way, Eleanore Rosenstein met the dashing Vladimir, aka Walter, deVadetzsky, who bore a striking resemblance to actor Richard Ney, and was on his way to the South Pacific to fight in World War II. They wrote letters during his absence, and they were married on his return.

They managed to travel to far-flung places around the globe such as China, Japan, Australia for the '56 Olympics, pre-Castro Cuba, Central and South America, and almost every European country, making friends wherever they were. Both here and abroad, Eleanore & Walter enjoyed theater, ballet, music and art.

For many years, they both volunteered at Pennsylvania and Graduate hospitals. When Walter passed away in 2005, Eleanore continued volunteering at Pennsylvania Hospital and CHOP, until 2010, when she was sidelined with a broken ankle. She never touched alcohol, but always had a cocktail waiting for Walter at the end of the day, and was a connoisseur and devotee of dark chocolate, to which she attributed her longevity. Eleanore frequently visited with family and friends around the globe by telephone.

Sadly, Eleanore passed away on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 from complications of dementia. Her family and friends celebrated her 100th birthday and said goodbye on Sunday, June 11. She is survived by her cousins Rosenstein, Winitz, Wagner, Dichter, Kaplan & Vaughan.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans say they want a healthcare system that cuts costs and covers more Americans, yet this bill does no such thing.

Right now, Senate Republicans are having a backdoor meeting about this bill. I may be new to Congress, but I have been around politics long enough to know that you don't hide something that you are proud of.

Right now, they are keeping a bill that would impact the lives of millions a secret. They refuse to let those same millions of people weigh in on the process.

What do we have to lose? In this equation, we have a lot to lose: 23 million Americans stand to lose their healthcare. I will say that again: 23 million stand to lose their healthcare. They are veterans, seniors, students, children, young and old. We all have a lot to lose.

I have said it before; I will say it again. There is a big difference between campaigning and governing. It is time to govern.

Philadelphians deserve a healthcare bill that guarantees quality, affordable care. Now is the time to resist. Together we will speak up and speak out to make our voices heard loud and clear. Philadelphians have not forgotten healthcare. We know we have a lot to lose.

The President talks about putting the country first, but this healthcare bill does no such thing. American people deserve better. Together we will fight back and build stronger neighbors block by block.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to support the Philadelphia Orchestra on a historical tour through Asia.

I have had the privilege of working to support them over the years during my time in the Pennsylvania Legislature and now here in Congress. I can't think of a better cultural ambassador for our country, the Commonwealth, and our great city than the finely tuned Philadelphia Orchestra.

The historical tour started in Shanghai, China, where they serenaded the visitors of the new Shanghai Disney Resort. They continued on to Beijing and Mongolia.

Philadelphia's magnificent orchestra marked a historical first when they became the first Western orchestra to play at the people-to-people exchange. The President of Mongolia and I met last year in the city of Philadelphia.

The orchestra then continued on to Seoul and to Hong Kong. In Seoul, the orchestra participated in a master class with the Heart to Heart Orchestra and Korea United College Orchestra. In Hong Kong, the Philadelphia Orchestra concluded with a coaching session for the Hong Kong Youth Orchestra and a well-earned reception.

I would like to give special recognition to the Philadelphia Orchestra's director, the chairman, as well as the woman who brought it all together, Allison Vulgamore.

I am proud to represent a city that boasts some of the most iconic music heard around the world. I welcome back our well-traveled Philadelphia Orchestra and look forward to the next symphony.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands for her leadership, along with my colleague from Texas, because both of them have demonstrated real clear leadership for the Congressional Black Caucus and the leadership of our chairman, Cedric Richmond. So I thank both of them publicly for what they have done and all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to lose under the Trump administration. It has been very clear, as has been stated by all of my colleagues, from healthcare to food policy, to education, to affordable housing, the President and his party continue to look for ways to take away what we have come to know as fundamental programs behind building stronger neighborhoods.

Our Nation is facing challenging times and we simply cannot afford to carry on business as usual. From the nooses found at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to the racial slur spray-painted on LeBron James' house during the NBA finals and attacks against Jewish community centers and vandalism in Jewish cemeteries, our country and our globe are sadly seeing horrific increases in discrimination and racially biased incidents.

Dr. King always said: We have come over here in different boats, but we are now in the same boat.

I really mean just that. Think about it: an attack against one of us is an attack against all of us. We know we have come a long way in our fight against racial intolerance and hate in our country, but our journey continues. It doesn't matter if you are Black, Jewish, Hispanic, or LGBT. We are stronger together when we celebrate both our similarities and our differences.

When we watch the news, it is incredibly upsetting to see what is still happening in 2017. A little over a week ago at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture here in D.C., we found another noose on the Smithsonian grounds. The museum's founding director said: ``It is a painful reminder of the challenges that African Americans continue to face.''

We know that we are not only seeing violence and intolerance against the African-American community, but it is everywhere. This year at the Mount Carmel Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery just outside of my district in northeast Philadelphia, countless tombstones were toppled and vandalized. Days after this, the JCC in Wynnewood in my district received a bomb threat.

These are just a few of the truly cowardly acts of violence taking place in our neighborhoods, yet our Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, and the President claim to be tough on crime. They want to put more people in cities behind bars.

This weekend, Mr. Speaker, I was the keynote speaker at Gaudenzia, an addiction treatment and recovery center in my district. The graduates are some of the strongest individuals in our city, and their stories of perseverance and hard work are truly inspiring. I always say: Where you start is not where you end up.

Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to trying to find ways to build stronger neighborhoods block by block. To do this, we have to make good jobs, great schools, and access to healthcare a reality.

We know the tradition and reentry back into our neighborhoods isn't always easy. In Philadelphia, ShopRite supermarket is hiring to give good-paying jobs to those who formerly were incarcerated. The company estimates they have given over 500 jobs to formerly incarcerated individuals. This is the result in one city.

Sadly, we know that racism and bigotry are still a factor in our communities. We have to confront this head-on. As the Congressional Black Caucus

collectively stands here today, we will not accept what is taking place. We are prepared to face these challenges, and we are asking others to join us because we recognize that we can move this country forward, but it will take all of us.

So what we are doing here today is raising the awareness because we must have this conversation in a public way. We must deal with this issue of racism, noninclusion, and discrimination. No longer can we accept this.

Mr. Speaker, I say to you today: As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, we are prepared to do our part.

Mr. Speaker, for years, I have said: Food policy is foreign policy.

And I will say it again: Our food policy is our foreign policy.

Think about it. Food unites family and friends. Food is nutritional. Food is medicine. Food is the cement that sets a foundation for strong, healthy neighborhoods.

Just as Senator Dole and Senator McGovern worked together to rebuild SNAP, expand our School Lunch Program, and create WIC to fight hunger 40 years ago, we know food security is a bipartisan issue.

In Philadelphia, 20 percent of our population is food insecure, meaning 1 in 5 Philadelphians often don't know where their next meal will come from. To make our neighborhoods stronger block by block, we need to lay the framework for a strategy that gives our cities the resources to tackle this issue.

Believe me when I say that I know our country is facing trying times we have never seen before. From Comey to Russia, to the President's budget, and the Republican attack on healthcare, I know firsthand that the Nation has a lot to lose under this administration.

This is why we need to ensure that we have more tools in our toolbox. It is time to retool to fight hunger.

Food is the glue that keeps neighborhoods and nations united. Together, let's roll up our sleeves and work to retool the way we fight hunger in our cities, our Nation, and around the globe. Our food policy is our foreign policy.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump's budget is officially live, and he plans to make massive cuts to programs that help our hardworking families get ahead.

What do we have to lose under President Trump's budget? What don't we have to lose? Education programs for our children, Medicare and Medicaid for the health and safety of our neighborhoods, affordable housing, SNAP benefits, veterans, seniors, and the hits keep coming. A budget is a moral document, and this one shortchanges Americans from the middle neighborhoods in Philadelphia to Beaver, Pennsylvania.

The President talks about putting the country first, yet the budget does no such thing.

There is a big difference between governing and campaigning. President Trump, our neighborhoods have a lot to lose when it comes to your budget. Over 40 percent of the populations of

Philadelphia live in what you call middle neighborhoods. Middle neighborhoods are neighborhoods caught between bust and boom, neighborhoods that are doing well enough.

Our neighborhoods compete for people. My district has a poverty rate of 28 percent. Mr. President, now is not the time to make deep cuts to programs our neighbors rely on while calling for massive tax cuts for the rich.

Instead, we need to make investments in food policy, social safety net, education policy, and make access to capital and credit. Our communities have too much to lose. Together we will build stronger neighborhoods, block by block.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from the great Virgin Islands, and I really appreciate her leadership.

I would like to thank my colleagues for bringing forward such an important topic for tonight's Special Order hour. National security is an issue of utmost importance to all of us.

The bottom line is this: If the President thinks it is okay to share classified information with our adversaries, we have a big problem. I will be reemphasizing that point: If the President of the United States of America shared classified information with our enemies, then the lives of the American people are at risk.

Regardless of political party, if, in fact, President Trump did willingly share classified information with Russia, then this further proves that the President does not understand the consequences of his actions. It proves that he doesn't understand how much we stand to lose as a result of these actions.

The bigger question now that people are asking is: Do you think the President is in so much trouble?

It is clear from the news that the Russian investigation is the gift that keeps giving. But I want to be really, really clear with you. I did not vote for President Trump. I did not support him when he was running, and I fought hard to stop President Trump from becoming elected.

If you want to know, I think the President is in trouble. I will tell you this. President Trump and his administration are not ready for prime time. The campaign is over. The President needs to focus on governing, and we have not seen him do that yet. He needs to learn how to govern.

We know that the Comey firing has sent a potential signal of the President's collusion with Russia. For this reason, I called for the special prosecutor and the independent commission so that the American people truly can know the Trump-Russia connection.

I am glad to see former FBI Director Bob Mueller named as special counsel to oversee the investigation, but we still need to make sure that Congress is able to conduct an independent investigation into the Trump administration's ties to Russia and interference in the 2016 election. The American people deserve to know the facts. The American people deserve to know the facts.

I was in my district over the weekend in Lower Merion, and all anyone asked to talk about was Comey and Russia. They want answers, and they want to get to the bottom line of this.

I want to, but what I want to do is to raise the dialogue on the issues that really matter here, the issues that we really have a lot to lose on. For example, last week, I hosted a briefing on middle neighborhoods. Middle neighborhoods are neighborhoods caught between bust and boom. They are communities doing just well enough that our cities aren't focusing our resources or attention on them.

Of course, we need to get to the bottom line of collusion between Russia and the President. I want to, and we will get to the bottom line of this as the American people deserve the facts. At the same time, I want to make sure we are fighting for dialogue on the ways we can make a difference and make an impact on our communities in need.

We need to find ways to tackle food insecurity, help our public schools, and expand access to capital and credit on every corner to build stronger neighborhoods block by block. This will not be easy. We need to work together. It is in our collective interest to ensure national security is not a partisan issue. It should be a bipartisan issue.

So I stand here in the well of this House, Madam Speaker, to indicate that I want to ensure that national security is important. I hope, Madam Speaker, that the President also understands that it is important.

Mr. Speaker, right now, the NHL playoffs are going on but my Philadelphia Flyers are sitting in the penalty box, and as NBA teams seek the title in the NBA playoffs, sadly the Sixers have fouled out. But Philadelphians fear not! Hasson Reddick, a proud member of the Temple football team gives us all something to cheer for--because not only did he graduate already but he was picked in the First Round of the NFL DRAFT at number 13--lucky number 13.

I want to extend my congratulations to Hasson Reddick. Hasson Reddick graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia with a degree in Criminal Justice in December 2016. As you know, the NFL draft was in the City of Philadelphia last week and Line Backer Hasson Reddick was a first round draft pick at number 13.

Hasson Reddick grew up in Camden, New Jersey. His mom is an educator at a Head Start in New Jersey and always stressed the importance of getting a good education. Education was always her top priority for her son. Hasson Reddick's father would practice football with his son early in the morning every day.

Hasson Reddick started as a walk-on at Temple and was a part of the team for his entire collegiate career. Hasson Reddick is the true embodiment of perseverance. He is an example of persistence, keeping at a dream and not taking the word ``no'' for an answer.

Hasson Reddick has not only made his family and friends proud but he has made the City of Philadelphia and the City of Camden proud. Congrats again, way to set a wonderful example for our neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my great colleague from the Virgin Islands for the great introduction. I really appreciate her leadership, and my colleague from Texas' leadership.

This discussion that we have been having is relating to the President's 100 days. And I think it is 102 at this particular point.

The question that I and members of the Congressional Black Caucus have constantly been raising is: What do we have to lose with President Trump's cuts to the EPA?

As I always said: What don't we have to lose?

We have a lot to lose.

In the time that I met with the organization in my community--a number of organizations--called Mothers for Clean Air, they were extremely concerned about the cuts to the EPA. The President's budget cuts $2.6 billion from the EPA budget. They were concerned about the impact that that would have. As a matter of fact, I talked to a mother who talked about her twins and what kind of effect that would have.

The President wants to cut programs like Pollution Prevention Programs, Lead Risk Reduction Programs--which has been a problem in the case of the city of Philadelphia, a problem that we thought we dealt with, but with a cut on the lead reduction program, that would just reinforce the program--the Water Quality Research Programs, and the Environmental Education Programs.

Who do you want to help when you cut 31 percent of the EPA budget?

No one. The cuts would be horrendous and have a dangerous negative impact on not only our communities of color, but everyone nationwide.

Two weeks ago I sent a letter to EPA Administrator Pruitt outlining how the plan to cut fundamental EPA programs would have a negative impact on our children and most vulnerable in Philadelphia, all across the State and the Nation.

Last week marks 3 weeks--3 years, I should say, since the city of Flint, Michigan, decided to switch their water supply from the Detroit area water system to the Flint River water system, which resulted in lead contamination within the city. It is 3 years later and, sadly, not much has changed for the communities in Flint. Three days is too long to go without clean drinking water. Three years is simply heartbreaking.

Mr. President, we have seen how various communities across the U.S. are at greater risk of health problems due to overexposure to unsafe drinking water. Now is no time to cut funding for Americans in need.

As Questlove says: ``Without science, we are truly operating blindly.''

The cuts to the EPA would have an increasingly harmful impact, especially for communities of color and hardworking families who do not have the means nor the resources to fight back against their local governments about the safety of the water they drink or question old paint in their house.

According to the State Department of Health, in 2014, more than 10 percent of the children from Philadelphia had elevated levels of lead in their blood because they were exposed to lead-based paint. Exposure to lead-based paint is a chronic problem that goes undiscussed too often.

No level is safe for our children to be exposed to, just as no level of lead is safe for our children to drink.

Yet, the President says rather boldly that things are moving in the right direction. I would like to know what community he is talking about. He clearly couldn't be talking about the community that I am from.

Now, more than ever, we need to keep the resistance alive, speak up and speak out for our communities at risk. I will not stand silent while the vital EPA programs that protect and enhance the lives of all Americans are at risk of being cut. Together, we are the voice of the people, so there is no way we will be silent. We will continue this message.

Mr. Speaker, what has changed since the last time the Republicans attempted to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act?

Absolutely nothing. That is right. Nothing has changed.

Recent polls show that the Affordable Care Act is more popular than ever. Yet, the Republicans still want to get rid of a law that is helping to provide our most vulnerable Americans the affordable care they need and deserve.

In my district, Mr. Speaker, 369,000 people who receive health coverage from their employers could lose their consumer protection. 62,000 people covered by Medicare expansion could lose coverage if the ACA is repealed. These are the numbers of a few weeks back. It could be even worse now.

This Saturday marks President Trump's 100th day in the White House. And this week we have a stacked agenda with tax reform, to pass a spending bill, to prevent government shutdown, to talks of health care being back in the mix.

One may think that health care will get lost in the shuffle, but we have seen how this administration and the Republicans will not back down. They appear committed to getting rid of a law that provides quality, affordable health care to millions of Americans young and old.

The American people elected us to fight an agenda that supports the needs of everyday Americans, hardworking Americans. Instead of cutting programs like SNAP, Meals on Wheels, the Community Development Block Grant program, we should look for ways to grow programs that help build stronger neighborhoods block by block.

Over the weekend, I went to the health fair at Temple University in my district. Temple University Hospital has served the city of Philadelphia for the last 120 years. It is a job creator and a major employer in our community. We should be looking for ways to build up the engines that drive investment and grow our economy, not tear them down.

Let me remind you, Republicans want to vote on the healthcare bill that gets rid of essential health benefits--for example, coverage for emergency rooms, maternity care, and prescription drugs. But because of the people, because of you and all of your phone calls, all of your emails, all of your letters, their attempt to repeal the healthcare bill was stopped.

This just happened. Yes, they still want to vote on a bill that destroys protections for people with preexisting conditions.

I want to tell you a story of a small-business owner in my district named Andrea. Andrea owns a small pet shop, Spot's--The Place for Paws, in Narberth, Pennsylvania. Andrea left her Philadelphia law practice to pursue her dream of owning a small business. Andrea has type 1 diabetes. Without the ACA, she would not be able to get well-priced coverage that covers her health expenses and medication and allows her to keep her shop open.

Andrea's story is like that of so many Americans across the country. We cannot support legislation that makes life harder for those trying the hardest to get ahead.

Last week, I visited another wonderful resident in my district, Sister Mary Scullion. She is truly an inspirational individual who has made it her mission to help the most vulnerable citizens. Sister Scullion made a comment that stuck in my head: ``Public housing is the best way to cure and prevent homelessness for the future.''

In thinking about how we view our healthcare system, I am reminded of my conversation with Sister Scullion. We need to work together to lift our people out of tough situations. We need to work together to provide everyone in our neighborhoods with the tools and resources they need to succeed.

As I mentioned, this Saturday marks President Trump's 100th day in office. Interestingly enough, the President will be in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania--a place that I have worked for many years.

What do we have to lose under this administration? Well, don't we have to lose a lot?

Affordable housing, Meals on Wheels for our seniors, before- and afterschool programs for our kids, and the list goes on.

Well, we have a lot to lose, Mr. President. We will continue to make our voices heard. The resistance is alive, and the resistance is working.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his leadership, along with my classmate, who is also a very fantastic person. So I thank both of you for your leadership in terms of the Congressional Black Caucus and exactly what that means.

My colleague from Florida said that budgets are values. Something that you may not know, I have spent 36 years in the Pennsylvania Legislature. Of those 36 years, I spent 28 years on the appropriations committee, and 20 of the 28 years as the chairman of that committee. So my colleague from Florida is absolutely correct that it is put your money where your mouth is, and that sets a tone for what you believe and what you think.

The President's proposed budget puts America's middle neighborhoods at greater risk, tilting towards decline.

What do I mean by ``middle neighborhoods''?

Middle neighborhoods are the neighborhoods that are caught between growth and decline, neighborhoods that, with just a little love and a little help, you can keep those neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods are all over America. Those are communities that we should value. We should understand that affordable housing and stable communities in those neighborhoods are very important to the backbone of America.

So these American middle neighborhoods are neighborhoods we should relish. We should value the importance of these communities. But under the proposed budget, they do not give our seniors, our children, or our working families a chance to get ahead--major cuts, Mr. Speaker, in funds for Federal student services, such as LIHEAP, grants for afterschool programs, community development block grants, community service block grants, and others to help families and help raise them out of Pennsylvania poverty.

Last week, Mr. Speaker, I met with students from the Pennsylvania TRIO, Gear Up, and Upward Bound programs. President Trump's budget proposes cuts for millions of these programs, which would support first-time, first-generation college students through outreach to low- income and minority middle and high school students.

This is our future. This is our future. We are in the 21st century. We understand if we are to be very competitive in the world, we must leave no child behind.

It is important, Mr. Speaker, to recognize that the investments we are talking about benefit all of us. If we want a strong economy, these middle neighborhoods are essential. These middle neighborhoods are where people grow and develop. They go on to college. They do well in school, and they hold our society together.

The President's budget undermines and cuts the crucial investments we have made in our cities and our neighborhoods, neighborhoods that we all come from, neighborhoods where we all recognize the importance of these communities. We should not take this for granted because the reality is, as my colleague from Florida said, our values are where our dollars are.

I totally agree with her because she is really telling us all that you can pay now or you can pay later. It is better to pay on the front end rather than the back end. It is better to understand that these communities are communities that help America be what it is today.

The President's budget undermines and cuts critical investments. The President's budget does not give our cities the adequate resources to invest in our communities and moves our cities in the wrong direction.

I think that the President, as my colleague just said earlier, says: What do we have to lose? Well, we have a lot to lose under this proposed budget.

This budget is no new deal for Black America. As a matter of fact, this is no deal at all. We clearly understand that this means cuts in health care, education, affordable housing, and food nutritional programs.

This is no deal because we understand that we must make investments. If we are talking about moving America forward and we are talking about making it what we know it can be in terms of America, we must make this investment. But we cannot make these investments, we cannot be talking out both sides of our mouths, and we cannot, on one hand, say what do we have to lose and then, on the other hand, do nothing in the budget whatsoever. So it is clear, Mr. Speaker, that we have a missed opportunity here.

I am proud to stand as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and join with all of my colleagues, as the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus has said, as being the conscience of the Congress. It is important to understand that we don't take that lightly. That is why we stand here today, Mr. Speaker.

We stand here to raise the voice, to stress to people that we are not going to give up, that we recognize that we all have a responsibility and an obligation in this democracy, that this is our democracy and it is something that we should never take for granted.

We have a lot to lose. We stand to lose everything that made our neighborhoods stronger block by block. So, Mr. Speaker, I stand here with all of my colleagues to carry this message to everyone that we are never going to give up--never, never, never.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands, my good colleague and good friend. I thank her sincerely.

Last summer when speaking to the African-American community at a rally in Philadelphia, President Trump asked the question: What do you have to lose? Yes, he asked that question: What do you have to lose?

President Trump, what don't we have to lose? The programs the President wants to cut is the Community Development Block Grant, Meals on Wheels, and funding for Medicaid. There are programs that help combat poverty by providing the resources for better schools and food nutritional programs. These are the programs that help provide for the most vulnerable Americans who are fighting every day to try to get ahead.

What do we have to lose? Look at what the Republicans are trying to do with the Affordable Care Act. They say they want to cut costs and cover more Americans, but their plan doesn't do that. It does the opposite.

Take, for example, how they want to change the core structure of Medicare. They want to shift the Medicare from an open-ended entitlement program to one with a limited lens that does not take into account individual needs on a case-by-case basis.

What do we have to lose? All of the investments we have made to try to stabilize our cities, the budget cuts will have a direct impact. Take, for example, Temple University Hospital in the heart of the Second Congressional District. Temple University Hospital stands to lose $45 million in funding. This translates into less jobs for our city and reduces the capacity of quality patient care. The President's proposal takes our city backwards. It unravels all of our hard work to make our communities more stable.

What do we have to lose? Everything that builds a brighter future for our neighborhoods, block by block. It is time step up, speak up, and speak out to hold our President accountable.

President Trump, we have a lot to lose. We are going to make sure you hear our message and our voice.