Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Darryn Peterson as Ohio's 13th Congressional District's Champion of the Week.

This Tuesday, Darryn made his family and our entire district proud when he was selected by the Utah Jazz as the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. This is an extraordinary accomplishment that reflects years of discipline, dedication, and excellence on and off the court.

Born in Canton, Darryn began his high school career at the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Cuyahoga Falls. He eventually rose to become the number one ranked player in the entire country.

He went on to play at the University of Kansas where he averaged more than 20 points per game in his lone season.

As we know, Akron is the birthplace of champions because we have the distinction of being the birthplace of both Steph Curry and LeBron James, who was the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Darryn has also helped make our district the birthplace of champions.

Darryn now begins his own journey at the highest level. While the path ahead is challenging, he carries the pride of our entire community. We are incredibly proud of Darryn, and we look forward to watching what he accomplishes in the NBA.

Mr. Speaker, the House Oversight Committee's Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses held a hearing last week focused on allegations of home- and community- based services in my State of Ohio.

I have some thoughts.

First, fraud is wrong. People misusing the system undermines the very purpose of safety net programs. If taxpayer dollars are misused, there must be accountability. Vulnerabilities must be fixed, and oversight should be strengthened. I support that effort.

However, what I do not support is using allegations of fraud to mischaracterize an entire program, promote racist and xenophobic ideologies, limit the care of our most vulnerable citizens, or by presenting only part of the story. Unfortunately, that is what happened last week.

Before the hearing, my Ohio Democratic colleagues and I were told we would have an opportunity to engage in the hearing as Ohioans and folks who are closest to the issue, but at the last minute, we were shut out. That decision cut off a fuller conversation about both rooting out fraud and protecting services relied on by more than 122,000 Ohioans.

Home- and community-based services provide in-home support, including medication assistance, therapy, meals, and personal care that allows older adults and individuals with disabilities to remain at home rather than in institutions. This flexibility allows families to remain close with the added benefit of lower costs and better health outcomes. It is one of the many reasons these programs have long enjoyed bipartisan support.

Since the 1980s, Ohio has participated in these home- and community- based waiver programs, including the past 15 years under a State government fully led by Republicans. During that time, these programs have been designed, funded, administered, and repeatedly approved by State and Federal officials.

As a former State legislator, I served on the finance committee, and I was the ranking member for the health and human services subcommittee that oversaw the funding and activities toward the home-based and community-based services and Medicaid as an entire agency.

The move toward home-based services were led and championed by Governor Kasich, the Republican from Ohio. A feature of the program was to move toward agency-based services and away from independent providers to, you guessed it, combat fraud and abuse.

To be clear, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, who was a witness at last week's hearing, does not currently set Medicaid policy, at least not today. However, as a former State legislator and a former State senate president, he supported expanding HCBS and removing barriers to improve access and reduce costs.

While not only just that, he negotiated multiple budgets under his leadership, increasing funding for these programs. However, now, as the State auditor, he enjoys wide discretion to audit programs and State agencies.

Why were those oversight concerns not acted on more aggressively? What has been going on in the auditor's office for the past 7\1/2\ years if there is so much fraud, waste, and abuse? Further, why weren't there any notable flags in the HCBS program in the last State audit of the Department of Medicaid?

In 2013, Ohio created the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee to strengthen accountability when the State expanded Medicaid under Republican Governor John Kasich, but that committee was dissolved last year by a Republican supermajority in the legislature and signed by the Republican Governor while it was actively reviewing Medicaid administration, including contracts with major claim processors.

If vulnerabilities have existed for years, Ohioans deserve answers as to why stronger safeguards were not implemented and enforced for the last 15 years of Republican-led State of Ohio. Additionally, why was the oversight committee abolished just in December of 2025?

During the hearing, we also heard testimony from an investigative reporter of The Daily Wire, whose testimony repeatedly focused on immigrants and ethnic communities in ways that blurred the line between identifying wrongdoing and casting suspicions and, quite frankly, racist suspicions on entire groups of people.

Fraud should be investigated wherever it exists, but oversight must be driven by evidence, not rhetoric that casts doubt and blame on entire communities.

The hearing also featured testimony from State Representative Mike Dovilla, who described oversight failures and data fragmentation that he argues persisted for years within Ohio's Medicaid system. Again, this is Representative Dovilla's second tour in the statehouse. Where has he been?

If those conditions are as longstanding and widespread as described, then Ohioans deserve to know why stronger safeguards were not implemented when State leaders, Republican State leaders, including those who governed and shaped policy decisions over the past 15 years, had and still have the authority to act.

The vast majority of caregivers and providers are not engaged in fraud.

They are workers and family members providing essential care every day to our most vulnerable.

Fraud must be investigated and prosecuted.

Mr. Speaker, this National Gun Violence Awareness Month, I rise today thinking about families in Ohio's 13th Congressional District, families whose lives were changed forever by gun violence.

One of those families is still grieving the loss of LaTeris Cook, a 27-year-old father of four who was killed during a mass shooting at a neighborhood block party in Akron just 2 years ago. What should have been a joyful summer gathering turned into chaos and tragedy. Twenty- eight people were shot. An entire community was and remains traumatized.

Megan Keleman was a recent college graduate who was killed in a Taco Bell drive-through in Tallmadge, Ohio. Her killer, a man who was not allowed to have guns, not only killed her but killed himself in a tragic situation. Her family now mourns her death by advocating for gun safety programs.

Another Akron family continues to carry the pain of losing Cortez Davis, Sr., who was shot and killed in 2021 while picking up a child for a birthday celebration. His mother, Delonda Glover, now works with antiviolence organizations in Akron to help prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak. She said something that captures the pain so many families carry after gun violence: ``Losing a child is a different kind of hurt and pain.'' She is right.

Finally, my friend Ericka Weems was killed in 2020 in her home. The crime has gone unsolved, despite national attention. We lost a beloved friend, daughter, educator, and sister.

Because gun violence leaves permanent scars on families and communities long after the headlines fade, my heart goes out to the Cook family, the Glover family, the Keleman family, the Weems family, and every family in Ohio's 13th Congressional District and across the country who are trying to heal after losing loved ones to senseless and preventable violence.

While these tragedies occurred in my district, the truth is they could have happened anywhere in America: schools, grocery stores, movie theatres, workplaces, birthday parties, the United States Capitol. Too many Americans feel like a shooting can happen anywhere at any moment.

Already this year, our country has experienced more than 160 mass shootings. Last year alone, more than 24,000 Americans died by gun suicide.

Since 2020, firearms have been the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States.

In my district, Akron police have responded to 562 calls involving shootings or shots fired through the end of April of this year. That is a 21 percent increase compared to the same time last year.

These are not just statistics. These are children, parents, friends, neighbors, entire communities being forced to rebuild again and again.

But to the people of my district and to the people across America, this threat of living with gun violence every single day, I want to tell you this: It does not have to be this way. We can stop the cycle of violence.

Four years ago, Congress proved progress is possible when we passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety legislation in decades, because Democrats and Republicans came together to expand background checks, close the dangerous boyfriend loophole, crack down on illegal gun trafficking, invest in mental health services, strengthen school safety, and fund community intervention programs that are saving lives now.

Yet, there is so much more work to be done. It also shows that when Congress chooses courage over politics, we can make our communities safer.

Yet, today, instead of building on that progress, this administration is moving us backward. Just weeks ago, the Trump administration announced efforts to roll back key gun safety protections, including weakening enhanced background checks established under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, rescinding restrictions on stabilizing braces, and repealing the bump stock ban that President Trump himself put into place after the deadly Las Vegas shooting in 2017.

There are now even proposals that could make it easier to mail handguns through the postal system, opening the door to more gun trafficking and more dangerous weapons flowing into our communities.

Mr. Speaker, if you talk to any law enforcement agency, they will tell you that guns continue to create a problem for the work that they do every day. They encourage us to be smarter on gun safety regulations and ensuring that not only are the communities safer but that those who are sworn to protect and serve us can be safe in their communities, as well.

These rollbacks are a choice, Mr. Speaker, and my constituents cannot wait any longer. Americans are demanding action. They want safer schools, neighborhoods, and communities.

They deserve leaders who are willing to put people over politics.

Mr. Speaker, this Gun Violence Awareness Month--

--as we remember families like the Cooks--

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Nordonia High School girls' flag football team as Ohio's 13th Congressional District's Champion of the Week.

The Nordonia High School girls' flag football team is Ohio's first girls' flag football State champions.

Girls' flag football only became a sanctioned sport in Ohio last July, but even before that, these young women were working hard to bring the State championship home.

Nordonia was one of six high schools that attended the Cleveland Browns inaugural flag football jubilee event back in 2021 and have since been fighting for this sport to become sanctioned and recognized in Ohio.

I congratulate Head Coach Steve Holtz, quarterback Hayden Paul, and all of the players on their well-earned victory in bringing home the inaugural championship trophy. Their passion is laying the groundwork for generations of young women and girls in sports, and we are so proud of them.

I often call our district the birthplace of champions because of basketball greats like LeBron James and Steph Curry, and now this Nordonia girls' flag football team certainly proves that this legacy continues, no matter the sport or your gender.

Mr. Speaker, I extend my congratulations to these outstanding student-athletes and commend them on being named champions of the week.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment No. 22, which calls on the FDA to require infant formula and toddler food manufacturers to implement an environmental monitoring regime for deadly contaminants like botulism and salmonella.

A recent Consumer Reports study found potentially concerning levels of contaminants in more than half of the tested infant formula samples, and we have seen similar reports on heavy metals and contaminants in toddler food.

Parents shouldn't have to worry about whether the food they feed their children is unsafe, and we need to do better.

The report for this bill includes language I requested to strengthen the testing for heavy metals, but we must also monitor for environmental contaminants so we can prevent outbreaks before they happen, like the botulism outbreak from earlier this year.

I urge my colleagues to support this en bloc and to also support my INFANTS Act, which would empower the FDA to take the appropriate action to protect our precious babies.

Mr. Speaker, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time for us to stop and consider how mental health impacts and effects everyone in our communities. For that reason, I am going to recognize the Akron Municipal Mental Health Court as Ohio's 13th Congressional District's Champion of the Week.

This week, the court is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Founded by Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer in response to the growing number of people with serious mental illnesses entering into the criminal justice system, the Akron Municipal Mental Health Court became the first of its kind in Ohio, and one of the first in the Nation.

Judge Annalisa Williams has carried on Judge Stormer's vision and has presided over the court since 2005.

What began as an innovative idea has become a model for communities across our State and Nation. It functions under a simple but powerful truth: Treatment and support can save lives.

Since 2001, countless people have reclaimed stability, restored relationships, and built brighter futures for themselves and their families.

The Akron Municipal Mental Health Court exemplifies the very best of Ohio's 13th Congressional District and reminds us why our community is proudly known as the birthplace of champions.

I had the opportunity earlier this week to join them for their 25th celebration and recognize them in person on behalf of our district.

Again, I want to say: Thank you and congratulations. Here is to 25 more years of serving our community with justice and compassion.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Akron Roundtable and name them Champions of the Week for Ohio's 13th Congressional District.

The Akron Roundtable has been a cornerstone of our community since their founding in 1976. Over the last 50 years, the Akron Roundtable has brought together roughly 480 speakers, including government officials, famed reporters, athletes, artists, business leaders, astronauts, and many other community leaders.

I had the privilege of speaking at the Akron Roundtable in 2023, so you know it is an esteemed place to speak. I saw firsthand the dedication of the group in order to bring the world to Akron.

The group started as a partnership with the Kiwanis Club, the Akron Beacon Journal, the Akron Regional Development Board, and the Akron City Club.

Through their collaboration, they created a nationally esteemed institution, and today the Roundtable is filled with passionate volunteers with a drive for connecting with leaders from around the world.

I thank the hardworking members at the Akron Roundtable for their service to the community. Their commitment to bringing the world to Akron is just one of the reasons why Ohio's 13th Congressional District is known as the Birthplace of Champions.

I congratulate them on 50 years of leadership and thank them for opening the world to the heartland.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of the law enforcement officers serving in Ohio's 13th Congressional District and to honor those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Being a police officer is never easy. It is one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs in our society. In recent years, it has only gotten harder.

As I have met with law enforcement agencies across northeast Ohio, I continue to hear the same concerns: officers are overworked, stretched thin, and in need of better support and training to meet the demands of the job and the needs of our community and those that they are sworn to protect and serve.

That is why since coming to Congress, I have made it a priority to fight for legislation that gives officers the tools that they need to do their jobs, while also demanding accountability on behalf of the communities they serve.

After the horrific shooting of Jayland Walker in Akron, I spoke with members of our community and law enforcement. I then introduced the Law Enforcement Scenario-Based Training for Safety and De-Escalation Act.

This bipartisan legislation ensures law enforcement officers have the proper de-escalation training needed to handle complex situations that they often face in the field because, no matter what, we all want everyone to make it home safely at the end of the night.

This year, after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, I introduced the COOL IT Act, which would require similar de-escalation training for ICE officers. We cannot ignore these tragedies. We must respond with solutions that promote safety, accountability, and, most importantly, trust. That is exactly what this legislation is designed to do.

These bills support law enforcement by helping departments build trust with the communities they serve, and this makes our community safer for both the officers and the public. Again, these are people whom they are sworn to protect and serve.

Certainly, these are not bills that will solve every single problem, but it is a piece of the puzzle ensuring safety and accountability. In fact, the law enforcement scenario-based training for Safety and De- Escalation Act is supported by the National Fraternal Order of Police and the Akron NAACP because we all share the goal of making sure everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.

Further, I introduced the Supporting Women with Career Opportunities in Policing Services Act. This is legislation to establish a Federal task force focused on improving recruitment, retention, and advancement of opportunities for women in law enforcement. This bill takes an important step toward building a stronger, more inclusive public safety workforce by helping departments recruit talented women, support them throughout their careers, and create pathways into leadership. When law enforcement agencies better reflect the communities they serve, our communities are stronger and safer.

When I came to Congress, I promised to put the people of Ohio's 13th Congressional District first. That means supporting our officers, rebuilding trust and public safety, and working across the aisle to get things done. That is exactly what I have worked to do and exactly what I will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School chess team as Ohio's 13th Congressional District's champion of the week.

On March 8, the Akron STEM Middle School students brought home both a first place and third place team trophy from the Ohio State Chess Championship, along with several individual awards. Their outstanding performance reflects both their talent and their dedication to excellence.

Under the leadership of Coach Don Glocar, who has been guiding chess teams for more than two decades, these students have developed not only competitive skills but also discipline and resilience. As Coach Glocar says: The goal is simple: work hard, stay focused, and enjoy the game.

Through hours of practice and competition, these young scholars are sharpening critical thinking skills, learning to anticipate challenges, and building confidence that will serve them well beyond the classroom. Their passion for chess demonstrates that success is not only measured in trophies, but in growth, perseverance, and teamwork.

It is always a pleasure to recognize young people doing remarkable things who help make our district the birthplace of champions.

Achievements like these showcase the strength of our community and the bright future of northeast Ohio. These students' hard work has certainly made our district proud, and we can't wait to see what the future holds.

Again, I congratulate the chess students of the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School on their accomplishments and for being named champions of the week.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the illustrious gentleman from New Jersey for yielding some time today.

I rise in opposition to H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act.

While Americans across the Nation are struggling to pay for gas, groceries,

housing, and healthcare, my colleagues across the aisle believe the most pressing matter for the American people is phasing out clean energy standards for new and renovated Federal buildings. These standards, which were passed with overwhelming bipartisan support during the Bush administration, are not what is creating the affordability crisis. In fact, in 2024, the Energy Department determined that section 433 of the Energy Independence and Security Act, the very section that this bill would eliminate, reduces infrastructure costs and saves taxpayer dollars.

My colleagues across the aisle don't care about energy efficiency standards, and they don't care about my constituents, who are currently paying $4 a gallon for gas, as we speak, and I am from Ohio, not California. If they actually did care about my constituents or the American public, they would shift their focus toward the real reason that costs are going up: Trump's tariffs and Trump's war in Iran.

Since the Strait of Hormuz closed, gas prices for Americans are up more than 30 percent. Democrats in Congress have tried to conduct oversight on this war, but Republicans have blocked us every step of the way. Now is not the time to burden taxpayers, including increasing death and injury to our brave servicemen and -women and burdening our taxpayers with higher infrastructure costs because of Trump's war.

For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would prevent the bill from taking effect until the Secretary publishes a certification that the war in Iran has not increased energy and gas prices in the United States. Although, even if he were to do that, it would show us that the war in Iran is increasing gas prices in the United States, so I am pretty confident that you would not have accepted it either way.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, last week was tax day. I probably don't have to remind most folks because it is a day that is both loved and lauded depending on who you are. For millions of Americans it is supposed to be a moment of relief, a chance to catch up, get ahead, and breathe a little easier because of the refunds that many expect.

But for far too many families, including my constituents in Ohio's 13th Congressional District, tax day was just another reminder that their money isn't going as far as it should.

While the President and House Republicans promised lower costs and bigger refunds, families are actually seeing grocery bills that are too high; gas prices that stretch their budgets; and rent, healthcare, housing, and everyday essentials that are taking up more and more of their paychecks.

When they finally get that tax refund, they will realize it doesn't go as far as promised, or they didn't get a tax refund at all, and it went nowhere.

That is not by accident.

Republican policies like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave massive tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations. The top 0.1 percent are receiving average tax cuts of more than $300,000. Meanwhile, Americans earning less than $50,000 a year are seeing their taxes go up.

Add in President Trump's lack of strategy on tariffs, which amounts to a national sales tax, and now families are paying more out of pocket while the wealthiest get a permanent tax break.

But that is not all. The one big, ugly bill also slashed a trillion dollars from Medicaid and cut billions to SNAP, jeopardizing healthcare and food for millions of Americans across the country and tens of thousands of my constituents.

And it is not just about coverage. It is about jobs. Hospitals and healthcare providers are the largest employers in Ohio's 13th District. When you cut funding at that scale you are not just hurting patients, you are threatening jobs, closing services, and weakening our local economy.

Mr. Speaker, we don't need to raise costs on working families to give more tax breaks to the wealthy. My Lowering Your Taxes Act expands the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit so working families can better afford childcare, groceries, housing, and other expenses. It would allow families to claim up to $3,600 per child, lift them out of poverty, and allow them to decide where their dollars are needed the most, while also expanding tax relief to workers who are often left out.

My No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act makes a simple promise: If you work extra hours, you should be able to keep that extra pay because every extra hour on the job is time away from family, time spent working hard. That effort should be rewarded and not taxed, but because of the carelessly thrown together no tax on overtime provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, thousands of members of organized labor, the very people who built and made this country run, are excluded.

I have also worked with my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, through the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus to lower costs, strengthen supply chains, improve trade policy, and protect jobs in Ohio's 13th District, the birthplace of champions.

Trade policy should be strategic, not chaotic, and it should never leave American families paying the price.

I have called for restoring Congress' role in trade decisions because these choices are too important to be made without accountability.

There certainly is a need to ensure that American companies are able to compete with companies and goods from other countries with questionable labor practices, but what is happening with this administration is not the case. It is chaotic. It is expensive, and the national tax on goods costs way too much for the general American public.

At the end of the day, I will never stop advocating for my constituents and for the American public who deserve so much better than this.

We should all ask the question--because at the end of the day this is about who our economy works for--is it working for the families who are doing everything right, working hard, paying their taxes, going to work every day trying to get ahead; or is it working for the powerful and well-connected?

Well, I believe it should be working for the people, for the workers putting in overtime, parents trying to afford childcare, and families choosing between groceries and healthcare.

Working families deserve policies that lower costs and reward hard work and leaders who will fight for them every single day. I am that leader, and, Mr. Speaker, I call upon you and your majority to work alongside me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Black Maternal Health Week.

A moment to reflect on a reality that should alarm every one of us in this Chamber: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause in this country than White women. That is not a small disparity. It is a systemic failure.

In my home State of Ohio, the data tells us an even more painful story. While maternal mortality has risen for all women over time, the rate for Black mothers has more than doubled from 29.3 to 59.7 deaths per 1,000 live births.

These are not just numbers on a page. These are mothers who should be here today. These are families that should not be grieving. These are children growing up without the care, stability, and the love of the person who brought them into this world.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, enough is enough. Black mothers deserve to feel safe and supported throughout their pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period. Every mother deserves high-quality, affordable healthcare. Addressing maternal mortality is not a partisan issue. It is a human issue.

That is why, long before I came to Congress, I worked on this issue at the State level. As the minority leader of the Ohio House, I helped cofound the first Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus. It was the first of its kind in the country, because we could not ignore this crisis unfolding in our communities.

Now, in Congress, I continue that work as a member of the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus and as chair of the Reproductive Justice Task Force.

However, leadership is not just about titles and task forces. It is about action. That is why I am an original sponsor of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act--legislation that will save lives by investing in community care, strengthening the workforce, improving data, and addressing the root causes of maternal mortality.

It is why I have introduced and supported legislation to protect access to emergency and labor care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, better known as EMTALA, ensuring that no woman is turned away during childbirth and labor.

It is why I fought against the spread of dangerous disinformation through the Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act, because misleading women during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives has no place in a healthcare system built on trust and safety.

We must also confront the role that access, or lack thereof, plays in these healthcare outcomes. In Ohio, Black mothers are more likely to rely on Medicaid to cover their births. That means decisions, including the $1 trillion cut to the Medicaid program that Republicans in this Chamber made as part of the one big, ugly bill, are not abstract budget choices. These are risks imposed upon real people.

They are decisions about whether these women can see a doctor, whether they can receive prenatal care, whether complications will be caught in time, and whether or not they live or die.

In my home State of Ohio, 13 out of 88 counties are considered maternity care deserts, leaving tens of thousands of women without reasonable access to obstetric services. Imagine being told you are bringing a life into this world and then discovering that the nearest hospital that can safely deliver your baby is hours away. That is a reality that far too many families face today.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot accept this as normal.

Black maternal health is not just what happens inside of the doctor's office, because if it were so, we would have figured this out and solved this crisis decades ago. It is what happens outside of the hospital: the social determinants of health, the things that are going on in our communities, education, clean air, clean water, and access to upward mobility.

All of these things impact the ability for a woman to conceive and deliver a baby successfully.

One thing that most people don't seem to know, or maybe they do know and just don't like to talk about it, is that the leading cause of death for pregnant women is violence.

A Harvard study said that homicide deaths among pregnant women are more prevalent than deaths from hypertension, hemorrhage, and sepsis. And gun violence has been called a health emergency for pregnant women.

So, Mr. Speaker, we can and must do more to protect pregnant women, not just inside the hospital, not just outside the hospital, but also within the intimate relationships that oftentimes women find themselves in creating deadly circumstances in which mothers and babies cannot live.

Mr. Speaker, we stand on this floor often. We fight about a lot, but one thing should be very easy: protecting women, protecting babies, encouraging life and prosperity should not be something that is challenging or hard for us all to do together.

For that reason, we are here to celebrate Black mothers, honor Black Maternal Health Week, and ensure that all of our colleagues across the aisle are supporting the Momnibus Act.

I thank my colleague from the Commonwealth of Virginia for holding and hosting this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Akron Black Artist Guild as the Champion of the Week for Ohio's 13th Congressional District.

The Guild is a dynamic community of talented and passionate Black artists who have come together with a singular mission: to strengthen the creative community in Northeast Ohio.

The organization works to expand fair access to funding, professional growth, and public opportunities for artists. Through its programs, the Guild brings people together, connects generations, and uses all to promote learning, economic opportunity, civic engagement, and community well-being.

Now in its fifth year, the Akron Black Artist Guild continues to build leadership and encourage civic participation throughout Northeast Ohio's arts and cultural landscape. The Guild also provides a safe and welcoming space for artists while working to overcome barriers created by racial and economic inequality.

Ohio's 13th Congressional District is known as the ``Birthplace of Champions.'' The Akron Black Artist Guild has upheld this legacy through the work they have put in to strengthen our region. This organization has certainly made our community proud and I thank them again for their tireless efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Nadine McIlwain and Geraldine Radcliffe as the Champions of the Week for Ohio's 13th Congressional District. Nadine and Geraldine worked for 15 years to collect the history and stories of Canton residents to write the book, African Americans of Canton, Ohio. Their book highlights not only well- known stories of Canton, but also many that otherwise would have been lost to history.

From Canton's earliest days, the Black population has contributed to the city's, and even the Nation's prominence and prosperity. Collecting never-before-seen photographs and firsthand accounts from local citizens, McIlwain and Radcliffe reveal the celebrated legends, unsung heroes, and historic firsts of African Americans residing in the Canton community.

The authors said they hope the book sparks people to write about Black history in their own communities, and that it is the first of many books on African American history in Stark County.

Through this recognition, and the many years of dedication that made it possible, Nadine and Geraldine are shining examples of why Ohio's 13th Congressional District is known as the ``Birthplace of Champions.'' They have certainly made our community proud.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise on behalf of the families of Ohio's 13th Congressional District as we mark a momentous occasion: the 16th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare.

This law, championed by former President Barack Obama, changed the course of history and brought affordable, accessible healthcare within reach for millions of Americans.

For 16 years, the ACA has been a lifeline. It has shown what is possible when we put people first. Because of ObamaCare, more than 50 million Americans have gained health coverage, including tens of thousands of my own constituents.

In my district, about 32,000 people currently rely on ACA coverage. Ninety percent of them depended on the enhanced premium tax credit to make that coverage even more affordable. Four out of five were able to find plans for $10 or less per month.

The ACA has allowed more than 133 million Americans with preexisting conditions to be protected, and young people can stay on their parents' health insurance until they are 26 years old. Essential benefits, from prescription drugs to preventive care, are guaranteed.

These are not just policies. They are protections that people rely on every single day.

Democrats worked to strengthen the Affordable Care Act by lowering premiums and putting an average of $2,400 back into the pockets of working families. We pushed to extend these tax credits and keep costs down.

I have cosponsored legislation and supported efforts to force a vote on the House floor because my constituents cannot afford delays and the impact of the enhanced tax credits no longer being available. It is why I have continued to prioritize lowering costs that place real pressure on families from healthcare to housing, gas, groceries, and energy prices.

Lowering healthcare costs isn't just one issue. It is central to whether families can afford to live, work, and thrive.

That safety net is now gone. On January 1, the Republicans let the enhanced ACA tax credits expire. Now, families across Ohio's 13th Congressional District are seeing their premiums jump by hundreds of dollars a month or thousands of dollars a year. Americans cannot afford to continue paying the price for Republicans' failed leadership. The consequences are real, and they are immediate.

I constantly hear from my constituents that the cost of living is too high, and it is only getting worse. Our economy is unaffordable for working people, and it is pushing the American Dream out of reach. Eight out of every 10 people enrolled in the ACA marketplace plans are experiencing higher premiums this year. Three out of four are worried about affording emergency care. Nearly 80 percent say that ending these tax credits was the wrong decision. I agree.

Families are having to cut back on groceries to afford prescriptions. Seniors are skipping care. Workers are dropping coverage altogether because they simply cannot keep up with the rising costs and Trump's tax from the war.

Instead of action, we, unfortunately, keep seeing obstruction. This is a part of a broader and very deeply troubling pattern. For 16 years, Republicans have tried to dismantle ObamaCare and oppose our healthcare reforms, with nothing else to offer. They tried to take us back to a time when care was out of reach, when people could be denied coverage for preexisting conditions, and when a single diagnosis can mean financial ruin.

Now, they are closer than ever. Through their big, ugly bill, Republicans cut more than $1 trillion from our healthcare system, gutting marketplaces, driving up premiums, and making it harder for families to get the care that they need, all while prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and corporations.

The American people are feeling the squeeze.

Madam Speaker, the choice before us is clear: We can continue down this path where premiums soar, coverage disappears, and families are left to fend for themselves, or we can act, restore affordability, strengthen the ACA, and stand up for the people who sent us here to serve them.

For the families of Ohio's 13th Congressional District and for millions across this country, the time to act is now. Trust and believe, I will be right there with you.