Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, we gather to honor and celebrate the remarkable

I rise today to honor three

Madam Speaker, I did not expect to be here today. We had a bipartisan agreement, and we were set to vote on Wednesday. It was bipartisan and bicameral, yet, at the eleventh hour it was pulled, doing injustice to the American people.

I call for that same agreement to come to the floor so that we can regain the trust of the American people, keep our government open, and do what they have asked us to do, which is fund disaster relief and provide vast, important services across our Nation.

I also rise because this may be my last time in the well. It has been my honor to be a voice for the 18th Congressional District and bring an important vote back to this House in memory of my mother, the Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, fighting for justice, freedom, access to healthcare, women's rights, human rights, and economic opportunity for all.

She always fought for it to be a more perfect union and for America to live up to her promise. I think that we should do well to remember that when we have these discussions today.

May her legacy live on in this body and live on in this Nation forever. It has been a true honor to be with my colleagues, but I ask that we do what is right in this season of giving for the American people and bring the bipartisan agreement back to the floor for a vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the contributions of Black women entrepreneurs.

Black women own approximately 2.1 million businesses, representing 52.1 percent of all Black-owned businesses. Despite challenges, they continue to drive innovation for communities and create lasting legacies.

Kim Roxie is the founder of LAMIK Beauty, which started with a $500 investment and was inspired by her mother, who passed from breast cancer, to create natural, safe, paraffin-free makeup.

MELODRAMA Boutique is a pillar of empowerment and sisterhood in Houston, featuring local fashion and empowering local designers.

I also honor Kim Aitch, founder of Camera Ready, a beauty, fashion, and wellness lifestyle brand. She is a force in the industry and also president of the Citywide Beauticians & Barbers Association that uplifts entrepreneurs across Houston.

These are but a few examples of extraordinarily talented Black women in business who join the many who employ over 528,000 people and generate $98 billion in revenue for our Nation.

There could be more. They lack access to capital, and they often are left out of venture capital funds, where less than 2 percent of those dollars go to Black women. Yet, still, with great determination, they carry on.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that we continue to invest in Black women entrepreneurs.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to shine light on various

injustices that Black women and many people face in our Nation, our workplaces, and our healthcare system.

I just left a hearing of the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance where we discussed the 2023 hate crime report, which reported increases in hate crimes based on race, religion, and gender. In my community, we specifically have more hate crimes against Black transgender women.

I am also standing here in honor of the women that, even in their workplaces, are 2.5 times more likely to have their hair labeled as unprofessional. Twenty percent of Black women aged 25 to 34 have been sent home from work because of their hair.

This isn't about style; it is about systemic bias that polices our identities.

I am so glad that Ms. Pressley has reintroduced the CROWN Act and that my mother, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, supported it. I helped to get it passed in Harris County. We are the first county in Texas to pass a local version of the CROWN Act. While our State government of Texas did pass the CROWN Act statewide, they have yet to properly enforce it. Students have been sent home, denied their education, and treated unfairly just because of the crown on their head.

Mr. Speaker, her last name is Lee, and her and my mother were like sisters from another mother. I thank her for being that to my mother, the Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, for her entire term of service, standing up for Progressive values, being part of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, for holding that organization up, and taking it forward and making it so impactful in this body.

I thank her for being there for the first Juneteenth, her family down in Texas, in Galveston. She was so excited. They were both so excited to see each other, to celebrate freedom, the real freedom for Black people in this Nation.

I hope that we continue--I will continue--I know you will continue to uplift that holiday and make it important for all Americans to understand how we make this a more perfect Union.

I know many will tell of your many accomplishments in working on HIV/ AIDS, which is so important, being the lone vote after 9/11, always standing in truth and power, always standing up and never being afraid, never backing down, always being unbossed.

I thank her on behalf of myself, since she has always been an inspiration to me, watching from behind the scenes, intergenerational leader, guiding the next generation of women, Democrat women, and women across this Nation. I thank her for traveling with my mother, loving my mother, voting with my mother, fighting with my mother, taking pictures of my mother. We will miss her. Barbara Lee speaks for me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of Texas' 18th Congressional District, which has endured devastating disasters, from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which displaced over 200,000 New Orleans families to Houston, many of which now live in the 18th; to Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which displaced 30,000 families across the city.

In 2021, the Texas Freeze left millions without power statewide. Over 100,000 households in my district and all 254 counties were impacted by power outages.

Just this year, Hurricane Beryl and Houston's derecho storm destroyed more than 12,000 homes.

These are not just numbers. They are real people whose communities have been torn apart.

My late mother, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, worked with every President to ensure that her residents received what they needed, working with churches and nonprofits like the Houston Food Bank to provide critical resources.

I am grateful that President Biden has requested an additional $98.6 billion in funding, including $40 billion for FEMA, to support continuing relief, and I urge it to be included in the funding legislation going forward. We can always use more because so many families are still suffering. I call on my colleagues to support funding for FEMA so that communities can rebuild back stronger than ever.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Gerald Womack, a distinguished leader and native son of Houston, Texas.

For over three decades, Mr. Womack has been at the forefront of community revitalization, serving as the president and CEO of Womack Development & Investment Realtors.

His work has brought economic opportunity and housing improvement to an area rich in cultural heritage in the heart of the 18th Congressional District.

As of December 2022, his firm was ranked number three by the Houston

Association of Realtors for volume sales in area four.

Over his career, Womack has closed in excess of $900 million in residential and commercial sales and leasing throughout his career. He leaves a great team of 25 professionals who are committed to excellence and have high ethical standards.

As chairman of the Harris County Housing Authority Board, Mr. Womack has championed affordable housing initiatives to ensure that all Houstonians have access to a safe, dignified place to call home.

Beyond his professional achievements, he is a prolific volunteer, and his commitment to service is unmatched.

This December, the Houston Area Realtors will award the prestigious John E. Wolf Community Service Award to him. I congratulate him, as he exemplifies the spirit of Houston, resilient, innovative, and community-centered.

I am proud to recognize his enduring contributions to our city, and I want to let him know the best is yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, as a former first grade teacher in Houston, I rise to honor remarkable educators from school districts in the 18th Congressional District of Texas whose dedication and impact inspires students and strengthens our community.

The Aldine Independent School District, led by Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney, serves over 67,000 students.

Amanda Lee is the Elementary Teacher of the Year from Carmichael Elementary. She fosters hands-on learning in an environment where every child is empowered to succeed.

Leticia Vargas is the Secondary Teacher of the Year from Davis High School and engages students with culturally relevant lessons and provides vital mentorship.

Rosalind Burns is the Principal of the Year from Jones Primary and has transformed her school with innovative programs and enhanced student engagement and achievement.

Next, from the Houston Independent School District, of which I am a proud graduate, our largest district in the 18th District, is Jasmine Campbell, a leader in digital tools and classroom collaboration. She empowers her students and peers through mentorship and innovation.

Alondra Lachney Mejia, a special education teacher, tirelessly supports students with unique differences to help them overcome challenges.

Yusheba Moses is the counseling manager, and she has devoted 20 years to guiding students and counselors, driving positive change across the district. She reminds me a lot of my favorite guidance counselor, Felicia Doyle, who invested in me when I was in high school.

From the Humble Independent School District that serves 48,000 students, we have Camron Bradford, the Secondary Teacher of the Year at Summer Creek High School, who supports student well-being with compassionate lessons like ``it is okay to not be okay.''

Jasmine Thomas, the Elementary School Teacher of the Year at Autumn Creek Elementary, creates a kind and inclusive classroom with imaginative storytelling.

James Linse, a special education teacher at Lakeland Elementary, connects lessons to real-world scenarios, empowering his students.

From the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, which is led by superintendent Dr. Douglas Killian and serves over 118,000 students, we have London Martin. London is a fifth-grade teacher at Francone Elementary, who achieved 100 percent participation in a district math program by fostering strong relationships with her students.

Jasmine Bookman, a sixth-grade math teacher at Campbell Middle School, inspires growth through her dedication to academic and personal development.

William ``Frank'' Patterson, a Navy veteran at the Carpenter Center, uplifts students with his unwavering support and generosity, including home-cooked meals.

The Spring Independent School District, led by Dr. Lupita Hinojosa, serves over 33,000 students and just this past Monday, renamed its Family and Community Engagement Center after my mother, the Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee.

I salute Rosemary Perez, a bilingual teacher at Donna Lewis Elementary, who uses innovative strategies to foster growth in her bilingual students.

Dr. Clara Thompson, who is a college counselor at Westfield High School, has guided countless students, including many first generation, to success over her 31-year career.

Scott Sims, a government teacher at Westfield High School, enriches his students' learning with his background in community service and support for many extracurriculars.

These educators remind us that teaching is not just a profession but a calling to shape future generations. Their unwavering commitment to excellence deserves our gratitude and continued support.

I commit my full support to policies that help close the achievement gap, support teachers, principals, and students, and help our public schools address 21st century needs.

Let us not go back to suppressing freedom of speech and ideas that help our schools remain true centers of learning.

Mr. Speaker, I thank these educators for their tireless dedication to our children and communities to truly make America the best place to be.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize some of the 637,000 millennials who make up 28 percent of Houston's population. These remarkable individuals are reshaping our city through their innovation, leadership, and commitment to excellence.

I recognize Danielle Keys Bess, a dynamic force in real estate and public service. She has elevated our community through her work with campaigns, organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the Houston Black Real Estate Association.

In construction, Julian Paul Johnson, Jr., vice president at Skilled Construction, exemplifies progress with his dedication to process improvement and his recognition as a 2019 Urban Land Institute Young Leader.

We also have individuals like Jose Torre, a construction entrepreneur, and Emily Anassi, an immigrant excelling at logistics. They remind us of the diverse talents driving our city and our Nation forward.

I would like to celebrate legal powerhouse Bianca Calderon de Lachica, whose advocacy dominates Houston's highways, and Alva Kattan, an entrepreneur redefining success.

Finally, I recognize Uzair Hasan, owner of Millennial Magazine, who highlights Houston's creativity and our future.

Together, these individuals demonstrate that America's largest generation is ready to take up the mantle.

As an Xennial, I recognize their achievements and encourage their future success to make our community a better place to live, work, and play.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the rich legacy of Houston's immigrant communities and the contributions they have made to improve the lives of all Houstonians and the United States of America.

Houston is a city built by Dreamers, a vibrant metropolis where nearly one-quarter of our population is comprised of immigrants.

I will highlight members of Houston's immigrant community who are as diverse as they are inspiring.

From Eugene Pillot, who opened one of the city's first opera houses, to Ninfa Laurenzo, whose modest restaurant blossomed into a multimillion-dollar empire featuring Tex-Mex classics.

In these times when some would demonize immigrants, who have always been an important part of America's fabric, I choose to lift them up.

In Houston, foreign-born Latinos make up 20 percent of our population and include persons like Renaissance man Felix Tijerina, a restaurateur, philanthropist, and the 25th president of the League of United Latin American Citizens; Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in space and a former director at the Johnson Space Center which is in the Houston area. They remind me of the limitless potential immigrants bring to our society.

Houston is also home to the Nation's largest Nigerian population outside of Nigeria. Nearly 57,000 Nigerian Americans call Houston home.

The legendary athlete Hakeem Olajuwon is a proud Nigerian American. He dominated at the University of Houston and became the number one draft pick in 1984 where he played for the Houston Rockets and led us to a pair of championships. I was proud to be at those games to cheer him on.

Immigrant contributions go beyond culture and commerce. Immigrants are vital to Houston's economy, especially in industries like healthcare, education, and construction.

Our educational institutions have also prospered from immigrant leadership like Dr. Renu Khator, an immigrant from India and the chancellor of the University of Houston. She was the first Indian immigrant to head a comprehensive research institution in the United States. She has raised a record number of research dollars and overseen unprecedented growth. Her story remains a testament to the transformative power of immigration, education, and innovation.

Yet, challenges still persist. Around 67,000 college-educated immigrants in Houston are underemployed and not living to their full potential, which is sometimes called brain waste. We must address this by reducing licensing barriers and improving English proficiency programs. We must create real immigration reform, as that solidifies pathways to citizenship and reduces the backlog.

Also, nearly one-half of all children in Houston live in a household where at least one parent immigrated to the United States, and these parents are shaping the next generation of Houstonians who will be leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

However, they face extreme challenges, specifically those with temporary or undocumented status. Barriers to naturalization and access to public services create uncertainty for many, despite their immense contributions to our city.

In my home State of Texas, State leadership is fighting to keep DACA recipients, our Dreamers, from being able to pay for Affordable Care Act insurance under the Biden rule. They should not deny access to those brought here as children to healthcare and health insurance.

Houston's immigrant communities are not just part of our city, they are a key part of what has made our city and Nation truly great. Let us honor their contributions, celebrate their achievements, and continue to build a city and a nation where everyone, regardless of origin, has the opportunity to thrive.

Mr. Speaker, today on U.N. Human Rights Day we reaffirm our commitment to justice, equality, and human dignity, values that are reflected in Texas' 18th Congressional District. I hope that we, as Members of Congress and Americans, reflect it, as well.

Houston resettles over 3,000 refugees annually through the U.N. Refugee Agency, supported by organizations like the Alliance and YMCA International, providing housing, education, and healthcare for refugees.

With over 300,000 human trafficking victims in Texas, collaboration with the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has been vital, supporting programs like the Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition.

My mother, the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, worked closely with the U.N. to address human rights issues. She partnered with the World Health Organization to combat public health disparities, focusing on maternal health and HIV/AIDS in underserved communities.

Additionally, she supported the U.N.'s efforts after Hurricane Harvey, helping to coordinate relief and provided essential resources to displaced families.

As we honor Human Rights Day, let us remember the dignity of all who traverse this great Earth we call our home, and let us continue these efforts and advance justice and equality for all.

Mr. Speaker, today marks 159 years since the ratification of the 13th Amendment on December 6, 1865, which abolished slavery and freed nearly 4 million enslaved persons including some of my ancestors.

When you look at these formerly enslaved, you see the hopes and dreams that were written and promised in our United States Constitution. However, the path to freedom has been unevenly realized across this Nation, and true freedom remains a work in progress.

In fact, it still exists as the legacy of slavery and injustice endures. Mr. Speaker, because the 13th Amendment was incomplete, it allows slavery to exist if a person is convicted of a crime, and this disproportionately affects Black Americans.

In 2023, Black Americans were incarcerated at rates five times higher than White Americans. As of 2022, White households held wealth six times that of Black households.

If we are truly to live up to our creed of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we must end these disparities as soon as possible. As we honor the progress achieved, let us recommit to building a future of justice and equality for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize National Influenza Vaccination Week and to emphasize the importance of protecting our communities through vaccination.

Each year, the flu affects between 9 million and 41 million Americans, leading to 12,000 to 52,000 deaths depending on the severity of the season.

In the 2022-2023 flu season alone, we saw approximately 360,000 hospitalizations and 21,000 deaths nationally.

In Houston, home to the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, our healthcare professionals are on the front lines during peak flu season, managing increased patient loads and saving lives.

The flu is not just a seasonal inconvenience. It is a serious health threat, particularly for children like my own, older adults, and those with chronic conditions.

Vaccination is our best defense. According to the CDC, getting a flu shot reduces the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

I am highly concerned about the anti-vaccine messaging that is spread throughout social media and even on the news, and I am highly concerned that our next administration is selecting potential nominees for our most revered health agencies that have anti-vaccination messaging.

I would encourage all Americans to get vaccinated against the flu to help our vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and infants who cannot be vaccinated themselves. Each year, unfortunately, vaccination rates fall well short of recommended levels.

The National Influenza Vaccination Week serves as an important reminder that it is not too late to get vaccinated.

The flu season can last all the way through May, and every vaccination helps to protect not just the individual but also their family, friends, and neighbors.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Houstonians and Americans to do their part to prevent the spread of influenza and protect public health in the United States.

Texas Libraries

Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss one of our national

treasures, and these are our libraries, especially at our schools.

Libraries are essential in addressing the achievement gap, and as a former first grade teacher, I know how important it is to all children. Libraries provide students with access to books, technology, and trained librarians who foster literacy and academic success.

Yet in Texas, we are seeing a troubling trend. Houston ISD, which is primarily in my district, has cut 28 librarian positions, and Spring Branch ISD has replaced certified librarians with less qualified staff.

Statewide, over one in five schools no longer has a full-time librarian. These cuts disproportionately affect underserved communities where students rely on libraries for resources they lack at home.

At the same time, Texas has approved a Bible-based curriculum for public schools. While this curriculum is optional, it does nothing to close the achievement gap.

Instead of focusing on ideological narratives, we should invest in proven solutions, like restoring librarian positions to provide equitable access to education and ensure all students can thrive.

Books, which could include the Bible, but many other books, are gateways to opportunity, and librarians are essential guides in that journey. Let's invest in real solutions to ensure every child has the tools to succeed.

Honoring the Faculty of Texas Southern University

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of several Texas Southern University faculty researchers in the 18th Congressional District and the great city of Houston.

Since the foundation of Texas Southern University, a historically Black college and university, it has remained a pillar to the Third Ward and the African-American community in Houston at large.

It is home to more than 1,400 outstanding faculty and staff members who each play a critical role in helping this historic institution shape and mold the future of America's finest students.

I would like to recognize a few of the contributions of these faculty researchers who have blazed a path in their respective fields of study: Dr. Robert Bullard, whom my mother, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, worked with closely, is the founding director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice. He is a distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy and is often referred to as the father of environmental justice.

He has addressed topics such as environmental racism, urban land use, housing, sustainability, climate justice, and community resilience in 18 books. Dr. Bullard has also helped garner the support of more than $70 million in external funding.

Dr. Howard Henderson is the founding director of the Center for Justice Research and a professor of justice administration in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs. He serves as an advisory board member of the Vera Institute's Rural Jail Research Policy Network. Dr. Henderson is a member of the National Scientific Advisory Committee at the Institute of Justice Research and Development at Florida State University and is a member of the National Science Foundation's STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings workgroup. He has also secured over $2 million in research funding.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for these great leaders in research.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 7198, the Prove It Act of 2024, a bill that would vest the chief counsel of the Office of Advocacy within the Small Business Administration, which has been chronically underfunded--and I wish we were spending time on that instead of this bill--with enormous and unreviewable authority over agency rules.

More specifically, H.R. 7198 authorizes the chief counsel, unilaterally and without review, to exempt large parts of the business community from proposed rules if he or she determines that an agency did not properly consider how a proposed rule could affect small entities.

In doing so, this bill would empower large companies and undermine the regulatory process that keeps Americans safe by imposing a series of requirements on regulatory agencies.

As we all know, regulatory agencies play a critical role in our safety and well-being by writing rules designed to protect our food supply, environment, physical infrastructure, and more. These regulations safeguard the freedoms that all Americans enjoy.

While efforts to ease burdens on small businesses can be useful, they should not prevent regulators from doing their jobs in the public interests.

The Prove It Act, under the guise of helping all small businesses, would actually allow an unelected administrator within the SBA to circumvent congressional and agency intent with little oversight. It is simply unacceptable that we would task a single official in the SBA with unilateral and unreviewable authority to suspend new and existing protections and safeguards for large swaths of the economy, not to mention that it would also require agencies to jump through new, vaguely defined and nontransparent bureaucratic hoops, which would cause delays and uncertainty, all the while doing nothing to actually help small businesses.

In fact, the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards, consisting of over 200 labor, consumer, and environmental organizations, oppose this bill, including the AFL-CIO, Economic Policy Institute, and National Women's Law Center.

It is important to convey to the American people that this bill is also simply unnecessary. By law, agencies already take small businesses into account, and these small entities already

have power through the Office of Advocacy to champion their concerns.

Rules and protections are critical to ensuring the safety and soundness of virtually every facet of our lives, including clean air, clean water, safe toys that my children might use, safe cars while I drive my children to school, and safe workplaces for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, we should reject any efforts that would prevent agencies from issuing these lifesaving regulations. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 7198, the Prove It Act.