Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late, great Judge Frank Caprio. In his decades on the bench and his iconic work on ``Caught in Providence,'' he left a lasting impact.

Born in Providence in 1936 to Italian immigrants, Judge Caprio graduated from Central High School, served in the Army National Guard, taught American Government at Hope High School, got his law degree, and raised five children with his wife of 60 years, Joyce.

Whether dismissing parking tickets for those in need or teaching children about the courtroom, Judge Caprio proved justice and kindness go hand in hand.

Last week at his funeral, I joined thousands of Rhode Islanders and countless people around the world mourning Judge Caprio's passing. I extend my deepest condolences to his family and all those who loved him. I will conclude with Judge Caprio's own words.

``You don't need power or a title to make the world better, just compassion and the courage to act on it.''

In his memory, we should all spread a little kindness today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a recently passed giant of the labor movement in Rhode Island and around the country, Arthur Coia.

Labor was the heart and soul of Arthur Armand Coia. He was born into a family of labor leaders. As a member of Local 271 in Providence since his teenage years, he worked in construction while going to Providence College and attending law school. He was always close to his union roots.

A union man through and through, he dedicated his life to expanding workers' organizing rights. He fought for the right to earn a fair paycheck and have dignity and safety on the job.

He started out as the business manager of the Rhode Island Laborers' District Council and rose to become the general president of LiUNA and vice president of the AFL-CIO.

Arthur worked tirelessly to make life better for the working men and women of our country. He helped found the Laborers' Health & Safety Fund of North America, transforming job-site safety, and the Laborers- Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, helping union labor train workers and expand market share.

There is no doubt that his work saved lives, prevented accidents, and helped union labor gain new opportunities in the 21st century.

Arthur was not only a labor leader, he was also a dedicated father, grandfather, husband, and friend. My thoughts are with his family at this incredibly difficult time.

I hope they, as I do, take heart in his service to the movement and to others. His contributions will not be forgotten.

recognizing alan hassenfeld of rhode island

Mr. Speaker, Alan Hassenfeld, another titan in Rhode Island, spent his life bettering the lives of countless individuals in our country and around the world.

Born in Providence in 1948, Alan dedicated his professional life to bringing joy to generations of children as the CEO of his family's company, Hasbro Toys.

Alan helped the company acquire quintessential children's brands like Play-Doh, Monopoly, and Nerf, and took their iconic tuber, Mr. Potato Head, to new heights in the Hollywood film ``Toy Story.''

Growing up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, I have fond memories of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head statues popping up across Rhode Island. Under Alan's guidance, Hasbro teamed up with the State of Rhode Island for a tourism campaign featuring the whimsical statues of the spud made by local artists highlighting the Ocean State's role as the birthplace of fun.

However, it was outside the toy chest that Alan's incredible civic spirit and unmatched generosity shone. His contributions to Rhode Island's civic life were numerous and impactful.

Alan spearheaded a political ethics reform movement, pioneered concepts of social responsibility at the corporate level, and worked to end the use of child labor in toy production supply chains. He invested in generations of public sector leaders. He founded the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute at Brown University to improve family mental health and created RI For Gun Safety to promote commonsense gun reform.

Perhaps most notably, he provided the vision and the founding donation for Hasbro Children's hospital in Providence.

Thanks to Alan, Rhode Island is home to a world-class pediatric healthcare facility providing for the specialty and emergency needs of the littlest New Englanders.

Alan was a philanthropist, businessman, and reformer, but, most important, he was a dear friend, husband, stepfather, uncle, and granddad.

Before taking this office, and once sworn in, Alan provided me wise counsel sharing pragmatic, solutions-oriented advice on how to be of service and make change.

Alan exemplified community spirit and dedication to others, business acumen, incredible generosity, friendship, and, of course, leadership. He represented the best of Rhode Island, and he will be truly and deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, as Congressman John Lewis said: ``We live together in the same house. If one section of our house begins to rot, the entire structure is in danger of collapsing.''

This week marks 5 years since his passing, but his words are more important than ever.

Congressman Lewis understood that the fate of all Americans was intertwined, and that laws that hurt one, hurt us all.

Take the tragic action on Medicaid, for example. Just 2 weeks ago, Republicans in this very Chamber passed Donald Trump's big, ugly bill which included the largest cuts to Medicaid in the program's history.

Republicans slashed nearly $1 trillion from the program, leaving roughly 17 million Medicaid and Affordable Care Act recipients without health insurance.

Every American, no matter where they get their health coverage, will be hurt by this law.

Just like a leak in the roof of a house can cause rot that could collapse the entire structure, these cuts could bring down the entirety of our healthcare system.

Republican cuts to Medicaid erode vital funding for hospitals in low- income and rural communities, will shutter one in four nursing homes, and cripple Americans' access to behavioral healthcare. It will make emergency room wait times longer. It will close local doctor's offices. It will mean the Black students, some of the least resourced, won't be able to get government-backed student loans to fund their full medical education.

If Congressman Lewis were here with us in this Chamber, he would be at the vanguard, decrying this immoral, sinful, cruel bill. He was a key player in moving our Nation closer to securing the right of healthcare for all, eliminating disparities in health equity, and improving access to care in his role to draft the Affordable Care Act.

We must stand up as our colleagues on the other side of the aisle strip away Americans' Medicaid and hurt that legacy of the Affordable Care Act. We must, as Congressman Lewis would remind us, do the right thing, cause good trouble, and ensure that no one, no one destroys the progress that we have made.

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

Mr. Speaker, budgets are a statement of values. Republicans are showing they have none.

People will suffer. People will die. It will be at the hands of Republicans who vote ``yes.''

The top 1 percent are salivating over getting an extra $300,000 a year because of this dangerous bill. Billionaires win.

Mr. Speaker, 17 million Americans will lose their health insurance. This is the largest healthcare cut ever.

Mr. Speaker, 42 million Americans are at risk of losing food assistance. Children will go hungry.

Republicans claim to be the party of faith, patriotism, and families. A ``yes'' vote supports none of these virtues.

This is shameful. I am a hell no.

Mr. Speaker, with admiration and appreciation, I wish to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Rhode Island State Police. For a century, these tireless men and women in uniform have traveled the highways and byways of our state to ensure the safety of our communities. They have lived up to their creed of honor, integrity, fairness, excellence, courage, honesty, and devotion to duty.

On April 2, 1925 the Rhode Island General Assembly created the ``Rhode Island Department of State Police.'' It was the first such organization in our state dedicated to ensuring safety, order, and security for Rhode Islanders. What began with just 21 officers patrolling on Indian-brand motorcycles has grown into a modern, technologically advanced law enforcement agency committed to the highest standards of public service.

From the earliest days of policing rural roads to the current use of cutting-edge technology, the agency has continually evolved to meet the challenges of each era while striving to maintain the trust and respect of the public it serves.

Even their uniforms made an impression--most notably in 1986, when their distinctive attire earned national recognition and was featured on the David Letterman Show.

Over the course of the agency's esteemed 100 year history, the dedicated men and women of the Rhode Island State Police have worked tirelessly to ensure Rhode Islanders' safety. And I know that for the next one hundred years they will continue to serve justice, help stranded motorists, and keep our communities safe. As they mark their centenary during national law enforcement week, I join every Rhode Islander in thanking the Troopers of the Rhode Island State Police for their 100 years of public service.

Mr. Speaker, budgets are a statement of values, and Republicans have made their values crystal clear. They value those who can buy crystals over the working class. They value putting the needs of the wealthy few over the vulnerable. They value making the rich richer, the sick sicker, the hungry hungrier, and, yes, the poor poorer. It is a moral inversion, a reverse Robin Hood scheme, to steal from the poor and give to the rich. It is just plain wrong.

This big, bad bill is an abomination that will hurt tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders just to give billionaires a break on their taxes. Republicans have made their values clear, so will I.

My Rhode Island values are healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and uplifting the poor, ensuring that there is opportunity in this country for everyone, especially the working people in the middle class. You have my word that I will never stop fighting for vulnerable Rhode Islanders and against this dangerous bill.

If I thought they had it, I would urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to show some backbone and do the same, but I know they will fall in line.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my constituent Pranoy, a remarkable young adult and lifelong learner from Barrington, Rhode Island.

Pranoy is driven by his dream of attending college, but that dream is at great risk. It can only be realized if he receives support. Pranoy lives with Down syndrome and uses an adaptive communication device with specialized software to communicate, paid for by Medicaid.

Yet, Republicans are trying to ram through their disastrous budget poised to gut Medicaid and threaten healthcare for one in four Rhode Islanders.

I recently met with Pranoy. He said simply: ``I am only getting started.'' That sentence sums it up. It is what keeps his family and myself up at night. These Republican Medicaid cuts would hinder Pranoy's potential.

I am standing here today because I stand with Pranoy. I stand with the

disability community, and I will stand against any attempt to rip away Medicaid from children who deserve the same opportunity to flourish as any other American, to live out their potential and flourish.

Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus have laid out, Donald Trump has failed the American people. That is why I am grateful to my colleagues, Representatives Kamlager-Dove and Brown, for leading this Special Order hour.

Let's focus on these failures. In countless ways, Donald Trump has failed the American people. He has failed to bring down prices for families. He has failed to keep Americans safe. He has failed to heal or even attempt or pretend to address the deep divides that plague this country. In fact, he is making them worse.

Worse still, he has refused any kind of accountability for the countless mistakes that he, Elon, and the crew have made over the past 100 days. When the stock market is up, that is because of him. When the stock market tanks, that is Joe Biden's fault. If it doesn't get better, that is Joe Biden's fault, too.

Mr. Speaker, no parent would accept this behavior from their child, so why do we accept it from the President? No company would accept this temperament from an employee, so why do we see this behavior normalized by Republicans when we see this bad behavior in our Commander in Chief?

Mr. Speaker, surely, we can still tell the difference between right and wrong. Certainly, we can do that right here in this Chamber. Surely, when we see cancer research funding eliminated, when 2-year-old citizens are deported, when the budget resolution calls for the largest proposed cut to Medicaid ever, surely, we can say these things are wrong, no?

The American people are calling for leadership. They are calling for solutions to help them afford basic necessities. They want to be able to tell their loved ones it is going to be okay, but they are not getting that right now, especially in the Black community.

Instead, they are getting political theater about renaming the Gulf of Mexico and military parades. They are getting authoritarian threats about ignoring the Constitution and running for a third term.

It is unserious. It is unbecoming. It is wrong. Let's call it what it is. It is dangerous.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, history will judge how all of us respond to this moment. I think I know what side I want to be on. I want to be on the side of the Congressional Black Caucus, the side of the conscience of the Congress.

Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump has been a failure. Where he fails, we are here. We will fight. We will fight for fairness, justice, and the promise that has been denied far too many Americans for far too long.

May we continue down this righteous road today to fight and to march on for all the battles that lie ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rhode Island's late, great, senate president, Dominick Ruggerio.

Mr. Speaker, ``Donny,'' as he was referred to by those who knew him best, was a ``force'' to be reckoned with, a ``forza,'' as his Italian loved ones would say.

For over 40 years as a State legislator for North Providence, a jewel of the First Congressional District, President Ruggerio served as champion for all Rhode Islanders.

From infrastructure to the environment, labor protections and more, he fought for the places and people who make the Ocean State great, hardworking people, like my mom who worked for years as an SEIU nurse in Rhode Island nursing homes.

Every time our paths crossed, he would remind me how, with enough hard work, grit, and determination, that anything is possible, even my own story. He loved our State, and he loved our Rhode Island State House.

Throughout his tenure, he mentored so many legislators, countless legislators, regardless of the aisle they sat on.

His passing last week, after a lengthy battle with cancer, is both a profound loss for our community and for our State.

Earlier this week, we came together at St. Anthony Church in North Providence to remember this beloved icon in Rhode Island history.

Today, I join President Ruggerio's friends, family, staff, and colleagues who will carry the torch that he lit and ensure that his legacy shines a light for generations to come.

Supporting Edesia Nutrition

Mr. Speaker, today, I also rise in support of the lifesaving producer of humanitarian aid, Rhode Island's own nonprofit, Edesia Nutrition.

Since coming to Congress, I have been proud to advocate for Edesia in hearing after hearing as vice ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I have joined over 200 of my Democratic colleagues in an amicus brief to push back on Trump's and Elon Musk's unlawful destruction of USAID, and I have led bipartisan appropriations letters to support funding for Edesia's work. Why? Because it reflects the best of America's values. Edesia supports domestic peanut farmers, creates jobs, and helps distribute the only proven treatment for acute malnutrition and famine.

To date, Edesia's products have saved over 26 million lives around the globe, including in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr. Speaker, as the son of West African immigrants, it means the world that America shows up in this way, in this important way, for the vulnerable.

Now, more than ever, we should be investing in Edesia's work, not stripping them of funding. That is why I will be relentless in sounding the alarm and pushing Trump to release the remaining funds that Edesia is owed.

I will continue to fight so that Edesia's programs receive the funding they desperately need in fiscal year 2026. The stakes are literally life and death for millions of children, mothers, and vulnerable populations across the world.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans refuse to listen. They refused in February when they spiked my amendments to support Medicaid and SNAP, and they refused again today. This is despite the pleas of Americans protesting Donald Trump and Republicans' plan to steal their healthcare and let kids go hungry and despite the overwhelming majority crying out for everyday Americans over the whims of billionaires.

Clearly, Republicans don't care about the facts or figures. Maybe they will listen to my constituent Al. Al is a 74-year-old resident of an assisted living facility in East Providence. He is petrified of Republican cuts that will force him onto the street. Al needs Medicare and Medicaid to make ends meet. Even with assistance, he lives on $120 a month. That is $30 a week.

It is not fear-mongering to say that Republicans' plans would hurt Al to prop up billionaires.

I will be voting ``no'' for the middle class, for families, for seniors, and for folks like Al.

Mr. Speaker, across the country, Head Start lives up to its name. It provides quality early childhood education so that working- class families can get ahead. However, right now, Head Start is under attack from Donald Trump and Republicans in this Chamber. They froze program funds, closed regional offices, and forced mass layoffs of those who administer Head Start. Worse still, Republican budget proposals open the door to hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Head Start.

Recently, I visited a Head Start provider in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, to hear from those who rely on the great program. I met with Savanna, who told me that Head Start is how she provided her children with safety, stability, and education after years of struggling. Head Start helps families like Savanna's break the cycle of trauma, fostering resilience and creating lasting change.

Mr. Speaker, let's choose a better path for our vulnerable neighbors. Let's protect Head Start.

Madam Speaker, I rise today because something is rotten in the state of our government.

Over the past 50 days, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE have willfully spread chaos and confusion inside Federal agencies. They have gleefully fired thousands of employees. By taking out their chain saw and cutting down to the bone, this Republican administration is maliciously hurting the American people. We also know they have their sights on Social Security and Medicare, per Elon Musk's statement that it is the ``big one'' to cut.

This isn't fear-mongering. It gives me no pleasure to report these facts, but we need to be honest. The speed, scope, and scale with which these bad-faith actors are disrupting lives is unprecedented.

While attention has been on the impact of firings in Washington, this is not a Washington story--far from it. In fact, fewer than one in five Federal workers live in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia. That is right, the ongoing efforts to cut back the Federal Government are falling on the over 80 percent of workers who live outside the beltway. They are falling on everyday Americans who rely on our government in countless ways, big and small.

Today, I would like to share some stories from Rhode Island of those being hurt by Donald Trump's callous disregard for public service.

I will start with a constituent of mine from Barrington, Rhode Island, who works in international development. Since December, she has been employed by a nonprofit organization that helps children with disabilities outside of the United States. The way she explains it: ``Eliminating USAID in its entirety has hollowed out what used to be the largest bilateral aid agency in the world. When these programs stop, kids suffer. They lose access to shelter, medical care, clean water, food, and education.''

Cuts to U.S. foreign aid have forced the nonprofit to start laying off people. They have lost thousands in the field and terminated hundreds more on the international programs team. This hurts our humanitarian and national security goals.

Every day, my constituent goes to work worried that their job will be next on the chopping block. Worse still, because of potential cuts to Medicaid that Republicans are pursuing in their budget resolution, she is worried whether her family, including her two young sons, will have health insurance if she loses her job.

My question is: Is the cruelty worth it, Madam Speaker?

It is not just those who project American influence abroad. It is also those who carry their service forward after serving in uniform. The Federal Government is the largest employer of our brave veterans. Thirty percent of the Federal workforce are veterans, including one of my constituents from Bristol, Rhode Island. As a disabled veteran with 23 years of service, my constituent was unceremoniously fired from his position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on February 27.

In his letter, he had asked the Department of Commerce if he could receive a letter of displacement to acquire another Federal position versus having to apply as a member of the public. He received no answer, but then again no longer had the access to find out. Thankfully, we learned yesterday that he was reinstated and will report to work tomorrow.

The question is, though, how many veterans have not been so lucky? How many are now scrambling for a job, wondering if their ``thank you for your service'' is an unceremonious pink slip?

It is shameful. It is un-American. It is wrong.

I want to end on a hopeful note. Recently, I heard from Stephanie, a constituent from North Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Stephanie isn't a Federal employee. She is a researcher who went into the field after personally experiencing and seeing her loved ones experience diseases with few treatment options available.

Stephanie earned her Ph.D. in experimental and molecular science. Today, she is a post-doctoral research fellow working to find treatments for neurofibromatosis type 1. Currently, her job is safe. Cuts to research through the National Institutes of Health have been halted by a Federal judge. I proudly led more than 150 of my colleagues in a letter to support this bipartisan--yes, bipartisan--funding priority.

The overall point remains, though: Cuts to Federal funding and Federal workers affect millions of Americans across the country.

Our community is lucky to have researchers, veterans, international aid workers, agricultural experts, and meteorologists. They work to find cures, promote American interests, predict the weather, and keep us healthy, fed, and safe. Their jobs aren't just a line item on a budget. They are about people. They are about Americans who care about our country and the direction of where we are going. Each one of them has done the most American thing possible. They have dedicated their lives to making our Nation a better place.

Mr. Chair, I ask myself two questions on every vote: Who does this benefit? Who does this hurt?

Today, the answers are clear. This Republican budget resolution would benefit the richest 1 percent. Who would it hurt? Working-class families struggling to make ends meet.

It threatens third graders in my hometown of Pawtucket who rely on the community eligibility provision to eat school breakfast and lunch. It threatens a new mom on Aquidneck Island who needs Medicaid to afford postpartum care. It threatens seniors in East Providence who depend on Medicaid's home- and community-based services to stay connected to their loved ones as they age at home.

All of these ordinary Americans would get hurt. For what? To pay for tax cuts for the rich. Don't believe me? Look at the numbers.

The Republican plan could slash $230 billion from SNAP and $880 billion from Medicaid, two proposals which

allow them to turn around and shovel $1.1 trillion in tax giveaways to the richest 1 percent.

Mr. Chair, when I first read through this resolution, I thought surely it must be a mistake, there is no way that Republicans would intentionally hurt working Americans, right?

Wrong. Democrats tried to stop the madness over and over, but Republicans refused to listen.

Just yesterday, Republicans refused to consider my amendment to block cuts to SNAP and programs that provide free and reduced-price lunches for students. You heard that right. Republicans want to make it harder for hungry children to eat.

Republicans also refused to join me in supporting Medicaid. It provides health coverage to 72 million Americans, including over 300,000 Rhode Islanders. That is not a typo. Republicans are putting the needs of billionaires above the needs of ordinary Americans. If that isn't a betrayal, I don't know what is.

Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to recognize the 44th Adjutant General of Rhode Island, Major General Christopher P. Callahan. After a storied career of more than four decades of service to our country, I would like to take a moment to express my profound gratitude and admiration for Major General Callahan's steadfast contributions to our state in advance of his retirement on January 31, 2025.

Since 2015, Major General Callahan has faithfully carried out the duties as Adjutant General and Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard. As the senior-most officer and strategic leader of our state's military forces, he is responsible for the mission readiness of all Army and Air National Guard units in the Ocean State. Over the past decade, more than 3,000 soldiers and airmen have skillfully and successfully deployed on missions around the globe thanks to Major General Callahan's leadership.

But beyond the logistical demands of ensuring that the National Guard is well-equipped, well-trained, and well-led, Major General Callahan capably navigated our community through the once-in-a-generation challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to Major General Callahan, the Rhode Island National Guard played an instrumental role in our state's robust vaccination efforts. As I look back on how we came together to keep Rhode Islanders safe, his example shines as a testament to courageous leadership during uncertain times.

Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for General Callahan's willingness to answer the call and serve our Nation with distinction. He has nobly served his fellow Americans and fellow Rhode Islanders for more than 40 years and our state will deeply miss his steady presence and wealth of experience. I thank him for his service and dedication.