Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 7385, to rename the Petersburg Post Office as the John Mercer Langston United States Postal Service Building.

John Mercer Langston broke barriers and redefined what was possible for Black Virginians in the late 19th century.

Born in 1829 in Louisa, Virginia, he was an abolitionist, attorney, diplomat, voting rights advocate, educational administrator, community leader, the founding dean of the law school of Howard University, founding president of Virginia State University, and my predecessor as the first African American elected to Congress from Virginia representing the Fourth District.

My connection to Mr. Langston is personal. My parents worked at Virginia State University where he was the first president. I grew up on that campus.

My father would often go to that post office to pay bills and to collect mail from the box. We used to joke he was the mayor of the post office because he knew everybody there. Now, as the first African- American woman elected to Congress from Virginia in the same district that Mr. Langston represented, it is my honor to put forth this bill and ask my colleagues to support renaming the post office, that I literally grew up in, after a legendary trailblazer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, John Mercer Langston.

Mr. Speaker, voting rights are sacrosanct and they are personal to many of us.

Over 150 years ago, Black men were allowed to vote for the first time in this country. Thousands were elected to office, particularly across the South, including into this body, including one of my predecessors, John Mercer Langston, the first Black man elected to Congress from Virginia. I stand here as the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia. I am the great-granddaughter of a man, who after reconstruction when voter suppression laws passed across the South, had to take a literacy test and find three White men to vouch for his character to be able to vote. He was an American citizen.

I stood in the well and took my oath of office on March 7, 2023, on my father's Bible. Inside that Bible, he kept the poll tax receipt from when he registered to vote, and his father paid a poll tax. I kept that. He kept it in the Bible to remind himself of the barriers put in place to him, an American citizen, to vote.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is essentially a poll tax because I am not aware of a single proof of citizenship document that does not cost an individual money to get, unless we are requiring every State to provide one for free, and then it is an unfunded mandate. This is the 2024 version of the Jim Crow poll tax, and we should vote against it.

Mr. Chairman, last week we saw that the allied effort to repeal the Russian invasion of Ukraine is an extension of the battle for freedom in Europe that unfolded on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago.

This was really crystallized when an American World War II veteran, Melvin Hurwitz, embraced President Zelenskyy and said: ``You are the savior of the people. You bring tears to my eyes. You are our hero.''

As Speaker Johnson himself has said, just like Hitler continued marching when he was not repelled, Vladimir Putin will continue to march through Europe if not repelled. That is one thing the Speaker and I agree on.

Any efforts to undermine our support of our allies in Ukraine should be opposed.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion works to ensure the Department of Defense and our Armed Forces reflect the face of the Nation that they defend, which they have not always done.

The office promotes a DOD culture of dignity and respect that values diversity and inclusion as a readiness imperative because the character of warfare is changing.

With the rapidly evolving threat landscape and in unprecedented times of facing unique challenges from global pandemics to the escalating climate crisis, the DOD and our Armed Forces need diverse perspectives, experience, and skill sets to remain a global leader to deter war and keep our Nation safe.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith), the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. Chair, diversity recognizes that a wide variety of opinions and people that reflect the diversity of the country that our Armed Forces defend is important.

Equity ensures that 400 years of the impact of slavery and Jim Crow, that didn't go away with a magic wand when laws changed, are addressed.

Inclusion ensures that everyone in our Armed Forces is treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve, given the sacrifice they are making.

These efforts to undermine DEI in our Armed Forces are counterproductive, dangerous, and will not help with readiness, preparedness, recruitment, or retention.

That is why this amendment, as well as the next series of amendments that we will debate, should and must be defeated.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell), a member of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Chair, the strength of our military is the people, and the people bring with them the sum of their life experiences and perspectives and what they know.

In my family, I had several uncles born between 1918 and 1938 who served during World War II in the Navy in a segregated unit where they were not allowed to fight. They were only allowed to cook because of the color of their skin. The stories that they told their children about the indignity they suffered from their fellow servicemembers and superior officers, do you think any of their children wanted to serve in the military? There are countless stories like that.

As we see people who lived under Jim Crow dying off and those stories are not being told, people don't understand that a legacy of 300 years of slavery and Jim Crow did not go away with the wave of a magic wand.

When people show up and see people from different backgrounds, different colors, different religions for the first time in the military, which still does happen, they bring their life experiences and what they know and sometimes have trouble understanding and respecting the different life experiences of other people.

DEI programs are designed to help bridge that gap to help increase recruitment by making the descendants of people who were discriminated against when they served in the military actually want to join. It makes sure that everyone who does join is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve as people who are putting their lives on the line for every American.

This amendment should be defeated. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

The Acting Chair. The gentlewoman from Virginia is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, once again, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are not designed to force a social agenda down anybody's throat. What they are designed to do is to recognize that people aren't perfect, that the people who make up our military bring with them the sum total of their life experiences and what they know, and that from the beginning of our military, the right to serve was limited to a very few people.

Our Army turns 249 years old this week. My ancestors weren't allowed to join. A year after, when the Declaration of Independence was written and said that all men were created equal, they didn't include the men in my family, and they certainly didn't include me.

When the Constitution was written, creating a government by, of, and for we the people, it didn't include me. My ancestors were three-fifths of a person, yet many tried to fight anyway. Many who were allowed in foreign wars and wars on this soil, when they came home, faced violence and discrimination because of the color of their skin.

Those stories were told in my family, but they weren't taught in history books. When I became a State legislator in Virginia, I recognized that there were a lot of people to whom those stories weren't told, and therefore, they may not understand why something they say or something they do or a policy they put in place perpetuates the impact of 400 years of slavery and Jim Crow.

DEI is designed to recognize that now our military is open to more than just the limited few people who could join 249 years ago and that maybe we need to make sure that everybody who serves together respects one another and can be cohesive. That is what it is designed to do.

Mr. Chair, this amendment should be defeated, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, it is actually not true that people were only excluded in the military because of performance. I have already recounted some of that history, and if the gentleman thinks it is just history, then I invite him to speak to some of the men and women of color and the women in general who are serving now and ask them about some of the discrimination they continue to face.

Mr. Chair, you have already heard today some of the reasons why recruitment is down, and I do talk to some of the servicemembers whom I represent, including in my family. Part of it is pay, part of it is the inability to afford childcare and housing, and part of it is a question about whether they are respected as individuals.

I am not going to focus just on our fighting men and women. The Department of Defense is one of the largest employers in the country, and having a diverse workforce that is not out in battle is also important so that they can work together to keep our Armed Forces ready.

When our servicemembers go overseas, they are going to meet and see people from different backgrounds and work with people of different backgrounds, colors, races, and religions, and they probably need some help in bridging those divides. That is part of what DEI does.

In an effort to say that we are just going to pretend racism doesn't exist, sexism doesn't exist, homophobia doesn't exist, Islamophobia doesn't exist, and that anti-Semitism doesn't exist, and that we are going to ignore it and maybe it will go away, it won't.

We are going to ignore the fact that a disproportionate number of officers are one sex and one race. That is not based on merit. That is not based on performance. This amendment should be defeated.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).

Madam Chair, in closing, I rise to oppose this amendment, as well. After the Civil War ended, Robert E. Lee himself argued against the erection of monuments to the Confederacy. I invite Members to read what he said about proposed monuments in Gettysburg, proposed monuments to Stonewall Jackson. He said they would more likely retard the reunion and bonding and reconciliation of the North and South than help it.

Many of these monuments, including this one, weren't put up right after the Civil War. They were put up after Reconstruction ended. During Reconstruction, formerly enslaved people, for the first time, began to gain social, political, and economic power.

When Reconstruction ended and the old Confederate power structure came back in the South, three things happened. Through the use of voter suppression, racial terror, and propaganda, efforts were made to say to Black Americans, who finally started to gain in the promise of our founding documents: Stay in your place.

The lost-cause narrative was a part of that. Many of these monuments were a part of that. They were put up in response to Reconstruction, in response to the gains of the civil rights movement, and we are in that backlash, frankly, right now.

When this monument was placed, the gentleman said it was for reconciliation, but for who? Not for the Black Americans who saw that monument then, and even today, and see the images of a mammy and a loyal slave following his master into battle. They know what that means. It conjures up the stereotypes that were used to help build the lie of White supremacy, and the stereotypes that were used to help convince Black people to stay in their place.

That is part of why the commission said this monument should come down and why this amendment should be defeated.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I find it really interesting that in a Congress that took 15 votes and several days to elect a Speaker and then 3 weeks to elect another Speaker, and every must-pass bill has been bogged down with culture war amendments or partisan infighting that has taken us to the brink, that in a Congress that has passed very little legislation compared to other Congresses, we now want Congress to micromanage a local military base.

For example, if Fort Gregg-Adams in Prince George, for example, has a festival and they want to fly a flag related to that festival, they have to come to Congress to ask for a bill to be passed and signed by the President of the United States. That is ridiculous. That is utterly ridiculous.

That is why, in a wide variety of bills passed by Congress, we delegate some of that minutiae to the people on the ground who know, in that given situation, they can exercise their judgment.

Mr. Chair, have you ever wondered why transgender individuals are more likely to have mental health issues or commit suicide or attempt to commit suicide?

It is not just our servicemembers. It is also their dependents.

Maybe the reason is the harassment and demonization that they have faced for generations from the far right.

Maybe it is for the same reason a student whom I represented who identified as transgender wanted to commit suicide because on a daily basis in their school they received texts and threats from friends who said: ``You should kill yourself'' solely because they identified as transgender.

Maybe it is because the vitriol that we have heard in committee and on this floor against the transgender community tells them: You are not valuable as a human being.

That is why this amendment is so cruel.

What this amendment does is to say that in the same body, from the same party who has made arguments about individual freedom and decried what they see as people trying to impose their views on other people, this is an amendment that says that they are going to impose their views on what transgender people should or should not do when making their own healthcare decisions.

In doing so, it is so broadly written that it leaves it up to I don't know who to decide what the purpose of the hormone treatment that someone who identifies as transgender is because not every transgendered woman gets surgery. A woman who identifies as a man may not get surgery and continue to have ovaries, and when she reaches menopause, she may need hormonal therapy.

Now some bureaucrat is going to have to sit and say: What is the purpose of this? Is this part of your effort now to be surgically or hormonally transitioned?

This amendment is ridiculous and cruel, and it should be defeated.

Madam Chair, one thing we have learned in Virginia is that an all-encompassing approach to energy policy is smart, that it is good for national security, that it is good to have energy independence here. That includes electronic vehicles. That includes wind power, solar power, and not just a myopic view that the only fuel available is fossil fuel.

I am a child of Generation X, so I remember ``Schoolhouse Rock'' basically saying: Energy, we are going to use it all up.

The more we can move to renewable energy, that is just good common sense. It is good energy policy. It is good transportation policy. It is good for national security.

Again, no one has said to anyone in the military: You can only use a zero-emission vehicle. They are not planning to do it. This is an amendment in search of a problem that is counterproductive and could cause harm unintentionally.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, we can agree that we want our servicemembers to focus on their job and be ready to do their job, and we know that climate change is having an impact on readiness. We have heard it time and time again.

As temperatures rise, it affects our servicemembers. As sea level rises, it affects our Navy. We have Navy Station Norfolk that is going to be subject to multiple major storms every year. When it rains, there is a street that goes right down the middle of it that floods and bisects the naval station in two.

We cannot keep our head in the sand on the impact of climate change on readiness. They are directly related. We need to focus on how to fix that, not look for solutions to problems that don't exist.

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

Madam Chair, I thank Ranking Member Smith for yielding time.

I have good news in that the NDAA does include a raise for our servicemembers, which is long overdue, but we can multitask.

For all of the reasons that Ranking Member Smith said, it is important that we work to save our planet because, if we don't, it will have longer-term and short-term national security implications and implications for the readiness of our servicemembers, which we heard in committee time and time again.

In addition to the climate benefits, EVs emit less noise and heat, so they are harder for our enemies to detect. They improve responsiveness and flexibility and decrease our reliance on fossil fuels so that, should fuel supplies ever be compromised or slow, our Armed Forces will still be able to respond because they have more options available.

Yet, Republicans want to play politics with climate; not the Democrats. We are working to address climate change. We are looking to respond to climate change and make sure that our military remains ready and does not continue to contribute to global warming itself.

As written, though, this amendment doesn't just block the DOD's adoption of electric vehicles. It prohibits maintenance of existing EVs and charging infrastructure or the potential installation of infrastructure that has already been secured but subject to a servicing contract.

Why in the world would we tie the hands of our military to maintain what they already have? That is just dumb. I don't understand why we are doing it. We shouldn't do it.

Previous NDAAs have contained provisions that address reasonable concerns related to the DOD's adoption of EVs, including ensuring grid stability, proper phasing of support infrastructure, and resiliency planning. That is not in this amendment.

The notion that EVs contain Chinese component parts and are, therefore, more of a threat than traditional internal combustion engines is specious. That argument could be used for every battery found in every vehicle, every phone, every computer, and almost anything that has a battery the DOD uses.

Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chair, climate change and sea level rise and increased temperatures and increased storms have a direct impact on military readiness, operations, and the health and well-being of our servicemembers.

Yelling and calling people names or ridiculing them for the type of car they choose to drive won't change that fact. When we had Navy leadership in a hearing, I asked them to talk about the impact of climate change on readiness. As sea level rise increases, we have more corrosion of our ships. As temperatures increase, that has a direct impact on the health of our servicemembers.

I went to Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval station in the world, which is in one of the most vulnerable places to sea level rise, the most vulnerable on the East Coast. I asked the commanding officer: What are you most worried about? She said: When increased storms come and literally water floods a street that bisects this base in half, that the increasing sea level rise is reclaiming the land that Naval Station Norfolk is on and they have nowhere to rebuild.

This amendment would prohibit the Department of Defense from expending funds to implement a broad spectrum of the Biden/Harris administration's executive orders, everything from job-creating, clean energy projects to ensuring that rural, low income, Tribal, and minority communities are not continually, inordinately impacted by pollution from our military installations, which oh, by the way, in Norfolk at one time killed the Elizabeth River, which is slowly starting to come back because Naval Station Norfolk has decided to be a better neighbor and steward of the land that it is on.

We don't need to speculate on the impacts of this amendment because a rider on the fiscal year 2024 Defense appropriations bill made a $500 million cut to climate-tagged accounts immediately impacting operational energy programs that make our servicemembers more effective and lethal, extending on-station times, and reducing the need for refueling.

Come to these military installations that are vulnerable, that are impacted, and talk to their commanding officers and maybe that will help you connect the dots between climate change, climate policy, and military readiness.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. Chair, do you know what I teach my children? I teach them the ripple effect. Your simple act of kindness today may not change and lead to world peace tomorrow, but it will have a ripple effect.

What we do today to reduce our carbon footprint will have a ripple effect. The military has been one of the largest, not just contributors to greenhouse gases, but pollution that has damaged mostly low-income, rural, Tribal, and minority communities who didn't at the time have the power to contribute or consult on the decisions that were being made.

The environmental justice executive order is designed to say we are going to be a better neighbor and we are going to be a better steward and make sure that we are not destroying the environment on which our military bases sit. That is a good thing.

Extreme weather events, sea level rise, and severe flooding has a direct impact on military readiness. I think it is really sad that my colleague doesn't believe the commanding officer of the largest naval base in the world when unprompted is asked what the biggest thing you are worried about, she raised two issues that were related: I am landlocked with the sea encroaching on my base, I have nowhere to go, and it is impacting my ability to ensure we are ready to meet increased national security impacts. As other parts of the planet become uninhabitable, where do you think they are going to go?

Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, 80 years ago, after the invasion of D-Day, we witnessed the beginning of the end of the Hitler regime. In the wake of World War II and its devastation, NATO was created in an effort to deter then-Soviet expansionism, forbid the revival of nationalist militarism in Europe through a strong North American presence on the continent, and encourage European political integration.

Given what is happening right now with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, now is not the time to say we are going to turn our back on or abandon NATO. We need to strengthen and recommit to our alliance.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lt. Colonel Theresa M. Claiborne, who was the first African American female pilot in the United States Air Force. Aside from her many accomplishments, Clairborne is flying her last commercial flight this month.

Captain Claiborne was born on May 25, 1959, to Wayne Morris, Sr. and Dorothy Claiborne in Emporia, Virginia. She attended California State University, Sacramento, where she earned a degree in Communication, Culture, and Media in 1981. Claiborne completed the University of California-Berkeley Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) program and was commissioned as a United States Air Force second lieutenant on June 20, 1981.

Following the completion of pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas, Lt. Claiborne graduated as the first African American female pilot in the United States Air Force on September 16, 1982. During Claiborne's active-duty years, she rose in rank to Captain and served as a KC 135 pilot at Loring Air Force Base, Maine. Captain Claiborne credits the Tuskegee Airmen as dutiful servicemen who paved the way for her and the Black women and men to follow.

After 9 years of dedicated service, Captain Claiborne retired from active-duty service and Joined the United States Air Force Reserves as a flight commander and an instructor pilot, becoming a Lieutenant Colonel in November 2001.

Concurrently, after leaving active-duty service, Captain Claiborne Joined United Airlines as a flight engineer, working her way up to the rank of captain She remained one of only 15 Black female pilots at United Airlines until 2019.

On January 6, 2003, Lt. Colonel Claiborne retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserves but maintained her position as Captain with United Airlines, accumulating over 15,000 civilian flying hours.

However, Lt. Colonel Claiborne's service did not stop there. In 2016, she co-founded the Sister of the Skies with pilots Christine Angel Hughes and Nia Wordlaw, with the mission of supporting and building a diverse aviation workforce by offering workshops, mentorships, and scholarships.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Lt. Colonel Claiborne for her more than 20 years of service to our armed forces and for paving the way for a new generation of Black female pilots.

Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Pallone for his leadership.

I rise today to urge my colleagues to oppose the House Republicans' ridiculous Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act, which would strip away commonsense energy efficiency standards that will save our constituents hundreds of dollars every year on their utility bills and save $1 trillion and cut greenhouse gas pollution by over 2.5 billion metric tons over the next 30 years.

However, House Republicans want to put polluters over people by stoking fear that someone is coming after their household appliances. News flash: No one is coming after anyone's household appliances.

We should be focused on the issues that the American people want us to focus on. Indeed, none of my constituents nor a majority of the American people are clamoring for Congress to protect their household appliances.

Do you know what they are clamoring for? They are clamoring for Congress to do something about the fact that they have lost reproductive freedom and the ability to make healthcare decisions without interference from politicians since the Supreme Court gutted Roe v. Wade. Now over 40 percent of women of reproductive age live in a State with an abortion ban or extreme restrictions.

They want us to do something about the fact that barriers to their exercise of the right to vote have been put in place since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act.

They want us to do something about the fact that the impacts of climate change such as, sea level rise, increased temperatures, major storms increasing, and pollution is having an impact on their health, their businesses, their communities, and even our military readiness, as we heard from the Secretary of the Navy last week.

Democrats are fighting to put people over politics and address these issues that actually matter to the American people. I urge my Republican colleagues to do the same. Vote ``no'' on this bill, and let's get back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Earth Day, which will be on Monday, a day to honor and celebrate our remarkable planet.

Earth Day is an important opportunity to renew our commitment to combating climate change, transitioning to a clean-energy future, promoting conservation and sustainability, and advancing environmental justice.

We face serious environmental challenges across the globe, from preventing sea level rise on the coasts to combating the destruction of natural habitats in the Arctic and everything in between.

Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, Congressional Democrats made historic climate progress over the past few years, including the largest investment in climate action and clean energy in our Nation's history.

The Inflation Reduction Act is creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs of the future, and as we continue to transition to cleaner, more sustainable technologies, we are working to ensure that everyone can benefit from these investments and that no one is left behind.

The Biden-Harris administration is complementing our efforts with transformative executive actions that include finalizing strong standards that cut greenhouse gas emissions and safeguard our communities.

Thanks to the administration, we have taken historic action to reduce methane emissions; strengthen standards for soot; limit emissions from cars, trucks, and buses; and curb PFAS, or forever chemical, contamination.

In the coming weeks, we look forward to a strong final rule for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for power plants. Last year, I led over 50 Members of Congress in urging the administration to finalize strong standards that will protect the health and well-being of the American people, and we eagerly await that final rule.

I commend the administration for their commitment to ensuring that 40 percent of the overall benefits of Federal investments in climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other key areas flow to historically disadvantaged communities that have been disproportionately impacted by climate change and pollution.

For too long, low-income communities, communities of color, our Tribal and indigenous communities, have borne the brunt of environmental degradation and our worsening climate. The climate crisis exacerbates longstanding inequities and contributes to worse public health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

My predecessor, the late Donald McEachin, was a true environmental justice champion who always stood up for these vulnerable populations. Each year, he would lead a resolution to recognize Earth Day and call for action to protect our planet. This week, I look forward to building on his legacy and helping to reintroduce that resolution to honor Earth Day.

As a mother to two young children, I am fighting to ensure a healthy, more sustainable future for my children and yours. Earth Day is a reminder that we have no planet B. We must continue fighting to protect our Earth and protect our next generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise, as we close out Black Maternal Health Week, to underscore the pressing need to continue addressing the maternal mortality crisis that plagues our Nation.

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income nation in the world, and Black women bear the brunt of these disparities and are three times more likely to die in childbirth than White women.

This crisis has been made worse by the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as the States with abortion bans have higher mortality rates than those that do not.

I know the risks that Black women face all too well as I nearly died giving birth to my daughter, Samantha, when she was born 9 weeks prematurely and spent 6 weeks in the NICU.

As a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, I am encouraged by some of the progress that we have made, such as the Biden-Harris administration's Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis; allowing States to expand Medicaid postpartum coverage from just 60 days to 12 months postpartum, impacting approximately 65 percent of births for Black mothers; and adopting new regulations under the Pregnant Worker Fairness Act that gives millions of workers access to unpaid leave. We must do more, including passing the Momnibus Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Sixth Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia.

In 1923, Reverend Edward D. Caffee led 25 members from Mount Carmel Baptist Church to establish a Mission, initially known as St. Luke's Mission. Despite initial challenges in obtaining recognition, on December 12, 1923, the Mission was officially recognized as St. Luke Baptist Church.

Under Reverend Caffee's guidance, the church flourished, moving to North Sixth Street in 1924, where it held its first service on December 28, 1924. In November 1927, the Reverend Joseph Arrington was appointed as pastor of Sixth Baptist Church. At Arrington's recommendation and with the congregation's consent, the church officially changed its name from St. Luke Baptist Church to Sixth Street Baptist Church.

Despite financial struggles during the Great Depression, the church persevered, paying off its mortgage in 1944. In 1952, recognizing the changing landscape of Richmond, the congregation moved to the West End, renaming itself Sixth Baptist Church. Under the leadership of Reverend Arrington, the church's membership grew to an astounding 350 members.

After 33 years of faithful service, Reverend Arrington stepped down as pastor, paving the way for the appointment of Haywood Knight as Sixth Baptist Church's new senior pastor. Under Reverend Knight's leadership, the church renovated its fellowship hall and established the Fellowship Club and Youth Church. Reverend Knight served as pastor until 1968, when Reverend Dr. Emmett L. Fleming Sr. became the fourth pastor of the church.

Under Reverend Dr. Fleming's tenure, the church embarked on ambitious projects, including erecting an educational building and renovating the sanctuary. His legacy of community outreach and ministry development laid a strong foundation for the future.

In 2001, Reverend Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs became the fifth pastor of Sixth Baptist Church, continuing the tradition of stewardship and community engagement. As pastor, Rev. Dr. Bibbs has overseen the church through two phases of construction and renovations to improve facilities and worship spaces for the growing congregation.

Throughout its 100 years, Sixth Baptist Church has remained a steadfast place of worship for congregants and members of the Richmond community. As we celebrate Sixth Baptist Church's centennial, we honor the past, embrace the present, and look forward to a future filled with continued growth and service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to underscore the pressing need to protect Americans from rampant forms of online sexual harassment.

With the widespread adoption of social media, dating apps, and other technologies, we are seeing a concerning rise in inappropriate online behavior that impacts users, including our own children.

For too long, Congress has failed to pass legislation that keeps up with the

rapidly evolving digital landscape and the new challenges posed by these developments.

In particular, users--men, women, and children--are facing concerningly high rates of cyberflashing.

Cyberflashing can include transferal of sexually explicit images, videos, and pictures without consent via social media, messaging apps, WiFi, Bluetooth, and even AirDrop.

The rise in cyberflashing affects everyone, including everyday users, celebrities, and children.

Over half of women between the ages of 18 and 29 have received an explicit image they never asked for, and overall, 32 percent of women and 30 percent of men have received unsolicited explicit images. Celebrities including Keke Palmer and Chrishell Stause, have also dealt with cyberflashing.

Most concerning, cyberflashing is impacting our children, with a recent study estimating that 76 percent of girls aged 12 to 18 years old have been exposed to unsolicited nude images.

These issues are further exacerbated by the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning, which is giving rise to unregulated deepfakes, personal image hacking, and more.

The Stanford Internet Observatory and Thorn found that AI technologies exacerbate online sexual exploitation and contribute to the creation of child sexual abuse material.

As a mother of two children, I am fighting to address these issues and protect users from unwanted, nonconsensual, and inappropriate sexual behavior. If someone flashed you on the street, they would be arrested, but if they flash you through your phone, nothing happens.

Thanks to my work as a State legislator, it is illegal to send unsolicited nude photos in Virginia as of January 1, 2022. Now in Congress, I am continuing those efforts to make it illegal nationwide by introducing the Curbing Online Non-Consensual Sexually Explicit Nudity Transfers Act, or the CONSENT Act.

I am proud that this is a bipartisan, bicameral bill with Congressman Nathaniel Moran of Texas and Senators Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Steve Daines of Montana.

The CONSENT Act ensures a private right of action against individuals who knowingly send unsolicited, nonconsensual sexually explicit visual images, whether they are unaltered or manipulated by machine learning or AI.

It allows an individual to obtain either statutory damages of up to $500 or compensatory damages for emotional distress, reimbursement for reasonable attorney fees, and a temporary restraining order to cease receiving sexually explicit images from the sender. This legislation also safeguards the privacy of minors by empowering legal guardians to bring a civil action on their behalf and elect to use the plaintiff's initials in all further court proceedings.

I am grateful that the CONSENT Act enjoys a wide coalition of support. This bipartisan legislation is endorsed by the dating app Bumble, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Organization for Women, the Virginia chapter of the National Organization for Women, the National Women's Political Caucus, and the Richmond YWCA.

The CONSENT Act will address the privacy and safety concerns of users and help ensure individuals have legal recourse against these troubling situations.

I look forward to advocating for this legislation this Congress and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it and protect America's online users and our children from cyberflashing.

Mr. Speaker, the Virginia General Assembly proclaimed March 28th as James Solomon Russell Day. Today, I use to honor his legacy and incredible contributions to our Commonwealth.

Born enslaved in 1857, James Solomon Russell's life journey exemplifies resilience and determination. After receiving his teaching license in Warren County, North Carolina, and beginning to teach in the area, he attended Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in 1874. However, due to financial difficulties, he was unable to complete his studies and returned to teach in Warren County.

Thereafter, he became interested in the Episcopal Church and was the fist student at Saint Stephen's Normal and Industrial School (later Bishop Payne Divinity School) in Petersburg, VA. He dedicated himself to uplifting his community and worked among Zion Union members in Brunswick County. His tireless efforts included the establishment of schools, senior housing, and the founding of Saint Paul's College in 1888. Through his leadership, thousands of African American youth were empowered to pursue education, becoming beacons of progress across the Commonwealth.

Despite closing its doors in 2013, James Solomon Russell's indelible mark at Saint Paul's College is kept alive at the James Solomon Russell--Saint Paul's College Museum and Archives in Lawrenceville, Virginia. I commend the James Solomon Russell Commemoration Committee and the Saint Paul's College Museum Committee for spearheading the community effort to open the museum to the public in 2019.

Moreover, I extend my deepest appreciation to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture Robert F. Smith Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History. Their collaboration with the James Solomon Russell-- Saint Paul's College Museum and Archives is invaluable. The Center's expertise in archiving and digitizing historical records ensures that Russell's story, along with the rich

history of Saint Paul's College, remains accessible to future generations.

Mr. Speaker, in celebration of Women's History Month, I rise today to honor 23 women chosen by constituents in Virginia's Fourth Congressional District for my inaugural Women in Excellence Award. These women are recognized for their meaningful contributions and commitment to improving the lives of others and giving back to their communities. I commend these remarkable women who are spearheading progress across the district in the fields of advocacy, environmental justice, economic development, education, government, healthcare, law, public safety, and more.

Chief Lynette Lewis Allston, Southampton

Dr. Monica L. Ball, Richmond

Ms Sherri Bowman, Charles City

Dr. Shantelle Brown, Richmond

Ms. Chelsea L. Buyalos, Chester

Sheriff Vanessa R. Crawford, Petersburg

Mrs. Dixie Daniel, Brunswick

Detective Lakisha R. Davis, Chesterfield

Dr. Tamara W. Dias, Chester

Ms. Austine Ellis, Emporia

Dr. Shonda Harris-Muhammed, Richmond

Mrs. Evelyn M. Johnson, Chesterfield

Ms. Michelle Johnson, Charles City

Mrs. Rebecca L. Larkin, Henrico

Ms. Tracy Lee, Colonial Heights

Dr. Shantell Lewis, Henrico

Ms. Danielle Milliner, Petersburg

The Honorable Gammiel Poindexter, Richmond

Ms. Aileen Rivera, Henrico

Mrs. Vondrenna Smithers, Brunswick

Ms. Kenda Sutton-EL, Richmond

Dr. Phyllis Taylor Tolliver, Prince George

Ms. Kim Walker-Lee, Southampton

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to underscore the devastating impacts that we have seen from Republicans' extreme and unrelenting attacks on reproductive freedom.

Since the Trump-packed Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we have seen children as young as 10 years of age who have been raped who could not get abortion services. We have seen women who have suffered miscarriages and who have had to sit in the car until they were septic to get the treatment that they needed.

Moreover, now we have seen the Alabama Supreme Court strip away the right to in vitro fertilization with its decision last week and three centers stopping IVF services.

Republicans in the House and the Senate say that they support in vitro fertilization, but when given the opportunity to actually preserve it, they failed. Mr. Speaker, 125 House Republicans cosponsored legislation that would ban IVF, and the Senate has rejected legislation to make it legal.

These decisions belong between patients and their providers.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following essay by 1st Place High School Winner, Zahara Flowers:

As a student and a future voter, the words of Barack Obama

resonate deeply within me. In a world that constantly calls

for transformation, it is crucial that we do not wait for

others to usher in the change we desire. Instead, we must

recognize our own influence and seize the opportunity to

become active participants in shaping the future of our

communities and our nation. Through a combination of

education, advocacy, and civic engagement, we can harness our

collective power to effect meaningful change.

Education is the foundation of empowerment. As students, we

have a unique opportunity to expand our knowledge and

understanding of the pressing issues facing our society. By

immersing ourselves in subjects such as history, civics, and

social sciences, we gain valuable insights into the root

causes of inequality, injustice, and structural barriers.

Moreover, education equips us with the critical thinking

skills necessary to analyze complex problems and develop

innovative solutions. As such, I encourage my peers to

prioritize their education and to actively seek out

opportunities for learning both inside and outside the

classroom.

However, education alone is not enough. We must also

translate our knowledge into action through advocacy. This

involves raising awareness about key issues, amplifying the

voices of marginalized communities, and holding our elected

officials accountable. One way to do this is by engaging in

community outreach efforts. Whether it's through volunteering

with local nonprofits, participating in protests and

demonstrations, or simply having conversations with friends

and family, every action we take has the potential to create

ripple effects of change. Additionally, we can utilize social

media platforms to share information, mobilize support, and

build solidarity around important causes. By harnessing the

power of our collective voices, we can create a momentum that

compels policymakers to take meaningful action.

Furthermore, civic engagement is essential for fostering a

culture of democracy and social responsibility. As future

voters, we have a responsibility to participate in the

electoral process and to exercise our right to vote. This

means registering to vote, staying informed about candidates

and ballot measures, and turning out to the polls on Election

Day. Moreover, we must recognize that our civic duty extends

beyond casting a ballot every few years. We must also

actively engage with our elected officials, advocating for

policies that reflect our values and priorities. Whether it's

writing letters, making phone calls, or attending town hall

meetings, our voices have the power to shape the political

landscape and influence decision-making at every level of

government.

In conclusion, the journey toward meaningful change begins

with recognizing our own power and embracing our role as

change makers in our communities. Through education,

advocacy, and civic engagement, we can harness the power of

collective action to address the pressing challenges of our

time. As students and future voters, we have the opportunity

and the obligation to shape the future we want to see. Let us

heed the call to action, knowing that the power to create

change lies within each and every one of us. As the first

Black President of the United States, Barack Obama, once

said: ``Change will not come if we wait for some other person

or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for.

We are the change that we seek.''

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following essay by 1st Place Middle Schooler, Frances Widmer:

Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm did many amazing things to

pave the way for Black women in politics during her life and

legacy. Her childhood, experience in national politics, and

tenure as a congresswomen all speak to the remarkable legacy

she left behind. She paved the way for Black women to lead in

politics by pushing against the odds, by running against

white men, and by challenging the political system.

Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, New York, but when

she was three she moved to her system parents' homeland of

Barbados to live with her grandmother. She was an intelligent

girl and excelled in school and was ``bossy'' to all her

older cousins. When she was eight years old, she moved back

to Brooklyn with her parents. There she would listen into the

political conversations her dad would hold and she became

more and more interested in politics. She continued in her

education and went to Brooklyn College to study Spanish and

sociology, but she was not allowed to study political science

because she was a Black woman.

As Shirley became more interested in politics, she attended

political meetings and joined the 17th Assembly District

Democratic Club. In her club, she realized that they did more

chores, like writing thank you cards and holding fundraisers,

than helping their community. Shirley Chisholm also began to

realize that the congressmen were making promises they could

not keep. Wanting to change all of these things, she got Into

action.

In 1968 Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to be

elected to congress. For her to get to this point, she had to

face lots of opposition both because of her race and

gender. Despite that, she knew that she had what it took to

govern our country. She won by over 21,000 votes, but not

everyone applauded Shirley's win. No one in the congress

looked like her. In Congress, her first assignment was a

position in the Agricultural Committee in America, but she

was disappointed. She then used her position to help feed the

hungry including people in Brooklyn, her hometown, Shirley

Chisholm said, ``You don't make progress by standing on the

sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by

implementing ideas.'' She kept trying and succeeded in her

goal.

In 1972 Shirley Chisholm ran to become the Democratic

candidate for the Presidential election. She thought that the

U.S. government should reflect America. Though her bid was

unsuccessful, she broke the barrier for Black women in

politics. Chisholm was the first African American to make a

bid for a major party's candidate. She famously said, ``If

you don't have a seat at the table, bring in a folding

chair.'' She made an opportunity for herself and for others

to serve in government.

Shirley Chisholm had many firsts: She was the first Black

woman to be in Congress and the first Black woman to make a

bid for president in a major party. By doing this. she paved

the way for Black women to serve in government. Rep. Lee

said, ``Ms. Chisholm's mission to include women, children,

African-Americans, and other minorities in public policy

opened the door to a whole new debate lacking in Congress

during that time. She is a remarkable woman who paved the way

for many of us . . .