Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the Environmental Protection Agency on finalizing a stronger air pollution standard that will protect communities and achieve better outcomes across our Nation.

Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, the EPA strengthened the national air ambient quality standard for soot, from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9. Today's final rule is a major step toward addressing one of the most dangerous environmental health risks in the country.

As is too often the case, low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by soot pollution and experience worse health outcomes as a result, including higher rates of respiratory illnesses, particularly asthma, heart attacks, cancer, and infant mortality.

Strengthening these standards will prevent 4,500 premature deaths, avoid 290,000 lost workdays, and result in as much as $46 billion in public health benefits.

Shortly after being sworn in, I called on the EPA to curb soot pollution and finalize a strong rule, and I am grateful for the administration's action which will begin to address historic inequities in our marginalized communities across the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I rise today to recognize the legacy of the Honorable Yvonne B. Miller, who became the first Black woman to serve in the Virginia General Assembly when she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates 40 years ago. Four years later, she became the first Black woman to serve in the Senate of Virginia. As a young member of the Virginia House of Delegates, I had the opportunity to work with Senator Miller when I was in the house until her untimely death of stomach cancer in 2012.

I was proud to build on her legacy in the senate, and one of the habits that I took from Senator Miller was whenever she would have visitors come to her office, whether they were interns, students, university presidents, she would have them sit at her desk for a picture and she would say: This seat belongs to you as much as it belongs to me.

She treated everyone the same whether you were a Governor, an intern, or anyone in between. You would often hear her shout in her loud, booming voice: You look gorgeous. She was a lifelong educator. She was a champion for those underprivileged and underserved communities, including her own in Norfolk, that she proudly represented.

As the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia, I stand on Yvonne Miller's shoulders. I join my former colleagues in the Virginia General Assembly who recognized her with a commemorating resolution last week and are working on a tribute to her in our State capitol, where as a child she often did not feel welcome, but she broke barriers to ensure that Black women everywhere knew they belonged in that capitol. I honor her today and miss her very much, but I still hear her voice saying: You look gorgeous.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today ahead of the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade to urge my colleagues to take action to protect reproductive freedom, which has been under assault since the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

I was 1 month old when the Roe decision came down, and I had peace of mind when entering my childbearing years that any decision on when to become a mother would be mine, and that any pregnancy-related decisions that I had to make would be between me, my partner, and my medical provider.

Thirteen years ago, I became the first member of the Virginia House of Delegates to be pregnant while in office. As a Black woman in a Nation grappling with a maternal and infant health crisis, I researched everything that could go right and everything that could wrong.

The conversations with my OB opened my eyes to the impact that abortion restrictions can have on pregnancy management decisions, and my doctor shared stories.

My doctor shared stories like Suzie, a married 30-something with a hole in her heart who was on birth control but got pregnant anyway; or Beth, a pregnant woman who developed cancer.

Each faced a heartbreaking choice of whether to terminate the pregnancy or sacrifice her life.

There was Mary, who underwent fertility treatments to have a child and got pregnant with octuplets. The odds of carrying the pregnancy were very low, but if she reduced the pregnancy to two, the odds were better than 50/50 that both would survive.

There was Amy, who suffered an incomplete or missed miscarriage in which the fetus dies but remains in the uterus. Often a medical procedure, an abortion, is required to remove the fetus and the placenta to avoid infection, sepsis, and death.

There was Robin, whose fetus developed the most severe form of spina bifida, with horrific deformities. Her doctor suspected that the baby was already paralyzed from the waist down, and that the paralysis would spread as he grew. He was not expected to survive.

I heard story after story, and I thought about how the abortion restrictions that I saw proposed then in Virginia and across the country would have taken away decisions on the best course of treatment for those patients.

In today's post-Dobbs world, we are witnessing the devastating impacts of restrictive abortion laws on mothers and families across the United States right now.

This anniversary of Roe is an important reminder that we must continue fighting to ensure that every American has access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, and that we do not insert the judgment of politicians in State legislatures or here in Washington for those of the healthcare providers' and patients' judgment.

During my second pregnancy, I had placenta previa. I was aware of the risks associated with it, but that didn't stop me from being terrified when, 9 weeks before my due date, my placenta ruptured. I was rushed into the hospital and had an emergency C-section.

Both my daughter and I nearly died.

It was one of the scariest days of my life. However, I had peace of mind

knowing that my doctor in that moment would make the decision she felt best to provide the treatment necessary based on the standard of care without fear of punishment from politicians if things went wrong.

Thankfully, that delivery was successful and many of you have come to know my daughter, Samantha, as a thriving, precocious, healthy little girl.

However, when she reaches childbearing years, will she have fewer rights than I did when I gave birth to her?

That very thought makes me furious. It makes me livid that I am the first member of my family to lose a constitutional right in my lifetime. That reality has motivated me more than ever to protect reproductive freedom just as I did as a State legislator, passing legislation that makes Virginia the only State in the South without an abortion ban or extreme restrictions post-Dobbs.

I will continue to fight for reproductive freedom for patients and providers to make the choice they believe is best given their necessary circumstances without interference from Washington or State legislatures.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this dangerous H.R. 6918.

This legislation is the House Republicans' latest attempt to spread inaccurate information while advancing their extreme anti-abortion agenda and attacking reproductive freedom.

This bill would divert TANF funding that is intended to help struggling families and children, the very families that face higher maternal and infant death rates than some Third World countries. It would divert funding to help these families to fund anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers whose sole purpose is to coerce, deceive, and manipulate pregnant patients into carrying their pregnancies to term. These centers often share biased and medically inaccurate information, purposefully misleading patients into believing they can get the healthcare they need. Abortion care is healthcare.

These centers delay care, deny access to qualified medical professionals, and that is critically dangerous for pregnant patients who need timely healthcare services. These centers are unethical and jeopardize patients' well-being, yet extreme House Republicans want the Federal Government to support them at the expense of the vulnerable children and families, again, who face higher infant mortality rates than in many Third World countries.

This legislation exemplifies Republicans' bad-faith efforts. Essential TANF funds should not be used to help these programs instead of helping needy families. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible career of the Librarian of Virginia, Dr. Sandra Gioia Treadway, who is retiring after serving in the capacity for the past sixteen years.

The Library of Virginia is one of the oldest government institutions in Virginia and will celebrate its 200th anniversary this year. The Library plays a vital role in the preservation of our Commonwealth's historical documents and manuscripts. Dr. Treadway devoted a total of 45 years to the agency and led it with commitment, poise, and tenacity over the past decade and a half.

Throughout her time as the Librarian of Virginia, Dr. Treadway expertly navigated various challenges and societal transitions that arose, including managing the devastating effects of the 2008 recession and significantly improving access to the Library's resources in our increasingly digital world. She adeptly built and strengthened relationships with the state government and broader library community and spearheaded efforts to ensure the Library meaningfully engaged in statewide commemorations of historical events in our Commonwealth's history. She also played a monumental role in the digitization of countless important historical documents and manuscripts, which will preserve these invaluable pieces for generations to come.

Undoubtedly, Dr. Treadway made a profound impact in the lives of Virginians, bolstering outreach to communities, strengthening our historical research, and promoting the Library's mission and services. She has served our community, Commonwealth, and country with distinction. I commend her on her many accomplishments and wish her happiness in her retirement and best wishes in her next endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to S.J. Res. 38, which undermines the Biden-Harris administration's efforts to supercharge our transition to a clean-energy future and deploy more sustainable technologies.

With this resolution, extreme House Republicans are actively trying to hamper the progress made through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. They are threatening the burgeoning electric vehicle industry and harming our communities, our economy, and our planet.

It is clear we are in an infrastructure decade thanks to these transformative investments, yet House Republicans would rather try to undermine these efforts than acknowledge the clear benefits for communities across the Nation.

In fact, thanks to the IIAJ, Henrico County, in my district, will receive over $1.4 million to build 38 EV charging ports at 7 publicly accessible facilities throughout the community. Similar awards are going out to localities across the Nation.

House Republicans' solution would impede the growth of our EV industry across the country at a time when we must do more to address the climate crisis and as more Americans are switching to electric vehicles.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I'm excited to announce the winner of the first annual Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Veteran of the Year.

Mr. Charles H. Talley, Jr. dedicated 34 years of his life to the United States Army and continues to serve the district with integrity.

Mr. Talley was in the Pentagon during the September 11th terrorist attacks that shook our Nation before he deployed to Afghanistan to fight against those same attackers.

He served his country with distinction and rose through the ranks before his retirement in 2018 as a Chief Warrant Officer Four.

Now, he uses his specialized skills and years of experience in the Army and as an American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef to serve as the Quality Assurance Manager for the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence at Fort Gregg-Adams.

In this capacity, he works to assess and improve the food for the entire U.S. Army in the battlefield environment.

He also continues to serve and give back to our community as the current president of the Nu Omicron Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, where he organizes service events in Petersburg and the surrounding areas.

He devotes his time to lecture Warrant Officers every year and young aspiring professionals at Virginia State University.

As we celebrate Veterans Day this weekend, I am proud to name Chief Warrant Officer Four Charles H. Talley, Jr. as Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Veteran of the year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, to share her strong support and statement regarding this important legislation.

These are her words:

``I rise today in strong support of the National Plan to End Parkinson's Act.

``As many of you know, earlier this year, I shared that I have been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, or PSP for short, which is an atypical Parkinson's, a kind of Parkinson's on steroids.

``Even those of you with whom I have never interacted one on one have witnessed my physical deterioration, from my striding confidently through the Chamber earlier this year to walking more haltingly and dependent on my walking sticks this summer, to leaning heavily on my walker now. In all likelihood, some time in 2024, I will come to the floor in a wheelchair.

``Eventually, those of us who have these diseases will be unable to walk, talk, or even feed ourselves. We will require extensive and expensive institutional or in-home care, the cost of which will likely be borne primarily by U.S. taxpayers.

``Since my diagnosis, I have seen firsthand how Parkinson's disease or atypical Parkinson's can change everything, not only for those of us who suffer from the disease itself, but for all of the many people in our lives who love us and want us to be well again.

``The physical challenges are tough. In just 2016, I ran the Marine Corps Olympic-distance triathlon and as recently as last year got up every morning during session to go to the gym with Chair Rodgers and a small group of dedicated women Members.

``My family has felt the impacts, as well. My husband, Andrew, and I were supposed to be getting to the good part and were looking forward to enjoying our empty nest as our younger son went off to join his brother in college.

``Instead, he will be a caregiver, and we are looking for ways to convert the first floor study and half bath to a bedroom and en suite so that I will be able to remain in our home when I am no longer able to make it up or down stairs.

``Instead of scuba diving together in the morning and sitting under a palm tree and playing Scrabble in the afternoon, we will not enjoy a leisurely retirement a decade plus from now.''

``I know it has been difficult for my sons to watch as their vivacious, cool--for a mom--confident Congresswoman mom goes through these changes and challenges as well.

``This is my family's story, but we, unfortunately, are not alone. There are over 1 million people in the United States who have these diseases, and countless loved ones surrounding them.

``We did not expect this to happen to us, and it could happen to anyone. That is why this legislation is so critical. Today marks a historic step forward toward a world where no family has to endure what ours has.

``To my colleagues, friends, and those from across the country from whom I have heard an outpouring of support, I have been touched by your kindness and the desire for action from both sides of the aisle.

``If there is one thing we can all agree on, it is that we can and must do better to fight these terrible diseases.

``The past year has been a difficult road and an emotional journey for me, not only facing the great health challenges that come with this diagnosis, but also coming to terms with the fact that I have to give up doing what I love.

``I have spent my career uplifting the stories of those in need and fighting to serve my community, and I am proud to continue that fight on behalf of the broader Parkinson's community for as long as I am able.

``I am grateful to have a platform to be a voice for those struggling with this disease and to fight and help bring greater resources to the search for a cure. The National Plan to End Parkinson's Act will do just that.

``This is not the end of the road, but a vital and necessary first step on a journey that will lead to a cure or, even better, eradicate Parkinson's and atypical Parkinson's altogether.

``I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation and reaffirm Congress' commitment to finding treatments and cures for millions of families across the country.''

Mr. Speaker, I would only add to the words of Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton that she is a fighter.

Having served with her in the Virginia General Assembly, I saw her fight on behalf of others and turn their pain into progress, and now I am honored to serve with her as she does that with her own pain, turns it into progress to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. I join her in supporting this bill and asking our colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent Frank J. Thornton for his 28 years of service on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors representing the Fairfield Magisterial District. Frank is a history maker, becoming the first African American elected to the Henrico Board of Supervisors in 1995 representing the Fairfield Magisterial District. He was elected as the Board's chairman for the sixth time in January 2023 and will complete his tenure with his retirement at the end of this year.

A native of Richmond, Mr. Thornton co-founded and served as president of the Henrico Civic League. His academic accomplishments include a bachelor's degree from Virginia Union University and a master's degree from American University. Mr. Thornton retired in 2014 after a distinguished 40-year career as a professor of French at Virginia Union, where he earned accolades such as the Teacher of the Year award. Mr. Thornton left an indelible mark on his students, community members, and our Commonwealth.

In 1987, Mr. Thornton initially sought election to represent the Fairfield District, and though unsuccessful, he played a pivotal role in a successful federal lawsuit alongside the Henrico Civic League and the American Civil Liberties Union. This lawsuit challenged and overturned Henrico's magisterial district lines, with the court ruling against county officials who had ensured that Black residents were the minority in every district.

As Henrico County Supervisor, Mr. Thornton demonstrated unwavering commitment to the residents of the Fairfield District. Under his leadership, initiatives were implemented to expand the Greater Richmond Transportation Company (GRTC) bus service to Short Pump, construct several libraries and recreation centers in the county, and expand access to public health services.

Beyond his local responsibilities, Mr. Thornton extended his public service to various organizations, including the Richmond Regional Transportation Planning Organization, the Capital Region Collaborative Organizing Council, and the Maymont Foundation Board of Directors, among others.

Virginia's Fourth Congressional District has been privileged to benefit from the passionate and devoted advocacy of Mr. Thornton for civil rights and social change. Mr. Speaker, I commend Mr. Thornton for his outstanding leadership and extend my best wishes for a fulfilling retirement from the Henrico County Board of Supervisors. His legacy, marked by tireless dedication, will undoubtedly endure.

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of representing Virginia State University, an esteemed historically Black college and university founded in Petersburg, Virginia, in 1882.

I rise today to congratulate the Virginia State Trojan Explosion Marching Band, which was recently recognized as the Nation's top Division II HBCU band in 2023. The band was judged on important components, including auxiliaries, drum majors, musicality, percussion, and marching maneuvers. They will now compete in ESPN's inaugural HBCU Band of the Year competition.

Throughout the year, the VSU Trojan Explosion was also invited to perform at the White House, NBC's ``TODAY,'' and the National Battle of the Bands competition in Houston.

I commend Dr. Taylor Whitehead, VSU's director of marching and pep bands, and every member of the Trojan Explosion for their hard work and dedication. They are proof that greatness happens at Virginia State University. They have made their school, their community, and their Congresswoman proud. I will be cheering for them in their upcoming competition.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4468. I have listened as the party that is actively trying to strip away America's personal freedoms and rights is disguising its antiscience, anticlimate legislation as protecting choice and personal freedom. That is rich.

House Republicans are putting polluters over people, yet again prioritizing special interests over the health and well-being of Americans.

This deeply harmful bill would undermine the EPA's authority to finalize proposed emission standards and prevent the agency from taking future action to protect the public from dangerous air pollution.

Their opposition to the rule has very real impacts for historically marginalized environmental justice communities, most often low-income communities of color, many of which I represent, who live near the roadways.

We know greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants can cause a host of adverse public health impacts, including higher rates of cancer, respiratory illness, and preterm births, which is why we cannot stand by while House Republicans work to curtail EPA's authority.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this irresponsible bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues that we are in the midst of a maternal and infant health crisis.

The United States remains one of the most dangerous places to give birth among high-income countries, and we are trending in the wrong direction.

According to the recently released ``2023 March of Dimes Report Card: The State of Maternal and Infant Health for American Families,'' the United States maintained a D-plus grade for preterm birth for the second year in a row.

We saw only a modest 0.1 percent improvement in the preterm birthrate over the previous year, with the data showing persistent and compounding gaps in health equity that put moms and babies at risk.

Virginia is not far behind with a C grade. The preterm birthrate for 2022 was 9.7 percent, just 0.2 percent lower than the year before.

We must take decisive, comprehensive action to address these dual crises and improve public health outcomes for mothers and babies across the Nation. That is why, earlier this month, I introduced a bipartisan resolution with my colleagues to designate November as Prematurity Awareness Month. Our resolution aims to raise awareness about the risks and challenges associated with preterm babies and encourage communities to promote preterm prevention programs.

As is too often the case, minority populations, particularly Black women, experience disproportionately higher rates of preterm birth and other associated health challenges. The preterm birthrate among babies born to Black women is still 1\1/2\ times higher than the national average.

I am a Black mother to two young children, and I know this reality all too well. I was the first member of the Virginia House of Delegates to be pregnant and give birth while in office, and I almost died giving birth to my second child, Samantha.

Nine weeks prior to her due date, my placenta ruptured, and I was rushed to the emergency room for an emergency cesarean section. The last thing I remember is hearing my doctor say, ``I am here, and I will take care of this.'' Samantha was born 9 weeks early and spent the first 6 weeks of her life in the NICU at Henrico Doctors' Hospital. I will never forget the fear and anxiety that I felt.

This experience inspired me to take matters into my own hands as a State

legislator to do everything in my power to improve healthcare resources for Virginians and tackle the maternal and infant health crisis.

Now, I am one of the few--less than 7 percent--mothers to young children in Congress. I am one of the even fewer 3 percent of Members of Congress who is a Black mother. I am proud to continue my efforts here in Congress on a bipartisan basis.

We can improve health outcomes and close longstanding health disparities by promoting awareness of this nationwide epidemic and encouraging parents and communities to take an active role in supporting preterm birth intervention programs.

I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution, and I am grateful for the bipartisan group of legislators who are supporting this effort. Together, we can make real progress on these issues, but only if we keep it a priority. We must because our children's lives depend on it.

Mr. Chair, I thank Congresswoman DeLauro for her leadership.

When we invest in our children, we invest in our communities. I agree, and that is why I am so perplexed and frankly outraged by the draconian cuts in this bill, specifically targeting teachers, students, and title I schools that serve vulnerable communities.

These draconian cuts would force 220,000 teachers from the classrooms. In my district, that is nearly 700 title I teachers who would lose their jobs.

I am one of the few mothers of young children in this Congress. I have an eighth grader and a third grader. I see every day that at a time when our schools are still struggling to address learning disruption and a growing achievement gap resulting, in part, from the COVID pandemic and the growing mental health crisis, that this bill compounds that problem by cutting resources to our schools and cutting mental health services that will help to address the crisis that our children and the adults that care for them are facing every day.

For that reason, I urge my colleagues to vote against this extreme Labor-HHS appropriation bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Richard Stewart, a beloved and well-known figure from my hometown of Petersburg, in Virginia's Fourth Congressional District. Mr. Stewart was the honorary ``Mayor of Pocahontas Island,'' one of the oldest Black neighborhoods in our Nation.

Since 1732, enslaved, escaped, and free African Americans have called Pocahontas Island home, and Mr. Stewart fought relentlessly to preserve artifacts, properties, and the stories of those who lived there. He even created the Pocahontas Island Black History Museum, the first Black history museum in Petersburg, to educate visitors and memorialized the storied history of the neighborhood. He was a veteran, a community leader, and an engaged citizen who devoted his life to preserving our history and preparing the next generation through storytelling and learning.

He leaves behind a lasting legacy and will be sorely missed by the Petersburg community and our Commonwealth.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my Republican colleagues to stop the partisan brinksmanship and join House Democrats and Senate Democrats and Republicans in our efforts to fully fund the government.

Back in April, Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans negotiated a deal with the White House to avoid a catastrophic default on our national debt, which stipulated fiscal year 2024 spending levels remain at 2023 levels. It passed with bipartisan support 314-117. Now Speaker McCarthy is reneging on this agreement as the extreme MAGA Republican wing of his chaos caucus drives us towards a government shutdown.

Realizing that their extreme agenda cannot pass on its own merits and does not align with the wishes of the American people, they are attempting to load down must-pass pieces of legislation with their harmful policy riders and severe cuts. The American people deserve better.

In Virginia, we have the second highest number of Federal employees. We have over 130,000 Active-Duty military personnel who will be wondering if they can get paid. It is a very big deal. They deserve better, and I urge my Republican colleagues to stop their games and stop holding the appropriations process hostage.