Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am a proud Virginian.

Virginia is the birthplace of American democracy. It is also the birthplace of American slavery.

From the beginning of this country, we have been on the right side of history and the wrong side of history. I am proud to stand here as a history maker in my own right, elected in 2023 as the first African- American woman to represent the Commonwealth of Virginia.

How did I get here? My interest in government was sparked by a love of history. My love of history was sparked by my parents.

My father, who was born in 1925 in Nashville, Tennessee, spent his summers in Alabama at a school that his grandfather, my great- grandfather, founded because Tennessee did not think Black children were worthy of a high-quality public education.

I am the daughter of Lois McClellan, born in the Gulf Coast of Mississippi in 1932, who had to leave her town to become the first member of her family to go beyond the eighth grade because the State of Mississippi did not deem Black children worthy of a quality public education. The Catholic church did, but only to the eighth grade.

Listening to my parents' stories as a child, they saw the best of government through the New Deal. They saw the worst of government through Jim Crow. Yet, it wasn't just what I learned in a textbook because their stories--my grandparents' stories and my great- grandparents' stories--weren't in the Virginia textbooks. I learned them at my parents' feet. I learned them because my great-grandfather happened to write a book about his experiences.

This history helped me to understand how this country was actually founded. By going to historic sites, the names and dates came alive, but my family's history wasn't told. When I would go to Monticello, I was fascinated by the idea written by Thomas Jefferson that `` . . . all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.''

Yet, I learned nothing about the hundreds of Black people, including the mother of his children, who lived at Monticello and served him but weren't free. I didn't learn those stories while visiting Monticello. I learned them later as an adult.

My study of history has shown that, in Virginia, this beautiful idea of a government derived from the people, rather than divine right through kings, was created in Virginia, the first representative democracy in the Western Hemisphere, less than an hour away from where I live, in Jamestown. Yet, those settlers came on a business venture to take land that was already settled by Algonquian-speaking people for over centuries, and that land was exploited to make money for the crown of England.

Yet, they created a government in July 1619. A month later, the first recorded Africans were brought to our shores at Point Comfort, who were stolen from their home in Angola, stolen again from a slave ship by pirates, and traded to those settlers for goods and victuals. Their names weren't even recorded. They were listed as 20-some-odd Africans. That is how this country was founded. It is uncomfortable, but it is true.

I will spare you the full 400-year history, but there is a pattern to it. History may not repeat itself, but it rhymes. The history of our country has been: How do we reconcile the ideal upon which we were founded by the reality upon which we were founded? How do we reconcile that every time we make progress toward that ideal--and we have made progress. I wouldn't be standing here today in a body that was not built for people like me but may have been built by people like me. We have made progress, but every time we make progress, there is a backlash. That backlash has included three things: propaganda, violence, and voter suppression.

My great-grandfather experienced the first backlash. Born on a plantation in Alabama, he got the right to vote after he took a literacy test and after he had to answer two sets of questions because he was on a list of people not to register because he was a teacher teaching other Black people in his community how to get a better life.

He experienced the terror of lynchings, being afraid that if you looked at someone the wrong way, you could be hung. If you disrespected someone, you could be shot by a mob that was never brought to justice. That was the backlash that came in response to Reconstruction, which was never fully taught in my history books. We went from the end of the Civil War to the civil rights movement.

The second wave of progress and in response to that progress was the backlash of our leaders being assassinated. I heard these stories from my parents and my grandparents, but they are not here anymore. My father passed away over a decade ago. My mother passed away last year. As more and more people who lived under the terror of Jim Crow are moving on from this mortal plane, it is important we keep that history alive.

Not all of them shared that history because it was painful and it was uncomfortable. They didn't like talking about it and many of them did, but their stories are fading. That is why our museums and history and books that can continue this legacy on are important because I can't quite explain to my now 10 and 15-year-old children in quite the same eloquence that my parents did. I can't explain what they went through the same way. When they were here for spring break earlier this year, we went to the African American History Museum. Watching that history come alive through my children again, I felt my parents with me. I felt my grandparents with me. I felt my great-grandparents with me.

As I stood in the exhibit on the Middle Passage thinking about what somebody in my family lived through so that I could be here in this moment and fight this latest backlash to erase our history, somebody survived being chained in the bottom of a slave ship with hundreds of other people from Africa to Virginia, but I don't know who they are. I don't know who their children are. I don't know who their grandchildren are. In my father's family, we can only trace back to his grandparents because before that, no one deemed it important to write down the names of the people they enslaved.

That is why not only is this personal for members of the Congressional Black Caucus but is also important to our country to heal because the American people are family and like every family, we have suffered trauma. Like every family, if you ignore the trauma, if you bury the trauma, it doesn't heal. The only way it heals is when you acknowledge what happened and you learn from it. That is why every time there is a backlash and it involves propaganda to erase what happened and the truth, it doesn't erase it, it buries it and the trauma flares up.

Why do you think the Russians in 2016 decided to choose race as the scab to pick at? That is because in this country we have never truly healed. Until we talk about all of our history, we will never heal as a country and we will never live up to the ideals upon which we were founded.

The Congressional Black Caucus will fight every day to make sure that our stories are told, that all American stories are told, whether they are uncomfortable or not. They happened and they made us who we are as a people. It made us who we are as a Nation, and we cannot run from it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable group of women whose leadership, service, and achievements have made a profound impact on communities across Virginia's Fourth Congressional District and beyond. From advancing equity in education and environmental justice to transforming industries through innovation and empowering families in need, these honorees exemplify the very best of civic and professional excellence. Each awardee has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to making a difference--lifting others as they lead and setting powerful examples for future generations. It is a privilege to celebrate their accomplishments and recognize their outstanding contributions.

Businesswoman of the Year--Monika Mueller: Monika's journey to becoming Chief Strategy Officer is a true testament to her visionary leadership, relentless innovation, and deep commitment to empowering others. Over the past several years, she transformed multiple departments, drove major revenue growth, expanded international operations, and championed the use of AI to accelerate performance across the company. Beyond her business achievements, Monika mentors women, volunteers with organizations like IT Girls, and uplifts her community with the same passion and dedication she brings to her career. Her story is one of resilience and excellence, making a lasting impact.

Non-Profit of the Year--Little Hands VA: Little Hands Virginia is transforming the lives of young children and their families by providing essential items, such as diapers, safe sleep spaces, and strollers, to those in need across Central Virginia. Focused on children from birth to age three, Little Hands alleviates financial stress for families, improves early childhood outcomes, and strengthens community support systems. In just five years, they have grown from serving 100 children a month to reaching over 10,000 annually through partnerships with 130 local organizations. Their work not only addresses immediate needs but also empowers parents and creates a foundation for lifelong success--making Little Hands a shining example of compassion, impact, and community leadership.

The Women of Impact in Education Award--Kayla Diaz: Kayla Diaz has dedicated her career to breaking down language and cultural barriers for students and families at Colonial Heights Public Schools. Drawing from her own experiences navigating a new language and school system, Kayla became a tireless advocate for better support services, leading to the creation of a full-time interpreter position she now proudly holds. Beyond translation, she builds bridges, fosters understanding, and empowers families to thrive. A first-generation college graduate and proud daughter of Puerto Rico, Kayla's work embodies compassion, resilience, and a deep commitment to educational equity.

Women in Action Volunteer Award--Fatima Smith: Fatima M. Smith is a powerful advocate, volunteer, and community leader whose work spans anti-violence initiatives, racial justice, and philanthropy. With over 15 years of experience, she has championed child advocacy, led major legislative efforts to protect survivors, and founded Collective 365 to empower Black and Brown communities through accessible grant funding. Through her work with organizations like Side by Side and the Children's Advocacy Centers of Virginia, and as a mentor and speaker, Fatima's unwavering commitment to building safer, more inclusive communities makes her a true force for positive change.

The Dr. Gladys West Women in STEM Award--Pamela Bingham: Pamela R. Bingham is a trailblazing environmental engineer whose 30-year career has bridged STEM, environmental justice (EJ), public health, and community empowerment. As Operations Manager for the University of Maryland's Health, Environmental, and Economic Justice Lab, she leads initiatives that support grassroots environmental justice (EJ) organizations and empower future generations through education and mentorship. From managing multi-million-dollar climate action grants to volunteering with Girl Scouts and the National Society of Black Engineers, Pamela's impact is far-reaching. Pamela remains a tireless advocate

and role model, embodying leadership and a passion for justice in every space she serves.

Law and Government Champion Award--Gray Montrose: Gray Montrose is a leader in land use, environmental law, and conservation, with over a decade of experience advancing cultural heritage and resource protection. As Deputy Director of Land Conservation at the Capital Region Land Conservancy and a former Assistant Attorney General, she has shaped major policies on environmental justice, clean air, coastal resilience, and community revitalization. A passionate volunteer and advocate, Gray has received accolades like the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation's Volunteer of the Year and the Sierra Club's Green Giant Award. Through her legal expertise, community leadership, and commitment to access to justice, she continues to drive positive change across Virginia.

Media and Communications Champion Award--Claudia Massey: Claudia Massey has made a lasting impact in media and communications as a bestselling author, TV and radio host, columnist, and Certified Life and Wellness Coach. Through her podcast and documentary, Reclaiming My Life, she reaches audiences worldwide, sharing stories of strength and hope. Claudia also founded Rena's New Life Ministry, supporting underprivileged families through school supply drives, Secret Santa programs, and scholarships. She preserves gospel music through Quartet Unstoppable and advocates for the elderly through Patience for Patients, LLC. Her dedication to service and community makes her a deserving recipient of the Media and Communications Champion Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Eta Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and to celebrate the dedication of a new monument honoring the chapter's enduring legacy and profound impact on the community.

Established in 1970, the Eta Tau Chapter has been a steadfast pillar of service, scholarship, and sisterhood. Over the past five and a half decades, its members have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to uplifting underserved communities, empowering youth, and advocating for social justice. Through a myriad of initiatives, including educational programs, health awareness campaigns, and civic engagement efforts, the chapter has consistently worked to effect positive change.

The dedication of the new monument serves as a tangible testament to the chapter's rich history and its ongoing dedication to community betterment. This monument not only honors the past achievements of Eta Tau but also inspires future generations to continue the chapter's mission of service and advocacy.

I invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing the remarkable contributions of the Eta Tau Chapter over the past 55 years and in celebrating the unveiling of this significant monument. May the chapter's legacy continue to inspire and guide efforts toward community enrichment and empowerment.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Clyburn for yielding. I am honored to be here tonight on behalf of

the Congressional Black Caucus to commemorate National Minority Health Awareness Month, but I am also here for personal reasons.

Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago today, I was 31 weeks pregnant. I was excited. I was expecting a girl. I had placenta previa, so I knew we were going to have to schedule a C-section. We had just scheduled it. She was due June 30, but we had scheduled a date in early June because my doctor did not think it likely that we would make it to June 30.

I went to bed still planning out are we going to get to go on a babymoon before she arrives. I woke up the next morning, and my placenta ruptured. I started bleeding. I was panicked. My husband called the ambulance. He said I was as white as this piece of paper.

We rushed to the hospital, and I remember hearing the doctor in the emergency room saying that everything looked fine. Then less than three seconds later he said that we have got to go right now because both of our heart rates dropped. I remember thinking as the oxygen mask came on my face, please let me be asleep before my doctor starts cutting, and I was.

I woke up a few hours later, and I had a baby girl, but I didn't get to see her until the next day. As I waited those 24 hours to see if she would make it, I realized that I almost became one of the Black women who are three times more likely to die due to pregnancy-related complications than White women.

I was a State legislator at the time. This was my second child. I was on the Joint Commission on Health Care, and I began to really look into the maternal mortality crisis that we have in this country. We have higher death rates for women than many other Third World countries.

I started looking at the data of why women were dying. Many of these deaths were preventable. There were differences. There were differences in the rate at which Black women died compared to White women, and there were differences in the reasons.

In Virginia, the data showed us that for White women they were more likely to die due to postpartum depression leading to suicide or other mental health-related issues leading them to take their own life or to self-medicate and die of drug overdoses.

For Black women in Virginia, their deaths were more likely caused by co-morbidities, mostly cardiovascular issues. Many pregnant women, as I began talking to them, many Black, pregnant women had their first heart attack either while they were pregnant or shortly thereafter. Oh, by the way, the disparities in cardiovascular care for Black women and men: The death rate is higher than for White men and women.

I began to look at how do we put policies in place that address the maternal mortality crisis as a whole, but the disparities in particular. I also noticed that many Black women died within the first year of childbirth, yet Medicaid for many of these women didn't cover the first year, so they didn't have health insurance when their first cardiac event or pregnancy-related event that led to their death occurred.

We looked at expanding Medicaid to cover the first 12 months after birth, which we did here at the Federal level, as well. We looked at expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and how would that address the maternal health crisis. We did expand Medicaid in Virginia, and we began to see that for many Medicaid expansion patients they ended up healthier because they were connected to medical help, getting regular checkups to catch things before they became deadly. All of that now is under attack.

As we approach April every year, I like to commemorate National Minority Health Awareness Month through some sort of roundtable, but I especially like to commemorate Black Maternal Health Week because as I said when I started, that one is personal.

As I got ready for Black Maternal Health Week, I wanted to first figure out is there a theme this year on which we should focus our efforts. As I got ready to prepare my social media posts, as I got ready to prepare the topics that I would have if I had a roundtable, I thought, well, the Office of Maternal Health, the Office of Minority Health, they usually announce a theme every year.

I went to the Office of Minority Health website, and sure enough, in January they did announce a theme for 2025: Advancing Commitments to Eliminate Health Disparities.

Then in the January post on their Facebook page they invited the public to join them all year as they shared resources to help address health disparities impacting racial and ethnic minority groups. I thought, great, that is exactly what I want to do during National Minority Health Awareness Month and Black Maternal Health Week. I went to the web page expecting to pull down those resources that I could share with the communities that I represent. ``File not found.''

Then I thought, well, maybe the Office of Minority Health at CMS has something. ``File not found.'' Well, maybe the National Institutes on Minority Health and Health Disparities has something. ``Page not found.'' That is what the website said in the very month that we are supposed to renew our commitment to addressing healthcare disparities that cause Black women to be three times more likely to die in childbirth than White women, that cause Black men to be more likely to die of prostate cancer than White men. I could go down the entire list of the statistics. You heard some of them earlier today.

In the very month we are supposed to reaffirm our commitment: ``File not found.''

Well, I shouldn't be surprised because with the President's war on diversity, equity, and inclusion and DOGE going through and finding every web page that had certain words without actually looking at what are those web pages doing, that they would take these pages down. Imagine my dismay when I discovered that the Office of Minority Health at both HHS and CMS are now gone.

The very employees who collect the data, who look at the underlying causes of why these women are dying anyway, let alone at three times higher rates than White women, they are gone. Well, at least we can continue to fight for the policies.

I am on the Energy and Commerce Committee that was told in a markup on March 7 to find $880 billion worth of cuts. The Congressional Budget Office it says can't do that unless there are cuts to Medicaid. I have heard some of my colleagues say, well, we are not going to address vulnerable populations, and they include pregnant women in that. The healthcare disparity doesn't start the day you get the positive pregnancy test. It starts when you aren't getting access to the care that you need to address diabetes or hypertension or the cardiovascular issue that is bubbling.

As we see Medicaid expansion at risk, all of the progress we began to make to address these disparities is at risk.

Mr. Speaker, this is not politics. This is not theoretical debates over the role of the Federal Government. This is people are dying, and our Declaration of Independence that we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of next year says that: All men--and I would add women--are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life is number one.

When the Federal, State, and local governments work together with the private sector, our research hospitals, the nonprofit community, when we work together to identify the reasons for the disparities and put policies in place that address them, people's lives are saved. When we strip those policies away, when we strip away the very workforce implementing them, people will die.

That is why I am proud to stand here as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and say we will fight to protect those policies that save our people's lives.

Tomorrow, when my daughter turns 10 and I think back at how I almost became that statistic but how we are also coming up on the 1-year anniversary of when her uncle became the statistic of a Black man more likely to die because of a heart attack, I am going to follow the theme of the 2025 National Minority Health Awareness Month: Advancing Commitments to Eliminate Health Disparities. I am going to fight any effort by our President or my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to put barriers in our way and to remove the very policies that help save lives to begin with.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to co-anchor this CBC Special Order hour along with my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn).

For the next 60 minutes, members of the CBC have an opportunity to speak directly to the American people on education, an issue of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, and the constituents who we represent.

Mr. Speaker, in the 1880s, my great-grandfather founded a school in his rural community because the State of Alabama did not provide a good education to Black children. As explained in his autobiography, he wanted to teach children, whose parents and grandparents had been enslaved on plantations nearby, to be of better service to themselves, their employers, and the community in which they lived.

In the 1930s, my father and his sisters attended that school because the State

of Tennessee did not provide a good education to Black children. Like his father and his grandfather, my dad became an educator himself, ultimately teaching the next generation of educators at Virginia State University.

In the 1950s, my mother had to move away from her hometown because the State of Mississippi did not provide a good education for Black children. The only school that did was run by the Catholic church, but only up until the eighth grade.

As the third youngest of 14 children, she wanted more than the domestic and laborer jobs that were available to her parents, her grandparents, and her siblings. She had to move to go to high school, becoming an educator herself, eventually running the TRiO Programs at Virginia State University. These are federally funded programs run by the Department of Education to work to ensure that children like her have the support they need to go to and graduate college.

My parents understood how important a good education is not only to individual opportunity, but to a thriving, healthy economy, community, and democracy. Like my grandparents and great-grandparents before them, they dedicated their lives to ensuring not only that their children had a good education but every child did. Not every child is so lucky.

The legacy of 300 years of slavery and Jim Crow, massive resistance, and chronic underfunding have created too many obstacles to the ability of States and local governments to give every child an opportunity for a good education.

For the past 20 years, first as a State legislator and now in Congress, I have worked to ensure that every child in Virginia could have a good education. As the mother of two children in public schools, I know that, even with bipartisan and Herculean efforts, there are still gaps in Virginia and across the country.

The Department of Education was created to fill those gaps. The Department protects students' civil rights, particularly those with disabilities who often need special accommodation to learn. It provides support to attract, train, and retain the best and brightest teachers, school administrators, support personnel such as counselors, nurses, and mental and behavioral health specialists, especially in hard-to- staff rural or urban schools.

It measures and tracks academic progress across the country and helps those school divisions that lag behind address areas of concern. It manages student loan and grant programs that ensure children without financial means can go to and succeed in college without incurring more debt than they could ever pay off.

The Trump administration's illegal actions to dismantle the Department of Education will ensure that these gaps remain. The administration claims that it is just returning control of public education back to States and localities. States and localities have always had that control, but they have not always had the will or the ability to ensure that every child can get a good education.

In my own State of Virginia, State and local officials and educators right now fear that local agencies and the Virginia Department of Education will not have the funding or the staff to handle the workload, especially in areas like special education.

The block grant funding that the Trump administration promises comes with little accountability, making it unclear whether the funds will actually reach the students and schools that need them the most: children with disabilities in rural and low-income communities.

Education lays the foundation for a strong future. Our Founding Fathers understood that. Today's students are the entrepreneurs, civic leaders, teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and Members of Congress of tomorrow. We owe it to our parents, our grandparents, and our great- grandparents to protect and build upon the progress that they have made. We owe it to our children and theirs to fight efforts to roll back that progress now.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my privilege to yield to the gentleman from the great State of South Carolina, the Honorable James Clyburn.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Mr. Clyburn for his speech.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), who represents the State's Seventh District.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Georgia for speaking.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore), who represents the State's Fourth District.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. McIver).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), who was Teacher of the Year.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke), the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I want to end where I began and that is with the story of my mother who lived to be 94.

She was the third youngest of 14 children in the Gulf Coast of Mississippi where the only school available to her was the Catholic church because Mississippi did not deem Black children important enough to educate. She wanted more than the life that was available to her siblings, her parents, her great-grandparents, and her grandparents. She had to move to go to high school.

She ended up running the Federal TRiO programs at Virginia State University to ensure that a little girl, whether she is in Petersburg, Virginia, or a little boy on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, would have the same access to an education, no matter their parents' financial situation, no matter the obstacles in their way. As a mother of two children in public school who has spent almost 20 years in public service, I have dedicated my life to making sure that every child has that same opportunity.

The Department of Education doesn't run schools. They don't set the curriculum. They fill the gaps that State and local governments have been unwilling or unable to.

Without the Department of Education, there is going to be a little girl

somewhere in this country as brilliant as my mother was, as dedicated as my father was to public education, as passionate about it as I am now, who will not be able to succeed because their school lacks a quality teacher or a principal who knows what he is doing or the school lacks the resources to provide a student with disabilities the tools they need to succeed.

Every Member of Congress in this body was privileged enough to get a good education to get here, but not every child we represent has that same ability. The Congressional Black Caucus, as the conscience of Congress, will fight for every child no matter their ZIP Code, race, creed, or background to get that education.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your attention tonight and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 45th anniversary of Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR), an organization that has been a cornerstone of leadership development and community engagement in the Richmond region since its founding in 1980.

For 45 years, LMR has worked to cultivate diverse, collaborative, and effective leaders who are committed to strengthening the Greater Richmond community. Through its signature Leadership Quest program, LMR has empowered thousands of individuals from various backgrounds, industries, and sectors to build meaningful relationships, engage in critical dialogue, and drive positive change.

LMR's alumni include public servants, business leaders, nonprofit executives, and community advocates who have contributed to the progress of Central Virginia. By fostering civic engagement and cross- sector collaboration, LMR continues to shape the future of the region, ensuring that leaders are equipped with the knowledge, networks, and skills necessary to address pressing challenges and seize opportunities for growth.

As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize LMR's commitment to inclusivity and the power of collective leadership. The organization's dedication to uniting diverse perspectives and fostering a spirit of service has had a profound impact on Richmond and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Leadership Metro Richmond for 45 year's of service, inspiration, and transformative leadership. May LMR continue to thrive and empower generations of leaders for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material on the subject this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to co-anchor the CBC Special Order hour along with my distinguished colleague, the legend, James Clyburn.

For the next 60 minutes, members of the CBC have an opportunity to speak directly to the American people on voting rights, specifically fighting voter suppression, an issue of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, the constituents we represent, and all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Constitution created a government by, of, and for We the People. As a child, I often reflected on exactly what that meant. What that means is that it is a government that reflects the perspective of and, therefore, meets the needs of the people who participate. However, for most of our country's history in the beginning, only White, landowning men could vote.

That was changed in 1870 when the 15th Amendment opened the door for Black men to vote by prohibiting the Federal Government and States from denying or abridging a citizen's right to vote on the account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

During Reconstruction, formerly enslaved and free Black men voted and got elected to office. When Reconstruction ended, though, the former Confederate States passed new constitutions, including such things as literacy tests, poll taxes, and felony disenfranchisement. In the words of E. Carter Glass in the Virginia constitutional convention of 1902, he said these were intended to ``eliminate the darky'' as a factor in politics.

They made no bones about what they were doing.

Glass told his fellow convention delegates: ``This plan of popular suffrage will eliminate the darky as a political factor in this State in less than 5 years, so that in no single county in the Commonwealth will there be the least concern felt for the complete supremacy of the White race in the affairs government.

Next to this achievement in vital consequence will be the inability of unworthy men of our own race to cheat their way into prominence.''

This was the first great backlash in American history to making progress toward making the ideals of upon which our country was founded true for everyone.

Enter my own family history. My great-grandfather in Alabama around the same time had to take a literacy test in order to be able to register to vote. In this literacy test he was asked questions like: How many bubbles are in a bar of soap? And many other nonsensical questions that the person giving the literacy test could change the answer to based on who was answering the questions.

However, my great-grandfather was a community leader and teacher. He got all the questions right, and the registrar turned to his assistant and said a word I will never say other than in a direct quote: ``I need more questions because this nigger got them all right.''

My great-grandfather got the next set of questions right. Then he was told: You must find three White men to vouch for your character to be able to register to vote. After much effort, he did it, and he voted in every election since.

Now, the second great backlash occurred after the efforts of men like Dr. King; our former colleague, John Lewis; and members of the Congressional Black Caucus like Mr. Clyburn. Because of the Voting Rights Act, many of the things that my family suffered went away, like the poll tax.

Mr. Speaker, when I took my oath of office on this floor 2 years ago, I took my oath of office on my father's Bible. It was an old, tattered Bible from the 1940s. I didn't understand why he wouldn't get a new one. Often as we got to the anniversary of my father's passing I would look through his Bible. On January 5, 2021, he was on my mind as Georgia elected the first Black Senator. I opened the Bible, and an envelope fell out I had never noticed, and inside was his poll tax receipt from when he first registered to vote. Then I understood: He kept it in his Bible to remind him of the sacred right of the right to vote. He kept this Bible even when we tried to give him new ones. This was the one he used to write his sermons every Sunday.

Now, the 24th Amendment banned poll taxes like my father and my grandfather had to pay, but my mother was not able to vote until after the voting rights of 1965 passed. Now, Mr. Speaker, I tell this story because I daresay every member of the Congressional Black Caucus has a story or two or several in their family. In fact, some members of the CBC themselves have these stories, as you will probably hear.

All of this effort culminated in the Voting Rights Act that had an immediate impact on expanding the ability and the participation of Black Americans to vote until the Supreme Court gutted it in Shelby v. Holder because it said that Congress had not created enough of a record to show that voter suppression still existed on the basis of race.

However, just like those delegates in the 1902 Virginia convention, who, when asked: Well, when we give these literacy tests, how will we know if we don't explicitly say that it is on the basis of race?

Those delegates had an answer. They knew it would be up to the person implementing the literacy test, just like with my great-grandfather, to determine whether the questions were right or wrong and if they answered enough.

Now, Congress has failed to restore the provisions that were gutted in the Voting Rights Act, and as a result, we have seen a wave of laws across the country, particularly in the South, throwing up barriers in the way of voting. This is the latest voter suppression in the backlash to progress.

Moreover, now our President issued an executive order I believe last week, and on the floor of this body this week, we will have Jim Crow 2.0, the poll tax of 2025, the SAVE Act, the requirement

that every American citizen prove their citizenship.

Mr. Speaker, why is that a poll tax you might ask?

It is because the only documents allowed to prove your citizenship, other than a military ID, costs money. I will give you some examples. The Real ID costs about $42. These are all numbers that I have gotten based on research in either my State or federally.

A passport costs $130. A birth certificate from a State agency is $12 in Virginia. A consular report of birth abroad is $100. A certificate of citizenship is $1,385.

Whether it was $2.12 that my father paid in 1947 or $1,385 that someone has to pay for a certificate of citizenship, it is a poll tax. It is illegal under our Constitution, and it is an effort at voter suppression.

Mr. Speaker, for women, we just heard as we celebrate the final day of Women's History Month, if your name is not the same today as on your birth certificate, then you need a document to show the chain of custody of your name. That is more money, that is more obstacles, that is more hoops to jump through, and that is more voter suppression. The Congressional Black Caucus will not stand silently by and watch it happen.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Mr. Clyburn for his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the honorable gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell) for her remarks.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my privilege to yield to the honorable gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Cleo Fields.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here as I started, the great-granddaughter of Henry David Davidson, who had to take a literacy test and find three White men to vouch for him to be able to register to vote in 1902.

I stand here the daughter and granddaughter of two men named James Fennimore McClellan, who had to pay poll taxes to be able to register to vote.

I stand here the daughter of Lois McClellan, the first woman in her family who was able to vote when the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed in her thirties.

I took my oath of office on the Bible in which my father kept this poll tax receipt to remind me that I owe it to them to fight for the sacred right to vote.

I stand here as the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia. Virginia is the birthplace of American democracy, but her labor was long and her birthing pains deep; the home of the first representative democracy in the Western Hemisphere where only White land-owning men could vote; the home, the birthplace, of American slavery; and the birthplace of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He excluded nearly half a million enslaved men and women, indeed, all the women who resided in the Thirteen Colonies, including in his beloved Monticello.

The Delegates to the Continental Congress ignored Abigail Adams' plea to ``remember the ladies and be [kinder] to them than your ancestors.''

Virginia is the birthplace of James Madison, who was the architect of the Virginia Plan that created a Constitution and a government by, of, and for the people in order to form a more perfect Union.

Not only did they not remember the ladies, but they considered the enslaved people who served them every day to be three-fifths of a person for purposes of this body, apportionment, and taxation, and they excluded indigenous people altogether.

Since 1789, the story of America has been one of each generation trying to make true for all Americans the promise of our founding documents. It is a story of cyclical trauma as the Civil War tore this country apart; Reconstruction sought to bind its wounds; and a violent backlash of white supremacy erased the gains made by formerly enslaved men, like my predecessor John Mercer Langston, the first Black man to serve in this body from Virginia.

It is a story of persistence, the persistence of women forcing a seat at the table of democracy and bringing a folding chair like Shirley Chisholm when they weren't let in. It is a story of the Federal Government advancing, retreating, advancing, and retreating in the battle to protect every American citizen's right to vote.

We are in the backlash right now that we have seen to that progress, and I stand here with my father's poll tax receipt behind me to remind me: We cannot go back. We cannot go back to a time when, in the name of voter integrity, barriers are put in people's way, poll taxes are put in people's way, and the requirement to pay money to prove you have the right to vote is imposed on American citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I am tired. I am tired of fighting the same fights as my parents, my grandparents, and my great-grandparents, but I fight those fights as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the conscience of the Congress, from a position of more power and strength than they ever dreamed. I fight those fights so that our children and grandchildren don't have to.

I implore this body not to take a giant step back by imposing Jim Crow 2.0 and a poll tax through the SAVE Act or the President's executive order.

The right to vote is sacred. We will defend it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and enduring legacy of Reverend Samuel J. Williams, Jr. of Farmville, Virginia. Reverend Williams was a devoted father, pastor, educator, historian, and civil rights activist who inspired generations of Virginians to advocate for justice and equality. Throughout his lifetime, he remained a steadfast pillar of his community, dedicating over eight decades to the fight for civil rights and social progress.

A trailblazer in the movement for desegregation, Reverend Williams played a pivotal role in organizing student-led demonstrations aimed at integrating public schools and places of worship. He was a prominent leader in the protests against the segregated school system in Prince Edward County, Virginia, which became a focal point in the national struggle for educational equality.

Notably, Reverend Williams was instrumental in the historic student strike on April 23, 1951, at Robert Russa Moton High School, led by Barbara Rose Johns. Built in 1939 as the first free-standing segregated high school for African American students in Prince Edward County, Moton High was originally designed to accommodate 180 students. However, by 1951, it was overcrowded, serving 477 African American students in inadequate conditions. The strike captured national attention and garnered the support of NAACP attorneys, ultimately contributing to the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Reverend Williams' legacy of activism continued to shape Farmville and beyond. In recognition of his contributions, the Town of Farmville honored him in December 2024 by renaming Watkins Street to Williams Way. This tribute brought the community together to reflect on his unwavering commitment to justice and the transformative impact of his work.

Reverend Williams is remembered as a leader who called attention to injustice, inspired change, and encouraged his community to persevere with faith and determination. He reminded Farmville and the Nation of the timeless words, ''We shall overcome, someday.'' His unwavering dedication to justice not only shaped the course of history but also paved the way for a more equitable future in education and civil rights.

Farmville has embraced his legacy as a champion of change, honoring his courage and rights commitment to social progress. His life's work continues to inspire future generations to stand against injustice and remain steadfast in the pursuit of equality. Reverend Samuel J. Williams, Jr. will forever be remembered as a man of faith, conviction, and service--one who never wavered in his commitment to his community and the ideals of justice and equality.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Educators Rising.

Established in 1937, Educators Rising, formally known as the Future Teachers of America, serves as a nationwide movement dedicated to eliminating the teacher shortage in America by recruiting, preparing, and inspiring the next generation of educators. The Future Teachers Association evolved into the Future Educators Association and was acquired by PDK International in 1994 and rebranded as Educators Rising in 2015.

Educators Rising is a community-based Career and Technical Student Organization within Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) International that develops middle and high school students in rural, urban, and suburban communities to become highly skilled educators in the communities where they live.

As a ``Grow Your Own'' initiative, Educators Rising helps create diverse teaching workforces that reflect communities where students live. Teachers who share similar backgrounds and experiences with their students foster stronger student-teacher relationships and improved academic outcomes, including higher test scores, rates of high school graduation and college enrollment, more inclusive school climates, fewer suspensions, and lower rates of chronic absenteeism.

With over 1,400 school chapters and 38 state-level partnerships, Educators Rising has a presence in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It continues to work with institutions of higher education and State Departments of Education to create seamless transitions into the education field.

In Virginia, over 70 schools have an Educators Rising Chapter that contributes to ending the teacher shortage in America, including eight in Virginia's 4th District. Since 1994, over 325,000 students have participated in Educators Rising, including nearly 145,600 students since its 2015 rebranding.

With over 60 percent of K-12 educators in the United States teaching within 20 miles of the high school they attended, creating pathways for local talent to enter the teaching profession plays a critical role in addressing our nation's shortage of teachers. PDK International awards nearly 100 scholarships annually, ranging from $500 to $5,000, to students pursuing careers in education through Educators Rising and other PDK International programs.

I commend Educators Rising's work to recruit local and diverse talent while building career pathways for educators as a solution to addressing teacher shortages in communities across the country. Their hard work and commitment to producing driven teachers is remarkable and essential to the development of a student's academic success.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following essay from Virginia's Fourth District Black History Month Essay Contest--1st Place High School contest winner, Tanvi Palavalas.

When Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg first wore his Army uniform

during World War II, he stepped into a military that saw his

skin color before his capabilities. Today, as a woman of

color preparing to serve, I see in his journey not just

history, but a torch lighting my own path forward. From an

enlisted soldier in a segregated Army to becoming the first

Black officer to earn the rank of lieutenant general, Gregg

didn't just climb the ranks, he fundamentally redefined what

was possible.

In the unforgiving landscape of 1940's America, Gregg's

early military career could have been defined by the

limitations others sought to impose. During the Vietnam War,

his innovative supply chain systems didn't just move

materials--they saved lives. His mastery of military

logistics proved that excellence and leadership flow from

capability, not ancestry. For those of us who still face

skepticism about our place in military leadership, his

technical brilliance offers a powerful reminder that

competence speaks louder than prejudice.

The Army's unprecedented decision to name Fort Gregg-Adams

after him in April 2023, making him the first living Black

leader to receive such an honor, carries special resonance

for those of us following in his wake. In replacing the name

of a Confederate general with that of Black excellence

embodied, the Army didn't just change a sign; it declared

that the future belongs to those who can lead, regardless of

their background. Until his passing in August 2024, Gregg's

living presence at ceremonies and military events reminded us

that such transformation isn't ancient history but an ongoing

journey we continue today.

But Gregg's most powerful legacy lies not in the barriers

he broke, but in the doors he kept open behind him. As a

mentor and leader, he understood that his success meant

little if it didn't create opportunities for others. His

leadership style, combining uncompromising standards with

deep empathy, showed that bringing one's whole self to

military service strengthens rather than weakens the force.

For women of color like me, preparing to enter a military

still grappling with inclusion, his example offers both

inspiration and instruction: excellence is our armor,

competence our sword.

The systems Gregg built for military logistics mirror the

pathways he forged for future leaders, both designed to

ensure essential resources reach those who need them when

they need them most. Today, as I prepare to don my own

uniform, I understand that I'm not just pursuing a career but

that I'm continuing a mission he began. His success proved

that the military is strengthened, not compromised, by

diverse leadership. The respect he commanded showed that

authority flows from character and capability, not color or

gender.

The transformation of military culture is far from

perfection, but Gregg showed us how to advance it--through

impeccable service, unwavering determination, and a

commitment to bringing others forward. As I prepare to begin

my own military journey, I carry with me not just my dreams,

but the torch Lt. Gen. Gregg lit decades ago. In his honor,

and for those who will follow, I intend to carry it forward,

lighting the way for others as he did for me.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following essay from Virginia's Fourth District Black History Month Essay Contest--1st Place middle school contest winner, Augustus Rezba-Patel.

Women are 17 percent of active-duty U.S. military members

today. They serve in combat and leadership roles and are

vital to the function of the U.S. military. But it wasn't

always this way. When Charity Adams-Early joined the military

in 1942, women were restricted to certain occupations and

comprised just 1 percent of the military. Not only that, but

people were discriminatory to Black Americans, restricting

their education, housing, and neighborhoods. Even the

military was segregated by race. Despite these barriers,

Charity Adams-Early overcame both racism and misogyny to

become the highest-ranking Black woman in the military during

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 20, which will undo a commonsense energy conservation standard and raise costs for consumers, all to benefit the gas industry.

My friends on the other side of the aisle talk a lot about how we need to lower costs, we need to lower costs, we need to lower costs.

The best way, the fastest way, and the most efficient way to lower energy costs and to lower utility bill costs that every American pays is to reduce energy demand.

We have seen that time and time again. This standard is a way to help lower energy demand needed for water heaters. Energy efficiency standards are popular, and it is a commonsense tool and, again, the fastest way to save taxpayers and American people money on their energy bills.

This resolution targets these standards, not realizing that these standards will save consumers $3.1 billion and are good for the environment because they cut 32 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 30 years.

All major manufacturers already sell models that meet these standards, which is why they widely support the standards. Consumer groups, efficiency advocates, and consumers widely support the standards.

Again, the only manufacturers that oppose them are the foreign manufacturers and industry CEOs who make more money when water heaters are less efficient and use more gas.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution and live up to the promise of lowering costs for the American people by lowering their energy bills.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 35, which will block the methane polluter fee, which is designed to control wasteful methane from the oil and gas industry.

This resolution is another attempt by Republicans to put corporate polluters ahead of hardworking American people. Much like their budget adopted last night, it is a handout for billionaires and large corporations.

Despite President Trump's promise to cut energy costs, Republicans are actively working to raise Americans' energy bills, not to mention the effect that reckless tariffs that, together with this policy, the Republicans are pushing will drive American energy bills and prices at the pump sky high.

However, I guess those high prices are worth the costs to Republicans if it means Big Oil and Gas are pleased.

The Methane Emissions Reduction Program was created to make sure that these big corporations pay for their own pollution, but I guess my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would prefer that American families cover the cost of corporate pollution.

Under this resolution, the American people will be stuck footing the bill. That is egregious. It is egregious to let the American people bear the burden of industry's pollution. It is not just a cost to their wallets, but also a cost to their health and safety.

The oil and gas sector is the single largest industrial source of methane pollution in the United States, responsible for nearly a third of our emissions. We know that this pollution of our air has powerful effects on our climate and is driving worsening natural disasters.

The devastating wildfires and hurricanes that we have seen, fueled by climate change, aren't just our children's problem. They are here today. The pollution that this methane gas produces affects our children's health today. It affects their respiratory health, among other things.

While Republicans are pushing tax breaks for billionaires and corporate polluters, they will get a pat on the back from the industry today. Democrats are thinking about the future and the world that our children and their children will inherit.

Will it be livable? Will they be able to breathe?

I urge my colleagues to put the American people and families now and in the future over polluters and vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 35.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out on behalf of our beleaguered Federal workforce which is currently under attack by the Musk-Trump-Vance administration.

Trump's OMB nominee, Russell Vought, said: ``We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. . . . We want to put them in trauma.'' Well, Mr. Speaker, they are in trauma.

Literally, on my way to the floor to vote tonight, I received a text from a Federal employee who said simply: ``Help us!'' Who exactly is the Musk-Trump-Vance administration terrorizing: the people who make sure your food is safe to eat, your water is clean to drink, and the air is clean to breathe; the people who work tirelessly to keep pregnant women, asthmatic children, and people with cancer from dying; the people who make sure you fly safely; and the people protecting American lives here and around the globe through diplomacy, intelligence gathering, and fighting crime.

Mr. Speaker, I see the Federal workforce. I am doing everything I can to help them. I won't quit. They shouldn't quit either.

THE SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Moore of West Virginia). Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair of the New Democrat Coalition, Brad Schneider, for organizing this Special Order hour so that we can talk about the Trump-Vance-Musk administration's erratic and senseless attacks on the Federal Government, their Federal hiring freeze, their ill-conceived and shortsighted actions in the first 2 weeks, and how they are actually going to raise costs for the American people and not lower costs for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, you have heard about the tariffs that were on, then off, then paused, except against China. Before the tariffs were announced, I was meeting with local leaders across my district from the rural southern end to the urban northern end. My farmers were worried about the trade war that the tariffs would unleash and how it would decimate the largest industry in Virginia which is agriculture.

The seniors across the district were worried about the impact that rescinding efforts to reduce prescription drug costs would have on their healthcare bills. Other seniors were worried about how attacks on energy efficiency programs that they use to weatherize their homes and reduce their electric bills would lead to higher utility bills.

We have seen whole flocks of the chickens on poultry farms having to be put down which will impact the cost of eggs that so many people supposedly voted this election because of their worry about.

We have seen hardworking Federal employees whose jobs are at risk who fear whether or not they will receive their pension if they take this illegal offer to buy them out. If they read the fine print of the documents that just now are starting to be given to them, they will find that they just might.

I don't think any of that lowers costs. What it does is throw the American Government, which so many people rely on, into chaos and grinding it to a halt, and that was the point. However, what we are going to find is that that does not lower costs. It hurts the American people, and the New Democrat Coalition will fight it every step of the way.