Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of the Honorable Lizette Parker--a fearless community leader and a devoted public servant. She is greatly missed by the people of Teaneck, New Jersey, who benefitted immeasurably from her involvement in the community and dedication as their mayor and people across Bergen County and the state whose lives she improved.

Mayor Parker was committed to a life of service to those around her. She began her career as a social worker, and she eventually earned seats on the Bergen County Board of Social Services and the Teaneck Town Council. In these roles, she established herself as a force for economic and social justice, tackling issues pertinent to families and youth such as poverty, housing, health care, and respect and appreciation for diversity. In July of 2014, she became the first African-American to serve as Mayor of Teaneck--a watershed accomplishment for the community. As a tenacious advocate for the people of Bergen County, Mayor Parker earned recognition from the Girl Scouts of America, the NAACP, and the Urban League, among other impressive honors.

Mayor Parker's passion and leadership inspired residents young and old, and her life left a lasting impact on the Teaneck community. I am grateful that the scholarship program she established will be continued in her name by her family--a fitting testament to her admirable efforts to improve the lives of young people in Bergen County.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for Mayor Parker's contributions to our community, and I am optimistic that her spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of those who she served.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 7. Forty-four years ago this week, before I was even born, the Supreme Court recognized that the government has no business coming between a woman and her doctor when it comes to making personal medical decisions. Yet now, decades later, many in Washington seem determined to turn back the clock on progress on women's health and women's rights.

The new administration recently instituted a rule that would limit the ability of women around the world to access accurate information about their bodies and make their own medical decisions. And now the House is considering a radical bill that would not only undermine a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions, but also her ability to even choose her own health insurance plan. On top of that, the bill would actually raise taxes on small businesses who provide their employees with access to comprehensive health coverage and impose unfair burdens on the women of the United States military. These are the facts.

I will always fight back against efforts to limit choice in women's health, and that is why I strongly oppose this bill. This past weekend we saw millions of women around the country and around the world, including hundreds in my own hometown of Wyckoff, New Jersey, where I was, rally against these backward and dangerous policies.

I urge my colleagues to turn their focus from rolling back women's rights to actually focusing on getting things done for the people of this country--creating jobs and lowering taxes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today for my first statement from the House floor, honored and humbled to serve as the Representative from New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District. I vow to work tirelessly on their behalf.

We are all tired of Washington's partisanship, and I will work across the aisle, whenever possible, to get things done. New Jersey families and businesses are struggling with high taxes and not seeing good return on investment for the hard-earned tax dollars they send to Washington each year.

I will work to bring those dollars home to fight domestic terror, deal with opioid abuse, improve our schools, and fix our crumbling roads and bridges. I will work to bring good-paying jobs back to New Jersey and keep them there, to lower our taxes, cut wasteful spending and unnecessary regulations, and ensure every tax dollar is used wisely.

I will stand up for New Jersey values, ensuring that women, minorities, and the LGBT community are always treated with respect. I will have the backs of our veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, and all first responders. I will stand with Israel, ensure our children have clean drinking water, and stand up for equal pay and a woman's right to choose. I will work for everyone in the District.

Working together, I believe our best days will always be ahead of us.