Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, let me first say thank you to my colleague from Virginia, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, for yielding to me and for leading this Special Order hour. I also thank our chairwoman, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke from Brooklyn, New York.

You heard her as she came to the floor, Mr. Speaker, sharing with us the value, the importance of why we are here tonight. You have also heard it, not just tonight but for weeks, we have come to this floor.

Mr. Speaker, the question you should ask yourself is: Why are we here? Why are we standing here and telling these stories? These are stories that I am sure people in your district and your colleagues have heard also.

Well, we come tonight because we want America to know how important our work is, but more importantly, we want America to know that Democrats are standing up for them. We are united in this single cause because it is our top priority.

Tonight, we share the stories of our constituents. We do it as a reminder that others turn away from the struggle, but the Congressional Black Caucus leans in, standing in the gap for families who can't afford for Congress to look the other direction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the human cost of allowing the Affordable Care Act healthcare tax credits to expire. I rise on behalf of the families of the Third Congressional District that I serve in the great State of Ohio.

I rise on behalf of the families across this Nation. I rise on behalf of the 18-plus million Black Americans that the members of the Congressional Black Caucus serve.

Mr. Speaker, I also rise on behalf of the 82 million Americans that the Congressional Black Caucus serves. Families, Mr. Speaker, who sit at the kitchen table late at night wondering which bill they can pay and which bill must wait.

If Congress fails to act, 35,000 people in my district will see their healthcare costs rise. Let me just give you an example. For a 60-year- old couple, earning $85,600, annual premiums will rise by almost 300 percent. It is unthinkable.

Mr. Speaker, 15,000 people in my district will lose their healthcare altogether because of Republicans' refusal to extend the tax credits. Small businesses make up 48 percent of the ACA marketplace consumers.

I have heard colleagues on both sides of the aisle talk about how it is the small business owners who are the economic engines that make this America work. They are the backbone of communities, communities like my community in the Third Congressional District.

If I could go back and remind you, Mr. Speaker, and all those who are listening, it was the Democrats with our American Rescue Plan who expanded the promise of the Affordable Care Act to make healthcare more affordable. I could take you back to 1965, Mr. Speaker, when then, too, we were dealing with healthcare, and it was the government body that came up with Medicaid and Medicare to make sure that we protected the American people and provided not just for the wealthy, but for all, for the least of us.

Tonight, I want to put a face on it, Mr. Speaker. I want to lift up two Ohioans who put names to these numbers. You see, it is not about the politics, as our chairwoman said. It is about people. It is about everyday people.

Let me tell you the story of Tracie, a small business owner, who wrote that her family's premiums have tripled. Before the tax credit, they were paying over $1,000 a month just to stay insured. With two children in college, she wrote: Our family relies on these subsidies just to support our students and pay our bills. We don't live extravagantly. Please, Congresswoman, keep fighting for us.

Let me tell you the story of Mark, a 60-year-old husband and a part- time worker. He told me his ACA premiums will rise $11,000 in 2026. He may have to return to full-time work out of fear that he and his wife will be left without healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, I could tell you story after story and put a face on it. I could tell you the stories from across this wonderful America that we live in. We all have stories.

Healthcare is not about Democrats and Republicans. It is about people. Tonight, we come to this Chamber, to this floor, the House of the people, to share with you the stories because we want hope. We want to provide hope to the American people. We want to be able to tell them that they don't stand alone. We want to be able to tell them that we really believe that we can make a difference, that we can provide affordable, quality healthcare for everyday people.

Mr. Speaker, Democrats stood united, as you know, for more than 40 days during the Republican-caused shutdown to prevent this, but here we are. Republicans refuse to negotiate.

Healthcare, Mr. Speaker, is a lifeline for families who have upheld their end of the bargain even when Republican policies have not upheld theirs.

Mr. Speaker, my ask is very simple, and here it is: Congress must act. Congress must restore these tax credits and protect affordable healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, I guess the question really is, what do we say to that family? What is the answer that we say that we cannot negotiate? What is the answer that we say to them that we cannot bring it to this floor? What is it that you would like me to say to the American people? What is it my colleagues on the other side that don't stand united with us for the people want me to say to the American people? I guess that is why week after week after week, we come to this floor for Special Order hours.

Mr. Speaker, I want you to know how important this is that we go out into our districts and because we know people are making a decision between healthcare, feeding their families, and putting a roof over their head. I could

tell you the stories of my colleagues. I could tell you the stories of colleagues who have gone into hospitals and healthcare clinics and volunteered services. I can tell you that I have bagged and boxed food for people. I have contributed, like many of my colleagues, to make sure that when people have to pay for their healthcare and they are trying to decide if they can buy groceries that we are coming to their rescue.

Tonight, I end with asking you not to come to our rescue as Democrats but come to the rescue of the American people, and let us make a difference by negotiating and having an American healthcare plan that will make sure that all individuals can have affordable healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for this Special Order hour. I thank her for her brilliance and her tenacity that she comes here and stands and tells the stories and leads us so hopefully we will be able to make a difference.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rosa Parks, an American hero.

Mr. Speaker, it was 70 years ago today, in Montgomery, Alabama, that Rosa Parks was arrested for not surrendering her bus seat to a White man, igniting a 381-day bus boycott.

On December 5, more than 500 community leaders and guests will join me and Congressman James Clyburn, the president of The Ohio State University, and the president and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority.

Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago, I wrote the legislation for Ohio to become the first State in the Nation to designate December 1 as Rosa Parks Day.

Lastly, as America approaches its 250th birthday, we must also honor the mothers of our democracy and carry forward their courageous examples.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Malik Todd Murray, senior vice president and head of business development at Ariel Investments, one of the Nation's leading Black- owned asset management firms.

Malik stood tall, literally and figuratively. A former athlete and NBA referee, he brought a team-first mindset to business, mentoring talent, opening doors, and proving that excellence and equity go hand in hand.

I salute him today especially for his work in promoting and expanding opportunities for minority businesses. Along with Ariel's founder, John Rogers, he championed using business diversity versus minority procurement.

He was an influential force behind the work of the United States Congress' first Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion under the powerful Financial Services Committee led by the Honorable Maxine Waters. Ms. Waters then appointed me to be the first chair in the history of this Congress of the Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion.

He and those at Ariel reminded us early on that there is no shortage of high-performing and diverse-owned firms. I could clearly do a roll call, listing all of those firms.

It reminded me of something that I was told. As John Rogers was testifying and Malik and I were witnesses to watching him, he said: As Reverend Jackson says, baseball became a better sport when Jackie Robinson was allowed to play.

The financial services industry is well-served by many dynamic leaders who look like Jackie Robinson. They are job creators and philanthropists. They play important roles in being role models in our communities and across America.

Malik, along with John Rogers, taught me a lesson that I carry with me today. Diversity is not only those we hire but with whom we do business.

True economic power is going beyond service contracts. True business diversity includes diverse hires in private equity, in wealth management, those who handle our money, the accountants who protect our books, and the lawyers who advise clients.

That is why it is important that we look at all industries, whether they be hospitals, museums, universities, or tech companies--and the list goes on--because this is America.

We all deserve to have equality and equity. That is what this great America is about. It is about opening doors, expanding opportunities, and making sure that our young children can dare to dream. If they can see it, they know they can be it. It is for them to know that while they are here today, they are reaching for their ``there'' tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, to the family of Malik Todd Murray, we salute him. We thank his family for allowing him to share his young life with us. He will be deeply missed, but I promise his work will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Waters for yielding.

I rise in support of my bipartisan bill, H.R. 1450, the OFAC, Licensure for Investigators Act, which I am very proud to co-lead with my colleague, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn).

This bill, Mr. Speaker, requires the Secretary of the Treasury to develop a special licensing pilot program within the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, and it will be administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

This pilot project would grant private-sector firms a temporary specific license to conduct nominal financial transactions with sanctioned entities to assist with law enforcement investigations. These private firms would be, for example, as you have heard, Mr. Speaker, blockchain analytics firms or the financial intelligence units within corresponding banks.

The commonsense legislation seeks to enhance the tools at our disposal to investigate sanctioned individuals and entities and to hold bad actors accountable, and that is very important.

This concept is similar to, as you have heard by our ranking member, Mr. Speaker, a keep-open letter, which is when the government asks a bank to keep a suspicious illicit account open. As it stands now, private financial firms are currently limited to their capacity to engage with sanctioned entities due to a robust sanction regime.

That also means that it is impossible to access data about bad actors' networks and methods, intelligence that would be of great assistance to law enforcement agents, to government, to consumers of their products, and the financial industry overall, Mr. Speaker.

So by giving OFAC the authority to tailor the parameters of the specific licensure pilot program, this legislation enhances our investigatory toolbox while guaranteeing essential protections.

For example, the specific license would be well-defined and narrowly applied, ensuring that private firms only conduct nominal transactions, for example, $5, $10, so they can collect better data and intelligence.

Lastly, the program would have strict oversight, requiring that licensure recipients provide detailed monthly reports to OFAC on their activities and findings under the license.

This innovative bill harnesses the vast resources of the private sector and allows the Federal Government to work collaboratively with financial firms to further our national security goals.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join our chairman, our ranking member, and my colleague, Mr. Nunn, in supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan for yielding and to our chairwoman, Congresswoman Clarke, for her leadership.

In the words of John Lewis: ``Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the beloved community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.''

Mr. Speaker, on this fifth anniversary of the passing of Congressman

John Lewis, I rise to sound the alarm: Our democracy demands action now. The democracy that John Lewis fought for and bled for still remains under attack.

After the Supreme Court's Shelby County v. Holder decision, nearly 100 new laws surfaced, closing polling places, cutting early voting, banning drop boxes, and changing ID rules.

Who is paying the price? It is our democracy.

That is not policy, Mr. Speaker. That is persecution. These restrictions aren't about protecting democracy. It is simply a modern poll tax in disguise, aimed to confuse and designed to suppress and discourage voters.

When we vote, when we fight, we win at the ballot box. I know this firsthand, and I know the importance of acting for our democracy. You see, Mr. Speaker, I marched with Congressman John Lewis in Washington, in Selma, and in my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to the board of elections to stand up and to stand against voter suppression with a new generation of warriors in that fight.

That is why we must pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to end discriminatory practices and make it easier, Mr. Speaker, for everyone to vote. That is because our democracy is not a state. It is an act.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of representing Ohio's Third Congressional District, a region that leads in health care and education across the great state of Ohio and beyond. Today, I celebrate the recognition of Mr. Steve Beard on the 2025 TIME100 Health List for his outstanding leadership in health care education and in diversifying the medical field. Therefore, I include in the Record the following proclamation:

Whereas, Mr. Steve Beard is Chairman and CEO of Adtalem

Global Education, a leading provider of doctors, nurses,

veterinarians, and social workers to the U.S. workforce; and

Whereas, Adtalem serves over 90,000 students and has become

a top supplier of doctors, nurses, veterinarians, and social

workers across the nation; and

Whereas, Adtalem's medical schools are among the top

producers of Black physicians in the United States, with 95

percent of recent graduates securing residencies, many in

primary care and underserved communities; and

Whereas, many of these achievements have occurred under Mr.

Beard's leadership, reflecting his commitment to addressing

health care workforce shortages by expanding access to

education; and

Whereas, Mr. Beard's efforts have had a meaningful impact

in Central Ohio, where Adtalem alumni play a vital role in

delivering care and serving our communities; and

Whereas, Chamberlain University in Columbus, a member of

the Adtalem family of institutions and located within my

district, is actively working to address Ohio's critical

nursing workforce needs; and

Whereas, Mr. Beard's leadership is rooted in a philosophy

of integrity, empathy, and service--values that have shaped

his rise from general counsel to chairman and CEO; and

Whereas, his commitment to inclusive and transformative

leadership extends beyond the boardroom through active civic

engagement, including his work with A Better Chicago, which

advances educational opportunities in underserved

communities; and

Whereas, through both his professional and philanthropic

efforts, Mr. Beard continues to drive meaningful change in

his community and across the country;

Now, therefore, I, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, proudly

recognize and commend Mr. Steve Beard for this national honor

and for his enduring commitment to equity in education and

health care.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand to honor

Mr. Steve Beard and his outstanding leadership in health care

education and in diversifying the medical field.

Mr. Speaker, tonight is about the millions of lives Republicans are destroying.

I rise for a single mother in my district caring full-time for her 16-year-old daughter, Naomi, who has chronic health conditions.

I want Americans to know the face of this family. Sandra Black is one of the millions whose family could lose their healthcare.

Sandra left her job as a veterinarian to care for her daughter. She would tell you tonight, Mr. Speaker: ``Without Medicaid, literally, our lives would be at stake.''

Republicans want to slash Medicaid and bankroll billionaires. Let me say that again. Republicans want to slash Medicaid and bankroll billionaires.

Mr. Speaker, today is about billionaires over hardworking Americans like Sandra Black's family.

Tonight, Mr. Speaker, you will hear story after story. Tonight you will hear Democrats standing up for the American people and staying here tonight for however long it takes. That is because we want America to know that we are standing up for Medicaid.

I will not be silent. I will fight for lives like Sandra's and Naomi's.

Mr. Speaker, as the senior member from Ohio, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Charlotte Y. Price, a beloved wife of the Honorable Elder Larry Price, a devoted mother to Dr. Angela Price, a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated, a member of Triedstone Missionary Baptist Church, and a dedicated Columbus Public Schools educator. She taught for over 25 years, specializing in special education.

She was one of the Nation's few teachers to earn National Board Certification.

She continued tutoring long after her retirement, and she believed deeply in every child's potential, including students in the juvenile justice system.

Mrs. Price was a pillar of faith, service, and hope for our community. Charlotte Y. Price fought a good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

Mr. Speaker, today, to my district and to all watching, we celebrate Charlotte Y. Price.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud member of the Congressional Black Caucus because our children are our future--and the Department of Education is one of the strongest tools we have to prepare them for that future.

In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education affirmed what Black America had long known: separate is not equal. That landmark decision was more than a legal ruling--it was a promise. A promise that every child, no matter their ZIP code, deserves a fair and quality education.

Since then, the Department of Education has helped to keep that promise. It protects students from racial and gender discrimination and enforces critical civil rights laws. It supports Pell Grants and other forms of student aid, strengthens our Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and ensures that students with disabilities receive the services they need to succeed.

But now, President Trump wants to destroy all of that. Eliminating the Department of Education is not about policy--it is about punishment. And I want to go on the record: we will fight back--against President Trump, against you, Speaker Johnson, and against every Republican who remains silent in the face of this attack.

This is punishment for being poor. For being Black. For attending public schools.

A report from UCLA's Civil Rights Project reveals that 40 percent of Black students attend schools where 90 percent or more of their classmates are also students of color. These schools too often have fewer counselors, overcrowded classrooms, and outdated materials. When you cut the Department of Education, you don't just cut red tape--you cut protections. You cut resources. You cut off opportunities.

And while this assault affects communities across the country, it hits especially hard in my district--Ohio's Third. We stand to lose $109 million per year in basic public school funding that keeps students learning and teachers employed. We also stand to lose $21 million in special education support, and $19 million for school meals--because no child should be too hungry to learn. More than 1,300 teaching jobs are on the line.

All of this--to make billionaires richer? Mr. Speaker, we are not going backward. Not to Jim Crow classrooms. Not to separate and unequal.

The Congressional Black Caucus stands united. We will fight for our students. For our schools. And for the future every child deserves.

Mr. Speaker, during Roll Call No. 52 and H.J. Res. 35, I mistakenly recorded my vote as present when I should have voted nay.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to first say thank you to our co-anchors; only freshmen in this House but certainly seasoned in the life that they have led. I thank Congressman Figures and Congresswoman Bynum, and to our Madam Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.

Mr. Speaker, tonight you will hear many stories of Black history, which is definitely American history. I rise today because Black sacrifice and excellence has shaped our Nation. We stand on the shoulders of many brave soldiers and Sojourners, but tonight I choose to salute living legends.

I salute the 62 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, four Black Members for the first time serving in our United States Senate, and 58 House Members in this Congress, the largest in our history. As we say in the Baptist church, we have come a mighty long way. From 1971, when 13 Members sat on this House floor, 12 Black men from across this Nation and one brave, courageous, bad sister, Shirley Chisholm. My, have we come a long way.

We come tonight, and we speak truth to power in this most unprecedented time in our Nation's history: a time when we are fighting for civil rights and justice, a time when we are fighting just to ask for an opportunity, for a broader talent base, something we call diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Programs like Medicaid and Medicare, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, FAA, and funding for HBCUs, historically Black colleges and universities, Federal jobs being taken away

from individuals with little or no notice and promise of payment that has only fallen short or to be told that they would get it and found out only to be lies.

Tonight, we will answer what the people are asking for: What are we doing?

Well, I can tell you that the Congressional Black Caucus is standing up for justice.

I can tell you that the Congressional Black Caucus is going back into our communities, and we are holding teletownhalls.

I can tell you that we are responding to the American people because we know what is at stake. We know that if we will not stand up for them and fight for them that little might not happen. I can tell you that we are communicating. I can tell you that we are legislating. I can tell you that we are standing with the lawyers who are litigating. We are fighting to protect and pursue opportunities that give Black Americans the same advantages that White Americans have enjoyed since our Nation's founding.

Our history is made stronger and more vibrant. Just when Black Americans think that we are equal, we are still fighting for equal rights.

Here we are, from chaos and confusion with this administration, but we are still leading. Former chairs, now ranking members. If I did a roll call, Mr. Speaker, I would tell you that we have people like Maxine Waters, Bobby Scott, Bennie Thompson, and Gregory Meeks leading some of the most prestigious committees in this Congress.

I would tell you that we have so many people who possess law degrees that it would be like having a roll call of Who's Who to tell you that even in our freshman class--if I started by saying: Turner, Fields, Bell, Conaway, Figures, Sykes, McClellan, Lee, Crockett, Johnson, Sewell, Meeks, Neguse, Jeffries, and Bishop, who all possess law degrees.

We have some of the best orators in the country. I could say Ayanna Pressley, and I can tell you historians like Jim Clyburn. I could tell you that we are fighting because we possess those talents in fields because we have suffered along the way.

You have heard the stories of our parents. You have heard the stories of our grandparents. We just don't come tonight for a Special Order to tell you our stories, but we want America to know that we are suffering. We want America to know that we stand with them in this time when we are in trouble.

Just last night, I was on a call with Win With Black Women and Win With Black Men, a call that was prompted several months ago during the election when 44,000 Black women got on a call, and 50-some thousand Black men got on a call. Just as tonight, when a White woman joined us, White women and White dudes got on the call because we knew that America was in trouble.

Mr. Speaker, last night I am so proud to say, as I close, that we stood up for another sojourner, a sojourner who had been fighting for us as she went on air every night. We also say thank you to Joy Reid for what she has done and to let her know that we, too, are lifting her up.

We are also celebrating those who, too, will give us a voice, whether it is on traditional media, legacy media, social media, or podcasts. We are coming after those who are coming after us, Mr. Speaker. We want America to know that we will not be silent even against this administration. We will not sit down. We will protest. We will resist. We will do all the things that our forefathers did. We will do all the things that those shoulders that we stand on did.

What they did, we will do because this America belongs to us. We fight for justice, dignity, equity, diversity, and inclusion because we, too, are part of America. Black history is American history.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Rosa Louise McCauley Parks today on her birthday. Her brave refusal to give up her seat ignited the civil rights movement and strengthened our democracy.

In 2005, I led Ohio to become the first State to recognize December 1 as Rosa Parks Day, passing unanimously in a bipartisan vote and signed by then-Governor Robert Taft.

Nearly 20 years later, this legacy inspires thousands to carry forward her justice. To honor her, I proudly introduce the Rosa Parks Commemorative Coin Act, directing the United States Mint to issue a coin in her name.

Mr. Speaker, more than 60 Members have signed as original sponsors, so I urge my colleagues to all do the same. This American hero--no, this American shero--deserves this recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on the House floor this morning because of a weather-related travel delay. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on a Roll Call No. 16 and NAY on Roll Call No. 17.

personal explanation

Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Speaker, due to a death in the family, I needed to attend the funeral proceedings and was unable to vote on the House floor. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 16, Motion to Recommit, and YEA on Roll Call No. 17, Passage of H.R. 30.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the celebration yesterday of my sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated.

Let me say that it was 112 years ago yesterday that 22 visionary, young, Black women at Howard University came together to create a sorority rooted in the ideas of change, justice, and empowerment.

I am a proud life member of this esteemed sisterhood. For me, it started at the Delta Kappa chapter as a freshman at Central State University and then as a member of the Dayton alumni chapter and now the Columbus, Ohio, alumni chapter.

I am honored to recognize the extraordinary legacy and contributions of this organization which have been a beacon of service, sisterhood, and social action since its beginning in 1913.

These trailblazers envisioned an organization that would prioritize service over socialization, and they had the foundation for what would become one of the world's largest African-American women's organizations.

Over the decades, this organization has tackled some of the most pressing challenges facing our community. The National Library Project provided books to underserved Black communities in the segregated South. Deltas became the first sorority to establish employment counseling and career development for Black women. They partnered with Habitat for Humanity, building homes for families in need at home and abroad.

Delta Sigma Theta has earned special NGO status with the United Nations, ensuring our voices are heard on the world's stage.

Delta Sigma Theta women are among the most powerful changemakers in history. Their history includes ceiling-shattering public servants like Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley, who I fondly called Aunt Edna, serving as the highest-ranking Black woman officer during World War II.

It includes the Honorable Shirley Chisolm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, the first Black woman to seek a major party's nomination for President of these United States and, yes, the only female of the 13 Members who founded the Congressional Black Caucus.

It also includes individuals like Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

Delta has defined leadership in a broad spectrum of influence, from civil rights icons like Ida B. Wells to cultural legends like Aretha Franklin to leaders in this very Chamber like chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Yvette Clarke, and our brilliant sisters who serve here: Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, Congresswoman Lucy McBath, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Congresswoman Summer Lee, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, and Senator Angela Alsobrooks.

Madam Speaker, as we celebrate Founders' Day in Ohio, we recommit ourselves to the mission and the vision of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated: Fostering economic empowerment, advancing education, improving physical and mental health, promoting international awareness, and, lastly, engaging in political advocacy. These values have guided us for 112 years and will continue to light our way forward.

Let me add that I associate myself with every word that Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley said with respect to what we are rightly naming. When we think about this bill being proposed, it is really the child predator empowerment act. There is nothing fair or safe about a teacher, a counselor, a nonmedical professional asking a young child to remove their garments so they can be inspected.