Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, next week, on May 29, 2017, our nation will celebrate Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States.

We set aside this day to pay solemn tribute to the patriots who gave their last full measure of devotion for this country that we love.

Let us honor and remember our servicemen and women who answered America's call to service and paid the ultimate price to keep us here at home safe.

We honor their loved ones. Mothers. Fathers. Sisters. Brothers. Sons. Daughters.

Friends. We thank you for your sacrifice as well.

As a grateful nation, we have an obligation and a duty to be there for those who provided the ultimate sacrifice, and for their brothers and sisters in service.

Let us never forget our obligation to provide our troops the tools they need to carry out their mission; to care for all those who have served; to honor all those whom we've lost; to keep faith with our military families; to never stop searching for those who are missing, or trying to bring home our prisoners of war.

May God bless our fallen heroes and their families and all who serve in the United States Armed Forces.

Mr. Speaker, this week, as the House of Representatives considers human trafficking legislation, I am proud to continue working with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to raise awareness on the heinous practice of human trafficking and to work together to eradicate it from our communities.

I thank my friend and classmate, Congresswoman Ann Wagner of Missouri (MO-02) for organizing tonight's Special Order Hour.

Human trafficking--where people profit from the control and exploitation of others--occurs both here at home and abroad on a daily basis.

In fact, the International Labour Organization estimates that there are 20.9 million victims of human trafficking globally--68% of them are trapped in forced labor, 26% of them are children, and 55% are women and girls.

And in my home state of Ohio, human trafficking for sex and labor is on the rise.

According to recent reports from the Polaris Project, a nonprofit that tracks trafficking in the U.S. and abroad, 375 Ohio trafficking cases were reported from 1,352 calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2016. In 2015, there were 289 cases based on 1,070 calls. The 2016 numbers reflect a nearly four-fold increase over the Ohio figures from 2013.

While the overall increase in reporting can be partly attributed to greater awareness of the national hotline, we know, and officials confirm, that trafficking is, unfortunately, chronically under- reported.

We must do more to help trafficking victims and to encourage people when they see something that looks like an individual is being trafficked, that they say something.

Victims of human trafficking often live in the shadows of our society, so it is up to all of us to help identify and rescue victims of trafficking.

While human trafficking spans all demographics, there are some circumstances or vulnerabilities that lead to a higher susceptibility to victimization.

Runaway and homeless youth, as well as victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, are frequently targeted by traffickers.

Men and women, boys and girls, who are all alone, abused, and often believe they have nowhere to go.

Well, we can help. We must do more to assist victims of trafficking and provide them with the services and treatment necessary to regain control of their lives.

We must also ensure the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking crimes is focused on the traffickers, the people assisting the traffickers, and the purchasers--the individuals who are the real criminals in the enterprise.

Almost two years ago, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act--or the JVTA--was signed into law. The JVTA is helping to update efforts to combat the scourge of human trafficking and provided essential resources to survivors and law enforcement officials.

I am proud to have had a provision included in this comprehensive legislation and to have taken part in its drafting, passage, and enactment.

Mr. Speaker, since the JVTA's enactment, we have witnessed important achievements, but we cannot stop here.

We must continue to work together to eradicate human trafficking and support the victims. Tonight, I pledge to continue to working with my colleagues to raise awareness and fight back against human trafficking, because as we all know, one victim of human trafficking is one too many.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to May being National Mental Health Awareness month, a nationwide initiative that aims to raise awareness and fight the stigmas associated with mental health illnesses.

Nearly 44 million American adults, and millions of children experience mental health conditions each year, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress.

Although we have made great progress expanding access to mental health treatment with the passage of the Affordable Health Care Act, too many people still do not get the help they need.

Despite the availability of treatment, the stigma associated with mental illness continues to keep millions of Americans from getting the treatment they need.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to our citizen's mental health needs, because according to a study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, mental illnesses cost America over $193.2 billion in lost earnings every year.

Congress must work together to ensure people living with mental illness know that they are not alone, that hope exists, and that the possibility of healing and thriving is achievable.

We should be sure that our budget, which we will be debating in the coming weeks, includes adequate funding to help.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of May as Stroke Awareness Month. As a stroke survivor, I understand the magnitude of this disease and the hundreds of thousands of lives it touches in American families each year.

We know that the risk of stroke increases each year, but strokes can and do occur at any age. In fact, every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke; and every 4 minutes, someone dies from a stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans per year.

To help raise awareness on how stroke affects Americans across all ages, races, and demographics, today I am reintroducing my resolution recognizing May as Stroke Awareness Month. The resolution aims to enhance public awareness by urging and continuing the coordination and cooperation among researchers, families, and advocates for improving treatment for individuals who suffer stroke. Together, we can combat this illness and work together toward long-term solutions to prevent, treat, and improve the lives of those suffering from stroke.

I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi) for joining me as an original cosponsor of this bipartisan effort. Mr. Speaker, I ask others to please sign on.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with hundreds of business, labor, and advocacy organizations to recognize National Infrastructure Week. The purpose of this week is to highlight the state of the Nation's infrastructure and its critical importance to our economy and well-being.

Building and strengthening our infrastructure is vital to all of us, but it oftentimes goes unnoticed. Our Nation's deteriorating infrastructure is hampering our ability to compete in the thriving global economy and create jobs that our Nation needs. As an example, in my home State of Ohio, we face significant challenges: 17 percent of the public roads are in poor condition, and almost 7 percent of all the bridges are structurally deficient.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to our Nation's infrastructure needs. Congress must work together to upgrade our Nation's highways, bridges, airports, water systems, energy grid, broadband network, and the like so that our economy can continue to lead the world in the 21st century and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition of the Working Families Flexibility Act, H.R. 1180.

Mr. Speaker, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) already allows employers to let their employees earn paid time off.

That is why the bill passed by the House earlier this week, the Working Families Flexibility Act, H.R. 1180, would hurt working families by giving workers less time off, less flexibility and less pay.

Many workers frequently rely on their overtime earnings to make ends meet to help put food on the table, keep a roof over their families' heads, and pay bills.

Instead of paying workers for their overtime work, H.R. 1180 would permit employers to replace employees' overtime pay with vague promises that employees may be able to take comp time off at some unknown point in the future.

But the employer, not the employee, would decide when that time off is granted.

This bill provides no guarantees that workers could take their earned time off when they need it.

Employers could also unilaterally decide to ``cash out'' comp time in excess of 80 hours or discontinue their entire comp time program with just 30 days' notice.

This means that an employee's carefully crafted plan to bank time for a child's birth or a spouse's surgery could be thwarted by an employer's decision to cash out the employee's time or end the program all together.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is a bad deal for working families. It would strip employees of rights that the FLSA has provided for nearly 75 years.

If Republicans truly care about working families, they would support and help pass the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (FAMILY Act), H.R. 947, which would create a national paid leave insurance program modeled after the successful programs in California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

If Republicans truly care about working families, they would support and help pass legislation like Schedules That Work Act introduced by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro in the 114th Congress.

The Schedules That Work Act would give workers more control over their schedules and incentivize predictability and stability in shifts and work hours.

If Republicans truly care about working families, they would support and help pass the soon to be introduced Raise the Wage Act sponsored by Congressman Bobby Scott.

The Raise the Wage Act increases minimum wage, including the elimination of sub-minimum ``tipped'' wage, which would lift 37.7 millions workers out of poverty.

People should not have to work more than 40 hours in a week and forgo pay to earn time to care for themselves or their loved ones.

I join my Democratic colleagues in fighting to protect attacks on pay and benefits for working class families instead, and will vote no on

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Republicans' latest version of Trumpcare.

Trumpcare will cover fewer people, provide weaker protections, and result in higher costs.

Trumpcare will eviscerate essential health benefits and protections for pre-existing conditions and make it all but impossible for millions of Americans fighting illness to afford the health coverage they desperately need.

Trumpcare will mean higher costs for less coverage.

It will result in 24 million hard-working Americans losing health coverage.

It will destroy protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions and gut Essential Health Benefits, such as maternity, prescription drug coverage, and emergency coverage.

Trumpcare will create a crushing age tax--it will force Americans aged 50-64 to pay premiums five times higher than what others pay for health coverage, no matter how healthy they are.

Mr. Speaker, healthcare should be a right for all, not just the privileged few. I will vote against Trumpcare and urge all my colleagues to vote no.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as Co-Chair of the House Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus in recognition of Financial Literacy Month.

Every day, Americans are faced with financial decisions that impact their lives and their families. That is why promoting financial and economic literacy is so important and why we draw attention to it each and every April.

Financial literacy is a lifelong journey, whether writing a monthly budget, managing your credit, or saving for retirement, every American needs to understand the basic principles of planning, saving and investing for the future.

In that spirit, I urge my colleagues to cosponsor/support bipartisan House Resolution 243, which promotes the ideals and goals of Financial Literacy Month, and to also participate in tomorrow's Financial Literacy Day on the Hill.

Let's ensure more Americans can build a better financial future this Financial Literacy Month and all year round.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my Ohio colleagues to congratulate Congressman Steve Stivers on his promotion from colonel to brigadier general of the Ohio Army National Guard.

His promotion comes after more than 30 years in the National Guard. He is now one of the highest ranking National Guard members to also serve as a Member of Congress. Congressman Stivers served the United States overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait, Iraq, and Djibouti where he was awarded the Bronze Star for leadership throughout the deployment.

We are proud to have him leading the National Guard soldiers who protect us at home and abroad.

Congressman Stivers, on behalf of the Ohio delegation and the citizens we represent, congratulations on this distinguished honor. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call Steve a colleague and Ohioan and a friend.

Mr. Speaker, on April 5, 2017, I was unavoidably absent due to a family medical emergency and missed roll call votes 217-220. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:

Roll call vote 217: On ordering the previous question: NAY

Roll call vote 218: On agreeing to the Resolution, H. Res. 242: NAY

Roll call vote 219: On Motion to Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair: NAY

Roll call vote 220: On final passage of H.R. 1304--Self-Insurance Protection Act: YEA

Mr. Speaker, over 50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act, landmark legislation which requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work.

Unfortunately, equal pay for equal work has not become a reality. In fact, women are paid between 79 and 80 cents for every dollar that men are paid for doing the exact same job. In fact, it takes women until tomorrow, April 4, to earn what men were paid in the previous year.

For women of color, the gap is even wider. In 2015, African-American women made 65 cents for every dollar earned by their White male counterparts. For Hispanic women, it is even worse. They earn 58 cents for every dollar earned by their White male counterparts.

Women pay a huge price because of the wage gap. Today, families rely increasingly on women's wages to make ends meet; and with less take- home pay, women have less money to cover the everyday needs of their family.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to right the wrong. Let's pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and send it to the President's desk for signature.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to TrumpCare and my strong support for the Affordable Care Act.

Since the ACA was enacted seven years ago, more than 20 million Americans have gained access to affordable and high quality health insurance, including nearly one million Ohioans.

We thought 129 million Americans with pre-existing conditions would be able to keep their health care coverage. We thought 105 million Americans would no longer have to worry about annual or lifetime limits. Yet, we are here today winding back the clock on all the progress we have made based on a bill that wasn't released to the public until last night.

What's the rush to pass a bill that affects so many people without letting the public view it? What's the rush to pass a bill that affects so many people without a new CBO score?

Mr. Speaker, we know that TrumpCare will cause Americans to pay more for less coverage. We know that TrumpCare will provide a massive tax cut to the super rich 400 families and leave the other 99.9 percent of people behind. We know that TrumpCare will cause 24 million Americans to lose their health insurance, including tens of thousands of my constituents in the Third Congressional District of Ohio. We know that TrumpCare will slash Medicaid funding by $880 billion. We also know that TrumpCare will put 13 million children, people with disabilities and adults just one emergency visit away from financial catastrophe.

Mr. Speaker, these cuts hurt people all across the country. TrumpCare will not make healthcare more affordable.

Democrats believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. I join my colleagues in fighting for affordable healthcare for all Americans. I will vote no, and urge all my colleagues to vote no as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the Universal Health Care Action Network, also known as UHCAN, for their energy and advocacy to protect the Affordable Care Act.

I was honored to join UHCAN in a town hall where we presented our message to men, women, families, and children from across central Ohio who were eager to organize. Do you know why? To save the health care for more than 22 million newly insured Americans, including nearly 1 million Ohioans, who gained coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

We heard personal stories, stories from Laura, Mindy, Rachel, and Kevin Rhodes--who was my guest at the joint session of Congress right here--on how the Affordable Care Act was saving their lives.

Mr. Speaker, yet, here we are tomorrow, on the seventh anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, preparing to repeal and replace it with Republican care; legislation which would push 24 million Americans off their healthcare coverage, and give massive tax breaks to 400 superwealthy families, while the rest of us, we pay more for less.

Mr. Speaker, I join my constituents and Americans across the country who oppose Republican care. Join me tomorrow and say ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of International Women's Day and to join the countless women across this Nation in participating today and, yes, dressed in red to celebrate our achievements of women across the world in many fields.

I stand with the women today to highlight the economic injustices women face: unequal pay, unpaid leave, gender discrimination, and the list

goes on. Oh, yes, to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Women are the primary breadwinners. Six out of 10 American women are paid only 80 cents on the dollar, and for women of color like me, 64 cents.

But today it is so important for us to say we are faced with the dangerous and irresponsible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which will once again make being a female a preexisting condition and take away access to free preventative services like mammograms and cervical cancer screening.

You should ask yourself: Why are they doing this markup without hearings? You should ask yourself: Why should families pay more? Why should those with disabilities and preexisting conditions pay more? Why should billionaires benefit more?

Stand with us women on International Women's Day.

Mr. Speaker, some would conclude that Black History Month comes to a close because we are at the end of February, but the Congressional Black Caucus wants the Nation to know that we are prepared to share our agenda all year long.

The Congressional Black Caucus comes to the House floor tonight to commemorate those brave men and women who came before us to fight for justice, equality, civil rights, and voting rights for all. These are men and women who shaped our Nation in the hope it would one day become a more perfect Union for all Americans, no matter their creed or color.

I want to thank our Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Congressman Cedric Richmond, and our Special Order Hour coanchors, Congresswoman Stacy Plaskett and Congressman Marc Veasey, my classmate, for hosting tonight's important discussion.

Mr. Speaker, you see, I grew up reading about soldiers of justice like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Nat Turner, Crispus Attucks, and so many more.

Then, Mr. Speaker, I lived through the legacy of legends and civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King, Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Fannie Lou Hamer, all heroes and sheroes that allowed me to stand on their shoulders, to stand with them to continue to fight for justice and equality.

Today, we stand up during Black History Month, as 49 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, 49 strong, making our place in American history as African Americans, members like the iconic Assistant Leader James Clyburn, who you will hear from tonight; Congressman John Lewis; Chairman Cedric Richmond; Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who serves as the ranking member on the prestigious Financial Services Committee; Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, the 21st national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Senator Kamala Harris, the second Black woman to serve in the United States Senate; Congresswoman Robin Kelly, chairwoman of our healthcare brain trust; and so many more who serve in Congress, and who served as mayors of cities, mayors like Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, and so many more.

You see, Mr. Speaker, we are a part of that history. We are fighting. And so I tell you, I end with one of my favorite quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr.: ``The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.''

Well, Mr. Speaker, it is clear that we are in a challenging time with the new Trump administration, and so I say to you, we are fighting, we are uniting in a movement to fight for our democracy.