Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Alice Mann for her dedicated service to Minnesotans and her commitment to improving the health and well-being of communities across our State.

She immigrated to Minnesota from Brazil as a child and has been a fierce champion of human rights her entire life.

Driven by her experiences with patients struggling to access affordable care, Dr. Mann ran for office and was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives where she championed policies to expand access to healthcare, lower costs, and improve outcomes for families.

After caring for patients during the pandemic, Dr. Mann returned to public service and was elected to the Minnesota Senate where she has been a leading voice on healthcare policy and the chief author of legislation establishing paid family and medical leave.

Her unwavering advocacy as a legislator and her dedicated care as a physician have changed the trajectory of many people's lives.

Dr. Mann is a dear friend to many, a devoted wife to her husband, Elliot, and a caring mother to Maxwell, Alexander, and Marcelo.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Minnesota, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Mann for her care of patients and her contributions to our State.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Supporting Ukraine

Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday, millions celebrated the work, love, and support mothers give to their children and families across the country.

There are so many ways, seen and unseen, that mothers show up for their families and care for their communities.

I know that I am incredibly grateful to my beloved mother and for the privilege of getting to be the mother to my three wonderful children.

Appropriately, Mother's Day also marked the beginning of National Women's Health Week. This provides the opportunity to highlight women's health, reflect on the progress we have made and the ongoing research we need, and to commit to the continued advancement of access, quality, and affordability in women's healthcare.

Advancing women's health and delivering the best possible care requires a strong collaboration between the many caregivers and entities that have built and continue the work of advancing women's healthcare.

One organization that has been an indispensable partner to all obstetrician/gynecologists in their quest to provide the best evidence- based care to their patients over the past 75 years is the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Over its 75-year legacy, ACOG has never wavered from its foundational mission of advancing the quality and consistency of care for women through guidance, education, and professional collaboration.

In the early years of its existence, ACOG set out to create evidence- based standards and develop opportunities for clinicians to continue their education.

Growing scientific progress and an expanding focus on women's health opened doors for the organization to serve as a leading voice as the Nation experienced historic advances, like the FDA's approval of the birth control pill and the Griswold v. Connecticut decision that established the right to privacy and, therefore, the right to use contraception, which had been illegal in Connecticut and many other States prior to this decision in 1965.

As these events established the policy landscape for women's health, ACOG continued its work standardizing prenatal and cancer screenings, introducing its own academic journal, and establishing the requirements to achieve high honors in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.

The landmark Roe v. Wade decision, as well as the establishment of the Title X program, which was the first Federal grant program in the United States dedicated to providing family planning and other preventive health services to low-income families, both elevated women's health further and supported ACOG's efforts to expand access to reproductive healthcare to all Americans, regardless of their ability to pay. They also amplified the importance of understanding the causes of maternal mortality and working to decrease it.

During this time, ACOG was at the forefront of building reliable, trusted programs that helped standardize evidence-based medicine, integrate cultural competency, and strengthen policy partnerships.

ACOG's role in women's health was also extended to helping protect the patient-physician relationship.

From the critical influence of the Doe v. Bolton decision, which was the companion case to Roe v. Wade in which the Supreme Court struck down burdensome procedural requirements that effectively made abortion completely inaccessible in Georgia, even if the patient's life or health were threatened, to the mobilization needed in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision in 2022, which overturned Roe.

ACOG serves as a trusted source for evidence-based guidance for care across the lifespan for patients and providers alike. Both turn to ACOG for information about critical topics, ranging from contraception, cancer screening, STI screening and treatment, obstetric care, best surgical practices and advances, nutrition, abortion care, vaccines, menopause care, and everything in between.

In its continued pursuit of advancing women's healthcare, ACOG has championed work to understand and address the systemic issues vulnerable women and populations face.

Through pioneering initiatives like the Committee on Healthcare for Underserved Women and the recognition that health is deeply impacted by factors beyond biology and clinical care, ACOG was an early leader in establishing opportunities for communities' lived experiences to be heard and incorporated into our understanding of disparities and how to address them.

As ACOG expanded its focus on reviewing and understanding the impact of systemic inequities and disproportionate burdens of maternal mortality in minority communities, ACOG continued its work of building robust and responsive clinical guidance and programming that centers respectful care and quality improvements.

During times of transformational advancements like the development and approval of the HPV vaccine, the Affordable Care Act, and historic investments in maternal death prevention efforts, ACOG has led and helped expand key collaborations and partnerships.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Pettersen).

Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Conaway).

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

Mr. Speaker, the last few years have brought unprecedented challenges and rapid change. During the COVID-19 pandemic and in the wake of the Dobbs decision, ACOG held strong to the foundational mission that has driven its work for decades, strengthening equitable, accessible obstetric and gynecologic care.

ACOG's presence and leadership during these pivotal moments for women's health and the profession they have represented over the last 75 years has helped translate the lifesaving scientific advances and give evidence-based guidance and stability to a profession that has, is, and will continue to be monumentally consequential to families across the country and in every congressional district.

Reflecting on the incredible progress of the last 75 years also brings to the forefront the importance of the work still left to build and expand.

Despite the incredible advances in women's health, challenges and obstacles to fully achieving the mission of equitable, accessible care remain.

An estimated 36 percent of counties in the United States are maternity care deserts, meaning they do not have a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care or any obstetric providers.

Two-thirds of these maternity care deserts are in rural areas that are also the most vulnerable to disruptions in services and hospital closures. Approximately 1.2 million women live in counties with only one OB/GYN.

By 2035, the estimates are that 44 U.S. States are projected to not have enough OB/GYNs to meet those States' needs with the most severe shortages being in rural areas.

Women in many communities are already traveling long distances to access prenatal care or to deliver safely in a hospital.

In the wealthiest country in the world, in a country built on the principles of human dignity and freedom, these alarming statistics can and should lead to a unified bipartisan effort to address them.

We have seen how the work and legacy of ACOG and its members have helped support historic achievements while upholding the core goals of access and quality of care.

Facing and overcoming persistent challenges demands a commitment to science and evidence-based practices for setting the standards for OB/ GYN care, for advocating for policies that advance the field, and empowering physicians to provide patients with the care they need all while building on each of these areas to inform continuing education opportunities, refine clinical guidelines, and continue the evolution of the field of obstetrics and gynecology.

Beyond navigating increasing administrative burdens, burnout, and workforce instability, OB/GYNs are having to deal with health and medical misinformation jeopardizing their work and their patients' well-being.

Patients are increasingly exposed to misinformation about contraception, fertility, pregnancy care, menopause, vaccines, and reproductive health.

This creates fear and confusion, undermines trust, delays treatment, imposes real risks to patients and families. That is why trusted scientific leadership matters.

ACOG and generations of physician-researchers have helped translate rigorous science into evidence-based care that improves outcomes for women across the lifespan. Throughout my career in medicine and public service, I have worked to support evidence-based approaches that deliver for families.

From championing expanding Medicaid coverage to 12-months postpartum in Minnesota to advocating for the reauthorization of the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act in Congress, I have advocated for advancing early intervention and prevention to save lives.

Healthy mothers, healthy babies, and healthy families strengthen communities, reduce long-term healthcare expenditures, and improve the long-term resilience of our Nation.

I had the privilege of caring for patients as an OB/GYN for more than 20 years, so I have seen firsthand the challenges patients face to afford and get the care they need.

I have seen the impacts of some of the medical breakthroughs and improvements to care that have occurred over the decades, and I have seen how social determinants of health make it so difficult for many Americans to have good health.

As an OB/GYN, I have seen my patients directly benefit from practices that were built on decades of research, clinical trials, and the dedicated work of multiple generations of my fellow OB/GYNs.

These advances were the result of hard-fought advocacy and awareness campaigns, committed work from researchers and physicians, and patient voices being centered and truly heard.

One of the great privileges of my years in practice was caring for my patients across different stages of their life. OB/GYNs see patients from adolescence through adulthood to end of life.

I have cared for patients that I delivered through to their own pregnancies, and I have cared for many through early adulthood, through midlife, through perimenopause and menopause, and beyond.

ACOG has been there every step of the way to provide evidence-based recommendations to help guide my and my patients' decisionmaking.

In the decades I have spent in this remarkable profession, it has been my sincere honor and privilege to provide the care my patients needed, from prenatal care through labor and delivery, to contraception, to hormone replacement therapy, from the exam room to the operating room, helping patients through important life stage transitions, creating care plans through shared decisionmaking, always working to meet patients where they are to meet their unique needs. ACOG has been a critical partner throughout my career and the careers of many thousands of OB/GYNs across the country.

In a rapidly changing world that is marked by advances in technology and access to an avalanche of information, not all of which is accurate, it is difficult for many of us to fully understand how drastically circumstances have changed for women and how transformational historic moments were to women's health and safety.

Younger generations of Americans and even some older Americans may not be able to recall a United States without protected access to birth control or an HPV vaccine.

My career as an obstetrician-gynecologist began at a time when foundational concepts in public health and clinical practice were better defined and elements critical to progress, like the right to privacy and the ability of women to make their own independent healthcare decisions, were protected.

In the last decade as women's health rights and protections have been threatened and eroded, I am thinking of my patients and of people across our country.

I am remembering my patients who disclosed, in some cases for the first time in their life, their traumatic experiences prior to the protections of Roe v. Wade.

I am thinking of my younger patients who worried about the possibility of losing protected access to abortion care as the Supreme Court ruled on the Dobbs case.

I am thinking about the babies I delivered protected by vaccines from preventable, life-threatening conditions and the mothers spared from complications because of comprehensive, evidence-based clinical guidelines and access to comprehensive care.

I would be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to remind everyone in this moment when access to mifepristone is threatened, the research on mifepristone has not changed. It has been an FDA approved medicine for a quarter of a century. It has been used safely and effectively by millions of women around the globe.

For my entire 20-year-plus career as an OB/GYN, mifepristone has been used to help women manage miscarriages and safely end pregnancy. Its safety record surpasses most over-the-counter medicines.

What has changed is the people in power. People with no medical training who want to undermine access to healthcare, control women's bodies, and ignore evidence-based science because of their own personal ideology.

Putting their desire to control and restrict women, women whose lives they know nothing about and who they will never meet, over facts and research and safety.

It sets a very dangerous precedent for us all.

As we celebrate the milestones of the last 75 years of ACOG, we also have a responsibility to face future challenges head-on, mindful of all that we have gained and conscious of what is being lost, unwaveringly committed to improving the lives of all people seeking care, their families, and their communities.

I offer a heartfelt thank-you to ACOG for 75 years of always standing with patients and physicians and for its ongoing work to improve healthcare and the health of our patients. Onward to the next 75.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 40 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak on the importance of the Ban Warehouse Detention Act.

The Trump administration wants to spend $40 billion for detention centers

to hold human beings. ICE is confining people in windowless rooms with metal bunk beds, a few metal tables, and toilets. This is where they stay all day and all night, sometimes for months.

Trump is planning to give $40 billion in taxpayer dollars to his megadonors and other private contractors to build and run more ICE detention centers that are literally killing people.

We must pass H.R. 8494, the Ban Warehouse Detention Act, because Americans across the country are standing up and saying, we don't want this.

From New Hampshire to New York, from Oklahoma to Tennessee, to my home State of Minnesota, when Americans find out about ICE's plans to buy massive industrial warehouses to hold nearly 100,000 human beings, they are flooding their city council meetings, putting pressure on their local officials, and demanding that these contracts be canceled. Across red States and blue States alike, Americans are saying that this is not what they want and this is not who we should be.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Tom Moe, a distinguished University of Minnesota student-athlete, administrator, and community leader whose contributions left a lasting impact on generations of Minnesotans.

Tom Moe was a standout multi-sport athlete for the University of Minnesota in the late 1950s, excelling in both football and baseball. He led the Gophers in receiving yards in 1958, was named the football team's Most Valuable Player in 1959, and was a member of the 1960 NCAA national championship baseball team.

Following his time as a student-athlete, Mr. Moe built a successful career in law and business, becoming a partner and later managing partner at Dorsey & Whitney, where he helped grow the firm into one of the largest in the Nation. He later returned to the University of Minnesota to serve as Director of the Men's Athletic Department, where he emphasized academic excellence and helped guide the successful merger of the men's and women's programs.

Mr. Moe also played a key role in laying the foundation for the return of on-campus Gopher football, ensuring future generations could experience the tradition and spirit of Minnesota athletics. His lifelong dedication to the University extended through his family, with his children and grandchildren continuing his legacy as student- athletes.

Throughout his life, Tom Moe exemplified leadership, integrity, and a deep commitment to his community. He will be remembered not only for his accomplishments, but for the lasting impact he made on the University of Minnesota and the many lives he touched.

On behalf of the people of Minnesota, I extend my deepest condolences to the Moe family and express our gratitude for Tom Moe's extraordinary life and legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Tom Moe, a distinguished University of Minnesota student-athlete, administrator, and community leader whose contributions left a lasting impact on generations of Minnesotans.

Tom Moe was a standout multisport athlete for the U, excelling in both football and baseball.

Following his time as a student-athlete, Mr. Moe built a successful career in law and business, becoming managing partner at Dorsey & Whitney where he helped grow the firm into one of the largest in the Nation.

He later returned to the U to serve as director of the men's athletic department where he emphasized academic excellence and helped guide the successful merger of the men's and women's programs.

His lifelong dedication to the U extended through his family, with his children and grandchildren continuing his legacy as student- athletes.

Throughout his lifetime, Moe exemplified leadership, integrity, and a deep commitment to his community. He will be remembered both for his accomplishments and for the lasting impact he made on the University of Minnesota and the many lives he touched.

On behalf of the people of Minnesota, I extend my deepest condolences to the Moe family and express our gratitude for Tom Moe's extraordinary life and legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as President Trump is preparing to deploy thousands of troops to the Middle East.

President Trump has no issue sending our sons and daughters overseas, putting their lives on the line for a war that no one asked for while decimating the care they receive when they come home.

He is gutting their healthcare, eliminating the positions of thousands of doctors and nurses, and making the severe staffing crises we are seeing at VA hospitals across the country even worse.

His massive cuts to healthcare in his so-called one big, beautiful bill put already strained hospitals that more than 700,000 servicemembers, their families, and veterans rely on at even greater risk of collapse.

This is not how we treat the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to defend our democracy and our freedom.

Deploying troops while destroying their benefits is a disgrace and a betrayal of our solemn duty to care for them when they come home.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to call out this body's betrayal of the American people.

The same week we learned that the Trump administration spent more than $11.3 billion on the first 6 days of the war in Iran alone, a survey found that one in three Americans are skipping meals, rationing medications, and delaying buying a home or having children because of the cost of healthcare in this country.

The United States of America is the richest country in the world. These are not decisions people should have to make, but they are the decisions people are being forced to make because the unchecked party in power is prioritizing spending billions of dollars on dropping bombs in foreign wars that no one asked for instead of doing anything to make life better or more affordable here at home.

In the richest country in the history of the world, Mr. Speaker, you should be able to afford to eat, to have kids, to have housing, and to get healthcare.

The people deserve a Congress who will fight for them.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with a resolution honoring the lives of Minnesota State House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who we lost to an unspeakable act of political violence last year.

Last week, the Minnesota House of Representatives convened for the first time in more than 20 years without Melissa's presence. This resolution is a celebration of Melissa's and Mark's lives and a commemoration of the legacy that they left behind.

Whereas, Melissa Hortman served her community and the State of Minnesota with humility, compassion, and perseverance;

Whereas, Mark Hortman was outgoing, caring, and genuine; a skilled professional; and deeply devoted to his family;

Whereas, when a politically motivated gunman took the life of Melissa Hortman, Minnesota lost a tireless public servant whose accomplishments distinguished her as one of the most consequential speakers in the history of the Minnesota House of Representatives;

Whereas, Hortman was a mother of two children, Colin and Sophie, and wife to husband Mark Hortman, who was killed alongside her;

Whereas, Melissa Hortman was a lifelong Minnesotan who was born, raised, and lived most of her life in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis;

Whereas, Mark Hortman was born and raised in North Carolina, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and lived in Minnesota for over 30 years;

Whereas, Melissa and Mark Hortman met while applying to be mentors in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program and were brought together through their shared devotion to serving others;

Whereas, Melissa Hortman was a lifelong learner who graduated from Blaine High School, Boston University, and the University of Minnesota Law School, then returned to school later in life to receive a master's in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School;

Whereas, Hortman was a devoted public servant who spent her life helping others, teaching Sunday school, serving as a Girl Scout leader, and training service dogs for veterans;

Whereas, one of Hortman's greatest loves was her family's golden retriever, Gilbert, who was adopted by the Hortmans after being deemed too friendly to be a service dog;

Whereas, Hortman began her career in public service as a lawyer suing discriminatory landlords, reaching a record-setting verdict in a housing discrimination lawsuit;

Whereas, Hortman demonstrated strength of character and perseverance in her determination to serve her community when she was victorious in her third run for the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004;

Whereas, Hortman went on to win reelection 10 consecutive times from 2006 to 2024 and was elected by her colleagues as minority leader in 2017 and speaker of the house in 2019;

Whereas, Hortman was the longest serving female speaker in Minnesota State history;

Whereas, Hortman was passionate about preventing gun violence, protecting reproductive healthcare, and leaving behind a better world for future generations by addressing climate change through investments in renewable energy;

Whereas, Hortman was proud to author Minnesota's solar standard and community solar law;

Whereas, Hortman led with humor and a calm and steady demeanor, emphasizing the importance of conversation and listening to one another and rejecting the idea that our political differences should prevent us from working together;

Whereas, Hortman respected and looked out for all members of her caucus, recognizing their duty to serve each of their unique constituencies while also holding them together to deliver for all Minnesotans one of the most productive legislative sessions in Minnesota's history;

Whereas, Hortman will be remembered for the crucial role she played in enacting legislation that allows Minnesotans to take time to care for their loved ones, ensures no student goes hungry, guarantees that every woman has the right to bodily autonomy, and upholds our democracy by protecting free and fair elections;

Whereas, Hortman led with humility and was quick to deflect recognition, allowing others to take the spotlight;

Whereas, Hortman recognized that true leaders do not bully and coerce; they listen and sacrifice, compromise while remaining true to their convictions, and inspire others to share in their vision of a better future; and

Whereas, this is a moment of mourning a great giant among Minnesota lawmakers;

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the House of Representatives honors the life of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman for her devotion and service to the people of Minnesota; honors the life of Mark Hortman for his devotion to his family and service to his community; honors the life of Gilbert Hortman for his devotion to Melissa, treats, and lying in the snow; honors the leadership of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, who led with kindness and compassion, passion and pragmatism, and conviction and respect; and honors the legacy of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman for her exemplary record in working through political differences through civil discourse and a shared desire to make Minnesota and her country a better place for the next generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and service of Minnesota State House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, whom we lost to an unspeakable act of political violence last year.

The Minnesota House of Representatives will convene next week for the first time in more than 20 years without Melissa's presence. She was the single longest serving female speaker in Minnesota State history.

She always led with a calm and steady demeanor, emphasizing the importance of conversation and listening to one another. She rejected the idea that our political differences should prevent us from working together, and she always encouraged us to focus on our shared desire to make our State and our country a better place for the next generation.

Melissa was a giant among Minnesota lawmakers and modeled leadership qualities that we all should emulate.

She recognized that true leaders do not bully and coerce. They listen and sacrifice, and they compromise while remaining true to their convictions. They lead with humility above all else.

I think of her mentorship and her example every day and call on my colleagues to honor her legacy by prioritizing civility and humility in our service and always striving to make our communities just a little bit better for someone else.

Mr. Speaker, Minnesotans are grieving the loss of two precious lives and enduring immeasurable community suffering due to the ill-advised policies of the Trump administration and the failed leadership of DHS under Kristi Noem.

Their systemic refusal to prioritize public safety and adhere to any semblance of due process in my home State of Minnesota has shown all of us that the trauma and suffering are very much intended consequences of their policies. Cruel indifference to constitutional rights and human dignity have become standard operating procedure for DHS.

There could be no more stark proof than the list of names behind us. It is consistent with the harrowing firsthand accounts that I have received directly from my constituents and individuals in DHS custody, and it is horrifically clear in the videos documenting the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

The impacts of these tragedies and aggressive operations continue to be felt every single day and are staunchly opposed because the people targeted are an inseparable part of the fabric of their communities.

Minnesotans are fiercely dedicated to protecting their communities. They see themselves in their neighbor--not because of a shared language or a shared place of birth but because they hold steadfast to their shared humanity and to the belief that every human being deserves to be treated with dignity.

Through a relentless commitment to freedom, community, and their constitutional rights, Minnesotans have exposed the charade of this administration's narrative. They are rejecting dehumanization and division in perilous circumstances, many at great personal risk and an immeasurable cost in the loss of Renee, Alex, and the 40 others listed here.

I join my fellow Minnesotans in calling for Operation Metro Search to end now. It is incumbent on every single one of us to honor their resilience, embrace their courage, and put an end to this senseless and preventable suffering in my community and in every community across this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my horror at what we are witnessing in Minnesota. Kristi Noem's DHS has been working with no oversight and no accountability. The irresponsibility and recklessness are costing human lives.

ICE is terrorizing our communities, indiscriminately racially profiling, using force against peaceful protesters, barging into people's homes without warrants, preventing doctors from treating their patients, blocking students from their classrooms, snatching children, elderly people, pregnant women, veterans, active military, and American citizens from our streets.

Republicans have been silent while this administration terrorizes people in communities and violates the rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution.

What will it take for the majority in this Congress to speak up? Where is your line?

Our communities deserve the dignity of safety and justice, not the cruelty of silence and complicity. You can stop this. Please stand up. Stand up for the Constitution, stand up for freedom, stand up for liberty, stand up for justice, and stand up for humanity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 6945.

The Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act is yet another Republican betrayal cruelly masked by a misleading title.

After spending the last few weeks threatening access to childcare support and doing literally nothing to help millions of Americans afford their healthcare, Republicans want to direct taxpayer dollars away from helping families afford necessities like food, rent, and childcare to crisis pregnancy centers that prey on vulnerable women seeking legitimate reproductive healthcare.

We have heard today that wonderful, caring people staff these crisis pregnancy centers, and I don't doubt that, but crisis pregnancy centers do not provide medical care, though they imply that they do. Crisis pregnancy centers are unregulated, deceptive, and dangerous.

As an OB/GYN myself for more than 20 years, I have seen far too many patients who have had, at best, confusing and, at worst, life- threatening experiences at crisis pregnancy centers. They don't serve patients. They serve the anti-abortion agenda.

Let me be clear: Every person has the right and deserves the dignity to make their own healthcare decisions, free from intimidation, deception, and coercion. At a time when our country has a shameful maternal and infant mortality crisis and is facing a worsening shortage of obstetricians, the so-called pro-life movement is focused not on helping women or supporting their families or delivering the IVF coverage the President promised; they are focused on denying women their reproductive rights and failing to deliver for American families.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand for women and families, for dignity and for freedom, and vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 140. This resolution would permanently allow copper sulfide mining in the watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Copper sulfide mining is the most toxic industry in America, and it is particularly ill-suited to water-rich environments because it acidifies the water. It leaches heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury into that water, which is part of the reason it has never been done in Minnesota before. Remember, Mr. Speaker, we are the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Minnesotans do not want a toxic mine on the watershed of the Boundary Waters. In fact, 70 percent of Minnesotans want permanent protection for the Boundary Waters, our State's crown jewel.

Antofagasta, owned by a Chilean billionaire who is a crony of President Trump's, is the foreign mining company that wants to extract minerals from this watery wilderness. They have contracts set up to send copper they extract to China for processing, and from there, it will be sold on the open market. Allowing a Chilean mining company to extract copper from our public lands, destroy the Boundary Waters, and send minerals to benefit billionaire owners and China will not protect our national security. Some sacred places should be off-limits from this kind of mining, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is clearly one of those places.

Mr. Speaker, remember too that 22,000 outdoor recreation jobs and the $13.5 billion outdoor recreation economy in Minnesota will all be in serious jeopardy if this resolution passes. The Boundary Waters is a national treasure, the most visited wilderness area in the United States. There is no place like it on Earth, and once it is destroyed, it will be gone forever.

Like many Minnesotans, people around the country and the world, my husband and I have paddled and camped with our kids on the Boundary Waters every year since they were small. We share magical and life- changing memories from our adventures there that we all cherish. Preserving this wilderness for future generations should be our goal, not its destruction.

This resolution is an existential threat to our beloved Boundary Waters. I implore my colleagues to reject this resolution. Mr. Speaker, you have the opportunity to stand up for public lands and the Boundary Waters and prevent the inevitable water, air, noise, light, and land pollution that will destroy this unique wilderness.

Madam Speaker, thousands of Minnesotans and millions of Americans are facing unaffordable healthcare costs. Because of their cruelly named One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Speaker Johnson's refusal to act, the Republican majority is creating a healthcare crisis that will literally dismantle American public health.

Americans are being forced into crushing medical debt, are in danger of losing their closest hospital, clinic, or emergency room.

As a doctor, I worry for the patients delaying their care and for clinics and hospitals already struggling to meet the needs of their community.

As a Minnesotan, I am heartbroken for my State. Minnesotans have suffered immeasurable loss following the tragedies of recent months.

The Trump administration's reckless actions and deliberate inaction from Republicans in Congress jeopardize the operation and availability of facilities that are the first site of care in the most tragic circumstances.

I have a responsibility to be abundantly clear, Madam Speaker. The consequences of inaction and ignoring hospitals, doctors, patients, and your own constituents will be catastrophic. The price of failing to deliver affordable healthcare isn't losing elections. It is real human suffering and American lives.