Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, about a year ago, it was 4 a.m. in the morning when I got a call from the West Palm Beach paramedics. They had received a call from my mother's Apple watch-- believe it or not--and they rushed to her apartment, and they found her lying on her apartment floor. She had fallen and broken her hip.

I stayed close as she suffered through surgery and hospitalization and rehabilitation. I counted the endless medical bills paid by Medicare and her own personal funds. I watched as my independent mom became fearful of living alone and moved into an assisted living facility.

Mr. Speaker, I will say, there is some very good news about my mom, she is alive and well and adapting to her new lifestyle. She uses a walker and aging has reduced her stamina, but her bridge partners will tell you she still has a very sharp mind.

Listen to this. Her surgeon told me her recovery at her age, which was 96 at the time of the fall, was an exception, that most her age, after a brutal injury, quickly sundown to death.

Mr. Speaker, you may ask why am I telling this story? Because tomorrow is the first day of fall, and not only are the leaves turning, but it marks the start of Fall Prevention Awareness Week, a nationwide effort to raise awareness that falls are preventable, and also, to bring awareness to fall prevention strategies and resources.

Mr. Speaker, after my mom fell, I started hearing story after story from friends and colleagues about their own personal experiences of people who had fallen, and you know what I learned? Falls are the most frequent cause of injuries and injury-related death among people over 65.

There are 36 million falls a year in people over 65 here in America, leading to broken bones and broken spirits, and 34,000 of those becoming deadly. The cost--this is an amazing figure--the cost to the American health system is $50 billion a year from injuries related to falls. That is billion with a b.

Here is the most important message I have today: Falls are preventable. I am going to say it again: Falls are preventable. There are simple things that seniors can do with assistance from their doctors and their family and their friends and caretakers to stop the falls before they happen.

Here are some of the top tips from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Make sure that medications don't have side effects that can cause dizziness or loss of balance, stay hydrated, get eyes checked every year. And because most falls happen in the home, make critical changes like installing grab bars, clearing tripping hazards, and make sure that the rugs are flat on the floor. If necessary, use mobility aids like walkers and canes, when needed, even in your own home.

There are also simple exercises that seniors can do to improve joint strength, especially in the ankles, to help improve balance and stability.

I am pleased to say, Mr. Speaker, that the House Labor, Health, and Human Services' budget plusses up fall prevention research and programs in the 2023 budget. I am hoping that the Senate will go along with that.

Mr. Speaker, I call on all my colleagues to recognize this week as Fall Prevention Awareness Week and help me spread the word: Falls are preventable. It is on all of us to keep our loved ones on their feet.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Morgan Routman and Alexander Hill on the occasion of their marriage. Morgan has been an important member of my team for three years, starting as a Communications Assistant and now an exceptional Communications Director.

Morgan, at age 15 from Florida, and Alex, at age 15 from Maryland, met ten years ago at Kutz, a leadership camp for reform Jewish teens. One thousand miles apart, they spent their high school years dating long distance making sure they were together for special moments like proms.

After high school, they both attended George Washington University in D.C., allowing their relationship to grow stronger and stronger. After graduation, they moved in together and added Bourbon, a sweet Pitbull, to their family.

On August 17, 2022, they celebrated their wedding in Boudy de Beauregard, France with close friends and family. Morgan called it the best day of her life.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending best wishes to Morgan and Alex, wishing them happiness and blessings in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Speier for yielding, and for her great leadership on this issue and so many that affect our women in the military.

I also want to start with a shout out to Congressman Takano and Congresswoman Brownley for their work on getting veterans the healthcare they need.

Madam Speaker, I join Congresswoman Speier and millions of Americans who believe that a woman should be able to make her own decision about her reproductive care, her life, and her future. And here is the thing: Abortion is healthcare, and the decision to seek an abortion is deeply personal. It is a decision that should be made by a woman with her doctor, or with people she trusts, not by politicians, not by the Governors, not by a State legislature, people who have no insight into her circumstance.

Today, we are taking the opportunity to focus on the importance of reproductive freedom for members of our military.

I believe, as the gentlewoman pointed out, there are over 200,000 Active-Duty women servicemembers that serve our Nation, 80,000 residing in the over 100 military bases in this country; bases dominated by men. Most of these women are young; they are fresh out of high school or college; they have never been away from home, and they have hopes and dreams, and they are filled with pride and excitement. Sadly, they are entering an environment where sexual assault is rampant.

Just ask Sarah, who was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. This was just a few years ago. She was raped at a party attended by military personnel. At that point, in those days, she was able to opt for an abortion, and she was able to drive. She had been at Fort Hood, Texas, and she was able to drive to a Planned Parenthood nearby.

But now that the Republican-controlled Supreme Court has made a dastardly--that is sort of a polite way to express it--dastardly decision to restrict access to abortion, what would be the option for Sarah, or any of the women stationed on American bases where the States have either banned or restricted abortion?

I have a similar map to the one Representative Speier showed. So the dark color--where there are dark colors on the State, I will call it red. I am going to call it ``magna'' red, the ``magna'' red States. And those are States that either have banned, or are restricting, or severely restricting, or in the process of restricting access to abortion. There are about 27 of those in this country.

Take a look. Those little dots, black dots, they represent the military bases in this country. Just take a look.

I am going to have to, Madam Speaker, move to my map. What if you are in a base--if you were based deep in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, even in Florida, where do you go? Where do you go? The map tells the story.

So we know that Sarah would have had to drive 9 hours, 9 hours from Fort Hood, just to get to New Mexico.

Make no mistake, Madam Speaker. Make no mistake, that the Republican- appointed Supreme Court, the ``magna'' Republican State legislatures, have declared a war on women.

So here we are today saying this: Our patriotic women, they leave their homes, their family, and their friends, to serve our country. They signed up to be pilots and engineers and medics, not to have a forced pregnancy forced by ``magna'' Republicans.

We trust them with Black Hawks, with firearms, logistics. We must trust them to make their own medical decisions about their lives and give them access to the healthcare they deserve.

They are standing up for our freedom, and we must stand up for theirs.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Darcy J. Davis, a distinguished health care advocate, to congratulate her on being named to Florida's Top 100 Women-Led Businesses by the Commonwealth Institute of Florida. For more than 30 years, Darcy has empowered women by promoting gender equity and diversity within the health care system, and she is among the 15 percent of health care CEOs nationwide who are women.

As CEO of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, Darcy has ensured that the residents of our county have access to comprehensive primary care, specialty care, and dental services. The Health Care District serves such an important role in our community, often assisting those without insurance, and has administered over 200,000 COVID-19 vaccinations throughout the pandemic.

Darcy also serves our community as a member of the America's Essential Hospitals' Strategic Planning Committee, the United Way of Palm Beach County's Hunger Relief Advisory Council, and the County's Sober Home Task Force. She has received several other awards and has been honored by the Palm Beach County Medical Society as a ``Hero in Medicine''.

Darcy's dedication to health care access and her service to the people of South Florida is truly admirable. I am proud to celebrate her today and wish her continued success.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 403.

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Babin (Weber (TX))

Bass (Neguse)

Blumenauer (Beyer)

Bourdeaux (Correa)

Boyle, Brendan F. (Neguse)

Bush (Bowman)

Carter (LA) (Neguse)

Carter (TX) (Weber (TX))

Cherfilus-McCormick (Neguse)

Crist (Wasserman Schultz)

DeSaulnier (Beyer)

Evans (Beyer)

Gosar (Gaetz)

Green (TN) (Fleischmann)

Guthrie (Barr)

Huffman (Neguse)

Jones (Beyer)

Joyce (PA) (Keller)

Kahele (Correa)

Kirkpatrick (Pallone)

Levin (MI) (Correa)

McBath (Bishop (GA))

McNerney (Pallone)

Meeks (Velazquez)

Moore (WI) (Beyer)

Rice (SC) (Meijer)

Ruppersberger (Trone)

Rush (Bishop (GA))

Sires (Pallone)

Stevens (Kuster)

Stewart (Crawford)

Taylor (Weber (TX))

Thompson (CA) (Beyer)

Vargas (Correa)

Walorski (Banks)

Williams (GA) (Neguse)

Wilson (SC) (Norman)

Madam Speaker, my, my. Mark my words. The Supreme Court's decision to dismantle abortion was just the start of extreme unnecessary intrusion of our personal lives by Republicans.

Next on their list? Limit the right to buy and use the birth control that give women the ability to plan their families.

Listen to this: This is not imaginary. This is happening right now. Madam Speaker, I was in the room during committee debate when Republicans tried to go back to the horse-and-buggy days of birth control.

On birth control counseling, condoms only, they said, say no to even the mention of medically approved contraception like implants and IUDs. Really? That is crazy, and that is why we need to pass this bill right now, the Right to Contraception Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Larson, for spearheading this fight to keep Social Security secure.

It is hard to believe that Republicans actually want to stop the program in 5 years so they can reassess. I tell you, that is big trouble. It is big trouble if they do that for the millions and millions of Americans who depend on Social Security; 4.5 million, Mr. Larson who live in the State of Florida.

Our workers spend their lives working hard for these benefits, and so don't they deserve when they retire to make sure that they have enough money to see that their bills are paid? That is why the Social Security 2100 Act is so important.

It is going to improve a needed bump to the cost of living. It is going to provide a special benefit for low-wage earners, folks like waitresses and custodians, nurses' aides, people who are important to our economy.

This is a big deal. It is a big deal, especially for the retirees who depend on Social Security to cover their everyday expenses. Just ask Alice from my hometown, who was a housekeeper her entire life. She worked 40 hours a week until she turned 65. She is earning $923 a month on Social Security. Her rent just increased to a whopping $855 a month. That is not sustainable. That is not right. That is not what America is about. No one who has worked hard their entire life should retire into poverty.

I am proud to join my colleagues, overwhelming support from Democrats for the Social Security 2100 Act. It has got the updates we need to keep this critical program working now and for the future.

Let me just say, the timing of this bill could not be more urgent.

Madam Speaker, my, my, my, here we go again--or should I say to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--lie, lie, lie.

The United States Supreme Court has dismantled access to legal abortion giving the very, very personal decision concerning a person's reproductive health, their life and future to strange politicians.

Now, Republicans across the country and in Congress are moving full steam ahead toward their dark and extreme goal of a nationwide abortion ban that will throw doctors into jail, force children to bear children, lead to tragic deaths, and life-changing hardships for people in our country.

That is why I rise in support of the Women's Health Protection Act that will facilitate access to legal abortion care regardless of a person's ZIP Code.

Let me warn everyone that the Republican agenda includes even more drastic intrusions into our personal lives--banning legal abortion is just the start. We will fight back.

Madam Speaker, a Supreme Court, out of touch with the American people,

says that State legislatures can ban abortions and give our most important personal decisions to politicians, and Republicans are on a mission to do just that.

Madam Speaker, my, my, my, their plans are getting crazier and more extreme by the minute. Listen to this: National anti-abortion groups and their allies, Republican allies in State legislatures, are scheming to stop people in States where abortions are banned from seeking the procedure elsewhere.

As we speak, there is a proposal in Missouri, a State that bans abortion, that would allow private citizens to sue anyone that helps a Missouri resident have an abortion in another State.

They are going to punish doctors, Uber drivers, spouses, and the rest just for helping a woman who is getting the healthcare that she needs. We stop that today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Thomas H. Corey, a decorated Vietnam War Veteran and beloved advocate for veteran's rights. Sergeant Corey passed away at the age of 77, on June 6, 2022, in Jupiter, Florida, due to complications from injuries sustained during the Vietnam War.

Sergeant Corey served as a U.S. Army combat infantryman and squad leader in Vietnam. In January 1968, in Quang Tri Province, he was shot in his spinal cord while engaging the enemy, leaving him paralyzed and quadriplegic. For his service and heroism, Sergeant Corey was awarded the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

After medically retiring, Sergeant Corey relocated to West Palm Beach, Florida in 1972 and joined the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), beginning his decades-long career as an advocate for our nation's veterans. In 1981, he founded VVA's Palm Beach County Chapter 25, which was renamed in his honor in 1991.

Sergeant Corey would go on to serve as VVA's National President and vowed, ``to speak up for those veterans without a voice.'' He fought for mandatory funding for veterans' health care and services because he believed that ``to deny adequate funding for quality health care and other services is to violate a sacred trust with the nation.''

Sergeant Corey also traveled back to Vietnam more than a dozen times as a representative of the VVA's Veterans Initiative Task Force to meet with his former enemy, and work together in search of the remains of Americans and Vietnamese who lost their lives during the war. He simultaneously ran the Vietnam Veterans Peace Initiative where he spearheaded the building of a maternal health clinic in Vietnam to provide medical support to victims of Agent Orange attacks.

Sergeant Corey dedicated his life to fighting for veterans and improving access to quality health care. His work has touched the lives of generations of veterans and their families. I am proud to honor him today and express my condolences to his family, friends and to our entire community for the enormous void he leaves behind. May his memory be a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and to my colleagues for their articulate words today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with great pride as we move forward with a bipartisan bill to award the last living Nuremberg prosecutor, a prosecutor against Nazi criminals, Mr. Benjamin Ferencz, awarding him the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress' highest expression of appreciation for distinguished achievements.

In this day of partisan conflict, this is a rare show of bipartisanship with 296 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. Mr. Ferencz is 102 years old, and to this day, is a tireless advocate for the rule of law and international justice. I have met Mr. Ferencz because I am blessed to say he is my constituent in Del Ray Beach, Florida, and he remains very alert and very humble.

My colleagues have said it, and I am going to quickly repeat a little of his history.

Mr. Ferencz emigrated to the United States with his family--he was only 10 months old--to escape the persecution of Jews in Eastern Europe. He grew up in New York City, eventually earning degrees from City College and Harvard Law School before serving in the Army during World War II.

He enlisted under General Patton before being transferred to a newly created war crimes unit to help collect evidence of Nazi war crimes. He would enter concentration camps and come face to face with the horrors of the Nazi regime's systematic murder of millions of Jews.

He once said: ``Even today, when I close my eyes, I witness a deadly vision I can never forget--the crematoria aglow with the fire of burning flesh, the mounds of emaciated corpses stacked like cordwood waiting to be burned. I had peered into hell.''

After the war, he was honorably discharged and awarded five battle stars for his service. And that is when he was recruited for his most notable role, chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg trial, that was later called the biggest murder trial in history. At age 27, it was his first case, and yet, he rose to the occasion, reminding the courtroom and the world that this was a case that dealt with our humanity.

And in his closing statement, he concluded about the Nazis on trial: ``Death was their tool and life their toy.'' And if they were found innocent: `` . . . then law has lost its meaning and man must live in fear.'' Not only did his words ring true in the courtroom, where all 22 Nazis officials he prosecuted were brought to justice, they resonated around the world and have been quoted time and time again when the international community rallies to decry crimes against humanity.

Nearly 80 days after the conclusion of these trials, we meet here during Jewish American History Month, after having just celebrated Israel's Independence Day and observing Yom HaShoah, the day set aside for Jews to remember the Holocaust. It is important to recognize we are still fighting the ongoing battle against racism, anti-Semitism, and Holocaust denial in this country and around the world, as we witness in horror the inhumanity of Putin's war on Ukraine.

So the timing of this bill has never been more important because Mr. Ferencz inspires us to stand up to the cruel barbarians of this world. Mr. Ferencz said it best: ``Nuremberg taught me that creating a world of tolerance and compassion would be a long and arduous task.'' His lifelong philosophy of ``law not war'' and ``never give up'' was quoted recently by Ukraine's Ambassador.

Today, in bipartisan fashion, we are going to recognize this magnificent man, committed to justice, peace, and human dignity with the Congressional Gold Medal.

My, my, my, Madam Speaker. Here we go again.

I thank my friend from Texas for yielding. I keep saying that I think Texas and Florida, we are in the race, the race for the worst. I don't know who is winning that one.

But like the gentlewoman, those of us in Florida, we have been stuck in an unfortunate situation, battling with a State government that is actively harming the people they are supposed to protect and it is especially true when it comes to abortion care.

They call us the so-called Freedom State. We are the Freedom State, which means that the Republican legislature and the Governor believe they have the freedom to deny people the freedom to make one of life's most personal decisions, and that is whether to bring a child into the world.

Madam Speaker, I remember the days before Roe v. Wade, and I was 15 years old, and I--literally, one of my friends was missing for a day, so I went looking for her and I found her in a bed covered with blood. And what had happened is she had had a back-alley abortion, nearly died. We got her to the hospital in time, but how I wish she could have gone and gotten proper care. That is just an example.

Here's the thing. You can have all the laws you want to outlaw abortion. You are not going to stop abortion. All these laws do are try to stop illegal abortion, and they unfairly burden the people with the least amount of money, because if you are wealthy you find a place where you can get a safe abortion.

But I want to say, I really come to this as a mother, and as a grandmother. Those who know me know that I--and my grandchildren call me Lolo. I come to this as a Lolo. Really, it is the best part of my life. What a blessing my son is to me and my two grandchildren.

But I also know the responsibility. I know the responsibility, which really brings us to why we are here today because, whether or not to bring a child into the world, as I mentioned, I think is one of the most important personal decisions that a person makes.

They shouldn't have to call their Congressperson, their Governor, their State legislature.

So tonight, I want to thank the gentlewoman because we are recognizing those people that we know in our community who have really been advocates or providers for the healthcare that people deserve and need.

So I am going to recognize two courageous leaders from my home State of Florida, champions for women's access to full healthcare, not just abortions, which should be part, but all kinds of care. And they are Lillian Tomayo and Mona Reis.

And like the gentlewoman's advocates that she talked about tonight, they are fighting against, they have been fighting against an unending tide of terrible State laws that try to undermine reproductive freedom.

And once again, once again, this time we are following Texas, we are on the cusp of enacting a dangerous restrictive abortion ban, which is a ban on abortion after 15 weeks that is now awaiting our Governor's certain signature.

But for decades, Lillian and Mona, in their own capacities, have fought hard for reproductive freedom in our State. For more than 20 years, Lillian has been advocate for women, teens, the LGBTQ community as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida.

And Mona Reis is the founder of the Presidential Women's Center in Palm Beach County. She ran that for about 40 years, and she faced threats, arson.

There was a period of time, even today, abortion providers are under danger. Some have even been murdered.

But both have persisted. They have persisted to make sure our underserved communities have access to the healthcare that they need. And they have been essential in providing access to reproductive care, and the freedom that people deserve in our State.

Each are going on a new journey, but they leave a legacy of unrelentless pursuit of reproductive freedom. I say thank you to Mona and to Lillian.

Mr. Speaker, I am very excited to be supporting this bill today. The gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon) did a great job with the biographies of these two incredible women, Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, our first two women on the United States Supreme Court.

I am thinking back to my childhood. It is not that easy to think back to my childhood, but I am thinking back to my childhood, and probably one of the most exciting things that I did was a family trip with my parents and my brother to the Capitol. Now when I think back, and coming through the Capitol and seeing all those statues, I must have wondered as a child, did women do anything? It is just amazing, of the 266 statues here in the Capitol, only 14 are women. To me that is crazy. It is just crazy.

We are honoring these two Supreme Court Justices not just because they are women. I am not going to go through their biographies again, but think about it. They went through their careers at a time when there was no Title IX, there was no equal pay, there were limitations on how many women could actually get into law school, and then if you did get into law school--because I was in law school back in the day when there weren't a lot of us--you were bullied. I mean, you were bullied in the classroom. Their achievement is absolutely remarkable.

I am very proud that future generations are going to come through these Halls, and they are going to see representations of these two women. Millions of children from all over the country and all over the world--because we are opening up, I hope soon, as we pass COVID--can be inspired, and I cannot wait. I cannot wait to bring my two little grandsons so they can see that the girls can do it, too.

Just to add, this is a bipartisan bill. I am proud to be one of the sponsors here in the House. Women did this together, but we thank the gentlemen for being on board.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Lillian Tamayo, a distinguished local health care advocate, on her recent retirement. For more than 20 years, Lillian has been a champion for women, teens, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community across South Florida. She worked tirelessly to increase their access to and awareness of quality affordable health care services.

As President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida, Lillian expanded the organization's reach to eight of the state's most diverse counties and broadened its services to historically overlooked groups. One of the most successful initiatives that she led, La Promesa, engaged Latina women who were previously underserved in South Florida.

During the most difficult times in the abortion movement, Lillian stood strong and fearlessly led in the fight for reproductive freedom. She advocated in federal court to block past Florida laws designed to limit abortions. Lillian also fought to extend health services and counseling options to South Florida teens and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. As a result of her advocacy, Planned Parenthood is now a judgement-free zone where young people can go to receive HIV and STI screenings, hormone therapy, discuss birth control options, and receive mental health counseling.

Lillian's dedication to health care access and education is truly admirable. Her work has created a space in which women and men across Florida can feel safe for years to come. I am proud to celebrate her today and wish her the very best on her retirement.

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

Madam Speaker, this month is Women's History Month. I think you are making history, Madam Speaker, today, one of the youngest women ever to be elected from California and, actually, in the country. Women are making history.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be here. Hopefully, we are going to have a few more speakers here today, but I do want to start.

I am going to take a page out of the book of our great First Lady, Jill Biden. I attended a ceremony over at the White House where she and the President celebrated Women's History Month. And she started out with a salute, I think, to--if you could think of anybody who you want to give a shout out to, she gave it to her own mother. And I am going to start with that too because, you know, most of our mothers, they are not very famous, and it is not like they made history.

But the fact of the matter is, moms are probably the most influential people in the world. In fact, if you ever go to an event where someone is being honored, who is the first person they thank? It is their mother.

So I am going to start this Women's History Month with my remarks by thanking my mother, Dorothy Frankel--and let me just say this--who has inspired me in every way, and now, at 96 years old, with--I would say with a mind better than mine--maybe that is not saying much, but with her full faculties and the energy to live.

I want to say thank you, mom, like all the other moms who give us the unconditional love and the support, whether the sun is shining or the rain is raining.

So today, I think we have some other people here. Before I continue my remarks, I want to yield to a very special friend.

We talk about making history. I am going to yield to one of the most dynamic Members of the House of Representatives. She is from Texas. She has got her hands full. I mean, I will tell you what: I don't know whether it is more difficult today being from Texas or from Florida, I think our Governors are in some kind of contest with each other. But I am going to yield to the amazing gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Speaker, this Representative is going to go down in history as one of the most articulate fighters for justice we have ever seen. I give her a special congratulations for all the work she did on the Violence Against Women Act that was celebrated today.

Madam Speaker, I recognize another historic woman who is very prolific. I will highlight just a couple of things.

She brought to this venue the #MeToo movement. She has been the champion in changing military law to protect people from sexual violence. And she is my co-chair of the Women's Caucus. And I could go on and on.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the State of California (Ms. Speier).

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Speier. I will tell you what, it is really hard to follow those remarks. I think all of us--all Americans--really all people around the world who have been following the brutality of Putin's war, our hearts are breaking. I thank the gentlewoman for highlighting the special plight of the women.

As I said, it is almost hard to talk about anything after that, but I do want to say this. For about 200 years women have been fighting for rights, for rights that White men and then eventually Black men had, but we are still fighting for them.

I was just thinking back to my own childhood--and probably your childhood, too. They had limits on how many girls could get into law school or medical school; there were no sport scholarships available. If you were a married woman, you could only get credit in your husband's name. Abortion was illegal. Equal pay was not even a concept. We did finally get the right to vote after women were arrested and chained themselves to the White House.

So if you look back in history, we have been fighting very hard to get our rights. I want to thank Representative Jackson Lee, she has highlighted some of the victories over the years and some of the women who led the way, whether it was with Title IX or Roe v. Wade, or the bill that was just celebrated today by the President, the Equal Pay Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act. A lot has been done, but, wait, they are all in jeopardy.

It is just shocking that after all these years of fighting, every one of these rights are in jeopardy, including the right to vote, which is why--and I know my colleagues here would agree--we must have an equal rights amendment. We must have inscribed in the U.S. Constitution equality for men and women that cannot be changed at the whim of a political body.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Speaker, I would just say that it is a joy to be on the floor with Representative Jackson Lee. I thank the gentlewoman very, very much. She makes my job very easy.

Madam Speaker, I yield again to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).

I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership. She will be missed. I know she will go on to bigger and better things. She has made her mark in the history of this country for sure.

I want to thank my colleagues, Sheila Jackson Lee and Jackie Speier, for coming to the floor. They gave us a great education tonight, and I appreciate that.

I will conclude, Madam Speaker, the way I started, which is I thank all those millions and millions of unknown women who lift us up every day, who dry our tears, and who share our happiness with that unconditional love, and those are our mothers who are probably, as I said, the most influential part of the history of the world.

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